This week saw the launch of the B&O BeoPlay H4 over-ears headphones. It's a toned down version of their already released BeoPlay H7 and if you don't mind the removal of touch controls, the H4 provides a better value proposition.

Type - Wireless Over-Ears
Price - EUR 299 / USD 299 / SGD 399

B&O BeoPlay H4

Trivia - With this, it appears they are one product away from completing their BeoPlay H-series of headphones products. They already have the H2 to H9. Only the H1 is amiss :)

The Big Deal?

1. Design
Look familiar? That's 'cos it's designed by Jakob Wagner, a regular on B&O's portfolio of industrial designers who has crafted several other BeoPlay H-series audio gear. The materials used range from lambskin leather on the cushions to aluminum and stainless steel. It weighs 235g, considerably lighter than its wireless over-ears peers like the Sony MDR-1ABT (300g).

B&O BeoPlay H4

2. Sound
These headphones come, of course, with B&O's Signature Sound powered from 40mm drivers. You can opt to listen wirelessly through Bluetooth or use the provided 1.2m cable.

B&O BeoPlay H4

3. Battery Life
There's 19 hours of juice from a 2.5 hour charge for wireless playback. It's not the best but gives a more than adequate amount of power given the range of over-ear headphones in the market like the Sony MDR-1ABT (28h) or the Klipsch Reference Over-Ear Bluetooth (20h).

4. Buttons!
Yes, in an era of touch sensitive controls, tactile buttons can actually be quite refreshing. The controls are lined up on the right side.

Pricing and Availability
It comes in one color at launch - Charcoal Grey. 

It is now available worldwide and will be available in Singapore from 16 Feb 2017 at Bang & Olufsen Grand Hyatt and Takashimaya. 

Where To Buy
If you like what you have read on the product, do feel free to support me by buying from Amazon via this affiliate link. Prices start from USD 299.

Wireless headphones are becoming the defacto standard for portable audio gear. There is no question about it. As cables lose their appeal, it's important to understand what kind of wireless headphone you would need. 


But first, let's look at how wireless headphones came about and how they evolved.

Background
In the past few years, wired headphones have been gradually losing their cables. Manufacturers have long been grappling with the questions on how to lose the wires while maintaining sound quality. Not just a decent sound but the sound profile that one would expect when listening through a cabled version. 

Wireless headphones - B&O BeoPlay H7

More than a decade ago, Bluetooth technology was developed. The first versions where primitive and standards were being established. Bluetooth 2.0 came about and by end-2005, the first products started supporting the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) transfer standard. This determined that high quality audio could be streamed from one Bluetooth device to another. With A2DP, it mandated that the SBC codec that supports up to a relatively decent 345 kbps data rate be used.

Wireless headphones - Bose Soundsport Wireless

Nokia came up with the HS-12W in 2006 and it really took a while (like about 5 years) for everyone to warm up. The audio manufacturers while initially slow, began to embrace A2DP. If you look at the top manufacturers by dollar sales in 2016, Bose joined in 2010, Beats in 2011 while Jaybird already embraced Bluetooth with its first product (JB100 Freedom) in 2007. And in mid-2016, we have now come to a point where Bluetooth headphones accounted for 54% of US sales in the category, beating non-Bluetooth for the first time.

Wireless headphones - Jaybird X2 Wireless

Why Buy Wireless Headphones?
Probably the most significant injection to boost the need for wireless headphones is Apple's landmark decision to remove the headphone jack from its iPhone. Yes, the iPhone 7 did away with the 3.5mm jack in 2016. And since Apple commands the biggest global smartphone marketshare of Q4 2016 (17.8%), we have come to a point where probably all major headphone manufacturers acknowledge that it is absolutely vital to churn out wireless headphones lest they stare at an abyss of sales in the coming years. Apple has the tendency to set trends (for example, removal of the floppy drive / CD drive) where the industry has grudgingly followed and the 3.5mm jack is no different.

Do you miss that 3.5mm jack?

How to Buy Wireless Headphones
And now we come to the point of the article. This is where we look at how to buy a pair of wireless headphones. After reviewing a ton of headphones over the past years, it is not so simplistic to say X headphone is the best, Y headphone is the worst. Such a frivolous assessment would be an insult to manufacturers who have put in effort to develop and position their headphones.

