Searching through the vast amounts of in-ear headphones on the market is a daunting task for anyone, especially if you have no prior knowledge to go from. However, you’ve gotten so far as to find the Urbanista brand – may be due to its look, or its function. To help you find the right pair for your specific budget, we went ahead and did a thorough analysis into what is better: Urbanista Stockholm Plus vs the Paris vs London.
Features |
Stockholm Plus |
Paris |
London |
---|---|---|---|
Battery Life – Earphones |
3.5 hours |
5 hours |
7.5 hours |
Battery Recharge Cycles from Case |
5 times |
3 times |
4 times |
Touch Control |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Voice Control |
Yes: Siri and Google Now |
Yes: Siri and Google Now |
Yes: Siri and Google Now |
Bluetooth Version |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
Wireless Charging |
No |
No |
Yes |
Active Noise Cancellation |
No |
No |
Yes |
Ambient Sound Mode |
No |
No |
Yes |
In-ear Detection |
No |
No |
Yes |
Replaceable Earpads |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Rating |
|||
Price |
Urbanista
Urbanista is a somewhat newer brand on the market, established in 2010, originating from Stockholm, Sweden. The company has done many impressive things in the personal speaker market, now with a line of products ranging from in-ear to over-ear to portable. Their mission is to pay homage to the city cultures of the world – to give its inhabitants a product that matches their life in motion.
Urbanista Stockholm Plus
The Stockholm Plus from Urbanista is the least pricey of their true wireless lineup of earphones. With an emphasis on affordability and portability, the Stockholm Plus has many helpful characteristics. This product stands out for its low-cost price point while maintaining a true wireless user experience.
Specifications:
- Voice control with Siri and Google Now
- Touch control – manage music and incoming calls by touch
- Handsfree true wireless
- IPX4 water resistance rating
- Bluetooth 5.0 technology
- USB-C type charging cable
- In-ear fit
- Case charging: up to 5 times
- 3.5 hour battery life on a full charge
Pros:
- Lightweight in-ear and in pocket
- Lower price point than other options
- IPX4 water resistance rating
- New and improved microphone
Cons:
- Does not come with advanced listening experience options (ANC, ambient sound mode, etc.)
- 3.5 hour battery life on the lower end of the true wireless line
Urbanista Paris
The Paris from Urbanista offers some upgrades in comparison to the Stockholm Plus that may be helpful to your situation. With an emphasis on fit and comfort, the Paris is meant to be subtle, yet comfortable. This product stands out for its sleek design and mobility while maintaining a respectable battery life in the process.
Specifications:
- Voice control with Siri and Google Now
- Touch control
- Handsfree true wireless
- IPX3 water resistance rating
- Bluetooth 5.0 technology
- USB-C type charging cable
- In-ear fit
- Case charging: up to 3 times
- Wireless charging capable
- 5 hour battery life on a full charge
- Customizable ear cushions for comfort
Pros:
- Slim charging case
- Wireless charging capable
- Interchangeable ear cushions for heightened comfort
- Touch control built-in
Cons:
- Slightly lower IPX3 water resistance rating
- Does not offer Active Noise Cancellation or Ambient Sound mode
Urbanista London
Finally, the London is among the top end products of the True Wireless in-ear line from Urbanista, both in its price and in its attributes. In the London, Urbanista focused on making a product that gives its owners a high end-user experience with the battery life to keep them engaged. No doubt, this pair garners high marks for its value to the consumer.
Specifications:
- Voice control with Siri and Google Now
- Touch control
- Handsfree true wireless
- IPX4 water resistance rating
- Bluetooth 5.0 technology
- USB-C type charging cable
- In-ear fit
- Case charging: up to 4 times
- Wireless charging capable
- 7.5 hour battery life on a full charge
- Customizable ear cushions for comfort
- In-ear detection capable
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Ambient Sound mode ability
- 5 different color choices available
Pros:
- Active Noise Cancellation able
- Ambient Sound mode capable
- In-ear detection feature
- 7.5 hour battery life on a full charge
Cons:
- Larger size, heavier weight
- Higher price point
Features Face to Face
After the introductory section going over the basics of each set of in-ear headphones, we will break down the common features to see how they stack up to one another. This in-depth face to face will help you decide which item has the features you want most, and whether it is important to have them.
