TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - The SuperEQ Q1 Pro wireless earbuds have excellent ANC active noise cancelling on a budget, but this TWS could use more refinement in looks and controls.
SuperEQ Q1 Pro specs:
Bluetooth 5.0
IPX4 waterproof (splash and sweat proof)
5 - 6 hours playtime (ANC on/off)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 2 times
Comes with three ear tips and USB-C cable
$45 - Buy on OneOdio SuperEQ site (use SUPER20% for 20% off)
Below this SuperEQ Q1 Pro review, you will find comparisons of the SuperEQ Q1 Pro vs Tronsmart Onyx Apex, Realme Buds Air 2, Realme Buds Air 2 Neo.
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Design, comfort and battery life
The SuperEQ Q1 Pro by OneOdio is not a sexy product. It has a slightly awkward name and the black plastic case looks and feels cheap, partly due to the cheesy brand logo. It is slim enough to slide into any pocket, however, and the four LED lights on the front that indicate the remaining case battery are also convenient.
The earbuds themselves aren't beauties as well. The Q1 Pro wears metallic grills that don't have any function to prevent the stem-design earbuds from looking too generic. The result looks, again, very cheap.
Happily, the earbuds are better inside your ears. The round mound makes them comfortable to wear and places them securely in medium-sized ears.
The specs and features are decent. The buds last around 5 hours on a single charge with ANC on, slightly more than average for ANC earbuds on this budget. They also withstand some splashes and light rain, thanks to their IPX4 waterproof rating. The case can recharge the earbuds fully twice before needing new power itself.
Controls and connectivity
The SuperEQ Q1 Pro has a basic control scheme you'll learn quickly, but it lacks logical functions:
Tap L or R to play/ pause music
Hold L or R to switch between ANC and Transparency mode
Triple-tap L or R to activate the voice-assistant
It seems like OneOdio completely forgot to attach controls to a double-tap. This way, it's not possible to either switch tracks or change volume on the earbuds - very inconvenient. The upside is that controls are the same on both earpieces.
Connectivity on the Q1 Pro is solid. The Bluetooth connection holds up to 10 meters away from your device, and it's possible to switch from listening to one or two earbuds all the time. There's an attempt to automatically pause music when you take an earbud out of your ears and resume when you put it in again, but it doesn't always work - sometimes it even pauses when you put an earbud in.
Calling and watching movies
The SuperEQ plays video well, with flawless synchronization between audio and video on Android and iPhone. There is a noticeable delay in sound effects when you're playing games, however.
Taking a call with the Q1 Pro is doable indoors. Your voice has a typical telephone-like clarity and can be a bit thin, but things become challenging in crowded outdoor situations. When the earbuds need to reduce background sounds like chatter, accelerating vehicles, or wind, it can sometimes drown your voice as much as your surroundings. Calling, therefore, is a bit hit-and-miss.
For video calls like Microsoft Teams and Zoom meetings, your voice sounds loud and clear; it outweighs constant noises in the background. Sudden sound effects like door slammings, however, come through loud.
ANC Noise cancelling test of SuperEQ Q1 Pro
The SuperEQ Q1 Pro lets you switch between ANC active noise cancelling and Transparency mode. Switching goes quick enough, by long-tapping the earbuds. An English voice prompt introduces the function you just activated. Sadly, it's not possible to turn ANC off.
ANC mode quality: The SuperEQ has the Transparency mode activated by default, and you might think it's worthless at cancelling noise around you. But it's not. As soon as you switch, the Q1 Pro does a tremendous job of filtering out noise around you. It cancels higher notes impressively, whether it's chatter or laughter from a little distance, traffic in the background, or the clacking of keys on your keyboard. Even when you clap your hands right in front of you, it sounds dampened. Darker tones are still audible, but these too are heavily reduced in volume. And because darker tones are easier on the ear than brighter ones, the SuperEQ can really bring some rest to your head.
Transparency mode quality: The Transparency mode, which should let you hear sounds around you on moments you want it, has a very natural put-through when you activate it. Voices and vehicles don't sound too metallic or bright either. The effect is strong enough to hear traffic when you're playing music on moderate volume, but you may want to take an earbud out to hear a conversation.
Wind noise reduction: While ANC and Transparency mode filter out wind noise decently, you can still have too much wind noise in your music when you're running or cycling with these. Unfortunately, it's not possible to deactivate the function.
Also read: The best wireless ANC earbuds
Sound quality of SuperEQ Q1 Pro: Loud
Right when you activate the ANC, it is apparent how much bass the SuperEQ throws in.
There's a thick thumping mid-bass, which slams and bloats as easily in electronic and dance songs, as easier-going genres. The sub-bass happily joins the party, and can rumble loosely. The Q1 Pro doesn't have the tightest or quickest bass presentation, but it's sure to please lovers of a strong bass.
Even though there's a strong bass and lower mid-tones like darker electronic tones, drums, and darker guitar play are emphasized, the SuperEQ doesn't sound overly warm. There's a fairly natural coloration to the music.
Things start to get a bit tricky in the higher frequencies. Female or brighter male vocals roll off before they can sound too bright or harsh, but this reduces so much space for them; vocals can sound thin and metallic. Darker male and female voices are barely pushed forward and can have a hard time outweighing instruments around them.
There's a bit of graininess in the sound that prevents the Q1 Pro from sounding very clear, and the tonality seems off at times. Don't expect an abundance of detail either, music is somewhat airy with accents from your left and right, but it's hard to place instruments around you.
The SuperEQ sound isn't very balanced. It aims for fun, and if you like a thick, pumping bass, you may be happy to know the Q1 Pro can get loud - very loud too.
SuperEQ Q1 Pro comparisons
SuperEQ Q1 Pro vs Realme Buds Air 2
The SuperEQ Q1 Pro and Realme Buds Air 2 are somewhat similar when it comes to sound. Both combine an energetic mid-bass thump with a tonality right in the middle of warm and cold. However, the Realme does sound more clean and balanced than the shoutier and vocally cut-off Q1 Pro. While the SuperEQ has stronger ANC, Realme's Transparency mode is better at letting you hear conversations around you. Plus, conversations are a forte of the Buds Air 2: phone calls and video calls are better than on the SuperEQ.
SuperEQ Q1 Pro vs Realme Buds Air 2 Neo
The word 'Neo' makes a difference for Realme, as this is a totally different earphone. Along with the SuperEQ, it delivers the strongest ANC you can get at around 50 dollars. Both are lacking when it comes to phone calls, and battery life is average on both. While the controls on the Neo are also limited, they are clever: as they don't have a touch command attached to a single tap, you can easily lay on your side with them - which is further helped by the design of the earbud. The Realme is more sleep-proof, and sounds fuller and more detailed, although its vocals can get peakier and more harsh.
SuperEQ Q1 Pro vs Tronsmart Onyx Apex
Thanks to the fuller lower-mid tones and warmer tonality, the Tronsmart Onyx Apex has an even 'thicker' sound than the SuperEQ. Even though it can bloat a bit, the Tronsmart bass is less boomy. ANC is much more effective on the SuperEQ, as it reduces more sounds from your surroundings and has better wind noise reduction. The Onyx Apex looks and feels better, it has more and better controls, and it's easier to take a phone call with them.
Verdict
The SuperEQ Q1 Pro wireless earbuds have excellent ANC active noise cancelling on a budget, but this TWS could use more refinement in looks and controls.
Four stars - Good
Buy SuperEQ Q1 Pro/ check price:
Buy SuperEQ Q1 Pro from the OneOdio website (use SUPER20% for 20% off)
I received the OneOdio SuperEQ Q1 Pro from the manufacturer to test and review. 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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