While there are many audio products available to choose from, not all are created equally. One can spend a lot of time digging in and sorting through all the options to find that right speaker or set of headphones. If you have or are currently experiencing such indecision, read on to see why Plantronics's latest headphones may be the right choice!
Design & Connectivity
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro Wireless ANC Headphones have a very high-quality look and feel. It's got a professional vibe to it, but not so serious that you would feel out of place wearing them in public with jeans and a t-shirt. The BackBeat Pro is contemporary with some subtle elements of flashy design. Smooth curves and matte black coloring maintain that premium styling, despite that much is made of plastic.
All you need, looks pretty good
Although big, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones aren't necessarily bulky. The curve of the band against the head is about average – it doesn't stick out so far nor does it hug in close. The ear cups themselves swivel back to lie flat, which makes it comfortable to wear and carry about the neck.
These headphones don't fold up, so they're not as compact as full-sized ones that do. I really dig the splash of royal purple cloth covering the inside of the ear cups. It ties in nicely with the included cables.
While if would have been nice to have a hard case for the BackBeat Pro, it does come with a quality bag. The ballistic nylon exterior is lined with matching purple velvet. This could quite possibly be the king of soft bags. The other accessories, also purple, are the USB and audio cables. The cable tips are protected with strong rubber, and the audio cable has a soft coating that keeps it from tangling and catching on clothes.
When it comes to onboard controls, the Plantronics BackBeat Pro has a smart layout with symmetry I appreciate. It's one of those small things I enjoy – symmetry. The ear cups handle all the controls for wireless operation while wearing the headphones. Big buttons and textured rings are easy to handle/identify, and they provide track navigation, volume adjustment, calls, and battery notification. When hands are raised up to hold the cups, thumbs are placed directly on switches for power (right) and active noise canceling (left).
The Micro USB input and 3.5mm line-in are located on the bottom of the left cup, while the open-mic button is on the bottom of the right. Plantronics pays attention to detail, as the open-mic button is both raised and textured, making it easy to find and press. Very smart. There is zero clutter to these controls, and they feel very organic to the overall headphone design.
Although not a hard case, the included bag is plush!
You can see the microphone grilles on the outside of the ear cups, and the right one has a 5-LED power gauge that shines through. Not only is it cool, but it gives you an idea of how much battery life there is without having to put the headphones on. If you do happen to be wearing the Plantronics BackBeat Pro, pressing the call button delivers a voice notification of battery status.
Audio notifications come with almost every action: powering on/off, battery level (upon powering on), volume increment/decrements min/max, and device connectivity. Needless to say, Plantronics has all the bases covered.
One unique selling point of the BackBeat Pro is the built-in sensor that automatically plays/pauses music when you wear/remove the headphones. This applies to incoming phone calls too, where putting the headphones on will hit answer and start you on a hands-free conversation. This sensor, located in the left ear cup, is pressure related – it has nothing to do with any up/down motion. So while the manufacturer description talks about the headphones being on/off, you can replicate the same effect by pulling the left ear cup away.
It's a neat feature, but has a bit of limitation to it. With music, it only works when something is playing to begin with. So, for example, if you're listening to music and someone wants to talk to you, pulling the BackBeat Pro off activates pause. But if the music was already paused to begin with, putting the headphone back on doesn't resume play. You'll have to manually do that yourself.
Personally, I prefer to keep them on and stick with the powerfully convenient open-mic button. More on that to come.
Comfort
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro comes in like a heavyweight. At 340g, it's right there with the rest of the full-fledged over-ear headphones in all its glory. But despite the size and weight, the BackBeat Pro doesn't bear down on skulls as much as one might think. I have almost (almost) forgotten I was wearing them a few times. Comfort is a big deal, since it doesn't matter how good headphone may sound if you don't like to wear them.
[caption id="attachment_152140″…
Continue reading TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones
The post TechnologyTell Review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro headphones appeared first on GadgeTell.
No comments:
Post a Comment