Customer Reviews

Nokia BH-505 Bluetooth Stereo Headset - Ice Blue

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

I've had this headset for about 9 months now and I am very pleased. I have previously owned two different models of the Motorola "MOTOROKR" (S9 and S10) and neither of them fit or sounded nearly as well as this product. I kept the S9 for 2-3 months until it stopped working due to perspiration seeping into the electronics - I returned the S10 for fit and sound issues. I did run with the S9s, despite the fact that they didn't fit well or provide good sound, and the fact that they lasted for nearly 3 months is a testament to their durability, but in the end they still succumbed to perspiration getting into the electronics.

I do a number of things to keep fit and they're all more fun with music - running, cycling and weight training. For cycling and working out at the gym, this headset works flawlessly. The sound is as good as a good set of earbuds. I perspire about as much as any normal, hydrated person, and these activities don't cause the device to stop functioning. Running on hot days or doing cardio workouts at the gym are a completely different matter and I use corded earbuds during those activities. Since the headset's design doesn't fully hug the wearer's head, I wouldn't consider them to be well-suited for wearing while running anyways because they would continually shift or rock in place.

No device made of these materials and costing $50-60 will be completely sweat-proof. Only a small part of the headset comes into contact with my head and I occasionally wipe that part down during long exercise sessions and afterwards I clean the entire unit with isopropyl alcohol to keep them clean and reliable. If you take care of this set, it should last - if you abuse them, expect them to be completely sweat-proof or waterproof, you would likely be better off with a good set of corded earbuds, as they will cost you less money and last longer. On two separate occasions, the controls have stopped responding due to high perspiration. Leaving the unit alone overnight allowed proper usage to resume the next day. Again, proper care will lengthen the product's life.

I have observed the behavior where the green power light comes on and doesn't turn to blue indicating the successful Bluetooth connection. I fixed this in 30 seconds by restarting my iPhone to reset the Bluetooth stack and it instantly connected. I'm a little dismayed that someone with the time and knowhow to create a video documenting this problem couldn't be bothered to consider that the problem might lie elsewhere. Commons sense will make this product, as with anything, more worth the investment.

Pros:
Reasonably comfortable, even when worn together with Sunglasses and/or a bicycle helmet
Sound comparable to earbuds
Multiple earbud sizes to customize your fit
All controls fully compatible with current iPhone/iPods with current firmware
Subdued design and appearance - no obvious flashing lights or logos
Long battery life

Cons:
Not adequately protected against perspiration or water for some activities

Good for:
Cycling
Weight/resistance training
non-exercise related listening

Not good for:
Running/Cardio
People who sweat a LOT
People who expect this product to be something it isn't

Have had a few months now. Was concerned a little about how it fit when I first got it. Does not fit tight to head like a sunglass's band that it resembles. However, found this to be fine in terms of comfort and great in terms of not having to clean it from sweaty workouts. The in-ear parts don't go too far in for me, which allows me to wear them while laying down with head on pillow. Actually improves the bass a bit more. I've been able to wear for hours without issue.

Sound quality is much better than I expected. I use a Nokia XpressMusic 5800 and after adjusting the bass to maximum, it really has pretty good quality for a bluetooth. Plus it's fine for taking calls. But don't expect to hear anything else as the in-ear fit seals off most outside noise. I really don't use for phone calls unless I just happen to get one while wearing. Don't get caught wearing these in a car as most states consider it illegal to wear full head phones that impair hearing, while you drive.

Battery time is really great! You can go several days without really having to charge it. Your phone will die much quicker than this headset when playing music. And the AC chargers for Nokia phones works with it. Just can't listen while charging.

Thought it might look a little too Star-Wars-ish, but not as bad as it looks.

