Decent Cordless, could be better.
Written: Jun 11 '04
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Lots of features.
Cons: Ridiculous quiet sound output, bad mic, poor talk feedback.
The Bottom Line: Don't buy it unless you have the hearing of a bat and a super loud voice. Unpleasant to speak on.
|
|
|
| nukleon's Full Review: Panasonic KX-TG5110 5.8 GHz Twin 1-Line Cordless P... |
I have to say, overall I am unhappy with the Panasonic. IT does sport many features I wanted: 5.8 GhZ so my wireless computer network remains unmolested, room to expand to up to 7 handseets (with headphone jacks), intercom capability, answering machine on the base and 3 mailboxes. The phone comes with a handy belt clip (which I like) and have a decent, but not a great range. My old phones seem to go a lot farther before cutting out.
However, there are a few problems which will eventually have me selling this phone on EBAY in favor of the competition. For me, these problems are dealbreakers which have me using my old corded Bell phone from 1989.
First major problem, this phone's sound output is WAY TOO QUIET! Granted, unlike most of you reading this, I am a bit hard of hearing, but not ridiculously so. To give your perspective, other phones I've used with headsets are perfectly adequate for me (including prior Panasonics) even at 3/4 volume.
This Panasonic is QUIET..meaning I have to use the highest volume setting and it's still not loud enough. My cell phone is much louder (and perfectly adequate) for me using the same headsets. Yes, I do wear a hearing aid, so it's not like I don't have help, and the phone is still too quiet. ;)
If I can't hear out of a phone, I don't want to use it...and forget using it without a headset..it's WAY too quiet. The speakerphone option is a nice workaround if you don't mind the entire household hearing your conversation...but speakerphones are annoying for the other end and not good for long conversations.
The second major problem with this phone is that it is too quiet for those talking with you. Yep, it's one thing for me not to be able to hear the caller, but if the caller cannot hear me, that's very bad. Note, this was using two different headsets which work perfectly well with my cell phone. In addition, my headsets have a mic input control, so they're pretty good headsets. This problem I can work around more easily than the fact that I can't hear out of this phone very well. It's just too darn quiet.
Another big problem I have with this phone is that there is no voice feedback when you're speaking. This is hard to explain, but on most phones, when you speak, your own voice is a bit amplified in your own ear so you can hear how you might sound to the caller, since your ear is being blocked by the handset or headset. With the Panasonic, there is no pleasing self-monitoring, so I tend to talk less precisely (and too loudly) compared to other phones which amplify your own voice a bit so you can hear yourself. In short, it's not pleasing to talk on.
Yes, this phone has most features for people with the hearing of a bat and very loud voices, and who don't care to hear any feedback on how they sound. But for me, with a normal speaking voice and slightly less than perfect hearing, this phone is a big dud. Ideally, I'd like a phone which goes loud enough to go OVER what I need to hear..or at least, is adequate on the loudest setting where most people might only need to go halfway into the volume adjustment.
Look for this phone (with extra handset) on EBAY soon.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
nukleon
|
|
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 2 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.