Urbanears has announced two new sets of true wireless headphones with the same stem design as Apple’s AirPods – at half the price.
Urbanears Luma and Alby mark the first venture into true wireless earbuds for the Swedish headphone maker. At less than £80 each, these headphones could be a game changer for anyone looking for the iconic AirPods style on a budget.
The Luma are the pricier of the two models. These headphones feature touch and voice control for navigation and a wear detect sensor, meaning the music is automatically paused when you take the earbuds out of your ears.
Image: Urbanears
The headphones feature dual mics on each earbud for clear calls even in noisier environments as well as a decent 25 hours of playtime in the wireless charging case – that’s five hours in the headphones with an additional four charges stored in the case. Considering Apple places a £40 premium on its wireless charging case, we’d say that’s a pretty good deal.
The Luma headphones are splash and sweatproof up to IPX4 and are available in four colourways: Charcoal Black, Teal Green, Dusty White and Ultra Violet.
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The Alby headphones cost £20 less than the Luma, despite being similar in many ways. Like, the Luma, the Alby also feature touch and voice control and an IPX4 waterproof rating. The Alby also come in the same black, green, white and violet colour variants.
Image: Urbanears
The cheaper earphones do suffer some sacrifices. There is no wear detect sensor to automatically pause music and there is just a single mic in each earbud. The battery is also smaller, with three hours playtime in the headphones adding up to a total of 15 hours in the (non-wireless) charging case.
The Alby headphones do include three ear tip sizes where the Luma do not, offering their wearer a more custom fit and the added benefit of passive noise cancellation.
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”We have never been a brand that follow rules, always having the mindset of an accessories brand rather than a tech one”, said Urbanears Global Brand Director Ebba Studt.
“Launching Urbanears Luma and Urbanears Alby together with the new brand concept supports Urbanears dedication to maintain a progressive outlook, making bold style statements. It’s not about screaming the loudest, it’s about having the confidence of being true”.
Image: Urbanears
Both Urbanears Luma and Urbanears Alby are available in-store and online worldwide this summer. The Luma headphones are priced at £79.99, while the Alby are £59.99.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.