“Scrapheap Challenge” was the phrase that sprang to mind when we first clapped eyes on the Sony DR-BT20NX Bluetooth headphones. However, pairing up to a phone or Bluetooth MP3 player soon changed our minds… even if it does look like this was made in the dark.
Ignore the mish-mash styling for a minute and try the Sony DR-BT20NXs on. AVCRP and A2DP compatible, they feel light as on your head, so much so we forgot we were wearing them. Punch up the sound on them, though, and call/music quality is clear whether you’re stood on your own in a silent room or in the middle of rush hour traffic. Just for the record, we don’t recommend you try the latter.
There’s no noise-cancelling technology, but that doesn’t seem to bother the Sony DR-BT20NXs too much, and the battery is more marathon than sprint, coming in at a highly respectable 11-hour running time off one charge.
As we said already, this is no great shakes to look at. And if you think that Bluetooth headsets are the ultimate fashion sin reserved for annoying Suralan types, then the Sony DR-BT20NX is a one way ticket to businessman Hades. The Bluetooth pendant alone is fatter than an iPod Shuffle, and has pretty limited range at that, which means you do get the occasional bit f high-end hiss and interference.
There aren’t many decent Bluetooth headsets around, and the Sony DR-BT20NX is far from perfect, but if you can get past the chunky styling, these beam your calls and tunes to your ears sans wires!
