In fact, after all of this, they finally offered me my fifth pair as well as a full refund for the purchase price (to make up for the many inconveniences I’ve endured with the product). On the upside, the Jaybird customer support has been stupendous. In my most recent communication with Jaybird, I was unable to confirm that they are working on an update–so this could be nothing more than a rumor.
The product has been out since 2012 and the company is only now addressing its utter failure. This is, to me, a bit too little too late.
This update will come via a hardware update and, at some point in the RMA process, users will be shipped the newer version. Clearly this “update” isn’t in the form of firmware. In one of the many posts I read regarding this issue, a user mentioned that Jaybird informed them they would be releasing an update that will address the issue. That tells me the product costs pennies to produce and, in the end, it’s more cost effective for Jaybird to just keep sending replacement units instead of taking the product back to the design room.īut there’s hope. This is a fundamentally flawed product that is held up only by a lifetime warranty and customer service that must be (and is) up to the task of handling frustrated customers. But my experience speaks very clearly that this isn’t an anomaly. I get that there will be faulty products manufactured within a run.
What is interesting about this is that the company claims they have numerous elite athletes running multiple marathons without problem. What happens after that? Most likely consumers wind up getting frustrated with the product and give up. I’ve found numerous instances where others are on their fourth and fifth returns. They’ve had four returns from me to date. I confronted customer support on this and they said, “We sell so many of these, there are bound to be returns.” That is no balm for consumers looking to not have to visit FedEx every other week. Now, before I opted to come out with this information, I decided to do a bit of research and see if others were having the same issue. I believe Jaybird’s idea of lifetime guarantee is simply replacing them when they die.Īnd replacing. These babies are guaranteed against sweat. Maybe I’ll use them in a temperature controlled room … or while sleeping (the sweat-free options abound).ĭid I mention the product has a lifetime guarantee against sweat? That’s right. But I certainly won’t do anything with them that might involve sweating. What will I do with them when they arrive? I haven’t the slightest idea. That’ll be five pairs of headphones in four months. I have now requested an RMA for my fifth pair. The third pair (one they claimed had a double coating of Liquipel), three weeks. Like the first pair, the second pair lasted about a month. I set them up and took off for a nice sweaty run. Within minutes I had an RMA and that day I sent the defective pair off. No matter what I did, even with a full charge, I got nothing. The next day, I prepped for my outing to find the Bluebuds wouldn’t turn on.
I assumed they’d just run out of battery, so I finished my run, returned home, and plugged them back into my PC to charge. Then one day, while out for a run, the headphones buzzed and died. That wonderful relationship with the first pair went on for about a month.
I purchased a set and raced home to fit them to my head and ears (it can be a lot of trial and error), paired them to my device (a Motorola Moto X … which was incredibly easy), and took off for a run.
So when I discovered the Jaybird Bluebuds X headphones, I thought for sure I’d found aural nirvana. So having quality, reliable headphones is a must. I also listen to music while at my desk all day. It really changes the way you function with music, podcasts, etc. Even with dropouts and battery life issues, not having a cord to hinder your workout or tether you to a desk makes life a lot more convenient.
If you’ve ever experienced Bluetooth headphones, you know what I mean when I say they can certainly be worth a little bit of extra hassle. It is a very, very rare occasion that I find it necessary to call out a company on a product. Here's a reviewer that took the plunge with one particular product and regrets ever having bothered. Jaybird Bluebuds X: A Bluetooth headset to avoidīluetooth headphones have become a necessity for on-the-go, active users.