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I bought a $100 pair of bluetooth Sennheisers that have a battery life that seems to be measured not in hours, but in days. I use them all day every day while w

I bought a $100 pair of bluetooth Sennheisers that have a battery life that seems to be measured not in hours, but in days. I use them all day every day while working in the office, at home, or coffee shop. Music sounds great and so do movies. Never have to worry about the bluetooth connnection, pairs to my Mac or to my work laptop just fine. And they got to me with Amazon Prime. You do not need to spend $500 if all you need is headphones that do their job.

dahfizz 6y ago
> You do not need to spend $500 if all you need is headphones that do their job. Its amazing to me the number of Apple fanboys in this thread that seem to think that every other pair of headphones out there is completely broken, and nothing will "just work". This has been a solved problem for like a decade.
- Veen 6y ago
  If you're not familiar with Apple ecosystem, it might seem peculiar. But Apple's integration means that "just works" entails, for instance, automatic switching between devices. So I'm listening to music on my iPad, I pause it, pick up my phone and start a YouTube video. The AirPods automatically switch from the iPad to the iPhone without me doing anything. Nothing else "just works" like that, and it's one reason people like to stay within the Apple ecosystem.
  - notnap 6y ago
    Bose QC 35 II work exactly as you described. Yes, Previous Beats Studio bought from Apple failed to deliver such experience, hence why Apple spent some dough on custom connectivity chips, but proper headphones OEMs figure it out as well with just latest Bluetooth generation
    - jolux 6y ago
      I have the QC35 II and they are incredibly flaky with connecting to multiple devices.
      - sjwright 6y ago
        Concur—I have the QC35, I’ve given up with all the endless niggles of multiple device support and limited them to just the phone which is my use case 95% of the time.
        jolux 6y ago
        Tip: if I use the app to manage the connections it works flawlessly. Not sure why. Huge pain though.
        sjwright 6y ago
        I use the app and "flawlessly" is a joke. The app doesn't even connect to the headphones reliably, even if they're paired and I'm listening to audio through them. Maybe 10% of the time I have to force-close the app and power cycle the headphones for the app to connect.
        jolux 6y ago
        Wow, that sucks. Mine work fine with the app but are flaky without it.
        erikbye 6y ago
        Yeah, my connectivity story with these got so bad at one point I ended up with two pairs, each with a little sticker telling which is for my laptop and which is for my phone. Ironically, connectivity improved with FW updates... QC35 II.
      - sorum 6y ago
        I honestly think there are good batches and bad ones of the QC35s. I have gen 1 and they are rock solid with the connections, never fail. Have coworkers who would swear by theirs too, while others have similar complaints as you do. FWIW, I love my Airpods Pro and it's insane that neither Sennheiser nor Bose could beat Apple to the punch with something that works as well as those do. That being said, my Airpods Pro aren't without issues: they seem to hate my iMac. Not even the Big Sur update could change my Airpods' aversion towards reliably connecting to it.
    - servercobra 6y ago
      I have the QC 35 II and now have them wired a USB mic to make multiple devices actually work seamlessly because it was so flakey with a few devices. AirPod Pros OTOH have been perfect between iPhone, iPad, work and personal MacBook and Apple TVs. Connected to one device and all the others are automatically paired and switch with no effort.
  - kharak 6y ago
    Like my Jaba Elite? I have a friend who tries to convince me that only Apple is acceptable and everything else complete trash in comparison. Maybe that has been true in the past. Today, that's just delusion.
    - binaryblitz 6y ago
      Honest question: Can I be listening to music on my MBP and answer a call with them on my iPhone seamlessly?
      - zachm0 6y ago
        Not the person you responded to, but I have Jabra Elites as well and I've been able to switch between my Windows computer and iPhone seamlessly. In fact, the reason I bought the Jabras was because this was the exact feature I was looking for and saw many recommendations for the Elite.
        tbob22 6y ago
        Same. Doesn't hurt that they were $50 on sale. I've had them for over a year with no issues.
      - echelon 6y ago
        Jabra has been doing this a lot longer than Apple, and they've got experience interfacing with tons of non-Mac hardware. They're domain experts.
        binaryblitz 6y ago
        Right. Lots of stuff works with non-Mac hardware. Lots of stuff doesn't work with Mac hardware. My laptop is from my job (MBP), and I have an iPhone to keep in sync with my wife. Hence my specific question.
      - aksss 6y ago
        Yeah, I have Jabra Elite 75t and it can be connected to multiple devices at same time. For me this means PC + iPhone. Works fine for taking meetings, calls, listening to music, etc.
  - asldihgiyug 6y ago
    I can see where you're coming from, but I expect versatility if I'm paying $500 for headphones. I want to be able to either plugin my headphones into my controller or connect to my gaming console when I'm playing. I want to connect to my TV's bluetooth when I'm watching TV. Every company does ecosystem lock to some basic level but Apple takes it to a whole new level and clearly people seem to be ok with it (and even praise them for it?)
    - 1-more 6y ago
      > I want to connect to my TV's bluetooth when I'm watching TV. I'm confused here. There's no Appke secret sauce chip in the TV so connecting my headphones (Airpods Pro) to it is the same hassle it is connecting any bluetooth device, but they work together just fine. The Apple secret sauce for switching between devices is like an escalator breaking and becoming stairs: when you use the to connect to any other bluetooth device they work as well as any dumber bluetooth headphone/speaker.
    - filoleg 6y ago
      >Every company does ecosystem lock to some basic level but Apple takes it to a whole new level and clearly people seem to be ok with it (and even praise them for it?) Wait what? How does it lock you into anything? Sure, you might not get some Apple-ecosystem-specific perks if you are using their Airpods with non-apple devices (like the automatic switching described in the parent comment), but you still get the same benefits you would expect from other non-airpods wireless headphones. You can use airpods with android phones or your tv or whatever other device supporting bluetooth headsets, just like you would with non-airpods wireless headphones. You can also plug Airpods Max into anything using a 3.5mm jack cable, just like you could with literally any other wired headphones (and many wireless over the ear ones). I cannot think of a single feature [that is also present on non-apple wireless headphones] that Apple locks you out of if you are using airpods with a non-apple device (e.g., the automatic switching between devices based on the content played doesn't count here, because I cannot think of a single non-apple wireless headset that supports it; you get the idea).
  - wrsh07 6y ago
    I have a few different sets of headphones ranging from cheap workout bluetooth ones to the over ear I use for work. None of them have the issues you imply. They all happily switch from phone to laptop to other device, going in and out of range, etc
    - coldtea 6y ago
