Jaybird makes some of the more popular sports-oriented in-ear wireless Bluetooth headphones, and its BlueBuds X headphone, which hit the market a few years ago, has a loyal fan base that likes to extol its secure fit and strong sound quality.
Jaybird X2
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
So what's Jaybird do for a much-anticipated encore? The Jaybird X2, which comes in multiple color options for $180, £170 or AU$250 and looks almost identical to its predecessor. It does offer some improvements, however, including a new matte finish, better sweat proofing, a slightly more comfortable ear fin design, a better carrying case and improved battery life -- up to 8 hours, which is good for this type of headphone. (The BlueBuds X featured a 83 mAh battery, while the X2's battery has a higher 100 mAh capacity.)
The X2 is one of the best sounding in-ear headphones out there and Jaybird hasn't made any changes to the sound as far as I can tell. It's a pretty well-balanced headphone with good clarity and a decent bass performance that isn't overemphasized. There's a slight bit of treble push and bass lovers may be a little disappointed the bass doesn't have more oomph to it, but I liked the sound.
That said, the big caveat with all these types of sound-isolating in-ear headphones is that you have to get a tight seal to get the best sound. If you don't get a tight seal, you lose a lot of bass, and the headphone can sound mediocre.
If you're a runner or biker who likes to let some sound in so you can hear approaching traffic, this headphone isn't designed for that. Competing models such as the Plantronics BackBeat Fit and the Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless , allow some sound to leak in. Of course, the downside to having a more "open" design is that ambient noise does clash with your listening, especially if you're in a particularly noisy environment (and don't want to hear that noise). For instance, the New York subway isn't the best place to use a non-noise-isolating in-ear headphone.
Over ear or under ear
For me anyway, the best way to get a tight seal was to turn the tip a little forward and up in my ear and have the headphone cord wrap back around my ear. I was able to get a tight seal and Jaybird now includes some foam Comply eartips to help you get a good fit.
I had a couple of small problems with the headphones. First, the earphone itself is kind of big and due to the shape of my ear, the inner rim just didn't feel super comfortable pressed up against the entrance of my ear canal.
Secondly, I don't like to have cords wrapped around the top of my ear. You can wear the X2 with the cord hanging down under ear, but I had trouble maintaining a tight seal in that position, so I stuck with the over-ear method.
The other thing I don't like is the cord shortener. You get a little extra accessory to adjust the length of the cord, which works fine, but I think the designers need to figure out a way to create a more integrated, elegant solution. Having the cord doubled up on itself with a removable clip is something that may be acceptable on a $50 or $75 product, but this thing costs $180.
Solid Bluetooth connection
One of the things that people sometimes complain about with Bluetooth headphones, especially while exercising, is shaky connectivity. Alas, your body is made mostly out of water -- and water and Bluetooth don't play well together. But aside from the very occasional hiccup, my connection with the X2 was consistently good.
The headphone can also be used as a headset to make calls and it worked pretty well for that, though this isn't a business-grade Bluetooth headset.
I should also point out that some people didn't like that the BlueBuds X made a beeping noise every time the volume was adjusted. Jaybird listened to those complaints and has done away with the beeping entirely in the X2. The pleasing female voice is still there, letting you know that the headphones are on, ready to pair or connected, and alerts you when the battery is low. That's a good thing.
Conclusion
For those hoping for a totally new product from Jaybird, this isn't it. "Some consumers expected a total overhaul," a Jaybird rep told me, "but that would mean abandoning the things that worked so well. Instead, we viewed X2 as an opportunity to refine an already spectacular product."
I'm not sure the previous model was "spectacular," but I like the Jaybird X2 and think it's one of the better wireless sports headphones out there. However, it's also one of those products that's going to work great for some people and not so great for others. So despite the improvements I've got to hold back a little on my rating, giving it 3.5 stars instead of 4.
Of course, that may change if the price goes down, but for now that's what I'm going with, particularly with the Plantronics BackBeat Fit sitting out there at less than $100.