A good Stereo Bluetooth headset - XPERIA X1 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hi all,
I wonder if anyone can recommend a good Bluetooth Stereo headset (max £50 although anything near the £30 mark would be a bonus).
I would prefer them to be discreet i.e. in ear as opposed to over the ears, and would need the ability to pause, skip etc. and if possible (but not essential) the ability to change the headphones.
Thanks in advance,
Fuzzmo.

fuzzmo said:
Hi all,
I wonder if anyone can recommend a good Bluetooth Stereo headset (max £50 although anything near the £30 mark would be a bonus).
I would prefer them to be discreet i.e. in ear as opposed to over the ears, and would need the ability to pause, skip etc. and if possible (but not essential) the ability to change the headphones.
Thanks in advance,
Fuzzmo.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony Ds-205. Best one I tried so far.

Motorla S9s are great and you can easily find them in that price range; if you can pitch in a bit more, the S9HDs are also nice (but more expensive).

kareem9nba said:
Motorla S9s are great and you can easily find them in that price range; if you can pitch in a bit more, the S9HDs are also nice (but more expensive).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup - thought about those but again would prefer them to be discreet i.e. traditional in-ears - but thanks for the suggestion...
jackleung said:
Sony Ds-205. Best one I tried so far.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok cool - does it allow you to pause, scan, and skip tracks?
I also heard about the Jabra BT3030 - has anyone tried these with the X1?

i prefer the SONY-Ericsson HBH-BS220.....
changable Headphones, good Battery life (8h for A2DP/more than 10h of talk time), battery display, excellent sound quality and a very good noise reduction and automatic volume management (gets louder if you are in a noisy area)..... but i use it with a pair of Audeo PFE headphones from Phonak (I work there ^^)

I have a Nextlink/Invisio G5 headset. I had this headset for about 2 years now. Good headset, small discreet and because I wear glasses, the in ear fit works best for me. Earloops sux for us glasses wearers! LOL For the pricetag of around 50 bux you cant go wrong. The only negative is that in high winds, the headset really doesn't work all to well, but for the price and style it works for me who uses the headset day to day in the car with the windows up.
I am looking into the Jawbone Prime headsets in the next few weeks. They are a bit pricy but being Jawbone, I may opt for it.

the_black_dragon said:
i prefer the SONY-Ericsson HBH-BS220.....
changable Headphones, good Battery life (8h for A2DP/more than 10h of talk time), battery display, excellent sound quality and a very good noise reduction and automatic volume management (gets louder if you are in a noisy area)..... but i use it with a pair of Audeo PFE headphones from Phonak (I work there ^^)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They are very good except you can't skip/go back on tracks which is what I would like...
kpjimmy said:
I have a Nextlink/Invisio G5 headset. I had this headset for about 2 years now. Good headset, small discreet and because I wear glasses, the in ear fit works best for me. Earloops sux for us glasses wearers! LOL For the pricetag of around 50 bux you cant go wrong. The only negative is that in high winds, the headset really doesn't work all to well, but for the price and style it works for me who uses the headset day to day in the car with the windows up.
I am looking into the Jawbone Prime headsets in the next few weeks. They are a bit pricy but being Jawbone, I may opt for it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'll investigate these a little further. Am tempted by the Jabra BT3030 or the DS-205 that Jack mentioned. Thanks to all who replied (although if there are more suggestions then feel free to list them).

fuzzmo said:
They are very good except you can't skip/go back on tracks which is what I would like...
I'll investigate these a little further. Am tempted by the Jabra BT3030 or the DS-205 that Jack mentioned. Thanks to all who replied (although if there are more suggestions then feel free to list them).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trust me. I tried many BT stereo headsets (Sony: DS-220,205,970,980, Clip D Radio, Jabra (forget what model) ..etc) and ONLY Sony's gives the best sound quality (sound quality among Sony's are similar). DS 220 and DS 205 are basically the same with pause, scan, and skip tracks support on 205 only. Jabra BT3030 is not 3.5mm jack which will give you headache in finding a good headphone.
And one added benefit on Sony's BT headset is you can charge while using it. (Other brands will stupidly turn off if you try to charge the battery).
DS-205 + EX500SL match your X1 nicely

jackleung said:
Trust me. I tried many BT stereo headsets (Sony: DS-220,205,970,980, Clip D Radio, Jabra (forget what model) ..etc) and ONLY Sony's gives the best sound quality (sound quality among Sony's are similar). DS 220 and DS 205 are basically the same with pause, scan, and skip tracks support on 205 only. Jabra BT3030 is not 3.5mm jack which will give you headache in finding a good headphone.
And one added benefit on Sony's BT headset is you can charge while using it. (Other brands will stupidly turn off if you try to charge the battery).
DS-205 + EX500SL match your X1 nicely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
None of the headsets you listed have anything on this:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=502413
The DS980 is not bad...but still it doesn't sound great. It's probably some sort of limitation with the bluetooth transfer rate, as it still sounds only decent after you replace the earbuds with some higher quality ones.
Also the Sony ones have NimH batteries as far as I remember and their battery life is pretty mediocre.
Of course if you're not after great sound quality...any of the ones above will do

