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Sennheiser CX 400BT

Our Verdict

While slightly compromised in the features department, the CX 400BT are sonic marvels – and, at this price, hugely appealing

For

Lively, detailed sound
Lightweight fit
Excellent value for money

Against

Battery life below the best
Not waterproof

Such is the popularity of true wireless earbuds today that you can go to the website of many established headphone brands and take your pick from several models across a range of price points. Sony, Bose and JBL, for example, all have at least a few pairs in their line-up.

But Sennheiser’s offering has, like Apple’s, been streamlined down to two models: the premium, noise-cancelling Momentum True Wireless 2 and the more affordable CX 400BT without noise-cancelling that we have on test here.

Sennheiser would no doubt argue the case for quality over quantity, and while the CX 400BT may not have the sleekest name, the fanciest design or even the most generous feature set, they are more sonically gifted than most at this level.

These Sennheisers launched at double the price but now inhabit the increasingly populated £100 ($100, AU$150) arena, making them some of the best-value budget earbuds we’ve come across.

Build

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

Compared with the excellent Momentum True Wireless 2, the CX 400BT lack active noise-cancelling, smart pause functionality and IPX4 splash resistance, and have an inferior battery life. Their specs next to their pricier sibling seems fair and is to be expected, although we would like to see a few more features from the CX 400BT.

Sennheiser CX 400BT tech specs

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

Bluetooth version 5.1, aptX

Battery life 20 hours

Charging USB-C

Weight 6g (each earbud)

Their combined battery life is 20 hours (seven hours from the buds, plus a further 13 hours from the charging case), which is less than that offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch (50 hours) and Melomania 1 (45 hours), the Earfun Air Pro (35 hours), JBL Reflect Flow (30 hours) and Apple AirPods (24 hours).

We’d also like some degree of sweat- or water-resistance, as featured on many of the Sennheiser’s rivals. Without that, the CX 400BT aren’t recommended for sportswear, and you don’t get the peace of mind that they’d survive being caught in a rain shower.

They do support Bluetooth 5.1 support and mobile app features, though – neither of which is a given at this level. The former promises high-quality, far-reaching Bluetooth transmission, while the latter opens doors to EQ adjustment and control customisation.

Out of the box, the left earbud can be tapped once to play or pause music, twice to jump backwards a track, and held down to reduce volume. On the right earbud, one tap activates your phone’s voice assistant or accepts incoming calls, two taps jump forward a track or rejects calls, and holding it down increases volume.

The playback functions can be reallocated or turned off in the Sennheiser Smart Control app, which is also where you can alter the earbuds’ EQ and save EQ presets. However, unless you’re someone who often adjusts the EQ, it’s likely you’ll use the dedicated app once during set-up and then rarely, if ever, again.

Comfort

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

While touch controls can sometimes be hit and miss with earbuds, the relatively large, flat surface area of the CX 400BT’s touch panels make the controls easy and reliable to use. The Sennheiser’s design is more functional than fancy, but that’s more of an observation than a complaint. And besides, who can argue with designs that just work?

Their oval housings require a push and twist motion for them to nestle nicely in the ears – we’re talking a bit of encouragement, rather than any forceful manhandling – and when in place are comfortably lightweight (6g each) and unobtrusive.

They are just over 2cm deep, so will protrude slightly out of shallower ears. The fit is as versatile as you’d expect, thanks to the four different sizes of silicone ear tips included in the box.

Sound

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

Sennheiser is one of the most consistent brands when it comes to sound quality, so expectations are high as we play The Weather Station’s Parking Lot via Tidal. The CX 400BT are instantly likeable: they’re lively and clear-cut, and their relatively open presentation is infused with clarity and generously peppered with detail.

Their inherently energetic, musical nature, which is forward yet not exhausting, can’t help but lap up the track’s jaunty piano melody and bassline. As cymbals, strings and vocals come into the increasingly dense mix, the Sennheisers manage to keep a tab on everything in the name of rhythmic precision.

Similarly, play Black Country, New Road’s Instrumental from their debut album and the rhythm track is presented with gusto and insight. If anything, their up-for-it presentation makes it all the more frustrating that the CX 400BT aren’t particularly good running headphones, because they would undoubtedly spur you on to reach that finish line.

There is enough in their sonic repertoire to keep them interesting when their zest isn’t required, too. Bass is taut and agile, mids are expressive and particularly open, and a crisp, present treble doesn’t let the side down. There’s plenty of detail and dynamic subtlety in a more technical, classical track, such as Ólafur Arnald’s piano-led nyepi, although if your budget can stretch to the likes of the pricier Sennheisers or Sony WF-1000XM3, there is a clear step up in class when it comes to outright transparency.

It has to be said that the CX 400BT’s sparkle comes at the expense of a little refinement. The similarly priced, five-star Panasonic RZ-S500W, for example, offer a smoother, more sophisticated balance that has a level of finesse we wish the Sennheisers possessed – even if the CX 400BT counter with a more energetic listen.

Verdict

When you have two superb-sounding true wireless earbuds in your arsenal – one with ANC at the premium end of the market, and one without at the more affordable end – why would you need any more?

We would have liked the CX 400BT to have a more versatile, sportier design, and perhaps this is where a third pair of truly wireless Sennheisers could be justified, but there’s no doubt that the reputable German audio brand has mastered the sound quality aspect. The CX 400BT would have been recommendable at their original launch price, but now discounted, they are truly excellent value.

SCORES

Sound 5
Comfort 5
Build 4

MORE:

Read our guide to the best wireless earbuds

Read our Panasonic RZ-S500W review

Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 review

Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite on turntables, soundtracks and live church recordings

(Image credit: Brian Sweeney)

This interview was originally published by What Hi-Fi? in March 2016.

It is easy, often and now especially, to become consumed by technology. It is easy to allow the romanticism of music, the entire grounds for that technology, to be camouflaged. That is why, speaking with Stuart Braithwaite, guitarist, vocalist and songwriter of post-rock deities Mogwai, it is ultimately uplifting listening to this self-confessed non-techie discuss sound so passionately, relatively unfocused on the mechanics or mathematics behind its reproduction.

Unfocused is not to say uninterested, of course. In fact, when we speak with him, Stuart is in the process of fixing up an out-of-commission Linn turntable he’s been gifted by a friend, and can speak proudly of what is a thoughtfully and impressively pieced together stereo system.

