14 DAY TRIAL // Dodocool is the kind of Chinese company that is aiming for the premium accessory market with products like headphones, speakers, and mobile phone chargers, but at the same time, it also doesn’t want to abandon the low-price strategy that makes devices build by OEMs in the country so appealing.
While it’s not the first time a Chinese manufacturer promises a perfect mix of premium design and affordable price, the DA158 active noise canceling headphones are definitely surprising. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s a perfect mix of the two ingredients, but this headset appears to have a lot to offer when holding it in hand for the first time.
The name of the $75.99 headphones on Amazon (you can get them for just $37.88 with coupon code 8QDOV2IP until March 23!) try to cover pretty much every little purpose: “dodocool Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear, Stereo Wireless and Wired Headphones w/ mic, Foldable Headset with Carrying Case for PC/ Cell Phones/ TV.”
Sure, it’s a name whose main purpose is to do good for SEO and help the headphones show up in more results, but it’s not lying in any way. The DA158 does feature active noise canceling, it works both wired and wirelessly, it has a foldable form factor, and it comes with a carrying case just like more expensive rivals.
“Wired and wireless support.”
In terms of design, the DA158 is a surprising appearance. It feels compact, solid, and sturdy, and I must admit that I wouldn’t normally expect this from a Chinese brand the size of Dodocool.
The pretty surprising design includes a diamond quilted design, as the parent company says, that feels soft and makes the headphones comfortable when in use. You get several physical buttons to control features, such as volume up and next track, volume down and previous track, a microphone, a micro USB port for recharging, a LED indicator, an audio line-in connector, and an active noise canceling switch that lets you enable this feature easily.
In terms of hardware specifications, you can refer to the table below to see all technical details, though it’s worth mentioning that the headphones come with a CSR 8645 chip and supports up to 10 meters wireless distance from the paired device. Truth be told, I tested this and I estimate that the operating range is somewhere close to 15 or 20 meters, but this only applies when not leaving the room or getting behind a concrete wall.
| Material: ABS + Aluminum alloy Color: Black Wireless chip: CSR 8645 Wireless version: V4.1 Profile support: HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, CVC6.0, AptX Wireless distance: 10m Working hours: Up to 14 hours Charging time: Approx. 2.5 hours Output S.P.L.: 105±3dB at 1kHz Automatic shutdown time: Approx. 10 minutes Speaker frequency response: 10Hz-45kHz Normal impedance: 32Ω Normal power rating: 20mW Maximum input power: 30mW Ambient temperature: -40~60℃ |
Multi-device pairing is offered, so you can use the headphones with more than just a phone or laptop at the same time, and this is quite a nice touch since you can switch between devices on the go.
In addition to Bluetooth wireless support, you can also use the headphones with a typical audio cable that plugs into a regular 3.5mm audio port (the kind of port that Apple’s iPhone no longer has) on a PC or smartphone.
Audio quality is pretty much the same, no matter if you choose to go wired or wirelessly. While a deeper bass would certainly be welcome, the snug fit of the headphones which offers somewhat strong pressure on the ear gives the impression that you’re getting good audio quality. What’s important, however, is that this snug fit I was talking about tends to get uncomfortable during long use, and the headphones feel a bit painful no matter the adjustments.
Noise canceling is indeed effective, though not all external sounds are blocked. It does a good job canceling low to medium intensity noises, but if you’re thinking of using them in super noisy environments, you might need a more advanced system. For office use and during flights, however, they should provide pretty good quality.
Dodocool says the noise canceling band that its headphones support is 50-2000 Hz, but I seriously doubt it, as more professional earphones typically use a smaller band for more effective results.
What I noticed, however, is that the noise canceling system generates a low-frequency sound that can be heard in the background even when listening to music. It's most noticeable, however, when on mute. This is an approach that other manufacturers have also used for noise canceling on their headphones, in order to cover noises on certain frequencies, but I'd say it's rather annoying if you use the headphones for more than one hour. There's no way to remove this sound, and it's there no matter if you switch to wired or wireless.
The output, on the other hand, is again surprising. For technical users, the DA158 offers 105±3 dB at 1 kHz, which in plain English means that audio is louder than you really need – and which you’re actually recommended to use. Coupled with above-the-average audio isolation, you get a mix that’s pretty good for the office, especially when you don’t want others to hear what you’re listening to.
As for the battery, Dodocool says it can last for about 14 hours in continuous mode, but again, I wouldn’t go so far. Around 10 hours on average is closer to real-life figures, but again, this is more than you need because listening to music for so long is impossible, especially because as I said, the headphones feel a bit uncomfortable during longer use.
“Annoying background noise.”
Battery recharges in two to three hours, and the headphones also come with a built-in standby mode that kicks in 5 minutes after idle mode is enabled.
The bottom line
If we analyze the features that most people are interested in, the DA158 is a recommended purchase. Effective (not perfect though) noise canceling, check. Comfortable fit (for about an hour), check. Wireless support, check. Loud sound (too loud, really), check. Solid build, check.
Dodocool’s new headphones are really worth a chance, especially when looking at the price tag, though it doesn’t mean everyone can find them impressive.
The form factor isn’t the best for people with big ears, the sound quality isn’t the best, and small audio cable in the box means that you might have a hard time using them if your PC is placed under the desk.
There are also small build quality issues, like the right side vibrating when listening to music at a higher volume, but overall, I'm impressed with the attention paid to materials and the solid build.
Overall, however, this product has great specs for a device manufactured by a Chinese company with reduced know-how in the headphone biz, but if you’re in the market for a new headset, make sure you give this one a try. Given the price, there’s a good chance you won’t be disappointed.
