Logitech Zone wireless headset review

REVIEW – The trend towards open office spaces and other close-quarters work environments has made getting a little peace and quiet difficult. While I have an actual office with walls and everything, they are so thin it’s almost as if I was sitting in a cubicle. I also work with two folks who’ve got voices so loud that they could do crowd control without a bullhorn. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to check out the Logitech Zone wireless headset to see if it could bring me a moment or two of peace.

What is it?

The Logitech Zone Wireless is a compact on-ear headset that combines active noise cancellation (ANC), wireless charging and a positionable microphone to give you a comfortable listening experience whether you are connected to your favorite music source or talking on the phone.

What’s in the box?

  • Logitech Zone Wireless headset
  • Charging cable
  • Travel sack
  • Wireless charger and cable
  • Documentation and instructions
  • USB-A dongle

Hardware specs

Headset
  • 6.88 in Height x 6.96 in Width x 2.78 in Depth
  • Ear pads: 2.78 in Height x 2.78 in Width x .65 in Depth
  • 6.4 oz
  • Microphone: Omni-directional dual MEMS mic array
  • Built in Lithium Ion battery with 14 (ANC on) or 15 (ANC off) hours of talk time and 14 (ANC on) or 16 (ANC off) hours of listening time.
  • Qi Wireless charging enabled
Audio
  • Music frequency response: 30~13kHz @ -10db
  • Talk mode frequency response: 100~8kHz per TIA920
  • Microphone frequency response: 85~20kHz @ -3db
Wireless
  • Zone Wireless Receiver: .85 in Height x .54 in Width X .24 in Depth
  •  Range up to 100 feet with open line of sight

Design and features

The Logitech Zone Wireless headset is designed to sit on your ears. While I didn’t find it as comfortable as some of the over-ear models I’ve used, I was able to wear them for several hours with little discomfort. The band is padded silicone and the ear pads are leatherette and replaceable. The microphone can be positioned either on the right or left ear. It can swivel it 270 degrees so you can set it where it’s most comfortable. The microphone will automatically mute when you swivel it up, say at the end of a conversation.

All of the controls are located on the ear cup with the microphone. Along the bottom are controls for Bluetooth pairing, a power button and an ANC on/off button. On the side of the ear cup is a multi-function button that allows for call (answer, end, reject) and medial control (Music play/pause, Skip forward/backward). You can adjust the volume from here as well. The only control on the mic itself is a mute button. There is a micro-usb charging port on this ear cup as well, should you decide not to take advantage of the Qi wireless charging ability. If you want to wirelessly charge the headset  the receiver is located in the other ear cup.

Setup

After connecting to your phone through bluetooth, the only other set up involved is connecting it to the Logi Tune app (available for IOS and Android). From there, you can work basic functions such as turning the ANC on and off, adjusting the equalizer curves and view the charge status.

One cool feature is the ability to adjust the sidetone volume. This is essential when talking on the phone as it allows you to hear yourself and avoid the embarrassment of unnecessary shouting.

Performance

I went into this review with the perception that I was evaluating a pair of headphones. However, as the name implies, this is a headset, designed to be equally adept at listening to music as handling phone calls. With that in mind, I gave it a run through with several types of music (from jazz to metal to classical) and some of my favorite podcasts, all stored on my phone. I also connected the wireless dongle to my computer and sat through an hour long webinar. Finally, I made several calls on my iPhone.

Overall, I’d say that for listening to music, the Zone Wireless headset provided a satisfactory experience. While there wasn’t too much in the way of dynamics, and the sound felt slightly compressed at times, my overall impression was that it was decent for a headset designed for listening and communications. When I listened to a webinar from my computer, I found the sound much less fatiguing than any other headset I’d used for that purpose. Another bonus was that it was quite a bit more comfortable. Using the headset to make a few phone calls, I found the audio clear and echo-free. Callers on the other end said that I was easy to hear and neither of us experienced any audio drop outs.

What I like

  • Comfortable to wear for long hours at the office
  • Good call quality on both ends
  • Quick and stable wireless connection through Bluetooth and wireless dongle

What I’d change

  • Active noise cancellation is not very strong
  • Music was somewhat flat, with little in the way of dynamics

Final thoughts

I’d say that the Logitech Zone Wireless headset is a great choice if you are looking for a do-it-all headset for the office. It doesn’t excel for critical music listening like dedicated headphones, nor does its active noise cancellation come close to industry leaders in blocking unwanted noise. However, it provides you with a decent listening experience, good call quality and the ability to tune out most distractions in your office environment.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Logitech and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Logitech.