When every manufacturer floods you with different products and concepts, it complicates the buying process a little bit. With that, we look at certain considerations when assessing what pair of wireless headphones to get.

1. Types
There are loads of wireless headphone categories. Let's break them down:

i. Over-ear headphones:
Characteristics - Ear cushions fit around your ear
Example(s) - Master & Dynamic MW60, Sony MDR-1ABT

Over-ear headphones - Master & Dynamic MW60

ii. On-ear headphones 
Characteristics - Ear cushions sit on your ear
Example(s) - B&O BeoPlay H8, Beats Solo2 Wireless

On-ear headphones - B&O BeoPlay H8

iii. Neckband headphones 
Characteristics - Buds that sit around your neck collar
Example(s) - LG TONE series

iv. Sports in-ears 
Characteristics - Buds that are tuned for workouts and usually sweat-proof
Example(s) - UA Headphones, Jaybird Freedom

Sports wireless - UA Headphones, Sony NW413, LG TONE Active, Jaybird X2, Beats Powerbeats2

v. In-ears 
Characteristics - Buds for everyday use
Example(s) - Plantronics BackBeat GO 3, Klipsch R6 In-Ear Bluetooth

In-ear headphones - Plantronics BackBeat GO 3

vi. Truly wireless 
Characteristics - Just two buds. Absolutely cord-free
Example(s) - Samsung Gear IconX, Erato Apollo 7 

Truly wireless headphones - Samsung Gear IconX

2. Sound Quality
You want headphones that sound good. And yet, it may not be a primary consideration if you are a fashionista. If you are an audiophile, you may swear by cables but the truth is that top manufacturers are now pushing quality wireless headphone products consistently. Take a look at Sony or Klipsch. Sony even created their own LDAC codec that supposedly ups the ante on sound quality. Outside of Sony, the most common high quality codec used is aptX that promises CD-quality type audio. Manufacturers like Jaybird and Beats are quite content without aptX as they contend that users audio needs are sufficiently met for different reasons. For example, Jaybird is usually used for workouts so pristine sound quality is obviously not the priority when there are already so many environmental sounds. 

LDAC headphones - Sony MDR-1ABT

3. Fit
This is absolutely crucial if you want earphones for working out. You really don't want them slipping out of your ears while you're in the zone, sweating it out in the gym. It may surprise you but just because a manufacturer shows pictures of people jogging in the earphones, it does not necessarily mean they have a good fit. We reviewed quite a few wireless sports audio products. My experience is that Bose and certain Jaybirds have got this spot on. For those that don't, consider adding Comply Foam tips which can help greatly. Even with headphones that you put over-ear or on-ear, you will need to consider - how much clamping force is there on your ears (even more so if you wear glasses)? 

Read - Wireless Sports Audio series

Wireless sports headphones - Jaybird X3 Wireless

4. Battery Life
All headphones last for different durations. Headphones generally have a bigger profile and can accommodate bigger batteries and hence last longer. The average is about 20 hours. For sports earphones, we're looking at a range of 4 to 10 hours where the average is around 8 hours. Neckband headphones are around 10 hours. Our recommendation? Well, the obvious is to get one that lasts as long as possible.

Wireless headphones - Klipsch R6 In-Ear Bluetooth

5. Style
The priority of someone who may want a headphone as an accessory and why not? Beats in itself is single handedly eating up the headphone marketshare with its branding and making sure that it sells truckloads of it 'cos they/ are used by top tier athletes. Even celebrities lap them up, likely 'cos Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine are passing truckloads to them. Superficial factor? Maybe. A factor to consider? Certainly.

Wireless headphones - Beats Solo3 Wireless

6. Weight
You don't want a pair of headphones to weigh you down. On the contrary. When you listen for extended durations, you want comfort for your ears (and head). How much pressure is there exerted by the headband on your head? You may not notice straight away so you will likely need to try headphones for periods of 10 minutes or more to fully appreciate if there be some discomfort. If you can't wait, do check the specs. Headphones in excess of 300 grams may cause discomfort but again, it depends on how a manufacturer handles the weight distribution.

