10 Jul
Blog

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT Review: Good Beyond Gaming

Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT

RRP $ 269.00

"Corsair's Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT isn't perfect, but the way it offers the practicality to replace both your gaming headset and everyday headphones puts it in a league of its own."

advantages

  • Great chic looks

  • Excellent workmanship

  • Versatile connectivity

  • Can replace two headsets

  • Practical RGB mic mute display

disadvantage

  • Below average battery life

  • Short radio range

  • Expensive

Buying a gaming headset is not easy. It can be if you keep your expectations low, but if you're looking for something exclusive the thought of losing $ 269 on a wireless gaming headset can be a little daunting.

That's the price of Corsair's newest flagship gaming headset, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT, and while it's certainly worth the price, let's see if the stuff you can't see is good enough. Unlike many headsets, there is a lot to cover with this one, so let's dive in.

Build quality and comfort

As expected, the workmanship of the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is excellent. The headset uses a lot of synthetic leather and metal, which gives it a very chic look and feel. Corsair's elementary back-to-basics design also plays well here, as it gives the headset a very "contemporary headphone" look rather than the look of many garishly styled offerings.

I actually really like the design, and since the microphone is detachable and supports Bluetooth with Apt-X, you can easily use this set on the go in public. The bright bit of RGB might even attract curious eyes.

In terms of comfort, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is generally good, but a bit missed – that may be a personal observation, but I find the ear cups too flat. This is done, of course, to get a sleeker profile for the modern look, but it presses a little against my right ear which causes discomfort with prolonged use.

That's my only complaint about comfort – the faux leather is soft, the pillows are … cushiony, and the clamping force is minimal so you won't get a headache. If your ears fit better than mine, which is more likely than not, you'll find the Virtuoso XT very snug. For larger ears, Logitech's G Pro X (wireless) headsets are generally more comfortable thanks to roomier ear cups.

The ergonomics of the controls are also great, with most of the buttons on the bottom of the right earcup. The only button that is on the left cup is the microphone mute button, and in fact, it's on the microphone itself, right on the base where it connects to the headset.

The microphone even has an RGB light ring at the end, and I think it's awesome, even if it's not exactly an ergonomic thing. It glows bright red when you mute the microphone and participates in whatever light show you have when it doesn't. This may seem like a small detail, and it is, but tell me, when was the last time you forgot you muted yourself and wondered why your friends weren't answering? Yesterday? Today? Yes me too. Every headset has to have that.

Connectivity

Most PC wireless gaming headsets have two or three types of connectivity. First and foremost there is a wireless interface with its own dongle, then a 3.5 mm jack if you need the cable anyway, and they often work via their USB charging cable too.

But Corsair has an additional treat: Bluetooth with support for the Apt-X codec. With most gaming headsets, this wouldn't be all that important, but this one looks pretty good and it's nice to be able to connect it to your phone for use on the go. Unplug the mic and no one would say it was a gaming headset. The next alternatives with this feature set are the Steelseries Arctis 9 and Arctis Pro wireless headsets, as they also support Bluetooth but don't support Apt-X and still look a lot like gaming headsets, which they are less likely to be worn in public makes suitable.

The headset also supports multiple device inputs at the same time, which is another handy feature. Connecting the headset to your PC via the dongle and your phone via bluetooth is not only great for easy toggling on the go, but you also don't have to take the headset off when you receive calls. The music quality is also better than Apt-X.

A quick range test showed disappointing results. In my apartment, I have my office at one end, and most headsets can reach halfway to the kitchen while maintaining a stable connection. The very best headsets stay connected to the other side of my apartment, but not the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT: I could barely step out of my office into the hallway.

Audio quality

The sound quality is always a bit mixed with gaming headsets, especially wireless devices. That makes sense, of course: the drivers are tuned to pick up the enemy's footsteps and reloading noises and provide appealing bass for explosions. And since the wireless connection is geared towards low latency rather than audio quality, you end up with sound that audiophiles generally don't like.

And while the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is no exception to this set of requirements, it actually does quite well, especially over the Bluetooth connection when using a source device that supports the Apt-X codec. Music is fun, voices are clear, and there is enough detail to please most listeners. It won't compare to the best hi-fi headphones out there – it's not even in the same league – but for a gaming headset as practical as your everyday headphones, it's more than enough .

But again, keep in mind that the audio quality suffers a bit with the included 2.5 GHz dongle on the PC – you will not notice this at all in the game, since most games do not have sufficient audio quality anyway. The incoming voice streams from multiplayer chats aren't good either, but if you're playing music for pleasure you may want to do it from your phone or use a wired connection. The only catch is that the battery life on dual devices is pretty limited – you'll be happy to hit 15 hours.

Our opinion

Corsair's Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is a stunning wireless gaming headset that tries to achieve anything. And while it doesn't do a perfect job, it offers a ton of practicality with its great connectivity options, great user ergonomics, nice production quality, and decent convenience. If you're wondering if the $ 269 price tag is worth it, I'd probably say – when you need a headset that can do it all. Just keep in mind that wired headsets often sound better, battery life isn't the best, and they have a very short wireless range.

Are there alternatives?

There are always tons of alternatives in the gaming headset space, but few look as good as the Corsair cans and practicality remains an issue – Bluetooth is often absent on many models and a microphone that is not detachable together with garish gamer styling, makes its use as an everyday outdoor headset for many devices a hard best seller. With this combination of connectivity functions, the Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is in a league of its own. The next alternative would be the Arctis 9 and Arctis Pro headsets from Steelseries, but they don't offer the same visual appeal and neither do they support the Apt-X codec for high quality sound over Bluetooth.

If you're looking to save some cash and skip Bluetooth altogether, Logitech's G Pro X wireless headset is a great alternative that is more convenient but less practical.

How long it will take?

This headset should last around three to four years, depending on how you use it. The delicate faux leather is likely to fall apart first after heavy use, and I've had my battery life concerns over the years as it's not the best to start with.

Should I buy it?

If you're looking for a new wireless gaming headset and want to use it as your everyday go-to headphone, the Corsair Virtuoso RGB Wireless XT is definitely worth considering. It's a little expensive, but since it can replace multiple headphones, the price is justified.

Editor's recommendations



06 Jul
Blog

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse Review: Made for Creators

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse

HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse

RRP $ 90.00

"The HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a highly customizable mouse with no serious drawbacks."

advantages

  • Ergonomic design

  • Seven customizable buttons

  • Long battery life

  • Fast charge capability

disadvantage

  • Right-handed only

  • A bit expensive

HP has redoubled its recent efforts to woo creative customers with a full line of laptops like the Envy 14 and Envy 15 aimed directly at creative professionals. But HP hasn't stopped with laptops. It's also available with the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse, a device designed to work more efficiently in applications like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

In addition to the HP Envy x360 15, another laptop for developers, I received a 930 Creator Wireless Mouse as a test device. I put the $ 90 wireless mouse through its paces – does it offer something to measure up to the best mice?

design

Top view of the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The wireless 930 Creator mouse is made of two-tone silver-gray plastic and feels robust enough. It's light and easy to move around without feeling cheap, and the lower part that flares to the left has a slightly grippy coating that helps keep control over quick mouse movements. Aside from the color scheme, HP's mouse is similar to Logitech's MX Master 3, its main competitor.

Like the MX Master 3, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse has a dual-function scroll wheel with a button that changes from ratchet to free-scrolling mode. The HP version is just as slick when allowed to flow freely, but chunkier in ratchet mode. The scroll wheel can be pressed and pushed to the left and right for additional functions.

There are four buttons along the left side to the top of the flare. The device closest to the user switches between two Bluetooth devices, while the other three can be programmed to perform many functions (more on that later).

This is actually an unfortunate arrangement as it is far too easy to press the bluetooth switch instead of the first programmable button to disconnect the active device. I've been using the mouse for a few weeks now and still occasionally hit the wrong button. HP would have been smarter to put the button on the bottom of the mouse.

Open view of the HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

The 930 Creator Mouse comes with a proprietary dongle that plugs into a slot on the bottom. It's accessed via a magnetic cover that opens easily once you've read the attached diagram which tells you to press the bottom to pry the cover open. In combination with the two Bluetooth connections, you can use the dongle to establish a connection to a total of three devices.

As with the MX Master 3, you can connect to several devices at the same time via Bluetooth and the dongle and move the cursor and files between the devices. That's a nice feature if you're using multiple computers at the same time, and the feature works between Windows 10 and Mac OS.

ergonomics

Side view of the HP Creator Wireless Mouse.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

Thanks to its shapely contours and the rounded design, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a comfortable device – if you are right-handed. It's pretty much useless for left-handed people, which is unfortunate. The same applies, of course, to the Logitech MX Master 3 and many similar mice.

For those who can use it, however, and if your hand isn't too big, the mouse can be found comfortably in the palm of your hand and your thumb to rest easily on the flare. Moving the mouse is a simple process that does not cause significant fatigue even after hours of use.

The buttons are in the right places so they're easy to reach but not too easy to accidentally press (except for the bluetooth switch, as mentioned above). The left and right buttons have a nice click and are not too loud.

All in all, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse passes the ergonomic mouse test quite well. It's a mouse designed for long creative sessions, and you won't find it getting in your way.

performance

The 930 Creator wireless mouse has a sensor resolution of 800 to 3,000 dots per inch (dpi), among some competitive mice that can achieve a resolution of up to 10,000 dpi. The MX Master 3, for example, has a resolution of 4,000 dpi, more than the HP, but not enough that the typical user would notice. The HP Accessory Center app can be installed from the Microsoft Store to set the resolution.

