Review: Jaybird JB-200 Bluetooth headphones

The Jaybird JB-200 is another attempt to offer a compact wireless Bluetooth headset for listening to audio from a mobile phone or other compatible device (it needs to work with the A2DP Bluetooth standard).

The tidy, stylish design is in the form of two in-ear buds with over-ear mounts that contain the wireless circuitry and battery. These are designed to fit snugly into position but, while it is provided with a range of different-sized rubber caps, it was quite tricky to get everything sitting comfortably.

Pairing the device to a mobile phone was very straightforward - the onboard controls can be used to do this and to skip back and forth through tracks, adjust volume and switch the power on and off.

You can also receive phone calls through the earphones - a built-in microphone did a surprisingly good job of making conversations in most environments very easy to understand.

Audio quality through a mobile phone was pretty good and improved noticeably once we can found a comfortable fit. Provided the phone is kept within a couple of feet of the earphones the signal quality is clean and consistent and, as it is waterproof and sweat-proof, we can see these being ideal for use while running or during sporting activities.

You'll get an average of six hours from the battery, which is pretty decent, and the device takes a couple of hours to charge through the docking adapter supplied.

In addition to mobile phones the earphones can also be connected to an iPod or other music player using a dedicated Bluetooth dongle, although this needs to be bought separately.

We tried out the iPod version (which costs £30 from the same supplier as the headset) and noticed that sound quality was a definite improvement over a regular mobile phone. You can even use a mobile and iPod simultaneously, with one for music and the other to receive calls.

The JB-200 is reasonably priced and performs very well for a style-oriented device of its type. If you're looking for a wireless set of earphones, this set is at the top of the pile at the moment.