REVIEW – Truly wireless Earbuds have been out in the world for a while now, but I have yet to pick up a pair for myself. They seemed nifty, but I always felt they’d just fall out. After testing out my friend’s EarPods, I decided the next time I had an opportunity, I’d try some out. The Dodocool DA189 Earbuds were in my price range, so I thought I’d give them a try.

What is it?

Dodocool DA189’s are truly wireless earbuds that also boast being sweat and water resistant.

Hardware specs

• 42 mAh battery (headphones)
• 450 mAh battery (charging case)
• Working time: Up to 5 hours
• Standby time: 500 hours
• 10 m Wireless range

What’s in the box?

• Dodocool Earbuds
• Charging case
• Micro-USB cable
• 3 Eartips
• 3 Wings
• Instruction Manual

Design and features

The case/earbuds took a little over a few hours to charge up, but the case charges the earbuds in less than an hour. I really liked how compact the case was, and that it was solid and could easily be tossed around.. Or batted to the floor in the case of my cats. It was also really easy to remove and replace the earbuds in the case. There was a magnetic pull that locked them into place. I did notice, however, that a bump would loosen the connections enough to turn on the earbuds. Enough of these bumps drained the battery down. It seemed random though, as major bumps like floor drops didn’t seem to bump the connection.

Each time I used the earbuds, I would drop them into the case to charge, with the longest use time at around 2.5 hours. They would also turn themselves off when they were not in use. This allowed me to use them for a good amount of time before needing a recharge.

Setup

When I initially paired these to my phone, I could only get one headphone to work at a time. They wouldn’t talk to each-other! Despite the instructions, they would continue to work in mono mode. I am not sure what I did, but eventually, after several tries, I got them to work together. Since then, they’ve worked flawlessly together without going back to mono mode.

Performance

I used these headphones for a solid week thinking they had terrible sound quality. They would fit fine in my ears, but there was no bass at all. I took them for a run, and when stopping to adjust them on my way back, I managed to push one into a better fitting position. The sound quality was night and day! After that, I made sure to push inward more than standard Earbuds, and if I got it ‘suctioned’ in, the sound quality was good. The mids and highs on these were just average, but the bass/lows were above average for the price range once they were suctioned into my ear.

During my run, they stayed in place for the most part. I had to adjust them once before heading back, but since my ears are terrible for earbuds, I was impressed. The wings help a lot, and I am really glad those come in three different sizes so that I could find the one that fit just right. Not only did they fit correctly, but they were comfortable to wear for a few hours as well.

What I like

• Automatically connects to the phone when taken out of the case.
• Compact
• Customization for different ear sizes

What needs to be improved

• Earbuds are loose in the case causing them to turn on by bumping the case
• Pairing was a challenge

Final thoughts

Overall, the Dodocool DA189 Earbuds were ok for the price. They did stay in my ears during a run, and once I got the fit figured out, they had decent sound quality. I was disappointed when I went to use them when washing my car and they had no battery life due to being bumped every morning and evening on my nightstand. For less than $40 though, they weren’t too bad.

Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Dodocool.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: TWS earbuds

Dodocool DA189 True Wireless Earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 29, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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REVIEW – I’m not a big fan of earbuds, I prefer over the ear headphones. But, with Truly Wireless earbuds being all the rage these days I decided to give them another shot. I received a pair of EOZ AIR Truly Wireless earphones to review. Let’s see if they can change the way I feel about earbuds.

What is it?

The EOZ AIR earphones are Truely Wireless earphones that feature an around-the-ear design, auto-pairing Bluetooth 5, and up to 90 hours of playtime. 

Hardware specs

• Materials: Nano-coated ABS, Aluminum
  
• Microphone: Two beam forming microphones with intelligent ambient noise reduction 
• Speakers: Electro-dynamic, 8mm diameter graphene-coated driver
  
• Frequency: 20 – 20,000 Hz
• Battery: Earphones: 2x 50 mAh – 6 Hours of Playtime –  Charging case:  2200 mAh – 90 hours of Playtime 
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
• Charging type: USB Type-C
  
• Charging time: 80 – 90 minutes
  
• Sweat & water resistant: IPX5 Rating
  

What’s in the box?

• EOZ AIR earphones
• Charging case
• 3 pair of silicon ear tips & 2 pair of memory foam ear tips
• USB-C charging cable
• Vegan leather secure leash
• Membership card
• User manual

Design and features

Everything about the EOZ AIR earphones screams modern elegance. From the packaging to the earphones and charging case. You really feel like you’re getting something special from the moment you open the box.

The earphones feature a nano-coated ABS housing and glossy-black PVDed aluminum secure-fit tubes (the things that keep them from falling off your ears).

