Bluedio Air Bluetooth Headphones Review

Hey guys! Here comes my second review here, feast your eyes XD

 
The Packing & Accessories - "Seeing is Believing? or Deceiving?"








No suprise that Bluedio is making the packing the exact same big ass one as with the previous UFO, if you havent checked the Bluedio UFO headphones before, here it is http://www.head-fi.org/t/764339/bluedio-ufo-8-drivers-bluetooth-headphones-review (Yeah! There's UFO! Yes! We reviewed them! No! We are not alone XD) Open the box there's the folder with user menu on the left, and the hard carrying case on the right with the headphones inside. The case is providing good protection for the headphones so it is good just as it has been for the UFO. Once you open the case here comes the suprise! TADA!!! An accessories soft case inside! Just like the nesting dolls you got a case inside a case and for a short moment I wondered if there's another case inside the soft case as well XD. Truth is, nope there isnt This time the Bluedio Air comes with 4 cables accessories (from left to right): 3.5mm female to male audio + male mic (for PC use); 3.5mm AUX with mic and control (works on both Android & Apple); 3.5mm AUX without mic nor control; Micro-USB for charging. Personally I find the soft case VERY USEFUL coz Im the kind of user who throw my stuff around and it's sort of difficult for me to keep track on these cables, especially when I need them and I just dont know where I left it last time XD As for the cables, the 3.5mm with audio & mic spliter is particularly thoughtful, there are users out there who're still on PC/notebook without built-in Bluetooth and a USB Bluetooth receiver is one thing that you can easily lost if you are frequently using it. Apparently Bluedio did put the actual user experience into consideration when they come up with this accessories pack for Air, good one Bluedio, good one.
 
Packing: 6/10 (Neat, nothing fancy, not over packed, just as expected)
Accessories: 7/10 (Additional PC use cables and soft case are thoughtful, good improvement from Bluedio)

 
 
The Headset Physical - "One can do anything, but not everything"









Inital impression when I take the Air headphones out of the carrying case is "Holy sh!t its one super lightweight headphone!". Never really weighted them but it's even lighter than my Beats Studio Wireless which's already really comfy. And since it's super lightweight, as you can already imagine, yes, like over 80% of the Bluedio Air headphone is framed with plastic. The headband width is around 16.5cm and 1.3~1.4cm thick, plastic + metal inside and wrapped with soft foam like cushion, feels good to touch and comfy on top of my head. The Bluedio Logo and the "letters decoration pattern" are printed over the headband, the colors are sharp and nice, and I can feel them on my finger tips which I touch it. So that also means if I want a "Bluedi" headphone instead of "Bluedio" all i need to do is scratch the "o" with my nails, not gonna take much effort to make that happen... The headband itself is comfy but the printing requires some delicate handling, otherwise it wont take long before the "Bluedio" logo becomes something else, or what letters decoration left on the headband is "W", "T" and "F". Hinges are plastic and sliders are metal, similar design as with the Bluedio Hurrican Series. Similar design but it doesnt feel as fragile as its brothers, what changed? my best guess is they glued the plastic hinges to the headband interior before the screws. This architecture enable the Bluedio Air to stretch and bend much more than any headphones available in the market (Check that last pic above). This time Bluedio tries to make the metal sliders "mirror shine" but well.... check out that slider pic above again... I'd only pulled those sliders TWICE before taking that pic and scratches all over the surface already.... Still, physically the sliders are solid so at least it shouldn't break easily. Ear muff is made up of Bluedio's usual artificial leather, smooth and comfy but trapping a little heat after 2 hours of use (indoor, sitting still). Measurement is 7cm x 9cm outside, 3.5cm x 5cm inside, with thickness of 1.5cm. Provided with 3.5mm line-in jack under the left ear cup, three buttons control at the back of the right ear cup, micro-usb charging port and mic at the bottom, the AMP-Bypass feature is there as well so when the Air headphone is out of battery I can use the AUX-In instead. The "printing" on the outside of the ear cup is "heat printed", up side is that it's not going to be scratched off, but the down side it's not as sharp and nice as what it's like over the headband, and what's WORSE (personal feelings only) is that "What the ear cup looks just like a takeaway plastic soup spoon from a chinese resturant!)

 
Build Quality: 7.5/10 (Framed with plastic mostly but the hinges are improved, plus the stretchy architecture it should last)
Comfort: 8/10 (Super lightweight, new much more flexiable and durable and stretchy architecture, only traps a little heat after long hours of use)
Design: 5/10 (Its a love it or hate it design and what I think? well.... my rating says it all.... What are two spoons doing there over my ears?)

