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Jabra Elite 10 review: Dolby Atmos sound in first class comfort

5:00 pm | April 13, 2024

Jabra Elite 10: Two-minute review

The Jabra Elite 10 is the Danish brand’s flagship premium wireless earbuds. They're its most expensive pair of headphones to date, borrowing smarts from the company's headset and hearing aid businesses to help it deliver incredibly clear call quality and effective Active Noise Cancellation.

As its most advanced pair of buds yet, the Elite 10s pack in a lot of premium features, like Dolby Atmos with head tracking and multipoint pairing, in a unique new oval design that sits on the outside of your ears, making them incredibly comfortable – even when wearing them for long periods.

But being a premium pair of buds means that the Elite 10 has a lot of competition among the best wireless earbuds. When compared to rivals like Sony's, Bose's or Apple's top earbud offerings, it falls short of being the absolute best for sound quality. That said, it's priced slightly less than its closest competitors so if you want comfortable spatial audio while on the go and are not bothered by best-in-class ANC and hi-res audio quality, the Elite 10 could be a great alternative.

Jabra Elite 10 review: Price and release date

A hand holding the Jabra Elite 10 — (Image credit: Future)

Announced on August 31, 2023
Became available to buy in September 2023
Priced at $249 / £229 / AU$379

Jabra first announced the Elite 10 back in August 2023 alongside a more fitness-focused model called the Jabra Elite 8 Active, which sells for $199 / £199 / AU$329. As its flagship earbuds, the Elite 10 costs more than its sporty offering at $249 in the US, £229 in the UK and AU$379 in Australia. This means it's also more expensive than its predecessor’s, the Elite 7 Pro, launch price of $199 / £199 / AU$299.

The jump in cost means the Elite 10s are going head-to-head with the biggest players, but they undercut the competition in the premium market on price. They’re less than both Sony’s WF-1000XM5 ($299 / £259 / AU$499) and the Technics EAH-AZ80 ($299 / £259 / AU$499) that launched at the end of 2023. And they are squarely in line with two premium releases from 2022: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which cost $249 / £229 / AU$399 and $199 / £199 / AU$299, respectively, at the time of writing.

Jabra Elite 10 review: Specs

A pair of headphones on a table next to a DAP — (Image credit: Future)

Jabra Elite 10 review: Features

Three iPhone screenshots of the Jabra Sound+ app — (Image credit: Future)

Immersive Dolby Atmos with head tracking
ANC is decent but not best-in-class
Crystal clear call quality

Since launching its first pair of wireless earbuds in 2016, the Elite Sport, Jabra has released seven generations of buds, and the Elite 10 is its most advanced yet. It's the step-up from the Elite 7 Pro, which had targeted the lower to mid-range market but still had premium features like ANC, adjustable EQ settings, an IP57 rating and wireless charging. The Elite 10 builds upon all of its predecessor's features, and Jabra has a few more tricks up its sleeve to make sure it can hold its own among the market’s premium offerings.

The newest feature to be included in the buds is also a first for Jabra earbuds: support for Dolby Atmos with head tracking. This makes the buds have a wider soundstage when turned on and listening to Atmos content that's like hearing each instrument in a track as if they’re placed all around you. When head tracking is turned on, this virtual soundstage moves with you but I found this to have a slight delay when you readjusted your head to a new position. I found it worked better when watching a show or movie rather than listening to music. Conveniently, you can toggle both spatial audio and head tracking on and off in the Jabra Sound+ app as well as adjust the HearThrough mode, Advanced ANC, EQ settings and more.

Outside of the app, you can also control the Jabra Elite 10 by pressing the buttons on the buds themselves. Pressing the surface of the left bud will rotate through HearThrough and ANC, while pressing the right can pause and play a song (you can switch to different variations of this in the app). Tapping the right bud twice skips tracks, while holding down either button increases (right) and decreases (left) the volume. Holding down both at the same time also activates pairing mode.

As for other features, there's also in-ear detection, automatic muting settings, Bluetooth Multipoint pairing for listening to two devices at the same time, voice assistant support that lets you control your buds with voice commands and FindMy for when you've misplaced them. And while the Elite 10's six hours of battery life (21 hours with the case) does outlast Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, it's beat by Sony's WF-1000XM5s.

One of the biggest standout features for me is the Elite 10's exceptionally clear call quality, especially while out and about, and that’s down to the six mics inside them. Jabra says that the external mics are active all the time, while the internal mics activate when wind is detected. The extra mics make the Elite 10’s call quality far better than the AirPods Pro 2, which only has two mics. Jabra’s Advanced ANC is also on by default during calls to help cancel out unwanted background noises, which is a feature that was improved on in a March 26 software update (Jabra claims that the update helps cancel background noises twice as easily). There's also an adjustable sidetone setting so you can hear your voice more, which is not something we see a lot of.

Just like Apple’s Adaptive Noise Control, Jabra’s Advanced ANC uses scanning tech and noise leakage detection to automatically adjust the ANC to your surroundings. It’s the brand’s most advanced ANC mode, and is claimed to deliver two times more noise cancellation than its standard ANC. And it does work, cancelling out the screeching banshees along the Northern Line of the London Underground. However, compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, it doesn't quite match up.

Features score: 4 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Sound quality

The Jabra Elite 10 buds outside their case — (Image credit: Future)

A balanced listen, with some minor adjustments
No hi-res support (only AAC and SBC)
Immersive Dolby Atmos tracks

There’s a strong confidence to the Jabra Elite 10’s sound performance. If I were to summarize it in one word, I’d say it was effectively balanced. From the trebles to the mid-range and through to bass, the sound is tonally steady when streaming via Apple Music on a FiiO M11S (keep in mind there's only support for AAC and SBC).

But when listening with a keener ear to a more bass-heavy track like Black Eye by Allie X, there was a lack of oomph that I'm used to hearing. This was easily improved upon by adjusting the EQ settings but for an out of box listen, the Elite 10 wasn't completely ready to go. I found this again when testing the bud's treble. Again, tracks like Rains Again by Solji benefited from a slight EQ adjustment to really come alive for me personally.

As a whole, I'd say the earbud's audio quality is still generally great, it's just not exceptional, especially when compared to the likes of the AirPods Pro 2, which offers a more dynamic listen. Even with smaller drivers, the Sony WF-1000XM5 can deliver an "agile, meaty and fun listen" that's packed with enthusiasm. If you're an audiophile looking for flawless hi-res sound quality, I'd recommend looking to its rivals for a more detailed listen.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Design

Proprietary ‘ComfortFit’ technology
Ergonomic, uniquely designed earpieces

Jabra found during the research and development of its latest earbuds range – the Elite 10 and Elite 8 Active – that comfort was the most valued feature by most people. A survey conducted by the company saw 47% of participants valued comfort over all else, with sound quality and battery life coming next. For this reason, Jabra has developed what it calls ‘ComfortFit’ technology, which is a new type of unique oval-shaped design.

Jabra calls it "EarGels" and the best way I can describe the semi-open fit is that instead of sitting completely inside your ear canals – like the in-ear monitors in our best wired headphones guide – the buds sit in the outside of your ear, snugged up inside the middle part of your ear. Jabra says it scanned 62,000 ears to get the unique shape and the results are effective, as they're some of the comfiest earbuds I've worn to date (the silicon is softer than the plastic used in the AirPods Pro 2).

The design of the buds' earpieces is similar to that of the Sony WF-1000XM5, which we’ve found to fit most people – and the same is true for the Elite 10s. The only time I briefly had trouble with the fit was while out, when I could feel them coming loose from walking around and moving my head, but a quick readjust made them feel secure again.

Aside from the unique oval shaped buds, the Elite 10s have a simple design that you can personalize by choosing from one of five different colors, including cocoa, cream, black, matte black and titanium black. The case is slightly bulkier than the likes of the AirPods Pro 2 but this is quickly outweighed by the softer materials used for the buds. The Elite 10s also don't have poky stems that dig into the bottom of your ear, making them a lot more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

Design score: 5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Value

Cheaper than premium rivals
ANC and sound quality can be beaten

There are trade-offs when it comes to earbuds. If you want ANC, don't expect flawless sound quality. If you want a portable earbud design, then they're not going to be as comfortable as a pair of over-ear headphones. And so it goes without the Elite 10.

The ANC is by no means the best in the business (instead we’d recommend looking at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds) but the comfort is the best I’ve experienced in a while and the call quality was far better than the AirPods Pro 2 I tested them against. The sound performance is also not going to beat the Technics EAH-AZ80 but if you value other features like spatial audio and a good control app more highly, the Jabra Elite 10 offers a great middle ground.

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Jabra Elite 10?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Jabra Elite 10 review: Also consider

How I tested the Jabra Elite 10

The Jabra Elite 10s on a Mac next to an iPhone and DAP — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for more than two weeks and compared to AirPods Pro 2
Streamed music from Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer
iPhone 13, MacBook Pro and FiiO M11S as source players

I tested the Jabra Elite 10s for more than two weeks, during which time I alternated between connecting them to my phone, laptop and a digital audio player. I used them mostly at home to listen to music, make phone calls and watch the odd show, but also took them out with me while commuting to test the ANC.

To test the sound quality, I listened to a playlist that we test earbuds with at TechRadar. I did this with both the ANC on and off. In addition to music, I also listened to podcasts and watched a YouTube video to see how the audio quality compared between sources.

To keep my overall judgement of the earbuds fair, I also conducted a blind listening test, comparing them to the AirPods Pro 2 while streaming music via two iPhones on Apple Music and Spotify simultaneously.

First reviewed in March 2024
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I tried the Loop Switch 3-in-1 noise reduction earbuds to keep my sensory overload in check

4:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets | Comments: Off

If, like me, you struggle with sound sensitivity, the Loop Switch earbuds might be the answer to your prayers. Rather than blasting music through some of the best noise-canceling earbuds or using the best earplugs for sleep to keep the outside world at bay, Loop Switch offers a more versatile way to stay alert, protect your hearing, and enjoy your surroundings without grating or distracting sounds interfering.

I’ve traveled, worked, socialized, and even enjoyed an IMAX movie while wearing the Loop Switch earbuds, and as someone with significant sound sensitivity, they’ve been an absolute godsend. These multi-modal noise reduction earbuds offer three sound profiles that filter out noise ranging from 17 to 25dB – Quiet, Engage, and Experience. Each earbud can be controlled independently using the built-in mechanical slider, meaning you can even set each ear to different profiles.

Loop Switch earbuds on a pink surface, showing the noise supression controls — (Image credit: Future)

Relatively affordable at £54.95 / $59.95 / AU$94.95, they come with a handy carry case with a slimmer profile and superior opening mechanism than the case provided with older Loop models, as well as a selection of interchangeable ear tips to ensure you find the best fit for your ear shape and size.

Still, there’s certainly room for improvement. The sound profiles are named and configured to match Loop’s standard, single-setting models, but in my experience, it’s only Loop Engage and Loop Quiet that the Loop Switch earbuds mimic effectively. It’s a very minimal change - one you might not even notice unless you’ve been a die-hard Loop user beforehand, but the volume of decibels blocked by the Loop Switch compared to the original models is slightly different:

The Loop Switch Experience mode offers a pretty distinct… well, experience, from the original, blocking 3 decibels more than the standalone Loop Experience buds. In practice, this isn’t ideal. I found audio lacked clarity when I was watching cinematic surround-sound movies and listening to loud, especially live, music using the Experience setting. I ultimately ended up using the Engage setting where I’d usually use my Loop Experience buds, and then struggled to get used to using the earbuds during conversations despite the minimal decibel difference between the Engage mode and Loop Engage buds - every decibel counts, it turns out. However, there’s no doubt they still offer a far superior experience than most other earbuds I’ve tried, blocking out the wailing of nearby children on a flight and allowing me to work through some rather loud construction noise.

