Plantronics Discovery 975 vs Jawbone Prime Earcandy: iPhone Accessory Review

Posted by Cyprian on November 16th, 2009 at 03:20pm Comments

iPhone Accessory Review: Plantronics Discovery 975 vs Jawbone Prime Earcandy
Reviewed by: Cyprian Peters
-Official websites
Discovery 975
Prime Earcandy
Price: Discovery 975 - $129.99
Prime Earcandy - $129.99

Today I’ll be doing a rare comparison review, putting two of the top bluetooth headsets, from two of the top companies in the business up against each other. These two companies, which I’m sure most of you have heard of, are Plantronics and Jawbone. Both of these companies have a variety of different headsets that range in style and price. The two being reviewed here are two of their newer models and also some of their more pricier ones. Both of these headsets have superb quality and design.

First off, let’s talk a bit about the purpose of buying these things, conversing. The 975 has noise and wind cancelling technology built in. The Prime has something called NoiseAssassin built in to get rid of unwanted background noise. The Prime also has a ‘Voice Activity Sensor’ on it which is a little rubber bump which ideally should be up against your skin. It senses the vibrations when you talk in order to capture only your voice frequencies and filter out background noise.

Both of these headsets performed remarkably in a quiet environment. The caller could hardly tell I was on a headset. I also tried them outside on a windy day and they worked pretty well. I would have to give the Prime the nod here for better performance. The caller could hear me better on the Prime than the 975. I could hear the caller very well over the wind, but they could definitely tell I was outside. Still, it’s pretty remarkable that you can even have a legitimate conversation over heavy winds.

Now, onto style. To me, this is just about as important as call quality. I’ve stated before how I’m not the biggest fan of bluetooth headsets in public. That being said, if I do wear one, I want it to be sleek and professional, not big and ugly. These two headsets are both ultra-modern and sleek. The 975 has a long narrow mouthpiece and a diamond shaped earpiece. The black and silver combo really makes it pop. If you’re looking for something with a little bit bolder, the Earcandy is exactly what you need. You can choose from 4 vibrant colors. They sent me the lilac version and it definitely stands out. It’s design is different as well as it is thicker and shorter than the 975.

Both devices pair seamlessly with the iPhone, no problems there. They both have two buttons to control the volume and calling features. I found them both to be equal in features. You can answer/end calls, redial, change the volume and more from the touch of a button.

Both come with cables to charge. In the case of the Prime, there is a USB cable as well as an AC adapter so you can charge from the wall or computer. It has a neat magnetic attachment that hooks up to the back side of the headset to charge, kind of like an Apple computer. The downside to this is that if you lose the cable, you have to get another one. It’s not exactly a standard mini/micro USB cable for charging.

Charging is where the 975 shines. It comes with a carrying case which is small enough to throw in your pocket or keep in your car console. Get this, the case actually has a built in battery. You can charge the case or headset by themselves or together through the included AC adapter with a micro USB end on it. The case is black leather and very stylish. It also has a built in display to show you how much charge the headset and case have left. This means half as much charging, which let’s face it, is one of the major drawbacks of electronics.

In terms of fitment, the 975 comes with three sizes of earpieces, and these ones fit me like a glove. Unfortunately, everyone’s ears are different so this may vary for different people but I find these earpieces to be some of my favorites out of all the headsets and headphones I’ve reviewed. The Jawbone didn’t fit my ears as well and was a bit uncomfortable for me. However, they did offer more selection, with two different types of earpieces, both in small, medium and large.

Overall, both of these headsets are top notch and you won’t be disappointed in purchasing either. I do have to give the slight nod to the 975 because of the rechargeable case, how awesome is that, really! The Earcandy does win in the style department, with its unique color options. They’re both the same amount of money as well, and for what you get, they are definitely worth the price. If you’re looking for a quality headset, grab yourself one of these! You won’t be sorry!

Scores:
Plantronics Discovery 975: 9.5/10
Jawbone Prime Earcandy: 9/10

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5. Etymotic hf2 Earphones + Headset: iPhone Accessory Review

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