Apple tells us that the future is wireless, and that is one reason that there is no traditional headphone port on the new iPhone 7. I say, bring it on. Wires on headphones always get in the way for me. Bluetooth headphones have been around for a long time now, but I've had a very mixed experience with them. Many of the cheaper models are complete junk, fall apart, and have clicking or other noises that distract from the experience of listening to your audio. Of course, Apple aims to solve this with its AirPods which will debut in late October. That device has a ton of features, but with a $159 price tag, you pay for the quality.
Over the last year or so, I've tried out a lot of inexpensive (under $50) headphones, some of which were sent to me (for free) to review, and some of which I've purchased on Amazon. For one reason or another — typically sound quality, but sometimes build quality — most of those products have been a disappointment for me so I haven't written about them. But a few weeks ago, iClever sent me a free review sample of its IC-BTH06 Wireless Stereo Headset Bluetooth headphones, and I've been really impressed. This is now the device that I prefer to use when I work out on the treadmill, when I'm doing doing yard work, or when I'm taking a long walk and want to listen to music or a podcast.
The ear tips on these headphones are small and fit very well in my ear, with a shark-fin-style ear hook to keep it in place. I realize that everyone has different ears so what works well for me will not work well for everyone, but I find these very comfortable. Also, they stay in my ears and don't accidentally fall out of my ears, even when I am jogging.
The ear tips are connected by a cord that goes behind your neck, and it works well for me. That hasn't been the case for me with similar devices. For example, iMore recently named the Soundpeats Qy7 its favorite budget Bluetooth headphones, and with a price of only $16.99 on Amazon, I bought a pair to try them out. But I found that the cord in the back would often catch on the back of my neck or my shirt, and the resulting tug on the ear tips would really mess with the quality of the sound. This same problem has not occurred with the iClever headphones.
You get an assortment of replacement tips in different sizes. The medium size ones that are installed out of the box worked best for me.
I'm glad that you get extras because one complaint that I have is that the rubber tips can come off from time to time — not while have been wearing them, but instead when I am just holding them in my hands or I move them on a desk. So far, whenever it has happened, I have found the rubber tip and replaced it easily, but chances are, one day I will lose one in the grass or somewhere that I cannot find it. If that happens, I'll have to use one of the extras that are provided.
I also like that there are play/pause, volume up and volume down buttons on the cord. Some other Bluetooth headphones have these controls in small buttons on the side of the ear tip, and I always have trouble finding and pressing those buttons. But the iClever controls are easy to find and use. (I haven't used the AirPods yet, but I already regret that they don't have these buttons.)
There is a microphone on the controller, so you can talk on the phone using this device. If you press long on the play/pause button, you can trigger Siri and speak a command. Just don't hold down for too long because that is how you turn the device off.
The sound quality is fine, although admittedly not amazing — exactly what I would expect for the $28 price (on Amazon). Music sounds good, and podcasts sound great. I spend far more time listening to podcasts than music, so this was fine for me. But don't get me wrong, I also enjoyed listening to lots of songs on Apple Music.
One minor complaint is that I wish that the volume was louder. I find myself always using them at maximum volume. The maximum value is enough for me, even when in a noisy environment outside, so I suppose that is all that matters. Nevertheless, it seemed strange to me that there was no way to make them even louder if I wanted to do so.
The charge lasts about five hours of listening time (or 155 hours of standby time). They charge using a standard Micro USB cable.
If you are looking for an inexpensive set of Bluetooth headphones that get the job done with no nonsense, I recommend this product. I've enjoyed using them, and I suspect that it is the device that I will continue to use every day until I have a chance to try Apple's upcoming AirPods.
Click here to get iClever Wireless Stereo Headset on Amazon ($27.99).
