I mentioned in MIQ: Day 5 that I had issues with headphone choices and I was going to write a separate blog post in the form of an unofficial headphone review. I have five options to choose from the basic Apple corded headphones, Apple Airpod Pros, Jabra Sport, Bose audio sunglasses and Beats Studio3 wireless over-ear headphones. This is quite the apples vs pears review because they are all very different types of headphones and are merely the options at hand.
Apple corded headphones
These are the only non-Bluetooth option in this review and obviously need to be attached to my phone. That is the first problem for me. The cable is long enough so that when the phone is in my pocket the cable regularly interferes with my arm movements. My hand snags the cable too often. A remedy for this can be to keep hold of my phone in my hand but during long walks this isn’t my preference with issues like sweat and the risk of dropping the phone. The other problem is that they are not noise cancelling.
The good thing that goes in their favour is that they do not need to be charged – speaks for itself really.
Apple Airpod Pros
Lauren gave me her set of these on the day I left Dunedin because they had an accessory that allowed you to connect into the airplanes media network. The expectation was that it would allow me to watch their media and listen to it on the Airpods but unfortunately I couldn’t make them connect. I applied the usual Woodhouse patience to this dilemma and used my Beats instead and watched a movie on my iPad.
A good feature of the Airpod Pros is that they are noise cancelling and another is that their stems aren’t as long as the regular Airpods. They are obviously Bluetooth and therefore no cables to tangle in
A problem for me is that they don’t stay in my ears when I am doing anything more than a standard walk. When I was running up and down the stairs one of them kept falling out – not ideal.
Jabra Sport + v5.7
These are at least five years old and no longer on the market. I think there was a global issue with quality because the original pair that I owned needed to be replaced by JBHiFi after about nine months because they ‘died’. I haven’t had any further issues with the replacement set since but they disappeared off the market around the same time.
These were the first pair of expensive wireless headphones I owned (I think I paid about $159) and were very handy for physical activities. At the time I was into aqua jogging as a form of low impact exercise as well as walking.
Some of the positives are that they stay on the ear quite well because of their shape and the sound quality was good especially for the time that they were purchased. There has been significant improvements since then. They have also been a safe choice for when I’m wanting to use earphones in the spa pool.
Some of the negatives are that they are not noise cancelling nor are they waterproof, only splash proof. The left and right earpieces are also connected by the neoprene tether which was the norm when new but now that technology is outdated – the modern style earbuds have taken care of that. The battery charge has never been good and would only be good for up to two hours before they go flat. You would expect 3 or 4 times that now.
Bose Audio Sunglasses
I was given a pair of Bose Frames Tempo sunglasses for Christmas 2020. I had never seen them before and was unsure about how and when to best use them. They have turned out to be a fantastic choice.
Good features: They are Bluetooth and they have remarkable noise cancelling ability considering nothing is plugged into the ear. The sound quality is fantastic and non-intrusive to other people.
Negative features: The main issue is that they are chunky in the arms but they need to be if you want to hear really good audio. Another issue that only becomes obvious is when you are wearing a face mask properly and sunglasses at the same time. The sunglasses fog up when you exhale. Another issue is that the battery life is good for about 6-7 hours before recharging becomes a consideration.
Beats Studio3 Wireless Over-ear Headphones
I have owned these headphones for two years and mainly are used for when flying (do you remember what that was). I wouldn’t normally wear them for walking but with other issues as mentioned above they have been given increased priority.
Positive features include being Bluetooth and also noise cancelling. They stay on the head and ears and work well as earmuffs in the cold.
Negative features: The Beats Studio3 are the largest option of headphones in this review and when everything else is working towards smaller it is very difficult to achieve anything small in the over-ear headphone option. Another issue is that when wearing a facemask the loops behind the ears and the headphone earmuffs become uncomfortable. The final issue is that when wearing them on a hot day there is a build-up of sweat.
Summary
The simple choice comes down to what the weather is doing, the length of the activity they are needed for and what time of the day it is.
I don’t need sunglasses first thing in the morning nor at night. Therefore Beats at that time because they increase warmth around my head (like earmuffs) when it is a cool climate.
I would wear the Airpod Pros if I wasn’t doing any stair work.
I would only rely on the Jabra Sport if they were fully charged and the exercise was definitely going to be under two hours. A good choice for the spa pool.
I would wear the Bose sunglasses when I wasn’t wearing a facemask.
I would wear the Beats, corded headphones or the Airpod Pros if I was not overly active and just wanted audio.
Overall they are all good but my most favourite are the Bose sunglasses.
My Fear Share 