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SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: not quite the magic over-ear headphones we hoped for
11:30 am | September 22, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

SoundMagic P58BT ANC: Two-minute review

Chinese audio company SoundMagic's bid to become a leader in the best budget headphones stakes is a strong one. The audio specialist retains a special place in cash-savvy audiophiles’ hearts, thanks to 2018’s SoundMagic E11C wired earbuds, which paved the way for a range of similarly affordable IEMs. And after launching its first wireless over-ear headphones in 2021 with the SoundMagic P23BT, it’s back with a pricier follow-up.

That’s how we come to the SoundMagic P58BT ANC, cans that are still distinctly affordable, but with a few upgrades over the past models. After testing, though, I’ve got to say that the upgrades don’t make these a better proposition.

It goes without saying that you have to set your expectations at a reasonable level when looking at affordable over-ear headphones (and I say it anyway to make it clear that I did lower my standards). And there is a lot to like here with that in mind, but I had two big issues with the SoundMagic that any potential buyer will have to get over first.

Firstly, I simply didn’t find them comfortable to wear. A relatively small arch means the pads are pushed right into your head, and I had to remove them every time I listened for more than an hour due to the headaches they caused. The P58BT ANC have a 60-hour battery life which is really great (though not best-in-class), but at my rate, that means 60 listening sessions followed by ample pauses.

The other issue, which is decidedly less subjective than the last, is that the SoundMagics don’t have any kind of smartphone app, marking the only audio gadget I can recall testing in recent years that doesn’t have any kind of way to control its features other than on the product itself. 

This means you’re lacking some (arguably-) basic features that most rivals have, namely an equalizer to tweak the audio mix. I desperately wanted to fiddle with the sound of the cans, but was stuck with the default balance which emphases mids over bass or treble frequencies.

If you want to toggle the features the P58BTs do have, you have to use gesture controls over the large pad on each earpiece, or rely on button-pressing patterns for the sole physical button on the left ear cup. In my several-week-long testing period, I found myself completely incapable of memorizing all the various gestures and shortcuts for the modes that I’d usually enable on my smartphone, and I’d imagine all other users (who aren’t in MENSA) will have the same experience.

As I said, you always have to bear in mind the price with low-cost headphones like the SoundMagic P58BT ANC, and the detailed audio and valiant battery life will sway over some users, especially those who may be able to overlook my stated issues. Yes, SoundMagic puts out its headphones at a competitive price point, but there are many other rivals on the market at similar price-points that I found more impressive.

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Price and release date

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC held above a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released in August 2024
  • Sell for $90 / £79 / AU$134

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC were announced, and put on sale, at the end of August 2024. That’s a lengthy three-year hiatus since the P23BT. They're also available in a pretty lengthy list of countries around the world on SoundMagic’s website.

At launch, the headphones cost $90 / £79 / AU$134, so they’re pretty affordable if not as bargain-bin as the $55 / £50 (roughly AU$100) P23BTs, and we'd expect a little more as a result.

There are a lot of competitors at that price point, including some on our list of the best cheap headphones, with the top-rated Earfun Wave Pro and the Sony WH-CH520 both slightly cheaper. 

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Specs

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Features

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC with a gesture control being activated.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Distinct lack of features
  • ANC is welcome if not powerful
  • Total battery life of up to 60 hours

I tend to wax lyrical in headphone review ‘features’ sections, for better or worse, but that won’t be the case for the SoundMagic P58BT ANC. And that's because there isn't a lot to cover.

Let’s start with the titular feature: active noise cancellation, something the P23BT didn’t offer. Here it’s present and accounted for, but nothing to write home about: solid enough to remove overbearing background noises but lacking nuance or power to compete with the greats. As an example, the headphones would cancel out the rumble of a bus I was riding, but not the low chatter of the people on said bus.

Bear in mind that these are over-ear headphones, so there's some natural noise cancellation from the natural fit of the cups, and this certainly helps the ANC.

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)

The SoundMagics do compete in terms of battery life, with 60 hours of music in the tank. There are few headphones that last that long, even amongst over-ears, and it’s truly a blessing for people who habitually forget to charge (like me) or suffer from battery anxiety (also me). Some rivals beat the SoundMagic in this department, (see the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 for an excellent 100-hour option with ANC disabled – albeit a more expensive one) but many top-end cans fall far short of the figure.

