Bluetooth Headphones

Nasudake J7 Truely Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

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The Nasudake J7 are a set of completely wireless Bluetooth headphones from Nasudake, a new company out of Hong Kong. With Bluetooth 4.0 support for wireless connectivity and no wires to get in your way, are they worth it? Read my Nasudake J7 review to find out.

Thanks to Nasudake for providing me a sample to review. The Nasudake J7 is available from Amazon.

Check Price at Amazon

In This Review

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • Nasudake J7 Bluetooth Headphones
  • Charging Carry Case
  • Cable Carry Bag
  • Small Silicon Eartips
  • Micro USB Charging Cable
  • English User Manual

Nasudake J7 Review: Hardware

The Nasudake J7 are a set of truely wireless Bluetooth headphones, much like Apple’s AirPods. The left and right headphones are completely wireless, using Bluetooth to connect the two together.

The earbuds themselves are pretty standard style-wise. Each earbud is slightly larger than standard earbuds but they’re incredibly lightweight. I personally found the shiny black plastic looks a bit cheap. I think matte finish would have made things look more premium here.

The eartips use a unique tri-tip design with wings that keeps everything secure whilst offering excellent noise isolation. I’ve personally used aftermarket tri-tip earbuds on other earbuds so I’m glad to see them here.

Each earbud features triangular status LED around the central button, a small multi-purpose button and charging pins underneath.

Those charging pins connect directly to the carrying case which doubles up as a charger thanks to its built-in battery. The case is charged via micro USB and can charge the earbuds up to 5 times per charge.

To charge the earbuds, place them into the case, close the lid and press the power button. Pressing the power button will also show you the case’s battery status via 4 blue LEDs.

Unfortunately, I found the case sometimes popped open in my bag triggering a hunt for the earbuds.

I also found the case a little chunky. It’s small enough to fit into your bag or backpack, but it’s not pocketable like the one that comes with Apple’s AirPods.

The left and right headphones are completely wireless, using Bluetooth to connect the two together.

Nasudake J7 Review: Using It

Pairing up the Nasudake J7s is incredibly easy. Just holding down the left earbud’s triangular button for several seconds to enter pairing mode. Select the J7 from your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu and you’ve got a single Bluetooth earbud.

To add the second earbud, just hold down it’s button for several seconds and it’ll automatically pair up for stereo audio.

One thing I will mention is that handsfree audio only comes through the left earbud. This is a bit disorienting, as you’ll go from listening to music in stereo to mono suddenly. I really wish stereo audio was maintained at all times.

There’s also a really annoying issue with audio sync when watching videos. It seems the headphones add a delay to keep both earbuds to sync. So when you’re watching videos (which requires audio and video to stay in sync), there’s a slight delay in the audio which means lip sync will be off – something that drives me nuts. Using just one ear bud fixes the problem so it’s definitely due to the wireless connection between the earbuds.

Battery Life

Given their compact size, the Nasudake J7 offerings 3 hours of music playback per charge. This isn’t particularly long, especially if you’re needing continuous use like on a flight. However, for day-to-day use, I didn’t find it to be an issue – as long as I remembered to put them in the charging case. A full charge takes around an hour so keep that in mind.

This is probably my main gripe with wireless headphones. The fact I need to remember to charge both the case and the headphones themselves is a pain. Personally, I’d rather a set of standard Bluetooth headphones that only need to be charged once a week.

Comfort

The ear buds tri-tip design and ear hooks did a good job of keeping the headphones in place. I never felt like they were about to fall out of my ears.

Bluetooth Connection

The Bluetooth connection was disappointing to say the least. When my phone was in my pocket when walking, I frequently Had dropouts,  sometimes of several seconds. This was the same whether I used my iPhone or Samsung S7. Even putting your hands over the buds would cause a dropout.

Dropouts are disorienting too,  as one ear drops out, then the other before coming back in the same order. It’s not particularly pleasant.

The situation improved dramatically when I held my phone so it seems the antenna is just too small.

