Sennheiser VMX Office multi-source Bluetooth headset

Things didn’t get off to a good start, though, as the printed Quick Start guide supplied with the VMX Office was utterly baffling. It’s one of those guides that eschews words for pictures covered in arrows and unintelligible symbols. As well as providing three different options for connecting your desk phone to the basestation, the guide also seemed to suggest that you make Skype calls on a PC by plugging two separate cables into the same socket on the basestation.

They've got to be kidding...

You won’t be able to get rid of your existing desk telephone, either, as the VMX basestation can’t be connected directly to a landline wall socket. You’ll also need to make sure that the phone has a suitable external socket. Sennheiser told us that many cordless phones do have such a port, so if yours does, you can hook it in.

If you want to use your computer to make VoIP calls you can either pair the VMX headset with the computer via Bluetooth - though you won't be able to pair it with a phone; it supports two devices: the basestation and one other - or use the adaptor cable supplied by Sennheiser to connect the base station to computer’s audio output.

The headset uses a dual-microphone design that does a good job of helping to block out background noise, so it will also work well when you’re outdoors using just your mobile. The sound quality was as good as you’d expect from Sennheiser: very clean and clear, and we didn’t experience any interference as we wandered around the office - although major obstacles such as brick walls may affect reception and sound quality.

Basestation... or small toaster?

Sennheiser claims that the headset provides five hours of talk-time. We reckon it falls a little short of that, but is still good for about around four and a half hours, and you can charge it quickly from the basestation when you’re indoors or use the supplied car-charger when you’re on the road.

Verdict

If you’re already a Bluetooth fan then VMX Office will have obvious appeal. However, it has something for the rest of us: its ability to handle calls from landlines and PCs. Our only real complaints are about the woeful documentation and the price. A VMX 100 headset costs about £80 when bought on its own, so you’re paying well over £100 just for the basestation, which seems a bit steep. However, the VMX Office will definitely appeal to any office worker that juggles calls on both a mobile and fixed-line phones. ®

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