And the rest of the feature set is… almost totally barren. You see, SoundMagic doesn’t have an app, so all the features you’d normally find when using one are notably absent. No equalizer, no ambient modes, no way of tracking the P58BT’s battery level if your phone UI doesn’t tell you.

There is actually a low-latency game mode, which does what it says on the tin, and solves an issue that I’ve never faced in all my years of mobile gaming. For the reasons you’ll read about in the design section, I found enabling this more faff than it was worth.

  • Features score: 2.5/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Design

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Comfortable and light design
  • A few on-cup controls
  • Folds up into carry case but no IP rating

The SoundMagic P58BT tip the scales to the tune of 305g, so they’re not particularly heavy, but there are certainly lighter headphones out there if you’re worried about them being too weighty. 

That wouldn’t be a misplaced fear either, as I found them a little uncomfortable to wear – the silicone ear pads felt very rigid, pressing down on my ears rather than settling onto them, and I had to break up listening sessions as a result. It goes without saying that this is a subjective observation but I do have to mention it, especially given that I’d use some other headphones I’m testing as a reprieve when the SoundMagics got too painful.

They come in two color options: black or silver, and don’t seem to have a waterproofing or IP rating that’s listed on SoundMagic’s website.

You can adjust the cans to quite an extent with an adjustable-length headband and cans that can rotate and fold to quite a dramatic degree. I kept accidentally flipping the cans around 180-degrees and getting confused which side was right or left.

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC's ports.

(Image credit: Future)

The left ear pad is the one with the features: it has a USB-C port for charging, 3.5mm jack (with an audio cable included in the box) and the power button, which needs to be held for a surprisingly long amount of time to turn the P58BT on or off.

Most of the controls, however, come with the gesture controls, and this is my biggest gripe with the SoundMagics. The flat pad on each cup can be swiped in different directions or tapped for loads of different functions: changing volume, skipping tracks and so on.

Frankly, I found the amount of different gestures I needed to memorize overwhelming, which is to say I simply couldn’t remember any of them. If I wanted to pause music or change volume I’d have to rely on my phone; ANC is toggled with the power button instead of the pads and I continually forgot about this until I’d already tried all the swipes and slaps.

There’s also the issue that some controls are directional: swipe up for one command, swipe left for another. This would seem well and good but ‘up’ and ‘left’ can be very different directions depending on the angle you’re holding your head, and I’d often accidentally enact the wrong gesture due to leaning my head too far backward or forward, or at certain angles. 

This gesture control was in place in the SoundMagic P23BT and our reviewer didn’t mind it there, but those headphones didn’t have those (few) extra features over the previous pair that need to be controlled with gestures too.

  • Design score: 3/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Sound quality

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a man's head.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Well-balanced audio
  • Mids bloated just a little
  • Max volume is really, really loud

Tech-wise, the SoundMagic P58BT ANC packs 40mm drivers with support for SBC and AAC. Those are largely in line with other headphones you’ll be considering at this price.

People who’ve used other budget headphones might find the SoundMagic pretty good – music has a lot of detail and clarity, with a broader soundstage than some other similarly-priced gadgets I’ve tested and a commendable lack of peaking at reasonable volumes.

However, at least personally speaking, I wasn’t a fan of the balance of the headphones. The detail of bass and treble is provided at the expense of their energy or power – mid sounds dominate the mix and on certain genres of music, this saps some of the ‘pizazz’.

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)

I particularly think that bass-heads will be disappointed as lower-frequency sounds lack power, as though you’re watching a bassist play their instrument when it isn’t plugged in. The genres I enjoyed best with these headphones were acoustic-laden folk, singer-songwriter and bluegrass songs, where thumping bass rhythms aren't as important.

I did enjoy listening to the spoken word on the headphones though, as I found the detail provided by them helped convey small nuances in tone and pitch. Podcast-listeners might find these a decent pick.

Bear in mind that the lack of an equalizer means you’re reliant on the default sound of the P58BT ANC – no bass boosting or rock modes here. Because of this, more so than on other headphones, I'd really recommend trying to source a pair to test before you buy them.

  • Sound quality: 3.5/5

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: value

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s hard to make a firebrand statement about the cost-value proposition of the SoundMagic P58BT ANC because you’re basically getting what you pay for here.

