Plenty of good headsets are out there to support your work from home or even office workspace. But this is the first time I’ve seen one that’s genuinely capable not just in one or the other but across both for several user types.
Straight away, when I started looking at the capabilities of the Impact 1000, the multipoint connectivity stood out. It’s the only headset I’m aware of being capable of three Bluetooth connections simultaneously. This leaves it as a stand-alone leader for users who want to be able to connect to all of their primary devices: Laptops, work and personal phones, and good old tablets.
That level of functionality comes at a cost though, retailing at $505.00 for the headset alone, or $735.00 if you decide to — and there’s reasons you should — get the charging stand.
Setup, Design and Features
I’ve had quite a long time with this headset now and, it has taken over as my daily use headset from a previous unit for a number of reasons. One of the main ones, is that during my day job, I spent a lot of time on video meetings and phone calls so comfort is important; I actually can’t overstate how important it is to me.
When it comes to the comfort of the EPOS Impact 1000 (1060 – the dual-ear version is what we reviewed) there are a number of factors that work really well for me. The whole unit is remarkably lightweight meaning it’s not uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time; adding to this the padding on the ears makes it really comfy if you’re wearing glasses.
There were times I got so wrapped up in what I was doing that I neglected to take off the headset, which, when I got a call on my work phone or teams, scared the life out of me.
One thing I’ve noticed during reviews of similar hardware is that, for ease of setup — within reason — the setup seems to go a little smoother with the “better”, more expensive hardware. In this case, it couldn’t have been easier; the USB dongle went in my laptop, the Bluetooth was paired to my tablet, work and personal phones within minutes.
Once setup, there’s so much going on with the Impact 1000 worth looking at if you’re after a good headset to suite your office, work from home or both.
Compared to some of the other headsets we’ve had the chance to review over the last 12 – 18 months, there’s a polish to the presentation that isn’t there on most of the others. This is honestly, something I’d expect given the cost of the Impact 1000, but worth mentioning. There are lots of little things like the feel of the mic arm; it’s far more solid than others, the padding is well presented and feels like it will last over time and the level of adjustability for comfort is huge.
The controls are easy to use too, with the mic muted by simply folding the arm up to a vertical position. Other controls include a volume slider, a connection trigger and call answer (Video calls on your laptop, phone calls on your other connected devices) button and a trigger to engage or disengage noise cancellation.
All of this means nothing if you’re constantly seeking power to keep connected throughout the day. I do a lot of work (my team is dispersed across the Eastern States) via video and phone calls, and I consistently get between two and three days out of a charge before needing to consider power. If I’m aware enough to turn the headset off between calls, I can manage a full working week without charging the headset.
The sound quality is high level
I was so pleasantly surprised with the sound when I made my first call on this headset. There was a crispness to it that was like being in the room with the other parties. They complimented both the sound quality from me to them and the lack of background noise even though I was in the open plan office.
The call quality was just the warm-up, and it wasn’t until I decided to play some music that I realised just how good the sound quality was. While it’s not going to stand up next to a $600.00 set of ANC headphones from the likes of Sony, Sennheiser or Bose, you’ll get sound quality that is going to be pleasing to most ears.
There was certainly some bass, the mid-range audio was very clean (this wasn’t a surprise, given that this is where vocal ranges are), and the highs were crisp and clear. So even with my eclectic tastes in music, I was pretty happy with the general performance of the audio and no longer feel the need to carry my headphones with me to the office each day.
Battery Life and Charging options
EPOS have absolutely nailed it where the battery and charging are concerned. The stand (when plugged into a USB-C port) will provide your headset with wireless charging throughout the day, or if you’re away from that charging stand a simple USB-C cable will do the trick.
You don’t need to be too worried about charging though because the battery life is incredible. I’m usually on Teams calls for around 3 hours a day on average, and it’s got to be a really heavy few days on calls for me to need to charge any more frequently than every three days. On most weeks, if I remember to turn it off between meetings, I’ll get a full week on a single charge and top up the battery over the weekend.
I found the low battery warning was coming with plenty of warning, so I wasn’t caught short a single time in the time I’ve been using the Impact 1000 headset.
This is a great headset, but it’s not for everyone
The Impact 1000 is a brilliant headset that offers comfort, features, and functionality that make it stand out in an increasingly crowded market. It just works as marketed and as you expect it to. Given the asking price, that’s essential. Otherwise, it won’t sell!
The simplicity of operation and carry case just put a bit of extra polish on an already very impressive offering.
For a work from home, or hybrid worker: This is one of the best headsets I’ve trialled!
We’ve been fortunate enough since the world changes in 2020 to review a number of EPOS headsets, all of which gave some great results. What I’ve found to be the really outstanding part of the Impact 1000 is the polish on all of the features; sound, controls, battery life and comfort.
The fact I’m still using this as my primary headset for work communications many months later, shows just how good the featue set, battery life and comfort levels are.
You can configure your setup from a single-ear, non-ANC device for $375.00 through to $655.00 for a fully kitted out dual ear, ANC unit with a charging stand. Check out the website for your local reseller.
