Tag Archives: Headset

Bluetooth Versus Wired

June 25, 2016Android, Apple, Bluetooth, camera, iPhone, microphone, Phone, smartphone3.5mm jack, bluetooth, Headset, Wiredtomwiles

Coloud The Snap Active Earbuds For some months now, persistent rumors have been flying that the next iPhone will do away with the 3.5mm wired headset port. There have been plenty of people arguing both against and for this idea. Some people say that the demise of the wired headset port is inevitable.

As an over-the-road truck driver, I’ve been using Bluetooth devices for years. To be perfectly honest, the majority of Bluetooth headsets suck, regardless of price. They typically suffer from poor audio quality, especially those intended for phone calls.
I have yet to find a Bluetooth microphone that produces anything approaching acceptable quality for anything other than phone calls.

Bluetooth stereo is great for certain uses, such as in the car or for use with certain Bluetooth speakers intended for casual listening.

With this in mind, let’s examine how a smartphone would work without a 3.5mm wired jack for the way people use these devices today.

I see plenty of people using wired headsets, day in and day out. That tells me that, unlike the floppy drive, which was dropped because most software was being shipped on CD-ROM’s, the wired 3.5mm headphone jack is NOT obsolete. The 3.5mm headphone jack is NOT falling into disuse. There are still millions and millions of people using wired headsets with their smartphones on a constant basis. Wired headset use is NOT dropping off.

Modern smartphones are also extremely good high-definition video cameras. While they have built-in microphones, because of the 3.5mm headphone jack it is also possible to plug in a wired microphone. Wired microphones on traditional consumer camcorders have either been absent or an option for costlier prosumer models. Take the 3.5mm wired headphone jack away and the option of plugging in a superior wired microphone goes away with it.

If Apple takes the 3.5mm wired headphone jack away, it doesn’t matter to me, because I don’t have an iPhone and don’t want one. There will be plenty of remaining Android models to choose from that keep their senses.

In fact, there have already been Android smartphones available on the market that leave out the 3.5mm wired headphone jacks. The Chinese company LeEco released three jack-less phones in April of this year. Ever heard of them? Me neither, until I did a search. I don’t get the impression they are burning down the barn with popularity.

I make extensive use of Bluetooth as well as the 3.5mm jack on my phone. I will never buy a phone that doesn’t offer a 3.5mm jack any more than I would buy a phone that doesn’t offer Bluetooth or WiFi.

Oasis at 2016 CES

February 21, 2016Accessory, audio, Bluetoothaudio, bluetooth, ces, earbud, Headset, noise-cancellingtomwiles

Scott Ertz interviews Phil Diamond about the Oasis customizable noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset from Audasis. The concept behind the Oasis Bluetooth headset is that it takes any conventional user-provided ear buds and converts them into a noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset. The consumer plugs their conventional earbuds into the Oasis, and then pairs up the Oasis to their Bluetooth playback device. The Oasis also includes a Bluetooth dongle with the headset to enable the user to convert any device that has a conventional 1/8th inch headphone jack, say an old CD player or a 1/8th inch headphone jack on a plane to Bluetooth to be used with the Oasis. The Oasis includes a wireless charging stand and up to approximately 30 hours worth of audio playback depending on the impedance efficiency of the earbuds and the loudness of the music.

Audasis hopes to ship the Oasis Bluetooth headset in Q4 of 2016 in time for the Christmas holiday season. The target selling price is $150.

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LG Tone Infinim Headset Updated for CES

January 2, 2016Bluetooth, ces, LG, smartphonebluetooth, ces, Headset, LG, smartphonePalmer

LG Electronics (LG) will unveil the latest iteration of the LG Tone Infinim at CES 2016 this year. For those who haven’t seen the Tone Infinim before, this style of Bluetooth headset is in a contemporary design and is worn around the neck. It certainly looks very different from the usual style of in-ear headset while still being convenient to use.

As an upgraded successor of the popular HBS-900, the new Tone Infinim (HBS-910) inherits the previous model’s main strengths such as metallic body, wire retractable earbuds, long-lasting battery and Harmon/Kardon audio quality. With its upgraded Quad-Layer Speaker Technology, the new Tone Infinim delivers a great audio experience with better balance across all sound ranges and enhancing the frequency response ratio for richer bass and crisper high notes. Dealing with noisy environments such as crowded subways or city streets are an easy challenge for the new Tone Infinim with dual noise-cancelling microphones.

