THREE STARS - Only months after the Redmi Buds 6-lineup, Xiaomi releases the Redmi Buds 7S. Unfortunately, these half-in-ear wireless earbuds haven't got a single thing particularly going for them.

Redmi Buds 7S and features:

• Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC codec

• IP54 waterproof rating (water and sweat proof)

• 6,5 hours playtime on a single charge

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: app support

• Doesn't have: ANC, multipoint connection, spatial audio, wireless charging

• Comes with USB-C cable, English manual

• $25 - $50 - Buy on AliExpress

In and underneath this Redmi Buds 7S review, you will find comparisons of the Redmi Buds 7S vs Redmi Buds 6 Active, Oppo Enco Air3, Huawei Freebuds 2 SE and Soundcore K20i.

I buy 70% of the tested earphones myself. Want to support my reviews? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.

Design, comfort and battery life

• It's only been a few months since Xiaomi released the latest models of its Redmi Buds 6-lineup of budget earbuds. A great lineup, with higher rankings on Scarbir.com than ever before.

• The highly affordable Redmi Buds 6 Active half-in-ears got the lowest score out of the bunch, yet still scored 4 out of 5 stars. What does the Redmi Buds 7 do to beat it?

• It looks quite good on paper. The Redmi Buds 7S boasts 6,5 hours of battery life on a single charge (instead of 5 hours on the 6 Active) and a higher IP54 waterproof rating - against IPX4 splashproof of the previous model.

• The charging case has the size of the regular Redmi Buds 6 rather than the 6 Active, meaning its bigger to carry. Available in white, black or mint green, its plastic lid has a faux-leather print seen on the back of old Samsung Galaxy phones.

• The case is bigger than all kinds of competitors, like the Huawei Freebuds 2 SE, SoundPEATS Air5 Lite, and Oppo Enco Air3.

• Like the Redmi Buds 6 Pro, the length of the charging LED-light on the case shows how much battery the case has left - a very neat trick. It can recharge the earbuds four times fully before needing new power via USB-C itself.

• It's the not the quickest recharging case, although 10 minutes of charging still give you 10 minutes of new playtime.

• Wireless charging isn't supported.

• Most important of all, the Redmi Buds 7S provide a snug and tight enough fit, while they're comfortable to wear for long periods of time. That's not a surprise, as these earbuds have the same shape as the 6 Active.

The Redmi Buds 7S provides a comfortable fit and good waterproof rating, but it comes in a case that is larger than most AirPods-like half-in-ears.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• The most important addition of the Redmi Buds 7S over the Redmi Buds 6 Active is the dual-device multipoint connectivity. You can connect the 7S to two devices at the same time.

• Unfortunately, the earbuds switch a bit too easy between your devices. Even when you don't actively push play on your other device, your earbuds may already jump to it. Xiaomi didn't fix this problem from the previous generation.

• You also need the Xiaomi Earbuds app for iPhone or Android (check the availability in your country before you buy!) to active the function.

• With the Xiaomi Earbuds app, you get the following features:

  • Check a battery indication of the L and R earbud

  • Choose between Balanced ANC, Deep ANC, and ANC off

  • Change the controls for the single, double, triple tap and hold command

  • Choose between four sound equalizer presets

  • (De)activate automatically picking up calls

  • (De)activate in-ear detection/ auto-pause music

  • (De)activate multipoint connection

  • (De)activate Dimensional audio, which tempts to place the music more ‘around’ you

  • Find your earphones by playing loud alarms on them

• It's great that you can fully customize the controls, letting you add volume controls to whatever type of controls you like. Being able to (de)activate auto-pause/play is convenient too.

Having the Xiaomi Earbuds app is mandatory to get the most out of the Redmi Buds 7S. Sadly, the multipoint connection is a bit oversensitive.

Phone and video calls

Calling with the Redmi Buds 7S fares better than with many previous earbuds from the band, but not under all circumstances.

• Your voice sounds natural and clear, and also has enough volume.

• Surrounding noise is left out of calls well; sounds of passing traffic, sudden sounds like door slams, and conversations are barely audible or totally inaudible on the line. They also don't make your voice dip too much.

• Walking around indoors when you're calling induces a bit of wind noise, but your voice doesn't dip too much because of it.

• With some actual wind, your voice immediately becomes much lighter and thinner - but even then, you're still audible.

Xiaomi finally stepped up their game when it comes to call clarity.

Video and games playback

• As you may expect from modern earbuds, video playback on the Redmi Buds 7S is flawless.

• When playing games, there's decent synchronization between sounds effects and the action on your screen. There is a slight delay in games still.

• In a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile, the earbuds show a moderate amount of spatial information. You can't place footsteps around you precisely, but you will clearly hear them coming from your left and right.

• Unfortunately, the shortcomings in the sound (more on that later) also apply to games: sound effects like gunshots and explosions lack impact.

ANC quality of the Redmi Buds 7S

The Redmi Buds 7S is the next Chinese budget half-in-ear wireless earphone that claims it has Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). Well…

• Boasting great ANC without rubber ear tips that enclose in your ears, is something that's still only managed by the Apple AirPods 4.

• The ANC on the Redmi Buds 7S is nearly a farce. On by default, it only shaves off some volume from constant background sounds - like the humming of a fridge or an AC unit, or wind chasing through trees.

• But there's still way too much noise left to call this Active Noise Cancelling usable.

• It can perhaps help you concentrate on the music a bit easier, but don't expect to get anymore out of this function.

The ANC on the Redmi Buds 7S is nearly a marketing lie.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Redmi Buds 7S

Xiaomi prides itself with a highly spatial sound on the Redmi Buds 7S, but forgot to add bass and balance out the sound.

• Do you know the sound that earbuds have when you have the wrong size of rubber ear tips for you? So the mids and highs are a bit too prominent and you don't really get a sense of the bass? That's the sound the Redmi Buds 7S has.

• There's a strong mid-bass slam, but the bass has very little weight. It doesn't feel full and doesn't feel deep.

• You may get more power from the bass when you actively push the earbuds in your ears - but for me personally, smiling once is enough to lose that tight fit and the bass weight again.

• Now, half-in-ears have a personal fit, so your mileage may vary, but the Redmi Buds 6 Active with the same shape of earbuds delivers a fuller bass with a regular fit, and so do almost all competitors.

• Many clip-ons earbuds that fail to produce a weighty bass, compensate for this with boosted lower mid-tones, so darker electronic tones and instruments give the music warmth and fulness. But that's not the case here. Lower-mids are textured, and kept at a natural level - not at all boosted.

• The Redmi Buds 7S instead focuses on the mids and treble, which are prominent and clear. Mid-tones like guitars and piano play sound crisp, and both female and male vocals are forward and appear natural.

• There's a big sense of space in the sound, with wonderful detail. Music feels further away from you than average, and not in a bad way. Especially in acoustic genres and classical pieces, music can sound airy, with details coming from your left and right.

• But at higher volumes (which start only halfway the volume bar on your phone with the Buds 7S!), the treble can run too hot. A little overbearing for comfortable listening.

• As always, the Xiaomi Earbuds app delivers a handful of alternative equalizers. Sadly though, the EQ presets don't find the perfect balance in the bass with the natural mids and airy treble - that really only happens when you push the earbuds further in your ears.

The Redmi Buds 7S has the potential to sound great, with textured lows, natural mids and a big, airy sound. But it seems Xiaomi applied this sound to earbuds that don't go deep enough in your ears for it - ultimately giving the Buds 7S an airy, but also a much too shallow sound.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

Redmi Buds 7S comparisons

Redmi Buds 7S vs SoundPEATS Air5 Lite

Coming off from the Redmi Buds 7S, listening to the SoundPEATS Air5 Lite feels like coming home.

Music on the SoundPEATS simply offers more comfort - with better controlled treble, a fuller and warmer vibe thanks to the boosted lower tones, and a deep and punchy mid-bass. The Redmi still has its specialties to go against it, though, as it sounds more open and more natural in the mids.

The Xiaomi has 1,5 hours per charge extra playtime and has a more stable fit, as the SoundPEATS moves inside and perhaps even out of your ears a bit easier. Both have clear calls and multipoint; the SoundPEATS has better controls out of the box and makes playing games a more immersive experience.

• SoundPEATS Air5 Lite

• $40 - $50 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress
  
  
  

Redmi Buds 7S vs Redmi Buds 6 Active

The Redmi Buds 6 Active is the previous release in half-in-ears from Xiaomi, and it costs half of the Redmi Buds 7S.

The Redmi Buds 7S continues on where the Buds 6 Active left off. The newer model offers 6,5 instead of 5 hours playtime per charge, has a higher IP54 instead of IPX4 waterproof rating, and adds multipoint connection too. AND clearer calls.

The Buds 6 Active has a sweeter, smaller charging case.

It's questionable if the Redmi Buds 7S is worth the higher price when you mostly listen to music. The Buds 7S has way more spaciousness and a sense of detail in the music, but as said, its treble can be a bit overbearing. That isn't the case on the Buds 6 Active, that mainly puts its effort in a mid-bass slam and boosted lower-mids. It sounds more comfortable.

• Redmi Buds 6 Active review

• $20 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Redmi Buds 7S vs Huawei Freebuds 2 SE

The Huawei Freebuds 2 SE doesn't have multipoint connection, but does come with 2,5 hours more playtime per charge than the Redmi Buds 7S.

The Redmi handles phone calls in the wind a tad better, the Huawei has a smaller case.

Comparing these two on sound, you'll notice the qualities of the Redmi Buds 7S. Its mids are clearer, there's better instrumental separation, and the sound feels bigger and more around you. The Freebuds 2 SE does have more bass weight, however, and boosts its lows further to create a more balanced sound.

• Huawei Freebuds SE 2 review

• $30 to $40 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Redmi Buds 7S vs Oppo Enco Air3

The Oppo Enco Air3 is over two years old by the time the Redmi Buds 7S releases, but it's still a better choice at the same price.

What the Redmi lacks in the lows, the Oppo immediately delivers. The Enco Air3 has a fuller mid-bass and more pronounced lower mid-tones, which give the music more warmth and more body. The Oppo may not have the spaciousness of the Redmi, but it's a much more balanced and comfortable listen.

The Oppo doesn't have ANC - just like the Redmi then - and competes on multipoint connection, customisable controls, and call quality. This oldie but goodie is still a better choice.

I've also reviewed the Oppo Enco R3 - check it out here.

• Oppo Enco Air3 review

• $30 - $60 on your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Redmi Buds 7S

The Redmi Buds 7S is a frustrating product. On one hand, the increased battery life, multipoint connection, and clearer calls are good additions to Xiaomi's previous budget half-in-ear wireless earbuds.

But at the same time, the brand concentrated on adding almost worthless Active Noise Cancelling instead of optimizing the potential great sound for the fit these earbuds provide.

There are better choices you can make for this price.

Three STARS - Worth considering

Buy Redmi Buds 7S/ Check lowest price

• Buy on AliExpress

I bought the Xiaomi Redmi Buds 7S myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FOUR STARS - The Earfun OpenJump sounds excellent and has a ton of great features, but its design may be too tricky for runs or challenging workouts.

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IPX7 waterproof rating (heavy rain, shower and sweat proof)

• 11 hours playtime on a single charge

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: App support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging, ANC

• Comes with USB-C cable and English manual

• $80 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

In and underneath this Earfun OpenJump review, you will find comparisons of the Earfun OpenJump vs Acefast Acefit Air. It's also my first review with a dedicated Sports Test!

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

• The Earfun OpenJump has a large slab or charging case that houses the earbuds. It's not too thick or chunky, but still a bit too big to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket.

• The earbuds themselves look better than the scratch-happy charging case. The visible earpiece has a neat looking combination of grey and metallic elements - it doesn't look too cheap. The rest of the design is black and made from a rubber that doesn't annoy.

• The OpenJump has a compact, round earpiece that leans somewhere against or near your inner ear. It then has a soft and very flexible bridge over your ears, which ends up in a heavier stem you put behind your ears.

• It's very comfortable to wear, and that's a good thing, because you can for hours on end, thanks to its massive 11 hours battery life.

• The earbuds also wear an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning they can withstand sweat, heavy rain and even a shower.

