Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-501

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-501

The Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-501 is for you if you want to

listen to stereo music and switch effortlessly to your phone when you need to talk.

• Live the music
• Stereo music streamed wirelessly from compatible device using Bluetooth wireless technology
• Operation & music listening time up to 11 h, standby time up to 150 h
• Well designed user interface is easy to learn and intuitive to use

Comfort/fit/fashion
Nokia's BH-501 Bluetooth Headset are worn as full wrap-around headphones. Like most full headsets, they're in no way inconspicuous — and because you've got "Nokia" emblazoned in big letters on each ear, you're also providing a significant chunk of mobile advertising when you wear them. Our only concern with the BH-501 concerns the volume up/down buttons; if you're a glasses wearer you may find that tapping on them grinds your frame into your ear a touch.

Sound quality
The BH-501 impressed us with its sound quality, with rich and deep bass comparable to most wired headsets and distinctive treble. Volume range was impressive, with only a touch of distortion at the top level, which is noted by an audible beep when you hit it — a nice safety warning to stop you inadvertently blowing your eardrums off.

Pairing/ease of use
The BH-501's simple three-button setup lets you set normal phone functions — call answering and volume, as well as ordinary music volume if you're using purely as a pair of headphones. Nokia claims an optimal range of around 10 metres from an audio device; we managed around half that in our home test environment.