Optoma has been a brand we’ve reviewed here at Techaeris a number of times. From their projectors to their headphones we’ve rather enjoyed their offerings. Now you may have yet to experience their products but they are becoming more widely available. You can now find them at Best Buy, Home Depot, Fry’s, and Walmart. This time around we
Specs
- Driver: Dynamic, 6mm
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Microphone Sensitivity: -42 +/-3 dB
- Earphone Sensitivity: 90 ± 3dB
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Battery Life: Up to 10-hours
- Bluetooth: 4.1, range up to 33ft
- Bluetooth Profile: HSP 1.2, HFP 1.6, A2DP 1.2, AVRCP 1.4, AAC, SBC
- Weight: 16g
- IPX5 water/dust resistant
- 360-degree magnetic clasp design to naturally conform to the wearer’s body contour
- Vacuum evaporation technique: Imparts a mirror-like, high gloss stainless steel surface texture for a sophisticated finish suitable for both travel and work
What’s in the box
- Optoma Nu Force BE Live2 wireless headphones
- Charging cable
- Silicon ear tips S/M/L
- Manual and documentation
Design
As any wireless earbud headset goes, you’ve got two earpieces attached to one cable and that basic design is never going to change. It’s convenient for those who work out or run or want a headset without a long cord.
What is going to change are the style of the cable and the earbuds themselves. On each end of the rubber cable is the left or right earpiece, which are labeled either “L” or “R” so you know which side goes in which ear. Optoma has placed the NU logo facing outward on the cylinder-shaped bud. Both lead to the ear tips that are set to a 24-degree angle ensuring the earbud is snug in your ear while you’re walking or working out. On the back of the earbud is a 360-degree magnet that will clasp when you want to wear the earbuds around your neck. One left earbud is protruded inward while the right side is normal letting it sit nicely in the left earbud.
Going back to the rubber material like cable, you have the three button remote that acts as the controller to the headset. There are three buttons, volume up (+), volume down (-), and a circle (O) which is the multi-function and home button. On the side of the remote is the Micro USB port that is covered by a flap so liquid doesn’t get into it. The backside has a microphone hole for phone conversations.
There was only one problem with the design that I experienced: occasionally, the earbuds would fall out of my ear randomly. I thought it was because the ear tip wasn’t either in my ear all the way or it was due to the wrong sized silicon ear tips, but the same thing would happen. Those with small or larger ears may experience this as well, but it wasn’t a constant thing.
Ease of Use
When using the BE Live2s, the circle icon on the three button remote will be your power button and will also be used to play/pause tracks and answer/end phone calls. Holding it down for about 2-3 seconds will power on the headset but it will not automatically be ready to be paired with your device. You will have to hold the power button down again for about 4-5 seconds and it’ll start pairing mode. Once paired, you can start listening to your music. The volume rocker is pretty self-explanatory. It’s used for volume control. Press the buttons once and the volume will turn up or down. Forwarding or repeating songs will require you to hold down the buttons down for about 2 seconds.
The power button has a few other functions depending on what you’re needing it for. If you’re looking to play/pause the music, press the button once. If you’re looking to end a phone call, hold down the power button for 2 seconds. You can also press the button twice to activate Google Assistant or Apple Siri.
Sound
I wouldn’t call these ones of the best wireless headphones I’ve used, but they’re pretty good. The sound quality is nice but there isn’t much bass to them. There’s plenty of clarity from vocals and instruments playing, as well as any sounds from a video with no distortion at a louder volume. Unfortunately, with the drivers only being 6mm, it’s to be expected, so it’s not a deal breaker but might turn some folks away who are interested in some bass with their workout. If you’re looking to use these for conference calls or while working, the sound quality will work out for you.
Call Quality
Most of the wireless headsets I’ve used for phone calls have been really good on quality. I usually have no complaints, until now that is. The BE Live2 aren’t all that good when it comes to people hearing me on the other end. It didn’t matter if I had the strap around the back of my neck or dangling under my chin, people were telling that they could barely hear me and the sound was bad. That’s with the mic right by my mouth too. This is definitely a deal killer for some people who may want to take a phone call while working or something.
Battery Life
Bluetooth headphones range in battery life but there’s a nice medium around 10-15 hours of battery life. The BE Live2 earbuds are listed with a 10-hour battery life. During testing, I was able to consistently get just shy of 10 hours. Some may say that 10 hours isn’t a lot compared to other brands out there but
Price
Optoma is currently selling the Nu Force BE Live2’s for $49USD on Amazon. For the price, it’s not bad if you just need a pair of wireless headphones to get you through the day. Unfortunately, in this case, the phrase, “you get what you pay for” comes into play. As affordable as they are, there are some drawbacks, which has been explained above. Again, these will work out for those who just need something to get by.
Wrap Up
Overall, the Optoma Nu Force BE Live2 isn’t a bad wireless headset. Other than the fact that phone conversations aren’t the best and not much boom in the bass, it’s a good purchase. With the holidays coming up, these could be
*We were sent review units of the Optoma Nu Force BE Live2 Wireless Headset for the purposes of this review.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