jackleung said:
Trust me. I tried many BT stereo headsets (Sony: DS-220,205,970,980, Clip D Radio, Jabra (forget what model) ..etc) and ONLY Sony's gives the best sound quality (sound quality among Sony's are similar). DS 220 and DS 205 are basically the same with pause, scan, and skip tracks support on 205 only. Jabra BT3030 is not 3.5mm jack which will give you headache in finding a good headphone.
And one added benefit on Sony's BT headset is you can charge while using it. (Other brands will stupidly turn off if you try to charge the battery).
DS-205 + EX500SL match your X1 nicely
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hehe I think you may well have persuaded me on the 205 (and it's £50 online) - out with the Credit Card - and thanks for the heads up on the Jabra, that is one thing a lot of people don't mention. Gonna pair these with my Denon AH-C700s (a bit old but burned in and give me a wonderful deep Bass - until I can save up for the Sennheiser IE8's!)
megacrazy said:
None of the headsets you listed have anything on this:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=502413
The DS980 is not bad...but still it doesn't sound great. It's probably some sort of limitation with the bluetooth transfer rate, as it still sounds only decent after you replace the earbuds with some higher quality ones.
Also the Sony ones have NimH batteries as far as I remember and their battery life is pretty mediocre.
Of course if you're not after great sound quality...any of the ones above will do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am after the best sound quality my £50 budget would allow. If money wasn't and issue they'd be right up there as I am sure they'd sound great but they're more than a little out of my price range
EDIT: Hmmm £87 online - should I???? Arrrgggghhh!!!! More thinking to do.....

i use motorola s9 while running on the treadmill, works out nicely because it's light and doesn't squeeze your head

megacrazy said:
None of the headsets you listed have anything on this:
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/newsite/productdetail.asp?transid=502413
The DS980 is not bad...but still it doesn't sound great. It's probably some sort of limitation with the bluetooth transfer rate, as it still sounds only decent after you replace the earbuds with some higher quality ones.
Also the Sony ones have NimH batteries as far as I remember and their battery life is pretty mediocre.
Of course if you're not after great sound quality...any of the ones above will do
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ear buds are not replacable on the DS980 without major surgery, or did you just mean the rubber bits? DS980 does not have a 3.5mm jack. I have HBH-DS220 and are happy with it, I use it with some etymotic ER6i which are good too, as an added bonus they can be plugged directly into the x1 if you have forgotten to charge up the DS220 too, something else you cant do if your headphones are permantly attached to the BT headset.

scote said:
The ear buds are not replacable on the DS980 without major surgery, or did you just mean the rubber bits? DS980 does not have a 3.5mm jack. I have HBH-DS220 and are happy with it, I use it with some etymotic ER6i which are good too, as an added bonus they can be plugged directly into the x1 if you have forgotten to charge up the DS220 too, something else you cant do if your headphones are permantly attached to the BT headset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I was talking about major surgery
Actually the ear buds seem to be pretty good because once wired, they produce excellent sound. Hence the conclusion that it's something with the bluetooth module that's limiting. It seems like it's limited to medium quality transfer rate or something.
Either way, I used the DS-980 for a year and had no issues with it. In terms of sound quality though, the one I posted simply beats them. Again, if excellent sound quality is not an issue, go with any of the ones scote suggested.

Need help
I have the choice between two headsets:
1. DS 980
2. DS 205
what is important to me, is compatibility with X1 and battery life

Hello people from the planet earth=P just joking! Try the Jabra BT3030 Bluetooth Stereo Headset! I have it and i LOVE it!

Related

Recommendations for noise-blocking or noise-cancelling headphones to use with HD2...?

