After a long-awaited delay, Bragi The Dash is now officially retailing in Singapore with local warranty by distributor LRT Singapore. The other Bragi earphones, simply called “The Headphone”, is also launched.
The Headphone is a more affordable entry-level version of The Dash, offering less sophisticated features. Here are the differences:
- The cradle and cover of The Headphone is made of plastic, while The Dash is made of metal.
- The cradle on The Dash contains battery for charging when the earbuds are stored on the cradle. The Headphone does not.
- The Headphone does not have fitness tracking capabilities.
- The Headphone earbuds do not auto-pause when removed from the ears while The Dash does. However, the left earbud mutes when the right earbud is removed from the ear.
- The Headphone is not waterproof.
- The Headphone silicon eartips fit only on the driver while The Dash wraps the entire body of the earbud. There are only 2 sets of FitTips – S and M – and a set of Comply foam tips. The tips are proprietary. While the M eartips are more comfortable for me, the Comply tips offer better seal and isolate noise effectively.
- The Headphone operates with 3 physical buttons on the right ear, while The Dash operates via touch-sensitive panel on both ears.
Despite its basic features, I find The Headphone is easier to use and pair compared to The Dash. All the operations are controlled from the right ear, and the syncing to the left ear is achieved seamlessly. The connectivity is so much better compared to what I experiened with The Dash. It is generally less prone to issues compared to The Dash. I love that The Headphone units are shaped almost like custom in-ears which fit snugly in my ears and do not slip out, unlike other conventional earbuds that stick out of the ears. If Bragi has them in skin colour, they would be almost unnoticeable.
Audio Quality
The Headphone does not sound as bright as I would like, so treble lovers might not feel inspired. Vocals are rounded and lack the sparkle, the bass presence is similarly rounded, with mild beats instead of deep strong rumble. Overall tone is not pushy, so some of the modern tracks sound flat. I will not buy them to enjoy music alone, but for the convenience and comfort. Battery life is 6 hours per charge, and they gets fully charged in less than 2 hours.
Audio Transparency Mode
The audio transparency mode is activated by press-and-hold the Volume Up button, letting ambient noise be heard in the mix while retaining the music volume level. When music is played, the ambient noise is actually not very obvious, similar to my experience with The Dash. It offers a subtle way to let you be aware of the surrounding as you do your urban activities, and should be sufficient to let you hear traffic noises without disrupting the music enjoyment. For listeners who do not like the stuffed ears feeling, the transparency mode will offer comfort. I can even wear it without music so that I don’t have to remove it for conversations.
Verdict
True wireless earphones have gain much traction after the release of iPhone AirPods. Bragi is one of the earlier companies that started creating wire-free earphones but they took a while to put them on retail. The Headphone is priced competitively with AirPods and its design ensure a more secure fit without requiring ear fins or stabilizers. This model offers little frills compared to The Dash but the functions work flawlessly. The design is great for wearers who yearn for wireless freedom, though the audio quality lacks sparkle.
Bragi The Headphone retails at S$248 with local warranty, available from trulewireless.sg and electronic retail outlets in Singapore. Bragi The Dash retails at S$428 (see my review here).
Likes
- Comfortable and does not fall out during workouts
- Audio Transparency opens up ambient noise while enjoying music without volume reduction
- Affordable compared to competition
Dislikes
- Treble lacks clarity to my liking
