Blue Ant or Jawbone?

[Keeper of the Grail]

I would like some advice specific to these to bluetooth devices. I'm going out to get one this week and would like to purchase the best of the two. Basically I'm looking for good audio quality on both ends. Stable compatibility with the tilt. Good looks, of course. The Jawbone seems to be pretty popular, how does the Blue Ant compare? Pros and cons please.

[Guilf]

Like most of these questions, you're going to get both opinions. Bought them both - ended up keeping the Blue Ant. Better price (got mine for $60 delivered). Upgradeable firmware. Great call quality/voice command quality. Liked the noise suppression better. Smaller (more comfortable for me and I always thought I had bigger ears). Again, you'll probably find others that will disagree with me.

[Keeper of the Grail]

Thank You... I'll do a little more research

[Keeper of the Grail]

OK. So I got the Jawbone ($129.99) last night and I am very happy, so far. I thought it would look too Star Trekish, but actually, its not too bad. Certainly, considering you have some atrificial device hanging from your ear anyway. How I arrived to this state of happiness: Last week I bought the Jabra BT8040 ($79.99) and after about 6 hours I took it back because it did not sit firmly in my ear (didn't try the extra ear buds), the sound quality was poor, and people complained about noise in my background (noise that I hardly considered). The Jawbone fit perfectly, right out the package and sound quality was perfect on both ends.

I would still like feedback on the Blueant Z9, please.

[RemE]

I have lots of Jawbone experience and I like it the best so far. I've just checked out the BlueAnt site and have now ordered one to test side by side. I do like the idea of downloadable firmware, we'll see.

[lopezpm]

Did you guys order from the BlueAnt site or from another retailer?

[RemE]

Did you guys order from the BlueAnt site or from another retailer?

Do a pricegrabber search, I used Tiger cause I know them but there were lower prices, $60-70 range

[Keeper of the Grail]

Best Buy. i'm impatient. :)

[GotTilt]

Jawbone sound is spectacular, function is pretty good, but for me the fit was terrible. Spent so much time fiddling with the wire ear loops they both broke -- my fault, not a quality issue.

Let me know how the BlueAnt works out. So far, I pretty much *hate* the fit of every headset ever made.

gt

[exoduzy2k]

I have Jawbone. They are fantastic. A little bulky on the ear but the technology is wonderful. I have no complain from people telling they hear static or winds noises.

my only complain is, the earbud keeping falling off here and there (interchangable depending on your ear). The earloop sometimes doesn't fit properly due to my status.

[Optimistisch_nl]

I have lots of Jawbone experience and I like it the best so far. I've just checked out the BlueAnt site and have now ordered one to test side by side. I do like the idea of downloadable firmware, we'll see.

Looking forward to your test results.....

[Keeper of the Grail]

So far I'm still happy with Jawbone. However (grins), I wish it would alert me when I get text and other messages. If my phone is at my desk and I'm at my workbench I miss incoming text messages. Can this be set up?

[Optimistisch_nl]

So far I'm still happy with Jawbone. However (grins), I wish it would alert me when I get text and other messages. If my phone is at my desk and I'm at my workbench I miss incoming text messages. Can this be set up?

http://teksoftco.com/index.php?section=bluemusic
or
http://teksoftco.com/index.php?section=freeware

Does this answer your question?

[lopezpm]

I've been reading reviews on the Z9 and the Jawbone, and every review contradicts the other. I couldn't make up my mind from reading reviews so I bought both and tried them out myself. Here is a comparison as I saw it.

1. Loudness - The Z9 has separate volume buttons for up and down and is plenty loud to hear in a noisy place. It’s loud enough that when I was in a quiet place or in my car with out the radio on I had to turn the volume down a bit.
The Jawbone doesn’t have an up and down volume button. It has a button that every time you press it, it raises the volume one level. Once you reach level 5 it goes back down to the lowest level and you have to start raising it again. It relies on it’s audio enhancement technology that will automatically adjust the volume depending on the surrounding noise. Overall, I felt that the Jawbone just wasn't loud enough for me.

2. Fit - They both fit really well but the Z9 hurts my ear after I take it off if I've had in for more than 30 minutes. The Z9 goes on fast when you get a call if it isn’t in your ear.
The Jawbone fits nice also, but it takes a little longer to put it on if it’s not in when you get a call. The good thing is that I can leave it on longer than the Z9 because it doesn’t hurt my ear at all. It just takes time to find the right combination for your ear, between the 4 ear pads and the 4 ear loops. But once you do it fits great. There is a shake test on YouTube showing that if you shake your head rapidly the Jawbone falls off while the Z9 stays on. I tried it and it's true. But who the hell goes around shaking their head like that.

3. Noise cancellation - This one was too close to call, I tested with the radio turned up in my truck and called my voicemail at work. They both did a great job. You could barely hear the music playing in the background and the music would cut in and out, while I was talking. It sounded like you had music in the background at a very low volume. As for the voice, it came across loud and it never cut out.

4. Size – Now this is a huge difference, the Z9 is about third the size of the Jawbone. This doesn’t mean that the Jawbone is overbearing or anything it just means that the Z9 is really small.

After testing them both for a couple of days, I am keeping the Z9. The deciding factor was that the Jawbone just wasn’t loud enough for me. Both are great noise cancelling headsets. If the Jawbone were louder I would be keeping that one because of the comfort level.

If you guys and gals have any questions let me know and I will try to answer them.

[RemE]

So far I'm still happy with Jawbone. However (grins), I wish it would alert me when I get text and other messages. If my phone is at my desk and I'm at my workbench I miss incoming text messages. Can this be set up?

Try this free app, BTaudio toggle, it directs all sounds out thru the BT headset. It works great on the Kaiser. I map a a key to make it easy to direct all sounds when needed. Search for it to get the thread about it.

I tried Bluemusic and found that it did NOT work well with my Kaiser in that it seems to kill the voice dialer function. When pressing the headset button voice dialer does not work, bluemusic seems to use it to toggle the sound between the headset and phone, showstopper for me.

[Proto732]

I haven't had much luck with a headset that fits my ear properly, and is loud enough. I've had a bunch ... have/had a Jawbone. I just can't get it to stay in my ear regardless of which hook or bud I use.