I'm thinking about buying some new headphones to go with my HD2 for train journeys. The existing ones are actually not too bad quality for bundled 'phones, but they are not very sound-proof, so if you want to use them on the London Underground you can't hear anything!
I was therefore thinking about some Etymotic HF5 'phones which have very good acoustic isolation. Has anyone tried these with the HD2? Or can anyone suggest some alternatives?
(For people who want a microphone, there is an equivalent, the HF2, which has one).
Oh, I should also have said that I hate headphones which are bass-heavy. Descriptions like "accurate", "neutral", "detailed" and "transparent" tend to attract me. I also quite like 'phones that emphasise the mid-range. But emphasis on bass puts me right off.
QuietComfort
I have used since long the "QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling" headphones from Bose with my iPod and now also with my HD2. They are especially useful on planes and noisy environments, but also good for listening to speach on the phone. For the last you'll need the "QC3 mobile communications kit", which allows you to use the microphone in the cable.
I have used them to participate in long calls during the last weeks and they always feel comfortable.
I know they are not very cheap, but after having tested 3 or 4 different ones, this one is still my favourite.
I like a bit of extra bass kick so I have the Etymotic ER6i's. Noise cancelling is superb - I use most days on commute into London and whenever I fly. Customer support is excellent even if in the USA. My cable became faulty near the plug end and I'd gone over the 1 year warranty by a month or so. No problem - they gave me a returns code and it just cost me a few quid postage out to the states. New cables and plug, good as new on return.
I recently have modified the htc headset that was shipped with my leo. But it surely doesn't replace a high quality headset...
see wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo%2FLEOHTCInEarHeadphones
sorry, can't get the link to work with opera...
cgeboers said:
I have used since long the "QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling" headphones from Bose with my iPod and now also with my HD2. They are especially useful on planes and noisy environments, but also good for listening to speach on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am somewhat torn by high-end noise-cancelling 'phones. Can't decide if the sound quality and comfort are worth the bulk, or if I really ought to go for something I can fit in my pocket....
If anyone is looking for cheaper noise-cancelling 'phones, btw, these are an absolute steal at £50 (RRP £160!): http://www.play.com/Electronics/Ele...ctive-Noise-Reduction-Headphones/Product.html
pollenised said:
I like a bit of extra bass kick so I have the Etymotic ER6i's. Noise cancelling is superb - I use most days on commute into London and whenever I fly. Customer support is excellent even if in the USA. My cable became faulty near the plug end and I'd gone over the 1 year warranty by a month or so. No problem - they gave me a returns code and it just cost me a few quid postage out to the states. New cables and plug, good as new on return.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I'm aware, Etymotic 'phones aren't noise-cancelling, they simply block out noise by sealing your ears, which is quite different.
As I loathe 'phones that emphasise bass, it sounds like I might be well advised to steer clear of these! But thanks for the info (on Etymotic as well as on the ER6i).
hi,
i first tried the bose quite comfort3, very impressive sound expierience. the size, is way to big to travel/transport them around, its more a home device in my eyes. if the battery is empty, it stops working completly, and you need carry the bose charger to load it. the price of 300€ is simply more then i can/want effort.
the next headphone i tried was the Sennheiser PXC 250-II . they are made for traveling, so you can fold them away. the electronic and the batteries are in an extra case that can be clipped to the belt wich makes the headset lighter weight. the device is powered by 2 'aaa' batteries, and the headset needs the power only for the noise cancelation. wich means you have sound even with no batteries inserted. and the price is aroung 140€.
im travelling a lot by plane and both headsets do a brilliant job on noise reduction.
mad.
*EDIT* as i wrote this i saw bose now also have a more travelling like headset quitecomfort15, wich is using a single 'aaa' battery.
If you want portable and noise cancelling, I have a pair of Sony MDRNC22B Noise cancelling headphones and they are fab. good natural sound quality and the battery lasts for about 50 hours.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDRNC2...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262974379&sr=1-1
Anyone have experience of the Nokia Portabel Handsfree Stereo Bluetooth BH-905? Been interesting in them for a while but haven't been able to try them yet.
derGrafZahl said:
I recently have modified the htc headset that was shipped with my leo. But it surely doesn't replace a high quality headset...
see wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Leo%2FLEOHTCInEarHeadphones
sorry, can't get the link to work with opera...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice guide!!!
I bought some sennheiser MM50ip headphones so that I could it for handsfree, it works but not 100% as they dont have the buttons for channing tracks like the supplied ones. Call quality and sound is great though.
Now do I dare rip them apart to mod them to my likeing
Oh and check out this great site www.fakeheadphones.com if you intend to buy headphones over the internet esp ebay/amazon market place..... its scary how these fake headphones looks so close to the originals
Hey guys, I am looking for a good pair of noise cancelling headphones to use with my iPod touch. I travel long distances every day in the train and seem to have misplaced my old headphones. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
P.S
I wouldn't mind headphones with some extra bass.
For extra bass get vmoda heasdphpnes. However I use klipsch image s4 and can just use the bass eq and wont hear any background noise on the subway. Both are in-ear headphones.
Sent from my HTC HD2 using XDA App
Get the nuForce NE-6. End of story
http://www.amazon.com/NuForce-NE-6-earphones-NE-7M-without/dp/B002OR6OFW
I'm curious about voice calls. With the noise-cancellation, do you find that you speak too loudly? I know I tend to have that problem, in general, when wearing headphones. I am very interested in getting good noise-canceling headphones (preferably bluetooth) to use in my all-day conference calls from my sometimes-noisy house. But I am concerned about the talking too loud problem.
Buy beats by Dr. Dre studio hd
Simply awesome
SwiftKeyed from my HTC HD2 via XDA PREMIUM APP

Looking for recomendations for a good handsfree kit for HD2

Hey guys,
I am looking for a good, reasonably sound proof handsfree kit for my HD2.
Either bluetooth or corded is fine. It needs to have reasonably sound proof headphones, to block out most external noise (my old X1 had amazing handsfree headphones, but my girlfriend has those now).
A handsfree kit with a mic near the mouth would be very handy also. I walk around a lot, so there is often a lot of traffic noise.
If anyone could give me suggestions of kits they have tried, it would be awesome!
I don't have a massive budget sadly. £30-£50 max.
Thanks in advance guys, I look forward to your suggestions
Might Help
Hello Madindehead,
You might look at these. I do not have them but, have only good things to say about other Sennheiser products I do own. Maybe someone that does have them can comment.
Sennheiser MM200 bluetooth stereo headset, cell phone headset
My plan is this setup for once I get my hands on a USA T-Mobile HD2:
In Ear Monitors: Sennheiser IE 8
Bluetooth,Mic,Volume/Music controls: Sony Ericsson MW-600
I will not use the Sony Headphones that come with the MW-600. It has a 3.5mm Jack so I can use my IE8's
Thank you,
Monnie
I just bought an MM200 - but hadn't seen that MW600 - that looks great.... might change it...
The MM 200 is sadly far too expensive for me. But looks very nice.
I hope the MW-600 has a short and long headphone. Certainly allows you to get the mic closer to your mouth that way.
Bought myself a Plantronics Pulsar 260 for £30 off eBay for now. Will see what it's like, and report back.
I recommended to you 100% my new handsfree,Sony MDR-EX38iP,this is in ear corded handsfree with micriophone,I buit then yesterday in MediaMark,around 55 euros,are cheaper in Amazon, and I am very satisfaced with them,is designed for Iphone,but works well with HD2,you can pause musik and answer incomings call,but the only is that you can not control the volume or change tracks,but I think that some tweaks maybe can fix this,but the most important is the sound,and is very good,the bass is powerfull and deep and the higher tones are very good to,I could not found any bether than this for this price!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDREX38iP-BLK-Earbud-Control/dp/B002M78JA2

