Customer Reviews

JayBird JB-200-01 Bluetooth Stereo Headset (Black)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I leave this review in hope that JayBird's developers read the comments and to advise any would be buyers. I will also leave a review on Amazon. I have been using the JB-200 for a couple months now. They are my replacement for the Motorola S9. I had been using the S9 for more than two years. The Motorola product is JayBird's main competition for those who are unaware. Comparing the two...
Sound: Quality and Volume is about the same for both, but you have to modify the JayBirds to bring it up to the S9. The problem with the JayBird is simply in the silicon earbud cover. It doesn't like to make a good seal in my ear canal, which really hurts the bass end of the sound range (hence all the reviews of the JayBird that call the sound "tinny"). The solution for this is a product called Acoustibuds Custom Earbud Covers (~$15). The covers fit perfectly on the Jaybirds and make an EXTREME seal in my ear. This modification makes the JayBirds sound right on par with the Motorola S9.
Fit: The Jaybird JB-200, once put on, are completely unnoticeable even during hard running(sprinting). Plus the wire that runs behind your head moves around easily where the Motorola has an unflexible behind the head design. There are a few exercises in the gym where I had to take my S9 off because they would be pushed forward off my ears. The JayBird fit so well I completely forget they are on. That being said I am still learning the best way to put the JayBirds on. Not a real big deal, but I could put the Motorolas on in about 2 seconds and they seal really well in my ears.
Price: You can hunt that down on your own...
Other: I went thru 2 pairs of Motorola S9. BOTH S9s failed on me and completely stopped working. Looking thru the forums and blogs I discovered the S9s are VERY prone to moisture. They are marketed as a stereo headset for exercise, I would warn anyone looking for a BT device for exercise...DO NOT BUY THE MOTOROLA S9. If you sweat and the sweat gets into the S9 your money will be lost. I sweat like crazy and like to run in the rain. Well, the JayBirds have performed perfectly with no hiccups at all. So far the JayBirds seem to be sweat and rain-proof.
Connection: I use an Ipod Nano with a BT adaptor and an old Cingular 8525 (with BT A2DP) phone to listen to music. I have experimented a lot and my conclusions are that the JayBirds do not pick up a BT signal as good as the Motorola S9. I could use either BT source at my gym, leave the source in my gym bag and walk virtually anywhere in the gym, around multiple corners and still get a good signal. With the JayBirds, using either source, I lose signal or get a sketchy signal after walking around 1 - 2 corners. Plus the open space reception of the JayBirds seems to be about half of the Motorola S9.
Conclusions: I like the JayBird JB-200 better than the Motorla S9 because they ACTUALLY WORK AS ADVERTISED!!! (Pay attention Motorola!)
There are aspects of the S9 that are better though.
So JayBird designers pay attention too... Fix the earbud cover issue and put a better receiver in the unit and the JB-200 will be a no brainer over the Motorola S9.
For Consumers: Buy some Acoustibuds and learn to keep within range and you will be VERY HAPPY with the JayBirds.

*Feel free to email any questions to me. I will answer as many as I can.ACOUSTIBUDS - Premium Adapters for Earphones AND Bluetooth Headsets. A new solution for in-ear audio. MADE IN THE USA. Adapters only, earphones not included. Black, Two Pair & Two Sizes.

I was optimistic about the potential of the stealthy form factor, being sweat- and waterproof, and the stays-put design. I remained optimistic as the unit paired with my music device quickly and easily. Although I found the devices easy to put on, I felt they did not fit properly on my ears. The ear buds never seemed to seat optimally into my ears - especially when active, I found myself nearly constantly adjusting the buds back into my ears. The size of the behind-the-ear portion of the units resulted in my ears being pushed out "Dumbo-style" - not very flattering. Other than moving the units about their location on your ears, and a couple of alternate styles of ear bud covers, there are really other adjustments to how the units fit. This one-size-fits-all paradigm is bound to leave some folks out. About 40 minutes into my first workout with the units, the connection with my music device dropped. I then began a repeated cycle of reconnecting followed by an almost immediate drop after each reconnect. Although frustrating to do during a workout, I continued the connect-and-drop cycle a half-dozen times or so and could not get the units to remain connected to my music device. I gave up after about 10 minutes. At $130 I expected a much better overall performance. The poor fit, the flare-out of my ears while wearing the units, and the almost immediate connectivity issues was enough for me to abandon any continued hope for the units. Still, I would say to give these units a test-drive for yourself - you may have a better experience.

This is an awesome product IF you require SWEAT PROOF Bluetooth stereo.

