Verdict

The SoundMagic P23BT are a pair of on - spike that get a lot right at an cheap price . For £ 50 the intelligent tone is dead superlative and much better than you ’d expect from an on - ear at this cost .

Pros

Cons

Key Features

Introduction

It ’s been a while since we last heard from SoundMagic . Years ago , they were the brand to seek out for low-cost wired and wireless headphones , but after releasing theirfirst true wireless , things die a little smooth .

In 2021 they turn the SoundMagic P23BT on - ears , but they appear to have gone under the radar . It would be a mistake to see these headphones a busted flush , as they show that SoundMagic has n’t lost any of the qualities that made the brand a reliable budget bargain .

Design

With every on - ear there are welfare and disadvantages to the design , and SoundMagic has n’t solved the weaker panorama . Any interest in these phone will likely count on your longanimity , especially where comfort is weigh .

So , the near aspects first . The design is light and foldable , promiscuous to stow away in a bag or tuck off in the provided pouch . The padding on the headband mean they do n’t grasp into the headway when bust , and the lot is adjustable to meet heads of different sizes . The earpads are made from soft leatherette and they work well to provide comfort , at least initially .

And so on to the less worthy aspects of on - ear . After a while , the SoundMagic P23BT can pinch around the ear lobe . I found it was n’t too discomforting but it ’s noticeable , nevertheless . The only distich of on - ears that have managed to ward off this issue are theMarshall Major IVand they came with chunky pads .

The other consequence is the amount of noise that leaks through . These are n’t an over - ear design and therefore are less protected against outside noises . Even on a semi - busybodied street audio tends to be swamped by the sounds of cars and buses go past .

There ’s a button on the left earcup to power on the phone that can be used for playback too . It ’s small and not always easy to locate , especially if you ’re wear out gloves . Next to it is a 3.5 millimeter jackass that can be used to plug in a cable television with a wired bonanza mic that could be used for play or business calls . TheUSB - C portfor charging is hidden beneath a flap at the top of the earcup .

The SoundMagic P23BT incorporate swipes and presses on its left earcup . doubly select the scurvy part and that play / break a track . pinch up or down for volume and to the sides for cut track . It ’s surprisingly liquid and fast to reply , as long as you make middleman with the right area .

The P23BT do n’t refashion the on - pinna headphone experience but they play well enough in practice and are less inconvenient than some on - spike have been .

Features

Typically , on - auricle headphones are little in term of features , and SoundMagic P23BT wo n’t interchange mind on that front . search at the specification tack , the P23BT have tried to etch out as much performance as they can .

Battery lifetime is quoted as 54 - 60 time of day , which initially sounds strange , but I suspect it might be down to the audio codec the headphones are playing in ( more on that later ) . tight - charging is support , and five minutes will give another five hours .

Bluetooth connectivity is v5.0and most interestingly the P23BT plump for SBC , AAC and aptX - HD . I have n’t seen many earpiece around the £ 50 marker let in aptX - HD , and though the codec transmits audio wirelessly in lossy cast ( so datum is lost during the transmission ) it can corroborate up to 24 - bit/48kHz audio .

I have n’t experienced any particular issue with the connection walk through London and using them on transport , although I have n’t used the earphone for any call . I ’ll be updating the review as and when I get the chance to do so .

Sound Quality

Right from the off , the SoundMagic P23BT position themselves as a high - lineament hearing experience at the budget side of the market . The gentle pluck of the harmonica in the Brandee Younger ’s Tickled Pink are described with a nice sense of delicacy while the upright bass is characterised with weight and cymbals go down in a crispy fashion . It ’s a amazingly subtle performance filled with item , clarity and texture .

The soundstage to Childish Gambino ’s This Is America is wide in size , and the bass part that underpins the rail is conduct with a good degree of profundity and weight unit ( for an on - ear ) . Gambino ’s vocals take the degree in the centre – big , clear and somewhat neutral in the fashion they ’re report in . The midrange is fettered with detail , instrument and voices just conveyed . Again , it ’s impressive just how graceful and maturate the P23BT can vocalise .

The top end of the frequency kitchen range is well communicated with just luminosity , uncloudedness and sharpness . The piano that give Joe Hisaishi ’s Innocent from Castle in the Sky tonally sounds very nice , with distinct variation between the dissimilar key being compress that ensures the SoundMagic is n’t just a one - bill player . It adds colouration to the P23BT ’s overall performance .

There ’s good energy and becoming dynamism supply to a path such as Tom Morello ’s blanket of Voodoo Child . The difference of opinion between tranquil and loud promissory note is perhaps not as cock-a-hoop as could be , but enough to give a signified of the dissimilar levels in a piece of medicine .

The SoundMagic P23BT mark themselves out as a cool and collected customer , slicing through track with clarity and item . They ’re more detailed , clearer and better - defined listen than previous favourite theStatus BT Oneand do n’t tug as hard on the bass as the Marshall Major IV . The P23BT strike the best residue and that places them as one of best budget headphones , let alone on - ears .

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Should you buy it?

: The P23BT are n’t the most fashionable - look earphone , but the level-headed timbre is much better than its appearance looks

This brace wo n’t alter your mind on the design if the you find on - ears uncomfortable in any way .

Final Thoughts

I ’ve always matte that on - ears were for the perfunctory market place , those who wanted the combining weight of a pick - up and play dyad of headphones . They were n’t for audiophiles , shall I say , but the SoundMagic challenge that preconception with their impressively concise audio frequency functioning .

They do n’t refashion the melodic theme of what on - ears are , but the P23BT do strike the right bill more often than not . barrage life is generous ( good than most over - ear models ) , the comfort level is better than other on - ears I ’ve tried , and the sound quality is highly commendable , especially for £ 50 . If you prefer on - ears to any other type of headphone I ’d say you should crack these up .

Trusted Score

How we test

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FAQs

On - ear models such as the P23BT do n’t boast interference cancellation .

Full Specs

Sustainability

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