[Q] Decent Headset for HD7

I am currently using some headphones from my Sony Walkman which are really good quality. Obviously, they don't do the call features. The included headset for the HD7 are obviously crap.
What would you recommend for me for the HD7 to:
* restrict noise leakage (I find the buds are best for this)
* make/accept calls
I notice Sennheiser do iPhone kit. The HD7 is obviously pretty new and will not likely get the attention from the better headphone makers. What's the compatibility like between smartphones? Are iPhone/other phone headsets compatible?
I would prefer wired, but if Bluetooth provides the better functionality/sound then I'll consider those.
Thanks.
I use Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus. It's a BT headset and one of the best I have used. You can get the one without the plus for a lower price.
The plus is A2DP enabled. I got a good deal on Amazon.com during the holidays.
I would definitely recommend this BT Headset. Very comfortable and very functional.
VizagDude said:
I use Plantronics Voyager Pro Plus. It's a BT headset and one of the best I have used. You can get the one without the plus for a lower price.
The plus is A2DP enabled. I got a good deal on Amazon.com during the holidays.
I would definitely recommend this BT Headset. Very comfortable and very functional.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. Although I should have made it clear I need this for music, so it needs to be stereo.
I personally use two headphones, though I'm not too sure this would suit your needs, I either carry a pair of earbuds or my Bose headphones, and then a Blueant Q2 for talk... I know it could be a pain... Also, try using the sound enhancer app from HTC
Thank you all.
In the end, I think these are probably my best bet. They supposedly work on Android, so similar may get similar operation on WP7?
Sennheiser MM 70i Headset with Smart Remote and Mic to Control iPhone
There was a link here to the product.
Because of your forum rules, I cannot post the link to the earphones. Apparently after 8 posts I can do, so maybe i should create 5 or more posts with pointless content in just so I can paste a link? This helps nobody.
Any experience with these?
Plantronics 903 Backbeat! Love it. I use it at work to listen to stuff on my pc and phone connected to take calls or listen to music on my phone while I'm out of the office. Sounds really good and the most comfortable set of bluetooth STEREO headphones I've used.
kwill said:
Plantronics 903 Backbeat! Love it. I use it at work to listen to stuff on my pc and phone connected to take calls or listen to music on my phone while I'm out of the office. Sounds really good and the most comfortable set of bluetooth STEREO headphones I've used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your help. I've taken a punt based on your response and some fairly positive reviews. My only worry is the sound quality, but let's see. I'll be sure to let you know!
I am also in the same boat as you guys. The headphones with HD7 are bad, so I am turning to SE for help.
Here is what I might buy:
1. SE HPM 88
2. MH 710
3. MH 700 OR
4. HPM 77
In India, we don't get the ones with the mic. We only get headphones. I SO SO REGRET GIVING AWAY My X1 heaphones... DAYUM!!! WISH I COULD turn back time.
I bought the Plantronics set and am quite impressed. Have some sound quality/comfort issues but other than that, a great set.
I was asked to blog about it by a local TelCo:
http://programx.co.uk/2011/03/plantronics-backbeat-903-stereo-bluetooth-headphones/
Still looking for the RIGHT ones...

