These modestly-priced Radiopaq Dots are around half the size of a normal earphone, and come in vibrant colours such as hot pink and cherry red as well as the standard black and white. The cable features a soft rubber silicone cable finish, which makes it less likely to tangle, and the jack is gold plated which ensures a good connection.
For me, the smaller sized earpiece was a real bonus, as I have small ears so sometimes find it difficult to get earphones that fit properly. However, to get the best fit I needed to change the ear cushions – the Dots come with a choice of three sizes, and I chose the smallest. I removed the cushions with no problem, but putting on the new ones was more difficult – they are very soft so require some manhandling. Once fitted, however, I found them super comfortable – again, something which I find normal-sized headphones rarely are.
The quality of the sound was also good, not least because the smaller size meant a better fit and therefore less background noise. I first tested these headphones while doing a spot of transcribing. The interview was recorded on a dictaphone in a busy room, so there was a lot of background noise, making the job a tricky one. However, the Dots lived up to the challenge and I could hear my interviewee clearly so was able to complete the task quickly.
To give them a really good run for their money, I then decided to use them during the Amsterdam half-marathon. Having often had problems with headphones falling out while running, I was pleasantly surprised to find that these stayed put and produced a clear sound throughout my run. Good quality, too: it was never tinny and coped with a good range of music.
PROS Good quality, low price, and comes with different sized ear cushions to get the perfect fit.
CONS The ear cushions are very fiddly to change.
PRICE £15
CONTACT radiopaqproducts.com
Sara Turner