Nasudake J7 Review: Sound Quality

Sound quality is the most important aspect of headphones. Unfortunately, the Nasudake J7 are pretty average in this department.

The headphones are bass-heavy, and lack detail in mids and highs. Music tends to sound muddy like cheap headphones.

The headphones are bass-heavy, and lack detail in mids and highs.

Whilst many will find them fine for use in the gym or when running, they lack crispness, causing music to sound flat.

I found the headphones did a good job with sound isolation, keeping outside noise to a minimum.

Microphone Quality

The microphone was functional but, as usual for most Bluetooth headphones, wasn’t particularly clear. This is because the microphone is near your ear, rather than your mouth. Whilst the caller on the other end was able to hear me, they said I sounded quiet and was often drowned out by ambient noise.

Verdict

The Nasudake J7 Bluetooth headphones offer truly wireless audio in theory for a fraction of the price of Apple’s AirPods. However, major issues make them hard to recommend.

With an unreliable Bluetooth connection, average sound quality and audio sync issues when watching video, I’d give the Nasudake J7’s a miss. Unless you really want to try fully wireless headphones without spending Apple prices, I’d recommend you invest your hard earned money on a more traditional set of Bluetooth headphones.

Pros

  • Completely Wireless
  • Compact

Cons

  • Short Battery Life
  • Average Audio Quality
  • Audio Sync issues when watching video

Where to Buy the Nasudake J7

The Nasudake J7 Bluetooth Headphones are available from Amazon.

Check Price at Amazon

Bluedio Vinyl Bluetooth Headphones Review

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The Bluedio Vinyl are a new set of Bluetooth headphones from the company. With Bluetooth 4.1 support for wireless connectivity and a metal build, are they worth it? Read my Bluedio Vinyl review to find out.

Thanks to Bluedio for providing me a sample to review. The Bluedio Vinyl is available from Amazon, Bluedio’s official eBay Store and AliExpress

Check Price at Amazon

In This Review

What’s in the Box?

I’m really impressed at Bluedio’s inclusions this time. The company has included the most comprehensive set of accessories I’ve seen to date.

Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • Bluedio Vinyl Bluetooth Headphones
  • Zip-Up Carry Case
  • Cable Carry Bag
  • 3.5mm to 3.5mm Audio Cable
  • 3.5mm to 3.5mm Audio Cable with Integrated Microphone
  • Micro USB Charging Cable
  • Y-Audio cable
  • English User Manual

Bluedio Vinyl Review: Hardware

The Bluedio Vinyl are over-the-ear with a retro-inspired design as their name suggests. With their elegant, cylindrical earcups featuring chamfered edges, the Bluedio Vinyl feels both modern and classic all at once. It’s a look I’m a massive fan of.

The Bluedio Vinyl feels both modern and vintage all at once.

There’s actually 3 colors available. I’ve got the silver model but there’s also blue and purple models available for those who want something a bit bolder.

The headphones are well made, with a flexible yet durable Al-Ti alloy metal frame and plastic earcups that house the unit’s massive 57mm drivers.

The headband itself can be adjusted to fit different head sizes. I’ve got a large head and didn’t have any issues getting a good fit. Clamping force is also good, keeping the headphones in place without being uncomfortable.

The earcups rotate on two axes so they sit nicely against your head. The soft, leather-like earpads cover your ears completely and are very comfortable, even after a solid days listening.

All the controls hidden along the right ear cup. Bluedio’s Multi Function (MF) button, power switch, micro USB port, volume controls and a microphone all make an appearance.

The volume controls and MF button both pull double duty, allowing you to skip tracks and play/pause the current track respectively. Holding the MF button down when paired up with an iOS device will even trigger Siri which is useful for completely hands-free operation.

I did find the button layout to be a little awkward however. It’s not as intuitive as something like the Bluedio UFO which has all the controls arranged in a circle. Instead, you need to remember where on the earcup each button is. Whilst I got used to it after a while, it was frustrating the first few times.

