[Tommy C]

I bought the AirPods which I really like, but decided to also try out the Bose SoundSport Free because their form factor intrigued me. The sound is definitely better than the AirPods, but they are lacking in isolation (but better than AirPods) and volume. There just isn’t enough volume, and I am not the type to blast volume through my IEMs.

Pairing them between different devices (iPhone to Watch then back) is a huge pain in the butt. I currently cannot pair them back up to the iPhone. Also I hate that phone calls come into the right earphone instead of both. I always use my left to make phone calls.

At this point, I don’t think there is anything that is really good. I’m thinking of giving the B&O’s a try, but I have read they are neutral, whereas I like a warm sound. Also will give PSB a try. It might be all for naught at this point though.

A side note, I lost one AirPod while on a run in the snow. I had to buy one replacement at $70.

Have you tried the PSB? I settled on the Jabra Elite Sport V2 as they tick many boxes for me and much more.
Phone calls come from both sides, they are plenty loud and has eq. Great isolation with pass through, it works ok for traffic and pretty good when you stop the music to talk to people. Very solid battery life with a great small case. Most importantly the connecton is rock solid both around the house and in an urban environment with zero cutouts.
Like you, I find the Bose not to be loud enough and isolation is very bad. They are good if you use them at home but they won’t work as a daily driver for most people IMO.
Jabra has a very good sound and this has improved after I downloaded the latest firmware.
If you need them for the gym they are feature rich with the Jabra app and equipped with a heart rate monitor.
I used my own tips, personal preference more than anything else as they fit me perfectly and provide a super tight fit. They are on the thicker side, and go in your ear more like custom IEMs, some will need to get used to it. It may not be upset comfortable and I had this issue with many other IEMs.
After a few days it feels perfect, at least in my case.
For the price they are going now the Jabra Elite Sport are a major go.
Overall I’m very impressed.

 

[jhoff80]

I pre-ordered these from Best Buy several weeks ago and they arrived last night — a pleasant surprise, because the Jabra website still lists them as “coming soon” and the Best Buy website lists them as “Sold Out Online.” Bottom line: they far exceed my expectations. They sound great, the microphones work incredibly well (I was able to make a clear call this morning from the subway platform at Grand Central), they fit extremely well, they’re comfortable and they isolate very well. I have the Jabra Sport Elites, and the 65t’s are better fitting and more comfortable (for my ears, anyway), have better microphones and have a more refined sound. (Slightly less bass, but still warm and clear, with no sibilance.) Even though Jabra lists the usual 10 meters/33 foot range for these, when connected to my iPhone X I was able to roam my entire apartment without a signal drop off, which exceeds the range of even the Class 1 Bluetooth 4.2 devices I’ve used. I used them for about three hours last night and the battery was still at 70%, according to my iPhone. Finally, they connect to my Mac using the AAC codec, like the Jabra Sport Elites. Very happy with these.

If you don't have the case with you, do these turn off at all? My thought would be that I'd want to bring the headphones on my 40 minute walk to and from work, but I probably wouldn't want to bring the case with me daily.

 

[clerkpalmer]

New Jabra 65t are getting excellent reviews on Best Buy and CNET loved them. Tempting.

 

[Tommy C]

New Jabra 65t are getting excellent reviews on Best Buy and CNET loved them. Tempting.

Sound quality should be better than the Elite Sport but based on reviews while they may sound good I think the Elite Sport is still the better bang for the buck at similar price if not cheaper.
A friend who uses the Elite Sport and demoed the 65t said they fit better and the sound is clear but leaner with less bass.
Also there are some reported issues with phone calls and echo which I hope can be fixed with a firmware update.
Based on what I see online and according to what I was told they don’t necessarily sound better but the fit is much better than the Elite Sport which makes them possibly also sound better.
The packaging and accessories is pretty basic and by judging from stuff on YouTube it’s definitely more of budget model. Comes with only 3 silicon tips, no foam tips or ear wings and the case according to my friend is very flimsy.
Hoping to demo them soon as I’m very curious although I have no issues with the fit of the Elite Sport.

 

[defbear]

I read all the comments about the Bose SoundSport Free dropouts and syncing issues. I thought Nah! Not Bose. So I bought a pair at Target. Downloaded the Bose Connect app and followed the instructions. It took 30 seconds for the App to spout up that the left earpiece had disconnected. Great! But I thought Nah! Not Bose. So I plugged the case in and put the earpieces in and let the whole thing charge up. I tried them again and checked the sync issue with Youtube. Terrible. I downloaded the Firmware Update. When it finished installing, I checked the sync issue. Still there. I put them in the case for 20 seconds so they could ‘reboot’. Took them back out and Youtube syncing problem gone. So I have had them for a couple of weeks and no syncing issues with any app or website. No dropouts. I never had a problem with the left earpiece except for the first boot up. Lastly, the Bose SoundSport Free sounds wonderful. Nope it’s not my se846’s or my ie800’s, but wow, I’m surprised. I’m getting a good seal with the largest set of ear tips. Instead of getting a seal inside the ear canal these seal the outside opening like a plunger. The sound is dynamic yet smooth. No distortion. Solid bass, not woofy or indistinct. I’m impressed and would buy them again. I am using them with an iPhone 6+ running iOS 10.3 and an iPad Pro running iOS 11. I haven’t tried Android or PC yet.