[Q] Nexus S Dock

The only dock I could find on internet was this and it's available for preorder and looks great IMO. Anyone ordered from this company before?
http://www.4u-mobi.com/onlineshop/index.php
Idk those prices plus shipping is rape-age
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
dudeimgeorge said:
Idk those prices plus shipping is rape-age
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you looking at the same website? They do worldwide free shipping so there is no 'plus shipping'. Also 27$ or 17£ for a desktop cradle is very reasonable.
Yeah, $31 for the one with a second battery charger, with free shipping is still almost half what I paid for a Nexus One dock from Google (though the N1 dock had more features (bluetooth speakers)).
With the huge tacky logo on the front of it, it looks like a $5 item....
at least it's something, doesn't look like an OEM dock is coming out at all
Count me in for this.
I wonder how long before this becomes actually available for shipment. I'm okay with the price, just not with the waiting.
I was told by the seller that the dock will be shipping in the middle of march this year.
It looks awesome I just wish it had headset throughput.
Ideally, I'd like to use this on my nightstand and I usually listen to TuneIn Radio when I go to bed. This will block that. Bummer.
kc311man said:
It looks awesome I just wish it had headset throughput.
Ideally, I'd like to use this on my nightstand and I usually listen to TuneIn Radio when I go to bed. This will block that. Bummer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always stream it over bluetooth.. It's a lot easier
RemoteSojourner said:
I always stream it over bluetooth.. It's a lot easier
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have mixed feelings about listening to music over Bluetooth. On one hand, as a person who finds a lot of wireless accessories pretty stupid, headphones are one thing I definitely think can benefit from going cordless. On the other, sound quality over Bluetooth just isn't as good as in wired headphones, even to a decidedly non-audiophile such as myself. Also, I find the range of Bluetooth doesn't really allow for as much freedom of movement as I would wish in some cases, and every stereo headset I've tried is extremely sensitive to motion (such as when running with your phone in your pocket) and/or obstruction (such as turning your head to look at something in such a way as to place your body mass between the phone and the headset receiver). In either case, the playback stutters quite a bit.
My feeling is that Bluetooth technology isn't quite where it needs to be for music playback yet. Unless you're in a situation where you really need/want them, I think most people are still better off with wired headphones. Give it a year or two for quality to go up and prices to go down and it might be a different story.
zorak950 said:
I have mixed feelings about listening to music over Bluetooth. On one hand, as a person who finds a lot of wireless accessories pretty stupid, headphones are one thing I definitely think can benefit from going cordless. On the other, sound quality over Bluetooth just isn't as good as in wired headphones, even to a decidedly non-audiophile such as myself. Also, I find the range of Bluetooth doesn't really allow for as much freedom of movement as I would wish in some cases, and every stereo headset I've tried is extremely sensitive to motion (such as when running with your phone in your pocket) and/or obstruction (such as turning your head to look at something in such a way as to place your body mass between the phone and the headset receiver). In either case, the playback stutters quite a bit.
My feeling is that Bluetooth technology isn't quite where it needs to be for music playback yet. Unless you're in a situation where you really need/want them, I think most people are still better off with wired headphones. Give it a year or two for quality to go up and prices to go down and it might be a different story.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/07/12/altec_lansing_t515_wireless_speaker_headset_system/ (just the headset part.. speaker is crap) with a sennheiser earphone and the audio quality is excellent and the range is not bad either. I get about 10 meters without much trouble.
RemoteSojourner said:
I use http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/07/12/altec_lansing_t515_wireless_speaker_headset_system/ (just the headset part.. speaker is crap) with a sennheiser earphone and the audio quality is excellent and the range is not bad either. I get about 10 meters without much trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, 10 meters is the range of bluetooth.
I use a Jabra BT3030. Good thing about it is I can plug in any earphone I want and if I prefer to use a larger speaker, I can just plug that too.
http://store.androidcentral.com/sei...m=shopping_engine&utm_campaign=GoogleProducts
The Innodock Jr for the Desire/Nexus One works perfectly for the Nexus S and it leaves a lot of room for you to add a case and still be able to use the dock.
navalynt said:
http://store.androidcentral.com/sei...m=shopping_engine&utm_campaign=GoogleProducts
The Innodock Jr for the Desire/Nexus One works perfectly for the Nexus S and it leaves a lot of room for you to add a case and still be able to use the dock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, nice. Do you have a picture of the Nexus S in the dock? By the way, is the dock heavy? I worry about the dock tipping over. Thanks.
RemoteSojourner said:
I use http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/07/12/altec_lansing_t515_wireless_speaker_headset_system/ (just the headset part.. speaker is crap) with a sennheiser earphone and the audio quality is excellent and the range is not bad either. I get about 10 meters without much trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm happy for you, but not everyone wants to pay $200+ for headphones.
zorak950 said:
I have mixed feelings about listening to music over Bluetooth. On one hand, as a person who finds a lot of wireless accessories pretty stupid, headphones are one thing I definitely think can benefit from going cordless. On the other, sound quality over Bluetooth just isn't as good as in wired headphones, even to a decidedly non-audiophile such as myself. Also, I find the range of Bluetooth doesn't really allow for as much freedom of movement as I would wish in some cases, and every stereo headset I've tried is extremely sensitive to motion (such as when running with your phone in your pocket) and/or obstruction (such as turning your head to look at something in such a way as to place your body mass between the phone and the headset receiver). In either case, the playback stutters quite a bit.
My feeling is that Bluetooth technology isn't quite where it needs to be for music playback yet. Unless you're in a situation where you really need/want them, I think most people are still better off with wired headphones. Give it a year or two for quality to go up and prices to go down and it might be a different story.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to work excellently with my car stereo. The data throughput of Bluetooth is more than enough to handle music.
zorak950 said:
I'm happy for you, but not everyone wants to pay $200+ for headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For someone who cares so much about sound quality, I'm surprised you have not spent close to or even more than $200 on a pair of wired headphones even.
zorak950 said:
I'm happy for you, but not everyone wants to pay $200+ for headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My earphones are CX95 which I bought for about £60 (I also use other Sennheiser models which are about £15-£30) so I am not sure how you got 200+
The bluetooth headset itself was £15.

Best budget BT IEM for M8?

