Devices like Here One Wireless Smart Earbuds are taking augmented audio to the next level. These tiny true wireless buds let you have a full control over what you hear and how much. In simple terms, you can amplify the voices around you by cranking up the dB. Similarly, if you wish to mute external noise, turn down the dB.
This kind of earbuds works as a great alternative to hearing aids. Albeit, they look much cooler too. It will be a great gift for people who struggle with high-frequency hearing loss. After spending a great deal of time searching on the web, I found Here one to be the perfect gift for my 75-year-old grandmother.
She loves using them. She raved about it so much that I also ended up buying a pair of me, for a completely different purpose, though. My aim was to be able to control the surround sound while traveling. Most earphones integrating this advanced technology cost twice as much as Here one. So it was my obvious choice since I was on a budget.
In this article, I am going to share my experience with Here One buds with you, who is also probably willing to buy these.
Are they really worth the hype? You will figure it out by the end of this article, hopefully.
Let’s begin the journey by looking at the summary of its main features.
Product Highlights:
- Smart noise cancellation to make you able to both mute and hear the ambient noise.
- Voice amplification technology improves hearing by increasing the volume of people’s voice around you.
- Uses high-fidelity, well-balanced armatures for crystal clear audio.
- Frequent software and firmware updates to improve the functionality of the product.
- Mainly designed to be used with the Here One iOS app. Android version 7.0 and above are also compatible.
Here One Wireless Smart Earbuds Review in Detail
Also Read: Earbuds review For Small Ears
Look and Feel
The sleek and no-nonsense design of the Here One Earbuds was the first thing that caught my fancy. I really don’t like glossy, flashy earbuds that catch a lot of attention. The size is just perfect, neither too small nor too large.
A number of silicon tips are included in the box. I’d advise you to take your time to find the right tips for a great fit. You will experience the actual noise control potential of the buds only when your ears are properly sealed. You can also run or exercise with them on, they provide quite a secure fit.
There are white LED light indicators right beneath the caps to alert you when the left bud is connected to the right bud. 4 indicators are on the charging case to indicate the battery life.
Controls
The physical controls for bypassing music (pause music to talk to someone near you), play/pause music and receive calls are on the earbuds. As they are very responsive, only a gentle tap will get the job done.
To get more features, you will have to use the Here one App designed for iOS and Android version 7.0 and above. It helps you create a unique sound profile to tailor the sound to your liking. You can also turn up or down the ambient noise by simply dragging your fingers up and down on the screen.
Here One Wireless Smart Earbuds include special noise filters too which can be accessed via this app. It lets you easily Enhance Speech on both earbuds crowded city streets, restaurants, airplane and office. There are filters for different environmental settings like Crowd and City.
An intuitive Smart Suggest feature tells you which noise filter will be ideal depending on the noise level around you. Note that changing between filters take a while to get used to. You may also experience digital delay of 20-30 ms.
In the Live Mix section and 5-Band Equalizer, you can change the frequency curves to fine-tune your music. This won’t make much difference to people unless their ears are sensitive to minute frequency changes. Doppler Labs added a few updates to the EQ to make it more geared toward the hearing impaired individuals.
Audio Performance
Due to the smart noise canceling features, it allows you a lot of time and scope to focus on the music. A lot of calibration happens while using these earphones for the first time, in order to customize the sound to your liking.
Five test tones will be played to each ear and you have to decide the ideal volume level for you accordingly. This is applicable for both music and the ambient noise.
For audiophiles and musicians who would want to have full control over the mix, it is indeed a great budget option. I mean, it is not cheap but still more affordable than other high-end devices that offer similar functionalities. You can turn up the mid-range for sharper and clearer audio, tweak the bass to make it more punchy or subtle.
Smooth yet punchy bass, high treble, crisp mid-range, and warm low-mid range make up the signature sound profile of these buds. However, the high notes lack sparkle. You may experience a crackling sound from both earbuds when you max out the volume.
High-pitched percussion instruments like drums, cymbal, acme siren tend to at the top end, especially when the active noise
What I Didn’t Like
Battery Life
The Here One Battery life is perhaps the weakest spot of this device. Once charged fully for an in the charging case, you’ll get a playback time of maximum 2 hours. This could come down to 1.5 hours if you are listening at high volume with active noise filtering on.
The charging case holds enough juice for 3 additional charges. You should always keep the case fully charged before going out. It takes about 3 hours to fully charge the case via USB. It got a few firmware updates over the time which added about 15 extra minutes to the battery. Despite that, you will have to always carry a fully charged case or your buds’ batteries will be drained out in just 2 hours. Bummer!
Other Minor Flaws
Sometimes, the ambient noise would go too loud when the volume is pushed to +7 or +8. Although the app is fairly intuitive, adjusting the settings in a noisy environment still has a bit of a learning curve.
About the music, it is good at reproducing rich and warm tones. But the bass is not the best-in-class. I have owned cheaper headphones which has a much better bass Here one.
Also, it is not waterproof, so I can’t swim wearing them.
- Lets you amplify the ambient noise to improve hearing.
- Create a custom sound profile to fine-tune your music.
- Decent active noise cancelation.
- Gorgeous metallic design.Crisp mid-range.
- The iOS version of the Here One App that allows you full control over the flix and external noise.
- Comfortable fit.
- Responsive physical controls on the earbuds.
- Battery life of 2 hours along with 3 additional charges on the charging case.
- Not waterproof.
- The bass could be improved.
Wrap up
If you have hearing issues or you’re an audiophile who likes to control everything you hears, it is indeed a great budget option. Other earphones with similar features will cost twice as much.
Due to the short battery life, you shouldn’t treat it as a regular wireless earphone for music streaming. Rather, treat it as a specialty tool that allows audio features ordinary earbuds can’t provide.
I have said everything I could. Now you should decide the rest.
Last update on 2024-04-16 at 14:41 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API