Rapoo H3070 Wireless Headset Review

Rapoo Philippines has sent us with their mid-range wireless headset called the Rapoo H3070 for review. It’s a fairly new brand that was only introduced in the Philippines this year. Check out what how it fared after the jump.

Rapoo is a fairly new company which has only recently made its way to the local scene last February. If you’re interested in getting to know the manufacturer a bit better, you can check out our previous story here.

Design and Construction

As soon as we pick up the H3070 from its box, the first we noticed is how lightweight it was. It’s unlike any other wireless headsets we’ve seen from recent our recent memory. However, in order to achieve this feat, Rapoo has to cut back on using durable materials which adds heft to the headset.

The headband is made of two malleable metal wires covered by a clear plastic. Each end of the band terminates to a circular ear cup almost the size of Fita cracker. The top portion of the cups has a matte texture while the surrounding element is glossy. Both cups are padded with cushy material encased inside a ruberry material.

All of the controls are placed on the left ear cup. There’s a pair of LED notification lights which shows the connection and battery status of the headset. In between those lights are a black volume knob that also doubles as a power button and a mini-USB port which is tucked under a rubber flap. There is also a tiny hole which we assume to be the in-built microphone.

Wireless syncing is done by pairing the H3070 to a companion accessory that connects to your device via a 3.5mm audio jack. It has a power switch in the middle with a tiny LED light on the left side and a mini-USB port on the right.

Usability

The H3070 feels very light on the head when worn. In fact the peripheral is so light that one can almost forget that it’s there. Though the headband is too skinny for our liking, it does provide a firm but not too forceful clasp and a snug fit which adds to the overall comfort.

As for the wireless dongle, it’s big enough that it’s not easily lost and small enough that it’s not too obtrusive when paired to a sizeable machine such as a laptop or a desktop computer.

Syncing the two is a breeze. As soon as these two are switched on, they immediately detects each other and pairs in no time. Bear in mind that these to connect to each other via 2.4GHz wireless channel which is more stable and allows greater range than Bluetooth connection.

Sound Performance

The sound quality we got from the H3070 is nothing out of the ordinary. Simply put, the sound is decent enough to satisfy average users, but not too good to please those who yearns for a detailed, distortion-free listening experience.

As for the volume, it’s loud enough when the headset is used inside a confined space like a room or office. However, it felt a bit lacking once we stepped to the outside world. Moreover, It also does a poor job of dampening external noise which makes the sound a little less audible especially outdoors.

In terms of voice quality when used for communication, the H3070 does the job quite nicely. We had no issues conversing using the device inside a quiet place. Our voices are clearly heard and were easily understood by the person on the other end. However, the microphone tends to be a little sensitive at times making it difficult for our voices to be audible on a busy street or while commuting.

What’s missing?

Below are the things that we wished the Rapoo H3070 had to make it a more viable wireless headset option for consumers:

• External controls. Since the device is mainly being advertised as a wireless communication tool, it would make perfect sense if it at least had an accept/reject button making it easier for user to manage incoming calls on the fly.
• Noise cancellation for the microphone. As mentioned earlier the wireless headset works great when used indoors, but it’s a totally different story when used outside. Hence it would’ve been better if the mic had noise cancelling feature.
• More durable material for the headband for longevity.
• Charge-and-use functionality. One of the gripes we had with this one is that it can’t be used while being charged. It’s not that big of a deal, but it may present an issue to some users.

Conclusion

The whole point of having a wireless headset just like the Rapoo H3070 is to have a communication device that allows great mobility. And since this headset makes use of 2.4GHz wireless channel, it not only frees its users from wires but also provide a more stable connection between this and the device it’s paired to.

Within the boundaries of its intended purpose, which is an ultralight on-ear wireless headset, the Rapoo H3070 is great for casual listening and a communication tool. It’s not in any way an audiophile-grade equipment. As such don’t expect a polished sound quality that we’ve become accustomed to from fancy headphones.

However, we feel that its Php2,370 price tag isn’t cheap enough to convince consumers to grab this from the bunch, especially with all the limitations we’ve noted earlier. Had it been that the price was somewhere around Php1500 – Php1800, we think that it’ll be in a better position to compete with other products from reputable brands.