Despite the LDAC support, these budget headphones dont have the hardware to justify high-res streaming.
It can be tricky to find thebest headphonesif you dont want to spend over $70.
Trust me Im always on the hunt for affordable headphones thatll kindly my music-snob ears.
Im always determined to find thebest cheap headphones.
So I jumped at the chance to review OneOdios Focus A5 headphones.
With ANC and LDAC support, I couldnt wait to hear if these headphones lived up to my expectations.
Unfortunately, OneOdio shot itself in the foot with a lack of an app.
I think these headphones could be much improved with a custom EQ and customizable touch control buttons.
But are they still worth it, considering theyre just $69?
Find out in this OneOdio Focus A5 headphones review.
This makes them some of the cheapest over-ear headphones Ive seen with premium features like LDAC support.
OneOdio Focus A5 headphones review: Design & controls
The OneOdio Focus A5 headphones are quite attractive.
Its soft earpads are decorated with a kind of lenticular flourish and an inconspicuous brand logo.
Theyre made well, though, with sturdy-feeling fabric and nice clicky buttons.
Theres no carry case in the box, so if thats a must-have, youd be better off elsewhere.
Theres no wired connection on the Focus A5 headphones either.
ObviouslyBluetoothcan never reach wired connection quality, and Im not saying they can.
Not even the $500AirPods Maxheadphones are capable of that.
But the Focus A5 headphones just cant do the high-res quality justice.
In terms of ANC, you might be disappointed there, too.
I toggled off ANC to compare and noticed hardly any difference in sound cancelation.
I wouldnt recommend these for busy public transport or city walking.
This gives them some of the longest battery life Ive ever seen on headphones.
So not budget headphones by any means, but impressive in terms of battery.
But Im not surewhothese headphones would impress.
To give them a fair trial, I listened on my colleaguesSamsung Galaxy S24 FEvia Tidal with LDAC enabled.
To my disappointment, the aforementioned arresting bass was shabby and lackluster.
It was like the audio equivalent of increasing the sharpness on a low-res photograph until its deep-fried.
However, the Fusion A5 headphones are a smidge of the price of AirPods.
OneOdio Focus A5 headphones review: Verdict
Its difficult for me to recommend headphones that sound bad.
And thats these headphones.
They do sound bad.
For all their epic 75-hour battery life to their pleasing price tag, I wanted to like these headphones.
But they simply cannot do justice to your music.
I loved testing the Lux ANC headphones and really enjoyed the quality of ANC and complex soundscapes.