In terms of audio quality and design, the headphones tick the boxes you’d expect from them, and you see in similarly-priced rivals. 

Dragging the value down a little is the lack of an app, which gives the impression of these being some cheap AliExpress buys, even though SoundMagic is a reputed brand. However I do think the soft carry bag for the phones does tip the scale in the right direction a little.

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the SoundMagic P58BT ANC?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

SoundMagic P58BT ANC review: Also consider

How I tested the SoundMagic P58BT ANC

The SoundMagic P58BT ANC on a wooden table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for two weeks
  • Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

The testing process for the SoundMagic P58BT ANC took place over two weeks, which includes the set-up, review writing and general usage time. This is the usual amount of time I allocate to headphone reviews.

For most of the testing, I used the headphones connected to my Android phone via Bluetooth, but I also connected them to my phone and laptop using the audio cable for some testing too. I mainly tested using Spotify and several streaming services, with some gaming done to test out that mode. Lots of the testing was done in my office, and on various walks, bus rides and train journeys to and from it, but I also used them at home and in other everyday environments.

My history of review-writing at TechRadar spans over five years, and I've been covering tech for even longer. I've tested loads of similarly-priced headphones (including one mentioned in the 'also consider' section), as well as a range of other gadgets. 

I mentioned earlier that I used the SoundMagic alongside another pair of headphones; this was a pricier model and it wouldn't be fair to compare them.

  • First reviewed in September 2024
JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: budget headphones that are all about that bass
3:00 pm | April 21, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Jlab JBuds Lux ANC: Three-minute review

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC's sound is more bass-heavy than most over-ear headphones. It's something I've come to expect with most JLab products and means your mileage will depend on how bassy you want your music to be. 

JLab is mostly known for its budget headphones and earbuds, but with the JBuds Lux ANC it’s making inroads into the ‘luxury’ headphone market – that descriptor is a word JLab chose, and not my verdict, for reasons we’ll get into later. That’s not to say that the JBuds Lux ANC are premium devices – they cost less than $100 / £100. The brand's just trying to give buyers on a budget something to buy that feels like a top-end rival.

In some ways, it’s a successful venture. As with most other JLab audio devices, these headphones pack a bassy punch, with the 40mm drivers treating your ears if you’re a fan of thumping tunes. 

The JBuds Lux ANC also pack lots of features you’d expect from premium alternatives. As the name suggests, they have active noise cancellation (that’s the ANC) which works very well in its standard setting (although the ambient mode leaves something to be desired). They also have Bluetooth Multipoint so you can jump between different devices, spatial audio for improved movie or TV show watching and Google Fast Pair so you don’t have to spend ages setting up the device.

That’s not to mention the 70-hour battery life (when ANC is off, it’s reduced to 40 hours when it’s on), handy on-cup button controls and the ability for you to fold them down. These are all handy quality-of-life features that we like to see.

There are a few rough edges though. As previously stated the sound is bass-heavy, but this is at the deficit of other aspects of the sound – treble and especially the mid-range felt a little bit lacking. Your music preference will dictate whether these are great for you, or a poor choice, and in the interest of fairness it’s worth mentioning that I’m not a huge fan of this bass-heavy approach to sound.

Something which is less dependent on taste, and more on the shape of your head, is the fit and comfort of the JBuds Lux ANC. I personally found them rather uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, and also a little less grippy than many of their close rivals – they were fine when sitting still or even walking, but they wobbled on the many occasions I found myself running for a bus. As I write this, I’m having to have a little break from the JBuds Lux due to my ears aching from wearing them. Like I said, ‘luxury’ is JLab’s description, not mine.

Overall, these are decent for their price, undercutting even our top budget pick for the best over-ear headphones, but your taste is a more important factor when it comes to buying them. That’s unless you like to judge a product based on its name: the JLab JBuds Lux ANC aren’t buds and aren’t luxury, so they only score 2/4 for that metric!

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Price and release date

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC close-up on the JLab logo

The signature JLab logo is very prominent on the JBuds Lux ANC. (Image credit: Future)
  • Released in February 2024
  • Priced at  $79.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$120)

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC were announced in January 2024, and went on sale during the month afterwards. You might have trouble buying them though. At the time of writing, two months after their release, they’re already sold out in some regions.

