Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 Review | 93 Data compared

The RTINGS review classifies the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 (2016) as a versatile, above-average headset featuring a durable build, excellent battery life, and a bass-rich, balanced audio profile. Key strengths include an intuitive physical control scheme, long wireless range, and superior comfort for casual, daily usage. Conversely, the headphones suffer from only average active noise cancellation (ANC), which lags behind top competitors. Other drawbacks include a bulky design that is unstable for intense exercise and a non-folding frame that limits portability.

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 wireless headphones offer an impressive, budget-friendly alternative to high-end models like the Bose QC35, featuring an ergonomic oval design and solid build quality. On the positive side, they boast an exceptional 24-hour battery life, excellent Bluetooth connectivity, intuitive physical controls, and an auto-pause feature that stops music when they are removed. Acoustically, they deliver a punchy, rounded bass that sounds great with electronic and rock music without being muddied or muffled by the active noise cancellation. However, the headphones have a few notable drawbacks. Their heavy-bass sound profile lacks balance, making classical music sound dull and hollow, which will deter purists seeking a neutral audio experience. Furthermore, they do not fold up for compact storage and are bulky to travel with, their passive noise isolation is weak enough that you can still hear nearby conversations, and the active noise cancelling struggles with sudden, sharp sounds like a ringing phone.

The Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 over-ear headphones are a feature-packed, budget-friendly alternative to premium models like the Bose Quietcomfort 35, costing roughly £80 less. Key advantages of these headphones include an impressively large and wide soundstage that delivers an immersive listening experience, a fairly smooth sound profile across the mid and treble ranges, and a highly robust 24-hour battery life. Additionally, they are loaded with high-utility features, such as smart sensors that automatically pause audio when removed, an ambient mic awareness mode, reliable Bluetooth aptX signal quality, and generous physical padding that ensures high wearing comfort. However, the headphones suffer from design flaws and poor acoustic tuning that ultimately drag down their performance. Visually, the busy earcups feature a cluttered mix of fake wood, dotted plastic, metal grilles, and chiseled contours. Their core functionality is heavily hindered by active noise cancellation that is only moderately effective compared to top competitors, leaving low-frequency environmental hums audible. Most critically, the sound quality is severely compromised by unchecked, overblown bass that is slow, heavy, and soft. This overcooked low-end creates a mid-bass cloud...

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 describes the over-ear wireless headphones as a feature-packed option offering exceptional value for money at approximately £200. The headset is lauded for producing a smooth, detailed soundstage, along with a robust 24-hour battery life and smart, automatic pause sensors. Despite these strengths, the review notes that the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is inconsistent compared to premium rivals, and the lower register struggles with definition during heavy bass scenarios. Nevertheless, it is characterized as a top-tier, cost-effective alternative for daily use.

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 headphones deliver incredible value for travelers, balancing robust feature offerings with excellent performance at an affordable $200 price point. Redesigned to be lighter and less bulky than their predecessor, they feature an exceptional 24-hour battery life, multi-point Bluetooth pairing, and a smart open-mic mode that pauses music to let ambient sound in. While the active noise cancellation (ANC) and sound stage do not quite reach the premium heights of competitors like Bose or Sony, the ANC effectively muffles harsh transit noises, such as jet engines, without degrading the audio quality. However, the headphones come with a few notable drawbacks, starting with an eclectic dark brown aesthetic featuring cheap-looking fake wood accents and glaring silver mesh rings that may polarize users. Sonically, the default audio profile delivers an amiable sound that is heavily bass-heavy, which can occasionally overwhelm the mid-tones and muffle the highs, though this can be tamed by using them in wired mode. Additionally, audiophiles may notice a slight background hiss when ANC is active without music playing, and the package replaces a premium...

The CNET review of the $200 Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2Go highlights the wireless, over-ear headphones as a high-value alternative to premium competitors, featuring a 35% slimmer and 15% lighter design compared to the previous model. Key strengths include robust, well-balanced sound quality, a 24-hour battery life, extensive 100-meter Bluetooth range, and effective active noise cancellation. Conversely, while the active noise cancellation is solid, it does not match the superior performance of top-tier rivals like Bose or Sony. Additional considerations include a somewhat plain aesthetic with polarizing faux-wood accents, limited folding capabilities, and a included cloth pouch rather than a hard carrying case.

The Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2 wireless, over-ear headphones earn an outstanding 4.5 out of 5 rating for delivering high-end features at a highly affordable price point of $199. Designed with a retro brown color scheme, they are sleeker, slimmer, and more comfortable than the original model, utilizing an oblong earpad design and automatic wear-detection sensors. Performance-wise, the headphones feature robust 24-hour battery life and an "Open Listening" mode that transparently pipes in outside sounds via built-in microphones. They deliver clean, well-balanced audio across various musical genres, demonstrating a powerful capability to reproduce deep, rumbly bass synth notes at maximum volumes without any audio distortion. The primary strength of the BackBeat PRO 2 lies in its exceptional value, matching solid active noise cancellation with excellent sound quality for nearly half the price of high-end competitors. In terms of cons, the active noise cancellation technology is merely capable at dampening street or subway noise, meaning it is not quite on par with the absolute elimination of outside noise offered by the Bose QuietComfort 35. Additionally, the retail package includes only a micro...

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 wireless headphones offer exceptional value at a $299 price point, combining a rich feature set with high-end performance usually reserved for much costlier models. The audio profile is impressively balanced and clear across various genres like pop, rock, and jazz, delivering a solid, warm punch to the bass without shattering the overall song structure. Standout capabilities include a highly effective Bluetooth Multipoint implementation for seamless dual-device switching, an "open mic" ambient mode to hear surroundings, and smart sensors that automatically pause music when the headphones are removed. Additionally, they boast an excellent 24-hour battery life backed by "DeepSleep" power-saving technology and include a convenient plush carrying case. Despite these strengths, the headphones come with a few notable drawbacks, starting with a bulky, less attractive design featuring textured plastic and faux-wood accents that will not appeal to fashion-conscious users. The accompanying mobile application is highly bare-bones and virtually useless, lacking important customization settings. While the active noise cancellation is a handy addition, it falls short of the adaptive, total crowd-muting capabilities found in premium competitors. Users...

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 wireless, noise-canceling headphones offer an exceptional feature set and strong value for money at their $199 price point. Key pros include an impressive 24-hour battery life, robust Bluetooth connectivity with aptX support that matches wired audio quality, and smart sensors that automatically pause music when the headphones are removed. They also feature an open-mic mode to hear surroundings, earcups that rotate inward for neck comfort, and an exhaustive array of on-ear physical controls. In terms of audio performance, they deliver high clarity in the treble and mid-sections with well-reproduced, balanced bass that avoids being overly loud or muddy. However, the headphones do come with minor trade-offs and cons resulting from Plantronics' effort to lower the price tag. The overall sound profile can be overly bright and aggressive, making sparse, acoustic live recordings or harsh vocals difficult to listen to comfortably at higher volumes. Additionally, the active noise cancellation leaves a faint background humming sound and fails to completely block out external voices. Physical compromises include a flimsier included cable lacking a remote, a less premium...

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 is a wireless, noise-cancelling over-ear headphone model designed as a slimmed-down, lighter, and more elegantly designed successor to the original 2014 version. Priced attractively at around $200/€200, the headphones boast a premium aesthetic with brown protein leather inserts and faux wood details, catering heavily to a sophisticated consumer or business look. It stands out for its high usability and robust smart features, including a 24-hour battery life, multi-device pairing, and on-ear sensors that automatically pause music when the headset is removed. Sound-wise, the headphones feature a consumer-friendly tuning characterized by powerful, punchy bass, clear mids, and smooth treble, making them highly enjoyable for modern, bass-heavy genres like pop and electronic music. However, the headphones suffer from a severe lack of passive isolation, which significantly diminishes the overall effectiveness of its active noise-cancelling feature. Because outside noise flows in freely, environmental sounds remain highly audible and are merely muffled rather than blocked, rendering features like the "open mic" mode mostly useless. In terms of audio performance, discerning listeners may dislike the recessed midrange, compressed dynamic range,...

The SoundGuys review highlights the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 as a high-value, feature-rich wireless headset boasting an outstanding 24-hour battery life, comfortable fit, and convenient smart sensors that pause audio when removed. Key advantages include an impressive wireless range and an "open mic" feature for ambient sound awareness, offering premium functionality at a competitive price point. Conversely, the review notes a dominant, over-emphasized low-end that can result in a muddy sound profile and reduced clarity in the lower-mids. While functional, the active noise cancellation is less effective than top-tier rivals, and the ear cup controls require a learning curve to avoid accidental inputs.