MP3 players such as the Apple iPod have changed the way a lot of people listen to music. It's so much nicer to be able to carry your CD collection in your pocket and hear your favorite tunes any time you want. The problem is that the quality of the sound coming out of those cheap ear buds that come with the player is not the same as the rich sound coming from your big stereo speakers. Not even close. But most of us put up with it -- probably because we don't know there are alternatives.

Then there are the high-end headsets from Bose and Plantronics. These, and similar, rich sounding headsets actually change the whole MP3 listening experience by adding a sound vibrancy that you won't hear with your standard ear buds.

I recently had the chance to experience the Plantronics Pulsar 590A, a dual-earpiece headset that offers high-end stereo sound with a wireless connection. The engineers at Plantronics (see my previous article) used their design expertise to add the touches that are usually missing in standard headsets.

Let's start with the Bluetooth wireless connection. If you have a cell phone (or combination cell phone/mp3 player) that has Bluetooth wireless capability, the Plantronics device will pair with it directly. Pairing means two devices with Bluetooth technology will send and receive information to one another wirelessly.

If your MP3 player has only a standard headphone jack instead of being equipped with Bluetooth, you can plug a so-called universal adapter into that jack, which wirelessly connects the player to the headphones. Go ahead and leave the MP3 player on that table while you work around your home. You can hear superb quality sound without being tethered to your player.

The Pulsar is unique in that it lets you pair the headset with two devices simultaneously -- an MP3 player and a cell phone. Listen to your music; then when a call comes in (or when you activate your cell phone), it will automatically cut off the music and connect with the cell phone. When you end the cell phone call, the headset will revert back to the music player.

Ergonomically the headset has the touches, too. It is adjustable to fit on many heads and still fully cover both ears. It folds nicely to fit into its own hard shell case, which also has room for its accessories, including AC power adapter and optional car adapter. And it comes with a stand that doubles as a connection to your wall outlet. Simply put away your headset and it starts to charge. The wire even has a split end with two connectors so it can simultaneously charge your headset and your universal adapter.

I know what you're thinking: Too bad I can't use it to connect to the airline sound system so I can save a few dollars when I watch those in-flight movies. You can -- using a special cord/adapter that comes in the box -- and it gives you a rich sound that you'll never get with those headsets they distribute on a plane. It even has integrated noise reduction.

Although it's a well-designed device, it doesn't suit every need. Since it covers both ears, it's not well-suited for talking on your cell while driving.

If every electronic device was designed as well as the Plantronics Pulsar, we'd have a lot more happy computer users, fewer technophobes and a few less electronic devices stashed away unused in our closets. List price is $250 at Plantronics.com.