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

5:00 pm | April 13, 2024

Jabra Elite 10: Two-minute review

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

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

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

Jabra Elite 10 review: Price and release date

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

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

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

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

Jabra Elite 10 review: Specs

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

Jabra Elite 10 review: Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features score: 4 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Sound quality

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

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

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

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

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

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Design

Proprietary ‘ComfortFit’ technology
Ergonomic, uniquely designed earpieces

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

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

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

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

Design score: 5 / 5

Jabra Elite 10 review: Value

Cheaper than premium rivals
ANC and sound quality can be beaten

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

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

Value score: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Jabra Elite 10?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if...

Jabra Elite 10 review: Also consider

How I tested the Jabra Elite 10

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

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

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

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

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

First reviewed in March 2024
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I listened to Sony’s new bassy Ult Wear headphones and was blown away by their unique sound

7:00 pm | April 11, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sony's Ult Wear headphones: Key specs

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

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

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

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

Unleashing Ult Power Sound

The Sony ULT Wear — (Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

12:00 pm | April 9, 2024

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

Earfun Wave Pro: Two-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earfun Wave Pro review: Price and release date

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earfun Wave Pro review: Specs

Earfun Wave Pro review: Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Design score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Sound quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound quality: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: value

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

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

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

Value: 5/5

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Pro?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Earfun Wave Pro review: Also consider

How I tested the Earfun Wave Pro

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

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

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

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

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

First reviewed in April 2024

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JLab Epic Lab Edition review:

12:00 pm | March 23, 2024

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

JLab Epic Lab Edition: Three-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Price and release date

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

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

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

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

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

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Specs

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Features

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features score: 4 / 5

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Design score: 3.5 / 5

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Sound quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound quality: 2 / 5

Should I buy the JLab Epic Lab Edition?

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

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

JLab Epic Lab Edition review: Also consider

How I tested the JLab Epic Lab Edition

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

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

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

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

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

First reviewed in March 2024

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

2:30 pm | March 10, 2024

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

Grado Hemp: Two-minute review

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

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

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

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

Grado Hemp review: Price & release date

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

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

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

Grado Hemp review: Specs

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

Grado Hemp review: Features

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

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

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

Features score: 5/5

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

Grado Hemp review: Sound quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound quality score: 5/5

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

Grado Hemp review: Design

Hemp/maple driver housing
Leather headband
Foam ear pads

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

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

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

Design score: 4/5

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

Grado Hemp review: Value

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

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

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Grado Hemp?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

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

Grado Hemp review: Also consider

How I tested the Grado Hemp

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

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

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

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

First reviewed: March 2024
Read more about how we test

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

2:01 am | March 1, 2024

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Two minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Price & release date

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

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

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Specs

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Features

Extensive Bluetooth support
Solid battery life
Functional Smart Control app

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Features score: 4.5 / 5

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Sound quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Design

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Design score: 4 / 5

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

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Value

Feature-packed for the money
Premium feel
Extremely competitive area

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

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

Value score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: also consider

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

How I tested

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

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

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

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Two-minute review

The Soundpeats Air4 Pro are the definition of fine without ever quite being remarkable. Granted, they’re good value for what they offer but they’re not up there with the very best noise cancelling earbuds and there’s nothing about them that make you rush to tell your mates about something cool it does.

Despite that though, the Soundpeats Air4 Pro mostly sound pretty good. Bass is meaty and while there’s no nice technical detail in the mids or trebles, these are the kind of earbuds that are fine for putting in your ears before a walk, run, or workout session. For most people, that will be just fine.

Notice the word fine featuring a lot? It’s the best word for the Soundpeats Air4 Pro. It does have key essentials like wear detection, which works flawlessly, and there’s a control app. The app isn’t the best or easiest to use but it does offer some core functionality like being able to switch between ANC and Transparency mode.

The latter isn’t great but full ANC does a good job of blocking out irritants although occasionally lets some errant sounds in. Still, not bad at all for the price and Multipoint functionality will please many.

Via the charging case, you get up to 26 hours of battery life, which is pretty good going. The 6.5 hours of charge at a time works out as more than good enough for most situations and the USB-C connection recharges quickly.

