Every one of us needs speakers, whether it’s for listening to music, watching videos or using almost any kind of software for a computer. Speakers have evolved a lot since they were invented, and today we’ve got small earphones that fit inside our ears (hence the name), are very easy to carry and provide a sound quality that rivals that of older bigger speakers and headphones.
With the invention of Bluetooth, a new and more effective way to transmit the audio wirelessly from an audio device like a computer or media player has been created. Bluetooth allows for much less power usage by the transmitter, is safer because no one can intercept what you’re listening because it’s encoded in most headphones, is less prone to interference because it’s using higher frequencies to work, and has higher quality due to the audio being transmitted in digital format. All of this is compared to the old wireless headphones which had a dedicated analog transmitter (another device that took space on your desk).
Having wireless headphones gives you a lot of freedom of movement. No longer will you be in danger of tripping over your headphone cable and having them fall of your head, and possibly damaging or breaking them.
So, let’s take a look at a few of the best wireless Bluetooth headphones for use with any device, be it your laptop, media player or smart phone.
Plantronics BackBeat 903/906. These are some of the best Bluetooth headphones available for an active lifestyle (they’re also known as Altec Lansing, which was purchased by Plantronics, hence the name change). They have a twin “over the ear” design, with a flexible 2.5mm cable that goes behind your neck connecting them together. They are very comfortable when used at a gym, when jogging, walking or working out, and always stay in the ear. They have an open design, which means you still hear the outside sounds and noise, but that doesn’t mean the sound quality is bad, as the technology used makes them great for any music, from pop to rock and rap. They are very flexible and will fit anyone’s ears, with 2 silicone thingies at the end directing the sound straight to your ears and keeping them fixed in place. The difference between 903 and 906 is that the latter costs about $10 more and comes with a 3.5 inch to Bluetooth adapter, so you can turn any device into a Bluetooth transmitter. A good investment, I’d say.
Jabra BT3030. This is technically not a headset but a Bluetooth receiver for any 3.5 inch headphones that you like, although it does come with some pretty standard “in-ear” headphones. The design is original: it looks like a “Dog Tag”. The controls are AVRCP enabled, so you can use them to directly control most other compatible devices, which is simply great.
Jabra Halo. Another product from Jabra, these headphones are some of the most stylish and high quality ones in their price range. They have an “over the head” design and fit well over any type of head and ears. They do let in some outside noise because they lack the ring that covers only the ears (like on other headsets), but the sound quality is still high and they are flush with the head, which looks great. Another interesting feature is the touch sensitive controls. There are no annoying buttons, everything’s like the Magic Mouse: slide you finger up or down to change volume, tap/double tap the circle to pause/play/answer/dial. The double microphones also have exceptional quality, making them great for any place, even the noisiest.
Sony Ericsson MW600. This is a Bluetooth receiver not unlike the Jabra BT3030, and it also comes with a pair of Sony Ericsson’s standard in-ear headphones. The difference is that it is also an FM radio with an integrated OLED display that can also show information about the played songs. The headset is very small and light, so you can even carry it on your neck. You can charge it with a standard micro USB cable, which is great news, as a lot of other Sony products have their own proprietary connectors, so you pretty much have to carry a full charger for them.
Nokia BH-905. These are some of the best sounding “over-the-head” headphones on the market. They have excellent integrated speakers with 10 (!) microphones that work together to cancel ambient noises using a patented feed forward technology. The controls are great, big buttons that are easy and clear to click and use. They’re quite big, but that’s a reasonable price to pay for the high quality sound you get.
