Motorola Motopure H12

Incorporating Motorola's groundbreaking CrystalTalk sound enhancement and noise-canceling technology (found in the RAZR2 V8 and AT&T's V9 phones), the Motopure H12 is a stylish and comfortable Bluetooth headset that provides the long battery life and easy functionality that power users demand. Although it won't block out all background noise, the audio clarity was much better than that from the average Bluetooth headset.

With its perforated alloy bezel and diamond-cut metal design, the Motopure H12 is certainly futuristic-chic. The small, snazzy unit fit nicely in our shirt pocket and, at less than half an ounce, didn't cause any irritation while in our ear.

 

Overall, the fit was comfortable and secure, and the device even comes with two additional earbud cushions in different sizes. Although an optional ear hook is included for increased stability, we preferred to go without, since using it made putting on the headset tricky.

 

A single large circular multifunction button on the front handles the call and command functions. Out of the headsets we've tested, the Motopure H12 was one of the easiest ones to pair; it immediately enters Pairing mode when you turn it on.

 

On the short end of the device is a power switch, a convenient addition, since most headsets lack one. On the bottom is a micro-USB connector for charging. A volume toggle on the long side of the device was a bit too small for our liking; adjusting the volume with the headset on was difficult.

 

The Motopure H12 comes with a selection of stylish charging options. One is a case with a plastic top that resembles a bug trap. The other, a desktop charger, lets you keep the headset upright while charging. Both contain magnets that secure the device in place.

 

Keep in mind that you always need either the cradle or the desktop stand to charge the headset. A multicolored LED on the front of the device lets you know when the H12 was charged and ready to use. (Out of the box it takes two hours.) The reported 5.5 hours of talk time held true; the headset generally lasted 2 to 3 days on standby with intermittent calls.

 

Audio quality was quite good in our tests. Thanks to CrystalTalk technology, which uses dual microphones to separate the user's voice from the background, callers could hear us without any problem and vice versa, even when walking the streets of Manhattan on a windy night.

 

The real test, however, came at New York City's Grand Central Station at rush hour. We could hear our caller clearly, but he complained of background noise, despite being able to hear the details of our dinner meeting.

 

We also left a voice message on a landline while standing next to a growling garbage truck in midtown Manhattan; several words were clipped, though we could make out the message. We left another message from the same spot using Plantronics' Voyager 855. The Motopure H12's message came through clearer, though background noise was apparent in both cases.

 

Then we tested the Motopure H12 against Aliph's Jawbone headset, which is known for its Noise Shield technology. While talking in a car with the windows down and the radio turned up, callers said they could make out our words using both headsets just fine. However, they reported that they could hear us more clearly on the Jawbone.

 

The H12's 33-foot range was very strong, with calls fading around 36 feet. However, we were disappointed to find out that this headset lacks multipoint technology for pairing multiple phones or devices simultaneously. 
  

We've found very few Bluetooth headsets that we would recommend, and this is definitely one of them. If audio quality--especially in loud environments--is your number-one priority, the Motorola Motopure H12 is a good choice. The Aliph Jawbone provides moderately better noise canceling, but we prefer the Motorola Motopure H12 because it's much more comfortable to wear.

 

 

 

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