      I had the AirPods and AT MX50 but wanted NC for the office, so I bought the Sony WH1000MX3 (the highest rated, $400, wireless nc headphones with the best NC) before I got the AirPods Pro. Those were praised on reviews as beating the Bose NC (which was considered king until then). They required me to manually disconnect from one device in order to connect to another (e.g. from laptop to phone or tablet). As far as first world problems go, it was a huge pain in the arse. And nobody cared to mention it in their reviews (found out later in forums it was just not supported). I ended up preferring the AirPods Pro (and the slightly worse nc, but much lighter and automatically connecting) over them, and now I hardly ever use them. So those were $400 down the drain. If those AirPods Max work like I want (which, judging from the AirPods Pro, they will), that would be a solid $500 spent without the remorse and dissapointment, which is much better than my Sony purchase...
      - ldrndll 6y ago
        I bought and sold my MX3s having had this exact experience, and have been waiting for Apple to release over ears so that I could have the same seamless experience I have with my AirPods Pro. The number of times I’ve had to pull my laptop out of the overhead compartment on a flight to turn off Bluetooth so I could pair them with my iPad meant I eventually gave up using them. As you say, definitely a first world problem, but I guess that just means I’m in the target demographic.
      - batuhanicoz 6y ago
        I also have a similar experience, I hate the unpair-pair dance and just use my AirPods even though Sony has a better sound quality and a bit better ANC. The new version (WH1000MX4, terrible naming scheme) supposedly have multi device support but I haven't experienced it yet so not sure if it's as smooth as the AirPods.
  - markstos 6y ago
    Any product which contains an non-removable battery eventually "just dies" whether it costs $550 and is made by Apple or not. Decades-old Bose QC 15 headphones still work because the battery is replaceable. Pop in some new ear cushions every few years from Amazon and they are like new. Don't expect these $550 headphones to be working 10 years after purchase.
    - sjg007 6y ago
      In 10 years we will have apple aural-link..
    - andrei_says_ 6y ago
      Exactly. The question this product answers is "How can we have consumers get used to another $500 Apple expense every two to three years?" A hardware subscription of sorts. As they did with the AirPods ~$150 bi-annual "subscription". And the AirPods Pro $200ish bi-annual "subscription".
    - diebeforei485 6y ago
      Yes. I'm impressed that Bose still sells first-party replacement ear cushions for the QC15 and QC2 - https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/headphone_accessories/quietcomfort-15-ear-cushion-kit.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/headphone_acc...
  - _huayra_ 6y ago
    I get this use case, but I'm always suspicious how useful the workflow such "integration" supports may be. I have a feeling a lot of folks who flit between multiple devices are staying occupied to avoid doing difficult or onerous work. In other words, the real "productivity" hack is to not support a dilute workflow. One will save a _lot_ more time that way compared to some device interoperability.
    - dvtrn 6y ago
      I have a feeling a lot of folks who flit between multiple devices are staying occupied to avoid doing difficult or onerous work. That's an interesting connection you've drawn between switching audio sources and malingering work. On the flip side, a mere anecdote of where this kind of flipping was actually beneficial, if you will? It came in the form of being on a zoom call on the Macbook (which I have in a dock and connected to a pair of displays) with a single airpod in, hearing the kid having a kid moment, and being able to just reach over, open up my ipad, join the call and immediately have audio switched so I could walk down stairs to help buckaroo with a chore, walk back upstairs, put the ipad away and switch back to the Macbook was kind of...well awesome. No one on the call had a clue. (also comes in handy when I want to switch from work macbook to personal macbook after hours, or vice versa, if I'm on personal macbook after hours and get paged and need to jump on a slack call. Definitely not avoiding onerous or difficult work there either)
    - hombre_fatal 6y ago
      What a weird reflex. Inventing arbitrary character flaws because someone wants to do something as harmless as be able to switch audio sources seamlessly, and then being so uncreative that the only reason you can come up with is to procrastinate work. Someone people truly can't handle gadget chit-chat.
  - whatevertrevor 6y ago
    My jabras work seamlessly between my phone and laptop (and that's basically all that I need). It's weird to not have multiple device connectivity with wireless headphones these days.
  - adkadskhj 6y ago
    I absolutely love my AirPods Pro but it's primarily for ease of wear _(comfy)_, the lack of inner ear pressure and transparency mode. The connectivity has been one of the worst experiences i've had lol. Both in and out of Apple ecosystem. I think it's primarily my laptop to be honest (2018 Macbook Pro), because they do better when connected to my phone; but the ~4 other bluetooth devices including one in-ear bluetooth pair i have never have connectivity issues. Yet i can't count the number of times these AirPods have disconnected, or connected one ear but not the other, etc. I still love my AirPods, but connectivity has been the worst out of all my bluetooth devices. It's been frustrating.
    - servercobra 6y ago
      For what it's worth, connectivity for me with the Pros has gotten much better with Big Sur. I don't think the easy switching even worked prior to this release (despite being a touted feature when announced). It's still not perfect though.
    - coldtea 6y ago
      >The connectivity has been one of the worst experiences i've had lol. Both in and out of Apple ecosystem. (...) I think it's primarily my laptop to be honest (2018 Macbook Pro) Not sure why, I have AirPods and then AirPods Pro with a late-2017 Macbook Pro and never had a problem. Ditto with 2 iPhone models...
  - garmaine 6y ago
    Am I the only one for which my AirPods (first generation) have NEVER done this?
  - andrei_says_ 6y ago
    The question for me is, why do the Apple iphone, computers, appleTV etc. not support the "just works" experience on non-Apple headphones? Bluetooth is supposed to be a standard, no? While I like the ergonomics, I'm wondering how much of the lack of it in non-apple headphones products is the result of Apple not fully supporting them and thus, monopolistic practices. Replacing the cable with (modified?) bluetooth technology allows distinguishing "our hardware" from "their hardware" and adjusting software to only support certain features. So, why would not apple devices only support these features on Apple headphones?
    - beisner 6y ago
      Bluetooth is a garbage standard riddled with decades of legacy support. Apple achieves the "just works" functionality with a proprietary chip and a proprietary protocol. Bluetooth still can't support simultaneous high-quality voice and audio.
      - hombre_fatal 6y ago
        I was shocked when I built a PC to play some games with friends and using a bluetooth headset switched everything to tape-recorder fidelity.
  - valarauko 6y ago
    I get exactly this sort of functionality with my two (non-Apple) bluetooth headphones - the Jabra Elite 85T & the Sony XM4s. The Sony's can be paired with up to 8 devices, support two simultaneous device connections, and one active audio stream at a time. The experience is the same with the Jabras. I listen to podcasts on my iPhone, pause, and can seamlessly switch to Netflix on the iPad. It "just works".
    - corobo 6y ago
      What made you buy two different headphones?
      - Jochim 6y ago
