Gennum nXZEN VoIP Bluetooth Headset Review

New and Improved nXZEN

The nXZEN (pronounced “nex-zen”) VoIP combines a very good noise canceling headset with a new accessory to use this same headset for telephony with products like Skype. When we reviewed the earlier version of this headset last year, we found the headset’s noise canceling features to be second-to-none. For a user who normally tries to use their cell phone in a typically noisy environment, this model was a must to look at. This year Gennum tries hard to make the nXZEN a stocking stuffer by allowing us to use this same headset with our computer to listen to music or chat with our friends. Released this month with a retail price of $169, let’s take a closer look.

Gennum’s name may not be a household name yet, but in the past their products have been of top quality. As good as the noise canceling for the original nXZEN headset, this new model (Model 5000) is supposed to improve on this ability. Featuring a new digital signal processor (DSP) Gennum calls their ‘FrontWave Technology’, this new and improved implementation is supposed to shield your voice from extraneous noise using twin microphones and something called the ‘FrontWave Extreme’ patented algorithm.

Key Features:

• Bluetooth 1.2
• Headset Weight: 17 grams
• Physical Dimensions: 59.5mm (l), 28.5mm (h)
• 120 MIPS DSP
• Talk Time: up to 7 hours
• Standby time: 100 hours
• Charge time: 2 hours
• Battery: Lithium Polymer