Cleer is launching the Enduro ANC as a competitive wireless headphone option on multiple levels: great sound, excellent battery life, tidy ANC, and some style flourishes to boot.

Specifications
  • Brand: Cleer
  • Battery Life: 60-hours
  • Bluetooth: 5.0
  • Noise Cancellation: Yes
Pros
  • Substantial 60-hour battery life
  • Good overall sound
  • Customizable EQ settings
  • Comfortable for prolonged periods
  • Decent ANC
Cons
  • Ambient sound levels can act strangely
  • Slightly bass-heavy
Buy This Product
Cleer Enduro ANC

You want your wireless headphones to do two things. First, sound great—that's a given. Second, you hope that the headphones come with decent battery life, too.

Is combining those two essential features into a single package too much to ask?

The good news for you is that Cleer hears your anguished cry and has brought forth the Cleer Enduro ANC wireless headphones, rated for up to 60-hours of audio playback.

So, the battery is good, but how does the Cleer Enduro ANC sound? Read on to find out in our hands-on review.

Cleer Enduro ANC Box Contents

First up, what can you expect to find in the Cleer Enduro ANC box?

  • Cleer Enduro ANC headset
  • USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable
  • USB Type-C to 3.5mm jack
  • Airplane adapter
  • Travel case

Surprisingly, these are not the first set of headphones to have hit the test bench in 2021 that include an airplane seat adapter. The adapter allows you to plug your Cleer Enduro ANC headphones into the audio output of your airline seat so you can use your headphones to watch the in-flight movie.

cleer enduro anc front side standing

At the time of review, most international travel is still curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, headphones last for a long time, and Cleer is definitely reckoning on you being able to hit the skies at some point soon.

Adding to that, the travel bag is a nice touch and will help to keep your headphones from the inevitable scuffs and scratches that come with everyday use, not least when you're traveling about.

Cleer Enduro ANC Specifications

You know what's in the box. What's powering the Cleer Enduro ANC wireless headphones?

  • Style: Over-ear, closed-back
  • Colors: Light grey, navy
  • Driver: 40mm Ironless Driver
    • Frequency response: 20-20,000Hz (Bluetooth), 20-40,000Hz (wired)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, wired optional, NFC fast connect
    • Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
  • Microphone: Two integrated microphones
  • ANC: Yes, with Ambient Mode
  • Battery: Up to 60 hours playback with ANC enabled
    • Fast charge: 2 hours playback on 10 minutes charge
    • Full charge: Roughly 3 hours
  • Weight: 280g (9.87oz)

Cleer has a clear goal in mind with the Enduro ANC wireless headphones: battery life. The trend for wireless headphone battery life is trending higher, and consumers are demanding audio hardware that lasts longer than a day. The Enduro ANC has a battery life in spades, putting up alongside other recent releases such as the Anker Life Q35 and Urbanista Miami, both of which tout up 60 hours of battery life.

cleer enduro anc standing free

Another thing to note is that the Cleer Enduro ANC does come with a companion app, Cleer+, which is available for both Android and iOS. From the app, you can change or create a custom EQ or adjust the ANC and ambient sound level—but more on this in a moment.

Cleer Enduro ANC Are Quite Stylish

On removing the Cleer Enduro ANC wireless headphones from the box, you immediately note the smooth, sleek exterior of the earcups. They're really nicely rounded and look great in their presentation box, with the golden bronze style trim set off nicely against the navy of the headset.

cleer enduro anc in box

The earcups are covered with a soft leatherette style material and, in combination with the presumably memory foam cushioning, make for a comfortable wear. The headband, also imbued with the same golden bronze trim, looks tidy. You'll find the same cushioning on the underside, which, while it is comfortable, doesn't stretch across the entire headband.

It wasn't much of a concern for me, as I don't have a particularly large head, but those with a larger frame might find the cushioning doesn't extend quite far enough to cover the entire skull. Overall, though, the Cleer Enduro ANC delivers in the comfort area.

At the bottom of the left earcup, you'll find the standard array of wireless headphone controls, including an active noise cancellation button, volume controls, and a USB-C charging port. The buttons are easy to use, very responsive, and make the Enduro ANC easy to use on the go.

cleer enduro anc front both cups

I'd also add that the overall build quality of the Enduro ANC appears good. There are moving parts, and these are foldable wireless headphones. But the important areas, such as the joint between the headband and the earpads, appear strong and well made, unlikely to fall apart at the drop of a hat.

