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New Beoplay H5, bluetooth

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This post has 174 Replies | 4 Followers

jonnyb
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jonnyb replied on Thu, Jul 21 2016 12:00 PM

@moxxey

I'd also recommend installing the latest software using the Beoplay app before testing. It seemed to reduce some of the harshness in the treble that was there originally. 

extantv
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extantv replied on Thu, Jul 21 2016 4:13 PM

Mine just arrived from Amazon.co.uk. I don't know if I got a lemon, but after updating with latest firmware and all for the app, no matter what I do these won't turn off automatically when I click them together using the magnets - they don't make any sound like it says I should be in the manual, and I can still hear my music playing. When I put them in the charging cube they turn off properly, but other than that it doesn't seem like there's any auto turn off feature...

Tcdv
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Tcdv replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:17 AM

Well I'm very new to B&O as of this month. I got a pair of H6! Which are great for home but I wanted some good in ears so I ordered the H5 but I'm quite disappointed, especially for the price!

First the build and looks are great, and the sound once tweaked with the app is quite nice. Obviously not as good as the H6, but no in ear Bluetooth will be. 

 

But however much I really want to live these, I can't. They just will not stay in my ears if I move about at all. I initially tried all the included buds in various combinations, then I purchased some Comply T-200 comfort buds in three sizes and tried different combinations there. Those are the best and stay in for a bit but after moving about for 5 mins they start to pop out. 

 

The trouble seems to be the heavy and stiff braided cable that looks lovely but yanks the buds out unless I keep my head very still. On top of that, I can hear scratching sounds from the cable on my clothes as I move, even when listening to music unless it's loud. 

 

I really really want to like these so I'm persevering for a little longer but I feel that they may have to go back :(

Tcdv
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Tcdv replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:17 AM

Well I'm very new to B&O as of this month. I got a pair of H6! Which are great for home but I wanted some good in ears so I ordered the H5 but I'm quite disappointed, especially for the price!

First the build and looks are great, and the sound once tweaked with the app is quite nice. Obviously not as good as the H6, but no in ear Bluetooth will be. 

 

But however much I really want to live these, I can't. They just will not stay in my ears if I move about at all. I initially tried all the included buds in various combinations, then I purchased some Comply T-200 comfort buds in three sizes and tried different combinations there. Those are the best and stay in for a bit but after moving about for 5 mins they start to pop out. 

 

The trouble seems to be the heavy and stiff braided cable that looks lovely but yanks the buds out unless I keep my head very still. On top of that, I can hear scratching sounds from the cable on my clothes as I move, even when listening to music unless it's loud. 

 

I really really want to like these so I'm persevering for a little longer but I feel that they may have to go back :(

Tcdv
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Tcdv replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:18 AM

Well I'm very new to B&O as of this month. I got a pair of H6! Which are great for home but I wanted some good in ears so I ordered the H5 but I'm quite disappointed, especially for the price!

First the build and looks are great, and the sound once tweaked with the app is quite nice. Obviously not as good as the H6, but no in ear Bluetooth will be. 

 

But however much I really want to live these, I can't. They just will not stay in my ears if I move about at all. I initially tried all the included buds in various combinations, then I purchased some Comply T-200 comfort buds in three sizes and tried different combinations there. Those are the best and stay in for a bit but after moving about for 5 mins they start to pop out. 

 

The trouble seems to be the heavy and stiff braided cable that looks lovely but yanks the buds out unless I keep my head very still. On top of that, I can hear scratching sounds from the cable on my clothes as I move, even when listening to music unless it's loud. 

 

I really really want to like these so I'm persevering for a little longer but I feel that they may have to go back :(

elephant
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elephant replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:28 AM
extantv:

no matter what I do these won't turn off automatically when I click them together using the magnets - they don't make any sound like it says I should be in the manual

I did my software upgrade last week and (unless there's been a subsequent upgrade) the magnets switch off for me.