We also speak with Braithwaite in anticipation of Mogwai’s latest record, Atomic, a soundtrack to Mark Cousins’ documentary film of the same name about the atomic age. It’s the band’s third major soundtrack, following on from Zidane: A 21^st Century Portrait (2006) and for the first series of French supernatural TV show Les Revenants (2012), and we discuss how writing and recording for screen differs to a studio album, also from project-to-project, and about the process of readying a soundtrack for release as a record.

An avid reader of our reviews can hardly have failed to notice our admiration for Braithwaite’s work, nor, in a more pragmatic sense, its worth for testing hi-fi equipment, so we also take this opportunity to ask for his recommended test discs and what it is he’s listening for from his kit. In short, it’s as interesting and revealing a half-hour natter about music as we’re likely to have.

40 of the best 1990s albums to test your speakers

Collaboration outside the band

What Hi-Fi?: Well it makes sense to begin with speaking about Atomic. What’s the process when you’re writing and recording a soundtrack; how is that different to recording a studio album?

Stuart Braithwaite: Well I think the main difference is the music isn’t just for us. When we’re making our own album then the only thing we’re bothered about is the whole band being happy with the music, whereas if it’s a soundtrack then you’ve obviously got other people who are involved, who’ve got to approve and think that the music works as well. So it’s really just more of a collaboration, a collaboration out of the band, compared to an album, which is just the band members getting the music together to our satisfaction.

WHF: Do you see the footage beforehand and write music for specific scenes, or is it more about getting a few ideas together and letting directors decide what to do with it?

SB: The processes have been different. With Atomic, we wrote the music to the scenes, whereas with Les Revenants we just provided an awful lot of music and they just told us where they wanted to put it. So it depends from project to project, but usually we’ll have an idea of the sort of atmosphere of the film. Atomic was a little bit different because there were very different sections of it that have very different emotions and atmospheres to them, but with Zidane and Les Revenants they both had very distinctive atmospheres that we were kind of writing within.

WHF: Had you seen Zidane and Les Revenants beforehand, or was that from speaking with the directors?

SB: With Zidane they’d already made the film, so we came in once the thing was completely shot; they were just editing. Les Revenants we started before they’d even shot anything, it was all just from the story and the references the directors gave us. With Atomic it was kind of self-explanatory, but we were very involved with Mark Cousins, the director, discussing what he wanted, how he wanted things to feel.

In the studio

WHF: You don’t release the album of Atomic until April; what goes on in those in between months?

SB: Essentially the music is the same, but we just spent a bit more time, filled it out a little bit more, wrote a few new parts, changed different sounds; we just really developed it. I think we just wanted to take the opportunity to work on it a little bit more; that was the main motivation.

WHF: What is the recording process like for you; what’s your routine?

SB: We tend to start in the morning getting the basic sounds up; we very often record the bass and the drums together and then overdub the other instruments. [Overdubbing] gives you a bit more time to think about what to play. Usually we’re still writing parts; usually the structure and the basic shape of the music is done, but quite often we’ll still be writing parts.

WHF: Do you ever find yourself not knowing when to stop?

SB: Oh we always put too many parts on, but that’s just a decision further down the line, when we’re mixing we can pick and choose. No-one in the band really has much of an ego about things not getting used or anything like that.

WHF: What sort of things are you listening for when deciding which parts to keep and which to drop?

SB: Really just what sounds good. I mean, that sounds pretty obvious, but really just what works well with the song, what is different, what is new. We’ve made so many records and recorded so many songs that quite often you can do something and it’s not that dissimilar to something you’ve done before. So you obviously pull more towards something different.

Clinging on to CD

WHF: Let’s talk about home; what do you use?

SB: I’ve got a Moon amp, I think it’s a 250i; I’ve got KEF R700 speakers; I’ve got a Pro-Ject turntable, but my friend’s actually given me a Linn turntable that’s missing some parts, so I’ve been getting the parts and I’m going to sort that all out pretty soon; I’ve also got a little KEF Muo Bluetooth speaker for listening to music in other parts of the house.

WHF: What do you use as your main source?

SB: I’d say probably about 50 per cent vinyl, 50 per cent streaming through my Apple TV, to be honest with you. I still listen to CDs actually quite a lot, too; I’ve got a Cambridge Audio CD player. I’m kind of still clinging onto the CD era, even though I rarely buy them I’ve got a load that I bought in the 1990s.

WHF: We often play Mogwai when testing products. When you’re choosing hi-fi, what kind of music do you listen to generally?

SB: I would rather go for something that’s well recorded, like a classically recorded record rather than something really lo-fi. But one of my neighbours has got an insanely good stereo, and actually whenever you play something that was recorded in someone’s garage it sounds really horrible because it brings everything out that’s there. I really like listening to a lot of modern classical, like Max Richter, or possibly some sort of electronic music like Boards Of Canada or Aphex Twin; I think that stuff always sounds really, really good on a great system.

WHF: And what’re you listening to at the minute?

SB: I actually got this really wonderful album on Erased Tapes by a guy called Lubomyr Melnyk; it’s called Rivers and Streams. It’s absolutely brilliant, it’s a solo piano record, it’s one of the best records I’ve heard for years and I’m really, really enjoying that.

I also really like a lot of early African-American music, and I got a great box set on Dust To Digital called Art Of Field Recording Volume Two. It’s a four CD box, and the CD of religious music is absolutely amazing; one of the best things on it I’ve heard for years, I think it’s track four, it’s a piece called New Prospects, it’s just a live recording from a church, it really stopped me in my tracks, it’s one of the best things I’ve heard for a long, long, long time. It sounded absolutely amazing on the stereo, it sounded like you were there, which I suppose is the desired effect.

WHF: With such eclectic taste and the influence of that must have on your own work, is that something you just absorb naturally or are you ever listening intently for ideas for your own writing or recording?

SB: I think of ideas more than actual techniques or anything like that, I’m actually not a very techie person at all, but actually thinking about what’s happening with the music and how that could be applied to the type of instrumentation we use or the way melodies interact with each other, whether that’s something we could use. I’m just interested in how different people work.

WHF: What’s most important to you when you’re listening to hi-fi?

SB: I think space is really important, I think when you can really hear the proper sound of the instrument. I really like acoustic recordings and one of my favourite guitar players is Robbie Basho, the twelve-string player; to be able to hear the way each string resonates with the other strings, having the space to hear that kind of detail is important. I mean, there’s also a lot to be said for having so much music going on that you can’t tell what the hell’s going on as well, I think both extremes are absolutely wonderful.

