Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

My Personal Reiew: Jawbone 2, Plantronics 925, Motorola H710: Updated

N

navigates

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 13, 2008
771
53
I've read lots of praises for the Jawbone version 1 and 2 all over the forums. Just wanted to share my honest research and opinion with the headset.

I got the Jawbone 1 last year and would never use it, as it was quiet a hassle to get it on. went back to my trusty cheap nokia HDB-4 wired headset which sells for $8 and has a decent to good clarity.

Fianlly with all the hype on the iphone, I couldn't hold myself and finally took the plunge with getting two iphones for myself and my wife. At this point I decided to get the jawbone 2.

Review:
Fit it very comfortable.
Sound not so good. It sounds like people are talking through a pipe.
Echo can be heard at the other end and a little at my end too. Its hard to understand the person over the headset.
Construction on the jawbone is downright mediocre

So decided to give the sennheiser VMX100 a try from the Apple store since I have the PC headset and the mic for voice chat and that is by far one of the best headsets and mic I've used. A bit pricey but its worth every penny.
As for the headset, my perception is that this headset gives a breadth of clarity with voice. I mean the sound is a whole spectrum. However I would have liked it slightly better if it would fit in the ear as the jawbone' but that might just be a factor to get used to. Construction on the VMX100 looks quiet good.

I'm quiet picky with the stuff I get so its hard to please me. Just my honest review. Hope it helps someone.

PS: I'll be returning my Jawbone 2 tomorrow and hope ATT takes it back as I'm not satisfied. I might land up trying the platronics headset to see the clarity on that too.

** Note: In effort to keep this post short and simple. I'll update the header thread with my findings and snippit here

Tests done:
* Called my home number.
* Left Long tonal voice mails to my home answering maching. (I figure I'd be my best critic)
* Switched on the fan to emulate outside air sound (Thats the best I could come up with)

Jawbone 2: (Got from ATT Store)
* echo in sound clarity
* Receiving end sounds aren't clear
* Result: Returned it on 08/02 to Att

Sennheiser VMX100 (Got from Apple Store)
* Good Base receiving quality
* Sound qual on other end is slightly just slightly lesser/robotic when compared to Plantronics 925
* Good boom style fit, nothing inside ear
* Result: Returned it as i feel the sound is robotic

Plantronics 925 (Bestbuy store)
* Good Treble receiving quality
* Sound qual on receiving end is todate the best I've tested with. No robotic sound at all
* No boom but fits in the ear just fine. the box comes with 2 size to fit
* Result: Kept it. Ordered another one on buy.com for 86$'s for my wife.
** The voice quality of this headset was exactly the same as the iphone itself. People couldn't distinguish if I was on a headset.

Motorola H710 (Bestbuy Store)
* Opened the box
* Tried to see how the fit goes. Ugly, feels like a cheap product.
* Result will definately return it but no hurry. I have 30 days.
 
thx for the write up, i've been doing my research as well and was considering the jawbone 2 after seeing all the positive reviews, will keep your experiences in mind while i decide.

how much was the sennheiser VMX100?
 
tritonj said:
thx for the write up, i've been doing my research as well and was considering the jawbone 2 after seeing all the positive reviews, will keep your experiences in mind while i decide.

how much was the sennheiser VMX100?
Click to expand...

I got the VMX100 at the apple store for $119.95. You can probably get a few $'s knocked off if you but it online but the apple store has the black business version of this headset which is quiet good. Again the sound quality of this headset in my opinion is much superior than the Jawbone. It also has a default noise reduction.

The downside of this when compared to the Jawbone is that this takes 2 hours to charge fully and I believe the jawbone is much quicker.

However when I'm at work and the headset is not being used I turn it off. Its quiet easy to turn this off by just moving the mouth piece to its initial position.

If you notice in the few reviews this headset has had, most of the issues people faced are the connection issues. I haven't read a review of people complaining that the sound quality isin't nice.

In my quest I've been giving a thought to the BO Bluetooth headset but that runs around 300$'s and has a BIG ear piece which in my opinion is quiet ugly too.
 
Added final decision of keeping the plantronics 925. Hope this helps someone.
 
