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.
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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.
The new Sennheiser HD 505is a refresh of one of the cornerstones of its model ranges: entry-level, open-backed, hard-wired over-ear headphones. This new design uses a variation on a proven transducer, and makes pragmatic choices where materials are concerned to produce a headphone that’s light, comfortable and built to last.
The Sennheiser HD 505 are fine-sounding headphones in many ways, too. The open-backed element of the design of these headphones allows them to sound open and expansive, and they’re organized and authoritative too.
Their tonal balance is just somehow correct, their frequency response is judicious and they have the sort of dynamic headroom that allows the changes in volume or intensity in your favorite recordings to be completely apparent.
They’re far from the last word in bass heft or punch, though – so despite the amount of low-frequency detail they reveal and the naturalistic way they have with rhythms and tempos, there’s no doubt some listeners will want more, bass-wise, than the HD 505 are prepared to give.
Those listeners are invited to check out other options among the best wired headphones – and notably the company’s own HD 600, which have been around long enough to be available at regular discounts that bring them very close to the price of the HD 505.
The rest of us, though, can just go ahead and marvel at how open, revealing and, yes, entertaining the HD 505 sound.
(Image credit: Future)
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Price and release date
Release date: February 10th 2025
Price: $249 / £229 / AU$449
Obviously the HD 505 have had no time to become any more affordable, so they find themselves competing with the likes of Beyerdynamic (with its DT 900 Pro X) and Grado (with its SR325x). They also, rather unfortunately, find themselves competing with their HD 600 siblings, which have had plenty of time to come down from their £399 launch price to something much closer to HD 505 money…
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Features
38mm dynamic drivers
1.8m cable with 3.5mm/6.3mm termination
120Ω nominal impedance
Given that this is a fairly affordable pair of wired over-ear headphones, you shouldn’t really expect a whole host of features – and, sure enough, the HD 505 focus on the essentials. That doesn’t mean that those features aren’t entirely fit for purpose, though.
Sennheiser has drawn on the relatively long-serving 500-series transducer in an effort to maintain sonic transparency, but added a little low-end heft and substance. And the result, so it says, is that the 38mm dynamic driver design is now good for a frequency response of 12Hz - 39kHz – which in layman’s terms is ‘extremely deep’ to ‘very high indeed’.
A nominal impedance of 120Ω isn’t the most promising number you ever heard, but nevertheless the HD 505 won’t be difficult for all but the most weedy smartphone or laptop to drive.
And really, there’s only the cable left to discuss where ‘features’ are concerned. The left earcup is hard-wired with a 2.5mm jack that connects via a ‘twist and lock’ method that ensure it won't be yanked out.
At the other end of the 1.8m cable there’s a 3.5mm termination with a screw-on 6.3mm adapter supplied. It would have been nice to see a balanced cable as an option too, but I guess you can’t have everything…
Features score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Sound quality
Detailed, dynamic and direct sound
Spacious, organized presentation
Will not satisfy bass-fanciers
The pluses, it’s fair to say, comfortably outweigh the minuses where the sound of the HD 505 is concerned. So while the deficiencies are not insignificant, it seems only polite with all the many things these Sennheiser cans get right.
Thanks in no small part to their open-backed configuration, the HD 505 are an expansive, wide-open listen – and they can control a soundstage just as confidently as they lay it out in the first place. Even in a recording with lots going on (Fela Kuti’s Colonial Mentality, for instance), the soundstage is properly defined and easy to follow.
Every element of the recording has a pocket of space to itself in which it can spread out and express itself, and the spaces in between are given the weighting and emphasis they deserve too.
They’re a fairly dynamic listen, too, able to put a lot of distance between the most contemplative and the most intense passages of a recording without sounding in any way stressed. They’re just as skilful when it comes to handling the dynamic aspects of harmonic variation, too – the moments of unaccompanied bass guitar during the Fela Kuti tune have their fluctuations described in eloquent fashion.
Tonality is pleasantly neutral, which allows the sound of a recording to take precedence over the sound of the headphones. Detail levels are high at every point of the frequency range – the top end is bright but substantial, and enjoys just as much variation as the swift, properly controlled bottom end.
In between, voices are given the space and the positivity to reveal the minutiae of their character and technique – a listen to Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal lets you know the HD 505 are very adept indeed when it comes to allowing vocalists to properly express themselves.
The frequency range is handled with confidence, too – nothing is underrepresented, nothing is overstated, and the sweep from bottom to top and back again is smooth. But it’s at the bottom of the frequency range that the Sennheiser reveal themselves to be slightly less than the finished article.
The control of bass sounds is straight-edged and direct, so the headphones have no problem describing rhythms in a natural and unforced manner. Detail levels here, and tonal variation, are just as satisfying as they are elsewhere in the frequency range.
But there’s a definite lack of substance and weight to the bottom end, a bony and flimsy quality that is going to disappoint listeners who are used to (and probably expect) something approaching ‘punch’ from their new headphones. Certainly the Doechii album is done no favours whatsoever by this flyweight attitude.
Sound quality score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Design
Covered memory foam at the contact points
Steel mesh earcup coverings
Concealed headband adjustment mechanism
There’s nothing especially luxurious about the Sennheiser HD 505 – they’re mostly made of plastic – but they’re built and finished to the sort of high standard the brand established ages ago.
Without the cable, they weigh just 237g, and allied to some nicely judged clamping force they prove a comfortable proposition even for longer listens. The amount of memory foam that makes up the inside of the headband (where it’s covered in synthetic leather) and the earpads (which are covered with synthetic velour) doesn’t do any harm in this respect, either.
The headband adjustment mechanism is concealed inside the headband itself, and operates with a sort of clicky positivity. The rear of the earcups is covered with a quantity of metal mesh, and carries some understated branding – but as design flourishes go, that’s going to have to do.
The details in the majority of the world are in a nice copper color – in China, there's a model with gold-colored details that certainly provides more bling.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Value
Informative, entertaining but slightly lightweight sound
Properly built and finished, although far from tactile
Light and comfortable
In truth, the HD 505 aren’t much to look at, and they’re not exactly tactile either. This doesn’t mean that they’re not properly built, you understand, or that they won’t last for the long haul – and there’s always the cachet of that brand name to add to your the pride of ownership.
Add in the trim weight of the headphones and, even more so, the deftly accomplished sound they make, and there’s unarguable value for your money on offer here.
However, as I mentioned further up, you can get the Sennheiser HD 600, which are the 'step-up' versions of these headphones, for very close to the same price as these in the real world. So it's hard to say the HD 505 are the bargain of the century when the HD 600 might actually qualify for that moniker.
Value score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Sennheiser HD 505?
Buy them if…
You admire an open, rapid and informative sound If this sort of money buys a more spacious sound, allied to such impressive detail levels and outright drive in a pair of headphones, I’ve yet to hear them.View Deal
You want a comfortable listen A light (but appropriate) amount of clamping force, a relatively light weight, and well-padded headband and earcups all mean that the HD 505 are good for longer listening sessions.View Deal
Don't buy them if…
You like a bit of bass To be fair, the HD 505 create varied, textured bass and properly control it in every circumstance. What they don’t do is punch with any sort of conviction.View Deal
You’re blessed with larger-than-average ears A circumaural ear coupling is all well and good, but the HD 505 is on the tight side if you’ve even biggish ears…View Deal
You're in a shared space Just because the HD 505 aren’t the leakiest open-backed headphone around, that doesn’t mean they should be worn in the office.View Deal
Sennheiser HD 505 review: Also consider
Sennheiser HD 600 You should keep an eye out for one of those occasions when the Sennheiser HD 600 dip down very close to HD 505 money – because it happens more often than you might think. They're excellent headphones for that price.View Deal
Grado SR325X The Grado SR325X are a bit of an acquired taste where looks are concerned, but there’s no denying they’ve got it where it counts – and in a pretty big way. They're the same price as the Sennheiser HD 505, but have more of an on-ear fit, so if that's your preference, they're a great choice.View Deal
Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Notably cheaper than the HD 505 – if a rather more judicious, pseudo-studio emphasis sounds like your sort of thing, the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X will work very nicely.View Deal
How I tested Sennheiser HD 505
Connected to a FiiO M15S, to an Apple MacBook Pro and to a Naim Uniti Star
With a lot of different types of music, from a number of different formats
Alone, of course, because to do otherwise would be rude
‘Quiet time’ is necessary to listen to the Sennheiser HD 505, if for no other reason than they let a distracting amount of sound leak out of the back of their earcups, as all open-back cans do.
So I sat at my desk with them attached to my laptop and to my digital audio player (via its unbalanced output, tragically) and sat rather more comfortably with the headphones attached to a network streamer that also preamplified a turntable and a CD player.
So lots of different formats were available, as were lots of different types of music – and a week of this (on and off) was long enough to learn all there is to know about these headphones.
The JBL Tune 310C are a budget pair of wired earbuds designed to bring "hi-res" audio directly to you, for less than $25 / £15 / AU$30. At this price, you’re unlikely to be expecting a whole lot – and you're not wrong; buds this cheap can often falter with tinny audio, a flat design and limited feature-set. But this isn't the case here.
I’ll be upfront: you’re not going to get stunning sound quality out of the JBL Tune 310C. Sure, they can decode hi-res-quality files thanks to their built-in digital to analogue converter (DAC), but I rarely felt that I was getting a massively detailed listen. Despite that, I wouldn’t say the JBL Tune 310C are an unpleasant-sounding pair of in-ears.
When tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, bass displayed solidity, but the swift kick of the drum machine sounded a touch lethargic, meaning the track didn’t quite have its distinctive "bounce" – something the best wired earbuds are able to replicate. Meanwhile, vocals were clear, neither muffled nor distorted, although when switching to I Want You by Moloko, the singer’s breathiness was fairly muted, resulting in a less detailed, natural-sounding listen.
However, given their price, I’d still argue that the JBL Tune 310C offer adequate audio. The resonant bass and clean vocals alone make for a decent all-round listen, even if subtle intricacies are missing. Treble is pretty bright, too, when listening to Electric Tooth Brush by Toronto; I was struck by the snappy high-pitched percussion. While such delivery might wear you down after some time, it's suited to songs with a more excitable sound signature. And even with that brightness, I'd argue that these buds rarely become grating, inflicting tinny audio onto your ears, such as the Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds with USB-C connector, for example.
Note that if you’re not loving the sound of the JBL Tune 310C, you’re able to tweak it to your liking. That’s because these buds come with three built-in EQ options – something that isn't an option even in high-calibre, pricier alternatives such as the Master & Dynamic ME05. The EQ preset options included are Default, which offers a more balanced sound; Bass, for ramped up low-end power; and Vocal, for focusing on voices in podcasts, news broadcasts, or similar.
And they do all sound unique, which is a big plus point in my view. Having said that, I did mostly find myself sticking with Default. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a lover of bass-heavy bangers, but the Bass mode can occasionally sound a little bloated in the low-end. For instance, the drum machine in Black Eye hit with more depth in this mode, but in turn, also sounded less agile and a touch muddy.
