The Cowin E7 Pro Wireless are an update of the Cowin E7 Wireless. This model improves the battery life and sound profile of the original but loses a bit of thump in their bass. They have a slightly more premium look, but it's mostly cosmetic, as their design and overall performance don't change much. They're a decent and affordable option for commuting but aren't the most durable or comfortable headphones.
Our Verdict
The Cowin E7 Pro are fair for mixed usage. They have about the same performance as the regular Cowin E7 Wireless with a more neutral sound profile and a longer battery life. They block enough ambient noise for commuting and don't leak much, making them a decent option in quieter conditions like being at the office. Unfortunately, despite having slightly softer pads than the original, they're not the most comfortable for all listeners. They should be stable for a light jog but won't be the ideal option for working out or the gym. Unfortunately, although their sound profile is improved, it's still a bit poorly balanced, which won't be ideal for neutral sound but should be fine for more casual listeners.
- Low leakage.
- Great battery life and wireless range.
- Slightly bulky design.
- Sub-par microphone.
- Noise-canceling stutters when ear cup seal is broken.
Just okay for neutral sound. They have a slightly forward-sounding audio reproduction that doesn't have the rumbling bass of the original Cowin E7 Wireless, but they have a better treble range and put a bit more emphasis on instruments and vocals. Unfortunately, their sub-par soundstage won't be ideal for fans of neutral sound, but overall, they should sound a bit more detailed and brighter than the regular E7, which sound slightly dark and muffled.
The Cowin E7 Pro are decent for commuting. They block enough noise for moderately loud environments. They don't leak much and have a decent control scheme. However, they're a bit bulky and are not the most portable headphones to carry around on your person. Unfortunately, their noise cancelling stutters when the ear cup seal is broken, which may be a deal-breaker for some when commuting if you have to walk or move around a lot.
The Cowin E7 Pro are alright for sports. They're wireless and have a tight fit on some listeners, which prevents them from easily falling off your head. However, they're a bit bulky for running and working out. They're also not as comfortable. They're a bit more breathable than most over-ears but can still make you sweat more than usual during intense exercises. If you use the noise cancellation when working out, the headphones will often stutter, as the noise cancelling feature tries to adjust to the seal the ear cups creates around your ears. This could be a deal-breaker for some, especially if you need a lot of isolation, like when you're at the gym.
The Cowin E7 Pro are fair for office use. They don't leak much, meaning that you won't distract your colleagues at moderate-to-high volumes. They also block a decent amount of ambient noise but may not be able to cancel out the chatter of a lively office. Unfortunately, they're not the most comfortable headphones to wear for extended listening sessions.
The Cowin E7 Pro are disappointing for gaming. They have too much latency, they're not compatible with consoles via Bluetooth, and you can't customize them to the extent of other gaming headphones. They also have a mediocre-at-best integrated microphone.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 20, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jun 07, 2018: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Cowin E7 Pro are okay mixed usage headphones thanks to their good wireless range, great battery performance, and decent noise cancelling. However, like the original Cowin E7 Wireless, they're not the most comfortable headphones, and their sound is a bit lackluster.
See our recommendations for the best noise cancelling headphones under $100, the best over-ear headphones under $100, and the best closed-back headphones.
The Cowin E7 Pro Wireless are slightly better headphones overall than the Cowin E7 Wireless. The E7 Pro have a more balanced sound profile that favors instruments and vocals, compared to the E7's more bass-heavy sound. This makes the Pro variant a bit more suitable for fans of neutral sound. The E7 Pro also last a bit longer on a single charge than the regular E7, but take considerably longer to charge, too. On the other hand, the regular E7 performs almost as well in all other categories when compared to the Pro. The more bass-heavy profile also makes them a better pick for bass-lovers that want a noise cancelling wireless headset on a budget.
The Cowin E8 Wireless are better noise cancelling headphones than the Cowin E7 Pro Wireless. The E8 have a better noise cancelling performance and are a bit more comfortable than the E7 Pro. They also have easier-to-use controls and a bit more bass, which some may prefer. On the other hand, the E7 Pro have a more detail-oriented sound profile that pushes instruments and vocals to the front of the mix but can sound a bit sharp. They also have a longer battery life than the E8 and they support NFC, so they're a bit easier to pair with your phone.
The Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless are noticeably better headphones than the Cowin E7 Pro Wireless. The Sony are better-built, more comfortable, have better noise isolation performance, and they have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. The Sony also have a touch-sensitive control scheme, while the Cowin has physical buttons, which won't malfunction in freezing conditions like the Sony. The only thing that the Cowin do that the Sony can't is provide audio while charging.
If a neutral sound profile is the most important thing for you when choosing headphones, then the Cowin E7 Pro Wireless are a better option than the Cowin SE7 Wireless model. They won’t sound as boomy and cluttered, and won’t lack detail in the treble range. However, they might sound too sharp for some. They also have twice the SE7’s battery life. On the other hand, the SE7 are better-built and more comfortable headphones. This new design feels more high-end, doesn’t have a glossy finish that is fingerprint prone, and doesn’t feel flimsy.
The TREBLAB Z2 Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Cowin E7 Pro Wireless. The TREBLAB are more comfortable and feel better-built. They also have a much more accurate sound profile that doesn't sound as boomy and muddy. On the other hand, the Cowin have a much better ANC feature, and they also last a lot longer off a single charge.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Cowin E7 Pro looks almost identical to the original Cowin E7 Wireless but with different backplates on their ear cups. This gives them a more premium appeal, thanks to the brushed metal look. Everything else is pretty much the same. The ear cups are the same size and shape, the headband also hasn't changed, and even the location of the buttons are the same except that they're now more flush with the ear cups than on the previous model. They don't have the best build quality, and unfortunately, the plastic used in their build quality feels low grade and a bit cheap, but they should look good enough for most listeners.
The Cowin E7 Pro, like the original Cowin E7 Wireless, are well-padded and fairly comfortable headphones. They still have the same issue with the headband that doesn't extend far enough to accommodate all head sizes, but on the upside, they're lightweight, and the padding used for the ear cups is slightly softer than on the original model. They're not uncomfortable, but because the headband doesn't extend far enough and the ear cups are small and round (which doesn't always fit over the ears), they may get a bit fatiguing to wear for long periods.
The Cowin E7 Pro's button layout is the same as the Cowin E7 Wireless. They have slightly worse feedback since the buttons are flush with the back of the ear cups and don't have as much travel as in the original. The layout is a bit more spaced out but still feels slightly cramped on the right ear cup. They provide the essential controls for volume, call/music, and skipping tracks. They also have a dedicated switch to enable Bluetooth and noise canceling. Unfortunately, the cramped layout and the odd placement of the volume controls are not as intuitive and may take some time to get used to.
These headphones are fairly breathable, mostly because they don't always cover the ear. They can make you sweat more than usual if used for working out, but you can listen to them for more than an hour and not be too bothered by the temperature difference since they're a bit more breathable than typical closed-back designs. Unfortunately, they won't be the ideal headphones for sports.
Unlike the Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless, these headphones don't fold to take less space. They're on the larger side for over-ear headphones with a slightly bulky design that's not convenient to carry on your person. The ear cups do lay flat, but it doesn't save much space, so you may most likely need a bag to carry them around.
The Cowin E7 Pro come with a good but bulky hard case that offers a lot more protection for your headphones than the pouch included in the original Cowin E7 Wireless' box. Unfortunately, it won't be the easiest to carry around but will shield your headphones from scratches, drops, impacts, and minor water damage.
The Cowin E7 Pro have the same build quality as the regular model. They look a bit more premium thanks to the brushed metal look of the backplates on the ear cups instead of the glossy finish. However, their build quality still feels a bit cheap and plasticky overall. The headband is decently well-constructed with a metal frame for reinforcement. However, the plastic used for the ear cups feels low-grade and a bit flimsy. They won't break from a few falls, but the ear cups and hinges don't feel as durable as the more recent Cowin SE7 Wireless.
