Jaybird's SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth headphones finally find their aesthetic calling

With product names like "Endorphin Rush," "Freedom," and "The Tiger Eyes" for its headphones, it's always been clear that Jaybird strives for a little bit more when it comes to the image associated with its listening devices. So naturally the imaginatively named "SB1 Sportsband" set of Bluetooth headphones would bring one of the classiest designs we've seen for that purpose, and certainly Jaybird's most stunning contribution to the market. The headphones boast about eight hours of stereo music use, feature moisture-protected music controls, and can even handle the odd call or two. They're shipping now for $89.

[Thanks, Matt A.]

[JefferyShin Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:47AM]

Ohhhhhhh my goodness those are GORGEOUS

[Ducman69 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:56AM]

@JefferyShin - Function should always come over form, and it is a simple fact that over here headphones offer better noise isolation and comfort than on ear muffs.

[Ducman69 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:57AM]

@Ducman69 lol, I meant "over EAR headphones".

[01001010 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 10:44AM]

@JefferyShin I like the design as well. They look almost the same as the B&O Form 2. I have been researching bluetooth headphones recently and came across two other companies that look EXACTLY like this. Look up the BlueFox Extreme 402, and there's one other one too I can't remember, identical.

[pukerocket Posted Jan 3rd 2010 10:56AM]

@Ducman69

Says who? Who invented that rule? Or is it just something you made up to make yourself like you keep it real?

[sweet greggo Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:11PM]

@JefferyShin

Those look awesome, but I too question the form factor. They just don't look like they would stay in place very well, a bad flaw for a "sport" headphone.

I could rock those at my desk though.

[New Reformation Posted Jan 3rd 2010 3:44PM]

@JefferyShin

For this price you should just get some Grado SR-60's and enjoy the vastly better Sound Quality. I gave up BT headphones when I realized that I was missing most of the music by using them...

[JefferyShin Posted Jan 3rd 2010 4:04PM]

@sweet greggo

Yeah, you're right. I think they made a mistake of calling it sport headphones...

I think they just look amazing as just regular headphones.

[Evolyptic Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:27PM]

@New Reformation I gave up on wired headphones when the wires kept breaking off. I can take care of everything else but me and wired headphones don't seem to work. I love my BH-504.

[Mattg Posted Jan 3rd 2010 6:00AM]

Beautiful!

[Nubee Posted Jan 3rd 2010 6:01AM]

wow, they look awesome... question though: how good is the sound quality when it comes to bluetooth headphones?

[scnarf Posted Jan 3rd 2010 6:42AM]

@Nubee I have the Jabra Halo Bluetooth Headphones. Sound quality is very good, but Bluetooth is totally useless. It interferes with wifi, bandwidth is horrible. Not really usable if you use it together with bluetooth keyboard, bluetooth mouse and wifi. Next wireless headphones I buy will work with wifi-direct...

[BuryTheCastle Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:29AM]

@Nubee
I was just about to ask that same thing. Isn't Bluetooth audio limited to a certain bitrate or something?

[therockr92 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:46AM]

It seems to be around 128K, it's not perfect but it sounds pretty good. I have noticed that using my JB200's with my Droid sounds amazingly better than the Bluetooth in my iPod touch, as well as the Bluetooth dongle that came with the headphones. Both were extremely staticky during use, and basically were useless with wifi on. In short, I think the device you are connecting to makes a huge difference in sound quality.

[Numetheus Posted Jan 3rd 2010 10:33AM]

@scnarf: How is Bluetooth useless? When I am getting in a good workout wires get in the way. When I'm lifting I always have to play the re-arrange the wire game. Modern Bluetooth stereo headsets sound very good. Sure the best pair does not sound as good as the best pair of wired ones, but focussing on the workout primarily and audio quality secondary. If the audio quality of Bluetooth stereo headsets are getting to you during a workout, then your not focussing on your workout.

[scnarf Posted Jan 3rd 2010 11:11AM]

@Numetheus That's true. But in my setup that I described bluetooth has a lot of problems. That makes it for me useless in some points. I'm hoping for a new standard soon.

[husher Posted Jan 3rd 2010 1:24PM]

@Nubee my question is, were is engadget's review of these puppies when the site is using engadget to promote them on tab 3 of the site.

[Techtrino Posted Jan 3rd 2010 6:23AM]

hmm they look very much inspired by the Form2, but nice nonetheless.

Still I cant imagine how they can sound good, but then again Ipod people dont care about sound as long as there are bass hehe

[lindsays Posted Jan 3rd 2010 6:51AM]

so cool! I want it.

[kevinyang Posted Jan 3rd 2010 7:37AM]

It is so cool for me!

[kevinyang Posted Jan 3rd 2010 7:38AM]

@ kevinyang
And try to post comment by PIMShell again.

[luckylikeu Posted Jan 3rd 2010 7:42AM]

Wow, these are beautiful, but I have a question. The iPhone supports stereo Bluetooth, but doesn't support anything but play/pause and stop through AVRCP. So if you shell out the bucks for this, doesn't it mean that you won't even be able to skip through your songs with the on-board controls? If so... that's a bummer.

[Lweel8 Posted Jul 5th 2010 6:25PM]

@luckylikeu Apparently this is true. I have them and cannot skip. Wish I had have known because it's not as great a deal anymore... Feel ripped off a bit.

