I do not know about the Plantronics 995 unit. I have not encountered any issues with the Skullcandy PLYR 2 Wireless Headset. I got to test it with a Skype call and was about 25-30 feet and caller said heard no dropouts. The Skullcandy transmitter sits on the table and a USB cable from the transmitter runs into the USB port of the computer. If there are Skype users interested in hearing me and chatting via Skype using this headset please send an email message to [email protected] with your Skype name.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brent Harding" <[email protected]> To: "PC Audio Discussion List" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2014 4:03 PM Subject: Re: Skullcandy PLYR 2 Wireless headset?Mic Unit Review I wonder what thhis one is like compared to the Plantronics Audio 995 wireless headset that kind of uses an oversized flash drive-shaped thing for it's USB transmitter? Ironically, back when I first wanted a wireless headset with a mic, you were stuck with bluetooth that will lag and sound like a phone call, but it seems now that there are a few other choices around, the plantronics I mentioned, this Skullcandy one, and I thought Logitech makes one too, and there might be others that have a mic and are wireless. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Petro Giannakopoulos" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, July 18, 2014 7:49 PM Subject: Skullcandy PLYR 2 Wireless headset?Mic Unit Review >I bought this Skullcandy PLYR 2 Headset with microphone from Radio Shack >for > $99+ but I noticed Amazon has them for $89 but not sure about the > shipping. > > It is wireless. 2.4 GHZ frequency use. It has a 50 foot range. i read in > the > reviews that this guy said it worked when he went two stories/floors away. > I > tested about 20 feet and was great. Freedom to move around was why I > bought > this unit. > > My opinions only. I am not saying to buy this unit. Only a review. > > JAWS Users > Examine your current sound card you are using first. > See what card you have and its shortcut letter in that list by pressing > insert+j+u+o > and a list will appear. > See what sound card JAWS is using. > Remember its shortcut letter. > Sigmatel? then it will be S for its shortcut letter. > Realtek the possibly R for its shortcut letter. > > If you use jaws there is an important keystroke if you get stuck. > insert+j+u+o which takes you to the JAWS sound settings if you hear no > speech and stuck then press the shortcut letter for your sound card. > > For me since I use a Sigmatell sound card with JAWs I press > insert+j+u+o+s > To tell JAWS to use the Sigmatell sound card if I lose speech. > > Skullcandy > Phone tech support at > 1-888-my-skull > you can also order this unit at the above number. > > First thing I did after ordering this unit was to read the reviews and the > how to set it up. Usually one is supposed to do his research first then > make > the order but I did not. The Radio Shack phone representative seemed to > know > what he was saying and was a video game player and understood headsets so > I > took his recommendation. They come in different colors. I really was not > asked about what color I wanted for the headset to be. Mine are yellow / > black. The headset is adjustable but not foldable from waht I could tell. > I > have had this unit for only 8 hours so far. Accessories are, > Headset with microphone > 1 shorter USB cable > 1 longer USB cable > A transmitter > > I am not a audio expert and wears a hearing aid. The headset feels > comfortable to me. I tested the headset with Skype. > > I did not wear the hearing aid when wearing the headset. > > Have the computer on. > Connect the supplied shorter USB cable to your computer then to the > transmitter's mini USB slot. You will hear found new hardware. > Connect the supplied longer USB cable to the transmitter's regular USB > slot. > The other end of this USB cable will have the mini USB connector which you > will use to charge your headset unit. I believe it uses a lithium ion > battery. I was told to charge it for 12 hours the first time. > > Other accessories included are but not used by me are 2 RCA male to 1/8 > inch > cable. A 2.5mm cable for the XBox unit. > > Note: The 1/8 inch male cable to 1/8 inch male cable was not supplied. it > was one the complaints in the reviews so have one handy. They say the > local > Dollar store has them. > > The transmitter has an 1/8 inch opening (3.5mm( which you can then connect > to your computer's headphone output 1/8 inch opening. This is not required > from what I can tell right now but I tested this and I was able to hear > JAWS > speech while talking to someone via Skype. The Skype user did not hear my > screen reader's speech output sound. > > The headset has ear cups design. > The left cup has the adjustable microphone. You can adust it to your > liking. > There is a way to mute the microphone but I have not tested it. You have > push/move the mic down and it mutes. Move it back up and it unmutes the > mic. > > The right ear cup has on the outside flat side a round rocker control. It > is > about the size in diameter like a penny or 16-18mm circle. Cannot miss > this > control. If you push up this control to 12 o'clock position the volume > will > go up in increments. At 6 o'clock the volume will go down. At 3 'o clock > its > for gaming mode and 9 0'clock its for voice mode. I use the 9 0'clock > here. > I pushed towards 9 o'clock position. > > To the left of this rocker control there is a power button. You will find > it > once you know. > > We are still on the right ear cup. It has a EQ presets. 3 presets you can > choose from. Base, premium and I forget the other one. It slides up and > down > and clicks. Also next to this presets area there is a mini USB slot which > you connect the loose mini USB connector that extends from the transmitter > unit. This is how you charge the headset. > > So I let it charge for an hour first. > > you must pair the headset with your transmitter next. > > The transmitter has a button on its top. > The right cup on the headset has the poer button. it is next to the rocker > control. > You hold down the power button on both the transmitter and Headset for 5 > seconds and let go. Setup says to do it for 2 seconds. > > I had no indication that it was paired. maybe I missed something. maybe I > should have had the headsets on and listen for something. > > So I went to my Windows sound settings and examined my playback and > recording devices. Both read Skullcandy GMX... > So I know it was ppaired successfully. > Since I have my computer setup to use the internal sound card for my > screen > reader I examined this setting and it was still using the sigmatel > internal > sound card. This was what I wanted it to say. > > I also made sure the checkbox read Use Only Default Devices was unchecked > in > my > Windows sound settings. > > Back to the Windows sound settings. For me the Recording volume for the > microphone was set to 3% so I changed it to 100% with the home keyboard > key. > I saved my settings. Also it read it to me as Capture 3% so I changed it > to > 100% to be more precise here. > > I then opened Skype. It noticed i was using another headset and it popped > up > with a message. I had to use my JAWS routte JAWS to PC cursor mode and > choose the ok with a JAWS left click as it told me if I wanted to use the > Skullcandy headset with Skype. > > I tehn went to Skype's tools menu with alt+t and choose the options then > audio settings and made sure the microphone was Skullcandy GMX 100% with > the > checkbox unchecked. For the speakers I made sure it read Skullcandy GMX > 70% > for the call volume and its checkbox unchecked. For the ringing section I > told it to use my internal sound card Sigmatell so I could hear the Skype > ringer ring come through the computer's speakers. I chose save to save the > settings. > > I used Skype's Echo service to test the headset volume and mic quality. > > It worked for me. > > I then closed Skype completely. I rebooted my computer to make sure the > sound settings were not affected. > All was good. > This unit is not a professional headset but suits my needs. > maybe go to radio Shack and check them out. Feel it and where it. > Ask questions where is this button and so on. > > > Also, I had no sighted assistance witrh this headset. > If it doesn't pair with the transmitter or you hear no speech for some > reason just disconnect the USB cable that attaches to the transmitter. > > > --- > This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus > protection is active. > http://www.avast.com > > > --- This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active. http://www.avast.com