Meanwhile, Vocal mode works very nicely when watching dialogue-heavy content, whether that’s a documentary on one of the best streaming services or a podcast on Spotify. It isn't the best for listening to music, however, since it sometimes casts a tinny layer over your favorite tracks; I'd use it sparingly.
One feature that improves the overall user experience is the inclusion of multiple sizes of ear gels, ensuring a comfortable listen regardless of your ear shape. Unlike the loose-fitting JBL Tune 305C, this enables you to form a proper in-ear seal, opening you up to the world of passive noise isolation. Is this super effective? Not really. I could still hear the odd nugget of speech when listening at around 50% volume. Nevertheless, it did dull excess noise – the sound of colleagues typing, for example. And far more effectively than the Tune 305C can.
One final feature worth mentioning is the JBL Tune 310C’s built-in mic and controller. The controller allows you to adjust volume, toggle play/pause, take calls or adjust EQ (by holding the volume up and down buttons simultaneously). Pretty neat! And the built-in mic is surprisingly good, too. When making a call and taking a voice recording, my speech could sound a little on the quiet side, but my voice was clear and pretty uninterrupted by static – something even the more expensive buds can suffer from.
In terms of looks, these wired earbuds are pretty middle of the road. The flat wire, despite being conveniently tangle-resistant, is pretty prone to bending, which isn’t so pretty to look at. And similarly to the Tune 305C, there’s plastic casing on the outside of the buds that looks a little cheap, in my opinion. I'm a fan of the small-sized USB-C adapter and handy controller, though – neither of which suffered any connectivity issues. The buds also arrive in some neat color options, including black, blue, red and white.
In my view, there are only a couple of hold-ups in terms of design. First, I experienced quite a lot of cable noise when on-the-go. Sure, that’s an inherent issue with many buds that have eartips; but it could become quite distracting when I was moving around. Second, there’s a lack of waterproofing – something I always like to have for added peace of mind if using these buds in the rain, for example.
Otherwise, though, I was pleased with what the Tune 310C could provide. They’re pretty comfortable in-ear and aren’t too hefty, meaning they won’t slip out all too easily. Audio, although unremarkable, is certainly solid given the Tune 310C’s budget cost, especially when you consider the tuning available through their three EQ modes.
So, if you’re looking for some cheap, feature-rich earbuds, then these JBL buds are worth considering. The SoundMagic E80D are better still, if you have a little extra cash – simply for the upgrade in sound quality. Plus the Skullcandy Set USB-C are a decent alternative, if you want some waterproof buds.
(Image credit: Future)
JBL Tune 310C review: Price and release date
$24.95 / £14.99 / AU$29
Launched in 2024
The JBL Tune 310C released in 2024 around the same time as the JBL Tune 305C. The latter are a looser-fitting variant more akin to the Apple EarPods. They have a very modest list price of $24.95 / £14.99 / AU$29, which is pretty much inline with the 305C and competitors like the Apple EarPods, for instance. That price is typically the same regardless of the color option you pick. For reference, these are available in black, blue, red and white.
JBL Tune 310C review: Specs
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the JBL Tune 310C?
Buy them if...
You’re looking for some inexpensive buds EQ options, a built-in DAC and solid mic quality, all for less than $25 / £15? Oh, go on then. If you’re looking for a cheap wired option, you’ll struggle to find buds with so many features packed in. Sound quality –although not out of this world – isn’t bad either, making the 310C an excellent choice for those on a tight budget.
You’re into bass-heavy bangers Considering the cost, I found the JBL Tune 310C offered impressively impactful bass. If you enjoy tracks with imposing low-end power, you won't go far wrong with the Tune 310C. You can even activate Bass mode by holding the volume up and down buttons simultaneously for some real low-end weight.
Don't buy them if...
You want earbuds for runs and workouts If you want earbuds that are totally workout-ready then the JBL Tune 310C are to be avoided. They don’t have a waterproof rating to give you peace of mind for those sweaty moments, and you’ll experience quite a lot of cable noise when you’re moving about. If you want a better suited audio companion, I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best open ear headphones.
You’re an audiophile If you value excellent, top-tier audio quality, the JBL Tune 310C aren’t going to cut it. Bass output is powerful for the price, but can get a little muddy. Vocals aren’t beautifully natural, and finer sonic details sometimes remain under wraps. Sure, they sound solid for the price, but these certainly aren’t audiophile-grade.
JBL Tune 310C review: Also consider
SoundMagic E80D For me, the SoundMagic E80D are among the best cheap wired earbuds money can buy. Sure, they’re a little more pricey than the JBL 310C buds, but if you want a more controlled, detailed listen, they deliver with ease. They’re also comfortable in the ear and block out external noise fairly well. There really is a lot to love about the E80D, but don’t just take my word for it. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.
Apple EarPods USB-C Want something a bit more loose fitting? Well, the Apple EarPods USB-C are among the best budget options for you. You get decent all-round sound, a relaxed in-ear fit, and classic Apple sleekness – all for less than $20 / £20 / AU$30. Note that the open-style fit does leave you more exposed to external noise, however, so bear that in mind if you want a more focused listening experience. Read our full Apple EarPods USB-C review.
JBL Tune 310C review: How I tested
(Image credit: Future)
Tested for one week
Used in the office and while on walks
Predominantly tested using Tidal
I put the JBL Tune 310C to the test over the course of one week. When trying out these buds, I predominantly spent my time listening to music, which I did in the main through Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. However, I also tried them out with YouTube and Spotify on my Windows laptop.
When listening, I played through all the tracks in our TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – read our guide on how we test earbuds for more. In addition, I spent hours tuning into songs from my personal library, while also using them in a variety of environments, including busy streets and the office at Future Labs.
The FiiO FP3 wired earbuds are an entry-level answer to a luxury-bracket question: “what if in-ear monitors weren’t boomy, tinny little noise boxes?” In a market sadly defined by 10 a penny bass-boosted earbuds and wireless gym-friendly noise fodder, where’s the love for those who just want to listen to music well?
Great-sounding in-ears often come at a premium, particularly where cleverer and cleverer design is necessary to get the most out of something so small. At the extreme end of the price scale, you’ll find audiophile-grade in-ears that dwarf your current savings balance. Enter FiiO, whose in-house R&D has dramatically Aragorn-ed the doors wide open to inexpensive audio fidelity in the best-in-class wired earbud market.
At first glance, the FiiO FP3 wired earbuds are strikingly distinguished. A curvy plastic body (3D-printed, then polished and UV-coated) is adorned with a branded faceplate coin of rosewood or black walnut – it’s giving ‘executive saloon interior’, but not at all in a bad way.
This fun design, believe it or not, isn’t the star of the show here. Instead, it is FiiO’s internally developed 14.5mm planar drivers, which promise better precision, lower distortion and extended frequency response among other micro benefits befitting the drivers’ micro size. Planar drivers are a hit overall for their soundstage-y, highly responsive attributes, but FiiO’s done something especially remarkable in designing some highly capable drivers for IEMs that come in under $100. More on sound shortly, though; first, let’s try them on.
(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)
The FiiO FP3 earbuds are wired, with an around-the-ear design. The wire in question is a four-strand braided affair, which splits into two sets of twisted pairs connecting to the buds by way of a two-prong plug-in terminal. It is so, so cool that a pair of in-ears this cheap features removable wires as standard, not in the least for eliminating the biggest issue haunting less expensive wired earbuds – broken internal wires.
The FP3s’ wrap-over wear style is fun, functional and actually quite comfortable. Some clear heat shrink tubing covers the braided wires for the first few inches from the end connector, so there’s no unpleasant rub behind the ears. Once you get the buds themselves sitting correctly, you’ll start to feel like you’re wearing nothin’ at all (nothin’ at all, nothin’ at all, nothin’ at all…) – but not for altogether long, unfortunately.
A slight, but nonetheless aggravating, burn creeps in before long, even when switched down to the smallest size of ear tips supplied with the FP3s. While my undersized ear canals might not be in the 80th percentile, it’s still incumbent upon me to report this slight comfort-related misfortune. And misfortune is the word, because it’s a real shame that the FP3s don’t sit as well as they could do for long listening sessions. Why? Because they’re Actually Honestly Quite Good, Really.
The first thing that strikes me about the sound quality of the FP3 IEMs is their remarkable three-dimensionality. Where lesser earbuds unceremoniously cram you into an airing cupboard with your favorite band, the FP3s give you a wide hall; the playful guitarry arrangements of Maps & Atlas’ Beware and Be Grateful breathe freely, while Them Crooked Vultures’ roomy production sprawls out ahead.
That three-dimensionality presents not just with stereo image, but also dynamically. The toms in Sally Oldfield’s Blue Water (a secret 1980s groover your DJ friend would kill to know about) ping and bounce with delightful depth and sense of place.
(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)
The biggest bugbear I have with most less expensive earbuds is their approach to treble. Other reviews have reported an over-present sparkle, and even some harshness, with respect to the FP3s’ treble response, but I’m overjoyed to report that this couldn’t be further from my own experience. Instead, I found a remarkably well-tamed high-end, with a softness you’d normally expect to find in mid-sized speaker drivers.
Still, there’s a presence and robustness to the top end, which shines particularly brightly against the harsh noisy competition of the great urban outdoors. Big Americana arrangements such as those of Andrew Bird’s Armchair Apocrypha still carry clarity and weight, even as grumbling bus engines and caterwauling kids try to rob them of both. Listening to sparser heart tuggers, like Blood from Pile’s album All Fiction, you can hear the reedy, human quality that these drivers possess, and which works wider wonders for stand-out folky vocals and anything featuring strings.
The mid-range can occasionally be a little listless, but this does appear to be somewhat by design. Indeed, Queens of the Stone Age’s Lullabies to Paralyze is reproduced with a slightly incongruent cheerfulness, as some mid-scooping borrows urgency from ‘Little Sister’s guitars to feed the cymbals and kick instead. Bass, though, is supple and structured, supported by some nifty (and proprietary) acoustic design in the buds. Tasteful is absolutely the word – a world away from so many active earbuds' wubby flub.
As with practically any set of in-ear monitors, and even with the FP3s’ structured soundstage and carefully tweaked frequency response, you can figuratively hear the walls around your music. Despite this, the FP3s remain the broadest-sounding, least claustrophobic in-ears I’ve heard below $200.
These wired in-ear monitors are little more than they present themselves to be: excellently engineered budget IEMs, with phenomenal balance and dynamic tautness. There’s no on-device volume controls, nor a microphone to take hands-free calls with – but as someone who’s longed for a set of in-ears that do one thing well, I personally don’t miss these superfluous mod cons.
