19 Sep
Blog

Tranya T10 earbuds review: Cheap, But Crystal Clear

tranya t10 earbuds review 5

"Tranya joins the house keepers making surprisingly good earphones at affordable prices."

  • Excellent sound quality, especially in highs

  • Excellent call quality

  • Wireless charging

  • Great battery life

  • Cheap feeling, slippery plastic

  • Bulky design

  • Badly fitting earplugs

Tranya is one of those companies that has virtually no brand awareness but produces a range of affordable audio products. You know, any of those Amazon-based companies that are clearly using pictures with their earbuds that photoshops stuck in models' ears? But can you blame a company for being budget conscious when they make full-featured products for under $ 100?

Not me, especially if you're getting value for money. Do the Tranya T10s deliver?

What's in the box?

Tranya's packaging is simple yet elegant. It's a nice package for budget earphones. The full cardboard box (except for the plastic wrap that seals it) contains an instruction manual, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, two additional earbuds and the buds themselves, which are in an extruded plastic tub.

This plastic tub is glued to the cardboard so the average consumer won't bother to separate it. Since the plastic is almost certainly not recyclable, this packaging is not particularly sustainable overall.

tranya t10 earbuds review 1 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/tranya-t10-earbuds-review-1-640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP//yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

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The instruction manual that came with the buds is rich in information which was a nice surprise. I've seen quite a few user guides lately that at first glance seem bulky and full of information until you open them only to find that they just contain the same basic warnings and warranty information in 50 languages. This contains both written and pictorial explanations of all functions of the buds and their use. It made commissioning with the T10s quick and easy.

Some drawbacks? The charging cable is weirdly short. At this point, it is likely that there will be a longer cord sitting around the house somewhere. However, if you are forced to use this cable, I am sorry, but it will be uncomfortable. Also, Tranya only includes two extra sizes of ear tips, which is below average (more on this below).

Build quality

Due to the short cord and lack of earplugs, the overall build quality of the Tranya T10 is the weakest point of the earbuds. The case feels light and thin, although it offers solid battery life (more on that later). It and the buds themselves are made of a lightweight, shiny plastic that just feels very cheap.

That's not to say they're cheap or thin, they just feel that way. I'm sure they are just as sturdy as any earbud. They will break if you step on them or throw them against a wall, but in daily use I don't think they're particularly prone to damage.

The buds feel slippery thanks to their shiny plastic. If you take a moment and look at the buds, you will see a line where two pieces of plastic have been molded together. It's such little things that lead to a general feeling of general disapproval with the build.

Appearance and comfort

As mentioned earlier, the inclusion of just two extra earbuds is below average and makes it difficult to find a comfortable fit for the T10. I have particularly small ear canals, so even the small size was too big for me to have a snug yet comfortable fit. Your mileage will vary, but we would have preferred if more sizes were included here.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Overall, they qualify as “good” in terms of comfort. I've never had the moment where I forgot to wear them – I was always very aware that I had buds – but I managed to overcome the slight discomfort of having earplugs that were a little too big for my ears and just enjoying the music for a couple hours. I'm finally fed up with it, my ear canals are too tired to wear them any longer but you, too, might be different.

The buds are very light, which means that even though they have the Frankenstein monster's neck stud design, they don't feel like they're popping out of my ears. However, I will say that they are not the most attractive buds. They do the job, but the Soundpeats Truengine SE might be a better choice if you're looking for an inexpensive pair of buds that won't attract too much attention.

properties

The Tranya T10 doesn't offer any special features, especially for the price. These include wireless charging, aptX compatibility, IPX7 weather protection and touch controls. The buds can be charged via USB-C, but they are also compatible with wireless charging, a feature we don't see even on buds, which are many times more expensive. The case has four LEDs on the front that indicate the charging status. This is a useful visual representation.

If your phone supports this (sorry iPhone users) the T10s will be compatible with aptX which means it will have higher quality audio streams, especially from sources like Tidal. I'll explain what this means for quality below, but it's great to see this support come in affordable buds like this one.

The Tranya T10 doesn't offer any special features for the price and includes wireless charging, aptX compatibility, IPX7 weather protection and touch controls.

These buds are sealed to the IPX7 specification, which means they have some protection from water but not dust. That's not to say you should let these run under the sink, although a gentle submerge in water no deeper than 1 meter for no more than 30 minutes should be fine. The above instruction manual shows the buds that are used in swimming. I do not recommend this.

Not only are you going to spend a hell of a time holding them in your ear as water rushes past them, since they don't have over-ear hooks or even tiny wings to keep them in place. IPX7 only protects one object from submersion and the pressure of the water flowing against them likely causes them to give way faster than if they just sat in the water.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The touch controls have what Tranya calls accidental pressure protection, so none of the controls can be activated with a single quick touch. Play / pause is a single tap, skipping songs is a triple tap, and changing the volume is a double tap. If it were up to me I would have swapped the last two and made the volume a triple tap and skipping a double tap. Not very intuitive, but you can learn them easily enough.

Audio quality

I have to say, the Tranya T10s make up for their lackluster build quality, which I can only call great sound quality. These little buds sound amazing when plugged into an aptX compatible device (like an Android phone).

You won't get a chattering bass with these, but it's strong and good enough to please buyers in the under $ 100 market.

If you use the AAC codec that you get with an iPhone, you will get audio quality that is “good enough”. The mids and highs are there, with the vocals sounding particularly crystal clear. The lows are there, but not strong or detailed. In many songs, they can sound hollow and unbalanced, resulting in a slightly less enjoyable rendering of your favorite song. Still good, but you heard better.

My jaw dropped … I was hit by rich, relatively balanced, warm music with a surprising soundstage

However, switch to a device that can take advantage of the Qualcomm chip in those buds and be amazed. They're remarkably balanced for the price. My jaw actually dropped when I switched to my Android phone when I was hit by rich, relatively balanced, warm music with a surprising soundstage. It won't compete with buds like the Jabra Elite 75t or the Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, but these buds are twice as expensive and cost more than the Tranya T10, and for the money, they beat their weight bracket well.

The acoustic version of Somebody by Dagny demonstrated the excellent voice reproduction of the T10, with the mids and highs beautifully rendered. When the piano comes in, these lows join the party and bring a well-rounded experience. I was shocked how strong the bass line came through in You! from Lany. It had a considerable reverberation and put a big smile on my face. Other tracks with strong lows were equally impressive.

Nonetheless, the more nuanced bass in No Time for Caution by Hans Zimmer is decently projected, but a little muddy than I would like. The T10s struggle when tasked with reproducing details at these lows. Even so, the sound quality produced for $ 70 is strikingly good.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Battery life

The Tranya T10 are rated for 8 hours per charge, plus three extra charges, and I can confirm this in my tests. Without an app, it's hard to get an accurate picture of how much life is left either in your buds or in your case (even though you have LED indicators on the case), but you should get a lot of life out of it between charges. I certainly had no problem keeping this going all day.

The T10s also support a quick charge function. 10 minutes in that case gives you an hour of playtime. It's not nearly the best, but at least it's there.

Call quality

Tranya markets the T10 with "crystal clear calls" on the box, and I always doubt that claim, especially with earbuds.

I'm surprised again because these buds offer the best voice quality of any personal audio device I've tested at any price. I usually call my mom, who is very sensitive to noise, and let her give me her opinion. She said she could only recommend two other devices that make me sound better: the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and the Montblanc MB01 headphones. One of these is $ 170 and the other is $ 595. She liked the call quality of the Tranya T10 so much that I had to buy my father a pair.

These buds offer the best voice quality of any personal audio device I've tested at any price

This is as bright for a call quality check as I can imagine, and on my ends the voices sound super clear too. I had no problem having long conversations with these buds and my only wish was to have a passthrough mode so I can hear my own voice a bit better. The noise isolation is pretty good on these – not the best as the Liberty 2 Pro are currently my top pick for noise isolation only, but still good – so it can be annoying to hear the sound of my voice coming out of my head.

When you get over it, you'll love this one for making calls (and the ones you talk to too).

Our opinion

For $ 70, the Tranya T10 earbuds offer great value. They offer exactly what earphones should do – they offer great sound – but they also offer a number of additional bonus features that make them convince. I'm not particularly keen on the build quality, design, or physical customization options, but when you're making buds this cheap you have to cut costs somewhere.

Here's the thing, though: their regular price sets them up against the excellent Soundcore SpiritX buds, and that's where I lean towards the SpiritX. However, we saw the Tranya T10s drop to just $ 37 on Amazon as two active sales work together, making them one of the leading providers of features and sound quality at this price point. If you see these for sale, they are absolutely worth checking out.

Are there any better alternatives?

The Soundcore Spirit X2 are going to be the better buds for workout and sound quality, though at $ 80 they are slightly more expensive if the T10 are offered at full price. For $ 40, the Soundpeats Truengine SE has a better design and good sound quality, but it lacks the wireless charging and calling quality of the Tranya T10. For even less money, the JLab Go Air might not sound too good, but it's better for training and only costs $ 30.

However, if the Tranya are discounted below $ 40 it will be hard to beat what they offer.

How long will they last?

Tranya offers a one-year limited warranty (which can be extended to 15 months if you register the earbuds within two weeks of receipt) and a 30-day money-back guarantee for any reason. While I'm not a huge fan of the build quality, they'll be fine for everyday use for at least a couple of years. However, lithium batteries deteriorate over time. Therefore, expect battery life to decrease with age.

Should you buy it?

Yes, especially when you can snap them up at a discount. The Tranya T10 are worth the full $ 70 thanks to great sound, great call quality, and loads of bonus features. However, when they are almost halfway ready to be picked up, they are a breeze.

Editor's recommendations




18 Sep
Blog

Edifier TWS NB2 Earbuds Review: Best in class

edifier tws nb2 earbuds review 1

"The Edifier TWS NB2 looks great, sounds great, and is full of value."

  • Incredible value

  • Great sound quality

  • Solid ANC performance

  • Great battery life

  • Nervous, appealing design

  • Responsive touch controls

  • No charge indicator on the housing

  • No wireless charging

  • Medium call quality

Updated on 09/17/2020 by Jaron Schneider: Edifier significantly reduced the price of the TWS NB2 earphones shortly after their availability in the USA. This changed our rating, including our final score.

We did not expect that Edifier would bring out the successor to the very good TWS NB earphones so quickly. We recently reviewed the first iteration and found that the $ 120 price tag (which recently dropped to $ 70, which makes it even more valuable) is pretty nice with minor complaints like mediocre battery life, bulky design, and uninspired behavior App.

