Rating: 4/5
What I Like:
- Balanced sound profile with a clear mids and highs
- Ability to equalize these headphones without too much quality loss
- Tiny size
- Comfortable fit
- Tangle free cord
- Durable build quality
What I Don’t Like:
- Treble has a bit of ‘sparkle’ and is too accentuated at times
- Included ‘sport’ ear tips are pretty but somewhat useless
Summary: The GGMM Alauda headphones strike a good balance between audio quality, size and comfort. These headphones will be particularly enjoyed by those who prefer a flatter and more balanced sound profile as they are weighted a bit towards treble. That’s not to say they completely forgo the bass though – what’s there is detailed and can be punchy. They are comfortable, look good and sound good too.
Where to Buy
GGMM Alauda:
Amazon U.S.A. | Amazon Canada
Price at time of review: $34.99
Build Quality & Appearance
The GGMM packaging strikes quite the first impression: it is solid plastic with a clear window to view the headphones. It’s a bit hard to disassemble, but after pulling it apart the good impressions continue. The headphones themselves are small, tiny actually, and the earbuds and connectors are made from metal. The cords feel strong and does not tangle easily. A few tugs on it showed no signs of give. The single button has a good click to it. The orange set in particular is quite eye-catching.
Audio Quality
In terms of audio quality, these headphones for the most part don’t disappoint. Their profile is balanced, clear and has good dynamic range. By default, the audio they output is neutral. If I am to be picky, I would say they border on tinny in some situations and I notice that the treble is almost too sharp/accentuated in places. For electronic music on a flat equalizer I found myself waning for a little more bass however I particularly enjoyed listening to classical and rock out of the box. I notice that by default these headphones are unable to reproduce the lowest bass notes as well in-ears with larger drivers however after some slight EQ tweaking, I ended up pretty happy with the results in all genres. I was able to achieve an acceptable balance of bass, mid and treble. These headphones are able to output an impressive amount of bass and tonal range despite being so tiny. I was able to notice little details that I usually only can pick up with my Audio Technica studio monitor headphones – just subtle nuances in vocals, separation between notes and background noises. Volume gets loud too. Those who prefer a clearer, more open sound will like these headphones. Those who want pounding bass may want to find something with bigger drivers.
Comfort
After months of reviewing big, bulky Bluetooth headphones it’s actually a relief to have such a small and light set of headphones in my ears. Compared to other sets of wired in-ears I have, these are on the better side of fit for me, both in terms of ear canal fit and staying nicely in my ears. In particular I found these headphones comfortable to rest with (I sleep on my sides) which is a huge win for a set like this. Once in, I barely notice they are there.
Other Notes
There are two models: one with a single play/pause/call answer button and another with 3-buttons. They have the same drivers.
Conclusion
The GGMM Alauda headphones have a great design and a balanced audio spectrum for those who like clear, detailed music. They are comfortable and well made. Those who listen to a lot of rap and bass-heavy music may want to look for something with a little more bass though.