        The Jabras are earbuds. The XM4 is a pair of over ear headphones. I'm not the parent but I typically use a cheap set of earbuds for exercise/active commuting and my over ear headphones while in the office or at home due to better comfort/noise cancellation/audio quality.
      - valarauko 6y ago
        Different use cases, mostly. The XM4s are over ear and have much better sound, but they're overkill for work (my workplace is fairly quiet, at least these days). The Jabras are a better fit for that. The XM4s were a bit of an impulse buy when I needed good ANC for my frequent Zoom calls while sharing an apartment with noisy family.
  - deleted 6y ago
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  - starfallg 6y ago
    Actually multi-point Bluetooth devices work just like that. They remain connected to 2 or more devices on the A2DP profile and switch to the source that's currently playing.
- hardwaregeek 6y ago
  I've bought at least 5 bluetooth headphones, ranging from cheap workout ones to Bose QuietComfort. None of them work well with multiple devices. Inevitably I have to disconnect my laptop because it's preventing my phone from playing audio. AirPods are the only one that works. I can have 3, 4 devices connected to my AirPods and it'll just work.
  - deleted 6y ago
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- oh_sigh 6y ago
  I don't think that's true for wireless. I have a pair of bose qc 35s, but can't actually use them to watch general video content on my computer because of the 1/3rd second latency. If I can watch something on a player that lets me add video delay(like VLC), they work great, but not for youtube or web videos.
- donor20 6y ago
  It's amazing to me how many folks seem to have no clue about what folks value in the apple ecosystem. Call folks fanboys (I use windows / linux all day for my job by choice). Do your "solved problem" bluetooth headphones allow EASY audio sharing when the kid is sleeping and you want to watch something with your wife? These are two bluetooth devices on same audio stream. Does your solved problem bluetooth headphones RELIABLY connect to your current device (without having to unpaid with another device). That is game changing. The problem is, folks have listened to folks like you so many times and gotten BURNED so many times. Oh, it "should" work you say. Total BS at least 20% of the time. I won't buy the max'es because I have no need for something that nice. But the $159 for the airpods? Slam dunk. You should go back and listen to the criticism of the airpods when they came out - overpriced, stupid, whatever. Then check out sales numbers. Do that again with the apple watch maybe? Started slow, but I'm curious what their top competitor is by $ revenue - they have just improved and improved. Do that again with the ipod? Do that again with ballmer and the iphone? Do that again with the actually pretty cheap M1?
  - violetgarden 6y ago
    I did not understand the Apple fans until I started using Apple for work stuff. One Apple product alone isn’t anything to write home about, but once you start getting more products, the eco system is above and beyond. Did you highlight a text field on the Apple TV? Your phone vibrates with a full screen keyboard at the ready. Little things like that make it a really nice experience that I haven’t seen other vendors match.
    - donor20 6y ago
      I just got an apple TV and I laughed when I saw that. Even better, your phone can act as the remote, your airpods can paid (I've heard) etc. Other than iphone I'm very late to apple's world, but as I get older, I just love that stuff works and I don't feel like I'm getting scammed every second.
      - lotsofpulp 6y ago
        You can even pair two different sets of AirPods now. Awesome if you have babies.
- bayindirh 6y ago
  Actually, as a both an Apple user and high-fidelity music lover, I'd happily pay $549, if and only if they sound comparable to the peers at this price point. If their fidelity is below its peers, all of the "just works" stuff goes to trash for me. I have a pair of entry level Philips BT headphones (designed by Gibson) and they sound well above its price point. It's no Sennheiser, Grado, RHA or similar but, they're not a pair of cheap cans either. So, for $549, they should rather sound detailed and balanced. Otherwise, It's meaningless for me.
- sib301 6y ago
  > This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Tell that to Bose. Their newest 700 model headphones are a UX/Connectivity nightmare. If not for the fact that the Sony noise cancelling headphones exist in the same price bracket, I could easily see myself going with a $500 pair of headphones that "just work".
  - SulfurHexaFluri 6y ago
    I have the bose QC 35 and half the time I just plug them in with the cable when I give up trying to get them to connect.
    - sib301 6y ago
      This reminds me. With the 700s, you can't even charge your headphones while using them. They're junk
- coldtea 6y ago
  >This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Not to my experience...
- diehunde 6y ago
  > This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Yeah right. I spend hundreds of dollars in headphones when I want to upgrade and it's always the same crappy bluetooth experience. Not saying this will be better but that problem hasn't been solved yet.
- deleted 6y ago
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- analog31 6y ago
  In my view, having things "just work" is elusive and unpredictable. I've seen this in the workplace. You can have two workers with similar jobs, similar or even the same hardware and software tools. One person will constantly be cursing at their machine, running into indescribable hang-ups, and so forth. The other will just be cruising right along. You're tempted to suspect that the problems experienced by your one colleague are self inflicted, but you'd never suggest it out loud. The differences might be real, but due to a hidden cause. Or, some workers might be more "accident prone" when it comes to dealing with tech. I've even seen this with people who should be the most tech savvy: Good programmers. Regardless of the cause, imagine that someone discovers a market appeal to the effect of: "The problems are not your fault, we have stuff that just works." It's a safe bet that the message will resonate with X percent of people. That's a perfect market. And if Apple has discovered that market, we certainly can't dispute that they're successful -- possibly the most successful company on the planet. On the other hand, if you belong to the other group, and somebody can make a less expensive product that you're satisfied with, and it "just works" for you, then you're happy too. They can be successful too, even if on a modest scale. I'd take 10% of Apple's market. ;-) At one workplace, long ago, two of us were using Windows, and my colleague couldn't make it work at all, plus he sent me articles about Windows horror stories from magazines. I never had a problem. My friend ended up with Apple, and I kept using Windows. We were both happy.
- the__alchemist 6y ago
  Bluetooth connections aren't a solved problems; they're notoriously finicky! https://xkcd.com/2055/ https://xkcd.com/2055/
- newbie2020 6y ago
  Wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are not a solved problem byfar. Every produce out there has some flaws.
- 00deadbeef 6y ago
  Yeah and AirPods Pro are far from perfect. I can pair them with my TV but they don't support volume control over Bluetooth so I can't change their volume, they don't have an interface for it on the device. Meanwhile my Sony WH1000-XM3s work perfectly with my TV, including volume control, and work perfectly with everything else including my Apple devices. I don't have "connectivity issues" and battery life is 10hrs more than AirPods Max. They even included a stereo cable in the box to connect to the standard 3.5mm jack built-in to the headset, and they also came with a proper case to protect them when they're in my rucksack. All for £330 less than AirPods Max. It's amazing that people think AirPods Max will be the first ever good set of on-ear wireless headphones.
