BT Headphones

[Mercutio]

I almost hate to ask this, but does anyone have any strong opinions about bluetooth headphones? I've had BT headSETS that were pretty crummy for audio quality, but I'd like to find something I can use with my phone while I'm working out that:
1. Doesn't require a cord and works with my phone or tablet
2. Can live in my pants pocket basically all the time
3. Has at least FM radio audio quality (the last headset I tried wasn't even that good).
4. In a perfect world, I wouldn't want to worry about it getting wet from rain or sweat.

I've probably tried four or five headsets over the years and I don't really want to blow $50 or $75 several more times just to figure out I'm still better off with corded earbuds.

 

[Chewy509]

The only decent BT headsets I've seen was a Plantronics headset a number of years ago... (This was at a tradeshow, but the audio quality was excellent for a headset being used in a noisy environment).

I doubt they make the same model, but expect they have upgraded their range since.

http://www.plantronics.com/us/

 

[ddrueding]

I know this won't fit your need, but I may as well stick the recommendation in this thread.

I have both the Sennheiser RS180 and RS220 wireless headsets, and both are excellent at their price point. Perhaps double the cost of a corded set of the same quality.

I just noticed that they do sell a respectable-looking BT headset, but it ain't cheap.

 

[Clocker]

I used a cheap Chinese knockoff of these for a while and thought they were good:

http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-S10-HD-Bluetooth-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B004BHCSQC

I think I picked them up on eBay for about $15. It was a year or two ago so probably an older version but the same basic thing.

I no longer bother with bringing music to the gym since I'm pressed for time and can't afford any distraction.

 

[Howell]

Several of the guys in the company gym wear the Motorola S10 but I'm not sure they are discerning listeners. One point though, one guy complains that after a while it gives his large head a headache.

I suppose if you are walking you can get away with wireless cans.

 

[Mercutio]

During a workout I'm most concerned with drowning out the shit they play on the PA (the gym has a some kind of weird religious affiliation so half the time it's Jesusy Heavy Metal and the other half there's a 100% correlation to what gets played in a strip club and it's terrible either way).

Clocker, I'm actually a huge fan of getting podcasts on my phone. I'm enough of a critical listener that music is actually distracting if I'm exercising. So instead I have my phone snag a few hours of talk content a day. Fresh Air from NPR, WTF by Marc Maron (both long-format interview shows), the Savage Lovecast, the Nerdist, the Moth, Radiolab, PRI's Marketplace... Rather than screwing with a playlist I just fire up an hour or two of podcasts and let it go.

These are the guys I suspect I'm going to wind up buying. I thought about the Plantronics Go2s but I don't think 5 hours of battery life is going to do it for me. The solid headband models don't seem like they'd be sufficiently pocket friendly.

 

[timwhit]

I know this won't fit your need, but I may as well stick the recommendation in this thread.

I have both the Sennheiser RS180 and RS220 wireless headsets, and both are excellent at their price point. Perhaps double the cost of a corded set of the same quality.

I just noticed that they do sell a respectable-looking BT headset, but it ain't cheap.

I have a set of the RS160 and I don't think they sound that great. When listening to music with any amount of bass or watching action movies they usually fall short.

 

[LunarMist]

How much time lag do they have?

 

[ddrueding]

I don't notice any. Is there some kind of synthetic test that would be better and making it obvious?

 

[CityK]

These are the guys I suspect I'm going to wind up buying. I thought about the Plantronics Go2s but I don't think 5 hours of battery life is going to do it for me.

Did you end up picking them up yet? I too am looking for a BT set for working out/running (though haven't ruled out just getting some wired ones either).

From what I have read, the battery life and sound quality on the jaybirds seems to be the pros for them. But looking at the cons, the price and durability seem to be the detractors. Though, it seems that BT headsets in general don't have a particularly long life expectancy for whatever reason ... on the other hand, the average wired headset probably isn't a lot better.
Consequently, despite the lower bat life and rated audio quality, I'm thinking that going with the Go2s might be a better bet/value... working under the assumption that they would give up the ghost in (guessing) 2yrs, and that, by that time, continued cost decreases and technological advancements would allow for an even better upgrade.

 

[Mercutio]

Did you end up picking them up yet? I too am looking for a BT set for working out/running (though haven't ruled out just getting some wired ones either).