The FiiO FP3s in-ears, at $89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170 (approx.), are a fantastic value prospect for someone who wants a little more from their on-the-go listenings. For your money, you get the IEMs, six sets of silicone ear tips and a quite honestly bizarre little plastic drawer in which to store them. What you also get, though, is a listening experience at least five times more valuable.
(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)
FiiO FP3 review: Price and release date
$89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170 (approx.)
Launched December, 2024
The FiiO FP3 in-ears are a remarkable entrant in the best earbud space, marrying audiophilic impulses with budget-level price points. Sure, $89.99 / £85.99 / AU$170-ish might not sound ‘budget’ for a pair of wired(!), passive(!) earphones, but when you see the eye-watering prices of the in-ear monitors on which the FP3s were clearly modeled, the appellation will make absolute sense.
These in-ear monitors bring some smart driver design to a highly accessible price point, and fill what is honestly quite a large space in a market otherwise given to bulky, bass-heavy earbuds and weedy 10 a penny earphones. If you’ve ever felt let down by a gifted pair of Beats, or resented having to make space in your bag for a bulky pair of decent hi-fi headphones, the FiiO FP3s are the tonic you’ve been waiting for.
(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)
FiiO FP3 review: Specs
(Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)
Should you buy the FiiO FP3?
Buy them if...
You’re a music anorak The FP3s’ planar drivers provide unbelievable sound at this price, with an extended frequency range, tight dynamics and a broad soundstage that un-cramps your favourite artists’ mixes. If you’re fed up of compromizing on sound quality in your portable earbuds, try these on for size.View Deal
You’re on a budget The sub-$100 price point puts these wired in-ears squarely in low-budget territory, despite their high-fidelity capabilities. Other, more expensive earbuds might have active noise-canceling and other built-in gubbins galore, but will they sound this good? Probably not.View Deal
Don't buy them if...
You’re a multi-tasker The lack of built-in microphone, on-unit controls and even active noise-canceling may be a big turn-off for many. After all, earbuds are now unavoidably multi-purpose devices! If you want a catch-all set of in-ears you can work to, work out to and call your mum with, you’ll want a different product altogether.View Deal
You only use your smartphone to listen to music Most smartphones today have, unfortunately, dispensed with analogue audio outputs altogether – making wireless headphones and earbuds de rigeur for out-and-about listening. The FiiO FP3s are wired, and so aren’t as convenient for some casual listeners (unless you have the right adapter, or a dedicated media player).View Deal
FiiO FP3 review: Also consider
Sennheiser IE 200
The Sennheiser IE 200s are meaty-sounding wired earphones, that bring robust volume alongside a robust build. The braided cable, around-the-ear wearing style and detachable cabling are all present and accounted for, as well as some nifty ear tip adjustability for slight on-the-fly sound designing.
Well-apportioned techy in-ears for their price, they cram some noise-canceling tech into their small earbuds alongside remote music and volume controls, and an in-built mic. The sound is clear and three-dimensional, even if it doesn’t quite reach the FiiO FP3s' dynamic tautness.
Tested at home, listening to high-quality audio files through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2’s headphone out
Tested out and about, using an iPod Classic
The FiiO FP3 in-ear monitors lived in my coat pocket for a month, wrapped around a 160GB iPod Classic I’m still proud to be toting today. I used them frequently while traveling between engagements, and while gallivanting around town on errands.
I also tested the FP3s at home, using my trusty Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface for its clear and pristine headphone output. I listened to records with which I am intimately familiar, so as to build a real picture of the IEMs’ performance against other devices.
Designed for desktop use, and living rooms where even bookshelf monitors claim too much space, this compact Bluetooth speaker package from Audioengine punches above its weight when it comes to versatility and design. But can the A2+ also hit the right notes when it comes to musicality?
I fostered a pair, eager to find out if pint-sized speakers really can deliver a reassuringly big sound to match the best stereo speakers.
The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are tailored for near-field listening. Measuring a mere 152 x 101 x 134mm, these titchy enclosures offer a wealth of connectivity, including Bluetooth aptX-HD, USB, and analogue stereo input/outputs via RCA phonos and 3.5mm minijack. They lack a digital audio input though.
Available in a choice of matte (blue or black), and gloss finishes (red or white), build quality is excellent. My glossy red review set oozed premium appeal, their reflective glossy finish contrasting beautifully with the black drivers.
The cabinets themselves have decent heft. Made from MDF, they stand just slightly taller than a Snickers bar and should be easy to accommodate on untidy desks, or even as part of a minimalist Hi-Fi setup.
The left speaker is the active model, with connectivity, built-in amplification and volume control, while the right is its passive partner. The power supply is separate from the active enclosure, thankfully the brick isn’t too large.
Each cabinet houses a 70mm aramid fibre woofer and 19mm silk dome tweeter, with venting at the base to enhance low-frequency performance.
Unsurprisingly, given their size, these speakers are not volume monsters. The system is rated at 15W RMS per channel at 4 ohms, with a peak power output of 30W per channel.
When it comes to system configuration, there’s the option of USB audio, stereo RCA inputs, and a 3.5mm minijack input. There’s also a subwoofer output should you want to add extra bass, in the form of Audioengine’s S6 subwoofer.
(Image credit: Future)
Despite this versatility, I expect most buyers will probably do the majority of their listening via Bluetooth. Here, aptX HD ensures high-resolution wireless audio streaming (when connected to an aptX HD compatible smartphone), though there's no Wi-Fi, unlike most of the best wireless speakers. My system was ready to connect as soon as it powered up.
Also included in the box are 2m of connecting speaker wire, a minijack audio cable, plus a USB lead to connect your PC. All of this, plus the speakers, comes packed in microfiber cloth bags for protection. There’s no remote control included (although you probably don’t need one).
Setup is nice and straightforward: just connect the passive right speaker to the powered left with the included speaker cable, connect the power brick, and you’re good to go.
It’s worth noting that the A2+ is not a smart system; there’s no voice assistance from the likes of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
(Image credit: Future)
Straight from the box, the A2+ are an enjoyable listen, not least because they’re capable of true stereo imaging, something of a rarity in the predominantly one-box Bluetooth speaker market. Tracks like Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen showcase this well, with the choppy guitar riff anchored on the left and percussion neatly spread across the stage. Their spatial presentation is coherent and involving.
Clarity and detail are also good; the A2+ reward hi-res audio sources, finding subtle nuance in Pearl Jam’s Present Tense (24-bit/48kHz) and Radiohead’s sonically layered Burn the Witch (24-bit/48kHz). They definitely have a knack for detail retrieval.
Given their compact size, low frequency performance is understandably limited. Chase and Status’ thumping Baddadan lacks the visceral low-end thump associated with this drum and bass belter. If you want more slam, you’ll need to add that subwoofer.
The mid-range is the sweet spot here. From Dire Straits’ Sultans of Swing, where the interplay between tweeter and woofer handles intricate riffs effortlessly, to the soaring piano of In This Moment’s Into the Light, the A2+ system proves adept across genres – those treble highs always as clear as crystal.
I’d hesitate to call the A2+ speakers musical, though. I never felt myself carried away by its beats, and I was always aware sounds were emanating from the two shiny enclosures, rather than hanging in the air before me. That said, what the A2+ offers is precise and performative.
Loren Allred’s pleading vocals in Never Enough, from The Greatest Showman soundtrack, manages to elicit an emotional tingle, exactly as it should.
While 15W per channel is perfect for desktop use (Audioengine optimistically quotes 60W peak power output), these speakers struggle to serve larger rooms. They’re also quite directional, sounding sharpest when aimed squarely at eye/ear level, so position accordingly.
(Image credit: Future)
Audioengine A2+ review: Price & release date
£255 / $269 / AU$449
Launched August 2024
The Audioengine A2+ Bluetooth speakers are available now for £255 or $269 (US), which undercuts many of their main rivals, including the likes of the Kanto Ren, which are around twice the price.
The S6 subwoofer (£299 / $299) pushes up the system price quite considerably, though, and you certainly can find other Bluetooth stereo speakers for a similar price or cheaper, including from the likes of Edifier and Majority.
Audioengine A2+ review: Specs
Should you buy the Audioengine A2+?
Buy them if…
You want big sound from small speakers You’ll have no problem sitting them either side of a PC monitor, and they’ll look great in situ too. It’s worth springing for the bespoke stands from Audioengine, which help angle the drivers upwards.View Deal
You want multiple connectivity options Bluetooth aptX HD is the big draw, but there are plenty of other options, including USB for direct connection to a PC or laptop, and analog stereo for a turntable (if it has a built-in phono stage) or DAP (digital audio player).View Deal
You want premium design and build There’s nothing cheap looking about the A2+. The design is stylish and the quality of finish is high.View Deal
Don't buy them if…
You want big bass out of the box One inevitable consequence of the A2+’s diminutive design is a lack of bass. It’s not that they sound thin, it’s just that they can’t drop deep. For desktop use this shouldn’t be an issue, but for open space listening, adding a subwoofer makes sense.View Deal
You want advanced wireless features The inability to connect more than one wireless device at a time could prove an issue for households with multiple users, and there's no Wi-Fi streaming.View Deal
Audioengine A2+ review: Also consider
Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 Perennial favourites, these compact Ruark desktop speakers are known for both their clarity and overall musicality. They go surprisingly low, thanks to a canny bass reflex design, but can be augmented with an additional subwoofer if required. Bluetooth aptX is available for streaming, and there’s both analogue and digital audio inputs for local source devices. Read our full Ruark Audio MR1 Mk2 review for more.View Deal
Kanto YU4 Active Bluetooth speakers Slightly larger than rivals, these well specified compact speakers are another strong compact hi-fi option. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, there’s a pair of optical digital audio inputs, as well as analogue phono (with ground) and a 3.5mm Aux minijack. The driver complement comprises silk dome tweeters and Kevlar mid-range woofers, and if the bass reflex cabinet design doesn’t go low enough for you, there’s also a subwoofer output.View Deal
How I tested the Audioengine A2+
Over the course of a week, I evaluated the Audioengine A2+ in various settings, focusing on near-field desktop use. Material was streamed via aptX HD Bluetooth and played through a wired high-resolution music player. Tracks ranged from classic rock to EDM and orchestral pieces, allowing me to assess tonal balance, clarity, and stereo imaging.
Speaker width was dictated by the supplied speaker cable which links the two enclosures, which were positioned at head height (or thereabouts) for optimal performance.
The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker aims to offer good vibrations, a pleasing design and stunning, portable build. Don’t worry, it’s only a Bluetooth speaker. And for the most part, this diminutive portable speaker achieves what it sets out to do. It has an eye-catching shape fit for fashionistas, decent all-round audio and impressive build quality. But unfortunately for the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker, it just falls short of its competitors in a couple of crucial areas.
Before we get into that, though, let’s start with a sound assessment. Due to its tiny size, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is pretty limited in terms of the quality and volume it can produce. It has a single 45mm, 5W full-range driver that produces typically clear, tonally-accurate audio. Some sounds can get a touch edgy at times – especially those in the treble range while listening at higher volumes.
