About the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen

The Bose QuietComfort lineup can seem a bit confusing; many of the products get the same “quiet comfort” branding without much differentiation. First, there’s the QuietComfort earbuds which were released in about 2020, which I reviewed. Next came the QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra.

While I found the Ultra earbuds very comfortable and offering terrific sound and noise cancelling, the $379 CAD and $299 USD launch price was a bit of a turn-off and the battery life wasn’t class leading.

Watch my full video review of Bose QC Buds

These new 2024 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, which I believe are referred to as Gen 2, formally succeed the original model, and comes with a more modest price tag of $249 CAD / $179 USD.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen features a “Chilled Lilac” color variant (which I received) in addition to the usual Black and White Smoke colors.

Don’t confuse the QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. Launched back in 2022, those earbuds featured the same oval-shaped design as their predecessor so you can consider the 2024 version of the QuietComfort Earbuds as a reboot of the series with a rounded earbud design and a smaller (but still a bit chubby), pill-shaped charging case.

I would like to thank Bose for supplying a test pair of earbuds for me to try out in my home. Well the company did send me a pair at no charge, it did not ask for, nor receive permission to have any input into this review so these thoughts are all my own.

What’s in the Box?

The box includes the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds with medium ear tips and size 1 stability bands pre-attached. You may optionally swap these ear tips with a pair of smaller and larger sizes and size 2 and 3 stability bands all included in the box, for a better fit.

Finally, you get the charging case and USB-C to USB-A charging cable.

To take advantage of some extra features and customization you will want to download the Bose QC earbuds app.

As a quick aside, Bose seems to have about half a dozen different apps for its headphone product and finding the right one is not always easy. Fortunately when you put these into pairing mode and go to connect your phone it should prompt you to download the correct version.

Design

Right out of the gate I like the design of these earbuds a little bit better. Well they are still a bit chunky, they seem a little more streamlined at the same time. They have a nice oval design that is easy to grip and remove from the case and well there are plenty of edges and ridges, everything has been nicely softened. Despite the suave look, these feel pretty durable and substantial while also feeling light in the ear.

Fit & Feel

One of the big issues ladies like me have with earbuds is that they tend to be designed for men’s ears, making them extremely bulky and often painful in a woman’s ear. I’m glad to say it appears these have been trimmed down a touch. While they do fill the ear concha, the fit is not tight. While Bose has designed these to be a little more low profile, these still do stick out enough from the ears that they are both very noticeable and would be unsuitable for side sleepers if you’re a bedtime earbud advocate.

Sound quality

I listened to a variety of different audio on these buds over about a week. I started out listening to YouTube videos and found the voice replication was excellent, and the audio was perfectly in sync with the video. I moved on to listening to music and covered a wide span of genres over my seven days.

The sound quality is, not surprisingly, really great. With lots of subtlety and an outstanding balance of clear highs with a deeply resonant bass, the audio quality was outstanding whether grooving to Chromeo, working out to Eminem or Busta Rhymes, or chilling to jazz or lo-fi hip hop during the workday.

Features

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen comes with some nice surprises that you won’t even find in the pricier Ultra variant.

Going Beyond Ultra

I’m delighted to report that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds addressed one of my main complaints with the Ultra model; the battery life.

Battery life & charging

Expect a fully charged pair of QuietComfort Earbuds to run for about 8 and a half hours with the charging case providing a further 21 hours. If by chance you have forgotten the charging cable, you can use any Qi wireless charger to juice up the case!

Customizable Touch Controls

Tap gestures on earbuds are often confusing or hit and miss, especially if you are migrating from a different pair of earbuds. Fortunately, you can use the Bose QC app to fully customize the actions behind single, double, or triple tapping the left and right earbuds. The default positions are a quick tap for play or pause and tapping and holding the earbuds adjust volume as well.

Noise cancellation + Aware

It’s almost unheard of for a more premium brand pair of headphones to be without two key features nowadays; that’s noise cancellation and aware mode. Noise cancellation of course is designed to block out extraneous sounds from bleeding in, while aware mode will deliberately pipe ambient sound into your buds if you need to keep an ear out for something.

How is the noise cancelling? Several things can affect the quality of noise cancellation including the fit of your headphones which is why it’s important to make sure you’re wearing the right size ear tips and you have a good seal created.

To test out noise cancellation I always run the same type of test. I engage the noise cancellation setting but don’t play any audio; that way I can really hear how much sound might be bleeding in.

With the Bose QC Buds 2nd Gen, I found the noise cancellation was extremely good at blocking out any type of sound, even when it was playing right in front of me. I’d say the noise cancellation succeeds at blocking out about 90 to 95% of all noise intrusion on its own.

With almost any kind of music or audio playing the noise cancellation succeeds admirably in creating a total cone of silence.

When it comes to the aware mode, I found it was able to pipe sound in extremely effectively while also giving it a very natural sound; not like it’s being piped through earbuds or a tunnel, but almost as though you’re not wearing earbuds at all.

In short I give both the noise cancellation and the aware mode a nine or a 10 out of 10.

The earbuds also offer a special Low Latency Audio Mode for gamers or media lovers who demand more synchronized audio.

Water resistance

While I don’t recommend using the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for working out or running outdoors, the buds do boast an IPX4 water-resistance rating allowing them to function just fine under light rain, splashes, or some sweat. However, keep in mind that the charging case doesn’t enjoy any water protection.

Multipoint

These headphones have the option of connecting to two devices at one time, and allowing you to switch audio playback between them. This is a feature I really appreciate in headphones and it means I can keep them connected to my phone and tablet simultaneously.

The multipoint connection worked really well and I was able to swap between watching YouTube videos on my iPad and picking up a call on my iPhone with ease.

Other features

There are a few other features packed into these earbuds also, including EQ presets which allows you to use a handful of preset sound modes to change how your audio comes through. You can use voice control to control the headphones so you never need to reach for your phone and something called fast mute lets you quickly mute or unmute your microphone during phone and video calls with just a quick press on the headphones. There is even a gimmicky setting called remote selfie which allows you to use your headphones and the voice control or touch controls to have your smart phone camera take a photo.

The Not-So Ultra Stuff

Two of the QuietComfort Ultra’s marquee features that didn’t make the non-Ultra cut are the Immersive Audio and Snapdragon Sound.

Considering the midrange pricing, Bose made the right call with these feature cuts as spatial audio performance tends to vary depending on the track and streaming service while Snapdragon Sound only works with a handful of modern mobile devices.

No points deducted for these omissions but something to be aware of in case they are key features for you. If so you can certainly make the upgrade to the Ultra.

Overall review: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen

Cheers to Bose for offering a fiercely competitive noise-cancelling product for under $200 that provides a noticeably elevated audio experience compared to other wireless earbuds in the budget tiers.

Let’s go over the pros and the cons so you can see if they might be right for you.

On the pro side the sound quality is outstanding, and the noise cancellation and aware modes are top-tier. The fit and comfort of these has been greatly improved and means they are a lot more comfortable to wear for longer stretches of time. The battery life is also pretty reasonable and well within common standards, and with Qi wireless charging, you get yet another premium level feature at a much more affordable price. I have to also shout out the new lilac colour which is subtle but cool. I’m also a huge fan of the multi point connection and I can say the Bose QC earbuds app actually provides a lot of options for customization and adjustment.

So what are the downsides? It’s been hard trying to find things to crack on. I suppose some of the biggest complaints people might have is that the charging case is still pretty chunky particularly when compared with other competitors. And the earbuds do still stick out quite substantially from the ears.

In short I think these are a great pair of premium sounding earbuds from a top notch audio brand now offered at a more affordable price and I can definitely recommend Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen to you.

Those QuietComfort Ultra buds still have a place in premium land, but if the product isn’t on sale, I think you’ll get outstanding bang for the buck with these rebooted QuietComfort Earbuds.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Gen sell for about $249 CAD/$179 USD, and you can get them from places like Bose, Best Buy or Amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Gen 2: full hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Two years after debuting the Pixel Buds Pro, the 2nd Gen version is here. While on the surface they look the same, there’s some updates and improvements here. For starters, they are smaller and lighter which should make the fit more comfortable, and they bring back the stabilizing silicone fin for secure support. What else is new?

I got a pre-release set of Peony Pink Pixel Buds Pro 2 from Google and while the company did gift them to me in advance of their public launch to allow me time to test them, the company has not asked for nor received permission to have any input into this review and I got to test them out as I wanted. You can consider these thoughts my own.

In this review I’ll take a look at what’s new including the addition of AI-powered assistant Gemini Live, how the other new features work, how they sound and if I can recommend Pixel Buds Pro 2, for you.

What’s new with Pixel Buds Pro 2?

The bold new colour aside, Pixel Buds Pro 2 look similar to the previous version, but when you hold one of the new Buds next to the Gen 1, you can see the difference. Officially these are 27% smaller and 24% lighter, but what will that mean for you? I found they felt far less fat and bulky in my ears, making them extremely comfortable. The smaller size does make them perhaps a little fiddlier to grip and place, but you should get used to this fairly quickly.

Watch my full hands-on review of Pixel Buds Pro 2

Fit and feel

After dumping it from the Gen 1 Buds Pro, Google has brought back the silicone fin found in the original Pixel Buds in the new design. This time it’s less a hook and more of a small silicone ridge.

It’s barely noticeable but does provide some additional grip on the buds, helping them feel more secure in the ear.

I found these are the most comfortable ear buds I’ve tried in a long long time; I completely forget I’m wearing them after just minutes, and I can wear them longer than pretty much every other earbud. The fit is so perfectly seamless that it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them, and that’s saying a lot when it comes to earbuds. Most earbuds are far too large; designed to hold larger sound drivers and bigger batteries. Here Google has put fit and comfort above and succeeds in making these extremely wearable.