And while I can't say that much has changed with the app, Edifier has been listening clearly when it comes to the buds themselves. With an all-new design, improved active noise cancellation, longer battery life, and even more features, while the price has been cut to $ 100, it's clear Edifier was listening to critics.

The Edifier TWS NB2 earbuds have everything they want, making it clear that you shouldn't be spending more than $ 100 on a pair of excellent earbuds.

What's in the box

Edifier packed the TWS NB2 earbuds with very little fanfare. My box was even damaged a bit with the main cover sleeve unfortunately stuck to the inner box in such a way that I had to destroy it to get inside the packaging (so I can't share box pictures with them).

In this main box, the buds sit wrapped in foam, with three additional eartip sizes, a USB-C charging cable, a neat little drawstring bag, and a tiny (really tiny) instruction manual above it in a narrow insert. It's simple and effective, but not particularly sustainable (this type of foam is neither recyclable nor compostable).

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The total number of the four earbud sizes also turns out to be below average, and personally I haven't found a supplied tip that fits me exactly. In contrast, Buds like the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro come with a total of nine eartip sizes, and almost every JLab set comes with at least six. It's a minor complaint, but since it's all cheap silicon, we'd like to see better here from Edifier.

design

I want to point out that it would have been okay if Edifier had decided to change the name of these buds to something other than the NB line, as these buds don't look like their predecessors. The case is completely different, as is the shape of the buds themselves.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Edifier did not repeat the original design. They blew it up and started over. I have to especially applaud the success here, considering how quickly this second generation hit the market – it was less than a year ago.

I know the "golf tee" look isn't popular with everyone, but it serves a purpose. Call quality improves due to the better position of the microphones and gives the buds more room for a bigger battery. And if you go for the golf tee, I think Edifier did it to make them look chic.

I can't stress enough how great the Edifier design is here.

I cannot emphasize enough how great Edifier's design is here. They took their original bulky, boring design and spiced it up with a whole new aggressive look that I totally like. What Edifier has done is nothing very revolutionary, but small changes to popular design choices that just showcase the entire product nicely.

edifier tws nb2 earbuds review 8 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn2.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/edifier-tws-nb2-earbuds-review-8 - 640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAJaron Schneider / Digital Trends

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The case is pretty as expected with its rounded polygon shape, flip-up lid, and magnetic charge points that keep the buds in place. But Edifier gave the solid package a nice finishing touch with a faux leather exterior that is comfortable to the touch. Even the completely unnecessary cord pocket feels good. It's not your typical nylon, but a high quality woven canvas material.

Annoyingly, there is no way of telling how much battery life is left in the buds or in the case without using the app (more on that later in the app), but even then the app only shows the charge level in the buds. There's a little LED on the back next to the charging port that flashes at me, but I don't know what they're trying to tell me. There's another little LED in the case, but as far as I can tell it just tells me the buds are locked into place and charging. The lack of an easy way to determine the remaining battery life of the case seems like a huge oversight to me.

The original case of the NB earbuds has a series of LEDs that indicate the remaining charge in the case. Why this wasn't carried over to the new set is confusing.

properties

Edifier's original TWS-NBs were rather easy to use, but brought active noise cancellation into the very affordable price range of $ 120. With the TWS NB2s, Edifier added a huge list of new features and brought the price down to $ 100, an almost unheard-of combination of a company's actions.

First, let's talk about active noise cancellation. The ANC in the original buds was fine but relied entirely on feed-forward technology, which means the buds analyzed and muffled outside noise but couldn't tell how good they were with it. In the NB2s, Edifier added a second pair of microphones to the earbuds so they could better respond to noise by hearing what was still coming through. This is known as hybrid ANC and is common on high-end earphones, which generally cost twice what Edifier charges.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The result is noise cancellation that has been vastly improved over the original and competes very well with other hybrid ANC systems, but still doesn't match the sheer soundproofing power of the big boys like the Sony WF-1000XM3, the Technics TWS, AZ70s, Apple AirPods Pro or Sennheiser Momentum 2s. But all four of these buds cost at least twice as much as the Edifier NB2 earbuds, and as such, the quality of the ANC on offer for the price makes them leaders in their class.

Edifier also added a proximity sensor that pauses the music when you take a bud out of your ear and picks it up again when you put it back. It works fine.

The quality of the ANC on offer for the price makes them leaders in their class.

The small physical buttons on the original NBs have been replaced with two touch sensors on each bud, and overall they're … okay. You can't control the volume or map them to your own specifications, but they work just fine. All controls require at least a double tap. This is a design option to prevent accidental tapping. However, some of the touch functions require a long tap that actually doesn't take that long, and I accidentally launched Game Mode and accidentally turned ANC on and off by just recording it. However, you can change the sensitivity of these features, which I also did and this problem has stopped appearing.

As I just mentioned, there is a "Game Mode" included which Edifier claims has extremely low latency so that you can react faster to the action on the screen. I don't play much with bluetooth and these earbuds won't change that: it just reduces the latency to 80 milliseconds, not nearly fast enough for fast-paced action.

For what it's worth, I didn't experience any latency while watching videos in regular listening mode, including videos from video game situations. Whether or not this feature is enabled, the buds here are solid.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

All of these features come at a cost, however: the NB2 lose their predecessor's IPX4 water / dust resistance instead of a much less weatherproof IP54. These are not sealed against dust and only protect against light splash water, instead of the originals being completely submersible. Even so, IPX4 is perfectly acceptable for most earbuds, and the Edifier TWS NB2 are no exception.

edifier tws nb2 earbuds review 10 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn4.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/edifier-tws-nb2-earbuds-review-10 - 640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAJaron Schneider / Digital Trends

edifier tws nb2 earbuds review 11 "class =" m-carousel - image dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn5.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/edifier-tws-nb2-earbuds-review-11 - 640x640.jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAJaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Edifier has an app that can be used with the NB2s, and it's … fine. You can use it to control little things like the sensitivity of the touch controls (ANC) and see the battery life remaining in each bud. It looks good but has very little function. I really wish it was possible to make EQ adjustments. This app was a complaint in the original NB rating and remains inconspicuous here to this day.

Battery life

The NB2 improves from the 5-hour playback time of the originals with active ANC to 8 hours per charge. In our tests, they actually took a little longer with the ANC active, around 8.5 hours. That's very good, almost double what the AirPods Pro offer, and is the equivalent of $ 230 for the Sony WF-100XM3 (though Sony's ANC is better).

With the ANC off, the original NBs were able to play for 11 hours before needing to be charged. Unfortunately, the NB2s are only designed for a service life of 9 hours. I got them to run for about 9.5 hours in my tests, but that's still not the previous mark.

The noise isolation is very good and it is likely that you do not need ANC to be active. 9.5 hours is still very impressive. It's just strange to see a regression here. Still, let's be clear that the battery performance here is very impressive and well above average.

You can charge an additional 18 hours when ANC is on and an additional 23 hours when the charging case is off.

Unfortunately, Edifier didn't say anything about a quick charge feature for these buds. However, you can fully charge them in just over an hour.

Audio quality

Edifier did a very good job with their original NBs when it came to sound quality and I'm happy to report that this is still the case with the NB2s. These have a surprising amount of bass. You won't chatter your teeth, but you can absolutely hear and appreciate those lows.

Overall, the sound quality is warm and accessible. They don't sound as good as the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, the Jabra Elite 75t, or the Sony WF-1000XM3 (three of our regular favorites for sound quality), but I prefer the sound quality over the Apple AirPods Pro. However, the TWS TB2 are cheaper than all four of these earbuds, with most of them well spaced. These are a great many of the best sounding buds you can get for the price.

I am pleased to report that the mix remains balanced across the volume range. Either at a low whisper or at maximum volume, the earphones never let one of the areas overwhelm another.

When I had a review, the soundstage is a bit tight. The highs don't get too much (which many who are sensitive to high highs will actually appreciate), and the lows are largely included too. However, the mids are well represented. Together, it's more like listening to a band at a house party than watching them perform at the Shoreline Amphitheater.

Again, the sound signature is different between NB and NB2 as Edifier blows up their original design instead of that design. Not remarkable, but you can tell. These feel like a completely different set of earphones, not a successor.

Call quality

As mentioned earlier, the golf tee shape of these buds tends to affect call quality. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case with the Edifier TWS NB2 earphones. They sound good, but the longer you speak, the longer you speak, the more distant and difficult they make your voice.

You can hear the other end of the line very clearly, but they didn't work as well as I'd hoped the voice would do. They are serviceable but not nearly class leading.

While the Edifier NB2s have an ambient mode that allows you to hear your own voice during a call, I wish it was a little better. You can hear outside noise, but the volume isn't as loud as I would like it to be.

Our opinion

Edifier fixed almost every complaint we had with the original TWS NB earbuds and went further to add more features and improved battery life. The thing is, we seem to have gotten these improvements at the cost of others.

The Edifier TWS NB2s are a bit of a head scratch in this way. The company seemed to have chosen to start over on this second generation rather than repeating the previous design. But maybe they threw the baby out with the bath water because the benefits we received are less potent thanks to the functions we lost. We have touch controls, a better design, longer battery life with the ANC active, a better ANC, and a smaller case, but they cost no charge indicator in this case, mediocre call quality, and poorer battery life with no ANC active (albeit) still above average ).

Instead of giving us a product, we can clearly say that it replaces the original. Instead, we have two products that still give us a reason to recommend one another depending on the application. Edifier doesn't just compete with the other great options with the TWS NB2 earbuds. They're also competing with their own, older product.

Are there any better alternatives?

A great alternative to the Edifier TWS NB2 earbuds is the Edifier TWS NB2 earbuds at $ 100, the price of which has dropped to $ 70. However, they have different functions. So if you want longer battery life without ANC, consider getting the original NBs. If you're into pretty much anything else, the NB2's are your best bet.

I think the best alternative at this point is the $ 99 JLab Epic Air ANC Buds, which have tons of features (if only with good ANC performance) and great sound control through their app.

How long will they last?

I'm impressed with the build quality of the NB2 and expect it to last until the lithium-ion battery degrades. Edifier also includes a 1 year limited warranty.

Should you buy it?

Yes. They sound great, they look a lot better, and they have added some features that I like. They are the best ANC you can get for the price too.