But again, I still felt that the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker sounded fine given its intrinsic limitations. Specifically, I was surprised by the meatiness of the bass on offer. Next to the not-much-smaller JBL Go 4, I found the Joy speaker capable of dishing up superior low-end impact. You won’t find the extra serving of detail that some of the best Bluetooth speakers can deliver, though, with more subtle sonic ornaments often hard to uncover. It’s also worth noting that the speaker only harnesses the basic SBC Bluetooth codec, so you won’t be able to enjoy higher-quality aptX files at their very best.
Perhaps unconventionally, the draw of this speaker isn’t all too much to do with sound – it’s about style. Happy Plugs refers to the Joy Speaker as “fashion tech designed in Sweden”, giving it a real sense of identity. Its rounded look, attractive color options and lace attachment certainly give it that je ne sais quoi, something that can often be overlooked in a cheaper, more bare bones speaker such as this.
Speaking of price, this Happy Plugs product will set you back just $49.99 / £39.99. Realistically, that’s pretty standard stuff for a speaker in this weight class but still, it's a looker for the money. Competitors like the JBL Go 4 and Sony SRS-XB100 have very similar list prices. Other than its winsome design, the Happy Plugs Joy doesn’t really do enough to set itself apart from some pretty fierce competition, in my view.
That predominantly comes down to its disappointing feature-set. Sure, the built-in mic works to a commendable standard and the ability to pair another Joy Speaker for stereo sound is handy, but that’s about it as far as features go, bar the inclusion of an AUX port for wired listening. There’s no companion app or way to adjust EQ – something I’d expect for a speaker released in 2025.
Another issue is the poor dust- and waterproofing offered by the Joy Speaker. It is only IPX4 rated, meaning it can withstand some water splashes or rainfall, but little else. Given you see a whole bunch of competitors, like the Ultimate Ears Miniroll, offering IP67-rated protection against dust and water submersion, IPX4 just feels a bit underwhelming, I’m afraid.
When you pair the fairly feeble protection against the elements with the speaker’s 5W maximum power output, it’s safe to say the Joy Speaker is better suited to bedroom use, rather than taking into the great outdoors or a party environment.
And if a small, personal speaker is all you’re looking for, the Happy Plugs Joy is still an OK option at a reasonable price. Its stylish edge will no doubt earn its fair share of plaudits, even if there’s a shortage of features and undercooked protection against the elements. Overall, I’d still say you’re better off with the JBL Go 4, or even one of the best waterproof speakers like the excellent Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 – both of which offer impressive audio in a similarly mini package, but one that can also be dunked fully in a pool and survive.
(Image credit: Future)
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: price and release date
$49.99 / £39.99 (about AU$80)
Launched in January 2025
The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker released at the beginning of 2025, carrying a very modest list price of $49.99 / £39.99 (about AU$80). That price applies to each of the four color variants this speaker comes in, namely: Black; Blue; Green; and Pink. The Happy Plug Joy Speaker’s main competitors at this price-point include the excellent JBL Clip 5 and supremely durable LG XBoom Go XG2T – more on those in the ‘Also Consider’ section.
(Image credit: Future)
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: specs
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: features
Lacks companion app and EQ adjustment
Middling battery life
Has effective built-in mic
I don’t like to do this, honestly I don’t – but I’m going to start on a negative note. The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker has a pretty limited set of features. For a speaker released in 2025, that’s pretty disappointing – even for a small one like this.
A lot of that stems from the omission of a companion app, which instantly restricts what this thing can do. You won’t find any ways to adjust EQ, view connected devices or get the visual on battery life, for example. That’s a bit of a let down when you consider that small options like the JBL Go 4 offer all of this and more (we’ll talk more about this little treasure later).
There are some features of note, though, like the inclusion of a built-in mic, stereo pairing and an AUX port for wired listening. Now, in fairness, the inbuilt microphone is above average – I found call quality to be slightly superior to my phone in speaker or earpiece mode. Similarly, when recording a voice note, I felt that my speech was clear at varying distances, even if there was a bit of feedback lurking in the background.
Stereo pairing is a handy inclusion, especially as this speaker can’t get too loud – more on that later. AUX is cool too if you’re into wired listening, but I suspect most will stick with Bluetooth. This uses version 5.3, which is plenty good enough – although some competitors are using version 5.4 as of the time of writing.
On top of this, you’re getting up to eight hours of playtime with the Happy Plugs Joy. That’s fairly average stuff. Sure, it’s superior to the seven hours offered by the JBL Go 4, but it’s vastly inferior to the fantastic 16 hours you’ll get with the Sony SRS-XB100. A strong battery life would’ve added some much needed credit into this speaker’s account, but ultimately it just feels a bit uninteresting, feature-wise.
Features score: 2.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: sound quality
Decently clear all-round audio
Surprisingly full bass output
Fairly weak power output
Sound-wise, I was left with conflicting thoughts on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. Right off the bat, I can tell you that the manufacturer’s claim of “high quality audio” is stretching the meaning a bit. When tuning into That Lady Pts. 1 & 2 by The Isley Brothers, I found some percussive elements to be a touch tinny-sounding at high volumes and side-by-side with the JBL Go 4, vocals occasionally lacked control.
But overall, I still felt that sound quality was solid for both its size and price. And in some areas it outclassed the Go 4. For instance, when bumping Dasha - Tour Mauborg Remix by Fusion Affair, the bass thump running throughout hit with significantly more impact and weight when listening via the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. Similarly, I was impressed by the depth of the drum machine in Black Eye by Allie X, even if the speaker wasn’t quite dynamic enough to replicate the bouncing effect of the bass bounding throughout the intro.
In addition, I sensed that the acoustic guitar running through Come sweet death, second impact by Megumi Hayashibara was fairly expressive and tonally accurate. It was also pleasantly forward until vocals entered the fray and deservedly assumed the limelight. I will caveat that with a note that densely layered tracks, such as I Want You by Moloko, aren’t expertly emulated, with synths, vocals, percussion, strings and more sometimes bunching up to create a slightly restricted-sounding result.
But much of that is down to the inherent limitations of speakers this small. You’re rarely going to be smacked by a majestically broad, nuanced soundstage or massively full-sounding profile from a model this mini – I have tested enough speakers of this size to know it. I wasn’t getting a huge dose of detail out of my favorite tracks either, with more granular sonic elements often left under wraps. That reminds me: this speaker only supports the basic SBC codec – no aptX or LDAC for less-compressed Bluetooth streaming this time out, I’m afraid.
Another issue that’s pretty typical of tiny speakers like this is relatively low power output. And the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker doesn’t look to buck that trend. It has a single 5W 45mm driver that can’t get all too loud. Sure, it will have enough power for solo bedroom listening, but if you’re turning up to the party with this, you’re going to be left wanting more. On that note, if you’re more of a party animal, it's well worth checking out our guide to the best party speakers.
So here I am, left with pretty mixed feelings. Overall, I’m leaning towards a positive outlook on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker – and not just because of the name. It offers generally clear audio, surprisingly attention-grabbing bass output and stereo sound – if you have two paired in stereo mode. But there are some imperfections, too, including occasionally tinny output, restricted volume potential and a lack of detail.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: design
Small, stunning appearance
Outdated IPX4 waterproofing
Beautiful color options
But arguably the main strength of this lil’ speaker is its eye-catching design – after all, Happy Plugs itself describes the Joy Speaker as “a statement piece”. I’m not sure if it’s quite the fashion revolution that it's made out to be, but still, I really like the look of this speaker. (Is it worth mentioning that some of the TechRadar team call this review sample Grogu? I suppose I just have.)
The Joy speaker almost has a rounded trapezoid structure, with a classy-looking fabric speaker grille on its front and reverse side. It also has five small, easy-to-use button controls on the top, which subtly blend into the rubber casing that coats the edge of the device. These include play/pause, call and volume controls, as well as power on/off and Bluetooth. There’s a small LED that flashes to indicate if the speaker is charging or in pairing mode, which is a useful visual prompt as well.
On the side of the Joy Speaker, you’ll discover a tab, under which lies a USB-C port that can charge the speaker from 0-100% in two and a half hours, as well as an AUX port. This will let you play music via a wired connection, if you feel so inclined.
One more highlight – I’m a big fan of the color options available here. I tested out a broccoli-shade green model, but there’s also a dusty pink or blue and a deep black variant available. These colorways compliment the speaker’s “fashion tech” identity to a tee and make for a nice break from the plain, single color direction a lot of rivals go in.
This is all positive stuff so far, but when it comes to practicality, this speaker is a bit of a mixed bag. First, the pros. The lace attached to the side of the speaker looks sleek and is super effective for hanging it off a backpack or nearby attachment. There are also four mini rubber feet on the speaker that keep it in an upright position, even if it gets knocked a little. But I have one major gripe: the dust and waterproof rating.
The Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is only IPX4-rated, meaning it’s resistant to light rain and splashes of water, but little more. For a speaker in this age, that’s simply not cutting it. Almost every major manufacturer is putting out IP67 – or at least IPX7-rated speakers, which enables them to survive submersion under water for extended periods of time. IPX4 isn’t ideal for listening at the beach or in the shower, for instance, whereas a speaker like the Ultimate Ears Miniroll will easily be able to pull through.
Design score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: value
Price is in-line with competition
Sound is about what you’d expect in this range
But competitors offer superior feature-set and durability
At $49.99 / £39.99, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker very much blends in with rivals including the JBL Go 4 and Sony SRS-XB100. It’s by no means expensive, but not a crazy bargain either. Due to its age, you can occasionally find the Go 4 for less than $40 / £30, which is phenomenal value for money, so with time, I’d hope to see the Joy Speaker discounted to a similar level.
For a speaker of its size, the Joy Speaker does perform pretty well where it matters most – sound. Of course, you’re not going to get perfectly crisp, detailed or booming audio, but for the most part it's expressive and clear enough to keep you engaged and enjoying your queued tunes. And of course, it is very easy on the eye. There’s not a lot of power here and it's not so well protected against the elements, but if you’re just looking for a speaker to use in your bedroom, it will do the trick, no problem.
Ultimately, there are a host of better-value options out there. I mentioned the JBL Go 4 there, which can sound a little thinner through the low-end but does have EQ adjustment options, a useful companion app and superior protection against the elements. Even the LG XBoom Go XG2T – which I marked down for limited EQ presets – still had some… and it offered superior battery life.
In its own right, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is fine value-wise. It gets the basics right, but just skips out on a few too many niceties to outdo its rivals. Unless you’re a real lover of its design, I’d wager that you’ll be tempted to consider some of those other options.
Value score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker?
Buy it if...
You’re all about style If the most important thing for you is stunning looks, the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker is well worth considering. It comes in four neat colorways, has a mini, curved build and dons well-sized buttons to boot.
