Frequently Bought Together
Technical Details
- A2DP streams music, podcasts, GPS and more
- Plantronics Vocalyst voice and text services
- Enhanced voice alerts for added convenience
- iPhone headset battery meter
- Dual-mic AudioIQ2 noise cancellation
Product Details
Would you like to give feedback on images? |
Product Description
Amazon.com
Delivering premium sound quality, comfort, and hands-free convenience, the Plantronics Voyager PRO+ improves on the award-winning audio and design of the Voyager PRO. Thanks to A2DP technology, you can now listen to your favorite music and podcasts through your headset, and also stream GPS directions from your mobile device. Additionally, you can take advantage of Plantronics Vocalyst voice and text services, which allow you to manage your email, check the weather, and listen to news.
|
Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset
Enjoy hands-free conversations and stream GPS directions from A2DP-enabled phones. View larger.
Stainless-steel mic screens, acoustic fabrics, and electronic filters block wind noise.
View larger.
View larger.
Stream Music and More Using A2DP Technology
The Plantronics Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset enables you to stream music, podcasts, GPS directions, and other audio from your A2DP-enabled mobile phone. Full-spectrum audio comes through at comfortable sound levels that adjust to the noise of your surroundings.
Noise-Blocking Features for Clear, Crisp Calls
The Voyager PRO+'s advanced dual-mic AudioIQ2 technology is designed to block background noise while retaining the natural sound of your voice for crisp, clear phone conversations. In addition, the microphone's three-layer WindSmart technology blocks intrusive wind noise, using stainless-steel mic screens, acoustic fabrics, and electronic filters.
One-Year Free Subscription to Vocalyst
The Voyager PRO+ package includes a free, one-year subscription to Plantronics Vocalyst (service in USA only), which provides you with a variety of voice and text services that you can access directly from the headset. With Vocalyst, you can use simple voice commands to have your emails, text messages, or Twitter feed read aloud to you, and even send text replies while you're listening. You can also check the weather and listen to news--hands-free. And if you want to record a reminder for yourself, Vocalyst can send it to you as an audio email.
NOTE: Vocalyst's email services are supported by Gmail, AOL, and Yahoo. The text feature works with Blackberry and Android smart phones.
Voice and Visual Alerts
Enhanced voice alerts such as "phone connected," "low battery," "talk time X hours," and "pairing" take out the guesswork of managing calls or keeping track of the headset's battery level. Additionally, built-in software enables you to monitor the headset's battery level on your iPhone.
Lightweight, Durable Design
Made with soft, flexible materials, the Voyager PRO+ features a lightweight yet durable construction that has been comfort-tested for extended wear.
Connect to Two Bluetooth-Enabled Devices
Multipoint technology enables you to connect the headset to two Bluetooth-enabled devices--for instance, a work phone and a personal phone. The headset's powerful battery provides up to six hours of talk time and five days of standby time.
The Plantronics Voyager PRO+ is backed by a one-year limited warranty.
Get the most from your Plantronics headset with apps for Android
One touch conference call connection
InstantMeeting automatically identifies conference calls and dialing details from your calendar, reminds you just before the meeting is scheduled to begin, and, with one touch, connects you to your conference call.
What's in the Box
Voyager PRO+ Bluetooth Headset, USB cable, and AC adapter.
Product Description
Delivering premium sound quality, comfort, and hands-free convenience, the Plantronics Voyager PRO+ improves on the award-winning audio and design of the Voyager PRO. Thanks to A2DP technology, you can now listen to your favorite music and podcasts through your headset, and also stream GPS directions from your mobile device. Additionally, you can take advantage of Plantronics Vocalyst voice and text services, which allow you to manage your email, check the weather, and listen to news.
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
687 of 707 people found the following review helpful
By S. Lam
Amazon Verified Purchase
Let me start by saying i've owned a lot of high end BT headsets, Plantronics Voyager Pro, Plantronics 975, Blueant T1, Parrot B250XT, Parrot Xpressway, and some cheaper Chinese Brands like the Gblue and Bluedio.
I was ISO the perfect headset that balances look, fit, sound, and also has A2DP. I find no matter how much technology, or how fancy the name of the technology, there's substitution for a mic that gets closer to the mouth. The best phone only headset i've ever owned is the Parrot B250XT, but the thing looks like I'm taking drive thru orders at McD's (but it works as well as the ones you see coaches wear at football games).
This headset seems to be the best balance of everything.
Call me a geek but here's my LAB TEST. I used a 2nd phone using a wired sound isolation headset, put it on mute, and called my HTC EVO Bluetoothed to the Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus.
I started with complete silence. The headset works great. I can actually WHISPER and it picks up. This is great because I'm fairly soft spoken so at my lower than normal conversation voice it picks up great, sounds like i was talking right into the phone.
