Pros
- Outstanding noise-canceling technology
- Impressive range thanks to Bluetooth 5.3
- Compatible with all major operating systems
- Each earpiece controlled separately
Cons
- Not a comfortable design
- Doesn't automatically turn off when placed in charger
- Not easy to swap between devices
My day job as a content manager for an SEO marketing agency involves several hours of meetings per week. Unfortunately, earbuds and over-ear headphones often hurt the longer I use them, making it quite uncomfortable when I spend four to six hours on Zoom. I was excited to test this latest Kickstarter from EKSAtelecom: the S30 Open-Ear Air Conduction True Wireless Headset. Will this finally be the perfect headphone and mic combo for my needs? Let’s find out!
This is a sponsored article and was made possible by EKSAtelecom. The actual contents and opinions are the sole views of the author, who maintains editorial independence, even when a post is sponsored.
Designed for Comfort and Functionality
The EKSAtelecom S30 Open-Ear Air Conduction True Wireless Headset arrived in a small box with minimal waste in the packaging. The headset is designed to maintain a small footprint, be portable, and easily set on your desk or similar workspace.
The box included:
- 1x S30 headset with two separate earpieces
- 1x charging cradle
- 1x USB-A to USB-C cable to power the charging dock
- 1x carrying case to transport the headset between locations
- 1x instruction manual
Overall, I like the feel of the S30 headset more than my earbuds. However, I found they lacked in comfortability, especially for long durations. The hard plastic earpieces contain no padding. They also seemed to pinch my ears and push the helix and fossa away from my head.
In terms of functionality, EKSAtelecom has designed a great pair of headphones. Each earpiece operates independently. You can also control playback and volume directly from the headset, and the microphone can be on or off depending on how you are using the device at any given time.
Easy-Peasy Connectivity
Since EKSAtelecom didn’t provide a comprehensive compatibility list in the instruction manual or online, I decided to test it with every available device to account for the most common operating systems people use. While I can’t ensure this means it’s universally compatible, I feel confident that most people can use this headset with desktop and mobile devices.
The S30 headset uses Bluetooth 5.3 technology, providing excellent sound quality and range. For this review, I paired the headset with each of the following:
- Android phone
- MacBook Air
- Windows 10 PC
- iPad
Pairing the S30 Open-Ear Air Conduction True Wireless Headset with various devices is easy. I first turned the headset on, then navigated to the Bluetooth settings on the device and located “EKSAtelecom S30” in the list of nearby devices. Once paired, the sound instantly transferred from the device’s built-in speakers to the headset.
Overall, I found pairing to a new device easy and problem-free. However, I did find swapping between devices to be less than ideal.
With most other earbuds or Bluetooth headsets I own, I can toggle between my MacBook, Android phone, and Windows laptop by simply turning the headset on and selecting it from the list of available Bluetooth devices. With the EKSAtelecom S30 headset, however, I couldn’t even see it as an available device on my MacBook if I had it “connected” to my Android phone, and vice versa. This means I had to disconnect or “unpair” whenever I wanted to transition from one device to another.
Truly Noise-Canceling, Yet Open-Ear
Because the S30 headset uses an open-ear conduction design, I wasn’t quite sure they would be an accurate noise-canceling device. However, my testing proved this device lives up to its claim to offer 99.9% VoicePure ENC Noise Cancellation technology with four built-in noise-canceling microphones and TubeBass™ Technology to enhance the audio quality for lower-frequency sounds.
To test the headset and microphone, I played music and took a 15-minute phone call from my living room while my 8-year-old child watched a cartoon on our television. With the headset on and set to the right volume, I could barely hear my child or the TV. Similarly, the person on the other end of the phone couldn’t hear background noise from the microphone. Since I work from home full time, this is a great feature, especially during the summer months when my children won’t be in school.
Along with the ENC noise canceling, the EKSAtelecom S30 headset offers an impressive range of 99 feet (30 meters). During my testing, I was able to walk away from my computer and up a flight of stairs to check on my 10-year-old in their room without losing connection or sound quality. This is another amazing feature, especially if I need to step away during a particularly long call during a busy workday.
Charge and Store When Offline
Compared to other headsets in this price range, one of my favorite features of the EKSAtelecom S30 was its included charging cradle. Although the headset offers an impressive 70 hours of working time on a single charge, I loved the stability, magnetic connection, and ease of charging this base station provides. I also liked that you could toggle the headset on and off by using the button on the charging cradle.
I noticed that even if I placed the earpieces in the cradle, they would remain on and connected (flashing blue) as long as I left them paired with my device. Most other Bluetooth headsets I have used will easily toggle on and off so that you don’t have to disconnect and re-pair whenever you want to jump between computer speakers and a headset for virtual meetings.
This also left me thinking there were multiple issues with my MacBook speakers. I’d take the headset off after a Zoom meeting, then try to play a podcast or watch a video on YouTube. Without fail, I wouldn’t hear sound and spend several minutes playing with the volume on my computer before realizing that the headset was still on, meaning the sound was playing through it. It would make far more sense for the headset to turn off and unpair when docked automatically.
Summary
Overall, I think EKSAtelecom has the right idea with its S30 Open-Ear Air Conduction True Wireless Headset. The headset offers many great features necessary for modern remote work, most notably the ENC Noise Cancellation and Bluetooth 5.3 technology.
That being said, the lack of comfort and other issues I encountered leave this headset lacking compared to other devices I own at a similar price point. However, I think the S30 will work great for virtual meetings.
Buy the S30 Open-Ear Air Conduction True Wireless Headse now and clip the Amazon coupon to save $20.
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