Poly Blackwire 5220 USB-A Wired Headset (Plantronics) - Flexible Noise-Canceling Boom Mic - Ergonomic Design - Connect to PC/Mac, Mobile via USB-A or 3.5 mm - Works w/Teams, Zoom - Amazon Exclusive

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.

I agree these are great headsets. I highly recommend them. Great sound quality and microphone. I had ti return mine as these don't have ANC. If I didn't need that I would have kept them. I had to pay a little more for the 8225 model.Other Models I’ve tried:Poly 3220- great basic pair would recommend as well. Comfortable Nice sound quality and mic works well (feedback from colleagues).Poly 8225 - 5 star for my needs. ANC (active noise cancelation) feature. Comfortable, great sound quality, and great mic clarity (feedback from colleagues).I hope this helps!

I got this headset because while I love wireless headphones, I've been continuously frustrated by Bluetooth headsets failing to connect successfully with my laptop and even my iPhone; at least with wired headphones, I'm guaranteed a connection!These headsets provide for excellent listening, and others can hear me clearly when speaking, for example, on Zoom. The headset is comfortable to wear, too. Last but not least, there are multiple options for connecting, whether through a jack, USBA, or USBC. I'd actually gotten them initially because they had a jack, given USB ports are at a premium, but once I realized I could connect with the smaller-sized USB port, for which there is less "competition," I hooked it up that way instead with no issues! Still, though, with USB port availability being at a premium generally, it's nice to know it's possible to connect with a traditional jack if the circumstances demanded it!I'm happy enough with this headset that I'm going out on a limb to purchase the wireless version, too, for greater mobility, so I'm not always chained to the headset; however, at least one commenter reported connectivity issues with the wireless version; I hope that's not the case for me, but if that happens, at least I can fall back on this reliable wired version. Thank you, Plantronics, for producing a great product!

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.