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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Premium Truly Wireless Bluetooth Earphones - Black [Discontinued by Manufacturer], One Size
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Bang & Olufsen |
Model Name | Beoplay E8 |
Color | Black |
Form Factor | In Ear |
Connectivity Technology | Bluetooth |
About this item
- Truly wireless: the wireless in-ear design delivers hassle-free listening with no strings attached
- Intuitive touch interface: the easy touch controls let you take calls, switch tracks, or activate voice commands by tapping
- High quality streaming: sound is transmitted between the earbuds via a magnetic field for zero dropouts
- Charging case: genuine leather case to travel stylishly. 4 hours of playtime, and 2 additional 4-hour-charges for on-the-go use
- Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth
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This Item Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Premium Truly Wireless Bluetooth Earphones - Black [Discontinued by Manufacturer], One Size | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | -33% $199.95$199.95 List: $299.00 | $11.99$11.99 | $449.00$449.00 | -20% $199.99$199.99 List: $249.99 | $149.99$149.99 | -25% $74.50$74.50 List: $99.99 |
Delivery | Get it Apr 5 - 9 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 3.9 | — | 4.9 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.3 |
Battery life | 3.8 | — | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
Noise cancellation | 3.6 | — | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 4.1 |
Sold By | Angel Seller | SONIX / BONDIR | Devialet Inc | Amazon.com | Worgo | AnkerDirect |
connectivity tech | Bluetooth | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
headphones form factor | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear |
connector type | wireless | wireless | — | — | wireless | USB Type C |
noise control | sound isolation | — | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation |
cable feature | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable |
control type | touch | Media Control | — | Media Control | Media Control | Volume Control |
water resistance | — | water resistant | water resistant | — | waterproof | waterproof |
material | Plastic | Thermoplastic Polyurethane | — | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Silicone | Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) | PC+ABS |
From the manufacturer
Firmly grounded in decades of design excellence, craftsmanship and product innovation from Bang & Olufsen, the Beoplay range interprets the same values for a new type of contemporary product aimed at design-conscious active cosmopolitan music lovers. B&O transforms your listening experience with better sound and acoustic performance wherever you go with in-home music systems, portable speakers and headphones that integrate seamlessly into everyday life.
Premium Beoplay E8 wireless Bluetooth earbuds deliver pristine Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound in a stylish and truly wireless package.
These cord-free gem-like headphones are crafted with high-quality materials to fashionably fit your on-the-go lifestyle as well as your ears. An intuitive touch interface keeps you in control with simple gestures and an attractive leather charging case keeps your earphones powered up anywhere. Take calls and listen to tunes on these earbuds at home, on your commute, or at work with up to 12 hours of playtime (4 hours per charge, plus two additional on-the-go charges from the charging case).
- Truly wireless in-ear headphones
- Advanced Bluetooth 4.2 technology
- Pristine Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound
- Intuitive touch interface
- Genuine leather charging case
- Near Field Magnetic Induction technology to limit dropouts
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No Strings AttachedBeoplay E8 headphones are truly wireless with advanced Bluetooth 4.2 technology with DSP for sound tuning, equalization, and gain. The elegant splash and dust-resistant design of these compact and comfortable earbuds delivers superior sound quality. Simply grab these wireless headphones and go to enjoy the freedom of superior sound wherever and whenever you want it. Nothing comes between you and your music. |
Power at Your FingertipsEasily stay in control of your music and calls with the intuitive touch interface of these Bluetooth earphones. A simple tap lets you switch between tracks; answer, reject or end a call; adjust volume; or activate the convenient Transparency Mode when you wish to let in ambient noise and reconnect with your surroundings. The textured rubber and polymer housing of these earbuds resists wear while remaining smooth to the touch. |
High Quality StreamingNear Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) audio streaming technology ensures greater connectivity for limited dropouts between the two earbuds. NFMI is the same digital wireless technology used in hearing instruments to transmit sound from one earphone to the other. A magnetic field around your head sends signals faster between the two earbuds to ensure superior sound without any loss of quality or drop-offs. Enjoy cutting-edge sound when listening to music or on calls. |
