Cleer has almost always impressed with its lovely presentation of accessories. It has mostly been pretty generous, providing carefully packaged items with premium-looking earbuds. However, it has recently been downgrading in this area. We reviewed the Cleer Ally Plus True Wireless ANC Earbuds first and they made it clear that the company’s products are top-quality. They exuded sophistication; the kind of meticulous execution other high-end brands incorporate in their products. I’ve always received extra eartip sizes sealed in small plastic packets. Cleer took an alternate route by beautifully planting all the sizes in a box with labeled sockets. There was thought and effort put into every single aspect of the Ally Plus.
However, the experience with the Ally Plus II wasn’t the same. I think I jinxed it when I complimented the Ally Plus’s accessories, pointing out how the company made a special effort. After nailing the ideal packaging in the Ally Plus, Cleer, for some reason, downgraded its packaging for its successor. In the Ally Plus II, there was no carrying pouch; the carry case is all you get. The additional eartip sizes were also thrown together in unappealing plastic packets. Even considering the fact that the Roam NC are $60 buds, Cleer could’ve done a better job.
Aesthetics
The Roam is sufficiently good looking. The buds come in a plastic carry case with a USB-C port on the left, and a tiny LED light on the front. Nothing special, nothing other than the features of a typical true wireless earbuds’ carry case. However, the plastic the case is made of isn’t the highest quality. It gives off a cheap vibe and you can tell the device is not worth a lot. The buds, with the help of two pogo pins, go inside the case’s deep sockets.
The Roam comes with two little pouches containing extra eartip sizes. If you need tips of varying sizes, you can rely on the small, medium and large tips in the pouches. There’s also some paperwork that comes with the buds. All in all, these noise-cancelling buds feature pretty average packaging.
The buds sport plastic exteriors with the brand name stamped on them. They feature rather large bodies with an interior that bulges out. The bulge narrows down into an elongated structure that has the rubber eartip attached. The ergonomics of Cleer’s buds are getting way too monotonous with not a lot of changes in how bulky the design is. In the age of streamlined design, Cleer is doing itself a disservice by choosing to continue its heavy and large buds.
Fit and Controls
The Roam buds fit me better than any other wireless buds have in the past. They provide an immensely snug fit hugging my ears tightly. The bulge sat comfortably in my ear and didn’t feel uncomfortable at any point. Controls-wise, the Roam is quite good. Its touch panel is responsive and reacts fairly sensitively to your fingers. Pressing twice on it takes you to the next track, pressing thrice is for playing the previous track. You can select a bud to assign this feature to. The other bud can also be assigned features such as noise cancellation and ambient mode control. By pressing twice, you can cycle through the modes.
Pressing the exterior of the bud once allows you to play or pause your music and pick or hang up an incoming call. By pressing and holding the button for one second, you can reject an incoming call. To activate voice assistant, you are required to press and hold the bud for two seconds. The volume controls require just a little more effort. In order to raise the volume, you are required to double tap the bud and hold the second tap for two seconds. To lower the volume, double tap the left bud and hold for two seconds on the second tap.
To successfully connect the buds to your phone, you are supposed to remove both the buds from the case, insert them in your ears and wait for the prompt that says ‘looking for device’. In around five seconds, you’ll see the buds on your phone and pairing will be complete.
Sound Quality
Roam NC features fairly good sound for $60 earbuds. But the fact that I am mentioning their price to validate my statement means that the sound isn’t spectacular on its own. The earbuds aren’t bass-heavy at all, do don’t expect an intense low-end from them. Their treble is good and retains its power even when the volume is maxed out. Though the volume doesn’t get too loud.
Midrange is significantly better. If you’re looking for a new device to listen to podcasts or watch videos on, these reasonably-priced buds are highly recommended. However, if you’re a hardcore audiophile and wish to upgrade your audio peripherals, I suggest you to look elsewhere.
All in all, the Roam NC isn’t bad for a $60 device, it’s got a comfortable fit, responsive controls and pretty decent midrange.
Is It Hardcore?
Kinda.
Unless you’re looking for a high-end device to significantly enhance your music experience, the Cleer Roam NC does a pretty good job at a reasonable price.