“The original Tone Infinim set a new standard for wireless headset design,” said Chung Sue-hyun, Vice President of Innovative Personal Devices at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “We delivered an audio solution that offered days of battery life, a comfortable fit that didn’t fall off the neck when unused and most importantly, fantastic sound. It’s no wonder the LG Tone Infinim series is the most copied design in this product category.”

The new Tone Infinim will be available in the United States from February with other parts of Asia and Europe to follow soon after. Pricing is not available at the moment.

Plantronics Voyager Edge Bluetooth Headset Review

October 5, 2015Bluetooth, review, smartphonebluetooth, Headset, plantronics, review, smartphonePalmer

While smartphones and tablets are the poster children for the mobile revolution, the Bluetooth headset is an often forgotten cousin. Many of us have used headsets in vehicles out of necessity but being hands-free at the desk is a revelation and once freed from the tyranny of the telephone handset, there’s no going back. Perfect for this journey to freedom is Plantronics latest model in the Voyager series, the Voyager Edge UC. Let’s take a look.

The Voyager Edge is an in-ear Bluetooth headset with a battery-enhanced carry case. With a squarish head and a short stubby microphone arm, the Edge is designed to sit snugly in the ear without the traditional over-the-ear loop. A selection of three silicon ear pieces help get the right fit and I found that a slight rotation of the ear piece kept the Edge firmly in my ear. Looking round the headset, there are an on-off switch and volume rocker on the sides. The whole top surface is a “call” button and there’s a command or “voice” button on the microphone arm.

In the box, there’s a charger with both European and UK plugs, a USB cable and the previously mentioned selection of clear silicone earpieces designed to achieve the perfect fit for headset wearers. Obviously, there’s the Voyager Edge itself and there’s the curiously shaped charging carry case.

The charging case itself verges on genius. First of all, I love the shape and texture; the curved and ribbed rubber hints at a more natural form, whether bark or shell, I’m not sure. It’s rugged too and I don’t worry about the case rolling around in the bottom of my bag – I’m not so sure I’d say the same thing about the Voyager Legend’s case. The Edge’s case holds both the headset on the top and the Bluetooth transceiver on the bottom. Pushing the headset into the case lights up blue LEDs which show the battery level of both the case and the Edge. The lights turn to red when the battery gets low and charging from the case to the headset starts automatically. The headset is held firmly in the case, needing a good tug with a finger to pull free and in daily use, I rarely returned the Edge to the case except at the end of the day.

There are micro USB ports on both the case and the headset to charge. Talk time is rated at six hours, standby at seven days and the case will recharge the headset about one and half times, giving a total talk time of sixteen hours away from a power supply. Although I was never able to use the headset until the battery died, I’d be confident the figures aren’t far off the mark.

Being the UC or Unified Communications variant of the Voyager Edge, a pre-paired Bluetooth USB transceiver is included which can be kept in the bottom of the charging case when not in use. Getting the Edge setup with Skype for Business or other IP-based telephony system is simply base of plugging the transceiver into a spare USB port and turning the Edge on.

Pairing with a phone can be done in two ways, both of which are easy. If the phone is NFC equipped, hold it up to the top surface of the Edge and pairing will begin automatically. Without NFC, press the voice button on the boom, say, “Pair” and then pair on the phone as normal. I paired with a range of smartphones and tablets without any problems. The Edge will store pairings with up to eight devices, although only two can be active at any time.

The Edge does a great deal based on sensors and voice commands. Putting on the headset will auto-answer an incoming call. With the headset already on ear, saying, “Answer” or “Ignore” will direct the call as desired. Pressing the call button on the top surface will pass voice commands through to the phone’s dialler and calls can be placed without touching the phone.

Call quality was excellent, both when connected via IP telephony and smartphone. When used with Microsoft Lync (or Skype for Business as it’s branded now), no-one had any idea that I was on a headset rather than a handset. I simply love being hands-free at my desk.

