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Sound quality is reasonably good, but not in the same league as the ety8 headphones. I fired up Ulf Wakenius' cool jazz guitar to kick off the listening tests with and, mostly, they sounded pretty good. Other light acoustic tracks, such as Green Day's classic Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) came across well too. At the top end these headphones sound quite detailed and the mid-range, though occasionally a little boxy, is perfectly acceptable. They're at least as good as the Cerulean F1 headset I tested last year.

However, it wasn't long before I discovered the major weakness of these headphones - they lack any kind of bass or body. After queuing up Biffy Clyro's Love Has A Diameter I initially though I'd got the wrong track, while Newton Faulkner's cover of Massive Attack's Teardrop lacked any kind of dynamism or drama. This seems to be a common problem with Bluetooth headphones.

But the Jaybirds aren't just for music, they also include a microphone so they can be used for making hands-free calls, and here things look up. Disappointingly, sound isn't piped to both earpieces when making a call, but calls do sound loud and full-bodied, and the microphone transmitted my voice very clearly too. Compared to the Cerulean F1's call quality the JB-200's is in a different league.

Verdict

For those who want a Bluetooth headset that's as comfortable with music as making and taking calls, the Jaybird JB-200's do a reasonable job with passable music audio and excellent call quality.

They're great for anyone who wants a soundtrack while exercising, too, because they're so light and comfortable to wear. But the lack of bass and a high price of £79, alas, mean I'm going to have to hold off on a wholehearted recommendation.

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