JayBird X2 Bluetooth Sport Headphones

I recently lost a pair of Powerbeats2 bluetooth buds to shoddy quality and a crappy 12 month warranty. Thanks Apple! I was incredible fond of them, used them every day, but the ~3h play time (charge them every day) and 15-month lifespan, and the refusal of Apple to stand by the quality of their products made me wary to invest in a second pair.Having read a lot of reviews, I picked out the Jaybird X2s as being a good mix of sound quality, comfort/fit for biking/running or just hanging out, and good customer service. They weren't the best rated in every category in the reviews I read, but a consistently high overall performer.I've had my X2s about a week now, and I love them.First, the packaging is every bit what you expect from a high-end product. Minimalist, millenial, pretty, fun to unwrap, full of surprises and bonuses. What's this little packet? Oh, a set of six (six!) different bud inserts of 3 different sizes in either foam or sillicone. What's this little sealed pack? Oh, a set of three differently sized ear-inserts so you can get the perfect fit! It was a fun experience opening the pack.There was a temporary moment of disappointment when I plugged them in to charge and for a while nothing happened. And the quick-start guide is weak... I had to go online and download the whole manual. But this lasted only a few minutes.First experience of switching them on and charging was great - I love the verbal feedbak these give you: "Power on! Connected to phone!". No issues at all.But lets get to the point... how do they perform?Sound is excellent, far better than I expected. I loved my Powerbeat2s and didn't think the X2s would compete. But they do. In fact, the X2s can achieve a much snugger fit so I'm both hearing my tracks more clearly, and using a lower volume. In downtown Seattle I often had to turn the volume of my Powerbeats to max, whereas the X2s I don't even adjust between getting off my bus and walking to work.I play mainly podcasts, some music, and the vocals are crystal clear, and the music I've played sounds great. Traffic and city noise is nicely blocked out. Audiophiles may have a different opinion, but I think for buds these provide great soundI've used the microphone for a few phone calls - one from downtown Seattle (hi mom!) and the other while freewheeling downhill on my bike. Lots of traffic/wind. Both of the people calling me could hear me great, no-one complained about "blipping in-and-out" or asked me to repeat anything. This was a common occurrence with my Powerbeats, and I'd often have to whip out my phone's corded buds for any phone calls. No longer!The in-ear insert method of securing the buds is momentarily weird, but then so were the first set of buds I ever used, way back when. After two minutes it feels totally normal. And providing you select the right size combinations of insert forms/bud covers you can get a very secure, tight fit. Once you've done it a few times, they're even easier to fit than over-the-ear buds. I'm still playing with the fit and feel (my left ear is annoyingly smaller than my right, who knew!) but I wear these for an hour at a time when commuting, and don't even notice them.Battery life is excellent. My Powerbeat2s would last maybe 4 hours, maybe a little less. That's not even two full commutes. So I basically charged them every day to avoid the disappointment of suddenly dying buds when still 20 minutes from home. I ran the X2s for 3 days (because I forgot to charge them) and they were still running. I kinda wanted to see if I'd get a "Battery low!" voice in my ear, but it never happened and I didn't want to push my luck.Is there anything not so great? Yeah, I kinda thought the 'Storm' white color would magically have a white cable, but no, its black just like the picture. I don't know why I'm surprised... I got exactly what I ordered! And as I said above, the quick-start guide is crap and you will need to download the manual. Probably my two biggest (yet still small) complaints are:1. I think the cable is maybe 1 or 2 inches too short. I feel like the microphone piece is being pulled away from my mouth, and it doesn't *quite* feel "even", like the cable is not quite situated on the back of my neck. But it doesn't seem to affect how well people can hear me on phone calls. I think I'll get used to it.2. The bluetooth range is also just fractionally limited. On my bike I have to put my phone in my jersey rear pocket to shorten the bud-to-phone distance, whereas I'd normally have it in my panier bags. That said, my old Powerbeats would get interference and blip out when I walked under the electrified trolley-lines... the X2s don't, so I'll take it.All in all, a great product, better than I expected, and I'm thoroughly enjoying them.(and cheaper than the Powerbeat2s)!