Around this time last year, the maker of sound gear for NASA released a pair of tiny in-earphones that could talk with your smartphone or tablet and deliver comfortable audio without the tangle. Now, Plantronics is doing it again, updating the Go to make them better than ever.
Announced this week and heading to stores from early September, the second version of the Plantronics BackBeat Go – now called the “Go 2” – upgrades last year’s wireless in-earphones with better speaker drivers, increased battery life, redesigned ear tips, and more.
Spending time with the earphones this afternoon, we can see that Plantronics hasn’t spent too much time changing the look of the Go, switching the colour scheme to a two tone and giving a slight bevel to the tips, but still keeping the basic design intact.
The remote has changed slightly, though, with the silicone build switching to a more physical plastic that’s easier to press, and we’re told the earphone construction has changed too, replacing the previous 4mm driver with a better 6mm one.
Other things have changed too, such as the support of a new codec for better sound, a battery saving mode called “DeepSleep” that will keep the remaining charge when powered down for up to six months, and a mesh that protects the driver from the perils of earwax flakes because apparently that is an issue earphones need to worry about.
Sweat protection by way of P2i water resistance – essentially a hydrophobic nano-coating – is still here, and as such, Plantronics is calling these earphones “sweat proof,” so you shouldn’t have any problems running, jogging, or working out hard with them.
We’ll have a full review of the BackBeat Go 2 shortly, but a quick play with them while walking through the city this week revealed a much stronger bass performance than last year’s model, with a decent balance when play with funk and rock tracks.
Plantronics will also be making a version of the earphones available with a small carrying pouch that also comes with a backup battery, useful if you want to charge the earphones while you’re in transit.
The BackBeat Go 2 will be in stores from September for $99.95 in either black or white, or with the case for $129.95.
