vB Easy Archive - Motorola S9 Active Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

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Motorola S9 Active Bluetooth Stereo Headphones
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Posted by: Urban Strata

Anyone try these headphones yet? Wondering how they work and sound with Windows Mobile. Thanks!

http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=147333

Posted by: Evaluator

I pre-ordered them waaaay back in February when the release from Moto was supposed to be imminent but kept getting delayed for some reason. The availability date has changed at least 1/wk. Yesterday, MobilePlanet said April 22nd.

Posted by: Urban Strata

I picked these up today at Best Buy Mobile in Manhattan. I have no idea why MobilePlanet doesn't have units yet, but I definitely paid a premium by buying at retail -- $140 versus just under $100 through MobilePlanet. Yikes! Oh well, I've already crossed the line of insanity since this is my fifth pair of Bluetooth stereo headphones, including the Plantronics Pulsar 590A, Jabra BT620s, Nextlink Spider and some knock-off OEM pair from CompUSA. None of these has yet met my standards for comfort, audio quality and usability.

Enter the Motorola S9. I still have them charging and can't comment on audio quality and usability yet, but below are some initial photos. Build quality is superb and buttons are clearly marked. Best of all, it charges through USB!

I'll post more info once I run these puppies through the paces.

Posted by: rpodos

Looking forward to your review / thoughts. My Lubix NC1s don't seem to function properly with my Universal, so I've been looking at options (and mostly not liking what I see).

Posted by: Evaluator

Good for you!!! I was just thinking today about canceling my mobileplanet order and ordering directly from the moto store. MP continues to extend the arrival date. I’ll also be looking forward to your review. Cnet has a brief review that complains of ear-pinching so please comment on that and on the comfort level after wear for an hour or so.

Posted by: aleitry

right on

tonight I learned how a2dp implementation has a long way to go (installed the xda cabs to use my new s805s in wireless stereo mode with my 8125)

never mind that I thought ps3s could do a2dp with the recent firmware updates

so much to learn - but nonetheless, looking forward to receiving the s9s monday - I'm pretty happy with the s805s for home use (the option to use them as wired cans is pretty cool) but will take the s9s to workout and the office

Posted by: Urban Strata

Initial impression: I like these headphones! (Though I reserve the right to change my opinion with additional testing.

)

Sound quality is quite good -- not audiophile quality, of course, but as good as I think you're going to get with the current Microsoft A2DP implementation. I notice none of the same distortion problems that caused me to give up my Plantronics Pulsar 590A headphones. Bass is deep and rich, treble is clear, highs are precise. The S9 is also loud enough that I walked a few blocks around Manhattan this evening and had no problem losing myself in my music, despite all the traffic and city noise.

The S9 also holds its connection quite well, despite all the bombarding taxi radios, Wi-Fi, cell towers, etc. in Manhattan. Other stereo Bluetooth headphones I've had, particularly the Jabra BT620s, suffered greatly while walking New York City's streets though they were fine indoors. The S9 headphones succeed where the Jabras failed.

I tested using the S9 indoors while doing dishes and had no problems hearing over the water and clang of plates. I then took the S9 outside and walked around while streaming music via Orb, also a success! Both tests were conducted with my Treo 750 so I could utilize its UMTS radio.

Comfort is fine, though not the best I've felt. There is a bit of "pinch" around your head, as Evaluator noted above from the CNET review, but I don't think it's a huge deal. The earbuds fit just fine, and the package comes with additional earbuds of varying sizes if you need to find a better fit. Overall, the S9 isn't going to feel like pillows on your ears, but I think it's more than acceptable.

Then there's the user interface. It's probably the device's single weak point, because the buttons aren't very well defined and you're not sure what you're pressing when the S9 is on your head. The buttons have no tactile feedback, either; I'd compare them to the JoggR strip on the T-Mobile Dash (HTC Excalibur). You just sort of lightly tap a button and it "senses" your finger without pressing in. That adds up to a bit of fumbling and pressing the wrong buttons when you're first getting used to the locations of things.

All in all, I like the S9! I'll write more impressions after further testing (like making and receiving phone calls), but so far this one is a keeper!

Posted by: neo001

Hey Urban . . . You know I have always followed your footsteps in BT stereo choices , please do keep us informed ok ?? as I will probably will pick one of this babies up !! by the way are there any other colors ?? I really cant be wearing red

Posted by: Evaluator

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo001

Hey Urban . . . You know I have always followed your footsteps in BT stereo choices , please do keep us informed ok ?? as I will probably will pick one of this babies up !! by the way are there any other colors ?? I really cant be wearing red

lol, they're supposed to offer an all-black set soon.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo001

You bet. I'm pretty impressed with these headphones so far (1 day of use), and actually don't mind the red at all -- looks very "sporty."

