yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[General Accessories] vectron:
Hmm, that's a tough one. You will not be disappointed with bluebuds x, but I felt these were overpriced. But according to your pricing comparison, you pay almost the same price for bluebuds with extended battery life versus backbeats go2 with additional charging case. Maybe try to contact Plantronics customer support and explain your situation asking for advice about purchasing charging case separately? Otherwise, without charging case - I would pass on it in favor of bluebuds x. Just my opinion. I would also suggest looking into Anker headphones, but checked and those are not available in Italy.
[General Accessories] :
Thank you Vectron, you are one of the best contributors here on xda!!

Note 2 N7100 - Alliance Rom DMA6 - Perseus Kernel
[General Accessories] vectron:
Thanks! Maybe one of these days XDA admins will notice that as well and will let me co-moderate Accessories section on XDA (I have been PMing a few admins, but never got a reply from anybody). With Note 2 popularity fading away, this forum section is no longer as active as it used to be. I enjoy writing reviews, posting and sharing it on XDA, and then have a discussion afterwards. But this is for benefit of this N2 forum section while others might not get visibility of my work. So I'm starting to realize that moving forward I should post all of my non-phone specific reviews in the General Accessories section of the forum for everyone's benefit. I enjoy doing this, you guys enjoy reading this, and vendors continue sending me free review samples - everybody benefits! :D
[General Accessories] Sheeptar:
Great review for something that looks like great headphones. Do these work with GPS directions?
[General Accessories] vectron:
Are you sure the case is fully charged before you start charging the headset? Are you charging headset from the case while the charging cable to the case is unplugged? Did you make sure the micro-usb cable is plugged in all the way?
[General Accessories] banistersmind:
Yes to all.
[General Accessories] banistersmind:
Just a quick update on my experience with the plantronics battery pack.

I'm now onto unit number three after returning both the first and second units to the place of purchase and exchanging them.

It would appear that the charging case is not designed to deliver a full charge to the headset as I have never seen the light go blue on the headset to indicate a full charge.

If this is the case then would it be fair to say that plantronics are not being honest in their representations about the product?
[General Accessories] vectron:
These are headphones, wired or wireless. So if GPS audio feedback is enabled, either if its coming out of your phone speaker or through connected headphone - it all should be the same. If you only care about GPS audio feedback and don't care much about higher quality of audio, you have a number of choices under $100.
[General Accessories] Sheeptar:
I thought you needed specials profiles or something, for GPS. Pretty clueless when it comes to bluetooth, I am. These are a good combo of great sound and low profile, being small. So they might just be the ones for me. Not that cheap though, true. Even more expensive here in Europe.

Right now it's a threeway between MW600, these and LG730. With MW600's being the outsider.
[General Accessories] :
Let us know if we can do something for you!

Note 2 N7100 - Alliance Rom DMA6 - Perseus Kernel
[General Accessories] MrCrisp:
Heya Vectron, thanks for the review mate - I found it (and I suspect others will also) extremely helpful!

I had a similar question to cyberpunk627 if I may... I've been hard pressed to decide between the two of these (Bluebuds and Backbeat Go 2) for gym use.. I wouldn't purchase the Backbeats without the charging case, and sadly Plantronics have staggered the release worldwide. They were released in the US some time back, but the release in Europe was scheduled for a slightly later date, and then again for us in Australia.

After spending a significant part of my day today on the phone with Plantronics and some of their major local distributors, I have come to learn that they will be released here some time in October (probably late).

I'm really after a pair a little sooner than this, ebay is a possibility (posted for $130 + $20 Square Trade Warranty - this does cover everything for 3 years, including dead batteries), or I can wait and hope there is no delay, though the price here is meant to be somewhat more again (the top tier distributor was suggesting a price more like $140-150 - it should be noted that our dollar is slightly weaker versus the greenback atm). I was leaning towards the Ebay seller, who will have the stock on friday...