On a whim i bought a Moto H375 at Costco with wall and car charger (std mini USB) for $40.

I can charge it from any standard mini USB cable
It fits and stays in my ear
It is so loud I often have to turn the phone volume down
Battery life is good
It has some kind of auto pairing, so all you have to do is turn it on and tell your device to search. I didn't have to fumble with some odd button press to put the headset into a pairing mode. Both my Tilt and BB 8310 found it immediately ... laptop too.
When my phone rings I actually hear my ringtone in my ear ... not some generic bleep bleep sound.
It worked fine with MS Voice Command, without any hacks, with the current STOCK AT&T ROM, does name announcement just fine.


My only complaint is that the ear hook isn't super comfortable if you wear it for longer than an hour ... but then I don't walk around like a drone all day wearing one anyway.

for $40 it certainly is worth checking out.

[Optimistisch_nl]

Thanks lopezpm for your review.... if RemE comes to the same conclusion..(soon)... I'll go for the Z9 ;)

[noams]

I got the Jawbone for the last 4 months with it's amazing audio. The only thing that "burn" it is the charging cable, They use their own type of connector which require me to take the only cable they supplied with me when I travel for something longer then 3 days.

I tried contacting throught the web site in order to get another cable but after 2 months of waiting I understood they won't reply.

I got my'n at the MobilityToday.com shop for 80$ (the red version)

[RemE]

Got my Z9 and so far I have to say that I'm impressed. I downloaded and updated it's firmware from their web site. It was a bit of a project but the instructions were good. The Z9 is truely tiny compared to the Jawbone and the Z9 has many more call control features, controlled with button combination presses.

Fit for me is good, the clear plastic hooks are slightly less comfortable than the Jawbone but with careful adjusting while looking in a mirror can help you get a fit that works well. The Z9 weighs next to nothing and can be adjusted to be almost invisible to your senses. They give you two spare ear hooks.

Sound incoming is loud and clear and I do appreciate the dedicated up and down controls. I wear my headsets on my left ear so that puts the buttons on the bottom in my case which is not as good from an operational standpoint, especially when using button combinations.

Charging is done with a dedicated charger with micro usb type connector (looks identical to Jabra's). The Z9's charger is rated at 5v, the Jabra is 6v. The Z9 also comes with a micro USB to standard USB charge/data cable. The cable's have labels stating to ONLY use them with the Z9.

Noise Cancellation, so far so good. One difference from the Jawbone is that the Z9's noise cancelling is default at "standard" at call connect where the Jawbone's NC is "On" at startup and can be turned Off while in a call by pressing it's rear button (where you get a multi-tone indication that it's Off) The Z9's NC can be turned from "standard" to "Max" with a tap on the call button and it actually says "noise cancelling max" in your ear with a male Austrailian accented voice tag. A 3 sec press on the call button is needed to "end call". I called a friend with a Jawbone and did quality tests and was told that the quality was very good. I did walk around outside and the Z9 did fairly well in wind compared to Jawbone, maybe slightly better. I have not had a chance to torture test in the car at high speeds yet but so far I'm pretty happy.

Annoying Bits, should you walk out of range of your phone (eg. left phone on desk and walked out of room), the Jawbone gives a single "lost connection" tone while the Z9 gives it's lost signal tone, every 2 seconds, over and over for about a minute or two, then it powers down. When you are back in range it won't auto-pair like the Jawbone, you need to tap the call button to wake it, then it re-pairs quickly. Also I'm finding that the single tap of the button during a call (disconnects call with Jawbone, changes Noise Reduction Level with Z9) with the Z9 I often change NC level by accident because I'm so used to tapping the button to hang-up, they really should reverse the two features and tap-hold for 3 sec to change noise cnx level since it's not used as much as hanging up! At least we could rally for a firmware change:)

All in all for the price ($70 USD in my case) the Z9 is a contender!

Edit, after a few days use I will say that the Jawbone is the most comfortable. The Z9's clear plastic ear clip does hurt after a while, more than the Jawbone.

Edit, after driving with it a few hours today, well, it was better than my Jawbones! (and I love my Jawbones) It was way louder, in fact I had to turn it down! I called a fellow nit-picking, Jawbone using friend and did many in-car tourture tests, speed, wind, etc. The Jawbone might have a slight edge in noise cancelling but overall I was loud and clear to them and they were loud and clear to me.

So in my book both are great headsets, I'll keep and use both.

[gman8966]

I have owned headsets by Jabra, Plantronics, Sony and Cardo (god-awful, threw it at my window and broke it after only two days) and I must say that my Jawbone blows everything else I've previously owned out of the water, the fit is great for me, sound quality is excellent, no one complains when talking to me except when I'm in heavy wind. You can't really go wrong with the Jawbone!

[hs1333a]

I say Z9 all the way...small, light weight, upgradeable, excellent sound quality.....

[atsitalian]

Got my Z9 and so far I have to say that I'm impressed. I downloaded and updated it's firmware from their web site. It was a bit of a project but the instructions were good. The Z9 is truely tiny compared to the Jawbone and the Z9 has many more call control features, controlled with button combination presses.

Fit for me is good, the clear plastic hooks are slightly less comfortable than the Jawbone but with careful adjusting while looking in a mirror can help you get a fit that works well. The Z9 weighs next to nothing and can be adjusted to be almost invisible to your senses. They give you two spare ear hooks.

Sound incoming is loud and clear and I do appreciate the dedicated up and down controls. I wear my headsets on my left ear so that puts the buttons on the bottom in my case which is not as good from an operational standpoint, especially when using button combinations.

Charging is done with a dedicated charger with micro usb type connector (looks identical to Jabra's). The Z9's charger is rated at 5v, the Jabra is 6v. The Z9 also comes with a micro USB to standard USB charge/data cable. The cable's have labels stating to ONLY use them with the Z9.

