PROS
- Very comfortable
- Attractive design
- Fantastic sound
CONS
- Tricky to put on
- Unbalanced sound
VERDICT
Given how expensive these headphones are, there’s no way how they could ever be considered as the best Bluetooth earbuds in the world, but they come very close. Plantronics have managed to successfully pair a very attractive design with an exceptional sound quality and comfort. When you finally manage to put these on, they stay firmly in place and never move even by a single millimeter.
Attractive, sport-oriented Bluetooth earbuds are always in high demand, and even more so when they come from a reputable manufacturer like Plantronics. The BackBeat Fit are available in three bright color variations to suit a wide range of tastes and design preferences. It will be interesting to see how this pricier offering from a renowned manufacturer does against some of its more affordable competition from China.
Design and Build Quality
Plantronics recognize that thick plastics have no place on a pair of fitness-oriented earbuds. The last thing you want to feel when you lie down on a bench to workout is some hard plastic poking into your head. We really like the overall execution of the functional design, expect for one thing: the way these are inserted. Each earbud comes with a small rubber ear support that goes into your ear. To put it in correctly, you have to use both of your hands, which is not always as easy as it sounds, and it definitely makes the whole process a much more awkward that it would have to be.
But when you, finally, manage to put them on, the Plantronics BackBeat Fit Wireless Headphones are very comfortable and secure. The P2i sweat-proof coating allows you to take them outside into the rain.
All three available color combinations are bright, vivid, and, in our humble opinion, look fantastic. The included neoprene armband can be used to secure your smartphone and to store the earbuds when not in use. You would be surprised how useful something like that can be.
Sound Quality
Let’s first talk about noise isolation. Plantronics purposefully avoided going overboard with the amount of passive noise isolation these earbuds provide. The reason is simple: people are likely to use them outside while they jog on streets, exercise on the beach, or ride a bike to work. Not being able to hear what goes on around would unnecessarily increase the danger of getting hit by a passing car or a fellow gym goer.
The sound has a noticeable “V-shaped” sound signature, characterized by boosted highs and lows. The treble can sometimes be very harsh and bass often becomes overly explosive. The entire midrange is pushed back, but not so much that hip hop or rock music would sound dull.
Perhaps it will come as a surprise then that the telephone functions work flawlessly and you would have to work very hard to find a clearer voice reproduction in any similarly-priced pair of earbuds.
What’s in the Box?
When you purchase the Plantronics BackBeat Fit Wireless Headphones, you also receive a handy case, extra eartips, and a USB cable.