The pebble shaped case is touchably smooth and soft and slides easily into pocket or purse. It has this matte softness that just makes you want to hold it and play with it, kind of like you might do with a smooth river stone.

The buds themselves keep the similarly nature-inspired feel with perfectly rounded edges, and sit very flush with the ear.

Set up

Setting up the Pixel Buds Pro was easy, and I tried it on both the Pixel 9 smartphone and the Apple iPhone 15. The buds will link automatically to a Pixel phone using Fast Pair and you’ll be connected without much work from you; just open the lid and watch for the light on the case to flash, then you’ll see a pop up on your screen.

On an iPhone, you need to push the small pairing button on the back of the charging case and wait for a light to flash. Then go to your phone’s Bluetooth settings and tap to connect.

Can I use Pixel Buds Pro with Apple iPhone?

One of the first questions I get asked with Pixel Buds is if they work with Apple phones and the answer is YES—I’ve been using mine for the last year with an iPhone and actually think they are far superior to AirPods. While Google has obviously created these for use with its Pixel phones (like the new Pixel 9 which I just reviewed), and other Android phones, Pixel Buds Pro do work as a standard Bluetooth earbud for other Bluetooth devices, including iOS, tablets, and laptops. If you use this with a non-Android device you won’t get access to the Pixel Buds App for additional control and settings.

Pixel Buds app

Let’s see what you get with that app:

The Google Pixel Buds app lets you manage and set up your Pixel Buds Pro on Android 6.0+ devices. You can use the app to do things like:

● Check battery levels: See the battery levels of your
earbuds and case
● Control features: Control features like Adaptive Sound,
in-ear detection, find device, digital assistant, and spoken
notifications
● Learn touch controls: Learn how to use touch controls on
your Pixel Buds
● Ring your earbuds: Ring your earbuds to help you find
them
● Get tips and support

Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode

Pixel Buds Pro 2 keep Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode which is becoming more standard these days. Noise cancellation of course will block out extraneous sound, while transparency mode will let you keep an ear out for the doorbell or your boss calling for you.

The Noise cancellation works incredibly well, and the Ambient Mode is among the best I’ve tried; it sounds completely natural; as if you’re not wearing any earbuds, and there’s none of that hollow tinniness or echo that you get using Transparency Mode on a lot of other earbuds and headphones.

Sound & Call quality

Now is a good time to talk sound quality. From the beginning I’ve been impressed by Pixel Buds audio quality. They sound just as good as a much more expensive pair and really seem like they’re punching well above their weight. I listened to a variety of music and audio during my week or so with the buds before their public launch. I found that the earbuds are extremely well balanced and have an incredibly rich sound overall.

Music sounds amazing on Pixel Buds Pro 2. The bass is subtle but vibrant, the vocals are clear, and there’s lot of fine details in the sound. I’ve had a pair of Pixel Buds as my go-to headphones since the first version was launched because they’re the best, and these continue the high quality audio tradition and seem to even add a little bit more too.

When it came to phone or video calls, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 were similarly great. Audio sounded clear and it seems like background noise is minimized.

Listening to podcasts, the speech quality is clear and accurate and really top notch.

One thing I did notice during my testing is that if I would pinch the buds in order to twist them and get a better fit, sometimes there would be almost a squeaking or a chirp noise in my ear that sounded a bit like low-grade feedback. It was only when I would grasp them more firmly and twist and it never happened at any other time, and to that end it was extremely intermittent. I’m not sure if this is some kind of pre-release issue that I’m experiencing, so I reached out to ask Google.

Touch Controls

Touch controls are built in to Pixel Buds Pro 2 and they’re super responsive. Swiping front to back on the buds adjusts volume and touching and holding the buds will swap between Noice Cancelling and Transparency.

Spatial Audio & Head Tracking

Another feature that’s becoming more common in more advanced earbuds and headphones are spatial audio and head tracking. In the Pixel Buds Pro 2, they kind of work hand in hand but you can choose to only enable one or the other or both if you want.

Spatial audio is a pretty cool feature that allows music to seem like it’s coming from all around you. The sound of instruments and voices is placed so that it seems like it’s coming from all around you, not just being piped into your ear canal. It kind of mimics the effect of a multi-speaker surround sound setup.

Head tracking on the other hand is another neat effect that essentially keeps the audio sounding like it’s coming from in front of you, so as if you were watching TV, but if you turned your head to the right you would hear the sound more clearly with your right ear. And then if you twist your head back around to the left, the sound follows your movement. Head Tracking is possibly most noticeable watching movies and TV shows on your phone, and you can use it now with streaming services such as HBO Max and Netflix Premium.

Gemini & Gemini Live

This year Google has been all about Gemini its new artificial intelligence assistant. Gemini as a service, which is very similar to chat GPT, allows you to ask questions and make requests using AI. For the most part this is a written interface where you type a request in. The next level of that is known as Gemini Live. Gemini Live allows you to carry on a more natural conversation verbally with the Gemini assistant. I’ve been trying it out over the last couple of months and have found it extremely helpful, very intelligent and it works surprisingly well.

Gemini Live does require a Gemini Advanced subscription, but it essentially lets you invoke the assistant to carry on a conversation and throw multiple requests at Gemini that it can answer quite easily.

Technically Gemini is different from the Google Assistant…and obviously it has a different name, but strictly speaking, Google has engineered Gemini in the earbuds to be invoked by using the Google assistant name. I have to say I’m getting a little confused by the branding differences between Gemini and Google assistant and would love some clarity about whether these two assistants are definitely going to be separate entities going forward or if they will eventually merge into one.

As it is, if I want help from Gemini while wearing the Buds Pro 2 I say, ‘Hey Google, let’s talk’… and it will summon the Gemini Live assistant for me.

I asked it to help me brainstorm ideas for new reviews, for weather info and for it to list upcoming holidays.

It can even do something as complex as take a photo of a recipe, then you can put the phone away and ask Gemini or Google what the ingredients are.

While Gemini Live does use my Pixel 9 smartphone as its base, you can shut the phone off or put it away and still make your requests; as long as the phone is nearby.

Battery Life & Charging

Google has essentially kept the battery life on these the same as the previous generation. It appears it’s trying to squeeze out an extra hour or so from the buds, but for the most part the specs on listening time are largely holding steady; you’ll get about eight hours in the buds and about 30 in the case. Technically speaking that’s actually pretty good, and considering that Google shrunk the design by one-third, in favour of comfort— and still managed to hold the battery life steady— that’s actually kind of remarkable.

The Buds Pro 2 will charge with a wired USB-C connection or wireless charging. Fast charging is also packed in: charge for 15 minutes to quickly grab up to three hours of extra battery life.

Comfortable for Sleeping?

Unlike 95% of earbuds out there these are comfortable and soft enough to sleep in, even for side sleepers. Google’s shrinking of the size and weight have made these an even better option for sleepers and laying on them doesn’t trigger the touch controls.

Multiple connections

You can connect Pixel Buds Pro to multiple devices like phones, tablets and computers, and Google calls this Audio Switch (Formerly Multipoint). There’s no need to click into Bluetooth menus, and Multipoint connectivity lets you automatically switch between compatible devices including Android, iOS, tablets, and laptops.

I can confirm this works amazingly well, even between both the Pixel 9 and Apple iPhone 15; the signal stayed connected to both simultaneously, making it easy to answer work and personal calls. You do have to toggle this feature on first in the Pixel Buds app on a Pixel phone.

Overall Review: Google Pixel Buds 2

Overall I’m incredibly impressed by the way Google is able to keep improving and innovating with these earbuds. Let’s go over the pros and cons…

When it comes to the Pros… the fit, design and comfort are even better than the original Pros way outdo any close competitor. The sound quality is fantastic, the bass is solid and the overall sound is so well balanced.

Noise cancellation and Transparency mode work super well and transparency mode in particular lets you let that audio in without the annoying hum or hollowness .
It’s also good to see popular features like multiple device connections, translation, and in-ear detection are still packed into these tiny buds. The touch controls work well, and in-all they are a joy to wear and use.

Downsides? Honestly I’m struggling to find any issues with these or valid complaints. Yes things I could complain about are that Google did not improve the battery life, but given the substantial size shrinkage, I’d say it could be forgiven.

There was also that weird intermittent squeak when I adjusted, but it seems to have disappeared for now.

I can definitely recommend Google Pixel Buds Pro to you —especially for Pixel Phone users and yes, even for iPhone owners.

The Buds Pro 2 have gotten a slight price increase from the original Buds Pro; Now selling for $229US/$299CAD and you can get them from Google’s website and from Amazon.

And Buds Pro 2 are made to work perfectly with Pixel phones, so you should check out my hands on review of the Google pixel 9 smart phone. Or see why my favourite fitness and activity tracking device is the new Pixel Watch 3.. right now.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Pixel Buds Pro 2: my hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

Review + Comparison: Sennheiser ACCENTUM and ACCENTUM PLUS

In this review I’m going to use both the Accentum and Accentum Plus; both of which are wireless over-ear headphones. I’ll talk to you about what the similarities and differences are and I’ll definitely cover off sound quality and how well the features work. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons and let you know if there’s a clear winner between these two.

Let’s start with the base-tier ACCENTUM.

About the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Wireless Headphones

Sennheiser ACCENTUM Wireless over-ear headphones are basically a stripped-down version of the MOMENTUM 4 in just about every aspect from the build quality to the audio fidelity and feature set.

When it comes to MSRP, the Sennheiser ACCENTUM is $100 USD less than the flagship MOMENTUM 4 and here in Canada, it’s near half the price.
While a direct comparison against the MOMENTUM 4 could make the ACCENTUM less appealing to buyers looking for a premium audio experience, the real value of the ACCENTUM branding lies on its comparison against the rest of the Sennheiser headphones models – particularly the ones that don’t have an extra branding attached such as the Sennheiser 450BT I reviewed last October.