Luxurious Leather Charging CaseBeoplay E8 wireless headphones travel in style with a luxurious leather carrying case that doubles as an on-the-go charger. Snap your earbuds securely into this genuine leather case, and then grab the woven fabric strap for convenient transport. With up to 12 hours of playtime (four hours for the initial charge followed by two portable four-hour charges) you can keep the music flowing and the calls coming all day or night. |
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Bang & Olufsen Signature SoundWith the Beoplay E8 in-ear headphones, there’s no need to compromise sound for wireless convenience. These small earbuds are packed with big Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound to deliver a pristine and authentic listening experience as tuned by the acclaimed sound engineers at Bang & Olufsen. |
Premium ComfortDesigned to look and feel as good as they sound, these wireless Bluetooth earbuds are topped with high-performance Comply Sport memory foam and silicone ear tips in varying sizes for a secure fit, regardless of the shape and size of your ears. The rugged and breathable open cell structure on the tips of these earbuds provides a near-perfect grip in the ear canal for all-day comfort that stays in place. |
Up to 12 Hours of PlaytimeExperience a full day (or night) of music and calls wherever you roam with the powerful battery of these cutting-edge wireless headphones. Just 20 minutes of charging time gives you an hour of playtime and a full charge delivers up to four hours. When the initial charge is used up, you can still enjoy another eight hours of power with two additional charges from the on-the-go charging case. |
Customize Your SoundWhether you’re commuting, working, playing or relaxing, you can adjust the sound profile of your earbuds to fit your activity using ToneTouch on the Bang & Olufsen app. Another handy feature of the app is the ability to customize the Transparency Mode function on your headphones by choosing between four levels of transparency to suit your needs. |
Beoplay H3 | Beoplay E4 | Beoplay E6 | Earset | Beoplay E8 | |
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Customer Reviews |
3.5 out of 5 stars
382
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4.0 out of 5 stars
408
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3.4 out of 5 stars
403
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4.0 out of 5 stars
643
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Dimensions | 26 mm x 20 mm x 23 mm/16 g | 20 mm x 30 mm x 26 mm/50 g | 47 mm x 26.3 mm 22.2 mm/21 g | 40 mm x 55 mm x 24 mm/30 g | 23 mm x 20 mm x 25 mm/13 g |
Headphone Type | In-ear | In-ear | Wireless in-ear | Wireless earphones | Truly wireless, in-ear |
Colors | Black, Natural, Champagne | Black | Black, Sand | Graphite Brown, White | Black, Charcoal Sand |
Connection | 3.5 mm mini jack | 3.5 mm mini jack, USB to Micro USB cable for charging | Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity, supports AAC codec | Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity AAC codecs | Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 with DSP |
Frequency Range | 20 - 16,000 Hz | 20 - 16,000 Hz | 20 - 20,000 Hz | 20 - 20,000 Hz | 20 - 20,000 Hz |
Driver | 10. 8 mm dynamic | 10.8 mm electro-dynamic | 6.4 mm diameter electro-dynamic | 14.2 mm electro-dynamic | 5.7 mm electro-dynamic |
Remote | 3 Control buttons and microphone | 3 Control buttons and microphone | 3 Control buttons and microphone | 3 Control buttons and microphone | Touch functionality on earbuds |
Materials | Stainless steel, rubber, polymer | Stainless steel, rubber, polymer, aluminum | Aluminum, textile, rubber, polymer, foam, silicone, nylon | Aluminum, rubber, polymer, foam | Aluminum, textile, polymer, silicone, foam, leather |
Microphone | MicroElectrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) | MicroElectrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) | Omnidirectional Micro Electrical Mechanical System (MEMS) | Omnidirectional MicroElectrical-Mechanical System (MEMS) | Omnidirectional |
What's in the box
Videos
Videos for this product
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Customer Review: Good product, poor quality check
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 0.91 x 0.79 x 0.98 inches |
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Item Weight | 1.59 ounces |
ASIN | B074WTKWG6 |
Item model number | 1644128 |
Batteries | 1 LR44 batteries required. |
Customer Reviews |
3.8 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #221,963 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #10,693 in Earbud & In-Ear Headphones |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | August 31, 2017 |
Manufacturer | B&O Play (direct ship) |
Item Weight | 0.1 Pounds |
Units | 1.0 Count |
Number Of Items | 1 |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product Description
Upgrade Your Wireless Headphones
Enhance your listening experience as you immerse yourself in pristine Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound with premium Beoplay E8 wireless Bluetooth earphones. These sleek in-ear headphones are a truly wireless way to listen to music and take calls without getting in the way of your busy, active lifestyle.
