The Rating is:

The headset itself is made of high quality materials and has one button on the front to power the headset and answer/transfer calls. There is another button on the side of the headset that controls the volume (although only in 3 steps) and mutes the microphone. The headset is silvery and has a leather-like finish on the outside. It’s very classy and professional looking. The only design misstep is that it is quite deep and looks large off the side of your face.

The little leather charging case is made of a very high quality, supple leather with a magnetic closure. You dock the headset into the case, and the case’s built in lithium-ion battery can recharge the headset’s battery two times. Therefore, if you’ve fully charged both the case and the headset you have three complete charges until you need to plug them in again and charge them. It’s very convenient and a great idea. There is a little LCD on the front of the case that shows both the case and the headset’s charge level. The charger that comes with the phone can be plugged directly into the headset or the case. The charger’s plug pops off and can be replaced with international adaptors you can purchase separately as well.

The headset connected easily with my iPhone 3Gs and Nokia N96. The sound quality was good and callers said they could hear me fine. I tried the headset in a very noisy environment (standing about 1 foot from a very loud stereo) and, while I struggled a bit to hear the caller, they said they could hear me fine even when I was talking at a normal volume. The WindSmart technology seems to work well too. I made a call while standing directly in front of a room fan on high, and the caller could hear me just fine, but did not hear the fan or any wind noise at all.

The biggest issue I had with the headset concerned fit. It comes with three rubbery silicone ear tips (S, M, L), but I found the medium sized one a bit small, while the large one was way too big. Therefore I never felt like the headset was securely attached. I realize fit is very personal, but this particular headset did not feel comfortable to me.

All in all…If you find it fits you well, you’ll be very happy.

03/16/2010 Update: After using the headset more, even though I’m not thrilled with the way it fits, I’m liking it more and more. It has very good noise and wind reduction. I’ve updated the review to 4 stars.

Feel free to leave comments if you have any questions I have not answered, and I will do my best to respond quickly.

The Rating is:

It only takes less than 2 hours to charge it. In fact, one and a half hours to charge both the charging case and the earpiece. When you are running out of battery, you will hear spoken words like “battery low” or “recharge” depending how much juice is left, no guessing game. Put it back in the case which is a portable charger in itself, and it will give you extra time on the go (provided you did not forget to charge the case).

Construction wise, this product is a work of art. The earpiece has a simple design but is quite elegant with a touch of leather. There are only two buttons. The volume and the call button. Talk about very minimalistic design. Both buttons are multi-function for mute, power, pairing, and more. You have 3 strange looking clear silicone buds in various sizes to choose from.

The charging case likewise is a beaut; again it expresses simplicity and built with a nice pseudo-leather material. It closes with a neat magnetic flap. Case is hard enough to provide ample protection. The case has an LCD panel that shows you the charging state for both devices. It includes a key chain holder if you want to hang it in your pocket or belt (which I will not for fear of dropping and losing it). A mini USB cable is included, albeit I wish it could be longer.

The wind noise protection works decently as my wife can attests to while I am away watching my kid practice on the soccer field.

Minor annoyance: The main body barrel is a bit thick that it extends visibly from the ear. The speaker maybe flushed, but not the body.

The Rating is:

Audio Quality

1. Jawbone

2. Discovery 975 and Voyager equal

The audio quality on the Discovery 975 was definitely NOT as good as the Jawbone, whose noise cancelling was far preferable. On my old Jawbone, I often called people from airports right under the speakers and people didn’t even know I was in the airport. With the Discovery and Voyager, people definitely comment on hearing background noise. Once with the Discovery 975, I was opening a printer paper package. My caller said it sounded like a lightening storm. A similar noise wouldn’t have garnered a comment on the Jawbone.

Battery Life

1. Discovery 975

2. Voyager Pro

3. Jawbone Prime

The recharging case for the Discovery 975 is the deal maker for me. If you use a blue tooth headset less than 4 hours per day, I would definitely chose the Jawbone Prime. However, the battery life and battery charging case on the Plantronics means that I can use the headset all day instead of 4 hours. My Jawbone was usually dead by noon. With the Discovery, I can talk on it for two hours, head into a meeting, tuck it into its protective case, and its recharged and ready at the end of the meeting. I almost always make it to the end of the day with plenty of charge using the Discovery.

Fit

1. Jawbone Prime

2. Discovery 975

3. Voyager Pro

I have an ear that typically can’t stand an insert ear bud. The only ear bud headphone that works for me belong to my 6 year old’s Barbie MP3. Nonetheless, the Discovery standard ear bud DOES work for me. It is very stable and never falls out for me. I do prefer the Jawbone’s ear loop, but its minor to me. The Voyager Pro was toooo bulky for my little ear and completely uncomfortable with my eye glasses.