 

[Tommy C]

The Bose SoundSport Free Sound is very good. Syncing issue is a bit annoying but wasn’t a deal breaker. Whatever I tried, it didn’t fix it.
The open back design was where they struggle for me and they were not loud enough, and I’m not the kind of person to blast my ears.
The deal breaker for me was that the sound while making calls comes only from the right side. Since I use my earphones at work as well, often in a noisy environment, and the already low volume levels, it was impossible to manage. I wish they would have done differently the call set up as they sound very good in general.
Tested on iPhone 6s.

 

[clerkpalmer]

Thanks. Sq is what caused me to get rid of the elite sports. I hadn’t really considered these a downgrade from them but you may be right that these are positioned below the elite sport. The new Sony sports version releases 3/12. Might wait to see those.

 

[Tommy C]

Thanks. Sq is what caused me to get rid of the elite sports. I hadn’t really considered these a downgrade from them but you may be right that these are positioned below the elite sport. The new Sony sports version releases 3/12. Might wait to see those.

I am not able to get a good seal with the stock silicone tips and the first day or two were underwhelming. After I found the right 3rd party tips they really came to life.
Also, did you have the Elite Sport V1 or V2?

 

[clerkpalmer]

V1. Fit was great. Sq not so much.

 

[Tommy C]

V1. Fit was great. Sq not so much.

I wonder if there is a difference in sq between V1 and V2 since you’re not the only one who feels this way.

 

[clerkpalmer]

I don't think seal was the issue as I had plenty of bass. I thought they sounded bass heavy and a bit muddy. Passable for gym use but would never pull them out in any other setting. As an aside, the lack of a charging case on the PSB is really unacceptable. I enjoy the fit and SQ but they last at best 3 hours on a full charge and with no charging case it has become a complete nuisance. Some might say it's no big deal but having to charge another gadget is a pain in the rear. The Bose stay charged for 2 weeks with the case and multiple gym sessions. I think PSB missed the boat. I'm keeping them but I'm not sure I'd recommend them. I might hold out to see if what the new Sonys have to offer.

 

[jhoff80]

Apparently Qualcomm has some improvements in this area coming to devices in the second half of the year as well:

Running on QCC5100 SoCs, the updated Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo technology is designed to offer consumers an improved user and listening experience regardless of smartphone platform and includes an easier pairing experience with no need to pair individual earbuds. The updates to the technology also engineered to include the ability to autonomously role switch each earbud between primary and secondary roles in order to balance power consumption more evenly between the buds for longer playback time.

Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo Plus is an additional mode of the technology designed to eliminate the need for cross-head Bluetooth® transmission by simultaneously connecting the mobile device to both earbuds. In this new operating mode only the relevant audio content is engineered to relay to each bud helping to improve robustness and more evenly balance power consumption. When paired with a QCC5100 series based device and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 845 Mobile Platform Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo Plus can help to reduce power consumption by up to an additional 10 percent, typically helping to deliver an extra hour of listening time before recharge is needed. Additionally, Qualcomm TrueWireless Stereo Plus supports an even simpler pairing experience when connecting earbuds to the mobile device and helps to reduce latency because both buds are connected directly to the smartphone.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...truewireless-stereo-technology-300601705.html

 

[Tommy C]

I thought the same about the Elite Sport at first as I’m not crazy about too much bass.
After finding the right tips and after a week plus I find the the sound to be very good.
I don’t necessarily believe in break-in but that’s a whole new topic.
I have returned the PSB - I liked the sound very much but phone calls from only one side is a deal breaker. The lack of charging case is a bit annoying indeed.
I am on the fence about keeping the SoundSport Free though.
On a different note - I did some a/b comparison better the Jabra Elite Sport and the PSB M4U4 which I really like snd they are not too far in terms of sound signature.
Soundstage is surprisingly wider on the Jabra Elite, both have mellow highs the bass is pretty close too, mids are a bit better on the PSB but it’s close.

 

[clerkpalmer]

Apparently Qualcomm has some improvements in this area coming to devices in the second half of the year as well:



https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...truewireless-stereo-technology-300601705.html

Fascinating. Looks like Android version of the W1 chip. Strictly Android however although it appears perhaps that the Android only benefit is the battery consumption.

 

[MIBUK]

For those that have the Elite Sport, do they sync well with video?