[yakky]

I've been playing with quite a few BT headsets. I have made several longer calls with each in many different locations to test incoming sound. For outgoing sound I left voicemails on two different digital VM systems.... and I am using the 13k codec... a few notes:

Blueant Z9. Sound quality incoming is good, slightly muffled but good, volume level is almost as loud as the H700. Outgoing is crisp and almost as loud as the AX2, but there is some digital artifacting even on the low noise isolation setting (could be solved by a no isolation setting?). Probably the best compromise on outgoing quality, my big beef is that while it is very intelligible it does not sound natural. No one will be fooled that you are talking on a landline (which the regular handset does a great job of). Best range of the tested headsets. The non standard charging port is stupid... I'd love to hear a good reason for it...blah. This is currently my BT headset of choice. A great mod is to ditch the earhook and get a Jabra Ear-gel meant for the C150 wired headset and use a small o-ring to secure it better.

Bluespoon AX2: Best sound quality incoming and outgoing except for being the most succeptable to static. It is unusable because of the static, unless you have the phone right next to it, you get static. Also fit in the ear is less than ideal. Outgoing sound is very loud (but picks up background noise!), incoming is pretty decent too.

Jabra C250 (wired!). Superb sound quality, this makes the handset sound crummy, possibly might be the best sound quality that I have experienced besides and old school AT&T landline phone. Very loud incoming, quite loud outgoing. Makes me wonder why I keep trying to make bluetooth work. Sounds so natural, you hear every little nuance in the other persons voice as they do with yours.

Jabra 8020: VERY Muffled incoming sound, but average volume level. Outgoing level is too low and picks up background noise way too easily. Also picks up static way too easily. Has usb charging and feels like it is built like a tank. My favorite packaging (behind the ear), wish it worked like the Z9....

Motorola H700: Good incoming sound quality, very much like the handset, very loud. Outoing sounds very muffled and the level is slightly lower than the handset. Outgoing sound frequently breaks up, making it unusable. Form factor and open boom to connect feature, same charger and loudness makes me wish this one had ok quality on the outgoing side...

Motorola H700 (version B also). Same incoming sound quality. Outgoing is MUCH better on this one, one thing I noticed is the opening for the mic seems to be much better. Possibly a keeper now!!!!

Motorola HS820: Older headset, wasn't expecting much and didn't get it. Low incoming sound levels, muffled sound outgoing. Old school charger port, nothing really going for this headset.

Next to try....

Plantronics 510
ETY*COM wired headset