How much is too much to spend on headphones?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times, and with the launch of Belkin’s new headphones; that bar has been pushed down. Costing a mere $89.95 and delivering well above the expectations of that cost, the SoundForm Isolate has really impressed me over the last few weeks while I’ve been testing them.
The hardware: Comfort is on point
There’s a bit to talk about here, most of it really good and — in honesty — the rest of it is fair expectations of a sub$100 pair of headphones. So starting with the packaging, as usual; Belkin has done an excellent job of maintaining the sustainability with all of the packaging made of materials that can be recycled, the headphones themselves are also made with recycled materials.
The adjustability of the headband and movement of the earcups are more than enough to ensure that, even people who wear glasses or have odd-shaped heads can wear these comfortably. The ear cups have plenty of padding to make them comfortable for long wear sessions, even at the gym.
The headband is firm enough to hold the headphones on your head comfortably; but not tight enough to cause headaches. Even at the gym where you’re going from upright to laying down or changing your orientation regularly, without moving on your head and causing aggravation.
Looking beneath the surface, the SoundForm Isolate has some reasonable hardware in it too. They feature hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) that reduces external noise by up to 25dB, along with a “Hear Thru” mode to stay aware of your surroundings. A unique “Isolate” effect provides relaxing ocean wave sounds. The headphones boast 40mm drivers for balanced, high-fidelity audio and a built-in microphone with Clear Call Quality technology for clear communication.
They support Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint technology for connecting to two devices simultaneously, or you can use the 3.5mm cable to hard wire your connection. They come with both USB-C and 3.5mm audio cables for versatile connectivity and charging.
What more could be delivered?
So let’s get this out of the way first with the minor disappointment that they didn’t come with a bag or case of any sort to protect them if you’re commuting with them in your bag. A bag really isn’t expensive to get hold of, so I’m not unhappy; but it would be nice to have that as part of the package.
The other thing that may deter some buyers is the material used for the ear cups. I’ve only had the review unit for a few weeks, so I can’t attest to the longevity of them, but the material can get a bit hot if you’re wearing them for an extended period of time.
Sound quality and battery life
I’d give the sound quality on the SoundForm isolate a 7/10 with pretty decent sound balance and audio response range capabilities. The high range response is clean, and the mid is clear and enough power to really push vocals forward when you’re listening to music.
Probably the only issue I found with sound is that they’re — despite the generally good balance — lacking a bit of bass; at least in comparison to the Bose QC45 I have been using for a few years now. Back to my earlier point though, that the SoundForm Isolate are under AU$100.00 and the Bose are around AU$380.00 – a significant cost difference.
The battery life is pretty solid, giving a theoretical 60 hours of battery life with noise cancelling on. I’ve managed over two weeks of media playback workout needing to charge them. Perhaps what has impressed me the most with the battery life, is that; because it’s so good to start with, there’s no significant or noticeable difference in the battery life with ANC turned on.
The sound, ANC, playback controls and power are all controlled by simple push buttons on the earcups with ANC being on the left ear, all others on the right. The controls are tactile, simple to find and intuitive; another tick in the box for the SoundForm Isolate.
Noise Cancelling: Decent noise cancelling at this budget is great delivery
When it comes to noise cancelling headphones, there’s certainly a point at which you get what you pay for. From previous experiences, I did hold some concern that the SoundForm Isolate would just fall into the pack with a bunch of other cheap headphones; delivering sound that was acceptable and noise cancelling that dulled the background a bit. While they don’t rival headphones that are significantly more expensive in sound or noise cancelling, particularly when you consider the budget; they’re really good value for money.
You’re going to get noise cancelling that’s well and truly up to the challenges of a noisy commute on public transport, dulling to roar of public malls (or my daughter crashing around the house and singing at top volume) and even short flights. The combination of sound and ANC capabilities here are on par with headphones I’ve used that cost more than double the price.
Would I buy them?
There’s so much to enjoy with the Belkin SoundForm Isolate and I’d absolutely consider buying a pair for everyday use if I was buying on a budget. The sound quality is really solid, the noise cancelling is very good (even before considering the budget), they’re really comfy and have great battery life with intuitive playback controls.
At an RRP of AU$89.95 they’re an absolute steal and I’d happily recommend them to anyone who doesn’t want to spend upwards of $300.00 for a set of noise cancelling headphones. They’re very capable across a number of environments and playback needs.
If you’re keen, you can pick up a pair from Belkin online or through your local authorised resellers.
