14 DAY TRIAL // The removal of the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was one of the most controversial changes Apple made in the last decade on its flagship product, and the transition was received with much criticism by users, despite the jack to Lightning adapter included in the box.
Nevertheless, it was all just a matter of time until everyone got used to the iPhone not having a headphone jack, and in addition to Apple itself offering a pair of Lightning earphones right in the box with every new iPhone 7, a large number of phone accessory manufacturers also joined the effort and built their own headphones featuring a Lightning connector.
One of them is Dodocool, a rather unknown company that wanted to be part of the transition to a Lightning connector, and launched what they promise to be an uncompromised mix of high-quality earphones with an affordable price tag.
The result is the Dodocool DA55, a headphone that features Hi-Res sound, premium-ish materials like aluminum alloy, special colors like silver, gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold to match an iPhone, and even a bass boost for better audio quality.
Available for just $49.99 at Amazon, the Dodocool DA55 is Apple MFI certified and works with the majority of new iPhones and iPads, though it’s worth mentioning that support for the iPod nano 7th generation is not offered.
DESIGN
In terms of design, there’s not much to be impressed with when looking at Dodocool’s iPhone headphones, as they feature a rather simple approach with a bunch of details that not everyone seems to like.
The earpieces are made of what’s-supposed-to-be-aluminum-but-feels-like-cheap-plastic material, and come with three different earbud tips included in the box, depending on the size you want to use. I’ve used the medium size just fine, though at certain points I think I should have chosen the smaller ones because the headset was a little bit uncomfortable.
The controller that’s placed on the headset comes with volume up and down buttons, as well as with a pause and play button. The more intriguing part is the dedicated bass switch, which is supposed to enhance audio quality by boosting the bass level, but this button is mistakenly spelled “BAS” instead of “BASS” in typical Chinese fashion.
Other than that, what we get is just a typical headset and as it’s the case of this kind of products, their performance is much more important than the actual design.
PERFORMANCE
On paper, everything sounds too good to be true. According to Dodocool, the headset offers 91 dB +/- 4 dB @ 1mW/1kHz sound sensitivity with an earphone output of maximum 30 mW + 30 mW ( 32 ohm - 1% THD ). The quality of the sound is supposed to be substantially improved when pressing the “BAS” button.
In real life, however, it’s not all that impressive. But first and foremost, it had to be said that the Dodocool DA55 is certainly worth $50. Apple’s Earpods with a Lightning connector are available for $30, and the two are pretty close to each other in terms of performance, though we’d say the genuine iPhone headphones are a little bit more comfortable during workout sessions.
But as far as audio quality goes, the DA55 is just a little bit above the average. The Hi-Res sound that these headphones should provide is definitely there, though you’d expect more from it, especially in terms of clarity and crisp audio.
The sound isn’t the loudest you can get, but you can enjoy a small boost by pressing the bass button on the controller module. And yet, even though it’s call a bass boost, this feature actually increases the volume as a whole and not just the bass, so if you’re looking for louder sound volume, this is the option that you should use.
On the other hand, the earbuds provide rather poor isolation, so whatever you’re listening to, the person next to you is listening to as well. This is particularly awful in an office environment, but should otherwise be nothing to worry about when working out.
Additionally, I’ve found the earbuds particularly uncomfortable when running and biking. They don’t come off too easily, but after running for about 10 km, you could feel a little pain in your ears, most likely because of the design of the earbuds, even when using the small tips.
Other than that, if you plan to use the headphones occasionally, they’re a pretty good option. For phone calls, audio quality is very good and the person at the other side hears you loud and clear. Siri is also working neatly, which shows that the microphone is correctly positioned, but I’m not the biggest fan of digital assistants, especially when using headphones.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If there’s one word that describes the headphones, it’s probably “ordinary.” Despite the fancy words that Dodocool uses to describe the DA55, all you get is a simple alternative to the original iPhone headphones and nothing more. But this doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t bring good value for the money.
The earpieces come with a long cord that doesn’t tangle that easily, and features a rectangular controller module that it’s hard to be impressed with, especially given its boxy look.
On the other hand, the bass boost that the company praises so much is almost useless because instead of increasing bass volume, this feature actually increases the volume overall, making everything louder and a little bit unpleasant at certain points.
If there’s something I liked, it’s definitely the price, even though a quick search on eBay shows that Lightning headphones can be found for half the cost of the DA55. You won’t find a pair with Hi-Res audio, that’s true, but since audio quality is not exactly stellar, there’s a good chance you could be pleased with a cheaper alternative.
Overall, to answer the one question that I’ve been asked several times during my test, I’ll say just that: for $50, this is one good choice in terms of Lightning headphones, but if you’re in the market for high-quality headphones with awesome sound, you should be ready to spend a lot more than that.