Wireless headphones - Sennheiser PXC 550

7. Noise Canceling
If you travel loads, active noise canceling (ANC) headphones are they way to go. We previously reviewed and compared 3 noise-canceling in-ears. Common questions arose. Was there a switch to power the ANC? What about the noise canceling intensity? It can differ quite a bit depending on the tuning of each ANC headphone so it's recommended to try each of them in a noisy environment. If you want to go a step further, you can even control how much ambient sound you want to let into your listening experience. This is great for safety reasons eg. crossing the road. 

Read - Noise Canceling Immersion series

Active noise canceling (ANC) headphones - Bose QC35

Summary
To cut the long story short, let's recap the 7 points that determine what you would look at when buying a wireless pair of headphones:

1. Headphone type
2. Sound quality
3. Fit
4. Battery life
5. Style
6. Weight
7. Noise canceling

All that said, it's actually recommended you assess what are your priorities when purchasing a pair of headphones / earphones. It may be one or two of the above factors but it certainly cannot be all of them. And there some really good choices at your disposal.

Everyone's considerations are different and knowing what you want will really make a big difference in your headphone experience.

Feel free to drop me a note should you need any help!

Santa Cruz-based Plantronics have vast experience in headset development so it's good to see them come up with more consumer-centric products in 2016. Right now, we look at the Plantronics BackBeat FIT (USD 129.99 / SGD 219), a pair of sports wireless earphones that were released some 2 years back and just refreshed in October 2016. Let's review the FIT and also check how different is the BackBeat FIT New Series from the original.

BackBeat FIT New Series (2016) - Power Blue

BackBeat FIT New Series (2016) vs BackBeat FIT (2014)
The key difference is that the FIT New Series is now waterproof (IP57 rated) meaning you can dunk the buds up to 1 meter in the water and they'll still function whereas the original was P2i sweatproof coated. Apart from that, the FIT New Series comes in 5 refreshed colors - Power Blue, Sport Grey, Stealth Green, Fit Fuchsia and Black Core.  Oh, and there's a new design for the Call icon on the right bud. If you look at a specs comparison on their website, all else is roughly the same. 

BackBeat FIT New Series (2016)

Now that we've done the comparisons, let's look at the BackBeat FIT (original) in detail. 

Pros (+): Excellent fit; Decent sound; Ambient sound clearly heard with music; Very useful carry pouch / armband; App support.
Cons (-): Miniscule power knob; No dedicated volume down button; Head strap bobbing.

Design
In the initial launch, there were 2 colors intuitively named Blue and Green. A red variant called Lava was added sometime after. 

Plantronics BackBeat FIT - Blue

You can pop open the lid like a book where you can see the buds through a transparent blister.  

The packaging contents contain:

• Plantronics BackBeat FIT buds
• Charging Cable (micro-USB)
• Carry Pouch / Armband
• Quick Start Guide

The BackBeat FIT tips the scales at 24g, not the lightest out there but much on par with the Bose SoundSport Wireless and Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless. They have a unique design where you need to hook the buds over-the-ears and drape the cord around the back of your head where it dangles freely in mid-air. There are no other bud or fin sizes included though the default sizing worked just fine for me. You can actually swivel the bud and fin within a 20 degree range for added ear fit flexibility.

The neoprene carry pouch is very handy. There's a sleeve on the back and it can be opened up. What makes it special is that you can flip it inside out to make it transform into an armband so you can store your phone on your arm while jogging. Its reflective exterior makes it psychologically a little more assuring when jogging at night. 

Features
The Plantronics has a P2i nano-coating that makes the unit sweat-proof. Jogging under light drizzle is also not a problem as I found out given that the unit is still fully functional.

There are 4 playback controls that come integrated on the left and right earbud exterior. Some controls may prove to be an issue with users with huge digits. The power (right side) and volume (left) functions are just a small protruding buttons above the much bigger circular call and play / pause buttons respectively. Another point is there is no dedicated volume down button so you have to press the volume button twice and hold, not exactly a simple task when you are jogging with gusto. 

