Review: Samsung WEP200 Bluetooth Headset

Samsung WEP200

Samsung WEP200

Samsung WEP200

To put the WEP200 into pairing mode, the user must ensure the headset is off then press and hold the multi-function button for eight seconds, or until the LED glows a steady blue. Samsung uses the standard "0000" as the pairing code for the device. In testing, we had no trouble pairing the device with a Samsung T519 (Trace) and i320 smartphone, a Motorola V710, and an LG Fusic (LX550). The WEP200 supports both the headset and hands free Bluetooth profiles. Samsung does not list the maximum number of simultaneous pairings that the device is capable of.

Audio Quality

The audio quality of the mid-range WEP200 falls short in a few key areas. Samsung appears to provide little or no noise cancellation on the device. Recently while out shopping for a new HDTV, I tested the headset in a somewhat loud environment with lots of background noise and chatter. The WEP200 turned out a less than stellar performance. The caller on the other end heard terrible background noise, which came across as low sounding static. Callers even commented and asked if I was driving in rush hour traffic with the windows down. The outbound quality in quiet environments was more acceptable, but once any real noise was introduced to the area, it was transmitted as white noise to the remote party.

Echoing also reared its ugly head during our tests. On numerous occasions the remote person on the call heard echoes of their own voice during conversations. If you have experience with echoing, you know how difficult and annoying it is to actually carry on a conversation while this is occurring. The WEP200's echo problem appears to be caused by the lack of sound insulation between the ear speaker and the microphone. When audio is transmitted out through the speaker, it is picked up by the headset's microphone and retransmitted back to the caller as an echo.

Inbound audio was acceptable on the WEP200 in general, but was overshadowed by the lack of noise reduction and echoes that made things difficult for the person on the other end of the phone call.

Conclusion

Sometimes less is not always best. In the case of the Samsung WEP200, this attractively small headset had sound quality issues that I cannot ignore - probably owing in part, at least, to its small size. You can only fit so much technology into a limited amount of space. Samsung really needs to consider adding a noise-reduction DSP to their Bluetooth headsets to help minimize noise and improve the overall audio quality. The device's carrying/charging case was designed to condense power and storage options for users, but to me it seems to be yet another Achilles' heel of the WEP200. With no direct connection on the headset itself for power charging, I foresee lots of angry users that find themselves without a way to power their headset if they lose or misplace the charging case.

Due to its poor sound quality and the seeming lack of noise reduction, I can't recommend this headset. Even with a reasonable manufacturer's list price of US$89.99, I think you should put your money elsewhere. I give it a "Not Recommended" rating.