The Polk Audio Buckle are well-made, sturdy headphones that sound a little dark and bass-heavy. They look and feel high-end, and they're sufficiently comfortable for most listeners. Unfortunately, they have a rigid design that's not very portable and they don't block a lot of noise, so they won't be the ideal option for commuting. On the upside, they barely leak even at higher volumes.
Our Verdict
The Polk Audio Buckle are mediocre-at-best for mixed usage. They're well-built premium looking headphones with a decently comfortable design and very low leakage. This makes them a decent option for office use and they have a good enough sound to be average for critical listening. Unfortunately, they don't block a lot of noise and they're not portable, so they won't be the best headphones for commuting or sports.
- Minimal leakage.
- Sturdy and durable build quality.
- Poor noise isolation.
- Cumbersome and rigid design.
The Polk Audio Buckle are decent for neutral listening. They have a slightly elevated bass that bleeds into the mid-range, which makes their sound a little muddy and boomy. That and the tapered high-frequencies, as well as the limited soundstage, due to their closed-back design, makes them sound a bit dark overall. They're still balanced and comfortable enough to satisfy most casual listeners, especially fans of a deep rumbling bass-range. Unfortunately, they won't be ideal for more neutral listeners.
Subpar for commuting. They don't block a lot of noise, and they're kind of bulky and cumbersome to carry around on your person. On the upside, they're comfortable and have a good control scheme.
The Polk Audio Buckle are mediocre for sports. They're a bit too bulky and unstable to use while running. They're also not particularly breathable headphones, so your ears will get quite hot when exercising with them on.
The Polk Audio Buckle are mediocre-at-best for office use. They won't block the chatter of a busy office but they don't leak much at high volumes, so they'll rarely distract your colleagues.
The Polk Audio Buckle aren't suitable for wireless gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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