Urbanears' $50 on-ear headphones have good sound for the price, and their collapsible design makes them great for travel
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- Urbanears' Plattan 2s are a great pair of on-ear headphones that describes your individuality without breaking the bank. The wired version is only $50.
- However, the low price also comes with some concessions.
- While expertly crafted, the Plattan 2s aren't the most comfortable pair of headphones around and come with some audio issues, particularly in dense arrangements.
- If you're always on the go, though, that's an easy to trade-off to make considering how durable and light they are.
Urbanears is an audio brand based out of Scandinavia that wants your audio gear to be a statement about you. With its products, Urbanears hopes you can "transcend individuality and unify the sound experience."
Particularly, the individuality comes through color. Urbanears provides a striking array of color palettes to match the headphones, earbuds, and speakers you use to your style. The Plattan 2s, which is what we're going to talk about today, sport the full range of seven styles.
The Plattan 2s are the focal point of Urbanears' lineup. With the signature ZoundPlug (more on that in a minute), a 3D hinge, and detachable fabric cord, the Plattan 2s are everything Urbanears encompasses. After spending some time with the corded and Bluetooth versions of the headphones, I'm here to give you my thoughts.
Setting up the Plattan 2s
After unpacking, simply plug the included 3.5mm jack included with the Plattan 2s into the headphones and you'll be on your way. The Bluetooth version is a little more involved, requiring you charge the headphones, turn them on, and pair them with your device.
There was some annoyance with setting up the Bluetooth version, though. Urbanears includes a manual sandwiched in the flap of the box that covers how to setup the headphones in 36 languages. While the manual is hefty, it's just the same single-page spread of information repeated in multiple languages.
A small insert in the box in, say, English, would be nice to clarify how the included control works. I'm assuming it's a cost-saving measure to include it all in a single book, and while not backbreaking to bust it out, the setup process could be smoother.
Both models include what Urbanears calls a "ZoundPlug." It's another 3.5mm jack that allows someone else to plug their headphones into yours and listen to the same music. You can plug the included 3.5mm cable in either side of the wired version or use it as a wired connection on the Bluetooth version.
The included cable is braided, which is nice to see, and surprisingly light. The whole package is light, in fact. With a weight of only 130 grams for the wired version and 145 grams for the Bluetooth version, and the fact that the headphones are collapsible, the Plattan 2s are perfect for light listeners on the go.
There's a control that lets you skip tracks and take calls, which actually puts the wired version at an advantage. Despite being half the MSRP, the wired version includes a microphone on the cord, while the Bluetooth version doesn't include a cord at all. Without a microphone in the ear cup, you'll have to answer calls the old fashioned way if you opt for a wireless configuration.
Thankfully, Urbanears sells extra cables, as well as every other accessory, on its website.
The feel
I'm not a fan of on-ear headphones, and the Plattan 2s are just that. If you're unaware, headphones are generally categorized into two camps: over-ear and on-ear. There are pros and cons to both systems. Over-ear headphones have a certain amount of "pressure" that can be felt in the ears but are more comfortable while on-ear headphones have a more open and natural sound.
As for the Plattan 2s, that means they might snag your ear. The ear cups are large enough to cover your ears, so depending on how the headphones are positioned, the top of your ear could get caught inside the earpad. When listening for a few hours, my ears became irritated.
Though, some amount of that depends on how large your ears are and your overall head shape. Urbanears isn't doing anything wrong on that front. It's just a fault of the on-ear design.
That said, the on-ear design isn't aided by the subpar earpads. Compared to my Beyerdynamic DT 770 that have a soft, plushy earpad, there's no contest. Given the price of the non-Bluetooth version, though, it isn't much of a surprise. The Plattan 2s aren't the most comfortable headphones around, but they're cheap enough to deal with some ear fatigue.
The rest of the design is excellent. The headband is made of cloth and reinforced with metal, meaning it's flexible but rigid. I subjected it to a pretty significant - though not scientific - bend test, and the headband was always able to get back to its normal shape.