Mogwai’s new album Atomic is on sale now

MORE:

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The Verge’s favorite audio gear

Ever since Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville recorded an almost undecipherable version of the French song “Au Clair de la Lune” in the mid-19th century, it’s been clear that the technology that you use to produce and listen to sounds can affect your experience. Even now, about 150 years later, the quality of your gear can mean the difference between a tinny, nearly unrecognizable noise or a fully realized aural experience.

As you can imagine, the people here at The Verge spend a lot of time listening to a variety of digital sounds — whether it’s online meetings, music, podcasts, videos, or sound checks of their own multimedia productions. We asked the staff what their favorite devices were to either listen to, enhance, or produce their digital sounds. Here’s what they talked about.

Plantronics Explorer 500 Bluetooth headset

Plantronics Explorer 500

Photo: Poly

About six years ago, I reviewed a midlevel Bluetooth headset from Plantronics (now Poly) called the Explorer 500. It was a small, nicely built, single-ear headset, and it came with a short USB cable with ends that magnetically snapped together to become a loop. I thought it was a pretty good piece of tech at the time, so I bought one — and I’m still using it. Of course, it’s not great for music (it uses only one ear, after all), but it’s incredibly convenient to have it hanging on a loop in my bag so I can grab it for a quick phone call or if I want to listen to a podcast. And surprisingly, the battery still holds a reasonable charge. One of these days, I’ll have to invest in a fully wireless headset so I can have fully mobile music as well — but until then, my Explorer 500 serves me well. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor

AudioQuest Dragonfly USB DAC

AudioQuest Dragonfly series

Photo: AudioQuest

AudioQuest’s Dragonfly portable digital-to-analog converter (DAC) brings higher-quality audio to your devices. Most laptops, tablets, and smartphones don’t have great DACs or don’t natively support hi-res files like FLAC (nor tell you when they don’t), but with the Dragonfly, you’ll be able to listen to uncompressed audio up to 24-bit / 96kHz. There’s also an LED light on the device that changes colors to indicate which sample rate is being supported at the moment. AudioQuest makes three separate models: the basic Dragonfly Black; the Dragonfly Red, which uses a higher-performance DAC chip; and the Dragonfly Cobalt, its highest-end model.

In order to take full advantage of the Dragonfly, you’ll also need an adapter for your phone with a Lightning-to-USB-A adapter for an iPhone or a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter for an Android device. Portability is the biggest feature here — swapping between my phone and my laptop is the reason I’m recommending this for anyone who wants one gadget that will let you listen to hi-res audio on any device. — Andrew Marino, audio engineer

Audio-Technica ATH-M50 headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Photo: Audio Technica

Alright, yes, I’m aware that these are pretty much already the internet’s favorite pair of wired, over-ear headphones. But seriously: I’ve had mine for six years now, and they’ve held up great. Sure, the pleather on the headband is starting to flake off, and I had to replace the ear cups a while back, but they sound just as good as the day I got them. I find that music just sounds fun with them — not too analytical, like my DT-770 Pros can sometimes be. The Audio-Technicas are for sure not reference headphones, but that’s probably not what most people are actually looking for.

They were also a great price, especially compared to their Bluetooth counterparts. And honestly, I’ve been falling out of love with wireless headphones for anything other than working out, though that’s probably a problem with me, not them. Either way, the newer version, the ATH-M50x (the ATH-M50 has been discontinued), has a removable cable so you don’t have to worry about being saddled with the ridiculously long cables that sometimes come with fancy headphones. (Another version, the ATH-M50xBT, disposes of the cable entirely.) — Mitchell Clark, news writer

Antlion Audio ModMic USB microphone

Antlion Audio ModMic USB microphone

Photo: Antlion Audio

It seems like everyone’s getting big standalone microphones for their desks during the pandemic, but I don’t want to give up any precious real estate. A solution that works better for my needs is Antlion Audio’s ModMic USB microphone. It’s cleverly designed. First, you adhere a small circular base (about the size of a large chocolate chip) to the side of your headphones, then the microphone itself can be magnetically attached and detached at will. I like being able to quickly turn my headphones into a gaming headset, or to get ready for a meeting appearance, then back to regular headphones by detaching the mic. I use one with my Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro open-back headphones and it helps me get more out of the kit I already own.

This particular microphone has two modes you can switch between: omnidirectional (made for broadcasts) or unidirectional, which helps to capture just your voice if you’re in a noisy environment. The sound quality of a voice recording made with the ModMic is very good — far better than most of the gaming headsets I’ve tried. The microphone is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux, PS4, and PS5.

The downside is this model costs about $70. Also, if your headphones are wired, introducing this mic’s wire into the fray can get a little tough to manage. For me, the price is worth the effort. Antlion also makes an all-wireless rechargeable microphone for $120, if you want to go that route, which also has dual mic modes and can stick to your headphones with adhesive. — Cameron Faulkner, writer

AirPods

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

I love my AirPods and I have since my first pair. They’re lightweight, they charge up quickly in their case, and they sound good enough for what I need them for, which is mostly hearing notifications, listening to podcasts, and watching YouTube videos. It helps that I’m an iPhone and a Mac user, as they work really well with both devices.

I think I like the original AirPods more than the Pros, though. While the Pros offer some welcome upgrades like active noise cancellation and water and sweat resistance, they just don’t fit my ears as well. The original AirPods never fell out, but the AirPods Pro will slowly slip out if I’m talking or eating, and sometimes when I’m running. That means I’m constantly readjusting them if I’m doing anything besides sitting completely still. (To be fair, I’m sitting completely still a lot of the time right now.)

Here’s hoping that the next version of the Pros will fit my ears just a little bit better. If they do, they’ll likely become one of my favorite Apple products ever. — Jay Peters, news writer

Rode RodeCaster Pro podcast production

Rode RodeCaster Pro podcast production

Photo: Rode

This four-mic input audio interface by Rode makes it significantly easier to set up a full podcasting session with a design that mimics a live mixing board. You can record multitracks onto your computer or internally on a microSD using a USB-C connection.

As someone who mostly mixes podcasts after they’re recorded, this setup is more appealing to me for live streaming on Twitch or YouTube. You also get built-in customizable sound banks, compression and EQ settings, multiple outputs for monitoring, and an intuitive design for traditional live mixing.

Fun tip: it’s also a great way to record phone call interviews by pairing the RodeCaster Pro with your smartphone via Bluetooth. — Andrew Marino

HyperX QuadCast microphone

HyperX QuadCast

Photo: HyperX

I’d been looking to upgrade my microphone for a long time, but I was unsure which product to go with. A few friends recommended the HyperX QuadCast, and that’s what I ended up buying.

