# Review: ODT Wireless Ultra headphones



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

ODT Wireless Ultra headphones

So, the TL;DR version: don't bother.

Longer version: I own the somewhat older Chips 2.0 and have been using them for several years in my Smith helmets. The 2.0s have been great, but having to unzip the Smith helmet to recharge them has been a PITA, especially since the cheapo zipper on the helmet tends to separate if not zipped up carefully. So recently I went looking for a new helmet that would work better with the ODTs. And while I was at it, I bought the Ultras.

The helmet that I purchased is a Giro, which has velcro fasteners for the earpiece pockets. This works really well with the Ultras, since there's no wire to argue with. Unfortunately, that's where the goodness ends.

First, let me say that the Ultras aren't terrible. They just aren't _better _in any way that would justify the extra cost or hassles of dealing with them.

Pros:

Sound is supposed to be a little better than the 2.0s. In particular, better bass.
Battery life is supposed to be a little longer.
Charging is much easier, as long as you have a helmet that lets you access the pucks without hassle. The pucks go into a charger that's conceptually like the Apple Airpods container. It even has a built-in battery so you could recharge your Ultras out in the field.

Cons:

You have to administer the pucks seperately. Which means you have to power up the right puck, wait for it to sync with your phone, then power up the left puck. I don't know how critical the proper order is, but at least once I lost control of the left puck and had to wait to get it home and put it in the charging case before it would do anything.
The Ultras emit an annoying beep any time you press a button.
The Ultras automatically power down after 5 minutes of inactivity. This means you are constantly powering up and re-pairing them if you only listen on the chair.
The command structure is slightly different from the 2.0s. For instance, volume control click sequence is exactly the opposite, i.e. one-click raises volume on the Ultra, but lowers it on the 2.0.

After a very unsatisfactory day with the Ultras, I pulled the 2.0s out of my Smith and discovered that I can route the cable under the padding in the Giro helmet. So I get the best of both worlds--No more zipper hassles, the much prefereable 2.0 interface, and I only have to pull one puck out to recharge.

Conclusion: Shouldn't have bought the Ultras in the first place. I'm just going to get another Giro helmet for Whistler and transplant the 2.0s.


----------



## jstar (Sep 21, 2016)

I remember researching these a while back, and comparing them to the 2.0. I quickly realized that they were a step backwards for my intended use.


----------



## smellysell (Oct 29, 2018)

Love the cliff notes! 

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk


----------

