[Mini Review] Plantronics Pulsar 590A Bluetooth headphones

A link to the product I'm talking about: Plantronics Pulsar 590A

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  Despite the battering Bluetooth headphones have received in various places on the Net - including here - I decided to take the plunge anyway, hoping for a one-size-fits-all solution to handle
  • PC gaming
  • MP3 playback from PDA / phone
  • Handsfree on phone
  • Audio from other devices with only a 3.5mm jack
  • Skype
  
  Setup
  Bloody easy. Pair the headphones, select the right service (if applicable on your audio source device), wait a few moments, enjoy audio.
  
  Audio Quality
  I've really only used threee other sets of headphones in the last couple of years: the standard set that came with my XDA mini, the stock iPod buds, and the Koss KSC-75s. Not a great variety, I know.
  
  The short version is that the Plantronics don't sound as good as the Koss 'phones, but they sound better than the iPod buds, and a hell of a lot better than the XDA set. The word that comes to mind when describing the Plantronics' sound is "muddy", but they seem to handle certain MP3s better than others, so it's quite possible the quality of the MP3 has at least something to do with it.
  
  When gaming, I'm comparing the sound to my VideoLogic ZXR-200 speakers - the speakers deliver a far better sound, but I'd expect that. I'm more than happy playing NBA Live 2007 and Company of Heroes with them - stereo sound is fine and bass is reasonable.
  
  In terms of the mic, I've had no complaints from the person on the other end of the phone, even with the retractable mic fully retracted.
  
  Connection quality
  Every so often, the sound drops out for no apparent reason - perhaps 10 - 15 seconds in 30 - 45 minutes - but generally, it's very good. I walked perhaps 10 meters away from my phone and the audio quality didn't change one bit.
  
  A2DP
  In a word: Untested - my XDA mini doesn't support it, but given the whoile host of reported problems with WindowsMobile 5 and A2DP, I daresay any issues people have with these headphones and stereo streaming of audio direct from a WM5 device are MS BT stack related, and not the fault of these 'phones.
  
  The phones are advertised to to support both A2DP and AVRCP - the latter meaning that you can use buttons on the headset to skip to the next track, go back to the previous track and change the volume remotely.
  
  Battery Life
  The advertising says 10 - 12 hours; I was skeptical. I lost track of how many hours I used them before my first recharge, but it would have been at least 8, I'd guess. And given I didn't drain the batteries completely before recharging, I reckon 10+ isn't out of the realms of possibility.
  
  Comfort
  Probably the most subjective area of this mini-review ... I find the 590As more comfortable than either set of buds, but not quite as comfortable as the KSC-75s, especially after a while.
  
  Accessories
  Fantastic - carry case, charging stand, AC adapter, flight cable to turn them into "standard" wired 'phones. But by far the best accessory is the 3.5mm -> Bluetooth adapter; got a device that doesn't support Bluetooth but has a standard 3.5mm jack? No problems. Plug the adapter in, wait a few moments for it to pair with the headphones, and away you go.
  
  Overall
  Am I glad I bought them? Definitely. Would I recommend them? Maybe.
  
  If sound quality is your main focus, buy something else. For 'phones with a $200+ RRP, you can do SO much better. But if you want something that can be a jack-of-all trades headset that delivers all the benefits of wireless headphones and true hands-free for your phone, they're really not a bad investment.