WFH Special #2 - Creative Outlier Air V3

Introduction

Not a fan of wired headsets for your office conference calls? Consider true wireless in-ear-monitors as an alternative. Lightweight and comfortable, they are a more practical choice in tropical weather if you do not run air-conditioning. 

Apart from office use, they will be perfect for accompanying you for your exercise sessions, or travelling. This makes them an easy sell to the Minister of Finance at home. 

Description

The Outlier Air V3 ("V3") is the third-generation version of the Outlier Air - Creative's true wireless in-ear-monitors. 

The charging case remains at about the same size as the original Outlier Air ("V1") which means that it is bulky and clunky to carry around. Sharing the same footprint, the V3 case is slightly taller. You do get 40 hours of playtime though with 10 hours per charge, which is improvement over the 30 hour lifespan of the original model. The case may be charged via a USB-C port, or Qi-compatible wireless charging. Charging time via cable is between 2 to 3 hours.

The V3 uses Bluetooth V 5.2. Supported audio codes are AAC and SBC. Purists will be disappointed to note that aptX support has been dropped. Like the V1, the V3 is IPX5 certified for water resistance. 

The driver for the V3 uses a 6 mm bio-cellulose driver, which is a change from the 5.6 mm graphene-coated drivers used in the V1. 

The V3 case, fully loaded with earbuds weighed in at 76.6 grams, compared to 61.8 grams for the V1. The earbuds for the V3 are 5.3 grams in weight (per side), while the V1 are 5.1 grams. 

By default, the usual volume and play control functions, Siri or Google Assistant, as well as ambient and active noise reduction modes are accessible via touch control. However, you can also customise the controls via the Creative App. This App is also used to flash firmware upgrades and applying EQ settings.

Besides the Creative App, you will need to download the SXFI App to transfer your personal profile over to the Outlier Air. Music also has to be played through this App in order to enjoy SXFI. This is an inconvenience, especially if your music source is from a streaming service since the App supports playback of local music files only.  

Use, Fit and Comfort 

Taking the earbuds out of the case will put the V3 into pairing mode automatically. You also have the option of just using one side (useful for conference calls). I noticed that the earbuds would also squeal loudly when being returned to their case. I traced this to feedback from the microphones when either ambient mode or active noise reduction is being used. Alternatively, place the earbuds back in the case one at a time to avoid this. 

Fit will be subjective. The V1 with its larger shell, fitted my ears better and provided a better seal. The V3 felt less secure, and did not seal as well in my right ear. However, this can be easily remedied by changing out the tips to suit your personal preference. The V3 sat quite securely during exercise sessions, although I would feel less confident to use them for long runs. They were also comfortable enough to be used for long listening sessions.

Battery life was consistent with specifications and the V3 had no issue connecting with my phone placed about 6m away so long as line-of-sight is maintained. 

Sound

The V3 turned in a competent performance, with a significant improvement over the V1. Bass performance was tighter and more impactful, while midrange was much clearer - the V1 had a tendency to sound muffled and nasal. High frequencies also had a touch more openness and extension. Soundstaging on the V3 was also wider and more spacious, with better placement of voices and instruments. 

Tonally, I would say that the V3 had a slightly warm balance, with neutral bass and highs, and a laidback midrange. Some listeners may find the bass balance a bit light, but this can be fixed in the EQ settings.

Putting aside the richer feature set, the V3's sonic performance is reason enough to upgrade from the V1. 

The active noise reduction works reasonably well. However, as the name suggests it attenuates outside noise instead of canceling it. Nevertheless, the end result is good enough for the typical home environment, or for traveling. 

The microphone pickup is above average and voice pick-up is reasonably clear.  

Conclusion

The V3 is a solid performer at a bargain price. The Singapore online shop regularly runs promotions, and you can usually get a pair at a good discount - Best Buy

Creative Outlier Air V3

Driver

6 mm Bio-cellulose Driver

Battery Type and Life

Battery in Charging Case: 1 x Rechargeable Lithium Polymer Battery 450 mAh, Battery in Earbuds: 2 x Rechargeable Lithium-ion Polymer Battery 55 mAh

Charging Time

2 to 3 hours

Connector Type

Bluetooth 5.2

Audio Codec

AAC, SBC

Weather-proof Resistant

IPX5

Price - S$ 99

WFH Special #1 - Creative SXFI Gamer USB-C Gaming Headset

Introduction

The SXFI Gamer is a wired USB-C gaming headset with Super X-Fi technology and a flexible goose neck microphone (Creative Technology refers to this as "CommanderMic"). 

I am not suggesting that you play computer games during office hours while on your work-from-home stints. Instead, use your SXFI Gamer for conference calls, listening to music, and gaming sessions. You won't get the evil eye from your spouse too when justifying your purchase.

The recommended retail price is very reasonably priced at S$ 179.

Description

Super X-Fi  is Creative's proprietary technology that seeks to create a life-like soundstage that is akin to the music experience of listening to speakers. Regular headphone users will know that the soundstage is trapped in your head, which greatly diminishes the realism of the listening experience. 

To use Super X-Fi, you need to download the SXFI App on your phone, create an account and start the process of head and ear mapping. This involves using your phone camera to take pictures of your face and ears. 