You’re on a budget The Happy Plugs Joy isn’t outrageously cheap for a speaker of this size, but it’s definitely not overly expensive either. At $49.99 / £39.99 it’s a nice option if you’re on a budget, although there are some small competitors, like the LG XBoom Go XG2T, that can be found at a similar pricepoint on sale, so make sure to weigh your options.
Don't buy it if...
You want top-tier sound quality Given that it’s a small-sized speaker, the Happy Plugs Joy sounds decent. But if you want a beautiful sonic experience for this size, you’ll be better off with an option like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 – more on that below.
You’re looking for a speaker that’s shower or beach-ready One of my biggest gripes with this speaker is its weak dust and waterproofing. It’s just IPX4 rated, meaning it can survive water splashes, but not submersion or anything. That’s not great considering a lot of competitors, like the JBL Go 4, can withstand being dunked a meter underwater for 30 minutes.
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: also consider
JBL Go 4 The JBL Go 4 is a diminutive, stylish and solid-sounding speaker that’s ideal for on-the-go listening. It offers pretty controlled audio given its size and surprising levels of loudness. On top of that, it has a superior IP67 waterproof rating, in-app EQ adjustment and cool color options to match. Read our full JBL Go 4 review.
Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 Tribit has been putting out some amazing value audio tech over the past two years and the Stormbox Micro 2 is no exception. With excellent sound quality, fantastic protection against the elements, an awesome 12-hour battery life and the ability to charge your phone, there’s just so much to love here. Read our full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review.
Happy Plugs Joy Speaker review: how I tested
Tested for one week
Mainly used at our music testing space at Future Labs
Predominantly tested using Tidal
I spent hours playing music on the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker. I tried it out in a handful of environments, but mainly at our music testing room at Future Labs to best judge the audio quality in a quiet, controlled space.
When blasting tunes, I mainly took to Tidal using my Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, where I streamed tracks from our carefully curated TechRadar reference playlist, as well as my personal library. I also tested the Happy Plugs Joy Speaker alongside the JBL Go 4 to compare sound quality, design elements and loudness.
If we’ve all come to rely on FiiO for anything, it’s for specification and performance that’s out of proportion with the amount of money it’s asking for a given device. The latest product to demonstrate this happy knack in action is the FiiO JM21 digital audio player.
It’s compact, it’s more than adequately built and finished, it’s specified like a much more expensive device, and it’s simple to set up and use. Battery life is well above average for a product of this type, in much the same way that the price is well below. You can spend getting on for twice as much money on a Sony equivalent and it won’t buy you anything more where the quality of construction or the standard of specification is concerned.
So, does it sit among the best MP3 players on the market? It's an unequivocal yes from us.
FiiO JM21 review: Price and release date
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Released January 2025
Priced at $199 / £179 / AU$369 (approx.)
The FiiO JM21 digital audio player was announced at CES 2025 and launched towards the end of January 2025. In the United Kingdom it currently sells for around £179, while in the United States it goes for $199. Customers in Australia are likely to have to part with AU$369 or thereabouts.
FiiO JM21 review: Features
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
2 x Cirrus Logic CS43198 DACs
Balanced and unbalanced headphone sockets
Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC, AAC, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC codec support
You have to hand it to FiiO – it may have set out to produce the most affordable digital audio player it could realistically manage, but that doesn’t mean it’s felt the need to scrimp on the features.
Which means the FiiO JM21 is ready for any eventuality. It’s fitted with twin Cirrus Logic CS43198 DAC chipsets for compatibility with resolutions up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD256, and these are paired with high-performance op-amps in a fully balanced layout. Its main control, DAC and headphone amp sections are shielded and isolated in their own zones in an effort to reduce signal interference and cross-talk.
Wired outputs consist of 3.5mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone sockets – the 3.5mm socket is a hybrid number that can be used as an SPDIF output for use with an external DAC. The USB-C slot that sits between them can be used for data transfer as well as battery-charging and the 2400mAh battery is good for more than 12 hours of playback between charges. That's as long as you’re using the unbalanced output and not going to town with volume levels, of course.
The JM21 has three ‘gain’ settings, each with a different volume curve. This is especially useful if you intend to use the FiiO as a source hard-wired to an amplifier or a powered speaker – set the output to ‘LO’ and no harm will come to your equipment – and it also means the JM21 should have no problem driving even quite demanding headphones. And if you connect the FiiO to a laptop (for instance) via its USB-C socket, it can function as a USB DAC and enhance your listening pleasure more than somewhat. Used this way, it’s able to deal with 32bit/768kHz and DSD512.
Where wireless connectivity is concerned, the JM21 is both a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver. When it’s sending to headphones, wireless speakers or what-have-you, its Bluetooth 5.0 is compatible with SBC, AAC, aptX HD, LDAC and LHDC codecs. Use it as a receiver and it can deal with SBC, AAC and LDAC. Dual-band Wi-Fi is on board, of course, and the JM21 is DLNA compatible and supports Apple AirPlay, too.
There’s plenty more, from the custom crystal oscillators (with ceramic gold-plated bases) that are screened at the femtosecond level to ensure consistent, stable output to the proprietary ‘digital audio purification’ system that separates the main processing module to the co-processing equivalent. But by now I think the broad point is made: the compact form-factor and relatively low price of the JM21 is not reflected in its specification.
Features score: 5 / 5
FiiO JM21 review: Sound quality
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Open, detailed and composed presentation
Good tonal balance and a fair amount of dynamism, too
Not absolutely comfortable at highest volumes
Everything is relative, of course, and everything needs to be put into context, but when you keep the price of the FiiO JM21 uppermost in your mind, it’s hard to find meaningful fault. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to give it a good go, you understand, but between you and me I’m struggling…
No matter if you listen wirelessly via the aptX codec to something like the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 true wireless in-ears or the Dali IO-8 using aptX HD, using a pair of Sennheiser IE900 connected to the player’s 4.4mm balanced output, or make the FiiO part of a full-size system by connecting it to a Naim Uniti Star using the unbalanced 3.5mm output, it’s a composed, lively and admirably detailed listen. No matter if you listen to a DSD256 file of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, a 24/96kHz FLAC of When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish or a 16bit/44.1kHz file of De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising, the JM21 doesn’t put a foot wrong. It’s a remarkable little device.
It balances the frequency range really nicely – from the deep and textured low frequencies to the politely shining top end and all points in between, there’s an evenness of emphasis and a lack of choppiness that speaks of a properly sorted player. It hits hard at the bottom end, but with no lack of control: its straight-edged attack means rhythmic expression is confident and convincing. There’s bite and drive at the top end, but it’s composed and never even hints at becoming hard or edgy. And in between, the mid-range is open and revealing, so a vocalist is allowed complete expression of the character and motivations.
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
The tonal balance is equally well-judged. It’s on the cool side of neutral, but not by very much and not to the detriment of the music it’s playing. Meanwhile, the attention to detail the JM21 demonstrates is really admirable – even those transient details in a recording that are gone almost as soon as they arrive are picked up on and put into appropriate context.
The fact that the FiiO establishes a quite large and easily understood soundstage doesn’t do any harm, either. Even a borderline-chaotic stage like that which Mike Oldfield creates is opened up by the JM21, and the amount of properly defined space it can put between each element of a recording is quite something. There’s plenty of space on the ‘left/right’ axis and even a stab at creating a proper sensation of ‘front/back’, too. Dynamic headroom is considerable, so when a recording indulges in big shifts in intensity or volume, the player has no difficulty in keeping up and making them absolutely apparent.
In fact, as far as I can tell the only way to make the FiiO JM21 sound anything other than entirely comfortable and confident is to wind the volume up towards ‘ill-advised’ levels. When it’s playing at its upper limits, some of the three-dimensionality of its presentation goes astray, dynamic variations become flattened, and the overall sound gets rather shouty. But you should pay attention to your parents/doctor/own common sense – you really shouldn’t be listening at this sort of volume anyway.
Sound quality score: 5 / 5
FiiO JM21 review: Design
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
121 x 68 x 13mm (HxWxD)
Aluminium and plastic construction
156g
You don’t see many ‘two-tone’ digital audio players, do you? The FiiO JM21 is one, though. It's impeccably built and finished from a combination of high-quality plastic and aluminium, is sky blue on its top half and silver on the bottom. The bottom is quite interestingly textured, too – although you may not get to experience this, as FiiO supplies the player pre-fitted with a protective transparent plastic case.
The top of the machine is basically all touch-screen - it’s a 4.7-inch, 750 x 1334 affair, and it’s big enough and bright enough to display a lot of information without becoming illegible. Despite the relatively large screen, though, at 121 x 68 x 13mm (HxWxD) the JM21 is smaller than even the most compact smartphone, and at 156g it’s no kind of burden to a pocket.
Design score: 5 / 5
FiiO JM21 review: Usability and setup
(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
Android 13
3GB RAM, 32GB ROM (of which 22GB is usable)
8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor
The FiiO JM21 uses an extensively adapted version of Android 13 as an operating system, and thanks to an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor it’s fast and stable in operation. FiiO is open enough to acknowledge that Android 13 is fairly memory-hungry, though, and given the JM21 has just 3GB of RAM available (in order to keep both costs down) it suggests only loading those essential music-streaming apps and avoiding peripheral stuff. It also suggests avoiding running multiple apps simultaneously if at all possible.
The 22GB of usable ROM isn’t going to last long, but there’s a microSD card slot on one side of the player - and it can handle memory cards of up to 2TB, which is enough to store all the hi-res stuff you could possibly want to listen to.
Physical controls are arranged on the edge of the player, too. On the left side (as you look at it) there’s a power on/off button with an LED tell-tale just below it. Beneath there is a volume up/down rocker. On the right, meanwhile, there’s play/pause, skip forwards and skip backwards. Everything you need, in other words, and just as reliable and positive in their action as the touchscreen controls are.
Setting up the JM21 is simplicity itself for anyone who’s ever owned a smartphone. Charge the battery (from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ takes around two hours), put the player on your local network, install the apps you need to install (only the essentials, remember), and away you go. I’m struggling to think of how it could be any more straightforward.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
FiiO JM21 review: Value
I’ll say it as directly as I can, for the avoidance of doubt: the FiiO JM21 is tremendous value for money, at $199 / £179 / AU$369 (approx.). It’s as well-made and -finished as any sub-£500 digital audio player you care to mention, it’s specified beyond its asking price, and it sounds great when playing at real-world volumes.
Yes, it could do with more internal memory - but then the physical size, as well as the price, would very probably increase. SO make sure to budget for a microSD card of worthwhile capacity - you’ll still be in possession of a great-value portable music player.
Value score: 5 / 5
Should I buy the FiiO JM21?
Buy it if...
‘Small and affordable’ fits your digital audio player wish-list Other devices from other brands are as compact, but none are as aggressively priced
You want one of the very best pound-for-pound digital audio players around Sure, bigger and pricier alternatives sound even better, but they’re quite a lot bigger and an awful lot more expensive
You admire a two-tone finish It’s not a huge point of difference, to be fair, but the multicoloured nature of the FiiO JM21 is pleasing (to me, at least)
Don't buy it if...
