If you haven’t heard of Oladance, it’s a brand that is quickly making a name for itself. This newcomer has taken the open-ear earphones scene by storm, especially since Bose decided to discontinue its Sport open-earbuds line.
First off, if you are unfamiliar with open-ear earbuds, these don’t cover the openings of the ear canal like other earbuds but rather sit above that opening. Hence the terms “open-ear” earbuds. The benefit with open-ear buds is that they are typically more comfortable and allow outside sound into your ear canals, which is also their downside depending on user preference. It’s up to you to decide where you fall in that camp. It should also be noted that the open-ear design can allow some sound leakage at higher volumes.
With that out of the way, Oladance has now come out with its OWS Pro. A follow up to its initial offering, the Oladance Wearable Stereo (OWS), these premium open-earphones come with a $299.99 price tag and have been called “the Airpods of open-ear headphones.” But is the OWS Pro worth the cash? Read on to find out.
Oladance OWS Pro Specs
- 5.3 SBC Bluetooth
- 16 hours battery life/up to 58 hours with charging case
- Charge time: 2 hours for earphones/3 hours for charging case
- Weight: 13.8g (single earphone)/73.6g (charging case)
- Communication distance: roughly 65ft (20m)
- IPX4 waterproof rating
- Five available colors including:
- Misty Black
- Porcelain White
- Vivid Green
- Pearly Haze Pink
- Luminous Titanium
The earphones
The OWS Pro’s over ear earbuds are truly top-of-the-line. I found wearing them super comfortable, even for (off and on) all-day use. They’re lightweight yet allow for a snug fit that won’t apply too much pressure on your ears. Their flexibility means they should be a good fit for most ear sizes.
As for audio quality, in a word it’s fantastic whether you are using them on a phone call or listening to a podcast or your favorite tunes. Sound is full of range and body with these earbuds, and there is volume to spare. Keep in mind that as these are open-ear earbuds, they don’t feature noise cancellation per se, and as mentioned there is some amount of sound leakage.
Big smile, big sound ???? Experience epic sound whilst staying in touch with the world around you in our new oladance OWS Pro's. Available for online now at https://t.co/Bj79zNSGJ0 #OWSPro #CreatingSoundToLiveWith #oladance pic.twitter.com/YE5ufFe6tb
— oladance (@Oladance_aben) September 16, 2023
Controls for the OWS Pro earphones are fairly simple, at least for the earbud initiated, and most should find them fairly user-friendly. Each ear phone has a power button and a click button used for pairing as well as volume control. A handy user manual included in the package will walk you through everything.
The Oladance App is available on Google Play and the Apple App Store, and is a no-brainer for OWS Pro owners. The app allows users to see each earphones battery status, which is always a nice touch. The app also allows users to customize equalizer settings.
The charging case
At nearly 88x74x29mm (3.46×2.91×1.14in.) the charging case is a bit on the bulky side, and doesn’t really fit comfortably in the pocket. Fortunately, the OWS Pro earphone’s battery life is so good you won’t typically need to bring it with you unless you are going on a longer trip.
The case features a USB Type-C port for charging, and the package comes with a USB Type-C to USB-A cable. There is no wireless charging with the OWS Pro.
The verdict
Overall the Oladance OWS Pro must be considered a market leader in the realm of open-ear earphones. Comfortable to wear even while running or doing other physical activities, with excellent battery life and a great listening experience that also lets you stay aware of your auditory surroundings, you are simply not going to beat this. Is the OWS Pro worth the price tag? The answer is subjective: if you prefer the open-earbud experience and are at all serious about your listening, then yes, the OWS Pro is not only worth it, but is the best you’ll find in this category.
Cons:
- $229.99 price tag might be too much for some
- No wireless charging
Pros:
- Lightweight and comfortable earphones
- Outstanding battery life
- Great sound quality, especially for open-ear buds
The Oladance Pro is available on the Oladance Shop as well as on Amazon via the Oladance Direct Store.
Featured image via Hypebeast.
