Customer Reviews

Motorola MOTOROKR S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones (Red,Black) [Retail Packaging]

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(137)
3 star:		(79)
2 star:		(94)
1 star:		(131)

 

 

I have been waiting for this since it came out and after using it for about two weeks, I am keeping it but with reservations. Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:
-This is the first of the stereo bluetooth products that don't make you look like princess leah -- it is fairly discreet except for the flashing status light at the bottom center of back pod.
-Connects to my t-mobile dash and computer very well. I use it primarily on my 45 minute train commute and it does not cut out at all and the audio is very good in the train. A pleasant surprise is that I am able to have a clear conversation on phone calls on the train (mindfull of the other passengers, of course).
-Very convenient not having to go back and forth between mp3 player and phone when getting a call. Also, no wires to tangle from my old earbuds are a big plus.

Cons:
-Not very comfortable for people with big heads. My head is fairly large and it takes some fiddling to find "the spot" but once there, no problem until you move it. It works for my purposes since I wear it less than 60 minutes at a time.
-I also warn people with a lot of volume of hair in the back of the head or people who wear high collar jackets because it may tend to pull when you move.
-One of the biggest annoyances with the s9 is that it is bulky. It feels solid and robust enough but it is bulky to store when you are not using it. It needs a hinge so that it can collapse to a manageable size. This alone would make me drop this another half star to 3 and 1/2.
-Paired with everything so far (phones, computer) except for Jensen BT Adapter. May be operator error but I can't figure it out.

I have not tested the battery strength -- I use five days a week for two hours a day and charge it about twice a week and have no problems.

Bottom line is it could be better but right now, it's the best stereo bluetooth headphones out there.

Cheers.

My ipod nano's wired headphones annoy me when I exercise, so I wanted to find a wireless alternative. I was a little hesitant about buying these headphones and the ipod adaptor because of some negative reviews, but after using them I was happy to find that I have had no problems. In fact, these work great. The headphones fit comfortably in my ear and are easy to take on and off. The sound quality is better than my ipod headphones and is actually quite good. The touch sensitive controls for volume etc. take a little getting used to, but with a little practice they are easy to operate.

I am a runner and have used these headphones both on the treadmill in the gym as well as outdoors, including very windy conditions. I have not experienced any loss of signal once the bluetooth connection has been established--and I have run literally hundreds of miles with this unit. It is a real pleasure to listen to my ipod without wires dangling all over me.

Please note that the bluetooth connection between the headphones and the ipod does not take place instantly. Turn the headphones on and wait for the solid blue light to come on that indicates that the headphones are in bluetooth mode. Then (1) turn on the ipod, (2) insert the adaptor (Note: inserting the adaptor before turning on the ipod did not permit a bluetooth connection to be established), (3) select the first song, and (4) hit the play button on the ipod. There is usually a delay of 10-40 seconds before the headphones make a bluetooth connection with the ipod. Not a big deal. I just restart the song from the beginning.

Making a bluetooth connection with my Samsung u-740 cell phone was a snap, and answering calls on the headphones was easy. I had no problem with sound quality.

Before purchasing these headphones and adaptor, you should keep some things in mind.

First, in order to insert the adaptor into the opening on the bottom of the ipod, either your ipod must be out of the case or you need a case that will give access. I use the latest Contour clear case, which does not permit a completely snug fit(due to two small plastic tabs around the earphone hole; you can remove these if you want), but snug enough so that a bluetooth connection can be established and the adaptor is in tight enough so that I don't worry about it falling out, and in fact it hasn't happened even when I run over rough terrain in the park. I bought an armband intended for the ipod shuffle, and use the belt clip on my Contour case to clip my ipod and inserted adaptor to the armband when I run. Everything is nice and secure.

Second, if you wear glasses, it works best to put the headphones on first and the glasses on second. The glasses won't fit quite as snugly as they normally do, but for exercise it will be fine. I found that if I put my sunglasses on first, the headphones did not fit as snugly in my ears, with a resulting loss in sound. The same thing applies if you wear a headband or bandana--put the headphones on first.

Third, since the headphones are curved in the back, if you wear anything with a collar that sticks up in the back, the collar will push against the headphones, which will come slightly out of their position in your ears. So wearing the headphones with a ski jacket won't work very well. With a thinner collar, you will occasionally have to reposition the headphones as the collar pushes against them. Also, if you wear a ski hat to run, you will not be able to pull it down over your ears.

Fourth, because of the back of the neck design, you will not be able to use these headphones comfortably to lay on your back (like on a blanket at the beach, a couch in your den, a chaise lounge by the pool) or to sit in a reclining position with your head back (like in a car or airplane).

Fifth, because the bluetooth adaptor goes into the socket that is used for charging, there is no way to use the adaptor and charge your ipod at the same time, as you can do using earbuds. Therefore for a long car or plane ride you are better off using your earbuds or some other headset.

