We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing a few EPOS products over the years, most recently with the EPOS ADAPT E1 earbuds. While the EPOS range attempts to bring a general sense of quality and a list of premium features to workplace options, its expanding range seems to be ticking more and more boxes by the year at this point.
Even now, with the EPOS Impact 500, it’s clear that no matter your workplace environment, be it a busy office or quietly working from home, there’s virtually something here for everyone. While I would consider the EPOS Impact 500 on-ear headphones a premium option with a premium price tag of A$415 to match, you’re actually getting a laundry list of features that go above and beyond what you might expect from a pair of headphones primarily made for work.
Design
From a design perspective, the EPOS Impact 500 earphones are super sleek and minimal. The double-sided adjustable headband might be made of plastic, which isn’t great when it comes to build quality, as it feels a little flimsy, but it’s also incredibly light on the head, thanks to some rubber padding underneath the headband.
The leatherette earcups, along with the smaller on-ear fit, which I’m not personally a fan of, felt great. They rarely trap any heat or get sweaty over the course of longer sessions, but they still sit over the ears rather nicely, which is a plus if you’ve got bigger ears, as I do.
On the side of the headphones with the boom mic, you’ll find two dedicated buttons for ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ controls, along with a power toggle switch that allows you to turn the headset on and switch between Bluetooth and 2.4 GHz modes. Finally, there’s a dedicated button on the boom mic to answer calls, along with a light that shines red to indicate you’re busy on a call.
On the other side, you’ll only find a single ANC button which switches the headset between its Active Noise Cancelling and Talkthrough modes. I say one side and the other, instead of left and right, because the EPOS Impact 500 can be worn in any way you see fit, depending on which side you would like the boom mic to be.
In the box, you’ll find the EPOS Impact 500 inside a grey fabric carry pouch, which also includes a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, a 2.4 GHz adapter, and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. It’s a decent pouch that doesn’t take up too much space, but I would just be cautious of how you put these in a bag, for example, as they’re not necessarily protecting the headphones from any impact or pressure.
I don’t think the EPOS Impact 500 is going to win any awards for its design, but they’re light and comfortable, making them a fantastic option for long work days.
Performance
While the EPOS Impact 500 might not seem like the go-to option for a premium audio experience, I was seriously impressed. Upon opening these, I must admit, it was tricky to use them for their intended purpose. I don’t work in an office environment and don’t really use a headset to take calls during the day. When I sit at my computer each night to write reviews or even game, I’m usually wearing a pair of headphones. So this is what I’ve been wearing, and am wearing as I write this review.
The audio quality is quite impressive. There’s no doubt that you could get a better pair of headphones for music, with larger drivers, for example, but it’s a testament to how good these actually sound. They’re great on the mids and highs, but do admittedly struggle on the bass. Now I’m not going to lie, I tested this with some ridiculously bassy songs.
The bass is definitely there, but it can get a little crackly or wear a little thin in certain parts. While that’s a criticism for most headphones, we’re talking about on-ear headphones made for Microsoft Teams and Zoom calls, so if you were to use these for a couple of songs or even podcasts on the PC throughout the day, they’re an incredibly solid option.
When taking phone calls, though, which can easily be answered by pressing the ‘phone symbol’ button on the end of the boom mic, the highs and mids make all the difference. Voices are clear and sharp, free from any sort of crackling and distortion, even when on louder volumes. The microphone quality is also fantastic, and I could hear clearly on multiple phone calls, even when outside with things like wind and dogs barking in the background.
The ANC on the EPOS Impact 500 is also fantastic. While it automatically adapts to the noise in the room and broader environment, I feel even now, while admittedly playing a few tunes, that I can barely hear the clicks of my mechanical keyboard as I type away, or my wife on the phone out in the living room. The EPOS Impact 500 also features a Talkthrough mode, which is essentially a transparency mode that allows you to hear your surroundings as well as what’s in your ears.
Finally, EPOS utilises what they refer to as BrainAdapt, which essentially manages noise cancellation, in-ear audio and voice feedback throughout the day, without you having to worry. EPOS AI uses beamforming technology to allow its microphones to scan the environment and adapt settings accordingly. It’s admittedly a hard thing to test, as I’m not using these for 8 hours a day across various environments, but I can only imagine that with busier offices and environments, you would get a little more out of it.
When it comes to battery life, EPOS Impact 500 is fantastic, giving users 35 hours of talking time and 89 hours of listening time, which may vary depending on various ANC factors. That being said, it’s plenty for me. I’ve been using this for a few weeks, and while I remember pulling this out of the box at 80%, I only had to recharge it for the first time a couple of days ago. Even then, EPOS suggests that a 10-minute charge will get you 310 minutes of listening time, so you’ll never be out of action for too long.
Finally, it’s worth noting here that in addition to dual Bluetooth connectivity for listening and talking between two devices at any given time, EPOS will be adding support via a firmware update for users to jump onto Teams calls over Bluetooth natively, which means you can ditch the 2.4 GHz dongle if you need the extra USB ports.
Software
Users can also take advantage of the EPOS Connect app to adjust certain settings, but they don’t need to in order to get up and running.
While all adjustable controls are on board, users can jump into the app to adjust settings like the preferred boom mic side, audible voice feedback during calls, audio limiting functionality and certain call settings.
The app is relatively barebones for the EPOS Impact 500, but it’s a nice feature for the sake of customisation nonetheless.
Verdict & Value
Overall, the EPOS Impact 500 on-ear ANC headphones are an incredibly premium option with enough features to justify using them even outside of the workplace. They’re super comfortable to wear and last for days on a single charge, which is what I can imagine most people want when they’re using them so often throughout the day.
While the audio quality lacks heavy bass, it’s still a great option for most types of audio, complete with some impressive ANC capabilities to boot.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Fantastic sound quality and ANC; Incredible battery life; Comfortable to wear
Lowlights: Lacks bass for heavy music
Manufacturer: EPOS
Price: A$415
Available: Now available via the official EPOS website.
Review based on unit provided by EPOS.
Featured header image provided by EPOS.
