Very recently we took a close look at the Silicon Power Blast Plug BP81 series of Bluetooth enabled earbuds and walked away impressed with the state of the wireless industry. While far from perfect their combination of ease of use, durability, reasonably good clarity, and at a very reasonable price made for a very good argument in their favor. Today we are going to look at the $37 Blast Plug BP82 series to see what has and has not changed.
On the surface, these two sets of earbuds do share a few things in common. The most obvious is both are making use of the same BT 5 bus and the same underlying BT5 controller. Both come with a carry case that doubles as a charger. Both offer 3-4 hours of run time before the earbuds need to be recharged. Both models are reasonably lightweight (with the 81s weighing a waifish 7.9grams and the 82s barely more at 9.2grams). Both come with the same 3-year warranty. Both are even reasonably priced at about $37 USD.
Where they differ however is the secret to understanding who each model has been designed for. The Blast Plug BP82’s forgoes the IP certification and in return have replaced it with a simplified interface. Precisely, instead of two small buttons per earbud the BP82’s make use of a touch interface with LED glow ring. This certainly adds a dash of style at the same time making it extremely easy to use.
Also changed is the carrying case. Gone is the long tubular chassis with a slide-out holder. In its stead is a more compact case with flip-open lid. This change makes carrying the 82s extremely easy, to say the least. These are the most obvious differences, but their sound profile also differs. By the end of this review, we intend to make it crystal clear the pros and cons of each, and armed with this information can make an informed decision on if the Blast Plug BP82 is right for you and your specific needs.