The HP Accessory Center app sets the mouse resolution.Mark Coppock / Digital Trends

As mentioned earlier, the scroll wheel works remarkably fast in smooth scrolling mode. If you're fidgety, it might move too fast, but you can use it to navigate long web pages and documents with ease. When it comes to cursor control, the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a confident performer that offers precise control thanks to a combination of just enough weight and ergonomic design.

HP promises up to 12 weeks of battery life on a single charge. I've been using it for a couple of weeks so far and I'm still sitting on around 70% battery life. So I'm well on my way to getting closer to HP's estimate. HP also states that a one-minute charge provides 30 minutes of battery life, ideal for times when you need to get something done and the battery is dead.

Programmability

All seven buttons of the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse – the pressed scroll wheel, the left and right action of the scroll wheel, the right button and the three programmable buttons – can be assigned functions within several applications. The buttons are programmed using the HP Accessory Center app.

The HP Accessory Center app is used to program the buttons on the 930 series Creator Wireless Mouse.

As in the example above, the app can recognize multiple applications and automatically assign certain functions to each key. Or the functions can be set manually. It's an easy-to-use app that makes customizing the mouse for supported applications a breeze.

Our opinion

The HP 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is a great addition to the programmable mouse category. It's well built, sits comfortably in the hand (if you're right-handed), and offers easy-to-use and very flexible programmability. Buying this mouse with an HP laptop makes perfect sense and is a one-stop shop for support.

However, there are other good mice out there too, so do some shopping. Chances are you have the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse on your shortlist.

Are there alternatives?

The most direct competitor is the Logitech MX Master 3, which costs $ 10 more than HP's mouse. The Logitech also supports multiple applications with custom buttons, but not as many as the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse.

The Razer Pro Click is another alternative to the 930 Creator Wireless Mouse and costs $ 10 more. You'll find that the Razer has longer battery life, an equally ergonomic design, a 16,000 dpi sensor, support for up to four devices, eight programmable buttons, and longer battery life. It's a formidable competitor.

How long it will take?

The 930 Creator Wireless Mouse is well built and should be used for years. The one year warranty is an industry standard.

Should you buy it?

Yes. It lies comfortably in the hand and can be adapted to your workflow.

Editor's recommendations



29 Jun
Blog

Jaybird Vista 2 Review: Tough Wireless Earbuds For Athletes

Jaybird Vista 2

"As long as calls are not a priority, the Jaybird Visa 2 earbuds are an athlete's best friend."

  • Completely waterproof and dustproof

  • Compact and secure fit

  • Great sound quality

  • Wireless charging

  • Very poor call quality

  • ANC struggles with wind noise

We were pretty impressed with Jaybirds Vista when it launched in 2019. As the company's third attempt at creating a premium, sport-friendly set of true wireless earbuds, the Vista for $ 150 (which debuted at $ 180) was virtually successful where the previous Jaybird Run and Run XT did not.

They sounded great and were compact and sturdy in design. But time is not waiting for anyone, and if you want to be the best running headphones or simply the best for any type of intense activity in 2021, you need more. Much more. Can Jaybird's new Vista 2 claim this award for $ 200? Let's find out.

What's new?

If you are familiar with the original Jaybird Vista and are wondering what will bring you an additional $ 50 investment, the following are new to Vista 2:

  • Active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes
  • Longer battery life
  • Wear sensors for music auto pause
  • Better dust and water resistance
  • AAC bluetooth codec support
  • Wireless charging
  • "Find my" function for each earphone and the charging case

What's in the box?

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

In the box, which is almost entirely recyclable, you will find the Vista 2 earphones already in their charging case, a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging, earplugs in three sizes (Jaybird calls them "Eargels") and some paper documentation.

design

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sports-oriented earbuds are often bulky affairs, but Jaybird has stayed true to the pocket-friendly design of the Vista.

You know the phrase, "If it ain't broken, don't fix it," and that sums up Jaybird's approach to Vista 2. Put them side by side with the original Vista and you can see that much has been preserved. They have the same compact and ergonomic shape, the same eargel style with the integrated stabilizing fins and an almost identical charging case, although the new one has more rounded contours. However, Jaybird has eliminated the small indentation on the front edge of the lid, which makes opening the case difficult, especially with sweaty or wet fingers.

Sports and fitness-oriented earbuds are often bulky affairs with large ear hooks and even larger charging cases. It's great to see that Jaybird has stayed true to the design it created with the Vista.

Also retained (and improved) is the Vista's class-leading durability. Not only do the earbuds meet the MIL-STD-810 standard for environmental resistance, they now also have an IP68 rating for complete dust and water protection, while the charging case has its own IP54 rating. Keep in mind that the earbuds do not float and bluetooth signals do not carry well through water. Therefore, swimming with them is not recommended. For fun, I leave the earbuds on the bottom of a sink filled with water. When I ripped them out 30 minutes later, they seemed fine.

The contacts on the charging case are corrosion-resistant, so all you have to do is wipe off excess water and you're good to go. The case can now be charged wirelessly, which is especially useful if you have a phone that can wirelessly charge accessories like the Samsung Galaxy S21.

The most noticeable difference is the woven fabric that now covers the outer part of the earbuds. Jaybird calls it "WindDefense" fabric and, as the name suggests, is supposed to act as a windsock and prevent wind and other noises from disturbing the microphones.

Underneath this fabric is a physical button that can be used to trigger the usual actions like controlling playback, selecting tracks, etc., but now each earbud also has an embedded accelerometer for tap control.

Comfort, controls and connections

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Given the choice between in-hook earbuds like the Powerbeats Pro and earbuds with internal fins like the Vista 2, I'll be using the fins every time. It's true that when you put them on, they're a little less comfortable, but they're easier to put on and there's no hook to bother my glasses. Not to mention how much smaller they are!

You may not want to wear them for hours, but they are more than comfortable enough for a two-hour workout.

As for the fit, don't worry: the combination of the stabilizing ribs and the conical shape of the silicone earbuds make it very difficult to accidentally remove the Vista 2. If anything, they can be a little tricky to remove thanks to the incredible sealing of the eargels. You may not want to wear them for hours, but they are more than comfortable enough for a two-hour workout.

Under the fabric outside, the hidden buttons click with a satisfactory feel, and the free Jaybird app allows you to select specific functions for each click sequence on each earbud. When you include the three click types (single, double, click and hold) and the optional double tap gesture, that's eight options, more than enough to cover play, skip tracks, volume, ANC mode, and more. My only minor flaw is the volume control. It's only accessible via the click and hold gesture, which I find too imprecise for volume adjustments. You're probably better off using your phone's controls for this.

The double-tap gesture, which is mainly used to toggle between ANC and transparency (or "SurroundSense" as Jaybird likes to call it), is also reasonably responsive, although I've experienced a couple of times having to repeat it with a slower cadence.

The built-in wear sensors (new for Vista 2) let you automatically pause your music when you remove an earbud (and resume it when you put it back in). It can be turned on or off in the app and I found it to be very responsive to changes.

Fun to browse the different sound recipes that others have discovered and shared.

Jaybird claims that as a Class 2 Bluetooth device, the Vista 2 can be about 10 meters from a phone or tablet before it is disconnected. This is certainly true outdoors. Inside, it's closer to 20 feet depending on the obstacles between the earbuds and their source device.

And yes, you can use each earbud independently for music or phone calls if you need to.

Sound quality

While the Vista 2 is geared towards athletes who, let's face it, don't just sit around for critical listening sessions, the Vista 2 sounds great. Out of the box, the signature is balanced, if a little tame, but once you jump into the Jaybird app and start tweaking the EQ, these earbuds really shine.

Simply switching from the standard “flat” EQ to the Signature setting was enough to increase the overall dynamic range significantly, and it also helped bring out details in the mids and highs while delivering punchy bass.

Speaking of EQ, one of Jaybird's most interesting features is its social sound settings. Users can create their own custom EQ setting, name it, and share it with other Jaybird users. I suspect most people will find the handful of built-in EQ options sufficient, but it's fun to browse the various sound recipes that others have discovered and shared.

There is also a personal EQ function that creates settings based on the audible frequencies. In the end, I preferred the built-in settings, but it's a nice touch.

As you'd expect from exercise earbuds, there's plenty of deep bass on tap. And while this gets a little exuberant and sometimes dulls the midtones, these EQ settings can help fine tune how much boom you want to accompany your activity.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Jaybird Vista did a fine job of passive noise isolation thanks to those tight fitting eargels, but the Vista 2 takes it up again with the addition of ANC. It's not a massive change in the noise cone when you turn it on, but it is exactly what you need to reduce outside noise enough so that it no longer disturbs your concentration.

Jaybird's SurroundSense transparency mode lets you adjust how much sound to let in and how much effort to try to compensate for wind noise (low, medium, or high). When you're active (double-tapping one of the earbuds), you can have normal conversations with people around you or simply increase your awareness of traffic and other potential dangers. I really appreciate that you can decide whether to toggle between Off, ANC and Transparency or two of these modes with this double tap.

There is one downside, however, and it's a big one: wind noise isn't suppressed at all, and I'd even argue that it's more noticeable when the ANC is on than when it is off. Given that Jaybird specifically handled this with its WindDefense fabric, this is particularly disappointing.

Call quality

Jaybird Vista 2Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

As long as you are in a quiet indoor location or outdoors on a very quiet day, the call quality on the Jaybird Vista 2 is good enough for most types of calls.

