I’m a big believer in having a set of headphones for every experience. Sometimes you need a pair of earbuds that will stand up to your workout, while other times you just want to slide on a pair of on ear headphones and enjoy music. I recently tested out two pairs of Raycon headphones. I loved both pairs, and I found they both fit into my lifestyle in different ways. Read on for my full review.
Features on Raycon headphones
I tested out the in ear Raycon Fitness earbuds and the on ear Raycon Everyday headphones.
Features on Raycon Fitness earbuds
- Ergonomic in-ear headphones with ear hooks and 5 different sizes of ear gels
- Bluetooth connection with 33-foot range
- Sound-isolating technology blocks noise while Awareness Mode lets you hear ambient noise
- Three equalizer modes to adjust your audio for whatever you’re listening to
- Built-in mic and vivid voice technology for clear calls
- 9 hours of battery life on a single charge and 54 hour playtime via the Qi wireless charging case
- IPX-7 rated to resist water, sweat, or dust
- Includes a set of different ear tips so you can customize your fit
Features on Raycon Everyday headphones
- Comfortable over ear headphones with plush cups for extra comfort
- Connects via Bluetooth 5.0 and has a 33-foot range
- Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology that can be disabled when you switch to Awareness mode
- 40mm drivers and three equalizer sounds that include Powerful Bass profile
- Built-in mic has six individual microphones for clear calls
- IPX-4 rating to protect from rain and sweat
- 22 hours of playtime and 15-minute charge gives you up to 2 hours
- Foldable and includes a 3.5mm audio AUX cable
Setting up Raycon headphones
Both pairs of Raycon headphones were easy to pair with my phone and computer. To pair the Raycon Everyday headphones you just need to tap the power button on the bottom of the ear cup. A voice prompt will let you know you are in pairing mode and when you are connected.
Pairing the Raycon Fitness earbuds was even easier. All I had to do was put them in my ear, open my phone, and tap the name of the headphone in my Bluetooth settings. Once the headphones were paired, my computer and phone picked them up automatically anytime I turned them on.
Just a note: if you have your Raycon headphones paired with multiple devices, you may need to disconnect from the last device you were paired with before they will connect to another device.
Using Raycon headphones
Both Raycon headphones are designed for different activities. They have similar sound quality, although the Raycon Everyday on ear headphones have active noise canceling while the Raycon Fitness earbuds offer sound isolation. Both pairs offer the same Awareness mode so you can filter outside noise.
Comfort and controls on Raycon Everyday and Raycon Fitness
Raycon Everyday headphones have plush earcups that make them very comfortable to wear. All of the controls for the headphones including a button to turn ANC off and on are on the ear cup. There is also volume control, and there will be a voice prompt whenever you switch between modes or reach max volume.
Control on Raycon Fitness earbuds is slightly different. Both the left and right ear bud have different control functions, so you will definitely want to read the instructions before you start using them. The left earbud, for example, will switch between sound modes if you hold the center button for three seconds. If you hold the same button for three seconds on the right side you will activate Awareness mode. Volume is split between the two, and you can triple-tap to switch tracks, double-tap to pause or play, or quadruple tap to activate a voice assistant.
It might sound a little complicated starting out, but you get used to the controls very quickly. They are very comfortable wearing earbuds as well, and I recommend you test out all of the ear tips to find which feels best for you. After I had my earbuds customized for fit, everything I listened to sounded better. You really need a snug fit for best sound quality.
Testing sound isolation and active noise cancellation
Sound isolation and active noise cancellation are not one in the same. You can read more about the differences between the two on the headphone buying guide, but the quickest way to define the difference is that ANC uses software to digitally block sound. Sound or noise isolation uses the design and fit of the earbuds to block outside noise.
ANC on Raycon Everyday headphones
The ANC works very well on Raycon Everyday headphones. You can turn it on by tapping a button on the ear cup, and it’s sort of startling how quiet everything gets when it’s on. I was standing in the middle of my yard and there was construction up on the road, but the second I tapped that button everything but my podcast faded away.
