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Review of UE Boom wireless speaker w/pics!!!

This is a review of Ultimate Ears UE Boom wireless bluetooth speaker: http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/boom
I have been around the block testing and reviewing various Android gadgets and accessories. Honestly, there is not much that makes go Wow! The concept of external compact bluetooth speaker is not new, and some of you might be familiar with another similar product which has been dominating this category. I think introduction of UE Boom is going to change this!!! I want to mention this ahead of time, we are talking about Premium Product at a Premium Price. Yes, it will not be everyone's cup of tea in terms of being able to justify $199. But if you are willing to invest money into a high quality product with sound and sex appeal of EU Boom - I guarantee you will get every penny worth.
I have to first start with a package of this speaker, something that became a trend of premium priced products. You might be looking for a minute or two at this black cylinder before you realize it opens in the middle, flips open revealing the speaker itself and accessories in the separate compartments. Just the presentation of this package by itself is super cool and makes a very nice storage box for it. So beside the speaker you get this yellowish-greenish neon color travel wall adapter (rated at 2A) and flat noodle usb to micro-usb cable. In the middle of this cylinder box is the jewel itself, the UE Boom. First impression once you pick it up is the weight of the speaker which is going to tip scale at 536g (1lb 3oz). Yes, we are talking about a cool little cylinder that fits comfortable in your hand and weight over a pound. So what does the weight means? It means quality driver components packed inside of this external speaker unit. With measurement of 180mm x 65mm, it stands 7" tall with 2.5" diameter. The speaker grill goes all the way around, interrupted by a rubber strip with two big "+" and "-" touch controls (for volume up/down). The grill itself is made of some dense interweaving material, described as acoustic skin with plasma coating for water and stain resistance. I have seen YT demo of someone pouring water over it while playing the music, and it didn't even skip the beat. The speaker is intended for indoor/outdoor use, and with water resistance keeping it close to a pool will not be a problem. The speaker itself can be positioned vertically or horizontally, whatever is your preference. The rubber control strip should prevent it from rolling.
Beside volume up/down control, which also could be used simultaneously for UE Boom to announce it's battery capacity percentage, one side of the end cap has a power and bluetooth pair button, and the other side has 3.5mm auxiliary input, micro-usb charging cable, and a detachable loop/tab that will enable your clipping Boom to your backpack or maybe hanging it down from some hook. Speaking of charging, at full charge the speaker is rated for 15 hours of use!!! Once you power it up, you have a pleasant drum tone and it goes into a pair mode (the first time use). Within seconds you are paired up and ready to use it. At that point, better sit down and hit play. This is the most impressive sound I ever heard coming out of such a small speaker system. It fills up the room or any outdoor area with full deep non-distorted sound even at highest volume level. The sound is very crisp and clear, very loud (without distortion as I mentioned), and has enough of bass tone suitable for bigger speaker. Of course, don't expect deep bass of a subwoofer, but for this size it was very impressive. The sound radiates 360 degrees, so no need to turn it or to position it in certain direction. Apparently there is a way you can use 2 EU Boom from the same paired up source to extend this sound to a wider stereo spectrum. For that, you need to use a free app downloaded from Google Play. The app itself is very simple and self explanatory. What is super impressive is when you start it - it goes through a palette of available Boom colors (the speaker comes in different skins) and picks the right one you have. In there you have an option to run double pair up, Setting, and General on-line help with "getting to know" info. In Setting you have a choice to rename your UE Boom, obtain the battery level charge (also you can do that by holding + and - together), alert language, EQ setting (currently only 3 available), enabling alert sound, and also app and fw versions.
For audio playback it supports A2DP bt audio profile, in addition to direct 3.5mm cable input, and it can also pickup calls working as a speaker phone. It's minimalistic design didn't include call pick up button, which would have been a nice feature. Also, very common to other premium bt speakers - is lack of any audio playback controls. If you want to pause the sound, you have to go back to remote use with a phone. It's not a show stopper since I was able to use my portable external bluetooth receiver unit connected to 3.5mm port of UE Boom and paired up instead of the speaker itself. That allowed me to play/pause and skip the track. Also today after playing with MetaWatch smart watch - I also discovered that I can control phone audio right from my watch without even a need for bt remote receiver. Also another comment, for such a price I was surprised they didn't include 3.5mm audio cable piece. Although not intended for most of the uses, I think it would have been a nice accessory to include.
But in general all I can say is the second you hear the full loud sound of this speaker, your jaw drops. Yes, its an expensive accessory and will not be everyone's cup of tea because of the price. I also hope that after awhile (since it was just introduced), the price will drop making it more affordable. But even at $199 - you are paying for a high quality design and premium quality top notch sound, something you would expect from Ultimate Ears! My recommendation - if you can afford it, get it! Just in time for the summer, for your outdoor party - you will not be disappointed!. And with 2 year warranty, you know UE truly believes in it's quality.
Here are some pictures:
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How does it sound compared to the Big Jambox. I love my BJB but would love something to use near the pool.

earled said:
How does it sound compared to the Big Jambox. I love my BJB but would love something to use near the pool.
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I knew this question would come up I don't have any Jawbone products, but have done a lot of search and reading on the net and watched a number of YT reviews, everybody confirms that UE Boom blows jawbone out of the water, not to mention that you can't even keep jawbone anywhere near the water This speaker definitely has Ultimate Ears sound quality.

vectron said:
I knew this question would come up I don't have any Jawbone products, but have done a lot of search and reading on the net and watched a number of YT reviews, everybody confirms that UE Boom blows jawbone out of the water, not to mention that you can't even keep jawbone anywhere near the water This speaker definitely has Ultimate Ears sound quality.
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Thanks. The lack of waterproofness(word?) is my biggest gripe with the BJB. Might have to get one cor the outside. I'mm very happy with my JamBox sound quality.

earled said:
Thanks. The lack of waterproofness(word?) is my biggest gripe with the BJB. Might have to get one cor the outside. I'mm very happy with my JamBox sound quality.
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Well, waterproof and water resistant are two different things. I'm sure if you drop Boom into a pool of water where its going to be submerged for awhile - it will damage it. But if you are outside and get splattered by water, Boom can take it like a champ. I have two little kids and outside they constantly run around with water guns or splatter in our above the ground pool. I wouldn't have to worry about speaker getting wet in this situation or of it starts raining before I get a chance to bring it inside.
I was trying to get a review sample from JB, but their replies take forever and I'm still waiting to hear back from them on confirmation. In a meantime, I can only judge the comparison by listening to other people reviews (lots of the professional reviews are on-line now with a recent introduction of Boom).
... EDIT... never mind about 40% coupon, it was just my misunderstanding

