Overview: EPOS IMPACT 1000, a great headset for the open (or residence) office

Modern office life implies that many people are often on video convention calls through Teams or Zoom, connecting to workers in different branches, states and even nations. Some of our jobs enable versatile working, a lot of which is completed from residence, however many have returned to the office. Those places of work are sometimes open plan which has its advantages however comes with a problem of ambient noise.

The EPOS IMPACT 1000 is a wi-fi headset that’s designed for folks working in open office environments. It options lively noise cancellation (ANC) to dam out background noise, a high-quality microphone for clear communication, and a comfy design that may be worn for lengthy intervals of time.

Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been utilizing the EPOS IMPACT 1000 and it’s now time to share my experiences in a full evaluate.

Design

Firstly the design of the IMPACT 1000 is great, a modern trendy design that appears great and I’m together with the stand in that commentary. If this factor goes to take a seat in your desk, it higher be purposeful and look good because it’ll be in your eyesight for many hours in the day.

The headset itself is skinny and light-weight, however not so mild that it feels low-cost, it’s confidence-inspiring that that is more likely to final for a variety of years.

The headset prime band options a cutout that makes it seem a little unusual when it in isolation, however if you perceive that cutout is what permits the headset to recharge via the dock, it’s genius.

You actually don’t really feel something totally different when carrying it, however this wi-fi induction charging lets you merely place it on the dock between makes use of and it’s then all the time charged, all the time able to go.

The ear cups are made of soppy, reminiscence foam and the headband is adjustable, so the headset could be comfortably worn for lengthy intervals of time.

The ear cups rotate in each instructions, as does the microphone arm. This design choice is a great one, permitting the headset to be worn in both course, so in case your desire is to have the mic on the left or proper, this headset can work in each orientations.

While I didn’t do it personally, the headset is transportable sufficient to take with you, so in case you determine to work from a espresso store, you possibly can simply throw this in your bag or laptop computer sleeve, making it straightforward to take with you on the go.

Back to the dock, I believe it’s a very nice design, though some could complain it has a massive footprint in your desk. This does present weight and a agency base to make sure it by no means ideas over. It’s matching black in color which suggests it compliments the headset, showing as in the event that they’re all designed collectively as a single product. Being business-focused, there’s no RGB, simply a single white LED that illuminates when charging the headset and it will get energy from the USB-C cable that routes out the again of the stand.

Features

The IMPACT 1000 has a variety of options that make it a great selection for office work, significantly those that work in an open office.

These options embrace:

Active noise cancellation: The ANC on the IMPACT 1000 may be very efficient at blocking out background noise, so you may focus in your work with out distractions. There’s occasions when you will have to listen to the world round you, like when somebody approaches you to speak. To allow discuss via, simply press the button at the backside of the left ear cup, have the dialog, then press once more to re-enable ANC.

High-quality microphone: The microphone on the IMPACT 1000 can be superb. It has a extensive frequency response, which implies that your voice will sound clear and pure to the individual on the different finish of the name.

Triple Bluetooth connectivity: The headset can connect with as much as three gadgets at the identical time, so you may simply swap between calls, music, and your laptop.

Wireless charging: The headset comes with a wi-fi charging stand, so you may simply preserve it charged.

Long battery life: The headset has a battery lifetime of as much as 30 hours, so you should use all of it day lengthy with out having to fret about working out of energy.

Presence detection: Removing the headset pauses present playback together with YouTube movies, music and extra. Putting the headset again, then resume the media.

Performance

I examined the IMPACT 1000 headset at residence, which at occasions, has loads of ambient noise that I’d like to dam out to concentrate on work. Whether it’s the robotic vacuum cleaner, the household, a TV or the neighbour mowing their garden, having the means to press a button to activate ANC is great.

I discovered that Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) was very efficient at blocking out background noise. For these occasions I used to be on Teams calls, I requested the different celebration how the audio high quality of the microphone was, to which the reply was all the time very optimistic.

I additionally examined by recording audio domestically and was equally impressed.

The battery life wasn’t one thing I pushed to the limits, usually the longest stint I did was 3-4 hours after which I positioned the headset again on the dock the place it recharged. I count on that is how most will use it, so until you’re travelling that is actually not a problem. The headset options a USB-C port in the base of the proper ear cup, so taking a telephone charger would additionally mean you can cost the headset ought to it go flat. A USB-C to USB-C cable can be a great selection, so you possibly can cost out of your laptop computer.

The headset connects wirelessly through Bluetooth. I’ve discovered that I could be at the different finish of the home and nonetheless be linked, which may be very spectacular as many different wi-fi headsets and earbuds drop connectivity after I’m 15 meters and a couple of partitions away from the office. This lets you go seize a jacket from the bed room, a drink from the fridge, and even proceed listening to a webinar whereas consuming lunch. Should you end up on a laptop that doesn’t have Bluetooth, there may be an included USB-A Bluetooth dongle. It is a little unusual this isn’t USB-C.

Issues

This is a actually great on-ear headset. There could also be individuals who want an over-the-air headset, however for what this headset is designed to supply, it does a implausible job.

About the solely subject I’ve is the customary studying curve of a new headset. You’ll need to make a choice early on about which aspect you need the microphone to be, then decide to it as your button reference will likely be set by this.

Personally, I want it on the proper, so my ANC/talk-through button is on the left, whereas the settle for name button, quantity management and energy/Bluetooth toggle are on the proper.

With the quantity rocker being a ahead or again movement, it’s not instantly clear which motion will lead to a rise or lower. I have a tendency to love a headset the place the quantity up/down is positioned on the aspect of the ear cub, because it avoids any confusion, the prime button will increase quantity, and the decrease decreases it.

Price & Availability

The EPOS IMPACT 1000 collection is obtainable proper now from EPOS immediately and is priced as follows.

• EPOS Impact 1000 (1030T) – $485.00 (single-sided)
• EPOS Impact 1000 (1060T) – $505.00
• EPOS Impact 1000 (1060T ANC) + Charging stand – $735.00 (reviewed)

This is unquestionably on the premium aspect of the worth level, with many first rate headset touchdown round half of that. I’ll say the options, design and capabilities of this headset means its one thing it’s best to contemplate as a multi-year funding.

By approach of comparability, Apple’s AirPods Max headset prices A$899.00.

Overall

The EPOS IMPACT 1000 is a great headset for the open office and it wouldn’t be a product in 2023 if it didn’t have some type of AI in it.

The IMPACT 1000 makes use of microphone expertise labelled as EPOS AI which is in the end a noise-canceling algorithm that intelligently identifies the noise round you. The microphone makes use of beamforming expertise to scan the surrounding setting 32,000 occasions per second, which permits it to successfully establish and shut down sources of noise.

The sound from the headset is great and its means to cancel out the setting round you with ANC is strictly why that is pitched at enterprise and enterprise clients. I believe many residence office staff have comparable noise challenges are must also be a goal market for this product.

It’s a great comfy design and the wi-fi induction charging dock is as easy to make use of as your toothbrush. I do want they added cell phone charging in the base in addition to the stand base is actually massive sufficient to include a Qi coil.

The EPOS IMPACT 1000 is a great selection for professionals who work in noisy environments, equivalent to open places of work, name centres, and factories. It can be a good selection for individuals who need a comfy and trendy headset for on a regular basis use.