Mute

1. Discovery 975

2. Voyager Pro

3. Jawbone

I didn’t realize how much I’d love it, but the audio prompt “mute ON” and “mute off” from the Discovery is a huge plus. I am on many many conference calls, often ones where I am not actively in the lead. With absolute clarity that I have “muted”, I can walk into a coffee shop and get coffee, yell at my kids, etc…with confidence I’m not broadcasting to all.

The Rating is:

PROS:

- Excellent call quality

- Great battery life (5 hour talk time)

- Charging case provides an additional 10 hours of talk time

- Good noise canceling

- Voice prompts

- Great range

- Stylish looks

- Multiple ear tip cover sizes

- Battery status indicator on case

- Good warranty service

CONS:

- Multi-function button difficult to press

- Very small, single volume button

- No longer includes USB charging cable

- Price premium

- Some questionable build quality

I have personally used Bluetooth headsets for several years now with my most recent favorite being the Plantronics Discovery 925, which the 975 succeeds. While the Discovery 975 is much improved, some annoyances still remain.

PAIRING

Pairing the 975 to my Blackberry Curve and Motorola Droid was easy. After charging, I turned it on and set my phone to search for devices. After it was found, I typed in the pairing code and that was it.

FIT

The fit is one of the most important features of a headset for me. I have tried plenty that were either difficult to put on, were uncomfortable, or would not stay on. The unique gel ear tips on the 975, which come in 3 sizes, allow me to insert it in my ears in such a way that it is snug but not too uncomfortable, using what they call a “stabilizer loop.” That being said, I have never had a headset so comfortable that I could leave it in all day. A couple of hours of continuous use would probably be my limit. The 975 weighs just 8 grams, which is the same as the 925.

STYLE

The 925 and 975 are very similar in dimensions and size. The obvious difference in appearance between the two is the change from a triangular boom mic to the single skinny boom mic. I personally like this change to a more simple and understated design. It draws less attention to the wearer than the design of the 925. I don’t think ANYONE should walk around town with their unused headsets in their ear, because quite frankly, it is the epitome of douchebaggery. I stole that word directly from a Wired article with Brad Pitt on the cover. Also quote, “He can barely pull it off, and you are not him.” It is NOT jewelry folks. If you have been watching the TV show “24″ Season 8, you might have noticed that it appears that CTU staff are wearing the 975 in their ears. Also, the front of the 975 is now a faux leather material rather than just plastic. I found different part numbers on the Plantronics website which led me to believe that they will have a silver version of the headset available in addition to the graphite version but I have yet to see it. I have included some photos of the 925 and 975 for comparison.

CALL QUALITY

The call quality is amazing from both ends. The 975 features the dual-mic AudioIQ2 noise canceling technology to create amazing clarity and noise cancellation. I couldn’t personally tell a big difference in call quality between the 925 and 975 but then, I usually turn my car radio off and roll up the windows when I make or take calls. Noise cancellation effectiveness may be more noticeable in noisy environments. Voice prompts are a welcome feature addition. Instead of trying to decipher a series of beeps, a voice will notify you of mute on/off, battery low/recharge battery, and lost connection.

BATTERY & CHARGING

Both the 925 and 975 are rated for 5 hours of talk time and about a week standby. Note, that if you turn on multipoint, you’ll lose about 3 days of standby time. Amazingly, the 975 charges in just 90 minutes, whereas the 925 takes a full 3 hours using the AC adapter. The 925 came with a USB charging cable in addition to the AC charger, but Plantronics has omitted this highly welcome accessory from the 975. I love being able to charge the headset from my computer at work.

The battery in the 925′s charging case is Nickel-metal hydride, which always bugged me. Plantronics must have read my mind because the 975 and charging case batteries are now both Lithium ion. More changes to the charging case include an LCD status display for battery life as well as relocation of the charging port from the bottom of the case to the side. I always found it idiotic that the charging port was on the bottom, so again, kudos to Plantronics for correcting this. The case is actually bigger too and they changed the material a bit. I prefer the look and feel of the 925′s case but not a big deal.

BUTTONS

There are just 2 buttons on the Discovery 975. The main multifunction button and a tiny single volume button. In order to change the volume, you must cycle through all volume levels in order to find the desired setting. I would have preferred separate volume up/down buttons, but I have gotten used to it. The multifunction button controls everything else. The multifunction button however, is part of the boom mic and as such, is extremely difficult to press. It’s even harder to press than the 925′s multifunction button was. Also, the light on it is white, not blue like most headsets, including the 925′s. I prefer the white as it draws less attention. The only bummer is that it does not blink or glow when the headset is on, so I have no idea if I’ve left it on.

