Great sound quality, but the design didn’t work for me
I’ve owned several iLive products and have always been happy with my purchases. I often use iLive products while I’m working because they’re affordable enough that if I lose one, accidentally drop one into something I’m cleaning, or otherwise subject it to the hazards of my workday, replacing it isn’t a financial crisis.
I also own a much more expensive pair of earbuds that I love for their sound quality and noise cancellation. Unfortunately, the way they fit inside my ears was beginning to cause some discomfort, so I purchased these open-ear headphones with high expectations.
I knew almost immediately that this particular design wasn’t going to work well for me.
The sound quality is exceptional for this price point, and that is easily their strongest feature. Unfortunately, the earbuds themselves are fairly bulky and made from a rigid material. I wear glasses, and the arms of my glasses have to sit on top of the earpieces. After about 30 minutes, that becomes noticeably uncomfortable.
I also found it surprisingly difficult to position them so I could hear consistently. The speaker portion sits somewhat awkwardly against my ear and seemed to require frequent adjustment. Because the controls are very touch-sensitive, trying to reposition an earpiece can also result in accidentally turning it off.
Ultimately, I found them awkward and uncomfortable for extended wear, particularly with glasses. I purchased a different style just two days later—also an iLive product, lol—that is much better suited to my particular needs.
I’d still recommend these to someone who likes the open-ear style and doesn’t wear glasses regularly, especially considering the sound quality for the price. They simply weren’t the right design for me.
Out of the box, they came with no charge, which wouldn't have been a big deal. They take forever to charge, and dont hold a charge. They claim to have a 7h battery life per headphone, and 10 more hours worth in the case. I can say they actually have a 40 minute battery life in the headphones. I cant testify how well the case charges the headphones, because the case dies within 24 hours of sitting idle, so the case was dead by the time I needed it. Speaker quality also isn't great, but about what I expected from 27 dollar headphones.