Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I had tried a few wireless earbuds and original Slims were my favorite. It had a strong connection and the sound quality was really good. There's a lot I want to say about the original Slim but I'll save that for the appropriate review. Anyhow, when the Slim+ launched, I got curious about what was upgraded and had to try it out. To be honest, if you already have and like the Slim, there isn't much of an upgrade. Here are the differences I see after a few weeks of use: 1. As others have stated, the cord is longer. Slim is 21" from bud to bud while the Slim+ is 24". The distance from the right bud to the controller is identical on both. This extra length would definitely come in handy for some people with thicker necks 2. The little tab that covers the micro USB charge port can actually be pulled out and rotated on the Slim+. On the Slim, the tab could not be pulled out nor rotated so my charge cord would actually fold the tab backward causing it to crease a little. This made me worry about it's waterproofing although I've not had any problems yet. Also, on the Slim+ the tab that covers the port actually is longer and appears to further cover the exposed micro USB contacts. Not sure if this really helps but it's sure a welcome attention to detail! 3. On the Slim+, there's a "Slim+" printed or engraved just above the charge port whereas the Slim has no markings. 4. Sound quality is about the same on both buds. I can't tell them apart. I'm using a Note Edge, 2 different HP ENVY laptops, and an Acer S7 and the sound is generally identical to my non-audiophile ears. Actually, I don't know how to check if I'm using aptX or not so if someone can give me some pointers, that'd help. The reason I put this as a "difference" is because it feels to me like the Slim+ actually LOWERS the volume when ambient noise is high. I work in a place where they have a LOT of ambient noise (trucks, forklifts, etc). While the design of both the Slim and the Slim+ do identical jobs at blocking out ambient sound, when I turn on the music the Slim just feels louder than the Slim+. However, when I'm at home, both sound the same regardless of what volume I have at the source. Not sure if this is even a function of these earbuds but it's something I definitely notice! 5. Aside from sound "quality" on the Slim+ there is a little blipping sound every minute or so. It kind of reminds me of those pulse-dial phones from back in the day or if there's some dust of a scratch on your vinyl record. This does not happen on the Slim at all and it's not that big of a deal when I'm at work or when I'm listening to my tunes LOUD but it's something I should note when comparing these 2 models. 6. The Slim comes with a little cloth sleeve to store your earbuds while the Slim+ comes with a nice zippered case. So all in all, I'm rating this a 2 star because while its a good product with some noticeable upgrades from the previous model, I still feel the original Slim might be a better choice for the money. Update 12-20-2017 I have been contacted by Anker and they offered a refund for my unit. To be honest, I'm not dissatisfied enough to want a refund as even with the blipping/skipping I mentioned, the Slim/Slim+ blows away the TaoTronics earbuds in sound quality and has a much stronger connection than the TaoTronics and the Phaisers. While the Phaisers (especially the 760) pumps out richer sound than the Slims, they have a pretty short range to them so I tend to reach for the Slim for most activities. I asked them to verify if my unit is a defect before I decide anything and will update this as things develop. Update 1/4/18 I got the replacement unit a week or so ago and this new Slim+ definitely "skips" less than the first Slim+. Major kudos to Anker for helping me through this! I still feel the volume is a shade lower than the Slim and hence not a notable "upgrade" but I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has never had bluetooth earbuds before. Upping to 4 stars. Update 11/11/18 Ok, it has been almost a year and I've been wearing these to work every day. Today, they somehow came off my neck, fell to the floor, and I ended up running over them with my forklift! The left bud was caved in, the ear piece was dangling just by the speaker wires, and the battery within looked distorted. After I got home, I used some pliers to bend the bud back to a circular shape, snapped the ear piece back in and viola! It still works! Now, I know about lithium batteries and I'm not about to try to charge a smashed battery. I just wanted to say that these were a great pair of earbuds. By now I've come to realize that the blipping/skipping I mentioned above is actually interference from other wireless devices around me. There is nothing Anker can do to fix that. Anyhow, I just came back to update the info and change the score to the 5 stars the Anker Slim+ deserves!