TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
THREE STARS - Bluedio barely learned from its mistakes from its previous wireless earbuds - but at least, the Bluedio T-Elf 2 may please people who dislike bass... or have smaller than average ears.
Specs of the Bluedio T-Elf 2:
Bluetooth 5.0
4 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips, micro-USB cable
$20 on AliExpress, Amazon US or Amazon Europe (check current price!)
At the end of this Bluedio T-Elf 2 review, you will see comparisons of the Bluedio T-Elf 2 vs KZ S1, Haylou GT2 and Tronsmart Spunky Beat.
Design, comfort and battery life
Bluedio's third attempt at true wireless earbuds still has the same, hugely annoying mistake the predecessors had: when you put the earpieces back in the case and they fully recharged, they automatically reconnect to your last paired device again.
Even in the rare circumstance they don't reconnect out of themselves, the tiniest movement from the charging case is enough to reactivate the earbuds.
The T-Elf 2 earbuds always reactivate their connection, stealing the sound from your device, and draining the battery from both your device and T-Elf 2 itself. An annoyance which only can be overcome by turning off Bluetooth on your device, or throwing the T-Elf 2 out of your Bluetooth list on your device.
With that out of the way... the earpieces of the T-Elf 2 are compact and go horizontally in your ears. They are so tiny, they are comfortable from the start, and they should fit smaller ears perfectly too. This may even be a great model for kids. The little fin on the earbuds is just about enough to keep them in bigger ears - but don't expect a very tight fit.
The charging case can be recharged via USB-C and has the same shape as the predecessor. When the earpieces are charged fully, they deliver around 4 hours of playtime. Just remind yourself to disconnect them from your Bluetooth list after every use...
Connectivity and controls of T-Elf 2
The T-Elf 2 automatically pauses playing when you take an earpiece out, and plays again after putting it in your ears again. In theory, that's a great feature for this price. The problem is, it has touch controls that respond very fast to your touch. So fast, you can barely readjust the earphones in your ears without pausing the music. The insane sensitivity makes it hard to control the earpieces properly. A long touch on the right bud increases the volume; on the left side you decrease the volume. Skipping a song is done by two taps on the right bud, returning a track done with two taps on the left one.
And, quite handy on this particular model: by pressing the two earpieces ten seconds, you disconnect them from your device. A must, considering the reconnecting issue.
The connectivity on the T-Elf 2 is quite decent. It holds a steady Bluetooth signal up to ten meters and fares good when standing still, walking, or standing still. It does have some hiccups in the connectivity in areas crowded with wireless signals.
watching videos, gaming and calling with T-Elf 2
Other features: audio-video synchronization is decent on the Bluedio T-Elf 2, even though there is a bit of audio delay when playing YouTube-videos on iPhone. Video playback fares good on Android devices and in services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
There is a very noticeable delay in the sound when playing games.
Calling is pretty doable indoors without too much surrounding noise. The call quality is heavily challenged by wind and traffic outside.
Sound Quality of Bluedio T-Elf 2
The sound quality part of this review should begin by mentioning Bluedio's strange choice of ear tips.
The different provided ear tips that come with the T-Elf 2 are suited only for small ears. The tips are so short in combination with the tiny earpieces; it's hard to get an ideal seal and hear the bass of the T-Elf 2. For many people, the T-Elf 2 will not have any bass at all.
The lack of lower frequencies - basslines but also drums and darker electronic tones - is crucial for musical genres demanding a bit of bass. Hip-hop, pop, and dance are difficult on the T-Elf 2, unless you have smaller than average ears.
Having space between your ear tip and your inner-ears, is a good thing for mids and higher tones, however - as they get actual room to breathe. Vocals, guitars, pianos, and string instruments sound fine on the T-Elf 2. More acoustic genres, such as jazz, blues, country, and singer-songwriters, are presented naturally, detailed, and are surrounded by air.
When you swap to deeper, bigger ear tips provided with other earphones, the amount of bass on the Bluedio T-Elf 2 increases, although it still offers rarely any lower-mids next to the bass slam. However: the tiny nozzle holding the rubber ear tips in place on the T-Elf 2 earbuds will cause many different ear tips to be left behind in your ears while you pull the earbuds out.
Long story short: if you don't have smaller-than-average ears, the Bluedio T-Elf 2 comes without bass and lower frequencies. In this sense, it's a unique proposition on the market: a TWS for people who dislike bass. Or kids, or people who have smaller than average ears.
Selected other comparisons
Bluedio T-Elf 2 vs Haylou GT2
or the same price as the Bluedio T-Elf 2, the Haylou GT2 delivers a better all-round sound, with impressive reproduction of instruments and vocals, and more presence of bass and lower frequencies.
Bluedio T-Elf 2 vs KZ S1
The $25 KZ S1 hybrid is even better. It delivers a balanced sound with way better representation of bass and lower tones than the T-Elf 2, without producing too much bass. It's both suitable for modern music genres and more acoustic and classical pieces. Review
KZ S1 hybrid and KZ S1D dynamic review
Bluedio T-Elf 2 vs Tronsmart Spunky Beat
Also for around $25, The Tronsmart Spunky Beat is a more all-round wireless earphone than the T-Elf 2, with better connectivity, better audio-video synchronization, and a (way!) more engaging sound, including a thumping bass and clear vocals.
VERDICT
Bluedio T-Elf 2 isn't a great product. It keeps connecting to your device, even when you don't want to use the earbuds. If you have smaller-than-average ears, need a pair of wireless earphones for your kids, or have bigger ears and honestly dislike bass; the T-Elf 2 may still be an okay choice, however.
Three STARS - worth considering
Buy Bluedio T-Elf 2 / check current price:
I bought the Bluedio T-Elf 2 myself to test and review. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
Also read:
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