So don't throw away your ipod earbuds or over-the-ear headsets, but do enjoy this unit in those situations where the limitations I described above don't matter.

All in all I am very satisfied with this product. If you are looking for a wireless solution, albeit not a perfect one, this is it.

Update Nov. 10, 2008: I have now been using this product for one year and have been very satisfied with its performance. However, I am now on my third pair.

Shortly before Labor Day, the battery did not seem to be holding a charge, and I got a replacement set of headphones. I see from other reviews that other people have also had some battery issues, though I have no idea how widespread that is.

I started going to a new gym this fall, and it tends to very humid where the treadmills are. A couple of nights ago I was drenched in sweat and so were the headphones. The volume control stopped working (it was stuck on the highest volume) and there was static coming out of one of the earbuds. Fortunately it was not too late to get another free replacement from the store where I purchased them.

I note that all electronic items can be "zapped" by moisture unless they are specifically designed to be water resistant. It appears that these headphones are not. It never was an issue for me until I started running indoors at my new gym. Now that I know about the problem, I will just wipe them periodically before the sweat really builds up.

Update January 18, 2009: This headset does not work with the iPod Touch 2G. Although the headset connects with the adaptor that I put in the Touch, no sound comes out. I suspect this is because the Touch 2G, unlike my iPod Nano, can play music without headphones. No idea if this headset works on a Touch 1G, though I suspect it does not.

Update February 2, 2009: Building up lots of sweat that can "zap" these headphones is only a problem for me when I run indoors on a treadmill rather than when I run outside (even in the summer I run very early in the morning when it is still cool). The problem can be avoided by periodically wiping the headphones during a workout, but I got tired of doing that. Therefore I purchased the Sennheiser PMX 70 headphones (which do have a cord, and which I have reviewed on Amazon) to use in the gym instead of this headset, which I will now use only for running outdoors.

Update January 22, 2012: I recently bought the iPhone 4S. This headset works flawlessly with it. No need for a separate bluetooth adaptor and no need to enter any passcode to pair this. Just turn bluetooth on for the iPhone 4S (make sure you do this first, or pairing may not work), and then turn on this headset. Bingo! You are connected.

There aren't a lot of good choices for BT stereo headphones. I've tried many, and these are by far the best. As other reviewers have expressed, there is room for improvement, but as far as portability, lightweight, and just not appearing obnoxious, these are by and large the best.

My HT820s were far too big, and the gigantic blinking blue landing lights on the sides just screamed, "LOOK AT ME!" The S9, on the other hand, is small and discreet. There is only a fairly dim light underneath the battery compartment in the back that's hardly noticeable while on.

When I first tried them, they didn't sound too great. I remembered how my Sony FONtopias earbuds are very sensitive to positioning, so I tried the other earbuds included in the package. The difference in bass was immediately noticeable, and the sound in general improved 100%. I guess it probably depends on your ears as to which will work best for you, but, although a little big for my ears, the replacement mushroom-looking buds sound much better as far as bass is concerned.

Another thing regarding sound quality and reliability: it differs greatly by device and (for mobile devices) the software. The sound quality of the S9 when paired to my laptop is very good. When paired with my mobile, however, it's still good, but quality is noticeably diminished. The problem seems to rest in the fact that the A2DP stereo Bluetooth profile requires a great deal of CPU power that taxes the processor in most mobile devices. This is just something to keep in mind to manage expectations.

Of note, the S9 also pairs with up to 8 devices, which is awesome. It also uses a STANDARD mini-USB port for charging, which is another huge bonus for travelers. The unit will charge with most mini USB phone adapters, as well as with a standard mini USB cord plugged into most computers.

All in all, this is a great device, and, imho, the best out there right now.

I purchased this headset for use with a new cell phone. It worked great until I tried to exercise with it. During my second work out, the volume control reduced the volume until I could no longer hear the output. The volume could not be returned to normal.

I returned the device to Verizon and received a new S9 thinking that I had just had bad luck. But the same thing happened a second time, after only one workout. I can think of no other cause for these failures than moisture intrusion into the electronics (perpiration in through the earphone). Anyone who claims that this product is sweat resistant has not thoroughly tested the product.

If you decide to buy this product, check the return policy definitely. If you work out enough to break a sweat, there is a fair chance that the headset will stop working, requiring you to make another purchase.

Length:: 2:09 Mins

OK, I've rung these things out and these definitely do the job for me. I'm using the Verizon VX-9900. I considered the Bluetrek stereo unit. According to one user's review, they sound better, have more volume and boast a longer battery life. While this may be true, I have wonder if an apples-to-apples comparison was done... let me explain.

