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22 Jan

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Oppo Enco X Review: Android-Friendly AirPods Pro Killers

January 22, 2021
Posted by Samson

Oppo Enco X.

Oppo Enco X review: Android-friendly AirPods Pro killers

"The only thing Oppo didn't copy from the AirPods Pro is the price."

Cozy
Very good sound quality
Excellent ANC and transparency
Very good call quality
Seamless switching of devices

Oppo, the Chinese electronics company that has produced some of the biggest sleeper hits in categories like Blu-ray players and smartphones, just released its latest true wireless earbuds, the Oppo Enco X, valued at $ 150. Digital Trends got an early look at the earbuds, which won't be available in the US until spring. Yes, they look a lot like Apple's AirPods Pro and have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), just like Apple's Buds. But don't write her off as another copycat hoping to get Apple's coattails at the checkout for a payday. The Enco X are real business, with both words deservedly in the foreground. Let's look at them.

What's in the box?

With the exception of the black plastic inner shell, the Enco X box is a simple cardboard container that should prove to be easily recyclable when you aren't storing it. Inside you will find the earbuds, their charging case, a short USB-C charging cable, two additional sizes of silicone earbuds (small and large to accompany the standard medium) and a quick guide.

If you love the vibe of apple, you will love the look of these buds.

design

Oppo Enco X and AirPods Pro Oppo Enco X (right) and Apple AirPods Pro Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Enco X doesn't just look a bit like the AirPods Pro – I'd call them as close as possible without incurring the legal ire of Apple. In white in particular (they are also available in black), the bulbous main body, the semi-oval silicone tips, and the downward-pointing stems are direct copies of the Apple design. That said, if you love Apple's mood, you will love the look of those buds.

But oppositional flattery from Jony Ive's aesthetic doesn't end there. The charging case is also a pure AirPods Pro, right down to the perfectly movable hinge and the LED charging indicator on the front. Sure, there are a few differences. Oppo wrapped its case in sleek aluminum tape that gives it a touch of sophistication, and the pairing button sits a little proud of that tape on the side instead of sitting flush on the back like Apple. This button could be accidentally pressed, which wouldn't be ideal, but the real head scratch in Oppos's design is the decision to orient the earbuds so the tips are facing away from each other. This means that every time you take them out of the case – which is easiest if you pinch the silicone tips between your thumb and forefinger – they are pointing the wrong way for your ears.

Why did Oppo do that? Maybe to avoid accusations of a complete Apple copy, or maybe the slightly longer stems of the Enco X made it necessary.

There's one area in the Enco X's design that actually improves Apple's work: The Enco X's are rated IP54, which means they're just as waterproof as the AirPods Pro, but also have some dust resistance.

Convenience, control and connections

Oppo Enco X. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The AirPods Pro are some of the most comfortable true wireless earbuds I've ever tried, and (surprisingly) the Enco Xs offer an equally comfortable fit. There's even a Fit Test in the free HeyMelody app for Android (an iOS version coming soon) and another AirPods Pro feature to add to the list. I had to switch to the large earbuds for a perfect fit, but even the standard media was pretty good. As long as you don't mind having buds in your ear canals, the Enco X is comfortable enough for many hours of continuous use.

The earphones use a touch user interface. I'm usually not a huge fan of touch controls. I find them inaccurate and I don't like the lack of click feedback that physical buttons offer. But the Enco X could turn me into a convert. Tap the registered stems almost every time, and you can adjust the volume by sliding your finger up or down the length of either stalk. This is still not possible with the AirPods Pro.

The HeyMelody app lets you customize these controls, update the firmware, and customize the ANC (more on that later).

The Enco X doesn't support Bluetooth multipoint (which allows two devices to connect to a set of earbuds at the same time), but the pairing feature is so fast that it almost doesn't matter. If you press the pairing button for two seconds, you can quickly connect to a new device or reconnect to a previously assigned device.