At $90 / £80, the Soundpeats Air4 Pro are worth considering. They’re not as exciting as the best noise cancelling earbuds but they’re dependable at this price and I can only see them getting cheaper over time.

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Price and release date

The Soundpeats Air4 Pro held in a hand — (Image credit: Future)

Released in September 2023
Officially priced at $90 / £80 / AU$94

The Soundpeats Air4 Pro was released in September 2023 for $90 in the US, £80 in the UK and AU$94 in Australia. The earphones are available in the US and UK directly from Soundpeats as well as through third-party retailers like Amazon for those in Australia.

The earbuds are available in white and black, which are functional colors but not exactly exciting. The best budget wireless earbuds world is a packed field, with the Sony WF-C700N being a little more expensive than the Air4 Pro but not prohibitively so. Instead, the EarFun Air Pro 3 are more closely matched in more than just name.

In terms of other close competitors at the Soundpeats Air4 Pro's price range, there’s always the earlier SoundPeats Air 3 Deluxe, which should see some discounts now it’s been overtaken.

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Specs

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Features

Up to 26 hours of battery life with ANC disabled
Companion app
aptX lossless sound

The Soundpeats Air4 Pro has most of the core essentials you could want from a pair of earbuds. There’s Multipoint connectivity for when you want to connect two devices and switch between them like your laptop and your phone, which is increasingly vital for most people.

Additionally, there’s SBC and aptX lossless sound – although don’t count on any other codecs to be supported here. Granted, as we’ll see shortly, sound quality isn’t exceptional but it’s solidly reliable at this price. Adding to the aural experience, there’s ANC.

ANC is a slightly mixed bag here. With full ANC on enabled, the Soundpeats Air4 Pro block out surrounding sound well whether we’re talking traffic outside or a noisy dehumidifier in the room. However, it’s not quite as crisp as much pricier earbuds so don’t count on it being high-end. It feels almost rough and ready in how it blocks sound leaving you feeling like you can hear the inner workings. It sounds odd but you won’t complain.

Where complaints arise is with Transparency mode. It’s pretty ropey. I tried using Transparency mode while listening to a podcast on a windy day and could barely hear a thing. That’s quite the test for any pair of earbuds but it led to me checking it was even enabled. During quieter moments, Transparency mode switches to a lot of hissing although you can hear someone speak to you easily enough.

Battery life promises about 26 hours of total playtime with 6.5 hours per single charge. That feels about right with the Soundpeats Air4 Pro lasting long enough that you won’t notice any discrepancies with this figure. There’s no wireless charging but at least there’s USB-C charging which is fairly speedy at a couple of hours for a full charge – something that you’ll likely top up rather than go all or nothing with.

Bluetooth 5.3 continues to ensure good things with the Soundpeats Air4 Pro never seeing any dropouts and nice, efficient running times.

There’s also companion app support but it’s pretty ugly. The actual features are just fine with a simple toggle between noise cancellation modes and disabling wear detection, but don’t count on it looking stylish while you do it. Setting up adaptive EQ is a bit of hassle too.

Features score: 4 / 5

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Sound quality

Good ANC
Weak Transparency mode
Strong bass

Temper your expectations based on the price and you’ll be delighted by the Soundpeats Air4 Pro’s sound quality compared to the best earbuds that cost many times more.

Bass is the Soundpeats Air4 Pro’s strong point with a fairly smooth punch that was noticeable while I listened to Foo Fighters’ All My Life and Angel by Massive Attack. At louder volumes, things get distorted but I doubt it’s wise for your ears anyhow.

Trebles and mids are weaker so don’t count on these earbuds for anything more technical or with more subtlety, but it’s unlikely you’re buying a pair of earbuds for less than $/£/AU$ 100 to kick back and relax at home with. Instead, these work well for walks, cleaning, running and your general busy lifestyle.

Sound quality: 4 / 5

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Design

Straightforward cycle
Chunky case
Touch controls

I’m no fan of the Soundpeats Air4 Pro’s case. Its lightweight plasticky build feels cheap and it awkwardly manages to feel both smooth yet angular in places. More importantly, while it keeps your earbuds safe, said earbuds are at an unusual angle so you’ll never quite grab them as smoothly as you might like.