Thanks a lot for the info. I have 2 boys myself. They would almost rather run around squirting me and mom than swim in the pool. :laugh:

vectron said:
I knew this question would come up I don't have any Jawbone products, but have done a lot of search and reading on the net and watched a number of YT reviews, everybody confirms that UE Boom blows jawbone out of the water, not to mention that you can't even keep jawbone anywhere near the water This speaker definitely has Ultimate Ears sound quality.
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Wow, I find it hard to believe the this UE Boom will "blow Jawbone out of the water"!! It may be very similar in sound quality and loudness to the original Jawbone Jambox, because the Boom and OG Jambox are similar in size. The Big Jambox is about twice as big as the Boom. I could be totally wrong though, and this Boom may destroy the Big Jambox. I have a Big Jambox and absolutely LOVE IT!! I am very impressed with the sound quality and how loud this speaker gets! Hopefully an XDA member who has the Big Jambox will get a Boom and let us know how the 2 compare.
Either way, OP, thanks for sharing the info with us! If Best Buy does carry these in the future then I'll probably go ahead buy one myself! Not sure that I'll keep it, but that way I can at least compare the Boom and Big Jambox side by side at my house. I'll let you all know if I get a Boom. If anyone here has them both, please let us know how the 2 compare.
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium

Awesome review as always Vectron. I've been looking for a bluetooth portable speaker and I was about 99% sold on the jbl flip. For the money ($99) most reviews say it blows away most other comparable devices which cost 2 and 3 times as much. Now I'll have to look into this product to see if it's worth the extra $.
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda premium

Shoot, I might end up going to Verizon store myself just to pick up Jawbone for comparison this weekend. Now, I'm really curious myself. I read reviews from zdnet and cnet and other places and they're showing arsenal of their portable speakers in the background saying this one sounds the best.
I can only judge relative to what I hear, not as a/b comparison. I'm also thinking that UE guys had to think hard to come up with a price point to justify their advantage over the competition which cost less. Also, competition is a little dated now. This unit has 15hr battery, and water splatter protection, and covers a range of 50 feet. But I'm surprised there is no Call Button. I really wish instead of talking battery percentage they would implement a programmable feature for "+" and "-" buttons pushed together to either mute the sound if music is playing or pickup the call when it's incoming. It should be handled through BT protocol and everything is under app control to assign different functionality - so why not? I will make sure to suggest it to them with my feedback.
But other then that, I'm very impressed!!!

That's for bringing The Boom Vectron. Your reviews have become a valuable source when making a purchase decision. Keep up the good work Mr. Gadget hero.

All - I have the Big Jambox and compared it side by side with the UE Boom.
My perspective - while for its size the UE Boom sounded very good, the BJB was clearly better sounding and larger. Obviously the amount of portability you want/need can impact your decision as on this point they are very different, but if the BJB's form factor works for you and you are basing the decision primarily on sound, I think you will find the BJB to be a better choice,

Best buy does carry this product now. Just found it there by surprise this weekend. They didn't have a display model out or anything so I almost missed it. So far the sound is great and it does get really loud for a small speaker. I can compare the sound to a Bose SoundLink and it is comparable to it IMO. I don't know about the Jawbone Big Jambox so can't give any input on that one.
stanglifemike said:
Wow, I find it hard to believe the this UE Boom will "blow Jawbone out if the water"!! It may be very similar in sound quality and loudness to the original Jawbone Jambox, because the Boom and OG Jambox are similar in size. The Big Jambox is about twice as big as the Boom. I could be totally wrong though, and this Boom may destroy the Big Jambox. I have a Big Jambox and absolutely LOVE IT!! I am very impressed with the sound quality and how loud this speaker gets! Hopefully an XDA member who has the Big Jambox will get a Boom and let us know how the 2 compare.
Either way, OP, thanks for sharing the info with us! If Best Buy does carry these in the future then I'll probably go ahead buy one myself! Not sure that I'll keep it, but that way I can at least compare the Boom and Big Jambox side by side at my house. I'll let you all know if I get a Boom. If anyone here has them both, please let us know how the 2 compare.
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium
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lirong said:
All - I have the Big Jambox and compared it side by side with the UE Boom.
My perspective - while for its size the UE Boom sounded very good, the BJB was clearly better sounding and larger. Obviously the amount of portability you want/need can impact your decision as on this point they are very different, but if the BJB's form factor works for you and you are basing the decision primarily on sound, I think you will find the BJB to be a better choice,
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Awesome! Thank you for your input and comparison!! That's exactly what I had expected, as I found it VERY hard to believe that the Boom was louder an sounded better (much less that it could "blow the Big Jambox out of the water", lol!). I figured that the Boom was more like the original Jawbone Jambox, and not the Jawbone Big Jambox! The original Jambox and the Boom are very similar in size and price. Now that you have compared the two, I won't have to purchase the Boom just to compare it to the Big Jambox! Again, thank you very much for your comparison!!
The Big Jambox isn't too large for me to make the portability impractical. On the contrary actually. I often take my Big Jambox outside with me in the evenings. I spend a good part of my time at home sitting outside. The weather is nice and I don't smoke inside the house, so I like to sit outside and smoke while I drink beer. I use the Big Jambox for listening to music and for playing games on my phone or tablet. I even use it for a speaker phone occasionally and love that it's capable of that! Callers in the other end never know I'm not talking directly in to the phone unless I tell them I'm using my Big Jambox, and then they are shocked at how clear the sound quality is.
Bgrover said:
Best buy does carry this product now. Just found it there by surprise this weekend. They didn't have a display model out or anything so I almost missed it. So far the sound is great and it does get really loud for a small speaker. I can compare the sound to a Bose SoundLink and it is comparable to it IMO. I don't know about the Jawbone Big Jambox so can't give any input on that one.
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Thanks for the info!! If it wasn't for LIRONG then I would definitely be purchasing one of these from Best Buy. Thanks to his comparison though, I no longer need to!
Sent from my White Sprint Note 2 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

True, I can't comment on comparison to Big JamBox. But I absolutely love UE Boom. I had it setup this weekend: phone at home, Boom on a hook hanging of outside, and I'm in our above-the-ground pool with MetaWatch under water controlling music. Sounds is not just loud, but also very rich and deep. Started to drizzle, we got out of the pool, and only later I realized while I was bringing stuff into the house - the speaker was still hanging on the hook. I'm still hoping to get around to check out Jambox, but I'm afraid my opinion might be on a biased side For sure, Big Jambox sounds like it will be louder because of the size of the speaker/driver/amp so if that's your priority, then its a perfect choice! For something very small and compact (Boom is small round cylinder, smaller than original jambox) and rugged with splash protection when you go to the beach, I think Boom is a great choice.
BUT still, I wish either Boom or Jambox would have play/pause/skip track controls. Why wouldn't they add it to these bt speakers?!? The protocol supports it. It's just a matter of 3 extra buttons. I have no idea why it's not part of the design...