Posted by: neo001

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evaluator

lol, they're supposed to offer an all-black set soon.

hehehe thanks for the info , do remember that I used to live in L.A. and red its a no no for me

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Strata

You bet. I'm pretty impressed with these headphones so far (1 day of use), and actually don't mind the red at all -- looks very "sporty."

Thanks J . . . !! As soon as those all black or black and blue hit the market they are mine !!

Posted by: Evaluator

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo001

hehehe thanks for the info , do remember that I used to live in L.A. and red its a no no for me

I hear ya!

LA's full of stories about people who didn't know the rules and got into trouble.

Now I think this is one handsome headset.

Just ordered a Jabra bt8010 set for the meanwhile.

Posted by: pen25

depending on the matieral you can die the red black ;-).

Posted by: Trav002

whats the deal with la and red?

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trav002

whats the deal with la and red?

Bloods vs. Crips, etc., I would guess... I'll let Neo explain in further detail, but I have a feeling you don't really want to know.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Some additional day 2 thoughts on the S9 headphones (again w/ the Treo 750 running WM5 as my testing device):

Long-term use: I wore the S9's for about three hours today, and boy, there's definitely some ear fatigue due to the earbuds and "pinch" from the somewhat rigid plastic, behind-the-head design. These are far from the most comfortable headphones on the planet. I'm still fine with them because I use wired Sony MDR-7506 headphones as my primary, long-listening cans, and only plan to use the Moto S9's while commuting to and from work. If you're looking for stereo Bluetooth headphones to use as your primary listening device, however, you may seriously want to consider the comfort level here.

Use for voice calls: The Moto S9's force voice calls to mono in the left earbud. I'd vastly prefer "dual mono" sound in both earbuds, and find the shift from stereo to mono a bit disconcerting. I also noticed faster ear fatigue this way. In terms of quality, I can hear my caller extremely well -- great quality! But quality on the other end is much less successful; my callers had difficulty hearing me at times unless I was in a very quiet environment. I had to repeat myself numerous times. There's also several seconds of lag time before a call is connected after pressing the button to pick up.

Coming from the Aliph Jawbone, the Moto S9's can't compare for voice use; but then again, the S9's are designed for music with occasional voice in a pinch. I still plan to use the Jawbone as my primary calling headset.

Stereo music quality: After continued use, I'm happy to report that music quality is utterly fantastic! I'll go out on a limb and say these headphones sound better than anything I've used before -- including the Plantronics Pulsar 590A -- when playing music. Moto really got this right!

All in all, I'm still very happy with the S9's. They are only what they promise to be -- a stereo Bluetooth headset for music first, voice second (by a long shot) -- but they do what they promise extremely well.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Another quick note for those of you considering picking up these headphones: Unlike most Bluetooth devices that flash blue LEDs in a very obnoxious way, the S9's are quite understated. The only LED on the device is located under the white stripe in the photo below. It flashes blue when turned on, red when turned off, purple when first paired and green when connected. (So it will most frequently flash green once paired and transferring data.)

I don't think most people would even notice the flashing green, especially during daytime.

Posted by: rpodos

Unless they are very short.

Do you think the buds be replaced by Jabra eargels?

Posted by: pen25

well there goes my idea of buying if it only pipes it to one ear on voice. yet the left is my dominant ear it helps to have the voice in both. wheres the mic located if i may ask

Posted by: neo001

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trav002

whats the deal with la and red?

Is hard , sad and long to explain . . . by the way do not know how old you are but do stay out of trouble ok ?? cheers !! oh by the way you can have a look at this : Link
(Im a sureño by the way)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Strata

Bloods vs. Crips, etc., I would guess... I'll let Neo explain in further detail, but I have a feeling you don't really want to know.

That is totally right dude

. . . although I do not live like that anymore (thank God) but trouble always has a way of finding you , and it is not a blood and crip thing , is a sureño / norteño thing

Posted by: nextel1996

US,
I'm considering buying these headphones soon. After a few more weeks of use, are they still a thumbs up or do you have something new to report?
Now that we may finally be out of the Princess Leah league of bluetooth headphones, I'm interested to get listening!
Any further update for us?
Thanks

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by nextel1996

US,
I'm considering buying these headphones soon. After a few more weeks of use, are they still a thumbs up or do you have something new to report?
Now that we may finally be out of the Princess Leah league of bluetooth headphones, I'm interested to get listening!
Any further update for us?
Thanks

I'm definitely still loving these headphones. I use them every day during my commute to and from work, and I'm still amazed at how well they're able to hold a connection compared to some other stereo Bluetooth headphones I've tried (especially the Jabra BT620s).

