The EKSA H16 impresses with cast sound and powerful construct – however yearns for a mic improve.
Within the bustling international of administrative center paintings, transparent communique is vital. Lately, we’re inspecting the EKSA H16, a Bluetooth wi-fi headset designed with administrative center execs in thoughts.
The sound high quality they ship is strangely first rate, with a smoothness to the audio that I discovered somewhat relaxing. Then again, I did in finding myself eager for a extra pronounced treble and the resonant thump of kick drums. The construct high quality of the H16 aligns smartly with EKSA’s promise. The headphones really feel strong and, dare I say, quite extra top rate than what one may await at this worth level. Then again, the microphone leaves a little bit to be desired referring to noise cancellation. Whilst it plays adequately for normal administrative center use, I’d hesitate to counsel it in noisier environments comparable to cafes or out of doors settings. The background noise is amplified to the purpose the place the ENC generation appears to be canceling out your voice as an alternative of the ambient noise.
- Excellent construct high quality.
- Nifty USB dongle garage with a magnetic duvet at the proper earcup.
- Simple pairing and connection.
- Wider soundstage than standard on-ear headphones.
- Doesn’t distort your voice throughout calls.
- Kick drums sound boxy.
- The treble is underwhelming.
- Ear pads aren’t breathable and will purpose sweating.
- Can’t filter background noises smartly.
- Slight comments noise at the left aspect.
As anyone who spends vital time dealing with calls and appreciates excellent sound high quality, I’m curious to peer how this headset can strengthen my day-to-day communique. Will they make the lower in a hectic paintings setting? Let’s dive in and in finding out.
In This Article
Corporate Assessment
EKSA, established in 2018, is devoted to improving gaming studies via cutting edge headphones and equipment. They offered EKSAtelecom in 2020, a logo thinking about communique headsets for truckers and administrative center staff.
Their dedication to high quality was once identified once they gained a Crimson Dot Award in 2022. With a gamer-first way, EKSA gives the newest generation, a two-year guaranty, and 24/7 customer support, aiming to transform a identified identify within the esports business.
Technical Specs
- Shape: On-ear headset
- Driving force Diameter: 40 mm
- Impedance (Ohm): 32 Ω ± 15%
- Sensitivity (dB): 115 ± 3 dB
- Frequency Reaction (Hz): 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Battery Lifestyles (hrs): 55 hours of track time (70% quantity), 35 hours of communicate time (70% quantity), 2.5 hours of charging time
- True Wi-fi: Y
- Bluetooth Model: 5.2
- Vary: 50ft/15M
- Mic: Y
- Weight (g): 150 g
Packaging
Upon receiving the EKSA H16, I used to be greeted via a graceful, black cardboard field that housed the headphones. The field, with its minimalist design, exuded an air of class that was once somewhat interesting. The headphones had been nestled with ease inside of a cardboard cutout, swathed in a plastic coverage layer – a easy but efficient packaging resolution.
Then again, as I tested the packaging additional, I couldn’t assist however really feel {that a} molded foam insert would have equipped a extra protected have compatibility for the headphones.
The present cardboard cutout, whilst practical, permits for motion throughout the field. Shaking the headphones may doubtlessly pose a chance throughout transport, particularly making an allowance for the sophisticated nature of such audio apparatus.
In spite of this minor critique, I will have to commend the thoughtfulness that went into the aesthetics of the packaging. The field’s colour and design are gratifying to the attention, suggesting that anyone had certainly taken the time to steadiness each shape and serve as.
This degree of consideration to element is one thing I wouldn’t normally be expecting from finances headphones, and it was once a pleasing marvel. It’s transparent that EKSA is making strides to ship a top rate unboxing revel in, even for its extra economically priced choices.
Within the field
- Eksa H16 headphones
- USB – C charging cable
- USB – A dongle (situated throughout the headphones and lined with a magnetic duvet)
- Person handbook
- Caution/Warning handbook
- Product QR code
Design
In the case of fabrics, the H16 make use of a black plastic headscarf, protein leather-based earmuffs, and a bendable silicon mic growth arm. The plastic used within the headscarf feels sturdy, thick, and easy to touch. It doesn’t produce that reasonable, clattering sound when moved, which is a testomony to its high quality.
The product literature boasts of a 1.8M drop check, and whilst I didn’t dare to position this declare to the check, the construct high quality indubitably lends credibility to it. The sound produced when tapping the plastic suggests it’s now not hole, additional reinforcing its sturdiness.
