Review: CKCOM Alien Wireless Earbuds

My trusty $20 wired earbuds (mismatched tips and all) and I have watched from a distance as the wireless headphone era arrives. And while it’s doubtful that we’ll completely say goodbye to wired headphones, it’s clear that wireless is the future. I recently welcomed a new pair of CKCOM Alien wireless earbuds, my first wireless headphones, into the mix. Here are some initial thoughts.

Setup

Setting the Aliens up was simple and hassle free. I followed the steps provided in the box, and was listening to music within a few minutes. The earbuds reconnect to my iPhone whenever I’m ready to listen to music. A friendly voice provides greetings and prompts along the way.

Fit & Design

These aren’t the smallest earbuds on the market, but the fit works for me. They’re comfortable for long periods of time. The Aliens are sweat resistant, and one of the first things I did was take them on a run. While they didn’t fall out, I was a bit nervous the entire time, and will make sure they’re very secure in my ears before running in the future.

I’m not a fan of the dangly extension on Apple’s Air Pods. I appreciate that the Aliens don’t include that “feature.” Like I said, they’re not the smallest earbuds, but at least they’re not annoyingly conspicuous.

The classy UFO shaped charging pod fits in a pocket and provides up to 30 hours of listening time. The earbuds drop into place in left and right slots and stay put magnetically. A plastic lid encloses the buds. Creative design bonus – you won’t notice as much with the buds in the case, but one look at the empty inside of the case will give you a clue into the name of these earbuds.

A side note about the included tips. I’ve lost approximately 846 earbud tips over the years. Losing them sucks, but it’s a part of the game. These tips have a harder durometer plastic where the tip connects to the earbud. It makes the tips a bit more difficult to connect to the earbud, but it also makes it more difficult for them to come off. I really appreciate that small touch.

Sound

Let’s face it, we’re listening to compressed MP3s while on trains, running and working out, and other less than ideal listening environments, so we can’t quite get into a conversation about perfect audiophile sound here. BUT, these the Aliens sound good. A few things stood out to me on the first few albums I listened to on these earbuds. I could distinctly hear the wispy comments by Miles Davis throughout Bitches Brew, and the deep bass on on Run The Jewels’ RTJ3 was never distorted. And, well, I could listen to Lost In The Dream The War On Drugs with tin cans on my ears and it would still sound amazing, but that’s a conversation for another time.

Bottom Line

With great sound, comfortable fit, and a reasonable price, the Aliens are a good option for anyone looking for a solid pair of all around wireless earbuds. Those old wired earbuds served me well, but I think I can now retire them.

Specs

• Earbud Dimensions: 20.5×19.7×26.3mm
• Playtime: 4.5 hours alone / 30 hours with charging pod
• Batteries (earpods and case): Micro lithium
• Earbud Battery Capacity: 60mAh
• Bluetooth Chip: Airoha 4.2
• Bluetooth Distance: 10-15m (up to 49 feet)
• Charging Pod Battery Capacity: 400mAh
• Charging Pod Dimensions: 80×69.5x33mm
• Weight: 77g
• Charging Port Type: Micro USB

In The Box

• Alien Earbuds
• Charging Case
• 3 eartips
• Micro USB charging cable

Availability

Aliens are available for pre order on indiegogo.com now, with early bird specials available. Shipping in December.