Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsImpressive Sound and Functionality
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2022
I am impressed with everything about these earbuds.
TL;DR--Great sound quality. Quite comfortable. Surprisingly good app. Easily customizable features. Consistent, reliable bluetooth connectivity. Overall, outstanding value.
BACKGROUND: The last set of earbuds I owned were non-brand wireless buds that cost about $40 a couple years ago, and they were garbage. In the meantime, I've used a pair of compact Bose on-ear wireless headphones, which are incredibly comfortable and provide amazing sound clarity, but I wanted something smaller and easier to carry around for use at the office. All further remarks about these Anker earbuds are in comparison to my Bose headphones.
SOUND: The clarity and quality of sound these earbuds produce is remarkable. It's not quite on the level of the Bose overall, but I never expected it to be on account of these being earbuds and less than half the price.
However, the bass that these earbuds pump out is what really blew me away on first use! The Bose headphones are actually a bit weak on bass, whereas these earbuds provide an impressive thump without distorting or sacrificing clarity across the rest of the frequency range. I'm not saying they have good bass *for ear buds,* I'm saying they pump out the bass, *period.*
For reference, this is based on listening to EDM tracks from Pretty Lights and Tycho.
COMFORT: They're buds, which are understandably less comfortable for a lot of folks than on-ear or over-ear headphones. But for earbuds, they are quite comfy.
The rubber pieces that actually go in your ear are soft and pliable, and they come with FIVE different sizes of those. They fit snugly without feeling like they're stretching my ear canal.
I haven't done any running or other major activity with them, but I've never felt at risk of one falling out while just walking around my office.
NOISE ISOLATION/CANCELATION: This is actually the first set of noise canceling headphones/earbuds I've ever owned, so I can't compare that functionality to anything else, but I will say this: My office runs white noise machines all the time. When these connect to my phone and the noise cancellation begins, the drone from those machines (which I don't even realize I notice beforehand) suddenly goes completely silent.
They also effectively reduce the sound of co-workers talking nearby--not completely, but far more than just putting plugs in my ears would do. (Speaking of noise isolation--just blocking sound by plugging your ears--these do more than any earbuds I've previously owned.)
Finally, the different modes of noise cancellation that can be set through the app (more on that shortly) seem reasonably effective, but I haven't put them to the test in a variety of environments yet.
BATTERY LIFE: I don't remember this being stated in the description, maybe because it's a given for wireless earbuds nowadays, but the carrying case functions as a power bank for these babies.
I don't know how many times the case will charge the earbuds before needing to be recharged itself because I haven't drained it yet (in two weeks of using them every other day for 2-3 hours per day). When that time comes, I think it's neat that the case can charge wirelessly.
It also has a microUSB charging port and comes with a cable, the other end of which is standard USB. Nothing comes with wall bricks anymore, but I guess they figure everyone has a few spare ones around by now.
TECHNOLOGY: My first thought on being able to access some of the settings/features of these earbuds only through the app was, "UGH, another product-specific app?! *grump*" BUT, this app is remarkably sleek and easy to use. And I say that as someone who works for a software company.
Setting the noise cancellation mode and customizing the on-board controls (what happens when you tap the earbuds in different ways during use) is very easy to do. The app also has a sound test feature to help make sure you're wearing the earbuds correctly and have the right size squishy ear piece on them.
After initially pairing them with my phone via Bluetooth, the connectivity has worked flawlessly. When I remove them from the case, they connect right away. When I put them back in and close the case, they are disconnected. Every time. No fiddling with settings or having to re-pair.
That consistent reliability is very nice, especially for phone calls. If the buds are in my ears, that's where the call comes in. If they're in the case, it comes through the phone speaker. No juggling devices or frantically pressing buttons to sort out where the sound will come out of next. The calls are clear, and the built-in microphones must pick up my voice well enough because I've had no complaints from anyone on the other end.
I haven't tested the Bluetooth range on them because my phone is always on me when I'm using them.
CONSTRUCTION: Solid build, clear attention to detail. The earbuds pop into the case with a satisfying little snap.
The magnet that holds them in is very secure, so even with the case open I'm not worried about them falling out, but not so strong that they're difficult to remove.
The case itself is terrifically compact and sturdy. The lid shuts securely, and would clearly protect the earbuds while bouncing around in a purse or backpack all day.
SUMMARY: These are great earbuds. For the price, they're amazing earbuds. I know the technology is always advancing, but these do SO MUCH for $70, and they do all of it remarkably well. I've been going out of my way to recommend them to people, which is why I've written this novel of a review. If you've read this far, I certainly hope you've found it helpful. :)
