Shure Incorporated QSHB4 Cellular Headsets

Overall Rating: ( 4 reviews )

1. Posted: Nov 6 2007

   This is the only hands free kit I will use. Wonderful for noisy airports and outdoor environments. My only small complaint is that the wire gets a bit too "stiff" in cold weather, so if you are leaving the thing in the car in the winter, something to keep in mind.

2. ( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Dec 9 2006

   Note: I wrote this review for the QSHB3 headset (fits Motorola), but the issues discussed here are the same for the Nokia model (QSHB4). I have mixed feelings about this product. Like many of you, I wanted a headset which will work well in noisy environments. Bluetooth doesn't cut it. The good news is that this headset (when working) is fantastic. I travel to Hong Kong often and frequently need to make calls from the subway or noisy streeets... and they ARE noisy. When using this headset, people on the other end of my conversation said they had no problem at all hearing me. I also could hear those with whom I am speaking very well... The sound quality far surpassed any other headset I've tried... That's the good news... The bad news is that there's a real reliability problem with this model. The first headset I had worked flawlessly for 8 or 9 months... Then suddenly, people on the other end of the line said I sounded "far away" and they could barely hear me. It was as if the "noise cancelling" mechanism cancelled my voice as well as the ambiant noise... To their credit, the support people at Shure sent me a replacement within 24 hours of receiving my malfunctioning unit. But unfortunately, I have had nothing but problems with the headsets I've received back from them. I say "headsets" because I have now returned 6 ... Yes SIX units!... All with the same problem. They seem to work ok for two or three days, then suddenly that same problem kicks in, preventing people speaking with me from hearing me... I almost have to yell for them to hear me... That's not a good thing when in public and very irritating when calling from my home. Again, Shure is great in sending out reqplacement units, no questions asked... but all I really want is a unit which works. I have a good friend who has had the same problem with his headsets... Just like mine, his would work ok for a day or two... then that same problem would show up. I actually had a long phone conversation with one of the repair guys at Shure. While he wouldn't admit this is a design flaw, it was clear they get many many headsets back with this same problem. Again, the problem seems to be that the noise cancellation seems to "go into overdrive" and cuts out ALL the audio input, not just the ambiant noise. The microphone may function properly if I remove the unit from my ear and hold the microphone directly in front of my lips... but that is (of course) not an acceptable solution. I do think this unit would work fine if Shure would extend the boom another inch. I asked the guy at Shure if I could order a unit with that extra long boom... but he said that was not possible. I have read all the reviews here and see this is a common problem... So as much as I love the unit when it is working properly, I can not recommend buying one, as they are almost SURE (pardon the pun) to fail. There is another brand called "TheBoom" (No space between words) which has noise reduction... The noise reduction is based on the mechanics of the sound hitting the microphone, not on electronic intervention. This headset gets rave reviews but is very costly... At $150 a pop, that's a little rich for my blood... but I'm considering springing for one, as I need a headset which has the functionality I need AND is reliable. If it's any consolation, they send a very nice chocolate bar with TheBoom when you order one. So that's it, my friends... The Shure QuietSpot is fantastice when it works... but just don't count on it working for very long.

3. Posted: Sep 5 2006

   What I hear is as good as what I hear on the phone handset, and my customers tell me it actually sounds better than the handset. I can wear it much longer than any other headsets I have tried. I really wish they made a bluetooth version, all the bluetooth headsets I have tried are inadequate to replace this, even though I hate wires. I have been using it about 1 year. The only thing to be careful about is the aiming of the mic. It is VERY directional, and if it is pointed wrong, you will sound horrible to your callers. I used a 2nd phone on the other ear so I could tweak it in real time and hear what it sounded like.

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