Noise Cancellation, so far so good. One difference from the Jawbone is that the Z9's noise cancelling is default at "standard" at call connect where the Jawbone's NC is "On" at startup and can be turned Off while in a call by pressing it's rear button (where you get a multi-tone indication that it's Off) The Z9's NC can be turned from "standard" to "Max" with a tap on the call button and it actually says "noise cancelling max" in your ear with a male Austrailian accented voice tag. A 3 sec press on the call button is needed to "end call". I called a friend with a Jawbone and did quality tests and was told that the quality was very good. I did walk around outside and the Z9 did fairly well in wind compared to Jawbone, maybe slightly better. I have not had a chance to torture test in the car at high speeds yet but so far I'm pretty happy.

Annoying Bits, should you walk out of range of your phone (eg. left phone on desk and walked out of room), the Jawbone gives a single "lost connection" tone while the Z9 gives it's lost signal tone, every 2 seconds, over and over for about a minute or two, then it powers down. When you are back in range it won't auto-pair like the Jawbone, you need to tap the call button to wake it, then it re-pairs quickly. Also I'm finding that the single tap of the button during a call (disconnects call with Jawbone, changes Noise Reduction Level with Z9) with the Z9 I often change NC level by accident because I'm so used to tapping the button to hang-up, they really should reverse the two features and tap-hold for 3 sec to change noise cnx level since it's not used as much as hanging up! At least we could rally for a firmware change:)

All in all for the price ($70 USD in my case) the Z9 is a contender!

Edit, after a few days use I will say that the Jawbone is the most comfortable. The Z9's clear plastic ear clip does hurt after a while, more than the Jawbone.

Edit, after driving with it a few hours today, well, it was better than my Jawbones! (and I love my Jawbones) It was way louder, in fact I had to turn it down! I called a fellow nit-picking, Jawbone using friend and did many in-car tourture tests, speed, wind, etc. The Jawbone might have a slight edge in noise cancelling but overall I was loud and clear to them and they were loud and clear to me.

So in my book both are great headsets, I'll keep and use both.

Great writeup!! I also have and will keep both. I also have the Jabra 8010. I also found the Z9 painful after a while so for grins and giggles tried the earhook from the Jabra 8010 with the Z9. Much much more comfortable so I ordered a set of 5 extra 8010 earhooks from Jabra for $6 delivered.

I prefer the Z9. Excellent noise cancelling, better than the jawbone in wind, more comfortable and better fit for me than jawbone (with the 8010 earhook), smaller and lighter than Jawbone.

[irockash]

Great writeup!! I also have and will keep both. I also have the Jabra 8010. I also found the Z9 painful after a while so for grins and giggles tried the earhook from the Jabra 8010 with the Z9. Much much more comfortable so I ordered a set of 5 extra 8010 earhooks from Jabra for $6 delivered.

I prefer the Z9. Excellent noise cancelling, better than the jawbone in wind, more comfortable and better fit for me than jawbone (with the 8010 earhook), smaller and lighter than Jawbone.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that found the Z9 painful, I usually leave it on the side and put it on when I get a call.

Roomate has a Jawbone and an H12, and tried out a Z9, but says neither the H12 and Z9 were loud enough for him. He was still rocking v3.2 though, and I think it was v3.3 that bumps up the sound. I stick to my Z9 though, upgradeable firmware is what does it for me.

[RemE]

Great writeup!! I also have and will keep both. I also have the Jabra 8010. I also found the Z9 painful after a while so for grins and giggles tried the earhook from the Jabra 8010 with the Z9. Much much more comfortable so I ordered a set of 5 extra 8010 earhooks from Jabra for $6 delivered.

I prefer the Z9. Excellent noise cancelling, better than the jawbone in wind, more comfortable and better fit for me than jawbone (with the 8010 earhook), smaller and lighter than Jawbone.

Great find, I was going to post again after much more use, I love the Z9 but it just plain hurts with any length of use. I've ordered the 8010 hooks and also ordered ear gels for the Jawbone as this really helps the Jawbone's lower volume with a better ear fit.

Re Z9 volume, current firmware is 3.4 update was easy "ish"

[las vegas slim]

I have the Jawbone. Had the Plantronics 655 (or some number) as well. I liked Jawbone's noice cancellation better. They all can be great and they all can suck. I find the background noise level makes a difference even with the best of them.

You can also get customized earpieces for the Jawbone and Plantronics from pilotstuff.com. They can make the molded pieces for other headsets as well if you ask. Fits in like a monitor piece. Comfortable, makes the sound more audible and the volume level works even better.

[RemE]

I have the Jawbone. Had the Plantronics 655 (or some number) as well. I liked Jawbone's noice cancellation better. They all can be great and they all can suck. I find the background noise level makes a difference even with the best of them.

You can also get customized earpieces for the Jawbone and Plantronics from pilotstuff.com. They can make the molded pieces for other headsets as well if you ask. Fits in like a monitor piece. Comfortable, makes the sound more audible and the volume level works even better.

Better still, now the earclip isn't even needed! Great find, thanks again!!

http://www.averysound.com/as.jawbone.html

[URPREY]

Better still, now the earclip isn't even needed! Great find, thanks again!!

http://www.averysound.com/as.jawbone.html

That earpiece costs as much as I paid for my Z9...

[RemE]

Your point? :) :) Money being no object, a custom earpiece is like heaven to wear for extended periods. I worked on flying hospitals many years ago and had custom earpieces fitted and they were sooo nice.

I like my Z9 but it hurts me, I've ordered the Jabra earclips which I hope will help, but a Jawbone with a custom earpiece and no earclip will be pretty close to perfect for long heavy use, but comfort costs I guess...

[stpaul216612]

I just picked up a Z9 for my kaiser.. I am noticing that the main button on the back of the earpiece might be sticking. When I press the button, I dont hear or feel any sort of click or indication that the button has been depressed. It feels like the button is stuck in. Is this normal? Was I shipped a defective unit?

[jonbr007]

jawbone all the way. I have probably had literally every medium to high end BT headset.

[RemE]

I just picked up a Z9 for my kaiser.. I am noticing that the main button on the back of the earpiece might be sticking. When I press the button, I dont hear or feel any sort of click or indication that the button has been depressed. It feels like the button is stuck in. Is this normal? Was I shipped a defective unit?

Mine makes a very audible "click" when I press it...

