High
End Headset Comparison
Cardo S-800 vs Jawbone & Jawbone 2
vs BlueAnt Q1 - which is best?
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The Cardo S-800 (on
top) is shorter but wider than the Aliph Jawbone 2 (third
down). The BlueAnt Q1, at the bottom in this column on
the right, is the slimmest. All are comparable in weight.
Also shown (second
down), is the original Jawbone
unit.
Part
of our series on Bluetooth - more articles listed on
the right.
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After so many disappointments
and headsets that offer unacceptable compromises, particularly
in terms of sound quality, we've finally found three excellent
headsets that have a lot to like about them, and few if any
serious flaws.
The Cardo S-800 headset costs
much less than half the price of the other headsets, however. Do you get
what you pay for - should you pay an extra $40 for the more
expensive Jawbone or BlueAnt?
Or is the Cardo simply
better, and better value too?
For the fullest answer, you
should read the respective complete reviews on both headsets,
but for a quick summary of differences, the table below will
help you decide which would be the better headset for you.
Feature Table
The following are what we
feel to be the key features and the respective ratings of the
four headsets.
If there are other aspects
of the headsets you'd like us to add to the table, don't
hesitate to let us know.
|
Feature |
Cardo
S-800 |
BlueAnt
Q1 |
Aliph
Jawbone
Aliph Jawbone 2 |
|
Link to Full
Review |
Cardo S-800 review |
BlueAnt Q1 review |
Aliph Jawbone review
Aliph Jawbone 2 review |
|
List Price |
$85 |
$99 |
$120 |
|
Street Price
(Amazon) |
$15 |
$60 or less |
$56 and up on
Amazon
for the Jawbone 2 |
|
Warranty |
1 yr non
transferable |
2 yr non
transferable |
1 yr non
transferable |
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Battery life
claimed (standby) |
168 hrs |
100 - 120 |
120 hrs
Jawbone
192 hrs Jawbone 2 |
|
Battery life
claimed (talk) |
8 hrs |
4 - 5 |
6 hrs
Jawbone
4 hrs Jawbone 2 |
|
Headset
weight |
0.3 oz |
0.3 oz |
0.7 oz
Jawbone
0.3 oz Jawbone 2 |
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Headset size
(excluding earloop) |
1.7" x 0.8"
and 0.4" thick, with the earpiece protruding out
another 0.5". |
2.1" x 0.6"
x 0.35", the earpiece adds another 0.5" |
Jawbone 2.3" x 0.9"
and 0.6" thick, with the earpiece protruding out
another 0.5"
Jawbone 2 2.2" x 0.5" and 0.5" thick, with the
earpiece protruding out another 0.5" |
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Ease of
putting on and off ear |
Good |
Good |
Poor Jawbone
Good Jawbone 2 |
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Comfortable
to wear |
Fair to poor
without the optional loop, average to good with
the loop |
Good |
Poor to good
(very subjective) |
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Secure on
ear |
Yes with
optional loop, no without |
Yes, even
without optional loop |
Yes - loop
is mandatory |
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Can wear
with glasses |
Yes with
minimal difficulty |
Yes |
Not so
conveniently |
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Standard USB
charge socket |
Yes - micro
USB |
No |
No |
|
Computer USB
charging cable provided |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Normal audio
quality |
Very Good |
Excellent |
Very Good |
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Noise
cancelling |
Good |
Excellent |
Very Good |
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Can pair to
two devices simultaneously |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
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Effective
Range |
Short
through obstructions, about 50' direct
unobstructed line of sight |
Short
through obstructions, about 50' direct
unobstructed line of sight |
Short
through obstructions, about 50' direct
unobstructed line of sight |
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Toll Free
Support |
Yes, Mon -
Fri |
Yes, Mon -
Fri |
No - email
support only, slow responses. |
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Summary
The Aliph Jawbone was
generally considered to be the best headset available when it
was released, way back in 2006, and its successor, the Jawbone
2, improved on the original Jawbone when it came out in 2008.
The most distinctive feature
of the Jawbone and Jawbone 2 is its extremely good noise cancelling.
If this is a must-have
feature, then you'll probably happily spend the extra money on
a Jawbone 2 (There's no reason to buy an original Jawbone,
although they can still be found for sale).
But if it is not essential,
chances are you'll find the Cardo S-800 works as well as the Jawbone in
all normal respects, and with a comparable or smaller size,
comparable or lighter weight,
comparable or longer battery life and lower price - well, what more need I
say!
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Originally published
2 May 2008, last update
21 Jul 2020
You may freely reproduce or distribute this article for noncommercial purposes as long as you give credit to me as original writer.
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