Well, I resisted as long as I could, but eventually had to face the fact that the headphone jack appears to be on its way out. After much anger at both Apple/Android manufacturers for deciding to make the change, I figured that I might as well try out a wireless pair so that I can get used to it, as it’s becoming less and less likely that my next phone will have a headphone jack at all.
I have used several pairs of Bluetooth headsets over the years, however those have been used solely for exercise. This is the first set that I purchased as a casual, everyday set, and I intended to use them daily at work. I’ve purchased and have so many Anker products in the past, and figured that I couldn’t go wrong with this pair, especially given the price relative to others.
26 Inch Long
Pairing/Connection:
Initial pairing was very simple with this headset. Once paired, the Bluetooth connection has been fairly stable, though I do get some skipping audio from time-to-time when listening to something with these while my phone is in my pocket. Usually after powering these up, they connect to my phone within a few seconds (maybe 2-3).
Battery:
This is one of the main reasons that I chose this set. It’s claim of 11 hours of battery life (listen time… so they’ll last even longer if you leave them on standby for random periods throughout the day!) was on the higher end of the spectrum of sets that I looked at, and I’ve pretty much found the claim to be true. I’m able to get through an 8-hour work day just fine with these (with some standby time).
Charging:
10 Minute charge for 1 hours is great +. The charge time after use is somewhere between 70 and 90 minutes for me after a day of using these at work. The charging port is located on the remote portion of the in-line controls (just to the side, covered by a rubber cap). The remote has an indicator that lights up red while charging, which then turns blue once charging is completed. It uses a (fairly) standard USB-A to Micro USB cable. The cable is included with the headphones, but there is no power adapter, so you’ll have to either use one that came with another device (phones often use these), or plug it into a computer’s USB port. Note: This headset can’t be used while charging; they automatically turn off when plugged in.
Ear pieces:
This set comes with 5 different-sized earbud pieces with customizable EarTips so it may take a while (a bit of trial-and-error) to find the right fit. Once you do, though, they are fairly comfortable (about as comfortable as one might expect from in-ear headphones). It’s important to find the right fit, as noise isolation/sound quality will work best once you do. The ear hooks have also worked well (also come with different sizes), and I haven’t had any issues with these earbuds falling out even while walking/climbing stairs, etc. Over the ear wings are comfortable don’t hurt back side of the ear.
Sound Quality:
I must confess that I do not consider myself an audiophile, but for me, the sound on these has been pretty good. After finding the right audio tips that create an optimal seal, these have been comparable to my Bose earbuds (maybe slightly lower quality). I mostly use them to listen to audio books, podcasts, music, or game streams After trying these, I picked up a set of Senso headphones for use while exercising, and realized that the bass on these isn’t as deep as it could be, though. I also do feel like max volume could be a little bit higher, but it’s good enough for most of my listening needs. You can tell its HD sound.
Cable and in-line audio controls:
The cable is a little bit odd, as others have mentioned, but I don’t really know what could be done about it. There is a bit of an imbalance due to the in-line control portion of the cable, which often causes the rest of the cable to shift to the right side as I’m walking. The buttons have worked well, though. It includes volume up at the top, power button in the center, and volume down at the bottom of the remote. The power button is also used to play/pause, answer calls, etc. The volume buttons can be held to skip/repeat songs are able to keep the earbuds together fairly well.
Microphone:
I’ve only made a few calls with this headset, but for the most part they’ve just been ok with this. I’ve had a couple of people tell me that I sounded quieter than usual, but they’ve been able to fix it (for the most part) by turning up the volume on their end. Honestly, most Bluetooth headsets that I’ve used haven’t been too great when it comes to microphone quality, so my expectations in this category are probably pretty low to begin with.
Issues/other things I’ve noticed:
These CANNOT be used while charging (they power off when plugged in), so you’ll have to make sure that you have a good charge prior to leaving your home with these. Or perhaps (depending on your situation) have a backup pair, since they’re fairly cheap.
The audio prompts (i.e. when powering on, turning volume up, connecting to phone, etc) are different from any other headset I’ve used. Most have a female voice that says things such as “Powered on” when turning on, or “Connected” when they establish a connection with your phone. These have different tones/sounds with no voice.
Final thoughts:
While I do still mourn the “death” of the headphone jack, I’ve been fairly impressed with these headphones. I think that, after trying these, I’ll be able to get used to going wireless full-time after all! My biggest concern was that I would be unable to listen for a full work day and, so far, this hasn’t been an issue. Sound quality has also been more than enough for my uses. At this price point, and with Anker’s great reputation when it comes to customer service, why not give this pair a try? Please let me know if my review has been helpful!
I wish they are magnetic earbuds.
