Logitech Premium Notebook Headset Headset

...microphone. After good experiences with Logitech in the past, I settled on choosing one of their headsets.

Other factors were portability, as I'm frequently on the move, and USB connectivity.

So, what's it like?

First of all, when talking on Skype, friends have told me that they don't like the new sound to my voice. They say it's too bassy. I can't comment on this, obviously, but the microphone is sensitive ...
...the large photo on the Logitech site to see what I mean. The in-line volume control and mute switch also let this headset down. This control is very lightly built and and the switches aren't very robust. Strangely, the wheel for the volume control has to be moved down to turn up, and up to turn down - slightly counter-intuitive I think you'll agree.

On to the travel case. It's quite basic - plain black plastic with a discrete Logicool ... more

I bought this to replace my cheap headset when the microphone died one day.

As I use Skype a lot, good sound quality was the top priority, and that includes a good microphone. After good experiences with Logitech in the past, I settled on choosing one of their headsets.

Other factors were portability, as I'm frequently on the move, and USB connectivity.

So, what's it like?

First of all, when talking on Skype, friends have told me that they don't like the new sound to my voice. They say it's too bassy. I can't comment on this, obviously, but the microphone is sensitive enough not to have to ram it into your mouth for people to be able to hear you well. Results are clear and crisp, so I'm happy with it here.

Audio-wise the bassy theme continues with a heavy emphasis on the lower range. This is excellent for voice conversations, and is a departure from the tinny sound you get from cheaper headsets sometimes. Again, the quality is excellent. When listening to music though, the heavy bass capability is a bit annoying, but then you can always go and alter the equalizer settings. In fact, if you're going to be using this to listen to music a lot, you'll definitely have to fiddle with your player's EQ settings. But the sound quality is great, make no mistake.

This headset also comes with noise cancelling built in. I've not been able to test this feature adequately to say whether it works enough to be noticeable, so I can't honestly comment. All I can say is that nobody I've called on Skype has commented on the sudden lack of background noise now that I've changed headsets.

Overall, sound quality is great from both microphone and earpieces and considerably above average.

The design of this headset is very good, something I'd expect from Logitech.

The earpieces can be adjusted forwards or backwards for a perfect fit. The band goes round the back of your head and sits behind the tops of your ears. As I wear glasses, this does sometimes cause problems, especially when I want to take them off and give them a clean. The microphone can be moved up and down much more than your usual headset, and when not in use, you just swing it backwards and it's out of your face.

There are some parts that aren't so good though. The cable connection to the actual headset feels a little flimsy and could probably be positioned better. See the large photo on the Logitech site to see what I mean. The in-line volume control and mute switch also let this headset down. This control is very lightly built and and the switches aren't very robust. Strangely, the wheel for the volume control has to be moved down to turn up, and up to turn down - slightly counter-intuitive I think you'll agree.

On to the travel case. It's quite basic - plain black plastic with a discrete Logicool logo. It's a very firm case, meaning that you could easily sit on this and still have a usable headset at the end of the day. The earpieces on this fold around so everything sits flat in the case. Great bit of design that. Slots are moulded on the inside so the headphones and the usb adaptor fit in neatly. On the downside, there's nothing to slot the actual cable inside the case, and you have to be careful when you close it so nothing is sticking out. For a travel headset, this is actually quite large once it's in the case. It's only just smaller than a DVD case, and three times the thickness.

For me, the biggest plus with this headset is the USB adaptor. Very often plugging in the audio and microphone jacks is inconvenient, like on my laptop where they sit at the front, just ahead of the keyboard. Having the adaptor for USB makes life much easier, and does give you better portability too. I'm planning on taking this with me when I go travelling, along with Skype on my USB drive. On my machine too, the USB connection gives better sound quality all round. Your mileage may vary of course.

On the whole, this is a great little headset. The sound quality is definitely what you are paying for, and if you're willing to tweak your pc settings a little, you'll find the best setup for you. I'm definitely impressed on the sound quality front. There's no software to install by the way - this is a plug and play device.

This may not have been designed by a genius, but the headset functions well practically. The little faults I've highlighted are not deal-breakers for me right now, but they may become so in time. Decide for yourself how important the in-line control and connections are for you.

As a headset aimed at notebook users, I'm not sure that it's the best choice for portability. A cordless bluetooth headset is definitely the way to go there, but if you're looking for a better value solution, this might well be it.

If offered to me for the RRP of £34.99, I'd have walked. However I got this in Japan for the equivalent of £20. For that price, it's a terrific buy. For anything over £25, I'd choose something else. 

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