Even better, in the HeyMelody app, you can assign a long press command that automatically switches the earbuds back to the last connected device. I've never seen this feature on any set of wireless earbuds. It worked like a charm and let me switch seamlessly between my iPhone and Pixel XL.

Full and rich, with a bass response that is powerful but never overwhelming, they deliver a well-balanced sound signature.

The Enco X's wireless range averages 30 feet outdoors, which is closer to 15 feet indoors. The connection is very reliable within these distances.

Sound quality

I'm not going to by the bush – the Enco X sounds really good. Full and rich, with a bass response that is powerful but never overwhelming, they deliver a well-balanced sound signature. The sound stage strikes a middle ground between intimate and expansive.

Compared to similarly expensive products like that Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro or even the AirPods Pro, the Enco X, can more than hold their own. Only when you compare it to more expensive products like the Jabra Elite 85t or the Sony WF-1000XM3 will you notice limitations. The Enco X can't quite keep up with these earbuds when it comes to clarity and precision, especially at higher frequencies.

When I found that the HeyMelody app didn't offer EQ adjustments, I was a little concerned – I tend to tweak most of the earbuds slightly to get a sound profile that suits me. Now that I've spent some time with these earbuds, I don't miss that lack of EQ control at all, and I'm confident you won't either.

Another observation that surprised me: the Enco X sounded better when used with my Pixel XL test phone than it did with my iPhone 11. This is a mystery. In general, I don't hear much of a difference between iOS and Android, especially when streaming from the exact same source (in this case, Tidal HiFi). And while there is no Bluetooth codec advantage (the Enco X uses AAC when connected to both phones), I found that stereo imaging, clarity, and soundstage were improved when using the Pixel XL.

The Oppo Enco X have the rare distinction of being some of the best noise canceling earbuds you can buy.

Speaking of codecs, the Enco X may sound even better when used with Oppo phones that support LHDC, a high-resolution, low-latency Bluetooth codec that competes directly with Sony's LDAC and aptX HD. The Enco X are some of the first true wireless earbuds on the market to come with LHDC support.

Noise cancellation and transparency

Oppo Enco X. Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

The Oppo Enco X has the rare distinction of calling the AirPods Pro, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and Jabra Elite 85t some of the best noise-canceling earbuds you can buy.

Not only do they excellently reduce unwanted noises like traffic, conversation, and the booming hum of machines while listening to music, but they also deliver an impressively quiet cone of silence when there is no music at all.

Transparency mode is equally effective, doing that magical balancing act of amplifying the outside world so far that you can hear it, but not so much that it sounds like you're listening to a recording of the outside world.

It's not perfect: I found that while other people's voices were crisp and clear, my own voice still felt a little muffled. But it makes conversation easy, what matters.

In the HeyMelody app, you can choose which ANC modes are available when you touch and hold an earbud. You can switch between all four modes (Off, Transparency, Regular ANC, and Maximum ANC) or any combination thereof. I found maximum ANC and transparency most useful.

Changes in ANC mode are as quick as the AirPods Pro, but not as quick as the Elite 85t.

Battery life

Oppo Enco X and AirPods Pro Oppo Enco X (right) and Apple AirPods Pro Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

If there is one area the Enco X could do better, it is battery life. Oppo claims four hours per charge if the volume is 50% and you use the maximum ANC which is 20 hours with the charging case included. By switching off ANC, up to 5.5 or 25 hours are achieved.

As far as I can tell, these numbers are slightly conservative. There were almost 4.5 hours between charges with ANC. Once again, the Enco X seems content to replicate the AirPods Pro – these battery life stats are close to Apple's – although the AirPods Pro offer a slightly better lifespan in this case.

One feature that Oppo should have mimicked is the AirPods Pro's fast charging capability. Five minutes of charging adds an hour to AirPods Pro playtime, but the Enco X cannot be charged quickly. From the empty state, it takes 80 minutes to charge the earbuds in their case. If you charge the Enco X for five minutes, you only have 17 minutes of play time.