Previously, I used a Blue Yeti microphone, but I felt the audio quality was unsatisfactory on my end. I wanted to make sure I was buying a microphone that was not too cheap and not too pricey and, most importantly, had a nice cable lengthy so I did not have to rearrange my desk. Compared to the Blue Yeti, I found the HyperX QuadCast had great clarity and picked up the subtle details from my audio output.

I really enjoy the somewhat unconventional design of the QuadCast; it comes with straightforward controls, a stand, and a shock mount adapter for boom arms if you want to mount the microphone closer to you. I also find it convenient that the mute button is on top of the microphone. It makes it easy to mute myself quickly while on Zoom or Discord. —Taylor Lyles, writer

Sonos Five speaker

Sonos Five

Photo: Sonos

I’ve never found a single smart speaker that sounds better, and I like that there are no microphones inside. Those are the main bullet points for why I’ve had a Sonos Play:5 — recently refreshed as the Sonos Five — on my desk for several years now. For a speaker that doesn’t have a 360-degree design, the Five still produces a very satisfactory soundstage that can fill most rooms. It can kick out ample bass without overpowering the highs and mids of your music. It takes two of most other smart speakers paired together to come anywhere close to what the Sonos Five can deliver. (Granted, it had better sound damn good for $500.)

Pretty much every audio app under the sun is supported through the Sonos app, including hi-fi options like Tidal and Amazon Music HD. The Sonos Five works with Apple AirPlay, and there’s a 3.5-millimeter aux input for wired playback. (You can also use this to get a turntable hooked into your Sonos system.)

No, there’s no built-in voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant included here. But some people will appreciate the absence of always-listening mics. And adding an assistant to the mix after the fact is easy, either via another Sonos speaker like the One or simply by hooking up an Echo Dot or Nest Mini.

It’s just a shame that the white and black combo Play:5 colorway is no more; I think that was the best-looking speaker Sonos ever made. — Chris Welch, news editor

How Sonos wireless headphones could stand out from the crowd (because they’ll need to)

(Image credit: German Patent and Trademark Office)

Sonos is developing a pair of wireless, potentially noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones. The company hasn’t confirmed as much, but filed patents and subsequent rumours and reports all point in the same direction.

They could be officially unveiled as soon as next month – Sonos is hosting a product launch on 16th March for, as suggested by the event’s invite, a ‘portable’ product, although behind the curtain could just as likely be a smaller version of the Move Bluetooth speaker (also heavily rumoured). Alternatively, the Sonos headphones could arrive later in the year as the company’s second new product promised for 2021. Wherever they appear on our timeline, Sonos wireless headphones are almost certainly coming. The question is, does the world want them?

In short, we expect it does. The prospect of this inevitable Sonos expansion excites us, anyway. But in a wireless headphones market awash with excellent pairs, Sonos needs a unique selling point or two, not to mention competitive sound quality. Apple recently managed to separate its AirPods Max from Sony, Bose and Sennheiser rivals with Apple-centric features and a significantly higher price tag (which we found to be justified thanks to their superior sound quality).

Does Sonos have what it takes to carve out its own corner of the headphones market and garner mass appeal? Again, we believe so. And here’s how it could do it.

Sonos wireless headphones: release date, rumours, and all of the news

Sonos headphones ‘swap’

Sonos hasn’t become one of the world’s best and most popular audio brands by following the herd. It more or less spawned the multi-room speaker market nearly 20 years ago, and it continues to dominate, despite a wealth of competition. It’s maintained favour through consistent operational seamlessness, unique features and exemplar sound, and it is these strengths of the Sonos ecosystem that will need to translate into the Sonos headphones experience.

Sonos products are all about working together, so it’s impossible to imagine a beatnik Sonos outsider that sits on the edge rather than properly inside the ecosystem. Sonos users will undoubtedly want a Sonos-savvy pair of headphones – otherwise, what’s the point? – and Sonos appears to be on the same wavelength. At least in one aspect, anyway.

In the approved patent is mention of a ‘swap’ feature, which would let owners simply and easily pass the music playing on their Sonos headphones to one (or more) of their Sonos speakers. The patent reads: “For example, if a particular piece of content play is currently playing on the wireless headphone, a swap changes the playback to play that piece of content on one or more other playback devices on the local network.”

It sounds similar to how iPhones can ‘hand-off’ music to a HomePod or HomePod mini (and vice versa) by simply putting the devices close to one another, but this would mark the first implementation of this kind of feature in a pair of headphones. We imagine a similar process would work between a pair of Sonos headphones and Sonos speaker, but perhaps the headphones could even sport a button or touch gesture to initiate this.

Maybe the user could set the headphones to automatically send music to a particular Sonos ‘zone’ when they detect your home network when you step in the door. It would be a neat asset (albeit, alone, not a huge selling point) that would no doubt appeal to existing Sonos users.

Sonos: everything you need to know
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Sonos zones and app control

This Sonos system integration brings up the matter of a wi-fi network, which is how the Sonos system connects together. Now, Sonos is hardly going to launch a pair of wireless headphones without Bluetooth connectivity. This is almost essential to connect to your phone, tablet or portable music player while you’re out and about, but including wi-fi connectivity as well could open the gateway to further Sonos-centric functionality.

For one, it’d open up the possibility of including the headphones in a ‘zone’ in your Sonos system. They could be part of your ‘TV’ zone, for example, alongside your Sonos Beam or Arc, to be used simultaneously or as an alternative. Would they have support for surround sound decoding (including Dolby Atmos, as supported by the Arc) or perhaps a proprietary pseudo-surround sound feature comparable to Apple’s spatial audio?

The Sonos S2 app – the puppet-master of the Sonos system – could also step in as a useful means of headphones control. Many headphones come with dedicated apps that allow the owner to personalise their pair, alter EQ and see battery life, but the Sonos app could, if compatible with the headphones, offer wearers access to a slew of streaming services and sources – all aggregated in one place, rather than from a range of apps on their phone – offering a nifty means of control within the home environment.

Sonos S2 update: the lowdown on Sonos’ latest platform

Bluetooth and wi-fi: better sound quality?

There’s also the potential of wi-fi offering better sound quality, too. Bluetooth has come a long way to conveniently deliver high-quality, wireless audio, currently peaking with the aptX HD standard (which supports up to 24-bit/48kHz), but if owners could connect their headphones directly to a wi-fi home network, rather than only to a phone over Bluetooth, it could potentially mean longer range a more stable connection and high-resolution audio support.

