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Best on-ear headphones 2021

Best on-ear headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best on-ear headphones you can buy in 2021.

The best on-ear headphones are a good middle ground between in-ears and over-ears, they don’t burrow in your ears like the former and tend to be more portable than the latter. As the name suggests, they sit on your ears rather than covering them completely, which is a look you might prefer or find more comfortable.

As with any headphones, when choosing the best on-ear headphones for you, there are a few things to keep in mind. What features do you want? Bluetooth? Active noise-cancelling? What style are you after? An open-backed pair will give superior sound, but they leak the music like nobody’s business. They’re strictly for at-home use only. Using them on the bus? A closed-backed pair will avoid annoying your fellow passengers.

You should also consider how portable they are. Most pairs fold up to fit in a pocket or small bag, and some are so light you could forget you have them on you. Check them out in a shop if you can. Finally, you’ll need to decide on a budget. Thankfully, our pick of the best on-ear headphones contains something for everyone…

(Image credit: AKG)

1. AKG Y400

The best on-ear headphones with wireless smarts

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Expansive, detailed presentation

Impeccable timing

Classy build quality

The Y400s are a little smaller than the previous model (the splendid Y500s), with smaller drivers and they come with a cable complete with in-line controls and mic, for when you don’t want to run down the battery with a wireless connection.

They’re colourful, too, coming in shimmery pink, green, blue and goldish-yellow finishes.

There’s no noise cancelling, but we wouldn’t expect it at this price. There is Ambient Aware mode, however, which lets in outside noise like dogs barking and car engines. Handy if you want to avoid being bitten/run over. They automatically detect when you take them off and pause the music, too, saving you precious battery life.

The sound has much to like. It’s spacious and three-dimensional. There’s impeccable timing throughout and the headphones deliver bass weight and power in spades. It’s zealous to the point that some might prefer a slightly leaner listen, but in our eyes (and at this level) the Y400s get the balance just about right.

Read the full review: AKG Y400

2. Grado SR80e

The best on-ear headphones for sound quality, but they’re not for everyone.

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Great detailing

Lively audio

Tight bass

Reasons to Avoid

Sound could be more mellow

This is one of the few pairs on on-ear headphones in this list that are open-backed, meaning sound leaks like water through a sieve. But the upside is a more open, spacious soundstage – indeed, at this price, the dynamics, detail and clarity are all but unmatched.

They sound fast and nimble, able to jump between genres with ease, and the bass is clean and punchy. Some may find them a little tiring to listen to for long periods at high volumes and the design won’t suit everyone, but you can’t argue with the overall sound quality.

Read the full review: Grado SR80e

3. AKG N60NC Wireless

The best value on-ear headphones with wireless and noise-cancelling

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 30hr | Charging: Micro USB | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Clear, punchy sound

Musical; balanced

Smart design

One of the most compact and convenient pairs of noise-cancelling headphones we’ve ever tested, the AKG N60 NCs deliver a superb performance for the money. They’re a good-looking pair of on-ears with an excellent fit. Battery life is 15 hours with the noise-cancelling and Bluetooth engaged and this ramps up to 30 hours when the noise-cancelling is turned off.

Bass delivery is powerful yet transparent with crisp, detailed vocals, soaring highs and convincing dynamics. You’d be perfectly content to wear these all day and for the money, they’re extremely tough to beat.

Read the full review: AKG N60NC Wireless

4. Urbanista Seattle Wireless

Excellent value wireless headphones that sound great for the price.

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Engaging audio

Perform well wirelessly

Reasons to Avoid

Bass could be better

Lacks aptX

These wireless on-ears are some of the best value headphones under £100. They combine the bass boost of a street headphone with the kind of smoothness that should appeal to audiophiles.

They’re tuned for impact rather than neutrality, with plenty of low-end thump, but if that’s your thing they will do you proud. And it’s not all bass: the mids are unexpectedly smooth and the treble pleasingly sweet. A very appealing all-rounder, and not just because of the price tag.

Read the full review: Urbanista Seattle Wireless

5. Grado SR325e

The open-backed design might divide opinion, but sound quality is excellent.

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Balanced tonally

Transparent across frequencies

Dynamic and expressive

Be warned: these are open-backed, which means they leak sound like anyone’s business. Which is great for home listening (as the sound is more open and spacious), but not so great for your daily commute. Unless you want everyone knowing your guilty pleasures include Kylie and Black Lace.

