Related
It's pretty good,
My first concern was that the sound quality was going to be rubbish, like when you listen to music with a mono BT headset, something I never did because aswell as being mono it also cut all of the clarity from the music ! fortunatly I can report the music makes it through in hi quality sound
My second concern was that the audio player was not going to work properly fortunatly although not perfect it's working quite well !! most notably the track listing is not showing in the screen, the biggest down side is that it stutters a bit from time to time, not so much that you want to throw it aginst a wall, but enough to be mildly irritating (seems to be linked to a bit rate issue) . also rewind and FF do not work with the universal, but next/previous track does, as does pause and auto pause on phone ring. I am a bit dissapointed that nokia did not include any kind of equalizer settings I personally would like some more bass.
The phone side is quite impressive I like the ability to quickly redial the last number or voice dial however due to the same limitations as the audio player it is currently not displaying peoples names only their number !! otherwise works quite well.
The FM RDS radio is a nice addition, it works well considering the aerial is the strap around your neck
my biggest overall gripe (ie wont be fixed by a firmware upgrade) is the shape of the earpieces, for a company that have been making headsets for this long these are awfull, it's like wedging big uncomfortable lugs in your ears, the real jasjar earpieces are way more comfy (and have better bass response)
So far only tested with media player as reports would indicate that for now A2DP only works with media player
Re: My Review of the Nokis HS-12W A2DP BT Headset
ice_coffee said:
I am a bit dissapointed that nokia did not include any kind of equalizer settings I personally would like some more bass.
So far only tested with media player as reports would indicate that for now A2DP only works with media player
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Once the Pocket Music and Pocket Player people get on top of it, you can have remote control with their programs, as both offer equaliser/preamp.
Both are working on it.
Cool I look forward to it !!!
I have got to the bottom of my stuttering !! it is nothing more than signal strength, but I dont see why it is happening !! its hard to explain but the signal is not as robust as when you are just using it for phone calls. it claims 10 Meters and its true that in an open area with devices able to see each other both phone call and music will just about manage 10M however if you put an obstacle in the way (like a door) , where as the phone would continue to work the music player will not !! infact for 100% reliable music you are looking at 1 meter (open air) , and half that again if your phone is buried deep in your pocket.
check my review here:
http://www.mobileplanet.com/forumthread.asp?code=121010&thread=2
Guys whats your range like, i get no more than a meter away from my phone and the sound drops out, also have a hiss in the background that is really annoying at low volumes any thoughts ???
I did mention the whole 1 meter thing in my second post !!! I can't hear any hiss ( none loud enough to degrade the music anyway !!) tested with my Exec at full volume and media player also at full volume but the headset at minimum volume, ( thus giving the headset the best signal to noise ratio to play with )
ice_coffee said:
It's pretty good,
My first concern was that the sound quality was going to be rubbish, like when you listen to music with a mono BT headset, something I never did because aswell as being mono it also cut all of the clarity from the music ! fortunatly I can report the music makes it through in hi quality sound
My second concern was that the audio player was not going to work properly fortunatly although not perfect it's working quite well !! most notably the track listing is not showing in the screen, the biggest down side is that it stutters a bit from time to time, not so much that you want to throw it aginst a wall, but enough to be mildly irritating (seems to be linked to a bit rate issue) . also rewind and FF do not work with the universal, but next/previous track does, as does pause and auto pause on phone ring. I am a bit dissapointed that nokia did not include any kind of equalizer settings I personally would like some more bass.
The phone side is quite impressive I like the ability to quickly redial the last number or voice dial however due to the same limitations as the audio player it is currently not displaying peoples names only their number !! otherwise works quite well.
The FM RDS radio is a nice addition, it works well considering the aerial is the strap around your neck
my biggest overall gripe (ie wont be fixed by a firmware upgrade) is the shape of the earpieces, for a company that have been making headsets for this long these are awfull, it's like wedging big uncomfortable lugs in your ears, the real jasjar earpieces are way more comfy (and have better bass response)
So far only tested with media player as reports would indicate that for now A2DP only works with media player
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please tell me one thing: I've seen the unwired.net review state that the headset can connect simultaneously to a headset profile and A2DP profile, but only if coming from the same device, meaning that you cannot have A2DP coming from your PDA and Headset coming from your phone. Is this true? The guy said it was a preproduction model and firmware can be changed, so could you please tell me if this is in your model too?
Yes, this is true. It can only connect with one device at the same time.
roma said:
Yes, this is true. It can only connect with one device at the same time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That means this device is crippled, as it is very common for one to have music on one device and use another as a phone...
Do you know of any other product that offers the same opportunities in a similar form factor desides this one? I've found this one from Sony Ericsson http://www.sonyericsson.com/spg.jsp...der&php=php1_10394&zone=pp&lm=pp4_1&pid=10394 but it does not have radio.
I'm looking for something very close with this Nokia headset. Only one thing left, that I think very important. I want to be able to unplug the earphones from the unit. This is important, so that when we get to the airplane, we can unplug it and still use the same earphones connected directly to the Uni without the BT on.
Secondly, it will enable the unit to be plugged into Car Audio AUX input.
I have saw a couple of headsets that have this feature, from GlobalSat, and from itech. But both do not have caller ID screen.
http://www.usglobalsat.com/item.asp?itemid=98
In short, I want something like this Nokia, but detachable earphones like the Globalsat or itech.
I'll probably be getting this as well very soon. Just one thing, has anyone tried it with wizard and if so, what was it like?
