Bluetooth Headsets

Types of Bluetooth headsets

There are two main styles of Bluetooth headsets: those held in place by a loop around the ear and those that are secured by physically inserting them into the ear. Most (but not all) reviewers say the first type is generally more comfortable, while the latter is more secure. By design, wireless Bluetooth headsets can never be as small or light as their wired counterparts because a battery and extra electronics must be included. Keep in mind that the battery will need to be recharged; most can run for six to ten hours before a recharge.

There is a great variety in the design of Bluetooth headsets, but they all aim to provide the same basic function: hands-free connection to a device (such as a compatible cell phone or MP3 player). If you're interested in music as well as phone calls, a technology called A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) lets you stream high quality audio, in stereo or mono, to a wireless Bluetooth headset.

Aside from connectivity with portable devices, Bluetooth headsets can also be used to sync up with your computer. This can be useful for conferencing using computer telephone services, such as Skype. In this case, the same headset can be used for both telephone and computer calls --- eliminating the need for two separate headsets. Also gone is the task of making sure a headset is compatible with a certain phone model. Most of today's cell phones and Bluetooth headsets use Bluetooth 1.1 or greater, with newer versions being backwards compatible. Be aware that not all cell phones, however, include Bluetooth as a feature. And if you want to use a Bluetooth wireless headset with your computer, your system will also need a Bluetooth radio, either built-in or an adapter that plugs into a USB port.

Best Bluetooth headset

Aliph calls its Jawbone (*est. $85) Bluetooth headset "The Highest Rated Bluetooth Headset. Ever." Our findings certainly back up this claim. Among the eight headsets that we found to be recommended by more than one source, the Jawbone is recommended in reviews more than twice as often as the Plantronics Voyager 520 (*est. $45) .

The Jawbone headset gets CNet.com's highest editorial rating among dozens of tested Bluetooth headsets. CNet reviewer Nicole Lee praises the Jawbone for its good-looking design, comfortable fit and excellent noise-cancelling technology. Lee calls it "one of the most eye-catching headsets we've ever had the pleasure of using." Its rectangular design gives way to a perforated texture that "makes it look more like a piece of art than a simple headset." At one ounce, it is not the smallest or lightest Bluetooth headset on the market, but the functionality of its design is said to make up for its slight bulkiness.

The Aliph Jawbone's comfort is facilitated by a springy ear loop that allows for easy positioning over either ear. True to its name, a voice-activity sensor lies along the user's jawbone to detect vibrations when talking. Six ear buds and four ear loops are provided to ensure comfort; even so, PC Magazine's Jon Halpin notes that they are "stiff" and "often seem at the risk of snapping."

The feature of the Jawbone that makes it really stand out in top reviews is its DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) approved noise-cancelling technology, which utilizes three different microphones. For those who consistently need to place calls outside or in other noisy areas, this is where the Jawbone shines. A test by CNet.com placed a caller with a Jawbone in a busy intersection -- the caller on the other end did not realize that the call was placed from outside. Wind did muffle the call a little bit, but sound quality was excellent overall. Halpin further states that interference from wind is a problem common to all headsets.

Despite mostly glowing reviews, not everyone is head-over-heels for Aliph's Jawbone. In a comparison test for Slate magazine, Laura Moser states that she is "a little disappointed with what's been touted as the Holy Grail of Bluetooth headsets." Aside from some comfort issues, she does not like the concealed nature of the buttons. While trying to activate the noise-cancellation feature it is somewhat easy to inadvertently disconnect from a call, writes Moser. The volume control is also unconventional, as you must cycle through five different levels instead of simply raising or lowering the volume incrementally.

With a talk time of about six hours, standby time of 120 hours and a slightly hefty weight of one ounce, the Jawbone from Aliph may seem unspectacular, but good design and even more impressive noise-cancelling technology place it high atop the pack, say experts. Also included in its feature set is support for voice dialing and a battery strength indicator. User reviews for the Aliph Jawbone are mixed, as they are for all Bluetooth headsets. Some owners say the Jawbone just wasn't comfortable for them, while others had durability problems. Reviews are positive on the whole, with many compliments for top-notch sound quality.

