Cowin E9 ANC Bluetooth headphones provide noticeable improvements over previous models (E7 and E8). At the time of launch, these premium looking headphones were priced at just under $170. As a whole, the user feedback on these headphones is generally positive.
Some users tend to compare them with models from Bose and Sony which offer similar features but are more expensive. Let us find out exactly why the Cowin E9 headphones are worth buying. This is the full review
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What comes in the box?
When you first open the box there are a few manuls and then. The carry case is just under those manual and contains the Cowin E9 headphones. Also included in the case, is a carry pouch that contains the extra accessories.
The accessories that come with the box are; a Micro USB cable (for charging), a 3.5mm Audio Cable, a Quarter Inch Adapter, and an Airplane Adapter.
Cowin E9 Build quality, appearance, and ergonomics
Cowin E9 headphones are subtle and smart looking. They feel pricey even at a distance. The build material is mostly plastic, with a touch of metal here and there assembled in a solid, robust structure. The plastic used is tough and has a silky smooth finish.
There are no squeaky sounds when you twist the headband. Cowin used a thick, soft cushion to make the headband feel comfortable on a person’s head. Its earcups can swivel and twist. They are also made of that same soft plastic which hides fingerprints but easily gets scratched.
The ear pads on Cowin E9 seal your ears and tend to feel warm over long use (this is normal with over-ear headphones). Cowin made the using the same soft cushions as on the headband. The head pad and ear pads are covered in protein leather (faux leather) made of breathable mesh. Because of this breathable mesh, the headphones don’t get hot over prolonged use.
Some users say that the headband clamps a little tight. However, the headphones still feel very comfortable because of the soft cushions and lightweight (0.64lb or 290.2991grams). Most users have reported being able to use them continuously for up to 5hours without any strain or pain.
The black version is matte and does a good job of hiding fingerprints. But Cowin also makes a silver color (which is slightly more expensive).
Cowin E9 sound quality
The Cowin E9 earpads create a good seal around the ear and block a lot of noise. But if you really need it, there is also Active Noise Cancellation. The ANC eliminates mid-range and bass noises like heavy engines, trains, cars, airplanes (suitable for long flights), etc.
But high pitch noise will still pass through. Keen listeners will detect that ANC on the Cowin E9 has a slightly negative impact on sound quality. It makes the lows and highs to lose some of its quality, resulting in the overall sound being muddied or deadened a little bit. We don’t recommend using ANC unless absolutely necessary.
When ANC is off, they become a whole lot clearer. The Cowin E9 has an open airy sound with clear highs and mid-range. Classical, Jazz, Rock, and Acoustic Guitar would sound perfect. They also have a considerable amount of bass.
However, the quality of bass can sometimes feel lacking in genres like Hip-Hop. It’s a good bass but just not the kind of thumping bass that is required to enjoy Hip-Hop. Sound quality-wise, the Cowin E9 can easily rival other branded headphones in Beats, JBL and Skull Candy in the $150 to $200 price range. But not Sony or JBL.
Connectivity and function
The standard controls like play, pause, and track skip are available. The plastic buttons are nicely spaced out and easy to feel. They feel cheap and require a hard click to work. There are two ways to connect the Cowin E9 to your smartphone. By Bluetooth, and 3.5mm headphone jack (audio cable included in the box). Connection through the audio cable results in better sound quality. But nowadays, it’s difficult to find headphone jacks on smartphones (thank you Apple!). These headphones have Bluetooth 5.0 which brings a lot of improvements over Bluetooth 4.0.
Connectivity is easy and straightforward. It enters pairing mode three seconds after you turn it on. Cowin claims that they used high-quality built-in microphones. They expect call quality to remain good even in windy or noisy environments. The Bluetooth connection remains steady while calling listening to music and watching videos. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, there is extremely low latency. That makes the Cowin E9 suitable for watching movies, youtube, or even playing video games on your smartphone.
Portability
These headphone’s earcups can swivel and fold into a very compact form, enough to fit into a small carry case. We recommend that you take a good look at how they fit before you remove them from the box because it is a slightly tight fit.
It can be a bit difficult to put them back in the carry case for the first time. But with continuous use, you would surely get better at doing that.
They weigh just about 0.64lb or 290.2991grams so they wouldn’t add much weight to your bag. Alternatively, because of their lightweight and comfort, you wear the Cowin E9 on your head and even forget that they are there.
Battery life and charge time
The E9 headphones have a built-in battery of 800mAh. Cowin claims that they have a whopping 60 months of stand by time.
That means they can literally keep their charge for 5 years (W.T. barnacles ????). Well, I doubt if anybody would keep their headphones away for this amount of time just to test this. Just like on previous models, playback time is 30 hours (with volume around 50%).
That is more than enough for a full day of use. It takes four hours to charge them for 0% to 100%. One thing to note here is that it’s only a micro-USB port. I mean, come on Cowin it’s 2019. Micro USB is obsolete now.
Verdict
For the most part, these headphones are amazing. Cowin has done an excellent job on the build quality and the Cowin E9 feels super comfortable to wear all day. Sound quality for the mids and highs is good, but the bass is a bit lacking.
The over-ear earpads do an amazing job of blocking external sound. But sometimes that is not enough and you would have to rely on Active Noise Cancelling to save your listening experience.
Most people would appreciate the ANC but to some degree, it can ruin the listening experience. One other thing to note is that they have only a micro-USB charging port.
For the experience they give, if they were priced under $150 they would have been a no brainer. That said, with all these considerations, we still believe that the Cowin E9 would be a happy buy for the vast majority of people.
Disclaimer: As An Amazon Affiliate, We Earn From Qualifying Purchases
