Mpow Flame Lite TWS review - Device Reviews and Information

Not the first brand that comes to mind when you think of audio products, Mpow has developed a strong backrest across Amazon with its diverse set of aggressively priced headphones in all shapes and sizes. Today we’re giving you the Mpow Flame Lite, the brand’s new sports-oriented TWS earphones, i’m this article you will get the full Mpow Flame Lite TWS review.
As someone who has struggled to find a well-fitting pair of earphones, the Mpow Flame Lite brings a snug and comfortable fit that goes a long way when you’re using it for sports and outdoor activities.
The Flame Lites cost € 33.99/£34.99/$37.98 to compose this review and boast an outstanding 4 out of 5-star rating across more than 2,000 Amazon customer reviews. This and the fact that I wanted a good pair of earbuds that would stay in my ears pushed me to try them out, and here are my findings.
Design and build quality
Both the Flame Lites and their charging case come with a matte black finish that hides smudges very well. The earphones are IPX7 waterproof and feel strongly made. The ear-hooks are versatile enough to add overall comfort and fit. Snug is just the word that comes to mind-the fit is very good provided you use the right ear tips that come in three sizes within the retail package.
The charging / carrying case is substantial though a large part of that has to be attributed to the size of the actual earphones and their hooks. It’s not the best-built case out there, but it does what it’s meant to do: charge and transport your earphones. The top cover closes with magnets, but feels flimsy. That being said, the case is kindly curved and feels good to the touch. It features a nice concave opening in the middle where you can move your finger to open the case.
The inside of the case contains a large cradle where the earphones are protected by means of magnetic pins. Putting the Flame Lites on is a straight-forward approach. You take them out of the shell, lift the hooks over your ear, and plug the tips of the silicone into your ear. When inserted, it is recommended that the earphones be twisted upwards to ensure optimum fit. The backside of the hooks features a durable design that lets them stay in your ears without shifting around. The Flame Lites feel comfortable and safe in your ears, and the hooks are flexible enough to make you feel no pain after a few hours of use.
Looks are subjective, but I personally like the stealthy matte black look and minimal branding. While on your ear, the Flame Lites stick out a little because of their sheer size, but I didn’t experience any problems in daily situations when wearing glasses or during workouts.
The combined weight of the earphones with the case comes out to 45 grams while the listed dimensions of the case are 104.9 x 115 x 47 mm. This is not a pant pocket-friendly package but it should fit just fine in your bag or jacket pockets.
Let’s get the specs out the way. The Mpow Flame Lite come with 14.2mm drivers, SBC and AAC audio codex support and no active noise cancellation. They pair over Bluetooth 5.0 and bring a multi-point connection with up to 2 devices at once. There’s left/right mono audio output meaning you can use either earbud independently. We also have two microphones all wrapped in an IPX7 water and sweat-proof package.
Box contents include a short USB-C cable for charging, three pairs of replacement tips ranging from XS to L with size M tips pre-installed as well as the usual array of manual, warranty card and pairing instructions pamphlet.
Pairing is easy, you open the case and turn on Bluetooth, and you’re all set to go. At a distance of up to 20 meters, I had no problems with connectivity. Also, I didn’t find any audio lag or bitrate drops in my test.
Touch controls come with a curve of learning. Most of them work but require you to tap the touch surface with the bottom of your fingertip instead of a light tap with the tip below your fingertip. In my experience, the touch controls work in 2 out of every 3 tries.
Single taps play / pause your album, double taps on the right earbud skips to the next song, while the left taps the previous one. Triple taps summon your preferred voice assistant. There’s also a tap and hold gesture which raises the volume if performed on the right earbud or lowers it from the left.
Sound quality
Sound quality is good for most of the time, although the Flame Lites do not excel in any one area. I was expecting a bass-heavy experience, but I was rather disappointed to find that it was lacking. The earphones performed a subpar in the upper sound range and had hollow mids.