The JBuds Lux ANC sell for $79.99 /£79.99 (roughly AU$120). That’s pricier than almost every other pair of headphones sold by JLab and is in line with the Studio Pro ANC, which will set you back $80 /£80 / AU$99 at the time of writing. The brand sells plenty of wireless headphones for less, though.

The sub-$100 / £100 / AU$130 headphone market is a fiercely competitive one, with many other brands trying to convince you that you don’t need to pay top dollar for great headphones. At the bottom of this review you’ll find some of our favorite similarly-priced headphones that you should consider alongside the JLab JBuds Lux ANC.

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Specs

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Features

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC's port and buttons.

On the side of the JBuds Lux ANC, there's a USB-C port, as well as buttons for power, volume and noise cancellation.  (Image credit: Future)
  • Battery life reaches 70 hours, 44 with ANC
  • Three ANC modes, standard works but ambient doesn't
  • App brings some handy extra features

As the name suggests, a key feature of the JLab JBuds Lux ANC is the active noise cancellation, which blocks out surrounding sounds while you’re listening to music. This isn’t a given in the best cheap headphones, so it’s welcome here, but even more welcome is the fact that it’s actually good!

The standard noise cancellation mode is great at isolating and removing background sound, great for if you’re sick of the inane chatter of nearby teams in the office or the rumble of the bus every day on your commute. You can turn it off if you want to hear these sounds, plus there’s a third option called Be Aware.

Be Aware is effectively an ambient mode, so that annoying noises (babies crying) are removed while important ones (large vehicles bearing down on you) remain audible. Unfortunately this didn’t work too well: I found that sounds Be Aware let in were given a tinny make-over, so they were even more annoying to hear than if I’d just turned ANC off. I didn’t use this for long.

The JLabs have a fantastic battery life, you love to see it. With ANC turned off, they’ll last for up to 70 hours without needing to be charged, though with ANC or Be Aware turned on that drops to a still-impressive 44 hours. You can charge them via USB-C cable.

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC with a phone running the JLab app.

You can completely customize the sound performance of the JBuds Lux ANC via the JLab control app.   (Image credit: Future)

Downloading the JLab app onto your smartphone offers a few extra features. You can control the noise cancellation and change what the buttons do, but you can also set a volume limit, changing between ‘movie’ and ‘music’ modes and also fiddle around with an equalizer. 

This latter lets you jump between three presets: ‘JLab Signature’, ‘balanced’ and ‘Bass Boost’, but there’s also a custom mode for if you feel comfortable messing around with sliders to personalise the tone.

Most headphone smartphone apps tell you the battery percentage, so you can accurately gauge how long they’ll last for before needing a charge. Curiously, the JLabs one doesn’t, beyond showing you a vague battery icon, which is an annoying omission. 

  • Features score: 4/5

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Design

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC laying on a textured surface

You can pick up the headphones in four colors: Graphite (black), Cloud (white), Sage (green) or Mauve (uh… mauve). (Image credit: Future)
  • Handy on-cup controls
  • Uncomfortable to wear for long periods
  • Folds up but no IP rating

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC are supposedly comfier to wear than most budget headphones, hence the ‘lux’ in its name. This adjective is exhibited by the use of soft fabric at the arch of the headband, and soft foam ear cups to settle on your ears.

Several people who’ve used the JBuds Lux and reported back online have called them comfortable to wear, but I don’t concur – no matter how much I extended or retracted the band to adjust its size, I found that they pinched a little too much. It wasn’t too noticeable in the moment, but wearing them for more than an hour in one sitting brought about mild earaches. The fact that not everyone has found this issue suggests that it depends on your head size, though I must point out that it’s not something I often find with headphones.

The headphones didn’t sit totally still either. When I was relatively inactive – say, relaxing on the grass in the warm sun, or sitting at a desk to write this review – there were no issues, but vigorous movement caused them to wobble and sometimes resulted in a cup falling off my ear. By ‘vigorous movement’ I mean running for a bus or jumping down stairs, and I daren’t not even attempt to use them for runs or workouts. Again, I can see this as being a head size issue, but I’d be remiss not to point it out. 

