How you choose the "best" wireless Bluetooth in-ear headphones depends on how you're going to wear and listen to them. Are you a runner or gym rat that needs a sweat-resistant set of buds that will stay put in your ears, with plenty of bass to help pace your movements? Or, are you a daily commuter looking for an audiophile experience, long battery life and good conference call quality?
As we researched and tested products to find the best Bluetooth in-ear headphones, we were looking for a pair that could satisfy users at both ends of this mobile music-listening spectrum. They needed to have good sound-quality—music with strong bass as well as good voice call quality. They had to be exercise-friendly, comfortable and fit well enough to stay put during vigorous workouts. And the battery had to last long enough to cover a workday.
We narrowed the field to 13 contenders: Jabra Sport Pace ($79.99 on Amazon), Jabra Sport Pulse ($118.99 on Amazon), JayBird X2 ($149.00 on Amazon), Kicker EB300 ($79.95 on Amazon), LG Tone Pro HBS-760 ($45.02 on Amazon), LG Tone Ultra HBS-800 ($49.99 on Amazon), LG Tone Active HBS-850 ($72.99 on Amazon), LG Tone Infinim HBS-900 ($89.99 on Amazon), Motorola Surround ($33.99 on Amazon), Optoma NuForce BE6 ($120.93 on Amazon), Plantronics BackBeat Fit ($77.99 on Amazon), Samsung Level U ($53.96 on Amazon) and Sol Republic Shadow ($99.99 on Amazon).
THE BEST OF THE REST
We tested more than a dozen Bluetooth earphone models; here's a brief rundown of the best-of-the-rest, considering sound quality, at least 7 hours of music-listening battery life and special attributes.
Plantronics BackBeat Fit ($77.99 on Amazon): Airy aural quality, water/sweat-proof, 8 hours music; poor noise reduction.