I chose to review the all-black version, but they’re also available in black & silver, black & gold, white & rose gold, and black & green.

The earphones don’t have any physical buttons which adds to their sleek look. All basic control functions are performed using the Touch Control Pad or TCP located on the outside of either bud. Functions are as follows:

• Play/pause: Single tap on either bud.
• Next song: Two taps on the right bud.
• Previous song: Two taps on the left bud.
• Answer call / End call: Single tap on either bud.
• Reject call: A 2-second-long-press on either bud.
• Siri / Google assistant: Three taps on either bud.

I found the TCP responsive and easy to use once I got used to it.

Small indicator lights on both buds show charging status, white = charging and no light/blue = fully charged.

Both buds have beam-forming microphones with intelligent ambient noise reduction used for phone calls and Siri / Google Assistant.

The charging case is all black, and the top has a brushed metal look with the EOZ logo embossed on it.

Inside the case, there are four LED battery level indicators that light up when the case is opened. Each LED represents the cases built-in battery level by 25% increments.

When fully charged the case provides 18 additional recharge cycles or 90 hours of additional playtime, and it charges using USB-C.

Pairing / Charging

The first time you take the buds out of the charging case, they automatically power on and go into pairing mode. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your device and select “EOZ AIR” to pair them. Each subsequent time you take them out of the case, they’ll power on and connect to the last paired device. When you place the buds into the case, they automatically shut off and start to charge. 

You can manually turn them on and off with a single press on either bud for 3 seconds.

If you want you can even pair and use just the right earbud on its own.

The earphones take 80-90 minutes to fully charge and have an impressive 5.5 hours of playback time out of the case.

Fit and feel

The thing that initially attracted me to these earphones was their around-the-ear design. I can’t use typical earbuds because for some reason they just fall out of my ears. I was a little concerned that the aluminum secure fit tubes that keep the buds on your ears would be uncomfortable, they weren’t. I could hardly feel them on the backs of my ears. The best part was that they kept the buds securely on my ears, even while working out at the gym. They stayed in place during all my exercises, never feeling in danger of falling out.

As far as in-ear fit goes EOZ provides several options here. I chose to go with the larger of the two sizes of memory foam ear tips (there are also 3 sizes of silicon ear tips). I found them to be a perfect fit and they were very comfortable. The memory foam created a good seal, keeping out an ample amount of ambient noise even when the music was off.

Once inside your ears, the buds have a low profile, so they don’t stick out like some of the other earbuds I’ve seen.

The EOZ AIR’s are the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn. But, keep in mind ears are as unique as fingerprints so your experience with fit and feel may be different.

Sound quality

The sound quality of these earphones isn’t going to blow you away. However, the sound is well balanced with just enough bass. So if you like a ton of bass, these aren’t for you.

The EOZ also paired flawlessly with my Apple TV, and the sound quality was very good without any lip sync issues.

Overall the listening experience was pleasant and as good as I’ve gotten from a pair of earbuds.

Call feature

I rarely use the call feature on headphones or earbuds, but the call quality on the EOZ AIR was good. Voices on both ends were very clear and audible, I’m assuming this had something to do with the intelligent ambient noise reduction and the dual beamforming microphones.

What I like

• Easy to use touch controls
• Around-the-ear design
• Extremely comfortable
• Quality balanced sound
• 5.5 hours playtime with an additional 90 hours from the charging case

What needs to be improved

• No on-board volume controls

Final thoughts

Just when I thought I was done with earbuds, the EOZ AIR Truly Wireless earphones pulled me back in.

Price: $109
Where to buy: EOZ website and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by EOZ.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: TWS earbuds

EOZ AIR Truely Wireless earphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 17, 2019 at 10:00 am.

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REVIEW – TWS (truly wireless stereo) earbuds are the latest advancement in Bluetooth earbuds. With this new feature, you can use either earbud individually or together and with Bluetooth 5.0, they have a longer range with the paired device allowing you to leave your phone in one part of the house while you’re enjoying your favorite tunes in another part. The latest TWS earbuds that I’ll be telling you about today are the Edifier TWS2 earbuds. Let’s check them out.

What is it?

Edifier TWS2 earbuds are earbuds that feature TWS technology and Bluetooth 5.0.

Hardware Specs

Bluetooth version: Bluetooth V5.0
Bluetooth profiles: HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP
Effective distance: 10m
Playback time: Approx. 12 hours (3hrs earbuds + 9hrs charging case)
Charging time: Approx. 1.5 hours
Input: DC5.0V 60mA (earbuds) DC5.0V 500mA (docking case)
Frequency response: 20Hz-20KHz
Sensitivity: 94dB
Impedance: 32Ω

What’s in the box?