Then I added noise. I turned on the TV on an average volume and stood in front of it. I can definitely hear every word of the TV. But if I talked at a normal voice, my voice totally overpowered the TV sound and I was completely audible. If i walked about 6 feet away from the TV, the TV sound started to get warbled and much more quiet. I think this is more typical as I normally sit about 6 feet from the TV. I can now talk at low to normal and the I can hear myself great. I turned the TV to very high volume to simulate being outside. It UNFORTUNATELY picks up everything on the TV, but if I spoke, my voice was much louder than the TV.
Now I try Wind. You can put all the shiny foil you want on it, it's not going to work as well as foam like on a boom mic. I put my small vornado fan on low. The wind noise was VERY noticeable. I started to NOT hear any noise after I was about 6 feet away. I tried turning my head to change the angle of the wind, didn't seem to make a difference. That wind was about equivalent to a light breeze. However, it's a consistent breeze, probably unrealistic. But even if I talked at normal volume, my voice would still overpower the wind noise, it was just annoying.
Okay, here's my REAL WORLD TEST. I have to thank my girlfriend as I must have asked her 100 times "can you hear that?" I walked from my quiet street down a busy street, bought a few things at the supermarket, and walked back. Basically, I spoke at a normal volume the whole time, I didn't have to talk loud at all, she heard me the whole time no problem. She could hear all the stuff around me as well, but my voice overpowered everything. She could NOT hear the LOW ambient noises around me, like far away trucks and low flying planes. She can clearly hear the high sounds, sirens, horns, shopping carts, and PA system in the supermarket.
I noticed this same phenomenon with the many of the advanced dual microphone headsets (other Plantronics and BlueAnt). When I was at home, you could annoying hear me crumple up a piece of paper or walking around my creeky hardwood floors.
A2DP is the reason why I bought this headset. I wanted to listen to Audio Books and Podcasts. Yes, when you get a call, it pauses the music so you can answer the call. With my other Headsets, I can hit the Multifunction Button and it pauses the sound. This headset does not. It also does not have any FF or REW buttons. However, the Sound is VERY GOOD. You can hear the deeps. I've tried headset sized A2DP before, if the Chinese brands have high tiny sound, the Blueant T1 sounds very good, this headset has excellent sound quality. Well, as excellent as outside the ear headsets can sound anyways. Btw, when I dial, I can hear the tones in the headset. I guess that's an A2DP thing.
The volume control is interesting. It does NOT control the phones volume, it's independent. This is a good thing actually. If you want it really high, you can manually pump up the phone's volume, then manually pump up the headsets volume, it makes it REALLY loud. Often, when i'm outside on the city streets, no matter how high I put the volume, it's not enough. This is MORE than loud enough at the highest setting.
As far as fit, I've been wearing this thing for 4h straight now. It went from noticeable to barely noticeable. Looks wise it's bulky and totally obnoxious as far as today's headsets go. But in today's world, even the smallest headset if you wear it or use it in a public place is annoying. At least this one, you can talk QUIETLY and still be heard.
I do not have an iphone, so i cannot comment on those wahzoo tech features. Personally, I think they are pointless because with A2DP you can use apps to do the same thing (read text messages, warnings, and so on).
As far a quick comparison, the Plantronics Voyager Pro is a great device, without A2DP, the Plantronics 975 is a little echoee, the blueant T1 is small and sounds good, but I still have to talk louder than normal for the other person to hear me, and doesn't sound nearly as good. The Parrot's are both great, no a2dp, but they are HUGE. The Chinese brands are tiny, great for A2DP only, useless for a phone conversation.
Overall, I'm convinced this is the best overall balance of fit and sound quality headset you can buy today.
UPDATES: The unit has no AUTO-0FF, so even if nothing is connected, it stays on 24/7, since there is no blinking light, you'll never know you left it on unless you push the on/off switch for a sec to get a battery feedback pulse.
Also, I initially wrote the sound was really loud, I still thinks it's pretty loud with some podcasts, but talking to people, I sometimes find even at loudest setting on both the phone and headset, it's not loud enough.
SIRI update: I recently bought an iphone 4s. The bluetooth battery indicator DOES come on on the iphone top icon row with this model, it didn't with my sony MW-600. I just have to hold down the multi function for a half second for SIRI to activate while the phone is sitting on my waisteband. The iphone software actually waits a few seconds to establish the A2DP connection before I get the SIRI double beep prompt telling me to start talking as to prevent me from cutting off to the voice recognition system. It "holds" the connection for about 60s in case you want to continue using SIRI. While A2DP is "held" open, the next SIRI double beep prompt is MUCH shorter, maybe a half second or so, the same as if talking into the phone directly. After that 60s, the iphone will drop the A2DP prompting the Voyager to give me the customary message as to how much battery life I have left. While the Voyager is connected, even activating SIRI from the phone directly will force it to use the bluetooth.
