This is my first review I have done where I received the product for free. I have been on Amazon's top reviewer list for the past few years, but most of the time, I would get offers for items at a discounted price. Because I wasn't particularly interested in those products, I never purchased them. When I got an offer from Linner, a startup tech company who's developers come from several leading companies, I was really excited. Before I start the review though, know that this is completely honest and unbiased. I was not encouraged to give a positive review in exchange for a free product.
Design
I was given the black model to test and review. This device also comes in blue and white. The blue is a bit of a darker shade than royal blue. When I looked at it after taking it out of the box, one of the first things I noticed was that the device was very light and the neckband was very flexible. When I put them in my ears, the buds and hooks felt a bit big, so I changed them out with the small sized set that is in the box. Those felt just right.
I've used these earbuds while mowing the lawn a few times already. I noticed that they are a little too light to not flop around when walking around. I would not use these if i went for a run, but they are fine if you're just walking. I also used these while longboarding, and they didn't move around too much. For some reason, though, when I go fast enough to feel the wind, or if the wind picks up, the you can hear it moving around the ear pieces. It is a bit annoying, and I've never had this issue with any other headphones I've owned, but it isn't bad enough to where I wouldn't use them.
The controller that is located on the right wire, is very convenient. It did take some getting used to, though, as on the last pair of Bluetooth earbuds I had, the play/pause button was located on the side of the earpiece, and the volume controls were found on the top. There was no neckband. It was the kind where there are two larger earpieces, and a wire that goes behind the neck. The controller on my Linner earbuds is really nice. I can control all the functions that I have on my phone, including answering and ending calls, and activating Siri.
Other than the wind sounds, these earbuds are very comfortable to wear. The neck band doesn't weigh enough to be uncomfortable, and the wires between the band and the earpieces isn't long enough to be annoying. The earbuds also have magnets that allow them connect to each other and hang free around your neck without moving around too much. The ear hooks work very well, and I've never had to adjust the earpiece because it was falling out or shifted, even after wearing them for over three hours while mowing lawns. The battery life is also very good. You can get up to nine hours with noise cancellation enabled, and up to thirteen in normal mode. To charge the device, you use the Micro USB port located on the right side of the neckband under the ANC button.
Sound Quality
I thought the sound quality on these earbuds was excellent for the price point. The sound is very clear, and the bass is pretty strong, which is uncommon for headphones in this price range. Sometimes the track comes through with a bit of static, but I've only had that happen a few times. Another thing that is surprisingly good about these earbuds is that the sound seems to be inside your ear, while with other headphones I've owned, the sound seems outside the ear.
Noise Cancellation and Monitor Mode
I was not expecting much in terms of noise cancellation on these earbuds. I was blown away when I tested this feature. When I tried it in the car for the first time, I could barely hear the noise outside. Linner says this device cancels out sound up to 28 decibels, which is about the sound level of a whisper. I was not expecting them to cancel out "up to 97% of sound" as Linner says these can. I don't think they cancelled out that much, but it was unclear if they meant 97% of sound 28 decibels or under, or 97% of ambient noise. They certainly cancel out nearly everything under 28 decibels.
When I tried these out while mowing the lawn, they didn't cancel out as much noise as when I was in the car, but they did eliminate a lot of the sound of the mower. When I would use my earbuds that didn't have noise cancellation, I had to have the volume at around two thirds of their max. With noise cancellation enabled on the NC50 earbuds, I could have the volume just under half to achieve the same hearing ability.
These headphones also have something called "Monitor Mode," which basically dims the music, and plays the ambient noise into your ears (basically the opposite of the noise cancellation feature). It works about the same as removing one earbud, and keeping the other in. I can see how this would be useful in some situations, but when I used it, the music was turned down so low that I couldn't hear it clearly. I think it is nice to be able to just press a button when having a quick conversation, but if you're talking for longer than that, you might as well just take out your earbuds.
Connectivity
These earbuds have Bluetooth 4.1, and have a range of up to 10 meters, unobstructed. The sound is clearer than other Bluetooth earbuds I've used, and I'm really impressed with the quality in regards to the price.
Price
The price seems a bit lower than I would have expected for a product like this. I would have priced it closer to $100 or a little more, just because of the quality and features. These earbuds are not only more affordable than other similar products, but they have more features than a lot of others.
Overall
These are a very solid pair of earbuds. There are quite comfortable to wear, aside from the small annoyances. The sound quality is very good, and the noise cancellation works well. For innovation, I'd rate these earbuds 4/5; for value, 5/5. I'd give them a 5/5 for quality within the price range. For comfortability, they get 4/5.
The carrying bag that came in the box with the earbuds is not protective from much more than scratches. To better preserve my earbuds, I used an old sunglasses case. The earbuds fit perfectly, with room for a charging cord.
For anyone looking to buy a good, affordable pair of Bluetooth earbuds, these would fit the bill. From my time using these so far, I've been very impressed. I would highly recommend these earbuds.
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