Bluetooth headphones and earphones are literally everywhere now. Bluetooth has made it that regardless of your budget or needs, there is a pair of Bluetooth-enabled headphones or earphones available to you and bringing with it, a wire-free listening experience. That said, with such a selection currently available, finding the right pair of Bluetooth earphones can be a daunting task. If you are in the market for a new pair of earphones, one which comes with a Bluetooth connection and wire-free experience, but one which is at the more affordable end of the price spectrum, then today we are taking a quick look at the 1byone Bluetooth Sports Earphones.
In The Box
One of the aspects which was immediately noticed with the 1byone earphones, is that 1byone has put some thought and effort into the presentation of the earphones. More often than not when buying affordable priced earphones, the packaging can be a little on the basic side. This was not the case with the 1byone option and you do get a well packaged and presented item.
As well as the actual headphones, the 1byone Bluetooth Sports Earphones also come equipped with a selection of ear tips. Again, these were rather nicely presented and offer the option to adjust the earphones to your ear size. In terms of size, the tips include a small, medium and large option. Underneath the earphones and additional tips is where you will also find a small carry pouch. Again, it seems 1byone took the time here to produce a better pouch then is often countered at this price and the pouch comes with a nice and soft (almost suede like) feel. Inside the pouch you will find the microUSB charge cable for charging the earphones. This is a standard and very short cable which comes white in color. Although, the one noticeable aspect is that the cable is a flat cable. Completing the box, the pouch also contains a rather substantial user guide.
Design & Comfort
The 1byone Bluetooth Sports earphones on the surface, looks quite similar to a number of the Bluetooth earphones that you can pick up right now and at a similar price point. However, they do come with some subtle differences. In terms of the overall design, these are Bluetooth earphones and this does mean they are designed to be used wire-free. This results in a very small and compact pair of headphones. with minimal wiring on offer. In total, the cable which comes equipped with the earphones and joining the two earbuds measures about 18-inches, so about a foot and a half. This means, at the maximum, you can expect about nine-inches of play on either side.
This is slightly longer cable than on other earphones, which often edge much closer to the 12-inch marker and this did prove to be of benefit when testing. If you need the extra length then it is there and so the earphones at no point ever felt tight or restricted. For those who prefer less dangling of the cable, then the earphones do conveniently come with a small clip attached which can be altered up or down (kind of like a zip), This will either lengthen or shorten the cable between the the two earbuds. At the most extreme opposite, the cable offers about 7-inches of distance between the two earbuds. In terms of the remaining cable and due to the nature of the clip, the additional cable adopts a centralized pendant position, which again proved to be quite a good design. Sticking with the cable for a minute add the test unit comes in a very bright green (although other colors are available too) which did make these quite noticeable earphones for those who like that sort of thing. It is also worth pointing out that the cable is a flat cable which again did add to the presentation and general use of the earphones.
Moving to the earbuds and these are of the most part generic earbuds. The tips come in a slightly darker shade of green (unless you order a different color) and also come with additional ear hooks for added support when needed.
As these are Bluetooth-enabled earphones, this does mean they come with a rechargeable battery inside and can be recharged via a microUSB cable. The port for charging is conveniently located underneath the right earbud tip. Which means you do not have to worry about additional weight being added unnecessarily, which was another benefit.
Last up is the control panel. This comes in the form of a fixed unit attached to the right earbud side of the cable and on the whole, is rather slim. The thin plastic box is rather simple and comprises of three buttons, two of which are your volume/track controls. The middle button is your power button which also doubles as your Bluetooth pairing button and also triples as your call hang up/answer button – as these earphones also offer hands free calling as well.
Overall, the 1byone Bluetooth Sports Earphones were considered to be rather well-designed earphones. As mentioned, these do on first impressions adopt somewhat of a generic look, but the more you pay attention to the detail, you do begin to notice that 1byone has made an effort to improve the earphones as much as possible. When considering the price, to see any small adjustments like this is a good sign that they are likely to be earphones worth investing in.
Sound Quality & Performance
When it comes to the sound quality, the 1byone Bluetooth Sports Earphones perform very well. At this price point, the sound sometimes encountered is one which is often a little tinny. This is not the case with the 1byone earphones. The sound on offer is a lot richer and far more balanced in this respect. The mids and top come through nicely and are pronounced (more so than the bass), but at no point do they reach a tinny level. The quality of the tops and mids is just a lot better than what you would expect at this level or find on other alternatives.
Of course, the bass end is where these earphones do suffer a little and the bass is not as dynamic as some would prefer. However, again, if compared to a number of other options in this price bracket, the byone earphones do provide a sufficient enough bass. Although, not as clear as the tops and mids, it is there and noticeable, just not prominent.
Likewise, there were no issues with the volume. The 1byone earphones offer a decent level of volume and should be certainly loud enough for most users and most conditions.
Battery Life & Connectivity
With these being Bluetooth earphones, the level of battery life on offer will always be a contributing factor to whether or not the earphones are worth picking up. For some, this actually might be the deciding factor. If the earphones only offer a minimal level of usage before needing to be recharged, than their appeal as a portable and wire-free headset is diminished. In the case of the 1byone earphones, the battery life on offer was generally quite good.
In terms of the numbers, on average the 1byone earphones are said to offer up to seven hours of either talk time or music playback. In testing though, that number was found to be a little on the optimistic side. More often than not, the battery life encountered came in around the five hour marker. This was largely considered to be the maximum they would last in between charges but also when used at their loudest volume setting. So depending on how loud you like your earphones to be, the five hour marker could be improved upon if listened to at a lower volume. In terms of the recharging, there is not much to complain about either. Typically speaking, the headphones did reach a full charge in full in about two hours. The earphones also come with a low battery warning audio prompt as well, so once you are down to your last fifteen minutes or so, you are audibly warned that the battery is low. A warning which becomes more frequently given as the battery depletion level draws closer.
There were also no notable issues in terms of connectivity. the 1byone earphones make use of Bluetooth 4.1 and this does mean that they make use of a very reliable Bluetooth connection. When testing, the 1byone earphones were extremely reliable in maintaining the connection and no drop-offs or drop outs were encountered, with the earphones consistently remaining in contact with the streaming device. Bluetooth 4.1 is expected to offer a connectable distance of about 33 feet (10 meters) and again, during testing this would found to be about right. The 1byone earphones to maintain a connection well with a distance between them and the streaming device. That is, a connection which was not prone to distortion or crackling, like you would encounter with other earphones in this price bracket.
Wrap Up
If you are in the market for a new pair of earphones or as a gift for someone else, then the 1byone Bluetooth Sports Earphones did prove to be reliable earphones when tested. Although the bass is not the most pronounced or punchiest, it is there and is certainly accompanied by a warm and vibrant mids and top end. As such, the sound quality for the cost was deemed to be pretty good. Battery life is also another aspect which was deemed to be good with about five hours of usage expected in between charges. Not to mention, the general design of the headphones did clearly highlight that 1byone has looked to offer a few more subtle and beneficial differences. Overall, these proved to be a good and very reliable pair of earphones for under $50.
Buy the 1byone Bluetooth Earphones