But if there is even a slight breeze, that wind noise will completely erase your voice. Again, it's really weird considering the presence of this WindDefense fabric, not to mention the fact that these earbuds are entirely designed for outdoor living in every other way. If you're wondering why these earbuds only get 3.5 stars on our rating scale, this is the main reason.

Jaybird tells me it will keep updating its firmware to improve call quality, but there is a limit to what it can do since the microphone is placed on the Vista 2.

Find my earbuds

Jaybird Vista 2

Jaybird Vista 2

Most earbuds that have a "Find My" feature usually just give you the option to get the earbuds to emit a high-pitched howl so you can find them between the sofa cushions. Jaybird does this too, but goes a step further by showing you the location of each earbud and charging case on a map – something it can do since the case actually has its own bluetooth beacon.

The Jaybird app dutifully displayed the earbuds and case on a map, but I couldn't get it to force a tracking sound from the earbuds. Hopefully this will be fixed with a firmware update.

Battery life

The original Vista didn't boast particularly impressive battery life (six hours per earbud and 10 hours more in the charging case). The Vista 2 improves this significantly with eight hours per earbud and 16 hours in the case. The fast charging remains the same: five minutes gives you an additional hour of gaming time.

At a volume of 50% and the ANC switched on, the earphones knocked off after six hours. Turning ANC off should get you down to the stated 8 hour number, but I haven't tested this.

Our opinion

The only thing stopping the Jaybird Vista 2 from being the perfect workout earbuds is its terrible phone call quality. Otherwise, they absolutely hit it and offer the Powerbeats Pro some serious competition.

Is there a better alternative?

The Vista 2 hits a sweet spot in terms of equipment and price, without any direct competitors. For $ 150 is the JBL Reflect Mini NC gives you almost all of the features of Vista 2 and they have much better call quality. They don't have wireless charging, they don't last that long, and they're not as rugged as the Vista 2, but they give you a choice of voice assistants.

If you're a die-hard Apple fan and want to summon Siri hands-free, this is it Powerbeats Pro are still a very good choice, but their large ear hooks and lack of ANC or wireless charging make the regular $ 249 price tag seem unnecessarily high.

How long will they last?

With the Vista 2's incredible protection from water, dust, and other damage, it should last for years with regular use. Batteries are always the big unknown, but there's no reason to think the Jaybird Vista 2 will be better or worse than other brands. Jaybird supports the Vista 2 with a one year warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes – that is, if you can put your terrible call quality behind you. When calls don't matter, the Jaybird Vista 2 are great sounding workout earbuds that are badass.

Editor's recommendations



09 Mar
Blog

Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Review: Never Mind AirPods

klipsch t5 ii real wireless earbuds rating ry 3

Klipsch's T5 II wireless earbuds

"Klipsch's rocking demeanor turns into a killer set of buds."

  • Great fit

  • Inconspicuous design

  • Great sound quality

  • Solid battery life

  • Fun charging case

  • No wireless charging

  • No active noise cancellation

  • The call quality is not particularly good

Klipsch's T5 II wireless earbuds are stylish, compact, and sound great. But is that enough to set them above all other wireless earbuds?

If you're considering the Apple AirPods or just looking for an alternative, be sure to check out Klipsch's $ 200 T5-II wireless earbuds. They're the second generation of an already great set of earbuds, and while they (like the AirPods) don't have built-in noise cancellation, they have almost everything else. And unlike the AirPods, they are compact and comfortable to wear.

What's in the box?

Riley Young / Digital Trends

While the Klipsch T5 II comes with a printed manual, you can also access all the information in the manual via its app. The earbuds come with a nice selection of silicone earbuds – some oval and some round – which are vital for the comfort of the earbuds as well as their sound quality. With wireless earbuds, the comfort of fit is everything, and the T5 II excels in this area.

You will also find a braided fabric USB-C to USB-C charging cable and a USB-A to USB-C adapter.

The T5 II's charging case is … well, great – it feels and looks like a Zippo lighter. It's metallic and chunky and quite heavy, so it feels pretty nice in your hands. It also has a magnetic lid that feels very secure when it clicks into place. Given the weight, I didn't feel like pocketing the suitcase, but then again, I generally rarely pocket suitcases.

The case has a charging capacity of approx. 24 hours. Add this to the eight hours of playtime you get from the earbuds and that makes a total of 32 hours – which is very good in terms of the earbuds' battery life.

Comfort

Riley Young / Digital Trends

The earbuds themselves, as mentioned earlier, are very comfortable for a number of reasons. First, they're very light – about five grams each. The tube tip is also very slim, and because the tips are made of silicone, they fit snugly in the ear and provide an excellent seal. Due to their flat profile, the T5 II are more inconspicuous than other earbuds. You could easily wear these all day and forget you even have them.

Model selection

There are two other models in the T5 II line. The T5 II Sport offers additional fins and more water resistance. The T5 II McLaren Edition is similar to the Sport model, but offers some improvements in terms of design and aesthetics, as well as an included wireless charging pad.

External control

Riley Young / Digital Trends

There is a fingertip-sized button on the outside of each T5 II bud, and each button has different functions. Functions such as volume, playback, pause, answering calls, ending calls, skipping tracks, etc. are controlled via these buttons. However, it can be difficult to remember which page (and how often) to click for each function. There are guides in the app and manual to walk the user through all of the options, but it can be a bit confusing.

Now, I'm not blaming Klipsch for the complexity – it's difficult to do well controlling a wireless earbud, and we can't think of anyone doing that particularly well. Until you remember them all, be sure to keep this app or guide handy.

Noise suppression / transparency mode

Riley Young / Digital Trends

As mentioned above, these earbuds don't have built-in active noise cancellation. But because the silicone tips fit so well in your ear, much of the outside noise is cut down nicely. Once you start playing music you will not hear much of what is around you. If you want to hear more of your surroundings, you can also activate the transparency mode and move it up or down in the app to get as much or as little outside noise as you want. This is an extremely important feature that too few earbuds offer.

Call quality

These earbuds aren't specifically designed for call quality, but they get the job done. Klipsch's Buds do a good job of removing outside noise, but the sound of the voice itself felt very compressed – to the point that it sounds like an old-school landline phone.

Sound quality

Riley Young / Digital Trends

At first, I didn't get the sound quality I expected, especially because I'm familiar with the original T5. However, this happens when you don't have the right fit in the ear and although I thought I had a good seal, I realized it wasn't after swapping out the installed earbuds for something larger.

As soon as I did, everything opened up. The bass is very powerful, the midrange is very clear and the highs are articulate but never sizzling. Basically, it sounds like a Klipsch speaker. It's a lot of fun to hear with a kind of rock vibe.

There's an EQ built into the app, but I didn't like any of the options, so I set it to "Flat". Strangely, the sound signature is anything but flat. These earbuds sound for what they are, so you don't have to play too much with the EQ to get what you want. The default sound is powerful and engaging, with just enough texture and detail to be as interesting as it is fun.

I've listened to different genres of music and they all sounded great – the sound wasn't pigeonholed to make one genre sound better than another. And that's a big bonus because, for their price, they compete with a wide variety of true wireless earbuds. When it comes to sound quality, these are the absolute best up there.

Our opinion

I don't like much about the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless earbuds. Sure, call quality isn't great, and at times the controls feel a little unwieldy, but they do everything a set of high quality wireless earbuds have to do and they do everything very well. If you're willing to spend some cash on AirPods, I would definitely check out the Klipsch T5 II and see if they literally and figuratively fit better.

Is there a better alternative?

For their price, the Klipsch T5 II are a top choice. For about $ 30 more, the Jabra Elite 85t also offers great sound quality, wireless charging, a comfortable fit, and active noise cancellation. For a little less money, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro offers a similarly compact and inconspicuous fit, but it doesn't sound nearly as good.

How long will they last

The Klipsch T5 II are solidly built and last as long as their batteries.

warranty

Klipsch offers a two-year guarantee on the T5 II True Wireless earphones. Further information can be found on the Klipsch warranty page.

Should you buy it?

Yes, the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless earbuds sound great, fit well, and work like a charm.

Editor's recommendations




03 Mar
Blog

KEF Mu3 True Wireless Earbuds Review: Beauty And The Beat

KEF Mu3 True Wireless Earbuds

"Despite the mediocre ANC, their slim design and great sound make for an appealing package."

  • Beautiful design

  • Comfortable fit

  • Fantastic sound

  • Very good battery life

  • IPX5 water resistance

  • No app for EQ or control tweaks

  • No wireless charging

  • Mediocre ANC and transparency

  • Mediocre call quality

KEF is one of the best-known names in hi-fi, thanks to speakers who have impressed reviewers and enthusiasts for years. The company's LS50 wireless bookshelf speakers are a great example of what happens when you combine classic acoustic expertise with cutting edge technology. I was excited to receive the company's first true wireless earbuds, the $ 230 KEF Mu3. Given the stiff competition from Sony, Bose, Jabra, Sennheiser and Grado, has KEF brought enough of its world-class audio technology to the Mu3? Let's take a look …

What's in the box?

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

In KEF's all-cardboard and easily recyclable box, you'll find the Mu3 in the charging case, a USB-C charging cable, three additional sizes of silicone earbuds (plus the standard media installed on the earbuds), and quick start documentation.

design

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Let's get one thing straight right away: The KEF Mu3 are stunningly beautiful. Both the earphones and the charging case look like sculptures made of highly polished aluminum. They are smooth and shiny. If you leave the charging case in a prominent place like a coffee table, desk, or kitchen counter, people are guaranteed to find themselves unable to resist picking it up just to feel it.

