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[SOLDIER]

I've been using Mpow brand wireless earbuds (Wolverine model) with my iPhone/iPad for some time, but I'm just about fed up with them: they frequently disconnect, I've had to exchange them once under warranty, and now they might have stopped working altogether as I get no audio from them at all when connected. I've tried numerous times to re-pair them, turn my phone off and on, etc.

So rather than shell out for the ludicrously expensive official wireless Apple earbuds, I'm hoping there's a third party alternative out there that's reliable. And please no corded recommendations: I like the freedom of driving and walking without a cord getting in the way, so there must surely be a good wireless alternative out there.

 

[NYR]

I love my BeatsX. Best bang for the buck, pair designed by Apple so don't worry about the "beats" tag meaning it doesn't sound good. Connects like a breeze, awesome battery life, can charge for 5 min to get 2 hours of playback, and most importantly, they sound great.

PS - you shouldn't be using earbuds in the car driving.

 

[ESBL]

Airpods

 

[Beefsquid]

I use the Jaybird X3. I've been very happy with them. Nice battery life, great sound quality. They've got removable fins that help keep the earbuds in your ear if you have issues with them falling out.
Connection is quick and painless as well which was a godsend compared to my old wireless pair. And I believe they can be associated with two Bluetooth devices at a time for easy switching.

 

[SOLDIER]

PS - you shouldn't be using earbuds in the car driving.

Pretty sure there's no law against that in Miami. Plus I mainly use it for podcasts/Google Maps, so it's not like I've got music cranked so high that I don't hear traffic/ambulances.

 

[Ryuukan]

Airpods

 

[Seth Enosh]

Pretty sure there's no law against that in Miami. Plus I mainly use it for podcasts/Google Maps, so it's not like I've got music cranked so high that I don't hear traffic/ambulances.

FYI http://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2013/0316.304

316.304 Wearing of headsets.—
(1) No person shall operate a vehicle while wearing a headset, headphone, or other listening device, other than a hearing aid or instrument for the improvement of defective human hearing.
(2) This section does not apply to:
(a) Any law enforcement officer equipped with any communication device necessary in performing his or her assigned duties or to any emergency vehicle operator equipped with any ear protection device.
(b) Any applicant for a license to operate a motorcycle while taking the examination required by s. 322.12(5).
(c) Any person operating a motorcycle who is using a headset that is installed in a helmet and worn so as to prevent the speakers from making direct contact with the user’s ears so that the user can hear surrounding sounds.
(d) Any person using a headset in conjunction with a cellular telephone that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear.
(e) Any person using a headset in conjunction with communicating with the central base operation that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear.
(3) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall promulgate, by administrative rule, standards and specifications for headset equipment the use of which is permitted under this section. The department shall inspect and review all such devices submitted to it and shall publish a list by name and type of approved equipment.
(4) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.​

Looks like it's okay as long as you use only 1 earbud at a time.

 

[NekoFever]

You're in for a shock if you think the AirPods are ludicrously expensive and you want decent Bluetooth earbuds.

I'd also recommend checking out the BeatsX. Price isn't bad, quick charging is useful, and it has the same W1 chip as the Apple AirPods and so has most of the same advantages when using it with Apple devices (quick pairing, pairing with all your devices over iCloud, etc). Personally I don't like the truly wireless design like the AirPods compared to the single wire hanging between them.

 

[SOLDIER]

FYI http://www.flsenate.gov/laws/statutes/2013/0316.304

316.304 Wearing of headsets.—
(1) No person shall operate a vehicle while wearing a headset, headphone, or other listening device, other than a hearing aid or instrument for the improvement of defective human hearing.
(2) This section does not apply to:
(a) Any law enforcement officer equipped with any communication device necessary in performing his or her assigned duties or to any emergency vehicle operator equipped with any ear protection device.
(b) Any applicant for a license to operate a motorcycle while taking the examination required by s. 322.12(5).
(c) Any person operating a motorcycle who is using a headset that is installed in a helmet and worn so as to prevent the speakers from making direct contact with the user’s ears so that the user can hear surrounding sounds.
(d) Any person using a headset in conjunction with a cellular telephone that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear.
(e) Any person using a headset in conjunction with communicating with the central base operation that only provides sound through one ear and allows surrounding sounds to be heard with the other ear.
(3) The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall promulgate, by administrative rule, standards and specifications for headset equipment the use of which is permitted under this section. The department shall inspect and review all such devices submitted to it and shall publish a list by name and type of approved equipment.
(4) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishable as a nonmoving violation as provided in chapter 318.​

Looks like it's okay as long as you use only 1 earbud at a time.

