Back on the Great Wall I gave the BT8030 headphones / speaker combination the thumbs down and the BR2050 mini-headset the thumbs up, but what a difference a more extended test makes… I’ve already updated my view of the BT8030s to a qualified ‘not half bad’ (for travel) in my review, but unfortunately the BT2050s (pictured above) have spent the last week going down in my estimations.
First the good stuff… this headset is small, well put together, has a good battery life, a simple and comfortable ear clip plus USB charging. It’s also available for £20 which, lets face it, is practically free.
The problem is, and it’s clear to see in the picture above, is the proximity of the volume increase and decrease keys which are within a few millimetres of each other. In the quiet of our Beijing apartment I set the volume and forgot this, but out and about in the centre of London adjustments whilst in use are impossible and this, at worst, makes the unit unusable as callers are too quiet to hear or uncomfortably loud.
If this flaw doesn’t bother you then the headset otherwise has much to commend it – give it a try. Personally, I’d look for one of the many alternatives at this price (Amazon has a ton, well 15 or so) with volume buttons that work.
[The BT2050 is on the left]