Motorla’s S9-HD Bluetooth Music-Streaming Headset An Odd Combo Of Smooth And Awkward [Review]

With Motorola behind one of the main challengers to the iPhone (at least, the current ones, anyway — the emerging iPhone 4, for now, seems fairly peerless), one doesn’t get much chance to observe the iPhone and the Motorola M in close proximity outside, perhaps, some smartphone cage match, or on the bedside table of two star-crossed lovers.

Motorola’s S9-HD — with its solid communication skills and bassy, customizable sound  might be a good opportunity to bring the two together; and since it comes with a Bluetooth dongle, it’ll enable iPod Nanos and other BT-impaired devices the ability to stream music.

The S9-HD differs from its less-sophisticated cousin, the S9, by adding SRS WOW HD sound, stereo during calls and some minor fit improvements. The package we tested also came with the BT dongle, which we weren’t able to test. The unit’s controls consist of two banks of three indistinguishable raised bumps, which was at times a little confusing, especially at first. And of course, until Apple gets its act together and provides full AVRCP support in the iPhone, the skip forward/backward buttons are useless. A multi-color LED provides information on connectivity, power, status and power level.

Sound is pretty good for a Bluetooth set; music sounded bassy and powerful (even without a tight seal from the ear cushions — see below), if a little muddy. Turn the SRS WOW on, and sound quality becomes even more impressive, with richer, fuller bass.  While highs or definition are definitely not this unit’s strengths, the overall effect is still pleasing, especially for a wireless set at this price-point.

Unlike the Sonys we tested a few weeks back, the S9-HD performs well as a communicator, and I was able to both hear callers on the other end well and they reported being able to hear me relatively well (a common complaint being that I sounded “tinny”) even with a moderate amount of background noise.

My biggest gripe with this headset is its awkward fit. Unlike almost all other stereo headsets or headphones, the S9-HD isn’t equipped with any way to adjust it — it either fits you, or it doesn’t. Yes, the arms are somewhat flexible, but even that doesn’t allow sufficient adjustment for the ear cushions to provide a tight seal. The result is a poorish ability to block environmental sound from intruding. The lack of a secure fit also means that the bulbous bit in the rear tends to flop around a bit during jerky endeavors like running — a pity, because the S9-HD is well sealed and otherwise a good candidate for active users.

A few complaints, but a good combination of sound and functionality make this set worth looking at, especially for iPod users searching for a way to ditch cables.

Eli Milchman

When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.