HTC has been maligned for years about the lack of a 3.5mm headphone port on the majority of their hardware. Up until recently, that has been the biggest knock on a company that really produces stellar hardware across the board. Various workarounds have been documented thoroughly, including but not limited to A2DP headphones or HTC’s Multifunction Audio Adapter.
For those of you who find the A2DP solution too expensive, and the Multifunction Audio Adapter too restrictive or too bulky; there is another option. HTC’s Stereo headphones are a really good option for handling phone calls or listening to music from your HTC device. But there is more to this package than just a pair of headphones. Hit the jump to see what I mean.
Design
The most important thing I want to make clear about this item is that it is not just a simple pair of headphones. Truly there are two parts to this product. First are the actual headphones, which are nice but not amazing. Second is a cable that goes from the typical HTC extUSB to a 3.5mm audio port. Also included on this portion of the headphones are a microphone and a call button allowing you to control some functionality of your phone even if it is in a pocket.
To me, there are a couple of things about this product that set it apart. First of all, it is less restrictive than the Multifunction Audio Adapter because it is less bulky and more flexible. Also, you have a built in microphone; so you can certainly use this for phone calls.
Quality
The sound quality coming out of the headphones is fairly good. The ear buds aren’t top-of-the-line but I wouldn’t buy this product for the included ear buds, and they are perfectly usable if you’re not a snob like I am. The wire to the microphone/audio port is fairly well shielded, and should protect you from any interference that you might get from your phone.
Audio quality for phone calls is what you would expect from a low end Bluetooth Headset. There isn’t any kind of noise reduction, so I wouldn’t try this in very noisy or windy environments.
Conclusion
I would consider this a must have for anyone who listens to music on their HTC device (assuming you aren’t one of the lucky few that already has that 3.5mm jack). The ability to convert to any headphones without being stuck with a bulky adapter is well worth the cost for me. Another thing that is worth mentioning is that this accessory will allow you to use the FM radio built into your device by functioning as an antenna. I realize that isn’t a huge factor for a lot of people, but it is worth a mention.
If listening to music is one of the things you do with your HTC phone, hit up the WMExperts store for a pair of HTC Stereo Headphones. $24.95 is the current going rate for this accessory.