Vocals were obvious, and I personally enjoyed my time with earphones bumping into music during workouts and listening to podcasts. Even, with their competitive price in mind, I can tell that they work well and get the job done. They’re getting a lot loud, which is good considering the lack of noise cancellation.
Call quality was underwhelming with a constant hissing sound and people on the other side complaining I sounded muffled. Yet, even in noisier conditions, the microphones picked up my voice and did their job.
Battery life
Mpow advertises 5 hours of playback on the earphones alone and up to 30 hours on the charging case. In my 1 week of earphone research, I spent at least 2 hours a day at work and had 3 1 hour workouts as well as 30 minutes of podcast sessions before bedtime. After a full week, the case was just under 50 percent of its power, which is on line with Mpow’s statements. Full charge takes 2 hours and there’s no fast charging option, the Flame Lites are up at 5W speeds.
The case has a neat LED indicator that flashes white three times when the battery is between 75% and 100%. It then switches between red and white when the battery is between 35 and 75% and goes to 3 red flashes when the battery is below 35% charge. You can also check the battery status of your earphones from the Bluetooth menu on your phone.
Verdict of Mpow Flame Lite TWS review
The Mpow Flame Lite is an inexpensive, easy-to-use and, most importantly, robust pair of TWS earphones that stays in your ears in all scenarios. They’re not going to win any sound quality awards, but they deliver a good performance that gets a lot of loud. As I said earlier, they could use a little more bass and call quality is just average, but at the end of the day we’re talking about an inexpensive pair of sports-oriented TWS earbuds.
The design, fit and comfort of these are excellent in my book, and the battery life is also pretty fantastic. The USB-C charging port, IPX7 waterproof design and clean look are also great additions.
If sound quality is your top priority, then you should look elsewhere, but if you’re like me and want a long-lasting pair of earphones that remain in your ear during workouts and don’t break the bank, then you should certainly check the Mpow Flame Lites. They give you TWS experience with excellent build quality, strong battery endurance and superb fit-all the factors that make it very convenient to get around in your gym bag.
Pros Mpow Flame Lite TWS
Well-built with IPX7 rating
Comfortable design that stays in your ears
Great price
USB-C charging
Solid battery endurance
Cons of Mpow Flame Lite TW
Underwhelming bass
Sound lacks mid-range detail
Charging case is huge

Related

Review of RIVA Turbo X Bluetooth wireless audiophile speaker w/lots of pics!!!

This is a Review of Riva Turbo X hi-fi Bluetooth wireless speaker. http://shop.rivaaudio.com/dp/B00IPS8QXM#.VTb03md0z3h, also available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Riva-Performance-Premium-Bluetooth-Black/dp/B00IPSC6F6/
Thanks to the original Jambox, going back a few years, wireless speakers used to be a popular “accessory” for your smartphone and tablet. Consumer electronics market was flooded with all these cute and colorful speakers with a tiny sound, only a fraction louder than a phone itself. But just like with any new trend, the infatuation doesn’t last for too long and the product either evolves or slowly fades away from a spotlight. As expected, for a number of companies it faded away because they decided to scale up their mini speakers into bigger and louder versions without realizing that sound quality remained the same, only a few dBs louder. At the same time, a few premium audio quality wireless speakers have emerged with a performance approaching some of the wired setups. One thing these premium speakers had in common was companies behind them with deep roots in pro audio design and manufacturing, not just someone who decided to add speakers to their lineup of accessories or used celebrity endorsements for credibility.
One of such star-quality products I just had a chance to review came from a company you probably never heard of before, but after testing their latest Turbo X Bluetooth wireless speaker – I can tell you with certainty they have a potential of becoming the next household name. RIVA Audio was launched only a year ago, as a lifestyle brand of Audio Design Experts (ADX) headed by none other than a legendary “star” himself – Rikki Farr. With 45 years of experience in building and designing audio products and over 30 Platinum and Gold certified studio record awards while working with some of the top legendary bands – you can rest assured that a chairman and CCO of ADX knows a thing or two about music!!! But were they [RIVA/ADX] able to encapsulate a wealth of this knowledge and experience into their new compact Bluetooth wireless speaker? Let’s see what I found.
