UliX Rider - 3.5mm Review

Our Experience

Every now and then, a product comes along that deserves neither passionate love nor hatred, and the UliX Rider fits that bill. Overall, they feel like an adequate set of wired earbuds at a fair price, like that good friend who never made it out of the friend zone, and you both sort of wonder why. We think most listeners will be happy with the sound quality, which is among the best in the group, while others will wish it offered a bit more noise-blocking immersion.

The UliX are comfortable offering 3 reasonably sized ear tips for a customized fit, but they have a tendency to slowly dislodge from some ear canals like an Irish goodbye as a good party winds down. The buds have magnets that secure them to one another, preventing them from swinging and moving too much when you aren't wearing them in your ears, but the cord itself is prone to twisting and being harder to untangle than some competitors.

As you can tell, we go back and forth on these buds and think many users will too. While they offer great sound, exceptional call quality, and a generally comfortable fit, the lack of noise-blocking abilities and the silent creep out of your ears might leave you wanting more. But for the price, we think they'll do in a platonic, comforting sort of way that will have you accepting their flaws as part of the experience with a sheepish grin.

Sound Quality

Okay, we're impressed. These unassuming, old-school, wired earbuds sound amazing. The equalization (EQ) mix is admirable, balancing all frequencies to create a neutral profile that lets the music shine, regardless of genre. This balance ensures that tracks don't sound overly sculpted or forced into a specific sonic profile. Tracks like the trap-influenced “Bankroll” by Nic D & Connor Price or straight hip-hop like “In This House” (featuring Gucci Mane) by Lil Wayne sound natural and authentic.

The bass is punchy and warm, making it suitable for a wide range of genres, from classical and jazz to metal, EDM, and rap. We have a blast dancing around to hip-hop bops like “Big Booty” by Gucci Mane (featuring Megan Thee Stallion), “Violet” by Connor Price and Killa, and “Spinnin” by Connor Price and Bens. The only potential issue we see is for listeners who prefer basslines that are overly pronounced. The lower frequencies are powerful but balanced and natural, maintaining quality across all levels without overwhelming other frequencies. Unfortunately, there's no adjustment to boost the bass for a bass-heavy workout or dance session.

The mid-frequencies are sometimes lacking. Occasionally, we noticed some midrange masking, as if the singer were a few feet from the mic. Although we could still pick up details and texture. High-mids can sound elevated in the mix at times and occasionally distorted at higher volumes. Overall, we still enjoyed the warm, full qualities imparted to songs like “Billie Bossa Nova” by Billie Eilish.

The treble range is crisp and strong yet balanced in the mix. At high volumes, it can become brassy, but at normal levels, it remains nuanced and full. Abby Webster's high twang sounds superb in “Tall Boy,” and the bright high notes pop in “Sunny” (featuring Connor Price) by Boney M.

Wired earbuds usually offer more power than their Bluetooth counterparts, and these are no exception. While the maximum volume is impractically high and clarity diminishes at the top levels, the sound quality holds up when they're loud, but not when they're cranked all the way to the top.

The brilliant sound profile of these earbuds creates depth and range, with clearly identifiable bass, mid, and treble layers. The result is an expansive soundscape that most listeners are likely to enjoy. Their excellent clarity evokes a wide-open space rather than a dense, packed sound. This broad, expansive soundstage makes these earbuds a lot of fun to listen to.

The Rider earbuds' frequency response curve shows the relative sound levels of the bass, mid, and treble ranges. It's joined by the GearLab House Curve, which, in our opinion, is the ideal frequency response curve for earbuds.

The results are somewhat surprising. While the bass isn't the most powerful, it's cranked up in the chart, suggesting it might overpower other segments of the soundscape. However, we couldn't be more elated by the depth and range these buds provide. The mid and treble frequencies are even more differentiated, rising and dipping at different rates and frequencies, but both sound pleasing to our ears.

Comfort and Fit

Of all the wired earbuds we've tested, these were the easiest to put on. With no wings or over-the-ear attachments, it took us mere seconds. They come with three silicone covers for finding the best fit. They're quite comfortable and fade into the background nicely. We can easily wear them for over an hour at a time.

With three well-designed silicone tip sizes to choose from, it was easy to find a good fit.   Credit: Natalie Kafader

These earbuds stay put, but the dangling wires leave plenty opportunities to accidentally pull them out of place.   Credit: Natalie Kafader

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These attached cords are somewhat unique, feeling more like strings than traditional wires, and we experienced more tangling with them than the competition.

With their simple design, these earbuds did become dislodged from our ears with a mild yank. We don't love wearing them on active days filled with bike riding, rock climbing, or running, but that is the curse of going wireless; it is hard to go back. The Riders also have some of the worst cable feedback noise in the group, making them nearly impossible to wear while being active. We couldn't find any information on their water resistance, so it's best to avoid excessive sweat and rain splashes.

If your device has a headphone jack, using these earbuds is as easy as plugging them in.   Credit: Natalie Kafader

Have no fear, if your new-fangled phone doesn't have an audio jack, there's an adapter for that.   Credit: Natalie Kafader

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Passive Noise Isolation

These earbuds have a singular focus — play music. They don't offer much else, including active noise cancellation (ANC). While they do physically block some noise, they are not great at it.

Their passive noise isolation is subpar: they take the edge off startlingly high sounds like the clinking of plates, but they don't provide much else in the way of a barrier against the chaotic cafe. The Riders only block 8 decibels or less of frequencies well above 1,000 Hz. Few other options performed this poorly.

Call Quality

These earbuds excel at transmitting clear phone calls, regardless of the environment, with an impressive ability to isolate our voice from surrounding sounds.

We played recordings of a male and a female voice through a speaker in a quiet room, with light office noise and a loud Subway in the background. They performed well in every circumstance. They even managed to handle the subway gracefully, blocking just enough ambient noise to be understood. The video clip above may not sound impressive, but trust us, it's far better than most.

With light office noise, a bit of background buzz is audible, but the voices remain clear and understandable. Both the male and female voices are clear and easy to hear through the microphone in a quiet room, as demonstrated in the audio above.

Should You Buy the Ulix Rider?

If you want fresh and natural sound quality at one of the lowest price points we've seen, we think you'll love these earbuds. Their main downsides are the wire feedback and disappointing noise-blocking abilities. All told, if you plan to use them while sitting relatively still to limit cable noise, love listening to music of all genres, and also plan to make some calls or attend some meetings, the incredibly low price makes the Rider earbuds a good choice. They also make excellent backups for when your wireless options run out of battery.

What Other Earbuds Should You Consider?