Are you looking for Bluetooth headphones with a great sound quality that you can use while running or during a workout in a gym only for $20 bucks? Do you think it is not possible? Then try Mpow Flame headphones.
To find really good waterproof Bluetooth headphones is not an easy task these days. There are so many products available on the market, that nobody knows how to chose the right ones. But if you check the bestsellers on Amazon, you will find, that 2 out of 3 best selling headphones are from a company called Mpow. Mpow is an innovation company established all over the world that is producing a big range of products from Bluetooth receivers to iPhone headsets.
For today’s review, I’ve chosen the Amazon’s best selling IPX7 Bluetooth headphones – Mpow Flame – that I’ve been using for more than 3 weeks now. These headphones have more than 10,000 customer reviews and more than 700 questions answered on the Amazon. So let’s see what you can get for $20 USD.
Table of Contents
Specifications
Bluetooth Standard: V4.1
Wireless Profile: Headset, Handsfree, A2DP, AVRCP
Operating Range: 10m (33ft)
Standby Time: 220hrs
Charging Time: 1.5hrs
Talk /Playing Time: 7hrs
Charging Voltage: DC 5V
Battery Capacity: 100mAh/3.7V
What Is In The Box
The headphones came in a hard paper box with all the important information on it. It looks nice and tells you that you received a product that has been created with a care and attention to detail.
Inside the box, there are the Mpow Flame headphones with a portable Gym-ready carrying pouch, a micro USB charging cable, 3 pairs of spare of regular ear tips in different sizes, one pair of memory-foam ear tips, wire clamp and of course a user manual. Let’s see all the accessories in detail.
The Mpow Flame headphones’ Design
The headphones really good and trendy. I like the mating material and the combination of red and black (there is more combination of colors available and I have to say, I like them all 🙂 ). The headphones look really nice and I would say it should cost more than $20 USD – for example, the wire connecting the earbuds is flat and it is red from one side and black from the other – brilliant.
The size of the earbuds is maybe to big for me, but it doesn’t mean it is heavy or it will hinder you, but it is just my feeling. And if you put it to your ear correctly, you will forget you have something in your ear after a few minutes. The size is the most probably caused by the battery that will allow you to use these headphones for up to 9 hours which is fair. In the beginning, I had a problem to fit it correctly to the pouch together with all the accessories, but it was fine after a few attempts.
Ear clips
I wasn’t a fan of these ear clips as it makes the headphones bigger and I thought would feel it behind the ears all the time. But I have to admit I’ve changed my mind after just a few minutes of use. The ear clips are very soft and thin, that you will notice them at all. Maybe it might be detachable in case you won’t need them? But I believe it would be harder to design it correctly so the ear clips won’t detach unwillingly. And I know, it costs only $20 USD.
Controls
The control buttons, control light, microphone, and the USB port are all on the right earbud. I like it more than on the wire connecting the earbuds – in this case, it is everywhere but not where you need it. I’m very sure where the buttons are and controlling the headphones/smartphone is very easy and efficient. The description, how these buttons work can be found in the user manual and it works as follows:
- The main button – the red button with a logo on the side of the headphones – can be used for turning on/off, play/pause and answering the call. There is a voice confirmation if you turn the headphones on or off.
- The volume up/down buttons – are located on the upper side of the headphones. It works well, they are easy to find and to operate. There is a sound signal if you reach the maximum volume – nice. They work also for next/previous song while holding.
- The notification LED has two colors – red and blue – which shows if the headphones are turned on or in pairing mode.
Carrying Pouch
The carrying pouch is well made and in the same color combination as the headphones are. The pouch is hard enough for you to not afraid to damage the headphones. There is a small reticle in the upper part of the pouch that can carry the accessories – another great detail.
3 Pairs Of Regular Ear Tips
Actually, there are 4 pairs of regular ear tips – one pair is already attached and three pairs of spare regular ear tips that are different sizes. I didn’t even try the spare pairs as the default fit really well. I think I wouldn’t even need the ear clips with these tips. They fit so well.
I tried to use the headphones during a workout in a gym, while running, and on my way to work, and I have to say they fit really well. I also tried all different weird moves and shaking with my head (LOL), but nothing happened.