Glad it was helpful.
I agree with all of the above...The Boom was a very nice speaker, especially for its size, and if you need more portability its a great choice.
I happen to like the look and form factor of the BJB better, and for use around the yard, etc. I think its a better choice.

these sound awesome

Haven't messed with many of the bigger bt units, but I can imagine this sounds pretty good. I have the small UE boombox and it's pretty impressive for it's size/price. Super crisp and clear even when played really loud, but to be honest, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, the Beats Pill is probably the best portable bt speaker I've heard. And this is coming from a Beats headphones hater. It sounds much better than the boombox and jambox imo, and when I played with the bjb, aside from the volume, I felt like the Pill sounded better. Flame away lol
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

lhkjohn said:
Haven't messed with many of the bigger bt units, but I can imagine this sounds pretty good. I have the small UE boombox and it's pretty impressive for it's size/price. Super crisp and clear even when played really loud, but to be honest, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, the Beats Pill is probably the best portable bt speaker I've heard. And this is coming from a Beats headphones hater. It sounds much better than the boombox and jambox imo, and when I played with the bjb, aside from the volume, I felt like the Pill sounded better. Flame away lol
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
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flame? why? is beats an apple product lol... i was wondering how this stacks up vs the pill.. thanks for the input.. I think imma go w a dock over these
Note Duece

lhkjohn said:
Haven't messed with many of the bigger bt units, but I can imagine this sounds pretty good. I have the small UE boombox and it's pretty impressive for it's size/price. Super crisp and clear even when played really loud, but to be honest, and I'm embarrassed to admit it, the Beats Pill is probably the best portable bt speaker I've heard. And this is coming from a Beats headphones hater. It sounds much better than the boombox and jambox imo, and when I played with the bjb, aside from the volume, I felt like the Pill sounded better. Flame away lol
Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2
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Never tried the Pill. I read a bunch of mixed reviews on it, including a couple that cited frequent bluetooth connection issues, so based on all the research I knocked them off my list.
I tried the new Bose, the Big Jambox, the UE Boom and the JBL Charge. The JBL Charge and UE Boom were both nice form factors and decent sound and volume. The Bose and BJB both (in my opinion) clearly sound better. I was mixed between the two...both sound good but very different sounds. Ultimately I liked the form factor, longer battery and ability for web updates on the BJB.
In the end I think it comes down to price (although the gap isnt that big) and how much portability you need. I think Bose and BJB are very portable - certainly around the house and yard, throw in a car, throw in a suitcase. But if you want something really portable that you can put in a knapsack, briefcase, etc. and carry around all day, then you are likely to be better off with the JBL or UE.

Btw, I have been using our Boom for 2 weeks since the last charge. Not everyday or hours in a row, but I probably accumulated close to 3-4 hours. The battery is still at 90%. Probably rounded off since it reports in increments of 10, but still pretty good.
I wish I can find some time to compare it to other speakers. Thus can't chime into discussion above, but I do really appreciate all the replies!!!
Also, hope that maybe after initial introduction and considering you can pair up two Boom into a stereo config - they will offer some discount if you buy a pair of these.
Regarding last comment about traveling, Boom is very compact and heavy duty built. Definitely no worries throwing it in a packed suitcase.

What do you guys think of $400-$500 headphones/earphones? Any interest? Users?

I started doing my reviews with a single goal in mind to find the best price/performance products to test/review and to share it with others. Sometime its a hit, sometime it could be a miss once something else comes out and I do a/b comparison.
I have reviewed a number of wired/wireless speakers and headphones, and starting to realize that in some cases perhaps a premium price will justify the quality. I mean, how many times we have people chiming in about using Beats and paying upward of $350 per a pair of cans. Or I remember reading someone posting about spending $1500 on a pair of earbuds. This tells me people are willing to pay extra money for a quality sound.
One thing for sure, Note 2 is a premium entertainment phone and if you want to enjoy this entertainment - you need a way to deliver the sound, and some people willing to pay premium for that. Headphones/earphones (in-ear-headphones) is something that you can use with your next phone or your tablet or another phone in the family, so in a way its an investment. Although I have been trying to stay within budget of under $100 with headphones or sometimes under $10 budget ones from CH sites, these are still far from perfection of how I want it to sound. So, I have been talking to a few premium sound companies trying to get a review loaners of premium models like UE900 or Westone 4R, and maybe some Shure (although their PR is not the friendliest bunch).
So the question, has anybody using premium IEH with their smartphones and can share their opinion? Or just a general comment if some would be willing to spend $400-$500 to get top of the line earbuds with crossover and 4 drivers, etc. I know head-fi.org is well know for these audiophile reviews, but when I start reading about people using their headphones with pre-amps and a special cables, and custom setup - it doesn't give me any good indication how it works directly with a smart phone out of the box, and how does it sound in plain english without all those big words to show how well versed you are in this subject. That is what I would like to do in my upcoming write ups here on XDA and also curious to hear from others

Love my Shure se535 IEMs with neutron player!
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Valkern said:
Love my Shure se535 IEMs with neutron player!
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Uh, now we are talking business! May I ask you why you decided to use SE535 over other triple-/quad-driver IEH in the same price range? Was that strictly based on reviews (head-fi.org, etc.) or your own personal comparison between other ones like UE900, Westone 3/4R, etc? If you have compared these, was there a definitely sound or design advantage with SE535? I had an opportunity to receive review sample of SE535, but Shure PR company wanted credit card deposit and some other restrictions which made me uncomfortable. I will be getting UE900 sometime next week, and still in talk with Westone about testing their W40 which replaced flagship 4R model. But I honestly think this comparison will not be complete without SE535 in the mix since its highly regarded.
Btw, thanks for Neutron pointer! I gotta check it out. Also, I assume you connect your headphones straight in rather then using something like Fiio amps?

Personally, I wouldn't spend more than $40 on a pair of headphones. I have tried much nicer headphones and there does seem to be a difference but I wouldn't say it's hundreds of dollars worth of difference. Senheiser and Audio Technica make some pretty good stuff you can occasionally find on sale at that price range.

Well, that used to be my thinking looking at various headphones up to $100-$150 range with a single driver design. Without a crossover and separate woofer drivers it's hard to distinguish and often you might find cheaper headphones sounding as good as more expensive ones. Although sometime there is an exception like Meelec M-Duo dual-driver I just had a chance to review and will publish write-up soon ($73 on amazon!!!). But once you step into a category of triple and quad drivers where you have precisely tuned crossover, interchangeable filters, and dedicated drivers for lows, mids, and high - you will be blown away by the difference and would have hard time believing these sounds are coming from a pair of tiny buds. That is what I would like to check these out and to compare in my reviews.
Furthermore, I'm also looking into reviewing Fiio E17 usb dac headphone amp which everybody raves about in audiophile community. You don't connect audio to headphone jack but rather connect this dac through OTG cable to usb port and plug your headphones in there. Will see if I get a chance to review it as well.