The EKSA H16 strike a commendable steadiness between adjustability and durability. The scarf, for example, can also be simply tweaked to suit your head measurement with out exerting any undue power. It’s now not too unfastened, both, so that you gained’t have to fret about unintended changes.
This ‘good’ high quality additionally extends to the microphone, which is strong and maintains its place as soon as adjusted. The bendable silicon mic growth arm is considered one of my favourite design parts. It gives a excellent vary of motion, taking into account optimum mic positioning relative on your mouth.
A novel characteristic of the H16 is the slot within the magnetic duvet at the proper ear, designed to retailer the USB dongle. This considerate addition removes the fear of misplacing the dongle and complements the consumer revel in.
Then again, the magnetic duvet can from time to time come off by chance when dressed in the headphones and be a nuisance when hanging it again. In spite of this minor inconvenience, the entire design of the EKSA H16 is spectacular, particularly making an allowance for its worth level.
Convenience
The EKSA H16, whilst providing a number of spectacular options, do fall brief in measurement.
For me, the have compatibility is a tad cosy, so I’d hesitate to counsel those for people with greater heads. That being mentioned, even if the headphones have compatibility tightly, they don’t purpose any discomfort to my ears or head, due to the comfortable ear pads and the padded headscarf.
Weighing in at a trifling 150 grams, the H16 are somewhat light-weight. This lightness contributes to general convenience, making sure that the headphones don’t really feel burdensome even after prolonged classes of wear and tear.
The ear pads, crafted from protein leather-based, are comfortable and easy to touch. Then again, after about an hour of use, I spotted that they started to urge a little bit of ear sweat and heat. Whilst this can be a commonplace factor with many headphones, it’s one thing to believe when you plan on the use of those for lengthy classes.
Internals
Diving into the internals of the EKSA H16, the battery lifestyles is a standout characteristic. Marketed to last as long as 55 hours, my checking out corroborates this declare. I’ve been the use of those headphones for 3 days directly with out achieving for the charger, which is somewhat spectacular.
The H16 additionally boast a connectivity vary of as much as 15 meters, due to Bluetooth 5.2. I put this to the check via leaving my computer in a single room and wandering round my space. I’m happy to document that I didn’t revel in any interference, which speaks volumes in regards to the power of the relationship.
Connecting the headphones is a breeze. Merely flip them on, in finding them to your Bluetooth gadgets record, and also you’re all set. In the event you’re the use of the USB dongle, it’s as simple as plugging it in, and also you’re in a position to move nearly straight away.
The on-ear ear cups space the 40mm drivers, which ship a powerful sound. Then again, I did come upon a minor factor. I spotted a tinny, ringing, or beeping sound – a form of comments – within the left earcup the place the mic is hooked up.
This isn’t noticeable when track is enjoying, but it surely turns into obvious when there’s silence, particularly in between tracks. It’s a little bit distracting and fairly paying homage to tinnitus. To verify it wasn’t a topic on my finish, I examined different headphones, together with noise-canceling ones, and didn’t revel in the similar downside, so it sort of feels to be distinctive to the H16.
In spite of this minor hiccup, the battery lifestyles and connectivity vary are somewhat spectacular.
Microphone
The microphone efficiency of the EKSA H16 is a blended bag. In a somewhat quiet setting, it does pick out up some background noise, such because the hum of an air conditioner or the whir of a fan. Then again, those sounds are minimum and don’t overpower the main audio.
The microphone does an admirable task of shooting my voice, which comes throughout as herbal and transparent, status out above the background noise with none noticeable distortion in tone.
Then again, the microphone’s efficiency takes successful in noisier environments. Right here, it has a tendency to select up an important quantity of background noise, to the purpose the place it will possibly overpower my voice throughout recordings.
In spite of the touted “EKSA VoicePure ENC Generation,” my voice didn’t come throughout as obviously as I’d have appreciated, and the quantity was once noticeably diminished.
If truth be told, the background noise incessantly appeared louder than my precise voice. Moreover, my voice tended to sound thinner than standard when there was once a large number of background noise.
EKSA H16 Sound
The EKSA H16 ship a valid high quality this is each balanced and full-bodied. Once I placed on my favourite tracks, I used to be in an instant struck via the richness of the low finish, which was once complemented via simply the correct amount of highs to handle readability.
Paying attention to an instrumental observe was once a pride. The H16 allowed me to differentiate each and every sound with out a lot effort, a testomony to its sound separation features.
