Beantown Review

Boston's Digital Lifestyle & Consumer Tech Site

  • Technology
    • For the Home
    • Computing
      • Hardware
      • Software
    • Automotive Tech
  • Sight & Sound
    • HDTV, 4K & Beyond
      • For Your Eyes Only
    • Hear This
      • Headphones
      • Speakers
    • Lights, Camera
  • Mobility
    • Apps
    • Phones & Phablets
    • Case Protection
    • Laptops
    • Wearables
    • Apparel & Bags
  • Beantown Gaming
    • Consoles
    • Gaming Hardware
    • Game Reviews
  • Entertainment
    • The Interviews
    • Blu-Ray Releases
    • Film Reviews
    • Digital Hollywood
      • Cable TV
      • Network TV
      • Streaming Services
    • Kool Stuff
    • Ping Pong Time
    • Toying Around
  • Lifestyle
    • Clothing
  • Giveaways
You are here: Home / Archives for Libratone

Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Headphones Review

04/03/2017 By Hakan Can

Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Review

If you’ve been reading this website over the past six months, you would have seen the audio brand Libratone mentioned a few times. For those who still aren’t aware of the brand, they’re growing niche player in the music audio space. Not too long ago, they introduced two pairs of headphones onto the market, their first entries beyond the portable speaker sector. These products were called the Q Adapt in-ear and Q Adapt on-ear headphones. Fast forward to today, and we’ve got our hands on the latter, their on-ear headphones. So how does this product stack up? Let’s take a closer look in this Libratone Q Adapt on-ear review.

Wireless Headphones: Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Review

Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Review

Pros:
• Creative, modern design
• Solid construction, flexible, yet sturdy
• Feature reach with impressive sound
• Very comfortable fit
• Great battery life ≥ 20 hours

Cons:
• Bass may not be strong enough for some folks
• Only two color patterns available
• $249 price tag may be too expensive for some

Read:   Libratone One Click Speaker Review

Q Adapt Design and Features

Upon first glance, you may have said to yourself that the Q Adapt on-ear headphones have a simple, basic design. What you don’t realize, and I say this from an engineering design perspective, is that often the simplest and most basic looking designs are the most complicated to pull off. Achieving the right look and feel are no easy feat, yet Libratone did just that with their Q Adapt on-ear headphones.

Because this is a review website, we’ve had the pleasure of trying dozens of headphones. We know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to each of them. With the Q Adapt on-ear, the fit and comfort level are spot on.

Until recently, I used to wear over-ear headphones when working at the home office, mostly to shut off the outside world and focus on the task at hand. When I tell you these ear cups feel like butter, I mean they feel like butter. They’re so soft with just the right amount of padding that you can wear them for hours straight. It’s what I do.

The first time I tried the Q Adapt headphones was at CES2017. I recall having said to the Libratone representative that they’re so soft that they felt “like butter.” I was, of course, referring to the Mike Myers SNL skit ‘Coffee Talk with Linda Richman.’ For you young folks out there, Google it.

[envira-gallery id=”7789″]

The ear cup design looks like one-half of a miniaturized whoopie pie. With that said, don’t be the one fool in the country to bite into it. Right and left sides are nearly indistinguishable, and that’s okay. Even though they’re lightly marked, I often wear the headphones backward with zero negative impact.

As you see in the images above and below, one side has the power button, while the other has the CityMix™ button, microphone, audio and charging cable inputs, and the volume adjustment which you actually can’t see. Adjusting the volume is a matter of circling a finger around the outer right cup. It’s that easy. You don’t need to press anything. The right cup also contains Play and Pause features as well as the Libratone logo which can be lit or not from their app.

The outer material of the headband is the same woven fabric material found on the One Click speaker. As I stated months ago, it’s not only eye-catching, but it’s also durable. Adjusting the headband is simple. If you’ve tried B&O headphones, then you already know how easy it is. Adjustment is silent, and everything holds in place via friction.

Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Review

Read:   Here are the AKG Headphones set for release in 2017

One final feature to mention is the ability to play the same music across two Q Adapt on-ear headphones. This can be achieved through the app using the Plus 1 feature via these instructions. I tried to play two different Libratone products (One Click and Adapt on-ear) simultaneously with Plus 1, but could not achieve the desired result. No matter, there’s a way to get around this and link two products via the SoundSpace settings.

In the SoundSpace settings, it’s very easy to link and unlink two products. Furthermore, you can listen to your music in one of three modes: Dual, Stereo-1, and Stereo-2, and in one of nine music fields. (These are listed further down in the App portion of this review.) Dual mode plays music simultaneously across both products while Stereo-1 and -2 can send left and right channels to either of the two products. Suffice to say; the music sounds odd when you hear only one channel of audio in the headphones. When volume control is adjusted on one product, it affects the other. Pretty neat.

And I didn’t even mention the hush mode, wear detection, or the ability to access Siri or internet radio.

The speaker is available in two colors: Stormy Black and Cloudy White. I believe a third color, let’s say brown, would be a welcome addition.

Fully charging the battery takes approximately 3 hours and is handled via a supplied cable.

The headphones have a height of 7.5″, an ear cup diameter of 2.4″ and weighs in at 7 ounces.

What’s In The Box?

  • Q Adapt On-Ear Headphones
  • Protective Transport Pouch
  • 3.5mm Audio Cable
  • USB 2.0 Charging Cable
  • Quick Guide

Adjustable Noise Cancellation / CityMix™

What the heck is CityMix™?

CityMix™ is the trademarked name for Libratone’s adjustable noise cancellation system. Per the table below, you can see what levels or outside noise pass to your ears. Does it work as well as they advertise? The answer is “Oh heck yeah.”

As I stated earlier, I’ll wear these headphones at the home office just for their noise-cancelling properties, with or without music. At Beantown, we’ve got a quite a few ANC headphones to choose from such as the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2, but the ANC headphone of choice here is the Q Adapt on-ear.

CityMix™:
• CityMix™ Level 1
• CityMix™ Level 2
• CityMix™ Level 3
• CityMix™ Level 4

Adjustable Noise Cancellation:
• Pass through sound, 80% outside noise
• Passive ANC, 60% outside noise
• Medium ANC, 30% outside noise
• Complete ANC, <10% outside noise

Read:   Here are the Audio-Technica Headphones set for release in 2017

Audio Performance & Playlist

• Lady Gaga – Born This Way
• Lana Del Rey – Born To Die, Paradise
• Lorde – Pure Heroine
• The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die
• Shinedown – Amaryllis

• The Black Keys – El Camino
• 30 Second To Mars – This is War
• My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
• Mumford and Sons – Babel
• Imagine Dragons – Night Visions

I say this time and time again when reviewing speakers and headphones; the most important performance factor is the quality of sound. Using the playlist above, the Q Adapt on-ear headphones were tested across a broad range of music. Songs within each album were sampled against comparable $200 headphones selected from the samples collection, and results were noted.

[envira-gallery id=”7791″]

The Q Adapt produced excellent vocals, which were vivid and clear. The vocal reproduction of the 3 L’s (Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, and Lorde) was impressive.

The headphones took a balanced approach to sound quality with reasonably good bass reproduction. One notable exception was with Imagine Dragons album Night Visions. Finding a pair of $200-250 headphones that can accurately reproduce the marching band bass drum in the song Radioactive has been impossible to date.

I tested the Libratone Q Adapt on-ear against more than ten albums. Playback of rock and alt-rock albums from 30 Seconds to Mars, Mumford and Sons, and My Chemical Romance was terrific. Listening to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way was a delight. The engineering that goes into her albums yielded huge sound without any distortions.

The negative takeaway I had with the Libratone One Click speaker, that was with the missing finger snapping sounds on Emeli Sandé’s song Wonder, has been rectified with the Q Adapt on-ear. They’re there.

