If you’re the person that loves to have tech to match your personal aesthetic, the Sharp Osaka isn’t really the one for you. What it is, though, is a great value solution for anyone who simply wants to listen to the radio from seemingly any location.
Smaller than my desk calendar, the Sharp Osaka is easily grabbed with one small hand and slips into my coat pocket well enough, too.
As with all DAB radios, the only bulky part is its extendable aerial arm which you can easily hide away when not in use. The Sharp Osaka's battery life comes in at about 15 hours which isn’t above average for such radios but will serve you well for most of your active day. Charging via USB-C means you’re unlikely to need to pack an extra cable any time you go away, too.
Costing £70 – that's about $90 in the US or AU$143 in Australia, where available – when first released in September 2024, the Sharp Osaka is already discounted at time of writing, bringing it down to an even more affordable £50 ($65 in the US and AU$102). That’s a good price for a DAB radio of this standard and it also doubles up as a basic Bluetooth speaker.
Its controls are more intuitive than its convoluted manual suggests, leading you to mostly enjoying the Sharp Osaka without much hassle. One of the best DAB radios? Maybe not, but still a simple solution to your radio listening needs.
Sharp Osaka review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Released September 2024
Cost £70 / €90 (currently only available in the UK and Europe)
The Sharp Osaka DAB radio was released in the UK and Europe in September 2024. It costs £70 / €90 depending on your region (unfortunately, it's not available in the US or Australia as it stands) so it’s affordable for a DAB radio.
We’ve already spotted some discounts emerging in the UK with the price more around the £50 mark.
That makes it one of the more affordable portable DAB radios around. It’s much cheaper than the stylish but premium Roberts Revival Petite 2 and also the ageing Sony XDR-P1 DAB radio. It’s slightly more expensive than the Groov-e Boston but that’s far from the right size for putting in your pocket.
Sharp Osaka review: Specs
Sharp Osaka review: Features
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
DAB and FM radio, plus Bluetooth speaker
12-hour battery life
3.5mm headphone jack
The Sharp Osaka DAB radio has all the features you could need without offering up much in the way of surprises. At first glance, it looks like it’s only a DAB radio but it uses a technology it calls BestTune which combines FM, DAB, and DAB+ into a single station list to help you find the best option based on signal strength. I really liked this as it saved me switching between different modes while still gaining the best signal.
In all, the Sharp Osaka has a 120-station memory spread equally across BestTune, DAB and FM and, honestly, you probably won’t have to overthink this either. I simply turned it on and it figured things out for itself, quickly allowing me to find the station I wanted to listen to.
A tap of the source button also takes you to the Bluetooth side of things. Bluetooth 5.3 is in charge here so you won’t need to fret about any drop-out issues when pairing with your phone or tablet. I certainly didn’t have any issues switching between the two.
Sharp's website in various regions differs between 15 and 12 hours of promised battery life, however I found the latter to be the rough sweet spot during use. As is often the way, volume can affect a lot here. The USB-C cable is perfect because on my travels I didn’t have to worry about packing an extra cable to recharge it.
On the side and next to the USB port is a 3.5mm headphone jack if you want to connect the Sharp Osaka DAB radio to the best wired headphones for some added privacy.
Other neat extras include an alarm function and a SlideShow tool which displays images from the radio station where available. In reality, I never found a station that offered this but I’m continuing my search in my own time as it sounds fun.
Features score: 4 / 5
Sharp Osaka review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Mono speaker
A little tinny
Loud volume but some distortion
The Sharp Osaka is impressively loud, especially given its relative size. Though 10 is the average volume you’re likely to use, it goes all the way to a Spinal Tap-trouncing 30. It travels far, too. I cranked it up then walked a few rooms away and could still hear it.
That comes at a price with the audio quality not the best and offering some distortion but it’s fine for casual listening. I checked out Absolute 90s and found suitably old and nostalgic while listening to Blur’s Tender and The Rhythm of the Night by Corona. The latter lacks some excitement with the Sharp Osaka lacking crispness and spark, but the former translated reasonably well, never once leaving me waiting for that feeling to come.
This is the radio you’ll listen to while doing other things rather than indulging in your audiophile urges.
Sound quality: 3 / 5
Sharp Osaka review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Functional, lightweight design
Simple-to-use buttons...
... but not especially tactile
The Sharp Osaka gets right to the point with its design – it isn’t spectacular looking but nor will it confuse you. On the front left sits the mono speaker, with its controls and screen to the right. The 2-inch color display is simple but clear, other than when looking at it in bright light conditions.
Controls are also similarly easy to figure out although there’s no tactile quality to it which will be an issue for anyone with sight issues. That’s not uncommon with many popular DAB radios but it does mean my search for a more accessible DAB radio will have to continue.
When listening to the radio, you’ll need to pull out the antenna which is quite tightly clicked in at other times. On the side are ports for charging and headphones. There’s also a neat little key lock button which means no one can accidentally tap a button by mistake.
The Sharp Osaka is only available in a black/gray mix but it looks reasonably sleek.
Design score: 3 / 5
Sharp Osaka review: Value
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Inexpensive
Ideal for a quick fix
Cheaper than most
The Sharp Osaka was pretty cheap compared to the competition even before it went on sale (which seems to be commonplace now). Its primary competition for portability is something like the aforementioned Roberts Revival Petite 2 but it’s far cheaper than that. A closer rival could be the Pure Woodland but that’s less portable.
It might not be as adorable as that Roberts but the Sharp Osaka is far more affordable, which makes it tempting.
Value score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Sharp Osaka?
Buy it if...
You’re on a tight budget The Sharp Osaka brings all the DAB radio essentials at a very affordable price.
You want something truly portable The battery life could be a little better but in exchange, you get a truly lightweight and portable device for putting in your pocket.
You want simplicity Combining FM and DAB options together saves you from paying too much attention. I’m a fan of this simplicity laziness.
Don't buy it if...
You want great audio With a mono speaker, the Sharp Osaka was never going to be class-leading but it can get a little tinny with music compared with talk.
You want great battery life The Sharp Osaka’s battery life is about average for the price. There are trade-offs for its size and if you’re away from power for a while, this could be an issue.
You don’t need a radio Potentially an obvious one, but if you need a Bluetooth speaker more than a radio, there are better choices around.
Sharp Osaka review: Also consider
Roberts Revival Petite 2
My favorite DAB radio in recent times, the Roberts is very portable and looks gorgeous, but it all comes at a higher price.
Listened to DAB radio, and music via iPhone 14 Pro and Bluetooth
Over 10 years' experience testing audio equipment
The Sharp Osaka followed me around the house and the garden. I mostly used it in my home office but I also moved it to the kitchen while I cleaned and the living room while relaxing. On the rare days of good weather, it followed me outdoors for a little bit.
I used it exclusively via the rechargeable battery as it saved me finding a USB port to connect it to. I mostly listened to the radio but once in a while, I listened to some podcasts through my phone. This was typically via Spotify.
Otherwise, there was a lot of Absolute 90s, ranting at LBC, and relaxing with BBC Radio 5 Live.
The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 are a pair of budget-friendly over-ear headphones that set out to do it all. They aim to serve up adept audio, noise-crushing ANC and an eye-catching design – all for less than $100 / £100. I must confess, that’s quite the tall task, and I did have my reservations at first. But after two weeks of testing, I’m pleased to report that these 1More cans do all of those things… and more.
Before we really drill into things, let’s take a glance at the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51’s headline info. These headphones come in with a modest list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 and offer ANC and transparency mode, LDAC for ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth streaming and up to 100 hours – yes 100 hours – of battery life.
Let’s zoom in on the area that matters most – sound. Now, you’re not going to get audio quality that competes with the more premium options in our guide to the best headphones, nor indeed the more aspirational models in our best noise-cancelling headphones roundup, but they still perform commendably for the money. You get clear audio that’s free of tinniness, even at higher volumes. Also, these cans certainly have a more bass-heavy sound signature, which is ideal for fans of dance music, for example, but you can temper low-end output with the 1More Music app’s EQ settings if you so please.
You also get a fairly detailed listen, especially when using the aforementioned LDAC option (if your source device supports it) – or wired connectivity. And sound quality is solid with ANC turned on or off – though I preferred to keep this on for the most part. That ANC is pretty effective too – chatter on public transport, keyboards clacking away and cars zooming past were severely dulled – if not muted when listening to my favorite tracks.
I mentioned that excellent 100 hour battery life, but that’s only if you have LDAC and ANC turned off. But still, even with ANC on, you get 65 hours out of these cans – that’s more than enough for the money! These over-ears are also super comfortable thanks to their generous use of padding on the headband and earcups. So rest assured, the Sonoflow Pro have the battery and design for high-comfort, long-lasting listening sessions.
In addition, these headphones are awesome-looking when in-use. They’re angled forward slightly, giving them a curved, sleek look. They also have a tidy matte finish – there’s style and substance on tap here. The only real downside is that the button controls are a little plasticky and the headband feels a touch feeble – but that’s perhaps to be expected for cans in this price range.
There aren’t too many other downsides to note, luckily. One small thing: the app situation is a little unclear. I could only connect these headphones to the 1More Music platform, rather than the typical 1More app, which was a little frustrating. 1More Music is a little dated, with certain features such as multi-point connectivity (why would you not want this?) hidden in a sub-menu, which made for a less-than-ideal user experience.
But all in all, I’d certainly recommend the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51. They nail the basics: impressive audio, plenty of playtime and a ruthless approach to external noise. And to do all of that at such a low cost is really worth shouting about. If you want truly premium sound and have a more generous budget to spend on headphones, they might not be the best option in the world – perhaps consider some headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM4, but the quality on offer from 1More’s Pro cans is more than good enough for anyone on a tighter budget.
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: price & release date
$89 / £99 / AU$130
Launched in 2024
The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 – sometimes just listed as the 1More Sonoflow HQ51 – have a list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130. They launched in 2024 in three colorways: Black; Blue; and Silver.
Price can vary slightly by color variant, but typically, these are in the same kind of ballpark. And good news – I’ve already spotted the Sonoflow Pro on sale with retailers like Amazon US and UK, where they’ve dropped to around $70 / £70 in the past.
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: Specs
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: features
Up-to-scratch ANC
Phenomenal battery life
Companion app could use some work
The Sonoflow Pro come through with all the features you’d hope to find from some modern day Bluetooth headphones – and then some. You get Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity, multi-point and a handy companion app too.
A quick note on that companion app, though. I downloaded the 1More app – as advertised on the webpage for this model – but had no joy on my Samsung phone. Instead, I found that I needed to use the 1More Music app, which seems a bit more old-fashioned and clunky to navigate, but works fine.
Anyway, when I finally got things working, I wanted to explore the ANC options. You get three settings: ANC off; ANC on; or passthrough. Now firstly, I have to say that I was surprised by how successful the ANC was here. That’s meant to be one of the key areas of improvement over the original Sonoflow, and 1More pulled it off. When I was in the office, I could barely hear anything aside from my music when listening at 50% volume. Even when out and about or on public transport, external noises were pleasingly kept to a minimum.
Sure, you’re not going to get the best-in-class ANC you’d expect from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, for instance, but that’s to be expected given these are a fraction of the price. And the passthrough mode works well too – you’ll hear a few more sounds from your surroundings, which can be handy for when you’re walking in a busy area and want to keep your whits about you.
As well as toggling between ANC, you can activate hi-res music streaming and adjust EQ – there’s a tidy selection of genre-specific presets as well as a custom option. There’s also an indicator to show battery levels. Speaking of, these cans are seriously long lasting – you’ll get days, if not weeks of use from one single charge. They boast a playtime of 65 hours with ANC on or 100 hours with it off. That will vary if you have hi-res streaming active and listen at top volumes – but still that’s an exceptional amount of listening time.
On top of all of this, there are a few less common features that I unearthed in the 1More Music app. The first is smart burn-in, which is essentially meant to ‘break in’ the drivers and optimize sound quality. I didn’t pick up on any real difference and the whole burn-in deal is a controversial one in the audiophile community, so its inclusion was neither here nor there for me. The second is Soothing Sounds, which plays noises like ‘Waterfall’, ‘Volcano’ and ‘Medium Fire’. This one’s a dud. Sound quality is poor and the audio files stop pretty abruptly, then replay – but you can always just leave it alone.
Features score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: sound quality
Clear quality with rich bass
Solid detail levels with wired and LDAC listening
Customizable sound thanks to EQ options
I’ll be honest, reader, I wasn’t expecting much from these 1More headphones in the sound department. But they only went and blew my expectations out of the water! OK, you’re not going to get that premium, beautifully balanced, neatly separated and layered sound that some more premium cans can deliver, but what’s on offer here is pretty tasty for the humble outlay.
Like a lot of budget-friendly headphones out there, the Sonoflow Pro certainly lean into a more bass-heavy signature – ideal if you’re a lover of dance music or hip-hop for instance. If you want a more balanced sound, just head into the 1More Music app and adjust EQ with the five-band equalizer or included presets – nice and easy.
So, let’s start with bass. Unlike a lot of budget options, the big bass doesn’t sound overly cluttered or lethargic here. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, the punch of the drum machine was rapid and didn’t overstay its welcome. And there’s impressive depth on offer too. When tuning into tracks with imposing sub bass – like The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – the low-end boom rumbling through the track hit with massive impact, but was still clear and controlled.
But booming bass output doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality. In I Want You by Moloko – a busy, layered track – breathy, grand vocals maintain admirable presence and clarity, even alongside the punchy bass and flurry of strings, keys, percussive elements and more.
Even when listening to more mellow tracks like I Remember You by Masayoshi Takanaka, rhythmic guitar was tonally accurate, sweet harp trills never sounded tinny and smooth bass, though prominent, never overstepped its remit. Instrument separation isn’t bad at this price point, but I did feel some of the string and guitar elements could’ve sounded a little more spaced out, for a more airy, nuanced listen.