Big Sound in a Little Package
Equipped with Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound, these unobtrusive in-ear headphones don’t compromise on sound quality for wireless convenience. Tuned by acclaimed Bang & Olufsen sound engineers, the Beoplay E8 earbuds deliver crisp, clear audio the way your favorite artists intended for it to be heard.
High Quality Audio Streaming
These headphones feature Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI), an innovative audio streaming technology used in hearing aids that ensures zero dropouts between the two earbuds. NFMI creates a magnetic field around the head so that signals travel faster for better quality streaming.
Effortlessly High Tech
Advanced Bluetooth 4.2 with DSP allows for sound tuning, equalization, and gain while the dynamic speaker and electronic transducer of these headphones deliver best-in-class sound quality.
Touch Control
Simply tap these earbuds every time you want to change your tune or answer a call. The intuitive touch interface lets you switch between tracks, take calls, adjust volume, and activate voice command without the need to fumble with your phone or annoying wires. It even lets you activate the handy transparency mode, which quickly and safely reconnects you with ambient noises around you.
Premium Materials
Quality materials such as high-performance Comply Sport memory foam and silicone ear tips ensure that these earbuds provide a secure and comfortable fit and the luxurious leather charging case offers stylish transport. After an initial full charge with four hours of playtime, simply secure the earphones into the case and enjoy two additional on-the-go charges for a total of up to 12 hours.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the sleek design and comfort of the truly wireless earbuds. They say they are the best looking truly wireless buds you can find. However, some customers have reported connectivity issues with maintaining a strong Bluetooth connection. Customers also have mixed opinions on sound quality, quality, performance, size, and stability.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the appearance of the headphones. For example, they mention they look sleek, are impressed with the superior design, and are the best looking truly wireless buds you can find. They also appreciate the beautiful leather case and thoughtful strap. Customers also love how discrete the buds are, and that they fit into their slots easily. Overall, most are happy with the sound quality and the comfortable, beautifully designed package.
"...Anyway, the headphones look and feel great. The charging case is very nice, and the buds fit into their slots with any of the tips attached...." Read more
"...Build quality and fit and finish. These come in a beautiful leather case with a very thoughtful strap that's elastic so that you can attach it to..." Read more
"...Sadly, this is not the case with these.They look great, comfortable to use and have a prestige brand associated with them...." Read more
"...Finally, the aesthetic of these ear buds is fantastic. They do not protrude very far out of the ear and don't look ridiculous like Apple Airpods...." Read more
Customers like the comfort of the headphones. They mention that they are super comfortable, with a comfortable fit, and are worth the money. Customers also say that the case is slim and easy to carry anywhere.
"...I find the memory foam tips to be most comfortable, and I can easily wear them as long as I'd like without discomfort...." Read more
"...themselves fit my ears quite well and are probably one of the most comfortable ones I have ever used...." Read more
"...the quality is really good, it is sleek, looks cool, and is very comfortable to wear./*Design/Wear*/..." Read more
"...They look great, comfortable to use and have a prestige brand associated with them...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the sound quality of the headphones. Some mention that the sound is fantastic, has very low floor noise, and is able to hear all the special effects, cymbals, and little details. They also enjoy the multiple sound profiles and the ability to pick up their voice quite well. However, others say that the sounds are subpar on Apple's, have a problem with high tones, and are a tad shrill.
