Review: MotorTrend Max 4x Bluetooth Headset

It could be argued that we live in a wireless age. As more and more Bluetooth headsets enter the market, things keep getting better for the consumer. More choices means that there is a better chance that there is a headset that is the perfect fit for you. But how many headsets really stand out from the crowd anymore?

MotorTrend has gone retro with their Max 4x headset. With an over-the-head design reminiscent of a headset you would typically see in a call center, MotorTrend is gunning both for the folks that still don’t like the idea of having a headset hanging from their ear and the people looking for a little more call quality out of their headset.

Design

This headset was built to put the microphone where it does the most good – right in front of your mouth. The rigid boom microphone is around 5 inches long, and flips around so that you can use the earpiece on either side of your head. A large multifunction button is on the outside of the base of the boom, with the two volume buttons are located directly above.

Quality

The physical quality of this headset is just alright. The headset feels quite comfortable during use, but the boom scares me a little bit because it feels like rigid plastic that could snap without too much force. The headset also extends over your head in a somewhat lopsided manner.

Call quality seems to be an area where this headset does excel. The earpiece does an extraordinary job directing the sound into your ear, while the microphone uses Digital noise reduction to give reduce wind noise.

Usability

Having the headset wrap over your head does make this one of the more comfortable that I have seen. The head band extends to accommodate larger heads, or even a hat.

The large multifunction button makes answering calls and pairing a breeze. The volume buttons are similarly easy to find, while an LED gives you feedback to what the headset is doing. To top everything else off, MotorTrend ships chargers for both AC and DC (a mini-usb connection is used on each).

Conclusion

My personal take is that this is a good headset for those that use their Bluetooth headset for an extended period of time, and need exceptional call quality. If that’s you, take a good hard look at this throwback headset design from MotorTrend.