I love reviewing headphones from off-brand companies that aren’t marquee names like Sony, Apple, or Beats. So many of these lesser-known companies have a lot to prove, and in most cases, they’re making excellent products at affordable prices. 

For instance: these noise-cancelling earbuds from Ugreen. The company just released these and sent me an advanced review sample a few weeks ago. My previous daily drivers were these Master & Dynamics earbuds, and while they were great and all, the UGREEN HiTune X6 Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds blew me away. 

How so? Well, for starters, these headphones only cost $40. Secondly, they fit in my ears and never fall out. And lastly, they sound amazing. To compare apples to apples, my previous Master & Dynamics headphones cost $299. Again, these are only $40. So what makes a $50 pair of earbuds better than the ones that cost $299? Let’s dive in. 

Apple really spoiled me with how easy it is to pair its AirPods. Open the case, and boom, the AirPods automatically connect. While this isn’t the case with the HiTune X6 Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds, it’s just as easy, minus an extra step.

With UGREEN’s earbuds, open the case, long-press the pairing button on the charging case, and voilà, the earbuds connect without a hitch. 

Sound

When I first tested these, I took them to the gym because I figured what better place to test the audio and ANC than a loud gym. When I pressed play on a song from one of my playlists, the sound hit me like a pile of bricks, in a good way. These headphones sound amazing. I had to remind myself these headphones were $40. I can’t stress how good they sound for the price. 

For starters, they’re loud, and everything comes through clear. But what struck me the most was how well they project the bass of a given track. In addition, they’re incredibly generous on the low-end, so if you’re someone who enjoys the thump of their music, these earbuds are right up your alley. 

I was really curious how UGREEN could pull off great-sounding headphones at this price point. So I reached out and asked if they could provide any insight, and they summed it up by telling me the materials they used earbuds’ driver, mainly the DLC Speaker Unit. Via UGREEN: 

“The headphones feature a 10mm Diamond-Like Carbon dynamic driver, outstanding extension and sensitivity, richer detail and low distortion, a more natural, real, and deeper audio.”

Comfortability and fit

Remember how I mentioned I first tested these at the gym? Well, I do a lot of running on the treadmill. This means it’s crucial that I have earbuds that stay in my ears. There’s nothing more frustrating than running on a treadmill and having to stop because one of my earbuds fell out. 

To my surprise, these earbuds do not have this problem. I can’t stress how important this is. I usually have to adjust earbuds to stay in my ears constantly. I rarely had any instances of doing this with the HiTune X6 Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds. And if for any reason, you can’t get the default ear tips to fit, three additional sizes are included. 

ANC 

Since the headphones fit comfortably in my ears, that means a tight seal, which effectively works hand-in-hand with active-noise cancellation. As a result, these earbuds promise to eliminate up to -35dB of external noise, and I can confirm this claim from my testing. 

At the gym, the last thing I want to hear is the music they’re pumping through its speakers or the occasional grunt from the person at the machine next to me. When ANC was enabled on these earbuds, the outside world stays out while the music or calls I listen to stay in. You really can’t ask more than that from earbuds that cost $50. 

Call quality, battery life, and just about everything else

If you’re someone who takes a lot of calls on their Bluetooth earbuds or uses them for things like video calls and meetings, these earbuds offer an excellent solution to this. The audio is clear and crisp, and there’s virtually zero latency. And with the added bonus of ANC, you’re laser-focused on the call without having to deal with outside distractions. 

Battery life is great. I’ve been using them for two weeks straight and still haven’t found the need to charge them yet. Overall, you get 26-hours of battery with the included charging case. Without ANC turned on, you get six hours. With it turned on, you get 5.5 hours. Pretty impressive. 

I’m not a huge fan of touch controls on wireless earbuds. I personally think these companies should just make an app instead. Touch controls are confusing to remember, and they accidentally trigger anytime you adjust the earbuds. Unfortunately, I found this to be the case with these. But if you’re into them, these offer them, and you get a wide range of options to mess around to choose from. 

Final verdict

The UGREEN HiTune X6 Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds are an excellent pair of earbuds. I mean, at $40, you really can’t complain. They offer everything you need without spending over $100 on something you would expect from the more prominent names in this space. They’re, without a doubt, some of the best budget-minded earbuds I’ve ever tested. 

With features like great sound, long-lasting battery life, and active-noise cancellation – these are budget noise-cancelling buds worth buying. Sure, $40 can go a long way, but you’re not gambling much away if you’re aren’t happy with them. But I can confidently say that won’t be the case. 

And if you’re worried about brand recognition, UGREEN isn’t some fly-by-night company. The company has been around since 2012 and has steadily grown into a trusted brand with over 40 million customers in more than 100 countries.