Editor's recommendations




02 Sep
Blog

Know Comfy Review: Fantastic-Fitting True Wireless Earbuds

Do you know comfortable earphones?

"The Comfy are the ear-friendly buds that live up to their name."

  • Super comfortable design

  • Secure fit

  • Good overall sound

  • Visually strange

  • Not special scope of functions

It takes a certain amount of confidence to put a name like Comfy on your new pair of true wireless earbuds. As a company, you almost have to be sure that these buds will feel great in every ear they come across, or otherwise.

That's the bet Know made on its $ 160 comfy wireless earbuds and marketed the wearables as a "fit" you've never felt before. Spoiler Alert – a gamble that paid off for Know. Double spoiler alarm – the right fit is not everything, especially with earphones.

Out of the box

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

I previously learned with the Calm headphones that Know as a Company likes to do things a little differently, and I was expecting something similar in the Comfy earphone packaging. Expectations were met with small details like a card in memory of the Kickstarter supporters and circular sticky notes of the product and a rather provocative (for earphones) work of art “Listeners make good lovers” and a USB-C charging cable with the inscription “These Side “surpassed up” on one side of the USB end of the cable and “or this side up” on the other side. If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

If there are points that can be earned for creativity, Know gets them all.

In addition to this USB-C cable, the Comfy earphones have a collapsible quick start guide and a well-made compartment with additional ear fins and ear plugs. These are standard accessories, of course, and the same level of normalcy applies to the Comfy Buds setup process. Pull them out of the charging case, find them in your mobile device's bluetooth settings, and you're well on your way to listening to your favorite song or podcast episode.

Bluetooth 5 technology is rightly implemented in the Comfy earphones at this price point. As with most earbuds with this technology, I was free of connectivity issues during the time I tested these buds. That includes the time I spent tidying up my yard while my phone was hanging around the house. With that in mind, I'd say these earbuds have a solid range.

design

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Count me confused about the design of the Comfy earbuds because there is really a lot going on here. Right off the bat, I will confirm that they masterfully live up to their name, with earplugs that felt at home in my ears even after long periods of listening, and ear fins that kept the buds firmly in place during daily activities. In fact, wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested. But when you pull those buds out of your ears and look at them, it's hard not to comment on how bizarre they look.

Wearing these buds felt a lot more natural than any real wireless earbud I recently tested.

That doesn't have to be badly bizarre, by the way. They are just different from most of the other true wireless earbuds I've seen. The Comfy thickens the classic golf tee stem that the Apple AirPods popularized, adds an elongated ear fin at the top, and uses pointless, tapered earbuds. Now there are different sizes of tips and fins, and again it's an incredibly comfortable fit for my ears. It is clear, however, that these earbuds are designed for function rather than form.

The charging case for the Comfy reminds me of a hockey puck or maybe an Amazon Echo Dot, depending on which visualization is best for you. It looks elegant enough to take up space on your desk or on your work-from-home surface. I don't think this case is as pocket-friendly as the AirPods or even the Google Pixel Buds 2, however.

Here's what I seldom say about true wireless earbuds with no physical buttons: I really like the controls on the Comfy. Everything is touch-based, with a swipe up or down on either handle serving as a volume control. The top of each stem also has a touch sensor that answers or ends calls, pauses and plays music, and switches between tracks based on how often you tap on it. I had a few glitches at first, but the Comfy controls eventually turned out to be just the right level of responsiveness to be functional, but not annoyingly sensitive like other buds I've tried.

properties

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Know says the Comfy earbuds have around seven hours of listening time per charge, with a total of 28 hours of life with the included case, and I found these numbers to be mostly accurate. By comparison, these statistics are about right. The Google Pixel Buds 2 and Apple AirPods both have worse batteries, but other buds in this price range like RHA TrueConnect 2, Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Buds + give you more per charge. That being said, the Comfy are pretty close to these competitors and have a quick charge feature that gives you three hours after five minutes of a network, so they can get past this category.

An IPX5 weather resistance for the Comfy Buds is a nifty touch that offers the buds effective protection against sweat and water jets. You can get the same rating in cheaper options like the 1More Colorbuds, or you can spend the same amount of money and get better weather protection with buds like the RHA TrueConnect 2. As with the battery life, the Comfy are not noticeable here. Instead, they're just decent.

The Comfy earbuds have an automatic pause / play function and are compatible with both Siri and Google Assistant. For the third paragraph in a row, these are decent features. Unfortunately, in this price range, it is almost necessary to be more than "decent" to stand out above the massive amount of competing true wireless earbuds.

Audio quality

Do you know comfortable earphones?Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Let's look back at these earbuds for a moment. Although they used to make fun of them a bit, they prove to be a valuable part of the comfortable footprint by creating a seal against the outside of your ear canal, as opposed to tips that need to be plugged inside. The result is the superb passive noise cancellation you can hope for without the clogged ear discomfort that usually comes with this effect. I was able to listen from my surroundings for longer with fewer interruptions and not experience the kind of fatigue I got used to with tighter buds.

By the way, listening was an enjoyable experience overall. I found the Comfy to offer exceptional clarity and a very pleasant sound at normal listening levels. However, this sound was hit a bit at higher volumes, exposing some dazzlingly bright higher frequencies and a lower end that weren't as clean as I originally expected. However, these observations do not affect overall good sound when it comes to standard listening levels, especially when listening to acoustic tracks. A selection like Midlands Fast Hearts and Slow Towns showed me that if you don't squeeze them too hard, the Comfy earbuds are capable.

Similar to the features of the Comfy, the call quality was good with these earbuds. It just wasn't more remarkable than the countless other true wireless earbuds I've tested before. Both ends of my conversations went down well with the Comfy. But the same goes for the Google Pixel Buds or the Microsoft Surface Earbuds, or … you get it. Even so, perfectly functioning call quality is certainly better than if you handled them extremely poorly, as you would find it with the Raycon E55s.

Our opinion

Know Comfy true wireless earbuds are the ear-friendly buds they are designed for after their namesake. They're good in other areas too, but not good enough to stand out from alternatives in a hugely overcrowded field. If these buds were $ 40 cheaper, they'd suddenly be a lot more attractive. However, their $ 160 price tag makes it especially difficult for them to stand out.

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 150 RHA TrueConnect 2 has better features for $ 10 less, and while they may not be as comfortable, they look slimmer than the Comfy. The Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro are bulky, less comfortable buds for $ 150, but they have great sound and excellent features that compete with the Comfy. Finally, the Jabra Elite 75t focuses on sound quality but offers good comfort and a slimmer profile.

How long will they last?

The Know Comfy comes with a one year warranty and I can't think of any reason why these buds shouldn't last well beyond that period.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking to invest in a pair of ultra-comfortable earbuds with features that won't let you down, I think the Know Comfy is a great option. However, if convenience isn't high on your wish list, there are better sounding buds with more impressive features at similar prices.

Editor's recommendations




15 Aug
Blog

QuietOn Sleep Review: ANC Earbuds That Promise Silent Sleep

QuietOn Sleep Earbuds

QuietOn Noise Canceling Earbuds

"When comfort and fit aren't in the way, these ANC earbuds are absolutely quiet."

  • Excellent noise cancellation

  • Very good noise isolation

  • Smallest ANC Earbuds You Can Buy

  • 20 hours of battery life

  • Expensive

  • A battery is missing in the charging case

  • May not be comfortable enough to sleep in

The secret to a good night's sleep, depending on who you ask, is your diet, exercise, state of mind, your bedroom temperature, your bedroom's feng shui, or dozens of other factors. But most people agree that what you need most of all is a quiet place to sleep. Otherwise none of these other things matter.

But silence, like sleep itself, can be elusive, which is why QuietOn created the QuietOn Sleep earbuds for $ 200. They use ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) technology, which QuietOn says can block out more noise than foam earplugs alone.

Do they work and are they worth the price? Let's find out.

What's in the box?

QuietOn Sleep EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The QuietOn Sleep earbuds come in a tiny black cardboard case. When you pull the main box out of the case, you'll find the earbuds in the charging case, two alternative sizes of foam earbuds, and a micro-USB charging cable.

Aside from a few printed instructions in different languages, that's all. You should be able to recycle all of the material if you don't want to save it.

design

The QuietOn Sleep looks like very small real wireless earphones. This similarity is reinforced by the use of a flip-top charging and storage case, which is heavily reminiscent of Theose for products like Apple's AirPods Pro and Jabra's Elite Active 75t.

However, this similarity can lead to problematic expectations. In contrast to real wireless earphones, which are charged with the built-in battery of the case, the QuietOn case does not have its own battery. It's practically just a protective charger. In order to actually charge the earphones, the case must be connected to the charging cable.

The case itself, like the QuietOn buds, is tiny and easily fits anywhere you want to keep it, whether it's a pocket or a wallet. The lid has a strong magnet that keeps it tightly closed. The hinge has no resistance at all and lets the lid open quickly, but doesn't do much to prevent it from flapping around.

How well can the QuietOn Sleep suppress noises? In a word: fantastic.

If you're used to true wireless earbuds, you know the importance of having them sit evenly in their charging cradles. If they're crooked, they're likely not charging properly.

So the first time you put the QuietOn back in their suitcase, you may get frustrated that they seem to wobble and never actually lock into place, even though there are internal magnets that try to help. You need to look beyond that – unlike real wireless earbuds, the QuietOn's charging contacts connect to the lid of the case, not the base. As long as each earbud is more or less seated in its respective slots, closing the lid will force everything to be properly aligned.

The earbuds themselves are remarkably small and their glossy black housings practically disappear into the concha of the ear. You have to look very carefully to notice the single button for the physical mode switch on each earbud that sits between the charging contacts.

Comfort, fit and control

QuietOn Sleep EarbudsSimon Cohen / Digital Trends

The bottom line with any object in your ear canal is that "comfort" is a relative idea. I've tried many foam earbuds over the years and I'm not sure if I would call them comfortable, but I'm sure you can get used to them.

I found it more difficult to get used to the feeling of the QuietOn Sleep.

I'm a side sleeper and just couldn't ignore the pressure QuietOn put in my ear.

Choosing the right size of earbuds (I ended up using the smallest size) is key, not only for comfort, but also for passive sound isolation that provides a good fit. The earbuds are made from high quality memory foam and are for sure the most comfortable earbud tips I've ever tried.

But it's the main part of the QuietOn that is a must-have in terms of convenience.

