Last fall, Plantronics presented a pair of active noise reduction headphones for adventurous music lovers in search of silence. Of the two, it is the neck strap that is today on our test bench.
Poly (ex-Plantronics) offers us a cocktail of functionalities, each more ergonomic, practical and clever than the next (Smart Magnet, multipoint connection, complete application, different levels of RBA, more than exhaustive controls), coupled with a good comfort, reliable battery life, precise and dynamic sound performance (in W), not to mention finally effective active noise reduction… at low frequencies.
Strong points
- USB/mini-jack combo charging/listening cable.
- Comprehensive commands (and more).
- Comfortable, good support.
- Flexible, not too bulky (for a neckband).
- Multipoint connection.
- Full app.
- Different levels of RBA.
- Anti-tangle flat cables.
- SmartMagnet function.
- Effective active noise reduction in the bass.
- Good autonomy.
Weak points
- Lack of neutral equalization.
- Distortion accentuated by RBA in the midrange.
- Active noise reduction ineffective in the midrange.
NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average price observed for the product last month, with security rules to exclude prices from shops whose VAT policy does not is not clear (say “grey” shops, typically in the case of imports from China).
Alternatively
Comfortable, easy to use and offering very pleasant audio performances, the Beats Flex simply do exactly what is expected of them. The integration with iOS and macOS enabled by the W1 chip is obviously a plus for owners of Apple devices, but Android aficionados can rest assured that they remain perfectly compatible with any Bluetooth source.