Even so I usually start my review with a description of the packaging, I wanted to mention how much I was impressed with the actual shipping box and thick pieces of styrofoam used inside to make sure packaging box would arrive undamaged. Packaging box itself was made out of high quality thick carton and had a detailed description of key features, included accessories, technical spec, and even a picture of their Ground Control app. The list of key features really sets a tone to make you realize about dealing with a serious audio product. Of course, the focal point of the exterior packaging is a picture of the speaker on the front and the view of inner design on the back. You can clearly see how much pride RIVA takes in their product by showcasing their design, inside out! With a top of the packaging box off, you'll find a small rectangular speaker sitting on a pedestal of inner base, including more protection inside to prevent RIVA Turbo X from any damage. I do have to admit, it's not a lightweight product, and I was impressed with the amount of thought that went into packaging of it to make sure Turbo X arrives at your doorstep intact.
Unboxing.
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After removing a speaker from the box, you gain access to all the included accessories stored in the base underneath. Here you will find AC power supply, 70" 3.5mm to RCA connector (to connect Turbo X to your external audio source with RCA output port), 48" 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable (to connect Turbo X to any non-bluetooth 3.5mm audio port), and a very comprehensive manual. There is also a special Phono Mode you can activate by holding "+" and "-" buttons together so you can use Turbo X with a turntable that has a low audio output. Although not being able to use a common micro-usb cable for charging, I completely understand why RIVA went with AC power supply (impressive 19V/3.42A output) for a faster charging of its internal massive battery. Even so I didn't see anywhere mentioning of the actual mAh capacity, a mere fact of 26+ hours of battery life (with Surround and Turbo off, and at 75dB of volume level) and capability to charge other devices makes you realize you are dealing with a high capacity rechargeable battery.
Another included accessory is I/O splash cover - a very clever way to cover the exposed usb, audio, and power ports on the back. What makes it unique is how you can store this I/O cover plugged on the bottom of the speaker so you don't loose it. When in need to cover up open ports - it goes right in with a secure fit, and still providing an access to power button.
Accessories.
So how does Turbo X looks once out of the box? There is nothing "cute" or "colorful" about it, instead you are looking at a very elegant design in a shape of a straight forward brick. Surrounded by a mesh grill around front/back and sides, it doesn't scream "look at me", and as I later found out - it grabs your attention with its sound rather than flashy looks. The bottom of the speaker has two rubber feet for an excellent non-slip grip with a surface as well as some dampening of the weight pressure. That is something you will feel right away with a weight of over 3lbs and dimensions of 9" x 4" x 3.5". Unlike other audio products, when it comes to speakers - having "extra" weight is actually a good thing knowing you're dealing with quality drivers and amp inside of it.
Moving on to the top, you have a plethora of illuminated capacitive touch buttons with a proximity sensor that triggers all buttons to lit up as you hover your hand over it - excellent idea when you are in the dark. You can also lock these keys by pressing Mute and "-" buttons together. Of course, all the functionality is duplicated on the remote app for your phone, but more about it later. Here we have a Power, Bluetooth pair-up, Volume up/down/mute (3 separate buttons), and S (to activate Trillium Surround) and T (to activate TURBO) buttons. One thing I wish would have been included or somehow implemented is a transport control in order to play/pause and skip songs from within a speaker, though this functionality is already mirrored in a remote app. Plus, it’s understandable that every button (or combination of buttons) has multiple functionality, so it's a challenge to add more controls.
Also, at the top you have a dual noise and echo canceling mics for Speakerphone functionality. This speakerphone functionality is a great bonus, but to be honest I never really used it with any of my wireless speakers, and consider it to be just a nice "bonus", no more or less. For a speakerphone functionality, you can Accept or Reject the call right from the speaker by using T and S buttons. Last, but not least, the top of the speaker is plastic with a glossy piano finish which somewhat a fingerprint magnet.