I was ISO the perfect headset that balances look, fit, sound, and also has A2DP. I find no matter how much technology, or how fancy the name of the technology, there's substitution for a mic that gets closer to the mouth. The best phone only headset i've ever owned is the Parrot B250XT, but the thing looks like I'm taking drive thru orders at McD's (but it works as well as the ones you see coaches wear at football games).
This headset seems to be the best balance of everything.
Call me a geek but here's my LAB TEST. I used a 2nd phone using a wired sound isolation headset, put it on mute, and called my HTC EVO Bluetoothed to the Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus.
I started with complete silence. The headset works great. I can actually WHISPER and it picks up. This is great because I'm fairly soft spoken so at my lower than normal conversation voice it picks up great, sounds like i was talking right into the phone.
Then I added noise. I turned on the TV on an average volume and stood in front of it. I can definitely hear every word of the TV. But if I talked at a normal voice, my voice totally overpowered the TV sound and I was completely audible. If i walked about 6 feet away from the TV, the TV sound started to get warbled and much more quiet. I think this is more typical as I normally sit about 6 feet from the TV. I can now talk at low to normal and the I can hear myself great. I turned the TV to very high volume to simulate being outside. It UNFORTUNATELY picks up everything on the TV, but if I spoke, my voice was much louder than the TV.
Now I try Wind. You can put all the shiny foil you want on it, it's not going to work as well as foam like on a boom mic. I put my small vornado fan on low. The wind noise was VERY noticeable. I started to NOT hear any noise after I was about 6 feet away. I tried turning my head to change the angle of the wind, didn't seem to make a difference. That wind was about equivalent to a light breeze. However, it's a consistent breeze, probably unrealistic. But even if I talked at normal volume, my voice would still overpower the wind noise, it was just annoying.
Okay, here's my REAL WORLD TEST. I have to thank my girlfriend as I must have asked her 100 times "can you hear that?" I walked from my quiet street down a busy street, bought a few things at the supermarket, and walked back. Basically, I spoke at a normal volume the whole time, I didn't have to talk loud at all, she heard me the whole time no problem. She could hear all the stuff around me as well, but my voice overpowered everything. She could NOT hear the LOW ambient noises around me, like far away trucks and low flying planes. She can clearly hear the high sounds, sirens, horns, shopping carts, and PA system in the supermarket.
I noticed this same phenomenon with the many of the advanced dual microphone headsets (other Plantronics and BlueAnt). When I was at home, you could annoying hear me crumple up a piece of paper or walking around my creeky hardwood floors.
A2DP is the reason why I bought this headset. I wanted to listen to Audio Books and Podcasts. Yes, when you get a call, it pauses the music so you can answer the call. With my other Headsets, I can hit the Multifunction Button and it pauses the sound. This headset does not. It also does not have any FF or REW buttons. However, the Sound is VERY GOOD. You can hear the deeps. I've tried headset sized A2DP before, if the Chinese brands have high tiny sound, the Blueant T1 sounds very good, this headset has excellent sound quality. Well, as excellent as outside the ear headsets can sound anyways. Btw, when I dial, I can hear the tones in the headset. I guess that's an A2DP thing.
The volume control is interesting. It does NOT control the phones volume, it's independent. This is a good thing actually. If you want it really high, you can manually pump up the phone's volume, then manually pump up the headsets volume, it makes it REALLY loud. Often, when i'm outside on the city streets, no matter how high I put the volume, it's not enough. This is MORE than loud enough at the highest setting.
As far as fit, I've been wearing this thing for 4h straight now. It went from noticeable to barely noticeable. Looks wise it's bulky and totally obnoxious as far as today's headsets go. But in today's world, even the smallest headset if you wear it or use it in a public place is annoying. At least this one, you can talk QUIETLY and still be heard.
I do not have an iphone, so i cannot comment on those wahzoo tech features. Personally, I think they are pointless because with A2DP you can use apps to do the same thing (read text messages, warnings, and so on).
As far a quick comparison, the Plantronics Voyager Pro is a great device, without A2DP, the Plantronics 975 is a little echoee, the blueant T1 is small and sounds good, but I still have to talk louder than normal for the other person to hear me, and doesn't sound nearly as good. The Parrot's are both great, no a2dp, but they are HUGE. The Chinese brands are tiny, great for A2DP only, useless for a phone conversation.
Overall, I'm convinced this is the best overall balance of fit and sound quality headset you can buy today.
UPDATES: The unit has no AUTO-0FF, so even if nothing is connected, it stays on 24/7, since there is no blinking light, you'll never know you left it on unless you push the on/off switch for a sec to get a battery feedback pulse.