A sturdy solid build meets superb sound quality, with an expansive sound space really letting every instrument breathe. If you’re serious about sound quality and they fit your budget, what are you waiting for?

Read the full review: Grado SR325e

6. Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 On-ear

Not a perfect pair of headphones, but still an enjoyable and effortless listen.

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Weighty bass

Great detailing

Very covetable

Reasons to Avoid

Timing could be improved

Slightly bass-heavy

Part of Sennheiser’s hugely successful Momentum range, these wired on-ear headphones don’t disappoint. The sound boasts body and warmth, plus texture and detail in spades. This all makes for an effortless, enjoyable listen.

Bass is weighty without being invasive but these particular Momentums don’t have quite enough clarity in the midrange for a five star recommendation. Having said that, they’re still hugely capable for the money.

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 On-ear

7. AKG Y50BT

A winning pair of Bluetooth on-ear headphones.

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Clear sound with lots of detail

User-friendly

Comfy

Sound quality for these wireless on-ears is clear, with the kind of insight that makes it easy to tell the calibre of the talent on hand. There’s none of the hiss and whine you sometimes get with some wireless headphones. Detail levels are excellent, while their sense of rhythm is spot on. And when charged, they’ll give you 20 hours of play time – which is ample in anyone’s book.

Read the full review: AKG Y50BT

(Image credit: Eric Jones at Jones Studio Ltd)

8. Grado GW100

Open-backed and wireless? Sounds like an odd combination but it works

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Fast and exciting sound

Great with rhythms

Excellent detail

Reasons to Avoid

Open-back design means plenty of sound leakage

No isolation from environment

The combination of wireless headphones and an open-backed design doesn’t sound too clever, and there are times when we’re out and about with Grado’s GW100s that they don’t make sense.

Yet, away from planes, trains and cars we’re impressed by the GW100’s excellent sound. They’re more articulate and insightful than just about any closed alternative. If you can cope with the open-back compromises there’s just so much to like here.

Read the full review: Grado GW100

(Image credit: Beyerdynamic)

9. Beyerdynamic Amiron

Premium priced headphones that have an exceptional sound to match

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Neutral and detail presentation

Expressive dynamics

Subtle bass

Comfort

Reasons to Avoid

If price isn’t an issue, nothing

Beyerdynamic’s Amirons aren’t the kind of headphones that grab your attention on a short listen, but give them a bit of time and their impressive transparency and resolution is sure to please.

They’re comfortable too, with nicely-judged earpads and sensible weight. You’ll need a good quality source and recordings to hear them at their best though, so don’t be tempted to skimp.

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron

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Best over-ear headphones
Best in-ear headphones

Best neckband headphones 2021

Best neckband headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?’s round-up of the best wireless neckband headphones you can buy in 2021.

If you’re aiming to get fit in the new year with runs around the park, workouts in the garden or just a HIIT in the front room, a pair of neckband headphones to upgrade your playlist could be just the boost you need.

When it comes to sports headphones, there are three types of wireless earbuds available: true wireless earbuds, wireless with a cable, and earbuds with a neckband.

These wireless neckband earphones feature a horseshoe-shaped collar that sits around your shoulders and houses a battery and Bluetooth transmitter. The designs may look a little unconventional, but you’ll quickly reap the rewards.

Neckband headphones combine convenience with impressive battery life (high-end models offer 10 hours playback) plus features such as noise cancellation. You won’t be plagued by connection issues, either, since most offer superb Bluetooth stability. And there’s the issue of keeping them in your ears – many would argue the neckband design is the best way to do it.

Most of the big-name audio brands have leapt on the neckband trend, so there’s now a range of options to suit everyone from commuters to fitness fanatics. Want to to cut the cord without sacrificing sound quality? Here’s our pick of the best neckband headphones.

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

1. Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Wireless

The best neckband headphones, offering superior sound quality and a luxurious design

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 53g | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Open sound

Expressive vocals

Powerful bass

Reasons to Avoid

Bass maybe a little too powerful

This neckband headphone model is based on Sennheiser’s Award-winning Momentum in-ear headphones, so you’re guaranteed sensational sound quality. As well as impressive dynamics and superb vocal clarity, they offer features galore.