Though the reviews of BlueTrek owners say they are better than the S9, I wonder if it's because they didn't adjust it and change the earpads. This is really important... it makes an OK headset into a superb one. Hopefully some BlueTrek users can comment on this? Also the unit is white and black, and really stands out. But it's the look that bothers me most about this. See the picture on Ebay of the Asian wearing them. Copy-n-paste this URL.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Bluetrek-Bluetooth-Wireless-Stereo-Headset-ST-1-A2DP-S9_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38655QQihZ004QQitemZ140137200127QQrdZ1

Out of the box, the Motorola S9 sound quality and volume does leave a little to be desired. The bass is somewhat lacking and the volume might not quite cut it in a gym or subway environment. Likewise for call volume.

The sound only comes out of the left earpiece. This has advantages and disadvantages. While you can drown yourself out with your conversation with the stereo voice output, you can't hear outside voices as well because both ears are being used. Personal preferences hear folks... you decide what works for you.

The key is changing the supplied earpads. It should be noted that, by doing this, you also reduce you ability to hear outside noises. They don't completely seal your ears this way but they do block out some noise.

The volume is now loud enough now that I listen to my music at work at the lowest volume. At this setting, it's too loud to hear someone who is talking to you with a whisper. Pretty good bass at this level too. The earpads contain and direct to sound into your ear with less loss. Because I don't have to have the volume cranked, battery life is much longer... say about 7 hrs at 1/3-1/2 volume (which is plenty loud... and I already have hearing problems from working around F-15s). With full volume I think you're at a level were, over time, ear damage will occur.

The full sound spectrum is improved by greatly by changing the earplugs, not just the bass.

The controls work fine, except for one thing (more on this below). Call start begins the voice prompts for dialing the call. Volume controls work good, as does music start and song changing. You can transfer a call straight to your handset by clicking the on/off button on the back of the set. This doesn't turn off the S9, just transfers the call. You can also do conference calls.

It should be mentioned that using voice commands in any environment that you did not "train" your phone on will reduce the accuracy. Now, I've never sent out a misdialed number because the voice command makes you confirm everything. Trying to use it in a place with constant random noises (a Supermarket) makes voice command useless. This is mostly a function of the phone.

The only problem I have is when I want to pause the song. Because of the button placement, you will usually switch either forward or back a track because these buttons are touch sensitive and they flank the play/pause button. The actual play/pause button clicks and requires more force to activate, as does the Call answer button. I put 2 small bumps of glue on the arm beside of the pause button. When I want to zero in on the play/pause button, I simply find the ridge along the side, then slide around to the button.

Comfort:
We'll they either work for you or not. I'm 6'2" 225.and these fit well but it's at the limit for me. They are comfortable enough for me that I spent all day wearing them. Half of that day was spent under the worktables hooking up office PCs. If I wear a starched collar shirt and tilt your head back more than 15 degrees, the S9 will contact your collar.

With the larger earpads and the ability to flex the arms, they are comfortable for about 2 hours while wearing my sunglasses with them. They have plastic but small arms. I slip them under the hook, under my ears. The discomfort level is low.. but more than wearing sunglasses alone. I do not wear eyeglasses so take this for what it's worth. I would guess that eyeglass wearers are more tolerant of wearing them than I.

The S9 sometimes has a hiccup while using them when you're in motion. It doesn't occur long enough or often enough to irritate me though.

Coolness factor:
Though I saved this for last it was one of the most important things for me. I'm glad that I did not have to compromise on any of the above to get this. This is a personal thing but I just think wearing those side earpieces makes me, or any large guy, look funny. On women is nowhere near as bad, especially those who hide it with their hair. Same thing goes for the ear muff types of units. While I'm sure they sound good, as someone said, they make you look like Princess Leaha of Starwars or Lecutus of Borg (StarTrek).

The BlueTrek unit reminds me of wearing a brace. I probably would have gone with these if it weren't for this.

Now take the S9. They fit over your ear like sunglass arms while the back hangs off like a sunglass strap. As long as you head doesn't tilt more than a few degrees up or down, you won't feel the unit touching the back of your head. The visible portion of the unit is black which is a low key color.. for me anyway. This is a style I can live with.

In the end, I'm extremely satisfied with this set. If I had if to purchase again, I would.

I read the other reviews, and thought I would still get these headphones...huge mistake!
I had these headphones for 2 days and ran a total of 12 miles before the problems made them inoperable.
Inside the headphones did work great, but outdoors they are totally worthless! You have to keep your phone well within arm's reach to prevent garbled sound from the headphones. Completely ridiculous that the indoor range is 30 ft, and will work through concrete walls, yet outdoors it can't work at distances approaching 2 feet. It was so frustrating I went back to wired headphones.
Another problem also occurred: as mentioned by others, the 'volume down' button began activating and could not be stopped, making the sound too low to hear.
Finally, the headphones would not work with my Bluetooth equipped Lenovo laptop.
A horrible, horrible product, that I regret having purchased. Please don't make the same mistake! Wait until Motorola releases a functional wireless headphone!