It has an acoustic guitar-like shape with one rounded section larger than the other. QuietOn recommends rotating the earbuds until the larger part is facing back. They know they're sitting correctly when the little "L" or "R" on the surface is level – not upside down or at an angle. Despite these instructions, I found it a little more convenient to flip the larger section.

As small as the body is, it's made of hard plastic and the rounded edges can't completely offset the straight sides and 90-degree corners. For me this meant that I was always aware that something was stuck in my ear.

According to QuietOn, the design is so ergonomic that even people who sleep on their sides will find the earbuds comfortable enough to use overnight. Granted, I'm a focus group of one, but I'm a side sleeper and I just couldn't ignore the pressure QuietOn put in my ear as I rested my head on the pillow. Your mileage, as they say, can vary, and I suspect that those who sleep on their backs will not be affected at all.

When I haven't slept, I've used the QuietOn as an alternative to my ANC headphones to block out the household noises that have become the background noise of my workdays since the pandemic began. They're comfortable enough that I could hold them in place for about three hours each, but my ears needed a break after that.

There is no power switch for the QuietOn. When you take them out of the storage case, they turn on, while replacing them turns them off.

They can reduce sound much better than normal earplugs.

When on, these tiny mode toggle buttons allow you to switch from full active noise cancellation to walk-through (which lets in external noise so you can chat with someone without removing the buds). Pushing is a little tricky and requires reasonable pressure to get to the click. I ended up using the edge of my fingernail to squeeze it as the fingertips turned out to be too soft (apparently, spending nine hours a day on a keyboard isn't enough to build up the right calluses).

Noise cancellation

QuietOn Sleep EarbudsJabra Elite Active 75t (left) and QuietOn Sleep Earbuds Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Aside from comfort issues, how well can the QuietOn Sleep suppress noise? In a word: fantastic.

When it comes to low- to medium-frequency noise, like the roar of a fan in a bedroom at night or the kind of knocks and bumps received from a neighboring resident who thinks moving furniture at 3 a.m. is good is fun, the QuietOn act like a cone of silence and reduce these unwanted vibrations to a whisper.

They're more effective than Sony's ANC used for the excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones and WF-1000XM3 earbuds, and they even outperform Apple's AirPods Pro which have the best ANC of any earbud we've tried. I assume that they can handle aircraft noises properly.

Much more important, however, is that the QuietOn are not necessarily meant to compete with audio earbuds, as they are far better at reducing sound than regular earbuds.

I put them head to head (ear to ear?) With a set of free hotel-issued earplugs, a set I bought at my local pharmacy, and even a pair from Home Depot designed to block out harmful noises in the workplace. The QuietOn Sleep beat them all.

They are so good at creating silence that they actually introduced a new problem: my tinnitus, which I can usually completely ignore, was the only thing I could hear – a high pitched ringing thanks to the QuietOn & # 39; s Ceiling was immediately brought to the fore by everything else.

Battery life

According to QuietOn, the earbuds will work in ANC mode for 20 hours when fully charged, and it only takes an hour to charge from an empty state.

As far as I can tell, these numbers are correct. However, it is not possible to know how much charge is left in the earbuds. Unlike audio earbuds, there is no voice prompt to show the battery status, nor is there a visual indicator.

Your best strategy is to put the earbuds back in your pocket in the morning and plug the bag in to start charging. While charging, a blue LED indicator will appear on the case for each earbud.

Our opinion

If unwanted noise is preventing you from sleeping and you find the QuietOn Sleep comfortable enough to wear all night, $ 200 is a small price to pay for your ultimate silence.

Is there a better alternative?

QuietOn claims its earbuds are the smallest ANC devices on the market. And since Bose has decided to ditch its sleepbuds due to battery issues, there are no more set of fully wireless in-ear ANC earbuds to sleep in. However, there are several competing products that use different techniques, such as the AmazFit Zenbuds sound masking, but we didn't get a chance to test these out.

How long will they last?

Tiny, solidly built, and with just a single physical button, the QuietOn should be used for years. The foam earbuds need to be replaced occasionally – possibly every few months if used at night – but this is normal for earbuds.

QuietOn claims the batteries “will take thousands of charge cycles. With normal use, this would mean several decades. “They come with a one year guarantee.

Should you buy it?

Yes. With a 14-day return policy, you should have enough time to check whether the QuietOn are comfortable enough to sleep on. If so, you will love her.

Editor's recommendations




12 Aug
Blog

Urbanista Athens Review: The Underdog of Sports Earbuds

Urbanista Athens earphones

"The Athen is a pair of affordable and remarkably good sports-oriented earphones."

  • Comfortable space requirement

  • Eight hours of battery life

  • IP 67 weatherproof

  • Affordable

  • Confusing controls

  • Bass bullies other frequencies

The Urbanista Athens are a humble little pair of true wireless earbuds. Between its generic appearance and its price far from the premium price, there aren't many outward-looking features that would catch the gaze of the average weekend warrior.

Since we all have to study over and over again, looks can be deceptive. Pop Urbanista's new $ 130 earbuds have arrived and they're starting to shine. Not just an accidental surprise, these buds are a tremendous force against some of the best workout-oriented true wireless earbuds out there today.

Out of the box

It's a bit of a quirk, but I always prefer the bookbinding style packaging that buds like those from Athens arrive in, as opposed to the sleeve-like design of other earphone boxes. In general, there's less to disassemble, and it's a little nicer to have all of the packaging in your hands. Urbanista even shows your message buds in a plastic case for optimized look.

Urbanista Athens earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Under the compartment that houses the buds and wireless charging case, you'll find additional earbuds and fins, as well as the quick start guide and a USB-C charging cable. It's nothing like most other true wireless earbuds you haven't seen before, and probably nothing you won't see again. Even so, I will continue to take note of this standard content as each component is an important part of the ensemble. This charging cable, ridiculously short as it is, wouldn't be laughing at if it weren't included with your purchase.

The setup process, which is similar to the Athens accessories, is exactly what you would expect from modern wireless earbuds. Pull the buds out of the case and they will go into automatic pairing mode. You can find it in your mobile device's bluetooth settings and terminate the connection. Other reviews of the Athens noted that the buds don't always automatically pair, but I haven't experienced this phenomenon in my time testing.

Bluetooth 5 tech is built into these earbuds as it should be at this point. As with most of my Bluetooth 5 experiences, the connection to Athens was solid, offering plenty of range to move around the house and get chores done while still jamming on the cover of the Vitamin String Quartet. Yes, that's absolutely a thing I do.

design

Admittedly, I am enthusiastic about the design of the Athen, thanks to its compact construction and its openly different footprint than other sports-loving Buds. Newer sports buds I've tested, including the JBL / Under Armor True Wireless Flash X and the Edifier TWS6, have significantly more pointed ear fins. Both did a good job protecting the buds but gave them a noticeably greater presence in your ear.

Urbanista Athens earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Not so with Athens, whose ear fins are delicate loops that extend from the ends of the buds. As unspoken as they are, they still have real traction in your ears and have excelled with them over several runs and brisk walks during my reporting period. I found them to be more comfortable than the larger-finned competitors, albeit not quite as comfortable as the Jabra Elite 75t or Elite Active 75t.

The wireless charging case is also pleasantly small, which to a certain extent reminds me of a slightly smaller, dark copy of the Samsung Galaxy Buds + charging case. Speaking of which, the Athens are currently only available in black. If you're looking to take creative leaps with your aesthetic, the Athens aren't the buds to catch your ears. That said, they are perfectly passable in terms of attractiveness as far as black true wireless earbuds go.

Urbanista opted for a multi-press control system with the Athens, with the logo on each side serving as the button of your choice. The manual contains all the controls very factually, including the volume control (thankful), the ability to pause and change tracks, answer and end calls, and the integration of voice assistants. If you think this is a lot for two buttons, you're right, especially since none of these controls are used on more than two presses. It's learnable, but not the easiest system considering some commands are situational. For example, double-tapping the left logo pauses and plays the tracks, but also answers and ends calls.

properties

Somewhat surprising is that the Athenians have left their price range in terms of features. They're not knockout-strong uppercuts, mind you, but they're significant kicks against competitors who cost more and offer less.

The Athens offers a battery life of eight hours and three additional charges for a total playback of 32 hours.

The Athens offers a battery life of eight hours and three additional charges for a total playback of 32 hours. You can spend more and get better juice with competitors like the Sony WF-SP800N, but you can also spend more and unfortunately get less. The Jabra Elite Active 75t offers 7.5 hours of battery life – often closer to seven in our reviewers' tests – for nearly $ 70 more than the Urbanistas. That may tell more about the cost of the otherwise excellent Elite Active 75t, but it does lead the Athens to have a slight advantage in this category.

Urbanista Athens earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Equally fascinating is the fact that the Athens has an IP67 weather resistance rating that offers complete protection against dust and contact, as well as protection against 30 minutes of water up to 1 meter in immersion. I suppose that's overkill for what most people will be using these for, but it does allow Urbanista to market these buds as swim and shower friendly. It's also a better rating than the Active 75t and JLab Epic Air Sport, which previously held the title of our best real radio buds for training. Note. Note.

The Athenians have IP67 weather resistance, which provides complete protection against dust and contact, as well as protection against 30 minutes of water up to 1 meter immersion.

To be transparent, I didn't get a chance to take these buds for a swim, but I ventured into the shower to test this waterproof rating and the Athens came out squeaky clean on the other side.

Another small feature of the Athens is stereo phone calls which seem like a bit of a perk until you've dealt with a pair of buds that only offer mono sound for calls. It might just be my personal preference, but I would much rather have that sweet stereo sound for my conversations.

Audio quality

If there has been one area where Athens hasn't delivered too much, it's audio. To be clear, I don't want to say that this is a disadvantageous aspect of these earbuds. They are $ 130 buds, and they should sound like $ 130 buds: Objectively decent, and in many cases good. I think almost everything else about the buds made me expect them to go over their price again and instead sound the way they should. In all fairness, that speaks volumes more about the Athens' other characteristics than about its sound quality.

Urbanista Athens earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

The Athens are clear sounding buds if they will, with tracks like Jake Shimabukuro's rendition of Hallelujah not missing a single train of the ukulele. Urbanista says it worked with audio engineer Axel Gretl on these buds, and it shows this on most pieces of music. They feel like they're trying too hard at the low end, especially on songs where those bass notes are more prominent throughout the track. Readers of my previous reviews know that Lizzo's music is a common starting point for my bass testing, and the low end in Truth Hurts seemed to take the rest of the song hostage. I love low frequencies as much as the closest listener, and I understand that powerful bass can be important to athletes on the move. But it's important to stick to that (bass) line and not detract from the rest of the track, and I thought Athens struggled with that in certain cases.