In part, I think the reason I struggled to love the Loop Switch quite as much as its single-setting siblings comes down to the design. To pack in the three sound profiles and the mechanical switch to toggle between them, Loop Switch are fairly bulky and heavier in the ear. You’ll also need to get used to putting them in the correct ear if you’re used to Loop’s older, ear-ambivalent models.

This ultimately makes them not only a little less comfortable to wear than Loop’s other earbuds, but also less snug in the ear, which meant I struggled to wear them for longer periods. They’re not as good as sleep aids, either; the Loop Quiet earbuds are far more lightweight and comfortable, being made of silicone rather than plastic.

Loop Switch earbuds on a pink surface — (Image credit: Future)

Looks-wise, they’re just not as cool. Unlike the very trendy, futuristic Loop Engage, Experience, and Quiet models, the Loop Switch earbuds are very plastic-y, and lack the svelte, slim ring design of previous Loop earbuds – the added control mechanisms require a slightly thicker shank. I tested the pastel pink colorway, which was, like the other varieties, very cute, but it’s a totally different aesthetic to the glossy Loop Experience and the simplistic Loop Quiet and Engage.

Overall, though, using the Loop Switch has been a net positive. I can struggle to focus and be attentive in public settings like cafés and my office but found it much easier to do so when using the Loop Switch. Plus, with the added benefit of not needing to swap them in and out so often when your environment changes, it’s hard not to appreciate what they offer sound-sensitive people.

If I hadn’t tried Loop’s other products before the Loop Switch, I would emphatically encourage anyone worried about hearing damage or sound sensitivity to consider them. They’re ANSI-certified personal protection equipment (PPE) and offer a fantastic blend of noise reduction, efficiency, and comfort - they just don’t score full marks in all departments. If you can’t wait for Loop to iterate on the Loop Switch design, they’re an excellent choice, but I’m hoping they manage to develop the technology further and fit it into a much slimmer, more lightweight Switch V2 model akin to the originals.

Loop Switch earbuds on a pink surface next to the case — (Image credit: Future)

Price and availability: Loop Switch

You can purchase the Loop Switch earbuds today for $59.95 / £54.95 / AU$94.95 from Loop US / Loop UK / Loop AU, as well as some third-party retailers like Amazon.

That makes these multi-modal earbuds twice as expensive as other Loop devices; the Loop Quiet costs $27.95 / £22.95 / AU$37.95, the Loop Engage $34.95 / £29.95 / AU$39.95 and Loop Experience $34.95 / £29.95 / AU$39.95. Ultimately, it’s a matter of personal preference if the cost feels right. If convenience is key for you and you want the experience of all three Loop sound profiles, I’d recommend the Loop Switch wholeheartedly. If sound fidelity, experience, and/or comfort are your priority, I’d opt for one or two of the original Loop models.

It’s worth highlighting the Loop Switch buds are not compatible with the Loop Mutes, which can be added to the original models to add +5dB of audio blocking.

Should I buy Loop Switch earbuds?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

How I tested the Loop Switch earbuds

To fully test the Loop Switch earbuds, I used them for two months, testing the various interchangeable ear tips to find the perfect fit and keeping them with me at all times to immediately test how well they perform in different environments.

I put my Loop Switch earbuds to the test in just about every setting I could think to during my testing period; on a plane, at the cinema, during my morning commute, in my office, at home, and in the supermarket. I tried conversing with them in, as well as listening to music and movies, to ensure I had fully stress-tested the noise reduction capabilities.

I also tested the durability of the buds, letting them fall out of my ears and onto the floor a few times and playing rough with the controls to see how easy they are to break. To my satisfaction, they have yet to fall victim to my experiments.

I’ve used a variety of ear plugs, noise-reducing earbuds, and noise-canceling headphones to help my sound sensitivity, and compared my experience with the Loop Switch to the various devices I’ve used in the past.

I listened to Sony’s new bassy Ult Wear headphones and was blown away by their unique sound

7:00 pm | April 11, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

Sony's just announced Ult Wear headphones are a new pair of mid-range over-ears designed for bass-heavy obsessives. They're pitched as the "spiritual successor" to the 2022 WH-XB910N, which had been part of a lineup of extra bass – identified by the 'XB' – focused products. But the Ult Wear headphones take this to a whole new level.

Sony has developed what it calls 'Ult Power Sound', a specialized sound mode with two very uniquely tuned types of bass. The first is 'Deep Bass', which delivers a richness to those lower notes, while the second is more of an energized version called 'Attack Bass' that still manages a lot of detail with surprisingly no distortion, even at high volumes.

Three Sony ULT Wear headphones — (Image credit: Future)

I know this because I was invited to be one of the first to listen to the new Ult Wear headphones and its bassy sound modes, and Sony couldn't have picked a more appropriate music venue for it. Standing in a London club called The Social, it was hard not to start dancing in front of all the other tech journalists around me, especially when switching between the two variations of bass – the headphones have a dedicated button on the side of the earcup that lets you cycle through them. I'm told that certain demographics have tendencies to prefer one over the other but after trying it, I think it'll be more used for optimizing specific genres (it's like having a dedicated button for your favorite EQ settings).

While Sony says it's appealing to a younger generation as a whole with the new Ult Wear headphones, there's a lot under the hood that makes them have wide appeal, including hi-res audio support, a generous battery life and larger drivers than its current flagship pair. Given the premium features, Sony has priced the headphones towards the higher end of the mid-range market with a launch price of $199 in the US, £180 in the UK and AU$439 in Australia. They're essentially a more stripped-back version of the best headphones for premium Sony fans, the WH-1000XM5. So if you're okay with not having the absolute best-in-class, then the Ult Wear could be the best way to get Sony smarts for less.

Sony's Ult Wear headphones: Key specs

The Sony ULT Wear being held in a hand — (Image credit: Future)

The new Ult Wear headphones look very similar to the Sony WH-1000XM4 but there are a few key differences. The most noticeable is the 'neochrome' (a chrome metal that reflects a rainbow of colors when in light) Sony logo on the side alongside a button with the words 'ULT' that has the same effect. The headphones also have a semi-circle of meshed sound vents on the side of the earcup and are available in three colorways: black, off white and forest gray.

Sony has kept the foldable design of the WH-XB910N and former WH-1000XM3 that we absolutely loved, making them very portable. They even come with a travel case for storing them safely in your bag. Other standouts about the design include the comfortable headband and earpads. The Ult Wear also felt very light, an essential design touch in a pair of headphones for travelling.

In terms of features, the Ult Wear headphones come equipped with Active Noise Cancellation, multi-point pairing for both iOS and Android as well as fast and swift pairing for Android and Windows, and support for hi-res audio codecs like LDAC and beam-forming mics. The headphones, which use USB-C, also boast up to 30 hours of battery life and are said to come with fast charging that delivers one and a half hours of listening time from just three minutes of charge. As for connectivity, there's Bluetooth 5.2 and a 3.5mm port for a wired link to one of the best MP3 players.

Unleashing Ult Power Sound

The Sony ULT Wear — (Image credit: Future)

While there are a lot of exciting features in the Ult Wear headphones that you'd more often find in Sony's premium range, it's the unique bass specific sound that is the real draw here. Of course, its specialized bassy sound is also its biggest drawback because if you're not someone that listens to a lot of bass-heavy tracks then they might not be the ideal all-rounder pair of headphones.

Naturally, the first track I played to test their bass capabilities was Black Eye by Allie X, a track we often use at TechRadar when testing headphones to measure bass response. I was blown away instantly. I found the audio quality energized and tonally balanced during my first listen, and it only got better as I switched between the Ult Power Sound modes.

Even when I turned the volume right up, the Ult Wear managed to not distort, which is something that can often happen with bass-centric headphones. This could be down to the larger speakers inside the Ult Wear. Unlike the 30mm dynamic drivers in the WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5, it has larger 40mm speakers to handle the lower frequencies. Of course, I only sampled a few tracks so I can't give a definite review of the sound quality just yet (check back once our full review goes live), but as far as first impressions go, they sounded very promising.

Earfun Wave Pro review: it would be silly to ask more from budget wireless headphones

12:00 pm | April 9, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: IP | Comments: Off

Earfun Wave Pro: Two-minute review

The more I test Earfun earbuds, the more the name makes sense: while these music machines won’t quite impress audiophiles, they provide enough handy functionality and useful features – at lovely low prices – to make the listening experience fun. The ear part of the name probably doesn’t require justification.

You may have noticed that the new Earfun Wave Pro are not actually, earbuds; they are, in fact, the first pair of over-ear headphones that this relatively new audio company has made. Yes, it made a ‘Pro’ product before the regular bog-standard one.

Thankfully, not only has Earfun avoided dropping the ball with this new form factor, but it’s managed to make perhaps its best product yet. It carries over what made Earfun’s earbuds great, and turns it up to 11.

We should start at the price: these are lovely and cheap compared to many other over-ear headphones, cheap enough that your grandma might pick them up from a big-box electronics store to buy as a Christmas gift for an unruly teen. They undercut several other Earfun earbuds as well as some fairly big names in the budget headphone market.

Don’t set your expectations low just because of the cost though: these sound surprisingly great for the price. Both bass and treble are pronounced, and while some mid sounds are lost between the two, the overall soundstage is a lot more audible than on many equivalent-price rivals I’ve tested.

I particularly like how Earfun has avoided the classic budget headphone bass trap (either having barely any, or way too much). If the Goldilocks tale had covered budget headphone bass power as well as beds and porridge heat, the flaxen-haired trespasser would certainly pick the Wave Pro.

The headphones feel great to wear too. They’re not heavy and have soft cup padding, plus they’re easily foldable to tote around and have a great build quality. My favorite part of the Earfun Wave Pro is the incredible battery life (80 hours, down to 55 if you have ANC on), which all but eliminates the need to charge these cans on your next road trip. Seriously, unless you’re constantly listening to music, you’ll probably only find yourself charging these things two or three times per month.

Any gripes I had with the Earfun are pretty minor: they take a weirdly long time to turn off, the five different ANC modes risk confusing people who only recently learned what that stands for (active noise cancellation), and there’s only one color option, which might dismay fashionistas.

I called them minor, alright! And it was hard to find even these, because the Earfun Wave Pro really knock it out of the park when you consider competitors at their price point.

Earfun Wave Pro review: Price and release date

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop. — (Image credit: Future)

Released in January 2024
Priced at $79.99 / £79.99 (roughly AUD$120)

You can pick up the Earfun Wave Pro for the very reasonable price of £79.99 / $79.99 (roughly AU$120).

Being Earfun’s first over-ear headphones, we can’t compare them to any predecessors, but it’s worth noting that the brand has loads of earbuds ranging from $50 to $120 (or equivalent) so these fit roughly in the middle of the brand’s line-up.

Given that you’re spending roughly $400 / £400 / AU$600 for the best headphones on the market, the Earfun Wave Pro definitely reside in the ‘budget headphone’ camp.

Rivals in that sub-$/£100 area include the Sony WH-CH520, which retail for a touch less, and the JBL Tune 670NC (which retail for a tiny bit more, as do the Sony WH-CH720) – but sales can fold minor price differences like that with ease. Both predate it on our list of the best cheap headphones.

Earfun Wave Pro review: Specs

Earfun Wave Pro review: Features

Total battery life of up to 80 hours
App brings a few useful extra features
Multipoint connection to multiple devices

I’ve gushed about it enough in the opening of this review, so it’s worth starting with one of the best bits of the Earfun Wave Pro: it has an amazing 80-hour battery life. That’s over three days of non-stop music, if you’re so inclined, though switching on AMC drops that to 55 hours.

