Summary: I have used Bluetooth technology since around 2003 or so. I was a machine gunner in the Marine Corps, and, my hearing is, now, less than acceptable. Added to that, my ear canal openings are rather small, as headset sizes go. And, as if all that weren't enough, I work at a sea port along the Florida coast, so...wind is a huge factor in any call I make, headset or no.
I purchased this because my hearing issues require me to use a stereo headset if I am going to use one at all. All the other Bluetooth devices I've used were pretty poor for my hearing, not to mention all the excess noise they picked up that interfered with my caller being able to hear. I also didn't want something that would require me to be attached to my phone. Having been in the Marines, and accustomed to wearing "dog tags", I figured, this was something I could at least try.
Before writing a review, I waited to see how a week's worth of use would be. Day one was greatly impressive. The sound quality was great, the ability for my caller to hear was excellent (according to them), and the comfort was perfect.
The three sets of earbud covers that come with it are VERY pliable and offered no discomfort in long term wearing. I had to go with the smallest size. I sometimes wear them in excess of 9 hours a day (in a row) and have had NO discomfort at all. The ease of it being around my neck also provides me the ability to tuck it in to my shirt. This, I thought, would be a HUGE problem.
As it turned out, it was a HUGE benefit. Working in the Port, we have a lot of wind coming through. Even if it is calm and still in town, it's windy at the Port. The nature of nature, I guess. Today, it was windy and stormy, with winds in the range of 15-35kts. I had the BT3030 tucked in to my t-shirt, under my uniform shirt. I was standing in an unprotected (from the elements)area, eying the storm for funnel clouds and the wind was quite impressive. Enough to knock you off your balance with some gusts. I was sure my call was doomed. I raised my voice to compensate for the wind, and heard my caller ask, "Why are you yelling?" I could hear the wind buffeting against both ears, standing in the wind head on. I covered my ears, and asked if they could hear me clearly, and without the background noise of the wind. Their response was, "Just like you were sitting right next to me. Why?" I found this to be overtly impressive. I have had the same experience during calls I've made on the beach near my house as well. If I raise the volume on the device to compensate for my portion of the wind:sound issue, all is well.
Admittedly, outside of my shirt, the caller was deafened by the wind sounds. I have also had no issues at 70 miles per hour, with the windows open, on the interstate.
The buttons are easy to manipulate, and well sized and spaced. The headset is interchangeable in case you want to move to a higher quality headset, though, these seem to be just fine. To test this, I plugged my computer headphones in to the device, and it worked perfectly.
The convenience of being able to tuck the device out of my shirt, and, out of the way was very beneficial to me, as I am often climbing in and out of tractor trailers to due inspections at a security check point. The headphones only offer one problem to me, and that is the new design that seems to be catching on. The cord for the left ear bud is definitively shorter than the one for the right. I've noticed it as a trend over the last year or so. I don't get it, but, I don't like it. Although, I would not call it a design "flaw", it is bothersome to me.
The battery life, at least in the first week, has proven to be quite impressive. After the first full charge (which took about an hour after opening the package) I talked to friends and family for about the next 8 hours. It was my day off, and no, I don't spend that much time on the phone on a regular basis, but, I do spend a lot. Thus the comfort concern I had in a device.
Again, outside of the shirt, in an open environment, the background noise is an issue. However, walking around my house with it out presented no real problems, until I ran the water in the kitchen sink, at which time the caller heard NOTHING I said, and asked something about me being at a waterfall, etc, etc.
Given the reasonable price ($64.95 or so from Amazon.com, including expedited shipping), ease of use, compact size and easily tucked away, battery life, and sound quality and clarity for both me and my caller...I have no issues with this device what so ever, save the ear bud cord thing. Again, maybe that issue is just a "me thing".
Jabra has, on this device at least, raised the bar for overall performance and quality of a stereo style device.
If my opinion changes over time, I will edit this post and make note of it.
Updated
I still love this thing. I agree that the optional "clip" is "a tad flimsy". And, that's being gracious. It's pretty much useless. The lanyard comes apart fairly simply with a good tug, and, I did this to apply a dog-tag chain protector (like I wore on my dog-tags in the Marine Corps). It keeps the chain from grabbing hair, etc, and is simply a flexible tube of clear(ish) plastic that the chain slides in to.
I have found that as either the battery on my phone (AT&T 8525), or, on my BT3030 wears down, the distance of operation degrades. DRAMATICALLY! I have found, that after about 2-3 hours of use, even with my phone plugged in, the distance at which the device has viable operation can be less than 3 feet.
That having been said, I would have given it a considerably lower rating. However, to be fair, I live and work near the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Central Florida. I live in Cape Canaveral, and, the signal here (though AT&T claims it is 3G( is the E (Edge) Network, on a good day. The equipment at both KSC and CCAFS have the ability to create monumental problems with cell phone, and I would presume, wireless devices in and near the area. Nextel shares and IdenNet frequency with NASA and causes for huge issues with their network in this area. Until I can get away from the area, and test the device for a few days, I have to lower the rating, in fairness to potential consumers who may read this. The first day I used the device at work, I was able to set my phone on top of a chair, outside, and walk about 30 yards from my phone, with NO signal degradation at all. Very impressive. However, now, I am finding, that as time wears on (battery life is averaging about 6 full hours of talk time, and that's 6 hours of CONSTANT talk time).
If I find the device fairs better in a less electronically congested area, great, I'll make note of it here. But to be fair to the point of these reviews, I had to change it. I still think it is the BEST Bluetooth device I have EVER used.
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Jabra BT3030 - Bluetooth headset