vectron said:
Uh, now we are talking business! May I ask you why you decided to use SE535 over other triple-/quad-driver IEH in the same price range? Was that strictly based on reviews (head-fi.org, etc.) or your own personal comparison between other ones like UE900, Westone 3/4R, etc? If you have compared these, was there a definitely sound or design advantage with SE535? I had an opportunity to receive review sample of SE535, but Shure PR company wanted credit card deposit and some other restrictions which made me uncomfortable. I will be getting UE900 sometime next week, and still in talk with Westone about testing their W40 which replaced flagship 4R model. But I honestly think this comparison will not be complete without SE535 in the mix since its highly regarded.
Btw, thanks for Neutron pointer! I gotta check it out. Also, I assume you connect your headphones straight in rather then using something like Fiio amps?
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I bought mine based on reviews I have read online coupled with my experience with Shure products in the past. What I read online pretty much was exactly what I received. Pronounced mids with clear highs with a more subdued low end. I will tune the low end up a little bit to compensate for the more subtle lows which is perfect for me.
Neutron player is important if you want to hear good sound from the note2 as other apps sound surprisingly terrible. Neutron is a god send.
I usually listen to lossless format but if I happen to listen to a lower bit rate mp3 the highs can be very irritating with these IEMs, very over pronounced and garbled. I wouldn't recommend less than 320bit anyways.
I do not currently use a external DAC although I sometimes listen with my dedicated mp3 player if pocket space isn't a concern which is a Cowan j3. It's too bad they don't make these anymore though.
Sent from my SGH-I317M using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Seems to be a lot of high praises of Fiio X3 audio player: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000045041475&MenuID=105026016 - might be your solution for dedicated audio player replacement.
Good point about bit rate content. Usually down sampled files loose low frequency content, although kind of strange since I would expect a loss across the whole spectrum. So, with high quality IEH where low end is reduced, the high end gets "boosted" in your ears.

For those how are interested, I just posted a detailed review of Logitech/Ultimate Ears UE900 headphones: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2485233

try koss ksc75, they wouldnt call it "bang for the buck" and "mini-grado" for nothing.

BratPAQ said:
try koss ksc75, they wouldnt call it "bang for the buck" and "mini-grado" for nothing.
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7+ year old ear-clip headphones for $17 I do see comments about it having a good sound, but way too many comments about cheap design and poor quality where it stops working after 3-4 months.

I only have one pair of headphones in that price range, and it is the infamous Beats Studios. They cost me AU$499 when I got them in Australia about 20 months ago. I also own several other headphones, but rarely do they exceed the $300 mark (the only other pairs that I have that cost more are the Bose QuietComfort 15, at $399 and Sennhesier HD 650, at $499).
After wrapping them in carbon fibre Di-Noc, installing a second stainless steel internal headband, replacing the cushions twice and removing the terrible ANC, they actually turned out to be my best pair of headphones (not earphones) for portable use. The integrated pre-amp provides a slight edge over non-powered sets in terms of audio "fullness". The Studio's sound is actually quite interesting once the ANC is out of the way. Bass, along with bits of the mids and highs are emphasised by the circuit which makes the music sound less flat and boring. Plus, the closed cavity design makes it very usable when out and about. Wind doesn't interfere with the speaker drivers like it does in open-back sets. They're very comfortable, and have a hard carry case which increases its ability to tag along with my Note 2 as a full-sized over-ear headphone.
I personally don't like IEMs because they don't fit very well, have lots of cable noise and practically completely block out all external noises AND I hear myself talk a lot louder. Plus they extract my earwax very well, maybe too well.
Now regarding spending $400-$500 on headphones, I don't think it's worth it if you're intending to use it with a smartphone. My HD 650 only really shine when I'm listening to FLAC on a $900 setup. But even then, I have to really pay attention to what I'm listening to to hear the difference. Otherwise when I'm simply listening to music while on a bus or train, any decent headphone is fine for me.

I'll either use crappy earplugs that came with the phone, usually at school for maybe an hour. Otherwise I will use my etymotic research ER4P and HeadRoom BitHead portable headphone amp.
I never considered using my Sennheiser 600HD can with a HeadRoom Cosmic headphone amp.
I tend to use my Jawbone Big Jambox significantly more often because I'm usually by myself and watching sports.

I use the audio technica ath-m50 (not 400-500 but decent ones and very comfy)at home but outside I just use the headphones that came with the phone. I don't think its worth it without an amplifier for 400-500 headphones.

You guys all brought up very good points. One thing I hear in common: for quality sound you only trust over-/on-ear headphones and some prefer to use it with a separate headphone amp. But on the go you switch to basic cheap in-ear-headphones because big "quality" headphones are too bulky and you don't want to carry headphone amp box. I have read a number of similar comments in other forums where it seems like IEM don't get enough credit of being the replacement for big headphone cans. That was a reason why I looked into quad driver IEM, such as UE900 I reviewed already, and another new ones from Westone I'm planning to review. The sound of UE900 alone was better than some of the studio Sennheiser and Sony headphones I tested before. Switching to Neutron MP improved the sound, but it was still processed by Note 2 internal dac output going to headphone output. Taking this digital-to-analog processing outside of the phone and making it portable enough to carry with you is a key in appreciating sound quality of IEM either for music or movies.
So once you get all the pieces of a portable setup in place, that could be a game changer to use portable IEM instead of big studio cans. With that in mind, I'm seriously looking into new Fiio E18 headphone amp/usb-DAC: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000049935442&MenuID=105026002 - full external audio processing outside of the phone through OTG usb connection. I guess the intent is to have it piggyback to the phone with a rubber band to turn your phone into external audio processing powerhouse.
It's a very addictive cycle as you begin with lower class headphones and start moving up in class with each one sounding better, clearer, more dynamic, and overall with improved SQ. What I have noticed with headphones I tested is that in $100-$150 price category you can either get low end or treble enhancements, but not both at the same time where a single driver can't handle the whole range or even a dual driver with built-in crossover (like M-Duo) has v-shaped FR. So going to a pricey quad driver design is the only way to cross that limitation. Again, speaking based on my own personal preference of a balanced sound with a slight bump in low frequency.
Sorry, for those who are true audiophiles, I'm probably stating the obvious. For those who think $5 headphones will do the trick - you thinking I lost my marbles But for myself, I'm just starting to discover this audiophile world and trying to justify it for myself (in terms of expenses).