One Pair Of Memory-Foam Ear Tips
This was my biggest disappointment – the memory-foam ear tips. Maybe it was my fault, maybe the fault of my ears, but I wasn’t able to put it correctly in my ears. I didn’t know if I should squeeze them first, then put the ear clip behind my ear and then twist it in… Maybe I would need more time and practice, but I didn’t bother much as the regular tips fit so well. I have an experience with Koss Plug headphones and I have to say they worked better with the memory-foam (but maybe it was because I didn’t have any other option than to learn how to twist it correctly 😀 – with Mpow Flame I didn’t bother so much because of the regular tips).
Wire Clamp
The wire clamp can be used to shorten the wire connecting the earbuds. I didn’t even use it.
User Manual
English manual with instructions on how to use the headphones.
Technology
Bluetooth
These Bluetooth headphones make use of Bluetooth 4.1 in order to connect with your smartphone. They can stay connected up to 33 feet (10 meters) according to the manufacturer. You can expect a bit of discrepancy depending on your location and a lot of other factors. But according to my tests, it works just as same as other Bluetooth headphones, no big surprise.
The connectivity of these headphones is good. It will have the ability to establish a connection with the device of your choice without any issues.
It’s a bit pitty it doesn’t support Bluetooth 4.2 (not even mention Bluetooth 5 in this price), just because of the privacy.
Waterproof
One of the best things about these headphones is the IPX7 certification, which means they are waterproof to an intensive sweat or a light rain. This is possible thanks to its Nano Coating technology. I have already mentioned I used them in a gym or while running without any problems.
Battery
Who does not want to have a product that will have a long battery life? This is one product that will not disappoint you. According to my usage, these headphones can be used for about 7 hours, which is five days on my way to work and back (30 + 30 minutes) and two hours in a gym. This means I would need to charge these headphones once a week. But to be honest, I charge it every other day after I arrive at my work. The battery is fully charged in one hour and 30 minutes, which is pretty fast and the battery level can be seen on your smartphone.
Sound Quality
The most important things about any headphones are two things – the comfort and the sound. I described the comfort earlier, so now let’s get to the quality of the sound.
Music
Aѕ wіth аnу audio-related product, quality matters. Whеn іt соmеѕ tо thе Mpow Bluetooth headphones, thе quality оn offer іѕ pretty good fоr the price. The $20 USD headphones аrе never going tо bе thе best-sounding headphones оn thе market (which has to be clear to everyone), but thе variance аnd range іѕ really solid fоr thе price.
Thе main issue thеѕе headphones hаvе іѕ whеn thеу аrе used аt higher volume levels, where they start tо struggle wіth dealing wіth thе increased bass production. This is mostly noticeable whеn playing аnуthіng thаt involves detailed bass. Sо оnсе аgаіn, vеrу top-heavy tracks wіll sound a little mоrе piercing compared tо whаt mіght bе encountered оn оthеr (much more expensive) headphones. But tо bе fair, thе tор volume іѕ surprisingly loud. Sо thеrе іѕ a good chance thаt mоѕt users wіll use Mpow Flame with a volume thаt іѕ bеlоw thе maximum.
On the medium volume, thе sound quality does really shine thrоugh. At thіѕ level, thе sound output іѕ fairly well-balanced аnd does provide a good listening experience overall. Agаіn, whеn taking іntо consideration thе price, thе value оn offer wіth thе sound quality іѕ vеrу very good.
Calls
The Mpow Flame headphones feature cVc 6.0 noise-canceling technology, which helps to block any background noise from transferring through your microphone. I’ve been making a lot of calls during my testing (via VoLTE network) and the quality of the call was great. The other side confirmed that they can’t hear any background noise even though I was outside next to a busy road. I didn’t have any troubles with interruption or so.
Maybe it would be good to add a sound notification if the other side end the call. There is no confirmation, and if you have your phone in your pocket, you don’t know if the call is already ended.
Conclusion
There are a lot of Bluetooth headphones that are available right now but not all of them will be able to offer what Mpow Flame Bluetooth headphones can provide. For the price, you are going to get so many good qualities such as IPX7 certification. The battery life of these headphones is pretty good as you can use it for up to 7 hours. This will surely be helpful when you need to use it every day.
The sound quality for this price range is really great and you can use them during your sport activities.
Pros
Pros
- Really nice design of the headphones
- 4 different ear tips which make the headphones perfectly fit your ear (together with ear clips)
- Great sound quality with noise canceling feature
- IPX7 waterproof certification
- Durable carrying pouch
- 7 hours of listening when fully charged (with fast charging in 1.5hrs)
- All for $20 USD only
Cons
Cons
- The memory-foam tips don’t fit well (in my case)
- No notification when the call is ended