Now they've gone and written an app so that the controls do work, but they want $5 for it!

[phfresno Posted Jan 3rd 2010 8:16AM]

I'm buying those.

[nancy Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:24AM]

I think it's beauiful! But doubt everybody will have a chance to get it... I know a site with lots of bluetooth sets which are of great quality but are affordable: gsm-earpiece.com

[Dusty Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:30AM]

Jaybird products are great! I have a pair from 2 years back for stereo BT and work fantastic! Prices vary and can be quite high though.

[Olternaut Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:47AM]

Nice, but no. I want to like them but I'm kinda bothered by the fact that they decided to go backwards with the design. We've achieved wireless but at the same time we're back to the beginning in terms of design? It might as well be 1980 again.
I would have been nice if they took their "freedom" wireless earbuds and improved upon the design for 2010. You know, make it smaller and improve the battery life and controls.
THAT product I would buy.

[conyeje2 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 10:19AM]

@Olternaut
Well, they give you a lot of options, since it's adjustable 2 ways, so you could have whatever look you want,depending on how you wear them. Heck, you could wear the band over your eyes and pretend to be Geordi La Forge from Star Trek!

[justmoe1 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 10:29AM]

unless they come out and say they are better then nokia bh-905 its not even worth considering. you get what you pay for and at 90.00 there is no way these have any merit.

[Bad Beaver Posted Jan 3rd 2010 11:07AM]

Man, a wireless Form 2, when did B&O come out with that?

[NAME Posted Jan 3rd 2010 11:43AM]

Why not just make it an MP3 player built? I mean if you cannot use it to make calls

[therockr92 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 12:07PM]

You can.

[husher Posted Jan 3rd 2010 1:13PM]

i think i've seen engadget do a best of bluetooth headsets, but never stereo headsets.
the fact that these thing are adjustable for comfort is a selling point for me. my head is to big for the wrap around type's most of the time.
now i need to know how bad they suck and maken calls.

[bhagiratha Posted Jan 3rd 2010 2:59PM]

Would those work with a mac? I am looking for a bluetooth/wireless stereo headphones to use with my new iMac i7, when I just need to watch a movie or listen to music when i'm relaxing in bed, without disturbing anyone.

[Tohe Posted Jan 3rd 2010 3:04PM]

This looks pretty cool. For the gym I prefer rubber ear buds over foamy pads though.

[egy11micro Posted Jan 3rd 2010 4:11PM]

HOLY MACARRONI!!!!! THAT is so Beautiful ...and also the price!!!

[inestine Posted Jan 3rd 2010 4:21PM]

if only they were cheaper..... they are quite beautiful tho! and im a designer so id know! may consider em once i find out if they actually sound halfway decent

[Bad Beaver Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:05PM]

@inestine

How much cheaper do you want stuff to get? I mean, maybe we can find someone who works for less than the Chinese. Now wouldn't that be great?

[iroydude Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:26PM]

@inestine wait till the KIRF ones come out.. if they aren't out already ;D

[dwdillard Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:04PM]

@inestine Which came first? check these other ones out...
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_details.php?id=17416

They have the identical over-head band, same adjustable silver pieces, and same buttons. Who's KIRF'n who?

[Bad Beaver Posted Jan 4th 2010 1:22AM]

@dwdillard

If you check out B&O's Form 2 you'll wonder even more. Let's just say these are all very inspired designs.

[cdf74dc9 Posted Jan 3rd 2010 5:57PM]

If it sound as good as it look. Sign me in.

[ddelsol Posted Jan 3rd 2010 8:07PM]

Is anyone familiar with the brand "Scosche" I have a pair of bluetooth head phones made by them that basically look exactly like these jaybirds. Does anyone know whats up with this? Heres the link: http://www.scosche.com/products/sfID1/210/sfID2/320/productID/1624

[dwdillard Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:32PM]

@ddelsol nice... Do you like them? Maybe the designer sold this design to several companies at the same time!

[dwdillard Posted Jan 3rd 2010 9:07PM]

Maybe my first comment didnt go through... Check out these "Bluetribe" headphones... Who's making the originals, and who's making the KIRFs?
http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news_details.php?id=17416

Same headband, same buttons, same silver extenders...

[bulentm Posted Jan 4th 2010 1:34AM]

I got the EXACT same headphones for Christmas, but they're Sharper Image branded. Guess the design was whored out to a bunch of different companies?

[Russdotson Posted Jan 4th 2010 3:05AM]

It is nice and awesome i like it and i recommend it to the others.


--------------------------------

Russ Dotson


flights to Melbourne< /a>

[BaronD Posted Jan 4th 2010 4:07AM]

I've had mine for 6 months

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amobil.no%2Fartikler%2Fbth002%2F70249&sl=no&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

[PhoenixFox Posted Jan 4th 2010 5:38AM]

...Where's the play/pause button...

[BoardkilL Posted Jan 4th 2010 5:58AM]

I have a set that looks exactly the same as well. They're an OEM product, and sold under a bunch of different names worldwide.

Considering the price, the sound quality is good. I'd compare the them to a wired set at about 2/3 of the price. They are very comfortable to wear, and I really like the design. Even the hands free functions well, via a tiny little hole with a mic on one of the sides.