While you do see the odd headphone here and there with eighty-plus-hour battery lives, it’s rare, and most budget rivals on the market will give you half that (or less). I was staggered to see the Earfun Wave Pro last longer between charges than my nerdy endurance workout headphones designed for long expeditions, but here we are.

Charging is done via the USB-C port on the headphones, with Earfun stating that 10 minutes of charging gets you 10 hours of (ANC off) listening.

You don’t need to download the Earfun Audio mobile app to use the Wave Pro, but it brings a few extra features that enhance the experience.

You can use the app to toggle between five different types of noise cancellation, boot up an equalizer to customize your sound experience, turn on a game mode for improved latency, and also change the on-can controls in case you want the volume up button to do something other than turn the volume up. You can also assign long press commands to the buttons which is a bit more useful. I found the default EQ of the headphones fine too, though you can tweak them to fit any preference.

As mentioned, the app lets you select between several ANC modes: Normal, Ambient, Wind Noise, Comfort ANC and Strong ANC. Five modes is a lot (even if one, Normal, is actually ‘off’), and I can see some users being confused by all this choice. Roughly I’d call the modes a sliding scale of strength, but it’s worth playing around until you find one you like and sticking with it.

For calling, the headphones have five microphones which pair with an algorithm that’s designed to isolate your voice from background sounds when you’re talking. By all accounts, I sounded clear when talking to people on the phone.

The Wave Pro also have multipoint connectivity, which lets you pair to two separate devices and jump between them based on what you’re doing. It’s situationally a really useful feature so you can connect to, say, your laptop for streaming a movie and also your phone in case a call pops up.

Features score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Design

Comfortable and light design
A few on-cup controls
Folds up into carry case but no IP rating

You’ve seen headphones, right? Yeah – the Earfun Wave Pro looks exactly like you'd expect: two cans connected by a headband. This band can be adjusted and the cans can be rotated and tilted a little, so it’s easy to fit onto heads of different sizes.

Unlike some budget headphones, you can fold the Earfuns up to reduce their space, and this way they’ll also fit into the surprisingly premium-feeling carry case you get in the box.

The cups are fairly wide and are clad in soft memory foam caps. Honestly, these are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. The weight certainly doesn’t hurt either – weighing 268g in all, these aren’t the lightest headphones by a fair margin, but they still feel easy-breezy to wear. You’re not going to get earache from wearing these for too long.

Unlike many other low-cost headphones I’ve used, I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the Wave Pro. Many of its rivals have cheap plastic which results in the occasional ‘creak’ or ‘squeak’ when you move your head, but the Earfun had none of that.

You’ve got several buttons on the right ear cup: a noise cancellation toggle (which switches between ‘normal’, ‘ambient sound’ and ‘noise cancellation’, not the full range available on the app), a volume up and down rocker, and the power button. The power button is easy to use to turn on the headphones, but you have to hold it down for a full six seconds to turn them off, which feels far too long to be convenient. Plus there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack, for if you prefer wired audio, but plugging a jack into it turns off the headphones, and I couldn’t find a way to turn it back on (and thus use noise cancellation) while the jack was still connected.

There’s only one color option: bog-standard black. It’s an inoffensive hue, but I’m always a fan of funky color choices.

Design score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Sound quality

Well-balanced audio
Mid lost a little
Max volume is really, really loud

The usual stumbling block where low-cost headphones are concerned is sound quality, but compared to their rivals the Earfun Wave Pro are really impressive… though they obviously won’t compete against super-pricey audiophile-pleasing premium options.

The bass is decent – yes, decent is a good word for it. It’s there, it’s solid and audible, but it’s not exactly going to shatter your teeth, if that’s what you want. I read comments from buyers who found the initial bass levels lacking – thankfully the EQ mode in the app lets you fix this, if you like your music to make your head (and boots) shake.

At least the bass is matched really well with the treble. By default I found both mixed well together, to the point that I didn’t actually deploy any EQ tweaks – beyond my testing to conform these worked. Rarely did low-end or high-end frequencies impair or overshadow each other, though on occasion some parts felt lacking – I’m listening to Toto’s Hold the Line as I write this and the piano accompaniment is a little harder to hear in the mix than I'm used to.

If anything is missing in the soundstage, though, it’s the mid sounds between bass and treble. Instruments and lines could sometimes get lost between the low- and high-frequency titans, or smushed together to create ‘noise’ instead of ‘music’.

But it's important to remember that these are truly budget conscious over-ears and the Wave Pro never sounded tinny across the course of my listening, a death sentence for low-cost cans. Even at high volumes, I never heard songs exhibit that horrid hiss through the treble.

Perhaps some of my praise for the Earfun's audio is down to these headphones' long list of tech specs: there are 40mm drivers, a High-Res Audio certification (both for wireless and wired music) and a Lossless Digial Audio Codec (LDAC) for improved Bluetooth streaming.

The Earfun Wave Pro’s max volume is wincingly loud, loud enough that I wouldn’t recommend listening for very long. But it’ll definitely appease people who like to get their blood pumping with deafening bangers.

The ANC on the headphones is good, not great, but most people will find it fit for purpose. I mainly listened on the strongest mode which still let in some sounds, but it’s a lot better than nothing.

Sound quality: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: value

The Earfun Wave Pro offer you considerable value for money, when you consider the range of features and admirable sound quality for the price.

These are certainly budget headphones, yet you wouldn't be going amiss by opting for them over pricier alternatives and pocketing the cash, if you don't need the real premium trappings of rivals.

I say that all without mentioning that the Earfun comes with a carry case, so you won't need to spend extra on one of those.

Value: 5/5

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Pro?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Earfun Wave Pro review: Also consider

How I tested the Earfun Wave Pro

Tested for over two weeks
Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

I used the Earfun Wave Pro for about two weeks for the testing of this review, plus a few days before the official testing period when I wanted to get my bearings with them a little.

I mostly tested the phone while it was connected to my Android phone, though I also tested it on various gadgets like other phones, an iPad and my work laptop. I used it for music, podcasts, TV streaming and some games too.

I've been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for a little over five years as of writing this review; originally for the phones team as a writer then editor, but I currently write reviews for various sections of the site. I've tested various Earfun earbuds as well as other low-end headphones to rival the Wave Pro.

I also tested these immediately after the same-price Edifier W820NB Plus, which was a useful counterpoint.

First reviewed in April 2024

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JLab Epic Lab Edition review:

12:00 pm | March 23, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC | Comments: Off

JLab Epic Lab Edition: Three-minute review

The JLab Epic Lab Edition isn't the cheapest of earbuds and when you pay a premium price for some headphones, you expect a base level of music quality – but it manages to buck that expectation. JLab charges you a princely sum for these top-end headphones, but I’ve heard better audio quality on cheap buds that cost a quarter of the price.

JLab’s earbud range almost entirely falls within the ‘best budget wireless earbuds’ bracket, with our ranking of the best earbuds flagging some of its offerings as worthy low-cost alternatives to premium options. Of its current selection, the Epic Lab Edition costs twice as much as its nearest siblings, the JLab Epic Air. If you didn’t tell me the price, though, I’d believe that the Epic Lab Edition was just another member of this busy market bracket, and it’s startling that JLab would sell these for more than the Apple AirPods.

The main problem with the Epic Lab Edition is the sound quality – something you’d hope expensive earbuds would crack. Sound has more peaks than a platter of meringues, with vocals, drums, guitars, all getting lost in a tinny buzzy haze that’ll have you wondering if you’re listening to a B-side or just a swarm of angry bees.

By default, the bass totally overpowers the mid and treble too. You’ll have to jump into the JLab app’s equalizer to try and regain some semblance of balance, though many of its presents are somehow even more off-kilter. Thankfully, a custom option exists.

The JLab Epic Lab Edition case, open, with the buds inside. — The JLab Epic Lab Edition don't look as premium as their price suggests. (Image credit: Future)

The buds fumble with their noise control modes, which fall under ‘Noise Cancelling’ or ‘Be Aware’ (or 'off'), with the latter intended as an ambient noise awareness mode. You won’t need it, though, because the noise cancellation is so light-touch that you’ll be all-too-aware of surrounding sounds anyway. With this in mind, you might be querying our three-star verdict. That's because JLab really picks up the ball in its design and features department.

The buds are nice and lightweight, despite packing a meaty battery life, and they feel comfortable when worn as a result. The case isn't too big either, despite the fact it holds an extra USB-C dongle for quick and temporary connectivity to new devices. This is a really handy tool in theory, though in practice I found that it didn't work all the time.

The JLab app is one of the more useful I've tried as it lets you get a lot more out of your buds, like letting you switch between modes for streaming music or videos, custom EQ or volume limiters to protect your hearing.

These useful features mean that this JLab Epic Lab Edition review can't be wholly negative, but they're still only appropriate for people who don't mind spending $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99 on buds solely for the feature set.

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Price and release date

The JLab Epic Lab Edition earbuds. — JLab says the Epic Lab Edition are its "most premium true wireless” earbuds. (Image credit: Future)

Went on sale November 2023
Premium price of $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99

You can pick up the JLab Epic Lab Edition for $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99, so these are distinctively premium earbuds from a brand that usually stays away from this market segment. The JLab Epic Air, some of its other ‘premium’ buds, are only half that cost.

At that price, these cost even more than Apple AirPods, which go for $179 / £169 / AU$279. However most of the best earbuds overall do outprice the JLabs with the Sony WF-1000XM4, Apple AirPods Pro and Technics EAH-AZ80 all launching for more than $200 / £200 / AU$250.

The buds were announced in November 2023 and went on sale straight away.

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Specs

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Features

The JLab Epic Lab Edition's USB-C dongle. — A USB-C dongle allows you to access Bluetooth LE Audio but only on compatible devices. (Image credit: Future)

Total battery life of up to 56 hours, though lower with ANC
App offers lots of extra features
USB-C connectivity dongle is great in theory, iffy in practice

The JLab Epic Lab Edition has, to its credit, a feature set that’s pretty decent for its price.

The battery life of the buds clocks in at 13 hours (or 9 hours with ANC turned on), and when you factor in the charging case, that total life span rockets up to a whopping 56 hours (or 36 with ANC on). That’s a fantastic amount of power, which means you’ll barely need to power up the device.

When you do power it up, the JLab benefits from dual charging: you can power it up using a USB-C cable or wirelessly on a charging pad (though you can’t use both at the same time). It takes two hours to charge the case from full to empty, and that’s also how long it takes to power up the buds when they’re in the case. JLab estimates that 10 minutes of charging will give you an hour and 45 minutes of listening time.

The buds can use Bluetooth Multipoint, which basically lets them connect to multiple oft-used devices and automatically pair with whichever you’re using. This worked well in testing, with the Epic Lab jumping between the various phones I’d paired it with as soon as I unlocked them.

You can pair the JLabs to your phone without needing to use any kind of app, but if you want you can download the JLab app to get some extra tools. This includes the ability to tweak the noise cancellation (off, standard and Be Aware), an optional volume limit to protect your hearing, an equalizer with some presets and also a custom control mode, and a few other small tools.

The app is a handy way to get the most out of the earbuds and also to keep tabs on their battery power. When you’re listening to music, the app displays the remaining power of each bud and the case, though on my phone this was bugged and cut off half-way through, over the actual battery percentages.

The JLab Epic Lab Edition has one extra neat feature that’d easily score it an extra star in this review… if it worked properly. Included in the case is a little USB-C dongle and, if you plug this into another device, it’ll override the buds’ Bluetooth connection to instead pair to this new device, thereby saving you having to go through the entire pairing process for a device you’ll only use temporarily.

