A luxury headset that makes use of AI features seems like an obvious concept now, but it still surprised me seeing Logitech Zone Wireless 2 take full advantage of modern advancements to implement AI in a mostly successful way. According to Logitech, the AI tech was built from the ground up into the hardware, which is apparent from how every aspect of this headset revolves around it.
It’s not to its detriment either and only feels a little gimmicky. ANC is run by AI, and you’re able to adjust between several different levels or turn it off completely. Plus, there’s a feature called Personal EQ that can even adjust how it adapts to your hearing through a brief set of questions through the app.
Other than traditional noise-cancelling, there are other interesting variations. For instance, when making phone calls, you can not only cancel out background noise on your end but the AI can recognize the other caller’s voice and filter it from their background noise as well.
(Image credit: Future)
There’s also a slew of other AI quality-of-life tools and features, like connecting to up to two devices via Bluetooth and switching between them on the fly. And if you’re using the wireless dongle instead, there’s a feature called Smart Enumeration where if a device is not in use audio will not come out from it.
If you remove the headset while listening to audio, it automatically pauses. Meanwhile, putting them back on resumes and tilting either speaker can also mute any audio. An option lets you automatically answer a phone call by putting on the headset if you’re connected to a smartphone.
There are health and safety options too, like anti-startle protection that limits sudden high-pitched noises as well as noise exposure control that measures daily noise levels in a call and ensures it doesn’t exceed a certain amount.
So how do all these AI tools measure up? Pretty well but not perfect.
At the very least, this headset could easily land as one of the best wireless headphones but not take the top spot. The auto-pause feature is good except when it doesn’t pause because it doesn’t recognize the action of pulling off the headset or when stays paused even when I put it back on. The tilt mute feature is very spotty, and I found that it either doesn’t register me tilting it deliberately, or it’s overly sensitive and mutes at a slight nudge.
(Image credit: Future)
The noise-canceling is probably the only feature that works just as promised, with every ANC setting reducing outside and background sounds to a near-perfect degree. It still shocks me how instantaneous the effect is.
The Logitech Zone Wireless 2 has a lovely audio quality, with a great soundscape that’s able to handle a wide range of highs and lows. Even the bass is robust and loses very little quality at max volume, and I could suitably feel it in my teeth, which is a great sign to me. It’s also flexible to handle music and audio from video games, movies, music from streaming services, and more.
I love that for a headset with an adjustable microphone, the 90-degree swivel on the earphones makes it completely ambidextrous. Unfortunately, the build quality is a little disappointing for such an expensive product. It’s admirable that the headset is made of 22% recycled plastic and low-carbon aluminum, but the seams of the headband cover split a little from the headband when I pull on it.
Of course, not many people will be stretching the headband to that extent but when I compare it to the Razer Barracuda Pro, which has a similar price point even if it doesn't exactly make it to our best PC gaming headsets list, it doesn't measure up in build quality. To offset this, Logitech does make it so that buyers can completely repair and replace parts on their own, which is something that should be a standard for any of these devices.
(Image credit: Future)
One advantage it does has over other headsets is just how light and comfortable it feels. The ear cushions and headband cover are clearly made of memory foam and, coupled with the light weight, make it feel like I’m wearing a cloud.
Another issue is the battery, which lasts up to 40 hours listening with ANC off, up to 22 hours listening with ANC on, and a talk time of 15 hours with ANC on and up to 18 hours with ANC off. Not amazing. At best, you're required to charge it every two days of regular use, which can get a bit cumbersome. It gets even worse, as I noticed that when the power dips below 40% the volume and audio quality dip as if there’s some background battery-saver mode that's activating.
Compared to the Razer Barracuda Pro's 40-hour battery life that lets you drain every last drop of power while maintaining perfect audio quality, Logitech's own offering pales in comparison.
Logitech Zone Wireless 2: Price & availability
How much does it cost? $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$499.95
When is it available? October 2023
Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Logitech Zone Wireless 2 will be available in the US, UK, and Australia in October 2023 for an MSRP of $299.99 / £299.99 / AU$499.95.
The price point is quite steep, putting it firmly in the luxury headset market. That on its own isn’t bad, as there’s plenty of tech and development that’s gone into it. But considering that the build quality isn’t as high as similar headsets like the Razer Barracuda Pro and Logitech’s own Pro X 2 Lightspeed, the MSRP sticks out like a sore thumb.
Value: 4 / 5
Logitech Zone Wireless 2: Specs
Should you buy the Logitech Zone Wireless 2?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy it if...
You want a headset with AI features The AI features are quite good, elevating the noise canceling to greater heights and adding cool abilities like smart pausing.
You want a light and comfortable headset One of the best features of this headset is that, unlike many other bulky headphones, this one is super light and the memory fits your ears like a cloud.
Don't buy it if...
You need a long-lasting battery Battery life isn't bad but you'll find it draining faster than you realize, needing a charge every couple days of regular use.
You're on a tight budget This is an extremely pricey headset, so if you're on a budget there are plenty of cheaper alternatives.
Logitech Zone Wireless 2: Also consider
How I tested the Logitech Zone Wireless 2
I spent about a week testing this keyboard
I tested it for productivity work, gaming, phone calls, and music
I used it extensively in a home office environment and outdoors
I tested the Logitech Zone Wireless 2 in a home office environment, as well as in high-volume areas, like public transit and parks, to see how well the noise-canceling worked. I also tested out the various AI and ANC features to check for effectiveness and reliability.
The Logitech Zone Wireless 2 is a Bluetooth-compatible headset that's meant for extensive use over a period of years. I made sure to quality-test it to see if it held up to those standards while maintaining maximum comfort levels.
I've tested headsets including gaming ones, and understand how to properly rate and test them out to ensure that they reach a certain level of quality.
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
How on earth are the JLab JBuds Mini so small? Seriously, the earbuds are 30% smaller than the Go Air Pop before them and the case is 50% smaller. Next to any other earbud I can think of, they're teeny. Potentially the smallest around, it's safe to say storage isn't an issue, unless you're worried about losing them given their slight and non-existent heft. JLab has thought of that though by adding a keyring to the side so you can easily attach them to your keys ensuring you'll never miss out on having earbuds on your person.
None of this would matter if the JLab JBuds Mini were pretty ropey but they're actually great for the price. Costing just $39.99 / £39.99, they'll suit every budget. Cheap and tiny, the JLab JBuds Mini still pack a fair bit in. While codec support is a little limited, there's Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, the JLab app to help you tweak some settings, and a Be Aware mode that makes up for the lack of true ANC.
They're IP55 rated which will be handy for those sweaty days. A quick charge function could be better with 15 minutes giving back only an hour of play, but with 20 hours overall via the (did we mention it's tiny?) charging case means that'll rarely be an issue.
The JLab JBuds Mini are really quite cute yet potent, easily vying for a place among the best budget wireless earbuds. They fit in your ears perfectly and all we could really hope for is options that would match skin tone accurately, as no one would notice you wearing them if so.
JLab JBuds Mini review: price and release date
(Image credit: Future)
Released in September 2023
Priced at $39.99 / £39.99
The JLab JBuds Mini was released in September 2023 for $39.99/£39.99. Currently available across Europe, the UK and the USA, they're affordable across the board.
The earphones are available in five colors – black, aqua teal, pink, mint green and sage gray. Count on the fairly ordinary looking black to be first to see a discount.
JLab is competing among itself for rivals with the JLab Go Air Pop hanging around at just $20 / £20 but being a little older and a little bigger than the JLab JBuds Mini. There's always the pricier EarFun Air Pro 3 too if you need ANC although the buds are certainly a lot bulkier.
JLab JBuds Mini review: specs
JLab JBuds Mini review: features
(Image credit: Future)
Multipoint support
Great app
Be Aware mode
The JLab JBuds Mini are so small that you'd almost expect them to have nothing going for them. However, JLab has squeezed a fair amount in for cheap earbuds. Notably, it's always good to see Multipoint support so you can connect two devices at once – something that pricier earbuds can still lack.
At all times, it's simple to just keep to using one earbud if you prefer, while the Be Aware mode provides you with a bit more of an ability to hear what's going on around you, such as if you need to listen out for traffic. There's no ANC here but the passive noise isolation is better than you'd think for earbuds of this size and price, presumably because they're such a nice and snug fit in your ear.
Via the JLab app, you can make some adjustments to the EQ with a choice of presets as well as the option to make changes for yourself. Out of the box, you won't instantly find yourself in need but we'll get into that later.
With no issue with connectivity, it always felt like the JLab JBuds Mini were ready even when I just need one earbud by my metaphorical side. It's those little things that mean you're more likely to grab the JLab JBuds Mini, even when there are alternatives nearby.
Features score: 4 / 5
JLab JBuds Mini review: battery life
(Image credit: Future)
Up to 5.5 hours through the earbuds and up to 20 hours including the case
15 minutes charge gives back an hour
The JLab JBuds Mini is pretty typical for your average pair of earbuds but that means it's better than you'd think for the size. You'll get about 5.5 hours from one charge with 20 once you factor in the charging case.
There's also quick charge support although it's a little weak. A 15 minute charge gives back an hour. That's ok but it's far from special even if it could get you out of a jam.
Battery life score: 4 / 5
JLab JBuds Mini review: sound quality
(Image credit: Future)
Adjustable EQ
Strong noise isolation
Vibrant beats
The JLab JBuds Mini block out sound far better than you'd anticipate given their size and price. While you'll still hear traffic as you walk past, it isn't as all encompassing as with other weaker earbuds. There's still room to enjoy your music with the JLab JBuds Mini being suitably vibrant at all times.
There's the app's EQ for getting things just how you like them but out of the box, the JLab JBuds Mini sound pretty good. While bass could be stronger in an ideal world, it's all still pretty lively with a wider soundstage than anyone could have seen coming here.
The JLab JBuds Mini use standard codecs so it's all good for your usual streaming services, but there's no aptX or LDAC support.
Still, vocals are clear at all times while there's a reasonable crisp quality to ballads like Harry Styles' Sign of the Times. It's a weaker story when switching to something dance heavy like I'm Good (Blue) by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha, but you'll still enjoy it.
Sound quality score: 4 /5
JLab JBuds Mini review: design
(Image credit: Future)
So small
Keyring accessory
Touch-sensitive surface on buds
We've mentioned it a lot but the JLab JBuds Mini are supremely small. They come with a keyring attachment and the case is a perfect fit next to your keys. As someone who hates to forget their earbuds, this is ideal for avoiding the peskiness of hearing my surrounding environment when I don't want to.
The earbuds are small too, of course, but not so small that you'll worry. They fit snugly in your ears and even during a run, there was no wobble factor here. The earbuds are sufficiently comfy that your ears won't ache during extended periods of use either.
Controls are a little tetchy. With not much room on the bud, it's very easy to accidentally mistap when adjusting them in one's ear. On the other hand, no one likes to have awkward controls so this is a tricky one to complain about or applaud too.
Design score: 4 /5
JLab JBuds Mini review: value
(Image credit: Future)
Well priced
Plenty of good features
The JLab JBuds Mini might have a plasticky case but it suits their style. More importantly, they're cheap yet have many of the key features you could want.
The main competition comes from JLab's previous small earbuds – the Go Air Pop with most other rivals like the EarFun Air Pro 3 and the Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0 proving much bulkier.
Value score: 4 /5
Should I buy the JLab JBuds Mini?
Buy them if...
Don't buy them if...
JLab JBuds Mini review: also consider
How I tested the JLab JBuds Mini
(Image credit: Future)
Tested for one week
Used outside and around the home, in both noisy and quiet environments
10 years of audio reviewing experience
Swapping my regular earbuds for the JLab JBuds Mini, I solely used them for a period of just over a week. They were part of my daily morning walk where I walked among quiet areas and noisier traffic-filled parts of suburbia. I also used them while running to check the fit was snug and correct.
Around the house, I used them while completing housework and also for quieter times in the evening to relax.
I listened to a mixture of modern and older music, as well as many podcasts. These were all through Apple Music, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. I also watched a few YouTube videos thanks to the JLab JBuds Mini's multipoint feature simplifying the process.
Over the past ten years, I've reviewed dozens of speakers, headphones, and earbuds. These have covered a wide range of price ranges and I'm always pleasantly surprised when cheap can defeat expensive options.
Tranya is a relatively new audio tech brand that has brought out several different types of true wireless and sports earbuds over the years. Its latest flagship buds are the Tranya Nova, a budget pair of noise-cancelling earbuds that promise an exceptional and immersive listening experience.
During testing, I found they delivered on that claim. They’re certainly not audiophile-grade, and are light on features compared to higher-priced rivals. But for your money, you’ll get a pair of buds I would go as far to describe as reliable because you’ve got all the basics. The sound here is good, the ANC is impressive for the price, the fit is comfortable, the battery life is better than most rivals, and the buds themselves may look a little cheap but they’re minimal and unobtrusive.
The problem is that the Tranya Nova enter a crowded marketplace. Not just because there are so many of the best true wireless earbuds to choose from these days, but because there are lots catering to this specific price point that sits somewhere between budget and mid-range.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that the Tranya Nova are a solid choice if you’re looking for an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds, but it does mean you’ll find plenty of other options that may have several better features, slightly improved specs and even a cheaper price tag.
Tranya Nova review: price and release date
The Tranya Nova earbuds don't look premium but at a budget price point that's not to be expected. (Image credit: Future)
Released in June 2023
Available to buy at $79.99 / £79.99
The Tranya Nova earbuds were released in June 2023 and cost $79.99 / £79.99. On the Tranya website, the official price is $99 (there’s no pricing for other territories, as far as we can tell) but you’ll find the $79.99 / £79.99 price on Amazon, which seems to be consistent.
At under $80 / £80, we’d class the Tranya Nova as a pair of budget true wireless earbuds, inching into the mid-range category. In this same price bracket there’s a lot of competition. In our best budget wireless earbuds guide, there are similar buds, like the EarFun Air Pro 3, which are also available for $79 / £79.
There are also much cheaper buds, like the JLab Go Air Pop at $20 / £20, but they do deliver less accomplished audio. In comparison, at the higher end of the budget category there’s the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus costing $139.95 / £119.95, although we did rate the audio on offer from those buds incredibly highly.
They’re just several examples, but the upshot here is that competition is fierce in this category of the best earbuds and you usually have to sacrifice a certain feature or sound quality if you want a more affordable price.
Tranya Nova review: specs
Tranya Nova review: features
Tranya has valued simplicity with the Novas, instead of packing them full of features. (Image credit: Future)
Multi-point pairing
Nice EQ in the app
Good battery life
The Tranya Nova earbuds aren’t packed with features, but you’ve got everything here you’d want from a budget pair of buds.
This includes an easy-to-use app with settings you can tweak, like an EQ with presets as well as a custom profile you can create. As well as touch controls on the buds themselves that you can customize, too, choosing from a range of taps and different functions, like play-pause, volume up/down, previous/next track, voice assistant, game mode and ANC mode.
It’s in the app that you can check on the battery levels of the buds, select from three ANC modes (on, off and ambient sound), as well as switch on a game mode, which brings you 40ms low-latency.
A nice feature that we wouldn’t always expect from budget buds is multi-point pairing, allowing you to connect the Tranya Nova to two different audio source devices. I found this worked well during my testing, allowing me to move between playing audio from my laptop and then from my iPhone.
Battery life here is impressive compared to most other buds in this category. You’ll get 36 hours of playtime in total from the charging case and nine hours from the buds themselves.
To add a bit of context, the JBL Live Pro 2, which I think they’re most similar to, have 10 hours in the buds and 30 in the case. But most other budget buds, like the Sony WF-C700N, offer seven and a half hours from the buds and only 15 hours from the case, which seems to be the norm at this level.
Features score: 4/5
Tranya Nova review: sound quality
Despite the lack of hi-fi audio features, the Tranya Novas deliver decent bass for their size. (Image credit: Future)
Good bass
Call quality is decent
An expansive and enjoyable listen
I keep my expectations low when I’m testing a budget pair of buds, but I was generally impressed with the performance of the Tranya Nova earbuds – at least for this price.
The bass was decent, if a little fuzzy at times with particularly bass-heavy tracks. I really enjoyed listening to No One Loves Me and Neither Do I from Them Crooked Vultures, a track with some meaty bass that these buds just about did justice to. As well as vocals and highs that sounded crisp rather than tinny – a common complaint with similar buds.
There’s a decent balance across the whole range here and a soundstage that, again, I’d say is broad for the price – although with the volume turned up high things started to get just a little muddy. Audiophiles will be looking for more clarity, detail and richness, but you’ll likely only find that with higher-priced buds or buds a little more expensive with standout audio performance, like the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus. Having said all that, the majority of people will be happy with these buds, especially considering you can tweak the EQ a little in the app if you really want to.
Considering these are budget buds, the noise-cancelling was pretty impressive. I think this is both a testament to the buds and the fact I got a really great fit from the ear tips (more on that soon). It’s the kind of noise-cancellation that didn’t block out the sound of a barking dog in the street or loud laughter next to me in a cafe, but did wipe out ambient traffic sounds and the low hum of a fan – the level I’d expect at this price.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
Tranya Nova review: design
(Image credit: Future)
A light, plasticky feel to them
Comfortable
IPX5 rating
The Tranya Nova earbuds are plain and minimal. They have the stem design that’s become the norm since Apple released its AirPods. In the past I’ve found some stem earbuds stick out from my ears too much, but these were an ideal length.
They’re made from plastic and have quite a cheap feel to them, but I like that as it means they’re light. Unlike a lot of other buds, they don’t come in black but a deep blue that Tranya calls ‘midnight’.
They come with three different ear tips. Maybe I got lucky with the way the smallest tips fit my ears, but I found them incredibly comfortable and they created a great seal for the ANC to perform its magic. Like most buds at this price point, I did start to feel them a little after an hour or so of wear – they’re certainly not the most comfortable buds I’ve tried – but that’s to be expected.
There’s IPX5 waterproofing here, which means they’ll withstand the most sweaty workout. This is good news considering they’re comfortable and stable buds, they fared well when I took them jogging in very windy conditions.
They come with a small, shiny charging case with a pill box design that’s pretty typical. However, the high shine finish on the outside was prone to fingerprint smudging, although that’s hardly a dealbreaker.
Design score: 4/5
Tranya Nova review: Value
(Image credit: Future)
Good value for the range of specs and features
Competitively priced compared to rivals
Not special, but a solid pair of budget buds
For the range of specs and features on offer and the solid performance and battery life, these are great value buds and I enjoyed using them.
Yes, there’s a lot of competition and several other buds from different brands perform just as well at a similar price. But that shouldn’t distract from the fact these are a solid pair of buds that should keep most people happy – especially anyone on a budget, those trying true wireless buds for the first time or anyone not fussed about the highest quality sound.
Value score: 5/5
Should I buy the Tranya Nova?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if...
Don’t buy them if…
Tranya Nova review: Also consider
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Tranya Nova
(Image credit: Future)
Tested over two weeks
With an iPhone 14 Pro
A mix of Spotify and Tidal with some movies on my too
I tested the Tranya Nova earbuds over the course of two weeks in a range of environments, including working at a busy coffee shop and in a silent library, as I took a walk along the beach and through a crowded city and everywhere in-between. This gave me a great opportunity to put the ANC and comfort of the buds to the ultimate test.
I used an iPhone 14 Pro with the earbuds for the most part, switching between Spotify and Tidal as my streaming services of choice. I also paired the buds with my MacBook Air while I was catching up on Apple TV’s Foundation series.
I’ve had more than 12 years experience testing tech, especially devices you wear, from health and fitness trackers to VR headsets. Over the past few years I’ve been particularly focusing on audio tech, especially devices that fall into the same affordable but accomplished category as the Tranya Novas, so I have a lot of experience with similar buds to inform this review.
Shure's Aonic 50 Gen 2 look the business. And not only that, they back up their not-here-to-mess-around aesthetic with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound support, so aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, regular aptX and LDAC are all here – aka all of the current top-tier wireless audio coding.
But there's more! The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2's bid for inclusion in our best wireless headphones guide culminates in a special USB-C port not just for charging. It means hi-res USB audio is also on the menu (look over here, iPhone 15 and Apple Music users!) thus completing a veritable banquet of connectivity options, from wireless Bluetooth audio pinged from your phone, older sources in a more traditional wired hi-fi system, right up to USB-C audio from your MacBook Pro at work. If that sounds good to you, add these headphones to your list.
However, the star feature of these hotly anticipated second-generation Shure cans (let's be clear here, the three years and five months since the originals is eons in the world of headphone iterations) is Shure’s new spatialized audio technology. The feature provides three distinct modes: Music, Cinema, and Podcast. And the good news is that these are a delight across the board, offering oodles of separation and crispness to vocals during movies and podcasts especially, but unearthing extra sonic articles in even your heavy-rotation music playlists too.
To stake a claim for the best noise-cancelling headphones currently on the market, Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 feature advanced hybrid active noise cancellation. As you'd expect, mics inside and outside the earcup allow the Aonic 50 Gen 2 scope to fine-tune your auditory environment, but you can also help it along thanks to four selectable modes: Light, Moderate, Max, and MaxAware.
For us, the performance here was just a shade under excellent. On the one hand, the clamping force is strong with this one (possibly even a little too forceful for those blessed with larger skulls) and levels of passive isolation are top-notch. But on occasion we found the more ambient-aware options (MaxAware aims to offer the best of both worlds – blocking unwanted noise and maintaining awareness of your surroundings) added warmth to our music and a marginal sweetness to the upper mids. Essentially, the overall efficacy of the noise-nixing here can be beaten by the class-leaders at the level.
Shure's ShurePlus PLAY app is one I'd go to battle for (Image credit: Future)
Picking up on the comfort, at 340g they feel just a tad heavy over longer listening sessions, despite the ample padding. For reference, the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 weigh 329g they're comfortable for all-day use. OK, Apple's AirPods Max weigh 44g more than the Shures at 384g, while Sony's WH-1000XM5 are quite a bit lighter at 249g – so depending on what you're used to, there may be an adjustment period here.
When it comes to sonic performance, Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 is a set of over-ears for the EQ curious. There is very good sound to be had here, if you're prepared to work for it just a little. Those with neither the time nor the inclination to play with those presets might find the sound out of the box a little light on lower mids, treble-heavy and even a fraction cluttered timing-wise, albeit expansive and detailed.
The ShurePlus Play app is your friend here and honestly, I'd go in to battle for this companion app – it is slick, easy to navigate and makes more sense than several offered by rival products. It'll even corral your music under one tab, for easy streaming across various services. Pairing is also a breeze and these headphones skip happily from one device to another thanks to multipoint connectivity that really works.
In summary, the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 are solid all-rounders. If I'm nitpicking (and it is my job to do so), those who want perfect sound quality from the box may not have the patience for these headphones and the ANC is fine rather than fantastic – but those who love immersive spatial audio during movies, podcasts or playlists are well served here. And if you want USB-C hi-res headphones with the option to go wireless? They're an excellent choice.
An understated build, but a quality one, to be sure. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Price & release date
Released in September 2023
Priced $349 / £349 / approx. AU$540
The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 arrived in the third week of September 2023, having been announced on August 31.
They are priced aggressively for the elite over-ear headphones sector. To explain, that MSRP is actually cheaper than the launch price of the inaugural April 2020 Shure Aonic 50, which were aimed very much at the upper end of the consumer market and evaluated accordingly at $399 / £359, around AU$580.
This clever new pricing strategy from Shure undercuts the asking fee of some of the best and most notable over-ear headphones in the business by a tidy $50 – see the Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399 / £380 / AU$649), the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 ($399 / £379 / approx. AU$575) and the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 ($399 / £330 / approx. AU$640) for starters.
The Illinois audio specialist has put the Aonic 50 Gen 2 right in the way of the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless too, which will set you back $349.95 / £300 / AU$549.95 too. Smart – if the performance is good enough.
All physical buttons, all on the right earcup – and it works. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2: Specs
Note the 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable for optional wired listening and USB-A to USB-C, for both charging and audio. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Features
Excellent spatial audio processing options
Very useful EQ presets
USB Audio supports up to 32-bit/384kHz
Firstly, stamina: 45 hours is very good (although not as good as the 80-hour staying power of the Edifier Stax Spirit S3, granted, but the comparison is skewed since the Edifier headphones are devoid of ANC) and I can confirm that this battery claim holds true.
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 headphones are a walk in the park to pair, too. Multipoint? Easy – and once you get used to that fact that the physical buttons are all on the right earcup, altering volume, playback and ANC profiles works a charm.
One lovely little perk here is PausePlus. Imagine you're listening to death metal at the office with Max ANC deployed and your boss approaches (just a random example, no reason). If PausePlus is toggled to on, simply pressing the multi-function button to pause the music also deploys ambient sound, so you can hold a polite conversation with your superior and pretend you were only listening to the latest episode of Revisionist History podcast.
Next up, Shure's Spatializer – no, nothing to do with turning vegetables into edible ribbons. In the app, under the device tab (see? It makes sense, it's a feature on the device) you can select spatial audio processing optimized for music, movies or a podcast. I found they brought all of these sources to life, adding depth, value and enjoyment to the whole testing process.
The EQ presets are a similar story – in fact I suggest using both EQ and spatial audio liberally. There's a dedicated Equalizer tab, and although you can go manual if you want, Shure has sensibly opted to call its presets names such as Bass Cut, Bass Boost, Treble Cut and Vocal Boost. My particular favorite is Treble Cut for music, since I do find these headphones a little heavy-handed through the higher frequenciess, but the point is that Shure has bucked the trend of creating profiles for specific music genres (how often have you wondered whether 'jazz' is the correct preset for the acoustic mix you're listening to, or whether soft-rock is really the same as 'rock'?) and it's an excellent move.
Now, ANC. It's acceptable. It isn't a complete bubble of silence. You deploy it by moving a physical slider all the way up on the right ear cup for ambient, or all the way down for ANC. But you can also open the app to select either the Environment Mode Level on a slider, or Light, Moderate, Max, or MaxAware ANC options. I was unable to perceive a lot of difference in the ANC options during the course of my testing save for MaxAware, which also filters in ambient noise. For softening the extraneous sounds of the office, they do a job – but the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 or Sony WH-1000XM5 still do that job a fair bit better.
Call quality is aided by a "Hear myself on calls" toggle and it does exactly what it says on the tin, making calls feel a lot less like your head's stuck in a bucket as you speak.
Features score: 4.5/5
A svelte but durable hard-shell case with a useful strap. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Sound quality
Expansive and revealing separation and clarity
Can come off treble-centric on occasion
Not the most musically cohesive listen
Kicking off with Ritchie Sacramento by Mogwai on Tidal (a FLAC file) with a wired USB-C connection to my Mac, the twinkling chimes and expansive ambient soundscape is pensive and more detailed than I remember it through lesser headphones. The driving beat underpins everything and as sonic articles jangle and dart between each ear, a rare talent for clarity through the mids is revealed.
Paolo Nutini's Loving You is a delight, with Nutini's textured voice held centrally among agile guitars and easy drums.
Switching to an Apple Music file on iPhone, Jamie T's Sticks 'n' Stones is energetic and immersive to the point that I feel Jamie and friends all congregating around me at Hampton Wick Station. It's here I notice the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2's tendency to over-celebrate the treble though – and as a result, the mix can sound a touch disorganized and jumbled on occasion; the placement of each musical strand seems as if it relies on the frequency being played. Here, female backing vocal "ah"s come forward a little too readily when T's lyrics should be the star of the show, for example.
It's a relatively minor issue and one only noticeable in direct comparison against the likes of the Focal Bathys and Edifier Stax Spirit S3, but it's our job to notice. Otherwise, we're treated to a detailed mix with plenty of dynamic rise and fall through the mids and a decent serving of snappy bass weight.
Deploying the Treble Cut EQ option is the panacea for the upper registers, but it really is worth switching out these profiles depending on your music. If you're someone who believes headphones should just sound good without having to lift a finger, you may not like this solution – and it's a fair point.
Sound quality score: 4/5
The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2's cups glide silently to lie flat – but headband adjustments are a bit clicky. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Design
USB port on the right earcup, 3.5mm jack on the left
Design lies flat, but doesn't fold
Longer hair can get caught in the hinge points when fitting them
Do you miss foldable headphones – the kind that concertina up for easier portability? Well, you won't get them here. The large Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2's earpieces here lie flat in the same way that the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, Focal Bathys or newer Fairphone FairBuds XL do, and the hard-shell case is a little more svelte than the Focal's, but it'll still take up a bit of room in your bag – unless you want to use the strap to latch it to a carabiner on the outside of your backpack, perhaps.
The build here is classy and the hinges rotate silently and at a glacial pace (be careful; the anchor point is towards the back of the headband and I caught my hair a few times) which is why it's a little strange that the headband itself is a little noisy if you need to alter the sizing.
The padding on both the earcups and headband is ample and personally, I love that the physical buttons are all one earcup, since I'm right-handed, although those with larger fingers (or lefties) may find this a little fiddly.
What is a little strange is the location of the cable ports, with one on each earpiece – but this is a relatively small issue.
There's hardly any sound bleed; people on desks next to me couldn't hear my tracks at 50% volume in the office unless I lifted an earcup away from my head. On this, the clamping force is relatively strong; if you're running for a train you'll be glad of it, if you're relaxing in a comfy chair, perhaps not so much. There's no IP rating for water resistance here, so try not to wear them to the shower.
In summary, the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 are a handsome, sleek – if marginally heavy, at 340g – set of over-ears. They're not winning any design awards for originality, but the branding on each earcup is classy and if you prefer physical controls and sliders over touch capacitive functions (I do) you'll enjoy them.
Design score: 4.5/5
In case you're wondering whether the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2's headband is nicely padded, yes it is. (Image credit: Future)
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Value
Spatial audio is a high-end option
USB-C audio connection adds flexibility
The merely acceptable ANC may not be what you want
First off, these headphones are not particularly expensive given their features and the price of competitors. That said, if you want the best ANC over-ears money can buy, spend it elsewhere, on the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless or the Sony WH-1000XM5. There is active noise cancellation here, and the presets are fine, but it isn't a class-leading experience.
Buying headphones almost always involves a compromise somewhere (omission of a particular hi-res codec, poor call quality but great sound, lack of water resistance), but for the wealth of connectivity supported both with wires and without, the spatial audio profiles and the outstanding EQ tweaks, Shure's Aonic 50 Gen 2 are almost impossible to equal.
The battery level is more than sufficient at 45 hours, the build is classy, the companion app is excellent and the multipoint pairing experience has never let me down.
The flies in the ointment? Occasionally the treble is a little forward in the mix and the ANC is a shade off excellent. Depending on your priorities, this either doesn't matter or is a deal-breaker. It's up to you.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2?
Buy them if...
Don't buy them if...
Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review: Also consider
How I tested the Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2
Wear headphones while the sun shines. (Image credit: Future)
Bulk of testing done using an iPhone 12, running ShurePlus PLAY app, firmware version 2.3.1.0
Tested over two weeks, listened against the Edifier Stax Spirit S3, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and Focal Bathys
Used on long walks on public streets, at work in a busy office, on a train, and at home
Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music, Qobuz and Spotify on an iPhone 12, a Sony Xperia 1 V, and via USB-C connection on MacBook Pro
To test headphones is to invite them into your life – how the case fits in your bag is just as important as how they slip onto your head. These cans became my daily musical companion – after a thorough run-in period. And just as Shure is a trusted name in audio, I now trust these headphones to work every day, regardless of how you're connecting to your music source, without fail.
The Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 accompanied me to work on busy weekdays (walking brusquely to the station; boarding a train and the London Underground; at the office) and walking along the blustery seafront on the UK coastline – a great way to test any wind-interference from mics during calls.
To check the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to various playlists across various music genres (spanning everything from grime to classical) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify – plus of course YouTube tutorials (on how to change my car's brake light, mostly) from my MacBook Pro.
I’ve been testing audio products for over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality and the user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but portability, security and comfort come a close second.
Wireless earbuds are incredibly popular, but plenty of people still rate the listening experience of wired headphones, like the 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds. That’s why those looking for the best sonic sound tend to choose wired options.
They are a premium version of the brand’s Triple Drivers. They’re wired earbuds that fit into your ears, but they have an unusual over-ear design. It takes some getting used to, but the payoff is worth it. Thanks to the design and a range of eartips, these buds are comfortable, stay secure and offer great noise isolation.
They sound impressive, too. Each earbud is packed with five drivers – this isn’t unheard of, but rivals like the Sennheiser IE 300 only have one – and the audio quality is balanced, powerful and impressive at this price.
As well as a range of foam and rubber eartips to choose from, you get a USB-C adapter (sorry iPhone users, you’ll need to buy a lightning adapter yourself), as well as a carry case – although I didn’t use it much during testing because it didn’t seem convenient.
The cable that the buds are attached to can be replaced, which is good news if it breaks or you simply prefer switching it out for something else. There’s also an in-line remote for the basics, which has a built-in mic.
The 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds aren’t going to appeal to anyone who’s tempted by true wireless. You also won’t find a dedicated app or fancy features here. But if you want a dependable, comfortable and unique-looking pair of buds that sound far better than they should for this price, they’re well worth considering.
If you want the best wired headphones in an earbud design, there are only a handful of great-sounding choices. The Sennheiser IE 300 buds are our top picks, and we’ve long sung the praises of the budget 1More Triple Driver earphones so the Penta Driver P50 earbuds are a great new entry to the lineup.
1More Penta Driver P50 review: price and release date
(Image credit: 1More )
Released in August 2023
Available for $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$326.75
The 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds were released in late summer 2023 and cost $169.99/£169.99, which works out at around AU$326.75. At this price, these buds are far from budget. But for the quality of the sound and the design, we think they’re good value.
Compared to 1More’s other great wired earbuds, the 1More Triple Driver earbuds at $89.99/£89.99, they’re significantly more expensive. But they’re meant to be a premium offering, so the step up in price makes sense.
Instead, it might be more accurate to compare the 1More Penta Driver P50 buds to rivals like the Sennheiser IE 300, which cost $299 / £259 / AU$479. These are cabled in-ear monitors (IEMs) that offer a solid entry into the hi-fi world at a reasonable price for the category.
The 1More Penta Driver P50 might not sound quite as refined as Sennheiser’s offering, but if $299 / £259 / AU$479 sounds way out of your budget and yet you still want power and hi-res performance, they’re a more affordable choice.
Then again, the Sennheiser IE 300 only have one driver and the 1More Penta Driver P50 boast five. Although more drivers doesn’t necessarily mean better sound (it’s a little more complex than that), compared to rivals with the same amount, like the Westone Audio Pro X50 IEM Earphones ($649.99/about £524), they’re much more affordable.
1More Penta Driver P50 review: specs
1More Penta Driver P50 review: features
1.25m cable
MMCX connectors
Comes with a USB-C adapter
(Image credit: Future)
Because the 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds are wired and have a fairly simple offering, you won’t find the high-end or fancy features here you might expect from a pair of the best true wireless earbuds, like an app or customizable settings. But what you do get in the box with the buds is pretty impressive.
A 1.25m cable attaches the buds to your audio source device. 1More says that this is made from silver-plated and oxygen-free copper with durable rubber on the exterior. Despite the materials here being premium, I thought it felt a little cheap. I’d have preferred a fabric or braided option. Then again, there are gold-plated MMCX connectors here that enable you to switch it out if it breaks or you’d just prefer to replace it with another.
Attached to the cable there’s an in-line remote with three buttons. So you can play/pause, skip tracks and change volume with it. That’s also where a built-in mic lives, which we found works well on calls. At the end of the cable there’s a gold-plated 3.5mm headphone connector, but there’s a USB-C adapter included – sorry iPhone owners, you’ll need to get a lightning cable adapter.
The headphones also come with a small, fabric carrying pouch but I didn’t find it very useful and wasn’t keen on the shiny material either.
Features score: 4/5
1More Penta Driver P50 review: sound quality
(Image credit: 1More)
1 dynamic driver and 4 planar units
Solid bass and lots of clarity
Certified for High-res
It’s no wonder the 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds deliver excellent sound because specs-wise they’re impressive. In each bud there’s a a diamond-like carbon (DLC) dynamic driver and four balanced armature drivers (planar diaphragm units). The buds cater to the 20Hz to 40kHz frequency range. They’re also certified for High-res, which means with the right track they perform incredibly well. I could hear every shred of detail during testing with Tidal Masters.
Overall, I’d describe the sound on offer here as impressively detailed. There’s an expansive soundstage, too, which feels quite immersive, as if it’s coming at my ears from all directions. This was probably helped by the secure fit, which meant there was solid noise isolation. I noticed a good balance across the range and was most impressed that the same clarity continued across the highs – tracks never sounded too tinny or sharp.
I wasn’t expecting to be so pleased by the bass, these are small in-ears after all. I listened to several of my favorite thumping tracks, like Black Orchid by The White Stripes, and the bass was noticeable to the point of sounding boosted. Purists might not like that, but for me it made an enjoyable listen.
The 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds have a unique design. It’s a little like the earhook-style of buds like the Beats Powerbeats Pro, but there’s no moulded hook. Instead, you put the buds into your ears, then the cable goes over and behind your ear. This tucks the wire out of the way and means there’s better weight distribution and less likelihood they’ll come loose or fall out.
However, as much as I got on with this design, it did take some getting used to. For the first few days of testing I had to fiddle with them when I wanted to use them, but I’m glad I persevered.
There’s a great selection of ear tips on offer. Some are made from a soft rubber, others from a soft silicone. I chose the smaller foam options and found they fit my ears perfectly, providing that all-important noise isolation.
The buds are made from aluminium and have a shiny, glittering exterior and a little 1More logo on them. These small touches and the unusual design contribute to these being a stylish-looking pair of buds. Although they’re not the smallest earbuds, at 21g they’re surprisingly dinky, especially when you learn they’re packed with five drivers.
Design score: 4/5
1More Penta Driver P50 review: value
(Image credit: Future)
Solid built that will last
Secure and comfortable fit
Sound better than they should at this price
With great sound, a solid build, secure design and powerful performance, the 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds are good value. I particularly like the fact the cable is replaceable, meaning there’s likely going to be a longer lifespan here compared to rivals.
If you want high quality audio and don’t want to worry about battery life, or just prefer wired headphones for whatever reason, the 1More Penta Driver P50 are a solid option in our books. Especially considering you’d have to pay significantly more for the same sound, comfort and amount of drivers. Yes, there are much cheaper buds on the market, but none that tick all of the boxes like these do.
Value score: 4/5
Should I buy the 1More Penta Driver P50?
(Image credit: Future)
Buy them if…
Don’t buy them if…
1More Penta Driver P50 review: also consider
How I tested the 1More Penta Driver P50
(Image credit: Future)
Used the 1More Penta Driver P50 for two weeks
Tested with an iPhone 14 Pro
Used a mixture of Spotify and Tidal
I used the 1More Penta Driver P50 earbuds for two weeks across a range of scenarios, from working quietly at home to working out at the gym to taking an international flight. This was a good opportunity to put both comfort and stability, as well as noise isolation to the test. I’m happy to say they performed incredibly well on all fronts – much better than I was expecting.
I used an iPhone 14 Pro for testing and often used Spotify given I know it’s such a popular music streaming service. However, I tested with Tidal too in order to ensure these buds performed as well as I was expecting with HiRes FLAC tracks.
Update: February 2024. Although it's no longer Rega's latest progeny – that would be the flagship September 2023-launch Rega Naia –the Planar PL1 is still the newest affordable deck from the revered UK firm. And most importantly, the 2021 proposition is still one of the best turntables on the market – because this is vinyl, not smartphone iterations. That said, for similar money today, you could get a more forward-thinking deck (see Victrola's record turntable with repeat function or the 2023 Victrola Stream Carbon which will work with your Sonos multi-room wireless setup) but for vinyl purists on a budget, the PL1 remains hard to beat. Take note though, its price rarely sees any discounts. If anything, its continued popularity is only sending the price one way, so if you find it retailing for even a fraction cheaper than the launch price, consider yourself extremely lucky… The rest of this review remains as previously published.
Rega Planar PL1: one-minute review
The Rega Planar PL1 is the latest version of an entry-level record player first introduced in 2005 – and this may be the best version yet, which is saying something. For very nearly 50 years now, Rega has been setting turntable standards – and at all price-points.
The Rega Planar PL1 is not a very luxurious item, no – paying out for this doesn't buy you something that looks deluxe. But everything about the Planar PL1 is fit for purpose, and where the real essentials are concerned, it’s worth every penny. The motor, bearings, tonearm and cartridge are all carefully designed and engineered, and the attention to detail here is apparent in the sound quality.
In almost every way, the Rega explains what it is people love about the best turntables as a way to enjoy music and, by extension, why vinyl has dodged the coffin all these years. It presents music as a unified, integrated whole, as a tangible performance rather than as a collection of individual strands or events. It does great work making rhythms and tempos feel natural, it extracts an awful lot of fine detail without getting uptight about it, and it has the sort of dynamic heft that can make your hair stand on end.
Not every turntable brand considers this sort of money to be ‘entry level’, it’s true. But if you want to know why vinyl is still a preoccupation for so many music-lovers, and if you perhaps want to be lured into a lifetime of tonearm adjustment, cartridge upgrades and vinyl subscription services, well… you know what to do.
This 'entry-level' Planar may just be Rega's best version yet (Image credit: Simon Lucas)
Rega Planar PL1 review: price and release date
Released in 2021
$595 / £299 / AU$645
This version of Rega Planar PL1 was released in 2021 (it's taken a few different forms since the P1 launch in 20005). In the United Kingdom it costs £299 or thereabouts. In America it’s a rather more prohibitive $595 or so, while in Australia you’ll need to part with AU$645.
No matter the territory in which you’re shopping, there’s no denying this is quite a lot of money for what the manufacturer blithely calls an ‘entry level’ turntable. But then not every manufacturer has the hard-won reputation of Rega.
Rega Planar PL1 review: Design
Matte white, black and walnut effect finishes
Well made and finished, with pre-fitted cartridge
Belt drive
‘Design’ is to overstate it somewhat, of course. Not much designing has gone on here – only the cheapest or the most expensive turntables try to do something other than follow the template that was set down three-quarters of a century ago. There’s a reason all turntables look like this, after all.
As an object, the Planar PL1 is perfectly fine. It’s properly made and quite nicely finished. But, as always with Rega, the bulk of your money is going on components and top-of-the-line engineering rather than on luxurious materials or other fripperies.
The plinth is now available in three different finishes, and no matter which one you choose, it stands on three quite assertive feet that provide both stability and vibration-rejection. There’s also an ‘on/off/ switch under here.
On top, the latest version of Rega’s well-regarded RB110 tonearm is pre-fitted with an equally capable Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge. The arm features new low-friction bearings, automatic bias adjustment and, just to prove Rega isn’t as hair-shirted as you might imagine, an integrated clip for keeping the arm secure when it’s not in use.
The RB110 tonearm is pre-fitted with an equally capable Rega Carbon moving magnet cartridge. (Image credit: Simon Lucas)
Rega has fitted a synchronous motor with a reworked PCB and an aluminium pulley to drive the platter – technology that has trickled down from the company’s more expensive models. The platter itself is made from phenolic material, and is relatively high-mass, especially at the outside, in an effort to guarantee speed stability and assist the flywheel effect.
You might not expect much from the belt drive, but Rega has had just as much of a think about the rubber belt on this product as for the rest of the Planar PL1. The drive belt is moulded, cryogenically frozen, and then barrelled to ensure its cross-section is perfectly round. This is in an effort to provide accurate stability, too, and it apparently extends the lifespan of the belt by a margin at the same time.
The drive belt is moulded, cryogenically frozen, and then barrelled to ensure its cross-section is perfectly round. (Image credit: Simon Lucas)
Rega Planar PL1 review: Sound quality
Open and convincing soundstage
Good dynamic heft
Impressive detail levels
What sort of records do you own? What sort of music do you like? Whatever it might be, the Rega Planar PL1 likes it too.
Really, it doesn’t matter the vinyl you play, the PL1 relishes it all. In this test we slipped on everything from Simon & Garfunkel’s Bookends to Cosmogramma by Flying Lotus via Arrival by ABBA, all of which was easy to listen to – and that’s meant in the least pejorative, most positive sense.
The vinyl format hasn’t survived this long by accident. There are virtues to the way it presents music that make it the only way to listen, for some people at least, and the Rega Planar PL1 embodies all of them to a lesser or greater extent.
The soundstage it describes, for example, is open, well-defined and easy to understand. It locks individual elements of a recording securely, and it allows each contributor to a recording all the breathing space they need in order to express themselves. Yet it manages to do this without letting anything sound remote, or estranged, or in any way dislocated. Recordings are delivered with a unity and a coherence that makes the word ‘performance’ entirely appropriate.
It’s equally confident where tonality is concerned. Bass sounds are robust, properly textured and loaded with detail. Yes, some other turntables (inevitably more expensive than this) can give the low end a little more speed and momentum, but the PL1 is no slouch in this regard. At the opposite end of the frequency range, treble sounds are similarly detailed and so similarly articulate. Again, there could conceivably be even more sparkle to the sound, but don’t imagine the Rega is in any way dull or blunt. And in the midrange, which is where the action is for singers and so on, the PL1 is just as eloquent, just as information-rich and just as direct as it is elsewhere.
Integration through the frequency range is smooth and convincing, and the Rega has the sort of low-end positivity that allows rhythms good expression. It’s helped by the dynamic headroom that’s on offer here – the distance from the quietest moments of a recording to the most raucous is considerable – as well as the harmonic variations the turntable can identify and describe.
If we’re being picky (and we usually are), the PL1 is a little too ready to indulge lush or luxuriant recordings. The Simon & Garfunkel album, for example, can sound a little less perky than is ideal – the Rega seems seduced by the warmth of its sound. But let’s not get carried away, this is a minor shortcoming, one we mention really for no other reason than it doesn’t suit us to be utterly uncritical.
The JBL Reflect Aero may look like most sports headphones on the shelves with their circular frame fringed with wing tips to help keep them in place when you’re exercising. However, there’s more to these headphones than meets the eye.
The one obvious thing that sets them apart from other workout headphones is their waterproofing. With an IP rating of IP68, these wireless earbuds aren’t just water-resistant. You can dive down 1.5 meters in salt or fresh water with them on for 30 minutes, and they’ll keep on blasting those tunes (although you do have to account for the fact that Bluetooth signals don’t travel well in water).
But wait, there’s more. JBL doesn’t stop there. It also packs the headphones with other premium features like active noise cancellation, touch controls, in-ear detection, and up to 8 hours of battery life (24 hours total with the charging case). That’s already a lot for that sub-$150 / £150 price without factoring in their great sound quality and the fact that you can actually customize their touch gestures to offer volume control.
Even though they're only a year old, the JBL Reflect Aero are still one of the best waterproof headphones sets you can get on the market right now.
JBL Reflect Aero: Price and availability
How much does it cost? $149 / £119
Where is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and the UK
JBL Reflect Aero: SPECS
Interface: Bluetooth 5.2 Battery life: 8 hours per earbuds, 24 hours total with case Noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation Water resistance: IP68 Weight: 0.5 oz (13g) per earbud
The JBL Reflect Aero are surprisingly affordable for what they offer. These true wireless earbuds will set you back just $149 / £119.
Granted, that price tag isn’t in the budget range, but it still puts these earphones in the mid-range market, making them more affordable than the Sony WF-1000XM4, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and even the Beats Fit Pro. To be fair, those three models deliver superior sound and better ANC. But, none of them are submersible and have an app with a 10-band EQ so you can really customize the sound.
All things considered, the JBL Reflect Aero are definitely the best value out of all those headphones. They’re a terrific proposition not just for swimmers and active users, but also budget-minded consumers seeking some premium features.
Value: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
JBL Reflect Aero: Design
Ear tips not the best for smaller ears
Touch controls are amazing
JBL Headphones app expands functionality
Design-wise, the JBL Reflect Aero aren’t that different from other sports earphones. In fact, they look very similar to the Beoplay E8 Sport earphones from Bang & Olufsen, except those are a little clunkier and definitely not suited for smaller ears, and the JBL Reflect Aero have that nice honeycomb pattern on the side that faces your ears.
So, we won’t get into the nitty-gritty of the design and focus instead on the details that set them apart. Their charging case, for example, comes with a strap that lets you wear it around your wrist or secure it to your backpack so they don’t pop out when you’re on the move.
Perhaps the best aspect of the JBL Reflect Aero’s design is the touch controls, which we have to commend for being responsive and customizable, with helpful sound prompts. You can even program two of those touch gestures to control the volume – something that the popular AirPods Pro line didn’t offer until the release of the second generation, months after the JBL Reflect Aero hit the streets.
To make these more inclusive of different ear sizes, these earphones come with not just silicone tips in three sizes but also three different-sized wing tip pairs. Unfortunately, those ear tips could stand to be a little smaller. Their smallest size might still be a little too big for users with small ears (or ear canal openings).
The JBL Reflect Aero come with app support, that app being the JBL Headphones (not to be confused with JBL Portable, which is for JBL speakers). You certainly do not have to download the app to use the earphones, but it’s well worth having. Not only does it expand their functionality, but also allows you to personalize their sound using the 10-band EQ, which lets you significantly customize those frequencies.
Design: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
JBL Reflect Aero: Performance
Ambient Aware is good, ANC only ok
Very good sound quality, bass a little weird
Mic has less low-end and no background noise rejection
There’s a lot to unload in terms of the JBL Reflect Aero’s performance as they do most things well. The Ambient Aware feature (JBL’s transparency mode), for example, is great. We’ve found that it lets you hear enough of your surroundings to have a conversation with another person while music is still playing at about 50% volume.
You can also pair two devices at the same time, so you can easily switch between your phone and your laptop, for example, when you’re getting a call on your phone while watching a movie on your laptop. There’s also the very reactive in-ear detection that’s very good at detecting when you’ve taken an earbud off or put it back on. Meanwhile, the mic sounds good for making phone calls – so you can rest assured that the person on the other end is hearing you clearly.
As far as sound quality (with the in-app EQ off), the vocals come through clearly and uncolored (not filtered). The high end in general sounds very clear and detailed, if a little on the bright side.
The rest are just ok, decent at best. The active noise cancellation is nothing to write home about as it doesn’t really block out higher frequency sounds – anything that’s in the mids or highs. The only way it works well is when you’ve got music playing at a louder volume.
While you can connect to two devices at once, you can only listen from one input at a time. Plus, you also have to stop or pause one source, wait a couple of seconds then play the other one, which can be inconvenient when you’re in a rush. The mic is also limited in its frequency range so there’s less low-end, and it doesn’t have background noise rejection.
As far as the sound goes, the mids sound a little recessed. In Gemma Hayes’ “Hanging Around,” the guitars sound polite when they should be more in your face as it is a rock song. They just don't hit as hard as they should. The low end is a little weird. In Taylor Swift’s “Maroon” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” the low end comes out thick and powerful. Yet in Japanese Breakfast’s “Paprika,” the bass sounds anemic.
Our guess is that the bass frequencies are inconsistent as if there’s a valley in the frequency curve somewhere in the low end. And, because the bass in “Maroon” and “Happier Than Ever” is distorted and getting into the mid-range a little, it’s not being affected by that dip. On the other hand, because the low end in “Paprika” is pure bass, it’s losing a chunk of it due to that dip.
Be warned: if those silicone ear tips do not fit properly in your ears, these headphones will sound terrible. The overall sound isn’t going to sound full and rich, with the mid-range sounding recessed, the bass being very restrained, and the high end not delivering the same level of detail. Be sure that those ear tips completely plug your ears before playing music or watching videos.
We’re pointing out those shortcomings to make it clear that the JBL Reflect Aero don’t sit at that premium, audiophile level, which means they’re not going to have the most superior sound or the most high-end features. However, that only really matters to folks who are much more discerning or used to pricey headphones.
As they stand, the JBL Reflect Aero are great sounding, feature-rich earbuds that, despite a few quirks, make good workout companions – especially if water is involved. With their IP68 rating, these can be fully submerged for up to 30 minutes without any effect on performance. Having tested this ourselves, we can confirm that only do they survive being submerged in water, but they also continue to play music. And, so long as your phone is nearby, and you’re not doing deep dives, you can swim laps with these on. Let’s see other earbuds do that.
Performance: 4 / 5
Should I buy the JBL Reflect Aero?
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
JBL Reflect Aero: Report card
First reviewed November 2022
How we test
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
The JBL Reflect Aero may look like most sports headphones on the shelves with their circular frame fringed with wing tips to help keep them in place when you’re exercising. However, there’s more to these headphones than meets the eye.
The one obvious thing that sets them apart from other workout headphones is their waterproofing. With an IP rating of IP68, these wireless earbuds aren’t just water-resistant. You can dive down 1.5 meters in salt or fresh water with them on for 30 minutes, and they’ll keep on blasting those tunes (although you do have to account for the fact that Bluetooth signals don’t travel well in water).
But wait, there’s more. JBL doesn’t stop there. It also packs the headphones with other premium features like active noise cancellation, touch controls, in-ear detection, and up to 8 hours of battery life (24 hours total with the charging case). That’s already a lot for that sub-$150 / £150 price without factoring in their great sound quality and the fact that you can actually customize their touch gestures to offer volume control.
Even though they're only a year old, the JBL Reflect Aero are still one of the best waterproof headphones sets you can get on the market right now.
JBL Reflect Aero: Price and availability
How much does it cost? $149 / £119
Where is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and the UK
JBL Reflect Aero: SPECS
Interface: Bluetooth 5.2 Battery life: 8 hours per earbuds, 24 hours total with case Noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation Water resistance: IP68 Weight: 0.5 oz (13g) per earbud
The JBL Reflect Aero are surprisingly affordable for what they offer. These true wireless earbuds will set you back just $149 / £119.
Granted, that price tag isn’t in the budget range, but it still puts these earphones in the mid-range market, making them more affordable than the Sony WF-1000XM4, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and even the Beats Fit Pro. To be fair, those three models deliver superior sound and better ANC. But, none of them are submersible and have an app with a 10-band EQ so you can really customize the sound.
All things considered, the JBL Reflect Aero are definitely the best value out of all those headphones. They’re a terrific proposition not just for swimmers and active users, but also budget-minded consumers seeking some premium features.
Value: 5 / 5
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
JBL Reflect Aero: Design
Ear tips not the best for smaller ears
Touch controls are amazing
JBL Headphones app expands functionality
Design-wise, the JBL Reflect Aero aren’t that different from other sports earphones. In fact, they look very similar to the Beoplay E8 Sport earphones from Bang & Olufsen, except those are a little clunkier and definitely not suited for smaller ears, and the JBL Reflect Aero have that nice honeycomb pattern on the side that faces your ears.
So, we won’t get into the nitty-gritty of the design and focus instead on the details that set them apart. Their charging case, for example, comes with a strap that lets you wear it around your wrist or secure it to your backpack so they don’t pop out when you’re on the move.
Perhaps the best aspect of the JBL Reflect Aero’s design is the touch controls, which we have to commend for being responsive and customizable, with helpful sound prompts. You can even program two of those touch gestures to control the volume – something that the popular AirPods Pro line didn’t offer until the release of the second generation, months after the JBL Reflect Aero hit the streets.
To make these more inclusive of different ear sizes, these earphones come with not just silicone tips in three sizes but also three different-sized wing tip pairs. Unfortunately, those ear tips could stand to be a little smaller. Their smallest size might still be a little too big for users with small ears (or ear canal openings).
The JBL Reflect Aero come with app support, that app being the JBL Headphones (not to be confused with JBL Portable, which is for JBL speakers). You certainly do not have to download the app to use the earphones, but it’s well worth having. Not only does it expand their functionality, but also allows you to personalize their sound using the 10-band EQ, which lets you significantly customize those frequencies.
Design: 4 / 5
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
JBL Reflect Aero: Performance
Ambient Aware is good, ANC only ok
Very good sound quality, bass a little weird
Mic has less low-end and no background noise rejection
There’s a lot to unload in terms of the JBL Reflect Aero’s performance as they do most things well. The Ambient Aware feature (JBL’s transparency mode), for example, is great. We’ve found that it lets you hear enough of your surroundings to have a conversation with another person while music is still playing at about 50% volume.
You can also pair two devices at the same time, so you can easily switch between your phone and your laptop, for example, when you’re getting a call on your phone while watching a movie on your laptop. There’s also the very reactive in-ear detection that’s very good at detecting when you’ve taken an earbud off or put it back on. Meanwhile, the mic sounds good for making phone calls – so you can rest assured that the person on the other end is hearing you clearly.
As far as sound quality (with the in-app EQ off), the vocals come through clearly and uncolored (not filtered). The high end in general sounds very clear and detailed, if a little on the bright side.
The rest are just ok, decent at best. The active noise cancellation is nothing to write home about as it doesn’t really block out higher frequency sounds – anything that’s in the mids or highs. The only way it works well is when you’ve got music playing at a louder volume.
While you can connect to two devices at once, you can only listen from one input at a time. Plus, you also have to stop or pause one source, wait a couple of seconds then play the other one, which can be inconvenient when you’re in a rush. The mic is also limited in its frequency range so there’s less low-end, and it doesn’t have background noise rejection.
As far as the sound goes, the mids sound a little recessed. In Gemma Hayes’ “Hanging Around,” the guitars sound polite when they should be more in your face as it is a rock song. They just don't hit as hard as they should. The low end is a little weird. In Taylor Swift’s “Maroon” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” the low end comes out thick and powerful. Yet in Japanese Breakfast’s “Paprika,” the bass sounds anemic.
Our guess is that the bass frequencies are inconsistent as if there’s a valley in the frequency curve somewhere in the low end. And, because the bass in “Maroon” and “Happier Than Ever” is distorted and getting into the mid-range a little, it’s not being affected by that dip. On the other hand, because the low end in “Paprika” is pure bass, it’s losing a chunk of it due to that dip.
Be warned: if those silicone ear tips do not fit properly in your ears, these headphones will sound terrible. The overall sound isn’t going to sound full and rich, with the mid-range sounding recessed, the bass being very restrained, and the high end not delivering the same level of detail. Be sure that those ear tips completely plug your ears before playing music or watching videos.
We’re pointing out those shortcomings to make it clear that the JBL Reflect Aero don’t sit at that premium, audiophile level, which means they’re not going to have the most superior sound or the most high-end features. However, that only really matters to folks who are much more discerning or used to pricey headphones.
As they stand, the JBL Reflect Aero are great sounding, feature-rich earbuds that, despite a few quirks, make good workout companions – especially if water is involved. With their IP68 rating, these can be fully submerged for up to 30 minutes without any effect on performance. Having tested this ourselves, we can confirm that only do they survive being submerged in water, but they also continue to play music. And, so long as your phone is nearby, and you’re not doing deep dives, you can swim laps with these on. Let’s see other earbuds do that.
Performance: 4 / 5
Should I buy the JBL Reflect Aero?
(Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider
JBL Reflect Aero: Report card
First reviewed November 2022
How we test
We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.
Update: February 2024. The Focal Bathys launched at a price that signalled that they're in a rarified strata of quality among the best headphones, and little has changed since then. They see occasional discounts, but even those still leave them well above even premium headphones from the likes of Bose and Sony. Which means that our feelings on them hasn't really changed either: they're a sumptuous treat for Hi-Res Audio aficionados, a remarkable achievement in wireless headphones sound, and sightly lacking in smarter features and active noise cancellation power. We still thoroughly recommend them for those interested in what they offer, but those looking for something lighter, cheaper, with better ANC (but still with impressive sound quality, even if not this good) should consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. The rest of this review remains as previously published.
Focal Bathys: two-minute review
Let's get it right: sonically, the Focal Bathys are more than worthy of their enviable heritage. And aside from the quality wireless listen, chuck in the USB-C cable in DAC mode and you've got hi-res up to 21bit/192kHz too. Oh, and in case it needs to be stated, they're utterly stunning to look at. So, why the four-and-a-half star review instead of a resounding five? It's not that simple at this price – and the competition is fierce.
The Focal Bathys are not the French audio specialist's first foray into beautiful cans – indeed, the company makes some of the best over-ear headphones we've ever had the pleasure of placing over our ears. But this is Focal's first foray into wireless headphones and (there's no easy way to say this) the Bathys are expensive. We understand the reasons behind the asking fee – those patented aluminium/magnesium "M”-dome speaker drivers are made in France using technologies from the finest Focal headphones don't come cheap; neither does the backlit flame emblem in the center of each beautiful earcup – but they're more expensive than the AirPods Max and the new Bowers & Wilkins PX8, which is significant and comes with it no small amount of pressure to perform.
Put them on and you feel beautiful, buoyed up by their detail, insight and clarity, but deploy ANC (you get 'silent', 'soft' and 'transparent' options) and you might find you want a little more – which you can't tweak.
None of our gripes regarding the Bathys pertain to their sound, irrespective of the noise-cancellation profile you select – and although the cheaper Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (launched in August 2022) boast double the battery life at 60 hours versus 30 hours, the Sony WH-1000XM5 (which launched in May 2022) also come bearing 30 hours of stamina and that is more than sufficient for us.
The Bathy's companion Focal and Naim app (you swipe right for Focal or left for Naim, like some sort of audiophile dating app) is also likeable and has every necessary feature to aid your listening pleasure, including a five-band EQ tab with helpful presets.
Perhaps confusingly, our issues refer to the build – odd since we've just said how beautiful they are, but stay with us. The on-ear physical buttons feel a bit flimsy and prototype-esque, and we do find them hit-and-miss during use. Also, the headband occasionally clicks during wear which impacts the otherwise excellent sound.
Again, for this kind of sonic prowess, we're prepared to forgive most things – for us, sound is paramount. But the big selling point here is wireless listening, so we do need to point out these minor shortfalls in what is still a glorious-sounding set of over-ears.
Whether the backlit flame is illuminated or not, they're good-looking cans (Image credit: Future)
Focal Bathys review: price and release date
Released on October 4, 2022
$799 / £699 / €799 (around AU$1,210)
The Focal Bathys are available now, priced $799 / £699 / €799 (around AU$1,210).
This makes them more expensive than all of the class-leaders in this space, including the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 ($699 / £599 / AU$1,150), Sennheiser's Momentum 4 Wireless (at $349 / £300 / AU$549) and the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5, which will set you back $399 / £380 / AU$550.
And let's not forget that the aformentioned Sennheiser over-ears boast double the stamina of the Focal Bathys (and the XM5, and the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 while we're on the subject) the pricing feels bordering on arrogance…
But it isn't – because whatever else we're about to say, the sound quality here is exceptional and worthy of the price-point.
The on-ear controls are just a little flimsy for us (Image credit: Future)
Focal Bathys review: features
USB-C wired DAC mode for glorious hi-res audio
ANC is standard rather than exceptional
On-ear controls are unreliable during testing
The big draw here is the bundled USB-C to USB-C cable, because it grants you access to decoding in up to 24bit/192kHz, depending on how good your file is. We grab our Samsung Galaxy S21 and plug in, switching the slider on the Bathys' right earcup to 'DAC' and start listening to Fontaines D.C., downloaded in High-Res Lossless on Apple Music. It is sublime – but it's interesting to note that the glorious wired performance is a major selling point given that this is billed as a Focal wireless product.
Perhaps it is best to think of Focal Bathys as premium wired over-ears that merely offer the option of wired listening, because this is Focal's inaugural set of wireless over-ears and it does show. Focal devotees won't care, but if you're used to wireless listening gear from the likes of Sony, there are things you'll miss.
The Focal Bathys' spec sheet is fine, but given the Bluetooth-only competition out there in 2022, excellent it is not. For example, the two ANC profiles and one transparency option cannot be tweaked, there's no scope for optimizing the mics or voice pickup when you're in a call (beyond Focal's implemented Clear Voice Capture tech), and there's also no wearer detection, so your music won't automatically pause when you remove them. These are small omissions, but at this premium level we would expect them – and anyone used to their music pausing when they lift an earcup will soon miss it when it doesn't happen.
There is auto-standby (which sends the cans into low power state after a period of inactivity) and a button to access your voice assistant of choice. Focal's flame symbol, illuminated with a white backlight on each earcup, can also be switched off in the slick yet enjoyable Focal and Naim companion app.
Then, there's the intuitive five-band EQ tab, which includes presets or can be tweaked manually – and which we really enjoy. Perhaps we might have wanted a little more stamina than the 'standard' 30-hour battery life, although this beats both the Bose QuietComfort 45 and Bose Noise Cancelling 700, which offer between 24 and 30 hours. Also, a quick 15 minute charge gets you five hours playback – a claim we can vouch for.
As you might expect, Focal has adopted a traditional approach here to the on-ear controls in that they are all physical buttons, with volume, playback, power and a dedicated button to access to your voice assistant of choice (Alexa, Google Assistant, Bixby and Siri are all supported) on the right ear cup, plus an ANC button on the left ear cup, which scrolls between 'silent' (the highest ANC the Bathys can muster), 'soft' (low-level noise-nixing) and 'transparent' to filter external noise in.
Interestingly, Focal suggests that if you want maximum ANC but aren't listening to music, to "be on the DAC position", but this essentially means switching the Bluetooth off, so your headphones are no longer paired to your phone. This in turn means you lose access to the app and are limited to scrolling these profiles using the button on the Bathys' left earcup, which doesn't announce which profile you're on. For us, while there is certainly a degree of noise cancellation happening when we do this (and we think we're in 'silent' mode) , we still hear car engines outside the office window… it's not the all-encompassing bubble of silence you might be hoping for, but then again, neither is it nauseating (you may laugh, but some solutions are like a vacuum tunnel).
The Bathys' Bluetooth 5.1 codec includes support for both aptX and aptX Adaptive for the best Bluetooth (and lowest latency) wireless resolution currently available – oh, and in case you were wondering, the name Bathys comes from the word ‘bathyscaphe’, the first submarine exploration vehicle. What you won't get is support for Sony's higher-resolution LDAC codec – but that's a relatively minor issue what aptX Adaptive is on the menu.
Features score: 3.5/5
There's a dedicated button for ANC, but it doesn't announce which profile you're on (Image credit: Future)
Focal Bathys review: design
Stunning 'backlit flame' illuminating ear cups
Very comfortable
Buttons feel a little flimsy
When worn (especially with the backlit flame on each ear cup illuminated on 'high') this is a striking set of cans indeed.
Anyone familiar with the Focal Stellia will know that the St. Etienne-based audio specialist's cutaway, almost web-like ear cup accents sparkle and shimmer under the light, but although the build-quality here suggests high-ticket jewellery, the magnesium and aluminium combination feels a tad insubstantial rather than strong (dare we say plasticky?), and that real leather headband, although well-padded, does click a bit during use, which in time impacts the overall enjoyment.
Bathys' foldable design means the ear cups lie flat to fit neatly into the included carry case, but note that the Bathys echo the current move towards cans with cups that do not fold up entirely into the headband, including the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 (over the older, foldable Sony WH-1000XM4, say).
Within their hard-shell, fabric covered carry case, we also find a USB-C to USB-C cable for both charging and for the USB-C DAC mode (which incidentally nets you an extra 10 hours of battery for up to 40 hours of listening), a 3.5mm to 3.5mm headphone jack cable (which gives you 35 hours of playtime – yes the mode must be in 'on' to use this, so you're not listening passively) and a USB-C to Lightning dongle.
The comfort levels are really very good, but during use we find the on-ear buttons just a little flimsy and unreliable. The skip-forward option (which should be as simple as a double-press of the central button between the volume up/down options) to move to the next rack proves particularly illusive for us – the Bathys either ignore us, or pause the music and resume it, which is a shame.
Design score: 4/5
The Focal/Naim app is slick and likeable, but there are a few omissions in the features set (Image credit: Future)
Focal Bathys review: sound quality
Stunning musical clarity, depth and space
USB-C DAC mode is a joy
Agile presentation across the frequencies
We stream Fontaines D.C.'s Big Shot in High-Res Lossless downloaded on Apple Music, and the rock guitar reverb in our left ear coupled with the rhythm in our right is energetic, agile and exciting. This is an angry track and no mistake, and the Bathys aren't afraid to get with the program. Grian Chatten's vocal is borderline mocking and brimming with emotion as it arrives in the middle of this wide and talented soundstage.
The rhythmic joy in Hootie & the Blowfish's Only Wanna Be With You is something else entirely in terms of tone – and it is celebrated just as effortlessly. The texture in the raucous intro is expertly layered, from the bass to the percussives, guitars, backing vocal and Darius Carlos Rucker's relaxed vocal stylings.
Stormzy's Vossi Bop is a stiff challenge for the bass weight of any headphones, and the Bathys pass it with flying colors. Cymbals come through each ear as the intro sinks easily down to the grimy depths, but the Bathys deliver the low end with agility and panache. Anything we throw at these can is beautifully held in check throughout, across the frequencies.
Our playlist continues to Big For Your Boots and the sense of the track quickly arriving and abruptly washing over you is beautifully handled. In what is nothing short of a war cry, Stormzy's vocal is every bit as three dimensional as it should be.
Compare them to the new class-leader at the level, the Bowers & Wilkins PX8, and we hear a marginal difference in terms of the exuberance and fun of the PX8 versus the detail, expanse and refinement of the Focal Bathys. Which you think best will largely come down to whether you prefer an integrated, detailed, expansive, refined listen (Bathys), or something boasting agility and an extra ounce of dynamic build and oomph over a fractional modicum of expanse (PX8) but again, it's a very closely run race here – both cans are a stone cold five stars for sound.
Sound quality score: 5/5
Just look at those illuminating ear cups with the Focal flame, though… (Image credit: Future)
Focal Bathys review: value
High-end sound for high-end money
ANC can be bettered at the level though
Good rather than excellent battery life
This is far from budget-friendly territory (remember, the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 are arguably their nearest competition, but even these premium cans are cheaper by $100/£100 – and the minor issues we had with the build quality coupled with the few omissions on the Bathys' spec-sheet do affect the value given their high-end pricing.
The lack of auto-off wearer detection, the fact that the three ANC profiles are limited to Silent, Soft and Transparent – and you cannot forego them completely since it's impossible to have the ANC 'off' entirely – and the buttons which have us dig out our phone rather than use them also impact the judgement.
