Category: Headphones

You’ve made up your mind that it’s time to upgrade from the free earbuds that came with your smartphone. You want something nicer. Something more durable. Something that sounds better. But how much, exactly, should you expect to pay for a reasonable upgrade?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question isn’t so simple. Headphones and earphones run the gamut in terms of pricing, ranging from less than ten bucks all the way up to many hundreds of dollars. And the reality is that a lot of those double-digit offerings sound great, whereas sometimes really expensive cans just don’t deliver the goods. Instead of asking whether price matters when shopping for headphones or earphones, a more helpful question would be this: what sorts of things affect the price of different headphones?

And the answers to that question are many. Sometimes it’s just as simple as branding—in other words, the logo on the side of the box and the marketing dollars that went into the brand behind it. But more often than not, what makes one headphone or earphone more expensive than another (especially within the same brand) boils down to three key categories: design, materials and technology.

 Why Design Matters

“Design” is a versatile word that can be applied to any number of aspects of a good pair of headphones or earphones, from their overall look, to non-functional style elements. But more importantly, it can apply to unique engineered elements that affect day-to-day use, but not necessarily performance. Let’s take the touch enabled Phiaton BT 460. Those cost more to design, engineer and build, and it’s one of a handful of reasons why the BT 460 sells for a little more than the otherwise comparable BT 390, one of Phiaton’s best budget Bluetooth headphones.

Speaking of the BT 390 and the BT 460, does a compact, foldable design make your headphones sound better? No. But it does make the headphones more portable, easier to stash in your backpack or carry-on, and thus more likely to be at hand when you’re ready to listen to your tunes or podcasts. It’s said that the “best camera is the one you have with you,” often in reference to smartphone cameras. The same is true when headphones are foldable and easy to carry around.

 Why Materials Matter

 This one is pretty obvious when you think about it, but it’s still worth spelling out. Machined aluminum costs more than thin plastic. Textured, tangle-free, oval cables cost more than cheap wires. And it’s true that material choices are often a matter of style, comfort and convenience, but the choice of materials can also affect a headphone’s performance. Neodymium magnets, for example, cost a good bit more than ferrite magnets. Neodymium also generates a stronger magnetic force than a ferrite magnet of the same weight. So, with something like Phiaton’s BT 390, the use of Neodymium in the drivers results in better bass without adding to the weight of the headphones themselves.

 Why Technology Matters

While design and materials can have a huge impact on the price of a pair of headphones or earphones, let’s not forget all of the technology packed inside. Technologies like Bluetooth, water resistance, and noise-cancellation add significant manufacturing and testing costs. There are also technological considerations such as whether your earphones rely on dynamic or balanced armature drivers, the latter of which is much costlier to develop. Mind you, that’s not to say that all balanced armature earphones are super expensive.

 So, in short, as we mentioned above, spending more on a pair of headphones or earphones doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get better sound, better comfort or an overall better listening experience. Sometimes you’re simply paying more for the logo and not getting the best value headphones in return. But all of the design, materials and technology that go into making a better pair of headphones do cost more.

By Dennis Burger

April 10, 2019

Recommended Reads:

Why Headphone Design Matters: How to Pick Between Headphone, Earphone, and Neckband Designs

Best Headphones for Conference Calls What You Need to Get You Through Your Next Call

Wireless vs. Wired Headphones: How to Pick the Right Pair for You

As discussed in our last post, picking out the perfect pair of headphones first involves figuring out which style of headphone will best fit your needs. For instance, should you go with in ear vs earbuds? Earbuds vs earphones? Last time around, we took a broad look at the three main styles: full-sized headphones, earphones, and neckband headphones. In this post, you’ll learn how to choose earphones specs for your needs. We’ll also take a bit of a deeper dive into two other categorical terms you may have heard, and help you decide which is right for you.

“On-ear” and “in-ear” overlap quite a bit with the categories we’ve already discussed. In short, on-ear headphones are full-sized headphones whose cups aren’t quite full-sized. Instead of wrapping around your pinna (the exterior anatomy of your ear) the way over-ear models do, the cups of on-ears like Phiaton’s BT 460 rest on the pinna.

In-ear designs cover the categories we’ve already described as earphones (like the Curve BT 120 NC neckband Bluetooth headphones). The way they deliver sound to your ears is via small casings, terminated by a silicone or foam ear tips, which are designed to insert into your ear canals.