This sounds really handy, but in practice, it didn’t always work. When I plugged the dongle into my custom-build PC it just didn’t register them, and when I plugged the dongle into my iPad Pro, I could listen to music, but it’d repeatedly drop individual earbuds before re-pairing them several seconds later – not a great listening experience.

Features score: 4 / 5

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Design

The JLab Epic Lab Edition's in-box extra bud tips. — Out of the six ear tips provided in the box, three are foam and three are silicone. (Image credit: Future)

Lightweight and comfortable buds
Touch controls work well
IP55 rating and six pairs of in-box tips

The JLab Epic Lab Edition don’t exactly re-invent the wheel when it comes to wireless earbud design: they consist of two small earbuds and a charging case (and the aforementioned dongle which is housed in the buds).

The case weighs in at 63.5g (when the dongle and buds are removed), with dimensions of 6.9 x 2.7 x 4.1 cm – it’s pretty much average size for an earbud charging case, with the dongle not adding that much heft.

On the front are three LED lights, a simple but effective indicator of how much charge is left in the case. The rear has a USB-C port for charging, as described already. One small but handy design feature is that the underside of the case has a rubbery layer, unlike the metal of the rest of the body, and this small amount of added traction means the case stays still on tables and uneven surfaces instead of wobbling about.

The buds themselves measure 2.3 x 2.7 x 1.9 cm and measure 5.35g each – very lightweight as far as buds go. The main discerning feature of the buds is a large JLab logo on each, which doubles as the button for touch controls – these were responsive to the touch and easy to use. So is the wear detection, which was incredibly quick to recognize when I’d removed the buds or replaced them in my ear.

In the box you get six total sets of earbud tips, three of foam and three silicone, which I found handy as the default tips caused the buds to keep falling out. You also get a USB-C to USB-C charging cable.

The buds have an IP55 rating which means they’re protected form dust and also against jets of water (like rain) but they won’t survive submersion in water. Some earbud tips struggle to stick in your ear in rainy conditions though, so keep them dry.

Design score: 3.5 / 5

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Sound quality

The JLab Epic Lab Edition earbuds in an ear. — (Image credit: Future)

Oft-distorted audio
Very limited sound stage
Noise cancellation doesn't do much

I was disappointed by the JLab Epic Lab Edition’s sound quality, which should be no surprise if you read the first 500 words of this review. JLab touts features like hi-res audio, "hybrid dual drivers", spatial audio and an LDAC, but at the end of the day, they still don’t sound great.

The main issue is that music sounds tinny, owing to how distorted sounds could be on a regular basis. In certain songs, drum tracks sounded like they were drilling into my head, and rhythm guitars and vocal lines could have the same effect too.

Music also suffered from a lack of sound stage, with mid, treble and bass all blended into one mush of noise. Bass also overwhelmed other sounds, even in non-bassy songs; while treble could occasionally hold its own, mid parts were often completely lost in the mix. Rock music became 60% bass guitar, 30% vocals and 10% ‘everything else’.

I tested the EQ function of the JLab app but the other presets somehow emphasized the bass even more, making the custom mode the only way I could try to balance the music. It’s hard to recommend earbuds if you need to turn sound engineer to make them sound good.

Another problem is the ANC, or ambient noise cancellation. When switched on, it doesn’t ‘cancel’ sound, as much as put it through a filter to make it sound as tinny as the music. You can still hear background audio, it just sounds even more annoying than usual.

Sound quality: 2 / 5

Should I buy the JLab Epic Lab Edition?

The JLab Epic Lab Edition's case from the rear. — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Also consider

How I tested the JLab Epic Lab Edition

A JLab Epic Lab Edition earbud — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for 10 days
Tested at home, in the office and on walks

I tested the JLab Epic Lab Edition for a week and a half to write this review, which doesn't include testing done during the writing process of the review.

The majority of the testing was done with the earbuds connected to my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 smartphone, as well as an Vivo X100 Pro which I was testing concurrently. To trial the connectivity dongle I plugged it into my PC, an iPad Pro and a Windows laptop, but the majority of the bud testing was not done with the dongle.

I've been testing tech gadgets for TechRadar for over five years now, for various sections of the site. This is currently done on a freelance basis however I spent several years as part of the full team.

First reviewed in March 2024

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Grado Hemp review: sonically spot on open-back headphones – if not the last word in comfort

2:30 pm | March 10, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

Grado Hemp: Two-minute review

The Reference Series Hemp headphones started out as a limited edition – but thanks to popular opinion, Grado has decided to make them a permanent part of its catalog. How likely are the Grado Hemp to feature in our best wired headphones buying guide? Very, with just a few caveats.

In many ways – certainly aesthetic – it’s Grado business as usual. Which isn't all good news, exactly, because it means these headphones are nothing special where perceived value is concerned, are far from luxurious as objects, and become less than comfortable more quickly than, say, the Sennheiser HD 660S2 they’re likely to face off against on most people’s shortlists.

Happily, it’s also business as usual where sound quality is concerned. The combination of the open-backed configuration, along with the acoustic talents of the maple-and-hemp construction of the driver housing, means these headphones sound spacious, detailed and thoroughly engaging. So much so, in fact, that you’ll almost certainly find they’re becoming just slightly uncomfortable before you’re really ready to stop listening to them.

Grado Hemp headphones on a white table — Striking wooden ear cups in an otherwise so-very-Grado build (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Price & release date

Release date: February 1, 2024
Price: $479 / £479 / AU$799

The Grado Reference Series Hemp wired open-backed over-ear headphones are available now – originally this model saw the light of day back in 2020, but then it was a limited edition and now it isn’t. In America, the price is a pun-tastic $420, while in the UK the headphones cost £479 and in Australia they’re AU$799.

There isn’t really space here to list all the very many pairs of alternative over-ear headphones this sort of money will buy. But direct, hard-wired open-backed rivals are thin on the ground (although the FiiO FT3 is one option), and those partially constructed from a semi-illegal botanical species are thinner still…

Grado Hemp review: Specs

Grado Hemp closeup of the 3.5mm termination with 6.3mm adapter — Grado has now fitted a 3.5mm termination with a 6.33mm adapter supplied – good to see (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Features

44mm dynamic drivers
13Hz - 28kHz frequency response
Chunky 177cm cable

There’s not much you need from a pair of passive headphones when it comes to ‘features’, is there? The Grado have the essentials: properly suspended, nicely isolated 44mm dynamic drivers delivering a claimed frequency response of 13Hz - 28kHz, and that just about covers it.

Each earcup is wired using the familiar eight-conductor cable Grado has favored for a while now – and here, just as in every other application, it’s almost wilfully eager to twist in on itself and heroically resistant to straightening. At least Grado has seen sense and fitted a 3.5mm termination with a 6.33mm adapter supplied – back in the day, the company would terminate with a 6.3mm jack and then provide a huge, unwieldy 6.3mm/3.5mm adapter. So progress has definitely been made where that particular feature is concerned…

Features score: 5/5

A closeup of the Grado Hemp black headband and metal post attachment — Grado is sticking with its 'friction pole' design principle, but it means you may experience wearer fatigue after a while (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Sound quality

Open, organised and expansive presentation
Nicely balanced and detailed sound
Straightforwardly enjoyable to listen to

Buying open-backed, hard-wired headphones strongly suggests you take your listening pretty seriously – after all, you haven’t hit on a pair of Grado Reference Series Hemp headphones for their convenience. So it seems reasonable to assume you’ll plug them into a worthwhile source of music, rather than straight into the headphone socket of a laptop or smartphone.

And sure enough, attach the Hemp to a half-decent headphone amplifier, feed in some digital audio content of reasonable resolution (a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of Nick Drake’s Which Will, for instance, a 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC copy of Petra Haden’s version of I Can See For Miles or a 24bit/192kHz FLAC file of Astrud Gilberto’s Chup Chup I Got Away) and the fact they neither look nor feel like $480-worth of headphones becomes a moot point. Because they sound like it, and then some.

The soundstage they’re capable of creating, for example, is spacious, well-organised and, most of all, big. So big, in fact, that even if you choose to listen to a full symphony orchestra gearing up for a full assault, there’s more than enough room available for each individual instrument to enjoy a little space in which to do its thing without fear of being trampled over by any other. The layout is explicit, and the distance in the front/back and left/right planes is significant. Switch to a small-scale, guitar-and-voice recording, though, and the Hemp makes it sound unified, intimate and direct. As far as creating a big picture goes, these Grado are vivid and confident.

A closeup of Grado's cable on the Hemp wooden earcup — The cable is chunky and 1.7mm long, but it's prone to tangles… (Image credit: Future)

Detail levels are high, across the board – the bottom of the frequency range is just as information-rich, varied and articulate as the midrange and the top end. At every stage, the Grado are able to identify and contextualise even the most minor events in a recording, as well as keeping a close eye on the bigger picture. It’s able to amalgamate every strand into a singular event with a strong sense of ‘performance’, and the integration of the entire frequency range is smooth (although just fractionally midrange-forward in the established Grado manner). This might seem to be a given, on the basis that the Hemp are producing the whole frequency from a single driver per earcup, but I’ve heard enough similarly specified headphones that simply can’t manage it to know it’s not good to make assumptions.

Control of the bottom end is good, which means rhythms are handled with assurance – the Grado’s overall sonic signature is one of momentum and engagement, rather than dry analysis. Oh, they can peer deep into a recording and bring back all the minutiae – but that’s not where they’re at their most effective. It’s their sense of energy and drive, well-supervised attack and simple musicality – that’s where their fundamental talents lie.

Big dynamic shafts are handled without alarms, and with just as much positivity as the low-level dynamic variations that are apparent in a solo instrument or unaccompanied voice(s) as in the Petra Haden recording. There’s plenty of punch and attack when it’s called for, but the Hemp are just as capable of soothing as they are invigorating.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Grado Hemp headphones with one cup rotated to the front and one to the back, to showcase their open-backed nature — These drivers are incredibly talented, but the open-air (read: open-back) design means sound leakage… (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Design

Hemp/maple driver housing
Leather headband
Foam ear pads

Despite the fact that every pair of on-ear headphones is fundamentally the same when it comes to ‘design’, the Reference Series Hemp could only be a Grado product. The established design cues are all here.

Thin metal headband, modestly padded and covered with stretched leather? Check. Prosaic ‘friction pole’ headband adjustment mechanism? Check. Metal mesh covering the rear of the driver enclosure, ordinary-feeling foam forming the ear pads, a rudimentary yoke allowing just a degree of ear cup movement? Check, check and check again. Grado hit upon these design features a while back, and quite obviously sees no reason to mess with them.

No pair of headphones stays comfortable indefinitely. At some point during a listening session you’ll become aware of heat, or fatigue, or both, somewhere or other – but the design and execution of the Reference Series Hemp means that time will come a little sooner than with some alternative designs.

Design score: 4/5

Grado Hemp closeup of the wooden housing and headphones yoke — Grado's rudimentary yoke doesn't allow for much cup adjustment (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Value

Unremarkable in look and feel
Perceived value is not all that high
Excellent sound quality at the money

You can look at this one of two ways. The first way says that the Reference Series Hemp are fundamentally unglamorous, and in no way look or feel like they cost as much money as they cost. The second way says that a combination of sonic talents such as those exhibited by these headphones justifies the asking price all day long. You will very much make your own mind up…

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Grado Hemp?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Grado Hemp close-up of the back of the ear cup, on gray background — Striking, but the metal mesh won't keep your tunes private (Image credit: Future)

Grado Hemp review: Also consider

How I tested the Grado Hemp

Used with various sources
Tested for over a week
Many different types of music played

Headphone amps of various types, music from vinyl records and hi-res digital audio files (and plenty of them) plus a long, hard listen is basically how I tested the Grado Reference Series Hemp.

