Poly - Blackwire 5220 USB-A Headset (Plantronics) - Wired, Dual Ear (Stereo) Computer Headset with Boom Mic - USB-A, 3.5 mm to connect to your PC, Mac, Tablet and/or Cell Phone

This Poly Plantronics headset has met - exceeded my expectations since purchasing it.I suspect most buyers use this headset in an office or call center setting. For me this is not the case; I purchased this to enhance my experience with so much of coursework and lectures happening online.Comfort: The headset is very comfortable overall. The ear pads are soft and do not make my ears feel very hot after extended use. Note that this is an on-ear headset as opposed to an over-ear headset. The padded cushioning on the band makes it feel comfortable on the head as well. The 10-setting adjustability of the sizing is fantastic - it really allows for a very customized fit. After a hours of straight use my ears do feel some discomfort, but that is the nature of ears. I do not blame the product for this.Sound: I opted for the dual-ear headset to block out outside noise that may be present while I’m on calls. It works well for that and sufficiently mutes the gardeners and traffic while I’m on calls.Microphone: This is a main reason I bought this headset, and it has been fantastic. My first usage of it, I signed into class early when only my teacher was on the Zoom call. I said hello and then asked how my sound quality was. He said even before I asked, it was clearly noticeable how crisp and clear it was. Also, this a teacher who records podcasts and lectures and thus takes his sound-quality seriously and he was very impressed. It also mutes sounds around you, such as air conditioners, keyboard typing, pencil writing etc. If it is picked up, the microphone heavily silences it so that it is barely noticeable. Great microphone.Usability: This is a “plug and play” headset which means you just plug it in and you’re good to go. You don’t need to pair it, sync it, or anything else. You plug it and and your computer automatically picks it up as the primary audio and microphone device. This means on platforms like Zoom, you do NOT need to select it as your preferred microphone - it happens automatically. It makes it very convenient to use. This model also has a 3.5 mm headphone jack making it perfect to use with a phone or tablet as well.Features: People complain about how long the wire is. I definitely understand the complaint. I haven’t measured it, but it’s quite long. That said, I don’t mind it at all. This has allowed to to get up from my chair and walk to another part of my room to grab something while not disconnecting from the call for even a second, or having to unplug and replug my headset. And if you don’t need all the length, you can the wire a couple times and tie it with something to keep it shorter for most of your usage.The in-line volume, mute, and pick up/hang up is very helpful too. The mute button integrates with Zoom which is very nice. There is also a great setting that if you speak into the mic while on mute, the headphone makes a low beeping sound in your ear to let you know you’re muted. It’s very cool.Design/Construction: The headset is slick and has a very pleasing appearance. It also feels nicely built and doesn’t feel flimsy or like it will break. You can also use this headset with the mic on whichever side you please and it rotates to accommodate it on either side. It also comes with a decent carrying case for travel.While this headset is a bit pricey, I think it is worth its price point if you will use it frequently. If you need something for more infrequent use, go with a cheaper model. But if you plan on using it regularly, you’ll be happy with the purchase.

Since purchasing the Poly - Blackwire 5220, I've probably used it for more than 500 hours of meetings and events for work. Sound quality is great and mic quality is very good. The best part is that it's super comfortable - have no problem wearing it for hours. Plug and play - works well with MS Teams. You can choose to connect by USB (better quality), or unplug the end of the cord and use as an aux. Build quality seems pretty great. I would buy this again if it lasts more than 3 years.

The sound quality on these is excellent and the mic quality is also good (based on reports of others I have spoken with using this headset). The headset is very comfortable, and I prefer headsets that sit on the ears rather than covering them completely (too hot after a long session). These have a passive "noise cancelling" feature in that they somewhat muffle ambiant sounds.I would actually prefer no sound cancelling at all as it muffles my own voice, which I'm not a huge fan of though I do get used to it after a while of use. Replacable ear covers with just foam covers would be my preference. That said, others may prefer even the moderate quieting of ambient noises these offer and the overall experience with this headset is excellent. Highly recommended, so long as you are aware of the self-muffling voice effect and are fine with that.

I bought these to replace an older version Plantronics Blackwire headset. I wear it everyday for work. sometimes for several hours during the day. I have owned them for less than a week at the time of this review.EDIT - I had complained about the audio balance but after troubleshooting found that my NEW 5220 headset was trying to use the OLD 5210 device driver. Clicking on “update driver” did not load the new driver. I had to startup, remove the usb connection and the. Plug it back in and reboot to get the Windows 10 plug-n-play to load the correct driver. So, if you are replacing an older Poly headset, you may need to do extra work to get the new driver to load.1. Comfort - Grade = A+ They are light and comfortable. There is a soft-elastic band that supports the top of the headset and is an improvement over my last pair.2. Microphone - Grade = A: Folks on the other ends of my calls tell me that they can hear me clearly. There is a mute button on the cord which makes it handy to quickly mute a cough or sneeze. There is a system voice that says "Mute On" or "Mute Off" when the mute button is toggled.3. Compatibility - Grade = A: My office uses Microsoft Teams and the muting and volume controls work in concert with Teams settings.4. Audio sound quality - Grade = A- : The quality of the audio is good for spoken conversations. I don't use these for music or movie sound so Stereo is not important.5- Leatherette Ear Cushions - C- Regular long-term use of my previous headset made the leatherette ear cushion covers peel away. I had tried to glue them back on, but found that a crossed rubber-band was the only way to keep them on. Without the covers, the foam quickly disintegrates and little foam crumbs will go into your ears. For now, they are intact, but I don't have high hopes for longevity. (Unless Poly has sourced a stronger glue.)Your mileage may vary.

Very comfortable, sound is clear and easy to set up. Its my second pair the first one lasted 4 years. Great headset