There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack in the left earcup which lets you use the headphones wired if you prefer. This even works when the battery is dead which is very handy if you forget to charge them (not that I ever forget to charge anything…).

It can also be used to share your music to another set of headphones or speakers via a 3.5mm audio cable which is pretty cool, though something that I never really used. That said, I can see it being a useful alternative to using an earbud each to share music.

Actually pairing up the headphones was simple. Just switch them on, wait for the spoken “pairing” voice prompt and pick “Vinyl” from your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu.

With wireless headphones, you want them to last a while without a charge and the Bluedio Vinyl does well here. Bluedio claim around 20 hours of playback and this feels about right. I was able to use the headphones for an entire week, including several full workdays, and still had some battery to spare.

The Bluetooth connection itself was excellent, without any dropouts or significant interference.

Range was equally impressive, easily getting 10m through walls without any dropouts. That’s wireless freedom.

Bluedio Vinyl Review: Sound Quality

Sound quality is the most important aspect of any headphones and the Bluedio Vinyl is one of their more balanced headphones to date. Music sounds clear across all frequencies, with a pleasing balance between lows, mids and highs.

Music sounds clear, with a nice balance between lows, mids and highs.

Bass is still front-and-center but doesn’t overly dominate like some of the company’s other headphones (and admittedly 90% of mainstream headphones today).

Whether I was listing to death metal or acoustic tracks, the Bluedio Vinyls sounded good. Death metal (my personal favorite) tends to have its subtleties drowned out by bass-centric headphones so it’s nice to have a pair that keep detail.

The microphone experienced the same issues as other Bluetooth headphones, namely with the person on the other end of the call finding it hard to hear me. In a quiet environment its fine. However, it doesn’t work well in noisy environments as the microphone is simply too far from your mouth.

I found the headphones did a good job with sound isolation, keeping outside noise to a minimum.

Verdict

I’m a fan of the Bluedio Vinyls. Though their style is fantastic and fits in well with a modern, minimalist aesthetic, the fact that their sound is equally solid is great.

Though I wasn’t a massive fan of the control layout and the microphone was predictably average, these are hardly deal breakers when you look at the overall package.

For under $100, you’re getting a set of well-built and great sounding Bluetooth headphones that’ll outperform most of the competition at this price point.

Pros

  • More Balanced Sound Signature
  • Elegant Design
  • Impressive Connectivity Options

Cons

  • Buttons are not in the best position
  • Average Microphone quality

Getting One

The Bluedio Vinyl Bluetooth Headphones are available from Amazon, Bluedio’s official eBay Store and AliExpress.

Check Price at Amazon

Nasudake J7 are Wireless AirPod-Style Bluetooth Headphones

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The Nasudake J7 is a new set of completely wireless Bluetooth headphones from Hong Kong-based company Yamaga.

The $79.99 Bluetooth 4.0 headphones feature a completely wireless design with two separate earpieces, much like Apple’s recently released AirPods but at half the price.

Whilst Apple’s headphones have some nifty tricks, the Nasudake J7 are sweat proof, feature music and volume controls and a microphone for handsfree calling.

Nasudake J7

Battery life is around 4 hours (presumably due to size constraints limiting the battery size). However, the included case doubles as a portable charger that can fully charge the headphones in an hour up to 6 times before the case itself needs to be recharged.

Inside the box, you’ll get the Nasudake J7 Bluetooth headphones, portable charging box, micro USB charging cable, carry bag, additional ear plugs and a user manual.

I’m definitely curious to see how well these completely wireless Bluetooth headphones work and whether the additional “freedom” they offer comes with any drawbacks.

I’ve got a set of the Nasudake J7s coming so stay tuned for a review!

Where to Buy the Nasudake J7

The Nasudake J7 Bluetooth headphones are available from Amazon for under $80 at the time of writing.

However, you can use coupon NKCHR123 to get it for $59.99.

GranVela G18 Bluetooth Headphones Review

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The GranVela G18 is a set of sweatproof Bluetooth In-Ear headphones targeting the sporting crowd with. Boasting Bluetooth 4.1, sweatproof design and a built-in microphone, are they any good? Keep reading my GranVela G18 review to find out!

