Design
While the Creative Digital Wireless Headphones can be used with any device that has a 3.5mm headphone jack (such as a TV, hi-fi, notebook and more), we were most excited to use it in tandem with an MP3 player as a wire-free way of enjoying music while on the move. While many other wireless headphones come with large transmitters, the Creative's transmitter is the size of a packet of gum, meaning it can easily be connected to any MP3 player and then stored in a bag or your pocket.
Unfortunately the petite-ness stops at the transmitter, with the headphones themselves quite large in size. They're not enormously big as some headsets can get, but the ear cups themselves measure about 7.5cm in diameter and are roughly 4cm thick -- meaning you'll be sporting the Princess Leia look around town when listening to these Creatives. The model we tested out had ivory white ear cups with a grey bridge, but they are also available in all black. The outer rings of the ear cups are also interchangeable, and you get one extra pair as standard (ours was coloured grey).
Features
The Creative Digital Wireless Headphone uses Bluetooth v1.2 to send audio between the transmitter and the headphones and has a stated range of up to 10m. It uses the 2.4GHz frequency, while the headphones have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz, impedence of 32ohm and a sensitivity of 90dB.
The transmitter itself is fairly clutter free -- there's only an on/off button plus a LED to indicate that the unit's on. The headphones themselves also have very little in terms of controls on them, sporting only an on/off button on the side of the left ear cup and a volume control on the right ear cup.
Performance
At 203g with batteries installed, the Creative Wireless Headphones aren't the lightest set out there, but nonetheless feel quite light when placed on your head. The padded insides of the ear cups makes them a comfortable wear, but their round design results in a not completely snug fit (as opposed to oval shaped ear cups in other headphones). The Creative's tend to shift slightly on your head if you move too fast -- it's certainly not a deal breaker, but it's something to be aware of.
Performance-wise, the Creative's deliver an impressive sound that should pass muster for all but staunch audiophiles. Bass is appropriately weighty, and it can pump out volume at near ear-shattering levels. At higher volumes, however, the Creatives tend to suffer from sound leakage. If you've got the volume turned up loud on these headphones while commuting, expect the person sitting next to you on the train or bus to know exactly what music you're playing.
But wireless freedom is what these headphones are all about, and in that area Creative is on a winner. It easily transmits up to seven metres away without sound degradation, although that drops significantly at longer distances. It also has no problem transmitting into another room, although the more walls between the transmitter and the headphones, the greater the interference. Perhaps our greatest reservation lies with the Creative's battery life, which at roughly seven hours for the headphones will probably mean a weekly battery change if you plan to use the headphones while commuting. It could quickly become an expensive proposition, particularly as the transmitter also chews through batteries.
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dedeth
03/06/2008, 12:54 AM
rating
6/10
safe our money
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30/10/2006, 12:46 PM
rating
2/10
I AGREE SHIZANHOUZIN
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saman
25/10/2005, 11:50 AM
brilliant sound - clear with great b**** and treble
The only negatives are
a. not as loud as i would like
b. uses batteries pretty quickly so remember to charge often
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creative=cool
14/06/2005, 04:20 PM
cool and nice
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