This is a review of Meelectronics Venture AirFi AF52 Stereo wireless headphones: Air-Fi Venture AF52 Stereo Bluetooth Wireless Headphones with Headset Functionality
All of my previous wired and wireless headphone reviews were focused only on in-ear headphones (IEH). I decided to switch my gears with this review by looking at over-ear headphones with a very unique design that offers the best of both worlds - wireless and wired with an amazing array of features. So let's take a closer look.
The reason why I used to focus mostly on IEH because I don't like anything bulky and heavy over my head, but I also learned from reading a number of comments that some people prefer over-ear design because they don't like sticking buds inside of their ears. The perfect solution - 210g lightweight and super comfortable Venture AF52. With a soft earpad over-ear design and soft padding around the headband these feel very comfortable to wear and to keep on your head for an extended period of time. Headband is not too tight, yet balanced enough with a bend radius to keep these on while you are moving around, although I wouldn't recommend it for sports activities with a lot of jumping or moving. This design also makes a great passive noise isolation. The earcups can be folded flat for easy storage into the included velor drawstring pouch, and also can swivel to a degree into opposite direction for a better adjustment to your head shape around your ears. Made out of quality ABS plastic material with a metal spring inside of headband, the design feels very solid.
For convenience of operation, the audio playback, phone controls, and volume controls buttons are located on each side of earcups with 3 buttons in each side marked for easy identification. Right earcup has playback controls and also mini-usb charging port; not your typical common micro-usb although the cable is included. No need to worry about batteries, a full charge will last you up to 18 hours of talk and audio playback and 250 hours of standby time as noted by manufacturer. This is some impressive spec which also suggest about a decent battery size. Left earcup has volume up/down and multifunction power/pair up/phone button, a very generous mic, and 3.5mm audio input port. I was a little bit surprised that play/pause button wasn't utilized for handling calls since it's common with other headphones, but its a very minor thing which you get use to in no time. Pair up with a phone was seamless and afterwards took seconds from the time you power up headphones. I also was able to test Bluetooth range to operate up to 40ft before loosing connection. Once you loose the connection, I had to go back closer to my phone within 15-20ft to get paired up again. While playing music and loosing connection, I noticed music was paused until I got back within range to get re-connected again, and then hit play to resume. Also while making phone calls, I found connection and clarity from both sides to be excellent.
This brings me to the most important factor of any headphone - the sound quality. For anybody who enjoys a deep bass, you will be in heaven because these 40mm drivers surrounded by marshmallow-soft earpads can really pump some enhanced low frequency content! The bass was deep without being too overwhelming but definitely noticeable and dominating over the full frequency range. The mids and highs do sound clean, but not as crisp and detailed though easily fixable with EQ adjustment if you need to. I didn't notice any distortion at high volume levels and sound didn't get lost at low volume level either. As an option to wireless connection, you can use a wired connection with headphones off or even in parallel when they are on. I found this feature to be priceless. Although we are talking about headphones with 18hr battery life, I have been in situations before where I ran out of battery and had too look for my wired pair of earbuds. Or maybe you are on a plane where they don't allow wireless connection, or perhaps you want to listen to a device you are not paired up with or which doesn't have wireless connection (like a laptop). You can even be paired up with your phone and have wired connection to another tablet watching a movie and once you receive a phone call the audio coming through wired connection will be paused for you to connect to the call and then switch back once you are done. This is truly amazing, and I honestly haven't seen it with any other wireless headphones before. Another thing that made me scratch my head - the sound quality through wireless connection and with power off through wired connection was almost identical!!!!! How is this possible?!? I have no idea considering wireless connection typically compresses the sound thus reducing it's quality. Here, it was almost the same.
Overall, I think these headphones are very unique in its design and hybrid wireless/wired functionality. With an incredible battery life and selection of easy to use controls, comfort of use due to soft earpads and headband, and current Amazon price of under $80 - these have an incredible value. But you do need to keep in mind their bass-heavy sound signature.