Pairing over Bluetooth (3.0) is a straightforward process. Just hold the center button until the LED flashes red/blue, select 'PLT_BBFIT' from your mobile device and you're good to go. Alternatively, you can use the app to simplify the (already intuitive) pairing process. 

The voice and audio prompts do their job. You can check out the battery level and hear / view the LED if pairing is in progress.

Plantronics is indeed forward thinking. Manufacturers like Bose and Jaybird only started on apps in 2016 while the BackBeat had such support way back in 2014. The BackBeat FIT Companion is the app (iOS 8.2+ / Android 4.4.4+) that gives value added functionality. The current version (3.0) allows toggling between 8 languages and Bluetooth switching between your devices. Thankfully, the unit allows for firmware updates. All you need is to open the app and plug the charging cable to the FIT. The update will initiate and the LED indicator will flash purple. One example of an improvement? The voice prompt announcement was updated from 'Battery Level: High' to 'Listen Time: 8 hours', clearly more useful in evaluating whether to charge the unit. 

Performance
We test these sports earbuds in three areas when jogging:
1. Fit - Did it fit into the ears snugly? Did the weight of the cord tug on ears causing it to fall out?

2. Noise Isolation - We checked out the degree to which external noise is blocked. This is what you'd deem as 'passive noise cancelation'.

3. Microphonics - This is basically the sound of the cable rustle when there's any kind of friction, be it wind friction or the cord swishing when running.

Fit-wise, it takes a little while to get the buds around your head and ears due to the design of the fins and ear hooks. Once on, they are feel great. You can jump / jog and they don't come off and it gives a really assuring feeling that they won't fall off. The lengthy head strap allows flexibility with different head sizes but if there is excess, like in my case where I've smaller head (Asian sized :), you may feel the cord bobbing up and down though there is otherwise no microphonics.

The BackBeat FIT has an open eartip design that deliberately allows ambient sound to pass through quite clearly. That is their intention and with that, noise isolation is obviously minimal. 

The sound quality is pretty darn decent. I took these buds for a spin blasting Mansun's Wide Open Space (Perfecto Mix) and Chicane vs Keane's Wake Up. Bass and treble are pretty well balanced, sounding good in theory but if you're a basshead, the sound leakage due to the open sound design may leave you longing for more.

The Plantronics deliver an 8 hour battery life on a full charge of 2.5 hours, comparable with sports wireless buds like the UA Headphones Wireless (8 hours) and the Jaybird X2 Wireless (8 hours).  Alternatively, you can get 1 hour of playback on a 15 minute quick charge by connecting the charging cable to the micro-USB point, neatly hidden on the right earbud. There's even a DeepSleep mode where the unit hibernates when it's out of range of your music devices. 

Overall
The Plantronics BackBeat FIT is a great choice for joggers. The button actuation may take a while to get used to but it's a product that lives up to its namesake. The fit on a jog is outstanding and you get a good sound profile that allows loads of ambient sound through making you well aware of your surroundings. While the pricing was initially steep, it is now at a level that is much more agreeable.

Availability
The BackBeat FIT New Series is available on Amazon at USD 129.99 and it is coming soon to Singapore. 

The BackBeat FIT is available on Amazon from USD 82.95 and at Lazada.SG from SGD 108.90.

Wireless Sports Audio Series
Part 1 - Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless
Part 2 - Sony NW-WS413
Part 3 - UA Headphones Wireless - By JBL
Part 4 - Bose SoundSport Wireless
Part 5 - Jaybird Freedom Wireless F5
Part 6 - Plantronics BackBeat Fit 
Part 7 - The Verdict (TBA)

B&O launched the BeoPlay A2 Active on 3 Nov, marking the second dedicated portable speaker released in 2016 after the BeoPlay A1. As the direct successor of the BeoPlay A2 released in Oct 2014, let's give you the lowdown on what the A2 Active offers and the differences from its predecessor.

Update (10 Mar 2017) - Here's the review of the BeoPlay A2 Active



BeoPlay A2 Active (2016) vs BeoPlay A2 (2014) Comparison
While they look practically the same, the new BeoPlay A2 Active does boast a few subtle differences that improves on the original BeoPlay A2. Let's check out three of them.

