Beats

Wireless Sports Audio Series

April 16, 2016

Sports wireless earphones are in such massive demand now. To put things in perspective, Jaybird specializes in this niche and its success in this category allows it to rank among the top five brands in the premium headphone segment by revenue in 2014, according to The NPD Group. How about that?

We had the opportunity to test some 5 really astounding sports earphones these past few months. 

In a 4-part series, we will review 3 models we recently laid our paws on. We'd already checked out 2 of 'em, namely the LG TONE Active and the Jaybird X2 Wireless. To make it sweet, we'll round them all up in a verdict.

Update (14 Jul 2016)
Initially, the Wireless Sports Audio Series was supposed to be a 4-part series of articles. We had the opportunity to try even more buds. After all, why limit it? We'll not even call it 5- or 6-part. We'll make it modular to accomodate more articles :)
Bose SoundSport Wireless - added 14 Jul 2016
Jaybird Freedom Wireless F5 - added 13 Sep 2016

1. Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless
After 2 years in the market, this is still the defacto wireless sports earbuds that Beats provides in a multitude of colors. Beats / Apple's getting all the big names like LeBron James and Taylor Swift in to promote the SGD 310 clip-on model.
Price: SGD 310
Type: Clip-on
Battery life: 6h
Full review 

2. Jaybird X2 Wireless
Just acquired by Logitech, the lightweight 13g Jaybird X2 Wireless is their current flagship model for good reason. 
Price: SGD 259
Type: Over-the-ears / Under-ears
Battery life: 8h
Full review

3. LG TONE Active (HBS-850)
LG's surprise hit, the TONE series of space age neck-styled earphones have clearly captured the imagination of the masses, with a whopping 10 million units sold thus far (and counting). The HBS-850 is their first sports-inclined model to hit to shops.
Price: SGD 189
Type: Around neck 
Battery life: 9.5h
First look / Full review

4. Sony NW-WS413
We took a first look when Sony launched this SGD 149 unit a month back. The biggie about it is that it's waterproof and not just splashproof. You can actually go for a swim with it!
Price: SGD 149
Type: Over-the-ears / Inbuilt storage
Battery life: 12h
First look / Full review

5. UA Headphones Wireless - Engineered by JBL
First announced at CES 2016, UA and JBL's collaboration produced their first pair of Bluetooth earbuds sporting the distinct UA logo. Just released last month in Singapore, we'll check out how they fare.
Price: SGD 289
Type: Under-ears
Battery life: 8h
Full review

6. Bose SoundSport Wireless
First announced in June, we found it timely to include Bose into the wireless sports audio ecosystem. 
Price: SGD 239
Type: Under-ears
Battery life: 6h
Launch / First impressions

Stay tuned for the reviews!

Wireless Sports Audio Series 
Part 1 - Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless (24 Apr 2016)
Part 2 - Sony NW-WS413 (3 May 2016)
Part 3 - UA Headphones Wireless - By JBL (29 May 2016)
Part 4 - Bose SoundSport Wireless (14 Jul 2016)
Part 5 - Jaybird Freedom Wireless F5 (13 Sep 2016)
Comply Foam - Sport, Isolation and Comfort Tips 
The Verdict (TBA)

Bluetooth

Logitech Acquires Jaybird

April 14, 2016

12 Apr - In what is some big news in the portable audio domain, Logitech is acquiring Jaybird for USD 50 million in cold hard cash, with an addition earning of up to USD 45 million based on certain growth targets in the next 2 years.

BackgroundCreated in 2006, Jaybird has grown to be a leader in sports wireless audio as referenced by being a top five brand in the premium headphone segment in 2014, according to The NPD Group.

Logitech themselves are no strangers to audio, having acquired Ultimate Ears, the specialist brand in custom in-ear monitors (CIEMs), back in 2008.

What's the Big Deal?
1. Symbiotic Relationship
Logitech has lots of experience in developing products, a lure for Jaybird. Judd Armstrong, CEO of Jaybird, concurs and mentioned that "Jaybird will benefit from Logitech's global distribution network and deep engineering prowess." Logitech's CEO, Bracken Darrell, returned the favor and acknowledged Jaybird's "strong brand and sports expertise".