I've just seen a pair of Bluebuds on our local Ebay. Secondhand, they have seen a little use, but I can live with that as long as the sound is still fine. These were purchased through a reputable seller locally just a couple of months ago, and a receipt will be provided for warranty claims.

Here is the million dollar question. If these two units were the same price (or thereabouts) which would you choose? Naturally it would mean pitting the Backbeat Go 2 + charging case against the Jaybird Bluebuds X. Taking value for money out of the equation, how do they stack up?

The Bluebuds seem to have a more eye-friendly appearance, and slightly more intelligent design for sports use - however your description of their somewhat muddy bass leads me to the conclusion that the Backbeat Go 2's have the edge in sound quality.

I'm hoping you'll be browsing the forums, or not far away, because this auction ends in about 8 hours - hahaha ;)
[General Accessories] vectron:
IMHO, I take sound quality over battery life any day. BBG2 hands down sound better then BBX. BBX has a better battery life, but again I need to have a visual of battery status and BBG2 widget is great for that. If you are planning to exercise 7+ hours non-stop, BBG2 will not cut it for you. But considering an average workout of 1-2 hours, you just put headphones back in the case to charge it up. The case battery, and trust me - I reviewed a lot of external batteries, holds it's charge very good even after a week of not using it, and has its own indicator. Plus being able to have pass-through charging of both headphone and battery is very convenient. Just my opinion, but I think Plantronics really did their homework on this one and got it right. Hopefully BBG3 will have a longer internal battery and case battery.

Plus, I heard a rumor Plantronics is also working on wireless speakers. By the effort they put into sound quality of BBG2, I'm looking forward to those as well.
[General Accessories] MrCrisp:
Whew, just made it!

TBH I was thinking much the same thing. I can't recall _ever_ having worn headphones for 8 hours straight, so its not the battery life that was selling me on the bluebuds.

More in, it was the fit while running. I Believe these (while paired with some comply tips) have a slightly more secure fit, and the addition of the cable clips to keep the cord out of the way whilst exercising was a bonus.

You've had both, and I assume you've trained in both. Do you see any shortcomings in the Plantronics' ear clip design?

Do you think the Backbeats could perhaps also be worn in an over the ear manner?
[General Accessories] vectron:
By ear clips you mean those stabilizer things/loops? BBX stabilizer wings are more functional, while BBG2 are not as much and more useful to interconnect earbuds. But surprisingly even with stock tips those stayed in firmly. Regarding over ear fit, you can't use it with BBG2 because mic/remote will be right behind your ear. So, it has to be worn wire down.
[General Accessories] MrCrisp:
Meh, I was too tired to decide, so went to sleep and missed the auction :D

Thanks for your input mate, tbh I probably need to dwell on it for a little longer.. LOL

I'm pretty active in the gym, and a personal trainer by trade, so sweat resistance and fitting quality are both up there with sound quality for me.

I'm dead keen on the Plantronics BBG2, but frankly am somewhat concerned about how they will fare in a stress test - when I'm virtually saturated and pushing out a last mile on the treadmill, etc.. I've already seen one guy report that the long cable can be a real hinderance in this type of environment, and those stabiliser clips look more like an afterthought than a core design function. They do look less, ummm, obtrusive than the BBX, meaning I could get away with utilising them in more places, but this is a moot point if they don't function well when I'm jumping around like a lunatic!

However with the BBX, I'll be facing worse sound quality - which is a big un. The lifetime sweat guarantee is appealing however.

The BBX appears mandatory for the addition of some nice Compy tips, whereas I just got an email from Comply themselves stating that at this time they have no intention to even produce tips for the Backbeat. Perhaps this is indicative of the Backbeat's already-superior tip design, but it would be nice to know there was at least the option. (And it would set my mind more at ease about them falling out when I'm training)

Well I missed that aution, so I have a little time up my sleeve to consider both options more fully. I have been instructed by the Plantronics Australian distributor to give them a call in a few weeks - seems that is when they are due to hit the shelves here - and he will arrange for a "special" price for me. Who knows, perhaps that may be the clincher? :cool:
[General Accessories] vectron:
I can double check when I get home if Comply 500 will fit with BBG2. Regarding heavy duty exercise since its your work by trade, I can guarantee that either BBX or BBG2 will fail sooner or later. I have read plenty of reviews that nothing is 100% sweatproof :) That why warranty is important ;) Comply Tips with filtering partition inside might actually help from sweat getting into the driver.

