Plantronics PW520 Polaris Binaural Noise-Canceling Headset (HW520 + A10)
The PW520 covers both ears, no amplifier
A noisy open-plan floor is exactly where you want a headset that covers both ears — and if those desks run headset-ready phones, it's also where you can skip the amplifier entirely. The Plantronics PW520 Polaris headset does both: it's a binaural, both-ears headset that plugs straight into a phone's built-in amplifier, with no separate amp per seat.
It's the EncorePro HW520 binaural noise-canceling headset packaged with the Plantronics A10 direct-connect cable — the both-ears counterpart to the mono PW510. If your phones are headset-ready, it's a complete solution out of the box.
Both ears, for the noisy floor
The PW520 is binaural — it covers both ears, where the mono PW510 leaves one open. On a busy floor that's the difference between locking onto your customer and straining over the conversation two desks away. Covering both ears blocks more of the room and, across a team, quiets the whole space, because agents stop raising their voices to hear over each other.
Covers both ears for focus and isolation on a noisy floor. The pick for open-plan call centers where blocking the room matters.
One ear open for awareness of colleagues and supervisors. The pick for quieter rooms or where agents need to stay tuned to the floor.
Direct-connect: no amplifier per seat
The PW520 includes the A10 direct-connect cable, which plugs the headset straight into a headset-ready phone's built-in amplifier — so there's no separate M22 amplifier to buy. "Polaris" is the legacy name for this direct-connect approach; the old P-series Polaris headsets were retired in 2008, and the HW520-plus-A10 combination is the modern equivalent.
Where direct-connect pays off: at scale
On a single desk the saving is modest. Across a 40-seat floor, skipping a separate amplifier at every position adds up fast — and the binaural PW520 is exactly the headset a noisy 40-seat floor wants. If your phones are headset-ready, the PW520 gives you both-ears focus and removes a line item from every desk. That combination — binaural plus direct-connect — is what makes it suit a busy call center better than almost anything else in the wired line.There's one prerequisite, and it's worth getting right.
The HW520 inside
The headset itself is the EncorePro HW520: a binaural, over-the-head, noise-canceling headset with a flexible boom and visual and tactile positioning guides, wideband audio, and SoundGuard acoustic limiting below 118 dBA to help meet OSHA and Noise at Work requirements. It's telecoil hearing aid compatible, runs the second speaker through a flat ribbon cable hidden in the headband, and is built on laser-welded aircraft-grade aluminum with metal joints. It weighs about 82 grams and carries a 2-year warranty.
The PW520 is the both-ears, no-amplifier answer for a noisy floor on headset-ready phones — the binaural HW520 and the A10 cable, matched and ready, blocking the room and skipping the amp at every seat. Confirm your phones take a direct-connect cable, and it's plug-and-go across the floor, backed by HeadsetPlus's lifetime support.
- Plantronics EncorePro HW520 binaural noise-canceling headset with Quick Disconnect
- Plantronics A10 direct-connect cable (QD to modular plug)
- Soft ear cushions (fitted, both ears) and quick start guide
Together these connect directly to a headset-ready phone's built-in amplified port — no external amplifier or additional cable is required.
| Type | Binaural (both-ear), over-the-head, on-ear |
|---|---|
| Microphone | Noise-canceling flexible boom with visual and tactile positioning guides |
| Connector | Poly Quick Disconnect (QD) |
| Included cable | Plantronics A10 direct-connect cable (66268-02) — the modern replacement for the Polaris cable |
| Connection | Plugs directly into a headset-ready phone's built-in amplified port — no external amplifier required |
| Works with | Headset-ready phones with built-in amplifiers — Nortel (Norstar/Meridian), NEC, Toshiba, Mitel, Aastra, 3COM, Comdial, ESI, SciTec, and others. Not compatible with Cisco or phones needing HIS / HIC / U10 cables |
| Audio | Wideband; SoundGuard acoustic limiting below 118 dBA |
| Hearing aid compatibility | Telecoil Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC) |
| Build | Laser-welded aircraft-grade aluminum, metal joints; single ribbon-cable headband |
| Weight | Approx. 82 g |
| Lineage | "Polaris" direct-connect solution — the modern replacement for the discontinued P-series Polaris headsets; built on the EncorePro HW520 |
| Mono alternative | PW510 (single-ear Polaris version) |
| Part numbers | 783P6AA + A10 (A10 cable = 66268-02) |
| Warranty | 2-year manufacturer warranty, plus HeadsetPlus lifetime technical support |
Phones. The PW520 connects to headset-ready phones that have a built-in amplifier — business systems from Nortel, NEC, Toshiba, Mitel, Aastra, 3COM, Comdial, ESI, and SciTec, among others. It is not for Cisco phones or for systems that require a specific HIS, HIC, or U10 cable. Confirm your exact model before ordering.
Connection. The included A10 direct-connect cable plugs the HW520's Quick Disconnect into the phone's modular headset port, with no external amplifier. Direct connection puts volume and mute control on the phone rather than on the cord — if you want inline controls, an amplifier is the better route.
Alternative. If your phone has no dedicated headset port, the PW520 won't work on its own — you'll want the HW520 with an M22 amplifier instead, which adds universal compatibility plus inline volume and mute. For a single-ear version, see the mono PW510.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Plantronics PW520 is the EncorePro HW520 binaural noise-canceling headset bundled with the A10 direct-connect cable. It plugs straight into a headset-ready phone's built-in amplified port, so no separate amplifier is needed. "Polaris" refers to that direct-connect method — it's the modern replacement for Plantronics' discontinued P-series Polaris headsets.
Choose the PW520 if agents work on a noisy floor and need both ears covered to focus and block the room. Choose the PW510 if they need to stay aware of colleagues or a supervisor, since its single earpiece leaves one ear open. Both are the same Polaris direct-connect solution — both ears versus one is the only real difference.
No. The PW520 is the direct-connect version — it includes the A10 cable and plugs into a phone that already has a built-in amplified headset port, so no external amplifier is required. If your phone has no headset port, you'd need the HW520 with an M22 amplifier instead.
The PW520 works with headset-ready phones that have a built-in amplifier — Nortel (Norstar and Meridian), NEC, Toshiba, Mitel, Aastra, 3COM, Comdial, ESI, and SciTec, among others. It does not work with Cisco phones or systems that require a specific HIS, HIC, or U10 cable. Confirm your phone model first, since the wrong cable is the most common cause of returns.
Yes. The EncorePro HW520 inside the PW520 is telecoil Hearing Aid Compatible (HAC), so it works with hearing aids that have a T-coil setting. If hearing-aid use is essential, confirm your aid supports telecoil coupling before ordering.