Bluetooth Headsets - 2018

[BasicHumanUnit]

So my Plantronics Legend Pro finally bit the dust and I'm searching for a new BT headset.
One recurring problem I have always had with Plantronics Voyager & Legend series BT headsets is that the rubber stem just above the ear insert always eventually breaks at the location shown in this photo.....

But that's not the major issue today.

I want to talk about something that I have found critical over the years of using BT headsets and that's NOISE.

Many high-end and mid-level BT headsets brag about their Noise Cancelling abilities. But I think there's some confusion and some dark areas in that realm. This benefits only the person you are talking to, not you.

For example, My Plantronics Legend advertises the following.....

PRECISION AUDIO
Multi-microphones optimize your voice and minimize noise caused by wind, movement, and background sounds.

However, what I find is that this means THE PERSON I AM TALKING TO ENJOYS QUIETER AND CLEARER CONVERSATION, NOT ME.

The key might be the word "Microphones" because microphones are for transmitting your voice to the person on the other end.

Apparently, there is no clear distinction in the Bluetooth Headset Industry that allows you to know if the headset offers noise cancelling that benefits you or the other person, or both. That I know of. Noise cancelling in the realm of bluetooth headsets refers to outbound signal only, Not what you hear in your ear (inbound).

Another example is this current advertising for the Plantronics 5200
With most Bluetooth headsets, you’ll get two or three microphones, but the 5200 ups the ante with four microphones to offer unparalleled call quality. Its noise cancelation paired with Plantronics’ proprietary WindSmart technology mute distracting background sounds.

Again, what they leave out is WHO exactly benefits from this....you or the person on the other end of the conversation. It seems to usually be the person on the other end. So again, THEY benefit from your nice more expensive headset while YOU suffer the noise from their cheap headset. (unless they also have a good noise cancelling headset)

So, if for example, I am talking to someone with a really cheap BT headset, I hear all kinds of stray noise, background conversations and basically suffer from their poor quality headset......while they enjoy quiet clear sound from my headset. The person I am talking with is enjoying such clear and quiet conversation from me that they cannot understand why I'm having trouble hearing them over their shopping cart rolling, people talking near them, the wind etc. This has been a major pet peeve of mine with BT headsets. Often the amount of loud noise that I have to endure coming from other people's cheap headset is to the unbearable level, even with the volume down all the way. It also occurs if I get put on hold and whatever company I'm on hold with has exceptionally loud or noisy, scratchy music on hold. It's deafening. In these cases, I think the headset actually amplifies the noise thinking that the conversation needs boosting because it can't pick out the human voice.

Ideal would be a BT headset that filters out all the annoying background noise coming from the other end AND from your end. TWO WAY noise cancelling. Not just One way like the Plantronics Legend.

AFAIK, this doesn't exist.

Anyone know of a headset like that? Do you have a BT headset that is particularly good at that?

 

[Natural Citizen]

I've been looking for a nice bluetooth earbuds. I listen to metal a lot. I like it loud. I've bought two sets so far and both sounded like i was under water. Horrible. Hard to tell good ones by reviews, too.

I've never used an ear piece for phone calls, though.


Try some air pods? They're supposed to be great for calls. And everything else, too, but they're a little expensive.

 

[SavannahMann]

So my Plantronics Legend Pro finally bit the dust and I'm searching for a new BT headset.
One recurring problem I have always had with Plantronics Voyager & Legend series BT headsets is that the rubber stem just above the ear insert always eventually breaks at the location shown in this photo.....

View attachment 221269

But that's not the major issue today.

I want to talk about something that I have found critical over the years of using BT headsets and that's NOISE.

Many high-end and mid-level BT headsets brag about their Noise Cancelling abilities. But I think there's some confusion and some dark areas in that realm. This benefits only the person you are talking to, not you.

For example, My Plantronics Legend advertises the following.....

PRECISION AUDIO
Multi-microphones optimize your voice and minimize noise caused by wind, movement, and background sounds.

However, what I find is that this means THE PERSON I AM TALKING TO ENJOYS QUIETER AND CLEARER CONVERSATION, NOT ME.

The key might be the word "Microphones" because microphones are for transmitting your voice to the person on the other end.

Apparently, there is no clear distinction in the Bluetooth Headset Industry that allows you to know if the headset offers noise cancelling that benefits you or the other person, or both. That I know of. Noise cancelling in the realm of bluetooth headsets refers to outbound signal only, Not what you hear in your ear (inbound).

Another example is this current advertising for the Plantronics 5200
With most Bluetooth headsets, you’ll get two or three microphones, but the 5200 ups the ante with four microphones to offer unparalleled call quality. Its noise cancelation paired with Plantronics’ proprietary WindSmart technology mute distracting background sounds.

