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Nothing Headphone (1) bring 40mm drivers, hybrid ANC and up to 80 hours of playback
12:41 pm | July 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Nothing started out its journey with its Ear (1) wireless earbuds, and the brand is now launching its first over-ear headphones – the aptly named Headphone (1). These come with the signature Nothing transparent look on the outside of the earcups and are primed to challenge the flagship noise-cancelling headphones from brands like Sony, Bose and Sennheiser. Headphone (1) were developed in collaboration with British audio brand KEF and feature 40mm dynamic drivers with the drivers, chambers and software all featuring KEF tuning. Nothing is also bringing an eight-band sound equalizer,...

Nothing Headphone (1) bring 40mm drivers, hybrid ANC and up to 80 hours of playback
12:41 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Nothing started out its journey with its Ear (1) wireless earbuds, and the brand is now launching its first over-ear headphones – the aptly named Headphone (1). These come with the signature Nothing transparent look on the outside of the earcups and are primed to challenge the flagship noise-cancelling headphones from brands like Sony, Bose and Sennheiser. Headphone (1) were developed in collaboration with British audio brand KEF and feature 40mm dynamic drivers with the drivers, chambers and software all featuring KEF tuning. Nothing is also bringing an eight-band sound equalizer,...

I tested Cambridge Audio’s all-new Melomania A100 earbuds and now I’m even crazier about music
11:00 am | June 26, 2025

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

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: two-minute review

Until now, Cambridge Audio’s TWS earbuds efforts have been ‘pretty good’ – but this is a market in which ‘pretty good’ tends not to be good enough. And so the company is back with what is quite obviously a very concerted effort, in the shape of the new Melomania A100.

Here, $149 / £119 or its regional equivalent buys a pair of true wireless in-ears that travel in a very neat charging case, that follow the ‘stem’ style of design and that can be had in black or white finishes. It also buys high specification (Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity with LDAC and aptX Lossless codec compatibility, Class AB amplification, nearly 40 hours of battery life, 10mm Neodymium dynamic drivers) that you’d be glad to see on a product costing twice as much. And by way of an encore, it buys a raft of control options that include an endlessly entertaining appearance by Matt Berry. Some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds around? And perhaps even some of the best earbuds irrespective of noise-nixing, then? For sure.

Most of all, though, money put Cambridge Audio's way for these particular buds buys insightful, controlled and thoroughly entertaining sound. The A100 manage to combine levels of insight that are the best around in this market with an energetic and engaging attitude that makes the description ‘musical’ entirely valid.

As far as value for money is concerned, not to mention a thoroughly enjoyable audio experience, the Melomania A100 are currently there to be shot at.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Price and release date

  • Release date: June 26, 2025
  • Price: $149 / £119 / AU$TBC (but around AU$249)

At the time of writing this review, the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 wireless in-ear headphones are on sale from today (June 26, 2025) and in the United Kingdom they cost £119. The price in the United States is $149, and while no Australian pricing is confirmed as yet, it seems something around AU$249 is likely.

It’s an aggressive price from a company that’s most recently been making waves with equipment a fair bit further up the food chain, but that’s not the same as saying the A100 are without serious competition. Sony (another brand that can hold its own at the high end) will sell you a pair of its very accomplished Sony WF-C710N buds for pennies less than £100, just as a ‘for instance’. So these earbuds have to do a bit more than show up wearing an attractive price to get a seat at the top table…

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Specs

Weight:

4.7g per earbud

Drivers:

10mm Neodymium dynamic

Battery life:

11 hours per charge; up to 39 hours with the case

Bluetooth:

5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Features

  • Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC
  • Six-mic array for ANC and call-handling
  • Class AB amplification; 10mm Neodymium dynamic drivers

In the context of the asking price, the Melomania A100 are very impressively specified indeed. There are true wireless earbuds costing plenty more than this that don’t look as good on the page.

For example, the Cambridge Audio use top-of-the-shop Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity, and are compatible with aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC codecs. Multipoint connectivity is available too, and the array of six mics that handle noise-cancellation, telephony and voice-assistant interaction are bolstered by Clear Voice Capture echo-cancelling and noise suppression.

There’s Class AB amplification on board, an unarguable step up from the Class D alternative that’s way more common in products like this. A dual-core Qualcomm Kalimba DSP minimises distortion and maximises clarity, and a pair of 10mm Neodymium drivers serve up the sound.

Screengrabs of the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100's companion app

(Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

In the most advantageous circumstances (volume down, ANC off and so on) the earbuds will run for a healthy 11 hours between charges, and you can eke out as much as 39 hours when the power in the charging case is taken into account too. Charging from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ takes around 70 minutes, and just 10 minutes on the mains power (there’s a USB-C slot on the case) should hold you for over three hours of playback (provided you keep that ANC switched off).

And because portable products like this need a degree of hardiness, of course, the A100 are IPX5-rated. Which means they should be absolutely fine in any realistic environment.

  • Features score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Sound quality

  • Energetic and entertaining sound
  • Detailed and dynamic in equal measure
  • Some trifling low-end integration issues

The temptation that’s been succumbed to by any number of true wireless in-ear headphones of similar price to the Melomania A100 is to ramp up low frequencies in the name of ‘excitement’ and let the idea of ‘balance’ go out of the window. This Cambridge Audio product, though, is a bit more sensible than that – and as a consequence, it’s ultimately a far more accomplished listen.

Leave the EQ settings in the app well alone and the A100 are quite neutral where tonality is concerned and have an almost ideal frequency response. High frequencies have bite and shine during a listen to Daniel Avery’s Diminuendo, but have sufficient substance and variation to prevent any suggestion of hardness or edginess. And at the opposite end of the frequency range there are similarly high levels of detail, and control that’s sufficient to allow very decent rhythmic expression. Bass sounds punch with determination, but their speed and variation means they never drag at the momentum of a recording.

Switch to a file of Last Night by Arooj Aftab and the midrange is revealed to be open and eloquent – the A100 can communicate a voice’s character and attitude in the most direct manner. Detail levels are, as elsewhere, impressively high, and there’s real positivity to the way the A100 ties the frequency range together. In absolute terms it could be argued that the lowest frequencies sound just slightly remote from the lower midrange and everything above that, but the commonality of their tone mitigates this quite significantly.

The soundstage the Cambridge Audio can generate is large, well-defined and carefully controlled – so even an element-heavy recording like Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue as performed by the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein sounds open and carefully laid out. There’s elbow-room for every performer and a fairly explicit description of relative on-stage positions.

There’s plenty of dynamic headroom available for when the orchestra really ramps up the intensity, and the dynamics of harmonic variation are carefully attended to during the solo piano passages too. Transient response is good, and the result is an overall presentation that sounds very much like the complete picture.

All of the above might serve to make the Melomania A100 seem rather analytical – and there’s no denying they can peer into a recording and return with all sorts of pertinent observations. But primarily they’re an engaging and entertaining listen, and a pair of earbuds that give the strong impression that they’re just as keen on your favourite music as you are. It’s by no means easy to combine ‘analysis’ with ‘entertainment’ so that each discipline is properly attended to – and that’s the case no matter how much you’re charging – so Cambridge Audio is deserving of both congratulations and admiration.

And where active noise-cancellation is concerned, the Melomania A100 can go toe-to-toe with the best of their price-comparable rivals. The system doesn’t alter the sound of the earbuds in any way, it doesn’t betray itself with counter-signal or any sort of audible disruption – and it does a very agreeable job on all but the loudest and/or deepest of external noises. There’s a second tier of ANC that sits below the uncanny silence that’s available from a pair of Bose noise-cancellers – and these Cambridge Audio earbuds are now a part of it.

  • Sound quality score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Design

  • 45 x 61 x 25mm, HxWxD (charging case)
  • 4.7g (earbud)
  • Choice of black or white finishes

Unlike previous Cambridge Audio true wireless models, the Melomania A100 are from the Apple-inspired ‘dangly stem’ school of design. The earbuds are notably neat and tidy and, thanks to a selection of eartip sizes and a trifling 4.7g weight, fit comfortably even for the longest listens. ‘Neat and tidy’ covers the charging case too, which is 45 x 61 x 25mm (HxWxD) – this slender design does mean the earbuds are slightly trickier to get out of the case than they otherwise would be, but it’s not much of a price to pay for such pocket-friendly dimensions. The standard of build and finish is impressive in every respect, and the look is good no matter if you choose the black or white finish.

I might as well go with the word ‘impressive’ to deal with operability here, too. The A100 have a capacitive touch surface at the top of the stem of each–- a combination of presses and holds gives control of most playback controls, and lets you cycle between your ANC options or summon your voice assistant too. Interactions are swift and reliable, and the ‘Melomania’ control app gives the chance to customise the effect each sequence of presses or holds has.

The control app also has decent extended functionality. Six EQ presets are joined by a seven-band equaliser that allows you to store quite a few custom settings, while a defeatable ‘dynamEQ’ setting does its best to maintain full-range response at lower volumes. You can select between ‘transparency’, ‘normal’ and ‘noise-cancelling’ for ANC, and within this last option you can choose between ‘low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’. Switching for ‘gaming mode’, ‘wear detection’ and ‘sleep mode’ are all available too – and within ‘audible feedback’ there’s the greatest Easter egg in any app anywhere ever. ‘Off’ and ‘tones’ are both options, and there are eight different languages to choose from too… but the eleventh option (‘Southwark’) lets your audible feedback be delivered by Matt Berry in highly fruity fashion.

Even without this delightful touch, though, ‘Melomania’ is a useful, stable and easy-to-navigate control app that’s only missing the ability to integrate music streaming services to be completely ideal.

  • Design score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Value

  • Great specification
  • Secure ergonomics
  • Excellent sound quality for the money

With the Melomania A100, Cambridge Audio has hit it so far out of the park it’s basically lost forever.

These true wireless earbuds are specified well beyond what any price-comparable alternative can offer, they’re comfortable, have battery stamina on their side, and each of their control options is well-implemented and effective. Oh, and they sound as good as anything else you can buy at anything like this money. Currently they offer the best value for money of any wireless earbuds you can buy for $149 / £119 – and by a wide margin.

  • Value score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100?

