Plantronics Voyager Legend CS review: Brilliant features but too pricey, even for professionals

The Plantronics Voyager Legend CS is the latest addition to the comapny’s Voyager Legend bluetooth headset series. The CS variant adds a docking station to the bundle which also lets you hook up your desk phone at the office. The Bluetooth headset comes at a hefty premium however, but is it worth it if you’re a high ranking executive who hates lifting the receiver?   Design and Features The Voyager Legend CS prides itself with impeccable build quality. Most of it is covered by a soft-touch rubber coating which also helps repel water and other liquids. The headset can be adjusted for both left or right-sided usage and sits snugly in your ear. The ear tips are made of a soft plastic, which are very unobtrusive and provide good sealing during calls. [caption id=“attachment_220332” align=“alignnone” width=“768”] The connectors on the Voyager Legend[/caption]   The headset consists of a volume rocker, an on/off switch, LED notification light, charging leads, call answer and end button and a mute/voice command button. The mouth piece protrudes just enough and consists of three microphones. [caption id=“attachment_220334” align=“alignnone” width=“768”] The buttons for answering calls and the voice assistant[/caption]   The dock looks elegant on any work desk and is used to charge the Voyager Legend. The magnetic charging cradle makes it easy to snap the headset in and out of the dock. There are three LED indicators on the dock which show you which line you’re connected to. When the first one is lit, the landline is active and you can answer calls from your desk phone through the headset. Pushing the ‘Call answer’ button once switches to your smartphone. The dock works with most office landlines and you can even set it to different types using the switch underneath, along with the switches to adjust the microphone and volume level.   The Voyager Legend doesn’t have a microUSB port for charging so you’ll have to dock it in everyday or buy a portable charging dock separately.   Performance First and foremost, the Voyager Legend is incredibly comfortable to wear. After a point, you barely feel it on your ear. It is a bit conspicuous but in a good way. Audio quality is very good for outdoor use. Even in busy areas with lots of traffic, you can hear the caller very clearly, and they too could hear us without any issues. [caption id=“attachment_220333” align=“alignnone” width=“768”] The interchangeable ear tips offer great comfort[/caption]   The headset also has a proximity sensor built into it. For instance, when you’re at work and your headset is on your desk, you simply place it on your ear to accept the incoming call. This works very well each and every time. There’s also a voice assistant to alert you of an incoming call or battery level. The assistant reads the name of the caller to you and asks you if you wish to answer or ignore the call. You can then take it by simply saying ‘Answer’. This part works well when there’s not much ambient noise but if you’re on the move, it doesn’t work all the time. [caption id=“attachment_220337” align=“alignnone” width=“768”] The docking station hooked up the desk phone[/caption]   You can even issue voice commands by holding down the ‘Mute’ button. You can check the connection status, battery level, mute or call back the last person you dialled.   The Voyager Legend also supports A2DP profile which means you can catch up on your favourite audiobook while on the go. Audio is automatically muted when you get an incoming call. [caption id=“attachment_220336” align=“alignnone” width=“432”] You can check the battery level through Plantronic’s widget for Android phones[/caption]   The Legend CS has a range of 10m but this is without any obstruction in the middle. At home, the range is a lot lesser when you move to another room and the audio starts cracking a lot. Battery life is very good and on full charge, you’ll get about 7-hours of continuous talk time. In reality though, you can go the full week before having to charge it again. [caption id=“attachment_220331” align=“alignnone” width=“768”] The Voyager Legend CS offers excellent functionality but is too pricey even for professionals[/caption]   Verdict and Price in India The Plantronics Voyager Legend CS is priced at Rs 12,000, plus an additional 10 percent as taxes. This is too expensive considering the Voyager Legend, minus the charging dock, can be found for a lot less online. The CS version is designed for professionals who want the option to connect desk phone and smartphone to the headset. The Voyager Legend itself is very good, offering great comfort, long battery life, excellent audio quality with A2DP support and handy voice commands. Our only gripe is the range could have been better when you factor in small obstacles and the lack of a microUSB port means you’ll have to invest an additional amount in the charging cradle if you’re going to be away from the dock for more than a week.   Photography: Joshua Navalkar