Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
by Plantronics
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Our Price: $129.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $49.95 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Plantronics Foldable USB Stereo Headset (Optimized for Laptop Use) (Audio 470 USB)
Customer Review: Dragon Speech recognition
Summary: 5 Stars
I have to say this product is great! I love it and I think it is a fantastic purchase. Plantronics really seems to have it figured out when it comes to speech recognition. I use this product with Dragon Naturally Speaking. The level of accuracy I was able to achieve after 3 training sessions is about the same level I achieved after 10 training sessions with the microphone which came with Naturally Speaking. Unlike the Dragon microphone it is far less sensitive to microphone position even though optimal positioning does help (corner of mouth, slight above upper lip -- in my case). I found with the Dragon microphone that you had to tweak the position quite a bit and because the boom was so flexible it hardly stayed in place where as this one does, especially since the length is just right for reaching the corner of your mouth. And what is great is that because the boom-length is just right, once you twist the boom into the position that works for you, you don't have to adjust it for storage. So you only ever have to rotate it into place when you are ready to use it.
I find that the microphone picks up really well and I almost only get speech recognition errors when I (admittedly) pronounce the word phonetically incorrect. I am learning through use of speech recognition that I do run my words into each other sometimes. But, I am still able to dictate much faster than with the Dragon microphone and unlike the Dragon microphone there are only a handful of words that when repeated by themselves are still not picked up properly by the microphone. The other way in which this microphone is much better than the dragon microphone is that it doesn't pick up stray sounds as words -- the way the dragon microphone does.
You can tell the sound quality is much, different. Because when you do a playback, the voice recording is much, much better than with the Dragon microphone (and my voice is deeper than most so this helps :o). Clearly the USB connection makes a big difference in cutting down the noise. The first time you startup Windows wearing the headset you will be amazed at the clarity of sound which comes out of it as compared to other headphones. The bass is not the greatest, especially compared to ear buds. But I mainly listen to Jazz and instruments like guitars and saxophones sound fantastic through the headphones.
It is extremely comfortable -- almost like wearing nothing, (while doing initial training I wore it for eight hours with a few 15 minute breaks and it was almost like I had nothing on my head). This is due to the swivel mounting of the headphones. This is markedly different from the dragon headset. Every time I used it, the Temple of my ear would hurt quite a bit after two or so hours of use.
But I must agree with a few little quibbles made by other reviewers. In making the headset comfortable, Plantronics seems to have made it a little bit too loose. Somehow it stays in place though, even if you shake your head fairly vigorously. And the cord does seem a little bit flimsy. I worry a little bit about that in terms of the longevity of the headphone, but then I tend to treat my cords very well. As someone else also said, especially with the foldable design, a carrying case would really be nice.
So anyway, here's the proof of the pudding. I wrote this review three days after receiving the microphone and doing about 10 training sessions (plus training some specific words since I pronounce them differently). I used Dragon to write this review. I've corrected about 10 spelling errors. And here's the kicker -- I'm from Jamaica so my accent and pronunciations are much different from the North American accent. This microphone is great I love it so much I think I might get a spare!
Customer Review: Good headset for Skype and Teamspeak gaming
Summary: 5 Stars
An absolutely great headset for online voice applications such as Skype and Teamspeak gaming. Incoming and outgoing audio are very clear for voice/chat applications. I have not used it for music and doubt I would.
POSITIVES:
I. The headset is very comfortable. I've purchased and returned a few other types of headsets for a variety of reasons; i.e., too much pressure on my ears, too heavy, makes my ears too hot, etc. The Plantronics 470 is very lightweight, doesn't press hard against my ears, and can be worn for hours very comfortably. Also, the over-the-head design allows me to attach a TrackClip Pro for TrackIR head-tracking in flight simulators.
II. The USB connection. While it has the two mini-plugs for the old mic and headset connections, the included USB converter allows you to convert these plugs into a connection for a USB port. The USB connection acts as its own "sound card" separate from the other main computer audio. Therefore, I can have Skype audio in the headset-only while simultaneously playing music and/or normal system sounds through my normal computer sound card and speakers. For gaming purposes, I can designate the headset to only transmit/receive voice communications while the game's audio is played through my normal sound card and large computer speakers for full effect.
POTENTIAL NEGATIVES:
1. A potential positive/negative depending on your perspective: this headset does not isolate sound. The headphones sit lightly against your ears instead of covering them, so I wouldn't use this if you are bothered by talking in a consistently noisy environment. However, I specifically bought this headset because I wanted to still be able to hear other sounds in the room. Specifically, this works great in terms of using the headset for Teamspeak comms for gaming while still being able to hear my normal computer speakers very well.