Anyone know where to get one in the US? All links found so far are sellers in the UK.
im sure expansys US are selling it !!
Since my review I have tried it with a nokia phone and it performs better, the issue with signal strength from 50CM or less through you body has been improved. The main problem might be the positioning of the BT chip in the UNI, this may never be fully resolved !!! unless someone can hack the UNI firmware to tell the BT chip to broadcast with more power than it should.
ice_coffee said:
im sure expansys US are selling it !!
Since my review I have tried it with a nokia phone and it performs better, the issue with signal strength from 50CM or less through you body has been improved. The main problem might be the positioning of the BT chip in the UNI, this may never be fully resolved !!! unless someone can hack the UNI firmware to tell the BT chip to broadcast with more power than it should.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, i will look at their site.
I bought the Nokia a few weeks ago but havent really tested until today. After reflashing the rom on my BA and installing the A2DP cab it works very well. Range is good with line of sight and the controls work ok. Only thing is an occasonal sound dropout of under a second, which has already been mentioned. Not enough to be a problem so far. Sound could use a bit more bass but that can be solved with a player that has an eq. Overall im happy with the Nokia.
I've had this headset for a week and am very pleased with it. Before this one I had the bluetake i-phono mini 450rx and they weren't half as good. This headset connects quikly, plays music with good sound, the radio is good with the programming of the radio stations literally being a minutes work. And most importantly, I can have a decent conversation with someone without problems. I experience stuttering ebery once in a while. But as commented above the range isn't great, but it's good enough to live with. The only downside at the moment is that I have to use windows media player that needs the playlist to be set up every time and the remote control doesn't work after a while of listening to music or after using other apps. I hope that this is a software issue. Before I had my mda I always had nokia phones because they were the best developed in their music functions. This headset strikes me as being the same good technology combined with A2DP. So in the whole I am very happy with this headset. I don't mind the earphones, I think they're comfy (far better than the original mda pro headset which gave bad sound and wasn't stable or comfy), everybody their own preferences. If I had to go for an alternative to this headset, I would go for the sony ericsson HBH DS970, but I didn't have the patience to wait for it and it doesn't have a radio built in. The only downside to choosing the universal was that it doesn't have a radio (something I've had in my nokia's for a while). Now my universal it complete and I am one proud universal owner!
ng
you can use the pocketmusic.You have to buy it but it works fine with the HS-12W. All the AVRCP commands works.
The HS-12W its really great. The only downside its that the universal dont use all of his functions. No ID caller, no play list in display, no message alert.
I belive that there is a software problem. I hope someone finds the solution.
But dont getr me wrong: the HS-12W is great.
I wouldnt say the HS-12W was great at all
my review:-
*sounds quality is good, but you can't unplug and plug in your own headphones.
*completely unergonomic design, Nokia should take a lesson from Sony on ergonomic remote designs, each button should 'feel' different. Each time I want to do something on the nOkia I have to actually look at it.
* it's pretty ugly, anyway no where near as nice as the HBH-DS970 (or whatver it's called ) the sony ericson one.
but as far as the basic connection, streaming that all works very well.
all just my humble opinion so take with pinch of salt
Here is a link to a user review of the sony ericsson headset http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?p=7463154#post7463154
I personally prefer the Nokia as it has a radio and the construction is solid. Also no problems resuming music after a call.
Everybody his own opinion, it all depends on what you want from a headset.
In any case I'm happy with this headset but agree that the headset has more possibilities than the universal uses, maybe in time there will be an update or something. But untill that time it works fine.
About pocket music, I'm not sure it works so great. I downloaded the trial version and tested it with some music, but the remote control didn't respond. Maybe I should try it again. I want to be sure the software is worth it for me before I buy it.
because in order to get it, I had to cut the original earbuds off...
How did I get to do this? (either read the story or jump to the end.... )
I had first tried out the Sony Ericsson HBH-DS970 and found out that it was not enough compatible with the HTC Universal (e.g.: after a call it would not continue to tranmit the music stream)
I then tried the HS-12W. All important features are supported, just ID-Tags are not transmitted nore is the name of the caller (but the number is).
On top of it it has a RDS-FM radio built-in...and looks good too...I decided I wanted to keep it.
Only problem: I could hardly understand anything....the original earbuds had a shape/size that just sat so strangely in my ear that the front was not exposed to the inner ear but rather covered so that the sound level was just too low.
Since I am one of these guys who do not give up easily when they are convinced of an idea, I was looking for a solution to the problem.
I remembered an enhancement item for the original ipod earbuds: I bought a couple of Griffin Ear Jams. I cut them in a shape to fit the Nokia buds and glued them to the rubberborder of the ear buds. Not bad at all. It was loud and had much more bass than before.
It did not maybe look supergreat with these white add ons, and frankly, the more I was listening, I found the sound to be lacking treble and somewhat sounded like from under a pillow. My personal belief is that the original earbuds are lacking treble in order to reduce the transmission of some white noise caused by the BT connection...and with the Ear Jams in place that enhanced the bass the pillow sound was perfect. It was really not bad at all, but as I said, with the time I noticed it more and more...
Before buying the Nokia, I had used Sennheiser CX-300 headphones when listening to music. An excellent value for money, it rivals easily headsets of double the price.
Now, all of a sudden. with the Nokia, I had no use for the Sennheiser anymore.... It was just laying there, on the board, getting dusty.....
should I never ever be using it anymore? Such a good pair of headphones...if only the Nokia had better earbuds...
