Customer Reviews

Sony DRBT100CX/BLU Ear Bud Style Stereo Bluetooth Headset

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I had reservations about this product when I purchased it on-line, but I had been searching for a wireless or semi wireless stereo headset that fits my modest but specific requirements, so I tried it out, and I really like it.

Unlike other Bluetooth stereo headset devices I have tried, this little unit has great range. Others I've tried had a difficult time streaming audio at the distance from my head to my hand with my arm extended at 90 degrees, which is of little use to me. With the DRBT100CX, I can place my mobile device in my pocket or even walk away from it an easy 30 meters with excellent streaming clarity.

The ear buds fit comfortably and I can manually adjust the amount of ambient noise I want to hear by adjusting how snugly I put them in my ears. This is important because there are times you need to be aware of the sounds around you, and there are times you just want to drown everything out. And because the ear buds are corded, the Bluetooth transmitter doesn't have to be pressed against the back of my skull or hanging behind my ear; I can clip it to my shirt sleeve or waist band. While the precise health risks of Bluetooth transmissions are somewhat unknown, I'd just as soon limit the proximity to my head.

It's extremely light weight with a compact form factor, and the simplicity of the miniature joystick control is brilliant, even for my huge hands and fingers. So far, it appears to be quite efficient with power usage, and I love that it recharges via USB, with the USB charge cable included.

There is one item that I would consider to be a significant design flaw that Sony should fix if they design another (even smaller) version, and I hope that they do. The built-in, plastic spring loaded clip used to clip it onto your cloths, etc., is far too flimsy for even casual use. On my unit, the clip broke off at the hinge and it's just too tiny and delicate to attempt any type of lasting repair. I happened to have a small Velcro strap with a metal clip on it, the kind you might see threaded through the hole of an identification badge clipped to one's jacket lapel, which works perfectly for me, actually better than the original.

The price seems a bit high, but because this unit fits my needs, I use it all the time, so I'm comfortable that it was a good purchase. I have to deduct from the rating, not just because my clip broke, but because Sony should have given more realistic consideration to the design, for that price.

These Sony's are the first pair of bluetooth stereo headphones I have bought, so I don't have anything to compare them to, but the sound quality is equal to or slightly better than an average pair of earbuds (like the standard iPhone ones) so long as there are no connection issues. The earbuds come with several pairs of rubber end-caps to fit different ear shapes since these are the isolating type of earbuds. Be aware that when you have these on, you will not be able to hear (almost) anything around you. The earbuds are fairly comfortable and are attached to the bluetooth transmitter that also has the mini-usb charging port, mic, and jog remote for volume up/down and track up/down. The earbuds are extremely light and the attached transmitter unit is lighter than an AA battery. I didn't measure exactly, but the bluetooth range seemed to be excellent, I could walk to the other side of the room and the sound would still be clear. Unlike the other reviewers, I have not experienced any problems with the clip. It does feel a bit flimsy, but it hasn't caused me any problems under normal use.

I was able to pair these with both an iPhone and Mac, but had very different experiences with each. With the iPhone, it paired and connects reasonably quickly, and the sound quality is quite good. The volume up/down command on the jog remote work for the iPhone, but the track up/down does not. I only made one call with these Sony's and found that because they are the isolating type, I could hear myself talking (like with your ears plugged) and found it quite annoying so I can't really comment on the headset/phone performance. With my Mac, I am using Leopard 10.5.7 and there definitely seems to be an issue between it and these Sony headphones. I've tried multiple times to pair the Sony headphones, but each time the result is the same. The sound is distorted in the highs and lows making it pretty useless for me. Also for some reason, the Mac and these Sony's had some connection issues. It usually takes several on/off cycles to get the headphones to connect, if they connect at all. Like the iPhone, the volume control works perfectly. Although I am pretty sure the distortion issue is more with OSX than the Sony headphones, if you plan to use these headphones mainly with a Mac you might want to consider some alternatives as well.

I have been impressed with these bluetooth earbuds since I got them. I orginally ordered the Altec BackBeat 906/R but they didn't fit in my ears right, so I returned them and purchased the Sony's, and what a difference!

These earbuds fit perfectly and they look like normal earbuds and not some big, awkward looking headset that wraps around the back of your head and ears. And what's even better is that they sound great. I was actually surprised at how good the sound is on these earbuds because I didn't really expect them to compete with the Altec's sound-wise. They actually aren't too far off. The battery life has also been good, I use them in the gym 3-4 times per week for about an hour and a half each time, and I've been able to go the whole week without coming close to them dying.