To add a touch of luxury to your listening experience, Sennheiser has trimmed the neckband in soft nappa leather. And when you get an incoming call, the neckband gently vibrates – a useful feature even when you’re not using listening to music. In a hurry? They fast-charge in one and half hours.

These Sennheisers are our pick as the best neckband headphones around thanks to the top-of-the-class style, sound and build quality.

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear Wireless

(Image credit: Sony)

2. Sony WI-1000X

Noise-cancelling neckband with superb sonics

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 71g | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Punchy bass

Insightful midrange

Well balanced

Range of noise-cancelling modes

Reasons to Avoid

Neckband could be more flexible

The big draw here is the noise-cancelling functionality. Sony has gone to town and added an ‘Adaptive Sound Control’ mode that continuously tunes the sound profile to match your movement (sitting, walking, running and transport).

The result is superb sound that’s punchy and nuanced. It’s also worth noting that these neckbuds feature aptX HD Bluetooth, which provides the option to stream audio at 24bit/48kHz resolution.

Some of the buttons on the neckband have dual functionality (longer presses activate different functions), but unless the lack of dedicated buttons grinds your gears, you’ll be wowed by these hugely impressive earphones.

Read the full review: Sony WI-1000X

(Image credit: Bowers & Wilkins)

3. Bowers & Wilkins PI3

Brilliant wireless buds from B&W

SPECIFICATIONS

Reasons to Buy

Clean, detailed presentation

Solid, weighty and tight bass

Flexible design and fine build

Reasons to Avoid

Not IPX rated

Lack of eartip options

Bowers & Wilkins has successfully made a smooth move into the headphone market, building on its almost unrivalled reputation when it comes to making speakers. In-ears of this design, which makes us think of sport and the gym, haven’t necessarily been on the hit list however – fear not, B&W has knocked it out of the park with these neckband wireless in-ears too.

The PI3 earphones are a dual driver design, complete with a flexible neckband. We would prefer a few more ear tips to get the optimum fit, so it might be one to try before you buy. They deliver a decent battery life and though they aren’t technically waterproof, B&W claims they are “resistant to light rain, splash and sweat”.

Happily, they deliver a clear, controlled, punchy and well-balanced sound. From rock to pop to hip-hop, the B&W PI3 earphones deliver a confident, entertaining sound. Another fine option from B&W.

Read the full review: B&W P13

(Image credit: Bose)

4. Bose QuietControl 30

Refined, rhythmic and noise-cancelling

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 64g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Insightful sound

Impressive noise cancellation

Punchy bass

The QuietControl 30s are solidly-built and impress with their sonic ability, elegant design and best-in-class noise-cancelling. They never sound flat, and boast an impeccable sense of rhythm and timing.

Bose is known for its effective active noise-cancelling technology, which does a fine job of shutting out the world – without ruining the musicality of your favourite track.

While some people might find the collar a little weighty, the killer combination of premium noise-cancelling, superb battery life and outstanding audio quality adds up to a five-star review.

Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30

(Image credit: Skullcandy)

5. Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds 2 Wireless

Lightweight neckband that offers bang for buck

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 6-7hr | Weight: 30g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Full, fun sound

Great price

On a tight budget? Skullcandy’s cheap neckband headphones are the best pound-for pound performers. While the brand is best known as purveyors of bombastic bass, its Smokin’ Buds 2 offer surprisingly rich and accomplished playback.

The paired-back design features a simple three-button remote and looks more expensive than it feels. If you’re into fitness and don’t want the collar jangling around, you can remove the earphones from the flexible neckband.

As you’d expect, advanced features such as aptX Bluetooth and fast charging are off the menu. But factor in the eye-catching price and it’s hard not to be won over but these solid, reliable performers.

Read the full review: Skullcandy Smokin’ Buds 2 Wireless

(Image credit: Libratone)

6. Libratone TRACK+

Sporty buds with noise-cancellation

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: Yes | Battery life: 8hr | Weight: 28g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Comfortable, secure and lightweight

Effective noise-cancellation

Splashproof

Reasons to Avoid

Lack some subtlety and attack

Libratone’s splashproof TRACK+ earbuds are aimed at sporty types and remain securely locked into your ears during intensive workouts. They’re light but powerful: with 8 hours playback you’re sorted for a marathon (or two).

Libratone’s noise-cancelling technology – dubbed CityMix II – offers four levels of noise cancellation, letting you choose how much of the world to let in. It’s pretty effective at blocking out everything from chugging lorries to office chatter, and can be tuned via the remote or Libratone’s app.

While not as crisp or insightful as the Sennheisers, the TRACK+s offer a deft balance of dynamics and clarity – without breaking a sweat. If you love running, these will go the distance.

Read the full review: Libratone TRACK+

(Image credit: V-Moda)

7. V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless

Sophisticated and stylish – but lacking in oomph

SPECIFICATIONS

Bluetooth: Yes | Noise-cancelling: No | Battery life: 10hr | Weight: 22.5g: | Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to Buy

Excellent detail and clarity

Balanced bass

Good-looking and comfortable

Reasons to Avoid

Not the best wireless performance

Lack some midrange power and body

If style and craftsmanship float your boat, you’ll be instantly drawn to these sleek earbuds made from “aircraft grade” aluminium. Their compact, minimal design is highly impressive – as is the clarity and upper-frequency refinement.

Sound isolation is good and they come with a nice range of tips (plus ‘sport hooks’ to hold them securely in place). Fast charging means two hours playback from 15 minutes of charging.

We did experience a few Bluetooth drop outs, though, and the soundstage lacks a little raw power. There are better all-rounders, but if you’re looking for outstanding sonic detail and a swanky design, make a v-line for V-Moda.

Read the full review: V-Moda Forza Metallo Wireless

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Best noise-cancelling headphones
Running songs playlist

TCL Nxtpaper is a full color e-reader, Tab 10S and TWS earphones tag along

It is a big day for TCL, first announcing its new phones, followed by two new tablets – TCL Tab 10S and TCL Nxtpaper. While the first one is a pretty straightforward slate the second one is really intriguing – it comes with a new display technology that protects the eyes, saves battery and still delivers full color.

TCL Nxtpaper

The Nxtpaper switches the typical LCD for an NCVM-composite sheet. The abbreviation stands for non-conductive vacuum metallization, and the technology uses special materials that do not conduct electricity. TCL revealed it basically works like an e-ink display, but will full color support and much higher 1440 x 1080 pixel resolution.

Such a panel does not need any backlight, meaning there’s no blue light that usually strains the eyes during prolonged use. The goal for TCL was to create a device that can be used for the whole day, especially in these times were a lot of kids are studying at home.

Due to the NCVM panel’s specifics, it is extremely thin, requires literally very little battery power, and brings the total thickness of the tablet to 7.4 mm, weighing just 316 grams. The 10” screen has certifications from the German Rhine laboratory and 26 unique patents for ultimate eye protection.

The chipset inside is a Mediatek MT8768 with an octa-core CPU at 2.0 GHz and a PowerVR GE8320 GPU. RAM is 4 GB, while storage is 64 GB and can be expanded through the microSD slot. The battery is 5,000 mAh and supports 18W charging, but due to the display’s low-power capabilities, it can last for 400 hours of standby time. And the OS is full Android 10, so no worries about compatibility or anything like that.

TCL Nxtpaper will cost €349 once it launches in April 2021 and will even throw in cellular support – up to 4G. The color is only one – Ultramarine Green.

TCL Tab 10S

The Tab 10S is a pretty straightforward tablet – a Mediatek MT8769 chipset, 3GB or 4GB RAM, and up to 64GB of storage, with a microSD slot for more. It has a big 10.1” Full HD+ panel with a resolution of 2000 x 1920 pixels, an 8MP camera on the back, and another 5MP on the front for video calls.

This tablet’s selling point is its massive 8,000 mAh battery and the dual speakers, making it a great option for home fun for everyone. The UI, based on Android 10, provides profiles for all members of the family. It also comes with a stylus in the retail box and supports a cover keyboard accessory that can be purchased separately.

Available in March 2021, the TCL Tab 10S will cost €199 for the Wi-Fi-only version, while the 4G variant will be €249.

TCL Moveaudio S600 & TCL Movetrack PetTracker

The online launch also saw TCL introducing the Moveaudio S600 TWS earphones. They are extremely light, come with a big 500 mAh battery in the case (with each bud holding an extra 55 mAh charge), and have a dynamic 10mm speaker. Each bud has three ANC microphones, and the stems come with a touch sensor as well.

The S600 can connect like most Bluetooth earphones but you have the option to customize their sound via the TCL Connect app. They are compatible with Android and iOS and will sell for €149 in four colors – Graphite Gray, Pure Marble, Silver Chrome, Turquoise Blue.

The TCL Movetrack Pettracker is exactly what the name suggests – a smart tracker you attach to the collar of your home pet. Its job is to detect movement and upload location every 60 seconds. It supports Safe Zones, automatically sending you the location of your pet if it leaves your house.

There’s also a feature called Virtual Leash – the PetTracker connects via Bluetooth to the phone (that’s about 5-10 meters), and once the pet is too far from its owner, the tracker starts sending push notifications. The device and its app can store 24-hour history of paths and locations, which can be searched by time and date. Storage time is six months. The price of this gadget is €99.

Finally TCL also demonstrated a Wearable Display that looks like glasses, but actually sits higher up on your nose and lets you get a cinematic experience on the go. The two 1080p OLED displays put so close to your eyes have the same viewing angle as 140-inch screen. It connects through a USB-C cable to any device that can output image over USB-C. More details will be disclosed in a “few weeks,” according to company officials.

YSL’s lipstick pod gadget will create whatever shade you want

L’Oreal debuted a gadget at CES last year that promised to make lipstick shades in whatever color wearers wanted. This year, we’re learning what that device requires to work at home: lipstick pods.

The Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Rouge Sur Mesure Powered by Perso — yes, that really is the name — takes three different lipstick color pods and squirts their liquid out at the top of the device for wearers to mix. (The pods dispense the YSL Beauty Velvet Cream Matte Finish formula.) When combined, they create the desired shade. The top of the Bluetooth-enabled device doubles as a compact so people can take it on the go and touch up their color as needed.

The device costs $299 and is available for preorder today. Each preorder includes two sets of colors in either the red, nude, orange, or fuchsia family. Everything will ship in “early spring.” The device will then be more widely available in September. Custom skincare and foundation pods will also launch later this year. The device charges through USB-C and has a battery life of more than a week, according to L’Oreal, YSL’s parent company.

Image: L’Oreal

Wearers have three options to create a shade within the iOS or Android app. They can select from the “shade wheel,” which makes it easy to select a color from a wheel; the “shade match,” which creates a shade to complement an outfit or a favorite lipstick color through a photo; or “shade stylist,” which relies on a “smart algorithm” to choose between three shades that’ll best work with an outfit, again based on a photo. The app also includes a social component that showcases colors other users made and highlights “real-time trends” from “YSL experts” and other users.

The lipstick pod sets cost $100 on their own and cannot be swapped in for anything other than those pods. Each cartridge is verified through RFID, which allows the machine to detect the formula type inserted in each canal, track its consumption, and offer to automatically reorder the cartridge if needed. Although users can order individual cartridges, they cannot mix and match the pods from different sets. The machine won’t operate if they try.

Of course, relying on pods is often how hardware companies create recurring revenue. People buy the device once but then are required to keep buying more things to use it. In this case, it’s possible people might go through the cartridges faster than they would a typical lipstick, especially if they use it daily. I, for one, own lots of lipsticks that I rarely use. I get bored of one color and then look for a new one to start wearing — and not always from the same brand. YSL can bank on the fact that people will need to re-up these cartridges directly from its line, guaranteeing that customers stay loyal to its lipsticks and keep paying the company. Pods have finally found their place in makeup.

Roborock presents the S7 vacuum and floor mopping robot

The Hong Kong-based company Roborock now has the new S7 vacuum and mopping robot at the Consumer Electronics Show 2021 presented to the public. Said robot has the Sonic mop wiping function and automatic lift technology. According to the manufacturer, the S7 has been specially developed for a smooth transition between different surfaces.

With previous models it was necessary to define certain zones for the wiping process. With the help of the newly developed surface recognition technology, the S7 is intended to optimize the wiping process. The mopping element is now automatically raised as soon as a carpet is detected. This also applies when the robot has reached its charging station. Depending on the selected setting, the S7 is capable of a wiping intensity of 1. 650 times / min up to 3. 000 Times / min to clean the floor.

In addition, Roborock introduced the thorough mode. Here the same area is wiped twice. The main brush has also been improved. The suction power is specified by the manufacturer as 2. 500 Pa. The battery has a total capacity of 5. 200 mAh. This should ensure that the S7 operates in “quiet” mode for up to three hours. Furthermore, the vacuum and floor mopping robot can be configured with both the Android and iOS app. Cleaning places and preferences can be adjusted here.

The real-time mapping provides a corresponding cleaning report after the cleaning process. Said function provides information about the exact route of the robot each time it is cleaned and provides insight into the wiped and vacuumed areas. However, this also means that the vacuum robot creates a complete floor plan of your own four walls. It is still unclear whether this data will be shared with the company through the app or whether it will simply remain on the user’s smartphone. In addition, the S7 can also be controlled with Alexa, Google Home and Siri shortcuts.

Delivery of the S7 is to begin in Germany during the second quarter. In terms of price, the robot hoover has a total RRP of 549 euros.

Petpuls – a smart collar for dogs that translates barking and body language of dogs wins CES 2021 award

Every year, CES is full of gadgets, which, although they do not avoid technology, are very peculiar. In this year’s edition, the name of such unusual equipment (and the award) was the intelligent Petpuls collar, which is designed to analyze the dog’s emotions thanks to the implementation of artificial intelligence algorithms packed with voice recognition technologies. As the manufacturer of the gadget assures, Petpuls uses a database of over one hundred thousand barking from fifty different breeds of dogs of all ages to finally let the owner know whether the dog is relaxed, scared, angry, sad or happy. The first copies of Petpuls have already been delivered to people who supported the project in a fundraiser on the Indiegogo website. However, other people can place pre-orders. The collar costs 99 or 108 dollars depending on the size.

Petpuls – an intelligent collar that recognizes the emotions behind dog barking, won the CES Innovation Awards 2021. What else, apart from the analysis of the jaws, can this unusual gadget?

Fitbit Sense test – smartwatch with EKG and EDA for the greatest geeks

One would like to say: “you don’t have to wait until Christmas Eve to talk to your pet”, but it would probably be an abuse … So let’s get back to the functionality of the Petpuls collar. According to the research of the National University of Seoul, it can boast over 80 percent accuracy in recognizing the mood of pets. Moreover, the longer a dog uses the collar, the better it learns its behavior and interprets moods better. All data on barking can be viewed using a dedicated mobile application that works on both iOS and Android smartphones.

Amazon Hello – the smart fitness band will recognize your mood

“Translating” barking is not all. The collar will allow you to track the daily activity of the dog, which is to help, for example, in choosing the correct diet. Your sleep will also be monitored. Dogs are considered to sleep during the day 14 hours, and bark for no more than one in total. Thanks to this, pet owners will be able to see if their pet is healthy by fitting into these compartments. The gadget can be purchased in several colors, it weighs equal 25 grams. Details about the device can be found on the manufacturer’s official website – CLICK.

Source: Digitaltrends

Lypertek is a small Chinese manufacturer of personal audio products. Last month, we reviewed the Lypertek Levi, the company’s latest TWS earbuds at an affordable price. The Levi offered great performance for the price and quickly became one of our favorites in their price category.

Today, however, I am checking out the product that put the company on the map. The Lypertek Tevi are the popular TWS earbuds that received a ton of critical acclaim since their release. The Tevi feature graphene drivers, along with features such as aptX TWS+ and IPX7 rating for water-resistance. They have received a lot of praise for their audio quality and I was really looking forward to trying them.

So after a month of use, here are my thoughts on these popular earbuds.

Design

The Lypertek Tevi have a fairly standard earbud design. The left and right earbud are nearly identical, with only a very slight angle to the ear tip to separate them from each other. However, this would be barely felt in your ear if you wear them wrong and you can also just put them inside any slot in the charging case. There is also no way to tell them apart in the dark.

The earbuds have a single physical button on the outside on each side. This one button handles all the playback and volume control duties, which can be customized through the companion app.

The earbuds come with four sets of ear tips, three of which are silicone in different sizes. The fourth is made out of foam, which isn’t super common in this $90 price range.

The case design is also fairly standard but with a fabric covering the plastic shell. It comes with a little artificial leather strap attached but can be removed. The front has LED indicators to show the status for the battery inside the case. On the back is a USB-C port for charging.

The Lypertek Tevi case does not support wireless charging like its newer and cheaper sibling, the Levi.

The Tevi case is not well built, even though it looks and feels nice to the touch thanks to the fabric cover. The lid feels a bit loose around its hinge and slides around when closed. The case is also unbelievably finicky to open; there is no lip or proper gap on the front to dig your thumb in and it keeps sliding off the smooth fabric cover. It’s also one of those annoying lids that doesn’t open wide and gets in the way while trying to pull the earbuds out.

Getting back to the earbuds, the Tevi have IPX7 water-resistance, enough for a bit of rain or sweat. The earbuds aren’t too big, so they don’t visibly stick out a lot from your ears but they are big enough that you can’t wear them in bed and lie on your side.

Comfort

I found the Lypertek Tevi to be quite comfortable. I tried them with both, the silicone as well as the foam ear tips, and found that they were equally comfortable.

I would rank the silicone comfort to be a bit on the higher size; if you find one that fits you perfectly, then it will always feel great and you can barely even tell that you are wearing the earphones anymore. With foam, the advantage is that they expand to fit your ears. While this achieves a good seal, once the foam has fully expanded it can put some pressure on your ear canal. It’s not uncomfortable but it doesn’t let me forget that I’m wearing them.

Overall, I think the Lypertek Tevi should be comfortable for most people.

Features and software

The Lypertek Tevi have a single 6mm graphene driver. Graphene is known for being strong relative to its weight, which means you can have a sturdy driver that’s relatively lightweight, an advantage when it comes to moving objects.

The Tevi support Bluetooth 5.0 but no multi-device pairing. Audio transmission uses SBC, AAC, or aptX.

The Tevi supports Qualcomm TWS+, which allows both earbuds to connect directly to the phone instead of a master-slave configuration where one earbud connects to the source and the other to the first earbud. Having both connect directly to the source reduces latency and uneven battery discharge. It also prevents the issue where rapidly increasing or decreasing the volume causes it to happen in one ear first and the second ear after a short delay.

Lypertek also offers a companion app, available on iOS and Android. The app does basic things, such as being able to EQ the sound or upgrade the firmware. You can also change the control scheme for the buttons on the earbuds.

Lypertek Tevi app

One thing I wish the app did was let you disable or turn down the announcements when the earbuds pair with your device. Every time the earbuds pair, you get a loud announcement in each ear saying “Connected”. It is genuinely one of the loudest announcement sounds I’ve heard on any Bluetooth product and makes you think the people at Lypertek are partially deaf for thinking this would be acceptable. Now every time I pull them out of the case, I let them sit for ten seconds for them to pair and make the announcement before putting them on.

Performance

Audio

The Lypertek Tevi have excellent audio quality for their price and product category. You get fantastic tonal balance and personally one of the most pleasing tunings I’ve heard in this price range. The Tevi can be paired with a wide variety of content and they always come out shining.

Starting with the low-end, the Lypertek Tevi have a well-balanced and enjoyable bass response. Frequencies are boosted in the mid-bass region by a few decibels, which isn’t enough to make them overpower the mids or the upset the tonal balance but lets you get that extra kick and slam out of percussion instruments and bass drops.

The bass is a lot more rounded and potent with the silicone ear tips. However, switching to the foam tips made the low-end response more restrained in my experience. Personally, I preferred this as it made the sound even closer to neutral than it already was without making it anemic or analytical. It’s worth experimenting with the different tips to see what sort of sound you get.

The mid-range is the highlight of the sound for me. With budget earbuds, more often than not it’s a given that the mid-range is going to be either overshadowed by the mid and high-bass or just dialed back artificially for that V-shaped sound. However, the mids on the Lypertek Tevi are out in full force, with excellent presence and clarity throughout the mix. String instruments and smaller percussion instruments have a wonderful timber and sound full-bodied. Vocals have natural tonality that lets you appreciate the voice as it stands proudly in the mix.

Fortunately, the good news doesn’t end there, as the Tevi also have a very good high-end response. Getting a good treble performance is a tightrope walk as it’s a much harder region to tune precisely and slight deviations can cause the sound to either lose detail or become too bright. The Lypertek Tevi manage this tightrope walk quite well, with the high-end having sufficient resolution and detail, along with a bit of sizzle and air at the top without sounding harsh or sibilant. Higher pitched female vocals, guitar strings, and high hats all have a good clean sound without overpowering the mix or having a metallic tinge.