"...These pick up my voice quite well and often times the people I'm chatting with are unaware that I'm not at my normal location...." Read more
".../*Sound*/The sound is really good, it has the b&o signature sound, the driver is not too big not too small, I believe it is 5.7mm driver,..." Read more
"...the excellent and cheaper 1More quad-drivers, these B&Os have a good soundstage but sound very harsh and with tons and tons treble clipping at..." Read more
"...Audio is balanced and bass is very clean and smooth. I found highs to be a tad shrill, but I was able to use the B&O app to bump the EQ a little..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the quality of the headphones. Some mention that it is of decent quality, with excellent materials and a nice design. That said, others say that it's not worth the money, the price is high for the form of plastic, and the durability is not there.
"...If you remove the master earbud, the slave immediately cuts out, and the master keeps playing in your hand, making it SEEM like they automatically..." Read more
"...Call quality. I have had a few sets of wireless earbuds that have microphones but pick up more background noise than they do voice...." Read more
"...The Bluetooth connection to my Galaxy S8 is very unstable with constant drops...." Read more
"...But overall the quality is really good, it is sleek, looks cool, and is very comfortable to wear./*Design/Wear*/..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the headphones. Some mention that it works well for them, the memory foam tips work well, and the tap controls work reasonably well. However, others say that it often fails to work and has occasional technical issues.
"...They don't automatically turn on. Do you always want to use your earbuds every single time when you remove them from the case?..." Read more
"...This makes sense and works well for me. I've raised the rating to 4 stars...." Read more
"...has an equalizer which is meant to help tune their sound but it often fails to work and only disconnecting and reconnecting the headphones from the..." Read more
"...This time, the earbuds works flawless, so I updated the score to 4 star...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the size of the headphones. Some mention that the design, fit, connectivity, and controls are great. They say the driver is not too big and not too small. The case is small and fits nicely in your hand. However, other customers say that the fit was just okay, and due to lack of wings, they had to constantly adjust. They also say that while the smallest earbud is comfortable, the medium size falls out with movement.
"...The charging case is very nice, and the buds fit into their slots with any of the tips attached...." Read more
"...The design as well is quite rounded and it fits nicely in your hand. They used a very high quality leather on the case and it's quite nice...." Read more
"...Natch, comfort is super dependent on your ear shape etc..." Read more
"...is really good, it has the b&o signature sound, the driver is not too big not too small, I believe it is 5.7mm driver, compare to my H8 which is 40..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the stability of the headphones. Some mention that they stay in the ear very well and provide a significant amount of sound, while others say that they constantly fall out of their ears.
"...I connected it to my iPhone, but it seemed like I couldn't get the earphones properly seated, even after trying all different sizes of tips...." Read more
"...They don't fall out of your ears and with the pass through feature turned on you can almost forget that you are wearing them...." Read more
"...sound great when you first stuff them in the ear, but they start slipping out (at east in my ear) in a couple of minutes and the sound quality..." Read more
"...Yup, the left one fell out twice. I would have pushes it back in sooner had I not been wearing wet, dirty glove...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the connectivity of the headphones. They mention that they have issues with maintaining a strong Bluetooth connection, and have strange connectivity behaviors. Some say that the headphones do not connect automatically when they are taken out of the case.
"...You get 3 modes you can choose. Mode 1 completely shuts off the bluetooth audio and plays the audio from the mics...." Read more
"...All of them were compromises. Sound quality, Connection issues, devices that would fall out of my ears, you name it I have probably dealt with it...." Read more
"...They refuse to pair with my phone (Galaxy S8+) or my iPad. The are visible in the B&O app but do not accept Bluetooth pairing from both devices...." Read more
"...Even worse, there is a noticeable lag time when watching video with spoken audio on the iPhone X. 😫 Not as much on the MacBook Pro...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Anyway, the headphones look and feel great. The charging case is very nice, and the buds fit into their slots with any of the tips attached. Mine came with FIVE pairs of tips - XS, S, M and L silicone tips, plus M "comply" memory foam tips. I find the memory foam tips to be most comfortable, and I can easily wear them as long as I'd like without discomfort.
First impression of audio was poor. Upon initial pairing, sound quality was VERY compressed and bad sounding. VERY bad. Marketing materials for the E8s say that they support AAC codec, which is Apple's choice for bluetooth audio transmission - so I should be getting great quality sound on my iPhone, but I wasn't. Furthermore, the volume wouldn't go up very high. I tried pairing the buds to my Macbook instead, and although I got better volume, the sound quality wasn't much better.