- idkwhoiam 6y ago
  Definitely not a solved problem. My bose qc35 II headphones constantly drop connection or connects to my ipad instead of my laptop. The sound quality is trash but I'm ok with that as I got them for active noise cancellation. ANC works great I must admit.
- volta87 6y ago
  I bought AIAIAI headphones decades ago, they work with all tech I use: I just plug them in, and they just work. No need to pair them with bluetooth, no nothing. Since they are modular, they also have been a breeze to upgrade and repair. Need different cables? Better microphone? Its 20$ to upgrade that part of the headphone. Want to add bluetooth support? Can do that as well. People buying and gifting pair of > 200$ headphones every year as if speakers are some kind of tech that gets outdated. If you really care about audio quality and the environment, just buy a good pair of upgradeable headphones. They'll last you your whole life.
dkonofalski 6y ago
Why would you say something like that when these Apple headphones are not at all aimed at people that want headphones that do the bare minimum job and nothing else? Comparing your $100 Sennheisers to these misses the point completely.
- asldihgiyug 6y ago
  What do these Apple headphones do that others don't? Perhaps maybe other than ecosystem lock?
  - na85 6y ago
    They signal you have enough disposable income to buy them. It's like a Rolex you wear on your head. Edit: I'm not being facetious, this is an excellent move for Apple to make as it continues to pursue dominance in the luxury tech-wearables market.
    - runawaybottle 6y ago
      Not sure why you are being downvoted. This is obviously a real dynamic. Expensive tech gear is somewhat like an entry level luxury vehicle for the masses. You’re not seriously rich enough for a S-Class Benz, but you could live that aspiration via older model CLA. So yeah, not quite rich enough to buy a house in major cities, but hey, you can certainly splurge on this kind of stuff.
  - binaryblitz 6y ago
    For me, the ability to switch between audio on all my devices instantly. Listening on my mac, answer a call on my iPhone automatically. I realize this is a niche use case, but would be really nice for me. The ability to just take them off and have them pause is icing on the cake as well. If other headphones have these features, I'm open to them.
    - whatevertrevor 6y ago
      My Jabra elites do both those things (multiple devices with instant switch on calls & auto pause with on-ear detection), and are much cheaper. The only thing they don't have is the adaptive EQ but the jury's still out on how much of that is just a marketing gimmick.
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TheBlerch 6y ago
They sound great - which model did you get?
mariushn 6y ago
Which one? (can't see an over-the-ear model here) https://en-us.sennheiser.com/bluetooth-headsets https://en-us.sennheiser.com/bluetooth-headsets
- mr_coleman 6y ago
  Go up a level. You want "Headphones" not "Headphones + Headsets".
- moozilla 6y ago
  I have a pair of the HD 4.50 BT, and they sound like the same one parent is describing. Cost around $100 on sale, battery lasts for days and I wear them 8 hrs a day for work and several hours after work listening to music or streaming video. Sound quality and active noise cancelling are both quite good for the price point. Only complaint I have is the built in microphone sounds terrible, and they always try to connect to my laptops as a headset.
  - mariushn 6y ago
    Thanks for sharing! The microphone is quite important for calls.
_ph_ 6y ago
Of course you don't need to spend $500 to buy headphones that do their job. There are plenty of great headphones to buy. For me, I have some beats flex which are great for small portable phones which also are well integrated with the Apple devices. Before them, I had some nice Sennheiser wired phones. The promise of the Airpods Max is to be very high quality headphones, which are in that rough price range. On top of that the complete integration into the Apple universe and some nice functions like the spacial audio, which had been well received with the AirPods Pro. Which are much cheaper, if you are not aiming for the highest audio quality.
reaperducer 6y ago
You spend hours in a coffee shop? Are you in Australia?
- hombre_fatal 6y ago
  I do. Nobody is in there, it's an even better destination now.
  - reaperducer 6y ago
    Interesting. The health department where I live does not permit people to sit in coffee shops for hours anymore.
erikbye 6y ago
If the audio quality would have been up to par, which it is not, $500 would be a bargain. Audeze LCD-4z owners laughing at $500 being touted as expensive. Although, they will last a lot longer.
patrickdavey 6y ago
Can you say what model you've got? I haven't yet bought Bluetooth buds but when my tatty current wired ones die I probably will. I'd been thinking about Jabra's but I'll take whatever is cheap and works ;)
wheels 6y ago
Honestly, the Anker Soundcore Q10s are great. I have two pairs of studio monitor headphones on my desk (Sony MDR-V6 and BeyerDynamic DT770s) and I'm usually too lazy to put them on because the Q10s are good enough for anything but detailed audio work. They're $40, and often on sale for $30. I returned a pair of $230 Sony WH-1000XM3s because Sony has jumped the shark in the bass wars and you couldn't get them to sound reasonable without EQing the source. The $30 Q10s literally sound better.
kranner 6y ago
Even $25 Sound Blaster JAMs tick all the boxes here. Battery lasts for days, ultra-reliable Bluetooth connection. The battery even stays at maximum capacity for years and the only thing that needs changing is the foam pads. I’ve gifted many of these to family over the years and they are all still working.
Obi_Juan_Kenobi 6y ago
Heck, even $40 true-wireless earbuds are now quite decent. They're reliable and sound quality is perfectly fine for what I want from it. Considering the tiny batteries make these disposable items, it's pretty compelling.
loco5niner 6y ago
You do not need to spend $100 dollars either.
bigbubba 6y ago
Yeah my sennheiser HD 4.40 seem to last a week or more on a charge, with several hours of use a day. This company hasn't disappointed me yet.
tomcam 6y ago
Model, please? Even though I did order the Apple headphones it’s always good to have a back up.
zwaps 6y ago
For what it is worth, I have the Sennheiser Momentum Bluetooth headset. I am an audio weirdo who used a lot of professional headphones over the years, and I like the Sennheiser sound. Too often have I been disappointed by "premium brands" that are not really in the business of designing headphone drivers and so their sound is subpar. These Sennheiser headphones switch sources automatically, they are made from metal and leather, they sound great, they have all the battery I need and, most importantly for me, they have actual buttons. After using other headphones without buttons, I can't tell you how much better I like that "feature". I think Apple can make headway with noise cancellation, battery and ergonomics. That will be enough for most people. However, for myself, I am most curious if they will actually sound good, especially given that their marketing quip on that topic is - well let's call it "more than a few empty phrases". Let's see!
DevoidSimo 6y ago
In fact the only bluetooth issue I've had with my Sennheisers is that the bluetooth driver in my mac will crash most days. Requiring a restart.
CamJN 6y ago
I have a pair of Sennheiser Momentum 3 (the cans not the buds) and every fucking time I use them, the audio gets stolen by some device making a notification sound, and then does not go back to the call/video/whatever I'm actually trying to listen to. I'd not call that just fine.

