Wanted: Best Bluetooth Headset for IP5

[redman042]

I recently lost my second Motorola HX550 and need to buy a replacement. While I love many things about that headset, two annoyances popped up when I upgraded to the iPhone 5:

• It randomly loses audio during a call. I have to switch audio to iPhone and back to Headset to restore it.
• When calling another cell phone, the first couple of rings are so loud in the earpiece, it's literally ear-splitting.

While I realize the solution to the second bullet is to simply turn down the iPhone volume, my ear is ringing by the time I think of it.

Aside from these gripes, the HX550 is the best headset I've used. It has great audio quality both ways (as long as you set wideband audio in the settings), terrific range, works perfectly with Siri, does streaming audio, and has easy on/off with the flip boom.

But it's a model that's now several years old, and I'm wondering if there's something even better out there from Motorola or another. I don't want to spend more than $70. Bose is not happening. Suggestions? Needs to have a great track record with the iPhone 5.

 

[redman042]

Does anyone own the Jabra Extereme 2?

 

[SMELTN]

I have the Jawbone Era and its amazing! It has exactly the features you want and you can get for as low as $40 on Amazon. I bought it when it first came out and paid $120 for it. I have owned many Headsets and this one has been the best for me.

 

[rev98]

I have the Jawbone Icon and Plantronics M50. Honestly I prefer the Plantronics. It's cheaper and works great. I only use a headset while driving, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[redman042]

I have the Jawbone Era and its amazing! It has exactly the features you want and you can get for as low as $40 on Amazon. I bought it when it first came out and paid $120 for it. I have owned many Headsets and this one has been the best for me.

Been looking at that one over the last few days. That might be the route I take this time. Any issues at all with dropped calls, muffled sound, etc? How's the range?

 

[SMELTN]

Been looking at that one over the last few days. That might be the route I take this time. Any issues at all with dropped calls, muffled sound, etc? How's the range?

No dropped calls or muffled sound. It has what it calls noise assassin which helps with wind and background noise.

I have honestly never tested how far the range can go. I always have my phone either in my belt clip or sitting next to me in my car mount.

 

[redman042]

No dropped calls or muffled sound. It has what it calls noise assassin which helps with wind and background noise.

I have honestly never tested how far the range can go. I always have my phone either in my belt clip or sitting next to me in my car mount.

Thank you for all the feedback. I'll put the range question to you a different way. My first few bluetooth headsets had range so poor that just having my body in between my phone and my headset (ie. phone in my left pocket, headset in my right ear) caused static and crackling. I ran into similar problems if I walked more than 5 feet away or if there was a nearby source of interference. I'm talking major name brands like Plantronics and earlier generations of the Jawbone.

I don't need to walk to the other side of the house without my phone, but I just want to make sure the connection is solid under normal usage conditions.

 

[BrettDS]

I used the Jawbone Era for several months, but I wasn't really happy with it. I didn't have any range issues, but people would often complain about not being able to hear me. I also had a hard time getting it to stay in my ear and stay comfortable... even after paying an extra $10 for the new 'type C' ear buds. Perhaps the two problems were related because the jawbone should maintain contact with your cheek while in use.

A month or two ago I got a Plantronics Voyager Legend and I'm much happier with it. It's definitely larger than the jawbone, but it folds up nicely and doesn't bother me when it's in my pocket. It's comfortable to wear and stays in place, and I haven't had anyone complain about audio quality since I got it.

 

[redman042]

Perhaps the two problems were related because the jawbone should maintain contact with your cheek while in use.

That's the issue I most worry about. I have previously owned both the first and second gen Jawbones and it was hard to maintain that contact. This time it looks like they made some design improvements, but if this is still troublesome then I won't be happy with this solution.