While we’re only too aware of Sonos’ neglect of the latter to date, the increase in audio bandwidth that comes with Sonos S2 app has left us hopeful for future support of hi-res FLAC and maybe even MQA music.

Again, such network reliance would surely make this feature a home-only experience, but it would perhaps make the Sonos wireless headphones the most convincing best-of-both-worlds solution out there.

Sonos Trueplay for headphones

Sonos Trueplay is an auto-calibration technology that tunes Sonos speakers for the room they live in to deliver the best sound possible. The question here is could Trueplay be adapted to customise your Sonos headphones experience?

Instead of working to ensure a speaker sounds great tucked away in a corner or sandwiched between a stack of books, could Trueplay for headphones automatically adapt their sound to your surroundings in real-time, as ‘adaptive noise-cancellation’ does? Trueplay for headphones could also go down the route of helping create a customised sound profile to match the headphones’ sonics specifically to someone’s hearing system, as headphones like nuraphones do.

Generally, with Sonos speakers, Trueplay works by using the microphones in your iPhone. The exception to this is the Sonos Move, which uses internal mics of its own. As wireless headphones tend to have mics, we think the implementation of such a feature could be a real possibility.

Why I will never own a pair of noise-cancelling headphones

Nailing everything else – including price

Naturally, while the Sonos wireless headphones have plenty of potential to stand out from the crowd, they’ll also want to stand in line with their rivals when it comes to popular features and competitive specs. That includes active noise-cancellation, a 20-to-30-hour battery life with USB-C charging (including fast-charging), and increasingly common functions like auto-pause and ‘transparent hearing’ mode.

And then there’s the price. The Sonos wireless headphones have been tipped by Bloomberg sources to launch at about £220 ($300, AU$400), which would keep them well clear of the Apple AirPods Max; undercut Sony’s range-topping class-leaders, the WH-1000XM4, plus the current crop from Bose and Sennheiser; and put them more or less in the firing line of still-popular, last-generation models like the Sony WH-1000XM3.

Really, Sonos’ experience with driver hardware and audio processing, its near-faultless history of aesthetic and usability design, and of course its nailed-on mass appeal puts it in a great position to not only enter but usefully expand the headphones world. Let’s hope Sonos makes the most of it.

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Dali Oberon 1 C

Our Verdict

Whichever connectivity hub you choose, the Oberon 1 C package promises sonic satisfaction in spades

For

Detailed, musical sound
Superb midrange clarity
Two Sound Hub options

Against

Not the last word in authority
Slight lack of bass depth

The shared pursuit of love and happiness aside, not everyone is after the same thing – as Dali acknowledges in the design of its latest stereo speaker system, the Oberon 1 C. Audio systems, whether they are modest all-in-one micros or more ambitious active speaker types, often adopt a one-size-fits-all model – it’s part of their convenient, fuss-free selling point, after all. However, the Oberon 1 C have been designed to appeal to more than one kind of buyer and set-up.

Features

(Image credit: Dali)

This standmounter package belongs to a three-strong active speaker system series, which also incorporates the 7 C floorstanders and On-Wall C wall-mounted speaker and is based on the Danish company’s Oberon passive speaker range. As Dali’s most affordable active range, they sit beneath the Rubicon C and Callisto C series, which are themselves based on passive speaker ranges.

However, the Oberon C models are a slightly different proposition to their active system siblings, largely due to their more accessible nature. While the brains of the Rubicon C and Callisto C speakers lie in a separate wireless network preamplifier called the Sound Hub, the Oberon C package introduces a smaller, modified version of this box, the Sound Hub Compact.

Dali Oberon 1 C tech specs

(Image credit: Dali)

Bluetooth aptX HD

Power 4x 50W Class D amps

Finishes x4

Dimensions (hwd) 27 x 16 x 23cm

Weight 4.4kg

This box is packaged with the Oberon 1 C, but you can choose to have the original Sound Hub instead for a £250 premium. Going down the hub route, rather than packing all the connectivity inside the speaker cabinets, allows Dali to offer upgradeable boxes in the future. From an aesthetic point of view, it also gives owners the option to keep cables from connected sources away from speakers. But why two hubs? Dali feels that this price point makes the Oberon 1 C (and 7 C) an alternative to a soundbar, for those after a higher-performing TV-based system with a more convincing stereo soundstage than offered by a single bar.

The Sound Hub Compact’s connectivity certainly reflects those ambitions. There’s an HDMI ARC socket providing one means of connecting to a TV, allowing the TV remote to control the Oberon 1 C’s volume adjustments and, as the hub also supports auto input switching, largely negating the need for the system’s provided remote.

Optical inputs provide another, with one geared towards TV connectivity so that the Sound Hub can automatically power up when the TV is turned on. There’s also aptX HD Bluetooth – handy for wirelessly playing music from a phone or other Bluetooth-toting audio source – plus a pair of RCA inputs, a subwoofer output and a USB service port.

What is missing, compared with the full Sound Hub, is the BluOS streaming module, which offers DLNA playback, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and built-in access to other streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Qobuz and Deezer. The Sound Hub Compact’s lack of BluOS support and general network access means that both multi-room functionality with other BluOS devices and MQA file support aren’t available – and for some this will be an issue. The Sound Hub also features a coaxial input and preamp output, which the compact version doesn’t.

But for those who wish to keep their set-up simple, or who don’t rely upon music streaming services, the Sound Hub Compact may be all they need. Those after an active stereo system but have a bigger budget or more ambitious performance requirements should be aware that the Sound Hub Compact is also compatible with Dali’s Rubicon C and Callisto C active speakers, too.

Build

(Image credit: Dali)

Dali has reduced the size of the hub, mostly in terms of its height, so that it can more easily be tucked away on a rack. Whereas the Sound Hub’s size is comparable to a set-top box, the Sound Hub Compact is more akin to a wi-fi router, with a simple half-circle arrangement of LED lights that denote input selection.

We test both hubs with the Oberon 1 C, but whichever you choose, one of their design’s biggest blessings is their wireless transmission to speakers. The hub sends music to the Oberon 1 C over a proprietary 30-bit wireless protocol, with transmission latency from input to speaker claimed to be less than 15mS.

Upon receipt of the signal from the hub, the wireless receiver modules in the speakers detect which channel data (left or right) to play, depending on the channel assigned to each speaker during set-up. The correct channel data is passed at 24-bit/96kHz resolution to the DSP-based equalisation and crossover filter electronics. During our testing, we don’t experience any connection or latency issues and the experience is solid.

The speakers are largely unchanged from the passive Oberon 1, which in our review we said were “solid and nicely made” and “compact enough to fit unobtrusively into most rooms”. There are still four finish options – black ash, matte white, dark walnut and light oak – but, as with the Oberon 1, the biggest aesthetic statement here is provided by the mahogany coloured 13cm wood fibre mid/bass cone, which is used in conjunction with Dali’s Soft Magnet Compound (SMC) technology and sits below the 29mm soft dome tweeter in the familiar Dali arrangement. Each unit, this time though, is fed by a dedicated 50W Class D amplifier.

The Oberon 1 C’s compact dimensions mean they should be easy to house, whether flanking a TV on a rack or pair of stands (such as Dali’s own Connect Stand E-600) or alternatively wall-mounted via the speakers’ rear-panel keyhole slots. The Dalis sound pretty balanced up against a wall, despite the use of a rear reflex port, but we find they perform best when placed around 20cm to 30cm away from one, facing straight ahead. This way, the Oberon 1 C display familiar sonic behaviour – clear, articulate, fast and notably superb with vocals.

Sound

(Image credit: Dali)

We connect the Oberon 1 C to the full Sound Hub – a pairing costing £1449 – and stream Tom Odell’s Heal over Tidal Connect. The vocal-led track comes through the speakers with tangible clarity and the kind of levels of insight you can feel. Odell’s delivery is full of tenderness and the Dali is sympathetic to that, while also keeping a firm hand on the accompanying keys. This midrange insight was one of the passive Oberon 1’s highlights, and something the addition of wireless active operation hasn’t changed.

There is depth and obvious layering to what is generally an open and precise soundstage – and that still rings true with denser compositions. We play The Theory Of Everything by Jóhann Jóhannsson and the Dalis display a tight organisation in their presentation of the piano, string and percussion instrumental, while also proving astute in capturing the dynamic surges of the string ensemble.

We move to the Love Theme From The Godfather by Nino Rota and the Dalis not only have plenty of insight – the mandolin is unmistakable, the accordion textured – but they also communicate the dense and crude nature of the production. It grasps what scale there is to the strings and keeps things tidy as the piece reaches its climax.

This organisation, combined with dynamic aptitude and agility, makes for a rhythmically engaging listen. The Oberon 1 C work musically, capturing the experimentalism at the core of Oneohtrix Point Never’s Long Road Home; all the musical strands are held together well, without ever sounding messy.

(Image credit: Dali)

The Dalis have a good go at rip-roaring through pg.lost’s Suffering – there’s more than a hint of drive and weight behind the crashing electric guitars and walloping drums. However, as with the Oberon 1, you don’t get the authority or bass volume and depth you would from a physically larger pair of speakers – something that those who need to fill a big room should be aware of.

We replace the Sound Hub with the Compact version and, connecting it to the Naim ND 555/555 PS DR music streamer via RCA, are presented with the same admirable strengths and more, which is hardly surprising considering the Naim’s high-end calibre and the wired connection.

Streaming from our Samsung Galaxy S21 phone to the Sound Hub Compact over Bluetooth (in aptX form) offers less clarity, openness and refinement than that delivered by the Sound Hub’s BluOS streaming – and certainly by the Sound Hub Compact and Naim streamer pairing, as is to be expected. But, though comparatively cruder, the Dali’s detailed, organised and musical presentation is still prevalent.

Verdict

Active streaming systems are becoming increasingly common in this convenience-craving world, and the Dali Oberon 1 C are among the best examples we’ve seen at this level.

Whether you stick with the bundled TV-friendly Sound Hub Compact or upgrade to the full streaming-savvy Sound Hub, this package will make the most of the features on offer with an easy-to-use operation and a musical, clear sound. As affordable stereo speaker systems go, this one’s satisfyingly complete.

SCORES

Sound 5
Features 5
Build 5

MORE:

Read our guide to the best active speakers

Read our Dali Oberon 1 review

Earfun Air Pro

Our Verdict

By adding noise-cancelling to a budget wireless earbuds winner without compromising on its established sound, Earfun has another hit on its hands

For

Solid, accurate bass weight
Effective noise cancelling
Classy build and finish

Against

Harsh upper midrange

Mention the name Earfun six months ago and you’d probably have been met with quizzical looks or even the odd giggle. But that was before the virtually unknown audio firm released an affordable true wireless headphone proposition that was so good for the money we handed it a What Hi-Fi? Award.

The company is seeking to build on the success of its Earfun Air by cramming even more features into a new ‘Pro’ variant, the main addition being active noise cancellation. (There is now a 10mm driver and three mics per earpiece, too.) But, considering the claims on the spec sheet, the price remains jaw-droppingly low at £70 ($80, AU$120).

Just as bands struggle with the difficult second album, repeating that winning formula in a sophomore effort could be a tough ask. Can Earfun deliver the goods with a follow-up set of affordable in-ears? We can’t wait to see…

Build

(Image credit: Earfun)

The Earfun Air Pro’s cool black plastic case is pocketable, portable and doesn’t collect fingerprint smudges. Unlike its older sibling, it opens like a suitcase, instead of a backpack, and is pebble-shaped as opposed to looking like a premium box of dental-floss. Though it charges via USB-C, it doesn’t support Qi wireless charging.

Earfun Air Pro tech specs

(Image credit: Earfun)

Bluetooth version 5.0

Battery life 7 hours with ANC (earbuds), 18 hours (case)

Charging time 1.5 hours (earbuds), 2 hours (case)

Dimensions (hwd) 6.7 x 5.5 x 3.1cm

Weight 53g

Once the buds are back in it, you have to quickly flip to the back of the case to find the LED battery indicator, which will flash red three times if you have more than 60 per cent battery left, twice for over 30 per cent and once when you’re at five percent and really need to charge.

One of the joys of the Award-winning Earfun Air true wireless earbuds was the simple and reliable pairing experience. We’re happy to report that is still the case here – Earfun consistently manages to do the basics properly. We open the lid, then snap it shut and count to 30. We reopen the case, leave the earpieces inside, go to our phone’s Bluetooth menu, see the Earfun Air Pro as an ‘available device’ and connect. It’s easy. And once they’re paired, the connection is solid.

Although three sets of tips are supplied, we find the pre-fitted medium pair works for us. Also, fitting them in our ears is done without unintentionally altering playback or accessing Siri. This is both refreshing and an improvement on some more expensive models.

Comfort

(Image credit: Earfun)

The buds themselves are well-weighted, comfortable and secure in our ears, with the stems angling slightly forward to follow the line of our cheekbones. The silvery sheen on the angular and stylish new stems completes a premium aesthetic that belies the Earfun Air Pro’s entry-level price point.

It’s worth noting that the 10mm composite dynamic driver in each earpiece is a switch up from the 6mm composite cellulose driver found in each Earfun Air driver housing, too.

The in-ear detection is now infrared, not capacitive, and is handled via an LED rather than an electrical charge. If you’re worried this might make auto-pause a bit hit and miss, don’t – it’s spot on. It will doubtless save on battery, but more than that it’s a great comfort to know that you can simply pluck the buds from their case, put them in your ears and pick up whatever you were last listening to.

There’s no way to alter volume or skip back to the start of a track without accessing your source device, and there’s no app support. These are the only small issues in the Earfun Air Pro’s otherwise admirable feature set – though we shouldn’t perhaps expect the latter at this entry level anyway.

The tap-control functionality is clever here, though: more evidence that Earfun does the basics well. One tap actually serves no purpose – a clever approach given that you can easily alter playback on other buds by inadvertently touching them.

Two taps on the right bud pauses or resumes playback; three skips to the next track. Double tapping the left earpiece accesses Siri on our iPhone and also answers or ends a call. The crucial function you’ll want to practice is a triple-tap of that left earpiece, as this scrolls between the Earfun’s noise-cancelling, ‘normal’ and ‘ambient sound’ modes.

(Image credit: Earfun)

Beyond those three profiles, there’s no scope to tweak the levels of noise-cancelling, and without app support you can’t activate them on your phone. However, once we get the hang of tapping just below the mic at the top of the stem rather than on the mic itself, it’s a solution that works well.

With noise-cancelling deployed, low-level constant noises such as the hum of the washing machine are significantly diminished. Initiating ambient mode dutifully feeds the noise of passing cars and barking dogs into our ears. Both in terms of efficacy and usability, it’s not quite in the same league as the Apple AirPods Pro – but at one-third of the price, to expect that would be unreasonable.

The good level of noise cancelling is thanks in part to the six-mic array (three per bud), which also ensures clear voice calls in our tests. Battery life is good too, with a claimed total of 25 hours with ANC on (seven from the buds plus 18 hours from the case) or 32 hours with it off.

The Earfun Air Pros boast an IPX5 rating for water-resistance, meaning that while you can’t submerge them fully in water, a spell in heavy rain or sweating at the gym shouldn’t do them any harm. All in all, it’s a lot of decent tech and durability for the money.

Sound

(Image credit: Earfun)

Setting the sound profile to normal, we cue up a Tidal Master stream of Missy Elliott’s Get Ur Freak On. The Earfun Air Pro’s presentation really suits the hip-hop track, celebrating the deep bass-heavy intro while still holding down the central riff and the various layered vocals.

It’s a zealous display with energy and attack. Stormzy’s Vossi Bop is similarly agile: the treble is ever-present and, while occasionally a tad harsh through the midrange at higher volumes, alongside a rhythmic grime beat that isn’t afraid to go low, it’s a perfectly acceptable listen.

Fans of the original Earfun Air will have no complaints about the updated model’s sound. Also, both earpieces feel very similar when worn; the driver housing is virtually identical in shape despite the new stems, extra mic and larger drivers inside.

Switch to Words Of A Fool by Barry Gibb and Jason Isbell on Tidal Masters and there’s a pleasing level of separation and clarity between the wurlitzer, piano, textured guitars and Gibb’s soulful vocal. Taylor Swift’s Willow is similarly expansive through the three-dimensional string section and, although there’s that marginal touch of harshness through the midrange, Swift’s central, often ethereal vocal stylings are well-handled.

Listen to the slightly pricier, Award-winning Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 and, in comparison, there’s an extra ounce of detail and finesse over the Earfun Air Pro across the frequencies. But without noise cancelling, USB-C charging or in-ear detection, and taking their higher price tag into account, it’s an altogether different proposition.

During our testing, the sound presentation is well-balanced, relatively transparent, taut and full through the bass, and musically pleasing overall.

Verdict

When considering our minor issues with how this budget proposition sounds, it’s easy to forget that not long ago, you’d have paid upwards of £200 to get something anywhere near as fully-featured. At the time of writing, we haven’t come across anything at this level that does everything these Earfuns do, as well as they do it.

The Earfun Air Pro fit securely, connect easily, have reliable controls and feature basic but effective noise-cancelling profiles – for just a small premium on the Air model. There’s also USB-C charging and wearer detection, plus the sound is pretty decent for the money.

As we said in our review of the Earfun Air, it’s rare that we award five stars to a pair of true wireless headphones at this ultra-low price point, since cheap rarely means good value. Simply put, it does here.

SCORES

Sound 4
Comfort 5
Build 5

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Ease your way into the joys of commuting by electric bike

Aventa is a new electric bike with a secret: its battery is removable despite the clean design.

London-based Furosystems just launched the Aventa series of pedal-assist e-bikes into the European market. A more powerful US model is planned for later this year, or early in 2022 if the double whammy of Covid and Brexit creates undue complications.

Aventa is sold in three variations, with the first deliveries starting in mid-March. Each model is priced to include all the accessories needed for typical urban commuting: mudguards, bell, luggage rack, kickstand, and front and rear lights. The standard Aventa ships with a 10.4Ah 375Wh battery, hydraulic disc brakes, and full-sized LCD display for €1,799. If you want more range, then you can opt for the Aventa Max, which costs €1,999 and has a bigger 14Ah 504Wh battery. The Aventa Pure is the entry-level model. It lowers the specs with mechanical disc brakes, a tiny 7.8Ah 281Wh battery, and a miniature LCD display. That also lowers the price to €1,599, which compares favorably to commuter e-bikes from Cowboy (starting at €2,290) and VanMoof (starting at €1,998), and city bikes like the Muto (starting at €1,799).

It’s the entry-level Aventa Pure model I’ve been testing for the past month in frozen Amsterdam.

First canal freeze in years, so why not?

The Verge is always on the hunt for affordable and attractive electric commuter bikes. But they need to be from reputable companies. After all, if you’re going to spend a couple of grand on an e-bike meant for daily use then it had better be reliable and serviceable for years to come, not sold by some fly-by-night operator on Amazon or Indiegogo that’ll go bust just as soon as you need to make a warranty claim.

