Open-ear earbuds occupy a very specific niche. They’re designed less for immersive listening and more for convenience, comfort, and situational awareness. The Finecoustic GROOVE OWS FT21 leans into this idea, positioning itself as an open wearable earbud for users who want music or podcasts playing in the background without being cut off from their surroundings.
Build quality and battery life
The GROOVE OWS FT21 features an open wearable design with over-the-ear hooks that keep the earbuds securely in place. The earbuds are decently lightweight, and the case that holds the earbuds are incredibly unique as there is no cover to keep them enclosed. Instead, they are held on strongly by the magnets which does the job well. Eye-catching for sure, but not sure if will give that much protection for the earbuds especially you tend to just chuck your earbuds in a bag.
Finecoustic claims the Finecoustic GROOVE OWS FT21 are sweat and splash resistance, but there aren’t any official IP rating for it. Got caught in some light rain while using them and so far they are still working fine. Controls are touch-based, located on the outer surface of each earbud. Personally, I’m not a fan of touch controls as accidental inputs like pausing music or skipping tracks are hard to avoid. Physical buttons would have been a more reliable choice especially if fitness was part of the product’s intended use case.
Battery life stands at around 8 hours of playback on a single charge, with the charging case extending total listening time to roughly 45 hours. It charges via USB-C.
Fit and comfort
In terms of fit, Finecoustic GROOVE OWS FT21 feels secure and really does stay in-place due to the firm shape of the ear hooks. That said, the fit is not particularly flexible or malleable. The ear hooks don’t offer much adjustability, so while they fit my ears well enough, they may not be as versatile across different ear shapes and sizes.
Comfort is generally good due to the lightweight construction, but the lack of adjustability means the earbuds rely heavily on whether their default shape suits your ears. If it does, they’re comfortable for long sessions. If not, there’s limited room to fine-tune the fit. For me, it works well.
Sound quality
I would say sound quality isn’t GROOVE OWS FT21 strongest suit. As with most open-ear designs, bass performance is lacking due to the lack of a seal. While the earbuds offer decent clarity at higher volumes, the overall presentation sounds thin and somewhat distant. There’s a noticeable lack of bass weight and depth, which makes music feel less engaging, especially during high-energy workouts.
Midrange performance is acceptable for podcasts and casual listening, but music lacks body and fullness. The sound doesn’t feel particularly immersive, and compared to some competing open-ear models, it comes across as less refined. These earbuds prioritise awareness and comfort over audio performance, and it shows.
Conclusion
The Finecoustic GROOVE OWS FT21 is a straightforward open-ear option built with workouts in mind. It is a decent first foray into the open-earbuds space with a secure fit and good battery life. If situational awareness and stability matter more to you than audio depth or punch, the GROOVE OWS FT21 can get the job done.