Do you guess the rest?
Yes, i did it: I cut the original earbuds from the Nokia, freed the Sennheisers from it's cables...and transplanted them onto the Nokia HS-12W....
Yes, it worked. And it sounds just soooo good.
where did you cut it? just near to the earbuds or at the connection to the neck? (the other end of the cable)?
My problem is with the Universal + HS12W combo is that its SOOOOOO stuttering :evil: . If its on me, the Uni is in my hand, it can stutter... it can always stutter... I ask: why?? Maybe it's not because of the reception quality because at home I can move to the other room and it doesn't loose the connection just the stuttering factor rises... Is it the bandwidth or lacking CPU?
I'm starting to think about throwing it to the wall...
other con: radio sensitivity is very BAD.
I cut them somewhere in beteen the earbud and the microphone so i did not lose the speaking function. (sennheiser is only headphone).
i agree with the suttering issue. i tend to believe that it is more the pda side..bad antenna construction..but at the end who cares if it does not work...i must say the way i am using the combo i can live with the shortcomings. i also feel the stuttering increases with the transferred bitrate.
as far as the fm reception is concerned: i am not unhappy with the quality, obviously it is n ot noise free most of the time, but i get my main stations in a reasonable manner, i find. (and then most of the time i am listening to internet radio streams..i am on a 5GB plan...
cheers,
Andy.
AndyME said:
I cut them somewhere in beteen the earbud and the microphone so i did not lose the speaking function. (sennheiser is only headphone).
i agree with the suttering issue. i tend to believe that it is more the pda side..bad antenna construction..but at the end who cares if it does not work...i must say the way i am using the combo i can live with the shortcomings. i also feel the stuttering increases with the transferred bitrate.
as far as the fm reception is concerned: i am not unhappy with the quality, obviously it is n ot noise free most of the time, but i get my main stations in a reasonable manner, i find. (and then most of the time i am listening to internet radio streams..i am on a 5GB plan...
cheers,
Andy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can agree with the bad radio construction on the uni side.. This was mentioned in an other topic too I think . It's good you have 5GB plan.. we have only 200MB for a reasonable price.
How do you control the bitrate between the devices? Does the mentioned registry setting (hklm\sw\ms\bluetooth\a2db\setting) working? I've started to play with it, but originally, this key hasn't existed.
i was thinking about the lifetime of this device, because of the battery (not replaceable)by user, and the fixed headphones... looking ath the price of that headset i don't want to throw it away after just one year..
Hi kchris,
sorry for late reply, I did not get a notification.
re. bitrate control I cannot comment. I just meant to notice that with higher bitrate e.g. different quality of radio streams, the connection is more sensitive since the buffer holds less seconds of sounds.
I only have a problem if i use the universal in the rear pocket of my pants. the body is a real obstacle for bluetooth waves, it seems. not very elegant, but it works: if you hang the display over your shoulder so it hangs down on your back, there is no stuttering if the htc is in the rear pocket....(at least in my case).
There is a screw at the back of the device...no I have not opened it yet...lol...but I would guess one can have access to the battery easily, the question is only where to get a new one from... :?
(Between you and me: gadget freek that I am, I would be surprised if I still have it in one year....but who knows...I really like it...)
Exchanging against the Sennheisers for me was a great solution, the sound has improved so much, I did not expect it, I must say.
I have to admit: I love to adapt things to my needs....
There are headsets where you can use the headphones of your choice, but I think in this case the mic must be in the device itself, so it will be quite far away from your mouth..or maybe it could have a mic on a cable that you have to clip somewhere high on the shirt..I don't know how good this is supposed to work or how convenient it can be...
I hate Apple with a passion and I was rather excited to have a viable (superior) alternative to the iphone with the Touch Pro2. Everything about this phone has been fantastic until just now when I plugged in my headphones. I'm something of an audiophile and thus use some decent headphones. In the course of my listening, here are my findings:
The Touch Pro 2 performs great with less sensitive headphones (like Beyerdynamic DT770 80ohm), but with sensitive headphones like Grado's it sounds like CRAP.
Even more disappointing, using sensitive high end earbuds like my Super.Fi Pro 5's reveal SIGNIFICANT and DISTRACTING electrical noise. If you listen to quiet music like some classical or jazz, you will definitely notice it. While annoying, at least with music, the music itself usually overwhelms the noise.
Unfortunately, watching a video is a completely different story. In short, watching a video on this phone is like Chinese Water Torture with the electrical noise easily heard 100% of the time.
It's simply unacceptable for a manufacturer to produce a device in this day and age that has this kind of interference. They should really test a $500 device with earbuds that cost more than $10.
The whole point of this phone is for power users, and power users like us are the exact demographic that would have expensive (usually high sensitivity) headphones.
The noise is worst in the left channel.
This is on a Verizon TP2 for reference. Is this possibly just a defective phone or do others experience the same noise? FWIW you probably won't notice it with normal ibud's.
I have a pair of Sony MDR-EX71SL Fontopia's and dont have any issue with device feedback or interference. While they arent as nice as your headphones, they do a pretty good job, and have been a fantastic match on my Sprint TP2. Video/Music, no difference. I did tweak the equalizer a bit (Audio booster in programs menu), but that was for personal preference, and my music tastes.
What add-on programs have you installed? There could be something that got screwed up...
