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Logitech Earbuds For Business Sound Good

Comments | Larry Seltzer, BYTE | April 24, 2012 12:00 PM

Category: Peripherals, Desktop PCs

When I first looked at them I thought, "It's just a set of earbuds." It is, but it's a very good set. The Logitech BH320 USB Stereo Earbuds are not for your iPhone; these have a USB plug and are meant for UC (unified communications) applications, such as Microsoft's Lync.

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In fact, Logitech marketing brags about how the earbuds are "optimized for Microsoft Lync," and it seems that's a designation from Microsoft meant for devices that "provide a high quality user experience, with 'just works' installation, rich audio and video, and a lower total cost of ownership." Video, of course, isn't relevant here, but it is with a lot of Lync-oriented devices.

Yes, the BH320 was easy to install, just like every other headset or earbuds in the world. Nothing really to brag about there. But I will attest to the high quality user experience. They look good, they feel good, and they sound good.

The entire device is very light and comes with a zippered carrying pouch. The microphone, on the cord descending from the right earpiece, can be touched to mute. At the junction of the two earpiece cords is a volume rocker switch that also has a lighted mute indicator.

I think these are very comfortable for earbuds, but I'm not sure I would want to wear earbuds all day. When I'm on very long calls I prefer a headset with padded earpieces like the Logitech USB Headset H530 I bought about a year ago and am very happy with.

Of course, there are downsides to long-term headset use as well, as demonstrated in this Logitech ad for the BH320 earbuds:

I tested several headsets and earbuds for this review for quality. I wasn't scientific and my hearing's not so great anyway, but I definitely heard the best quality out of the BH320. The difference in quality between the two USB headsets I tested wasn't great, but the quality of any USB device is head and shoulders above that of a headphone jack device.

The Logitech earbuds' MSRP of $79.99 seems ridiculous, but it's not totally crazy for earbuds meant for UC. You really need high quality and comfort, as users will wear them all day doing business. The Logitech H530 headset I bought last year has an MSRP of $49.99 and I bought it on Amazon.com for about $35. You can also find the BH320 discounted.

So it's not just another set of earbuds, no really. If it's earbuds you want for your UC work, you should be happy with the Logitech BH320.

Name: Logitech BH320 USB Stereo Earbuds

The BH320 is a high quality set of earbuds designed for unified communications applications. They're comfortable, the sound is excellent, and they are light and feel good. They're expensive but not outrageously so.
Price: $79.99 (MSRP)
Pro:
  • Excellent sound.
  • Comfortable.
  • Good features.
Con:
  • Pricey.

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