Specs:
- Earbud 2 x 1.5 x 1.5 cm ; 5g Case 7.5 x 2.5 x 4cm ; 45g.
- Up to 4 hours music playback and up to an additional 10 hours using the changing case
- Music controls and answer/reject calls
- Long press for your relevant assistant.
- Bluetooth V5 including profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSPSPP
- Wireless range up to 10m
- Standby time 20 hour
Good Points:
- Price.
- Sound Quality.
- Design.
- Comfort.
- Ability to launch assistant.
- Fast forward/ rewind control on separate bud.
Bad Points:
- Buds are a little fiddly to get out of the charging case.
- Only micro USB charging port.
- Not the best battery life.
- Easy to lose
What’s in the box.
In the box, of course there are the left and right Soundbuds, but you also get a microUSB charging cable, some spare ear tips, the usual documentation and the charging case.
The case follows the same principle as the Apple AirPod case, which means it charges the Soundbuds when they are placed inside. The Soundbuds are held securely inside the case with a magnet. At the back of the charging case is the microUSB charging port, which not only charges the case itself but will also charge the Soundbuds if docked when plugged in.
Sitting between the Soundbuds is an LED percentage readout.
The Soundbuds have a coloured LED, red when charging and blue once charged. A nice feature is the lid of the case is opaque meaning you can still see the charging state without opening the lid.
In Use:
To begin using the Soundbuds you power up the pair at the same time. You’ll get a nice voice notification to say that each channel has connected. Pairing is the usual Bluetooth affair of pressing and holding the power button
One feature I do like is the ability to pair them to 2 devices. I currently have them paired to my Note 9 and iPad but you do get a voice notification telling you which device you’re currently paired to.
The ‘touch to talk’ feature gives users access to their AI assistant without opening the phone. Simply press a button on the side of the headphones and speak directly with Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa.
Using voice commands you can cue music, ask for directions, set calendar events and make phone calls quickly and easily when on-the-go.
The first thing that I noticed was just how lightweight they are, to the point you could easily forget you’re wearing them. I was surprised with how well they fit, they didn’t even fall out on the treadmill in the gym.
The battery is quoted at lasting 4 hours of playback, and I easily got 3.5 hours without the need for a charge up, which was as easy as popping them back in the case. One thing I did notice was the range dropped quite a bit as the battery got low. I did find getting the Soundbuds out of the case sometimes a bit of a fiddly affair, but that might be down to my gorilla hands.
The sound quality coming from these headphones was really surprising, giving a good bass and a nice treble. Plus, now that I’ve finally become an Audible listener, spoken word audiobooks sound fantastic.
Conclusion:
If you are in the market for a new set of completely wireless headphones and don’t want to pay the price for some Apple AirPods, the Groov–e Soundbuds are well worth a look. They have a nice, well-balanced sound and they aren’t overly priced at £64.99. They’re available from Groov-e.