Budget Bluetooth headsets

Although highly rated, the Aliph Jawbone headset is expensive. If you don't need noise cancellation, we also found good reviews for the Plantronics Voyager 520 (*est. $45) , which costs about half as much. PC Magazine's reviewer Jamie Lendino likes the fact that the Voyager 520 is a bit smaller than the Jawbone, even if it lacks noise-cancelling technology. Noise rejection on the Voyager 520 is still "excellent," and Lendino says the tested talk time of about nine hours is the "best result for a headset I've seen in a while."

Although Plantronics states that the Voyager 520 has a range of 33 feet (standard Bluetooth range), static was prevalent at ranges from 12 to 15 feet, so this model is better used with a cell phone or in a car than with a computer where you might want to walk around. CNet.com's Nicole Lee calls the Voyager's black-and-silver color scheme a little "dull." Wind also causes a bit of a problem for the 520, but this is typically to be expected among Bluetooth headsets.

Included with the Plantronics Voyager 520 is a charger and small dock. Missing are extra ear loops and buds, but comfort is still adequate, with a soft rubber ear loop. The Voyager 520 is lightweight (0.6 ounces). Its one control button and easy-to-use volume adjuster emphasize the 520's simplicity. Voice dialing is supported and a battery strength indicator is included.

The Plantronics Voyager 510 (*est. $40) also receives an equivalent amount of praise to that of its successor. Jamie Lendino likes the design of the 520 over the 510, even though Plantronics continues to sell both Bluetooth headsets. Volume levels on the 510 are perhaps a touch louder than on the 520, but Lendino says that the 520 sounds a bit crisper. For about $5 more, reviewers say there is little reason to go with the Voyager 520 over the 510, even if both models are excellent headsets.

Somewhere in between the price levels of the Aliph Jawbone and the Plantronics Voyager 520 lie the Jabra JX10 (*est. $75) and Motorola H700 (*est. $55) . Reviews on these models are mixed and generally say that the Aliph Jawbone is better on the higher end of the scale, while the Plantronics headsets are better on the lower end.

Editors at the UK-based Which? magazine call the Motorola H700 the "the clearest we tried" when referring to its sound quality. Battery life and comfort are also two of its strong points, but only one earpiece is included in the package. Build quality is said to be "not as well put together as some of the other headsets on test." The included manual is also lacking and "could be better," say editors at Which? magazine.

Brandon King of DigitalTrends.com gushes over the design of the Jabra JX10, which he gives a rating of a 9/10 and an Editor's Choice award. According to King, the Jabra Bluetooth headset "sticks out like a supermodel at a hot dog eating contest" when compared to other headsets. Noise-cancelling technology is there, but -- like other Bluetooth headsets -- wind did interfere when it was tested outdoors. Tested talk time for the Jabra JX10 is five hours, just below Jabra's advertised time of six hours. We found better reviews overall for the Aliph Jawbone, but if you want noise-cancelling technology and the Jawbone doesn't work for you, the Jabra JX10 looks like a good second choice.

Among very inexpensive Bluetooth headsets, the only model which receives multiple favorable reviews was the Jabra BT125 (*est. $30) . TravelInsider.com calls the Jabra BT125 the "best value headset available in the market currently." It doesn't have noise cancellation, but even without this feature is the Jabra BT125 is "almost as good as other units costing considerably more." At 0.4 ounces, it is among the lightest headsets. Its talk time is rated at eight hours, which could be optimistic.

Though good for the price, critics say the button sequences on the Jabra BT125 can be complicated and encroach on its functionality. It can also be slightly more difficult to get mounted on your ear, although once it is in place, reviewers say comfort is not an issue. The BT125 can also take a few more seconds than others to power on and sync up with a phone.

Stereo Bluetooth headsets

Jabra's BT8010 (*est. $85) Bluetooth headset has support for A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). This technology allows for high-quality audio to be streamed over a Bluetooth connection -- helpful if you have a smartphone that is also A2DP compatible (the iPhone is not). The Jabra BT8010 includes both a mono and a stereo earpiece.

When only using the mono earpiece, the BT8010 is still fairly large compared to most other Bluetooth headsets. The stereo earpiece is a smaller version of the primary earpiece, which contains the battery and controls.