[las vegas slim]

Your point? :) :) Money being no object, a custom earpiece is like heaven to wear for extended periods. I worked on flying hospitals many years ago and had custom earpieces fitted and they were sooo nice.

I like my Z9 but it hurts me, I've ordered the Jabra earclips which I hope will help, but a Jawbone with a custom earpiece and no earclip will be pretty close to perfect for long heavy use, but comfort costs I guess...

I choked on the $69 cost of the earpiece, but they guarantee fit and comfort. Personal service, easy to mold in your ear, and yes, it does feel very comfortable for long periods. These are the same folks who make earpieces for musicians, security guards, pilots, etc. The cost is worth it.

...and, with the sound going directly into the ear canal, I have had to turn the volume down at times, so low volume is not as issue. If you like your Z9, call them and they'll probably be able to make a piece to fit your's too.

[edbutler]

I would like some advice specific to these to bluetooth devices. I'm going out to get one this week and would like to purchase the best of the two. Basically I'm looking for good audio quality on both ends. Stable compatibility with the tilt. Good looks, of course. The Jawbone seems to be pretty popular, how does the Blue Ant compare? Pros and cons please.
After reading this fourm list I went out and bought the Blueant, I am very happy with it my main concern was volume I need it loud because I am getting older and it seems like everything is ketting quieter also seems like thing are ketting smaller and fuzzy'r. Ha! but I did have a chance to compare it to the Jawbone. My Buddy got his Jawbone last week and I used it for about an hour. The Blue ant blows it out of the water when it comes to volume. the Jawbone has a nicer feel to the ear loop but the blueant is about half the size so it is easer to wear. noise cancelation is the same on both . If they were priced the same I would go with the blueant, So since the Blueant was about $68.00 that was an extra bonus also it comes with a 2 year warranty. hope this helps.

[RemE]

For the best price/performance, the Blueant WITH the Jabra earclips is the answer. I got the new Jabra clips and they are very comfortable and even adjustable with a wire core that holds any bends you make. Now the Blueant is easily worn all day.

Ultimate performance may still be the Jawbone with custom earpiece, sent my ear impression in, waiting on the custom jel to arrive.

[RemE]

Received the custom eargel from Pilot Stuff and now the Jawbone fits perfectly, no ear wire needed any longer. With the sound tube completely in your year, the volume is HUGE. I have the headset now set to minimum volume and it's still very loud. The instructions even mention that cotton may be put inside should the volume be too loud.

All in all this combo is the highest performance headset that I've yet used but it's also the most expensive.

[dgduris]

Sound id 100!

Never used the BA, but used the Jawbone since the day it was available @ ATT Stores.

The Sound ID (yeah, you probably never heard of it) works great with background noise (really, who has so little consideration as to have a cell conversation around a jack hammer) and even works in a slight breeze (a jackhammer's compressed air bursts are enough to send the Jawbone into full audio lock-up).

Better, though, the sound id can be worn all day! It totally handles the issue I had with the Jawbone: comfort and in-ear security.

Great - mostly unknown - product.

[RemE]

I thought, "time to get another bud to test" but after a brief search of reviews.....

"In terms of sound quality I found the SM100 to be very good on the outbound portion but not great on the inbound as it lacks volume and suffers from a mild buzz. Additionally, although it offers Digital Sound Processing (DSP) it does not attenuate loud noises and will therefore prove best in quiet environments.

A unique function of the SM100 is PersonalSound – a hearing enhancement program which allows you to convert the headset into a “bionic ear” of sorts as it actively monitors and amplifies your surrounding sounds so that the EarModule doesn’t act as an earplug when you’re not on the phone. It was quite fun to test this but I’m not sure to what extent it’s really practical.

Overall I cannot say that I found much about the Sound ID SM100 EarModule to rave about. At this price range there is no doubt that the Aliph Jawbone (my Editor’s Choice) offers at least twice the value and even other options such as the Jabra BT5020 and Motorola H700 score much higher with better design, more features and functions for far less money.

Treonauts always look at all the angles…"

I think I'll hold for now with BlueAnt and Jawbone. But I will say that the concept of "PersonalSound" would actually be nice with this new custom ear gel on my Jawbone as it truely is an ear plug now when not on a call...

[irockash]

For the best price/performance, the Blueant WITH the Jabra earclips is the answer. I got the new Jabra clips and they are very comfortable and even adjustable with a wire core that holds any bends you make. Now the Blueant is easily worn all day.

Ultimate performance may still be the Jawbone with custom earpiece, sent my ear impression in, waiting on the custom jel to arrive.

I got mine last week, and they really do help (the 8010 hooks, right?). I use my earpiece much more, even converted over a few people to the Z9.

We stopped getting the Jawbone at our store, but we're carrying the Z9 (and also the Supertooth Light) and I've maybe 1 returned out of about 10. I just make sure to tell people about the firmware upgrade....

[compact_bijou]

Years ago, I bought a Sony Ericsson HBH-300 Akono (http://www.fonejunkie.com/product.php?productid=16508) for over £70 plus postage. Bleeding edge and all that.

I considered and tried the Blue Ant. I considered and tried the Jawbone. Both currently bleeding edge and all that.

I bought a Jabra 2010 (http://www.blueunplugged.com/xsdbimgs/JABRA_BT2010_PROD.jpg) for £10 + £2.95 postage which does the job nicely and is practically disposable at that price.

I won't be a drama queen and say it's vastly improved the low audio problem but it's better than the HBH-300
and significantly cheaper than either the Jawbone or the Blue Ant. You pays your money and makes your choice.

hth

[bigboyhf]

I have the Blue Ant now for about a week. I have no problem with the ear hook, but the speaker bud can sometimes cause pressure on my ear. I have learned though that the ear hook can be pushed down which effectively raises the speaker bud up and relieves most of the pressure on my ear. When I make or receive a call, I push it down a bit for better listening and then back up when done. Very comfortable this way.