Overall, I liked the Voyager Edge. I found it comfortable to wear for extended periods, call quality was excellent and worked well with both my smartphone and corporate telephony. The charge case was robust and didn’t need to be treated too carefully. The truth is that the Edge is currently my headset of choice when I’m out and about, either taking calls on my OnePlus Two or connected into my laptop for internal calls.

At the best part of GB£100 the Plantronics Voyage Edge UC isn’t cheap (the non-UC version is about GB£75) but the Edge is a very good Bluetooth headset that is well matched to today’s high end smartphones and IP telephony solutions.

Thanks to Plantronics for supplying the Voyager Edge UC for review.

Kingston HyperX Cloud II Headset

June 14, 2015audio, Gadgets, Gaming, headphones, hifiaudio, Gaming, headphones, Headset, Kingston, reviewPalmer

Kingston Tech followed up their popular HyperX Cloud gaming headset earlier this year with the Cloud II, which brought a newly designed USB sound card audio control box with 7.1 virtual surround sound to the already impressive feature set of the original HyperX Cloud headset. GNC favourably reviewed the first HyperX Cloud back in December.

The new control box has independent audio and microphone volume control plus a central toggle for the surround sound 7.1. The Cloud II headset generates virtual 7.1 surround sound with distance and depth to enhance the gaming, movie or music experience. Shoot them before they shoot you!

At launch, the Cloud II headset offered choice of two colour finishes, red and gun metal (grey). There’s now a third option, pink, which is presumably intended to appeal to female gamers.

Whatever your opinion of “pinking”, it’s good to see that Kingston is looking outside of the stereotypical gaming audience.

In other good news, the Cloud II has taken up the price point of the original and is priced at a little under GB£80. The original Cloud still available too but it’s now priced below £50, making the latter a real bargain.

Creative SB Inferno Gaming Headset Review

March 31, 2015audio, Gaming, headphonesaudio, creative, Games, Gaming, headphones, Headset, Inferno, Sound BlasterPalmer

Earlier in the month on GNC, I reviewed Creative’s E1 Portable Amplifier, which improved the listening experience for headphone wearers. To go with the E1, I have the Creative SB Inferno Gaming Headset, aimed squarely at gamers with a detachable flex mic and in-line controls. Priced at a penny under GB£40, the Inferno sits at the lower end of Creative’s range so expectations need to be set appropriately. With all this in mind, let’s take a look.

The Inferno headset comes inside a mainly black and red box with a transparent window on one side, showing off the goods inside, all held neatly in place with a lightweight plastic moulding.

Inside the box, there’s the red-infused SB Inferno headset. From the outer shells to the inner driver covers and the audio lead, it’s all red. It’s a good strong red which may not come across in the photos.

The Inferno has a TRRS 3.5 mm jack (that’s the one with three black bands) and works out of the box with smartphones and tablets. For more old school devices with separate sockets for headphones and microphone, then there’s a splitter in the box too. Sadly, this doesn’t carry the red colouring and is boring black but on the plus side, the Inferno works with Sony’s PS4, connecting into the controllers.

Interrupting the red cable is the in-line control for adjusting the volume and turning the microphone on and off. With no controls for pause / play or FWD / RWD, it reminds us that the Inferno is primarily a headset for gaming rather than music listening.

The flexible boom mic plugs into a socket on the left had ear cup and there’s a little shim to ensure correct insertion. It’s easily detached when not required – just pull.

But enough of the features….what is the Creative SB Inferno HyperX like to use? To start with, the headphones are very comfortable to wear. The headband is a little bit too plastic for my taste but it does make the Inferno lightweight and doesn’t exert too much sideways pressure on the head. The cloth padding on the band and the ear cups is good and I wore the Inferno for several extended sessions without ear soreness. The Inferno has what I would describe as “snug” closed cups, meaning that the cups fit neatly over the ears and there’s not much movement inside the cup. I like this but it obviously depends on the relative size of your ears.

Sonically, I used the headphones for gaming, music and IP telephony. Overall, I thought that the Inferno provided even, balanced sound to the extent of being unexciting but the Creative headset is a clear step up from the average junk out there. With music listening, much of the sound came through but it certainly could have been a bit richer – it simply didn’t have the “wow” factor and was too flat for real appreciation. A little bit more bass and more depth across the board would be a big improvement.