I did some research and determined that Macs do not have the AAC bluetooth audio codec enabled by default, but it can be switched on easily. So I enabled it and re-paired the earbuds. Now the sound quality is excellent and volume is great. After that, I "forgot" the buds on my phone and re-paired them. Using the Mac console app with my iphone connected, I was able to see that the buds were now using the AAC audio codec, (whereas before they were using the old low-quality SBC codec) and sound quality and volume was now excellent.
In other words, my recommendation is to unpair and repair the earbuds after first setting them up; otherwise they may stay locked on low-quality SBC profile. Once the buds are on AAC codec, they sound really great. Audio is balanced and bass is very clean and smooth. I found highs to be a tad shrill, but I was able to use the B&O app to bump the EQ a little into the "warm" area to correct for that. Like airpods, you get battery level displayed on your iPhone, as well as control over the volume using your Apple Watch's crown, if you have one. One handy feature is that your phone and the B&O app can connect to and change settings on the buds even if they are paired to another device. For example if you are listening to music from your macbook and you want to change the buds' EQ, you can open your phone and do that without interrupting anything.
B&O advertises "transparency mode", "which quickly and safely reconnects you with ambient noises around you". I was very disappointed with this feature. I expected it to use the onboard microphones to listen to the environment and mix some of that sound in with my bluetooth audio. But that is NOT what it does. You get 3 modes you can choose. Mode 1 completely shuts off the bluetooth audio and plays the audio from the mics. Audio quality is very poor and compressed. It doesn't even PAUSE your music. It mutes it. Modes 2 and 3 simply lower the volume of the bluetooth audio. They don't mix in any ambient sound themselves. It's no different than just turning the volume down yourself. The buds physically isolate external sound very well, so this results in your music being quieter but still being unable to hear ambient sound.
The only other issue I've had with the buds is periodic dropouts of the left earbud. The right bud is the "master" bud, which talks to your phone via bluetooth, and the left bud is the "slave", which, according to B&O's marketing, "are crafted with Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI), an innovative audio streaming technology used in hearing aids that ensures zero dropouts between the two earbuds.". However, occasionally the left earbud will drop out for a fraction of a second. Sometimes I can go for 10-20 minutes without a single dropout, sometimes I get 3-5 in a single song. I posted about the bluetooth issues on reddit, and another E8 owner came forward with the exact same issues, including the slave dropouts. It seems like the magnetic connection is very "directional". If you remove the master earbud, the slave immediately cuts out, and the master keeps playing in your hand, making it SEEM like they automatically paused or shut off (like airpods), but they didn't.
I emailed B&O, explaining that the left (slave) earbud, which communicates with the master via magnetic field induction, would sometimes cut out. The right earbud (master) worked fine. I asked if a firmware update was in the works to fix this, or if there were any known fixes. I got a thoughtless cookie-cutter response from B&O telling me that they "can't tell me" anything about firmware updates, and the problem was probably with the bluetooth drivers or antenna on my laptop, and that I should consider getting an external bluetooth DAC instead. Ignoring the fact that it's obvious to anyone with a brain stem that the bluetooth transmission is not the issue. He offered to let me "send them in" and "if they are able to confirm the issue", they would repair them for me. What a joke.
**UPDATE 11/3/17**
Today I paired the E8s to my new iPhone X. Upon starting the Beoplay app, I was informed that there is a new firmware update available. I installed it. Transparency mode is now fixed, and works as advertised. You can choose between "completely mutes music and lets outside microphone audio in", "lowers music to 25% and lets outside microphone audio in", and "lowers music to 50% and lets outside microphone audio in". This makes sense and works well for me. I've raised the rating to 4 stars. Also, perhaps anecdotally, I don't get dropouts of the left earbud nearly as often as I did when the pair was new.
**UPDATE 11/6/17**
I haven't had a SINGLE dropout of the left earbud since the firmware update. I don't know if they increased the transmit power of the NMFI or what, but now these earbuds are everything I had hoped! Highly recommended. Just update the firmware straight away. It'll prompt you in the app.