I purchased the Jawbone version 1 and 2 and returned both for the very same reason as the OP.
I found myself going back to the Plantronics. The only complaint I have about Plantronics is I can't seem to get one to last more than a year. I wear them out.
 
Another Update on the plantronics.

The carrying case that comes with plantronics 925 can charge the phone about 3 times as it has its own battery. The only problem that people have with the case is the removal of the headset from the case. It seems difficult.

Now since I have two of these headsets, one from bestbuy and one from buy.com, the one that came from buy.com had a better carrying case. It must have been an updated version of the headset or something. The carrying case now has an eject clip to remove the headset without trying to yank it out.

So I ordered myself another 925 from buy.com and have returned the one I had from bestbuy. :)

Just wanted to update...
 
Thanks for the info...I've decided to go with the Plantronics 925 over a Jawbone as my first BT headset for my iPhone 3G. Once it arrives and I test it out i"ll be sure to post back here about my experience with it.

I got it from Newegg (no tax or shipping fees!)...I hope it has the eject button!
 
MBHockey said:
Thanks for the info...I've decided to go with the Plantronics 925 over a Jawbone as my first BT headset for my iPhone 3G. Once it arrives and I test it out i"ll be sure to post back here about my experience with it.

I got it from Newegg (no tax or shipping fees!)...I hope it has the eject button!
Click to expand...

Well Good Luck! I'll sure look out for your experiences !
 
navigates said:
Well Good Luck! I'll sure look out for your experiences !
Click to expand...

The headset arrived today from Newegg, and I've gotta say, it's awesome. I have never owned a BT Headset before because all of the ones I've tried have been awful (on friends phones). The pairing was an absolute breeze and I was up and talking in no time. I did a few actual calls and nobody made a mention of me being on a headset or sounding like I was on speaker phone...then I called my brother and asked how it sounded and he said it didn't sound any different than when I am just speaking on the iPhone regularly.

I was a bit intimidated by the $150 price tag, but Newegg had it for $77.00 with no tax and free 3 day shipping (which turned out to be two day shipping for me because I'm only an hour from their ship center in New Jersey :)).

Anyway, I couldn't be happier. After deliberating between this and the Jawbone, I feel like I've made a good choice. Sound quality is my #1 concern (i'm not often in noisy environments, although I've read that the AudioIQ helps with noise admirably when compared when the Jawbone) and everything is coming in and going out loud and clear.

The ones from newegg DO have the eject button in the case charger...good stuff! Thanks!

Oh, another thing -- I'm amazed at how comfortable it is. And it's so easy to put in my ear...you literally just stick it in your ear and it stays stuck...no messing around with earhooks or anything like that!
 
Very Glad to know that you got a good deal and you liked it. I've recommended it to a few friends and have it too. Well in my case, my case does not have the eject button which makes it a little hard to remove the headset, but then again, I never use the case so I'm good. I have two of these headsets.
 
Thanks for a great write-up. I love my Plantronics 510 and have recommended it to everyone, but after almost 18 months, it's near the end of its lifespan. I was thinking of buying the 510 again, but I think I'll to with the 925 this time. The only thing I didn't like about the 510 was the size, but I was leery of sacrificing sound for size. Thanks to your review, now I don't have that worry.

Thanks again. :)
 
I purchased the Plantronics 925 from Best Buy last weekend. I really like it but I don't like removing it from the case. I saw on here that there are updated cases that have an eject button so I sent an e-mail to Plantronics support asking if they had any kind of exchange program for the cases.

The response I got said:
"There is no Discovery 925 charging case with eject button."

Can someone post a picture of the new case so I can send it to the support agent?

Thanks.
 
BulkHedd said:
I purchased the Plantronics 925 from Best Buy last weekend. I really like it but I don't like removing it from the case. I saw on here that there are updated cases that have an eject button so I sent an e-mail to Plantronics support asking if they had any kind of exchange program for the cases.

The response I got said:
"There is no Discovery 925 charging case with eject button."

Can someone post a picture of the new case so I can send it to the support agent?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

:) I have the same issue. The one I got from bestbuy does not have the eject button. The one I got from buy.com has it. The earliest I can post the snap is by tomorrow when I fly back home.
 
Ntombi said:
Has anyone bought it from Amazon? Do you know if they sell it with the eject button?
Click to expand...

I had my cousin order 2. One from Amazon and one from buy.com. Both of them didn't have the eject button. However the one I got from buy.com did have the eject button. I believe the eject button is one of their newer stocks. I'll upload the snaps tomorrow.
 
BulkHedd said:
I purchased the Plantronics 925 from Best Buy last weekend. I really like it but I don't like removing it from the case. I saw on here that there are updated cases that have an eject button so I sent an e-mail to Plantronics support asking if they had any kind of exchange program for the cases.

The response I got said:
"There is no Discovery 925 charging case with eject button."

Can someone post a picture of the new case so I can send it to the support agent?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Here you go

Also, I ordered another one from Newegg for my brother (it's just that good!) and his also has the eject button (it's actually his case in the picture; mine's out in the car where i'll need it).
 
Got one Monday from Amazon. No Eject button. Fantastic headset, though. Noise cancellation seems a 'tad' less than the Jawbone 2, but I doubt it's important. Usually my testing the headsets meant opening windows or jacking up music. Usually speaking very loudly made my voice audible on both—though, I don't see a point in having it able to transmit my voice in an environment that I am unable to hear in. 925 is more stable in my hear, more comfortable and glasses do not affect it.

I've yet to hear my wife go, "HUH?" either. That would happen about once a week on the JB2. Both are good, but I like the 925 a great deal more.
 
Thanks, MBHockey. I have forwarded it to the Plantronics support.

I like the design and the fit of the headset but sometimes the audio I hear is not as clear as I'd like. I can't really describe it but it sounds a little staticy.
It's not the usual Bluetooth static either. I have been using BT headsets for several years now and I'm used to some static when I get out of range but this is different.
My previous headset was the Plantronics Voyager 510 and the sound in the earpiece was just fantastic. The 925 has a bit of a tinny sound but from what people tell me my voice sounds great. They can't even tell I'm on a headset.
I'm still getting used to it and I have been trying different gels so maybe a better fitting gel will give me better sound. Those things are bit tough to put on!
 
Does anyone know if the Plantronics 925 can do hands-free call waiting with the iPhone? Is it just one tap to hold the current call and to get to the new incoming one and one tap again to go back to the original call?

I see no mention of it in the manual and my headset is in the car down the street or I'd do a test myself.
 
I ordered from Amazon, and it should be here this week. I'll let you know if mine comes with an ejector.

I'm hoping that Amazon has a high enough turnover rate that they've gone through all the ejection-less models, but that may be wishful thinking on my part.
 
Ntombi said:
I ordered from Amazon, and it should be here this week. I'll let you know if mine comes with an ejector.

I'm hoping that Amazon has a high enough turnover rate that they've gone through all the ejection-less models, but that may be wishful thinking on my part.
Click to expand...


From what i've read here and elsewhere, doesn't seem like amazon is shipping the 925 with the eject button so i went ahead and bought mine from newegg. i can confirm as others have said, that the one i received from newegg has the eject button in the case. i can't imagine how one would get the headset out of the case without the eject button.
 
Yeah, I saw that too, but since I don't order from newegg, and order from Amazon frequently, I thought I'd take a chance with the devil I know, so to speak. ;)

We'll see soon.
 
I got the button!


:D It's like a little gift within a gift. I was happy to get my new toy today, and even happier to see the little ejector button in the box. Okay, I have to say that this is cute. :eek: I got the cerise one, and it's a nice little fashionable change from my serviceable (and large) 510.


B00177YJFM-1-sm.jpg




Edit 1:Okay, I'm having problems. First it takes me 15 minutes to put the small earpiece on, and then I can't fit the thing on my ear. :mad: I know I have small ears and ear canals, but really, it's not that it's uncomfortable, it's that it won't fit in my ear at all. Am I doing something wrong? I've never had a problem with the smallest of the ear pieces before. :(

Anyone have any experience with those Jabra ear pieces?



Edit 2: Okay, I turned the little tab around on the smallest earpiece (the opposite way from is in the diagram), and I could finally get it into my ear. I can shake my head and it's staying, though I can feel it and it's slightly uncomfortable, unlike my 510, which was so comfortable I often forgot I was wearing it. But I'm going to give it a while and see if I can get used to it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back