Rolfstone Focus – Hardware Review
We’ve recently discussed two pairs of Rolfstone’s wireless earbuds, and even though we had a slight preference for the Nova Sport, we did in fact have a great experience with both products. The Riva offered a very affordable entry-level experience for those wanting to try out wireless earbuds for the first time, while the Nova Sport offered a more premium experience and was also great for those who wanted to listen to music while working out. Today, we’ll be presenting you with our opinion of the Focus, which is Rolfstone’s wireless headphones. Once again, we were treated to a quality product.
Design
Rolfstone opts for a less-is-more approach for its Focus model, which we certainly appreciated. The Focus looks suitable for every possible occasion, and it also looks very classy. More affordable brands often opt for a more tacky and bombastic design to stand out from the crowd, but Rolfstone does manage to capture a proper premium look for their moderate-priced headphones. Other than the depiction of the brand logo and brand name, the headset doesn’t have that many noticeable features.
Comfort
The Focus proves to be a very comfortable companion for your music listening sessions, or just when you’re in the mood to binge some series on Netflix. The faux leather ear pads are very soft to the touch, and they provide ample padding. This is also true for the adjustable headband, which also comes with enough padding to make sure the device rests softly on the top of your head. The over-ear design makes it so your ears don’t get squished. The device doesn’t have a too-tight grip, which is also a plus for music enthusiasts that get a headache easily. The faux leather does require a bit more maintenance to keep clean, as it shows stains and smudges a lot quicker.
If we truly have to nitpick, we do have to mention the somewhat awkward placement of the power button. The power button is placed behind the brackets of the right ear cup, and this makes it so you can’t really turn your headset on or off when it’s already on your head. Of course, covering the power button when the headset is on your head comes with the advantage that you can’t accidentally turn it off when pressing (other) buttons. Other than that, we would have perhaps preferred a foldable design, as it makes it easier to store the headphones in your bag.
Specs
- Premium carry case included
- Up to 70 hours of playback time
- Swipe controls
- ANC
- Hands-free calling
- USB-C
Overview
To get started, you simply have to pair the Focus to your phone (or other devices) and you’ll be good to go in mere seconds. Most devices will detect the Focus automatically when they are looking for Bluetooth devices, for others, you may have to follow the steps described in the manual. When we paired the device to our smartphone to listen to music, we were treated to crisp audio and surprisingly deep bass. You’ll also be certain that your experience with the headphones will not be cut short, as the battery life promises up to 70 hours of playback time. This means you can easily go without charging the device for quite some time.
We initially had our doubts about the touch controls on the right ear cup, but we were very impressed by how smoothly this went. The system is somewhat the same as the tapping on earbuds, but actually even more practical. As an ear cup is obviously a lot bigger than the surface of regular earbuds, Rolfstone actually included the option to swipe as well. This makes certain actions easier, and you won’t have to resort to memorizing how many times you have to tap the button (or surface) for certain commands. In this case, we could just swipe back and forth if we wanted to go back to our previous or next track when listening to music. Other functions included picking up calls and swiping up and down for volume settings.
The headset also features an ANC function, which is also a plus if you truly wish to zone out. As always, we do like to mention that, when outside, it’s always best to stay aware of your surroundings. But, if you wish to zone out at home, or perhaps on a long bus ride, the ANC function is very appreciated and it works very well as well. Of course, you will not be able to drown out every exterior noise, but we were able to mute most environmental noises when wanting to listen to our favorite music or podcasts.
Conclusion
Rolfstone’s Focus headphones offer a very affordable and premium-quality experience. We were very impressed by the comfort it offered, in combination with the crisp audio feedback and its elegant design. While we still prefer a foldable design, in order to store it away easier when on the road, the premium case that comes with the Focus is of great quality. As a whole, this one is certainly worth considering if you’re looking for a new set of headphones.
Rolfstone Focus - Hardware Review,
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