Sure, these are relatively small things but if you’re pulling the Soundpeats Air4 Pro out multiple times a day, you’ll notice it. The case also has no IP rating but the earbuds themselves are IPX4 so they can handle some sweat.

The fit of the buds are pretty snug. There are different tip sizes included but I found the standard ones out of the box are just fine. Even when running, these won’t fall out which is always good news. They look a lot like AirPods Pro so at a glance, you can look like you’ve bought something pricier.

There are also touch-sensitive areas on the earbuds with the option to increase or decrease volume, as well as adjust playback. It’s incredibly easy to activate these by mistake so head over to the app and disable them for your sanity’s sake.

Design score: 3 / 5

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Value

Useful features
About right for the price

The only truly standout part about the Soundpeats Air4 Pro is its sound quality. It’s pretty good for the price and makes up for a temperamental ANC/Transparency combo. Other than that, there’s a cheapness here that reflects the price accurately.

Against the Sony WF-C700N, this feels like dubious value but if you check out the EarFun Air Pro 3, the battle is a little fairer and more balanced.

Value score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Soundpeats Air4 Pro?

The Soundpeats Air4 Pro on top of a table — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

Soundpeats Air4 Pro review: Also consider

How I tested the Soundpeats Air4 Pro

Tested over 10 days
Compared to Apple AirPods (Pro 2 and 3rd Gen) and Final Audio UX2000
Listened to Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube videos and Twitch

Over the last 10 days, I’ve replaced my usual AirPods Pro 2 with the Soundpeats Air4 Pro. I previously used the AirPods 3rd Gen so I checked those out a few times to more adequately compare the quality of the Soundpeats Air4 Pro.

I used them on my daily morning walks to see how they coped with the noise of the school run and commute. I also used them a few times on runs to see how good the fit was when I moved quickly (at least, quickly for me) and checked out how they handled running alongside a windy coastline. It was all a good test for the Soundpeats Air4 Pro’s ANC and Transparency modes, as well as adaptive EQ.

For the most part, I listened to Apple Music and Spotify. Spotify was the home of all my podcasts while Apple Music was predominantly for listening to music. At home, I’d spend some time checking out YouTube videos of satire and Let’s Play videos before checking out live streams on Twitch. The iPhone 14 Pro provided everything to the Soundpeats Air4 Pro.

As always, my music taste is a bit all over the place. Some Harry Styles, John Legend, Holst’s The Planets, Linkin Park, and Sting all featured at various points here.

I’ve reviewed audio products for over 10 years. While my main drivers are on the pricier end of the scale these days, I regularly use cheap earphones and headphones for work purposes and am seemingly always asked for recommendations in this price range by friends.

First reviewed in February 2024

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Edifier W820NB Plus review: Affordable headphones with plenty of features

1:00 pm | February 24, 2024

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

Edifier W820NB Plus: Three-minute review

The Edifier W820NB Plus is a prime example of a cheap pair of wireless headphones that is more focused on keeping its low price than offering the most up-to-date features and a strong performance all round. As the flagship product from the Chinese audio company, the W820NB Plus give you great value for money… as long as you don’t mind seeing some corners cut in the sound department.

This entry in Edifier’s 2023 portfolio of headphones offers a great range of customization over your listening experience: there are three levels of noise cancellation, four different EQ modes and an optional gaming latency toggle to let you tweak the way the cans sound. The touch controls are some of the most convenient I’ve used on a pair of headphones too, letting you change volume and toggle ANC with an easy touch of the right pad.

Unfortunately, the ability to modify your listening experience in-app or using touch controls doesn’t matter as much as it could as the W820NB Plus simply doesn’t sound too great – the mid is seriously lacking and music sounds tinny when the volume is turned up too high. That may seem like a huge issue with the headphones but it’s not – music quality isn’t the only important factor when considering cans and sometimes, features, price and battery life are even more important than sound quality.

The W820NB Plus does have a few other issues, and the main one is in the setup process. Edifier has four different smartphone apps for some reason, and even when you’ve worked out the right one (Edifier Connect), you will need to do some volume tweaking before you can make the most of the cans. Oh, and with no carry case or ability to be folded down, the Edifier W820NB Plus certainly isn’t the most portable headphones on the market either.

