Groov-e’s super cheap noise-cancelling earbuds have one feature I’d like AirPods to steal
Groov-e has just launched a new pair of true wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds called the Groov-e Ultra Buds, plus a pair of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones called the Groov-e Harmony. I’ll run through the specs below, but the headline news is that both models cost just £34.99 in the UK – so around $46 or AU$68, if and when the models arrive there.
If Groov-e isn’t exactly a name that gives you the confidence that you’re getting an audiophile experience, know that that’s changed for us lately. Earlier this year, we were so excited about the Groov-e Serenity Sound Machine that we wrote a special article about it. We’ll tell you how much it helped us get some sleep.
Then there’s the company’s reliable, feature-packed and oh-so-affordable Groov-e Zeus DAB radio clock, which also earned a very respectable four-star review , plus a number of insanely cheap soundbars from 2023. So while 2019’s Groov-e SoundBuds didn’t get rave reviews from us after intensive review (I helped test them for TechRadar’s sister publication, What Hi-Fi? , and our review of the SoundBuds (I echo these sentiments) There is a catalogue of sonic hits out there.
A Groov-e feature I’d like to see Apple implement
The Groov-e Ultra Buds offer 28 hours of wireless audio playback with a charging case (staying power per earbud isn’t listed, but based on those numbers I’d estimate it’s around seven hours, plus three additional full charges in the case) and active noise cancellation, which is rarely seen at this ultra-budget tier.
You also get on-ear touch controls and a built-in microphone for calls, but the big draw for me is the bright LCD display on the case. No, it’s no JBL Live Beam 3-style smart screen, but it does offer a detailed, numerical battery life overview in each earbud. This is, in my opinion, a far better option than the now-common four-LED light strip on most sets of the best budget earbuds, which can only give you vague estimates of remaining playtime to the nearest 25%.
And as any AirPods Pro 2 owner knows, you only get one LED on your AirPods case. That means you’re left to interpret what green, orange, white, or a blinking variation of the above values means for your battery status (unless you reach for your phone).
I spoke at length with our regular contributor and reviewer Tom Bedford about this awesome benefit (he has a set of earbuds with a digital display), and it boils down to this: No matter how effective the ANC is or how good the sound quality is, if your earbuds die 20 minutes after you left the house and you weren’t prepared for that, you’re going to be annoyed. And when you consider that you can get roughly 5-6 hours between charges with the AirPods Pro 2’s main tracking, spatial audio, and noise cancellation all turned on, I really wish Apple would take the clarity of the AirPods’ battery life a little more seriously and not have to rely on your phone to tell you what’s going on.
The Harmony over-ears also offer active noise cancellation plus something Groove calls “super bass technology” for a more immersive audio experience. You also get voice assistant compatibility via a built-in microphone and a 3.5mm audio cable if you want to listen with wires. They quote 25 hours of playtime per charge, and unlike some on the market in 2024, the design folds up nicely, too.
Once again, Groov-e Ultra Buds are available now with an RRP of £34.99 (so around $46 or AU$68, though availability here is yet to be confirmed) in black, and will also launch in white from external retailers from October. Groov-e Harmony is available now, also for £34.99, in grey from Groove and will be available in black from October at select retailers.
How good are they? Come back to us soon…
