Event: Hands-on with Plantronics' Headsets at rAge 2016

Published October 19, 2016

Let’s ask you a few questions. What are some frustrating aspects of wireless headsets? I can think of a few. Insufficient battery life, lacking audio quality and microphone insensitivity all come to mind. When I tested the Plantronics Backbeat Pro, I anticipated problems. Biased sound dynamics, discomfort, excess weight and mic insensitivity all came to mind. Even at the highest cost point, these things can happen. My initial observations were surprising to say the least.

The latest range of headsets include the RIG and Backbeat series. The RIG 800 has both a PS4 and Xbox One edition (RIG 800HS and 800HX, respectively). This is due to requirements from Sony and Microsoft. The USB dongle you receive with your headset will only with with a single type of console and PC. The RIG 400 and 600 are all wired, unlike its higher-end cousin. The 800 and 400 both feature detachable earcups, unlike the 600. The 600, though, offers a detachable in-line or noise-cancelling boom microphone. A useful option, I’m sure you’ll agree. The 800 offers better audio quality and a boom microphone which will mute when lifted up. You’ll also get 100m of wireless range and claimed 24 hours of battery life. Unfortunately there were no RIG headsets available for demonstration. I did get to test out their high-end Backbeat Pro though.

Like the RiG 800, the Backbeat Pro has a claimed 24 hours of battery life. Pairing was simple. A tap of a button linked up to my Android smartphone. The headset had controls for music, a built-in microphone and active noise cancellation. This means that the unit itself silences outside interference with its electronics. It works. Even at rAge on a Saturday, I heard nothing around me. The left and right cups had microphones integrated to allow outside noise in. A useful feature for those who need to hear the outside world while gaming or listening to music. It charged with a regular micro-usb cable and power adapter for convenience. When making a call, the integrated microphone picked up my voice fine. I moved around talking with no issue reaching the other party.

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I used my Sony Xperia Z3 to test out audio quality on some variable bitrate MP3 files. Each one was variable quality. One was a less than ideal live recording, the rest were somewhat better. I didn’t have any native FLAC files to test with. On the inferior recording the highs bounced up and down quite well, with more than adequate bass. Since the recording lacked strength in the mid-ranges it was hard to gauge the headphone’s performance. On better recordings the Backbeat Pro was a pleasant surprise. The sound stage felt more “forward” than “backward”. This means that sounds “appear” to come from the front, as opposed to your surroundings. If you want to read more on this, head over to the head-fi forums . It’s a great read. That’s great for music, I’m not so sure about gaming.

The comfort was good for the time I spent using the Backbeat Pro. While somewhat heavy (my preference), the top headband didn’t feel too hard on my head. The cups had more than generous coverage over my ears. The active noise cancellation’s “outdoor” mode helped when talking to the Plantronics representative and listening.

Initial impressions were positive. Plantronics kept user-friendliness a priority and it was refreshing. The lengthy battery life and convenient features fascinated me. There aren’t a great deal of headsets out there that offer the same, especially at the price of R3300-R3500. The only concern I may have is that the controls could be less than intuitive. This is something I’d love to test out. I felt this when feeling for the volume and track skip buttons.

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I realised Plantronics wanted to provide solutions to the challenges I highlighted. One only needs to look at Plantronics’ history to understand. The company itself grew out of necessity. Two pilots in the 1960’s started Plantronics to provide light and robust headsets. Airlines used much heavier types at the time. The US’s Federal Aviation Authority used them as the sole headset provider by mid 1960’s. Neil Armstrong was a noted user of Plantronics communication equipment as well. After over 50 years in the running, I’d assume they’re serious about providing value to customers. It sure seems that way.

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Gaming / Tech / Entertainment Author at Geek Node

Zubayr could be defined as any one of these traits: Grizzled, optimistic, jaded, blunt, opinionated, irreverent and reserved. His experience was once carbon dated to the glory days of Doom and Duke Nukem 3D. It still amazes him how irrelevant those have become these days.Some say his tears generate DLC unlock codes, and that the WASD combination was discovered by his typo while on Yahoo Chat.