So, which is better for you? It really depends on how you intend to use your headphones, and which factors of performance and ergonomics are more important to you. Let’s break it down into three main considerations.

• Comfort and Fit: In-ears typically come with an array of different ear tips, generally in three different sizes: small, medium, and large. Chances are pretty good that one of these will work for you, sealing out the sound of the outside world and improving audio performance. If you do find an ear tip size that works for you, you’ll be able to wear them even through vigorous workouts.

  If, on the other hand, you’re one of the unfortunate few with smaller or irregularly shaped ear canals, you can disregard all of the above. You’ll likely find on-ears to be far more comfortable, not to mention the fact that you’ll get better noise isolation. Of course, on-ears aren’t likely to hold their position well during a spirited run, which is something to consider. But they should still fit well without much pressure if you’re listening on the subway or a plane or using them for your next conference call.

• Portability: Given that they generally only consist of a few wires and a small plastic or metal casing (or in some cases, just the latter), in-ears definitely take up less space than any other style of headphones. Even neckband headphones, with their rigid semi-circular collar, won’t take up much space in your bag when you’re not wearing them.

That said, many on-ear models feature compact folding designs that make them much easier to travel with them than their over-ear counterparts. The BT 390, for example, collapses down small enough to just about fit in the palm of your hand.

• Performance: As mentioned in our previous post, full-sized headphones generally deliver fuller sound and a more spacious listening experience. Mind you, most on-ears won’t deliver quite the impact of a good set of over-ear headphones, but they still have a sonic advantage over in-ears, especially in terms of the fullness of their bass, simply due to the size of their drivers.

In-ears do have one potential performance advantage over on-ears, though. Since their casings are so small, they can accommodate technologies like balanced armature drivers, which can deliver clearer, more accurate sound than traditional dynamic drivers, while also using less energy.

Despite their different strengths, no style of headphone is the clear winner over all others in all respects. When picking between in-ears, on-ears—and indeed, even over-ear headphones—the most important thing is deciding which style works best for your needs, your preferences, your lifestyle, and perhaps most importantly, your unique ear anatomy.

By Dennis Burger

April 16, 2019

Recommended Reads:

Why Headphone Design Matters: How to Pick Between Headphone, Earphone, and Neckband Designs 

Earphones vs. Headphones: A Sound Debate

Neckband Headphones: Why Is This Design Becoming So Popular?

 

There are few things in life as disheartening as firing up your smartphone or Bluetooth device of choice, only to find that your earphones aren’t working anymore. Unfortunately, if you’ve ended up here, chances are good that exactly that has happened to you. And chances are just as good that you’re looking to solve the problem yourself without shelling out for a new pair of earphones.

To get to the answers you’re looking for, we first have to ask a couple of important questions: are your earphones completely silent, or are they dead on one side and fine on the other? Are you hearing crackling noises or cutouts? And perhaps more importantly, are your earphones wired or wireless?

For Wired Earphones

If your earphones are connected to cables that plug into a headphone jack (remember those?), those cables are likely the source of any dropouts or scratchy sound you might be hearing. The good news is, you might be able to fix the cable itself with a replacement headphone jack, some solder, and a few shrink tubes. Before you go through the trouble, it’s probably a good idea to test the cable at a few spots with a multimeter to find where the cable might be shorting out.

The bad news is, depending on the price of your earphones, this may not be worth the extra effort.

What’s worse, the shorted cable may actually be inside the casing of your earphones. If you’re feeling pretty adventurous, you might be able to open the casing, find the short, and solder it yourself. Just know that if your earphones are water resistant, you may be undoing that resistance by cracking the case.

But before you do any soldering or case-cracking of any sort, the very first thing you should do is borrow a portable media player or smartphone that has a headphone jack from a friend or family member, and make doubly sure that your earphones are to blame to begin with.

For Wireless Earphones

If your earphones aren’t of the wired variety and you’re still experiencing dropouts, connectivity problems, or outright silence, you’ve probably already guessed that cables aren’t the problem.

But wait, what if they are? Were you using the Everplay-X feature of your Phiaton wireless earphones when the problems arose? First thing’s first, check to make sure that your earphones work well when connected via Bluetooth. If they do, you may just need a replacement Everplay-X cable. If so, contact support@phiaton.com or call 1 (866) 313-3203.

If you’re sure it’s your Bluetooth connection that’s giving you fits, you may find that your earphones don’t need to be fixed at all; it may be your phone that needs a bit of TLC. First thing’s first, try updating your phone’s operating system.

