Urbanista Los Angeles Review: Let the sunshine in
Verdict
Familiar looks and familiar enough sound from Urbanista, but the Los Angeles boast a fantastic sunday-powered characteristic
Pros
- Inexhaustible bombardment life
- ANC effectively combats low-frequency sounds
- More balanced approach to audio than Miami cousins
Cons
- Looks and feels big
- Push layout even so irks
- No aptX
Availability
- Britain RRP: £169
- USA RRP: $199
- Europe RRP: €199
- Canada RRP: CA$199
- Australia RRP: AU$399
Key Features
- Hybrid Active Racket Cancelling ANC works to suppress repetitive low-frequency noises
- Self-charging Headphones that charge cheers to the ability of the sun
- Bluetooth codec SBC and AAC for streaming audio
Introduction
The Urbanista travelogue moves to the w coast of America with its Los Angeles-inspired ANC headphones.
And like that land, these headphones have a very sunny disposition with their innovative cocky-charging technology that means that every bit long as the sun is out, they'll e'er exist playing your tunes.
And that'due south not all, as the launch of the Los Angeles also heralds the launch of Urbanista'southward new app. Given Urbanista's contempo run of grade, the Los Angeles are some other sunny delight from the lifestyle sound make.
Design
- Comes in two finishes (and then far)
- Aforementioned (frustrating) button layout as the Miami
- Headband sits on the caput a lilliputian better
The Los Angeles' appearance is non too dissimilar to the Miami, the same oval earcups, chunky padding and plush underside covering. What differs is the headband, which incorporates the Powerfoyle solar cell technology that makes the Los Angeles the world's first cocky-charging pair of headphones.
Incorporating the solar panel has led to the headband being widened, the knock-on consequence is the earcups sit down a piffling looser (only not loosely). Between the Miami and the Los Angeles, the latter are peradventure the more than comfortable, but the departure is small.
While Urbanista calls the Los Angeles over-ears, my ears are nowhere near pocket-sized enough to fit into the ear-cups, so the headphones tend to pinch on the earlobes. Ane matter the latest model don't do, though, was make my ears itch, again adding to the sense the Los Angeles are a fiddling more comfortable to article of clothing.
When it comes to finishes there'south a blackness option, which makes sense given these headphones want to soak as much of the dominicus'south rays as possible. In that location's too a sand gold finish – probably a reference to the beaches of Los Angeles – with the headband keeping its blackness finish. It's a hitting two-colour await and y'all can probably expect more finishes of that ilk downwardly the line.
Rather frustratingly, no tweaks take been made to the button ready-upward. On the right ear-cup is a multi-office (MFC) button with volume controls either side that double up for runway skipping when held, just the ridges Urbanista has placed between them make it hard to tell the divergence. A rather easy way of addressing this would have been to raise the MFC button. On the left earcup is the button for cycling through ANC modes, and the headphones have USB-C and three.5mm ports.
Like the Miami, the Los Angeles fold flat just aren't collapsible. That makes them less portable, merely they come up with a smart-looking carry example; a slimmer version of the i that houses the Miami, with a cutaway that exposes the solar prison cell to keep them charging when not in use. These headphones are big and chunky – they'll well-nigh certainly give you the Mickey Mouse advent – but they're durable and more often than not comfortable.
Features
- Virtually inexhaustible battery like
- Same low-frequency focused ANC performance equally the Miami
- Supports the new Urbanista headphone app
While the Los Angeles command a £40 hike over the Miami, the dissonance cancelling performance is the aforementioned. At this price with noise counterfoil function of the spec, you cull your battles, and the Los Angeles take artillery against low frequencies.
The racket cancellation capably dismisses engine noises, transforming vehicles into the familiar ANC 'whoosh' sound. You'll nevertheless hear traffic go past but information technology's not every bit intrusive.
Conversations are slightly muffled and every-mean solar day noise reduced, but mid- to higher range frequencies filter through. It makes these headphones more than suited to above ground employ, as wearing them on the tube the wail of the wind rushing past threatens to go as loud equally your music.
The mode the headphones power upwardly in is the default 'Off', so a printing on the Feature push (left ear-cup) activates noise counterfoil. Press it once more and it cycles to the Ambient Sound Way, which lets audio come through with decent clarity and detail. There's little difference between the sound quality of each fashion, which is a good thing.
Concur the Characteristic button for longer and that activates your paired device'southward vox assistant. In terms of Bluetooth, it's notwithstanding Bluetooth 5.0 with SBC and AAC for audio streaming. The lack of aptX might disappoint, simply AAC is widespread across the Android platform. Connectivity has been impressively resolute, with the Los Angeles barely fazed by busy indicate areas.
The wear sensor/machine-play technology is also nowadays and works besides as information technology did on the Miami. The Los Angeles are fairly snappy at figuring out when yous are and aren't wearing them.