-Small form factor enables more activities
-Tiny rubberized buttons keep moisture out
-Good sound quality

If you don't need sweat proof Bluetooth - DO NOT buy this unit.

You'll be disappointed b/c:
- it has small/tiny buttons
- the sound isn't as rich as other on ear Bluetooth
- it always takes a few minutes just to put it on & adjust it to my ear

I hope this helps....

This is my second pair of bluetooth headphones, and I am not happy with these at all. I had previously been using the Motorola HT820s, which I was very happy with until some of the buttons started to fail. I wanted a pair of earbuds, and something fairly light-weight, and then I saw these. Reviews were decent, so I decided to pick up a pair. I am now looking to replace these after only a couple of months.

I was disappointed with these almost immediately, as what appears to be a glossy finish from pictures was actually more of a mat style, and seemed to have been sanded or something. I had never been able to get the little rubber pieces on the buds positioned correctly for my ears, so they never fit quite right, and always wanted to push themselves out of my ear. They do have a fairly snug fit, which is good, but they don't feel like they are sitting in the right spot. Pushing any of the buttons will push the bud out of your ear, and possibly completely off your ear if you aren't careful. The buttons are very difficult to press, and there are only three of them, as opposed to six, so each button has several functions. Turning these on might hurt your finger, because the button is very small and you need to push hard on it for it to depress. The little wire that connects the two has a tenancy of getting caught on something, and pulling one one ear or the other, pulling the earbud out a bit. Depending on where your music player is, you can't turn your head at all, as the range is horrible. The audio quality is not good. Finally, you need the charging stand to charge them, they don't have a little mini usb plug on the back, very annoying.

If JayBird wants to improve it's product, here's what I would tell them (also helpful if you're in the market for a pair of bluetooth headphones):

*Easier to press buttons, on the side instead of the back - this will mean pushing against your head, and the buds should not move as much, and also not pressing as hard
*Six hardware buttons, much easier to use, don't need to worry about how long to press to get the function you want
*Hard plastic connector between the two ears, this way the wire doesn't get caught and pull itself off your head
*Smaller, or more elongated buds, perhaps with some foam around the outside so that you can squish it into your ear and it stays there, the rubber doesn't work too well
*Different style bud covers, as opposed to three pairs of the same style, helpful because not all people's ears are shaped the same
*Standard charger connection, preferably mini-usb on the set themselves

I've been looking for a bluetooth stereo headset for use with my iPhone 3G for awhile now (since they started supporting A2DP in OS 3.0). Having looked at several options, including the Sennheiser MM-200, and a couple different sets from Sony, I decided on the JayBird JB-200, primarily because of how I wanted to use it during workouts, running, walking, etc.

This headset is advertised as water and sweat resistant, which is something that the others I looked at did not offer. While I had initially wanted to find something that offered spectacular sound, little excess wiring, and support for phone functionality, I learned that this probably wasn't going to be an option, especially considering that I would be using whatever I purchased in sweaty conditions.

So, after a bit of research bringing me to this conclusion, I decided to go ahead and try the JayBird JB-200 headphones. Having not owned them long, I would like to point out that this is based on my initial impressions in using them, rather than extended use.

Stereo Headphones: I'm not an audiophile by any means, but I do appreciate good quality sound. These headphones far exceed the sound produced by the stock headphones that came with the iPhone 3G. As far as comparison to other headphones or earbuds, I can't say, as I'm not experienced enough with headphones to really comment. I can say that they produce good sound compared to what I have used in the past and that I am pleased with that aspect of the headphones.

Phone Headset: I've made a couple of phone calls with these headphones, and the quality of the microphone seems as good as the stock headphones.

Range: The range on these headphones depend on where you're using them, as with any Bluetooth device. Inside my apartment, I can set my phone in the middle of the room and walk around freely with no interruption in music. Outdoors, while walking, I've experienced some interruptions while my iPhone is in my pocket. They are normally quick and cause no other issues, other than the sound cutting out for a brief moment. While this is annoying, I suspect the problem would be resolved by using an arm band to place the iPhone on the upper arm, as the product manual suggests. I'm satisfied with this and knew of this issue prior to purchasing them.

Fit: One issue with these headphones is that they only come with one size (but three pair of that size) of ear bud. While I think this is a fairly general size and they fit well in my ears, I doubt that that would be the case for everyone. I saw a suggestion to purchase Acoustibuds adapters if needed, and I'd probably suggest that for someone needing a different size ear bud. It's also a little bit of a struggle to get the buds fit into the ear correctly, but once done it shouldn't be too much of a concern.

