They came charged they were super easy to use and to pair. The hardest part was taking the exhaust brackets apart and getting the bolts in and tightened by the exhaust. Update - I received the size 10 replacement and have worn them to work all day for a couple of days. Notice that I wrote that the headphones compress ears. Could not wear it inside the house. When it comes to home audio Ive been a Sennheiser fan for many years. Looking at myself in the mirror, they look like earplugs that arent completely in my ear. The only drawback is that the top strap squeezes my ankle in quite an unflattering way - Im thinking with more wear, itll break in. I have had a Bose music system for many (20) years- the earlier models have a flip up top lid that allows you to easily remove or readjust a disc that is not running properly. There are various ear tips (S/M/L) so find the right one(s) and the sound will come out all the better.