The case of the Earfun OpenJump is too chunky and a scratch-magnet at that, but its 11 hours battery life and IPX7 waterproof rating are outstanding.

sports test of Earfun OpenJump

As comfortable as the OpenJump is, its fit is not as suited for all kinds of sports.

• Due to the very flexible bridges, the speaker part can bounce against your ear when you run with them.

• For me personally, this bouncing is more annoying than the thumping in-ears can sometimes give when running. After running 3 miles, I felt a constant need to readjust the earbuds, and even take them off my ears completely.

• To ensure this bouncing isn’t just a personal matter, I asked four friends to wear and test these too - just like I did with clip-on earbuds around 50 dollars and clip on-earbuds around 25 dollars.

• The results were… not good. A friend also noticed the earpiece bouncing against the ear, and two other friends stated the fit felt too loose to use them during workouts like climbing or fitness.

• They do withstand wind noise well. You can hear wind noise with a metallic edge, but it doesn't interfere with your music too much.

• Earfun OpenJump sports performance for:

  • Running: Speaker bounces too much against your head

  • Working out / climbing: Fit is too loose to feel safe

  • Cycling: Great comfort, blocks wind noise well enough

The Earfun OpenJump are comfortable for cycling, but have a suboptimal fit for other types of sports.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• While sports earbuds may not have to, the OpenJump comes with dual-device multipoint connection, meaning you can connect it to two devices at the same time. Switching is done by receiving a phone call, or pausing on one device and playing on the other.

• Standard Bluetooth connectivity is good too - with a reliable Bluetooth connection up to around 10 meters away from your device(s).

• The Earfun responds very quickly to your input. The entire round part of the earpiece is touch-sensitive, causing you to quickly increase or decrease the volume (single tap) or play/ pause (double-tap) by accident. Happily, you can deactivate certain controls in the Earfun app.

• The Earfun app for iPhone and Android brings some useful features to these earbuds:

  • Change the controls completely to your liking

  • Disable controls

  • (De)activate the Gaming Mode

  • (De)activate the Theater Mode for a wider sound

  • Choose from a dozen equalizer presets

  • Manage your connected devices

  • Choose between a more stable connection, or the LDAC codec

  • (De)activate auto shutdown timers

  • Update the firmware

• For sports purposed, actual buttons could have been a better choice than touch panels; these can be harder to operate with a sweaty finger.

Multipoint connection, volume controls and multiple good app options: The Earfun OpenJump absolutely doesn't back down on features.

Phone and video calls

Getting a call while you're running? That shouldn't be a problem.

• The microphones of the Earfun OpenJump pick up your voice loud and clear, in a natural manner too.

• Even when there's quite a bit of noise in the background - like chatter or heavy traffic - your voice rises above it.

• The Earfun even handles a bit of wind noise well, although your voice may lose its clarity every now and then.

The Earfun Open Jump delivers surprisingly good call quality, both indoors and outside.

Video and games playback

• Playing videos with the Earfun OpenJump is a flawless experience, with lipsync performance in YouTube and other streaming services on both iPhone and Android phones.

• We're not running out of surprises here: these earbuds are also great for gaming. With the Gaming mode you can either activate from the app or the earbuds directly, the sound synchronizes fluently with the action on your screen.

• Turn on the Theater mode from the app, and it gets even better: it lets you hear where footsteps, gunshots and explosions are taking place in a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile.

• The Theater mode is also great for increasing immersion in Hollywood blockbusters or shows.

• The Gaming mode + Theater mode combination was great on the Earfun Air 2 NC, and continues to impress here.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Earfun OpenJump

Earfun proves you can squeeze great sound out of speakers that are still millimeters away from ear canal.

• As almost all clip-on earbuds for $50 and clip-on earbuds for $25 have proved before: it's hard to get the sound of outer-ear speakers right.

• But… what the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro did for clip-ons, the Earfun OpenJump does for open earbuds. This is a highly entertaining listen.

• The mid-bass isn't very impressive by itself. So far away from your ear canal, the mid-bass consists of a gentle slam at best.

• It compensates for it with fulness in the overall lows. Lower mid-tones are boosted, and provide the music with warmth and smoothness.

• Center mid-tones like guitar and piano play sound natural - not too recessed, not too warm or bright.

• Vocal reproduction is excellent as well. Both female and male vocals show dynamics, diving into the lows as easy as reaching into the highs. Even Björk's sharp, squeaky outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet are kept in control: highs roll off before they become sharp.

• Perhaps the most impressive part of the music, is the detail retrieval. Music feels airy and details clearly come from your left and right. In higher quality recordings, it can even be possible to pinpoint certain instruments to a position.

• You can even further increase the air in the sound with the Theater mode from the app.

• The Theater mode does boost treble too, however, and this can be tricky on the highest volumes: the highs can than overrule the lows a bit - just like on the Earfun Air Pro 4.

• Returning to the regular mode from the Theater mode is all but a punishment: the increase of the OpenJump's smooth lows can fee like a treat.

• The described performance is the performance with the default AAC codec. Android-users can switch to the LDAC codec sound too, but as this decreases battery life, connection strength, video synchronization and turns off the multipoint functionality, I don't recommend it.

A sound that convinces with smoothness, detail, and balances perfectly between warmth and clarity… on a speaker that rests against your ears! A remarkable achievement, and more importantly: a great listen.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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Earfun OpenJump comparisons

Earfun OpenJump vs SoundPEATS PEarlClip Pro

Doubting between open-ear earphones or clip-on earbuds? The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro is hands-down the best option in the clip-on category. How does it stack up?

The Earfun and SoundPEATS have something in common: they're highly comfortable to use for everyday tasks, but may have a fit that's a bit too loose for runs and workouts.

Both are super well equipped for everyday all-around usage, though. Both have multipoint connection and deliver clear calls.

The Earfun is even better on all other parts, though. It delivers 11 hours instead of 6 hours playtime on a single charge, boasts an IPX7 waterproof rating instead of an IPX5 rating, and offers a more immersive gaming mode as well. That's mostly because it sounds better too. The sound feels more around you, has more separation and detail, and a more pleasantly tuned treble too.

If it's your thing, the jewel-like design from the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro may be more appealing, but for the rest, the Earfun takes the cake.

• SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro review

• $60 to $90 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Earfun OpenJump vs Earfun Air Pro 4

So, how does the Earfun OpenJump actually fare against my top $100 recommendation, the Earfun Air Pro 4?

Of course, you can't really compare these. But I'll still do. The OpenJump plays 3 hours more on a single charge, and is more comfortable to wear. The Air Pro 4 strikes back with some of the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on sub-$100 earbuds.

Both models have excellent call clarity, but the OpenJump takes the lead with its gaming mode, that places the action more precisely around you.

In music, then? While the airiness of the OpenJump is wonderful, separation and placement on the Air Pro 4's are impressive too. Its even easier to pickup details like guitar string-plucking and breath grasps on the Air Pro 4, and the Air Pro 4 also produces a much stronger and deeper, more impactful bass - simply from the fact these go into your ears. If you're up for a cleaner bass, the OpenJump may actually suit you better.

• Earfun Air Pro 4 review

• Around $80 on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Earfun OpenJump vs Acefast Acefit Air

The yet unreviewed Acefast Acefit Air is likely a better choice for your runs and workouts than the Earfun OpenJump.

The Acefast comes in a more stylish and flatter charging case, but the true win is in the earbuds itself. Acefit's larger earpieces make the fit more stable. They don't bounce against my ears in runs, and friends also state the fit is more reliable.

Just like the Earfun, the Acefast sounds good - although its treble can be a bit sharper on high volumes, and there's slight sibilance (lasting sss-tones) in vocals and cymbals. The Earfun sounds warmer, smoother and more engaging.

In all other aspects, the Earfun wins. It has clearer phone calls, a better synchronizing and more immersive gaming mode, and more reliable controls.

• No review yet

• $60 - $120 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Earfun OpenJump

This is crazy. The Earfun OpenJump has outstanding battery life, excellent app support, clear calls, a fantastic gaming mode and great sound…

… but it's less great for what it intends to do. The OpenJump fit may be too tricky or loose for runs, sports and workouts.

Ultimately, these may not be the sports earbuds you’r looking for, but these could still be great when you're looking for earbuds you can comfortably wear all day.

FOUR stars - Good

Buy Earfun OpenJump/ Check lowest price

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

I recieved the Earfun OpenJump from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FIVE STARS - Sony's cheapest wireless earbuds don't come with Active Noise Cancelling, but they're wonderfully compact, have a massive 11 hours battery life and can sound stunning.

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec

• IPX4 waterproof rating (splash proof)

• 8 - 11 hours playtime on a single charge (Ambient on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: Transparency, app support, multipoint connection

• Doesn't have: ANC, wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $45 to $60 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

In and underneath this Sony WF-C510 review, you will find comparisons of the QCY Sony WF-C510 vs Sony WF-C710N, Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, QCY MeloBuds Pro, and Redmi Buds 6 Play.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews?

Design, comfort and battery life

Coming in at around or under 50 dollars, the Sony WF-C510 are Sony's cheapest earbuds. They look and feel minimal - and that's a good thing.

• Good to know if you're not interested in a light yellow look: the WF-C510 is available in baby blue, white and dark grey as well.

• These earbuds are fantastically compact. The charging case is a rounded square that's easy to carry in a jeans pocket. Underneath the stiff yet reliable lid house the earbuds… that are just as wonderfully compact.

• The Sony WF-C510 earbuds barely stick out of your ears, which makes them suitable for carrying under a helmet and for side-sleeping. Their pebble-like inner earpiece is easy to put in and comfortable to wear, even on a cushion without the need of a support hand.

• As they're so compact, these are among the best earbuds you can buy when you have small ears - but they also sit snugly in average-sized ears.

• Clever: the left earbud has a tiny nob on top, so you recognise which earbud is which. It also shows you the way you have to put the earbuds in. That's convenient, considering it's not always clear how to wear earbuds without stems.

• Despite their small size, the earbuds house up to 11 hours of battery life on a single charge. A mind blowing score, that reduces to still a impressive 8 hours when you have the Ambient mode on - more on that later.

• Sadly, they're only IPX4 splash proof. That can in theory mean they're less suitable for runs and workouts if you sweat a lot.

• The case can recharge the earbuds fully twice before it needs new power via USB-C. Wireless charging isn't supported.

The Sony WF-C510 combines a comfortable small shape with a ton of battery life.

Controls, connectivity and app support

Just like other ‘premium’ audio brands, the Sony WF-C510 has illogical controls.

• Other than 95% of the competition, the C510 has actual buttons on the side. They press easily, whether you have to press them once, twice, three or even four times.

• The control scheme is less convincing. The right side gives you the track controls, with pause on one press, skip on two, and return on three. It then gives you the option to activate the voice assistant by long-pressing.

• The left side, however, only has Ambient mode switching on one press. The other amounts of presses are deactivated by default, and can be setup to play a random Spotify song. How often do you use that?

• Meanwhile, changing the volume is done by pressing the earbuds four times. That's a little much.

• At least you can change which side has the track changing, and which the Ambient switching.

• It's baffling how ‘traditional’ brands like Sony, JBL and Samsung overcomplicate control schemes over their Chinese challengers.

• Happily, the Bluetooth connection is rock-solid and keeps a stable signal up to 10 meters away from your device.

• The Sony WF-C510 also supports dual-device multipoint connection, meaning you can connect two devices at the same time. Switching between devices works flawlessly, when you enter a phone call or when you pause one device, and press play on the other.

• Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out.

The Sony WF-C510 gets extensive app support from the Sony Sound Connect app for iPhone and Android. It gives countless of neat features:

• Check battery status of the L and R earbud and the case

• Choose or setup a custom equalizer

• Get your own equalizer by showing your preferences (see sound part of this review)

• Manage the connected devices

• Analyse the shape of your ears

• Choose between the most reliable or sound quality-focused connection

• (De)activate DSEE, Sony's own ‘sound optimizing’ process

• Change the controls… somehow (see above)

• Change the volume of voice prompts

While the control scheme is finicky, the Sony WF-C510 at least has volume controls. A neat addition to the strong multipoint connection and many app options.

Phone and video calls

• The microphones do a good job of picking up your voice, and deliver it with enough volume and clarity to the other end of the line.

