[SPL Tech]

Hello,

I am considering purchasing either the jaybird X3 or the Bose soundsport wireless and I cannot come to a decision. I would mainly use these headphones while working out/running and also everyday use. This would be my first time using Bluetooth headphones. I listen to about everything so I would prefer a flat sound stage but I know the jaybirds offer an eq tuner in the app, I am not sure if Bose offers this. Any help is appreciated.

Thank you

I have the Bose headphones. They are okay although there is a delay over Bluetooth between when sound is produced by the computer/ phone/ whatever and when it is generated by the headphones. This wont matter with audio, but it will make watching videos impossible. Bose has no solution for this issue that I am aware of and it's an issue that has been known about for several months.

 

[technobot]

Using an iPhone 7, with Bose firmware 1.3.0, I have not experienced the delay SPL Tech references, although this might be limited to my experience. My video watching was limited to my iPhone viewing some youtube videos and some transcoded movies, nothing extensive. But I can confirm as of last night there was not the slightest indication of any delay, perhaps I am lucky.

For what it's worth, this youtube reviewer states the *Jaybird X3* have the audio delay *not* the Bose Soundsport:



I cannot confirm since I never watched movies or video with the Jaybird X3 while I was using them. I will report back with the Jaybird replacement once they have arrived.

 

[Francisk]

I have the Bose headphones. They are okay although there is a delay over Bluetooth between when sound is produced by the computer/ phone/ whatever and when it is generated by the headphones. This wont matter with audio, but it will make watching videos impossible. Bose has no solution for this issue that I am aware of and it's an issue that has been known about for several months.

This latency (delay) issue applies to most if not all Bluetooth audio devices.

 

[DriftMonkey]

Can anyone compare these offerings to the Sure SE215 Wireless. Looking for something for under my motorcycle helmet, traveling, and gym use.

 

[bidn]

I have had the Jaybird BlueBuds X for many years, they had a better SQ than the competing items,
but at a price : they are really harsh, I didn't mind much because I used them to listen to aggressive music (metal).

I never went for Bose because in my experience (e.g. I have the QC35) they smooth the music a lot, and metal doesn't sound like metal anymore.

The big step ahead for me was this summer,
I bought the Focal Sparks Wireless as soon as possible,
SQ is definitely so much better in all respect compared to the JB BB X:
not harsh, yet much more detail, cleaner -- less noise, much more slam, more bass, much more neutral, much faster, more treble yet controlled and never sibilant...
still a few negative things:
- they are not officially water , perspiration resistant, but I never had an issue with perspiration when doing heavy physical activities with them
- bluetooth link is fine (much better than Bose QC35) but not as stable as Jaybird BlueBuds X
- the piece attaching the little plastic protection above above the USB port got quickly broken, I can still put the protection in place above the USB port, but now there is the risk of losing it. even if I loose them, that will not be an issue for me.

Anyway, moving from Jaybird SQ to Focal SQ was kind of moving from night to day, sorry for you Jaybird,
but I never again listen to the Jaybird except on rare occasions when my Focal Sparks are discharged.

 

[AlwaysForward]

So I recently went on a workout headphone journey/hunt. The Bose Soundsport Free won the fight quite handidly.

I started off with the Advanced Evo because it has a Beryllium driver. They don't have the best fit and are kind of a pain to workout with. They have a very short wireless range and I experience fairly regular dropouts. I don't believe the Beryllium is more than a Beryllium coating, like many other Chi-Fi Beryllium/Graphene advertised headphone options. Unlike the Periodic Audio BE. They have a nice tuning but weren't really what I was looking for.

Next came the Jaybird X3. It has a much better overall sound and performance. The fit took a bit of work but I could tell I was just not into the sound. Not a single EQ I tried was quite "Right" for me from either my own presets or those available in the marketplace (which is a neat feature). They still sounded like workout headphones first and foremost. Sound Quality was clearly not the focus. They don't sound bad, they just don't excite me at all.

I spent the last weekend on the internet searching for Audiophile workout headphones and all of the available options. I was seriously considering getting the Sennheiser cabled option but couldn't get myself to pull the trigger. I just love wireless so much.