SUMMARY

The original Plantronics Discovery 925 is a popular headset, which about 800 or so Amazon users rated 4 out of 5 stars. I am one of those 800 users who likes the 925, even with the minor drawbacks. The newer 975, improves on the 925 by adding better noise cancellation and a better charging case. The aesthetic changes are welcome, but may not be for everyone. The difficulty in using the buttons may be too severe for some users to live with. If you already have the 925, I would suggest you wait until you break it or lose it to upgrade to the 975.

*** 03/01/2010 UPDATE ***

After about 5 months of use, my Discovery 975 developed a chip in the corner, exactly like the one in user RSRCHB4UBY’s photo. I have primarily kept the headset in the case so I am not sure how this defect occurred. Plantronics’s support was initially less than stellar but once I escalated the issue, I received better support. I had to pay to ship the defective headset back to Plantronics, but they quickly turned around and sent me a replacement. From the day that I shipped it to when I received the replacement was 10 days. Great turnaround and good service once I got proper help. They also stated that my warranty period would start over from when I received the replacement. Nice!

The Rating is:

Most importantly, the microphone works very well. I’ve had multiple people tell me it sounds like I’m holding my G1, not speaking through a Bluetooth device. Cost is reasonable, and style is cool, too.

5/5

The Rating is:

- The +- volume button are a bit loose and make noise if you are bouncing up and down. This could be solved by putting a peice of tape over those buttons, but why should you have to do that in the first place? I cannot hear this noise when I am on the elliptical at the gym or lifting weights; although running on the teadmill or doing sit-ups would cause this noise to trigger.

- The headphones stopped working within in a month or so. I assume due to usage at the gym. So do not go exercising and expect these things to survive.

- Customer service from Motorola is very questionable. It took around 8-9 calls for the replacement to ship. Apparently their computer system to process the order was down, and on several occasions I was told that it should be back up in 1-2 hours, and it ended up taking about 4-5 days.

Overall, great headphones for the price. I love having no wires to deal with, but there are the pitfalls above.

The Rating is:

You can download the quick start user guide from Motorola here:

http://www.motorola.com/staticfiles/Support/US-EN/Mobile%20Phones%20Accessories/S305/US-EN/_Documents/Static%20Files/S305_QSG_EN_SP_68000201969A.pdf

Fit: 5 out of 5.

I wear glasses so fit was crucial for me, and they work perfectly fine while wearing them. I often wear them while riding my bike along the lakefront at Chicago, and they fit perfectly at the back of my head below the edge of my bike helmet.

Sound: 5 out of 5.

I continue to be amazed at the sound on these, deep rich bass and many subtle sounds.

Also they have lots of volume. I first set the volume at max on my cellphone, which is a free-on-contract Motorola EM330 music phone. At top volume these headphones are loud enough for me to hear them on Chicago’s subway train (the EL). Some snobby audiophiles complain that these are not as good as their wired $200 headphones while listening in a totally silent room. Some people cannot be pleased! Also if you don’t first max your volume on your cellphone you won’t get the best quality sound.

Also since they are not in my ear canal, and not completely surrounding my ear to block out the sound, I find them to be quite safe since I can still hear the world around me while on my bicycle.

While on a call the person on the other end does not know I am using a blue tooth headset.

I hear the sound of the call in both ears and the microphone is high quality, and you have to search for the little elongated mic hole to point it out to people who ask about your headphones!

Features: 5 out of 5.

Your cellphone must have the correct bluetooth profiles for these to work fully: A2DP (Audio Profile), AVRCP (Remote Control Profile).

Many APPLE products DO NOT HAVE AVRCP and then their users INCORRECTLY COMPLAIN about the headphones missing the capabiliy of next track and previous track.

These headphones feature the following abilities:

* Take calls (press the telephone button at the top flat side to pickup).

* Make calls (press and hold the telephone button to call the last number dialled).

* Reject a call (press either the next track or previous track button)

* Mute/Unmute a call (press the Play/Pause button)

* Play music (press the play/pause button at the bottom flat side to play or pause)

* Pause music (press the play/pause button)

* Stop music (press and hold the play/pause button)

* Next track (press the next track button at the right flat side)

* Previous track (press the previous track button at the right flat side)

* You can also fast-forward or rewind by holding either the next track or previous track button.

* The volume controls are on the top edge along with the power button. The volume buttons have ridges you can feel with your finger, and when you increase the volume the headphones make a indicator sound increasing or reducing in volume/tone.