Pricing and where you can buy them

Remember when we mentioned these earbuds only cost $40? Well, that may be the case, but that’s because you’re reading this.

Usually, they cost $69.99, but KnowTechie readers get them for $36 with promo code 10HITUNEX6, along with clipping the $25% on-site coupon. Readers have until January 16 before the code expires. And for the time being, Amazon is the only place where you can buy these.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: EPOS H3Pro Hybrid – a solid, yet pricey headset with ANC
• Review: TempSpace standing desk – a solid value at $300
• Review: Anker’s SoundCore Frames – look good, sound okay, and cost a small fortune
• Review: Lesoos Fat Tire Fatsky Ebike

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. A sample unit was also supplied for this review. Click here for more.

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Pei was one of OnePlus‘ co-founders, so he knows the pulse of the mobile market. The three microphones in the Ear(1) work together to power the ANC, and Nothing’s marketing is aiming them against the AirPods Pro.

Will they live up to the promise? I mean, the $99 earbuds we’ve used to date are all lacking something vs the more expensive versions, that’s why they’re cheaper. Maybe Pei’s experience from OnePlus’ “flagship killer” days will come into force here, making the Ear(1) punch above their price point.

READ MORE: Nothing will debut its first smartphone on July 12

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READ MORE: Nothing shows off its first phone a month early

For me, I’m all for the transparent looks. With most of the earbuds market copying each other’s homework, the transparent styling is something different, and I can’t wait to get hands-on experience of the Ear(1). If they sound as good as they look in the promo images, Nothing could be on to a winner here.

The other tidbit of news is that Nothing has acquired the rights to the “Essential” brand, which has laid dormant since the company shut down in 2020 after releasing one phone. Pei says that Nothing plans to do, well, nothing with the trademark, and snagged it as it was one of the possible branding choices when they were brainstorming company names.

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Is LeBron James wearing a pair of unreleased Beats earbuds in this Instagram post?
• Review: Audeze LCDi3 in-ear planar headphones
• Review: Strauss & Wagner ANCBT501 noise-canceling wireless headphones
• Which earbuds are best for running?

The post Nothing’s first set of earbuds are called Ear(1) and feature active noise canceling for $99 appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you are in the market for wireless headphones with active noise canceling (ANC), you’ve got two categories to choose from. Either you go for quality of ANC and sacrifice looks, or you go for looks and get ANC that’s just good enough. What if you could have both?

That’s the premise of the PX7 Carbon Edition from Bowers & Wilkins, which wraps itself in carbon fiber, woven fabric, and sleek lines. Is the ANC up to the task of my toddler-taken-over working area? Let’s find out.

British sensibilities

Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

Okay, so the first thing you notice when unboxing the PX7 Carbon is that Bowers & Wilkins has included a slimline, stylish carrying case. That’s important when the main use of ANC headphones is to use them when traveling. Other competitors either don’t supply anything or give you a flimsy bag to store your expensive cans in. Not exactly ideal, so it’s nice to see B&W paying extra attention to your use cases.

The new carbon fiber sections of the PX7 give them a subdued look, almost like light slinks off them instead of being reflected. I really appreciate this, where the competition is either shiny plastic or shiner metal. It goes really well with the deep carbon, woven fabric that covers half of the headband and the earcups, something that you won’t see that much because you’ll not want to take them off.

They’re lightweight, comfortable, and even fit my oversized ears, which I wasn’t sure of when I first saw them. Nice clamping force as well, secure without ever making me feel like I’m being crushed.

Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

I like that B&W has put R and L indicators inside the earcups, as the custom 43.6mm drivers are angled for the best acoustic performance, so wearing them backward would detract from the sound. Oh, and each earcup has a sensor to check if they’re being worn, so you can pause playback just by lifting one ear and resume by placing it back on your ear. Handy.

You’ll get up to 30 hours of listening, according to B&W, and I could see it. I’ve barely had to charge them in weeks of light use. I’ve not noticed any issues with Bluetooth connectivity, such as drop-outs or crackles. You can use them wired as well, either via USB-C (which also charges the battery at the same time) or via 3.5mm, although you still need them turned on for that.

So, how do they sound?

Image: Joe Rice-Jones / KnowTechie

Sound quality is fantastic, but I will caution one thing – the sound signature is anything but reference. Bass is very prominent, just not at the expense of soundstage or detail across the rest of the range.

The thing that really surprised me about the sound, though, is that turning ANC on didn’t change the sound signature that much. Even on high, the ANC just kinda squished the soundstage a little, without changing the overall sound.

