Bluetake Bluetooth Headphones and iPod Transmitter (BT450Rx-C) Review - Conclusion
(Page 5 of 5 )
There were a couple other things that I tested on the I-PHONO Mini as well: battery life and reception range. The batteries lasted longer than the manual said that they would. The lithium batteries were rated for 6 hours. I started listening to the headset nonstop in the morning, and my ears were tired before it ran out of juice. It finally clocked in at 6 hours and 55 minutes before it cut out entirely. However, the last 10 minutes weren't that enjoyable because the device kept giving me low-battery warning beeps.
As far as range, we had trouble maxing out the distance without moving into other rooms. The headset received music and calls clearly all the way across the office. We ventured out into the hall, and it was still clear coming through the door. Moving further away with walls in between is when it started to cut out and break up. I would estimate that we were able to make it 50 feet with a wall between before it got really disruptive.
I’d also like to point out that the design of the I-PHONO is not made for very active sports. I own an iriver because I like to run with my MP3s, but Bluetake’s BT450Rx is not design for this. They bounce around or bounce off if you run with them, though they would accompany you to lifting weights at the gym just fine. For running and active sports, it is definitely worth a few extra dollars to get the sports model. They look a little bit nicer too. I would recommend them in general, if you don’t mind spending a little more.
Finally, we come to pricing. After a quick search, I found a few retilers carrying these products. The best price I saw on the BT450Rx-C Combo Pack was $150, and that would buy you both the headset and Bluetooth iPod transmitter. The BT450Rx headset alone can be easily found for $95. These are not cheap iPod accessories, nor are they overpriced for good quality Bluetooth devices. This would make an incredible gift for an iPod fanatic this Christmas.
Pros
Incredible wireless sound quality, practically sounds wired
Easily switches between MP3s and phone calls
Simple to pair after you’ve done it once
Controls iPods from the earpiece
Rechargable batteries with better-than-expected battery life
Cons
iPod cannot have a protective case on it
Girls think they look funny (so get the sports model instead)
This headset sounded great when playing my music. The feeling of being freed from cables while listening to some song is great, and adding in the functionality of a handsfree cell phone device rocks. With all this in mind, we are giving the BT450Rx-C our Dev Hardware Recommended award.
Be sure to come back for our review tomorrow. We'll have the Bluetake BT007Ex USB adapter working with these I-PHONO headphones.
I’d like to thank Bluetake for the opportunity to review the I-PHONO. If anyone is interested in reading more about what Bluetake devices can do, please visit Bluetake’s corporate website. Also, please drop by our forums or check out the article discussion link.
| DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware. |