At the bottom on the back of the speaker you have a selection of different ports, which as I mentioned before can also be protected with removable I/O cover. In there you will find 3.5mm auxiliary input, a micro-usb data input for a future firmware upgrades (a very important feature), a physical power button (another brilliant idea to make sure touch buttons on the top are disabled and battery is not wasted when not in use), USB charge out port (though labeled as iPad/iPhone it designed to charge any device), 19V DC Power adapter input (to connect AC/DC power supply), and a battery capacity indicator (depending on the color you can determine 0-30, 30-60, and 60-100 remaining capacity). Battery indicator is very important, and you can access the actual battery reading from Ground Control app, down to 1% accuracy.
Design.
Pair up with audio source was effortless, and I had no issues with either my Note 4 phone or AK120ii DAP. At first I thought that NFC would have been a good option, but later after discussion with RIVA I realized that due to a small footprint and proximity sensor on the top - NFC implementation wouldn't have been feasible. Once paired up, I had no issues with wireless connection across an open space of 40+ feet. Sound quality was very impressive and deserves a separate section in my review since we are talking about a true audiophile quality performance. And it's not just because it supports some of the popular SBC, AAC, and aptX audio wireless codecs, but actually because of its top notch audio hardware design. Since I'm Android based, aptX codec support is very important to me, but a transparency of the transmitted digital audio is meaningless without a quality amplifier and drivers to deliver their audio interpretation to your ears.
Pair up.
Before I go into a deeper audio analysis, let me talk a little bit about RIVA's remote control app which they call "Ground Control" app.
There are a few other premium speakers that come with their companion setup apps, but those are usually limited to mostly "setup" functionality. Here, you are dealing with a control app that covers everything! Usually I prefer to leave my phone/source alone and control music directly from a speaker's transport controls (if it's available). Part of it has to do with me using more rugged speakers outside while keeping my phone out of sight. Since I found RIVA Turbo X to be more appropriate for indoor use, the roles reversed and now I was looking for any opportunity to fire up that Ground Control app. You get everything from a precise battery reading to every touch button “access”, including a large volume wheel and even a playback control with play/pause and track skip (though only when using native audio playback app, no 3rd party support yet). And if you want more customization, you can go into settings to change speaker "name", app background control, and my favorite - switch audio prompts between voice and tones. The only thing that can make it better is to add a "no sound" audio prompt option.
Ground Control app.
Finally, I’m getting to the actual sound! I have reviewed a lot of different wireless speakers, including a number of those which I consider to be smartphone accessories. With an exception of a few, a more detailed audio analysis was simply not necessary for those other speakers since there was nothing special about their sound. With RIVA Turbo X, even before getting to sound analysis, you have to look closer into the actual internal design to appreciate how much this speaker has to offer.
Unlike other speakers that use off-the-shelf generic or headphone drivers, RIVA packs 7 ADX speakers! Starting with three ADX 60mm full range proprietary drivers, it looks like they cleverly placed one in the front middle and two on the sides. Complimenting that, you also have four ADX custom dual piston bass radiators, with two facing front and two facing back. Pretty much, you have speakers and bass radiators all the way around RIVA’s compact footprint. But speakers itself is only a part of this equation. Driving power to these speakers is proprietary ADX 3-channel amplifier with 45 watts of RMS power under control of advanced DSP. This amount of power is higher than I have ever seen from any other Bluetooth wireless speaker in the same category. Keep in mind, more power doesn't necessary mean a louder sound, but actually corresponds to having enough juice to drive speakers to their full “undistorted” potential.