Also, I initially wrote the sound was really loud, I still thinks it's pretty loud with some podcasts, but talking to people, I sometimes find even at loudest setting on both the phone and headset, it's not loud enough.
SIRI update: I recently bought an iphone 4s. The bluetooth battery indicator DOES come on on the iphone top icon row with this model, it didn't with my sony MW-600. I just have to hold down the multi function for a half second for SIRI to activate while the phone is sitting on my waisteband. The iphone software actually waits a few seconds to establish the A2DP connection before I get the SIRI double beep prompt telling me to start talking as to prevent me from cutting off to the voice recognition system. It "holds" the connection for about 60s in case you want to continue using SIRI. While A2DP is "held" open, the next SIRI double beep prompt is MUCH shorter, maybe a half second or so, the same as if talking into the phone directly. After that 60s, the iphone will drop the A2DP prompting the Voyager to give me the customary message as to how much battery life I have left. While the Voyager is connected, even activating SIRI from the phone directly will force it to use the bluetooth.
269 of 295 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Had Potential But Plantronics Fell Short (Detailed Review & Comparison to BA Q2)
December 10, 2010
By EuroDriver
Amazon Verified Purchase
+++ Pros:
-Excellent Microphone
-Great Battery Duration
-Very Quick Charge Time
-Adjustable Mic Boom
-Announces Remaining Charge Time
-Good Range
-Very Natural Fit
--- Cons:
-No Caller ID Announce
-Communication With Phone's Voice Command Ineffective
-Hard to Hear (in car/noisy environments))
-Vocalyst Service Expensive, Cumbersome and
Limited Compared to Competing Services
-Lack of Adaptation to Landline Phones
-Similarly Priced Headsets Offer More Features Without Requiring Additional Subscriptions
I have owned multiple bluetooth devices over the years, and my all-time favorite was the Voyager 510S, when it was cutting edge in its technological era. I was thrilled when this model came out, figuring it was the 510S evolutioned to today's standards. Although it's good, it fell short of my expectations given the price tag and especially because of the need for an additional monthly/yearly subscription that no one else requires.
I purchased it for use with a Motorola Droid X, to replace the BlueAnt V1, which served me very well for a couple of years, although I hated its bulkiness, and the fact that the Caller ID feature only announced the number, not the contact name - but it gave big shoes to fill. The main feature I was looking for at the time of purchase was A2DP, which this headset handles well, and Caller ID by contact name, which the Voyager Pro+ does not have (which I should've researched better prior to purchase, but took for granted it's not a "standard" feature).
Overall, I had a good experience with this headset. I love the design which is lightweight, comfortable and the long mic boom makes for my voice sounding very clear to my callers. It can also be adjusted with ease. For bluetooth headset standards, it charges very quickly (60-90 mintues from no charge to full charge), and its talk time duration is unrivaled. I think its size is a fair tradeoff for the larger battery. Although it's bulky compared to other headsets, it looks perfectly normal - very professional and conservative when worn, and you truly ofetn forget you're wearing it. The noise cancelling technology is quite impressive. A2DP works very well with very clear sound. I also love the fact I could pair it with my PC via a USB bluetooth adapter (using IOGear GBU421 which was a real pain to set up on Windows 7, but I got it working) which allows me to roam around the office while on Skype calls without being tied to my chair by my old wired headphones. It keeps a good connection all the way to my car parked behind my office. When it does lose connection, it automattically reconnects as soon as it's back in range. The Vocalyst Android application is great on text-to-speach reading of text messages, but if you forget to turn it off when not using the headset, your text messages get read out loud, so be careful!
My first turnoff is that although callers can hear me perfectly well, I often have a hard time hearing clearly while driving or in other noisy environments. This may be due to the fact that the earpiece is not well-designed for the ear canal, and I often find myself pressing it closer to my ear.
The next disappointment is the headset's inability to handle communication with my device's phone commands feature. Commands through the headset are unintelligible to the phone, and in order to speak directly to the phone I end up having to turn off the headset, instruct the phone, and then turn the headset back on, which is extremely inconvenient, cumbersome and time-consuming. Very distracting while driving. I don't know if it's poor information transfer, or whether the feature is simply unavailable.
Cannot speak directions to the phone's Google Navigation. (spoke to Plantronics, who said not possible).
Another shortfall is the lack of Caller ID. It simply beeps when a call is coming in, which means I have to pick up the phone to know who is calling. For the price, I expected this feature.
The final major disappointment is the lack of integration to use with my landline phone in the office, like the old voyager 510 had, which has a communications base which doubles as a charging stand, and an optional handset lifter. No such option seems available for the Voyager Pro+.
