Cowin HE8D vs Phiaton BT 100 NC

You can charge the headphones off of micro-USB devices like your smartphone or tablet. The charging cable terminates in an USB A connector, but there is an integrated micro-USB tip that you can push out for easy, on-the-go charging.

The active noise cancellation module isn’t likely to get in your way. While most quality active noise cancelling in-ears have large control modules, the HE8D’s is much more compact by comparison so there won’t be a lot of weight pulling down on the earpieces. Also, the module has a magnetic base which clips onto the charging dock. This ensures that there is a proper connection between the module and charger when charging the headphones.

The highs and lows are boosted, so you get detailed highs and powerful, punchy bass, and can result in a fun listening experience. Inside each earpiece is a dynamic driver that handles the mids and lows, along with a balanced armature driver that produces the high frequencies, resulting in clear sound with good instrument separation.

You get a lot of useful features from the BT 100 NC which includes decent noise cancelling, Bluetooth as well splash resistance, which makes these earphones great for casual or active use. Sound reproduction has great clarity as well as full mids and okay bass, and should work well with many music genres.

Bass is not emphasized yet is full and has good punch so the sound does not sound lean. The mids are warm and full, so guitars, vocals and drums sound great. The highs are slightly emphasized, which brings out a lot of detail from the music, but can also make cymbal and “s” sounds quite harsh.

You’ll be able to control the various earphone functions using the buttons and switches on the BT 100 NC’s collar. It houses the earphones’ battery and noise cancelling circuitry along with the buttons for answering and ending calls, play/pause/skip/previous tracks, volume adjust and the noise cancelling switch. Aside from being easy to reach, the collar also takes as much weight off of the earpieces as possible, so they stay inside the ears well.

You’ll get a good amount of wireless listening time off of these earphones. Battery life with noise cancelling and wireless activated is around 8 hours, while you can get 12 hours of noise cancelling when these are used in wired mode.

While not the best, the noise-cancelling is decent and can reduce noise that may mix in with your music. You’ll still be able to hear some low pitched noise like the sound of engines though.

You can bring these earphones on the go without the earpieces flopping all over the place when they are not in use. There is a space in each end of the collar where you can dock the earpieces for easier transport.