**REVIEW** AairHut A1 Mini Bluetooth 4.2 Wireless Headphone

I remember falling out laughing when Apple came out with what I thought of as those silly ear"pods". I still think they are silly but only because I 'm such a loyal Android user. As far as mini earpieces, I'm not laughing so hard anymore. I just tried this sweet little mini Bluetooth headphone from AairHut.

 Let's back up for a minute to look at the last two headsets I used and why I wanted something different.

This one wasn't bad, but one of the side pieces got caught in my coat and broke. As you can see, I tried taping it back together, but...

Ugh. I did like this when it worked and I was a fan of the necklace type earphones for a long time.  Best thing about these was the sound quality. Music sounded awesome and I could control the volume and skipping between tracks on the side panel. I was getting tired of the look of them though. Depending on your outfit, these are so obtrusive or they just look silly. I did get these at a discount to do a review of them. If I'd had to buy them, they would have set me back over 30 bucks. Ouch.

Horrible. This thing still "works" like new but the problem is that it sucked even when it was new for $11.99. It's so flimsy that using it is like dealing with a tin can and string. The earpieces never stay in the magnetized holders and the sound quality is just awful. What did I expect for 12 bucks you say? Well for just about 6 dollars more, I have the mini earbud that I am fast falling in love with.

These are really nice and may just have changed my mind about the type of earbuds I want to use from now on. Apple might have been on to something. Here's my assessment of these:

PROS

• It was really quick and simple to pair this with my phone. The instructions are good (though in small print!)
• I was able to connect this to both my phone and my laptop. I like this because I often talk to my little nephew via Messenger on my computer.
• In-call sound is awesome and very clear. I wasn't sure what I expected, but this surprised me a little.
• It's unnoticeable to the point of being invisible. On someone with the right hairstyle, this would be invisible.
• The compact design is good. The earpiece, as small as it is, fits snugly and securely. Most importantly, this is comfortable so it doesn't make my ear sore.
• The charging mechanism is just as compact as the earpiece. I can pop it into the USB port on my laptop and I don't even notice it's there. This is nice for when I am at the library or traveling. One less cord hanging out of a wall outlet.
• The earpiece and chargers (yes, there are 2 chargers) fit into a nice little carrying/storage case with the extra coverings for the 2 additional ear tips that are included. The case fits into my jacket pocket or into my smallest cross-body purse.
  
• The one-ear system is nice because I rarely ever used both earpieces of the other headsets anyway. I like to keep one ear "open" for other sounds around me.
• I also tested the distance of this by walking into the kitchen, living room and bathroom away from my phone in the bedroom. I haven't measured and tested for the up-to-60-foot distance, but this already works as good as the 30 dollar headset.

CONS:

• While the in-call sound is really, really good and the music sound is pretty awesome too, remember that you'll only get the music in one ear. The sound is actually very good and only lacks a little of the bass in songs.
• When pairing this, I had to hold down the multi-function button and wait for the red and blue flashing. Because the piece is so small, I had to move my finger to see if the lights were flashing.
• There is no Volume button on the earpiece so you have to control that with your phone. This is fine unless you walk away from the phone.

Here are some shots of the case. Like I said, it's nice and compact.

Like I said, I am kind of digging this one-ear system. The price of this was really good too for the quality. If someone in my family asked, I'd tell them to definitely get this one. It's right in price, sound, quality, and style.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the items in this post free or at a discount. I was not compensated nor was I required to do a blog post.

**REVIEW** SoundPEATS vs LG Tone Pro (headsets)

This is LG HBS-760 Tone Pro headset that I got from AT&T. Current Price: $39.99 (I paid around $69.00 for the first pair 2 years ago and have been given replacements)

3 of 5 stars from me

This is the SoundPEATS Q800 headset I got from Amazon. Current Prime Price: $21.99 (I paid $19.99 last year)

4 of 5 stars and 1 heart = 5 stars LOL

When I wrote an Amazon review for the SoundPEATS (SP) headphones, my Tone Pro (TP) was still my favorite (even though it was broken, which I why I got the SoundPEATS). In comparing the 2 sets, I was team Tone Pro all the way. I thought the SB wasn't as nicely designed. Also, I thought the sound quality wasn't as good. I did concede that, for the low price, it was a decent headphone to use as a backup. (After the TP set kept breaking down, I was glad for the backup!)

I used to have the Tone Pro VERSION, then it went wacky. One earbud quit seemed to get a short and would work off and on, depending on how I positioned the cord. That got tiresome. I took advantage of the AT&T 1-year replacement warranty. The replacement worked great. For a while. The next time I had to replace it, the headset had been upgraded. I thought that was great. Maybe the new version would actually work for a longer period of time. Uh... Nope. And that's whey I stopped using the SP as backup and made it my full-time headset.

Funny that my opinion about the SP set changed so much when I was actually using it all day, every day. When I review products for brands, I make sure to give whatever the item is a good chance. I look at the Pros and Cons from every angle, then I make my judgement call. When I reviewed the SPs the first time, I tried them out for about half and hour (or maybe even less), and decided they were only good enough for a standby.

Once I had no choice but to use the SPs as my main headset, I paid more attention to the design and sound quality. This is what I should have done in the first place. (And, by the way, I did have a choice about using them, but I was too cheap and lazy to hunt down a new set,)

I've been using the SPs for about 3 weeks now. I like them so much that I take them for granted. I almost forgot about the old review I'd done on them. The other day, someone asked me what kind of headset I was wearing and I told them. I added that they had been so well-priced that I wish I had been using them all along. And that's when I remembered the old review.

My headset works so much better than the pricey LGs. The one thing I still don't like as much about them are the large buttons. I wish the ends were sleeker, but... I don't have complaints about the sound quality anymore.

I use these things constantly. I have a slight hearing problem and I also have trouble concentrating on one thing when lots of things are going on around me. With my headset, I can listen to (and focus on) my audio books, podcasts, and - most importantly - phone calls.

In general, I recommend that everyone should use a headset for using their phone. It sure makes driving a lot safer. Wearing my headset frees up my hands and allows me to keep my phone out of the way. Before now, when I would cradle my phone between my ear and shoulder, I came close to dropping it into dishwater. Now, I can keep my phone safely in my pocket, purse, or clipped to my clothes via a holster.

So I really want to back peddle on that first review. I wasn't being fair to SoundPEATS. Once I gave these earphones a real trial, I had to go back and admit that they are more than worth it for the price I paid.

I still have a fondness for the Tone Pro headset. When it worked, I loved it. I liked the look of it and the feel of the buttons. But I'd rather drive a hooptie that runs consistently than a Maserati that keeps breaking down.

Because the SoundPEATS work so well, I'm thinking of getting a second one. I have my current ones paired to both my phone and computer. Switching from one to the other is also another feature that works better with these than the Tone Pro. Still, I want to look at getting another color as a birthday gift to myself. Maybe this time I'll get a really jazzy color...

So, to the makers of SoundPEATS, I want to apologize for kinda, sorta slamming your product. I've gone back and updated my review. I gave this 4 of 5 stars on Amazon.

Peace
--Free

(Apologies to readers. I know that my grammar and tense constancy was horrible in the post. It's been a rough morning.)