Thanks to GranVela for providing me a sample to review. Purchase the GranVela G18 from Amazon via the link below.

Check Price at Amazon

In This Review

What’s in the Box?

Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • GranVela G18 Bluetooth Headphones
  • Micro USB Charging Cable
  • Rubber Eartips (3 sizes)
  • English User Manual

GranVela G18 Review: Hardware

The GranVela G18 is definitely targeting the fitness community. The headphones are made of bright green and grey plastic, with large ear hooks to keep the headphones in place during exercise. I can’t say the color scheme will be for everyone (I felt odd wearing them to work) but they nail the sporty aesthetic.

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They’re also IPX4 rated, meaning they’re protected against sweat and other liquids which often kills other headphones.

I found the headphones’ large ear hooks kept the headphones in place regardless of what I was doing – whether it be running or headbanging. It was nice not having to worry about them falling out at a critical moment.

The ear tips themselves are made of soft silicon which let’s them easily adapt to your ear canal. GranVela pack in 3 different sizes so you should be able to find one that fits. They’re pretty comfortable, even after a day’s listening so that’s a plus.

granvela-g18-review-earbuds

Now, the G18 manages to fit in a full set of Bluetooth controls on the earpieces themselves.

The right earpiece houses the power button, volume controls, power LED and the microphone. Those buttons actually pull double-duty, with the power button pausing the music whilst holding down the volume controls skips tracks. I found it really useful to be able to skip tracks without having to grab my phone, particularly when I was in the middle of exercising.

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There’s also a micro USB port for charging in the left earpiece. However, I found that having the power LED and charging ports on opposite sites unintuitive as you can’t just look where you’ve plugged it in. It doesn’t affect usability, but it’s an odd design choice.

Speaking of power, battery life was good, with the headphones getting around the stated 7 hours of playback. They’ll also power down when left unused to save power.

The Bluetooth connection was solid during my testing. I didn’t experience any dropouts or interference which is excellent.

GranVela G18 Review: Sound Quality

You can have great hardware, but if the sound quality isn’t there, you’re just wasting your money. However, I was actually impressed with how the GranVela G18’s sound.

Audio sounds crisp and retains good detail, with a fairly even response across highs, mids and lows.

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Bass is respectable without muddying audio. However, the amount of bass will depends on how good of a seal you get. I personally liked the even approach to sound, though some may find bass lacking.

Microphone quality is usually where these headphones suffer (typically because they’re located away from the mouth) so I was surprised when I made a call and the person on the other end said they could hear me clearly. It’s not better than speaking directly into the phone but they did sound better than some of the other Bluetooth headphone microphones I’ve tested recently.

Verdict

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Sport headphones are typically an exercise (no pun intended!) in compromises. Unless you’re spending big bucks, most offer mediocre audio in exchange for being sweatproof or wireless. However, the GranVela G18’s left me impressed.

Whilst they’re not going to compete with top-tier headphones, audio quality was solid for sports headphones and being both wireless and water resistant make them perfect partners for the gym. If you’re wanting a cheap set of headphones for your workouts, the GranVela G18 is definitely worth considering.

Pros

  • Balanced Sound Signature
  • Good Microphone Sound Quality
  • Sweatproof
  • Headphones stay in place during excercise

Cons

  • Unattractive Color Scheme
  • Large Ear Hooks are only in 1 size

Getting One

The GranVela G18 Bluetooth Headphones are available from Amazon.

Check Price at Amazon

Bluedio Unveil Bluedio Vinyl Bluetooth 4.1 Headphones

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Bluedio have taken the wraps of their new Bluetooth 4.1 headphones. Called the Bluedio Vinyl, the new headphones feature 57mm drivers, an Aluminium-Titanium alloy frame, and support for both Bluetooth and wired connections to offer you maximum flexibility.

The design itself is quite interesting, with each earcup able to rotate 180 degrees. This allows them to fold flat for easy transport, in addition to easy single ear use when DJing.