2. Jaybird Brand Intact
Yup, the Jaybird brand will supposedly remain. If that's the case, then there won't be an unfortunate scenario where an up and coming brand just dissolves into thin air. Want examples? Think of the mobile phone sector where Nokia was gobbled by Microsoft. Think of HP taking over Palm only to squash the brand within 2 years. We see the Jaybird acquisition closer to how Lenovo took over the ThinkPad laptop business...and thank goodness for that.

3. Evolution of Products?
What remains to be seen is what will happen to the product range that Jaybird produces. To take an example, Ultimate Ears is well known for custom IEMs. However, the sub-brand appears to be veering away from earphone legacy to establish itself in the portable speaker category such as the UE Boom 2 and Megaboom. Will the same happen to Jaybird? Let's sit back and find out.

Bluetooth

IT Show 2016 - Portable Music Roundup

March 12, 2016

One of the quarterly consumer tech shows is now in full swing at Suntec Convention Centre from 10 to 13 Mar 2016.

Wait no more!
Check out our roundup of portable audio gizmos at the IT Show 2016 that is going for steal.

Wireless Earphones

Earin
Price: SGD 329 (from SGD 349)
Features - Totally wireless (ie. no cables) / Trend setter / With charging capsule
Location - audiosplitz / Treoo (6571) 

Jabra Rox Wireless
Price: SGD 128 (from SGD 168) with Free Magnetic Pouch
Features -  Wireless / Dust and water proof 
Location - Best (8245) / Harvey Norman (6138) / Nubox (309)

Wireless Headphones

Sennheiser URBANITE XL Wireless
Price: SGD 419 with Free Gift of either OCX 686 Sports or PMX 686 Sports wired earphones (each valued SGD 149)
Features -  Over-ears comfort / Wireless or wired / Touch controls / NFC
Location - Sennheiser

Sony MDR-1ABT
Price: SGD 399 (from SGD 499)
Features: Over-ears comfort / Wireless or wired / Touch controls / NFC
Location: Treoo (6571) 

Noise Canceling 
Bose QuietComfort 20 (QC 20) 
Price: SGD 399 (from SGD 499)
Features: Kick-ass noise canceling / Wired / Aware button for toggling ambient sound level
Location: Atlas Warehouse Sale (336)

Sports Earphones (Wired / Wireless)
Bose SoundSport In-Ear 
Price: SGD 99 (from SGD 219)
Features: Wired / Great value / Comfortable StayHear tips
Location: Atlas Warehouse Sale (336)

Jaybird X2 Wireless
Price: SGD 229 (from SGD 259)
Features: Wireless / Excellent sound / Great fit / Comply Foam tips
Location: audiosplitz / Treoo (6571) 

Sony NWZ-WS413
Price: SGD 149 with Free Casing
Features - Dust and Waterproof (you can swim with it!) / 4GB memory / No external music device needed
Location - Sony (8115)

Wired Earphones
Jays a-JAYS Five
Price: SGD 108 (from $138) for Android / iOS
Price: SGD 69 (from $138) for Windows
Features - Great value / Great bass / Dedicated in-line remote for device type
Location - Treoo (6571)

Wired Headphones
Klipsch Reference R6i On-Ear
Price: SGD 175 (from SGD 199) for 1 pair purchase promo at 10% off
Price: SGD 169 (from SGD 199) for 2 pairs purchase promo at 15% off.
Features - Very lightweight / Great bass / iOS compatible remote
Location - Best (8245) / Challenger (8321) / epiCentre (8101) / Harvey Norman (6138) / Nubox (309)

Speakers
UE BOOM 2
Price: SGD 269 (from SGD 319)
Features - Wireless / 360 degree type / 15h battery life
Location - Best (8245) / EpiCentre (8101) / Nubox (309)

Audeze

CES 2016 - Portable Music Summary

January 10, 2016

The start of the year always heralds a packed week in Las Vegas where the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) hits full swing. The 2016 edition is no different. We summarize all the latest in the portable music scene.

Sports
Jaybird - The Freedom Wireless and X3 Wireless earphones. What is new is that these 2 units will be app driven. Check out our coverage on these sports in-ears.

JBL - The UA Headphones Wireless Heart Rate is a partnership with Under Armour. Apart from checking your heart rate at the touch of a button, there's a sweat-proof IPX5 rating and it comes with a 12-month MapMyFitness subscription. These Bluetooth clip-ons have a 5h battery life, go for USD 250 and will be available in Spring 2016.

The Sony WS414 Walkman promises a design that is salt-water proof and dust-proof. The 32g unit has an 8GB config, comes in black / ivory / blue / lime green and is available from March.

Totally Wireless Earphones
Although announced a while back, Bragi, Earin and Kanoa all proudly displayed their totally wireless earbuds. The Bragi Dash fitness-oriented device has 4GB storage and touch controls to track your jogging performance. 

Bragi Dash

Earin's super light 3.5 gram unit have a simple design that comes with a nifty charging capsule. This SGD 349 (USD 250 - 300) unit is already in production and we're currently reviewing this unit. Stay tuned!

Earin

The Kanoa offers water-resistance, a 6h battery life and hits the shops in May. USD 300 for these.

Neckband Headphones (Around-The-Neck Phones)
JBL - The Everest Elite 100 Bluetooth earphones rest around your neck and come with active noise canceling (ANC). They come with a 6h battery life and come in black / white variants. The Elite 100 will cost a fair USD 199 and will hit the shops in March. 

LG - The successful Tone series continues its legacy with the launch of the Tone Infinim (HBS-910) and Tone HBS-810 Ultra. They appear to have a better battery life than its predecessors and will be available in black / silver / rose gold from February in Asia.

Sony - The h.ear in Wireless is a Bluetooth neckband headphone, which is powered by a 9mm driver unit. Interestingly, there is a regular minijack for a connection to your source device when the battery runs out. Available in May.

Audiophile
Audeze - The SINE On-Ear Headphone, designed by BMW DesignWorksUSA, are supposedly the world's first on-ear planar-magnetic headphones. This translates to the promise of the sound of a larger model despite its lightweight leather-clad 230g frame. These wired cans go for USD 500 and are already available. Oh, and the Lightning cable is an option.

Technics - The EAH-T700 is one solidly (think aluminum) engineered pair of over-ears. The 470g weight put us in a fix as this is a unit likely meant for the home rather than to be used on the road. Powered by a 50mm dynamic driver and 14mm 'super tweeter', they promise a more than decent level of sound quality. The price is also more than decent at a heart-stopping USD 1,200.

Noise-Canceling
Sony - h.ear on Wireless NC is as it says. Despite being a pair of digital noise canceling Bluetooth headphones, it still offers an impressive 20h of battery life. They are available in the same colors as its wired brethren released last year. Available in May. 

Bluetooth

CES 2016 - Jaybird X3 and Freedom Wireless

January 05, 2016

CES 2016 - Jaybird signals its intent to dominate the wireless sports earphone market with the launch of 2 new products - The X3 Wireless and the Freedom Wireless, both running on Bluetooth 4.0. It appears Jaybird's product lifecycles are getting shorter given that its successful X2 was just released in Aug.

31 Oct 2016 - Jaybird X3 Wireless - Review
13 Sep 2016 - Jaybird Freedom Wireless - Review

What's the Big Deal?

1. Customizable Sound Profile
For whichever device you are using, your sound settings are apparently saved. This is a first for sports wireless earphones. 

Jaybird Freedom Wireless - Blaze Red

2. Jaybird MySound app
Jaybird is now beginning to integrate hardware with the software for both the X3 and Freedom. This app gives customization of your EQ settings which can be used from device to device. This is iOS and Android friendly.

Jaybird MySound app

3. Comply Foam
We loved the experience of the Comply Foam (Sports) tips on the X2. There's no reason to believe that the isolation or the fit will be any worse on the Freedom and the X3.
Update (31 Oct 2016) - 
- Freedom uses Comply Foam (Sports) tips
- X3 uses Comply Foam (Isolation) tips

Jaybird Freedom Wireless - Blush

4. Battery Life
The X3 Wireless promises 7 hours of juice (just slightly less than the 8h of the X2) while the Freedom Wireless offers 8 hours. This is very agreeable when you check out other sports offerings like the Jabra Sport Coach (5.5h) or the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless (6h).
Update (31 Oct 2016) -
Jaybird stated the X3 now is on par with X2 at 8 hours.

5. Sweat proof
These earphones are still sweat proof like the X2, a definite plus should you go for jogging. All that remains is for this to be tested.

