Earin M-2

Sound redefined: Earin M-2.

Before Apple’s AirPods, a handful of companies, including Sweden-based Earin, created truly wireless earphones. Its M-1 was decent, but pricey, and lacked a built-in microphone for making calls, so Earin introduced M-2 at CES 2017.

Earin claims the wireless earbuds will be the smallest and lightest available on the market. Similar to the M-1, the newer model will come equipped with a docking capsule that both charges and stores the earbuds. The case, which resembles a large tube of lipstick, lets you slide out the top to give you access to the magnetic attachment slots into which the earbuds snap.

The Earin design is probably the most utilitarian on the market today, as the little black cylinders jut visibly out of your ear. They aren’t exactly unobtrusive or attractive, but if the industrial look is up your alley, you’ll find them stylish. The unique shape provides a noise-isolating design.

There’s no left or right side, both work in either ear, and when connected to your phone, the app will detect which one is on which side, letting you switch between ears without a hassle.

The earphones should run for three hours per charge, and you can recharge them three times inside a fully charged case, for a total of 12 hours before you need to find a USB connection.

The main new feature of the M-2 are microphones on each earbud. To aid with noise cancelation, the microphone is tucked up close against the silicone earbud rather than being exposed on the outside. It’s made so the earbuds pick up less outside noise while still letting your voice come across clearly; however, it’s not active noise cancelation.

Costing $249, the Earin M-2 are more expensive than Apple’s AirPods at $159, which may make for a tough sell since they don’t have any extra bells or whistles.