Otherwise take it in to the store with another MP3 player that has the same mp3 on it as your tp2 and have the rep listen to both, and ask to try it on a demo phone they have there, I'm sure they'll fix you up.
headshok said:
I have a pair of Sony MDR-EX71SL Fontopia's and dont have any issue with device feedback or interference. While they arent as nice as your headphones, they do a pretty good job, and have been a fantastic match on my Sprint TP2. Video/Music, no difference. I did tweak the equalizer a bit (Audio booster in programs menu), but that was for personal preference, and my music tastes.
What add-on programs have you installed? There could be something that got screwed up...
Otherwise take it in to the store with another MP3 player that has the same mp3 on it as your tp2 and have the rep listen to both, and ask to try it on a demo phone they have there, I'm sure they'll fix you up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, your Fontopia's look like they only have 100db sensitivity rating compared to 119db of my headphones. That could be why you don't hear the noise (please note that I'm not putting down your headphones, as sensitivity has very little to do with actual sound quality - it's simply an electrical measurement).
I can't hear any noise on my Sennheiser eh150's, nor on my 6.5" component speakers in my car.
Well... I'm surprised you would expect good sound quality from a device aimed squarely at the business market. The iPhone is designed for multimedia and does some businessy stuff on the side. The TP2 is designed for business use and does some multimedia stuff on the side. The performance is what you would expect, given that goal.
Shasarak said:
Well... I'm surprised you would expect good sound quality from a device aimed squarely at the business market. The iPhone is designed for multimedia and does some businessy stuff on the side. The TP2 is designed for business use and does some multimedia stuff on the side. The performance is what you would expect, given that goal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
If I want to listen to music I pull out my mp3 player and Shure's.
computerpro3 said:
Hmmm, your Fontopia's look like they only have 100db sensitivity rating compared to 119db of my headphones. That could be why you don't hear the noise (please note that I'm not putting down your headphones, as sensitivity has very little to do with actual sound quality - it's simply an electrical measurement).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well that sucks your not happy with the audio quality. I'd try to check the same song with your buds on another persons phone, and rule out a faulty device.
But if its not specific to your device I guess in this case more expensive isnt always better.
I'm very happy with the sound quality of my Fontopia's, I have a 16gb gen 2 ipod touch and I there is no quality difference between it and the TP2....
Absolutely no noise-floor issues here, using Shure se530s. In a direct comparisonj between my TP2 and the 3GS I would say the TP2 is easily as good, if not better.
Sounds like you have a faulty phone. Not to be patronising but did you try a different USB/3.5mm adapter? I had one that was very "crackly", swapped it and that was perfect.
barneypooch said:
Absolutely no noise-floor issues here, using Shure se530s. In a direct comparisonj between my TP2 and the 3GS I would say the TP2 is easily as good, if not better.
Sounds like you have a faulty phone. Not to be patronising but did you try a different USB/3.5mm adapter? I had one that was very "crackly", swapped it and that was perfect.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, your shures have the exact same sensitivity as my UE's, so it should be able to pick up the noise. Have you tested with video using HTC Album?
What about background hiss while music is playing?
My phone is starting to develop the oil slick problem so I might just swap it out anyway.
Also, just a note, the Verizon phone has the 3.5mm jack, so no need for a dongle. Internally though, I do wonder what the electronics look like, and if it's just a hardwired (though smaller) dongle.
I use the Sennheiser CX300-B ear buds and can definitely hear background hiss. I can hear it when I initially plug them in then, if I don't do anything the hiss goes away until it plays something. Sounds like when the amp turns on then I hear the hiss. I hear it for music, voice prompts everything. You can hear the same thing by pausing the music and you will hear a hiss for a couple seconds, then it goes away.
When I have music playing I cannot hear it, but do hear it during the quiet times of the song.
I've found this to be true with these earbuds for pretty much any player I use that is not dedicated to audio only. I always figured they just do not spend the $$ to put in good audio capabilities in the multi-use devices.
dave
If I listen to the FM radio I can definitely hear interference, usually listening to NPR (talk radio). Though not sure if it is slightly less then perfect reception or an actual sound issue. I feel as though the mini usb connector is less then ideal. It has a lot of wiggle. Wonder if that is part of the problem.
This is with the factory ear buds.. have yet to really listen to music on it, or with good ear buds.. or through my car stereo(where I usually listen to music with my phone)
OK, after typing all that I guess I am not sure if mine has this problem! LOL But I will leave this post here so I can update it after I use the sound output more.
I think it is laughable to use the word audiophile and earbuds in the same sentence.
Your best headphones for monitoring are over the ear
Don't have any issues with my Verizon unit. I have hooked it up directly to RXV3800, Sennheiser HD380, and M-Audio DSM2 and hear nothing I have not heard with other MP3 players including the ipod.
I noticed my Verizon TP2 had flatter sound than my mp3 player with the same phones, but after a little EQ adjustment in Nitrogen, they sound just fine.
You guys have way too much time on your hands to complain about those things.
dezoris said:
I think it is laughable to use the word audiophile and earbuds in the same sentence.
Your best headphones for monitoring are over the ear
Don't have any issues with my Verizon unit. I have hooked it up directly to RXV3800, Sennheiser HD380, and M-Audio DSM2 and hear nothing I have not heard with other MP3 players including the ipod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I find it's laughable that you don't know what you're talking about.
My earbuds are every bit as good as your headphones, and earbuds exist (like the UE11) that obliterate even the best studio monitors in detail, frequency response, linearity, immediacy, transient resoponse, etc. In fact, they obliterate studio monitors in literally everything MAYBE soundstaging and impact.
www.ultimateears.com
Besides, you completely missed the entire point of the thread by saying "Nope, everything good driving my low sensitivity headphones!"