I don't see how a police officer could possibly tell whether you're wearing one earbud or two, especially if your car has tinted windows (like mine do).

Regardless, I have been doing this for years and have been a very careful driver, but I appreciate the info.

 

[whatsinaname]

Pretty sure there's no law against that in Miami. Plus I mainly use it for podcasts/Google Maps, so it's not like I've got music cranked so high that I don't hear traffic/ambulances.

There's also no law against sticking a fork in an electrical outlet.

 

[thekillermuffin]

I love my BeatsX. Best bang for the buck, pair designed by Apple so don't worry about the "beats" tag meaning it doesn't sound good. Connects like a breeze, awesome battery life, can charge for 5 min to get 2 hours of playback, and most importantly, they sound great.

PS - you shouldn't be using earbuds in the car driving.

Seconded on the BeatsX. Fantastic little buds.

 

[linkboy]

I've been using LG's Tone headsets for a while now and I've got no complaints with them.

The pair linked above is a great set of headphones. I used them both with my phone and my Sony Walkman and I never had any issues (I just upgraded to a newer pair).

 

[SOLDIER]

As BeatsX is concerned, is there a difference between these two?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZH8QHJ/?tag=neogaf0e-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZUH820/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Assuming there's no performance difference, I would prefer the ones with a harness, as regular earbuds tend to fall out of my ears during movement.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Does it have to be buds?

I love these...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NHSFWG4/

Between £40-50. To me it has better sound quality that some corded options at that price, and can hit 10 hours without a charge.

 

[Chorazin]

Pretty sure there's no law against that in Miami. Plus I mainly use it for podcasts/Google Maps, so it's not like I've got music cranked so high that I don't hear traffic/ambulances.

Why don't you just pipe the sound through your car's stereo?

 

[Anion]

As BeatsX is concerned, is there a difference between these two?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZH8QHJ/?tag=neogaf0e-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZUH820/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Assuming there's no performance difference, I would prefer the ones with a harness, as regular earbuds tend to fall out of my ears during movement.

Both have W1 chip. The Powerbeats 3 have the ear clip. Battery life for 12 hours. Normally $200. Charge via micro USB. Less passive noise cancellation than Beats X due to design.

Beats X are 8 hour battery, cable made of liquidy metal (can't remember that metal) and charge via lightning port. Creates a suction in your ear due to the ear tip design (very good passive noise cancellation). Also less bass

 

[devildog820]

AirPods

 

[Fail State]

Never buy Apple/Beats. For the same idiotic price they charge, you can get actual quality. Like V-moda's new bluetooth earbuds.

 

[devildog820]

Pretty sure there's no law against that in Miami. Plus I mainly use it for podcasts/Google Maps, so it's not like I've got music cranked so high that I don't hear traffic/ambulances.

There is a state law that you can't have both earphones in while operating a vehicle. One is legal. Includes bikes. Campus cops used it all the time to snag students.

 

[jon bones]

thanks for the suggestions guys - will check out those beats x

 

[killertofu]

AirPods. They're expensive but super convenient

 

[SOLDIER]

Why don't you just pipe the sound through your car's stereo?

Old-timey cassette player and CD player. No USB or AUX ports.

I would love it if I could just hook it to my car, but unless there's a cost-effective way to install the necessary ports to my dashboard I'm out of luck until I get new wheels.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Old-timey cassette player and CD player. No USB or AUX ports.

I would love it if I could just hook it to my car, but unless there's a cost-effective way to install the necessary ports to my dashboard I'm out of luck until I get new wheels.

I just had hot flashbacks...

 

[whatsinaname]

Old-timey cassette player and CD player. No USB or AUX ports.

I would love it if I could just hook it to my car, but unless there's a cost-effective way to install the necessary ports to my dashboard I'm out of luck until I get new wheels.

Not the greatest sound quality but perfectly ok for podcasts and such. I used one for a few years in my previous car.