Having said that, you will get to pick out some neat details with the Sonoflow Pro – that’s thanks to the inclusion of both a 3.5mm headphone slot for wired listening and higher-resolution Bluetooth audio via LDAC. Delicate synths that gradually build are audible early in Kolter’s Overflow and light samba drums in SAMBA DO MARCOS by Sadao Watanabe add some added seasoning to an already groovy tune.
All in all, you get surprisingly good sound from these budget-friendly 1More headphones. General audio isn’t as crisp as I’ve heard from cans like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and you won’t get stunning spatial audio like the Sonos Ace. But if you want clear, decently detailed sound, the Sonoflow Pro have you covered.
Sound quality score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: design
Sleek on-ear look
Comfortable fit for long listening sessions
A little flimsy
Something I really appreciate about the 1More Sonoflow Pro is their curved on-ear look. They’re angled slightly, which gives a more defined, sharp look to them in use – something I already liked about the original Sonoflow model. On top of that, the Black model I tested had an attractive matte finish, making for a very attractive pair of over-ears.
But they’re more than just a pretty face. The Sonoflow Pro are also pretty comfortable to wear – even for longer listening sessions. They might not quite have the cushion-like comfort of the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, but there’s still plenty of padding on the headband and plump earcups and so I was happy to listen with these for hours on end. They’re also foldable, making them a compact option for on-the-go use.
The only thing I didn’t really love design-wise is that these cans don’t feel the most durable. The headband is pretty thin and the buttons appear and feel quite plasticky. There’s also no waterproofing or dustproofing here – but that’s pretty common for over-ears. This is no dealbreaker, just don’t expect premium build quality.
Back to the positives though: I loved the hard carry case which is included in the box. It will keep your headphones damage free if you want to throw them in a bag when traveling – that’s an enticing bonus. There’s also a USB-C charging wire and 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable with an attached mic, which offers relatively clear, albeit not ultra-crisp quality for phone calls.
Design score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: value
Awesome all-round budget package
Included case makes for staggering overall value
Similar price to original Sonoflow, but some key improvements
It will come as no surprise that the category these cans perform best in is value. Their list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130 is already great, but again, these are available on sale semi-regularly, meaning you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. Solid sound, sleek design and even a carry case – not bad at all!
Not only that, but these are priced exceptionally closely to the original 1More Sonoflow cans, while still offering some significant improvements. You get enhanced ANC, longer battery life and faster charging – specifically, the Pro give you ten hours of playtime with a five minute charge, double as fast as the standard model.
There are some amazing cheap headphones out there, like the Earfun Wave Pro, for instance. But these 1More cans have better battery life, a more distinct on-ear look and color options. It's a case of several smaller improvements adding up to one big uptick in value. You really can’t ask for much more from some sub-$100 headphones.
Value score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51?
Buy them if…
You want capable ANC I found that the Sonoflow Pro offered better-than-expected ANC, which kept me focused on my music at all times, even when in busier, more chatter-filled areas. There’s a passthrough mode if you want to keep some ambient sounds, too, which is a nice touch.
You’re not looking to spend your life savings With a list price of $89 / £99 / AU$130, the Sonoflow Pro are certainly on the more budget-friendly side of the spectrum. They’re also available at a cut-price from time to time, meaning you’re getting up-to-scratch audio and a sleek design at a more than reasonable price.
Don’t buy them if…
You want S-tier audio The Sonoflow Pro have a pleasingly customizable sound and given their price, you’re getting very solid audio quality too. But they’re not going to offer that immersive, carefully separated, premium sound that audiophiles will be looking for. If you’re looking for peak performance, you’ll be better served by cans like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or the Apple AirPods Max.
You want phenomenal build quality Now don’t get me wrong, I like the way the Sonoflow Pro look on, but there’s no denying they’re still pretty plasticky. The headband and button controls aren’t the sturdiest, so if you’re looking for premium build quality, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
(Image credit: Future)
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: also consider
Earfun Wave Pro For some time, the Earfun Wave Pro have held the title of best budget option in our guide to the best over-ear headphones. And it’s easy to see why. These cans supply stupendous battery life, above-average sound and a neat design all at a temptingly low price. You can’t ask for much more than that! Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review.
Sony WH-CH720N I’ve personally owned the Sony WH-CH720N for well over a year and can comfortably recommend them. They offer great sound for the price you pay, as well as upscaling technology for lower-quality music files. On top of that, you get effective ANC, a handy companion app and a classy set of color options to choose from. Read our full Sony WH-CH720N review.
1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review: How I tested
Tested for two weeks
Used at home and on public transport
Predominantly tested using Tidal
I tested the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 over the course of two weeks. I used the over-ears in a variety of environments, including at home, on walks near built-up roads and on public transport. Typically, I connected the headphones to Tidal on my Samsung Galaxy 24 FE with the LDAC codec enabled for the best quality audio.
When listening to music, I went through the TechRadar testing playlist, which includes tracks from a number of genres, before expanding to a wider music selection. I also tested the headphones with my Windows laptop to test out quality using a wired connection. When appropriate, I also compared the Sonoflow Pro directly to the Soundcore Space One Pro.
Like any decent work of art, the new Creative Pebble Nova will mean different things to different people. TechRadar's audio editor Becky Scarrott said they looked like Magic 8-Balls, or lawn bowls with audio credentials – and she meant that as high praise. My partner thought they looked like an overly-elaborate microphone set up. I saw them more as delightful flotsam from an alien spacecraft, which had found its way to my desk.
However you look at it, the Pebble Nova speakers are a novel-looking new audio set-up fitting to strut their way onto our list of the best desktop speakers (and possibly even the best stereo speakers) on fashion chops alone.
The proposition doesn't need to rely on its good looks to get by, though. These speakers sound great, with defined bass, a high max volume and selection of enhancement features that make a marked difference to the norm for the money. They're elevated from your desk to create a much more immersive surround-sound effect and use coaxial drivers to refine the audio they deliver.
You'll find, though, that they cost a fair amount of aforementioned money. As the newest in Creative's line of affordable Pebble computer speakers, you'd think they might adhere to the affordable end of the market, but they're fairly premium in price. Not bank-breaking, but definitely enough to think twice about.
Maybe not twice actually, perhaps thrice. The Pebble Nova take a fair amount of set-up, with Creative channeling its inner Ikea with how much construction is needed. They also require a fair bit of space due to their design, so you'll need to make sure your desk is relatively large and uncluttered for them.
All that said, if you do decide you have the space, money and patience for them, the Creative Pebble Nova are a great set of computer speakers, regardless of what kind of audio you need them to play.
Creative Pebble Nova review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Announced in December 2024
Mid-range at $279.99 / £239.99 / AU$499.95
The Creative Pebble Nova were released in December 2024, as the latest entry in Creative’s Pebble line-up of desktop speakers. They are, by a significant margin, the most expensive.
You can pick up the Creative Pebble Nova for $279.99 / £239.99 / AU$499.95 (although fair warning: they’re out of stock in several of the regions I checked). That ain’t cheap, especially when you consider that the next most expensive members of the Pebble family, the Pebble X, cost $89.99 / £84.99 / AU$169.95.
At that price, there’s no doubt that these are premium speakers. There are only a few entries on our list of the best computer speakers that cost more, although admittedly those cost a lot more, so if you want premium speakers but don’t want to hand over your life savings for them, these could be a good option.
As audiophiles will know, though, you can spend a lot more on high-spec speakers, up to ten times as much.
Creative Pebble Nova review: Specs
Creative Pebble Nova review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
USB, Bluetooth and AUX connections
Creative App brings ways to customize audio
Acoustic Engine brings some useful features
The Creative Pebble Nova offer three ways to connect to your chosen device. First up is with a 3.5mm jack, which will let you play music but won’t let you customize it via the Creative App (more on that later). Second is Bluetooth, with the Nova supporting Bluetooth 5.3 to various devices including phones, computers and games consoles. Thirdly is with USB, which is what I did for the majority of this review. In the box is a USB-C to USB-C cable but if, like me, your PC only has USB-A ports, you can buy cheap adaptors online.
If you connect via Bluetooth or USB, the Creative App (available on mobile and PC) is a no-brainer. It offers the ability to change the Nova’s LED lighting effects, an equalizer along with loads of presets, the ability to switch which of the speakers is the left and right one and the promisingly-titled Acoustic Engine.
Take my advice: when you first set up the Pebble Nova, go to the Acoustic Engine page and turn everything on. It includes features like audio upscaling, dialogue enhancement and virtual surround-sound, all of which have marked improvements on the way the speakers sound. I regret that I was already weeks into the testing process before I bothered to open this page!
Features score: 4.5/5
Creative Pebble Nova review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Bowling balls on stalks
Takes up lots of space
Time-consuming set-up process
How do you describe the design of the Creative Pebble Nova? Are they eyeballs on stalks? Alien command consoles? Magic 8-Balls? If you’re able, check out the review pictures because they’ll do better justice to the odd look of the Nova than my Creative Writing degree ever could. If you can’t see them, then… they’re basically giant spheres, held up from a circular base by a thin dowel.
It’s certainly a unique look taking the spherical-ish looks of other Pebble devices and literally elevating it. But it has a second advantage: the speakers themselves are higher than computer speakers generally are, which means ‘surround sound’ audio actually does surround you, as it’s at ear level (with the 45-degree point of the speakers also helping).
You can pick the Novas up in black, as you see in the images, and in a chic white-and-bronze model too.
I can see this design being a bit divisive but I didn’t mind it (I also spent lots of the review period with them hidden by my second screen). However there are two issues too.
(Image credit: Future)
Firstly, these take up a lot of space. Said space is at a premium when it comes to the desk upon which I use my desktop computer, and I found it quite hard to accommodate the Pebble Nova given the dimensions of both the speakers and my London apartment – it’s why the images accompanying this review are of my laptop, because my desk was too cluttered with the Creatives on it!
The second thing to note is that the Pebble Nova take quite a bit of setting up: not only do you need to go through all the usual cable rigamarole of desktop speakers, but you also have to attach the dowels to the stands and those to the speakers. This was admittedly easier than your average Ikea project, but it still took a little while to accomplish (I should note, you don’t have to elevate the speakers if you don’t want, and can attach them straight to a stand).
On the primary– ‘orb’? – you get several ports: the USB-C power delivery port, another USB-C port to connect to your computer, and the 3.5mm headphone jack, as well as the cable which runs to the other speaker. You also get a range of buttons for volume, power, connection and more.
The speakers have LED lights which you can program using the app, although they’re not huge or bright and I didn’t really notice them during everyday PC use.
Design score: 4/5
Creative Pebble Nova review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
1-inch driver + 3-inch woofer
Exuberant, clear bass and mids
Unnecessarily-high max volume
Each of the Creative Pebble Nova speakers packs both a 1-inch tweeter with a 3-inch woofer in a coaxial set-up.
I'm used to PC speakers being good for certain tasks and struggling with other ones (a set-up that's great for music might struggle for the range of sounds needed for gaming, or be poorly-tuned for YouTube videos, for example) but I was pleasantly surprised at how the Creative was a jack of all trades.
I say 'pleasantly surprised' because it wasn't necessarily expected. The presence of a woofer gives away that the Pebble Nova has a distinctly energetic sound profile, with plentiful bass. However these lower tones are well-defined and clear, instead of being overpowering and thumping like some bassy speakers can be.
This meant I could enjoy different kinds of music but then could listen to spoken-word audio without low voices having an unnatural rumble to them, an issue I've faced before.
(Image credit: Future)
Treble is a little less bright than it could be, but I quickly fixed this in the Creative App with some quick equalizer tweaking.
The Creative Pebble Nova is great for the kind of sound stage or surround-sound audio that really benefits immersive gaming. This is because the elevated height of the speaker poles, plus their being angled upwards at 45 degrees, means that audio is a lot closer to ear-level than your standard desktop speakers.
The result is a marked improvement in immersion: the tweeting of birds, the sound of wind in trees, the repeated taunting of a dangerous bandit I was unsuccessfully trying to run away from, all felt well-placed around me during gaming sessions. The effect was definitely more pronounced than on other desktop speakers I've tried, which sit lower than your ear level.
According to Creative, the Pebble Nova has a whopping 100W power output for high volumes. Since I have neighbors, I didn't test quite how loud it goes, but it definitely reached (and could easily exceed) my needs. Why you'd need incredibly-loud speakers for your desktop, presumably within half a meter of you, isn't quite clear, but it means that they can double as general party speakers if you prefer.
Sound quality: 4.5/5
Creative Pebble Nova review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Not a viable option for people on a tight budget
Other Pebbles may appeal to money-conscious buyers
While the overall Pebble line of Creative desktop speakers is known for offering great value for money, that's naturally less true of the Nova, as premium equipment always offers incremental returns for the price.
The Nova are good, but you're paying for it, as they're not cheap (at least, by Creative standards, although you can easily find countless pricier alternatives). They're not poor value for money, but they're not as much an obvious bargain as other Pebbles. That said, if I had the expendable income, I'd buy them – so take from that what you will.
Value: 4/5
Should I buy the Creative Pebble Nova?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if…
You like the look of them Fan of the way the Novas look? Then you should go for them, as you'll be hard-pressed to find anything quite as distinctive.
You're particular about your audio The Creative app's equalizer, and Acoustic Engine options, will let picky listeners fine-tune the way the speakers sound more so than some rivals.
Don’t buy them if…
You think they look silly If you prefer your desktop speakers to speak only through the drivers instead of the fashion statement, you best check out other options.
You've got limited space I have a medium-sized desk and I had to remove some decorations to fit the Pebble Nova, so if you're short on desk real estate, these might not fit.