Key features : ANC & Transparency

Not only does the Sennheiser ACCENTUM promise detailed audio through the headphones’ 37mm drivers and custom-made transducer system, but it also offers hybrid Active Noie Cancelling or ANC which utilizes the built-in microphones to listen for and then cancel out any noise bleed.
The flip side of ANC is Transparency Mode which uses the microphone to capture ambient sound and amplify it to your ears. It is important if you are listening for a flight or announcement at the airport, or you need to keep an ear on the door for deliveries.

Use Sennheiser Smart Control app for adjustments

If you don’t like how a particular track sounds on the headphones, you may also tweak it using the Sennheiser Smart Control app which gives you access to a 5-band equalizer complete with dB values.

Controls: buttons

These headphones have a series of buttons on the underside of the right earcup for on-device control

Fit & comfort

The overall build quality and comfort of the ACCENTUM Wireless doesn’t quite reach the MOMENTUM 4 level, but it seems close, and the ACCENTUM weighs about 70 grams less which could add some comfort to long listening sessions. These hold fairly securely without pinching from too much clamping force.

Overall these are pretty comfortable headphones with large ear cups and soft squishy ear pads. I might rate the earcups a tad on the thin side since they come quite close to the surface of my ears. But this may only be an issue for those whose ears stick out a little bit.

Sound quality

Sound quality is good; and it should be; these are Sennheisers after all. They’re not as detailed and intricate as some higher end options and they might seem a bit flat, but they boast solid bass and good balance across the sound spectrum. The good audio quality combined with the noise cancelling is a great combination. If something like the MOMENTUM rates at a 9 or a 10 out of 10 on the overall sound quality scale, I’d rank the ACCENTUM a solid 8.

Battery life & charging

If you are prone to long listening sessions, these have the battery life to go the distance: You’re getting up to a whopping 50-hours of life.

About the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Headphones

The Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless Headphones have the same DNA as its non-Plus sibling (same 37mm drivers, same 50 hour battery life) but adds a few enhancements to put it a little closer to the MOMENTUM 4 in feature-parity. The bulk of the improvements primarily benefit travelers and commuters.

Adds adaptive ANC

Sennheiser upgraded the hybrid active noise canceling to an adaptive one which means it will automatically adjust the ANC settings according to your surroundings. The other toy is that you get adjustable Noise cancelling and Transparency, by using the slider bar in the Sennheiser Smart Control app. I do like this feature a lot because it really allows you to dial in your listening experience. Like the ACCENTUM, the quality of the ANC is great and it blocksd out almost every distraction.

Sound quality: improvements

The build and drivers are the same as the ACCENTUM, so you’d expect that the sound quality would be the same, and in reality, it is. But even so I found a bit more to love in the Plus, for a couple of reasons. For one I found the bass to be a bit more detailed in the PLUS version; a bit more resonant and less bangy. I also read that Sennheiser adjusted the position of the drivers in the Plus (perhaps making way for the touch control interface) and I found this made the overall sound a little bigger, if that makes sense. Now these are probably differences that are really only perceptible to those with pretty fine audio tastes… Or people like me who review a heck of a lot of headphones. Either way the sound quality is very good but I might notch the um plus up to an 8.5 or a nine here overall.

Adds fast charging

If your headphones are running out of juice after a long commute or flight, you can charge ACCENTUM Plus faster with a 10-minute charge providing an extra 5 hours of listening time.

Adds Auto pause

Taking off the headphones while its playing back music will automatically pause the music – a feature that was previously exclusive to the MOMENTUM line.

Adds carrying case

For better protection, you can put them in the included carrying case which Sennheiser doesn’t include in the non-Plus model.

Adds Personalized sound settings

While the equalizer found on the Sennheiser Sound Control app lets you fine tune the sound, you might experience a slight drop in volume levels. Sennheiser partially addresses this by adding the MOMENTUM’s Sound Personalization feature to the ACCENTUM Plus. Think of this feature as a professional calibration tool that offers fitting instructions and a series of samples where you can make audio and balance adjustments to the bass and individual instruments. This personalized setting is saved directly to the ACCENTUM Plus headphones so you can enjoy your personalized experience across various devices.

Adds connectivity options

Speaking of devices, you get more connectivity options with the ACCENTUM Plus thanks to the added 3.5mm audio jack and included aux cable. While it might not sound like a compelling addition in an era where phones and even tablets are removing their headphone jack, PC users will love this feature. At the time of writing, Windows 11 doesn’t the advanced audio codecs like aptX adaptive so Bluetooth listening on a laptop won’t offer the best experience. Having that option for wired listening solves all that. Connecting the ACCENTUM Plus to a headphone amp could also drive up the audio quality, but don’t expect MOMENTUM 4 levels due to the smaller drivers.
Adds touch controls over buttons
While the regular ACENTUM has clickable buttons, this iteration uses touch sensitive controls on the outside of each earcup.

Overall Thoughts: Which pair is best for you?

Overall both of these are great headphones. Where you’ll have to make a decision is whether or not you want to use the PLUS features.

The Sennheiser ACCENTUM Wireless Headphones are a terrific value at $199 USD / $250 CAD as it provides a marginally better audio experience than lower-priced midrange products and some ANC features tacked on. It is the ACCENTUM Plus where I have some mixed feelings because Sennheiser is asking $50 USD or $70 CAD more for a carrying case, faster charging, slightly smarter ANC, a headphone jack, Sound Personalization, and a small notch up in the sound quality.

Whether or not these added features are worth the extra cost is up to you to decide.

But here’s my biggest gripe with the ACCENTUM Plus; the MOMENTUM 4 exists and while it costs $70 USD more, you get far better audio quality and noise cancellation on top of the Sound Personalization, longer battery life, and superior comfort which all bring out the very best of Sennheiser feature set. Canada shoppers might be an exception though since the MOMENTUM 4 commands an eye-watering $180 CAD premium over the ACCENTUM Plus.

Finally, you have to take sales prices into account. If you find a rare deal on the MOMENTUM 4 that narrows the price gap, you might as well go all in on the flagship. Your ears will thank you!
The ACCENTUM Plus remains as a nice choice for niche buyers who are on a budget and need specific features while the original ACCENTUM is the value king… at least in the Sennheiser sphere!

The post Review + Comparison: Sennheiser ACCENTUM and ACCENTUM PLUS appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

From 2021 to the end of 2023, JBL offered the JBL TUNE 510BT as their budget wireless on-ear headphones. For $50, you get the barebones JBL audio experience including USB-C charging and a multifunction button for triggering your connected device’s voice assistant. But during CES 2024, JBL announced its direct successor – the JBL TUNE 520BT and it comes with the same $50 price tag. Did JBL make any appealing improvements to catch the ears of entry-level headphones shoppers? Let’s dive in!

What’s in the Box?

Don’t expect much fanfare in the JBL TUNE 520BT packaging considering its budget nature. Aside from the headphones themselves, you get a short, bright orange USB-A to USB-C charging cable along with a quick start guide and warranty information.

About the JBL TUNE 520BT

One of the key things you should know about the JBL TUNE 520BT is its categorization as an “on-ear” headphones rather than an “over-ear” headphones and depending on your preference, it is an important distinction.

On-ear headphones have small earpads that rest on your ear with substantial padding. While this design choice makes the JBL TUNE 520BT more portable than JBL’s higher-end models, comfort might take a back seat depending on your ear size and shape. These earcups offer a smaller soundstage as well which matches the JBL TUNE 520BT’s small 33mm drivers.

Design

The design of the JBL TUNE 520BT provides a good level of flexibility. You can swivel both earcups as well as tilt each one up or down. The headband has some minimal padding with a clicky adjustable mechanism. The earpads are nothing to write home about but because they have the same size as the earpads on the JBL Tune 510BT and older 450BT/460BT models, you can easily replace them with third-party earpads sold on Amazon after the originals wear out.

The headphones, not surprisingly, are made of all plastic.

Fit & comfort

I will admit that I am not a huge fan of on ear headphones; I just don’t generally find them to be comfortable as I don’t like things pressing on my ears too much. With that said I tried to take on this review without pre-judging this pair. I will say the ear cushions are quite soft, and the padding on the headband does help keep it comfortable. The headphones do have a decent amount of clamping force, and this combined with the on ear design does create a recipe for extended use discomfort. I found myself wanting to take them off after just a few minutes, but again I’m not partial to this type of design. I think if you are an on ear fan, these could work for you just fine.

Controls & set up

You can find all the physical controls on the right earcup. This includes the power button which you hold for a couple of seconds to turn on or off the headphones. Holding the power button for 5 seconds while its off puts the JBL TUNE 520BT in pairing mode, and the first time you use it it should be in pairing mode automatically. Double tapping this button allows you to pair the headphones with a second device. Next to the power button is a small light indicator which shows the Bluetooth status. The indicator will also turn red if the headphones run low on battery.

Also included are a trio of buttons for the volume and play/pause buttons which function as you would expect when pressed normally. Holding either of the volume buttons will trigger “previous” and “next” functions while the middle button will summon your connected device’s default voice assistant. Pressing the middle button during an incoming call will also answer it.

Sound quality

I wasn’t expecting much when it came to the sound quality but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and even impressed about what I got for the money here. The JBL Tune 510BT sound really good, and certainly better than their budget status would let on.

The bass is surprisingly rich and resonant and the vocals are clear and crisp. They sound incredibly well-balanced and despite the plastic build there’s no rattle, crack, or echo while listening or moving around.

My biggest issue with the audio quality is that the narrower earcup of this type of on your design do close up the soundstage a little, but this problem can be remedied by looking to one of JBL’s ear headphones instead.

In short, I have nothing I can crack on when it comes to sound quality at this price point.