Unless you’re looking to spend hundreds on the best over-ear headphones on the market, then you’ll have to contend with the nuanced budget headphone market. As far as sub-$100/£100 headphones go, the Edifier W820NB Plus are par for the course, offering a solid feature set but at the expense of audio quality. But if you’d rather have customization, affordability and easy touch controls over top-tier sound, the Edifier W820NB Plus is worth considering.

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Price and release date

Released in May 2023
Priced at $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$80.99

The Edifier were made available to buy in mid-May 2023, as one of the brand’s bustling line of over- or on-ear headphones. They cost $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$80.99, so these certainly count as cheap wireless headphones, designed for people who aren’t audiophiles but don’t want to opt for random tat online.

Edifier’s full headphone line runs from options half that price, to ones four times that cost, so it’s on the lower end but not right at the bottom.

At that price, the competition includes the $130 / £90 / AU$189 JBL Tune 670NC and the $60 / £60 / AU$77 Sony WH-CH520, the latter of which ranks in our list of the best cheap headphones as the premier budget on-ear headphones.

Edifier W802NB Plus review: Specs

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Features

Total battery life of up to 49 hours
A little fiddly to set up
App offers range of handy extra features

You can get quite a bit of extra mileage out of the Edifier W820NB Plus using the app… if you can set it up correctly. You see, Edifier offers four different apps on the Play Store or App Store, and there’s no clear indication on which is the correct one, so you’ve got a 25% chance of picking correctly the first time (let me turn that to 100%: it’s Edifier Connect).

Once you’ve installed the app, it’s incredibly easy to pair the headphones to it, so it’s only the set-up process that’s a pain (which, I must add, isn’t mandatory, as you can use the headphones without it. But the extra functions are handy).

Using the app, you can flick between three noise cancellation modes: off, on, and Ambient. The first two are self explanatory, while Ambient sits somewhere in between, allowing in background noises like vehicles or loud shouts without letting the drone of everyday life get in the way. For the most part, the Edifier’s noise cancellation works well, though it sometimes struggles outdoors with wind or other such forces.

Another feature of the app is a gaming mode, which boosts latency at the slight expense of sound quality. It’s handy for prolific mobile gamers, and can help in competitive games when hearing the direction of footsteps and combat can mean the difference between success and failure.

The other primary feature is that you can use Edifier Connect to move between four EQ modes: Classic, Pop, Classical and Rock. Changing modes has an annoying pause as the assistant voice tells you the new mode, and this gap may be why I struggled to hear a big difference between the modes.

A few other features of Edifier Connect are worth flagging. It has its own on-board volume control that’s independent of your phone’s, so if you’re not aware, the W820NB Plus can sound a little too quiet when you start using them. I’d recommend you crank this to full straight away, and then fully rely on your phone’s volume rocker going forward to change volume.

The other noteworthy feature is fun: Soothing sounds is a library of ambient noises like ‘Twilight resonance’, ‘Relaxing piano with white noise’ or ‘Waves and seagulls’. You could use these to help lull you to sleep, get into a meditative state or, as I found when writing this review, focus your mind to get more productive and write more headphone reviews. Just note that most of these tracks are about a minute long, so you need to turn on the looping function or re-play them every minute.

In terms of battery life, you’re looking at 49 hours, which drops to just 33 when you turn on ambient noise cancellation. That’s over a day of listening whichever mode you have on, which is certainly nothing to turn the nose up at, though it’s not quite the 70 hours of the JBL Tune 670NC or other super-long-lasting low-cost rivals.

The lack of wear detection means that, to save battery, you need to remember to turn off the headphones when you finish listening with them. Thankfully, as described, the buttons are easy to use.

You charge the W820NB Plus using a USB-C cable, and it’ll take roughly an hour and a half for you to get the headphones all the way from empty to full. Fast charging means you can get 7 hours of use from just 10 minutes of charging though, if you’re in a hurry.

Features score: 4/5

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Design

Standard-looking headphones with five color options
Easy-to-use control buttons
Doesn't fold; no IP rating

The Edifier W820NB Plus don’t exactly shake things up in the world of headphone design, but there’s nothing wrong with that. There are five different color options available: black, gray, green blue and ivory. We tested the latter.

