Baseus Bowie 30 Max Headphones review

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As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for high-quality audio equipment that can stand the test of marathon gaming sessions, I must say the Baseus Bowie 30 Max Headphones have caught my attention. The sleek design and robust build quality immediately piqued my interest, and the minimalist packaging was a breath of fresh air in this era of excessive product wrapping.

I’m not very acquainted with Baseus as a headphone brand, so I wasn’t entirely certain what to anticipate from the Baseus Bowie 30 Max Headphones upon first opening the package. However, my initial impressions were positive. The packaging is simple and easy to open, which is often not the case with other manufacturers who overpack their products with multiple flaps, tabs, and hidden compartments for cables and dongles. Instead, the Bowie 30 Max headphones are designed with minimalism in mind.

If you’re wondering why I find these headphones appealing, it’s due to their blocky yet elegant design of the cups and the premium construction of the headband. Even though many retailers have marked them down significantly (from over £100 to approximately £65 at the moment), they are not a budget headset and that is evident. The black finish is stylish, and the design, while larger than some, is enhanced by a subtle logo print and soft, comfortable padding. Additionally, you can adjust them to fit comfortably around your neck when not in use, and they fold at the cups for easier storage in a bag.

But besides the cool aesthetic design, the Bowie 30 Max has a few a stand-out features that really make a difference for the price, even if one or two of them don’t fully stick the landing. One that certainly does is the battery life. The box promises 65 hours of Bluetooth playback on the standard mode, dropping to around 30 once you activate the various bells and whistles. This is incredibly impressive, offering potentially days and days of use when you’re out and about without needing to charge them.

As a fan, I can’t help but get excited about the special features on the Baseus Bowie 30 Max! The first one that stands out is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which has become almost standard in high-end headsets. However, the ANC on this model offers more than just the basics. It includes a Spatial Audio technology with two settings: Fixed and Head-Tracking. This means an accelerometer and gyroscope built into the device track your movements to provide either a consistent audio experience (perfect for music) or one that’s more immersive by adjusting to your head movements, making sounds directly in front of you even louder – a great asset for gaming!

The main caveat here, though, is that sound quality does take a noticeable hit. The effect is there, and it does work, but the audio fidelity wobbles like mad when you actually do move your head. Weirdly, this doesn’t improve much with the Fixed Spatial Audio, either. It made some songs sound tinny – distant even. It wasn’t consistent, either, which made the whole experience a little bit off-putting.

Switching back to standard ANC was a better option. The manufacturer promises 96% sound reduction up to -45dB but I can’t confirm percentages. Suffice to say, it did the job, reducing the noise of my busy house and allowing me to concentrate on my work without too much sound bleed. Of course, there is a companion app and I’d advise downloading it. Being able to tweak the EQ settings is essential when the out-of-the-box audio quality is as uneven as this.

Using Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) consistently turns out to be the most beneficial choice in the long term. The 50mm drivers and a frequency range of 20-40-kHz ensure a sound quality that won’t fail to impress when it comes to music playback and call handling. All controls are conveniently located on the right ear cup, making it quick and easy to adapt and get comfortable with them. Additionally, they support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, but you’ll need to disconnect one device before connecting another.

In simpler terms, the Baseus Bowie 30 Max Headphones are great if you’re mainly using them for music, but extra features that increase the cost aren’t particularly valuable. However, their reduced price makes them even more appealing. Alternatively, for around sixty pounds, you might want to consider alternatives like the JLab Lux ANC headphones, which deliver as advertised at the same price point.

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2024-11-10 18:46