Disclosure: An Mpow representative shared this product with me in return for an unbiased review, and I promise that is what follows.
Packaging
These headphones were packaged very well. The box has a magnetic closure allowing you to store your headphones in it again. In addition to the headphones, there are small, medium, and large ear cushions as well as ear stabilizers in the same sizes. And finally, a small user guide.
Build Quality
Build quality of the Mpow headphones appears to be of very good quality. They are very lightweight, but quite solid. The band that connects the headphones is very flexible and is ribbon-shaped so it won’t tangle or kink. The ear cushions and stabilizers are pliable but very durable. Overall, I am impressed with how well-made these headphones are.
Fitting & Comfort
The Mpow Seashell headphones fit great. At first, I thought I might be constantly refitting them during my activities, but then I adjusted the stabilizers in a non-obvious way (at least non-obvious to me). I rotated them toward the back for my ear instead of pointing upward. Once I did that, these headphones stayed in place no matter what. Awesome! So I encourage you to experiment with the cushions and stabilizers. For me, the results were remarkable. The Mpow Seashells are pretty darn comfortable, overall. They’re feather-light and a pleasure to wear during long activities.
Pairing
These headphones pair fast! When I turn them on, they immediately connect to my iPhone 6s. Initial pairing as a cinch. Have the headphones off, put them on, press the multifunction button for about 5 seconds, the audio prompt will indicate that it’s pairing. I tapped the Mpow entry in my phone’s Bluetooth settings, and it was paired in seconds. And when I turn them back on, they’re immediately connected to my phone. I do this several times per day, so it’s convenient to never need to troubleshoot the Bluetooth connection. This may be related to the new Bluetooth 4.1 spec that these headphones support (and thankfully so does my phone). Establishing the Bluetooth connections is always as smooth as silk. It’s just really nice to have such reliably quick connections.
Sound
Talking about sound is always the most controversial part of any product review. It’s such as subjective aspect, but let me try to be as objective as possible. The Mpow Seashell headphones sound just fine, and they’re great for workouts and activities. While I could not get them to reproduce low-end/bass (even by tweaking my phone’s equalizer settings), the high-end/treble sounds terrific. Bottom line: They’re not going to reproduce sound like expensive, high-end products, and that’s okay. I appreciate those products as well as anyone else, and these Mpow Seashell headphones sound great for its product segment. And they sound very good at low and high volumes.
Using Them
I’ve used these while at my desk job, working out, and doing yardwork. At my job, the Mpow Seashells were comfortable and provided the convenience of being cordlessly connected to my phone. During my workouts, they were just as comfortable and out of the way the whole time. And I don’t recall needing to adjust them. Very nice! While doing yardwork, I noticed the headphone’s band would become lopsided while I was raking leaves. This led to tugging when I would switch to rake the other direction. The solution: Let the band hang in front of your neck. They’re lightweight, and it allowed me to rake trouble-free after that.
When I take the headphones out of my ears and let them rest on my shoulders, I notice that the microphone side of the headphones tended to slide forward. This isn’t a big deal but something to be aware of so you don’t lose them on a run.
The Mpow’s volume and multifunction buttons control my iPhone’s playback just like the headphones that came with it. Volume, skip back, skip forward, and pause are all available.
Phone call performance was terrific. During one call I switched from the phone to the Mpow Seashells, and the caller didn’t notice (I mentioned it later in the call). And the headphone controls work as you’d expect during calls, too.
You can invoke your phone’s voice controls by pressing the multifunction button for about 2 seconds and then releasing. I do this, and Siri is waiting for my command.
Conclusion
It’s easy to recommend the Mpow Seashell headphones. They’re terrific for activities or just lounging around. They sound great especially for this price segment. And the Bluetooth performance is the best I have ever experienced. These headphones go with me everywhere.