Rolling Square Hyphen Aria Review

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When Rolling Square announced their new earphones I knew I wanted a pair. I have been working closely with Rolling Square reviewing some of their other products. So I was delighted when they offered to send me a pair to review. 

As always I will give full disclosure. Regardless of if I was sent the product or purchased it with my own money. All reviews and opinions are my own. 

I really like the case. Its small and light, but more robust than others I have had in the same category. Area wise I wouldn’t say it’s too different from the Sony XM3 I reviewed earlier this year. I really like the design of them, I was given a white pair which I think looks really good. Usually I would go for black but I’m welcoming the change of style and looking forward to testing them.

The Hyphen Aria earbuds include three different earbud sizes so you can find a pair that fits your ear with the most comfort. They are shaped with their patented Gravity Hook which is a design I love. These feel like Rolling Squares take on Bose’s old designs for their Soundsport series. These were previously my favourite earbuds for the gym as they hold perfectly still even during my most intense workouts.

I have been using them for a bit now and have opted for the larger size. Swapping between the large and medium options, the medium is comfortable but just doesn’t fit as easily as the larger size. The issue with the larger one is it’s just slightly too big and does become uncomfortable after a while. But I have to be wearing them for hours on end continuously for it to become an issue. And the larger gravity hooks keep them rock-steady when I’m working out. 

Unfortunately, the Hyphen Aria earbuds don’t have any noise-cancelling included. So they are more suited for places where it’s not too important. This is for a few reasons but the air-conduction technology does not allow for a tight seal around the ear, meaning there’s a lot of room for external sound to get in. 

So I am by means an expert when it comes to sound quality, but as the years go by I do find myself more and more frustrated if it isn’t up to a decent standard. With the Hyphen Aria earbuds, they do offer fantastic quality. But it’s worth noting with these earbuds that the fit is key. If you put on gravity hooks that are too big or too small they won’t fit correctly. So the air conduction won’t work to the full extent of its capabilities.

I was concerned by the lack of noise cancelling. When I first tried them in the gym as soon as something started to play I was immersed. I could hear background noises but I had to focus my hearing on them so it wasn’t an issue. I tried both music and podcasts as I was concerned with podcasts as there are fewer constant sounds it may make it easier for the outside world to seep in and disturb me. But it proved a non-issue and I could hear everything with absolute clarity.

So at this stage in the review, I have had these earphones for about 6 weeks for testing. And I have to admit I’m struggling to remember charging them. Even when they arrived they were already charged. I think I have plugged them in twice, maybe three times maximum.

The case has plenty of battery so they get topped back up after every gym session. In fact, a fully charged case can allow for up to 33 hours of playtime. But if you do run low then just 15 minutes of charge is enough to power the earbuds for 6 hours which is ideal if you forget to charge them before the gym.

Charging is done by USB C cable which is pretty much the industry standard these days. But the case also has the capacity of wireless charging at 15w. Handy if you have it although I tend to use a cable as it’s faster. 

It’s a little on the bulky size but that seems to accommodate the battery. It seems to be on par with other quality earbuds that I have. The only ones I have that are smaller have tiny batteries and I’m constantly having to recharge.

I love the design, it’s modern and fits in the palm of my hand. The plastic is quite thick and can take a few knocks, with a strong magnetic lock so you wont open your bag to find an earbud fallen out into the bottom of your bag so your forced to hunt around for it. 

I often use them in the office when I need to focus on my work and not be distracted. But I still like to have some concept of my surroundings so I don’t want noise-cancelling. I think they are great for the office. Of course, others may prefer noise-cancelling so it’s entirely down to preference.

If I get any calls they come through crystal clear. A lot of headphones I remove or disconnect. Mostly for fear of shouting because I am not aware of my volume. But the Hyphen Aria earbuds are perfect for letting me talk and hear naturally. 

The Hyphen Aria are perfect for the gym and have become my go-to for workouts. The Gravity Hooks keep them comfortable so I can enjoy my music whatever I’m doing. The sound quality is good enough that I am not disturbed by the dropping of weights at the deadlift mat or someone aggressively grunting as they complete their set.

Because of their small size, they don’t get knocked by the bar if I’m doing skullcrusher exercises, and when it’s hot or I’m doing cardio they aren’t as plagued by sweat as my headphones are.

Great for by the pool, I wasn’t too taken away from my surroundings that I felt isolated from the holiday. I like books by the pool but reading them on my phone or tablet is never a good idea. The screens are too reflective and they overheat and I don’t always have my kindle with me. So these are perfect for enjoying my favourite audiobooks.

Rolling Square highlights how they are designed to be comfortable for glasses wearers like myself. Which means they fit comfortably with sunglasses too. The pressure of headphones on glasses is not comfortable and means when I have to I listen for a shorter amount of time.

I found them a little harder to use on the plane, especially as I was sitting above the engines. The sounds are constantly competing with everything else in the background. And it holds its weight in gyms and offices, but a plane is just a step too far. I could hear my shows comfortably but I did have them on max volume. But the background noise on a plane is notoriously hard to compete with. 

The Hyphen Aria’s have become my daily earbuds, letting me enjoy my podcasts and music during my workouts. The Biological listening design not only protects my hearing but also means they are less likely to get dirty.

Although I do prefer noise cancelling and over-ear designs there are times they are too bulky and get in the way, or I simply don’t want to carry around something so large. The Hyphen Aria’s don’t allow their small size to sacrifice on sound quality. They fit into my jacket pocket easily and with 15 minutes charging giving me more than enough usage for a day they are convenient too.