TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
4.5 STARS - The Haylou GT1 Plus is the most allround performing of the cheap Haylou wireless earbuds. It offers good call quality, comfort, and great sound.
Specs of the Haylou GT1 Plus:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX and AAC codec
IPX5 water proof (sweat and light rain resistant)
4,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips and micro-USB cable
$20 on GearBest, AliExpress or Amazon Europe - check current price!
Below, you will also find a mini-review of the Haylou GT1 Pro and a comparison between the Haylou GT1 Plus vs GT1 Pro.
You can also find a comparison of the Haylou GT1 Plus vs Haylou GT2, Edifier X3, SoundPEATS TrueDot, Haylou T15, QCY T5 and Ugreen CM338 TWS.
Update Januari 2021: As the quality of new TWS wireless earbuds keeps improving and there are more and more great models on the market, the overall score for this model has been adjusted from 5 to 4.5 stars
What about the Haylou GT1 Plus vs Haylou GT1-XR? Well - I've reached out to Haylou. It seems the battery capacity of the charging case is the only difference between the two models. They don't mention other changes.
Design, comfort and battery life
They must have mixed the names up. Haylou released two upgrade models for their successful original GT1. There's a version with the same internals as the GT1, but a bigger charging case. That one is called the GT1 Pro. And then there's an upgrade with a new chipset, which is the same in size as the original product... called GT1 Plus.
It's confusing, allright.
Front: Haylou GT1 Plus. Back: Haylou GT1 Pro
It's great that the Haylou GT1 Plus maintained the ultra-pocketable size of its predecessor. The charging case is so small, you can carry it easily in any pocket, yet it can still recharge the earpieces three times fully. The earpieces are the same as on the original GT1 and GT1 Pro. You could call their design bean-shaped; slightly oval squares that reside comfortable in your ears. It's best when you put them up straight in your ears, but when your ears are too small for it, it's also possible to 'hang' them in - they will remain tight.
The original Haylou GT1 was beloved for its compactness, and it's great that the GT1 Plus holds the same size. With the new Qualcomm QCC3020 chipset, battery life has improved to around 4,5 hours on a single charge, and three recharges from the charging case.
Connectivity and controls
The touch controls of the Haylou's respond well to your touch. They do it so well, you may accidentally control the earpieces when you just reposition them in your ears a bit.
The control scheme is convenient. A single tap plays or pauses the music, two taps on the right side advances a track; two taps on the left one makes you return a song. It's not possible to change the volume on the earpieces, unfortunately.
The connectivity is a weak spot of the GT1 Plus, unfortunately. The Bluetooth 5.0 signal holds reliable up to ten meters, but there are minor connection drops now and then. They mainly occur in the first minutes of using your earphones. A small downer other Haylou's and most competitors don't share.
Calling and watching movies with GT1 Plus
While the connectivity takes a hit, the Qualcomm QCC3020 chipset happily pays off when it comes to watching videos. On both iPhone and Android, videos play without noticeable audio delay, even in the always-challenging YouTube-app on iPhone. That's a performance unmatched by the other Haylou's.
There is a noticeable delay in the sound while playing games, unfortunately. Even though it's advertised with a low-latency chipset, it doesn't reach the same performance as the QCY T5 or KZ S1 hybrid.
The phone call quality of the GT1 Plus is also the best among the different Haylou's. It reduces noise from your surroundings steadily. Your voice sounds loud and clear, although wind noise can still make your voice disappear a bit. Overall, the GT1 Plus performs perfectly acceptable for earbuds this size and price.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $25
Sound quality of Haylou GT1 Plus
Left the Haylou GT1 Plus, on the right the SoundPEATS TrueDot
The sound quality of the GT1 Plus is balanced, with bass, mids, and highs all in line with each other. It's the best between the different Haylou's.
It's less bassy than the class-leading SoundPEATS TrueDot (these two have striking similarity in both the lower part of the case and the inner-parts of the earpieces; they must come rolling from the same factory band!), but still delivers a gentle, lovely bass thump. When called for, the sub-bass also shows a steady rumble.
The sound shouldn't be described as bassy, though, as both male and female vocals are also forwarded and balance out the sound nicely. The GT1 Plus can even be called mid-centric, with instruments like pianos and guitars sounding present and natural. Kicks and slaps are a bit emphasized, but nothing too annoying.
In the highs, the GT1 Plus finds the right balance. It shows plenty of detail in higher-pitched vocals, violins, and cymbals, but it doesn't enter harsh territory. In other words: no need to change the volume here when a drummer starts molesting high-hats.
The Haylou GT1 Plus doesn't have a very airy sound. The soundstage is average, with the music surrounding you, but still sounding quite closeby. Details do come from different directions, and layers and instruments are well separated, too. In higher quality recordings, it's also possible to place the instruments around you.
The Haylou GT1 Plus is the most balanced and all-round sounding Haylou, but better yet: it's an excellent sounding earphone for a very attractive price.
Verdict
With its lovely compact size, decent 4,5 hours of battery life, and its balanced, excellent sound quality - the Haylou GT1 Plus is a great choice for wireless earphones under 25 dollars.
4.5 stars - Great
Buy Haylou GT1 Plus/ check current price:
Mini-review and Comparison:
Haylou GT1 Plus vs GT1 Pro
Left to right: Haylou GT1 Plus, GT1 Pro and T15
The Haylou GT1 Pro has the same internals as the original Haylou GT1, but has a noticeable bigger charging case, capable of recharging the earpieces around seven times fully.
