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AUGUST 27, 2008
JayBird JB-200 Bluetooth Stereo Headset
Pairs with Most Players
 The JayBird JB-200 is a spacey looking package. The headset is black and sleek. The docking charger is also black but a little large. My review package included the base charger, the Bluetooth headset, and a Bluetooth iPod adaptor as well as the items listed below under” In The Box.” For testing purposes they added the optional 3.5 mm Bluetooth adaptor for PCs. The JB-200 is available with various options from 129.99 to 199.99.
The Good
Crisp sound
Lifetime warranty against Sweat
Compatible with many devices
The Not So Good
Battery life too short at 5.5 hours
Volume seems too low at highest adjustment
Adaptor does not align well in some cases
Must use charger dock to charge headphones and/or adaptor
In The Box
- JayBird JB-200 Bluetooth Stereo Headset
- Charging Dock
- USB Cable (for charging from your PC/Mac)
- TUV Standard AC Charger
- Nylon Mesh Carrying Pouch
- 3 spare pairs of silicon ear-tips
- User Manual
Charging
 This was not easy for me the first time but after that it became a piece of cake. I think I was trying to make a bigger deal of it than it really is. The earpieces slide into their slots with the RIGHT one in the side that allows the connectors to match up. The adaptors are easy to get into the charger.
USB and/or AC Charging
Use a USB port or the AC adaptor that can be connected to the end of the USB cable. Charging takes a little over 2 hours. When the red charging light goes off all charging is complete. To save battery the device will automatically turn off after 10 minutes if not connected to another device.
Battery Ratings from Jaybird
- Battery Music Play Time: 5.5 Hrs*
- Battery Talk Time: 6.5 Hrs*
- Battery Standby Time: 110Hrs*
- Battery Charging Time: 2 Hrs
Setting Up the JB-200
 Adjust the earpieces so the speaker fits firm, snug, and comfortably in your ears. They can be rotated 360 degrees for the best fit. The earpieces are connected by a wire and need to be placed so the wire is behind your head. If you have a big head, lots of hair, or both, you will find it a tight fit but reasonably comfortable. Once in the earpieces stayed in place no matter what activity I was doing at the gym.
Pairing With Sources
 The first step is to learn the meaning of the Blue and/or Red flashing LEDs. The directions in the manual made it easy to learn the pairing sequence required. You will need one of the optional adaptors if the source does not have integrated Bluetooth. It is important to turn the audio source on first then install the adaptor if required. If pairing with a cell phone you will need the pass code if any.
Three Buttons on Right Earpiece
1: Power On/Talk Hands Free
2: Volume up
3: Volume down
I found the buttons did not give me enough tactile feedback to tell me if they were performing the function I expected. Maybe better with time.
Range
I was able to listen to very clean music broadcast from the Sansa Fuze with the JB-200 adaptor at a distance of almost 30 feet. I found the cell phones I used in the test require the source to be not more than two feet away from the right earpiece of the JB-200 or somewhat less than the length of your right arm. Beyond that breakups do occur. I used a holster on my belt.
Testing
Tested LG enV VCast music and hands free phone answering. Only the left speaker produced sound. According to the Jaybird FAQ this is an issue with the phone. My other Bluetooth headsets worked fine for both ears on this phone. Hands free phone option worked well in right earpiece.
LG Dare paired and stereo fine. Both speakers had to lower volume but still worked well. Hands free answering was perfect
Samsung Blackjack II paired fine with both left and right earpieces. Hands free did not work for me. XM radio mobile produced good sound.
 My Sansa Fuze performed well with the JB-200 headset and the PC adaptor.
The JB-200 connected to the Lenovo ThinkPad Loaner and performed well using bluetooth in both.
Even at the highest volume setting on phones/ players and with the JB-200 volume up as high as it could go I found the volume limited when competing with gym background noise. Using a wired headphone set and my Sansa Fuze when in the gym gives me a much broader range of sound.
The Fuze headphone jack is offset as many others are. This makes for an awkward pairing with the JB-200 adaptor. It worked best when I connect things, made sure I could hear the audible book or tunes playing, and then stuck the player and the adaptor in the belt holster. This also eliminated swiveling by the adaptor.
Compatible Products (Direct Bluetooth or Adaptor)
- iPod
- iPhone & iPhone 3G (Click for details)
- MP3 players
- Bluetooth mobile phones (Click for details)
- PC/Mac
- Gaming Devices
SEE MORE COMPREHENSIVE LIST CLICK HERE
Overall the Jaybird JB200 Bluetooth Stereo Headset is a good product. The adaptors make it fairly easy to connect it to most any player Bluetooth or not. I would like to see more volume. Otherwise it does the job well.
For more details on this and other Jaybird Products click here.
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