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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1500862
Edifier wisely omitted the trendy (and now silly) trackpad functions from the W860NB. The WH950NB uses more traditional buttons built into the outer right ear cup shell. One toggle button performs on/off/play/pause/answer call functions dependent on what the headphone is doing at the time. This multi-functional center is sandwiched between the volume up and down buttons—all within one oval-shaped button. Due to its learning curve, I’m not a fan of this approach, but it’s way better than the short-lived and problematic trackpad approach on the W860NB. That’s a feature I will not miss. At first blush, it looks cool until you live with it for a while. Below the toggle button, there is a second “M” button that switches the WH950NB between three audio modes: Active noise canceling (ANC), Ambient (letting all outside noise in), and Off. This button makes switching modes super easy. Note that there’s a slight delay between the modes as a voice prompt says which mode is now being used. I find the delay slightly irritating, but it may not be a big deal to others. The call quality has improved a bit. People I speak with can hear me clearly although I have a bit of trouble hearing myself, even in ambient mode. So I usually move one of the ear pads off my ear to hear better. This is something that happens with other headphones also. Edifier supplies the Edifier Connect app (iOS or Android) that lets you control more than the ear cup buttons, though it’s fairly bare-bones. There is no equalizer included beyond some presets. I tried the app once and quickly forgot about it. The WH950NB headphone uses the new Bluetooth 5.3, which allows pairing with two devices at the same time. I can now pair with both my iPhone and iPad and easily switch between both. I like that. The WH950NB also fast pairs with Google devices. However, as an unrepentant Apple fanboy, I don’t care (sorry, Google). Bluetooth 5.3 also has good-sounding codecs. Let’s be honest, wireless audio may not equal hard-wired audio, but audio quality is now close enough to not matter much. I quite enjoy listening to music wirelessly without wondering what I might be missing. LDAC is supported by all those non-Apple people. Speaking of audio, I liked how the W860NB headphone sounded, but ANC noticeably degraded its music quality. I much prefer how the WH950NB sounds—it sounds the same in any mode—ANC, ambient, or off! For days, I listened to music I like and it was fun—no matter the mode. Unless I needed absolute quiet, I would just wear them in ambient mode for hours as I worked. Whenever I came upon a song I really liked, I would crank the headphones up with no distortion ruining the sound. Only my audiologist would cringe at the volume I listen to! The WH950NB headphones never faltered.