For those who like to get lost in the details of their favorite songs, the Mu3s are more than happy to do so.

The attention to detail continues right through to the hinge mechanism. Most charging cases have weak lids that could break if you aren't careful. If their magnets don't keep them in the closed position, they flutter about worryingly. The lid of the Mu3 feels luxurious by comparison, with a hinge that reminds me of a laptop screen – it stays in any position from open to fully closed. With its aluminum look, it's basically the MacBook Air for charging cases.

Unfortunately, the case is also a bit bulky, so despite its sensual curves, it's not very insertable. But that's fine – KEF seems to have used a hard transparent outer layer on the plastic, and I think it will withstand scratches caused by other objects.

These earbuds also have very acceptable IPX5 water resistance that should protect them from anything other than actual submersion in water.

Comfort and control

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The KEF Mu3 comes with four sizes of soft silicone ear tips, which should mean most people can get a good seal. And here is some valuable advice on the matter: If you feel the need to plug the earbud deep into your ears (which is possible due to its small size), you are probably using the wrong size earbuds.

They did not move at all and felt very comfortable even after several hours of continuous use.

Pushing them in too deep not only becomes uncomfortable, but also degrades the sound quality and the effectiveness of the noise cancellation. I discovered that the hard way. I also found that with the largest earbud I could insert the Mu3 carefully and they didn't move at all and were very comfortable even after several hours of continuous use.

KEF used physical buttons on the Mu3, and that's definitely a good thing. Touch controls can be tricky at best, and I prefer real buttons when they are available.

These buttons are easy to press, but strangely enough, the right button had a more pronounced click response than the left.

With a combination of single, double and long press you can control everything except to jump back a track. However, there is no way to customize these gestures through a smartphone app as KEF didn't create one for the Mu3.

There are also no wear sensors. So if you pull out an earbud, your tunes won't automatically pause.

Sound quality

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The KEF Mu3 are wonderful to hear. Their bright and clean highs, precise mid-tones, and expertly executed bass create surprises with every new track you start. There's no trace of mud that often obstructs smaller earbuds. Applying instrumental jazz standards like Dave Brubeck's Summertime or Duke Ellington's St. Louis Blues, you can appreciate the sheer musicality of KEF's mood, not to mention the soundstage, which is so tightly controlled it feels like the distance between instruments up to being able to measure the inches.

For those who like to get lost in the details of their favorite songs, the Mu3s are more than happy to do so.

When I played it for the first time, I was disappointed with the bass and feared that KEF had become too conservative with the low end in an effort to achieve this so-called “neutral” or balanced EQ. It turned out that I just wedged the earbuds too far in my ears.

When I found out my mistake, I found that not only is there a lot of bass on tap, but that the Mu3s can also use that bass selectively and only hit you with deep resonance when needed.

The transparency mode (ambient sound mode) doesn't let in as much noise as I want.

I think the Mu3 are near perfect in terms of EQ, but since listening experiences are the subjective things they are, you should know that the lack of an app means there is no way to rebalance the sound signature, if it doesn't suit your needs.

Noise cancellation and transparency

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) has become a standard feature of true high-end wireless earbuds, but there is still a huge difference in how each model performs. The Mu3 noticeably reduces the low frequency noise when the ANC is activated. However, it's a far cry from the silence offered by the Apple AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Ear Buds, and Nuheara IQbuds2 Max.

Similarly, the transparency mode (ambient sound mode) doesn't let in as much sound as I would like. It certainly makes conversations easier and gives you greater situational awareness, but it's not the magical "hey, it's like I'm not wearing earbuds" that these other models convey.

Without an app there is no way to dial in one of the two functions and not to change the ANC trigger action. A single press of the left earbud controls noise cancellation, but forces you to toggle between three modes (ANC, Off, and Transparency) instead of being able to toggle between ANC and Transparency, which are actually the two most commonly used modes.

Battery life

KEF Mu3 True Wireless EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

KEF really surprised me here. Most true wireless earbuds – even the very expensive ones – typically have a battery life of five to seven hours on a single charge. But the Mu3 delivers nine hours – and that with the ANC switched on. This is by no means the longest time, but it doesn't have to be. After another 15 hours in the charging case, you have a whole day before you have to connect the USB-C charging cable.

Better still, they also have a five minute quick charge system that gives you an extra hour of playtime. My only real disappointment is the lack of wireless charging. When KEF first announced the Mu3, wireless charging was one of the features listed so it may be available again in a future version.

Call quality

I've found a strong correlation between an earbud's ANC / transparency performance and its call quality, and the Mu3s are no exception. You do a little effort not to lose your voice in front of competing background noise, and the sound that is recorded has a scratchy, thin quality to it.

They're probably much better indoors, but outdoors, where a lot of calls seem to be making through earbuds, the Mu3 should be used sparingly.

Our opinion

Although they lack some of the features we would expect from true wireless earbuds at this price point, the KEF Mu3s are beautifully finished, sound amazing, and have a generous battery life.

Is there a better alternative?

As good as the Mu3 is, you will find more features with comparable sound quality and prices in these competitors:

The $ 230 Sony WF-1000XM3 App-supported EQ, adjustable ANC and transparency, longer battery life, better call quality, support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa and customizable controls

The $ 230 Jabra Elite 85t App-assisted EQ, wireless charging, adjustable ANC and transparency, customizable controls, a feature to find my earbuds, and better call quality, but they don't sound quite as crystal clear as the Mu3.

The $ 230 Grado GT220 sound very similar to the Mu3 and charge wirelessly, but they don't have ANC or transparency mode and are considerably bulkier.

How long will they last?

The KEF Mu3 appears to be very well built with high quality materials. KEF gives them a two-year guarantee, which is better than many of its competitors. When you add their IPX5 rating, I think they will last for many years if properly cared for.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Mu3 ignores a lot of the bells and whistles and instead focuses on a beautiful design, a comfortable fit, great sound, and great battery life. As long as you agree to this compromise, they will provide a great listening experience.

Editor's recommendations




27 Feb
Blog

Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell Review: Huge Decision

Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell mounted on brick

Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wireless

"A great software experience is compromised by cheap looking hardware that doesn't match the price."

  • Great software with lots of options

  • Good video quality, day and night

  • easy installation

  • Inexpensive looking hardware

  • Prominent fisheye effect

Package deliveries are becoming more and more common these days. I received two separate deliveries to my door on the day this was written. Arlo recognizes this and wants to help. The newest doorbell, the Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, has a 180 degree field of view and packet detection, and doesn't need any cables at all if you don't want them or you already have them. Arlo's successes are deeply rooted in its line of surveillance cameras like the mighty Arlo Pro 4. Does the new video doorbell have a chance of staying a relevant gamer in space?

This doorbell is all about choice

You can install the Essential Wireless doorbell with or without a cable. If you have a wired doorbell, the Essential button in your interior will ring. Otherwise, you can wirelessly mount this battery operated doorbell anywhere. Arlo claims this doorbell will last for six months on a single charge. My tests show a little closer to two or three, but in fairness it was crazy cold outside so battery efficiency can be affected. That said, it's nice to have a doorbell that you can easily place anywhere you need it.

Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell mounted on brick

When you set up the app, the doorbell needs to scan a QR code to get the Wi-Fi credentials. I only mention this because the process worked very well which is unusual in my experience. Well played, Arlo. During the set up process, you will be asked what type of subscription you would like to sign up for, which was a bit off-putting.

There's no other way to put it: it's huge

The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell is a large piece of a doorbell. It's the biggest doorbell I've tested so far. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if your door invites you to a leaner offering, it's important to keep that in mind. The doorbell is 47mm x 143mm x 37mm which is pretty massive. For comparison: The Netatmo doorbell that I tested a few weeks ago is also huge, but smaller than this doorbell (45mm x 135mm x 29mm) in every dimension.

Size comparison between the Arlo Video doorbell and an iPhone 12 Pro

The doorbell hardware is a combination of matte and glossy polycarbonate that feels solid and sturdy, but exudes a cheap aesthetic. The camera protrudes a little from the top of the bell and gives it a diagonal field of view of 180 degrees. At the bottom is a round button with a ring of LEDs that light up when you approach. The LEDs are not bright enough to illuminate the area. They're only there to indicate where to push. The 6,500 mAh battery is located in the plastic housing. With the pen supplied, you can, similar to most telephones, detach the doorbell from the mounting plate, remove the battery and connect it to a micro-USB cable for charging.

The video feed (resolution 1536 x 1536) is pretty good during the day and night, although a very noticeable fisheye effect can be seen on the periphery of the feed. There is also a noticeable delay when the camera is transmitting audio and video, often up to three seconds. This can make conversations difficult, but not impossible.

The software lights up

On the software side, the app is very comprehensive. You get the usual options like activity zones, notification configurations and the like. What impresses me about Arlo software is the wealth of options it gives you. The doorbell can recognize people, animals, vehicles, movements and even the parcel delivery. This last option is limited to only one Arlo camera at a time for some reason. You can't let your front door camera and doorbell detect a package, which is an odd limitation.

You can also set up an E911 notification and phone friend option. If an intruder appears at your door, the doorbell can contact emergency services. If a package is displayed while you are on vacation, the app can choose a designated contact for you. You can also activate a built-in siren. The siren isn't particularly loud, but it's deafening. Passers-by on the sidewalk in front of your house will hear it. Your neighbors may or may not.

