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Entertainment & Artistry => Music => Topic started by: Jake on June 15, 2020, 03:44:17 PM

Title: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 15, 2020, 03:44:17 PM
So I had this set of Phillips Bluetooth headphones - which were actually originally my wife's that I got her in 2014 - and they were awesome for me. Loud enough, good enough quality, and a super long battery - even 6 years later I was getting like what seemed 20+ hours out of them.

Unfortunately, they started giving me issues a couple weeks ago. Essentially, they kept going in and out. I can compare it to sliding a regular head phone cable in and out of a headphone jack - that same sound and lack there of. Ordered this pair - I hope I am as happy with them as I was with the other ones. And I hope they last just as long. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZHQJHMN
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on June 15, 2020, 04:11:15 PM
I haven't used over the ear ones in a while except for gaming and what not.  I only do earbuds for mowing the lawn/etc.  But then I only get about 10 hours of play time so... meh.  I hope they work for you.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 15, 2020, 05:11:29 PM
I haven't used over the ear ones in a while except for gaming and what not.  I only do earbuds for mowing the lawn/etc.  But then I only get about 10 hours of play time so... meh.  I hope they work for you.

I've tried multiple earbud designs and none are comfortable for me - so I stick with the over the ear type.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: micah on June 15, 2020, 09:49:23 PM
I have NEVER found a pair of earbuds that were comfortable and most wont stay in my ears.  I've even bought fairly expensive bluetooth ones.  Just can't do it.  I'm an over the ear kinda guy.  I have a very similar pair of philips wireless like you Jake and they're pretty good, except there's no input jack to use them wired.  I've had a really cheap Sony wired set I still use all the time.  Then I have my Bose QC super expensive ones (that were gifted to me) which are awesome, but i rarely charge them and just use them wired.  I even bought a wire with built in boom-arm mic so I could use them for zoom calls and xbox live.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on June 15, 2020, 10:16:02 PM
I have a slightly older version of these: https://www.amazon.com/TBI-Pro-Bluetooth-Headphones-Charge/dp/B07VLC39K5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YHSC75A934UB&dchild=1&keywords=tbi+pro+bluetooth+headphones&qid=1592273617&sprefix=tbi+pro%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4  They are pretty awesome.  Sound great, stay in my ears, etc.  I specifically looked for something that would stay in better and these seem to do the trick.  I was tired of the over-the-ear ones getting so hot.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on June 16, 2020, 06:05:17 AM
I am using a pair of Echobuds by Amazon.  Work well for mowing lawn due to the noise cancelling.  They get a lot of hate in reviews but I have yet to have an issue with them.  Sound is solid, they control well, and the cancelling is great.  I use Comply ear tips not theirs but unless I am wearing Etymotic buds, I always do that.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 16, 2020, 11:24:55 AM
I have a slightly older version of these: https://www.amazon.com/TBI-Pro-Bluetooth-Headphones-Charge/dp/B07VLC39K5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YHSC75A934UB&dchild=1&keywords=tbi+pro+bluetooth+headphones&qid=1592273617&sprefix=tbi+pro%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4  They are pretty awesome.  Sound great, stay in my ears, etc.  I specifically looked for something that would stay in better and these seem to do the trick.  I was tired of the over-the-ear ones getting so hot.

you know, I think I will give these a try as well - I don't think I ever had any that looked this way. They look kind of heavy, are they?
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on June 16, 2020, 11:33:31 AM
Nope, not heavy at all.  I've worn them for 5-6 hours at a time with no fatigue.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 16, 2020, 05:10:54 PM
the over the ear phillips came in today. First impressions are very positive. They are not as beefy as my old ones, and I thought that will not work, but they are a perfect size actually. Sound is fine for me. But the biggest thing is the "noise cancellation" - I don't know what else to call it since they really were not advertised as such, but when someone is speaking and I am listening fairly loud I can't hear them speak at all. So as long as the battery life doesn't disappoint, and they last a few years, it will be a success.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 16, 2020, 05:15:24 PM
I have to add, they do seem flimsy. Especially the mechanism that folds them "flat" - I think that is an unnecessary weak point.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 17, 2020, 05:10:38 PM
I have a slightly older version of these: https://www.amazon.com/TBI-Pro-Bluetooth-Headphones-Charge/dp/B07VLC39K5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YHSC75A934UB&dchild=1&keywords=tbi+pro+bluetooth+headphones&qid=1592273617&sprefix=tbi+pro%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4  They are pretty awesome.  Sound great, stay in my ears, etc.  I specifically looked for something that would stay in better and these seem to do the trick.  I was tired of the over-the-ear ones getting so hot.

