Discover your moment on Lufthansa.
-
CNET editors' rating:
4.0 stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 4 reviews
- See all user reviews
Product summary
CNET Editors' ChoiceMar 06
The good: The NaviPlay Bluetooth headphone kit offers an easy setup, a plug-and-play design, and a steady connection with only rare hiccups. It also includes high-quality noise-canceling over-the-ear headphones that can be paired with your Bluetooth-enabled phone for a completely cord-free experience. The base unit's design allows the iPod and the base unit to be charged simultaneously.
The bad: The pricey NaviPlay headset and base unit must be recharged via USB port, separately, and at max volume, it's not as loud as high-end headphone units. You'll need to recharge the headphones and the base unit after about 10 hours of use, so they're better for daily life as opposed to long trips.
The bottom line: Despite a couple design issues (that aren't critical), the NaviPlay by Ten Technology is the best option for iPod users who want to enjoy wireless listening.
Specifications: Product type: Headphones; Design: Ear-cup; Sound output mode: Stereo See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 03/30/2006
There is also a flip-down stand that allows the iPod to sit upright on a flat surface. The headphones are of the small ear-cup variety and feature very comfortable padding on the ears as well as dual padding on the band that encircles your head. While sets such as the Logitech Wireless Headphones feature the clumsy wraparound design that puts unnecessary weight on the ears, we experienced absolutely no discomfort while testing these, even after hours of active and dormant listening.
The right earpiece of the headphones houses a series of navigation controls. While this wasn't a problem for us, we can imagine how southpaws might find this requirement a nuisance. The controls are situated in a four-way circular pad consisting of volume and track-shuttle keys with a button in the middle that acts as play and pause. In addition, the ear pads rotate up to 90 degrees horizontally to accommodate different-size heads.
Setting up the NaviPlay to work with our iPod was incredibly easy. Plug the iPod into the adapter, press one button on the bottom of the adapter and one on the side of the headphones to sync the units, and that's it--cord-free listening. There's also an embedded microphone right below the controls on the ride earphone for Bluetooth cell phones. In our lab tests, we successfully paired our Treo 650 with the wireless headphones. The connection required a few basic steps and went off without a hitch. Now, when we're listening to music, we can hear the phone ring through the earphones, answer the call, hang up, redial, and even switch to call waiting, all without even taking out our Treo. This is a huge bonus for users with Bluetooth-compatible phones and boosted our personal wow factor with the device. The receivers of our phone calls reported the sound to be slightly muffled but definitely "high quality." Since the microphone is built into the bottom of the right headphone, it also picks up surrounding noise.
We tried to connect the earphones to our Bluetooth-enabled laptop but were unable to establish a connection.
When using wireless technology, short battery life is almost an inevitable issue, but since the adapter houses its own lithium-polymer battery instead of drawing from the iPod, we were able to get a solid 9 hours of operation out of the adapter at full volume. In our tests, the batteries for the headset lasted a bit longer and died out at 10 hours. There is no LCD; as a result, the battery indicator is simple and uses blinking amber lights to indicate low life. There is no way to tell how much time remains on the charge. Another downside to having a separate headset and base unit is that the headphones and the adapter must be charged separately via proprietary cords: an iPod charger for the iPod/base unit and a USB cord for the headset.
Of course, when using Bluetooth technology for music, sound and signal quality are important factors. The Bluetooth connection remained so constant throughout our review time that we often forgot we were wireless--it was only after walking away from the base unit that we realized we were separated from our music source. Overall, the quality of the audio was practically flawless. The highs of treble passed through clear and crisp, and bass thumps were punchy and deep without static. Users who are used to violating their eardrums with massive volume might be slightly put off by the range of the headphones. They're not as loud as big-name studio headsets, but this is to be expected, and most of the general music-loving crowd won't be able to tell the difference. We experienced only a few interruptions in the connection, but they were quickly self-repaired by the device.
The range of the adapter's signal was also more than adequate for our uses. We were able to walk almost 50 feet away from the unit with plenty of desks and people in the way until the audio cut out. We also tested the wireless functionality while cycling with the iPod and adapter in a messenger bag. Even in the densely populated streets of San Francisco, we only had one or two interruptions over a period of several hours.
Overall, we were extremely pleased with the device. The NaviPlay outperformed our previous favorite, the Logitech Wireless Headphones, in all three areas of review: design, function, and performance. At a retail price of $200, it is more expensive than the Logitechs, but we strongly feel that consumers will be much happier with the NaviPlay combination. The easy setup, the jamming sound quality, and the option to pair the headset with a cell phone makes the NaviPlay one of the most useful iPod accessories yet.
- See more CNET content tagged:
- headset,
- adapter,
- headphones,
- Apple iPod,
- battery
User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 4 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 4 of 4 user reviewsSee all 4 user reviews
-
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
-
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful
-
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful
- See all 4 user reviews Write review
