Accessories Recommend Me Some Bluetooth Earbuds

[codesplice]

Alright, Android Forumers, I need some help. I'd like some bluetooth earbuds, and the options out there are kind of overwhelming to me. I'd really appreciate any personal recommendations you could make based upon the following "wants":

• Battery life. I'd like to be able to get through most of a work day with them.
• Comfort. I'd like to be able to get through most of a work day with them.
• Sound quality. I don't want over-saturated bass. Just a crisp, balanced sound please.
• No sound isolation. This is kind of my biggest requirement, and also the one that seems toughest to satisfy. I need to be able to hear if someone starts trying to talk to me while I'm rocking out, so the earplug style buds simply won't do. I need something that channels the sound into my ear (kind of like the tips on these) rather than blocking off the entirety of my ear canal.
• Sweatproof (or at least resistant) would be nice. I don't lead a terribly active lifestyle, so I don't necessarily need earbuds that will stay in while running a marathon, but it would be nice if I could wear them while working in the yard or on cars without worrying about my sweat causing problems.
• Connectivity/range. I know most BT earbuds kind of suck at range, but it'd be pretty sweet if I could wonder about the office (within, say, 30 feet) and actually keep hearing my music.

My current wired earbuds are the discontinued Bose MIE2s which I absolutely love. If you can find me a good wireless alternative to those I would be your best friend forever. I don't want to say that "money is no object" but I would much rather pay a bit more for the perfect set of buds rather than buying several cheaper ones to find the right fit.


Thanks in advance!

 

[KOLIO]

JayBird BlueBuds X,one of my all-time favorite tech-buys:
http://www.jaybirdsport.com/bluebuds-x-bluetooth-headphones/

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...I_G9sYCFRCEaQodemoJZg&is=REG&m=Y&A=details&Q=
http://www.amazon.com/JayBird-BlueBuds-Sport-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00AIRUOI8
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/jaybird...5af4&ksprof_id=8&ksaffcode=pg14327&ksdevice=c

I'd buy from the seller who has the easiest no-hassle return policy,just in-case the no-sound isolation isn't exactly what you'd like for it to be.
This is hard to judge from one individual to another,YMMV.
However,my experience finds these buds perfectly engineered for what you're looking for,as your requirements/usage is line-for-line exactly what I like about these.
Also you can have 'em cranked up & fully enjoy the experience WITHOUT the ear ringing afterwards.

I'm confident that you'll like these,enough that I'll gladly buy 'em from you should you not like 'em & have a hard time returning them for a full refund .

 

[bcrichster]

Motorola S-11's. The best. Period

 

[codesplice]

JayBird BlueBuds X,one of my all-time favorite tech-buys:
http://www.jaybirdsport.com/bluebuds-x-bluetooth-headphones/

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...I_G9sYCFRCEaQodemoJZg&is=REG&m=Y&A=details&Q=
http://www.amazon.com/JayBird-BlueBuds-Sport-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B00AIRUOI8
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/jaybird...5af4&ksprof_id=8&ksaffcode=pg14327&ksdevice=c

I'd buy from the seller who has the easiest no-hassle return policy,just in-case the no-sound isolation isn't exactly what you'd like for it to be.
This is hard to judge from one individual to another,YMMV.
However,my experience finds these buds perfectly engineered for what you're looking for,as your requirements/usage is line-for-line exactly what I like about these.
Also you can have 'em cranked up & fully enjoy the experience WITHOUT the ear ringing afterwards.

I'm confident that you'll like these,enough that I'll gladly buy 'em from you should you not like 'em & have a hard time returning them for a full refund .

Those were up at the top of my list, but I've heard from a few folks that they seal pretty snuggly in the ear canal and should block out most external sound. You're saying that's not the case?

 

[KOLIO]

They do come w/3 different bud sizes,plus the "wings" that fit in the outer ear.
W/that set-up,you may get the sound pass-through from the outer world you're looking for.
If you're still wanting the Bose,looks like 7 different e-Bay sellers stateside have 'em available (new)......

 

[bcrichster]

Those were up at the top of my list, but I've heard from a few folks that they seal pretty snuggly in the ear canal and should block out most external sound. You're saying that's not the case?

That IS the case with the Moto S11's. And they're also thin & snug enough to fit comfortably under a helmet. Superb! I don't talk up many products but these are the best out of 8 different BT earbuds I've tried over the years. Phenomenal

 

[codesplice]

That IS the case with the Moto S11's. And they're also thin & snug enough to fit comfortably under a helmet. Superb! I don't talk up many products but these are the best out of 8 different BT earbuds I've tried over the years. Phenomenal

Thanks for the details!

