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Big headphones get gross once you start sweating, and loose wireless earbuds are easy to lose. Magnetic sports earbuds solve both problems.
I bought the cheapest magnetic wireless sports earbuds I could find, a pair labeled M90, for about $11. Here’s what you get, how they fit and sound, and what I’d watch for. The exact pair from the video isn’t listed anymore, so the box below links a current magnetic neckband alternative.
- Magnets let you wear them like a necklace so you don’t lose them
- Flat cable keeps them oriented and is long enough to be comfortable
- Sound quality is quite good for the price
- Easy pairing (shows up as M90)
- The control box has a little heft when running
- Magnet could be stronger
- Bullet shape can shift in the ear and lose sound
- Aluminum buds are slightly heavier than plastic ones
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Why magnetic earbuds
I’m not very good about keeping track of wireless earbuds. When you take them out, where do you put them? With magnets on the backs, you connect them and wear them like a necklace.
At this point, the fact that some earbuds don’t have magnets is a deal breaker for me.
What’s in the box
You get a little bag of goodies: inner-ear loop spacers, a couple of extra silicone ear tips in large and small (the mediums come installed), a clip to attach them to your shirt, and a micro USB cord.
The buds are tethered with a flat, rubber-band style cable. It’s longer than the last pair I showed, which was a little tight around my neck with the magnets connected.
Controls and pairing
The control bar holds the battery, the micro USB port, a mic hole and three buttons: power, up and down. Use the up and down buttons for volume and track skipping; tap power to play, pause, or answer and hang up calls.
Pairing was easy. They show up under Bluetooth devices as M90.
Fit and sound
Audio quality is quite good. With the sound going directly into your ear canal, you’re not losing much detail.
Because the buds are tubular and bullet-shaped, they can move in your ear and crimp the silicone tip, which drops the sound a bit. The included ear spacers should help keep them in one spot. I didn’t have comfort problems, but you can feel how far they stick out compared with something like Apple’s earbuds.
Tip: use the clip when running
When you’re running, there’s a little heft to the battery in the control box. Clip it to your collar to keep things from bouncing.
The magnet isn’t super strong, so they’re easy to pull apart. With the clip on, you’ll have more security than you need.
Verdict
For about $11, I’m super thrilled with them, especially when most earbuds go for $30 and wireless name-brand ones are over $100. I’m getting everything I need without paying a big premium.
FAQ
Do cheap magnetic earbuds sound good?
This pair sounded quite good to me for about $11.
How do the magnets help?
You snap the buds together and wear them like a necklace, so you’re not setting them down and losing them.
How do they charge?
Through a micro USB port on the control bar.
Will they stay in while running?
Mostly. Use the ear spacers for fit and clip the control box to your collar to stop it from bouncing.
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