For your use, either of these will be a good choice. BBG2 is my personal preference for my use, and I prefer their sound quality especially in lower end (bass was clear and not overpowering). But as you know, sound quality is a matter of personal taste and fit is also a matter of personal ear-canal build :D If you would have a chance to test drive both, that would be an ultimate solution. I guess we here in US are spoiled with our Amazon and being able to buy and to return it back hassle free after a/b comparison.
[General Accessories] ryballs:
Fantastic review.. I have read a few of them on the BB Go 2 and the JB Blue Buds X but this one was by far the most in-depth. I'm now confident the BackBeat Go 2 will meet my requirements. Thank you.
[General Accessories] rashedabbasi:
Great Review

Vectron - this was a great review. And I really appreciate the time and effort you have spent on this. I was truly convinced on buying these over jaybirds expensive bluebuds but then I read through this other review which says the bass is not thumping enough and that the audio quality in phone calls is noisy on the outside. Link to this review is given below:

mobile.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/audio/3471208/plantronics-backbeat-go-2-review

It is contrary to what you have discussed (rich sound with better bass) and now I'm a little confused. I know for sure there are only two options when it boils down to bluetooth earplugs, bbg2 and BBX. However, they're both on the expensive side with a price tag of over $100. While I don't have a problem spending this much to kill my wish list but I do expect it to deliver quality for money spent.

I want a wireless solution to music, I've been asking myself for so many years why this hasn't been created. Apple revolutionized smart phones, why can't we revolutionize this. Well now since it has been invented, it's got a lot of teething issues. So before I empty my pockets, I would like to ask you to correct my expectations. If you can, that would be great since it's actually a matter of spending over 10k in my part of the world.

These are my expectations. I want thumping bass, which can be felt in my ears. I want rich sound which stays clear and does not go vague when I turn the volume to max. I want ear plugs that gives me high volume quality music (so I can't hear the world when I'm on it). This is all I look for when listening to music. Beats by dre has too much bass. Apple EarPods (though wired) has little. My preference lies between the two. And lastly audio quality on phone calls (inside a quiet room and while driving with windows down on a road full of traffic).

Would appreciate some honest comments.
[General Accessories] vectron:
Review of headphones is very subjective matter. What sounds great to one person, might not be to the other person. The reviewer of that article found bass to be not as strong as he would like. I found it to be just perfect comparing it to other headphones in the same category (remember, its a relative comparison). You might get it and decide they have no bass what so ever or bass is too overpowering.

I read through that review and also did a search to see if they have reviewed BBX in there as well (but couldn't find it). That would have been a good data point to see how they compare BBG2 to BBX.

You will be the final judge of the low end spectrum of those headphones. I found them to be just perfect in terms of low end clarify, presence, and not being too overpowering (like beats low end distortion). You also gotta keep in mind, everybody's ear canal is different and bass is a direct function of how well eartips are sealing those earphones inside of your ears. If the tip is too small or too big or not all the way in, the sound will change drastically. I was using stock eartips for BBG2 while with BBX tried both stock and Comply. And I still stick to my opinion that BBX low end is a bit on a muddy side. Sometime they try to make it sound "warm" which probably the effect of it, but just IMHO when comparing one to the other, I found bass to be better in BBG2. But as I said, my definition of better and acceptable bass quality could be (and most likely) is different from yours.
[General Accessories] jallenhayslett:
[MENTION=3996566]vectron[/MENTION],

I have a pair of Sennheiser CX-275 wired earbuds. I have been quite pleased with their sound quality. Are you familiar with them? If so, what would you say of the sound quality of the BBG2 and the CX-275? Or, in general, how does the BBG2 sound quality compare with wired earbuds in the $75-$100 range?