Creative Pebble Nova review: Also consider
Creative Pebble Plus There are plenty of cheaper Creative Pebble desktop speakers on the market including the Plus, which we said will give you "more than your money’s worth".
Vigilant Audio SwitchOne Of the two options in our best desktop speakers round-up that have a similar price to the Pebbles, the Vigilants are the most recent. They have a pretty 'standard' design but sound great to listen to.
The testing process of the Creative Pebble Nova was over a month.
For most of that time, I tested the Nova alongside my Windows desktop PC, with the speakers on my desk. I also tested it paired via Bluetooth to my phone and, for a short while, connected to my Windows laptop (as pictured).
I used my PC as normal during the month which includes my day job, various other types of work, watching TV shows and YouTube videos, streaming lots of music and playing video games.
I have over six years' experience testing gadgets for TechRadar which includes other desktop speakers, audio products (including from Creative) and other types of tech.
With audio brands and tech companies announcing open-ear earbuds left, right and center, it was only a matter of time before Chinese giant Huawei got in on the action too.
It was only minutes into the testing for this Huawei FreeArc review, though, that I understood these to be some of the best open-ear buds on the market right now. Huawei’s onto something here!
The reason for this is simple: as of their release, the Huawei FreeArc are the best-sounding examples of this form factor, and that’s a really impressive selling point given how earbuds like this work.
For those who aren’t familiar, open-ear headphones like these dangle the earbud over your eardrum, instead of plonking it straight in there; this means you can still hear sounds beyond your music. Useful for people in busy areas or who need to hear announcements, but less useful for audiophiles as having a bud centimeters from your ear can spell doom for well-tuned music.
Not with the FreeArc, though. Music has an impressive soundstage, sounds delicately tuned and maintains bristling energy. The best compliment I can give to Huawei is that I often forgot I was listening to open-ears.
Two enthusiastic thumbs up in the audio department, then, although the FreeArc do struggle just a little in a few other departments. The battery life is one, with the 23-hour lasting power of the case in particular an area that might dissuade certain buyers.
If you’ve got an Android phone, you’ll also find the app install process an absolute pain, as you have to side-load multiple apps through APKs. The process is only suitable for technophiles, or someone who can rope in a tech-savvy relative or friend to help.
OK so great-sounding, just slightly annoying to set up? Yes, but we're missing the big draw. Huawei has priced these buds to sell, making them some of the most affordable open-ears on the market right now.
You can overlook a few of issues in tech with competitive pricing, and the Huawei FreeArc do benefit from that when you consider their feature set. But purely from a sonic perspective, these are an absolute steal at the price.
Huawei FreeArc review: Specifications
Huawei FreeArc review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Announced in February 2025
Priced at £99.99 (roughly $130, AU$200)
Not on sale in Australia or US
The Huawei FreeArc were announced in February 2025, at the same time as a slew of rivals, and went on sale shortly afterwards.
You can pick up the buds for £99.99 (roughly $130, AU$200) so they’re priced competitively against many of these competitors. There’s no US or AU pricing at the time of writing and I don’t expect the buds will go on sale in either region.
There are a few open-ear buds priced around that general area, or a slight amount cheaper, but most competitors cost up to 50% more. So Huawei has put out a really tempting option here.
Huawei FreeArc review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Mid-sized charging case
Comfortable and reliable bud fit
Temperamental touch controls
The Huawei FreeArc comes in a square carry case; it’s not the smallest I’ve ever seen from open-ear buds, but it’s definitely at the smaller end of the spectrum.
The case measures 67.8 x 67.8 x 26.5mm and weighs 67g, and it has basically what you’d expect from an earbuds case: place to lay each bud, a pairing button, and a USB-C port for charging.
The buds themselves weigh 8.9g so they’re not the lightest open-ears I’ve ever tested, but the difference is just a gram or so and they are by no means heavy. Like most open-ears (although not ear-clip/cuff designs – see the Bose Ultra Open), they consist of the main body as well as a sports loop that circles and slips behind the ear, which in the Huawei’s case ends in quite a pronounced teardrop shape.
Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is. (Image credit: Future)
I found them reliably comfortable and lightweight to wear, and they didn’t shift much during exercises or runs, a problem some other open-ears have. Instead they’re firmly held pretty close to the ear, so you can hear your music well.
The buds’ body supports gesture controls, but I found them a little bit temperamental in picking up my touch. You’re meant to be able to swipe to change volume, double tap to pause or play songs and triple-tap to skip songs, and while the tapping ones worked well, I had to fight with the buds to pick up swiping.
The charging case doesn’t have any protective certification but the earbuds are IP57, which was a pleasant surprise to see given that most rivals are IP54. The ‘5’ in common means that they’re dust resistant and the ‘7’ means that they’re waterpoof up to a depth of 1m for half an hour, whereas most rivals are simply splash-proof. I don’t think this means that you should swim with the buds, but it still means they’re protected from the elements.
You can buy the FreeArcs in black, white or pale green, and as you can tell from the images, my review sample was the former.
Design score: 4/5
Huawei FreeArc review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Battery life is 7 hours (only 23 for case)
App has convoluted installation process
Could do with extra features
The feature set is the Huawei FreeArc’s Achilles Heel, so let’s get the criticisms out the way upfront.
Firstly, the battery life isn’t amazing. At 7 hours of listening per bud, it’s not awful, though plenty of other buds (especially open-ears) beat it. But worse is the charging case, which only gets you 28 hours of listening, a stat that’s got to be one of the lowest I’ve seen in buds like this.
My biggest issue was that downloading the Huawei AI Life app, to unlock extra features, was an absolute pain (on Android, at least, but on iOS it’s simple). To get it on my Realme phone I had to download Huawei’s AppGallery (as an APK on my browser, as it’s not on the Play Store), which took some convincing on my phone, then use the AppGallery to download the AI Life, convince my phone to let me side-load apps from this app, and then set it up via this app. It’s a lot of faff and it took me about 10 minutes, which is approximately 9 and a half minutes more than this process generally takes me during reviews.
(Image credit: Future)
I’m not entirely convinced that the process is worth it either. It mainly lets you find your earbuds if you’ve misplaced them, manage which devices your buds are connected to, and change what the gesture controls do.
The main feature of the app is access to four music presets (default, Elevate for workouts, Treble boost and Voices for boosting vocals). You can also make your own, which gives you access to a 10-band equalizer.
Unlike at least one contemporary rival (that would be the Honor Earbuds Open) there’s no active noise cancellation, no low latency mode and no gimmicky AI feature – yes, I’m looking at the Honor Earbuds Open's AI translator here. None of these are ubiquitous in open-ears so I can’t detract points for that, but the FreeArc do feel like they’re missing some kind of USP.
Features score: 4/5
Huawei FreeArc review: Sound performance
(Image credit: Future)
Large 17mm x 12mm drivers
Impressive sound stage
Could have done with ANC
The core selling point of the Huawei FreeArc is that they’re the best-sounding open-ear earbuds I’ve tested to date. That’s not the biggest compliment in the world, given that the form factor naturally leads to worse audio (the speaker is dangling away from your ear, of course, and bass clout is usually the first casualty), but I was still impressed with how the FreeArcs sound.
The most palpable and immediately-obvious positive of the FreeArcs’ audio is the soundstage: it’s unprecedented for open-ears, and I was surprised to be able to pick out the strums of guitars and range of piano keys when I was listening.
Music is energetic and exciting, zealous and crisp, and it was a joy to listen to my favorite workout songs and actually hear the details in them. Admittedly, lots of my excitement came from the sheer fact that I could make out individual lines in songs (I hate to harp on, but open-ears generally sound pretty bad), but the Huawei’s do sound great.
Each earbud has a single 17mm x 12mm driver, which is bigger than I can recall seeing in past open-ear headphones, and that might go some way in explaining the quality of the Huawei FreeArc's sonic performance.
I would have liked to hear a little more bass in the FreeArc, as it ended up sounding just a touch underwhelming during workouts when I wanted a bassy kick. The aforementioned Elevate mode does improve things in terms of bass clout, but it also makes more complex songs sound oddly ‘crunchy’ and distorted, so I stopped using it.
It was almost a shame to listen to such high-quality audio in open-ears – it sounded amazing when listening in quiet environments, but as soon as I left the house or went somewhere busy, the extraneous noise that can't help but enter your ear makes it hard to appreciate the detail. ANC would be a blessing on these buds.
Sound performance score: 5/5
Huawei FreeArc review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Given that Huawei tends to release premium products, I was surprised to see the FreeArcs go for £99, which makes them fairly affordable as open-ears go.
They'd be decent value if they only had 'good' sound quality, but the fact that they sound great really helps cement the Huawei FreeArc as one of the best-value open-ear buds you can buy right now.
Value score: 4.5/5
Huawei FreeArc review: scorecard
Huawei FreeArc: Should I buy?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if...
You're an audiophile
If you care about audio fidelity but still need to use open-ear headphones, the FreeArcs are your go-to pick.
You're on a middling budget
While I can't recommend the Huawei FreeArc for people on a low budget, those willing to spend a middling amount will find these a great pick..
You have an iPhone or Huawei mobile
I've waxed lyrical about the app installation pains, but this isn't an issue for people who use iPhones or Huawei devices.
Don't buy them if...
You wait a while before charging
The FreeArcs' battery life isn't awful, but the case charge is. If you don't often get a chance to power up your gadgets, their 23-hour lasting time might not cut it.
You don't listen when it's quiet
Due to their design, you can only make the most of the Huaweis if you listen somewhere quiet. If you only use earbuds in noisy environments, you might not appreciate these buds.
Also consider
Honor Earbuds Open
These buds cost a little more and don't quite match the Huawei buds in sound, but their battery life is better, plus they offer effective active noise cancellation (I know, it shouldn't work, but it does).
Fitness users should look perhaps to the OpenRock; they have an incredible battery life and a sturdy design – don't expect quite the levels of sonic brilliance as the Huawei or Honor options above though.
I listened to the Huawei FreeArcs for two weeks before writing this review, and the testing process coincided with that of two rivals: the Honor Earbuds Open and the EarFun Openjump, which helped me better understand all three.
I used the Huawei FreeArc alongside my Android smartphone for most of the review, and also paired them to my Windows laptop at several times. Mostly I listened to music on Spotify but also tested podcasts, games and TV shows. I tested them at home, in the office, on walks around my area and also for various workouts (road cycling, running and gym workouts).
The FreeArcs are the latest of many products I've reviewed for TechRadar; I've been doing so for over six years and have reviewed headphones, smartphones, tablets and more.
I’ve long been a naysayer of open-ear earbuds, despite (or probably because of) testing a huge number of them. However the first few months of 2025 brought a slew of impressive such buds to make me change my mind, and the Honor Earbuds Open is one of the ringleaders of the operation. While making it onto our list of the best open-ear earbuds is a relatively low bar, the Honors hurdle over it with ease.
Open-ear earbuds, for those of you who don’t know, are wireless earbuds that don’t sit in your ear, but rather very near your ear canal, to allow outside noises to get in too (useful for if you want to hear public service announcements on a commute, the noise of traffic that you’re nearby or light conversation). While Shokz popularized the category, most tech brands are now starting to reveal their own takes on an open-fit approach (production of such designs is reportedly up 600%, according to rival Huawei), and Honor is simply the latest company to take up the challenge. But the Chinese electronics firm, perhaps best known for its aspirational smartphones, has done a very good job here.
Given their design quirks, you have to forgive a few things with open-ear buds. But the slam-dunk of the Honor Earbuds Open is that they deliver everything you want in normal headphones, not just gimmicky "Ooh I can still hear you" ones.
For example, the Honors sound great, a compliment I’ve never once paid to open-ears. They offer energetic bass, bristling treble and a soundstage that’d be most welcome on normal earbuds, let alone ones that don’t even sit within your ears.
The fit is fantastic too, which is often the area that ruins otherwise-great open-ears. The Earbuds Open fit comfortably and securely, whether I was lounging at home, working out at the gym, cycling or going on runs. It was easy to forget I was wearing them at times!
Honor has also offered a feature that is incredibly rare in open-ears: active noise cancellation. When I first saw that the buds had this, I was baffled; after all, the entire point of open-ears is that they allow you to hear surrounding sounds. However in practice, it worked really well, with its light-touch implementation ensuring you can hear important environmental sounds without drowning your music in the hustle-and-bustle of city life.
A few issues affect the Honor Earbuds Open, most annoyingly the limited battery life which rules these out for long-distance runners. I also found the touch controls a little annoying to use, and you can easily mark any earbuds down for some of the features they don’t offer (an equalizer here) but none of these are deal-breakers… as you can probably tell, from the glowing review score and verdict.
The unfortunate release right at the same time as a cheaper, better-sounding rival (more on that in the 'Also consider' section) will only hurt the Honors, but they remain some of the best open-ear headphones on the market right now.
Honor Earbuds Open review: Specifications
Honor Earbuds Open review: Price and availability
(Image credit: Future)
Announced in February 2025
Priced at £149.99 (roughly $200, AU$300)
Not on sale in Australia or US
The Honor Earbuds Open were announced at annual tech conference MWC in February 2025, alongside a few other Honor gadgets.
You can pick up the buds for £149.99 (roughly $200, AU$300). Honor doesn’t seem to have a huge presence in the US or Australia, so I wouldn’t expect to see the buds go on sale in either region.
That’s a price slightly north of what some impressive rivals cost, (see the Shokz OpenFit Air, priced £119, which is around $150 or AU$229) but there are also big-name open-ears that cost a lot more, and the difference between Honor’s buds and its close rivals isn’t huge.
Honor Earbuds Open review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Light-weight buds that are comfortable to wear
Comes in black or beige
Cigarette-case holder
The Honor Earbuds Open case reminds me of a cigarette case from an old movie. It’s wide and flat, incredibly slim and opens in a clamshell-style to reveal the curled earbuds hidden underneath. More practically, this compact design makes the case particularly easy to slip into pockets without it being a burden.