vectron said:
You guys all brought up very good points. One thing I hear in common: for quality sound you only trust over-/on-ear headphones and some prefer to use it with a separate headphone amp. But on the go you switch to basic cheap in-ear-headphones because big "quality" headphones are too bulky and you don't want to carry headphone amp box. I have read a number of similar comments in other forums where it seems like IEM don't get enough credit of being the replacement for big headphone cans. That was a reason why I looked into quad driver IEM, such as UE900 I reviewed already, and another new ones from Westone I'm planning to review. The sound of UE900 alone was better than some of the studio Sennheiser and Sony headphones I tested before. Switching to Neutron MP improved the sound, but it was still processed by Note 2 internal dac output going to headphone output. Taking this digital-to-analog processing outside of the phone and making it portable enough to carry with you is a key in appreciating sound quality of IEM either for music or movies.
So once you get all the pieces of a portable setup in place, that could be a game changer to use portable IEM instead of big studio cans. With that in mind, I'm seriously looking into new Fiio E18 headphone amp/usb-DAC: http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?ID=100000049935442&MenuID=105026002 - full external audio processing outside of the phone through OTG usb connection. I guess the intent is to have it piggyback to the phone with a rubber band to turn your phone into external audio processing powerhouse.
It's a very addictive cycle as you begin with lower class headphones and start moving up in class with each one sounding better, clearer, more dynamic, and overall with improved SQ. What I have noticed with headphones I tested is that in $100-$150 price category you can either get low end or treble enhancements, but not both at the same time where a single driver can't handle the whole range or even a dual driver with built-in crossover (like M-Duo) has v-shaped FR. So going to a pricey quad driver design is the only way to cross that limitation. Again, speaking based on my own personal preference of a balanced sound with a slight bump in low frequency.
Sorry, for those who are true audiophiles, I'm probably stating the obvious. For those who think $5 headphones will do the trick - you thinking I lost my marbles But for myself, I'm just starting to discover this audiophile world and trying to justify it for myself (in terms of expenses).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When it comes to portable high fidelity, it's all down to what is most convenient for the occasion. For example, when I'm going somewhere but I don't know if I'll need to wait on something or not, I'd bring my modified Samsung YP-U3 earbuds because they just slip into my pocket. Otherwise when I know I'll be listening to music for a while, then I'd bring my Beats Studios. For my uses, they're the most suitable as a portable "high end" headphone. It's closed-back, foldable, fashionable and even has a built-in pre-amp for use with the Note 2's low audio output. They're certainly better than the HD 650's in terms of portability. because the HD 650's leak sound and lose bass through outside interference. Wind also makes the speaker diaphragm flex and stuff.
IEMs are kinda in a league of their own. They sit right inside of your ear canal, so the distance between your eardrum and the speaker is very small compared to that of supra or circum-aural cans. Furthermore, the silicone tip things create a nearly airtight seal so minimal sound can escape. I acknowledge the capability of a good set of IEMs, having tried out a few semi-high end ones myself. In the end though, I'd rather have over-ear headphones on my head than IEMs in my ear canals harvesting earwax.
On the same note, high-end IEMs usually utilise balanced armature drivers as opposed to the commonly used moving coil drivers of headphones, making them notably different in terms of technology. This is also probably why IEMs can be made to be multi-driver in such a small space.
Did you know that the Beats by Dr. Dre Solo HD headphones have a dual-driver configuration? The large 40 mm driver is responsible for the lows and mids, and the 15(?) mm tweeter is responsible for the highs. They are cleverly configured so that the tweeter is closer to your ear than the woofer, due to the difference in wavelengths.
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They are indeed a somewhat substantial improvement over the non-HD Solos, which suffered from over-prominent muddy bass.

Good timing with a comment about IEH seal to block outside noise. I'm getting a review unit from Etymotic, HF2 IEH with Android controls (http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/hf2.html) and apparently it comes with AWARENESS! app that somehow can tune a balance of noise isolation?!? Etymotic is known for their canalphones that do a great job of removing earwax considering their triple flange tips that get jammed right into your ear canal for the best sound isolation. So, I have no idea how they can accomplish any control with just an app where you have a physical ear tight seal. Will be interesting to find out. Plus, I'm curious how about microphonics on these since I heard mixed comments about it with all Etymotic IEH in general. Etymotic guys were at forefront of IEH development many years ago, as a matter of fact they state about inventing canalphone (in-ear) technology. I should be getting review sample early next week and will share my thoughts about it.

Apparently it has something called "Programmable Noise Isolation", which I'm guessing changes the phase timing of the inverted soundwaves used for noise isolation. If these inverted soundwaves weren't inverted, it would just be like the sounds pass through the earphone, bypassing the physical noise isolation.

vantt1 said:
Apparently it has something called "Programmable Noise Isolation", which I'm guessing changes the phase timing of the inverted soundwaves used for noise isolation. If these inverted soundwaves weren't inverted, it would just be like the sounds pass through the earphone, bypassing the physical noise isolation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does makes sense to play around with phase inversion, but I'm still puzzled how do their communicate with ear pieces since noise sampling has to be done inside. You will need some adjustable phase inversion, thus some kind of a built in programmable control, and 2-way communication to send digital signal from the app on the phone to ear piece.
Btw another interesting find since you mentioned about using modified samsung headphones just for the purpose of in-line remote with volume control. I was looking for replacement cables for UE900 to wear it wire down, and came across these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b
For $22 they have angle connector cable with Samsung in-line remote that has mic, multi-function control button, and volume controls!!! Its a samsung version of the cable. Of course I'm getting these and will review as soon as I have it. But perhaps if they can sell the cable with in-line remote and without those earphone connectors - it will be cheaper and cleaner to convert any in-ear headset with sammy controls.

vectron said:
It does makes sense to play around with phase inversion, but I'm still puzzled how do their communicate with ear pieces since noise sampling has to be done inside. You will need some adjustable phase inversion, thus some kind of a built in programmable control, and 2-way communication to send digital signal from the app on the phone to ear piece.
Btw another interesting find since you mentioned about using modified samsung headphones just for the purpose of in-line remote with volume control. I was looking for replacement cables for UE900 to wear it wire down, and came across these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2m-Handma...ayer_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item4175e56a9b
For $22 they have angle connector cable with Samsung in-line remote that has mic, multi-function control button, and volume controls!!! Its a samsung version of the cable. Of course I'm getting these and will review as soon as I have it. But perhaps if they can sell the cable with in-line remote and without those earphone connectors - it will be cheaper and cleaner to convert any in-ear headset with sammy controls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes that is a real mystery. Do you know if there is any active circuitry in those Etymotic IEMs? It's highly unlikely that it relies on the phone to perform the noise isolation.

I have a $600 pair of Beats Detox Pro Editions. I love using them with my Note II
and Power Amp. The ROM/Kernel you're using also has a major role in terms of loudness
output from the phone. The sound is crisp and engulfing with that setup.

Review of SMS Audio SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones (2013) w/lots of pics!!!

