BlueAnt Wireless has made considerable inroads in Bluetooth headset in the United States market.  And the model we’d like to bring to your attention is the BlueAnt Z9, though there are other Bluetooth headsets with similar audio enhancement technologies, only few comes cheaper than the BlueAnt Z9.

The BlueAnt Z9 has a classy cutting-edge design that is both smart and stylish. Molded in black plastic, the Z9 measures only about 1.61 by 0.68 by 0.44 inches in a simple rectangular shape.  A small silver square in the top-middle position with the BlueAnt logo on it is the Z9’s multifunction button.  Though the multifunction button seems almost flush to the surface, it’s actually a little recessed, which provides some texture for pressing by feel, and it’s easy to press.  The multifunction button also has a LED underneath that flashes blue or red depending on the mode.  On the right spine sits two volume buttons, which are quite raised above the surface, with clear texture differences between the two.

The negative thing about the BlueAnt Z9 though is slight comfort issues with stiff volume buttons and a slightly large earpiece.  So the earpiece sits just inside the ear and does not fit deep in the canal.  Because of this, it doesn’t feel very secure, and we would not suggest wearing the Z9 without the ear hook.  Also, we found the earbud size to be a little larger than other headsets, so it may feel a little uncomfortable to those with smaller ears.  Thankfully, the plastic ear hook is extremely flexible and is able to fit either ear with ease and you could wear the BlueAnt Z9 all day without much discomfort.  There’s a small clip on the back that you can wear on your shirt.

Voice quality was enhanced thanks to its two mics and the BlueAnt’s own Voice Isolation Technology, this device comes with the promise of providing the next generation of Noise suppression, echo cancellation and wind noise reduction.  The BlueAnt Z9’s built-in Voice Isolation technology has two different modes: Standard and Max.  Voice Isolation Standard is for use in normal environments; it offers mild noise reduction and an emphasis on a natural-sounding voice.  Voice Isolation Max however is for much noisier environments; it features heavy noise reduction and a slightly less natural voice.  You can switch between the two modes by pressing on the multifunction key during a call.

Other features of the BlueAnt Z9 include the typical answering, ending, and receiving calls, plus call reject, last-number redial, voice-dial support, transferring a call from the headset to the phone and vice versa, call conferencing, call waiting, call mute, and the ability to turn the LED on or off.  You can also pair up to three different phones and switch connections between them with a series of clicks.  Clocked talk time is 5.5 hours and rated standby time is 8.3 days.

In the set you’ll find:

* BlueAnt Z9 Dual Microphone Bluetooth Headset
* 3 x Translucent Ear hooks
* USB cable
* AC adaptor
* User Manual and Quick Start Guide

This is a really good set, including also a USB cable, which can be used both for charging the headset through a computer and for updating the firmware.  BlueAnt headsets are the only ones in the market that can be upgraded with firmware updates.