Plantronics BackBeat 500 Series Bluetooth cans launched in Australia

Wireless seems to be the way to go, with smartphones losing headphone jacks and people not wanting to get entangled in cables.

“More and more consumers today are ditching the cord and are ready to step up to a wireless listening experience. At the same time, they are unwilling to compromise on the high standards that come with a wired connection,” said Peter Petrides, National Retail Sales Manager at Plantronics.

The California-based company has today launched another set of on-ear Bluetooth stereo headphones – the BackBeat 500 Series – that are lightweight and promise up to 18 hours of playback on a single charge.

Given some of the best wireless headphones carry premium price tags, Plantronics has tried to keep affordability in mind without compromising on the sound quality or the comfort factor.

The cans are priced at $119.99 a pop, making it one of the more budget options out there for anyone who enjoys their music while on the move.

Starting today, the BackBeat 500 Series headphones are available at JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman in three colours – white, grey and dark grey.

Feature-rich cans

The BackBeat 500 Series headphones features 40mm drivers and bass tube design. 

On-ear controls and a wideband-enabled mic allows for calls to be taken, or you can plug the accompanying analog cable into its 3.5mm built-in jack. 

Plus there’s access to Siri, Google Now or Cortana.

The foam ear cups are made out of memory foam for comfort and can rotate to lie flat for easy storage.

“The BackBeat 500 Series is designed to be your perfect first pair of wireless headphones that provide an exceptional experience without breaking the bank,” added Petrides. “With best-in-class battery life, all-day comfort and Plantronics’ signature high quality audio, they bring simplicity and reliability to those who are looking to transition into the world of the wireless.”

The BackBeat 500 joins the BackBeat PRO 2, BackBeat FIT, BackBeat GO 3, BackBeat SENSE and the BackBeat 100 Series in Plantronics’ Bluetooth-enabled headphones family.

Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, Sharmishta's main priority is being TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor, looking after the day-to-day functioning of the Australian, New Zealand and Singapore editions of the site, steering everything from news and reviews to ecommerce content like deals and coupon codes. While she loves reviewing cameras and lenses when she can, she's also an avid reader and has become quite the expert on ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about these underrated devices. Other than her duties at TechRadar, she's also the Managing Editor of the Australian edition of Digital Camera World, and writes for Tom's Guide and T3.