• The performance is less convincing in areas with background noise. Traffic, chatter or a radio can be heard in the call and can challenge your voice a little bit.

• Wind is critical for this Sony. It's audible in calls and completely rules out your voice.

The Sony WF-C510 is only good for indoor phone calls and video conferences in quieter areas.

Video and games playback

• Watching videos on the Sony WF-C510 works flawlessly on both iPhone and Android, with perfect lypsinc.

• While Sony doesn't have a specific low-latency gaming mode, it handles the synchronization of sound effects with the action on your screen very well. There's little to no delay in recharging a gun in Call of Duty mobile.

• It doesn't have the most immersive gaming experience, as it's hard to localise gunshots and explosions around you precisely.

ANC quality of the Sony WF-C510

The Sony WF-C510 doesn't have Active Noise Cancelling and that's just a management choice.

• See, it has all the hardware on board to provide strong ANC. It has a good, ear-filling shape and comes with multiple microphones that record the surroundings and could be used to reduce sounds around you.

• It's purely that Sony chose to not give the C510 Active Noise Cancellation. Probably because it wants it to be a feature exclusively on more expensive wireless earphones from its lineup.

• That's a shame, since the combination of the compact size of these earbuds and ANC would probably make these the best sleeping earbuds.

• Sony does use the microphones to give this model a Transparency or Ambient mode, however, which lets through brighter sounds around you after a single press of the left earbud.

• Well… in theory. The function isn't very convincing. It's still hard to hear and locate traffic around you when you're listening to music on a moderate level.

No sub-score because it doesn't have ANC.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Sony WF-C510: Outstanding

The Sony WF-C510 hides outstanding musical capabilities underneath a flat and boring default equalizer.

• Out of the box, the Sony WF-C510 sounds balanced and neutral. But… you could also describe it as bone-dry. It combines a slim mid-bass slam with clear vocals, open treble and natural center mid-tones. It's a flat signature bound to impress an audiophile or two, but it's not a sound that's tweaked to entertain.

• It's as if Sony says: ‘Oh, you expected the heavy bass from more expensive models? Better buy one of those then.’

• Happily, you don't have to. Sony throws in beautiful sound options in its app. In fact, there's a Find Your Equalizer setting that A-B tests your musical preferences, to come up with a signature for your taste.

• If you're willing to put some effort into it, the WF-C510 can come up with a custom equalizer setting specified to you. In my case it was so good, it actually made my starting point - rarely any ‘personal EQ optimisation’ option achieves this.

• Now, it would be a bit weird to describe my outcome as the sound of the C510 (although you can find my outcome in the screenshot). It's better to describe what the C510 is capable of.

• Take the bass for example. Via the Clear Bass setting, Sony sets the punching power of the bass loose from the rest of the equalizer options.

• You can alter the bass all the way from non-intrusive, purely supportive to the rest of the music, to a strong, thick, kicking mid-bass. But even if you turn it up massively, the bass remains tight. Mid-bass thumps don't last longer then they should - they feel clean. Impressive.

• The sub-bass is excellent as well. The lowest bass tones you can feel as much as hear rumble tightly, controlled and deep in James Blake's great test track Limit to Your Love.

• What's hard to adjust to the C510's sound, is its impressive clarity. While you can bring (higher) vocals and the highs down a bit, the question is whether you should. Both male and female singers are forward and come with full nuances, like breath grasps in higher quality recordings.

• Highs may be strong, but they're controlled well. Björk’s outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet! are stabby and challenging, but they're not overly harsh or edge.

• In classical pieces, violins, trumpets and other middle and higher instruments are separated wonderfully from each other - all claiming their own space in the picture.

• Center-mid instruments like guitars and piano play aren't tucked away, but mids are natural, without colouration towards the lows or highs. This aspect is what refines this Sony the most from other great sounding $50 earbuds.

• While it can be hard to precisely place instruments around you, music impresses with its expansiveness.

• Sony doesn't push the lower-mids heavily on the C510, and it can be worth it to manually increase the 1k frequency in the custom equalizer to give lower instruments and darker electronic tones - and therefore the entire musical picture - more weight. Lower-mids are the least represented part of the music, however, and you may still miss a bit of warmth if that's where you're after.

Clarity is the name of the game of Sony's entry-level model. The WF-C510 shines with natural and forward mids and clear treble. But it's the way you can shape the music to your liking that really makes it stand out from the competition.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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Sony WF-C510 comparisons

Sony C510 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds FE

Compact, stemless wireless earphones with great sound quality? The Sony WF-C510 meets the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, which can regularly be bought for around 60 dollars.

The Sony has exactly double the battery life - 11 hours instead of 5,5, it has more extensive controls including volume changing, and it supports multipoint connectivity. The last two options are only available on the Buds FE if you have a Samsung phone.

The Galaxy Buds does strike back with clearer calls and it actually has Active Noise Cancelling - which is solid, too.

Both earbuds are at the top when it comes to sound quality. The Sony extends highs a bit further. Vocals are a tad clearer and higher instruments have more room to shine. Both earbuds have a clean and engaging bass section, but the Buds FE's mid-bass thumps are fuller. The Samsung also boasts lower-mids more, which works great for electronic music genres - and to create a more immersive (albeit cave-like) soundstage. The Sony sounds more natural.

• Samsung Galaxy Buds FE review

• $60 to $80 - See price on Amazon US or other Amazon countries

Sony WF-C510 vs Redmi Buds 6 Play

If you're looking for compact wireless earbuds with long battery life and good sound… how about the $20 Redmi Buds 6 Play?

The Redmi Buds 6 Play has an even smaller round earpiece, and it sticks even less out of your ears than the Sony. While it doesn't boast Sony's excellent 11 hours battery life, it still plays 8 hours on a single charge.

The Redmi handles surrounding noises in phone calls better, and it barely misses the not very functional Ambient mode of the Sony. The Redmi has more logical controls; Sony synchronizes sounds better with action in games.

While the Redmi has a joyful sound with a neat thumping mid-bass, clear treble and forward vocals, it can show a little crack sometimes. The Sony controls its sound better. It holds is authority better with brighter vocals, keeps the bass tighter, and can add some extra weight in the lows through equalisation.

• Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite review

• $20 to $25 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Sony WF-C510 vs CMF Buds 2

The CMF Buds 2 by Nothing and Sony WF-C510 are in the same price class, but they may each be for their own audience.

The CMF Buds 2 have a more traditional stem design, come with Active Noise Cancelling and have better Transparency than the Sony. Its call quality in noisy environments is also better than the C510 - just like the waterproofing. The Sony has 4,5 hours longer battery life on a single charge and performs better in games.

The biggest difference lies in the sound character. The CMF Buds 2 caters to bass lovers, with a more powerful mid-bass and heavier rumbling sub-bass than the Sony - especially when you tune the sound in the Nothing X app. No matter how you tweak the sound though, the CMF can't touch the clarity of the Sony's treble, or the detail retrieval in the mid-tones.

Want bass? Go for the CMF Buds 2 (or the CMF Buds Pro 2). Aim for a more natural sound? Head for the Sony.

• CMF Buds 2 vs CMF Buds Pro 2 review

• $45 to $50 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Sony C510 vs QCY MeloBuds Pro

The final test: how does the Sony C510 compare to the $50 recommendation QCY MeloBuds Pro?

The Sony has longer battery life: 11 hours instead of QCY's 7 hours per charge. But that's also because the QCY offers excellent Active Noise Cancelling, heavy silencing nearly all sounds around you.

The QCY handles phone calls with background noise and especially with some wind noise better, and has easier controls too.

When it comes to sound, however, the Sony has an edge. Especially after your own tweaking, its bass is tighter and more impactful, lower mid-tones are more pronounced and center-mids simply more present. The QCY extends highs further and sounds (even) clearer, but this specific part can get a little harsh on the highest volumes. The Sony leaps over the QCY.

• QCY MeloBuds Pro review

• $45 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Sony WF-C510 vs Sony WF-C710N: Which is better?

There's a big price difference between Sony's two budget models: you can buy two WF-C510's for one Sony WF-C710N.

For that steep price bump, you get better call clarity and a higher waterproof rating on the C710N. But more importantly: solid Active Noise Cancelling.

Both earbuds have excellent battery life and a wonky control scheme. And… you need to tweak the sound on both. Surprisingly, the WF-C510 sounds very flat out of the box, while the WF-C710N is very lower tones-focused. Both models can be tuned to greatness. The C510 can reach higher and emphasizes treble more, while the C710N entertains more with a hefty and full mid-bass.

Both are excellent options at their price point, both sound great. It ultimately depends on how much you need ANC.

• Sony WF-C710N review

• $100 to $130 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country
  
  

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Sony WF-C510

The mediocre call performance and lack of Active Noise Cancelling may not make this the best budget wireless earphone for everyone, but Sony's entry-level wireless earbuds impress with a versatile and fantastic sound, baffling battery life and high comfort.

Five stars - Excellent

Buy Sony WF-C510/ Check lowest price

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I bought the Sony WF-C510 to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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FOUR STARS - The Earfun OpenJump sounds excellent and has a ton of great features, but its design may be too tricky for runs or challenging workouts.

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IPX7 waterproof rating (heavy rain, shower and sweat proof)

• 11 hours playtime on a single charge

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: App support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging, ANC

• Comes with USB-C cable and English manual

• $65 - $80 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

In and underneath this Earfun OpenJump review, you will find comparisons of the Earfun OpenJump vs Acefast Acefit Air. It's also my first review with a dedicated Sports Test!

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Design, comfort and battery life

• The Earfun OpenJump has a large slab or charging case that houses the earbuds. It's not too thick or chunky, but still a bit too big to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket.

• The earbuds themselves look better than the scratch-happy charging case. The visible earpiece has a neat looking combination of grey and metallic elements - it doesn't look too cheap. The rest of the design is black and made from a rubber that doesn't annoy.

• The OpenJump has a compact, round earpiece that leans somewhere against or near your inner ear. It then has a soft and very flexible bridge over your ears, which ends up in a heavier stem you put behind your ears.

• It's very comfortable to wear, and that's a good thing, because you can for hours on end, thanks to its massive 11 hours battery life.

• The earbuds also wear an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning they can withstand sweat, heavy rain and even a shower.

The case of the Earfun OpenJump is too chunky and a scratch-magnet at that, but its 11 hours battery life and IPX7 waterproof rating are outstanding.

sports test of Earfun OpenJump

As comfortable as the OpenJump is, its fit is not as suited for all kinds of sports.

• Due to the very flexible bridges, the speaker part can bounce against your ear when you run with them.

• For me personally, this bouncing is more annoying than the thumping in-ears can sometimes give when running. After running 3 miles, I felt a constant need to readjust the earbuds, and even take them off my ears completely.

• To ensure this bouncing isn’t just a personal matter, I asked four friends to wear and test these too - just like I did with clip-on earbuds around 50 dollars and clip on-earbuds around 25 dollars.

• The results were… not good. A friend also noticed the earpiece bouncing against the ear, and two other friends stated the fit felt too loose to use them during workouts like climbing or fitness.

• They do withstand wind noise well. You can hear wind noise with a metallic edge, but it doesn't interfere with your music too much.

• Earfun OpenJump sports performance for:

  • Running: Speaker bounces too much against your head

  • Working out / climbing: Fit is too loose to feel safe

  • Cycling: Great comfort, blocks wind noise well enough

The Earfun OpenJump are comfortable for cycling, but have a suboptimal fit for other types of sports.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• While sports earbuds may not have to, the OpenJump comes with dual-device multipoint connection, meaning you can connect it to two devices at the same time. Switching is done by receiving a phone call, or pausing on one device and playing on the other.

• Standard Bluetooth connectivity is good too - with a reliable Bluetooth connection up to around 10 meters away from your device(s).

• The Earfun responds very quickly to your input. The entire round part of the earpiece is touch-sensitive, causing you to quickly increase or decrease the volume (single tap) or play/ pause (double-tap) by accident. Happily, you can deactivate certain controls in the Earfun app.

