Plantronics BackBeat GO, the No Compromise Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

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BackBeat GO 86800 01 | Plantronics

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to spend some time with representatives from Plantronics as they revealed their latest product — the Plantronics BackBeat GO. The Plantronics BackBeat GO offer “Great sound in a small package”. They speak the truth. The BackBeat GO are small, light and they sound great.

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Plantronics isn’t new to the world of stereo Bluetooth headsets. They have long offered the $79.99 BackBeat 903+ headset. The 903+ headset is designed for workouts and other activities. It is sweat-proof, has a stable wrap-around the ear design and is a very nice product.

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The company sent me home with a pair and I must admit, despite their size, they are remarkably comfortable. Still, as much as I like the 903+ headphones the BackBeat GO has won me over. Seriously.

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From Plantronics:

Plantronics BackBeat® GO wireless earbuds – incredibly small, amazingly light. No wires, no hassle, no compromise. Easily slips into your pocket, but still packs full?on stereo sound. So you can listen to music, chat with friends, or watch movies on your tablet. Even play games on the go. And Bluetooth technology makes it a snap to connect wirelessly. Comfort? No problem. There are three sizes of cushioned eartips and two stabilizers for a secure, comfortable fit. Incoming call? Inline controls let you pause music to take a call, change volume, or skip tracks. Great sound in a small package. BackBeat GO. Get Going.

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The BackBeat GO headset is small. In fact, they look just like a standard pair of earbud headphones; a pair of standard earbuds with an inline noise canceling microphone; a pair of earbuds with a no-tangle cord; a pair of earbuds that are small and unobtrusive but sound great. That’s because they are all that AND they are wireless. That means you can simple stick the earbuds into your ears, turn on the power and you are good to go. Your phone can stay in your pocket or bag as you walk along listening to your tunes.

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And if a call comes in you can simple tap the in-line controller and take the call. Speaking of which, the noise canceling microphone is actually quite good despite being sitting next to your neck rather than having a boom that reaches you mouth. In fact, the cord on the BackBeat GO is at such a length that it positions the microphone at a rather optimal location considering the design restraints.

The control also lets you start and stop music, skip tracks and adjust the volume. And as for the sound… I was surprised to find something that is packing so much into such a small space sounding as good as they do. No, they aren’t the best sounding headphones I have ever tried but they sound damn good!

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The BackBeat GO headset gets up to 4.5 hours of listening and talk time, come with three sizes of cushioned eartips and optional in-ear stabilizers that let you find the fit that is the most comfortable and secure as possible. (I have found the tips that came on them to be a good fit for me!) And so long as you find the right fit the earbuds will offer passive sound isolation.

For extra control/information the headset battery meter will automatically show onscreen when yu use the BackBeat GO headset with an iOS device. If you are using tablets running Android or tablets or phones running Android 4.0 you can use the Plantronics MyHeadset™ app.

I’m VERY impressed with the sound, comfort and quality of the BackBeat GO headset and expect I will be using these in place of my Jabra Sport headset for everything except running.

The BackBeat GO has an MSRP of $99.99. You can check them out here: Plantronics Headsets and Accessories.

MSRP: $99.99

What I Like: Small; Comfortable; Sound very very good; Under $100; In-line microphone and controls

What Needs Improvement: I understand the technical constraints but wish the headset got more than 4-4 1/2 hours of runtime; The should come with a carrying case or bag

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.

4 Comments on "Plantronics BackBeat GO, the No Compromise Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds"

  1. Hi Dan, thanks for the review. If you have time could you comment on a few things that I didn’t see in the post:

    • Apart from the price, style, and the “sweat-proof” feature, what are the differences between the BackBeat 903+ and the BackBeat GO? Do they sound significantly different? What about battery life – is it any better in the larger ‘phones?

    • I currently have a pair of Plantronics P590A Pulsar bluetooth stereo headphones. One major frustration I have when using them with my iPad/iPhone is that, although the “Play/Pause” button on the headphones can pause my music, it cannot resume. I think this is caused by a poor implementation of AVRCP by Apple but I’d love to know if Plantronics have found a way to resolve this with either of the products features in your post.

    TIA

  2. How is the sound isolation?  Could you use them while mowing the lawn?

  3. Michaelp68 | April 28, 2012 at 6:40 pm |

    You mention movies and android tablets. Did you test these with android tablets and watching movies?

    • I have used them with a number of android devices. But I have not used them with an android tablet.

      Most likely written with Siri. Please excuse any and all errors.

Comments are closed.