Plantronics Explorer 500 Review
Plantronics has long been my go-to Bluetooth headset brand for call quality, although its designs range from dull to aggressively corporate. The company's mid-priced Explorer 500 headset ($59.99) fits in with that heritage: It sounds good, works well, and has a lot of fit options, but few would call it pretty. It can't match our Editors' Choice, the Plantronics Voyager 5200, in terms of range or call quality, but if you're looking for a solid, no-frills headset, it definitely hits the mark.
Design and Battery LifeThe Explorer 500 is a two-inch long black stub with an eargel and a micro USB charging port on the back end. Half of the outer face is ridged and becomes a Call button, and there's a physical power switch and volume buttons on the top and bottom. It's nowhere near as pretty as the Jabra Eclipse, but it's far more functional, as the tactile buttons are very easy to use.
The headset comes with one gel eartip, an optional earhook, and a strap that plugs into the USB port a...
The $60 Plantronics Explorer 500 sets the benchmark for affordable, no-frills Bluetooth headsets.
Comfortable; Good sound and voice quality; Physical volume buttons
Range and call quality; while good; aren't outstanding