TWS true wireless earphones - under $150
4.5 STARS - At $90 to $130, the Edifier TWS NB is an affordable wireless earphone with solid ANC Active Noise Cancellation, smooth sound, and excellent battery life.
Edifier TWS NB specs:
Bluetooth 5.0 with Qualcomm QCC3026 chip and AptX codec
IPX4 water proof (splash and sweat resistant)
5 hours listening with ANC; 9+ hours with ANC off
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 5 sets ear tips, 2 sizes ear wings and a USB-C charging cable
$130 on Amazon US, Amazon Europe or other Amazon stores - check current price!
Below this review you can find direct comparisons between the Edifier TWS NB vs Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, Apple AirPods Pro, Edifier TWS6, Xiaomi Airdots Pro ANC and Bonola ANC.
Update July 15, 2020: The 20Decebel ANC/ Tozo NC9 is on the market, delivering more comfort and comparable noise cancelling quality at a lower price. As a result, the score from the Edifier TWS NB has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars overall.
Design, charging and comfort
First things first: it's hard to describe the Edifier TWS NB as good looking. Even though both the charging case and earpieces look quite expensive in matte gold, they are plain big. Big, as in: 'What the heck are you wearing in your ears?' You're bound to get some looks.
The earpieces consist of two parts: a large matte gold-plated piece with a button on top, a microphone that records the environment for the ANC, and a large LED-light. This part sticks almost a centimeter out of your ears (!), thanks to the big round tunnel attached to it. This circular tunnel then continues into the rubber ear-tip that goes in your ears.
It's not very elegant, but at least this design makes room for plenty of battery. The Edifier TWS NB earpieces can reach more than 9 hours with ANC off, and about 5 hours with ANC on. That's more than the $250 Apple AirPods Pro. In a quieter area? Switch the ANC off and the Edifier TWS lasts an entire workday. Outstanding.
Of course, such large earpieces ask for a big charger as well. It's hardly pocketable with 8,5 x 4 x 3 centimeters, but at least it's sturdy. You can charge it via USB-C in the back, where there are four subtle LED-charging lights in the corner. It can recharge the earpieces three times fully. The lid feels solid, and there are little gates that ensure the earpieces stay in place - and always connect to the magnets in the case. Wow, that's clever design right there.
Beautiful? Hardly. Powerful? Yes.
Connectivity and controls
The Edifier TWS NB controls with a button on top of the earpieces, which is excellent, as you won't push the earbuds deeper into your ears each press. The button responds fast to your touch as well.
A single press plays or pauses the music. A longer press on the right one lets you skip a track; return a song with a long-press on the left bud. It's not possible to change the volume: you can instead use the double-tap function to switch between the noise reduction, ambient sound mode, and regular mode.
The connectivity on the Edifier TWS NB is robust. The Bluetooth 5.0 signal keeps its signal up to ten meters, including areas more crowded with wireless signals. The earphones connect and pair once you take them out of the case and it's also possible to swap between one and two earpieces, by putting one in the case temporarily. The one will just keep playing, while the other recharges.
Calling and watching movies on Edifier TWS NB
Watching videos with the Edifier TWS NB works smoothly. Audio syncs with video on both Android and iPhone, including the YouTube-app. Audio sounds great for watching shows or YouTubers, with plenty of bass and fullness in the sound, especially on higher volumes. There is a noticeable delay in sound effects when you're playing games.
Unfortunately, the call quality of the Edifier TWS NB is only suitable for silent areas.
You will hear the person you're calling with clear and full, but you will only sound the same in the quietest environments. When you're calling with ANC on, the Edifier picks up a lot of noise from your surroundings and passes it trough during a phone call. Even in lightly crowded areas, this makes calling a bit hard.
ANC Active Noise Cancellation on Edifier TWS NB
Even though the Edifier TWS NB delivers proper ANC active noise cancellation, Edifier describes the function as 'Noise reduction mode'. You reach it by two taps on the button, and an English voice prompt will tell you you've activated it. Switching off and on goes real fast, with a transparency mode in between.