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC held above on a textured surface

The JBuds Lux ANC fold up, making them ultra portable and perfect for travel.   (Image credit: Future)

Weighing 235g, these aren’t too heavy, though they’re not among the lightest headphones we’ve seen either. Like the best travel headphones, at least you can rotate the cups, extend the band and fold in the cups to make the JLabs more portable, which is a little more versatility than we see in all pairs of wireless headphones. There's no IP rating though.

On the right cup you’ve got the USB-C port for charging as well as a power button, a volume rocker and a noise cancellation toggle (between off, on and Be Aware mode). Each of these was easy to locate and press when wearing the headphones, though when I first started testing the headphones, I did mix up the power and noise cancellation buttons a few times.

As mentioned, there are four color options, and our review unit was mauve. All four options are fairly subdued, so you’re not getting anything too lurid whatever you pick.

  • Design score: 2.5/5

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Sound quality

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC on someone's head.

Unfortunately, for me, the fit was a little too tight.  (Image credit: Future)
  • Bass-heavy sound
  • Treble lost in the mix
  • Lots of peaking at high volumes

When going into the sound section, it bears repeating that the JLab JBuds Lux ANC are low-end headphones, and as such the best they can aim for is ‘decent’ or another similar synonym. And that target is basically hit, although more so than for most headphones, taste will be the most important judge.

Headphone or earbud fans probably know JLab’s reputation for creating bass-heavy audio devices, which is either draw you or put you off depending on what you like in your music. 

If you want as much bass as possible to enhance your music, you’ll get on well with the JBuds Lux; it’s clearly the focus of the sound mix of the headphones and it pounds through in all the songs it can. It can provide a nice warm sounds if you listen to the right type of music.

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC laying on a textured surface

(Image credit: Future)

This all comes at the cost of balanced audio, though, with treble lost in the mix, even when you try to eke out as much as possible from the app equalizer. I frequently struggled to hear, say, rhythm guitars, piano countermelodies or vocal harmonies that are usually fairly audible.

Like an unsuccessful mountaineer, the JLabs often felt close to peaking, especially when you turn the volume high. However at medium and low volumes I didn’t often hear noises get outright distorted.

I did miss the soundstage and bright audio of some of the JLab’s rivals when testing these, but then again I’m not one who prefers a bass-heavy sound. Your mileage will vary.

  • Sound quality: 3.5/5

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Value

  • Affordable over-ear headphones
  • The ANC is competitive 

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC close up on the JLab branding.

(Image credit: Future)

You’re getting what you pay for in the JLab JBuds Lux ANC. These are some affordable headphones that deliver the kind of sound quality and feature set that we often see in similarly-priced products.

The noise cancellation does compete with higher-end headphones, so if that’s your metric for value, you’re getting it here. But in most other categories, the JBuds Lux basically match the price.

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the JLab JBuds Lux ANC?

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC's side buttons.

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

JLab JBuds Lux ANC review: Also consider

How I tested the JLab JBuds Lux ANC

The JLab JBuds Lux ANC laying on a textured surface

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for two weeks
  • Tested at home, in the office and on walks

I used the JLab JBuds Lux ANC for roughly two weeks prior to writing this review. They were the latest in a string of budget headphone reviews I've done for TechRadar, so I compared them directly to a few close rivals.

Testing was largely done at home or in the office, with some listening done while on walks in both busy and quiet areas. These all provided different tests for the ANC as well as the quality-of-life features for the headphones. To give the JLabs a fair shake, I tried to listen to a diverse range of music on them including rock, pop, classical, country, jazz and streamed TV shows from Prime Video.

I've been writing about tech for six years now including five for TechRadar, so I'm well versed in the headphone and tech space. As stated I've reviewed other similarly-priced headphones and I've also tested other JLab products.

  • First reviewed in April 2024
Earfun Wave Pro review: it would be silly to ask more from budget wireless headphones
12:00 pm | April 9, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Earfun Wave Pro: Two-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earfun Wave Pro review: Price and release date

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released in January 2024
  • Priced at  $79.99 / £79.99 (roughly AUD$120)

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

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

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

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

Earfun Wave Pro review: Specs

Earfun Wave Pro review: Features

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Total battery life of up to 80 hours
  • App brings a few useful extra features
  • Multipoint connection to multiple devices

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

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

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

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

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

  • Features score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Design

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Comfortable and light design
  • A few on-cup controls
  • Folds up into carry case but no IP rating

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

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

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

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

  • Design score: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: Sound quality

