I’ve tried wireless headphones that have a band that sits around your neck while wired earbuds extend up to your ears. I’ve never been all that impressed with the comfort of the approach… Until I tried the Sol Republic SHADOW Wireless Earphones. They are comfortable, light, hold a wireless connection well and, best of all, the sub-$100 headphones are comfortable.
I’ve had two main issues with this style of headphone in the past. First, I’ve never found then to hold their Bluetooth connection all that well. If my phone was in my back pocket and I moved around headphones like those offered by LG seemed to lose connection more often than I would like to count. Wireless headphones are only as good as the wireless connection the can make and maintain and I’ve often found such products to be lacking. The second, and more significant, issue was the comfort these others models offered. In two words… They weren’t. The design is supposed to be comfortable and let you have earbuds that are still wireless- that why the neck-band is used to house the battery, radio and other electronics. The problem was that, after a period of time I always found the neck piece to start being annoying. It rubbed on my neck, shifted around unnecessarily and just bugged me.
The Sol Republic SHADOW Wireless Earphones solve these issues and do so while sounding pretty damn impressive. It offers excellent sound in a compact design, lets you listen to music and take phone calls, supports up to 8-hour battery life and has a “natural-fit collar” that shifts with your movement.
The neck-band is thinner and lighter than the aforementioned models that did not impress me. They do an excellent job keeping their Bluetooth connection and drop offs are rare if not non-existent. And they are surprisingly comfortable. The thin, light band is barely noticeable even after an extended period of use. And while you do hear some noise in the cable when you move your head and it runs on your neck, it isn’t any more than I experienced with other models.
Sol Republic markets these headphones for their comfort. As they note:
Shadow Wireless – wear all day: SHADOW will fit better than most of your jeans. Lightweight and fully flexible, it rests comfortably on the neck and follows your body’s movements. Its clean, minimalistic design blends with any style. SHADOW is ready to play music whenever you want it.
All this would be pointless if the headphones sounded lousy. Thankfully, that is anything but the case. These sound as good as any wireless headphones I have used and they outdo many of the wired cousins I have tried. Yes, at times while using them I forgot I was listening to wireless headphones.
LEAVE BEHIND THE WIRES BUT NOT THE SOUND: Shadow delivers powerful sound from a compact design, with a balance of rich bass and detailed highs that brings out the best in all types of music. These Bluetooth wireless earphones deliver CD-quality audio so you can finally enjoy music and crystal clear phone calls that sound better than many wired headphones.
Shadow Wireless: Be in control
Features:
- 8 Hour Battery Life
- Natural Fit Collar
- Mic + 3 button remote
- Eartips for Life
- Water and Sweat Resistance
- 30ft range
- Multi-Device Connectivity
So why would you want wireless headphones like these? It is actually rather simple. The Sol Republic SHADOW Wireless Earphones let you enjoy your music while leaving your phone in your pocket, purse or bag. The 30 foot range means you don’t have to have your phone right next to you and the fact that you can connect to, and control, two devices simultaneously means you can connect the headphone to your phone and your tablet or laptop. And despite your device being out of arms reach you can still control your music and the talk controls right from the “SHADOW’s slim collar.” As Sol Republic puts it, with these headphones you can, “Take control and leave the stress behind.”
It too me a bit of trial and error to get the right eartips in place but once I did I have not looked back. I’m a fan and have been using these quite a bit since the weather turned nice. Add in the fact that these are under $100 and there are definitely worth a look if you are in the market for a new pair of wireless headphones. Come to think of it, these sound so good that they are worth a look if even if you were planning to get a new pair of wired headphones. Check them out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Sol Republic SHADOW Wireless Earphones
What I Like: Light and comfortable; Pairs with two devices at once; Easy to pair and use; Sound quite good!!!
What Needs Improvement: I don’t have a firm number on battery life since I tend to top off all the time but I think the rated 8 hours is a bit optimistic
Rowkin offers a free charger with its awesome earbud! It’s casing can charge your phone! What could be more practical?? Check out the reviews at amazon and see why I love them so much..