The headline characteristic is the battery life. With the Powerfyle solar cell, and much like Superman, the headphones draw power from sunlight/ambient lite. Information technology'south an ingenious thought and ensures that whenever you're exterior (during the day), you never need exist concerned most running out of battery. I used these headphones solidly for about a week-and-a-half and they hovered around 71% for much of that period.
Wearing them indoors is less effective, and at night, the moon is of picayune help either. If y'all discover yourself in a situation where there's no sunday, the headphones have 80 hours in reserve, which is an extraordinary corporeality for whatever over-ear, ANC or otherwise.
You can check how much of the sun's rays are existence captivated up in the new companion app. It'south a unproblematic one that shows how much power is existence tuckered/captivated in real-time for a visual idea of how the headphones are performing.
Other app features include bombardment life indicator, cycling through sound modes, customising the Feature button does, and toggling the wear detection on or off. With the app now in place, the lifespan of the headphones is extended further, equally any issues or updates can be sent over the air. In a sense, the Los Angeles are greenest headphones on the marketplace.
Sound quality
- Dials down a little on the bass
- Non the most dynamic
- Off-white mid-range item and clarity
Urbanista tell me that there's not a detail deviation between the sound of the Miami and the Los Angeles, with some minor re-tunings fabricated and the acoustic delivery of the headphones slightly unlike because of the tweaked headband.
Powered by 40mm dynamic drivers, to my ears the Los Angeles accept less bass at similar volumes than their Miami counterparts, and don't go as loud either. Where the Miami go for free energy and bass, the Los Angeles's arroyo – like those 'Visit California' ads – is more chilled and relaxed. And I think that helps them strike a improve residual tonally.
That means the Los Angeles aren't as weighty in their delivery when re-visiting N.E.R.D'south Lapdance. On the Miami, the drum on Faye Webster's Sometimes hits with an emphatic thud, the Los Angeles treats the musical instrument with more reserve. In that location seems to be no difference in terms of detail retrieval in the mid-range or how it reproduces high frequency note, and then the Los Angeles' sound may entreatment to those who aren't all about that bass.
Otherwise, they're a big-sounding pair of cans, offer a sense of size and scale to their delivery. The mid-range is decently detailed but too somewhat compact, which can bear on the space granted to both instruments and voices, though it's not to the point where the soundstage becomes a chaotic maze of sounds happening all at one time.
That's axiomatic in Siouxsie and the Banshees' Happy House, which is provided enough clarity, space and item for the repeating drum beat and cymbal shell to stand autonomously from one another. With The 5th Dimension'south Aquarius/Permit the Sunshine In playing, the Urbanista give a decent impression of width that opens the soundstage.
Vocals are smoothly described, the summit-finish of the frequency range handled with a decent sense of effulgence, some of the finer details in Michael Giacchino's Bundle of Joy picked up on with regards to the differing pianoforte notes.
Dynamism is ok, Ludwig Göransson'south Ship o hoj, Mandalorian focuses more on a propulsive sense of energy and less on describing the difference between highs and lows. These are headphones to turn volume up on, as even at mid-book levels the Los Angeles showroom a quiet demeanour. More nuanced dynamics are lost, only that doesn't accept much away from the enjoyment the Urbanista provide. After all, these are 'lifestyle' headphones and for the price they're enjoyable to hear.
Latest deals
Should yous buy information technology?
You hate having to charge headphones Listening to these headphones when there's sun out and you won't need to worry most charging them. The solar cell feature works a treat, topping off your headphones as you utilise them. Just don't wear them in the dark.
Y'all don't like big headphones These are big-looking headphones, and while they don't weigh a tonne, you'll always be aware of their presence on your head. If you lot're looking for something more than subtle, also as a pair of headphones more convenient for travel without a instance, consider a collapsible pair.
Final Thoughts
The Urbanista Los Angeles headphones are nearly the aforementioned package as the Miami, but with an innovative self-charging feature that a) works and b) makes the Los Angeles unique in the headphone market. Information technology'south an idea rooted in sustainability, and because all that's happening with climate change, that'southward a very commendable idea.
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FAQs
Tin can I wear the Urbanista Los Angeles at nighttime?
Yous could, simply the self-charging attribute of the headphones wouldn't work very well.
What Bluetooth codecs do the Urbanista Los Angeles support?
Simply SBC and AAC.
Total specs
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Vocalization Banana
Sensitivity
Connectivity
Racket Cancellation?
Colours
Headphone Type
Frequency Range
Commuter (due south)
ASIN
Release Date
Model Number
Bombardment Hours
Fast Charging
Manufacturer
AUD RRP
CA RRP
Usa RRP
UK RRP
EU RRP
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Source: https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/urbanista-los-angeles
Posted by: quinnwitimedge.blogspot.com
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