This is a review of a new model of SMS Audio SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. http://smsby50.com/products/sync-by-50-on-ear-wireless
Before anyone makes a judgment of "uh, another pair of status headphones by a rapper", I want you to open up your mind and your ears because this is one of the BEST pairs of wireless headphones I have tested and reviewed so far. Period. And since it offers a hybrid option of being used either wireless or wired - the sound quality is almost the same when comparing it. To be honest, I didn't have a high expectation when I received these for review. But after charging it up and running through 4+ burn in (white/pink noise loop to condition drivers), I couldn't believe my ears how sweet these sounds and even took a trip to a nearest Best Buy for a/b comparison with the latest Beats Studio. By far the clear winner was SYNC by 50. Now let's go more into review details.
First, let's start with packaging. This sets a tone of the product quality even before you get to the headphones itself. Opening it up definitely felt like x-mas time going through your presents. You slide off the outside sleeve to reveal a big blue box, a common color scheme of black'n'blue with these headphones. Under the cover you are greeted with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson picture pointing at you like Uncle Sam "I want you" to join him. Another flipped cover and you get to the middle where you see a well crafted hard shell carrying case with a same black'n'blue design. Also in a side pocket you have owners manual, product catalog brochure, soft touch cleaning cloth (blue), and SMS Audio stickers (nice touch!). Yes, presentation is very impressive but it means absolutely nothing without a golden egg inside of that football shaped hard shell case. That's where we are headed next.
Once you take headphones out of the case you notice how light they are, at only 190g and with a neatly foldable design they fit snugly in the case which makes it easy for traveling. With a precise click action of the hinges, after unfolding these you can adjust the headband to your liking. The design and construction felt very sturdy, and plastic parts had a nice shiny piano finish where use of cleaning cloth will come very handy. The inner side of headband top has a foam cushioning wrapped in black leather with blue stitching. Earpads are marshmallow soft made out of ultra plush memory foam OVALFIT. Here is something a lot of people get confused, a difference between on-ear versus over-ear headphones. These are on-ear headphones which mean earpads will be smaller pressing against your ears creating an air pocket between drivers and your ear canal. Over-ear are typically bigger and go "over" your ear. I actually prefer on-ear design since it improves sound quality and doesn't "sweat" as much. One side of earphones has micro-usb charging port and opening for charging led, and I assume that's where battery is housed. Full charging from empty takes less then 4hr and battery should last 10-12hr which also depends on level of your listening volume. The other side has 3.5mm port to use a cable for wired application, built in mic, power on/off switch, and VERY WELL laid out playback and volume controls. The large round button in the middle, discretely hidden by S logo, is your play/pause/pickup/hangup call button. Volume up and down positioned logically at the top and the bottom, and track skip next/prev positioned at the front and the back. There is no second guessing or fumbling to locate these buttons, the layout makes perfect sense without looking at it, in daylight or at night.
I was happy to see physical on/off switch which also has dual functionality with a spring loaded push for Bluetooth pair up that was very fast and painless. These headphones support the latest Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX codec, and backward compatible with BT2.1, 3.0+EDR, and support HFP, HSP, A2DP, and AVRCP protocols. If you are out of battery juice or want to listen to a device without bluetooth connection, it's just as simple as plugging included cable and going wired. As a matter of fact, while paired up with my Note 2, I was going back'n'forth wired and wireless by connecting and disconnecting the cable. And speaking of cables, both usb to micro-usb and audio cables were included and neatly stored inside of the inner pocket of hard shell case. Both of the cables are crafted with black'n'blue theme, felt very heavy duty with a nice shielding and overall cool design details. I tested and found included usb cable to be ONLY for charging, not for data transfer. The audio cable has in-line remote with a single multi-function button and built-in mic. Multi-function button worked perfectly with Android devices with single click play/pause/call controls, double-click to skip next and triple-click to skip prev to control playback of music tracks. I also thought it was a great idea for the side of the connector going to your phone/tablet to be angled for a better strain relief.
With design and built quality covered, here comes the most important part - the sound quality. According to their website, these are professionally tuned 40mm drivers, and from my personal experience you always have to burn in these before starting to judge the sound. I did give it initial 4+ hours of burn in connected wired to my laptop while running white/pink noise loop. That really made a sound delivery shine and brought up a lot of details and clarity. That is normal and expected from true high quality drivers. Once I had them on, I couldn't put it down going through my collection of music. Another important point to note, I switched to using Neutron media player (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neutroncode.mp) and would HIGHLY recommend only to use that player for your audio if you want to unlock true potential of your multimedia phone or tablet. Don't get discouraged with enormous array of settings and control options. Take your time and you will really appreciate quality of it's 32/64-bit audio processing engine and audiophile controls. But audio player can only bring up the best of the source and in order to hear that you need drivers that can translate it into analog sound delivered to your ears. SYNC by 50 truly DELIVERED it with a perfectly balanced sound across entire frequency range with an extra bump in powerful bass delivery, yet without overpowering or distorting it, a vibrant mids and crisp highs sounding clear and natural, bringing vocals right in your face surrounded by details of other instruments around them. I'm not going to lie and tell you these sound better than my audiophile $400 UE900, but for wireless headphones these sound truly incredible, thanks to BT4.0 + aptX. I was also pleased with a soundstage of these and how clearly I was able to hear position of every sound. The dynamics and clarify also held very well over the whole volume range. While doing a/b comparison between wireless and wired, I can only mention a slight improvement in sound width and a few more sparkling details of high frequencies with wires on. Also I should mention while taking/making calls, sound was great and people on the other side had no complains except while connected wireless they felt my voice was a bit distant verses wired using in-line remote/mic.
Overall, I was VERY impressed with SYNC by 50 on-ear wireless headphones. Everything from the design details to controls and sound quality was executed perfectly. I have seen and read before about their previous over-ear wireless model with KLEER technology, but was put off by a need to use separate wireless transmitter. Looks like SMS Audio done their homework and put a lot of thought into improving the design while also following the latest technology trend of BT4.0+aptX, and that really paid off! If I have to think of some negatives, I would say not being able to know how much charge is left in the battery since there is no led or voice prompt indicator (unless I missed it), and also assuming some people with big size heads might find these headphones to be a bit tight on their nugget, judging this by my average size head where I felt fitment to be very comfortable but perhaps closer to it's limit in terms of tightness. Currently, you can only get these directly from www.smsaudio.com website and they retail for $229 and come in shadow black or cool silver. It is pricey, but considering design and sound quality, as well as factor of brand name recognition, these are a much better value then Beats. Plus keep in mind, once it becomes available on Amazon, you probably will be able to get a better discount deal. Definitely gets my recommendation!
Here are the pictures.
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Hi
First, thanks for your long review! I just want to ask you a question. Do the controls work with Android? Will it work with CM10.2 on a HTC One with PowerAMP?
And do you probably have pictures with you having the headphones on? I ask, because i recently bought the Soul by Ludacris SL150, but afterwards because they were too big i selled them again. Now i'm using the Beats by Dre Solo (Wired), which have about the perfect size for me.

zotac1907 said:
Hi
First, thanks for your long review! I just want to ask you a question. Do the controls work with Android? Will it work with CM10.2 on a HTC One with PowerAMP?
And do you probably have pictures with you having the headphones on? I ask, because i recently bought the Soul by Ludacris SL150, but afterwards because they were too big i selled them again. Now i'm using the Beats by Dre Solo (Wired), which have about the perfect size for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely, both wireless and wired controls work perfectly with Android. Wireless Bluetooth protocol supports volume, playback, transport, and call controls. Wired doesn't support volume, but multifunction button works perfectly as I mentioned in my review.
Sorry, I don't usually take pictures with headphone on my head. It definitely sounds like you need on-ear headphones NOT over-ear since those are bigger. SL150 is on-ear as well but do look more wrapped around and bigger, just from the pictures I'm seeing. I think new SYNC by 50 on-ear will have a lot better fit. I don't know if they sell them in the store like Best Buy to try it out, but if you order from Amazon and find fit to be not perfect - can't you just return it back? Your other option is V-Moda M-80, check into my signature link for detailed review. It's probably the smallest on-ear portable headphones you can find, wired only. But there might be some comfort issues, although their sound it out of this world, the best out of everything I have tested. SYNC by 50 are very comfortable, marshmallow-comfortable and earpieces tilt relative to headband which I see SL150 doesn't have. You definitely get convenience of wired/wireless with SYNC, good bass response, excellent wireless sound quality, and comfort. A matter of comfort is something you will need to test it yourself since ymmv.

