A short-term solution for a dying sound card

I have a desktop computer that came with an onboard sound card. It isn't a bad card, it can output in 5.1 surround sound, but one of the design features is that there are front inputs for the headset and microphone that you have to use when you have the 5.1 speaker configuration in place. I rarely used the headset and mic jacks until about a year ago when I started really using Skype on a regular basis. Shortly afterward, the microphone jack stopped working. After putting up with using my laptop for Skype calls for about 8 months, I finally decided to look into a work-around for the broken microphone jack. I ended up buying this USB headset from plantronics from Best Buy to take care of my needs. I will divide this review into the following areas: installation, durability, ergonomics, and sound quality.


Installation-

There are two ways that you can use this headset. First, you can use it like you would a traditional headset, connecting the headset to your sound card using the "gold plated" RCA jacks. Alternatively, you can connect the headset to the attached USB sound card that plugs into a USB port. So you plug the USB sound card (about the size of a thumb drive, if not a little larger) into the USB port, and the USB sound card has RCA inputs for the headset. I had to use the second method, since my microphone jack had stopped working (again, the whole point of me buying this type of headset).

Installation of the USB sound card on my WindowsXP system was fast and easy. The system recognized the sound card and quickly installed the drivers, so I was up and running in less than 5 minutes. The packaging says the headset (and I assume the USB sound card) is compatible with Windows and MAC, but doesn't specify any specific operating systems. That means that the set up may not be as easy as this depending on your system. The package came with no software, so if you did have to go get a driver, you would probably need to head over to the plantronics website (www.plantronics.com).

One thing worth mentioning is that if you already have a sound card installed, you'll have to go into your system settings and make sure you are using the USB sound card correctly. For example, Skype was set to use my default sound card for everything, so I had to change that to the USB card for Skype to work properly with the headset. You may have to do that with other software also.

Final verdict: Easy installation, but a driver disc for the USB sound card would have been nice, just in case you need them. Grade: A


Durability-

The headset is almost all plastic and is very light. That's a plus and a minus, since the light weight can prevent a lot of head and neck stress if you wear the headset often but also gives the feel of an easily broken headset. It feels like if I accidentally dropped these from any distance onto a hard surface, something would be broken. Of course, since I mainly just needed the USB sound card and the jacks on the sound card are standard jacks, I can always replace the headset with a different headset and still get everything I need done.

Final verdict: not the most durable-feeling headset, but at least you can swap them out for any other set and still use the USB sound card. Grade: C-


Ergonomics-

I'm basically going to discuss some of the usage options here (everything but sound). Working your way from the sound card to your head, the first thing you'll discover is that the USB sound card is a bit bulky and sticks out quite a bit (it's probably 3 inches long). That means it does have a certain "snag factor". Probably not such a big deal for a desktop, but definitely something to consider if you've got this plugged into a laptop.

The next thing you'll notice is that the cable is REALLY long (9.8 feet according to the packaging). If you are one that tends to wander around (like I do), that means you've got a good chance of tripping on the cable at some point. In fact, during my first call with the phone, I tripped on the cable about 4 times during a 90 minute conversation.

About two feet from the headset itself, you'll find a little box to adjust the volume in the headset and mute the microphone. This is one of the bulkier control boxes that I've run into, coming in at a little over an inch wide, about an inch and a half long, and over a quarter inch thick.

Lastly, you'll get to the headset. It is a folding headset, which is nice if space is one of your major considerations. The boom microphone swings up too to reduce the footprint of the headset when not in use. When unfolded, the headset can comfortably fit small and medium sized heads (I think I wear a size 7.5 hat or something in that area), but if you've got a "huge melon", you may find the headset uncomfortable. The boom microphone is actually a bit of a design problem. The microphone is at the end of a semi-flexible plastic tube (think Gumby material but denser). It isn't as adjustable as you may think though, so you can't always get the microphone right where you want it for maximum comfort. For me, the microphone ends up sitting a few inches away and above my mouth, as opposed to near my chin where I prefer the microphone.

One other thing about the headset; the earphones are padded, but with just that thin layer of fabric that you find on cheaper headsets. Some thicker cushioning would have been nice (and also reduced the amount of ambient sound you would hear). Those earphones do wiggle a bit, but seem to find the right way to sit once you've got the headset on.

Final verdict: There are lots of places that could have been improved, but doing that would easily double the price of the headset. For what you pay, the headset is good enough, but it could have been better (especially how you place the boom microphone). Grade: B-


Sound Quality-

The sound quality is good, but not outstanding. For my Skype calls, everything works well. If you're gaming, they would also probably be adequate. If you are a real audiophile though, you'll probably pick up on the lack of richness in the audio (weak low and high frequency response). The specifications on the back of the box state:

28mm diameter speaker driver
20Hz - 20kHz speaker frequency response
100Hz - 10kHz microphone frequency response

The 20Hz - 20kHz frequency response may be why the sound doesn't seem as rich, since my regular headphones (Phillips SHE9500s) have a 6Hz - 23.5KHz frequency response. When using Skype, the audio is crisp, and you can easily hear the person on the other end. When you switch over to music though, it's a different ball game.

Final verdict: If you're looking for an everyday use headset and don't have stringent audio requirements, these are fine. Grade: C+


Overall verdict-

Well, you get what you pay for in most regards. If you consider that you're getting a USB sound card (which comes in at anywhere from $15 to $50 depending on the retailer and the options on the card) along with a headset for under $30, it shouldn't be surprising that the headset isn't the greatest headset out there. Of curse, being able to swap out that headset with something better is a plus, but if you're going to do that, you probably should just go out and buy the USB sound card separately. I will admit though that other USB microphones and headsets that I have seen have the USB port hardwired into the headset/ microphone, so at least you do have the option of separating those two pieces with Plantronics' offering.

Final grade: C+