Bang & Olufsen’s latest Beoplay E8 fully wireless earbuds offer top sound and comfort – TechCrunch

Bang & Olufsen has an excellent reputation for home audio, and its original Beoplay E8 fully wireless headphones were the leaders in the category when there was hardly a category that could be managed. The company recently launched the third version of the E8, a new generation of hardware that offers a number of improvements for better audio quality and convenience, including wireless charging, up to seven hours of continuous operation on a single charge, and the latest Bluetooth – Standards for improved audio quality, operating distance and latency.

The latest wireless headset from B&O is therefore a must for lovers of sound quality. It offers comfort and portability all day long, excellent passive sound insulation and rich, sophisticated audio performance that reproduces the low-end well, but without sacrificing details even at higher frequencies.

design

The design of the actual Beoplay E8 buds hasn’t changed significantly since the original version – but in this case that’s a very good thing, as the original design has remained one of my absolute favorites for fully wireless in-ear buds. You get a small, slim bud with a rounded face and touch-sensitive surfaces for manual control.

However, B&O has made some minor updates to the design, including removing an irregular nub that sticks out of the otherwise circular sides of the original, and a once silver metallic metallic accent on the black version I’ve tested. The band on the face now has a shiny black finish. The overall effect is to make them even more reserved and attractive.

While the originals also offered a good fit, it seems that when I use B & O, it has also improved the physical design on this scale. While I occasionally had to reinsert one or the other bud to get a proper noise isolating seal, the E8 3rd Gen only seems to fit properly once it’s in place, no matter how long you wear it.

The last thing to mention in terms of design is the case. It’s both smaller and handier than the original case, but also includes wireless charging, so you can drop it on any Qi-based wireless charging pad (the same type that with modern iPhones and Android Devices) and let it both charge the case, which contains additional battery capacity for the buds (which increases the total playing time up to 35 hours per B&O), as well as the buds themselves. The case is wrapped with a silica leather finish that feels fantastic, and a magnetic clasp ensures it stays closed during transportation. Magnets also help you ensure that your buds are properly seated in the case to be charged.

performance

The first point about the third generation Beoplay E8 is that they sound fantastic. In almost every way, they’re the best sounding wireless earbuds I’ve used, including the AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000MX3, both popular options. The E8 creates sound separation and clarity that even hardcore audiophiles will like, and they sound great no matter what kind of music you listen to, but they are characterized by high quality, lossless recording formats.

The Beoplay E8 are also excellent performers when it comes to sound insulation. They don’t have active noise cancellation, but their passive blocking is extremely good at keeping out ambient noise. So much so that it’s good that B&O includes a transparency feature (accessible by tapping the left earbud) to guide ambient noise. This is ideal if you want to get to know your surroundings better. Soundproofing and comfort are even better when you use the included Comply Memory Foam earplugs that come with the Beoplay E8. This is an excellent bonus as Comply tips generally require an additional purchase for almost all other earphones.

The E8 is also a great headset for making calls, thanks to built-in microphones that deliver clear vocals that are largely free of background noise. And because they both have aptX and use Bluetooth 5.1, they are also great for watching videos and answering video calls on mobile devices and computers without any delay.

Bottom line

Bang & Olufsen make premium products and they come with premium price tags – at $ 350, the Beoplay E8 3rd Gen is no exception. But for this money you get first-class workmanship, great aesthetics and first-class sound. For those who want the best possible audio in fully wireless buds, these are the ones to get. They’re great for a day-to-day work-at-home lifestyle, and they offer excellent mobility and sound transparency so you can take them with you on the go.