Customer Reviews

Jaybird Sportsband Stereo Bluetooth Headphone - Bulk Packaging - Midnight Black

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

I bought these for my girlfriend, as her old headphones were pretty much dead. She has an iTouch and does quite a bit of running. Her old headphones were wired, in-ear, headband style. She liked the headband style, but didn't like the in-ear. Sweat would get constantly get into them and short out the ear pieces, not to mention that the in-ear design would hurt her ears.

After looking around, these were one of two i was considering (the other was wired). I decided I wanted to get her a wireless set, as the iTouch has Bluetooth. After about 3 months of use, I'm glad I got her these. She loves the wireless, and they are so much more comfortable than the in ear. I've used them once or twice, and I have to say that the sound is amazing (FYI - I like my music as much as the next guy, but I'm no audiophile). Also, the battery life on these is awesome. She really doesn't charge them at all, just turns them off when not in use.

Her only problems with them are that the foam ear pieces get sweaty (which according to her isn't really an issue, just an observation), and although they stay in place while running, have a tendency to move or even fall off when doing weights, especially on the bench. However, according to her these 'issues' are written off by how much she loves them. One other thing that I was disappointed about: I wanted a pouch for these so that they wouldn't get ruined in her gym bag, and I was a little disappointed that I had to purchase it separately.

So, in conclusion:

Pros:
- Comfortable
- Great Sound
- Secure (while running)

Cons:
- Sweaty ear pieces
- Tendency to fall off while lifting weights
- Doesn't come with a pouch (purchased separately)

Overall, we are both very satisfied with this. I'll probably be getting myself a pair as well! As a user of these, my girlfriend is very happy, and it solves all the problems she had with her old set. As a purchaser, I'm glad that the money was well spent. :-)

I had been waiting to buy a bluetooth headphone until Apple rectified their sad lack of full functionality support of Next/Previous track selection. That functionality was added in the iOS 4.1 update.
The JayBird is exactly as advertised. It fits snuggly and has pretty good sound. Certainly an improvement on the OEM earphones that come with your iPhone/iPod. Connecting to my iPhone was simple and easy. It even allows you to connect to two items, like an mp3 player and a desktop computer.
It's looks are attractive and definitely garner positive comments from friends and strangers.
The buttons are easy to use once you remember which one s are which.
There are even a few color options from Amazon with more colorful options available from the JayBird site.
I would highly recommend these headphones for anyone looking for full functioning, clear quality sound bluetooth headphones.

I purchased these headphones to replace another pair of stereo bluetooth headphones that had finally started to show their wear-and-tear after two years of use.

My main use for the headphones is while running on a treadmill for 90 minutes every morning. Needless to say, a healthy amount of sweat is generated in this process. I felt that a headset with a lifetime warranty against sweat was the ticket.

I have no complaints about the sound or the feel of the headphones. They paired up to my iPod touch and my HTC Touch Pro 2 just fine. I had no issues with phone calls either.

The first pair lasted two weeks before they just stopped working. Sent them back to Amazon. Next pair lasted 20 minutes before the volume controls went all haywire and just started beeping endlessly. Sent them back to Amazon. The third pair lasted 45 minutes before they went crazy like the 2nd pair did.

I'm not trying a fourth pair - the third pair was enough for me. For the record, the return experience at Amazon was hassle-free.

They may be decent headphones if you're not working out with them, but if you are, caveat emptor.

After several months of daily use, the SB1B will not hold more than a 30 minute charge. Contacted Customer Service - advised to complete a Warranty Exchange Request - done. After several more emails and calls I received the RMA . Sent the failed SB1B to the specified address via USPS Priority Mail Box November 9 2010.(Arizona to Utah) - Several requests for exchange status w/o reply have been made (so much for the 24 hour reply policy) As of November 18 2010 no reply from JayBird.

purchased this. felt and sounded great. Then buttons stopped working. Sent back, received new pair. 1 month later, that headset stopped working. these headphones are not made for sweating. say no to SB2

These are my favorite bluetooth stereo headphones. Their music sound quality is excellent, the bass level just right, the controls are easy to access and use, the microphone sound quality is good (not excellent) and the fit is tight enough without being too tight (I have a very large head). Most importantly, they are about as sweat resistant as anything presently out there on the market.

They are not sweat-proof -- don't get me wrong. I'm on my third pair (if you count starting with the SB1s), but all have been warranty replacements under Jaybird's lifetime sweat warranty (one year otherwise). You're out the return postage -- and time delay -- but I have found their exchange service each time to be courteous, uncomplaining about my being a serial exchanger, and reasonably prompt.