Improvements over the JBL Tune 510BT

While we never reviewed the JBL Tune 510BT, the similar driver specs and lack of JBL audio technologies aside from the “JBL Pure Bass Sound” on both models clearly indicates that you shouldn’t expect sweeping improvements to the sound quality. I wouldn’t call that a negative because JBL priced both products at $50 on launch. You can’t expect larger or improved drivers while keeping the price tag the same without compromises elsewhere.

Both products also use the same 450 mAh lithium-ion battery which means they weigh pretty similar too. But going down to the numbers, the 520BT weighs 157 grams which is 3 grams lighter than the 510BT. Although the battery size didn’t change, JBL claims a greatly improved battery life from up to 40 hours on the old model to up to 57 hours of music playback. This is good news for folks who plan on using the headphones for phone conversations as they tend to drain the battery faster.

But how did JBL exactly pull this off? My guess is the improved efficiency of the Bluetooth 5.3 specification that the 520BT offers over the dated Bluetooth 5.0 version on the 510BT. Bluetooth 5.3 offers a broader wireless range over 5.0 as well. JBL claims the 520BT charges a little bit faster too with 5 minutes of charging equating to 3 hours of music playback.

Finally, the 520BT has a purple variant for folks who don’t like the usual Black, White, and Blue colors. The shade is a bit lighter than the purple JBL Go 4, but I can imagine younger folks digging it.

App Support

If you are the type to fiddle with the equalizer settings to squeeze a tad bit more oomph to your music or podcasts, consider installing the JBL Headphones app on your Google Play or iOS device. The equalizer comes with a couple of presets like Jazz, Bass, Vocal, and Club. You can also customize the voice prompts and alter the duration of the automatic power off feature.

Overall Review: JBL TUNE 520BT

Overall the JBL TUNE 520BT is nothing more than a refresh of the original model but it does come with some upgrades like updated Bluetooth, longer battery life, and a fun purple variant. While the lack of audio quality improvements might seem disappointing, you can’t expect too much from a pair of headphones at this price range. Let’s go over the pros and the cons so you can see if these might be your next pair of headphones.

On the pro side they sound great and far better than one would expect at this price point. They are very lightweight, and fold up small for travel. The earcups are reasonably cushy, and the amount of clamping force will help keep these on your head even while you’re moving about.

They set up and pair easily and the on ear controls are easy to operate and mean you don’t always have to go fishing for your phone.

When it comes to the downsides, on their own merits these are really great headphones. My biggest complaint about them would be unfair; I’m not a fan of on ear headphones so I did find these uncomfortable to wear. But for those who appreciate this type of design, they will be really pleased with the JBL Tune 520.

I do wish though that JBL transitioned the design to an over-ear model so customers on a $50 budget can decide if they want on-ear or over-ear design with the same JBL 500-series feature set. A headphone jack would have been nice too for those rare instances of the battery running out or expanded compatibility with other devices. If you are looking for those features with better sound quality, give the JBL Tune 720BT a look. We reviewed its predecessor, the JBL Tune 710BT, and loved the sound quality and comfort.

JBL Tune 520 sells for about $50USD/$69CAD And you can get it from JBL’s website or from Amazon. You can check out my review of the 710 BT headphones or see what some GBL competitors are offering… Right here.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post JBL TUNE 520BT on-ear headphones review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

When you say Sonos, people tend to think of two things: high quality multi-room speakers and, expensive products. Sonos is expensive for a reason and that’s that it most often delivers on an above average sound experience. But there’s one thing Sonos has NEVER had going for it… and that’s a more personal music solution, like headphones. Until now. Meet the Sonos Ace wireless headphones. In this review, I’m going to try the Ace headphones out. I’ll listen to the audio quality, see how they are to use, if they’re comfortable and if they live up to Sonos’ premium branding. I’ll also look at what special features Ace has.

Sonos is a special kind of brand in the audio realm. Loyalists will immediately associate the brand with its drive for delivering a quality multi-room audio experience with extra attention to product design. Sonos products are also priced higher than the competition, but their accolades in the audio space hasn’t stopped consumers from demanding a headphones product despite several top manufactures dominating the space with their own. After a short tease on their social media pages, Sonos finally announced the Sonos Ace—an ambitious pair of over-ear headphones priced at $450USD effectively cutting its obvious competitor, the Apple AirPods Max, by $100.

If you’re interested in Sonos, check out my reviews of other Sonos products, like Sonos Roam 2, Sonos Era 100 or 300 wired speakers, Sonos Arc sound bar or Sonos Move 2.

Unboxing & Initial impressions

I have to say that for a pair of ultra premium headphones, the recycled cardboard box may say green but it doesn’t scream luxury audio. The cartoony emblem also doesn’t do the product justice. I know we’re not supposed to judge the book by its cover but I am a bit worried about the tone that’s being set here.

When it comes to the unboxing, points are earned back for the felted hardshell case and sexy zipper. The headphones are very minimalist which is true to brand for Sonos and I like that too.

Inside you get a cool lightly magnetized squeeze case for your 2.5 foot USB-C charging cable but no plug, which does seem like a bit of a cheap-out at this price point. You do get a 4-foot Aux cable; Yes, you can use the Sonos Ace with your favourite analog sources right out of the box. A subtle dig at the Apple AirPods Max.

The headphones are pretty with a stone-like matte finish and pops of chrome, and the buttons are subtle yet easy to find.

Putting them on they have the perfect amount of clamping force; not too strong, not too weak. They legit feel like a nice warm hug. Although the headband lacks any stainless-steel innards, Sonos did a great job in distributing the memory foam padding in a way that molds to the shape of your face. This approach also makes the headphones feel lighter than the AirPods Max.

Set up

To get things started Sonos wants you to use the Sonos app. The Sonos app is probably my least favourite thing about any Sonos product, but in the spirit of following directions, I gave it a try.

I powered the headphones on and opened the app, and my headphones appeared immediately. The app connected to the headphones on the first try, which has been unheard of for me when setting up Sonos speakers. I was ready to listen in under a minute, which is a Sonos review record in this house.

Maybe I need to chalk one up for the new Sonos app.

Our Expectations

Before I talk about the headphones, I want to point out the unique position Sonos is putting itself in with its approach to pricing because it is the pricing that will set the expectations. You could treat the high asking price of the Sonos Ace as a “brand tax”, but it’s not that simple. People didn’t buy an AirPods Max just because it had an Apple logo, but also because of how well the headphones fit into Apple’s ecosystem of products and services.

Sonos doesn’t have that infrastructure—in fact it’s the opposite. The infrastructure it does have, mainly it’s speakers and app suffered mightily in recent years from buggy software and poorly-timed updates that didn’t fix core problems.

Sonos doesn’t manufacture phones and lacks a burgeoning streaming service. This means Sonos is relying on its brand image and its feature set alone in convincing people to spend $450. That is a high bar to clear because some big brands like Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser offer flagship headphone products for $299 or sometimes less during sales.
Sonos Ace needs to decisively beat them all or offer some big incentives for going all-in on Sonos’s ecosystem. And as a spoiler alert, I’m happy to report they exceeded my expectations.

Sound quality

The most important factor for shoppers here will be the sound quality and fortunately, the Sonos audio story holds true here. They sound fan-frikking-tastic!
These headphones are among the rare premium over-ears that make you remember how good headphones can sound. They are probably the best sounding headphones I’ve reviewed.

The bass is stunningly detailed and has actual levels of rumble, boom, bounce, and thrum. The treble is as if tiny angels were strumming harps in each ear. The amount of detail in the music is insane.

I listened to jazz, pop, rock, symphony and podcasts. They can be ear-caressing at low volumes or head-filling at higher outputs.

Controls

If you despise tapping and flicking on the earcups, you’ll be pleased with the physical controls Sonos implemented on the Ace. You can trigger all the primary functions on the right earcup using a nifty rocker switch called the Content Key. Sliding up or down the switch adjusts volume while pressing the key plays or pauses a track. Double pressing or triple pressing triggers “Next” and “Previous” functions. The Content Key feels very satisfying to use and the distinct design makes it easy to spot while wearing the headphones.
Next to the Content Key is a smaller button for switching between Aware Mode and Active Noise Cancellation mode. The left earcup features a lone power button which doubles as the pairing button if you hold it for 7 seconds.

Features

Sonos is matching the Ace’s luxurious design with an attractive feature set which justifies the asking price even more.

Active Noise Cancellation & Aware Mode

Sonos really wants to make sure buyers go for the Sonos Ace over the other impressive products so all the major features found on those headphones are present here. This includes the option to enable ANC or an enhanced listening mode through the microphone which Sonos refers to as “Aware Mode.”

Table stakes for a premium pair of headphones these days is Active Noise Cancellation or ANC and Aware Mode. ANC uses digital algorithms combined with microphones to listen for and then create a special signal that masks sound from bleeding in. Conversely, Aware Mode lets you allow sound in to keep an ear out for sounds like the doorbell, kids or a flight announcement.

You can swap between ANC and Aware by pushing the Noise Control button on the right earcup, or toggling it on and off in the Sonos app.

How is Noise Cancellation?

I always test noise cancellation with the music off so I can really hear and assess how good it is. In this case, I was totally wowed at how much it was able to block out.

Spatial Audio and Head Tracking

The Sonos Ace supports spatial audio for all kinds of music whether you are using an iOS or Android device. TIDAL, Apple Music, and Amazon Music Unlimited are the best streaming services for listening to spatial audio formats as they all offer Dolby Atmos Music which Sonos Ace supports.

You may also enable the “Head Tracking” option on the Sonos app to have the headphones adjust spatial audio playback whenever you move your head. The effect of Head Tracking is kind of trippy; it always seems like the music is coming from all around you, but if you turn your head to one side, it subtly pushes the audio into the front ear cup so it sounds like it’s still in front of you.

aptX Adaptive

The Sonos Ace joins the slowly growing list of headphones offering Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive audio technology. aptX Adaptive works by making adjustments of the bitrate in real-time without affecting the audio quality while maintaining a low latency. This should benefit folks who have big lossless audio collections. However, only modern Android phones can take advantage of this feature.