The Arlo Essential video doorbell also works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Samsung SmartThings and IFTTT. Silent mode bypasses app notifications and / or the physical chimes. This is valuable when young children are sleeping. There are call settings, video settings, motion detection sensitivity settings, and more. Overall, I am impressed with the software experience as it has a ton of features.

While the software is one of my favorite software to date, the hardware leaves a lot to be desired.

This can also be a weakness as the app contains two settings areas. There is one for device-specific settings and one for general settings for Arlo. It takes a while to wrap your head around everyone, but that also ensures that you can really make this doorbell your own.

Our opinion

Overall, this doorbell offers a great software experience with great video capabilities, but with less than impressive hardware. In the software, this doorbell really stands out. The audio and video lag, while not great, isn't terrible either. But the abundance of settings and functions that this bell has to offer makes it very convincing. It's also $ 200. The last two doorbells I checked were $ 30 and $ 60, respectively, and this doorbell seems to go against the grain in that regard.

Is there a better alternative?

The 180-degree diagonal field of view is great, but the Vivint Doorbell Camera Pro has a 180-degree vertical and horizontal field of view, making it bigger and wider. Also, the Arlo Essential Wireless doorbell is just huge and difficult to place next to some doors. While the software is one of my favorite software to date, the hardware leaves a lot to be desired.

Will it take?

The Arlo Essential Video doorbell has a 30-day return policy and a one-year limited warranty. The construction is durable and solid. The operating temperature range is -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, which is good. You can even swap out the battery (for an additional $ 50) if the original battery runs out over time.

Should I buy it?

No. Video doorbell prices are falling. Considering that this doorbell costs $ 199 and requires a subscription, that's too high. For this price, I want a premium look and feel and software experience. In this case, I only get one of those three. The upcoming Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 offers radar sensors and a bird's eye view for a little more. The more economical Ring video doorbell with cable also offers you a first-class software experience and costs less than half the price. The software experience here is great, but the hardware really pulls it down.

Editor's recommendations




10 Oct
Blog

1More True Wireless ANC Review: A Work In Progress

1More True Wireless ANC

"Their extremely cool design and great sound quality don't justify their price."

  • Smooth design

  • Excellent sound quality

  • Wireless charging

  • Average ANC

  • No custom controls or EQ

  • No water or dust resistance

  • So-so battery life

1More has a reputation for building affordable, high quality wired and true wireless earbuds that have features and sound quality that match products that cost much more. We like 1More products so much that they are regularly featured on our best-of lists.

When the company introduced its first true wireless active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds – the $ 180 true wireless ANC, valued at $ 180 – we really wanted to try them out.

If history is a guide, these buds should turn out to be the AirPods Pro alternative we've been waiting for.

Has 1More delivered the goods? Let's look at them.

What's in the box?

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More apparently expects you to keep the True Wireless ANC box for as long as you own it. That's the only explanation we can think of for the massive, thick-walled, coated cardboard container that the buds come in. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful, with a magnetically closing hinged lid (something we see all too often) and colorful printing on every surface.

However, this jewelry box design and the heavy use of plastics and foam on the inside make it nearly impossible to recycle the packaging. I would like 1More to use less material.

This treasure chest contains the charging case, the earphones, a USB-C charging cable, a storage bag and a generous supply of earplugs and "O-hooks" (1More's name for the ear fins).

design

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00011-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00005-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00004-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

1More True Wireless ANC "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/1more-true-wireless-anc-00010-640x640.jpg " srcset = "https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Like the 1More Stylish they are very similar to, the True Wireless ANC isn't the smallest earbud you can find, but they do balance their slightly bulbous bulk with a cool, carbon fiber-like pattern beneath a clear shiny surface.

The charging case appears to contain a stealthy James Bond weapon, not wireless buds.

In combination with bright red hits in the microphone recesses and the earplugs, this looks like a Formula 1 racing car.

This high-end atmosphere is repeated in the wireless charging case with an ultra-smooth, satined aluminum cover. It looks like it is harboring a stealthy James Bond weapon, not wireless buds. Like a luxury coupe, the seams line up perfectly and the lid opens and closes with a satisfying click.

It's bigger than the AirPods Pro ($ 249) or the Jabra Elite 75t ($ 180), but thanks to its flowing, curved corners, it's still relatively convenient to tuck it in your pocket.

The earbuds can be easily pulled out of the charging corners and just as easily exchanged, regardless of the size of the O-hook you have installed.

Convenience, control and connections

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

When it comes to getting the best sound out of a set of true wireless earbuds, a secure fit is key. That's why it's fantastic to see how 1More packages the True Wireless ANC with so many earbuds (seven sizes and two styles) and O-hooks (three sizes and one hookless option).

Unfortunately, after trying every single combination of earbuds and o-hooks, I couldn't get the buds to stay firmly in my ear canal. This came as a surprise, not only because of the many options I had to play with, but also because that rarely happens to me. Out of 30+ models I've tried in the past 24 months, I've only had two that just didn't fit no matter what I did.

Twisting them was easy enough – and very convenient – but not long after that they would work their way up. They use an oval-shaped earbud, which may be part of the problem, but the AirPods Pro and I also find them perfectly safe.

I suspect the real reason is that my ear canals are set quite deep relative to the outer parts of my ear. The tower of the True Wireless ANC (the part where the earbud attaches) is short, and the asymmetrical shape of the body means you can only rotate it until it is blocked by your ear.

As with any thing related to fit, your experience will likely be different from mine. However, if you've been having trouble finding a good fit for other earbuds, this is something you should consider.

The controls on the True Wireless ANC are a mix of pushbuttons that sit on top (or back, depending on how you sit them in your ears) and touch controls. The touch control is only used to manage the ANC mode. A double tap on the earbud takes you from ANC to ANC level 1, to ANC level 2, to ambient mode (passthrough) and then back to ANC.

This combination of touch and physical controls gives you everything you need including volume up / down, play / pause, call answer / end, track forward / backward skip and access to voice assistants. However, you cannot customize which key presses they trigger. This would be especially helpful with ANC: I'd like to quickly get in and out of ambient mode instead of flipping through all four modes.

Once you memorize the patterns, the controls are responsive and easy to use.

The wear sensors that allow you to automatically pause and play music when the buds are removed or inserted work very well, but there is no way to turn the feature off. In the 1More Music app, you can choose between "Auto-pause" or "Auto-pause and play".

Once connected, the True Wireless ANC maintained a very strong and stable radio signal, although that signal could only extend about 30 feet before it stalled. Unlike some other wireless earbuds, the True Wireless ANC tries to connect as soon as you open the charging case. I found that if I pulled them out before both earbuds indicated they were paired (the LED changes from blue to red), my phone will not always be paired again.

Battery life

I'm a little disappointed with the battery life of the True Wireless ANC. They are designed for an operating time of six hours with the ANC switched off and only five hours with the ANC switched on. Granted, that's still better than what Apple is promising for its AirPods Pro (4.5 hours with the ANC on, five hours with the ANC off), but when you look at the total playtime with the charging case included, the 1More top is at 22 hours versus 24 for the AirPods Pro.

On the one hand, that's enough juice to last you a full day without a charger, and the True Wireless ANC's quick 15-minute charge for two hours of play time definitely helps.

On the flip side, we see many inexpensive true wireless earbuds like the JLab Epic Air ANC that can work between eight and 12 hours before going back to their charging case and have total times of up to 48 hours.

Sound quality

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The 1More True Wireless ANC is the first true wireless earbud to be THX certified. This means that THX rated the earbuds against some of its tech standards for things like left-right stereo sync and distortion. However, THX certification is not a guarantee of any particular sound quality. Think of this as sort of insurance: this means that THX has independently tested the transmission and determined that it had a base level of performance.

They have an incredibly balanced sound signature that doesn't favor highs or lows.

In the real world, there is no way of knowing what the True Wireless ANC would have sounded like before THX got involved, so I'm not going to attribute any part of the sound to THX that I heard.

THX or no, the 1More True Wireless ANC sounds excellent.

They have an incredibly balanced sound signature that doesn't favor highs or lows. Instead, you get clear and detailed performance across all frequencies. This clarity and precision exceeds what many products with comparable price can do, like the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, the Jabra Elite 75t and even the AirPods Pro from Apple.

On tracks like Fleetwood Mac's Little Lies, this precision lets background vocals inhabit the ethereal space a little above and a little outside the main soundstage – things that reliably give goose bumps.

My only complaint is the lack of an adjustable EQ. As nicely balanced as they are, I'd prefer to play a bit more bass to warm up the sound a bit, but there's no way to do that. If you're a bass player, you're probably better off with the Jabras.

However, for much better sound quality than the True Wireless ANC, take a look at the $ 200 Sennheiser CX 400BT or the $ 230 Sony WF-1000XM3.

Noise cancellation

1More True Wireless ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

If there's one thing I've learned from reviewing real wireless earbuds with ANC, there is a huge spectrum of quality. Some earbuds that offer this feature, like the JLab Epic Air ANC, do almost no significant improvement, while others, like the Apple AirPods Pro, create an incredible cone that has to be heard to be silenced.

The ANC function produces an audible hiss when no music is playing.

I was hoping the 1More True Wireless ANC would be closer to the AirPods Pro end of the spectrum, but they're actually in the middle.

With two stages of ANC, they can cut down some external sounds quite a bit, with a noticeable sweet spot in the lower frequencies, but it's nowhere near as consistent as the Sony WF-1000XM3 or AirPods Pro. What is unfortunate, however, is that the ANC feature produces an audible hiss when no music is playing. This prevents the True Wireless ANC from being a good tool to simply drown out the hustle and bustle of an office or coffee shop.

