Jensen JW160
Written: Nov 22 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Sound quality comparable to regular wired headphones. Good reception for a wireless unit.
Cons: Placement of volume and frequency unit wheels.
The Bottom Line: Good sound. Good reception. Works for me.
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| wilkit88's Full Review: Audiovox JW-160 Wireless Headphones |
I bought this pair of wireless headphones for fun, just to give the wireless concept another try. Impulse/lifestyle buying, if you will, lured by the availability of a rebate discount.
My previous experiences with wireless headphones were disappointing: sound quality was closer to AM mono reception and the whole wireless idea meant lots of static and a very short range (no walls, no interference, etc.)
This Jensen JW160 uses the 900MHz band, so it really isn't confined by the previous technology's downfalls, allowing pretty decent transmission from one room to another (adjacent) room despite walls and not having a line of sight from the headset to the transmitting base. I'm sitting here listening on the headset and writing this review, in a separate room about 20ft away from the transmitter, and am not receiving any noticeable static at any volume range.
I'm rather impressed by the Jensen JW160's performance: sound quality is comparable to regular amateur headphones (it's not bad), although I really did not intend to replace my regular headphones with this pair. I use this mainly to keep me entertained while I'm loading up the dishwasher, doing laundry, prepping for cooking, etc... indoor chores that would be encumbered by having wires around. I tend to listen to pop, rock, jazz and the occasional new age/instrumental track...
One thing I have noticed (and expected as well) is that the volume and sound quality tends to drop a bit with distance, especially if I try to do something outdoors. There are two channels available, and on my unit, channel A transmits a bit louder than channel B. I live in a single-home residence and my neighbors probably don't own one of these. If you live in an apartment building or a townhouse, you may experience more interference. I have 900MHz cordless phones and they don't interfere with the Jensen JW160, neither does my microwave: all improvements over my previous experiences with wireless headphones. The fit is comfortable for me, but it could get tiring over long periods of listening because of a bit of the weight.
While the headset is powered by 2 AAA batteries (I use rechargeables), the base is leashed to a wall by its 12V power adapter. It also has an input cable where you'd plug in an mp3 player, CD or maybe your TV or VCR's audio output. I use it mainly with my CD/mp3 player. You can select the wireless channel (A or B) as well as vary the input level via a slider control. There's a green light indicator for power but other than that, it's pretty minimalist.
The finish is a handsome silver with black. The actual headband is not colored (greyish) but almost goes nicely. Sitting on my counter, it looks rather stylish. It's a good thing that it has the performance to back its looks up. The headset feels a bit tight, which is a good thing, because it inspires confidence and doesn't feel like a pair of flimsy "cheap-o" headphones. One design flaw is that the volume and tuning (for wireless transmission frequency) wheels are placed rather close on the same (R) side of the headphones, so one could knock the tuning off rather easily or confuse the volume wheel with the tuning wheel, or viceversa. Either case, prolonged use might take care of it as one just "learns" and "adapts" to the poor ergonomics. The power switch and a power-on indicator light finish the list of controls/indicators on the headset.
All in all, I am rather satisfied. If you are looking for a pair of wireless headphones, I would recommend the Jensen JW160R, but keep your receipt for a return in case it doesn't meet your expectations and lifestyle. It certainly has made loading the dishwasher, laundry machine and other menial chores a bit more interesting and the time goes by a bit quicker for me.
Please provide your feedback to my rewiew below, especially if you've found it to be very helpful.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
wilkit88
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Reviews written: 22
Trusted by: 4 members
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