The headphone industry has never been as competitive as it is today, offering an array of choices from the luxuriously expensive to the wallet-friendly. While the likes of Bose and Sennheiser dominate the premium end of the market, the Soundmagic P60BT aims to win over the budget-conscious audiophile. So, does it live up to the hype? Let's find out.
Design and Build Quality
Straight out of the box, you'll notice that the Soundmagic P60BT is well-designed, albeit a tad plasticky. It offers a foldable design with a silicon headband, providing a modern look without the use of PU leather, which some may find tacky. Though the ear cups are made from a sturdy silicone material, there is a weak point where they attach to the headband. Unfortunately, this could lead to the headset snapping, as some users have reported after less than a year of light use.
Comfort and Controls
The use of memory foam earmuffs offers a comfortable fit, essential for long listening sessions. Moreover, the touch-sensitive controls are intuitive and highly responsive, making it a breeze to switch tracks, pause music, or adjust the volume. One minor annoyance is the retro-sounding touch-control feedback, which feels like it's straight out of an '80s video game. A little distracting, but not a dealbreaker.
Connectivity and Battery Life
Armed with Bluetooth 5.2, the P60BT offers stable, low-latency transmission with impressive audio output quality, supported by aptXHD Adaptive. The 50-hour battery life is another feature that stands out, besting even some of its higher-priced competitors. Furthermore, a quick 10-minute charge can give you up to 5 additional hours of playback time.
Audio Performance and Features
The P60BT shines in its audio performance, boasting 40mm drivers that deliver intricate and accurate sound across all ranges. The bass is deep yet clean, the mids are crisp, and the highs are clear without being piercing. One slight drawback might be the mid-bass, which appears slightly bloated but still adds to the overall sound experience.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) is another noteworthy feature. The headphones combine dual hybrid feed-forward and feedback noise cancellation with both analogue and digital processing. Although not on par with the likes of Bose or Sony, the ANC does a commendable job of dampening ambient noise.
However, the P60BT fails in its Ambient Mode offering. It simply does not amplify ambient sound enough to be useful. It's a feature that could have been omitted without any loss in functionality.
Sound Quality and Volume
The sound quality is undoubtedly top-notch for its price point, as multiple users have confirmed. However, the Bluetooth volume is notably low. Many users have reported having to max out the volume on their devices, which subsequently drains the battery faster.
Final Verdict
The Soundmagic P60BT offers great value for its price point. Its impressive features, like high-fidelity audio and robust battery life, make it a viable alternative to premium brands. However, it's not without its flaws, most notably the weak ear cup attachment point and the ineffective Ambient Mode.
While not perfect, the Soundmagic P60BT delivers a commendable performance that justifies its price tag. The headset does have room for improvement, and hopefully, future iterations will address these issues. For now, if you're looking for a budget-friendly, high-performing headphone, the P60BT deserves serious consideration.
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This article was originally published on 26 Oct 2023. Product specifications, prices and availability may have changed. We sometimes receive review products and may earn commission through affiliate links. We are not obliged to publish a positive review. About our reviews and disclosures.