Simple setup (for phone) and buttons are great. Volume and forward/back song selection rocker switches are a nice touch. Hard to accidently change, easy enough when you need to. Do have to press the answer and pause buttons a little hard to click on/off which tends to push the in-ear bud a little deeper that can cause discomfort. Setup for PC not easy and I still don't have the sound quality set right. I really did not get it for the PC, but proper setup is an issue for those who are needing it for such. May take some serious tech skills to get right, and not mess with your other audio settings for other devices as did with mine.

Overall am very pleased with product. I had a Jabra with two pieces before to use for both calls and music and this is much, much better.

After reading a couple of good reviews about this headset's features, I decided to purchase a pair to use for jogging with my iPod Touch.

Out of the box, I was initially quite pleased with how light the headset was, and to find that it bundled with 6 different ear-buds (3 in-ear and 3 regular). I've owned a few stereo headsets in the past and was pleasantly surprised by the music quality on these.

However, my joy was short-lived because it took just a single 5 mile jog to ruin this headset. It appears that perspiration seeped into the headset (I suspect the area around the LED) and destroyed the electronics. After my run, I was unable to turn the headset off and found that all the others buttons, including the volume controls, were unresponsive. When it finally turned off on it's own, I think due to the 30min auto shut down, it refused to turn back on again. Fortunately, I was able to get a replacement.

DO NOT use this near any sweat or water. Contrary to the product description, this is NOT sweat nor splash proof. You can find another lengthly review here which arrived at the same conclusion I did. It's a shame because otherwise, this is a decent headset at an attractive price. But since I purchased it specifically as a "perfect companion for sports, skateboarding and other groovy hobbies", it fails to live up to its expectations and marketing.

I am not a Nokia fanboy, but these are incredible Bluetooth stereo headsets. I have owned the Motorola S10-HD and the Plantronics Backbeat 903+, both which have glaring, serious problems, but in different areas (The Motoroala have terrible sound and the Plantronics' Bluetooth signal cuts out when outdoors). The Nokias do not have any of these problems. The sound is really good, even when comparing them to wired headphones. They sound waay better than the Motorola (which have terrible sound) and about equal to the Plantronics (which has really good sound also), and waay better than the stock iPhone earbuds. They feel lighter and have a better fit than all of the other competitors combined. The Motorolas have too tight a fit and the Plantronics have too loose a fit (feeling on the verge of falling off). These Nokias are a better fit because they are a sturdy one-piece like the Motorolas, but are not too tight. They are also very thin around the ears so they also accommodate those wearing glasses as well. If everybody had a chance to actually compare all three Blutooth stereo headsets in person (The Nokias, the Motorolas, and the Plantronics), the result will be the same: the Nokias are superior. Really, its that clear cut when comparing the three current "top" Bluetooth stereo headsets out there. Save yourself the trouble and just order these - they are really a knockout pair of wireless headphones. Oh, but they may not be as water proof as the Motoroalas. Keep that in mind. That might be a big deal for the sweaty types at the gym.

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In this video I simply demonstrate how the products doesn't work. It flashes a green light, which should be blue. It doesn't turn off or on, which it should. And so on. I've had it less than a month. I don't recommend this product.

Purchased this back in july of 2010 to run with and now I can't run without it. You only have to make sure you don't use it in damp or wisty weather (like any other device or it will malfunction then you'll need to let it dry out for several hours). I run 6 days a week for about an hour and have had no other problems even in extreme hot and cold weather.

After just two weeks of working out the headset is already dead. This headset is not sweat resistant and will not last for workouts. I also found that the call quality was very intermittent. If I made a call from the headset, it took a few minutes for the call quality to be acceptable. If I received a call, the quality was always good. I can't explain this, but it's true. After about 30 minutes, the headset is very uncomfortable on my head. I like the style, but in the end, it did not deliver as promised. I was very disappointed with the product.

For all you nerds out there this headset has a very futuristic design aesthetic. Nokia is no stranger to solidly built hardware and this is no exception.

Unboxing: My initial impression of the BH-505 was as I said very cool looking, the material feels very nice to the touch. Included are multiple earbud sizes and a charger.