Wow. Thanks for the recommendation, Ben! these are great. I've been wearing them for past 2 hours and have less ear fatigue than with any other ear buds I have every tried before. Fantastic. thanks again
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on June 17, 2020, 05:22:53 PM
NP - it took me a while to find them and I would be another set in a heartbeat.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: micah on June 18, 2020, 08:35:20 AM
I have a slightly older version of these: https://www.amazon.com/TBI-Pro-Bluetooth-Headphones-Charge/dp/B07VLC39K5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YHSC75A934UB&dchild=1&keywords=tbi+pro+bluetooth+headphones&qid=1592273617&sprefix=tbi+pro%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4  They are pretty awesome.  Sound great, stay in my ears, etc.  I specifically looked for something that would stay in better and these seem to do the trick.  I was tired of the over-the-ear ones getting so hot.

Wow. Thanks for the recommendation, Ben! these are great. I've been wearing them for past 2 hours and have less ear fatigue than with any other ear buds I have every tried before. Fantastic. thanks again

Good enough for me, just ordered them as well.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: micah on June 19, 2020, 05:24:01 PM
I have a slightly older version of these: https://www.amazon.com/TBI-Pro-Bluetooth-Headphones-Charge/dp/B07VLC39K5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2YHSC75A934UB&dchild=1&keywords=tbi+pro+bluetooth+headphones&qid=1592273617&sprefix=tbi+pro%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4  They are pretty awesome.  Sound great, stay in my ears, etc.  I specifically looked for something that would stay in better and these seem to do the trick.  I was tired of the over-the-ear ones getting so hot.

Wow. Thanks for the recommendation, Ben! these are great. I've been wearing them for past 2 hours and have less ear fatigue than with any other ear buds I have every tried before. Fantastic. thanks again

Good enough for me, just ordered them as well.

These came today, charging now so I haven't been able to listen and gauge sound quality...but comfort wise and the fact that they stay in my ears... I'm already really excited.  I've been wearing my big heavy Bose over-ear noice-canceling headphone for music and conference calls but its just over kill and honestly, i like be able to hear background noise. I'm really excited about these headphones

Edit: Ok, these are great! thanks guys for the recommendation. These are my new favorite headphones!
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on June 20, 2020, 12:39:57 AM
Glad I could help.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on June 20, 2020, 11:44:34 AM
Glad I could help.

seriously, I think I will return those over the ear phillips I got and just keep these.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on August 12, 2020, 01:47:26 PM
after over a month of using both headphones, here are my impressions:

TBI Pro
- super comfortable
- extra long battery life
- my phone actually tells me the battery level
- sound quality is garbage - I mean, music sounds horrible on these, even for me.
- even though they are comfortable once they are on, it does take some time for me to actually put them on, but that might be just me

overall, for the price, these are pretty sweet - if they improve sound quality, they will be bananas.

