The product has been in my possession for 11 days, so based on the observations I've made so far and the capabilities that the product claims to provide, I will describe my experience. The review will be updated over the month of ownership, quarter, six months, and year. I will also provide a TL:DR for those who are bored of reading too much.
Coming from the Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Pro In-ear Bluetooth Handsfree with Charging Case Black (product name on Skroutz, I have also written a review for those), I will say that the leap I made from one product to another was night and day, mainly regarding the support for the headphones through the app, etc. The sound quality is somewhat better, always depending on what mode one has the function in. What do I mean? You will see below.
In the search for new headphones, my eye fell directly on these. I read many good reviews and saw on foreign review sites that they are generally recommended. Sound, features, battery life, so I considered it a good choice for purchase. I should mention that Skroutz shows two models in black, but let me assure you that they are THE SAME as I did research before making the purchase. Generally, they fall into the category of somewhat expensive headphones, but in black color, and specifically here where I am writing, their price is dirt cheap.
Starting with the case, I will say that its construction looks sleek, and the material is this matte finish which, while looking nice, gets dirty easily if it comes into contact with something else. If there’s something that bothers me about the case, it’s that the lid is generally inconvenient to open; the design could have been better. Nevertheless, it is beautiful, and its logo adds an aesthetic touch. Opening it, we see the sync button and the headphone case inside lighting up with small LEDs, which also helps with the overall aesthetics. The packaging also provides a type-c cable, the usual booklets, and 5 pairs of ear cushions to satisfy your ear with the right size. At this point, I should mention that the headphones have touch functions, which are easy to use, at least easier than the Xiaomi ones I had.
Moving on to the app functions, I will also talk about the quality of the headphones as a result. An app is provided for Android and iPhone, so I strongly encourage you to download it; otherwise, you will only utilize your headphones at 30% of their capabilities. By connecting the headphones to the app (it's easy, just connect them via Bluetooth and add them to the app), we arrive at the initial interface. The first functions provided are noise cancellation, normal mode, and transparency mode.
- In the noise cancellation mode, we find three sub-functions: a) custom cancellation b) manual mode and c) mode depending on the public transport you are using. The first function offers detection of environmental noises and adjusts the cancellation level accordingly, the second has levels 1-5 (a higher value means greater noise cancellation), and the third option adjusts the cancellation based on the mode of public transport you choose. The essential function lies in the manual mode, and I recommend using this as it is the most effective. The experience of the advertised Noise Cancelling of the headphones confirms the promotion that has been made, and I can tell you that with the volume at medium and the function activated, you simply get lost.
The real interest, however, lies in the normal operation. The headphones are amazing and high-quality, offering impeccable sound (especially if you adjust them as I will mention shortly) and the bass is incredible, and generally, the experience one gains is fantastic. In normal operation, you initially have the option to activate the 3D Surround Sound. The headphones are compatible with Spatial Sound and normally support Dolby Atmos. Testing has been done via Dolby Access, and I confirm it, as the 7.1 was noticeably effective. Also, apart from normal operation or equalizer configuration, you can use HearID to listen to a song and each time choose between scenario A and B, with these scenarios having differences in sound. After 5-6 choices, a sound profile is automatically created with settings of your preference. In transparency mode, you simply have more awareness of your surroundings, with an extra feature for wind noise reduction.
Extra features include the settings for the touch controls on the headphones (what actions will be executed depending on how they are pressed), parameter adjustments in case the music plays too loudly, the automatic play/pause function when someone puts on/takes off the headphone, and settings for notifications such as when wearing headphones, low battery, and touch. One finds particular interest in the audio mode with LDAC codec, which increases energy consumption but offers much higher sound quality (note: you need to upgrade the headphones via the app for this specific feature to be supported as it is off on arrival), the gaming mode for lower latency, the connection manager where you choose between all connected devices which two you want to connect to simultaneously (dual connection, but simultaneous playback is not possible), the fit test that checks if the headphones sit well in the ear, and the headphone finder that plays a specific frequency in the headphones so that in a relatively quiet environment, one can locate them if for some reason you forget where you left them. Be aware that the custom equalizer is mainly applied only in normal operation.
I use the headphones daily for about two and a half hours, and from the 90% that the case had when I received them, it is now at 40%, so we are talking about an extremely good battery life, a fact that is confirmed by several user reviews. Among the small - but now borderline obvious - features, we also include their waterproofing with the certification (IPX4 – Repels splashing water, from any angle).
TL:DR: The headphones at the price of 60 are truly a steal and I wholeheartedly recommend purchasing them. The sound and bass are incredible and offer various tools for equalizer configuration either manually or assisted. The case is of very good quality, although its lid is a bit awkward to use, many features are provided such as gaming mode, 3D sound, headphone finding, managing connected devices, and simultaneous connection to two of them, and generally, they are headphones that will suit both the average user and the more demanding, especially for activities like exercising. It provides a sufficient level of waterproofing and the autonomy of both the earbuds and the case guarantees you many hours of use before you need to recharge them.