The Bluetooth headphones can also be a convenient and private way to enjoy listening to music or videos from your Windows 10 device. And the Aukey headphones double as a hands-free solution for your Windows 10 Mobile phone. When you consider the price of less than $40, they become an economical option for those who want a wireless headphone solution.
After taking the Aukey Neckband Wireless Headphones out for a test drive, they turned out to be comfortable to wear with decent audio quality. However, one design feature may take a while to get used to. Here's our full review.
Lay of the land
The Aukey Neckband Wireless Headphones (Model EP-B39s) are horse-collar style headphones, wrapping around your neck with connected earbuds that dangle from the ends of the collar. These headphones are extremely light weight at only 47 grams (1.64 ounces).
The headphones depart slightly from the traditional collar-style headphones in that the earbuds dangle freely. Similar models have the earbuds held into place by magnets at the tips of the collar. This takes some getting used to, but it's not a deal breaker. I would have liked to have seen the earbuds connect together to prevent them from swinging around when you walk.
The ends of the headphones are broader than what I would refer to as the "body," and they hold several button controls. As you are wearing the Aukey neckband, the left side of the headphones carries most of the controls, housing playback and volume buttons and a multi-function button on the top side. A physical power switch and the micro USB port that is used for charging are positioned on the bottom, and the headphone's microphone and LED indicator are nestled on the inside panel. The right side of the headphones is free of controls and likely houses the battery.
Speaking of which, the Aukey Neckband Wireless Headphones has a 300 mAh Li-Polymer battery that is reported to have up to 20 hours of playback and talk time. In using the headphones during the past few days, that estimate appears to be accurate.
They are packaged with a collection of different sized earbud tips, a micro USB cable and an instruction manual, and the build quality of the Neckband Wireless Headphones feels solid. The rubber body of the collar is flexible to fit most neck sizes and very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The location of the control buttons is convenient and sound quality is good. Based on build quality alone, the Aukey headphones appear to be a good deal.
However, build quality is not everything.
Performance
When you first power on the Aukey headphones, you need to press and hold the multi-function button for five seconds to enter pairing mode. There are voice prompts to confirm actions, as well as the LED indicator light. The Neckband Wireless Headphones support pairing with multiple devices, and you can switch between devices from the headset by double pressing the multi-function button. This is a great feature when you are listening to videos from a Surface tablet and need to switch to your Windows 10 Mobile phone to catch a call.
Calling features include answering and ending calls, rejecting calls, last number redial and muting calls. You can also switch between the headphone's microphone and your Windows 10 Mobile phone's microphone while on calls without losing the Bluetooth connection.
The playback sound quality is good, on par with other headphones, but nothing spectacular. On the plus side, the earbuds offer a comfortable level of noise reduction that filters out the world. Call quality was good, as well, on par with mid-range hands-free devices.
The sound quality could be a little beefier when listening to music, but as is the sound from these headphones isn't terrible. Otherwise, with respect to performance, the Aukey Neckband Wireless Headphones leave little room for criticism.
Overall impression
Aukey offers a wide range of smartphone accessories ranging from chargers to power banks to wireless headsets. The Neckband Wireless Headphones are a solid addition to Aukey's accessory lineup, and they are worth considering if you are in the market for a wireless option for listening to music with the added bonus of being a hands-free solution for your phone.
The horse collar design is comfortable to wear during workouts, while lounging on the couch or throughout the day wherever life may take you. I'm still not sold on the free hanging earbuds, but in time I got used to them flopping around while I walked. Sound quality won't knock your socks off, but it also won't have you running for the hills, either.
Overall, Aukey's Neckband Wireless Headphones are an excellent and economical wireless option. They currently cost $34.99 at Amazon.