Read:   JAM Audio Xterior Max Speaker Review

Libratone App

We’re not going to cover the app in detail here as it’s been covered in depth in an earlier Libratone review, notably the One Click speaker. You’re encouraged to check out that review and the discussion on the app by clicking on the first inline post in this review. BTW, that speaker is most excellent.

SoundSpace Settings:
• Neutral
• Easy Listening
• Soft & Comfortable
• Rock the House
• Jazz Club
• Movie Mode
• Live Concert
• Classical
• Speech

Libratone Q Adapt On-Ear Review

Read:   Moshi Vortex Air Headphones Review

Final Thoughts

First, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention something about the packaging on Libratone’s product. The packaging is a designer’s dream; it’s top notch, something you would see from brands who charge multiples more for their products.

When it comes to the protective transport pouch, my advice would be to keep the padding exactly where it is. Don’t toss it out. While the pouch would prevent the headphones from getting scratched or torn when you carry it around in let’s say a shoulder bag, it’s the padding that would protect the Q Adapt from getting inadvertently crushed.

Definitively speaking, these headphones are a contender in the $200-250 ANC on-ear/over-ear headphone category. They produce great sound while being super comfortable.

Usually, these headphones are priced at $249.99. Now that they’re a bit less at $219.99, they’re worth an even longer look. The Libratone Q Adapt on-ear headphones are available for purchase on Amazon or the Libratone website.

What do you think of this Libratone Q Adapt on-ear review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

• Follow Libratone on Twitter
• Follow Libratone on Facebook
• Follow Libratone on Instagram

• Follow Libratone on Pinterest
• Follow Libratone on LinkedIn
• Follow Libratone on YouTube

Don’t hesitate to head over to the Libratone home page to see their newest products. To learn more about warranties, click this link for Libratone US Warranty information. They also have a free 30-day return policy.

Feel free to follow Beantown on Twitter, Beantown on Facebook, and Beantown on Instagram.

FTC Disclosure: Libratone provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Libratone Q Adapt on-ear headphones sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC © 2017.

Read:   Triby Review: Alexa Smart Speaker

Filed Under: Headphones Tagged With: bluetooth, Libratone, noise-cancelling headphones, On-Ear Headphones 10/09/2018

Libratone One Click Speaker Review

12/14/2016 By Hakan Can

Libratone One Click speaker review

Review: Libratone One Click Bluetooth Portable Speaker

Unless you’re a close follower of all things ‘Sound,’ you’ve probably never heard of Libratone before, and that’s a shame. As a company, Libratone is barely seven years old. But based on what they manufacture, they’re growing up quick, and about to enter adulthood. It’s been one heck of a busy year for this brand, introducing half of their current product line in the past six months. With the end of year approaching, they kept their right foot on the pedal and launched new products like the Q ADAPT in-ear and on-ear headphones. This brings us to the One Click Bluetooth portable speaker. So how does this product stack up? Let’s take a closer look in this Libratone One Click speaker review.

Libratone One Click speaker review

Pros:
• Beautiful, creative design
• Solid construction
• Powerful sound with exceptional bass
• Four attractive color options
• Great battery life ≥ 11 hours

Cons:
• Bass may be too strong for some folks
• While it’s splash proof, it’s not waterproof
• $200 price tag, may be too expensive for some

Read:   JAM Audio Xterior Max Speaker Review

One Click Design and Features

If you couldn’t already discern, the Libratone One Click is one engaging speaker. First off the design.

It’s hard to decide what makes the Libratone One Click Bluetooth speaker stand out the most.

  • Is it the attractive color choices and fabric scheme?
  • Is it the solid construction and the rubberized metal bumper?
  • Or is the multi-functional touch interface with the birdie on it?

Even I can’t narrow it down to one.

As I just stated, the One Click is surrounded by a most durable rubberized metal bumper. While I don’t recommend testing its sturdiness for yourself, just know that it can handle a fall from your desk. It’s also splash proof with an IPX4 rating. Now be careful with this speaker around say a swimming pool. If you drop it in water, it’ll sink like a brick. It does not float.

