TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
4.5 STARS - The 1more PistonBuds or Omthing AirFree is a great pair of ultra-cheap wireless earbuds, delivering comfort, great call quality, and pleasant sound. Battery life could be better.
1more PistonBuds/ Omthing AirFree specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
IPX4 waterproof rating (light rain and sweat resistant)
3,5 - 4 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips and USB-C cable
$25 on AliExpress (possibly cheaper here) or Amazon US - check latest price!
Below this Omthing AirFree/ 1more PistonBuds review, you will find comparisons between the Omthing AirFree vs 1more ColorBuds, Edifier X3, SoundPEATS TrueDot, and Haylou T19.
Update February 12, 2021: The 1more PistonBuds/ Omthing Airfree turns out to be great for video calls as well. The video and call score has increased from 4,5 to 5 stars.
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Design, comfort and battery life
So far, 1more's wireless earphone attempts have been decent to great, the 1more Stylish TWS, 1more ColorBuds, and the surprisingly detailed 1more ECS1029BT - but especially the first two have cheaper competitors that are just as good.
That's probably why 1more launched its subbrand Omthing: to have a slice of that low-budget pie. The Omthing AirFree is available between 20 and 30 dollars - half or one-third of the Stylish and ColorBuds.
Update January 2021 - Well, look at that; the Omthing Airfree is also available as 1more PistonBuds now. This is a review for them both.
For this little money, the Omthing AirFree still looks decent enough. Its charging case isn't the tiniest but thin enough to slide in any pocket. The lid closes with a magnet and it gets new power via USB-C. Unfortunately, there aren't LED-lights on the case to indicate the current charge.
The Omthing earbuds consist of a tiny stem that barely sticks out of your ears. On the inside, the earbuds are oval-shaped with a big round bump. The AirFree follows the shape of your ears so well, they fit snugly in your ears, and it can even take some hassle taking them out. These buds are lightweight and comfortable, and they even stay in perfectly during runs or other workouts. The IPX4 waterproof-rating for light rain and sweat helps in this regard.
Sadly, the LED-light on top of the earbud flashes during music playback. It doesn't fire too often, and its light is subtle, but it's still annoying when you're using these in the dark.
The battery life of the Omthing AirFree/ 1more PistonBuds is slightly below average, but still enough for commuting. It will get you around 3,5 to 4 hours of playtime on a single charge on low to medium volume. The case can recharge them four times fully before needing new power itself.
Connectivity and controls
While their Omthing brand is a fresh start, 1more didn't experiment with more touch controls than their regular models. As a result, the controls are once again minimal.
Tap twice on R to pause/ play music
Tap twice on L to activate the voice assistant
That's it. Sadly, there are no controls to change tracks or change volume on the earbuds.
The Bluetooth connectivity on the Omthing AirFree is stable up to ten meters away from your device, and you can continue listening to one earpiece while charging the other. If you only want to use the left earbud, its double-tap gets the play/ pause function instead of the voice assistant - clever!
Like on the 1more ColorBuds, it can take 2-5 seconds before the earbuds find each other after taking one bud or both buds out of the case. Sometimes, the buds play music right away, but it takes another two seconds for the connection established-sound effect. Strange, but not a dealbreaker.
Calling and watching movies
Watching videos with the Omthing AirFree or 1more PistonBuds is a blast on both iPhone and Android. Audio goes perfectly in sync with the video, even in the challenging YouTube-app. There is noticeable delay in sound effects when playing games, as is the case on most wireless earbuds.
Taking a phone call with the Omthing AirFree is convenient as well. Your voice has that typical bright-telephone vibe, sounding clear. It fares well in both quieter and more noisy areas, as sounds around you are reduced greatly. Background noises like a constant traffic road are perfectly ruled out, but a passing train or scooter can be identifiable and peak a little in between your conversation. However - as your voice remains loud, it's certainly doable to have a call with this TWS inside and outdoors.
It's not just phone calls either. Video calls like Zoom-meetings also fare well on these earbuds, putting your voice through clear and stable.
Also read: The best earbuds under $25!
Sound quality of Omthing AirFree/ 1more PistonBuds: Impressive!
By its wired and wireless earphones, it's clear that 1more has some talented sound designers. The 1more PistonBuds and Omthing AirFree benefits from this too.
Like 1more-branded models, the AirFree has a fluent sound through all frequencies, without weird peaks anywhere. The sound immediately feels logical - natural.
Compared to other 1more models, the PistonBuds/ Airfree does have more bass. There's a fierce mid-bass slam to empower demanding genres like hip-hop and dance, but it's not the boomy kind; the fat bass-slam that overpowers the rest of the music. The bass goes a little deeper and attacks a little faster than the typical strong Beats-like thump; its quality further strengthened by the sub-bass that provides depth and knows how to rumble too. Expect ear-shakings from songs that enjoy releasing the sub-bass, like James Blake's Limit to Your Love.
