When comparing Grado Prestige Series SR80e vs Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2, the Slant community recommends Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 is ranked 29th while Grado Prestige Series SR80e is ranked 32nd. The most important reason people chose Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 is:
With the BackBeat Pro 2, you get powerful yet clear sound that is comparable to higher end models but at a noticeably more affordable price. Wireless range and stability is quite good and the noise cancelling, while not the best, can reduce a good amount of external noise.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Fun sounding with extended bass and highs along with warm mids
The highs are quite forward which brings out a lot of detail from the music. The mids, while not upfront, have nice presence and body to the music. The bass has good impact and is well-defined.
The SR80e works best for rock, country or live music, but can also perform well for classical music, EDM and similar genres.
Pro Open back design results in good sound stage
Th ear cups sport an open-back design, with mesh as the only covering on the driver. This gives a good sound stage which, while not very wide, is enough to give a feeling that the sound is coming from some distance away instead of just from beside your ears. This gives the music a more natural feel.
Pro Cable feels high quality
The cable is fairly long, thick and has a good weight to it. This is reassuring, as it means the cable will not break easily.
Pro Hand assembled in America
Grado Labs first started in the 50's, and to this day still hand craft all their products in their Brooklyn plant.
Pro Very light
The headband is only a piece of leather with a very thin metal sheet inside to give it structure, along with thin metal rods as gimbals for the plastic ear cups. Not only is it light, it's also quite portable too.
Pro Good sound reproduction, wireless signal stability and decent noise-canceling for the price
With the BackBeat Pro 2, you get powerful yet clear sound that is comparable to higher end models but at a noticeably more affordable price. Wireless range and stability is quite good and the noise cancelling, while not the best, can reduce a good amount of external noise.
Pro Decent noise cancelling
While the active noise canceling is not the best, it is able to reduce a good amount of noise from your surroundings. Loud engine sounds or high pitched noise may still mix in with your music though.
Pro Clear and powerful sound
The BackBeat Pro 2’s mids and treble are not forward, yet sound clear and neutral. You may hear a bit of sharpness in the higher frequencies, but overall you’ll get a pleasant listening experience with great details from your music.
The low-end is quite emphasized, so you’ll get a lot of thump from bass hits. Bass lovers will likely find these headphones to be up their alley.
Pro Music automatically pauses when taking the headphones off
You won’t need to press a button on the headphones or on your source device to pause the music when you need to remove the BackBeat Pro 2. There are sensors inside the headphones that detect this motion, so the music is automatically paused, and then resumed when you put the headphones back on.
Pro Open-listening mode
Listen to the environment via a microphone without taking off the headphones.
Pro Wired or wireless functionality
These headphones have Bluetooth connectivity for wireless convenience, but you can also switch to 3.5mm wired mode if the battery runs out and you cannot charge right away.
Pro Good wireless range and stability
You’ll be able to hear audio even if you are around 100 feet away from your source device, provided there is a clear line of sight. Signal quality is also pretty good with minimal music cuts and drops.
Pro Very good battery life
These headphones can last up to 24 hours of playback from a full charge, and this with moderate volumes in wireless mode with noise cancelling activated. This is very good battery life, considering other wireless headphones at the price range only have around half the battery life on average.
Cons
Con Highs can sound piercing/harsh
Some users may find the highs to be too much. This is especially true if used with music that have a lot of high frequency sounds or effects like cymbals for example.
Con On ear design can be uncomfortable
The SR80e's ear cups sit on top of the user's ears with just a thin foam piece acting as cushion. This can result in an uncomfortable listening experience, especially when worn for extended periods.
Con May feel flimsy/cheap
These sound great, but build quality might not be up to par with the sound. The headband is very thin while the ear cups are mostly made of plastic. If you are looking for headphones that look and feel premium then these may not be for you.
Con Open-back design leaks a lot of sound
These headphones leak a lot of sound which means that other people near you can easily hear what you are listening to. These are not the best to use if you are in a place where silence is important.
Con Cable is non-removable
The cable is long, thick and non-removable, which makes it quite difficult to manage.
Con Very bulky plug
The 3.5mm plug is very large, and if you use a case on your phone, you won't be able to fit it in all the way. This can make the headphones sound off, or not produce any sound at all.
Con Barebones accessories
There is no included case, no in-line remote, and no microphone.
Con Heavy
These headphones may put some strain on your head and neck due to these being quite heavy, coming in at almost 300 grams.
Con Bulky for traveling
These headphones may not be ideal for on-the-go use, as they are large, full-sized headphones that do not fold down to a compact size.