Optus Mobile Review ALDI Mobile Review Amaysim Mobile Review Belong Mobile Review Circles.Life Review Vodafone Mobile Review Woolworths Mobile Review Felix Mobile Review Best iPhone Plans Best Family Mobile Plans Best Budget Smartphones Best Prepaid Plans Best SIM-Only Plans Best Plans For Kids And Teens Best Cheap Mobile Plans Telstra vs Optus Mobile Optus NBN Review Belong NBN Review Vodafone NBN Review Superloop NBN Review Aussie BB NBN Review iiNet NBN Review MyRepublic NBN Review TPG NBN Review Best NBN Satellite Plans Best NBN Alternatives Best NBN Providers Best Home Wireless Plans What is a Good NBN Speed? Test NBN Speed How to speed up your internet Optus vs Telstra Broadband ExpressVPN Review CyberGhost VPN Review NordVPN Review PureVPN Review Norton Secure VPN Review IPVanish VPN Review Windscribe VPN Review Hotspot Shield VPN Review Best cheap VPN services Best VPN for streaming Best VPNs for gaming What is a VPN? VPNs for ad-blocking However, if there’s one thing that’s defined the last 10 years in audio, it’s the shift to wireless technologies. True wireless isn’t replacing the traditional wired experience (yet) but the growing interest in wire-free solutions has resulted in a focus on the evolution of Bluetooth technology and compact battery solutions. In short, aesthetics and acoustics will only get you so far. So as we edge closer to the end of the decade, let’s see if B&O has managed to keep up with the true wireless trend in our Beoplay E8 2.0 review. I’ve found that no matter how I tailor the settings, the Beoplay E8 2.0s don’t seem to have much oomph in the low-range. Tracks with punchier bass and synth feel a little underwhelming. There’s something missing here that holds the Beoplay E8 2.0 earbuds back from reaching the levels that Sony and Sennheiser have managed to achieve in the true wireless space. So how does that sound? Well, the best practical example I can give is what it’s like to listen to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe with the Beoplay E8 2.0 earbuds. CJR’s angelic vocals and the big anticipatory ‘whoosh’ that bridges the chorus sound phenomenal. But the thumping, adrenaline-pumping kick drum feels muted. The overall listening experience is just a little unbalanced. If you’re into your EDM or require some hearty synth to get you through a workout, it’s hard to recommend B&O’s otherwise stellar buds. None of this is helped by the lack of any kind of noise cancellation. There’s an intimacy to using Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless or Sony’s WF-1000XM3; noise-cancelling earbuds that do a great job of replicating the isolated audio experience of using over-ear headphones. Despite the Beoplay E8 2.0’s ‘commute’ mode, there are much better buds when it comes to blocking out noise. There are five colours available: Indigo Blue, Pink, Black, Natural and Limestone (the earbuds we reviewed). Some people like to stand out. And if you’re forking out nearly $500 for a pair of headphones, there’s absolutely no shame in wanting people to notice. If that’s your preference, you might want to opt for the Indigo Blue or Black or even something with a little brighter, like Bose’s colourful SoundSport Free range. In our tests so far, the Beoplay E8 2.0s have managed those numbers with ease. That tops the Sennheiser Momentum’s 12-hour battery life and with a design that’s just as compact. It doesn’t touch Sony’s top-tier 24-hour battery life but then again, not many buds do. For context, here are the Beoplay E8 2.0 touch controls: I do have one criticism specific to the Beoplays E8 2.0s, however. They’re just a touch too sensitive. So often I’ll try for a single-tap command but if my hands are a little shaky or I’m on the move, the Beoplay E8 2.0s will pick it up as a double or triple tap. Then there’s the motion sensor that’s meant to detect when you’ve removed and replaced an earbud. Many true wireless earbuds use an IR sensor to achieve pausing and playing your audio when it detects your skin. The motion sensor method is just nowhere near as reliable. It works so rarely, I’ve just given up on it and will pause and play my music straight from my phone instead. Not the most ideal true wireless experience. The Bang and Olufsen companion app has an option to increase ambient sound via the Beoplay’s external pickup mic but the quality using that method is muddy as hell. It has a cloudy, underwater feeling and I’ve found it to be more distraction than it’s worth when trying to have a conversation while wearing the buds.