And it’s great ANC as well, high made every droning noise in my apartment disappear, from the aging A/C air handler to the washing machine, to the compressor in the fridge. I have no doubt it’d be up to the task of airplane engines once traveling is safe again. Even the telltale hiss from ANC was pleasant, and not really that noticeable after a while.

Should I buy the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition headphones?

In a word, yes (if you can afford them). The $400 Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition aren’t cheap, but nothing class-leading is. They’re stylish, comfortable, have superb ANC, and the sound will please most tastes.

• Review: EarFun Air Pro ANC wireless earbuds – surprisingly great earbuds for just $80
• Review: HyperX QuadCast S – a solid mid-level mic with plenty of RGB goodness
• Review: Como Audio Solo music player and Ambiente speaker combo
• Review: Skullcandy Crusher Evo wireless headphones – feel the bass

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The Sony XB900N (yes, XB stands for eXtra Bass for those of you not born in the 90s) have a $250 MSRP, which should make the rest of the ANC manufacturers a lil bit worried.

The thing with ANC is that it’s difficult to pull off, even for giants of the industry like Sony or Bose

Out of the trio of Good Sound, Good noise-canceling, and Good Price, you usually get two out of three on any given headset. Good price means you either get good sound, or good ANC (or sometimes neither). Good sound plus good ANC means the price edges up.

Image: Sony

What Sony seems to have done with the XB900N is to pare down the award-winning WH-1000XM3‘s to get to that price point. The noise-canceling chip inside is from the previous version, so you don’t get the amazing performance of the latest specially-designed chip, but hey, saving money is nice.

The ability to adjust for atmospheric pressure is also removed, which hints at how expensive that feature was to implement. You also lose DSEE HX and LDAC for high-fidelity sound transmission.

The eXtra Bass should please the Beats-generation, with Gizmodo confirming that “you get a lot more bass!” Is gaining more bass and keeping $100 in your bank account worth the loss of the other features? Maybe Sony thinks there’s an artificial $300 ceiling that the majority of people who want ANC in their headphones won’t go over.

The XB900N’s will be available in late June, so I guess those questions will be answered then. If you can’t wait that long, Drop is selling the WH-1000XM3’s for $279 right now, but you’ll have to hurry as the drop ends at 11:50 PM tonight (May 20), Pacific Time.

What do you think? Interested in the new Sony ANC offering? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• 8 wireless earbud alternatives that aren’t AirPods
• The Google Pixel 3a is randomly shutting down for some early adopters
• Google yanks Huawei’s Android license after the government blacklists the Chinese company
• Amazon just released ‘new’ seven-inch Fire tablets and honestly, what was the point?
• DJI’s Osmo Action camera has an extra screen that could give it an edge over GoPro

The post Sony launched a cheaper pair of its best noise-canceling headphones appeared first on KnowTechie.

As a monitor, the Aorus AD27QD is no slouch. Measuring 27″ with a 1440p resolution and boasting a 144hz refresh rate, the monitor isn’t going to have any issues going toe to toe with some of the best out on the market. I was able to see games played on the monitor and it was super clean and way better than the monitors I use currently. No ghosting, no tearing, and some deep and sharp images. It’s kind of everything you’d want in a monitor if you aren’t Joe.

Where the Aorus AD27QD really starts flexing on the competition is when you start using the three built-in microphones in the monitor.

Yeah, I scoffed too when they showed it to me. My experience with things like that has never been great. I’m pretty sure they knew they were going to blow my mind because on the PAX East show floor, one of the loudest places on Earth, they eliminated all the background noise. Like, all of it.

I put on my headphones and was shown that there was obviously a ton of background noise. I could easily relate it to white noise or sitting under a waterfall that smells like body odor.

Like a magician, my Aorus rep clicked a button on the software to use the active noise-canceling (ANC) features and suddenly the noise disappeared. It was almost disorienting because it had been so loud a moment ago that when I heard my own voice in the mic, it was shockingly clear. The mics work with any headphones that use a 3.5mm connection.

This just proves to me that this could be the go-to solution for anyone looking for a great monitor, regardless of your surroundings.

Parents that stream, students that live in dorms, or just someone that wants a really good noise canceling option will all find a lot of use with the Aorus AD27QD monitor.

You can get your own Aorus AD27QD from NewEgg or Amazon right now. There is a smaller version coming down the road, as well as a massive extended monitor, but don’t expect those in 2019.

What do you think? Is this something you are interested in? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Hands-on: Cyber Shadow – PAX East 2019
• Super Cane Magic Zero nearly gave me an anxiety attack
• Hands-on – Shovel Knight: King of Cards – PAX East 2019
• Jackbox Party Pack 6 is launching this fall – PAX East 2019
• Hands-on: Dusk for the Nintendo Switch – PAX East 2019

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