Review: Tritton AX Micro BT Headset
Posted by warthog on 06/4/08 in Headsets, Mobilitysite Reviews, Pocket PC Phones, Smart Phones, Wifi / Bluetooth, Windows Mobile 6, Windows Mobile 6.1
Reviewer: Andy Mason, aka Warthog
Product: Tritton Bluetooth Headset TRI-BH200, AX Micro
Manufacturer: Tritton Technologies, Inc.
Price: MSRP $59.99 (some online retailers offer significant discount)
Bluetooth headsets have been available for a number of years now. However, several states have enacted laws that make hands-free headsets less of an optional ornament and more of a necessary accessory. Tritton Technologies Inc. is known mostly for their USB devices, but they are venturing into the headset market with the AX Micro.
“The TRITTON AX Micro breaks the mold of traditional Bluetooth headsets by providing innovative features in a discrete stylish design. The AX Micro incorporates a new design with flexible finger grips that rest on the in-curve rim of the ear. This headset offers great stability and comfort whether used in an active or corporate environment.”
What’s in the Box?
My AX Micro arrived in a fairly plain black box that displays the headset through a clear, plastic window. Also included in the box are one small and one large sized rubber ear grippers, a lanyard and clip, an AC/DC adapter, and a charging cradle that can be powered by AC/DC or a mini USB.
A Closer Look
At first glance, the AX Micro resembles most other Bluetooth headsets; it is a small, rectangular headset constructed of black plastic. It has a matt finish applied to the top, while the sides and the bottom are a glossy piano black. The only additional color on the headset is an understated gray Tritton Technologies logo on the face. The typical three buttons (volume up and down, and the Multifunction button) respond with a definite click when pressed.
The Volume buttons are glossy and smooth. The volume up button, however, has a raised dot on it to distinguish it from the volume down button.
The status indicator LED is bright but smaller than other headsets I’ve seen. I’m not particularly fond of headsets with blinding LEDs that draw everyone’s attention to the fact that you are wearing a headset. Tritton opted for a more discreet LED for their AX Micro; it’s more diminutive and less glaring so as not to be a distraction to others around you.
Turn the AX Micro around you’ll discover Tritton’s most innovative design feature; the flexible finger grip. It’s a soft, rubber rectangle, with perforated holes, as well as five “fingers” protruding from the top. These fingers serve as “grips” so that the AX Micro fits securely inside the rim of the ear. This means the earpiece of the AX Micro is not inserted into the ear canal, but is meant to rest against the outside of the ear canal, held in place by the rubber grips. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if the headset would remain in position or not, but they were surprisingly stable. I could shake or tilt my head and much as I wanted and I could hardly feel any movement in the position of the headset. I wouldn’t necessarily wear the AX Micro during a pick-up game of basketball, but for all other “normal” home and office activities it should stay put as long as you need it. Another benefit of the ear grips versus the over-the-ear hooks is you can easily carry the AX Micro in your shirt or pants pocket without any awkward bulk and no fear breaking a delicate piece of your hardware. Additionally, the symmetrical design of the AX Micro and its soft, rubber grips make it easy to switch from one ear to another.
Tritton must ascribe to the two-sizes-fit-all philosophy because there were only a small and a large ear grip in the package. I began with the smaller of the two, but the headset was too loose. I applied on the larger of the two grips and found a much better fit. My previous headsets were always secured with some type of over-the-ear apparatus. I must admit that the fit of the ear grips did feel a little odd, at first, but they were not uncomfortable and I soon forgot they were even there. One of the drawbacks of the AX Micro is the earpiece is not designed to be worn in the ear canal so there are times when background noises interfere with the incoming sound.
Testing Environment
I tested the Trittion AX Micro with the HTC Mogul. Sound quality was pretty good in quiet environments. I could hear incoming callers just fine, and they heard me clearly on the receiving end as well. I made a couple of test calls to my wife while driving in my car with the windows up and the A/C fan running on high and the volume on stereo at 20 (“Normal” sound level on the same stereo is 12). While I could make out her end of the conversation reasonably well, she noted that I was breaking up and that the A/C fan and the loud stereo caused my end of the conversation to be spotty at best. Once I turned the A/C and stereo back to real-life levels, we carried on a clear conversation with no noticeable interference.
As with most Bluetooth headsets these days, the AX Micro has three buttons: Two for volume adjustment, and a main multifunction button. The volume buttons predictably adjust up and down, plus you can mute the microphone by pressing both simultaneously during “Talk Mode”. The multifunction button is used for the following operations: Make/Answer a call (short click), Redial (double click MFB when idle), Voice-Dial (long click), End call (long click during “Talk mode”), Reject call (long click while phone is in ringing), Call transfer (short click during “talk mode” to transfer call from headset to phone or vice versa), Call Waiting (long click MFB during “Talk Mode” to answer incoming call. Short click MFB twice to switch between calls), and Reconnect (short click MFB twice to reconnect headset with phone) .
The Charging Cradle
Charging the AX Micro requires that the headset be placed in a charging cradle. It’s a cool cradle with its sculpted lines and two-tone silver and black finish. The AX Micro snaps in tight and does not disrupt the contours of the cradle. As small and visually appealing as the cradle is, the bottom line is there’s yet another charging accessory dotting your deskscape. I would have preferred to have the mini-USB connector built-in to the headset itself and eliminate the need for the charging cradle altogether.
Final Thoughts
The AX Micro packs respectable voice performance and noise cancellation (except for the extreme testing conditions). The innovative ear grips look and feel a little odd, at first, but they work as advertised. Tritton has produced a BT headset that is stylish and discreet. I would definitely recommend the AX Micro to someone looking for a headset that is a solid performer and is both easy on the ear and the wallet! The AX Micro is competitively priced at $59.99 MSRP (some online retailers offer this unit at a can’t-go-wrong price).
Pros:
- Good sound quality
- Comfortable enough to wear all day
- Competitively priced
- Very good battery life; talk time and stand-by
- Symmetrical design allows user to easily switch from one ear to the other
Cons:
- Noticeable static in noisy environments
- Low battery tone needs to be unique. I could not distinguish between the tones for muting the sound on the headset and the low battery warning.
- Another proprietary charging cradle taking up desk space
Specifications:
- Standards: Bluetooth Specification 1.1, 1.2, 2.0
- RF Frequency Range: 2402~2480
- Profiles Supported: Headset, Hands-free
- Transmission Power: 0.25~2.5mW (Class 2)
- Receiver Sensitivity: < -80dBm (Per 1%)
- Distance: 10m (in open space)
- Battery Type: Li-Ion Polymer 150mAH
- Battery Life: Stand by > 150hrs
- Talk Time: > 5hrs
- Charging Time: 3hrs
- Charging Voltage: DC +5V (USB)
- Button/Switch: Multi-Function Button,Volume Up/Down
- LED Indicators: Dual Color
- Weight: 9.5g
- Operating Temp: -10~+50oC
- Operating Humidity: 0~95%
- Certification: BQB, FCC, CE
Thanks to the folks at Tritton Technologies for providing a review sample.
Written by warthog · Filed Under Headsets, Mobilitysite Reviews, Pocket PC Phones, Smart Phones, Wifi / Bluetooth, Windows Mobile 6, Windows Mobile 6.1
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Nice review! How do you like it so far? Thank you