Groov-e has just launched a new set of true wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds called the Groov-e Ultra Buds, plus some noise-cancelling over-ear headphones called Groov-e Harmony. I’ll run through the specs below, but the headline-grabber is that both models cost just £34.99 in the UK – so around $46 or AU$68, if and when the models arrive on those shores.
If Groov-e isn’t a name that immediately fills you with confidence for an audiophile-grade experience, know that for us that’s been changing recently – earlier this year, we liked the Groov-e Serenity Sound Machine so much, we wrote a dedicated feature on how much it helped us catch some shut-eye.
Then there’s the company’s reliable, feature-packed and oh-so affordable Groov-e Zeus DAB radio clock, which also gained a very respectable four-star review, plus some crazy-cheap 2023-issue soundbars. So even though the 2019 Groov-e SoundBuds did not receive rave reviews from us under intense review (I helped test them for TechRadar’s sister publication, What Hi-Fi?, and our review of the SoundBuds echoed these sentiments) there is a back catalog of sonic hits there.
A Groov-e feature I wish Apple would implement
The Groov-e Ultra Buds boast 28 hours of wireless audio playback including the charging case (stamina per bud isn’t listed, but based on those figures I’d guess it’s around seven hours, plus three extra full charges in the case) and active noise cancellation – which is rarely seen at this ultra-budget level.
You also get on-ear touch controls and an integrated mic for calls, but the big draw for me is the clear LCD display on the case. No, it’s not a JBL Live Beam 3-esque smart screen, but it does offer a detailed, numerical battery life in each bud. This is far better, in my opinion, than the now-common four-LED light strip on most sets of the best budget earbuds, which can only give you vague estimates of remaining playtime to the nearest 25%.
And, as any AirPods Pro 2 owner knows, you only get one LED on your AirPods case – which means interpreting what green, amber, white, or a flashing variation of the above means for your battery status (unless you dig out your phone).
I’ve spoken at length with our regular contributor and reviewer Tom Bedford about this excellent perk (he owns a set of earbuds that tote a digital display), and what it comes down to is this: it doesn’t matter how effective the ANC is or how good the sound quality, if your earbuds run out of battery 20 minutes after you leave the house and you felt under-warned about it, you’ll be annoyed. And when you consider that when AirPods Pro 2’s head tracking, Spatial Audio and noise-cancelling features are all on, you’ll get about 5-6 hours between charges, I really wish Apple took AirPods’ battery life clarity even more seriously, so you don’t have to rely on your phone to know what it is.
The Harmony over-ears also offer active noise cancelling plus something Groove calls “super bass technology” for a more immersive sound experience. You also get voice assistant compatibility via a built-in mic and a 3.5mm audio cable if you want to listen using wires. They list a 25-hour playback per charge and unlike some of the market in 2024, the design folds nicely too.
Again, Groov-e Ultra Buds are available now with an MSRP of £34.99 (so roughly $46 or AU$68, although availability here is yet to be confirmed) in black and will be launching in white too at third-party retailers from October. Groov-e Harmony are available now, also for £34.99, in gray from Groov-e and will be launching in black at select retailers from October.
How good are they? Check back with us soon…
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becky.scarrott@futurenet.com (Becky Scarrott)
