Boult, the Indian electronics company, has collaborated with Ford motors to bring its new Boult Mustang Torq wireless earbuds, which has its design inspired by Ford’s iconic muscle car – the Mustang. With a unique design, a 13mm audio driver and environmental noise cancelling (ENC) technology for calling, the Mustang Torq promises to be among the top contenders in the budget wireless earbuds segment. But does it manage to keep up when used in real life situations? Let us find out:
Design
The key selling point of the Boult Mustang Torq wireless earbuds is design. The moment you pull the buds case from the box, you’ll immediately notice its sports car-like design. The front of the case appears inspired by the rear end of a sports car, prominently featuring the Mustang branding. On the top, a bulge evokes the engine deck of a rear-placed sports car engine. The running horse logo of the Mustang is also present. White stripes run along the sides with “GT” written on top, likely drawing from the Mustang GT (Grand Touring) car. Unusually, the rear includes two USB Type-C ports.
Opening the case reveals red LED lights pulsating around the Mustang branding on the front and inside, with five arrow-shaped LED light strips.
The earbuds themselves have a muscular look but are extremely lightweight. They feature red LEDs and Mustang branding running down the stem. While Boult has clearly invested in the product’s design, the white ear tips seem slightly out of place with the overall aesthetic.
Despite its unique design, the case fits easily into pockets and isn’t heavy. However, the plastic quality of the case and the buds doesn’t seem sturdy enough to protect against occasional drops. Boult has also overlooked some finishing touches, as one of the rear USB-C ports is offset, making charging difficult. Additionally, placing the buds into the case requires some effort, as they don’t fit instantly and need some twisting to fit properly. Despite these downsides, the device looks unique and is sure to turn heads in public, especially among car enthusiasts.
Sound
The Boult Mustang Torq wireless earbuds, with their 13mm driver, offer clear sound with an adequate thumping bass effect during music playback. However, this thumping effect can sometimes overpower the sound, detracting from the overall listening experience. The earbuds can get exceptionally loud, and while they maintain audio quality at most volume levels, the sound can become noticeably distorted at the maximum volume.
Although the earbuds do not support lossless audio, they do come with Advanced Audio Codec (AAC) in addition to the standard Sub-band Coding (SBC). The Boult Mustang Torq does not offer active noise cancelling (ANC) to eliminate ambient sounds during playback. However, it includes extra ear tips of different sizes, which successfully manage to reduce mild outdoor sounds, offering an isolated feel. Overall, the earphones provide decent audio quality for their price point.
Calling
For calling, the Boult Mustang Torq wireless earbuds come with a dual-mic setup on each bud and offer Environmental Noise Cancelling (ENC), which aims to enhance voice clarity during calls by reducing background noise. The microphones are good at voice reception, providing clear voice transmission to the other end. However, the ENC functionality is less impressive, as it tends to pick up extra sounds from the background in loud environments.
Verdict
Priced at Rs 1,999 on Boult’s official website, the Boult Mustang Torq are value-for-money with clear voice, adequate bass, and good mic reception during phone calls. Additionally, their unique design, inspired by the Ford Mustang, is sure to turn heads. While the inconsistency in audio quality at high volume levels and occasional overpowering bass effect can be a hindrance for some users, the earbuds still have more positives going for them in the budget wireless earphone category.
First Published: Jul 19 2024 | 3:23 PM IST
