The true wireless earbuds space seems to grow by the week with new brands and models arriving all the time.
On the high end of the market are products like the Sony WF-1000XM3, Apple AirPods Pro, and Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus. On the low end are myriad competitors racing to the bottom with sub-$50 offerings.
While it might be nice to snag a pair of headphones or earphones at that price, you might find yourself replacing them before long. We essentially view these as “disposable”, giving them maybe a year or two of life.
What about the middle of the pack? Somewhere in the mid-range are products like the xFyro Aria. Priced about $125, they’re a pair of waterproof and dustproof earbuds with up to eight hours of playback per charge.
We were privileged to receive a pair of the xFyro Aria ahead of the holiday season and spent a few weeks with them. Here, we put forth our impressions of the earbuds.
What’s in the Box?
- xFyro Aria earbuds
- Magnetic charging and carrying case
- 3 pairs of silicone eartips
- 2 pairs of ear wings
- MicroUSB cable
- User manual
Built Quality and Design
Dressed in all black, and offered with a black carrying case, the earbuds don’t do a whole lot to visually stand out from the crowd. The earbuds have a slightly tapered shape and take up a minimal amount of space, but they’re a little flat and uninspired.
While they’re not the most beautiful or elegant, they’ve got it where it counts. The IP67 rating, for instance, protects against water and dust, something that even pricier models do not include.
There’s no physical button on the exterior of the earbuds but the panel does offer controls for playback and volume. Using a series of single or double taps one can advance music and also prompt Google Assistant or Siri.
The carrying case is another example of simple and otherwise plain design, but that’s not why you buy earphones. The case does have a nice magnetic construction to it and the earbuds snap into place quite nicely. Charging is done via microUSB and takes about two hours.
Other Features
The xFyro Aria are Bluetooth 5.0 which means easier pairing, longer distance from the source, and more secure connection. Given it’s 2020, we expect to see this standard across the mid-range and upper end but it’s not always guaranteed. We’re glad this corner was not cut.
The earphones are good for up to eight hours of music playback per charge; the carrying case is rated for up to 24 hours. With a total of 32 hours of listening time, this is more than sufficient for a pair of earphones that are used for commutes and/or workouts. We can imagine charging the case maybe once a week, and that’s really just to be safe.
There are multiple ear tips and included in the box so finding the perfect fit is essentially guaranteed. And if you’re using them for running or time at the gym, consider one of the two sets of ear wings.
Performance
As it pertains to audio, the xFyro Aria skew a little toward the mid and bass. Treble and highs are not as present as we might have liked, particularly in “busy” music. To be fair, a lot of people like that sort of sound. Speaking generally, we’re good with it, but do recognize where it leans into the low end.
Battery life is fantastic at eight hours per charge. The carrying case with another three charges is equally commendable stuff. Realistically, you might only charge the case itself maybe once a week, if that. If you’re just using them for a half hour commute to and from work, you’ll get a month’s worth of juice.
Speaking of which, we like the way the earbuds snap into the case, ensuring they sit snugly inside. We might have preferred USB Type-C charging or even wireless capability. Thankfully, they’re not alone in keeping the microUSB standard around so finding cables isn’t an issue.
There are no LED indicator lights on the exterior of the charging case but there are four LEDs on the inside. You can see how much juice is left within a range of 25 percent.
The xFyro Aria earbuds use noise isolation and noise cancellation to help eliminate background noise and stop sound leaking. We were impressed with how well this worked and found it keeps ambient noise from sneaking into your listening experience.
Conclusion
The xFyro Aria are certainly worth their money, and should be on your short list of earbuds if shopping with a budget of about $100.
There’s plenty to like here, particularly the battery life of the carrying case. And when it does come time to charge up, just 15 minutes is all it takes to add around three hours of playback.
Sound is good, even if it’s a little heavy on the bass a times, but it’s right in line with our expectations. It’s pretty easy to get used to, and is easily forgiven.
The earbuds are comfortable out of the box, but users might appreciate making an adjustment up or down in size. More active listeners will want to try the ear hooks/wings just for the extra security or stabilization.
We also like the Google Assistant/Siri integration, waterproof protection, and noise cancellation.
Availability
Learn more about xFyro, the Aria, and other products at its website. Purchase the xFyro Aria for $125 and receive free shipping.
