Expert review of the Plantronics BackBeat Fit
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- The sound is balanced, also when it's loud.
- After charging for 15 minutes, you can use the earbuds for 1 hour.
- Thanks to the ear hooks, the earbuds don't fall out.
- The neck strap is flexible, so you won't feel it.
- The earbuds are waterproof.
- Because the earbuds are in between an in-ear and earbud design, it can feel like the earbuds aren't in your ears properly.
First impression
The earbuds come with a micro USB charging cable and a manual. You often get extra earbud sizes with other sports earbuds, but the BackBeat Fit doesn't really have an in-ear design. The earbuds don't seem to go into your ear canal completely, but further than earbuds. The downside is that you only have 1 earbud size. The advantage is that you still hear ambient sounds and you can exercise outside safely. The neck strap has reflecting bars, so drivers can see you well in the dark. I expected the neck strap to be rigid, but you can bend it completely.
Sound
With most sport earplugs I think the sound sounds tinny, but with the BackBeat Fit it sounds good. High or low tones do not stand out in particular: the sound is in balance. Even if the volume is high, it still sounds good. In addition, the caps do not leak sound to the outside world. With the buttons on the earcup you switch between songs, you change the volume and take your calls.
Battery life
The Bluetooth battery lasts up to 8 hours if you listen to music and 6 hours if you make handsfree calls. In standby mode, the battery lasts 14 days. You get spoken notifications of the battery status via the earbuds. Thanks to the fast charge function, you only have to charge the earbuds for 15 minutes to use them for 1 hour. I used a timer and it's accurate to the minute.
Wearing comfort
The caps fit between an earbud and in ear design. I constantly feel that they are not deep enough in my ears, while they sit well. Despite the fact that it feels weird, they do not fall out and the sound sounds good. The ear clips, the hooks in your ear, are not of added value in my opinion. It is especially the ear hooks, behind your ear, that hold the caps in place. Because the earplugs are light and the neckband is flexible, you hardly notice that you are wearing ears.
Water resistance
The BackBeat Fit has a sweat-resistant nano coating and an IP value of 57. The 5 means that the caps are resistant to dust and the 7 indicates that they are waterproof. You can dive under water for up to half an hour. However, the Bluetooth connection does not do it under water. However, you can safely listen to music while you walk in the rain. If they are dirty, rinse them under the tap.
Smartphone app
The free BackBeat Fit Companion smartphone app for Apple and Android offers extras for the ears. So here you determine in which language you want the spoken messages, you look for your lost earphones, update the firmware and switch between linked devices.
