In the pursuit of portable (truly portable) high-fidelity there have been a few hiccups along the way. If you’ve ever destroyed a pair of headphones in a moment of carelessness jumping from one piece of equipment to another in the gym or perhaps out of a train, you’ll know this well. And, you’ll also know that the vast majority of incidents related to portable hi-fi devices have something to do with the wires running between.
Wires aren’t meant to move very much. Even the most robust of them are partial to damage… and once damaged they’re hard to fix. Thankfully, slowly but surely, solutions are emerging. Some of them are doing so to keep up with some of the slightly stranger (or perhaps the most progressive when the above is considered) developments of the time.
Take, for instance…
The Onkyo W800BT Bluetooth Earphones are among the very first of their kind, emerging just as they’re needed the most! Wireless headphones are now fairly commonplace, but since the launch the iPhone 7 – a smartphone minus the 3.5mm headphone jack which, up until this point, were a standard feature of such devices – there has been a small yet rather prominent gap in the market which only Apple’s own product could fill.
Of course, that wasn’t going to last. The W800BT earphones are a testament to that. Nothing spurs on progress quite like a very sudden demand, and Onkyo have supplied that demand with something that looks delightfully futuristic. Even by the standards of something that is, by and large, delightfully futuristic.
They may look a little precarious, but every effort has been made to ensure they fit the geometric shape of the ear. They’re compact, they’re snug, they’re comfortable and, you’ll be relieved to hear, they’re extremely comfortable. They connect via Bluetooth, which means there’s no need for a physical adaptor. As long as your device is Bluetooth enabled, it will worth with the phones.
What’s also worth a rather big mention, is these are the first Bluetooth earphones designed for audiophiles, by an audiophile-grade brand. The sound takes precedence over everything, and everything has been carefully designed around it.
“The signature clean, clear and precise sound is created by 8.6mm high power drivers that deliver rich bass, balanced mid-range and crystal clear treble frequencies for an authentic musical experience across a frequency range of 6Hz – 22kHz. A closed acoustic architecture seals out sound creating a clear and accurate audio experience without external interruptions.” ~ Onkyo
The sound may be paramount, but that doesn’t mean Onkyo have skimped on the details and the extras. This is, after all, a lifestyle product. It comes fully kitted with accessories, including a charging case (with a battery, meaning you can charge your earphones up to five times without having to recharge the case), different sizes of silicone earbud (pick the size that’s right for you), a stabilising arm and even an inbuilt microphone so you can still use them as the standard smartphone headphones.
Excellent all-rounders, I’m sure you’ll agree. If, however, you want something with a little more substance (i.e. a comfortingly secure headband) wireless headphones are the tried and tested step up. There are a great deal of these to chose from, and the Sennheiser Momentum range are an excellent place to start looking.
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I have used 2 different pairs of Sennheiser bluetooth headphones, and each has a serious flaw. When used with a phone as the audio source, there is interference heard in the phones. This comes from the user’s phone, as well as other devices in the area. I tried to use my phones in central London, and it was impossible. Are these any better?