Comfort: My main concern with these headphones was the seemingly bulky part that wraps around the ear. I saw a number of complaints regarding how they cause ears to stick out a little bit. As my ears stick out a little bit normally, I found this to not be a problem. The wrap is not particularly large, and they really don't feel heavy. I will probably not notice them after a little regular use. The cable running behind my head seemed a little short initially, but it seems to be a pretty good length. Overall, they were far more comfortable than other headsets I've used, which have been limited to headsets included with whatever device I owned at the time.

Ease of use: Pairing is extremely easy, as it is with most Bluetooth devices. I've connected it with my iPhone and Macbook with no issues, and it works fine with each of them. The buttons are a little difficult to press when the headphones are on your ear, but it's not too much of a problem. Because of the iPhone's lack of AVRCP support at the present time, I can't test out the forward and back track buttons on there. Volume control works as expected. These headphones can get fairly loud. Charging is really simple with the included docking station. I have no issues getting them to charge.

Overall: These are nice. I probably wouldn't be pleased with them if I didn't need the water/sweat resistance while working out. They seem solid, but for the price, I would have preferred a pair of Sennheisers. They're not a bad product at all, but they're not perfect either. I'd recommend them for people that need/want a Bluetooth headset for working out or otherwise damp conditions or someone that doesn't want a lot of extra wire, but otherwise, there are probably better options available.

I'm actually pretty happy with these. Here's my review.

After opening the package it came with the dock and everything. It was really confusing at first so you might actually have to read the manual. :/ I never do that. Aftet that, you'll read that you have to charge the thing for 2 hrs. Thats not something people usually want to do when they get new headphones. :/ I actually forgot my p2 at work the first night i had it so I tried pairing it to my phone. (Virgin mobile shuttle) It worked but it took forever and it was annoying but i was able to pair it to my phone after an hr. (I had to turn my phone off and on... phones fault) So i dropped by my work. It paired right away. It was super simple and didn't even require a password but the password seemed to always work so it didn't matter that much. The headphones fit a little wierd but it gets comfortable and you won't even notice it.

Look: Unlike the pictures, mine didn't fit into my ears and are just as noticeble as normal headphones but i have short hair. My brother's girly hair hid it nicely. They are pretty much guarenteed that they won't fall off your ears. The cord in the back actually seems to be a normal headphone cord so there isn't streaming bluetooth to both of them (Which prob saves power) but it does mean that if they get abused or just tangled too much over time that the left ear will shut out. (I thought it was just a string holding tthem together but it's not)

Audio (With my p2):
I'm not much of a audiophile but it met my standards. The headphones are pretty loud. Indoors, The audio worked perfectly fine in my pocket. (The manual says it should be on your chest or higher on your right side.) It must bounce off walls good. Outdoors which is what i was worried about i ran for about 20 min this morning. In my right pocket (I hate armbands) the sound cut out 7 times but only for a split second and it only happened when i walked. LOL Now there's an incentive too run!!! haha. It didn't even bother me. It also helped if i leaned back. On my left side it cut out like every 5 seconds and was extremely annoying but thats because the bluetooth had to travel through my body. Now i'm a moderately fit guy with very little body fat so i'm not guarenteeing that it will work well in your right pocket. I'm just saying that for me it worked perfectly fine. I think the fatter dudes and dudettes might want to sit this one out if their planning on putting it in their pockets because the bluetooth might have trouble reaching the headset. If your a little hefty maby an armband would work out good and might even inspire you to exercise more! Anyways just something to keep in mind.

Yes it was a little pricey. thats one of the only downfalls but i'm excited to use it for snowboarding this season. If fits perfectly with my hemet on. The call quality is really good and the answerer didn't even notice a difference. ohh, 1 last thing. The buttons suck and are almost completely worthless. Just use your p2.

Pros:
Good sound
Almost no interference
Small form factor
easy to set up
waterresistant, sweatproof
Dock is cool with only a 2 hr. recharge rate
Fits nicely, lightwieght
Call quality

Cons:
Weak Bass(compared to in-ear headphones)
Buttons suck
Possible pocket interference outside
5.5 hr battery life( I havn't really had any problems with this though)
Cord that runs through back might get cut or broken
Only works with bluetooth 2.0 and audio only works with an a2dp device.

Read the update at the bottom.

Purchased to pair with iPhone 3GS for marathon training. Overall I am very pleased with the JayBird, but it could do a few things better.

