Design | 6.8 |
Sound | 5.7 |
Isolation | 6.4 |
Active Features | 2.7 |
The Venstone X1 have a simple, straightforward aesthetic. They come with additional hook sleeves that transform the audio cables into an ear-hook design that's more stable than typical in-ear models. They're incredibly lightweight and easy to carry on your person. Unfortunately, they have a mediocre control scheme, and their build quality looks a little cheap. They don't seem as durable as some other in-ear headphones.
The Venstone X1 have a regular in-ear fit, which may not be comfortable for some listeners. They have an ear-hook design that's a little difficult to put on because of the soft malleable hook sleeves. This combined with the small earbuds can be a frustrating experience. On the upside, they have two extra tip sizes that may help you find a comfortable fit.
These headphones have a mediocre control scheme that only provides a call/music button. It's not optimized for all phones but does offer track skipping functionality on iOS devices. However, there is no volume control and the button doesn't provide good tactile feedback.
These headphones are moderately stable. The ear-hook design provides a bit more stability than typical earbuds. Unfortunately, it's cheaply made, and the earbuds have an awkward fit that sometimes slips out of your ears, even if the headphones do not fall off. They would be stable enough for your daily job but are not stable enough for high-intensity exercises at the gym.
The X1 comfortably fit in most pockets, bags or purses, and they're small enough to carry on your person without hassle. They're highly portable headphones, and although the hooks make them slightly larger than regular in-ear buds, they're flexible and can be folded to take less space. Sadly, they don't come with a case, which is slightly disappointing.
The Vensotone X1 have a decent build quality. The audio cable is rubberized and moderately thick, which should be able to withstand a fair amount of wear and tear. However, the overall build quality feels a little cheap. The plastic used in the design is low grade and won't handle physical stress as well some other higher-end in-ear models we've tested. They do not seem durable.
The Venstone X1 are a sub-par sounding pair of closed-back in-ear headphones. They have an average sounding bass, but a poor mid-range and treble. Additionally, their bass is excessive and boomy, their mid-range is thin and lacking, and their treble reproduction is uneven. Also, like most closed-back headphones, they have a poor soundstage. But on the plus side, they don't produce a lot of distortion.
These headphones do not isolate listeners very well. The in-ear seal is not as good as some the other in-ear models and still lets a lot of noise seep into your audio. This makes them unideal in loud environments. Unless you're listening to your music at high volumes, you will still be able to hear the rumbling noise of a train and even the chatter of a busy office. On the upside, they barely leak so playing your audio at high volumes, will not disturb the people around you.
Poor Isolation. Although these headphones isolate passively, the amount of Treble isolation they provide is very good. However, they fail to achieve more than 7dB of isolation in the Mid Range, and provide none in the Bass Range.
The Venstone X1 are not the most well-rounded headphones. They have a stable ear-hook design, and they're compact. However, their sound is uneven, and they don't seem that durable.
Mediocre for critical listening. They're not the most comfortable and have a poorly balanced sound that's too closed for critical listening.
Mediocre for commuting. They don't block as much noise as some other in-ear headphones, which makes them not ideal for loud environments.
Above-average for sports. They have a stable ear-hook design. They're small and easy to carry around on your person, wherever you go.
Mediocre for office use. They won't block the chatter of a busy office but barely leak any sound.
Decent for home theater use. They have no latency but a short audio cable. If you watch movies on a PC or tablet than they should be good enough but, the lack of range makes them poorly suited for watching TVs on your couch unless you have an audio cable extension cord.