Like most distributors, we received a Voyager Edge from Plantronics to see if real-world testing measures up to what technicians come up with in a lab. So come along with us as we take a brief tour of Plantronics’ latest offering in Bluetooth headsets.
First impressions: At first we thought: Is this just a retooled Discovery 975, the styling is similar. While the style is somewhat similar to the popular Discovery 975, that’s where the similarity ends. Remember, the Edge is part of the Voyager series and incorporates many of their features, which we’ll discuss later. It comes with a selection of earbuds/earhook, a USB charging cable, and car lighter adapter. It would have been nice if they could have included an AC adapter, but Plantronics must figure that just about everyone has one (Note: Make sure output voltage is compatible, 5v⇌1a for the Edge), and most people spend more time in their car than they do at home.
Also included with the Voyager Edge headset is what some people humorously call “the coffin”, the carrying/charging case that can add up to 10 hours of talk time to your headset. By swiping your finger over either of the two icons, you know instantly how much charge your headset and case actually have (it also tells you how much charge is available on the case when empty). The Voyager Edge headset was easy to attach and remove from the case. I have read that some people complained about its size, and while it is larger than others (I probably wouldn’t put it on my keychain, though it has a small strap for that), it does a nice job protecting the headset and keeping your earbud clean. For example, the Jawbone Era is a small headset that comes with a cute little case, but the earbud is just totally out there, and after a time, attached to dirty keys and in pockets full of lint and who knows what else, do you REALLY want to stick it in your ear?
Technical stuff: Now let’s take a look at some of the technical aspects of the new Voyager Edge. Besides being able to charge the headset in the carrying case, the headset itself sports a mini-USB port for charging as well. With a choice of three different sizes of earbuds, I was able to find the right fit for my ears (the earhook is available for greater stability, but I didn’t need it). The controls are easy to locate and use, and with the patented Smart-Sensor technology, answering a call was as simple as putting on the headset. We couldn’t try out the available NFC pairing, but the standard pairing was also quick and easy (we did it with the button and voice command), as was pairing to two phones at the same time. Finally, we tested the sound quality. We went out to the busy street where our building sits (it’s okay, we stopped at the curb) and checked for noise and wind (one of the two constants in Arizona, besides blazing sun). I have to admit we were very impressed, it handled both admirably, even the passing dump trucks.
Conclusion: Overall, Plantronics has another winner with its new Voyager Edge Bluetooth headset. On a scale of 1-10 we give an enthusiastic 8.83. But don’t just take our word for it, check one out for yourself today.
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