Movengine AirCore Open Wireless Headphones review – More interesting than great

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REVIEW – I recently saw a YouTube video where a reviewer said that upper-end headphones have gotten so good that you can now buy with your heart rather than your head. In other words, headphones can be bought on looks, comfort, and price knowing the sound quality will be good. For the most part, he is right. Then, there are the Movengine AirCore Open Wireless Headphones. Do they fit into this category?

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $169.00
Where to buy: Kickstarter

What is it?

The Movengine AirCore OWH are headphones with a hole in the middle (like a donut). This unusual design serves a purpose by letting the headphone deliver more spacious audio—similar to speakers around the listener rather than directly on the ears.

This “similar to” open-back headphone approach leaks sound so someone sitting next to the listener may hear whats being played, but the volume would have to be high for that to happen.

Note that while a KickStarter project, Movengine originally used the name “Zero Pro” while the name on the Kickstarter page now says AirCore OWH. I’m not sure what the final/official name is, so I’ll stick with AirCore OMH for this review.The Kickstarter campaign is now funded and the headphones should be ready to ship in June.

The AirCore OWH headphones’ speaker is a circular design with the middle missing. The outer shell is cloth-covered with aluminum and plastic accents. The pads are thick and soft and are magnetically attached for easy removal. The headband is also thickly cushioned.

There is no accompanying app. All audio tweaks are done via buttons on the right ear cup. The buttons are OnOff/Pairing/Skip/Repeat, and Volume up/Volume down. On/Off can also pause and switch between normal audio and spacial audio and handle phone calls. The Volume up button doubles as a Mode switch. More on that later in this review.

A USB-C charging port sits next to the On/Off button. A cloth-wrapped USB-C to USB-C charging cable is included.

The AirCore OWH headphones come in four colors: Midnight Onyx (black), Oceanic Blue, Crimson Pulse (dusty red), and KS Exclusive (green for Kickstarter only).

What’s included?

Movengine AirCore OWH headphone
Ear caps
Case
USB-C charging cable
Manual

Tech specs

Speaker: Hollow acoustic
Open/Sealed mode
Weight: 11 oz.
Frequency response: 20Hz – 40kHz
Bluetooth: 5.3
Battery life: 23 hours

Design and features

The unusual design of the AirCore OWH headphones almost requires close inspection. No other headphones look like them. This design both helps and hurts the resulting audio quality. What the design does do is cancel any air pressure that can happen with sealed headphones (commonly known as ear suck).

The lycra-blend cloth on both the ear cups and headband look and feels good. I wonder about longevity when used extensively. The cloth wicks heat away, making the ear cups feel cooler than they might otherwise feel. The ear cups are nicely padded and comfortable. The AirCore OWH headphones light weight (11 oz.) and allow for long periods of use with no issue.

The ear cups magnetically separate from the headphone. I assume that Movengine will sell replacement ear pads. The headband is equally padded and comfortable. The ear cups can be pulled down from the headband for sizing. There are no sizing markers, so resizing is guesswork.

A matching color zippered case is included. The headphones don’t fold, so the case is a bit large, but it protects the phones well. The case also has a handy built-in handle.

There are four audio settings with the AirCore OWH headphones—two recommended and two definitely not recommended—for good reason. Each of these modes can be activated by pressing and holding the volume Up button. It’s fairly intuitive once you get used to it. The headphone announces the mode after 3 seconds in a strange-sounding female voice. Modes cannot be changed unless the audio is paused. Let’s detail the modes:

(Recommended)

Open Air Mode – This is what I would call the default mode—listening with the hole exposed. Open-Air expands the soundstage, making music sound more “out there”—similar to listening to speakers in front of you instead of that “in your head” music that headphones provide. This effect is not completely convincing, but it is noticeable. Movengine states this mode is best for classical, jazz, country, pop music, and gaming. Keep in mind that any audio preference is personal. There is no wrong setting.

While music does seem more expansive in this mode, it also sounds more compressed, like I’m not getting the complete frequency range. That may sound like an oxymoron, but it’s the best way I can describe it. The audio is pleasant but can sound sibilant on certain (mostly older) recordings.

Immersive Mode – The AirCore OWH headphones come with silicone ear caps that plug up the middle hole in the ear cups. This serves two purposes. According to Movengine, the plugs add about 20% deeper bass. I can’t argue with that. It’s definitely more bass. For this to work, the headphones must be in Immersive mode. I prefer this mode to Open Air mode, which surprised me. The silicone ear caps make the AirCore OWH headphones sound like any decent pair of headphones—which presents a dilemma. If this is the preferred mode, why not just buy a pair of “normal headphones? This mode is best for hip-hop, rock, EDM, R&B, audiobook and podcasts.

(Not Recommended)

Open Air Mode (with ear caps) – Even though these modes are not to be used I had to try them because I’m testing and it’s fun. ; With the ear caps inserted, Open Air mode sounds the opposite. Music sounds like it would with fingers plugged into your ears—muffled with no sense of clarity. This mode is fun for about 5 seconds of testing.

Immersive Mode (without ear caps) – Are you nostalgic for the sound of a cheap AM radio? Then this mode is perfect for you! Enough said.

Final thoughts

All in all, the Movengine AirCore OWH headphones are decent for what they promise to do, however, they don’t excel at anything. If you want both open air and sealed headphones and can only afford one pair, then these may do it for you. I would prefer to spend a bit more for both a closed-back and open-backed headphone. Each would have a single purpose—and do it better.

What I like about the Movengine AirCore Open Wireless Headphones

Well made
Sound okay
Open ear design

What needs to be improved?

There are better-sounding headphones in this price range

Price: $169.00
Where to buy: Kickstarter
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Movengine. Movengine did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.