Also, I purchased the Plantronics USB bluetooth adapter (BUA-100, retails between $50-120), only to find out it's incompatible with Bluetooth 2.0 standards, or Windows 7. Plantronics offers no UC (Unified Communications) support for this headset. Although they offer it for the older Voyager Pro as a bundle with their newer adapter (BUA-200/201), they do not offer the adapter separately. Fortunately, as I mentioned above, I got it to work with a 3rd party adapter (which only cost $13.99).
Plantronics offers a free android app called vocalyst which allows your text messages to be read to you through the headset, which is pretty cool. It also offers a 1-year free subscription to Vocalyst Basic ($24.99/yr thereafter), which offers other services, like uploading your contacts (which enables you to call in and tell it to "call [contact name]"), listening to news, weather, etc., and the pro package ($35 for first year/$59/yr thereafter - either package is offered as a montly subscription, but the overall price goes up) for additional features like voice-to-text for sending text messages, emails, and having emails read to you). The service is very cumbersone because it works through a proxy whereby you dial in to the service to access the features. Because the service bridges your communications, when making calls or sending text messages, recipients had a hard time figuring out the communications were coming from me. As you can tell, the service is horribly expensive, and it's very limited, compared to similar apps offered by other brands - for free.
I looked at various other brands of comparable headsets in the same price range. As usual, there are tradeoffs with each comparable model. However, the main common difference with most of them is that they offer a service similar to Vocalyst for free, which really pulled the Pro+ way down on my list. I decided to purchase the BlueAnt Q2 to make a comparison, which has the same price (maybe cheaper, depending where you bought the Pro+ and have decided to keep the Q2. Here's why:
Offers all the features the Pro+ does, plus the following:
Has a much stronger speaker, which is plenty loud at 3 levels below max while driving.
Clear sound even with phone in my pocket (with Pro+, I often got static, even when the phone was in my hand, on same side as headset).
Automatically uploads your contacts list (up to 2,000 contact number per connected device) to enable Caller ID by contact name.
Free Firmware upgrades
Exhaustive list of voice commands, from voice-enabled call answer/ignore, to turning LED light on & off.
Flawless communication with phone's Voice Command feature
Works with Vlingo - an adroid app that offers the same services as Vocalyst, with the added features such as several laguage options and more.
Can speak directions to Google Navigation through headset.
Very customizable with separate options for InCar, SMS messaging, emails, Social Networks, etc.
IT'S FREE!
It fell second place to the Pro+ in these respects:
Streaming media only works with the first device it connects to.
No mic boom
takes about 3-4 hours to charge (closer to 4), and call time lasts about an hour less.
Very thin and removable ear hook (I favor the design of the Voyager and while that's mostly my preference, my experience with the BlueAnt V1 was that the rubber earhook holder eventually loosens, and the earhook constantly slips off. (The Q2 has a different design, but only time will tell if it holds up). In its defense, you can adjust it up and down and angle it to personalize the positioning of the headset.
Large plastic speaker/mic screen attracts a lot of lint, which contrasts loudly against the black color.
Physical on/off switch is tiny, and it's located behind the charging port. While not impossible, it's hard to access with your fingernail tip while being worn. Volume buttons are also very small and placed too closely.
Not anywhere near as comfortable as the Voyager Pro+. I end up taking it off several times a day because it makes my ear sore (maybe I'll eventually get used to it, but the Voyager has very lasting comfort).
The Voyager Pro+ has a lot of room for improvement if it wants to command a price tag in the $100 range, since other advanced features are already availabe in this price range. The monthly/yearly subscription for the less-than-par Vocalyst service is IMO completely unacceptable. In writing this review, I kept in mind some reviews I read about the Voyager Pro which some people bought right before the Pro+ made its debut at the same price, and those people were left hanging. I suppose the same will happen when they improve the Pro+ eventually.
Overall, the Voyager Pro+ is a great headset, but given the price, the cost of the additional services offered through Vocalyst, and the cumbersome use of those services, compared to other brands who offer those features and then some (included in the purchase price), I cannot give this headset a 5-star review. I considered the headset as 4 stars, but since greedy Plantronics opted to charge such a high premium for the enhanced services, I concluded it's worth docking it an additional star.
-Excellent Microphone
-Great Battery Duration
-Very Quick Charge Time
-Adjustable Mic Boom
-Announces Remaining Charge Time
-Good Range
-Very Natural Fit
--- Cons:
-No Caller ID Announce
-Communication With Phone's Voice Command Ineffective
-Hard to Hear (in car/noisy environments))
-Vocalyst Service Expensive, Cumbersome and
Limited Compared to Competing Services
-Lack of Adaptation to Landline Phones
-Similarly Priced Headsets Offer More Features Without Requiring Additional Subscriptions
I have owned multiple bluetooth devices over the years, and my all-time favorite was the Voyager 510S, when it was cutting edge in its technological era. I was thrilled when this model came out, figuring it was the 510S evolutioned to today's standards. Although it's good, it fell short of my expectations given the price tag and especially because of the need for an additional monthly/yearly subscription that no one else requires.
