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Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones review
Quick verdict: Klipsch’s McLaren edition earbuds don’t fall out, even if you have smaller ears, and come with a fully waterproof case and a wireless charging mat.
Pros
- Compatible with wireless charging
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Comfortable to wear with 6 different sized eartips
Cons
- Included ear wings slip off the earbuds
- Doesn’t always disconnect or pause audio when you put the earbuds in the case
- Earbuds sometimes drain battery life at different rates
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Klipsch has launched a new edition of the brand's T5 II True Wireless Sport earphones in collaboration with British motor racing team McLaren. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones cost $50 more than the non-McLaren edition, but they come with a wireless charging mat and a racing-themed colour scheme.
Design
Design
- Orange and black design
- Fully waterproof case
- Includes six eartips for different sized ears
- Comes with a wireless charging pad
I love unboxing headphones and the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones definitely gave me a thrill. They're black with bright orange accents and have a matching black case with an orange racing stripe-like design.
The case itself is IP67 waterproof rated and even floats when placed in water. It's filled with crystals that absorb moisture ensuring your earbuds don't get damaged if you put them away right after a sweaty workout. It makes a bit of a rattling noise when you shake it, but it's not too noticeable if it's in your bag or a pocket.
Because the case fully seals to be waterproof, the USB C charging port is located inside the case which means you have to open the lid to charge it. However, the case also supports Qi wireless charging.
The earbuds come with six different silicone eartips to suit different sized ears and an additional set of memory foam tips.
I have small ears and I've found that most headphones seem to be designed for larger heads and larger ears. As a headphones enthusiast, I often read reviews of new models to see what else I can add to my collection and I can't tell you how many times I've read a male reviewer describe headphones as comfortable, only to buy them and get a headache within an hour of wearing them or find that they won't stay in my ears at all.
To be honest, I haven't been this excited about a pair of headphones in a while. The Klipsch T5 II True Wireless earbuds feel like they were made just for my ears. They're lightweight and soft, with just the right amount of pressure to stay put without causing any discomfort.
The only element of the design that doesn't feel quite right is the ear wings that slide onto the earbuds to help them stay in your ears. Unfortunately, they slide around a lot and even slipped off entirely one time when I took the earbuds out of my ears. The earbuds fit so securely in my ears without the wings that I ended up taking them off because they felt like more of a hassle than an enhancement.
Also included in the box is a small QI wireless charging mat, which is convienent for those who don't want to open up the case to access the charging port.
Performance
Performance
- Easy to set up
- Audio is well rounded and clear
- On-ear controls are intuitive and simple
- Decent battery life
Aside from the McLaren edition design and included wireless charger, these earbuds are virtually identical to the regular T5 II True Wireless Sport earphones.
To get started, all you need to do is remove them from the case and pair them with your mobile phone or another device. They have basic on-ear controls with buttons on both earbuds for play, pause, skip, volume, call handling and to activate your phone's virtual assistant.
The earbuds also have a button that activates a transparency mode so you can let in additional noise or have conversations easily without having to take out the earbuds. This is especially handy if you're wearing them with a mask and don't want to accidentally pull off the mask ear loops when you take your headphones off.
They sound great, especially when using the memory foam tips that block out a bit of extra ambient noise. The bass sounds fairly deep for the small size of the earbuds, and high pitches and spoken audio sound clear and clean.
These earbuds are ideal for workouts since I don't have to worry about them falling out or getting too sweaty. They also have a strong Bluetooth connection so I can use them even if my phone is in another room.
The only flaw I found while using the T5 II earbuds is that they don't always disconnect or pause my audio when I put them back in the case, which means I sometimes have to manually disconnect them from my device. A few times I didn't notice right away and my audio kept playing long after I took them out. For this price, I expect a more seamless experience and automatic shut off feature.
According to Klipsch, the battery life should last around eight hours and the case holds three additional charges. While I found the estimated battery life to be fairly accurate, I noticed that each earbud drained at slightly different rates so I would often have to recharge them when one earbud was drained but the other still had a decent amount of life left.
Should you buy the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones?
- Buy it if you're looking for stylish earbuds that sound great and fit well.
- Don't buy it if you don't care about how your headphones look or if you're not a fan of orange.
I'm a big fan of the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport McLaren Edition earphones. They fit extremely well and sound great. They're designed for sports, but they've become my go-to daily headphones even when I'm not at the gym because of how comfortable they are.
However, if you're not a fan of the orange and black design or you already have a wireless charging mat, it's probably not worth spending an extra $50 for the McLaren branding.
The regular Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport Earphones are available in green, white and black for $449.
Pricing and availability
Price
$499Where to buy
Specifications
Build
Category
In-ear Headphones
Driver Diameter
5mm
Frequency Response
10Hz-19kHz
Connectivity
Wired/Wireless
Wireless
Bluetooth
Yes
Bluetooth Version
v5.0
Bluetooth Profiles
A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6, HSP 1.2, HFP 1.7 A2DP
Features
Foldable
No
Water Resistant
Yes
Battery Life
Up to 8 hours
Images: Sarah Brandon