Also, If I were to buy the BBG2, which Comply tips would fit?
[General Accessories] jbeef86:
my guess (since I dont have the same Senns) is wired will probably sound better but you have to deal with wires. I have the BBG2 and I use it with my laptop for music & movies. The sound is good...the best I have heard from a bluetooth anyways. The highs/mids are good and that has been a problem with a bunch of BT sets I have tried. The bass isnt crazy but with a good seal its ok and you can say that with pretty much all IEMs as far as a good seal. I have some knockoff Earpods that sound just as good as these and they were around $10 but they have wires. If you want a good sounding bluetooth stereo headset these work great. If you want something that is just as good as a wired set or better then you probably will find it hard to be happy. I am just guessing here because I dont have any wired IEMs or earbuds that run around a $100 but I gotta think they would probably sound better. I have Senn HD280 cans and they kill the BBG2 in sound but its an unfair comparison but the Senns are gigantic and look kind of funny wearing them at work.
[General Accessories] vectron:
Here a really good review posted about BBG2 on iLounge (the review is audiophile and he reviewed a ton of headphones, and does direct comparison to BBX in his write-up): http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/plantronics-backbeat-go-2-bluetooth-wireless-earbuds/

Regarding Comply tips, I will make sure to try it out tonight. It's should fit TSX-500 without a problem, and I can guarantee WILL improve bass response. Please, keep in mind when people talk about bass - yes, it's all relative to your liking. I was comparing it to BBX bass response and found it to be much better and clear.

Regarding comment above of using BBG2 with laptop - if you think the sound it good, you have to try it with your phone. I know BBG2 uses old BT2.1 and some might think it doesn't matter since most likely your laptop has BT 2.x while Note 2 uses BT4.0 - but I read from a lot of people who said the sound will be improved because your laptop is a source of sound and BT 2.1 will compress it more, vs N2 with BT4.0 allocating more bandwidth. Try with your Note 2 and you will hear difference with bass ;)

Regarding Sen HD280, I had these "pro" version before and didn't like it because of the headband being too tight, squeezing my brains out lol!!! I do music production and need cans with flat frequency response, thus use MDR-7506. HD280 Pro had slightly exaggerated bass (I always though because of headband pushing these right into my ears), so I stopped using it. Actually, right now I switched completely using UE600vi for my music mixing because of clarity and details of mid/highs, although the bass is weak in these.

I never tried CX-275 so can't comment on it. But as it was mentioned above, you can't really compare uncompressed sound of wired headphones with compressed wireless one. In my opinion, I found BBG2 to have one of the best sound for wireless IEH (in ear headphones). There are some fantastic over the year wireless cans, and as a matter of fact I'm waiting for a sample of http://www.meelec.com/product_p/hp-af52-bk-mee.htm to review next week ;) But as far as IEH goes, just in my opinion BBG2 edged over BBX in sound quality, price, and performance (considering rechargeable pouch).
[General Accessories] jbeef86:
Yeah thanks Vectron...I have a BT USB 4.0 adapter on my laptop and it sounds the same as on my Note 2. I really like it for music and watching movies/tv shows. If I am watching something intense with special audio effects I usually switch to my big cans though. I did play Battleship (movie) and Fast & Furious and the BBG2 held up great and they would be fine if I had to use them.
[General Accessories] vectron:
Just to confirm, I tested BBG2 with ComplyFoam TSX-500 tips - fits perfectly. I wouldn't say it changed the sound quality drastically, but for sure it added a much better sound isolation (definitely can hear a difference) and improved the comfort of staying in the ear. With foam tips you can go for some extreme activities without worry these will fall out of your ear. I also think with sound isolation bass response improved a bit.
[General Accessories] jallenhayslett:
I would love to get a good pair of compact over-ear headphones. The sound quality is so much better.

