I’ve always had a problem with Bluetooth peripherals. For some reason I’ve never actually had one which works straight out of the box, or really at all. It’s a difficult thing to handle as a well-versed tech-head, but one which I learned to accept. Since a horrible experience with a rogue Samsung I’ve generally avoided anything to do with them.
So when I got the chance to review the TECEVO Wireless Stereo Headphones, I was slightly nervous for obvious reasons. But after writing an incredibly tedious 4000 word essay with them as my only comfort, have my opinions changed, and am I a Bluetooth convert?
Firstly, let me tell you a little about the headphones. The TECEVO set has an understated, yet not unpleasant look. Made out of black plastic with chrome fittings and black faux-leather. They look like decent headphones for the everyman, with a look that doesn’t SCREAM quality, but which looks far better than other, similar headphones at this price point.
The specs claim a transmission distance of 10 metres, a stand-by time of 30 days and a whopping 24 hours’ worth of talk time and 8 of Music. I found that it was generally an accurate estimate, at least in terms of listening to music. On the right hand side there are a few buttons, which are somewhat reminiscent of earlier i-technology, which give a nice responsive click and are easy to locate and use blind. The set isn’t too heavy either; it’s easy to forget you’re wearing it during extended play sessions, and it extends nicely and comfortably for even the biggest of heads. (Trust me, I struggle to find hats which fit.) They also fold nicely, although I thought I’d snapped them the first time I tried it, as there was a rather violent click. In the box, along with the actual tech, you also get a small pouch for them to fit in, of relatively decent quality. I wasn’t expecting a pouch, especially not a nice pouch with wooden beads, so it was a lovely surprise.
Something which wasn’t a nice surprise was the wire. The set comes with a proprietary USB cable for charging and, therefore, no wire you’ll have will work in case you lose this one. It would have been nice for it to use a standard port, like the micro-USB so often seen on android phones, but I can’t complain too much about this as it’s common for tech made by small companies.
Moving on to how it actually works, I was really pleasantly surprised. Whilst I’m used to spending hours trying to get Bluetooth devices to work, (only to end up throwing it across the room,) the TECEVO worked immediately with every single device I own, and yes, once it started working I ended up connecting it to everything to check my luck. It’s easy to say the pairing process is completely painless. There have been a few issues with getting the skype calling functionality to work, but that’s a relatively minor function for my usage. It does seem to have its own plugin for skype, but I’ve been unable to figure out how it works.
The most important thing for any set of headphones though, of course, is the sound itself. Most small-branded sets I’ve had have been tinny to say the least, and damn unpleasant in general. Worse, the majority of Bluetooth ones I’ve had have often featured lots of lag, hampering any experience other than listening to music. The TECEVO F10s break that pattern however, with crystal-clear sound and immediate response to every device I’ve used. It’s a quality sound device, that’s for sure.
Now, onto the few negatives. Firstly, there isn’t a lot of support and troubleshooting online for the product, unlike other, bigger-branded products. Secondly, I don’t like the box it comes in. I know it’s minor, but a brown cardboard box isn’t really a mark of quality. Again, this is probably down to it being a design from a less-mainstream company, but it would be nice if it was a bit fancier. Finally, and worst of all is the “voice”. No, I’m not just hearing things. When the set is pairing, connects or disconnects a female American voice narrates whats going on. And it gets annoying. VERY annoying. But again, that’s only minor, and it’s easy to live with if you just hold it away and tell her to shut it.
However, it’s still a bloody good headset to say the least, and you will not get better for the price. Currently you can get the headset for between £30 and £19 across the internet, way below any rivals it may have. If you’re looking for a good budget set of Bluetooth headphones, get these. Now.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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