Plantronics Backbeat Sense Review | 93 Data compared

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense wireless stereo headphones are highly praised for their incredibly lightweight 140g design and innovative, patent-pending headband engineered to fit 99% of head sizes comfortably. The pillow-soft memory foam ear pads excel at enhancing the audio experience while naturally canceling out unwanted external noise. A standout feature is the integration of smart sensors that automatically pause music when the headphones are removed and fade the track back in when put back on, which successfully preserves battery life. Additionally, the headphones offer strong technical performance, supporting a Bluetooth range up to 100 meters away from a device alongside dual microphones for crystal-clear, high-definition voice calls. Despite these strong positives, the review highlights a notable design drawback: the headphones tend to slip forward out of position during use. Because there is no manual locking mechanism to secure them in place, this minor structural issue cannot be adjusted, though the reviewer notes it is easily forgotten due to the overall comfort. Retailing at £129, the headphones offer premium aesthetic appeal, featuring flat-folding capabilities for easy travel and shipping with a...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense wireless headphones, praised for their 140-gram weight and comfortable self-adjusting headband, offer a balanced sound profile and 18-hour battery life. Key features include useful on-ear controls and smart sensors that pause audio when removed. While offering great sound for daily use, drawbacks include a non-folding design that limits portability and a lack of heavy bass for users looking for a punchy low-end. Additionally, the proximity sensors can sometimes misfire, and occasional audio lag may occur when switching devices.

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense wireless headphones offer a highly comfortable, functional design and a lightweight build weighing only 140 grams. Equipped with unique smart wireless capabilities, the headphones automatically pause streaming audio when removed and resume playback when put back on. This Class 1 Bluetooth device boasts an exceptional connectivity range of up to 100 meters, dual-device pairing, and a solid 18-hour battery life supported by a five-LED power indicator. The audio delivery is crisp and clear across gaming, movies, and music, while an integrated microphone allows users to easily pick up phone calls or listen to their external surroundings. Despite these stellar features, the review notes a few minor downsides. While the sound quality is generally excellent with minimal distortion, it exhibits slightly more noticeable audio issues specifically during tracks featuring heavy bass. Additionally, the built-in ambient listening feature, while technically functional, has no clear intended purpose or utility according to the reviewer. Overall, the package remains highly valued at its $249 AUD price point, particularly given that the headphones can still be used passively with an included 3.5mm...

The Plantronics Backbeat Sense are lightweight, stylish wireless on-ear headphones (MSRP $179.99) that offer a remarkably comfortable, floating fit with soft leather ear cups, avoiding the painful clamping common to many on-ears. They deliver fantastic, well-rounded audio performance featuring a vast stereo field and excellent clarity in the mid and high frequencies without drowning the mix in excessive bass. Additional pros include an impressive wireless range of 90–100 feet, solid sound isolation that beats out several over-ear models in leakage tests, a respectable 15–20 hour battery life, and a quick two-hour recharge time. However, the headphones are held back by notable design and hardware flaws. A primary con is a loose-fitting volume knob wrapping around the left ear cup that physically rattles and creates an annoying knocking sound whenever the user walks or shifts in a chair. Furthermore, the built-in smart sensors—designed to automatically pause and resume music when the headphones are removed or put on—are highly inconsistent and often require a finicky manual reset. The physical playback buttons on the ear cup are equally unreliable, frequently registering the button...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a lightweight and compact pair of on-ear wireless headphones designed as a smaller, more portable alternative to the bulkier BackBeat Pro. Constructed mostly of plastic with a flexible metal-framed headband, the contemporary design offers a comfortable, slightly loose fit suitable for casual use and workouts. It features unique physical controls, such as a twisting outer ring on the left ear cup for volume adjustments, alongside standard track controls. Smart sensors instantly pause music when the headphones are removed, and a robust Class 1 Bluetooth connection successfully maintains range up to 50 feet indoors. Additionally, the proprietary "OpenMic" feature utilizes external microphones to amplify surrounding sounds, allowing users to converse without removing the headset. While the device offers rich functionality, its audio quality is a primary drawback, leaning toward a flat, neutral tone that lacks crispness and exhibits indistinct highs at maximum volume. The accompanying Plantronics Hub mobile application is also heavily criticized for being overly basic and providing little utility beyond a battery indicator. In terms of battery performance, the headphones delivered a solid 15...