Pros: The S9's sound great, feel pretty good (I don't notice the "pinch" anymore, though I probably wouldn't want to wear these for hours and hours at a time), and look very "street-worthy." They're also water resistant so I didn't worry about wearing them in a light rain last week, and battery life is very long. (I've been charging about once a week.) Best of all, they hold the Bluetooth connection extremely well -- a rarity for Bluetooth devices in New York City given all the bombarding radio signals.

Cons: I don't like the button configuration all all. Buttons on a headset should be easily identified by touch (since, obviously, you won't be looking at it when you're trying to pause a track or answer a phone call). Not so on the S9's, and after two weeks of use, I'm still struggling to find the buttons on either side of my head. Oh well, there had to be something.

All in all, I highly recommend the S9's! (At least until a second generation comes out with better buttons.)

Posted by: nextel1996

Thanks for the update. They're definitely on deck for my next purchase. These should make my workouts at the gym much less cumbersome. Countless times I ripped one or both of the earphones out right in the middle of a set!

Thanks again.

Posted by: pen25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Strata

All in all, I highly recommend the S9's! (At least until a second generation comes out with better buttons.)

hows the noise cancelation? friend has a set and the background was way overpowering his speech. i couldnt understand him at all unless it was quiet. when he first got them he was in dfw and called me. hes called me in a car driving and that wasnt so bad but when he had the radio on at a moderate level i only hear the radio and his garbled speech. and in the co the fan noise was heard but not over powering.

Posted by: mappicus

Another new Bluetooth stereo headset candidate that breaks the Princess Leah mold is the Jabra BT320s, and I just received mine today. I'll post a review when I've had a chance to use it in different environments, but out of the box it's a neat unit. It looks like a ~2" by 1" by 0.4" pebble that you can clip to a shirt or hang from a lanyard, with standard earbuds (the microphone being in the pebble).

Verses the S9 I liked the replacable earbud idea of the Jabra, since I can also then use it as a Bluetooth receiver for my car stereo (which has an AUX input jack) or even my home stereo, although unfortuneately it does not seem to be able to work while it is hooked to the charging cable. It's also a lot cheaper, ~$50 from various online sources.

Posted by: nextel1996

I'd be interested to hear whether the phone calls are in stereo and how well the earbuds stay in place as those hanging wires still make me a little concerned. The S9s are looking really good but still looking forward to your review as the Jabras also seem appealing.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by pen25

Noise cancellation is virtually non-existent; don't expect to talk on the S9's in a noisy environment, though you can listen to music due to the excellent earpiece volume. The S9's won't replace my Jawbone, but they make a great addition.

Posted by: pen25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Strata

thats what im afraid of. i use my 820's to suplement the jabra and ill go back and forth. and i am always in noisy enviroments. =(

Posted by: mappicus

Quote:

Originally Posted by mappicus

Another new Bluetooth stereo headset candidate that breaks the Princess Leah mold is the Jabra BT320s, and I just received mine today.

Sadly I have to report that I am returning my BT320s.

Per someone's question, the earbuds are good and stay in the ears very well (and I often have trouble with this), and phone calls are in stereo.

Others pluses are decent (though not stellar) phone call quality and general remote control function.

On the negative side though:
- the music audio quality is poor, with weak and slighty distorted treble (same with different earbuds)
- the clip-on feature is good in principle, but didn't work for me when working-out or running since it did not clip comfortably to a t-shirt collar. The enclosed lanyard is a good length, though less elegant.
- music breaks up when the headset gets more than a few feet from phone, so very weak radio. Mind you, sounds like some S9 users get this too.

The killer disappointment for me, and this might just be my pet peeve, was when I went to recharge it I realized the charging socket is NOT mini-USB. You can only use the included charger. I just don't get it--when they are designing these things, and they put in a charging port that is almost the same size as a mini-USB, does NO-ONE say "hey, lets just make that mini-USB and make life easy for everyone"!!?? Ok, I am ranting.

