Fun Generation Sport Buds

Thanks to their ergonomically angled design, these in-ears embed themselves well into the ear, which makes for a stable, supported fit, suited to sports use. The Sport Buds are comfortable to wear and do not cause any pressure complaints even during longer periods of use. Even though the earpieces might not appear to be of particularly high quality, the workmanship is flawless, especially since IPX4 provides protection against weather-related moisture, this makes them robust and easy to clean. Another practical feature is that the Sport Buds can be worn around the neck like a chain when not in use as the housings are fitted with magnets, and this eliminates the need for cumbersome storage when travelling or playing sports. On the energy side, these wireless headphones offer a running time of nine and a half hours when used at a higher level, and the integrated lithium-ion battery is fully recharged within 110 minutes using the USB charging cable supplied.

Device control

Pairing these wireless headphones is done by pressing and holding the central remote button, which first turns the system on and then puts it into pairing mode. Once a wireless connection is established, the same button is used to control playback and to answer and end calls. Separate buttons are available for volume control, and these are also used for selecting titles since holding down the plus button jumps forwards and pressing the minus button jumps backwards. The buttons have clear pressure points and the remote reacts reliably and without delay. However, the push-buttons are not marked in such a way as to allow orientation by touch alone. There are also slight limitations with regard to speech intelligibility during telephone calls as the user’s voice is represented in a somewhat jagged manner. In contrast, these in-ears scored points with a long range of sometimes more than ten metres, and the Bluetooth connection in combination with various iOS and Android devices proved to be very stable.

Sound

The Sport Buds have a clear sound image with powerful basses, which are neither too slim nor too powerful and sound well defined, which was a nice surprise considering their price range. The bass is not lush but it is present, and it doesn’t thump at all. Instead, it has a conciseness that provides a pleasurable listening experience and packs a powerful punch when listening during sport and exercise. Their clear and vivid voice reproduction is also appealing, making these headphones suitable for spoken word content such as audiobooks and covering a wide range of applications. A slight imbalance is apparent in the treble, mainly noticeable at higher levels with an overdrawing of sibilants, but there is no perceptible drop, meaning that the overall sound quality is remarkable, despite small reductions in the high-frequency range. Bluetooth standard SBC is used as audio codec. If you’re looking for higher-quality alternatives like the aptX or AAC format, these are supported by the more expensive Rock Buds.