These buds don't have active noise cancellation, and at $ 130 it's not currently expected to have this functionality. With budget buds like the Edifier TWS NB breaking the mold, this is likely to change soon. But for now the Athens gets by with above-average passive noise cancellation thanks to a good fit in your ears. They also get loud, which of course helps to block out the unwanted noises around you.

Urbanista doesn't have much information available on the Athens microphones but I can vouch for them to provide quality phone calls. As I mentioned above, I enjoyed having stereo sound for calls, but perhaps more importantly, my voice could be heard clearly on the other end, even in a louder environment. My brother could barely hear the dogs wrestling in the background while we talked about our weekend plans.

Our opinion

Urbanista Athens true wireless earbuds are not only affordable, they also outperform major active earbud categories. They may not be the gold standard, but they are certainly worth their weight as notable sports-oriented wearables.

Are there any better alternatives?

The $ 200 Sony WF-SP800N offers active noise cancellation, 13 hours of non-ANC playback, and great sound for an additional $ 70. The $ 120 Edifier TWS6 costs $ 10 less and offers similar battery life and possibly better sound.

How long will they last?

The Athenians have a one-year guarantee and an IP rating that protects them from almost anything that nature can throw on them. These buds will hang around.

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Urbanista Athens excel in many areas that they shouldn't have, at least in terms of their affordable price. With their above-average battery life, comfortable design and weatherproof properties, the Athens are the buds for the aspiring athlete.

Editor's recommendations




04 Aug
Blog

Raycon E55 Earbuds Review: Overhyped, Mediocre Performance

raycon earphones e55 the performer review 2

"Raycon's marketing-heavy hype machine largely doesn't live up to expectations."

  • Comfortable fit

  • Small charging case

  • Wireless charging

  • Feel cheap build

  • The bass overwhelms the mids and highs

  • No app, so the EQ cannot be adjusted

  • Terrible call quality

If you're like me, you've heard of Raycon earphones while either listening to a sponsored piece on the radio or listening to your favorite YouTuber. Raycon clearly spends a lot of money marketing its products. If you visit the company's website, you will see a lot of pictures of satisfied customers and some very big names in music that support the brand.

We were clearly a marketing-intensive hype machine and asked ourselves: are raycons really good? We grabbed a pair of the company's top $ 120 E55 The Performer earphones and put them through their paces.

Out of the box

With Raycon doing much of its marketing, it should come as no surprise that the box is pretty darn good. Even the shipping box carries the Raycon brand, and the actual product box offers exactly what I would expect from a high-end earphone brand.

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The front is held in place by a magnet and opens to reveal a pitch-black interior and some brochures that invite you to the "next wave," as Raycon's slogan says. The buds are carefully embedded in the housing below, with a charging cable and additional earplugs in a small square box next to it.

Regarding earplugs, Raycon includes a total of five silicon earplug sizes, more than most companies offer. I personally have very small ear canals, so I replaced the tips attached to the buds with their smallest size.

Fit and ready

The Raycon charger case is wonderfully small and light, so that even the petite Jabra 75t case looks large in comparison. It even looks a bit smaller than the AirPods Pro case, although Raycon chose a more rounded square design over Apple's rounded rectangle. The Raycon logo is on the front of the case. The only edge of the otherwise smooth case is a small plastic loop through which you can run a mini lanyard provided.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

I don't understand the need for a lanyard, so I'm not a big fan of it. I wish this little loop nubs didn't exist because it would have resulted in a much smoother end product. I think the idea is that you might want to attach this to a bag or something else, but frankly, I don't trust that the case will stay closed and the buds will be attached inside if I zip it up on the outside would pull off my backpack. The magnet that holds the lid closed and the one that holds the buds in their charging cradle are all pretty strong, but I still wouldn't trust them swinging around behind me.

While we are working on the magnets, the buds snap into place well and firmly when loading and the housing remains firmly closed. No complaints there.

The Raycon earphones fit my ear really well.

The case is compatible with wireless chargers, but can also be charged using a USB Type-C connector. A small LED next to the connector lights up red during the charging process. When you're done, it glows green.

The buds themselves are what I would classify as “cheap” in terms of their processing quality. They are fully plastic and extremely light, which is actually nice considering that they have to sit on your ear, but they just don't feel good. They are shiny, slippery, and feel inferior, as is common with cheap products. The fact that we have come so far with an otherwise high quality experience just to find that the buds are below this brand is disappointing.

Apart from the disappointing quality, the Raycon earphones fit very well in my ear. They snap into my ear canal and upper concha with slight pressure, which holds them really well, without making me tired over time. They actually fit better than the AirPods, which surprised me. I also appreciate how flat they are on my head. This is probably why Raycon shows so many customer selfies on its website: when they are worn, they look good.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The Performer earphones can be quickly connected to your phone using the conventional method (via the Bluetooth menu) and always greet you with a voice that sings “Raycon” every time it is switched on. They pair quickly and reliably, but I have found that sometimes when they are put back in their suitcases they are not separated. I put them away more than a few times and went to another room, only to find that my iPhone was still connected, and tried to send them sound. This is a problem that I have only seen in the past with really cheap, low quality earphones. So it's not great to see this here.

The buds have physical buttons on the left and right and mostly work quite well. There is a slight delay when asked to do something that is not unusual but worth mentioning. You can pause, play, skip, answer, and hang up the phone, and even control the volume using a number of different morse code-like taps. These worked as announced.

Sound and call quality

I get straight to the point here: The Raycon earphones sound good. All good. They won't blow you away with their quality, but if you bought them on the recommendation of your favorite YouTuber, you probably won't be too disappointed either. They do the job and offer heavier basses than standard basses, but are not nearly top of the class in this regard. When I first used it, I admitted that I was initially amazed at how much skullbeat bass they could throw out, but finally got tired of it because that bass overwhelmed the mids and highs to the point where they got the details crush. Overall, I think the EQ is off for those who want to hear everything in their music, but they should be enough if you just want to enjoy the beat of your favorite song.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Sias Save My Life gives you a good feel for the lower frequencies that resemble a dance club, but the higher timbres that make Sia's voice so exciting are lost as the bass so obscures the frequency range. If you're a fan of clear vocals, you probably won't be particularly happy with the sound of the Raycon earphones.

The Raycon earphones sound good. All good.

The thing is, if the idea of ​​bass-heavy buds sounds exactly in your alley, they are still not the best choice for it in their price range. The bass is actually stronger on the Jabra Elite 65ts (and the Elite 75ts is even better). With these you can also adjust the EQ via an app to adapt the listening experience to your specifications. This leads to another disadvantage of the Raycon earphones: they have no app. So you hear what you get.

The Raycons don't offer noise cancellation, which is pretty normal for earphones in this price range. However, the noise isolation you get with these feels below average. It may be the poor build quality, but without music I can pretty easily hear everything around me, even though it's stuck in my ears.

These are downright terrible to make calls.

Raycon advertises phone calls as great, but the company really shouldn't: they are terrible for phone calls. You can hear the other end perfectly, but you will have difficulty recognizing your voice as the earphones make you sound like a mixture of underwater and different distances. Your voice will go in and out to everyone you speak, resulting in an overall terrible listening experience for them.

Battery life and connectivity

According to Raycon, the buds should last six hours per charge and a total of up to 36 hours with the six charges available in the case. Six hours per charge is really too low in the middle of the road compared to what's out there, but I've actually found that the buds have exceeded this specification. I wore them for a full working day, eight hours, and they kept going without any problems. I think you should probably count on six hours, but if you grab a pair, they may last longer than what is very nice. They also charge up quickly and I honestly had no major problem with the battery here.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

The connectivity was not outstanding and they underperformed all of the other modern earbuds I've tested. I couldn't even make it to my garden halfway through my kitchen with my cell phone, and the buds would cut out. If you always have your phone right next to you, you will probably be fine, but I have little hope that this will work well in rooms with a lot of interference, such as airports or streets in New York.

Our opinion

Raycon's marketing-heavy hype machine promises too much here, with buds that do enough right that anyone who buys them is likely to be happy, but not the right recommendation in their price range. In the included bud literature, the company claims that the goal from the start was to offer high quality buds at a lower cost than the competition, but they don't really. These buds are missing from the $ 120 feature section, but even if you use the YouTube discount code you heard to lower them to $ 100, they're still sub-par overall.

Is there a better alternative?

The Jabra Elite 65ts are a great alternative, and although their RRP like the Raycons according to this influencer discount code is $ 120, they're now available on Amazon for under $ 100. The Edifier TWS6s are just as solid a purchase as the Sony WF-XB700s.

How long will they last?

Raycon offers a one year warranty which is fairly standard. The build quality is important, however, so I can't say they consistently last much longer than two to three years.

Should you buy them

No, unless the sole purpose is to support a content creator you want and get something in return. These buds are mediocre and have no really prominent feature that makes them any better than their competition.

Editor's recommendations




01 Jul
Blog

The Technics TWS Earbuds Sound Good, but Isolate Even Better

technics tws az70 review panasonic tsw earphones 2

"Expect crisp, bright audio and incredible high-end design noise cancellation."

  • Bright, clear audio emphasizes the vocals

  • Excellent noise cancellation

  • Light and pluggable

  • Sensitive touch controls

  • Comfortable fit

  • Audio is not balanced in the lower registers

  • A bit bulky when worn

Panasonic was slow and steady with its first entry into the noise canceling earphone market in June, but it was just beginning. Technics' high-end TWS EAH-AZ70W active noise canceling earphones from Technics are trying to make a statement with impressive specifications on paper and a luxurious price of $ 249.99.

Will the specs and high price become earphones you want to own? Let's go into that.

Small and shiny

The Technics TWS earphones share a design philosophy with the Panasonic RZ-S500Ws. They are compact buds that fit perfectly in a small charging case. This case is not the smallest we have ever seen since the Jabra Elite 75t case is smaller, the RZ-S500W case is about an inch shorter, and the Apple AirPods Pro case is also small. Nevertheless, it is about two thirds the size of the housing of the Sony WF-1000XM3 and can easily be put in your pocket.

