Nutshell: I’ve had this headset for two weeks, I use it every day for work and pleasure and really like it. For $17 it punches waaay above its weight. It has features that I wouldn’t expect in such an inexpensive headset and would buy it again in a heartbeat. That’s all you need to know, so go buy one.
Want the deets? Read on.
First, the good stuff:
-Bluetooth connection is instantaneous and strong. The connection is excellent even at the 10 meter BT limit. It paired within a couple seconds with my computer and mobile devices.
-Sound quality is excellent and robust. By “robust” I mean that on full volume it actually hurts my ears, and my hearing ain’t what is was 40 years ago. Yes I know, if it’s too loud you’re too old. I’m old. You’ll get here someday, kids.
-There are six equalizer settings for music and speech. This is good because the default setting has far too much
bass for a phone call.
-It folds for easy storage and comes in several colors to fit your personality. So I picked boring ol’ grey.
-There is an audio jack so it can be used without a Bluetooth connection and a cable is provided. This is essential for use on an airplane or with a non-Bluetooth device such as my ancient Sony Walkman (yeah, I still have my cassettes. And my vinyl. And my turntable. Well, I said I was old.)
-It receives FM radio stations.
-It accepts a micro SD card (the manual calls it a TF card) so you can play music without a mobile device.
-It’s super comfortable. Earbuds irritate my ears so I need an over-the-ear headset.
-It functions while it’s charging. My ancient Sony BT headset didn’t, which was a major annoyance.
Now the not-so-good stuff, none of which is terrible:
-The instruction manual isn’t great (see the attached scan). It doesn’t explain how to use some features, such as how to select an FM station. It does tell you how to scan the FM band but doesn’t say how to stop the scan and select the station you want. Through trial and error I found that the << and >> buttons have to be pressed simultaneously when you find your station.
-There’s no mute button. You have to use the mute feature on your phone or computer. Put it this way, if there is one the manual doesn’t mention it. If someone out there has found a way, please let me know.
-The default volume level is 100%, (i.e., “robust” as I said above) when a call is started or a video begins. It’s best to adjust the volume using the button on the headset; you can lower the levels with your computer or mobile device, but sometimes it inexplicably resets itself to 100%. This can be startling, especially during a phone call.
-Use time before a recharge is needed is so-so. It died during a 60 minute conference call after having been in standby mode for 7.5 hours. It does chirp when it’s a minute or two from shutting down so have your charger cable handy, or just leave it plugged in to the charger. The manual claims an 8-hour play time, but to me that means active use, not standby.
-Noise cancellation is nonexistent, but this is not a feature that I would expect in a $17 headset. Noise cancellation on my Bose headset is excellent, but that one cost over $300. Not a fair comparison, I know; I’m only mentioning it because it’s a feature listed in the product description. They should remove it from the description.
All in all, this is a phenomenal value for $17. I highly recommend it.
Genie - Research Bot
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