For the umpteenth time, you will not be able to hear this noise with low sensitivity headphones (as I confirmed with my DT770's). This problem only relates to driving high sensitivity cans.
lovingHDTV said:
I use the Sennheiser CX300-B ear buds and can definitely hear background hiss. I can hear it when I initially plug them in then, if I don't do anything the hiss goes away until it plays something. Sounds like when the amp turns on then I hear the hiss. I hear it for music, voice prompts everything. You can hear the same thing by pausing the music and you will hear a hiss for a couple seconds, then it goes away.
When I have music playing I cannot hear it, but do hear it during the quiet times of the song.
I've found this to be true with these earbuds for pretty much any player I use that is not dedicated to audio only. I always figured they just do not spend the $$ to put in good audio capabilities in the multi-use devices.
dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This confirms what I was saying. The sensitivity of your earbuds is 112db, which is far higher than the other posters 100ish range.
It would appear that this might not just be a defective phone that I have, and that it could actually be a more widespread problem.
computerpro3 said:
This confirms what I was saying. The sensitivity of your earbuds is 112db, which is far higher than the other posters 100ish range.
It would appear that this might not just be a defective phone that I have, and that it could actually be a more widespread problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except that he claims to hear it on several devices, not just this phone. Also he claims to hear it only during the quiet parts, not during actual sound reproduction, whilst you hear it at all times...
It could be the adapter, a faulty phone, or just a phone not designed for high-end hedphones.
Good luck with this. I love high quality headphones but use bluetooth to listen to music (yes, I hear the difference, but when I have cables they always get wonky and stop working properly).
Now if the phone had KLEER technology I'd happily go for that
This sounds more like thread on bragging about your super duper headphones than anything to do with the TP2.
But maybe they arent so super duper if cheaper ones sound better.
Get past it, if you want a dedicated music player that lets you become immersed in 1024bit crystal clear audio go get whatever that is.
If you want a music player that sounds pretty damn good, can also take phone calls, browse the web, manage your schedule, send/receive emails and txt, take pictures, go buy a cheaper set of headphones.
why use expensive earpiece
why use all that fancy stuff .. can you really hear a difference? whats wrong with the set of stock headsets that come in the box with the phone?
looking for a little input from people who have (or have tested) any stereo bluetooth headset on the s3.
Background: I had a LG tone+ which i actually loved and it worked perfectly on my One S. Then i decided to get the s3 and this thing cannot stay connected for ANYTHING. i have tried kernels, roms, hacks, pretty much everything. It would stay connected for a little while, but always would lose connection and not reconnect even after i delete and re-add the headset.
Here are my list of thing i would like to have in the headset:
Decent sound (amazing sound would be prefered but i am realistic here )
sweat-proof (at least to some extent)
connects to the s3 consistently
Would prefer $100 or less but would pay more if its THE headset (not sure THE one exists yet though)
BTW, i could care less what call quality is. I may take an occasional cal when working out, but not often enough to care what my voice sounds like to the caller.
If anyone has any thought or experience, i have been eyeing the following ones, but always open to other suggestions:
Jaybird freedom
motorola SF600
plantronics 903+
Thanks for any help!
frettfreak said:
looking for a little input from people who have (or have tested) any stereo bluetooth headset on the s3.
Background: I had a LG tone+ which i actually loved and it worked perfectly on my One S. Then i decided to get the s3 and this thing cannot stay connected for ANYTHING. i have tried kernels, roms, hacks, pretty much everything. It would stay connected for a little while, but always would lose connection and not reconnect even after i delete and re-add the headset.
Here are my list of thing i would like to have in the headset:
Decent sound (amazing sound would be prefered but i am realistic here )
sweat-proof (at least to some extent)
connects to the s3 consistently
Would prefer $100 or less but would pay more if its THE headset (not sure THE one exists yet though)
BTW, i could care less what call quality is. I may take an occasional cal when working out, but not often enough to care what my voice sounds like to the caller.
If anyone has any thought or experience, i have been eyeing the following ones, but always open to other suggestions:
Jaybird freedom
motorola SF600
plantronics 903+
Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about the LG Tone? From reviews, the sound quality isn't quite as good as with the Tone+, but the range is vastly better and it cuts out far less frequently (if at all).
In fact, I've been using the LG Tone headset for 4+ months now. Mostly I use it at the gym while lifting, but have also used it for running, cycling, and making phone calls around the house (phone is 20+ feet away when I'm talking on the phone). Sometimes I make phone calls while at the gym too (but phone is in my pocket).
I don't think there has been a single time where they have cut out. The sound isn't what I would call "stellar", but it's not majorly worse than the headphone port on the S3. And my comparison point is a wired Sennheiser earbud set.
MetalMan2 said:
How about the LG Tone? From reviews, the sound quality isn't quite as good as with the Tone+, but the range is vastly better and it cuts out far less frequently (if at all).
In fact, I've been using the LG Tone headset for 4+ months now. Mostly I use it at the gym while lifting, but have also used it for running, cycling, and making phone calls around the house (phone is 20+ feet away when I'm talking on the phone). Sometimes I make phone calls while at the gym too (but phone is in my pocket).
