Why fix something which isn’t broken?
That was my exact frame of thoughts as I looked at the neatly wrapped box of Sudio wireless earphones in my hands. It came complete with a bright red bow on the top and a hardy box which protected its contents from any external factors. Christmas must have come early, I mused. But I can’t help wondering to myself if this pretty thingamabob might turn out to be all beauty and no substance.
For one, what’s wrong with the good ol’ regular earphones? Sure, it has its off days when it gets tangled up in a hopeless mess, but I take that as a simple exercise in patience. If it could find itself in this mess, I’m sure I can help it find its way out.
I’m also pretty old school when it comes to tech and gadgets, so I wasn’t as easily impressed as my colleagues. The fact that it looks pretty odd on (I mean, it doesn’t even connect anywhere?!) makes it a whole lot easier to note this as one to give a miss. Still, I wasn’t about to be one of those who judges an expensive-looking bow-wrapped box by its cover.
A Class Of Its Own
The Sudio: Vasa Blå earphones from Sweden are a premium pair of wireless earphones that was borne out of a chance encounter with Phil Collins. One of the founders of Sudio had bumped into the musician whilst he happened to be having a problem with the wires of his headphone.
As they both locked eyes, all the founder could say was, “Trust me, I know the feeling”, and it was out of that feeling of frustration that both would appreciate never to be replicated again, that Sudio came by. Sweden being Sweden, the designers too took their time in ensuring that their purpose was met but not without having a beautiful standard of its own.
The classy pair of earphones were a true beauty, and oozed the minimalism that is reminiscent of everything which originates from Sweden. The earphones come in various colours like cherry blossom pink, cobalt blue, black and white, which each has its touch of class added to it, be it in rose gold or pure gold.
Each set also comes equipped with extra sleeves, a leather carrying case, a metal clip, charging cable, a guarantee card, and batteries. As most earphone sets only come with 3 pairs of extra sleeves, it’s nice to see that Sudio comes with 4 extras, which means each box has 5 in total. The metal clip was also a nice touch for those who wish to clip the set to their outfit.
The Price Sounds Right
Sudio went all out in terms of design and I can see why it is worth every bit of the RM465 it is priced at (although if you use the voucher code VULCANPOST when you check out from their site, you get a 15% discount which is close to RM70).
A quick search for wireless earphones on tech sites would return results of several hundred ringgit, and Sudio is only a tad bit pricier—but a whole lot prettier.
I mean, the box even comes wrapped in a little red bow, so it’s clear to see that it would make a good gift, be it for yourself or a loved one. Design-wise it wasn’t too far-fetched to give them a 10. I also liked the fact that I can literally go about my day, with the wireless earphones hanging there, not having to worry about it getting snagged in an earring or entangled in my hair, or worse, vigorously yanked out by accident.
Still, earphones are nothing without its sound and in this field, Sudio hits a few misses. They’re the right set for bass-heavy songs, but where sound transmission is something Sudio excelled in, noise cancellation sadly wasn’t. When I was on calls, I could still hear people talking and cars honking in the background very clearly.
Yes, the wireless earphones aren’t exactly marketed in its brochure as a device which was designed for answering calls, but this would just be a nice touch to the device and something which the designers could perhaps look into for future Sudio models.
It’s Pretty Good But…
8 hours in, my device was still going strong, and that was another thing I enjoyed about the Sudio wireless earphones. Even with pretty heavy usage, they lasted me a solid day at work, which is great because I wouldn’t want to be plugging my earphones in every few hours just to charge it.
One thing you shouldn’t expect these babies to excel in would be during physical activities. Most people might have the misconception that being a wireless set, they would be the perfect match for sporting activities such as running and dancing. They aren’t. And they’re not meant to be either.
When I tried simulating movement with the earphones, they fell off pretty easily, but this again links back to Sudio’s design philosophy. They’re great if you’re “listening to music on your way to a black tie event” or “enjoying a sunny day in shorts and a polo”—not running around in the park on a Saturday evening, unfortunately.
Sadly though, it hasn’t taken me this far to sense that this is starting to become quite a pattern for Sudio:
It’s a true beauty but it looks odd when in use.
It sounds good but fails in noise cancellation.
It has great battery life but isn’t meant for physical activities.
I might like these pair or earphones but…
Made For The “Atas”
….do I really need them? Sudio is created with a certain group of people in mind and I respect that. They are the ones who are dressed in preppy suits, and perhaps the ones who enjoy having a classy-looking pair of earphones to match their sky-high stilettos. I, however, was not in their target market, and perhaps that is one of the reasons I did not find as much enjoyment in my usage of it.
They are perhaps also better suited for travellers and those who are always on-the-go. The Sudio wireless earphones are pretty hardy and are even able to withstand -20 degree temperatures, which again proves that they would be a good thing to pack during winter holidays.
We couldn’t test that point out, of course, being in sunny Malaysia, but it is definitely quite hardy for its seemingly sophisticated aesthetics. It can withstand being in the harsh environment of the female handbag and emerge whole and unscathed thanks to its rubbery silicone material.
I’ll pack these away for now, as day-to-day usage with Sudio might not be ideal for me. Still, I enjoy how there are special occasions such as travelling which would allow Sudio to shine and to show off what its truly made of.
If anything, those who often find themselves having to handle the frustration of tangled earphones, (Phil Collins, I’m talking to you), they would certainly find Sudio to be a refreshingly beautiful alternative.
You can check out the Sudio: Vasa Blå earphones from their Malaysia website or the Singaporea website. Use the voucher code VULCANPOST for a 15% discount, first 100 customers get a limited edition summer tote bag from Sudio.
