Coz of our previous review of NIA X3 headphones last February 2017, the store that I got that prodct got our attention and just weeks ago, they gave me an opportunity to also check out another model
Here is the NIA Q1 4-in-1 Headphones which seeded to us by Maricel Online Store for a honest review. You can check them right out on Facebook or follow them thru Shopee PH app. They also have a physical store which I will gonna tell you later
Compared to the X3, the box of NIA Q8 gives more feel to the youth with that artistic design. What sets apart to the X3 is the more latest Bluetooth version at 4.2 and supporting NIA Connect app which you can download for free on either Android or iOS. You can check the rest of the specs below
Compared to X3, the Q8 has bigger earcups but still brings that comfort on my ears for long hours of listening either on FM radio and Bluetooth paired on my smartphone. One downer for me is the poor FM radio reception compared to the X3 either by searching manually on the device our controlling thru the said mobile app
At first when I paired it to the number of smartphones for our review process, I felt that the connection is not that stable in the first few minutes but after that, you will gonna get better reception which the said BT version helped a lot compared to the X3 especially when I walk a bit fast
At default, the overall sound quality of X3 is a bit better than the Q8 but the savior oft this review is the NIA Connect app which also worked well in the phones that I installed. In the app, you can see the status of FM radio, music from micro SD slot, Bluetooth and most important, EQ settings and battery life
In EQ, it has a number of preset modes from pop, rock, electronic, etc but of course I dug into the custom mode which finally got the usual sound that I like from the number of music genres stuck on my micro SD
In terms of battery life, I almost got the same experience as to the X3 but the advantages: it only took an hour for me to fully charge it and it will auto shutdown once it will be at 100% battery thru the LED indicator. The battery meter on the app is also a big help. There's a micro USB cable inside the box but you can also charge it using your typical smartphone charger as long as it is at 1 A and has micro USB. In addition, you can also use a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable if you want better sound on wired mode (which the app will not work)
Inquiring thru Maricel Online Store thru the Facebook page or going in their physical store at 20 A. Mabini Street, Barangay Kapasigan, Pasig City, 1600, the price is at Php 499 but the deal gets a bit better at their online store at Shopee as I saw it ranging from Php 399 to Php 450 (+ Php 25 for delivery) . Overall, I am happy to know that it is more affordable than the X3 which I got at Php 580 also thru the said online store app with the same form factor that I loved just like in Urbanears Plattan.
Functionality, battery life\, music that can be customized, comfort, overall looks and price are the strongest factors of NIA Q8 but the poor FM radio reception is a downer for me especially if that feature is not present in your current smartphone and you still want to listen to your fave DJs. It's 3.75 out of 5 for me at the NIA Q8 4-in-1 Headphones