• The Earfun app for iPhone and Android brings some useful features to these earbuds:

  • Change the controls completely to your liking

  • Disable controls

  • (De)activate the Gaming Mode

  • (De)activate the Theater Mode for a wider sound

  • Choose from a dozen equalizer presets

  • Manage your connected devices

  • Choose between a more stable connection, or the LDAC codec

  • (De)activate auto shutdown timers

  • Update the firmware

• For sports purposed, actual buttons could have been a better choice than touch panels; these can be harder to operate with a sweaty finger.

Multipoint connection, volume controls and multiple good app options: The Earfun OpenJump absolutely doesn't back down on features.

Phone and video calls

Getting a call while you're running? That shouldn't be a problem.

• The microphones of the Earfun OpenJump pick up your voice loud and clear, in a natural manner too.

• Even when there's quite a bit of noise in the background - like chatter or heavy traffic - your voice rises above it.

• The Earfun even handles a bit of wind noise well, although your voice may lose its clarity every now and then.

The Earfun Open Jump delivers surprisingly good call quality, both indoors and outside.

Video and games playback

• Playing videos with the Earfun OpenJump is a flawless experience, with lipsync performance in YouTube and other streaming services on both iPhone and Android phones.

• We're not running out of surprises here: these earbuds are also great for gaming. With the Gaming mode you can either activate from the app or the earbuds directly, the sound synchronizes fluently with the action on your screen.

• Turn on the Theater mode from the app, and it gets even better: it lets you hear where footsteps, gunshots and explosions are taking place in a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile.

• The Theater mode is also great for increasing immersion in Hollywood blockbusters or shows.

• The Gaming mode + Theater mode combination was great on the Earfun Air 2 NC, and continues to impress here.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Earfun OpenJump

Earfun proves you can squeeze great sound out of speakers that are still millimeters away from ear canal.

• As almost all clip-on earbuds for $50 and clip-on earbuds for $25 have proved before: it's hard to get the sound of outer-ear speakers right.

• But… what the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro did for clip-ons, the Earfun OpenJump does for open earbuds. This is a highly entertaining listen.

• The mid-bass isn't very impressive by itself. So far away from your ear canal, the mid-bass consists of a gentle slam at best.

• It compensates for it with fulness in the overall lows. Lower mid-tones are boosted, and provide the music with warmth and smoothness.

• Center mid-tones like guitar and piano play sound natural - not too recessed, not too warm or bright.

• Vocal reproduction is excellent as well. Both female and male vocals show dynamics, diving into the lows as easy as reaching into the highs. Even Björk's sharp, squeaky outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet are kept in control: highs roll off before they become sharp.

• Perhaps the most impressive part of the music, is the detail retrieval. Music feels airy and details clearly come from your left and right. In higher quality recordings, it can even be possible to pinpoint certain instruments to a position.

• You can even further increase the air in the sound with the Theater mode from the app.

• The Theater mode does boost treble too, however, and this can be tricky on the highest volumes: the highs can than overrule the lows a bit - just like on the Earfun Air Pro 4.

• Returning to the regular mode from the Theater mode is all but a punishment: the increase of the OpenJump's smooth lows can fee like a treat.

• The described performance is the performance with the default AAC codec. Android-users can switch to the LDAC codec sound too, but as this decreases battery life, connection strength, video synchronization and turns off the multipoint functionality, I don't recommend it.

A sound that convinces with smoothness, detail, and balances perfectly between warmth and clarity… on a speaker that rests against your ears! A remarkable achievement, and more importantly: a great listen.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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Earfun OpenJump comparisons

Earfun OpenJump vs SoundPEATS PEarlClip Pro

Doubting between open-ear earphones or clip-on earbuds? The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro is hands-down the best option in the clip-on category. How does it stack up?

The Earfun and SoundPEATS have something in common: they're highly comfortable to use for everyday tasks, but may have a fit that's a bit too loose for runs and workouts.

Both are super well equipped for everyday all-around usage, though. Both have multipoint connection and deliver clear calls.

The Earfun is even better on all other parts, though. It delivers 11 hours instead of 6 hours playtime on a single charge, boasts an IPX7 waterproof rating instead of an IPX5 rating, and offers a more immersive gaming mode as well. That's mostly because it sounds better too. The sound feels more around you, has more separation and detail, and a more pleasantly tuned treble too.

If it's your thing, the jewel-like design from the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro may be more appealing, but for the rest, the Earfun takes the cake.

• SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro review

• $60 to $90 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Earfun OpenJump vs Earfun Air Pro 4

So, how does the Earfun OpenJump actually fare against my top $100 recommendation, the Earfun Air Pro 4?

Of course, you can't really compare these. But I'll still do. The OpenJump plays 3 hours more on a single charge, and is more comfortable to wear. The Air Pro 4 strikes back with some of the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on sub-$100 earbuds.

Both models have excellent call clarity, but the OpenJump takes the lead with its gaming mode, that places the action more precisely around you.

In music, then? While the airiness of the OpenJump is wonderful, separation and placement on the Air Pro 4's are impressive too. Its even easier to pickup details like guitar string-plucking and breath grasps on the Air Pro 4, and the Air Pro 4 also produces a much stronger and deeper, more impactful bass - simply from the fact these go into your ears. If you're up for a cleaner bass, the OpenJump may actually suit you better.

• Earfun Air Pro 4 review

• Around $80 on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Earfun OpenJump vs Acefast Acefit Air

The yet unreviewed Acefast Acefit Air is likely a better choice for your runs and workouts than the Earfun OpenJump.

The Acefast comes in a more stylish and flatter charging case, but the true win is in the earbuds itself. Acefit's larger earpieces make the fit more stable. They don't bounce against my ears in runs, and friends also state the fit is more reliable.

Just like the Earfun, the Acefast sounds good - although its treble can be a bit sharper on high volumes, and there's slight sibilance (lasting sss-tones) in vocals and cymbals. The Earfun sounds warmer, smoother and more engaging.

In all other aspects, the Earfun wins. It has clearer phone calls, a better synchronizing and more immersive gaming mode, and more reliable controls.

• No review yet

• $60 - $120 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Earfun OpenJump

This is crazy. The Earfun OpenJump has outstanding battery life, excellent app support, clear calls, a fantastic gaming mode and great sound…

… but it's less great for what it intends to do. The OpenJump fit may be too tricky or loose for runs, sports and workouts.

Ultimately, these may not be the sports earbuds you’r looking for, but these could still be great when you're looking for earbuds you can comfortably wear all day.

FOUR stars - Good

Buy Earfun OpenJump/ Check lowest price

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• Buy on your Amazon country

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I recieved the Earfun OpenJump from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

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4.5 STARS - Almost a year after the CMF Buds Pro 2, Nothing's budget brand CMF releases yet another slick budget wireless earphone. How does the new CMF Buds 2 stack up against the CMF Buds Pro 2 - and which one should you get? A comparison review of both models.

CMF Buds 2 specs

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec

• IP55 waterproof rating (water spray proof)

• 6,5 - 8 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $45 to $50 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

CMF Buds Pro 2 specs

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IP55 waterproof rating (water spray proof)

• 4 - 8 hours playtime on a single charge (see review for details)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $45 to $50 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

In and underneath this CMF Buds 2 vs CMF Buds Pro 2 review, you will find comparisons versus the SoundPEATS T3 Pro, QCY MeloBuds Pro, Soundcore P30i and Nothing Ear (a). After that, you'll find the verdict which is better!

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what's the difference between the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2?

The CMF Buds 2 is very much the same as the CMF Buds Pro 2. The differences are minimal: the CMF Buds Pro 2 has an interactive dial on the charging case that lets you control the earbuds; the CMF Buds 2 doesn't. The sound tuning differs a little bit and the colours are different as well. Nothing, the brand behind CMF, even gives these two models around the same price.

You can read more about the differences later in this review.

Design, comfort and battery life

The CMF Buds 2 have the same design as the first generation CMF Buds and the CMF Buds Pro 2 that followed up on it. The only difference is in the ring dial on the case.

• The (April 2025 released) CMF Buds 2 comes in red, black, white and mint green. It has the same funky, square case as the original CMF Buds and the CMF Buds Pro 2. The only difference is that is has a transparent dial on the charging case. It's nice to fiddle with and lets you attach a strap, but it doesn't have another function.

• The (August 2024 released) CMF Buds Pro 2 comes in red, black, white and blue. Its dial is interactive: you can twist it to change the volume on the earbuds with great, clicky feedback. You can also press it to control functions you give it via the Nothing X app on iPhone or Android. Think about changing Active Noise Cancelling, changing tracks, or (de)activating a Game mode.

• The multifunctional case of the CMF Buds Pro 2 is a unique feature of wireless earbuds in this price range. The interactive dial is the reason to get the Buds Pro 2 over the regular Buds 2, and the stand out feature over other budget earbuds around 50 dollars.

• At the same time, you may want to deactivate it… as it can trigger accidental volume or other controls when the case resides in your bag or jeans pocket.

• Other design differences: The CMF Buds Pro 2 has two dots and some lines on the charging case and the bottom end of the earbuds’ stems. The CMF Buds 2 has a CMF by Nothing logo on the case, and clean stems.

• CMF's cases aren't the most compact on the market, but with their tight and clean design, they set themselves apart from other affordable earbuds. They're also light enough to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket.

• The earbuds themselves are as straightforward as they come. They come with diagonal earpieces that are easy to put in and comfortable to wear. They're snug enough to do runs or workouts with them.

• This is helped by the IP55 waterproof rating of the earbuds, meaning they withstand water sprays and sweat.

• Each charge, the CMF Buds 2 offers around 6,5 hours of playtime with ANC on, and up to 8 hours with the function off.

• The CMF Buds Pro 2 battery life is comparable: 6,5 hours with ANC on, up to 8 hours with the function turned off.

• However, the CMF Buds Pro 2 also supports the high-res LDAC audio-codec on Android. This is a manual setting from the app that makes the Bluetooth signal fairly unstable, lags in video playback, and drains the battery life to around 4 hours on a single charge. Even though it can make the sound cleaner and richer, the LDAC audio-codec of the Pro 2 model isn't a great addition.

• Both earbuds models recharge quickly in their charging cases. A 10-minute charge is enough for a couple of extra listening hours.

Both the CMF Buds and CMF Buds Pro 2 have comfortable earbuds with solid battery life and waterproofing and funky, fun charging cases - a rarity among budget earbuds. With its interactive dial, the Buds Pro 2 has a plus.

CMF Buds 2:

CMF Buds Pro 2:

Controls, connectivity and app support

• The CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 both have multipoint connection, meaning you can connect them to two devices at the same time. Switching is as easy as getting a phone call or pause on one device, and play on the other. This goes with a minimal delay.

• The standard connection is great on both models too, with reliable Bluetooth connections up to 10 meters away from your device.

• Both models automatically pause the music when you take an earbud out, and resume playback when you put it back in. You can turn this off, though.

• Both the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 control via touch panels on top of the stems, that respond well to your input.

• You can customise the controls to great extend via the Nothing X app on iPhone or Android phones. You can change double-taps, triple-taps and tap-and-hold commands.

• Even the tap-and-hold command works well, for instance for changing the volume on your earbuds.

• On the CMF Buds Pro 2, you can also change the controls for the dial on the charging case. It lets you setup commands for a single press, double-press, triple-press or long-press. You can also deactivate the dial controls.

• CMF and brand-owner Nothing are proud of their marketing and designs, and they absolutely deliver in the app department. Along with the Soundcore app, the Nothing X app for iPhone and Android is absolutely top-tier in user-friendliness and design.

• The app has the following feautures:

  • Check battery life of the L and R earbud

  • Change ANC setting and strength

  • (De)activate Spatial audio (more in the sound part)

  • Change the Ultra Bass-setting from level 1 to 5

  • Choose between 6 equalizer presets or make a custom EQ yourself

  • Change the controls for both earbuds

  • Pro 2 only: Change the controls of the charging case

  • (De)activate the Low lag mode for games

  • (De)activate in-ear detection/ auto-pause

  • (De)activate the multipoint connection and check connected devices

  • Pro 2 only, Android only: switch to the LDAC audio-codec

  • Do a ear tip fit test

  • Find the earbuds

  • Update the firmware of the earbuds

The CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 have great features and otstanding app support for their price.

Score for both models:

Phone and video calls

After performing several tests, it turns out the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 have slightly different characteristics for phone calls and video conferences.