Unfortunately, I've never been able tolerate things wrapping over my head. I can't even tolerate a hat for more than an hour before I want to throw it away and claw my scalp off. Same thing with dangly wires or necklaces around the collarbone/clavicle area. Drives me crazy.

Anyway, BBG2 have been ordered as well as a set of TSX-500 Comply tips. Should be here Sunday. I'll let you know how it goes.
[General Accessories] kenshin304:
Great review of this product. Strongly considering them for my next accessory purchase.
[General Accessories] Jaybenosa:
Anyone know where I can get these other than online?
[General Accessories] jbeef86:
Bestbuy is where I picked mine up.
[General Accessories] vectron:
Guys/gals, for those who already have BBG2 - please chime in with your comments. The sound quality of any headphone is really a matter of personal taste, so I don't want other to base it on my opinion only. For others who like it or dislike it or want to compare it to other wireless headphones - add your comments ;)
[General Accessories] mikespe:
Has anyone tried these for extended periods of time to verify if they are really sweat proof? I've had several bluetooth headsets (mostly the various motorola models but also the LG H700) and all but the LG's have died. The LG's sound great but I do not like it hanging around my neck. I feel like I'm being strangled when I workout (especially when I squat heavy!). These look like they might feel better but I don't want to invest in another model that will be useless in a matter of a month or 2. I just don't like wired headsets when weight training & no matter how I route the cord I still end up spending more time messing with it than working out.

Thanks!!
[General Accessories] Jaybenosa:
Just picked up a pair of bbg2 and had it charging over night. This morning I tried turning them on and nothing happens. They dont turn on. Any ideas?
[General Accessories] Jaybenosa:
Ok so I took it back to verizon and exchanged it for a working model. I've only used it for about 5 minutes as I haven't charged it yet. Those 1st 5 minutes have got me amazed at the sound quality of these tiny headphones!!! I absolutely have no regrets in purchasing these and I highly recommend them.
[General Accessories] vectron:
Yeah, I was thinking the same - you probably got a lemon with your original pair. Regarding charging these up, don't forget that you can have headphones plugged into charging case and charging case plugged to wall charger - and both will charge at the same time, very convenient!!!

Regarding sound, if you are impressed with unboxed pair, wait until they will go through a break in. With more listening to music and "exercising" the driver, the sound will only improve. I'm simply amazed at it's sound quality. Anybody who has issues with these (not sure if I came across any negative reviews yet) are either not using a right tip for a better fitment or maybe just expressing their first listening minute impression (although out of the box they already sound good). Btw, forgot if I mentioned it, but when I was talking to their marketing department and asked if they ever going to come out with wireless speakers to compete with Jambox, Beats, Logitech, Bose, etc. - they told me to "stay tuned". If they can reproduce the same sound quality of wireless IEH with wireless speakers, they will have another top product in catalog.
[General Accessories] Jaybenosa:
Anyone know of any aftermarket ear buds that will fit with these?
[General Accessories] vectron:
Already posted on the previous page, Comply Foam tips 500-series work great. I used TSX-500 (rounded shape and earwax filter).
[General Accessories] Jaybenosa:
Do you know if the decibullz would work with the BBG2?
[General Accessories] vectron:
I have no idea; I thought those are custom eartips for any IEH?
[General Accessories] vectron:
For those who inquired before, I just got a word from Plantronics that BBG2 with a

charging case

is available internationally now.
[General Accessories] mikespe:
After reading this review as well as youtube reviews on these headphones and the Jabra Sport I just ordered the Jabra Sport. For working out they seemed like the better headphones for me. I like the over-ear style buds anyway...However you dod a GREAT review of these & had me interested...until I saw the Jabra's....Thanks for your review!!
[General Accessories] vectron:
Did you read Jabra Sport reviews on Amazon? They have more 1 star reviews than 5 start reviews. Poor fitment because its a fixed behind/over ear loop, also due to fitment lack of bass, issues with bt connection drops, and poor customer support. That was a reason I kind of steered away from reviewing it. Plus it's only 4 hr battery.

Once you get yours, please let us know your impression!