I had a Motorola h700 paired to my phone before I got the Blue Ant and this caused malfunctioning of the unit. I had trouble getting it to trigger voice commands and answering calls. It was very frustrating, but then I deleted the Motorola from my phone and it works perfectly now. I think that the Blue Ant will scroll through devices when there are more than one paired rather than make or answer calls... Anyways, all fixed now and I generally have to lower call volume as it is quite loud. I get no more complaints from the other party online about noise or wind! The Motorola actually amplified ambient noise and was virtually useless unless in a totally quiet room.

I tried on a friends Jawbone and it was not as comfortable as the Blue Ant. I don't like ear gels stuck into my ear canal as this is uncomfortable to me. It was also heavier and floppier. The controls are better on the Blue Ant. My only complaint is like others have mentioned is that they should have reversed the function of setting max noise cancellation and ending the call. I have yet to recharge it, but I guess it will be a good idea to do so soon!

[p51d007]

I've got both headsets. Had the jawbone for almost a year, then it died.
While waiting for Aliph to email me, I bought a Z9. Fit was superior, but
everyone said I was muffled. Incoming sound was a LOT louder.
Then I figured out what the problem was. I'm LEFTHANDED. I wear the earpiece
on the left ear. If you look at the Z9, the microphones are on the bottom, toward your mouth, IF worn on the right side. On the left side, they are on
TOP, AWAY from your mouth. When I switched it, everyone said I was clearer.
But, I couldn't adjust to having it on the right side. I got my replacement from
at&t and went back to the jawbone. The z9, nothing wrong with it at all, other
than the "righthanded" nature of it's microphones. Plus, in every test I did,
everyone said the jawbone had better noise cancellation. I did sort of a "blind"
test. I never told my victim (test subjects) which headset I was using.

[RemE]

I'm right handed, but "left eared" and see the exact performance that you describe. There is no perfect headset, I find that I now use both, Jawbone in the car, Blueant outside in the wind.

[rotohammer]

Warning: The following is not about a Blue Ant Z9 nor Aliph Jawbone.

I've got a dozen headsets. The Sennheiser VMX-100 is the most comfortable unit I've ever used. I've worn it for 18hrs in a day. I wear it to bed streaming audio. No static, no complaints from the other end of the call, no one can believe I'm on a bluetooth headset.

Nothing goes into your ear, and its slim and adjustable. My wife could never get one to stay on her small ears, but the VMX-100 fits perfect too. It has a micro-usb charge connector like Jabra also.

The VMX-100 also has dual mics.

I've mixed and matched parts from all my headsets trying to build the ultimate in style and function. I've even molded my own ear insert pieces. I know what you guys are going through. I'm glad all that is behind me now.

[kcchen]

I've got a dozen headsets. The Sennheiser VMX-100 is the most comfortable unit I've ever used. I've worn it for 18hrs in a day. I wear it to bed streaming audio. No static, no complaints from the other end of the call, no one can believe I'm on a bluetooth headset.


Nice... glad to hear you like your VMX-100, but its neither a Blue Ant Z9 or Aliph Jawbone...

;-)

[flipside101]

Hi all i have the blueant and love teh size however i fint the fit in my ear is poor, is anyone aware of any hacks/replacment caps that would improve things ?

[Optimistisch_nl]

Hi all i have the blueant and love teh size however i fint the fit in my ear is poor, is anyone aware of any hacks/replacment caps that would improve things ?

I used the cap from my Jabra BT 8040.

The Jabra cap is not big enough to put it straight on the BluAnt
You have to remove the cap from the BluAnt en use some tape (to make make the base bigger) in order to fit the Jabra cap.

HTH

[bigboyhf]

The ear bud on my Blue ant fell off. It now fits much more comfortably in my ear and is very stable even without the bud! I was going to send it in to Avery Sound for them to make a custom ear piece, but I might just wait, since it is so comfy with nothing. The only concern is that there is no protection to the little rubber covering on the speaker tube... So far there doesn't seem to be any problem at all and I can wear it almost indefinitely. The ear bud on the other hand caused some pressure and was a bit uncomfortable after a while.

[RemE]

Word of warning on the Avery ear pieces. They are comfortable for sure, but, I find that they seal too well, the Jawbone is now too loud, will have to stuff some cotton in it as directed. Also, when not talking, my ear is plugged like deaf in one ear. I find myself back to the Jabra eargel on the Jawbone. I think Avery needs to add a second port to outside air to allow for a little more balanced feel, I'll be calling them..

I may try the other Jabra eargel on the Blueant.

[flipside101]

Cheers for the advice evryone but im seriously thinking about selling the blueant as even in slightly windy places (and im in the middle of London here) people cant hear me . Ill try playing with the bluetooth settings but its getting annoying is teh jawbone any better ?

The Averysound thing looks good aside from the fact im UK based so this adds some on the shipping cost :), this looks liek a possible stopgap though has anyone heard anything about podfitkit ? http://www.podfitkit.com/?gclid=CODx0uGZ55ICFQ6VMAodz28ixg

[Optimistisch_nl]

this looks liek a possible stopgap though has anyone heard anything about podfitkit ? http://www.podfitkit.com/?gclid=CODx0uGZ55ICFQ6VMAodz28ixg

Thx for the link... just ordered them... will report experiences...

[flipside101]

Thx for the link... just ordered them... will report experiences...

Oh cool any info greatfully recieved :)

[mario23]

Great thread guys...thanks.
I really like the Jawbone and might pick one up tomorrow so this info was very useful.
I like the upgradability of the Blueant though...very cool idea (makes me wonder)
I'll check out the Jawbone in person tomorrow and try to make a decision.
Thanks again...

[bigboyhf]

Just checking in here... I did order the Podfitkit a while back. After two tries (there is enough for maybe 4 or 5) I got a very comfortable fit on the Z9. Been using it for quite some time and it is very durable. I do have to pull it out a bit when charging, but it does so easily and can be pushed back on without any damage. I do recommend it! Trick is to use just a little bit of material and not try fill your whole ear up. There are pictures on their web site and it is very easy to do...

[p51d007]

Personally, I like the sealed fit of the Avery ear piece.
On a lighter note...I tell WOMEN who say everything goes in one ear and out the other, that this ear piece acts as a trap, what goes in one ear DOESN'T go out the other :D

Word of warning on the Avery ear pieces. They are comfortable for sure, but, I find that they seal too well, the Jawbone is now too loud, will have to stuff some cotton in it as directed. Also, when not talking, my ear is plugged like deaf in one ear. I find myself back to the Jabra eargel on the Jawbone. I think Avery needs to add a second port to outside air to allow for a little more balanced feel, I'll be calling them..