It looks like there are a few variants of the S11s. Are you talking about the Flex-HD or the standard HDs? (And what's the difference? )

Related: how stiff is the neck band portion? Would it be uncomfortable or awkward to only wear one earbud?

 

[codesplice]

In the name of being thorough, I looked at every pair of Bluetooth earbuds with Prime shipping and 4+ star reviews on Amazon... It seems like the Plantronics BackBeat Fits are the only ones specifically designed to allow outside sound in: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KJLMBSO/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_JabTvb4JBXNFD

Their ear tips are shaped pretty much exactly like the ones on my wired Bose earbuds, and that's really the style I think I want.

Does anyone have any experience with those?

 

[bcrichster]

Thanks for the details!

It looks like there are a few variants of the S11s. Are you talking about the Flex-HD or the standard HDs? (And what's the difference? )

Related: how stiff is the neck band portion? Would it be uncomfortable or awkward to only wear one earbud?

I believe they were Flex-HD's. And you can turn an earned sideways if desired. The balance of them are excellent and way better than any other model previously designed as well as any other brands/models

 

[codesplice]

Thanks @bcrichster! I'll definitely add those Flex HDs to my short list to check out closer.

 

[bcrichster]

Thanks @bcrichster! I'll definitely add those Flex HDs to my short list to check out closer.

I know I was surprised to hear things I've never heard before, like drummers/guitarists cussing each other out for whatever.

 

[codesplice]

Thanks all for the input. I spent probably eight hours this weekend researching and reading reviews of each option that has been suggested (and many, many more).

For now, I've ordered the BackBeat Fits - as they seem to come closest to meeting my requirements while also having largely positive reviews (some of the others seems to have been a bit hit-or-miss).

If I end up being unable to stand them for one reason or another, my wife has graciously agreed to accept them (she's a bit less picky about audio quality, and also they're neon green). And then I'll stop goofing around and just get the BlueBud X's.

 

[KOLIO]

For now, I've ordered the BackBeat Fits - as they seem to come closest to meeting my requirements while also having largely positive reviews (some of the others seems to have been a bit hit-or-miss).

If I end up being unable to stand them for one reason or another, my wife has graciously agreed to accept them (she's a bit less picky about audio quality, and also they're neon green). And then I'll stop goofing around and just get the BlueBud X's.

Please keep us posted w/your results.

 

[codesplice]

Please keep us posted w/your results.

Absolutely, I'll let you folks know what I think once I get a chance to test them out.

 

[KOLIO]

Absolutely, I'll let you folks know what I think once I get a chance to test them out.

Any chance of you trying these out:

http://phandroid.com/2015/07/28/moto-pulse-surround/
http://www.motorola.com/us/accessor...ones/moto-surround.html?PublisherName=VigLink

 

[codesplice]

Any chance of you trying these out:

http://phandroid.com/2015/07/28/moto-pulse-surround/
http://www.motorola.com/us/accessor...ones/moto-surround.html?PublisherName=VigLink

Wouldn't you know that those would be announced the day after I placed my order? Go figure. (Even so, I don't believe they had the "lets ambient sound in" design that I was looking for.)

I did receive the BackBeats today though, and I'm rather pleased so far. They actually sound a LOT better than I anticipated, and I was actually able to carry on a conversation with my wife while listening to tunes with the buds seated in both ears (at a reasonable volume of course). The controls are a bit funky (long-press the volume-up button to turn the level down) but should be fine once I get the hang of it. The Bluetooth connection seems pretty reliable so far, though I can't speak to the battery life just yet.

More details as I continue to test them across my very diverse music collection and tastes!

 

[codesplice]

Range: I left my phone on my desk and walked to the restroom at work - I'm not great at estimating distances, but it's gotta be ~35 feet to the door. Music continued streaming cleanly until I actually entered the restroom and the door closed behind me. I'm impressed!

Comfort: I listened to tunes pretty much all day at work and I feel fine. None of the soreness that I've gotten with extended listening on other earbuds in the past - particularly noteworthy since the BackBeats take a "one size fits all" approach. There's no pouch of differently sized plugs, though the ear-facing bit does rotate +/- 20 degrees or so. It took a bit to get the right orientation for my ear holes, but I've got no complaints after working that out.

Battery Life: I listened to tunes pretty much all day at work (minus a lunch break) and they haven't given out yet. They do report "battery level low" now, though - and the Bluetooth battery level indicator on my P8L concurs with that assessment. I also played with them for maybe two hours last night. So these should have absolutely no trouble getting through an 8-hour work day.



So overall, yeah, I'm pretty pleased with this purchase!