The case weighs roughly 80 x 61 x 20mm, and weighs 52.5g, so it’s smaller than a lot of other open-ear cases.
Now onto the buds: you can see the pictures, and you know what open-ear buds are like (hopefully, at least, if you’re considering buying some!). Like sport earbuds, they have a round-the-ear hook, holding the bud itself close to your ear and, hopefully, steadily in place.
Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is. (Image credit: Future)
I found the Honors to be some of the more comfortable open-ears I’ve tested, thanks to the light weight (7.9g) and their soft plastic material. They also held the bud surprisingly close to the ear, which probably helps explain the superior audio quality which we’ll get to.
Rarely, for a pair of open-ear buds that isn’t being marketed towards athletes, the buds are secure enough for intense sports. I took them for several runs and gym workouts and never had an issue – they stay in place just fine.
Each bud has a touch control, which you can toggle by double- or triple-pressing the body of the bud (the silver bit in the images). It readily picked up my touch every time, but since you have to repeatedly hit the part of the bud that hangs down, I found myself repeatedly pushing it into my ear when I wanted to pause, which was a little bit annoying.
Two other things to note: firstly, you can pick up the buds in black or beige (which Honor calls Polar Gold). Secondly, they have an IP54 rating, which means they’re splash- and dust-proof – but don’t get them too wet.
Design score: 4.5/5
Honor Earbuds Open: Features
(Image credit: Future)
ANC is rare showing for open-ears
A few extra features with Honor app
Battery life is only 6 hours (40 for case)
The Honor Earbuds Open are the first open earbuds I’ve ever seen that have noise cancellation. What the point of noise cancellation is on an earbud form factor that people pick to let in outside sound I won’t understand, but it worked surprisingly well, so I can’t complain.
It’s by no means industry-leading noise cancellation, but its ‘less-is-more’ approach worked wonders. The open-ear frame lets you hear important sounds around you like train station announcements, the engines of nearby vehicles or calls from people in shops you’ve just left letting you know you’ve left your credit card behind. And the noise cancellation removes the unimportant sounds: distant traffic, annoying screeching trains and horrible weather conditions. Honor has found the Goldilocks spot for ANC: just right.
I personally chose to keep ANC off, not because I love hearing winds announcing that it was about to rain half-way through my 15k run, but because the battery life needs it. The buds only last for 6 hours of listening time when you’ve got ANC off, and even less when it’s on – I’d estimate about 4.5 hours. The charging case brings that total up to 22 hours which again isn’t great, and many rivals beat it.
(Image credit: Future)
If you download the Honor AI Space app on your smartphone, you get access to a few extra features. One of these is the ability to toggle the ANC on and off, another is the ability to connect to multiple smartphones, and you can also find your earbuds or change what the gesture controls do.
There’s technically an EQ toggle, but you can only change it between two modes: ‘Original’ and ‘Workout amplifier’, the latter of which I tested when I was working out and also in a more controlled sound environment. From what I can tell, the latter reduces the bass and the audio quality in favor of more volume and treble; I can see the reasoning for these changes, but they’re not pronounced enough for it to be worth the switch.
Another feature I need to flag is AI Translate; Honor’s website says you need the Honor Magic 7 Pro to use it, but it worked fine on my Realme phone. This is basically an interpreter app that lets you converse with someone in two of eleven languages, using both your phone’s speaker and the earbuds.
From what I can tell, and coming from someone who’s monolingual, it seemed to work well. It’s just a curious feature to come packaged with earbuds, especially when you could equally download and use Google Translate’s app.
Features score: 4.5/5
Honor Earbuds Open review: Sound
(Image credit: Future)
Large 16mm drivers
Impressive treble and bass
No equalizer
I was ready to declare the Honor Earbuds Open the best-sounding open earbuds I’d ever tried; unfortunately, another pair of open-ears I was testing alongside them somehow managed to just pip them to the post, but they’re still great to listen to. I regularly forgot that I was listening to open-ear buds!
Tech-wise, the Honors each boast a 16mm dynamic driver each, which is bigger than on most rivals I’ve tested. And it tells.
Perhaps the most noticeable improvement the Honor Earbuds Open offer over other open-ears I’ve tested is that they have this thing called ‘bass’ – I can’t remember the last buds with this form factor that I’ve tested that have any noticeable amount of bass, a natural side-effect of buds hovering above ears. However the Honors offer warm and energetic low tones, perfect for thumping workout tunes.
But that’s not all: the buds have crisp treble, which is another useful component that lets the Earbuds Open cut through noise, and a pronounced sound stage that makes songs sound detailed and rich when you’re wanting to enjoy your tunes.
The only audio problem I faced was one that’s pretty common in all kinds of wireless earbud: mid sounds fell by the wayside a little compared to treble and bass. But in the eternal words of Meat Loaf “two out of three ain’t bad”, and the Honors are the first open-ears I’ve tested that I’ve actually been glad to put on my ears.
Sound performance score: 4.5/5
Honor Earbuds Open review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Given that the open-ear bud market is still rather new, it’s hard to make decisive statements about the price categories for this kind of audio product. But I’d roughly say that these are at the cheaper end of the mid-range market.
With that in mind, there are definitely cheaper options available to you, although picking them up will naturally saddle you with worse-sounding earbuds (except in one case; more on that below). But there’s more to life than audio quality and some more affordable buds are better for certain uses, with longer battery life or more robust builds.
So if you’re looking for any passable pair of open-ears, the Honors might not offer you great value for money, but if you really care about good-sounding audio they’ll arguably be worth the higher price.
Value score: 4/5
Honor Earbuds Open review: scorecard
Honor Earbuds Open: Should I buy them?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if...
You need workout and non-workout open-ears
While many open-ear buds are best for exercising purposes, the Honors were equally good for that and for general use.
You need noise cancellation
There are very few open-ear buds that offer Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) but the Honors do – and in use, it is effective.
You need earbuds that translate for you
Admittedly a very niche use case, but if you need an on-the-go translator, I can't think of another pair of earbuds that offer it as a feature!
Don't buy them if...
You need a longer battery life
If you want to listen for long periods of time, whether it's through a full work day or a long run or a journey, the Honors won't help you much.
You like to fiddle with your audio mix
It's pretty easy to find wireless earbuds with some kind of EQ tab, even many open-ears, so the Honors won't suit people who like to tinker with their tunes.
Also consider
Huawei FreeArc
These open-ears from Honor's ex-parent-company Huawei are cheaper than the Earbuds Open, plus they sound better and have a few more features. The battery life is even worse though.
Our full Huawei FreeArc review is just days away…
OpenRock Pro
These open-ears have a fantastic battery life, and they're really sturdy too, perfect for fitness users.
I used the Honor Earbuds Open for two weeks in order to write this review. I tested them at the same time as two rival open-ears: the Huawei FreeArc and EarFun Openjump, which provided ample opportunity for comparison.
Through the review I used them alongside my Android smartphone, largely for music streaming on Spotify but also for streaming TV shows and playing games. As mentioned through the review I used them at home, on walks around my neighborhood, on cycle rides, on runs and at the gym.
I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years now, and have reviewed, amongst other things, many other open-ear earbuds.
The JLab JBuds Open Sport are affordable wireless earbuds that, as the name implies, offer an open-ears design. What this means in practice is that unlike in-ear buds, they don’t have tips that block your ear canal, instead leaving your ears free to hear the world around you. That makes them a great option if you prefer to be able to hear oncoming cars on your daily run, or if you hate having to stop your music simply to hear what someone’s saying.
For such affordable buds, the JLab JBuds Open Sport offer genuinely decent features. Not only does their app offer a couple of sound profiles to amp up treble and bass, but it also includes a 10-band EQ, something that even more premium products don’t offer. While not necessarily essential, hearing protection features and ambient sound generators for relaxation are definitely nice to have.
According to JLab, these buds should last you a full nine hours off a single charge, with the case bringing this up to a combined 26 hours. Wanting to put this to the test, I drained the buds from 100% to 0% by streaming music continuously until they died – I found JLab’s prediction was pretty much bang on. So the Open Sport should easily see you through a full-day's use before needing to be put back in the case.
The JLab JBuds Open Sport aren’t a huge departure from the template adopted by many of the best open-ear headphones – they’re made of smooth matt plastic with a flexible hook that holds them in place in front of your ear canal. But they certainly do the trick: they’re secure, even if they wobble a little during vigorous exercise, and their open-ear design meant I could hear oncoming traffic even when running along busy roads. In addition, their IP55 water-resistance means you don’t need to worry about a bit of sweat or the occasional shower.
Unfortunately, their sound does display some compromises. The Open Sport’s soundstage was genuinely impressive; listening to Grown by Kiasmos, the track’s shimmery trebly synths swayed noticeably from left to right, while the strings had a decent width. But I found their balance across the frequency range a bit uneven: treble occasionally gets a little brittle, while mids didn’t really have enough room to breathe, forcing some elements to compete for your attention. It isn't bad per se, but you are sacrificing some fidelity on the altar of situational awareness, so it’s worth being aware of this.
Ultimately, opting for cheap open-ear buds such as the JLab JBuds Open Sport will involve some tradeoffs. To get a pair of earbuds that not only leave your ears open but that also come in at a budget price, you’ll likely have to drop your expectations when it comes to sound. If you do, you’ll find these buds do a perfectly adequate job. But if you’d rather not scrimp on audio quality, paying more for a pair of open-ear buds such as the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds or opting for a closed-ear pair from the best wireless earbuds might suit you better instead.
(Image credit: Future)
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: specs
(Image credit: Future)
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: features
Decent EQ settings and listening modes
Good, if average, battery life
Not a huge fan of the controls
Getting started with the JLab JBuds Open Sport is straightforward, even if the process is a little idiosyncratic. Triggering pairing mode is as simple as removing the buds from their case: their lights will immediately begin flashing, allowing you to connect them with your prime device. However, utilizing their multi-device connectivity is more unorthodox – to retrigger pairing mode, you’ll need to switch off Bluetooth on your prime device and then once the JBuds are paired with your second device, you can you reactivate the first. It’s an odd dance to have to sashay your way through, but it works and connectivity seems stable.
Once you’re set up, most of the features you’ll access will be through the JLab app, which offers a decent selection of settings, even if it isn't quite as comprehensive as you’d expect from a more premium pair of earbuds.
First off, the app offers access to the JBuds’ EQ settings. This comprises two preset profiles: Balance, which lightly boosts the bass and treble; and the more aggressively sculpted JLab signature, which ducks frequencies around 500Hz – 2,000Hz to significantly boost bass. You also get a single custom profile – while that doesn’t sound like much, it’s a full 10-band EQ, something even some pricier buds don’t offer. There’s also a couple of dedicated listening modes bundled in – Music mode and Movie mode – that further tweak the sound to suit your source.
There’s some more unusual features bundled in the app as well. Safe Hearing mode allows you to set limits on playback volume according to the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 85dB (for a max listening time of eight hours) or 95dB (max listening time of one hour). As someone who has already ruined his hearing attending many clubs and gigs, I appreciate the thought here. The app also offers an Ambient Sounds mode, where you can choose to play anything from bird song to fan noise. Admittedly, this isn't anything you can’t find on most streaming services these days, but I welcome not having to do all the legwork in finding decent quality soundscapes.
Each of the Open Sport buds has only a single-touch capacitive button on it, meaning that control is through tapping out those morse code rhythms to play / pause music, increase and decrease volume, skip tracks or adjust EQ. I’ve been upfront about this before: I'm not the biggest fan of these kinds of control systems, as I think it’s too easy to mis-tap and I hate skipping tracks when I just wanted to crank up the volume. However, the Open Sport soothe my ire somewhat by allowing you to customise which functions are programmed to a single-, double- and triple-tap or a long press, making it marginally easier to set them up in a way that suits me.
JLab estimates the JBuds Open Sport’s battery life to be nine hours in the buds and over 26 hours in total with the case. My battery tests seemed to bear this out – playing music continuously until the battery dropped from 100% to 0% took nine hours and four minutes, which is pretty spot on. It's notable that the right earbud actually died sooner, at around eight and a half hours, leaving lefty to struggle on alone; but I imagine this is more down to quirks related to the battery’s first few cycles rather than a persistent issue.
Features score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: sound quality
Provide great situational awareness
Wide-open soundstage
Relatively humdrum sound
Let’s start with the obvious. The JLab JBuds Open Sport don’t offer any sound isolation by design – their key feature is their ability to leave your ears clear of obstructions and let outside sounds in. So if you’re going to be using them in an office environment, you better be relaxed about hearing every tap of your co-workers' keyboards or their Severance fan theories. On the flip side, when I used the Open Sport while out on a run, the buds allowed me to hear the noise of oncoming cars and the hollered instructions of maintenance workers on the roadside. However, this awareness does come at a cost: the Open Sport can’t really compete with the volume of traffic, so running alongside roads I often found that tunes were drowned out by the thunder of vehicles.
A less predictable benefit of the JBuds open design is their soundstage. Playing Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon, I was immediately struck by how open the buds’ stereo field is – in particular, Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s choral style vocals bounce from left to right with impressive accuracy.
However, where things start to come undone is the expression of individual instruments. During St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins, I found that the bass, piano and sax were constantly competing with each other for prominence. While they sounded clear enough during solos, when all three were playing at once, they all somehow amounted to less than the sum of their parts.
It’s only really by probing the sonic balance further that I came to understand what was going on. Listening to Nothing Left To Lose by Everything But the Girl, there’s definite crispness to that saw-edged bass, but unfortunately, the sub that gives it that cocoa-on-a-cold-day resonance was lacking. Conversely, treble is occasionally bright, and I mean that to a fault: Young Blood by The Naked and Famous actively hurt my ears, with the bouncy, distorted melody off its synth quickly grating and making for an unpleasant listening experience.