I may try the other Jabra eargel on the Blueant.

[mario23]

Well I broke down and got the new Jawbone 2.
I played with it all day today and love it. The sound quality is excellent of course and the noise cancellation is phenomenal.
The new version uses a magnetic type connector kind of like the Mac's.
It is also a USB cord and a USB/AC adapter is included along with all the other goodies. So now you can charge via USB as well.
It is very comfortable. I wore it most of the day without a problem. After hearing all the rave reviews on the Jabra ear gels, I ordered some of them too...for 5 bucks...why not :)

I would definitely recommend this to anyone...well worth the price!

[notthatcreative]

After breaking my two year old JX-10, I went to purchase another unit. I happened to see the Jawbone 2 and made the switch. The unit is very light, battery life is longer than my JX-10 (which was very good) and sound quality is excellent. I've asked everyone i spoke with today about the sound quality and everyone stated is was better than my old unit. The downside is I use MSVC and I could tap the button easliy to initiate the beep.The Jawbone 2 is not as convienient. The JX-10 is a great unit, but I am glad i made the switch.

[smittyofdhs]

After breaking my two year old JX-10, I went to purchase another unit. I happened to see the Jawbone 2 and made the switch. The unit is very light, battery life is longer than my JX-10 (which was very good) and sound quality is excellent. I've asked everyone i spoke with today about the sound quality and everyone stated is was better than my old unit. The downside is I use MSVC and I could tap the button easliy to initiate the beep.The Jawbone 2 is not as convienient. The JX-10 is a great unit, but I am glad i made the switch.

you can fix the MSVC with updated EXE files. Someone here ont hese forums was able to get it to work. I've used the updated MSVC with my Tilt and can activate VC from a the headset. I wish I had the link for you. If you can't find it, PM me with your email address and I'll send the file that I used.

[mario23]

By the way, on the new Jawbone, you have more volume levels and the louder setting is definitely loud enough. So apparently no more low volume issues. Also, Noise Assasin stays activated even when cycling through the volume levels. My understanding is that on the original Jawbone, cycling the volume would turn off Noise Assasin?

Anyways, just wanted to share. This just make me even more pleased with my purchase. Awesome unit!!!

[cib911]

Just got my Jawbone 2 today for my birthday. I must say that this headset is much better than the first Jawbone. Paired easily, and the volume settings are much better. It is by far the most comfortable headset I have used, have had it on all day. It is so light you don't even know it is there. I don't like the price, AT&T screws you for full retail. If anyone wants to buy my old Jawbone let me know, I will make you a good deal.

[smuook]

This one is a little bulkier but I heard the reception is real good...

http://fapomatic.com/0821/topheavylobot_bg.jpg

[mario23]

I got the Jabra ear gels in the mail today and I have to say....I like the Jawbone earbud better. Better fit and difference that I could tell in sound.

I wonder if any of you guys that have the original Jawbone as well as the new one could offer a comparison. I have read that the original Jawbone had some low volume issues. This one doesn't seem to have that problem so I wonder if you would agree with that.

[digi0123]

noise assassin........it's all I'm saying.... jawbone 2.

[p51d007]

I agree with the volume issue. I've got both of them. I bought the original JB
when it came out, it died about 12 months later, at&t replaced it no questions asked. The replacement also had low volume. Paired with my tilt, I had to keep the JB on full volume & the tilt on max to achieve acceptable sound level.
With the new JB2, I can keep my tile between 1/4 to 1/2 volume and it is plenty loud.



I wonder if any of you guys that have the original Jawbone as well as the new one could offer a comparison. I have read that the original Jawbone had some low volume issues. This one doesn't seem to have that problem so I wonder if you would agree with that.

[RemE]

I had to pick up a JB2 today and compare with my trusted co-worker on sound quality vs. the JB1. On my end volume is much better as noted. Size and comfort is very nice, the new button functions took a little getting used to, I ended the call when trying to adjust volume because the rear button operates more by pushing the back of the earpiece forward. Indoors the sound was excellent.

On their end, outside wind noise is not much improved, bummer. Very odd is that if I was talking and looked to the sky, my voice would cut out. The earpiece "magic" button that rests on your cheek may be losing contact when looking up? In any case it would consistantly do it. I still need to go thru the extensive collection of earbuds and ear loops to optimize the fit.

There are two small mic holes that point up when the piece is worn on the right ear, I wear mine on the left so they point down. The Blueant Z9 has the same 2 holes but on the opposite side but I don't know that it makes any difference.

Overall it's a quality earpiece, just a little disapointed in the wind performance, they should have concentrated on fixing that main complaint. The other issues friends complained about was the charging and the new magnetic connector seems very much improved.

Edit - Tried Jabra Ear Gels, not a good fit with JB2 like it worked with JB1. I ended up using the smallest supplied earbud and loop for a good fit. So far it's very light and no pressure points developing like I experienced with the Blueant Z9.

[mario23]

I had the same problem initially. It was just the fit.As soon as changed the earbud, the fit was much better and the sensor didn't lose contact anymore. Hopefully that's all it is for you.

[twinpeaks]

I can't believe there's no MUTE button on the Jawbone 2

!!!!!!!!!

[RemE]

No mute? missed that. I'm finding that the call end button is really badly set up because should you just brush the earpiece, goodbye caller! I really preferred the small but dedicated button on the JB1. They should consider reversing the volume and call button functions, I've lost over 6 calls already and I've been trying to be careful.

[twinpeaks]

I'm going against the grain. I'm quickly learning to hate the Jawbone 2. The buttons are awful , there's no mute button, I don't have enough tactile feedback to know if I've pressed it or not...I think this piece of junk is going back to the store. I have not tried the BlueAnt yet but I do like my Motorolla H12 better than this poorly designed fashion accessory known as the Jawbone 2. The Jawbone 2 is nicely paired with a Blackberry "oh I'm cool I have a Blackberry see me I am important" but not for those of us who like precision and basic functionality out of a Windows mobile device, it's best left on the shelf for those who own Blackberries.

