Review on 🎧 Westone WA78397 Bluetooth V2 Earphone & In-Ear Monitor Cable Microphone with MMCX Connector – 12 hours Battery Life, Black by Samuel Browning

TLTR version: I ordered Westone V2 and Shure BT2 bluetooth cables and ended up keeping Westone and returning to Shure. The Westone V2s sound great when playing music, feel great outdoors or when relaxing and should be more durable over the long term. If you're even a little active, this is what you need! Similarities They both have Bluetooth 5.0, aptX HD, use MMCX audio jacks for headphones and charge via the included micro USB port. and that's it (oh, and they're obviously black). Sonic differences. As already mentioned, when the Westone V2 is switched on for the first time, a slight humming in the right earpiece is initially noticeable. There is no hissing in the Shure BT2. I almost threw them back in the box when I heard that howl, but I'm glad I didn't because while it's very noticeable between songs or when the music stops, it's not really loud or disturbing. But of course this is noticeable in dead silence. Even when the music stops (and you leave the headphones on), the whining stops completely after a few seconds. I assume this is because the system goes into light sleep mode. But I have to say it again; I don't hear howls when music is on! Yes, it's a design flaw that I don't like hearing between songs, but it's not as bad as you might think. Just give it a few days to try it out to see if you get used to hearing it from time to time before bringing it back. Westone uses a flat rubber cable design in the middle (between the battery and the control module), while Shure uses a slightly smaller round rubber cable design. I mention this in the audio section because the smaller Shure cable doesn't provide enough isolation. I'm usually active with headphones. I didn't run with the Shure, but when I did housework, I could hear the cord rattling and squeaking over the music. This was the case whether or not I had a clip on my collar. I have no problems with Westone even when I'm running or working out. Surprisingly, whistling wasn't an issue on the Weston, but it was (at least for me). clear and neutral. Shure is pretty crisp too, but I think they programmed a little V-Style EQ into their gear because the bass and treble were a little stronger, but the mids were noticeably weaker. Coming from someone who isn't really an audiophile and wasn't looking for differences. It was just obvious. It really depends on your preferences, but I was surprised that there was any difference at all when using the same headphone (Westone W30) for both cables. I usually like good bass but I really like the cleanliness of Westone! I can always do more bass EQ if I want, but I don't feel like I have to. Without the use of an additional battery in the portable "charging station”, Westone will have less battery life. However, you can connect the charging station to the Westone V2 cable, which doubles the battery life so you can keep listening to music if you don't mind the extra volume. I don't mind sitting or walking, but I couldn't do anything active other than constantly walking with that extra bulk. Because the charging station attaches to the cable, you don't have to worry about it coming loose in your pocket while charging. As I mentioned, both charge via a micro USB cable. Cable Plus directly into the Shure cable at the bottom. At Westone, it just plugs into the charging station and charges both the battery in the cable and the charging station. Also, there is no fast charging here. Both Westone and Shure take several hours to charge. I love how Shure tells you (in a nice voice) how much battery is left when you first turn it on. Westone will only tell you the pop-up text box on your phone when you turn on the headset for the first time. Plus, you can always see how much battery is left on each headset by checking the Bluetooth connection menu on your phone (thanks to BT 5.0 I think). semi-ribbed cable alongside MMCX connectors. You can bend them into any position, but for some reason I couldn't get the Shure to sit as comfortably as the Westone right out of the box. To be honest I can't remember which one is easier but I think it was Shur. Regardless, Westone's design made installation easier since it doesn't bounce around. With the Westone the weight is evenly distributed on both sides, closer to the head, I've never had a problem with how they felt. And that went for any way they were worn (dangling at the back or front of the neck). On the Shure you always have to attach it to the collar when all the weight is down or it will always wobble and bump into your neck/collarbone/shoulders. Unfortunately, the cables are too long for my t-shirt collars, so the cables end up bending outwards from my head and neck. Whenever I moved, the kinked cables bounced off my neck, causing more noise from the thinner cables, which annoyed me. The only way to prevent this is to connect the cables together. But it was just another step after you had to put the Shure on the collar. That's 2 extra steps you don't have with Westone (even when running)! Note that both come with a strap, but the cinch on the Westone is much nicer and non-detachable. Again, Westone's durability should take precedence over Shure in this category. Westone is IPX-5 sweat, water and dust resistant. As far as I can tell, Shure doesn't have an IPX rating. This is probably why you can't plug a USB cable directly into Westone like you can into Shure. Instead, the Westone only charges via the previously mentioned charging station. Also, as mentioned in other reviews, Westone has added rubber around the MMCX connectors. It completely covers the collar of the plug and fits well with the headphones. I used to use a wired MMCX cable that left a few millimeters of the collar exposed (similar to how Shure also exposes the connector). In the few years that my previous cable was exposed to sweat, I began to experience unilateral problems with this connection. That's not to say the Shure connector is badly sealed, I'm just telling you what I can see from the outside. Only time will tell how well they hold up.