>AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As an eBay affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Don't forget to share if you found it helpful!
Big thank you to EKSA for sending the H1 to review!
Full disclosure: This is a paid review but I made it clear to them that I do not guarantee positive reviews or recommendations – I make in-depth, honest evaluations based on my impressions and the ultimate value that the product may or may not provide.
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard. Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear) all over again, so…
Last time we discussed the H1, but is the H1 Plus an actual upgrade? Is there anything different about it? We’ll go over that and more in this review/comparison, so stick around!
the H1 Plus is an identical carbon copy of the H1.
There’s a piece of metal for the headband adjustment, but other than that, the headset is mostly plastic and feels a bit on the cheap side.
The cup rotates in the same way, and the attached microphone itself can rotate around once again.
The headset is pretty malleable and flexible, but the hinge at that point of rotation may snap or break over time.
I can’t really say one way or another yet, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Comfort
Comfort is also about the same, and better than I was expecting when I first demoed the original H1.
Because it’s so light, you won’t feel it much on your head and they’ve yet to dig at all.
The cup itself is large enough, and the clamping force is about medium.
The problem with this is that they may fall off your head and do feel a bit “slidey” for lack of a better term.
Fortunately,
this may not present itself as an issue because what do truckers and people in call centers do all day?
If we’re being honest, they mostly stay in one place.
Even so, it’s another thing to consider before purchasing.
You may be wondering about the other side.
In place of a second earcup is a small piece of rubber that you will feel on the side of your head but may not be bothered by.
I suppose it depends on your head shape.
I have a large, oval/egg-shaped head with an exaggerated, elongated distance from north to south, and it’s one thing that makes this headset feel a bit undersized.
For instance,
if you have a really small head these will likely be perfect for you.
In the case of my oversized melon, I have to pull the adjustment all the way out to get it on my head.
You may or may not have any issues with this, but I would have liked a little more wiggle room here.
With that, let’s get into some technical aspects before we dive into how it sounds.
Setup
The setup here is identical to the original H1.
Fortunately, it’s relatively straightforward with your device.
First, power on the headset by holding the oval-shaped button in the middle. Then go into your phone’s Bluetooth settings and hit “Search.”
The unit should come up as “EKSA-H1.”
Press it and you’ll hear a voice confirming the pairing. Mine is a female voice that says “Power On. Your headset is connected.”
One thing I really appreciate here is the quick no-nonsense connection and EKSA offers the option of pairing with 2 devices at the same time as well.
Because I’ve demoed a lot of Bluetooth products, I have had issues with finicky connections, weird dropouts, and temperamental devices.
Both the H1 and H1 Plus do not suffer from any of this which is very welcome but also expected given these are meant for serious all-day work.
Range
I tested this out in my apartment complex parking lot which stretches a few hundred feet.
Like last time, the range is about the same. I found the H1 Plus to start cutting out considerably at 75 feet, and the signal at 90-95 feet is almost completely gone.
EKSA claims 164 feet with no obstructions and I didn’t have any. I placed the phone down on the ground and just walked in a straight line away from the signal across the pavement.
Battery Life
Battery life here seems good once again, and with about 2 or so weeks of on-and-off use, it’s still at around 97%.
Controls
The straightforward control scheme is back as well.
The headset houses 3 buttons: A large power on/mute button and 2 volume buttons on either side.
Let’s take a look at the functions:
Turn On/Off: Press and hold for 3 seconds.
1x Click: Pause/Play
3x Triple Click: Voice Assistant/Siri
Volume
1 Click: Volume +/-
2 Second Hold: Skip Track/Go Back
Mic Mute Button
1x Click MIC on/off
Call Functions
1x Click: Answer/Hang Up
Hold 2 Seconds: Reject
Redial: Double click the middle button
Audio Switching: Hold the middle button for 2 seconds to switch the audio device.
New Call
1x Click (middle button): Answer a new call and hang up the current call
Double Click (middle button): Three-way call mode. During a 3-way call, 2x double click to switch between 2 calls
Hold 2 seconds: Keep the current call and reject a new call.
Dual Pairing
After successfully connecting the headset to Device A (your phone), turn off the Bluetooth of device A. The headset Bluetooth indicator flashes red and blue alternately to enter the pairing state.
Turn on device B, search for and connect to EKSA H1.
Turn on The Bluetooth A device to connect with EKSA H1. After connection, the H1 and devices A and B are in a connected state simultaneously.
