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Topic: In Search of GOOD Workout-Friendly Earbuds
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 12-19-2019 10:54 PM
I need to buy a new pair of Bluetooth earbuds to use during workouts at the gym. My previous pair of Jaybird X3 earbuds died for good a few days ago. I'm having a tough time deciding between various choices. I've read a lot of product reviews online. But I'm wondering what kind of experience FT members have had with these things and any advice or recommendations they can offer. Many of these wireless earbuds can cost a good chunk of money and I don't want to waste it as I feel I did with the dead Jaybird X3's.
I don't really have a preference whether the earbuds are tethered with a strap or are "true wireless" models featuring two individual, separate earbuds. The ones with connected with a strap tend to cost less and have better battery life.
The Jaybird X3's had very good sound quality and a good smart phone app that allowed adjustments to EQ (as well as some good presets). The X3's also maintained a very solid Bluetooth connection. Unfortunately a few months ago these earbuds developed a battery glitch and lost their ability to hold a charge. They could be fully charged but would completely drain after taken off their oddly designed charge cradle, even if you never turned on the headphones. After fully charging them and then using them at the gym I'd get only about 90 minutes of use before they were depleted. Prior to the glitch I'd get at least several hours of use per charge. Finally the other day the ear buds wouldn't turn on anymore. I've seen a lot of complaints online about this battery issue, it appears to affect the newer X4 model and even the more expensive Tarah Pro. I'm going to be very hesitant about buying anything from Jaybird again unless I see the battery issue specifically addressed.
Virtually every other model of earbuds I've looked up has some kind of serious, even deal-breaking issue.
I own a more expensive over-the-ear pair of Sony's WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling headphones. I bought these to use at work to block out some of the irritating racket at the office (like our obnoxious security alarm doorbell). These headphones aren't really suitable for use at the gym. They fit kind of loose; they could slip or fall off while using a weight bench. Frequent exposure to sweat can crack or rot the ear pads.
When Sony announced their WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds I thought those would be the earbuds to buy. Online reviews raved about the audio quality. They have some of the same functions as their full size, over-the-ear counterparts. Unfortunately they have no water and sweat resistance at all, putting them off limits for gym use. That's a major deal breaker. I don't understand why any company would make earbuds without some level of protection against water & sweat. Working out is one of the most common activities anyone does while using earbuds.
Beats' new PowerBeats Pro true wireless earbuds have earned a lot of praise for audio quality, stellar battery life, secure fit, etc. They're perfect for the gym, if you own an iPhone. I don't. Some of the functions of these earbuds require an iPhone due to specific chips in the phone and an app available only for iOS. These earbuds will pair with an Android phone, but the Bluetooth connection quality won't be nearly as good, battery life takes a hit and there's no adjustable EQ. Nope!
I looked at two offerings from Bose, their tethered Soundsport Wireless earbuds and the Soundsport Wireless Free true wireless earbuds. Many reviews I've read have rated them pretty mediocre.
The JLab Epic Air Sport true wireless earbuds look promising. They have an IP66 sweat-proof rating and get nearly 10 hours of battery life. Beats' PowerBeats Pro true wireless earbuds are the only ones that get longer battery life. The downside: the only way to adjust EQ is by way of 3 presets you tap on the left earbud; there's no companion mobile app to fine tune the audio.
There is a bunch of different makes and models of wireless and true wireless earbuds out there, and in a pretty wide variety of price ranges. But there are few good choices that stand out of that bunch. For now I'm getting by with some corded earbuds that came with my Samsung Note5 phone. Headphone cords are bad at the gym because they can get in the way of certain exercises like doing dumbbell rows on a flat bench. You pretty much have to run the cord through the back of a shirt to keep it out of the way. But the cord can't stay there for many other exercises, or just jogging on a treadmill. Wireless is the way to go at the gym.
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