• The CMF Buds Pro 2 puts your voice through clear and lovely loud. You sound a bit nasal perhaps, but natural at the same time.

• Background noise is audible and can make your voice dip a bit. Whether it's background chatter or when you're walking around the office.

• It handles wind decently, although your voice will be surrounded by rumbling.

• The newer CMF Buds 2 gives your voice more fulness. That also means: less clarity. Your voice is loud enough and less nasal, however.

• The CMF Buds 2 handles background noise better. It's less audible on the line and doesn't make your voice dip that much. This is also the case when you're on the move in an indoor environment.

• Wind performance is comparable. It's doable, but your voice will come with a bit of rumbling.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 and Buds 2 are both good for taking a phone call or entering a video conference.

The Pro 2 is better in your voices clarity; the regular Buds 2 handles noise around you better.

Score for both models:

Video and games playback

• The CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 both handle video playback well, offering lipsync performance in video apps like YouTube and Netflix on both iPhone and Android.

• Both have a gaming mode you can activate from the app (or the case of the Pro 2). This synchronizes the sound effects with the action on your screen in a decent manner; there is still a bit of delay.

• While the models boast a Spatial Audio mode which should emphasize the 3D-character of the sound, it's hard to precisely locate gunshots and explosions around you in a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile. You can set the sound effects apart, for sure, but locating them is harder.

• On the CMF Buds Pro 2, activating the LDAC audio-codec worsens the gaming and video playback. I recommend leaving the option untouched.

Score for both models:

ANC quality of the CMF Buds 2 / Buds Pro 2

The CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 offer decent Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) but there are stronger alternatives.

• After testing back and forth in an office space with a radio playing in the background, in a place with constant background traffic, and with simulated conversations, the ANC of the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 seems highly comparable.

• The models do a good job of filtering and reducing constant noises, whether it's lower or higher sounds. Both the low electronic humming of a fridge and the bright noise of wet tires in the distance, can't be heard anymore - even when you're not playing music.

• But the CMF Buds and Buds Pro 2 are less successful in reducing sudden sounds. Door slams, people talking, but also keyboard typing, are still audible.

• I couldn't tell which earbud I was using in a blind ANC test - they're that close to each other.

• If I were to nitpick: the CMF Buds Pro 2 has a bit more noticeable white noise in its ANC effect.

• Both models leave out wind noise wonderfully when you're on the move with ANC on.

• The Transparency mode functions well too. Not to locate traffic - as its wind noise blocking is so strong, traffic also doesn't come through. But it does function well to hear a bit of world around you, emphasizing the sounds of chatter, door slams and tiny things you're doing when you want it.

• The ANC strength is comparable to the Soundcore P30i, but a little less so than the SoundPEATS T3 Pro and QCY MeloBuds Pro. The brands’ own more expensive Nothing Ear (a) also cancels more noise.

The CMF Buds 2's and CMF Buds Pro 2's Active Noise Cancelling feels natural and resists wind well, but could be stronger.

Score for both models:

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of CMF Buds 2 / CMF Buds Pro 2

With so many similarities, it isn't strange that the sound of the CMF Buds 2 is very close to that of the CMF Buds Pro 2. Expect a smooth sailing with heavy bass.

• Both the Buds 2 and Buds 2 Pro have a Spatial audio setting in the app, which feels like a must on both models. This setting makes the sound instantly more dynamic.

• But don't expect an actual spacious or ‘3D’ sound on these earbuds. These don't have a big soundstage, and you can't place instruments around you precisely.

• But that doesn't matter, really. These models deliver a great bassy-smooth sound.

• The bass is ever-present, even when you dial the Ultra Bass setting in the app back from the default strength 3 to 1.

• The mid-bass brings heavy thumps that last long and sound deep. It even rumbles a bit. Turn the Ultra Bass setting up, and bass strikes and rumbles are even more prominent - noticeably louder.

• The lowest bass you can hear as much as feel? The sub-bass in James Blake's ideal test track Limit to Your Love shows a big, fat, deep rumble, which can again be pushed into extremes with the Ultra Bass setting. Even without, there's no hiding from the fierce rumbling sub-bass and lasting mid-bass strikes.

• On both CMF Buds, lower mid-tones are heavily boosted. Lower electronic tones and darker instruments (like the cello or lower notes of guitar and piano play) sound full and take up a big part of the music.

• Female and higher male vocals not only have a warm undertone; they almost feel a bit thick - as opposed to clear and light.

• Instrumental treble isn't very present on both CMF models. Higher instruments like violins and cymbals sound darker than average, and highs don't extend very far.

• Put all these aspects together, and you get the bassy-smooth character of both earbuds. It doesn't matter how much you've turned the Ultra Bass slider open.

• This is the description for the standard Dirac Opteo equalizer setting and Spatial Audio on.

• On both models, switching to the Pop equalizer makes the sound a little less dense. This EQ puts more effort into the center mid-tones (male vocals, piano and guitar), keeping the sound still bassy and smooth, but also making it a bit more natural.

There are subtle differences between the sound of the CMF Buds Pro 2 and CMF Buds 2:

• The CMF Buds Pro 2 has even more emphasis on the lower mid-tones and shows more detail in lower voices.

• The LDAC-audio codec support on the Buds Pro 2 can help make the sound cleaner, tighter, more around you - but at the cost of battery, video playback, and Bluetooth stability.

• The CMF Buds 2 elevates center mid-tones and vocals more. It sounds more dynamic and a little bit more spacious.

• With the Classical equalizer on the CMF Buds 2, lighter mid-tones are accentuated more and treble increases more than on the Buds Pro 2. This makes the sound step away from the bassy signature, and gives the CMF Buds 2 a more balanced sound tuning than the Buds Pro 2.

Bass lovers can't go wrong with either of the CMF earbuds. Both sound bassy up to guilty pleasure levels, and provide a smooth, warm and comfortable sound. Even though both models get the same score, the newer CMF Buds 2 take the cake with a slightly livelier treble.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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CMF Buds 2 comparisons

As the CMF Buds 2 takes a slight win on sound quality, I'm comparing this model.

CMF Buds 2 vs Tozo Crystal Pods

The Tozo Crystal Pods is one of the best-selling branded wireless earbuds around $25 on Amazon - and has good looks and a strong bass too.

The CMF Buds 2 and Tozo Crystal Pods have around the same battery life, wearing comfort, and ANC strength.

The CMF handles phone calls better, its overall Bluetooth connection is stronger, and its app experience is more polished.

Sound-wise, the Tozo has a stronger (!) mid-bass thump its lower mid-tones appear a bit more textured. The Tozo brings out highs more and sounds clearer. It has more of a so-called V-shape sounds than the CMF Buds 2, which shows more center-mids and sounds smoother.

• Tozo Crystal Pods review

• $20 to $30 - See price on Amazon US, other Amazon countries or AliExpress

CMF Buds 2 vs SoundPEATS T3 Pro

The CMF Buds 2 meets a new king among ultra-budget wireless earbuds, the $25 to $25 SoundPEATS T3 Pro. Which is better?

The CMF Buds 2 has much more presence than the SoundPEATS T3 Pro. Its earbuds and case are slicker, and its app is a delight next to SoundPEATS’ sluggish offering.

The CMF handles background noise in phone calls better, while the SoundPEATS has stronger ANC and a better-synchronized gaming mode. Both earbuds are comfortable. The CMF plays about an hour longer per charge, controls easier, and has a higher waterproof rating.

On higher volumes, the T3 Pro sounds clearer and more open than the Buds 2. Vocals are clearer and more prominent, instruments are easier to place, and it has a punchier mid-bass compared to Buds 2’ longer-lasting and more rumbling alternative. The CMF sounds more laidback. On lower volumes, however, the CMF Buds 2 sounds fuller and less flat than the T3 Pro.

• SoundPEATS T3 Pro review

• $20 to $35 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

CMF Buds 2 vs QCY MeloBuds Pro

The QCY MeloBuds Pro has the strongest ANC on earbuds under 50 dollars, and it has more to offer.

The QCY MeloBuds Pro doesn't match the flawless app experience of the CMF Buds 2, but puts a lot against that.

The QCY rocks 7 instead of 6,5 hours of battery life per charge, handles background sounds in calls better, and offers stronger ANC. A part from it comes from a more audible white noise, has to be added.

Again, the MeloBuds Pro sounds clearer than the CMF Buds 2. It has more treble emphasis and air in the sound. The QCY both has a deeper-hitting bass and clearer vocals. While the latter seems great, it can be a bit tiring and harsh on higher volumes. The CMF sounds smoother, in both bass and overall, and reveals more nuances in center-mids.

• QCY MeloBuds Pro review

• $45 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

CMF Buds 2 vs Soundcore P30i

A battle between popular bass brands: the CMF Buds 2 vs the Soundcore P30i.

As in all comparisons, the CMF Buds 2 is the option with sleeker looks. The Soundcore P30i has a great trick though: the charging case has also function as a phone stand - surprisingly convenient.

The CMF is slightly more comfortable, while the Soundcore plays 7 instead of 6,5 hours per charge. Both have excellent app support and comparable ANC strength, but the CMF Buds take the cake on call clarity: it performs better with some noise or wind.

Soundcore's mid-bass has a tighter and fiercer kick, while the CMF mid-bass feels deeper. The CMF once again feels smoother than its opponent overall, but this time, it's also more articulated. Instruments are better separated from each other. The Soundcore has more air, but lower tones can feel more cluttered than on the CMF.

• Soundcore P30i review

• $30 to $50 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country
  
  
  

CMF Buds 2 vs Nothing Ear (a)

How does Nothing's newest budget model fare against the brands more premium outing?

The sound tuners of CMF and Nothing could well be the same people. Both these earbuds have a smooth-bassy sound character. The Nothing Ear (a) executes it better, with better instrument separation, more forward vocals and clearer lower treble. Its mid-bass also has a more engaging kick, while the sub-bass is tighter. The sound is livelier.

Other than sound, the Nothing Ear (a) has stronger ANC, and clearer calls when there's a bit of background noise.

The CMF Buds 2 has a comparable set of features and battery life for less money, however, and does one thing better in particularly: volume controls. The stem-pinching of the Nothing Ear (a) is cumbersome compared to CMF's tapping.

• Nothing Ear (a) review

• $100 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: CMF Buds 2 or CMF Buds Pro 2?

If you're into bass, the CMF Buds Pro 2 and also the newer CMF Buds 2 are among the best wireless earbuds you can get under 50 dollars. Both models also convince with clear calls and their playful presentation - while the ANC and gaming performance could be better.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 adds a great interactive dial on the charging case, but the newer CMF Buds 2 is the pair I end up listening to more, with its livelier treble and therefore slightly more engaging sound.

4.5 stars - Great

Buy CMF Buds 2/ Check lowest price

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

Buy CMF Buds Pro 2/ check lowest price

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• Buy on your Amazon country

I bought the CMF Buds 2 and CMF Buds Pro 2 myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

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FIVE STARS - With good call quality, decent Active Noise Cancelling and engaging sound, the QCY MeloBuds N50 offers outstanding value for its 25 dollars price.

• Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC codec

• IPX4 waterproof rating (splash proof)

• 4 - 6 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $20 to $25 - See price on AliExpress

In and underneath this QCY MeloBuds N50 review, you will find comparisons of the QCY MeloBuds N50 vs QCY MeloBuds Pro, Redmi Buds 6 Lite, Moondrop Space Travel and SoundPEATS T3 Pro.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

The QCY MeloBuds N50 looks and feels quite like the previously released QCY MeloBuds Pro, although there are some differences.

• The N50's charging case is more square. It's slim enough to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket, and has this neat feature that you open the entire top part of the case to grab out the earbuds easily.

• The case has enough power too: it can recharge the earbuds fully four times, before needing new power via USB-C itself. The remaining battery life is depicted with a multi-coloured LED light.

• The earbuds themselves have a familiar shape. They consist of compact oval earpieces you put diagonally in your ears. They stay in your ears snugly and are comfortable to wear.

• The stems have a shiny finish that differs from the rest of the earbud - although it's less elegant than on the MeloBuds Pro.

• Spec-wise, the N50 is less impressive.