They’re fairly comfy to wear although, as with all headphones, too much continuous wear can lead to some aching. Tactically-placed pads offset this to an extent. The size of the band can be extended some ways, although not as much as on some rival headphones.

On the right can you have the W820NB Plus’ controls: there’s a button that toggles between ambient noise and noise cancellation, a power button and volume up and down buttons. They’re all fairly easy to find and use, though as the buttons don’t protrude much, it can be a case of trial and error on your first few attempts at using the headphones. You’ll quickly get used to the positioning though.

You’re not getting a 3.5mm headphone jack on the cans – sorry, people who like to have wired connectivity as an option, but you won’t be able to do so here. You’re also not getting an official IP rating, so handle with care.

Another thing sadly absent from the Edifier is any form of portability consideration. You can’t fold the headphones down into a smaller form factor, there’s no included carry case, and the structure and build of the cans don’t feel suited to being shoved in a backpack. If you’re not planning to wear these on your head or around your neck, you can’t really take them anywhere!

Design score: 3.5/5

Edifier 820NB Plus review: Sound quality

Limited sound stage
Initially a little quiet

After a few sections of praises, the Edifier W820NB Plus delivers in the audio section a result a bit more in keeping with its price. By no means does music played over the headphones sound bad, but it doesn’t really sound good enough – it’s much more middle-of-the-road.

The main issue is that the headphones lack a palpable sound stage, so the bass doesn’t sound low and the treble doesn’t sit above the mid – music sounds like one unidentified mush of sound and mid sounds are a little lost in the melee.

Once you’ve gotten past the app volume problems mentioned earlier, the W820NB Plus can get nice and loud, but at higher volumes the music sounds quite tinny, especially those mid sounds that are struggling to cut into the mix as is.

To be clear, the Edifier W820NB Plus still sound decent – I used them for lots of movie watching and music streaming beyond what’s required for review testing – it’s just decent ‘for the price’. They’re a far cry from cheapie Amazon headphones or the kind your grandma might buy you for Christmas, but they won’t compare to $150 / £150 / AU$200 plus rivals from the major brands.

Sound quality: 2.5/5

Should I buy the Edifier 820NB Plus?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Edifier 820NB Plus review: Also consider

How I tested the Edifier 820NB Plus

Tested for over 20 days
Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

I tested the Edifier 820NB Plus for over three weeks before starting to write this review, so they were subjected to quite a bit of use.

Testing was done while in quiet rooms like my home and the office, while on walks around my local area and also on public transport like coaches, tubes and buses. I mostly used it while connected to my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Android phone for music streaming, calls and gaming, but also paired it sometimes to my iPad Pro to watch movies or TV shows.

I've been testing tech gadgets for TechRadar for over five years now. Currently, I write freelance for several sections including audio, but previously I worked as a staff writer and section editor for the phones section.

First reviewed in February 2024

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Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: A mid-range over-ear headphone that packs a punch

6:51 pm | February 23, 2024

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

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: One-minute review

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus was created by taking everything that was enjoyable about the more entry-level Accentum wireless over-ear headphones and adding touch-controls, aptX Adaptive capability and (perhaps most significantly) a carry-case. They prove that sometimes a gap in the market is so small that you don’t even notice it, but Sennheiser certainly did.

There’s plenty to like here, from the neat and tidy design and excellent standard of fit and finish to the robustly informative sound the headphones make. Active noise cancellation is decent, control options are very nicely implemented, and battery life is approaching ‘epic’.

Nothing’s perfect, though, and the wider-headed among us are likely to find the Accentum Plus a non-starter – the fit is about as snug as these things ever get. And the richly bassy sonic signature won’t suit everyone either – although it can be mitigated, just a little, using the five-band EQ embedded in the control app.

Fundamentally, the Accentum Plus are the same as the Accentum – but more so. They also come with a carry-case, something that a lot of the best wireless headphones offer as standard.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Price and release date

Released on February, 22, 2024
Price: $229 / £199 / AU$399

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus went on sale on 20th February this year for $229 in the US and £199 in the UK. Meanwhile in Australia, they’ll set you back AU$399.

