As an audiophile, these $100 headphones get my seal of approval – here’s why

Baseus Inspire XH1 Headphones

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The Baseus XH1 headphones can be found on Amazon for $110.
• With wealthy, easy bass, you’d suppose you have been listening to headphones that value twice the value.
• You will need to use the Baseus app, however the Customized EQ may cause the app to crash.

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As a giant fan of classical music, I perceive that regardless of what it’s possible you’ll suppose, it would not sound good in any outdated headphones, no matter worth. That assumption would have Mozart rolling in his grave and Bach slapping himself foolish.

Additionally: How I turned these $60 headphones into an audiophile’s dream (without spending a penny)

While you hear classical music on a very good pair of headphones, it may be transcendent, and it would not require shelling out $1,000 for the {hardware}. So long as the headphones have a strong low finish, crisp highs, easy mids, and a good soundstage, you’d suppose you have been proper there, on stage, watching an orchestra play in entrance of you. 

That is the place the Baseus XH1 headphones come into play.

My expertise

Once I unboxed the Baseus XH1 headphones, I had been listening to Mozart all morning, so I figured I would proceed the pattern. I wasn’t within the temper for the rest, so it simply made sense. As quickly as his Oboe Concerto in C Main, Ok. 314 got here on, I closed my eyes and let the sound wash over my eardrums.

I’ve grown accustomed to Baseus headphones and earbuds punching above their weight, so it got here as no shock that the XH1 headphones lived as much as that fame. However this was one thing particular. Each word was clear; I may even hear the breath of the oboist. 

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There was a considerably vast soundstage (not the widest I’ve skilled), so I may place the instrumentalists of their correct place and discern violins from violas from cellos. 

Even higher, the sound was on no account taxing. I may pay attention to those headphones all day with out getting bored with it, and that is simply what I did, visiting all my favourite classical composers: Mozart was majestic. Beethoven was bombastic. Verdi was very, very grand. Liszt was beautiful.

Okay, okay, you get it. 

However what about different genres? Begrudgingly, I jumped round to see how different forms of music fared. 

• Digital: The Prodigy’s “Serial Thrilla” was unbelievable, with deep, agile bass that wasn’t heavy-handed. The highs have been a bit muted.
• ’80s – The Psychedelic Furs “Heartbreak Beat” was a bit muddy on the low finish, however the mids have been great. Once more, the highs may have used a lift.
• Prog – Coheed And Cambria’s “Right here We Are Juggernaut” suffered from the identical lack of highs. However Device’s “Vicarious” fared significantly higher.

I used to be beginning to sense a sample right here. The place classical music actually soared via the XH1 headphones, many different genres wanted a lift. To that finish, I linked the headphones to the Baseus app and ran the firmware replace that got here up. I then hopped into the EQ part to see if I may give the highs a little bit of assist. That is the place I bumped into hassle. 

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First off, the default EQ is “Sound By Bose,” and it very a lot falls into the Bose sound camp. I tapped via the varied pre-configured EQ curves and located the “Clear Treble” to be the most suitable choice. However what I actually needed was to make my very own. Each time I attempted, although, the app would freeze, so I would must again out of the customized EQ possibility. Restarting the app led the identical outcomes.

After that, I dropped into the Sound Settings part and enabled Hello-Res Audio and Bass Enhance. The mixture of the Clear Treble, Hello-Res Audio, and Bass enhance gave me precisely what I wanted. I had improved highs, with out sacrificing the lows.

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I am not a fan of headphones requiring an app to enhance the sound, and when mentioned app would not let me create a customized EQ curve, I discover it to be largely ineffective. This time round, I used to be lucky that the settings I adjusted resulted in good sound. And on condition that these headphones value simply over $100 on Amazon, I discovered them to be a cut price. If classical music is your jam, these sound great out of the field.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

For those who do not need to break the financial institution to get easy, dynamic sound out of your headphones, you may do so much worse than the Baseus XH1 headphones. If the corporate can resolve the app concern with the Customized EQ possibility, I might rank these in my prime 5 favourite over-the-ear headphones on the $100 worth level.

Baseus Encourage XH1 tech specs

• Adaptive ANC system with as much as -48 dB noise discount
• 100-hour battery life with ANC off and 65 hours with ANC on. 10-minute cost offers 12 hours of use.
• Bluetooth 6.1 with multipoint connectivity
• Hello-Res and LDAC assist, Dolby Audio, LDAC, SuperBalance 3.0, and SoundFit 
• Connectivity and calls
• 5 microphones with AI Clear Requires voice readability throughout calls 
• Most Transmission Vary: 39.4 ft 
• Design: Over-ear, folding model for portability
• Earcups: Gentle, resilient reminiscence foam earcups with a velvet-like protein leather-based end
• Portability: Features a carrying case