Photography Zaphs Zhang Art Direction & Styling Ann Neo
SONY WS SERIES MP3 WALKMAN NWZ-WS615
$199, from Sony Stores and Sony Centres
Its earbuds gave the most snug and secure fit although they were bulky. It tops the table with its superb sound quality – both music and voices were crystal clear. The bonus: Its 16GB of internal memory lets you store your music so you don’t have to pair it with your phone.
VERDICT: 9/10. It impressed with its snug fit and awesome sound quality.
PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT GO 2
$139, from major electronics stores
The earbuds stayed comfortably in my ears during my run, and withstood the impact of a relatively intense workout. But the loop is a tad too long and flapped against my back. It was great for acoustic music but fell short on the bass. Otherwise, the sound quality was above average.
VERDICT: 7.5/10. A value-for-money buy, but not an ideal one for bass lovers.
JABRA SPORT PULSE
$298, from major electronics stores
I had a hard time keeping the earbuds in, and when I finally did, it was after much adjustment.The sound quality was average – even though the music was clear, it had an echo. But it has some useful extras – an in-ear heart-rate monitor (that pairs with fitness apps like Jabra Sport Life) and a portable charging case for when you’re on the go.
VERDICT: 7/10. Its performance took the shine off its unique features and accessories.
LG TONE INFINIM PREMIUM BLUETOOTH STEREO HEADSET
$209, from major electronics stores
The set is the only one in the line-up with a hard metallic loop, making it heavier than earphones with the usual silicone ones and ruling it out as a running buddy. But the headset pairs automatically with my phone when switched on.The sound quality is reasonably good – lower notes were clear although higher notes seemed a little blanketed.
VERDICT: 8/10. Easy to use, with fairly good sound quality.
This article was originally published in Simply Her November 2015.