The Sound and Vision review highlights the Plantronics BackBeat SenseGo as a user-friendly, lightweight (140 grams) wireless headphone, offering exceptional comfort via memory-foam earcups and a natural, balanced sound profile ideal for rock and pop. Key advantages include practical smart sensors that pause audio upon removal and a dedicated button to activate external microphones for hearing surrounding environments. Sound & VisionConversely, the review notes the bass may be too restrained for fans of heavy dance music, and the design does not allow for folding, requiring the use of the included pouch. Furthermore, the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) limits its isolation performance in loud,, high-transit environments.

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the Plantronics BackBeat Sense highlights these on-ear wireless headphones as an exceptionally lightweight and comfortable option featuring smart sensors that automatically pause and resume audio. The device offers a bright, punchy, and well-balanced sound profile, making them versatile for various musical genres. However, the review notes that the smart sensor technology can be inconsistent, occasionally failing to pause music when the headphones are around the neck. Additionally, the audio performance lacks the deep, muscular bass preferred by some listeners, providing a more restrained sound compared to competitors.

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a highly commendable pair of wireless on-ear headphones praised for their lightweight build, extreme comfort, and street-wise aesthetic. It features an appealing design with a stainless steel headband that rests on a flexible, leatherette-coated rubber strap rather than the user's head directly, making it highly wearable for hours on end. Performance-wise, the headphones deliver a full, accurate, and well-balanced sound presentation across various genres, supported by intuitive, universally compatible button controls on the ear cups and handy smart sensors that automatically pause or route audio when taken off. Additionally, it boasts exceptional call quality, an incredibly stable Bluetooth signal, and an impressive battery life that easily matches or exceeds its rated 18 hours. Despite its strengths, the review notes a few minor drawbacks, primarily that the ear cups do not fold into the headband, which slightly limits its overall portability. Furthermore, listeners who prefer a heavy bass response might find the sound signature lacking an extra "oomph". While the headphones passive-isolating ear pads do a surprisingly good job of suppressing about 50% of outside noise,...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is evaluated as an excellent, competitively priced pair of on-ear wireless headphones that offers strong mid-range performance. Weighing just 140 grams, they feature a slim metal headband and a comfortable, lightweight design that does not overly pinch the ears or catch on clothing. In terms of audio performance, the review highlights their surprisingly crisp, punchy, and well-balanced bass alongside good clarity in the mid-range and high-end. Additionally, they boast an impressive battery life of roughly 18 hours from a two-hour charge, an integrated physical power switch, a multi-device connection capability to link a phone and tablet simultaneously, and an external microphone button that feeds ambient sounds into the earpieces so you can hear traffic or announcements. Despite these strong features, the review highlights a few notable drawbacks to consider. The headphones offer poor ambient noise isolation, meaning users must crank up the volume to block out loud external sounds like screeching train wheels. The "Sense" proximity system—which is built into the ear pad to automatically pause and play music when the headphones are taken off or...

PCMag rates the Plantronics BackBeat Sense wireless headphonesGo 4.0 out of 5 ("Excellent"), praising their exceptionally lightweight, comfortable design and strong audio performance with satisfying bass. The headphones offer solid battery life and a good selection of accessories, delivering a rich sound experience for daily use. PCMagThe review notes that the sound signature overemphasizes lows and highs at the expense of high-mids, which may affect accuracy, and finds the included carrying pouch somewhat awkward to use. Despite these minor cons regarding sound balance and packaging, the headset is lauded for its comfort and overall quality.

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a lightweight, 140-gram on-ear wireless Bluetooth headphone that balances comfort, performance, and an extensive feature set for under $200 USD. It features memory-foam earpads, a self-adjusting metal headband frame, and an intelligent smart sensor that automatically pauses music when removed and resumes playback when put back on. Operating on Bluetooth v4.0 with AptX support, it allows dual-device connectivity and boosts an indoor wireless range of 50–60 feet. Users can navigate playback easily via intuitive on-ear cup controls, a volume ring, and a dedicated "open microphone" button that pulls in outside ambient noise. Additionally, it offers a solid 18-hour battery life and serves as an excellent dual-microphone headset for voice calls. The primary drawback of the BackBeat Sense is its restrained low-end performance, which lacks the heavy, plumper bass response that hip-hop and techno music enthusiasts might prefer. It also lacks active noise cancellation, a feature found on the brand's more expensive enterprise models. While it connects smoothly to Apple iMacs, users cannot advance or reverse tracks using the built-in headphone buttons on that specific platform....