Like most bumpers, it’s adjustable/removable. You can attach the enclosed short strap or U-shaped lock through the bumper. Both options are shown in photos below. So if you want to connect your One Click to a backpack or just hold it like a purse, you can easily do so.

Read:   The New Case Logic Urban Commuter Laptop Backpacks for Men and Women

The fabric on the front/back surfaces of the One Click is not only eye-catching, but it’s also durable. The speaker is available in four colors: Cloudy Grey, Graphite Grey, Cerise Red, Caribbean Green. How cool would it have been if Libratone called the last color Caribbean Queen in honor of singer Billy Ocean? Just a thought.

I suspect that in a majority of people’s opinions, the touch interface is the coolest design feature. Through this interface, you can adjust volume, start and stop operation, as well as take and end calls. Adjusting the volume is a matter of circling a finger around the interface whereupon you see the backlit indication.

[envira-gallery id=”6983″]

On the rear of the speaker is the on/off button and splash protected area for the mini-HDMI and Aux ports. Charging the battery is handled via the aforementioned mini-HDMI jack. Should you want to listen to music or a podcast via a cabled connection, that’s what the Aux port is for.

I inquired about the TDH and wattage of the speaker, but the answer is more complex than I imagined. The word according to the Libratone’s Tech Department was “we do not provide THD and wattage specifications as these typically only express performance of single elements of the product, rather than the end result.” I can live with that response.

One thing I’d like to be able to do with the speaker is comfortably set it on its long edge. Although it’s possible, the speaker is not exactly stable.

The speaker has overall dimensions of 2.8″ x 6.6″ x 10.8″, and weighs in at 3.3 lbs.

What’s In The Box?

  • One Click Speaker
  • One Short Strap
  • One U-Shaped Lock
  • USB Charging Cable
  • Quick Guide
Read:   Preview: JAM Voice Portable Speaker featuring Amazon Alexa

Audio Performance & Playlist

• Lady Gaga – Joanne
• Lana Del Rey – Born To Die, Paradise
• Emeli Sandé – Our Version of Events
• Ellie Goulding – Halcyon

• The Black Keys – El Camino
• 30 Second To Mars – 30 Seconds To Mars
• John Coltrane – The Ultimate Blue Train
• Rush – Clockwork Angels

As we often state here at Beantown, when reviewing speakers and headphones, the most important performance factor is the quality of sound. Using the playlist above, the OneClick was tested across a broad range of music. Songs within each album were sampled against comparable $200 speakers selected from my collection. The results were noted, and quite kind to the reviewed speaker.

[envira-gallery id=”6974″]

Last week in a review of the HK One, I described that speaker in the following way, “It’s a sad moment when the only positive thing you can write about a product, in this case, a speaker, is its ability to deliver strong vocals.” I’m so glad I can’t make that statement two weeks in a row. You see, the One Click produced excellent vocals, which were warm and inviting. The One Click didn’t stop there. The speaker took a balanced approach with sound quality. For a speaker of its size, bass reproduction was excellent. In fact, it was too good thanks to its 3″ woofer. In my opinion, the bass sounds could have been dialed down a notch along with the vocals being dialed up one. I’m not complaining; it’s just personal preference.

Like the HK One, I tested the Libratone One Click against ten albums. When I say I haven’t heard better playback of John Coltrane, Rush, and 30 Seconds to Mars from a $200 portable speaker, it’s not an understatement. Say what you want about actor/musician Jared Leto and his band 30 Seconds to Mars, but the Libratone One Click just played that album perfectly. It’s like the speaker was engineered for their sound. And I can’t wait until I listen to John Coltrane’s The Ultimate Blue Train again.

When the One Click was compared song-to-song against the HK One, the former delivered superior sound quality across all the sampled artists. Lana Del Rey’s vocal reproduction on Paradise was impressive. The same was said of the other female artists: Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding, and Emeli Sandé.

