B&O PLAY by Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8 Wireless On-Ear Headphone with Active Noise Cancelling, Bluetooth 4.2 (Gray Hazel) (Renewed)

Like new! Just out from the box. Can’t tell if it been used. Sounds very good. It comes in a brown B&O play logo box

Could barely hear it

I am constantly updating this review as time goes on and I use them more. Check Bottom for updates.Packaging:Product came in a Brown Box with the B&O Logo on it, I'm sure its generic B&O Packaging rather than the Original but I could be wrong. That being said, the packaging was still solid, and once the box was opened, everything was neatly packaged and surrounded with foam for protection. All of the cables and booklets were separated in original black cardboard boxes and the headphones had the sticker on ear cup showing the instruction for the touch controls.Preowned?:Being certified refurbished, the box on the outside had stickers on the side showing that it was a pre-owned, certified refurbished headphone. However, the headphone itself is immaculate. There are no scratches on the metal finish, the leather is unscathed, and honestly if I handed this to someone I could say I bought these brand new for 500 bucks.ConnectivityBeing a proud independent man, I didn't even look at the instructions. Connecting these to my phone was a little odd but I figured it out through common sense in no time really. However, when I turn the headphones off and then on again, they don't automatically connect back to my phone which is kind of a nuisance since now I have to go to my phone and click the Headphones... will probably have to go to the manual to figure that one out. That being said, its an easy and quick fix since my phone is right there with me and it takes maybe half a second to connect.Now once I have connected to the headphones, I have not experienced any dropouts of any kind (UPDATED SEE BOTTOM). Many people have claimed that the connection is spotty, but I've tested it by leaving my phone in one room, and walking around corners into other rooms of my house, and the connection is strong as steel. I believe I read somewhere that the original headphones come with Bluetooth 4.1? Whereas from this seller, it is advertised as 4.2. This may explain the stronger bluetooth connection compared to other users, but don't quote me on this.Comfort:On ear headphones are going to be tighter and less comfortable than over ears. That being said, I have larger ears and use on ear headphones pretty much all the time. These are just about the same as any other on ear headphone that I've used, a little tight and will become noticeable after a couple hours of use- but definitely not uncomfortable. If you are used to on-ear headphones, you will have no issue. If you have sensitive ears- maybe on-ears are not for you.So far, I've worn these for about 4 hours straight before they become uncomfortable and I needed to give my ears a breather.SoundI previously had a pair of Beats Solo 2 Wireless, which are (as everyone knows) bass heavy. the H8s are still have a vibrant bass which is a pleasure while listening to hip hop and other bass heavy songs. However, these are definitely more evened out across the spectrum making listening to both Rock, and Classical (which I've just started to get into) much nicer to listen to than on the beats. Definitely worth the upgrade.ANC:The ANC is activated through the touch controls and works fairly well. When no music is playing you can hear a buzz coming from the headphones, but it becomes fairly unnoticeable once music is playing. I personally haven't kept it on for the most part due to personal preference, but it's nice to have the option. I feel that the ANC does not completely block out noise. If you want 100% sound proofing, I'm not sure these are right for you. Still though, with music playing and ANC on, I feel that the sound from your environment is pretty much squashed. I guess the real test (which unfortunately I cannot do) would be to try them on in the subway or an airplane.Touch Controls:The touch controls are a cool addition and set these apart from other headphones I've owned over the years. That being said, they take some time getting used to and sometimes feel kind of clumsy. When they work, they work beautifully and its pretty satisfying to use, but since I'm still getting used to it, I'm not 100% confident when reaching to the ear cup to change the song or adjust the volume.Speaking of volume- unfortunately, changing the volume on the headphone doesn't change the volume on my LG v30. so having max volume on the phone, doesnt mean you're at max volume on the headphone and vice versa. This means that you can increase the volume all the way on the headphone, but still have to reach for your phone to increase its volume if you're trying to blow out your eardrums. An unfortunate thing, but not a deal breaker for me.All in all, a great headphone so far- will keep updated on the longevity of this refurbished headphone, but I have confidence based on first impressions that these will hold up. The only quirks so far are the bluetooth and the volume controls as stated above, but those are just minor annoyances and not deal breakers for me.UPDATE 2/5/18After using these for a while, there are some revisions to my review I want to highlight:1. The bluetooth connection issue I experienced earlier where my phone would not automatically connect is no longer a problem. What I do now is when turning the headphones on, I hold the switch onto the bluetooth icon for about 3 seconds (owners will hopefully understand what I'm talking about). By doing this, the headphones and phone automatically repair.2. Regarding bluetooth connection strength- the signal is still fairly stable. With my phone in my room, I can walk all around my small apartment (around walls and all) with no issue. EXCEPT: on the far edge of my apartment, about 30-40 feet or so around the corner, the connection drops out and the music becomes scratchy. Also, in my kitchen pantry- about 20-25 feet away from my phone the connection becomes very spotty as well. So there are limitations- probably something behind the walls of my pantry messing with the signal. So keep that in mind if you're one to wander from your phone.ALSO, very sporadically, while my phone is in my pocket I'll get little hiccups. Rare, but does occur, and usually fixes itself after one or two hiccups.Update: 2/28/18I dropped a star and will probably be returning these. I LOVE the sound, the look, and the comfort and definitely think they are worth $250.However, I've notice that whenever I leave my house in the morning and walk to school, there are random quick dropouts that occur maybe 10-15 times during my 10 minute walk. These dropouts are very quick and I originally thought it was my spotify dropping out because of the wifi. But today as I was walking I happened to cover the right earcup with my hand and the sound just completely dropped. This pretty much confirmed for me that it was the bluetooth connection. So while this is actually a minor issue, I think its reason enough for me to return them considering they cost me 250.Buy these if you don't mind this issue, I know I could live with it, as I have been for the past month, but ultimately its up to you. I may keep them simply because I love the headphones, but I am considering the option of returning them

Looks like new. Sounds great. 4 Stars due to not very good decision with control and there is not a special case in the box