I regularly listen to music at work as a way to drown out distracting noises or just for enjoyment. The problem is that I don’t normally care for over the ear type headphones and in-ear style earbuds because they tend to block out background noise too much. That may sound like an odd complaint, but I work in IT for my day job. People often walk up with questions or my co-workers want to talk. That’s one of the main reasons why I have stuck to old fashioned earbud (think Apple’s original earbuds) style earphones. The problem with this style of earbud is that they aren’t very comfortable. For that fact, I continue to test different earbuds to see if I can find a pair that is both comfy and provides a great audio experience. The latest earbuds that I’ve had an opportunity to try are Wang Buds from Fanny Wang.
Note: Images can be clicked to view a larger size.
Available in White, Black or Red, Wang Buds come with 4 different sizes of silicone ear tips and a draw string storage pouch.
The first thing you notice when you handle these earbuds is the thick triangular shaped cord. Unlike typical thin earbud cords, the cord on this pair of earbuds is not likely to tangle or kink. They are also smooth, so they don’t cause any noticeable friction noise when they rub against your clothes.
But the real magic is in the earphones themselves. Fanny Wang’s goal for the Wang Buds were to fit the sound and comfort of over ear style headphones into a pair of earbuds. I’ve been listening to music with them for a few weeks now and I have to say that they have achieved their goal. How did they do it? By providing super-sized air chambers and dual co-axial drivers. This combination moves more air than traditional style ear buds, providing better bass with clear mids and highs.
The ear tip design is sort of a hybrid between a typical earbud and an in-ear style earbud. A small flexible “funnel” projects sound into your ear canal without blocking out all the ambient noise around you. Depending on the volume level you listen to music, you’ll still be able to hear people speaking near you and if you pause the music, you can still hold a conversation with someone without needing to remove the buds from your ears.
The tips themselves are easy to switch out and four sizes are included. The little circular handle on the edge keeps the earbud from falling out of your ear, while still remaining comfortable.
Inserting these earbuds into your ears does not require any special gyrations like in-ear style buds. I was able to wear the Wang Buds for hours without noticing any discomfort. I can’t say the same for traditional style earbuds, which start hurting my ears after only a few minutes. I found the two smallest sized ear tips worked best for me. Both allowed the earbuds to stay securely in my ears even when I got up to walk around. I’m not a runner, so I can only guess that the ear tips with the built in “handles” would work well.
Fanny Wang Wang Buds also feature an iPhone compatible inline volume/pause control and microphone. The play/pause feature works with Android phones, but the volume buttons and microphone do not.
It seems like most earphones and headphones that I’ve tried either have excellent bass or great highs, but not both. Lately I’ve noticed that headphone makers are all about bass, which leaves everything else sounding a bit muddy to my ears. I’m very happy to report that the Wang Buds have very good bass and very good clarity. I tested them with all my favorite tunes across different genres including Rock, Country, Smooth Jazz and Electronic. To my ears they sound much better than Apple earbuds (at least the original style buds) which isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement since those earbuds are freebies. They also sounded better to me than some very expensive over ear style headphones. Fanny Wang Wang Buds are one of my current favorite earphones and I would recommend them to anyone who does not like in-ear style buds.
If you’ve tried Fanny Wang Wang Buds, let us know what you think of them.
Product Information
Price: | $79.95 |
Manufacturer: | Fanny Wang |
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How do these compare to my Bose ie2i ?
I work in the same type of environment and prefer this type of semi-isolated headphone design…
@Anson Unfortunately I can’t comment on the Bose since I don’t have a pair…
@Jack You must have large ears ;o) The eartips all fit very snuggly in mine.
@Fred I was surprised when the mic wouldn’t work… It might very well be defective.
Realizing that each has their own preference, I must say that after 1 week of trying these, I had to return them. They just did not fit my ears. I tried a combination of the silicone tips, but they all felt that the buds would fall out at any moment. Also, I prefer a smaller, closer profile bud and these I felt we’re “protruding” out the side of my head too much. I did like the cord and the easy iOS control.
Julie,
Your earphone may be defective as I don’t understand why the microphone does not work. The four contact connector (for left, right, mike and ground) must be universal, not Apple specific.
I don’t this name could ever be advertised in Australia.
Fanny is a… well…, and Wang is a… ahh…!
Or is the aim to make Aussies snicker?
@Jay- maybe “Bootylicious” would have been a better name?
😉