Each earphone is connected to a blunt, bar-like cylinder, which is covered with a touch-sensitive pad made of brushed aluminum. They are a bit bulky and even when they are fully pressed into my ear canal, the buds stick out noticeably from the sides of my head. This is a complaint that was shared in our Panasonic RZ-S500W review.

Some companies, like Apple, choose to move components down towards the earlobe, or in the case of Sony, inward toward the jaw, but Panasonic / Technics has chosen to go outside of your head.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Overall, the design meets my expectations for premium earphones. The case is a plastic interior surrounded by brushed aluminum, and the top of the case is nicely embossed with the Technics logo. The combination is easy without feeling cheap. The buds themselves feel solid despite the low weight of only 6.5 grams per bud, which is 8.3 grams less than the Sony WF-1000XM3. Yes, I weighed them.

Fit, finish and function

I have a narrow ear canal, so I used the extra small silicone tips, one of five sizes that are included in the technique. These buds are not designed for use during activity, so they do not have a high IPX rating (IPX4) and do not contain "wings" to stabilize them in your ear. You feel safe when you are sitting in a cafe, on a plane, or at your desk. To run? Not as much.

As previously mentioned, Technics designed the buds to hang their weight outward from your head, which affects balance. I found that I often adjusted their fit during listening sessions because either the right or left bud fell out of my ear canal.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

Several repeated tests were required to find out. However, if you don't carry the buds exactly right, they can feel uncomfortable. The key is to make sure the Technics logo is flat at the end of the touchpad. Once I did that, they fit well and comfortably in my ear and were comfortable for long listening sessions. If they fit properly, the earplug is at the bottom of the cylinder, with most of the bud over it and resting well in the outer wall of the ear cup.

The Technics TWS have a touchpad on the brushed silver cap at the end of each earphone. It is sensitive. I accidentally touched the pad and paused a song while trying to adjust the fit in my ear. It works with a gloved hand. This is good news if you wear mittens and want to skip a song while listening to music.

The buds are compatible with Amazon Alexa and can be set up quickly and easily using the Technics Audio Connect app. There is also support for Google Assistant or Siri.

Unlike other earphones on the market, the Technics TWS does not recognize whether they have been removed from your ear and pauses automatically. This is not a standard feature in the industry, but it is present in competing products.

Connection and battery life

Getting started with Technics TWS was easy. When you take them out of the packaging, put them in the charging case and then remove them, the pairing mode is activated. My phone was able to connect to them immediately from there. When you put it in your ear, you'll be greeted with a pleasant welcome tone, followed by any bud that tells you that Bluetooth has been connected to a female robot voice.

I found the strength of the Bluetooth connection good, but not the best I have ever experienced. I left my cell phone in my kitchen and went to my back yard, and the buds stayed in touch about 90% of the room. The 10% farthest from my back door resulted in an inconsistent connection, but I was admittedly far away. I'll almost never be that far from my phone.

The Technics TWS are designed for a playback time of six and a half hours, whereby the active noise cancellation is activated with two additional charges from the housing for a total of 19.5 hours of listening time. There is a quick charge function that allows 70 minutes of playing time from 15 minutes of charging time. In a fairly competitive area, the technics in this category are in the middle.

Sound quality

The technology has gone to great lengths to make these earphones sound fantastic, and the company has taken care to mention the 10mm driver (which is larger than the standard 6mm driver in many earphones), and that Emphasis is placed on ensuring that the bass is properly balanced with great mids and highs.

After listening to rock and pop music for several hours, I can say that they mostly did it right.

The bass is very clear and resonates beautifully through my head when it is an important aspect of a song. If the music production team wanted me to feel this bass beat, the technology did an excellent job and translated it for me. At the same time, the singing was incredibly clear and full of life. Sia's Save My Life was highlighted by emphasizing technology on crisp, bright, and energetic audio. I heard an acoustic guitar solo, the melody of Lady GaGa's Stupid Love, and felt like the guitar was right next to me.

In the Technics Audio Connect app you can set the EQ to either bass-heavy, vocal-oriented, neutral or your own EQ. In Custom EQ, you can move five sliders up and down to suit your personal taste.

If you love bright and clear audio that emphasizes a strong beat and clarity of the upper registers, the technics are a solid win for you. However, if you value wealth and general balance, they are not sufficient here. Although the bass beat is strong, the lower audio registers feel underrepresented.

Here is an example. If you play the note “C” on a piano, you can simply play a “C”. Playing this note alone is the purest expression of this note. However, you can play a C major chord to achieve greater depth of sound, although the representation of the C note is not as accurate. The technology seems to me to be more geared towards giving you the singular, accurate C note, while the Sony WF-1000XM3 want to give you that deeper, fuller C major chord.

Of course, that's subjective. For example, in our test of the Panasonic RZ-S800W, Andy Boxall appreciated the emphasis on these higher registers, and the larger drivers in technology provide an even better listening experience than what we found in them.

Amazing ANC

One of the most outstanding and perhaps most surprising aspects of these earphones is their active noise cancellation: The Technics TWS offer really excellent noise cancellation performance, some of the best we have ever experienced.

Jaron Schneider / Digital Trends

I have a pretty noisy mobile air conditioner in my office, and when I was sitting at my desk, the technology turned its booming fan sound into a low hum. Compared to the Sonys, the Technics were about twice as good at reducing the level of consistent sounds. At the side of the road, I found that the technology was on a par with the Sonys, since neither was able to reduce inconsistent noises such as cars or clinking metal pipes.

The Technics use two sets of data inputs to suppress noise. This technology is known as dual hybrid noise canceling. It works with two sets of microphones: one set on the outside of the buds, as is the norm, and one set on the inside to determine how much sound is still getting through. The result is a system that seals noise and can actively adapt to what might come through. Without music, the ANC is so good that I can feel completely isolated in my cozy silence ball.

You can set how much noise suppression or ambient noise should be active on a sliding bar from the app. No noise cancellation, no ambient noise mode, and no complete noise cancellation can be performed via one of the touchpads on the buds themselves by holding the touchpad for about two seconds.

Call quality

Technology has done some considerations to ensure that calls sound clear and clean, and I can say they were successful there. I had no problem hearing voices clearly in one of my calls.

Unfortunately, as is the case with many noise canceling earphones and headphones, the person on the other end of the line was not blessed with the same pleasant experience. When I was in a room where noise cancellation had to be particularly active, e.g. For example, by a fan or near traffic, my voice has been described as echo-like and far away, like a digital phone call over bad internet.

However, when I was in a quiet room, the call quality on the other end of the line improved dramatically.

Our opinion

The $ 249.99 Technics TWS are expensive, but not the most expensive in their segment. They cost roughly the same price as Apple's AirPods Pro. The good news is that they deserve this price largely with incredible noise cancellation, lightweight construction, and a clean (but bulky) design. With an emphasis on strong vocals and higher registers, they are best suited for those who want to hear music with clearer, clearer clarity.

Is there a better alternative?

For a cheaper price (we saw that they only cost $ 170), the Sony WF-1000XM3 are a great option if you want to get the best possible audio quality.

The AirPods Pro from Apple have very strong noise cancellation functions. Because they're in the Apple ecosystem, they're a better choice for iPhone users for connectivity and synergy between devices.

For $ 180, the Panasonic RZ-S500W is another fantastic alternative with almost identical technical data to the TSWs. The main disadvantage is a smaller driver, which results in slightly lower (but only marginal) audio performance and less impressive material quality.

How long will they last?

The Technics TWS earphones are guaranteed for one year. Technics is also one of Panasonic's high-end brands. As a result, their products usually last a long time.

Should you buy them

Yes. They are comfortable, have excellent noise cancellation technology and sound great in a variety of situations.

Editor's recommendations




15 Jun
Blog

JLab Go Air Earbuds Review: Small, But Mighty Affordable

JLab Go Air earphones

"The Go Air are a valuable pair of real wireless commuter buds"

  • IP44 waterproof

  • Comfortable design

  • Affordable

  • Short charging cable

  • Mediocre sound quality

Granted, it's a little unusual to rate an audio product that is as conservative as the new JLab earphones. The circumstances have to be just right to justify this. This means that the product must come from a reputable brand that is filled with interesting functions and is in demand.

Allow JLab to tick off all three boxes with the real Go Air wireless earbuds for $ 30. The incredibly affordable buds offer a total lifespan of 20 hours with the included charging case, waterproof IP44 protection and excellent customer reviews on Amazon. Sure these buds are too good to be true, right?

Out of the box

The packaging of the Go Air is as compact as the buds itself and in JLabs standard light blue. The box opens like a book and shows a quick guide to the controls on the inside of the cover and the earphones, which are located on the right under a plastic housing.

JLab Go Air earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

In addition to the buds and casing, JLab throws in two additional pairs of gel pad tips. There is no separate charging cable here, since the housing has its own funny short cable. It's one that doesn't do much else than turn the case into an uncomfortable dongle for the USB port to which it is connected.

There is a pull tab on the charging case, which I have not seen since activating the remote control for my old car stereo. In addition, however, it is easy to connect to Go Air. JLab even provides a five-minute video that will take you through the entire process.

The connection of these buds was a delightful surprise. It is common not to expect much from cheap buds, but I have had no significant dropouts. The weather was a little too bad for extensive testing, but when I used my phone to move around my garden in the house, there was also a solid Bluetooth range.

design

The structure of the Go Air seems to be one of their biggest selling points. In a few words, they are light, small and comfortable.

Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

To give a bit more context, each bud weighs about 5 grams, which is equivalent to the Samsung Galaxy Buds + and is only one gram heavier than the Apple AirPods. At 50 grams, JLab's charging case is significantly bulkier than Apple's 38-gram featherweight, but that's hardly a problem worth holding against the Go Air.

They are available in four different colors: black, white, green and navy blue. My test device was the green, which was not remarkable in terms of aesthetics, but was helpful in preventing dust and dirt from becoming visible.

The included case has an open-air design, meaning there is no lid to protect the buds when you travel with them. The buds themselves are secure inside the case, but the open structure of the case makes me careful if they get worn or damaged in transit.

The Go Air have a design that reminds me of a Google Pixel Buds 2 bargain basket – that is, even though they're a bit bulky, these buds still fit snugly in your ear. I don't think they're completely impermeable to the classic hoodie test, but I appreciate their relative slenderness.