Hello!
I am searching for affordable BT IEMs but with good sound quality and functions (vol +-,tracks,play/pause buttons)
To use with my HTC M8
I have found the Sony SBH-20 to be a good solution as I can plug my RE-272 to get BT + very good sound quality, though the RE-272 cable is too long because of the extension (you can't get stereo sound without it) and the SBH-20 is BT 3.0 and not APTX...
There are tons of Chinese branded BT earphones on Amazon like ''Soundpeats'' ''Mpow'' and ''Imarku'' that are all BT 4.0 and even sometime APTX!
But it's not like the SBH20, meaning the IEMs cant be replaced, so I have no clue which one has a good sound quality.
Please help!
I have a Samsung HS3000 thats like the sony but without the nfc pairing. Its APT-X and works pretty well. The only problem is that it is currently discontinued and I'm not sure where to find one.
lacrossev said:
I have a Samsung HS3000 thats like the sony but without the nfc pairing. Its APT-X and works pretty well. The only problem is that it is currently discontinued and I'm not sure where to find one.
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I have heard not so good things about the samsung's one, we even have them in my country (Lebanon) for 50$ but I am not convinced, they say buttons are badly implemented and volume is low.
I have found the Sony SBH50 to be a better deal than SBH20, with the Oled screen I can read music names,SMS,caller ID...and even some weather infos (though I can live without it)
Actually I am using the HTC Stereoclip in my car which is aptx and BT 2.1 and the sound quality is very good, nearly as good as cabled connection by AUX, the Sony ones are not aptx but BT 3.0, so I guess aptx + BT 2.1 = non aptx + BT 3.0 right?
I don't know if I can trust the reviews at Amazon about this earphones by ''Imarku'' but it looks like a good deal http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Wireless-Headphones-Hands-Free-Microphone/dp/B00S7ZXO9E/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t
Could you not just do a search on amazon for that exact thing? I trust the amazon algorithm to output the highest quality item first in the list. Just check the reviews on there.
I have tried a couple BT devices (Jabra, Sony, etc.) with IEMs over the past few years....somewhat of an headphone/IEM audiophile (2 portable headphone amps, 1 desktop tube based headphone amp, and have lost count on IEMs and headphones...if that says anything).
Currently using these when I want stereo BT connection with my M8. Soundpeats Qy7 I believe these are one of the 'clones' mentioned above. I also use Viper4audio mod for sound shaping (on a Viper 3.2.1 ROM'd M8 running 4.4.4). On the Qy7's, I've added ComplyFoam T400s. Works very nicely, have no major complaints. Not as good as a couple other options I have around (all corded, though), but that's to be expected. My biggest gripe is that they are prone to falling out, even with the ComplyFoams inserted correctly, and using the inner ear loops. Have to re-adjust every 10-15 minutes....just while sitting. Not a major deal though.
The best sounding setup I've ever used was actually the Jabra Street2 connected to a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10s...but the Jabra Street2 is plagued with intermittent skips and annoyances (and it was corrected with a firmware update, but mine won't update).
I'd like to try the Jaybird Bluebuds, but those aren't considered 'budget' by any standard, and happy enough with the options I have, atm.
FWIW. HTH.
sttw1fa said:
I have tried a couple BT devices (Jabra, Sony, etc.) with IEMs over the past few years....somewhat of an headphone/IEM audiophile (2 portable headphone amps, 1 desktop tube based headphone amp, and have lost count on IEMs and headphones...if that says anything).
Currently using these when I want stereo BT connection with my M8. Soundpeats Qy7 I believe these are one of the 'clones' mentioned above. I also use Viper4audio mod for sound shaping (on a Viper 3.2.1 ROM'd M8 running 4.4.4). On the Qy7's, I've added ComplyFoam T400s. Works very nicely, have no major complaints. Not as good as a couple other options I have around (all corded, though), but that's to be expected. My biggest gripe is that they are prone to falling out, even with the ComplyFoams inserted correctly, and using the inner ear loops. Have to re-adjust every 10-15 minutes....just while sitting. Not a major deal though.
The best sounding setup I've ever used was actually the Jabra Street2 connected to a pair of Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10s...but the Jabra Street2 is plagued with intermittent skips and annoyances (and it was corrected with a firmware update, but mine won't update).
I'd like to try the Jaybird Bluebuds, but those aren't considered 'budget' by any standard, and happy enough with the options I have, atm.
FWIW. HTH.
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Thanks for your report.
I have read that the QY5 and QY7 were having these problems of falling which are a big deal for me as I will use them while jogging.
HIFIMAN can be perfect with SBH50 if the TRRS 3.5mm plug was compatible with it, but I doubt
vegetaleb said:
Thanks for your report.
I have read that the QY5 and QY7 were having these problems of falling which are a big deal for me as I will use them while jogging.
HIFIMAN can be perfect with SBH50 if the TRRS 3.5mm plug was compatible with it, but I doubt
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One other little tidbit.....IEMs, are nowhere near a 'one size fits all' prospect, even when the manufacturer gives you (like the QY7) 3 different sized ear loops (to hold them in your ear) and also 3 different sized ear tips (the part that inserts into the ear canal).
In my experience......owning 20-30 different sets of IEMs over the past 10 years...some manufacturers work better for me, and some just never will. Ultimate Ears (before purchase by Logitech), Sennheiser, Plantronics....almost always fit me well. Other brands (Shure, Panasonic, Sony, Onkyo, etc.), not so much.
What I'm getting at is the QY7 may not exhibit that issue at all for you, like it does for the reviews from others (including me). If you order from a place that has a liberal return policy....then you could try and see. Amazon is currently showing $36 for me....not very expensive, even by corded standard pricing....might be worth a shot.
I always take reviews with a slight grain of salt....and look at them a bit differently (than most I think). In respect to the QY7, there are 1K+ reviews, with ~75% of them being reviewed at 4 or 5 stars. Not bad. When reviewing.....participation of positive reviews don't account for nearly as much as sellers/manufactuers would want, (it's in the 10-20% range). The bad/negative reviews have a much higher participation....then, all in all, taking that into consideration....there are many more that are happy with the QY7 vs. those that aren't, but it's hard to see that. Just MHO. FWIW. YMMV. :silly:
If you really want to get into all things IEM and headphone.....Google 'Head-Fi Forums'. Then.....sorry about your wallet!
sttw1fa said:
One other little tidbit.....IEMs, are nowhere near a 'one size fits all' prospect, even when the manufacturer gives you (like the QY7) 3 different sized ear loops (to hold them in your ear) and also 3 different sized ear tips (the part that inserts into the ear canal).
In my experience......owning 20-30 different sets of IEMs over the past 10 years...some manufacturers work better for me, and some just never will. Ultimate Ears (before purchase by Logitech), Sennheiser, Plantronics....almost always fit me well. Other brands (Shure, Panasonic, Sony, Onkyo, etc.), not so much.
What I'm getting at is the QY7 may not exhibit that issue at all for you, like it does for the reviews from others (including me). If you order from a place that has a liberal return policy....then you could try and see. Amazon is currently showing $36 for me....not very expensive, even by corded standard pricing....might be worth a shot.
I always take reviews with a slight grain of salt....and look at them a bit differently (than most I think). In respect to the QY7, there are 1K+ reviews, with ~75% of them being reviewed at 4 or 5 stars. Not bad. When reviewing.....participation of positive reviews don't account for nearly as much as sellers/manufactuers would want, (it's in the 10-20% range). The bad/negative reviews have a much higher participation....then, all in all, taking that into consideration....there are many more that are happy with the QY7 vs. those that aren't, but it's hard to see that. Just MHO. FWIW. YMMV. :silly:
If you really want to get into all things IEM and headphone.....Google 'Head-Fi Forums'. Then.....sorry about your wallet!
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Click to collapse
Lol I know Head-Fi, I bought the Hifiman IEMs thanks to their reviews.
And yeah they are a little snobbish with people paying 600$ for IEM
Reviews at Amazon are not always a good results, specially for IEM.
I bought 4 years ago a pair of these Sony http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDREX10LP-BLU-In-Ear-Headphones/dp/B004UDZ8O6 which are still like you see rated 4 stars.
I have never heard a such awful sound in all IEM till now, they were way too in the lows, nothing in the mids not highs, no details!
Why is it so well reviewed? well I figured it's because it costs only 12$ and people who like the sound quality were fans of ''only bass'' music like rap and rnb, which are the only type of music I don't listen too btw.
That's why I am afraid the QY7 models are so well reviewed for the same reasons.
I have found one review that was extremely positive for the Soundpeats QY7 in a blog and another one that smashed it in Head-Fi as a ridiculous sound quality with emphasis on lows only (like the Sony I hated)
I'm sure you know this....but just putting it out there. You can EQ with most any music player (I use PowerAmp)....and with Viper Audio's Viper4Android FX you can even EQ Spotify, Slacker, MOG, Pandora, iHeartRadio.....almost anything. It even has separate options for EQ'ing the different output methods, Bluetooth connected versus wired, for example.
Not trying to twist your arm....but $36 to try them....maybe $6 to return them if they don't work out (Amazon return policy is pretty good, just have to pay return shipping).
Sound wise, they aren't bad IMHO. You're jogging with them. Are you really going to miss the upper/lower 10-15% of the sound spectrum while jogging (as opposed to the pounding of your feet and breathing, since you are wearing IEMs)? And, even if so, you could EQ that back in.... For everything else not jogging, you've got the HiFiMan's. :good:
One other idea (and again, you probably know this if you've spent any length of time on Head-Fi)....reviews of IEMs that include the words 'clarity' and 'detail' are IEMs that are biased towards the high end vs. the low end comments of 'boom' 'bass' 'heavy' 'muddy'.
All good :highfive: Everyone searches for something different in IEMs/headphones, just like the many tastes of music itself.
sttw1fa said:
I'm sure you know this....but just putting it out there. You can EQ with most any music player (I use PowerAmp)....and with Viper Audio's Viper4Android FX you can even EQ Spotify, Slacker, MOG, Pandora, iHeartRadio.....almost anything. It even has separate options for EQ'ing the different output methods, Bluetooth connected versus wired, for example.
Not trying to twist your arm....but $36 to try them....maybe $6 to return them if they don't work out (Amazon return policy is pretty good, just have to pay return shipping).
Sound wise, they aren't bad IMHO. You're jogging with them. Are you really going to miss the upper/lower 10-15% of the sound spectrum while jogging (as opposed to the pounding of your feet and breathing, since you are wearing IEMs)? And, even if so, you could EQ that back in.... For everything else not jogging, you've got the HiFiMan's. :good:
One other idea (and again, you probably know this if you've spent any length of time on Head-Fi)....reviews of IEMs that include the words 'clarity' and 'detail' are IEMs that are biased towards the high end vs. the low end comments of 'boom' 'bass' 'heavy' 'muddy'.
All good :highfive: Everyone searches for something different in IEMs/headphones, just like the many tastes of music itself.
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Don't ask me why but I feel these Imarku http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7ZXO9E?ref_=pe_623860_70668520 sound better than QY7-QY5, the seller told me it's totally different from the QY5 and QY7 clones you see in Amazon. BT 4.0 but no aptx (which is not a big deal as BT 3.0 and + are already good enough).
The thing is that they won't deliver to my sis in NYC before the 10th Feb with standard delivery, I will have to pay the fast delivery 13$ to be sure she get it before she meet my friend.
So the that's why I can't try and return like you said, I must be 100% sure it's a good deal for me before buying.
I have a friend who is traveling to NYC next week for 3-4 days, I live in Lebanon and if I want to do a delivery from Amazon to here it will cost me 80$ more lol.
Imarku looks like a good deal if I trust the 24 reviews but I am afraid of the diameter of the earphone itself right after the rubber part as it looks too large and could make it falls on the first jogging vibration,even do some irritation to my ear, the Sony SBH50 is a sure thing as I can plug any IEM if I don't like the ones that come with it. That's why I can't decide :crying:
Oh and btw IEM BT here are the most expensive models like Bose and Beats, even Sony doesn't bring the ''cheap'' models SBH20,50 and 52, they have only 1 model at 150$