Phillips
- extra long battery life
- my phone actually tells me the battery level
- The "cooling" pads actually work and it feels good to put these things on, on a hot day outside
- music quality is pretty awesome
- noise cancellation - or whatever it is, is pretty sweet as well.
- at first the lay flat feature seemed unnecessary to me, but it is actually super convenient. I can throw them into my messenger bag or glove compartment without issue and they don't take up a lot of room

overall, I am happy with these as well and I don't have a con to list.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on August 12, 2020, 10:09:37 PM
Yeah the TBIs don't sound amazing but they aren't bad.  Plus I really only use them on the treadmill and mowing the lawn or maybe when cleaning.  If I get a new pair, it will likely be the Beats Pro - my wife has them and loves them.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: micah on September 14, 2020, 01:26:55 AM
So, apparently I didn't realize that different audio devices (both receivers and transmitters) use different codec standards. I mean, it makes sense but I never thought about it.  I bought a bluetooth transmitter for the headphone jack on my mixer so I could do music with my wireless headphones.  It came today and the latency is horrible.  Like nearly 200ms.  If i was just listening to music it wouldn't make a difference but its completely unusable when playing music and awaiting immediate auditory feedback. The difference is nearly a full quarter-beat of lag. So, if you're listening to music and try to play along, as you press a key on the piano-keyboard you don't hear it until the next note is already coming through the headphones from the computer between 1/8th and 1/4 second later!

The transmitter says it low-latency (around 30-40ms) but after doing some research it turns out that LL is only possible when paired with a device using aptx codec.  The transmitter can do apt-x over bluetooth v5.0 BUT my $300 BOSE Headphones suck balls.  I tried pairing with these TBI Pro u9 headphones that we all love but am encountering the same problem even though the amazon ad (which now reads [updated 2020] so not sure if they're the same) says they support aptx.  The weird thing is though, they sound in sync with video on my computer.  My assumption is that the video (either youtube or my computer?) adds latency to the video on purpose in anticipation of of the audio's lag. (is that a thing?)

This is my fun experiment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_PbyRpKrRk
The audio comes out of my computer via USB to my mixer (which replaces my internal crappy sound card).  The mixer has standard analog 1/4" cables going to my speakers. I plugged the bluetooth transmitter into the headphone jack and paired my headphones.  Playing the above-linked video (and several other similar ones) while wearing the headphones, you can audibly hear the metronome ping in the speakers first, and then a split second later in the headphones. But this is the weird part - the speakers play the sound BEFORE the video shows when I should hear it and the headphones look spot on.

Its even weirder though when I run the same experiment with my music production DAW software. The latency is still there (and possibly even worse) BUT watching the scrolling timeline scrubber as the audio plays, the speakers are spot on with the visual representation but the headphones play the sound after the point in the timeline (which is what you would assume to see given the audible lag.) The only difference I can think of is that the production software uses a different audio driver (ASIO4ALL). 

Anyway the whole thing is super annoying and I'm just confused as to what the solve really is; other then continuing to use wired headphones.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on September 14, 2020, 08:12:50 AM
I've tried to use wireless headphones for work.  I really want to use them.  Wearing my heavier over the ear gaming headset gets tiresome over a full 8-9 hours.  I have yet to try a pair that either sounded good or didn't have a slight lag.  Plus there are a few people that use wireless headphones and most of them sound like shit.  What I don't know is if my $10 Bluetooth dongle I got off Amazon is a factor in this.  Even my wife's Beats Pro that I tried didn't sound good... but I'm not convinced that my setup is correct for those.  It's generally fine for listening to stuff (I don't notice the lag) but they're not good for meetings.  Part of me wants to splurge on a pair of air pods to see if they'd be any better.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on September 14, 2020, 09:46:04 AM
I have a jabra bluetooth headset for work. There's no noticeable latency (e.g., watching a video that voices line up properly with what you're seeing). They aren't the greatest headphones but the audio quality is decent. I have them paired directly with my macbook.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Jake on September 15, 2020, 02:08:15 PM
My Jabra puck is also pretty great - very low latency  as well. Mine is about two years old, and I have to say it is one of my favorite work tools in the age of remote conferencing. Sound is great, echo cancelling, light weight and small, etc etc. I recommend this product: https://www.amazon.com/Jabra-Wireless-Bluetooth-Softphone-Packaging/dp/B00AQUO5RI
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on September 16, 2020, 08:13:54 AM
My Jabra puck is also pretty great - very low latency  as well. Mine is about two years old, and I have to say it is one of my favorite work tools in the age of remote conferencing. Sound is great, echo cancelling, light weight and small, etc etc. I recommend this product: https://www.amazon.com/Jabra-Wireless-Bluetooth-Softphone-Packaging/dp/B00AQUO5RI

I have one of those too, the audio is great but I find the mic is only good if you're close to it. If you have it in the middle of a table with a bunch of people around it it's not sensitive enough.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on September 16, 2020, 09:30:21 AM
I have tried a variety of true wireless solutions.  Microphone reviews are by the folks I called to check just that not mine.

