Simptech Wood Earbuds In ear Headphones

So, here we go.  My first headphone review.  I'm not sure I would have ever really chosen headphones to review on my own, but a friend of mine in Germany gave me the opportunity to experience sound during my visit.  I was of the adage that you can get by just fine with XXX, but after really seeing the difference between low end and high end headphones, I have to say, it was something I wanted to explore.  So, because I am poor, I went with a lower priced product, that appealed to me in terms of looks first.  Wood. Not florescent green, pink, or purple.  Not sporty rubber.  Wood. So, here it is: Simptech Wood Earbuds In ear Headphones - With Microphone,Noise Cancelling,HIFI Stereo Bass,Crystal Clear Sound,Ergonomic Comfort-Fit Design Best for iphone 7 and Android Phones  

 I love the wood accents.  These earbuds are very classy looking, with neutral tones, earthy. The packaging was presentable, gift worthy, though when I received mine, one corner had been “smashed” a bit, so it must have had a rough trip.  

The cord is very flexible and “rubbery” not at all noisy like cheaper earbuds are when they rub over the fabric of your shirt or move around.  “Wire noise,” is what I describe that phenomena.  These buds do not have wire any noise.

The connections seem sturdy and well made, with a flexible rubber connection into the buds and the actual headphone connection is one solid piece.  The jack is advertised as “gold plated” though I have no way of testing that other than, through use.  If it does not corrode, then I suppose it is. 

The wire going through the accessory port, sadly,  was not reinforced in any way however, and I found it a bit disappointing that the care that went into all the other aspects of the headphones were not associated there too, especially since the cord will suffer some abuse when answering the phone or adjusting the volume. 

What I was particularly interested in was the Y connection.   This is a very sturdy area, with distinct separation of the wires-encased, right at the split, with flexible rubber reinforcements.  This is wonderful and the result is a very sturdy, yet flexible connection there. 

The sound itself was good.  I am not a sound nerd, so I can’t go into specifics that way; however, I do appreciate clear sound and always find it impressive when I can hear subtle noises that inadvertently pop up during a recording. I don’t, however, like excessive base.  Balance is the key with me and I was very skeptical when I read that “deep bass” was a selling point. I was happy when I heard a clear, balanced, pleasant sound.  Powerful, but not overpowering.  These could very well be a go-to everyday favorite. When reading the sales pitch, I was particularly looking for a better resonance due to the “wood.” In a side-by-side test with several other earbuds, I heard no difference there. 

They are comfortable.  The buds themselves are very squishy and fit securely to the earpiece and in your ear.  I had recently suffered a very long 10-hour flight with a very uncomfortable pair of earbuds.  After only a few minutes, I could tell these would have been infinitely better.

Taking a call, I had an issue, which I describe below in that section of the review.  The call itself sounds clear, with no crackles or skips. Alternately, the person I was talking to could hear me very well too.

Issues:  I will take 2 stars  away for a couple of issues.  The fact that, these are not what I would consider complete noise cancelling.  Not in the way as I have experienced in other, high end headphones.  I went through and tried all sizes of ear bud that were included to make sure I had the correct fit (this is actually a big factor) and then tried them first without music, sitting in a room where my family was having a conversation.  Aside from the fact that I had something in my ears muffling the noise, they were not noise cancelling.  After turning on the music, I was not able to hear the conversation at all with mid-to-louder volumes, but with the volume on the lower side, I was still able to hear what was going on around me.  The sound was still clear and the music close, and outside noise was brought to a lower level when the music was playing, though I can’t say if it was an electronic anomaly, or simply the music playing in my ears.

I was unable to answer or hang up the phone remotely.  While I could use my headphones while talking on the phone, I was unable to use the accessory button to answer the phone, or hang up or pause the music.  All of these things needed to be done on the phone itself, which resulted in fumbling with the phone, yanking it out of my pocket, and pushing buttons.  For the record, I am using a Huawei phone with an android system.  Since the earbuds clearly state that they are compatible with an android system, I am unsure why all the features weren’t working. 

Lastly, and this is personal preference, but I have always preferred Bluetooth headphones to wired headphones simply because they never make the cord quite long enough on a wired set.  IF I am to carry my phone, I prefer it in my back pocket.  Unfortunately, there I run into problems with strain on the cord, earbuds popping out, pulling apart, or the jack coming unplugged.  If you must have a wire, an extra 2 inches would make a world of difference.   

#notetoself