These headphones are decently stable. They have a relatively tight fit on some heads which means they won't move during casual listening sessions and even a mild jog. However, they're not sports headphones, and due to their bulk and size, they still sway a lot during strenuous activities, so they won't be the ideal headphones for running or working out. On the upside, they're wireless, so they won't get yanked off your head because the cable got hooked on something.
The Cowin E7 Pro have great frequency response consistency. In the bass range, the maximum deviation across our five human subjects is less than 2dB, which is great. They also have a very consistent delivery in the treble range, and the response doesn't change much across multiple re-seats and positions.
The Cowin E7 Pro's bass is passable. The low-bass is underemphasized, so mixes lack thump and rumble. However, the rest of the range is overemphasized, delivering intense punch and boom. Some users may find they sound very muddy.
The mid-range performance is sub-par. The overall response is rather uneven and not very balanced. The low-mid is somewhat neutral, although there's still some overemphasis coming from the high-bass, which could make mixes sound slightly cluttered. The mid-mid and high-mid are also overemphasized, so vocals and lead instruments are boxy and honky.
The Cowin E7 Pro's treble accuracy is okay. It's overemphasized across the range, so vocals and lead instruments are slightly harsh. Sibilants like cymbals are very piercing and painful, though.
The Cowin E7 Pro's imaging performance is excellent. Weighted group delay is at 0.61, which is decent. Also, the GD graph shows that the group delay response crosses the audibility threshold below 80Hz, but not by much. This may result in a loose and slow bass response, but it won't be very audible since the E7 Pro doesn't produce much bass below 40Hz. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our unit were exceptionally well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, video game effects) in the stereo field.
The Cowin E7 Pro have a disappointing soundstage. The PRTF graph shows a decent amount of pinna activation; however, the interaction is not accurate, and there's no 10kHz notch present either. This and their closed-back design suggest a soundstage that is perceived to be located inside the listener's head, as opposed to in front.
The Cowin E7 Pro have decent isolation (see our recommendations for the best cancelling headphones). In the bass range, where the rumble of airplane and bus engines sits, they isolate by about 12dB, which is decent. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they achieved about 14dB of isolation, which is also good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, they reduce outside noise by about 29dB, which is also great.
Note: The ANC system of the Cowin E7 Pro is very sensitive to movement and changes in the seal, and for some people, even small head movements and seal changes create an audible noise and cause the sound to cut out. This may be a deal-breaker for some.
The leakage performance is decent. A significant portion of the leakage is between 500Hz and 2kHz, which is a relatively broad range. It results in a leakage that is fuller sounding than that of in-ears and earbuds. However, the overall level of the leakage is not very loud. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 39dB SPL and peaks at 54dB SPL, which is just above the noise floor of most offices.
The Cowin E7 Pro's integrated microphone has a sub-par performance. LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 247Hz, indicating that speech recorded/transmitted with this mic will sound relatively thin. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 2.6kHz results in a speech that's noticeably muffled and lacking detail. The response between the LFE and HFE points is also quite uneven, negatively affecting the understandability of speech.
The noise handling of the integrated microphone is mediocre. In our SpNR test, it achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 12dB, suggesting it's best suited for quiet environments. In moderate and loud environments, it will struggle to fully separate speech from ambient noise.
The Cowin E7 Pro have a great battery performance, longer than the Cowin E8 Wireless, and can easily last you through an entire day, better than the standard Cowin E7 Wireless. They're very slow to recharge, though. They can be used while charging, which is nice. Unfortunately, there's no power-saving feature, and they must be turned off manually.
There's no companion app available for the Cowin E7 Pro.
The Cowin E7 Pro are easy to pair with your device since they support NFC, which is a good thing as they can't pair with multiple devices.
Their latency is likely too high for watching movies on PCs, and the audio may be noticeably out of sync. If you need them to watch movies, wired headphones are better. Depending on your source, it might be possible to manually delay the video to get the sound back in sync.
The Cowin E7 Pro come with a simple audio cable with no in-line mic or remote. They're universal and can be used with any device, but only for audio.
The Cowin E7 Pro, like the Cowin E7 Wireless, don't have a base/dock. If you want good wireless headphones with a dock, check out the SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless 2017 or our recommendations for the best wireless headphones.