The personalised settings are then downloaded into a SXFI certified headphone, like the SXFI Gamer.

The package includes the headphone set, the detachable CommanderMic, and both a USB C and 3.5 mm audio cable. A USB-C to USB adapter is thoughtfully provided in case your computer only has normal USB ports.

The 3.5mm audio cable looks like any stock cable, while the USB C cable is Kevlar jacketed which should provide long and reliable use. The USB cable is unfortunately very sensitive to microphonics and friction between the cable and your clothes will be picked up and annoyingly amplified.  

The headset comes with large and heavily padded over-ear pads which are mounted in a plastic frame that allows a small amount of swivel. Combined with the low-pressure headband, the SXFI Gamer is very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Noise isolation is also decent, with both little noise making it through, or being leaked out. The headband also has a numbered scale to make adjustments both easy and repeatable - something I wished that other manufacturers would do. Both headphone cups are equipped with an RGB ring. This is tastefully done, and you end up looking like a serious gamer rather than out-of-control Christmas tree lights.

Downloading the SXFI Control program on either your PC or Mac will allow you to adjust the EQ on your headphone, as well as customise the RGB rings on your headphone. You can also adjust between 2 channel mode and 5.1 or 7.1 modes, and other settings like the microphone and headset volume.

A variety of controls are placed on the left side of the headphone - a mic mute button, a volume control wheel, and buttons to toggle Super X-Fi and the RGB light mode (on, off, or a cycle mode).

The CommanderMic is equipped with active noise cancellation to suppress ambient noise. A red LED is placed at the microphone inlet so positioning is easy. The LED flashes when the microphone is muted, which is a nice touch.

I used the SXFI Gamer via USB on both a Windows 10 and macOS Catalina computer without any issues. I also did some testing via the 3.5mm jack on a variety of mobile phones and DAPs. 

Sound Quality  

Tonally, these headphones are close to neutral with good levels of detail. The 50mm drivers impart a solid and hefty feel to bass lines. However, the SXFI Gamer avoids the thick and heavy handed approach, so you will not get overblown or exaggerated bass. Bass is tight and tuneful, and powerful when the source material dictates it. If you like a bass-heavy presentation, you can always fix that through the EQ function.

Vocals are reproduced clearly and with minimal amount of grain. High frequencies have sparkle and extension, and cymbals have a crisp and clear response. There is a hint of splash and confusion during heavy mixes, but this is to be expected given the modest price of the SXFI Gamer. Sonics wise, these headphones perform way above the competition in the same price bracket.

Depressing the SXFI button toggles between the normal, Super X-Fi and Battle Mode. I found the Super X-Fi mode to work best on 5.1 and 7.1 material. At its best, this imparted a spacious and more speaker-like experience. However on 2 channel material, the effect is somewhat unnatural and hollow. Similarly, Battle Mode did its job on first-person shooters by altering the frequency curve to accentuate footsteps and suppressing the rest of the audio-band. While you can hear your enemies better, this came at the expense of an unnatural tone that made the experience less immersive and realistic. 

The surprise star of the show is the CommanderMic. The microphone is very clear and the software does a decent job of suppressing ambient noise. However, the microphone is highly directional and has to be pointed directly at your mouth for best results. I often preferred using these headphones for conference calls over my professional headsets from big-name manufacturers. 

The SXFI Gamer sounds almost identical using the 3.5mm cable, with results varying only slightly depending on the equipment used. These headphones are easy to drive and sound comfortable powered through a mobile phone jack. However, you will lose a lot of functionality as none of the buttons nor sound modes will work. Nevertheless this is a good option so that you can take the SXFI Gamer on a business trip and use them on the road or airplane with your mobile phone or DAP.

Conclusion

Equally comfortable doing multiple duties as a gaming or office headset, or music listening for the audiophile on a budget, the SXFI Gamer offers outstanding value at its recommended retail price of S$ 179. 

At the time of writing, they are being offered at a discounted price of S$89 which makes this an absolute no brainer - Best Buy. 

Creative SXFI Gamer USB-C Gaming Headset

Specifications

Audio Processing

Super X-Fi

Interface

USB, 3.5 mm Stereo Input

Weight

With Mic 349g (12.31 oz), Without Mic 336g (11.85 oz)

Frequency Response

20–20,000 Hz

Microphone

Frequency Response: 100–16,000 Hz
Sensitivity: - 42 dBV / Pa

Price : S$ 179

http://sg.creative.com/

Creative SXFI Amp

After months on anticipation, it's finally here - Creative's Super X-Fi technology that promises to recreate a multi-speaker experience through your headphones. The SXFI Amp is a small finger sized dongle that plugs in your USB port and lets you use any conventional headphone / IEM to experience their technology.

For once (great job Creative !), we in Singapore actually get this before the rest of the world. Buyers can go down to Creative's headquarters for a customised ear microphone mapping session, or rely on their mobile app that maps your ear shape by taking pictures of your ears and your head. 

Would you like $20 off ? Click on my referral link, http://sxfi.refr.cc/ericteh

Visit https://www.sxfi.com/amp/ for more information.