Section

Notes

Score

Features

Excellent codec support; geat mic array

5 / 5

Sound quality

Stunning clarity for the money – best at the level by some degree

5 / 5

Design

Solid, ergonomic, thoughtfully made

5 / 5

Value

The best sound-per-pound wireless design on the market

5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Buy them if…

You have a good source player
Top-end codec compatibility and exemplary sound quality make the A100 the perfect partner

You favour well-tailored clothes
The charging case is about as slim and easy to carry as these things ever get. So you won’t need to compromise your outfit

You enjoy added value
If you know who Matt Berry is, then you know his appearance as an ‘audible feedback’ option will prove endlessly satisfying

Don't buy them if…

You like properly extended functionality
If you want your heart-rate monitored, your steps counted and what-have-you, there are alternative designs that have you covered

You’re not a monochrome type of person
Lots of price-comparable rivals are available in many more finishes than just ‘black’ or ‘white'

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background

(Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Also consider

Sony WF-C710N
Until the start of this review, Sony’s still-excellent WF-C710N were your default £100-ish TWS choice, and they still have plenty going for them where sound quality is concerned. They’re made to look a bit limited by the A100’s spec-sheet, though…
Read our full Sony WF-C710N review

Technics EAH-AZ80
…And Technics’ slightly older flagship AZ80 might come down a bit closer to this pricing now too (owing to the arrival of their newer AZ100 siblings), but they're nowhere near it yet. The feature set and fit is fantastic, but you're still paying a lot more… 
See our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review

How I tested the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100

  • Connected to an iOS smartphone and an Android DAP
  • Using a variety of digital file types and sizes
  • In a number of environments

Naturally, iOS devices don’t acknowledge wireless sound quality beyond the AAC codec – but happily my FiiO DAP does, and so I was able to let the Melomania A100 show what they’re capable of when it comes to optimum sound quality.

The DAP also features lots of genuinely high-resolution content on its local memory, as well as duplicating the music streaming service apps loaded onto the Apple smartphone, so I was able to listen to different digital audio file types and sizes.

I did this indoors and outdoors, in very quiet environments and in places where even the best active noise-cancellation struggles – and I did so for well over a week, because listening to these Cambridge Audio earbuds is really no kind of hardship.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

Every time I put these over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on during testing, it felt like they were giving my lobes a big fuzzy hug
1:30 pm | June 14, 2025

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

Earfun Wave Life: two-minute review

To misquote Futurama’s robotic delinquent Bender, you’re in for “Earfun on a bun” if you take the plunge on the Chinese brand’s latest budget cans. Assuming I still have a job to take this review any further [only just – Ed.], I’ve been taken aback by the quality of the Earfun Wave Life. Seeing as they only cost around $50 / £50, these over-ear headphones are far better than I was expecting.

The Earfun Wave Life pack in enough features and sufficiently robust audio performance to make them absolutely worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a new pair of cheap over-ear cans. Sturdily built, extremely easy on the ears thanks to their lush foam cups and sporting an app that’s both intuitive and comprehensive with its EQ options, there’s a lot to like about these competitively priced noise cancelling headphones.

It’s a pity the Wave Life’s ANC features don’t fully convince. For the price Earfun are selling them, I was never expecting these over-ears to rival the best noise-cancelling headphones out there. Still, when it comes to snuffing out distracting ambient noise, ANC performance with these cheap cans is almost aggressively average.

On the flipside, if you’re lucky enough not to have to endure regular noisy commutes, the Earfun Wave Life have more than enough plus points to make them worth recommending if you’re on a tight budget.

Bolstered by stellar software, a dedicated game mode and 40mm drivers that hand in convincingly deep bass levels, Earfun’s affordable headphones are thoroughly enjoyable. They might be cheap, but they certainly don’t feel it.

Not only are the Wave Life some of the most comfortable cheap cans I’ve ever worn, they’re also great for hands-free voice calls. During one of my least glamorous chats in recent memory – one that involved asking a plumber pal of mine about a broken toilet seat – I was reassured my voice was clear during the entire abode-centric chinwag despite me being in a different room than my phone during the call. Thank you very much, Bluetooth 5.4.

Will these cans' soundscape blow you away (even after you tweak frequency settings with Earfun’s fantastic EQ software)? Probably not. Yet for the price, these supremely comfortable headphones, which also boast staying power of up to 60 hours if you switch ANC off, deliver more than they disappoint even they may not quite make it into the best over-ear headphones available.

If you want a pair of budget over-ears that will be comfortable on your cranium while (mostly) delivering satisfying sounds, you could do a whole lot worse than the Earfun Wave Life.

Earfun Wave Life over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Price and release date

  • Release date: February, 2025
  • Price: $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.)

The Earfun Wave Life are priced super-aggressively at just $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.). They can often be found even cheaper than their official retail price courtesy of Amazon sales, too.

Though they’re obviously not as premium as the $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$167 (where sold) Earfun Wave Pro that impressed us big style early last year, they still deliver a satisfying sonic experience.

Sure, they’re not going to make audiophiles’ socks roll up and down. Yet considering their budget price point, I reckon most folks will be pleasantly surprised by these over-ear headphones’ pleasingly deep bass and relatively convincing trebles. The Earfun Wave Life are also far more comfy than I was expecting from such an affordable pair of cans.

In terms of alternative options, if you’re looking for some of the best cheap headphones for under $/£100, you’ll struggle to do better than the superb 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 (catchy moniker, right?). The Sony WH-CH520 are another great option if you’re in the market for a budget pair of noise-cancelling cans.

Earfun Wave Life review: Specs

Weight:

264g

Drivers:

40mm Composite

Battery life:

37 hours (ANC on); up to 60 hours (ANC off)

Control:

app; physical/touch; voice

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C

Earfun Wave Life over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Features

  • Up to 60 hours' battery life
  • Intuitive app improves sound quality
  • Two devices can be paired simultaneously

Aside from their stellar battery life – more on which shortly – the Earfun Wave Life feature that impresses me most is their excellent software. The Earfun Audio app is available on both Android and iOS, and I’d consider it an essential download if you want to squeeze the best sound out of these cheap over-ear cans.

Easy to use, sporting an uncluttered design and with intuitive custom EQ calibration tools, the Earfun app can significantly improve the Wave Life’s already decent out-of-the-box audio.

I’m a big fan of the software’s custom equalizer that allows you to adjust the headphones’ soundscape across a variety of frequencies via a set of sliders. It’s a doddle to use, as you simply tweak each frequency until the app’s repeating ‘drip’ sound fades away.

After a couple of minutes of adjustments, I found the customized results to be significantly more satisfying than any of the 30 preset EQ profiles Earfun’s software offers. These span various musical genres, while various bass and treble boost presets are also provided.

The wide variety of profiles the firm serves up may be impressive, but I found the majority to be a little too quiet. And not to be overly nitpicking, but flicking between these presets on both my iPhone 14 Pro and iPad Pro (2024) is painfully sloooooow.

Earfun’s app also lets you switch between the Wave Life’s four ANC modes. First up, there’s ‘normal’, which somewhat confusingly turns noise cancelling off. There’s then ‘ambient sound’, ‘wind noise cancellation’ and ‘noise cancelling’; with the latter two options snuffing out sounds most effectively.

Screenshot of the Earfun Audio app's adjustable EQ settings, an optional extra for the Earfun Wave Life headphones

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Sadly, Earfun hasn’t really cracked the ANC code with its cheap cans and I could still easily make out passing traffic when going out for strolls. Next to my Apple AirPods Max, noise cancelling on the Wave Life isn’t up to scratch. That said, comparing $60 headphones to Crew Cupertino’s $500 over-ear cans is like pitting a Morris Minor against a Lamborghini Aventador in a drag race.

Another selling point of the Earfun Wave Life that thankfully proves more effective is their multi-phone connectivity that lets you pair two devices simultaneously. During my testing it proved largely reliable, with the headphones syncing to my tablet and smartphone with little hassle. The only slight hitch I’ve encountered is when I enter the app on my duo of Apple devices, which often requires me to unpair one gizmo before I can tweak software settings on the other.

The Earfun Wave Life are battery beasts. On a full charge, they’ll last for 60 hours, with that number dropping to a still-impressive 37 hours with ANC enabled. During my fortnight of testing these cans, I only had to charge them twice, which is super-commendable considering how kind these headphones are on your change purse.

However, there’s no getting around the fact the bundled-in USB-C charging cable is comically short. I’m talking Smurf short. Still, I’m not going to grumble too much when I can get the Wafe Life to 100% juice in less than 30 minutes on my GaN charger.

As mentioned in the two-minute review, the four-mic, AI-assisted algorithm also makes hands-free calling a breeze. With a 49ft range, you don’t have to worry about being cut off when wandering around your apartment/house, either.

  • Features score: 4 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, the earcups folded inwards, on a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Design

  • Incredibly comfy to wear
  • Easy-to-reach on-cup controls
  • Materials feel premium for budget cans

No-frills is the name of the ultra-plain game when it comes to the Earfun Wave Life. With an inoffensive yet entirely forgettable design, these cans won't keep you from hitting the hay and dreaming about how alluring they look.

Crucially, though, they don’t feel cheap. The quality of the plastics used in the construction of these over-ears feels far more premium than I’d expect from $60 headphones. I also appreciate the brushed metal that appears when you extend the Wave Life’s headband.

In terms of comfort, Earfun has absolutely nailed it with its latest budget cans. I wore them on a three-hour walk with my husky on an uncommonly warm Scottish afternoon recently and never once did they cause me any discomfort. That’s mainly due to their super-comfy foam cups which rotate 90 degrees, making them both easy to fold up and an absolute pleasure to wear.

The Earfun Wave Life weigh a relatively breezy 264g, which also means you don’t have to worry about neck strain or earache. Every time I put these cans on, it feels like giving my lobes a big fuzzy hug. I’ll take comfort over style all the livelong day.

The on-cup controls are also enjoyable to interact with. A soft plastic power button is wedged between equally squishy and easy-to-locate volume up/down controls, while I also had no problems switching between noise-cancelling controls thanks to the dedicated ANC button. My only slight beef? You have to hold down the power button a little too long for my liking.

There’s also a USB-C slot for both wired play and charging. As I stated previously, the cable that comes in the box is way too short, so you’d be better off investing in a longer third-party one if you want to go down the wired listening route.

As for colors, you’re limited to a single shade of black. If you like your headphones to be unfussy and not make you stand out on, say, a crowded train or bus, the Wave Life’s bog-standard noir won’t bother you. Personally, I like both white and colored cans, so I would have appreciated more than one hue.

  • Design score: 4 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, folded inwards, held in-hand over a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Sound quality

  • A touch quiet without app tweaks
  • Software EQ adjustments save the day
  • Well-judged bass levels

Considering how affordable the Wave Life are, I don’t want to overly dunk on their sound shortcomings, and there are few glaring weaknesses with these cheap cans’ audio quality. There are, though, some that warrant mentioning.

