Plantronics Voyager 855
MP3 | February 11th, 2008
Tune out the world, tune in full-spectrum stereo music and conveniently switch to calls on your music-enabled phone. Innovative stereo ear buds seal out noise and seal in sound for better listening, while AudioIQ® technology digitally enhanced sound improves call quality on both sides of the call. The sliding boom gets you closer to the microphone, so you are heard better than ever. Convenient one-touch buttons let you control calls and music from your headset. At only 15 grams, it’s lightweight, comfortable and discreet. On the train, on the road, on the move— the Plantronics Voyager™ 855 Bluetooth headset the perfect convertible for traveling life’s highway.
The Plantronics Voyager 855 consists of two pieces: the mono headset unit, which houses all the controls, and the detachable earpiece cable, which converts the 855 into a stereo headset. On its own, the mono headset unit looks like a regular Bluetooth headset. It looks very sleek and stylish, and we liked its black coat with silver trimming color scheme. Weighing in at a very lightweight 0.53 ounce, Plantronics claims that it is the smallest and lightest stereo Bluetooth headset to-date. Measuring 2.25 inches by 0.5 inch by 0.6 inch, the Voyager 855 is also on the slim side, though the length does increase to about 3 inches when the boom mic is slid out. The boom mic is actually the bottom three-quarters of the headset’s front face, which can be slid down via two tiny plastic grips on the sides of the boom, or by simply pushing it downwards. The sliding mechanism is very smooth, though we felt that the act of sliding the boom down has the danger of dislodging the headset from the ear. Sliding the boom mic out provides better audio clarity (as it places the mic closer to the mouth), and you can also slide it out to answer calls. Sliding it back in will end the call.
Bluetooth headsets can be a bit of a hassle—particularly if you’re looking for a set that makes calls and plays music. Sure, you can buy a pair of stereo Bluetooth headphones, but unless they have a built-in mic, you’ll have to remove them each time you make or receive a call. On the other hand, headphones that do have a mic—such as the
—are usually too bulky to wear all the time. Plantronics went back to the drawing board and came up with the Voyager 855, a Bluetooth headset with a surprise: a second, detachable earpiece for music. The Voyager 855 also packs in other niceties, such as AudioIQ sound enhancement, a sliding boom mic to better pick up your voice, and a sleek design. The result: the Voyager 855 is a good mono headset, but it disappoints in stereo mode.
Highlights
Bluetooth-enabled technology AudioIQ
- Easy pairing with Plantronics QuickPairâ„¢ technology
- AudioIQ® technology digitally enhances sound quality on both sides of a call
- Seamlessly switch between calls and music listening
- Sliding boom lets you be heard clearly
- Sliding boom conveniently answers and ends calls
- Seal out the noise, seal in the sound with innovative ear buds
- Full-spectrum stereo sound with rich, balanced bass
- Easily convert mono headset to stereo listening with detachable cable
- Dedicated call and music controls at your fingertips
- Up to 7 hours talk time from a single charge
- Ready, willing and able with 160 hours standby time from a single charge
- Compact and discreet comfort at only 15 grams