 
The Sound - "Music is my escape"
Different from Bluedio's 8-Drivers family (eg. UFO/R+/R+Legend/R), Bluedio Air is built with two 57mm drivers, same as its Hurrican brothers (H/H+/T2/T2+). It gets to be VERY LOUD, once I push up the volume I can hang the Bluedio Air on my neck and listen to music as if it is two loud speakers. And as what Bluedio have always been offering, bass is OVERWHELMING. And this time with Air, it sounds very "bouncy" & "lifely"as well (I smiled especially when I was listening to "Shut Up and Dance - Walk The Moon", sounds as if it sings "Shut up and FKin' dance with me), Perfect for Disco/ EDM genes which stress on a lot of bass (Try Tiesto/ Avicii, definitely the sh!t for this pair of headphone). With such big ass drivers there's more details than most Bluetooth headphones in the market with smaller drivers. But with the overwhelming amount of bass to mess with audio clarity, I tried using the Air with different EQ modes on my iPod Touch and it sounds pretty impressive with less "party rock" songs. Tried it with "Let It Go - James Bay" and "Wasn't Expecting That - Jamie Lawson" the iPod's "Bass Reducer" EQ and both are really warm and comfy to listen to. Sitll, can't expect much from the Air's high pitch performance coz really Bluedio isn't for Vitas/Celine Dion. "Bass Reducer" and "Classical" both works well when I'm listening to "Whiplash OST - Track 5 - Fletcher's Song in Club" , really relaxing and comfy to listen to as the EQ reduced the bass to an optimum level. The piano and cello sounds really warm and sweet in this pair of Bluedio Air. Overall bass is still Bluedio's main strength, mids are sufficient, highs are barely there, vocals are more laid back. I did mention the 3D Surround Sound effect in the UFO Review and the Air comes with the same virtual surround sound feature (press On/Off button + Volume Up Button at the same time to enable; On/Off button + Volume Down Button to disable; works only on Bluetooth). However it's not nearly as good as in the UFO since it's not equipped with 8 Drivers. The Bluedio Air should stick to music use, and to reach the itsfull potential, EQ is a MUST!!!
 
Music: 7/10 (Good for general pop and mainstream music & songs, bouncy, lifely, overwwhelming bass; above average performance for gentle & relaxing slow music with proper EQ; 8/10 for Disco/EDM genes)

 
Overall: 7/10
Should be the most durable Bluedio headphones it's ever made. Very flexiable and comfy to use. To me it looks like sh!t but that's only my preference. Audio-wise it's better than it's 8-Drivers brothers coz this one is really for music. Big 57mm drivers delivering strong bass, good mids and good details. To pump up the clarity use external EQ settings, and personally I'd recommand using different EQs according to your likes of music genes for best performance.
 
*p.s.
All those cool gifs are from http://maxsrockatansky.tumblr.com/ , my regards to such amazing page (and its owner), love the comic/movie/fantasy contents there (and no, i dont own that tumblr page nor any of those contents)

Great review! I am surprised that the MIC is not built-in, according to your review. It seems short-sighted, given that it is Bluetooth...Why would you want to have to tether it to make/receive phone calls while listening to your music etc?

I am pleased with the build quality improvement over the H-series (since that was the ONLY thing wrong with the H-series). I don't know that I'd be interested in 3D but, Bluedio seems to think that it's a selling point, lol. I also am pleased that it comes with a hard case. I hope that the case fits the R+, which was sorely lacking in the case department. You didn't discuss battery life so, I will take it that the Air is similar to its predecessors in the H-class?

Also, it comes in two design choices. We'd call them Black or White. But Bluedio calls the one you are showing BLK and the White version is called Graffiti...At least they WERE called that, lol. The good news is that they can be had for $80 or less online. I'd have to say that I'm pleased that the Hurricane series that we Bassheads came to love has been improved upon without a loss of impact on bass. Thanks for a thorough review!

nv2u said:

Great review! I am surprised that the MIC is not built-in, according to your review. It seems short-sighted, given that it is Bluetooth...Why would you want to have to tether it to make/receive phone calls while listening to your music etc?


I am pleased with the build quality improvement over the H-series (since that was the ONLY thing wrong with the H-series). I don't know that I'd be interested in 3D but, Bluedio seems to think that it's a selling point, lol. I also am pleased that it comes with a hard case. I hope that the case fits the R+, which was sorely lacking in the case department. You didn't discuss battery life so, I will take it that the Air is similar to its predecessors in the H-class?