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Logitech Zone wireless headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 5, 2019 at 8:07 am.

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Logitech’s G935 is a wireless headset for serious gamers

NEWS – Though Logitech may be best-known for making general-purpose mice and keyboards, they recently announced a couple of products designed for hardcore video gamers.  The G935 is a top-of-the-line wireless gaming headset, and the G635 is its younger brother, a wired version of the G935.  This is the first headset that feature’s Logitech’s exclusive Pro-G 50mm Audio driver, which is designed to deliver “deep bass and a round sound profile for highly cinematic audio.”  It also features 2.0 surround sound, which simulates the 3D environments found in video games.

This headset is no mere headset.  Gamers love lights, and the G935 features Logitech’s LIGHTSYNC technology, which provides dynamic illumination that synchronizes to your games, videos, and music.  The light comes from an LED strip along the back of each headset and an iconic “G” symbol on each side.

The G935 has a 12-hour battery (without the lighting), an extendable, built-in microphone, leatherette earpads, and an on-ear volume control.  It uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to connect to a USB dongle and has an indoor range of 15 meters.  The G635 has all the same features as the G935, sans the wireless capability.

You can pre-order Logitech’s new headsets directly from their online store or Amazon for $169.99 (wireless) or $139.99 (wired).

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Logitech’s G935 is a wireless headset for serious gamers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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Logitech’s G935 is a wireless headset for serious gamers

NEWS – Though Logitech may be best-known for making general-purpose mice and keyboards, they recently announced a couple of products designed for hardcore video gamers.  The G935 is a top-of-the-line wireless gaming headset, and the G635 is its younger brother, a wired version of the G935.  This is the first headset that feature’s Logitech’s exclusive Pro-G 50mm Audio driver, which is designed to deliver “deep bass and a round sound profile for highly cinematic audio.”  It also features 2.0 surround sound, which simulates the 3D environments found in video games.

This headset is no mere headset.  Gamers love lights, and the G935 features Logitech’s LIGHTSYNC technology, which provides dynamic illumination that synchronizes to your games, videos, and music.  The light comes from an LED strip along the back of each headset and an iconic “G” symbol on each side.

The G935 has a 12-hour battery (without the lighting), an extendable, built-in microphone, leatherette earpads, and an on-ear volume control.  It uses 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi to connect to a USB dongle and has an indoor range of 15 meters.  The G635 has all the same features as the G935, sans the wireless capability.

You can pre-order Logitech’s new headsets directly from their online store or Amazon for $169.99 (wireless) or $139.99 (wired).

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Logitech’s G935 is a wireless headset for serious gamers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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HyperX Cloud MIX wired gaming headset with Bluetooth review


REVIEW – If you have kids and you haven’t been hiding under a rock, your child has probably been playing one of those “battle royale” type games, such as Fortnite or PUBG. My now 12-year-old son is no different. Since dad here is a bit of a microphone dork, I wanted to check out this wired/wireless headset with the detachable mic, the HyperX Cloud MIX Wired Gaming Headset with Bluetooth.

What is it?

The HyperX Cloud MIX is a gaming headset that can be used with a standard wired connection or with Bluetooth with a 20-hour battery runtime. The microphone boom is detachable.

Hardware specs

Headphone
Driver: Custom dynamic, 40mm with neodymium magnets
Type: Circumaural, Closed back
Frequency response: 10Hz–40,000Hz
Impedance: 40 Ω
Sound pressure level: 100dBSPL/mW at 1kHz
T.H.D.: < 2%
Weight: 260g
Weight with mic: 275g
Cable length: Detachable Headset Cable: 1.3m
PC extension cable: 2m
USB charging cable: 0.5m
Connection Type: Detachable Headset Cable: 3.5mm plug (4 pole)
PC extension cable: 3.5mm stereo and mic plugs

Boom Microphone
Element: Electret condenser microphone
Polar pattern: Noise-cancelling
Frequency response: 50Hz-18,000 Hz
Sensitivity: -42dBV (0dB=1V/Pa,1kHz)

Built-in Microphone
Element: Electret condenser microphone
Polar pattern: Omni-directional
Frequency response: 50Hz-8,000 Hz
Sensitivity: -33dBV (0dB=1V/Pa,1kHz)

Bluetooth: 20 hours
Bluetooth Version: 4.2
Wireless Range: Up to 10 meters

What’s in the box?

The headset includes the flexible, detachable boom mic, a 3.5mm audio cable with inline remote, PC audio breakout cable, microUSB charging cable, and a cloth storage bag. The cables are braided and feel fancy.
Detaching the boom microphone makes for easier traveling.

