Plantronics PW510 Polaris Mono Noise-Canceling Headset (HW510 + A10)
The PW510 plugs in without an amplifier
If your desk phone has a headset button and a small headset symbol next to a port on the back, there's a good chance you don't need an amplifier at all — and you might be about to buy one you don't need. The Plantronics PW510 Polaris headset is built for exactly that situation: a phone that's already "headset-ready," with a built-in amplifier of its own.
The PW510 is the EncorePro HW510 mono noise-canceling headset packaged with the Plantronics A10 direct-connect cable. Together they plug straight into a headset-ready phone's port — no separate M22 amplifier, no extra parts, ready to take calls out of the box.
What "Polaris" means — and the A10 cable
"Polaris" is Plantronics' old name for direct-connect headsets — ones that plug straight into a phone's built-in amplifier instead of needing an external one. The original P-series Polaris headsets were discontinued back in 2008, and the modern replacement is exactly what the PW510 is: a standard H-series headset (the HW510) paired with the A10 cable, which took over from the old Polaris cable. Same idea, current hardware.
Why it's called Polaris
The name is a holdover, and it trips people up. There's nothing exotic inside — the PW510 is a normal HW510 headset. "Polaris" just signals the connection method: direct into a headset-ready phone, no amplifier. If you've been told to find a "Polaris headset" for an older Nortel, NEC, or Mitel system, the HW510-plus-A10 combination is that headset.Direct-connect or amplifier — which do you need?
It comes down to one question: does your phone have a built-in amplified headset port? If yes, the PW510's direct-connect A10 cable is all you need — it's cheaper, takes no desk space, and needs no power. If your phone has no headset port, or you want volume and mute controls on the cord, you need an amplifier like the M22 instead.
For headset-ready phones with a built-in amplifier. Cheaper, no power, no desk box. But there are no inline volume or mute controls, and it only works with compatible phones.
For phones without a headset port, or when you want inline volume and mute plus Clearline audio enhancement. Works with almost any phone, but costs more and needs power.
Which phones the PW510 works with
The PW510's A10 cable works with "headset-ready" phones that have a built-in amplifier — a long list of business systems from Nortel (Norstar and Meridian), NEC, Toshiba, Mitel, Aastra, 3COM, Comdial, ESI, and SciTec, among others. It does not work with Cisco phones, which use their own cabling, or with phones that require a specific HIS, HIC, or U10 cable.
The HW510 inside
The headset itself is the EncorePro HW510: a mono, 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 built on laser-welded aircraft-grade aluminum with metal joints, weighs about 60 grams, and carries a 2-year warranty — the same durable headset sold across the EncorePro line, here matched to the A10 cable for direct connection.
The PW510 is the simplest, least-expensive way to put a quality noise-canceling headset on a headset-ready phone — the HW510 and the A10 cable, matched and ready, with no amplifier to buy or power. Confirm your phone takes a direct-connect cable, and it's plug-and-go, backed by HeadsetPlus's lifetime support.
- Plantronics EncorePro HW510 mono noise-canceling headset with Quick Disconnect
- Plantronics A10 direct-connect cable (QD to modular plug)
- Soft ear cushion (fitted) 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 | Monaural (single-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 |
| Build | Laser-welded aircraft-grade aluminum, metal joints |
| Weight | Approx. 60 g |
| Lineage | "Polaris" direct-connect solution — the modern replacement for the discontinued P-series Polaris headsets; built on the EncorePro HW510 |
| Alternative | For phones without a built-in amplifier, the HW510 with an M22 amplifier (or a phone-specific cable) |
| Part numbers | 783Q1AA + A10 (A10 cable = 66268-02) |
| Warranty | 2-year manufacturer warranty, plus HeadsetPlus lifetime technical support |
Phones. The PW510 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 HW510's Quick Disconnect into the phone's modular headset port, with no external amplifier. Note that 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 PW510 won't work on its own — you'll want the HW510 with an M22 amplifier instead, which adds universal compatibility plus inline volume and mute. We're happy to confirm which path fits your phone.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The Plantronics PW510 is the EncorePro HW510 mono 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.
No. The PW510 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 HW510 with an M22 amplifier instead.
The PW510 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.
They're the same headset. The PW510 is the HW510 packaged with the A10 direct-connect cable for headset-ready phones, ready to use with no amplifier. The standalone HW510 ships without that cable, so it needs an amplifier or a phone-specific cable added separately.
The original P-series Polaris headsets were discontinued in 2008. The equivalent solution today is a standard H-series headset paired with the A10 cable, which replaced the old Polaris cable — and that is exactly what the PW510 is. So if you need a "Polaris headset" for an older direct-connect phone system, the PW510 is the current answer.