OneAdio, the makers of the Focus A10 Active Noise Canceling wireless headphones, but also the Monitor 80 wired headphones, reached out to me offering samples to give them a listen and share about upcoming deals our readers can enjoy this Black Friday week. Between November 20 and through November 24, both these headphones can be purchased at up to 33% off on Amazon (buying links below).
Now, I"m no audio buff, but I do know the difference between good and bad-sounding speakers and headphones. I currently own the Edifier 360DB speakers paired to my PC through a Toslink, which was an upgrade from the very much older Creative MegaWorks 250D-THX after they stopped working .
My headphones are the Audio Technica ATH-AR3BT with an impedance of 41Ω, and they sound great (in my opinion). I use them with my computer when I don"t want to disturb my neighbors late at night.
OneAdio Monitor 80
I should disclose that I was forced to purchase a headphone amp in order to properly be able to use the Monitor 80 headphones, because I discovered my PC could not power them adequately, OneAdio graciously subsidized the €84.99 purchase by reimbursing $50 of the cost.
With that out of the way, here are the specs:
- Model: Monitor 80
- Color: Black
- Speaker: 40 mm
- Impedance: 250 Ω
- Sensitivity: 100 dB±3 dB
- Frequency Response: 10 Hz-40K Hz
- Distortion: ≤1%
- Plug Type: 3.5 mm/6.35 mm stereo
The Monitor 80 headphones sound clear enough, but even with the Fosi Audio K5 Pro plugged into my PC, they do not get very loud, but they are definitely not quiet either. I suppose I would define the max volume possible through the headphone amp as "comfortable". It takes a lot of power to drive these headphones. But all the levels are good; no complaints here, except maybe I would have liked more volume.
What"s in the box
- 1 x OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones;
- 1 x Carrying Travel Case;
- 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable (3m)
- 3.5mm to 6.35mm coiled cable (1.5m-3.5m）
- User Manual
Next, I plugged them directly into my Onkyo HT-S5805 5.1.2 Home Theater, and upon switching Spotify from my PC to the Nvidia Shield, initially I madly spammed the volume down button thinking I was blasting out my neighbors, before realizing that the sound was coming from the headphones that I was already wearing, not my speakers. That"s how good they sounded, okay?
It took an uncomfortable level of volume before the speakers in the headphones started to distort, and even then it was minimal. The distorting was from the excessive vibrating of the speaker more than anything else, and at a level that was just too loud anyway. They remained clear, with a great level of bass and treble. You really can mistake them for a good set of room speakers at lower volume.
To test, I then removed the headphones from the amplifier, and was immediately reminded how bad music sounds through the seven speakers of a surround sound home theater.
The verdict: Great quality for under a hundred bucks!
- OneOdio Monitor 80 for $77.59 on Amazon US (list price $96.99 - 20% off)
OneAdio Focus A10
Next up, are a pair of Active Noise Canceling Bluetooth headphones, which come with an ANC mode that can be engaged even without fully turning the headphones on and linking them to a device. It"s a great feature if you don"t need music but just need to drown out some external noise.
Some of the specs:
- Battery Capacity: 800 mAh
- Charging Time: 2 hours
- User Time 1: 40 hours (ANC+BT)
- User Time 2: 50 hours (BTmusic only)
- User Time 3: 62 hours (ANC only)
- Bluetooth Range: 10m/33ft
- Noise Reduction Depth: -35 dB
- Net Weight: 295g
The Focus A10 are over 100g heavier than my Audio Technica ATH-AR3BT, which weighs 193g. However the ear cups and headphone band on the Focus A10 are well padded, so the weight didn"t really bother me as much. Bass and treble ones were good, although they were not as loud as the Audio-Technica over Bluetooth, and I would have liked a bit more bass.
What"s in the box
1 x OneOdio A10 Noise Cancelling Headphones;
1 x Carrying Travel Case;
1 x AUX 3.5mm Cable;
1 x USB-C Charging Cable
1 x User Manual
I connected these up wired through the Foss Audio K5 Pro on my PC and the difference is immediately noticeable. Apart from being louder, there was more bass and a "fuller" sound from the headphones. The only downside is that your ears might get a little sweaty with prolonged use due to the cups completely covering your ears, there"s a vacuum effect from wearing them.
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to properly test the transparency/noise-cancelling mode. I read some reviews on Amazon that said I should be able to clearly hear my own voice with transparency mode enabled, but however loud I talked it seemed like I could only make out my muffled voice. My neighbors must have enjoyed that test. So the jury"s out on that.
The verdict: Good.
- OneOdio Focus A10 for $63.99 on Amazon US (list price $94.99 - 33% off)
As noted above, these deals run from today, November 20, through November 24 and are eligible for free return (until Jan 31 2024) for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition with no shipping charges.
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