Plantronics EncorePro HW520 Headset | Binaural Customer Service Headset
The EncorePro HW520 is our binaural over-the-head headset engineered for contact center professionals who spend hours on calls every day. This model delivers professional-grade audio clarity in both ears, helping agents stay focused in noisy office environments.
We designed the HW520 with a noise-canceling microphone positioned on a flexible boom arm, ensuring your voice comes through clearly even when background chatter picks up. The over-the-head wearing style distributes weight evenly across the headband, and plush leatherette ear cushions provide lasting comfort through extended shifts. With our Quick Disconnect feature built into every unit, agents can step away from their desk without removing the headset or ending the call.
Built for all-day contact center performance
Binaural audio design and noise isolation
The HW520 uses a binaural configuration that covers both ears, creating a seal that blocks out ambient office noise while you’re on a call. This dual-speaker setup helps agents hear customer questions clearly even when neighboring conversations overlap, reducing the need to ask callers to repeat themselves.
Our acoustic chamber design in each earpiece ensures that voice frequencies remain balanced across low, mid, and high ranges. The result is natural-sounding speech without the tinny compression you sometimes hear in budget headsets. We’ve tuned the drivers specifically for voice communication rather than music playback, so every syllable comes through with precision. The same over-ear architecture found in the EncorePro HW540 convertible model provides consistent passive noise reduction, giving your team the acoustic environment they need to stay productive during peak call hours.
Adjustable fit and all-day comfort engineering
We built the HW520 headband from lightweight metal alloy that flexes to accommodate different head shapes without losing its spring tension over time. The overhead arc adjusts through a stepped slider mechanism, locking into place at your preferred size so the fit stays consistent shift after shift.
Leatherette ear cushions measure 60mm in diameter and use memory foam padding that molds to the contours around your ears. This cushioning distributes pressure evenly rather than creating hot spots, which matters when you’re wearing the headset for six or eight hours straight. The ear cups rotate slightly on their pivot points to align naturally with the angle of your ears, preventing the rigid parallel positioning that can cause discomfort. We’ve tested the HW520 in real contact centers where agents wear headsets through back-to-back calls, and the feedback consistently highlights comfort as a standout feature alongside audio quality.
Noise-canceling microphone and voice clarity
The boom-mounted microphone on the Plantronics HW520 features active noise-canceling circuitry that identifies and suppresses background frequencies while preserving your voice in the transmission. When a coworker walks past your desk or a door closes nearby, the mic automatically reduces those transient sounds before they reach the caller on the other end.
We’ve positioned the microphone capsule in a foam-wrapped housing at the end of a flexible metal boom arm. You can bend the arm through a 300-degree range to place the mic exactly one finger-width from the corner of your mouth, which is the optimal distance for capturing clear speech without picking up breath noise. The boom arm holds its position once adjusted, so you won’t need to readjust it every time you put the headset on. This level of mic performance is essential in customer service environments where professionalism and clarity directly impact customer satisfaction scores.
Professional headset solutions for every team size
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Common questions about the EncorePro HW520
The HW520 uses a Quick Disconnect (QD) bottom cable that connects to Plantronics amplifiers such as the M22, MX10, or Savi wireless base units. These amplifiers then connect to most standard desk phone headset jacks.
If your phone has a dedicated headset port, you’ll need the appropriate Plantronics amplifier to bridge the connection. Some direct-connect desk phones also support QD headsets with the correct cable adapter. Check your phone model’s specifications or contact our support team to confirm compatibility before ordering.
The standard HW520 model is designed for desk phone use and requires a Plantronics amplifier to function. For computer-based softphone applications like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Skype, you would need to pair it with a USB adapter such as the Plantronics DA series.
Alternatively, we offer USB-specific models in the EncorePro line that plug directly into a computer without additional adapters. If your team uses both desk phones and softphones, consider a model with dual connectivity or keep separate headsets for each use case.
With proper care and routine replacement of wear items like ear cushions, the HW520 is engineered to provide three to five years of daily contact center use. The metal headband frame and reinforced cable strain relief are designed to withstand the repetitive stress of putting the headset on and taking it off multiple times per shift.
Replacement ear cushions and microphone windscreens are available separately, allowing you to refresh those components as they wear without replacing the entire unit. Many of our enterprise customers report that regular cushion replacement every 12 to 18 months keeps the headset comfortable and hygienic well beyond the three-year mark.
The HW520 is a binaural headset with speakers covering both ears, providing superior noise isolation and immersive audio. The HW510 is a monaural model with a single earpiece, leaving one ear open to monitor your surroundings.
Binaural designs like the HW520 are ideal for high-noise environments where blocking ambient sound helps agents concentrate on the call. Monaural models suit quieter offices or roles where agents need to hear colleagues or customers approaching their desk. Both models share the same microphone technology, headband construction, and Quick Disconnect compatibility.
Yes, we back the EncorePro HW520 with a two-year manufacturer warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty includes the headset, cable, and Quick Disconnect connector but excludes wear items such as ear cushions and foam windscreens.
If you experience a hardware failure within the warranty period, contact our support team for a replacement authorization. We also offer extended warranty plans for enterprise customers deploying large headset fleets.
Absolutely. The boom arm is made from flexible metal that bends through a 300-degree arc, allowing you to position the microphone capsule on either the left or right side of your mouth. Once you bend it into place, the arm holds that position securely without drifting during use.
For optimal voice pickup and noise canceling, position the microphone approximately one finger-width from the corner of your mouth. This distance captures clear speech while minimizing breath noise and plosive sounds.
Yes, we stock replacement ear cushions, microphone windscreens, and Quick Disconnect cables as separate accessories. Ear cushions snap onto the speaker housings without tools, and the windscreen slides over the microphone capsule for a friction fit.
Replacing these wear items periodically extends the headset’s useful life and maintains hygiene standards in shared or multi-shift environments. Replacement parts are available through our online store and authorized resellers.