Picun F6 headphones short review: Affordable over-ears with 3D sound
Stateside, the manufacturer Picun offers a wide range of headphones via its Amazon storefront. This includes special devices for kids, gaming and music. The F6 are its flagship headphones with ANC.
Aside from reduced ambient noise, they supposedly also master head tracking and—according to the manufacturer—a battery life of up to 120 hours. The Picun F6 come in five different colors: silver, white, gray, blue and pink. You can get the headphones on Amazon for US$70.
| Type | Over-ear |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5 mm jack |
| Reach | 15 meters |
| Speakers | 45 mm drivers |
| Audio codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Battery power | 1000 mAh |
| Charging connection | USB-C |
| Wireless charging | no |
| Weight | 300 g |
| Firmware version | - |
| Scope of delivery | Case, 3.5 mm AUX cable, USB cable, airplane adapter |
| Price (MRSP) | US$70 |
Scope of delivery and setup - The Picun F6 come with a travel case
The scope of delivery includes a case that can be used to store the headphones when travelling. It is a hard case which means they are well protected and on the inside, a moulded part holds them in the correct position.
A box inside the case includes additional accessories such as a fabric-covered 3.5 millimeter AUX cable, a USB cable (USB-A to USB-C) and an adapter intended for entertainment systems in airplanes. A power supply unit is not included with the headphones.
After first switching the Picun F6 on, they are immediately displayed as an available Bluetooth device. If the Picun app is installed, the headphones are listed there as a nearby device. A Picun account must be created in order to use the full functionality of the app.
When the app is opened for the first time, all content is displayed in Mandarin. The email used to confirm the email address is also written entirely in Mandarin. Using a translator may help, or you may just trust that clicking on the link in the text will bring the desired result.
The F6 can be easily connected to various devices. However, they do not offer multi-device support with seamless switching.
Operation - The Picun F6 with clear keystrokes
Picun uses buttons on the earpieces to operate the F6. With a little practice, they are easy to feel for and have a clear pressure point. The volume rocker can also be used to skip tracks. There is also a power button, a button for the ANC modes and one for 3D sound. With the exception of the spatial audio button, all controls—as well as the jack and USB connection—are located on the left-hand side.
There are further customization options available via the Picun app, such as a low-latency mode. The software also offers an equalizer with six pre-set profiles. Further profiles can be created according to individual preferences.
Head tracking and ANC modes can also be controlled via the app. When it comes to ANC, the software offers more choice than the button directly on the headphones. The button can only be used to switch between ANC on, ANC off or transparency mode. The software also offers low, medium, high and automatic levels for ANC mode.
Head tracking and spatial sound effects can be switched through using the button on the headphones, but there is no announcement as to what is currently activated, only a different number of tones can be heard. These modes can also be selected in the app as "Spatial Sound Effects" and "Head Tracking". The position detection can also be calibrated or restarted.
Picun claims that the F6 have a battery life of 120 hours. We have not measured this figure. Still, after a four-day trip with generous use (including 10 hours of flight time without battery operation, however), the headphones were still 50 per cent charged.
Wearing comfort and sound - 3D sound is generated locally
The Picun F6 are quite large. The ear cups are large and so are the headphones in general. The tester wears a size 56 hat and has a narrow head, so he could leave the length adjustment in the smallest setting. The headphones start to slip quickly when working out.
There is plenty of ear room—plus, the foam is soft and fits the tester's head well and loosely. Glasses tend not to get in the way and they can be worn for hours without any problems. However, the headphones have a strong chemical odor that could still be detected weeks later.
The Picun F6 are well suited for listening to music. Their sound can be adjusted to your own preferences using the equalizer. The headphones can also handle bass without losing the other frequencies. However, voices without music, such as audio books, sound a little tinny. The sound becomes clearer and fuller when ANC and Spatial Sound Effects are activated.
The headphones produce a good spatial sound. However, it makes no difference whether they play back stereo audio or 360 Reality Audio, as the Picun F6 don't support this format. The high-res claim on the packaging should also be treated with caution, as the headphones only support AAC and SBC as Bluetooth standards.
Head tracking worked reliably during our test. Music is primarily emitted from one direction—this location can be set via the app. The sound then moves around the headphones when the wearer moves. This function is independent of the output format. However, ANC and the 3D functions are only possible in Bluetooth mode. As soon as the AUX cable is plugged in, the F6 switch them off.
Thanks to their cable and adapter, the F6 work perfectly with built-in entertainment system on airplanes. It's just a shame that their noise reduction then no longer works.
Overall, the Picun F6 offer good sound, especially when all functions are activated. Their ANC ensures a very low background noise, but you can only hear this if you concentrate on it. Ambient noise is reduced but air conditioning, aircraft turbines or voices are still audible—only muffled.
Pros
+ rich sound
+ long runtimes
+ equalizer
+ 3D audio
+ scope of delivery
Cons
– no high-res audio
– 360 degree audio not supported
– unpleasant smell
Verdict - The Picun F6 are functional and comfortable
Picun promises a lot for its F6. However, some of these promises should be taken with a pinch of salt. Although the F6 bear the high-res logo, they don't support the corresponding codecs. 360-degree audio is also not supported as a format.
Apart from that, however, the over-ears left a good impression on us. They offer a good sound that can be adjusted using the equalizer. The 3D sound generated also sounds nice and their head tracking works reliably. This feature is fun but due to the headphones' lack of codec support, it cannot be compared with Apple's Spatial Audio for suitable content.
The Picun F6 don't perform right at the top of any discipline. But they can do a lot—they sound good, play for a long time and are comfortable.
We like their scope of delivery including all the required cables, an adapter and a case. Moreover, the Picun F6 boast impressive runtimes and they sit comfortably.
Price and availability
You can currently purchase the Picun F6 headphones on Amazon for US$69.99. Aliexpress lists the same headphones at a slightly lower price.
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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