Introduction
Active noise isolation can really elevate sound in headphones, taking away the outside noise to let you hear the music more clearly. They are also a real help for anyone who suffers from auditory overload, such as those with autism. But at a bargain price, is OneOdio A10 any good at playing music or providing that noise isolation?
In this OneOdio A10 hybrid review, I set out to see if you really can get a great sound and effective ANC technology without spending hundreds of dollars. So, what are the OneOdio A10 hybrid headphones?
At a price of around $89, they represent an incredible value option for those looking to benefit from active noise cancellation at a more value-led price. Offering significant savings over some of the bigger brands offerings, they offer long battery times and promise effective noise cancelling and quality sound reproduction, but what is the reality?
Packaging and Accessories
If there is one area where you can see OneOdio have taken the decision to put money elsewhere, it is in the packaging. It offers the right protection, mine arrived in perfect condition, but there are no complications. Its just a simple cardboard box, and inside you find the hard case they are supplied with, with the headphones inside. While this means the unboxing experience is not as satisfying as some headphones you can buy these days, you get your OneOdio A10s safely, and that is all that really matters.
There is not much in the way of extras either, again just the things you need. That includes a USB-C to USB-A cable and a 3/5mm to 2.5mm cable for wired connection to your devices.
Design
Opening the box brings with it the first surprise. At the price these sell at, there have to be some compromises, and I was expecting that to come in the build and design quality. But they look and feel like a premium product, with a sleek design that rivals some headphones costing twice the price.
Soft curves blend the various components together, so that the earcups and headband flow into each other. This goes a long way into that impression of quality. They are subtle too, without the often-gaudy design features you sometimes get from this brand.
On the left earcup there is the USB-C port to charge the headphones, a charging status LED and the button to turn the noise cancelling on and off. The right earcup features power on and off, volume controls and a 3.5mm jack input for listening without Bluetooth.
They are plastic, rather than metal, which is fine for this price point, but it is a quality plastic that feels nice in your hand. They don’t creak or feel flimsy in any way, so the OneOdio A10 hybrids do not feel like budget headphones at all.
Comfort
Here is where we find evidence that these headphones have been built to a price. If there is one area where they are obviously lacking, it is padding, and this has a knock-on effect in two ways. The first is comfort, the OneOdio A10 hybrid are not uncomfortable as such, they are just not as comfortable as more expensive noise cancelling headphones. With minimal padding on the ears and headband, the OneOdio A10 hybrid headphones just feel a little awkward.
They are not light either, and the combination of lack of padding and extra weight can mean that longer sessions highlight the lack of comfort. However, you do get used to them, and for shorter sessions it is not something that really bothered me. I did find that after about two hours I was ready for a break, so take that into consideration and think how you use them.
Battery Life
Every manufacturer makes impressive claims about battery life, and the box for the OneOdio A10 hybrid headphones proudly states that they offer up to 50 hours between charges. That should be enough for anyone, but is it accurate?
Over the course of this OneOdio A10 hybrid review, I have found that the battery lasts somewhere between 40 and 45 hours per charge, which is pretty close, much closer than many other brand achieve with their claims.
Charging is simple, your USB-C cable just plugs in, and they do their thing. 45 hours means you can use these all day with ease, and they could even do a weekend away without charging for most people, which is impressive.
Sound & Spec
With this OneOdio A10 hybrid review I wanted to assess sound quality and the noise cancelling technology, but there is something else to talk about too. I mentioned that the lack of padding caused two issues. The first was comfort, and the second is the lack of passive noise isolation. Without the ANC turned on, you can hear everything around you, all the time. With minimal padding, there is nothing blocking the sound, where many noise cancelling headphones, and standard ones, use thick padding to reduce the sound around you to an extent.
Turning to the noise cancelling system, and we are back to good news. It is a simple system, with no modes or other features that you get on more expensive units, but it is effective. It is especially good with the kind of low frequencies that surround you on a train or in the street as vehicles pass you by, and that allows you to hear your music or podcast with real clarity.
The audio itself gives decent overall sounds, although they are tuned towards powerful bass, which can be a bit too much for some. However, overall and in the context of the price, these are nice sounding headphones. They don’t match the quality of models costing double this, but we shouldn’t expect them to do so, really.
Finally, connectivity is bang up to date, using the latest Bluetooth 5.2 for a rock-solid connection to your device. Pairing is easy, and the simple controls make them a pleasure to use.
Noise Cancelling Performance
Turning to the noise cancelling system, and we have more good news. It is a simple system, with no modes or other features that you get on more expensive units, but it is effective. It is especially good with the kind of low frequencies that surround you on a train or in the street as vehicles pass you by, and that allows you to hear your music or podcast with real clarity.
It is easy to use too, just one button to turn it on or off. If you have never used an ANC system before, this is much more user-friendly than the multiple modes some alternatives offer, although it does mean you don’t have the flexibility of those systems either.
Alternatives
Despite the popularity of noise cancelling, there are few competitors in this price range that offer the same blend of quality performance and features. However, one stand-out alternative to the OneOdio A10 do include Soundcore by Anker Q30 headphones, which offer noise cancelling and good sound for about $30 more. The Q30s have a very advanced ANC system, offering different modes including one that enables conversations as it doesn’t cut out voices. This makes the Q30 a great choice for people with autism. The Q30 also includes much more substantial padding, so has passive noise cancelling too, and this also makes them more comfortable.
Sound quality is very similar between them though, and for general use that cost saving can be really useful. Do you get more from the more expensive Soundcore Q30s? Definitely, but I’m not sure that in general use, you would see enough of a difference to justify the extra cost.
Conclusion
In this OneOdio A10 hybrid review, I wanted to see if $89 can provide the noise cancelling experience that others charge hundreds for. To an extent, the answer is yes. They look great, are solidly constructed and sound good too. The ANC system is effective and works well, and these are headphones you will not be disappointed by.
However, the lack of padding is a basic error, hurting comfort and overall sound quality. These are good headphones that with a little extra consideration for padding, could have been great ones.
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