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
Anyway, the headphones look and feel great. The charging case is very nice, and the buds fit into their slots with any of the tips attached. Mine came with FIVE pairs of tips - XS, S, M and L silicone tips, plus M "comply" memory foam tips. I find the memory foam tips to be most comfortable, and I can easily wear them as long as I'd like without discomfort.
First impression of audio was poor. Upon initial pairing, sound quality was VERY compressed and bad sounding. VERY bad. Marketing materials for the E8s say that they support AAC codec, which is Apple's choice for bluetooth audio transmission - so I should be getting great quality sound on my iPhone, but I wasn't. Furthermore, the volume wouldn't go up very high. I tried pairing the buds to my Macbook instead, and although I got better volume, the sound quality wasn't much better.
I did some research and determined that Macs do not have the AAC bluetooth audio codec enabled by default, but it can be switched on easily. So I enabled it and re-paired the earbuds. Now the sound quality is excellent and volume is great. After that, I "forgot" the buds on my phone and re-paired them. Using the Mac console app with my iphone connected, I was able to see that the buds were now using the AAC audio codec, (whereas before they were using the old low-quality SBC codec) and sound quality and volume was now excellent.
In other words, my recommendation is to unpair and repair the earbuds after first setting them up; otherwise they may stay locked on low-quality SBC profile. Once the buds are on AAC codec, they sound really great. Audio is balanced and bass is very clean and smooth. I found highs to be a tad shrill, but I was able to use the B&O app to bump the EQ a little into the "warm" area to correct for that. Like airpods, you get battery level displayed on your iPhone, as well as control over the volume using your Apple Watch's crown, if you have one. One handy feature is that your phone and the B&O app can connect to and change settings on the buds even if they are paired to another device. For example if you are listening to music from your macbook and you want to change the buds' EQ, you can open your phone and do that without interrupting anything.
B&O advertises "transparency mode", "which quickly and safely reconnects you with ambient noises around you". I was very disappointed with this feature. I expected it to use the onboard microphones to listen to the environment and mix some of that sound in with my bluetooth audio. But that is NOT what it does. You get 3 modes you can choose. Mode 1 completely shuts off the bluetooth audio and plays the audio from the mics. Audio quality is very poor and compressed. It doesn't even PAUSE your music. It mutes it. Modes 2 and 3 simply lower the volume of the bluetooth audio. They don't mix in any ambient sound themselves. It's no different than just turning the volume down yourself. The buds physically isolate external sound very well, so this results in your music being quieter but still being unable to hear ambient sound.
The only other issue I've had with the buds is periodic dropouts of the left earbud. The right bud is the "master" bud, which talks to your phone via bluetooth, and the left bud is the "slave", which, according to B&O's marketing, "are crafted with Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI), an innovative audio streaming technology used in hearing aids that ensures zero dropouts between the two earbuds.". However, occasionally the left earbud will drop out for a fraction of a second. Sometimes I can go for 10-20 minutes without a single dropout, sometimes I get 3-5 in a single song. I posted about the bluetooth issues on reddit, and another E8 owner came forward with the exact same issues, including the slave dropouts. It seems like the magnetic connection is very "directional". If you remove the master earbud, the slave immediately cuts out, and the master keeps playing in your hand, making it SEEM like they automatically paused or shut off (like airpods), but they didn't.
I emailed B&O, explaining that the left (slave) earbud, which communicates with the master via magnetic field induction, would sometimes cut out. The right earbud (master) worked fine. I asked if a firmware update was in the works to fix this, or if there were any known fixes. I got a thoughtless cookie-cutter response from B&O telling me that they "can't tell me" anything about firmware updates, and the problem was probably with the bluetooth drivers or antenna on my laptop, and that I should consider getting an external bluetooth DAC instead. Ignoring the fact that it's obvious to anyone with a brain stem that the bluetooth transmission is not the issue. He offered to let me "send them in" and "if they are able to confirm the issue", they would repair them for me. What a joke.