Thanks for the review.
Do the controls on the headphones work when the headphones are wired, like forwards and backwards playback, and also does the volume control lower the volume of the system or the headphones, when wired and wireless?
also can you use these at the gym ?

faddys123 said:
Thanks for the review.
Do the controls on the headphones work when the headphones are wired, like forwards and backwards playback, and also does the volume control lower the volume of the system or the headphones, when wired and wireless?
also can you use these at the gym ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you use them wired you need to use remote built into the cable; that will control playback and call, but but not the volume. The controls on earcup are only for wireless operation. And of course it will be perfect for the gym to use wireless so you don't pull any wires when exercising. Or if you are next to treadmill and want to plug in your headphones, just use the wire.
Or and the volume lowers headphones volume, while you can adjust system volume separately. It's typical with all bluetooth headphones.

Hey, thank you for your review. Do you have any comparison to serious headphone brand like Sennheiser, AKG, Grado? Comparing to beats audio which is toy brand, not headphone brand is not really satisfying. If by UE900 you mean logitech it is not good recommendation to these SMS.

corckie said:
Hey, thank you for your review. Do you have any comparison to serious headphone brand like Sennheiser, AKG, Grado? Comparing to beats audio which is toy brand, not headphone brand is not really satisfying. If by UE900 you mean logitech it is not good recommendation that these SMS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you are looking for a good audio quality and considering your references above, these will not satisfy you. Keep in mind, I got heavier into audio reviews later last year, so got a chance to run more comparison for the reference Old gen Beats are junk, though I heard new Beats might be better, but I can't comment on that since I didn't have a chance to test it (and have no plans for it). Contrary to that, Monster DNA Pro are serious audiophile quality. Back when I tested UE900, those were the best IEMs at the moment I had, while now I would not recommend them since you can have Westone W40 (or upcoming W30 which I hopefully get a chance to review) or Audio Technica's latest ATH-IM03 with a much better sound and build quality. So, my impression of SMS was based on my earlier impressions.
Yes, comparing them to Senns or AKG or Grado - they will not stand up. But considering their are in $200 price range and wireless, it adds a lot of value to them. I know Monster DNA Pro Wireless is about to be released, but they will be priced around $400+. I'm sure they will sound awesome, but that's double the price. Actually, I think you might want to look into UE9000 over-ear wireless (though battery powered for ANC): www.amazon.com/Logitech-UE-9000-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B0094S37GS/ - I heard a lot of good things about these. Considering UE just discontinued all of their in-/on-/over-ear headphones (only UE900s is left), you can get UE9000 on amazon for under $300.

vectron said:
Yes, comparing them to Senns or AKG or Grado - they will not stand up. But considering their are in $200 price range and wireless, it adds a lot of value to them. I know Monster DNA Pro Wireless is about to be released, but they will be priced around $400+. I'm sure they will sound awesome, but that's double the price. Actually, I think you might want to look into UE9000 over-ear wireless (though battery powered for ANC): www.amazon.com/Logitech-UE-9000-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B0094S37GS/ - I heard a lot of good things about these. Considering UE just discontinued all of their in-/on-/over-ear headphones (only UE900s is left), you can get UE9000 on amazon for under $300.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already own pair of Sennheiser MM 550-X which I chose after lots of hearing and research. I compared them to beats audio (which generally are not worth even 1/10th of their price), AKG, Sony MDR-1RBT, Parrot ZIK and many more. By far 550's have the best sound quality and virtually no lag, I couldn't say if they are wired or not. But I am always open to something better and I thought that these SMS could compete. By price tag I would expect they sound at least as good as 550's, but unfortunatelly they seem to be as overpriced as Beats Audio. However I thought I would give them a shot and tomorrow I will hopefully have an oportunity to listen to them.
I'm surprised you mentioned $200 price of these SMS, because where I live 550-X are priced $500 and Audio Sync by 50 are priced $550. Maybe that's why I expected a lot from them. Now I see that this comparison is a little pointless, so I think that by now I should stick to 550-X. They are really badass wireless headphones, but I think that there still is room for improvement.

$500?!? Is that UK price or something? They definitely not worth that much.

vectron said:
$500?!? Is that UK price or something? They definitely not worth that much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Poland. SMS brand just entered the market so probably they try to position themselves as premium brand and we have so called "being new tax" when sellers raise prices to the skies for first few weeks to get higher profit from people who are unpatient and will buy no matter the price. So after all these headphones are not really worth considering.

They look very good
Sent from my g2 using Tapatalk

I have wired Beats Studio v2, and I want to buy a wireless headphones, so my choice was Beats Studio v2 wireless, beacause is the same model as the wired one but without wire (obviously), so I already know everything about this headphones. But I always wanted to buy SMS Audio and now that I read your review I'm really undecided. Beats got an incredible ANC system and I love it, because when I travel by train or bus I'm completely isolated from other people's noise, are the SMS isolated so well? Thanks for your response

Curtis7990 said:
I have wired Beats Studio v2, and I want to buy a wireless headphones, so my choice was Beats Studio v2 wireless, beacause is the same model as the wired one but without wire (obviously), so I already know everything about this headphones. But I always wanted to buy SMS Audio and now that I read your review I'm really undecided. Beats got an incredible ANC system and I love it, because when I travel by train or bus I'm completely isolated from other people's noise, are the SMS isolated so well? Thanks for your response
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Beats have active noise isolation, it's more effective because it samples outside noise and cancels it out by adding a flipped waveform of that noise. But as a result you get a humming noise which affects background noise floor thus making a sound not as crystal clear. Other headphones like SMS do passive noise isolation (if I remember correctly since I don't have it anymore), which just blocks outside noise by providing a good earpad seal, though sound quality improves because you have black background. I can't speak for the latest Beats headphones since I didn't have a chance to review them. Never had luck getting Beats review samples since they favor more social medial channels with lots of subscribers or Apple crowd, and do NOT care about XDA-Developers Android community Now with Apple acquisition they definitely don't care about review on XDA-Dev lol!!!

vectron said:
Beats have active noise isolation, it's more effective because it samples outside noise and cancels it out by adding a flipped waveform of that noise. But as a result you get a humming noise which affects background noise floor thus making a sound not as crystal clear. Other headphones like SMS do passive noise isolation (if I remember correctly since I don't have it anymore), which just blocks outside noise by providing a good earpad seal, though sound quality improves because you have black background. I can't speak for the latest Beats headphones since I didn't have a chance to review them. Never had luck getting Beats review samples since they favor more social medial channels with lots of subscribers or Apple crowd, and do NOT care about XDA-Developers Android community Now with Apple acquisition they definitely don't care about review on XDA-Dev lol!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answer. All I want to know is, can I hear other people talk while wearing SMS Sync? I travel a lot and is important to me to just listen music, without background noise like people or street noise. This happen with Beats, but as you said sound is not properly clear. Thanks

I tried to hook it open on my Samsung galaxy s6 edge but it didn't work? Can u tell me why?

