The trend in technology nowadays is going wireless and this has transcended over to our listening devices. Wireless listening devices are just much more compact and convenient since they take up little space due to the lack of a cord that connects to your phone. Having wireless listening devices also mean that you don’t have to worry about untangling your headset when you take it out of your pocket. This is the future that we are heading to when it comes to our listening experience.
The BOSE SoundSport Wireless and the Jaybird X3 are two of the best android wireless headsets in terms of build quality, sound quality, connectivity and price. They have unique features that can cater to different niches in the sound market. Today, we’re going to compare them side-by-side to know which one would best suit to your listening needs.
Table of Contents
1. Packaging and Design
The packaging of your device serves as the first impression when you see it on the shelves of electronic stores. It just makes it more eye-catching and presentable.
The black foldable magnetic boxes that come with these devices are very snappy and lock in really well. They both come with different sized ear buds, a carrier, and their own respective charging devices. When you open the boxes, you will immediately see the headsets covered in plastic tops that outline their forms. When you unload the plastic tops, underneath, you will find the different accessories.
BOSE Sound Sport Wireless
The BOSE SoundSport Wireless come in a black magnetic box with a foldable sleeve that contain important information about the product’s such as the different functions and features, reminders, certifications (for water and sweat resistance) and as such. The Bose Sound Sport box has a vibrant and sporty feel with its bright blue and black colours (depending on what colour you are going to get) If you are very sporty and outgoing, the Bose SoundSport Wireless is the perfect fit for you because of its “Stay Here Tips” that help keep the buds in your ear while allowing ambient sounds to come in while you’re jogging or biking.
JayBird X3
The Jaybird X3 opted for a more elegant and minimalist look with a gold and white theme. It also comes in a black magnetic box with a foldable sleeve that contain important information about the product’s such as the different functions and features, reminders, certifications (for water and sweat resistance) and as such. If you’re the type who likes to isolate yourself in a crowded area and has a high regard for aesthetic, then you should go with the JayBird X3.
2. Sound Quality and Capabilities
When it comes to wireless listening devices, the most important thing really is the quality of the sound while you are using it.
BOSE SoundSport Wireless
The Bose SoundSport Wireless offers clear and rich quality sound. Bass is very punchy without distortion. Mids are smooth and buttery to the ears. Lows are decent, but at this point, you start to notice the decrease in bass.
The sound is very clear and accurate and the dynamic volume optimizer helps you choose the sound profile that would best suit your preference. However the default sound profile should be sufficient enough for casual users.
It’s a good listening experience with any genre of music. So, whether you like listening to the smooth crooning of Norah Jones or the heavy-hitting classics of Linkin’ Park, the Bose SoundSport Wireless will be a great listening companion.
The SoundSport Wireless can be very loud as well. This is to compensate for the fact that its design does not completely isolate ambient sounds; the loudness makes it an immersive listening experience.
Going to crowded and loud places such as the gym or the mall will be a challenge for the Bose SoundSport Wireless. Since the ear buds are not designed to isolate noise 100%, you can hear a lot of background noise such as cars passing by or weights plummeting to the floor, which might cause your listening experience to take a dip.
JayBird X3
The JayBird X3 has a more flexible sound profile right off the bat. It can be misconstrued to sounding a bit flat at first, especially for casual users. However, this makes the X3 more flexible and customizable when it comes to your preferred sound profile, which you can tinker with on their very feature packed mobile app.
The Jaybird X3 has a very buttery sound quality. Highs are very smooth, but not very loud. This shouldn’t be a problem its earpieces has great noise-cancelling features. Mids are perfect and very clear. And lows are clear and audible.
3. Connectivity
Bose SoundSport Wireless
The Bose SoundSport Wireless offers faster connection time. However, the connection of Bose SoundSport Wireless is more likely to experience lag and delay thus, it is not advisable for playing games or watching movies.
JayBird X3
The JayBird X3 is more accurate and more stable with its connectivity. Another thing to consider is that the JayBird X3 has the capability to connect to two devices. This is quite useful while working since it can switch from you listening music to your computer to answering an incoming phone call from your smartphone. The BOSE SoundSport on the other hand has NFC capability which just makes it a lot easier for it to connect to more devices. Both devices support android and IOS phones.
For sound quality and capabilities, I have to give this round to the Bose SoundSport Wireless. The sound profile right out of the box is just perfect and just simplifies your listening experience.
