One of the parting gifts I received as I left Nokia World 2009 was the Nokia BH-214 Stereo Bluetooth headset. Despite the model number, I’ve grown to consider this headset the next step beyond the awesome Nokia BH-903, which, till now, has been my favorite Bluetooth headset for music. The BH-214 is a medallion with audio controls and a built-in clip, so that you can clip it to your shirt while exercising. It then has 2 connections built into the hinge on the clip – a standard Nokia 2mm power port and a standard 3.5mm audio port.
The medallion part of the BH-214 is about the size of the older Apple iPod Shuffles, measuring 50.8mm x 38mm (2-in x 1.5-in), and is made of sturdy white plastic. The front of the medallion is covered by a smoky-blue plastic piece, with labels to show the music playback controls in the up, down, left, and right positions. Along the top edge of the headset you’ll find the tiny power button, as well as an LED indicator light, which flashes various colors depending on what the headset is doing.
The cool thing about the Nokia BH-214 is that it has a standard 3.5mm audio port to connect headphones to. It ships with a really nice pair of in-ear headphones, with three different sized earbuds, so you can find the ones that are most comfortable to you. However, if you have a pair of expensive earphones that you would like to use, the 3.5mm audio port means you can use those quite easily. Essentially, the Nokia BH-214 Stereo Bluetooth headset turns any headphones or speakers into ones with A2DP support for stereo Bluetooth.
Nokia estimates that the BH-214 will last for roughly 7 hours of music playback, though in my usage, it was closer to 6 hours. There is also a microphone embedded in the medallion part of BH-214, so that if a call comes in while you’re listening to music, you can take it. Accepting a phone call automatically pauses the music, which is handy, and then the music will fade back in once the call has ended.
Audio quality over the Nokia BH-214 is acceptable, though I wouldn’t want to use it for extended calls, as there is a bit of echo and ‘empty’ sound when using it, for both parties. It’s clear that the Nokia BH-214 is not designed for phone calls, but rather for music.
Testing with a few different phones, I have noticed that the BH-214 produces awesome audio, though it is slightly less quality than directly plugging the headphones into your phone, in most cases. The range is a solid 30 feet, and I have yet to experience any static or dropouts while within the 30-foot range. Most phones that I have tried also support the music playback controls on the Nokia BH-214, as well.
Most quality A2DP Stereo Bluetooth headphones that I have seen start at about $100 and go up from there. Luckily, the Nokia BH-214 starts at $49.99, and allows you to use any headphones or computer speakers as if they had built-in stereo bluetooth. It’s certainly an awesome little accessory, if you’re an audiophile.
