Once again our friends at WOM World have delivered the goods and this time we have the Nokia BH-503 Stereo Bluetooth Headset for review.  Over the past couple weeks we put the BH-503 through the ringer while using it with our Nokia N82 and the verdict is in.  The BH-503 joins a vast portfolio of Nokia Bluetooth accessories that include speakers, car kits and mono headsets.  With heated competition from Samsung’s SBH500 which many consider the standard for Stereo Bluetooth Headsets you might be surprised by our findings.

Specs and Features

The BH-503 is a Stereo Headset which supports stereo audio streaming and player controls on the side headphone with support for Bluetooth A2DP and AVRCP, it also includes a built in mic and built in DSP for making and receiving phone calls.  with Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR and support for headset and hands-free profiles, the BH-503 is nothing short of versatile.  For the record you can pickup the BH-503 in either silver or black so there’s no problem if you currently have a 8GB Nokia N95 or new N96.

Design and Style

Honestly we have not been big fans of any of the designs for Stereo Bluetooth headsets since we prefer not to draw attention at the gym, but to Nokia’s credit the N82 matched with the BH-503s looks clean.  At 5.9 x 2.95 x 6.1 inches and 3.7 ounces, we did not have any problem taking the headphones to the gym and listening while we did cardio.

When we first received the box we were a little skeptical about the size and weight, but in practical use the size actually helps significantly when running on the treadmill as well as lifting weight on the bench.  Unlike traditional headphones, the Stereo Bluetooth headset was a welcomed change since we have grown very tired of worrying about a cable tangling around our arm or on the elliptical machine.

Setup and Bluetooth Connectivity

The pairing process is very simple, simply press and hold the multifunction key until the LED flashes blue and use your phone (Nokia N82 in this case) to pair the device with a default pass code “0000″.  If you are at all familiar with using any bluetooth headset, the BH-503 should not be a problem and you will be up and running in no time.

Once we were paired up we never lost connection with our phone even at 20 feet away.  The clarity of the audio was excellent with good volume levels and full bass.  There was a slight bit of digitized sounding bass when we were listen to heavy bass hip-hop/rap tracks, but this would be more important for the audiophile rather than the music lover.  If you are looking for a clear and loud Stereo Bluetooth headset, the BH-503 is a winner.

Battery Life

With a rechargeable battery, the BH-503 can be charged with the same charger as the Nokia N82 (also the N95, E51 and many other high-end devices).  The specs claimed an 11 hour playback time and standby of over 8 days and we couldn’t agree more.  We were able to take the BH-503 to the gym for 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week and didn’t need a charge all week.  It is safe to say that you will be more worried about your cellphone lasting during music playback than your headset.

Conclusion

When it comes to performance, the Nokia BH-503 is solid and it works excellent with the Nokia N95 and N82.  The sound is loud and clear and the choice of Black or Silver colors makes it an easy pair to style with your phone.  The only area we had a problem with was the price tag which is currently hovering just over $100 and similar devices from Samsung can be purchased for a bit cheaper.  What really sealed the deal for us was the battery life which seemed endless at times and we really struggled to drain out the battery during our 2 week trial.  If we could make any changes to the headset we would reduce the size of the earphones and work towards a sleeker look as long as the quality and battery life weren’t impacted significantly.

CF Rating: 9/10

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