Execs
- Snug match with a pretty, sturdy design
- Reasonably priced worth
- Excellent sound for the value
- Respectable noise-canceling and voice-calling efficiency
- Sturdy battery life
- Laborious case included
Cons
- Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio mode would not actually enhance the sound
- Noise canceling may very well be a little bit higher
- No USB-C audio or ear-detection sensors that robotically pause your music once you take the headphones off
Price range model Baseus has two new-for-2025 earbuds — the Inspire XP1 and Inspire XC1 — and one set of full-size headphones, the Inspire XH1 reviewed right here, that each one characteristic Sound by Bose and ship good bang for the buck.
Learn extra: Best noise-canceling headphones of 2025
Recognized extra for its affordable power banks and chargers, Baseus is considerably new to the audio market, though it has just a few headphones and earbuds that cost less than $75. The brand new Bose-infused fashions I examined are a departure for the model because it ventures into extra premium territory. For its half, Bose has collaborated with a handful of different reasonably priced audio manufacturers too, progressively increasing its “Sound by Bose” initiative.
The Encourage XH1 in black.
Like each the Encourage XP1 and XC1 earbuds, the Encourage XH1, whereas largely plastic, have a extra elevated design than most “worth” headphones. Out there in just a few totally different shade choices, the XH1 should not solely pretty light-weight (275 grams) and cozy to put on, however they’ve respectable construct high quality, together with a seemingly sturdy headband coated in fake (“vegan”) leather-based and a dual-hinge design that permits the headphones to each fold flat and fold up.
I needed to check with the directions to determine that you just maintain down the quantity buttons to advance tracks ahead and again. However total, the controls for playback and switching between noise cancellation are good, and the Baseus companion app for iOS and Android is easy to make use of. Additionally, the headphones include a tough case, which isn’t all the time a normal characteristic at this worth.
Sturdy sound high quality for the value
The sound high quality of finances headphones and earbuds has been steadily bettering in recent times. Whereas the Encourage XH1 fall into extra of a midrange pricing classification, their sound measures up properly to costlier headphones.
Outfitted with 35mm drivers, the headphones do certainly characteristic Bose-like sound, which is fairly well-balanced and provides good readability and punchy bass, together with a reasonably broad soundstage. The sound lacks the extra articulate refinement and depth of higher-end headphones, however the XH1 are tuned to work properly with quite a lot of music genres and have sufficient heat to maintain from experiencing listening fatigue.
They’ve a slightly V-shaped sound profile out of the field, with barely accentuated highs and lows and barely recessed mids (the place voices stay). However the sound is much less bass-heavy than Nothing’s CMF Headphone Pro, which can be a superb worth. Nonetheless, I favor the Encourage XH1’s sound as a result of it has a bit extra readability and definition.
The headphones characteristic stable construct high quality and a extra premium design than many headphones of their worth vary.
You possibly can tweak the sound profile barely within the companion Baseus app for iOS and Android, which features a “Sound Match” check to create a personalized sound profile tailor-made to your listening to. Android customers have the choice of utilizing the higher-resolution LDAC audio codec (the SBC and ACC audio codecs are additionally supported), and there is a low-latency mode for gaming and video watching, in addition to a volume-limiting listening to safety setting.
Baseus touts the headphones’ Dolby Spatial Audio characteristic, however I used to be a little bit disenchanted with the spatial audio mode as a result of it did not appear to enhance the sound high quality. I ought to observe that these headphones do not have the extra superior spatial audio with head-tracking. Nor have they got USB-C audio, although they arrive with a wire for wired listening.
The headphones of their carrying case. A cable is included for wired listening however the Encourage XP1 do not have assist for USB-C audio.
Middling noise canceling…
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are best-in-class for noise cancellation, proper alongside Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones for ANC. Alas, the Encourage XH1 fall properly in need of providing top-tier noise canceling. You do get a superb passive seal from the properly padded reminiscence foam earcups, however the headphones solely did an OK job muffling the buzzing/rumbling of an HVAC unit in my condo at their highest ANC setting.
Whereas they diminished some background noise when navigating the streets of New York and its subway system, the beforehand talked about Bose and Sony headphones (and Apple’s AirPods Pro 3) made the XH1’s noise canceling appear about half as efficient by comparability. I might grade the noise canceling a B-.
… however a good transparency mode and robust voice-calling efficiency
The transparency mode is not top-tier — it simply cannot match the pure sound of Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 of their transparency mode — but it surely does sound fairly pure. By that, I imply when you have got the headphones in transparency mode, which permits sound from the surface world to enter your ears, you are listening to sounds pretty near what you hear once you take the headphones off.
The headphones fold up and fold flat.
I felt higher in regards to the XH1’s voice-calling efficiency after testing them in some fairly harsh circumstances. Outfitted with 5 microphones and the requisite AI noise-reduction algorithms, they did an excellent job at lowering background noise within the loud streets of New York. Callers stated my voice typically sounded a little bit digitized and robotic, however they might hear me fairly clearly. I might price voice-calling efficiency a B+ and even an A-, they usually did higher than the Encourage XP1 buds for voice-calling (I rated the XP1 a B for voice-calling efficiency).
Battery life is one other sturdy level. The headphones are rated for 100 hours of battery life with noise cancellation off, and as much as 50 hours with noise cancellation on at average quantity ranges. I fell a little bit in need of 50 hours in my battery check (it was extra like 48 hours), however that is nonetheless fairly good.
Baseus Encourage XH1 ultimate ideas
Whereas I am unable to say I used to be completely blown away by any side of the Baseus Encourage XH1 headphones, they’re total fairly competent.
Backside line: For those who’re in search of a cushty, well-designed set of over-ear headphones that provide largely sturdy efficiency throughout the board and price loads lower than premium fashions from Sony, Bose and others, they definitely match the invoice.
