As I’ve mentioned before, I use to go through dozens of sets of wired earphones before I eventually decided to stump up the cash for a Bluetooth set.
After one or two workouts I was completely converted. No cables, no snagging (especially in my lifting belt) and most of all they don’t break as easily.
Here’s a rundown and a side by side comparison of two of the most popular models available at the minute.
Both are Bluetooth wireless, built to be used in the gym and carry a pretty hefty price tag.
In the red corner:
Dre Powerbeats 2
I had the chance to try these out while waiting on an international flight in America (I had lots of time to kill) and I immediately fell in love with them. I’m not a fan of beats in general but these were different. They’re built to last, they feel rugged and rubbery unlike they’re flashy plastic counterparts you see gracing the heads of teenagers and aspiring rap artists up and down the country.
And in the blue corner:
The Jaybird x2
Jaybird specialise in Bluetooth headphones and are at the top of their game. This model is designed for gym use and is the second version of their incredibly popular Jaybird bluebuds X.
Build:
The Powerbeats feel very well made, the whole thing is made from a rubber material and the cable connecting the two headphones is quite thick but the in line remote is plastic and feels a little flimsy. I’ve never had any issues with it. Beats have a reputation for poor build quality but I’ve had these for over a year and have zero complaints.
The Jaybirds build quality is excellent. The cable feels really strong and durable the inline remote is completely rubberised and feels as durable as the rest of the product. I get the impression I could back my car over these and they’d be fine.
Winner: Jaybird X2
Sound:
The Powerbeats sound great. Audio is clear and they hardly ever drop signal (some phone cases I found can cause signal loss) and he sound stage is huge but similar to the rest of the beats range they are very bass heavy. If you’re really into your bass these are a good choice but they might be a little unbalanced for some.
The Jaybirds sound amazing. They’re warm sounding audio comes through clear and balanced. They never loose signal, even trips to the water fountain on the opposite side of the gym couldn’t get them to drop audio.
Winner: personal choice but for me it’s the Jaybird X2
Fit:
The Powerbeats are super comfy but try as I might I could never get a perfect seal. They tend to loosen when running and if I didn’t correct them they’d eventually fall out. This also means they don’t do a great job of blocking out external notices.
Maybe it was just my ears but I tried every size of earbud but couldn’t manage to nail it.
The Jaybird X2s on the other hand create a really good seal, particularly the comply foam tips. they do a pretty good job of blocking out external noise and they’re so light and comfy I can actually forget that Im even wearing them.
Winner: Jaybird X2
They’re both great products but for me the Jaybirds are the better device. Well made, better audio and slightly cheaper.
In my opinion these are currently the ultimate bluetooth headphones for training.