Call quality

The Oppo Enco X may not be as crystal clear as the Bose or Jabra earbuds, but it still offers very good call quality. Competing noises, such as car traffic driving past, were very effectively suppressed. My voice wavered and fluttered occasionally, but it was always intelligible.

Our opinion

Oppo made a near-perfect clone of the Apple AirPods Pro that offers better sound quality and a much cheaper price.

Is there a better alternative?

As long as Oppo can keep the Enco X's price tag at around $ 150 or less, these earbuds have no serious competition at all.

You can get better sound quality and more features, but you'll have to spill an additional $ 50 to $ 80 Jabra Elite 85t come to mind. You can certainly spend less and still get ANC – like the Edifier TWS NB2 – but these earbuds don't meet the Enco X's very high bar for ANC and design.

Even iPhone owners should seriously consider the Enco X before buying a set of AirPods Pro. The Enco X does not allow you to speak hands-free with Siri, and Apple spatial audio is not supported. However, this seems like a fair trade to save $ 100.

How long will they last?

The Enco X seems to be very well built, with high quality materials and workmanship. At the time of this review, no US warranty information was available, but I'm assuming these earbuds can be used regularly (or better) than comparable models.

Should you buy it?

Absolutely. If you like the idea of the AirPods Pro, the Enco X are cheaper and outperform Apple's sound quality.

Editor's recommendations

18 Mar

Blog

1More Stylish Review: Affordable Apple AirPods Killers

March 18, 2020
Posted by Samson

1More stylish real wireless earbuds

1 MORE stylish real wireless in-ear headphones

"The perfect real wireless headphones for the masses."

Basic water resistance
Great battery life
Clear, aptX-capable sound
Compact charging case
Very convenient

No ability to introduce ambient noise

At just $ 100, 1More's stylish real wireless earbuds outperform Apple's industry-leading AirPods with longer battery life, more ergonomic design, and better overall sound. When we reviewed them in 2019, they were awarded the Editor & # 39; s Choice Award for their combination of price and performance. One of our only criticisms at that time was a lack of volume control.

As of March 2020, an app-based software update has resolved this problem: You can now also control the volume. Although we have not changed our rating, we can safely say that we are now more excited about the 1More Stylish.

Out of the box

With round rubber ear fins on the outside of the slim, oval earbuds, the second-generation Stylish model looks identical to the company's original real wireless offering, the Stylish TWS – a pair that ended last year mainly due to its low fanfare debuted deep battery life of 2.5 hours per charge.

1More stylish review

1More stylish review
Dan Baker / Digital Trends

The simple, ergonomic design was one of the few things the original Stylish TWS model had to offer. So it's really nice to see that it stays that way. The new buds are shockingly light and comfortable, and the ear fins (which are referred to as "o-hooks") mean they never feel like they're falling out of your ears. With four sets of earplugs and three different ear fin sizes, you are sure to get an excellent fit.

Another thing the headphones have for them is the variety of colors. The new model is available in four different colors – pink, gold, mint green and black (the color of our test device). So you can customize your earphones to your personal style.

No matter where I went – from long runs to long bike trails and beyond – the headphones stayed true to my Oneplus 6 middle-aged.

Speaking of appearance: The new Stylish is located in a slim, egg-shaped charging case that matches the color of the headphones and is charged with the included micro USB charging cable. One thing I particularly like about this model is that the company also includes a small drawstring bag made of thick plastic to keep the charging case and the cable between the inserts inside. This ensures that the headphones and their case always stay dry in wet sports bags or on rainy days, and means that you never need a micro USB cable in the USB-C era.

characteristics

These little earphones contain a lot of juice. The 1More Stylish offers six and a half hours of listening time on a single charge (at 50 percent volume). That's less than the expensive new Powerbeats Pro (which is one of our leading vendors), but it's about an hour and a half longer than Apple's AirPods and half an hour more than the original Samsung Galaxy Buds. although the new Galaxy Buds + are undoubtedly in a class of their own with an amazing 11 hours.

