Review: Sudio Elva Neckband Earphones

Thanks to Sudio, I am able to review the Sudio Elva before its official launch on Sudio website from 14th September. It has been a while since I used neckband headphones.

The review set comes in black but I believe there is another color (white). I have seen some 3rd party sites already selling it but the official date for direct sales on Sudio website is 14th September.

Unboxing and First Look

If you want to know how Sudio delivers the headphones, check this video out. In the video, I also shared my initial view on the design of the Sudio Elva.

On the cable near the earbud, there is an indicator showing the left or right of the earbud.

As this is a neckband earphones, the controller is wrap round your neck. Initially, I found it difficult to orientate the left and right. Finally, I found an easy method. Just remember the left side is with the controls.

The controls is very simple. There are three buttons on one side.

Here are the funtions of these 3 buttons.

As for charging the unit, I am glad that they are using USB-C. To charge, you will need to pull out the casing as shown below.

Once done, you can use the cable provided to charge the unit. I tried to use USB-C Charger to directly charge the unit. It does not charge at all. So, remember to bring the charging cable along if you need to charge it when you are outside.

Another unique feature of the Sudio Elva package is the Sudio FLYG provided in the package. It has two connecting pins and is meant for air travel usage.

The Sudio FLYG is a Bluetooth transmitter. It has an internal battery and you can use the USB-C cable provided to charge it.

The good thing is that you can pair it with any Bluetooth earpiece. You will just need to follow the procedure to pair it. And one pro-tip; place your earpiece 1 to 2 cm for the pairing (as shown in the diagram below).

There are products in the market that are like this Sudio FLYG. The good thing is that if you buy the Sudio Elva, it comes with it.

See also  How to use zoom feature on Android Vine app

Specifications

Here are the highlights of the Sudio Elva

  • Active noise canceling
  • Bluetooth Adapter (FLYG)
  • Up to 11h of playtime, 10h with ANC + music
  • Dynamic microphones for phone calls
  • Weighs 28 g total
  • IPX 5 (splash/rain/sweat proof)

And here are the specs: –

  • COMPATIBILITY: Android, iOS
  • PLAY TIME: Up to 11h of playtime, 10h with ANC + music
  • BUILT-IN MICROPHONE: Yes
  • RANGE: 10 m
  • BLUETOOTH VERSION: 5.0
  • WARRANTY: 1 year
  • VOICE ASSISTED (SIRI AND GOOGLE ASSISTANT): Yes
  • CODEC: SBC
  • WATER RESISTANT: IPX5

Usage

Design

I have been using the Sudio Elva for a week already. It seldom leave my neck. As I mentioned in the video, it does not sit well on the neck. I believe it is difficult to find the “right” shape for everyone’s neck. However, based on Kickstarter’s projects that I previously supported, I think the placement of the weight and the material of the neckband is important to keep it in place.

The cable length is too long for my liking. When they are not in my ears, they are dangling on my body and at times, become a nuisance. The magnet clasp is not helping as they easily fell off. In fact, during my testing, it dropped off within a day.

Charging it

As you have to pull out one earphone to reveal the USB port, the problem with it is that you might forget about the earphone (the side being pulled out) since the charging takes about an hour or more.

During the review, I was quite surprised that it cannot be plugged directly to any USB-C port to charge (not even on a laptop USB-C port). You will need to use the USB-A to USB-C (female) cable to charge it.

See also  Xiaomi Introduces Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus in Singapore

Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality, I hope that it could have more bass and less treble. I think to certain extend, it becomes irritating to the ears as the treble becomes too “sharp” (is this the right way to explain it?).

There is no way to adjust it. Turning on the ANC (Active Noise Canceling) changes the profile a little but it can be better.

Talking about ANC, I can’t feel the difference (in terms of noise cancellation) when it is turned on. Maybe, the in-ear sealing is doing a good job to seal out the outside noise.

Accessory

The Sudio FLYG (Bluetooth Travel Adapter) is quite easy to use. It can be used with two pins (on most commercial aircraft) when traveling on the plane or with one pin if you want to plug it into a headphone jack on laptops or computers. As it can be used with other earphones, the usage becomes even wider.

In my opinion, as most computers or laptops come with Bluetooth, it’s usage become limited. However, if you don’t like to pair your device on every laptops or computers, the Sudio FLYG is really useful in this scenario.

Sound quality using the Sudio FLYG is subjective. In my review, I paired it with Sudio Elva and Sudio Ett. Sudio Elva sounds OK but when paired with Sudio Ett, there is a crackling sound when music is played (although very minimal).

Pricing and Availability

The Sudio Elva is available from 14th September (Worldwide) at S$199. You can get a 15% discount if you use this code.

Discount code: wireless15

Remember to key in this code when you check out.

See also  Kickstarter app is available now on iOS

Click Here to Check Out Sudio Elva

Summary

The Sudio Elva is something new for Sudio. If this is the first iteration, it is forgivable as some designs can be done better.

Pros

  • Two for the price of One – For the price, you are getting two products, the neckband earphones and the Bluetooth travel adapter.
  • Good battery life – I love the battery life as it can last the whole day (based on normal usage).
  • Ears can rest – You can hang it around the neck to let your ears rest.

Cons

  • Neck fitting could be better – the neckband does not fit snugly on the neck, and the cable is a little too long.
  • Cannot charge it with any USB-C Port – The unit needs the cable provided in the package to charge instead of any USB-C port.
  • Magnet clasp could drop off – The design of the magnet clasp needs to be improved to prevent it from dropping off.

As for some other points, it is neutral as some might or might not like it. For example, the sound quality is something I think can be improved.

Overall, it is a pleasant experience using the Sudio Elva.