Also, it comes in two design choices. We'd call them Black or White. But Bluedio calls the one you are showing BLK and the White version is called Graffiti...At least they WERE called that, lol. The good news is that they can be had for $80 or less online. I'd have to say that I'm pleased that the Hurricane series that we Bassheads came to love has been improved upon without a loss of impact on bass. Thanks for a thorough review!

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For the battery life and if the case fits an R+ inside, i'll have to check the packing on Monday as i lent it to a friend. As for the mic, there's this standard mic at the bottom of the right ear cup so its there when the Air is connected via bluetooth. But really im happy with the audio quality and the flexible stretchy headband. The design?.... not my style really XD thats SO NOT GRIFFITI, to me i mean XD and the shape of that earcup... OMG XD

gamerhaha said:

The design?.... not my style really XD thats SO NOT GRIFFITI, to me i mean XD and the shape of that earcup... OMG XD

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Neither of the design colors of AIR are particularly masculine...But, I'm a girl so, yay for me   The white ones could have best been called Confetti...that would have been appropriate. I have said before that the naming convention at Bluedio is baffling.

The target market for the AIR may be Teens and Tweens. I can't see men rockin' these outdoors. So, I'd have to agree that appearance-wise, there's nothing badass to see here. Another good thing about this debut is that the prices have dropped considerably on the H and R+ series! I'm seeing the H Shooting Brake for as low as $20 and change. And The R+ (even the legends) can be had for $99 or less online. I predict a price drop. What do you say?
  

nv2u said:

 
Neither of the design colors of AIR are particularly masculine...But, I'm a girl so, yay for me 

 The white ones could have best been called Confetti...that would have been appropriate. I have said before that the naming convention at Bluedio is baffling.

The target market for the AIR may be Teens and Tweens. I can't see men rockin' these outdoors. So, I'd have to agree that appearance-wise, there's nothing badass to see here. Another good thing about this debut is that the prices have dropped considerably on the H and R+ series! I'm seeing the H Shooting Brake for as low as $20 and change. And The R+ (even the legends) can be had for $99 or less online. I predict a price drop. What do you say?
  

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I agree, the "older" Bluedio headphones are getting cheaper now coz (from what i heard from my distributor), Bluedio is trying to go for more expensive music headphones (big profit margin per unit, small total sales), while the handsfree and sports headsets at a really cheap price (small profits per unit, big total sales), my distributor will review later on this year to see if they'll keep carrying Bluedio as they dont really agree with how Bluedio is pricing their new music products (US$130 for this pair of Bluedio Air? to me it's WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, the older Hurrican series have been providing almost the exact same features at US$30). Worse case scenario for me would be having NO BLUEDIO DISTRIBUTOR in my region next year and if i want to keep selling Bluedio I'll have to get some from mainland China, no warranty no proper QC no service no nothing at all.... by then, most likely my shop will be saying goodbye to Bluedio

nv2u said:

 
Neither of the design colors of AIR are particularly masculine...But, I'm a girl so, yay for me 

 The white ones could have best been called Confetti...that would have been appropriate. I have said before that the naming convention at Bluedio is baffling.

The target market for the AIR may be Teens and Tweens. I can't see men rockin' these outdoors. So, I'd have to agree that appearance-wise, there's nothing badass to see here. Another good thing about this debut is that the prices have dropped considerably on the H and R+ series! I'm seeing the H Shooting Brake for as low as $20 and change. And The R+ (even the legends) can be had for $99 or less online. I predict a price drop. What do you say?
  

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Over the back of the packing it says 1000hrs standby and 20hrs play time.... from my previous experience.... 20hrs playtime means approximately 6-8hrs XD

gamerhaha said:

  I agree, the "older" Bluedio headphones are getting cheaper now coz (from what i heard from my distributor), Bluedio is trying to go for more expensive music headphones (big profit margin per unit, small total sales), while the handsfree and sports headsets at a really cheap price (small profits per unit, big total sales), my distributor will review later on this year to see if they'll keep carrying Bluedio as they dont really agree with how Bluedio is pricing their new music products (US$130 for this pair of Bluedio Air? to me it's WAY TOO EXPENSIVE, the older Hurrican series have been providing almost the exact same features at US$30). Worse case scenario for me would be having NO BLUEDIO DISTRIBUTOR in my region next year and if i want to keep selling Bluedio I'll have to get some from mainland China, no warranty no proper QC no service no nothing at all.... by then, most likely my shop will be saying goodbye to Bluedio

