These Wireless Headphones Gave Me a Whole New Appreciation for Music
UPDATE: Since the publish date two months ago, my headphones have completely fallen apart. There's really no explanation, as they've been sitting on my desk at work since the day I received them. One side broke in December, and the other side broke last week. I don't know if it's a fluke and I received a poorly made pair, or if this is how all the pairs are made. I reached out to the Krankz team and have not heard back as of Jan. 28, 2020. I still stand by the impressive sound quality of this product, but now I can't even embrace it because my headphones are beyond repair.
For someone who's always been obsessed with music, you'd probably think I'd be totally up-to-date on headphones. Ha! Wrong.
I've, in fact, still been rockin' out to my trusty ol' Ludacris Soul headphones that have graced my desk (wherever that may be) since 2014. Now don't get me wrong—despite a little wear and tear, these bad boys are good as new, never failing to miss a beat (pun intended). I guess because I've been disappointed in music as of late, I haven't really put much thought into upgrading my sound.
But when a rep for Las Vegas-based Krankz Audio reached out about reviewing a set of the brand's new MAXX headphones, I figured maybe this was the world's way of telling me it was time for a change. Within days, I was sent my very own pair, and the rest is history!
The Product
Krankz Maxx headphones are a no-frills product with a straightforward mission: to easily make and receive phone calls hands-free and to listen to your favorite music. All the buttons you need are located in a round function component on the "R" side of the system. When the headset is connected to a mobile device, you can answer calls by pressing the "play" button on the right side of the headphone and hang up by pressing the same button. You can also go back and forth between songs by using the "+" and "-" buttons.
Adorned in gold and black, the headphones also come with a heavy-duty carrying case, USB charging cable and audio connecting cable—all for $199.
The Experience
To be honest, I initially did not prioritize my Krankz review. I had their unopened box stashed away in a corner of my apartment, procrastinating until I couldn't any longer.
Okay, so why did I put off using a high-end electronic device? Well, for that reason alone. I am so turned off (get it?) by technology. I seriously don't know how to put anything together and couldn't care less about having all the nifty gadgets the kids are using these days. Just give me a cell phone, a camera and a computer, and I'm good to go.
Finally, once I forced myself to buckle down and install this bad boy, the first thing that caught my eye was the minimal user manual. I was shocked. Never have I seen a pamphlet this small, and I knew this was a good sign. I rummaged through it and was even more taken aback by the actual instructions. Before I knew it, the connection was established via Bluetooth in under 90 seconds. Whoa.
So, now onto the reason you're probably reading this in the first place—the sound! Wow, so musically speaking, I noticed a difference in my new vs. old headphones, even with the first song. The beats were pulsating and I seriously felt like I was in my own world. Headphones haven't made me feel that way in a long time.
I'm actually going to a concert on Saturday, and I decided that listening to the artist's new album was the best way to give these headphones the true test they deserve. All I can say is I messaged my friend right away to tell her I needed to take them off because the powerful sound was distracting me from my office responsibilities. Using these headphones truly allowed me to hear sounds in a heightened state. It was a cool experience that I look forward to taking advantage of more moving forward.
When it comes to the sound on phone calls, just as the manual instructs, a simple press of the "play" button immediately connects the call and then you just start talking. The other person on my test call could hear me perfectly fine, which surprised me because there are no visible mics on the headphones. Welp, visible or not, they work—whew!
Bottom Line
To say I'm impressed with Krankz MAXX headphones is an understatement. Not only did I upgrade my old-school headphones, but I can now talk to people on the phone using them, too (I told you, I'm super technologically disadvantaged. I did not know how to connect anything to Bluetooth prior to this exercise). Setting this whole thing up has now actually inspired me to connect my car to Spotify via Bluetooth.
All of that said, $199 is a lot to pay to hear songs you can just listen to from your computer speakers (or less expensive headphones). If music isn't of utmost importance to you, I don't think these are a must-buy, but if you do want to hear your favorite songs at the highest quality, I strongly recommend giving these a shot. Sound is often distorted in cheaper headphones, and there's something valuable about knowing you're hearing a song exactly the way the artist or producer intended.
Need the perfect tunes for all your headphone enjoyment? Click HERE for the 10 best lesser-known bops by your favorite pop stars!