I purchased it for use with a Motorola Droid X, to replace the BlueAnt V1, which served me very well for a couple of years, although I hated its bulkiness, and the fact that the Caller ID feature only announced the number, not the contact name - but it gave big shoes to fill. The main feature I was looking for at the time of purchase was A2DP, which this headset handles well, and Caller ID by contact name, which the Voyager Pro+ does not have (which I should've researched better prior to purchase, but took for granted it's not a "standard" feature).
Overall, I had a good experience with this headset. I love the design which is lightweight, comfortable and the long mic boom makes for my voice sounding very clear to my callers. It can also be adjusted with ease. For bluetooth headset standards, it charges very quickly (60-90 mintues from no charge to full charge), and its talk time duration is unrivaled. I think its size is a fair tradeoff for the larger battery. Although it's bulky compared to other headsets, it looks perfectly normal - very professional and conservative when worn, and you truly ofetn forget you're wearing it. The noise cancelling technology is quite impressive. A2DP works very well with very clear sound. I also love the fact I could pair it with my PC via a USB bluetooth adapter (using IOGear GBU421 which was a real pain to set up on Windows 7, but I got it working) which allows me to roam around the office while on Skype calls without being tied to my chair by my old wired headphones. It keeps a good connection all the way to my car parked behind my office. When it does lose connection, it automattically reconnects as soon as it's back in range. The Vocalyst Android application is great on text-to-speach reading of text messages, but if you forget to turn it off when not using the headset, your text messages get read out loud, so be careful!
My first turnoff is that although callers can hear me perfectly well, I often have a hard time hearing clearly while driving or in other noisy environments. This may be due to the fact that the earpiece is not well-designed for the ear canal, and I often find myself pressing it closer to my ear.
The next disappointment is the headset's inability to handle communication with my device's phone commands feature. Commands through the headset are unintelligible to the phone, and in order to speak directly to the phone I end up having to turn off the headset, instruct the phone, and then turn the headset back on, which is extremely inconvenient, cumbersome and time-consuming. Very distracting while driving. I don't know if it's poor information transfer, or whether the feature is simply unavailable.
Cannot speak directions to the phone's Google Navigation. (spoke to Plantronics, who said not possible).
Another shortfall is the lack of Caller ID. It simply beeps when a call is coming in, which means I have to pick up the phone to know who is calling. For the price, I expected this feature.
The final major disappointment is the lack of integration to use with my landline phone in the office, like the old voyager 510 had, which has a communications base which doubles as a charging stand, and an optional handset lifter. No such option seems available for the Voyager Pro+.
Also, I purchased the Plantronics USB bluetooth adapter (BUA-100, retails between $50-120), only to find out it's incompatible with Bluetooth 2.0 standards, or Windows 7. Plantronics offers no UC (Unified Communications) support for this headset. Although they offer it for the older Voyager Pro as a bundle with their newer adapter (BUA-200/201), they do not offer the adapter separately. Fortunately, as I mentioned above, I got it to work with a 3rd party adapter (which only cost $13.99).
Plantronics offers a free android app called vocalyst which allows your text messages to be read to you through the headset, which is pretty cool. It also offers a 1-year free subscription to Vocalyst Basic ($24.99/yr thereafter), which offers other services, like uploading your contacts (which enables you to call in and tell it to "call [contact name]"), listening to news, weather, etc., and the pro package ($35 for first year/$59/yr thereafter - either package is offered as a montly subscription, but the overall price goes up) for additional features like voice-to-text for sending text messages, emails, and having emails read to you). The service is very cumbersone because it works through a proxy whereby you dial in to the service to access the features. Because the service bridges your communications, when making calls or sending text messages, recipients had a hard time figuring out the communications were coming from me. As you can tell, the service is horribly expensive, and it's very limited, compared to similar apps offered by other brands - for free.
I looked at various other brands of comparable headsets in the same price range. As usual, there are tradeoffs with each comparable model. However, the main common difference with most of them is that they offer a service similar to Vocalyst for free, which really pulled the Pro+ way down on my list. I decided to purchase the BlueAnt Q2 to make a comparison, which has the same price (maybe cheaper, depending where you bought the Pro+ and have decided to keep the Q2. Here's why:
Offers all the features the Pro+ does, plus the following:
Has a much stronger speaker, which is plenty loud at 3 levels below max while driving.
Clear sound even with phone in my pocket (with Pro+, I often got static, even when the phone was in my hand, on same side as headset).
Automatically uploads your contacts list (up to 2,000 contact number per connected device) to enable Caller ID by contact name.