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The Bluedio Air can be had for $79.99 in the States. They may be trying to tap into the High-end market with Victory, UFO etc. But the quality will have to greatly improve before they make any inroads here in the states. I got a warranty replacement on my R+ and the H as well, when they fell apart within weeks of purchase. They have a rep for poor build quality. Their asking price will have to be commensurate with their quality if they want to "make it" in today's highly competitive high-end cans arena. As we say over here..."Askin' ain't gettin' "
I would never pay $130 for the AIR. As far as I am concerned, they are an apology for what the H series should have been, in terms of durability. 

nv2u said:

  The Bluedio Air can be had for $79.99 in the States. They may be trying to tap into the High-end market with Victory, UFO etc. But the quality will have to greatly improve before they make any inroads here in the states. I got a warranty replacement on my R+ and the H as well, when they fell apart within weeks of purchase. They have a rep for poor build quality. Their asking price will have to be commensurate with their quality if they want to "make it" in today's highly competitive high-end cans arena. As we say over here..."Askin' ain't gettin' "
I would never pay $130 for the AIR. As far as I am concerned, they are an apology for what the H series should have been, in terms of durability. 

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bad news..... most likely i wont be getting Bluedio with warranty anymore coz in the near future, my regional distributor might not be carrying Bluedio anymore.... wont be getting anymore first hand new Bluedio samples...  

Bad news for Bluedio. They should court your patronage. You are one of the few persons keeping the U.S.A. abreast of the info as it drops. If they are trying to make inroads, they need to cull the market and keep those who are touting the product supplied with durable product at a price that their product deserves. If they are cheaply made, they should be cheaply priced. One thing about us is we don't keep throwing good money after bad. Bluedio may find themselves ignored in our market. They will notice when we stop buying. As I said, the price on the H-series can be found for $20 online. Word traveled fast that the T2S was not as bass heavy and people purchased fewer of those or returned them after hearing the H+ Shooting Brake. And let's face it, the great ones are entering the arena now...V-Moda has launched the M-100 Wireless... Bluedio needs to study their BUYER profile. There is no way I'd pay $300 for Bluedio based upon their abysmal build quality. They have a niche and it isn't remotely seen as HIGH END. Thank you @GamerHAHA for keeping the info flowing for us regarding the Bluedio line for as long as you could. Your source's exit is unfortunate...for us!

nv2u said:

  Bad news for Bluedio. They should court your patronage. You are one of the few persons keeping the U.S.A. abreast of the info as it drops. If they are trying to make inroads, they need to cull the market and keep those who are touting the product supplied with durable product at a price that their product deserves. If they are cheaply made, they should be cheaply priced. One thing about us is we don't keep throwing good money after bad. Bluedio may find themselves ignored in our market. They will notice when we stop buying. As I said, the price on the H-series can be found for $20 online. Word traveled fast that the T2S was not as bass heavy and people purchased fewer of those or returned them after hearing the H+ Shooting Brake. And let's face it, the great ones are entering the arena now...V-Moda has launched the M-100 Wireless... Bluedio needs to study their BUYER profile. There is no way I'd pay $300 for Bluedio based upon their abysmal build quality. They have a niche and it isn't remotely seen as HIGH END. Thank you @GamerHAHA for keeping the info flowing for us regarding the Bluedio line for as long as you could. Your source's exit is unfortunate...for us!

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Thx. and oh yeah im very much interested in the M-100 Wireless I'm waiting for it to officially arrive in Hong Kong and Im so gonna buy one for myself

how do these stack up against the bluedio legends?

stalyoni said:

  how do these stack up against the bluedio legends?

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they are two quite different models. the legends comes with 8 drivers while the Air comes with two 50mm big ass drivers. there's more space but blurry with the legends, while more details and more crowded with Air, the "3D sound effect" doesnt work so well in Air comparing with the "UFO", but still an add on feature comparing to the legends. Personally i dont like the Air's design, looking kind of weird to me but maybe it's just me preferring something eaither very maculine or simple and neat, the Air is definitely something in between and it's not the headset that I'll ever put on and go out with.

so overall they quintupled the price tag over the Hurricane,gave it some ghastly look and finisehd it with a 300mah battery..wtg

iddqd23 said:

  so overall they quintupled the price tag over the Hurricane,gave it some ghastly look and finisehd it with a 300mah battery..wtg

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Sadly..... that's what's happening.....

gamerhaha said:

  Sadly..... that's what's happening.....

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yep..since the built quality of Bluedio was so abysmal in the past,in don`t see myself spending triple-digit numbers on anything Bluedio...
they should focus on cheap and  decent sounding cans and leave the "HQ"-stuff to the rest...
well,the T3G are about to be released,so not all hope is lost as to cheap,decent sounding cans..