Design: Very sturdy yet light. The entire device has an almost velvety feel to it. Material is very flexible and 'springy', returning to its original shape with ease.

Controls: Controls are intuitively placed but are very small. Accepting or placing calls requires me to anchor my thumb to the bottom of the earpeice when touching either main button. The fwd and rev as well as volume rocker are facing out but quite small.

Sound Quality: Sound quality is very good (assuming you have the correct fit) having good bass response and the sound isolation is good as well. I take a commuter train to work and the loud engine/bell is barely audible even with volume at minimum.

Call Quality: I rang my mother after I charged the BH-505 to full capacity and she reported the calls sounding like I was speaking into a hand microphone rather than a headset as well as the Nokia picking up a lot of ambient sound. I was clear to her but I found that I had to talk over her at times so she knew I was speaking.

Battery Life: I've had the device on for four days straight and have listened to a few hours of music/talk time and still going strong.

Bottom line: There have been poor reviews based around fit. FIT IS VERY IMPORTANT! If you have a 'small' head there may be a comfort/fit issue. I have a medium/large head (men's cap/hat size) and have absolutely no issue with fit. I find them very comfortable. I also wear glasses and they both feel perfectly comfortable on my face.

If you want to look unique with a great sounding Bluetooth this is for you. I've jogged on a treadmill with no issue, no sweat disrupted the device. Hope love it as much as I do!

I received my Nokia headset on time from J&R after purchasing them on amazon.com. I thought they looked great and were very lightweight. By the third day of ownership i decided to go for a 3 mile run around my neighborhood with it paired to my Nokia N85, sound was great and they felt comfortable, they didn't bounce off my neck or head as i thought they might. Then as i am approaching my building the sound goes out! i check my phone to see if the connection was lost, or maybe the song was paused, but all is right except the sound. i try to call my wife to come open the door for me (keys are annoying while running) but it stays quiet, i so i try again and i hear her voice say "hello" OK just a glitch, i thought. so now I'm home and try to hold the power key to turn the device off, i get nothing... hold it again for a longer time and nothing still... so i unpair via my phone and the auto shut down turns the device off. puzzled, i put it to charge and take it off when the indicator goes green, and turn it on again. turns on fine and pairs with my phone. OK, so its working fine. NOT! Trying to turn it off again, I have the same issue as before! then my phone rings, the device is still paired so i can only answer the phone through the headset. Guess what, the answer button wont respond, so i answer it with the answer key on the phone. After the call i check it out, and non of the buttons respond no matter how long i hold them!! upsetting!! I tried reseting it two different ways that the instructions say but it wont respond. I call Nokia, and they tell me to return it to the seller if not then i can mail it to them to be inspected and pay for shipping, no thanks "can i take it to the nokia store" "No". J&R is right across the river from me I'll just drive there. I'll let you all know if the second pair are any better...

I really dont understand the people on here giving bad reviews for these. I received mine a week ago and I have barely taken them of my head. If you say they are lacking in bass. You are a liar. The sound quality is very good and I'm not some bum that doesn't know what I'm talking about. I worked in VERY high end car and home audio shop for 5 years. I have installed sound systems that cost more than most peoples cars. They feel pretty solid I wear them to the gym 4-5 days a week I do an hour of cardio every time I'm there and they stay on my head without moving around. I never have to mess with them. I cannot hear anything around me with them on. For the first time I own a pair of comfortable headphones that I actually have to turn the volume down. The battery last VERY long. The only con I can see and I'm trying to find them is it took a little bit to find the tips for my ears. They actually kinda hurt until I did because they are tight. If you have a large head it might be worse I have an average head. I only say this because I wear the average hat size. If your nervous your going to waste your money on these like I was after reading the haters reviews.. DON"T BE!! Two of my friends after playing with mine ordered a set. I suspect a few more will soon.