After a freak accident that left the headphone port on my Note 2 damaged, I had to look into other options to listen to my music and podcasts. After looking at several options on amazon, weighing the user reviews, cost, battery life, and features I decided on the LG HBS-700 Bluetooth Headphones.
The box was pretty standard, with a magnetic front flap which opened to show off the design of the headphones while highlighting the features and buttons. Opening up the packaging shows the headphones themselves, a micro USB charger, quick start guide, and user manual. The headphones were lighter than I thought, and after putting them around my neck for the first time forgot they were there after 5 minutes.
The button layout on the headphones are thoughtful and intuitive. On the left side is the pulsing indicator LED that surrounds the call/answer button as well as the rocker for volume up or down. Housed on the inside edge is the micro USB charge port with cover to prevent sweat or dust. On the outside of the left side is the power switch, which i'm glad is a switch rather than pressing and holding a button for an extended period of time. Opposite these controls on the right side is the play/pause button, and a rocker for forward and back.
Another great feature of the headphones is the ear-buds themselves are magnetic, and they attach easily to the ends of the neck piece when not in use. The neckband is a soft rubber feel and has two plastic tabs that help manage the ear-bud cable so it prevents tangling and keeps excess wire tucked under your collar or jacket.
The headphones paired easily with my Note 2, without needing to enter a code on my phone or press any specific buttons the headphones themselves. Audio quality did leave a little bit to be desired, audio sounded a little flat however holding the volume up and down together for a few seconds turned on enhanced bass mode which added a little more to the dynamic of the audio. I did read online the audio quality was improved on the later HBS-730 however owners complain of a decrease in range when compared to the HBS-700.
That's also another reason I chose the HBS-700. I have a small studio apartment and wanted to be able to leave my phone in a central location and be able to go about my business and have audio throughout the whole place. I have noticed with line of sight I can easily stand 30-35 feet away without choppiness, however through a wall signal is reduced to about 20-25 feet. This also comes in handy when i'm at the gym so I can set my Note 2 on the floor under a bench and still go to the weight rack and back or get water without losing audio or having to lug around the note 2 in basketball shorts.
Speaking of exercise, the HBS-700 excel at the gym. They are light, and stay put around your neck in most situations. However while laying on a bench or doing crunches i do have to tuck the ends of the headphones under my shirt collar to keep it from slipping off. While running on the treadmill the ends of the neck piece do tend to bounce a bit, but tucking them under your shirt collar solves that problem without much hassle.
Since I do exercise daily, another selling point for these was their amazing battery life. LG makes checking your battery level easy, with a quick hold of the volume down button the status LED can show 1 of 3 colors to tell you how much battery you have left. A typical day of use for me involves a 40 minute dog walk with my pup when I wake up, 15 minutes in the car both ways to the gym plus 2 hours of music at the gym. I can usually go 3-4 days without needing a charge but I usually plug it in each night anyway.
The headphones also do a great job handling phone calls. When receiving a call, the neck piece vibrates, the led flashes, and a simple audio ring chimes in the ear buds. Clicking the call button answers the call, while pressing the volume down button silences the call. Another nice feature is holding the call button down for 1 second redials the last caller, and holding it for 2-3 seconds launches voice commands through whatever application is defaulted on your device.
All in all, I couldn't be more impressed. With stellar battery life, great features and a lower than typical price point of between 50-65 on amazon, the LG HBS-700 is a great choice for those looking for a Bluetooth alternative for their smartphones.
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