Really Cheap iPod

JayBird JB-200i-01 Bluetooth Stereo Headset for iPod (Black)

User Reviews about JayBird JB-200i-01 Bluetooth Stereo Headset for iPod (Black)

I've had these since April and used them about 60 times for riding mtn bike or going to the gym. previously I found an incredible deal on some motorola S9's (3.99 at goodwill) the freedom they gave me was great until sweat shorted them out and they died. They came back to life after they dried but wouldn't work for exercise. this is how I found jaybird. I paired them with my new phone instead of my nano with the included transmitter. that proved to be the source of a lot of aggrivation. your device may be a2dp but not all bluetooth chips are necessarily good. I suspect many issues people have come from poor transmitters or device implementation. phone makers know were maximizers and the more features the better the value right? After I realized my motorola evoke QA4 was a steaming pile of doodoo I gave the JB's a shot with my nano and the included ipod transmitter on the 200i's. it works as advertised. good pairing, decent sound, sweat-proof (not submergeable) stays on and out of the way.

if I wanted to get in shape next year I'd have gladly waited for the next revision if they address some issues. the fit isn't great- they don't stay stuck right in your ear hole. that could be the intention so that sweat drains freely with out pooling and submerging the driver. the problem though is that on the bike the wind noise cuts the already weak volume in half. these lasted 4.5 hours the other day when I cycled the battery which is plenty for workouts. I suggest they boost the power for volume and range if possible at the cost of listening time. the charging dock should have a positive magnetic connection like the jawbone has. it comes loose easily. I also suspect that there's no circuitry in the dock that breaks the circuit when fully charged. the phones do "turn off" but I think after it's done recharging the charge reverses back into the dock. this might be why they instruct you to remove them from the dock after the red light goes out. who disconnects their stuff after it's charged? not only is it inconvenient it leads to dead batteries when you go to use them. take them off the charger they may sit for days and drain leave them on the charger they seem to go dead too. I don't know why but every so often when I have to drag myself to the gym my jaybirds are dead! this has made working out very stressful at times. as others have said the cord sticks to your neck which tugs at the earpieces. perhaps a different kinda insulator might work better or a coiled cord with some give. once the sweat starts rolling though the cord slides freely.

this all sounds really bad but they do solve a problem and the shortcomings aren't as bad as they sound. if you don't sweat much or exercise in the rain these are not for you in the first place. if you listen to classical music in the flac format you will be disappointed. when I exercise I'm not that critical I just need something to push me or keep me going. The range is short but comparable with my S9's. like they say in the manual that's the nature of stereo bluetooth especially outdoors. I give this 4 stars because it is great to have a wireless solution for intense sweaty workouts. I was killing wired phones almost monthly from the wires catching and eventually shorting. Now I don't have to slow down to deliberately unlock the ipod and skip a song. I just press the button behind my ear and keep my HR up. I've used corded phones since and realized I don't want to go back to that. this product is balancing lots of design factors for a niche consumer and they succeed at what they set out to do... now please make them better.
-- these are for sweaty exercize not critical listening.

concept = great
comfort = great
sound quality = decent
bluetooth reception works great indoors but poorly out side unless above waste area
battery life is main problem with only having about 3 hours -- review on jaybird 200