If that doesn’t work, try disabling Bluetooth, rebooting your phone, and attempting the connection again once everything is powered back up. If that doesn’t work, you may need to force your phone to forget the Bluetooth connection and start pairing from scratch, or as a last-ditch effort, reset all of your network settings.

For more information about fixing a faulty wireless connection between your phone and earphones, see this post.

By Dennis Burger

 April 26, 2019

Recommended Reads:

Headphones Not Working with Your Smartphone? Three Tips to Find a Fix

How to Clean Earphones: Four Rules You Should Always Follow

Tell-Tale Signs You Need New Wireless Headphones

 

These days, the batteries in our smartphones are bigger and beefier than ever before. And yet, making it to the end of a workday or travel day without dipping into dangerously red territory on your battery life meter is almost cause for celebration.

So, what gives? Why is iPhone X battery drain such an issue? If you’re giving your wireless headphones or earphones the side-eye right now, you’re not alone. But is Bluetooth really sucking the life out of your iPhone?

The simple fact is that anything that requires power to operate will siphon off some of your battery. And the antennas and chips that make Bluetooth work do require power, but the amount of energy used by newer versions of Bluetooth is relatively negligible, especially when compared to all of the other things that send your battery racing toward 0% every day. Not to get too mathy on you here, but the Class 2 Bluetooth modules employed in smartphones use about 2.5 mW of power (a mW, or milliwatt, is one-thousandth of a watt). Meaning the 3,174 mAh battery found in the iPhone XS Max could power a Bluetooth connection for weeks or more, if that’s the only thing it had to power.

So, what’s killing your battery life?

A lot of things. If we just limit ourselves to the question of why using your wireless headphones seems to up your phone’s energy consumption substantially, the blame partially lies with our increasing reliance on streaming music apps for our daily entertainment. Apps in general are energy vampires.

On iOS, you can do a quick check of how much of your daily charge is going toward powering different apps by hitting the Settings icon and searching for “Battery.” Sort by the last 10 days and you’ll get a decent idea of how much juice it’s costing you to play Pokémon Go. Or really, any game that relies heavily on graphics and sound.

You’ll also likely find that the Facebook app is one of your biggest battery drainers, although you can ameliorate that a bit by navigating to Settings again, searching for “Background App Refresh,” and turning that feature off for Facebook. That way, your social media app isn’t sitting there, chugging along, downloading pictures of your mother-in-law’s latest quilting project even when you’re not scrolling and liking.

You can also curb the amount of power your music apps are using by downloading the songs or albums you listen to the most. Most streaming apps like Spotify allow you to store files locally rather than accessing them via Wi-Fi or cellular data every time you press Play.

You could also turn off your phone’s EQ and conserve a lot of energy. It’s true that the EQ might help compensate for earphones with wimpy bass or muddy midrange, but it’s an incredibly battery-intensive process. You’d be better off buying better-sounding headphones.

Oddly enough, though, the number one thing depleting your phone’s energy reserves probably isn’t streaming music or games or wireless connections or EQ or anything of the sort. What’s sending your charge levels into a downward spiral is likely that big, beautiful, brightly lit screen you’re staring at. Putting that many pixels in front of your eyes takes a lot of power, and the brighter your screen, the more it’s sucking down your battery. On iOS, you can search your settings app for “Magnifier” under “Accessibility” and turn on “Auto-Brightness,” and that’ll help a lot. What’s more, you can open your Control Center (by swiping down from the upper righthand side of the screen on iPhone X and newer or swiping up from the bottom of the screen on older iPhones) and manually adjust screen brightness yourself.

If you have an Android phone, you’ll also find similarly named features by digging around in the settings, although what they’re called and where they’re located might depend on your phone’s manufacturer and the version of Android it’s running.

Last trick to try is Phiaton’s Everyplay-X feature, a handy technological trick that transforms your favorite wireless Phiaton headphones or earphones into their wired equivalents. How does it work? Well, take the BT 120 NC, for example. If you find yourself running out of juice and you’re just not ready to stop rocking yet, all you have to do is pop open the USB port cover on the bottom and plug in the included Everplay-X cable. Attach the other end to your phone, tablet, or other portable device, and you’re ready to keep on rocking.

Did any of these tips help get you through the day without depleting your battery? If so, or if you’d like to share your own energy-saving tricks, let us know in the comments below. Whatever you do, though, stop blaming your wireless headphones.