**UPDATE 11/3/17**
Today I paired the E8s to my new iPhone X. Upon starting the Beoplay app, I was informed that there is a new firmware update available. I installed it. Transparency mode is now fixed, and works as advertised. You can choose between "completely mutes music and lets outside microphone audio in", "lowers music to 25% and lets outside microphone audio in", and "lowers music to 50% and lets outside microphone audio in". This makes sense and works well for me. I've raised the rating to 4 stars. Also, perhaps anecdotally, I don't get dropouts of the left earbud nearly as often as I did when the pair was new.
**UPDATE 11/6/17**
I haven't had a SINGLE dropout of the left earbud since the firmware update. I don't know if they increased the transmit power of the NMFI or what, but now these earbuds are everything I had hoped! Highly recommended. Just update the firmware straight away. It'll prompt you in the app.
I use my wireless earbuds mostly while I'm walking my dog. I sometimes chat with friends and sometimes listen to music. I have gone through several brands of wireless earbud for various reasons over the years. All of them were compromises. Sound quality, Connection issues, devices that would fall out of my ears, you name it I have probably dealt with it. I decided to try these and I'm quite glad that I did.
Audio quality is quite good. They aren't the loudest I have ever used nor the ones with the most bass but the sound reproduction seems like there was some actual engineering put into it rather than "what's the maximum sound pressure this driver will allow us to put out". I prefer mine set to the warmer end of the spectrum as earbuds in general tend to be quite harsh and tinny by nature being stuck inside your ear. The Equalizer app made this quite simple to dial in my perfect equalization settings and set it as a preset. Are these the best sounding you can possibly get? No. Honestly I'm ok dealing with some compromise here because wireless earbuds by design are a compromise by nature and the compromises found here don't bother me as much as others I have experienced. To achieve the best possible sound you could invest in some really good headphones and a headphone preamp but then you compromise portability. The sound is quite acceptable and they are enjoyable to listen to while not compromising usability.
Call quality. I have had a few sets of wireless earbuds that have microphones but pick up more background noise than they do voice. These pick up my voice quite well and often times the people I'm chatting with are unaware that I'm not at my normal location. The call audio comes through both ears and sounds great.
One of my favorite features is the passthrough and how easy it is to turn this feature on and off when you want to. Earbuds by nature are like a set of earplugs so you get free noise canceling with them but that's also a compromise in the design being isolated from your environment when you are wearing them. I found that the Low setting was enough so I could hear the world around me without being disturbed. At higher settings you can completely make these passive as if you aren't wearing earbuds. The passive feature is quite important to me as I want to be able to hear cars and people who may be approaching.
Build quality and fit and finish. These come in a beautiful leather case with a very thoughtful strap that's elastic so that you can attach it to things. The design as well is quite rounded and it fits nicely in your hand. They used a very high quality leather on the case and it's quite nice. In other areas they used plastic as it was the best material for weight and for longevity. They could have used aluminum or some other material that looks better but it would have been heavier and would have not worn as well. I'm glad they chose plastic. The LED's they use in the case are nicely muted and fade in and out nicely. The earbuds themselves fit my ears quite well and are probably one of the most comfortable ones I have ever used. There's a memory foam tip option that makes these just amazing to wear. They don't fall out of your ears and with the pass through feature turned on you can almost forget that you are wearing them.
Design. Bang & Olufsen put's a lot of thought into every product that they make. You can certainly see this in these earbuds. From the case to the shape of the earbud to the materials that they have chosen a lot of thought has gone into making a high quality product that you can enjoy for many years. In their design they "missed" a few things but some of these misses aren't really misses at all. Do you wear your best clothes to work out or swim or walk in the rain? Probably not. Why would you expect a high quality set of earbuds like this to get wet and survive? They don't automatically turn on. Do you always want to use your earbuds every single time when you remove them from the case? You might be changing eartips or cleaning them. Tapping the power button takes a fraction of a second and they pair instantly. I must admit however not "every" missed thing is part of the design. I find that placing these in the case takes a bit of extra care so that they charge. A little tiny twist makes them lock down onto the magnets a bit better to charge. They probably fixed this in later designs.
