UPDATE: Added review of the newer B550-XT in comment #15. I only covered the differences between it and the B450-XT in this review, so read this initial post first as it mostly applies to the B550-XT as well.
B450-XT review
I've been a fan of the Blue Parrot line of headsets for years. As a trucker, noise cancellation and battery life are two of the biggest concerns for me, and no one has been able to come close these headsets in the past. My prior one lasted 4-5 years before finally breaking, so I upgraded to the newest model, the B450-XT.
Here's the big picture specs:
96% noise canceling microphone
Large ear piece
24 hour talk time
HD calling support
Long range Class 1 Bluetooth device
Customizable "Parrot Button" with voice commands
So let's start with performance. In a word, it's great. Blue Parrot headsets are famous for their noise cancellation, and have improved upon it with the B450-XT. To give you an idea of how well it works, I can roll my window down while driving down the interstate, and the person I'm talking to would still hear me clear as day. There may be a slight noise in the background in extra noisy environments like that, but for normal situations the person on the other end would think I'm in a quiet room. You can't truly appreciate it without hearing it first hand, but unfortunately I don't have a way to demonstrate it. If you have this headset, the Blue Parrot app gives you a test function to record and play back for your own demonstration. I will clarify that this only applies to the microphone. It is not a noise canceling headphone, and it only has one ear cup anyway.
Sound is top notch for a headset. Its speaker is large and loud, so you'll not have any problems listening to a call. With A2DP support, you can also stream audio. Music comes through crisp and clear, with a solid low end and a good overall balance of sound. If you want an even greater audio experience, there is a stereo version with two speakers (keep in mind this wouldn't be advisable if you plan to use it while driving, and likely illegal). Be careful turning up the volume to max, though. When you hit the highest volume setting, it plays a high pitched and very loud beep to let you know. It's actually way too loud in my opinion, to the point of being uncomfortable. Thankfully it's rare I need it that loud due to how effective the ear cup is at blocking ambient noise, and you can get around this by controlling the volume via your phone instead of the headset volume buttons.
Battery life is also stellar thanks to the large battery, which accounts for the bulk of the headset. I talk on it for a half hour to an hour each day, and I can go just over a week between charges. It should also be noted that their current models use Lipo batteries, and you may want to practice good lithium based charging habits for the best long term use. That means trying to not let it drain all the way and not fully charging it. The good news is it will transmit the battery level to your phone if your phone supports it. Also, one of the voice commands is "Check battery," which will tell you if the battery is low, medium, or high (and say your phone's battery level as well). Charging is via a USB port, so you can power it from the included USB charger or any standard USB charger. I personally would've preferred the older dedicated style charging plug because of how weak micro-USB cables can be, but at least this lets you also update the firmware if needed.
The range has also improved over the last one I had. This is advertised as a Class 1 Bluetooth device, giving you a range of 300 feet. This is a little deceptive, as you have to pair to a Class 1 device as well to get that sort of range. Phones are not a Class 1 device and you won't likely see that kind of distance. In real world use of my last headset, I would sometimes have trouble using it if my phone was in my pocket opposite the ear piece, and I could only get about 20 feet away before breaking up. With the B450-XT, pocket use is a non-issue, and I can get 50+ feet away before things started to break up.
Comfort is where things start to get questionable. The padding around the ear cup and on the headband are soft and comfortable, but the size of the ear cup leaves a little to be desired. It's designed similar to an "around the ear" cup, but smaller. It actually sits on top of my ear, pressing in on the edges of it.
That in and of itself isn't too bad, but it really becomes an issue when wearing my sunglasses (which is often while driving). Because the cup is pressing in right on the edge of my ear, I can't fit the ear piece of my glasses in right. Most of the time, I have to rest that one on top of the cup padding. This makes things a little more uncomfortable and makes my glasses sit crooked. Not enough to be a deal breaker (after all, it'll be rare I'm using this outside of my vehicles despite looking a bit silly), but noticeable and it does affect extended wear comfort.
Other areas of comfort are good. The headband fits snug without being overly tight. The instructions say you can gently bend it open more if it's too tight, but I didn't feel comfortable enough to risk it due to the plastic. It does allow you to extend the headband if needed, though.
Microphone placement is a bit of a trade off. On older models, it was attached on the outside of the body and was easy to reach when moving it up or down. This time it's mounted between the headband and ear cup. It looks a little odd, but I think it's functionally better overall. With the old mounting style, it was easy to snag the boom on something and knock it out of adjustment. On this one, the headband protects the boom from accidental snags, but it does take getting use to when you want to move it up or down. The mount itself is also well designed with an easy to move notched hinge to move it up and down. If not for this new mount/hinge design, moving the boom would be a lot more cumbersome.
The Parrott button is a new feature for me. Out of the box, it's set up for voice commands. These include checking the battery, pairing/connecting, redial, and call back. If you download the Blue Parrot app, you can also set it up for things like walkie talkie mode, speed dial, open an app, and access a second paired device. Voice commands also work independent of the Parrot button, letting you answer or ignore incoming calls without touching a button or your phone. You can also connect it to a computer with the USB port to update the firmware.
As a total package, this headset is mostly a hit with only a few, but very annoying, misses. When people first see it, it looks almost like something you'd wear working the drive-through at McDonald's. Yes, this isn't going to be the most elegant Bluetooth headset out there. It's big, it's bad, and designed for function over form. These headsets are for people that only want the best call quality, to which the B450-XT excels at. The problem with comfort while wearing glasses is the only persistent issue, and the max volume beep can be worked around. If you think those are deal breakers, then I would still suggest looking at other Blue Parrot headsets. They all have unbeatable call quality, but other models may have a more comfortable design for your tastes.