I tested it out inside the house and experienced the same sensation. If you aren’t listening to anything when you turn it on, it almost feels as though all of the air is suddenly sucked out of the ear cups. It gets very quiet, although you can hear sound around you very faintly.
Sound isolation on Raycon Fitness earbuds
Raycon Fitness earbuds are designed for use while exercising, and they isolate sound by creating a snug fit via the included ear tips. There are several different sizes included with Raycon Fitness earbuds, so you can keep trying different ear tips until you get the perfect fit.
Once the earbuds were in my ears snugly, I found they did a great job protecting me from outside noise. While not as quiet as ANC, I couldn’t really hear ambient noise at all. Noise that is a certain decibel level like traffic or dogs barking was very muted, although I could hear it faintly if I sat still and focused.
Awareness mode
Both Raycon Everyday and Raycon Fitness offer Awareness mode. Awareness mode filters in outside noise so you’re aware of your surroundings, and I found myself using this mode a lot more with the Raycon Fitness earbuds. When running it’s a really good idea to be aware of what’s going on around you, just in case there are cars or some other danger.
It’s easy to turn off and on right on the earbud or ear cup. Without audio playing, it sounds as though you’re in a tunnel, and when you turn on music or a podcast you can hear loud noises. I couldn’t hear sounds like birds singing and if someone else is talking it’s very quiet, but I could still hear a car coming up behind me.
Sound quality on Raycon headphones
I found the sound quality on the Raycon Everyday to be slightly better than the sound quality on the Raycon Fitness, but that opinion is pretty common when you’re comparing on ear with in ear headphones.
Sound quality for in ear and on ear Raycon headphones
The Raycon Everyday has 40mm drivers and different sound profiles, so everything sounds great when you’re streaming to your headphones.
I think Raycon Everyday has a decent sound profile in that they can clearly hit a range of mid and high tones, but they are slightly lacking in the bass department. I watched TV shows, listened to music, and listened to podcasts with them on, and dialogue was consistently clear. There was very little feedback or distortion, even at louder volumes, and you can switch modes to experience slightly deeper bass. Overall, the sound quality was good for everything I listened to, and I was quite happy to put them on again and again.
Raycon Fitness earbuds also have good sound quality, but in my opinion they aren’t designed to project a huge sound profile or provide deep bass. That being said, the better the fit, the better the sound, so fit is the most important consideration in how much you enjoy your earbuds. When I found the best ear tips for my ears and put them in, I was surprised at how much better my playlists started to sound. I could really tune in, and it felt much more immersive than with the ear tips that were on the headphones when I opened the package.
You can switch EQ presets in three ways including ‘Pure Sound’, ‘Balanced Sound’, and ‘Bass Sound.’ I stuck with Bass Sound for the most part.
Should you choose Raycon headphones?
I’m impressed with Raycon headphones. Both the on ear Raycon Everyday headphones and the in ear Raycon Fitness earbuds are designed for different purposes, but you definitely wouldn’t be unhappy with either pair. In my opinion, I’d choose both. They have a low price point, are extremely comfortable to wear, and you can’t go wrong with ANC or Awareness mode to block out the world when you need to.
I like how the Raycon Fitness has a snug fit and IPX7 weatherproof rating so they stand up to rain or sweat during a workout. Once you get used to the controls they are very easy to use, and the battery life of 10 hours will take you through a day or more before you put them back in the case for a recharge.
With Raycon Everyday you get 22 hours of battery life, and I believe that claim as I used them for hours every day with ANC on and I didn’t need to recharge. They are just so comfortable it’s easy to keep them on, and active noise cancellation is a lifesaver. You don’t even need to listen to music, just turn on ANC and enjoy the silence.
You can find Raycon headphones including the Raycon Everyday and Raycon Fitness headphones at Best Buy right now.