You’d think that anything that doesn’t sit toward one of these two extremes would fare better; but, if anything, the opposite is true. While I Want You by Moloko at least displayed enough bass and treble to give it some presence, the mids felt severely neglected. Elements such as the strings, rapid guitar strokes and vocals felt cluttered in a way that I'm not used to: like an hourglass, the Open Sport’s sound is pinched tightly in the middle, meaning every instrument is forced to compete for attention, harming overall cohesion.
Fortunately, the Open Sport’s EQ modes can mitigate some of the worst of this, but we're talking more about damage control rather than adding real polish. Listening to Otomo by Bonobo on the buds’ flat profile left me pretty disappointed – it came across as rather tinny, while the spectral profile of the tribal chorus was so strident it almost scintillates in an unpleasant manner. Enabling JLab Signature performed a quick nip-tuck to suture up some of the flabbiest areas of this sound, ducking the problem frequencies around 1kHz to 2kHz and boosting the bass to compensate. This is definitely a blunt tool, but it does the trick of compensating for some of the inevitable aural shortcomings of open-ear buds.
Given you’re likely to use these buds when out and about, you may well be wondering how their microphones fare in noisy settings. Well, when recording a voice note while streaming the sound of a Delhi traffic jam in the background, I was impressed with how well the mics filtered out the background noise – although they did lose some of the treble of my voice, making the final result a bit muddier than I’d expect. Conversely, when making some trial phone calls not far from a busy road, my long-suffering girlfriend reported my voice came across perfectly clear.
Sound quality: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: design
Comfortable to wear
Decent dust- and water-resistance
Secure, but not always stable, fit
When it comes to looks, the JLab JBuds Open Sport are fairly conservative. Compared to the more outré designs adopted by some open-ear buds, these aren’t that distinguishable from many of the best workout headphones – you’re not getting the square-bracket shape of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, or earring-aping form factor of the Huawei FreeClip. Instead, they offer a traditional hooked design with a rectangular driver unit that’s positioned just in front of your ear canal. It’s practical yet entirely unexciting, like a pair of sweatpants for your ears.
If I’m being honest, I’m pretty hook agnostic when it comes to workout earbuds – I’ve never found that I struggle to keep in-ear buds wedged in place. But with buds that don’t enter your ear, some kind of hook or band is essential. And even though the Open Sport aren’t really my thing, I found the hooked design here to be pretty comfortable, allowing me to wear them for multiple hours without discomfort.
Ironically, though, given hooks are supposed to keep your earbuds secure, I did find they sometimes felt less stable than I was used to. Using them on runs, they wobbled more than I was prepared for – I couldn’t stop myself from periodically repositioning them just to make sure they were still on right. However, I don’t think they’d actually come loose and without being anchored in your ear, I guess it’s natural that open ear buds are going to shift around a little as you move.
On the plus side, they should be hardy enough to survive most workouts. Not only does their construction seem solid – the matt black plastic they’re constructed of is hard enough to resist marks and scratches yet the earhooks are flexible enough to make them easy to slip on – but their IP55 rating should see off dust, sweat and even a bit of rain. Of course, we don’t just take brands at their word at TechRadar, so I put these claims to the test, liberally flicking them with water from our testing tank until they’d had a thorough sprinkling. They shrugged off this spritzing like champs and, once dry, there was no impact on their performance or sound. So, while they won’t survive you dropping them in a puddle, neither perspiration nor precipitation should cause them too many problems.
Design score: 3.5 / 5
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: value
Affordable price
Better sound will definitely cost you more
While I’ve made no bones about the fact the JLab JBuds Open Sport have some shortcomings, there's one factor that should probably recontextualize everything you’ve read above: their price. Premium open-ear buds massively outstrip their MRSP – for example, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds go for a hefty $299 / £249.95 – and even mid-market brands such as Shokz can range from the $119.95 / £94 OpenFit Air to the $179.95 / £129 OpenFit 2. So at $49.99 / £79.99, these are firmly priced at the budget end of the market.
Viewed through this lens, some of the Open Sport’s weaknesses become more palatable. Making open-ear buds sound unimpeachable is a much bigger technical challenge compared to buds with either passive sound isolation or active noise cancelling – and, inevitably, you'll need to spend premium prices to get premium results. As such, if your biggest priorities are situational awareness and an affordable price, these buds are a wise investment. But if you value sound quality above all else, you may need to spend a fair bit more or go for a closed-ear design.
Value score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the JLab JBuds Open Sport?
Buy them if…
You need to hear your surroundings If you cycle along busy roads, need to stay aware at work or just like to be able to eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations, these buds won’t stifle your hearing, making it easier to be conscious of what’s going on around you.
You don’t want to spend too much At $49.99 / £79.99, these are seriously affordable as open-ear buds go. There are even more bargain-priced buds out there, but they’re unlikely to have quite as decent features.
Don’t buy them if…
Sound quality is your top priority The Open Sport buds sound okay, given their open-ear design. But you can get much better performance if you spend more or switch to some closed-ear buds of a similar price.
You want rock-solid fit These earbuds definitely won’t fall off, but they’re not completely immune to wobbling during a vigorous workout either. If you hate feeling your buds trembling while you bounce about, an alternative with a neck band might suit you better.
JLab JBuds Open Sport review: also consider
Shokz OpenFit Air The Shokz OpenFit Air cost a little more than the Open Sport but, in return, offer more reliable sound, with bass in particular getting a significant boost. They’re also nice and light, and are comfortable to wear once you’ve positioned them correctly. Unfortunately, their battery doesn’t last quite as long as the JLab: they’ll only give you seven hours playback before needing to be popped back in the case. Read our full Shokz OpenFit Air review.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds If you can stretch to spending a fair bit more, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are the ones to choose. They sound fantastic – even when compared to closed-ear rivals – and even more impressively offer truly immersive spatial audio. They’re also comfortable to wear and intuitive to use. Really their only drawback is their high price, but you absolutely get what you pay for here. Read our full Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review.
How I tested the JLab JBuds Open Sport
Tested them for two weeks
Trialed them in a range of quiet and noisy settings
Assessed their water resistance by spraying them with water
I tested the JLab JBuds Open Sport over a period of two weeks. I used them to listen to a wide array of music, not only listening to the TechRadar testing playlist multiple times, but also trialing them on some of my own go-to testing tracks. I also tested out their microphones by recording voice notes accompanied by background noise and making multiple calls outside in an urban environment.
I also tried them out in a range of settings, listening to them everywhere from a busy office environment to traveling alongside congested main roads. I made sure to test out their fit and comfort by using them during several runs, while I tested their water-resistance by lightly spraying them with water and monitoring whether this had any impact on their performance.
Having spent more than a decade writing about tech, I have a lot of experience when it comes to weighing up the efficacy of different gadgets. Additionally, as an audiophile and music producer, I have a lot of experience assessing the performance of speakers and headphones, while my regular workout regimen means I’ve used a lot of different earbuds for exercising over the years.
You may have heard of Chinese tech company Xiaomi from its impressive camera phones like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra, its impressive budget mobiles like the Poco X7 Proor its powerful tablets like the Xiaomi Pad 5. You may not have heard as much about its earbuds.
It's true that the tech giant's in-ear headphones have yet to feature in our best earbuds guide, but perhaps this is that time? The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro are the latest offering from the company, a rare ‘premium’ pair of earbuds alongside the unending line of budget buds it releases under its Redmi line. They’re the specced-up version of the Xiaomi Buds 5 from six months prior, as well as the new iteration of the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro.
Like most earbuds made by smartphone companies, you’re probably checking out this Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review because you’ve found a deal that combines one of the company’s latest smartphones (perhaps the Xiaomi 15 or Xiaomi 14T) with them for a low price. And frankly, that’s probably the only time you should consider them: the buds are acceptable but nothing special, with a price that’s particularly uncompetitive (unless you’ve found them in a bundle).
There’s certainly some impressive acoustic engineering on display here, with each earbud boasting two drivers and a tweeter, but unfortunately the driver array doesn’t deliver equally-impressive audio chops, with music lacking the necessary bass impact and energy to invigorate your tunes.
A trip down the specs list will show some head-turning features, like a high audio bandwidth or the ability to play music over Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth. The latter is exclusive to a more expensive model of the buds called the Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi, not this model, but both options require very specific Xiaomi phones that’ll rule out many buyers.
That may seem harsh, but the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro do solve many issues of their non-Pro siblings: they’re comfortable to wear, easy to tote around and don’t fall out of the ear at the slightest provocation. The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) has seen a particularly improvement, both in the ability to remove noise, and the customization over its various modes.
Ultimately, because this proposition costs more than some really impressive rivals, it’s hard to recommend picking the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro off the shelves (virtual or physical). But as a bundle bonus alongside another gadget, it could be the music companion you need – and that’s equally true if you can find them reduced in sales.
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Announced in February 2025
Costs £159.99 / AU$340 (roughly $210)
Over twice as expensive as non-Pro
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro were announced in February 2025, alongside the Xiaomi 15 series of smartphones as well as the Pad 7 and a few other gadgets.
If you recall, the Buds 5 sold for £69.99 (roughly $90, AU$140); the Buds 5 Pro have undergone a serious price hike. They go for £159.99 / AU$340 (roughly $210), so they’re over twice the price of their predecessors.
As Xiaomi only sells its Redmi earbuds in the US, the Buds 5 Pro aren’t on sale there. In Australia, I noticed their prices from Xiaomi’s own outlets ranging from $340 to $380, so the price is a little nebulous.
Later on in this review, I’ll touch more on the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi, a more advanced model that I didn’t test. These cost roughly £20 / AU$40 (roughly $30) more than the standard model, depending on where you find them.
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Specs
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Features
(Image credit: Future)
Several ANC modes
8-hour battery life (with ANC off)
Xiaomi app has EQ and more
Xiaomi has bumped up its feature set with the Buds 5 Pro, offering a few improvements over the non-Pro model, and it does make the earbuds much more competitive.
First up is the battery life – the buds themselves will last for 8 hours of listening if ANC is turned off, and while Xiaomi doesn’t provide an ANC-on figure, I’d guess at about 6.5-7 hours based on my testing. The battery life of the case itself has only seen a modest improvement of one hour over the past model, but the resulting figure of 40 hours in total is nothing to sniff at.
Charging is done with USB-C or wirelessly via Qi, and for the former at least, it’s pretty snappy. Xiaomi estimates that you’ll get 4.5 hours of listening time on 10 minutes charge with a fast enough charger, and while mine isn’t up to Xiaomi’s specs, I was still pleasantly surprised with how little you needed to charge these things for them to be on 100%.
Another improvement is ANC, or Active Noise Cancellation – it’s still not industry-leading but these buds offer a marked improvement over the Buds 5 (I’m sure the silicon tips help, more on that later). You get the usual three modes: on, off and transparency, with the latter letting you choose between enhancing ambient sounds, voice or both. It’s a neat way to let you avoid the downsides of passthrough modes while still enjoying the benefits.
There’s an adaptive noise cancellation mode, which can be toggled between ‘light’ and ‘deep’ (I'll be honest, I cannot discern the difference here). This helps retain some juice when you’re listening, as it dials ANC up or down, depending on how noisy your surroundings are.
(Image credit: Future)
This can all be changed in the Xiaomi Earbuds app, which brings a few extra features. This includes turning on adaptive sound and volume, the ability to change what touch controls do, a spatial audio feature called Dimensional Audio, and a voice memo recording feature which you can enable via the app or via gestures.
An eight-band equalizer is hidden deep in the app’s menus, but I found myself using the six presets most of all. These include ‘decrease bass’, ‘enhance voice’ and the enigmatically-named ‘audiophile’, as well as two Harman Kardon-tuned versions called ‘Harman AudioEFX’ and ‘Harman Master’. The app doesn’t reveal what these mean, but Harman’s website reveals that the former is a tool which intelligently balances the dynamics of a song.
The Buds connect to your phone, tablet or laptop via Bluetooth 5.4. There’s also a model which supports Wi-Fi connectivity to your phone, which I didn’t test. This pair, called the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi and one of the big audio breakthroughs we saw at MWC recently, cost a little more and only let you use that titular feature alongside the expensive Xiaomi 15 Ultra, however more phones are apparently going to gain support in the future. The benefit to this pair is that you can listen to 96kHz / 24bit audio using the 4.2Mbps bandwidth, so it’s one for hardcore audiophiles to keep an eye on.
Features score: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
Silver case is lightweight and small
Silicon eartips make buds stay in ears easily
Buttons on each bud stem
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro’s case is near-identical to the non-Pro model’s. It’s a slender silver clamshell with a USB-C port on its underside, that opens up to reveal the buds. It’s made of plastic and weighs 41.8g, so it’s pretty lightweight (though 5g heavier than the Buds 5’s).
A compliment I levelled on the previous buds stands true here: the design of the case makes it really easy to remove the buds quickly, as the stems aren’t buried in the case. I appreciate buds that reduce the time taken faffing with the case.
Now onto the earbuds: these show a big improvement over the Buds 5 (and remember, I have thoroughly tested both) in that they have silicon tips that keep the buds securely in your ears. The non-Pro model lacked this, and my biggest issue with them was that they just wouldn’t stick in my ear. The addition of tips removes this issue.
In fact I never had a problem with the Buds 5 Pro’s fit: they never felt wobbly or ill-fitting, and they’re nice and lightweight so it wasn’t a burden wearing them. They weigh 5.6g which is pretty svelte for earbuds.
The stems of each earbud house a button that you can trigger by squeezing the stem. You need to squeeze them quite hard though, and there’s not much in the way of response to show that your squeeze has registered as in the past buds (which gave a light ‘click’ to show the button had been pressed). It’s not the end of the world, but it’s a slight regression.