They’re available in 3 colors – the traditional black, in addition to blue and purple versions which look great.

bluedio-vinyl-bluetooth-headphones-n02

There’s an impressive array of inclusions inside the box too, with a 3.5mm audio cable, 3.5mm audio cable with integrated remote and microphone, USB charging cable, Y-audio cable, carry case, cable pouch and the instruction manual.

I’ve been a big fan of Bluedio’s headphones for a long time so I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a set to see how they stack up.

Where to Buy the Bluedio Vinyl

The Bluedio Vinyl is currently available from Bluedio’s official eBay store or AliExpress.

Bluedio UFO Plus Bluetooth 4.0 Headphones Review: Beam Me Up!

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The Bluedio UFO Plus is a premium set of Bluetooth 4.0 headphones and the top of Bluedio’s range. Featuring a massive 12 drivers (6 per ear!), Ti-Al alloy construction, rotating ear cups and support for both Bluetooth and wired connections, is it a winner? Keep reading to find out!

I want to say thanks to Bluedio for sending me a sample to review. You can buy one from them here.

Check Price at GearBest

What’s In The Box?

bluedio-ufo-plus-review-inside-the-box

As usual, Bluedio have included everything you need to get up and running. Inside the box, you’ll get:

  • Bluedio UFO Plus Bluetooth headphones
  • Carry Case
  • Coiled 3.5mm male-to-male audio cable
  • Micro USB charging cable

I like the carry case sit does a good job of protecting the headset and keeping everything together.

The coiled cable is a nice inclusion. It offers plenty of length and has a twist lock mechanism to keep it connected to your headphones. The 6.5mm adapter even screws on for a secure fit. It’s the little details like this that I love about Bluedio’s products.

bluedio-ufo-plus-review-adapter

Bluedio UFO Plus Review: Hardware

The Bluedio UFO Plus are a massive set of headphones. Thanks to their Al-Ti alloy construction, they feel incredibly durable. They’re also not too heavy (at least for me).

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The large ear cups easily cover your ears to block out ambient noise. They fold up for easy portability but use a pivoting mechanism compared to the folding mechanism used on headphones like the Bluedio UFO or Turbine T3s. It works well but causes the headband to flatten when you’re wearing them which looks odd.

They’re also impressively adjustable, with ear cup rotating independently plus an adjustable headband to get them exactly where you need them.

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As with Bluedio’s other Bluetooth headphones, controls are located in the right ear cup. Here you’ll find volume and music playback controls, in addition to Bluedio’s Multi function button which is used for everything else like turning the headphones on to answering calls.

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There’s no physical difference in the buttons so you’ll need to feel around to get the right button without looking. You’ll get used to it pretty quickly though.

As is usually the case with Bluedio headphones, the Bluedio UFO Plus are incredibly comfortable. The thick leather-like pads are soft and were still comfortable after several hours of listening. However, I did find my ears getting warm after long listening sessions. Clamping force was good – strong enough to keep the headphones in place without being painful. They also provide excellent noise isolation, blocking out an impressive amount of ambient noise.

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Bluedio UFO Plus Review: Using It

Pairing the headphones is identical to any other Bluetooth device. Just hold down the multi-function button to put them into pairing mode and then pick them from your smartphone’s Bluetooth menu. You can even pair the Bluedio UFO Plus to two separate phones, with the headphones intelligently switching between them.

If you drain the internal battery, you can even use them wired which is a massive plus. I loved the fact that the included 3.5mm cord features a twist-lock to keep them attached to the headphones at all times.

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The Bluetooth connection is generally excellent, with fantastic range. I did experience the occasional bit of interference but these instances were rare.

Battery life is solid as usual, getting around a week of typical use. You can also use the headphones wired if you’ve drained the battery which is handy.

Bluedio UFO Plus Review: Sound Quality

So the most important question is “how do these cans sound?”.

