Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

The Phiaton BT 390 Bluetooth Headphones Mix Form and Function

Have you ever noticed how Bluetooth headphones that sound really good tend to be anything but portable? On the flip side, the more portable they are, the lower sound quality they seem to have. And don’t even get us started on aesthetics. It’s hard finding a good pair of Bluetooth headphones that can satisfy all three criteria. Thankfully, headphone maker Phiaton is looking to solve this disparity with its newest pair of on-ear Bluetooth headphones, the BT 390.

The main draw of the BT 390 is its collapsible design, folding down to a much smaller profile to easily slip into carrying cases, backpacks, or even desk drawers. There’s no need to worry about these taking up too much space. This sets the BT 390 apart from Phiaton’s other on-ear model in the same series, the BT-460, which features a solid headband instead of a foldable one.

Phiaton BT 390 Headphones
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Aesthetically, Phiaton has opted for simple tones, offering a white model and black model. The black model is a single light charcoal (making for more of a charcoal color), while the white features a white frame and black padding on the earcups. Both models features a smooth, sturdy plastic material for the earcups and headband, and soft leatherette for the earcup padding. The entire device is thin and lightweight, making for a muted, minimalist piece. While Phiaton has focused on making the BT 390 portable and stylish, the company doesn’t seem to be skimping on engineering and quality.

Recommended Videos

The BY 390 are on-ear headphones, and feature 40mm drivers with an “optimized vibration system” for “high frequency clarity and an improved sound stage” and neodymium magnets, which Phiaton claims can “provide rich, commanding bass,” and passive sound isolation — meaning that wearing these will still sound good even in noisy environments like buses or commuter trains. The BT 390 are also equipped with Bluetooth 4.1 for wireless connection, and support connections with up to two simultaneous Bluetooth devices. They also sports an “Everplay-X” MicroUSB to 3.5mm cable for wired connections if your device doesn’t support Bluetooth or the battery runs out, though the 30 hours of continuous playback Phiaton is boasting would be hard to burn through by accident.

If you’re interested in the headphones, you can check out Phiaton’s official website for more info. However, if you’ve made up your mind and are ready to buy, the BT 390 are available now for $80 at Amazon.

A version of this article originally ran on our “brother site,” Digital Trends.

Brendan Hesse
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Please reach out to The Manual editorial staff with any questions or comments about Brendan’s work.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos thinks movie theaters are outdated because he wants to
We're not surprised, but we're definitely a little disappointed
Millie Bobby Brown in The Electric State

Hollywood CEOs, especially these days, are not exactly known for being in touch with the reasons people love their products. Even by that low standard, though, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos's recent comments about the theatrical experience were still pretty rough.

During a brief discussion at the Time100 Summit, Sarandos said that Netflix was "saving Hollywood."

Read more
A Tom Hanks dad movie masterpiece is getting a sequel
Hanks is writing the script for the film, and much of the cast is expected to return
Tom Hanks in Greyhound

Tom Hanks has starred in some of the best movies ever made, but he's not an actor who only works on high-brow prestige projects. Thankfully, he's also made plenty of down-the-middle, action-adjacent movies over the course of his career, and one of the finest is Greyhound.

Now, Deadline is reporting that Greyhound is getting a sequel, with Hanks set to return. In the original movie, Hanks plays Navy veteran and first-time captain Ernie Krause who is assigned to lead an Allied convoy across the Atlantic during World War II. As he is tailed by German U-boats, he becomes embroiled in the most significant sea battle of the war, the Battle of the Atlantic.

Read more
The best suspense movies you can watch on Netflix
These titles are sure to leave you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll
Aaron Pierre in Rebel Ridge.

Suspense is not really a genre, at least not on its own terms. And yet, when you're watching a suspenseful movie, you recognize the sensation almost instantly. Netflix, for its part, has a pretty outstanding lineup of suspenseful movies that are all available to you at the click of a button.

While not all of these movies were heavy-hitters with awards bodies, many of them should have been. They're incredibly well made, in addition to being smart and sometimes pulpy genre fare.

Read more