The other major issue I had is not, I think, specific to this headset. When using it with my Blackjack, the phone slowed to an absolute crawl. I had heard that A2DP can be resource intensive on the phone end, and certainly it was for me. I want to be able to use this when I also am using a Bluetooth GPS and associated software (for skiing, running, etc), but it clearly isn't going to work, and I need to go back to a wired headset. Doh!

Posted by: nextel1996

I just received my S9s today. They are great fitting, excellent sound quality and incredible range. However, they are making the video playback on TCPMP virtually unplayable. It's VERY slow and jittery. If I take off bluetooth, it plays just fine. Am I missing something?? This is one of the main purposes for these.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by nextel1996

I just received my S9s today. They are great fitting, excellent sound quality and incredible range. However, they are making the video playback on TCPMP virtually unplayable. It's VERY slow and jittery. If I take off bluetooth, it plays just fine. Am I missing something?? This is one of the main purposes for these.

It's not the fault of the headphones, it's Microsoft's Bluetooth stack, which is phenomenally processor-intensive. I don't expect you'll be able to simultaneously play full-screen video and stream Bluetooth audio until either Microsoft changes its A2DP implementation, or processor speeds get up into the 600MHz+ range.

Posted by: nextel1996

Urban,
GOOD call on the S9s my friend.
Been using them a few days now and I'm very pleased. I must admit, the video slowdown issue was a major let down but I realize it's not the fault of the S9s. I just regard these as my music/radio headphones only and that's just fine. I can still use mono bluetooth if needed to preserve the video quality.

I've really put these to the test. I would highly recommend them to anyone on the fence. Best thing is using them in the gym. No more snagging that wire and ripping the headphones out of your ear. They are easy to put on, the sound is loud and VERY clear. The range is a true 30 feet and crystal clear up to that distance. I no longer look dorky in the gym (at least not due to the headphones) and literally most people don't even know I have them on. (They start talking to me without realizing.)

I could go on but have to get back to work....
Thanks for the review and recommendation. You were spot on!

Posted by: Urban Strata

Cool -- glad you like your new headphones, nextel, and happy I could help.

Cheers!

Posted by: dukenilnil

What's the word on the manufacturing issues? What was the problem? When will they be available again?

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukenilnil

What's the word on the manufacturing issues? What was the problem? When will they be available again?

Manufacturing issues? Where did you hear that? I've had no issues with my S9's, and I believe they're still on the market for sale (for example, here at Best Buy).

Posted by: dukenilnil

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Strata

Manufacturing issues? Where did you hear that? I've had no issues with my S9's, and I believe they're still on the market for sale (for example, here at Best Buy).

05-23-2007, 02:27
d12ag0n49
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check this out read it from blueheadsets.com:

"DUE TO A QUALITY CONTROL PROBLEM MOTOROLA HAS TEMPORARILY STOPPED SHIPMENT OF THE S9 HEADSET. SHIPMENT OF THE HEADSET IS SET TO RESUME BY MAY 31ST."

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#157 05-23-2007, 05:14
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Yeah i notice this, when i put them in my pocket the have communication problems.. . so motrola now you noticed?? what happens with us who bought them already? you have millions, but i can affort 100 more bucks.
very nice

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#158 05-23-2007, 14:54
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Interesting - any word on what the "quality control problem" is? I didn't have any issues with their connectivity. They worked fine for me in that regard. However, it wasn't really sweat-resistant, even though it was supposed to be.

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#159 05-23-2007, 15:19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngeloDeon
Yeah i notice this, when i put them in my pocket the have communication problems.. . so motrola now you noticed?? what happens with us who bought them already? you have millions, but i can affort 100 more bucks.
very nice

Its called manufacture warranty.

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#160 05-24-2007, 07:42
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yea? and what do i say to them? usually when i put them on my pocket they cant play normal music? they will show me their book that says : it might have problems etc etc, avoid put in them near keys etc etc. there in no way to change them with the fixed version only if i tell them this. its called managemend. they care for the many. Well maybe i give it a try. could you give me the motorola in cyprus? oups.. no on admits or tells me who supports motorola in cyprus. Ok then i send them to the net shop i bought them, they wont change them with such a reason and i will get them next month. I paid to have them today, not after one month. could you give me a phone to contact motorola in cyprus?