The JayBird X3 is definitely a great choice for those people who like to play with their equalizers such as DJ’s and audiophiles. However, casual users might find the sound quality underwhelming.
4. Features
Bose SoundSport Wireless
- Form: Bose SoundSport has a very sharp and bulky form. But despite that, it is very comfortable and ergonomically friendly. It has “fins” that help it stay in your ear even when you traverse rocky terrains or bumpy roads.
- Water and sweat proof: You would have a hard time shaking off these earphones even if you tried. It is a perfect companion when jogging or biking since it is water and sweat proof, so you wouldn’t have to worry about the audio being distorted because of moisture.
- Stay Here Tips: The silicone earpieces come with, what BOSE calls, the ‘Stay Here Tips’ ear buds which does not penetrate all the way to the ear canal. They’re very comfortable and light. However, like most in-ear headsets, ear fatigue starts to set it after extended usage.
- Outdoor Safety: It leaves some space within your ear that allows ambient sound to come thru. This is very convenient for those listeners who like to listen to music outdoors because it allows them to hear if there is a vehicle or a person approaching.
- Durability and Flexibility: The cord is rigid but very stretchy. Durability will not be an issue with the SoundSport Wireless
- Ergonomic In-line controller: The in-line controller allows you to adjust the volume, fast forward and go back to songs. You can turn it on by pressing and holding the power button found on the right earpiece. Once the LED indicator turns green it means your device is ready for use. The buttons are very soft but clickable. You shouldn’t have a hard time adjusting to your preferred volume. The buttons are very soft but clickable. You shouldn’t have a hard time adjusting to your preferred volume.
- Built-in LED Lights: The SoundSport Wireless also has LED lights that flash when you are connected or if you have an incoming phone call.
- Outstanding Call Quality: Call quality with the BOSE sound sport is crystal clear so talking to your friend and family should be a breeze. The voice prompt even tells you the name of the person who is calling which is quite neat.
Jaybird X3
- Form: The Jaybird X3 opted for a more minimalist, fashionable built. Unlike the Bose SoundSport Wireless, the Jaybird X3 is more compact. It’s smaller than its predecessor, the JayBird X2.
- Ergonomic Fins: The default fins are not as long and sharp and are just the right length to help support the ear buds stay in your ear. However, if the default pins are not a perfect fit for you, it comes with other different-fitting fins that you can choose from, they are just as effective in keeping the ear buds in place.
- Elegant Design: The buds are elegantly emblazoned with the Jaybird logo which looks very elegant and beautiful, especially if you decide to get the white and gold variant.
- Rigid Built. The cord is very sturdy as well, but not as stretchable as the SoundSport Wireless so accidental tugging is more likely with the JayBird X3.
- Comfort: The ear pieces that come along with this device are made out of soft silicone making the buds very breathable that make it even more comfortable. However, just like the SoundSport Wireless, ear fatigue can also set it after extended use.
- Solid In-line remote: The in-line remote is very narrow thus making it easy for you to click the buttons when adjusting the volume.
- Water and Sweat Protection: The Jaybird X3 can withstand moisture under normal circumstances, like sweat and accidental splashes of water. They even offer a lifetime sweat-proof warranty.
- Noise Cancellation: Unlike the Bose SoundSport Wireless, the buds penetrate your ear all the way to the ear canal which is perfect for isolating ambient noise. It uses isolation model earpieces to achieve this. This means that the earpieces are designed to block off any type of background noise such as cars passing by, people talking in the background. This is perfect if you want to listen to music in crowded places like the mall or an overcrowded coffee shop or the gym.
5. Performance and Battery Life
Bose SoundSport Wireless
The BOSE SoundSport Wireless has above average battery life. The SoundSport Wireless averages a solid 5 to 6 hours of extreme usage. The Bose SoundSport takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge.
The Bose SoundSport Wireless comes with the standard micro-USB charging cable, so just in case you forgot to bring the charger you can just simply borrow from anyone who uses a smartphone that has a micro-USB charging port and you’re good to go.
The charging cable is also quite long so you shouldn’t have problems reaching to outlets regardless of its distance.
Jaybird X3
The JayBird X3 offers best-in-class battery life for a wireless listening device. It lasts around 6-8 hours depending on the degree of use.