Again, what they leave out is WHO exactly benefits from this....you or the person on the other end of the conversation. It seems to usually be the person on the other end. So again, THEY benefit from your nice more expensive headset while YOU suffer the noise from their cheap headset. (unless they also have a good noise cancelling headset)

So, if for example, I am talking to someone with a really cheap BT headset, I hear all kinds of stray noise, background conversations and basically suffer from their poor quality headset......while they enjoy quiet clear sound from my headset. The person I am talking with is enjoying such clear and quiet conversation from me that they cannot understand why I'm having trouble hearing them over their shopping cart rolling, people talking near them, the wind etc. This has been a major pet peeve of mine with BT headsets. Often the amount of loud noise that I have to endure coming from other people's cheap headset is to the unbearable level, even with the volume down all the way. It also occurs if I get put on hold and whatever company I'm on hold with has exceptionally loud or noisy, scratchy music on hold. It's deafening. In these cases, I think the headset actually amplifies the noise thinking that the conversation needs boosting because it can't pick out the human voice.

Ideal would be a BT headset that filters out all the annoying background noise coming from the other end AND from your end. TWO WAY noise cancelling. Not just One way like the Plantronics Legend.

AFAIK, this doesn't exist.

Anyone know of a headset like that? Do you have a BT headset that is particularly good at that?

The problem is your speaker, or headphone can only broadcast what it receives. It is very sophisticated software to filter out noise without multi source input. I have a set of headphones where people can hear me while mowing the lawn. I hear them because they are also earmuffs. But I hear whatever they send. Tell the people you are talking to they need a real noise canceling earpiece.

 

[BasicHumanUnit]

So my Plantronics Legend Pro finally bit the dust and I'm searching for a new BT headset.
One recurring problem I have always had with Plantronics Voyager & Legend series BT headsets is that the rubber stem just above the ear insert always eventually breaks at the location shown in this photo.....

View attachment 221269

But that's not the major issue today.

I want to talk about something that I have found critical over the years of using BT headsets and that's NOISE.

Many high-end and mid-level BT headsets brag about their Noise Cancelling abilities. But I think there's some confusion and some dark areas in that realm. This benefits only the person you are talking to, not you.

For example, My Plantronics Legend advertises the following.....

PRECISION AUDIO
Multi-microphones optimize your voice and minimize noise caused by wind, movement, and background sounds.

However, what I find is that this means THE PERSON I AM TALKING TO ENJOYS QUIETER AND CLEARER CONVERSATION, NOT ME.

The key might be the word "Microphones" because microphones are for transmitting your voice to the person on the other end.

Apparently, there is no clear distinction in the Bluetooth Headset Industry that allows you to know if the headset offers noise cancelling that benefits you or the other person, or both. That I know of. Noise cancelling in the realm of bluetooth headsets refers to outbound signal only, Not what you hear in your ear (inbound).

Another example is this current advertising for the Plantronics 5200
With most Bluetooth headsets, you’ll get two or three microphones, but the 5200 ups the ante with four microphones to offer unparalleled call quality. Its noise cancelation paired with Plantronics’ proprietary WindSmart technology mute distracting background sounds.

Again, what they leave out is WHO exactly benefits from this....you or the person on the other end of the conversation. It seems to usually be the person on the other end. So again, THEY benefit from your nice more expensive headset while YOU suffer the noise from their cheap headset. (unless they also have a good noise cancelling headset)

So, if for example, I am talking to someone with a really cheap BT headset, I hear all kinds of stray noise, background conversations and basically suffer from their poor quality headset......while they enjoy quiet clear sound from my headset. The person I am talking with is enjoying such clear and quiet conversation from me that they cannot understand why I'm having trouble hearing them over their shopping cart rolling, people talking near them, the wind etc. This has been a major pet peeve of mine with BT headsets. Often the amount of loud noise that I have to endure coming from other people's cheap headset is to the unbearable level, even with the volume down all the way. It also occurs if I get put on hold and whatever company I'm on hold with has exceptionally loud or noisy, scratchy music on hold. It's deafening. In these cases, I think the headset actually amplifies the noise thinking that the conversation needs boosting because it can't pick out the human voice.

Ideal would be a BT headset that filters out all the annoying background noise coming from the other end AND from your end. TWO WAY noise cancelling. Not just One way like the Plantronics Legend.

AFAIK, this doesn't exist.

Anyone know of a headset like that? Do you have a BT headset that is particularly good at that?

The problem is your speaker, or headphone can only broadcast what it receives. It is very sophisticated software to filter out noise without multi source input. I have a set of headphones where people can hear me while mowing the lawn. I hear them because they are also earmuffs. But I hear whatever they send. Tell the people you are talking to they need a real noise canceling earpiece.

Agreed Bluetooth headsets need noise cancelling circuitry in the receiver, not just the transmitter / microphone circuitry.
Aviation headsets have long had that

The technology is there to put that circuitry on the head of a pin. Not sure why no BT headsets (that I know of) have it yet.
All it needs to do is attenuate sounds outside the normal human voice spectrum of 85Hz to 255Hz

There is no need to hear sounds above or below that frequency range when talking to someone.

Of course, listening to music is different.....but I don't care about listening to music with my BT cellular headset. I use better headphones for music.