But quality comes with a high price tag. What happens when a company decides to disrupt the market and offer excellent quality at a low price range? It is how the SuperEQ S1 came to be. A capable set of headphones that comes with an affordable price tag. Let’s find out more!
SuperEQ S1 – Outline (User rating 4.3/5)
SuperEQ S1 is an offering from Yenona Audio co. Ltd, a company well-known for its ANC capabilities. It is an Over-ear product that comes from a range of high-end headphones such as the SuperEQ S2 and SuperEQ S8. The brand design seems to be inspired by an actual Equalizer. All SuperEQ headphones boast ANC technology as a standard feature. And for those interested, you can get an extra 15% off using the code ‘GET15NOW‘ on the official SuperEQ website.
Design and build quality:
SuperEQ S1 is a hybrid headphone that can be used both wirelessly and on wires. The design complements many high-end headphones and manages to look unique (thanks to its vibrant color range and dual-tone headband). The build quality of the headphones is top-notch. It is made from high-grade plastic and feels robust. Well-rounded corners and a matte finish provide visual appeal. The headphones look great and draw compliments. The compact design of the SuperEQ S1 helps it to fold for easy storage. Since these are over-ear headphones, the ear cups sit comfortably over the ears and provide soft cushioning, thanks to the ergonomic design. The headband offers good support, and the headphones don’t feel heavy after hours of usage. Also, the clamping is just right. There’s a thin chrome ring that goes around the SuperEQ logo on the side of the ear cups, and it shines! Such tiny details look nice in the grand scheme of things!
What’s inside?
Well, let’s see what’s inside the box. For easy storage, the company throws in a large pouch for free with the headphones. It has the branding and comes with a drawstring (pretty neat, huh?) Apart from this, you get the actual product and some accessories which include a micro-USB charging cable, a 3.5 mm audio cable (hybrid usage), an airplane adaptor, a user manual, and some paperwork. The brand offers a solid 24 months extended warranty upon registration of the product on the company website. Of course, we won’t be expecting any issues for years due to the build quality, but in any case, the brand’s got you covered.
Tech – what makes this sound good? (User Rating 4.4/5)
The headphones come with multiple capabilities like ANC (Active Noise-Canceling) with many modes. Some features found in expensive headphones are a standard on the S1. These include ambient or transparency mode and Bluetooth mode. We’ll go through these modes shortly. The headphones also boast 40-mm large apertures for that punchy bass and good sound clarity. The sound is just right, and the headphones perform surprisingly well on flat settings. Listening on high volume (not recommended) doesn’t cause discomfort either. Highs sound great, and the lows, though not exceptional, are nice to listen to and make the experience enjoyable. Immersive sound quality is something we felt lacking in the product. The bass isn’t the reverberating kind you find on expensive headphones but sounds sufficient. The headphones come with Bluetooth version 5.0 for the latest connectivity options (which is pretty fast, by the way). Pairing takes no time at all and depends on how quickly you can unlock your phone. You can also connect your phone using the 3.55 mm audio cable included with the product. It increases battery life with the downside of, well, wires.
Battery backup (User Rating 4.5/5)
The SuperEQ S1 offers an estimated 45 hours of playtime on Bluetooth mode and lasts up to 50 hours on wired mode. Battery backup is excellent and does last as claimed. Charging is easy with a micro-USB cable, though we would have preferred a USB Type-C. The LED indicators light up in different colors to show charging and operating status. Charging takes around 2 hours from zero to full. The headphones house a 380mAh battery, and based on the backup, the capacity suits us just fine.
Noise-Canceling modes (User Rating 4.4/5)
The headphones boast multiple Noise-canceling modes for optimum comfort while using them on the go. The most common is the ANC mode which takes input from your surroundings and decides which noises to let in and filter. However, use this option very judiciously during travel. It is similar to the Acoustic Sensory Deprivation Rolls-Royce cars had trouble with. In places, you need to be a passive listener, Ambient (or) Transparency mode could help. Transparency mode filters loud noises around you and allows normal sound levels to keep you mindful of your surroundings. It helps while crossing a road or while walking around the block. Also, the headphones are set in this mode by default. You can switch between modes using the dedicated button on the side.
Hybrid Active Noise-canceling Technology
The SuperEQ S1 comes with Hybrid Active Noise-Canceling technology. It means the headphones use the best of two different features to achieve complete Noise-Canceling. This is accomplished by the four mics that serve in multiple modes. Feedforward reception is handled by a mic on the outside while feedback is taken up by a mic within the unit. Being a hybrid, it uses both technologies and produces the desired effect depending on what the user wants.
Pricing: (User Rating 4.3/5)
This is where stuff gets a lot more interesting. All the above-stated features are something that expensive and high-end products offer. But these headphones offer the same technology at almost one-third the price. The SuperEQ S1 Black and red edition retail at $55.99, while the White and red edition sets you back $62.99. Given the features and build quality, this is a great deal in our opinion. However, this depends on some points we have listed out in the final verdict.
Our Verdict:
The SuperEQ S1 is a great pair of headphones that targets the mid-level headphone market. Along with great build, the headphones offer excellent ANC capabilities which is something even high-end headphones struggle to maintain. However, for the low price, some features such as an immersive sound experience or thumping bass are sacrificed.Right now, SuperEQ is outdoing itself with its current product line. Especially with the S2 wireless ANC Noise-cancelling headphones that are both affordable and have a surprisingly impressive audio performance. With the S2 wireless, the noise-canceling feature comes in quite handy when working in more noisy environments. And other than this, the Q2pro earphones are definitely worth mentioning when It comes to anyone who likes to go for a jog or wants to listen to music discreetly.If you are a person who likes mild and pleasant music, this is your best bet! In case you are looking for wireless earbuds, you should check out SuperEQ Q2 Pro Hybrid Earbuds.
What we like:
Great build qualityHybrid usage (wired and Bluetooth mode)Long battery backupExcellent noise-cancelingCool color combinationsExtremely affordable pricing
What you may dislike:
No USB Type-C optionMedium bass
Active noise-canceling uses digital and analog filters along with ‘Anti noise’ frequencies to block unwanted noise from your surroundings. It is usually a tiny hum very similar to white noise. The frequencies are mixed with your playback to create a noise-canceling effect.