dahfizz 6y ago

> You do not need to spend $500 if all you need is headphones that do their job. Its amazing to me the number of Apple fanboys in this thread that seem to think that every other pair of headphones out there is completely broken, and nothing will "just work". This has been a solved problem for like a decade.

Veen 6y ago
If you're not familiar with Apple ecosystem, it might seem peculiar. But Apple's integration means that "just works" entails, for instance, automatic switching between devices. So I'm listening to music on my iPad, I pause it, pick up my phone and start a YouTube video. The AirPods automatically switch from the iPad to the iPhone without me doing anything. Nothing else "just works" like that, and it's one reason people like to stay within the Apple ecosystem.
- notnap 6y ago
  Bose QC 35 II work exactly as you described. Yes, Previous Beats Studio bought from Apple failed to deliver such experience, hence why Apple spent some dough on custom connectivity chips, but proper headphones OEMs figure it out as well with just latest Bluetooth generation
  - jolux 6y ago
    I have the QC35 II and they are incredibly flaky with connecting to multiple devices.
    - sjwright 6y ago
      Concur—I have the QC35, I’ve given up with all the endless niggles of multiple device support and limited them to just the phone which is my use case 95% of the time.
      - jolux 6y ago
        Tip: if I use the app to manage the connections it works flawlessly. Not sure why. Huge pain though.
        sjwright 6y ago
        I use the app and "flawlessly" is a joke. The app doesn't even connect to the headphones reliably, even if they're paired and I'm listening to audio through them. Maybe 10% of the time I have to force-close the app and power cycle the headphones for the app to connect.
        jolux 6y ago
        Wow, that sucks. Mine work fine with the app but are flaky without it.
      - erikbye 6y ago
        Yeah, my connectivity story with these got so bad at one point I ended up with two pairs, each with a little sticker telling which is for my laptop and which is for my phone. Ironically, connectivity improved with FW updates... QC35 II.
    - sorum 6y ago
      I honestly think there are good batches and bad ones of the QC35s. I have gen 1 and they are rock solid with the connections, never fail. Have coworkers who would swear by theirs too, while others have similar complaints as you do. FWIW, I love my Airpods Pro and it's insane that neither Sennheiser nor Bose could beat Apple to the punch with something that works as well as those do. That being said, my Airpods Pro aren't without issues: they seem to hate my iMac. Not even the Big Sur update could change my Airpods' aversion towards reliably connecting to it.
  - servercobra 6y ago
    I have the QC 35 II and now have them wired a USB mic to make multiple devices actually work seamlessly because it was so flakey with a few devices. AirPod Pros OTOH have been perfect between iPhone, iPad, work and personal MacBook and Apple TVs. Connected to one device and all the others are automatically paired and switch with no effort.
- kharak 6y ago
  Like my Jaba Elite? I have a friend who tries to convince me that only Apple is acceptable and everything else complete trash in comparison. Maybe that has been true in the past. Today, that's just delusion.
  - binaryblitz 6y ago
    Honest question: Can I be listening to music on my MBP and answer a call with them on my iPhone seamlessly?
    - zachm0 6y ago
      Not the person you responded to, but I have Jabra Elites as well and I've been able to switch between my Windows computer and iPhone seamlessly. In fact, the reason I bought the Jabras was because this was the exact feature I was looking for and saw many recommendations for the Elite.
      - tbob22 6y ago
        Same. Doesn't hurt that they were $50 on sale. I've had them for over a year with no issues.
    - echelon 6y ago
      Jabra has been doing this a lot longer than Apple, and they've got experience interfacing with tons of non-Mac hardware. They're domain experts.
      - binaryblitz 6y ago
        Right. Lots of stuff works with non-Mac hardware. Lots of stuff doesn't work with Mac hardware. My laptop is from my job (MBP), and I have an iPhone to keep in sync with my wife. Hence my specific question.
    - aksss 6y ago
      Yeah, I have Jabra Elite 75t and it can be connected to multiple devices at same time. For me this means PC + iPhone. Works fine for taking meetings, calls, listening to music, etc.
- asldihgiyug 6y ago
  I can see where you're coming from, but I expect versatility if I'm paying $500 for headphones. I want to be able to either plugin my headphones into my controller or connect to my gaming console when I'm playing. I want to connect to my TV's bluetooth when I'm watching TV. Every company does ecosystem lock to some basic level but Apple takes it to a whole new level and clearly people seem to be ok with it (and even praise them for it?)
  - 1-more 6y ago
    > I want to connect to my TV's bluetooth when I'm watching TV. I'm confused here. There's no Appke secret sauce chip in the TV so connecting my headphones (Airpods Pro) to it is the same hassle it is connecting any bluetooth device, but they work together just fine. The Apple secret sauce for switching between devices is like an escalator breaking and becoming stairs: when you use the to connect to any other bluetooth device they work as well as any dumber bluetooth headphone/speaker.
  - filoleg 6y ago
    >Every company does ecosystem lock to some basic level but Apple takes it to a whole new level and clearly people seem to be ok with it (and even praise them for it?) Wait what? How does it lock you into anything? Sure, you might not get some Apple-ecosystem-specific perks if you are using their Airpods with non-apple devices (like the automatic switching described in the parent comment), but you still get the same benefits you would expect from other non-airpods wireless headphones. You can use airpods with android phones or your tv or whatever other device supporting bluetooth headsets, just like you would with non-airpods wireless headphones. You can also plug Airpods Max into anything using a 3.5mm jack cable, just like you could with literally any other wired headphones (and many wireless over the ear ones). I cannot think of a single feature [that is also present on non-apple wireless headphones] that Apple locks you out of if you are using airpods with a non-apple device (e.g., the automatic switching between devices based on the content played doesn't count here, because I cannot think of a single non-apple wireless headset that supports it; you get the idea).
- wrsh07 6y ago
  I have a few different sets of headphones ranging from cheap workout bluetooth ones to the over ear I use for work. None of them have the issues you imply. They all happily switch from phone to laptop to other device, going in and out of range, etc
  - coldtea 6y ago
    I had the AirPods and AT MX50 but wanted NC for the office, so I bought the Sony WH1000MX3 (the highest rated, $400, wireless nc headphones with the best NC) before I got the AirPods Pro. Those were praised on reviews as beating the Bose NC (which was considered king until then). They required me to manually disconnect from one device in order to connect to another (e.g. from laptop to phone or tablet). As far as first world problems go, it was a huge pain in the arse. And nobody cared to mention it in their reviews (found out later in forums it was just not supported). I ended up preferring the AirPods Pro (and the slightly worse nc, but much lighter and automatically connecting) over them, and now I hardly ever use them. So those were $400 down the drain. If those AirPods Max work like I want (which, judging from the AirPods Pro, they will), that would be a solid $500 spent without the remorse and dissapointment, which is much better than my Sony purchase...
    - ldrndll 6y ago
