Sometimes it is enough to look at a pair of headphones to know if you will love them or hate them. Well, the Optoma NuForce Be Live5 can have a robust construction, but at least they shine. With so much competition in the wireless headset market, it is difficult for companies to distinguish their products from others. Apart from the brightness, is there anything that makes Be Live5 special or is it just another product to go shopping in the online window?
Who is NuForce Be Live5 for?
- Listeners who need versatility. Although these are generally for daily use, the IPX5 rating keeps them running during rains and exercise sessions. In addition, they provide support for aptX and AAC; Regardless of the operating system you use, you will get a solid audio quality.
- Athletes. If for some reason you do not like the company's Be Sport4 hearing aids, you can always exercise on them. Like the alternative, the Be Live5 have IPX5 rating, so they can handle your hard work pores without problems.
- Anyone who wants to make a fashion statement. If you want to make great statements with your clothes, makeup and accessories, these are for you. The thick headphones are certainly remarkable. But if bystanders did not notice the Be Live5 due to its large size, they will notice them due to their shiny aluminum casings painted in gold. Sure, it may not go with every outfit, but a shock occurs.
What's inside?
The Optoma NuFroce Be Live5 headphones include three pairs of ear tips and silicone wings; two pairs of Comply memory foam pads; a micro-USB charging cable; a compact zipper case; and the headphones themselves. Unless you are touring the busy streets of the city, we recommend using the included Comply memory foam tips as they outperform your silicone counterparts. By creating a better and more molded seal, you get the benefits of noise isolation and, therefore, improve audio quality.
How is NuForce Be Live5 built?
Our blue and navy blue review unit looks like nautical sister-girl, but the navy tonifies the shine of gold-painted aluminum. Although they are in the same line as the Be Sport4, the carcasses look quite different: they are more commercial and less oriented to athletes. However, as the adage says, do not judge a book by its cover. Like the sports iteration, these also have IPX4 classification. Summer showers are doomed.
The magnetized aluminum housings keep the headphones connected whenever you want, even if the magnets are not very strong. Simply taking off a jacket the wrong way can end up with Be Live5 on the floor. Fortunately, magnets are the weakest aspect of these headphones. The angled headphone nozzles provide an ergonomic fit to the ear canals, resulting in longer and more comfortable listening sessions.
Another thing that helps in the comfort of these headphones is the flat cable, sits well against the neck and can be adjusted with a NuForce cord. This is necessary when working, since it prevents the cable from shaking around your face. And, oh, do not worry if the cable separates from the heel when you're adjusting it. It is easy to reconnect the cable. Okay, it is preferable to avoid this altogether.
Sitting in line with the right side of the cable is a microphone and a remote module that is identical to the one found in the Be Sport4. You can control the playback functionality, make volume adjustments, answer calls and access your respective virtual assistant from this oblong piece of plastic. The microphone is almost identical to the one found in the Sport4, which means it is sub-par and picks up too much ambient noise. Although not specified in the manual, it is likely to be an omnidirectional microphone.
What is the difference between the Optoma NuForce Be Sport4 and the Be Live5?
Although they may be similar in their name, there are a handful of marked differences between the two Optoma NuForce models. The first is the first thing: aesthetic. The Be Sport4 looks less flashy and more durable, neon green is a nice touch that is often seen in sports attire too. In addition, the Be Sport4 includes many more pairs of wing and ear tips to ensure almost the perfect fit. Why? Because when you exercise, you – and, in turn, the headphones – are subject to much more movement, so you need accessories that need a stable fit. In addition, the Sport4 supports a fast charge, while the Be Live5 does not.
Be Live5 and Be Sport4 have a lot in common. It is reasonable to think of the Spoort4 as a more specialized version of the Be Live5.
