If you're looking for a set of cans that'll catch your toddler's eye without wrecking their ears, the iClever BTH18 over-ears will do enough of both to justify your cash. There are enough features to keep even adults happy, if they can get over having the kiddie-centric design covering their ears. The audio in particular is a welcome surprise.
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Design
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Value
Nobody will ever accuse certain companies of spending too much time on a product name. iClever is one of these, with its Kid’s Bluetooth Headphones BTH18 being a particularly clunky example. As you can tell from the name, these are headphones… designed for kids. Kids as young as three and as old as fifteen, though these LED-fitted cans are aimed at the younger end of the spectrum.
iClever is a Chinese brand so you might think that you’ll have trouble laying hands on these. As it happens, they’re sold via Amazon (in the US). The price, including shipping and customs and all that lot, comes to about R870, though the cost will fluctuate based on what the exchange rate is doing on a given day. So, are these kiddies’ cans worth nearly nine hundred bucks?
Bang for buck
Generally, we’d have tested these kids’ over-ears by giving them to an actual kid but two-year-olds aren’t known for their nuanced opinions of audio gear. As such, we donned a pair of these in the Stuff offices to bring you this assessment. The BTH18 cans offer a lightweight build and enough headspace to keep even an adult happy with the headphones … for a while. There’s some squeeze but that won’t bother your toddler even over longer periods. For smaller heads, these are over-ears. For adults, they’re on-ears but perform well for all of that.
The hard plastic headband is expandable, allowing for even oversized craniums. The BTH18 should stand up to drops since there’s not much weight behind the fall. Three physical buttons occupy the right earcup — one is the power button, and the middle acts as play-pause, with a double-press skipping the track. Triple-presses skips back. You know, standard stuff. The last handles the RGB lights on the sides. Your options are colour, mono, and off.
Modern accoutrements
iClever has opted for USB-C for charging, with a claimed 43 hours of charge with the lights off. It’ll certainly go all day and then some, but there’s no real way to check the battery levels beyond inspecting the Bluetooth device status on your mobile device. There’s no app and no visual indicator of battery life but these also cost less than a grand to ship from the States. These headphones will give a verbal indication when the battery is low. When that happens, it’s either a relatively speedy charge or you can switch to wired mode.
The main feature is that these headphones are hardware-limited, meaning you can pass them off to Junior without risking (too much) of their hearing. The BTH18s default to 85dB but can be switched to 94dB or 74dB. This is done by pressing two buttons on the right earcup at once. It’s about as complicated as a washing-machine lock so older kids will have some extra volume and there’s little you can do about it.
Why? Well, passive cancellation is excellent. There’s no leakage if you’ve got the headphones firmly on the side of your head. Ditto if the earcups are pressed together. You’ll never know if your youngster has the hardware turned up but even at full blast, it’s not objectionable. Bluetooth 5.3 and microphones mean these can even be used for calls, so your kids will never have to take them off.
Wait, what?
The real surprise here is the audio quality. Despite having no equaliser to speak of, the BTH18’s sound is detailed almost across the board. This has something to do with the audio limit. Sound is best at 85dB, coming across as muted at 74dB. This setting, which is as close as you’ll get to on-device EQ, focuses attention on vocals and might be handy for podcasts and audiobooks. These overs ring hollow at 94dB, overemphasising bass. The standard setting is absolutely the best option for day-to-day use.
Across a range of genres, the audio was clean enough to make us pay attention more closely. If not for the obviously childish stylings, these would make a fair set of travel headphones — cheap enough that you won’t be annoyed if they go on a mission with enough audio quality and passive cancellation that your plane trip will go by in relative peace. You’ll never even hear the kid next to you squealing to be given your snazzy RGB kids’ headphones.
iClever Kid’s Bluetooth Headphones BTH18 verdict
As it stands, you could snag these for your progeny and never have to listen to the Paw Patrol theme song again, knowing that they’ll a) survive most kid-centric activity, b) last a while before they need charging, and c) won’t wreck your kiddo’s eardrums prematurely. That’s what going to clubs in your late teens is for. The price isn’t objectionable either. It’s possible to secure some kids’ headphones here at home for a third of this price but we suspect the audio quality won’t stand up to these.
Excellent passive cancellation, USB-C support, and yes, even the lighting are highlights here. The hardware-limited audio isn’t exclusive to the iClever BTH18 headphones but when you factor in the build and sound, these are a mighty attractive proposition. Advanced Bluetooth support rounds these off. Plus, in an emergency, Mom or Dad can ‘borrow’ them to drown out the sound of another Cocomelon marathon.
