Seidio 2 in 1 Retractable Stereo Adapter Review
The Seidio 2 in 1 Retractable Stereo Adapter converts any standard headset into a hybrid headset. With the Seidio 2 in 1 Retractable Stereo Adapter you can listen to MP3’s and make and receive calls with your favorite headset.
The Seidio 2 in 1 Stereo Adapter performs extremely well and has great features. While testing this adapter I discovered no loss in audio quality with my standard headset. The excellent sound quality is a result of gold plated connectors. The sound reproduction of the multidirectional microphone was also very clear. Callers stated that they could hear me very clearly and heard very little background noise even in loud settings.
As with many Seidio headsets, this adapter’s retractable cord helps to prevent tangles and damage. One of my favorite features of this adapter is the inline volume control. The inline volume control allows for adjusting the volume without touching the Treo. I have found this very helpful for when my Treo is in my pocket or when the screen is off. I also found the touch button of the Seidio 2 in 1 Stereo Adapter to be very convenient. With the touch button users can answer and end calls with the simple press of a button.
In conclusion, I found a lot to like and only one very small dislike with the Seidio 2 in 1 Stereo Adapter. I found that when in use, there is a tremendous length of cord. Because of the design of the adapter, the cord must be extended to allow the microphone to be placed close to one’s mouth. Coupled with the cord from the headset, this creates an excess of cord. To be fair, while I have identified this small grievance, I was unable to think of a better design. This being said, I would recommend this adapter to anyone who already owns a high-end headset. For those who don’t already have a good set of earbuds I suggest checking out Seidio’s 2-in-1 Stereo headset.
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Filed under: Accessory reviews
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I’ve bought this too. The first I got picked up LOT of GSM noise from the phone. I didn’t hear it, but the one I was talking to did. After replacement it works great. I’ve borrowed the headphones from my SE W810i phone. It works perfectly with this adaptor since it has a very short cable and is a decent pair of headphones.
I bought the Seidio 2-in-1 adapter soon after getting my Treo 650 since I wanted to use it as an MP3 player with a very good set of earphones (Etymotic ER-6). I agree with most of the reviewer’s points: the device worked as advertised, but using the microphone required pulling out a lot of cord.
However, after about 90-100 days, the adapter began to fail. Something came loose in the connections and I could only get sound in the earphones by wiggling and pushing the connections together. Naturally this occurred after the warranty expired. I have no reason to believe I abused the product in any way. I must therefore assume that Seidio’s quality control is at fault.
I have since purchased the Palm 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter and it is still working, one year later.
Seidio has some great ideas for products but needs to improve its quality control.
Two very annoying design issues (I quit using it):
Looking at the picture for reference, note the microphone, which is the “pod” closest to the female jack end. Think about every pair of headphones you’ve ever owned. Have any of them ever had a cable that is less than 6-12 inches? That microphone has to be clipped at least that close to your mouth. Considering most headphones have cables 3-4 feet, that’s a lot of wire to have to bundle or hide. When that bundle of wire it’s not annoyingly in the way, it’s getting snagged on something or tangled.
The other problem is the male end of the Seidio 2 in 1 with the spring-loaded extractable coil of cable. That spring keeps wanting to coil the cable back up, and that mini proprietary jack doesn’t have enough friction to keep a light tug from pulling the cable out of the Treo.
All these considerations make just getting geared-up more of a hassle than just carrying a better, separate music device.
The pricing structure reported by engadget is slightly different…
http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/28/palm-treo-680-and-cingular-8525-price-and-release/
Who is right?
Two clips on the cord, one near the microphone and one near the reel, would go a long way toward addressing your “grievance”, which I also share. But I’ve had a more significant problem with this item.
On removing the adapter from my Treo, occasionally the Treo doesn’t seem to realize it has been removed. That makes it impossible to take or make phone calls, as the Treo assumes you are still using the now-detached headset. I have had to stop using the adapter as a result. Pity.
Cable broke…
After about one months use I don’t get any sound in one of the earbuds. The cable seems to have broken close to the 2.5 mm plug.
I won’t try to have it replaced. The cable is so thin I think it will just break again.
The idea with a retractable cable is sound, but there should be some kind of manual mechanical locking mechanism since it is far to easy for the locking mechanism to disengage and start retracting the cable.
I will try to find a good 2 in 1 head phone, perhaps the new Palm pro variant.
After having three (3) of these adapters, they all have failed after 60-90 days of usage. I am only getting sound out of one side which means the cable has once again broke inside the adapter. It’s good when it works but it breaks to easy. I have not been rough with it just normal wear and tear and they don’t last. I need it because I am using Magic Button for my Treo which allows me to use the mute button to control my music. I need to find another company that will make an adapter that will also work with Magic Button. Anyone have any ideas? I will NOT be purchasing this cheap adapter again.