As I’ve said in reviews before, these headsets are great in office. One minute you are listening to music, the next minute you are taking a phone call with no need to fumble around taking the headset off while picking up the phone. Voices were clear and callers could hear me well.

For games playing, the headset was good with the action coming across clearly from bullets to bombs. Machinery clanked away and steel screeched against concrete. Again a bit more oomph in the bass department would have been an improvement but there’s enough clarity to hear noises off. For the gamer, this can mean the difference between fragging or being fragged.

Overall, the Creative SB Inferno is right on the money. At an RRP of £39.99, the Inferno delivers nicely to the price point giving a decent gaming headset. It’s not for audiophiles but it doesn’t set out to be sonically superior, so I think the Inferno would have a good claim to be the best entry-level gaming headset.

Thanks to Creative for providing the review headset.

Kingston HyperX Cloud Headset Review

December 12, 2014audio, Gadgets, Gaming, headphones, hifi, reviewaudio, Gaming, headphones, Headset, Kingston, reviewPalmer

Kingston have long been a brand of choice for gaming professionals, expecially when overclocking the HyperX range of memory modules to within a megahertz of their life. Not content with the inside of the PC, Kingston has put the performance brand on the outside with the HyperX Cloud headset. Sensibly they’ve not tried to start from scratch but partnered with Swedish pro gamers Qpad to get into the market. Let’s take a look.

Initial impressions are good. The HyperX Cloud headset comes in a solid well-finished box that pulls smoothly apart to reveal the headset and accessories. There’s a slightly cheesy marketing message from the HyperX Gaming Manager in silver on the inside of the lid, but it’s a nice touch.

As you’ll see from the pics, the version on review is the white with black edition; there’s a black with red version if you want to look a bit tougher. Taking the headphones out of the box, they feel pretty good and well-made for the price point. There are no rough edges, the headband stitching looks good and the embroidery is neat. The audio lead is braided rather than bare PVC and that alone helps with the tangles. It’s the end of the lead that gives away the fact that the HyperX Cloud isn’t only for listening to music as rather than a single 3.5mm jack, there’s a pair; one for audio in (the headphones) and the other for audio out (the microphone).

The detachable boom mic is on the left hand side of the box and plugs cleanly into a socket on the left hand ear cup. A small insert covers the socket when the microphone’s not needed to keep things neat. The boom is flexible and can be positioned to suit.

In the box there’s a comprehensive selection of accessories including an extension lead, in-line mic set and an adaptor to take the two 3.5mm stereo jacks into a single TRRS connector, as used in mobile phones. There’s even one of the adaptors needed for annoying aircraft seats, so whether it’s a PC, tablet, phone or plane, the HyperX Cloud can jack in.

But enough of the features….what is the HyperX Cloud like to use? To start with, the headphones are very comfortable to wear, especially when the leather-style pads are swapped for the included velour ones. I wore the headphones for several multi-album sessions without any soreness and would definitely recommend them for extended gaming sessions too. Obviously the preference between enclosed and on-ear cups is a personal one but for comfort, I think these are hard to beat.

Sonically, I used the headphones for gaming, music and IP telephony with Microsoft’s Lync. In the office, the headset is great. One minute you are listening to music, the next minute you are taking a phone call with no need to fumble around taking the headset off while picking up the phone. Voices were clear and callers could hear me well. Moving on to music listening, it’s always hard to critique without sounding critical. I thought the HyperX Cloud headset reproduced sound well with good clarity across the range. The sound could have been richer and more exciting but I was perfectly happy listening to the HyperX Cloud all day. Playing games, the headset was great with gunshots and explosions blowing up in your ears. Car engines came across well, so this headset was made for GTA. As with phone calls, abuse, sorry, conversation with fellow gamers was clear.

Overall, there’s not much to dislike and a great deal to enjoy with the Kingston HyperX Cloud headset. It’s well made and comfortable to wear, and comes with everything needed to plug-in. Audio quality is good without being outstanding. The Kingston HyperX Cloud has a list price of GB£79.99 but can be found on-line for less. Stick it on your Christmas list.

Thanks to Kingston for providing the review headset.