I'll try to keep this short. First, I'm an engineer, so I know a few things about problem solving, how things work, how they're supposed to work, and philosophies of use. Second, I'm a huge consumer. I spend ridiculous amounts of time and money to find the right tool for the job. It irks me when consumer items are not well thought out, and marketing techniques are straight lies. Consider those as my credentials to trust my review.
I will not talk about speed of delivery, how items are packaged, or defective products. Things happen and that's unfortunate.
The review:
Get these....if you're not convinced, get them anyway, however purchase these too: Comply T-500 Isolation Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pairs, Large).
My review targets the active headphone market. I have a drawer full of disappointing active earplugs/headphones. Sure, some of them work for my use, but there is always something missing, or could have been better. So, continues the pursuit of the perfect set, and that I have found in the BlueBuds X. This is why:
Bluetooth: no more struggling with long cords, short cords, getting caught in things, flapping around while you run.....put these on and you have complete freedom. Sure, bluetooth headphones aren't new, but these are not bulky and they don't have a big heavy battery.
Audio: If you're concerned with bluetooth lossy quality, get over yourself. Stay home with your $1000 over the ear reference headphones. These are meant to go outside. I subscribe to pandora's premium service with higher quality audio and these sound fantastic. The sound stage is flat, but very well balanced. I prefer this. Bass is present and highs are clear. Bass heads, it's not all about bass. However, you must have a good fit to appreciate the terrific audio.
Build Quality: They look amazing. Made of plastic. Cord is rubbery and tough, that's a good thing. Take care of them and they will last.
ACTIVE USE: This is the most important part. I've done other activities with these, such as cycling, and calisthenics, but I'll only reference running. It took a while to dial these in. I went from thinking these would contribute to the infamous drawer, but I kept at it. The first few runs I was determining which size plugs to use and which way I should wear them - there are two ways to wear these. I chose the over the ear style. Having chosen the best size plugs, they kept sliding out. They didn't fall off, but slid out so there wasn't a good seal, and the audio suffered. I was constantly pushing them back into my ear during the run. I tried cleaning my ears immediately before my runs, dampening the plugs just a bit as i've read somewhere before, but they continued to slide out. I was disappointed at this point. I kept at it, because I wanted these to work as the previous points were really good. So, I purchased these "Comply T-500 Isolation Earphone Tips (Black, 3 Pairs, Large)." I can't believe how well those plugs worked with the BlueBuds X. Jaybird should consider providing these plugs stock. I've ran...many miles and they did not slip out once. From start to finish, no adjusting during the run; hot, sweaty, bumpy, windy, they stayed in place. I put these on and I forget about them, concentrated on my run. THE BEST, AND MY LAST, ACTIVE HEADPHONES.
A little about the Comply tips. the T-500 will fit the headphones. It took a little pushing and mashing, but they did go on. Squeeze and roll them right before putting them into your ear, pull the top of your ear up then slide the plugs in and hold them in place while the foam expands.
Gripes: These really don't matter, as the end result is me running with freedom and 100% satisfaction, it's more than that...I think love is a better word.
Charge cord: I don't get it. It's a little funky to use, but however you use it, it charges the headphones.
Power plug: Non existent. I was surprised there wasn't a usb wall outlet, so I use my phone charger.
Packaging: I know I said I wouldn't talk about it, but I do recall the headphones were a pain to get out of the box. Have scissors.
Instruction booklet: lots of pictures, not enough words, difficult to set up the over the ear style, but set it and forget.
Case: difficult to close the case with the charge cord and headphones, but mash it a few times and it'll close. There must be a hidden art to get it to fit.
Beeping: There is a beep every time you change the volume. A little annoying, so don't change the volume often.
Easter Egg: I don't recall if these are bluetooth 4.0, or if that's the cause, but on my iphone 5 there is a battery gauge for the headphones that pop up next to the bluetooth icon. A pleasant surprise!!!
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Climate Pledge FriendlyClimate Pledge Friendly uses sustainability certifications to highlight products that support our commitment to help preserve the natural world. Time is fleeting. Learn moreProduct Certification (1)
Pre-owned Certified products are inspected, cleaned and (if applicable) repaired to excellent functional standards. Buying Pre-owned extends a product's life, reducing e-waste and raw material extraction.
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Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services means the product’s carbon emissions have been measured and reduced, with any remaining emissions offset.
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From the manufacturer
Shift Premium Bluetooth Audio:
Changing the game is about challenging everything we know and accept about the products we design. BlueBuds X rewrites the rules of Bluetooth headphones audio, delivering a sound you've never heard before with premium sound & warm bass. Outperforms most wired headphones.
SIGNALPLUS for Skip-Free Music:
Use your music device anywhere on your body without traditional limitations. You can even put your phone/music device in a bag at the gym and workout without signal droppage.