The Cleer Enduro ANC Has Excellent Battery Life

One of the biggest selling points for the Cleer Enduro ANC is the battery life. Touted as delivering up to 60-hours of playback with ANC switched on, the Enduro talks a big game.

cleer enduro anc front close side cup

I found that the Enduro ANC very much lived up to the billing, always delivering at least 55-hours of playback and often more. Cranking the volume up knocks a bit of time off, as you might expect, and battery life always varies between charges for myriad factors. Still, overall, Cleer has delivered on the promise of substantial battery life.

Fast-charging also delivers on the specified time frame, picking up between two to four hours of audio playback on a rapid 10-minute charge.

How Does the Cleer Enduro ANC Sound?

Cleer is a long-standing and well-respected name in audio hardware manufacturing. The San Diego-based outfit has been in the audio hardware design and manufacturing game a long old time. Long enough that they've developed their patented Ironless Driver Technology, delivering better mids, clearer highs, and less overall distortion.

cleer enduro anc front wearing

It translates into a well-rounded sound profile for the Cleer Enduro ANC, if a little heavy on the bass side of things.

You suddenly notice that low tone inclination when switching from anything making use of the Ironless Driver's excellent mids and highs. The bass comes thudding in, pumping hard, and bringing some extra oomph to your musical experience.

Is it bad? Absolutely not—the overall soundstage of the Enduro ANC is well rounded enough that despite the bass-heavy tone, the rest of the package compensates well and makes listening to music, podcasts, and audiobooks a pleasant experience.

cleer enduro anc inside cups standing

There's also the companion app, Cleer+, which you can use to adjust the EQ settings of the Cleer Enduro ANC, too. The app is extremely easy to use, and while the EQ only has five frequencies, you can easily chop and change to find your perfect balance.

Handily, the EQ moves in notches, noting each change you make and allowing you to return each slider to the previous position with an undo button. It's only a small thing but is useful for making slight adjustments in the quest for a perfect EQ. In future editions of the Cleer+ app, some pre-programmed EQ settings would be a welcome addition for those who don't want to fiddle.

The Enduro ANC wireless headphones hold up well in games, too. When you have headphones with a good soundstage, as the Enduro ANC does, it translates nicely into games with equally well-crafted audio. Without delving too far, go to games such as Doom 2016 and Dirt 5 sound brilliant, and you won't be disappointed for the price.

cleer enduro anc standing back of cups

The Enduro ANC uses Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity, which works well. Furthermore, Cleer has integrated Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive codec, a nice touch for anyone that wants to stream high-quality audio and has supporting hardware (such as an aptX compatible adapter) and lossless audio to boot.

Is the Cleer Enduro's Active Noise Cancelation Any Good?

I found the ANC function of the Cleer Enduro decent enough, although it does come with some quirks.

In the companion app, you can control the ANC using a slider, adjusting the level of ANC and the volume of external ambient noise. So far, so good.

However, when you begin sliding the ambient sound up, at times, the microphones appear to go into over-drive, magnifying external noises rather than simply allowing a passthrough. Sitting at my desk with ambient mode switched on, and a passing seagull outside the window sounded like an incoming threat.

The noise-blocking aspect of the Cleer Enduro works well, though, and for the price point the Enduro's retail at, it's a competitive proposition.

Should You Buy the Cleer Enduro ANC Wireless Headphones?

The final verdict: are the Cleer Enduro ANC worth your hard-earned pennies?

Let's look at the facts. The Enduro ANC delivers up to 60-hours of playback with ANC-enabled, which is alone an impressive feat. The headphones are comfortable, fit nicely, and won't cause you undue ear fatigue, weighing a bang-on average 280g (9.87oz).

The sound quality is a little bass-heavy, but overall, the Enduro ANC makes music sound good, and every listening experience is a tidy, well-crafted delve into your favorite tracks. While the ambient noise passthrough can be a little iffy, you can overlook that with the actual ANC itself, which performs well under almost all circumstances.

The Cleer Enduro ANC wireless headphones retail for $150, and for my money, that's a really good deal. The Cleer Enduro ANC enter the wireless headphone marketplace at a very competitive price point, standing up against some well-known competitors. The Ironless Driver Technology helps the Cleer Enduro ANC soundstage deliver, and you won't be disappointed if you pick these headphones up.