The ear cups are held on by metal wires, meaning they can be individually adjusted. You may not want to do it a lot, though. After sitting and adjusting the headphones for a few minutes, some scuffs started to show on the wires.
Urbanears sports the collapsible design as a main feature of the Plattan 2s, and with good reason. The mechanism Urbanears uses for breaking down the headphones is smooth and responsive. Urbanears uses a piece of plastic and a metal block to slot the ear cups into place, and I didn't have any issues with keeping them in place once they were out.
Read more: The best wireless headphones you can buy
The sound
At only $50 for the wired version, I didn't have high hopes for the Plattan 2s. As a certified audio geek with a background in audio production, I've been through the gauntlet of inexpensive, on-ear headphones. While the Plattan 2s still fall victim to the issues of other on-ear designs, the sound is surprisingly good considering the price.
For testing, I listened to just about everything I could. From hyper-produced pop to overcrowded metal to movie soundtracks, I put the Plattan 2s through its paces. Overall, the sound is best summed up as "pretty good." You may have some problems when listening to dense music, though.
Pop was where the Plattan 2s shined. The vocals came through perfectly, without fighting with the percussive elements or bass. Other genres, not so much. The Plattan 2s aren't flattering to arrangements that rely on the midrange. In that case, the cans start to sound like there's a film over them.
Some amount of that should be attributed to the production quality of the samples I used when testing. That translates in the real world, though. The Plattan 2s aren't flattering to every piece of music put through them. Instead, they reward music with fantastic production and punish those without it.
Across all genres, though, the Plattan 2s are lacking bass. As is the case with a lot of on-ear headphones, there's a sweet spot for the bass. If the sub hits fall in that range, there's a pleasant rumble in the ear cups. In the likely case the bass falls below that range, it's more implied than anything else.
In pop music, which is foundationally built off of bass lines, that means there's an inconsistent performance across the track. The song moves along with satisfying bass only to drop out for a bar or two. Low-end that operates within a short range of pitch, such as a kick drum, is fine. Sub synth bass that changes pitches throughout the track struggles.
Like the previous section, some of that is an issue of the on-ear design. For what Urbanears is working with, and the low price, the sound is surprisingly good. If you handed me a pair of Plattan 2s and told me they cost twice the price, I wouldn't bat an eye.
Read more: These $115 wireless headphones have great sound quality for their price - and the leather keeps them from looking too 'techy'
Bluetooth woes
As mentioned above, there are two variations of the Plattan 2s: wired and Bluetooth. Outside of the wireless connectivity, the two are mostly the same. The only major difference is that the Bluetooth version only has one 3.5mm input instead of two. It's the "ZoundPlug" that's meant for sharing music, but it works just fine if you run out of battery or want a more stable connection.
A more stable connection is important with the Bluetooth version, too. They're very vulnerable to interference and connection drops. During my testing, the headphones would buzz, pop, and click when not streaming music. It was particularly bad when out in public or near a computer.
Furthermore, the wireless control is annoying to use. Urbanears uses a single button for volume up/down, track skip, play/pause, and on/off. While everything works as it should, turning the headphones on and off becomes a problem. Since the switch is directional, it's very easy to push it slightly in one direction while holding it down for the three seconds to turn the headphones on. You're left holding the button down with no indication that you're doing something wrong.
A dedicated on/off switch would be better. As for the actual controls, they're fine but nothing special. Given Urbanears' streamlined approach to the Plattan 2s, it makes sense, but access to Siri/Google Assistant and seeking would be nice features to have.
As advertised, the battery life is exceptional, though. During my testing, I only needed to juice up the cans twice. Charging over Micro USB isn't ideal - fast charging USB-C is preferred - but the Plattan 2s charge fairly quick.
Final thoughts
For $50-$80 depending on the version you go with, the Plattan 2s are a great pair of headphones that describes your individuality without breaking the bank. However, that price also comes with some concessions. While expertly crafted, the Plattan 2s aren't the most comfortable pair of headphones around and come with some audio issues, particularly in dense arrangements. If you're always on the go, though, that's an easy to trade-off to make considering how durable and light they are.