My biggest bugbear is the default sound profile when you first unbox these over-ears. This is subjective, but the Wave Life were a tad too quiet when I first clamped them around my skull. Although initially underwhelmed by their audio, I calibrated a custom EQ via the Earfun Audio app to produce a listening experience that felt far more well-balanced and punchy.

Without software tweaks, vocals during my favorite tunes and dialogue on some of the best Netflix movies on my iPad felt muted and flat, so I definitely recommend downloading Earfun’s app. Considering the firm’s software is both robust yet never feels daunting to interact with, it would be uncharitable to slam the Wave Life’s default soundscape when it’s so simple and quick to make it appreciably better through minor app adjustments.

Within minutes of fiddling about with its frequency sliders, I landed on a custom profile that delivered a soundscape with decently weighty bass that dovetailed well with the treble levels I settled on. Yes, mids on the Wave Life get lost in the sonic shuffle somewhat, but overall, I’ve had far more enjoyable audio sessions with these cans than disappointing ones.

When testing headphones for the first time, I’ve got a small clutch of go-to bangers I always fire up. The almost hymn-like electronic stylings of Death in Vegas’ Girls sounds way more impactful than I was expecting from sub-$100 cans, while the pulsating trance beats of F*ck Buttons nine-minute The Lisbon Maru delivered all the bass my eardrums craved – thank you, Wave Life.

Reviewer wearing the Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones in his home

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

I was less taken with my favorite live performance ever when listening to The Verve’s astonishing rendition of Sonnet from their spellbinding 1998 home concert from Wigan’s Haigh Hall, though. This classic Cool Britannia tune sounds amazing on my Sony Inzone H9 – surprising, considering it’s a gaming headset first and foremost. But on the Wave Life, Richard Ashcroft’s normally haunting vocals lack the audio oomph my Inzone cans drum up.

Speaking of which, Earfun’s budget over-ears come with a low-latency Game Mode that automatically kicks in if you fire up a title on either your Android or iOS device. Not that I actually noticed much difference when I disabled the feature when playing some of the best iPad games.

That’s not to say the Wave Life don’t do a more than passable job at being a decent gaming headset. Even though gamers aren’t Earfun’s target market, their latest over-ears' ability to pick out subtle sounds during gameplay is admirable. I was particularly impressed (and oh so flustered) by how effectively they conveyed the constant nearby Xenomorph screeches in the nerve-shredding Alien Isolation. The Resident Evil 4 remake’s undead-slaughtering gun battles also popped in an impactful way I wasn’t expecting from such cheap cans.

It’s best to go in with low expectations regarding the Wave Life’s noise cancelling, though. Even the most effective of its modes isn’t great at kiboshing ambient sounds, so if quality ANC is important to you, look elsewhere.

  • Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, with extended headband and folded inwards, on a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Value

  • Great value for money, given the features
  • Sound quality expectations met for the price
  • No carry case

Considering the amount of features and general build quality, there’s zero doubt the Earfun Wave Life represent fantastic value for money.

Overall sound quality also surpasses the expectations I’d generally go in with when it comes to reviewing such a cheap set of headphones. Unless you’re a real elitist audiophile, you’ll be pretty smitten with what your $60 / £50 / AU$105 (approx.) outlay serves up sound-wise.

While a carry case would have been appreciated, that’s a bit too much to ask for such affordable cans. Earfun deserves a lot of credit for selling its Wave Life over-ears at such an attractive price point.

  • Value score: 4.5 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones on a wooden surface

(Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Life?

Section

Notes

Score

Features

Bluetooth 5.4; excellent 60-hour battery life; simultaneous device pairing

4 / 5

Design

Incredibly comfy; easy-to-reach on-cup controls; another color would be nice

4 / 5

Sound quality

Optional app essential to overcome limited EQ presets; a touch quiet; ANC could be far better

3.5 / 5

Value

Fantastic value for money; sound quality to be expected at the price point

4.5 / 5

Buy them if…

You want strong sound on a budget
For $60 / £50 / AU$105 (approx.), you’re going to struggle to find a better all-round, feature-packed set of cans than the Earfun Wave Life. They’re awesome value for money.

You value comfort
Reasonably lightweight and with lovely foam earcups, these budget headphones are so comfortable, it’s often easy to forget you’re wearing them.

Don't buy them if…

You need strong ANC
The Wave Life’s noise-cancelling features are merely adequate at best. If you regularly deal with noisy environments, there are far better options out there.

You don’t want to tweak settings
Straight out of the box, these headphones’ audio performance underwhelms. To get the most out of them, tinkering with Earfun’s app settings is essential.

Earfun Wave Life review: Also consider

Earfun Wave Life

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

Sony WH-CH520

Drivers:

40mm composite

40mm dynamic

30mm

Active noise cancellation:

Yes

Yes

No

Battery life:

60 hours (37 hours ANC on)

100 hours (65 hours ANC on)

50 hours

Weight:

264g

246g

137g

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C

Bluetooth 5.2; 3.5mm

Bluetooth 5.2

Waterproofing:

N/A

N/A

N/A

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
The current king of cheap headphones offer granite-strong battery life, effective ANC and a super-sleek design.
See our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

Sony WH-CH520
If noise cancelling isn’t a deal-breaker for you, consider these well-balanced Sony cans that boast a great app.
See our full Sony WH-CH520 review

How I tested Earfun Wave Life

  • Tested for nearly three weeks
  • Tested at home, on long walks and in ride shares

I tested the Earfun Wave Pro in a variety of conditions spanning songs, streaming content and video games over roughly a three-week period. This gave me the chance to get to know how versatile these over-ears can be.

Most of my time with these budget headphones was spent listening to music and podcasts on my iPhone 14 Pro. Away from revisiting my favourite tunes, I also used the Earfun Wave Life for Netflix and Disney Plus streaming, plus playing several games on my iPad Pro.

While most of my background centres around covering the best TVs and almost 20 years writing about video games, I’ve owned an absurd amount of headphones and earbuds in my life – from $500 Apple Airpods Max to budget buds from brands you’ve probably never heard of.

Currently, I have more sets of cans in my apartment than I do meals in my fridge. I should perhaps adjust my priorities in life, but hey, what can I say? I really love the best headphones.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

I tested the successor to my favorite cheap Earfun headphones and sadly, there’s one major problem
4:00 pm | June 10, 2025

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

Earfun Tune Pro: Two minute review

Budget audio brand Earfun has continued its foray into the over-ear headphone game with the Earfun Tune Pro, an affordable pair of over-ears which unfortunately don’t live up to Earfun’s usually-impressive track record. Some of the best cheap headphones I've tested, they are not.

Earfun’s first over-ears, the Wave Pro, were some of our top-rated affordable headphones, easily earning (for a while, at least) a place on our list of the best headphones you can buy. And they were always going to be a tough act to follow. The fact that they’re still available to buy now also makes them a big (and honestly, more viable) rival to the Tune Pro.

I won’t beat around the bush: the big problem with the headphones is that they just don’t sound good. Earfun’s typical ability to punch well above its weight somehow didn’t grace the new and rather ironically-named Tune Pro. The cans lack serious bass, endure frequent peaking that ruins percussion, and don’t offer much in the way of an organised, layered soundstage to let you appreciate the separation and detail of instruments.

You can’t expect Bose- or Sony-tier audio in cans that cost under $/£100 but there are plenty of budget headphones for the same price that outstrip the Tune Pro. So as you'll see as we get into the meat of this review, it's hard to recommend the cans.

I also found the Earfuns pretty uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. The pressure they exerted on my head grew noticeable after only a few hours of use. It’s not great and neither of these are concerns was something I experienced with the Wave Pro.

Why not go lower than 3 stars? Well, the Earfun magic is present in a few other areas. Take, for example, the battery life: these headphones will last a monumental 120 hours (with ANC turned off) before you’ll need to charge them. That’s five straight days of music before they need powering up and I don’t need to tell you how important a long battery life can be for certain subsets of users. There are very few headphones on the market that come even close to this score.

Earfun has also included its usual range of features on its app: multiple ANC modes (perhaps too many – more on this later), an in-depth equalizer and a feature that’s all too uncommon on headphones: a listening test to automatically create your own sound mix. This latter is a lovely little extra that lots of rivals don’t have.

While the audio quality lets things down big-time, I can see the admirable battery life and listening test drawing in some users who prefer functionality over sound quality. It’s just that those are more caveats than I usually have to add in an Earfun review – a brand I usually champion in the ‘cheap and cheerful’ stakes.

Earfun Tune Pro review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

N/A

Battery life (quoted)

120 hours (ANC off) 80 hours (ANC on)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Weight

289g

Driver

40mm + 10mm

Earfun Tune Pro review: Price and availability

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released in May 2025
  • RRP of $89.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$160)
  • Already available at $69.99 / £59.99 (no AU sales)

The Earfun Tune Pro were announced in May 2025 for a retail price of $89.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$160 though they're not on sale in Australia at the time of writing, unlike many other products from the company).

Don’t tell Amazon that though, because the retailer lists in multiple regions that the cans were released in September 2024. It offers them for the discounted price of $69.99 / £59.99 (at the time of writing) despite them being new.

However much you pay for them, the Earfun Tune Pro are clearly budget headphones. They’re the middle of Earfun’s three over-ear options, sitting equally between the more expensive Wave Pro and cheaper Wave Life.

Earfun Tune Pro review: Design

The Earfun Tune Pro on a man's head.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Chunky cans with 3.5mm jack and physical buttons
  • Uncomfortable for long play sessions
  • No IP rating for waterproofing

As you can see from pictures, Earfun has kept things simple with the Tune Pro, playing close to the formula for over-ear headphones.

The cans weigh 289g and are made from plastic, so they don’t feel too heavy when you’re wearing them. That doesn’t mean they’re exactly comfortable though, and I could only listen for a few hours before needing to give my head a break.

The ear cups are quite thick, sticking from your head about 50% more than your average pair of over-ears (judging by the few pairs I had on hand). I don’t imagine this is to blame for the comfort issues but it does make the cans look imposing when you wear them.

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is. (Image credit: Future)

Earfun has ensured that the Tune Pro have some versatility in size as the band can be extended or retracted quite a distance (if you do have a larger head, check out our roundup feature of headphones with longer extendable arms) while the cups can be rotated around 100 degrees – and they also fold up if you want to put them in a bag.

Onto the buttons. On the right cup you’ve got a volume rocker, power button and 3.5mm headphone jack – yes, the Tune Pro supports wired audio – while the left earpiece has an ANC button and the USB-C charging port.

The buttons don’t stick out that far from the casework and so, despite little knobs to make them a bit more prominent, I still found them pretty hard to locate just with my fingers. Instead, I generally relied on my phone to change volume and ANC.

