[nightfire]

Hi guys,

I'm in the market for yet more bluetooth headphones. Anything new come out lately?

I'm hoping to hear experiences of people who actually have them (not just read reviews). My main concerns are:

- Outdoor performance (ie. dropouts with phone in jeans pocket, coat pocket, etc)
- Sound signature (muddy? ER4-like? rolled off?)
- Comfort / size (mainly for gym, cycling, walking, etc)

I'm surprised how hard it is to find reviews on these things! Ever since I switched to bluetooth I've found wires unbearable while exercising.

So far I have the Motorola/Motorokr S9, and the Sony DR-BT50. The S9 is perfect except that it doesn't work outdoors. The DR-BT50 is terrible out-of-the-box (unacceptable sound quality), but having replaced the drivers with KSC-75 drivers, they're working out great. No good for sports, though.

I tend to keep my phone in my coat pocket in the winter, in a handlebar carrier when I ride, and in my shorts pocket at the gym.

So, anything interesting? I'm debating the Altec Lansing 903, but I've read disheartening reviews about its outdoor performance as well.

Ideally I'm looking for an ear-bud style bluetooth ER-4 with perfect reception.

Something that is detailed and somewhat neutral-bright, but doesn't totally isolate.

 

[james444]

I've tried a lot of these and haven't found a reliable and light head-mounted solution. I have the JBL Reference 610 and the SQ is only average, plus they aren't good for sports. The Sony HBH-IS800 works much better outdoors than the Motorola S9, but still has some dropouts from time to time.

The best and most reliable I've found so far are clip designs with 3.5mm HPO. Included buds aren't too bad, but I mostly use the SE530 or the IE8 with short cable.

 

[nightfire]

Interesting.. I never saw the HBH-IS800 before. Quite an impressive feat of engineering. How's the sound quality?

I was also considering the SBH-900 but I haven't been able to find anyone shipping to Canada; it seems to be almost exclusive to the UK.

 

[james444]

You're right, the HBH-IS800 are really an impressive feat of engineering. SQ is actually quite good, though it can't compare to SBH-900 (or HBH-DS205) plus decent IEMs. The tricky part about the IS800 is getting a secure fit and seal. The corpus is rather large and heavier than average IEMs (has to incorporate electronics + battery) and deep insertion is impossible. I succeded after stuffing the silicon tips with foamies, but this may not work for everybody. Anyway, when fitted correctly, they sound decent and put out surprisingly punchy bass.