As a frequent commuter, my smartphone and earphones are vital companions as they accompany me during the commute to work while I watch videos or listen to my Spotyify playlists. However, wired earphones can be quite a bother sometimes as I have experienced having the pair of earphones I use getting caught on someone’s backpack, pulling me along with them. As you can surmise, it’s not very funny. My editor, seeing my ‘road warrior’ status, bestowed upon me these Plantronics Bluetooth earbuds. So, how do these fare?
Running Wild
The BackBeat GO 2 is built to endure your active lifestyle, with what they term ‘military-grade’ moisture resistance. The back of the product packaging states that the earphones come packing with P2i coating, which (after some research) is basically a type of liquid repellent nano-coating protection. Translation? Whether it is rain or sweat, you can be rest assured that great listening sessions will not come to an abrupt halt.
Fits like a Glove
The earbuds are true lightweights, weighing in at 14g, making them barely noticeable when you put them on. The eartips come in small, medium and large, so you can swap them out to the size that suits you best. There are also tranparent stabilisers on each side, providing an extra amount of grip when you wear the earbuds. All you need to do is rotate them until you find that perfect fit.
Taking Charge
Opening a flap at the right earbud reveals how the BackBeat GO 2 gets its charge – with a microUSB port. This makes recharging the earbuds really simple as it shares the same connector as your smart device (probably). However, if you can’t find a power outlet, then you can use the included charging case, which contains a small battery pack. There is a variant of the BackBeat GO 2 that comes without the case, but at a RM 30 difference, you’re better off just getting the case as well.
Hear, Hear
Using Bluetooth 2.1, the BackBeat GO 2 plays nice with most devices in the market. In terms of audio quality, the earbuds should please many. Discerning audiophiles will notice a lack in bass and can tell that percussion instruments will often descend into white noise territory. Earbuds have always had an issue with hitting lows compared to their larger brethren, so this is not an isolated case. If you’re looking to say goodbye to the Pocket Spaghetti Monster, this should be a blip on your radar.
Price: RM 399
Weight: 14g
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.1
Drivers: 6mm neodymium
Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz
Talk/Listening time: Up to 4.5 hours listen/5 hours talk
Standby time: Up to 10 days
Charge connector: mircoUSB
Value: 8/10
Features: 8/10
Performance: 8/10
Design: 9/10
Usability: 10/10
Verdict: Enjoy your audio without untangling cables.
Total Score: 8.6/10