Reset
The LED lights up blue and red simultaneously for 1 second.
Under the connected/pairing state, press “MFB” and the “volume” for 6 seconds simultaneously until the LED lights up in blue and red simultaneously for 1 second, indicating the pairing information is cleared.
Charging
When the battery is less than 10% the headset will voice prompt “battery low” every 3 minutes. Charge as soon as possible.
When the H1 is not in use, charge it at least 1 time every 2 months.
Use the original cable for charging. Voltage can’t exceed 5V.
Sound & Noise Cancellation Properties
Sound is more or less the same, and again, not very good for just listening to music.
The sound is muddled, clammy, and about what you’d expect in a product like this.
Again, passable for the target demographic?
Depends on who you ask, but the odds are likely.
The majority of people who use these strictly for calls probably won’t care much, but it has to be pointed out.
I would say music is something to consider last when purchasing a headset like this, so do be advised.
Someone like a trucker who is traveling long distances may or may not care about the below-average sound quality.
If you work at a call center, you may not care and actually might like the fact that you can listen to music at all during an all-day stress session.
Voice Quality
Seems to be a bit underwhelming per my tests.
I used the adapter and recorded myself talking in game after turning down the master volume, and it sounded a bit below average.
Keep in mind that I was talking pretty loudly, very clearly, and even turned up the mic volume on the PS4’s dashboard settings to as high as possible without clipping.
The result?
You decide:
That said, it seems call clarity is still very good when using a phone, so the grade remains the same from last time.
Differences
USB Adapter
We touched on one of the differences above, and that is the H1 Plus now comes with a small USB adapter similar to the one found in their H6 model.
I find this to be very convenient and a nice addition to the package.
Just plug it into a USB slot and away you go. It will be recognized automatically after momentarily flashing a blue light.
Extra earpad
EKSA has also included an extra earpad which is pretty interesting.
To remove the stock pad, gently rotate it in an up/around motion and it will unsnap.
snapping the new cup into place is a breeze. Just line up the grooves and it almost falls into place by itself.
I find the comfort here to be a bit better than the stock pad, as it seems a little lighter and feather-ier on your head (I know that’s not a word, but it works lol).
Box
The H1 Plus is housed in a slightly different-looking box – it’s a bit more aesthetically pleasing to my eye, but in the grand scheme of things this doesn’t matter at all.
In fact, it’s more of a pain to open because you can’t just remove the flaps and lift them up as with the original H1’s box.
You have to remove the top as you would a Christmas present only it’s super tight and doesn’t want to come off.
This is a minor nitpick but should be noted.
Carrying Bag
This time around, the carrying bag is mesh instead of the faux/protein leather bag included with the H1.
Both are drawstring carry bags.
Final Verdict
I didn’t recommend the H1, but would I recommend the H1 Plus?
It’s probably going to be another no. I like the subtle improvements (Adapter/Earpad), but not enough to make a recommendation.
Why?
Well, because the same issues I had with the H1 still remain.
Before we finish up, let’s take a final look at what I liked and disliked.
What I liked:
Comfort is still pretty good.
The carrying bag is plenty large enough again.
They connect very quickly and are simple to use.
Metal for the headband is a nice touch.
Battery life seems to be excellent.
The extra earpad is cool.
The adapter is nice.
Disliked:
The Bluetooth range still hasn’t been fixed. The ones advertised here are the same as the H1 but are still very over-exaggerated.
The music quality is still pretty bad.
The metal headband was nice but they still didn’t improve the range for bigger heads. In other words, I’m maxed out and can’t pull the adjustment out any further.
The build is decent but still feels very cheap for the price.
Put another way,
if I wasn’t recommending the H1, there’s nothing about the H1 Plus that warrants a purchase in my opinion.
That said,
I do love their S30 model and feel as though it’s the one to buy.
Well, that’s about it for today folks! I hope you’ve enjoyed this EKSA H1 Plus review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
If you love what I do here and want to support the blog and channel in a more personal way, check me out on Patreon and discover all the value I have to offer you.
Just want to make a one-time donation? Click here. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps keep this site running!
Do you have any experience with these? I’d love to hear from you. Until next time…
Stu is determined to help you make sound decisions, and strives to deliver the best and most in depth content on the internet! In his spare time, he likes to fish, paint, play guitar, pray, rap, make beats, take photos, record videos, graphic design, and more. His sense of humour, coupled with a knack for excellence and strict attention to detail are what allow him to stand out in an crowded industry.
