Sol Republic Amps Air review

As a whole package, the Sol Republic Amps Air is a pair of wire-free earphones that work hard for their price point. These in-ears sound better than AirPods, look and feel nicer than Bragi's The Headphone, and will last a solid three hours listening without needing to be plugged in. Having a backup battery pack built into the case just makes them that much more useful, convenient and great value for money.

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The Amps Airs look good, feel not as comfortable (though as I have worn them more I’ve been able to wear them for longer periods) as hoped, but with some really decent sound coming out of the pair. But are they worth $179.99 (Best Buy pricing)? That is a very good question. With a battery time of only 3 hours, you’ll get through your workout or a commute to/from work; and with a charging case that can boost your real time before needing full charging to 45 hours….maybe. Yes maybe. I do like the Amps Air, and I’ve been waiting for a device like this for a while. But I think if the price point was maybe $129 or $149 it be a better sale. So while it pains me to say so, I would say hold off on these unless they go on sale or someone gets them for you as a gift.

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A great set of wireless buds that’s hampered by short continuous battery life and a lack of controls.

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The Sol Republic Amps Air wireless headphones are great, but we’re still not fully sold on completely wireless earbuds, no matter the brand. We reviewed the Earin M-1s, which are similarly wireless. The charging case is smaller and trickier to work with. The Earin buds are also a lot smaller and didn’t feature control buttons or a microphone. They did, however, sound better. And finally, the Apple AirPods, which are not truly in-ear, for better or for worse. The AirPods have a similar battery life with the charging case. They also have additional sensors and features, like auto-play and pause when you put them on and take them off.

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The wireless, cable-free SOL Republic Amps Air headphones deliver thunderous bass, a wildly sculpted sound signature, and limited on-ear controls.

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At $179, the decision is clear: if Apple’s AirPods, at $159, just aren’t cutting it— either because of the design, fit or sound quality— the Sol Republic Amps Air headphones provide a slight step up in at least some those areas that might be worth the $20 premium. There is a large audience of iPhone users that don’t prefer the design or fit of Apple’s earbuds, and many that are anticipating that the AirPods, being relatively the same shape as the old EarPods, might not offer an ideal fit. For them, the Amps Air are for now one of the better truly wireless headphone options available.

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If I lived in a world in which AirPods weren’t on the cusp of coming out, I might be more inclined to recommend the Amps Air—the low price almost outweighs the inconvenience of fit and a bad microphone. But that’s not the world we live in. If you want truly wireless earbuds for under $200, just wait for the $160 AirPods.

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