Unboxing and Setup

The unboxing experience of the Cleer ARC 3 speaks volumes about its attention to detail. The outer packaging, wrapped in eco-friendly plastic, houses a beautifully designed inner carton that greets you with the words “OWN THE MOMENT.” As you slide open the carton, you’ll find the sleek charging case, a cleaning cloth embossed with the Cleer logo, and clear instructions for setup. The process is straightforward: pair via Bluetooth, connect to the Cleer+ App, and follow simple on-screen prompts. The case screen is responsive and bright, making it easy to navigate through language settings and Bluetooth pairing, ensuring an effortless setup.

The case itself feels incredibly premium. With its high-quality plastic materials, smooth finish, and sturdy hinges, it exudes sophistication and durability. The mirror-like interior is both functional and aesthetic, giving you a magnified view while showcasing the earbuds in all their glory. The earbuds themselves are well-built and secure in the case, making them easy to take on the go.

These earbuds stay in place, even during intense movement, offering a comfortable yet secure fit.

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is key when it comes to wearable tech, and Cleer has excelled here. The adjustable earhooks ensure a secure and customizable fit, while the lightweight design makes wearing them for hours a breeze. They sit comfortably even with glasses on, making them ideal for everyday wear, workouts, or outdoor activities. The earbuds stay in place, even during intense movement, offering a comfortable yet secure fit. Whether you’re running, cycling, or just relaxing, the Cleer ARC 3 ensures that the fit remains perfect throughout.

Sound Quality and Dolby Atmos

When it comes to sound, the Cleer ARC 3 doesn’t just meet expectations – it exceeds them. The sound is rich and immersive while maintaining the open-ear design that lets you stay aware of your surroundings. The bass is deep and impactful, something often lacking in open-ear headphones, while the midrange is clear, and the treble sparkles with detailed clarity. The overall sound profile leans slightly brighter, providing great detail without being harsh.

Changing sound profiles is incredibly easy – either through the case or the Cleer+ App

The real magic comes with the Dolby Atmos optimization. This feature enhances your listening experience, particularly for videos and gaming, by offering a wider soundstage and more immersive audio. The difference is clear when switching between Music Mode and Movie Mode. Music Mode offers a vibrant, dynamic sound, while Movie Mode provides a more cinematic, immersive experience. The Sport EQ profile slightly tames the frequencies, offering a more controlled experience during exercise.

Changing sound profiles is incredibly easy – either through the case or the Cleer+ App – with presets like Rock, Pop, Jazz, and Classical available at your fingertips. You can also create your own Custom profile, fine-tuning the sound to your exact preferences.

Additional Features

The Cleer ARC 3 comes packed with intuitive features that make it stand out in the crowded earbuds market:

• Head Gesture Control: You can control volume and playback using simple head gestures, making it easy to adjust your listening experience without ever touching the earbuds.
• Step Tracker: The built-in step tracker monitors your daily activity, adding a touch of fitness functionality to the ARC 3. Whether you’re out for a walk or hitting the gym, it’s a nice bonus feature for fitness enthusiasts.
• Touch Controls: The earbuds feature easy-to-use touch controls, allowing you to play/pause music, skip tracks, and manage volume with a simple tap.
• Long Battery Life: With up to 50 hours of total battery life (10 hours on a single charge and an additional 40 hours with the case), you can enjoy your music or video content for long periods without needing to recharge. A quick 5-minute charge gives you an extra 1.5 hours of playback.

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Audeze MM-500: The Sound

First impressions when paired with FiiO E07K headphone amp shows the MM-500‘s neutral and balanced character. With a closer listen slight lifts in frequencies can be heard while still keeping the tone natural and harmonious. There is slight warmth and vividness while keeping the sound realistic and natural sounding. Listening to EDM and heavy metal revealed new, unheard layering to music. Switching to funk and jazz made the music shine and pop in pleasant ways keeping me entertained for hours.

These headphones really make me feel like I am in the club or studio, so much to love.

Although designed to be used in professional mixing environments, listening to different music genres really highlights the multi-talent of the Audeze MM-500 being a jack-of-all-trades. Low impedance and sensitivity make the MM-500 easy to drive from most sources, even when plugged straight to my Oppo A57s smartphone – although they do benefit greatly when paired with some form of amplification.

The MM-500 does not shy away from electronic music with deep rumbling bass that shows no distortion when listening to Drum & Bass – while funk and jazz sparkles and shines with an ‘alive’ sound. These headphones really make me feel like I am in the club or studio, so much to love.

Comfort

As soon as the MM-500 are placed on my head I could feel that this is a quality headphone. It seems quite heavy at first, but the headband distributes the weight evenly. The slightly sloped ear pads encase the ears and gently hug the sides – again with just the right clamping force. Even after using for 2+ hours, there is nothing to complain about in the comfort zone – I just want to listen more!

Build Quality

As soon as these Audeze headphones are taken out of the box it becomes clear this is a serious headphone. The materials used throughout feel luxurious, the sturdy headband and folding ear cups blend perfectly together in a medley of sensations when holding. An understated, minimalistic look on the ear cups completes the indulgent feel of the MM-500. They feel and look extraordinary.

A surprising talented headphone in the studio and on a home Hi-Fi system

It is initially quite heavy in the hands – but the ease of which the earcups swing and fold flat – the cranking of the headband pins before placing on the head – and the way the leather headband sits snugly on the head – makes the MM-500 virtually vanish when the music kicks in.

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