Smartomi HOOP review - by Niyologist




The Smooth Dark Knight
Smartomi HOOP review
-Written by Niyologist


Introduction:
I am a man that is after a few goals. There is one goal in particular that makes my heart race. The Ultimate Portable Sound. I will keep hunting for it. It seems like an endless goal. Although that's the fun of it. The journey.

Thank you Jennifer Zeng for sending me a review sample of the Smartomi HOOP.

Pros: Warm, Smooth Sound, decent clarity, punchy bass, good durability for the price, lightweight, fast connectivity.

Cons: Bluetooth Signal not stable for uninterrupted long term listening, track transition a bit sluggish.


Bluetooth tech: Version 4.1 w/AptX CSR


About AptX CSR: In digital audio data reduction technology, aptX (formerly apt-X) is a family of proprietary audio codec compression algorithms currently owned by Qualcomm.



Specs and Care of Product:

Dimensions 170*200*75mm

Item Weight 189g (6.67 oz)

Package 1 x User manual;

1 x Wireless headphone;

1 x Micro USB cable;

1 x 3.5mm audio cable;

Note Keep the headset away from heat and humidity.

Do not drop or knock the headset.

Do not use chemicals or detergents to clean the headset.

Due to the portable design of the headphones, users with relatively small head circumference may feel more comfortable during use.

Working Time Play Time: 16 Hours

Waterproof IPX4

Battery Charging Time: 1 Hour;

Charging Voltage: DC 5V;

Operating Voltage: 3.7V;

As for the Waterproof Rating. I can't confirm it. I have never tested it in rainfall. The Manual says to not have it in high humidity. So I never took the chance.

Charging Connector: Micro USB Interface;

Signal tests:
I've done tons of tests. It seems that the signal from the HOOP is solid for indoor use. For outdoor use, it jitters a bit. When I commute to Midtown Manhattan. It makes it difficult to keep a good signal. There's a lot of drop outs. Mainly due to other rogue signals nearby that make it tough to keep it connected. Stronger Bluetooth sources like My Axon 7 and more frequently used Moto X4 make it easier to keep a steadier signal in Midtown Manhattan.

Accessories:
Micro USB Charging Cable and Auxiliary Cable.



Build Quality and Design: 
Rubbery like coating and plastic build. The head band has a soft leather padding on the top arch. The band is also made out of tough and lightweight metal. The Left and Right markings are raised within the rubber like ABS plastic. The left side has the mic, pause/play, and rewind/fast forward buttons. The right side has the volume buttons, power buttons and charging port. The cups have a Matte Black color. Very nice touch.

Controls:
What I like about the Smartomi are the very responsive controls. The mic is very responsive with phone calls. The pause/play and rewind/fast forward buttons work on just about all of my Bluetooth sources like the Shanling M1, Hidizs AP60, Cowon Plenue R, and Moto X4. The issue with the response of the controls is that the signal interruptions make it slightly more difficult to transition to other tracks. Otherwise it's snappy at home. Where there is excellent signal.

Battery Life and Charge:
I have tested this out numerous times. The headset has truly long battery life of over 10 hours. The charge is super quick too. It never charges longer than 1.5 hours.



Sound:


Sources used most: Cowon Plenue R and Moto X4.


Bass: Slightly boomy with a good amount of slam. Not entirely for bass heads. Lacks texture and articulation when it's wired and wireless. Despite that it's still punchy.


Mids: Fairly laid back in general. Average detail. Very 2 dimensional. Although it is warm sounding.


Treble: Lower treble has a slight peak. Yet not sibilant. Mainly due to the warm atmosphere and probably the tuning. After that it's smooth and drops off after 8 KHz.


Sound Signature: Warm and Smooth with a bit shine on the top. Overall balanced.


Soundstage: Decent depth and width. Yet it doesn't jump out at you. It's more of a surrounding feel.


Conclusion: 
The Smartomi HOOP is a decent headset for watching movies on your phone. It's also decent for music as well. The best results from this headset are used with sources that have AptX Bluetooth connection. Anything else less than that will make it pointless to use it. AptX signal works best with devices that also have AptX signal. For CD Sound Quality.
If you like warm and balanced sound with decent details and don't like being bound by wires. Then this is for you.






1 Comments

  1. I have them and they’ve been going strong for 6 years and I am not kind to them

    ReplyDelete

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