Battery Life
Any portable speakers will need power to play the audio, so battery life is often a crucial component in choosing one. There are similarities and subtle differences in the battery characteristics of each product.
Urbanista Stockholm Plus – This product has a battery life of 3.5 hours per charge, and since the case contains another 5 recharge cycles in it – you get nearly 20 plus hours of overall total playtime.
If you need continuous use without time to recharge, this is not the product for you. But if you plan to listen in shorter times with plenty of time between listening sessions, this product will be just fine for you.
Recharge time comes in at 1.5 hours, and it utilizes a USB-C type charging system.
Urbanista Paris – This product has a battery life of 5 hours on a full charge, and due to the case containing at least 3 recharge cycles within it – you end up with around 20 plus hours of overall total playtime.
If you need a pair of earphones that have a slightly longer battery life in-ear, while keeping a sleek case for an inconspicuous look, this is the product for you. Also, the case has a wireless charging ability, so you don’t even need to bring a cable around with you.
Recharge time comes in at 1.5 hours, and it uses a USB-C type charging system.
Urbanista London – This product has a battery life of 7.5 hours on a full charge, and thanks to the case containing at least 4 recharge cycles in it – you will receive over 25 plus hours of overall total playtime.
This set is slightly more bulky, with a bigger back end and ear cushions for comfort – so a bigger battery helps improve the quality of the product. This pair will give you the best of both worlds – long sustained battery life on a single-use, and also many recharging cycles so you can avoid bringing cables anywhere.
Recharge time comes in at a smooth 1.5 hours, and it also uses a USB-C type charging system.
Winner: Urbanista London
More: Urbanista Stockholm Plus vs Apple Airpods: A Side-by-Side Comparison
Touch and Voice Controls
Urbanista Stockholm Plus – The Stockholm Plus is equipped with Touch control which helps you to manage calls and music by tapping the exterior of the earbud. It also has Voice assistance which allows you to go hands-free with either Siri or Google Now. The Stockholm Plus microphone was recently upgraded for a better user experience.
Urbanista Paris – The Paris also has Touch control and Voice control built-in with the same voice assistance AI (Siri and Google Now) as options.
Urbanista London – The London comes with the same Touch control as the other two options and the Voice control with Siri and Google Now. What it does have different is the in-ear detection mode that pauses your music when it senses that you have an earbud out. This feature comes in clutch when you need to chat in the moment, and then resume the music by placing the earbud back in.
Winner: Urbanista London
More: Anker Soundcore Flare vs UE Wonderboom 2: Which One Should I Pick?
Audio Modulation Functions
Urbanista Stockholm Plus – Seeing as the Stockholm Plus is the least expensive of the three we are comparing here, it makes sense that it would have a bare bones design that saves the consumer money. Unfortunately, audio modulation is more in the nice-to-have section rather than the must-have section.
If, say, you are a fan of the original iPhone headphones that came stock with the smartphone, you will really enjoy the fit and sound of the Stockholm Plus.
Urbanista Paris – The Paris is known for its styling and design, and while it carries a lower price point than the London, it does not offer the same amount of audio modulation abilities. It has replaceable earbud cushions for a more snug and sound-tight fit, improving audio quality on its own.
Urbanista London – Far and away the most advanced of the three headphones here, the London has many nice-to-have features, as well as must-have, built-in.
For one, the London comes equipped with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), which is a huge bonus for consumers looking for a pair that will separate outside world sounds from the in-ear listening experience. With ANC, it becomes important to include an Ambient Sound mode (which Urbanista did) so that you can hear your surroundings if need be.
Winner: Urbanista London
More: Denon AH-D9200 VS Denon AH-D7200: Which High-End Headphone Should You Get?
Portability and Durability
Wireless headphones were essentially invented to be extremely portable. If they weren’t, people wouldn’t buy them. So we put sizes, weights, and ratings side by side to see which pair comes out to your liking.