By Dennis Burger

April 29, 2019

Recommended Reads:

Are Headphones Illegal While Driving?

Does Price Matter When Buying Headphones?

How to Fix Earphones: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Your Music Back 

 

 

These days, unless you can spring for First Class, there’s absolutely nothing tolerable about air travel. Cramped seating, constant delays, and nickel-and-dime add-on fees for everything from carry-on bags to unsatisfying snacks make flying the unfriendly skies more insufferable than ever before.

It’s no surprise, then, to see more and more air travelers retreating into their own personal entertainment to try and forget the conditions around them. If you’re looking to join them, here are four key features that you can’t overlook when shopping for the perfect headphones for air travel.

Noise Cancellation
Kind of a no-brainer, but a good set of set of noise-canceling headphones can take a lot of the weariness out of long flights. What you want to look for here is a headphone that delivers good isolation (in other words, good padding on or over your ears, or a tight seal for in-ears) as well as active noise cancellation. CURVE BT 120 NC is a great option that provides RightFit+ ear wings for a comfortable fit all day long and elimination of up to 95 percent of ambient noise. That way you’ll still be able to hear those all-important announcements, but you won’t have to suffer through the constant fatiguing drone of the plane’s engines.

If you prefer over the ears, our 900 Legacy provides an incredible 43 hours of total playback time with industry leading active noise cancellation thanks to the digital hybrid technology that places microphones both inside and outside the ear cups to provide some of the best active noise cancellation technology available.

Comfort
“Comfort” and “air travel” are typically two terms that go together like peanut butter and sauerkraut. But that doesn’t mean you can’t bring your own comfort to the equation. When shopping for a pair of headphones for your next flight, you’ll want to look for a comfy padded headband that will cradle your cranium without exerting too much pressure, like the one found in the BT 390 on-ear foldable headphones.

Or maybe ditch the headband altogether and go with something like Phiaton’s BT 120 NC. This innovative neckband headphone features a barely-there collar that houses its earphones, so your personal listening entertainment is there when you need it and not when you don’t, so you won’t need to worry about digging for your carry-on when it’s time to return seatbacks and tray tables to their full upright and locked position. And the memory flex neckband is so lightweight, you’ll forget you’re wearing it.

A Way to Keep Listening When Batteries Die and There’s No Way to Recharge Them
While noise-cancellation is a must-have feature for air travel, it also eats up battery life. As does Bluetooth wireless connectivity. So, what happens when you’re fourteen hours into a sixteen-hour flight and the music stops?

With Phiaton’s wireless NC headphones, that’s not a concern. Thanks to Everplay-X, you can plug in a cable and keep on rocking (or listening to podcasts, or watching movies, or whatever keeps you entertained until you’re free from your aluminum prison).

A Way to Stay Connected with the Ones You Love (Or Just Kinda Like)
Of course, one of the downsides of all the escapism we’ve discussed so far is that you can end up feeling a little disconnected from the people you’re traveling with. That doesn’t have to be the case, though.

Remember the days of headphone splitters? Some Phiaton wireless headphones boast a feature called “ShareMe” that updates that old concept for the modern wireless age. With the 900 Legacy, for example, you have the benefits of excellent comfort, Everplay-X, and you can also pair it with another 900 Legacy wirelessly, so you and your travel companion can watch the same movie at the same time, or listen to the same album or playlist in perfect harmony.

By Dennis Burger

Updated March 24, 2021

Recommended Reads:

Can You Use Bluetooth Headphones on a Plane?

Essentials for a Long Flight: 3 Gadgets to Pack

Finding the Best Headphones for Travel: 3 Must-Have Features

Getting to and from work is enough of a grind even if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area. For those of you who do live in a decent-sized city, though, it can be an outright nightmare, whether you hop one train to get from your place to the office, or you have to switch tracks three times, take two buses, and hoof it by foot that last quarter-mile.

No matter how you get to work, though, good neckband headphones can make your commute that much more bearable. This innovative design provides instant accessibility with minimal inconvenience and discomfort, and a great balance between portability and features, making it ideal for business commuters on the go.

So, if you’re trying to get a little relief from your daily slog to and from the office, here are four big features to keep an eye out for when shopping for your next new headphones.

