The other day we reviewed yurbuds’ Focus Pro behind the ear sports headphones. I was impressed with the comfort of the headphones as well as the microphone and in-line controls on them. The audio from the headphones was good, but it wasn’t good enough to make the Focus Pros something I would want to listen to as my full-time pair of headphones. The Focus Pros are perfectly fine for a run or similar activity, but they simply don’t stand up to some of the other relatively high-end headphones we have reviewed. This time we are looking the yurbuds Limited Edition Sports Earphones, the more expensive cousin of the Focus Pros. At $99.99, these aren’t inexpensive. Does the sound, build and comfort justify the price? Let’s take a look.
While the yurbuds Limited Edition Sports Earphones have a similar “enhancer” design (that’s the name yurbuds gives to the flexible silicone coverings of that go on the actual earbuds), these headphones are an entirely different animal than the Focus Pros.
The difference between the two headsets is clear from the moment you open the box and see the carrying case that comes with the Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones; it is simply in a different league. Rather than being made from thin, red material the Limited Edition is a heavy woven black material that looks — and feels — like something that should accompany a limited edition product. The other contents of the box also speak to this being a premium product.
The inclusion of not one extra set of enhancers, but four noise isolating enhancers and one “ambient aware” enhancer that lets even more of the outside noise in, is a far cry from the single extra enhancer that comes with all of the other yurbuds products I have reviewed.
In the box you’ll find:
yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones
4 sizes of noise isolating enhancers
1 size of ambient aware enhancers
Premium wire clip
Limited edition case
The pair of enhancers that came on the yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones were okay for me but I tried the other included enhancers and found a pair that were a far better fit.
I do have to note that yurbuds referring to the included shirt clip as a “premium wire clip” is a bit of a stretch. It is simply “a clip”. It does the job, and I am glad it was included, but it is just a clip. There is nothing “premium” about it.
That leaves the yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones themselves. Like the packaging and the included extras, the earphones themselves are more premium when compared to the other yurbuds I have used. The tangle free Kevlar cord is thick, strong and it is truly tangle free. Compared to this cord, the thin, light ones on the yurbuds Focus Pro are absolutely anemic. There is a bit of a downside to the braided cord, however. After using them while working out yesterday, my wife Elana pointed out that because the cord is thick and rough, there was some noise that traveled up to the earpieces during movement. It didn’t bother me nearly as much as it did Elana, but it was certainly there — and it was enough that Elana is sticking with her other yurbuds headphones.
Unlike the previous yurbuds we have reviewed, the in-line controller on the yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones sits on just one of the two cords running up to your ears. On other models, the controller and microphone is built into the “Y” where the two cords merge into a single one. I happen to prefer this design, as it brings the microphone closer to my mouth and is a bit easier to access. The other approach isn’t bad … this is simply different.
Yurbuds notes that “these sweat and water-resistant earphones lock in comfortably and never fall out”. That is, in fact, my experience with them.
The Focus Pro earbuds had a loop that held them in place. These don’t, but the process of inserting the “enhancers” into your ears at one angle and then rotating them slight to “lock” them into place worked just as well. During rigorous movement there was little to no shifting of the earbuds. Unfortunately there was, I will again point out, sound in the cord from its movement.
The company notes that these headphones offer “deep bass” and a “3D soundscape” thanks to “Triple Magnet Sound”. That sounds like an awful lot of marketing-speak, but that doesn’t mean the sound offered by these headphones isn’t really, really good. It is.
The yurbud Focus Pro earbuds have 13.4mm speakers and a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz. The yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphone have the same frequency response, but has a slightly larger 15mm speaker. That increase in size combined with a triple rather than a single magnet makes a huge difference when it comes to the sound. And while I noted that the yurbud Focus Pros were perfectly fine, even if they weren’t something I would want to use while sitting at home and relaxing, that’s not the case here. The Inspire Limited Editions have enough bass, decent mid-range, and they offer a sound that is full and offers a good bit of clarity. Put simply, the Inspire Limited Edition headphones sound really, really good.
The yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Sport Earphones certainly rival many of the better in-the ear-headphones I’ve reviewed. Add in the fact that the included range of enhancers mean you are able to get a pretty good custom fit, and I am impressed by what these earbuds have to offer. I also love the fact that the noise isolating enhancers still let ambient noise in, while the ambient aware enhancer lets even more sound in; that’s a great way to add a good degree of safety during outside activities.
Are these headphones worth the hundred-dollar price tag? If you are looking for the best quality, most comfortable headphones imaginable, then they may not be the headphones for you. If, however, you are looking for a pair of sports headphones that are also good enough to use as your only pair of headphones, then they are certainly worth the $100 price tag; that’s saying a great deal. Learn more, and order yours here.
MSRP: $99.99
What I Like: Made from premium materials; Include extra “enhancers”; Inline microphone and controller works well; Sound good; Stay in your ears during activity
What Needs Improvement: Sound travels up the cords; Pricey
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample