Poly - Blackwire 5220 USB-A Headset (Plantronics) - Wired, Dual Ear (Stereo) Computer Headset with Boom Mic - USB-A, 3.5 mm to connect to your PC, Mac, Tablet and/or Cell Phone

I ordered this with only moderate expectations -- it's a known brand, but you can never tell nowadays, especially at this price point. Fortunately, this wired headset fits comfortably, folds flat, came with a storage bag, AND has a sound canceling microphone that apparently sounds quite clear to people I spoke to. The sound quality in my ears was decent, though I didn't push it hard. I was using it for Zoom and telephone calls. I was also extremely surprised, because although I intentionally ordered the "outdated" USB-A version, it came with a USB-A to USB-C adapter on a tiny lanyard at the end of the cable. EXCELLENT! Not expected, and since it's not listed in the description, YMMV. :-) I used the headset successfully on my Android phone, both with its USB-C connection AND with its barrel connector. I'm not really fond of the volume control and mute "remote," but the switches do seem to work, with a beeping noise and sometimes a strange delay (though that might be my computer running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS). I couldn't get the volume switches to do what I wanted on my phone, but again that might be due to my particular phone. I'm also a little disappointed in the thin gauge of the cable from the barrel connector (for the remote or a phone or whatever) to the headset. It seems VERY thin. I guess that makes it feel lighter, but the cable from the remote to the USB connector is about twice as thick, so it feels sturdier. I also had trouble inserting the barrel connector back into the remote, but that issue is clearly (well, pictorially) mentioned in the (wordless) instructions. Just press harder, until the end of the barrel disappears into the remote. If my experience with other headsets holds up, the first thing to fail will be the "leathery" plastic covering on the earpieces. It doesn't look like it will last hugely long, but as I said at the top, I don't have an expectation for much more at this reasonable price. (Less than forty dollars, mid 2025.) If the company makes replacement earpiece covers available, I will be all over it! But I won't order them in advance, in case the cable or something else breaks before I need them.

I bought this head set because I also use it at work. So I have put in 8 hours a day Monday to Friday for months now. It is comfortable. Has tones of features and the mic is perfect. I could not think of a way to make this a better headset. Everyone at my work love this thing.

The noise cancelling mic appears effective. The cushioned ear pads provide passive noise reduction that makes it easier for you to hear and understand the person on the other side of your call. The cushioned ear pads also make it comfortable for all day use. This Poly headset seems better value for money compared to the Jabra Evolve2 50 that I was using prior. The Jabra was a little more uncomfortable, had some audio delay issues, and is more expensive.

I needed to get a new headset since my old one of nearly two years was continuing to get worse and had to be replaced (needed for online work). I also use them for online gaming so I can talk on Discord. Went with these because of the reputation of Plantronics (although these are branded Poly now), as I had used Plantronics a few decades back when I had still worked in call centers. The other headset I had used was a no brand name (pretty much but had been recommended to me by coworkers). As far as sound goes and being able to block out sounds (noise cancellation), these headphones are really good. Just yesterday, someone had come to my door and was knocking. That sound was pretty much muffled, especially later when I was actually talking on Discord, I almost couldn't hear the knocking. But back to my main concern. Comfort. I had read some of the reviews and specifically looked for mentions about comfort on the ears, as my ears are super sensitive to anything pressed on them for any period of time. I thought by looking at how cushiony they were, these might help with that issue. The padding is soft, but unfortunately, they do hurt my ears after hours of use. I have been wearing contacts as well, and not my glasses, so that could possibly make it a bit more uncomfortable--that has been an issue for me, thus why I have gone to wearing contacts instead. I think if you are a glasses wearer, there may be quicker fatigue/pain, as they do fit a bit tighter than other headsets. For the reasons listed above (tighter fit, the cushioning, and long time use), the headphones are a bit disappointing for me. That's why I wanted to write this review mostly--to provide that warning to anyone who might be like me with very sensitive ear cartilage. Otherwise, I have to say that I'm impressed with the sound quality especially, compared to my old set. I had to actually turn the volume down in my settings as everyone's voices have come through very loud and clear. Game sound too is great! Even though the mic is fixed (meaning you can't twist and adjust it such as the old one I had), I didn't find that it was so close to my face as being a distraction either. I do use it with the "speaker" plug rather than USB because that cord is longer and USB ports are a limited commodity on my laptop; another feature that I like with this headset. So I can't speak to the volume control pad (I think it also has a feature of answering your phone? but I would never use that either). I imagine it works as intended. Overall, I still recommend this set.

The Poly Blackwire 5220 has excellent sound quality, and the noise-canceling mic works really well. It’s lightweight, comfortable for long calls, and easy to set up. Perfect for work meetings and highly recommended!

Headset worked for 3 months. It now has a lot of static, both on outgoing and incoming sound. I expect better of a headset this expensive. Verified it is the headset causing the issue by trying a different headset with the same PC.

I got this headset because while I love wireless headphones, I've been continuously frustrated by Bluetooth headsets failing to connect successfully with my laptop and even my iPhone; at least with wired headphones, I'm guaranteed a connection! These headsets provide for excellent listening, and others can hear me clearly when speaking, for example, on Zoom. The headset is comfortable to wear, too. Last but not least, there are multiple options for connecting, whether through a jack, USBA, or USBC. I'd actually gotten them initially because they had a jack, given USB ports are at a premium, but once I realized I could connect with the smaller-sized USB port, for which there is less "competition," I hooked it up that way instead with no issues! Still, though, with USB port availability being at a premium generally, it's nice to know it's possible to connect with a traditional jack if the circumstances demanded it! I'm happy enough with this headset that I'm going out on a limb to purchase the wireless version, too, for greater mobility, so I'm not always chained to the headset; however, at least one commenter reported connectivity issues with the wireless version; I hope that's not the case for me, but if that happens, at least I can fall back on this reliable wired version. Thank you, Plantronics, for producing a great product!

Great compatibility with Microsoft 11 and teams. Control buttons are convenient and easy to use. Functions just as well as cordless because the headset disconnects from two parts giving mobility while working. The headband is strong giving great durability and the soft band provides comfort for long wearing usage. And since it’s wired no battery life to be concerned with.