You don’t own a microSD card and don’t intend to buy one There’s not much internal memory here, and even less of it is usable
You’re determined to listen at top volume Some of the FiiO’s admirable composure and spaciousness goes astray if you insist on listening at the sort of levels you’re supposed to avoid
FiiO JM21 review: Also consider
Sony NW-A306 The problem here is that the FiiO JM21 has, at a stroke, made such products as the Sony NW-A306, which previously constituted ‘entry level’, look overpriced and sound pretty ordinary. The Sony is more poised when playing at the biggest volumes, sure, but there’s not a huge amount in it – certainly not to justify the extra outlay. See our full Sony NW-A306 review
Activo P1 As for the Activo, which always looked a bit weird, it's made to look (and sound) almost juvenile by the FiiO JM21. So, all in all, ‘also consider’? Consider spending a great deal more money if you want to make a meaningful upgrade on the JM21… Read our full Activo P1 review
How I tested the FiiO JM21
Tested for two weeks
Listened to both streamed and downloaded content
Tested with both wired and wireless headphones, Bluetooth speaker and amplifier
First things first: I installed the Presto Music and Tidal music streaming service apps via the Google Play store, and I also inserted a 512GB SanDisk microSD card loaded with lots of high-resolution content into the player’s slot.
Then I used a variety of wired and wireless headphones (including, but not limited to, some Sennheiser IE900 in-ear monitors via their 4.4mm socket and a pair of Bowers & Wilkins Px8 connected via Bluetooth), as well as connecting the player to a Bose SoundLink Max Bluetooth speaker and to a full-size stereo system by connecting its 3.5mm output to a line-level input on a Naim Uniti Star amplifier/network streamer.
And at every stage, I listened to lots of different types of music, stored in a number of different file types, and used a variety of Bluetooth codecs when the FiiO was connected wirelessly.
I'll be frank (you can still be whatever your name is): a lot has changed in the world of Bluetooth audio since May 2019. That's when the Powerbeats Pro 2's forefathers burst onto the relatively new true wireless earbuds scene and promptly cornered its fledgling athletic sub-genre.
The thing is, the wealth of reliable earbuds any of us can pick up now for as little as $20 were inconceivable six years ago, so the Powerbeats Pro 2 arrive as an interesting (quite large, cumbersome even) proposition. If their storied heritage did not exist, we might actually question what Beats was doing releasing a set of earbuds with a large curling tail on one end that does not facilitate open-ear listening, but instead includes a more traditional driver housing and neck for creating a closed seal betwixt its ear-tip and your ear canal.
One might argue that in the past few years engineers have collected substantial data and used it to create concha-fit and droplet-shaped ergonomic driver housings, which means we no longer need arms for our earbuds – even for sports. We might even think it odd for Beats to be pitching such a design at athletes – because other bright sparks have invented open-ear true wireless earbuds in the past four years, and these let us easily hear traffic or our trainer's voice as we work out.
But the Powerbeats Pro 2 get a hall pass for most of this, owing to the love we still have for the then-groundbreaking inaugural Powerbeats Pro. I remember the huge video ad I saw every day at London's Waterloo Station, featuring Serena Williams serving both looks and tennis aces while wearing an ice-white, Wimbledon-friendly set of Powerbeats Pro. Those earbuds – which arrived before the inaugural AirPods Pro and actually, before the 'Pro' suffix became a mainstay of the audio vernacular – soon seemed as iconic as the superstars who wore them.
So we need to be asking not only how the Powerbeats Pro 2 stand up against the best noise-cancelling earbuds aimed at regular users, but also how they compare to the best open-ear headphones that, until recently, were the preserve of athletes. Okay, as a set of 'regular' wireless earbuds, the case you'll be toting around is quite big – not quite coffee coaster big, but close. However, if you're an Apple Music subscriber the head-tracked spatial audio works very well, and the noise cancellation is quite good; neither is as good as what you get with the AirPods Pro 2, but the spatial audio in particular isn't far off.
Slipping them on isn't as quick a job as it is with other earbuds, but once they're on, if security is your main issue with Apple-styled buds you'll be pleased – these Beats ain't going anywhere. Also, at 10 hours from the buds and a further 3.5 charges in the case (for a whopping 45-hour total) the battery life is impressive, although if you're using ANC or spatial audio it's eight hours and a maximum playtime total of 36 hours. For clarity, you'll only get 5.5 to seven hours from your AirPods Pro 2 before they need charging. Not bad, eh?
See the sensor? (Image credit: Future)
However, for a set of sports-focused earbuds that sit inside the ear, a good transparency mode is important, and despite Beats' assurance that this is the most natural-sounding transparency mode in any set of Beats earbuds (with the adaptive algorithm powered by the H2 chip updating over 200 times per second) I've heard many more effective transparency profiles – and simply turning ANC off isn't something I'd advise, since this listening profile adds to the already-slightly tinny issues through the top end, making the soundstage a little too forward and sweet overall.
Price-wise, they're also a little hot and heavy-handed. Despite arriving at the same price as their older siblings, times have changed. You can buy similar designs for considerably less now; you couldn't then.
But stop everything! We need to talk matters of the heart. Because make no mistake, you should feel ready to place your heart in Powerbeats Pro 2's hands here, either via the Health app or your compatible, linked fitness app. Beats told me heart-rate monitoring had been on the company's mood boards for inclusion since 2014, and the feature's debut here is the result of well over four years on the bench with engineers (and subsequently in the ears of over 1,000 real-world athletes for testing).
What I can tell you is that the heart-rate monitor is here now, beautifully implemented in certain third-party apps when linked with Apple's Health app. And because of the pulse readings, the super-secure fit and the excellent battery life, you may be prepared to forgive the few shortcomings I've talked about so far, plus a couple of sonic shortfalls I've yet to get into.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Price & release date
Unveiled on February 13, 2025
Priced$249.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.95
How often can a product come in at the same $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.95price as its 2019 counterpart and still not be considered great value? Simply put, competition has brought prices right down. These days, $100 / £100 is top-end for inclusion in our best budget wireless earbuds guide, and anything above that goes into mid-range and flagship territory.
For a brief comparison in the world of 'regular' buds, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds come in at $299 / £299 / AU$449 and Technics' outstanding EAH-AZ100 are also in the same ballpark, at $299 / £259 / AU$499. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 currently cost around $199 / £199 / AU$349. Sports-focused options often come in a fair way under these kinds of figures (the Shokz OpenFit Air arrived in summer 2024 with a $149 / £119 price-tag for example) although the Bose Ultra Open buck the affordable trend – they can now be yours for a similar $249 / £249 / AU$349.95, having arrived at $50 more than that.
All of this is food for thought, but don't forget that none of the options I've listed above can monitor your heart rate…
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Specifications
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Features
Heart-rate monitoring is useful – unless you use an Apple Watch
Spatial audio with head-tracking enhances commutes
Disappointing IPX4 splash-proof rating
Let's start with the ticker-taker. It's not a new concept as I've already mentioned – Beats wanted to include it back in 2014 – but it's been a long time in development. The tiny sensor at the helm in Powerbeats Pro 2 (which is derived from the Apple Watch, but is actually 1/16th of the size of the sensor in the Apple Watch Series 10) contains a photodiode, an optical lens, an accelerometer and an LED sensor, but Beats admits that this component "wasn't that minuscule at first". And while the ear is actually a great place to access your pulse, developing a sensor small, light and accurate enough to wear comfortably in a headshell was a "long, arduous process".
Well, it's here now – and if you're not using anything else, it's good. You need to be wearing both earbuds to get a reading, because when you do, that green LED light sensor in each earpiece pulses over 100 times per second, then measures the light reflected back to calculate how many times your heart is beating per minute.
Accessing the feature might seem a little limited or even disappointing at first (there's no juicy 'Heart-rate' bubble in your iPhone Control Center when you click through, as I might have hoped), but this is because the Powerbeats Pro 2 are really meant to only start taking readings when you begin a workout, rather than constantly monitor your pulse throughout the day or whenever you choose to summon a reading. That said, you can dig into your iPhone's Health app, then either tap Browse at the bottom-right then Heart > Heart Rate to call up a live figure, or go to Summary at the bottom-left then Show All Health Data > Heart Rate, to see a graph of your live heart rate. But really, you're meant to be in training and with a third-party fitness app. The only currently supported one I use is Nike Run Club, but once you've linked the app and given the necessary permissions in Settings, it works a treat.
It's worth noting two things: if you wear an Apple Watch while using the Beats, the Watch readings are always prioritized, and secondly, the Powerbeats Pro 2 don't work with Apple Fitness Plus yet (which means no Strava support, i.e., the one I'd really like it to work with). At the time of writing, heart-rate monitoring through the Powerbeats Pro 2 is available in these iOS apps: Peloton, Slopes, Ladder, Open, Runna, YaoYao, and Nike Run Club, so plenty of activities are covered.
If you're on Android, it's different again (and arguably, better). Here, the feature will work with any fitness app that supports heart-rate monitoring; you just need to manually start each training session with a double tap and hold on either earbud.
On both iOS and Android you can turn the feature off in the settings if you don't want it taking readings.
Yes, I love the color so much, I did this… (Image credit: Future)
Now, on to Personalized Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and dynamic head-tracking. This is Apple's 360-degree sound tech that adjusts the audio based on the shape of your ears, head, and – if you toggle it on – using your Apple device as a source so the audio has a fixed point of origin (and this moves between each ear as you move your head towards said source device). I really rate this in Powerbeats Pro 2, thanks to the solid fit and seal the design promotes, particularly when listening to more acoustic tracks. Want to hear how good it is? Try listening to Sam Fender's Arm's Length and holding your device at arm's length. Good, no?
The Powerbeats Pro 2 only support lossless audio with ultra-low latency on the Apple Vision Pro, so while high resolution is possible on these earbuds, it's an expensive route – and I do not own a Vision Pro headset (but leave a comment if you've tested it – I'd love to know whether there's a notable uptick in audio quality).
Call quality? It's good: the Powerbeats Pro 2 have a total of six microphones (three per earpiece) and callers throughout my testing said I sounded very clear and, on one occasion, "particularly empathetic". Beats says there's machine learning-based noise isolation tech at play, so callers will hear your voice at its best, aided by a voice accelerometer to detect when you're speaking and thus enhance clarity. What I can tell you is that if you take calls often on your earbuds, you'll be pleased here.
Other notable features include the option to customize what a press-and-hold of the physical 'b' button does on each earpiece (between Siri and noise control functions), automatic ear detection, Find My to locate a lost earbud in iOS (you can select which earbud you'd like to emit a beeping noise if it's around the house, or see where they are on a map) and Find My Beats on Android via the companion app. But there's no U1 chip in the charging case – and no inbuilt speaker as there is in the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4's charging nests, so the case itself is silent. There's also an ear tip fit test that's actually quite picky; I had to adjust to smaller ear tips to get the green light in both ears, even when I personally felt like I had the fit right.
