I've been a longtime fan of the venerable Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset. After having tested dozens of models, including plenty from Plantronics, I still think the 510 is the best-sounding headset I've ever used. That's despite the fact that I look like the Borg whenever I'm wearing mine. Its large size and tiny power button are its only real downsides. Plantronics's latest model promises a refreshed design, noise-canceling circuitry to minimize background noise, and a built-in screen that works to eliminate wind noise—typical headset manufacturer claims. But the 520 lives up to the hype. In fact, I found the 520 performs so well that it deserves our Editors' Choice award.

The Voyager 520 doesn't look like an update of the 510—it could actually pass for an entirely new model altogether. It adopts the shape of the smaller, style-focused headsets from Plantronics, including the 655, 665, and the new stereo-hybrid Voyager 855, although it doesn't include the extendable boom mic of the latter. The 520's soft-rubber ear loop is ingenious—it's black near the main body of the 520 and clear after the point where it reaches the ear, so that it's not as unsightly as the loop on the gargantuan 510. The Voyager 520 is also very easy to wear; it's not quite as comfy as the 510, but once it's on your ear, the device feels completely secure without being too tight.

Plantronics bundles the 520 with a charger and a small dock that you can run the charger wire through. That's it—there are no DC- or battery-powered chargers, extra ear loops, or spare earbud covers in the box. Plantronics doesn't advertise any special features on this unit, either, such as pass-through external audio (on the SoundID SM100) or hidden stereo Bluetooth attachments (as with the Plantronics Voyager 855). The 520 has just one control button and a single, easy-to-slide switch for adjusting volume, making it a snap to operate.

I charged the 520, a process that takes just two hours, and paired it with my Verizon Motorola Q. As with most Plantronics headsets, pairing the 520 means holding down the power button until it flashes blue and red (indicating pairing mode), and using 0000 as the passkey on your cell phone. The Voyager 520 includes Plantronics's multipoint technology, which lets you pair the 520 with two different handsets and then use whichever one you want.

The Voyager 520 gets plenty loud, though perhaps a touch less than the 510, but completely audible. On my tests the 520 sounded terrific. The 510 had a particularly soft treble, making everyone sound warm but perhaps not quite as distinct as they could. The 520 sounds crisper and brighter by comparison, yet not tinny like some smaller headsets. Even better was how the 520 sounded on the other end. Compared with the 510, which was a bit weak in the gain department, the 520 was louder, punchier, and more intelligible, with plenty of gain. In fact, it was an improvement over speaking straight into my phone—and the Q is one of Verizon's best-sounding phones.

External noise rejection and improved wind screening were other strong points. I drove around Manhattan and Queens with the car window down on a breezy day while talking on the 520. Not only was I able to do that successfully (with all the construction, engine noise, and car-horn din in the background), but callers on the other end were surprised to hear I was using a Bluetooth headset. The 520's range, however, wasn't as impressive. Though Plantronics rates the 520 at the usual 33 feet, I found that after about 12 to 15 feet, both the other party and I could hear distinct static. Keep the handset nearby and there's no problem.

Plantronics claims you'll get 8 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time out of the 520. My test unit exceeded the rated talk time, scoring an impressive 9 hours 18 minutes on our battery-rundown test. That's the best result for a headset I've seen in a while.

At $99.95, the Voyager 520 costs $30 less than the Aliph Jawbone, our current Editors' Choice Bluetooth headset. The Voyager 520 is also a bit smaller. Although it lacks the Jawbone's sophisticated noise-cancelling capability, the 520 still has excellent noise rejection, plus it sounds great and has stellar battery life, making it a better choice. Plantronics continues to sell its 510 alongside the 520, though in my view the newer design trumps the old. In fact, faced with a decision between the two, I'd go with the newer model, even at a higher street price. And given my devotion to the 510, that's saying a lot.

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