The Good
- Freedom from annoying cables slapping around
- Very secure - absolutely will not come off unless you want it to
- Sound quality (so long as you're not demanding studio quality music)

The Bad
- Thus far, battery life is waaaaayyyyy on the short side. 3.5 hours and it is done!
- Stock ear "buds" are certified torture devices
- Wife says it makes my big ears look even bigger (as if that's possible)
- Bluetooth range (read below for amplification)

I've used for several 1-2 hour runs with no problems. However, they just won't seem to make it past 3.5 hours for music. I haven't tried them for use as just a phone headset - for me they are solely for exercise. They stand up to sweat (lots and lots of it) very well.

I'd prefer to wear the iPhone on my left arm, but the headset repeatedly lost the signal every few seconds - very frustrating. Sucked it up and moved the phone over to the right arm and it's never faltered since. Range is much better inside - you can set phone/iPod in one room and roam around pretty far - maybe 40' or so with pretty much no problem. However, for exercise outside, you've GOT to have the player on the right side of your body, or it just won't work.

Stock ear buds are a pain - literally. Read another review that suggested getting the Accoustabuds. I second that. Sound quality is much better, and the fit is exceptional. I can still hear most of what's going on around me - I run with the volume all the way down.

Device paired with the iPhone with no problem. Buttons are easy to use. Tested out the phone during a long run, and it worked fine, though the mic did seem to pick up more environmental noise than I'd like. However, my only intent for using them for phone calls is to call the "rescue wife" when I get too far from home.

Hope this helps. I'll update if I ever figure out a way to extend the battery.

29 Oct 09 UPDATE: Jaybird customer support quickly diagnosed the problem as a faulty battery and arranged to swap it out. The company seems to have "issues" with its refund tracking - it took a week before they acknowledged receipt of the damaged unit despite my prompts. They shipped the replacement via FedEx Ground, and it arrived a few days later. Voila - this one wouldn't charge (technically, it took a full week to charge). This time it took over a week of them not actually reading my e-mails to diagnose this as another faulty item. One high note - I managed to get them to cover the return shipping costs since it was faulty on arrival. Now I just have to wait for them to realize the unit materialized in their warehouse a week ago and get the re-replacement item shipped.

While I certainly enjoyed the unit when I was actually able to use it (almost a month ago), I'm thinking I don't want to do business with Jaybird any more. If this unit arrives broken, I'm going to ask for my money back.

I bought this headset 2-3 months ago after the iPhone added support for A2DP and I was pretty psyched - no more wires interfering with my biking, running and exercising! Reviews at the time were mixed, but these looked to be the best stereo bluetooth headphones on the market. Fast forward a couple months: I could never get the headphones to sit right in my ears despite adjustments after adjustments and now it doesn't matter any more because they died yesterday.

Pros:
* Stereo bluetooth
* Pairing is quick, worked out of the box

Cons:
* Behind the ears parts are huge, caused my ears to stick out
* In ear buds have little adjustment in them, didn't really stay in my ear
* If you sweat a lot this headset can and will short out and could die - mine did
* Way too expensive for what you end up getting

In short - wait for something better and cheaper or find a set to try out before committing to these.

I ordered this because I was getting really tired of the wires. Also my main music playing device is my cell phone which is the XV6800 which does not have a usual 3.5 jack for standard headphones. There had to be an adapter in between to get stereao music. Simply put, that sucks. So I went with the blue tooth wireless option. And this JayBird does not disappoint.

Excellent stereo surround sound. Some people say it sounds quiet or does not have enough bass, but I disagree. Maybe it is because the sound quality coming from my phone is already good as is. The sound is loud, clear and has the right amount of bass to me. Can control volume, play, pause...the works. As a headset, people on the other side usually have no problems hearing me clearly. Some even said I sound clearer through the JayBird than without. When the battery is running low the connection does get broken up, but that is to be expected. The JayBird hangs on your ears tight! It will not come off unless you are in a fight and getting punched in the head. To test it I have jumped up and down, shaken my head 'till I got dizzy and it does not come off.

The only negative I noticed is the bluetooth range on the headset is fairly short. With the phone in my jean pockets, sometimes the music will cut in and out depending if something is in the direct line of sight from my pocket to the headphones. The manual does say the best range is around your chest area.

All in all, great great product. Exactly what I wanted and it serves very well as both headphones and headset.

Overall I think these are a great product. I had a wireless headphone from logitech, but they hurt my ears after about 20 minutes wearing them. The Jaybird are very comfortable. I often have them on for over 1 hour, and sometimes forget that I have them on. They don't move once in place and the sound quality is great. I have only had them for about 1 month so I can't comment on how long they will last, but if you take care of them, I can't see any reason why they wouldn't last for a few years.