CNet.com's Nicole Lee likes that the Jabra BT8010 doubles as a remote for a Bluetooth-enabled music player. It can be used to play and pause music, or to skip to the next song in a playlist. Along with the ability to play stereo music from a portable device is an OLED display. Caller ID and phone contacts can both be seen on the scrollable display. The display is on the earpiece, so you have to take it off to view the displayed info. The BT8010 has a talk time of up to ten hours, but while streaming music, battery life is reduced to six hours. Noise-cancellation technology is also included.

Another stereo headset to consider is the Plantronics Voyager 855 (*est. $75) . It works in the same way as the Jabra BT8010 -- a secondary earpiece can be connected to the mono unit, which contains the controls. The mono earpiece weighs only 0.53 ounce, a bit lighter than the Jabra BT8010. The Plantronics' talk time of seven hours and listening time of six hours is average for this class of Bluetooth headsets.

In his review for WMExperts.com, a Windows Media enthusiast website, Dieter Bohn praises the Plantronics Voyager 855. He agrees with CNet.com's Nicole Lee in saying that it is "like the Jabra BT8010 but without the extra bulk." However, Bohn describes sound quality as merely average for both voice calls and music playback. For all-around functionality, the Plantronics Voyager 855 fits the bill, but the Jabra BT8010 gets better reviews overall. Either Bluetooth headset will work fine with the iPhone.

Important Features: Bluetooth headsets

Experts say the following about choosing a Bluetooth headset:

• More expensive isn't always better. Since headsets are introduced and discontinued so quickly, oftentimes a high price is simply an indication of a brand new model or product line. More expensive models often come with more accessories -- such as several earpieces -- so you can get a better fit.

• Comfort is just as important as sound quality. It doesn't matter how good a headset sounds if it hurts over an extended period of time or might not secure properly. Unfortunately, there's really no way to know for sure until you try a particular headset. Even highly rated Bluetooth headsets get some complaints for comfort. Most headsets are reversible for use with either ear, which can temporarily help relieve discomfort for long conversations.

• Controls should be easy to use. If commands or controls are not easy to remember and utilize, many features on a headset can become useless. Easy access to volume adjustment ensures functionality in most environments.

• Stereo headsets only play stereo sound from devices that support A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile). In order to stream high-quality audio, your device must support A2DP. If it doesn't you will not get the best audio even when using a headset designed for it, such as the Jabra BT8010.

• Compatibility is probably not an issue. Before Bluetooth became popularized, it was more important to ensure compatibility between devices. Now, as long as both the device and the headset have at least Bluetooth version 1.1 (which is an older version), there are virtually no problems with compatibility.

Experts say that using any headset (whether Bluetooth or wired) is preferable to not using one at all. In some states, it is illegal to use a cell phone without a headset while operating a vehicle. Even if it is legal to do so, freeing up your hands is a much safer alternative. Bluetooth headsets also reduce the amount of radiation that is sent to your brain. Some scientists believe that radiation from cell phones is harmful, although studies performed thus far have not found conclusive evidence to back this up.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
9	Aliph Jawbone (*est. $85)	details
4	Plantronics Voyager 520 (*est. $45)	details
4	Motorola H700 (*est. $55)	details
3	Jabra JX10 (*est. $75)	details
3	Plantronics Voyager 510 (*est. $40)	details
2	Jabra BT8010 (*est. $85)	details
2	Jabra BT125 (*est. $30)	details
2	Jabra BT500 (discontinued) (*est. $30)	details
1 each	Plantronics voyager 855 , Plantronics pulsar 590A , Plantronics discovery 640 , Jabra BT5020 , Jabra BT250 , Samsung WEP410 , Samsung WEP200 , Motorola HT820 , Cardo Scala-Rider , Logitech Mobile Freedom , BlueAnt V12 , BlueAnt Z9

In our findings, the Aliph Jawbone is far and away the winner when it comes to Bluetooth headsets. Its superb noise-cancelling technology coupled with comfort and a nice-looking design hoist it to the top of the pack. Other offerings from Plantronics and Jabra also fare extremely well in comparison tests. The Plantronics Voyager 520 is a good alternative to the Jawbone, and costs about half the price. For those looking for an entry-level model that can still perform well, experts point to the Jabra BT125.

There are a few options for the increasing number of cell-phone users who wish to listen to music on their devices. Of the models that we found reviews on, the Jabra BT8010 was given the most praise. Be aware that you'll get the best results if your cell phone is A2DP compatible.

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