Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless Review

Taking a breather from drooling all over new Grado headphones, today I’m checking out the new Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless earphones.  Retailing for a decent $70, these wireless earphones won’t break your bank.  But is the price worth the cost?  And how do these earphones stack up against the competition?

Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless Review

The Hummingbird comes with a ton of accessories:  eight pairs of eartips, a micro-USB charging cable, a user manual, and a snazzy carrying pouch.

Design-wise, the Hummingbird seems a bit large, but these headphones seem pretty solid, too.  A rubberized coating on the top of the earpieces and on the ear loop help with sweat resistance.  So whether you’re a health freak getting swole or some fat audio guy writing reviews all day, your sweat won’t short these babies out.

That aside, the bulk of the earpieces means finding the perfect fit may require some trial and error.  For my own giant, radar-dish ears, I found the included large regular silicon tips to the be the most comfortable.  Once fitted in my ear, these things STAY IN.

Pairing is quick and painless – just the way I like it when it comes to wireless earphones.  Just press and hold the center button on the in-line remote and, BOOM, you’re in pairing mode.  You can use the same remote to adjust volume and playback.

Battery life is rated at an impressive 14.5 hours with a total charging time of under 2 hours.

Now, I know what you’re thinking…  Can’t be that good, right?  There’s gotta be a catch, right?  These things will stop working after a month, right?  Two words:  Lifetime Warranty.

Specifications

Frequency Range: NA
Nominal Impedance: NA
Sound Pressure Level: NA

Bliiq doesn’t offer up any specifications regarding the Hummingbird Wireless.  However, I’d place the frequency range around 20-18,000 Hz and the impedance around 23 or 32 ohms.  Sound pressure level is probably close to standard as well, right around the 98 dB mark.  Despite the lack of data, I’m not too miffed, as the Hummingbird seems to actually sound good.  It’s only my inner gearhead who needs to validate that sound with cold, logical numbers.

Low End

The Bliiq Hummingbird displays adequate detail in the low end.  A well-tempered bass impact adds some weight to the low end, but the bass never sounds too boomy or overstated.  And, despite some minor bleed, this part of the frequency range remains fairly clean.

Midrange

In the midrange, the Hummingbird Wireless shows off a small amount of compression.  in spite of this, though, the sound remains impressive with good clarity and decent accuracy.  You won’t hear distortion here, and the mids lean slightly forward, delivering an intimate, energetic listening experience.

High End

Never too piercing or uncomfortable, the Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless avoids an overly-bright high end.  Instrumentation remains accurate and detailed, while vocals sound smooth and velvety.  And while I was expecting screeching violins and peaky lyrics, the Hummingbird handles every one of my test tracks with ease.

Soundstage

In regard to depth and a sense of space, the Hummingbird performs about as well as any other earphone.  For the price, though, this earphone actually does a surprisingly good job.  Sure, the sound isn’t on par with a pair of over-ear headphones.  But there’s still an airiness to the notes.  And for wireless earbuds that are sweat resistant with a lifetime warranty retailing for under $100, I’ll take it.

Other Observations

I am surprised at how well the Bliiq Hummingbird sounds overall.  For a $70 earphone, there are some hiccups, including an iota of distortion and a little compression.  But that being said, the sound remains enjoyable and engaging.  And not just for rock and pop and electronica and hip-hop.  Throw some classical or acoustic tracks at this bird and watch it soar.

The solid build is another hallmark of the Hummingbird’s design.  Most wireless exercise earphones feel fairly well-made.  But the Hummingbird feels solid, and I wonder just how much of a beating this thing could take.  In contrast to the rigid plastic earpieces, the rubberized tops and ear loops go a long way in reassuring me of the build quality.  Tack on some decent comfort (once you’ve found the ideal fit), and you’ve got a very well-made earphone.

Bliiq’s Hummingbird Wireless offers one more really impressive feature.  Clicking the center remote button really fast two times switches the headphones to Ambient Mode.  In this mode, the in-line microphone picks up local sounds and amplifies them.  Running down the street and you’re approaching an intersection?  Two clicks and you’re good.  Killing it in your home gym and you think the doorbell just rang?  Two clicks and you’re good.  Hanging out with catty coworkers talking smack about you?  Two clicks and you’re good.

Of course, plenty of other headphones offer this feature (like the new $350 Sony WH-1000 MX3).  Yet, no model out there can switch modes this fast.  There is almost no latency while switching from one mode to the other on the Hummingbird, and that little difference is a huge benefit.

Recommendations

If you’re a fan of Brand Name electronics and need the latest Beats or Bose or whatever, sure, skip the Bliiq.  Your trendy friends probably won’t know this manufacturer.  For those looking for an affordable wireless earphone with great build quality and decent sound – as well as good battery life – the Hummingbird hits the spot.

For slightly better bass response and better water resistance, I would recommend the JBL Reflect Contour II.  However, this earphone only has 10 hours of batter life and doesn’t have the Hummingbird’s nifty Ambient Mode.  And at a price of $99, the JBL is 30% more expensive.  Personally, though, I would opt for the Hummingbird.

Final Analysis

For a low $70, the Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless offers an impressive sound and some fantastic features.  While some might scoff at the lack of brand recognition or the bulkier build, this earphone remains a solid option for anyone who needs inexpensive but high-quality wireless audio for exercise or general music enjoyment.

Get the Bliiq Hummingbird Wireless here:

Amazon – Black

Amazon – White

Amazon – Red

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