Another area of ​​tradeoff is the environmental or pass-through mode of the ANC. The goal of an ambient mode is for you to hear the outside world to speak to someone or to become more aware of your surroundings. Equally important, however, is the ability to hear your own voice clearly so that you don't accidentally raise it too loud. Plus, phone calls sound a lot more natural. Ambient mode definitely lets in outside noise, but your voice remains noticeably muffled.

Call quality

Call quality is a bright spot for the True Wireless ANC. Callers said my voice remained clear even if there was a lot of background noise to deal with like passing traffic. Every now and then my voice got louder, but I couldn't tell what was causing it.

Even so, the lack of an ambient mode that could effectively make me hear proved annoying.

Our opinion

I really wanted to love the 1More True Wireless ANC and its sleek design and sound quality are sure to set high standards. However, the average battery life, lack of custom EQ or button functions, and the disappointing ANC prevent those buds from breaking free from a very crowded backpack.

Is there a better alternative?

While they don't have wireless charging, Jabra's Elite 75t costs the same, has bigger bass-forward sound, great comfort and fit, generous battery life, and soon even ANC. When you add in the insane amount of customization the Jabra Sound + allows, and its IP55 dust and water rating, most people will happily trade a bit of sound clarity and precision for the Jabra's many strengths.

How long will they last?

1More includes a one-year warranty on the True Wireless ANC. The earbuds and charging case look very nice and I assume they will be used for many years. Without an official IP rating for water resistance, however, you need to be extra careful not to expose them to water or sweat.

Should you buy it?

No. As good as the sound quality is, 1More is asking for a lot of money for a feature set that just isn't as good as other companies'.

Editor's recommendations




21 Sep
Blog

Skullcandy Sesh Evo Review: No More Lost Wireless Earbuds

Skullcandy Sesh Evo

"With convenient tile tracking, these sporty earbuds can justify their $ 60 price tag."

  • Inexpensive

  • Handy tile tracking

  • Multiple colors

  • Bad call quality

  • Mediocre battery life

Skullcandy has done an admirable job of providing affordable and stylish true wireless earbuds for those who refuse to pay the Apple premium – or just want something different from those ubiquitous white earbuds.

The latest offering is the $ 60 Sesh Evo – one step from his $ 50 Sesh – a no-nonsense set of true wireless earbuds aimed at the tricky middle ground where people want just the right combination of features and price.

Thanks to an ongoing partnership with Tile, they have a feature that no other brand of true radio buds can claim: the ability to track and find them in case you misplace them.

Is it enough to tell the Sesh Evo apart from an Amazon-sized tsunami with $ 60 earbuds?

Let's look at them.

What's in the box?

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy's packaging needs to be improved from a sustainability perspective. In the outer cardboard box there is a black plastic shell with black foam padding. Even if the plastic on the roadside were easy to recycle, the foam would have to be removed and discarded first.

When you sit in the shelf, you'll find the Sesh Evo buds (equipped with the middle earbuds) and their charging case. A resealable polybag contains a 9-inch USB-C charging cable, two additional sizes for earbuds and a small printed quick guide.

design

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00012-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00008-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Skullcandy Sesh Evo "class =" m-Karussell - Bild dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/skullcandy-sesh-evo-00011-640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Sesh Evo is available in four colors: black, red, light blue and light green. This is a refreshing change from the usual white or black options most companies offer.

A satin-like plastic is used for both the earbuds and the charging case – it's practically the same finish you find on all true non-Apple-made wireless earbuds.

Several seams are visible on the earphone cups. Even so, they have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, which is more than enough to cope with the most strenuous training sessions – and far more protection than Apple's AirPods. or Samsung Galaxy Buds.

The earbuds have an asymmetrical oval shape with a discreet skull logo on a rubber membrane outer surface that you press to trigger physical button controls.

An LED on the sides of the earbuds will glow red when they are in the charging case to let you know they are properly seated and charging. You will also be informed when the buds are in pairing mode.

The charging case isn't the largest I've seen, but its wide, box-like shape makes it awkward to plug in. If you have a handbag, backpack, or other bag, at least it will be easy to find.

The hinged lid is easy to open and can be closed tightly thanks to a strong magnet. The charging sockets themselves also have very good magnetic contacts. However, you need to make sure that the red charge indicator is on. Especially when using the larger earplugs, the Sesh Evo does not always fit perfectly without help.

You can find the USB-C charging port on the back, while a small button on the front can briefly trigger the four-LED charge indicator to see how much juice is left in the case.

Overall, the Sesh Evo are well designed and functional true wireless earbuds.

Convenience, control and connections

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

I found the Sesh Evo to be average for a set of true wireless in-ear headphones in terms of fit and comfort. If you've used in-ear earphones before and found them to be comfortable to wear for a few hours, the Sesh Evo doesn't present any suitable challenges.

Activating the buttons requires adequate pressure, which is not ideal.

The three sizes of earbuds are below average, and while this will likely give most people the range they need for a good seal, it can feel like the worst place to cut costs for the particularly sensitive or small ear canals. We would like to see at least four earplug options available from each manufacturer in the future.

As with most in-ear designs, some amount of twist is required. You are supposed to sit in your ear with the skull logo upright – if the models on the Skullcandy website indicate it.

For me, the most comfortable position was a slightly sloping angle.

As soon as they were wedged in my ear canal, they sat very securely – I didn't need any additional ear fins or other supports at all.

Using the controls on the earbuds was a little less satisfactory, however. Regular readers of Digital Trends know that I prefer physical buttons over touch-based controls on real wireless earbuds, and the Sesh Evo are physical. It's good. However, they do require adequate pressure to activate, which is not so ideal.

The button mechanism sits under a membrane that protects it from dust and water, but also makes it difficult to press. After some trial and error, I found that the easiest way to use them was to press a finger against the diaphragm and then press a little harder until the mechanism triggered. It is similar to the system where the camera is pressed halfway to focus.

It still has all of the benefits of physical buttons (no accidental triggering and a noticeable click for feedback). However, if you do a lot of these printing operations, you are likely to get sore over time.

On the positive side, the control scheme is very intuitive and covers all important aspects: increase / decrease volume, play / pause, skip tracks forwards / backwards, answer / end a call and access to voice assistants (Siri / Google Assistant).

You can also use the buds to turn the buds on or off regardless of their charging case.

The Sesh Evo use Bluetooth 5.0, which has proven very reliable for both pairing and overall connection quality. You can pair the Buds with multiple devices, but only one device can be paired at a time.

The quick charge function is excellent: 10 minutes of socket time gives back two hours of gaming time.

It is also possible to use the earphones individually. Note, however, that some controls like volume up / down and track skipping forward / back depend on using two earbuds.

Battery life

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The battery life of the Sesh Evo is a bit disappointing by today's standards. They have five hours of play time between trips back to the charging case, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. In the meantime, three full charges are carried out in the charging case for a total of 20 hours – some hours less than expected.

The good news is that the quick charge feature is great. 10 minutes of socket time returns two hours of gaming time.

So while you can find plenty of other models that offer longer battery life, the Sesh Evo will still last you a full day unless you use it for more than five hours at a time.

Sound quality

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

Within its price range, the Sesh Evo offers an acceptable sound performance. They won't blow you away, but they won't let you down either, especially if you're not expecting audiophile quality.

The most important thing is to get a good seal with the earplugs available. Without this, the earbuds sound downright terrible – both hollow and thin.

It's harder than it seems. I found that what initially felt very good wasn't enough when I started playing music. A bit of extra twisting and turning until you find the right angle is likely to be required.

You'll know you've got it right when you hear bass that feels full rather than hollow. Keep trying until you get there.

The overall frequency response is decent – you get the lows, mids, and highs at a sufficient level that it feels like nothing is missing. However, the separation between these frequencies is not as clearly defined as it is with some of the best performers at this price point.

They also lack a bit of liveliness, especially when it comes to the vocals. If your taste is towards hard rock, punk or metal, these genres can overcome this limitation by sheer force alone. But music that requires a skilful touch like jazz, folk, or classical is not going to reach its full potential.

Accessing the Sesh Evo's built-in three-mode EQ (music, movie, podcast) can help liven up the highs – especially in podcast mode – but only at the cost of losing some of the low-end bass .

Are you looking for a training companion or something that makes commuting a little less painful? The Sesh Evo are more than suitable. But for a more loyal music partner, I would check out the $ 79 Earfun Air, which you can usually find for around $ 50.

Tile tracking

Skullcandy Sesh Evo tiles appSkullcandy has started rolling out tile-based object tracking for several of its wireless headphones, including the Crusher Evo and now the Sesh Evo.

While I'm not that convinced that a large number of cans like the Crushers will benefit from this feature, true wireless earbuds like the Sesh Evo are perfect candidates.

Even when stowed in their charging case, they're small enough to get lost between sofa cushions or accidentally sit on a restaurant table. Just trying to remember where you last set them up in your own house could prove to be challenging.

The tile functionality works fine. As soon as you have registered the Sesh Evo with the Tile app – a quick and painless process – you can use the "Search" button on the app to trigger a high-pitched whistle from the earphones, which gets louder the longer it runs.

Better still, as long as the left earbud still has some battery power (it keeps the tile connection), you can trigger the position sound, regardless of whether the earbuds are on or off, are in their charging case or lying around alone.

The tile functionality works fine.