TV Audio Swap

If you have a Sonos Arc connected to your TV, you can conveniently redirect the audio coming out from the soundbar to your headphones in Dolby Atmos glory if your content supports it. Once you set up the feature using the new Sonos app, you just long-press the Content Key on your Sonos Ace and enjoy that private listening experience! Sonos plans to add this feature to both Sonos Beam generations and the Sonos Ray.

Auto Pause

Ace also has a built-in sensor which can automatically pause playback when you remove the headphones or resume after putting them back on. You can turn this on in Settings.
I tried it out, but found it didn’t work. Even after a firmware update and toggling the setting on and off repeatedly, they refused to pause when I removed them.

Connect Two Devices

You can connect to two devices with Sonos Ace, like your phone and computer, but you need to make sure the Multi-point feature is turned on in the Sonos app. If it’s not you will have to manually switch between devices by going into your Bluetooth menu to disconnect from one device then reconnect to the other, otherwise Ace just defaults to the last device used.

Once that setting is toggled on though, the swapping between devices is simple, instant and fully automatic and was a huge plus for me, when using Ace with my iPhone and MacBook.

Battery Life & Charging

Sonos promises a 30-hour battery life with ANC enabled which sounds like a good amount, until you hold it up to some of its competitors.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 boats more than double that at 60 hours, Sony WH-1000AM 5 matches the 30 hours, while Apple AirPods Max cheap out at a paltry 20 hours. So depending what you’re deciding between, these are either great, equal, or sub-par.

The added inclusion of rapid charging also helps which means you can extend the battery life by up to 3 hours after charging for 3 minutes. Ace charges with the USB-C cable and you can listen while you charge which is a nice touch.

Replaceable earcups

Wear-and-tear is often a concern when it comes to expensive over-ear headphones and Sonos took another Apple move implementing a magnetic, detachable earcup system. Detaching the earcups also reveals distinct colors so you can quickly identify the right earcup from the left. The magnet even repels if you put an earcup on the wrong side.

Notable Omissions

I must emphasize the Sonos Ace’s lack of Wi-Fi support which is like a break in tradition as even the Bluetooth-equipped Sonos Roam comes with it. This might disappoint some folks who wanted a pair of Sonos headphones to integrate with their awesome Sonos multi-speaker zones, and have the music playing all over the house and inside your ears (not sure why you’d want that) so at least for now, you’ll just have to settle with the TV Audio Swap feature.

Fortunately, Sonos has promised they are open for user feedback and may implement some features down the road.

While Sonos Ace has the Bluetooth 5.4 standard baked in which means aptX Lossless and Apple ALAC support, newer codecs like LE Audio and Auracast are absent. Not a dealbreaker by any stretch, but some pairs of headphones launched in 2024 like the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 support these next-gen codecs right out of the gate.

Using Sonos App

Using an older Sonos app version because of all the controversy surrounding the new app? You have to upgrade to the new app in order to configure or update the Sonos Ace. In fact, Sonos built the new app for the Sonos Ace and future products in mind so if the Sonos Ace is your first entry to the Sonos ecosystem, don’t worry about the new app.

Once paired, you can view detailed battery life and adjust the EQ settings, as well as enable or disable a lot of the settings I just mentioned.

Overall Thoughts: Sonos Ace

Overall, Sonos has hit a grand slam with its Ace headphones. With only a couple minor gripes, these are going to have a place in my day-to-day starting now.

Let’s cover the pros and cons so you can see if they’re right for you.

On the pro side, they are beautiful and look ultra premium. The felted hardshell case is a nice addition. The sound quality is top tier and they are beyond comfortable. With Noise Cancellation and Aware, you can use them however you need to. Even the set up went perfectly and the Sonos app works with the Ace like a dream. With fast charging, Spatial Audio and Head Tracking plus TV Audio Swap for Sonos soundbar users, these check a lot of boxes.

With the release of the Sonos Ace, Android users finally have their AirPods Max moment and they have every right to gloat just on the grounds that the Sonos Ace is cheaper and even has a nicer and more practical carrying case! Spatial audio and aptX Adaptive really bring out the best of the Sonos Ace experience. With a terrific sound stage and unmatched levels of comfort, the Sonos Ace is a surprisingly good first attempt at making a pair of headphones.

So what are the downsides? I would have loved to see Sonos blow the competition out of the water with longer battery life, but 30 hours is still pretty good. I also couldn’t get the auto-pause feature to work during my testing. But that’s a pretty minor complaint.

But is it enough to shame its slightly less expensive competitors? Not exactly. Sonos products rarely go on sale and even a minor price drop on a Sony, Bose, or Sennheiser pair could sway buyers. These headphone products still deliver excellent audio quality and adequate comfort.

Sonos Ace sells for $599CAD/$449USD which is a lot less than AirPods Max but more than some other competitors. Is it worth it? Think of the Sonos Ace as a perpetual ticket to flying business class; once you try it, you can’t go back!

If you’re interested in Sonos, check out my reviews of other Sonos products, like Sonos Roam 2, Sonos Era 100 or 300 wired speakers, Sonos Arc sound bar or Sonos Move 2.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 

The post Sonos Ace headphones review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

It’s a good thing headphone manufacturers release new options every year. As technology advancement has sped up, this means many of us can take advantage of new features and improvements. Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2, however are a bit older now, having been released in 2022, but with a high price and the promise of premium features, are they still worth it today, particularly when a new version may be knocking at the door soon? In this review, I’ll show you what you’re getting with these earbuds, what special features they have and if the sound quality and noise cancelling are worth the high price. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and cons and let you know if I can recommend Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 to you.

About the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro is Samsung’s second major attempt at making a pair of $199 US earbuds. While I never tried their first-generation Galaxy Buds Pro released in 2021, I did try the Galaxy Buds Live and found them to be pretty average.

Being a smartphone manufacturer like Samsung has its benefits! Launch a bunch of cool gear like Watches and Flip phones under a common ecosystem name and upsell the accessories like earbuds under said ecosystem name and sprinkle them with exclusive benefits for the devices in the ecosystem. Rinse and repeat every one or two years and you have quite the business model!

But thank goodness for competition especially in the wireless earbuds space because without these platform agnostic contenders, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro would earn a solid recommendation for Samsung lovers even though the $229 USD pair has been in the market for almost 2 years. Determining the value of these earbuds is really all about evaluating how much these special Samsung features matter to you and whether the rest of the package adds up.

Watch my full hands-on review of Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Design & Comfort

Even though the Buds 2 are a couple years old, the good thing that often happens is these will stay in the market for a bit after something new comes along, probably at a steep discount.

The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro come neatly packed in a compact squircle charging case. Samsung took a monochromatic design approach with all three color variants for both the buds themselves and the charging case and they convey a refreshing sense of minimalism (and I can’t get over how much they resemble the new Sennheiser Accentum TW!). More importantly, they feel pretty nice too having that soft-touch texture that doesn’t attract fingerprints. The buds feel very light too weighing about 5.5 grams each. The pebble design is smooth and round and without a hint of edges or ridges to irritate your ears. These are also extremely low profile, and barely stick out of your ears (very unlike the Sennheiser Accentum I reviewed which are a bit cork-like) and I think you could easily sleep in these without hurting your ears.

At this price range, you would expect all these types of wireless earbuds to feel comfortable, but these earbuds in particular can feel that way even after hours of listening. The trick to putting them on is to make sure the vents face upward.

If you don’t get that perfect fit or feel your ears getting sore after a lengthier period, try swapping the medium tips with either the small or large ones included in the box.
The other thing I’ll note about these is that because of the smooth, round shape, they can be tough to grip and pull from the case and sometimes from your ears too.

Simple is one way to describe these earbuds, but sporty? Not quite. They do have IPX7 water resistance so you don’t have to worry about stashing them away under some light rain, but I personally wouldn’t perform strenuous exercises with this pair like I would with a pair of Jabra’s.

Samsung also deserves credit for using recycled materials for certain components of the earbuds and casing. The graphite and white models should match just about any Galaxy device while the “Bora Purple” color is for the folks who still use a Bora Purple Galaxy S22.

(Nearly) Universal Features

Thankfully, Samsung didn’t lock every single feature behind Galaxy-closed doors. By installing the Galaxy Wearable app from Google Play you can access some features, but Apple users will be out of luck; the Samsung Galaxy Buds App has limited options and doesn’t allow access to the Buds 2 Pro. You’d only be able to control these with the touch controls.

ANC & Ambient Sound

Let’s kick off with the key feature which is active noise cancellation or ANC. Active Noise Cancellation uses digital signals to block out background noise.

Switching the mode to ambient sound will let the microphone pick up any sounds and redirect them to your ear and the feature works as you would expect. You may also configure your earbuds to switch to ambient sound during a phone call. If you don’t like manually changing modes via the app, you can bind the function to a “tap and hold” gesture on the earbud of your choice.

I have to say the noise cancellation on this is stellar. A vacuum was running outside my office door as I was testing them and I could barely hear it… even without any audio like music or podcasts playing. I was impressed. I’d say these earbuds can block out about 85-95% of outside noise, and for my money, that’s pretty good, and on the upper tier of ANC. Samsung doesn’t offer any way to adjust the ANC level.

Sound quality

The sound quality is right up there with the noise cancelling. It’s pretty balanced and sounds great, no matter the musical genre. I did detect a very slight lean to the higher end with a lot of the music, which can result in a little raspiness, but probably only if your ears are very finely tuned. Podcasts and calls are also crystal clear. For most listeners you’re going to find these are a musical buffet for your ears.

