When it comes to Bluetooth Sports Headphones, the options are plentiful. Even the price range is ample with a high-end in the thousands and the low going as low as five dollars. There are many things to consider with a new purchase. If you’re looking for a budget pair of sports style headphones, EC Technology’s Bluetooth 4.1 Headset could be some to consider. Here is a little something to help you decide.
Design
EC Technology’s Bluetooth 4.1 Headset is a lightweight sports neckband that comes in three different colors. The earbuds are magnetized so you don’t lose them while they hang around your neck. You also have the option of three different styles of ear tips. The first is a set of ear hooks that fit securely in your ear. The second is triangular shaped set that looks like it should be universal. Finally, you have three sizes of traditional ear tips that should cover any size ear.
The cord measures two feet and is made of a durable flexible rubber that, instead of being traditionally round, is flat, which seems to get tangled less. Built into the cord are the in-line controls and a USB port for charging. There are three buttons on the controller. Two of them control volume/skip while the other controls the answering/power. The Micro USB cable is one foot long and can plug into any USB slot to charge.
The sound quality is acceptable with all ranges from treble to bass coming in fairly clearly. These earphones can get quite loud with the highest volume setting easily letting others around you can hear the song you’re listening to. The call quality is very nice, as well. I could hear callers clearly, and the mic is so sensitive that the other end can even hear people around you.
Ear Tips
Since there are five different tips to choose from, you are sure to find a suitable size that fits your ear. The ear hooks fit the best for exercising and lots of movement while still being comfortable. The flaw I found in these tips is the sound. When listening to music of all genres from rock to hip-hop, the bass can’t be heard. No amount of adjustments seemed to help either.
The triangle shaped ear tips are the ones that were on the Bluetooth headphones out of the box, but these were not comfortable. They failed a movement test of jumping up and down by falling right out of my ears with ease. This could be because they just wouldn’t fit in my ear correctly, but nevertheless, I had no luck with these.
The last style is the traditional silicone ear tips that come with most in-ear headsets. After testing all three sizes to find my fit, I put them through the movement test, and they were acceptable only falling out under extreme exercise with. These were also the best for sound quality and did not muffle any of the sound’s ranges. Even when using a loud lawnmower, I could still hear podcasts and music clearly.
While this isn’t necessarily ear tip related, the in-line controls do affect them in a negative way. What I mean is the in-line controls are a bit on the heavy side, which drags the headphone out of your right ear. This means you need to make sure that you get a tight fit so it doesn’t fall out easily.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth connectivity was one of the things I was impressed with as I have had a few different budget headsets with Bluetooth that wouldn’t even reach from my pocket. The sound would just break up which resulted in me running with my Note Edge in my hand to keep it clear. I honestly expected the same from these headphones; however, I was pleasantly surprised.
They claim a 10 meters (32 feet) range, and it delivers on that. Strolling through my house, it went through a few walls and still picked it up. I will confess while cutting the grass, the phone was in my pocket and there were a few hiccups, but these were minor and did not happen enough to consider bad. Bluetooth connectivity is by far the best thing about this headset feature wise.
Usage
Set up was a bit annoying at first. Having to hold down the button to turn on for x amount of time wasn’t seeming to work. But once it got hooked up, it was good to go without further problems. I got four hours of continuous playback at full blast. Under normal conditions, you should have no problem getting a full day on a single charge. Recharging only takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.
Summary
Like I stated earlier, this is a large market to get into. EC Technology has provided a good quality budget headset that you will get your money’s worth out of. There are plenty of ways to make these a comfortable even if you’re like me and mismatch your ear tips. For $25.99, this is good set that can serve as your main headphones or a nice back up pair.
To purchase EC Bluetooth 4.1 SportsÂ