      I bought and sold my MX3s having had this exact experience, and have been waiting for Apple to release over ears so that I could have the same seamless experience I have with my AirPods Pro. The number of times I’ve had to pull my laptop out of the overhead compartment on a flight to turn off Bluetooth so I could pair them with my iPad meant I eventually gave up using them. As you say, definitely a first world problem, but I guess that just means I’m in the target demographic.
    - batuhanicoz 6y ago
      I also have a similar experience, I hate the unpair-pair dance and just use my AirPods even though Sony has a better sound quality and a bit better ANC. The new version (WH1000MX4, terrible naming scheme) supposedly have multi device support but I haven't experienced it yet so not sure if it's as smooth as the AirPods.
- markstos 6y ago
  Any product which contains an non-removable battery eventually "just dies" whether it costs $550 and is made by Apple or not. Decades-old Bose QC 15 headphones still work because the battery is replaceable. Pop in some new ear cushions every few years from Amazon and they are like new. Don't expect these $550 headphones to be working 10 years after purchase.
  - sjg007 6y ago
    In 10 years we will have apple aural-link..
  - andrei_says_ 6y ago
    Exactly. The question this product answers is "How can we have consumers get used to another $500 Apple expense every two to three years?" A hardware subscription of sorts. As they did with the AirPods ~$150 bi-annual "subscription". And the AirPods Pro $200ish bi-annual "subscription".
  - diebeforei485 6y ago
    Yes. I'm impressed that Bose still sells first-party replacement ear cushions for the QC15 and QC2 - https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/headphone_accessories/quietcomfort-15-ear-cushion-kit.html https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/headphones/headphone_acc...
- _huayra_ 6y ago
  I get this use case, but I'm always suspicious how useful the workflow such "integration" supports may be. I have a feeling a lot of folks who flit between multiple devices are staying occupied to avoid doing difficult or onerous work. In other words, the real "productivity" hack is to not support a dilute workflow. One will save a _lot_ more time that way compared to some device interoperability.
  - dvtrn 6y ago
    I have a feeling a lot of folks who flit between multiple devices are staying occupied to avoid doing difficult or onerous work. That's an interesting connection you've drawn between switching audio sources and malingering work. On the flip side, a mere anecdote of where this kind of flipping was actually beneficial, if you will? It came in the form of being on a zoom call on the Macbook (which I have in a dock and connected to a pair of displays) with a single airpod in, hearing the kid having a kid moment, and being able to just reach over, open up my ipad, join the call and immediately have audio switched so I could walk down stairs to help buckaroo with a chore, walk back upstairs, put the ipad away and switch back to the Macbook was kind of...well awesome. No one on the call had a clue. (also comes in handy when I want to switch from work macbook to personal macbook after hours, or vice versa, if I'm on personal macbook after hours and get paged and need to jump on a slack call. Definitely not avoiding onerous or difficult work there either)
  - hombre_fatal 6y ago
    What a weird reflex. Inventing arbitrary character flaws because someone wants to do something as harmless as be able to switch audio sources seamlessly, and then being so uncreative that the only reason you can come up with is to procrastinate work. Someone people truly can't handle gadget chit-chat.
- whatevertrevor 6y ago
  My jabras work seamlessly between my phone and laptop (and that's basically all that I need). It's weird to not have multiple device connectivity with wireless headphones these days.
- adkadskhj 6y ago
  I absolutely love my AirPods Pro but it's primarily for ease of wear _(comfy)_, the lack of inner ear pressure and transparency mode. The connectivity has been one of the worst experiences i've had lol. Both in and out of Apple ecosystem. I think it's primarily my laptop to be honest (2018 Macbook Pro), because they do better when connected to my phone; but the ~4 other bluetooth devices including one in-ear bluetooth pair i have never have connectivity issues. Yet i can't count the number of times these AirPods have disconnected, or connected one ear but not the other, etc. I still love my AirPods, but connectivity has been the worst out of all my bluetooth devices. It's been frustrating.
  - servercobra 6y ago
    For what it's worth, connectivity for me with the Pros has gotten much better with Big Sur. I don't think the easy switching even worked prior to this release (despite being a touted feature when announced). It's still not perfect though.
  - coldtea 6y ago
    >The connectivity has been one of the worst experiences i've had lol. Both in and out of Apple ecosystem. (...) I think it's primarily my laptop to be honest (2018 Macbook Pro) Not sure why, I have AirPods and then AirPods Pro with a late-2017 Macbook Pro and never had a problem. Ditto with 2 iPhone models...
- garmaine 6y ago
  Am I the only one for which my AirPods (first generation) have NEVER done this?
- andrei_says_ 6y ago
  The question for me is, why do the Apple iphone, computers, appleTV etc. not support the "just works" experience on non-Apple headphones? Bluetooth is supposed to be a standard, no? While I like the ergonomics, I'm wondering how much of the lack of it in non-apple headphones products is the result of Apple not fully supporting them and thus, monopolistic practices. Replacing the cable with (modified?) bluetooth technology allows distinguishing "our hardware" from "their hardware" and adjusting software to only support certain features. So, why would not apple devices only support these features on Apple headphones?
  - beisner 6y ago
    Bluetooth is a garbage standard riddled with decades of legacy support. Apple achieves the "just works" functionality with a proprietary chip and a proprietary protocol. Bluetooth still can't support simultaneous high-quality voice and audio.
    - hombre_fatal 6y ago
      I was shocked when I built a PC to play some games with friends and using a bluetooth headset switched everything to tape-recorder fidelity.
- valarauko 6y ago
  I get exactly this sort of functionality with my two (non-Apple) bluetooth headphones - the Jabra Elite 85T & the Sony XM4s. The Sony's can be paired with up to 8 devices, support two simultaneous device connections, and one active audio stream at a time. The experience is the same with the Jabras. I listen to podcasts on my iPhone, pause, and can seamlessly switch to Netflix on the iPad. It "just works".
  - corobo 6y ago
    What made you buy two different headphones?
    - Jochim 6y ago
      The Jabras are earbuds. The XM4 is a pair of over ear headphones. I'm not the parent but I typically use a cheap set of earbuds for exercise/active commuting and my over ear headphones while in the office or at home due to better comfort/noise cancellation/audio quality.
    - valarauko 6y ago
      Different use cases, mostly. The XM4s are over ear and have much better sound, but they're overkill for work (my workplace is fairly quiet, at least these days). The Jabras are a better fit for that. The XM4s were a bit of an impulse buy when I needed good ANC for my frequent Zoom calls while sharing an apartment with noisy family.
- deleted 6y ago
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- starfallg 6y ago
  Actually multi-point Bluetooth devices work just like that. They remain connected to 2 or more devices on the A2DP profile and switch to the source that's currently playing.
hardwaregeek 6y ago
