Wireless earbuds have always intrigued me but I have been nervous about making the investment.
What if I spend a large amount of money and then decide that they are really not for me? What if they don’t stay in? What if the sound quality is not great?
Recently, I was introduced to a new company, Funcl. They are a hardware startup company devoted to making wireless earbuds accessible to everyone.
Funcl offers two different wireless earbuds options at two fantastic price points, with high quality and some great features.
Funcl W1
Funcl W1 is are wireless earbuds with a price point of $19 but can easily be compared to other wireless earbuds with a price tag of $100.
The W1 wireless earbuds feature up to 4.5 hours of battery life and up to 18 hours total life when using the charging case.
They are equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 and an IPX5 waterproof rating, meaning they are great for using at the gym or working outdoors.
The touch buttons allow you to control your music (pause, play and skip forwards and backward) as well as answer and reject phone calls. At 4.4 grams, Funcl W1 earbuds are also extremely lightweight.
Funcl A1
Funcl A1 is their elite wireless earbuds model priced at $54.
The Funcl A1 wireless earbuds are one of the most affordable AptX options for wireless earbuds on the market.
They provide Hi-Fi sound quality as well as extremely low latency (<60ms), which is great for gamers that desire a wireless option.
They are also perfect for watching movies and playing games on your tablet or phone! The battery life is up to 6.5 hours when fully charged. With the charging case you can charge them up to three times for a total battery life of 24 hours.
Funcl A1 wireless earbuds are also equipped with an IPX5 waterproof rating and Bluetooth 5.0 and have touch buttons to allow you to control your music and answer and reject phone calls.
There is also an app that will soon be released for Funcl A1 that will even give you more options. There are plans that the app will support Amazon Alexa in the near future.
Which One is Right for You?
Our family had the opportunity to try out both the W1 and A1 wireless earbuds. I specifically did not tell my family which one they were using because I wanted to see if they could tell the difference.
The Fit
They each have their own fit and that definitely played into everyone’s preference. For my youngest (8 years old), the W1 did not fit into his ear. He was not really able to keep them in because his ear was too small and you are supposed to fit the entire bud into the ear.
For my middle child, he preferred the W1 because he said he was able to keep them in easier.
For the rest of us, both models fit great even though they are a bit different. I did all my Christmas decorating with the A1’s in and had no problems keeping them in. We also tested them to see if we could exercise with them in and both sets did great.
So, as far as fit goes, it really has more to do with preference of style.
The Sound
The big question – would we be able to tell the difference between the two models in regards to sound? My oldest is extremely opinionated when it comes to sound so he was going to be my tester. He did not know which model was the higher end model.
In fact, based on looks, he guessed that the W1 wireless earbuds were the higher end model. But when he tried out both, he knew immediately that the A1 was the higher end model with the better sound.
Funcl A1 wireless earbuds have an extremely crisp and clear sound. The developers did an excellent job with the EQing. We also felt like the bass was boosted just the perfect amount. Listening to my music while working around the house was wonderful as well as watching some TV on my tablet.
While the Funcl W1 sound was not quite as crisp as the A1, it is important to note that the sound for the W1 was still excellent. It is definitely a great option if you are looking for wireless earbuds at a fantastic price point that still gives you good sound.
The Features
When it comes to exercising, both models work great. They stay in place with a lot of movement and have a waterproof rating of IPX5. So if you’re a runner and it rains, they will be OK.
Both wireless earbuds models have the same touch controls. It is super easy to play and pause music as well as skip forward and backward.
I also liked the phone answering option. If you are using the earbuds and are not near your phone, one tap will allow you to answer your phone.
When talking on the phone, the volume for the person listening is probably a little bit softer than what they would normally hear. But, super convenient – you don’t have to go running for your phone.
Both models also have an excellent range. I had my phone in the kitchen and was able to go upstairs, into the basement, as well as outside and stay connected. Every so often it would cut in and out when I was farther away but overall I was impressed by how far away from my phone I could be.
Pros
- Excellent Sound – boasting SBC/AAC/aptX and 60 ms (A1) and 150 ms (W1) Optimized Latency
- Good range
- Great fit
- Long battery life
- Easy to pair and set up
Cons
- Connecting – because we had several people using the headphones, sometimes it did not want to connect to the device we wanted to use. There were times that we had to turn off the Bluetooth of one device so that the other device would recognize the headphones
- The charging cord is super short – when plugging the case into the cord, the case would be hanging from the wall rather than being able to set it on the counter
Available on the Indiegogo.com website,
Funcl W1 is currently priced at $19 and comes in your choice of white or black.
Funcl A1 is priced at $54 with a choice of white or black.
These amazing prices will not last, they are slated to go up to $99 and $159 soon. As you can imagine, their Indiegogo campaign was highly successful, funding at 959% of their goal!
Follow this link and you can get the A1 for even lower just for being a Well Connected Mom follower. Yay!
If you are looking to buy a family pack, you can purchase them at an even lower price – one of each for $72 or two of each for $139. Funcl has assured us that if you purchase before Dec. 1st, products will arrive before Christmas day.
A Mom’s Perspective
Whether you are looking for an inexpensive option for wireless earbuds with good sound or want wireless earbuds that give you great sound for gaming and watching movies, Funcl is definitely a company to check out.
I liked being able to enjoy music while being busy around the house and not having to be attached to my phone. And, if you get a phone call, it is super convenient to not have to run for your phone. I appreciated that the range was good so that I didn’t have to worry about losing connectivity.
When comparing the Funcl A1 to Apple AirPods, Bose SoundSport Free and Jaybird Run, the specs are either just as good or better than all three. (The only exception being that Apple AirPods feature an IPX6 waterproof rating.)
Funcl W1’s specs are a bit lower when comparing to these three models but the price point is so significantly different that it is hard to justify a comparison.
With Christmas approaching quickly, you can’t go wrong with a pair of Funcl wireless earbuds as a gifting option. Only hurry, you must place your order before Dec. 1st for them to arrive in time for Christmas!
* I was given both Funcl W1 and A1 wireless earbuds for my honest opinion. All opinions are my own.
Speak Your Mind