Plantronics BackBeat GO 2 wireless headphones
Published on 7 November 2013
Blog regulars know it, I'm a maniac about audio headphones, I switch them very regularly, and I tend to consider that having a €700 phone grafted to your ears with €20 headphones is heresy. Some people apparently remember that, and it's rather cool, because as a result I received this model to test, namely a Plantronics BackBeat GO 2. The headset in question, on paper, is pretty much ideal for me. I'm a big fan of in-ears, and this headset is an in-ear. It's wireless, and I love wireless headphones. I didn't think it was even conceivable to combine the two worlds, but apparently it is, and it's rather well played. I'll even spoil the ending a bit for you: this headset can be found for €80/90, which is fairly affordable for a headset of this quality, even if it's not without flaws. Note that a lot of people say they struggle with in-ears. The problem essentially comes from a lack of patience. An in-ear is like a pair of shoes, for 2 days it's super annoying, on the third day you're used to it, and you can't do without it, if only because it isolates better from ambient noise, and also lets you avoid cranking up the volume too much (and going deaf at 35).
Let's get back to this BackBeat GO 2. We're going to play "why it's good," and why it's not good, because in any case, I know it, when you read reviews on the Internet, that's all you read. Here we go:
WHY THIS HEADSET IS AWESOME. + A wireless headset, that works over bluetooth, that's great. + It's equipped with a mic so you can make calls with it. + It's really light. + It's fitted with little control buttons, on the side, to control music and calls. + It's supposed to be sweat-resistant, it's not sexy put that way, but this type of product is ideal for working out, so that counts. + It comes with a little pouch, which itself includes a battery, so you can recharge it while it's stored. + The included USB cable is clever, since it includes a female USB port, so you don't lose a USB port while charging the headset (or the pouch). + The packaging is efficient, and doesn't require a blowtorch to open the box (here I'm thinking of Jays and their packaging from hell, which drives me nuts every time). + The headset comes with extra tips.
WHY THIS HEADSET ISN'T SO GREAT. – The in-ears are obviously equipped with a battery, so they're fairly big and inevitably stick out of your ears. – It lacks bass, and the sound is overall pretty average. – You can't store the charging cable in the pouch, so you always end up with a stray cable anyway. – The battery life is limited, count on 4-5 hours of use, without going through the pouch-recharge stage. That's little, but normal given the size and weight of the thing.
MY THRILLING CONCLUSION. Honestly? I'd recommend it with my eyes closed. The value for money is good, it's well finished, and from a functional standpoint, it's perfect. I'd have liked better audio quality, but at that price, we're in the usual range. As for the battery life, yeah it's little, but in practice, if you get into the habit of recharging it systematically, at the same time as your phone, it's not a blocker. I'd recommend it in particular to people who go jogging or to the gym. In that case it's ideal. A long time ago I tested the Sennheiser MM450, which was already a Bluetooth headset, and well this Plantronics does the job just as well.
THERE YOU GO. If it interests you, it can be found on Amazon, and apparently if you look hard enough you can find it in white too. And a big thank-you to @LaFilledelaCom for lending me her ears for the photos 🙂 (I know full well you're sick of seeing my face).
Photo credit: Plantronics
By Paingout