When thinking about the future, we tend to fantasize about how everything is well polished and automated. However, one futuristic aspect that goes without saying is how everything will be wireless. Wires are a thing of the past and wireless allows objects to be placed anywhere while still performing the same function.
It’s not fun being tied down to one spot, so by removing the tether we are free to roam. WiFi is a great example as it did away with our need for an Ethernet cable.
As much fun as it is to criticize Apple for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack on the new iPhone 7, this is just another small step towards a wireless world. If the iPhone 7 supported wireless charging, then it would truly be known as a wireless phone.
Apple’s massive market share allows them to make drastic changes to their phone with apparently little concern for the consequences. If they believe the 3.5mm headphone jack is no longer valuable to the consumer, the consumer will go along with it, therefore, changing how the market works.
Since the removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, headphone manufacturers need to adapt to these changes and create a wireless device. Luckily our existing technology allows those manufacturers to adapt with little innovation.
Known as Bluetooth, this technology is more commonly used with Bluetooth headsets or by business communication earpieces. By creating a directional and short ranged network, this network communication technology allows for the transfer of data and voice. Moreover, its low power draw is efficient for smaller devices.
Since nearly every smartphone on the market has Bluetooth built-in, it would seem to be the best option for headphone manufacturers to address the demise of the headphone jack. As such, Amazon’s marketplace is beginning to pick up new Bluetooth headphones.
With the market in a dilemma over whether to produce iPhone 7 or Android-compatible headphones, a smaller gadgets brand believes this may be their time to jump into the mix. Branded as iClever, their entry into the market is their first Bluetooth headset, which is aimed at the outdoors and exercising crowd.
Sold for a reasonable price and still offering some impressive sound, the iClever Bluetooth headphones may be a great option for all of the iPhone 7 users out there.
Welcome to my review of the iClever wireless Bluetooth headphones. Throughout this review, I will be discussing the following topics: the design and fit, functionality, and my final thoughts. A special thank you to Hisgadget for providing me with this device.
Design and Fit
If you take a moment and go to the Apple iPhone 7 product page, what are they trying to sell you? I’ll give you a hint; it’s not a phone. Instead, Apple is selling you a brand, a lifestyle that will make you think and act differently. It’s the exact same for the Apple Watch. All of the watches are the same, only the bands around your wrist change.
Even if you do not own an iPhone, when you see one you immediately know the design and many times it seems like a piece of art. The thing is, users of the iPhone tend to be driven to similarly designed accessories.
The iClever Bluetooth headphones do a good job at attracting people’s attention, just like the iPhone that they are meant to be paired with.
Their attention is drawn mainly by the oval shaped earbuds that are lined with a chrome ring. This oval earbud is slightly large in size, but with average sized ears it fits comfortably in the ear cavity.
With their all black design, the iClever headphones utilize a 25-inch cable that wraps around your neck and connects the two earbuds together. Additionally, there is an inline control unit placed closely to the right earbud. The control unit is the brains of the headphones and contains two volume buttons, a play/pause button, microphone, and a microUSB slot for charging.
Since iClever advertises these headphones for the outdoors and exercising crowds, chances are you will be running or doing activities that require excessive head movements. If you do such things, you will know that normal headphones do not maintain the grip to stay in your ear canal. Without a firm grip, they easily fall out.
To prevent this problem, the iClever headphones use a “shark fin” ergonomic ear clip. Both of the earbuds have this extended piece on them that gently push against your ear flap and prevents the ear buds from backing their way out.
It’s a clever design and I have never used earbuds like this before. At first, I figured this shark fin would cause discomfort, but it was the opposite. I never felt the shark fin whatsoever and it helped provide a secure fit of the earbud. One thing to note is that these shark fins do sometimes come off without notice. I took the headphones out of my pocket only to see the shark fins fall to the ground. Furthermore, since they are rubber, they picked up all of the dirt and grime that was on the floor. After cleaning it off, it was a little annoying to discover that it came off with little force.
All ears are different, therefore, iClever provides three different sizes of shark fins and ear buds so that you can get the best fit. One thing that I noticed is that for the best fit, it may be best to try the large shark fin, but the medium earbud size.
As for the overall fit, it was comfortable and didn’t bother my ear or ear canal. I quite enjoyed how they filled my entire ear cavity and ear canal. The seal for your ear canal is strong, so be careful that you do not push the headphones too deep into your ear or you may have considerable discomfort.
Functionality
Being my first ever wireless headphones, it was a pleasant choice and a great experience. The Bluetooth headphones fit very well and never backed out of my ears after weeks of usage. Moreover, the battery life is impressive. I’ve had these headphones for a little over a month and I have yet to charge them. They automatically go into standby mode when not in use and they reconnect to my phone within seconds of being turned back on. Plus, when it does come time to recharge them, it’s only a few hours of down time.
Sound quality of the iClever Bluetooth headphones is slightly above average. I wasn’t blown away with the sound, but I wasn’t disappointed in it either. The above average rating is mainly due to their ability to prevent sound leakage and produce a loud and crisp sound, and the music sounded as I expected it too. Lows and the bass were on the quiet side, sometimes non-existent, whereas the mids and highs were acceptable to my liking.
Cycling through my music and Pandora radios, the iClever Bluetooth headphones held together for the different tunes, however, what was current among all of the songs was that it was sometimes hard to make out what the singer was singing.
When using the headphones, I did some general walking and a little running. As mentioned, they never backed themselves out of my ears and since the headphones are sweat-resistant, I didn’t need to worry about getting them wet, although, do not use the sink to clean them. Instead use a damp towel.
The only gripe that I had while using the headphones was with the rubber coated cable. It tends to remember its original packaged shape. It would constantly ride up my back and stick up and I felt like I was constantly readjusting the cable. iClever provides a cable tie to help manage the cable, but this was only a slight improvement.
My Final Thoughts
For the price, these iClever Bluetooth headphones offer a rocking deal. The sound quality of the headphones is acceptable and their effort to be an outdoors/exercising headset is ideal. With their sweat-resistance and built-in microphone, they make a nice headset for everyday usage as well. Comfort levels were acceptable as well and these are worthy for a mere $28.
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