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In the market for new bluetooth headphones, suggestions?
Does anyone know of a good pair? or where I might find more info on the matter, like a comparison website with in-depth reviews?
My previous ones (Nokia BH 905i) are still fine although they are showing heavy signs of wear and don't support the latest features, like LE etc.
I might want to look into something potentially smaller, like in-ears with a flat surface on the outside so I might be able to use them in my motorcycle helmet. ANC is prefered and so is good sound quality. Price is about 250-300eu max.
If you are riding a motorcycle please do not use ANC headphones, you need all your senses with you.
What I've found has worked well for me is a pair of good foam earplugs and a set of bone conduction headphones. They fit well in the helmet, allow you to still hear outside noise, the earplugs take away the wind and engine noise.
Shokz makes the most popular ones - however, I've noticed little difference to be honest between mid-range and high-range ones other than perhaps a bit of volume (which if you're doing a lot of freeways maybe the volume is key). They are all pretty much indestructible which is good as when you take off your helmet they are going to fall to the ground almost everytime :)
Now bone conduction headphones aren't going to give you amazing sound quality but it is more than good enough for casual listening especially on a bike. When you get used to wearing them it's also a bit like magic - I've sat at a poker table and been able to fully follow conversations and play all while listening to my music or an audiobook.
Be sure you get BONE conduction headphones and not AIR conduction (which are basically just open air speakers and are useless). When you test them do your initial test with earplugs in (they really help).
Get them off amazon and if you don't like send them back but they have been great for me on my commutes on the motorcycle.
I got a waterproof bone conducting set and you're right - they do feel like magic! I love how lightweight and unobtrusive they are as well.
I have the Sony WF-1000XM4s. The active noise cancelling is excellent. One issue though is that they're uncomfortable to wear for long time periods (more than 90-120 mins) due to the material of the eartip. There are some aftermarket replacements, but this impacts the passive noise cancelling.
I have these too and I am very happy with them. I do not have much trouble with discomfort during long periods of use, I kind of got used to them after the first day. I've kept them in for 8 hours before with only mild discomfort at the end of the day. I do wish they had aptX support, but the sound quality with LDAC is flawless. I just think I'd get better range and consistency with the automatic bitrate of aptX. SBC does support the same thing but the quality isn't as good. The sound quality of Sony is wicked good.
Honestly, my biggest complaint is that I keep missing the doorbell when I have them in.
That was my experience with the XM3's too. A bit hot for my ears after some time. They busted after a few falls, so they're not suitable for taking out imo, but good for using on your recliner or in bed as you're propped up on a pillow. Though, laying my head directly on the pillow would cause the pillow to push against the headphones. They offered great noise cancelling and wonderful sound quality in my music though, and that would be the thing that would make me invest in XM4's someday if they're better than the XM3's.
Yep, can recommend these ones too. Personally don't have the discomfort, I'd guess my only gripe is the range at which bluetooth gets spotty but I doubt that's specific to these headphones. I also have a pair of Jaybird Tarah in-earphones for in the shower or if I don't wanna bring my headphones anywhere.
Not too involved in the wireless headphone market, but I remember the Sony WH-1000XM4s always being a good bet.
I have the M3 and I like them, but I don't think they can fit with an helmet.
I have the Linkbuds S and they probably would fit under a helmet just fine. ANC is supposedly not quite as good as the XM4s but it's still very good.
I use Aftershokz Aeropex bone conduction headphones:
https://www.techradar.com/reviews/aftershokz-aeropex
I love that I can forget to turn them off and they'll still work one week later. The battery life is just crazy long, especially compared to what I previously used (1st gen Apple airpods). I mainly use them for working out.
(They aren't small in-ear ones though so they cannot be used with a helmet)
Mine fit just fine with a snowboarding helmet, OP can even grt the OpenRun mini, which are the rebranded smaller band versions of the Aeropex for a even snugger fit.
Oh nice! I didn't know they could be used with a helmet. Mine are a little bit loose on me so I'm now tempted to get the mini version you mentioned :> thanks for sharing
I have some aftershokz titanium that I wore all the time. I loved them and never had an issue.
My office mate bought some on my recommendation, and then went through half a dozen brands/models before he gave up, because all bone conduction stuff gave him wicked headaches.
Seems like it might be a rare thing, but something to maybe be aware of.
What HiFi maintain a regularly updated page of the best wireless earbuds, with links to in-depth reviews for each set as well. I've always found their reviews to be trustworthy and while they can get a bit audiophile-woo, they do have a good record on knowing what sounds decent.
Personally speaking, Sony or Sennheiser have never let me down when it comes to headphones. My current earbuds are Sony Linkbuds S and I'm very happy with them. Headphones can be super personal though, what works for me might sound awful for you.
If you're in the Apple ecosystem, then AirPods Pro are the best option, followed by the non-pro version.
If not, then there are still plenty of great options. I seem to recall a lot of people excited because there is a new Beats headset that offers much of the same capabilities as AirPods but is better suited for Android handsets. It's made by Apple as well, and IIRC it has the same processing hardware in them. I can't recall which model it was right now, though.
Alternatively the Sony WH-1000XM4 is another really great option all around.
If you don't want super "techy" features, though, there are a lot of inexpensive options to be found from various Chinese manufacturers, some with extremely high sound quality.
I think this type of discussion basically needs it own tilde. Product suggestions and product testing is a thing “bigger” than Talk.
I'm not qualified to give recommendations on specific models or brands tbh, but I can recommend rtings for reviews and comparisons. I've used their reviews for many big purchases.
Highly recommend the Soundcore Lifedot 2. Great battery life, at least 8 hours charge, then the case can charge them 3-4 times. Plus 15 minutes in the case will give you 90ish minutes of power if they do die. The range might vary with what they're connected to, but I can get 50+ yards away before I disconnect on my phone, easily enough to cover a whole house.
Only 40 dollars off Amazon, I bought two pair 2 years ago and haven't had any problems with either.
Having tried both the Sony xm4's and the Galaxy pro buds 2, I actually liked the buds pro better to my surprise.
They're a bit smaller and lighter than the xm4's and to my ears provide a much better seal. Also helps that they can be easily used while working out or running.
If you're just planning on sitting and listening to music the Sony's would likely be better
Highly recommend Pixel Buds Pro. Probably at the top of your price range but the sound is fantastic, the battery life is great, they match the physical description you gave, and they have ANC. Simple and easy to use UI as well. Only drawbacks I've noticed is the ANC isn't the best ever but for my purposes it's been fine (gym mainly) and the max volume is a little lower than I would expect. Although I can't comfortably listen at that range I'm not sure how loud you'd need them for a motorcycle ride.
I'll second the Apple Airpods Pro. I just went through almost all of the headphones mentioned above trying to find something that would allow me to work both without hearing anyone and showing them I'm obviously not available. The key for me in terms of functionality though is that I'm entirely in the Apple Ecosystem. So the Airpods Pro Max were the only pair that made any sense for everything I need. They are pricey, but the sound is amazing and the work with all things Apple.
If you're not in the Apple Ecosystem then the Sony's and Bose are decent. I would say the Sony slightly edged out the Bose. I tried the WF-1000XM5s and the Bose Quitcomfort SE's (Costco version of the 45s?). I also tried the Bose 700's. I really liked the 700's sound but they weren't comfortable enough to wear long term. The WF-1000XM5s were better. I highly suggest buying from a place you can return them to like BestBuy or Costco and see what sounds and feels right.
Good luck!