Furosystems appears to be a company with staying power. It recently raised £750,000 (about $1 million) from investors ahead of the Aventa launch. That’s pennies compared to the recent funding rounds by Rad Power Bikes ($150 million), VanMoof ($40 million), Cowboy ($26 million), and Super73 ($20 million), but CEO Eliott Wertheimer tells me that the company was already profitable before the November funding round. In addition to the new Aventa e-bikes, Furosystems already sells Fuze scooters and the Furo X folding e-bike.

Last year Furosystems did 60 percent of its sales in the UK, according to Wertheimer, with the remaining 40 percent split across France and Italy. This year the company is planning to grow sales from about 3,000 units to 10,000 by expanding into Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. Aventa e-bikes are being assembled in Portugal with components sourced from around the world. Wertheimer tells me that his ultimate goal is to design and manufacture every part themselves, but to do that now would be too costly.

The Aventa Pure e-bike I’ve been testing is built for European roads. That means a motor with 250W of continuous power (and 500W peak) and a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph). That speed is fine in congested city centers, but too slow for anyone commuting along lonely roads or protected rural bike paths for any great distance. Mind you, that’s criticism of European transportation policy, not the Aventa.

The 25 km/h speed limit can be overridden for markets that allow it.

Furosystems does provide instructions to override the speed limit “to comply with local regulations,” requiring just a few taps on the buttons surrounding the LCD display. With that tweak the Aventa will reach a top speed of between 32 km/h and 36 km/h depending upon the rider’s size, I’m reliably told. But I was a good boy for this review. While I confirmed the speed hack was legit (and thrilling), I stayed within the European limits for my testing now that police are increasingly cracking down on illegally fast e-bikes in cities throughout Europe.

Furosystems says that the Aventa Pure’s 281Wh battery is capable of more than 40 km (25 miles) of range. In my testing, on long stretches of uninterrupted rural roads, I’ve already gone well beyond that estimate since I’m often pedaling at speeds greater than 25 km/h. At those speeds the motor is just idling as it’s not needed to supply power to the pedals. As a result, my battery says it’s still more than 50 percent full after 47 km (29.7 miles) of riding, despite riding at the max of five pedal-assisted levels.

Although the Aventa lacks any kind of throttle or boost button, the sturdy little Bafang motor fitted to the rear wheel hub was able to flatten the steepest hills I could find (which aren’t anywhere close to San Francisco steep) thanks to its ability to generate 500W of peak power.

When riding in stop-and-go traffic, power is provided smoothly and evenly to each downstroke of the pedals despite the lack of any torque sensor like you’ll find on more expensive e-bikes. On flat surfaces, I barely used the nine speeds allowed by the Shimano Altus derailleur. But those gears definitely came in handy when trying to start under heavy loads on inclines or when getting some exercise at top speeds.

The Aventa puts the rider into a somewhat sporty forward lean on a saddle you’ll want to replace if regularly riding long bumpy distances. The ride is almost silent, disrupted only by a thin rattle when riding over some of the bumpiest brick roads I could find. While I wasn’t able to pinpoint the exact source of the rattle, it did go away when I rode without the battery installed.

Removing the battery is an easy, but awkward, procedure as it’s locked into place by a key at the base of the downtube. To extract it the bike has to be laid unceremoniously onto the ground. You can also flip the bike upside down, but at 16.5 kg (36 pounds), the Aventa may be relatively lightweight for a fully loaded e-bike, but it’s definitely not light. Nevertheless, being able to remove the battery for indoor charging is a necessity for many city dwellers who don’t have the space, or strength, to lug a hulking e-bike up narrow stairs to an apartment.

The top image with better cable management is what buyers today will receive in mid-March, compared to the review bike which was sold in December and January.

Now, about the cable management. The Aventa Pure e-bike sent for review has far too many exposed cables and connectors for my liking. Fortunately, that’s being fixed for anyone preordering an Aventa today, as the bikes being manufactured now for delivery starting mid-March will route the cables through the frame. While integrated cabling certainly looks better, the exposed cables and connectors on my review bike make it more modular and therefore easier to service whenever a part needs replacing.

My review unit arrived with a smashed headlight, for example, caused by a clumsy courier. Furosystems sent me a new assembly which I was able to install myself by releasing a pair of screws and unclipping the damaged unit. It took all of two minutes. Ease of repair is an important consideration for a young direct-to-consumer company that lacks a sophisticated global repair network. Shipping a busted e-bike to a foreign country for service is no fun for anyone, least of all the owner. Just ask early adopters of the VanMoof S3.

Wertheimer tells me that Furosystems is constantly iterating and taking on customer feedback, and is willing to switch back to the external cabling if customer surveys suggest a strong preference.

Other notable specs and observations:

Charges in about 4.5 hours, or as long as 7 hours if you buy the Aventa Max with higher-capacity battery.
The aluminum frame can fit riders between 165 cm (5 feet 4 inches) and 195 cm (6 feet 4 inches) and up to 120 kg (265 pounds).
The lighting kit on the Aventa Pure features an integrated front light that can be controlled from the display pad (which also controls the LCD’s backlight). The rear clamp-on lamp has to be operated manually.
The mini LCD display is fine for showing battery level, speed in km/h or mph, and distance traveled.
There isn’t Bluetooth or an app, which is fine by me — the Aventa is powered on via a button below the LCD.
I hate the giant logo printed on the downtube. I get it, the company is young and needs to build recognition, but it comes at the expense of the buyer who’s transformed into a rolling billboard for a brand without any prestige (yet). One bystander asked me if I got it from some bike-sharing startup. Ugh, the humiliation.
The battery can be inserted backward accidentally. It really should be keyed to make insertion idiot-proof (hi, I’m an idiot).
The quick-release front-wheel and saddle stem are convenient but also magnets for thieves. Be careful out there.

The entry-level Aventa Pure is a lot of bike for the price, coming in at €400 less than the VanMoof S3, which has become a benchmark of sorts for commuter e-bikes. The Aventa Pure also has a removable battery unlike the S3, and that might make all the difference for many buyers. True, the Aventa Pure doesn’t have all the gee-whiz features you’ll find on premium e-bikes at €2,000 and above. But expensive features like integrated security, theft recovery, at-home servicing, crash detection, and apps that can recommend the least polluted bike routes are ultimately just nice-to-haves, not critical functions of an electric bike.

The Furosystems Aventa Pure is an attractive, inexpensive, and bare-bones e-bike for commuters. It will get you from A to B and back safely and reliably, and likely well into the future. And honestly, what more do you need?

The Aventa Pure is a great icebreaker for anyone wanting an introduction to e-bike commuting.

Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

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Our Verdict

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Comfort

Sound

Verdict

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Our Verdict

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Comfort

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Hardware and specs

Battery

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