• The earbuds are only IPX4 splashproof, so they lack an official rating for rain and sweat, which would have been great for runs and workouts. That doesn't mean you can't use these earbuds outdoors, however: many IPX4 earbuds I've tested, survived rain and sweat too.

• The biggest letdown is the battery life, that delivers only 4 hours when you have Active Noise Cancelling on. You can extend the time to 6 hours per charge by turning the function off.

• This score will be enough for normal everyday use, but less so for an entire workday or long travel trip, for instance.

Although the battery life could have been better, the QCY MeloBuds N50 look and feel slightly more expensive than they are.

Controls, connectivity and app support

The QCY MeloBuds N50 has an impressive array of features for its small price. Next to Active Noise Cancelling, it also comes with dual-device multipoint connection.

• That means you can connect to two devices at the same time. Switching between your laptop and phone (or two phones) is as easy as receiving a phone call, or start a video or music on your other device.

• The connectivity overall is solid, with a stable Bluetooth connection up to around 10 meters away from your device. During my test time, I didn't notice any hiccups in the connection and sound.

• The controls are good too, with responsive touch panels at the top of stem.

• The QCY MeloBuds N50 supports the free QCY app on iPhone and Android, that sadly requires an account to use it. The app is a bit simple and unpolished, but does have useful features:

  • Check the battery of the L and R earbud

  • Change between multiple sound equalizers and Spatial sound effects (but you can immediately forget all of these - they're worthless)

  • Switch between ANC, Transparency mode and Normal

  • Switch between three ANC strength settings

  • Change the left-right audio balance, to compensate for hearing loss on one of your ears

  • Change the controls for a single tap, double-tap and triple-tap on both sides, including volume changing

  • Find the headset

  • Setup an auto power-off timer

  • (De)activate controls with the Sleep mode

  • (De)activate the dual-device multipoint connection

  • Update the firmware

The QCY MeloBuds N50 likely has the most extensive app support ever on wireless earbuds around $25, and yet, apart from adding volume changing to the controls, you can use the earbuds perfectly without the app.

Phone and video calls

The QCY MeloBuds N50 fares pretty well in phone calls and video conferences.

• The microphones put your voice through clearly and quite natural. Your vice has enough volume too.

• Your voice remains fairly stable when you're on the move. Whether you're walking in a small corridor of your office, or outside with a bit of wind: your voice becomes a bit darker and can dip in volume a little bit, but mostly still stands.

• Loud background noise, like traffic or people chatting, is also reduced well in calls - although your voice can dip when there's noise around you.

• When you're on the move and there's surrounding noise, the other end of the line may have a hard time hearing you.

The QCY MeloBuds N50 offers decent call quality both indoor and outside, but lots of surrounding noise stands in the way.

Video and games playback

• The QCY MeloBuds N50 doesn't have any problem watching videos, on both iPhone and Android phones. Everything is lypsinc.

• Thanks to the low-latency gaming mode, the sound effects in game feel almost perfectly in line with the action on your screen.

• In a challenging game like Call of Duty mobile, it can be a bit hard to pinpoint where things like gunshots and explosions are happening around you.

ANC quality of the QCY MeloBuds N50

The QCY MeloBuds N50 delivers decent Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) for its very low price.

• ANC isn't on by default, but should be activated by long-pressing the right earbud.

• You'll first switch to Passthrough / Transparency first, which does a good job at letting you hear traffic sounds when you're listening to music at moderate volume.

• Continue on to the ANC, and you may be surprised. Most darker, constant background noises are heavily softened or even completely disappear.

• The same goes for middle sounds. Male chatter around you loses a bit of volume, and when you're typing on a keyboard, you may only hear the highest sounds still.

• But even these higher sounds are heavily softened. Chatter, laughter and bird chittering are brought to the background.

• This is the performance without playing any music. Play some music, and you probably won't hear your surroundings at all anymore.

• It's very recommended to open up the ANC settings in the app. By selecting Adaptive ANC, the QCY scans the environments for noise to filter. Doing this just now and then, significantly increased the strength of the ANC - just like on the QCY MeloBuds Pro before.

• The ANC mode also doesn't let in too much wind noise, making it possible to use it when you're cycling or running as well.

• The ANC of the QCY MeloBuds N50 triumphs over that of the Moondrop Space Travel, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite, regular Redmi Buds 6 and the Tozo Crystal Pods in the same price range.

• However, the comparably priced SoundPEATS T3 Pro and more expensive QCY MeloBuds Pro filter even more noise.

The QCY MeloBuds N50 offers great value when it comes to Active Noise Cancelling on a tight budget, although you may need to choose the Adaptive ANC action from the app every now and then to get the best result.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of QCY MeloBuds N50

As if the strong ANC and clear calls weren't enough for its small price, the QCY MeloBuds N50 sounds good too.

• The QCY MeloBuds N50 has a relatively warm sound. That's surprising, considering that the QCY MeloBuds Pro, QCY T17, QCY T13 ANC and HT05 MeloBuds are all on the clearer side.

• The N50 has more emphasis on lower frequencies than other models from the brand. Lower mid-tones like darker instruments and electronic tones and lower (male) vocals are strongly boosted.

• The bass is stronger than before too. The mid-bass gives strong, lasting thumps and the sub-bass can give off a loose rumble. Both parts of the bass aren't very tight, but the bass provides plenty of power to enjoy.

• It can get a little crowded in the lower frequencies in songs that lean heavily on the bass and lower-mids.

• The sound isn't just warm. Both female and higher male singers are somewhat forward, and combine clarity with smoothness. Vocals can fall a bit flat against the hefty lower tones though.

• While not as forward as vocals, higher instruments like violins and cymbals and brighter electronic tones, have just enough presence to be picked up out from the lows.

• Center-mids, like the guitar and piano play, are recessed on the N50. They tend toward the lower mid-tones.

• It's hard to locate instruments and details around you precisely, but there are some details coming from your left and right.

• It achieves all this without any harsh edges too; highs don't become too peaky, the bass doesn't crackle and lower-mids may be powerful, but they aren't overbearing.

There's a hole lot to enjoy from the music of the QCY MeloBuds N50.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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QCY MeloBuds N50 comparisons

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs QCY MeloBuds N50

The QCY MeloBuds N50 or the SoundPEATS T3 Pro? That's a question many will ask in the ultra-budget segment of wireless earbuds.

It was only a week ago I reviewed the SoundPEATS T3 Pro, stating that these brand new $25 wireless earphones offer mind-blowing value for money. And indeed: these earbuds compete on every aspect.

Both earbuds have splendid gaming sychronisation, clear calls in most everyday circumstances, multipoint connection and adjustable controls.

The SoundPEATS takes the lead with ANC. Its noise reduction is a tad stronger, handles wind noise more elegantly, and has a more usable Transparency mode. The T3 Pro battery also lasts 1 hour longer with ANC on.

If you love a bassy sound, you can't go wrong with either of these. Both deliver deep and long-lasting thumps that can get real hefty on higher volumes. The SoundPEATS pushes vocals and the lower treble more forward and presents them more dynamically than the flatter presentation of the MeloBuds N50.

Both offer crazy good value for money - yet the SoundPEATS even more.

• SoundPEATS T3 Pro review

• $20 to $35 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress
  
  

QCY MeloBuds N50 vs Moondrop Space Travel

The Moondrop Space Travel was the go-to recommendation in the $25 segment for a long time on Scarbir.com, but now sees itself beaten by the QCY MeloBuds N50.

In 2023, the $25 Moondrop Space Travel surprised everyone with strong noise cancellation on a budget. Now, Moondrop has to pass the throne to QCY. Especially after readjusting the ANC in the app, the MeloBuds N50 has stronger ANC.

The QCY is better in many ways. It also adds one hour playtime per charge, the option to change the volume on the earbuds, it delivers much better video and gaming performance, and it has clearer calls too.

When it comes to sound, the Moondrop Space Travel sounds (even) airier than the MeloBuds N50, creating a bigger sense of stage around you. It puts more of its attention to center-mids and (lower) treble. It sounds clearer and more natural. The QCY throws in more lows, and a mid-bass with a more direct kick. It's warmer and while less ‘honest’, it makes you tap your foot quicker.

• Moondrop Space Travel review

• $20 to $30 - See price on Amazon US, other Amazon countries or AliExpress

QCY MeloBuds N50 vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite

Avid Scarbir.com readers know enough: if the QCY MeloBuds N50 beats the Moondrop Space Travel, it also beats the $20 Redmi Buds 6 Lite.

Indeed it does. The QCY has noticeably stronger ANC than Redmi's budget offering, and it comes with multipoint connectivity too. Two clear reasons to choose the N50 over the 6 Lite.

The Redmi Buds 6 Lite does offer an hour longer battery life per charge, while it competes with the QCY on call quality.

Move over to sound quality, however, and the N50 deals another blow to the Redmi. The Redmi has more focus on clarity and sounds a bit lighter, but the QCY rarely gives in on vocal clarity and higher instrument detail, and adds a more engaging bass and heavier lows in the mix - making the N50 a more entertaining listen.

• Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite review

• $20 to $25 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

QCY MeloBuds N50 vs QCY MeloBuds Pro

Of course, the final test: how does the QCY MeloBuds N50 compare to the QCY MeloBuds Pro?

The QCY MeloBuds Pro is more expensive, coming in for 35 to 50 dollars, but it makes a big jump up in battery life: 7 hours instead of 4 hours per charge.

That's the biggest difference, but not the only one. The ANC of the MeloBuds Pro is slightly stronger even - eliminating even more background sounds, and it stands a little better in phone calls in the wind.

The QCY MeloBuds N50 sounds warmer and bassier than the MeloBuds Pro. The MeloBuds Pro has an (even) airier sound with clearer vocals and further extended highs, but this very aspect can also a little bit harsh on the highest volumes. The N50 rolls off treble a bit earlier and plays it safer. Next to the more boosted lower-mids and bass, it's likely to please even more people.

• QCY MeloBuds Pro review

• $45 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: QCY MeloBuds N50

Just like the SoundPEATS T3 Pro, the QCY MeloBuds N50 offers stunning value for money.

You're getting a comfortable fit, customisable controls, multipoint connection, clear calls in most circumstances, good sound AND decent Active Noise Cancelling at just 25 dollars.

5 stars - Excellent

Buy QCY MeloBuds N50/ Check lowest price

• Buy on AliExpress

I received the QCY MeloBuds N50 from the manufacturer to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

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• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FIVE STARS - Multipoint connection, solid Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, clear calls, and entertaining sound. The $25 SoundPEATS T3 offers mind-blowing value for money.

• Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC codec

• IPX4 waterproof rating (splash proof)

• 5 - 7 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $20 to $35 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

In and underneath this SoundPEATS T3 Pro review, you will find comparisons of the SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs QCY MeloBuds N50, SoundPEATS Clear, Tozo Crystal Pods, Redmi Buds 6 Lite, and Moondrop Space Travel.

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Design, comfort and battery life

The SoundPEAT T3 Pro reuses the charging case and earbuds design from some other SoundPEATS models. That isn't a problem at all.

• The SoundPEATS T3 Pro moves away from the square charging case of the regular SoundPEATS T3 from 2021.

• Instead, the charging case and the earbuds have the same size, shape and texture of the SoundPEATS Life from 2022, that in turn is a variation on the 2021 SoundPEATS H2.

• The charging case of the T3 Pro is a bit higher than average, but is still comfortable to carry with you.

• Putting the earbuds in the case is a bit finnicky. They don't always grab the charging dots well. It's wise to double-check if the earbuds are in correctly and charge before you close the lid.

• Happily, the SoundPEATS T3 Pro also have the same shape of earbuds of earlier models from the brand. Many models from SoundPEATS are comfortable and that applies this time as well.

• The oval earpieces are easy to put in, and feel comfortable in the ears. The oval rubber ear tips have a good angle, so the earpieces fall against your cheeks neatly. With the right size ear tips, they also don't fall out easily.

• The earbuds look basic in matte black, but actually quite nice with the shiny-metallic brand logo on top.

• The earbuds are IPX4 splash proof and provide up to 5 hours battery life with ANC on, up to 7 hours with the function turned off. Average scores, but useful in most scenarios.

• The charging case can recharge the earbuds four times fully before needing new power via USB-C.