Noise Cancellation
This was our top feature to keep an eye out for when buying headphones for air travel, and it’s at the top of the list here for the same reason. The drone of bus engines, the click-clack and roar of a subway car, or just the general noise of commuter traffic can all wear you down, even over the course of a short commute. With a good neckband headphone like the CURVE BT 120 NC or BT 100 NC, you’ll not only get good isolation from outside sounds thanks to the four sets of included silicon ear tips—which come in a variety of sizes so you can find the best fit—but you’ll also get great active noise cancellation that samples the din around you and nips the most offensive noises in the bud.

Good Battery Life (Without Extra Bulk)
Of course, things like noise cancellation (not to mention wireless connectivity) do use a good bit of energy. And while you likely won’t need to get a full day’s use out of your headphones if you’re just using them for your daily commute, you likely need a bit more juice than your average wireless earphones provide.

The good news is, both the Phiaton BT 120 NC and BT 100 NC have extra space in their collars for battery space (and crucial electronics), so you’ll get between 6 and 12 hours of continuous use, depending on whether you need noise cancellation or other features. And if that doesn’t get you there and back again, you might want to check out the CURVE BT 120 NC with fast charge technology, or look around for a new job instead of a new set of headphones.

A Comfortable Collar
The collar that houses the electronics of a neckband headphone is one of the things that makes it so great for commuters. Then again, you’re going to be spending a good chunk of your day with the thing around your neck, so you want to make sure that it’s not a burden. The good news is, the BT 120 NC and BT 100 NC are both featherweight—the former weighing just 0.14 lbs. and the latter tipping the scales at a barely there 0.076 lbs. (that’s less than one tenth of a pound for those of you who aren’t commuting to and from accounting jobs). The BT 150 NC’s collar is also made from a rubberized memory flex material for enhanced comfort when you’re on the go.

What’s more, the sweat and water resistant CURVE BT 120 NC’s Memory flex neckband provides lightweight suspension behind the neck, features 12mm dynamic drivers and boasts active noise cancellation, cancelling low frequency noise by up to 95%.

Added Conveniences
When you’re at the mercy of public transportation, it’s always a good bet to expect the unexpected. That’s true of your personal audio solution, as well. That’s why Phiaton’s neckband headphones boast a handful of features designed to make your commute better when things don’t go exactly as expected.

Unexpectedly getting dragged into a conference call in the middle of your journey, for example. That’s not the nightmare you may expect, thanks to the CVC (Clear Voice Capture) technology built into Phiaton’s BT 220 NC and BT 100 NC. CVC works by applying a combination of background noise suppression and noise cancellation to ensure that everyone on the other end of the line can always hear your voice clearly, and you can hear theirs.

Worse than an unexpected conference call, though, is an unexpected dead battery. That’s where Phiaton’s Everplay-X technology comes in. If you do find yourself forgetting to charge your neckband headphones overnight, just pull out the included audio cable, connect it between your portable audio device and the headphones themselves, and you can keep on listening to your heart’s content.

By Dennis Burger

September 26, 2019

Recommended Reads:

The Best Headphones for Airplane Travel

Why Headphone Design Matters: How to Pick Between Headphone, Earphone, and Neckband Designs

Neckband Headphones: Why Is This Design Becoming So Popular?

 

 

Whether you’re flying the unfriendly skies, commuting to work, or just trying to listen to your tunes or podcasts with a noisy HVAC system roaring in your ear, a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones can save your ears and help preserve your sanity.

Unfortunately, though, you may be under the impression that all noise-cancelling headphones are prohibitively expensive. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. While it’s true that noise-cancellation circuitry does add to the price of a headphone or earphone (it is pretty sophisticated technology, after all), you can still find plenty of NC offerings, in all shapes and sizes, for less than the price of a pound of Wagyu beef.

If coast-to-coast flights are a regular part of your schedule, you might look into something like Phiaton’s $79.99 CURVE BT 120 NC, for example. This model features RightFit+ ear wings for a comfortable fit all day long and elimination of up to 95 percent of ambient noise.

It’s also a great option if you’re looking for something compact, as it consists of little more than the earbuds you stick in your ear and a cable that loops around your neck, with the electronics for wireless connectivity and noise-cancellation housed in the earbud cases themselves. As such, you get a five-hour battery life with NC on, 8.5 hours with it off—for shorter trips or your daily commute, that’s probably more than most people need.

