Buying guide for Best Raycon earbuds
If you’ve never heard of Raycon earbuds, you probably aren’t watching a lot of videos streamed on the social platforms loved by young people. It seems like every influencer has been using, unboxing, or promoting Raycon earbuds. The company takes pride in offering popular audio technology with viral cachet at an affordable price point.
American celebrity entertainer Ray J founded Raycon Global in 2017. By employing aggressive social media promotions to sell directly to customers, as well as collaborating with social media stars, influencers, musicians, and athletes, Raycon reached a young, tech-savvy target audience. With less overhead and with viral marketing fueling media coverage, Raycon has quickly grown into a major player in the consumer audio field.
Raycon earbuds promise the same performance and features as rival products from Apple, Samsung, Sony, Google, and Bose at a more affordable price, with designs and branding that appeal to the young and hip. If you’ve long wanted a pair of Raycon earbuds, a good shopping guide and recommendations can tell you what you need to know about this trending brand.
How to buy the best Raycon earbuds
Models
All Raycon earbuds are truly wireless, meaning they don’t have a cord or headband but are physically separate from each other and the audio source. Raycon markets its earbuds according to use cases, so it’s simple to decide which model is appropriate for what activity. Raycon models include the following:
The Everyday earbuds are Raycon’s flagship earbuds and the smallest, lightest, and most affordable. They are a good choice for all-around listening.
The Fitness earbuds are exercise-geared models designed for the constant jostling of workouts, with enhanced fit stabilization and water resistance.
The Work Classic earbuds are longer stemmed, with active noise cancellation and enhanced mics for phone calls and conferencing. They’re also great for travel or commuting in planes or subways.
The Gaming earbuds are gamer-focused earbuds aimed at fast audio response and multi-user interaction, with low latency and enhanced mics for multiplayer modes.
Older models: You might also find earlier models available through third-party sellers, such as the E25 (an earlier version of the Everyday), the E50 Eardrums, the Work Earbuds Ultra, and the Performer E55.
Size and shape
Raycon earbuds are meant to fit securely and comfortably. The small Everyday earbuds are extremely light and are supported almost entirely by the eartips in the ear canals. The Fitness earbuds add stabilizing fins to this form factor to keep them in place during exercise. The Work Classic and Gaming earbuds sport extended stems that rest against the earlobes to add a little more control and grip.
Did You Know?
Raycon charging cases come with a carabiner and lanyard for carrying on your wrist or attaching to a bag or belt loop.
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Features to look for in Raycon earbuds
Sound quality
The signature feature of all Raycon earbuds is pronounced bass response. In graphs of their response curves, these earbuds emphasize the bass frequencies and the high frequencies where cymbals and other percussion instruments are perceived, creating a sound that registers as both booming and crisp. This sound profile appeals to many listeners of popular contemporary music.
Raycon has also introduced the ability to choose from three sound profiles in all of their earbud models:
- Pure sound with a more accurate frequency curve
- Balanced sound with added warmth for everyday listening
- Bass sound with added emphasis
Tips
All Raycon earbuds are in-ear models; that is, they’re designed to be inserted in the ear canal, where the tips form a seal that maximizes sound fidelity and bass response. The earbuds come with four or five extra pairs of gel tips in different sizes so you can find the perfect fit.
Water resistance
Raycon earbuds offer different levels of water resistance. Water resistance is measured in IPX numbers: the higher the number, the better the waterproofing. None of Raycon’s earbuds are completely waterproof or designed for immersion, so don’t swim or shower with them on.
- IPX5: Raycon Work Classic and Gaming earbuds can withstand some sweat and moisture.
- IPX6: Raycon Everyday earbuds are reasonably resistant to sweat and splashes.
- IPX7: Raycon Fitness earbuds can withstand significant moisture and splashing.
Noise cancellation
Noise cancellation is a feature in many headphones that block or filter out unwanted sounds, allowing you to focus on what you’re listening to. Raycon earbuds offer some passive noise cancellation thanks to the in-ear design and gel tips, but the Work Classic earbuds and their predecessors, the Work Ultra earbuds, also offer active noise cancellation.