I decided to try to the Soundsport free for a few reasons:
1- The design allows for ambient noise. There are studies which show this is beneficial to workout performance. Being able to hear your surroundings somehow helps working out.
2- Bose seems to do a very apple-esque job of designing "it just works" products and after all the fit problems, I was hoping for something simple that sounds good out of the box.
3- I do love the true wireless design of the Airpods. These are supposed to be another "just works wireless" pair that don't drop and keep a strong connection.

Well, they blew me away. They have a very full and dynamic sound. They do keep some of the problems in the treble that the QC35 has but they actually sound much better than the QC35. It's clear they optimized for a highly energetic sound that really helps with workouts. It's not neutral, there is clearly a nice bass thump/emphasis however the clarity in the mids/highs is not sacrificed in the slightest. What's more, they seem to have very fast drivers. The transients and imaging and surprising and stunning. The Bose active EQ is a huge plus. Note that to use that feature, you must adjust volume on-the device itself. When controlling from a phone, the volume adjustment isn't' quite right. There are less-linear volume jumps and the EQ gets lost but if you adjust on the can itself, it's a wonderful volume adjustment that retains clarity across volume levels.

For me, the Soundsport Free is now -the- workout headphone at the top of the pack. Until Sennheiser jumps into the pack.

 

[Jeepz]

So I recently went on a workout headphone journey/hunt. The Bose Soundsport Free won the fight quite handidly.

I started off with the Advanced Evo because it has a Beryllium driver. They don't have the best fit and are kind of a pain to workout with. They have a very short wireless range and I experience fairly regular dropouts. I don't believe the Beryllium is more than a Beryllium coating, like many other Chi-Fi Beryllium/Graphene advertised headphone options. Unlike the Periodic Audio BE. They have a nice tuning but weren't really what I was looking for.

Next came the Jaybird X3. It has a much better overall sound and performance. The fit took a bit of work but I could tell I was just not into the sound. Not a single EQ I tried was quite "Right" for me from either my own presets or those available in the marketplace (which is a neat feature). They still sounded like workout headphones first and foremost. Sound Quality was clearly not the focus. They don't sound bad, they just don't excite me at all.

I spent the last weekend on the internet searching for Audiophile workout headphones and all of the available options. I was seriously considering getting the Sennheiser cabled option but couldn't get myself to pull the trigger. I just love wireless so much.

I decided to try to the Soundsport free for a few reasons:
1- The design allows for ambient noise. There are studies which show this is beneficial to workout performance. Being able to hear your surroundings somehow helps working out.
2- Bose seems to do a very apple-esque job of designing "it just works" products and after all the fit problems, I was hoping for something simple that sounds good out of the box.
3- I do love the true wireless design of the Airpods. These are supposed to be another "just works wireless" pair that don't drop and keep a strong connection.

Well, they blew me away. They have a very full and dynamic sound. They do keep some of the problems in the treble that the QC35 has but they actually sound much better than the QC35. It's clear they optimized for a highly energetic sound that really helps with workouts. It's not neutral, there is clearly a nice bass thump/emphasis however the clarity in the mids/highs is not sacrificed in the slightest. What's more, they seem to have very fast drivers. The transients and imaging and surprising and stunning. The Bose active EQ is a huge plus. Note that to use that feature, you must adjust volume on-the device itself. When controlling from a phone, the volume adjustment isn't' quite right. There are less-linear volume jumps and the EQ gets lost but if you adjust on the can itself, it's a wonderful volume adjustment that retains clarity across volume levels.

For me, the Soundsport Free is now -the- workout headphone at the top of the pack. Until Sennheiser jumps into the pack.

Interesting to hear about the Soundsport Free. I avoided the X3's because I always read about polarizing opinions -- they don't sound exciting, they aren't reliable -- but then some people say the opposite.

What if I wanted the SoundSport Frees to block more ambient noise? Change of tips?

I have AirPods, and they sound good, but the lack of isolation kills me.

