Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Well, it took a little time to get used to both the fit AND and the interface, but I finally feel ready to properly review the Plantronics Backbeat Fit headphones. Previously, I have been using the Jaybird Bluebuds X. As many reviewers of the Jaybirds have indicated, they are pretty nice earphones that sound more than acceptable when inserted correctly. But, I've had a lot of issues getting them to stay in my ears despite trying many of the varying adapters and different-sized earbuds. Unfortunately, if a good seal isn't maintained, the sound quality of the Jaybirds deteriorates dramatically. Lastly, I don't really love the the long neck strap/cord on the Jaybirds. It bounces around regardless of whether place in front of or behind my neck, or even inside my shirt. I tried the cord fasteners but they didn't really resolve the bouncing issue. So, that brings me to my quest for an alternative. Enter the Plantronics Backbeat Fit. Let's get right down to it.... FORM The entire headset (note, they are not earphones) is molded from a very flexible, rubbery material. It looks exceedingly durable and is nicely accented with reflective blue to aid visibility while running while dark out. The Backbeats are a little tricky to put on, though, because the ear supports are somewhat snug and I found it difficult to get them on around my ears. Who knows, perhaps I have bigger ears. However, after doing it a few times, it got easier and I can now throw them on and off without thinking about it. Moreover, the headset stays comfortably in place while exercising (running, lifting, etc). The individual earpieces also have a small rubber wire that's used to help keep the speaker snug next to the auditory canal. It's not sealed as with earphones but it keeps the speaker close. Plantronics indicates that the design was chosen in order to allow some outside noise (sirens, people yelling, horns, etc) to be heard while listening to music, thus reducing the risks of an accident while out and about. All in all, it's a very handsome design and I like FIT As noted above, the headset stays in place well and has been very comfortable for the several times that I've worn them. The previously mentioned over-the-ear supports and canal wire stays definitely help to keep them in place while running around. It's something that I could not say about the Jaybird earphones. Moreover, because there is no loose support cord bouncing around, I really felt completely free while listening to my music. It's a cool experience and I like that I don't have to constantly adjust the headset while on the go. SOUND Here's the million dollar question: how do they sound? I guess they are alright. But first, let me preface that after years of listening to in-earphones, I'm pretty spoiled by what headphones should sound like. The key, though, is that earphones only sound excellent when a solid seal is maintained. In all my years of using them while exercising, I've never been able to achieve that because of either sweat or poor fit despite trying numerous earbuds. Also, I will admit that a fully sealed earphone leaves one pretty isolated from traffic and people around me. The Plantronics take a different approach. They have gone with a headset that lets some sound in for safety. In the process, the sound is somewhat diminished. To compensate, the highs and very lows have been boosted pretty aggressively (almost obscenely, candidly). Since it's a headset, however, it's not too bad unless the earpiece sits very close to the canal. At that point, the harsh treble and overly explosive bass become annoying. Curiously, the upper bass and midrange suffer a bit. They sound a hint flat and quite lackluster since they are overshadowed by low bass and treble. While the Backbeats are NOT what I'd want for my walk-around or at-home listening pleasure, they are perfectly adequate for exercise. First, they stay in place exactly where I put them. It's a relief to go for a run or lift weights and not have to constantly adjust the headset for a better fit and accordingly, better sound. The Plantronics just stay consistently average and acceptable...which is MORE than fine for their purpose. So, while the sound isn't the best, it's works well for its state use...and for that I'm greatly and finally relieved. OTHER FEATURES While I don't use the telephone functions much, I'll state that they work very well. Calls from my wife never resulted in any complaints other than that fact that she said I sounded like I was breathing heavily. I indicated that I was breathing heavily since I was running. So, the mic quality is clearly good enough to pick that up. For my part, call quality on my end was quite good and without any major or minor complaints. The controls, on the other hand, are a bit tricky. While calls and music are easily operated (calls are easily answered and ended by tapping on the right earpiece; music play and pause is controled by tapping on the left earpiece). Nevertheless, it turns out that Plantronics made a quirky design decision with the volume, skip and power buttons. On the top of the round central buttons used for calls and music are much smaller 'ledges' that are used. This was not intuitive out of the box; indeed, I struggled for quite a bit trying to find out how to power the headset on. The right upper button 'ledge' is tilted/pressed down in order to power them on and off. Trying to describe it better, it's not the round button center that is pressed, but the top 'edge' or 'ledge' of the button that is pressed/tilted to activate these other features. It's simple after you do it once (indeed, I felt like an idiot for not noticing it sooner), but I thought to highlight it for people who have had similar issues. Meanwhile, the left 'ledge' is used to control volume (click once for louder, hold down for quieter). And that's it, you should be good to go. FINAL THOUGHTS So, are these the greatest headphones? No. But, for exercise, they sure come close. would I like them to sound better? Yes. But, if it comes at the cost of having to constantly adjust and insert/reinsert earbuds, then No. While I started off thinking I wouldn't really love the Backbeat Fit because it wasn't an earphone design, I've been pleasantly surprised because of how well they do what they are supposed to do (once you figure out the interface). And for that, I'm giving them 4 stars. I know some will criticize because of the sound quality, but for what I use them for and for how well they stay snugly in place, the music is good enough for what I need them to do.