(Update 1/30/2014 – Oops! Looks like they don't make these anymore! As a stand in that's comparable and in the same price range I'd recommend the Motorola S10-HDs.)
I first heard about Splashbudz earlier this year, and decided to give them a shot. They have a similar behind-the-head design to my favorite set, the Motorola S10-HDs. They have the same list price ($90), but Amazon had them for just forty bucks, so I figured, what did I have to lose? As it turns out, I could lose sound quality and comfort, mainly.
Pros
- Low cost
- Waterproof
- Hands-free Bluetooth operation, easy pairing with most devices
- Volume, Forward and Back buttons
- 39 foot range
- Built-in mic for taking calls
Cons
- No interchangeable "budz" to fit your ears
- Average Bluetooth quality sound
- Serious issues make these useless for more active sports like jogging
First Impression: Ehhhh…
The first thing I thought when I pulled the Splashbudz out of the box was that they felt like a cheaper version of the S10-HDs. They're pretty similar in design, with some seemingly minor differences, but as we'll see, these differences seriously detract from the quality of the product.
Instead of the interchangeable cushions you get to fit into your ears with the Motorola headphones, the Splashbudz have a design that funnels the sound into your ear. This might help make the product more water resistant, but it makes for a bad fit, and with these kind of headphones, a bad fit makes for bad sound. Bass is sorely lacking, and I feel this could easily be improved with better fitting ear buds. Also, when I get too sweaty, they want to slip out of my ears.
I didn't find the button layout as convenient as the Motorolas, but this may simply be because I've had those headphones for a couple years now. They are bigger and easier to use than the tiny controls on a lot of these headsets, though.
Decent Range, But Don't Move Too Fast
The official material says you get 7 hours per charge, and that's fine, though less than the S10-HD. I easily paired them with my iPhone, but I had some trouble doing the same with my laptop, and ended up giving up trying, as I have no shortage of headphones that already work. Range is really good at around 40 feet.
These are waterproof, as advertised, and I haven't had trouble with them dying after getting too sweaty. You can even use them in the shower, but since they come with a warning not too use them in a steamy environment, I don't see how this can be useful for very long, unless you take cold showers. I don't take a lot of Hollywood showers, but I still like the water HOT!
What really kills this product for me, though, is when I tried jogging with them, the sound kept cutting in and out. I looked online at some other Splashbudz reviews, and this is apparently a common problem. These things are OK for lifting weights if you're listening to podcasts, but they're absolutely worthless for joggers! I can only assume you'll run into the same problem with any really active sport.
I'd have to say the best thing about these is that they're cheap. I bought them for 40 bucks