 

[Fliesen]

I don't know about the PowerBeats, but the beatsX come with a voucher for 3 months of AppleMusic - which just ends up as $ 29.97 of iTunes credit - which kinda reduces the 'actual' price to $ 120. (unless you have no use for iTunes credit whatsoever)

Only the most recent wireless beats headphones as well as the AirPods have the W1 chip, which allows for much easier pairing, especially if you'll be switching between multiple devices a lot.
When you hold the sync button on the beats, a dialogue will pop up on your iPhone, asking you to confirm the pairing.

This depends on the device you're connecting to, though, it doesn't work like that on my iPad Air - i have to swipe up and choose the earphones from the list of bluetooth connected devices. Same on my Macbook.

As for driving with earphones: i routinely drive with one(!) earphone in. - please don't drive wearing TWO in-ear earphones. :/

I own a pair of beatsX and i wear them around my neck pretty much all day - and mostly only use the left earphone. Something you can't really do with on- or over-ear cans. I'd certainly recommend them for their versatility, ease of use and comfort.

 

[zigg]

Does it have to be buds?

I love these...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NHSFWG4/

Between £40-50. To me it has better sound quality that some corded options at that price, and can hit 10 hours without a charge.

I used to have this set's predecessor, the Revo—the Wirecutter's previous pick in this category. Loved those things to death.

One day, the headband broke. Jabra doesn't make the Revo anymore so they sent me these as a replacement plus a pair of their sport 'buds (which work okay but don't seal my ears well) for the cost difference.

Lasted three months. Now the left earcup cuts in and out all the time on BT. Still works okay wired, but that's not what I signed up for. No replacements, either, since the Revo warranty is now dead and gone.

I'm looking at some cheaper options if I'm going to be doomed to poor-quality hardware that breaks.

 

[bigpumbaa]

AirPods. No question. Really shocked at how absolutely wonderful they are.

 

[Ryuukan]

You're in for a shock if you think the AirPods are ludicrously expensive and you want decent Bluetooth earbuds.

I'd also recommend checking out the BeatsX. Price isn't bad, quick charging is useful, and it has the same W1 chip as the Apple AirPods and so has most of the same advantages when using it with Apple devices (quick pairing, pairing with all your devices over iCloud, etc). Personally I don't like the truly wireless design like the AirPods compared to the single wire hanging between them.

convincing some gaffers that apple released a competitively priced product is a fruitless endeavor

some people are just set in their own beliefs

 

[Keyser Soze]

These things are cool too...

I went through a lot of these, and the previous casette thing, over the years.

 

[SUPARSTARX]

Jaybird X3 is da gawd.

Heard good things about Beats X, I wanna try that too.

 

[zigg]

These things are cool too...

I went through a lot of these, and the previous casette thing, over the years.

Never had good luck with an FM transmitter. Just so hard to find reliable spectrum.

Friend eventually helped me install an inexpensive BT receiver. Doesn't work very well during Michigan winters, but it does have a line-in.

 

[NekoFever]

Old-timey cassette player and CD player. No USB or AUX ports.

I would love it if I could just hook it to my car, but unless there's a cost-effective way to install the necessary ports to my dashboard I'm out of luck until I get new wheels.

Do they still do those short-range radio transmitters where you can tune your car radio to whatever it's playing?

Edit: Ah, already answered.

 

[SOLDIER]

convincing some gaffers that apple released a competitively priced product is a fruitless endeavor

some people are just set in their own beliefs

It was ignorance on my part: I had just assumed there were equivalent products at a significantly lower price.

Now that I know, are there any advantages to the BeatsX earbuds listed versus Apple's official pair? Do they offer the same performance in regards to audio quality, connection quality and battery life?

I may just stick to Apple's brand if there isn't much difference.

 

[Cloggerdude]

Man, I love my AirPods. They are legitimately the best purchase I have made in a really long time. I constantly have them in their case in my pocket.

I'm not an apple fanboy by any means, but they're just so dang convenient.

 

[Fleet_of_Foot]

I'm really wondering about Airpods for running. I mean long-distance, every day running. In the summer they'd need to be pretty sweat-proof (and some research I have done says they're unofficially waterproof), but I'm more worried about them staying in.

I've seen a YouTube video of a guy running with them and they stayed in just fine. Another video showed the opposite - they fell out of a dude's ears immediately when he started running.

I hate earbuds so I never use them. They always fall out. These seem like they might work better, since there's no wire at all to pull them out (as opposed to something like the Jaybird X3, which I had for a day and they wouldn't stay in).

I am not going to pay $160 to find out.