There are no buttons on the Go Air, just touchpads on the JLab logo of each bud – more on that below.

properties

Most of the features built into Go Air aren't stand-alone in themselves, but when you put it all together, the overall picture becomes a bit more impressive, especially for such inexpensive buds.

JLab Go Air earphonesNick Woodard / Digital Trends

Let's start with the battery life, which according to JLab is five hours of playback per charge, with three additional charges included in the Go Air case. According to JLab, you get an hour of playback after 15 minutes of charging. During my tests, I found that JLab's battery statistics are correct.

While these numbers are by no means incredible, they can still lead to much more expensive products like the AirPods (five hours) or Amazon Echo Buds (five hours). Apple offers you a bit more listening time at 24 hours overall, but the Echo Buds, like JLab, type at 20 for around $ 100 more.

The Go Air is waterproof to IP44 and protects the buds from splashing water at every angle. This is important for buds at this price because the Echo Buds have an IPX4 rating and the AirPods have no waterproof rating at all.

The Go Air touch controls are not as intuitive as I would have liked. There were a handful of cases where I touched the buds just to be greeted by them in return. For the most part, however, you can skip or pause tracks, adjust volume, call up a voice assistant, or switch between one of JLab's three EQ modes. They work, but the experience has been inconsistent.

Audio quality

The Achilles' heel of most headphones and earphones in this price range is sound. For some reason, audio companies seemed to have cracked the code for affordable features, but left a lot of room for improvements in audio quality.

JLab-go-air-5Nick Woodard / Digital Trends

Unfortunately, I have to report that the Go Air fits into this mediocre shape. On a positive note, these buds are well suited for easy listening to content such as podcasts or occasional TikTok videos. In addition, they have a usable call quality that made it possible to hear and be heard well enough while braving the windy conditions to take my dogs for a walk. They just lack the clarity and range that can often be found with higher-priced counterparts to be suitable for high-quality music listening sessions. On the other hand, that comes with the area of ​​$ 30 buds.

There are three different EQ settings available that allow you to set the 8mm drivers in the Go Air. With three fingertips on both buds you can switch between the sound modes JLab Signature, Balanced and Bass Boost. I found the JLab Signature mode to be the tastiest, but even this mode lacked the low end and it sounded generally distant. Bass Boost has helped this low end, but the deficit has not been fully addressed. The symmetrical mode has attenuated the entire frequency range, which is not always a bad thing. Unfortunately, if you don't start with great sound at the beginning, flattening the EQ won't magically improve things.

If you can accept that $ 30 earphones with great sound aren't realistic, this can mitigate the sting with the Go Air. You just can't compete with the sound of buds with better components, but the only way that should stop you from considering them is if you somehow expected it.

Our opinion

The JLab Go Air has the features and price tag to be a valuable pair of real wireless commuter buds. Unfortunately, they only lack the sound quality to be your main hearing aid for music.

Are there any better alternatives?

There aren't many buds in the Go Air weight class with such features, but there are options that are worth spending a little more on. The $ 120 Edifier TWS NB are our most affordable true wireless earbuds due to their active noise cancellation and solid battery life. If you can handle a cable, the $ 100 1More Triple Drivers are our favorite affordable earbuds.

How long will they last?

At this price, longevity is not a problem for most customers. However, JLab offers a two-year warranty on Go Air.

Should you buy them

Yes. They may not sound like a winner, but the JLab Go Air costs $ 30 and has a similar battery life and better water resistance than the Apple AirPods. Essentially, it's the low-risk, high-reward bud pair that you should take a risk.

Editor's recommendations




14 Jun
Blog

Panasonic RZ-S800W Earbuds Review: Worth the Wait

panasonic rz s800w review rzs500w with iphone 11 pro

Panasonic RZ-S500W earbuds review: better late than never

"The Panasonic RZ-S500W offers excellent sound, which is supported by a solid battery life and an attractive price."

  • Nice, neutral sound

  • Good battery life

  • Comfortable to wear for a long time

  • Good everyday noise cancellation

  • Competitive price

  • Bulky, bar-like design

  • Spotty call quality

When you talk about Panasonic, you might think of TVs or cameras rather than headphones, but that will change with the RZ-S500W, the company's first pair of true wireless earphones. Yes, we know. This is another pair to consider and a fairly late entry into the game. So what makes this tempting?

Currently available in the UK and soon to be available in the US, they cost £ 169 or an estimated $ 199. This is a strong value considering that they have active noise cancellation on board, while rivals like Sony's WF-1000XM3 cost $ 239 and Apple's AirPods Pro $ 249. Then the question arises whether they have the audio chops to take them over.

The Panasonic RZ-S500W have been in my ears for about a week (not permanent, but you understand my meaning), and so they are.

design

It is very difficult to make real wireless earphones attractive. Sony hasn't really accomplished this feat, and Apple shares the opinion with the AirPods. Panasonic has taken the path to make them look like bolts, and while they aren't exactly pretty, they definitely feel good.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Most of the RZ-S500W sits outside of your ear, rather than forming around your inner ear like the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus, and relies on the tip to hold it in place. The balance is excellent and the 7 gram weight means they don't pull your ears or feel like they're falling out. Five sets of silicone tips of different sizes are included to help you find the best fit for your ears.

If they're in your ears, don't expect them to be subtle. Everyone around you will notice that you are wearing the RZ-S500W, not least because it sticks out of your ears at some distance, but also because the blue LED in the left bud flashes. They don't look more ridiculous than most other real wireless headphones, but they don't drive the industry by introducing a chic new design.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The buds are in a plastic housing with three LEDs under the hinged lid, which indicate the charge status. Attaching the earphones inside is a bit of a hassle, as they are not as easy to fit as the offers from Apple or Sony. Once attached, they are magnetically pressed and the top closes securely over them. There's a Type C USB charging port on the back of the case. Although it's smaller than the Sony WF-1000XM3 case, it's not as compact as the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus case or as wonderfully high quality as the shiny metal case from Master & Dynamic for the MW07 Plus.

The RZ-S500W has a simple, no-nonsense design and functional case, none of which attract admiring glances, but do the job they are designed for very well. This may reflect the reasonable cost, but that's okay because the money went where it belongs: the audio.

sound

The sound is transmitted through an 8mm driver with a neodymium magnet in each earphone. The resulting audio quality is bold, bright and very pleasant. Panasonic has decided to tune the RZ-800W more neutrally, which means that the bass has not been artificially amplified and the vocals in the sound stage are ahead of headphones with a brand-specific tone like beats.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Don't consider this a lack of bass, as it's the opposite. The bass is precise and controlled and deep if need be, but it never overwhelms mids or vocals. The earbuds are not overwhelmed by the deep bass during the opening of KLF's What Time is Love, the Tokyo Tower remix that has more than enough subbass to feel. However, the RZ-S500W sounds best when you play songs that rely on strong vocals.

In Keyakizaka46's Hiraishin, the earphones wonderfully capture the group's voices as they circulate the soundstage without becoming too bright while delivering the track's strong bass line. Some headphones lose the main voice in Gang Parade & # 39; I need you, I love you, I want you to be on the beat, but that's not the case with the RZ-S550W, which balances it out very well.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Band Maids Choose Me focuses on the lead singer's vocals, but never lets up on the lead and bass guitar, which makes for exciting listening. Jidenna's Long Live the Chief and Moses Mayfield's Fall Behind are treated the same way as Choose Me, with focused vocals and hard bass. While still a great listening experience, it's clear that the Panasonics love women's pop and rock.

Although the RZ-800W sounds great, they can't quite keep up with the wonderful, involved, and perfectly balanced Sony WF-1000XM3. They come much closer to Master & Dynamic's MW07 Plus, but focus more on the vocals. I found that they came closest to the over-ear ATH-M50x of the Japanese audio brand Audio Technica in terms of sound and soundstage, which is respected for its studio-like neutral sound signature.

The only disappointment is the lack of codecs. Panasonic has only added AAC to the RZ-S500W, which means they can be used with most mobile devices, but does not offer the additional quality advantages that some expect from AptX or AptX HD or a low latency connection with AptX LL.

Noise cancellation, app and control

For the RZ-S800W, Panasonic uses a dual hybrid noise canceling system that mixes feedback and feed-forward microphone systems to remove unwanted noise from inside and outside of the earphones. I thought it was great for general use, but didn't find it to be as isolated as the best models. Even without active ambient mode, I could still hear myself speaking to ANC, but the traffic and general noises in the house were effectively muted.

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Panasonic RZ-S800W with noise reduction setting in the app "class =" m carousel - picture dt-lazy-no "src =" https://icdn3.digitaltrends.com/image/digitaltrends/panasonic-rzs500w-noise-app -640x640. jpg "srcset =" https://www.digitaltrends.com/data:image/gif;base64,https://www.digitaltrends.com/R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAndy Boxall / Digital Trends

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The noise cancellation settings are adjusted via the touch-sensitive control panel on the right earphone, which is switched between on, off and ambient mode by a long press. You can also play and pause music with the touch controls, and they're decent too. I was concerned about using multiple gestures this way, but I'm happy to say that they didn't mess up and mostly responded the way I wanted them to. A long press on the left bud activates Siri or Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa is also available with a software update.

Download the Panasonic Audio Connect app and control the noise cancellation effect through 50 different levels. I found it made little difference to my use – I either want noise cancellation or not – and if more outside sound was required, the ambient mode served the purpose better. The sound quality is slightly affected by the ANC because the music takes on a warmer, bassier tone. The app also has a Bass Enhancer setting, which was not essential when the ANC was on, but did help round out the sound when it was off. A five-band equalizer completes the range of functions.

The RZ-S500W doesn't expect the world's best noise cancellation because it can't match the amazing isolation of the Sony WF-1000XM3, but it's great for everyday city life and traffic. Due to movement restrictions, I was unable to test them using public transportation or airplanes.

Battery and connectivity

According to Panasonic, the playback time when the ANC is switched on is 6.5 hours, with a charge of 19.5 hours, a total usage time. Charging the earphones with the case takes approximately 2 hours. There is a battery meter in the app that shows the individual battery levels for each earphone. A 15 minute charge offers a usage time of 70 minutes.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

At the time of my review, I have no reason to doubt these numbers, but I doubt the accuracy of the battery meter. For most of the review period, I had a longer listening session of at least 4 hours. During that time, the app still indicated that 90% of the battery was still available, making it difficult to estimate the performance more accurately.

