Plantronics CS540 Wireless Headset

Overview of the Plantronics CS540 Wireless Headset

Finally... a replacement for the CS60 has arrived and it’s very good. The CS540 ticks all the boxes . Please note that the 540 only works with your office phone which is perfect for most users. If you want a headset for your computer too then check out the run out WO300 which offers incredible value at the moment (while stocks last). Alternatively the also new Plantronics 700 series work with office phone + computer + mobile but are $300+.

The CS540 also comes with multiple wearing styles and is good for either over-the-head or over-the-ear users. It’s lightweight, stylish, comfortable and we think it will soon be one of the most popular wireless headsets just like the old CS60. So let’s start by reviewing.

When stocks run out of the WO200, and the WO300 then the CS540 will find it’s price point but for now there are great options at similar prices in the GN 9330 or the Plantronics WO 200 and WO300 (the equivalent new models SAVI 710 and 740 are over $320).

The CS540 as well as the other CS510 and CS520 are all designed for your office phone only, unlike the SAVI range (which are for office phone + computer) or the latest 700 series (for office phone + computer + mobile). The CS540 also comes with multiple wearing styles and is good for either over-the-head or over-the-ear users. It’s lightweight, stylish, comfortable and we think it will soon be one of the most popular wireless headsets just like the old CS60. So let’s start by reviewing.

The Good

The Plantronics CS540 looks great. Its design is modern and Plantronics claim that it is the lightest DECT headset available in the market. What we like is that it allows both over-the-ear and over-the-head. It is much more comfortable than the CS60 for over the ear wearing and the headband compliments the design and user for over-the-head wearing. This means that it will suit virtually every user and you won’t have to buy different models for different staff which is important.

The sound quality in all the new CS500 series headsets is excellent and incorporates their Enhanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology which is said to deliver more natural voice sounds. We don’t dispute it but we think you’d have to be in a lab or have canine hearing to pick the difference. They have also cleverly incorporated a new Voice-dedicated DECT™ technology which means that it eliminates interference from wireless networks you may have in the office. As more and more deices go wireless this is very important.

Unlike the CS60 the CS540 has noise cancelling. This cuts down much of the background noise and really is a must in any busy office environment. Like our very popular Sennheiser Pro 1, Pro 2 and DW office, you can also now conference in other headset users (up to 3). This is a brilliant feature in call centres and where a manager may need to get on the line. Plantronics has also given the CS540 a very intelligent adaptive power system that increases or reduces power consumption, based on your distance from the base station. This extends battery life and gives you up to 7 hours talk time. This is good but if you are on the phone all day then perhaps consider the CS510, CS520, CS351N or the CS361N – they all offer significantly longer talk times and won’t run out of juice.

The CS540 wireless headset also features SoundGuard technology. This protects phone users from loud, potentially harmful noises. These ‘acoustic shocks’ are transmitted down phone lines as a result of dangerous customers yelling, blowing whistles, electricity spikes, weather conditions, transmission faults and the like. Without this feature you could potentially suffer from temporary/permanent hearing loss. Plantronics SoundGuard means you’ll be protected whenever you are using your headset.

The Not-So-Good

The main downfall of all office-only wireless headsets like the Plantonics CS540 (including the discontinued CS70N, CS351N, CS361N and the popular GN Netcom 9330e) is that they don’t work on computers. The future of headsets is moving towards voice and computer convergence. This simply means that more people will start to use their headsets for softphone IP applications, VoIP (like Skype) and voice recognition software like Dragon Speak 11 and MacSpeech. Products like the CS540 are one trick ponies.

Many people are buying multi-use headsets to keep their options open, and with incredible deals on some of the run out models  like the Plantronics WO300 you can’t actually get computer + office phone connectivity for less than the price of a CS540 – until stock runs out!  Alternatively there are great current products like the Jabra Pro 9450 and the awesome Sennheiser DW Office and Sennheiser DW Pro 1. If convergence is in your future, then it pays to cover your bases now rather than having to replace your headset down the track. If you’re looking for mobile phone connectivity as well as office and computer then make sure you look at the latest Plantronics Savi W740, W710 and W 720.

The Verdict

For office only phone applications the Plantronics CS540 is a genuinely good headset. It ticks the boxes for about 90% of buyers and any deficiencies of the CS60 it replaces are now history. It’s light, comfortable and even has noise-cancelling. The only real detractor is talk time so it you are busy on the phone all day it may not be up to the task. The new Plantronics CS 540 wireless headset is already becoming one of our top sellers.