The charging case is very light, but it also offers three charging processes for a total of 26 hours of listening time on the move, which corresponds to or exceeds almost every large player. There's also a quick charge feature that gives you three hours of listening time with just 15 minutes of plug time.

1More stylish review Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Getting started with the new 1More Stylish is easy. Simply open the case to put it into pairing mode, then pair it with your device's headphones. As with AirPods or the new Powerbeats Pro, you can pair each headphone individually if you want to use one at a time. Contrary to what we found with the Powerbeats Pro, I had no problems with the Bluetooth 5.0 of the 1More Stylish connection when testing. No matter where I went – from long runs to long bike trails and beyond – the headphones stayed true to my Oneplus 6 middle-aged.

In terms of connectivity, 1More is still committed to providing the best possible wireless listening experience for the money, so it has added aptX and AAC capabilities to the new Stylish so you can hear all your music in high quality.

1More Grammy winner Luca Bignardi hired to make sure these headphones reproduce the studio sound accurately.

Now that you can update the Stylish with volume controls via the 1More app – something you still can't do with AirPods – we are fully satisfied with the Stylish controls that let you play and pause music, and change tracks can (two forwards, one for back), answer calls or access Siri or Google Assistant.

The only thing missing is the ability to bring in the sounds of the outside world. With more expensive options like the Samsung Galaxy Buds and the Jabra Elite series, you can hear what's going on around you via external microphones on the headphones. This makes the Stylish less ideal for training environments where you may need to hear pedestrians or car horns, although I will say that I used them personally while commuting by bike because my music is so quiet that I have the world around me can hear around anyway through the thin rubber earplugs. As with the Powerbeats Pro, another solution is to connect only one earphone for heavy traffic.

Speaking of training: the headphones don't have an official IP rating for water or dust resistance, but 1More assured us that they are sweat and waterproof, and I didn't have any problems with the headphones even during my long – and very sweaty – runs.

1More stylish review Dan Baker / Digital Trends

Audio performance

The sound is relatively clean and dynamic, with the added benefit that aptX gives a certain clarity that many real wireless headphones lack regardless of price – although iPhone users don't get this benefit.

Compared to the Jabra Elite Active 65t and Apple AirPods, the Stylish had a greater sense of musical energy and space in my ears, making it more fun to hear overall.

I've been a huge fan of 1Mores Tuning since I got to know the company's outstanding triple driver model, and although the individual 7mm titanium composite drivers in style don't offer the same clarity or vibrancy across the frequency spectrum still say 1More cares a lot about how they sound.

In fact, the company commissioned Grammy-winning engineer Luca Bignardi to ensure that these headphones accurately reproduce the studio sound – a feat that I can personally say because I've checked some of my own home mixes for headphone accuracy.

With powerful bass and balanced mid and high frequency frequencies, the headphones sounded all the genres I listened to, from dynamic live jazz and country music to pop hits made in the studio, exactly as I expected. Sure, they don't have the same musicality as Sennheiser's $ 300 momentum radio model, but they sound more than decent at a third of the price (and they also offer better battery life and overall performance).

Warranty information

1More Stylish is guaranteed for one year from the date of the original retail purchase against defects in materials and workmanship.

Our opinion

With a sleek design, great battery life, and incredibly low price, the 1More Stylish are the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now.

Is there a better alternative?

The closest competitor in price is the Samsung Galaxy Buds with a battery life of six hours, an IPX2 rating, and a wireless charging case for $ 129. For $ 29 cheaper, we would still take the 1More model, whose charging case contains significantly more juice than the 7-hour case you get with the Galaxy buds, up to 30 minutes more battery life per charge, and with the same convenience Offer. For more options, check out our list of the best real wireless headphones.

How long it will take?

1More makes extremely solid products and we expect them to be no different. With regular use, they should last several years until the battery life deteriorates – as is the case with all real radio models.

Should you buy it

Yes. If you need a pair of wireless earbuds, be sure to add them to your shortlist. There are currently no products that come close to the 1More Stylish for $ 100, and very few that compete at higher prices themselves.