Text-to-Speech Notifications

By enabling the “Read notifications aloud” option, any upcoming notifications you get on your Samsung or Google or Android Phone will play back on your earbuds. To control the number of notifications you’ll receive, you can pick the apps that will use the feature.

Because of the lack of a Galaxy Wearable app for the iOS App Store, I can’t recommend these buds for iPhone and iPad users, if this is one of the features you’d want.

Galaxy-exclusive Features

The features exclusive to Samsung devices outnumber the rest of them painting a clear picture that owning a Samsung phone or tablet will really get your money’s worth. But will Samsung users use them? You decide!

AI Translations

While the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro launched shortly before the ChatGPT craze, Samsung Galaxy S23 and S24 device owners can use the earbuds to carry out some of the new AI features like the Live Translate and Interpreter.

As long as you have an internet connection and the Samsung app open, you can talk and have the translated speech come out of your phone. The earbuds can also listen to conversations and translate the speech in real time to your ear. Samsung plans to keep this feature free until the end of 2025.

24-Bit Audio/Lossless music

24-bit audio is the kind of feature audiophiles will appreciate, at least to some extent. The technology utilizes a special codec found in Galaxy devices called Samsung Seamless Codec which allows supported streaming services offering lossless music like Tidal to play tracks back at a much higher quality. Too bad Spotify still hasn’t launched their long-awaited HiFi service yet!

Spatial Audio & Head Tracking

Spatial audio is all the rage these days and the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offers just that although you won’t find this option in the Galaxy Wearable app. Instead, you must enable it by tapping Dolby Atmos from the notification pane. Yes, you can enjoy any content with the Dolby Atmos logo from your favorite streaming services with that wider soundstage.

You also have the option to convert standard stereo channel sound into multi-channel by enabling the 360 audio feature in the Galaxy Wearable app. Enabling it will disable Dolby Atmos so try to experiment with the settings for comparison because the 360 audio supports head tracking which when switched on, uses the sensors built into the earbuds to add extra immersion to the sounds when you move your head.

Seamless Earbud Connection

Auto Switch is Samsung’s way of saying multipoint or multi-device connection, but with Samsung devices only. While you can accuse Samsung of being greedy with this one, the feature relies on your Samsung Account to tie your devices together which is quite clever because you can connect to devices (laptop, tablet, watch) you haven’t even paired with specifically.

Extra Remote Control Options: Watch

If you aren’t a fan of using the app or the touch gestures, you can operate some core functions on your earbuds from your Galaxy Watch. If you don’t have a Galaxy Watch, you can add homescreen widgets to your phone instead. Once you get used to these features, you can disable any touch gestures you might find yourself accidentally triggering.

Find my Buds

Worried about losing your Galaxy Buds 2 Pro? Don’t. With SmartThings Find you can trace your coveted Galaxy Buds 2 Pro with the location detection feature. You can even do it with or without the case. Similarly, walk away from your Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and the integrated alarm is ready to let you know — your phone will send you a notification so that you don’t accidentally leave them behind.

Notable Omissions and Shortcomings

As impressive as the feature list is, multipoint support is the big feature missing. Samsung owners can resort to Seamless Earbud Connection, but other devices are out of luck. Connecting the earbuds to a non-Samsung device also won’t give you the best audio quality due to a lack of support for other popular codecs like aptX.

Battery life & Charging

Battery life isn’t a strong suit with this pair of earbuds either with only up to 5 hours of playback with ANC enabled (or using other extra Samsung features). Disabling these features could extend your battery life to 8 hours, but that’s still at medium volume. 5 to 8 hours is kind of barely table steaks with earbuds these days and there are plenty of other buds offering a lot more at a lower price too. There’s about 13 more hours in the case, which again is barely average. Connect a USB-C to charge them.

Samsung doesn’t say whether these offer wireless or fast charging, and I can confirm it did seem to take a while to recharge these fully.

Overall Review: Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

Not surprisingly, Samsung owners really get the most bang for their buck and the temporarily free AI features are just icing on the cake! While these will work on other devices, including iPhones, your access to features is severely limited. No points deducted for that since these are made for the Samsung ecosystem, but just something to be aware of if you were hoping for a platform agnostic pair.

Even so, the rest of the Samsung-exclusive features are either niche, borderline gimmicky, or require multiple Samsung devices to fully appreciate.

Let’s cover the pros and cons

On the pro side, the earbuds are beautifully designed, extremely compact and very very comfortable to wear. The noise cancellation is outstanding and the sound quality is top-notch. For Samsung device users, the boatload of extra features is a nice cherry on the sundae.

When it comes to the cons, the biggest issues I found were the slow charging speed, and that the buds can be very fiddly to get in and out of the case especially for chubbier fingers.

As for pricing, the $229 USD/$289 CAD launch price has been marked down to a sub-$170 range. With Samsung expecting to announce a successor to this product, the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro might even sell for cheaper.

In short Samsung users would be well poised to snap these up while on sale… or wait for the next generation option to launch and get these at an even bigger price chop. I can definitely recommend Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro to you.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

For all the press some flagship headphones get, they aren’t perfect. For example while these will cost you a mint, they only deliver about 20 hours of battery.  What if I told you a more comfortable but less popular pair could deliver an astonishing 80 hours of battery life and barely set you back the same price as a nice dinner for two?  With all the different prices and brands out there, picking the right headphones can be a real headache. And if you’re not careful, you can spend over a half a grand for high-end headphones with all the bells and whistles. But if you’re just looking for comfortable headphones that can quiet down your surroundings with Active Noise Cancellation plus decent sound quality, you may not even have to break the $100 mark. It’s all about hitting that sweet spot between the features you want with the price you’re needing to pay. This is where the Earfun Wave Pro comes in. It’s a sub-$100 pair of headphones that tries hard to nail all the basics.  In this hands-on review, I’ll try them out and see what they’re like in terms of fit and comfort, how they sound and how effective the noise cancelling is. I’ll wrap things up by tallying the pros and cons and letting you know if I think I can recommend these headphones for you.

What you get

Despite the lower price tag, EarFun is not scrimping on what it packed into the box. Inside a soft gray hard shell travel case or the Earfun Wave Pro over-ear headphones, as well as both an auxiliary audio cable and a USB-C charging cable.

Set up

The first time you power on the headphones they should already be in pairing mode. You can just open your phone or devices Bluetooth menu and tap to connect. This worked immediately for me. If you need to repair after that, you’ll need to delete them from your Bluetooth menu and then power them fully off and back on again to put them back into pairing mode. This didn’t work very well for me when I tried it, but after a couple of attempts I was able to get them connected to a new device.

Watch the EarFun Wave pro headphones review on YouTube

How I review

Anytime I review a pair of headphones I usually like to spend a week or so simply wearing them throughout my daily life; I’ll wear them well editing videos on my laptop, while taking phone or zoom calls, and then maybe chill out with some music. I will also test a wide variety of different audio on the headphones for dedicated listening; things like pop, jazz, rock, as well as podcasts too. From there I’ve usually got a pretty good sense of whether I like them and whether I think others like them as well… Or at least what the potential holdbacks may be for some consumers.

In this case I spent three weeks with the EarFun Wave Pro, and did about 15 hours of listening to evaluate them.

Design and Comfort

First things first, the Earfun Wave Pro is designed with a combination comfort in mind and when it comes to the style, the company is clearly trying to keep its head down. You won’t find any flash here, but these are professional if plain looking, but at the same time they don’t seem cheap either in looks or feel. They fold up for travel.

Wave Pro’s body is fabricated from a hard, matte plastic. EarFun Wave Pro focuses on comfort above all. The clamping power of the ear cups and the ultra soft foam feels like a gentle hug around your ears while the lightweight construction makes it easy to wear for hours on end. The earcups have plenty of soft padding and a narrow band of cushinoing at the top may seem incomplete, but the truth is I found it was perfectly fit to pad the headband. Subtle logo-ing on the earcups is probably unnecessary but it’s not annoying.

I’m like another recent pair of over ear headphones I reviewed the ear cups are large and roomy and don’t feel like they’re compressing my ears.

Buttons and Controls

On the bottom right ear cup are three buttons; there’s power, volume up and down, and the button to turn the noise cancellation on or off. There’s also the connection for the auxiliary jack. The USB-C power port lives on the bottom left ear.

EarFun Audio app

You can download the EarFun audio app for a more enhanced experience. Inside the app you can adjust EQ levels, and configure multiple device connections and firmware updates, as well as view detailed battery life. The app is delightfully uncluttered and very user friendly.

Sound Quality

Let’s get right to the meat of this sandwich and that’s how they sound.

Don’t get me wrong: these earbuds won’t replace a high-end, over-the-ear headphone set for that thousand dollar vinyl turntable setup you’ve lovingly crafted. But they easily hold their own against other competitors in their price range, and might even leave some higher priced options sitting awkwardly in the corner.

I was actually surprised at how good they sounded. I’ve been quite surprised lately by how good many budget audio solutions are these days. I think as the technology is improving year over year, the cost is coming down, making great sound quality more I reach even for budget shoppers and brands.

I listened to everything from pop and rock to jazz and orchestral. I got real summertime vibes from Will Smith on Summertime and really noticed how multi-layered that song is. Massive Attack’s Unfinished Symphony was resonant and tingly at the same time, while Chromeo’s Personal Effects set the tone for a dizzying dancy singalong (Hair ties? Not mine!) The staticky low-fi details in Cypress Hill’s No Entiendes la Onda and Ana Tijoux’s 1977 were also pleasant old school throwbacks.

The LDAC Bluetooth codec means you can listen to high-fidelity music even on bluetooth. This lets the Wave Pros pack a mean bass, sturdy and booming, without going overboard and midtones that offer clarity that makes vocals shine and guitars sing even when used wirelessly. As for the high notes, they come out impressively crisp and clear, but without sounding shrill or tinny.

