Plantronics MX150 Flexible Boom Headset with 2.5 mm Plug

The headset's bendable noise-canceling boom mic is designed to provide an optimal fit and high clarity just about anywhere, and the headset's Flex Grip design permits one-handed placement in your ear.

One-touch call answer/end and voice-activated dialing are available for most popular Nokia and Motorola phones, though be aware that voice-activated dialing must be supported by your phone or service for this feature.

The headset uses a standard 2.5 mm input in an L-shaped configuration that limits wear and tear.

I purchased a Plantronics MX153-M1 (for $22 at an family-run electronics store a few blocks away from J&R Music and Computer World), the version of the MX150 made specifically for Motorola phones - v60, v70, v120, T720 and later phones. The MX153-M1 adds a push-button towards the upper-middle of its cord that enables the headset wearer to dial the last-dialed number, use voice-activated dialing, answer calls, and end calls without touching the phone. The MX153-N1 and MX153-N3 are push-button versions of the MX150 for Nokia phones. The base MX150 itself does not have the push-button and associated functionality.

The MX150's earbud is anchored to the wearer's ear by a soft rubber grip that wraps under and essentially clips the earlobe (pinna). It takes several seconds to fit the earbud and pivot the microphone boom to their proper angles; this must be done each time the wearer puts on the headset. The disadvantage of this fitting requirement is that if you are not already wearing the headset when your phone starts ringing, you are better off answering your phone the old-fashion way. Once fitted however, the MX150 is light and comfortable to point of being unnoticeable. The MX150's FlexGrip design (shared by the Plantronics MX100 family) is better than ear-loop designs that can get in the way of eyeglasses and sunglasses; headband designs that can pull on the wearer's hair; and classic earbud designs that can easily fall off. People with earrings may not be comfortable with the MX150 because of its grip on the ear's pinna.

In contrast to generic headset microphones that often make the wearer sound distant, the MX150's microphone performance is very good and makes the wearer sound clear and close to the phone. The noice-cancelling microphone does a good job of eliminating ambient noise - even inside a moving New York City subway car. The MX150 family does not have microphone volume control and microphone mute functions.

Earpiece performance is good. The MX150 lacks earpiece volume control, relying instead on the phone's volume control functions. As with any headset design lacking self-powered earpiece volume amplification, ambient noise may be an issue in open or noisy environments, e.g. a busy New York City street or subway car.

The MX150's price competition is with the Jabra ProBoom. The latter has battery-powered earpiece volume amplification, but consumers should carefully weigh this great advantage against the MX150's fit and weight benefits. The two competitors also differ in push-button support. The MX150 family has push-button models for Motorola and Nokia phones, while the ProBoom family has push-button models for Nokia and Samsung phones.

Of the three Plantronics headsets that I have purchased (the other two being the M175 and M100), the MX153-M1 is the best one that I have yet used.


Great when they work...   February 4, 2005
Sean (Los Angeles, CA)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful

This headset is light and comfortable and works very well with most cell phones. Unfortunately, they always seem to die on me. I've gone through five MX150s in the last eight months. I buy them in pairs now so I always have a backup. I can't find anything I like better, so I keep going down this road, but be prepared for problems if you are a heavy user. Also, do not buy this headset if you are looking to use it with a Uniden TRU8885 Cordless Phone. You will have significant outbound volume problems.


Sounds good to me, but not to the other person   March 31, 2004
Jerald P. Hobby (Houston, TX USA)
13 out of 16 found this review helpful

I bought this headset for two major reasons. First, it is a Plantronics. I have had several Plantronics devices and all have been exceptional. Secondly, the unique ear-clip design looked as though it would keep the ear piece in place comfortably.

It is a very comfortable headset and I can wear this all day! Snug yet you can quickly forget its there. It will never pop out either.

The sound quality to me was low, but acceptable. I have an LG phone, so I agree with the other reviewer that this might be an issue for folks with lesser amplified phones. But for me, it was fine.

The problem I had was that the people on the other end kept complaining that my phone was cutting out, I was difficult to understand, etc. I suspect the noise cancelation circuitry is responsible for that. When people would complain, I would unhook the headset and things would improve. The issue was definitely the headset.

I returned it and I'm looking for something else now. I recommend you avoid this way and be wary of other units with noise cancelation circuitry. Which whatever you buy, test it on yourself by leaving yourself a voice message using the headset and you will see how clear - or unclear - you really sound.


Poor use of funds...   October 6, 2004
Kenneth T. Decker, Jr. (Norfolk, VA USA)
11 out of 28 found this review helpful

That is what I would call it from a business standpoint. It stopped working for me within about 2 months and when I called the company to complain and they informed me that they would not replace it unless I had my receipt and when I told them I didn't keep my receipt the young women told me to give her the "date-code" on the headset and when I gave that to her she told me that it didn't compute. So therefore I would have to pay to replace it. I think that any "decent" company would have taken care of a customer in order to keep them happy. I would recommend something besides Plantronics. Good luck and God Bless.


this headset has all the qualities i look for in a girl...   July 15, 2004
Matt S. Kornher (NY)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

...Great to talk with, nice to look at, and......ergonomically correct...?

(enough of my odd humor for now...)

So I bought this headset along with my sanyo pm8200, which is a nice phone by the way. Anyway, I absolutely love the headset. I can hear the people I talk to perfectly, and they can hear me fine. The only time there was a little trouble was when there was a little wind. The noise-cancelling capabilities were not operating to their fullest apparently, because I could not be heard crystal-clearly through the gusts of wind.

So quality of input/output is great, but what about the big C- comfort. Actually, it's a very ergonomically-correct headset. It doesn't have the horrible feel of a pair of regular headphones (with the earpiece engulfing your ear), while it also doesn't have the headache-inducing pain of an earbud (the kind that sticks right into your ear). It's something completely new. In case you're unfamiliar with the design, it looks like an earbud with a little flexible hook attached to the bottom. This hook wraps comfortably around the bottom of your earlobe, and the earbud sticks in your ear (yet somehow doesn't stick in it all..it just rests there). Here is where the headset design is both ingenious and annoying. Maybe it is because I have big ears, I'm not sure...but whenever I put this thing on, it stays on my ear fine, but the earbud never stays INSIDE my ear, or at least it doesn't feel like it does. It's distracting for me, because I constantly feel like the thing is going to fall out of my ear. But I also wouldn't like it if it was jammed too far into my ear...

Perhaps I am being too picky, or maybe I'm just wearing the thing incorrectly. In all fairness, this headset deserves a 5 because of its ingenious ergonomical design, great quality of input/output, and good looks (compared to some others I've seen people touting on their heads).