The EKSA H1 Bluetooth headset addresses this need by providing sound isolation to one ear for the phone call while allowing one ear to hear the user’s surroundings. But in practice, is it the win-win situation it appears to be? Let’s dive in to find out.
Design and Comfort
At first glance, the EKSA H1 has a straightforward construction. The earcup and headband are durable ABS plastic, all in black, so you don’t have to worry about wear and tear happening too quickly. On the inside of the telescoping headband is a stainless steel band, which I always see as a sign of confidence for the life of a pair of headphones. The extra-large ear pads are made of a black soft faux leather material and cover the foam underneath very well. The 270-degree rotation of the microphone allows you to wear the H1 comfortably on either ear. Despite mainly being plastic, it sits well, and I’ve thrown it across my desk; on the dashboard of the car I had for the past week, it fell on the concrete a few times; nothing broke, not even a scratch. With dimensions of only 7.87 x 7.09 x 3.54 inches and a weight of 4.9 ounces, the H1 is exceptionally lightweight. The weight of the EKSA H1 wireless headset makes it highly comfortable to wear and use for long periods. The faux leather-covered foam ear cup is exceptionally soft and moulds to my massive ears no matter how I turn the microphone arm. It was super comfortable, and having an ear free to hear my surroundings gave me an added sense of security.
Controls
The control scheme of the EKSA H1 consists of physical onboard buttons, and you won’t find any rotary or capacitive buttons. This means that wearing gloves is not a hindrance, and you can still easily access the buttons. There are four buttons in total: an on/off/play/pause/call multifunction button with two dots on its surface so you can press it by feeling alone – volume up and down buttons, and a mute button located at the base of the microphone arm. Since using the H1, I have never pressed the wrong button, a testament to its intuitive placement.
Setup
The EKSA H1 Headset uses Bluetooth 5.0, and I quickly paired it with my iPhone and my Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. One press of the button between the volume buttons was enough, and within seconds I was connected. The device can be paired with two devices at once, which is handy if you have one smartphone for business and another one for personal use. You can connect the H1 headset to laptops, tablets and even your smartwatch.
Noise Cancellation and Call Quality
Although the EKSA H1 looks pretty simple, excellent ENC (Environmental Noise Canceling) is behind it. The chip detects noise surrounding you and uses an algorithm to pick up your voice, and it does so impressively. I first tested out the H1 by making some recordings on my iPhone while tapping my desk with a metal hammer. The tapping with the hammer was muted, and my recording caught all the timbre and deep range of my voice. I was shocked at how quickly the ENC chip picked up the sound and pushed it away while my vocals became a clear focal point of the recording. We did another test, not speaking but putting the vacuum cleaner close to the microphone, alternately on and off. Each time the vacuum cleaner was on, the ENC activated and attenuated the sound. The ENC effect consistently occurred within 0.4-0.5 seconds when the audio waveform. If the H1 is used in a noisy environment, such as in a car, truck, crowded place or office, it can immediately mute the ambient noise while keeping the phone call readable.
Connectivity and Range
The H1 Bluetooth headset is designed for truck drivers, call centres, construction sites and warehouses. This Bluetooth headset with a noise-cancelling microphone has an extra-long wireless working range of up to 30 meters for a better connection, faster transmission and better stability. If there are no obstacles, the wireless connection distance can even reach a long stretch of 50 meters.
Battery Life and Charging
The Eksa H1s come with a 500mAh battery. Eksa assures 165 hours of standby time, 57 hours of music, 30 hours of calls, and a full charge in 1.5 hours. I am a very talkative person; however, even I could not talk for 30 hours straight. However, I did have several two-hour conversations. I listened to music for five hours during meetings via Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams during an eight-hour day, and the battery never went dead. I want to add that even though I had it for a few weeks, I didn’t charge it until it arrived, and I’ve used it daily since then. So I put in well over 100 hours of mixed-use without charging, so that’s impressive.
Final Words
The H1 is just an excellent affordable headset, with excellent ENC microphone performance and solid sound that anyone who makes a lot of calls while driving or at their desk would want. They are incredibly durable and can handle anything I throw at them. Products like these prove once again that a low price doesn’t always have to mean cheap or poor quality. If you are on the road a lot of work from home, the EKSA H1 headset is one you should take a closer look at.
Where to Buy
More discount with 10% off Code: Use ETV8IRFE to get a deal.