Awareness mode
With passive noise cancellation, Raycon also includes what it calls Awareness mode, similar to the Transparency mode in other brands. This allows you to perceive your surroundings even with the earbuds in place.
Wireless connectivity
Raycon earbuds use Bluetooth to connect to smartphones, tablets, and computers. Raycon earbuds currently use the Bluetooth 5.2 standard. Raycon earbuds promise compatibility with voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, but they can only pair with one device at a time.
Onboard controls
Raycon earbuds allow you to control playback and volume from the earbuds, so you don’t have to pull out your phone or music player when you’re busy. By tapping or pressing the left or right earbud in different combinations, you can control most common functions, including pausing or resuming play, skipping, controlling volume, and switching between sound profiles.
Battery life
The battery life of Raycon earbuds is another selling point for the brand. The earbuds boast 6 to 8 hours or more of battery life on a full charge, which is quite good compared to popular rivals. They also come in charging capsules or cases that extend the total battery life to around 30 to 50 or more hours depending on the model.
Color
Unlike many of its competitors, Raycon makes all its earbuds in several colors, including black, white, rose gold, and shades of blue. The Fitness earbuds are also available in a bright red, while the Gaming earbuds can be purchased in purple.
Ray J is the brother of R&B singer Brandy Norwood and cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg. He released several albums and appeared on various TV programs before becoming an entrepreneur.
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Accessories for Raycon earbuds
Charging cable
Raycon earbuds use a USB-C cable to charge the charging case. Raycon sells a two-pack of USB cables, with USB-A to USB-C and USB-A to micro USB. You can also use your own cable.
Case and pouch
Raycon’s charging cases are designed to be attractive, with unique rounded designs or, in the case of the Gaming earbuds, a hard-edged gemlike shape. Raycon makes soft leather drawstring pouches to protect their earbud charging cases.
Workout belt
Raycon sells a branded workout belt designed to hold its earbuds and case, as well as a smartphone and other essentials, while exercising. You can also use another running belt of your choice.
How much do Raycon earbuds cost?
Raycon offers compelling price points compared to popular truly wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds. Raycon earbuds are well within reach of most consumers, with the most expensive earbuds costing no more than some rivals’ basic models. Raycon frequently offers discounts that lower the list prices too.
Inexpensive
Older Raycon models, such as the E25 and Performer E55, are no longer sold on the company website but can be found from third-party sellers for about $70.
Mid-range
Raycon’s flagship Everyday earbuds are also their base model at $80. This is more expensive than some truly wireless earbuds but significantly less than many of Raycon’s competitors.
Expensive
Fitness, Gaming, and Work Classic earbuds all cost $120, which is sometimes discounted to $100. This is a convenient price for feature-rich wireless earbuds, especially for those like the Work Classic that offer active noise cancellation.
Did You Know?
Raycon ships to North America and Europe now but plans to launch in other countries.
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Tips
- Fold the tip inside out before putting it on the earbud. This makes it easier to easily change and swap the gel tip on a Raycon earbud because you can see and control where the tip’s body meets the earbud.
- Keep the gel tips clean. The tips help create the sound experience and should be clean for best results. Soak them in soapy water for half an hour or so and use a cotton swab to clean the surfaces inside and out.
- Slowly rotate the earbuds forward as you insert them. This helps you get the best fit that feels comfortable and has a good seal.
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FAQ
Q. Who founded Raycon?
A. Musician Ray J and electronics entrepreneur Ray Lee founded the company in 2017 to produce high-quality, affordable earbuds, and they hit a million sales only three years later.
Q. Where are Raycon earbuds made?
A. Raycon Global is headquartered in New York City. Its products are made in China.
Q. Are Raycons sold in stores?
A. No, Raycon earbuds and products are not sold in stores. They’re primarily available only by direct purchase from the company website or through its storefront on Amazon Marketplace. The company discourages customers from buying Raycon products from third-party sellers.