This is how I was able to establish they like good sources of music better than average ones (no surprise there), they couldn’t care less about the sort of music you like to listen to (which is good news), and they get a little uncomfortable once you’re hours deep into a listening session (which is slightly less good news).

It also didn't take me long to establish that the noise they leak is an irritation to anyone who might be in the vicinity…

First reviewed: March 2024
Read more about how we test

Brane X review: a portable smart speaker with incredible bass

1:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Tags: Amazon Alexa, Apple Music, US | Comments: Off

Brane Audio Brane X: Two-minute review

Brane Audio’s Brane X has managed to achieve the unthinkable in the mostly mundane realm of the best wireless speakers, which – to be clear – is full of models that don’t leave much of an impression. Some are good, some are okay, and many are bad. But the Brane X makes an impression.

The main way the Brane X impresses is by delivering bass output extending into the sub-bass range. That’s unheard of for a portable speaker. Still, the Brane X isn’t an ordinary portable speaker, but one with proprietary Repel-Attract-Driver (R.A.D.) technology that uses a magnet array to cancel out air pressure within the speaker’s enclosure. This allows big bass to be generated from a small woofer in a highly compact box, and it needs to be heard to be believed.

Aside from its sub-bass output capability, the Brane X comes off as a normal-looking portable wireless speaker. It has a lunchbox-like form, complete with a carrying handle, and an unassuming design. Its built-in battery carries a charge for up to 12 hours of playback time and requires three hours to fully recharge. The IP57-rated speaker is dust and waterproof, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

Wireless streaming support includes Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth 5.1. An app lets you configure bass and custom EQ settings, and it can also be used to group multiple Brane X speakers for multi-room playback. Controls to adjust volume and bass level are located on the speaker’s top surface, and there are built-in mics for Alexa voice control.

Sound quality is where the Brane X makes its mark by delivering a notably dynamic and detailed sound for a portable speaker. Hip-hop, techno, rock, and even classical music are equally well served, with the speaker’s deep bass providing a strong foundation for other layers in music mixes. Voices, in particular, sound natural – something that benefits both music and podcasts – and the Brane X also manages to convey a sense of stereo separation and depth.

The catch with the Brane X, and you probably saw this coming, is that its performance comes at a price. At $599 (around £475 / AU$915), it’s more expensive than other premium portable speakers such as the Sonos Move 2 ($449 / £449 / AU$799). That factor makes the Brane X a tough sell if you simply want a portable speaker for casual outdoor and indoor listening, but if you’re looking for one with best-in-class sound quality, the Brane X is it.

Brane X review: Price and release date

Brane X smart speaker on table — The Brane X has a lunchbox-like design with a carrying strap for toting it around (Image credit: Future)

Released December 2023
Currently available only in US
Priced at $599 (around £475 / AU$915)

The Brane X is currently sold exclusively through Brane Audio and is only available for shipment in the US. International shipments will start in late 2024 according to the company’s website.

At $599 (around £475 / AU$915) the Brane X is very much on the pricey side for a portable wireless speaker, though it has sonic tricks up its sleeve that the competition lacks. To put it in context, you can buy a Sonos Move 2 for $449 / £449 / AU$799, which gets you a portable wireless speaker with a similar feature set plus twice the battery life. You can also spend quite a bit more on the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5 ($1,099 / £899 / AU$1,950), a portable wireless speaker that generally looks similar to the Brane X, but has a more attractive design that’s typical for that brand.

Brane X review: Specs

Brane X smart speaker on table showing top controls — Capacitive touch controls are located on the speaker's top surface (Image credit: Future)

Brane X review: Features

Brane X smart speaker on table next to Sonos Move — The Sonos Move 2 (at left) was used for a comparison in our Brane X (at right) listening tests (Image credit: Future)

Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth support
Voice control using Amazon Alexa
Built-in battery provides 12 hours playback time

Brane Audio’s Brane X streams music wirelessly via Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and also supports Bluetooth 5.1. A Brane app is available and can be used to select low, medium, and high Bass presets for best sound (most likely dependent on where the speaker is located), create a custom 5-band EQ setting, and store speaker groups for multi-room playback on multiple Brane X speakers. There are four built-in microphones for voice control, which is carried out using the Alexa voice assistant.

The driver array of the Brane X consists of two 0.75-inch tweeters, two 2-inch mid-range drivers, and a 6.5 by 9-inch (165 x 229mm) woofer. Four class-D amplifiers are packed into the compact speaker, for a total of 200 watts of power. A built-in battery allows 12 hours of playback at a reasonable volume level, and it can be fully recharged in 3 hours.

I would be amiss to describe the bass driver in the Brane X simply as a “woofer,” since the company applies unique technology to it to achieve extended bass. Woofers in conventional speakers generate bass by moving forward and back in an enclosure. That movement is driven by the passage of magnets on the woofer’s voice coil through a magnetic field, and it affects the air pressure within the speaker.

Brane Audio’s Repel-Attract-Driver operates similarly to a regular woofer, but in this instance, additional magnets are used to cancel out air pressure within the speaker. The cancellation effect allows for the use of a smaller woofer, along with a smaller enclosure, enabling Brane Audio to generate powerful sub-bass from a lunchbox-size speaker.

Features score: 4.5/5

Brane X review: Sound quality

Brane X smart speaker on table showing back panel — The speaker's rear panel features a power on/off button and 3.5mm audio input (Image credit: Future)

Excellent bass extension and substantial output
Well-balanced sound with natural voice reproduction
Can play cleanly at party-like volume levels

The Brane X may be compact, but there’s nothing small about its sound. After reading about this portable speaker that’s capable of not just substantial bass extension, but also substantial sub-bass output, I was ready for something different and upon first listen I got that.

Getting straight down to business, I streamed Boom by Tiësto, Sevenn, and Gucci Mane to the speaker from Tidal HiFi via AirPlay. This is a track with bass to spare, and if the Brane X could handle that, it would pass the test. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my mouth flapped open when I heard the deep, pounding bass put out by the Brane X, which wasn’t far off from what I expect to hear from a hi-fi system with a capable subwoofer. The speaker’s extended dynamic range also allowed other elements in the mix to come through clearly, especially vocals, which had a natural, unstrained quality. Pushing up the volume to, naturally, satisfy my curiosity about how loud the Brane X could play, it went up to party-like levels without distorting or sounding congested.

Radiohead’s Desert Island Disks features a spare acoustic guitar that’s played over a low, pulsing beat. On my regular portable speaker, the Sonos Move 2, that beat comes across as more of a tap. When I played the song on the Brane X, however, it had a surprising low and full quality that dynamically anchored the sound and allowed for details in vocals along with the song’s more subtle ambient elements to come across clearly.

Even classical symphonic music fared well on the Brane X. When I streamed Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition – The Great Gate of Kiev, as played by the Cleveland Orchestra, on Tidal HiFi, the tympani rolls were conveyed in an appropriately thunderous manner and the volume sweeps of strings sounded smooth and convincing. Comparing the Brane X’s performance here again to my reference Sonos speaker, the Sonos came across as comparatively flat-sounding, with no sense of low-end muscle in the percussion and double basses.

Given the Brane X’s hi-fi prowess, it seemed almost weird to set it up in my kitchen in the spot normally occupied by my Sonos Move, where it is used mainly for listening to news and podcasts. When I did, I found I needed to dial down the bass in the app for best sound in the new spot. That done, the Brane X made voices sound completely natural, with none of the strained quality that can typically be heard when listening with low-cost Bluetooth speakers. Brane Audio’s portable may have been overkill in this setting, but I certainly wasn’t eager to swap it out.

The only sonic quirk I encountered when using the Brane X was a faint level of noise when the speaker was turned on but not being used for playback. This didn’t exactly bother me, and in most cases when I had the speaker turned on it was streaming audio, which fully masked the noise, but it was there nonetheless.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Brane X review: Design

Brane X smart speaker on table showing bottom moiunted woofer — The Brane X's bottom-mounted woofer (Image credit: Future)

Basic, unassuming design
Carrying strap for portable use
1P57-rated dust and waterproof

There’s nothing particularly fancy about the Brane X’s design. As noted in the Features section of this review, it’s about the size and shape of a lunchbox. A rubber carrying strap is attached for toting the speaker around, and the black plastic top surface contains capacitive touch controls to adjust volume and bass level, as well as toggle the microphones on and off and set up Bluetooth and Wi-Fi pairing mode. A black mesh grille covers the speaker’s full front surface and sturdy rubber feet are provided to secure the speaker and allow clearance for the bottom-mounted Repel-Attract-Driver.

The Brane X’s back panel features a power on/off button and a 3.5mm aux input for connecting sources like a disc player or turntable. You’ll also find an input here for the speaker’s large, bulky external power supply and a QR code to access the Brane Audio website. With an IP57 rating, the Brane X is both dust and waterproof, making it a solid option for a workshop and a pool party.

Design score: 4/5

Brane X review: Value

Brane X smart speaker on table with sonos move in background — (Image credit: Future)

Expensive compared to the competition
Unique among portable wireless speakers
Has sound quality to back up the high price

With a $599 (around £475 / AU$915) price tag, the Brane X is undoubtedly expensive, making other premium portable wireless speakers such as the Sonos Move 2 look like a bargain in comparison. But the Brane X sounds better and certainly delivers better bass than the Sonos Move 2, which is its top competition. There is nothing quite like it on the market, a factor that enhances its value.

Suppose you’re looking for a compact portable wireless speaker that doesn’t sound like a compact portable wireless speaker, but a regular stereo system with a subwoofer instead. In that case, the Brane X is your only option. Yes, it’s expensive, but it has the sound quality to back up the high price.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should you buy the Brane X?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Brane X review: Also consider

Brane X smart speaker review: How I tested

Brane X smart speaker on deck railing outdoors — (Image credit: Future)

Tested with music streamed from Tidal HiFi and Apple Music via AirPlay
Used Sonos Move 2 for comparison during listening tests
Tested over several weeks of both casual and critical listening

I tested the Brane X using a range of different music genres from hip-hop to classical and also used it for everyday listening to news internet radio stations and podcasts. During my testing, which lasted for several weeks, I moved it around to different rooms in my home and also gave it a listen outdoors.

I used a Bluetooth wireless connection from my iPhone for casual listening but switched to AirPlay 2 for critical listening during my review. Most music tracks played during my test were sourced from Tidal HiFi, with some played from Apple Music. For a direct comparison with a competitive speaker, I used a Sonos Move 2, switching between both speakers using the same music tracks to make a subjective listening comparison.

My audio reviewing experience extends back over two decades, and during that time I have tested everything from full surround sound speaker systems to subwoofers and soundbars.

You can read TechRadar's review guarantee here.

First reviewed: March 2024

Audio Pro C20 review: a wireless speaker that offers even more, and sounds even better

1:30 pm | March 9, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Speakers | Tags: TV | Comments: Off

Audio Pro C20: Two minute review

The Audio Pro C20 has a lot of connectivity options. As anyone familiar with the category of best wireless speakers knows, a box of drivers that's able to harness your home's Wi-Fi network can offer superior sound to that afforded by a Bluetooth connection, whether music is accessed via Google Cast, Apple's AirPlay, 'connected' services such as Tidal Connect (which actually lets you stream losslessly in 24-bit hi-res, where AirPlay taps out at 16-bit CD quality) or a dedicated multi-room app such as the Audio Pro Control app. And the Audio Pro C20 offers all of this.