And if that wasn't enough, RIVA includes two "override" modes with Trillium Surround which enhances separation of the sound with 3D imaging and TURBO with EQ mode boost of up to 100dB in loudness level. Surround enhancement is very noticeable and sounds rather natural, not a gimmicky DSP effect. This mode is perfect for watching movies or playing video games, though I also enjoyed it while playing music where a lot of the sound details got a new 3D placement in space. TURBO takes a sound into overdrive. It definitely is useful when you are at the max of the volume and need to squeeze out a few more dBs. RIVA does that with an extra 9dB kick without any distortion (thanks to its smart compressor). This Turbo effect might not be necessary at lower volume, especially since it drains battery quite significantly, but when you want to fill a bigger room with a more powerful sound – activate this TURBO overdrive for uninterrupted 6+ hours of sound bliss!!! Unfortunately, you will take a hefty battery penalty, so if possible – keep it plugged in.
Sound analysis.
I found RIVA Turbo X to have an impressive audiophile quality performance with a full body smooth balanced sound. Just like with any pro speaker, sound quality benefits greatly from a speaker placement to take advantage of the natural acoustics of the room. As a matter of fact, RIVA even includes suggestions with a speaker placement to maximize its performance.
After a closer listening, I found Turbo X to have an articulate low end with a fast mid-bass punch and a deep sub-bass texture. Bass is clear and detailed, well controlled with just a minimum spillage into lower mids. Mids are overall warm and clear. They are thicker in sound, especially lower mids, and it helps in building a foundation for a full body sound. Upper mids are clear and detailed, but not too bright or analytical. Vocals have a very powerful and organic delivery. Treble is smooth, warm, doesn't extend too far, but still captures enough details.
Soundstage is good, and with Surround Trillium mode you expand staging to a new 3D width/depth dimension. Layering and separation is typical for a speaker, which is not necessary the best and even a bit congested when you are standing too close. But once you take a few steps back - sound opens up and fills the room with a more detailed presentation. I think it's a very important factor in order to appreciate this speaker – the quality of its sound perception goes up as you take a few steps back, just like with a regular full size wired speaker.
Another interesting thing about RIVA Audio, they actually encourage you to compare Turbo X speaker against their competition. You know, such encouragement can only come when you have confidence in your product. And to tell the truth – they have every right to brag about it. I have tested a number of other HD speakers, and I feel that when it comes to sound quality and features – RIVA Turbo X stands ahead of its competition.
For example, Braven 855s HD sound is more colored, with a muddy bass, also loud and powerful but not the same level of clarity; heavier in weight, less battery endurance, but with an advantage of a more rugged design. UE Boom is still among my favorites, but it’s not in the same “power” class and when it comes to a sound it has a nice mid-bass punch but no sub-bass support, and sound is thinner where it can’t fill the whole room; battery with only 15hr (though a crazy standby when powered off, lasting months), limited app, though a better splash proof design. B&W T7 impressed me with a build quality, but sound was more colored with a greater level of distortion, and you have to be facing the speaker, otherwise sound gets muffled – not even a matter of which corner in the room you place it, but rather at what height level. Bose SoundLink III is another good candidate for comparison, though I find its bass to be deeper and more on a muddy side, not to mention more spillage into lower mids; in comparison it sounds warmer and lacks the same level of detail retrieval. Didn’t have a chance to test BeoPlay A2 yet, so that one will be an interesting comparison as well.
Summary.
Overall, I was very impressed with a performance of RIVA Turbo X and an audiophile quality design behind it. 7 speakers (3 active and 4 passive) inside of one compact enclosure, 45W 3-channel amp with DSP processing, Surround sound mode, TURBO boost mode, 26+ hours of battery life, aptX support, firmware upgradeable, charge out port to charge other devices, touch control buttons with proximity sensing LED indicators, and a very polished Ground Control remote app – that is a mouthful for a Bluetooth wireless speaker under $350. Is this an absolute perfection? Maybe if the exterior design would have been a little more rugged and there was a way to implement transport controls from a speaker itself. Aside from that, this speaker could be considered a perfection as long as you keep it indoors and careful in handling it. Actually, lack of transport controls no longer bothers me because Ground Control app is truly a fun to use! But the most important thing, once you pair it up with your source and hit Play – you’re no longer hearing the music, but actually feeling it! I don’t think I can say the same about any other Bluetooth wireless speaker I have tested so far.