* Also depending on the capabilities of your phone you may be able to use these for voice control of your phone, by pressing and holding the make a call button.

Connection: 4.5 out of 5.

They receive the music through walls and even downstairs as I walk around in my condo listening to the music.

They actually do receive up to 33 feet away! So far away that I sometimes forget where I left my phone while I am listening to music on it!

When I am out walking and they are in my left side back pocket, I sometimes (but quite rarely) lose connection for a second, due I think to my body mass blocking the signal. I think the Bluetooth receiver is in the right side of the headphones, so if I move the phone to the front or right pocket, or even turn it over, the problem goes away. However, this rare problem may also be due to the phone not this headset.

Controls: 5 out of 5.

Having so many controls in such a small space is initially confusing, but you can soon the get hang of it and certainly is done by one hand. I do not stop my bike just to change tracks! I usually have no problems clicking the correct button with my right hand.

If I am slightly confused I can feel for lump where the headband is connected on the right, just beside this is the next-track button. Directly back from it is the back track, which I use to repeat a favorite song. Straight down is play/pause.

Usage Tips:

Set the volume of your music player to the maximum, and then control the volume using the headphones. In this way you get the best quality sound and the highest range of volume.

At the start of music day, I power up the headphones and they make a pleasing chirp sound in my ears.

Then I just press the PLAY button. The phone then communicates with the headphones making the two bluetooth connections (audio and remote control) while I hear a bleep each time. Then the music starts. At this point I lock the buttons on my phone to prevent it for switching tracks by accident in my pocket or bag.

When I am finished using them I turn them off completely, instead of leaving them on standby. Otherwise I might get a phone call that will ring in the headphones which are not on my head, so I miss the call.

When I power them off, I first stop the music, otherwise the music will suddenly start playing out of my phone speaker!

The Rating is:

Quality of Construction: These headphones feel decidedly cheap. I have a pair of wrap-around (wired) headphones that cost $10 that seems to have sturdier construction. Upon taking these out of the package, I felt like taking them off too roughly, or something falling on them, could damage or break the frame. After 30 days of use, they still feel cheap, but I am not so afraid that I will break them. While it is a very real possibility that a less careful person (read: spouse) or accident will break these, extending some consideration to fragile electronics makes me think that the frames breaking is not how these will end their life.

Quality of Sound: When running or working out, I am content if the headphones are 1) loud enough 2) not flat and 3) easily adjustable for conditions. These do well on all counts. I have noticed that some songs are too loud, some not loud enough — but this is because of the source, not the headphones. There is good range of sound, sufficient bass and treble to please my ears while I exercise. Further, the positioning of the volume controls allows me to make adjustments without breaking stride — the placement of the Play/Pause and the Forward and Back controls allows me to skip songs without skipping a step. (Please note: if your device does not support use of the Play/Pause, Forward and Back buttons, it is not the fault of these Headphones. I suggest you consult your phone or device’s documentation if you are not sure whether it supports AVRCP)

Sweat Resistance: This is the big one, and the one that most reviews don’t touch on. As I was searching for something I could wear while exercising, whether it would stand up to some sweat is extremely important. These have done well so far. I have noticed some sweat on the lower half of each ear-piece during workout but have not experienced any problems from this yet. I have worn them on intense interval workouts and long runs (10 mile) and they still function as well as new. I would caution that these do tend to keep the ears quite warm, and do seem to contribute to sweating — I would not wear these in the summer, or in warm climates. Your experience may differ, as I live in a state with high humidity. (Special Note: After feeling sweat all over my head and worrying about these breaking, I spent a few dollars for an Under Armour beanie that keeps the sweat from rolling down my head. Definitely a good purchase, as it helps regulate my body temperature and significantly cuts down on the moisture that accumulates on the headphones)

Minor issues: The headphones sometimes skip or gap, depending on the location of the broadcasting device. This rarely happens and is not too irritating when it does. Call quality has been praised and I have never had anybody guess I was using speakerphone, headphones, in a well, etc. Battery life seems good, I can use them for approximately 5 or 6 hours without needing to recharge them. Recharging takes a touch less than 2 hours with the Micro-USB adapter.

Overall: I am quite satisfied with my purchase. These are not exactly what I thought I would need, but are definitely functioning as I hoped they would. For the price paid, I do not expect them to last forever, but anticipate that when they do stop working, I will quickly order a replacement pair of the same model. In my estimation, of you are searching for a pair of headphones that you can use while exercising, if you are worried about sweating, and if you are not extremely demanding of your electronics, I would strongly suggest these headphones. I rate them 4/5 because of concerns about the durability of the frame – even a slight concern is enough to withhold a perfect score – but would give them a 4.5 if possible.