As any AirPods owner will know, there's no multi-point connectivity in Apple earbuds – and that hasn't changed here. You can 'share' the audio you're hearing in your Powerbeats Pro 2 to other Beats or Apple earbuds in the vicinity using Apple's proprietary Share Audio option, but make no mistake, your Powerbeats Pro 2 can only be paired to one source device at a time. You also cannot tweak the EQ on a dedicated tab with the Powerbeats Pro 2 – although on iOS you can go into your iPhone's settings > Apps > Music > EQ to tweak things a little.
Finally (and I'm putting this under 'features' rather than 'design' since any sports-specific earbuds really ought to focus on durability) there's a somewhat disappointing IPX4 rating for the earpieces, and the case is neither water- nor sweat-resistant at all. What that means is that while wearing the buds for sweaty workouts should be fine (the Powerbeats Pro 2 will survive light rain, humid environments and splashes of water), they absolutely positively cannot be submerged in the drink, which seems at odds with their, er… athleticism. And it's not that it can't be done: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earpieces boast an IP57 rating, meaning they'll survive a 30-minute full submersion in water up to a depth of one meter.
Features score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Sound quality
Energetic and forward-sounding – almost to a fault
A little tinny in some profiles; beaten by the original Powerbeats Pro for bass weight
Turning off noise-canceling negatively affects the sound
This is not quite the glowing praise that long-term fans of Beats' Powerbeats Pro might have been hoping for. A 3.5-star rating for sound quality is not bad and make no mistake, the sound here is not without merit, but this is a huge and hotly-anticipated seventh-iteration Beats earbuds product and the heavily-leaked follow-up to the iconic Powerbeats Pro, nearly six years on. And I have to do my job: the sound isn't excellent – and not just because only the relatively lowly SBC and AAC codecs are supported (ie. no hi-res audio, unless you're using them with the Vision Pro).
Perhaps in part because the driver is smaller than in the original Powerbeats Pro (a 9.5mm dual-layer driver versus 12mm in the originals) the sound very different, and just a little more constricted. Deploying noise cancellation gives the Pro 2 the best chance to shine, and here, with dynamic head-tracked spatial audio also toggled on, there is separation and a healthy serving of detail in Tom Petty's textured vocal in Free Fallin', with guitar strings grazing each ear and a bridge as dynamically abrupt and agile as I remember. Nevertheless, cue up Gunna's One of Wun and the smouldering track is notably moodier, fuller and more resonant through the low end in both AirPods Pro 2 and my Technics EAH-AZ100. Listen with the Technics and I'm dropped into the mix; switch to the Beats and I'm just a little bit above it, wanting to get stuck into the bass a little more.
The lengthy acoustic guitar intro in Rod Stewart's Maggie May (known as 'Henry' and played by Martin Quittenton) has energy and pep – there's no faulting the Powerbeats Pro 2 for timing across the frequencies – but as the track continues, the forward-focused nature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 rather over-emphasises the keys and mandolin in the upper mids, even making Rod-the-Mod's voice sound a touch tinny. And sadly, things don't improve when you turn noise-canceling off, which appears to heat the soundstage up a notch, as if we're listening on cassette tape. Cue up the transparency mode and it helps quash the marginal sweetness, but during a run I simply didn't feel like enough ambient noise filtered in – and there's no way to tweak the levels of filtering in (or being nixed) here rather than 'Transparency', 'Off', or 'Noise cancellation'.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Design
A triumph for security (and for on-ear volume tweaks)
Case is smaller, but still big by today's standards
They take a few seconds to fit – especially if you wear glasses
I've mentioned the slightly disappointing 'only splash-proof' IPX4 rating, so that's out of the way. I've also praised the up-to-45-hour stamina, which is a huge plus. Other than that, there's a lot to celebrate in the design department.
Said design (including the case, which can now charge wirelessly) is quite big by today's standards, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 are only as big as some of the best open-fit earbuds – the kind with the arm that slinks around your ear. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is an open-fit pair of earbuds given their size, but they're not – and for me, it's one of their biggest strengths.
In 2025, it's a very unusual proposition. Each earpiece also has a physical volume rocker on the bar above the 'b'-branded driver housing and because nothing works as consistently and reliably as physical buttons (maybe you're wearing gloves 'cause you're skiing; maybe your phone's in your kit bag) it's an excellent decision. It also means you're not fiddling with multiple presses of a main multi-function button to switch volume, which, as anyone used to this knows, can often mean unintended track skips or Siri piping up.
And the praise keeps coming! The colorways are excellent (see the 'electric orange' and 'hyper purple' colorways as well as your more standard black and 'quick sand' gray) and despite squeezing in that heart-rate monitor, Beats has made the Powerbeats Pro 2 light, very comfortable and unmovable. I tried to dislodge them during aerial hoop and silks training, spinning upside-down at speeds I've no business attempting these days, and they never even moved. Added to the extra pair of ear tips in the box, to equal five rather than four (the ear tip fit test won't let you off lightly either), they're honestly some of the most well-fitting earbuds I've ever tested.
The only downside to all this security? Fitting them requires a little bit of work and if you're someone who tends to leave the house in a rush, you might find yourself reaching for earbuds you can throw in and go. Unlike open-ear options, you do need to make sure the Powerbeats Pro 2's headshell is properly in your ear, then snake the arm around your ear, then twist everything back towards your crown, to lock it in. I often found myself accidentally pressing playback buttons while doing this or dropping one if I didn't sit calmly to perform these tasks, especially since I wear glasses to look at my screen (and the arms of your glasses sit in the same spot as the arms of the Powerbeats Pro 2, behind the ear). The thing is, if security is your main issue, it's worth it. Ultimately, the design here is still a hit with me.
Design score: 4.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Value
Excellent battery life
Heart-rate monitor is a current USP
Sonically they can be beaten for the money
At $249 / £249, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are not cheap for a sports-focused set of earbuds – and indeed against Apple's AirPods lineup, considering Apple now makes its new AirPods 4 for just $129. But the Powerbeats Pro 2 do contain a ticker-taking sensor no other AirPods can currently boast, and stamina levels that far exceed anything most earbuds can boast.
For me, the design is one of this proposition's biggest strengths; to others, the case may be a little big for the class of 2025. They aren't winning any awards sonically either – but the audio performance is a step up on most of the cheaper, sub-$100 wireless buds on the market when you deploy noise cancellation and dynamic head-tracked spatial audio. As always, it's a matter of priorities.
Honestly, I never thought I'd recommend a product that can't boast top-tier sound. But these earbuds go on for hour after hour, take your heart-rate and feel super-secure in your ears, so here we are…
Value score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review:
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if...
You need buds for gymnastics, athletics, dancing or training Niche? Maybe. But these earbuds offer the most secure fit I've ever tested in a true wireless design.
You want to track your heart rate (without a watch) The heart-rate monitor is currently an Apple- and Beats earbuds first, and it works very well.
You're willing to pay for better stamina A 45-hour maximum playtime is up there with the best battery life we've ever seen – and it leaves AirPods for dust
Don't buy them if...
Sound quality is king The sound here is a shade under excellent across the frequencies, feeling a little light in terms of bass weight, and a little heavy-handed through the treble
You want an in-app tweakable EQ tab No dice here, friend…
You want to keep your ear canals uncovered Given their larger, sports-focused design and ear 'hook', you'd be forgiven for assuming this is an open-ear design in 2025. But make no mistake, these are in-ear earbuds.
(Image credit: Future)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Also consider
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Prefer device-agnostic head-tracked spatial audio plus some of the best ANC in the business? These September 2023-issue earbuds from Bose are a great shout – and the in-ear security is nearly as good as the Powerbeats Pro 2. You'll have to forego multi-point connectivity, super-stamina (it's only 6 hours here) and a heart-rate monitor, but you'll get more detail from the sound quality. Read more in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review
Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 The ANC-off and transparency profiles are much more enjoyable here – as is the sound quality generally. You also get a similar battery life and the option of Matt Berry on voice prompts (his "Waiting to pair!" is a delight). The overall aesthetic isn't as striking though, and they aren't as secure in your ears – also you can forget about having your pulse read… Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2
Tested for two weeks; listened against the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100, Technics EAH_AZ100, JBL Live Beam 3, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra
Used at work, at home, during aerial training and on a beach in Florida
Listened to Tidal, Apple Music and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro, a Sony Xperia 1 V and a MacBook Pro
The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 became my musical travel companions for two full weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period. They accompanied me while running errands (fast walking; on the London Underground network), at home and throughout a surfing vacation in Florida – although they never joined me in the water (they're not waterproof, you see).
To better test the fit and security of the Powerbeats Pro 2, I wore them during a particularly upside-down aerial silks training session, a lyra (aerial hoop) class and a pole class, and they didn't budge once.
To test the audio quality across the frequencies, I consulted TechRadar's reference playlists (spanning everything from electro-pop to blues) on Apple Music, Qobuz and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify, and YouTube tutorials (mostly about how to bleed car brake pads, in case you were interested) on my MacBook Pro.
I’ve been testing audio products for just over six years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in a previous life, sound quality, the overall user experience and security have always been non-negotiable markers for me – and having heard how effective (and stress-relieving) ANC can be when the anti-phase tech is done well, I have grown to love it.
‘EAT’ = ‘European Audio Team’. ‘C-Dur’ = ‘C-Major’ in German. ‘Concrete’ = ‘a blend of aggregates bound together by a hydraulic binder’. Put the three together and you’ve one of the most individual and dramatic-looking record players around, not to mention one of the more expensive.
The C-Dur Concrete has the technical foundations to back up the asking price, though. The turntable itself, its ‘C-Note’ aluminum/carbon fibre tonearm and its ‘Jo No.8’ high-output moving coil cartridge are all painstakingly engineered and work together harmoniously – and the result is a record player that, in the right system, is a pleasure to listen to in many respects.
It’s a staggeringly insightful device, for starters, even among the best turntables – no detail of a recording is too fine, too minor or too transient to elude it. It’s organized, too, able to describe a soundstage with complete confidence and make the spaces on it just as significant as the occurrences. Low-frequency control is absolute, so rhythmic expression is utterly convincing. And when it comes to big dynamic shifts, it is just as accomplished as it is with low-key harmonic variations.
A lack of outright scale undermines the C-Dur Concrete, though – it doesn’t sound especially big, and although it’s organized and controlled, the soundstage it generates is undeniably positioned between the speakers you’re listening to. And when you’re talking about this sort of money for a record player, this has to count as a fairly significant shortcoming.
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Price & release date
The EAT C-Dur Concrete is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it costs £6,499. That’s the price for the turntable and its bespoke C-Tone tonearm – if you want to add the (recommended) Jo No.8 high-output moving coil cartridge (which is how this review is conducted), that price rises to £8,098. That’s because the cartridge costs £1,999 when purchased separately, or £1,599 if purchased at the same time as the turntable.
