The Symphonized GLXY in-ear headphones are an excellent example of how traditional materials can be combined with modern technology to create a unique product with a remarkable sound signature. Wood has been the go-to material of skilled instrument makers for millennia, and it continues to have its undisputed place even in the age of plastics. There aren’t many wooden headphones in the budget category, which is why the Symphonized GLXY are such a welcome sight.

Build and Design

Humans seem to be drawn to nature. We enjoy morning walks in parks, having plants in our homes, and we like whenever natural materials are used instead of their man-made counterparts. The Symphonized GLXY headphones combine genuine wood with a textile-braided cable, bringing you a few steps closer to nature.

The manufacturer has successfully minimized the size of the headphone housing without sacrificing durability. Despite being made from wood, the GLXY are as rugged as metal or plastic headphones. Included with the headphones are 3 pairs of replaceable eartips. We have found the included eartips to be below average with regard to their fit and isolation. Eartips from other manufacturers—especially those who include foam tips—do a much better job.

That said, the overall comfort of the headphones is good, and the braided fabric-covered cable resists tangling. What it doesn’t resist, though, is the microphony phenomenon. Whenever the cord brushes against clothes or bumps into a desk, it transmits the sound all the way to your ears. If you plan on using these headphones while sitting relatively still behind a desk, you likely won’t mind too much, but using them for sports and outdoor activities is definitely not recommended. Part of the cord is a small remote control button with a built-in microphone.

Sound Quality

Wood is known for giving instruments and playback devices a unique sound characteristic known as timbre. Because each piece of wood, no matter how small, is different, so is every pair of the Symphonized GLXY headphones. In theory, your pair may sound entirely different than the one we used for testing.

Our pair of the GLXY headphones had a crisp yet powerful sound with a controlled bass response and pleasantly wide soundstage. The biggest problem is the included eartips, which provide sub-par noise isolation, leading to much worse sound quality than the headphones are really capable of. No wonder then that you can find online reviews where people criticize things which can be easily solved by simply swapping the stock eartips for after-market ones.

What’s in the Box?

The Symphonized GLXY headphones ship with an eco-friendly carrying pouch and three sets of replaceable eartips.