But what impressed me in particular was the imaging and soundstage. Neither of these are strong suits of in-ear earbuds as they don’t quite engage the outer ear to give you the sensation of listening to a good pair of speakers. However, it seems there is some audio processing magic going on with the Lypertek Tevi, as they produce some of the best imaging and soundstage performance I’ve heard on wireless and on par with good wired earbuds.

The earbuds also have the uncanny ability to disappear in the sound sphere. Now, to be fair, the soundstage isn’t as wide as good open back headphones, let alone loudspeakers, but it extends a good bit outside the confines of your head and the imaging is able to place the objects exceedingly well around this little virtual sphere.

If this really is audio processing magic, it’s one of the best I’ve heard and at no point comes across as artificial sounding or over-processed. That it sounds like good wired audio is the best compliment I can give it.

Overall, I was really impressed with the audio quality on the Lypertek Tevi. If these were $200-300 full-sized wired headphones, the audio quality would have been good, if somewhat unremarkable. But the fact these are not just in-ear earbuds but also truly wireless earbuds at $90 is crazy. This is pure technical brilliance on display here that too at a scarcely believable price.

Microphone

The Lypertek Tevi have mediocre recording quality. The audio resembles that from an old landline telephone. It’s audible and your callers won’t have issue discerning what you’re saying but the sound itself has a tacky, compressed quality to it. Background noise isolation is also average at best. Adequate for short calls but not if voice calls are super important to you.

Latency

The Lypertek Tevi have good latency performance when used with aptX and TWS+. When testing with AAC, the latency was still acceptable. The delay was more noticeable to me but wasn’t experience breaking and most people won’t notice it. Overall, the Lypertek Tevi are perfectly viable for watching video content and some casual gaming but serious gamers may still want to invest in a wired headset, especially if they also plan on using voice chat.

Noise-cancellation

The Lypertek Tevi don’t have active noise-cancellation. However, they exhibited excellent passive noise isolation, especially when using the foam ear tips. The earbuds alone, with nothing playing, can drown out most ambient noise in a typical home or office environment.

With audio playing, you really need something loud to happen right next to you for you to be able to notice it. This level of isolation, however, may not be safe if you plan on wearing them outdoors and there’s also no passthrough mode that some earbuds have.

Connectivity

The Lypertek Tevi had reliable connectivity throughout the test period, which was just over a month at the time of writing. While I’d like to say this is the norm, it really isn’t and even modern Bluetooth products from large manufacturers often exhibit some hiccups every now and then. So for the Lypertek Tevi to remain rock solid throughout was something of an achievement.

Battery

The Lypertek Tevi have a promised battery life of 10 hours of continuous usage when using SBC. My testing was conducted using aptX and so I managed 8.5 hours of continuous playback. For TWS earbuds, this is a good, if not exceptional result.

What’s somewhat disappointing is the fast charge time. After 10 minutes of charging from flat, the earbuds only played for an hour before shutting down, which is easily the lowest result I’ve had so far. No wonder Lypertek doesn’t make any fast charge claims.

As mentioned before, the Lypertek Tevi case doesn’t support wireless charging so wired charging is your only option.

Conclusion

The Lypertek Tevi are priced at $90 and are now my favorite budget wireless earbuds. Whatever engineering/incantations Lypertek had to do to make them sound the way they do was worth it, because they sound incredible for the price.

They are also comfortable, have good design, build quality, battery life, latency, and passive noise isolation. The only thing that sticks out is the microphone performance, and even that should be adequate for most people.

If you are still in the wired audio camp, that’s understandable. For around the same price, you could get something like the MoonDrop Starfield, or pay a bit less and get the Tin T3 or BLON BL-03 and you’d be very happy with those. But products like Lypertek Tevi show that you can now have technically great sound that is still affordable but without any wires. It’s quite impressive and I can’t wait to see how much better wireless earbuds get in the future.

I’ve personally really enjoyed using these for the past several weeks, even when I’ve had other, more expensive things lying around. I plan on getting a pair of my own as soon as I hand back the review unit and using them as my daily driver for the foreseeable future.

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