I use the earbuds with my iPod Touch 2nd Gen and the syncing was painless. The only one minor issue I've had with these is that from time to time there seems to be some delay from the time I skip songs on the iPod to when the song begins playing in the earbuds. But this only happens occasionally, and seems to be fixed if I just disconnect the two and then re-connect. Also only occasionally, the sound will drop out very, very briefly, for only a split second while a song is playing. Those are the only reasons I didn't give these 5 out of 5 stars. But to me those issues are very minor, and to be expected with bluetooth connections. I definitely recommend this item!

The device worked well with my iPhone for music and calls. However, after less than 6 weeks of rather gentle use, the plastic clip on the back broke off, rendering the whole device essentially useless. (If you want to use it for calls, it needs to be clipped to your shirt and not stored in a pocket. Besides, the cord isn't quite long enough to keep the control unit stored in your pants pocket). The hinge for the plastic clip on the back of the control unit is made of very thin, flimsy plastic, so I expect that many other users will experience the same problem I have experienced.

Amazon only allows return refunds within 30days. I'm trying to send the device back to Sony, but so far it seems like more trouble than it's worth.

It's really unfortunate that the defective plastic clip renders useless this otherwise nice device.

Pro: Works with Iphone and sounds amazing. Also, it works perfectly with a bluetooth enable Computer.

Con: The controller does not control the Iphone's Forward and Reverse function, I do not mind this problem. Also, do not run with these earbuds in your ears, because the clip that holds the controller on to you clothing, comes undone easily and since these earbuds are isolating,the sound of this controller falling free in your ears is not nice.

Bottom Line: Very good bluetooh earbuds. If Sony would fix the Clip on the controller, this item would get a five star from me. Also, in the future, If sony can create a smaller or better bluetooth headphone design, with this bluetooth technologie, Man! it will be the best.

I was delighted when Apple introduced high quality stereo bluetooth to the iPhone. But I was surprised at how difficult it was to find a simple, comfortable, reliable set of bluetooth ear buds. The Sony set is perfect. They fit just like wired ear buds, and the sound quality is just as good as wired ones. This was not true of a Motorola set that I had purchased earlier. The Motorola headset was cumbersome, did not fit well, allowed wind noise into my ears, and often lost the connection when I placed my iPhone in my pocket. With the Sony earbuds, I can put the iPhone in my pocket and clip the receiver to my shirt & the earbuds work perfectly, without wind noise or interruption.

The volume control is great to have on the receiver. The iPhone software does not yet support the rest of the audio controls, but the controls are there for pause, play, skip forward and back when (and if) the iPhone software is upgraded to work with them. The earbuds also have the phone functions built in. If a phone calls comes in while you're listening to music, you'll hear a ring & can take the call simply by pressing a button on the receiver, and speaking normally -- a built-in microphone picks up your voice.

This is exactly what I was looking for in a wireless headset.

I was a bit disappointed when I found out that I couldn't skip to my next track or go back to my previous track with the Sony DR-BT100CX Bluetooth unit using my iPhone 3Gs. The volume control works, the Play/Stop control works but NOT the skip next/previous control. The sound is incredible; Crystal clear. Phone conversations are clear on both ends and pairing it was simple. I tested it on a Blackberry Storm and ALL functions worked! Just can't help feeling ripped off since I paid a pretty penny for an item that doesn't completely function on my iPhone 3Gs. Great product otherwise!

The audio quality is very good and the unit paired up to my phone without an issue. 6 months of use and the left channel suddenly stopped working. After contacting the site that Amazon sold it through they directed me to Sony's site. The repair cost ended up not being worth doing over just replacing the headset.

I love everything about this headset except the fact that I'm sending it tomorrow for the 2nd time since I bought it last December to replace the clip. The first time I sent it it took them a month to inform me that they don't have the spare part and sent me a refurbished unit. God knows how the 2nd replacement will go.

I was told if the clip breaks for a third time then I'll be given the choice of getting a different model.

Let's see how this one goes.

This is such a disapointment for a Sony product and for an Amazon sale.
I've just received mine, and it came with the clip broken and with a generic "made in china" non-branded USB cable.
Obviously, I can't do anything, since my folks sent it to me in another country and it's already past the 30 days to return the product.
Hope whoever else who is thinking to buy this product, is aware that it breaks easily, and it comes with a non-sony generic cable.