Beats Powerbeats 2:
I’d been toying with the idea of buying a set of wireless earphones for a while now, the main reason being that the cable on my previous set kept getting in my caught in things or trapped in my lifting belt. This would result in the earphones getting ripped from my ears mid squat or deadlift. Not a major problem but more of a mild annoyance. Not to mention smashing more then one set during OHPs.
After a bit of research I eventually settled on the new powerboats 2 headphones. Â The previous powerbeats set didn’t receive great reviews and most of the complaints were regarding build quality. It seems that Apple have since bought Beats Music and have seemingly improved their longevity.
Design:
Out of the box these feel well built, very light and durable. The whole set have a rubber feel to them so while they don’t feel as luxurious as other, similarly priced earphones, they do feel more durable, rugged and designed with sport in mind.
They come with an in-line remote which allows you to skip between tracks, adjust the volume and take voice calls via a built in mic. The rubber hooks are pliable and can be bent to adjust to the shape of your ear and they come with a range of earbud sizes to ensure a good fit.
Once they’re on I forget they’re even there and I only feel the need to adjust them during back squats, I’m paranoid about crushing the cable so I move it to the front.
Performance:
Synching them to my iPhone is pretty painless and the battery life is excellent (6 hours for a 15 minutes charge). they have a pretty good range too (I can walk to the water fountain in the next room in my gym without losing sound). It is worth mentioning that the battery on my iPhone runs down noticeably faster while using the headphones though.
The sound is rich, crisp and clear although not as bass heavy as my previous set of beats tours. They still pack a good base punch but seem a little more balanced then Beats previous headphones. They don’t entirely block out all the background noise from the gym but they do a pretty good job.
They also manage to stay in my ears very well throughout lifting sessions and cardio.
Conclusion:
I really love these, but their by no means cheap. Expect to pay €200 upwards for a set. If the build quality manages to hold up over time then I do feel they justify the investment. Although they are expensive compared to similar Bluetooth earphones.  I also can’t see myself ever buying a wired set ever again after using these.
Theses are available for sale on amazon here:
