The MIXCDER E10’s strong bass, good battery life, and active noise cancellation (ANC) deliver excellent audio and make the MIXCDER E10 a good traveling companion — as well as an insurance policy against unwanted distractions on airplanes or other public transit.
Specifications
- Professional Active Noise Canceling Technology: Reduces low-frequency ambient sound by up to 96% in noisy areas.
- Bluetooth v5: 2x faster in transmission rate and 8x wider in bandwidth than Bluetooth v4.2.
- 40mm Neodymium Iron Boron speaker unit and audio codecs that support aptX, aptX Low Latency, and AAC.
- AptX Low Latency to help ensure sound is in sync with games and movies.
- Built-in 500mAh battery supports 30 hours of playtime. 5 to 8 minutes of charging will yield up to 3 hours of playback time. A full charge can be achieved in less than an hour.
- Leather ear cushions filled with soft foam with a 90-degree swivel foldable design.
- Includes Airplane Adapter, micro USB charging cable, stereo audio cable.
Ready for the Road
Out of the box, the MIXCDER E10 pleasantly surprises and impresses by being in yet another box: a black vinyl travel case with the E10 headphones collapsed and neatly folded neatly into it, along with the micro USB charging cable, airplane adapter, and auxiliary audio cable.
While appreciated, I think the carrying case is larger than it needs to be and it could certainly be sturdier.
The E10’s flexible metal headband is strong and generally comfortable (more on that below), and suited to the rigors of travel — like getting hastily stuffed into a bag or carry-on when if you don’t have time or desire to tuck the E10 neatly into its carrying case.
The auxiliary audio cable allows you to connect to a mobile device without powering on the headphones. Used this way you won’t be able to activate the E10’s active noise cancellation, use the mobile controls on the headphones, or enjoy the amplified bass–but it still allows you to use the headphones if the battery has depleted all 30 hours of its life.
Ergonomics and Design
The E10 is generally comfortable, although slightly larger, more spacious earcups would have been appreciated.
While the firm headband contributes to reducing external audio distractions, the tight band and smaller earcups could get a little warm and (only slightly) uncomfortable after 30-60 minutes of continuous play.
The earphone-mounted controls could also be better-placed and more intuitive to the touch. The power button is on the forward right ear cup, the track-change buttons on the underside, and the active noise cancellation button on the back.
All of them are round, black, and require a bit of hunting to find. They are adequate but a little awkward to use; I frequently had to remove the headphones to remind myself which buttons were where. Improved tactile feel, spacing, and/or placement on the outer earcup might improve this slight shortcoming. I also would have appreciated more dedicated buttons for answering calls, mute, etc.
Audio Quality
The E10 delivers strong bass and an overall respectable audio quality for mobile/wireless headphones. You can activate the Active Noise Cancellation with the press of a button but the headphones also deliver enough bassy ‘boom’ that you may not need it for all but the noisiest environments.
Overall: Recommended
At about $80, the Mixcder E10’s Active Noise Cancellation and thumpy bass deliver excellent audio and make for a welcome traveling companion. (You’ll probably be especially glad you have them if the 3-year old three rows back on your flight suddenly decides to meltdown.)
Check out the MIXCDER E10 on Amazon
Note: Through May 31st, 2020, you can use the following code to get 10% off: MIXCDER10
PC & Video Gaming Examiner 