Belkin SoundForm audio review: we tried out the new extremely affordable Belkin headphones and earbuds

A few weeks ago, Belkin released a range of headphones to the Australian market, each with a different purpose and use case but all with one thing in common: quality audio at a highly affordable price.

Belkin sent us the various headphones from this release designed for adults, and for the past couple of weeks, we have put them to the test with some impressive results.  The headphones we received and tested out were:

• SoundForm ClearFit
• SoundForm Motion 2
• SoundForm Adapt
• SoundForm Wired USB-C

I’ve got some clear thoughts on each of these, so read on and hear how each of them performed.

SoundForm ClearFit

We are seeing a lot more of these truly open-ear headphones come to market and the SoundForm ClearFit are Belkin’s entry to this market segment.  They are designed for those who exercise outside and need to be aware of their surroundings, be it for traffic or for other dangers such as nefarious folks nearby.

The fit of these ClearFit is extremely comfortable as you would expect given that they sit outside the ear canal and not actually in it.  They are relatively secure, and even running around the block, they did not dislodge at any time.

Their sound is really good considering they do not sit inside the ear canal so there is a lot of environmental noise leakage into the ear at the same time.  They are not bone-conduction headphones but instead point the sound down into the ear canal.

I am comfortable recommending these to folks who want decent music quality while also being able to have some awareness of their environmental noises.  They do block out some environmental sounds, and if you truly want to hear nearly all of your surroundings, I recommend looking for a good pair of bone-conduction headphones such as those from Shokz – but keep in mind you’ll pay a lot more for those.  

At just $89.95 RRP the SoundForm ClearFit are amazing value and are my pick of the bunch out of all the new Belkin headphones.  Good sound while being aware of your environment.

SoundForm Motion 2

The SoundForm Motion 2 are the more traditional stem-style earbuds that sit in the ear relatively comfortably. However, they do not seem as secure as the ClearFit which wrap around the earlobes, nor the Bolt which wedge into the ear canal.

They won’t fall out easily though, and I was able to run around the block without them falling out at any time.  If you are used to stem-style earbuds, then you’ll be fine – there appears to be no movement of them at all as my head bounced around all over the shop, running around the block.

The fit of them is not just secure but incredibly comfortable, while the sound they produce is decent for the price you pay for them.  The sound is nowhere near as good as the much more expensive JPL Live Pro 2 but at a third of the price, they are great value.

We received the Motion 2 in pink, and it’s a nice colour that stands out while not being overly bright.  It’s a statement piece without being gaudy.  At $69.95, it is difficult to find anything similar in price that sounds this good – the similarly-priced headphones I own paled in comparison when comparing the sound quality.

SoundForm Adapt

The Belkin SoundForm Adapt is perfect for the user who wants an affordable set of headphones that can be used in the office, with a boom mic for better quality voice on voice/video calls while also sealing you off from office noise with Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC).

The build quality of the Adapt is nothing special.  There is no soft leather-type material over the earcups; instead, it is a material more similar to a fine canvas.  They are not as comfortable as those headphones with faux leather earcups, but they are a lot cooler.  They do not seal the heat into the ear as much, allowing for it to breathe and, thus, a more comfortable experience over a longer period of time.

The sound quality is decent, but do not expect Bose-quality sound from these, given they are priced at just $79.95.  The sound, though, is the best quality out of all of the new headphones from Belkin in this release.  

Comfortable for long-wearing with good noise cancellation, these are a very good choice for those looking for affordable headphones for the office.

SoundForm Wired USB-C

Wired headphones these days are rare.  Everything is about Bluetooth but there is a place for wired headphones.  They won’t run out of battery and are much less likely to be lost than a small wireless earbud.  

The use cases are extremely rare, though, and although I can’t see much use for them, many can, and that’s why Belkin has released these SoundForm Wired USB-C headphones.

The fit of these wired earbuds is extremely good, with the small stature of them making them an easy fit even the smallest of ears.  In that vein, the earbuds can also be used by kids and they include the ability to drop the maximum decibel level of the headphones to protect those young ears using the inline remote control.

Not only is the fit good but the sound is exceptional given the price, as you would hope for with wired headphones.  Bluetooth does drop the sound quality (albeit less in 2024 than it did a few years ago with older Bluetooth versions), so you would expect wired headphones to operate with good sound quality.

The SoundForm Wired USB-C headphones have an RRP of just $29.95 making them exceptional value, especially if you want headphones that you can also use for your child without damaging their hearing or losing them.