iClever IC-BTH01 Bluetooth Stereo Headset Review

1. Introduction, Specifications, Pricing & Availability
2. A Closer Look, How They Feel & Listening Experience
3. What's Hot, What's Not & Final Thoughts

Introduction, Specifications, Pricing & Availability

I've been a long time user of in-ear devices when making short trips, working out at the gym, or travelling abroad. Although some prefer the over-ear experience, I feel that the (generally provided) higher quality of sound in-ear devices coupled with the passive noise cancellation due to them being located within your ear to be a great positive.

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There's always some issues, mainly based around comfort, but also when you're thinking about ease of use (do they fall out of your ears?) and also their looks (do they actually look good?).

These earphones are NFC and Bluetooth only which is something new for me and slightly worrying at first as I like to use my headphones on my 20 minute walk to and from University alongside the 45 minute return train ride and quite often during a four-hour study session. Will they stand up to my tests? Read on to find out.

Specifications

Complete with NFC and Bluetooth 4.0 coupled with an APTX codec, you'll find that this product also contains a built-in microphone and hands-free functionalities located within a little rubber in-line control unit.

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These earphones are charged by a micro-USB input and offer you five hours of music playback with an approximate two-hour charging time. Unfortunately, iClever's website and user manual are both completely devoid of speaker specifications, so I'll have to explain it in relation to other units I have tested.

Pricing & Availability

It's not the cheapest set of earphones on the market, however, for $56.99 on Amazon, it's not that bad either.

What's in the box?

Providing you with a few 'stabilizers', three sized rubber ear grommets, a micro-USB cable, and a user manual, this package is almost everything you would come to expect from a product placed in this price range.

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The reason I say "almost" is due to the fact that it's missing a carry pouch or case - something that I believe to be almost a necessity in this day and age of peripheral manufacturing and something that other companies offer regularly. For around this price, I expect a protective transportation pouch to be included and I am a little disappointed that it isn't.

PRICING: You can find the iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone retails for $56.99 at Amazon.

Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.

Canada: The iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone retails for CDN$121.94 at Amazon Canada.

A Closer Look, How They Feel & Listening Experience

Let's dig deeper

So, how does it feel when worn and does it last the distance?

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They are certainly comfortable, likely due to the three different sized ear pieces and a lightweight design. They look a little goofy when worn, as they stick out from your ears due to the battery and Bluetooth receiver located within, but they're passable as 'fashion technology'.

One main issue comes to light when I wore them walking to the train and around university. Thanks to their rather grippy cable and design, they can fall out of your ears quite easily as the cable catches on your hair, skin, or bag. This became a little annoying and saw me flicking the cable around behind my neck to get it sitting in the right place. In the end there's nothing completely wrong with them, but I've had better experiences with a corded cable threaded underneath my t-shirt.

How does it compare?

Comparing this to my two previously used models including my wired Tt eSPORTS Isurus Dub and wired Jenkins-j10 earphones, this Bluetooth model sounds about the same as the latter product.

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It's not quite as loud as the other two products and the clarity is lacking a little compared to the Isurus Dub (more like the Jenkins model), but overall, it's very similar. The bass is certainly apparent and the clarity is a little muffled, seeing mainstream top-40 dance mixes perform the best out of all.

Using the same song examples as seen previously with my Noontec Zoro II HD review, quieter tracks perform reasonably, seeing Twenty One Pilots' 'Ode To Sleep' report back an average experience, leaving a little to be desired.

Swapping to another genre and listening to some chilled-out rap like that from Nas, the muffled sound stays apparent, but the added bass makes for a more pleasurable experience.

Further Analysis

It's nothing amazing, but it's certainly not a dud product either; I guess the way you could describe it as a whole is average. It's light for what it offers which is great, the playback time is good, and it scores well in the looks department, but the price and sound quality bring it all back down quite a lot.

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It's a good set of earphones for the gym as nothing will get in your way of the short cable, however, for commuting, I will still be using my wired earphones. The sound quality is on par with stock Samsung Galaxy S4 earphones and my previously reviewed Jenkins-j10, but it's not quite there with the Tt eSPORTS Isurus Dub and most mainstream brands. I understand that I'm comparing wired to wireless here, but I don't see it as worth a large sound compromise in order to gain wireless capabilities. After all, it shortens the life of your phone battery either way.

What's Hot, What's Not & Final Thoughts

What's Hot

Lightweight and sturdy: They feel well constructed and are very light for what they offer.

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Comfort for all sizes: The three different rubber ear grommets ensure everyone can have a go.

What's Not

The Tangling: The cable has a gripping nature to it and will catch on clothes, hair, and skin when commuting, making them fall out or become half removed from your ears quite often.

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The sound quality: I understand most of the price has gone into the product development and features, but in the end, you're buying these for how they sound. If that's not up to scratch, then the rest becomes negated.

Final Thoughts

For $56.99, I cannot recommend this product for someone who is after either wired or wireless sound and don't mind in which way it's delivered. However, if you're stuck on the wireless-only option, I would suggest picking up a pair of these for yourself if you can find them on sale at a cheaper price.

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Dropping $16.99 off the asking price and upping the sound quality slightly would see a recommendation from me, or just a complete overhaul of the sound experience would suffice at the same price point.

PRICING: You can find the iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone retails for $56.99 at Amazon.

Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.

Canada: The iClever IC-BTH01 Lightweight Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Sports Headphones with Microphone retails for CDN$121.94 at Amazon Canada.