| | |  | Wired Adapters | Home » » » » Plantronics Mobile Headset Amplifier with 2.5mm Plug | | | | | | | Description: | | The Plantronics MHA100 amplifies incoming sounds up to 24dB and makes words easier to understand with Clarity Power technology. Portable and convenient, the MHA100 can be used in loud environments and by those with mild to moderate hearing loss. The MHA100 is designed for mobile, cordless and cellular phones with a 2.5mm headset jack. | | | Features: | |
• Clarity Power technology increases the volume of high frequency sounds, the kind of sounds many people can't hear clearly on the phone
• Hear every word up to 3 times louder
• Works with most mobile, cordless and cellular phones
• Voice/sound activated - turns on/off automatically
• Ideal for mobile professionals who hold conversations in noisy environments
| | | Product Details: | | | Product Length:
| 9.0 inches | | Product Width:
| 5.5 inches | | Product Height:
| 1.0 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.32 pounds | | Package Length:
| 9.0 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 2.0 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.0 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 52 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 52 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 45 found the following review helpful:
 Plantronics outsourced a good idea into a bad product.Jul 21, 2007
By HMMWV
"God, Country, Corps"
Let me first say that before you buy one of these amps - try adapter cords from the plantronics quick disconnect to plugs first. Chances are you DONT need an amplifier - and this one is no fun. I managed to get my desk voice tube amp (M10 or M12 if I recall) to plug into my cellphone with just an adapter cord - MY speach volume was down a bit but nobody complained, and I used the cell phone's volume to increase the earpiece.
A well designed 2.5 mm amplifier is a great idea. It sure beats a half dozen adapters to hook up a bigger amplifier and expand/reduce the plug size. However the drawbacks outweigh the product design because new phones like the android based phones and the iphone are using 3.5mm 4 terminal plugs for their headsets, which don't work without kludgy adapters on this amp.
Also consider that the amp is powered by a Zinc/Air battery. They start dying the moment they are exposed to air (you pull off a tape seal over an air hole) - regardless if you use them or not. Zinc Air is NOT a problem for a hearing aid, which definitely is going to get its value out of the battery before it dies, but the amplifier should have used a good old standard lithium cell to run it.
As mentioned by others plantronics uses a cut in/ turn off design to save battery power (I have an amp on my desk phone and I can hear when it cuts out during quiet passages. This can create problems that are a royal pain. No signal for a few seconds and you lost your amp. That's not just annoying - its a bad design. A simple on/off switch would have done fine but people would need to remember to shut it off when not in use.
Better idea - go buy a real 3.5 mm amp and cut the 2.5 mm plugs off, solder the wires, and make a real amp work, preferably one not made by plantronics. This one won't work with modern smartphones which are the present workforce on the market with 44 android designs alone.
24 of 25 found the following review helpful:
 You will hear them loud and clear...Apr 15, 2005
By lee280zx
"lee280zx"
I've had one of these headset amplifiers for over a year now.
I like to talk on my cell phone while driving, but only with a headset. I found a couple of different headsets that have earpieces that actually mount in your ear. They were great for blocking out ambient noise, but the people I called had a hard time hearing me.
So I tried a couple of over-the-head style "full headsets"--the bulkier type that have a band that goes over your head and a microphone on a long boom that can be adjusted so that it is directly in front of your mouth. People could hear me great on these headsets, but even on my cell phone's loudest setting I couldn't hear them well.
That's when I found this headset amplifier. When I use it with my bulkier headsets I can have a cell phone conversation in either of my cars and hear what is being said. The amplifier is adjustable and is quite loud at its loudest setting (it would be great for people with hearing problems).
This headset has a few drawbacks. First, it is voice activated to save batteries. So, if the person you are speaking to doesn't say anything for several seconds, it can sound like they hung up on you. You get used to this after a while.
It is only really a problem when I'm on hold and the hold music is not loud enough to keep the amplifier activated. When this happens, I press a status button on my cell phone periodically. The "beep" pressing the button makes activates the amplifier, thus letting me hear the hold music and know that I am still connected.
The amplifier takes three watch-size batteries that cost around a couple to a few bucks each. The batteries last a fair amount of time, but the cost adds up over time. I would give this headset an enthusiastic 5 stars if it had a cigarette lighter plug as an optional power source.
I should also mention that battery door isn't very secure. It has opened on me a few times.
Despite its limitations, I give this amplifier 4 stars because it has solved a problem for me. And as far as I can tell, it is the only such device made.
18 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Very displeasedJan 04, 2007
By Kenneth J. Levinson
The battery saver which turns this off makes this very unacceptable. Other reviewers were 100% right.
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
Penny wise but pound foolishSep 04, 2006
By Peter J. Schoenster
There is NO On/Off switch ! You will miss parts of your conversation.
The unit will turn itself off to save battery life during your conversation if no one speaks for a couple of seconds.
While the unit is turning itself back on you will miss the first few words spoken by the other person.
This is so irritating that I've stopped using this.
There is no On/Off switch. Nope, this thing is too "smart" for that. It will detect noise and amplify it otherwise it will turn itself off. I've tried pushing the volume buttons during the inevitable lulls in conversations but it does no good.
PLEASE .. I'll spend the money on more batteries. Make something like this which has an on/off switch. I'll gladly pay for more batteries if I forget to turn it off.
I cannot find any other product that truly amplifies the sound. When this works, it is fine but the automatic shutoff ruins everything.
9 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 It works but not very wellJun 29, 2004
It amplifies and is simple to use but it picks up noise from everywhere. Lights, appliances, everything makes it hum and gets amplified right along with it. Also purchased the Jabra headset with built in amplifier which did NOT have the same problem.
See all 52 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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