Nank OE Mix Ear Buds

Nank OE Mix Ear Buds for stress free listening

Nank OE Mix are lightweight, wireless ear-buds that offer long run times, excellent sound quality and are easy to use. Because of this they’ve become an almost permanent fixture on my head. The reason why? They’re just so comfortable. So let’s take a look at these handy little ear buds.

Nank OE Mix ear buds
Nank OE Mix ear buds

The Nank OE Mix comes in a nice cardboard presentation box. I really like the simple look of the artwork and the black and white colourway. Once inside the contents are neatly displayed, with only one problem; trying to remove the case! This is held so securely, you won’t have to worry about it rattling around and getting damaged while it’s en-route to you! Watch my un-boxing and you’ll see just how tight it is.

Once you get past the death-grip exerted by the packaging, you find a small box that contains a charging cable and the OE Mix’s case. This is a matt-black, oval shaped case, that has a nice feel in the hand. Pop it open and the ear buds sit securely inside. A bumper on the inside of the lid presses against the rear part of the buds, which stops them moving. Shaking the case around and there’s no annoying rattling.

The Nank OE Mix has a carry chase that charges when the ear buds are inside
The Nank OE Mix has a carry chase that charges when the ear buds are inside

Lifting one of the buds out and a LED comes on to tell you it’s ready. If you’ve previously connected to your phone, then it connects automatically. Connection is straightforward, I didn’t have any issues connecting with phones or laptops, but you can only have one connection at a time. The buds are charged every time you put them back in the box. You charge the case via a USB C connection on the back.

Controls

You control the buds by tapping the main body. A single tap to the left reduces the volume, while one to the left raises it. Once you get to maximum volume, the OE Mix’s voice will tell you you’re there. Two taps to either ear will start or stop a recording. A press and hold to the left will go back fifteen seconds, while the same on the right skips forward.

The main body houses the speaker

You can communicate with your smart-phone by tapping three times, which will open your assistant. You can also make and receive calls. Call quality according to my family is “ok, we can tell you’re on a hands-free or something”.

Putting them on is simple, just loop them over the top of your ear. The soft, silicone covering on the arm is very comfortable. For me this was the best feature of the Nank OE Mix. That arm holds them securely in place no matter what I was doing. Unlike standard ear buds, which I’m always losing, these stayed put. I can’t count the times I’ve had to try and catch an ear bud, heading to its doom in a puddle or open toilet!

Rain and sweat resistant, but don't take the Nank OE Mix in the shower!
Rain and sweat resistant, but don’t take the Nank OE Mix in the shower!

Weighing in at a paltry 6.7g they’re so light that once they’re in place I tend to forget them. I had thought that the wrap-around design would mean I would always be aware of them. Quite the opposite in fact, I often find that I’m still wearing them long after my podcast has finished! Another bonus point is that as the speakers just sit on the opening to your ear, you’re not forcing anything into your ear canal. I would think twice before using someone else’s in-ear buds, but that’s not an issue with these.

Open ear, sort of

Nank call the OE Mix buds open-ear buds. This means you can still hear some of what is going on around you while wearing them. This is usually a feature of bone-conducting ear-phones, which offer really good situational awareness. However this comes with the disadvantage that external sounds can drown out what you’re listening to. The Nank OE Mix sort of sits between the two options, you can still hear some of what is going on around you, but not as much as bone conductors. However this means what you’re listening to is less likely to be drowned out by external sounds.

The Nank OE Mix has speakers, mic, LED indicators and tap sensors
The Nank OE Mix has speakers, mic, LED indicators and tap sensors

On to sound quality. I am by no means any kind of audiophile. I tend to mainly listen to podcasts, so I’m not too concerned about sound reproduction. As long as I can hear the spoken word clearly, concerns about bass and treble don’t often worry me. In fact the only time I listen to music is on the turbo. Getting through horrific interval sessions are always helped by some banging ‘choons’!

On the bike?

Which leads me on to the question of would I wear them while riding my bike? The short answer is no. When I ride outside I like to be aware and ‘in the moment’. I don’t feel the need to drown my internal monologue; I can happily ride for hours on end with just my own thoughts and the sounds of nature. Put me on the indoor trainer however and that’s a whole different ball game. Give me all the distractions you can; anything to make the suffering easier!

He may wear them on the bike, but it’s not for me

If like me you remember the days of being physically tethered to your music device by cables, you’ll know what a boon wireless is. No more untangling cables, or catching the cables in door handles! Instead you just link via bluetooth and you’re done. For me the Nank OE Mix ear buds have become an essential part of my life. Whenever I’m out walking to the shops, fixing my bikes or doing a bit of DIY, I have them on. Well done Nank!

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