Free Firmware upgrades
Exhaustive list of voice commands, from voice-enabled call answer/ignore, to turning LED light on & off.
Flawless communication with phone's Voice Command feature
Works with Vlingo - an adroid app that offers the same services as Vocalyst, with the added features such as several laguage options and more.
Can speak directions to Google Navigation through headset.
Very customizable with separate options for InCar, SMS messaging, emails, Social Networks, etc.
IT'S FREE!
It fell second place to the Pro+ in these respects:
Streaming media only works with the first device it connects to.
No mic boom
takes about 3-4 hours to charge (closer to 4), and call time lasts about an hour less.
Very thin and removable ear hook (I favor the design of the Voyager and while that's mostly my preference, my experience with the BlueAnt V1 was that the rubber earhook holder eventually loosens, and the earhook constantly slips off. (The Q2 has a different design, but only time will tell if it holds up). In its defense, you can adjust it up and down and angle it to personalize the positioning of the headset.
Large plastic speaker/mic screen attracts a lot of lint, which contrasts loudly against the black color.
Physical on/off switch is tiny, and it's located behind the charging port. While not impossible, it's hard to access with your fingernail tip while being worn. Volume buttons are also very small and placed too closely.
Not anywhere near as comfortable as the Voyager Pro+. I end up taking it off several times a day because it makes my ear sore (maybe I'll eventually get used to it, but the Voyager has very lasting comfort).
The Voyager Pro+ has a lot of room for improvement if it wants to command a price tag in the $100 range, since other advanced features are already availabe in this price range. The monthly/yearly subscription for the less-than-par Vocalyst service is IMO completely unacceptable. In writing this review, I kept in mind some reviews I read about the Voyager Pro which some people bought right before the Pro+ made its debut at the same price, and those people were left hanging. I suppose the same will happen when they improve the Pro+ eventually.
Overall, the Voyager Pro+ is a great headset, but given the price, the cost of the additional services offered through Vocalyst, and the cumbersome use of those services, compared to other brands who offer those features and then some (included in the purchase price), I cannot give this headset a 5-star review. I considered the headset as 4 stars, but since greedy Plantronics opted to charge such a high premium for the enhanced services, I concluded it's worth docking it an additional star.
51 of 53 people found the following review helpful
By G. Rombach
Amazon Verified Purchase
This is my fourth Bluetooth headset, and it's sound quality & comfort are the best I've experienced. Used with my iPhone 3Gs, it does most everything advertised and does it very well.
The only functional issue I've run into is resuming audio playback (using the volume + & - buttons). Pause works properly, but I have to resume playback using the iPhone's controls.
And I agree with other reviewers; the Voyager Pro+ is large, especially when compared to my former headset, a Jabra BT8040, but given the Voyager's superior sound quality, generous battery life, and comfort, I can easily accept its size.
Pro's:
- Excellent fidelity & volume.
- Comfort.
- Long battery life.
- Quick charging.
- Battery level indicator (on iPhone)
Con's:
- Large.
- Volume buttons tricky to locate by touch.
Update 12/12:
After living with the Voyager Pro+ for a nearly a month, I'm still an enthusiastic, new owner, but I have additional experiences to share with potential purchasers...
- I'm the sole employee of an independent IT consultancy, so, when traveling between appointments, I answer many client calls in the car. With the Pro+, I've had two clients say something to the effect of... "Oh, I'm glad I caught you in your office." They couldn't hear the road noise. This may be an indictment of my previous bluetooth headset (a Jabra BT8040), but I take it as a tacit endorsement of the Voyager Pro+'s sound quality.
- The comfort is excellent. I've forgotten that I've had the headset on.
- The range of the Pro+'s Bluetooth, in my experience, is outstanding. I've been able to maintain a call when 30 feet away from the iPhone, down a hallway with two 90 degree angles.
- When the Pro+ is charging, it maintains its Bluetooth connection to my iPhone. Whether this is a pro or con depends on your usage or expectations. My previous headsets dropped the connection to the phone when they were charging, With the Pro+, I've carried the iPhone to another part of my house, expecting to have the internal speaker handle the sound, only to have the iPhone send the sound to the charging Pro+. I've tried temporarily disabling Bluetooth on the iPhone, but this creates problems when trying to re-establish the Bluetooth to the Pro+, so I've learned to go back to the charging Pro+ and turn it off.
I understand the advantages of having the Pro+ maintain it's Bluetooth connection when charging--if a call comes in, you can unplug the Pro+ from AC and use it immediately, without having to start it up (and probably missing the call). However, I'm having to adopt new "user behaviors".
All in all, I'm still very happy with my Pro+ and would recommend it, without hesitation, to any of my clients or family members.