[RemE]

Not against the grain at all, I'm leaning on returning mine as well;

The fit is "good" but turn my head just right and it comes loose.
The buttons are pissing me off too.
The voice dial "feedback prompt" is too soft compared to others.

I'm more happy with JB1 for car and indoors and Blueant for outdoors, bikes, wind...

I wonder how the best Moto is, but I've had so many crappy ones from them that I took time off from Moto...

[FLiPinoy9oNe6]

My volume on the JB2 sucks. All my co workers got their JB2 on thier BB curves and volume is awesome. Tried thier HS on my Tilt and volume is way low. Thought it was my headset but when syncing mine with their phones the volume is great. Ive always had a volume issue on my tilt when using BT headsets. Other than replacing the phone does anyone have any suggestions or fixes for my Tilts poor volume quality on BT headsets? TIA

[RemE]

Sorry, no joy on the volume. The TyTN II and tilt have lower BT volume than previous models, noted on day one and ignored by HTC. Many of us have changed earbuds and done other tricks to improve volume but it's more an HTC problem than anything.

[twinpeaks]

Not against the grain at all, I'm leaning on returning mine as well;

The fit is "good" but turn my head just right and it comes loose.
The buttons are pissing me off too.
The voice dial "feedback prompt" is too soft compared to others.

I'm more happy with JB1 for car and indoors and Blueant for outdoors, bikes, wind...

I wonder how the best Moto is, but I've had so many crappy ones from them that I took time off from Moto...

When you say "the Blueant" is that z9i or z9 ?

[RemE]

That was for the Z9, looking at the Z9i it seems that they addressed the comfort issues that we had to work around with jabra rubber ear loops. I'm returning the JB2 for sure and going to try the 9i next.

[kcchen]

Not giving up on the new jawbone yet....

But I have to agree the main button is sensitive, the earhooks are tough to get a comfortable fit... but not impossible.

On the positive side, it seems to do well in the wind (convertible @ 70)... still instinctively cup my hands over the headset sometimes. And I don't have a problem with the sound or no-mute button.

[awinters]

just got a jawbone off ebay for 60 bills had to send it to replace though, jawbone sells the black for 99 bills at jawbone site.. also got a blueant z9 today off ebay for 54 bills. looks very cool. im charging and will report...ebay is the way to go, saves lots of dough...

[bigboyhf]

One thing I have noticed with the Z9 is that it doesn't do that well in the wind. Also, I have to make sure that I turn the Z9 on before I turn BT on my Tilt. If it is already on, the Tilt will not pair to it... Not sure if I am doing something wrong, but so far that is my experience. It doesn't happen with my Motorola headset.

[edbutler]

I would like some advice specific to these to bluetooth devices. I'm going out to get one this week and would like to purchase the best of the two. Basically I'm looking for good audio quality on both ends. Stable compatibility with the tilt. Good looks, of course. The Jawbone seems to be pretty popular, how does the Blue Ant compare? Pros and cons please.
I tried both and found the Z9 the best. The Jawbone was a tad more comfortable to wear but the Z9 was smaller and once you get used to it, it was fine. The noise canceling is about the same on both , I do like the upgradeable firmware with the Z9 which I have upgraded twice now since I got it. Also the volume button is easer to use on the Z9 it has an up and down button. The Jawbone has only one button and when you cycle through the 5 volume stages it goes back to the lowest setting which can be a pain. I also like the Z9 ability to turn the led light off so when your in a dark area and you don't want the led flashing you can turn it off and still use the headset. Now the price is what was the deciding factor for me, I paid $68.00 that was shipping included the Jawbone was about $130.00. I used the Jawbone for 2 hours and then bought the Z9 and I haven't regretted it. Hope this helps.
Ed...

[edbutler]

I would like some advice specific to these to bluetooth devices. I'm going out to get one this week and would like to purchase the best of the two. Basically I'm looking for good audio quality on both ends. Stable compatibility with the tilt. Good looks, of course. The Jawbone seems to be pretty popular, how does the Blue Ant compare? Pros and cons please.
I tried both and found the Z9 the best. The Jawbone was a tad more comfortable to wear but the Z9 was smaller and once you get used to it, it was fine. The noise canceling is about the same on both , I do like the upgradeable firmware with the Z9 which I have upgraded twice now since I got it. Also the volume button is easer to use on the Z9 it has an up and down button. The Jawbone has only one button and when you cycle through the 5 volume stages it goes back to the lowest setting which can be a pain. I also like the Z9 ability to turn the led light off so when your in a dark area and you don't want the led flashing you can turn it off and still use the headset. Now the price is what was the deciding factor for me, I paid $68.00 that was shipping included the Jawbone was about $130.00. I used the Jawbone for 2 hours and then bought the Z9 and I haven't regretted it. Hope this helps.
Ed...

[digitaly]

I personally got the jawbone.... I broke 4 earloops and now the top part after few recharge circle has become loose and I probably have to glue it now... I went on youtube and did some searches and come up with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4393Y7q6K8 also the noise shield it's useless because what's the point that the other party can ear you perfect but because of the noise you can't ear the other party? the best noise shield would be a plexiglass helmet around your head.

[mario23]

Just so you all know, you can turn the led off with the new Jawbone.
I'm still quite happy with it. I wear it all day at work and it is very comfortable. Sound quality is of course excellent. I would like to check out the Z9I just so I can compare the two for myself but otherwise, I'm very happy with the Jawbone 2.

[p51d007]

I've had the JB2 since I could order it on Aliph's website. LOVE IT!

[mario23]

You know what I love the most is that people don't know anymore that I'm on an earpiece. I don't hear those "you sound muffled?!?!" complaints anymore. If I ever find a Z9I locally, I'll try it out...just to know. Otherwise...loving the JB2!

[RemE]

Well I returned the JB2, it simply wasn't better enough, the fit, the buttons are a step back in my book. I did find and pick up the Z9i and also the new Blueant Supertooth 3 text-to-speech speakerphone.