I started with Apple Airpods Pro mainly because of free access to a set.  Solid mic, ear feel is superior to my past Apple experience and due to the weight they stay in well enough even during walking, working around the yard and rowing. Airpods have the third best noise cancelling that I have heard in an in ear set.  Music listening is enjoyable but not super impressive.  Audiobooks and podcasts are ideal, great voicing here!  Functionality is top tier.  Pricing at $250 full price but can be found at $140 without getting sketchy.  Almost purchased a set.

Tried the Amazon Echo Buds next.  Mic is acceptable, nothing spectacular.  They have solid fit but I had slipping issues in one ear, which for me is really common.  Noise cancelling is second to nothing I have encountered.  Better than the Bose and Sennheiser headphones.  Mowing lawn is like when Ben mows lawn or when goats do.  Sound is better than the Airpods for music they just sound great.  Audiobooks and podcasts are wonderful with the noise cancelling.  Functionality is crazy handy if you connect to the Amazon universe.  Pricing is fair enough at $120 full price and regular sales at $90 without getting them used or some such.  I got a set free and right now a buddy (Mike Kelly) is using them and wants to purchase them. 

Samsung Galaxy Buds+.  Getting past the stupid nomenclature...  Great mic.  As good as the Apple in side by sides and votes both ways as to which is better.  That said, they seem to do better than the Airpods inside of a car.  We tried three cars (BMW, LEXUS, and Nissan) and two times the mic from the EB was better than the AP  in the Lexus it was a tie.  Fit is great.  Personally they feel more secure than the AP, but either are great.  No active noise cancelling....that said they match the AP for external noise cancelling.  They fit so well and block noise so well that they just don't seem to need it to compete with Apple.  That said Amazon is significantly better than either at noise cancellation. Nothing shakes these out of your ears!!  Audio.  Across the board best I have heard.  These are Etymotic levels of great.  WOW!  Functionality is on a par with Apple.  I really like the bionic hearing they can bring into the picture.  When I am walking I can literally hear cars behind me on curves.  Pricing is solid at $130 and on sale at $90 happens.  Purchased two sets.  One for each of us.  They hide in your ears, visually, better than any of the rest.

The Jabra Elite Active 75t.  Hearsay only.  These are supposed to compete with the SGB and AP as best sound with a great fit for active users.  These are real contenders.  Check them out.

I have tried a few other smaller brands Anker (many hours) are great for the money but not in the class of the ones previously noted.  My time with the Beats product was short and music only but they were meh and the music was clearly tampered with. I found them a disappointment.

For pure audio and no mic and a CABLE Audeze seems to rule the roost.  I have yet to experience them however reviews by people I trust are crazy good.  Need a wireless version.

Hope my experiences helped a bit.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: ober on September 16, 2020, 11:58:34 AM
Thanks Knuck!  That's awesome :) 

So are you saying you would get the Samsung Buds+ if you had to buy a new set tomorrow?  What phone do you have? 
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on September 16, 2020, 10:31:11 PM
I have a Samsung Galaxy S20 +.  No complaints.  Laura has the S10 and again no issues.

