Samsung HS3000 Bluetooth Review (HTC Stereo Clip alternative)

**couragedragon** · 06-15-2012, 10:36 AM

Product links:
Amazon.com: Samsung Stereo Clip-On Bluetooth Headset for Samsung HS3000 - Retail Packaging - Black: Cell Phones & Accessories

High Resolution Image Gallery (Close up of buttons, and dimensions):

In short, at half the price of the HTC Stereo Clip, I don't see why you would buy anything else. (A simple male to male adapter and it'll plug into your head unit just the same.)

Audio Quality: It's great! The new APT-X codec(?) is awesome. It would take a double blind hearing test for me to tell the difference between the Samsung and a wire. Can you tell? Maybe, but requiring a double blind test is good enough for me in my car.

Note: I have the bluetooth feeding directly into an amplifier that feeds my speakers. I no longer have a headunit.

For me, there are so many benefits of this unit vs the Stereo Clip.

Less than half the cost ! ($30 vs $70 for HTC Clip)
I can plug ANY set of headphones into the bluetooth and have "wireless" headphones
Has a built in mic, so I can answer calls with it in the car or out
Great battery life
Comes with a nice pair of short corded ear buds that have decent sound isolation as well

A minor gripe: If you look at the photos, the buttons are really small with no tactile differentiation. I always have to look at it to figure out what side I'm going push. It would have been so easy to make one side have some tactile difference.

**k000** · 06-15-2012, 11:03 AM

Does anyone know how is it compared to --> Amazon.com: Samsung HM3700 Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Headset: Cell Phones & Accessories ?

**cloak.n.dagger** · 06-15-2012, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by k000

Does anyone know how is it compared to --> Amazon.com: Samsung HM3700 Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Headset: Cell Phones & Accessories ?

I don't see any mention of apt-x support. This codec is what makes the bluetooth audio sound just as good as a direct cable connection. Looks like this head set does everything else, it's just missing the apt-x feature. For $30 I'd get the one that does apt-x!

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 11:26 AM

Yeah I have the Samsung HS3000 and it is great. I use it in my car, then unplug and use it at the gym (hate cables flopping around while Im running). Audio quality is great on it. Im thinking of buying a second one and just having it connect to my home receiver.

**couragedragon** · 06-15-2012, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by cloak.n.dagger

I don't see any mention of apt-x support. This codec is what makes the bluetooth audio sound just as good as a direct cable connection. Looks like this head set does everything else, it's just missing the apt-x feature. For $30 I'd get the one that does apt-x!

It has apt-x. The 3rd party Amazon description is incomplete. Check the Samsung website if you want confirmation.

EDIT: Sorry I thought you were talking about the HS3000, my bad!

Sent from EVO LTE w/ TapaTalk 2

**couragedragon** · 06-15-2012, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by sracercelica

Yeah I have the Samsung HS3000 and it is great. I use it in my car, then unplug and use it at the gym (hate cables flopping around while Im running). Audio quality is great on it. Im thinking of buying a second one and just having it connect to my home receiver.

I'm thinking about buying a second one as well. Amazing how it's only $30 bucks ain't it?

Sent from EVO LTE w/ TapaTalk 2

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 01:00 PM

I have a question regarding this unit. I already ordered it, but haven't seen anyone describe how it behaves if left permanently in the car. What happens when your turn off the car, and then when you turn it back on? Does it reconect automatically, does it stay on after the car is turned off. I also have the official sprint car dock. I really hope i don't have to micro the bluetoth unit myself. If I do, I will probably get the HTC one or the one from Blackberry with NFC.

**couragedragon** · 06-15-2012, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Nasko

I have a question regarding this unit. I already ordered it, but haven't seen anyone describe how it behaves if left permanently in the car. What happens when your turn off the car, and then when you turn it back on? Does it reconect automatically, does it stay on after the car is turned off. I also have the official sprint car dock. I really hope i don't have to micro the bluetoth unit myself. If I do, I will probably get the HTC one or the one from Blackberry with NFC.

It's a self-contained unit that runs off of its own battery.
So technically, car state is irrelevant to it being connected. It's operated by its own off and on switch.

It pairs very quickly and automatically. When i leave my car with my phone, I leave it turned on. When I return, I put the phone in the car dock and one button push pairs it right back up (assuming I left the operating range)

Sent from EVO LTE w/ TapaTalk 2

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by couragedragon

It's a self-contained unit that runs off of its own battery.
So technically, car state is irrelevant to it being connected. It's operated by its own off and on switch.

It pairs very quickly and automatically. When i leave my car with my phone, I leave it turned on. When I return, I put the phone in the car dock and one button push pairs it right back up (assuming I left the operating range)

Sent from EVO LTE w/ TapaTalk 2

So when you use it in this manner, how long does the batter last? I am not worried about leaving the range as the car dock automatically turns off the bluetooth so it should automatically go to the handset. Also does it overtake the phone's microphone? I have a prius and the AUX input is in the console between the seats, and I am counting on using the EVO's microphones. Thanks for the quick answer by the way.

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 02:29 PM

Well supposedly you should be able to get at least 6 hrs of streaming time on one charge. I would assume it would be longer on standby. I havent tried it thought. As for the microphone question, I will test that and let you know in about 30 min.

