boAt Nirvana Ion review: EQ mode to quad mics, a strong combination of style and performance

Name: boAt Nirvana Ion
Item: boAt Nirvana Ion
Author: Akash Dutta

boAt Nirvana Ion features dual EQ mode, in-ear detection, and quad mics. But it is worth purchasing? Find out in our review.

By: AKASH DUTTA
| Updated on: Dec 30 2023, 18:20 IST

boAt Nirvana Ion comes at the price of Rs. 2,299. But is it good enough to be a segment leader? (Akash/HT Tech)

Over the years, boAt has made a name in the affordable and mid-range earphone segment for its bass-heavy, and feature-rich products. The company has a distinguished style that resonates with the Indian youth. Earlier this year, boAt released its Nirvana Ion earbuds, true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones, whose biggest claim was 120 hours of playback time (including in-case charging).

The boAt Nirvana Ion is priced at Rs. 2,299, and it is a tricky price point to exist. In the sub-Rs. 2500 segment, the market is spoilt for choices. From audio-focused brands like Noise and Boult to consumer electronics like Oppo and Realme, you can find many reliable earphones with standard features like noise cancellation, call support, and heavy bass. To distinguish yourself from the competition is a tough task.

However, right from the get-go, the boAt Nirvana Ion promises high quality and premium design. With boAt's popular sound engineering, dual EQ modes, long-lasting battery life, and boosted mic capabilities, the earbuds make a strong case on paper. But will these specifications also come through in the real world? I have been using the earbuds for almost a month only to understand this. So, let's get down to the brass tacks.

boAt Nirvana Ion design & build quality

image caption — boAt Nirvana Ion design (Akash/HT Tech)

In this price segment, you generally see those cookie-cutter earphone cases that look inspired by AirPods. boAt has recently tried innovating the case design with its Immortal Katana Blade series, but as far as Nirvana Ion is concerned, you do not get to see anything revolutionary. The earbuds are placed in a white (the other option is black) pebble-shaped case, with a central LED placed on the front to indicate charging, and low battery status. One nice touch is a metallic rim at the edge of the case where the brand logo has been placed and that makes it all stand out.

Since I'm a vocal fan of minimalism, I find no problem with it. In fact, the case looks quite premium with its polished matte plastic body and metal rim. The earbuds themselves are quite nice looking as well. The earphones come with standard 10mm drivers and have a matte white color with boAt's logo on top and a groove-like texture at the bottom. There are tiny LED lights on each of the earbuds indicating when they are paired and when they have unpaired. Overall, the build quality feels very premium and definitely more expensive than what they are priced at.

Coming to the comfort of wearing, the earbuds are very comfortable to wear. They fit in perfectly and do not come off easily. You get different sizes of silicon ear tips with the box, so you can opt for the one that fits your ear. I wore the earbuds for multiple hours at a stretch, but it never became uncomfortable, which gets a big thumbs up from me.

Finally, when it comes to connectivity, boAt Nirvana Ion once paired can automatically connect with the device within seconds. I never faced issues with randomly the earbuds being disconnected.

In essence, I'm quite pleased with the design and the build quality of the earbuds, and I believe the boAt Nirvana Ion punches above its weight in this department.

boAt Nirvana Ion audio quality

The earbuds feature boAt's signature sound which leans bass-heavy and gives very punchy beats. If you enjoy this sound profile, you will enjoy its audio profile. I found it to be pleasant for party songs but if you are in the mood for classical music or sad numbers, you might feel that the treble leaves you wanting a little more. The emphasis on the lows and mids takes away the focus from clear highs.

While there's no Active Noise Cancellation to dampen the ambient sounds, the passive isolation works really well. The ear tips and fins do a decent job of muffling most of the ambient noises. That said, wind noises and conversations can still be heard, which considering the price is acceptable.

Coming to smart features, the boAt Nirvana Ion features in-ear detection which is very convenient. If someone comes up to talk to you while you're engrossed in music, you can simply take off one earbud and the music will automatically pause. And once you plug your earbuds again, the music begins playing. The company has also added Beast Mode, which has a low latency of 60ms. I played games with this mode turned on, but honestly, I did not notice much of a difference. Avid gamers may hear some difference.

The boAt Nirvana Ion comes with the support of the boAt Hearables app on Android and iOS. Using this you can easily get the OTT updates to the device, customize the audio, and monitor the battery levels. It is a convenient app for you to get better support for your earbuds.

The call performance of the earbuds was decent. Usually, in this price range, you do not expect the call quality to be that good, especially when it comes to the mic performance. However, it still does not reach the quality of wired microphones, and to expect the same from TWS earbuds in this price range would be unfair.

boAt Nirvana Ion battery life

boAt promises 24 hours of playback time on the Nirvana Ion earbuds, and 120 hours playback on the case. In my experience, the earbuds do come very close to the claim. I used the earphones for 3-4 hours at a stretch and it only depleted the battery by 25 percent. I only had to charge the case after around 8 or 9 days. When completely discharged, the case takes around 90 minutes to fully charge.

boAt Nirvana Ion verdict

I'll cut to the chase. In this segment, boAt Nirvana Ion offers a really strong statement. You get a premium design, a long-lasting battery backup, and a punchy audio profile that suits Indian music enthusiasts. Pair that with the app support for customization, monitoring, and smart features, and you get a really good deal in this price segment. Unless you are a true-blue audiophile, these earphones offer a solid value for money in their price range.

Rating

4 out of 5

Price

INR 2,299/-

Product Name

boAt Nirvana Ion

Brand Name

boAt

Pros