Something about being tied to your pc while you are listening to music and watching movies by a cord isn’t what I would consider comfortable. I like the idea that I can move around without being limited by a cord. This is where Kensington’s Bluetooth Stereo headphones come in. Running on Bluetooth they are compatible with a variety of devices. We are going to test them out with a laptop and on a Bluetooth enabled cell phone. We have had great experiences with Kensington products, will this one be the same? Will they hold up to our abuse? Click below to find out.
Review Sample Provided by: Kensington
Review by: Garfi3ld
Pictures by: Garfi3ld
Specifications and Features
Features -Stream music to the headphones from any Bluetooth enabled music phone or computer (requires A2DP Bluetooth protocol) -Cord-free, Bluetooth® 2.0 connection up to 66 ft. (20 m) wireless range -Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for up to 23 hours of non-stop music and 19 hours of talk -Built-in microphone and adjustable volume control -Lightweight, comfortable over-the-ear design with ear cushions -Play/pause/skip/forward tracks, all from the headphones -Answer/ignore calls with the push of a button -Compatible with PC and Mac (Leopard OSX) Specifications -Requires Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) Bluetooth protocol -Up to 23 hours of music; 19 hours of talk on a single charge -Bluetooth® 2.0 connection, up to 66ft wireless range -USB charging cable included Warranty -Bluetooth® Stereo Headphones with Microphone is backed by the Kensington 2-Year warranty.
Packaging
Kensington packaged the Bluetooth headphones in similar packaging that we have seen in the past. A clear plastic box giving you a great view of the headphones along with a eye catching style. The front is fairly simple with a Kensington logo, a quote “The wireless stereo headphones that will have people talking.”, and the outline of a cell phone. The back of the packaging has a small feature list written in 6 different languages, pointing out that while listening to music the rechargeable lithium Ion battery will last for 23 hours, 19 hours if you are using the included mic also. Inside the box you will find the headset, a USB mini cable for charging, and an instruction book. Overall I really dig the style that Kensington is using with their products, very eye catching and functional.
Comfort
I’ve been very clear in the past that I am a big fan of over the ear headphones. I’ve had trouble finding anything that goes in my ear or on top of my ears that is comfortable to me. Apparently I am a little different that a good portion of the country considering how popular on and in ear designs are. With that being said, I took a close look at the Bluetooth headset. This is the first time I have been able to fall asleep with a headset on without them being uncomfortable or worrying about waking up tangled in the cord. The behind the ear design works great for people who are worried about messing up there hair. The strap doesn’t put too much pressure on your ears witch keeps your ears from hurting after long periods of use, but even with that there is no worry of the headset falling off or moving around once you have them on. I don’t think you could ask for a more comfortable on ear headset.
Performance
As I’ve talked about in the past, I don’t consider myself an audiophile or anything remotely close. When it comes to listening to a headset sound is very subjective. I may enjoy the way one sounds and you might think there isn’t enough bass. With that in mind I used this headset in a variety of situations to get a good idea of how it performed. When I paired the headset with my enV2 cell phone I was able to make phone calls without touching my cell phone. I’ve never used a Bluetooth headset with a cell phone, so my first impression was that it sounded a little tinny with too much background noise. This may have been my cell phone considering I was never able to replicate it on the computer, and it sounded great when just listening to music on my cell phone. Considering the headset covers both ears it isn’t really made for use for voice calls, it is ideal for listening to music streamed from my cell phone or computer. You are able to flip between different songs, pause/play, and turn the volume up or down as needed using the buttons on the headphones.
The range on the headset was amazing, I was able to walk to almost any part of my house including downstairs into my kitchen without loosing signal. This means I could listen to music and work on my hunny do list, my wife is going to be exited about this. Even with that range the battery life was amazing, with an advertised life of 23 hours without using the mic. I never even killed the battery, I just reached a point where you feel there is no way that it should still have power and you plug it in. Speaking of plugging in and charging, I love that they used a standard plug for this. It’s nice that I can use the same plug from my memory card reader or a PSP to charge this headset.
Overall
At 79.99 Kensington Is asking a lot for a headset, but once you put them on you will realize that they are worth it. The fact that they were comfortable to me at all without being over the ear headphones is amazing! Combined with the well layed out and easy to use buttons you really can’t ask for anything else. The sound quality was top notch as long as it wasn’t paired with my enV2. The only trouble I had with the headset was keeping vista from getting confused when the headphones were turned on. I found it easiest to have them on when you turned on your computer. The battery life was spectacular! Once you get past the pairing issues in Vista we had no issues at all with the headphones. The built in microphone worked flawlessly and isn’t in your way at all, in fact some might have trouble even noticing it. Even with the high price I have no problem recommending this headset for anyone who is looking to go full wireless in a comfortable package for your computer or cell phone. If you get a chance to take a closer look at these you will be very impressed.