 

[AfterTheFall]

AirPods are brilliant. I love mine and I would very much suggest you invest in a pair.

 

[Michael F. Assbender]

Before I got AirPods, I doubted the hype.

Now, I can say unequivocally to get some AirPods. And if you're worried about them staying in, buy a $10 pair of ear hooks that attach to them. My AirPods fit just fine, but I bought hooks just in case. They make them feel more secure, even if they weren't in danger of falling out before.

 

[Sesuadra]

It was ignorance on my part: I had just assumed there were equivalent products at a significantly lower price.

Now that I know, are there any advantages to the BeatsX earbuds listed versus Apple's official pair? Do they offer the same performance in regards to audio quality, connection quality and battery life?

I may just stick to Apple's brand if there isn't much difference.

Beats is owned by apple and the beatsX were, afaik, designed with the help from apples own team.

in the end...is there a way you could test both?

 

[jstripes]

Old-timey cassette player and CD player. No USB or AUX ports.

I would love it if I could just hook it to my car, but unless there's a cost-effective way to install the necessary ports to my dashboard I'm out of luck until I get new wheels.

You can install a Bluetooth car stereo for less than the cost of AirPods if you're willing to do it yourself.

 

[SOLDIER]

You can install a Bluetooth car stereo for less than the cost of AirPods if you're willing to do it yourself.

Boy, they sure have gotten cheap these days. I remember when they used to cost over $100.

How easy are they to connect? How hard is it to remove an old car stereo? Do you have to account for size, or is it one size fits all?

Never dabbled with this, but if it's literally as easy as connecting two wires, I'd be willing to do it.

 

[NOLA_Gaffer]

I don't see how a police officer could possibly tell whether you're wearing one earbud or two, especially if your car has tinted windows (like mine do).

Regardless, I have been doing this for years and have been a very careful driver, but I appreciate the info.

You may want to be care with those tinted windows, as they're outlawed in a lot of areas as well.

 

[marrec]

You're in for a shock if you think the AirPods are ludicrously expensive and you want decent Bluetooth earbuds.

I'd also recommend checking out the BeatsX. Price isn't bad, quick charging is useful, and it has the same W1 chip as the Apple AirPods and so has most of the same advantages when using it with Apple devices (quick pairing, pairing with all your devices over iCloud, etc). Personally I don't like the truly wireless design like the AirPods compared to the single wire hanging between them.

Beats X would be my recommendation as well.

I bought the AirPods but, as I feared, they just wouldn't stay in my ears. Beats X comes with a plethora of tips and wings and they sound better anyway.

The quality isn't mindblowing, but it is better than the AirPods. The battery life is longer as well.

 

[jstripes]

Boy, they sure have gotten cheap these days. I remember when they used to cost over $100.

How easy are they to connect? How hard is it to remove an old car stereo? Do you have to account for size, or is it one size fits all?

Never dabbled with this, but if it's literally as easy as connecting two wires, I'd be willing to do it.

I bought one for $90 Canadian a few years back, and it was totally worth it. (Mind you mine doesn't have a CD player, but whatever.)

The difficulty of removing/installing them depends on your car, but the size isn't a problem. There's an industry standard. You might have to splice some wires together into a wiring harness, but if you're willing to put in an hour or two it's pretty rewarding. Or if you know a gearhead, give him a case of beer to install it.

What kind of car do you have?

 

[Kurdel]

I have Jaybird x2 and they have been great so far.

 

[cackhyena]

I was looking at Jaybirds and then I saw these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G8JO5F2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

That's a lot of reviews. Quite the markdown too...

 

[marrec]

I was looking at Jaybirds and then I saw these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G8JO5F2/?tag=neogaf0e-20

That's a lot of reviews. Quite the markdown too...

I wouldn't trust something like that at all.

 

[Zeyphersan]

AirPods are fucking phenomenal. Can't recommend them enough, even for the price. You might be waiting a while, however

 

[jstevenson]

Airpods

 

[shnurgleton]

Interesting how OP said they did not want the airpods and everybody is recommending the airpods

For the record I have never liked Apple's earphone design because of the slick plastic and complete disregard for eargonomics

 

[mrklaw]

Beats X are good - battery life is decent and they have inline remote controls which is important for me.

The W1 chip isn't that amazing though - if I switch from Iphone to iPad I often have to go into Bluetooth settings to connect.