Degauss Labs SPKRS review

Bold, brash but slightly incoherent: perfect for that nightclub feeling Tested at £40

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Bold, brash but slightly incoherent: perfect for that nightclub feeling

Pros

  • +

    Impressive scale

  • +

    Lovely design

Cons

  • -

    Bass is a bit overpowering

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Degauss Labs is a newcomer from Sweden. It seems like a caring company, with its website offering advice on burn-in processes and Android control apps. The Degauss Labs SPKRS headphones is the first product we've seen.

The company specialises in phone-friendly headphones: every product from its small range has microphones and buttons. Degauss caters for iOS and Android, although the SPKRS model has a single universal button.

This thoughtfulness extends to the selection of ear tips, which includes a tapering triple-flange option, intended to go right up to your brain. If that’s not your thing, there’s also a soft memory foam tip.

From the tangle-friendly flat cable to the coated aluminium bud, the SPKRS have a lovely design. The build quality is good, they’re solid yet light, and very comfortable to wear.

The sound, however, is a little disappointing. Degauss has intentionally aimed for “MASSIVE bass for today’s most popular music”, and we feel that they’ve overshot it. The low end dominates the performance and forces everything else to retreat to the background.

The bass itself is deep and relatively tight, but it comes at the not inconsiderable expense of clarity and articulation. The opening of Muse’s Panic Station is conveyed with a tremendous sense of energy and power, but everything else feels slightly blurry. The SPKRS also trip up a little when it comes to conveying changes in pace.

This is a shame, because there’s an impressive sense of scale, and just a little more balance would improve things significantly.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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