On the outside it looks like a headphone – it sits in the ear but doesn’t fully cover it – anyway, as we don’t see this type of headphone being highly praised. However, it hides excellent sound quality and surprising noise cancellation (ANC), which is quite unusual for this class of headphones.
construction and design
The Cisco 730 is a well-made headset – considering its price range, it’s no different. At 216 grams and made of aluminum and plastic, it’s not the lightest in-ear headphone I’ve ever used, but it fits well on the head and in the ear.
The adjustable headband features a simple pad at the top to help relieve pressure, plus multiple levels of adjustment to secure the earcups. It worked fine for me, but not good enough for comfortable use – but I consider myself a big head, so it probably works fine for most people.
Because of its corporate appeal, the Cisco 730 is obviously not strongly recommended for sports. For example, it is not certified to protect you from sweat or water splashes. But I walked with it for a few days with no problems – just don’t overdo it.
All of the Cisco 730’s controls and connections are in its two compartments: a toggle button on the left for off, on, and on pairing mode, plus a 3.5mm jack for connecting cable (in the box) and USB -Ç.
It also has a microphone mute button, which pairs well with a dedicated button outside, just for answering calls and activating the assistant. I think the visit is a bit exaggerated, but I know that the corporate audience must love it because it facilitates communication.
In the right box, the Cisco 730 has traditional playback controls (pause, play, rewind, forward, volume down, and volume up) and power buttons to activate noise cancellation and ambient mode.
There are a lot of controls and buttons and it can be confusing the first few times, but I like it because when you are in the office or on the street it is almost never necessary to take your phone out of your pocket because, for example, you can easily control the music and answer the phone.
Before moving on to the next topic, I couldn’t help but praise the Cisco 730 right away. The case is beautiful, easy to carry and already includes a 3.5mm cable at both ends in case you need it. Charge with your computer cable and another USB-C with USB-A tip.
connectivity
For the average user, the Cisco 730 has Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and supports Android and iPhone (iOS) devices. Connected to Galaxy S21 and the headset works perfectly. Latency is very high for gaming, so I wouldn’t recommend playing it during your lunch break.
Cisco provides an application for configuring the phone and some of its features. Its name is Cisco Headsets and it is available for Android and iOS. It’s not impressive, but it has good navigation. Resources are also easily accessible.
For the corporate audience, the Cisco 730 is full of support. According to the company, the headset is an industry first with protective hardware and software to ensure communications remain secure.
It is also compatible with Cisco Jabber, business communication tools, WebEx applications, Cisco 8851/886x phone models with USB-A ports, and computers with Bluetooth or USB-A.
That said, if the company you work for uses Cisco solutions, this model should work well for both work and play. Now, if you just use it for leisure, you won’t see where the investment of almost 2,000 reais goes.
Sound quality and microphone
Since I didn’t even know that Cisco makes headphones, I reviewed the Cisco Headset 730 without any reference and was pleasantly surprised. As a result, its sound quality is well below the Sony WH-1000XM3 (the benchmark for the segment), and is roughly the same price, but better than mid-range models like the JBL Live 460NC.
First, the headset supports SBC, AAC, Qualcomm aptXTM and aptX HD audio codecs. The aptx option should be ideal for low latency in games, but that’s not what I noticed during testing.
Regarding the sound, I like it a lot, although with limitations. It’s not as balanced as I’d like, especially at higher frequencies. But at the very least, it’s compensated for in the mids and bass, resulting in a powerful and dense song, albeit clear and not too bright.
Louder female vocals sound distorted at higher volumes. “WAP” by rapper Cardi B had a very interesting beat, but I was annoyed by the singer’s sharp, dragging voice. Like Billie Eilish, the sound is deeper and the experience is more pleasant.
No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” is a good example of the limitations of the high-pitched phone. The dishes aren’t as shiny, and Gwen Stefani’s unmistakable voice doesn’t end up being muffled. However, with a little bit of equalization, the problem is solved. Overall, I found the Cisco 730 to be pretty good, although I used a better, cheaper model.
Because the Cisco 730’s focus is on a corporate audience that needs to communicate frequently, your microphone needs to be good—and it is. Even with Bluetooth, compression is minimal, so there’s not much metallic sound. Absorption was also not inhibited.
Noise cancellation and ambient mode
One of the differences in the Cisco 730 is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), a technology not commonly found in headphones for obvious reasons – it doesn’t cover the entire ear, so theoretically any noise can be easier to get in.
But, surprisingly, Cisco phones “make milk out of a stone.” Even though it’s in my ear, it does a good job of filtering out some of my everyday noises, like typing on a mechanical keyboard, cats dropping things in the room, and neighbors talking outside.
All these things I mentioned above can already be heard when Ambient Mode is activated, ie it works.
Drums
Cisco promises over 20 hours of talk time with the Cisco 730 headset. Obviously, I didn’t say to test this time, but I have to say the phone performed well in my day-to-day tests.
With 50% noise cancellation and active volume, the Cisco headset consumed 25% after about 4 hours of use. It’s a lot of autonomy for the category. If it’s just for work, it can last for days after being disconnected. Add leisure to it, maybe a day or two of use.
direct competitors
Business-focused Bluetooth headsets are not common in Brazil, so the Cisco 730 headset has no direct competitor here. In addition, in-ears are usually cheaper and are available for less than R$500, so I’m going to mention a very interesting pair of in-ears at a fair price.
One of them is the Senheiser HD 560S, which costs around R$1,800 and offers great sound and comfortable design, making it a great option for those who play instruments.
Is the Cisco 730 Headset Worth Buying?
The Cisto 730 headset is a Bluetooth headset that works like a glove during the pandemic, when many companies have to migrate to video conferencing and remote work. It’s very comfortable, with premium sound and microphone and features to secure communications.
I can’t exactly recommend to buy it though, as it’s a 2019 product that costs over $300 in gringa and doesn’t make sense for many regular users who won’t use it for work.
Aside from the unique features for corporate customers, just a good Bluetooth headset isn’t worth the full price that Cisco charges. Many of the headphones sold in Brazil make more sense, such as the Philips Fidelio X3 and the Senheiser HD 560S. However, if you can extract all the special features for the company that it provides, it might be an option for the job.