An improvement here is that the buds have an IP54 rating, offering limited protections against fine particles (like dust) as well as moisture (like sprays of water). IP certification is a nice reassurance that your chosen gadgets can withstand a dose of mother nature.
Design score: 4/5
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
11mm driver + planar + tweeter
High max volume
Impressive mids and decent trebles, but lacking in bass
Xiaomi has really stuffed the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro with tech: each bud has an 11mm dynamic driver alongside a planar driver and a ceramic tweeter.
While the midrange is much meatier than I’m used to in earbuds and the treble is clear and agile, the Achilles’ heel of the Buds 5 Pro is bass, which can range from ‘a little lacking’ to ‘conspicuously absent’ depending on the song.
Not everyone is a bass-head, and I count myself among that crowd, but even I felt that songs were lacking a little je ne sais quoi as a result. Using the equaliser can help a little bit, but the odd lack of a bass boost mode hurts (there’s treble enhancer, and bass reducer, not no bass enhancer or treble reducer?).
(Image credit: Future)
If you don’t care much for heavy grime or drum-and-bass music (or perhaps you listen to genres with so much intrinsic bass that no earbud can remove it and a tempered performance might actually help things), you’ll likely be fine with the Buds 5 Pro. But I can see this being a deal-breaker for some buyers.
Perhaps compensating for this issue is the Buds 5 Pro's eye-watering max volume. At some point in testing, I crank earbuds up to their max volume to see how high they can go. The Buds 5 Pro made me regret that I didn’t take the buds out of my ears before doing so!
A little feature I need to flag for a very slim market (hello, audiophiles who may still wear wireless earbuds) is that the Buds 5 Pro support a 2.1Mbps transmission rate of lossless audio, which would be great for high-res streaming… if it wasn’t for the fact that it only works if your mobile is one of a select number of recent top-end Xiaomi phones. So it’s not for everyone.
Sound quality: 3.5/5
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Struggle compared to some rivals
Pick them up bundled or discounted
The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro would be decent buds, sitting at the high end of the budget market, if that’s what they cost. But they don’t – they’re a little pricier than I would have expected, and they also cost more than some really impressive competitors that I’ll list below.
It’s not a huge margin, but you can save £40 / AU$80 and pick up some great competitors pretty easily.
That’s why, as I said in the introduction, these are great in a deal or bundle. But it’s harder to recommend picking them up on their own.
Value: 3/5
Should I buy the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if…
You find them bundled If you can pick these up alongside a flagship Xiaomi phone, you'll be able to use their top-end features and will likely get them at a discount.
You need a reliable ear fit Unlike the Buds 5, these guys stick in your ear well, and won't fall out unless you take them out.
Don’t buy them if…
You're on a budget These aren't cheap earbuds, and you should only consider these if you have money to burn.
You're a bass head The Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro won't offer you the booming bass of some other earbuds, so they won't impress bass-heads.
Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro review: Also consider
Xiaomi Buds 5 The natural comparison, these buds are a lot cheaper. However they don't sound as good, have worse ANC and don't fit in the ears well.
Nothing Ear These buds from rival phone maker Nothing sound great, have loads of unique features and look distinctive. Best of all, they undercut the Xiaomis.
I used the Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro for two weeks in order to write this review. They were mostly paired with my Android smartphone although I did use them on a Windows laptop too.
This testing involved trips to the gym, walks around my neighborhood, working at home, streaming TV shows and idling at home. It was mostly done on music but I did listen to some podcast too.
I've been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years now, and in that time have tested plenty of wireless earbuds as well as a huge number of Xiaomi devices.
The Meridian Ellipse is a seriously capable single-unit wireless speaker. It can handle incredibly detailed hi-res audio, whether via Wi-FI or wired inputs like USB-C or optical, and is crammed with seriously clever features. But it’s also one of the most expensive wireless speakers I’ve ever tested. So does it justify that high price tag?
On the one hand, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of impressive clarity and detail. When listening to the relatively spacious mix of Diamonds On the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon, I was impressed with how much room various elements were given to breathe. The vocals of Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo in particular projected forward into the room, while the slap of the percussion was keen and clear.
However, if you feed the Ellipse something much sonically denser like electronic or dance music, some of the shortcuts it takes become more apparent. Listening to Expander by Bonobo, dynamic elements like the punchy kick and shuffly hats were well-communicated, as was its gorgeous vocal line, but there was a lack of cohesion lower down to help glue the mix together. The sub and low mids felt brighter and chillier than the glowing warmth I’ve come to expect from the best wireless speakers. And while you can tweak both treble and bass levels in the Meridian app, I definitely felt like I was ameliorating these imbalances rather than entirely reversing them.
It compensates, in part, for this with its suite of smart features, some of which are truly fantastic. For example, Image Focus does an exceedingly deft job of reorientating the stereo field when you’re sat at an off angle, while Image Elevation is a piece of psycho-acoustic wizardry that throws its voice higher to make TV audio seem like it’s coming from your TV screen. Its position-optimization settings are decent, although they aren’t algorithmic like on some devices, merely offering Free, Wall, Shelf and Corner options. Sadly, I was pretty underwhelmed by its frequency-balancing tech for different volumes: the speaker sounds great at higher volumes, but somewhat neutered at lower ones.
The connectivity options on offer are also decent, although maybe not as extensive as with speakers like the Ruark Audio R410 or Cambridge Audio Evo One. It goes without saying that it can utilize Wi-Fi streaming solutions like TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and Roon connectivity, as well as Bluetooth. But it’s also able to support sampling rates of 192kHz / 24-bit over USB-C, 96kHz / 24-bit via mini-TOSLINK optical, plus 88kHz / 24-bit via its stereo analog input and built-in DAC. However, it doesn’t offer more exotic options like eARC or phono in, so you won’t be using this as your all-in-one home audio hub.
As its name suggests, the shape of the Ellipse is… anyone? Yep, it’s elliptical. I’m sure I’m not the only person to notice this but it gives me distinct vibes of the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Pro, both having an undeniably similar Hindenburgian silhouette when viewed front on. Oh, the humanity. However, the metal grille on the face of Meridian’s speaker is much flatter, giving the device a footprint more like a slightly gibbous moon. It also features blue-lit, touch-sensitive controls on its top surface, allowing you to play and pause, skip tracks, adjust volume and initiate Bluetooth pairing mode.
All told, the Meridian Ellipse is a hi-res, feature-packed speaker with some major strengths and a few significant caveats. It’s undeniably detailed and, when its smart functionality delivers, it really delivers. It deftly reproduces trebles and dynamic details, while managing satisfactory, if not exactly stellar, frequency reproduction elsewhere. Were it not for the price tag, I’d be tempted to give it a pass on some of the weaker elements but, at the savings-siphoning price of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I feel its sound needs to be beyond reproach. For that reason, I’d suggest you at least consider cheaper options like the $1,799.95 / £1,299 / AU$2,599 Ruark Audio R410 or $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 Cambridge Audio Evo One before you commit here.
Meridian Ellipse review: price and availability
Released August 24, 2024
MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999
Launched on August 24, 2024, the Meridian Ellipse is available to buy now. It goes for an MSRP of $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, which is no small change for a single speaker. By way of context, TechRadar’s current pick for best premium wireless speaker, the KEF LS50 Wireless II, costs $2,499.99 / £1,999 / AU$4,000. Even our pick of best wireless speaker if money’s no object, the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8, is a similar $2,749 / £2,199 / AU$4,499, which shows you the kind of company this speaker keeps.
(Image credit: Future)
Meridian Ellipse review: specs
(Image credit: Future)
Meridian Ellipse review: features
Crammed with smart features
Good range of connectivity options
Lower wattage than some rivals
For a comparatively compact speaker, the Meridian Ellipse certainly squeezes in a lot of features. When it comes to drivers, it focuses on quality over quantity. It only contains three drivers but they’re substantial: it has two 3.5-inch (90mm) polypropylene wide-range drivers and one 5.9 x 3.9-inch (150 x 100mm) racetrack sub. There’s not quite as much oomph behind these drivers as you’d hope, though. The Ellipse only offers 25W for those full-range drivers and 30W for the sub, while the cheaper Cambridge Audio Evo One packs a whopping 50W of amplification per driver.
Naturally, as a wireless speaker, the Ellipse focuses much of its energy on cable-free connectivity. It can stream over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, offering both native streaming from Spotify Connect and TIDAL Connect, as well as AirPlay, Google Cast, and Roon connectivity. This doesn’t mean that wireless connectivity is the only connection to its bow however: it also possesses a USB-C that supports sampling rates up to 192kHz / 24 bit, a mini-TOSLINK optical port capable of 96kHz / 24 bit and an analog input with a built-in DAC that can hit rates of 88kHz / 24 bit.
None of this is unusual for a premium wireless speaker. However, what does set Meridian’s speaker apart is the range of smart features they’ve crammed into the Ellipse’s brain.
Some focus more on clarity: for example, Q-Sync exists to minimize jitter and increase clarity, while Digital Precision boosts the signal-to-noise ratio of the digital audio. Others aim to smooth out the Ellipse’s acoustics, with Perfect Balance ensuring low and high frequencies are perceived the same at low and high volumes and Free-Q offering the now-obligatory tech for sonically compensating for the device’s placement.
Perhaps the most unique smart features are those that tweak the speaker’s soundstage. Bass & Space offers stereo-enhancing tech to increase the sense of soundstage width, while Image Focus helps ‘correct for off-center listening’. Finally, Image Elevation is a piece of pseudo-Dolby-Atmos-style trickery that promises to raise the sound image so you can raise it from the speaker below to the middle of your TV screen – although with no actual height channels, it’s worth moderating your expectations on this front, as it won’t position sound as well as one of the best soundbars.
There are admittedly a few things the Meridian Ellipse is lacking. You won’t find a remote control here, which some rival premium wireless speakers supply and it doesn’t offer fancier inputs like eARC or phono in. All told, though, the Meridian Ellipse has an excellent range of features and a lot of the core functionality you’d expect.
Features score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Meridian Ellipse review: sound quality
Crisp, accurate presentation
Sounds great at higher volumes
Bass and lower mids a bit flat
Given its not-inconsiderable price and the hype around the Meridian Ellipse, I was really hoping to be able to give it an unequivocal thumbs up. But in reality, things aren’t so clear-cut. While a lot of the coverage of its sound quality during its release and early demos was gushing in its praise, I think part of this is down to the protean nature of the device itself, where it sounds wonderfully crisp in some situations and displays distinct flaws in others.
Undeniably, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of some impressive, high-resolution detail. When playing Chemtrails Over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey, it could achieve skillful separation of each instrument. Not only that, but it really brought out the rich, smokey timbre of her voice, giving it real, palpable presence in the room.
High-end detail is also unflinchingly precise. Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac has exposed many a speaker’s weakness with its bright, trebly mix but the Ellipse holds the line. It never becomes overly sharp and yet still has plenty of definition – you can almost hear the scrape of the plectrum as it rings off those taut guitar strings, while the toms punch right through the mix.
Elsewhere, the picture gets a lot more mixed. For example, the Ellipse did a reasonable job with I Want You by Moloko: the funky keys and glockenspiel both had plenty of bite and presence, though I couldn’t help but feel this came at the expense of more nuance in the lower mid frequencies. With electronic music like Chimes by Otherliine, this became much more pronounced: the sound felt very forward without necessarily having the depth to back it up, leaving everything feeling a bit compressed and overdriven.
Again, the Meridian’s bass sometimes felt like it was all bite and no bark – which is particularly disappointing in light of its supposed E3 Bass, which is meant to ‘Expand, Extend, Enhance’ the low end. It’s undeniably punchy and dynamic, with kick drums giving a sizable thump, but the Ellipse can’t always back this up with substance – emphasis on the sub. The gargantuan bass of Tectonic by Technimatic sounded a lot weedier than I’m used to and there was noticeable ducking of the bassline every time the kick sounded, making me question whether its racetrack can really deliver the goods where sub is concerned.
Thanks in no small part to the Perfect Balance feature mentioned above, the Ellipse can hold its own at much higher volumes than many wireless speakers. In fact, I would argue it sounds much better when you crank it up. While Black Eye by Allie X sounded a bit hollow in the lower mids at average volumes, turning it up to 60% gave its saw-toothed synth line much more presence without causing those urgent string slams to distort. While this does give it some much-needed punch, if you’re not going to be listening to the speaker at earwax-melting volumes, it's worth asking whether its weaker sound profile at lower volumes is a compromise you’re willing to make.
To test the speaker’s soundstage, I popped on Tighten Up, Pt. 1 by Archie Bell & The Drells. Despite the hard panning typical of 1960s soul, on the Ellipse there was barely a sliver of daylight between the bass and horns, with much of the sound feeling like it came from a single point.
Its Image Focus stereo field correction was much more impressive, however. Positioning the device at a 3/4s angle definitely left Heart of Gold by Bettye LaFayette missing some of its high-end clarity. And when I slipped the Image Focus setting to <7, it really brought the slap of the bongos back into clarity. Admittedly, you could get up and spin the speaker around yourself, but where’s the fun in that?
I was skeptical about how convincing its Image Elevation feature would be, but when I played some classic episodes of The Simpsons and dialed it up to max elevation, it was genuinely compelling. The slight treble boost of the dialogue made it seem like it was issuing directly from the screen. Yes, with some effort I could get my brain to recognize the sound was issuing from the speaker, but it’s a pretty convincing effect.
Impressive though these smarts are, though, I’m not sure they totally compensate for some of the speaker’s sonic weaknesses. It might seem like I’m being overly harsh – the Ellipse doesn’t sound bad by any means and fed the right genres and sources, it sounds impressively clear and expressive for a speaker of its size. But it’s also inconsistent: in some frequency ranges it focuses on cut-glass definition at the cost of more balanced expression and there’s a lack of ballast to ground it in both the mids and bass. As a result, its sound quality is a qualified success, which would definitely give me reservations about spending this kind of money.
