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"Our take on Brainwavz' latest Bluetooth offering"
Last year, Apple made a bold statement by removing the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. In its defence, Apple claimed that the space which was previously being used to accommodate the 3.5mm jack was now being used to pack the new haptic engine powering its home button. Although Apple’s decision was subject to a lot of backlash and internet memes initially, more and more brands are now following the footsteps of the Cupertino giant.
Clearly, the future of audio is wireless technology. Unfortunately, good Bluetooth earphones carry a hefty price tag, which can be intimidating for budget-conscious buyers. That is where the Brainwavz BLU-Delta come into play. Launched recently, the BLU-Delta’s come as the successors to the BLU-200’s and promise to deliver good sound at a bargain. Let’s see if they live up to the hype in this review.
Table of Contents
Unlike most other budget Bluetooth earphones, Brainwavz focusses a lot on the packaging. All Brainwavz earphones come bundled neatly inside a hard-shell case which also houses a ton of accessories for the earphones. Opening the case, buyers will find a USB cable to charge the earphones, a separate pair of earbuds, a velcro to tie the earphones when they are not being used along with a pair of Comply ear foams.
Having used the BLU-200’s intensively, the BLU-Delta’s are noticeably smaller in comparison as the bulk of the weight of the earphones has now shifted from the ear tips to the in-line remote control. There is a bigger LED on the in-line remote control this time around, which makes it easier to identify the status of the Bluetooth connection. A clip, attached to the cables of the BLU-Delta is a nice touch too, as it allows you to adjust the length of the cable according to your preference. This is especially useful if you are working out or running because then it stays anchored to your body. I would recommend you use the provided Comply ear foams too, as it not only contributes to the fit of the earphones but also increases the noise isolation capabilities of the BLU-Delta.
The first question you’d generally ask prior to buying a pair of earphones is, if they sound good and for the most part, the BLU-Delta sound pretty impressive. The 8mm drivers powering the Deltas get sufficiently loud and do a good job blocking hits from Honey Singh playing in your local gym. Although the ‘thump’ which EDM-heads look for is absent in the earphones, that’s not to say that the BLU-Delta’s lack bass. Marian Hill’s Down is a good example of the same, as the song has some punchy beats which were reciprocated well on the BLU-Delta. The earphones do a decent job with imaging too, as multi-layered tracks sound clear, and unless you are a serious audiophile, the BLU-Delta will do a satisfactory job of playing complex arrangements in songs by rock bands like Foo Fighters or My Chemical Romance. The audio does get muffled at higher volumes, although that is the case with most earphones under Rs 5K. All in all, the BLU-Delta’s sound really good, offer a decent bass response and clear vocals for the asking price of just Rs 3,600.
The biggest advantage that wired earphones have over wireless ones is that they draw power from the source and don’t need to be plugged in at the end of the day. While the BLU-Delta’s won’t take away the pain of having to recharge them, the outstanding 8-hour battery life will at least have you do it less often. The in-line remote control on the BLU-Delta’s houses the battery, which takes a little over two hours to reach full charge. Speaking of which, the in-line remote control offers good clarity when taking calls too.
The design of the BLU-Delta is nothing to write home about. In fact, coming from the BLU-200s, the design was a major letdown for me. Unlike its predecessor which used a flat style cable, the Delta has employed a rather thin and flimsy cable. The earbuds don’t do a good job with weight distribution either. Since the majority the weight of the earbuds rests within its in-line remote control, it constantly tilted towards one direction and had to be repositioned repeatedly. This was particularly frustrating while jogging as the right earbud was almost always on the verge of slipping out of my ear.
Since Bluetooth technology works through a short-wave radio transmission, it’s not uncommon for the audio to get a little fuzzy sometimes. While the Delta’s offered a stable connection when I wasn’t moving around, there was a lot of stuttering when I was out-and-about or in the gym. The audio was especially choppy when the in-line remote control was covered or when the smartphone was inside my pocket.
The Brainwavz BLU-Delta retails for around Rs 3,600 and for the price, offer a good sound quality and a great battery life. However, they aren’t consistent with audio playback when you’re working out or running. If you’re willing to make that trade, then the BLU-Deltas won’t disappoint you. However, if you plan to use these earbuds extensively in the gym, then I’d suggest you to buy the older BLU-200’s as they hold the Bluetooth connection much better.