IN THEORY, a great item. I run 25-35 miles a week. I used this for two weeks, and suddenly the volume maxed out, and the button to lower the volume STOPPED WORKING. There are many other people who complain about the volume bottons malfunctioning. Somebody, maybe Motorola, needs to make a set of headphones that is truly WATERPROOF for people like myself who run. Blatent false advertising, since Motorola says that these are "sport" headphones.

40 days into using the headphones I have the same problem as many other users - the touch controls stopped working. I can't change the volume (It's stuck all the way on low!) or change songs. Since I'm past the 30 day return period, I'm stuck. I'll have to sent them to Moto. Hopefully in warranty.

New review - ZERO stars.


Following is the original review....

I've been using the headset for a week, pretty much non-stop. The sound clarity is amazing. No, they're not the same as high-end audiophile quality headphones - after all the speakers are really, really tiny! The bass suffers, but they are equivalent to any other compact headphones - minus the cables.

I paired these with my Chocolate cell phone in seconds and was playing music the next minute. Seamless control of the playlist and volume. Yes, you have to use a playlist - that's a function of the player, not the headphones. The thing charges from the provided AC adapter or from a USB port - handy!

Since the bulk of the headset is behind the neck, the headset gets in the way on some sets. Lat pull-downs or good mornings for example. Tilting the head down helps this, or making sure the bar lands more on the shoulders - but this really effects the rep. I tried it a couple of routines and had pretty bad neck pain the next day. So for those reps, the headset comes off.

The soft touch buttone took some getting used to, but after a few fumble-finger attempts I got the hang of it. The distance - well, I was in the gym and walked 20 steps from my gym bag (that's where the cell phone was) - never lost the signal!

The gym is the primary reason for purchasing these. I ruined too many compact headsets over the years and finally stopped using them. The wires would get tangled on the weight bench, it was a pain doing anything overhead, and upright rows were downright dangerous (my thumbs and elbows would snag the wires.)

There are occational 1/4 second drop outs - walking into and out of Home Depot for example - they have a lot of Bluetooth devices running. Sometimes in the mall. If I wear them around for five or six hours I experience two or three of these dropouts, but never at home or the office. The signal comes back immediately and I never lose connection.

As a Cell Phone headset - pretty bad. When the phone rings, so does the headset. Press then answer button on the headset and you're talking on the phone. The mic is on the headset and you have to be in a quiet place. I was in my car, radio off. The person calling could hardly hear me and there was a noticeable echo. I was not even aware of this feature when purchasing the headset, so the poor quality of the headphones as a cell phone headset is not really a negative.

As other reviewers have stated, the cell phone tones, ring and sounds all come from the left speaker - not both. I believe this is a function of the cell phone.

Overall, I'm very pleased with this device.

Followup: My chocolate 8500 had to be exchanged. Three times. There's a bug when it comes to MP3 files. More than 50 and the phone locks up. The Chocolate 8500 also required a playlist to work, so the headset had to use a playlist. My new 8550 has no such limitation. I have 450 songs on the thing and no playlists. Now it's even easier.

Also, charging from a USB port. It will NOT charge from my laptop, desktop, or car USB adaptor! It does charge from the included 110V USB charger. Strange.

I was really excited to get these headphones as I thought it would be the perfect upgrade from the Motorola HT820 Bluetooth Stereo Headset Simultaneously Source Phone and Music [Retail Packaged], especially for using at the gym (my primary place of use).

However, as good as the sound quality is on music (and it is very good, especially on bass which was surprising), I was disappointed at a few things.

1) The ear buds start hurting my ears after wearing the headphones for an extended period. I would say I have pain after no more than an hour or so of wearing them and have to switch back to my standard white ear buds.

2) The connection to the Navi iPlay breaks down way too often so I have to resync the devices ... which leads to problem three.

3) I rarely get more than three or four hours of use out of the device at a time. Granted, the HT820 was bulkier but I could get through a whole day (listening partly at work, mostly on the subway or at the gym) without having to recharge it. Now, I make sure to avoid using the S9 at work so it doesn't die on me on the subways.

Now for the good part:

1) As I mentioned above, the sound quality is fantastic.

2) I'm not sure if it's intended or not, but the headphones do an excellent job of canceling out outside noise. When I have these headphones in, I can't hear anything else unless it's really loud.

3) They charge quickly, which I guess is a good thing.

4) They really are very light. I've had issues with them getting too loose (the tightness of the bands has loosened considerably since I first started wearing them) but I have a really big noggin, so that could just be me.

I would suggest them as they're the best of what's available. But they're not the holy grail yet.