 

[AlwaysForward]

Interesting to hear about the Soundsport Free. I avoided the X3's because I always read about polarizing opinions -- they don't sound exciting, they aren't reliable -- but then some people say the opposite.

What if I wanted the SoundSport Frees to block more ambient noise? Change of tips?

I have AirPods, and they sound good, but the lack of isolation kills me.

RE: Tips; No, these only work with the bose tips but they're practically a reason to buy them if you end up liking them. They certainly isolate much more than the airpods and sound significantly better.

I can't find the study right now but I swear I read one a number of years back that suggested being able to hear your surroundings/environment improved exercise performance. I think these split the difference between strong isolation and airpods quite well for my needs.

Only way to know is to try them yourself.

 

[Jeepz]

RE: Tips; No, these only work with the bose tips but they're practically a reason to buy them if you end up liking them. They certainly isolate much more than the airpods and sound significantly better.

I can't find the study right now but I swear I read one a number of years back that suggested being able to hear your surroundings/environment improved exercise performance. I think these split the difference between strong isolation and airpods quite well for my needs.

Only way to know is to try them yourself.

Makes sense on the exercise performance front. I'm interested in reducing what I hear around my office but I'll definitely try the SS Free's to see how they will work in my scenario. Thanks!

 

[hfsealer]

I created an account on this site to add my somewhat anecdotal 2 cents to help anyone else weighing this kind of comparison.

I bought the Jaybird X3 earphones in July, they had been my faithful workout/run/walk companion until last week.

To reiterate what others have correctly stated: the X3 are noise-isolating earphones geared for indoor/outdoor physical activity. If you go with the X-fit style with the earphones a tight band around the back of your neck, they will be very difficult to dislodge. They are meant to be worn completely in the ear, which will be uncomfortable depending on your tastes. I found I could wear these for hours very comfortably, almost forgetting they were there. The charge lasts as advertised, about 8 hours.

Full disclosure: I am not an audiophile. However, the provided app gives even a novice the ability to create their own, or use another, sound profile. The earphones are intentionally flat out of the box, and I found the most popular sound profile sounded best all around, so simply used that. A user can switch the sound profile depending on the song for a better listening experience but I couldn't be bothered.

Perhaps it was my particular set, but the connection didn't seem particularly strong. Indoors was usually solid, in a mid-sized busy gym I had strong connection with my phone at one end of the gym while I worked out on the other side. In my 800 sq ft apartment, the earphones would only drop connection if I had two walls between the phone and the earphones. Overall, indoor performance was very good.

Outdoors was a mixed bag, and this may have been just my particular unit. While running or walking, I wear my phone in a money belt around the waist. There would be intermittent drops/pauses but good for the most part. However, in certain areas, like my main intersection (which can be very busy) the earphones would become borderline unusable. Walking out of/to the edge of this area would usually resolve any issues but overall, outdoors bluetooth performance was good, but could become unacceptable in certain cases.

The earphones charging light stopped working a week ago, and then a couple days after that, the unit stopped working altogether. I was in the middle of a workout and it seemed like bluetooth had dropped (the music cut out) but it turned out they were dead. Charging/attempted resets didn't help, they were dead.

I got the Bose Soundsport Wireless and it's been a great experience so far. They are larger, as pointed out, but you don't really notice it. The Jaybird's are still the lowest profile/most wearable earphones I have worn, but the Bose quickly grows on you (you don't really feel the extra weight from the larger earphones). Nothing beats the Jaybird X-fit in terms of secure fit, but if worn correctly, the Bose will stay in your ears even during activity.

In terms of sound, Bose's Active EQ makes it a very simple choice for a neophyte such as myself. They simply sound better in all cases for me because I don't have a do a thing. Jaybird's app is superior but a default user such as myself doesn't need it anyway.

Bluetooth performance is a night and day affair. Indoor connectivity is even stronger, with no drops so far. Outdoors is also fantastic, there has been 1 drop, and it was noticeable only because it happened. It was over in an instant.

Very glad I found the Bose, but Jaybird support has been good. I will edit the post if the replacement pair perform better/differently.

Still with the soundsport? How do you like them now compared to before?