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Evolving Buds In Full Bloom

February 2018

What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision

FOR Punchy bass; insightful midrange; noise-cancelling

AGAINST Neckband could be more flexible

As more phone manufacturers ditch the headphone jack, and dongles continue to provide an inelegant solution, wireless listening appears to be the way forward. If this trend continues, as we expect, then many smartphone users will need to look at owning a pair of Bluetooth headphones. 'Neckbuds’ (headphones joined by a collar to keep them together) might be, on paper, the best placed to take advantage of this trend. More compact than on-ears, they also tend to have better stability and battery life than conventional in-ears.

Sony’s WI-1000Xs are the bigger siblings of the Award-winning WF-1000X. For £100 more than the in-ear wireless headphones, you get a longer battery life, playback control and, most importantly, better sound.

Marmite design

Neckbuds are a divisive design choice; some people like the collar, others find it uncomfortable. The collar on the WI-1000X feels of a better quality than those on Bose’s QuietComfort 30s, but it’s not as flexible.

The buttons you need for pausing music, changing volume, and for power on-off and pairing are all on the band, with longer presses activating playback control. We’d prefer dedicated buttons, but it’s easy to use.