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 02:37 PM

Thanks. Waiting patiently

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 03:30 PM

Good news, after pairing the unit, you can go into the settings and select "media" or "phone audio" or both. If both are checked then yes, the unit over takes the phones microphone, but if you unselect it, then the you can either pair it with another bluetooth headset or headunit, or use the phones speaker and mic.

**couragedragon** · 06-15-2012, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by Nasko

So when you use it in this manner, how long does the batter last? I am not worried about leaving the range as the car dock automatically turns off the bluetooth so it should automatically go to the handset. Also does it overtake the phone's microphone? I have a prius and the AUX input is in the console between the seats, and I am counting on using the EVO's microphones. Thanks for the quick answer by the way.

I usually keep it charged so I've only had it die on me once, and it was after a "full day" of usage. I don't remember the exact time, but I'm very happy with it's life on a single charge.

Yes it does over take the phone's microphone. I don't know if both mikes can be live or not, I'll try it and see.

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by couragedragon

I usually keep it charged so I've only had it die on me once, and it was after a "full day" of usage. I don't remember the exact time, but I'm very happy with it's life on a single charge.

Yes it does over take the phone's microphone. I don't know if both mikes can be live or not, I'll try it and see.

If you go into the settings you can chose to only stream media. When a phone call comes in, the media pauses, you can then use the phones mic and speaker. When you hang up, the media resumes. Pretty cool feature. Definitely getting a second one.

The only thing, is that you cant use both at the same time, its either one or the other. So if you chose to stream phone audio too, then yeah, the phones mic is disabled.

**cloak.n.dagger** · 06-15-2012, 03:42 PM

When you have a bluetooth headset connected and you answer a call, on the call screen you can change the device from bluetooth to handset. This does not disconnect the bluetooth device but allow you to use the handset speaker and mic for taking the call. When you end the call the bluetooth audio should take back over again.

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 03:52 PM

P.S.
I ordered mine from Newegg, it was even cheaper (I think 25.99).

**klau25** · 06-15-2012, 04:06 PM

I just got these sony bt headset, very similar to the samsung. they have a led screen that show the caller id info, but the buttons design are horrible. maybe i should had gotten the samsung instead, especically if it uses the aptX standard. here's the link of the sony headset.

Amazon.com: Sony Ericsson Hi-Fi Bluetooth Stereo Headset with FM Radio: Cell Phones & Accessories

**klau25** · 06-15-2012, 04:10 PM

according to the newegg site, these are Bluetooth v3.0 w/ A2DP. so where did you find that says it's aptx? I can't find aptx on samsung site either.

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 04:16 PM

So let me get this straight, during a phone call I can't use bluetooth for caller's audio and phone's microphone? This really sucks for me. Anybody have an idea for an aptx device that would let me do this other than the HTC device?

P.S. this literally ruined my friday

**cloak.n.dagger** · 06-15-2012, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Nasko

So let me get this straight, during a phone call I can't use bluetooth for caller's audio and phone's microphone? This really sucks for me. Anybody have an idea for an aptx device that would let me do this other than the HTC device?

P.S. this literally ruined my friday

So, when you connect a bluetooth headset (a device with speaker and mic) it connected as a headset and you will see a headset icon in the task bar (headphones with a boom mic icon). When you connect a pair of bluetooth headphone, it connected as headphone and you see a headphone icon in task bar (headphone icon only, no boom mic). When in headset mode all audio and mic functions are diverted to the bluetooth device. When you are in headphone mode only speaker output is directed to the bluetooth device and the phone mic is active. In this case you have a headset device connected, so by default both audio and mic functions are send through the bluetooth device. I believe in the bluetooth settings for such a device, you can change its mode to headphone mode, which will only use the bluetooth device as a speaker, leaving the phone mic enabled. Hope this help to unruin your Friday! It's beer:30!

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 04:33 PM

Hopefully this setting exist, I don't have it delevired yet, so I can't test it or see this setting. But thank you for the info. I was thinking about cancelling the order. Mood back up

. It's still 2:30pm here, but later on it is beer time.

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by cloak.n.dagger

So, when you connect a bluetooth headset (a device with speaker and mic) it connected as a headset and you will see a headset icon in the task bar (headphones with a boom mic icon). When you connect a pair of bluetooth headphone, it connected as headphone and you see a headphone icon in task bar (headphone icon only, no boom mic). When in headset mode all audio and mic functions are diverted to the bluetooth device. When you are in headphone mode only speaker output is directed to the bluetooth device and the phone mic is active. In this case you have a headset device connected, so by default both audio and mic functions are send through the bluetooth device. I believe in the bluetooth settings for such a device, you can change its mode to headphone mode, which will only use the bluetooth device as a speaker, leaving the phone mic enabled. Hope this help to unruin your Friday! It's beer:30!

I tried the headphone mode and phone call audio is not streamed to the unit. It stops media streaming when a call is made and thats it, no call audio is heard.

**sracercelica** · 06-15-2012, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by klau25

according to the newegg site, these are Bluetooth v3.0 w/ A2DP. so where did you find that says it's aptx? I can't find aptx on samsung site either.

**klau25** · 06-15-2012, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by sracercelica

awesome, thanks. not sure why they don't show it on the page i found but on yours.

**Nasko** · 06-15-2012, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by sracercelica

I tried the headphone mode and phone call audio is not streamed to the unit. It stops media streaming when a call is made and thats it, no call audio is heard.

Friday gone downhill again. ahhhh. are there any bluetooth control apps that might be able to fix this? Something analogous to WiFi manager.