In America you’ll have to fork out around $7,499 for the turntable, plus an additional $2,495 for the cartridge – a discounted price for the pair is likely to be available, but there was nothing confirmed at the time of writing. No pricing is available for Australia as yet, but a quick look at today’s exchange rates suggests something like AU$12,999 plus AU$3,999 for the cartridge will be in order.
Not cheap, is it (he said helpfully)? And yet you’ve a stack of choice when it comes to alternatives. None of them is made of concrete, admittedly, but models from brands as credible as Linn, Pro-Ject and Rega (to name just three) are all available at comparable money.
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Features
33.3, 45 and 78rpm
254mm aluminum/carbon tonearm
High output moving coil cartridge
Undeniably, some of the ‘pull’ of the C-Dur Concrete is, well, the concrete that’s used in its construction. But this is no mere design exercise, this is a deadly series turntable with the feature-set to back up the giddy asking price.
For instance, the chunky (5.2kg) platter is internally damped with a thermoplastic elastomer that offers both density and stability. A 900g aluminum sub-platter gives the platter even more isolation from the motor. The bearing block adds another 1.8kg to the overall weight and uses a polished stainless steel spindle to support an inverted ceramic ball that functions as the main bearing. This pairs with a Teflon plate for even greater rotational stability.
The drive system, meanwhile, isolates the motor in a steel ring positioned in the concrete chassis itself, enhancing the platter’s chances of stable and uniform rotation. It also reduces resonance transfer (already extremely low, thanks again to all that concrete). The motor has two areas for connection to a drive belt – and the turntable is supplied with two different belts, both of anti-static polished rubber.
The first is relatively broad and flat, sits on the upper part of the motor and allows for 33.3 and 45rpm. The other is a ‘string’ shape and fits over the motor’s lower portion – this is the belt you fit if you want the platter to turn at 78rpm.
The pre-fitted C-Note tonearm is, at 254mm, longer than the norm, is made from aluminum and carbon fiber for maximum rigidity, and is internally damped with silicon grease for as much resonance rejection as is realistically possible. It’s a unipivot design, which ought to guarantee its cardan bearing is never overloaded – and the bearing itself is designed to offer minimum resistance and maximum stability.
The over-engineering of the tonearm makes a lot more sense when you get a look at the cartridge it’s designed to support. The Jo No.8 high-output moving coil cartridge features a nude Shibata stylus on a boron cantilever, with high-end copper windings (which is the sort of specification the asking price demands) – but it’s the 19.2 x 25.1 x 28.3mm (HxWxD) dimensions that are most immediately striking. ‘Oversized’ only begins to describe it.
So this is incredibly well-specced and thought-out when it comes to the functional features of being an impressive turntable – but it's very much just a core turntable, so don't expect any 'modern' features such as Bluetooth connectivity or USB output here.
Features score: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Sound quality
Remarkable insight and detail retrieval
Organized, controlled and yet dynamic presentation
Sounds rather small-scale and confined
The ‘pros’ are more numerous than the ‘cons’ where the sound of the C-Dur Concrete is concerned – but the ‘cons’ are significant, so we may as well start there before moving on to the many ways in which this is a straightforwardly admirable player.
The sound of the C-Dur Concrete is on the small side. Everything that happens, happens within the confines of the outer edges of the speakers you’re listening to – and consequently it’s never easy to shake the idea of a ‘point source’ of sound.
The outer edges of the cabinets of your speaker define the outer edges of the soundstage the EAT can create – in this respect it sounds unlike any price-comparable alternative, and not in a good way. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big ensemble (such as that involved in Miles Davis’ Concierto de Aranjuez) or just a voice and a guitar (like Nick Drake’s Parasite); the presentation is organized and controlled, but undeniably confined.
Get beyond this not-insignificant shortcoming, though, and the C-Dur Concrete is an extremely adept and accomplished device. Its facility with detail retrieval is approaching staggering – there isn’t a fleeting occurrence in a recording that’s too minor or too deep in the mix to evade it. And having teased out all these fine details, the C-Dur has absolutely no problem putting them into convincing context. Even if it’s the most transient harmonic variation in the strum of an acoustic guitar, this EAT turntable lets you know all about it.
The soundstage the turntable creates is believable, and it somehow manages to give elbow-room to every element of a recording even though the stage itself is nowhere near as expansive as it could (and should) be. Its tonality is carefully neutral, which allows the inherent sound of a recording to be expressed without any overt interference. And it balances the frequency range carefully, giving no undue prominence to any area.
Low-frequency information is robust and substantial, and is controlled with such certainty that rhythmic expression (often held up as one of the most obvious strengths of the vinyl format) is entirely natural. Midrange expression, too, is accomplished – the voice during I Kicked a Boy by The Sundays is intimate, immediate and direct. And the top of the frequency range has bite and brilliance in fairly equal measure, so treble sounds shine without threatening to become edgy or glassy.
Everything hangs together in an unforced and convincing manner – there’s a genuine sensation of singularity and unity to the C-Dur Concrete’s presentation that makes me want to reach for the dreaded word ‘musical’. And the spaces and silences in recordings are not only given their due emphasis, they’re as dark and as quiet as from any turntable I’ve ever heard. This inky backdrop from which sounds occur is one of the most gratifying things about this whole EAT listening experience.
Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Design
170 x 496 x 396mm (HxWxD)
32kg in weight
Supported on three conical, height-adjustable, damped aluminum feet
If it’s a little visual drama you’re after, you’ve come to the right place. EAT will sell you a version of the C-Dur built of MDF and finished in black or plum for quite a lot less money than this – but once you’ve seen (and touched) this concrete version, it’s hard to resist from a design standpoint.
At 170 x 496 x 396mm (HxWxD) it’s fairly big, although not too big to be accommodated by a standard equipment rack. At 32kg with its platter in place, it’s heavier than the heaviest turntable you’ve ever encountered – and all of that weight is supported on a trio of pointed aluminium feet.
They’re ideal for isolating the deck from external vibration, and can help in getting the turntable absolutely level, but they concentrate the whole 32kg on to three tiny points, which means that an extremely robust and hard-wearing shelf is in order if the C-Dur Concrete isn’t just going to drive itself into the surface it’s standing on.
The standard of build and finish is, as seems only reasonable when you consider the asking price, basically impeccable. Any tiny flaws in the concrete (each plinth is unique, of course) only add to the character, and the tonearm feels as good (and as expensive) as it looks. Even the cartridge body – which is polished chestnut – offers a bit of pizzazz.
Design score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Usability & setup
Automatic speed change
Semi-balanced five-pin DIN to RCA cable
Optional (and cost-option) power supply upgrade
As with a lot of turntables, there’s a degree of fairly fiddly set-up required to get the EAT C-Dur Concrete ready for action. Unlike quite a few turntables, though, once you’ve been through the set-up process then operating the EAT is quite a painless process.
As usual, the counterweight and anti-skate setting need to be attended to. After that, though, it’s simply a question of fitting your preferred drive belt (which, let’s be honest, is going to be the broader of the two that lets you listen to 33.3 or 45rpm discs), connecting the semi-balanced five-pin DIN end of the cable to the deck and its left/right RCAs to your (pre)amplifier at the other, and plugging in the power adapter. Speed change is facilitated by two of the big buttons on the plinth – the other is used for putting the turntable into ‘standby’.
It’s worth mentioning that both the cable and the power supply can be upgraded. A fully balanced cable is (inevitably) a cost option (£175, or £499 for the silver alternative if you’re feeling super-flush), and EAT will also sell you a linear power supply (£1,349 if purchased individually, a trifling £1,079 if you buy it at the same time as the turntable).
EAT is confident the C-Dur Concrete’s AC generator, which uses the DC current from the power supply, generates an almost entirely clean AC signal for the motor – but if you want to make it as noiseless as possible then the linear power supply is what you need.
Usability and setup score: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Value
Requires add-ons to reach full potential
Not a class-leading performer for the price
But it's hard to argue with its physical impact
I almost wrote that it’s impossible to put a price on an aesthetic as striking and individual as this, but demonstrably it’s not. In the context of the sound it makes, the C-Dur Concrete is far from the last word in value for money (and becomes less so if you take the company up on its offer of an upgraded power supply), but that’s not the same as saying it doesn’t sound splendid in many ways.
And if you find yourself smitten by the looks, the areas in which it’s not a class-leading performer might be easier to overlook – but with my hardest ‘consumer advice’ head on, it’s hard to make a watertight case for this turntable representing authentic value.
Value score: 3 / 5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the EAT C-Dur Concrete?
Buy it if…
You’re a fan of visual (as well as audio) excellence Once you get up to this area of the market, there are a few turntables that offer a bit of visual drama – but none of them makes use of concrete…View Deal
You value sonic detail and insight above all else Between them, the turntable, the C-Note tonearm and the Jo No.8 cartridge are capable of unearthing the finest of fine details and handing them over without fuss.View Deal
You have a system that justifies the outlay Don’t imagine you’ll hear the C-Dur Concrete at its best unless its partnering amplification and speakers are equally capable (and, inevitably, equally pricey).View Deal
Don't buy it if…
You’re expecting appreciable scale of sound For all its many talents, the C-Dur Concrete is far from the most expansive-sounding turntable around.View Deal
You don't like having to pay more to complete the set Paying big money for a cartridge is fair enough, but at this price, the EAT really should come with its optimum connection incuded and power-cable options as standard.View Deal
Your shelves are of soft (or even soft-ish) wood 32kg balanced on three tiny pointy points will damage a soft-ish shelf almost immediately.View Deal
EAT C-Dur Concrete review: Also consider
Rega Planar 10 The more money you spend on a Rega turntable, the less it seems to buy you – but never doubt that it’s buying remarkable audio fidelity. The Planar 10 (£7,395 with RB3000 tonearm and Alpheta 3 cartridge) is entirely lacking when it comes to visual drama, but most certainly has it where sound quality is concerned. It’s an open, revealing, wide-screen listen with an absolute stack of pertinent observations to make about both your recordings and the vinyl on which they are pressed. Unless you want your record player to be interesting even when it’s not working, the Planar 10 absolutely demands your attention if this is your budget range.View Deal
How I tested EAT C-Dur Concrete
I listened to the C-Dur Concrete for well over a week, with a variety of music on vinyl in a variety of conditions. It was positioned on the top shelf of my Blok Stax 2G equipment rack (which is how I know the weight of the turntable can damage wooden shelves), and connected via its supplied semi-balanced cable to a Chord Huei phono stage, which it turn was connected to a Naim Uniti Star acting as a volume control and pre-amplifier.
The Naim was connected to a Cambridge Audio Edge W stereo power amplifier, which drove a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature loudspeakers on their bespoke FS-600 S3 stands.
