No matter how much cash you want to spend, headphones have a variety of uses for everyday use. I’m not saying you can cut an onion with them, but headphones can be used for professional, critical, and of course, casual use. Most of us use headphones in our daily lives, and sometimes you need cheap, noise-canceling headphones to get through the day. This is where the SuperEQ S1 comes in, a sixty-dollar headphone you can buy from the official website.
It has a plethora of features, but what about the sound? I don’t expect the purest or most detail-oriented sound signature, but the most important question to ask is, “will it get me through the day?” Do the noise cancellation and sound quality offer enough to meet my needs for everyday headphones? Let’s find out.
Design and build quality
At first glance, you’ll notice that the SuperEQ S1 Bluetooth ANC headphones have a fairly standard design. Soft, semi-oversized padded ear cups with an equally soft headband that folds easily for compactness. When you first hold the headphones in your hands, you notice that they are mostly made of hard plastic with a few aluminum accents. They feel sturdy and well-built, not cheap and finicky like some others.
Available in black and white colorways, the S1 headphones look nice. The only tacky aspect is the words “Be Free” and “Be Young” written right above the hinges on the headband. Not a big deal, but a bit cheap in our opinion.
The mechanism of the headphones is pretty straightforward. On the right earcup are all the buttons and inputs. There are four separate buttons for pairing, power, volume, next/previous number, and calling. There are also micro-USB charging and auxiliary ports. You will also notice a few small holes – these are the multiple microphones that help with phone calls and noise cancellation.
Comfort
If you put them over your ears, you will probably find that they are very comfortable. I discovered that they were. Each ear cup is generously padded and not “too big” to feel too bulky or uncomfortable. The headband is soft yet slightly firmer than the plushness of the ear cups. In addition, the headband can be slid in and out to fit over the size of your head. Keep in mind, however, that each earpiece is designed for a specific side of your head. On the inside of each earpiece is an “L” or “R,” which indicates how the headphones should be oriented.
I am satisfied with how it feels around my head. The first time I listened to it, I sat with it on my head for about 3 hours at a time. During that time, I did not feel any pressure points or discomfort. In fact, after about 10 minutes, I barely noticed them anymore and just went about my day pumping music through them. The ear cups seem a bit on the small side but still seal well around the ears. The headband is easily adjustable and stays where you have it. When you’re done with the earbuds, you easily fold them into an incredibly compact size – perfect for on the go or when you’re out and about.
Connectivity Options
Like the OneOdio A30, the A70, and even the Sony WH-1000XM3, the SuperEQ S1 is equipped with 40mm drivers, which could mean higher volume and fuller sound, but it won’t say anything about the sound quality itself. Furthermore, the headphones use Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless connectivity, ensuring that you can go up to about 30 meters from the music source device before you suffer from connection problems.
The S1 uses some of the “more exotic” features that Bluetooth 5.0 currently supports, including multi-point, which allows you to connect the headphones to two devices simultaneously. Still, you can only stream music from one source. In terms of codecs, they are just the basics, so nothing an audiophile would get excited about (even aptX is not supported). The maximum you get is AAC (as revealed by a Pixel smartphone), and that’s in line with other headphones in a similar price category.
Sound Quality and ANC
The sound that the SuperEQ S1 can produce is pretty awesome, especially considering that these are a budget-friendly option. I tested them with a wide range of music from various genres, and I found that they especially excelled at music with lots of basses – rap, hip hop, and solid rock were my favorites to listen to. The bass is well balanced with the clear vocals that shimmer through it. Although you can’t adjust the bass levels, I felt they were set at an appropriate level, not too powerful, and seemingly just right to give a nice balance.
The active noise cancellation seems to work very well. I kept it on 99% of the time as it does an incredible job of isolating the music from outside noise and distractions. By pressing the bottom button on the right earcup, you can switch between ANC and ambient noise mode. Ambient noise mode still sounds good, but you can hear more background noise when it’s on. To some extent, you can listen to what’s going on around you, but only if the volume is turned down a bit.
Internally, two 40mm dynamic drivers do an excellent job replicating sounds and making the music come alive. Even when the volume was maximum, I felt no distortion or unfavorable tones. This is incredible. In many cases, budget-friendly headphones can become problematic at high volume levels with an unsavory influx of distortion or fuzziness, not so with the SuperEQ S1. I loved turning up the volume all the way, as I felt this was the best way to dive into the songs and get lost in the thumping bass.
Call Quality
The integrated microphone works effectively for making and receiving phone calls. I only tested two phone calls, and both were excellent experiences. I could hear the person on the other end with exceptional clarity, and I could also be understood equally clearly on the other end of the line. No complaints regarding phone calls, making them suitable for a wide range of voice transmission applications such as conferences, online classes, or random phone calls throughout the day.
Battery Life and charging
The SuperEQ S1 is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.0. What this means is the best possible efficiency in terms of battery life. As advertised, they would last up to 45 hours at best. However, if you turn on ANC, they consume a little more battery power – about 10% more over time. This isn’t much, but it’s something to keep in mind.
They don’t come fully charged, so I highly recommend plugging in the included micro-USB cable as soon as you open the box. Leave them plugged in for a few hours, and they are fully charged and ready to use. This is what I did, mainly to test the battery life. I used them for almost a week from that first full charge, probably ~35 hours total. A few hours later, I got a warning that the battery was low, which means that the advertised battery life matches up nicely with the facts.
Final Words
The SuperEQ S1 ANC headphones are a good choice for most situations. They are not the best, but they offer a lot of desirability for those looking to spend less than $100 for a nice set of cans. I am pleased that they are provided in two distinct color schemes that look good. However, I am not a fan of the cheap motivational words on the outer headband – “Be Free” and “Be Young.” It would have been best to keep it to a solid style, but it’s not a deal-breaker for me. It’s too bad these words aren’t stickers, but you can always paint over them if they irritate you the way it annoys us.
Still, the SuperEQ S1 offers value for money considering its price tag, so if you prefer to use your headphones wirelessly and with ANC on (as most people do), then you should give these headphones a shot.
