Hot on the heels of the Jabra Drive review, DigitalReviews also have the Jabra SUPREME Bluetooth headset. Again thanks to Jabra, let see how this little guy performs.
First Impression
I have to admit, my first impression upon seeing the Jabra Supreme was that it is the epitome of geekness. With the extended boom and blocky ear piece it seems like a throw back to the early days of bluetooth headsets. The dark grey and black theme makes the unit business ready, about as discreet as one can be with a device sticking out of your ear and boom cutting across one’s face.
I did wonder how I would go with a mini javelin stuck in my pocket when the Supreme is not in use, until I discovered that the unit folds in half which also neatly acts as the power button. A very nifty feature which also ensures that I do not accidentally bump a button and turn on the unit by accident. Just this feature alone puts the Jabra Supreme a little higher in my eyes.
In Action
I notice a few hiccups with using the Jabra Supreme initially. The bluetooth connect was quick to establish but it also disconnected about a minute later before reconnecting automatically. Secondly when I tried to make a call out, the sound would not come through the headset even though the bluetooth states it is connected. This issue was resolved when I power cycled the Supreme.
When I did finally make a successful call with the Supreme however, the sound was crackling, fading in and out so badly that it was impossible to understand anything. Lucky for me the first call I make when testing something like this is always to my voicemail. A little digging around on the Jabra website provided a link to update the unit’s firmware which did manage to fix the awful sound problem with the added bonus of fixing the initial disconnection issue.
Once the hurdles have been passed the Jabra Supreme works flawlessly with good sound quality. So much so that the other party has no idea that I was on a bluetooth headset most of the time.
Other Features
A new feature from Jabra is the availability of a smartphone application to help configure the Supreme. At this stage it is exclusive to the Android Market and requires the free download of both the Jabra Service and the Supreme application itself. The application gives greater control over the Active Noise Cancellation. It has three profiles – Office, Outside and Car although I have yet to figure out how to get the app to remember the separate Active Noise Cancellation levels.
The Android app also provides audio notes functionality and also a call log feature. Unlike a standard call log though, the Jabra app provides the option to map where and when you made your calls.
Specifications
- Bluetooth compliance: Bluetooth version 3.0
- Supported Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, Hands Free Profile (v1.6), Headset profile, PBAP
- Supported modes: SCO, eSCO, Sniff mode
- Operating range: Up to 10 meters (33 feet)
- Paired devices Up to 8, connected to two at the same time (MultiUse™)
- Talk time: Up to 6 hours
- Standby time: Up to 15 days
- Charging time: Approximately 2 hours
- Weight: Headset 18 grams (0.64 oz)
- Dimensions: main unit 3.53” x 1.18” x 0,86” in (89,7mm x 29,9mm x 21.9mm)
- Microphone: SLR = 14 dB +/- 3 dB, 2 pcs Omni-directional MEMS microphones, 1 pcs MEMS Sensitivity: -38dBV/Pa @ 1kHz
- Speaker: 24mm dynamic speaker; 32 Ohm, RLR = -5 dB +/- 3 dB
- Digital Signal Processing (DSP): Noise reduction on transmit and receive audio, Noise dependent volume control, Automatic volume
- adjustment on receive audio, Acoustic shock protection
- Operating temperature: -10° C to 55° C (-50 F to 131 F)
- Storage temperature: -40° C to 70° C (-104 F to 158 F)
- Waterproof: No
- Rain shower proof: No
- AC power supply: 100-240 V, 50-60 Hz
- Charging plug dimensions: 5 PINz micro USB / B Type / W=8.7mm L=5.0mm H=2.4mm
What’s in the package?
* 1 Jabra SUPREME headset
* 1 AC charger
* 1 USB cable for charging or firmware upgrade via PC
* 1 extra ear cushion
* 1 extra ear hook large
* 1 quick start manual
* 1 warranty leaflet
* 1 warning leaflet
Gripes
A few gripes to list, most of them minor with the exception of the need to update the firmware in order to have a working unit. The updater package crashes almost immediately on my XP image (yes I still run one of those test dummies) but worked fine on Windows 7 64-bit. The instructions to get the unit into DFU mode is slightly misleading, the battery indicator does not turn orange as noted, it goes into red AND green together.
The rubber cover over the micro USB charge port tends to jam itself between the unit and the cable and prevent proper seating of the plug. Something to look out for when trying to recharge the Supreme.
Conclusion
Despite the initial issues, I got to really like the Jabra Supreme. The build quality of the unit is excellent and the performance is rather stunning considering some of the most discerning of people I tested the unit against had no idea that I am on a bluetooth headset. Additionally I found the earpiece to be comfortable to be worn for an extended period.
The Jabra SUPREME is available for AUD$129 from Dick Smith. No doubt shopping around will save a bit of money.