Earfun’s website makes no mention of any kind of IP rating for the Tune Pro so I’d recommend keeping them high and dry.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: Features

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Incredbly battery life
  • Range of ANC modes, all fine
  • Equalizer with listening test

Earfun headphones always out-rep the competition in the features department and things are no different for the Tune Pro. The real highlight of these cans is the battery life, which according to Earfun stretches to an incredible 120 hours with ANC turned off and a still-admirable 80 hours with it turned on.

I can count on one hand the number of sets of headphones that beat or match that battery life, and it’s a vital figure for people who rarely get time to charge up their headphones for one reason or another. I would’ve loved cans like these when I last went travelling.

Next up, ANC is… present, I’ll say that much. It’s fine, but far from best-in-class and about what you’d expect for the price. It’s useful for covering up certain annoying background noises like a dishwasher in another room or distant traffic going past your house, but it won’t make your commute near-silent or ensure you can hear your music when vacuuming at home.

A few different ANC presets are available in the Earfun app. Default, which I take to be ‘off’, is Normal but there’s Ambient Sound to allow nearby noises through, Wind noise cancellation which is just designed for the infuriating sound of wind that always baffles headphone ANC, and lastly Comfort ANC and Strong ANC. I take these latter to be ‘medium’ and ‘high’ strengths to Normal’s ‘off’, but this is based purely on the icons in the app and nothing else.

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve complained in past reviews about Earfun’s array of ANC modes being a bit overwhelming. Why? Because it’s hard to know which mode you should be using at any one time, and it’s also a chore to open up the Earfun app to switch if you decide you want to (the ANC button on the cans only cycles through the first three options, not the two full-blooded ANC ones).

A few more features available through the the Earfun app include the ability to toggle low-latency modes for gaming or a wide-soundstage mode for movies and TV, and a way to change what the buttons on the ear cups do. However, the major one to note is an equalizer.

As with past Earfuns, the Tune Pro offers a wide range of EQ modes based on different genres of music or increasing or decreasing bass or treble. There are plenty of options and it’s worth playing around to find your perfect preset, though a 10-band custom EQ mode lets you create your own mix too. A brief test also creates a bespoke equalizer mix for you and I was pretty happy with the mix it created for me.

For call handling, the Earfun Tune Pro feature five mics (presumably per earpiece, although Earfun doesn't express this as such. But anything else would be odd) as well as an algorithm to clear up your voice when others hear you.

  • Features score: 4/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: Sound performance

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 40mm + 10mm drivers
  • Distorting sound, lacking bass
  • Limited sound stage

Given the price you’re paying for the Tune Pro, you’re probably not expecting the most ear-pleasing audio in the world, and it’s a good thing to set your expectations low because these Earfun headphones don’t sound great, even for the money.

Specs-wise, the headphones pack both a 40mm and 10mm driver in each can which should ostensibly provide extra oomph in the bass department, but theory is a far cry from fact.

Perhaps the biggest issue, noticeable constantly, is the audio peaking through the treble, which crushes hi-hats into mere hisses and devolves powerful guitar lines into crunchy oblivion. At the other end of the frequency scale, the tuning here boosts the bass drum so much that it frequently overrides vocals. It’s hard to enjoy songs without percussion and detail through the mids to provide rhythm, and the Tune Pro don’t offer much of that.

You’re not getting much expansion or detail through the soundstage here either, with music presented as a somewhat homogenous mush instead of a collection of separate, distinct and layered instruments given enough room to be impactful. The confusing mix here also masks the detail and dynamic nuance in my music, while also sapping some of the charm and emotion from vocals. If you care about the musicality within your favorite songs, these sadly aren’t the cans for you.

If there’s anything to be said for the Earfun Tune Pro's audio quality, it’s that the max volume goes pretty loud, so you’re never going to struggle to hear songs even if you turn ANC off.

  • Sound performance score: 2.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro: Value

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)

Usually when qualifying the value of cheap headphones, I simply point to the price and say “yes”, but it’s not quite as easy as that for the Tune Pro.

While the headphones are admittedly very affordable, they’re not the only cheap headphones in existence, and others will get you more bang for your buck. That’s literal, with many other low-cost options getting you better audio quality.

The only other important factor is the feature set, which admittedly is pretty competitive on the Earfun Tune Pro. So if you aren’t that bothered about the sound and care more about longevity and the presence of an equalizer, these claw back some value points.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

You get what you pay for, but you're not too far out of pocket for the Earfuns.

3.5/5

Design

The Tune Pro is a bit too big and bulky to be fully comfortable to wear, but it has 3.5mm.

3.5/5

Features

For budget cans, the feature set is solid. The battery life is laudable and the EQ (and its test) are too.

4/5

Sound

A range of issues with the audio quality makes it hard to award many points in this department.

2.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro: Should I buy?

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

You need lots of battery power

With 120 hours in the tank, the Earfun Tune Pro are great headphones for people who can't find themselves to a charging point every day, or simply forget to do so regularly.

The EQ tuner sounds useful

A listening test is a mode we don't often see in budget headphones, so if you want a digital way of improving your music, this may be enough to sway you.

You need headphones that fold down

Not every pair of headphones on the market folds down to be easily transportable, and some are really hard to fit in a bag. Not these Earfuns!

Don't buy them if...

You care about audio quality

It's unfair to say that audio quality is the only important factor of a pair of headphones... but if you prioritise sound-per-pound value, skip these particular Earfuns.

You have a large noggin

People with small heads may not have the uncomfortable wear problem that I did, but if your cranium is medium or large sized, you'll struggle to listen to the Earfuns for a few hours.

Also consider

Component

Earfun Tune Pro

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

Earfun Wave Pro

Water resistant

NA

NA

NA

Battery life

120 hours (ANC off) 80 hours (ANC on)

100 hours (ANC off) 65 hours (ANC on)

80 hours (ANC off) 55 hours (ANC on)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

289g

246g

268g

Driver

40mm + 10mm

40mm

40mm

Earfun Wave Pro

Everything we wanted the Tune to be: these cheap headphones cost pretty good, feel more comfortable to wear and mostly match the Tune's feature set. The battery life isn't as good though.

Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 

The cans that displaced the Wave Pro as our top-rated budget headphones. The 1More have good sound and great ANC, with a battery life that's not much shorter than the Earfun. However there are a few build concerns.

Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

How I tested

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table.

(Image credit: Future)

I used the Earfun Tune Pro for three weeks in order to write this review, and some extra time during the writing process itself.

During testing I used the Earfun alongside a few devices, most frequently my Android smartphone via Bluetooth but sometimes an iPod Classic via 3.5mm. Listening was generally music but I also listened to some some spoken-word, games and TV shows too. Testing was done at home and around my neighborhood.

I've been testing audio products for TechRadar for over 6 years and currently test several headphones or earbuds each month. This has included many past Earfun products – including the slightly older Wave Pro.

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: June 2025
I reviewed Anker’s cheap AirPods 4 alternative earbuds, and you could do much worse for the money
5:30 pm | June 9, 2025

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

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5: two-minute review

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 are a modestly priced pair of stem-equipped wireless earbuds, aiming to offer “detail-rich” sound and silencing ANC. With a list price of $129 / £99 / AU$169, these buds are hardly short on competition. But they do a decent amount to stand out in what is a congested market.

One of the ways they do that is by offering a broad, rich suite of features. Whether it’s a preference EQ test, low-latency gaming mode, customizable touch controls or environment-specific ANC, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into. Of course, the adaptive ANC is a standout feature here. It’s not groundbreaking and I’ve experienced better noise-nixing capabilities from wireless earbuds, but external sounds are dulled effectively overall and there are lots of customization options.

That said, to compete with the best earbuds on the market, you need to sound good – in fact, the audio needs to be very good. And thankfully, the Liberty 5 do sound pretty solid overall. You can uncover substantial sonic detail – especially with LDAC deployed – plus booming bass and even a fair amount of breadth and separation when using Dolby Audio. Out of the box, the Liberty 5 do lack a modicum of neutrality, showing a clear preference for bass and treble (read: 'excitement' or 'zeal' over a more natural, faithful and integrated balance across the frequencies). The detail in musical passages and layering of instruments are unlikely to impress audiophiles either. However, it's all relative and for the price you pay, these buds meet the mark.

Something that’s not so impressive, though, is the Liberty 5’s design. I’m just not digging the plasticky housing and stem design. Touch controls, which are accessed via the stems, are fiddly and inconsistent too. You do, however, get a pretty cool sliding case and IP55 dust and waterproofing.

Other aspects that could be better include call quality, which is not exactly bad but not quite as “crystal-clear” as advertised. I also experienced a notable amount of sound leakage – though that’s pretty common for earbuds at this level.

Still, there’s a lot to like about the Liberty 5. My testing suggested battery life may not be as long as quoted, but you still get a decent amount of playtime. There’s a fit check option to get the best seal, a range of additional ear tips in the box and multi-point connectivity too.

All in all, I’d argue that the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 make for a decent pair of wireless earbuds, though their design flaws in particular hold them back from greatness. If you want an even cheaper option, I’d go for the similarly stemmed Earfun Air 2 NC which impressed me in the audio and noise cancelling department.

At a similar price you could instead get the Nothing Ear (a) – more on those later. And finally, if you’re willing to step it up a little bit, I absolutely love the Dolby Atmos-enabled LG Tone Free T90S, which you can grab on-sale close to the $180 / £150 mark. If the Liberty 5 see a significant price-slash at any of the upcoming sales events, I’m sure they’d be worth adding to your online shopping cart. But right now, you can do better for the money.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 buds on circular surface

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: price and availability

  • $129 / £99 / AU$169
  • Launched in May 2025

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 launched in May 2025, just over two-and-a-half years after their predecessor, the Liberty 4. They have a list price of $129 / £99 / AU$169, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on sale in the not too distant future. Notably, you can grab the Liberty 5 in four different color options: Black; White; Blue; or Apricot. The color you select should have no bearing on price.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: specs

Drivers

9.2mm dynamic

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

Buds: 12 hours (8 hours with ANC on); Total with case: 48 hours (32 hours with ANC on)

Weight

4.6g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Frequency range

20Hz-20kHz

Waterproofing

IP55

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case in hand

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: features

  • Customizable noise cancellation options…
  • ...but actual ANC performance isn’t top-class
  • Top-tier companion app

I want to start off with a big plus-point: I really love the Soundcore companion app – and as someone who has countless similar audio apps on my phone, it’s rare that I really love something priced at this level. Said app is laid out in a clean, user-friendly manner, with all of the crucial settings listed on a hub page and smaller nuggets up in a separate menu. I find some companion apps to be a bit slow or buggy – not this one.

