#NuraLoop’s personalizable wireless earbuds are an intriguing AirPods alternative

And what are they like?

Both fantastic — and a bit annoying.

In what way?

Well, sound-wise the NuraLoop live up to the Nuraphone: these are some of the most fun-sounding earbuds I’ve ever used. Listening to music with them is a joy. The bass is rich, the mids full, and highs clear. They’re energizing and, if you haven’t used hearing-tuned headphones before, I’d advise you to try them. It really is an entertaining and, importantly, enjoyable experience.

The NuraLoop sound great — why did you say they’re annoying?

Basically, the way you interact with them is deeply irritating.

I’ve seen a few comments on the bulky design, but this didn’t bother me too much — it’s not as though the NuraLoop are too big to get in your pocket. But I find the controls a real buzzkill. Effectively, you can tap or double tap each earbud to enact an assignable feature. Think of pressing twice on the left earbud to enable noise-canceling, or once on the right to skip the track forward.

This is all fine, but it’s so easy to accidentally touch these controls and interrupt your listening experience. Also I found double tapping often made my ears feel uncomfortable — although this may be down to my weak and pathetic hearing flesh.

There’s also something called a “TouchDial” on each earbud. This allows you to make a circular motion with your finger to, say, increase the volume. To me, it felt a bit clumsy. I would’ve much preferred some regular buttons.

Finally, I really wish the band connecting the earbuds was adjustable. For some people, it might be too short, but I found it dangled low enough that it constantly jostled against my shirt or jacket, often marring the listening experience.