Sound quality: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Meridian Ellipse review: design
Well built and attractive
Decent touch controls
Not the most original shape
For anyone who has spent some time following the wireless speaker space, the design of the Meridian Ellipse looks… eerily familiar. There’s no getting around it: there’s something undeniably Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin-esque about the Meridian Ellipse. It’s not quite as rounded as B&W’s audio dirigible, with a front grille that’s slightly convex rather than actively bulging, but it’s still a similar elongated ellipse shape that will be familiar to that device’s many fans.
Build quality is very decent, even if it’s not as luxe as some audio products in this category. Its matt black surface is smooth to the touch but doesn’t seem to pick up fingerprints, while a sturdy metal mesh protects its fabric covering and drivers. Its size is right in the middle of a Goldilocks zone between ‘big enough to make its presence known’ and ‘so large it’ll dominate your living room setup’. It’s also pretty light and easy to move, should you want to: at 8.6lbs (3.9kg), you won't need to wear a back brace just to relocate it to another shelf.
Controlling the Ellipse falls to a series of blue-lit touch-capacitative buttons on the top surface of the device. These are clearly marked and easy to activate, covering most of the basic functions you’d expect, including play / pause, skipping forward and back, adjusting the volume, and triggering Bluetooth-pairing mode. There are no presets here, though, which is a shame. Being able to quickly switch to various inputs or playlists is something a lot of wireless speakers offer these days and, while it’s not a must-have feature, it would be nice all the same.
Design score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Meridian Ellipse review: value
Eye-wateringly expensive
Some cheaper speakers sound better
Ultimately, the Meridian Ellipse is a good – or even potentially great – wireless speaker. But your expectations are inevitably going to be influenced by how much you’ve paid for a device. And for $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999, I expect an audio device to sound unimpeachable. That’s not really been my experience with the Ellipse.
It’s smart, really smart. But instead of taking already rock-solid audio and polishing it up to a truly breathtaking listening experience, I often found myself tweaking the features just to get an aural picture that bested or even matched what I’ve heard from much cheaper speakers. When you can get better audio from the Cambridge Audio Evo One and comfortably buy the £599 / $699 / AU$1,299 Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 out of the change to plug into its inbuilt phono stage, it does make me wonder who this device is for. Because, in reality, I think audiophiles can get more for much less.
Value score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Meridian Ellipse?
Buy it if…
You want crisp, high-resolution audio For a speaker of its size, the Meridian Ellipse is capable of consummate detail, with each instrument having impressive separation. And it keeps this up even at high volumes: it remains coherent at a level many speakers dissolve into a mess of distortion.
You want a whole range of smart features Whether it’s tweaking the positioning of the soundstage, tailoring the speaker to its placement in the room, or widening the sound, the Meridian Ellipse features a wide range of tech to improve the audio you hear.
Don’t buy it if…
You want well-rounded lower mids and sub bass Despite the above, the Ellipse does have a few shortcomings, sonically speaking. In particular, the mids and bass are lacking heft in their lower registers, meaning it can sound like it’s pulling some punches when it comes to certain genres.
You want value for money Not only is the Meridian Ellipse firmly at the premium end of the market, with a whopping $3,000 / £1,900 / AU$4,999 price tag, but I would argue some cheaper speakers can give a more balanced, consistent experience.
Meridian Ellipse review: also consider
Cambridge Audio Evo One While the Cambridge Audio Evo One is significantly bulkier than the Meridian Ellipse, it’s also arguably more talented. It’s capable of producing polished, dynamic sound that’s well-tuned across its full frequency range and genuinely impressive separation when fed appropriately hi-res sources. However, its real strength is in just how versatile it is: not only can it stream over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but it can also handle your TV’s audio over eARC and play records from your turntable via its built-in phono stage. Not bad given its $1,499 / £1,299 / AU$2,495 price tag. Check out our full Cambridge Audio Evo One review.
KEF LS50 Wireless II The similarly priced KEF LS50 Wireless II can muster streaming hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz and offer a range of connectivity options, whether that’s HDMI eARC, Ethernet port, coaxial and optical or 3.5mm AUX inputs. They’re also discreet, compact units that nonetheless provide crisp, detailed sound across the frequency spectrum and taut, well-controlled bass. Couple this with superb stereo separation and a wide soundstage and these are some fantastic performers. Read our full KEF LS50 Wireless II review.
How I tested the Meridian Ellipse
I tested the Meridian Ellipse for a month
I used it to stream a wide range of genres and audio resolutions
I have several decades of experience using and reviewing audio gadgets
I lived with the Meridian Ellipse for a month, testing it with a range of types of music and sources. Not only did I listen to the TechRadar testing playlist but I also tried out plenty of my own go-to tracks to assess its dynamics and frequency balance.
Additionally, I monitored the quality of its output by trying out a variety of sources. This included my iPhone 16 Pro, MacBook Pro, and TV. On top of this, I tried out a variety of different audio resolutions, from Spotify's most basic tier to Tidal's 24-bit, 192kHz Max tier.
In terms of experience, I've covered tech and reviewed gadgets for over 10 years. Additionally, I've been listening to and producing music for several decades, which has given me insight into the balance of different frequencies and sonic performance.
If you had a checklist of everything you wanted from a DAB radio, the Groov-e Boston would mark off almost every point. It lacks good looks and its sound quality could be better but for only £39.99 – it's currently only available in the UK, but that would make it approximately $52 or AU$82 where available in the US and Australia – it’s hard to criticize it too much.
Also, I can see it fitting in nicely in any room of your home, or you can always take it with you to a holiday let, a caravan: you get the idea. It’s lightweight for the size so it’s easy to move around.
A wooden frame isn’t the priciest or most exclusive look but it does make the Groov-e Boston appear a little classier than if it stuck with the speaker grilles' metal styling, or went for plastic casework. This isn’t the radio to show off to friends and family (that’s the Roberts Revival Petite 2) but it has, nevertheless an old-school charm about it.
Audio quality could be better but for a basic DAB radio, the Groov-e Boston is fine. Don’t count on using the Bluetooth connectivity too often to listen to your own music, though, unless you’re really stuck for options.
So, the Groov-e Boston isn’t one of the best Bluetooth speakers but who really cares about that? You’re buying something like this to compete with the best DAB radios. The Groov-e Boston may not have stolen my heart, but my head (and bank balance) do certainly love the price tag.
Groov-e Boston review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Released February 2023
Cost £39.99 (currently only available in the UK)
The Groov-e Boston was released in the UK in February 2023. Availability hasn’t stretched elsewhere – though if you happen to find it in the US or Australia it'll set you back approximately $52 or AU$82 – but if you’re in the UK, this is a cheap DAB radio while still being from a reputable brand.
It’s far cheaper than my beloved aforementioned Roberts Revival Petite 2, as well as the bulky Pure Woodland. There are some obscure brands with DAB radios around the same price point but none from a reputable brand to compete with the budget delights of Groov-e.
Groov-e Boston review: Specs
Groov-e Boston review: Features
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
DAB & FM radio
Bluetooth streaming
Built-in alarm clock
Pretty much all the features you could need from the Groov-e Boston are here. It has DAB and FM radio connectivity along with Bluetooth 5.0 for pairing with your phone or other devices. All are easily tapped around thanks to the clearly laid out buttons. It takes seconds to get started with the Groov-e Boston and it never really gets any more complicated.
You can set up 40 presets if you really plan on browsing that many stations regularly and the Groov-e Boston also has an alarm clock function. The latter is a little awkward to set up, though, compared with the simplicity of everything else.
I’d consider the Groov-e Boston primarily as a radio to use at home but it does take batteries if you want to use it out and about. You need four size C batteries to stick in the back – though probably not something you’ll ever actually do, the option is there.
Features score: 4 / 5
Groov-e Boston review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
A little tinny
Best for spoken word over music
Some distortion at high volumes
The Groov-e Boston’s sound quality instantly reminds me of almost every car garage I’ve ever been to. That may be too a specific an anecdote but what I’m getting at is the Groov-e Boston is pretty basic-sounding, with that low-level quality you’d get from a small radio trying to expand to much larger surroundings. The Groov-e Boston transfers that tinny sound to a smaller room.
Mileage will vary depending on the strength of the DAB signal, of course. I found it sometimes improved but there was never any punch such as when listening to Beyonce’s Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) while browsing through some music stations. Spoken word is far better with some time spent with rant-filled LBC sounding reasonably strong, if still a little tinny for want of a better word.
There’s a reasonable stereo effect here but little heft. Crank up the volume and the Groov-e Boston ends up sounding more distorted but it works well enough in a small environment.
Sound quality: 3 / 5
Groov-e Boston review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)
Useful carry handle
Lightweight
Retro stylings
Reminiscent of electronics' stylings a few decades old, the Groov-e Boston is functional if not exactly the device you’ll be posting across all your favorite social media platforms. It has a great metal carrying handle so you can move it from room to room without any bother, while the antenna pulls out easily enough.
In the center is a simple LED display showing the time, date, and whatever you’re listening to. Underneath that are your control buttons which are well laid out and explained, as well as a volume knob, which feels so much more satisfying repeated button bashing. The buttons on this radio are a tad on the noisy-clunky side but at least there’s never any doubt you’re tapping them. As is increasingly the way, there are no tactile bobbles to help those with sight impairments figure things out but the buttons are spaced out well so you can’t mistap anything.
On the back is simply the place for the batteries. No additional ports or anything like that. Also, if you’re keen to pick the right colorway for your decor, this isn’t the device for you. The Groov-e Boston is solely available in its part-gray/metal, part-wooden build.
Design score: 3 / 5
Groov-e Boston review: Value
Very affordable
Reputable name for the price
Fine for short- or long-term plans
Check out any retailer and you’ll be lucky to find a DAB radio for this price that is also from a brand you’ve heard of. The competition is simply more expensive. The likes of the Sony XDR-P1 are in the same ballpark, but still pricier and also nowhere near as pleasant to place on your shelf.
You’ll be unlikely to find much for cheaper but if you want style or better features, you may wish to look elsewhere.
Value score: 5 / 5
Should you buy the Groov-e Boston?
Buy it if...
You’re on a budget The Groov-e Boston packs a lot in for the price, even if it isn’t perfect.
You want something that fits everywhere The Groov-e Boston will look fine in your kitchen as well as your living room, and you can even take it out with you.
You want something lightweight Ideal for those who need to pack light or can’t carry anything too heavy, the Groov-e Boston won’t overwhelm you.
Don't buy it if...
You want great sound quality The Groov-e Boston works well with the spoken word but I was no fan when listening to music. Bear that in mind.
You want something stylish The functional look will suit some but you won’t be showing off the Groov-e Boston to friends.
You need something more robust The Groov-e Boston isn’t the weakest radio around but I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking it to the beach or off the beaten path.
Groov-e Boston review: Also consider
Roberts Revival Petite 2
Costing much more but looking gorgeous, the Roberts is just as portable while being something you’ll be proud of owning. Don't blame me when you decide to spend more.
Listened to DAB radio, FM radio, and music via iPhone 14 Pro and Bluetooth
Over 10 years' experience testing audio equipment
I’ve spent a lot of time with a lot of different DAB radios over the years. I opened up the box and got started with the Groov-e Boston the moment it arrived. It spent much of its time between my home office, bedroom, and living room. The carrying handle came in useful there. I mostly used it connected to mains power.
I listened to a lot of talk radio (LBC and BBC Radio 5 Live) to keep up with current affairs, while switching over to Heart 90s and 00s along with a local music station to calm my nerves after too much news.
When using the Bluetooth functionality, I connected my iPhone 14 Pro, and listened to Spotify and Apple Music.
I love the idea of hiding a speaker in plain sight – in fact, I refuse to have bookshelf speakers because I really don’t like how they look on my, well, bookshelf and, despite offering great sound, I’m not too enthused by the design of the best wireless speakers either. Call me fussy, but when Samsung launched the Music Frame, it looked like something that would fit right into my home – playing my tunes and potentially showcasing my photography as well.
I’m impressed by how well built the Samsung Music Frame is, but weighing in at close to five kilos, I’m hesitant to wall mount it. Moreover, as a renter in Sydney, Australia, I’m not allowed to bore a hole in my wall, so I can’t really comment on how well it would perform with sound waves bouncing off a hard surface directly behind it. That said, Samsung thoughtfully provides a dampener in the box precisely for this purpose. It still looks lovely on its stand.
Changing the artwork is easy, but you have to have photos or images that would look good within a 8x8 inch square space – as a nature photographer who typically shoots in a 4:3 aspect ratio, it was hard to find one of my own prints to fit within the Music Frame.
To match its lovely design, Samsung has managed to make a speaker that fills a large room with sound. The Music Frame can get quite loud, much louder than the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame Wi-Fi speaker, with strong, expansive sound. And there are plenty of wireless streaming options to choose from, so it doesn’t have to be part of Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem to work as a standalone speaker, but the app is necessary for the initial setup.
What it lacks is detailed and dynamic sound. While it’s just bassy enough for the average listener who isn’t too fussed about the soundstage to enjoy some tunes or pair with a Samsung The Frame TV, it will be a disappointment to anyone who cares about sound quality and wants to use it as a standalone speaker.
Also taking into consideration that the front panel isn’t a digital screen that would display, say, album art or double as a digital photo frame, I am struggling to justify its price.
There's no denying that the Samsung Music Frame has 'presence' (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Samsung Music Frame review: price & release date
Made its debut at CES 2024; launched in April 2024
List price: $399.99 / £399 / AU$699
The Samsung Music Frame isn’t brand new – it made its public debut at CES in January 2024, then was released to select markets in April that year. It became a bit more widely available later in 2024 and can be picked up for $399.99 / £399 / AU$699 at full price.