But just quickly, let's explain why Audio Pro's latest wireless speaker is worth your time from a technical perspective. First off, pinging music over Bluetooth from phone to speaker incurs compression. Wi-Fi's higher bandwidth means you can listen in (very) high resolution, up to 24-bit/192kHz. Now, a Wi-Fi enabled speaker accesses your chosen tunes from the internet (or local drive connected to it) rather than from your phone itself – and if you walk into another room or take a call, as long as you stay within range of your Wi-Fi router, the music keeps playing.

Why explain this in the intro to a product review? Because Audio Pro gets it. The Swedish company's been in the game for 40 years and the firm gets that we want more than one open gate leading to our music. Also, we now have plenty of kit we'd like to physically connect our shiny new speaker to, if possible (and thank you very much in advance). So, on top of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, Audio Pro has added to the sizeable C20 a compelling array of ports on the back: an RCA in (for turntables with an RIAA amp), a phono MM in (for moving-magnet cartridge decks without a phono stage), an RCA sub out (if you wanted to connect a dedicated subwoofer to it), a Toslink Optical in (for CD players or budget soundbars, say) and the arguably the biggest draw of the lot – an HDMI ARC in, so it can go straight into your TV and challenge some of the best soundbars. So long as it'll fit beneath it without obscuring the screen, that is.

Audio Pro C20 on a table, with a mug of coffee and a smartphone beside it — The grille attaches easily with magnets and offers clean lines, if you want those… (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know is this: this thing sounds fantastic, offering clarity, depth, excitement and finesse, even at higher volumes. The control app is easy to navigate and corrals all of your chosen music streaming services – but of course, you could go into each app on your phone and click the little Google cast or AirPlay icon to see the C20 ready to connect.

Audio Pro calls the C20 the complete solution for music and TV and it's hard to argue. It's also hard to imagine a home interior, color scheme or decor style that the Audio Pro C20 couldn't be friends with – and the grille can remain on or easily be whipped off, if you prefer to see its three talented drivers.

The metal top plate adds an extra touch of class and the buttons click nicely, in a build that feels both reverent to traditional techniques and yet strikingly modern.

The fact that it comes from a long line of hits means it doesn't come cheap though. I've written odes to Audio Pro's beautiful speakers and I helped review the slightly smaller Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII for TechRadar's sister site, What Hi-Fi?, so I can personally vouch the five-star rating there (and the multiple awards it subsequently gained), although I fear those likely didn't do much to keep prices low.

In summary, it's chic, it's unique and it's (virtually) the complete package. Why virtually? If you wanted a 3.5mm in for your headphones (or 4.4mm, 6.35mm, or XLR), you won't find it – you'd have to go the the FiiO R9 for that. The C20 is for the enjoyment of shared music. And what an experience that is.

Audio Pro C20 review: Price and release date

Unveiled January 8, 2024, shipping from March 2024
$550 / £450 / €550 (around AU$820)

The Audio Pro C20 is available for pre-order now, and ships from March 2024. In the US, it costs $550 and in the UK, it'll set you back £450, hardly a trifling sum, whatever whistles and bells it sports.

That said, the competition here isn't much more affordable. Yes, the Q Acoustics M40 HD is (excellent and) a music system squirrelled into a set of speakers, but as far as wireless connectivity goes, it's a Bluetooth only one. Then, there's the fantastic FiiO R9, with all of the connectivity and hi-res wireless streaming smarts you could wish for, as long as you'll provide your own speakers or headphones.

Sonus Faber and Naim also offer similar solutions – see the Naim Mu-so Qb, a 2019 release which doesn't boast an HDMI ARC input, support, or the Sonus Faber Omnia, which does – but while the former is now available for similar money to the C20, the latter is a lot more expensive…

Audio Pro C20 from the back, showing the ports — Audio Pro sports so many connections, it advises you on which to use for different kinds of turntable… (Image credit: Future)

Audio Pro C20 review: Specs

Audio Pro C20 review: Features

Built in RIAA amplifier
Google Cast, Apple AirPlay and Audio Pro's own multi-room audio option
HDMI ARC

By adding a phono stage to its latest masterwork, Audio Pro C20 can be plugged straight into your devoid-of-phono turntable (as long as it sports a moving magnet cartridge), allowing you to simply power it on, select 'phono' on the Audio Pro's top plate, lower that needle and get into the groove. Got one of the best turntables with an RIAA amp inbuilt? That's OK too, there's a separate RCA line in for you too.

Of course, this is Audio Pro, so the new C20 also features the winning multi-room option triumvirate that the company introduced with the 2021-release Addon C10 MkII: AirPlay 2, Google Cast, plus its own multi-room audio capability. You also get Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth (v5.0) and HDMI ARC – so you can hook it straight up to your TV.

Thanks to a combination of these these things, you can also re-stream music (including vinyl from your turntable) to other Audio Pro speakers you may have collected from its A, C, or D-series, in a wireless multi-room system around your home (and you don't even have to start making holes in your walls).

The C20 also offers the option of connecting an external subwoofer via its sub-out (the company would direct you to its own Audio Pro SW-5 or SW10) enabling you to enhance the C20's bass performance even further, should you wish – although I didn't find this necessary.

Finally, two C20’s can be set-up as a stereo pair using the Audio Pro app, or even via Apple Airplay 2. I think you'll agree, that's a lot of options. If you want a 3.5mm headphone jack, you won't find it… but do you really?

Features score: 5/5

Audio Pro C20 top-plate closeup, with a hand pressing one of the buttons — That's a lot of options – and six presets (Image credit: Future)

Audio Pro C20 review: Sound quality

Clarity, neutrality and detail in spades
Ample bass clout without muddying the soundstage
Not an omnidirectional solution

Simply put, the Audio Pro C20 sounds very good indeed, whether physically hooked up to your TV or turntable, or when commanded to play music by your phone. You might anticipate having to make a compromise when buying a jack-of-all-trades box – a minor hit on sound in return for something that works with everything – but not so here.

Coheed and Cambria's In Keeping Secrets of the Silent Earth: 3 accessed on Tidal Connect is a raucous proggy album and the C20 never shies away from any of it, serving indomitable energy across the frequencies in a cohesive but rigorously regimented mix.

Given delicate string progressions such as Joni Mitchell's A Case of You, Mitchell's textured vocal soars above her dynamically agile and three-dimensional Appalachian dulcimer (and James Taylor's emotive acoustic guitar) where each musical passage is given enough space to have the necessary impact the track.

When handling TV content, the C20 is an easy (easy!) step up from anything my Sony TV's speakers can do, opening out the sound and offering that extra ounce of detail through intakes of breath and clacks of high-heeled shoes on cobbles in Shetland.

It's not a Dolby Atmos solution, of course, and the sound isn't particularly omnidirectional (owing to the C20's design), but there's a wide soundstage here nonetheless.

However I listened to it across the course of my testing, the C20 continued to delight and entertain with its myriad connectivity perks, ease of use and gifted audio chops.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Audio Pro C20 on a wooden table, with a smartphone to show scale — The remote certainly adds value – although volume adjustment is a slightly blunt affair (Image credit: Future)

Audio Pro C20: Design

2x 30W and 1x 130W digital class D amplifiers
Removable grille
Choice of three finishes

The Audio Pro C20 is available in Soft Satin White, Stylish Grey or Classic Black. The woven fabric front is fixed to the C20 by magnets and can be easily removed, giving the option of two very different looks, depending on your favored aesthetic.

I like to take off the grille off to better hear (and observe) Audio Pro's iconic eyes-and-nose style driver configuration, as seen in the brand's beloved T3+, C5 MkII and C10 MkII, for starters. Here, you get two 30W and one 130W Digital Class D amplifiers, powering the C20's dual 1-inch tweeters and a 6.5-inch woofer.

At 41cm across,19.6cm high and 22cm deep (and weighing in at 6.2kg, which roughly the same as a gallon of paint), the C20 is a substantial thing and while it fits under my wall-mounted TV just fine, those thinking of using it as a soundbar will need to think about that height.

My 'Stylish Grey' sample is just that. The gold-tone top plate (with solo LEDs to denote which source you're using as well as lights around the six preset buttons) also helps and while the gold accent on the grille is gone (as seen on the C10 MkII) I don't miss it. Do I miss Audio Pro's glorious rock 'n' roll leather handle? A little, but I also concede that this isn't proposition is not meant to be especially portable.

It's always been hard to find fault with Audio Pro's build quality, and the C20 is no exception.

Design score: 4.5/5

Audio Pro C20 on a TV stand, with a Sony TV in the background, connected via HDMI ARC — You need a bit of clearance, but it works with my TV (Image credit: Future)

Audio Pro C20 review: Usability and setup

Simple, app-guided setup
App can handle your music – or not
No supplied remote

After powering the speaker on (in case it needs to be mentioned, the C20 needs to be plugged in to power at all times), you're quickly guided to the Audio Pro companion app, which will add the C20 to your Wi-FI network and generally do the rest. During my time with it, it neither crashed nor tripped up even momentarily.

On the app, the 'Browse' tab (which seeks to keep your music all in one place) will open Apple Music natively through 'open on Apple Music' if using an iOS device, but third-party streaming services (such as Tidal) will require you to login again if going this route. You can also select the C20's source here, whether that's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, phono, line in (I hooked it up to the FiiO R9 before setting it up and it did a fantastic job), optical or TV.

The central 'Device' tab in the app is meant to organise your speakers rather than your music, so here you can name your speaker, (either the model, or its placement in your home, such as 'kitchen') and with the C20 there's a three-band EQ tab for bass, treble and subwoofer out.

The third and final 'Settings' tab basically lets you choose which services are displayed on 'Browse', as well as an FAQ section and details on the app version you're running.

Audio Pro hasn't supplied a dedicated remote control in the box (although if you're using the HDMI ARC to your TV, you can just use your TV's remote for volume) and honestly, I don't miss it, because the app does the heavy lifting – or of course, you can use the premium top plate.

Usability and setup score: 5/5

Audio Pro C20 app, three screen-grabs on gray background — Audio Pro's companion app makes it really easy to group your music and your wireless speakers for multi-room audio (Image credit: Future)

Audio Pro C20: Value

Obviously, if you don't have the expendable income to afford such a speaker, it doesn't matter how good it is – you won't be buying it.

That said, Sonus Faber will offer you something with a similar spec sheet that's double the price, while Naim has an older option that offers less in terms of connectivity, but sounds excellent, for similar money (see below for a comparison of these products).

My advice? You will not be disappointed with the sound-per-pound value here.

Value score: 4.5/5

Audio Pro C20 review: Should you buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Audio Pro C20: Also consider

Audio Pro C20 review: How I tested

Tested across seven days
Used as a TV soundbar, wireless speaker, wired to the FiiO R9, wired to a turntable and as a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker
Listened to a variety of music; watched three episodes of an action-packed TV show

When testing the Audio Pro C20, the only connection I didn’t use was the subwoofer out – because honestly, I really like Audio Pro's tuning within its speakers and never felt the need to try to augment the low end.

The analogue inputs accommodated both pre-amplified and non-amplified turntables, the digital optical was used for a CD player, the line in for FiiO R9 (as a source device), my TV was hooked up to it… and, of course, Bluetooth and my home Wi-Fi network were handy for using it with my iPhone.

And then it's the usual: listening to lots of familiar music from my reference playlist, (as well as three episodes of Shetland on TV, which I'm really into and highly recommend – yes, I know I'm late to that particular party) at a variety of volume levels, for the duration of my testing.

