19-Mar-2022, 11:42
Hi All, just got a set of the Gemini's to try out and must say have very mixed thoughts. Very mixed.
Sound-wise - the most important factor - seems like more hype than product delivery.
Comparing to:
El-cheapo IPOD WIRED stock plain old earbuds. (mostly used for podcast listening)
Sony MDR-1ABT
Sennheiser 650HD
Beats IEMs
Tried 3 use cases:
Phone: excellent so far as a bluetooth android phone headset. Not really much background noise cancellation reported, but not a noisy mess either. I have an older sony MDR-1ABT headset without any ANC and is way too noisy/sensitive for phone use in practice for comparison but reasonably better than average in other regards.
Music: ok, seems a little weak in the low end.
Podcast: ok, seems pretty natural.
TV: Paired very easily with a device that is pretty finicky. Nice sound but low volume. had to turn the TV up much higher than usual, even with other BT headphones/devices.
Comfort is outstanding, this may be the primary thing that makes me keep them - the stocks tips not bad, not tried the others yet since these fit well and don't fall out too easily.
Cant say this enough the form factor the fit and for the most part the function is outstanding.
The buttons are a little tweaky get pressed sometimes when not intended.
The app, man where do i start, this might make me return this as junk.
Location services - why. don't make me turn this on every time to use the app.
The saving grace is it seems you don't really need to use the app once things are setup.
Still not sure why i care about the app once things are setup.
There is only 1 usable mode that the transparency mode on high. Not much difference on low but , Neutral is Junk. i have had AM radios sound better. There is no bandwidth, its compressed, its terrible. ANC, not sure what that does. Have not be able to really determine its doing much.
Comparing it to the Noise Cancellation on sony walkmans using their wired ear buds that support ANC (circa 2015 equipment)
IMO - there is 1 usable mode, Transparency and really not sure when i would choose the others.
Which means other than setting up and looking at the battery level the APP does not provide much to me.
I hope the app is really just a distraction and not really important to use the best functionality.
Battery that's another odd thing.
Out of the box both were charged at 100%
Case was about 78%
Used them for about 4 hours.
was about 65% L 15% R
Put it in the case for about 1 hour.
after 1 hour 85% 65%
used it for about 1 hour and it died at
35% 15% R
put it back in the case (not plugged into USB)
case was at 100%
after 28 hours
92% 74% 89%
plugged in the USB cable.
less than 2 hours later everything was at 100%
Using it for a few hours at a time (2-3) have not seen it lower than 65%
have not been through more full cycles to see how consistent the 5 hours is.
Find charging it via USB works best with the case close apps not running.
I tried it with the app monitoring and seemed to get stuck at 99% at least once.
Bottom line:
Great fit and comfort. Nailed it.
Really not bad at all pretty good sound in 1 mode - transparency /high.
The other modes really make me really scratch my head = who though it was a good idea to ship something that sounds so bad under such a good name.
Neutral is in no way neutral, its compressed and sounds like you are listening through a garden hose.
Battery life has been ok, but short. probably unreasonably expectation on my part --- i like wires and a phone and a walkman and an ipod....
found battery has lasted at least 5 hours 1 on full discharge and 3-4 hours is more than easy.
Not yet sure about this battery case thing, seems like its not really working to charge the buds well.
Combination of the junk sound modes and the app location services dependency makes me want to return the product.
but they they fit very well, for me, better than most any of the IEMs i have tried and in that 1 MODE sound pretty good.
regards
scott-
regard
scott-
Sound-wise - the most important factor - seems like more hype than product delivery.
Comparing to:
El-cheapo IPOD WIRED stock plain old earbuds. (mostly used for podcast listening)
Sony MDR-1ABT
Sennheiser 650HD
Beats IEMs
Tried 3 use cases:
Phone: excellent so far as a bluetooth android phone headset. Not really much background noise cancellation reported, but not a noisy mess either. I have an older sony MDR-1ABT headset without any ANC and is way too noisy/sensitive for phone use in practice for comparison but reasonably better than average in other regards.
Music: ok, seems a little weak in the low end.
Podcast: ok, seems pretty natural.
TV: Paired very easily with a device that is pretty finicky. Nice sound but low volume. had to turn the TV up much higher than usual, even with other BT headphones/devices.
Comfort is outstanding, this may be the primary thing that makes me keep them - the stocks tips not bad, not tried the others yet since these fit well and don't fall out too easily.
Cant say this enough the form factor the fit and for the most part the function is outstanding.
The buttons are a little tweaky get pressed sometimes when not intended.
The app, man where do i start, this might make me return this as junk.
Location services - why. don't make me turn this on every time to use the app.
The saving grace is it seems you don't really need to use the app once things are setup.
Still not sure why i care about the app once things are setup.
There is only 1 usable mode that the transparency mode on high. Not much difference on low but , Neutral is Junk. i have had AM radios sound better. There is no bandwidth, its compressed, its terrible. ANC, not sure what that does. Have not be able to really determine its doing much.
Comparing it to the Noise Cancellation on sony walkmans using their wired ear buds that support ANC (circa 2015 equipment)
IMO - there is 1 usable mode, Transparency and really not sure when i would choose the others.
Which means other than setting up and looking at the battery level the APP does not provide much to me.
I hope the app is really just a distraction and not really important to use the best functionality.
Battery that's another odd thing.
Out of the box both were charged at 100%
Case was about 78%
Used them for about 4 hours.
was about 65% L 15% R
Put it in the case for about 1 hour.
after 1 hour 85% 65%
used it for about 1 hour and it died at
35% 15% R
put it back in the case (not plugged into USB)
case was at 100%
after 28 hours
92% 74% 89%
plugged in the USB cable.
less than 2 hours later everything was at 100%
Using it for a few hours at a time (2-3) have not seen it lower than 65%
have not been through more full cycles to see how consistent the 5 hours is.
Find charging it via USB works best with the case close apps not running.
I tried it with the app monitoring and seemed to get stuck at 99% at least once.
Bottom line:
Great fit and comfort. Nailed it.
Really not bad at all pretty good sound in 1 mode - transparency /high.
The other modes really make me really scratch my head = who though it was a good idea to ship something that sounds so bad under such a good name.
Neutral is in no way neutral, its compressed and sounds like you are listening through a garden hose.
Battery life has been ok, but short. probably unreasonably expectation on my part --- i like wires and a phone and a walkman and an ipod....
found battery has lasted at least 5 hours 1 on full discharge and 3-4 hours is more than easy.
Not yet sure about this battery case thing, seems like its not really working to charge the buds well.
Combination of the junk sound modes and the app location services dependency makes me want to return the product.
but they they fit very well, for me, better than most any of the IEMs i have tried and in that 1 MODE sound pretty good.
regards
scott-
regard
scott-