I don't think there has been a single time where they have cut out. The sound isn't what I would call "stellar", but it's not majorly worse than the headphone port on the S3. And my comparison point is a wired Sennheiser earbud set.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I second this. I had my LG Tone for over a year before I broke it. I listened to it for at least 10 hours a day while at work. Never disconnected and battery life was great.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2
Huh.. i know this is a dumb question, but you are using this on your s3 right?? lol the strage thing about the tone+ is it works on my wifes one s almost flawlessly.
How is the sound quality? Sufficient? Not severely lacking in any area? The tone+ had really great sound was actually pretty impressed.
Thanks!! :good:
frettfreak said:
Huh.. i know this is a dumb question, but you are using this on your s3 right?? lol the strage thing about the tone+ is it works on my wifes one s almost flawlessly.
How is the sound quality? Sufficient? Not severely lacking in any area? The tone+ had really great sound was actually pretty impressed.
Thanks!! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you read through the reviews on Amazon, there is at least one review between the Tone and Tone+. One guy said that although the Tone+ sounded a little better, the Tone+ eventually got shelved in favor of the Tone because of the poor connectivity of his Tone+.
The Tone sounds good enough to me, though the bass is be a bit lacking. When I'm working out I could care less if the audio is superb.
If you consider yourself an audiophile you shouldn't even consider BT headphones (IMO).
You might consider using a standalone bluetooth receiver (like this or this) and a pair of regular earphones/headphones.
I personally have the Antec one and use it with my Sennheiser CX270 earphones, which works well at the gym.
I have the Motorola S-11HD
Awesome sound, 80 bucks APT-X Codec, 5 minutes to charge, will connect every time and has a range of over 50 feet.
I have the Jaybird and I'd say it's a good choice. Never had any problems connecting to my S3 though some reviews claim the blue tooth is "weak" because of the small antenna size. I wear it on my right arm (for running) or in my pocket. It's worked fine for 4 months of running 3 times a week so far. It has a lifetime warranty for sweat so I'm not too worried about that. The on/off button is less than ideal to push because of it's stiffness and the geometry of the ear bud but I don't use it for calls so that isn't very important to me It has a lot of options for getting the correct fit which is nice. I'm guessing I get about 5-6 hours of play time from each charge (I charge weekly so I rarely run into this).
Overall I'd say the Jaybird is a good option.
This is a Review of LG Tone Ultra (HBS-800) Bluetooth stereo headset. http://www.lg.com/us/cell-phone-accessories/lg-HBS800
When it comes to wireless headphones, you can group them into 3 popular categories: one with a full size over-ear design heavily promoted by rap stars, the other intended for sport activities with little earbuds connected by a short cable, and the third one with around-the-neck wearing design. For a comfortable everyday use, you can probably cross the first two off your list because they are either too bulky and awkward to wear or hang loose around your neck when not in use. With the last one a lot of companies tried to come up with an ultimate solution, but only one succeeded with a design that has been recognized with multiple awards. LG Tone series took wireless headphone world by storm with their very popular HBS-700 and later follow up with HBS-730. In hope to continue this streak of success, LG introduced a new LG Tone Ultra under model HBS-800. I just had a chance to test, to review, and to compare it to HBS-730. Here is what I found.
LG Tone Ultra arrived in a very nicely packaged box with a clear full size image of the headset on the front and detailed functional description with specifications and additional features on the back. I actually did appreciate the functional description since it served a purpose of a quick start guide. You might ask why would I need one while being quite familiar with HBS-730? HBS-800 was not just a refresh similar to 700 -> 730 but actually a redesign with some significant changes. You still get the same memory flex neck band design, earbuds magnetically attached to the end ports of the neck band, and individual controls for supported functions, but HBS-800 has been refined to the next level with an updated distinct look.
Starting with around-the-neck flex band, now it features a better defined body contoured fit where it stays put even while you move around. Don't expect it to be "glued" to your shoulders as you jump up and down or do decline bench press, but as you quickly turn to the side it moves more in sync with your body. The top has been uncluttered by moving volume buttons down the Call side of the band, and song transport buttons down the Audio Playback side of the band. For a diehard fans of HBS-700/730 these changes probably going to take a little bit of time to get used to, but I found them to be an improvement in ergonomics because now you can control these buttons with your thumbs. The next big visible change was Call and Audio Playback buttons. What used to be a round generic button with a blinking light, which I found to be distracting on a few occasions, now is a beautifully crafted buttons in a shape of a phone handset and play/pause symbols. That really added a touch of class to the headset, and also made it convenient to distinguish button functionality by touch even in a dark. Another big change was an update to where you attach earbuds. Though it's still at the tip of the neck band, now it's completely covered from the top. I found this change to be both a step back and forward at the same time. This change makes it more difficult to "park" earbuds by simply bringing them close to the ends of the neck band like it was with 700/730. Now, you need more effort to make sure they are positioned correctly before attaching them. But the benefit is that design looks cleaner, and you don't have to worry about knocking them down by mistake. That was actually one of the minor issues I had with HBS-730 where half of the time I found earbuds hanging after I accidentally knock them down.
