Verdict
While battery life , wireless performance , and comfort are bright spots , the Back Bay ClearCall 70 provides disappointing call quality and middling sound , ensuring this duad of over - capitulum headphones struggle to fulfil their potential difference .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
I ’ve liked Boston - based audio brand Back Bay ’s offering ever since I listened to theirEQ 40wireless headphones . They ’ve managed to combine a ordered mixture of note value and performance with each headphone we ’ve tested .
With the ClearCall 70 they ’re embark into different piddle . These are n’t headphones for a sporty life style , but a pair for the function destine to give all - daytime comforter for those never - terminate Zoom calls and meeting .
So , has Back Bay get out off the same conjuration in offering a welcome mix of performance and note value ? Here are my thoughts .
Design
The design of the Back Bay ClearCall 70 is similar to Philips’sPH805 , which themselves were resonant of Sony’s1000X serial publication , which is not a bad matter consider that serial ’ pedigree .
Like the Philips , their appearance is discreet , as the Back Bay logo tastily blends in with the finish , and gleams whenever sluttish shines upon it .
Buttons are settle on the correct earcup and with volume buttons and a multi - function release ( MFB ) that power the phone on or pauses audio playback .
The clitoris are a little small and slopped to insistency , but spaced out well enough to quash confusedness . weigh the volume up / down clitoris at the same time and you ’re taken through the three sound modes in Signature , Bass Boost and Vocal Boost .
comforter levels are excellent with the Back Bay ClearCall 70 . Although there are n’t any particular about how much they weigh on the Back Bay website , I ca n’t imagine them being too heavy ground on my experience . Yes , they are made from charge card , but the physical body quality is good with not too many creaking and crack from the physique . The cushioning is passing easygoing and pliable which I rule made them comfortable to wear for hours .
There ’s also aUSB - Cport for charging the headphones that also doubles up as the mean for relate the detachable roar mic ( which also comes with a froth sleeve ) . A inflexible carry case is also provided with a sack to keep the boom mic and USB - C cable in . As there ’s no 3.5 mm seaman , wireless is the only way of connecting these headphones to any equipment .
Features
contribute the price and use case of the Back Bay ClearCall 70 , it should n’t be surprising this is n’t a feature article - mob pair of headphones . There is Bluetooth Multipoint of sorts in that the ClearCall 70 can be relate to two devices simultaneously , but this requires geminate to one gimmick , turning it off to put the headphones into union mode once again before plug into to another twist .
That way when both equipment are on , the ClearCall 70 can connect to them , though this postulate having tomanuallyconnect to the 2d equipment rather than doing so mechanically .
If a call come through your smartphone , you’re able to answer it via the headphones . If it do through your PC / Mac , it ’ll postulate to be answer on the computer itself with the audio recording playing through the headphones . This appear to be the canonical edition of Bluetooth Multipoint , and not the more advanced option where you may automatically copulate two machine and seamlessly switch between them .
Bluetooth 5.0is supported , along with SBC and AAC codecs , and the Bluetooth range on these earpiece is very solid . leave my desk at home to go up the stairs but allow for the headphones on did n’t create any stammer to the sign . Using them outside through Waterloo and Victoria train station did n’t ruffle its feather either .
bombardment life is quoted at 45 60 minutes and there ’s tight charging onboard with a 15 - second top - up leave in another five hour . When the headphone is turn on , there ’s a vocalism that indicates whether the battery is at ‘ mellow ’ , ‘ spiritualist ’ or ‘ Low ’ levels , which is utile enough to gauge whether a re - commission is need . In actual - term a five - minute bombardment drain saw it drop to 90 % at half - volume , which is around the amount Back Bay quotes on the box .
Sound Quality
make that one of the ClearCall ’s USPs is being used for the office and calls , it ends up dissatisfactory at both . Morning group meeting via Zoom would end with faculty fellow member telling me that my voice sounded either choppy , crackly , or surd to get wind . One squad extremity read that I sounded ‘ watery ’ i.e. as if I was speaking underwater .
Perhaps there ’s an component of the Zoom / wireless connective to factor in , but more often than not the ClearCall 70 ’s performance was at best mixed . Even a one - to - one call with another penis brought up the same issues , ab initio start all right with my spokesperson clear and hearable before the call turned muddy .
There were times when the Back Bay ClearCall 70 worked mulct , but these occasions were n’t as frequent as I had go for over several week of role . It did n’t really matter whether the foam sleeve was used or not , results were reproducible either style .
The Back Bay ClearCall 70 prove average with calls taken outside too , adequate when it was quiet but a struggle when background noise picked up . The headphones ’ mics also find fault up confidential information randomness , stool it even more of a struggle to hear what ’s sound out .
Back Bay describe the music performance as a “ vibrant sound signature that supply recondite , refined bass voice , a relaxed midrange , and crisp high ” . I would n’t agree with all that ’s bear within that statement . It for sure go rich , and even over Zoom , people ’s voices sound bland and warm rather than the crisp tone you might be used to .
But it features a wooly sense of definition with sound recording , lacking an extra ounce of detail to give contour and definition to instruments . Its warmth pass the modest absolute frequency some system of weights in Rokysopp ’s Eple , but the sound is not particularly dynamic , and rhythmically it ’s rather slow pace . The soundstage is also rather small in size .
There ’s a pick of three audio way in Signature , Bass Boost , and Voice Voice , but I ’d say it ’s best to stick with Signature . Bass makes a caterpillar tread such as ZZ Top ’s La Grange sound murky and unreadable across the frequency range ; while Voice Boost does what it says on the tin but has the upshot of making the quietus of the track removed .
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Should you buy it?
You ca n’t plain about the monetary value at $ 50 , though you could take issue with the audio operation …
Whether you ’re in the office or outside taking a call , the ClearCall 70 ’s performance hit median notes .
Final Thoughts
I was hoping for more with the ClearCall 70 given the performance of Back Bay ’s other phone . Call quality is , at best , discrepant ; and when used for music there ’s a lack of definition , detail , and clarity .
There are shiny spot with its good quilt levels , excellent wireless connection , and foresighted barrage fire life , but that ’s not enough to give these headphones a recommendation . Check out ourbest headphoneslist for more options .
Trusted Score
How we test
We screen every headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of metre . We use industry received tests to compare feature properly . We ’ll always tell you what we discover . We never , ever , accept money to retrospect a product .
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FAQs
With a Windows laptop computer the earpiece need to be put into pairing mode : go to Bluetooth and Other devices menu to make connect , and then check ‘ Sound options ’ to check that the stimulation equipment is the ‘ ClearCall 70 headset ’ in guild to verbalise through the microphone boom mic .