The one negative takeaway from this Libratone speaker was that on Emeli Sandé’s song Wonder, I could barely hear the finger snapping which I know is in the song. If I weren’t familiar with the song, I wouldn’t have noticed that particular sound was missing.

Libratone One Click speaker review

I stood in different spots in my 300 ft² entertainment room, as well as adjacent rooms, and the sound quality did not disappoint. Then I placed the one Click around the room. What I heard out of the 1″ tweeter, 3″ woofer, and dual passive drivers was terrific. Thanks to the upfiring tweeter, you get what Libratone refers to as 360° FullRoom™ sound. I highly suggest placing the portable speaker (in a more central location) on a coffee book table should you have one.

The One Click’s sound quality was matched with excellent battery life. While I’m not certain of its lithium-ion battery size, although I suspect it’s around 5000 mAh, its life approached 12 hours. As a consumer, this is what you want from a $200 portable speaker. One night while testing, I had the speaker volume near its maximum for four straight hours and there was no drop off in sound output. What more can I say?

Read:   Harman Kardon One Speaker Review

Libratone App

While the speaker has received a 5 out 5 rating in Amazon reviews, the same cannot be said for the app. Reviews posted on the Google Play Store give it a rating of 2.9. Feel free to read them to get a better understanding. I too have had issues using the app, in particular two dropped calls in one night over Bluetooth, but none since that date. I can’t explain why it happened, it just did.

Since that time, I’ve had zero problems with updating the password, connecting via bluetooth, visiting internet stations such as BBC 6 Radio, or adjusting SoundSpaces. You can view the battery charge remaining and adjust volume via the app. Sadly, I couldn’t attempt pairing two Libratone speakers as I only have one available.

SoundSpace Settings:
• Neutral
• Easy Listening
• Soft & Comfortable
• Rock the House
• Jazz Club
• Movie Mode
• Live Concert
• Classical
• Speech

Read:   Catalyst Introduces Waterproof Cases for iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2

[soliloquy id=”6968″]

Upon downloading and installing the app, it will be able to perform the following:

• Retrieve running apps
• Approximate location (network-based)
• Reroute outgoing calls
• Read phone status and identity
• Access USB storage filesystem
• Read the contents of your USB storage
• Modify or delete the contents of your USB storage
• View Wi-Fi connections
• Allow Wi-Fi Multicast reception
• Connect and disconnect from Wi-Fi

• Allow Bluetooth pairing by Application
• View network connections
• Pair with Bluetooth devices
• Access Bluetooth settings
• Change network connectivity
• Full network access
• Run at startup
• Prevent device from sleeping
• Modify system settings

Read:   Mr. Robot Season 2 Release Date Announced for DVD/Blu-ray

Final Thoughts

Our results surpassed our expectations on the One Click portable speaker. It was a clear winner in features and performance over compared speakers such as the HK One. As I’ve stated, the Libratone One Click is not only a wonderful speaker with a range of attractive color options; it’s a true performer.

It takes up only a small footprint on a flat surface while delivering solid sound quality and battery life all at a reasonable price point.

With CES2017 approaching, here’s hoping we see some new products available in 2017.

Normally, the Libratone One Click speaker can be purchased directly from the Libratone website for $199.99. Fortunately for you, it’s $50 less right now through January 30th. At $149.99, this speaker is worth taking a long look at.

What do you think of this Libratone One Click speaker review? Do you agree or disagree with our verdict? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

Feel free to follow Libratone on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as well as this very blog on Twitter and Facebook.

FTC Disclosure: Libratone provided Beantown LLC with one (1) Libratone One Click Bluetooth speaker sample for review purposes. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid product ambassador.

All photographs are the copyrighted property of Beantown LLC or Libratone © 2016.

Read:   Triby Review: Alexa Smart Speaker

Filed Under: Mobility, Speakers Tagged With: bluetooth, Libratone, One Click, Speaker 12/15/2016

FOLLOW BEANTOWN

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Tweets by @BeantownReview

Amazon Deals and Promos


Copyright © 2023 Beantown LLC - All Rights Reserved