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Well-balanced audio
  • Mid lost a little
  • Max volume is really, really loud

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

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

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

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

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

  • Sound quality: 4/5

Earfun Wave Pro review: value

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

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

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

  • Value: 5/5

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Pro?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Earfun Wave Pro review: Also consider

How I tested the Earfun Wave Pro

The Earfun Wave Pro on a wooden backdrop.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for over two weeks
  • Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

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

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

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

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

  • First reviewed in April 2024
Edifier W820NB Plus review: Affordable headphones with plenty of features
1:00 pm | February 24, 2024
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Edifier W820NB Plus: Three-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Price and release date

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)
  • Released in May 2023
  • Priced at  $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$80.99

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

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

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

Edifier W802NB Plus review: Specs

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Features

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)
  • Total battery life of up to 49 hours
  • A little fiddly to set up 
  • App offers range of handy extra features

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

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

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

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

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

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

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

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

  • Features score: 4/5

Edifier W820NB Plus review: Design

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)
  • Standard-looking headphones with five color options
  • Easy-to-use control buttons
  • Doesn't fold; no IP rating

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

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

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

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

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

  • Design score: 3.5/5

Edifier 820NB Plus review: Sound quality

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)
  • Limited sound stage
  • Initially a little quiet

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

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

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

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

  • Sound quality: 2.5/5

Should I buy the Edifier 820NB Plus?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Edifier 820NB Plus review: Also consider

How I tested the Edifier 820NB Plus

Edifier W820NB Plus

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for over 20 days
  • Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

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

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

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

  • First reviewed in February 2024
WhatsApp can now hide your IP address during calls
9:14 pm | November 8, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

The latest version of WhatsApp for Android and iOS now supports hiding your IP address. The feature will hide your IP address from the other party on your call through WhatsApp servers and your real-world location. WhatsApp is also adding another new privacy feature which allows users to silence unknown callers. This feature will block even more sophisticated cyber-attacks on users’ data. To enable the new Protect IP address in calls feature, you'll need to go through the following steps inside the WhatsApp app: Tap Settings Go to Privacy Select Advanced Tap Protect IP address...

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: a premium Scandinavian style speaker
3:00 pm | August 20, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: | Comments: Off

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level: Three-minute review

It’s hard to hate the Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level when it offers as fantastic and versatile an audio experience as it does; it’s hard to hate the speaker but that’s despite the many very valid reasons to.

For many brands, a $1,899 / £1,449 / AU$3,250 speaker like the Beosound Level would constitute the very top of its line. Not for Bang and Olufsen, with the Danish audio company offering many more devices that dwarf this in terms of cost, but it’s still worth considering this as a premium speaker.

This is a Wi-Fi speaker, designed not to be toted around to parties and picnics (or even around the home) but left in a corner ready to play tunes, podcasts, the radio, TV and more. The eye-watering price of this Wi-Fi speaker is just one bullet in the chamber of critics, but there are many more. Its design means it’ll look odd in most audio set-ups (unless your home is so packed with Scandi decor that people confuse it for an Ikea showroom), you have to use a smartphone app to set up the speaker, and it’s packed full of unnecessary features that sometimes keep reminding you you’re not using them (looking at you, microphone!).

But if we’re being on the level, the Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level is one of the best wireless speakers we’ve tested, and that’s because it's the cream of the crop in terms of audio quality and versatility. The Beosound Level is compatible with just about every audio standard and feature introduced since the wax record was invented. Not only are things like Spotify Connect, AirPlay and Chromecast built in, but it has an old-school 3.5mm jack and Ethernet port.

The speaker also offers plenty of ways to tweak your audio experience, with different playback modes depending on how you orient it (though some are much more handy than others), and various sound profiles to pick between to tweak how audio sounds.

Because of the music quality aspects, we’re struggling to be down on the Beosound Level. That’s something we need to state given that you’ve just seen a positive score for the speaker and are about to read over a thousand words of criticism for it. But it’s worth pointing out: this is a speaker for audiophiles and if you just want a budget or affordable speaker that plays music as soon as you press ‘play’, there are many other options out there for you.

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level: Price and release date

  • Released in February 2021
  • Empties wallets at $1,899 / £1,449 / AU$3,250

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level went on sale at the beginning of February 2021. The speaker costs an eye-watering $1,899 / £1,449 / AU$3,250, which would make it one of the most expensive consumer-grade Wi-Fi speakers, especially considering the many other Bang and Olufsen offerings.

