Quick Disconnect (QD) Headsets for Office Phones

What a quick disconnect headset is

A quick disconnect (QD) headset is a wired office headset with a connector partway down its cord. On one side is the headset; on the other is a cable or amplifier made for your phone. That split is why one QD headset can work with so many desk phones: you keep the headset and change only the part that plugs into the phone.

The QD is handy during the workday too. As our wired headset training guide explains, pulling the QD apart in the middle of a call puts the call on a soft hold, so your caller hears nothing while you step away from your desk. Plug it back in and you're back on the call. It also saves wear on the headset, because you aren't taking it on and off all day.

What you need besides the headset

A QD headset never plugs into a phone on its own. Our office phone headset guide puts it plainly: every business-grade wired headset needs a direct connect cable or an amplifier, sold separately, and which one depends on the make and model of your phone. Phone makers wire their headset ports differently, and "You'll see many direct connect cables that look identical, but internally they're different."

Phones with a headset port: a direct connect cable

If your phone has a headset port, you need a direct connect cable, also called a lower cable or bottom cord. It has a QD on one end and a modular plug on the other. Connect the headset's QD to the cable, plug the cable into the phone's headset port, and press the phone's headset button to answer and end calls. There is no amplifier base on the desk, so there's less clutter. Our setup guides walk through it step by step for the Discover D711, D712, D722 and D713 and for the Poly EncorePro HW510 and HW520.

Phones without a headset port: an amplifier

No headset port? Use a headset amplifier, such as the Discover D200. It connects to the phone's handset port, the handset plugs into it, and your QD headset connects to its coil cord. To make a call, lift the handset off the cradle; hang it up when you're done. Our office compatibility guide notes that an amplifier lets you adjust hearing and microphone volume, while a direct connect cable relies on the phone for volume, and that some phones don't work with direct connect cables at all and need an amplifier.

Phones with a USB headset port

Newer Yealink desk phones have USB headset ports, so they can take a USB headset instead of a QD headset and cable. Our Discover D713U article for Yealink phones explains that the D713U plugs straight into the USB port on compatible models, including the T42S and T54W, and the phone's display confirms the connection. Older Yealink phones such as the T42G, T46G and T48G don't work with the Yealink headsets in our Yealink compatibility guide, so the guide pairs them with a Discover QD headset and the D104 cable.

Match the cable to your phone and your headset

Start with the make and model printed on your phone. The table on this page covers the common cases, and our brand guides go further for Cisco, Polycom, Avaya and Mitel and Aastra phones. Check before you order: our desk phone noise canceling article warns that with the wrong direct connect cable "you will either have less than desirable sound quality, you will have no audio or only one way audio."

The headset brand matters as well. The Discover direct connect cables we sell are made for "Discover or Plantronics quick disconnect headsets," so Discover and Poly (Plantronics) QD headsets can share them. Jabra QD headsets use Jabra cords, such as the Jabra GN1200 smart cord, which is listed to work with virtually any phone. If your team mixes brands, ask an Advisor which cable fits each headset.

One ear, two ears or convertible

Single-ear (mono) headsets such as the Discover D711 and Poly EncorePro HW510 leave one ear open, so you can hear coworkers and stay aware of the room. Our office phone headset guide describes the D711 as most popular in offices that aren't too loud. Dual-ear (stereo) headsets such as the EncorePro HW520, Jabra Biz 2300 QD Duo and Biz 1500 QD Duo cover both ears and block more background noise, which suits noisy offices and call centers. Our mono vs stereo guide goes deeper.

If your team can't agree on a style, a convertible saves the guesswork. The Poly HW540 comes with a headband, an earpiece and a neckband, and our review weighed each one: 32 grams over the head, 22 grams as an earpiece and 24 grams behind the neck. The Jabra Biz 2400 II QD Mono is also sold as a 3-in-1 convertible.

How they sound

Every headset in our compare table has a noise-canceling microphone, which cuts the background noise your callers hear. We have published one microphone test of a QD headset so far. In our Poly HW540 review, we tested its microphone in a quiet room, with dogs barking, with office noise and with a blender running two to three feet away. Our verdict on the noise tests: "In short, it did a remarkably good job." Watch the review to hear the recordings.

Moving to softphones without new headsets

A QD headset doesn't lock you into desk phones. If your team moves calls to a computer, our desk phone noise canceling article points out that "Rather than purchasing a new headset, you can purchase a cable accessory," a quick disconnect to USB adapter. For Poly (Plantronics) QD headsets, the Poly MDA100 QD connects one headset to a desk phone and a PC, so agents can manage both audio sources "without changing headsets." For Jabra QD headsets, the Jabra Link 180 lets you answer calls from either your desk phone or a softphone. If you're replacing headsets anyway, Discover makes USB versions of its office headsets, named with a U at the end, such as the D712U. See our computer headsets for USB models.

For call centers and training

Several QD headsets here are built for contact center work. The Jabra Biz 1500 is made "for cost conscious contact centers," and the Biz 2300 has a reinforced cord that's protected against office chair wheels and sharp objects. For training, the Jabra Supervisor Cord connects two Jabra QD headsets to one bottom cord, so a trainer can stay muted or join the conversation with a switch. For USB agent headsets and wireless headsets for supervisors, see our call center headsets.

Wired or wireless at the desk phone

Our wired vs wireless guide lists what a corded headset does well: a lower upfront cost, no battery to charge or replace, a consistent connection and typically longer warranty coverage. The trade-off is that you can only move as far as the cord. If you want to walk away from your desk and still answer calls, compare our wireless headsets for office phones, which covers the EHS cables and lifters that wireless headsets need.

Buying for a team

Buying for more than a few desks? Get a team quote for volume pricing. We take purchase orders, tax-exempt orders and payment terms for enterprise, government, education and healthcare teams. For 10 or more users, our Managed Headset Program provides headsets from $4 to $20 per user per month, and replacements ship first.

Still not sure?

Tell us your phone's make and model and we'll match the headset and the cable. Talk to an Advisor, start with our office headset compatibility guide, or look up your phone in our compatibility guide. For every corded model we carry, including USB headsets, see all wired office headsets.