The light indicator also got relocated down to the inner side next to the power switch. I was very happy LG kept the physical power switch considering so many other headphone manufacturers prefer to consolidate multiple controls into multifunction buttons. Here, there is no confusion when headset is on or off which also controls pair up with your phone. To my surprise, closer examination of inner side of headphones revealed another power switch. As it turned out, HBS-800 added a new feature with active Ambient Noise Cancellation (ANC) functionality. Using a basic principle of sampling ambient noise and negating it with an inverse soundwave, this feature was cleverly implemented to work independent of headphone being on or off. This way you don't even need to turn your headset to pair up with your phone, and instead just turn the ANC control on to use HBS-800 as noise canceling earplugs - great for saving the battery. The same with power on, if you don't require ANC feature, which introduces a slight hissing background noise, you can turn it off and enjoy your music with a highest level of signal-to-noise ratio. Also to note, the charging power connector remained a standard micro-usb so you can use any of your phone/tablet charging cable. Or use the included high quality usb to micro-usb cable to charge your headset from any PC or external battery or wall charger. Full charging from zero shouldn't take more than 2 hours, and battery life remained stellar at 10+ hours.
Moving on, pair up with a phone was flawless and headset got connected to the phone and media audio within seconds with an audible confirmation. As with a previous models, HBS-800 supports all the major BT3.0 standards such as HSP, HFP, A2DP, and AVRCP. I also appreciate how turning the headset on tells you the battery status, which also can be accessed later by pressing volume button down. In addition, I tested multi-point connection where I paired up Note 2 and S5 without any issues. I was able to stream audio from my Note 2 while a call to S5 paused it and then resumed playing music after I was done with a call. This becomes very useful, for example, when you are streaming audio or watching video wirelessly connected to your tablet and can also pick up the call from your paired up phone without taking headphones off and manually pausing your tablet activities. Speaking of calls, I actually did some testing being outside in a wind, and everything sounded crystal clear on both ends of the connection.
And speaking of crystal clear, I'm saving the best for last. With a release of Tone Ultra, LG teamed up with JBL using their patented Harmon audio drivers. One thing a lot of people don't realize, you need to treat HBS-800 just like any other in-ear headphones, which means you have to start by selecting a proper eartip from the included selection of S/M/L pairs. The proper eartip fitment will make or break the sound. That is why I see so many people writing their comments about not noticing a sound difference between 730 and 800. Without a tight seal you will not be able to appreciate a new rich warm sound with a deep punchy bass and a clear detailed mids and highs. Don't get me wrong, these are not audiophile quality headphones, but with enhancement of new JBL audio drivers and support of aptX which reduces compression of wireless sound - these actually sound very good! By default HBS-800 is set to bass enhanced mode which can be changed to a more balanced/normal sound or treble enhanced sound. To me, the sound improvement was one of the main changes stepping up to HBS-800 model where I finally was able to enjoy some decent bass! And just like with 700/730 models, the separation of volume and song transport controls (to skip next/prev as well as rewind forward or back) enhanced the listening experience where unlike with some other wireless headsets you no longer have to remember to short or long press volume buttons in order to switch between volume and track control. Google NOW worked flawlessly as well.
Overall, while being a big fan and a long term user of HBS-730, I approached this review a little cautiously trying to figure out if the price premium of HBS-800 will justify choosing it over recently reduced in price HBS-730 model. After a closer look and continuous use over the weekend, I was able to fully justify that. The redesign with an improved ergonomics, including neck band shape and a more logical relocation and change of buttons, the addition of independently controlled ANC (though might not be necessary for some, a bonus for others), and the improvement in sound quality (as long as you choose a correct silicone eartips), made a significant enough improvement in overall decision to move from HBS-730 to HBS-800 which I'm planning to do. Without a doubt YMMV and for some creatures of habit not every change will be welcomed, but hopefully my review will be able to guide you if you are thinking about the upgrade or just looking to purchase your first set of LG Tones. Also, be careful when you are shopping around especially on Amazon where there is a number of look-a-like low quality knock offs.
Here are the pictures.
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Can you post a picture of this under your shirt collar to see how hidden it would be. ..
It's only worthwhile me buying it if it is 100% hidden when buds aren't in use.
---------- Post added at 04:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:20 PM ----------
Work in an professional environment so visible headphones are a big no no...
MSK1 said:
Can you post a picture of this under your shirt collar to see how hidden it would be. ..
It's only worthwhile me buying it if it is 100% hidden when buds aren't in use.
---------- Post added at 04:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:20 PM ----------
Work in an professional environment so visible headphones are a big no no...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go, looks very professional:
Thanks. They are visible... but only the last couple of cm's.
Great review, thanks! I wasn't aware there was a new model available. I've been enjoying my HBS-730 for over a year now, and battery life is still great. Depending on price, I may look into an upgrade. You mentioned multipoint connect, does the 730 have this capability as well?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
The Fer-Shiz-Nizzle said:
Great review, thanks! I wasn't aware there was a new model available. I've been enjoying my HBS-730 for over a year now, and battery life is still great. Depending on price, I may look into an upgrade. You mentioned multipoint connect, does the 730 have this capability as well?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't remember if I tested it, but I remember someone replying in my 730 review about having issues with it. On 800 it works flawlessly. Like I said, very useful when you are watching movies or playing music on a tablet while still connected to your phone so you don't miss a call.
vectron said:
Don't remember if I tested it, but I remember someone replying in my 730 review about having issues with it. On 800 it works flawlessly. Like I said, very useful when you are watching movies or playing music on a tablet while still connected to your phone so you don't miss a call.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply. I'm gonna have to pull out the manual and see because I know it doesn't work "out of the box" but I recall reading that in the feature list when I bought it.
Sent from my Evo 3D CDMA using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
User´s Manual
Hi, can you please send me the user´s manual, I buy this Great headphones but in China, I can´t read the manual. jajajaj
User manual
Yerus said:
Hi, can you please send me the user´s manual, I buy this Great headphones but in China, I can´t read the manual. jajajaj
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi. I have the same problem,bought the headset in Korea. It speaks Korean also the manual is in Korean language.Could anyone help to send me English manual or advise me where to downlod from? Thanks a lot.
