REVIEW: Soyo Freestyler HS11 Bluetooth v1.2 Stereo Headphones
Geeks.com sent us in the Soyo Freestyler HS11 Bluetooth v1.2 stereo headphones for a test. Read on for more!
The headphones are in pure white and they have a very sexy look. Kind of like iPod's headphones, but without the extra dangling wires. The package comes with the headphones, the TX10 Bluetooth Stereo Transmitter, the Power adapter, a mini 4-pin USB cable, RCA to 3.5 mm converter, a carrying case and the user manual. The initial charge takes about 3 hours per device. Unfortunately, there is no power splitter cable, so you will have to charge one at a time!
The headphones and the transmitter use the following Bluetooth profiles: A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile), HSP (Headset Profile) and HFP (Hands-free Profile). This makes this Cell Phone accessory compatible with all Bluetooth cellphones and also those which support stereo audio distribution rather than just mono. The 3.5mm Transmitter can be used for the cases that a device doesn't support A2DP, e.g. on an iPod or a HiFi system. Installation and pairing posed no usability or other problems.
Audio quality for the receiving audio was very good, although there was some hissing through the headphones. While on a cellphone call, we could also listen very clear our friends on the other side of the line, and the same was true for them via the device's embedded microphone.
The package comes with an RCA cable which can be very useful to TV viewers with some hearing impairing, or simply to viewers who don't want to wake up their loved ones while watching their favorite late night show. More over, the headphones come with a convenient plastic carrying case which makes their transportation a breeze.
Battery life was so-so. About 5 hours of transmission and playback. What we felt was lacking was reception. Even if you move your cellphone 1.5 meters away on the other side of the antenna (e.g. on your left hand), you will end up losing the signal. We only had constant signal when the cellphone or transmitter was just 30 cm away, on our right side. This is very poor reception performance for a Class-2 device (10 meters according to the spec).
Other than that, we found the device very good, solid and good looking. If you don't plan on leaving your iPod or cellphone on the living room table while you reach the fridge for a quick snack, you should be having a good experience with the device. The device's price is currently at $78, a good price for this kind of gadget.
Rating: 6/10