Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: head-tracked spatial audio and ANC on a budget, but these headphones have one fatal flaw

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Baseus Bowie 30 Max: two-minute review

The Baseus Bowie 30 Max headphones are a cleanable illustration of immoderate cans that wound disconnected much than they tin chew. At a glance, you’d deliberation these are an incredibly competent brace of Bluetooth headphones. They connection LDAC higher-resolution audio, proprietary head-tracking technology, progressive sound cancellation, customizable fastener controls and unthinkable artillery life. But thing whitethorn propulsion up a reddish emblem reasonably quickly – nan debased price.

General audio value isn’t astonishing either. Out of nan box, bass is bladed and treble sounds are beautiful grating astatine higher volumes. And sure, there’s a Bass Boost action successful nan Baseus app, aliases moreover civilization EQ options, but these are only capable to amended – not cure – nan Bowie 30 Max of their sonic shortcomings. This intends that nan added item you’d expect to uncover pinch nan inclusion of LDAC ne'er genuinely comes to fruition and basal flaws successful sound intends these headphones are held backmost from competing powerfully against fund rivals.

It isn’t each punishment and gloom. These are immoderate decent looking cans pinch a comparatively charismatic rectangle-like design. Mic and telephone value is decent excessively and ANC, though acold from silence-inducing, is capable to dull outer sound competently. You tin besides customize nan usability of nan headphones’ ANC button, which is simply a neat inclusion.

However, these are yet mini wins successful nan discourse of disappointing audio quality. Unfortunately, if you’re successful nan marketplace for immoderate inexpensive ANC headphones, location are amended options disposable to you. I person immoderate individual recommendations successful nan ‘Also Consider’ conception of this review, but if you’d like, you tin consult our guideline to nan best inexpensive headphones, wherever we tally you done immoderate unthinkable alternatives that connection plentifulness of bang for your buck.

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: value & merchandise date

• $149.99 / £109.99 (around AU$230) database price, but already discounted
• Launched successful nan US and UK September 2024
• Australia merchandise day and pricing TBC

To beryllium honest, reader, I’m a small confused connected pricing for nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max. They person a database value of $149.99 / £109.99 (around AU$230) connected Amazon US/UK, but conscionable caput complete to nan Baseus website and these are only $79.99 (or $69.99 pinch an in-site coupon). On apical of that, contempt only releasing successful September, these person been deed pinch discounts and coupons connected Amazon. So really, I’d purpose to salary astir that $70/$80 people if you really want to drawback these.

The Baseus Bowie 30 Max are disposable now successful nan US and nan UK, though nan institution isn’t readying to waste them to nan Australian market. They’re disposable successful 1 colour action – Black, though this is beautiful cleanable successful fairness (more connected this later).

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: Specs

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: features

• Decent head-tracked spatial audio
• Companion app compatibility
• Adequate ANC

When it comes to features, nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max look to battalion successful immoderate earnestly awesome options for often sub-$100/£100 cans.

I’m chiefly talking astir caput search – a awesome inclusion for immoderate fund headphones, but 1 that produces mixed results. Audio does dynamically displacement pinch caput activity rather well, which is perfect for pursuing sound crossed a surface erstwhile viewing video content.

The catch? You return a deed to audio quality. When listening to Wasurechau Hitotoki by Fishmans, vocals and percussion became very tinny pinch caput search active, which frankly, made it unpleasant to perceive to. But arsenic I say, this characteristic is predominantly for video, truthful I tried watching immoderate Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth gameplay connected YouTube. And again, though audio did displacement arsenic I turned my head, nan existent value was noticeably worse than erstwhile caput search was turned off, making for a disappointing personification experience.

Even worse was nan Fixed spatial audio option. But erstwhile listening to Rock With You by Michael Jackson I didn’t get expansive, freely sound astatine all; alternatively it sounded arsenic if I’d journeyed astir 10ft beneath oversea level. Vocals sounded warped and inauthentic while percussion lacked sharpness, truthful I switched this disconnected again beautiful quickly. The out-of-the container audio didn’t precisely make this opus sound astonishing either, truthful I recovered myself playing astir pinch EQ options a adjacent spot – but I’ll get onto that successful nan ‘Sound quality’ section.

OK, possibly spatial audio mightiness not rather deed nan spot, but really do nan different features fare? Well, ANC wasn’t excessively bad. At astir 60% measurement a batch of extracurricular sounds were reasonably dulled, though a batch of sounds – whether little aliases higher-frequency – still crept done pinch comparative ease. For instance, moreover astatine astir 75% volume, I could make retired nan sound of my workfellow typing adjacent to me. So don’t expect nan near-silent listening acquisition you’d get from immoderate much premium cans, for illustration nan Bose QuietComfort Ultra, for example.

The communicative truthful acold is surely 1 of disappointment, though Baseus didn’t fto maine down connected artillery life. I kept nan LDAC ‘hi-res’ codec activated passim almost each of nan testing process and predominantly listened astatine rather precocious volumes, but recovered my playtime to beryllium in-line pinch nan 50 hours ANC claimed. You moreover get up to 65 hours pinch ANC off, which is an fantabulous serving of artillery life. So, if you’re personification that often forgets to complaint their devices, this shouldn’t matter excessively overmuch pinch nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max – they tin support going (and going) for rather immoderate time.

• Features score: 3/5

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: sound quality

• Thin bass retired of nan box
• LDAC audio support
• Highs tin get rather tinny

I’ll beryllium upfront – nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max didn’t connection nan champion listening acquisition retired of nan box. When listening to I Want You by Moloko, I felt that percussion and higher-pitched vocals were beautiful grating astatine higher volumes and moreover sounded a spot tinny. I should mention too, that was pinch LDAC audio turned connected – nan benefits of which ne'er felt genuinely realized.

Something that puzzled maine was Baseus’ declare that nan Bowie 30 Max person “super bass”. I decidedly didn’t consciousness that initially. When listening to Love Foolosophy by Jamiroquai, nan groovy bassline was relegated to a small-part inheritance character and nan choppy guitar riff and vocals sounded excessively forward. Admittedly, nan bladed low-end was improved importantly erstwhile I toggled connected Bass Boost successful nan Baseus app, but of course, nan grating highs didn’t stop.

I knew what I had to do… I took to nan EQ settings to make amends to nan Bowie 30 Max’s sonic shortcomings. Unfortunately, I recovered nan different presets – including Baseus Classic, Clear Vocals, Hi-Fi Live, Pop and Rock Classic – lacked capable definition. There were noticeable differences betwixt them, sure, but it was beautiful minimal for nan astir part. Instead, I recovered nan champion solution was to create my ain civilization tuning, pinch a spot much low-end weight. A batch of users whitethorn beryllium OK pinch tailoring their ain sound, but if you’re personification that wants straightforward, hassle free listening that could beryllium a spot of a move off.

So, aft customizing my ain sound were my woes overcome? Well, not entirely. Despite having a spot much bite, bass and electrical guitars successful Walk Up by Geordie Greep sounded reasonably muddy and instrumental separation was lacking. Vocals successful White Mustang by Lana Del Ray besides sounded boxy and constricted, resulting successful an unnatural-sounding delivery. I would say, though, that lower-frequency sounds were nary longer hidden distant to a frustrating grade and nan wide listening acquisition became astatine slightest adequate. So if you do determine to threat these up connected a discount sale, it’s 100% worthy shifting distant from nan top-heavy Baseus Classic EQ calibration.

One facet sound-wise that was somewhat redeeming was mic quality. When signaling nan opening of Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, my sound was beautiful clear-cut, pinch only a spot of ambience successful nan background. Call quality, meanwhile, was a spot much middling successful position of quality, but still wholly passable. I was still, however, underwhelmed pinch nan audio connected connection from nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max – particularly fixed nan manufacturer's declare that they connection “superior audio quality”. I’m sorry to opportunity that this is not nan case.

