I'm after something I can wear at the gym and connect to my mobile. I have a large collection of FLAC music files so would like something that can provide good sound output at a bidget price point and still be able to handle sweat and be comfortable to wear during sessions.
Any suggestions and or experiences would be great to hear, the good and the bad, what to avoid can be just as informative.
Bose QC Earbuds 2 and you will never use any other earbuds again.
Yep, coming from airpods pro 2.
Wow from one extreme to the other.
I want something that is bang for buck, has some good sound quality and can handle gym-workouts!
Thank you for your suggestions but neither of those are within those realms!
I have wired AKG cans and wired Audio Technicia buds for at home but they are not suitable for the gym.
"bang for buck" is incredibly subjective as it refers to perceived value of an item. Lots of people find value in expensive premium products as you can see from responses here. I personally find AirPods Pro to be fantastic and well worth it.
Are you just looking for "cheap"? It might help to state your preferred budget instead.
Are you just looking for "cheap"?
I think you know…
Clearly you have zero idea and nothing to contribute apart from baseless innuendo!
Could get something like the aftershokz which look to be pretty durable
Yep, if you can get a good price, these are fantastic. Prices at the moment do seem high though, so may be prohibitive, but a got my Trekz Airs a while ago at $169 and then a bit later a second set for the missus at $119. If you can go sub-$150, and that meets your budget, I reckon that's the go.
WF-1000xm4's any day of the week.
I used to try to get value for money ones (went for a pair of Sennheiser CX True Plus's) but thought am i really getting the best NC and sound quality?
Answer was no.
Get the best and never look back if you're using them regularly.
Agree with the sound quality on the xm4s but are they really gym ready? My son has them, I have Jabra Active 75t.
I like the sound of both, no doubt his should sound better as the xm4s have HD sound codecs.
But for twist into ear and stay there during activity the Jabras are killing it. The xm4s are a lot looser in my ears.
Again, not disagreeing with your comment, just wish they sat in my ears for gym workouts better.
Want something that can take a beating and handle getting covered in sweat then look at Shokz - IP67 rated. There's even a version that's fully waterproof for swimming, but you can't connect that to a phone.
If you're using BT earbuds, music quality or the file type has already gone out the window. Forget about file type.
A solid and meaningful comment, kudos but those costs are concerning.
I was going to edit to add:
Shokz are insanely comfortable compared to anything that goes into your ears. I and friends have literally forgotten that we are wearing them if they're turned off. They also handle movement far better than headphones, and many earbuds so they're very good for running.
Downside- they are not 'budget' and they are pretty easy to lose because they are so light and don't use a dedicated charging case like many earbuds.
@Bold Eagle: Was the happy owner of an Aeropex until I broke them (sat on them in my pocket, which is a very odd circumstance to be fair).
Very happy with their speaker performance and the fact that I don't have buds in my ears. No noise cancellation, for obvious reasons, but if you're happy with that then they're a solid earpiece.
Microphone is very lacking but. I do have a friend with the OpenComm ones which they seem to be happy with the microphone performance, and if they were using them when I have spoken with them on the phone, then I'm happy with them too. Does mean you have a boom mike beside your face, which could be a deal breaker for some.
@Chandler: Just trying to find some one special now…
How do you store after a session? Need some sort of container to reduce the chance of damage as I will go for sauna, steam and swimming after the gym and want to store them during that time, else I can use the lockers.
@Chandler: Woolies has the OpenRun Pro for $229;
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/1073941871…
I'm going to sleep on this but very tempted and need to try them on…
They come with a carry case by the looks that looks sturdy;
https://shokz.com.au/products/openrun-pro
need to try them on…
JB or your local big-chain bike or sports store would be your best bets.
@Bold Eagle: There are two sizes. Normal and Mini. Definitely worth trying on before buying.
I use the Mini, and find the Normal has a bit of annoying flop at the back. On the other hand, some of my… heavier… friends can't even get the Mini onto their head.
airpod pro / 2
i have some friends who swear by wh-1000xm5 (on ear ) - but i definitely dont feel comfortable using them for workout as i do get quite sweaty… and the manual makes it abundantly clear to not get them wet.