As long as you're not in a particularly noisy environment, you should be able to hear the distinctive whistle from up to 20 feet away – possibly more if the buds aren't in their case.

The tiling feature can't guarantee that your lost earbuds will always come back to you, but it does significantly increase the chances.

Call quality

Call quality on the Sesh Evo is all about what you can expect from a set of inexpensive earbuds. You can certainly use them to make and receive calls, but you need to speak very clearly and perhaps a little louder than you would like to make sure your voice is heard.

Skullcandy Sesh EvoSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

You'll likely speak louder anyway as there is no transparency / ambient mode that lets you route your voice into the earbuds to break the eardrum seal on the silicone tips.

Even then, you regularly drown out nearby noises like traffic – especially heavy traffic or noisy commercial vehicles – making it difficult for your callers to hear you.

Indoor calls are reasonable, but overall, I wouldn't rely on these earbuds for mission critical business calls.

Our opinion

The Sesh Evo offer a good true wireless experience for the price, but their unique and convenient tile tracking feature helps them (literally) stand out from the crowd.

Is there a better alternative?

Skullcandy found a sweet spot in terms of the price of the Sesh Evo – there aren't a lot of true wireless earbuds out there at this exact price, and those close to each other certainly don't have the Sesh Evo's tile chase.

If you like the design of the Sesh Evo and don't mind foregoing tile tracking and battery life, this is the normal one Skullcandy Sesh are now $ 50 or less.

The Earfun Free are also $ 50 or less and offer slightly better sound and wireless charging.

For a much better sound and only a few dollars more, the Earfun Air are an excellent alternative.

How long will they last?

Skullcandy products are generally quite durable and the Sesh Evo looks great. The protection class IP55 and a healthy two-year guarantee from Skullcandy ensure safety in any case.

It's also worth noting that Skullcandy's Fearless Use Promise allows you to purchase replacement earbuds at a discounted price in case you should ever lose or damage one or both.

Should you buy it?

Yes. For $ 60, the Sesh Evo offers a good mix of features and performance.

Editor's recommendations




17 Sep
Blog

JLab Epic Air ANC Review: Exceptional True Wireless Value

JLab Epic Air ANC

"The ANC won't wow you, but these buds are still insane value at just $ 99."

  • Amazing price

  • Customizable controls and EQ

  • Huge battery life

  • Wireless charging

  • Excellent ambient sound mode

  • So-so ANC

  • Bad call quality

JLab has made wireless headphones and true wireless earbuds in the past that offer a great mix of performance and features at shockingly low prices. The $ 29 Go Air and $ 149 Epic Air Sport are both good examples.

But both were clearly just warm-up exercises for what JLab has now brought out: the $ 99 Epic Air ANC, a set of noise-canceling true wireless earbuds with a feature set that seems to go on forever.

Has JLab finally promised too much and delivered too little, or is the Epic Air ANC setting a new benchmark for value? Note: you are amazing.

Let's see what all the fuss is about.

What's in the box?

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

JLabs crates have always been incredibly flimsy, cheap looking affairs. And while this may not score corporate points with shoppers looking at a range of competitive products on a retail shelf, I think it's great.

I love it because it's made entirely from easily recyclable paper and cardboard. The only plastic you'll find are two tiny removable stickers over the earbuds charging contacts. The rest is as guilt free as it gets.

In this box you will find the Epic Air ANC earbuds in the charging case, an easy-to-read and very well illustrated quick start guide and the included five additional earbuds (the earbuds come with the medium size installed).

design

JLab's true wireless earbuds come in three general shapes: the simple earbud-only design of the Go Air, the sport-oriented earhook design of the Epic Air Sport, and the AirPod-like earbud-plus-stem design of the Air Executive.

Workout addicts are insured: With an IP55 rating, these earphones can survive very little.

The Epic Air ANC uses the same design as the Air Executive. They are so similar that you may not even be able to tell them apart by looking closely.

The Epic Air ANC are a bit bulkier than Apple's AirPods or AirPods Pro, for example, but they're still remarkably light and don't look as massive as many of the top earbuds we tested like Sony's WF-SP800N or Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless .

With the touch controls on the outside you have full access to all the most frequently used functions. With a wear sensor on the inside, you can automatically pause your music when you remove an earbud – if you want.

Workout addicts are insured: With an IP55 rating, these earphones can survive very little.

The charging case is bulkier and less pluggable than many others on the market, but it makes up for its extra bulk by offering a built-in USB charging cable – a brilliant feature for those who often forget to bring cables when traveling. Better still, if the cable is ever damaged, the case can also be charged wirelessly.

Synthetic leather has a double function both as the outer surface of the housing and as a hinge for the lid. It's unusual and clever, but it does mean the lid moves a little even when it's closed, which reduces the overall feeling of quality.

Even so, the lid magnet and earbud docking magnets are strong enough to keep everything in place, which is really all that matters.

A three-LED display on the top shows the charging status of the case and the charging status of the earphones.

The Epic Air ANC may not win beauty pageants, but functionally they are very well designed.

Convenience, control and connections

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

If you've ever worn earphones in your ear and found them comfortable, you will likely like the fit of the Epic Air ANC.

If you don't, JLab should add five different sizes and styles of silicone earbuds, plus an additional pair of Cloud Foam earbuds to get them just right no matter your ear shape.

The quality of the seal is always important with in-ear earphones as it determines how good they sound. However, this is especially important with ANC earphones. Having a variety of earplugs to choose from definitely makes it easier to get a good seal.

Personally, I recommend the cloud foams. Memory foam earplugs don't last as long as silicone and not everyone likes the squishy feel they create in your ear, but they are super comfortable and make for a great, no-pressure seal.

Once you've found the best size and type of earbuds, the Epic Air ANC should fit just right and feel just the same. I found them to be more comfortable than some earbuds that cost more than double, which just goes to show that money can't always give you a good fit.

I don't like touch controls on earbuds because they tend to trigger when you don't want them to do something, or more often not respond properly (or not at all) when you need to.

JLab Epic Air ANC AppThe Epic Air ANC's touch controls largely avoided this trap, but there were still instances where I had problems. Some taps were not recognized and a double tap was sometimes only registered as a single tap. I would still prefer a really good set of physical buttons, like those on the Jabra Elite 75t, but as far as touch controls go, the Epic Air ANCs are perfectly serviceable.

While I'm not a fan of Touch Control, I'm really impressed that JLab's free Air ANC app for iOS and Android lets you customize the functionality of each earbud for each tap combination. With three tap combinations per earphone, this can cover almost anything you could want. The commands available are: play / pause (answer / end), skip tracks forward / backward, volume up / down, access to voice assistant, EQ mode and ANC mode (on, off, be aware).

The only thing to keep in mind is that if you are only using one earbud, then you need to make sure that the earbud controls have the following features – a great option for phone calls or when you need to be more aware of your surroundings and settings, that they need. There's no point in increasing the volume with a single tap on the left earbud when you need the right earbud to turn it down again.

The wear sensors worked like a charm and quickly paused and resumed music when you removed or inserted the earbuds. The app allows you to turn the feature off if you don't find it helpful.

Bluetooth pairing is easy and quick – just remove the earbuds from the case and select them from your Bluetooth system menu. The connection quality was very reliable, but in some cases – especially after a long pause with no music playing – the left earbud stopped responding. Quickly plugging both buds into the charging case and pulling them out again was a reliable way to get things back to normal.

The simultaneous pairing of devices (a.k.a. Bluetooth Multipoint) would be nice, but an unusual function even with more expensive earphones.

Battery life

True wireless earbuds have seen their battery life improve massively over the past 12 months, and the Epic Air ANC is near the top of that range.

With up to 48 hours without ANC, they'll be ashamed of all other true wireless earbuds.

JLab claims to be 8 hours with the ANC on and 12 hours off – just an hour less than the reigning champion, Sony's WF-SP800N.

Even more impressive is the charging case, which offers space for three full charges. This means at least 32 hours total time, but up to 48 hours with the ANC switched off. That puts all other true wireless earbuds to shame. Even the Sony WF-SP800N only offers a single charge for a maximum time of 26 hours.

Get an extra hour of gaming time with a 15 minute quick charge.

In reality, JLab's numbers are pretty much spot on. I left them on continuously with the ANC off and after 12 hours they were still on the go.

Sound quality

JLab Epic Air ANCSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

For its price, I think the Epic Air ANC sounds very good. You don't get the pristine sound quality of the Sony WF-1000XM3 or the Sennheiser CX 400BT, but these earbuds cost more than double what you pay for the Epic Air ANC.

When it comes to deep bass and crisp highs – the two areas that people notice the most – these earbuds don't disappoint.

I'm willing to bet that unless you already own a much more expensive earbud, you'll be amazed by the sound of the Epic Air ANC.

They offer very good frequency separation and when it comes to deep bass and crisp highs – the two areas that people notice the most – these earbuds don't disappoint. The bass response is full, but not overwhelming, and the highs, while not crystalline, are well defined. The midrange drivers are neither shiny nor lackluster and manage to make themselves heard even if they aren't quite the stars of the show.

And while they may not have perfect levels of detail or an extremely wide soundstage, they are surprisingly balanced for listening to a wide variety of genres.

As with virtually all of the earbuds and headphones I have tested, you will need a decent source to get the most out of these earbuds. I found a huge difference between listening to my personal collection of AAC format tracks on Apple Music and CD quality lossless offerings from Tidal or Qobuz.

More importantly, the JLab Air ANC app lets you tweak the EQ as you like. The equalizer has discrete levels for 10 frequency bands and you can save four presets with your favorite mixes.