As a brief aside, I removed the grilles for the duration of my testing – it's what I always do whenever possible. Why? The fewer physical obstructions between you and your music, the better…

First reviewed March 2024
Read more about how we test

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: a splendid all-in-one speaker system, down to the ground

1:00 pm | March 2, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Speakers | Comments: Off

Q Acoustics M40 HD: Two minute review

Understandably emboldened by the success of its wireless-system-in-a-pair-of-speakers M20 HD, Q Acoustics is back with a bigger, floorstanding version. But everything’s relative, of course – and while the M40 HD is a wireless-system-in-a-pair-of-floorstanding-speakers, (so not exactly unlike some of the best wireless speakers we've tested, but not altogether the same either) it’s a lot more compact than you might be expecting. This means it’s ideal for those customers who either don’t have much space to spare, or are unwilling to fill their spare space with great big speakers and h-fi separates.

Specification, with one or two exceptions, is very good – there are wired and wireless connectivity options, and hi-res audio capability through both the digital optical and USB-B inputs. 200 watts of power should be more than enough for most people (and most neighbours). The M40 HD represents the most affordable product so far to feature the new Q Acoustics Continuous Curved Cone (C3) driver. And aptX HD and aptX Adaptive are always welcome where Bluetooth connectivity is concerned. So while some users might hanker after some wi-fi action or a control app, there’s more than enough here to be getting on with.

As far as sound quality is concerned, there is plenty to enjoy here. The M40 HD is a perky, punchy and articulate listen, and as long as you don’t position it too close to a rear surface it’s nicely balanced too. Its sound is consistent no matter which of its inputs you use, and there doesn’t seem to be a type or source of music it doesn’t get along with. So if it’s a big sound from a less-than-big system you’re after, you need to give this Q Acoustics a listen pronto.

A closeup of the Q Acoustics M40 HD grille and emblem — Q Acoustics' music system know-how, all the way to the floor… (Image credit: Future)

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Price and release date

Released February 15, 2024
$999 / £749 / AU$1,999

The Q Acoustics M40 HD wireless music streaming system is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it’s priced at £749. In the United States you should expect to pay $999, while in Australia the going rate is AU$1999.

That Q Acoustics knows exactly what it’s doing where products like this are concerned isn’t really up for question. But then neither is the fact that the M40 HD faces well-regarded competition – the likes of KEF, Klipsch and Triangle (to name but three) have fairly similar systems with which to tempt you. Q Acoustics, though, has a fairly obvious point of difference…

Q Acoustics M40 HD speaker rear view, showing the inputs — The M40 HD is arguably as beautiful from the back as it is when staring at the grille (Image credit: Future)

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Features

2 x 100W of power
Wired and wireless connectivity
24-bit/192kHz hi-res compatibility

Each M40 HD loudspeaker features a decoupled tweeter positioned above two Continuous Curved Cone (C³) mid/bass drivers of the type first encountered in the company’s more expensive (and lately award-winning) 5000 series. Each has a bass reflex port towards the bottom of the rear of the cabinet, to help with low-frequency presence and punch. After that, though, they become slightly different.

In the case of the ‘secondary speaker’, the only other feature is a pair of speaker-cable binding posts just beneath that reflex port. The ‘primary’ speaker, by way of contrast, has plenty more going on.

As well as speaker binding posts, the ‘primary’ speaker has an output for mains power on its rear plate. It also has a pair of stereo RCA analogue inputs, a 3.5mm auxiliary sockets, and inputs for digital optical and USB-B - these last two are able to digital with incoming digital audio files of up to 24bit/192kHz resolution. There’s a switch to let the speaker know if it’s occupying the left or right position in the set-up, and whether it’s in free space, against a wall or in a corner. And there’s a pre-out for a subwoofer for the truly antisocial among us.

Wireless connectivity, meanwhile, is strictly via Bluetooth. It’s the 5.0 variation, with SBC, AAC, aptX HD and Low Latency codec compatibility. Some wi-fi connectivity would be nice, sure, but it seems safe to assume that Q Acoustics has balanced the feature-set against the eventual price and come up with a balance it’s pleased with.

The ‘primary’ speaker also takes care of amplifying both speakers (these are 'powered', rather than truly 'active' beasts). It features two Class D blocks of amplification, each of 100 watts. The M40 HD is supplied with a length of cable to connect the two speakers together – this, along with a connection to mains power, is the only wiring this wireless system requires.

Features score: 4.5/5

Q Acoustics M40 HD close-up on the top plate — They're still quite svelte, despite being obviously taller than Q Acoustics' bookshelf offerings (Image credit: Future)

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Sound quality

Energy and dynamism to spare
Strikes a nice balance between ‘insight’ and ‘entertainment’
A moment’s care with positioning is required

It becomes apparent after next-to-no listening that the Q Acoustics M40 HD prefer to be out in just a little open space, not hard against a rear wall, and toed in just a little towards your listening position. They don’t throw in the towel if some or all of this is not possible in your space, you understand – but like all of us, they have their preferences.

And when they’re positioned just so, and are connected via Bluetooth to a Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphone using the aptX HD codec, and are playing a TIDAL-derived file of Grace Jones’ Pull Up to the Bumper, they’re an uncomplicatedly enjoyable listen. There are plenty of specific areas of music-making that are deserving of mention, but what’s most immediately evident is how engaging and upfront a listen the M40 HD is. This system sounds very much like it enjoys your favourite music almost as much as you do.

At every point in the frequency range, detail levels are impressively high and integration is smooth. The low frequencies are deep, nicely textured and enjoy proper control at the attack of notes or hits – and this straight-edged lead-in means the rhythm of the Grace Jones tunes is expressed confidently and positively. All the momentum the recording needs is available. And at the opposite end of the frequency range, there’s an enjoyable amount of bite and attack – but although treble sounds have plenty of shine, they’re also substantial. Which means the top end never gets out of hand, even if you decide to deploy every one of those 200 watts of Class D power that are available.

In between, there’s a stack of space in which La Jones can operate, a pocket in which the vocal is delivered with all of its attitude and character intact. Despite the spacious nature of the M40 HD presentation, though, each element of the recording is tightly integrated - so there’s never a suggestion of remoteness or isolation. The Q Acoustics system gives a good impression of ‘performance’, providing a great sensation of commonality and unity even if it’s playing very complex, element-heavy recordings.

Switching to a 24bit/192kHz Qobuz file of Curtis Mayfield’s (Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go served to the M40 HD via its USB-B socket allows the system to demonstrate its prowess where soundstaging and dynamics are concerned. The presentation is wide and deep, with more than enough room for each strand of the recording to do its thing without being impacted on from elsewhere - and when Curtis and his band turn the wick up, the Q Acoustics tracks changes in intensity (as well as simple volume) faithfully. It’s an expressive, open listen overall, with a stack of pertinent observations to make - but most of all, it’s an energetic and entertaining listen.

In ultimate terms its tonality is on the warm-ish side of neutral, but that’s a trait rather than an outright flaw. And it’s safe to say the system doesn’t need all that much encouragement to overstate the lowest frequencies a little - so not only should you be reasonably careful about positioning, you might want to think about deploying the port bungs that are supplied. Other than this, though, it’s hard to find fault with the M40 HD’s presentation.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Q Acoustics' M40 HD remote control on top of the unit — The remote certainly adds value – although volume adjustment is a slightly blunt affair (Image credit: Future)

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Design

710 x 250 x 296mm (HxWxD)
Point-to-point cabinet bracing
Choice of three finishes

It may not be immediately apparent from the pictures, but each M40 HD speaker is 710 x 250 x 296mm (HxWxD) including the little stabilisers at the back of the cabinet – and, as such, is to my knowledge unique in the current marketplace. Floorstanding speakers, whether passive or powered, are without exception quite a bit taller than this and so Q Acoustics has a unique offering here. Whether that’s ‘unique in a good way’ or not entirely depends on you – personally, I can easily imagine that a speaker of these dimensions will find favour with any number of customers who fancy some full-on audio performance without full-on speakers delivering it.

Other than the rather startling dimensions, it’s Q Acoustics design business as usual here – which is, broadly speaking, a good thing. The cabinet is vinyl-wrapped MDF (available in white or black in addition to the walnut of my review sample), and features the established and extremely successful point-to-point bracing technology that Q Acoustics has been perfecting for a while now. Each cabinet also has a Helmholtz Pressure Equaliser to reduce internal pressure and further reduce unwanted internal vibrations.

As with the M20 HD, each grille is fixed and cannot be removed. That’s a bit of a pity in aesthetic terms, if for no other reason that the C³ driver is quite a good-looking piece of technology (as long as you bear in mind that everything’s relative). Q Acoustics, though, makes a strong argument that fixing the grille in place allows its structure, particularly around the drivers, to be minimised – which reduces sonic reflections. And given that I can’t take the grilles off and find out for myself, I’m not really in any position to argue.

Design score: 5/5

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Usability and setup

Remote control handset
A few simple controls
Simple and quick to set up

On the top of the ‘primary’ speaker there are three little buttons. There’s a ‘volume up’ and a ‘volume down’ button, and the third takes care of ‘power on/off’, input selection and Bluetooth pairing.

These functions are duplicated on the remote control handset that’s supplied with the M40 HD. In addition, you get a ‘mute’ button and the ability to skip forwards or backwards through your streamed content. Apart from the fact that the volume adjustment is a slightly blunt instrument, it’s a perfectly serviceable little device.

Setting up the M40 HD couldn’t really be much simpler. There are stabilisers and spikes to be attached to the bottom of each speaker, and they must be connected using the supplied length of speaker cable. After that, plug the ‘primary’ speaker into the mains, and once you’ve told it what’s what as regards its position in your room, you’re good to go.

Usability and setup score: 5/5

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Value

Whether or not these speakers are the right sort of size for your environment, there’s no denying the quality of their construction and finish. Add in specification that’s well up to snuff and sound quality that justifies the outlay every time, and the Q Acoustics M40 HD represents unarguable value for money.

Value score: 5/5

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Should you buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: Also consider

Where their configuration is concerned, the Q Acoustics M40 HD are currently number one in a field of one – almost every price- and function-comparable alternative is a pair of standmounting speakers. So while the more expensive KEF LSX II LT is better-specified in some ways, it doesn’t have a hope of delivering the sheer scale of sound the M40 HD can muster – and neither can the similarly talented (but similarly bijou) KEF LS50 Wireless II. But if everything except the price is appealing about the M40 HD, then check out their smaller, more affordable but similarly high-achieving Q Acoustics M20 HD siblings.

Q Acoustics M40 HD review: How I tested

Standing in free(ish) space
Using every available input
Lots of music over a fair amount of time

The only connection I didn’t use was the subwoofer pre-out – because, quite frankly, the M40 HD sounds hefty enough by itself (especially if you position it too close to a rear surface, where the reflex ports can get a bit pushy). But the analogue inputs accommodate a pre-amplified turntable, the digital optical was used for a CD player, the USB-B connected the system to a laptop… and, of course, Bluetooth was handy for use with a smartphone. And then it was really just a case of listening to lots of familiar music, at a variety of volume levels, for as long as I thought I could get away with it…

First reviewed February 2024
Read more about how we test

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: sound reigns supreme for these excellent wireless earbuds

2:01 am | March 1, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC | Comments: Off

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Two minute review

Sennheiser continues its Momentum True Wireless series with its latest incarnation, the Momentum True Wireless 4 (TW4). At its $299 / £259 / AU$479 price, the Momentum True Wireless 4 faces a lot of competition but brings a lot to the table to put up against some of the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market.

Features are one of the Momentum TW4's strong showings, with future-proof Bluetooth support including the latest Bluetooth 5.4 version, aptX Lossless, LE audio and Auracast. Its battery life is long-lasting, with up to 30 hours total playtime, and there are ways to prolong and save power for times without chargers available. These features place it amongst the best earbuds around.

The Momentum TW4’s call quality is good, with mics handling tougher weather conditions well. There were no options to tailor ANC or transparency to calls during my test, such as the Sidetone feature on Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless headphones, but they will be coming in a future firmware update.

The Sennheiser Smart Control app is a functional companion to the Momentum TW4 that offers plenty of customization options and features, but can sometimes be a little confusing to navigate and doesn’t beat Sony’s Control App.

Sound quality is where the Momentum TW4 shines. Its neutral profile may not excite people who like the bass of the Sony WF-1000XM5 or the trebles of the Technics EAH-AZ80, though the Momentum TW4 will nonetheless reproduce any genre thrown at it beautifully - no instrument goes unnoticed or is left behind.

ANC on the Momentum TW4 is effective. Busy streets and office environments are drowned out when you have music pumping, though the Adaptive Noise Canceling feature can be a little hit-and-miss. With music off or at a low volume, the Momentum TW4 does a good job of muffling, but not totally wiping out, external noise, so if ANC is your top priority, you’ll instead want to look at the Bose QuietComfort II.

The Momentum TW4’s design is copied from the previous Momentum True Wireless 3, with the finish here taking on a more appealing metallic sheen. The buds may be bulky for some, but with different fitting options and a Fit Test in the app to help, the Momentum TW4 buds nonetheless felt comfortable enough during long periods of use. Customizable, intuitive touch controls and a stylish and practical charging case round out a good overall design.

In a competitive, even cluttered market, the Sennheiser Momentum TW4 is a great deal and what it does, it does well. I did have gripes about call control and the Smart Control app, and the sound may not be to everyone’s taste, but the Momentum TW4 gives the best wireless earbuds a serious challenge.

sennheiser momentum true wireless 4 earbuds on white desk — The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 (pictured) are in a fiercely competitive price bracket, but still do an excellent job of standing out. (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Price & release date

$299.95 / £259.95 / AU$479.95
Released March 2024

The Momentum TW4 costs slightly more than its predecessor, Momentum True Wireless 3, which was released at $249 / £219 / AU$399 Even so, the Momentum TW4 is priced in the same region as many of its competitors (of which there are many) at $299.95 / £259.95 / AU$479.95.

The Momentum TW4’s closest rivals include the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, which launched at $299 / £279 / AU$429, the Technics EAH-AZ80 ($299 / £259 / AU$499), the Sony WF-XM1005 ($299.99 / £259 / AU$499) and the Airpods Pro 2 ($249 / £249 / AU$399). While those prices are all very similar, the other buds have seen major discounts, which puts the new Momentum TW4 on the backfoot. But, based purely on features and sound, the Momentum TW4 is released at the right price.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Specs

Sennhesier smart control app side by side — The Sennheiser Smart Control app (pictured) is functional and offers customization options for sound and more. (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Features

Extensive Bluetooth support
Solid battery life
Functional Smart Control app

Sennheiser clearly wanted to future-proof the Momentum TW4. It’s equipped with Snapdragon sound built on Qualcomm’s S5 Sound Gen 2 platform, which will stream not only at 16-bit/44kHz but also 24-bit/48kHz pending a future firmware update, and is compatible with LE audio and Auracast, (both also coming in a future update).

Bluetooth support is stacked, with the latest Bluetooth 5.4 version, aptX Lossless, LC3, and other usual Bluetooth suspects. But unlike with the Sony WF-XM1005, there is no support for spatial audio.

Call quality gives a strong showing on the Momentum TW4. There are 6 mics in total, the same as the Momentum TW3, but also a new feature that Sennheiser calls “AI improved voice pickup and call virtualization”. While on a call with the Momentum TW4, I was told I was coming through loud and clear, even on a wet and blustery day.

I wanted to be able to control what the call sounded like at my end, as ANC was set to maximum. Although this was effective, it was also a little off-putting as I couldn’t hear traffic and my busy surroundings. I’ve been told that customizable features such as transparency will soon be added in an update, but it would’ve been nice to have this feature available as I found the quality of the caller’s voice a bit lacking.

The battery life of the Momentum TW4 is touted as 7.5 hours of charge in the earbuds with up to 30 hours total playtime including the case. Generally, this was accurate. Even when playing with ‘Lossless’ Audio Resolution, the battery life was impressive, and when I combined this with ANC at full I only lost 30% charge over roughly 2.5 hours of playtime.

Wireless charging is also available, though it takes longer than the standard USB-C charging, which does offer up to an hour of playback off a quick 8-minute charge if you’re in a hurry. That’s not quite Sony XM5 level (which is a staggering 3 minutes) but it’s still decent. There’s also a Battery Protection Mode option within the Smart Control app aimed at prolonging battery life by slowing charging and never charging to 100%.

Sennheiser Smart Control may not be the most exciting app, but it’s functional. There’s plenty of customization via a 5-band EQ and sound personalization option, a Fit Test to get your buds sitting right, and customizable Touch Controls. I sometimes found its responses to be a bit laggy or unclear (adjusting transparency while listening to music had no obvious effect) but the app generally serves its purpose.

There’s also a Smart Pause option that pauses music when it detects an earbud has been removed which was generally effective, especially at restarting when you put the earbud back in. If that’s a feature you’re bothered about, you can also turn it off in the app.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

sennheiser momentum true wireless 4 with buds and case on display — The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 (pictured) has outstanding sound quality. (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Sound quality

Balanced, wide soundstage
Extensive sound customization options in app
ANC is effective, but can be beaten

The Sennheiser Momentum TW4’s sound quality is superb. A balanced and neutral profile means no aspect of the sound is overwhelming, and no instrument goes missing. For some looking for serious bass or enhanced trebles that may not be the best news, but there’s still much to like about the Momentum TW4’s sound.

Whether listening with lossy Spotify or the superior lossless quality Tidal, the Momentum TW4 sounded great. Naturally, Tidal gets the most out of these buds, and it’s worth using to get that little more out of them.

Streaming Confidence Man’s ‘Holiday’, a big and bold dance-pop number, the Momentum TW4 showcased its weighty bass and euphoric synths, which soared without drowning out the vocals, and the wide soundstage enabled every aspect of the song to sing.

Moving on to Dir En Grey’s ‘Rinkaku’, a powerful, driving metal song, the crushing guitars and thunderous drums plowed through the track, and lead singer Kyo’s falsetto vocals also pushed through, with the Momentum TW4 enabling every instrument to breathe.

Listening to A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Award Tour’, a chill hip-hop classic, the bass wasn’t as powerful as I’d like, but it was tightly controlled and refined. Once again, the Momentum TW4’s balance showed itself, with the vocals, twinkling keyboards, and bass and drums all combining beautifully.

These were just some highlights. Most genres were brilliantly handled by the Momentum TW4, whether it be the sweeping strings of various Final Fantasy soundtracks, the shimmering acoustic guitar stylings of Cat Stevens or the chaotic jazz opening ‘Tank’ of anime Cowboy Bebop! (which features a particularly sharp saxophone solo).

One thing seems apparent - these earbuds were designed with ANC in mind, as I found music to sound better the higher the ANC level. When transparency was set to 'High', I did find the music lost some of its punch compared to the Low transparency setting, but the quality was still there.

Speaking of Active Noise Canceling (ANC), the Momentum TW4 is effective, offering several ANC options through the Sennheiser Smart Control app. The Transparency is adjusted from Low (higher ANC levels) to High (lower ANC levels) via a slider. In a busy office with ANC on maximum, nearby voices were muffled but audible with no music playing. With music on, however, I found it difficult to hear the sound of my keyboard while working.

The Adaptive Noise Canceling feature, which dynamically adapts ANC to the world around you, was also effective on my walk through busy streets to my office, though it was not mind-blowing. ANC on the Momentum TW4 is very good, though Sennheiser won't dethrone the Bose QuietComfort Buds II anytime soon.

One thing worth noting is there is no way to turn noise canceling completely off, but merely to a low transparency level. I didn’t find this to be much of an issue, but it is something worth bearing in mind.

Sound customization options are available within the Smart Control app, including a 5-band EQ and a Sound Personalization option that compiles your ideal sound profile by going through an A/B test with sliders. I found the out-of-the-box sound (after a couple of days run-in) to be perfectly fine, but it was also nice to have these features. When I experimented with Sound Personalization to get my EQ profile, it was surprising how different the sound was.

While the Sony WF-1000XM5 may offer bass and the Technics EAH-AZ80 more treble, the Momentum TW4’s sound profile sits nicely in the middle in a way that suits my listening style. So if you want a more neutral sound, you will also like the Momentum TW4.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

sennheiser momentum true wireless 4 case — The case of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 (pictured) has a premium feel with its felt material. (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Design

Customizable touch controls
Comfortable with plenty of fit options
Practical, if uninspiring design

The Momentum TW4 is almost identical to the earlier Momentum TW3, keeping the same shape and arm design. As for colors, Sennheiser offers three options: Black Graphite (the option I tested), White Silver and Black Copper. The metallic sheen is an improvement over last year’s design but still feels a little plain. That copper color is certainly tempting, however…

In terms of fit, the Momentum TW4s sit within the ear canal. There are 4 bud sizes (XS, S, M, L) and 3 ear fin sizes (S, M, L) in the box, and I found the M size of both the bud and fin (which were the already fitted size) to suit me fine. After several hours of continuous use, the Momentum TW4 buds were still comfortable enough to keep wearing.

To aid with fitting, a Fit Test within the Smart Control app uses different music clips at various volume levels to establish optimum fit, which I found helpful. This is not a unique feature to Sennheiser (many rivals have it), but it is worth checking out.

I found touch controls on the Momentum TW4 responsive, with the left earbud controlling transparency and ANC and the right controlling playback. These controls are customizable within the app, so if you use one function more than others, you can make it a one-tap option. You can also, of course, turn the touch controls off altogether if you wish.

The Momentum TW4’s overall build quality is solid and weighty, although some may find its bulkier 6.2g weight and larger size cumbersome compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5, which weighs in at 4.2g.

The charging case that comes with the Momentum TW4 is a particular highlight, with a similar weighty, solid design as the earbuds. It may not suit everyone, but the felt material does give it a more premium and comfortable feel.

Design score: 4 / 5

sennheiser momentum true wireless 4 buds in person's hand — The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 buds (pictured) have a weighty but solid design. (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Value

Feature-packed for the money
Premium feel
Extremely competitive area

The Sennheiser Momentum TW4 is packed with future-proof features, including LE audio and Auracast compatibility, and offers great sound quality. But with a retail price of $299 / £259 / AU$479, it has a lot of competition in its price range.

Compared to rivals, the Momentum TW4 is bested in certain areas (Bose QuietComfort II for ANC, Sony WF-1000XM5 for apps and spatial audio), though it does offer a jack-of-all-trades approach that covers every area well. But even at a price currently higher than its rivals, the Momentum TW4 is a good value, just not quite a perfect one.

Value score: 4 / 5

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sennheiser momentum true wireless 4 with accessories and box — The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 (pictured) with box and charging cable. Other bud and fin fittings come inside the box. (Image credit: Future)

How I tested

Extensive playtime over a week
Tested at home, in office and in public
Pixel 6A used as source player, streaming Spotify, Tidal, Netflix and more

After a 48-hour run-in time, I tested the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 with both Spotify and Tidal streamed through my Google Pixel 6A (which supports aptX HD audio), listening to various genres from metal to pop and beyond. I also watched content with streaming sites such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer to test voice quality, and used podcasts to test this as well.

To test battery life, comfort, and noise-canceling, I wore the Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds throughout my working day in the office, and during my commute to and from work through busy streets and often wet and windy conditions. I also listened at home when it was quietest and tested call quality outside in different weather conditions.

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