Active Noise Cancellation

Let’s not forget about the Active Noise Cancellation feature! It’s not going to turn a busy street into a quiet personal library but it does a commendable job of drowning out ambient noise like wind and the drone of an air conditioner. I test out active noise cancellation with no music playing, since that way it’s easier to tell if background noise is actually bleeding in.

There are three levels of ANC; there’s Normal, Ambient, which lets outside sound in so you can hear a doorbell or a flight, and then ANC which is meant to drown out almost everything. You can choose your level by pushing the ANC button on the headphones, or make your selection inside the app.

While I did find ambient mode made the whole world sound kind of tinny and was like shouting into an apple juice can, the ANC did a pretty decent job at cancelling out annoying ambient noise. I’d give these about an 8.5 out of 10 on their ability to create a cone of silence. That was until I found the setting in the app that lets you take ANC to another level. Called Strong ANC, this setting DID let me block out about 95% of all noise.  Impressive.

Battery Life

It seems odd I’m only now getting to the crown jewel of the EarFun Wave’s spec sheet; the astounding battery life.

Earfun Wave Pro brings some serious longevity to the table by claiming 80 hours of battery life with the ANC turned off, which is a massive leap from those flagship-level headphones that cost five times as much. With the ANC on, however, the Earfun says that it can still play music for up to 55 hours non-stop. And if you run out of juice mid-flight or in the middle of the workday, you can easily top up the battery for 10 minutes and get 10 hours of playtime.

Auto shut off

Helpfully these headphones will power down after about 10 minutes not being used.

In short, the longevity alone would be reason to click Buy Now on these headphones, but EarFun has still given you more reasons to be impressed.

What are the alternatives?

I did initially mention Apple AirPods Pro, since these are a very expensive and high end pair of over ear headphones. I did have a chance to try them and well I can’t disagree that they are pretty spectacular, in the end I did not find they were worth the very steep cost. I’ve also reviewed very similar options from Bose and even another budget pair of OneOdio cans too. I think all of these are fairly worthy choices which you can dig into and compare in my hands-on personal reviews. On its own merits though, I think the ear fun wave pro is an excellent choice and a potential sleeper hit of the over ear headphones market.

Final Verdict

The Earfun Wave Pro isn’t about rewriting the book on audio technology or breaking the bank. Instead, it’s like your go-to diner – it might not have Michelin stars, but it’s comforting, reliable, and leaves you feeling pretty darn satisfied without emptying your wallet.

Let’s line up the pros and cons.

On the pro side, these are affordable, comfortable, and the design won’t offend. The app gives you plenty of customization options, and the sound quality is surprisingly great. The battery life, plus fast charging is the cherry on the sundae.

When it comes to the potential downsides, it’s actually pretty hard to find a lot to crack on. I suppose the design could be a little more or less flashy depending on your personal taste but since these headphones check pretty much every box for me, I’m not going to spend too much time trying to nitpick. You could probably also find headphones that do have sound quality that might be more finally tuned, but unless you’re an extreme audio file I wouldn’t worry about it. In short I’ve been quite impressed with the EarFun Wave Pro over ear noise cancelling headphones and I don’t have any concerns about recommending them to you. They sell for about $79USD and you can get them from EarFun’s website or amazon.

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post EarFun Wave Pro headphones review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless branding is more than 5 years old with the company’s first ever wireless earbuds announced way back in 2018. Now the company has a new foray into this model with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless. What’s new with this pair of wireless earbuds, how do they sound, what’s the noise cancelling like, and what’s been refreshed when it comes to fit feel and comfort? In this hands-on review I will try them out firsthand to assess the pros and cons and then let you know if I think I can recommend them for you.

In my review of the original product, I was really happy with the overall sound quality including the bass and clarity of the finer audio details.

What’s in the Box?

As expected with most wireless earbuds products these days, Sennheiser packaged their ACCENTUM True Wireless earbuds in a very small box containing the charging case with the earbuds themselves tucked inside. You also get four sets of differently sized ear tips, a USB-C charging cable, and the usual quick guide and manual.

What you get: Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless Earbuds

Despite the attractive new branding, the Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless earbuds is second-in-command in Sennheiser’s hierarchy of True Wireless products. It is more affordable than Sennheiser’s new MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 and MOMENTUM Sport products while slightly more expensive than the budget-tier CX and CX Plus True Wireless earbuds.

Out of curiosity, I checked online to see if “accentum” was a real word and I was surprised to know that it’s a singular term of the Latin word “accentus” which means signal or tone!

Design

The Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless charging case is noticeably different from its MOMENTUM siblings. The case lacks the fabric texture and has more of a squircle design as opposed to the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4’s rectangular form factor. It is also a bit thicker than the MOMENTUM Sport’s similarly-shaped case.

But what makes the ACCENTUM truly worthy of its brand designation is the design of the earbuds themselves. Yes, some might feel they lack the premium aesthetic of the MOMENTUM True Wireless brand, but looking closely at the earbuds really highlights the amount of effort Sennheiser put into sculpting the design, and I use the word sculpting deliberately.  These seem to be almost carved delicately from a soft piece of material, and they look almost pebble like with absolutely no edges, corners, or lines to irritate your ears. Clearly Sennheiser made these earbuds with comfort and fit in mind. While I’m on the topic, that perfectly smooth feel does make them a little difficult to grip and touch fiddly… Which I feel like I will probably adapt to. They are soft, silky, and scream comfort. They also feel pretty light with a single earbud weighing 5.5 grams which is roughly a gram and a half heavier than the lightweight Sony Link Buds.

Fit and comfort

Right out of the box these earbuds are extremely comfortable. They may be a touch on the larger side for my lady ears, but thanks to that ultra smooth pebble design, they actually nestled into my ear concha quite well. Even after long wearing sessions I found they did not irritate my ears at all.

Set up and pairing: fast and easy

Getting these earbuds set up paired to your phone, tablet, laptop or device is super easy. The first time you use them they should arrive in pairing mode and you can simply open up your phone or devices Bluetooth menu and talk to connect instantly, as I did. If you need re-pair, Touch and hold both the left and the right earbuds for three seconds until you hear the “pairing” command. You can certainly pair these as they are with your device, or you can also download and use the Sennheiser Smart Control app.

The app gives you at a glance information including exact battery level, and adjustability for the noise cancellation and transparency modes, as well as access to additional settings like EQ and sidetone, where you can hear the sound of your own voice.

Dust and weather resistance: IP54

One important thing you should keep in mind is that the Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless isn’t a lower cost version of the MOMENTUM Sport even if these earbuds look like water will bead off them, because these ACCENTUM true wireless earbuds only provide IP54 ingress protection.

This rating offers some dust and water resistance but isn’t high enough to recommend using for outdoor exercising, wet weather wear, or swimming. Check our review comparison of the Jabra earbuds if you plan on working out a lot while jamming to music.

Key Features

Active Noise Cancelling

One of the key selling features of the ACCENTUM True Wireless earbuds is ANC or Active Noise Cancelling. Sennheiser actually offers Hybrid ANC which means that Rather than using microphones only on the outside or inside of the ear buds, Hybrid ANC uses microphones on both the outside and inside of the ear buds to seek out ambient noises and then cancel them out.

You can either activate it by triple tapping the left earbud or toggling the setting in the Sennheiser Smart Control mobile app.

Active noise cancellation is an outstanding feature in headphones since it can help block out additional noise from bleeding in and disturbing your listening. ANC uses a digital signal to listen for and then cancel out noise that might otherwise get into your ears. I prefer to test ANC by simply activating the setting and not having any music playing or audio at all, since this is the best way to determine how effective ANC can be. Naturally,if you have some audio playing this can go along way to improving the noise cancelling since it gives you something else to focus on.

I found the ANC in the Sennheiser ACCENTUM is extremely impressive. When I activated it with nothing playing task it’s effectiveness it was able to eliminate almost every external sound and create a true blanket of silence which I really appreciated when trying to write. Inside the app there are a couple of different settings for the ANC including on and off and something called “auntie “ which apparently tweaks this setting if you’re in windy conditions. Overall I was absolutely impressed with the noise cancellation, since it blocks out about 95-99% of distractions by my estimation, and if you are looking to eliminate distractions these would be an ideal pair.

ANC Performance

Sennheiser refers to their noise cancellation technology on the ACCENTUM True Wireless as “hybrid ANC”. You can think of the term hybrid as “not class-leading” so while these headphones can block out some surrounding noise, the pricier ANC-focused products like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra cancel out noise far better. On the upside, the Sennheiser Smart Control app does offer some customization to the ANC complete with a waveform graphic and an ”Anti Wind” option.

Sound quality

The other key feature of these headphones is going to be the overall sound quality. If you’re shopping or shortlist includes Sennheiser, you no doubt know what the brand is capable of and you’ve allocated the budget to spend. Sennheiser audio products in my opinion are excellent quality so I am expecting the same from these truly wireless earbuds and I wasn’t disappointed.

While a lot of headphones and earbuds will sound just fine, when you get a chance to wear a pair that double down on sound quality and aren’t afraid to charge you for it, it’s noticeable. The sound in these is so much richer than average. I can hear a lot of intricacies in the music, and the bass was so good it felt like it was a mile deep. Even the higher end of the audio spectrum was delicate and light wit no hint of raspy or tinny, which you do often hear on cheaper buds.

In short these earbuds will blow you away with their sound quality, whether you like hip hop, the classics, symphony or country.

Touch controls

Both earbuds have touch-sensitive surfaces and offer numerous other controls as well. Holding down the left or right earbud decreases or increases the volume respectively. Single tapping the left earbud triggers “Transparency Mode” which lets you hear ambient sounds while the right earbud serves as your play/pause function. Double tapping the left or right earbuds trigger “Previous” and “Next” commands. Finally, triple tapping the right earbud activates your default voice assistant of your connected device. While you can disable these touch gestures from the app, you cannot adjust the touch sensitivity like you could with the MOMENTUM Sport model.