You can find some headphones (over the ear) BT like Energysistem for 80$ but I don't see myself jogging with such big things.
Missed the fact about being in Lebanon.
I also have the SBH-50. What did you need to confirm with it? Just that a TRRS plugged IEM would work with it? Don't know that I've tried that. But, I could and let you know.
The way it's 'supposed' to work is that when a TRRS plug is in a regular stereo (3 part) receptor....the result is the same as if both parts were stereo (3 part) connection.
sttw1fa said:
Missed the fact about being in Lebanon.
I also have the SBH-50. What did you need to confirm with it? Just that a TRRS plugged IEM would work with it? Don't know that I've tried that. But, I could and let you know.
The way it's 'supposed' to work is that when a TRRS plug is in a regular stereo (3 part) receptor....the result is the same as if both parts were stereo (3 part) connection.
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The weird thing is that when I connect directly the TRRS plug into the M8 only one earphone will work, but if I plug it to the HTC BT Stereoclip with the help of a female 3.5mm to female 3.5mm, the sound is stereo like if the TRRS to TRS cable was used
Hoping the Sony SBH50 will act the same it will be awesome because the Hifiman RE-272 and 262 cable lenght with TRRS plug is short and perfect for the Sony SBH50, it's the extension cable (which act as TRRS to TRS adapter too) that add an extra 80cm!
Charging up the HBH50 and will do some comparisons with it connected to a couple different stereo IEMs, and an Apple iPhone 5s headset (the only version of IEM/buds I have with TRRS plug).
Honestly the HBH50 will be the best option, IMHO, as you can use it with any headphone.
Of course, the reason I don't always use the HBH50 is that it's a bit 'bright' with it's presentation of sound. The Jabra Street2 I have is a bit more my liking, which, while I'm no basshead....I do like accurate, tight, controlled, emphasized rhythm (percussion and bass guitar) section. But, the top end still has to be there and quite accurate as well.
Will report back, may be tomorrow....still gotta work! :silly:
Here's why the HTC M8 and M7 before it can't make a stereo sound with the TRRS of Hifiman.
It's the RE-0 one but I am sure it's the same as RE-272 and 262
So as you can see the third ring which is used by earphones+mic models as mic is used here for left channel, I wonder if we can do something app based...
I couldn't find a female TRRS to male TRS small cable yet instead of using the 80cm one.
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Highly doubt a software solution will fix this type of a hardware (the balanced iem plug wiring) issue.
FWIW, the HBH50 works great on the HTC M8 with an iPhone 5s Apple iem/bud earphone (the ones included in purchase). which has the 4 option plug, with the back connection being the mic. Just note, the mic of the headset is NOT connected. This setup uses the mic of the HBH50, but puts stereo out to the Apple iem. All keypress functions of the HBH50 work fine. Auto-reconnect upon turning the HBH50 on/off works nicely too.
And...the HBH50 does come with a iem/bud/headset on it's own that has a short cord.
HTH.
sttw1fa said:
Highly doubt a software solution will fix this type of a hardware (the balanced iem plug wiring) issue.
FWIW, the HBH50 works great on the HTC M8 with an iPhone 5s Apple iem/bud earphone (the ones included in purchase). which has the 4 option plug, with the back connection being the mic. Just note, the mic of the headset is NOT connected. This setup uses the mic of the HBH50, but puts stereo out to the Apple iem. All keypress functions of the HBH50 work fine. Auto-reconnect upon turning the HBH50 on/off works nicely too.
And...the HBH50 does come with a iem/bud/headset on it's own that has a short cord.
HTH.
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Thanks I ordered a white one from B&H (it's sexier and cheaper than the black one), you have to install the SBH50 app and the Smart connect app to use the full features right(SMS view,song names,ID callers...)?
Can you update its FW from the M8 too or you need an xperia phone?
vegetaleb said:
Thanks I ordered a white one from B&H (it's sexier and cheaper than the black one), you have to install the SBH50 app and the Smart connect app to use the full features right(SMS view,song names,ID callers...)?
Can you update its FW from the M8 too or you need an xperia phone?
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This part I'm not really sure. I use a Pebble Steel watch along with a couple custom apps for SMS viewing/alerting, caller ID and call dialing/muting/handling features.
Both Slacker and PowerAmp (music apps) worked with the HBH50 without any additional software to show the song names and artist. Same for all the ff/rw/pause/play features. Only had to pair the HBH50 and it all 'just worked'.
For updating firmware...honestly never looked into it for the HBH, but if it's like the Jabra Street2, there's probably a separate app using Windows to do it with a USB cable.
HTH.
sttw1fa said:
This part I'm not really sure. I use a Pebble Steel watch along with a couple custom apps for SMS viewing/alerting, caller ID and call dialing/muting/handling features.
Both Slacker and PowerAmp (music apps) worked with the HBH50 without any additional software to show the song names and artist. Same for all the ff/rw/pause/play features. Only had to pair the HBH50 and it all 'just worked'.
For updating firmware...honestly never looked into it for the HBH, but if it's like the Jabra Street2, there's probably a separate app using Windows to do it with a USB cable.
HTH.
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I think it's trhough the Sony SBH50 app in the Google playstore,once you install it, it will say there is a new FW.
Hopefully I will get mine in the coming days, it's still with my friend in NY and he's coming back this week
Wow these SBH50 are really good!
BT 3.0 is superior to 2.1 + APTX, sound is clear, soundstage is wide and no muffling sound typical of BT compression.
The given earphones are way too bassy, I had to lower the bass in Viper4android well under the average.
The HIFIMAN RE-272 have a superb sound with the SBH50 but as expected the 3 strips stereo plug didn't work, I have to use the extension cable making it too long for a BT device unless I clip it on my Tshirt sleeve instead of the collar.
I will try to find a shorter extension-adapter cable.
All the functions of the SBH50 are supported with the M8, MP3 tag,caller ID...
Though the sound volume is not very loud, tried it with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm in my car instead of the HTC Stereoclip and it was perhaps 40% more quiet, but with the earphones the volume is good after adding +6db thanks again to V4A, it could have take an extra 10% more.

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