Not sure which sound you mean ? The *pop* when you power them on ?

BeoNut since '75

elephant
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elephant replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:30 AM
Tcdv:

The trouble seems to be the heavy and stiff braided cable that looks lovely but yanks the buds out unless I keep my head very still. On top of that, I can hear scratching sounds from the cable on my clothes as I move, even when listening to music unless it's loud

I loop the cable over the top of my ears. That (geeky) way works fine for me :)

BeoNut since '75

TWG
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TWG replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:31 AM

Maybe Bang & Olufsen should have made a Bluetooth version as a hybrid of A8 and H3 headphones. That would be perfect to stay in your ears even during heavy sports.

extantv
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extantv replied on Fri, Jul 22 2016 9:39 AM

The manual says they're supposed to make a sound and power off automatically when you snap them together. Instead, they don't seem to turn off at all and music continues to play/they continue to be connected to Bluetooth- and even when left on their own with music app off for 15+ minutes they don't seem to turn off automatically from inactivity either.

 

They aren't out in my country officially yet but the local store was kind enough to take them in to see if they could repair/replace them thankfully. Just that the waiting is a pain

Mandel
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Mandel replied on Thu, Aug 4 2016 10:54 AM

I am surprised the issue of "taking a call" is not raised yet. -- We don't see the control unit while wearing the H5, so you have to "guess" with your fingers where the center button is and lose precious seconds to take the call.

 

I wish B&O made a different shape for the central button (like a round relief versus the straight line). I've applied a tiny sticker over the B&O logo (a transparent bumper sticker) -- it works well, but not the ultimate solution esthetically. 

 

moxxey
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moxxey replied on Sat, Aug 6 2016 6:43 AM

There's a mixed but half-reasonable review of the H5's on MacRumor's:

http://www.macrumors.com/review/beoplay-h5-earbuds/

They mention about them popping out your ears, poor battery life and so on. 

The Beonic Man
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Bought them and took them back the next day for a refund. I really wanted them to live up to B&O expectations of the past, what a shame. Perhaps they will try again in the near future with a better tested pair that addresses all issues raised. I wonder what the more popular colour choice has been/is... anyone know? I took the black. Simon.

B&O products are V1-32, BS2, H95, E8 and an Essence remote.
11-46 now replaced with Sony A90J 65”, Sony HT-A9, Sony UBP-X800M2 and Sony SRS-NS7.

 

Duels
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Duels replied on Sun, Aug 7 2016 2:28 PM
BAND'OH!:

Bought them and took them back the next day for a refund. I really wanted them to live up to B&O expectations of the past, what a shame. Perhaps they will try again in the near future with a better tested pair that addresses all issues raised. I wonder what the more popular colour choice has been/is... anyone know? I took the black. Simon.

What was wrong with them?
The Beonic Man
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The earplugs simply wouldn't fit properly and stay snug in my ears, making them completely useless and not fit for purpose. I found the sound quality very average with no improvement at all over the headphones supplied with my iPhone 6 Plus. The volume level was very low with no way to make it louder. Unacceptable noise levels when the cable brushed against cloths during head and neck movements, which again, makes them completely useless for use in the gym, the main reason I wanted them. The volume control didn't feel like the typical B&O quality I would expect, with a plastic and cheap feel. In my opinion, worth a £99 price tag tops and even then only if working proeprly. Simon.

B&O products are V1-32, BS2, H95, E8 and an Essence remote.
11-46 now replaced with Sony A90J 65”, Sony HT-A9, Sony UBP-X800M2 and Sony SRS-NS7.

 

jk1002
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jk1002 replied on Sun, Aug 7 2016 4:41 PM

So producing a sweat proof earphone is hard. Like really hard. For example the the wireless sport beats have issues with the remote, its just glued together and sweat can get in through the sides as the glue seem to come off. 

jaybirds same thing on the first few they sold. 

