Phiaton BT 220 NC Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 and Active Noise Cancelling Earphones
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Product Specifications
- Bluetooth 4.0. also featuring aptX which increases digital streaming efficiency and improves overall dynamic range
- Near-Field Communication (NFC) Technology
- Active Noise Cancelling blocks up to 95% of ambient background noise
- Use any two Bluetooth enabled devices, such as your smartphone, tablet PC or MP3 player
CVC (Clear Voice Capture) Technology makes phone calls crystal clear for the person on the other end of the line; NOTE: Kindly refer User Guide on Technical Specification before use
Product Description
Product Packaging:Standard Packaging Phiaton’s BT 220 NC earphones combine the most demanded features in headphones today, Bluetooth 4.0, active noise-cancellation, and NFC technology. Experience improved sound quality, greater range and extended battery life with the BT 220 NC’s Bluetooth 4.0. Also featuring apt-X which increases digital streaming efficiency and improves overall dynamic range. Easily pair with your Bluetooth enabled device or instantly pair with any NFC enabled Bluetooth device. Enjoy your music without the bother of ambient background noise as the BT 220 NC active noise cancelling technology cancels the low frequency noise (under 1 kHz) by up to 95%. The Multipoint connection feature allows you to connect two devices to the BT 220 NC simultaneously. The BT 220 NC’s long battery life provides up to 16 hours of call time, 17 hours of music-listening time and 300 hours of standby. Clear Voice Capture (CVC) technology makes phone calls crystal clear for the person on the other end of the line. Full inline musical controls allow you to take charge of your songs without having to find your device. Mute your music and noise cancelling with the monitor button, so you can hear the sounds around you without removing your earphones. Phaeton’s powerful 14.3mm drivers produce pure and accurate sound. What’s in the Box: BT 220 NC Earphones, USB Charging Cable, Audio Cable, Carrying Case, 4 sizes of Silicon Ear tips, 1 pair Comply Foam Tips, Neck Strap, Quick Guide and Warranty Card. BT 220 NC Specifications: Impedance: 32 Ohm; Sensitivity: 100 Db; Driver Units: 14.3mm; Full Charge Time: 1.5 hrs.; Operating Range: Within 10m/33 ft..; Frequency Response: 10 Hz ~27 kHz; Call Play Time: (NC on / off) 10 hrs. / 16 hrs.; Music Play Time: (NC on / off) 10 hrs. / 17 hrs.; Standby Time: (NC on / off) 26 hrs. / 300 hrs.
Product Reviews
2016 UPDATED REVIEW - FINAL Revision: BT 220 NC - Not perfect, but perfect for me.
Update April 26, 2016: My previous update mentioned me trying to decide if I’d buy these again or not. I ended up “upgrading” to the Bose QuietComfort 20’s.A little about the Bose’s: They are wired, but there’s a universal adapter to make them bluetooth nowadays. They boast some of the best noise canceling I’ve experienced to date with similar audio quality to the Phiaton’s. Both the Phiaton and Bose have a type of “Aware” mode. The Phiaton version essentially mutes your audio and let’s you hear your surroundings TEMPORARILY through them. The Bose version simply lets you hear your surroundings while still hearing whatever audio/music normally coming through. I find the Bose Aware mode very useful in my life but would not have known to think about the mode if it wasn’t for Phiaton.This is my last update to this review but am definitely able to continue answering any questions!——Update April 21, 2016: Left Earbud No longer outputting sound. Noise canceling still works. The issue comes from the base where the wire ends up connecting to the unit with the clip. Lasted a little more than 16 months which translates to about $10/month. If our “standard” for portable devices (like phones) is $200⁄24-months, then getting around $8.33/month would’ve been the goal to reach. I used these almost every single day and took very good care of these.Now I’m stuck deciding if I’ll get these again, a different bluetooth earbud, or go back to wired.—–Update October 13, 2015: Quick Command Reference GuideIt seems some people could use a quick button command guide, so I’m placing it here at the top of my review. This won’t necessarily be all the commands.Power On/Off: Hold the Power/Phone buttonBattery Life: With one of the earbuds in, double press the Power/Phone buttonPairing mode: Hold the middle button (with the bump)Volume Up: Press the + buttonVolume Down: Press the - buttonPlay/Pause: Press the middle buttonNext Track: Hold the + buttonPrevious Track: Hold the - button- - - - - - - - - - Actual Review - - - - - - - - - -The Phiaton BT 220 NC Earphones are pretty much what I’ve been looking for in a pair of audio devices that go in my ear. I had some concerns with the previous model, so I’ve been waiting awhile!Pros:Fantastic Sound QualitySuperior Battery Life (14-16 hours of standby and off/on use)Limited Noise CancellationAbility to still hear thingsGreat MicrophoneWired capability when battery is deadComfortableCons:Auto shut-off occasionally when confused (multi-device connection issues)Wind is noisy when noise cancelling is on (THERE’S A TRICK TO FIX THIS!)No visual indicator to know how much battery is leftToo good of a microphone (Yes, a pro AND con)Bluetooth.Not really a pro or con, but still an issue to think about:Cable lengthNoise Cancelling SwitchMore Info:I’ve waited five months before actually writing this review. I’ve done testing on multiple devices and have even written down on and off times to ensure my battery life calculations are accurate. I typically wear these on a lanyard. Feel free to ask me questions in the comment section, if not simply in Amazon’s Q/A section.Fantastic Sound Quality:I use these every day. The sound quality is very good on these. It has a balanced sound throughout all frequencies. THE ONE ISSUE THOUGH… is that this is a “speaker” AND “headset.” When you pull up the Phiaton’s on your computer, make sure that, if you have to select one, you select the “speaker” option to connect to. If you choose the “headset” option, you will have terrible quality audio come through.Superior Battery Life:I was able to get around 12 hours of use with