I would get the Galaxy Buds + again in a heartbeat.  Our phones match the color of the buds we have to make hers and mine easily identified.  These are the best in ear overall to me.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: micah on September 16, 2020, 11:14:23 PM
in the end, I just ordered some well-reviewed budget WIRED headphones (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N6ZJH96) to use for home studio use.  Between the TBI-Pro in ear bluetooth and my Bose Q35II -- I have some good bluetooth options for general music listening or even taking work calls.  But for music production, I just want reliability and zero latency. I also like not having to remember to charge my headphones in order to use them.  I'll post a review on these at some point maybe.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on September 19, 2020, 09:16:42 AM
Darn fine sale today it ends.

https://www.buyvia.com/deals/samsung-galaxy-buds-plus-2020-sm-r175-akg-wireless-earbuds-sale/
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on October 21, 2020, 12:50:37 PM
I mentioned in the other thread that I picked up a set of Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live (https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile-audio/galaxy-buds-live/). I've used them for about a week now and have to say I really like them overall. They are different from most ear buds on the market (including the galaxy buds+) in the sense that they just sit inside your ear, without a silicon seal that pushes down into the ear canal. So they are not the traditional "in-ear" type.

Sound quality is excellent. Honestly I was pretty surprised at how good these sound, clear range and lots of bass. Also a bunch of "EQ" pre-sets to chose from in the app.

ANC - Because these don't seal in your ear, they let in a lot of outside sound. If you really want ear buds that block out sound then theses are probably not your best choice. That said, the ANC actually does a really good job of blocking out low frequency background noise. I turned it on at the gym and immediately noticed that the background sound of the droning fans was gone (while voices and weights clinking was still audible).

Comfort - Putting these in "properly" is a bit of an art that takes some practice. But once they are in the are quite comfortable. I have used them for a full day of work meetings without problem. I have found that when removing the ear bud I feel some soreness at the back part of my ear as it scrapes by, I suspect the skin there will get used to it with time. I can see how these could be painful for someone with small ears though. And it's not ideal to wear them while chewing as your ears move quite a bit which can cause rubbing (I did this one the first day, listening to music while eating lunch). I haven't had any discomfort while they are in during regular day-to-day activities though (work meetings, cutting lawn, walking the dog, gym, ...).

Fit - I popped these in before going into the gym and didn't have to touch them the whole time. This includes laying on a bench, a decline bench, and exerting a lot of force lifting weights (which would push my old ear buds out of my ears). Very happy with how secure these are in my ears.

Mic so far seems quite good. I've used them for work meetings and they seem to be at least as good as my Jabra headset with the external "mic on a stick" that sits right in front of the mouth.

Controls are ok and I like that you can customize the long press (separately for left and right if you want). Some reviews complain that the touch target isn't obvious which is true, you have to touch the correct part of the bud. That took some getting used to, but I haven't had big problems with it.

Connectivity has been good. Paired easily with my two galaxy phones (S10 and Note10) and my macbook pro. It's also straightforward to switch between devices. I haven't had any sync or disconnect problems.

Look - I really like the style of these. They are minimal and do not pertrude from the ear at all. They look like jelly beans which might be a problem if my dog gets ahold of them.. but aside from that they're great :)


Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on October 22, 2020, 07:55:44 AM
Hmmm.  Good to know.  How is battery life?
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on October 22, 2020, 09:37:37 AM
Hmmm.  Good to know.  How is battery life?

So far I haven't seen them below 70%, but I always put them in the case when I take them out (even in between meetings).
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on October 23, 2020, 09:18:02 AM
How many hours straight?
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on October 25, 2020, 08:39:30 PM
They claim 6 with ANC on and 8 without. 20 something total with case. I don't think I've needed them for more than 2 or 3 before returning them to the case (I take them out if I'm not in a meeting or listening to music).
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: KnuckleBuckett on October 26, 2020, 09:21:23 AM
So a step below the plusses, but smaller so it makes sense.  I have gone full work days without issue and the case seems to charge them for days.
Title: Re: wireless headphones
Post by: Perspective on December 08, 2020, 08:18:14 AM
We'll I've managed to lose the god damn things already!!! Drives me nuts. It's been two weeks and I can't find them anywhere... I have a feeling my 4 year old may have grabbed them and stuck them somewhere, they'll probably turn up shortly after I cave and buy new ones.