Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX brings excellent sounding through a 9.2mm neodymium magnet dynamic driver, and the overall tuning is very dynamic. Combined with comply eartips, the Active Noise Cancellation performance is relatively good.
- $375 – Check latest price on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design & Comfort Fit
The charging case has a rectangular design with rounded corners, and its surface looks and feels like a matte metal texture. The charging case is relatively large among in-ear earbuds, about 20% larger than Apple AirPods Pro.
There is an indicator light on the front side of the charging case, and a USB-C charging port on the back. The bottom of the charging case has a skin-like texture and is anti-slip and anti-scratch.
Beoplay EX earbuds are long-stem in-ear designs, and the main part has a delicate skin-like texture that is very comfortable to the touch. A piece of PVD glass wrapped in a metal ring is inlaid on the back side of the cavity – Bang & Olufsen calls it a “luxury craftsmanship level design”. The weight of a single earbud is 6.7g, and the total weight is 66.1g.
With the default size M silicone eartips, the in-ear experience of Beoplay EX is relatively comfortable and can remain fixed in the ears, but it also has a certain breathability and is not too crowded.
However, due to the large size of the earbud cavity, the “sense of presence” in the ears will be slightly stronger. For users with smaller auricles, there will be a feeling of “ears being stretched open” and it will take some time to adapt.
Also, Beoplay EX comes with a pair of comply ear tips – after replacing them, you will experience a completely different wearing experience.
The material of comply eartips is similar to 3M noise cancellation eartips, and the rebound speed is relatively slow – it will slowly expand in the ear and fill the gap in the external auditory canal. Similar to industrial noise cancellation eartips – Beoplay EX will have better passive noise cancellation performance. The physical isolation from external noise will also be stronger when worn. But correspondingly, it will also be more “ear-bloating” and more suitable for users who pursue the ultimate noise cancellation.
Connection & APP Support
The earbuds uses the Bluetooth 5.2 chip and supports SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive codec. In the factory state, the indicator light will flash blue after opening the charging case cover, indicating that it has entered pairing mode. At this point, select “Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX” from the bluetooth list of your phone to complete the connection.
Also, Beoplay EX support multi-point connection, which can connect two bluetooth devices.
Beoplay EX supports Bang & Olufsen App. In the App, you can see the real-time battery status of the earbuds and select ambient sound, adaptive ANC, wind noise cancellation, sound mode, etc.
Controls & Battery Life
The touch control area of the earbuds is located on the PVD glass on the back of the cavity, and can recognize single-tap, double-tap and long-press. Play/pause, volume +/-, previous/next track, answer/end/reject call and noise reduction mode selection can be achieved. In addition, the earbuds also supports customized touch control through the app.
The single battery life after turning off ANC mode is up to 8 hours, and the total battery life is up to 28 hours. The battery life after turning on ANC mode is up to 6 hours. The overall battery life performance of Beoplay EX can only be regarded as average.
Also, the charging case support wireless charging function. In wireless charging mode, the input power of the charging pad is 2.29W, and the actual charging power may be slightly lower.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
After replacing the comply eartips, the earbuds themselves have good passive noise cancellation capabilities, which can reduce external sounds by one level regardless of frequency. However, due to the existence of airhole, there is still a certain gap between it and industrial noise cancellation eartips.
When ANC is turned on to the highest level, Beoplay EX can significantly reduce external mid- and low-frequency noise, and the noise reduction is sufficient. What is surprising is that Beoplay EX can also suppress mid- and high-frequency noise to a certain extent.
Unfortunately, after replacing the comply eartips, there will be more obvious ear pressure.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX supports three levels of noise cancellation and transparent mode adjustment. After turning on the transparent mode, the listening experience is basically the same as taking off the earbuds, and there is no obvious noise floor or excessive ambient sound. Moreover, the “Wind Noise Cancellation” function is still available in transparent mode.
Overall, thanks to the addition of comply eartips, the ANC performance of Beoplay EX is above the average level of mainstream in-ear earbuds. The transparent mode also performs well enough. Unfortunately, after turning on the noise cancellation mode, there will be greater ear pressure. Hopefully the next generation of products will improve.
Acoustic Architecture & Sound Description
The 9.2mm neodymium magnet dynamic driver lays a good acoustic foundation for the overall listening experience of Beoplay EX. Beoplay EX has a wide response range, sensitive response, rich and clear details, no lag, and sufficient resolution.
Under the default setting, the low frequency is enhanced to a certain extent, the drum beat is very prominent, the sound is refreshing, and the rich details are maintained. The mid-high frequency are warm and smooth, while the vocals are slightly jerky.
Also, the sound effect adjustment options in the App have built-in multiple scene-based sound modes: Sports, Commuting, Clear, and Podcast. A more interesting regulator is also provided – Beosonic.
In the Beosonic adjuster, the sound adjustment options are labeled as “Bright – Warm” and “Relaxed – Vibrant”. Users can freely push the knob from the range formed by the two axes to adjust the sound they want.
In addition, Beoplay EX has passed MFi certification and is suitable for Apple devices; it also support Qualcomm aptX Adaptive sound effects.
Conclusion
The unique design language, frosted metal texture and PVD glass panel allow Beoplay EX to display the unique high-end feel of the Bang & Olufsen brand. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX brings excellent sounding through a 9.2mm neodymium magnet dynamic driver, and the overall tuning is very dynamic. Combined with comply eartips, the Active Noise Cancellation performance is quite good.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC/ aptX Adaptive codec
- 6 – 8 hours playback of per charge (ANC on/off)
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 2 times
- IP57 waterproof rating (rain and sweat resistant)
- Comes with 5 sets of eartips, USB-C cable, user manual
- $375 – Check latest price on Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries