Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'll try to keep this short. First, I'm an engineer, so I know a few things about problem solving, how things work, how they're supposed to work, and philosophies of use. Second, I'm a huge consumer. I spend ridiculous amounts of time and money to find the right tool for the job. It irks me when consumer items are not well thought out, and marketing techniques are straight lies. Consider those as my credentials to trust my review. I will not talk about speed of delivery, how items are packaged, or defective products. Things happen and that's unfortunate. The review: Get these....if you're not convinced, get them anyway, however purchase these too: Comply T-500 Isolation Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pairs, Large). My review targets the active headphone market. I have a drawer full of disappointing active earplugs/headphones. Sure, some of them work for my use, but there is always something missing, or could have been better. So, continues the pursuit of the perfect set, and that I have found in the BlueBuds X. This is why: Bluetooth: no more struggling with long cords, short cords, getting caught in things, flapping around while you run.....put these on and you have complete freedom. Sure, bluetooth headphones aren't new, but these are not bulky and they don't have a big heavy battery. Audio: If you're concerned with bluetooth lossy quality, get over yourself. Stay home with your $1000 over the ear reference headphones. These are meant to go outside. I subscribe to pandora's premium service with higher quality audio and these sound fantastic. The sound stage is flat, but very well balanced. I prefer this. Bass is present and highs are clear. Bass heads, it's not all about bass. However, you must have a good fit to appreciate the terrific audio. Build Quality: They look amazing. Made of plastic. Cord is rubbery and tough, that's a good thing. Take care of them and they will last. ACTIVE USE: This is the most important part. I've done other activities with these, such as cycling, and calisthenics, but I'll only reference running. It took a while to dial these in. I went from thinking these would contribute to the infamous drawer, but I kept at it. The first few runs I was determining which size plugs to use and which way I should wear them - there are two ways to wear these. I chose the over the ear style. Having chosen the best size plugs, they kept sliding out. They didn't fall off, but slid out so there wasn't a good seal, and the audio suffered. I was constantly pushing them back into my ear during the run. I tried cleaning my ears immediately before my runs, dampening the plugs just a bit as i've read somewhere before, but they continued to slide out. I was disappointed at this point. I kept at it, because I wanted these to work as the previous points were really good. So, I purchased these "Comply T-500 Isolation Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pairs, Large)." I can't believe how well those plugs worked with the BlueBuds X. Jaybird should consider providing these plugs stock. I've ran...many miles and they did not slip out once. From start to finish, no adjusting during the run; hot, sweaty, bumpy, windy, they stayed in place. I put these on and I forget about them, concentrated on my run. THE BEST, AND MY LAST, ACTIVE HEADPHONES. A little about the Comply tips. the T-500 will fit the headphones. It took a little pushing and mashing, but they did go on. Squeeze and roll them right before putting them into your ear, pull the top of your ear up then slide the plugs in and hold them in place while the foam expands. Gripes: These really don't matter, as the end result is me running with freedom and 100% satisfaction, it's more than that...I think love is a better word. Charge cord: I don't get it. It's a little funky to use, but however you use it, it charges the headphones. Power plug: Non existent. I was surprised there wasn't a usb wall outlet, so I use my phone charger. Packaging: I know I said I wouldn't talk about it, but I do recall the headphones were a pain to get out of the box. Have scissors. Instruction booklet: lots of pictures, not enough words, difficult to set up the over the ear style, but set it and forget. Case: difficult to close the case with the charge cord and headphones, but mash it a few times and it'll close. There must be a hidden art to get it to fit. Beeping: There is a beep every time you change the volume. A little annoying, so don't change the volume often. Easter Egg: I don't recall if these are bluetooth 4.0, or if that's the cause, but on my iphone 5 there is a battery gauge for the headphones that pop up next to the bluetooth icon. A pleasant surprise!!!