INTRODUCTION

   Even though just 3 years ago noone had ever seen a "true" wireless set of earbuds today the market is filled with them and although many consumers seem to be somewhat reluctant in acquiring one (at least judging from all the people we know) that doesn’t seem to keep many manufacturers (both new and old) from releasing new models with extra features. Perhaps the most important feature introduced lately is the addition of charging cases which also act as portable batteries (power banks) capable of not only charging the wireless earbuds but also your mobile devices. Sandberg recently released their very own true wireless earbuds (Bluetooth Earbuds + Powerbank) which we've been using for just over a month now.

   Sandberg stands for quality and user-friendliness. If it is important for you that accessories are high quality and easy to figure out how to use, then choose Sandberg. Our ideology "IT is for everybody" is part of everything we do. Since its inception in 1985, private consumers, institutions and companies have benefited from this simple philosophy. Distributors and dealers appreciate the availability, range, simple procedures and the exceptionally low failure rate. Every year over half a million Sandberg products find their way to users in more than 30 countries. Choosing Sandberg means choosing a safe and conscientious product that meets all applicable regulatory requirements. A product manufactured by subcontractors who are committed to following Sandberg's Code of Conduct to ensure decent working conditions and reduce the environmental impact of the production and waste disposal.

   Inside each of the two earbuds of the Sandberg Bluetooth + Powerbank model we find 6mm large dynamic drivers (frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with 32Ohms +-15% impedance, signal to noise ratio of 84dB and 0.3mW rated power), single condenser/capacitor microphones (one located in each earbud / -42dB sensitivity) and 50mAh rechargeable batteries (one for each earbud) which give the earbuds up to 3 hours of playback time. This model also features Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity (10 meters range with full support for A2DP v1.2/AVRCP v1.5/HFP v1.6/HP v1.2 profiles) and is bundled with an aluminum charging case that houses a 2100mAh lithium polymer battery pack which can also be used as a powerbank to charge your mobile devices (however leaving out the rather small battery capacity due to the 5V/1A charging output it can't be used with large devices like tablets).

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The main product features are listed at the front of the box right beneath two product pictures and next to the 5 years warranty logo.

A few words about the product are printed at the rear of the box in 24 languages.

You can take a look at the product itself by opening up the front cover as seen above.

Along with the Bluetooth earbuds and the charging case (powerbank) inside the box Sandberg has also placed two extra sets of silicon eartips, carrying/storage cloth pouch, USB to micro USB charging cable and a user guide.

THE BLUETOOTH EARBUDS AND POWERBANK

There are 3 sets of silicon eartips in the package along with the already mounted one (small/medium/large).

The exterior body of both wireless earbuds is made out of plastic and is not as rugged as what we’ve seen by other models.

According to our very own measurements each wireless earbud weighs just 6g and measures just 14mm in width and 21.4mm in height.

Since we have numerous wireless earbuds in the lab right now in order to showcase their size and design we placed the wireless earbuds by Sandberg next to similar models by ERL, SoundPEATS, Jabra and TRELAB.

The earbuds have but a single  silver button (on-off/answer-end calls/play-pause music) on their end right next to the activity LED.

Sandberg has placed a single 6mm large driver in each earbud and although these are not as large as what we've found in other models they are good for the overall size of the earbuds.

The 78g heavy aluminum charging case measures 90.8mm in length, 40.9mm in width and 23.5mm in height/thickness.

There are two openings for the earbuds at the top of the case while at the bottom we find the micro USB input charging port and the USB output port (5V/1A).

Once you place both earbud in their place a red light will start to blink indicating that they are getting charged.

Since the case holds the earbuds inside for extra protection to remove them you will need to push the base of the case upwards.

CONCLUSION

   Having tested several other true wireless earbud models what really stands out about the Bluetooth Earbuds + Powerbank by Sandberg is their tiny size and although that automatically means they had to make some compromises (namely in terms of battery life and bass levels) we all found them easier to wear/use than most. Audio quality is actually surprisingly good and loud for the size with accurate mids and highs, however as mentioned earlier we found the Sandberg Bluetooth Earbuds lacking in terms of bass. Battery life is also somewhat reduced due to the tiny size of the earbuds and although Sandberg reports you can use them for up to 3 hours we were able to only surpass 2 hours and 15 minutes during our tests (just like always however we were testing them at almost full volume). Still although I doubt many people will be using the earbuds for well over 2 continuous hours this number is less than half compared to the Jabra Elite 65t and slightly less compared to both the xFyro xS2 and ERL models which we reviewed a while back. The good news is that thanks to the 2100mAh battery pack found in the charging case you can charge the earbuds up to roughly 20 times so with that in mind battery life isn’t really an issue. As for the microphones they may not deliver the clarity and noise suppression as the ones used in the Jabra Elite 65t but we encountered no significant issues while making and answering calls.

   Sandberg products are well known to people largely because of their price/performance ratio and this is partially true about their Bluetooth Earbuds + Powerbank model. The reason I say partially is because currently you can find the Bluetooth Earbuds + Powerbank model for 86Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) a price tag which may seem as a bit high for some people. Yes you are also getting a 3100mAh powerbank along with the wireless earbuds but with the prices of powerbanks getting hit on a daily basis that just may not be enough for some people (even though it’s far better compared to what you’re getting from the xFyro xS2). That being said we did like using the Sandberg Bluetooth Earbuds + Powerbank and although the lack of bass, earbud quality (always compared to other models we've reviewed to date) and price are things we’d like improved we still recommend taking a look if you’re out in the market for one such product.

PROS

- Build Quality (Brushed Aluminum Charging Case)
- Good Audio Quality And Volume (For The Size)
- Tiny Earbuds
- Charging Case / Powerbank (2100mAh)
- Regular Size USB Charging Port

CONS

- Price (Compared To Similar Models)
- Charging Case (Limited Earbud Protection)
- Earbud Quality (Compared To Similar Models)