Beoplay E8 3rd Gen: The best Bang & Olufsen In-Ear Headphones

The Beoplay E8 3rd Gen is a True Wireless headset that offers excellent sound quality, good fit and stylish design. They integrate everything that is good about the Beoplay E8 2.0 and feature several improvements.

They appeared only a year after the Beoplay E8 2.0 to correct several aspects, such as battery life and microphones. The B&O Beoplay E8s are expensive and do not have active noise cancellation, but their price is justified. The build quality is incredible and they deliver sound that can satisfy any demanding audiophile.

Design and construction quality

The third-generation Bang & Olufsen E8s have the same design as previous versions. Both the original Beoplay E8 and the Beoplay E8 2.0 and 3 come with the same leather case. Likewise, the circular cups integrate touch controls on the outside. Upon closer inspection, however, there are several differences. The quality of construction is excellent. In addition, the leather and aluminum finish gives them a very elegant look.

The Beoplay E8 3 Gen cups are more compact (17% smaller) and lighter (5.8 grams). B&O says it took into account all the feedback and preferences of users to redesign the Beoplay E8. The new headphones adapt to a greater number of users with different ear sizes and shapes. The case also looks more attractive thanks to the rounded corners.

These changes seem insignificant, but when testing the Beoplay E8 3rd Gen we noticed that they feel more comfortable. You can use them for hours without them causing any discomfort. Once you select the silicone tip that best suits the size of your ears, they will remain fixed.

They are designed for use in almost any situation. They do not have hooks for wearing while running or at the gym, but the fit is secure enough for less demanding activities. They are IP54 certified against dust, sweat and splashing water. The Beoplay E8 comes with four silicone tips in different sizes (XS, S, M, L). They also come with the USB-A/USB-C charging cable and a quick guide in 15 languages.

B&O Beoplay E8 controls and functions

IP54 certification against sweat and dust means you can use them while running or exercising, but we don't really recommend it. When we tested them we noticed that they can fall off when you move hard.

It's a shame, because the touch controls work great and are easy to use in any situation. By sliding a finger over the right earpiece you can increase the volume and by touching it once you play or pause. With two taps you can fast forward a song and three taps activates your phone's personal assistant.

By touching the left earpiece you can activate the transparency mode or accept calls. Pressing it twice allows you to change songs and end calls. Pressing and holding the left cup lowers the volume. The controls respond perfectly, even in the rain.

Beoplay E8 connectivity

They work with Bluetooth 5.1, and to synchronize them you only need to take them out of the case or press the touch panel on either cup for about five seconds. The B&O Beoplay E8 3rd Gen do not pause playback when you take them off, unlike the latest models of Sennheiser, Sony heaphones or Bose headphones, but they do support the codecs SBC, AAC y aptX.

The connectivity range is great. They can operate up to 35 meters from the sound source, a capability on par with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. The range decreases if you are inside a building and blocked by walls, but even then they present no problems at a distance of about 10 meters.

These True Wireless headphones integrate four microphones, twice as many as the Beoplay E8 2.0 or the original Beoplay E8. The microphones pick up voices with remarkable clarity. People hear a very clear voice, even when you are in noisy environments.

B&O Application

The Bang & Olufsen app, available for iOS and Android devices, gives you more configuration options. Through the app you can control playback and access five equalization settings, including “work-out with softer treble” or “podcast”, with less bass. You can also adjust and save equalization changes to your personal taste.

It also allows you to control the transparency mode with four levels of intensity: from off to level 4. A positive feature is that the settings you make in the app are transferred to the Beoplay E8. So even if you change the player, your favorite equalizations and transparency levels will remain in the wireless headphones. The app also offers a standby mode that turns the headset off after 15 minutes without signal.

Battery life

One of the most significant advantages of the Beoplay E8 3rd Gen is the autonomy. B&O claims that the battery has a much better capacity (119%) compared to previous models. This means you can enjoy them for about seven hours of continuous playback on a single charge.

In addition, the case offers you four additional charges. The total charging process for the case takes approximately two hours via the USB-C port, but you can also charge it with an optional wireless Qi pad.

Sound quality

As with the previous versions, the B&O Beoplay 3rd gen offer sublime audio quality. The details are noticeable at all frequencies, no matter what genre of music you listen to. The bass is perceived as deep, precise and doesn't overshadow the other tonalities. The sound has great dynamics and doesn't distort at any volume level.

The tonal balance is perfect. Bass, midrange and treble are perceived as separate and clear. The performance is excellent when playing pieces with complex mixes and different sound layers. The instruments and vocals stand out in the mix and you can listen to them for hours without discomfort. You can equalize the sound to your personal taste with the application, although the factory settings are great.

That said, they unfortunately do not have active noise cancellation. Until recently, only Sony offered InEar headphones with ANC, but this year many other companies launched models with this technology. In this price range the best True Wireless models from Sony, Bose and Sennheiser offer ANC.

Conclusion on the B&O Beoplay E8 3rd Gen

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 3rd Gen are excellent true Wireless headphones. The build quality is impeccable, they integrate a high-performance battery and the Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity is one of the best we have tested in terms of stability. The best part: the sound quality is really good. The Beoplay E8 delivers sublimely-detailed sound at all frequencies.

The only significant drawback is that they do not feature active noise cancellation, a technology offered by all competing True Wireless headsets, such as the LG Tone Free, Sony WF-1000XM4 or the AirPods Pro. Interested? Find the best price on Amazon.

Other attractive and affordable models are the realme Buds Q2 and Sony WF-C500.

B&O Beoplay E8 3rd Gen reviews

The E8s have an average rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Most users agree that they offer good sound quality, although they also find them expensive. Below, we included three notable reviews from Amazon:

• Santiago: “The E8s are headphones that feel premium in every way, even though you pay for it.”
• Carmen&Tony: “I can't believe that headphones from this brand are so expensive and so bad. SOnpesados and I find them uncomfortable.”
• Tony B: “Sound quality and materials are top notch. The battery is great and integrates very good touch controls.”