Other stereo bluetooth headphones simply do not cut it -- the best of the rest were the Motorola S9-HDs, but from a resistance to sweat viewpoint I can't recommend them -- or their newer model, the S10s, or the Plantronics -- all of which short-circuited on me after fairly short usage.

If you don't like the over-the-head or over-the-ear form factor of the SB2s, I recommend you try the Jaybird JB200s, which are like the Plantronics in design, with a flexible strap that connects behind your neck. Also not sweat proof, but pretty sweat resistant -- although I'm also on my third pair here, each one has lasted about 6 months -- and, each time, Jaybird has exchanged them without complaint. The JB200s are certainly less obtrusive than the SB2s, but the sound quality, at least for me, is not nearly as good, as I find it very hard to get a tight fit in my ear with their design. On the other hand, they stay seated better than the SB2s during weight lifting and stretching (although the SB2s are fine, they can slip forward or back a bit), and I find myself wearing them a bit more than the SB2s when working out.

Okay, are you tired of headphones popping out of your ears and barely missing the toilet?
I wanted over the headphones (which are fairly common) but I wanted bluetooth also so the earphone wires don't keep getting caught and pulling the earphone out of my ears. Finally, I wanted an independent power source for the headphones. I don't want headphones sucking the life out of my iPod battery. Well, I found all three major requirements in these Jaybird headphones: blue tooth, no wires, independent power (the Jaybird has an internal, rechargeable battery). And, these headphones don't cost a fortune, but don't be fooled, the sound is terrific also.
For example, I read a lot of Audible.com books and voice reproduction is super. What about music? I play the guitar and Ukulele and they both have harmonics high enough to sound terrible on cheap headphones. With these Jaybirds, I don't have hissing, spitting, cracks, drop outs which can make string instruments sound lousy. By the way, I've paired the same headphone with my iTouch and iPhone. They all get along just fine. The best way to pair them is to turn bluetooth on first on the iPod or iPhone and then turn the Jaybird on for 6 seconds. Pretty soon, the Jaybird starts frantically blinking red and blue. Then the iDevice will announce the arrival of the SB2. Just touch the SB2 device on your iSomething and you're good to go. I have Bang and Olufsen headphones also which I like very much and the Jaybird compares favorably with the Bangs.

I went thru 3 pair of these first pair lasted maybe a week, second rotating the ear pieces one time they broke off, third pair...just stopped charging. For the money if you run and sweat these will not hold up any longer than a cheaper pair of Motorola rkr's. Trust me I have had both and so far the 2nd pair of rkr's still work but not half the time once you get sweat in them.

I needed some headphones or earbuds for biking and working out at the gym. I was debating just getting wired or going bluetooth, but with all the horrible reviews for comfort and sweat resistance coming from the major brands like the Motorola S9/S10 and whatnot, I thought there would be no hope. I thought I would need earbuds to keep them in my ear, but there is no bluetooth earbud that I could find.

Enter the Jaybirds. I can't say enough good things about these.

The packaging is great, pretty, simple, and easy to open.

The headphones themselves have a glossy exterior with a slightly rubberized interior headband, which keeps it from slipping. The fit is snug, but adjustable, but not so snug that it hurts over time. During my bike ride up to the gym, actually working out, and then back home, I had them on a total of 2 hours straight without any fatigue or pain. They stay on perfectly during biking, but during any exercise that has you leaning forward or laying on your back (like bending down to pick up a weight or laying on your back for bench press) they tend to slip a bit. Just be aware of that and move them slightly forward when on your back and slightly backwards when bending forward...or just move slowly. In short, you won't be able to do straight up "grasshoppers" without these falling off most likely.

I keep my HTC Thunderbolt in my waist pack while I bike to and from the gym. I have an app called CardioTrainer that tracks my speed, distance, etc while tracking and saving my route on google maps. So I leave it up in the foreground with the media player going in the background, all while sitting in my waist pack facing behind me. It picked up perfect connection and never dropped once, and every mile my bike app would kick in and tell me I just completed a mile, then go back to my music. While testing at home, I literally walked out of my room around the corner and down the hallway about 30 feet away and through several walls and it was still connected perfectly and crystal clear. The website says that in a tight environment like a home with several walls for the bluetooth to bounce off of, you'll get maximum distance. But in a wide open gym or while biking or outdoors with no walls for the signal to bounce off of, to keep them within about 4 feet of the paired device. Well I'm here to tell you that even at 24 hour fitness which is just one huge box, I could leave my phone by the smith machine and go get a drink across the room and it stayed connected. I use an app called JeFit to track all my gym workouts and there is a built in count down timer between sets. I was surprised when I could here the countdown warning over the music. Awesome! I don't have to go over and check the timer every 5 seconds!