Problem wirh b&o i think is they require a seal to sound good. Beats don't but they do let more outside noise in. With seal i think cable noise and fit issues become exagerated.

I ordered the h5 but looks like september right now. The way the remote looks i think might be to prevent sweat from getting in.

 

overall i doubt though that these will work great around gym, bought them for commute.

elephant
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jk1002:

bought them for commute.

Happy with mine for the commute.

I find they are very clear and I play them at 50% of the volume setting whereas the H8's or Apple's were typically played at around 95%.

And interestingly I have not missed the ANC - I guess the seal is good but not life threatening.

BeoNut since '75

What is the current firmware for these headphones? I launch the beoplay app but it doesn't mention needing a firmware update.

So far my experience with these headphones hasn't been great either especially for the price.

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

Note to everyone. Avoid these headphones like the plague. They absolutely do not isolate sounds from your ears and no matter the nub they do not fit properly nor stay in.

My wired B&W headphones sound much much better for almost half the price. They also fit perfectly.

Very disappointed in B&O.

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

Duels
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Duels replied on Sun, Oct 16 2016 8:32 PM
Severed_Hand_of_Skywalker:

Note to everyone. Avoid these headphones like the plague. They absolutely do not isolate sounds from your ears and no matter the nub they do not fit properly nor stay in.

My wired B&W headphones sound much much better for almost half the price. They also fit perfectly.

Very disappointed in B&O.

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

I have to say that the medium sports tips supplied fit perfectly in my ears and hold the ear buds perfectly during active gym sessions. Accordingly they isolate enough sound for me.

I suspect wired headphones will always sound better than Bluetooth. That's the nature of Bluetooth.
KMA
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KMA replied on Sun, Oct 16 2016 8:52 PM
Finding the right earbud (the tip) that is a perfect fit for your individual ear can take quite a bit of searching, trial and error.

Here are some popular 3rd party buds to try with in-ear headphones:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CD4WLHK/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00THKPQGM/

And many people find a good fit with the Comply series.

For some, the H5 will simply not work: the body of the earbuds is too heavy and/or the cord has too much pull, making it hard to get the H5 stay in the ear.

KMA

B&O product history since 1991: Ridiculously long to list in a signature.

The problem is they simply don't go deep enough into the ear. 

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

Duels
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Duels replied on Sun, Oct 16 2016 10:04 PM
I guess it's difficult to get buds that suit everyone, even if there are seven different sets in the box. As I said, mine are fine and certainly go deep in my ear.
djfairley89
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I must admit I love the H5 and have had great success with them. Completed x2 half marathons and multiple training sessions varying from light to intense. I found the key to the buds staying in was a few steps:

- Wrap them over my ears so the mic wasn't free to move around and work the buds out.

- Use the little cable clip supplied to secure the neatly against my neck to stop the cable moving freely and making a noise

- Most importantly, follow the manual on how to insert the comply tips and roll them, lift your ear open slightly and hold them in place for 10-15 seconds so the get a grip under the little bridge in your ear canal.

Big Smile
Duels
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Duels replied on Mon, Oct 17 2016 7:43 AM
djfairley89:

- Most importantly, follow the manual on how to insert the comply tips and roll them, lift your ear open slightly and hold them in place for 10-15 seconds so the get a grip under the little bridge in your ear canal.

Yes I agree. Important to squeeze/roll the buds and quickly insert so they expand and achieve a good fit as per the instructions.
elephant
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elephant replied on Fri, Oct 28 2016 11:46 AM
I am finding this hard to believe.

I have just received my iPhone 7 Plus.

And today for the first time playing music from it to the H5s.

The sound seems clearer crisper and I'm hearing details that I've never heard before when playing from my iPhone 5s !!!

I am delighted but I wonder if anyone else has had this experience ???

