Design and features:This headphone lacks active noise reduction, the ear plug-like design helps to reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The Beoplay E8 Sport has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls and integrated call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include right earpiece can be used alone for one ear monitoring of Bluetooth streamed audio and telephone communications. Charging cradle has built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries approximately a bit more than 3 times (to add an additional 23 hrs. of playtime for a total of 30 hrs.) can be recharged via USB cable or with optional Qi-compatible wireless charging mat. Manufacturer claims dust and water resistance (IP57). Has touch sensitive volume, music player transport, call connect/disconnect, and ambient sound monitoring controls. Activating ambient sound monitoring with earphone touch control pauses audio playback. Has Bluetooth pairing and low battery tone alerts. Supports voice control and digital voice assistant voice commands when used with Bluetooth products that have those features. Earphones also have a quick-charge feature, where 20 minutes of charging will provide 1.5 hours of audio playback. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. The Beoplay app shows the battery level, provides tonal presets and custom tonal adjustments, activate three different levels of ambient sound monitoring (two of which lower audio playback volume but don't pause audio playback), can act as a music player, and can be used to update the models firmware. This model comes with Five pairs of ear pieces in various sizes and types, three pairs of earbowl supports of various sizes, USB A to USB C charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case.
Sound quality: We found the Beoplay E8 Sport delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks. With the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay app set at the Signature setting (as received state of the earphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact, is detailed, and goes deep. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is somewhat thin, grainy and etched, a touch hazy, a bit metallic and the upper midrange can sound strident at higher volume levels. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but is prominent and sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound also has a good sense of liveliness and is open--sound-wise it seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears. It does a good job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded) in the upper midrange, but lower midrange ambience is lacking. Mixed character - even bass with cold upper midrange and treble. The overall sound can be summarized as fairly solid bass coupled with a steely midrange and treble. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these earphones.
Comfort: As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Users with small earbowls might find that the earphone body feels a bit bulky in their earbowl and that they stick out too far and feel like they may lever out of place and are mostly held in place by the section of the earphone that is inserted in the ear canal, but that they will generally stay in place during casual use. Users with medium and larger sized ear bowls will probably find that this model fits and stays in place with no problems and that they are very stable even during vigorous head movement. Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional volume level changes, playing, pausing, track skipping, or ambient sound monitoring.
