Today I’m going to give you a closer look at the new Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth headset. I wrote about the product announcement back in April and was so intrigued by the design that I got my hands on one to review.

If you’ve been keeping up with my stories, you’ll know that my current favorite headset is the Plantronics Voyager 855 (which I reviewed in January).

The Discovery 925 is a Bluetooth 2.0 headset (Bluetooth 2.0 means it has extended range, up to 33 feet / 10 meters). Plantronics lists the unique selling points as:

• VFrame™ design captures your eye as well as your voice
• Rechargeable case keeps you in charge
• AudioIQ® noise control technology for clear calls
• Three sizes of self-stabilizing eartips let you tailor the fit
• Quick and easy set up with Bluetooth phones
• Available in metallic and jewel tone colors
• Enjoy up to 5 hours talk time or 7 days standby from a single charge

So, lets take a closer look at it in real life:

The package contains the headset, a leather holster/charging case, a USB charging cable, an AC adapter and a set of rubber ear pieces.

The headset itself uses a MicroUSB connector, which lately has been becoming more popular  (For example, Nokia and Motorola use it on many of their current phones). MicroUSB power tips are available from most universal charger manufacturers.

The included leather pouch is brilliant; it protects the headset, but also houses a battery pack to recharge it when not in use. It takes a little getting used to inserting and removing the headset from the case (especially if, like me, you don’t follow directions very well).  Once you’ve done it a few times, it’s a piece of cake.

Charging the headset is simple and flexible; you can charge it by plugging the headset into the carrying case and you charge the carrying case by plugging it into the AC adapter or USB cable.  You can also plug either of those cables directly into the headset. With a full battery in the charging case you essentially have 5 ways of charging the headset.

The Discovery 925 is just under 3 inches long, and weighs 8 grams (just under 0.3 ounces).

Performance/results

Performance can be described in one word: stunning. Almost every single part I could judge the Discovery 925 on, scores 10 out of 10.

Audio/Bluetooth performance is unlike any other Bluetooth headset I’ve ever used.

For the first time in my life I get better audio out of my headset than I do directly on the phone. Calls are loud, they are clear and thanks to the Bluetooth 2.0 connection there is no static at all. In a highly scientific test, I placed my test phone (a Blackberry 8800) in my pocket and made several test calls, I never heard any of the "crackles" you may get with some Bluetooth headsets.

Plantronics calls their noise control system "AudioIQ", you can read more about the technology behind it here, but all you really need to know is that it helps make calls sound great.

Comfort: Because the headset is held in place with a small rubber earpiece, it doesn’t put any pressure on your ear at all. The "ear grips" come in 3 sizes, and once you find the right fit, the headset is held in place nicely, without giving you the feeling that it’s about to fall out (or rip your ear off).

Controls: The Discovery 925 has 2 buttons; a multi-function button for power, pairing and call control, and one volume button. The volume button controls the volume in 3 steps; soft, medium and loud. In an ideal world you’d have dedicated up/down buttons, but with just three volume steps it really isn’t much of an inconvenience.

I found all three steps to be perfectly balanced, the softest is great when there is no ambient noise, and the loudest is perfect for making calls outside or in a noisy environment.

Design: This is always going to be a highly personal thing, but I find the Discovery 925 to be one of the best looking headsets I’ve ever tested. It’s sleek and doesn’t make you look like an air traffic controller when you are strolling through the grocery store. The "VFrame" design also makes it stand out in a world where we seem to be surrounded by bland headset designs.

Battery life: When I test a Bluetooth headset, I am looking for one thing: I want it to last all day, and not die on me mid-call and the Discovery did just fine. From early morning, till now (9pm) it performed as it should, without the need to be charged.

The quoted battery life is 5 hours of call time and 7 days of standby time, which can be doubled if you recharge it in the included carrying case.

Price; With all this goodness, there had to be one minor flaw… The Discovery 925 has an MSRP of $149. With a little shopping around, you’ll be able to find it just under $130. While this is still a tad pricey for a Bluetooth headset, you do need to consider the quality and comfort.

The headset is currently only available in black, but Plantronics recently announced a gold and "cerise" version though neither is currently available (Amazon lists them as available in 1-2 months).

The Plantronics Discovery 925 is available directly from the manufacturer’s website, from Amazon.com or at your local Bestbuy store.