A brand that I knew absolutely nothing about prior to receiving their products to check out on a whim have really convinced me that sometimes it’s not the name branded on the device, but the actual items themselves After testing them for the last month, Cleer’s headphones and Bluetooth speaker have left quite the impression on me.
Let’s start with Cleer’s Edge Pulse Wireless Heart-Rate Monitor headphones. Available for $149.99, these have been my hands down favorite of the three products, more specifically in the gym thanks to not just their Bluetooth connectivity, but the built-in heart rate monitors. Here are some highlights of the Edge Pulse before I give my take:
- Flexible ear-loops and silicone eartips provide secure comfort
- Bluetooth® 4.2 with NFC delivers flexible, wireless performance
- Heart rate feedback compatible with most popular fitness apps
- Shockproof, IPX5 water-resistant for a worry-free workout
- Voice guidance for ease of use and on-demand heart rate updates
- 5.8mm neodymium drivers deliver rich, motivating sound
- Take important calls mid-workout or on-the-go noise free
- Quick Charge: A 5-minute charge provides up to 1-hour of playback
- Max your workout with up to 6-hours playback (heart monitor enabled)
- Micro-USB cable, clip, eartips (S, M, L), and pouch supplied
With infrared sensors, the Cleer’s Edge Pulse gives you accurate heart rate monitoring paired with your smartphone or smartwatch. In my case, when I work out, I tend to use my Apple Watch Series 4, and pairing the Edge Pulse is as simple as most other Bluetooth devices.
When you pair them, you can rest assured that they will work without the need for an external heart rate monitor. This for me works best as compared to the somewhat spotty readings I would get with my Apple Watch, the Cleers heart readings tend to be more consistent in monitoring, and it shows when you look back at the workout recordings. In terms of audio quality, they are absolutely fantastic to listen to, comfortable to wear with their sturdy behind-the-neck fit, and with up to six hours of battery life, you’ll be able to get through a workout or a flight to LA with ease.
Up next is the Cleer FLOW, which is the company’s flagship Wireless Hybrid Noise Canceling headphones. With Bose abandoning their QC35’s, the Flow’s couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. At $279.99, they certainly aren’t cheap, and they damn sure don’t look or sound cheap, either.
As you can see from the looks alone, they have a bit of style to them with their interchangeable rings. While I’m not the most stylish person in the world, I just made sure to pair the rings that would be the most discreet since I tend to wear the Flow while recording and they are immaculate. Since they have a hybrid noise cancellation system, they are optimized with passive isolation that allows you to tune out passers-by in the train, while being alert of your surroundings. Most might compare them to Beats with their bold over-ear design, but the internals feel more superior.
With 40mm ironless driver units, listening to Chris Brown’s latest track, you get a bold soundstage hearing instruments and bass with ease, all the while being able to hear the crisp vocals (even though Chris has a slight lisp). While the Flow comes with extra rings, an in-flight adapter for listening on those cross-country travels, it comes complete with an audio cable and a micro-USB cable And a nifty carrying pouch for protection when you’re on the go.
And finally there’s the Cleer Stage, a portable Bluetooth speaker that not only bring the party from the pool to the room, the Stage speaker is simply amazing.
Here are more details about the Stage:
- Enjoy superb voice recognition and always-on Alexa Voice Service
- Bluetooth® 4.2 with NFC delivers powerful, wireless performance
- Shockproof, IPX7 water-resistant for worry-free, good times
- Dual, 48mm drivers and passive radiators deliver rich, full sound
- Digital amplification for distortion-free audio fidelity
- Cleer Connect: amplify the party and pair multiple speakers together
- Take calls and communicate clearly via echo and noise cancelation
- Selectable voice modes: always-on, tap and ask, or mute
- Max out the moment with up to 15-hours playback (Alexa enabled)
- Enjoy superb voice recognition and always-on Alexa Voice Service
Complete with dual 48mm drivers and passive drivers, you get up to 15-hours of battery life on a single charge. It doesn’t do anything extra like float in the water, but they are IPX7 water resistant if you need to change a track while you’re sitting on the beach with wet palms. In any case, there are onboard controls for volume and track switching which can help keep your phone safely in a bag while you use the controls to do the gestures you desire.
What’s pretty ironic about the Stage however is that they come complete with Amazon Alexa, so you can do everything from telling it to turn your lights off, to grab a pizza with the Domino’s Pizza complication. The Stage comes with a nice carrying pouch to toss in your beach bag, a nice wall charger, and a microUSB cable for charging. At $129.99 it’s affordable for what you get, and it’s available in both red or black.
All in all, I absolutely think that Cleer is going to impress you with their products already, and if you’re wondering, they do have wireless buds in the Ally earbuds which I plan on doing a full review of soon.
If you would like more information about all of Cleer’s products, head over to their site.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Competitive pricing with the market; Heart rate monitor on the earbuds is fantastic and work great with the Apple Watch
What Needs Improvement: I’m not personally a fan of the grey