I bought my set of E8's once they were discontinued. At this price point I have no issues whatsoever with them. Had I been an early adopter I still probably would not have been bothered by some of the design issues as I realize being an early adopter supports a company so they can build more amazing products in the future. They are quite amazing and a lot of thought has been put into this product. I'm not sure as I have not used the newer ones but likely many of the compromises in these have been resolved in later models. The "issues" that these have don't affect me and I'm glad to enjoy the cost savings for features that I don't really need. With my experience with these I'll likely spring for the latest model when it comes time to replace them. Knowing Bang & Olufsen quality though it will probably be an upgrade rather than a replacement. I still have B&O gear that still works and sounds as perfect as the moment they were first powered on 20 years ago.
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I have now had:
Sennheiser Momentum TW
Cambridge Audio Melomania
These B&O E8 version 1
So even those these are only v1, I got them because of how cheap they are. These WERE £280, so they are a bargain now. Newer versions have wireless charging, a silver trim on the case, and longer battery life. Really worth the extra???
Firstly - the case is stunning. Leather looks abs feels great. Inside a bit cheaper but on a par with the Sennheiser and Cambridge Audio plastics. The earphones themselves are similar in design to Sennheisers if it a little more stylish.
Second - sound. In my opinion, the sound quality of these is vastly superior to the Sennheisers and noticeably better than the Cambridge Audio. But for £60 - they are incredible. There aren’t even any wires earphones to touch them at this price. And if the default B&O sound isn’t to your liking, the app acts as a DSP to tailor it to your taste.
Third - battery life isn’t wonderful. Not as good as the Sennheiser and nowhere near the Cambridge Audio. However, the Sennheisers would discharge in the case so technically the B&O can last longer when not in use. Charging takes very little time.
I’d recommend these in a heartbeat. Sound is amazing and they are silly cheap compared to their real world competition.
Calidad de audio: Cuentan con la mejor calidad de audio que haya experimentado (en cuanto a la gama alta de audífonos wireless). Los sonidos medios y agudos son realmente claros, y para quienes buscan bajos realmente "solidos" (mi caso); estos audífonos pueden ofrecer esa potencia gracias a la aplicación móvil, que dicho sea de paso es extremadamente recomendable hacer uso de ella si es que se quiere sacar el mejor provecho en cuanto a sonido, esto y una buena calidad de audio en las pistas que se reproducen (en mi caso utilizo Spotify configurado con la maxima calidad de audio que ofrece 320 kbps) y colocando los adaptadores "grandes" de goma que traen, esto para aislar mejor el sonido.
Diseño y materiales: No hay mucho que decir, son los audífonos mas discretos y cómodos, no pesan y se adaptan muy bien a la forma del oído. No hay sensación de se puedan caer.
Funcionalidades de conectividad y uso: Basta con sincronizarlos la primera ocasión y no será necesario volver a realizarlo, basta con encenderlos para que el celular los reconozca de manera automática y ofrezca dentro del centro de control el porcentaje de batería actual. Cuenta con controles táctiles que ayudan mucho al manejo de control de volumen, control de pistas o para activar siri (en caso de contar con iOS).
En cuanto al micrófono, se escucha bastante bien (pruebas realizadas con grabaciones de notas de voz y llamadas), si bien captan parte del ruido ambiental; la integración de micrófonos bien localizados hacen que la voz tenga una mayor parecencia a pesar del ruido del exterior.
Contras: Hasta el momento son pocos los detalles negativos que he presentado, que realmente no afectan a su uso en el día día, un ejemplo de ello es que no cuentan con un botón de "Apagado" o una función que te permita realizarlo ( mínimo yo no la he descubierto), esto por que están pensados para colocarlos en su estuche (para que se carguen en cuanto los colocas) y de esa manara pueden estar apagados/mientras los guardas y cargas al mismo tiempo. Por ultimo he presentado pocas veces la des-conexión del audífono izquierdo, pero esto realmente no me a causado mayor tema, ya que se siente como una pequeña interrupción en el audio, que realmente son milisegundos, y adicional que se re-conecta de manera automática.
Con 2 meses de uso; sin duda alguno puedo catalogarlos como la mejor opción de audífonos true wireless en todos los aspectos.