Review: MJYUN TrueWireless In-Ear Eearbuds

I recieved a pair of the MJYUN TrueWireless in-ear eearbuds for a review, so I want to share my experiences with you, guys.
Notice: I got the earbuds for free. But the following review is unbiased and reflects my personal opinion.
TL;DR
Pros:
great value for the price tag (~40 EUR on Amazon.de)
looks nice
sounds good for the price tag
sweat-proof
USB-C port
Cons:
short battery lifetime (~2h)
lag makes it impossible to watch lipsync videos
dropouts from time to time
USB-C does not work with power delivery chargers
No bluetooth 5 (only 4.2)
Review
Package
The unspectacular looking box contains 2 earbuds, a charging case, a rather short USB-C-to-USB-A cable and a quick manual.
Looks
The case looks quite nice and so do the earbuds. Both the buds and the case look more expensive than they actually are.
Pairing
Pairing works easy enough: Hold the buttons on both buds a couple of seconds and bluetooth paring worked flawlessly. No NFC or gimmicks, but no wonder regarding the price tag.
Functionality / Use
These buds focus on the basic usage: One button per earbud to turn them on/off, mute or answer/end phone calls. No noise cancelling, no transparent mode, just music and calls. Ok for me, you get what you pay for.
I faced two downsides which I do not want to conceal: First is the sound lag while watching videos (~0.5s) which make these earbuds impossible to use for watching videos. Second comes the sound dropouts, I experience from times to times. Strange enough, there are times when they do not appear at all. And then there are times when they happen so frequently, that I got annoyed. Seems to be related to where you place your phone and what other radio transmitting devices are around you.
Sound
The sound was the biggest surprise. Honestly, I expected it to be bad but I was proven wrong: The sound is decent, has good bass. The mids and highs are also ok. Sure, this is no audiophile experience and the sound lacks clarity. But they sound like the average 30 bucks earbuds. If you consider that you get a TrueWireless experience for the price, this is good news.
Phone calls are just played on the right earbud which some might dislike.
Comfort
The buds really fit my ears well but after wearing them for over an hour, they tend to put an unconvenient pressure to my ears.
Verdict
I really like these earbuds. Considering the price tag, they are great value. I use them frequently for running sports where they are the perfect match. If perfect sound is our top priority, you might look for something else.

Review: Bang&Olufsen Beoplay E8

I am a music addict. I listen to a big varienty of styles: Metal, Electronic, R&B, you name it. Beeing an audiophile in my beginnings, I do not only care about how music is produced but also how it is reproduced. I already own the RMA T20 for on-the-go music consumption. Although they are a great pair of in-ear buds, they still are tied to cables. Since my Pixel 2XL comes without audio port, I was looking for a decent pair of true wireless earbuds that do not need any kind of cord.
Half a month ago, I bought the Bang&Olufsen Beoplay E8 that I find to be the most ambitious true wireless earbuds for audiophiles available today. I tested them thoroughly over the last 2 weeks and want to share an honest review.
Notice: I paid the full price (~260 EUR on Amazon.de) and did not recieve any discounts or incentives in order to write this review. I have no relation to B&O whatsoever. So this review is unbiased and reflects my personal opinion.
TL;DR
Pros:
great sound
precious looking buds and case
nice app with versatile EQ
transparency mode lets environmental sounds through
works nice with phone calls
multiple gestures
dropouts close to none
lipsync audio/video
Cons:
expensive
Micro-USB port
mediocre battery lifetime (~3h)
skip forward gesture often mistaken for a pause gesture
Review
Package
The package contains the 2 earbuds, a charging case, a thin USB-A to Micro-USB cable, several silicone earpieces (L, M, S, XS) and Comply earfoams (M).
Looks
The buds are a little big bulkier than what competitors like the Apple AirBuds offer but they look really precious in my eyes. The case comes with a leather coating and also offers nice haptics. The buds come in two color flavors: Black and charcoal (greyish). Both look nice, I own the black ones.
Pairing
Pairing works painlessly: Holding both touch areas for some seconds, the LED in the right bud indicates that pairing is now active. Then just use the normal bluetooth pairing of your phone.
App
The app is nicely designed and shows some informations about your buds like serial no and battery but also allows making settings.
You can choose EQ presets and make your own ones by placing an indicator in a sound-grid and tuning spacial levels. Sounds complicated but is actually rather intuitive. The app also notifies about firmware updates and does them only fly.
Functionality / Use
The buds provide an average playime of ~3h while the case provide enough power for 2 additional charges.
The interaction concept is based on two touch-sensitive areas (one per bud). A couple of gestures allow turning on, skip forward/backward, pause/play, volume control, transparency mode, call control and voice assistant activiation. Even if the sheer amount of gestures might be confusing for some, I find them easy to learn. Most of the time, they work pretty well. An sad exception is the "skip forward" gesture (double-tip right bud) that is often mistaken as pause (single-tip right bud). Besides this, the control is superiour to every other true wireless bud out there that I tested.
A highlight is the lip-sync audio/video (<0,2s lag) that makes videos a pleasure to watch. I tested other buds with a lag > 1s that made videos almost impossible to watch.
And when talking about comparisons with other buds: Most suffer from dropouts. These buds don't. At least almost. My greatest fear was that frequent dropouts would kill my pleasure. But these buds do really have a stable connection as long as the phone is not to far away from the right bud (master) and the left bud (slave) is not too far away from the right bud. In fact, I only faced short dropouts only in very few moments: While walking through a safety-scan door (interference) and crouching with my phone sticking in my jeans pocket (too much body between the phone and the buds). I don't know wether the up-to-date firmware is responsible for this, but I have absolutely no complaints in this department.
The transparency mode lets you percieve your environment in 3 flavors: environment only, mostly environment with soft music and 50/50.
Phone calls work like a charm and will even work while wearing only the left bud (master).
When put back in the case, the buds turn off automatically.
Sound
The sound is where these buds really do shine. They provide the B&O signature sound. This means: Transparent sound with clear, non-hissing hights, rich mids and present, defined lows. If you favor a modulated sound instead of a neutral one, you will love the EQ that the app features. Even if the sound reproduction cannot fully compete with audiophile cable headphones, I'd call it "almost audiophile". It is by far good enough to satisfy demanding music lovers. The sound is far ahead of any true wireless competition that I've checked.
Comfort
The buds really fit my ears well and despite their size, they have a tight fit that made me never afraid of having a bud dropping out of my ear.
Verdict
These are really great true wireless in-ear buds for audio lovers that unfortunately come with a hefty price tag. If you are into music on the go, you cannot go wrong. If you are looking for a sports companion, you might want to look somewhere else.