The ace up the Focal Bathys' sleeve is that they are essentially powered, wired over-ears which just happen to offer wireless Bluetooth listening, and the sound when listened in either way is excellent. And it's hard to put a price on that – so if sound quality is paramount to you, the Focal Bathys should still be on your list.
Value score: 4/5
Should you buy the Focal Bathys?
Buy them if…
Don't buy them if…
Also consider…
If our Focal Bathys review has you considering whether to buy them or to seek out other wireless over-ear headphones, take a glance at these three competing cans at the level.
Update: February 2024. The 1More Sonoflow retains a place in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones even following the arrival of the affordable Sony WH-CH720N, thanks to being regularly available for an even lower price. We still rate how good they are all-round, and especially the nice long 50 hours of battery life with ANC. 1More has since released the Sonoflow SE, which we haven't had a chance to test yet, but offers you an even cheaper option. The rest of this review remains as previously published.
1MORE Sonoflow: two-minute review
The 1MORE Sonoflow are the first over-ear headphones that feature noise-cancellation from this likeable, affordable audio tech brand, and they are emphatic proof that you can get a great pair of wireless headphones capable of ticking most of the boxes for under $100/£100.
Again though, the 1MORE Sonoflow are the brand’s first pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones. They adopt a no-frills approach – the design of the headphones and their accompanying app is very simple. However, all of the essentials are here. They sound great, noise-cancellation is good, there’s a fantastic 70 hours of battery life (that’s 50 hours with ANC on), and we found them to be remarkably comfortable to wear all day.
Although there are no ground-breaking new features, the 1MORE Sonoflow are solid all-rounders at a price we feel makes them better value than several of the best noise-cancelling headphones and best over-ear headphones you can buy today. With this in mind, they’re bound to have wide appeal for those looking for a great-sounding pair of over-ears. Read on for our full 1MORE Sonoflow review.
The red ear cup lining makes a rather bland design pop. (Image credit: Future)
1MORE Sonoflow review: price and release date
Released in September, 2022
$99 / £89 (approx. AUD$156)
One of the big draws of 1MORE products is that they’re inexpensive, and at $99 / £89 (approx. AUD$156) the 1MORE Sonoflow over-ear headphones continue the tradition. At this price we wouldn’t call them cheap over-ear headphones, like the Sony WH-CH510, which cost $59 / £50 / AU$89, but they’re within what we’d consider the best budget headphones bracket and have a similar price tag to some of our good value favorites.
Take a look at our JBL Tune 750BTNC review, cans which cost $130 / £120 / AU$200 at launch and have a similar comfortable design and strong ANC. However, the 1MORE Sonoflow definitely beat the JBL product in terms of battery life, offering 70 hours with ANC off compared to only 22 hours. They’re also similar to the Urbanista Miami, which cost $149 / £129 / AU$269, but with the Sonoflow you’ll get better ANC and audio.
They’re obviously significantly cheaper than the best headphones you can buy today, like the Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones, which cost more than three times as much, at $350 / £349 / AU$549. These perform better than the 1MORE Sonoflow in most respects, which you’d expect. But then again this all comes down to personal preference. If you don’t have the budget for high-end headphones and don’t need audiophile-grade sound, the 1MORE Sonoflow headphones do represent better value.
The 1MORE Sonoflow come in a hard shell case, ideal if you need to transport them on the move. (Image credit: Future)
1MORE Sonoflow review: features
App a bit sparse compared to rivals
Touch controls could be more intuitive
Incredible battery life
Pairing the 1MORE Sonoflow with an iPhone is incredibly easy, as was getting the app working within seconds. We also tested them with an Oculus Quest 2 VR headset and the Bluetooth connection was stellar throughout.
The accompanying 1MORE Sonoflow app isn’t bad, but it’s bland in terms of design and sparse when it comes to features, especially compared to rivals with incredibly customizable and slick apps such as the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless – although of course, these are more expensive.
However, the basics are here. You can switch ANC on and off or select transparent mode, which works well for having conversations without taking the headphones off. There’s also an Equalizer, although you can’t fully adjust or tune the headphones with a five-band EQ tab. Instead, there are 12 custom presets to choose from, including ‘Bass Booster’ and ‘Classical’. These might provide enough customization for most listeners, but will be disappointing for those who want more control.
In the app you’ll also find a ‘Soothing Sounds’ section, but these are played on short 10 second loops, which means it’s really jarring when they end and begin again – hardly soothing. There’s also an option called ‘Experimental Features’ where you’ll find multipoint pairing, which works well (but is hardly 'experimental' in 2022, no?) and other than a few supplementary expected features, such as a firmware upgrade option and an FAQ section, that’s about it from the app.
There are button controls on the earcups, including three buttons in total on the front and rear of the right earcup. Each button does a few different things, which is confusing to remember at first. Luckily, it didn’t take long for us to learn them but the experience wasn’t as intuitive as it is with other headphones. There’s also no option to customize the functions. Then again, if you like physical buttons over capacitive on-ear touch controls, these might be more appealing.
An annoying feature that we really noticed, having tested so many pairs of headphones, is that there are no sensors onboard to detect when you take them off, to pause the music accordingly. This won’t be an issue for some people, but we’ve become used to taking out an earbud or slipping off an earcup and having the music pause, and that doesn’t happen here.
One of the main selling points of these over-ears is their impressive battery life. They boast a huge 70 hours with ANC off and a still amazing 50 hours with ANC on. We found these estimates from 1MORE to be spot on during our testing. When you do need to charge them up, you’ll find a USB-C charging cable in your carry case. We loved that a five minute charge could deliver more than 4.5 hours of extra listening and 1.5 hours of charging gets them completely full.
In terms of rivals, this makes them one of the best pairs of noise-cancelling headphones for battery life we’ve ever tested. One of our current favorite pair of over-ears, the Sony WH-1000XM4 have 30 hours of battery life with ANC on. They’re only beaten by the newer and excellent Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones, which boast 60 hours of battery life, and that’s with ANC on.
Features score: 3.5/5
The earcups can be adjusted and move on hinges, which is good for those with thick hair and means your head doesn’t feel too squeezed. (Image credit: Future)
1MORE Sonoflow review: design
They look more premium than they should
Incredibly comfortable
Some might find the design boring
The 1MORE Sonoflow over-ear headphones come in a compact and premium-looking zip case with a hard shell to protect them on the move. Handily, the spots where the earcups fit are labelled, which makes folding them up in a hurry much easier.
The headphones have a simple design, quality hinges and there’s a matte-like finish to the plastic casing. The cups are made from a super soft memory foam and we love that there’s a bright red fabric lining on the inside.
The headphones are incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time. This is thanks to those soft earpads, the adjustable cups, the lightweight design (they’re only 250g) and a cushioned headband. Refreshingly, we find we can truly keep these cans on all day long, and that is rare.
Granted, some people might find this design a bit boring – they don’t stand out as much as higher-end over-ears, like the Bose Headphones 700 or the Apple AirPods Max– but we think the minimal aesthetic makes them look more luxe than they should at this price.
Assuming you like how they look, the only major downside here is that there’s no water resistance rating, so we’d be very wary about recommending them for fitness or outside if it looks like rain. No, this isn’t unusual for a pair of affordable noise-cancelling over-ears, but an IP rating is still a feature we’d have liked to see.
Design score: 4/5
Some might call the design boring, but we love the minimal styling from 1MORE here. (Image credit: Future)
1MORE Sonoflow review: sound quality
ANC is good
Sound is great (especially for the price)
The EQ presets are fun to use
The noise cancellation on offer from the 1MORE Sonoflow headphones is really impressive for the price. That’s the key here. These aren’t the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy, but for under £100/$100 you’re getting a great experience and we think most people would be impressed by how well they perform.
During our testing we found that most ambient sounds and lots of standard low frequency noises are drowned out completely. Some high-pitched noises will still get through and we found the steady rumble of a fan in our office remained, as did a loud conversation on the bus that was close by. But there was a huge difference in how bothersome these noises were when ANC was on compared to when it was off. So even though they might not be the best at noise-cancelling, they should suit most office environments and commutes, cutting back most of the lows and mids you’ll hear throughout the day.
The same can be said for the sound quality. No, the 1MORE Sonoflow won’t compete with headphones three or four times the price, but that’s not what most people need. During our testing, we were impressed with the powerful bass and detailed, crisp highs on offer here – thanks to the Sonoflow’s dual 40mm drivers.
What’s more, the (albeit limited) EQ presets did affect music from genre to genre. For example, turning on ‘Bass booster’ during an Âme techno track was seriously impressive, providing thumping bass. Overall the bass was great with the headphones and, crucially, didn’t distort even at high volumes.
Selecting ‘Classical’ while listening to Hildur Guðnadóttir’s beautiful strings added a rich and expansive quality to the sound. In fact, classical music sounded excellent with a strong and clear sense of definition. These presets might seem basic to some people, but others will really enjoy playing around with them.
There’s support for Sony’s LDAC hi-res audio format. But you need a device that supports it as well as audio that offers a hi-res bit rate. There are also SBC and AAC codecs – good news for iOS users –which, again, is a decent range for the price. But there’s no aptX Adaptive, which some people – especially Android users – might consider a dealbreaker.
Sound quality score: 4/5
Thanks to the memory foam cups and padded headband, we wore these headphones happily for more than 6 hours straight during testing – we can’t say that often. (Image credit: Future)
1MORE Sonoflow review: value
Look and feel more premium than they are
Battery life is phenomenal at this price
Better sound is available, but for much more money
Like all 1MORE products we’ve tested, the Sonoflow over-ear headphones are excellent value for money. In many respects they feel more high-end than they should. We think this is thanks to their matte finish, sturdy case and minimal design, which doesn’t give away its budget price.
You will find a more premium experience from an app elsewhere, and although we highly rate the ANC and sound on offer here, other headphones do it better, but, crucially, not for this price.
The battery life is obviously excellent and the comfort levels are high, so these headphones will be ideal for most people who want good sound but need to know they’re dependable enough for all day wear, and these certainly are.
Value score: 5/5
Should you buy the 1MORE Sonoflow?
Buy them if…
Don't buy them if…
Also consider…
If our 1MORE Sonoflow review has you wondering whether to add them to your online shopping cart or to check out other wireless over-ear headphones, take a glance at these three competing cans at the level.
