This week, I had the opportunity to test out Avantree’s Hive headphones, courtesy of MobileZap. I love the idea of cordless headphones and also I am thinking that they would be good for kids who seem to be able to tie a cord into knots in three seconds flat. So here is my opinion.
Contents of the package 
- Bluetooth stereo headphone with mic
- Detachable 3.5mm audio cable
- Charging cable (plugs into a USB port)
- User manual and Warranty card
Technical specifications
- Batteries Included: Yes
- Battery Type Required: Lithium polymer
- LED Indicators: Yes
- Mains Charger Included: No
- Operating Range: ~ 3 m
- Product Depth: 70 mm
- Product Height: 200 mm
- Product Width: 155 mm
- Rechargeable: Yes
- Standby Time: 240 Hours
- Talk Time: 10 Hours
- Voice Dial: No
- Volume Control: Yes
- Weight: 180g
Review
First impression of the design – they are minimalist; or no frills if you are not a fan of this design style. They are adjustable of course; we tried them on two adults and one 5 year old. The child found them OK to wear; the adults were split on this.
The initial setup is simple. Check that the headset is charged; you can charge if necessary using the full-sized USB cable provided and any other device such as a laptop or a USB charger. The pairing process is easy provided you read the steps in the manual.
I tried the headphones with a Samsung Galaxy Note tablet and a desktop machine – an iMac.
There are controls for ON/OFF and volume, plus a port for connecting to non-Bluetooth enabled devices – a nice touch.
The sound quality is good especially at the price point. There was no noticeable sound bleed. My partner did not complain once about hearing anything! I tried it with my standard audio test – Tubular Bells – a favorite of mine since my programming days at Uni. It provides a wide variety of pitches and of course instrument variety. I then ran it through a bit of Bach and some acapella – current fave is Lady Gaga’s “Born this way”. The headphones provided a pleasant listening experience.
There was two small problem though. There was a short buzzing noise before playing each track and at the end of each start/stop, when I was using it with the tablet. This was much less noticeable with the iMac.
The other is that I found the volume control a bit fiddly to use. It is is a small lever that snaps back when you take your finger away. It works but fine control is hard. Note that it does sound a warning signal when maximum safe volume is reached.
I haven’t yet tried it with a smartphone to test its capabilities with phonecalls but I will when work dies down a bit and will then amend the review.
Summary
Price at Mobile Zap: AUD40.99
Pros
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Reasonable sound quality
Cons
- Fiddly volume control
- Buzz noise encountered with one device
Headset was provided by MobileZap