Clear chat indeed: conversation was loud and clear. We used the device with instant messaging applications like MSN and also VOIP software like Skype. Several people we chatted with complimented the quality of the sound. During our daily Team Fortress 2 sessions, our teammates said we were being heard fine. Unfortunately the Clear Chat lacked range and punch with gaming sound (gunshots, explosions and music theme). It’s only ok for gaming. It doesn’t provide an experience like the previously tested Razer Piranha. The small ear cups are partially to blame as they don’t allow for complete immersion. You can hear some ambient noise through them. The music listening experience is even worse: the sound is flat and the music sounds dull.

Using the Clear Chat is a very simple matter. You can control the volume and mute the microphone with a quick touch to the right ear cup (a red LED on the mic alerts the muteness). Once you start the device the LED quickly blinks to indicate that the headset is turned on. The Clear Chat is small and comfortable and we used it for hours without feeling any discomfort. Logitech states that the battery lasts for about six hours, which was more or less accurate. Keep an eye on the LED near the on/off button: once it goes red, it’s time to recharge the headset. We got distracted and failed to notice the warning and ended up with a powerless device during a Team Fortress 2 match. It could have happened during something more serious, like a business talk over Skype for instance. The battery recharges in about 2.5 hours.

Sound transmission uses the 2.4 GHz frequency, the same one used by cordless phones. We felt no interference of other wireless devices nearby.