I have already talked about the Sudio brand several times on this blog, but if you don't know it, it is a Swedish brand specializing in audio equipment: headphones and speakers. This company specializes in products that combine quality and design at affordable prices!

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to test one of the headphones in their range: the Sudio Klar, a circum-aural headset (which completely covers the ear) that I will tell you about here.

So like every time, little one disclaimer, I am not a sound professional and the opinions and feedback that I will give you are only the feedback of my impressions based on my use. To be perfectly transparent, the headset that I use on a daily basis is a Bose QC 35 II and it is therefore with this high-end headset that I will draw parallels. But be careful, let's be clear right away, almost €200 separates these two headsets... my goal is therefore not to oppose them!

Unpacking

What I like about the Sudio brand is that it takes care of its customers! The headphones arrived in a very nice black box with a small (printed) card inside thanking me for my purchase and accompanying the headset box. So, it makes you feel important!

The box containing the headphones is as usual of very high quality and works like a small drawer accommodating the Sudio Klar headphones. The cardboard is of very good quality and the headphones are well highlighted. Under the headphones, you will find the various accessories and documents that accompany it, namely:

• A charging cable (USB to micro-USB)
• An audio cable
• a user guide
• a quick start guide
• a warranty card

The sound of silence

Why this title? Very simple, the Klar helmet offers an extraordinary level of isolation and is equipped with a noise reduction function to complete the whole thing!

Soundproofing of the Sudio Klar

The advantage of a circumaural headset is that if it is well designed you will benefit from increased sound insulation compared to other types of headset. And precisely, the first big strong point of the Sudio Klar is that it naturally offers very good quality sound insulation. When you put the headset on your ears, the world around you seems to disappear! Even my Bose QC 35 II does less well!

Noise reduction

The Klar helmet is equipped with a device for active noise reduction, a process that is supposed to attenuate annoying noises by implementing auxiliary sounds. Personally, this feature did not convince me.

Noise reduction is activated using a button located on the right earpiece. When it is activated, a small green light is visible on the headset. On the other hand, when you have the headset on your ears, it is impossible to know if the device is activated or not, pressing the button does not generate any sound allowing you to know the status of the noise reduction. You have to remove the headset to know if the green light is on or off. It's a shame, a small sound would have allowed you to have the information quickly... Especially since, as I was saying, this device seemed relatively little impactful to me. The noise reduction of the Bose headset is much more impressive...

This disappointment may come from the fact that the sound insulation of the headset is so good that the work of the noise reducer is insignificant!

Sound performance

In terms of sound performance, if the Klar headset does not manage to match my Bose headset, it still has nothing to be ashamed of in its performance!

Indeed, the sound is very clean and if the bass lacks a little depth, it is still very correct! Faithful to the "Sudio" style, the clarity of the sound is a real asset and allows you to distinguish a multitude of sounds that go unnoticed with low-end headphones or earphones.

Finally, by pushing the volume a little I did not notice any distortion, the sound remains very good!

Design, ergonomics and comfort

Design

Design-wise, I was very favorably impressed by this helmet. It's elegant! Much prettier than my QC 35! Its leatherette finishes and the little gold bar on each side of the helmet look great and give it a very high-end appearance. However, we'll have to see how the materials wear out in the long run!

For transport, the headset can be folded at the earpieces to make it more compact and save a little space in your bag! This is a good thing, but we can nevertheless criticize Sudio for not having provided with its device a storage or transport pouch.

Finally, in terms of design, if it is a bluetooth headset, it also offers the possibility of being connected using a jack cable with standard plugs on both sides. This is appreciable and owners of Bose QC 35 know that the latter is particularly annoying, because the jack that connects to the headset is an atypical mini-jack format and that if necessary it will be necessary to pay Bose to buy a new cable.

Ergonomics and comfort

New big strong point of the Sudio Klar: comfort! The part of the headset that rests on your head is padded and the ear cushions are particularly comfortable. I can keep this headset on my head for many hours without feeling the slightest discomfort (unless it's very hot)! It is really very comfortable to wear, especially since it is relatively light at 242g.

Buttons and microphone

Regarding the buttons, the first thing I noticed was that it was a shame that to turn the beast on/off you had to hold down one of the 4 buttons under the right earpiece for a few seconds. Indeed, the on/off switch on my Bose headset is very useful in the long run!

Then, I was a little put off by the somewhat “cheap” plastic appearance of the 4 buttons on the headset…

Finally and especially, 4 buttons is way too many ! With each manipulation, you have to fumble around to find the right button: volume +, play/pause, volume – or activation of the noise reduction… It’s not very ergonomic, because the 4 buttons are aligned, making their use impractical for my taste!

Finally, regarding the microphone and call management, Klar is quite up to par! The sound of the microphone is clear and the ambient noises are relatively limited. The buttons allow you to take calls and even activate Siri on iOS and Google Assistant on Android!

Features of the Sudio Klar

• Type: Circum-auricular
• Weight: 242g
• Compatibility: iOS, Android
• Battery life: up to 30 hours of listening time
• Microphone: Yes
• Range: 10m
• Bluetooth version: 4.1
• Voice assistance: Siri / Google Assistant
• Codec: SBC
• Color: black or white

Conclusion

Once again, the Sudio brand has demonstrated its ability to make high-quality headphones at a very reasonable price (€129). If the Sudio Klar is not perfect with disappointing noise reduction and too many buttons for my taste, it convinced me thanks to impressive sound insulation and really very good user comfort!

If you're looking to treat yourself without breaking the bank, Klar offers a very good quality/price compromise!

Finally, if you are tempted, you can use the code “byothe15” to benefit from a 15% reduction on Sudio's online store !