Here are the pictures.
All of my previous wired and wireless headphone reviews were focused only on in-ear headphones (IEH). I decided to switch my gears with this review by looking at over-ear headphones with a very unique design that offers the best of both worlds - wireless and wired with an amazing array of features. So let's take a closer look.
The reason why I used to focus mostly on IEH because I don't like anything bulky and heavy over my head, but I also learned from reading a number of comments that some people prefer over-ear design because they don't like sticking buds inside of their ears. The perfect solution - 210g lightweight and super comfortable Venture AF52. With a soft earpad over-ear design and soft padding around the headband these feel very comfortable to wear and to keep on your head for an extended period of time. Headband is not too tight, yet balanced enough with a bend radius to keep these on while you are moving around, although I wouldn't recommend it for sports activities with a lot of jumping or moving. This design also makes a great passive noise isolation. The earcups can be folded flat for easy storage into the included velor drawstring pouch, and also can swivel to a degree into opposite direction for a better adjustment to your head shape around your ears. Made out of quality ABS plastic material with a metal spring inside of headband, the design feels very solid.
For convenience of operation, the audio playback, phone controls, and volume controls buttons are located on each side of earcups with 3 buttons in each side marked for easy identification. Right earcup has playback controls and also mini-usb charging port; not your typical common micro-usb although the cable is included. No need to worry about batteries, a full charge will last you up to 18 hours of talk and audio playback and 250 hours of standby time as noted by manufacturer. This is some impressive spec which also suggest about a decent battery size. Left earcup has volume up/down and multifunction power/pair up/phone button, a very generous mic, and 3.5mm audio input port. I was a little bit surprised that play/pause button wasn't utilized for handling calls since it's common with other headphones, but its a very minor thing which you get use to in no time. Pair up with a phone was seamless and afterwards took seconds from the time you power up headphones. I also was able to test Bluetooth range to operate up to 40ft before loosing connection. Once you loose the connection, I had to go back closer to my phone within 15-20ft to get paired up again. While playing music and loosing connection, I noticed music was paused until I got back within range to get re-connected again, and then hit play to resume. Also while making phone calls, I found connection and clarity from both sides to be excellent.
This brings me to the most important factor of any headphone - the sound quality. For anybody who enjoys a deep bass, you will be in heaven because these 40mm drivers surrounded by marshmallow-soft earpads can really pump some enhanced low frequency content! The bass was deep without being too overwhelming but definitely noticeable and dominating over the full frequency range. The mids and highs do sound clean, but not as crisp and detailed though easily fixable with EQ adjustment if you need to. I didn't notice any distortion at high volume levels and sound didn't get lost at low volume level either. As an option to wireless connection, you can use a wired connection with headphones off or even in parallel when they are on. I found this feature to be priceless. Although we are talking about headphones with 18hr battery life, I have been in situations before where I ran out of battery and had too look for my wired pair of earbuds. Or maybe you are on a plane where they don't allow wireless connection, or perhaps you want to listen to a device you are not paired up with or which doesn't have wireless connection (like a laptop). You can even be paired up with your phone and have wired connection to another tablet watching a movie and once you receive a phone call the audio coming through wired connection will be paused for you to connect to the call and then switch back once you are done. This is truly amazing, and I honestly haven't seen it with any other wireless headphones before. Another thing that made me scratch my head - the sound quality through wireless connection and with power off through wired connection was almost identical!!!!! How is this possible?!? I have no idea considering wireless connection typically compresses the sound thus reducing it's quality. Here, it was almost the same.
Overall, I think these headphones are very unique in its design and hybrid wireless/wired functionality. With an incredible battery life and selection of easy to use controls, comfort of use due to soft earpads and headband, and current Amazon price of under $80 - these have an incredible value. But you do need to keep in mind their bass-heavy sound signature.
Here are the pictures.