So, let’s run through all of the key features you can find on the Soundcore app. There’s the classic inclusions like multi-point connectivity, a Find Device option if a pesky bud goes amiss, and customizable touch controls – something I’ll discuss more in the Design section.

But one of the key areas I want to focus on is EQ adjustment. Soundcore has really knocked it out of the park here; there are just so many ways to tailor the Liberty 5’s sound to your tastes. Firstly, there’s all the usual suspects – think Bass Booster and Bass Reducer, as well as genre-specific choices such as Classical and Dance. There’s also a Dolby Audio option (not Atmos) with music, podcast, or movie sub-options. Mobile gamers are in luck too: there’s a low-latency Gaming Mode that enhances the sounds of footsteps and voices – though you won’t be able to use this alongside the ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth codec, LDAC, which is a great inclusion.

And there’s more! You can even take a preference test, as seen on the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, which presents a series of sound ‘A’ and ‘B’ options, and forges a bespoke sound for you based on the selections you make. Honestly, I think Soundcore is doing this better than all of its rivals – I even like this more than the preference-based EQ function on the Sony WH-1000XM6.

Of course, the main event here is active noise cancellation, but despite the Liberty 5’s admirable report card so far, this is where things take a slight dip. Is ANC bad on the Liberty 5? No, that would be harsh. But is it the best around? Also no: it’s acceptable, but no better.

When walking near a busy road, I could still hear vehicles going by, even in the 60-70% volume range. Sure, sounds were significantly dulled, but there was a touch more extraneous noise filtering in than I would’ve liked. Similarly, while working away in the office, chatter in an adjacent room was easily phased out, but low-level discussions from my colleagues would creep in. If you don’t need silence or near-silence at all times, the Liberty 5 will do just fine. But if you’re looking for S-tier noise-crushing capabilities, you’re gonna have to look some more.

Interestingly, you can adapt noise cancelling between one – the weakest, and five – the strongest, if you want to take a more balanced approach to listening. There’s a transparency calibration too, as well as a wind noise reducer and ANC modes for traveling via plane or car. If you’d like, you can even use Fit Test, to ensure you’re getting the perfect seal for shutting out the world around you.

Finally, Soundcore says that the Liberty 5 can manage eight hours of playtime with ANC on – that is if you listen at moderate volume with basically every extra option switched off. That’s a pretty solid amount, though I did realize that the battery depleted by 20% after one hour of testing. That suggests you may not quite get that full eight hours after all. Still, the case packs plenty of charge, so unless you want to lock in for a super-long session, there should be enough battery life here.

  • Features score: 4/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case connected to USB-C cable

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: sound quality

  • Impressive bass output
  • Lack a bit of balance out of the box
  • …but there are extensive EQ options and Dolby Audio to fix it

For $129 / £99 / AU$169, it’s rare that you’ll find top-of-the-range sound quality. And the Liberty 5 aren’t going to plate up the kind of perfectly nuanced, beautifully separated sound that audiophiles are hunting down – if the Liberty 5 could do that for this money and without wires, we could all pack up and go home.

All the same, I’m pleased to report that they do sound good overall. When listening to It’s Possible by Piero Piccioni and Catherine Howe, vocals had a pleasing degree of detail, with tongue clicks on the palate and subtle breaths sounding three-dimensional and largely authentic. Audio was particularly revealing with the higher-resolution Bluetooth codec, LDAC, switched on, but even then, the vocals weren’t quite lifted out of the mix for the most expressive, layered listen.

Similarly, when tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, the vocal performance was clear, but felt as if it could be more prominent in the mix. This track did reveal, however, that the Liberty 5 pack some serious low-end punch. The pumping drum machine – though perhaps not as agile as you’d hear on more premium buds like the Technics EAH-AZ100 – offered impressive depth. And again with Breather by Christ Stussy & S. A. M., the Liberty 5 had the talents to replicate the thumping bass at the heart of this track’s energetic, almost hypnotic bounce.

When listening to Breather, I did feel that percussion in the treble range could sound overemphasized, especially at higher volume levels. That may well cause some fatigue during longer listening sessions, so if you’d like to tone things down, it’s going to be worth taking a trip to the Soundcore app. After making use of the custom eight-band equalizer, I was able to largely quash this issue, which really is a testament to the highly tunable sound of the Liberty 5.

Yes, you really can make these earbuds sound your own. There’s a Dolby Audio option, if you want slightly wider, more immersive sound. For reference, you’re not getting Dolby Atmos – something you’ll find on models like the LG xboom Buds, as an example. How does this particular Dolby side-sauce sound? Well, it does what it says on the tin. Bass in particular sounds broader… more encapsulating. But you may find that a touch of detail is lost compared to listening with Dolby Audio off.

One more performance-related element I should discuss is mic quality. Soundcore proudly states that the Liberty 5 are capable of “crystal-clear” call quality, thanks to six mics, a wind-resistant algorithm and a helping hand from AI. But I wasn’t all too impressed in this department. My voice was decently clear, but my surroundings would often get in the way. Similarly on a voice note, I could certainly hear myself, but my voice wasn’t particularly forward and external noises crept in easily.

  • Sound quality score: 4/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 buds on circular surface

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: design

  • Stem design won’t be for everyone
  • Neat sliding case
  • The touch controls just aren’t it

I think it’s only fair that I put my cards on the table here and say that I’m not a mega-fan of the Soundcore Liberty 5’s design. Part of that comes down to personal preference – I like the smaller, more discreet look of stemless rivals like the Sony WF-C710N.

Still, I can put that aside to a degree. But I couldn’t help feeling that the Liberty 5 look like a more plasticky and less sleek pair of AirPods. I would argue that their slightly slanted look is a plus though, that does give them a sharper, more angular edge. And unlike AirPods, you can grab these in multiple color options: Black; White; Blue; or Apricot.

Looks aside, there is one major impracticality about the Liberty 5’s design: their touch controls. Soundcore’s gone for a kind of ‘pinch’ control scheme, which frankly, I found a little awkward. The buds wouldn’t feel very secure when I was pinching at the stems to skip or go to previous tracks. And the effectiveness of my attempts varied. Sometimes I had to make multiple attempts to pause or play a song – it’s just not a massively consistent way to control playback.

So, yes, not a lot of good stuff to say so far. But one thing I do like about the Liberty 5 is their charging case. Simply, slide it open and there you are. Your earbuds, right before you! I prefer this motion to the flip-top motion cases opt for and would like to see a few more manufacturers consider it.

The buds are also fairly comfortable in-ear, so it’s unlikely you’ll feel exhausted after mere minutes of use. You can find multiple sized eartips in the box too, helping you find the most secure fit possible. Despite getting a nice seal, though, a colleague did hear some sound leakage at around 65-70% volume. There’s an adaptive sound leakage compensation toggle in the Soundcore app’s advanced settings but, still, you’re not going to get the perfect isolation that the best over-ear headphones supply.

Waterproofing is also pretty solid. The Liberty 5 are IP55 dust and waterproof rated, which means that they can withstand low pressure water jets from multiple directions. That’s better than a lot of competitors, but you can do even better. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, for instance, are IP57-rated, so they can even survive being immersed under a meter of water for a while.

  • Design score: 3/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 in open charging case

(Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: value

  • Fairly moderate list price
  • But still, you can do better for the money
  • Outperformed by a number of rivals

The Soundcore Liberty 5 are playing in a pretty competitive field, coming in at $129 / £99 / AU$169. It’s a decently modest price tag, sure, but a lot of manufacturers are producing pretty great earbuds for even less.

Now, there are a lot of rivals I could name here. I own the Sony WF-C700N and they sound great while also offering a more low-profile look than the Liberty 5. We also rate the Nothing Ear (a) highly, but I’ll discuss those a little more below. But if you want the ultimate guide to the leading cheap models, then I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best budget earbuds.

Ultimately, $100 / £100 / AU$150 is still a significant spend. And I’m not convinced these are particularly standout – aside from their excellent companion app and decently broad feature-set. In terms of sonic prowess, ANC abilities and design, it’s a more mixed picture. If these are on sale, I wouldn’t count them out, of course. But at the moment, I’d rather grab a pair of buds from Sony or Nothing.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case on circular surface

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Awesome companion app, customizable but fairly average ANC, OK battery.

4/5

Sound quality

Good overall sound for the cost with impressive bass, calling could be better.

4/5

Design

Impractical touch controls, divisive stem design, IP55 waterproofing and case.

3/5

Value

Decent price but outperformed by rivals on sound and design.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You’re looking for a cheaper alternative to AirPods
AirPods are expensive, there’s no getting around it. And there’s no doubt that the Soundcore Liberty 5 are attempting to be a more budget-friendly alternative. With a stem design and a spatial sound option, via Dolby Audio, you can expect a lot of the AirPods’ niceties on the Liberty 5.

You want highly customizable sound
I love the Soundcore app, and one of the reasons for that is its incredibly rich set of EQ options. There’s a preference test that helps you create a truly bespoke sound profile, genre-based presets and even an eight-band custom equalizer. If you want a more balanced listen, it’s definitely worth exploring the options at hand here.

Don't buy them if...

You want class-leading ANC
ANC isn’t all too bad on the Soundcore Liberty 5. External sounds will be dulled fairly effectively and there’s a tasty selection of customization options too. But even at the highest intensity, I wasn’t blown away by the Liberty 5’s noise-crushing skills. I didn’t quite get near-silence in more built up areas and a whisper of noise crept through when I was working in the office, even when blasting music at around 70%.

You’re an audiophile
And finally, these earbuds may not satiate your needs if you’re a true audiophile. Even with LDAC turned on, you won’t get the best instrument separation or perfect control right across the frequencies. With some tuning, they do sound good for the money, but yes, maybe not for the most analytical listeners out there. If that's you, I'd suggest instead checking out our list of the best noise cancelling earbuds.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: also consider

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5

Nothing Ear (a)

Apple AirPods 4

Price

$129 / £99 / AU$169

$99 / £99 (about AU$150)

$129 / £129 / AU$219

Drivers

9.2mm dynamic

11mm custom

Custom

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

No

Battery life

Buds: 8 hours (12 hours without ANC on); Total with case: 32 hours (48 hours without ANC on)

Buds: 5.5hrs (9.5hrs without ANC) Total with case: 24.5hrs (42.5hrs without ANC)

Buds: 5 hours (official), 7 hours (measured); Total with case: 30 hours

Weight

4.6g (per bud)

4.8g (per bud)

4.3g (per bud)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.3

Frequency range

20Hz-40kHz

Not stated

Not stated

Waterproofing

IP55

IP54

IP54

Nothing Ear (a)
The Nothing Ear (a) are an excellent pair of budget-friendly earbuds that we’ve talked up no end here at TechRadar. And for good reason. They serve up zealous, expansive audio, surprisingly strong ANC and a compact design. Sure, their battery life is nothing special by today’s standards, but all in all, they’re an awesome pair of buds. Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review.