2. Long cord, especially when marketed as a headset "optimized for laptop use." I have at least 3 feet or cord I keep coiled and bound together with a twist-tie near the USB connection. However, I use this headset with a desktop PC and plug it into a USB port on my keyboard. If I had to plug it into a USB port on my main computer chassis, the long cord would be a bonus. Personally, I believe what has been "optimized" for "laptop use" with this headset is the clip on the cord that controls headset volume and allows you to mute the mic. It is very small and lightweight compared to the larger bulky looking in-line controller on the Plantronics 400 foldable headset.
Overall, great headset. Great price with free super saver shipping. I highly recommend this product.
Customer Review: What can I say?
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my third of fourth Plantronics item that I have bought over the last 5 or 6 years. The only reason I had to replace the previous headset, is that it did not work so well with the newer, post Tiger, OS. This, optimised for laptop, set works very well most of the time. I'm surprised, tho', that Plantronics didn't think to work with Apple and/or Skype, to make their superb product an impeccable one.
Some people have remarked about the folding fragility. Well, I treat the headset as I do any other similar objects, whether a laptop or iPod, etc. These things are not made of glass, but given a modicum of care, they will last. And last.
One point re customer care: yup, they're in Asia. The people are super nice, their accented English is easy to understand, but the scope of what they can do is limited. In Plantronics's case, if those super nice people cannot help you, ask for a US C/S rep. A hint of attitude comes with the latter, but they are VERY helpful. If you email them, the follow up is faboo. Not just once, but sometimes even 3 times. By the last time, if you don't respond and haven't fixed the problem, don't blame them. They REALLY try.
The only negative thing: the price. Yes, Plantronics is VERY reliable and, presently, my number one choice, but the price is just a tad too expensive. If the tag on their cordless set doesn't come down to an affordable level, I'll have to consider competition. Perfect quality is a very good thing, but a little noise in the background during a chat on Skype is not of paramount importance.
Other than that, Plantronics rules!
Customer Review: My favorite Gamers Headset
Summary: 5 Stars
Finally had to replace my old Plantronics Gamers headset after almost five years of daily use, and was not happy about trying to find anything half as good. Imagine my surprise and delight that the company was still making this model!
Four reasons to love this headset:
1) 'over the head' light-weight soft ear covers I can wear for 3-4 hours without noticing anything but the quality gaming sounds (don't use them for music, so couldn't speak to that for you Bose fans),
2) a swing down boom mike that filters out background household noises (like hallway conversations between my sons as to who gets the shower first) while letting my own voice be heard clearly by my team mates,
3) an easy access volume control & mike mute buttons on a collar clip approx one foot down the headset wires,
4) the fold-up design to fit into a 5"x2"x2" pouch that fits into a corner of your briefcase or purse for those of us who travel.
USB wired versus battery operated cordless mice/headsets are an on-going debate in our house, and amounts to personal preference, in my opinion. I've seen too many disasters in-game when batteries go out and one loses control of their game at a critical point, so yes...I like wired, tyVm.
Since my old Plantronics headset lasted almost five years, compared to the annual replacements my sons go through (they prefer not to have over the head types), I do believe I'll be content for quite some time. Thanks Plantronics!
Customer Review: Excellent microphone for speech recognition software
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got this new Plantronics 470 microphone with a USB adapter to replace two old Plantronics headset/microphones that I have been using for the past 2 1/2 years. I use the microphone primarily for speech recognition, using Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 8.0 professional.
The first thing that I've noticed using this microphone is that the recognition accuracy increased tremendously! The playback is also loud and crystal clear. I could barely hear the playback on the older Plantronics microphones, but the playback volume and voice quality on the new Plantronics 470 microphone was about 10 times better! I have tested the Plantronics 470 on my IBM laptop and work desktop computer using the USB adapter, and the volume and quality appears to be the same on both machines. In the past, I usually get worse recognition accuracy with my laptop than my desktop computer.
The superior quality of this microphone is due to the external USB soundcard and adapter that comes with it. This external soundcard appears to minimize electrical interference and noise that plague the internal soundcards. I am glad I bought this new microphone, because I don't have to make as many corrections in my dictation anymore!
The only problem I have with this headset is when I put it all my neck and bring it back to my head, I would lose a few strands of hair which are trapped by the top folding mechanism.