Maybe I will try to take pictures of a few important manual pages and posted in here. I actually remember there was a quick start guide, that should be usefull. Just wondering since it's in your native language, why can't you understand it?
Does anyone know if there is a way to change the language on voice in the headset ? I got a pair, but unfortunately it speaks in a language I do not understand..
Much thanks
The sound is very low compared to HBS-730
Hi guys,
I was very excited when they launched the hbs-800, because even use the hbs-730 two years ago.
I'm testing two weeks ago, the sound is much lower, and even using the Viper4android. The bass is almost nonexistent.
You guys had the same feeling?
caiadinho said:
Hi guys,
I was very excited when they launched the hbs-800, because even use the hbs-730 two years ago.
I'm testing two weeks ago, the sound is much lower, and even using the Viper4android. The bass is almost nonexistent.
You guys had the same feeling?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sound is as loud as it was before. Keep in mind, you control volume both from headset and from the phone. Regarding bass, sounds like you are not getting a good seal with included eartips. Do you have another eartips to try? That's a secret for a great bass, tight eartip seal!
vectron said:
Sound is as loud as it was before. Keep in mind, you control volume both from headset and from the phone. Regarding bass, sounds like you are not getting a good seal with included eartips. Do you have another eartips to try? That's a secret for a great bass, tight eartip seal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi buddy,
The first thing I do is test the earbuds, and have also tested it with others. I'm a user of phones from Motorola and LG. I thought my S9-HD spectacular, was disappointed with the S10-HD, and the only good thing in the S11-HD is the charge of 5 min. Bought the HSB-800 model just for finding an upgrade of 730. I read the review of this topic and decided to buy. I very disappointed with this headphone. I have three: S11-HD, HBS-730 and the HBS-800. I'm tired of auditioning, and I can no similar quality with the 730.
You got to see this release?
http://youtu.be/NXFCtom1m9U
http://www.whathifi.com/news/lg-and-harmankardon-unveil-new-premium-bluetooth-headset
caiadinho said:
Hi buddy,
The first thing I do is test the earbuds, and have also tested it with others. I'm a user of phones from Motorola and LG. I thought my S9-HD spectacular, was disappointed with the S10-HD, and the only good thing in the S11-HD is the charge of 5 min. Bought the HSB-800 model just for finding an upgrade of 730. I read the review of this topic and decided to buy. I very disappointed with this headphone. I have three: S11-HD, HBS-730 and the HBS-800. I'm tired of auditioning, and I can no similar quality with the 730.
You got to see this release?
http://youtu.be/NXFCtom1m9U
http://www.whathifi.com/news/lg-and-harmankardon-unveil-new-premium-bluetooth-headset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, HBS-900 looks very cool! Tried searching for availability, don't see it released yet. Will be on look out!
With 730 vs 800, I honestly prefer 800 sound but for me 730 controls make more sense. Maybe because I'm used to it. For office or more professional place, 800 look slicker with out of sight controls and better hidden earbuds when not in use. But for outdoors when I'm in our backyard or just around the house, 730 work well. But the sound, especially when it comes to bass - 800 wins that one! But I had to use my other eartips to get a better seal for low frequencies.
vectron said:
Hmm, HBS-900 looks very cool! Tried searching for availability, don't see it released yet. Will be on look out!
With 730 vs 800, I honestly prefer 800 sound but for me 730 controls make more sense. Maybe because I'm used to it. For office or more professional place, 800 look slicker with out of sight controls and better hidden earbuds when not in use. But for outdoors when I'm in our backyard or just around the house, 730 work well. But the sound, especially when it comes to bass - 800 wins that one! But I had to use my other eartips to get a better seal for low frequencies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
On ebay you can find. It's the same seller which bought the hbs-800.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=251596615132&alt=web
Hugs.
caiadinho said:
On ebay you can find. It's the same seller which bought the hbs-800.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=251596615132&alt=web
Hugs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh, so this is international release for now, not in US yet. My LG review samples come from LG US, so I might have to wait until it's available in the States. One thing I'm not too crazy about is that self-retracting wire mechanism. It's a great idea for wires not to hang down, very clean, but that type of mechanism usually doesn't last for too long. I guess, will see...
Connecting the HBS-800 to a PC
I've just got the HBS-800 and testing it out. I have an issue though. Is it possible to connect the HBS-800 to a PC through Bluetooth. Considering the PC as a second device or second handset.?
Thanks.
tel2G said:
I've just got the HBS-800 and testing it out. I have an issue though. Is it possible to connect the HBS-800 to a PC through Bluetooth. Considering the PC as a second device or second handset.?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you asking if you can pair up PC and Smartphone at the same time to a single HBS-800 headset? Since you can pair up HBS-800 with two different smartphones, I don't see why not, as long as your PC has Bluetooth 4.0. Personally I never tried it since I have old laptops.
vectron said:
Are you asking if you can pair up PC and Smartphone at the same time to a single HBS-800 headset? Since you can pair up HBS-800 with two different smartphones, I don't see why not, as long as your PC has Bluetooth 4.0. Personally I never tried it since I have old laptops.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Teah thats right. I've successfully paired the headset with the PC but it was not used as the default output for sound. So after pairing, playing songs or video still used the speaker of the PC, which is not cool