I admit I’m seldom the first person to adopt new technology. I’d read about Wicked Audio’s ARQ True Wireless Earbuds, and they intrigued me, but I was perfectly happy with the earbuds I was using and filed them away—a technology upgrade down the road.
Fast forward a few months and Wicked Audio reached out to me to see if I would test their ARQ True Wireless Earbuds and share my thoughts with my readers. Sure! After six months of using the wireless earbuds, I wonder why I waited so long to get them.
These earbuds are compact, comfortable, and boast features that integrate perfectly with my outdoor lifestyle.
A little about me before I dive headlong into the pros and cons of the ARQ True Wireless Earbuds. I work from home as a freelance outdoor writer and photographer. To relax and learn during my day, I love to listen to podcasts. In my house, I have workspaces set up in my office, a basement workbench and in my garage. When I first thought about using wireless earbuds I thought, sure, it’ll be nice not to have a cord getting tangled while I work or exercise, but I never thought about their wireless range. Using the Bluetooth technology, my phone stays on the charger in a central location—full charged and ready to go when I hit the road—and I can queue up a podcast playlist and then go about my business for hours. I can move from one workspace to another and continue to get crystal-clear audio.
Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbud Features:
- Wireless Bluetooth (true wireless –no wires between earbuds or to connect to a device) Stated range is 32 feet. I’ve used them at farther ranges but do experience the occasional hiccup in streaming)
- Use left side, right side or both together
- Noise Isolation
- 3 Cushion Sizes for the most comfortable fit
- High Fidelity with enhanced bass
- Rubberized
- Rechargeable Battery (Earbud battery life: 3 hours; Charge time: 30 minutes)
- Volume Control
- Powerbank Battery: 2600mAh (Charge time: 5 Hours via USB)
- Charging Case (Additional playtime 60 Hours)
- Micro USB to USB Charging Cord
Design & Features
The charging case doubles as the 2600mAh power bank. At one end is the charging compartment with two cradles, one for each earbud.
The earbuds pop into place thanks to a small magnet, while the cover secures and protects the earbuds for transport. The earbuds are a nice size—not big and not too small—and are comfortable to wear. I used the earbud cushions that were installed on the earbuds and found them a perfect fit for my ears. Earbuds use red and blue LEDs to tell you when they’re paired or when they’re charging.
On the side of the case, a charge level indicator with four blue LEDs indicates how much charge remains. The battery in the charging case (power bank) is charged using a micro USB and includes a USB output for charging other devices (like your phone) in a pinch.
Setup of the Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbud is intuitive. After scanning the instructions, I linked the earbuds with my phone and was listening to music within minutes.
The earbuds allow the listener to pause, advance to the next music track, answer phone calls, or ignore an incoming call with a simple press of a button on the earbud. These features work well and take full advantage of Bluetooth technology.
Likes
The Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds are well built. Over the last six months, they have stood up to the rigours of my life on the go. The sound quality is excellent—as good as, or better than, I’ve experienced from any other earbud, wireless or wired.
I also loved the ability to use these earbuds to listen to audio throughout my house. This reason alone convinced me to cut the cord on my old earbuds. The run time is more than adequate to listen to longer podcasts or a playlist of music. And after a 30-minute break—time to charge the earbuds—I was back up and running again. I found the noise-cancelling works well.
The built-in power bank is handy for charging any device in a pinch. In today’s power-hungry world, it’s always handy to have a power backup in my essential everyday carry items.
Dislikes
The earbuds require powering off by pressing the center button on the earbud. Not a big deal, and when using both earbuds in stereo, but I’d like to see them power off when placed in the charging cradle.
Occasionally I detect noise—clicks and beeps—that disrupts the listening experience. This is most likely to occur towards the outer limits of the earbuds range. I chalk it up to electronic interference that may occur when using any wireless device.
Outstanding Customer Service
A fun story about Wicked Audio’s customer service: After receiving my Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds, I was excited to pair them to my phone. I read the instructions, which were clear and easy to understand, and then tried to connect them for the first time. No dice! After several tries, I called the Wicked Audio help number. A friendly voice on the other end of the line coached me through the setup procedure, but even with her help we couldn’t get the earbuds to work—I had received a faulty pair. She pointed me to their warranty department. I filled out the paperwork and popped the earbuds in the mail. In less than a week, I had a brand-new pair of Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds, no questions asked. And this pair worked perfectly. It was a little frustrating getting defective earbuds, but their friendly customer service and rapid turn-around time made up for the inconvenience.
Rest assured that if you buy a Wicked Audio product, that they’ll stand behind it and make sure you are satisfied!
Final Thoughts
I never knew I needed a True Wireless earbud until I tried the Wicked Audio ARQ True Wireless Earbuds. Running or biking with wireless earbuds is a true pleasure. The ability to move anywhere in my house and stay connected to a podcast or music is super handy, and their noise-cancelling feature is the perfect companion on a noisy airplane.
The ARQ earbuds surpassed my expectations.
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