INTRODUCTION

   Most people i know only use wireless headsets and headphones while away from their homes and offices since obviously that does give them a higher degree of freedom compared to wired models (the lack of cables also does look better right?). Personally i use wireless headsets and headphones all the time whether I’m away or at home or the office although i do admit i prefer wired connectivity when I’m playing games, watching movies or listening to music while in bed. While on the road however it's not like one has much of a choice since cables do tend to be annoying so using wireless headsets has become a way of life for me many years now. Today we'll be taking a thorough look at one of the latest Bluetooth wireless headphones to hit the market the WR780 by TDK.

   TDK Life on Record, a leading global brand with a rich audio legacy, is dedicated to personalizing and enhancing audiophiles’ ever-evolving digital music lifestyles. TDK Life on Record audio products are carefully crafted to focus on performance, marrying a clean, striking design with the precision and flexibility of modern technology. This world-class line of premium audio products delivers a warm, authentic, high-fidelity entertainment experience. The TDK Life on Record logo is a trademark owned by TDK Corporation and is licensed exclusively to Imation Corp., a leading global developer and marketer of brands that empower people to capture, save and enjoy digital information. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

   Size-wise the WR780 is not your average everyday wireless headset since TDK gave it large earcups with large and very comfortable earcups. Now normally I’d say that they didn't have to follow that path since the two 40mm dynamic drivers don't require space (nor do the Bluetooth and NFC features) but comfort is not something to be taken lightly and unfortunately many manufacturers out there do. Digging deeper into the specifications of the WR780 we see that the 40mm dynamic drivers have a total power output of 10W (5W each) with a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz, 102dB (±3dB) sensitivity (the manual states 102dB while online TDK states 96dB so we will have to verify which is which) and 32Ohm impedance. The WR780 is compatible with Bluetooth v2.1 (EDR/A2DP/AVRCP/HSP/HFP) and wears a NiMh (Nickel–metal hydride) 3.6v 300mAh rechargeable battery pack which gives it up to 8 hours of use. So is the WR780 just as good as the many wireless speakers we've tested by TDK? Let's find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The box of the WR780 is actually made out of clear plastic with half of it dressed by a piece of cardboard so you can take a look at the left side.

A product description is placed on the left side and at the rear in 12 languages.

The bundle is not very rich so aside the WR780 wireless headphones you are also getting a 3.5mm cable with an inline microphone, microUSB charging cable, user manual and warranty information.

THE WR780

As mentioned in the beginning the WR780 is not small and to be more specific it measures 195mm in length, 195 in width and 90mm in height (weighs 260g).

Once again we used the compact Jabra Revo Wireless to showcase the difference in size.

TDK has placed their logo on the exterior of both earcups but the exterior of the left earcup also features the NFC sensor.

Left and right indicators are placed right above the exterior of the earcups.

The battery compartment is placed on the front of the left earcup (you can replace the battery by removing the round plastic and then using a T10 screwdriver).

Right beneath it we find the on/off switch, microUSB charging port and the battery charge LED indicator.

At the front of the right earcup we find the NFC/Bluetooth activity LED and three media navigation buttons (can also be used to increase/decrease volume and answer/end calls).

The 3.5mm mini jack port is placed at the base of the right earcup.

Although the hole of the earpads is not very large their size makes them very comfortable.

Unfortunately the headpad is not very thick although we didn't experience any issues with it (other manufacturers have used the same thickness in the past).

Both sides can extend up to 33mm (66mm total) via 9 increments.

Unfortunately there are only 3 increments visible on the interior.

You can fold the WR780 to save space although I’ve seen better folding with other models (due to the size however this isn't possible).

You can increase/decrease the volume levels and answer/end calls via a small in-line controller placed on the 1.2m long cable.

Both 3.5mm plugs are gold plated as you can see from the above picture.

CONCLUSION

   We've been testing the WR780 for slightly over a month primarily with our smartphones (also with A/V amps and tablets) both wired and wirelessly with quite good results. It doesn't do very well with highs since it does miss out some detail but it does offer a very good amount of bass with good mids so for the most part we're very happy with it. We were somewhat disappointed to see that it features Bluetooth v2.1 (reduced range and increased power consumption compared to newer versions) and that it doesn't support the rather new aptX audio codec (it supports SBC) but not all devices support aptX transmission as we speak (many new do but mostly expensive products) so even if TDK had implemented it chances are that your devices wouldn't support it and thus you'd be using SBC either way (still we'd like to see it featured in a brand new model). TDK also claims that the NiMH 3.6V 300mAh rechargeable battery pack gives the WR780 up to 8 hours of playback but with the volume almost maxed out we hardly reached 6 so although roughly 8 should be easy with the volume set at default i think most people will prefer something louder. As for size well the WR780 is quite bulky but thanks to the large and soft earpads and it's "acceptable" weight (260g) it's actually quite comfortable.

     There's probably only one reason for which we'd "excuse" TDK for using the somewhat outdated Bluetooth v2.1 and not featuring aptX and that's if the WR780 was priced extremely well which it really does. So currently the WR780 is a very affordable wireless headset since it retails for just USD65.62 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 61Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Now you can always opt for something better but to get something better at least in terms of features, battery life and audio quality you'd probably need to spend well over USD100/100Euros and at least for casual use that's not something many would do. Overall the WR780 is a good (yet bulky) wireless headset aimed towards the main segment of the market (not audiophiles) and since we really enjoyed using it (and probably will keep using it for a long time) it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Design
- Good Mids & Plenty Of Bass
- Good Volume Levels (Bluetooth Mode)
- Wired & Wireless Use
- Earcup Controls
- Foldable Design
- Good Battery Life (Up To 8 Hours)
- Removable Rechargeable Battery (For Some)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Very Soft Joints
- Bluetooth v2.1
- SBC Codec (Not aptX)