A.M.P Antec Mobile Products Review

Antec Iso Bluetooth Receiver

Here we have the Iso, a device not unlike the Gain Bluetooth device we just took a look at on the previous page, but where the Gain is targeted at the general consumer market, the Iso offers just that little bit extra for the premium end of the market.

Featuring all the same basic features as the Gain, with built in controls, Bluetooth HD technology, compact design, 10M of range and compatibility with your smartphone or other Bluetooth enabled device to allow you to enjoy your music, movies, games or calls on the go. Yet where the Gain succeeds in being a solid budget friendly device, the Iso brings some very special features to tempt the wallets of people who love high quality audio.

The Iso come bundled with a fantastic look and performing set of headphones that offer up Active Noise Canceling as standard and while I don’t normally have much desire for such a feature, as I often find it hollows out some of the sound-scape, that’s not as much an issue here, especially given the “out and about” life style that the set is marketed towards, where noisy environments are more commonplace than they would be if you were just sat at home listening to music. I will say though that when you’re spending a lot of money on a piece of high end audio equipment, extra features are never a bad thing and you don’t need to use that feature if you don’t want it.

Next up we have “Superior Noise Suppression”, this comes in the form of ergonomic ear cushions that ensure a good seal, effectively making them ear plugs with speakers and when you combine this with the ANC feature then you really can all but shut-out the outside world and enjoy your audio. There is also something called dBs1, which is essentially an intelligent bass boost that is for “giving you that extra BUMP only when you need it”. This again all goes hand in hand with the fact that the headphones are of a really high quality, featuring full range drivers that ensure you get out all of the sound you possibly can from your device.

The next perk that the Iso have over the Gain device is a longer battery life, said to run for up to 8 hours of continuous music playback. This is impressive battery life given that the Gain has 6 hours and the Iso packs 2 extra hours while also running a few audio enhancing features at the same time.

• Bluetooth Standard: Bluetooth V3.0+EDR
• Communication Range: 10M (30 ft)
• Frequency Band: 2.4 ～ 2.480GHz
• Spectrum: FHSS
• Support Profiles: Supports Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) 1.2, Hands-Free Profile (HFP) 1.5, Headset Profile (HSP) 1.1
• Noise Reduction: Min 15 dB ~ Max 30 dB (@300 Hz)
• Size: 40(H) x 23(W) x 15(D) mm
• Battery Capacity: Li-lon Battery 3.7V
• Bluetooth Standby: 200 hrs
• Operating Time: 8 hrs

Performance was as you would expect, flawless. The headphones provide a snug fit just as the spec sheet said they would, the ANC isn’t too bad either and while it’s a far cry from the ultra-high priced end of the headphone market it will no doubt be a welcome addition to those trying to make an important call in a noisy area. Music playback is rich and full of deep bass, the dBs1 feature doesn’t over power the sound like expected and does add depth to the lower end of the audio spectrum.

Unfortunately all this performance, functionality, style, battery life and general coolness comes at a price of around £90. This isn’t the cheapest set on the market, but I have seen sets of a similar price with around half the features and performance prove popular, while this may be over twice the price of the Antec Gain, you’re getting twice as much audio performance for your money.