Switching on the active noise cancellation; the ANC heavily reduces electrical hummings, buzzes, and traffic noises around you. Even when you're not playing music, the effect is noticeable and works better than the passive noise isolation on many other wireless earbuds. Like many other ANC headphones and earphones, voices and television screens up to around five meters are still audible, though. It's steady sounds that are reduced best.
The Edifier TWS NB active noise canceling may not work as well as the $300 headphones from Sony and Bose (or the terrific low-budget offering OneAudio A9), but it DOES compete with the Apple AirPods Pro. It reduces a lot of steady sounds around you, without giving you too much white noise in return. ANC works conveniently when playing music on the lowest volumes - and even when you don't play music at all.
With another two taps on the button, the Edifier has another trick up its sleeve. You then activate the transparency mode, which Edifier calls Ambient Mode. Unlike the name suggests, it's NOT a noise cancellation mode with calming artificial sounds, like some headphones implement the function. Instead, it's a transparency-mode to hear your surroundings through the music. Vocals, but also the traffic and other noises around, now come through clear and natural - with the volume level of the music only very slightly reduced. A great extra to the already convincing ANC possibilities.
App of Edifier TWS NB: welcome additions
You can connect the Edifier TWS NB to the Edifier Connect app available for Android and iPhone. The app could use an update. It's required to register for an Edifier account, and you have to log in sometimes again when you restart the app. Still, it's well worth it.
The app gives you the options to update the firmware on the Edifier, displays the battery life of the earpieces and lets you activate the ambient and noise reduction modes.
With the settings in the Edifier TWS NB app, you unlock new potential. Here you can turn off the blinking LED-lights on the earpieces (!), which is a lovely option.
You can also turn off the prompt tone when you're switching from sound mode, and even set up a timed shutdown for ten up to 90 minutes. Nifty. Unfortunately, the user manual is only available in Chinese, and there are no sound equalizers.
Sound quality of Edifier TWS NB: friend-to-all
So, with good noise-canceling while you're playing music - how does the music itself sound? To put it simply: it has a bit of a Bose-character. The Edifier TWS NB delivers a friendly, warm and consumer-friendly sound.
Note: the sound is almost the same with noise canceling on or off. That's why I don't describe the differences between the two settings.
If you're familiar with the typical Edifier-sound, it's good to know that the Edifier TWS NB sounds quite a bit warmer than it's siblings. Whereas the Edifier TWS5 seems a bit harsh, the Edifier TWS1 has a strange sort of cold retro-vibe, and the terrific and comparably priced Edifier TWS6 sounds remarkably cold; the TWS NB offers a laidback-sound in a little, warm blanket.
This starts at the vocals. Both male and female singers play a regular part in the music, instead of standing out and taking center stage. Voices sound warm, rather than bright. Only at high volumes, vocals take over the volume of the basslines.
The basses of the Edifier TWS NB do their part. Even more subtle bass-lines from songs are picked up by the Edifier and promoted to make your music punchy. The mid-bass has a laidback, but steady thump, pleasantly kicking in your ears. In songs like James Blake's Limit to your Love, the sub-bass delivers a kind rumble as well - although the bass rarely overstays its welcome.
The mids further build the warmth of the TWS NB. The Edifier takes bright and rough edges off of instruments such as guitars, pianos, saxophones, and drums and drags them towards the lows a bit. That is, without losing too much detail. Each instrument has its own position in the convincing soundstage. You can't always place them precisely, but separation between them is good.
The highs, such as high-pitched singers, vocals, or cymbals, are quickly rolled-off. Don't expect a lot of analytical detail or great natural tonality from them - this is a different approach.
The Edifier TWS NB delivers its music smoothed-out. It always sounds pleasant and friendly, with sweet amount of bass and lows. It's a warm, relaxing listen that happily supports you on your working day. In this case, the Edifier TWS NB passes with flying colours.