• Edifier TWS2 earbuds
• 3 sizes of ear tips
• Charging case
• micro USB cable for charging
• Quick start guide

Design and features

Available in black, white, and red, I was obviously sent the red version of the earbuds which as you can see come in a matching charging case. Although it’s tough to see in the image above, there are 3 status LEDs in the black strip below the lid. When you open the lid, the LEDs will light up in white to give you an idea of how much battery life is left in the charging case’s built-in battery.

Unfortunately, the case charges with micro USB instead of USB-C. Come on guys, it’s 2019 for crying out loud!

The lid of the case flips open to reveal the TWS2 earbuds which are held magnetically in individual charging chambers.

Each earbud has a physical button on the outside, a microphone, and a status LED. The buttons function as:

• Single Press (Left/Right) – Play/Pause/Answer/End Calls
• Double Press – Next (Right Button) and Previous (Left Button)
• Triple Press (Left/Right) – Command Siri
• Press-hold 2 Seconds (Left/Right) – Disconnect
• Press-hold 5 Seconds (Left/Right) – Turn off

The status LED is on the side and blue indicates that it’s connected to the paired device, red shows low in battery, blinking blue and red means they are in pairing mode.

The inside surface has two electrical contacts for charging and what I believe is a 2nd microphone which you can barely see to the left of the L mark in the image above.

The earbuds have a hard slick plastic outer shell that makes it a little hard to get them out of the case if you have dry fingers like I do.

Fit and comfort

The Edifier TWS2 earbuds come with 3 different sized pairs of eartips so you can customize the fit. Once inserted into your ears, the earbuds stick out a little bit as you can see above. The red earbuds really stick out as far as the way they look. It looks like I have hearing protection earplugs in my ears.

As far as comfort goes, the TWS2s felt pretty decent. They fit snuggly in my ears and didn’t fall out if I was chewing food, walking, or jumping. Of course, you might not have the same experience as I did because it depends on the shape of your ears as to whether any earbud will fit well for you. But for me personally, the Edifier earbuds were surprisingly comfortable and fit well.

Sound quality listening to music and video

I tested the Edifier TWS2 earbuds with my Pixel 2 XL and with a Dell laptop at my day job. I tested by using Amazon Prime streaming music, Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix.

The TWS2s sounded better than other wireless earbuds that I’ve tested in their same price range. They have surprisingly good bass and crisp highs. I enjoyed all the types of music that I listened to while wearing them.

I was also happy that I could use the earbuds while watching streaming video on YouTube and Netflix. The audio and video synced very well with no noticeable delay which is awesome because my current favorites have a slight audio/video syncing delay problem.

Sound quality in calls

There weren’t any issues using the TWS2 buds for phone calls. Volume on the TWS2 side was ample and the opposite side of the calls said I sounded fine but they could tell that I was using a Bluetooth headset.

What I like

• Nice price
• Comfortable
• Pairs quick when you take them out of the case

What needs to be improved

• Can’t use each earbud by itself
• IPX4 is only splash resistant, so not a good choice for people who sweat a lot when they workout
• 3hr playback time out of the case seems short
• Can’t adjust volume directly through the earbuds

Final thoughts

The only thing they don’t offer is the ability to pair each earbud individually so that you can use the right earbud without first pulling the left earbud out of the charging case. Also, if you have both earbuds in your ears and put the left earbud back in the charging case, it will cause the right earbud to turn off. If that lack of functionality doesn’t bother you, the TWS2 earbuds from Edifier offer a good audio experience and a good value for shoppers on a budget.

Price: $79.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Edifier.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: TWS earbuds

Edifier TWS2 truly wireless stereo earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 4, 2019 at 12:13 pm.

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REVIEW – Last September, I reviewed the RHA (Reid Heath Ltd.) wireless MA750 in-ear headphones (earphones). I said, “… if you’re a fan of accuracy, wireless and durability, the MA750s may be what you’re looking for. While that’s still true, RHA has since come out with the RHA TrueConnect earbuds, a truly wireless earbud that rivals and bests the MA750s and even Apple’s own AirPods in some areas. 

What is it?

The RHA TrueConnect true wireless earbuds are just that—earbuds that are wireless—as in, no wires. It’s interesting that the difference between any brand’s truly wireless earphones vs regular wireless earphones is that the latter are connected to each other by—a wire. Go figure.

Even though they are officially called earbuds on the RHA website, the retail box states that the TrueConnect are in-ear headphones. Actually, the box is more accurate as the TrueConnect are an in-your-ear design, as opposed to a bud that rests just outside the ear—like Apple’s AirPods. Confused yet? That’s what I thought—so for the remainder of this review, I am using the term earphones.