• Sound value score: 2.5/5

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: design

• Tidy creation for nan price
• Although nan headband is simply a small plasticky
• Customizable fastener controls

I’ve been rather captious of nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max truthful far, but 1 area I deliberation they win much successful is design. When astatine a discounted price, these headphones look awesome for nan value you pay. They person a much rectangular, classical look than a batch of inexpensive options and mini ringing lights connected each tin adhd a bully scatter of style too.

The headband isn’t nan astir padded point successful nan world, but I was capable to happily perceive for aggregate hours connected end. Looks-wise it is simply a tad plasticky – and nan glossy decorativeness intends you tin spot fingerprints reasonably easily, but it’s not peculiarly disfigured aliases anything.

Speaking of a plasticky look, nan fastener controls suffer from a akin issue, emotion a small cheap. They are, however, nicely laid retired and, contempt measurement down, up, and play/pause being rather adjacent together, they’re easy to use. There’s besides an ANC fastener that tin handily beryllium customized utilizing nan Baseus app to move betwixt sound cancelling modes, EQ settings, aliases spatial audio options.

The Bowie 30 Max are besides decently portable. They’re not arsenic compact arsenic a exemplary for illustration nan Anker Soundcore Space One Pro aliases anything, but they tin beryllium folded up for carrying successful a backpack aliases tote bag. These are reasonably lightweight headphones excessively weighing successful astatine 11.3 oz / 320g and person decently soft earpads, truthful they’ll not beryllium excessively uncomfortable for longer listening sessions, moreover if nan headband isn’t apical quality. My main title present though is that these cans don’t travel pinch a transportation lawsuit aliases akin for keeping them safe during longer journeys.

Finally, don’t expect thing super-fancy aliases hi-tech from these design-wise. There’s nary waterproofing aliases touch controls – though this isn’t excessively bad if you’re getting them connected discount for astir $70/£70. What you do get though is an AUX larboard for wired listening and USB-C charging, nan second of which tin springiness you arsenic overmuch arsenic 14 hours of playtime from a 10-minute recharge – not bad.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: value

• Even erstwhile discounted, rivals execute better
• Head search bully astatine this cost, but mixed quality
• Ultimately, sound value not bully capable against competitors

If we’re going by their $149.99 / £109.99 database price, I’d reason that nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max are wholly outclassed by a wide array of competitors, competing against competitors successful nan aforesaid ballpark, for illustration nan Sony WH-CH720N, for lawsuit (more connected those later).

However, from early discounts, I fishy these will beryllium disposable for acold little for a batch of nan time. Early income and coupon offers connected Amazon US/UK moreover put these arsenic debased arsenic $69.99 / £68.79, truthful don’t look to salary overmuch much than that. And sure, astatine this price, getting features for illustration spatial audio is undoubtedly impressive. But, what matters supra each is bully sound value and I would reason that’s capable astatine champion pinch these headphones. Some of nan best inexpensive headphones – for illustration nan Earfun Wave Pro – will apt beryllium to beryllium a overmuch amended worth pick.

• Value score: 3/5

Should I bargain nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max?

Buy them if…

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Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: besides consider

Baseus Bowie 30 Max review: How I tested

• Tested crossed nan people of a week
• Used successful nan office, while connected walks and connected nationalist transport
• Predominantly tested utilizing Tidal connected nan Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

I spent a week testing nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max headphones successful a number of settings, including: my apartment; a train; bus; and while connected walks. This fto maine get a existent sensation for ANC quality, sloppy of environment.

When listening to music, I played nan entirety of nan TechRadar testing playlist and listened to hours and hours of tunes from my ain individual library. I predominantly tested utilizing Tidal to make usage of LDAC, but I besides tested nan headphones utilizing Spotify, YouTube and Messenger (for calling). I chiefly connected nan headphones up to nan Samsung Galaxy S24 FE erstwhile conducting tests.

Where appropriate, I compared these headphones to nan Sony WH-CH720N, judging them side-by-side pinch nan Baseus Bowie 30 Max to gauge audio quality, features and creation choices.

First reviewed: October 2024

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