Okay, but what does the Optoma NuForce Be Live5 have on the Be Sport4? That is, audio quality. Due to the more user-friendly frequency response (somewhat emphasized bass and treble), the headphones in question are easier to listen without suffering fatigue. The strong low end of the Be Sport4 quickly becomes annoying when you're out of the gym. In addition, the Be Live5 has a more modern aesthetic; Of course, that can be good or bad depending on your preferences.
In general, there are not many differences between the two headphones. Both are certified by IPX5, have identical in-line control modules and are adorned with magnetic housings. If you need something exclusively for exercise, well, what are you doing in this review? Click to see our Be Deep4 in depth. But if you want something for everyday use that can bring to the gym, read on.
Battery life
It takes only 1.5 hours to complete a full charge cycle for the Be Live5 headset. During our objective tests, where we submitted the headphones to the audio transmission in a loop through the aptX codec to 75dB, we found that these have a playback time of 6.4 hours. Yes, this is shorter than the eight hours of play time listed, but most of us will not listen to the media out loud. The use in the real world is likely to result in about eight hours of reproduction.
Connectivity
True to the nature of wireless headphones, they use Bluetooth to connect to their device and support aptX and AAC codecs, it is not necessary to divide them between the most divisive Android and iOS users. They also support multi-point connectivity, allowing you to connect to two devices simultaneously.
Regarding the range of connectivity, Be Live5 can maintain a good connection within the range of 10 meters. After that, things start to creak a bit, but the pads manage to remain connected, albeit badly, to the 12.5 meter mark.
How does NuForce Be Live5 sound?
Compared to the company's Be Sport4 cordless headphones, the Be Live5 headphones are much more pleasant for everyday use. While they do not have the same enhanced bass as their sporting siblings, they benefit from a much more neutral frequency response. Of course, there is an increase in the treble response, but most ears perceive it as greater clarity. In turn, it provides a more pleasurable listening experience for the majority.
It's worth noting, since these do include Comply memory foam ear tips, you'll want to use them instead of the silicone ones. As you can see in the charts below, memory foam pads greatly improve insulation. Not only will you benefit from optimal low-end reproduction, but you will also be less likely to suffer damage that results in noise-induced hearing loss, as you will not need to increase the volume to feel the bass bump .
Low and Medium
Time of our Lives a classic by Pitbull and Ne-Yo, he enjoyed 27 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2015. See as the bass the highlight of this song, this blow of Party depends on proper low-end reproduction. Fortunately, Be Live5 works exceptionally. As illustrated in the previous table, things remain fairly neutral up to the 2 kHz mark, which is higher than most fundamental instrument frequencies.
As the sympathetic Mr. Worldwide takes the microphone 30 seconds in, the bass falls. Other headphones may have difficulty keeping the bass from masking Pitbull's voice, but Be Live 5 handles this delicate situation splendidly. Even with the prominent bass, you can still hear the sound of Pitbull playing the bass. That is amazing. ¡Dale!
Highs
In Jason Mraz's song You and I Both there are many confrontations of cymbals to try the high-pitched Be Live5 playback. At 1:09, the hi-hat harmonics resound clearly without masking the voices of Mraz. In the seconds before the song takes a turn of acapella while saying: "Look, I am all about them …". It is the next word, "word", that sings when the cymbals hit. However, their reverberations are controlled, and they do not make it hard to hear the back guitar strum.
Should you buy them?
Yes. Ok, okay, you're right. Nothing is particularly innovative about the Optoma NuForce Be Live5 headphones but, hey, these are very good on almost everything. In addition to providing compatibility with aptX and AAC, the aluminum housings are durable, the playback controls are easy to operate and sound regardless of the operating system you are using. In addition, the flat cable rests comfortably around the back of the neck and resists knotting. Of course, it would be good if the cable were not so easy to remove from the adjustment cord, but perhaps the next iteration includes that minor improvement.
In general, these headphones work well. Yes, the microphone quality below the standard is obvious and the thick design is not for everyone. But if those things are not of paramount importance to you, then you will find love these headphones.
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