This is a mini-review of RIVA Turbo X carry bag. http://shop.rivaaudio.com/dp/B00VMSXRWW#.VUeog5Oy4bs
In a conclusion of my RIVA Turbo X review I made a following statement: "... this speaker could be considered a perfection as long as you keep it indoors and careful in handling it." I still consider Turbo X to be the best BT wireless speaker I have tested to date, but the truth of the matter - its design is not rugged enough to carry outside. It has a splash protection cover for the ports on the back, so you can definitely keep it outside for outdoor entertainment, and believe me, it's loud enough! I just wasn't sure about the best way of handling it to take outside.
Well, lo and behold, RIVA guys came up with a solution for that as well - Turbo X carry bag. You might ask, what is a big deal? When you are dealing with a 3+ lb brick shaped slippery speaker, you can't just toss it in any bag or your back pack or wrap it around in a sweatshirt. I wouldn't call Turbo X to be fragile, but at the same time with a metal grill all around it and touch buttons on the top, you want to protect it from bumps and drops or sliding around in the bag. What RIVA came up with is a very nice form-fitting bag with an easy zipper access, a soft velvet padded interior, and a tough nylon exterior. It also has an outside zippered pocket for accessories, cables, or your wireless source (DAP or smartphone), and a stitched "RIVA" logo. It also has a nice handle with nylon exterior and soft interior, I mean these guys thought of every detail! This carry bag looks good and serves a great functionality to protect your RIVA Turbo X when on the go!
Here is how it looks:
Proud owner of this product and I must say great for outdoor activities no dull moment!!!
I absolutely love my Turbo X. I will say I was expecting it to be louder, don't get me wrong it cranks and sounds great but I don't think its putting out 100db of sound??

[REVIEW] Audiomax HB-8A Bluetooth Headphones

Audiomax by AVANTEK has kindly provided these bluetooth headphones for review.
Packaging-
The packaging reminds me of the overpriced premium headphones that you get from “Dr. Dre Beats” but for the audiophiles, we all know that the beats are just overpriced gimmicks. But yes, what I’m saying is that there’s nothing wrong with the packaging. It gives them that stand out look that grabs your attention as you can see from the photos above.
Included in the box is:
HB-8A Headphone
Instructions
AUX Cable
USB – Micro USB Cable
Drawstring Pouch for safe storage
Design-
Kudos to Avantek/Audiomax, they have really thought hard on these headphones, no design flaws as of yet. The side of the headphones have a brushed aluminium finish to them, good job too as they stand out perfectly. Would I wear them outside. Of course! The cushions are extremely comfortable, after trying them for 2 hours I didn’t feel the need to take them off for a break. If they are too small for you, they can easily be extended just like any other headphones.
Sound Quality-
As you can probably expect what I’m going to say. The quality of the sound these headphones can produce is really good. I haven’t tried them loud but at a comfortable volume level that I can listen to all day. Even with some minor adjustments to the EQ (Equalizer) on my phone, there was no distortions. Even for Bluetooth you always worry about the fact as they are wireless that you might encounter some kind of distortion, but I didn’t.
I’ve tried these whilst cycling and did the job perfectly, I didn’t really notice any wind distortions whilst listening to music. I’ve kept my phone in the backpack without issue with the Bluetooth connection.
Features-
Pairing the headphones is relatively easy. Whilst the headphones are off, hold and long press on the call button, the headphones will power on, whilst still holding down, the light will flash blue and red (Pairing Mode) and phone picked up the headphones. Long pressing again will turn it off.
There’s 2 volume buttons next to the call button so no need to use your phones volume control.
The headphones also come with a built-in microphone. After testing with Skype I was heard clearly without the trouble of repeating myself, but this also depends on the quality of your broadband connection to the end-user your trying to communicate with.
Specifications-
Bluetooth CSR 4.0
aptX
Integrated Microphone
Noise Cancelling Technology
Range 8-10 Meters
Call – Music playtime: 19 hours
Charging time: 2-3 hours, depending on charge.