For those of you who need to block out some noise while exercising or riding the bus or subway to work, you might find that a good neckband headphone is more your speed. The BT 100 NC ($79.99) gets a boost in battery life thanks to their comfy collars, which rest around your neck and keep your earphones constantly at the ready, so you don’t need to fiddle around in your pocket or bag when you need to block out the outside world. Both also offer great active noise-cancellation, with up to 7.5 hours of blissful, noise-free listening time.

The one common denominator with all the above noise-cancelling headphones is that they also offer wireless Bluetooth connectivity. However, if your portable media player doesn’t support Bluetooth, though, or your headphones run out of battery, there’s Everplay-X. Simply put, it’s a handy technological trick that transforms your favorite wireless Phiaton headphones into their wired equivalents. How does it work? Well, take the 900 Legacy or the BT 100 NC, for example. If you find yourself running out of juice and you’re just not ready to stop rocking yet, all you have to do is pop open the USB port cover on the headphone and plug in the included Everplay-X cable into the jack. Attach the other end to your phone, tablet, or other portable device, and you’re ready to keep on rocking.

By Dennis Burger

October 3, 2019                                                                  

Recommended Reads:

The Best Headphones for Airplane Travel

Noise cancellation & Sound quality: 3 Common Misconceptions

How Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Work: A Simple Explanation of the Physics of Sound

In a recent post, we discussed the features you should look for when shopping for the perfect headphones for air travel. That post assumed that you want to enjoy a wide spectrum of audio entertainment at 30,000 feet, but what if your needs are a little more specific? What if you mostly consume audiobooks and/or podcasts when flying? Your needs are probably a bit different.

For one thing, you likely don’t much care to dedicate even a modest amount of your carry-on space to larger over-ear or on-ear headphones. So, in this post, we’ll be focusing purely on smaller, more portable earphones that can easily be stashed in your pocket or simply left dangling around your neck when you’re done listening or sprinting to make your next connection.

In terms of key features to keep an eye out for, you’ll find that some remain the same, while others are considerably different. So, with no further ado, let’s jump right into those key features you need to keep in mind when shopping for a good set of earphones to keep the dulcet tones of Jim Dale or Roman Mars flowing to your ears on your next flight.

Noise cancellation is still a top priority
When most people think “noise cancellation,” they likely think of larger over- or on-ear headphones. But many earphones these days also feature sophisticated technology designed to sample the noise around you and block out most of the droning engine noise before it reaches your ears. You might not be inclined to think that’s not as important when listening to podcasts or audiobooks, but it is. That’s because most spoken-word entertainment doesn’t feature much in the way of dynamic range—in other words, there’s little variation in overall loudness. So, without noise cancelation, you might find yourself turning the volume way up on Me Talk Pretty One Day or Hardcore History just to hear it over the roar. That’s a recipe for hearing loss.

The good news is, active noise cancellation doesn’t make for a prohibitively expensive earphone the way it once did. You can find it on models as affordable as Phiaton’s wireless BT 330 NC with noise cancellation, Everplay-X, foldable design and convenient controls or the BT 120 NC, which also features Bluetooth wireless connectivity and handy in-line controls. Speaking of which…

Look for easily accessible controls
It’s one thing to miss a few beats of your favorite song due to an in-flight announcement or the arrival of the drink cart. When you’re listening to a good audiobook or podcast, though, you don’t want to miss a moment of it. That’s why good audio playback controls are almost more crucial in this case than in general. You need that pause/play button to be instantly accessible.

That’s part of the appeal of an earphone like the BT 100 NC, which features full in-line musical controls that allow you to take charge of your songs and calls without having to find your device.

Neckband headphones help stave off pocket-patting panic
If you fly with any regularity at all, you’ve no doubt experienced the following at some point: you’re deboarding the plane, anxious to make your connecting flight, when out of nowhere a sudden self-doubt strikes you in the pit of the stomach. Did you remember to bring your earphones with you? You didn’t put them in your carry-on, did you? Did you leave them in the pocket of the seat in front of you? Did you put them in your own pocket?

With a good neckband earphone like the BT 120 NC, you can leave that worry at home. With its comfy collar neckband and flexible cables, the BT 120 NC makes packing it away super easy. And they’re right there waiting for you around your neck when you’re ready to commence listening again. Plus, they feature all the niceties (and necessities) mentioned above, including world-class active noise cancellation and a slick combination of MultiPoint Connect and IPX4 water resistance for working out

By Dennis Burger

October 11, 2019

Recommended Reads:

One of the most exciting trends in the personal audio marketplace in recent years is the emergence of what are known as “true wireless” earbuds. As the name implies, true wireless models offer complete freedom from cables or other tethers. There isn’t even a cord of collar connecting each of the earpieces. As such, many people find them to be a more comfortable, more convenient, less constrictive listening experience, whether at the office or on the go.

