Home Hi-Tech Android World ,,,,, Be surprised: Fresh 'n Rebel Clam prove that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get your hands, and ears, on a pair of high-quality noise-canceling headphones. In reality, the pluses of this accessory are different and are not limited to ANC technology, Active Noise Canceling, even if for more than one reason this represents a real gem, especially at the aggressive price at which they are offered.
Cyber Layman was present at the launch event held at the IFA in Berlin: we thus had the opportunity to try them immediately in the hustle and bustle of the fair, in the press room, while on the move and in the few minutes of relaxation in a Berlin week full of events, keynotes, presentations, stand tours and even some social events.
In all these circumstances, including travel on public transport in the German capital and the return flight, we wore the Fresh 'N Rebel Clam and were never able to detach from it.
Why we like it: design and construction
These headphones are popular when they are still in the box. The packaging is very neat: just unhook the magnetic closure, even in the shop, to lift a large cardboard flap and thus be able to admire the headphones entirely through a large transparent plastic window.
The design is modern, captivating, with very padded oval pavilions, a wide and equally padded headband. The trendy look is also ensured by the colors proposed: storm gray, ice gray, powder red and petrol blue like the version reviewed here.
Out of the box surprises continue
Grip Fresh 'N Rebel convey the feeling of a very well built device. The weight of 260 grams is guessed too: light but not too much to raise concerns about resistance, heavy just right to convey a feeling of security and solidity.
The synthetic leather used for the earpads is not only abundant, but also very pleasant to the touch and ears. The plastics and the fabric used for the padding of the headband are of good quality.
The positive sensations do not end: the pavilions rotate and so do the arms that support them, so the headphones can be folded to significantly reduce the bulk during transport. Hinges and articulated joints offer some resistance when operated – these crucial elements are also built right.
Stop the noise of the world
Loaded with all these positive impressions, we wear Fresh 'N Rebel Clam. The hope is that the headphones will not disappoint from an audio point of view, the fear is that they will.
We must admit that even from this point of view the headphones surprise. In a sector where historical names are synonymous with quality audio, the young and less well-known Dutch brand impresses with a decidedly good audio performance, which allows you to appreciate all frequencies clearly, with pleasantly sustained bass.
Distortion is also limited, noticeable only at higher volume levels, impossible to sustain for long. We enjoyed listening with both active noise cancellation on and off, personally preferring the audio rendering with ANC activated, so exactly the opposite of other products that instead produce suboptimal sounds with noise cancellation on.
However, it should be noted that the passive suppression of external noise, simply given by the generous padding of the pavilions, in many cases may be sufficient to relax or create a private corner, to work and concentrate while traveling and on the move, on the train, in a bar or at the 'airport.
Alternative tests
We had a professional musician try the headphones: even in this case the overall judgment is positive, but the clarification that comes may be useful to some users: for those who prefer lyric and jazz the power of the bass could annoy. No problem, indeed, for all the other genres that benefit from the powerful basses.
The tests carried out so far have been done via the Bluetooth wireless connection. In this scenario, the manufacturer declares a decidedly sustained autonomy: 30 hours of playback with ANC active, up to 35 hours without noise cancellation, with a recharge time of 3 hours. These are excellent times that ensure prolonged autonomy, also perfect for facing several days of sporadic use or long trips and trips without fear of running out of music and silence.
In the subsequent tests, however, we used headphones using the audio jack cable included in the package (on iPone with the Lightning-jack adapter) and also via USB cable connection to the Mac. In both cases we were pleasantly surprised: the audio quality remains the same, thus offering very wide possibilities of use.
Final surprise: I'm a bargain
Audio enthusiasts who are unwilling to leave the safe paths of historic brands risk missing out on a gem. Taking into consideration audio quality, active noise cancellation, construction and design the Fresh 'n Rebel headphones are a bargain at the price they are offered.
Perfect to combine with iPhone, Android, iPad and tablets but also with Mac and PC, for use at home or in the office, as well as on the go. For those not interested in active noise cancellation, the manufacturer also offers models that do not integrate it at an even more affordable price, also remembering that the passive cancellation ensured by the pavilions is already truly remarkable. For this review, however, we stick to the tested model, equipped with ANC: we are sure the quality – price mix will amaze many audio enthusiasts.
PRO Good quality audio reproduction Solid construction, attractive design Powerful bass Good noise cancellation, both passive and active
AGAINST Powerful bass may bother some
Price and availability
The new Fresh 'n Rebel Clam headphones are available in 4 colors: storm gray, ice gray, powder pink and petrol blue (reviewed model) at the list price of 149.99 euros with noise cancellation. The manufacturer also offers identical models in all respects but without noise cancellation at the price of 100 euros.
They are also listed on Amazon Italy from this page, but at the time of writing the actual availability does not seem to have started yet because they are indicated in shipping in 1-3 months. But the situation is destined to change in the next few hours because in Italy they will be distributed exclusively through Amazon, this both for the Fresh 'n Rebel ANC model with noise cancellation (those reviewed in this article), and for the version in all. and for all identical but without active noise cancellation.
Update – now available in Italy exclusively on Amazon
As the manufacturer had anticipated in Berlin, the new Fresh 'n Rebel Clam headphones are also available in our country, exclusively on Amazon. Now you can buy them at the list price of 149.99 euros with free one-day shipping for Amazon Prime subscribers.
At the time of writing, the model without active noise cancellation that Fresh 'n Rebel announced at the list price of 100 euros is not available, in any case considering the contained price difference, the goodness of the ANC function and above all the low price of the version with noise cancellation, the most interesting model is undoubtedly the one currently proposed and available on Amazon Italy, identical to the one reviewed in this article.
The Fresh 'n Rebel Clam headphones are available in 4 different colors starting from this Amazon page.
,,