noise cancelling mostly on. I was able to get a little over 16 hours with light (but on and connected) use, while getting 14 with medium to heavy use. The real killer is the noise cancelling, which is to be expected.Limited Noise Cancellation and ability to still hear things:Phiaton says active noise cancellation starts around 1 kHz and below, which is the same as 1000 Hz. If you look up what range of sounds fall in that range, you’ll find it really covers a lot! I never wanted full noise cancellation. The ability to cancel out the ambient noises while traveling or working is all I wanted. Phiaton says it “is optimized for mechanical noises from airplanes, buses, and subway trains […],” which explains why I’m still able to hear my wife even with them on (human voice ranges 85 Hz to 255 Hz).Wired Capability:One of the most awesome things about these earbuds is being able to connect the (really thin) micro usb to 3.5mm cable to it and use these like a regular set of earbuds! The microphone isn’t active while in wired mode, but your devices know that! The cable it comes with is long enough to allow your devices to still be in your pocket while listening to music.Comfortable:I typically wear these in at least one ear for over 8 hours a day. The earbud is light enough that I don’t even notice it. I do end up producing a little more earwax in that ear though, but that’s to be expected from any earbud or ear canal headphone. My comfort preference is to use the medium size tips. Though the “perfect” fit would be with a large in my right ear and medium in the left (or use the Comply Foam Tips), I find I have some ear fatigue when I put the large one on.Occasional auto shut-off:Phiaton made it so that these earbuds can connect to more than one device at a time. I’ve had success with this, but it seems to work best if only one computer is connected and if the computer is connected last. This feature is still nice, but limited use without issues arising makes this feature a con.Wind is noisy:Just like the model before, wind is still an issue with noise cancelling. It makes sense though, considering they aren’t noise cancelling all audible frequencies. However, THERE’S A TRICK!!! If you MUST be outside with noise cancelling on, simply place a piece of tape (preferably black electric tape) over the small slot in the black part of each earbud. You will still experience some noise cancellation but also dramatically reduced wind noise!No visual battery indicator:The lack of a screen of course limits you on what you can be notified about. With a long lasting device like this, it could really help to be able to check the percentage left on the battery. Phiaton, if you read my review, add a hold button command that will make the voice (that tells you “power on,” “power off,” etc.) read out the percentage of battery life remaining.Bluetooth:Bluetooth 4.0 is still Bluetooth. There are issues revolving around Bluetooth that cannot be helped by any one manufacturer. Bluetooth audio may come across at out of sync with actions taken on screen, whether in video games or movies. You may also have interference occur from simply moving your arm too close to the receiver of the earbuds or by going into another room. These aren’t things Phiaton has done wrong. There’s a price to pay for wireless audio, and Bluetooth is one such price.Microphone quality (Updated April 26, 2016):This has a phenomenal microphone. It picks up a good bit, which can also be a bad thing. You could possibly pick up ambient noise from wind and movement. This is one area I haven’t done full testing on, but I believe it’s better that you’re able to be heard on the other side rather than barely at all.UPDATE: I’ve come to realize that you should only use these for phone calls if you’re in a quiet area as it really just picks up too much. That being said, it still stands true that it’s a pro and con as I’ve had headphone mics be as clear as mud before and didn’t appreciate it one bit.Cable Length:As I said in the beginning, I wear these clipped to a lanyard. I have to wear a nametag for work, so a lanyard is not an extra accessory for me. With the earbuds clipped to my lanyard, I’m able to wear them any way I want. I typically wear them at work around the back of my neck with one plugged into my right ear. At home I either wear them both in, or around my neck with one of them in. If I wasn’t wearing a lanyard, I can see how the cable length is in between being too short and too long.Noise Cancelling Switch:I have drained the battery multiple times because I forgot to turn off the noise cancelling. This is a human error, but I wish there was an auto-shutoff mode. I have found myself in the past use these while not connected to anything, just for the noise cancellation. That basically means there’s a use-case for NOT having an auto-shutoff mode. Anyway, it’s just a thought.Last Thoughts:No device I’ve ever owned has been perfect. However, if a device’s pros outweigh any cons, it is a keeper. These wireless earbuds are a keeper for me. These fit perfectly in how I want to use a set of earbuds. One of the biggest surprises was when my wife and I were on a 6 hour road trip. She was watching a movie on a tablet while the audio was connected to the car’s audio system. With the noise cancelling on, we could hear each other talk, as well as the audio from the movie, quite clearly!I hope I hit all the points of interests regarding the Phiaton BT 220 NC Wireless Earbuds. Again, if anyone has any questions you want answered, just let me know!Update: May 26, 2015 - Life with these are still just as described before, but I figured out something I thought I’ve tried before… Battery Indicator! If you turn on the headphones and then push the power button twice, you will hear a voice that says how much battery life is left in general terms like full, moderate, low.Update: June 10, 2015 - I have recently taken a sound quality test with these. The test was to see if you could hear the difference between 192Kbit, 320Kbit, and uncompressed audio clips. While some of the clips weren’t ideal clips for the test, I was able to identify most of them. That basically tells me these Phiaton’s have good sound quality when connected to Bluetooth 4.0.