1. Splash and Dust Resistant
This is of course why the A2 Active is called as such. It is built to be more rugged and the speaker should be able to weather the elements more effectively.

2. Charging connectivity
Previously, there was DC power input and a USB-A connector. Now, you can only charge the device using the new and more compact USB-C port that all the new Apple MacBook Pros come with.

3. Accessories
There was a leather strap on the original A2. To fit the A2 Active's positioning, there are now 2 canvas straps that are more durable (and fashionable according to B&O).

B&O BeoPlay A2 Active - What Else?
So what does B&O's new speaker continue to have?

It is of course still styled by B&O's usual industrial designer and collaborator, Cecilie Manz. The A2 Active maintains a 1.1kg profile and Bang & Olufsen's signature sound in a portable package. With the Beoplay app, you can adjust the sound profile to your preference and even pair two A2 Active speakers together to listen in full stereo mode. You still have a Line-In should you want to connect to your music device through a 3.5mm audio jack. And you get an astounding 24 hours of battery life with slightly less than 3 hours of charging.

Pricing and Availability
The BeoPlay A2 Active portable speaker goes for USD 399 / EUR 399 / SGD 549. 

Natural and Stone Grey will be the 2 colors available from 3 Nov 2016. You can buy it from Amazon via this affiliate link. You can also visit the B&O Play online store or if you are in Singapore, you can visit Bang & Olufsen Grand Hyatt Showroom.  


Update (10 Mar 2017) - Here's the review of the BeoPlay A2 Active

1 Nov - Samsung announced 4 additions to their Level series of mobile audio accessories at a media launch held in Singapore at Elements & Co for the Samsung Gear S3 watch. To summarize the range of audio products, there are 3 in-ear earphones (2 wireless) and a portable speaker. 
 
What's the Big Deal?
The Samsung Level range of audio products has been gradually growing over the past few years. With this launch, we can see the Korean chaebol is improving its Level range and is now offering very affordable active noise canceling (ANC) products for users. Let's check each of them out.

1. Level Active 

Samsung Level Active

Category - Sports Wireless In-Ears
Price from - USD 69.99 (Amazon) / SGD 98
Colors - White / Black
Similar products - Jaybird Freedom Wireless / Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless

Samsung Level Active

The Level Active are Bluetooth buds that offer performance tracking by pressing a button on the right earbud to pull run time and distance data from the Level and S Health apps. There are customizable fit options where you can choose between earhooks and wingtips. Oh, and these buds have P2i nano-coating promising splash resistance.


2. Level Box Pro

Samsung Level Box Pro

Category - Speakers
Price from - SGD 198
Colors - Gold / Black
Similar products - Bose SoundLink Mini II / Beats Pill+

Samsung Level Box Pro

These are 20W Bluetooth speakers that measure 200 x 55 x 62 mm and last 9 hours on the trot. It supports what Samsung calls ultra-high quality (UHQ) audio and supposedly offers twice (512kbps) the sample rate of the SBC codec (328kbps) which overall, aims to promise a richer sound experience. Two can be paired via the Level app for a stereo listening.

3. Level In ANC

Samsung Level In ANC

Category - Wired Noise Canceling In-Ears
Price -  SGD 78 
Colors - White / Black
Similar products - Sony MDR-EX750NA / B&O BeoPlay H3 ANC

The Level In ANC stands out for two things - Active noise canceling (ANC) in an affordable package. We had reviewed a few ANC in-ear units in our Noise Canceling Immersion series of articles and can agree that at SGD 78, it is quite a steal.


4. Level U Pro ANC

Samsung Level U Pro ANC

Category - Wireless Noise Canceling Neckband
Price - USD 78.88 (Amazon) / SGD 148
Colors - White / Black
Similar products - Bose QuietControl 30

Samsung Level U Pro ANC

Neckband headphones are the hottest thing in the market along with truly wireless earbuds such as the Samsung Gear IconX. Samsung improves on its Level U Pro by adding active noise canceling. The earbuds can be magnetically linked to keep the buds tangle-free. When unclasped, they conveniently resume track playback or answer calls. 

Availability
All 4 products are available at Samsung Official Store, Samsung Experience Stores, Lazada.SG and major consumer electronics stores in Singapore.