Product test
Nothing Headphone (1) review: a great-sounding fidget toy
by Jan Johannsen
Libratone Track+: A versatile headphone with impact
11.2.2019
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: David Lee
The Track+ from Libratone comes as in-ear headphones with multi-stage noise cancelling and an eye-catching cable. Libratone gets a lot of things right. The customisable noise cancelling in particular promises a lot. I tested the headphones in everyday use.
At first glance, the latest headphones from Libratone look like sports headphones. This is because they come with a stiffened and bulky-looking neck cable. At second glance, however, it becomes clear that the Track+ is much more finely built than a sports headphone and is not just for sports. It's a pair of headphones that you can use in almost any situation. That's one of the reasons why I liked the Track+ so much.
The Danish manufacturer has only been involved in the audio market for ten years. However, Libratone quickly became known for its simple designs and good sound quality. The fact that noise cancelling with four different levels is possible with the small, fine and bean-shaped earpieces is appealing.
These small earphones have four different noise-cancelling levels.Sound, silence or everything together
- Ambient Pass Through, +6 dB: This lets you hear your surroundings alongside the music
- Low Noise Cancellation, 0 dB: According to Libratone, this level is best in windy conditions. I tried it while cycling and have nothing to complain about
- Moderate noise cancellation, -12 dB: The clattering, mechanical keyboards of my colleagues in the open-plan office still get through, but otherwise I can't hear much else
- Maximum noise cancellation, -23 dB: In the office, I can no longer hear the conversations of the people sitting next to me. And on a noisy bus, I can only hear my music
The bare decibel numbers in the app don't make much sense to me. On the Libratone homepage you can find clearer information about the noise cancelling levels:
-At level one, you can still hear 80% of the noise
-At level two it is 60%, which corresponds to the passive reduction you have when you have the headphones in your ears
-At level three, you can still hear 30% of the ambient noise
-At level four, you hear less than 10% of the noise
However, this figure is still abstract. The difference is best seen when listening. There, the different levels make sense and can be easily distinguished.
Controls: also okay for Apple?
The back of the Track+ box clearly states: Made for iPhone / iPod. The controls are kept nice and simple to meet Apple's requirements: You can adjust the noise cancelling with the small left button on the elongated control. A double tapping signal lets you know when you have reached the lowest level when clicking through.
On the right-hand side, you have two volume controls with a small button in the centre. Pressing it once pauses the music, pressing it twice plays the next song and pressing it three times in succession plays the previous song. So far so simple.
The pairing of headphones and mobile phone has always worked perfectly and quickly for me, even with the Android phone. I never had any dropouts. And there are no annoying delays when watching videos with headphones.
Hold like a glove
With cable, the Track+ weighs just 28 grams. Because they are so light, I was initially worried that these would be the kind of headphones that would constantly fall out of my ears. Fortunately, this is not the case. The Track+ fit my ears like a glove. I only use the small wings for jogging, which can be popped on very quickly. I could do without the wings, but the sound quality suffers. If the earbuds sit firmly in your ears, it simply sounds better.
What also speaks in favour of the Track+: My last headphones with a neck cable had a loud cable. This meant that whenever the cable reached the collar of my jacket or anywhere else, I could hear it in my ears. You won't hear the Track+ cable. And it feels warm and fine on the back of your neck.
The small white dividers provide even more grip.If you want to jog in the rain, you can do so with the Track+. It is IPX4-certified, which means it is protected against splashing water. In my case, it even survived a fall into a half-full teacup without damage.
Conclusion: lightness that pays off
The Track+ impresses me. I only noticed very few negative things in the entire test: the running time, which fluctuates slightly, and the lack of a case.
The headphones are nice and light and fit so well in the ears that you hardly notice them when wearing them. I think the price is reasonable for the performance that the Track+ delivers. The Track+ is so versatile that you don't need extra sports headphones, for example. For jogging, travelling by train, in the office or studying, they have always worked for me.
Testing devices and gadgets is my thing. Some experiments lead to interesting insights, others to demolished phones. I’m hooked on series and can’t imagine life without Netflix. In summer, you’ll find me soaking up the sun by the lake or at a music festival.
