Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 ReviewJune 22nd, 2005
Pros: Lightweight; no hissing; gets very loud without distortion; cross platform.
Cons: Control pod placed too far up the line; microphone sounds average.
Verdicts: At $50, Logitech's Premium USB Headset 350 is priced to compete with similar analog headsets, and with a sound twice as good, it is heavily recommended.
Earlier this year, Logitech announced three new headsets at CeBIT, including the successor to Logitech's Premium USB Headset 300, the 350. While there have been mixed reviews regarding Logitech's previous entries into the USB audio market after the acquisition of Labtec, the quality of the Headset 350 blew my head (and eardrums) away.
Package Content - Logitech Premium USB Headset 350
- Quick start guide
- One year limited warranty
USB Headset Design At first glance, I never really expected much from the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350. Compared to my Altec Lansing AHS-502 analog headset, the Logitech headset just seemed so thin and wiry. The headband is about half-an inch wide and contains no padding, while the actual ear pads are thinner and don't provide a seal around the ears.
Looks can be deceiving however, because when I actually put the headset on it was actually exceptionally comfortable, and did not fatigue my neck with its lightweight design. Also, while the thinner ear pads didn't provide a seal around the ear to isolate outside noises, they didn't put much pressure on the ears, so the headset was comfortable after several hours of gaming. And as an added bonus, I could actually hear my teammates shouting commands without using TeamSpeak.
Another example of why not to judge this headset's usefulness by its appearance is the microphone. Unlike my Altec Lansing headset and the older Logitech USB Headsets 200 and 300, the microphone does not end in a flexible wire for optimal positioning, but rather the microphone is one solid piece of plastic that only moves up and down.
Despite the lack of positioning, the microphone was right in the optimal placement of right next to my mouth instead of in front of it, so I did not have to worry about breathing too hard. As an added bonus, when the microphone isn't being used and is tucked next to the head band, it blends in perfectly and doesn't stand out like an antenna.
One of the differences between the Premium USB Headset 350 and the cheaper 250 model is the inline remote. About 22" down the line from the right headphone is the Logitech control pod, where clicking on the Logitech logo will mute the microphone and clicking either end of the ring surrounding the logo will change the operating system's volume. Because the headset is digital, you do not have to worry about an analog wheel that creates noise when turning it three years down the line. At the same time, and this can be said for all USB audio products, changing the volume through the operating system may not take place instantly, especially while playing a game or doing anything particularly CPU intensive.
Regardless, the control pod is especially handy for those without multimedia keyboards, and the edged feel of the volume ring makes it easily distinguishable from the mute button. The only real complaint I have here would be that the control pod needs to be placed about 4 or 5 inches further down the line for attachment to a belt loop.
Sound Quality Until now, I have been accustomed to using onboard sound for everything. I'm not an audiophile, and growing up with actual phonographs and cassette tapes, I've always been used to the analog hiss present in everything. With my MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum motherboard (Realtek ALC850 audio chipset), there has always been a slight hiss with every pair of headphones I have ever tried when the volume is set to max. This was not present in the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350.
Also, for some inexplicable reason, mousing over the ObjectDock or dragging any window across the screen would also create a small amount of a static hiss. Again, this was not encountered with the USB headset.
Already amazed at the lack of hissing for the first time in my life, I was curious to see how well the headset actually sounded. In all my ignorance I forgot that the volume was still at 100% and was promptly delivered a swift kick in the pants for my hearing as soon as I launched iTunes. If these headsets had a volume dial, it would go up to eleven.
Able to pull extra power from the USB's 5v rail, they get very loud, and that's an understatement. Anyone who's ever used a headphone amplifier should know what I'm talking about. The amazing thing is that they retain most of their bass response when at max volume, whereas most other headsets I've tried let the treble drown out the midtones and bass.
At every volume level, highs, lows, and midtones were well balanced, with a little more power to the bass at lower volumes. Breakup and distortion shouldn't be an issue either. At max volume, there was no crackling audio, even when I enabled the "Bass Booster" within iTunes. It didn't matter what I was playing - Cypress Hill, Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails, Daft Punk, ETN.FM Trance, or Doom 3, the Logitech Premium USB Headset 350 made them all sound great. It should also be noted that using this headset in place of the computer's onboard audio will improve framerates, but don't expect any miracles. I generally saw a 2-3fps difference in all my games.
The headset's noise canceling microphone preformed fairly in Voice over IP (VoIP) applications and Sound Recorder. In Skype and Teamspeak, the other parties reported my voice as coming in crisp and clear, although they told me that they could still hear the clacking of the keyboard and could slightly hear the television in the next room.
Eager to hear the results for myself, I made a 60 second recording in Sound Recorder and played it back to myself. Indeed, while my voice came in exceptionally clear, I could easily hear the keyboard in the background, and also the muffled sound of the TV in the next room. There was also a hiss present in the background when the microphone was not muted, although it was significantly less noticable than the hiss from the built-in microphone of the Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Deluxe that I recently reviewed. Personally I view these findings as average for a consumer microphone, and unless you're willing to shell out the dosh for an actual studio microphone I doubt you will find anything much better.
USB Audio For The Win! All in all I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of the headset. Despite the barebones looks of the headset, it is actually quite comfortable and well designed. The 40mm drivers provide an incredible amount of bass response not seen in most other headphones, and can reach very high volumes without distortion and hiss thanks to the USB interface.
The built-in microphone, although nothing spectacular, captured my voice clearly and works well in VoIP applications. At $50, Logitech's Premium USB Headset 350 is priced to compete with similar analog headsets, and with a sound twice as good, it is heavily recommended.
- Scott Clark, Consumer Technology Editor
Where to buy Logitech Premium USB Headset 350?
User Review(s)
We're currently upgrading our user review system; so we won't be accepting new reviews for now. Premium USB Headset 350 Specs
Interface(s)
Original USB
Released date
March 2005
Platforms
Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP, MacOS 10.3.x, MacOS 10.2.x, MacOS 10.1.x
