CNET Editor's rating: 7.3 out of 10
Reviewed by
Donald Bell
Review date: 04/26/07
The good: The Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones are remarkably light, flexible, and resilient. The sound quality is decent overall with an emphasis on bass. The Bluetooth transmitter can be used with any audio source that has a minijack headphone output.
The bad: Troubleshooting possible Bluetooth connection problems can be a hassle compared to the reliability of hardwired headphones. Unlike previous Logitech designs, there are no playback controls on these headphones.
The bottom line: Compared to the range of options out there for Bluetooth MP3 player headphones, the Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones offer exceptional design and value.
We remember when Logitech released the first Bluetooth headphones for the iPod back in 2005. In fact, we still have those antiques here at our office. Although the originals were innovative for the time, they were expensive at $150 and suffered from a fragile headband and heavy earphones. Fortunately, the Logitech FreePulse Wireless Headphones have solved these problems and do so at a list price of $109 (current street price is less than $90).
Design
The design of the Logitech FreePulse Bluetooth Headphones is one of the better we've seen. In general, behind-the-neck headphone designs commonly suffer from placing an uncomfortable amount of weight or pressure on the ears. The FreePulse model manages to skirt this problem by using a lightweight, flexible carbon spring-steel wire inside a silicone headband. This resilient wire core also eliminates the problem Logitech has faced in the past with breakable plastic headbands.
The FreePulse headphones uses adjustable silicon over-ear straps to secure the headphones in place, and although some people just can't stand to have straps on their ears, most users will be fine since there is very little weight involved. We found the cushions on the headphone speakers comfortable, and the thickness of the cushioning is an improvement over the original iPod Bluetooth headphones. By draping them over your ears instead of squeezing your head like a vice, the FreePulse headphones were easy to wear for an hour or more without discomfort.
If the FreePulse headphones suffer from a design flaw, it's that users cannot adjust the length of the headband. Logitech's designers seemed to err on the side of caution and provided enough room for those with large heads or lots of hair. The rest of us will need to use the adjustable ear straps to position the extra headband away from the head to avoid bumping against the neck.
The Bluetooth transmitter for the FreePulse headphones is nothing fancy. The square, black transmitter measures 1.5-inches across and 0.5-inches deep, with a power button and a connection indicator on one end and an adjustable stereo minijack on the other. Unlike other iPod Bluetooth transmitters, the FreePulse doesn't use the iPod's proprietary connection port (leaving it free for devices like the Nike + iPod Sport Kit). The upside of the FreePulse's simplified transmitter is it can be used on any audio source with a stereo headphone jack--including computers and home theater systems. Logitech also includes a handful of adapters that give the transmitter a snug fit for 4GB, 5GB, Mini, and Nano iPods.
Features
The features on the FreePulse headphones are wonderfully basic. Power buttons on both the headphones and Bluetooth transmitter turn red when activated, and then turn blue once they've established a Bluetooth connection. The volume control located on the right headphone was simple to use. Behind the volume control, on the top edge of the right headphone, you'll find the headphone's power button, which doubles as a volume mute button when pressed momentarily.
Performance
The Logitech FreePulse Bluetooth headphones were not intended to hold up to audiophile scrutiny. The ideal candidate for these headphones is someone looking for lightweight, unobtrusive headphones to use at the gym, or out on a jog--situations where wires are inconvenient and noise-blocking headphones could be hazardous. While we thought the FreePulse headphones provided better than average sound quality with bass to spare, users looking for high-fidelity wireless headphones should look at products like the NaviPlay Bluetooth headphones for iPod or Pioneer SE-DIR800C for home theater use.
We tested the Bluetooth transmission range of the FreePulse headphones around the office and at home. In both scenarios, we were able to put about 30 feet between the headphones and the transmitter before hearing any hiccups--a useful distance, but not luxurious. Most likely, the only distance the transmitter will need to reach is between your head and your gym bag. Battery life held up to its claim of around 7 hours and recharging was quick and easy. Very brief (one second) audio dropouts would occur from time to time, but this is common with all Bluetooth headphones we've tested. Aside from these momentary dropouts, no audible interference from radio or cell phones could be heard.
Final word
Logitech has been refining its wireless Bluetooth behind-the-neck headphones for quite some time now and the design quality of the FreePulse is proof of that effort. Users looking for an affordable, full-sounding pair of wireless headphones that can handle the abuse doled out by long jogs and cluttered gym bags need look no further.
6 out of 10 - Good Work well, but uncomfortable.
These headphones work as advertised. Good battery life. Good sound and build quality. But I found them uncomfortable to wear. ...
These headphones work as advertised. Good battery life. Good sound and build quality. But I found them uncomfortable to wear. The wires around the ears create pressure points that cause my ears to ache. And the wire around the neck hangs too low and causes the ear pieces to move around when I move my head.