At this money they sit nicely between the more affordable Sennheiser Accentum and the pricier Sennheiser Momentum 4 – but, of course, there are more brands than just Sennheiser ready to part you from this sort of money for a pair of wireless over-ear noise-cancellers…

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Specs

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Features

The control app for the Sennheiser Accentum Plus — (Image credit: Future)

Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive compatibility
50 hours of battery life
37mm full-range dynamic drivers

Obviously it’s a bit of a theme of this review – but in quite a few ways, the Accentum Plus are very, very similar to their more affordable Sennheiser Accentum stablemates.

Certainly there’s nothing broken about the 50-hour battery life and ‘ten minutes charge equals five hours playback time” of the original Accentum, and the Plus hasn’t bothered to fix it. These are both very competitive numbers, after all. And the Plus also utilise the same 37mm full-range dynamic drivers in order to do the audio business, which, again, seems only sensible.

The changes that have been made all seem like upgrades, though. Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connectivity with aptX Adaptive codec compatibility is very promising where sound quality is concerned, and the appearance of a 3.5mm socket on the right earcup means hard-wired listening is available this way as well as through the USB-C socket positioned alongside it.

The right earcup also has a single physical control, which covers ‘power on/off’ and Bluetooth pairing. Otherwise, control is available either via the capacitive area of the right earcup (‘play/pause’, ‘volume up/down’, ‘skip forwards/backwards’ and ‘answer/end/reject call’ are all available) or the exemplary ‘Smart Control’ app that’s free for iOS and Android.

The app features a five-band adjuster, with a number of presets and the facility to store one user-defined setting. The wind noise reduction feature of the newly adaptive active noise-cancellation system can be switched on or off. The multi-point wireless connectivity can be managed from here, and it’s also where you can check for firmware updates, adjust the volume of your own voice that’s audible during calls, and rearrange the various ‘tiles’ that control the different app functions to best suit your purposes. And if you fancy registering with Sennheiser and forking over some personal info, you can use the app’s ‘sound check’ and ‘sound zones’ features to tailor the sound to specific circumstances and environments – and switch between them automatically.

Otherwise, the most obvious upgrade the Plus enjoy over the standard Accentum is their carry-case. It’s soft but protective, has handy storage for your cables, and generally helps no end in keeping the finish of your headphones nice and tidy.

Features score: 5 / 5

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Design

A close up of the Sennheiser Accentum plus — (Image credit: Future)

Clean, basically anonymous looks
Fine standard of build and finish
Quite a snug, narrow fit

‘Less is more’, so they say, and there’s even less here in terms of design than there is of the more affordable Sennheiser Accentum. Because most of the interface is now touch controls, there’s just one physical control button here – it’s on the edge of the right earcup.

Otherwise, the Accentum Plus are basically featureless – whether or not that’s a good thing will depend on your feelings regarding ‘discretion’ where design is concerned. At a glance, the only thing that separates them from their Accentum sibling is the silver, rather than matte black, ‘Sennheiser’ logo at each end of the headband.

So you get a clean, minimal look and a quality of build and finish that’s well up to the established Sennheiser standard. The articulation in the yokes allow the headphones to fold flat, and there’s enough articulation to allow the to fit snugly over even the more eccentrically shaped ears and heads that might wish to wear them. The concealed headband adjustment works smoothly, the pleather covering the memory foam-filled earpads is comfortable – and it doesn’t get too hot too quickly, unlike some alternative designs.

Really, the only conceivable shortcoming where the design of the Accentum Plus is concerned is the relative narrowness of the fit. I know I spend a lot of time complaining about the massive, head-swamping nature of a lot of over-ear headphones – but it’s possible to go too far the other way. These Sennheiser are a snug fit, and it’s perfectly possible that the larger-headed among us might find them quite tight.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Sound quality

Weighty, punchy sound
Dynamic up to a point
Good noise-cancellation

Obviously there’s more to the sound a pair of headphones makes than the physical characteristics of the drivers that are delivering it. But nevertheless it’s notable that despite being so closely related to the more affordable Accentum model in terms of specification, these Accentum Plus differ in terms of sonic balance. Not dramatically, but noticeably nevertheless.

With a 44.1kHz file of Cranes in the Sky by Solange playing via Qobuz, the Accentum Plus are an assertive, big-boned listen with impressively solid, nicely controlled low-frequency presence. The bass hits hard here, but with the kind of straight-edged precision that allows the rhythm proper expression and keeps momentum high. That the overall frequency balance is skewed towards the bottom end is undeniable, but there are any number of listeners for whom this will be just the ticket.

