Get 'em while they are hot!
Before going too far into this article, the BeatsX are currently (4/30/17) priced at $119. (Note: Minutes after I wrote this review, I noticed that the price of the blue went up, too. You can grab a refurbished version for $99, but I am not sure if it comes with the redemption code).
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
They probably won't be priced that way for long, so get them while you can. When I bought mine, you could get any color from Amazon for $119, now you can only get the blue headphones at that price (Note: That time has passed, so hopefully, they will price them at $119 again at some point).
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
They probably won't be priced that way for long, so get them while you can. When I bought mine, you could get any color from Amazon for $119, now you can only get the blue headphones at that price (Note: That time has passed, so hopefully, they will price them at $119 again at some point).
Are they worth it?
When I opened the box for the BeatsX, I noticed that there was a $30 redemption code that I could use for Apple Music, iTunes, or the App Store. I am an Apple Music subscriber, so I was pretty happy to essentially take another $30 off the price of the headphones. That put them at $89, which, for me, made them worth it.
Why do I like them?
I should mention that I own a lot of Apple products. If you have read my blog or the associated linked pages on the website, you may already know that. The thing that makes these so special is the pairing process with Apple products. When I turned them on, I started by pairing them to my iPhone. They showed up on the screen, rather than needing to go into settings, and I hit a button to pair them.
After that, they show up in the control center with all of my Airplay devices (if I am home):
After that, they show up in the control center with all of my Airplay devices (if I am home):
As you can see from the photo above, they are listed right below the iPhone and they even show you the percentage of battery you have available.
The fun doesn't stop there!
I also have a MBP and an iPad. Instead of needing to pair them, after pairing them to the iPhone, they simply show up in the audio devices on the Mac and iPad:
Don't they work with the watch?
Luckily, I have a first generation Apple Watch to test them with and they do work with the watch. You simply flip the screen down to go to the control panel and they automatically show up in "airplay" settings:
What about the design?
Compared to the AirPods, which have similar tech (W1 chip), you have a long cable that connects one earbud to the other. It also has the battery, on/off switch, and inline controls for accessing Siri, and for directly controlling the playback (which you lose with the AirPods). I found the cable a bit long for my taste, but I also think the AirPods look goofy, so there is a trade off either way.
The pouch that is included is awful because it does not close and it is made of a lint loving rubbery material, but they include several ear-tips and wings to make sure they fit almost anyone. The AirPods are more of a hit or miss prospect since you can't change the tips.
The pouch that is included is awful because it does not close and it is made of a lint loving rubbery material, but they include several ear-tips and wings to make sure they fit almost anyone. The AirPods are more of a hit or miss prospect since you can't change the tips.
One thing I like about having the cables is that it makes the earbuds easier to handle when they aren't in the ears. In fact, these have magnets on the end of the buds, so you can snap them together like a necklace when you are listening to music.
How is the performance?
First off, I would have loved to have software like my Parrot Zik 2.0 Bluetooth headphones to change how they sound with an app that has EQ capabilities. Also, I would love for them to stop playing when I remove them from my ears, like my Zik headphones and even Apple's own AirPods.
That being said, they block out a lot of external sound, which actually helps bass and sound quality when you aren't in a completely quiet room. I know Beats headphones are known for heavy bass and I did not get that impression from these headphones. I typically lean for headphones that emphasize accurate bass and I did not find the sound of these off putting in that area. They don't really compete with my full sized headphones or even my Etynomic ER-4P in-ear monitors for accuracy, but I can listen to them comfortably without feeling like I am ruining the music. That being said, if you are an audiophile, I would recommend sticking with headphones/buds that have a cable. Right now, Bluetooth is still lossy, so even with the best Bluetooth headphones, you have compression involved that is not involved with wired headphones.
That being said, they block out a lot of external sound, which actually helps bass and sound quality when you aren't in a completely quiet room. I know Beats headphones are known for heavy bass and I did not get that impression from these headphones. I typically lean for headphones that emphasize accurate bass and I did not find the sound of these off putting in that area. They don't really compete with my full sized headphones or even my Etynomic ER-4P in-ear monitors for accuracy, but I can listen to them comfortably without feeling like I am ruining the music. That being said, if you are an audiophile, I would recommend sticking with headphones/buds that have a cable. Right now, Bluetooth is still lossy, so even with the best Bluetooth headphones, you have compression involved that is not involved with wired headphones.
Convenience is key!
While I typically lean toward having accurate, great sounding headphones. I have DACs, amps, and several headphones to prove it. The reason I got these is simply for convenience. I am often taking the dog out to the backyard, working on stuff in the yard, or walking the dog around the block and the ability to just grab these, turn them on, and have them available without the pairing process is awesome. Also, when I am pulling weeds or cleaning the pool or hot tub, I don't want to be connected to my iPhone. I would rather have it in my pocket or inside the house. Also, when walking the dog, I can just use the headphones with my watch. Additionally, having the ability to access Siri directly from the headphones is great for skipping songs or telling Siri I want to listen to something else.
In other words, for certain applications, I can put my audiophile concerns aside for convenience. I should mention that I listen to a lot of podcasts, so hearing John Siracusa's voice in less than perfect accuracy isn't really a problem. The battery lasts 8 hours and you can plug them in for 5 minutes to get two more hours of use out of them. Since they use the lightning connector, that they also use for the iPhone/iPad, I can take one charger along for my phone and use that same cable to plug these in. Very, very nice!
In other words, for certain applications, I can put my audiophile concerns aside for convenience. I should mention that I listen to a lot of podcasts, so hearing John Siracusa's voice in less than perfect accuracy isn't really a problem. The battery lasts 8 hours and you can plug them in for 5 minutes to get two more hours of use out of them. Since they use the lightning connector, that they also use for the iPhone/iPad, I can take one charger along for my phone and use that same cable to plug these in. Very, very nice!
Final Thoughts
For me, these headphones were worth it to get rid of cables, maintain the use of Siri, have easy pairing with all of my Apple devices, and for the inline controls. Also, I did not have to wait 6 weeks to get them...like you currently have to do with the AirPods.
Yes, the sound quality is of average quality, so they aren't for audiophiles unless they can live with that trade off for convenience. For me, I will mainly stick with wired solutions when I am sitting around the house and listening to headphones, but when I am doing chores or activities, these are ideal. Knowing what I know now, I would probably spend the entire $149 for them, but I like having music and podcasts entertaining me a lot of the time when I am working outside and these are pretty awesome for that purpose.
Yes, the sound quality is of average quality, so they aren't for audiophiles unless they can live with that trade off for convenience. For me, I will mainly stick with wired solutions when I am sitting around the house and listening to headphones, but when I am doing chores or activities, these are ideal. Knowing what I know now, I would probably spend the entire $149 for them, but I like having music and podcasts entertaining me a lot of the time when I am working outside and these are pretty awesome for that purpose.
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