Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to try out quite a few different bluetooth headphones - both full-sized and earbud types. One definite conclusion I have come to is that there are some surprisingly good inexpensive headphones on the market now - and the UMIDIGI’s are definitely on the good side.
The UMIDIGI’s come supplied with the usual USB charging cable, a couple of pairs of different sized tips and ear guides in a rather attractive black tin with their logo on the top. All in all, a nice package for their asking price.
One thing I really liked straight away with these headphones is that they wrap around your ears rather than just hang down. This greatly helps with both the fit and helps minimise the sounds your body makes when walking, etc. This is definitely a welcome feature and something that I missed when I sold the Shure E500’s. Whilst on the subject of the Shure’s I feel that I have to point out that the UMIDIGI’s are very close in sound quality to the Shure’s - that’s quite a statement considering the hundreds of pounds difference in both price and the technology used for the drivers.
The insertion depth is shallower than on the Shure E500’s but even with this shallow depth the bass comes through nicely. The ear guides help to maintain an effective seal whilst you’re active - these definitely fit better than any of the other bluetooth earbuds in my collection. I tend to normally wear these types of headphones with the cable in front rather than behind - usually because it’s easier to get to the controls but I didn’t really have too much difficulty wearing the cable behind my neck and I could still fairly easily access the controls.
Although they are constructed out of plastic, the quality feels first-rate and there are no rough edges, the cable is good quality and the bluetooth controls are really nicely done - having sufficient space between the buttons to enable easy access whilst you’re wearing the headphones. The controls are also completely covered in a rubber sheet which should help maintain a reasonable degree of water resistance. The area of cabling that wraps around your ears has a ‘memory’ feature - only time will tell if this maintains its shape. I personally felt that it could do with being a little bit longer - I guess I have bigger ears than most people.
The headphones pair up quickly with voice prompts advising you on power and connection status but they don’t advise on battery status (which is a bit of a shame). Battery power appears to be good but to be honest I try to always maintain a reasonable amount of power reserve in all my electronics as this help prolong the life of the rechargeable batteries.
Sound Quality
The UMIDIGI’s make use of the APtX bluetooth protocol and this offers a fast, reliable connection and improved sound quality on my Android device. The noise floor is very low and can only be heard when there’s no music playing - even then you have to listen carefully to hear it. The headphones do go nice and loud - this is something I am always looking for in Bluetooth headphones as it allows for a more dynamic listening experience - even at lower volumes.
Bass
These phones have some very impressive bass which is capable of going deep. The bass is ‘softer’ than what you would find with balanced armatures but still tuneful and allows you to follow bass notes without any problem. It’s slightly boosted but this does help - especially as they have a shallow insertion depth.
Mids
Clear. Female vocals come across clearly and with a reasonable degree of depth. When making calls voices come across clearly and natural sounding.
Treble
Recessed which makes for pleasant fatigue-free listening. Also does lack some detail in cymbals, etc. Although not a deal breaker and the overall sound signature is pleasantly mellow and preferable to having too much treble.
One of the full-sized headphones I have really grown to like recently are the excellent V-Moda Crossfade Wireless. I wouldn’t describe these headphones are accurate - they tend to boost the bass and subdue the treble but they have some real musical impact and the UMIDIGI’s share a similar sound character. For longer listening sessions this is something I definitely prefer.
They do sound good when used at lower volumes and don’t leak sound out too bad - good news for people who like to listen to music in bed without disturbing their partners. Note that at higher volumes there is a small amount of sound leakage - although nowhere near as bad as you would find with the Apple Earpods.
It’s important to not lose sight of the fact that these are 20 quid bluetooth headphones. I’ve mentioned the Shure E500 in ear monitors in the review which are wired, multiple balanced armatures and cost many hundreds of pounds. In my opinion, the UMIDIGI’s sound very similar. This is high praise indeed as I did like the Shure’s when I owned a pair.
In case you haven’t guessed, I really like these headphones. They’re not perfect by any stretch but you have to keep in mind their low price. Unlike many of their competitors in this price range, their bass isn’t overblown, their top-end is recessed and yet remains tuneful, their fit is effective (although shallow) and the amplification in them goes nice and loud without distortion. Well recommended at the price.
http://amzn.to/2fHok8X
http://amzn.to/2g9dkBX
U.S. Site
The UMIDIGI’s come supplied with the usual USB charging cable, a couple of pairs of different sized tips and ear guides in a rather attractive black tin with their logo on the top. All in all, a nice package for their asking price.
