Verdict: A fairly undistinguished performer, and not the most comfortable to wear

Plantronics is one of the biggest names in headsets and has a wide range of products. The .Audio 45 is lightweight with a very flexible headband, although it's a little on the flimsy side and not particularly attractive.

The speaker drivers are constructed from hard plastic and are covered by thin pads. As a result, they aren't very comfortable to wear. Separate cables come down from both sides, increasing the chances of getting in a tangle.

The headset can be connected either by USB or standard analog connections. However, the microphone plug lacks colour coding, so you're forced to peer at the symbols on the connectors to find out which is which. This isn't too much of an issue, but it makes things more difficult when you're scrabbling around the back of your PC. There is, however, a shirt clip and a volume control with a mute button.

Sound quality is best described as rough with little detail. The microphone is clear and loud enough to be usable but produces a blurry sound that lacks detail.

All in all, this is a functional headset, but not good enough to justify spending this amount of money.

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