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro is nothing special when it comes to design and battery life, but when it comes to comfort, it doesn't change an already winning formula.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• The SoundPEATS T3 Pro has a reliable Bluetooth 5.4 connection up to ten meters away from your device, or devices.

• You're getting multipoint connection for two devices. Pause the sound on one device, play on the other, and it switches automatically and quick. An incoming phone call also makes you switch to the other device.

• The controls of the SoundPEATS T3 are mostly good. The touch panels on the top of the stems respond well, but two taps can too easily be registered as only one. This is my biggest annoyance with these earbuds.

• With the app, you can fully customise the controls to your liking - which includes putting the voice assistant and the Gaming mode directly on your earbuds.

• Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out.

• The T3 Pro gets support from the free PeatsAudio app for iPhone and Android, and once again, the app isn't a slick experience.

• For this specific model, the app has a crazy bad colour scheme with white text on a light blue background - making the features badly readable. Some warnings are also in Chinese. The app just feels a bit clumsy.

• Its features are good though:

  • Check battery indications of the L and R earbud

  • Change the controls entirely to your liking, for the single-tap, double-tap, triple-tap and hold input!

  • (De)activate the touch panels, for instance for sleeping

  • (De)activate the Game mode

  • (De)activate the Movie mode

  • Switch between ANC, Transparency mode and Normal

  • Choose between 10 equalizer presets

  • Take a sound test and create an Adaptive EQ for you

  • Or opt for the Dynamic equalizer (see Sound part of this review)

  • Create your own equalizer

  • Find the headset

  • Change the volume and language of the prompt tones

  • Update the firmware

While the app support is a bit clumsy and the touch panels could be better at recognising one taps from two, the customisable controls and multipoint connection of the SoundPEATS T3 are rock solid features for this price.

Phone and video calls

• The microphones of the SoundPEATS T3 Pro make you sound natural and full in phone calls and video meetings. It could do with a bit more clarity.

• Your voice remains fairly stable when you're on the move. The other end of the line can hear it when you're on the move, but your voice still stands.

• The same can't really be said of busy background noise, like chatter around you. This chatter is left out of the call, but it can make your voice dip.

• Wind noise is the usual enemy to the clarity of your voice.

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro fares good in phone calls, as long as you're not calling from crowded office or school spaces.

Video and games playback

• The SoundPEATS T3 Pro has flawless video playback in streaming apps like YouTube and Netflix, on both iPhone and Android phones.

• It has a Movie mode you can activate from the app or the earbuds itself, which changes the sound to separate voices a bit more from other sounds on your screen. It works decently, but you can also forget about it.

• The Gaming mode does a great job of synchronizing the sound effects with the action on your screen.

• In a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile, gunshots and explosions aren't overbearingly loud - which is great - but it's also a bit hard to precisely hear where sounds around you come from.

ANC quality of the SoundpEATS T3 Pro

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro offers solid Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and surprisingly good Transparency.

• The ANC softens the volume of noise around you, and some constant sounds like a radio playing in the background and the humming of a fridge may fade away entirely. The same goes for your keyboard typing.

• Any sudden and somewhat louder sound can still be heard when you're not playing any music. Voices, laughter, door slams, and accelerating traffic break through the ANC wall. They still sound softer than without ANC, naturally.

• While the performance is decent, the ANC on the SoundPEATS T3 Pro does two things very right: it's comfortable to use as it doesn't apply too much pressure on your ears, and it handles wind noise well.

• Wind is audible next to your music when you're running or cycling, but it's rolled-off and you only hear a darker, natural wind sound. Much better than the metallic noise on most earbuds.

• The Transparency mode is a pleasant surprise: when you activate it, it lets you hear and even locate traffic around you while you're listening to music on easy to moderate volume. Again without too much wind noise!

• The ANC of the SoundPEATS T3 Pro is stronger than the Moondrop Space Travel, Redmi Buds 6, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite, the Tozo Crystal Pods and even the QCY MeloBuds N50 in the same price range. The more expensive QCY MeloBuds Pro filters even more noise.

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro offers solid and comfortable ANC and impressive Transparency for a crazy low price.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of SoundPEATS T3 Pro

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro is a great companion for background listening, and delivers an uplifting sound when you turn the volume up.

• Lower mid-tones play the biggest role in the musical performance of the SoundPEATS T3 Pro. Darker electronic tones and instruments like cello's and the lower part of a piano are boosted and feel full. The same goes for lower (male) vocals.

• The T3 Pro doesn't go all-out with treble. Highs roll-off quick, making these earbuds sound warm rather than clear or bright. This adds to the comfortable listening experience.

• Female and higher male vocals are prominent enough to outweigh the lower tones. They sound full-bodied and pleasantly warm.

• For background and moderate listening, the bass plays along nicely, with deep notes and smooth tones.

• Turn the volume up, and the T3 Pro shows its bassy character. The mid-bass gives heavy, deep-feeling, and long-lasting thumps.

• Even deeper down, the sub-bass rumbles loosely in James Blake's ideal test track Limit to Your Love.

• There's plenty of power in the bass, and if you're into heavy bass, prepare to be entertained. Just know it's not very tight.

• The T3 Pro doesn't have a big soundstage and you can't precisely place instruments around you either, but frequencies and instruments are well-separated from each other, even in tracks that already lean heavy on lower tones.

• The T3 Pro loses a bit of its comfort on high active listening volume levels. In addition to the hefty bass, some higher vocals can actually get a bit peaky.

• By choosing the Dynamic EQ in the app, the T3 Pro can become a bit fuller even in lower songs, and give more emphasis on treble and provide more air in higher songs. It works well for moderate volumes, but it also increases the peaky edge on higher volumes.

• The Adaptive EQ is also worth checking out. This test registers which frequencies you can and can't hear anymore and compensates the equalizer for it. In my case, it made the sound less lower-mids heavy and a tad more natural.

• Unlike what you may expect from earbuds for this price, these features can both cater the already great sound even more towards your preferences. They aren't just gimmicks.

Smooth and comfortable for background listening, and bassy and engaging on higher volumes: the SoundPEATS T3 Pro delivers for its ultra low-price!

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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SoundPEATS T3 Pro comparisons

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs Tozo Crystal Pods

The Tozo Crystal Pods is one of the best-selling branded wireless earbuds around $25 on Amazon. How does the SoundPEATS T3 Pro compare?

The Tozo has slightly longer battery life with ANC on, but the actual ANC is stronger on the SoundPEATS. The T3 Pro also has a better Transparency mode, and performs more consistent in phone calls and video meetings as well.

Both have perfect game mode syncing, but only the SoundPEATS lets you activate the mode from the earbuds directly. Its overall controls respond better, and its Bluetooth connection is more reliable too. The Tozo has a better IPX5 waterproof rating, for rain and sweat resistance.

The Crystal Pods has an even deeper and heavier bass than the T3 Pro. The Tozo has more immersion but also more overweight in the lows. The T3 Pro sounds less full, but especially with the Adaptive and Dynamic EQ settings, it brings out mid-tones and treble better. Both sound excellent for their ultra-budget price.

• Tozo Crystal Pods review

• $20 to $30 - See price on Amazon US, other Amazon countries or AliExpress

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite

Coming in around the same price with ANC, is the Redmi Buds 6 Lite a threat to the SoundPEATS T3 Pro?

Partially. It offers comparable battery life, call quality, and comfort.

But also: no. The SoundPEATS T3 Pro is the only one with multipoint connection, its ANC is stronger, and its Transparency mode more usable.

When it comes to sound, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite is flatter than the more dynamic SoundPEATS T3 Pro. The Redmi has more clarity, but the SoundPEATS has a stronger and deeper bass, and more tweaking options via the Adaptive and Dynamic EQ. Whether you like listening on background volumes or move your feet on high volume: the T3 Pro is a more gripping listen.

• Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite review

• $20 to $25 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs QCY MeloBuds N50

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro or the QCY MeloBuds N50? That's a question many will ask in the ultra-budget segment of wireless earbuds.

My review on the QCY MeloBuds N50 will follow shortly, but I can already giveaway that these earbuds compete on every single aspect.

Both earbuds have splendid gaming sychronisation, clear calls in most everyday circumstances, multipoint connection and adjustable controls.

The SoundPEATS takes the lead with ANC. Its noise reduction is a tad stronger, handles wind noise more elegantly, and has a more usable Transparency mode. The T3 Pro battery also lasts 1 hour longer with ANC on.

If you love a bassy sound, you can't go wrong with either of these. Both deliver deep and long-lasting thumps that can get real hefty on higher volumes. The SoundPEATS pushes vocals and the lower treble more forward and presents them more dynamically than the flatter presentation of the MeloBuds N50.

Both offer insane value for money - and the SoundPEATS even more.

• QCY MeloBuds N50 review (soon!)

• $20 to $35 - See price on AliExpress

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs Moondrop Space Travel

The Moondrop Space Travel has been the top recommendation for 25 dollars earbuds quite some time on Scarbir.com, especially because of its sound quality.

The SoundPEATS T3 Pro is a much more modern wireless earphone than the Moondrop Space Travel. It has at least an hour more battery life per charge, multipoint, clearer calls, better video and gaming performance, and stronger ANC.

In sound performance, the T3 Pro has a more prominent and fuller mid-bass. It has more space in the sound and better articulation between instruments and different frequencies. Even when you prefer a more mid-focused, natural sound the Space Travel delivers, with so many advantages for the SoundPEATS, the Moondrop Space Travel era has come to an end.

• Moondrop Space Travel review

• $25 - Buy on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

SoundPEATS T3 Pro vs SoundPEATS Clear

Finally, how does the SoundPEATS Clear compare to the newer SoundPEATS T3 Pro?

The SoundPEATS Clear has a deeper hitting and lower rumbling sub-bass that's even more prominent on lower to moderate volumes. It also opens up the treble more than the T3 Pro. The Clear sounds clearer and brighter, while the T3 Pro sounds more laidback and comfortable. Both have good equalization options.

That means this battle is fought on your sound preference or on the features. The T3 Pro wins on that regard, by throwing in multipoint connectivity and Active Noise Cancelling - which the Clear both lacks.

The Clear's battery lasts longer and has more precision in the gaming mode; the T3 Pro more consistent calls.

• SoundPEATS Clear review

• $35 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress
  
  

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: SoundPEATS T3 Pro

A comfortable fit, multipoint connection, clear calls in most circumstances, good sound AND strong Active Noise Cancelling at just 25 dollars - the SoundPEATS T3 Pro is almost insane.

5 stars - Excellent

Buy SoundPEATS T3 Pro/ Check lowest price

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

I received the SoundPEATS T3 Pro from the manufacturer to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FIVE STARS - Coming in at just over 100 dollars, the Sony WF-C710N is a rock solid pair of wireless earphones that competes with the best in this price class.

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec

• IPX5 waterproof rating (splash proof)

• 8,5 - 12 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 2 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection

• Doesn't have: wireless charging, spatial audio

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $100 to $130 - Buy on Amazon US or your Amazon country

In and underneath this Sony WF-C710N review, you will find comparisons of the Sony WF-C710n vs Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, JBL Tune Beam 2, Earfun Air Pro 4, and Redmi Buds 6 Pro.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

As one of the only earphone brands, Sony still ignores the trend of designing wireless earbuds with stems. Happily, the Sony WF-C710N isn't too big to wear.

• The Sony WF-C710N is noticeably smaller than Sony's flagship earphone WF-1000XM5, which has many users complaining about its uncomfortable, large size.

• This new midrange model sits between the Sony WF-C510 and Linkbuds-lineup, and has drip-shaped earbuds. The earpieces are round on the top side, and get slimmer near the bottom. They lightly follow the shape on your inner ear, granting them a secure fit.

• Even though you can feel them sitting in a bit, these are comfortable to wear for multiple hours in a row.

• Even though the earpieces are bigger than the Sony Linkbuds S, I found their shape to be more comfortable for my average-sized ears. This time around, I didn't feel the need to relieve the pressure on my ears every now and then.

• That said, you can hear them move in your ears a bit - and also give a clear ‘thud’ when you walk with them.

• It's easy to put the earbuds in the right way. A little knob on top of the left earbud helps you separate the left earbud from the right, and helps putting in the earbuds the right way. The earbuds also have a L and R indication on the inside.