I did pick them up and I've had them for a week. Here's what I can say:

1. The earbuds are bigger than I thought they'd be. They stick out a bit from my ears. I've found that if I wear them with a stocking cap or any tight ear covering, there's too much pressure on the earbuds to vibrate and I therefore don't get any sound. Since it's cold where I live, this is a bit of a downer.
2. They're very pocket friendly. The wires are coated with something thick that does not tangle.
3. Battery life is something I don't have a great feel for yet. "Longer than six hours" is all I can say for sure.
4. Adjusting non-BT radio services (802.11, LTE, 3G etc) causes a momentary (1 second?) switch back to the device speaker. I've not observed this with other BT headsets but I did verify it's not just something weird about my phone. Not a big deal, but it's a little annoying.
5. They're heavy enough and expensive enough that I'm going to probably put an eyeglass strap on them to act as a necklace so that if I have to take them out they won't fall off my neck.
6. Sound quality is good but not astonishing.
7. They don't feel particularly delicate or any worse than any other headphones I've used.
8. I can get around 50 feet away from my handset and get normal reception from them.

 

[CityK]

Thanks for the feedback Mercutio.

4. Adjusting non-BT radio services (802.11, LTE, 3G etc) causes a momentary (1 second?) switch back to the device speaker. I've not observed this with other BT headsets but I did verify it's not just something weird about my phone. Not a big deal, but it's a little annoying.

somewhat related to that, for one of the pairs I read about (I think it was the Go2s), adjusting the volume from the headset produces a short momentary/disruption/pause in playback

5. They're heavy enough and expensive enough that I'm going to probably put an eyeglass strap on them to act as a necklace so that if I have to take them out they won't fall off my neck.

yeah, good idea.

Incidentally, I came across something yesterday that suggests that Kit Kat's handling of BT headsets may be messed up currently:
http://forums.androidcentral.com/go...exus-5-bluetooth-streaming-audio-go-deaf.html

 

[Mercutio]

Volume adjustments don't seem to be a problem, but I do really have a good handle on the in-line controls yet. Long pushes have a different meaning from quick taps, so sometimes I wind up fast forwarding music on accident.

 

[CityK]

I too am looking for a BT set for working out/running ... I'm thinking that going with the Go2s

I've had these for a while now and can provide a qualified opinion of them:

• battery life is crap ... but that was expected ... I get maybe 4 hours of music time
• battery recharge time is good ... haven't timed it, but I'd say it only takes about an hour and a bit before they indicate they're fully charged again
• operation/control is pretty easy. The firmware provides clear vocal status (i.e. power on, power off, recharge headset, battery level hight ....)
• call quality seems good ... haven't used it excessively in this mode, but when I have, and when I have informed the other party that I'm using the BT headset, the other parties have remarked that its perfect reception.
• music/audio quality is good if you can get the bud into your ear or form a seal ... it comes with 3 different size buds and I'm just using the med. They aren't a perfect fit for me (the large might be better) but I don't want to have a perfect seal, as I do want to be able to hear some noise from the outside (so I have an indication that someone is beside me or whatever and don't run into them or knock them over; cars, dogs; etc etc).
• the neck strap is a shade long (maybe 2 inches? too much) ... though, it has seemed to have become a little more flexible with time, so this isn't as noticeable/annoying as it was when I first got them
• they pair up with my phone really quickly ... my car takes much longer to pair with the phone.
• good range ... I'd say I can generally walk 40 feet (straight line) away from the phone before it drops signal ... I does well between rooms and different levels of stairs too.
• I find that when I run I am pushing them back in every once in a while (but as I said, I don't have a perfect fit to begin with) ... the worst is when I'm getting sweat accumulating in the ear (which only happens because you have the ear buds on, otherwise it would never occur naturally), and they start to slip a lot more. Fortunately the buds are "sweat proof".

I got mine off amazon. Don't recall the exact price, but after tax they came out a touch under $80 (CDN). All told, happy with the purchase

 

[Santilli]

Nothing like resurrection;-)
So far, I've gone through Bose 35's, 330.00, over priced, sketchy software, weird proprietary plug in design so when the wire goes, you have to get one from Bose. Poor range. Constant disconnects from the phone and the computer. Appears to have a conflict with my Samsung 9S+, causing dropped signals.
They have Sony h2's for 250, with tax. They are similar in sound quality,
Returned them to Costco.
Sennheiser is supposed to be the best, Momentums, but, they start at 500, and go down to 350. Supposed to be a big step up from the Bose and Sony sound wise.

Tried the UrbanliteXL's wired. 80 bucks, but the cover for the ears came off, and was really hard to replace.

I've got two pair of Motorola S305's that have been around about 25 years, and have always been a good value, for 40 bucks.

Considering the Massdrop 58X for 170.00 with tax. Wired, but supposed to have the same quality as their 650's, in fact, with the same components,
in the builds.

 

[Stereodude]

Have you given these Sony's a listen? https://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm3

 

[Handruin]

Nothing like resurrection;-)
So far, I've gone through Bose 35's, 330.00, over priced, sketchy software, weird proprietary plug in design so when the wire goes, you have to get one from Bose. Poor range. Constant disconnects from the phone and the computer. Appears to have a conflict with my Samsung 9S+, causing dropped signals.
They have Sony h2's for 250, with tax. They are similar in sound quality,
Returned them to Costco.
Sennheiser is supposed to be the best, Momentums, but, they start at 500, and go down to 350. Supposed to be a big step up from the Bose and Sony sound wise.