B450-XT review
I've been a fan of the Blue Parrot line of headsets for years. As a trucker, noise cancellation and battery life are two of the biggest concerns for me, and no one has been able to come close these headsets in the past. My prior one lasted 4-5 years before finally breaking, so I upgraded to the newest model, the B450-XT.
Here's the big picture specs:
96% noise canceling microphone
Large ear piece
24 hour talk time
HD calling support
Long range Class 1 Bluetooth device
Customizable "Parrot Button" with voice commands
So let's start with performance. In a word, it's great. Blue Parrot headsets are famous for their noise cancellation, and have improved upon it with the B450-XT. To give you an idea of how well it works, I can roll my window down while driving down the interstate, and the person I'm talking to would still hear me clear as day. There may be a slight noise in the background in extra noisy environments like that, but for normal situations the person on the other end would think I'm in a quiet room. You can't truly appreciate it without hearing it first hand, but unfortunately I don't have a way to demonstrate it. If you have this headset, the Blue Parrot app gives you a test function to record and play back for your own demonstration. I will clarify that this only applies to the microphone. It is not a noise canceling headphone, and it only has one ear cup anyway.
Sound is top notch for a headset. Its speaker is large and loud, so you'll not have any problems listening to a call. With A2DP support, you can also stream audio. Music comes through crisp and clear, with a solid low end and a good overall balance of sound. If you want an even greater audio experience, there is a stereo version with two speakers (keep in mind this wouldn't be advisable if you plan to use it while driving, and likely illegal). Be careful turning up the volume to max, though. When you hit the highest volume setting, it plays a high pitched and very loud beep to let you know. It's actually way too loud in my opinion, to the point of being uncomfortable. Thankfully it's rare I need it that loud due to how effective the ear cup is at blocking ambient noise, and you can get around this by controlling the volume via your phone instead of the headset volume buttons.
Battery life is also stellar thanks to the large battery, which accounts for the bulk of the headset. I talk on it for a half hour to an hour each day, and I can go just over a week between charges. It should also be noted that their current models use Lipo batteries, and you may want to practice good lithium based charging habits for the best long term use. That means trying to not let it drain all the way and not fully charging it. The good news is it will transmit the battery level to your phone if your phone supports it. Also, one of the voice commands is "Check battery," which will tell you if the battery is low, medium, or high (and say your phone's battery level as well). Charging is via a USB port, so you can power it from the included USB charger or any standard USB charger. I personally would've preferred the older dedicated style charging plug because of how weak micro-USB cables can be, but at least this lets you also update the firmware if needed.
The range has also improved over the last one I had. This is advertised as a Class 1 Bluetooth device, giving you a range of 300 feet. This is a little deceptive, as you have to pair to a Class 1 device as well to get that sort of range. Phones are not a Class 1 device and you won't likely see that kind of distance. In real world use of my last headset, I would sometimes have trouble using it if my phone was in my pocket opposite the ear piece, and I could only get about 20 feet away before breaking up. With the B450-XT, pocket use is a non-issue, and I can get 50+ feet away before things started to break up.
Comfort is where things start to get questionable. The padding around the ear cup and on the headband are soft and comfortable, but the size of the ear cup leaves a little to be desired. It's designed similar to an "around the ear" cup, but smaller. It actually sits on top of my ear, pressing in on the edges of it.
That in and of itself isn't too bad, but it really becomes an issue when wearing my sunglasses (which is often while driving). Because the cup is pressing in right on the edge of my ear, I can't fit the ear piece of my glasses in right. Most of the time, I have to rest that one on top of the cup padding. This makes things a little more uncomfortable and makes my glasses sit crooked. Not enough to be a deal breaker (after all, it'll be rare I'm using this outside of my vehicles despite looking a bit silly), but noticeable and it does affect extended wear comfort.
Other areas of comfort are good. The headband fits snug without being overly tight. The instructions say you can gently bend it open more if it's too tight, but I didn't feel comfortable enough to risk it due to the plastic. It does allow you to extend the headband if needed, though.
Microphone placement is a bit of a trade off. On older models, it was attached on the outside of the body and was easy to reach when moving it up or down. This time it's mounted between the headband and ear cup. It looks a little odd, but I think it's functionally better overall. With the old mounting style, it was easy to snag the boom on something and knock it out of adjustment. On this one, the headband protects the boom from accidental snags, but it does take getting use to when you want to move it up or down. The mount itself is also well designed with an easy to move notched hinge to move it up and down. If not for this new mount/hinge design, moving the boom would be a lot more cumbersome.
The Parrott button is a new feature for me. Out of the box, it's set up for voice commands. These include checking the battery, pairing/connecting, redial, and call back. If you download the Blue Parrot app, you can also set it up for things like walkie talkie mode, speed dial, open an app, and access a second paired device. Voice commands also work independent of the Parrot button, letting you answer or ignore incoming calls without touching a button or your phone. You can also connect it to a computer with the USB port to update the firmware.
As a total package, this headset is mostly a hit with only a few, but very annoying, misses. When people first see it, it looks almost like something you'd wear working the drive-through at McDonald's. Yes, this isn't going to be the most elegant Bluetooth headset out there. It's big, it's bad, and designed for function over form. These headsets are for people that only want the best call quality, to which the B450-XT excels at. The problem with comfort while wearing glasses is the only persistent issue, and the max volume beep can be worked around. If you think those are deal breakers, then I would still suggest looking at other Blue Parrot headsets. They all have unbeatable call quality, but other models may have a more comfortable design for your tastes.
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Places like Groupon Goods often have refurbished models for about $30-40.
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