BeoNut since '75

AnalogPlanet
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I feel stupid for asking this, but I need to. :/ Where exactly in the Beoplay app do I initiate firmware update for H5?

leosgonewild
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Mine (RIP) got the update pushed when placed on the charger stand.

"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"

leosgonewild
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Mine sounded like *** with a Sony M4 aqua..

"You think we can slap some oak on this thing?"

I've had these headphones for over 6 months now... I absolutely detest them. They are horrible in almost every way.

Got a pair of apple AirPods. They kill the H5's in every way, sounds, price, comfort.

If you are even considering these headphones try a pair of AirPods first.

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BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

Mandel
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Mandel replied on Sat, May 27 2017 10:03 PM

Fully agree. Got rid of mine very quick, and happily using the AirPods. 

 

The cable is way too rigid. -- Impossible to keep them in ear.

 

 

moxxey
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moxxey replied on Sat, May 27 2017 10:24 PM

Mandel:

The cable is way too rigid. -- Impossible to keep them in ear.

The only thing I cannot understand about the H5's is that the cable creates a 'noise' when you move your neck. Crazy. How did that even pass through the B&O quality department and how on earth haven't they altered this since the original design?

mbolo01
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mbolo01 replied on Sat, May 27 2017 11:00 PM

I agree about the cable noise, a design mistake, but this is really manageable by positioning the cable correctly, and when you appreciate the sound quality of this headset, you simply forget about the rest. At the beginning I was disappointed by the lack of bass, but I think I was badly formatted by the other headsets producing invasive bass, now I can appreciate the full spectrum of sound and I really appreciate listening jazz or classical tunes as well a reggae dub or rock tunes. This device returns the  sound really faithfully.

BS Moment, BS Core, BG 4002, BC 4500, BS1, BL18, BL19, BL8000 + RCV1, A6, M5, M3, A1, P6 (tks Botty), H5, TR1

Duels
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Duels replied on Sun, May 28 2017 8:02 AM
I find the sound quality very disappointing. Particularly the lack of bass. I now use my A3s exclusively for the gym etc.

I'm not sure how this can be considered 'natural'. I appreciate sound is a very personal matter but I am comparing the bass to H8s and A3s and it sounds like half the song is missing at times.

I don't how anyone calls headphone without a lick of bass "Natural". It's total bullshit to be frank. I have listened to the same song on multiple headphones and speakers from both B&O and other manufactures and they all have a nice amount of bass. So something is clearly lacking with these headphones. And yes I configured them in the iOS app to have as much bass as I could.

I've had plenty of sound isolating headphones in my day. They all fit wonderfully with almost any ear tip attachment. 

The H5's don't seem to fit properly or isolate sound no matter what I do. I tried every damn tip even the foam ones. I literally have to push as hard as I can and twist the headphones into my hear before they even get close to fitting. Even when they do they are hardly sound isolating as because of their weight and shallow depth they don't go deep enough into the ear.

Also, the mic on it seems totally messed up. All calls I made except one the audio dropped out every other word so nobody could understand a word I said.

I don't think I can go 5 minutes without having to take them out and grind them back into my ears hoping they will stay.

Here are the pros and cons of these headphones compared to AirPods.

 

B&O H5:

Cons:

  • Terrible, horrible, unacceptable fit. Uncomfortable.
  • Proprietary charger
  • Total BS on battery life. Even from day one never performed as advertised. Crafty marketing doesn't tell you when the battery is low it plays at low volume which they still consider play time.
  • Lanyard tugs and pulls the headphones out of your ears
  • Lanyard rubs against your clothes creating noice.
  • Foam earpiece tips lasted a whole 40 days before they deteriorated.
  • Magnet to hold them together is extremely weak. A slight brush and they come undone and not long after fall off your neck.
  • Extreme lack of bass. Flat sound.
  • Stupid expensive compared to almost every other brand.
  • Heavy when in your ears which just aids in them falling out.

Pros:

  • A remote on the lanyard to play/pause/skip/volume etc.
  • Sadly that's all.