Design and features

The headband is padded in this leather-like material. It’s very soft.

The earpads are also covered in this material. I found that wearing glasses posed no discomfort. The ear cup is just under 2-1/2 inches high on the inside.On one ear cup is the volume control, LED indicator, power button, and microUSB charging port.

The other side has the oval boom microphone connector, wired audio connector (3.5mm), and hidden on the side is a multifunction Bluetooth button, which can be used to play/pause, take phone calls, or skip tracks.Here’s the boom microphone plugged in, and the supplied 3.5mm cord connected as well. The “headphone” cable tag is still attached. It can be removed if you like.

A close-up view of the wired inline remote. There’s a microphone mute slider and a very hard to photograph volume dial on the side.

Setup

The LED indicator glows red when charging via microUSB.

To via Bluetooth, press and hold the power button (when off) until the LED flashes red/blue. Follow your wireless device’s pairing instructions (computer, smartphone) for the rest.

Performance

I found the headphones sounded just fine, which they should at this price. The closed-back design probably helps with that part. I was more concerned about how the microphone performed. Was it any better than say, using the microphone built into your laptop?

To test this, I recorded myself reading a recipe with and without the headset- while my son nagged “DAD!” in the background. Realistic test, right? I recorded this in our dining room with no special acoustical treatment whatsoever.

The first sample: No headset. Just the laptop microphone.

Next, the HyperX headset with the built-in microphone. No boom mic.

Finally, the HyperX headset with the flexible boom mic.


The boom microphone makes a huge difference in ignoring outside noise.

What I like

Very comfortable, nice sounding audio. Flexible boom microphone really helps pick up your voice while minimizing noise. Subdued appearance.

What needs to be improved

My son discovered that you can at least pair a second device (his phone) but the instructions aren’t clear about it.

Final thoughts

If you like flashy, portable headphones, this may not be for you.

Price: $199.99
Where to buy: Best Buy
Source: The sample of this product was provided by company HyperX.

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HyperX Cloud MIX wired gaming headset with Bluetooth review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 25, 2018 at 9:51 am.

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Jabra Engage 75 stereo headset review

REVIEW – I’ve had office headsets before, but that was over 20 years ago. Today we’ve got desk phones, smartphones, desktop computers… the list goes on. The Jabra Engage 75 is a professional wireless headset system designed to work with all of these devices in a unified package.

What is it?

The Jabra Engage 75 is a wireless headset that provides simultaneous connections to up to five devices. It can connect to desk phone, softphone, analog phone, and two Bluetooth devices.

Hardware specs

Battery Timer: 13 hours
Wireless Range: 150 meters / 490 feet
Connect up to: 5 devices

What’s in the box?

The kit comes with the headset, base, phone cord, USB cable, power supply and quick start guide.

Design and features

This particular model has two ear cups. It will produce stereo audio if you’re connected to such a source such as playing music back from your phone.


The cups do fold back as part of the swiveling design.

On the bottom of one of the cups is the dock connector.

The silver disk in the center is the pick up/hang up button. Two tiny bumps control volume.

The tip of the microphone hides a tiny “busy” LED to let others know you’re in on a call. There’s a hidden mute button as well. This mutes your outgoing audio.

Setup

The back of the base is pretty well labeled. I was able to connect my desktop phone, my Mac Mini, and my iPhone (bluetooth).

This particular model has a touch-sensitive screen with a display which made setup a snap.

A setup wizard walks you through the setup. You can always re-do the setup if you want.

Install the Jabra Firmware Updater (Mac version shown here) to check for firmware updates. In this screenshot, the firmware is being updated.

Performance

I made a few test recordings to see what the headset sounded like in my office (not a recording booth) compared to the Apple AirPods (wireless ear buds) and the basic wired headphones you get with every iPhone.


To me, the wired earbud that comes with the phone sounds the clearest, but this is a wired device. The Apple AirPods are wireless but sound less clear. The Jabra sounds perfectly serviceable and is wireless, in addition to being quite comfortable.

What I like

I was able to connect my desktop computer (USB), iPhone (Bluetooth) and desk phone. Super comfortable to wear!

What needs to be improved

Expensive, but this is really for a professional office environment where cordless security is paramount. Don’t forget, you still need to lift the handset off the desk phone unless you have a dedicated handset jack, or an electronic lifter.

Final thoughts

The Jabra Engage 75 has really solved my headset clutter. I now have just one device to take calls as well as listening to my desktop or iPhone audio.

Price: $420
Where to buy: Jabra and Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Jabra.

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Jabra Engage 75 stereo headset review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 25, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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