** Nov 2011.
After a year of use, I'm still very pleased with my Pro+. However, I did run into the problem that other reviewers have noted. After 8 months, my Pro+'s neck, just above the earbud, began to crack , but a drop of superglue made it good as new.
Finally, I now have an iPhone 4s, and the Pro+ works very well with Siri.
The only functional issue I've run into is resuming audio playback (using the volume + & - buttons). Pause works properly, but I have to resume playback using the iPhone's controls.
And I agree with other reviewers; the Voyager Pro+ is large, especially when compared to my former headset, a Jabra BT8040, but given the Voyager's superior sound quality, generous battery life, and comfort, I can easily accept its size.
Pro's:
- Excellent fidelity & volume.
- Comfort.
- Long battery life.
- Quick charging.
- Battery level indicator (on iPhone)
Con's:
- Large.
- Volume buttons tricky to locate by touch.
Update 12/12:
After living with the Voyager Pro+ for a nearly a month, I'm still an enthusiastic, new owner, but I have additional experiences to share with potential purchasers...
- I'm the sole employee of an independent IT consultancy, so, when traveling between appointments, I answer many client calls in the car. With the Pro+, I've had two clients say something to the effect of... "Oh, I'm glad I caught you in your office." They couldn't hear the road noise. This may be an indictment of my previous bluetooth headset (a Jabra BT8040), but I take it as a tacit endorsement of the Voyager Pro+'s sound quality.
- The comfort is excellent. I've forgotten that I've had the headset on.
- The range of the Pro+'s Bluetooth, in my experience, is outstanding. I've been able to maintain a call when 30 feet away from the iPhone, down a hallway with two 90 degree angles.
- When the Pro+ is charging, it maintains its Bluetooth connection to my iPhone. Whether this is a pro or con depends on your usage or expectations. My previous headsets dropped the connection to the phone when they were charging, With the Pro+, I've carried the iPhone to another part of my house, expecting to have the internal speaker handle the sound, only to have the iPhone send the sound to the charging Pro+. I've tried temporarily disabling Bluetooth on the iPhone, but this creates problems when trying to re-establish the Bluetooth to the Pro+, so I've learned to go back to the charging Pro+ and turn it off.
I understand the advantages of having the Pro+ maintain it's Bluetooth connection when charging--if a call comes in, you can unplug the Pro+ from AC and use it immediately, without having to start it up (and probably missing the call). However, I'm having to adopt new "user behaviors".
All in all, I'm still very happy with my Pro+ and would recommend it, without hesitation, to any of my clients or family members.
** Nov 2011.
After a year of use, I'm still very pleased with my Pro+. However, I did run into the problem that other reviewers have noted. After 8 months, my Pro+'s neck, just above the earbud, began to crack , but a drop of superglue made it good as new.
Finally, I now have an iPhone 4s, and the Pro+ works very well with Siri.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bluetooth voyager
Great, I love this . Great sound, like the convenience of using. Didn't give 5 * because ear is little too large for my small ears. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Amy W.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Bluetooth headset! Shut up and give them your money!
This is easily the best Bluetooth headset that I've used to date (and I've used a bunch). People are always commenting that they think it's too big, but it's weighted perfectly to... Read more
Published 9 days ago by James Arnold
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it
this ear piece works the best. This is why the high rating. I used this bluetooth all the time with my cell phone and laptop. I will buy it again
Published 10 days ago by angel morales
3.0 out of 5 stars
Save your money
It did have pretty good battery life but I was constantly being asked to repeat myself or I would break up if I had the phone in my pocket. Read more
Published 14 days ago by chris
4.0 out of 5 stars
Superb headset - unless you need serious noise cancellation
Have used the Voyager Pro Plus for about four months now in all environments based on recommendations from this list for its excellent sound quality and comfort. Read more
Published 15 days ago by Joel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hard to beat
I have used them all this one works well and has great battery life i can't find anything better, the more expensive version dont seem any better, this is go to blue tooth headset
Published 17 days ago by patrick e sullivan
1.0 out of 5 stars
Yet another POS
I hate this thing. Volume is too low, It doesn't fit in my ear properly and constantly disconnects from my phone. I got it to be able to use with 2 phones at once. Read more
Published 24 days ago by Dawireman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Sound Quality and Noise Cancellation
I have had this bluetooth for two years now, and the thing STILL WORKS. I've used it outside on windy days and my recipient never noticed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by dr.duvalin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Plantronics Voyager
This product really meets my expectations, the clarity and distance of outreach is excellent. I would suggest this product to anyone who is interested in going techno.
Published 1 month ago by Trina Gordy
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hmmmm
I don't know if this is just an Apple issue. Apple does not seem to pair well with any Bluetooth transceivers. Read more
Published 1 month ago by BDWW
Look for Similar Items by Category
|