The lower-mids also enjoy extra weight. Darker electronic tones and drums enjoy above-average presence, and mid-instruments like guitars and piano tends towards the lows a bit; they're on the warmer side of neutral. The space in the higher frequencies is limited, but female and higher-pitched male vocals sound upfront, prominent enough to balance things up. The good thing about this, is that music doesn't easily sound harsh or too sharp - but it can come across a bit dark.
The Omthing has a decent soundstage with effects coming from your left and right, but instruments cannot always be placed precisely. Still, there's a solid level of detail from the lows to the highs. Don't be afraid of volume, too: this TWS can go extremely loud on both iPhone and Android.
The Omthing AirFree/ 1more PistonBuds has plenty of bass and lows to please bass lovers and plenty of vocal presence and detail to sound balanced. Even though it can be a bit dark, it's a lovely listen.
Want to improve the sound further?
Always check out the different sized ear-tips in the box. If you feel the bass, you have the right size!
Try increasing the treble in an equalizer - it will add air to the sound!
Omthing AirFree comparisons
Omthing AirFree vs Edifier X3
The Edifier X3 is another stunning budget TWS with great versatility: it has great call clarity, 6 hours battery life, and while the case is as thin as the Omthing's, it's even more compact. Even though the Edifier has micro-USB, its specs can barely be beaten for the price. The Edifier does sound quite a bit brighter than the Omthing, with more focus on the treble. Higher-pitched vocals sound more detailed on the X3, but also a bit splashy at times. The AirFree stays on safer ground by rolling-off the highs earlier. It still gives vocals and highs enough presence but sounds smoother and more balanced, with more detail and power in the sub-bass as well.
Omthing AirFree vs SoundPEATS TrueDot
The $25 SoundPEATS TrueDot is still a Scarbir.com TWS reviews favorite, with compact earbuds, a pocketable case, also 3,5 hours of battery life, and most importantly: great sound quality. The TrueDot has a bigger soundstage with more airiness, more precise instrument placement, and more detail in the mid-tones. It has a harder bass slam, but its bass can also can become too boomy when songs boost the bass out of themselves. The Omthing has a deeper, less in-your-face bass-slam, but rumbles just as easily. The AirFree has less presence in the mids and highs and sounds less detailed, but still sounds lovely natural. The Omthing call quality is also better.
Omthing AirFree vs QCY T5
The QCY T5 is a highly populair set of super affordable wireless earbuds, coming in at around the same 25 dollars. It's loved for the comfort and Gaming Mode and its balanced sound with strong bass. The QCY has an airier sound, surrounding vocals and higher-pitched instruments with more space. Its bass is also a bit thicker. The AirFree bass, however, is tighter, and offers more pronunciation. Individual instruments in the lower-mids have more impact on the Omthing, and drums sound more lifelike. These are both balanced and impressive performers, both equiped with around 3,5 hours battery life per charge. The Omthing has better video playback and call quality; the QCY throws in a gaming mode.
Omthing AirFree vs Haylou T19
At $30, the Haylou T19 is one of the best sounding cheap earphones on the market. It has more opened-up mids and highs than the Omthing, resulting in more nuances in vocals and instruments such as cymbals and violins. Instruments in the mids sound more lifelike on the Haylou as well, and the bass-thump competes with that of the AirFree. The Omthing sounds smoother, yet resolves more detail in the lows, like darker male vocals. It also lacks the sharpness the Haylou can have. Both models' connectivity and controls are comparable, and comfort is great on both - but the Haylou T19 does offer 1,5 hours more battery life per charge.
Omthing AirFree vs 1more ColorBuds
Since Omthing is a subbrand of 1more, a comparison with the $80 1more ColorBuds is in order. They both have solid call quality and video playback and share the longer-than-average time it takes for the earbuds to find each other and your device. However, the 1more ColorBuds needs an update from an (Android-only, nowhere communicated) app to work as good as the Omthing does out of the box. The AirFree is a more convenient product. That said - the ColorBuds has better battery life and even better comfort. It also has a more natural sound, with more vivid mids and more air around the higher notes. The Omthing, however, has a stronger bass and warmer lower-mids, which is the exact thing many people seem to be looking for.
Omthing AirFree vs Mpow Mbit S
There's another brilliant new $25 TWS on the market! Mpow Mbit S has 6 hours battery life, but gives in on video sync on iPhone. With the volume up, the Mpow has a stronger pumping bass and more vivid sound than the Omthing, due to more prominent vocals and upper-mids. While the AirFree bass is more detailed, the Mpow may be a little more uplifting still. There's more airiness in the sound on the Mpow, too - it just feels more 'around' you. The AirFree does sound more balanced, however - with more nuances in mid-instruments and detail in its lower-mids. The Mpow has more controls, including changing tracks and volume.
Verdict
The 1more PistonBuds or Omthing AirFree is a great pair of ultra-cheap wireless earbuds, delivering comfort, great call quality, and pleasant sound. Battery life could be better.
4.5 stars - Great
Buy Omthing AirFree/ 1more PistonBuds:
Buy Omthing AirFree on AliExpress - alternative link
I bought the Omthing AirFree to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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Also read:
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
