Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)The hype is, in fact, true. The microphone on this headset is MILES better than any other at noise rejection; and I have tried most of the competition. You can in fact have a coherent conversation in a hushed voice while a semi trailer is driving past you on the street. The caller on the other end doesn't hear "nothing"---but they don't hear anything distracting. In addition, the clunky silicone "ear funnel" makes it easy to hear callers even in loud conditions, even at 50% volume on my Blackberry.
That said, there are several real drawbacks:
1) As a previous reviewer noted, the wind rejection is not great. The included windscreen is too small; it helps but doesn't solve the problem. I work on roofs in windy Illinois, so this is a problem, but it's no worse than other headsets. I will try a giant fuzzy ball on my next Boom, to see if that can totally eliminate the sound of a 30MPH gust.
2) The Mic is very directional, so the "fading" the previous reviewer saw was probably due the the mic drifting out of the sweet spot ~ 1" away from and slightly above your mouth. Outside of that zone, the mic eliminates the "noise" of your voice very effectively! =)
3) The ear holder is uncomfortable after many hours. This product is not "dainty", and it comes with a tenacious moldable thing that holds the headset in place. To get a snug fit, you bend it tightly around your ear. After a few hours, this HURTS.
4) Build quality SUCKS. My first Boom broke, so I super-glued it. After a couple months it got stolen, so then I waited (and waited!) for them to release the new version. The new one broke again (in a different place) after a month, so I super-glued IT. Then it broke again (in a third place), and I glued it again, and now the adapter cord is broken so I can't use it until I get a replacement.
5) Support SUCKS. It took me NINE MONTHS to get my v4 Boom. During this time, they were totally out of stock. Then, they forgot I was on the pre-order list. Then they charged my credit card and didn't send the item. Finally, they sent the item (along with some tasty chocolate as a mea culpa). Then I lost the "ear funnel", and needed a replacement. Took me six phone calls to reach someone. Then it started breaking (see above). Ten phone calls later, I haven't reached a single human nor recieved a callback.
BOTTOM LINE: Their amazing technology solves the big problem for me: project a professional phone presence while still getting the work done. I spend about 4 hours per day on my cell phone, mostly outdoors and driving, so this is a Must Have. So I'm going to just buy the damn things in bulk and live with the crappy support and fragility. If talking with customers in a loud environment is not a necessity for you, go with something that doesn't work as well but is cheaper and less breakable.
If they start giving better support, in a way that I can tell is not just to appease me, I'll ammend this review.
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theBoom Hands Free Noise Cancelling Telephone Headset
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