I've bought at least 5 bluetooth headphones, ranging from cheap workout ones to Bose QuietComfort. None of them work well with multiple devices. Inevitably I have to disconnect my laptop because it's preventing my phone from playing audio. AirPods are the only one that works. I can have 3, 4 devices connected to my AirPods and it'll just work.
- deleted 6y ago
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oh_sigh 6y ago
I don't think that's true for wireless. I have a pair of bose qc 35s, but can't actually use them to watch general video content on my computer because of the 1/3rd second latency. If I can watch something on a player that lets me add video delay(like VLC), they work great, but not for youtube or web videos.
donor20 6y ago
It's amazing to me how many folks seem to have no clue about what folks value in the apple ecosystem. Call folks fanboys (I use windows / linux all day for my job by choice). Do your "solved problem" bluetooth headphones allow EASY audio sharing when the kid is sleeping and you want to watch something with your wife? These are two bluetooth devices on same audio stream. Does your solved problem bluetooth headphones RELIABLY connect to your current device (without having to unpaid with another device). That is game changing. The problem is, folks have listened to folks like you so many times and gotten BURNED so many times. Oh, it "should" work you say. Total BS at least 20% of the time. I won't buy the max'es because I have no need for something that nice. But the $159 for the airpods? Slam dunk. You should go back and listen to the criticism of the airpods when they came out - overpriced, stupid, whatever. Then check out sales numbers. Do that again with the apple watch maybe? Started slow, but I'm curious what their top competitor is by $ revenue - they have just improved and improved. Do that again with the ipod? Do that again with ballmer and the iphone? Do that again with the actually pretty cheap M1?
- violetgarden 6y ago
  I did not understand the Apple fans until I started using Apple for work stuff. One Apple product alone isn’t anything to write home about, but once you start getting more products, the eco system is above and beyond. Did you highlight a text field on the Apple TV? Your phone vibrates with a full screen keyboard at the ready. Little things like that make it a really nice experience that I haven’t seen other vendors match.
  - donor20 6y ago
    I just got an apple TV and I laughed when I saw that. Even better, your phone can act as the remote, your airpods can paid (I've heard) etc. Other than iphone I'm very late to apple's world, but as I get older, I just love that stuff works and I don't feel like I'm getting scammed every second.
    - lotsofpulp 6y ago
      You can even pair two different sets of AirPods now. Awesome if you have babies.
bayindirh 6y ago
Actually, as a both an Apple user and high-fidelity music lover, I'd happily pay $549, if and only if they sound comparable to the peers at this price point. If their fidelity is below its peers, all of the "just works" stuff goes to trash for me. I have a pair of entry level Philips BT headphones (designed by Gibson) and they sound well above its price point. It's no Sennheiser, Grado, RHA or similar but, they're not a pair of cheap cans either. So, for $549, they should rather sound detailed and balanced. Otherwise, It's meaningless for me.
sib301 6y ago
> This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Tell that to Bose. Their newest 700 model headphones are a UX/Connectivity nightmare. If not for the fact that the Sony noise cancelling headphones exist in the same price bracket, I could easily see myself going with a $500 pair of headphones that "just work".
- SulfurHexaFluri 6y ago
  I have the bose QC 35 and half the time I just plug them in with the cable when I give up trying to get them to connect.
  - sib301 6y ago
    This reminds me. With the 700s, you can't even charge your headphones while using them. They're junk
coldtea 6y ago
>This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Not to my experience...
diehunde 6y ago
> This has been a solved problem for like a decade. Yeah right. I spend hundreds of dollars in headphones when I want to upgrade and it's always the same crappy bluetooth experience. Not saying this will be better but that problem hasn't been solved yet.
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analog31 6y ago
In my view, having things "just work" is elusive and unpredictable. I've seen this in the workplace. You can have two workers with similar jobs, similar or even the same hardware and software tools. One person will constantly be cursing at their machine, running into indescribable hang-ups, and so forth. The other will just be cruising right along. You're tempted to suspect that the problems experienced by your one colleague are self inflicted, but you'd never suggest it out loud. The differences might be real, but due to a hidden cause. Or, some workers might be more "accident prone" when it comes to dealing with tech. I've even seen this with people who should be the most tech savvy: Good programmers. Regardless of the cause, imagine that someone discovers a market appeal to the effect of: "The problems are not your fault, we have stuff that just works." It's a safe bet that the message will resonate with X percent of people. That's a perfect market. And if Apple has discovered that market, we certainly can't dispute that they're successful -- possibly the most successful company on the planet. On the other hand, if you belong to the other group, and somebody can make a less expensive product that you're satisfied with, and it "just works" for you, then you're happy too. They can be successful too, even if on a modest scale. I'd take 10% of Apple's market. ;-) At one workplace, long ago, two of us were using Windows, and my colleague couldn't make it work at all, plus he sent me articles about Windows horror stories from magazines. I never had a problem. My friend ended up with Apple, and I kept using Windows. We were both happy.
the__alchemist 6y ago
Bluetooth connections aren't a solved problems; they're notoriously finicky! https://xkcd.com/2055/ https://xkcd.com/2055/
newbie2020 6y ago
Wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones are not a solved problem byfar. Every produce out there has some flaws.
00deadbeef 6y ago
Yeah and AirPods Pro are far from perfect. I can pair them with my TV but they don't support volume control over Bluetooth so I can't change their volume, they don't have an interface for it on the device. Meanwhile my Sony WH1000-XM3s work perfectly with my TV, including volume control, and work perfectly with everything else including my Apple devices. I don't have "connectivity issues" and battery life is 10hrs more than AirPods Max. They even included a stereo cable in the box to connect to the standard 3.5mm jack built-in to the headset, and they also came with a proper case to protect them when they're in my rucksack. All for £330 less than AirPods Max. It's amazing that people think AirPods Max will be the first ever good set of on-ear wireless headphones.
idkwhoiam 6y ago
Definitely not a solved problem. My bose qc35 II headphones constantly drop connection or connects to my ipad instead of my laptop. The sound quality is trash but I'm ok with that as I got them for active noise cancellation. ANC works great I must admit.
volta87 6y ago
I bought AIAIAI headphones decades ago, they work with all tech I use: I just plug them in, and they just work. No need to pair them with bluetooth, no nothing. Since they are modular, they also have been a breeze to upgrade and repair. Need different cables? Better microphone? Its 20$ to upgrade that part of the headphone. Want to add bluetooth support? Can do that as well. People buying and gifting pair of > 200$ headphones every year as if speakers are some kind of tech that gets outdated. If you really care about audio quality and the environment, just buy a good pair of upgradeable headphones. They'll last you your whole life.

