soundcore V40i | Comfortable Fit and Clear Sound

I need to start off with the fact that I prefer earbuds that go into the ear canal. Better bass. That said, these thing sound great. Obviously they can't hit the lows of in-ears, but they do a reasonable job. They're plenty comfortable. The ear hooks are adjustable, so they should fit practically everybody. Perhaps not Alfred E. Newman... The controls are easy to find as they're capacitive buttons on the outside.The case is nice. It holds the earbuds magnetically, so there's no need to open & close any lid. It charges via USB C (no micro USB, thankfully) and seems to charge the buds reasonably quickly. While the earbuds are charging the case lighting pulses to show it's charging. All the lights turn off when charging is complete. They connect easily, and bluetooth connection is strong. I left them playing out of my ears and walked outside, didn't lose connection.And that last sentence is where the small problem lies. every other set of bluetooth earbuds I have had will stop playing when they're removed from your ears. For some, that may not be a big deal. But for me, when I'm listening to music and I have occasion to talk with somebody, I remove the earbuds rather than pausing the music and chatting with the buds in. I expect the music to pause until I reinsert them. To each their own, I suppose.Another thing I think would make these better is wireless charging. It would be great to just plop the case down on a charging pad and call it a day. A minor quibble.All in all, if you like open-ear earbuds, and if you leave the buds in while talking, then these are definitely recommended.

To be honest, I am blown away by these. Lately when listening with my regular in-ear earbuds, I have found that I leave just one in so I can hear background noise with my other ear. I would turn the volume up to compensate- it would hurt my ear and I could tell it was not healthy for my hearing. I can listen at a comfortable volume with these, but I don't feel as if my hearing is being damaged. With earbuds, even at low volumes it does not feel healthy for any period of time.These are great for around the house and even driving. I watch a lot of YouTube and podcasts and these are perfect for that too. The only situation I want earbuds for is the gym. The overhead music is very loud and overpowering and for that I want noise cancelling headphones. I am surprised that even at very modest volume, I don't find that background noise drowns out the music- there is no noise cancelling, though I think some do include this.They make a clip-on style which I have not tried, but I prefer this over the ear style. They are also very comfortable. When leaving earbuds in for an extended time, the skin of your ear canal hurts as the tissue is very delicate. These just kind of hang out and are aimed in the direction of your ear canal. I did notice today that my ear was a little sore where the hook was in contact, but its also 90 degrees and I'm sweating.The charging case is kind of an odd style choice. Usually there is a lid that closes. The only concern I have is that one my fall out and get lost. It looks classy- I've attached photos.There are no buttons, and I really prefer the tactile experience of true buttons. You have to memorize the the presses and taps needed to stop, play, and change the volume which I am not crazy about.I found the sound profile to be very balanced. Although I would prefer more base, I am happy with this. It is the design and location of the driver that robs the user of base. If you push the driver closer to your ear canal, you can hear more low frequency, so it is there. The highs are great and do not sound tinny. I think there is an app that includes an EQ, which I have not tried yet, though I plan to.These are $80 headphones, so not the cheapest. This is the most I would pay considering how they can get lost, break, etc. However, I don't know how happy I would be with a $25 pair either. With a cheap Chinese model the sound is really going to suffer. I think with an earbud you can get away with lower quality

As usual, I'd like to start by saying that I'm not an audiophile by any means. Just the average guy that appreciates quality sound. I realize open-ear earbuds has its niche in life. For some, it's more comfortable than traditional earbuds. It allows you to hear outside sounds for situational awareness. Much like transparency mode in ANC headphones. I just think you lose too much of sound quality with open-ear earbuds. Will the Soundcore V40i change my thoughts of open-ear earbuds?I do have to admit that the V40i sounds great...for open-ear earbuds. I also have the V20i and a host of other no-name branded earbuds. Compared to the other open-ear earbuds, the V40i is very clear and very immersive. Sound immersion usually lacks with the open-ear earbuds. Bass, another attribute that lacks with open-ear earbuds, was surprisingly decent in the V40i. Of course, the Soundcore app does help with the different sound effects and equalizer. The BT 5.4 works flawlessly with no noticeable lag when watching movies.Now for why I can't give it a full five stars. Compared to a decent set of traditional true wireless earbuds or headphones, the deeper registers of bass and the overall sound immersion just doesn't compare. Also, the steep price of $79.99 is a big turnoff. You can find much better sounding earbuds for much cheaper. I've been dabbling with in-ear-monitors lately, and you can get a much higher quality sound at a budget friendlier price point.For open-ear earbuds, the Soundcore V40i is pretty impressive. While still not comparable to a good set of traditional earbuds, the V40i is a great alternative. Whether you're looking for comfort or you don't want to sacrifice safety and be aware of sounds around you, the V40i is a great choice. Get it on sale if you can.

I like the open concept of the charging case, given that these are open earbuds. It holds onto the buds tightly with magnets, so they won't be falling out on their own.When properly fitted these are unintrusive and comfortable, and most importantly, they don't passively block out the sounds of the world around you. They seem to stay in place good enough for working out. The multiple positions of the hook make it easy to get a secure fit.These have great clarity and sound airy and open like most open earbuds. What impressed me was the bass. These have an impressive punch in deep bass frequencies, nearly as good as in-ear buds.As per usual with Soundcore, the app is the best in the business. From there you get a bunch of options for sound customization and you can customize the function of the tap controls.Given the price these are pretty good value. They seem well made.

Works well and doesn't cramp the back of my ear.