Micro-Sized with Battery HD:
BlueBuds X are the smallest Bluetooth headphones available, yet they pack an incredible 8 hours of play time. Enjoy a full day of music and calls, or work out an hour a day for an entire week on a single charge.
X-FIT Over/Under Ear Fit Options:
BlueBuds X has the ability to lift the cord off your neck for a liberating workout experience. Jaybird's X-Fit allows for the headphones to be used either in the traditional under-ear wearing style for music & calls, or over-ear, designed for those wanting a great sports music experience.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLUEBUDS X (MIDNIGHT) | BLUEBUDS X (STORM) | BLUEBUDS X (CAMO) | FREEDOM SPRINT (MIDNIGHT) | FREEDOM SPRINT (STORM) | |
| Wireless Music & Calls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Secure-Fit for Sport | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lifetime Warranty Against Sweat | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Number of Paired Devices | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Battery Run Time | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | 8 Hours | 4.5 Hours | 4.5 Hours |
| Weight | 13.8 g | 13.8 g | 13.8 g | 16 g | 16 g |
| X-Fit (Over or Under-Ear) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Jenna Voice Prompts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Shift Premium Bluetooth Audio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| PureSound | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Climate Pledge Friendly
Climate Pledge Friendly uses sustainability certifications to highlight products that support our commitment to help preserve the natural world. Time is fleeting. Learn more
Product Certification (1)
Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services means the product’s carbon emissions have been measured and reduced, with any remaining emissions offset.
Carbon Neutral Certified by SCS Global Services enables companies to demonstrate carbon neutrality for their products by reducing carbon emissions throughout their operations and offsetting their remaining carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon credits. SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.
Customer reviews
## Quick Positives ##Great battery lifeGreat sounding for musicGreat mic for phone callsGreat signal doesn't break up easilyGreat controlsGood sweatproofing## Quick Negatives ##Ear Tips fall off easily and oftenYou can break them if you clean the tips to aggressivelyNo clip to hold them onto yourself## Full Review ##I've loved these headphones over multiple years and only have a couple issues that I hope are resolved in a newer model such as the new Freedom. The rubber tips fall out from earwax buildup on the posts (see attached image). I clean them both with alcohol and by the end of the day they are back to falling out. They are not tapered to keep the tips on and there is no indentation that it clips into, its just sitting around a cylindrical post. I've actually broken my first pair of these by cleaning them using a twisting motion broke one side of the headsets audio. I've reached out to jaybird about the issue and they apologized but do not offer any discount or anything even though I've lost multiple tips from taking them out of my ears and having the tip go flying. IE I've had to buy replacement tips multiple times. I've considered super gluing them on, and if I wasn't intending on upgrading to something else I would do that.Honestly, if this wasn't an issue these things would be amazing at least for functionality on calls and for listening to music. If that is your only care, they are GREAT. The mic is great, and the sound quality is really good especially when you EQ them in (they are a bit on the harsh side at stock EQ). The controls on the panel are great, including double pushing play to redial. Hold volume up to skip track, hold volume down to skip backwards a track. The isolation is really good if you play with them in your ear a bit to 'lock em in'.These are a Class 1 bluetooth device which means they can go up to 328ft when paired with a Class 1 receiver. This is probably a plus for some people. This also means they have a max of 100mW of power for the radio chip. To put that in perspective, most consumer bluetooth headsets / devices are only Class 2, and Class two only goes up to 30 feet. You might be asking why would you want to cripple yourself into 30 feet if you can get 328ft? Well, Class 2 bluetooth devices only output up to 2.5mW at max power. Then realize they put the bluetooth chip directly in the earbud (verified with Jaybird). This issue is mostly resolved with the new Freedom headset as they moved the chip into the control panel that is hanging away from you instead of in the earbud.The battery life on these is great. I really do get a really long battery life even after owning them for multiple years.One of the only other nitpicks I have with it, I have gone through a couple units because there is no clip to attach it to yourself (or shirt). I've had it shift enough around my neck that it has falling off my person without my knowledge. They are really expensive to lose. I bought a cheap cord clip and attached it to the wire in the center, I clip it to my shirt now and tuck the two buds under my shirt in the front when I'm not using them. If you are not interested in having to add something like that and think you may have the same problem, look into the LG Electronics Tone Pro HBS-750 series of headsets. There are others of similar design from Sony such as Sony H.ear in (MDREX750BT/B), Motorola such as Motorola Buds and I think even Skullcandy (Skullcandy Smokin' Buds 2) where the unit sits around your neck that makes it a lot harder to fall off on its own. I owned the LG for a long time, I tried the Motorola and thought the earbuds were uncomfortable and didn't have great sound quality. I have not tried the Skullcandy's.
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