Given the complete lack of cords or collars or any other encumbrances, true wireless earbuds deliver a completely self-contained listening and communication experience. Everything from batteries to wireless transmitters to microphones is contained within the two little cases that slip right into your ears, and charging is handled via the same carrying case used to store your true wireless ‘buds when they’re not in use.

Unsurprisingly, due to the explosion in popularity of this new design, you have quite a few models to choose from when shopping for true wireless earbuds, with prices ranging from as little as $50 to upwards of $1,000 or more. Understandably, it can be difficult to determine what makes one true wireless offering a better value proposition than the rest, especially across such a broad price range. So, in this post, we thought it would be helpful to compare Phiaton’s new BOLT BT 700 True Wireless Earphones ($139.99) with some of their most popular competitors, the Jabra Elite Active 65t ($189.99) and see how they stack up in terms of features, functionality, convenience, and control.

First thing’s first, let’s dip into what both the Phiaton BOLT BT 700 and Jabra Elite Active 65t have in common.

• Both feature Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity for longer range, lower energy consumption, and double the data transfer rate compared with Bluetooth 4.2.
• Both feature a handy charging carrying case.
• Both deliver up to five hours of playback time between charges, and take only two hours to reach a full charge.
• Both offer easy access to digital voice assistants: Siri or Google Assistant for the BOLT BT 700; Amazon Alexa, Siri, and Google Now for the Jabra Elite Active 65t.
• Both allow you to hear the world around you without removing your earbuds thanks to “HearThrough” in the case of the Jabra and “Audio Transparency Function” on the Phiaton, both of which work with music playing or in standby mode.
• Both offer extensive playback and call controls, including volume up/down, play/pause, answer/end call, reject call, next track/previous track, and more.
• Both offer iPX4 rated sweat and water resistance.
• Both are backed by a one-year warranty (although Jabra does extend dust and water resistance coverage to two years with in-app registration).

There are some noteworthy differences between the two offerings, though. The Phiaton BOLT BT 700 benefits from a few features that the Jabra Elite Active 65t lacks, including:

• Its portable charging case serves double duty as a portable Bluetooth speaker.
• Its case can recharge the earbuds more times, extending overall battery life to 20 hours, as compared with 15 hours on the Jabra.
• It features balanced armature drivers instead of dynamic drivers, which are smaller and generate louder sounds using less electricity than dynamic drivers. If you remember from our previous post, less power used means longer playtime between battery charges.
• It comes with four different sizes of silicon ear tips (XS, S, M, L) instead of three, which may be handy if you have trouble finding eart tips that fit.
• It features multifunction touch pad controls on both earbuds, instead of the asymetrical mix of buttons found on the Jabra.
• It’s a much better value at $139.99 retail (versus $189.99 retail).

Of course, it’s to be expected that different true wireless earbuds from different manufacturers would differ in terms of their feature sets. It really comes down to what features matter most to you as a consumer, and how much you want to spend to be freed from the tether of wires and headbands and neck collars altogether.

Dec 10, 2019

Recommended Reads:

Flying with the Best Earphones for your Audiobook or Podcast

Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $100

The Best Neckband Headphones for Commuters

 

Range in wireless headsets are an important factor to consider. Mobility in the office is very important to ensure efficiency in multitasking and increase work productivity. With a long effective headset range you will be able to move and work freely in the office. That is why finding a quality headset with a good range is very important. Some offices use the best Bluetooth office headsets for more mobility and some use top quality office headsets for work efficiency and range.  Here is a list of our top 4 Wireless Headsets with the Best Range:

Jabra Engage 75 Mono Wireless Headset System  (desk phone & PC) staff favorite

The new Jabra Engage 75 series claims to have a whopping 490 feet of range (optimal condition of course)!  The most distance any wireless headset on the market today.  It also has 13 hours of battery time, the most of any wireless headset.  Equipped with the new advance noise canceling microphone and a 128-bit encryption technology.  Weight only 64 grams, one of the lightest headsets available.  Jabra Engage 75 allows connection to 5 devices (2 USB, 2 Bluetooth, 1 desk phone).  You can easily switch between any one of the 5 devices with the touch panel on the base.

