Pros & Cons
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- Crisp sound signature with powerful bass response with no distortion at top volumes.
- Several ear tip options.
- Ideal for exercise—sweatproof and streamlined, super-secure fit to eliminate cable slack.
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- Controls are awkward to operate while wearing the earphones.
- Not a secure fit unless worn behind head with fastener, which isn't for everyone.
Exercise earphones have improved so drastically over the last five years, it's hard to believe how bad things once were. Now, sweat-proof designs that fit secure are the norm, as is big, booming bass response. The JayBird BlueBuds X ($169.95 direct) take things a step further, adding in excellent overall audio quality and Bluetooth streaming. Combine this with their superb, streamlined design, and we are perhaps looking at the most exercise-friendly pair for audio nerds we've reviewed yet, netting the BlueBuds X an Editors' Choice award.
Design
Available in blue or white, the BlueBuds X are designed with exercise in mind. The rubberized band that connects the two earpieces is quite short—it hangs like a very loose chinstrap below the face or behind the head if you wear the earphones with the cable pointing down from the ears. Loop them over the ears and back, and the loop fits behind your head, and a fastener for the cable can adjust the slack so that it runs smoothly along the back of your skull, with no slack. Attaching the fastener and adjusting the length is a simple process, and ensures a very secure, exercise-proof fit.JayBird also offers a lifetime guarantee against sweat damage for the BlueBuds X—in other words, the company is pretty confident they've designed a pair ideal for exercising, and I think they may be right.
An inline remote and microphone allow for control of playback and volume, track navigation, and answering calls. The operation of the remote can be a bit tricky when wearing the earphones, however—it's fairly easy to accidentally pop an earpiece out while adjusting volume or skipping a track. There are, at least, some helpful audio cues to let you know what you're controlling, since you can't see anything. Call clarity is fine.
The BlueBuds X ship with a USB charging cable (the micro-USB connection on the earphones is cleverly hidden by a pop-off cover on the left earpiece), three pairs of eartips in various sizes, and three removable, flexible ear support pieces that help stabilize the tips. A hard shell protective case and two of the aforementioned fasteners to adjust cable length are also included.
Performance
On tracks with serious sub-bass content, like the Knife's "Silent Shout," the BlueBuds X don't distort, even at top volumes, and deliver a healthy dose of low-end power that should help energize any workout. The secure fitting of the cable, when using the fastener, also helps maintain a consistent ear-to-ear mix, and aids in providing a strong bass response.On Bill Callahan's "Drover," the vocals often tend to become a bit murky or muddy on earphone pairs that boost the lower frequencies too much. On the BlueBuds X, however, his baritone delivery, while still getting a healthy dose of rich bass, receives enough crisp, treble edge to have a strong presence in the high-mid frequencies and remain in the forefront of the mix. The drumming on the track also sounds quite natural, despite the bass boosting—another pitfall of bass-heavy earphones that the BlueBuds X manage to avoid.
Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild" has a kick drum loop that sounds best when its crunchy attack is accentuated. It makes the beat sound more cutting and intense, and then carves out space for the sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the track so they have more of a powerful presence when they occur. The BlueBuds X deliver both of these aspects perfectly, as well as clear vocals that are never overly bright nor sibilant.
On classical tracks (yes, some of us listen to orchestral music when we exercise, stop snickering), like John Adams "The Chairman Dances," the high-mid range gets most of the spotlight. While lower register strings, brass, and percussion do receive a nice, smooth boost, it's still the higher register strings and percussion that seem to stand out the most. Overall, across the genres, the BlueBuds X provide a very clean mix, with a great balance between deep lows and crisp high-mids and highs. Frankly, they sound far better than most exercise earphones out there.
If you can't get behind the cable fitting around the back of your head (no pun intended), you might want to consider the non-Bluetooth, exercise-focused Beats by Dr. Dre Powerbeats. The Denon Globe Cruiser AH-W200 is less exercise-oriented, but is a solid wireless pair worth considering. And if these pairs are a bit out of your price range, consider the Sennheiser CX 685 SPORTS, which is a great-sounding exercise pair—it isn't wireless and lacks phone controls, but sounds excellent. If an inexpensive Bluetooth headphone pair is what you're after, the on-ear Outdoor Technology DJ Slims£59.99 at Amazon UK is a solid wireless deal.
Because they're so functional as an exercise pair thanks to their solid design, the BlueBuds X already get high marks. That they're also a splendid audio performance pair makes them a standout. If you're a trainer, fitness buff, or athlete and you love your music, I'd advise you to start your wireless exercise earphone search here. The JayBird BlueBuds X easily win our Editors' Choice award.