Trying to find the right earbuds for all of your modern day needs feels like a minefield but there’s a new pair on the market that really do pack a punch – and then some.
The OpenRock X open-ear headphones are the perfect blend of luxury, style and comfort. It didn’t take long for them to rock my world and they’re available for sale on Amazon now and would make the ultimate Christmas gift for a loved one.
Getting set up couldn’t be simpler. The paper instructions are dead easy and if you happen to lose them the app takes care of everything (more on that in a bit). The buds come in a super nifty chargeable box that’s the complete storage device – you pop it open at the click of a button which activates in an instant your snazzy buds.
The buds themselves sit snug in moulds so you can easily stash them away after a heavy workout session or lively work conference.
From there, you activate the Bluetooth settings on your phone before getting the buds nicely adjusted around your ears. It’s a little tricky at first finding the right fit so to speak, especially if you’re used to overhead earphones, but they’re easily adjustable according to the shape of your ears and the mini speakers swivel so you can optimise the sound for your needs.
There’s nothing mini about the sound, mind. I shouldn’t be astounded given the gigantic strides in technology in recent years but it’s incredible how much ‘oomph’ that emanates from such a small piece of kit. The tone is warm, the bass solid and the volume and track selector are easy to adjust at the touch of a button underneath those little speakers.
For me the quality of the sound is the shining selling point of these gems. Closely followed by their monster battery life. The app, slick and effortless to navigate, boasts a cool equaliser that enables you to ramp up or scale back the sound depending on your environment. Mine were default set to ‘rock mode’ but the ‘boom’ setting takes the experience to a whole new level and has transformed my workouts at the gym already in particular.
Whether you’re listening to crunching guitars or soothing bass lines, it ticks all the boxes. There’s also a ‘relax’ mode for quieter settings and great if you’re into yoga. And of course they’re all set up for calls and an ‘AI noise reduction’ algorithm. Very cool stuff.
It doesn’t take long to forget the buds are fastened to your ears and that’s the great sign of quality, once you’ve got the fit nailed with the adjustable fasteners you won’t be worried about them falling off.
The battery life is another supreme stand out with 48 hours of time using the charging case. There’s nothing worse than ear buds/phones that drain within hours but these really do seem to last.
So save your pennies because these beauties—despite being on the pricier side at £169.99—would make a great Christmas present if you started saving now. Alternatively, John Lewis is selling SonyWF-L900 LinkBuds for £75, or if you are looking for a cheaper option, Amazon is selling Soundcore C30i by Anker, Open-Ear Earbuds for £59.99; find out more here.