JABRA HALO2 WIRELESS SPORTS HEADPHONES
Written by Gavin // August 28, 2012 // Technology
Wires are so last decade, but unfortunately, mobile Bluetooth technology hasn’t advanced as quickly as once hoped, hence why wired headphones are still prominent. But that is soon to change, with leading Bluetooth technology Jabra launching the HALO2, a pair of Bluetooth headset that is just as good at blasting music as it is answering calls. The HALO2 is the follow up to the popular HALO that Jabra launched in 2009, with the major upgrades coming in the form of virtual surround sound technology and running on Bluetooth 3.0. As part of BSF’s recent fascination with everything wireless, we got hold of a pair for a full review.
The first thought once I set my eyes on these headphones is Wow. It’s hard not to be impressed by the HALO2 as they look like they could easily be props off the set of Star Wars. Not only are they wireless, adjusting volume and track are touch controlled & to turn them off, you simply fold like sunglasses. The design definitely has the fashion conscious in mind, dressed in a slick matt black finish on the outside, with smooth velvet to caressing the ears on the inside. They are also extremely light and only interfere if you are going for the ‘big hair’ look.
I charge them up overnight for the first use and a read of the instructions state that they can last up to 8 hours continuous use (or 13 hours standby) whether listening to music or talking on the phone. Another great feature is that there is the option of a wired connection, so even if the battery runs out, there is no need to put them away. Pairing to my iPhone is easy enough and the phone even has a battery gage so you know how much juice is left.
On my travels, they are working well and my tunes are sounding good- the one criticism I do have is that the bass and clarity are not up to my usual high standard, so can’t feel the music. However, after testing with a wired connection, I find that the problem is actually with the Bluetooth connection, as the sound is much clearer. This is an odd flaw as most modern wireless headphones do not suffer such issues, and any difference is negligible. On the plus side, there was very little loss of connection, minimising the amount of times it cut out when placed in a trouser pocket on the right hand side, but did suffer more when placed on the left hand side of the body where the Bluetooth signal was at its weakest.
While on public transport I tested out making a call and it was a weird sensation at first speaking to someone with just a pair of headphones on and no microphone. I could see an old lady in my peripheral vision looking frightened wondering who I was talking to. Also as both ears were covered it was hard to judge how loud I was talking and my friend did say I was shouting on occasions. However, feedback from the person down the line was brilliant, as despite being in a noisy environment, they could not distinguish between when I was on the train from when I was at home.
At around £100, the Halo2s are inexpensive compared to the latest range of wireless headphones coming from the likes of SMS, and Beats- but I wouldn’t quite call them good value. The main bugbear is definitely with the sound quality, and felt like it was missing a notch at the top end and I couldn’t become fully immersed. However, there are enough positives about the Halo2s to not be disappointed by your purchase.
For more information, visit http://www.jabra.com/