 

Apple AirPods:

Cons:

  • No real remote, only 1 remote function to either play/pause/siri although I am sure apple will add more.
  • Not really a headphone problem, more of a user problem. But they could be easy to lose.

Pros:

  • Amazing fit. Shockingly amazing actually. I almost even can't feel them in my ears. I've ran and thrust my head in every direction and they didn't budge.
  • Same lightning charger as all of Apples other iDevice products and you can bet pretty much every household has one somewhere.
  • Amazing battery. Somehow these tiny headphones get 5 hours per charge. Putting them in the case for 15 min will give them 3 hours playtime. The case holds 24h of charge in them allowing you to charge your headphones 5x before you need to charge the case again.
  • Handy carrying case that also charges the headphones.
  • Great product support.
  • Rich sound. Even though they are not sound isolating they offer sound thats head and tails better than the H5. Good bass without being too heavy.
  • Easy to pair. Much simpler than typical bluetooth pairing.
  • All other Apple devices will automatically see the headphones as a play source without you having to manually add it to each device. Every Apple device signed into the same iCloud account will see them.
  • Ability to use just one headphone for phone calls (or music).
  • Mic works scarily well as it has TWO beamforming mics.
  • Seamless firmware updates that are automatic every time you connect.
  • Reasonable price.

 

Long story short, the H5 is one of the worst B&O products I have ever had. Avoid.

Anyone want to buy my H5's? :D

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

beotex
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beotex replied on Tue, May 30 2017 4:48 AM
I'm on my second pair of H5's (first pair got stolen), and it's been my favorite B&O purchase the last couple of years. I find the sound great, the microphone works better than my H3 ANC, and the freedom of no cables is a major benefit. Particularly as I travel constantly for work, these have been great for the plane and airports.
AnalogPlanet
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To resonate what Severed Hand of Skywalker wrote: I bought them because I wanted elegant and effective wireless solution for walking around, commuting etc without high expectations.

And sadly, I need to confirm his cons word by word. After one week I gave them as present to my nephew as I simply couldn't force myself to use them. I was that annoyed with H5 falling out constantly no matter which tips I was using. And yes, the cable, oh goodness. :/

Bought Apple's AirPods and I can't be happier honestly. It is another galaxy in a sense of thoughful design, usability and performance. 

Duels
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Duels replied on Tue, May 30 2017 7:39 AM
beotex:

I find the sound great

Can I ask what sort of music you listen to?
beotex
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beotex replied on Tue, May 30 2017 6:59 PM
Duels:

Can I ask what sort of music you listen to?

I listen to a wide variety of music from hard rock to orchestral. Maybe it's because I don't like the over the ear designs or the bass heavy trend, but these are significant steps above previous earbuds and the A8/3i's I used to wear. I find the H5 has much more bass than the A8/3i and other less expensive earbuds.

So far my only complaint is I wish it had longer battery life. I still keep my H3s with me for backup, but only use them as the secondary headphones.
mbolo01
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mbolo01 replied on Tue, May 30 2017 7:28 PM
Duels:

Can I ask what sort of music you listen to?

Even if this question is not addressed to me, I find the H5 superior to other headsets (I'm a Sennheiser user) for jazz (trio or quatuors), electronic, reggae, classical and rock when well recorded

BS Moment, BS Core, BG 4002, BC 4500, BS1, BL18, BL19, BL8000 + RCV1, A6, M5, M3, A1, P6 (tks Botty), H5, TR1

I also compared these headphones to a pair of Beats X headphones. I normally don't like beats but even these headphones absolutely destroy the H5's in every way. Even though it has a cable it is made from a different material so it doesn't makes noice when it rubs against your clothes. The battery life is far better, headphones fit comfortably and stay in, sound is fantastic, very affordable, Quick charge battery. 

 

https://www.beatsbydre.com/earphones/beats-x

--

BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.

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