The OneOdio Focus A6 is the second pair of headphones I've tested from this Chinese audio brand, after trying out (and very much approving of) the OneOdio A10 just under two years ago. (My esteemed colleague Beth tried out their wired studio Monitor 60 headphones and liked those too, beeteedubs.)
Thankfully, the world of audio doesn't move along quite as dizzyingly fast as the AI-powered boom in laptop tech has, for example, so it's been a little easier for my caffeine-addled 20th-century brain to keep up on the audio front.
They look pretty good, don't they?
Yes, yes they do. While they don't have quite the premium sensation of a £300 pair of Bose or Sennheiser over-ear audio havens, and there is more basic plastic visible in the external construction here than in the A10 or Monitor 60 pairs, the faux-leather-padded cups are nicely shaped and comfortable to wear. I have been able to wear them for 3-4 hours at a time without my ears feeling too hot or clammy, which probably comes down to the overall lightweight construction.
While the A10 pair weighed just under 290 grams, the A6 come in at just 230 grams, and the extendable but firm-enough headband never feels too constricting as a result.
The cups are nicely designed too, with the same vinyl-record-evoking etching around the OneOdio logo on the outside, and a big, helpful 'R' and 'L' on the inside of each corresponding cup. The control buttons are all laid out in a line along the right-ear cup, with a different tactile surface on each one to help you distinguish between the power, ANC and volume controls without having to take them off.
And speaking of the ANC...
What about the ANC?
The ANC is good, y'all. In fact, the sound quality in general I feel is at least equal to or even better than in the more expensive A10 pair. The bass is nice and round (but could fill a bit more dynamically, especially when listening to rock music, but hey, it's a £60 pair of headphones) and the highs are sharp without being distorted or jarring. The 40mm dynamic driver, covered by an elastic PET diaphragm, is clearly put to good use here.
When it comes to evaluating noise-cancellation in real life, I employ two key tests. One I call the Family Interruption Test, which measures whether my son can shout from downstairs to ask me to get him some snacks while I'm trying to focus on work. These pass with flying colours, requiring said child to have to trundle up the stairs and actually come talk to me if he really wants something from me.
The other one I call the Fossie Bear Benchmark. In a highly scientific process, I put on music I really, really like, something that invariably makes me sing enthusiastically along to it, and see how well I can judge just how bad a singer I am. This test is best performed when alone in a house or office.
In this case, the OneOdio's ~48db ANC is only beaten by the sensational (and sensationally expensive) Technics AZ-80 earbuds. I was almost entirely oblivious of my own volume, for better or worse.
Sudden sounds from me, such as a sneeze or cough, did cause some disturbance in the ANC, but nothing lasting.
The ambient mode, contrastingly, is a little less useful for staying aware of goings-on around the office/house than many other pairs I've tested (I struggled to make out the sound of our doorbell, for example), but that is probably down to the enveloping nature of the faux-leather earcups.
The volume is plentiful, with nice, head-filling music most comfortable at a volume of 35-45% in my experience.
So, how much then?
The OneOdio Focus A6 retail for £65.99 in the UK and $69.99 in the US, which is already a good deal, considering they sound as good or better than many £/$100+ headphones I've tested in the last few years. And to make things even better, I've found two discount codes to knock a further 15% off the price, bringing the cost down to £56.09 and $59.49, respectively. That makes this a bit of a bargain, actually.
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