Design & Construction

The Beoplay H8i is the follow-up predecessor of the original Beoplay H8. Striking the same looks, the Beoplay H8i upgraded more of the software than the already beautiful hardware.  The left earcup has the (From Back-Front): LED indicator, power rocker, 3.5mm audio input, Mic and the USB Type-C port. While on the right earcup (From Back-Front): there is the Vol+ button, Multi-function button and Vol - button. The multi-function button allows for pairing with a 5 second hold, play/pause with a single press, skip forward/backward with a double press or triple press respectively. To turn ANC on, slide down the rocker on the left earcup and slide up to turn on transparency mode on. The headphones has thick and soft earpads which however does not encase your ears. This means that they sit on your ears, which eventually causes wearing fatigue after several long hours for listening. The clamping force is just right and does not cause any noticable discomfort to users. On the other hand, the firm clamping force makes it the ideal headphone to use while working out. The haedband is made of cowhide leather and has a padded headrest to provide for a comfortable experience. The exterior of the earcups has a anodized aluminium finish which resists fingerprint smudges very well. The earcups pivots in all directions and folds flat for easy storage.

 

Sound Quality

The Beoplay H8i focused on a excited yet enjoyable sound setting that is good for genres like EDM, R&B, Rap & Pop. The headphone drivers provide a very immersive experience with a emphasis of bass. The mid-range is balanced and highs are warm in my opinion. Users may download the compatible Beoplay App on the App Store and Play Store to tune the sound experience. ToneTouch customisation allows users to choose from 4 catergories of Warm, Excited, Relaxed or Bright. Alternately, you may choose from presets like Commute, Clear, Workout or Podcast. Based on user experience, the noise isolation is top-notch, I could not hear much of my surroundings when there was no music on and with Active Noise Cancelling turned off. Turning on ANC significantly improve the isolation and I could only hear minimal muffled noise. Users may also feel a slight air-cabin pressure feeling but it isn't something to write home about if you are going to use the ANC with music on. Transparency mode, on the other hand, pauses your music and lets in all your surroundings so that you can hear a train announcement or catch up with your friend. Call quality was fantastic, the caller manage hear me clearly on the other end.

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Connectivity & Portability

The headphone operates both passively and wirelessly. The volume was similar in both wireless and wired mode. However, listening via the Micro-USB cable is not available. The battery life peaks at a high of 30 hours with Bluetooth and ANC on and 45 hours with Bluetooth and ANC off. Recharging the H8i from a dead battery require 3.5 hours, pretty fast for such a huge battery. The Bluetooth range was similar to other headphones with Bluetooth Ver 4.2 and there wasn't any drop-outs from my usage so far. There are also proximity sensors built-in the headphones which helps to pause your music when you take off your headphones and resumes it when you put in back on. The package comes with a 1.2 m 3.5 mm audio cable, 1.25m USB-A to USB-C cable, a flight adapter and a soft carrying pouch. I'm a little disappointed that Beoplay opted for a sofy carrying pouch instead of a hardshell one as the price point of the headphone is significantly higher than other competitors.

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PROS

• Durable Construction

• Enjoyable Sound Signature

• Long Battery Life

• Controls For Music Playback & Calls

• Strong Active Noise Cancellation

• Folds Flat Into A Smaller Profile

• Transparency Mode

• Proximity Sensors For Convenience

• Soft Carrying Pouch

• A Range Of Colours

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CONS​​

• Lack Of Voice Prompts

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The Bottom Line

The Beoplay H8i is a superior on-ear ANC headphone housing comfortable ear cushions, fantastic noise-cancelling, sound customisation and long battery life. It is highly recommended for daily commutes. Two colours is available to fit users of different genders.