When it comes to charging time, the Jaybird X3 takes about 2 hours to fully charge. The JayBird X3 comes with a unique charging dongle that clips to the in-line remote. This might be a deal breaker for some since a lot of people use wireless headsets, not only for working out and going to the gym, but also for casual listening while travelling. It would be a huge problem if you accidentally leave the charging dongle at home. Not to mention, if you lose, it would cost you an additional $15 to have it replaced.
As for performance and battery life, the winner here is the JayBird X3 because of its endurance and charging time. At the end of the day, the endurance of your wireless listening device will be critical to your usage. You just have to be very careful not to leave the dongle behind or worse, lose it while you are travelling because that will cause you a lot of trouble.
| Bose SoundSport | Jaybird X3 |
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6. Mobile Applications
Electronic companies nowadays develop apps that enhance the overall user-experience with their different wireless listening devices. They can be used to make adjustments to sound profiles, get software updates, and initiate connections.
Bose SoundSport Wireless
The BOSE SoundSport and the JayBird X3 both come with their own mobile app that helps with usage. The BOSE SoundSport app allows you to adjust the volume and change the sound profile. It has very limited functions, and to be quite frank, redundant since most of these functions can be done on the built-in in-line remote.
However, the app also allows you do download software updates for the device which is quite rare for wireless listening devices.
JayBird X3
The JayBird X3’s ‘MySound App’ is a totally different story, as it offers you world of useful and innovative features that can definitely enhance your listening experience.
Aside from the standard volume adjustment, the app comes with a built-in equalizer the helps you customize your sound profile and even save it if you would like to use it at a later time, regardless of what device you are listening to.
For this round, the JayBird X3 takes the cake simply because of the disparity in number of things you can actually do with it versus the BOSE SoundSports’ app.
7. Longevity
Considering the premium prices of these devices, it’s only fair to expect that these would last for a very long time.
Bose SoundSport Wireless
The Bose SoundSport’s Wireless battery has outstanding endurance. Even after a year of rigid use from working out and travelling, the battery life seems to not deteriorate at all. It still last for a good 5-6 hours which is quite a feat considering the battery life of its competition. However, sound quality tends to take a dip after long time use. Highs become a bit tiny and, at times, distorted. The adhesive that coats the earpieces and the cords also tends to wear off after some time which is quite unpleasant to look at to be honest.
JayBird X3
The JayBird X3 seems to be the more durable device based on the aggregated reviews. There are no signs of wear-and-tear even after some extensive use. The coating remains intact and the cord is just like the first day you bought it. The only signs of cracking would only be around the edges of the emblem which is barely noticeable. Battery life is also superb even after a couple of months use and sound quality is consistent.
Please do take note that these observations are from a collated set of reviews from different users after a year of usage with varying degrees. At the end of the day, the longevity of your device would still depend on how well you take care of it.
8. Advantages and Disadvantages
Let’s do a breakdown of the pros and cons of the Bose SoundSport Wireless and the JayBird X3.
Bose SoundSport Wireless
Pros:
- Better fitting and more stable orientation in your ears
- Better default sound quality and volume
- Easier to charge in case you forget your charger
Cons
- Bulky Design
- Average Battery Life
- Limited Application features
JayBird X3
Pros:
- Elegant and compact design
- Longer battery life
- Charges Faster
- App offers a lot of convenient features that enhances your listening experience
- Has better longevity
Cons
- Default sound profile tends to be flat
- Mediocre loudness and highs
- Has more tendency to be tugged out of your ears because of the material of the cord
- Its charging dongle makes it almost impossible for you to charge the device if you leave it at home and replacing a lost dongle will cost you $15 which is quite expensive for a replacement accessory.
Verdict
After all the bells and whistles have unfolded, it has finally come to the final verdict. The BOSE SoundSport has proven to be the one to beat when it comes to sound quality and ergonomics. Despite the rather bulky design, it provides great comfort and ease of use to the point that you sometimes that you forget that are actually using it. However, one of its pitfalls is its battery and charging mechanism. The application can also use an overhaul when it comes to its features and functions.
The JayBird X3 has proven to be a more complete device with its stunning design, great battery life, and longevity. Its sound quality might just be second to the SoundSport, but it’s quite decent and has buttery quality which makes it a pleasant sounding experience, and the MySound app gives you that power and flexibility to create your personalized sound profile that would suit your listening preferences regardless what device you are using. Not to mention that it is more affordable than the BOSE SoundSport. The JayBird is X3 the winner in this bout for android wireless device supremacy.
| Headphones | BOSE SoundSport | Jaybird X3 |
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