One thing I really liked straight away with these headphones is that they wrap around your ears rather than just hang down. This greatly helps with both the fit and helps minimise the sounds your body makes when walking, etc. This is definitely a welcome feature and something that I missed when I sold the Shure E500’s. Whilst on the subject of the Shure’s I feel that I have to point out that the UMIDIGI’s are very close in sound quality to the Shure’s - that’s quite a statement considering the hundreds of pounds difference in both price and the technology used for the drivers.
The insertion depth is shallower than on the Shure E500’s but even with this shallow depth the bass comes through nicely. The ear guides help to maintain an effective seal whilst you’re active - these definitely fit better than any of the other bluetooth earbuds in my collection. I tend to normally wear these types of headphones with the cable in front rather than behind - usually because it’s easier to get to the controls but I didn’t really have too much difficulty wearing the cable behind my neck and I could still fairly easily access the controls.
Although they are constructed out of plastic, the quality feels first-rate and there are no rough edges, the cable is good quality and the bluetooth controls are really nicely done - having sufficient space between the buttons to enable easy access whilst you’re wearing the headphones. The controls are also completely covered in a rubber sheet which should help maintain a reasonable degree of water resistance. The area of cabling that wraps around your ears has a ‘memory’ feature - only time will tell if this maintains its shape. I personally felt that it could do with being a little bit longer - I guess I have bigger ears than most people.
The headphones pair up quickly with voice prompts advising you on power and connection status but they don’t advise on battery status (which is a bit of a shame). Battery power appears to be good but to be honest I try to always maintain a reasonable amount of power reserve in all my electronics as this help prolong the life of the rechargeable batteries.
Sound Quality
The UMIDIGI’s make use of the APtX bluetooth protocol and this offers a fast, reliable connection and improved sound quality on my Android device. The noise floor is very low and can only be heard when there’s no music playing - even then you have to listen carefully to hear it. The headphones do go nice and loud - this is something I am always looking for in Bluetooth headphones as it allows for a more dynamic listening experience - even at lower volumes.
Bass
These phones have some very impressive bass which is capable of going deep. The bass is ‘softer’ than what you would find with balanced armatures but still tuneful and allows you to follow bass notes without any problem. It’s slightly boosted but this does help - especially as they have a shallow insertion depth.
Mids
Clear. Female vocals come across clearly and with a reasonable degree of depth. When making calls voices come across clearly and natural sounding.
Treble
Recessed which makes for pleasant fatigue-free listening. Also does lack some detail in cymbals, etc. Although not a deal breaker and the overall sound signature is pleasantly mellow and preferable to having too much treble.
One of the full-sized headphones I have really grown to like recently are the excellent V-Moda Crossfade Wireless. I wouldn’t describe these headphones are accurate - they tend to boost the bass and subdue the treble but they have some real musical impact and the UMIDIGI’s share a similar sound character. For longer listening sessions this is something I definitely prefer.
They do sound good when used at lower volumes and don’t leak sound out too bad - good news for people who like to listen to music in bed without disturbing their partners. Note that at higher volumes there is a small amount of sound leakage - although nowhere near as bad as you would find with the Apple Earpods.
It’s important to not lose sight of the fact that these are 20 quid bluetooth headphones. I’ve mentioned the Shure E500 in ear monitors in the review which are wired, multiple balanced armatures and cost many hundreds of pounds. In my opinion, the UMIDIGI’s sound very similar. This is high praise indeed as I did like the Shure’s when I owned a pair.
In case you haven’t guessed, I really like these headphones. They’re not perfect by any stretch but you have to keep in mind their low price. Unlike many of their competitors in this price range, their bass isn’t overblown, their top-end is recessed and yet remains tuneful, their fit is effective (although shallow) and the amplification in them goes nice and loud without distortion. Well recommended at the price.
http://amzn.to/2fHok8X
http://amzn.to/2g9dkBX
U.S. Site