Samsung was offering a discount in some countries when the Music Frame launched and, since then, we have seen offers that make the speaker a little more affordable. For example, I’ve seen the price drop to as low as $150 in the US and AU$499 in Australia.
While you can display printed photos within the Music Frame, compatible acrylic panels can be ordered from select third parties for an additional cost, plus shipping, but note that you may need to keep the rear studs safe or source more to reattach the new artwork panel back into the Frame.
Samsung Music Frame review: specs
Samsung Music Frame review: features
SmartThings app required for setup
Dolby Atmos support with two-channel output
Built-in Q-Symphony support
The Music Frame’s feature set is quite impressive on paper, perhaps exactly what you want from a “lifestyle” product (as Samsung calls it) to widen its appeal. From plenty of wireless streaming options – including AirPlay 2 and Google Cast – to built-in voice assistant support for Alexa but, strangely, not Samsung’s own assistant Bixby, there's a lot going on here.
You can’t get things started without Samsung’s SmartThings app, though, and that requires you to create a Samsung account or use an existing one. Setup from there on in is very simple and I had no issues when using a Samsung phone or an iPhone – just following the onscreen steps will take you about 30 seconds to get going.
You’re also going to need the app to get the best sound setup too. You can play around with the seven-band equalizer in the Standard mode within the app, but if you opt for the Music or Adaptive Sound mode, you only get bass and treble controls.
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You need the SmartThings app for initial setup, whether on Andriod or iOS... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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..then choose the best options and settings for your use case (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
That done, you have the choice to pair the speaker with your phone or tablet via Bluetooth 5.2 or cast via the built-in Chromecast. iPhone or iPad users will immediately see AirPlay as an option when they open the Apple Music app, but you also get Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect support, all of which are better than using Bluetooth connectivity due to a slight lag that’s evident when using the SmartThings app as they pass control of streaming to the speaker itself rather than using the phone. Despite this tiny lag, I never experienced any connection dropout during my weeks-long testing, which probably says something about how well Samsung has executed the connectivity options.
There’s Dolby Atmos support too, although it comes with a major caveat: it’s received only via Wi-Fi – there’s no HDMI ARC/eARC port here and the optical input isn’t Atmos compatible – and works with only select Samsung TVs with a two-channel output. That means you can’t use this as a soundbar alternative, but you can set it up as an additional speaker for Samsung The Frame TV or the Samsung QN95D, even as a pair if you have the cash to spare for a second Music Frame.
Samsung's Adaptive Sound feature didn't work when there were power-tool noises just outside the window (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Tap-to-Play is also available but, again, it only works with compatible Samsung phones. I had the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 during my testing, which is supposed to be compatible, but no amount of tapping anywhere on the Music Frame triggered the functionality. Another feature Samsung promises is on board is its AI-powered Adaptive Sound technology, which adjusts clarity and volume in real time to any changes in ambient sound and, once again, I didn’t notice any changes when a landscaper outside my window was using a power tool.
What I did enjoy, however, is playing music through both my Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame and the Music Frame for bigger stereo sound. Thanks, AirPlay!
• Features score: 4 / 5
Samsung Music Frame review: sound quality
Loud, room-filling sound
Decently bassy, but lacks the meatiness offered by other brands
Sound lacks detail and nuance
To match the impressive connectivity and streaming options, the Music Frame has a heck of a lot of power, although Samsung doesn’t reveal how much. However, the six drivers with built-in amplification in the Music Frame belt out a lot of volume. The first tune I played on the speaker immediately after setting it up – Gimme All Your Love by Alabama Shakes via Google Cast from the aforementioned Galaxy Z Flip 5 – it was LOUD with the volume set at level 17, enough to make me want to turn it down a notch. The louder it got, though, the muddier the audio sounded.
It looks like there are just two speakers in the rear of the Music Frame, but there are, in fact, six (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Several music streaming apps, like Apple Music and Tidal, don’t have built-in volume controls and I found that, when using the Samsung phone’s controls, each incremental increase or decrease made a significant difference. It was a different experience when using an iPhone 13 Pro’s volume control (streaming via AirPlay 2), where the changes were smoother and more appealing.
Pro Tip
I got the best sound using the Music mode within the SmartThings app, along with the SpaceFit Sound feature turned on.
Out of the box, the Music Frame offers decent bass but, compared to the 2024 Beats Pill Bluetooth speaker and the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame, it can sound airy (or tinny if you prefer) with the high-mid frequencies being the focus. You can adjust this via the bass control or the equalizer in the SmartThings app, but I struggled to find my sweet spot.
The Music mode on the SmartThings app adds warmth to the music, while SpaceFit Sound uses the speaker’s built-in mic to analyze the room and adjust the sound accordingly. It will work wonders for the average listener by improving the vocals on a track, but it might still disappoint if you really care about good overall audio as it lacks detail. For example, Ellie King’s Ain’t Gonna Drown sounds good but not great as it doesn’t deliver the dynamic contrasts in her vocals. JJ Cale’s Magnolia sounds flat, lacking the wistfulness and melancholy I normally associate with it.
I accidentally also found out that there’s some muffling due to the front artwork panel. This happened when I was listening to KD Lang’s After The Gold Rush, and decided on a whim I would try to swap out the artwork while still playing. The track lacked depth but, once the front panel came off, it sounded better.
I like the look of the Samsung Music Frame (right), but prefer the audio quality of the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame (left) (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Listening to Dolby Atmos tracks like M.I.A’s Marigold and Freddie Hubbard’s Weaver of Dreams is immersive, but I’ve experienced better from the Sonos Era 300, although Sonos is known for putting details front and center. This is exacerbated by the fact that, when playing a Dolby Atmos track, its volume level dips significantly – I had to bump up the volume by five levels to get the same effect when listening to other tracks. The best way to enjoy Dolby Atmos here would be to make it part of an existing setup, combining it with a soundbar.
As much as I appreciate its room-filling performance, I expected better overall sound quality from a premium wireless speaker that costs more than several of its competitors.
• Sound quality score: 3 / 5
The stand for the Samsung Music Frame is demure and not an eyesore (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Samsung Music Frame review: design
Beautiful design with thin bezels and hidden controls
Removable frame panel to change artwork, but cost of customization can add up
Can be wall mounted, but the cable might be an eyesore
I might have been disappointed by the sound from the Music Frame, but I really love the design. It’s not as square as it appears, measuring 35cm along the base and stands 36cm high. It’s about 14cm thick and has a heft to it, tipping the scales at over 9lbs / 4.5kg. I’d be hesitant to wall-mount it as Samsung provides just the one screw for it to hang off, but its corners are sharp too. If it gets nudged off its perch for any reason – even if it’s on its stand – it can cause injury to toddlers and pets.
I love that stand, though – it’s easy to slip on but not remove (which is probably a good thing), and it doesn’t stand out, if you get my drift. So all your attention is on the actual Music Frame.
The thin black bezels surrounding the matte acrylic panel makes for a great aesthetic, but if you don’t like the dark border, Samsung will sell you white snap-on panels for an additional cost – although this is only available in select markets.
Image 1 of 2
Removing the art panel isn't difficult... (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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..and it doesn't take much effort to change the print inside, if you have one that will fit (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Removing the top panel to change the artwork isn’t difficult, but it requires a little elbow grease and best done by placing the speaker flat on its back. People with slim fingers will find it easy to get a grip on an edge, but I wish Samsung had included a pry tool to help those of us with sausage fingers. The panel is held in place by ball studs that fit into sockets on the black frame, and a removable plastic sheet on its rear allows you to change the artwork. While the panel measures 13x13 inches, only the central 8x8 inch cutout will showcase the artwork. Samsung says you can use 8x10 or 8x8 inch prints, but I suspect that using a print smaller than the actual size of the panel will give it room to slide around inside and look misaligned.
The Music Frame comes with a generic image pre-installed, but you’ll find an extra one in the box. I had hoped to use a print of one of my own photos, but none that I had handy would fit the frame. Samsung has partnered with some third parties to make custom acrylic panels that you can order and get shipped to you but, again, this customization will cost extra and you’ll need to bear the shipping cost too.
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You can barely see the indicator lights as they're practically hidden in the gap between the art panel and the frame (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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You can use a SmartThings Dongle (middle port) here, but it needs to be purchased separately (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
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The visible part of the power cable is a light one, but it does have an adapter and a thicker cable (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I asked Samsung why the front panel wasn’t a digital screen to use as a photo frame or at least display album art of the track being played, and I was told the cost would increase. I’m not entirely sold on this argument, but if we can have smart displays like the Amazon Echo Show 15, it’s doable and would likely broaden the appeal of the Music Frame. The Frame TV already has the ability to display digital wallpapers and I wish Samsung had figured out how to carry that over to the speaker too.
It’s important to note that the Music Frame will need to remain plugged into the mains to work, so you get a thin, kinda translucent cable in the box that will go into a small power brick connected to a thick black power cord. While I’m really not a fan of power bricks, I appreciate that the thin cable isn’t as noticeable as the one of the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame, and the heavy cable and adapter can be tucked away.
The physical controls, in the form of four buttons are hidden away on a rear edge, which makes them hard to see. They’re also extremely sensitive and even the lightest touch can change the volume, switch the mic on or off, or switch sources (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, optical). Plus, every time you press one, indicator lights that are also tucked away between panel and the frame light up. There is no play/pause option here, so you are left with using the app’s controls for that.
The back of the unit looks like it only has two speakers, but there are six hiding underneath, playing through two channels. Plus there are three ports: the optical input, a USB port for the SmartThings dongle to connect to an existing smart home setup, and the power input.
• Design score: 4.5 / 5
The Samsung Music Frame looks lovely no matter where you place it (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
Samsung Music Frame review: value
Retails for a price higher than several premium big-brand wireless speakers
You’d expect excellent performance at this price point
Falls short against the competition in both price and performance
With a retail price of $399.99 / £399 / AU$699, the Samsung Music Frame doesn’t come cheap. When discounted, though, it might be worth considering, provided the offer available at the time of purchase undercuts the competition significantly.
That said, if you’re an audiophile or, at the very least, a discerning listener, you might well be disappointed by the lack of detail from the Music Frame. In comparison, the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame Wi-Fi Speaker with Sonos sound is only $199 / £179 / AU$249 and, while not as loud as its Samsung counterpart, offers a more balanced and dynamic soundstage that’s also bassier.
Even some of the other best wireless speakers that the Music Frame is contending with are cheaper at full price. In our Sonos Era 100 review, for example, we said you’d get sound quality with “lots of clarity and punch” for a list price of $249 / £249 / AU$399.
Perhaps if Samsung had added a digital screen with a SmartThings interface or even just made it into a digital photo frame, it might have been easier to justify the price. If the sound quality and functionality were to be improved, I think the second-generation Music Frame could likely give the likes of Sonos a run for its money.
• Value score: 2.5 / 5
Should you buy the Samsung Music Frame?
Buy it if...
You want a wireless speaker for a small space
The Music Frame is a 2-in-1 device – you don’t need an additional picture frame for your memories, and you get a speaker too.
You own a Samsung The Frame TV
Setting it up as an additional speaker for a compatible Samsung TV will make the most of the Music Frame, offering you a more engaging home cinema experience.
Don't buy it if...
You’re an audio purist
If you’re after a speaker with excellent audio, you’ll need to forgo the good looks for a speaker that was made for a more dynamic soundstage.
You’re on a tight budget
It might be hard to recommend the Music Frame at its current retail price, but if you want a good speaker sans the frame, there are plenty of options that cost less.
Samsung Music Frame review: also consider
If you’re looking for alternatives to the Samsung Music Frame, the most similar ‘lifestyle’ or ‘arty’ product would be the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame Wi-Fi Speaker, which is still available at most Ikea stores around the world. However, if you’re after better wireless speakers, consider the two options listed below.
JBL Authentics 200 If it’s detailed sound you’re after, the JBL Authentics range is where you should be focusing. While there’s an expensive model that would be out of reach for most people, the Authentics 200 balances price, features and sound performance marvelously well. While it costs less than the Music Frame, it does have a rather retro boxy look that may not be to everyone’s liking.
Sonos Era 100 For a smaller speaker that won’t look too out of place in most homes, consider the Sonos Era 100. It packs quite the mighty punch, though, with detailed sound and boosted bass, not to mention a plethora of sources available too. And it will cost you a lot less than the Samsung Music Frame too.
Listened to it nearly every day for six weeks in different rooms
Used AirPlay 2 on an Apple iPhone 13 Pro and cast using the SmartThings app on a Samsung Galaxy Flip 5
Predominantly streamed from Apple Music, but also tried Spotify and Tidal
(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)
I’ve had the Samsung Music Frame in my apartment for about six weeks at the time of publication and, in that time, tested the speaker in various rooms, including an open-plan living and dining area. During this time, the Music Frame became my primary speaker, replacing the Ikea Symfonisk Picture Frame Wi-Fi Speaker. I also had the opportunity to compare the audio with two Bluetooth speakers – the 2024 Beats Pill and the JBL Charge 4.
While I predominantly listen to the blues, I played a wide variety of genres through the Music Frame, mostly via the Apple Music app on an iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. I also briefly streamed via the Spotify and Tidal Android apps.
I tweaked the settings in the SmartThings app – both on iOS and Android – across various genres to see how the audio changed, and even tried various bass and treble adjustments.
While I tried out as many of the features as possible, I didn’t use the built-in Alexa support very much, and there were a few other things I wasn’t able to test due to the lack of additional hardware, namely the SmartThings Dongle and a compatible Samsung TV. And due to restrictions placed on wall-mounting it in my home, I wasn’t able to test how the Music Frame sounds when hung up against a wall. I did, however, prop it up against a wall (without its stand) to emulate wall-mounting as best as possible.
