OneOdio A10 review: noise-cancelling headphones offer quality for less

The OneOdio A10 is the second pair of headphones from audio kit maker OneOdio in the last month and a bit. Last month, we gave the wired Monitor 60 studio headphones our thumbs-up, but not everyone needs or wants studio-quality headphones, and despite their affordable price level, you might be looking for something cheaper than the £/$90-100 those would set you back.

So I got the OneOdio A10 in for testing over a number of weeks to see whether they belong among the best noise-cancelling headphones or the best headphones for video-editing on the market today.

All in all, my experience of the OneOdio A10, after weeks of using them to listen to music, films and games, as well as edit some videos and dabble in GarageBand on stuff no other human being will ever have to listen to, I can give these underpriced performers a CB endorsement too, just like their bigger sibling, the Monitor 60.

OneOdio A10 review: Key specs

OneOdio A10 review: Design and build quality

The basic design of the OneOdio A10 is that of a typical pair of over-ear headphones, with large earcups, made from 'true protein memory foam'. There's padding on the silicon headband, and it's ratcheted to allow up to 35cm of adjustment to fit different-sized heads. They're also fairly light so feel really comfortable to wear.

The build quality really is very impressive, especially for such an affordable pair of headphones, and the outside of the earcups looks classy in particular, where the design evokes a vinyl record, with the OneOdio logo in the centre. Yes, there's some plastic mixed in with the silicon and metal, but it doesn't feel or look cheap at all.

The on-switch and volume adjuster buttons are located on the right cup, with the ANC on-off/transparency selector is on the left earcup. They're easy to get to grips with, with enough spacing between the right-ear buttons to never get them accidentally mixed up. The on-off/play-pause button also has a sharper texture to make sure I always knew whether I was pressing that or adjusting the volume.

The audio jack is located on the right, while the USB-C connector for charging the cans is on the left. A cable for both purposes is included in the fabric-covered hard case that comes with the headphones (you don't get a nice case like that with all headphones in this price bracket, another tick in the A10s' favour).

OneOdio A10 review: Features

The OneOdio A10 include features you'd be happy to see in headphones well above the price class you'll find these in. They offer wireless connectivity, with up to two simultaneous connections (I've had my phone and laptop connected at the same time, so I can take calls without scrambling around), and active noise-cancellation with transparency mode included too (where the human voice is amplified, good for train stations or airports, or to hear when your seven-year-old needs your help to open their smoothie carton).

I was also intrigued to see the 'Hi-Res Audio' certification on the box, which is usually reserved for headphones that set you back £/$100-plus, and further investigation revealed that on-board you'll find 40mm audio drivers, Bluetooth 5.0 and and 800mAh battery that promises up to 50 hours of playback with ANC switched on.

The charging port, as said before, is USB-C, which has become the new standard and is an extra comfort feature as you don't need a separate charging cable when travelling.

OneOdio A10 review: Performance

My experience with the OneOdio A10 has been extremely pleasant. The connectivity is seamless, where they now connect near-instantly to both my phone and laptop within 3-4 seconds of me switching them on, and taking calls is easy with auto-pausing of music on my laptop as soon as I answer the phone.

The dual microphones pick my voice up well too, so I quickly started preferring to use them on team video calls, for example, although they voice-isolation tech you'll find on more expensive headphones and earbuds like the Technics EAH-AZ80 is understandably much more advanced.

The ANC works well too, although it doesn't block sound out quite as effectively as top-end headphones. The transparency mode was an extra convenience too, especially as I often work at home with a child, so hearing them whenever needed is vital.

Listening to music was generally very enjoyable too. I like my drum and bass, so Charlie Tee's mixes on The Drum & Bass Show got a good run on the A10s. Sound range is very impressive, with solid mids and highs, but the bass could have been a little more pronounced at times.

Pop, rock and classical music all sound very decent here, too, with surround effects when watching films and TV well presented. In general, the sonic experience matched many headphones in the £100-200 range, justifying the Hi-Res Audio certification and underlining the A10s' bargain credentials.

Battery life met the maker's claims too. The stated 50-hour life with ANC switched on meant I could wear the headphones for a few hours every day over a couple of weeks, and on the Friday of the second week, they were still at 10% capacity. A quick charge of less than two hours then gave me two more weeks of life.

Long wear did result in some Hot Ear Syndrome though, thanks to the otherwise comfy amply padded earcups hugging my biological sonic receptors a little too snugly. I'm not someone who wears headphones uninterrupted for entire days, though, frequently removing and putting them on throughout the day, but I imagine this could potentially frustrate someone who would like to deploy Headphone Mode for a whole day.

OneOdio A10 review: Price

Here's you'll find the biggest tick in the OneOdio A10s' favour: the price tag. Normally retailing for an already-affordable $94.99, at the time of writing they can be had for $63.99 in the US and £72 in the UK. For the quality you get, this is a steal, even before discounts.

Should I buy the OneOdio A10?

Yes. It's as simple as that. Well, with only two caveats. If your ears get hot very easily, the pads on the OneOdio A10 headphones might not be to your liking, and if you are looking for studio-quality headphones, these don't quite stretch to there in regards to sound range. But the A10s are comfortable, offer really good sound and mostly excellent ANC for the price they come at, and the carry case is an extra luxury I appreciate and I'm sure you will too. Battery life is excellent too, and almost entirely in line with manufacturer claims, so there's very few reasons to dissuade you from getting these, if you're in the market for new headphones.