Design and features:These headphones can be used wirelessly with Bluetooth devices or can be cord connected. When cord connected they have low sensitivity; so while they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and higher powered portable audio devices, they may not be a good match for lower-powered portables. The Backbeat FIT 505 has an integrated microphone and volume, music player function, and call connect/disconnect controls for use with paired Bluetooth devices. Additional features include earcups that swivel to flat for ease of carrying and storage. This model is claimed by the manufacturer to be water resistant and comes with a detachable 57-inch long standard audio cable, a USB charging cable, and a carrying bag. It can be used with the free Plantronics Hub app download for Apple and Android mobile devices which can be used to help locate the headphones if they become misplaced.
Sound quality: We found the Backbeat FIT 505 delivers sound quality that falls in the good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound. The overall sound can be summarized as boomy and hazy. Bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is boomy and a bit prominent. The midrange is a touch thin, and somewhat constricted (as in straightjacketed), congested (think sonic traffic jam), hazy, and grainy. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is a bit subdued and somewhat smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred), and the upper treble is muted. While the sound has a decent sense of liveliness it is somewhat closed-in (sound-wise it is somewhat obvious that you have something covering your ears). There was no significant difference between Bluetooth and cord connected sound quality.
Comfort: We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure on the ears. The earcups don't offer a lot of top to bottom swivel range and some users may feel that the ear pads sit awkwardly on the ears (press harder on the bottom than the top). As typical of on-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use. When wearing this model while walking the vibrations from each foot step can be heard through the headphones by some users, and when the audio cable is connected the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be heard through the headphones by some users depending on the clothing it's rubbing on.
