OWS Pro Open Wireless Earhooks review — Quality audio in a budget-friendly package

The OWS Pro Open Wireless Earhooks by Maxell are the latest in what is seemingly a never-ending stream of competing wireless earbud releases, but does Maxell’s latest offering provide enough substance to stand out amongst the already crowded marketplace?

I’ll spare you the suspense – the answer is yes, provided you are aware that you are purchasing a budget earbud set. While the OWS Pro isn’t going to light the audio world on fire, they accomplish exactly what they set out to. The OWS Pro is a versatile wireless earhook set capable of producing surprisingly clear audio and able to connect effortlessly to a variety of products. Mix in the OWS Pro’s simple tap controls and comfortable design and you’ve got a winner – all for under $40.00.

The Maxell OWS Pro comes housed in a see-thru case, available in multiple colors, which can hold up to 18 hours of spare charge. The earhooks themselves can hold a charge for 6 hours or so, which is more than enough for most workday commutes, but having the case provide what is essentially three full charges practically ensures you’ll never run out of battery during a typical day. The case charges easily via USB-C and will work with nearly any spare power adapter you have at home.

One of my favorite features of the OWS Pro is its simple earhook design, which lightly curves around the contours of your ear and evenly distributes its weight, ensuring that the OWS Pro remains comfortable even when in use for hours. I’ll admit that I may be a bit biased. I’ve never been the biggest fan of the typical in-ear earbuds because they inevitably lead to my ear becoming agitated, so I much prefer the OWS Pro’s design as it completely alleviates that concern. Despite being incredibly lightweight, the OWS Pro never feels like it is in danger of falling off or shifting out of place, whether you are taking part in rigorous activities such as jogging or exercising, or simply laying in bed. Sure, the OWS Pro isn’t the first to use the earhook design, it’s been around for as long as headphones have, but the OWS Pro is one of the more comfortable implementations of the design that I’ve come across.

Key factors in whether any headphones are worth purchasing is their versatility and ease of use, which are two areas in which OWS Pro excels. I had absolutely no issues immediately connecting to my cell phone or other music streaming products and experienced no dropped connections, delays, or other audio issues while connected. The OWS Pro also has a neat touch feature in which you simply tap the right earpiece, and you can pause or play whatever you are currently watching or listening to. You can also utilize this touch feature to answer and end phone calls. When utilizing the OWS Pro with my phone, I was impressed by the clarity of the built-in microphone. It may be a bit barebones, but that also means that it works immediately out of the box with no hassle. Sometimes, ease of use is worth giving up a few extraneous features.

Overall, the Maxell OWS Pro proves itself to be a great product for the audiophile on a budget and is well worth the low asking price.

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