Huawei FreeClip headset test: something different after a long time

There are exceptions, for example Sony LinkBuds also have a rather unusual shape, Huawei FreeBuds Lipstick are special because of the shape of the charging box, while the headphones have a traditional look. Huawei has been bold several times so far. Once they hid the headphones in the smart watch (Watch Buds), the other however, they played with the traditional shape of the headphones and changed them to the shape of drops (Huawei FreeBuds 5). I didn't manage to test both, so I was still looking forward to being able to try something different after a long time.

I got the Huawei FreeClip wireless headphones for the test, which I also saw at the MWC in Barcelona. They were something special, that's why they stayed in my memory, and in the last two weeks, I left most of my sound experience to them.

What did I find out?

Huawei FreeClip price in Slovenia?

Huawei FreeClip are currently available for €199 in black or purple.

Huawei FreeClip: headphones, earrings or something else?

When you see them in the charging case, you know they're headphones. Without the box, however, I got more of various observations. At first, my partner thought that I had come up with the earrings for a late April Fool's joke, later she joked that she looked like an "exotic" toy. Others were also surprised by the appearance and the first thought was not always that it was headphones. Huawei's mind games have obviously worked, people will definitely remember the look of the FreeClip headphones and passers-by will look twice to see if they are headphones, earrings or something else.

Let's talk a few words about the appearance itself. The plug is the only thing classic about these headphones. The only difference is that they do not "get stuck" in the ear canal, but lie pleasantly just outside it. The second part of the headphones consists of a kind of pea, which is stuck on the earlobe. They are connected by something that Huawei called "C-bridge", and it is a bridge made of nickel-titanium alloy, which is extremely comfortable, despite the robust raw materials.

Very comfortable, they stay in place, but they are not without flaws

Comfort is actually the common denominator of all the components of the headphones. Since the jack is not directly in the ear canal, there is no unpleasant sensation present in some headphones. The pressure on the earlobe is also very pleasant and just enough to keep the headphones in place. This bridge in between, even though it seems very fragile at first glance, is actually very durable. I tried bending it and simulating what could possibly go wrong with it and saw no cause for alarm. I think the headphones will withstand several years of use without any problems.

Their lightness also contributes to comfort. They weigh only 5.6 grams and you can hardly hear them while wearing them. I was even more surprised by the fact that they stay in place. I wore them in the gym, while running, and regardless of the exercise, I didn't need to adjust their position in the ear every now and then. I was also shaking my head like some kind of fool and the headphones wouldn't budge.

The only time they were uncomfortable was when I fell asleep with them on, which at least happens to me often. I often listen to music before bed, and the thin walls between the apartments also mean that I can hear every noise from the neighboring apartment. If I want to have a peaceful night, I need headphones. At least for me, they wouldn't be fair in this regard, but I doubt that many people have similar inclinations for sleeping with headphones.

Like I also like that both plugs are interchangeable, there is no left or right earpiece, so you never know, especially in the dark, whether you have inserted the correct earpiece.

The design has its drawbacks, however. First of all, management, which we can do with moves, whether on the block, the pea or the bridge. Three options, but I was not satisfied with the reliability or responsiveness of any of them. I've been using Huawei's Freebuds Pro 2 headphones for a good two years, where, in addition to the sound and comfort, I'm most pleased that they always respond to my commands. With Huawei FreeClip, I had to repeat the gesture too many times, which became annoying.

Second is the setting. You simply insert ordinary headphones into the ear canal, some of them you may even twist to "lock", that's all. There's definitely a learning curve here on how to get the headphones in the fastest. At first I did it with both hands, but after a few tries I realized that it's easiest to first put the pea on the bell, put the earphone on the ear canal and then if necessary Still adjusting the bridge. It's not as easy as the others, but then again, it's not quantum physics.

*Environmental noise cancellation (ANC) is the third drawback, but from another perspective, it is also an advantage. I have heard too many times that the cause of an accident/injury was inattention due to the ANC being on. Well, since this is not available with Huawei FreeClip, this should not be a problem. Personally, I miss it, especially if I would take them with me on a noisy plane. I also miss being able to forget about my surroundings by eliminating the noise. While reading a book, I can put soothing music in my ears and at the same time not be disturbed by sounds I don't want to hear. With the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, which I use every day, I have a choice of how much noise I want to hear. When I go for a short run with it, I can still set whether I will have ANC on or not. With Huawei FreeClip, you don't have that choice.

What about sound and battery?

It's not the best, but it's not bad either, it's a golden mean. Basically, at first I was surprised by the sound, because I thought the position of the headphones would make it much less penetrating. Yes, the bass is portable, I am satisfied with the highest volume, medium and high frequencies are mostly well exposed. It often happens that just the noises from the surroundings destroy the composition. While you are impatiently waiting for the chorus of your favorite music, the sound of a mixer from the kitchen creeps into your ears.

The average user will be very satisfied with them, audiophiles will have some kind of comment, especially since there is no possibility of manual control of the equalizer in the application. Pre-built profiles are available, for example treble amplifier, vocal accent profile, etc., and you can also set spatial effects (cinema, theater, etc.).

When it comes to controls, I miss being able to control the headphones with one touch. With a double tap, you can change the track, make a pause, answer a call, and with a triple tap, you can only change the track.

They last approximately 6-7 hours with one charge, and the charging box adds another good 30 hours.

I would almost always use them at home, I would stick with mine on the road

Huawei FreeClip is extremely interesting to me. They do a lot of things right. The shape is unforgettable, they are extremely comfortable, suitable for recreation and like I like that the headphones are interchangeable. But I criticize the sound, which is good, but it could be even better, the absence of noise cancellation, which, at least in my case, I still miss the most, and the more difficult gesture management. It's also a shame that they have a fairly high price, if they were around 50 € cheaper, they wouldn't immediately be compared to Sony, Beats, Apple headphones and the like.

For me, I can say that I would be happy to use them at home and during recreation. I wouldn't use them before bed, and on airplanes and in other noisy environments, they would immediately take my existence outčwith noise cancellation.