Outstanding
Like the previous poster, I owned the 210s prior to purchasing the 220s. They were my go-to earphones for the better part of two years, as I really appreciated their sound profile as well as their design and wearability. In shopping for a replacement pair of phones this fall, I read through more than a few reviews of the 220s as well as other noise-cancelling earphones in roughly the same price class, but in the end thought I’d trust the 220s not to have strayed too far from the formula which made the 210s so appealing to my ears, namely, balance between and accurate rendering of lows, mids, and highs, with a slight emphasis of the upper registers. I also was pleased with the noise-cancelling effect of the 210s and wasn’t deterred by reviewers who noted that the 220s tended to allow some high-frequency sounds to leak in.Some of the reviews on this page seem to have picked up the point that the 220s aren’t successful at blocking out ALL ambient noise, but it’s important to keep in mind that no NC earphones can hermetically seal off a listening environment from all external sound, nor are they designed to. Noise cancelling is by and large intended to offset low, droning sounds, as from the rumbling of a jet engine or whirring of an in-room air conditioner, and not, say, the intermittent squeals of a baby, or the sounds of a loud conversation nearby. Most earphones, in fact, fail to shut out even those lower frequencies, and the fact that the 220s, at least by my experience, can cancel 95% of ambient sound makes it one of the best noise cancelling devices on the market. I’ve used the Bose QuietComfort 20 in the past, which are widely considered to be tops when it comes to noise-cancelling, and I can say the 220s are at least equal to those in performance. I’ve spent more than 30 hours in air the past month, and the 220s have been a lifesaver.The sound quality of Phiaton’s headphones has received wide acclaim for some years now. Phiaton headphones don’t come cheap, yet I’ve found they deliver a deeply satisfying listening experience. My playlist is eclectic, covering late Baroque choral pieces (e.g., Bach’s Christmas Oratorio) to spare, bottom-heavy records from rap’s “second golden age” (e.g., Nas’ “It Ain’t Hard to Tell”). The 220s handles all of it with aplomb, lending every track a certain heft and balance while still allowing it to retain its most salient features. The sound never gets slack and muddled at the low end or tinny and shrill at the other. Other earphones might deliver a little more punch for highly compressed and processed genres such as rock or hip-hop, but the accuracy of the 220s makes them the perfect all-around headphones.In the looks department, you can’t do much better than the 220s. The style is clean and refined but with enough dash subtly worked in to make it look of the present. The buds in particular might seem a tad oversized at first but don’t feel at all cumbersome and are just beautifully hewn. The aesthetics clearly indicate the 220s are a premium device (they remind you of the iPhone 6 in that sense), and should remain current years from now.
Small ears? No pain with these
Tried a few wired and wireless noise canceling ear buds. These are hands down the best I’ve tried. They are better than all of the wired ones surprisingly.
but works with all other bluetooth devises just fine. I would definetly recommend
14 months old and still holds charge for 15 to 20 hours. Windows 10 does not recongize it at times, but works with all other bluetooth devises just fine.
NC below par
The noise cancelling capability is, in my opinion, below par which is disappointing as it is the main purpose of the purchase.
Noise cancellation, surprisingly effective
Taking a flight this am with the new headset. Surprised at how well it suppresses the jet noise and ambient talking at the gate.
The noise cancelling is better than expected after reading reviews
The noise cancelling is better than expected after reading reviews. Used in on nyc subway and in noisy office. No issues whatsoever.
Best Bluetooth earbuds I’ve been able to find and I’ve tried alot
Let me preface my review by saying that I WAS NOT paid to write such a glowing critique, I’ve just been going through so many headphones trying to find a good pair and was so…
Leave ‘Em in the Dust
I very much like this unit. The sound is phenomenal, when compared to the Powerbeats2 it replaces. Consumer Reports gve both of those units equal ratings, but I ha nothing but…
Not a bad set of Bluetooth headphones, not a good noise-cancelling set of Bluetooth headphones.
I was looking for some in-ear headphones that would allow me to listen to music while riding the very noisy BART train, and my search sadly continues.
Excellent noise reduction and sound.
Excellent noise reduction – at least as good as the older Bose one I had, but so much easier to store and carry when traveling.
the bass was so weak that I could not enjoy the audio
comments powered by DisqusI had to return right away…..the bass was so weak that I could not enjoy the audio.