JLab includes a "movie mode" which is designed to reduce the audio delay compared to the usual "music mode" so that the on-screen dialog matches what you are hearing. My iPhone 11's Bluetooth connection may already have very little latency, but I saw practically no difference whether or not the movie mode was activated. Both modes provided great synchronization when streaming Netflix and Disney + movies.

Noise cancellation

It is difficult to get a feel for the effectiveness of the Epic Air ANC's noise cancellation.

Whether you use the standard silicone earbuds or the cloud foams, the seal they offer is pretty good. This means that very little outside noise can get into your ear.

But even with strong passive noise isolation, ANC should show a noticeable decrease in some external noises. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Switching between ANC off and on resulted in only the slightest decrease in lower frequencies. Even then, I could only tell when no music was playing.

JLab's Air ANC app lets you adjust the level of noise cancellation – a welcome feature – but maximizing the setting didn't do much to improve performance. They're certainly not AirPods Pro killers in terms of noise cancellation.

On the upside, the Be Aware mode that lets in sounds is excellent and the app-based customization gives you good control over how much sound is let in.

Call quality

The Epic Air ANC call quality is not an area of ​​strength. It's not a feature that true wireless earbuds are great at even on some very expensive models, but these earbuds are particularly weak.

External noises such as cars, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and even a light breeze created strong aural competition for my voice and sometimes drowned it out completely.

It looks a lot better indoors, but even then your voice will suffer from shake.

On the other hand, the Be Aware mode makes making phone calls very convenient from the wearer's point of view, allowing you to hear your own voice with absolute clarity.

Our opinion

No matter how you look at them, the JLab Epic Air ANC are epic value at just $ 99. The ANC may not be spectacular, but with great sound isolation thanks to a variety of earplugs, it just doesn't matter. What can you not love with very good sound quality, enormous battery life and countless practical additional functions?

Is there a better alternative?

For $ 99 you might find true wireless earbuds with ANC and decent sound, but I'm not sure if there are earbuds at this price point that also have 12 hours of battery life, IP55 protection, wireless charging, fully customizable controls, and EQ offer a wear sensor.

You can spend less and get fewer features, like the extremely affordable Truengine SE Soundpeats for $ 40, or you can spend more and get slightly better sound quality with the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro for $ 150, but nothing beats that Epic Air ANC for total value.

How long will they last?

The build quality of the Epic Air ANC seems to be on par for earphones in their price range. With an IP55 degree of protection and a very generous two-year guarantee from JLab, however, they should have a very long service life. The beauty of starting with batteries that last 12 hours is that even if they eventually drop to 50% capacity, they outperform a lot of brand new earbuds.

Should you buy it?

Yes. In the Epic Air ANC, JLab has developed a feature-rich and comfortable set of earbuds that offer an incredible price-performance ratio.

Editor's recommendations




02 Sep
Blog

Know Comfy Review: Fantastic-Fitting True Wireless Earbuds

Do you know comfortable earphones?

"The Comfy are the ear-friendly buds that live up to their name."

  • Super comfortable design

  • Secure fit

  • Good overall sound

  • Visually strange

  • Not special scope of functions

It takes a certain amount of confidence to put a name like Comfy on your new pair of true wireless earbuds. As a company, you almost have to be sure that these buds will feel great in every ear they come across, or otherwise.

That's the bet Know made on its $ 160 comfy wireless earbuds and marketed the wearables as a "fit" you've never felt before. Spoiler Alert – a gamble that paid off for Know. Double spoiler alarm – the right fit is not everything, especially with earphones.

Out of the box

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

I previously learned with the Calm headphones that Know as a Company likes to do things a little differently, and I was expecting something similar in the Comfy earphone packaging. Expectations were met with small details like a card in memory of the Kickstarter supporters and circular sticky notes of the product and a rather provocative (for earphones) work of art “Listeners make good lovers” and a USB-C charging cable with the inscription “These Side “surpassed up” on one side of the USB end of the cable and “or this side up” on the other side. If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

In addition to this USB-C cable, the Comfy earphones have a collapsible quick start guide and a well-made compartment with additional ear fins and ear plugs. These are standard accessories, of course, and the same level of normalcy applies to the Comfy Buds setup process. Pull them out of the charging case, find them in your mobile device's bluetooth settings, and you're well on your way to listening to your favorite song or podcast episode.

Bluetooth 5 technology is rightly implemented in the Comfy earphones at this price point. As with most earbuds with this technology, I was free of connectivity issues during the time I tested these buds. That includes the time I spent tidying up my yard while my phone was hanging around the house. With that in mind, I'd say these earbuds have a solid range.

design

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Count me confused about the design of the Comfy earbuds because there is really a lot going on here. Right off the bat, I will confirm that they masterfully live up to their name, with earplugs that felt at home in my ears even after long periods of listening, and ear fins that kept the buds firmly in place during daily activities. In fact, wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested. But when you pull those buds out of your ears and look at them, it's hard not to comment on how bizarre they look.

Wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested.

That doesn't have to be badly bizarre, by the way. They are just different from most of the other true wireless earbuds I've seen. The Comfy thickens the classic golf tee stem that the Apple AirPods popularized, adds an elongated ear fin at the top, and uses pointless, tapered earbuds. Now there are different sizes of tips and fins, and again it's an incredibly comfortable fit for my ears. It is clear, however, that these earbuds are designed for function rather than form.

The charging case for the Comfy reminds me of a hockey puck or maybe an Amazon Echo Dot, depending on which visualization is best for you. It looks elegant enough to take up space on your desk or on your work-from-home surface. I don't think this case is as pocket-friendly as the AirPods or even the Google Pixel Buds 2, however.

Here's what I seldom say about true wireless earbuds with no physical buttons: I really like the controls on the Comfy. Everything is touch-based, with a swipe up or down on either handle serving as a volume control. The top of each stem also has a touch sensor that answers or ends calls, pauses and plays music, and switches between tracks based on how often you tap on it. I had a few glitches at first, but the Comfy controls eventually turned out to be just the right level of responsiveness to be functional, but not annoyingly sensitive like other buds I've tried.

properties

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Know says the Comfy earbuds have around seven hours of listening time per charge, with a total of 28 hours of life with the included case, and I found these numbers to be mostly accurate. By comparison, these statistics are about right. The Google Pixel Buds 2 and Apple AirPods both have worse batteries, but other buds in this price range like RHA TrueConnect 2, Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds + give you more per charge. That being said, the Comfy are pretty close to these competitors and have a quick charge feature that gives you three hours after five minutes of a network, so they can get past this category.

An IPX5 weather resistance for the Comfy Buds is a nifty touch that offers the buds effective protection against sweat and water jets. You can get the same rating in cheaper options like the 1More Colorbuds, or you can spend the same amount of money and get better weather protection with buds like the RHA TrueConnect 2. As with the battery life, the Comfy are not noticeable here. Instead, they're just decent.

The Comfy earbuds have an automatic pause / play function and are compatible with both Siri and Google Assistant. For the third paragraph in a row, these are decent features. Unfortunately, in this price range, it is almost necessary to be more than "decent" to stand out above the massive amount of competing true wireless earbuds.

Audio quality

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Let's look back at these earbuds for a moment. Although they used to make fun of them a bit, they prove to be a valuable part of the comfortable footprint by creating a seal against the outside of your ear canal, as opposed to tips that need to be plugged inside. The result is the superb passive noise cancellation you can hope for without the clogged ear discomfort that usually comes with this effect. I was able to listen from my surroundings for longer with fewer interruptions and not experience the kind of fatigue I got used to with tighter buds.

By the way, listening was an enjoyable experience overall. I found the Comfy to offer exceptional clarity and a very pleasant sound at normal listening levels. However, this sound was hit a bit at higher volumes, exposing some dazzlingly bright higher frequencies and a lower end that weren't as clean as I originally expected. However, these observations do not affect overall good sound when it comes to standard listening levels, especially when listening to acoustic tracks. A selection like Midlands Fast Hearts and Slow Towns showed me that if you don't squeeze them too hard, the Comfy earbuds are capable.

Similar to the features of the Comfy, the call quality was good with these earbuds. It just wasn't more remarkable than the countless other true wireless earbuds I've tested before. Both ends of my conversations went down well with the Comfy. But the same goes for the Google Pixel Buds or the Microsoft Surface Earbuds, or … you get it. Even so, perfectly functioning call quality is certainly better than if you handled them extremely poorly, as you would find it with the Raycon E55s.

Our opinion

Know Comfy true wireless earbuds are the ear-friendly buds they are designed for after their namesake. They're good in other areas too, but not good enough to stand out from alternatives in a hugely overcrowded field. If these buds were $ 40 cheaper, they'd suddenly be a lot more attractive. However, their $ 160 price tag makes it especially difficult for them to stand out.

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 150 RHA TrueConnect 2 has better features for $ 10 less, and while they may not be as comfortable, they look slimmer than the Comfy. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are bulky, less comfortable buds for $ 150, but they have great sound and excellent features that compete with the Comfy. Finally, the Jabra Elite 75t focuses on sound quality but offers good comfort and a slimmer profile.

How long will they last?

The Know Comfy comes with a one year warranty and I can't think of any reason why these buds shouldn't last well beyond that period.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking to invest in a pair of ultra-comfortable earbuds with features that won't let you down, I think the Know Comfy is a great option. However, if convenience isn't high on your wish list, there are better sounding buds with more impressive features at similar prices.

Editor's recommendations




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