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#161 05-25-2007, 09:26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AngeloDeon
yea? and what do i say to them? usually when i put them on my pocket they cant play normal music? they will show me their book that says : it might have problems etc etc, avoid put in them near keys etc etc. there in no way to change them with the fixed version only if i tell them this. its called managemend. they care for the many. Well maybe i give it a try. could you give me the motorola in cyprus? oups.. no on admits or tells me who supports motorola in cyprus. Ok then i send them to the net shop i bought them, they wont change them with such a reason and i will get them next month. I paid to have them today, not after one month. could you give me a phone to contact motorola in cyprus?

If they are publicaly announcing a problem, I don't see why they wouldn't replace it for you. I know people who bought the A version of the H700 of eBay, and they replaced them without a receipt.

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#162 Today, 13:26
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I called CS and simply told them I was aware of a quality control issues and they said we will send a new one right out!

*********************

A few places have them, but if you look around, the majority of places list them as backorder or out of stock. I think I read somewhere else that the issue was something with the buttons but I am not positive of that.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by dukenilnil

A few places have them, but if you look around, the majority of places list them as backorder or out of stock. I think I read somewhere else that the issue was something with the buttons but I am not positive of that.

Sorry, I don't know what to tell ya -- I've had zero problems with my S9's.

Posted by: Pneumatic

I got S9's yesterday (in part due to this thread). I paired them up easily and started flipping through my music on my Wing. There was a lot of noise on the high frequencies (sounds like someone rustling cellophane over the high tones of the music). Given the fact that people here said that the S9s had "great sound quality" I thought maybe it was my phone. I paired them with my wife's Rizr (thinking it would work better with another Motorola device) only to find the same quality. I am no audiophile but after a little while I couldn't listen to it anymore because it was SO annoying.

I figured I got a dud pair of headphones. It actually sounded to me like the speakers were blown so I took them back to the store and exchanged them for new ones (today). I charged them for the recommended two hours and paired them up only to find that they sound exactly like the previous set.

I have searched for a solution but found nothing. If I can't find something online (or here) I guess I will just get my money back, which bums me out. I love the idea of the headphones for running and working out but if I have to listen to them for one more second I think my head would explode.

Posted by: Urban Strata

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pneumatic

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience, Pneumatic. Your headphones may be part of the "manufacturing issues" mentioned by dukenilnil up above. I have no such problems, and I do humbly consider myself an audiophile.

Keep in mind, no Bluetooth headphones will sound as good as a quality pair of wired cans, but my S9's are the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones I've used to date (and I've used a lot). I suggest you return yours for a full refund and sit out of the market for another month or two; Sony, Sennheiser and some other big names should be releasing new pairs soon.

Posted by: mryeaidid

Thanks for posting this. I really wanted this to use at the gym with my wing. Could it be that the wing does not have that much memory to begin with? Today all i had running was wmp and pie and it was down to 1.x MB.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pneumatic

I got S9's yesterday (in part due to this thread). I paired them up easily and started flipping through my music on my Wing. There was a lot of noise on the high frequencies (sounds like someone rustling cellophane over the high tones of the music). Given the fact that people here said that the S9s had "great sound quality" I thought maybe it was my phone. I paired them with my wife's Rizr (thinking it would work better with another Motorola device) only to find the same quality. I am no audiophile but after a little while I couldn't listen to it anymore because it was SO annoying.

I figured I got a dud pair of headphones. It actually sounded to me like the speakers were blown so I took them back to the store and exchanged them for new ones (today). I charged them for the recommended two hours and paired them up only to find that they sound exactly like the previous set.

I have searched for a solution but found nothing. If I can't find something online (or here) I guess I will just get my money back, which bums me out. I love the idea of the headphones for running and working out but if I have to listen to them for one more second I think my head would explode.

Posted by: CybrSlydr

Urban, have you tried the Cardo S-2s?

The S-2s are the headphones I was originally going to get, but I'm having a deuce of a time finding any store in Columbus that has the damn things.

Audio quality is the main deciding factor for me - I want the best sounding bluetooth cans possible. I will be using them to listen to music on a Moto Krzr K1 (my MP3 player died and I got this phone, so now it's my phone/MP3 player).

Thanks for your input.

Posted by: Urban Strata

I haven't tried Cardo's stereo headphones, but I do have the original Cardo Scala 500 (mono) headset. It was alright quality -- not great, but it got me by for almost a year until I picked up an Aliph Jawbone, which is vastly superior.

I'm still using the Motorola S9 headphones virtually every day for music. I love them and audio quality is excellent!

Posted by: jumpmonger23

Does anybody who has the s9 have any extra replacement ear tips they'd be willing to part with? I have a pair of s9's but they didnt come with any ear tips. Please let me know.