Plantronics BackBeat GO 600: Youthful headphones with an important sound

Over the years, Plantronics has acquired an excellent reputation in the manufacture of headphones with interesting sound but at prices that are not exaggerated. Like many companies when it comes to branding, Plantronics also strives to differentiate its many models, making its catalog perhaps a bit confusing.

The BackBeat GO 3 are in-ear headphones with a headband, the Backbeat Sense are on-ear headphones and the Backbeat Pro 2 over-ear headphones. The latest model, the Backbeat GO 600, differ in their nature as wireless headsets. Despite their misleading name the GO 600s present themselves as an interesting option especially at their selling price of $99. We anticipate this, thanks to balanced audio performances for their price range.

Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 – DESIGN

The Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 series is a mixed-use wireless over-ear headset. At first contact it has a light design and this without doubt thanks to the presence of most components made of polycarbonate. They are easy to use, decently comfortable and with a long battery life in addition to the wide wireless range. Unfortunately, the ear pads do not properly seal the ears, which makes them an inappropriate choice for noisy environments or perhaps for commuting with a fussy user.

As for comfort, the Plantronics BackBeat Go 600 are comfortable headphones, especially for their lightness. Well padded and not too close to the head when they are worn. This makes it possible to use them even for a fairly long time without feeling any sense of fatigue to the ears even if the round auricles are not perfectly suited to them.

On a constructive level, the GO 600 ear pads do not tilt upwards to create a slit in the fit around the ears. This is clearly not uncomfortable, but it could be a bit annoying since it is often necessary to adjust the earpiece to get a better grip.

Speaking of controls, the Plantronics BackBeat GO 600, have an efficient and easy to use scheme. You can play multimedia content, pause and answer calls, all by pressing the center button on the left ear pavilion.

Skipping the tracks is feasible with the two arrows positioned next to the call / music button and there is also a volume rocker on the side of the ear pavilion that is easy to use even if it is perhaps slightly cramped in its positioning.

In the right ear, there is the power switch which also functions as an association button to the smartphone or to the device to which you want to connect the headphones. At the bottom, there is a button for the bass effect capable of switching between 2 preset EQs.

Like other closed headphones, these by Plantronics are not very breathable. Moreover, they do not create the best seal with its auricles: a small advantage that prevents the ears from being too hot during use. Since they hinder a good flow of air, they will certainly not be the best choice for more strenuous exercises, for example: in the gym.

As mentioned, the Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 are light even if unfortunately they cannot be folded into a more compact format, so they cannot be considered as easily portable headphones. The earphones are flat, which could be useful on some occasions, plus they are smaller than other headphones of the competition.

Too bad with regard to the transport company that is placed in sales packaging. In this case, we are talking about a simple cloth case that protects the headphones from scratches but certainly will not be able to keep them from bumps, damages or falls.

As for the quality of construction, the headphones are certainly cheap. They have a light and flexible design with well-padded pavilions and a few wear parts. Their build quality is certainly better than it seems at first sight and at first contact. As far as stability is concerned, once you have worn the Plantronics BackBeat GO 600, they are very stable in the head.

They are light, so the ear pads do not oscillate as much as other earphones we have tested. They are also wireless, so they cannot unintentionally get out of their heads due to an accidental “pull” of the audio cable that may have remained attached to something.

As mentioned, they are not very tight, which is good for comfort, but it also means that they will move during more intense exercises, especially the inclination of the head.

Technical Specifications

• Bluetooth technology : Bluetooth 4.1, HFP 1.6, HSP 1.2, A2DP v1.2, AVRCP v1.4
• Listening autonomy : Up to 18 hours
• Standby time : Up to 20 days
• Deep Sleep Mode : Up to 6 months
• Speaker diameter : 40mm with bass tube design
• Frequency response : 50 – 20,000 Hz.
• Sensitivity : 92 dBPL
• Impedance : 32 ohms
• Harmonic distortion : < 3%
• Passive noise cancellation : Foam ear cushions with over ear hooking
• Weight : 175 grams
• Operating range : 10 meters
• Audio codec : Custom SBS Codec
• Charging time : 90 minutes
• Number of microphones : Single broadband enabled microphone
• Multipoint : Two devices can be connected simultaneously
• Voice commands : No
• Colors : Navy, Gray, Khaki, Black

Quality of sound

Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 sound fairly good, especially when compared to the selling price and the type of headphones. They have a deep and powerful bass, a uniform and balanced midrange. It should be emphasized in some high-pitch listening that might seem a bit sharp and penetrating.

Specifically, the sensation for the basses is that of having a good extension especially with heavy music where the bass’s body is emphasized and emphasized. The same goes for the high-pitched tones that are still good, even if in some circumstances maybe a little too detailed and overly penetrating, especially with the voices.

As far as insulation is concerned, Plantronics BackBeat Go 600 does not offer excellent performance in very noisy environments. Unfortunately the design of the ear muffs does not seal the ear, and this allows noise to penetrate during audio playback.

They lose a bit at higher volumes by letting the multimedia contents disperse to the people around us even if in this case, the losses are really moderate and do not create absolutely any surrounding problems.

There is also an integrated microphone that is of good quality. In quiet environments, recorded or transmitted speech is perceived as relatively subtle, attenuated and with good detail. This means that anyone who will listen to us on the other side of the communication can hear us with good quality.

In noisy situations, there will be no separation between the speech and the background noise and this could clearly cause some discomfort to the listener even if the volume level remains high and good.

Functionality and Autonomy

Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 Series headphones have good autonomy characteristics. Battery life is sufficient for most uses and can last a typical working day. Specifically, we were able to perform on average for around 17 hours, which is good enough for this type of headset. Very interesting that they can be loaded quickly with a standard micro-USB cable, taking only 90 minutes for a full charge.

Moreover, we have not had consumption in standby mode and the battery in this case remains persistent even for more than two weeks. Too bad not being able to use them during charging, but they support passive reproduction when they are connected with the cable included in the package.

Plantronics did not make any kind of headphone application available. This means that they can be paired simply by searching for them and finding them in the list of devices on your smartphone. They allow two EQ options: Bass Boost and Balanced, which can be set directly on the headset.

In terms of connectivity, it is possible to rely exclusively on the Bluetooth one, which works well simultaneously even with two devices. Too bad the absence of an NFC connection that could be a valid alternative for users with compatible smartphones. Absence also of the connection with game consoles in wireless mode, but we know that this functionality is reserved only to a few specimens.

Conclusions

Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 is a well-made, mixed-use headset with above-average sound and a comfortable design. They have an efficient and simple control scheme, a good battery life and a satisfying wireless connection only sinus Bluetooth.

They are not as full of features as other headphones of the competition but do their duty. The build quality could be better especially in some components, but they seem well assembled.

They possess qualities that are not high from a seal point of view of the ear pads and cannot be considered perfect headphones for use in highly noisy conditions. They have a deep and extended bass as well as a fairly balanced mid-range, even if it is a bit recessed and this makes the instruments and the voices a bit lacking in details and sharp on some occasions.

Plus their lightness makes them comfortable and easy to use even if they are not too stable in extreme sports.

64%

Plantronics 211138-99 Backbeat Go 600 Noise-Isolating Headphones, Over-The-Ear Bluetooth Headphones, Black

• Long lasting battery: Bluetooth headset has a rechargeable battery that lets you...
• Audio quality: Plantronics signature audio delivers rich, balanced sound whether...
• Comfortable: Over ear headphones are designed with noise-isolating earcups that fit...

$69.95 −64% $24.99

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