iLive Earbuds: Comfy and Affordable

iLive earbuds

By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life

Hard to believe, but earbuds -- at least, the forerunners to earbuds -- have been around since the 1890s, starting with headsets for telephone operators. Of course, like all technologies, they advanced over time, as wired, stereo headphones made music come alive in ways we never imagined.

Earbuds got a turbo boost with the introduction of the Sony Walkman, and later, the Apple iPod in 2001. But things really took off when Bluetooth wireless came on the scene in 2004, leading to the introduction of wireless earbuds around 10 years ago. Now it seems those little white ear attachments are everywhere you look, as people not only listen to their music but also receive and make phone calls.

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​One of the newest earbuds to hit the market comes from iLive -- Clear Truly Wireless Open Ear Clip Earbuds (model IAEBTO25W, retailing for $49.95). While I'm not a power user for earbuds, I do employ them for trains, planes and travel, so when I was offered a pair to review, let's do it.

The first thing to note is the case they come in. It not only serves as a holder, but also as a charger, with an LED indicator that displays the charge status. Its built-in rechargeable lithium ion batteries charge in two hours and can go six hours with the volume set at 50 percent.

Pairing them with my iPhone's Bluetooth was a snap. Then came the real test: How would they feel on my ears? Previous earbuds have proven problematic, but the iLive earbuds were surprisingly comfortable. The on-ear controls feature pause, power on/off, phone answer and if you choose, Siri-Google activation. Mastering the controls was a bit of a challenge, probably more related to my inexperience with earbuds than the product itself.

My primary use for earbuds is music, and the sound quality is good. For you audiophiles, the specs indicate a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz, promising "rumbling bass to stunning treble." They come with dual microphones and offer a handsfree speakerphone, although those weren't required for the spam calls I routinely get.

Another benefit ILive lists is "sweatproof design -- safe to wear during heavy exercising" (not a problem; I prefer to walk, not run). For that one, you're on your own.

Bottom line: The iLive earbuds pack in a lot of features for the money, are comfy on your ears and work well for today's on-the-go lifestyle. You can find out more here: 

​https://iliveelectronics.com/earbuds/truly-wireless/ilive-clear-truly-wireless-open-ear-clip-earbuds-iaebto25w.html