Monday, January 25, 2021

Harman Kardon FLY TWS Earbuds Hands-on

There are lots of TWS earbuds in the market, ranging from budget to premium. You can either go with the most affordable to save cash but lose some on audio and build quality or go with expensive ones and burn holes in your pockets. But what if you can get something in the middle in terms of price but can still provide great audio quality? That’s where the Harman Kardon FLY TWS earbuds come in. Check out our hands-on below.

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Harman Kardon FLY TWS is the premium build and luxurious appeal. For starters, the charging case is made of high-quality plastic but the top lid is clad in leather with the reflective Harman Kardon badge in the middle. The rest of the charging case’s body has a matte finish.

Found at the back of the charging case is the USB-C port and LED indicator to show charging status. There’s no support for wireless charging.

The earbuds themselves match the premium quality of the charging case. It also has a leather exterior that is accented by a metallic ring. The housing features microphones, pogo charging contacts, and LED indicators for pairing and battery levels.

The leather exterior is not just for aesthetics as it also houses the touch controls. With a few taps or swipes, you’ll be able to control your music, launch Google Assistant or Alexa, or activate TalkThru or Ambient Aware features, so you can be aware of your surroundings while listening to your tunes.

The Harman Kardon FLY TWS supports Android and iOS. To pair, just put the earbuds in the case, close it, then open it again. From there, the case’s LED indicator will glow and the earbuds will be discoverable from your mobile device’s Bluetooth settings. Tap on the name of the device to pair. After that, the FLY TWS will automatically pair to your mobile device the moment you open the case.

For you to be able to fully take advantage of its features, you will need to download the ‘My harman/kardon Headphones’ app for Android or iOS. The app will allow you to update the firmware, customize the touch gestures, activate features, and use the equalizer.

In the ears, the FLY TWS feels large and sticks out. However, given the premium design, it doesn’t look ugly. It’s light and comfortable on the ears, too, and is IPX5 sweat-resistant, so you can take it with you for a quick workout.

When it comes to audio quality, we can say that it’s impressive for the price, thanks to the 5.6mm drivers. The mids and highs are crisp and clear. The lows are also present, but if you want it to provide more oomph, you’ll have to activate the Bass profile in the equalizer. In our experience, the FLY TWS is balanced and was able to provide the sound quality we’re looking for in all genres, whether it’s hip hop, rock, or classical. It sounds way better than the usual budget-friendly TWS earbuds in the market. There’s no ANC though, but we think it helped in keeping the price down.

As for the battery, the FLY TWS can provide up to 6 hours of playtime which is good, as most TWS have a 4-5 hours of playtime. You can get up to 20 hours with the help of the charging case. Charging, on the other hand, takes about 2 hours. There’s no support for wireless charging, though, but not a big disadvantage.

The Harman Kardon FLY TWS is priced at PHP 8,999. If you’re used to budget TWS earbuds, it can be a bit pricey. But if you want something with a premium look and sound without breaking the bank, this is worth purchasing.