We live in a world inundated with products that are the high-tech equivalent of a high-tech Swiss army knife. Smartphones replace your camera, your GPS and your audio recording devices. And headphones not only are responsible for delivering great audio, but also work in some cases as a live translator and even pull double duty as hearing aids.
Occasionally, however, you just want something simple. Dublin-based OneSonic has an antidote to the overload: headphones that concentrate on good audio.
The OneSonic Studio Pro headphones keep things simple. There is no app to tweak audio settings or additional features to overload it. The extra features are limited to touch controls and taking the odd phone call. Some people may find it limiting.
The Studio Pro feels premium from the moment you open the box, from the brushed aluminium accents to the padded head band and soft fit cups. They even come in their own case, a hard shell that will protect them from bumps and scrapes. Inside the box you get the aux cable that turns your headphones from wireless to wired, and a USB C charging cable – enough to cover all eventualities.
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One thing you notice about the OneSonic headphones is how comfortable they are. They were held firmly in place without becoming uncomfortable, and cups didn’t pinch or put pressure in the wrong place.
Those soft-fit cups also work well in reducing the amount of noise that will filter through. They have active noise cancelling, which will cut out much of the background noise in the office or on a commute. OneSonic claims its hybrid active noise control will reduce background noise by up to 33dB; it was noticeably quieter once activated, even in a noisy house.
It will also, however, reduce the battery life. On a full charge, you will get about 40 hours of listening time out of the headphones; that is reduced to 25 hours with active noise control is operating. Still, it doesn’t take long to charge them and, as an added bonus, you can use the headphones while they are being charged, in both wired and wireless mode.
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There is a touch-sensitive panel in the centre of the right ear cup that is solely used for switching between noise cancelling on, off and transparency mode. All other functions, from skipping tracks to answering calls, were done with the volume and power buttons. It takes a little while to get all the functions straight – I accidentally redialled a few numbers during the test – but there are so few gestures to get to grips with it won’t take long.
All that is fine, but do the Studio Pro headphones deliver on audio?
The company makes bold claims about the sound quality – ones it can live up. The sound was detailed and clear without feeling clinical; bass was punchy but not overwhelming. The headphones handled everything from classical and pop to bass-heavy tracks, guitar-led pieces and even a spot of Kneecap for good measure.
The active noise cancelling blocks out the background noise and OneSonic’s engineering takes over.
Add in the price, and OneSonic has a winning combination here.
Good
Simple to use and operate, the OneSonic Studio Pro headphones stick to the important features: good, clear audio. They fit comfortably too, which is important if you plan to use them for long stretches of time, with enough cushioning to ensure they are secure on your head without feeling like they are trying to squeeze your brain while they are at it. They have a good seal, too, so you won’t get much sound leak, even at higher volumes.
Bad
There is no auto-pause sensor, so when you take the headphones off, the audio will keep playing. It will throw people who are used to this extra feature.
If you like your tech with a lot of options, aside from good audio, these headphones aren’t for you. But if you want great audio with decent noise cancelling for a decent price, the OneSonic headphones will fit the bill.
Everything else
There is no app or multiple functions to deal with, which feels unusual. However, my phone storage thanks whoever made that decision. The headphones are IPX4 rated, so they can stand up to a bit of sweat and rain, but watch out for dust.