Urbanista Stockholm Plus – The charging case dimensions are 52 mm deep by 59 mm wide by 22 mm tall. The Stockholm Plus comes with a solid water resistance rating of IPX4, which will work fine in a light rain or near the beach.
Urbanista Paris – The Paris has a slightly lessened water resistance rating of IPX3, which allows it to handle some sweat or a bit of drizzle, and still function properly.
Urbanista London – The London has a water resistance rating of IPX4, which puts it in the same class as the Stockholm Plus. Though, the charging case is more bulky and slightly heavier, requiring a little bit more room wherever you carry it.
Winner: Urbanista Stockholm Plus
More:Urbanista Miami vs Urbanista New York: Which Urbanista Should You Pick?
Stand Out Features
These three headphones are quite similar in the charging case, yet the look and approach each of these take has a difference on the type of consumer Urbanista looked to target. All three are part of their true wireless series, which touts no wires to function. Yet, the difference lies in minimalist features for a modest price vs. sleek and subtle form and fit vs. added functionality at a higher price.
Minimalist features for a modest price: Meaning that obviously Urbanista meant to price tier their products so the Stockholm Plus had to offer less, but with that comes a less expensive purchasing cost.
- Some prefer the bare essentials for listening on the go, not wanting to spend more than is absolutely necessary to get wireless earbuds.
- At a lightweight and small size, the carrying case plus the earphones offers you ease of portability.
- With an IPX4 rating, the Stockholm Plus offers very decent durability in slightly wet situations too.
- There are some finer features like Touch control, and an improved microphone to make Voice control a better user experience.
Sleek and subtle form and fit: The Paris embodies all of that, with a thin case and a similar minimalist styling like the Stockholm Plus, but with added comfort.
- The Paris looks like the Stockholm Plus, but they added replaceable earbuds to make it a more comforting listening experience.
- The Paris has unique colors sure to bring out the fashion week sense in you too.
- It also has touch and voice control to make you feel sophisticated and modern, just like your look.
Added functionality at a higher price: Shows that the London is meant to compete with other big name wireless earphones on the market.
- At this price point, not only will they compete, but it would be hard to find another wireless set that can match the functionality.
- With audio modulation assets such as Active Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound mode, the London will give you noise cancelling while in your ear.
- And when you decide to pop out an earbud, the London has an ear detection feature that will pause your music – then restart it once you put the earbud back in.
- With a battery life to be more than enough for most, the London can continuously playback for 7.5 hours on a full charge. Not to mention the additional 4 charges worth you will get with the charging case.
- Among these three, you get the best sensitivity and impedance ratings for a higher quality sound reproduction.
So depending on how much you are looking to spend, or how many features you feel like you really need – the Urbanista brand has a pair of wireless earphones that will work well for you.
Final Thoughts
Use the Urbanista Stockholm Plus if:
- You prefer only the bare essentials in a pair of wireless headphones
- You want to save some money on the cost because you need many pairs
- You don’t mind putting the earphones back in the charging case more often
- You want a lightweight, stock earphone fit
- You prefer to avoid any earbud cushions to help you have natural transparency in your listening experience
The Stockholm Plus is perfect for the minimalist buyer who has no reliance on brand new technologies to influence their listening enjoyment.
Use the Urbanista Paris if:
- You want a stylish, yet complete set of wireless headphones
- You want something with plenty of useful features, but don’t need all of them
- You want a particular color that only the Paris offers
- You like the look of the Stockholm Plus, but decide that have replaceable ear cushions is important to your listening comfort
The Paris is perfect for those who want to upgrade slightly from the Stockholm Plus by adding comfortable earbuds.
Use the Urbanista London if:
- You want a pair of headphones that can compete with the likes of AirPods Pro
- You need Active Noise Cancellation in louder environments
- You need Ambient Sound mode to go along with the ANC in some busy environments
- You want a higher-end audio quality to go with the bells and whistles
- You want a longer battery life in both continuous listening and in overall playback time
The London is meant to really compete on the market for your attention with its fantastic price point and amount of features offered at that point.