Information below is taken from the product page. Source from Amazon.
Exquisite Sound Quality
With their state-of-the-art drivers, the headphones deliver crystal-clear highs, vigorous mids and deep bass for the richest listening experience. The Apt-X technology provides high-speed transmission while the passive noise isolation technology filters out ambient noise for maximum audio quality.
Convenient Use
The on-ear stereo headphones provide an impressive hands-free solution for receiving calls and streaming music. To pause or resume music in Bluetooth mode, just push the Power/Call button. When a call comes in, simply push the same button to answer, or hold the Volume Up button to reject. Easily change volume or track number by pressing the Volume Up/Next Track and Volume Down/Previous Track buttons.
Comfortable Design
The aluminum construction keeps the headphones light but sturdy, and the foldable design allows you to take them wherever your day takes you. The ultra-soft ear cushions ensure a snug seal while the adjustable, air-quilted leather headband provides maximum comfort for extended wear.
Verdict-
Would I recommend these headphones? YES! not only do they look great, but they produce amazing sound quality. Getting a pair of the Audiomax HB-8A Bluetooth headphones is something that you won’t regret, if you’re looking for a new pair that is.
The headphones have been rated Gold from Reviews Insider.
Sample pictures are located on the original review located Reviews Insider I can't get the pictures to size correctly on this forum sorry.
How much does it cost?
£45.99 on Amazon
atomfix said:
£45.99 on Amazon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the info
Thanks for the review. All my earphones are IEMs(in ear) because I think over ear headphones are heavy. Though Audiomax HB-8A has aluminum construction, do you think it will fit comfortably with a person like me who is used to wearing IEMs?

Tribit XFree Color Wireless Earbuds Review

In the era of big and powerful smartphones, many manufacturers decide to ditch the mini jack and either offer a connector or rely solely on Bluetooth connectivity. If you are looking for the latter, you should take Tribit headphones into consideration.
Look and feel
Right after unpacking, you have a feeling that these headphones are a quality product. They have an unusual design, aluminum parts and magnetic earbuds, which looks pretty gimmicky, but in fact, is a great idea. You’ll get used to wearing a “nerdy necklace” in no time. You can also keep the headphones in a fashionable bag included in the box. The box contains various sizes of the buds and two clips to hold the cable together.
In overall, Tribit XFree Color looks great, and you have a feeling that you are using a premium model, not the cheap plastic toy, like some of the available headphones on the market.
Rate: 4.5/5.
Connectivity
Tribit XFree Color are using Bluetooth to connect with sound sources. The pairing process is fast and easy. Just hold down the big red button in the middle, and you’re set. I took these headphones for a walk, and I noticed random signal drops when I kept my phone in the pocket of my jeans. This might be related to some other objects that I held in my jacket, but if you are planning to have a super-clear sound, keep the phone in your coat. I hadn’t noticed any signal drops when my device was a bit closer to the headphones.
These headphones are compatible with most Android and iPhone devices. I haven’t tried them paired with a Bluetooth adapter, but I assume it should work fine.
Rate: 4/5
Battery life
On its Amazon page, Tribit says that its headphones last up to 10 hours of play. Honestly, I didn’t drain up the battery for such a long time, but I managed to get like 8 hours of mixed usage before plugging them into the charger. The standard charger needs about 1.5h to put the juice back. It’s a good result so that I won’t be picky about it.
Rate: 5/5
Water resistance
I’m not a fan of washing myself with my headphones on, but for the sake of testing, I splashed some water on the headphones. The IPX5 water resistance did the trick, and my headphones were completely fine. You should not swim with them though, as these headphones are not designed to survive a full water coverage. Who listens to the music underwater, anyway?
Rate: 4.5/5
To wrap things up. Tribit XFree Color are really good headphones that don’t cost a lot of money. You can get yourself a pair of these headphones from Amazon. When I was writing this review, they were unavailable to buy, but after re-stocking, they should cost about 30 bucks.

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.

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