The trend is towards open-ear headphones. More and more manufacturers are offering corresponding models that keep the ear canal free and aim to score points with a high level of wearing comfort. Depending on the provider, there are very different approaches. And enormous differences in sound. With the beyerdynamic Verio 200 presented at the end of June, the traditional German manufacturer is now aiming to gain a foothold in this segment. Our test clarifies whether this will succeed.
Technical data
| The product | Verio 200 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive Lossless |
| Maximum operating range | 12m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours, 27 hours in total with charging case; (varies depending on volume level and audio content) |
| Charging time | 1.5 hours (for charging case + headphones via USB-C) |
| Size of charging case | 69.5 mm × 25 mm × 100 mm |
| Weight | 10.8 g per earbud; 98 g charging case |
| Most important functions | Multipoint; IP54 |
| Price | € 199.00 * |
beyerdynamic Verio 200 test: Elegant design, but heavy weight
- appealing design
- Comparatively high weight
- Wearing comfort is not entirely convincing
Yes, there are enormous differences even in the design of the open-ear headphones. The beyerdynamic Verio 200 rely on a flexible earhook that is clamped behind the ear and held in place by a counterweight.
The corresponding counterweight is adorned with the manufacturer’s logo, which, in combination with the attractive color scheme (cream in our test model), gives the Verio 200 an absolutely elegant and high-quality look.
However, with a weight of 10.8 grams per earbud, this model is one of the absolute heavyweights in this segment. By comparison, the top dog Huawei FreeClip (our test) weighs just under half as much at 5.6 grams and the fairly new and bulky Shokz OpenFit Air (our test) are also noticeably lighter at 8.7 grams each.
Unsurprisingly, this of course has a noticeable effect on wearing comfort, which I don’t like quite as much as with the competition. But it’s certainly a matter of taste, especially as I have quite small ears anyway. In any case, the Verio 200 start to feel uncomfortable after 2-3 hours of use.
This is also due to the fact that beyerdynamic equips the Verio 200 with a solid counterweight instead of relying on flexible rubber. Although the ends protrude slightly behind the ear, the pressure is noticeably higher.
Nevertheless, the design ensures that the open-ear headphones sit comfortably on the ear and do not wobble or slip even during intensive movements and sporting activities – which is what the earphones are designed for.
Features and operation of the beyerdynamic Verio 200
- Bluetooth 5.3 with long range
- IP54 certification; aptX Adaptive Lossless codec
- Operation too sensitive and imprecise
The beyerdynamic Verio 200 are very well equipped, using the modern Bluetooth 5.3 standard to achieve a good range. They are also IP54 waterproof and therefore absolutely suitable for sports.
Compared to most other open-ear models, beyerdynamic also offers the high-resolution Qualcomm aptX Adaptive Lossless codec in addition to the standard SBC and AAC codecs, which significantly improves the sound in the Android segment.
However, the open-ear headphones reveal weaknesses when it comes to operation, which is realized via the capacitive beyerdynamic logo touch surfaces on the outside. Unfortunately, these react far too sensitively to inputs and even recognize an adjustment of the headband as an input.
In addition, it often happens that double taps are recognized as single taps. Instead of pausing or starting playback, the earbuds suddenly skip to the next song. That’s not what I wanted!
However, if you like, you can customize the operation within the beyerdynamic app and deactivate a single touch, for example. This also proves to be very useful due to the regular incorrect entries. It is even possible to ajoust the volume via touch controls.
Speaking of the app: Otherwise, it doesn’t offer too much room for customization. It is possible to choose between one of four EQ presets or to tweak the sound yourself with a 5-band equalizer. Otherwise, there is only a battery status display and the option to set the switch-off timer. Unfortunately, there are no more options to choose from.
Battery life of the beyerdynamic Verio 200
- 8 hours battery life for the earphones
- 27 hours for the case
In terms of battery life, the beyerdynamic Verio 200 are at the forefront of the open-ear segment. Up to eight hours of battery life are possible for the earphones alone, with a maximum of 27 hours in combination with the charging case.
These are good values that allow the earphones to cope with longer sports activities. 10 minutes in the charging case also makes the Verio 200 fit again for 60 minutes of music playback, a full charge then takes around 80 minutes. The case is charged exclusively via USB-C, and a (very short) cable is included in the scope of delivery.
Audio quality and microphones
- Clear and detailed sound
- quite good bass response
- low maximum volume; sharp treble
In order to get the maximum out of the beyerdynamic Verio 200 in terms of sound, in my opinion – or rather with my ear shape – a little fiddling is necessary. More than with the counterparts from Shokz or Huawei.
A little readjustment here, a little pressing against the ear there. But once you’ve found the right position, the open-ear headphones sound really good. For open-ears, mind you. In terms of sound, this is of course no comparison to good in-ear headphones, but the Verio 200 still produce a pleasantly detailed and spatial sound that can unfold better in the room than is the case with in-ears. Similar to the principle of open-back headphones.
Depending on the genre, the standard equalizer sounds a little flat, but this can easily be ironed out with other presets or your own settings. Especially in the rock preset (and the appropriate genre).
In “Maps of the Problematic” by Muse, the earphones reproduce both the higher piano sounds and the guitars well and place the voice pleasantly clearly in the foreground, but the broad detailed stage in the background lacks a little brilliance.
Things look a little different with “Going Hunting” from Avatar. This results in a pleasantly clear and spatial sound image, although the upper mids could be a little clearer here. However, the earphones tend to have a certain amount of harshness in the highs above 7,000 Hz, which should be counteracted using the equalizer.
The bass standard setting is also surprisingly good. Although you still can’t compare it with in-ear or over-ear headphones, they are sometimes miles ahead of other open-ears.
The main problem, which the beyerdynamic model also has, is the rather low volume on the one hand and the Huawei FreeClip on the other, which are far ahead of all the open-ear headphones I have tested so far in terms of sound. In addition, a low background noise is always audible, especially in quiet environments.
Microphone quality of the beyerdynamic Verio 200
beyerdynamic equips the Versio 200 with omnidirectional MEMS microphones, which also suppress ambient noise using Qualcomm’s cVc technology. The microphone quality is also quite good in this segment, but does not stand out from the well-known competition. The OpenFit Air from Shokz already sounds significantly better, but does not suppress ambient noise quite as well.
Microphone test recording beyerdynamic Verio 200:
Microphone test recording Shokz OpenFit Air:
Microphone test recording Huawei FreeClip:
Due to their design, the microphones are of course particularly suitable for indoor conversations, as the ears pick up ambient noise outside and it is therefore difficult to understand the other person.
beyerdynamic Verio 200 Review: Conclusion
So now beyerdynamic is also entering the highly competitive open-ear headphone market and making a really convincing debut. The earphones score points with their elegant design and impeccable build quality.
I particularly like the sound of the model from Germany (for open-ears) and it scores points with a spatial and detailed sound, as well as a very good bass response. The battery life is also at a good level.
What I don’t quite like is the wearing comfort, which can’t quite keep up with the competition, mainly due to the hard counterweight. It is quite uncomfortable after just a few hours. The controls are also far too sensitive, which leads to incorrect entries. A low background noise is also always audible.
beyerdynamic Verio 200
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Microphone quality
Features
Value For Money
87/100
Good-sounding and elegant open-ear headphones with a good battery life and good bass response, although they fall somewhat short in terms of wearing comfort and overly sensitive operation.