Battery Life & charging

The reason behind the reduced weight of the Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless is its use of smaller batteries. You can expect around 8 hours of music playback or 6 hours if you use ANC. A fully charged case should be able to juice up the earbuds to a further 20 hours . While this is fine, it is quite average when it comes to battery life. I would be hoping a company like Sennheiser could do better than average but in this case I guess they were more focused on the design and the size of the buds and less on longevity. Trade Offs. It takes around 90 minutes to charge the case via USB-C.

The charging case does support Qi wireless charging if you don’t mind reduced charging speeds.

Overall Review: Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless

Overall Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless certainly don’t feel like a budget or even a mid-range pair of earbuds. The design, fit and comfort alone scream premium.

Let’s go over at the pros and the cons so you can see how they might play out for you. ON the pro side, these are gorgeous earbuds that will be comfortable to wear, like I said. The package is super small and highly portable for even the tiniest pockets. The quality of the ANC and the overall audio is worth every penny. Charging time is decently quick and with Qi wireless charging it gives you options too.

What are the downsides? I think the biggest flaw in this earbud package is the average battery life. I guess complaining about some thing that’s average might seem like nitpicking, but it’s just that I think Sennheiser could truly do better. With that said you’re still getting lots of life in these so for all but the heaviest listeners these will probably hold up just fine.

In short, if you are looking for a product that isn’t leaning towards a certain ecosystem like the Apple AirPods Pro, the ACCENTUM is a terrific platform-agnostic option that deserves a spot in your shortlist—and in your shopping cart, if I’m being honest. Your ears will love how comfortable they feel and the audio quality is top notch. I can absolutely recommend Sennheiser ACCENTUM True Wireless earbuds for you and these may be my own personal new go-to pair. They sell for about $199.99 USD/ $279.95 CAD and I think they are absolutely worth the price. You can get them from electronics retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.

The post Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless Earbuds hands-on review appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.

JBL is one of the most popular audio brands in the world. Even so I have not had much opportunity to get hands-on with the company’s headphones. That changes now with the JBL Tune 710BT wireless over ear headphones. In this review I will try out a pair in my home, I’ll let you know what special features these headphones have and talk about how comfortable they are to wear and how long the battery life is. I’ll wrap things up with the pros and the cons overall and let you know if I think I can recommend these headphones for you.

What you get

Headphones are incredibly personal, and come with a boatload of features that you may think are must haves or mere extras. Similarly the cost of over-ear headphones can vary wildly from the price of a takeaway pizza to part of your monthly rent payment. The JBL Tune 710BT are positioned firmly on the budget side of the scale, and not just because they are now an older model.

Introduced back in late 2021 the Tune 710 often sells for under $60 USD / $90 CAD. Given their original release date it won’t be surprising that they are lacking some of the newer technology found in premium newer headphones; things like spatial audio and noise cancellation.

So are these a cheap and cheerful bargain hunter’s dream, or best left for the discount bin? Let’s dive in…

What’s in the Box?

The JBL TUNE 710BT might be older, but it’s certainly not outdated and what you’ll find in the box proves that. I was expecting to find micro USB charging in these but to my surprise they run USB-C.

The included USB-C charging cable is short, but it’s bright orange making it easy to find. You also get a 3.5mm cable for connecting your older devices as well as the usual quick start guide and safety sheet. In keeping with the budget audio theme, JBL didn’t include any protective case or sleeve with the product, which I’m not too fussed about since I personally don’t use that stuff much anyway.

About the JBL TUNE 710BT

Browsing JBL’s product catalog is a little confusing at first even if you narrow down the category to just over-ear headphones making it important to understand exactly how the JBL TUNE 710BT slots in the current lineup.
From a family perspective, the 710BT is the top tier model in the Tune series with a BT suffix. BT obviously means Bluetooth (version 5.0), but for JBL’s TUNE family, it also means lack of active noise cancelling which is key reason behind its price positioning.

Not having active noise cancelling is not necessarily a bad thing with the JBL TUNE 710BT because its over-ear design means that you can still expect some passive noise isolation from the thick padding and all-around cups. If you aren’t the frequent flyer type, you might just find the JBL 710BT sufficient for blocking most ambient sound.

Design and Comfort

The JBL 710BT feels a bit studier than your typical pair of $30 headphones and the extra synthetic leather padding adds to the comfort. You can fold the headphones as well for easy storage. While JBL is known for some flash, or even light shows on some of the company’s portable speakers, these headphones are way more discreet than that.

The subtle all black matte finish design means these are not going to stand out, so they might be ideal for those who are trying to focus in an office type environment. The adjustable headband has a small section of padding across the top middle where it meets your head; a lot less than many other over ear headbands, but again JBL is trying to save you money here.

Despite that, JBL has designed the headband well and the lack of all-around padding is actually not noticeable at all either via looks or feel once these are on your head.

For my personal taste and comfort, the ear cups are a little on the small side; they are only just as tall as my ears and barely as wide, meaning quite often my earlobes are sticking out. I don’t think I have particularly large ears, but if I’m being honest, these almost seem more suited to a child’s fit than a grown adult’s, particularly for you bigger-eared males out there. The headphones do you have a decent amount of clamping force yet even so, they don’t feel uncomfortable.

No app

Unlike most headphones sold today, the JBL 710BT do not offer a companion app. I am actually okay with this, particularly if it’s easy enough to manage what you need to do using the buttons on the headphones, and spoiler alert, I found it is.

Set up

Since there’s no app to fuss around with, set up is pretty straightforward. Press the power button to turn the headphones on and they will arrive in pairing mode. If not or you need to re-do it, holding the power button for five seconds should jump start this process. From there just head to your phone or device’s Bluetooth menu and look for the JBL 710 in the list. A small audio tone inside the ear cup will confirm your connection.

Controls

On the right your cup are the physical controls; not surprisingly no touch controls or tap pads here. There is a power button, auxiliary cable connection, a multifunction button teamed with volume up and down, and the USB-C charging port is cleverly hidden under one of the headband arms. Again; a nice subtle design touch.

JBL sells three variants of the 710BT – Black, Blue, and White.

Sound quality

Let’s get to where the rubber meets the road on these headphones and that’s the sound quality. I’m happy to report the sound on the JBL Tune 710 is outstanding. I was really surprised at the clarity and the full bass. The Tune 710s seem really well balanced, and at this price point I’m surprised and really impressed.

I listened to a bunch of different music from top pop to chill vibes, podcasts and phone calls. The headphones offer full and vibey bass, and the vocals are clear and clean.

I can’t make a single complaint about the overall sound quality and think these would actually impress even the snobbiest audiophones.

Battery Life

These headphones have a massively long battery life. You can get up to 50 hours on a charge which will take about two hours to fully recharge. During my two week review. Of intermittent listening I still had plenty of juice left over.
The only other small note I’ll make here is that figuring out how much battery life may be left isn’t that easy since there is no app and no dedicated battery bar. Just a small LED next to the charging port which will show either green orange or red when you plug them in. I would definitely wish for a bit of an easier way, but if I have to say it again; budget budget budget. They also have fast charging where five minutes of power will get you three hours of listening.

This is quite impressive in a pair of budget headphones.

Multipoint connection

A feature I truly appreciate in every set of headphones I want to keep around is multipoint connection which allows you to stay connected to two devices at once. This makes it easy to stay linked up to your laptop and your smart phone at the same time without lots of switching back-and-forth and reconnecting.

How to use JBL Tune 710 Multipoint

Linking up to a second device seems easy enough; the pictograph instructions tell you to connect to your first device then press the power button twice to initiate another connection. Except that did not work for me.
I did some surfing around and found recommendations for other button tap sequences but these didn’t work either. Finally I turned the headphones on and off a couple of times and tried the double tap of the power button again and it finally worked.

Oddly switching between my two devices I wasn’t able to hear certain things; for example while I could listen to a YouTube video on my laptop, when I would switch back to my phone and try to play music, there was no sound. After some research, I did pending software updates on both my phone and laptop and that fixed it, so if you seem to be having trouble with multiple connections, make sure your operating systems are up-to-date.

Finally, you get voice assistant integration allowing you to call up your phone’s default assistant without interacting with your device.

Overall Review: JBL TUNE 710BT Headphones

Overall if you need new headphones on a budget, the JBL Tune 710 is a surprise hit, delivering on more than you think it will.

Let’s leave the pros and cons so you can see. On the pro side the sound quality is outstanding, and the lightweight folding design is great for travel. The headphones are reasonably comfortable with a good amount of padding and feel secure on the head. The battery life is phenomenal particularly at this price range and the fact that it also has fast charging is a boon to commuters and travelers.

On the downside, I found the earcups to be very small side for me personally. I also found the battery life can be a little bit of a guessing game.

Aside from that, these are actually a very well-rounded pair of headphones that check many of the boxes most shoppers will have. For that reason I can definitely recommend the JBL Tune 710 BT over ear headphones for you.

They sell for about $79 USD though as of publication time they were not available on JBL’s website, but I was able to find them on Amazon.

Also Read:

1. The Best Wireless Earbuds Buying Guide: how to choose, plus our top recommendations
2. Review: Marshall Monitor headphones
3. Oladance Wearable Stereo Open Ear headphones: review

**A note about Affiliate Links: TechGadgetsCanada & TechGadgetsInternational is supported by our readers. Occasionally I will include affiliate links in my reviews. I do this partly for convenience of the reader (since I’ll almost always include a link to the company website or similar anyway) in case you want to read more or purchase, but I also may get a small commission from the click, which helps me keep the blog running. If you choose to use this link I thank you greatly for supporting the blog. There’s no obligation or cost to you for using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Review: JBL Tune 710BT over-ear headphones appeared first on TechGadgetsCanada.com.