The Plantronics BackBeat SENSE are lightweight, on-ear wireless headphones that offer a comfortable, highly flexible fit thanks to their self-adjusting memory foam headband and light weight of under 5 ounces. They feature a very balanced, natural sound profile that handles bass well without overhyping the frequencies, alongside excellent voice clarity for tracks. Users will appreciate the convenience of physical controls—including rewind, play/pause, and skip buttons—directly on the earcups, as well as an incredible battery life that easily lasts through a week of 1-to-2-hour daily commutes, maintaining its charge exceptionally well during standby periods. However, the headphones do have a few notable drawbacks. While the volume is decent for most music, it lacks the punch and loudness that some listeners might desire on certain tracks. Additionally, the physical build does not fold or collapse in any way, meaning they require permanent space in a bag or must rest around the user's neck when not in use. Priced at $179.99 and available in black/espresso or tan/white colorways, they are a solid mid-range option for those prioritizing comfort and battery over thunderous bass...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a lightweight, comfortable pair of supra-aural (on-ear) wireless headphones designed as a budget-friendly competitor to the Beats Solo 2. Utilizing Bluetooth 4.0, these headphones prioritize clear, distinct midrange and treble frequencies, making them ideal for modern music, though they lack a heavily punchy or boomy bass response. The design stands out for its highly intuitive control system localized on the left earpiece—including a dedicated ring for volume control, track navigation, and a unique red button that temporarily patches in external ambient sound via its microphones. Additionally, they feature smart neck sensors that successfully pause music about 70 percent of the time when removed, alongside a reliable 18-hour battery life that functions equally well and sounds identical when wired via the included 3.5mm backup cable. Despite scoring a strong overall rating of 4.2, the review highlights several distinct functional limitations. On the downside, the BackBeat Sense lacks active noise cancellation, relying entirely on the passive physical padding of the ear cups to muffle outside noise. Portability is also hindered because the frame lacks hinges to fold...

The Plantronics BackBeat SENSE is a lightweight, on-ear Bluetooth headset that excels in comfort and smart functionality. Weighing only 140 grams, it is significantly more portable than its predecessor, the BackBeat PRO, making it ideal for long-term wear and travel. Key features include smart sensors that automatically pause music when the headphones are removed and resume playback when put back on, as well as a 100-meter Bluetooth range. The battery life is impressive, offering up to 18 hours of wireless streaming and a DeepSleep mode that maintains a charge for up to six months. In terms of performance, the audio quality is well-balanced with a subtle but strong bass that does not overwhelm the vocals or instruments. However, the review notes a few trade-offs for its compact design. Pros: Exceptional comfort due to the lightweight headband, useful OpenMic feature for hearing surroundings, dual-device pairing, and a high-quality travel pouch with dedicated cable storage. Cons: The most notable omission is the lack of active noise cancelling (ANC), and while the leather pads provide decent passive isolation, they may not satisfy those...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a lightweight, feature-packed set of on-ear wireless headphones that balances clever design with immense utility. Weighing only 4.9 ounces, they provide exceptional comfort for extended listening sessions by separating the cushioned protein leather-covered memory foam from the flexible steel headband, which evenly distributes weight and pressure. Key pros include an impressive Class 1 Bluetooth range capable of reaching up to 330 feet and navigating multiple walls, a robust 18-hour battery life, and fast, low-latency audio transmission perfect for watching videos. They also boast highly intuitive physical controls, dual-device pairing, smart sensors that automatically pause music when taken off, and an "Open Mic" button that activates external microphones to amplify ambient sound. Audio performance delivers solid clarity across genres with minimal distortion even at max volume, presenting crisp highs and punchy, deep lows via a balanced, energetic u-shaped sound signature. However, the review highlights several cons, such as the physical frame transmitting touch-related noises directly into the ears when adjusted. Additionally, the ambient sound isolation is only average, failing to fully block out noisy environments, and...

