Last week we published my Logitech UE 900 earbud review. It’s a great product, albeit enormously expensive, just like the Sony WF 1000XM3 and the Shure SE215. Beyond the price, I also kvetch about the drawbacks concerning the earbud earpieces. They fit deep and tight into your unassuming ear holes, resulting in inevitable ear aches after extended use. The problem is not specific to the UE 900 set, so much as an inherent issue with that particular earpiece design. Unfortunately, it’s used by the majority of companies with similar products. That means even the best earbuds can have similar problems.
Enter Fanny Wang. The audio company with the strange name also does earbuds quite differently. For their Wang Buds, Fanny has swapped out those penetrating ear-aching traditional silicon tips for a more ergonomic style. There are also some interesting innovations in their tech and form factors. More importantly, they were gracious enough to shoot over a pair for us to dissect. Don’t you just love it when the universe answers your disgruntled ramblings?
Related: Also check out our Yamaha Eph M200 High-Performance In-Ear Headphones review.
The Fanny Wang Wang Buds ship with a modest package bundle and come in an assortment of color options. You get one pair of Wang buds which features an inline mic that works well with iOS devices and 4-sets of various size earpiece tips for secure placement and fit depending on your ear size. I’m never looking for much beyond great sound for my earbuds. So the spartan package bundle doesn’t bother us much, especially if it keeps costs down. There are no wild and crazy ornate boxes or elaborately decorated carrying bags. Just the essentials!
What does stick out quite notably is the look of the oversized earpieces. Fanny Wang has gone for a unique design for silicone tips. They look like a baby’s “sippy” cup complete with a grip handle. No joke! But they work fabulously and the grip handle I mentioned, works to grip your outer ear for added support. All that fits in your ear are the angled tips. Finally, we have a set of earbuds that don’t try to dip a hole to China through your cochlea. The resulting comfort is amazing. Plus no one will miss that old ear-ache drudgery of traditional ear tips.
Related: Are you looking for a sturdy pair of earbuds with the fantastic sound quality? Then, our V-Moda ZN review is a must-read.
Honestly, you could not fit much else in your ears, anyway. The opposite end of the ear pieces on the Wang Buds, are enormous. They are made to retain accurate bass reproduction while maintaining the clarity of highs and midrange sounds. The larger open-air design works in two ways. It permits more air to move through the widened chamber for better clarity. The large chamber is also big enough for a working 10mm-16ohm woofer and a 6 – 16ohm tweeter, in each earbud. If this is all Greek to you, check out our info post about headphone driver size.
The unique design is a success. The Fanny Wang Wang Buds provide endless comfort and some truly compelling audio quality. Bass still booms while highs and midranges retain clarity. I keep the volume just shy of full tilt. There is a little distortion but I found the audio to retain better clarity this way. The included in-line mic holds no issues with responsive buttons and a well-position receiver. Call quality is clear and callers had no complaints on the receiving end.
My only complaint is the learning curve. Fitting them in your ears properly is the product of much trial and error. Additionally, you can expect such a unique open-ear design, to provide little noise-canceling effect. These are not your biking-through-big city earbuds. But sunbathing, walking, or just chilling at a coffee shop are ideal scenarios. Just make sure you’re not playing audio out of your speakers and headphones, so you don’t annoy people around you.
The overall performance of the Logitech UE 900 earbud set is ever-so-slightly superior with enhanced clarity that goes almost unnoticed. The main difference between the two: one costs 400-bucks with an elaborate package bundle, while the Wang Buds from Fanny is less than $100.
For more low-priced headphones, you’ll want to read our JVC HA-NCX78 multi-noise-canceling earbuds review, Zipbuds Ear Bud headphones, and our Gigabyte Fly on-ear headphones.
Editor Rating:
[Rating: 4/5]
Great
Bottom Line: The Wang Bud by Fanny Wang is exceptional. The comfort is hard to beat. But it’s how that comfort also enhances the audio quality, that leaves me thoroughly impressed.
Pros
- Great on-the-go audio
- Unique design alleviates ear ache
- …and enhances bass tremendously
Cons
- Little noise canceling
- A bit of a learning curve to put on
You can buy the Fanny Wang Wang Bud (red) earbuds at Amazon for $79.95.
