Street Price: Rs 2400 (MRP: Rs 3750)

While we do review a lot of headphones, it is only once in a while that we come across something that exemplifies simplicity such as the Urbanears Tanto. This headset from the Swedish manufacturer looks simple, but we found out that looks can be deceptive as its performance managed to impress us. Without any ado, let's get on with the review.

Design And Build

Scandinavian minimalism can be seen everywhere. The first thing you notice about the Tanto is the simple cardboard box with folding compartment that it comes in. The extremely lightweight headset itself is also simple looking with sponge-covered earcups and a flexible steel headband that evokes memories of the original Sony Walkman headphone. We must mention here that the model we received was red in colour and that means that pretty much everything had that colour including the headband and the cord. The earpads with supra-aura (on-ear) design are covered with sponge that allows them to rest comfortably on the ears. We did notice, though, that the sponge tends to get dirty and discoloured rather easily. It is mentioned that the 40 mm drivers are handmade to perfection, and supposed to have a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 KHz, which pretty much covers the hearing range of an average human being. With a sensitivity of 112 dB, the maximum output is rated at 40 mW.

The headband is made of a thin and flexible steel strip that is painted in red and has a matte finish. The headband is connected to the ear-cans' plastic stalk that allows for some sliding adjustment to accommodate different head sizes. Thanks to the pivoting ball joint, there is some lateral adjustment on the cans for a comfortable wearing position.

The cable is covered with red fabric from end to end and is pretty long at 1.2 m. Being covered with fabric imparts it resistance to tangles. There is an inline remote control with microphone that can function as a handsfree with most smartphones, while the volume control works with iDevices. Additionally, it can also be used to play, pause, and rewind during music playback. Urbanears provides a standard 3.5 mm stereo pin converter in case there is a problem using the 3.5 mm earphone-microphone combo connector with an audio source.

Performance

I started the performance testing without too much hope, but was pleasantly surprised by the output of the Tanto. The first thing we noticed when we started playing music on the Tanto was that it is remarkably louder than an average headphone. That said, the audio never distorted throughout the audio spectrum even at the highest volume levels. The audio output is well-balanced throughout the frequency spectrum without any bias towards any particular frequency. Soundstaging was found to be a bit of an issue as it tends to place every audio source a bit closer to the ear than it actually is meant to be.

The frequency test was handled adeptly by this headphone. We played various frequency sounds using Foobar. The Tanto is not only good for music, but also for watching movies, especially those with loud explosions that come out well from its ear-cans and create an immersive experience. The overall audio is bright with warm bass and good highs.

Since this has an open design, sound leaks a lot and your neighbour will be easily able to hear what you are listening to. The ergonomics has been taken well care of and you can easily wear this lightweight headset without any discomfort for hours. The handsfree performance is good too, as the microphone is clear in conveying the user's voice to the person on the other side of the phone call.

Our Verdict

The Urbanears Tanto is a surprise package as it impressed us with its performance that was rather unexpected judging from its minimalistic looks. Its overall performance is great across the audio frequency spectrum and it is quite loud without distortion. Thanks to the microphone, it can also be used as a handsfree with most smartphones and the inline remote control can be used to control music playback as well. It is lightweight and comfortable enough to wear for hours. You can opt for the colour of your choice as there are several available for this model. The price of Rs 3750 still seems a bit steep, but with a street price of Rs 2400, you may rest assured that with this kind of performance, your hard-earned money will be well-spent.

Design And Build: 3/5
Performance: 4.5/5
Ergonomics: 4.5/5
Value for money: 4/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4/5

TAGS: Headphones