Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling portable ear-insert model provides very good sound and excellent active noise reduction. Its ear plug-like design and electronic noise canceling feature reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music. The Beoplay EX has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include - Additional features include that either earpiece can be used alone for one ear monitoring of Bluetooth streamed audio and telephone communications. Charging/carrying case has built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries for an additional 14 (ANC on) or 20 (ANC off) hrs. of listening time for a total of 20 (ANC on) or 28 (ANC off) hrs. Can be recharged via USB cable or with optional Qi-compatible wireless charging mat. Manufacturer claims dust and water resistance (IP57). The headphone noise cancellation touch control setting switches between ANC on and ambient sound monitor (Pass-through) modes by button control on Left earbud; these settings can be customized using the B&O app. ANC and Ambient sound levels can each be adjusted on a scale of 1-3 in the B&O app. Has Adaptive ANC feature that is intended to adjust the noise canceling level based on the use environment; feature can be enabled/disabled using the B&O app. Has touch controls for music player transport, call connect/disconnect, noise cancellation on/off. Supports Google Fast Pair, and Microsoft Swift Pair (alternates to traditional Bluetooth pairing method). Supports various compatible digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth connected devices that have those features. Has Bluetooth pairing memory for last 8 paired devices. Supports Multipoint pairing that allows two devices to be connected simultaneously. Has quick charge feature: 20 min of earphone charging will provide 1.75 hrs. of playtime. The Bang & Olufsen app download for Apple and Android mobile devices shows the headphone battery level and can be used to adjust the ANC and ambient sound monitoring mode levels, enable and disable the Adaptive ANC feature, adjust the tonal balance of the earphones using tonal presets or user adjustable EQ, and update the headphone's firmware. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. Warranty against defects can be extended to 36 months by registering the earphones via the Bang & Olufsen app. The Beoplay EX comes with 5 pairs of ear pieces in various sizes and types, USB A to USB C charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case.
Sound quality:We found the Beoplay EX 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 and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise cancelling mode engaged and the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay app ANC setting at Max and the listening mode set to Optimal (as received state of the earphone), the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact, and goes deep, but is a touch prominent and boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is even, and a bit grainy and a touch hazy and congested (think sonic traffic jam). The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but is a touch smeared. The sound also has a decent sense of liveliness and is somewhat open--sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears and does a decent job of recovering room ambience. Mixed character - neutral midrange and treble with warmish bass. The overall sound can be summarized a bit bassy and grainy. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these earphones. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. Orientation changes the noise reduction characteristic - when the noise is coming from the front a bit more high frequency noise can be heard. The noise canceling feature does not produce any background noise that can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort and Fit:As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening might be uncomfortable for some.
Small
Users with small earbowls might find that the earphone body feels a bit bulky in their earbowl and that they stick out a bit too far and feel like they may lever out of place, but that they stay in place during casual use and are stable even during vigorous head movement.
Medium/Large
Users with medium and larger sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are stable even during fairly vigorous head movement.
Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional playing, pausing, or switching between noise canceling and ambient sound monitoring.
Hitting the stem that hangs out of the ear can knock an earphone lose and cause it to fall out of the ear.
During our tests we found the B&O app to be glitchy - often could not re-establish connection with earphone once earphone was turned off and turned back on again.
