[Review] Etekcity S1 In-Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

I'm horrible with headphones. I break them. I lose them (a LOT). My cat eats them. I'm just bad with them. I would never spend a bunch of money on headphones (like those that rhyme with MEATS) because of my track record. Who else is horrible with headphones? You feel my pain, right? Good headphones for an affordable price, please.

Finally!

I was offered the opportunity to receive these Etekcity S1 In-Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones for free in exchange for an honest review. And even if I'd paid for these, I'd give a review like what's to follow...

Note: This will be long, but I tend to ramble about things when I (A) REALLY like them or (B) REALLY hate them. you'll find out which is which in 3...2...1...

First: I know reviews are supposed to be about the product, but the packaging is worth mentioning. They didn't come in some cheap and not-protective plastic bag, shrink wrap, or bubble package: They were very nicely boxed in something I'd expect to see from places like Apple or Amazon (a la their Fire packaging). This protected them from shipping damage AND made first opening them a true pleasure like I was receiving a very nice gift.

Second: The earbuds themselves are substantial. This worried me at first. "How in the world are they going to stay in my ears?" They have aluminum discs on each earbud that initially seems just cosmetic, but I think it has something to do with balance and function, too. There are these little plastic loops (which you can change out for one of three sizes) that help "hook" the buds into your ears. I was skeptical at first, but they seem to make a difference keeping the bud firmly in your ears. I wore them for at-home yoga, walking around to get to my son's saxophone practice, doing some dancing, and riding my bike on the bike trail (they are noise canceling, so don't wear them on the roads!!) and they didn't budge.

Third: They have a little grey disc on them where you can hook the wires together like a necklace. That way when you're not using them, they are still handy around your neck instead of at risk of getting washed or squashed in a pocket. I went to dinner with them latched around my throat after having used them while waiting for my son at saxophone practice and they didn't feel awkward or out-of-place. Great "storage" option.

Fourth: Speaking of storage, they come with a very nice case. It's not a soft pouch, but it's not hard plastic. I'm not sure how to describe it. Sort of a stiff, formed, foam, I think? It has netting inside to store the charging cable and is a good size to fit into a purse or even a pocket (though why you'd put it in a pocket when you can latch them around your neck, I don't know).

Fifth: This might be the biggest sticking point for some folks - Sound. I'm NOT an audiophile. As I mentioned at the beginning, I have horrible luck with headphones and earbuds. So spending money on expensive equipment is out of the question for me. That said, comparing them to $30 and under headphones and earbuds, I'd say the sound is competitive. I notice when the Imagine Dragons CD at louder volumes sounds like a child produced/mixed it, so I think I'd notice if these things had HORRIBLE sound, and I was pleased with them. That said, I don't know if they would hold up to the rhymes-with-MEATS earbuds or any other pricey options - but not because I don't have faith in them. I just don't know because I don't know - I have no way to compare.

Anyhow, I doubt an audiophile with very particular tastes in earbuds will be buying earbuds for less than $100, so for the rest of us, I'm going to say that these are serviceable and, in fact, have pretty nice sound. I LOVE music and, as I said, I wasn't disappointed in the sound.

As for any negatives: I don't quite understand the lighting on the controls. When they are in your ears, you can't really see it (unless you have excellent peripheral vision). It was also pretty easy for me to accidentally call someone instead of change the volume - but I think as I get better acquainted with the controls, that won't be an issue. The silver discs... I felt like I was in a Cyberman episode of Doctor Who. I didn't hate the design, but having other options would be great (black, red, interchangeable to go with outfits).

Overall, I'm very pleased with these earbuds. They are a pretty nice and affordable entry into the Bluetooth earbuds market for folks like me - on a budget and scared to spend tons of money because of all the bad luck we have with earbuds and headphones.

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