Apple AirPods 4
In design alone, it does feel like the Soundcore Liberty 5 are a direct competitor to the Apple AirPods 4. And I’m comparing Soundcore’s effort here against the ANC-less version of the AirPods 4, simply due to their closeness in cost. Anyway, Apple’s earbuds are, well… OK. They offer decently fun and dynamic spatial sound as well as that classic design. But no ANC at this price-point, combined with middling levels of detail and lackluster cross-platform features, is disappointing. Read our full Apple AirPods 4 review.

How I tested the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5

  • Tested for two weeks
  • Used in the office and while out in public
  • Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Soundcore Liberty 5 over a fortnight, listening to songs and watching videos for hours on end. I used them out at the office, while at home and when on walks to assess the fortitude of ANC across multiple environments.

Typically, I tested these buds using Tidal, but I also tried using them with both Spotify and YouTube. When listening to music, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres. Of course, I also tuned in to tons of tunes from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared these to the LG xboom Buds on metrics such as comfort, audio quality, ANC capabilities and features. And for reference, I’ve tested tons of audio products here at TechRadar. I’ve reviewed flagship over-ear headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6, wired earbuds like the Sennheiser IE 600 and, of course, other wireless earbuds like the LG Tone Free T90S.

I tested the VR3000 Wireless and loved their sound and design, but their ANC leaves a lot to be desired
4:00 pm | June 1, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Gaming | Tags: | Comments: Off

Final VR3000 Wireless: two-minute review

The VR3000 Wireless are gaming earbuds compatible with multiple platforms, thanks to their Bluetooth and 2.4GHz support. They can be customized using the Final Connect mobile app, featuring options to toggle the touch controls and ANC modes, as well as providing a 10-band equalizer to tinker with, offering plenty of scope to sculpt the sound profile as you see fit. It’s a shame there’s only one profile slot to save your settings to, though.

They cut a refined figure, with their small, slender profile and premium feel. They also look smart with their minimal and functional design. I found the VR3000 Wireless quite comfortable to wear, and they’re light enough to feel inconspicuous, while offering a snug and secure fit at the same time. However, I did experience some aching after about an hour, owing to the lack of any soft material around the drivers.

The overall sound they produce is excellent, rivaling the best wireless gaming headsets: it’s well-balanced, although the bass, while plenty full, lacks a little punch. The binaural qualities are also great, as Final is keen to point out in marketing the VR3000 Wireless.

The microphone renders voices with enough clarity so that it’s usable for chats, although it’s hardly the best in class, given its slightly lower fidelity compared to rivals, with inputs sounding a little muffled.

The ANC function, however, is even more disappointing, appearing only to curb certain frequencies rather than attempting to block all external noise. As a result, it fails to block out environmental sounds to any noticeable degree.

Battery life, on the other hand, did seem to live up to expectations. After several days of use, the VR3000 Wireless still had plenty of charge left both in themselves and in the case.

Connectivity is similarly reliable, although there were occasions when I had to unplug and replug the 2.4GHz dongle to reestablish connection with my PS5, which was inconvenient.

However, considering their multiple wireless options and support for a variety of platforms – not to mention the build quality, features, and excellent sound – the VR3000 Wireless represent good value. They rival costlier alternatives on many of these fronts, such as the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds and the Sony Inzone Buds. All of this means that the VR3000 Wireless are definitely worth shortlisting if you’re after gaming earbuds with plenty of quality in a small package.

Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds in case with lid open, on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Final VR3000 Wireless review: price and availability

  • $129 / £129 (about AU$200)
  • Available now
  • Cheaper than rivals

The VR3000 Wireless cost $129 / £129 (about AU$200) and are available now. They come with a charging case and five silicone tips in various sizes. A USB-C dongle for 2.4GHz connections is also included, but unfortunately, there’s no USB-A adapter for it.

This is a good price for a pair of high-quality wireless earbuds. They’re cheaper than the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, for instance, which are our current pick as the best gaming earbuds around.

They’re also less expensive than the Sony Inzone Buds, some of the best PS5 earbuds around. These had a less than impressive bass response than the VR3000 Wireless, though, but do feature much improved noise cancellation.

Final VR3000 Wireless review: specs

Price

$129 / £129 (about AU$200)

Weight

0.17oz / 4.8g (each bud)

Compatibility

Android, iOS, PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Connection type

Wireless (Bluetooth, ultra low latency wireless dongle)

Battery life

Up to 11 hours on earbuds + 38 hours from case

Features

ANC, dual MEMS microphones, touch controls, IPX5

Software

Final Connect app (mobile)

Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Final VR3000 Wireless review: design and features

  • Well-made and premium feeling
  • Small profile
  • Useful mobile app

The VR3000 Wireless make an excellent first impression, with both the buds themselves and the case adopting a sleek and premium design. Both are pleasingly small as well, which makes them a great choice for those who like to game on the go.

The buds feature vertical stems typical of many earbuds, although they’re shorter than usual. They also have a more lateral fit, with the main bulk of the drivers running parallel with your inner ear, rather than protruding outwards, which gives them a lower profile.

However, one gripe I have is that taking the VR3000 Wireless out of their case can be an awkward process. The fit is extremely snug, and the magnetic hold is strong; this at least makes them secure, and I couldn’t even shake them out by hanging the case upside down.

There’s no real dimple or gap to get any purchase, and the buds only poke out marginally, so there’s not much surface area to grab a hold of. The only real place to grab them is at either end, which is problematic since you can easily trigger the touch controls when grabbing the rear portion.

Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds case on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

The VR3000 Wireless can be customized using the Final Connect mobile app, available for both iOS and Android. This functions well and offers some useful features, including battery life readouts for each earbud, and the ability to toggle the touch controls on or off, or just disable the touch control for powering on and off the buds. Speaking of which, the touch controls are responsive and easy to use, and thankfully, some functions are accompanied by a voiceover, which is clear and informative.

You also toggle the ANC, which also features an Ambient mode that plays a constant white noise in the background. There’s a 10-band EQ to tinker with as well, although unfortunately, it only allows you to save one custom profile.

Still, this equalizer provides a lot of scope, allowing you to boost and cut frequencies between 31Hz and 16KHz by 6db. However, I found the sliders for adjusting these a little awkward to use, given their small size and how close all 10 are to each other on screen.

USB dongle for Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Final VR3000 Wireless review: Performance

  • Excellent sound
  • Poor ANC
  • Some connectivity issues

The sound produced by the Final VR3000 Wireless is excellent. The clarity and fidelity are superb, and the frequencies are expertly balanced; the mids and highs are especially good, with next no distortion.

In fact, the overall sound even comes close to rivalling the best earbuds designed for audio playback. Bass frequencies are deep and full, although they perhaps lack the punch of the beefiest earbuds around.

The spatial representation of the VR3000 Wireless is also quite commendable, accurately tracking the location of nearby footsteps in Counter-Strike 2 and cars in Gran Turismo 7.

However, I found the ANC quite poor, providing no discernible buffer between internal and external noise. It seemed merely to reduce the low-end frequencies of my immediate environment, not render them any less prominent. If anything, it sometimes made them more apparent, which is obviously disastrous for an ANC mode.

The microphone quality is sufficient for voices to come through clearly, although unsurprisingly, the fidelity isn’t a match for what large mics equipped on the best gaming headsets produce. There’s a slightly muffled effect to captured inputs, but thankfully, this isn’t egregious enough to ruin chats.

I also found the VR3000 Wireless uncomfortable for long sessions. There’s no silicone rim around the chassis to offer any cushioning, so the hard plastic is in contact with your inner ear the whole time.

Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

This meant that after more than an hour or so, I would start to experience aching. However, for sessions shorter than this, I generally didn’t have an issue, and I appreciated their snug fit and low weight. Sometimes, I even forgot I was wearing them.

Unfortunately, I experienced a few connectivity issues during my time with the VR3000 Wireless. When connected to my PS5 via the USB 2.4GHz dongle, there were times when it wouldn’t reconnect. The only solution was to unplug and replug the dongle, which is, of course, quite inconvenient, and not an issue you’d experience with the best PS5 gaming headsets.

Thankfully, I had no issues with Bluetooth, as the VR3000 Wireless connected to my Android phone instantly. However, I did find the volume quite loud, requiring me to turn down the system volume to well below halfway for an acceptable volume.

Switching back and forth between mobile and PC (that is, between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz) also proved quick and easy, just like it is with the best PC gaming headsets. Again, though, I experienced the same volume jump on Windows, so beware that the VR3000 Wireless are a loud pair of earbuds.

The battery life of the VR3000 Wireless seems very good as well, with both buds appearing to have retained close to full battery after a few days of varied use. The case dropped one bar of charge in this same timeframe, indicating it had between 51% and 75% left, which is also respectable.

Close-up of lid on the case for the Final VR3000 Wireless earbuds, on plinth with pink background

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Final VR3000 Wireless?

Buy them if...

You want a premium design
The VR3000 Wireless certainly look the part and feature premium materials and a great build quality. They also have one of the most secure charging cases I’ve ever seen.

You want great sound
The VR3000 Wireless match some of the best earbuds for sound, with their clear and well-balanced output providing plenty of fullness while avoiding distortion.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best comfort
Admittedly, I have long-term comfort issues with many earbuds, but the VR3000 Wireless were no exception.

You want the best connectivity experience
While fine in use, I did experience issues reestablishing a connection to my PS5, requiring a replug to remedy.

