Plantronics BackBeat Go Review - Almost the Perfect Bluetooth Earbuds
by Brian Klug on August 27, 2012 6:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
- Bluetooth
- plantronics
Five years ago I bought a pair of A2DP headsets, oddly enough alongside the purchase of a Dell XPS M1730. They were Dell BH200 stereo headests, essentially a rebrand of some Logitech models that were modern at the time. I used that in conjunction with a Dell Axim Pocket PC and later an HTC Apache to listen to streaming music while studying. Times have changed considerably since then, and both Moore’s law and further component miniaturization has made it possible to cram what used to require a bulky on-ear form factor into a pair of earbuds, and A2DP is likewise commonplace in any smartphone or PMP. I've long fantasized about a pair of earbuds with as little cable as possible, and right now the form factor of the BackBeat Go is basically as close as you can get to that reality.
The Plantronics BackBeat Go earbuds are good enough for casual listening, though discerning ears used to listening to higher end IEMs will detect a notably smaller sound stage and compressed dynamic range thanks to A2DP. On the whole however, the combo really is good enough to be passable when you have a good ear canal seal. The BackBeat Gos run around $76 at Amazon, which honestly isn’t bad for what you get. Since playing with this pair, I’ve become aware of a number of other players with the same form factor, for example Novero’s Rockaway or the Jaybird Freedom, all of which sit between $75 and $99.
My issue with the Dell BH200 headsets a long time ago was that wearing them was fatiguing and uncomfortable after a few hours. The BackBeat Go form factor is all around better, but unfortunately isn’t perfect, with the earbuds sometimes sliding out of my ear canals due to their large size and the lack of stiffer rubber. In addition, lack of multi-host pairing makes hopping between the notebook and smartphone as an A2DP source somewhat annoying.
The BackBeat Gos are tantalizingly close to being the sort of ideal Bluetooth earbud stereo platform that I’ve been dreaming of all these years, but aren’t quite there yet. That doesn’t mean they’re not enjoyable, but could benefit from maybe one more iteration.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
31 Comments
View All Comments
SimplePhotos - Wednesday, May 29, 2013 - link
I bought a pair of these when I got my iPhone 5 back in March. I use them every day, in all life circumstances, including outdoor work as a photographer (rain & dust). I am able to have phone conversations while I take photos simultaneously on my iPhone using these things. I only paid $50 at RadioShack on discount, but I would recommend them up to $80. It's not often I find a product that is completely seamless and so reliable. At the gym, I leave my phone in a wooden locker and work out up to 50' away and never break signal. I am considering purchasing another pair off eBay for backup when the batteries run out (I generally get about 5 hours out of a charge). I don't write reviews often, but I really feel like some people are underrating this product here, and I want to share my view. For the freedom and reliability, a $70 price point is a bargain in my view. I absolutely hate 'cord snag' where buds get ripped out of my ears due to some movement... I never have to deal with that now. Hope this helps. Brian -Dariusbird - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
How do you think these Plantronics stack up against my LG HBS-700? Just might be time for an upgrade.dsumanik - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
I own the lg tone tones, and jaybird freedoms, the lg tones have better reception, battery life, plus the vibrating feature is nice so you can leave your phone on the table and walk around the house....not having to keep the earbuds in your ear the whole time to listen for a call.The jaybird freedoms are more sweat proof, but changing songs on them is a pain while you are jogging and the sound quality is crap.
Ive owned many headsets the hbs700 is hands down the best in almost every department, battery reception and sound quality/noise cancellation....to the point when i make a call on my regualr iPhone, people complain and say they cant hear me very well, until i switch back to the headset.
These all in one style earbuds are sleek and convenient...but you trade reception and battery life for the convenience.
Another set to check out if you like this style is novero rockaways
lockey813 - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
Would you recommend the hbs700 or the bbs730? Thank youlockey813 - Wednesday, October 17, 2012 - link
sorry typo. I mean the HBS-700 or the HBS-730Bob-o - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
With that poor battery life I think I'll stick with my Voyager 855's for now.http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UBNFT2
Not the best audio quality. . . but who would use BT for audio quality anyway? Break out the high-quality wired set for that.
OCedHrt - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
I'm really surprised at the recent articles on this form factor being new or some kind of break through. Sony's had this exact form factor for several years now, but obviously failed to market it (no wonder they're losing market share left and right). You can get one now for about half the price of this one (though it may be a knock-off) on eBay or something.Brian Klug - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
Which model? Somehow I never ran into it, yet it has been the form factor I've been looking forward to for quite a while now. I guess this was my first exposure to it, for whatever reason.-Brian
Impulses - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
The IS800 mentioned below have been around for at least three years I think, used to retail for over $200 tho. Battery life still kills the value for this form factor IMO.Rather just use a clip on receiver with longer battery life and the upside of being able to plug in the headphones directly when it runs out.Brian Klug - Monday, August 27, 2012 - link
Ahh that's a good point, hmm I really need to give those a try. I'd like to just try all of them out at once honestly, since using this form factor is something I'd like to do on a daily basis.-Brian