Tried the UrbanliteXL's wired. 80 bucks, but the cover for the ears came off, and was really hard to replace.

I've got two pair of Motorola S305's that have been around about 25 years, and have always been a good value, for 40 bucks.

Considering the Massdrop 58X for 170.00 with tax. Wired, but supposed to have the same quality as their 650's, in fact, with the same components,
in the builds.

Have you given these Sony's a listen? https://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm3

^^^ Santilli, listen to SD and look up the wh-1000xm3's.

 

[Santilli]

HMMMM.
Tried these:
https://www.costco.com/Sony-WH-H900...ling-Headphones,-Black.product.100403345.html
The Bose and the Sony are both really close, and really overpriced.

The Sennhieser Urbanlites were about the same sound quality. for 80 bucks.

I'm after something that is considerably better then either.

The Bose seemed like the software was unrefined, and buggy. For 350 you would think they would have some sort of equalizer.
The bottom line is they are pushing the bottom of the cost market for really premium, studio quality headphones, and providing decent, but poor value sound quality.

For 40 bucks, the Motorola S305's have decent sound quality, and the same sort of Bluetooth range, or better, then the Bose.

My issue with the Sony's is the value. Isn't there. Not when for 170 you can get Massdrop Sennheisers that give better sound quality, by far.

Between the APK in ears, two pairs of Motorola S305's, and some cheaper in ears, I don't see a reason for uncomfortable, hot, noise cancelation phones.

I can't justify twice the cost, for half the sound quality, just to have wireless, when the ones I've got are ok, for nothing.

 

[ddrueding]

I have the big Sennheiser unit, and have the Bose over-ear and IEM units for the wife and kid. Sennheiser is better noise cancellation and audio quality by quite a ways. The IEMs are great; convenient, effective, good sound, but I find them uncomfortable after 4-5 hours, and most of my flights are longer than that.

 

[Santilli]

I thought the Sennheiser Urbanlites for 80 bucks had better sound quality then the Bose 35's, at 330. That said, they are not wireless, nor are the earpads well constructed, or easy to replace.

Handruin:
The Sony reviews say they are close if not the same as the Bose 35s, sound wise. The other features on the Sony take them over the Bose.
Bose software isn't really good, nor is their connection BlueTooth long range.

Samsung 9s+ came with APK IEModules. They sell for 100 bucks, they are good, But I don't know if they are that good.
Still they work well.

I think both the Sony and the Bose are overpriced, and the Sennheiser's are a better value, if you get a decent deal.
They can be found in the same price range, and as David has said, they are actually higher rated in most of the tests, but, the 500 retail price makes people think The sennheisers are over-priced.

 

[Santilli]

Sennheiser HD1 Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation - Black (Certified Refurbished)
by Sennheiser
https://www.amazon.com/Sennheiser-W...s+headphones&qid=1554081423&s=gateway&sr=8-23

200,00. Original retail 500. and top rated, if not for price.
At this price, no brainer.

 

[Santilli]

"It also helped that the rest of the sound quality, outside of the bass, was equally solid. These aren't quite the richest and most expansive headphones in this price range, in terms of audio quality. In our opinion, those would probably be the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless (full review here), which sound absolutely fantastic for their $400 price tag. But the WH-1000XM3s still sound absolutely superb. "

https://www.themasterswitch.com/review-sony-wh-1000xm3

 

[LunarMist]

The large over the ear types are usually uncomfortable when tight enough to consistently block sound, at least for me. I have a Sony of some kind and a more recent Bosed.
I also have the issue of excessive bulk/weight on the international flights unless travel is for work. I'm not assigned to any ex-US mission nowadays so it isn't very often.

 

[Santilli]

"" In our opinion, those would probably be the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless (full review here), which sound absolutely fantastic for their $400 price tag. "
At delivered for 200. they are truly fantastic. A huge step in depth of sound, highs, lows and midrange, all deeper more detailed, precision.

So far, the software works fine.
One driver doesn't seem to be around, or findable, Bluetooth Peripheral device, but, the head phones work great, connect easily and consistently,
and the manual is pretty straight forward.

 

[Santilli]

Sound has separation that's incredible. Gives you the feeling that the sound is 3 dimensional, and if they are singing, and are in different parts of the room, it comes through. Highs are incredible, and I don't hear well up there.

Mid-range comes through with punch, and from 3D type feeling distance. Just heard a piano come in, and it gives the accurate feeling of where it is in the room.