G-CUBE Audio BH-860 Series Bluetooth Headphones Preview

I have to say that when I first visited the G-CUBE page for their Bluetooth headsets, I got overly excited. See, the page (see here) has the two headphones and a number of wireless, portable speakers. I put two and two together and came to the conclusion that the wireless speakers were just the headphones separated from the headband and used as a standalone speaker. I thought that was fairly brilliant. But, alas, it was not so. They are two separate products. I will say, however, that someone should consider making such a detachable headphone someday. I see a kickstarter in the future.

The "Hits Master" Bluetooth v3.0 headphone line from G-CUBE comes in two flavors - white (BH-860W) and black (BH-860R - which stands for "red" I suppose). Like many recent headphones, these sport a huge letter on the outside of the can (an uppercase 'G' which, by virtue of capitalization, makes it better than a lowercase anything in my book). As the name suggests, the G-CUBE BH-860s are Bluetooth enabled with all the latest formats and codecs including HSP, HFP, A2DP, and AVRC. With Bluetooth v3.0, the G-CUBE BH-860s brag faster transfer rates and incorporated aptX technology for near CD quality bit rates. In addition, the G-CUBE BH-860s can connect with up to 2 Bluetooth devices at a time.

One thing that is very impressive about the G-CUBE BH-860s is the battery life. We're used to claims of 10, 15, or even 20 hours of playtime. The G-CUBE BH-860s claim 24 hours with a four hour recharge. This is due to a Smart Power Management technology that G-CUBE has included with the BH-860s.

One thing that is important to have with Bluetooth-enabled devices is the ability to answer phone calls. While the G-CUBE BH-860s don't have a cord hanging near your mouth, they do have a built-in microphone with Noise Cutout technology. This reduces wind noise and other extraneous noises during calls. Of course, you'll need at least a button to answer calls and the G-CUBE BH-860s have it on the side of one of the earcups. In addition, they have controls for your music (play, pause, stop, forward, and back). Most interestingly, however, is the inclusion of an built-in EQ.

For many Audioholics, the idea of an EQ is anathema to everything them believe in. If the track is good, and the speakers are quality, and the room is well designed, no EQ should be needed. That isn't often the case and, usually, more than one of those variables are out of whack. Even though headphones eliminate the room, many people are listening to compressed music on their portable devices anyhow. And much of that music is likely poorly recorded. Therefore, many might find the G-CUBE BH-860s EQ with its six settings (default, pop, live, rock, jazz, and classic) something that makes their listening a bit more enjoyable.

The G-CUBE BH-860s have 40mm drivers with a rated frequency response down to 20Hz (yeah, right). The earcups rotate and the band has a metal hinge for easy compacting and storage in the provided case. The headband features "Eco-care Silicon" though we have no idea what that is. Eco sounds good right? They couldn't just tack that on there to sound green? Lastly, the G-CUBE BH-860s are HD Voice ready which uses HFP v1.6 to double the sampling rate and vastly increase the frequencies reproduced for markedly better voice quality during calls.

Conclusion

At just under $80, the G-CUBE BH-860s Bluetooth v3.0 are not the cheapest Bluetooth offering on the market but with a 24 hour battery life, aptX compatibility for CD quality streaming, HD Voice, and a built in six setting EQ, the G-CUBE BH-860s certainly have a lot of technology for your money. Of course, all the quality streaming and special features don't mean anything if they don't sound good. We'll have to wait for a pair to review to tell you that. But, on paper, they look very intriguing. If you get a chance to hear them, let us know what you think. 

For more information, please visit www.gggcube.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.