By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
TechgoonduTechgoondu
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
漏 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Goondu review: Novero Rockaway Bluetooth earphones
Share
Aa
TechgoonduTechgoondu
Aa
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
  • PC
  • Telecom
Search
  • Audio-visual
  • Enterprise
    • Software
    • Cybersecurity
  • Gaming
  • Imaging
  • Internet
  • Media
  • Mobile
    • Cellphones
    • Tablets
  • PC
  • Telecom
Follow US
漏 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Techgoondu > Blog > Mobile > Cellphones > Goondu review: Novero Rockaway Bluetooth earphones
Audio-visualCellphonesMobile

Goondu review: Novero Rockaway Bluetooth earphones

Alfred Siew
Last updated: June 13, 2014 at 5:05 PM
Alfred Siew Published July 21, 2012
6 Min Read
SHARE

Okay, the red cable makes them look a little like Beats Audio headphones. But these Novero Rockaway ear buds, no bigger than the average overpriced iPhone accessory, pack a lot more in terms of functionality and are light years away from the pack.

For starters, they play music from your smartphone or MP3 player wirelessly over Bluetooth. In other words, no more getting entangled in wires as you push your way onto a train or even if you go jogging (more on that later). There are other Bluetooth headsets in the market, but I haven’t come across any that is as small and attractively put together as the Rockaway.

Everything is packaged within the small ear buds which weigh no more than 10 grams. They are feather-light. To charge the earphones, you turn and open the nicely concealed cover on one of the ear buds to reveal a micro USB port. Plug this in to your PC and you’re ready.聽This is nifty design at its best.

Less surprisingly, being German, Novero also excels in build quality. The flat cables are connected to the headphones tightly and can probably withstand most types of abuse unless you decide to somehow pull with all your might. The remote control buttons, letting you control the volume as well as answer calls, are also tightly connected in a reassuring way.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the earphones don’t sound half bad. I’m sceptical of the marketing behind lifestyle earphones these days, but given the small size of the Rockaway, the audio is clear and doesn’t over-accentuate either the highs or lows too much. That’s already a feat, given all the “special treatment” that many earphones come with these days.

The bass, thank goodness, doesn’t seem overplayed and bloated. There’s probably not enough weight if you want heart-pounding impact, but I’d rather go with less bass than loose bass. Neither do you get too much of the tinny, harsh timbre you can expect on run-of-the-mill ear buds. Things are remarkably controlled on the Rockaway, as compared to the “out of control” that you hear on many earphones.

I also like it that the sound doesn’t seem trapped at each ear. When I fire up tracks with female vocals, such as Stacey Kent’s, the singer’s voice doesn’t seem to be whispered in your ears but instead come from an imaginary stage in your head. Not too bad for such small earphones, I think.

To test things, I had connected the Rockaway with both my Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 7.7, which played regular MP3s as well as lossless FLAC tracks. The hookup was effortless. All I had to do was turn on the Bluetooth earphones and set the music devices to look it up. Within seconds, they found the earphones and paired almost instantaneously.

Being a Bluetooth headset means the Rockaway supports voice calls as well. The noise cancelling here works as well as many more illustrious rivals like Jabra, I can say. When I spoke to a friend while standing right next to my apartment’s window with loud gusts of wind blowing in my face, the other party heard me clearly and never got a hint of the wind.

When it comes to blocking the noise coming into your ears, the Rockaway does a pretty good job too. These ear buds, despite having no active noise cancellation, should take out a lot of the engine noise from planes.聽Better yet, if the guy next to you wants to head to the loo, you can easily get up without getting tangled with cables and blankets in that tight economy seat.

One thing to note, though, is that Novero rates the Bluetooth earphones to be in use for only 5.5 hours聽(it can be on standby for 250 hours). If you are on a long flight, you may need a separate USB battery pack to charge up the small lithium battery in the Rockaway. Novero doesn’t state its capacity, but it’s probably small, to keep the ear buds feather-light.

If there is one other complaint, it’s that the ear buds can be a little tight after you wear them for a while. This is a matter of personal preference, of course. But after a couple of hours wearing even the smallest ear buds – there are three extra pairs included – I still felt like my ears were stuffed too tightly.聽If not for that, these earphones could be the perfect companion for a long jog, since they free you up from wires.