Well, the Bluedio UFO Plus are capable of producing some beautiful audio. However, their sound signature definitely favours bass, with it tending to dominate higher frequencies on demanding tracks. I wouldn’t use them to mix an album but they’re great for general listening – particularly given that most people prefer enhanced bass response.

These headphones really come alive when you feed them bass-heavy music, with booming bass that sounds so clean. Tracks like Skrillex’s Bangarang sounds incredible.

Acoustic tracks have excellent depth, with the headphones’ 12 drivers handling mids and highs well.

More demanding genres like death metal still sound good. However, the bass does tend to muddy some of the detail in the vocals.

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Movies and games sound amazing thanks to the enhanced bass response. Gunshots and explosions are delivered with force, leading to a much more immersive experience.

Interestingly, the Bluedio UFO Plus is the first Bluedio headphones I’ve reviewed that show a distinct difference between Bluetooth and wired connections. When wired, bass is even more prominant. However, adding in an amplifier like the Fiio E6 seemed to improved the audio quality.

There’s also Bluedio’s 3D effect which is available when connected via Bluetooth. The company says this should enhance your audio with improved sound stage. In practice, it’s a waste of time. With music, it just makes everything sounds muddy. The situation does improve with movies but not dramatically so.

Verdict

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The Bluedio UFO Plus is another solid set of headphones from the company. Bluedio have produced a exceptionally well-build set of cans with an impressive array of features. However, its $250 price tag will be a hard pill to swallow for most, particularly given the variety of quality headphones available at the price point.

Pros

  • Solid build quality
  • Bluetooth and Wired support
  • Attractive Design

Cons

  • Bass-heavy sound won’t be for everyone
  • Expensive

Where Can You Buy The Bluedio UFO Plus?

The Bluedio UFO Plus is available from the following stores:

Check Price at Amazon

Bluedio UFO Bluetooth Headphones Review: The Spaceship has Landed

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The Bluedio UFO are a set of overhead Bluetooth headphones that feature 4 individual drivers in each ear, Bluetooth 4.1, dual phone support and 3.5mm connectivity. Are they any good? Read my Bluedio UFO review to find out.

Read moreBluedio UFO Bluetooth Headphones Review: The Spaceship has Landed

Deals: QCY QY8 Bluetooth 4.1 Earphones for $16.99

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The QCY QY8 are a set of well-reviewed sweatproof Bluetooth 4.1 headphones that are currently available for only $16.99 over at TomTop using coupon “QCY2“.

They feature a stylish design and an integrated 80mAh battery which the QCY claims should be suitable for up to 6 hours talking/playing time, and about 175 hours standby time.

Bluetooth 4.1 support means they should sip power whilst still offering a range of around 10m for those who love the freedom wireless audio offers. Hands-free calling is also supported via the in-built microphone.

If you’re interested, the QCY QY8 are currently on sale on sale over at TomTop. Just use coupon “QCY2” to get them for only $16.99.

I Want This Deal!

Somic S3 Bluetooth Earphones Feature Heartrate Monitor

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The Somic S3 Bluetooth earphones are an interesting gadget. Whilst they come with pretty much everything you’d expect from a set of sports headphones, they also include an in-built heartrate monitor.

From the product shots, it appears that the heartrate monitor’s optical sensor is hidden in one of the earbuds so I’m not 100% sure how accurate it will be.

It seems that heartrate data can be viewed from the SomicSports app that’s available on iOS and Android (though it’s not on Google Play as far as I can tell).

Bluetooth 4.0 is supported for reduced battery consumption and the company claims the in-built 100mAh should be good for just over 5 hours of music playback.

The rest of the specs appear to be decent too, offering an IP54 waterproof rating to protect the unit from sweat and rain, a built-in microphone for hands-free use, in-line music controls and the ability to connect up to two smartphones at once.

Inside the box, you get the Somic S3 Bluetooth Sport earbuds, 2 pairs of earbud Tips, a micro USB charging cable, and a storage bag.

Buying the Somic S3

The Somic S3 Bluetooth earphones are available from GearBest for around $53 at the time of writing.

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