Specs

• Sweat/splash resistance: IPX5
• Driver: 6mm dynamic
• Frequency range: 20-20,000 Hz
• Range (unobstructed): 30+ ft.
• Weight (earbuds): 13g
• Charging: 1.6 hours to 100%
• Manufacturer’s Warranty: 3 years

What’s in the box

• TrueConnect true wireless earphones
• Charging case
• USB C charging cable
• Silicone ear tips: S (2), M (3), 2XL (2)
• Comply Foam ear tips: S, M, L
• Stainless steel ear tip holder

Design and features

Even though this is a review of the TrueConnect earphones only, it’s hard not to compare them to Apple’s AirPods, so I will try to keep comparisons to a minimum (I may not succeed).

TrueConnect earphones are a bit unusual because while they mimic the design idea of the AirPods with their dangling mic, the similarity stops there. Two years ago, these elongated mics were considered weird and ugly, but the look is now accepted and an extended mic has a better chance at producing clearer sound when talking on the phone.

TrueConnect earphones come in a “soft-touch” black exterior with a matching soft-touch and aluminum charging case. They are more subtle looking than white and stay in the ear quite well. They’re thicker and heavier than AirPods but more comfortable over longer listening periods. Since they are in-ear, they offer good passive isolation. Plus, the added sweat-proof IPX5 moisture rating makes them perfect for using with noisy mowers and other tools for hot and sweaty summer yard work.

There are buttons on both the left and right earphone that perform both similar and different functions depending on how they are pressed or tapped and whether you are taking a call or listening to music. Here’s an example: If you press the right ear button twice while music is playing, the volume goes up. Press it twice while talking on the phone and it disconnects the call. It can get fairly confusing, but it becomes easier to remember once you get past the learning curve.

TrueConnect earphones come with a great selection of differently-sized silicone and foam ear tips—typical for RHA. The largest silicone ear tip works best for me. Foam isolates best, but requires more effort to insert and remove, so I generally ignore them.

Pairing TrueConnect earphones is easy. Once paired, smart devices remember the connection for almost instant re-pairing. Note that I said almost. It doesn’t always re-pair as quickly as I wish—especially when taking a call.

Placing and receiving phone calls worked well on my iPhone. I like to use only one earphone when making calls , but only the right earphone can be used solo. Using the left earphone (my preferred and stronger ear) did not work. By contrast, Apple’s AirPods are left/right agnostic, so either one works the same for calls.

One of the strengths of the TrueConnect earphones is how they sound. Granted, they are no match for quality wired earphones or headphones, but then again, no wireless earphones will sonically match wired. One day they will, but not yet. However, convenience more than makes up for any minor audio quality difference. 

Audio leans a bit towards a warmer, more forgiving sound, vs an analytical approach. Warmer and forgiving simply means that music is easy to listen to, whether it’s from a lower resolution MP3 or higher resolution file. More detailed earphones can and do sound better—unless the file is lower resolution. 

It doesn’t seem to matter what genre of music I play on the TrueConnect earphones. I recently fell in love with the soundtrack to the new Apollo 11 documentary. The soundtrack musician insisted on using only 50+ year-old analog electronic instruments that had to be available in 1969—the year Apollo 11 went to the moon. The result is an amazing piece of music. The TrueConnect earphones handled this soundtrack admirably—but again, when compared directly to a pair of good wired earphones, the TrueConnect earphones come up short.

The TrueConnect case is a handsome, well-made case. It will charge the earphones 4 times with a battery life of 5 hours per charge. That’s 25 hours—not bad at all! The case has the prerequisite lights to signal how much life is left in the case’s battery. The earphones can be brought to 50% charge in only 15 minutes. The design of the case is flat on the bottom for easy access. However, it’s kinda upside down. When the case is opened towards you, the right earphone is in the left space and vice versa. Plus, the printed logo on the top of the case is upside down. Only when the case faces away from you is everything in the right place. Weird. The case is charged via a USB-C to USB cord—a welcome change from the inferior and much slower mini USB.

What I like

 TrueConnect earphones are comfortable for longer periods—not as common as you might think. They sound better than most wireless earphones available—especially when listening to less-than-perfect music files. TrueConnect earphones have RHA’s now well-known quality built into their DNA and are backed by a three-year warranty. 

What needs to be improved

TrueConnect earphones could pair a bit quicker when taking a call. They sound better and offer improved isolation over Apple’s AirPods, but is it enough to justify its high price—$11 higher than the overpriced AirPods?

Final Thoughts

It’s becoming a cliche, but RHA has hit it out of the park with the TrueConnect earphones. They sound good for music listening, are comfortable, well made, have great battery life and don’t look dorky. You can’t ask much more than that if you have the budget.

Price: $169.95 US
Where to buy: RHA and Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by RHA.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: TWS earbuds

RHA TrueConnect true wireless in-ear headphones review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 23, 2019 at 11:00 am.

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