We should point out that in most regions, there's a black mesh version that's a little cheaper. In the UK, there's also a Lilac Twilight model, which is somehow even more expensive at £2,199. We tested the Gold Tone version, which is what the above prices are for.

The price means it’s hard to compare to many rivals. Neither Sonos, Bowers and Wilkins nor Marshall have any similar products at this price point. That’s because the sound is by far one of the priciest Wi-Fi speakers on the market.

In terms of function and price, it’s best compared to the Devialet Phantom or Naim Mu-So, two other speakers with divisive designs and fantastic audio quality.

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

(Image credit: Future)

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Specs

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level, with a charging fob showing the brand's name. (Image credit: Future)

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Features

  • A 16-hour battery life
  • More connectivity features than you can shake a stick at
  • Phone / tablet app is required

The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay Level is packed to the brim with connectivity options. You’ve got old-school options like a 3.5mm aux port and ethernet dock as well as support for Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz Wi-Fi and radio reception. It also has support for Chromecast, B&O’s BeoLink Multiroom feature (for multiple speaker pairings), Google Assistant, Spotify Connect and Apple AirPlay 2.

The Beosound Level is ostensibly a Wi-Fi speaker but you’ve got plenty of connectivity options, something which gives it major points from us. We also tested Bluetooth, radio, Spotify Connect and more and all sounded solid, save for AirPlay. This offered worse-quality audio and pairing took much longer than other options, with less responsive device control during playback. Avoid!

Bang and Olufsen cites the Beosound Level as having a 16-hour battery life. Though, if you’re like us, you’ll just leave the thing plugged in rather than hunting around for a charging cable every 16 hours, especially since we noticed some battery drain issues when the speaker was off.

Charging is done with either a USB-C port on the back of the speaker or a magnetic charging fob that snaps onto the back of the gadget. This latter option was much more convenient and is what we resorted to. Charging the speaker from empty to full takes three hours.

You need to use the Bang and Olufsen app to set up your speaker – it’s not optional, like on many rival devices. The app offers you the ability to fine-tune your listening experience with one of six preset sound modes (night, party, custom, etc.) and do other things like choose a radio station, set up multi-room listening and so on. Through our day-to-day use we didn’t find ourselves booting this up much but audiophiles might find the offered options very handy.

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table, showing its ports (Image credit: Future)
  • Features score: 4.5/5

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Design

  • Gold Tone model has an apiary design
  • Plentiful buttons and modes on top bar
  • Heavy and large, with no IP rating

The design of the B&O Beosound Level is likely going to be a hot topic, as the appearance of this speaker is undoubtedly a divisive one. While it’s won awards from some prestigious bodies, everyone who spotted it during our testing period opted for ridicule over praise.

To be frank, the speaker looks a lot like an apiary and we wouldn’t have been surprised to see bees trying to make honey in it (if the British ecosystem had any of the black-gold buzzers left). The wood-texture look of the Level (at least for the Gold Tone version we tested) will certainly help it fit in with 'hygge' Ikea-inspired home decors, but if you have any other kind of home, the Beosound Level will stick out like a sore malm.

Unfortunately, our design quibbles aren’t exclusively leveled at the Besound Level’s aesthetic qualities, but at more objective points too. The speaker is designed to be used in different set-ups: you can stand it upright, lay it down or even hang it from the wall (if you want to shell out roughly $100 for a wall hanger).

These positions all have issues. Hang the Beosound Level from a wall and you’re shelling out extra cash for a high risk of a dropped speaker – that’s a "no thanks" from us. Standing the speaker upright does make it easier to fit in your home but audio quality suffers, and we found that the Beosound Level had to be used on hard surfaces, as when we tried to stand it on carpet it just toppled over. Laying the speaker flat may take up more room, and means it’s tricky to charge it while in use, but it noticeably increases audio quality. This was our preferred choice during testing. While it’s good that there are options for users, a slightly bigger stand would ensure that the Beosound Level could actually be used standing up.