Key Features:

• Wireless Range: Up to 490 ft
• Wireless Technology: DECT 1.9 ghz
• Connection up to 5 devices (2 USB devices, 2 Bluetooth device and 1 analog desk phone)
• Advance Noise cancelling microphone
• Certified by Microsoft Skype for Business
• Talk Time: Up to 13 hours
• Allow up to 120 people using the same headset in the same location.

Jabra Engage 65 Stereo Wireless Headset System (desk phone & PC)

The Jabra Engage 65 Stereo Wireless Headset System is one of the most competitive and reliable headsets in the market for for loud and noisy workplaces and a top choice for work environments that use blended telephony. A wireless headset with two speakers that allows workers to accept calls from their office desks and soft-phone all with one headset, it has an effective talk range of up to 490 feet and 13 hours of talk time.

The Engage 65 Stereo headset offers one of the lightest headsets in the market, really comfortable and easy to use with just 83g of weight, considered one of the top of the lines from Jabra the Engage 65 Stereo also allow up to 3 times more wireless headset users in the same location without interference, specially designed for open office environment.

The Engage 65 come with an impressive noise canceling microphone that can block up to 60% of the background noise and with a built in busy light into it, allowing you to let people know when the user is in a call, making it a nice feature required in open office environments or call centers.

• Up to 490 feet wireless range
• Advance Noise cancelling microphone
• Certified by Microsoft Skype for Business

Jabra Engage 75 Convertible Wireless Headset System (desk phone & PC)

The Jabra Engage 75 convertible, replaces the respectable PRO 9470 Monaural Wireless Headset and it bypasses as one of the top of the line headset with wide talking range. It has a maximum range of 150m or 490 ft perfect for fast-paced multitasking office work. It has three different wearing styles, and triple connectivity for use with desk, soft and mobile phones.

Several state-of-the-art sound technologies enable the Jabra Engage 75 Convertible to deliver unrivaled call clarity and safety. A 360 degree boom arm adjustable with advanced noise canceling microphone and busy light , which is a nice feature to have when on the phone most of the time.

Key Features:

• Up to 490 feet wireless range
• Multiuse connectivity: desk, soft and mobile phones
• Intuitive touchscreen base for ease of use, showing connected devices, battery and call controls
• Full hearing protection with Jabra PeakStop
  Wideband sound (150 Hz – 6,800 Hz)

Sennheiser SDW 5066 Binaural Triple Connect Wireless Headset (desk phone & PC)

This headset from Sennheiser, the SDW 5066 offers a triple connectivity, that allows you to use it with your desk phone, computer and mobile phone, offering the versatility of 2 mobile devices simultaneously. Covering both ears and with Active Noise Canceling giving up to 590ft of range (line of sight) with a respectable battery life of up to 10 hours of talk time and fast charging of up to 100 % in just 1.5 hrs, making it one of the fastest charging headsets available in the market. The SDW 5066 offers the convenience of conference calling of 3 additional wireless headsets to the base, making it an option for people looking for a conference set up for their productivity.

Key Features:

• Up to 590ft range (line of sight), typical office 180ft range
• Ultra Noise Canceling Microphone
• Busy light built on the headset
• Triple-connectivity with a desk phone, mobile phone or Computer.  Connects to desk phone, softphone and up to 2 mobile devices simultaneously

Sennheiser SDW 5015 Convertible Dual Connect Wireless Headset (desk phone & PC)

The SDW 5015 offers the versatility of different wearing style, either over the ear, over the head or behind the neck, giving more options for the user. This headset offers a dual connectivity , so you can use it with your desk phone and your computer using the cables included with it. With a range of 590 ft (line of sight) and a conference calling or training set up, allowing up to 3 additional wireless headsets to be synchronized to the same base. With a talk time of up to 10 hours and a standby time of 48 hours, the Sennheiser SDW 5015 offers its auto sleep mode after 12 hours and being out of range to save battery. Fast charging is one of the qualities of this headset giving up to 50 % in 30 minutes, and with Sennheiser’s ActivGard technology that protects the users from injuries caused by the sound bursts on the line.

Key Features:

• Up to 590ft range (line of sight), typical office 180ft range
• Dual-connectivity with a desk phone or Computer (via USB port)
• 3 wear styles (over-the-head, over-the-ear, and behind-the-neck
• Noise Canceling Microphone