This review compares two lightweight, on-ear Bluetooth headphones tailored for travelers: the premium Plantronics BackBeat Sense ($180) and the budget-friendly Motorola Moto Pulse ($60). The BackBeat Sense excels in comfort and usability, featuring memory foam ear cups, a flexible metal band, clear internal "L/R" markings, and highly intuitive rim-based controls. It is packed with smart features, including a smart sensor that auto-pauses music when removed, an ambient mic button to hear external surroundings, and a battery life that supports up to 18 hours of streaming alongside a long-lasting "Deep Sleep" standby mode. In terms of audio, it delivers clean, detailed sound with satisfactory bass. However, its drawbacks include minor audio stuttering during initial device reconnection, a lack of active noise cancellation, and a slightly tinny sound profile during phone calls. In contrast, the Moto Pulse serves as a strong low-cost alternative, offering surprisingly clean sound, a punchy bass line that outperforms its price point, and a highly impressive microphone that provides clearer call quality than the pricier Sense. It shares the same 18-hour battery capacity and offers a flat-folding design...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a lightweight (140g) on-ear Bluetooth headphone featuring a comfortable, self-adjusting headband, memory foam cups, and smart sensors that pause audio when removed. Key pros include an 18-hour battery life, robust dual-device connectivity, and a clear, balanced sound profile, making them ideal for commuting. YouTube· Cons include a lack of deep, punchy bass for listeners preferring a heavy low-end. Furthermore, these headphones rely on passive noise isolation rather than active noise cancellation (ANC), and some users may experience minor smart sensor errors or walking vibrations.

The Gear Diary review strongly praises the Plantronics BackBeat Sense wireless headphonesGo for their incredibly small, lightweight, and comfortable design that allows for hours of continuous wear. The device offers outstanding wireless range, phenomenal battery life, and clear, powerful audio quality. Gear DiaryHowever, the review highlights that the primary compromise for this compact form factor is a complete lack of active noise cancellation, relying only on the passive isolation of the plush ear cups. Despite the absence of active technology, they are highly recommended for their exceptional comfort and sound.

The Plantronics BackBeat SENSE is a highly lightweight, feature-packed wireless headset that retains many functionalities of the bulkier BackBeat PRO while ditching active noise cancellation (ANC) and NFC pairing. Its standout pros include an innovative dual-mechanism headband that provides a weightless fit, an automatic music-pausing sensor when removed, and a strong 18-hour battery life. Additionally, it features an OpenMic mode to hear surroundings, dual Bluetooth device connectivity, and flexible audio options that allow you to listen via a wireless connection or a wired setup with or without power. On the downside, the headset suffers from several performance and material cons. The auto-pause feature is overly sensitive, cutting off music during minor headset adjustments. The rubbery earcup control buttons act as dust magnets and risk becoming sticky over time. Furthermore, its OpenMic mode mutes all audio streams unlike the BackBeat PRO, and the on-ear design fails to isolate ambient noise, which compromises deep sound immersion. Sound profiles also vary drastically by connection; wireless use brightens the treble but recesses the bass, whereas unpowered wired play offers a more neutral, less processed...

The Plantronics BackBeat Sense is a highly capable pair of on-ear wireless headphones that balances impressive audio performance with lightweight, premium materials. Weighing just 140 grams, they feature pillow-soft memory foam ear pads covered in luxurious leather and a strong, adjustable aluminium frame designed for long-lasting comfort. Key highlights include an exceptional Advanced Class 1 Bluetooth range of up to 100 metres and smart sensors that automatically pause your music when the headphones are removed. Additionally, the internal dynamic drivers provide a balanced frequency range with solid bass, complemented by an 18-hour battery life and an energy-saving deep sleep hibernation mode. Pros and Cons Pros: Extremely lightweight at 140g, comfortable memory foam padding, an expansive 100-metre Bluetooth range, intuitive auto-pause sensors, and a deep sleep mode that preserves battery for six months. Cons: These headphones completely lack active noise cancellation (ANC), relying entirely on the physical fit of the ear pads for passive noise isolation.