Jaybird Freedom Wireless - Ocean

Pricing
The Freedom Wireless will now be the top tier sports Bluetooth offering from Jaybird.
X3 Wireless - USD 149.99 129.99 (updated 31 Oct 2016)
Freedom Wireless - USD 199.99

Jaybird X3 Wireless contents - Packaging mockup provided at CES 2016

Availability
Both are slated for launch in Q2 2016 at selected retailers worldwide. While there's no news on Singapore (SG) availability as yet, we'll see if we can lay our hands on a review unit.

Where To Buy
The Jaybird Freedom Wireless (US - USD 129) and Jaybird X3 Wireless (US - USD 149) can be purchased from jaybirdsport.com.


Alternatively, if you liked our coverage, do feel free to support us by purchasing the:
- Jaybird Freedom Wireless (from USD 134) from Amazon via this affiliate link. 
- Jaybird X3 Wireless (USD 129) from Amazon via this affiliate link. 

Jaybird Freedom Wireless contents

Update (31 Aug 2016)
We have gotten our hands on the Jaybird Freedom Wireless. Stay tuned for the full review in mid-September!

Update (13 Sep 2016)
And now, our review of the Jaybird Freedom Wireless is now out.

Update (31 Oct 2016)
Check out our review of the Jaybird X3 Wireless, launched at USD 129.99. Pre-orders can now be taken at jaybirdsport.com and units are expected to ship from November 2016. 

Update (15 Feb 2017)
Logitech, that now owns Jaybird, mentioned that it is likely that the SG release will be in late-March to early-April 2017.

Update (3 May 2017)

The Jaybird X3 is now available today in Singapore for SGD 215.

Jaybird X3 Wireless - Blackout

Beats

2015 Holiday Gift Guide - Portable Audio

December 20, 2015

As Christmas beckons and 2015 comes to an end, let's take a look at some great portable audio gear you can gift for your loved ones. Not sure what to get? Fret not! We break down a few choices for each persona.

Merry X'mas folks!

Fashionistas
1. Beats Solo 2 Wireless (SGD 490)
This model is a head turner with the variants like the Active Collection (for sports lovers), and Luxe Editions (for a more premium look) being recently released. 

2. Sennheiser MOMENTUM On Ear (M2) (SGD 319)
The MOMENTUM series is helluva looker and why change a proven formula? And they haven't, given its design has been around since 2013.

3. Master & Dynamic MH30 (SGD 549)
This New York company is certainly going places with its premium design. Want something novel? It ain't seen very much in Singapore (yet).

No Cables Please (Wireless)
1. Bose SoundLink on-ear Bluetooth (SGD 379)
The OE SoundLink is one of the best in the wireless on-ears category for sound delivery. The price is very decent too.

2. Sennheiser URBANITE XL Wireless (SGD 419)
They are great headphones for street wear and high quality sound over Bluetooth makes for good icing on the cake.

3. Sony MDR-1ABT (SGD 499)
A good choice for a multitude of reasons - It's comfortable, it supports aptX and LDAC codecs and it's a Sony.

Sports Lovers
1. Jaybird X2 Wireless (SGD 259)
These rank right up there for sports earbuds. They are highly customizable and the Comply foam tips offer great noise isolation and fit.

2. LG Tone Active (SGD 189)
The space-age looking TONE series has been a killer product for LG. What better way to improve it than to make a sports variant? 

3. Jabra Sport Coach (SGD 248)
It's pretty hard to find an effective product that gives an integrated software and hardware fitness solution.

Users On-The-Go (Noise Canceling)
1. Bose QuietComfort 25 (SGD 529)
The QC25 blocks off sound to the extent that you feel you're in a world of your own.

2. Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H8 (SGD 699)
This is a premium looking pair to be seen with. Oh, and it's great to use on an airplane where the engine hum is just taken away. 

3. Sony h.ear in NC (MDR-EX750NA)
This really light pair of in-ears works wonders on the train. Once you flick the switch on, the train grinding sounds are magically reduced.

Audiophiles
1. Klipsch Reference X20i (SGD 999)
These are certainly pricey but the sound delivery will certainly appeal to purists.

2. Grado SR60e  
The SR60e is their entry level headphones and despite that, the quality of the music is simply amazing for its price.