However, the case was empty after at least 20 hours of operation until the last LED light, which means that battery life is an important reason for buying the RZ-S500W. The battery life is longer than that of the AirPods Pro and roughly corresponds to that of Sony. This allows them to commute easily for at least a week and occasionally listen before they need to be fully charged. This is a huge advantage.

I used the earphones connected to an iPhone 11 Pro, and the Bluetooth 5.0 connection was solid with no interruptions or jerks when I was within 10 meters of my phone in my apartment. Panasonic has introduced an independent connection system for each earphone that is more stable and efficient. I had no problems with delays or breaks between the earbuds.

The connection was also stable during a call, but the sound quality for the person called was not particularly good. I have been told several times that my head sounded like it was in a pocket, but I can confirm that I never carried a pocket during one of the calls. However, the call quality for me as a caller was great.

Price, guarantee and availability

The Panasonic RZ-S500W cost £ 169, which is $ 213, and has been announced in the UK and Europe. A release in the U.S. is likely in the near future, where the price is expected to be $ 199. Panasonic grants a one year warranty on its audio products and offers free repair or replacement.

Our opinion

Given that the RZ-S800W is Panasonic's first widely used true noise canceling wireless headphones, it is an outstanding achievement. The excellent neutral sound makes it very easy to hear, especially for those who love singing. Overall, the experience isn't particularly detailed, but it's fun, engaging, and helps you enjoy your music. Noise cancellation may not be the best, but it is still effective for general daily use. Add the competitive price, and the Panasonic RZ-800W is an enticing purchase.

Is there a better alternative?

You're spoiled for choice when you watch real wireless headphones today. We recommend spending a little more to purchase the $ 230 Sony WF-1000XM3, which has a warmer tone, smarter design, and the best noise cancellation system available. Apple's $ 249 AirPods Pro are also worth considering.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus for $ 149 doesn't offer noise cancellation, but it offers great value for money in terms of sound quality, compact design, and long battery life. There are so many different models that you should also check out our list of the best real wireless headphones you can buy to find more alternatives.

How long it will take?

The Panasonic RZ-S500W has IPX4 waterproofness, so they are protected from rain and sweat. In addition, the plastic housing feels durable and strong. The lifespan of all real wireless headphones is determined by the battery inside, which deteriorates and ultimately returns less useful life. However, this is unlikely to be a problem over several years. Panasonic is an established, trustworthy brand and these headphones meet expectations in terms of quality and workmanship.

Should you buy it

Yes. The competitive price, decent noise cancellation and wonderful neutral tuning make it easy to overlook the slightly dorky design.

Editor's recommendations




06 Jun
Blog

Sony WF-1000XM3 Review: Everything Wireless Earbuds Should Be

sony wf 1000xm3 rating 2

"The WF-1000XM3 is a groundbreaking pair of fully wireless earphones."

  • Excellent sound and call quality

  • Fantastic battery life

  • Great noise cancellation

  • Convincing app-based functions

  • Comfortable fit

  • No water resistance

  • A bit bulky

This review was last updated by Nick Woodard, employee of Digital Trends A / V, on June 5, 2020.

For years we have considered Sony to be one of our favorite in-game headphone manufacturers. The noise-canceling WH-1000XM3 (and its two predecessors) continues to top our list of the best headphones and deserves the publisher's award. When Sony launched its new true wireless earbuds, which feature the same amazing noise reduction technology that the company packaged in its award-winning over-ears, we paid attention to that.

The new WF-1000XM3 earphones are everything we hoped for. They offer significant noise cancellation, high fidelity, and the same great app-based features we've loved by the company for years. But in the period since its debut, some strong rivals have emerged. The AirPods Pro from Apple were launched along with the Google Pixel Buds 2 and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. We still highly value the WF-1000XM3, but competition has shown that Sony's performance is no longer unique.

Fit and ready

The name of the WF-1000XM3 confusingly bears an "M3" or Mark 3 that matches the hugely popular over-ear WH-1000XM3, although this is only the second edition from Sony in this special range of true wireless earphones. The new buds come in an elegant black-copper charging case with a flat top that is embossed with the Sony logo.

The USB-C case is of considerable size, but still fits in most pockets. With the flat top, you can easily lay it on top of surfaces when you have the buds. The cap can be flipped up to reveal the two earphones inside and a large red LED on the front of the case indicates whether they are charging.

Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The buds look good aesthetically, but there's not much to write home about when it comes to style. This is probably a targeted decision by the Sony team. Given that many buyers of noise canceling headphones are commuters and business people, it makes sense for the company to stick to a proven design with simple pill-shaped cases and a black-and-case – gray color scheme with small copper accents. They are bulkier than the AirPods Pro, but also inconspicuous compared to Apple's legendary white golf tees.

If you've been in the work world for a while, you'll know what it looks like: the headphones resemble miniature versions of the Bluetooth headset that you may have worn in the city in 2006. The oval shell connects an ergonomic interior with rounded acoustic chambers that culminate in soft silicone earplugs. Sony offers two different tip thicknesses in three sizes (small, medium and large), but they guarantee that you will find a pair that suits you.

Features and controls

There are very few wireless earbuds that compete in terms of features with the Sony WF-1000XM3. For starters, the headphones offer a solid battery life of 8 hours per noise-canceling charge and an AirPods Pro that performs best for 6 hours when the device is turned on. The case also contains a lot of juice and offers three full charges for 18 hours of backup battery when you use the headphones with noise canceling activated, and 24 hours without the camera turned off.

There's also a quick charge feature that lets you play back 90 minutes in just 10 minutes – ideal for those who forgot to charge before commuting or on short flights. However, a newer pair of Sony earphones, the WF-SP800N, has the XM3 beat in the battery department. The 800N offers 9 hours of playback with the ANC on and 13 hours without.

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A glossy touchpad on the outside of each bud allows you to play and pause music, access your voice assistant, and change songs. However, Sony also has some other useful extras built in, including the ability to long-touch the left earbud to temporarily produce sound, so you don't have to take off your headphones while trying to hear announcements or order drinks on the plane.

Speaking of removing earphones like the AirPods Pro. The WF-1000XM3 has sensors that interrupt the music and eventually go to sleep when removed. When you reinsert it, playback continues or the connection is activated and re-established, depending on how long you have left it.

These headphones offer amazing noise reduction due to their size.

Regarding the marquee function, noise cancellation, Sony has packed the tiny buds with its QN1e noise cancellation chip (the same one in the popular over-ear noise cancelers) and attached two microphones to each earphone to hide the outside world. This processing works like an absolute magic and drowns out keyboard clicks, noise from public transport and loud calls in the office.

You won't get the same insane reduction you'll hear on the larger WH-1000xM3 over-ears, but these headphones have an amazing reduction in size and are linked to the fact that they are excellent passive noise isolation very impressed with her performance in noisy rooms.

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Each earphone can also be used separately for calls or music, and the microphones and noise canceling have worked wonders for the clarity of the calls. The sound quality is similar to many dedicated Bluetooth headsets.

Unlike many headphones where apps are designed primarily for pairing, the Sony Connect app offers some great features, including the ability to adjust equalization, the level of noise reduction you want, and the button for Google Assistant – the primary voice assistant – assignable on these headphones.

They do not have an IP protection class for water resistance, so the use of the fitness room is at your own risk

For some, the biggest shortcoming of the WF-1000XM3 is that they are not water resistant. The use of the fitness room is therefore at your own risk. At the start and during the first check, you couldn't control the volume without reaching for your phone or calling your voice assistant. Sony has now fixed this with a new option in its app that allows you to choose between volume control and ANC on / off.

Typically, we would pursue a manufacturer of $ 230 in-ear headphones for lack of water resistance because one of the best use cases for real wireless earphones is in the gym, where sweat can be a serious factor. However, we do not believe that the absence here is a big deal for two reasons. First, the headphones seem to be designed for office and business trips rather than the Iron Palace, and second, Sony claims there have been no complaints about previous generation earphones breaking at the gym. Sony appears to be confident that you can use the WF-1000XM3 for workouts, provided you don't sweat buckets.

Nevertheless, the AirPods Pro from Apple manage to offer IPX4 with the most bells and whistles. Sony's proprietary WF-SP800N also offers IP55 water resistance.

Sound quality

Sony has equipped its latest earbuds with its proprietary DSEE HX engine, which is designed to improve the lo-fidelity sound for better overall clarity. It works wonders on the WF-1000XM3, combining noise cancellation with the best fidelity you'll find in wireless earbuds.

We listened to everything from the lavish pop of Gen Z icon Billie Eilish to the indie rockers Golden Daze, and we're all impressed with everything we've heard.

The highs are clear and crisp, and there is a strong lower end that never becomes a mud pit. Instead, songs feel like they have a weight and depth that we often miss with other pairs of real wireless earbuds that feel a little over the top in terms of their sound profiles.

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Plus – and that's a big plus – the sound is customizable. If the sound signature isn't quite what you want, you can adjust it using the EQ settings in the app so you never get annoyed with the way the headphones treat certain genres. Do you want a little more shine and pool shimmer in your jazz recordings? Simply increase the heights by one touch. Problem solved.

While playing around with the EQ settings is fun, we've spent most of our listening time with the headphones in the normal, flat EQ position. This is because they feel very well adjusted at the factory. Everything we heard about the WF-1000XM3 seemed to be exactly what the mixing technician intended, and that's really all we can ask of any headphones, especially real wireless in-ears.

Our opinion

The first great wireless noise canceling earphones are here with a Sony logo. With the WF-1000XM3, Sony has managed to offer a pair of groundbreaking earphones that seem to be worth the $ 230 premium easily.

Is there a better alternative?

Apple's AirPods Pro has been launched for $ 249 since the Sony WF-1000XM3 debuted. Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2 is also a good comparison, although they are more expensive at $ 300.

The actual competitor here could be internal though, as the Sony WF-SP800N outperforms the XM3 in key categories like battery life and water resistance. They may not sound as good or have the noise canceling capabilities of the 1000XM3, but the SP800N still sounds less solid for $ 30.

How long will they last?

Sony has been making great headphones for decades, and we have no reason to believe that the build quality of the WF-1000xM3 is different. It is worth noting that the lifespan of all real wireless headphones is limited by the lifespan of the battery. However, we assume that you will have at least a few years before the batteries show excessive wear.

Should you buy them

Yes – and especially if you are an Android user. If you want feature-rich headphones with real wireless headphones and like the sound of silence, the Sony WF-1000XM3 is still one of the best you'll find.

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