Final VR3000 Wireless review: also consider

Final VR3000 Wireless

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds

Sony Inzone Buds

Price

$129 / £129 (about AU$200)

$159.99 / £159.99 / AU$359

$199.99 / £179.99 / AU$249.95

Weight

0.17oz / 4.8g (each bud)

0.19oz / 5.3g (each bud); 1.7oz / 48.7g (case)

0.23oz / 6.5g (each bud)

Compatibility

Android, iOS, PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch

GameBuds for PlayStation: PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Meta Quest 2/3, mobile; GameBuds for Xbox: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Meta Quest 2/3

Android, PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Connection type

Wireless (Bluetooth, ultra low latency wireless dongle)

2.4Ghz (via USB-C), Bluetooth 5.3 (mobile)

2.4GHz (via USB-C), Bluetooth 5.3

Battery life

Up to 11 hours on earbuds + 38 hours from case

Up to 40 hours (buds 10 hours; case 30 hours)

Up to 48 hours (buds 18 hours; case 30 hours)

Features

ANC, dual MEMS microphones, touch controls, IPX5

360° Spatial Audio, Qi Wireless Charging Case, 6mm neodymium drivers, four-mic ANC, transparency mode, in-ear detection/sensor, IP55 rating, fast charge, companion app with more than 100 presets

360° Spatial Audio, IPX4 equivalent, Quick Attention, touch controls

Software

Final Connect app (mobile)

Arctis Companion App (mobile), SteelSeries Sonar (PC)

Sony Headphones Connect app (mobile), Izone Hub (PC)

SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds
If you’re after some of the most premium gaming earbuds, look no further than the Arctis GameBuds. We found little wrong with their sound, design, or features; the only drawbacks were the lack of responsiveness from the touch controls and the stock tips failing to provide a perfect fit. In all other regards, though, the GameBuds are hard to beat.

Read our full SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds review.

Sony Inzone Buds
The Inzone Buds are the best PS5 earbuds around in our view, thanks to their superb sound and outstanding noise cancellation, which we found close to faultless. The Bluetooth functionality gave us a few issues, and the bass response wasn’t as good as it could’ve been, but all things considered, the Inzone Buds are the perfect companion for your console and other devices, too.

Read our full Sony Inzone Buds review.

How I tested the Final VR3000 Wireless

  • Tested for several days
  • Used for gaming and music playback
  • Gaming and headset experience

I tested the VR3000 Wireless for several days, during which time I used them for gaming, as well as for listening to podcasts and music.

I tested them on various platforms, including PC, PS5, and Android. I connected to these devices via Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz USB dongle.

I have been gaming for over two decades, and during that time, I’ve used a plethora of headsets and earphones. I have also reviewed a number of them made by various brands and with a range of price points, designs, and feature sets.

I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price
12:00 pm | May 27, 2025

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

AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life (quoted)

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g / Charging case: 48.4g

Driver

10mm

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

  • Announced in September 2024
  • Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
  • Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Features

  • Poor real-world battery life
  • Range of ANC options
  • Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

  • Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

The AKG N5 in a man's ear.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 10mm drivers
  • Balanced sound profile
  • Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Design

  • Chunky and cheap charging case
  • Lightweight and comfortable buds
  • Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is (Image credit: Future)

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category

Comment

Score

Features

There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.

4/5

Sound

The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.

4/5

Value

By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.

3.5/5

Design

A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component

AKG N5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Water resistant

IP54

IP57

IP54

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)

6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g (buds)

5.4g (buds)

5.3g (buds)

Driver

10mm

10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter

11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

I tested AKG’s N5 Hybrid earbuds, and I was so impressed by their noise cancellation and extra features, as long as you find them at the right price
12:00 pm |

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

AKG N5: One minute review

When I’m testing new earbuds, and considering if they deserve a shoutout for our list of the best earbuds, the first thing I do is look at the price to set expectations – but for this AKG N5 review, I found two.

There’s the official list price, which sets you up for these buds to be powerful premium players, but I was also tripping over discounted prices, with the N5 seeing some hefty discounts since launch. So while I’ll test these as top-end earbuds, I’d be remiss not to point out that you can buy them for less – and you should, as they present fantastic value for money with a reduction.

The AKG N5 are the latest pair of wireless earbuds from originally-Austrian audio company AKG (which is owned by Harman, which itself is owned by Samsung). AKG puts out wireless headphones only sparingly, with its website populated almost entirely with professional wired headsets and microphones.

And it’s clear that some of that ‘professional’ DNA is present in the AKG N5 because there are loads of features which are helpful in such a setting: a USB-C dongle included in the case lets you easily (and temporarily) connect to any laptop, tablet or similar device, while call tone settings basically act like an EQ but for incoming voice calls. There are also loads of ANC settings for people who work in busy offices.

Suffice it to say I was impressed by the feature suite of the AKG N5, but not just as someone who himself tries to drown out the infuriatingly-loud team seated next to him – they’re all features that will be handy to regular buyers, not just office-locked ones.

Another strength of the AKG N5 is their audio chops, because the buds offer expressive and clear audio with plenty of detail and texture. A few more in-app modes (sorry to mention features again) let you carry out a sound test or tweak the sonic offering to your pleasure.

Some people may be put off by the AKG N5’s design. It’s true the case is pretty huge, the build quality feels iffy, and the earbud controls are hard to activate when you want to and easy to activate when you don’t. The battery life that won't last a full day of work might also put some people off.

But it’s easy to overlook these issues if, like I said, you’re able to find a good deal on these buds. And that shouldn’t be hard given I found it more of a chore to find their actual original price rather than the current one. The N5 are fine value at their official price – but discounted, they’re a steal.

AKG N5 review: Specifications

Component

Value

Water resistant

IP54

Battery life (quoted)

6 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g / Charging case: 48.4g

Driver

10mm

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Price and availability

  • Announced in September 2024
  • Priced at $299 / £249 / AU$309
  • Readily available for under $250 / £199 / AU$250

The AKG N5 were announced in September 2024, at IFA 2024, as the latest entry into the brand’s line-up of earbuds. At the time of writing they're the company’s only competitor for the best wireless earbuds.

At launch, the AKG N5 cost $299.95 / £249 / AU$309, which makes them a premium audio offering. However it’s worth pointing out that I could easily find it sold online for a discount of $60 / £50 / AU$65, so you’ll easily save money if you shop around.

Lowered price or not, these are still premium earbuds and we’ll treat them as such. Included in the box you get the buds, case and dongle as well as a USB-C to USB connector and some bud tips of varying sizes.

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Features

  • Poor real-world battery life
  • Range of ANC options
  • Useful dongle connector

The AKG N5 connects to your phone via Bluetooth 5.3; initial pairing for me was quick and easy, and during testing there were barely any drop-outs or stutters.

You can also easily connect to new devices via a dongle included in the charging case; plug this into any device, and the N5 will stream audio from that.

The dongle is a USB-C one, though an adapter included in the box lets you plug it into standard USB ports. This is a really handy extra for people who own multiple devices and can’t pair to all of them, or who use unfamiliar devices on occasion. As someone who owns (and tests) too many gadgets, I found it incredibly handy.

9 times out of ten, this dongle worked well, however now and then I’d find the headphones would re-pair with my phone even if the dongle was connected to another device. One thing to note is that it did sap the battery of the device it was connected to: fine for gadgets plugged into an outlet, frustrating for my iPad.

Battery life is a weak spot for the buds. AKG predicts a 10-hour battery life… if you listen to music with ANC turned off, and that drops down to six hours with ANC on, or even lower if you’re talking or using the dongle.

However, in my testing I was lucky to get anywhere near six hours of listening time, and I’d usually have to charge after four and a half or five hours. That's not just below what's promised, it's way below average.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

The case itself contains four full charges for the buds, however long you make that.

So should you turn off ANC to preserve battery life? Well you can, but it’d be a shame, because the AKG N5 have fantastic noise cancellation – my usual ANC test is how well it drowns out the trains that commonly pass my house, and when testing the N5, I have no idea if it passed because I could never tell if trains had passed.

ANC is complicated here, though. There are three modes: standard, Ambient Aware and TalkThru (as well as off, obviously). TalkThru boosts nearby voices so you can hear people and Ambient Aware does a similar thing for background voices, with a slider letting you fiddle with the intensity of the effect.

In standard ANC mode you can toggle Adaptive ANC, which adjusts the level of noise cancellation based on your surroundings, and turning it off presents you with a slider to change the intensity yourself. There’s also Auto Compensation mode which tweaks with ANC depending on your ‘wearing and ear canal status’, whatever that means.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Suffice it to say that every time I was presented with the ANC part of the AKG Headphones app I was scratching my head at all the options presented to me – and that’s really the theme of this companion app which bombards you with options. This’ll be pleasing news to tech-heads, but horrifying for technophobes.

Let’s fire through some of the features and settings: SilentNow turns off music and ramps up ANC to help you focus or study; Smart Audio & Video adjusts sound stage based on whether you’re listening to music or watching a video; the equalizer has a load of presets or lets you customize your sound on a 10-band EQ; various call settings let you change how you or a caller sound on the phone; and Right/Left Sound Balance does what it says on the tin.

These are as well as all the standard app modes: gesture control customization, a find-my-buds feature, and a fit test.

The app also gives you the option to toggle Hi-Res Audio, but turning this on precludes you from several other features, including Spatial Sound and Personi-Fi. This latter is a lengthy audio test that presents you with a bespoke equalization fit for your music, and I don’t know any audiophiles who don’t appreciate this kind of feature.

If you’ve skimmed that list you may have noticed something I want to explicitly commend: there are loads of options with small or large accessibility use cases here, which is always great to see.

  • Features score: 4/5

AKG N5 review: Sound performance

The AKG N5 in a man's ear.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 10mm drivers
  • Balanced sound profile
  • Textured audio in high-res mode

Whether you’re listening via Bluetooth or dongle, with Hi-Res Audio on or instead Personi-Fi enabled, there’s one thing that’s hard to deny: the AKG N5 sounds great.

The sound profile is lovely and balanced, with well-defined bass sitting comfortably alongside clear treble and distinct mids. I didn’t feel the need to touch the equalizer as I liked the default mix, and wasn’t losing any instruments to overbearing bass or treble.

It’s easy to hear the texture in each instrument with the N5: I could make out the ripples of reverb on vocal lines to the flick of a bass guitar string being strum, and the audio lines were all spread out enough to make them distinct and clear (although I have tested buds with a better soundstage).

If I have to say one bad thing about the buds, it’s that audio sounds precision-tuned but not very energetic – they helped me really appreciate great songs sonically, but didn’t always make me feel like rocking out to them.

  • Sound performance score: 4/5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

AKG N5 review: Design

  • Chunky and cheap charging case
  • Lightweight and comfortable buds
  • Annoying touch controls

Perhaps because it contains a dongle, the case of the AKG N5 is a little on the larger size, and I’ve seen some people online criticize its bulk. Honestly, it’s not that big, and doesn’t allay the space-saving advantages of earbuds like this over full-on headphones or open earbuds with a a wraparound design – plus they're light at 48.4g.

But I did notice the thing in my pocket when I was walking – it's on the larger end of the scale.

What’s arguably worse about the case is its build: the plastic feels cheap, groans under slight pressure and picks up fingerprints readily. However AKG has it certified at IP52, which protects it from limited fine particles and sprays of water at certain angles. I can’t remember the last time I saw a charging case with an IP rating, so it’s a welcome spec.

