Back Bay ClearCall 70 Review

Verdict

Whereas battery life, wi-fi efficiency, and luxury are shiny spots, the Again Bay ClearCall 70 gives disappointing name high quality and common sound, making certain this pair of over-ear headphones battle to fulfil their potential.

Introduction

I’ve appreciated Boston-based audio model Again Bay’s providing ever since I listened to their EQ 40 wi-fi headphones. They’ve managed to mix a constant mixture of worth and efficiency with every headphone we’ve examined.

With the ClearCall 70 they’re venturing into completely different waters. These aren’t headphones for a sporty way of life, however a pair for the workplace supposed to present all-day consolation for these endless Zoom calls and conferences.

So, has Again Bay pulled off the identical trick in providing a welcome mixture of efficiency and worth? Listed here are my ideas.

Design

• Wi-fi-only connection
• Snug, light-weight design
• Removable growth mic

The design of the Again Bay ClearCall 70 is much like Philips’s PH805, which themselves have been harking back to Sony’s 1000X sequence, which isn’t a nasty factor contemplating that sequence’ pedigree.

Just like the Philips, their look is discreet, because the Again Bay emblem tastefully blends in with the end, and gleams each time gentle shines upon it.

Buttons are positioned on the best earcup and with quantity buttons and a multi-function button (MFB) that powers the headphones on or pauses audio playback.

The buttons are just a little small and stiff to press, however spaced out effectively sufficient to keep away from confusion. Press the quantity up/down buttons on the identical time and also you’re taken by means of the three sound modes in Signature, Bass Enhance and Vocal Enhance.

Consolation ranges are wonderful with the Again Bay ClearCall 70. Though there aren’t any particulars about how a lot they weigh on the Again Bay web site, I can’t think about them being too heavy primarily based on my expertise. Sure, they’re comprised of plastic, however the construct high quality is nice with not too many creaks and cracks from the body. The padding is tremendous tender and pliable which I discovered made them comfy to put on for hours.

There’s additionally a USB-C port for charging the headphones that additionally doubles up because the means for connecting the removable growth mic (which additionally comes with a foam sleeve). A sturdy carry case can be supplied with a pouch to maintain the growth mic and USB-C cable in. As there’s no 3.5mm jack, wi-fi is the one approach of connecting these headphones to any system.

Options

• ‘Fundamental’ Bluetooth Multipoint help
• Wonderful wi-fi connection
• Lengthy battery life

Given the worth and use case of the Again Bay ClearCall 70, it shouldn’t be stunning this isn’t a feature-packed pair of headphones. There’s Bluetooth Multipoint of kinds in that the ClearCall 70 might be related to 2 units concurrently, however this requires pairing to at least one system, turning it off to place the headphones into pairing mode as soon as once more earlier than connecting to a different system.

That approach when each units are on, the ClearCall 70 can connect with them, although this entails having to manually connect with the second system fairly than doing so mechanically.

If a name comes by means of your smartphone, you may reply it through the headphones. If it comes by means of your PC/Mac, it’ll should be answered on the pc itself with the audio enjoying by means of the headphones. This seems to be the essential model of Bluetooth Multipoint, and never the extra superior possibility the place you may mechanically pair two units and seamlessly change between them.

Bluetooth 5.0 is supported, together with SBC and AAC codecs, and the Bluetooth vary on these headphones may be very sturdy. Leaving my desk at residence to go upstairs however leaving the headphones on didn’t create any stutter to the sign. Utilizing them exterior by means of Waterloo and Victoria practice stations didn’t ruffle its feathers both.

Battery life is quoted at 45 hours and there’s quick charging onboard with a 15-minute top-up leading to one other 5 hours. When the headphone is turned on, there’s a voice that signifies whether or not the battery is at ‘Excessive’, ‘Medium’ or ‘Low’ ranges, which is beneficial sufficient to gauge whether or not a re-charge is required. In real-terms a five-hour battery drain noticed it drop to 90% at half-volume, which is across the quantity Again Bay quotes on the field.

Sound High quality

• Heat presentation
• Inconsistent name high quality
• Lacks element and definition

On condition that one of many ClearCall’s USPs is getting used for the workplace and calls, it finally ends up disappointing at each. Morning conferences through Zoom would finish with workers members telling me that my voice sounded both uneven, crackly, or onerous to listen to. One workforce member stated that I sounded ‘watery’ i.e. as if I used to be talking underwater.

Maybe there’s a component of the Zoom/wi-fi connection to think about, however most of the time the ClearCall 70’s efficiency was at greatest blended. Even a one-to-one name with one other member introduced up the identical points, initially beginning fantastic with my voice clear and audible earlier than the decision turned muddy.

There have been occasions when the Again Bay ClearCall 70 labored fantastic, however these events weren’t as frequent as I had hoped over a number of weeks of use. It didn’t actually matter whether or not the froth sleeve was used or not, outcomes have been constant both approach.

The Again Bay ClearCall 70 proved common with calls taken exterior too, sufficient when it was quiet however a battle when background noise picked up. The headphones’ mics additionally picked up wind noise, making it much more of a battle to listen to what’s stated.

Again Bay describes the music efficiency as a “vibrant sound signature that gives deep, refined bass, a relaxed midrange, and crisp highs”. I wouldn’t agree with all that’s contained inside that assertion. It actually sounds wealthy, and even over Zoom, folks’s voices sound clean and heat fairly than the crisp tone you is perhaps used to.

Nevertheless it incorporates a woolly sense of definition with audio, missing an additional ounce of element to present form and definition to devices. Its heat offers the low frequencies some weight in Rokysopp’s Eple, however the sound is just not significantly dynamic, and rhythmically it’s fairly gradual paced. The soundstage can be fairly small in measurement.

There’s a selection of three audio modes in Signature, Bass Enhance, and Voice Voice, however I’d say it’s greatest to stay with Signature. Bass makes a observe reminiscent of ZZ Prime’s La Grange sound muddy and unclear throughout the frequency vary; whereas Voice Enhance does what it says on the tin however has the impact of constructing the remainder of the observe distant.

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