And besides, it’s not as if this emphasis puts undue pressure on the midrange. Voices enjoy more than enough room in which to express themselves, and the Accentum Plus retain and reveal plenty of fine detail regarding tone, texture, technique and all the rest of it. The soundstage they create is spacious and convincing where layout is concerned, too, and while the midrange in general and vocalists in particular are hundred towards the front they never sound estranged or separated. The Sennheiser are adept of unifying a recording, no matter how complex, into a coherent and convincing whole – no element of it is left behind.

At the top of the frequency range there’s a polite level of attack – it’s not enough to let treble response get out of hand, even at volume (good) but it’s not quite sufficient to claim the Accentum Plus are giving you the complete high-frequency picture (not quite so good).

Dynamics – especially the big dynamic shifts in volume and intensity apparent in a TIDAL stream of James Brown’s Give It Up or Turnit a Loose, for example – are given a reasonable amount of emphasis. The Sennheiser Accentum Plus either aren’t deep-breathing enough or aren’t impolite enough to go to town on big dynamic shifts, but they’re certainly more than alluded to.

The always-on active noise cancellation proves just as effective here as in the original Accentum. Which means that almost all external distractions are dealt with confidently, and without any disruption to the sound you’re enjoying. Other headphones (mostly those that say ‘Bose’ on them somewhere) can do a more complete job, but it seems unlikely anyone will reject the Accentum Plus on the basis of their ANC.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Value

The case for the Sennheiser Accentum Plus — (Image credit: Future)

Good build quality and standard finish
Very descent specification
Slightly colored audio performance

It should go without saying by now that you could do a lot worse than decide on a pair of Sennheiser Accentum Plus. The company’s reputation for sterling build quality and finish wasn’t attained by accident, the headphones are very competitively specified at this price.

The Accentum Plus also have a particularly attention-grabbing battery life and the control app is one of the more useful around. Those who enjoy the balance of the sound will be pleased, too, although in absolute terms it’s not as neutral as some listeners might prefer.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Sennheiser Accentum Plus?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Also consider

How I tested Sennheiser Accentum Plus

At home and in transit
Wired and wireless
With iOS and Android devices

My custody of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus coincided with a very disrupted flight to Germany – and so as well as using them at my desk, I was able to test them while in the back of taxis, on trains and on aeroplanes.

Used them with Apple and Samsung smartphones ares sources, as well as an Apple laptop, and I used them connected both wirelessly and using their analogue connection. And naturally, I listened to a lot of different styles of music, derived from lots of different sizes of digital audio files.

First reviewed in February 2024

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Hands-on review: Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

5:01 pm | February 15, 2024

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

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: One-minute review

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are Bose’s attempt at transferring its premium audio expertise and signature bassy sound into an open-ear form factor, and by any metric it succeeds. The best bone-conduction headphones and open-ear headphones generally place an emphasis on a secure fit over sound quality, as it was assumed serious audiophiles wouldn’t be looking for open-ear headphones. Instead, open-ear headphones have been positioned primarily as workout headphones, allowing you to hear traffic and pedestrians while you run or cycle, or listen to tunes during swims.

However, more and more brands are realising that, despite the fact that they’re predominantly used for workouts, open-ear form factors have other lifestyle applications, both in the office (for example, being open to collaboration and replying to a colleague while you’re listening to music or having a virtual meeting), and in the street (it turns out that being more aware of your surroundings isn’t only useful while you’re exercising).

So, we’ve now got an offering from Bose that aims dual drivers at your ears, using Bose Immersive Audio, to give you the best sound quality it can pack into headphones that don’t sit in your ear canal. The sound is very good; the best I’ve tried from air-conduction or open-ear headphones, with their immersive sound-stage technology providing spatial audio that’s ideal for home media, as well as pumping tunes during a 10K.

The experience of being in work meetings is also quite nice, and there’s no disconnect between listening to what the person on my laptop is saying while also being able to hear my office surroundings.