Selected Comparisons
Edifier TWS NB vs Apple AirPods Pro
The $250 Apple AirPods Pro is more comfortable and has a more pocketable case than the Edifier TWS NB. The ‘APP’ introduces its noise cancellation more subtly, whereas the Edifier kicks it off with a button press and a voice prompt. The Edifier reduces static noises and buzzes as good as Apple's offering. Soundwise, the AirPods Pro offers a somewhat darker sound, but presents vocals more pronounced. The Edifier has a more noticeable bass thump and sounds warmer. The AirPods Pro offers only 4,5 hours of battery life, however, versus 5 to 9 hours on the Edifier. The TWS NB is a great cheaper alternative.
Apple AirPods Pro mega test here
Edifier TWS NB vs Edifier TWS6
Edifier offers another pair of wireless earbuds for around $120. The Edifier TWS6 is a no-nonsense pair of earphones, without an app, noise-canceling, or even the option to skip tracks on the earpieces. What it does offer, is a more analytical sound, delivering more details, more pronounced vocals (although a bit thinner), a bigger soundstage, and better instrument placement. The TWS 6 does have a rather cold tonality, however - a big contrast with the warm and more friendly sounding TWS NB.
Edifier TWS NB vs Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
If you don't mind a $130 pair of wireless earbuds sticking out of your ears, you may already have (considered) the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro. It's designed more subtle, with more premium look-and-feel than the Edifier. The L2P doesn't provide active noise canceling, but it blocks surrounding noise passively quite okay. It also comes with a fantastic app that lets you adjust the sound. Out of the box, the Soundcore delivers a more spacious sound, with a wider soundstage. Its basses are heavier and vocals are more upfront. It also can sound a little more artificial, though, thanks these boosted frequencies. The Edifier makes vocals seem more natural and offers a more comforting listen.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro review here
Edifier TWS NB vs Fiil T1X
The excellent $65 Fiil T1X has a more natural tonality than the Edifier, reached mainly by the bigger presence of mids. Especially vocals are more prominent on the T1X. Both wireless earbuds have a likewise bass definition, but the NB bass kicks a bit more. The NB sounds fuller, warmer, and delivers a bigger soundstage. It's also more forgivable to bad recordings. The T1X adds great equalizer options from its app, the Edifier - of course - its solid noise cancelling.
Edifier TWS NB vs Lypertek Tevi
After installing a finnicky firmware update to this much-praised sub-$100 Lypertek Tevi wireless earbuds, the Tevi sounds a bit colder than the Edifier TWS NB. It has a deeper and darker sounding bass section, but offers less mids than the NB. Vocals are actually more forward on the Edifier, which also convinces with a bigger soundstage. Before the update, the Lypertek Tevi would have been brighter and less balanced than the Edifier; after the update the Tevi is darker and less balanced than its rival.
Edifier TWS NB vs Xiaomi AirDots Pro ANC
Costing two-thirds of the Edifier, Xiaomi offers its stem-design Airdots Pro with active noise cancellation. The ANC doesn't work nearly as good as on the Edifier; it takes away fewer sounds from your surroundings and introduces a very audible white noise. Musically, the Airdots Pro offer less bass, sound much brighter - and sometimes even unbalanced harsh. The Edifier TWS NB delivers a more easy-going sound, better battery life, and ANC.
No review of the Xiaomi Airdots Pro ANC (yet)
Edifier TWS NB vs Bonola ANC
The Bonola ANC doesn't offer the build quality or battery life of the Edifier, but at just $40, it's 4 hours battery life is forgivable. The Bonola, too, stick way out of your ears, but they're smaller and lighter to carry. The noise-canceling on the Edifier works way better and reduces static noises and background noise much more effectively. The Edifier TWS NB sounds more detailed, warm, and balanced than the Bonola ANC.
Verdict
When you're looking for a good Apple AirPods Pro alternative at a much lower price, you won't be disappointed with the Edifier TWS NB. With its warm and friendly sound, convincing noise canceling, and excellent battery life, this is a perfect companion for your workdays.
4.5 STARS - Great
Buy Edifier TWS NB/ check current price:
I bought the Edifier TWS NB for testing and reviewing purposes myself. 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
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