Updated I just realized that there is a way to adjust these headphones so that they fit more comfortably. The wires over the ears can be rotated such that the wire in the back rides higher. This keeps the wire from touching your neck. It also lessens the pressure points behind the ears. Much better. I bump my rating to Very Good.
I can only rate this ...
Unwearable for longer than an hour, seriously uncomfortable, high notes not reproduced, too much base
I can only rate this 2 ? I found these headsets seriously uncomfortable to wear, I?ve twiddled with the rubber hooks that hold these things onto your ears ? true, some positions are slightly more comfortable than others, but no position was comfortable. I can only tolerate these for about an hour.
Not only can this design rest on your neck, if you wear a shirt collar it will constantly clip it as you move your head, try leaning your head forwards too, the headset will nearly be pulled from your ears. Horrible!
Why have Logitech screwed the design up on what is otherwise a decent sound (apart from the base, which is way too much, the higher notes are not reproduced) There are many behind the head designs which are so comfortable to wear; I hope Logitech will give serious consideration to a redesign.
If you are going to buy these, make sure you try them on first if you can. If you can?t them try to make sure the place where you buy them have a liberal returns policy!
Updated Testing on a wider range of music... Depending on the music being played, high notes will be reproduced, but the bass is overdone where bass appears...
I move this up to a 4 - a technically competent product let down by a poor wrap round band design
4 out of 10 - Mediocre Good headphones but rated below average due to poor comfort
Over all the sound is very clear and the sound quality is good. The price is very reasonable and the ...
Over all the sound is very clear and the sound quality is good. The price is very reasonable and the setup was extremely simple. The range is easily 30 feet if there are no obstructions. But they can be uncomfortable...sometimes very uncomfortable.
As some have noted, these aren't as loud as most other headphones. But I think they are loud enough for most users.
I used these with my iPod Nano, my older iRiver MP3 player, my laptop and my desktop PC with no technical issues at all.
"Design Flaws" These headphones are good but they could have been great with just a few simple changes (Logitech, I hope you're listening)
- Comfort - Logitech choose to use these strange rubber loops to hook the headphones on your ears. If you hang them wrong they can be very very uncomfortable. Even if you hang them right I would not call them comfortable. But I shouldn't have to think about how I hang my headphones.
I actually prefer the behind the head design because it doesn't mess up my hair. I have 2 other pair of wired, behind the head headphones. And they are both much more comfortable than the Logitech headphones.
- LEDs in the wrong location The LEDs on the headphones and on the transmitter are on or right next to the button you have to press. In a couple situations, you have to hold the button for a few seconds and wait for the LED to turn on or flash. Well, your finger is covering the LED, so you can't see it flashing.
- Covers & Cases The transmitter works fine with my iPod Nano and my simple scratch resistant cover. But it will not work with my iPod arm band (not even close). I imagine there are many covers and cases for iPods and other MP3 players that won't work with the transmitter attached.
- iPod adapters The iPod adapters that allowed the transmitter to have a snug fit specific to my iPod was great...with my iPod. But to move it from my iPod to my laptop the adaptor got in the way a little. Not a major issue but still an issue. I imagine I would have a similar issues going from iPod to airplane arm for in flight movies. A slight adjustment to make the adaptor easier to remove might help.
- Behind the head vs. over the head Most people prefer the over the head design for headphones. So, why not offer both versions?
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by jdlove18 (see profile) -
February 14, 2007
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Jaw Dropping Sound
Sound quality is absolutly stunning. The weight compared to the older model leaves you stunned.The peices that hold your ...
Sound quality is absolutly stunning. The weight compared to the older model leaves you stunned.The peices that hold your ear in are silicone, and that takes a little bit to get used to. The wireless part is awesome, just dont drift more than a wall away, or you'll lose reception. That is where the older model is better. Both the headphones and the base station are extremly lightweight, unlike the older ones. The headphone band is surrounded with a silicone covering, and inside of that is the carbon steel headband. The controls are a little bit awkward to get used to, i'm used to the older pair, but I got used to the controls quick. It has a nice pause switch kinda. If you press the connect button, it mutes the music to you're headphones, not the mp3 player itself. If you dont own an ipod, the adaptors will be annoying. Take one that will look right on your music player and take pilers and break off the little plastic nub things. The headphones are able to be played with after only about 30 min of charging or so, but not for long. Charges take at least 4 hours for the first charge i'm presuming. There is no portable charger for these which sucks, and I really dont suggest chopping the adaptor up so you can make one. The battery life is only minor, a 2 hour difference with the old ones, but I got the old ones to play for almost 10 instead of 8!! These only have a supposed 6 hour battery life, but to make it longer, just turn it down. These headphones are perfect for just haveing the music player in a bag or somthing, just make sure it doesnt go far. I rate these headphones 9 out of 10 for the reasons above, and because of Logitech's quick response to my older pair breaking. I would reccomend these headphones to anyone who wants to stand out too!