The design is neat, with the headphones hooking onto the side of your ear’s helix rather than over the whole ear itself, with the battery cylinder tucking behind your ear. They do feel a little wobbly thanks to the uneven weight distribution, but have so far refused to actually fall off, even during my first five-kilometer run with the buds. Full judgement will be saved for a full review, but for now… they’re very impressive, albeit a little overpriced.

Watch our video on the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds here:

@techradar
♬ Funk Hip Hop Music(814197) - Pavel

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Price and availability

Available now
Priced at $299 / £299 / AU$449.95
More expensive than AirPods Pro 2

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are available now, priced at $299 / £299 / AU$449.95. That’s quite the price tag: they cost the same as the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra earbuds and more than the AirPods Pro 2, and it’s clear that Bose considers the Ultra Open Earbuds a premium product just like the aforementioned buds.

In terms of sound quality and build, Bose is probably right – but given the slightly unsteady feel of the fit, the price did nothing to soothe my nerves while I was out jogging with them.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Design

Interesting, intuitive design
Fantastic audio credentials
Secure fit, even if it feels precarious at times

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have an interesting design, similar to the Huawei FreeClip, hooking into your inner ear and directly around your ear’s helix, rather than around the point in which your ear meets the side off your head like the Shokz OpenFit. The ‘battery barrel’, as our Bose rep referred to it, sits behind your ear, and contains a tactile button which lets you switch between listening modes and adjust the volume.

The hook part contains dual drivers that project sound directly towards your ear canal and up into your inner ear, creating a more complete listening experience than bone conduction headphones are capable of. Bose calls its design OpenAudio, and it allows you to crank up the volume while offering very little sound leakage, which many other cheaper buds and open-ear headsets are very guilty of. I’ll come back to this later; but it absolutely works, and the sound quality, especially on Immersive Audio settings, is wonderful.

Snapdragon sound reportedly boosts lossless and low-latency capabilities, which sounds impressive for a headphones category which starts and ends with “how secure is the fit” for most entrants. In regards to the fit, each bud is easy and intuitive to put on after just a few tries, although, as mentioned, they do feel a little weird, with the positioning of the battery barrel at the rear, making them wobble slightly, which occasionally feels precarious.

However, they haven’t fallen out of my ears at any point, even during fairly vigorous head-shaking and running. The only time they did come close to falling out was when I was twiddling the controls while running, when it felt like I could easily dislodge them. Otherwise, no complaints: my one gripe is that they’re so easy to take off in comparison to other headphones that it would be very simple for someone to swipe them off you on public transport or in the street, although the increased awareness that comes with the open-ear design of course means this is less likely to happen. Hopefully.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Features

Immersive Audio offers best-in-class open-ear listening
Still and Motion listening modes
Easy volume and mode-switching

In order to control the earbuds, you use the tactile buttons on the rear of the barrel. You press once to switch between immersive and stereo listening modes, and press twice and hold to toggle the volume – left to turn the volume down, right to turn it up. Easy-peasy.

The really impressive bit is Bose’s Immersive Audio soundstage, which you can access on the Bose app, and which offers Still and Motion modes. The Motion mode allows you to turn your head and move around within a soundstage, creating the impression that sound is coming from a particular direction.

I’ve only tried this mode during a press briefing so far, with a Bose representative talking me through the functionality, but it’s a great feature, and worked well during my brief listen.

It’s all made possible by Bose’s OpenAudio functionality, and bolstered by a load of high-tech audio smarts such as Snapdragon sound and what’s described as a ‘tightly-controlled acoustic structure’. It’s all combined to make the audio on the buds best-in-class for the open-ear form factor: the sound is incredible and satisfyingly bassy, and at times I forgot the buds were open at all – it was just that good.

However, taking calls at work necessitated some quick volume adjustment, as voices channelled through low-quality laptop mics on Google Meets got a little shrill.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Early Verdict

I’m still yet to fully drain the battery, and there are a few tests I’ve yet to try, but overall I’m extremely impressed with how the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have performed. The sound quality, as I’d expected, is wonderful, and the cool clip-on design is far more functional than I was anticipating.

The price is a sticking point, as for less money you can get the AirPods Pro 2, which offer transparency and ANC – I’ll probably knock half a star off for those omissions come my full review. However, these are the best-sounding open-ear headphones I’ve ever tried, and I’m looking forward to testing them further.

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