Okay, sometimes the simplest solution would be to connect headphones or earbuds to the smartphone with a cable. But more and more of them have the practical USB-C socket, where it doesn’t matter which way round you insert the plug. The opening for the commonly used 3.5 millimeter jack connection is missing almost as often. There was a lot of excitement when Apple started ditching this jack, so the Californians included a small adapter.
In the meantime, not only has the excitement subsided, there are more and more earphones on the market that do not require a cable to the smartphone, and increasingly also those that no longer need a cable at all, but also transmit the sound data to each other via radio. Incidentally, this is less simple than you might think, because the human ear is quite sensitive to slight delays.
The connection via the Bluetooth radio standard can also be error-prone. What use are the best earphones if there are problems with the connection. After all, nobody wants to fumble around for a long time, but rather put the things in their ears and listen to music – as easy as it would be with a cable.
-
Unlike the competition, Beats wireless earbuds have to stay in the charging case to pair with a smartphone. Although Beats is owned by Apple, which you can tell from the charging connector in Lightning format, they can also be paired with Android phones without any problems. the Powerbeats pro are advertised as earphones for sports enthusiasts. In fact, their construction seems robust, a rain shower doesn’t bother them, but you can’t immerse them in water. The sound is good, the seat is rock-solid, shocks, for example when running, are well cushioned, and according to the manufacturer, the battery life is nine hours. Glasses wearers, however, could have problems with the temples. And the price for the plugs is also quite steep: 250 euros.
Image: OH
-
The Sonicsport earphones from Audio-Technica are also aimed at athletes, but do not have a headband. They bring an anatomically shaped, rubberized holder with them, with which they can be anchored surprisingly firmly in the ear. Even if you accidentally touch them, they won’t fall out, they don’t hold as tightly as hangers. In addition, the headphones protrude from the ear. The sound of ATH-Sport7TW lags behind the Beats plugs but is very usable. They can withstand a downpour, but submersion is taboo. They can be operated via touch-sensitive surfaces, and the range of services also includes a mode in which noises from the outside are forwarded, so that you can hear vehicles approaching from behind, for example when walking. Cost point: 199 euros.
-
the Slide The earphones of the Kickstarter project Pamu are reminiscent of Apple Airpods, but unlike these, they are attached directly to the ear canal, not to the outer ear like Apple’s. They hold there quite firmly, but not as firmly as those with underwires. Their sound is good, especially if you look at the price: 49 euros is quite a competitive price for the headphones, which are also waterproof. If you want, you can also use it to communicate with the voice assistants Siri and Co. For 20 euros more you get a charging box that can also charge other suitable devices such as smartphones via induction – a nice bonus. The small plugs use sensors to detect when you take them out of your ears and stop playback. The tip for the price-conscious.
Image: OH
-
The wireless earphones Momentum TrueWireless from the German audio specialist Sennheiser are not a bargain at a price of 300 euros, but if you try them out you will understand why. The sound is fantastic, at least for such small devices: precise bass, silky highs, concise mids. Actually much too good for the gym. There, however, they would be impractical for another reason: they do not dampen vibrations that occur, for example, when running. They are therefore more suitable for people who attach particular importance to excellent sound when it comes to earphones and not only want to be exposed to motivating music during their sports activities. They can also be set to pull through and come in a pretty box with a USB-C charging port.
Image: OH
-
the Melomania 1 from the British sound specialist Cambridge Audio are phenotypically closest to the concept of earplugs, i.e. their shape resembles earplugs made of foam. They are simply inserted into the ear canal, which is why it is advisable to try out which of the supplied silicone fittings provide the best fit. Otherwise the good pieces (costing 130 euros) could soon be gone, they easily fall out of the ear. The sound also depends a lot on how well the earplugs seal the ear canal, the less they do, the more bass is lost. The buttons on the plugs, which have a clear pressure point and do not easily lead to incorrect operation, are good. Overall, the sound is decent, but underwhelming.
From texts: Helmut Martin-Jung
Image: OH
Some of the earphones have a headband that holds them firmly to the ear. This is recommended if you use the sound buttons during sports. Because most of those specimens that are simply put in the ear become loose over time and sometimes fall out. They also fall to the ground particularly easily, for example if you take off a bicycle helmet and slip the strap over your ear.
Once you don’t think about it and the expensive part is already lying on the ground. When things are going well, there isn’t a gully or a meadow to search around for a long time. If things go wrong, the devices can sometimes be damaged by the impact – but that didn’t happen in our tests. They even withstood falls on hard ground without taking damage.
The completely wireless representatives of the genus are delivered in a storage box in which they are not only well protected, but also charged. Because they are so small, there is not much space for the battery, so they have to be charged more often. But they usually last a few hours before they run out of juice. They can be charged several times in the box before it has to recharge itself.
And finally, not entirely unimportant: How do the plugs actually sound. The good news is that none of the specimens we tested were really bad, and most were pretty good – at least considering their small size. Another issue is comfort. Especially those earphones that are placed directly in the ear canal only sound good if they are firmly seated there. Then it’s time to experiment with the supplied silicone sleeves. Which close the auditory canals well, but also do not press in the long run.
Speaking of duration, here’s the warning, even if it may seem unnecessary to some: Listening too loud for too long damages your hearing, no matter how beautiful the music may be.