Are they sweat proof? They are pretty expensive to be ruined quickly by exercising. Does Apple show people exercising with them in marketing?
airpod pros are fine for sweat
says here:
https://support.apple.com/kb/SP811?locale=en_GB
Sweat and water resistant (IPX4)
(sorry i should have made my post more clear, my suggestion is airpod pros, but - my friends all swear by the sony on ear headphones (which say in the manual do not get wet)
Hmmm, it's probably fine then. Even if it does wear them out sooner than they would otherwise, it's probably a cost of exercise. By the time they break AirPods Pro 3 or 4 will be out anyway.
The problem here is you are talking about buying a whole ecosphere (phone and buds) at excessive prices!
Frankly, that is not suitable and outside the scope of the question but that is my own fault as I should have mentioned I have an android device.
excessive is subjective and there are ways around it - eg wh1000xm5 i paid $389 brand new - this would be the lowest i would go if i was going to bother with flac (this is what i used for when I still had a tidal sub).
no way really meaningful to get around the apple tax.
if you only want to spend a little, i liked the truefree2. $50 less 10% on amazon at the moment. Has ear fins to keep it in your ear.
wont get benefit imo of listening to flac tracks with it imo
works on pc android and ios
The above comment is meaningful and has resigned me to reconsider;
"If you're using BT earbuds, music quality or the file type has already gone out the window. Forget about file type."
from rumblytangara
That makes sense and I doubt BT or even wireless for that matter is going to do justice for any FLAC files;
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/products-and-gear/bluetooth-au…
"All Bluetooth devices include the SBC codec, which has a maximum data rate of 345 kilobits per second, or kbps—about a quarter of the data rate CDs deliver. All Apple iOS products (iPhones, iPads) and many Android products add a codec called AAC, which in this case maxes out at 320 kbps, but it’s more advanced than SBC in the way it selects data to discard, so the two achieve similar sound quality. The standard version of Qualcomm’s aptX codec, available in Android products but not iOS products, offers a slightly higher data rate of 384 kbps."
So that leads me to the next focus of something that is comfortable, durable and can handle sweat, etc. from a reasonable workout and provide 'pretty good' music quality.
So far the Shokz are looking meaningful and are considering the 'OpenRun Pro' for $229 as they do look comfortable and durable. They are mentioned here as well;
https://www.wired.com/gallery/best-wireless-workout-headphon…
Which also proposes a budget pair 'JLab GO Air Sport True Wireless Earbuds' which are also being considered.
There is also RTings review here:
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/best/wireless-blue…
Which notes the 'Jabra Elite 3' and they are reasonably priced.
Still going through the motions of gathering data and info and thanks for any suggestions.
I've had good experience with <$40 earphones from QCY
Beats fit pro. Good bass, battery life, multiple ear piece size options for comfort, never fall out and most importantly for me noise cancellation. Often go on sale for ~$200.
I have the non-sports version of these. I use them mainly for audiobooks and have never had an issue with sound quality- though I know it may not be up to crazy picky standards.
What is the comfort level like for 60+mins? Have you ever worn them at the gym or for any workouts?
They are on the list for consideration and are noted above in the 'wired' review.
Fine for my commute of 1.5+ hours. I haven't done a full workout in them, but they are comfortable walking around and climbing stairs etc. Not sure how much difference the ear loops would make.
I use SoundPEATS Q30 HD (they’re Bluetooth earphones) and they seem to handle sweat pretty well - I use them for spinning sessions.
SoundPEATS get a frequent mention on here in the rankings for budget audio;
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/755625
There are several options in the sports area to consider as well including your suggestion;
https://soundpeats.com/en-au/collections/all-products/produc…
https://soundpeats.com/en-au/collections/all-products/produc…
https://soundpeats.com/en-au/collections/all-products/produc…
https://soundpeats.com/en-au/collections/all-products/produc…
https://soundpeats.com/en-au/products/runfree-lite-air-condu…
I am liking the look of bone conduction or 'air conduction' for workouts…
That price point is looking good in case they are not suitable (uncomfortable or the like) so I don't lose to much….
Exactly. It’s definitely budget friendly and from various reviews on Ozbargain and elsewhere, it sounds like their products are great value. I only have the one set of earphones which I bought from Amazon and have nothing negative to say about it!
Deal of the day for Prime Members: Soundcore by Anker, Soundcore Sport X10 True Wireless Bluetooth 5.2 Workout Headphones, Rotatable Ear Hooks, Deep Bass, IPX7 Waterproof, Sweatproof, 32H Play, Fast Charge, Sport Earbuds, Gym, Running https://amzn.asia/d/cvnV2t1
I found these pretty good
https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/otto-true-…