The soundstage, whilst now not expansive, is greater than first rate for on-ear headphones. This was once specifically obvious after I listened to The Beatles’ ‘Right here Comes the Solar’ on YouTube. I used to be pleasantly stunned via how simply I may pinpoint the positioning of the tools.
The headphones additionally did a commendable task of reproducing the moving of sound between the left and proper ear cups, developing a lovely stereo impact.
Whilst I wouldn’t move so far as to mention the soundstage is tremendous large, the H16 do be offering a gorgeous excellent stereo replica. It’s a lovely marvel, particularly making an allowance for those are administrative center headphones, now not particularly designed for track.
Bass
I determined to check the bass with a few of Queen’s iconic tracks, the place the bass strains had been simply discernible, handing over a satisfyingly punchy sound. Then again, now not all parts hit the mark. The kick drum is fairly boxy, and the bass guitar’s decrease notes from time to time veer against muddiness.
The bass is apparent, but it lacks the punchiness that may make bass-heavy track actually resonate.
This absence of physicality within the bass reaction is a slight sadness. Additionally, when the combination turns into denser – with all tools and vocals enjoying concurrently at equivalent frequencies – the bass from time to time loses its area of expertise, muddied via the mids.
Whilst the EKSA H16 capably reproduces bass strains, they fail to ship the immersive, full-bodied bass revel in that bass fanatics may crave.
Midrange
Transferring directly to the midrange, I tuned into Eva Cassidy’s rendition of ‘What a Superb International.’ The vocals had been putting of their readability and forwardness. The midrange has a quite competitive edge, lending an ‘in-your-face’ high quality to the sound, but it’s nonetheless transparent sufficient to benefit from the vocals.
One of the vital H16’s strengths lies in thier talent to split vocals from tools, making a nuanced listening revel in the place each and every component of the observe can also be dissected and preferred.
Then again, the entire sound signature leans against the nice and cozy and easy aspect, with the mids and treble quite extra recessed than the bass. This tuning lends a heavenly high quality to singers with a comfortable alto or bass timbre, but it surely doesn’t supply as a lot enhance to extra robust belting vocals or sopranos.
Treble
In any case, I became my consideration to the treble efficiency of the EKSA H16. The higher frequencies are good but now not sibilant, keeping up the readability of main points with out introducing any piercing highs.
This steadiness makes for an relaxing prolonged listening consultation with out discomfort – a high quality at all times preferred in headphones.
The H16 stunned me with their ethereal sound, an surprising function for those on-ear headphones that added spaciousness to the sound. Then again, the treble quite lacks sharpness, leaving it fairly underwhelming. It doesn’t ship somewhat sufficient crispness to carry a observe to lifestyles.
Comparability
I additionally gained the EKSA H6, the over-ear model of the H16. With the exception of having other cup shapes, the H6 sound considerably other from the H16.
Even supposing each use the similar drivers, I will be able to obviously inform that the EKSA H16 have higher sound high quality than the H6. The H16 have extra thump, and the bass frequencies sound fuller than at the H6. The H6, however, sound far away and vulnerable.
The EKSA H16 microphone is of the similar high quality because the H6.
The plastic at the H16 turns out extra strong and compact, whilst the H6 sound a little bit hole. The H16 comprise a compartment for the USB Dongle, which the H6 don’t, so that you gained’t have to fret about misplacing it.
The EKSA H16 are quite more cost effective than the EKSA H6 however have a awesome construct high quality and sound.
The place to Purchase
Conclusion
As the overall notes of my checking out playlist light away, I discovered myself reflecting at the surprising adventure the EKSA H16 have taken me on.
The sound high quality they ship is strangely first rate, with a smoothness to the audio that I discovered somewhat relaxing. Then again, I did in finding myself eager for a extra pronounced treble and the resonant thump of kick drums.
The construct high quality of the H16 aligns smartly with EKSA’s promise. The headphones really feel strong and, dare I say, quite extra top rate than what one may await at this worth level. It’s transparent that EKSA has made a concerted effort to ship a product that punches above its weight relating to construct and design.
Then again, the microphone leaves a little bit to be desired referring to noise cancellation. Whilst it plays adequately for normal administrative center use, I’d hesitate to counsel it in noisier environments comparable to cafes or out of doors settings. The background noise is amplified to the purpose the place the ENC generation appears to be canceling out your voice as an alternative of the ambient noise.
In spite of this, the EKSA H16 be offering a compelling bundle for the ones in the hunt for a budget-friendly, but high quality, administrative center headset. It’s a testomony to EKSA’s dedication to handing over price with out compromising high quality or design.
Allow 48h for review and removal.