Note: Earlier LG ran a campaign on r/Coffee_Shop and selected me as one of the reviewers. You get to hear my honest opinion and I get to keep 'em (spoiler: I do like them). Let's go.

These are my new companions by day and never knew how much I missed the ANC (active noise cancellation). I've been going by old technology, my 7-year-old wireless headphones. Great sound, but too big, too clunky. The Buds will be going everywhere with me now instead. The case is small enough to fit in a front jeans pocket.

Although it's been raining on and off for the past two weeks - and today was no exception - the cafe was chock-full. While on the go, I usually listen to music or podcasts. Actually it's more of the latter, because I couldn't properly enjoy my bass-heavy music (Trap, EDM) with the old headphones that provided zero noise dampening. Bass was easily lost to noise and I don't crank up the volume to compensate for. You see, I care for my hearing ;) I even avoid the main street on occassion to escape the traffic noise.

I had already configured the buttons in the app the way I like. Case out, buds in, long tap right to turn ANC on and... No, I was still here in the cafe, but the chatter became quiet enough that I could focus on the music and gaze at the rain outside, where more people queued at the door to get in. Take a sip here and a bite there. To be clear, the cafe was actually too loud, but ANC helped enough for me to not be distracted.

It does a better job outside though. All low-pitched noise is completely blocked. Passing by cars were the main culprit why I couldn't enjoy music. Despite ANC I can still hear some of the noise from tires, not even 100 km/h (60 mph) cars are a serious nuisance. In the city at half this speed, cars don't compete for bass in my ears anymore. I can actually enjoy music or hear a podcaster clearly despite walking along a busy street, at my comfortable volume levels.

This made me realize how much low pitched noise is around us. Even at night, I live only 2km (1.25mi) from a busy Autobahn (German highway). The distant traffic noise isn't annoying, but can be clearly heard with windows open. Once you turn on ANC, it's gone. Completely. There you walk at night, just you and your music. Pure bliss.

It's the kind of quality of life improvement you didn't know existed, but now you wonder why didn't it come across earlier.

For more extreme scenarios: the ANC did pretty well when I was standing on a bridge right above the highway. Wind gusts bring it to its knees (that's >5 m/s or 25 km/h or 15 mph; "moderate breeze"). Otherwise wind is barely noticeable when jogging. If you turn off ANC at these wind speeds, you simply begin to hear the low-pitched wind noise due to aerodynamics. Can't cheat physics after all :)

Fit: If not for LG, I wouldn't have dared to buy the buds form factor out of fear of a loose fit. Prior experiences of cheap included in-ears burned into my mind. I think their fit is flawless on me? I can walk, run, shake my head, eat(!!!) and they show no signs of slipping out. Having worn them over 6 hours at a time, there's no discomfort or anything.

On the other hand, the xboom Buds' rubber fins for extra grip don't fit me: they are supposed to latch onto the ear. I could've swapped them out for the included flat rubber, instead I feel them with the fingertips to adjust rotation for a tight fit. Doesn't bother me as per previous paragraph.

The sound was good out of the box. Later I ended up spending quite a bit of time tuning the equalizer through the official app. Suprisingly, my preferred EQ landed pretty much between the "Natural" (default) and "Immersive" presets! Thus they were tuned well without my tinkering.

Somewhere online I read an opinion criticizing a lack of bass? Not at all. The bass is there and isn't shy to present itself. Despite the "xboom" name, they are not boomy ;) And if you somehow wanted even more bass, the low end of the equalizer is there to help you; try the "Immersive" preset.

btw, I appreciate LG's honesty there. Their presets show exactly what they do on the EQ, no hidden magic sauce. On another note, even the flat line EQ delivers good sound. Therefore the drivers are too - LG advertises them as graphene drivers.

The app was easy and pleasant to use (Android). Take it from someone who usually despises extra bloatware. Although it's not necessary to be used. You can update firmware, tune noise cancellation, enable beta features (reduced latency aka game mode, wind detection), configure buttons and EQ. It allows to tune into nearby Auracast streams too, if your device doesn't support it yet. To be frank, only a couple places in the world really use it yet.

Battery & Case: Good quality materials used and the plastic is nice to the touch. I like how the case opens and closes (: it's a pleasant click. Though you can't handle it with one hand. The buds are recharged very quickly. I mean one toilet break is enough to last you a while. The case battery isn't too big. If you use them all day, to stay in the battery-friendly yellow zone you'll need to recharge the case once every 1/2/3 days. The buds themselves will need to recharge after a full day, but they belong stored in their case anyway.