dkonofalski 6y ago

Why would you say something like that when these Apple headphones are not at all aimed at people that want headphones that do the bare minimum job and nothing else? Comparing your $100 Sennheisers to these misses the point completely.

asldihgiyug 6y ago
What do these Apple headphones do that others don't? Perhaps maybe other than ecosystem lock?
- na85 6y ago
  They signal you have enough disposable income to buy them. It's like a Rolex you wear on your head. Edit: I'm not being facetious, this is an excellent move for Apple to make as it continues to pursue dominance in the luxury tech-wearables market.
  - runawaybottle 6y ago
    Not sure why you are being downvoted. This is obviously a real dynamic. Expensive tech gear is somewhat like an entry level luxury vehicle for the masses. You’re not seriously rich enough for a S-Class Benz, but you could live that aspiration via older model CLA. So yeah, not quite rich enough to buy a house in major cities, but hey, you can certainly splurge on this kind of stuff.
- binaryblitz 6y ago
  For me, the ability to switch between audio on all my devices instantly. Listening on my mac, answer a call on my iPhone automatically. I realize this is a niche use case, but would be really nice for me. The ability to just take them off and have them pause is icing on the cake as well. If other headphones have these features, I'm open to them.
  - whatevertrevor 6y ago
    My Jabra elites do both those things (multiple devices with instant switch on calls & auto pause with on-ear detection), and are much cheaper. The only thing they don't have is the adaptive EQ but the jury's still out on how much of that is just a marketing gimmick.

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TheBlerch 6y ago

They sound great - which model did you get?

mariushn 6y ago

Which one? (can't see an over-the-ear model here) https://en-us.sennheiser.com/bluetooth-headsets https://en-us.sennheiser.com/bluetooth-headsets

mr_coleman 6y ago
Go up a level. You want "Headphones" not "Headphones + Headsets".
moozilla 6y ago
I have a pair of the HD 4.50 BT, and they sound like the same one parent is describing. Cost around $100 on sale, battery lasts for days and I wear them 8 hrs a day for work and several hours after work listening to music or streaming video. Sound quality and active noise cancelling are both quite good for the price point. Only complaint I have is the built in microphone sounds terrible, and they always try to connect to my laptops as a headset.
- mariushn 6y ago
  Thanks for sharing! The microphone is quite important for calls.

_ph_ 6y ago

Of course you don't need to spend $500 to buy headphones that do their job. There are plenty of great headphones to buy. For me, I have some beats flex which are great for small portable phones which also are well integrated with the Apple devices. Before them, I had some nice Sennheiser wired phones. The promise of the Airpods Max is to be very high quality headphones, which are in that rough price range. On top of that the complete integration into the Apple universe and some nice functions like the spacial audio, which had been well received with the AirPods Pro. Which are much cheaper, if you are not aiming for the highest audio quality.

reaperducer 6y ago

You spend hours in a coffee shop? Are you in Australia?

hombre_fatal 6y ago
I do. Nobody is in there, it's an even better destination now.
- reaperducer 6y ago
  Interesting. The health department where I live does not permit people to sit in coffee shops for hours anymore.

erikbye 6y ago

If the audio quality would have been up to par, which it is not, $500 would be a bargain. Audeze LCD-4z owners laughing at $500 being touted as expensive. Although, they will last a lot longer.

patrickdavey 6y ago

Can you say what model you've got? I haven't yet bought Bluetooth buds but when my tatty current wired ones die I probably will. I'd been thinking about Jabra's but I'll take whatever is cheap and works ;)

wheels 6y ago

Honestly, the Anker Soundcore Q10s are great. I have two pairs of studio monitor headphones on my desk (Sony MDR-V6 and BeyerDynamic DT770s) and I'm usually too lazy to put them on because the Q10s are good enough for anything but detailed audio work. They're $40, and often on sale for $30. I returned a pair of $230 Sony WH-1000XM3s because Sony has jumped the shark in the bass wars and you couldn't get them to sound reasonable without EQing the source. The $30 Q10s literally sound better.

kranner 6y ago

Even $25 Sound Blaster JAMs tick all the boxes here. Battery lasts for days, ultra-reliable Bluetooth connection. The battery even stays at maximum capacity for years and the only thing that needs changing is the foam pads. I’ve gifted many of these to family over the years and they are all still working.

Obi_Juan_Kenobi 6y ago

Heck, even $40 true-wireless earbuds are now quite decent. They're reliable and sound quality is perfectly fine for what I want from it. Considering the tiny batteries make these disposable items, it's pretty compelling.

loco5niner 6y ago

You do not need to spend $100 dollars either.

bigbubba 6y ago

Yeah my sennheiser HD 4.40 seem to last a week or more on a charge, with several hours of use a day. This company hasn't disappointed me yet.

tomcam 6y ago

Model, please? Even though I did order the Apple headphones it’s always good to have a back up.

zwaps 6y ago

For what it is worth, I have the Sennheiser Momentum Bluetooth headset. I am an audio weirdo who used a lot of professional headphones over the years, and I like the Sennheiser sound. Too often have I been disappointed by "premium brands" that are not really in the business of designing headphone drivers and so their sound is subpar. These Sennheiser headphones switch sources automatically, they are made from metal and leather, they sound great, they have all the battery I need and, most importantly for me, they have actual buttons. After using other headphones without buttons, I can't tell you how much better I like that "feature". I think Apple can make headway with noise cancellation, battery and ergonomics. That will be enough for most people. However, for myself, I am most curious if they will actually sound good, especially given that their marketing quip on that topic is - well let's call it "more than a few empty phrases". Let's see!

DevoidSimo 6y ago

In fact the only bluetooth issue I've had with my Sennheisers is that the bluetooth driver in my mac will crash most days. Requiring a restart.

CamJN 6y ago

I have a pair of Sennheiser Momentum 3 (the cans not the buds) and every fucking time I use them, the audio gets stolen by some device making a notification sound, and then does not go back to the call/video/whatever I'm actually trying to listen to. I'd not call that just fine.