When you first set up the Beosound Level, the number of buttons it has on the top can be quite overwhelming. As well as the power button and a microphone toggle, which announces that it’s turned off every time you turn on the speaker, there’s a volume up and down button. There are also lights showing you what level the volume is at, which is useful, a second microphone button, which is not so useful, and buttons for pausing, playing, skipping and rewinding tracks. In addition, there's a Bluetooth button and four ‘favorites’ buttons that you can map to radio stations, Google voice commands or Spotify Connect stations.

We didn’t end up using these favorite buttons for anything other than testing purposes – you can’t review a speaker if you stick to the tunes of one beloved playlist – but if you have a regular station or function you use, they could be handy. 

The other port of note on the speaker is the USB-C charging port, though it has a magnetic strip so you can charge it via a magnetic fob a la Apple’s MagSafe if you prefer – we found this more handy. Hidden under this charging dock is a 3.5mm headphone jack and ethernet port, which will certainly be handy for some users depending on your tech set-up, though these are easy to miss if you don’t read the user guide.

Despite being a wireless device, and having a handle, the Beosound Level certainly isn’t a portable speaker. It weighs 3.3kg and measures 34.8 x 23 x 6.6 cm – suffice to say you won’t be carrying this out on your picnics.

There’s no official IP rating here but it’s worth flagging another selling point of the Beosound Level. The speaker has a modular design, so if anything is damaged it’s easy to simply repair that one part instead of getting a whole new speaker. In this regard it’s built for longevity, which should make that four-figure price tag a little easier to swallow.

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level laid flat on a table (Image credit: Future)
  • Design score: 3/5

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Sound quality

Finally, we can say nice things about the Beosound Level! As you can imagine for a speaker that costs more than a month's rent in London, Bang and Olufsen ensures that you’re getting fantastic sounds from the Beosound Level. 

There’s a vast soundstage here, with different instruments easily identified and separated, even the ones that’d be first to go on a lesser speaker like background synths or keys. 

Whether we listened to the discography of Saint Motel, or Watsky, or even Bob Dylan, the speaker could bring out elements of a song that could easily be buried. In fact, when listening to podcasts the tone of a speaker’s voice was more palpable than it otherwise would be.

The Beosound Level goes loud too – we generally tested it on a third of the max volume and it was already providing room-filling sound. For the sake of our neighbors, we didn’t try to test the speaker at max, though an accident that involved us leaning on the ‘volume up’ button without realizing it showed that this thing can really hit deafening heights (if you’re leaning on it).

We’d recommend you lay the Beosound Level down when you listen, as this enables 360-degree listening instead of 180-degree. Perhaps for static TV watching and desk working, the directional sound is fine, but for room filling audio, it is almost necessary.

If we had to nitpick, we’d say that in the default sound mode, the treble is dropped a teeny tiny bit in the mix. Of course, going into custom mode can fix this, but there are always trade-offs with this approach aren’t there? Plus, the app’s Beosound Level presets seem to have a love-hate relationship with bass, either snapping it from existence (Speech) or boosting it dramatically (Party). We found ourselves sticking with Optimal mode, though audiophiles can jump into Custom for their preferred sounds. 

This is certainly a minor point though, and we’re hard-pressed to think of a speaker that doesn’t go too hard or soft on bass.

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table, with all its buttons on show. (Image credit: Future)
  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Value

Don’t come to the Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level expecting a value speaker. There are plenty of low-cost boxes, cylinders and spheres if you want decent audio and a handful of features at a low cost.

No. This is a premium speaker for the audiophile who wants it all. With its deluge of connectivity options, versatile sound stages and ‘designer’ appearance, this is a product for people who need the very best that money can buy (without dipping into professional gear or the really ludicriously-priced top top end of speakers).

  • Value score: 3/5

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level being picked up by its handle. (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level?

The Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level on a table

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Bang and Olufsen Beosound Level review: Also consider

First reviewed in August 2023

Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 to have periscope camera and IP rating
2:15 pm | April 21, 2023
Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

The vivo X Fold2 is official and Chinese leaksters are now focusing on the next big thing - the Xiaomi Mix Fold 3. According to Digital Chat Station, the new foldable will arrive in H2 2023 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. The upcoming foldable will also bring a periscope camera and a waterproof body. The actual rating is yet to be determined after the product has completed testing. The Mix Fold 2 arrived with 67W charging, and Xiaomi will keep the same speed in the next-gen phone but, this time, will introduce wireless charging, which may open the door for reverse wireless...