Now onto the earbuds: these are buds with stems, but with a bigger bud and shorter, flatter stem than on your generic AirPod doppelgänger. They have an IP54 rating so they’re a little better protected against water than the case.

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

Evidence of how easily-bendable the hook is (Image credit: Future)

Due to the tips material being quite smooth, when I first started testing the N5, it constantly felt like they were on the verge of falling out of my ear. Two weeks on and that hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve still been too apprehensive to take them on a run, cycle or any kind of activity which might actually cause them to fall to the floor.

At least the buds are lightweight, so when I was sitting still, they were comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They weigh 6g each which is comparable to rivals.

Each bud has a touch-sensitive area over the ‘A’ of the AKG logo, which lets you control music playback; by default the left side toggles ANC and Ambient Aware, while the right one is for play and pause.

It took some time getting used to tapping the right spot when I was wearing the buds, and there’s a noticeable delay in the gesture being picked up – more than once I got caught in a loop playing or pausing a tune, thinking that my touch hadn’t been picked up, and constantly flicking between the two.

An even more annoying issue was that it’s very easy to accidentally press the button when you’re trying to readjust loose buds.

You can pick the AKG N5 up in white or black, and your choice affects both the buds and the case. As you can see from images, I tested the black pair.

  • Design score: 3.5/5

AKG N5 review: Value

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

While it's not easy to make reasonable argument for $299 / £249 / AU$309 earbuds being good value propositions, it does bear repeating that these things have been seeing increasing discounts over their first year of existence.

The AKG N5 aren’t bad value for money by any means, with their top-notch audio and range of useful features justifying the price, but they’re far from bargains either (except in Australia, where they’re much cheaper than elsewhere).

That certainly isn’t the case if you can find them for below about $200 / £180 / AU$300, which would make them a really tempting alternative to earbuds that are usually priced in that area.

  • Value score: 3.5/5

The AKG N5 on a stone wall

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the AKG N5?

Category

Comment

Score

Features

There are so many features that it's hard to get your head around them all. Battery life isn't amazing though.

4/5

Sound

The N5 offered a lovely balanced sound that lets you hear the texture and sound stage of your music.

4/5

Value

By default they're not especially competitively-priced, but discounts help.

3.5/5

Design

A few small design problems affect the user experience, but they're still great to wear.

3.5/5

Buy them if...

You find them discounted

I've yammered on about this enough, but this will be the last time: the AKG N5 are a terrific value proposition if you find them notably below their list price.

The dongle sounds useful

Love the idea of being able to listen to audio from any USB-C or USB-port-toting device without pairing Bluetooth? The AKGs' dongle is a real game-changer.

You need solid noise cancellation

While they're not quite a Bose, the AKG's noise cancellation is fantastic, with a range of features and modes letting you customize it to a surprising extent.

Don't buy them if...

You need a long-lasting battery

I didn't love how quickly the N5's battery life plummeted, and real-world use is well below the promised level.

You need a svelte charging case

I took to carrying the AKG N5's case in my bag because it just didn't fit comfortably in my pockets. You can easily find buds with more convenient-to-carry cases than these.

Also consider

Component

AKG N5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Water resistant

IP54

IP57

IP54

Battery life

6 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)

7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)

6 hours (buds); 30 hours (case)

Bluetooth type

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.3

Weight

6g (buds)

5.4g (buds)

5.3g (buds)

Driver

10mm

10mm dynamic driver + planar tweeter

11mm

Apple AirPods Pro 2

The obvious competitor: these Apple buds only fully work on Apple products, but they're cheaper than the AKG (even discounted) and offer some top-tier features and noise cancellation. They also have a very svelte case.

Read our full Apple AirPods Pro 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro

Another cheaper alternative, Samsung's wireless buds are mostly built for owners of Samsung phones, but work for others too. They sound great and have a lightweight and comfortable design.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review

How I tested the AKG N5

The AKG N5 in a man's hand.

(Image credit: Future)

My testing process before writing this AKG N5 review took two weeks. I tested them alongside their contemporary siblings, the AKG N9 Hybrid over-ear headphones, and I've tested a huge number of earbuds recently to compare them against.

I connected the AKG N5 to a range of devices including my smartphone (via Bluetooth), my desktop PC (via dongle) and my work laptop (again via dongle) with a roughly 50/50 split between Bluetooth and dongle listening.

I also split my Bluetooth listening time roughly equally between Hi-res Audio and Personi-Fi (and other feature) modes, bearing in mind that you can't have both enabled at the same time.

My listening was done in a range of environments including at home, on public transport, in my office and on walks around my borough – and following TechRadar's testing guidelines for earbuds.

I spent countless hours in meetings with EKSA S30 and this open-ear wireless headset made it all more bearable
8:57 pm | May 16, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

The most eye-catching thing about the EKSA S30 wireless headset is its open-ear design. For anyone looking for an airy alternative to large, padded ear-cups or invasive earbuds, this may prove ideal.

Unlike many of the best Bluetooth headsets around, this boasts a twin-headset – one for each ear, with a moveable mic on the left – rather than a single unit that leaves one ear exposed (and all the office distractions that come with it).

Speaking of which, the manufacturer claims that the open-ear air conduction unit cuts out 99.9% of environmental noise on the mic, despite hanging over the ear. That said, there’s no ANC for audio, which depending on your POV may be good or bad.

It’s retailing for $150 – although on Amazon, I saw it on sale at around the $100 / £100 mark. But how does it measure up? I took it into meeting after meeting to find out if the EKSA delivers on its promise.

EKSA S30: Unboxing & first impressions

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

The headset comes nicely packed, in a bright orange box – a color theme that’s continued across the design, from the buttons to the branding on the case. As you’d expect, packed away in a sleeve, is the instruction manual and warranty cards. It’s a nice touch, perhaps overkill, but ever since Apple began its tech domination, it’s all about making packaging and unboxing an ‘experience’.

Inside the well-padded carry case, you’ll find the two headsets, sat in a removable molded base unit that charges them when not in use. The headsets are kept in place with concealed magnetics, preventing movement, too. At the front of the base unit is a single orange button for turning the headsets on or off.

There’s also a USB cable neatly slotted in the space in front. For my money, this case offers all the protection you need. It’s lightweight, but feels durable – I put plenty of weight on top of it, and the structure still held out, making it ideal for the commute, or leaving around in a manic office.

EKSA S30: Design & operation

The headsets themselves are light, with a plastic front and rear connected by a flexible rubberized ear hook which can be adjusted for fit. For what it’s worth, I didn’t feel any sense of these being too tight or too loose during use, so it must be doing something right.

On the underside of the speaker sections of each headset are the textured control buttons – again, bright orange, so you can’t miss them. Positioning is good, but I found operating them was a little stiff, with the hard plastic never giving me the feedback I wanted when switching on or off. I had to rely on the small lights to check whether or not the headsets were ready for the meeting.

These lights will also serve up the battery level, flashing red when they require a recharge. A light on the carry case performs the same function, showing green, orange, or red depending on how much battery charge remains.

The left earpiece also has a microphone that smoothly swivels into position. Towards the end of this there’s a button (guess which color) for muting, but happily, this one offers a better tactile experience, with a soft but definitive click when depressed.

One of the biggest missteps here is not allowing access to the USB-C charging port from the outside of the case. This means you’ll need to take the base unit out to charge it up when the battery inevitably dies. A solution like the one found on the case for the Xbox Elite controller, with a rubber cap that can be lifted to allow charger access, would just keep everything cleaner and more compact.

EKSA S30: In use

Alright, so that’s the design – but how do they work in a real-world setting? First, I was keen to find out how that open-ear air conduction felt and sounded. As a man who practically lives in his over-ear Anker Q20 headphones, I wanted to know if this headset would offer a more breathable experience, especially in the hot weather.

And I was pleasantly surprised. Draped over my lobes, the EKSA S30 felt comfortable – so light, in fact, that I almost forgot I was wearing them. Before I knew what had happened, I’d listened to an hour-long podcast without once fiddling with them or shifting their position. If you’re just using these for meetings (even all-day meetings), you’ll have no issues popping these on.

However, this headset doesn’t just cater to meetings on your desktop or laptop. As a Bluetooth device, it’ll connect to your phone, letting you answer calls, play or pause music and YouTube videos, adjust volume, or activate your phone’s AI assistant. This, too, worked well.

More importantly, everything sounded good, with the correct timbre and bass (as expected for a device that bills TubeBass Technology as a selling point). Voices sounded natural and real, with none of the tinniness you sometimes get from a headset.

During calls and meetings I could hear others perfectly, and those on the call noted that my mic delivered clear audio. When I recorded myself to listen to the playback, I experienced the same.

According to EKSA, the headset’s AI-powered microphone delivers up to 99.9% environmental noise-cancelling (ENC) Technology. A figure like that is red rag to a bull for a reviewer, so I ran a makeshift test by playing TechRadar's YouTube videos at varying volumes during calls. Once I moved around half a meter away from the source and began speaking, no-one could hear any background chatter.

Where users may have some difficulty switching from headphones to headset is the lack of noise-cancelation on the audio. But, then, I suppose that’s part of the appeal for the S30’s open-ear design, preventing the alienation that comes from blocking out absolutely everything but what’s being pumped into your ears, and generally keeping you aware of your surroundings.

EKSA S30: Final verdict

Light, comfortable, breathable open-ear design, good audio. For me, the EKSA S30 headset ticks all the key boxes for those who want a unit for all-day meetings.

The price might be a little higher than for some headsets, but you get a fair amount in the box, including the molded charging case for protection during travel and some decent tech operating inside the twin headsets, with excellent audio clarity across speakers and microphone.

A lack of ANC may put off some users. However, I had no issues using this in a relatively quiet workspace – and with AI-powered ENC on the mic, others in your meeting won’t hear all the background chatter, even if you can.

Should I buy the EKSA S30?

EKSA S30 wireless headset during our review

(Image credit: EKSAtelecom)

Buy it if...

You want an open-ear headset: I really like how the design of this headset doesn’t shut you out the way a pair of cans does, without compromising on audio.

You want a headset for all-day use: I found the S30 so light and comfortable, I practically forgot I was wearing it. The fit is snug without being tight, and ideal if you’re on calls all day.

Don't buy it if...

You need ANC: While the microphone blocks out background noise, the speakers have no active noise cancelation. That may be an issue if you work in a particularly noisy office.

You prefer on-ear headphones: This speaks for itself, really – if you’d rather traditional headphones, this model won’t appeal. However, even as an avowed headphone addict, I found plenty to like and recommend here.


For more options for regular meetings, we've also reviewed the best headsets for conference calls.

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