By the way. They are GUARANTEED for LIFE against ANY sweat damage. Suck it Motorola. It also comes with 2 extra pairs of ear covers so you can just remove and wash or replace.

The sound quality is pretty much what I expected. If you situate them directly over your ears and then kinda press them close, they sound loud and amazing. But, like all on top of the ear phones, the natural way they sit reduces volume and quality. I could bike and workout on about 3/4 volume and it was plenty loud even with the wind at a 20mph bike pace. I listen to Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, etc and it sounded plenty good, especially for a wireless device. The controls are easy to feel out on the ear piece. Just a simple volume up and down, next and previous track, and then a multi power/mute/call button. And yes, it makes, rejects, and mutes calls, and supports voice activation.

There is an extra device they sell, but is not needed for regular bluetooth connectivity. It supposedly allows higher quality music than regular bluetooth can provide, AND it can allow non-bluetooth devices to pair with the headphones. I am seriously thinking of getting a set for my 4 year old daughter to use with our Motorola Xoom and her stereo.

I have not burned through a battery test yet, nor have I actually received or made a phone call, but so far, the battery life is upwards of 8 hours continuous use with several hours on standby.

My only beef so far is the proprietary power connection. It's USB on one side, but a round plug on the other. WTF? There is no excuse for using a standardized USB connector on one end and not on the other. So now if I break it or lose it, or just simply would not like to carry multiple cables on a trip, I gotta get an extra one from the manufacturer. It should be micro USB on the other end.

In short, get it. It seems great so far and I will update later if something turns the other direction.

These phones worked fine for a few months and I was generally happy. A little bulky, and people complained about my voice sounding muffled during calls, but all-in-all, I could sweat and listen to music or talk on the phone at the same time, so I was happy.

Then a few weeks ago they just quit working. No precipitating event, no nothing. A few days before they went bad, they started making the volume adjust beep constantly during a call and I had to turn them off and call back, I attributed that to a low battery, and thought no more of it. So one day, I went for my morning walk, took off the earpads to wash them and let them dry, grabbed clean set and went to put the phones on the charger. No charge light. Took them off the charger, turned them on, no "on" light, no pairing indicator on the phone. I left them alone for a day, thinking maybe heat or a droplet of sweat in the charging slot was messing them up. But they never came back to life.

After a week or so, I thought about warranty, so I went to their site. I eventually found the warranty requirements, and boy-oh-boy was I ticked!

There are two sticking points: you need the original packaging and all of it's contents, and you need a receipt "direct" from their online store. Well, I bought these in April, so, no, I don't have the box it was shipped in.

But the main thing is I bought them from Amazon, not their online store, so I obviously do not have a receipt from anyone but Amazon.

You get no warranty when you buy these on Amazon, though reading about them at their site will tell you you have a 1-year warranty.

Tricks like these are only profitable when you KNOW that you are selling a high percentage of items that will fail before the warranty expires! Think about it: if you know you have a good product, you want to give good warranty service because you know that contributes to your reputation. But, if you make a crappy product, you offer an okay-sounding warranty, but put so many exclusions and qualifications in there that most people with broken items won't be in compliance.

If the company wants to stand behind their product, all they need is a proof-of-purchase and the defective item. If they have a crappy product, they throw up all these qualifications that are IN NO WAY RELATED TO THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT, and they shut out all the legit warranty claims they can, to save money.

Speaking of money, these things were not cheap, and I'm offended that anyone charging this kind of money would go to such sneaky lengths to weasel out of the warranty.

For chrissake, I can spend $20 and get a watch that I can wear underwater, with buttons all over it! What's wrong with the bluetooth industry? I have 2 electric toothbrushes that get soaking wet all the time, they keep working. I'm EE by degree, and I know whereof I speak when I say that there is no legit reason for this kind of failure rate in the bluetooth market!! I bought these to replace an earlier sweat-related failure.

Come on manufacturers and marketers! Get this right! Hygiene, reliable functionality, and reasonable durability -- it's not too much to ask!!!

And don't call it a warranty when it's carefully designed to exclude legitimate claims. I got three months from my 1 year warranty, for $89. NOT worth it.