My advice is to try them out at the store to see if they are comfortable. If the Rockaway passes that test for you, I’d strongly recommend them. They are nicely made, well built and come packed with quite a number of features you’d have to pay more than the S$128 asking price with other brands.

You Might Also Like

Oppo Find N2 Flip review: A worthy flip phone alternative to Samsung

Sony Playstation VR2 review: An immersive experience awaits

Debate on computational photography misses what’s real, what’s lived outside a frame

LG OLED Flex LX3 review: A bendable gaming monitor for the adventurous (and rich)

Hogwarts Legacy review: Defying gravity

TAGGED: Bluetooth, earphones, Novero, review, Rockaway, Singapore, stereo

Sign up for the TG newsletter

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Alfred Siew July 21, 2012
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link Print
Share
Avatar photo
By Alfred Siew
Follow:
Alfred is a writer, speaker and media instructor who has covered the telecom, media and technology scene for more than 20 years. Previously the technology correspondent for The Straits Times, he now edits the Techgoondu.com blog and runs his own technology and media consultancy.
Previous Article Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p serves up full desktop power in minuscule box
Next Article Read Techgoondu and other news stories on SingTel’s NewsLoop app
4 Comments
  • clement says:
    September 2, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Bought this yesterday and was happy with it the sounf quality can match up with a jays one and this earpiece retail at around $128sgd which is cheaper than motorola s10-hd by $10 and a wooping $40 cheaper than the plantronics backbeat and sound better

    Reply
    • techgoondu says:
      September 4, 2012 at 3:13 pm

      Hi Clement, I’m interested to ask your experience on the Backbeat. Did you go jogging or exercising with it? 馃檪

      Reply
  • Ryan says:
    July 24, 2012 at 10:04 pm

    Looks cool, which shops sell this? Possible to pair with PS3?

    Reply
    • Alfred Siew says:
      July 25, 2012 at 3:28 pm

      Hi Ryan,

      I haven’t tried pairing with a PS3… unfortunately, I’ve returned the test units so can’t try it out. Do send an e-mail to the folks from Novero.com though. As for retail outlets, here’s what we got from the press release:

      Available at selected Apple Premium Resellers, leading IT channels, electronics shops at Singapore Changi airport terminal 2 and terminal 3, and the following outlets: 路 M1 shops at Paragon, 313 Somerset, Bugis Junction, Tampines Mall, IMM Building and West Mall路 3 Mobile at ION Orchard, Junction 8 Shopping Centre and Parkway Parade路 Mega store at Jurong Point Shopping Centre路 Gadget World at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands路 Handphone Shop at Great World City

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow

Latest News

Oppo Find N2 Flip review: A worthy flip phone alternative to Samsung
Cellphones Mobile March 26, 2023
As TikTok faces a possible ban in the US, should users elsewhere be worried?
Cybersecurity Internet March 24, 2023
Foodpanda to use Gogoro electric scooters in battery swapping trial with Cycle & Carriage
Enterprise Internet March 23, 2023
RedCap: A new cellular IoT technology for the 5G era
Enterprise Software Telecom March 23, 2023
//

Techgoondu.com is published by Goondu Media Pte Ltd, a company registered and based in Singapore.

.

Started in June 2008 by technology journalists and ex-journalists in Singapore who share a common love for all things geeky and digital, the site now includes segments on personal computing, enterprise IT and Internet culture.

banner banner
Everyday DIY
PC needs fixing? Get your hands on with the latest tech tips
READ ON
banner banner
Leaders Q&A
What tomorrow looks like to those at the leading edge today
FIND OUT
banner banner
Advertise with us
Discover unique access and impact with TG custom content
SHOW ME

 

 

POWERED BY READYSPACE
The Techgoondu website is powered by and managed by Readyspace Web Hosting.

TechgoonduTechgoondu
Follow US

漏 2023 Goondu Media Pte Ltd. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use | Advertise | About Us | Contact

Join Us!

Never miss anything again. Get the latest news and analysis in your inbox.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.
 

Loading Comments...
 

    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Lost your password?