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by Gtkid2002 (see profile) -
December 11, 2006
3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
1 out of 10 - Abysmal TERRIBLE!!!!
Got them for a total of 1 month, at first i loved them the sound is veyr good and the ...
Got them for a total of 1 month, at first i loved them the sound is veyr good and the range is quite good, i noticed they are very uncomfortable but i figured who cares i'll just live with it. then one day it just stopped pairing, I called logitech the service was terrible, they wanted a proof of receipt, but I got it as a present and I'm not gonna go back and ask for the receipt and plus she probably threw it away. So now I'm just gonna ship it back to them and see how it goes. In the meantime i gotta go back and buy wired headphones which I gave away b/c i thought i'd never need again. These are TERRIBLE . Do not buy.
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by kechou1 (see profile) -
February 20, 2007
6 out of 10 - Good A product that sounds as good as it looks, too bad it wasn't comfortable.
Judging this product soley only sound and looks would have given it a 9. Its great, until you have to ...
Judging this product soley only sound and looks would have given it a 9. Its great, until you have to wear it. I've used this and the Motorola S9 headphones. The Logitech headphones were more comfortable for the first 3-4 hours but after that, they really started to hurt my ears. I use them at work and wear headphones for 6+ hours most days. These headphones paired very easily to my PPC6700 and sounded great. I didn't experience any interference at all. I love the adapter to plug into different devices. I think that brings the value of product up. If you don't plan of wearing these for more than 2 hours, I highly recommend them.
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by dannzeman (see profile) -
January 30, 2008
Sound: Better than a $20 pair of wired headphones.
Fit: ...
Bluetooth: Have not had a drop in 3hrs of use.
Sound: Better than a $20 pair of wired headphones.
Fit: Neck wire hits neck with even the slightest tilt up of the head.
Transmitter fit: I use with Nano and it's a bit bulky. Works okay using an armband so I can tuck the transmitter under my sleeve.
Recommended use: Working out. Might get uncomfortable beyond 2-3hrs of wear.
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by dls9539 (see profile) -
March 5, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good Really good for the right application
These won't replace a quality pair of wired headphones, so if that's what you're looking for...don'...
These won't replace a quality pair of wired headphones, so if that's what you're looking for...don't buy them. However if you need decent sounding headphones without wires for workouts, listening to the TV without waking your kids etc., these are really good, especially for the money. Easy to charge, light, comfortable (need to get used to them), and cool toggle for volume control.
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by acudd001 (see profile) -
February 13, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
7 out of 10 - Very good Innovative design, easy-to-use, but comfort issues
I'm a follower of Logitech products (especially their laser mouses, which I'd HIGHLY recommend) and I appreciate their ...
I'm a follower of Logitech products (especially their laser mouses, which I'd HIGHLY recommend) and I appreciate their sense of style and affordable products. I was able to snag this item for $49.99 (free tax+ship) through J&R on Amazon.com and despite comfort issues, I'm happy with the product. Right out of the box, the receiver and headset is easy to sync and was working fine. I'm no audiophile, but the sound quality was quite good. As far as bluetooth range goes, sound quality doesn't distort or drop until I'm outside about 20-25ft from the receiver (through walls), which is pretty good. Charge lasts for several hours and comes with a split cable to charge both the headphones and receiver which is nice.
My only complaint is the comfort. The silicone loops that were meant to stabilize the headphones started to chafe and cause some discomfort. The padding themselves were the spongy foam-like types used on many other headphones, but slightly thicker. Despite that extra padding, my ears still started to hurt and required several "readjustments".
Also one note, since I don't exactly have an ipod (yet..), I haven't used the receiver on an mp3 player, so I can't speak from experience. However, from other reviews, people have mentioned the receiver's size could be a turn-off. (It's roughly 1.25"x1.5")
Comfort being my only main concern, I'm enjoying the headphones and I'm hoping Logitech will come out with a product that will address this comfort issue. Great product for ($49.99)!
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by dbui17 (see profile) -
February 12, 2008
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
3 out of 10 - Poor Dosen't do what it says on the tin!
I bought these to run from my already bluetooth enabled laptop while commuting. They come with their own bluetooth transmitter ...
I bought these to run from my already bluetooth enabled laptop while commuting. They come with their own bluetooth transmitter that plugs into the stereo jack. They can be re-paired to another bluetooth adaptor, but constant pairing problems and range down to 4 feet. The biggest pain is when the bluetooth transmitter runs out of battery and your down. Didn't want the thing in the first place! Almost a great product.
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by dirlbiker (see profile) -
February 11, 2008
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