The GT1 Pro has a slight audio delay when watching YouTube-videos on the iPhone and a significant delay when playing games. Its call quality is also inferior. While wind noise is reduced well, your voice sounds a bit metallic, and even distant slaps and bangs compete heavily with your voice.
The connectivity is better on the Pro than on the Plus, however, as connection drops are rare.
Sound quality-wise, the GT1 Plus sounds more refined than the GT1 Pro. The Pro sounds flatter and less detailed than the Plus. Vocals appear tinnier, and mids sound a bit recessed. It also has less bass definition, yet left-right separation is better than on the GT1 Plus. The original Haylou GT1 and thus the GT1 Pro is a good-sounding earphone, but it has been surpassed by the GT1 Plus and many other competitors.
The Haylou GT1 Pro is a good cheap wireless earphone - but unless you need its bigger battery case, the Haylou GT1 Plus is the preferred, better sounding option.
As this is the most extensive review I will write about the Haylou GT1 Pro, here are the review subscores:
Design, comfort and build quality: 4/5
Controls and connectivity: 4/5
Calling and watching videos: 2/5
Sound quality: 4/5
VERDICT:
Other Haylou Gt1 Plus comparisons
Haylou GT1 PLus vs Haylou T19
Added July 23, 2020: The newly released Haylou T19 isn't as compact as the Haylou GT1 Plus: it has earpieces with a stem and the case is noticeably larger. Soundwise, it builds upon the balanced sound of the GT1 Plus, however. The T19 still sounds balanced, but also delivers more power in the bass, and more extended highs, to provide more vocal detail. Even mids are more outspoken. The T19 gives instruments like guitars, piano, and vocals more body and detail, with better placement in the soundstage as a bonus. If money and size aren't an issue, the Haylou T19 may now be the better option.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs Haylou T15
The slightly different-shaped Haylou T15 has a much bigger charging case than the GT1 Plus, delivering up to 15 (!) recharges from the earpieces. It also has an option to power your smartphone with the USB-port in it. The T15 also has more opened-up upper-mids, giving more room to guitars and higher-pitched vocals. Classical pieces and rock sound better on the T15 than on the Plus, although the T15 can sound a bit thin on higher volumes. The GT1 Plus has a more balanced sound for most genres, more warmth due to its elevated lower-mids and is way better for phone calls and watching videos.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs Haylou GT2
The Haylou GT2 differs from the other Haylou's. Not in price, but in features. It has actual buttons instead of touch panels and comes in a charging case with an attached USB charging cable, but without a charging port and a lid. The GT1 Plus has more extended highs, making it sound airier. The GT2 has a warmer sound, thanks to those earlier rolled-off highs and a tad more emphasis on the lows. The GT2 can sound a little shouty on treble-intensive tracks, however, where the GT1 Plus keeps in control. The Haylou GT1 Plus wint on practical aspects, too. It can get louder on Android, has YouTube-video-sync on iPhone (unlike the GT2) and delivers better call quality.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs SoundPEATS TrueDot
It totally looks like the Haylou GT1 Plus and SoundPEATS TrueDot come from the same manufacturing line. The charging case is almost the same, and so are the inner-parts of the earpieces. It's good to know they sound different - with the TrueDot having an advantage.
The TrueDot delivers a more dynamic sound, with more extended highs and a bigger, more layered bass section. It has a wider soundstage with more precise instrument placement, and instrument tonality is more natural. The GT1 Plus sounds more balanced and a bit brighter, doing vocals a favour. It handles videos better too. The TrueDot is slightly better for phone calls and has a better connection.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs Edifier X3
Added June 19, 2020 - The newly released and top-rated Edifier X3 has a richer, more vivid sound than the Haylou GT1 Plus. The X3 brings in more body and definition in the bass and lower-mids, and vocals are more emphasized and clear. The Edifier sounds more artificial and engaging, the Haylou GT1 Plus more natural. Battery life on the X3 is +-2 hours better, however. Call quality is also better - and the case is just as lovingly compact.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs Ugreen CM338 TWS
The Ugreen CM338 TWS is another competitor for the same price, with a delightful small case and tiny earpieces. It sounds less balanced and natural than the GT1 Plus. But it does sound more joyful - dynamic, thanks to a bigger emphasis on the bass and lower-mids. Both have comparable spaciousness in the sound, although placement on the GT1 Plus is a bit better. The Plus also handles calls and watching videos better.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs QCY T5
The $25 QCY T5, which can be considered balanced with elevated upper-mids and highs, seems surprisingly bassy in comparison to the GT1 Plus. Its bass is fatter and more present. The bass of the GT1 Plus doesn't kick in as fast, but when it does, it sounds tighter than that of the T5. Upper-mids and vocals have more impact too, with vocals coming in clearer. The center-mids, like pianos and guitars, however, are more emphasized and sound more lifelike on the T5. It's tossing a coin between these two. Battery life is comparable; the QCY T5 has a nifty low-latency mode for gaming as a nice addition.
Haylou GT1 Plus vs QCY QS1/ QS2
If you still have the QCY QS1 or QS2 as a reference point for cheap wireless earbuds, it's great to know that the Haylou GT1 Plus does sound noticeably better. It maintains the balanced signature of the QCY's, but still makes each frequency stand out more. The bass shows more definition, highs are more forward and mids have more detail. The QS1 and QS2 sound a bit distant, repressed and even too flat in comparison. While it still sounds good! It shows just how much this industry is changing. The GT1 Plus is better on all aspects.
I bought the Haylou GT1 Plus and Haylou GT1 Pro myself for testing and review purposes. 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 If you like, you can also donate to me.
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