Up for review today are the T5 True Wireless Earphones from Klipsch. Priced about $80, you can get your hands on them today. How do they sound? Are they comfortable? Read on to learn what we thought about these budget-friendly earphones.
Design
Without a doubt, the Klipsch T5 True Wireless headphones have the most premium case I’ve ever seen or used. The brushed metal Zippo inspired case exudes quality, but the downside is, that it’s also the heaviest headphone case I’ve ever used.
Besides its Zippo styling, some other key characteristics of the case include, a USB-C charging port and three LEDs on the front that display the battery level of the case.
Unlike every other headphone case I’ve used, the Klipsch T5 True Wireless allows you to place the left and right earbud in either charging slot. At first, I thought this would be helpful, however, after using it for several weeks, I found it to be a nuisance. It turns out, you cannot easily tell which bud is the left or right, and if you happen to be in a room that is not well lit, you can easily mix them up and put the buds in the wrong ears.
The buds are also held in place with a weak magnet, and a good shake is all it takes to send one or both flying out of the case. That’s unfortunate, because true wireless buds are already easy enough to lose due to their small size.
The stems on the earbuds are thin and quite long, so much so, they made me feel like I had Shrek ears while wearing them. Fortunately, they are lightweight and the long stem prevents the larger parts of the earbuds from resting on your ears which can lead to quicker ear fatigue.
Fit and Comfort
Klipsch uses patented oval ear tips with its in-ear headphones that I’ve always found extremely comfortable. Not only does the shape make for a fantastic fit, but Klipsch also includes extra-small ear tips, perfect for people like me. If you have smaller than average ear canals, these are a godsend.
Even though the T5 True Wireless has lightweight comfortable earbuds, they don’t offer the most secure fit. For the most part, I found they stayed in place, however, once you start moving around, there is a real danger of them falling out.
User Experience
The Klipsch T5 True Wireless makes use of physical buttons on each earbud. The buttons work perfectly, except for the fact that it’s easy to press them by mistake if you need to push the buds back into your ear while using them.
I also ran into an issue where nearly every single time I put the T5 True Wireless buds into my ears, I would get a notification on my phone that the left bud wanted to pair. The buds also didn’t seem to want to pair unless I specifically removed the right bud first. If I removed the left bud first, I would have to go into the Bluetooth menu and manually connect to the right earbud to start using them.
App
For nearly a year Klipsch has been promising an app for its T5 lineup of headphones which would provide users a way to adjust the EQ settings, monitor battery levels, and update the firmware. I was delighted to see that the app finally hit the Play Store earlier this spring, and the T5 True Wireless was my first opportunity to experience it.
Unfortunately, my experience with the app was not a pleasant one. While the app itself seems to work fine, you won’t be able to use it until you have upgraded the firmware of the T5 True Wireless headphones. That is where the trouble begins.
Earlier this year, I wrote that upgrading the 1More Stylish True Wireless Earbuds was the most frustrating update experiences I’ve ever gone through. The Klipsch T5 True Wireless headphones have now taken that crown, and I’m not the only one who thinks that. All you have to do is look at the stunningly low 1.4 rating the Klipsch Connect app has on the Play Store to see report after report of users having issues with updating the firmware.
To its credit, Klipsch provides step by step instructions in the app on how to update the firmware of each individual bud. However, the instructions mean nothing when they don’t actually work. I’m still not sure how exactly I was able to get both of my earbuds updated. It took me a little over an hour of experimenting with resetting the buds, unpairing, and pairing them back with the phone over and over–until finally, something magical happened and the left bud connected and updated.
The worst part is, you can’t use the app until you’ve registered and updated the earbuds. Once I got through the horrendous update procedure, the app worked fine. I was able to monitor the battery level of each bud, but to my disappointment, it did not show how much battery life was left in the case. The Klipsch Connect app also allowed me to adjust the equalizer of the earbuds, something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time with Klipsch headphones.
Sound Quality
Klipsch headphones have always offered a flat sound that emphasized the highs more than anything for a bright sound signature. For users who prefer a neutral sound, that’s perfect. If you’re more like me, and you enjoy some more oomph in the low-end for your listening pleasure, then Klipsch buds can leave you wanting.
That’s why I was so excited about the introduction of the Klipsch Connect app. I was finally able to tweak the EQ and add give the bass some more priority. While it made the T5 True Wireless sound much better for my personal preference, the low-end and sub-bass are still a bit lacking. For most users, this will be entirely fine, but if you’re a bass head then you’ll want to look elsewhere.
Battery Life
Klipsch claims the T5 True Wireless provides you with eight hours of battery life from a single charge and up to 24 hours with the charging case. In my experience, they live up to this claim. I was able to listen to music consecutively for hours and topping them off with the case ensured I didn’t have to worry about charging for days at a time.
Final Thoughts
The T5 True Wireless headphones have combined premium materials and design with Klipsch’s legendary sound quality. However, a couple of technical issues makes them just short of perfect. Regardless, if you can get past these little glitches, the T5 True Wireless Earbuds offer fantastic battery life, great sound, and a case like no other wireless earbuds on the market.
Recently, they have dropped down to an all-time low of $78 on Amazon, making these headphones a steal. Just remember, if you choose to use the app, you’re going to have to endure one of the most excruciating update processes ever devised.
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