Gadget review: Panasonic Wings headphones

Get that Mercury-esque look with Panasonic Wings - a new kind of headphones

If there's a certain energy drink that "gives you wings", Panasonic surely has something along those feathery lines (don't take it too literally, though).
The Panasonic Wings Bluetooth headphones - there are actually two versions of this, the BTS30 and the higher-end BTS50, which is our star here - are designed to withstand not just your sweat, but also the rigours of moving around aggressively while working out.
For starters, it's IPX5-rated, meaning it's resistant to water - but don't take it for a swim. And with the way it's built - yes, as it's billed, like wings - you could channel your inner Mercury, who is, incidentally, the Roman god of communication and travellers.
Anyway, slap on the headphones and they perfectly fit; the buds  securely fit into your hearing organs and are further reinforced by clips that wrap around your ears. Go ahead and run, work out or shoot some hoops without worrying about them falling off. And if you want to rest your auditory nerves, just plop them out and let 'em hang around your neck.
Which leads us to a little drawback: while the controls are pretty simple with a standard panel on the right cord, the way the headphones are designed means you have to reach backwards to access them. Pretty tricky at first because of its odd placement, but to clue you in - assuming you're going to use your right index finger - the controls from "back to front" (if we may describe them that way) are volume down, play/pause, answer/end, and volume up. You'll get the hang of it. And yes, it does take calls as well; sound clarity is nice, with a built-in mic.
A micro-USB port is tucked away in a panel on the right wing. If you're looking for the embattled 3.5mm audio jack, don't bother;  things just got more embattled because there isn't any. This means if you run out of juice, there's no way you can use it unless you charge it. Anyway, imagine having an additional cord with what you have already. The battery lasts up to six hours - pretty short compared to others - but a 15-minute jolt can give you up to 70 minutes of entertainment. And don't worry about pairing it because it does so easily both on iOS and Android, and it automatically reconnects (as long as you don't use another Bluetooth device after it).

AND SO.
It has a nice sturdy design and will appeal especially to those who are particularly active, but the lack of a standard cable for Panasonic Wings may make you think twice, especially if you have these for, say, a Dubai-New York direct flight. Its AirLight build is comfortable and minimalistic though. When you have them on, you may even feel you are on, well, wings.

THE LOWDOWN
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.1; microUSB
Magnet type: Neodymium
Driver unit: 12mm
Frequency response: 18Hz-20kHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Power: Up to six hours playback
Charging time: 1.5h with 15m quick charge
Durability: IPX5 (water-resistant)
Price: Dh449
Pros: Minimalistic design, secure fit, reasonable price
Cons: No 3.5mm audio jack, low battery life, control panel oddly-placed
Author's rating: 8/10

EXTRA BYTE
Understanding sound
Let's face it, some of us may not be familiar with the terms in The Lowdown section above. Here, we define them for you so that they sound familiar the next time you come across them.
 
Magnet type - Every speaker has a magnet, which interacts with a magnetic field from an electrical coil; the pushing and pulling forces move the speaker cone in and out - and that's what produces sound. Neodymium magnets are the strongest permanent magnets known - cheaper, lighter and can lift a thousand times their own weight.
 
Driver unit - Basically, it's the element inside a sound system that converts electric signals into sound. Inside it, there is a magnet, diaphragm and voice coils. Measured in millimetres, a driver's size - usually the diameter - can give you a fair idea of the speaker's sound capabilities.
 
Frequency response - This describes the range of musical tones - or frequencies - a speaker can reproduce. It's measured in Hertz (the unit of frequency described as one cycle per second); most products list frequency between 20Hz (low bass tones) to 20kHz (highest treble), the generally-accepted range for human hearing.
 
Impedance - As the name implies, impedance is the ability to resist electrical current. Measured in ohms, the unit for electrical resistance, headphones with low
impedance levels require little power to give out high sound levels, while those with higher ones need more.

alvin@khaleejtimes.com

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