Z9i, slightly better earloop and earbud selection. I still ended up using the Jabra earloop as previously mentioned in this thread and now it's super comfy. The buttons have been re-mapped, one touch to voice dial and end call, Much Improved! Overall sound is as before, good. I'm very happy.

Supertooth3 - Killer speaker phone, it talks (in 6 languages even), it tells you when it's connected to the phone, it tells you who's calling, it can allow you to voice answer calls. Very well made, very good sound quality, loud! Nice clip that stays on the visor (they give you a 2nd one too), the unit magnetically snaps onto the clip so you can grab it and stow it or charge it easily. Unlike the Z9's, this unit's firmware is not upgradeable, but I don't see any irritating features needing a change.

Blueant's really seems to understand how people use things and they actively refine their products, bravo.

Mind you I still like my JB1's and use them too.

[kcchen]

the noise shield it's useless because what's the point that the other party can ear you perfect but because of the noise you can't ear the other party?

Hmm... that's interesting. The noise cancellation to me is very important since I use the headset for business calls primarily, so voice quality is key. On my end, it would be nice to get a headset that produces better sound, but its the theres always a trade-off with everything.

They should have developed an in-ear , sound isolation option for the jawbone2.

[mario23]

[QUOTE=RemE;2270397]Well I returned the JB2, it simply wasn't better enough, the fit, the buttons are a step back in my book. I did find and pick up the Z9i and also the new Blueant Supertooth 3 text-to-speech speakerphone.

Z9i, slightly better earloop and earbud selection. I still ended up using the Jabra earloop as previously mentioned in this thread and now it's super comfy. The buttons have been re-mapped, one touch to voice dial and end call, Much Improved! Overall sound is as before, good. I'm very happy.

Supertooth3 - Killer speaker phone, it talks (in 6 languages even), it tells you when it's connected to the phone, it tells you who's calling, it can allow you to voice answer calls. Very well made, very good sound quality, loud! Nice clip that stays on the visor (they give you a 2nd one too), the unit magnetically snaps onto the clip so you can grab it and stow it or charge it easily. Unlike the Z9's, this unit's firmware is not upgradeable, but I don't see any irritating features needing a change.

Blueant's really seems to understand how people use things and they actively refine their products, bravo.

Mind you I still like my JB1's and use them too.[/QUOTE

Did you find the Z9i locally?
Seems to be only available online down here...

[thomasz]

Thanks all info. I have the same problem.

[RemE]

Got mine here;

http://www.headsetking.com/p--819--BlueAnt-Z9i-Bluetooth-Headset---Black.aspx

Turns out they were right near my house so I walked in and picked one up, great price.

[sz0pf1]

I've not tried the new Blue Ant Z9i but I purchased and tried out the new Jawbone 2 today.

Based on my testing I find the Jawbone 2, like I found the orginal Jawbone lacking on the user end. Also with the Jawbone 2 I'm not sure that the recepient end is as good as my original Jawbone. While there are some nice refinements in the design of the Jawbone 2, given that the sound is still thin or tinny I can't recommend it. I will be returning it. Someday when I either replace my Tilt or there is a SW upgrade that addresses the bluetooth performance I may revist the Jawbone 2.

The best headsets that I have found so far are the Plantronics 655 and the new 925. I have also, to a lesser degree, found the Motoroloa H12 to be acceptable.

Both the Plantronics are comfortable to wear, deliver on the user end sound quality approaching that of what most other phones deliver and the people on the receiving end can hardly tell that I'm using a headset.

The Motorola H12 is still better than most headsets that I've tried but I still give the edge to Plantronics for both noise cancellation and richness in sound quality on the user end.

[dgduris]

OK. I have tried most of what's mentioned here. I bought a new JB2 and a Sound ID 100.

The Sound ID is a better fit and - with exposed buttons including separate ones for up and down volume - it is the easier to use and has a far better fit.

The JB2 sounds a little better at my end and - per my brother, whom I call to test - the JB2 sound s a little better at his end too.

Driving at 75mph in my car with the bike rack on the roof, both are useless with M$ Voice Command.

At the end of 2 weeks extensive use, JB2 wins on sonic performance. But, when you consider that the Sound ID is half the cost and the better fit - especially as I wear glasses - it (Sound ID SM 100) is the outright winner.

[iampong]

I think Z9i is better than any brand, I belive in quality so I am distribute BlueAnt product in Thailand now. www.jhcinter.com

[thomasz]

I think here something for your choose. Please look in.
http://www.accessorygeeks.com/blue-ant-bluetooth.html.

[laakness]

I just got my Z9i 2 days ago and really love it. It's very loud with the Tilt and I can hear it perfectly fine with the windows down and my loud exhaust.

Users on the other end say that I sound good even when I told them that I couldn't hear myself talking at the time. It is almost the perfect size since the buttons are still perfectly accessable without making you look like you have some massive tumor off the side of your face.

I haven't tried the Jabra ear loop yet but I am finding it to be comfortable with the ones it came with. I'm glad I upgraded.

[RojasTKD]

I did very much like my BlueAnt Z9i, but was off and on getting complaints about static and being able to be heard. I would at time have problems hearing people also. Not all the time, but it was annoying. The noise isolation would make it even worse when activated. I had some of the same issues wth my old Z9. Just dosen't seem to work well with my Tilt for some reason. Just dosen't seem to work consistantly.

I finally broke down and ordered the Jawbone 2, and it has been fantastic. I nolonger get complaints from the person on the person on the end.

If the Z9i works well with you phone, it a great choice. It has plenty of features and is very good volume not to mention you can save a little money over the Jawbone.

The Jawbone is a little more money, but in my case worth every penny. If you shop around you can get it at a good price. Got mine for $85 shipped off ebay.

Buttom line if they are both excellent, if one dosen't work for you go with the other. For me that turns out to be th Jawbone2.

[travis200]

I was using the old Jawbone 1 and the fit was never perfect. A couple weeks ago I spent the money to get the Blue Ant. Fit is perfect, clarity is great. I like the feature of being able to charge either by wall, car, or usb. The voice features sometimes are a little screwy such as I say "home" and then it is calling speed dial 8 but I like the Ant better than the Jawbone.