Review
Intro
We've all been there. You're absorbed in your work, exercise, or your own personal bubble. There's absolutely nothing going on, right?
Or is there?
Suddenly, someone is screaming your name.
But you wouldn't know that unless someone decided the best idea was to snatch an earbud straight from your ear canal and express their annoyance about how you didn't hear them.
It's not your fault. Those earbuds probably have ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) or some other features to block out the world.
This is why open-ear headphones have been hitting the market. And Raycon's pair provides these at a fair price for the features they bring.
Question is, are they worth it?
So, What's Open-Ear Anyway?
Open-ear is a new design that several brands have been trying.
Rather than jamming an earbud straight into your ear, these sit around your ear with a hook or clip. They then sit right next to your ear. It then projects sound into your ear canal without obstructing space.
Do not mix this up with bone conduction, which is a different process. These rest on your cheeks or behind your ears and send vibrations through your bones.
Unboxing
Note: This assumes that you have taken the earbuds out of the shipping box.
The earbuds come in a square box. It is thicker in height than in width and length.
Around the box is some plastic packaging. The easiest way to get it off is to search for the handle at the top of the box.
There will be a split at the handle on both sides. Get your fingers under the wrap, then pull it off in any direction (it's very flimsy).
Now that the plastic is off, put your fingers around the handle. With your other hand, locate the opposite end of the box (the bottom). Then, tug on the handle. You will feel a sleeve come off, revealing the items inside.
What's in the Box?
When the sleeve is completely off, it'll expose the items within the box itself.
The first thing you will notice is a cardboard-like piece on top. Neatly housed inside is the quick start guide. It almost acts like a sort of cover.
Sitting below the guide is the charging case, containing the earbuds themselves. Feel free to remove the paper that is wrapped around it.
Next to the earbuds is a small long cardboard box. This contains the USB-C cable to charge the charging case.
Using the Earbuds
Setup and Pairing
To set up the earbuds, start by opening the charging case.
There is a slight indent on the front of the case. Slip your fingers under and pull upward to expose the earbuds.
You will hear the faint sound of the earbuds saying "Power on," followed by "Pairing mode."
Now on your device of choice (iPhone is being referenced here), open Settings and go to Bluetooth.
You are searching for the device called Raycon Open Essential Earbuds. Once you find it, double-tap to pair.
If all goes well, the earbuds should say "Connected." You can take them out and start using them.
Note: If the connection fails, try taking the earbuds out of the case. Also, make sure the case is charged.
Charging the Case
The case serves as a sort of portable charger for the earbuds and also a housing when they are not in use.
The earbuds have 8 hours of playtime, extended to 32 hours with the charging case.
To charge the case, insert the provided USB-C cable into the back (opposite of the opening), then connect the other end (USB-A) to a charging brick or your computer.
Note: The charging case doesn't have any audible feedback to signify it is fully charged. It has lights. If you are completely blind like me, it's best to wait about 1-2 hours to give it a charge. Also, Raycon says to avoid draining the battery completely and to only use the provided cable or a certified cable to charge it.
Controls
The earbuds do not have buttons. Instead, you touch them and perform taps to do actions.
The nice thing about the earbuds is they will make a soft clicking sound to indicate you have touched their surface.
Here are the following controls:
- Single Tap: Plays or pauses music, or answers or hangs up a call.
- Double Tap: Next track / fast forward (app-dependent)
- Triple Tap: Previous track / rewind (app-dependent)
All of these work on either earbud.
Storing The Earbuds
Once you have finished using the earbuds, it's highly recommended that you store them within the charging case.
Open the case and store the earbuds by aligning the hooks with the bottom of the case. It's magnetic, so it'll snap in place once you get them positioned correctly.
The earbuds will fit with the hooks facing away from each other, across the bottom of the case. The left one will face towards the left edge, and the right one will face towards the right edge.
I find it easiest to take out the earbuds by their hooks to prevent accidental touches.
The case will recharge the batteries of the earbuds when they are inside, but if no charge is required, will simply remain ready to be used.
Considerations
- Open-ear earbuds are designed to provide you an open-ear experience. This means that the outside world is supposed to be heard, on purpose. If you would rather listen to media in a closed environment, these will not fulfill that, as they sit outside your ears. Additionally, due to their open-ear design, expect deeper sound to be less audible. Due to not being in your ears, you will notice that bass will be lacking. This is not necessarily a Raycon thing; it's a general sacrifice with open-ear earbuds.
- These earbuds are touch controlled and rather sensitive. There are no buttons. Some users may not appreciate this.
- There is no companion app. These are meant to be used with standard Bluetooth functionality. This means no sound presets / equalization built-in.
My Thoughts
For the price, these are a pretty solid pair of earbuds. However, I will give my pros and cons.
Pros
- Sound Quality: Yes, unusual, I know. But for open-ear earbuds, Raycon has tried to deliver as much as possible, even with the open-ear design.
- Flexible hooks: Raycon has made it easy to adjust how you want the earbuds to fit, as the hooks loop around your ears. You can move them around to get the perfect fit.
- Easy Pairing: Pairing is as simple as popping open the charging case and instantly connecting to your device.
- Touch Controls: Despite my usual skepticism about touch-controlled technology, Raycon has actually made these straightforward, including audible clicks to signify you touched their surface.
Cons
- Sensitivity: I don't mind their touch controls too much, but they can be quite sensitive at times. Try to avoid touching the surface if you can, and grab them by the hooks when taking them out (either out of your ears or the case).
- Audibility: While not extremely audible, I have noticed that you can still hear a little bit with the earbuds on. This means if someone were sitting right beside you, they can hear a little bit of the audio. However, this does make sense, since it's open-ear. It's definitely not enough audio to hear what precisely you are listening to, but it's noticeable.
Final Words
If you're looking for a pair of open-ear earbuds that deliver quick pairing, long battery life, easy controls, and solid Bluetooth connection, these are for you.
If you are looking for something to dwell in your own private space, I'd consider other Raycon earbuds, as they are good at making affordable closed versions too.
If you end up getting these, enjoy your pair!