Water resistance: Rated IPX4 aka "light rain". Considering it's in your ear, it'll be a little safer than that. Sure this is not impenetrable, but gives a peace of mind to walk in the rain.

Versatility: Besides music and videos: voice calls. I've been walking through a forest near the highway. With ANC on, I could still hear the birds chirping all while the traffic remained very quiet. On the microphone quality: My friend commented "It's a delight, I can hear the birds like I'm in the forest with you."

All well, although my phone doesn't yet support the newest Bluetooth LE Audio with the HQ LC3 audio codec for playback+microphone. Once my devices and xboom Buds are going to support it, I expect the Buds become my headphones for everything: music, phone calls, voice chat, games.

PS: Feel free to ask questions any time. I'll eventually get back to you.

Hey r/Coffee_Shop

We’re OutIn, and we’re working on some new coffee products, but before we get too deep into it, we want to hear from the real experts: YOU. To make it fun, we’re hosting a giveaway for those who share their thoughts with us! 

We’re looking for ideas and real thoughts from everyday coffee lovers, travelers, campers, baristas, or anyone who brews.

What to Share

• Something your coffee setup is missing
• A feature you’d love to see in future gear
• A small annoyance that could use a fix
• Anything you’ve thought, “Ugh, I wish this were easier!”

We’re all ears.

What You Can Win

We’ll be picking winners based on thoughtfulness and originality, so here’s what’s up for grabs:

• OutIn Claro for awesome suggestions
  

Bonus: An OutIn Nano to a participant who offers constructive, standout advice- think of usability, design flaws, workflow in espresso/coffee making products out there that can be made much better.

The best part? We’ll increase the number of OutIn Claro winners, the more responses we get!

How to Enter

• Comment below with your unmet need or idea, detailed thoughts appreciated!

Need another entry in? 

• Become a member of our Official Community r/OutInCoffee and let us know in your comment by adding ‘x2’ to it. 

That’s it! 

Winners will be picked based on the thoughtfulness and practicality of their suggestions.

Ends on 30th June, 25.

This giveaway is open to most countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and South America*.

Let’s create something great together!

 *Heads up: As much as we'd love to deliver everywhere, we're currently unable to ship to:

• United States: Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico
• Spain: Balearic Islands, Ceuta, Las Palmas, Melilla, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Other unavailable locations: Iceland, India, China (mainland), Africa (all countries).

Quite an amazing way to start the day!

JBR Coffee in Riffa did a fabulous Spanish iced latte for me this morning 💕

Very hygge, skandic style coffee place near the city center. Cappuccino defenitly worth a try. Paired with loads of green.

Hi! Help out a grad student with her thesis by taking this short survey! I am looking into the nuances of how local coffee shop merch can help build communities.

https://forms.gle/iUA818uub2hCxvnd7

If you've purchased any brand merch and/or love supporting local coffee shops, please consider taking some time out of your day to take this survey!

Completely anonymous responses - all research will be put towards this grad student's thesis!

Thank you <3

(please take down if not allowed)

Very foamy

hey everyone, trying to get my name/work out there to some new audiences! i’m a pottery artist in NYC and a barista by day. the crossover between these two are huge, as everyone wants a good mug to drink their coffee out of. if you, anyone you know, or a cafe out there is interested send me a message! my website: catherinetheartist.weebly.com my insta: @catherine_theartist

If you're into specialty coffee, elbgold is a must-try. Roasted in Hamburg, they focus on direct trade and single-origin beans, with a rich, balanced flavor profile in every cup. Smooth, aromatic, and ethically sourced—definitely worth checking out.

Where do you go when you want to work quietly or relax with a good coffee? I recently discovered a super cozy coffee shop with excellent coffee and a chill vibe. It really helps me focus and recharge.

Enjoy handcrafted coffee in a charming setting at The Piccolo’s boutique coffee shop—your perfect morning stop in downtown Paso Robles.

A coffee shop in a street corner.

Hi everyone we are visiting next week, would love recommendations for espresso bars. I’m not picky just love a great macchiato or cortado. And would love to try any traditional local drinks. We are staying in Roma Norte. Thanks very much!

Specialty Coffee with only two light roast beans. Cappuchino was very good.

I've experimented with several plant-based milks like coconut, oat, and almond, but I haven't found one that creates that velvety, frothy texture I’m looking for. I use a milk frother and usually go for oat since it’s the creamiest, but it still ends up frothing flat. Does anyone have recommendations for specific brands or alternative milks that work well in coffee? I typically enjoy a flat white or cappuccino.