Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review, Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review

Bang and Olufsen is no novice to the active noise cancelling game. With a trove of stylish and sound-barring headphones, they’ve been holding it down. Now, they’ve got me impressed with their latest in-ear option. Check it all out in our Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review.

Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review, Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Beoplay E4 Review – Build & Design

Bang and Olufsen products are always built with the best in materials while adhering to their very distinct looks. Beoplay E4 is no different. These wired buds are minimal and black-on-black featuring the signature B&O logo on the earbud housings and battery pack. Yes, because this is a wired ANC earphone there is a battery pack. It’s not too heavy but its there. I like that it is positioned closer to the 3.5 mm jack so it’s tucked into your pocket or your purse along with your smart device rather than dangling by your face or awkwardly

Beoplay E4 Review – Features

Active Noise Cancelling Ability

ANC, my office has got a pretty loud air conditioner unit. It’s got a great deal of force behind it. The ANC microphone in this headphone did an impressive job of turning down to a barely audible hum. I also couldn’t really hear my co-worker who was talking just a few feet away from me. He sounded more like a mumble. Once I turned my audio on, it was like neither the AC unit or my co-worker existed. Then, I took these babies to the streets where they truly proved their worth. The E4 has an amazing ability to tune the world out – street noise, including traffic and nearby chatter, were severely dampened. Again, once I followed with some music New York’s city sounds were basically gone.

In addition, I’m quite sensitive to active noise cancellation which can make me feel sick within minutes of wearing them, but that is not an issue with Beoplay E4. The ANC is perfect for those who want to effectively “kill the noise” without sensing the ANC at work and subsequently becoming sick.

Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review

Transparency

This is a pretty cool feature that allows users to instantly tune into their environment. By simply sliding the ANC button on the battery pack to the on position and holding it for about two seconds you’ll find your self in transparency mode. You’ll also know because the LED light will change from white to blue. When you do this your music will stop playing and your environment will come streaming through your headphones at what sounds like an amplified level. When you’re ready to hear your music again simply toggle back to the on position for your music and ANC.

Another feature, though small, but very important, is the fact that the cable includes an in-line remote and mic. It works like most earbud remote controllers do, with buttons for volume control, track navigation, and answering calls, and queuing Siri on iOS devices.

For those of us who have small ears, Beoplay E4 is sure to include some teeny tiny tips, ranging from XS to L. This is definitely advantageous as the tighter the seal, the better your music sounds, and the better the sound barrier between your ear drums and your noisy environment, “Hello!”

Beoplay E4 Review – Sound

Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 Review

For that alone, I think the headphones are a great grab. However, I’m not done yet. Audio quality is extremely important and Bang and Olufsen always presents a great sound sounding product in a good-looking package. The Beoplay E4 did not disappoint. The super stylish earbuds provide listeners with an overall warm sound. The bass is deep and healthy while remaining rich and controlled without bleeding over the rest of your music – a really lovely sound. The mid-range is also really nice, delivering quite a bit of clarity through to the highs. There is also a nice amount of separation between vocals and instruments making for an overall pleasant listening experience.

Beoplay E4 Review – Specs

Frequency Response Range: 20 Hz – 16,000 Hz

Drivers: Electro-dynamic 10.8 mm

Run Time: Up to 20 hours (with ANC)

Charging Time: 2.5 hours

Beoplay E4 Review – Overall Performance

Bang and Olufsen’s E4 is a great earbud with impressive ANC. My only real gripe with this pair of buds is the price. There are much cheaper alternatives on the market that are also wireless. However, you can’t argue against the quality. It is there in terms of look, feel, sound, and features. If you’ve got $249 laying around, then go ahead and take the plunge because these earphones definitely get the job their supposed to do, done.

Grab Bang and Olufsen Beoplay E4 at the lowest price from Audio 46 when you use discount code “majorhifi” during checkout. E4 is also available at a competitive price from authorized retailers on Amazon.

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Sade is a journalist talking all things tech. Contact: sade@majorhifi.com