• The earbuds have a great battery life, boasting 8,5 hours playtime with Active Noise Cancelling on - and up to 12 hours with the function turned off.

• When needed, a 10 minute recharge in the case gets these earbuds another 4 hours of playtime with ANC on - brilliant.

• Its waterproofing should have been higher; it's only IPX4 splashproof, compared to IPX5 rain and sweat resistance of many comparably priced competitors.

• The charging case is the worst part of the design. In black, the case already looks heavily used after two hours of using them - not even taking them into my jeans pocket. The case looks and feels cheap, and it can only recharge the earbuds fully twice before needing new power via USB-C.

• The case also doesn't support wireless charging.

• It does give a warning on your phone when your case battery is low, however. That's convenient.

The Sony WF-C710N look and feel doesn't live up to its price compared to many competitors, but its comfort and battery life are outstanding.

Controls, connectivity and app support

The Sony WF-C710N bathes you in app features, but it could be better in the basics.

• The entire flat sides of the C710N are touch panels. They respond wonderfully to your input.

• The Sony WF-C710N control scheme takes getting used to. The right side gives you the track controls, with pause on one press, skip on two, and return on three. It then gives you the option to activate the voice assistant by long-pressing.

• The left side, however, only has Ambient mode switching on one press. The other amounts of presses are deactivated by default, and can be setup to play a random Spotify or Amazon Music song. Really - how often will you use that?

• Meanwhile, changing the volume is done by pressing the earbuds four times. That's a little much.

• Happily, the Bluetooth connection is rock-solid and keeps a stable signal up to 10 meters away from your device.

• The Sony WF-C710N also supports dual-device multipoint connection, meaning you can connect two devices at the same time. Switching between devices works flawlessly, when you enter a phone call or when you pause one device, and press play on the other.

• Setting up multipoint is a breeze: enter the dual-device settings in the app on your first device, press ‘Connect to new device’ and the earbuds can immediately be found and added from the Bluetooth list on the second device.

• Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out - yet. This should work according to the app, but probably needs a firmware update.

The Sony Headphones Connect app for iPhone and Android phones isn't the easiest to use, but that's partly because it needs many screens to house all the function it gives the WF-C710N:

• Check battery status of the L and R earbud and the case

• Choose or setup a custom equalizer

• Find your own equalizer by choosing your preferences (see sound part of this review)

• Manage the connected devices

• Analyse the shape of your ears

• Choose between the most reliable or sound quality-focused connection

• (De)activate DSEE, Sony's own ‘sound optimizing’ process

• Switch the left and right earbuds controls

• Setup buttons for Spotify or Amazon Music

• Decide if the earphones turn off automatically

• (De)activate passthrough of your own voice when you take a phone call

• Change the volume of voice prompts

• Optional: Track your Listening History and Activity

• Optional: Track the volume output of your earphones

• Optional: Gain badges for your listening activity

• Run a tutorial

The Sony WF-C710N feels rather premium with so many features in the app, even though you may never need or want some options. The controls take getting used to.

Phone and video calls

The Sony WF-C710N does the job, but performs a little bit inconsistent in phone calls and video conferences.

• Your voice sounds clear and natural, with enough volume.

• Sudden background sounds, like a car passing or a door slam, can be heard in the background of a call.

• More constant background noises, like people talking in the distance or car tire noise, can't be heard in the phone call, but they do influence the stability of your voice.

• Wind noise can be heard too, even when there's not all that much of it. But: wind doesn't drown your voice too much.

• The Sony app has the neat option to let you hear your own voice clearly when you're taking a phone call.

• Comparably priced competitors like the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, but also the more affordable Earfun Air Pro 4, Realme Buds Air 6 Pro and OnePlus Buds 3 deliver clearer calls in more circumstances.

The Sony WF-C710N handles phone calls both indoors and outside well enough, but the microphones output can be a little bit restless, with audible background noise and vocal instability.

Video and games playback

• Video playback is flawless on the WF-C710N, with lipsync synchronization in video apps like YouTube and Netflix, on both iPhone and Android.

• The Sony doesn't have a low-latency mode for gaming, but the synchronization between in a game like Call of Duty mobile is convincing nonetheless. There's only a minimal delay in sound effects.

• What's more, is that gaming is very immersive. Gunshots and explosions have proper impact. It's easy to locate action around you, and there's even more of those details than on most other affordable earbuds. Whoah.

ANC quality of the Sony WF-C710N

The ANC of the Sony WF-C710N reduces sounds in all frequencies around you well, even when you're not playing any music.

• Constant background sounds like a fridge or an AC humming disappear, and middle and higher sounds are dampened very well too. Laughter, higher chatter, distant traffic and conversations are heavily reduced in volume.

• Surprisingly, it's the lower sounds that are filtered less well and still come through. The darker tones of a radio playing in a background and your own keyboard typing can still be somewhat audible.

• This is different than most good ANC earphones under 100 dollars, like the Redmi Buds 6 Pro and Earfun Air Pro 4, which actually filter out the darkest tones the best of all surrounding noises - and the middle sounds often a bit less.

• Still, the Sony WF-C710n ANC's is strong enough to filter distracting background sounds. It can bring rest to your head.

• The ANC filters wind noise well too. You can notice it's there, but it doesn't sound annoyingly metallic, and it doesn't interfere with your music.

• The same can't be said of the Ambient mode. This Transparency mode picks up quite a bit of wind when you're running, cycling, or walking. It puts through traffic sounds well in moments you need it, but the wind noise doesn't make it a comfortable option to use.

• Yet, the Transparency mode puts through voices around you well. You can follow a conversation while listening to some music up to moderate volume.

• There's an in-app setting that allows Sony to scan your location and surroundings to apply ANC settings accordingly; like the Transparency mode when you're running or the ANC when you're concentrating at work. That could perhaps be useful, but as it's no problem tapping the left earbud once to switch between ANC and Ambient mode and this function requires a lot of data - I doubt it's worth using this.

The Sony WF-C710N's Active Noise Cancelling feels effortless. While some competitors block lower sounds better, it brings rest to your head without any hassle. The Transparency mode also works well.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Sony WF-C710N

The Sony WF-C710N sounds impressive in its bass, lower tones and with its outstanding separation.

• You can't miss it when push play on the Sony WF-C710N: these have a lot of bass. The mid-bass hits with thick, plump thumps that last longer than average. It hits deep, but in bass heavy songs, it can be a bit much.

• The darkest bass tones of often where Sony shines, and this is no exception. The sub-bass rumbles tightly, deep and controlled in James Blake's ideal test track Limit to Your Love.

• The other lower frequencies are heavily boosted as well. The C710N puts darker electronic tones, drums, lower instruments, and the darkest male vocals on the foreground. Instruments like cello's and saxophones are textured very well.

• The emphasis on the lows makes music sound full, but also a bit dark. That's further established by the fact that Sony doesn't put the higher frequencies forward.

• In the lower treble, male and female singers are prominent enough to conquer a place in between the lows. Due to the strong lows, vocals are warm and grounded, and never feel light or thin.

• But higher instruments aren't that well represented. Especially with the default sound setting, they miss a bit of sparkle. As soothing and comfortable the highs sound here; violins, trumpets, and higher electronic tones lack a bit of naturality and minor details like breath sputters.

• While you may think this is over-asking for around 100 dollars, there are several competitors that retrieve such wonderful details in the treble better - like the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, Earfun Air Pro 4, Realme Buds Air 6 Pro, SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, and Redmi Buds 6 Pro.

• That said, Sony lets you ‘find your own equalizer’ by letting you choose between five sound variations. After choosing the first, it gives you five more variations closer to that preference to alter the EQ for you. It then saves that to the Custom 2 EQ slot in the app. It's great that you can take this test while listening to your own favourite song.

• From there, it's easy to customize the EQ and further tweak frequencies, and the Bass Level apart from that.

• By not holding back here, you can actually increase the mids, treble, and highs - and also push vocals more forward. If you'd rather have it that way, center mid-tones like guitar and piano play can also keep on flirting with the lower-mids - the EQ is well-adjustable here.

• Whatever you choose, the Sony is articulated in what it displays. Cymbals, claps and snare drums are tight, lower instruments are textured, and the sound comes immersively from your left and right.

• Instruments are often awarded their own place around you in higher-quality recordings, and even though positioning could be more precise, the separation between them is fantastic.

• Footnote: I expect many reviewers will see it as a minus that the WF-C710n doesn't support the LDAC audio codec on Android, but that's mostly spec sheet reviewing: for regular use with your favourite streaming service, it sounds great without. Tuning is always more important than the codec. Besides; LDAC often decreases the battery life, the connection quality, the video and gaming synchronization, and the multipoint pairing option.

The Sony WF-C710N sounds a little bit darker than average, but Sony executes its very well. These sound full and soothing, yet textured and articulated at the same time.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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Sony WF-C710N alternatives

Sony WF-C710N vs Sony Linkbuds S

The Sony Linkbuds S from 2021 can still be bought today, and is sometimes discounted to the same price as the four years newer Sony WF C710N. I think the latter may be the better choice.

The earpieces of the WF-C710N are a bit bigger, but they're more comfortable to wear thanks to their more oval and fluent shape. The C710N also has 8,5 hours battery life per charge instead of the Linkbuds’ 6,5 hours. Furthermore, the newer earbuds recharge quicker and synchronize gaming sounds much better.

The Linkbuds S's ANC is a tad stronger in filtering lower noises, and its phone calls are cleaner.

In music performance, the Linkbuds S’ sounds livelier in the lower treble, with more forward and nuanced vocals; while the WF-C710N is tighter and has better left-right separation. Its the bass that gives the edge, however. The Linkbuds could be a little lacking in bass punch on higher volumes - the WF-C710N certainly is not.

• Sony Linkbuds S review

• $120 to $150 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country
  
  

Sony WF-C710N vs Redmi Buds 6 Pro

Just released, the Redmi Buds 6 Pro is a more affordable alternative to the Sony WF-C710N and shares most of its qualities.

The Sony has a more usable call performance than the Redmi Buds 6 Pro, and also boasts 1,5 hour of battery life per charge more. Its multipoint connectivity switches better between devices too.

The Redmi has a better (IPX5) waterproof rating, slightly stronger ANC, more logical controls with outstanding volume swiping, and in grey, it looks and feels more premium - while being around 50 dollars cheaper. Both deliver an immersive gaming experience - the Sony even more detailed.

Both sound spectacular. The Sony sounds more articulated, the Redmi more organic. The Sony has even better left-right separation, while the Redmi puts music more ‘around’ you and retrieves more detail from the mids and within that space. This effect can even be lifted further with the spatial audio mode, which the Sony lacks. The Sony has a more adjustable EQ and bass.

• Redmi Buds 6 Pro review

• $60 to $90 - See price on Amazon or AliExpress

Sony WF-C710N vs Earfun Air Pro 4

The Earfun Air Pro 4 is Scarbir.com's go-to recommendation for wireless earbuds under $100, meaning these are slightly cheaper than the Sony's.

The Earfun Air Pro 4 offers clearer calls when you're on the move and/or when there's noise around you. It has has a more logical control scheme with easier volume controls, it has a higher IPX5 waterproof rating and it also comes with wireless charging.

The Sony has 8,5 instead of Earfun's 8 hours playtime per charge, an even more immersive gaming performance, and the Sony is more comfortable to wear than the Earfun. The earpieces may be bigger, but the ear tips are not. That's why.

When it comes to ANC, the Sony filters middle and higher sounds better; the Earfun lower noise.

The Earfun presents center mid-tones (like guitar and piano play) more natural than the Sony; the Sony places individual instruments further to your left and right. Sony's sound is more adjustable and keeps it authority better on the highest volumes, where Earfuns treble falls a bit flat.

• Earfun Air Pro 4 review

• Around $80 on Amazon US or your Amazon country
  
  
  

Sony WF-C710N vs Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro

The amazing Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro costs the same as the Sony WF-C710N.

The Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro comes with an abundance of features, like a display on the case that lets you change the level of ANC, fully customisable controls and a volume limiter. It also has a comparable ‘find your equalizer’ function, and the possibility to mute your music when it hears your voice. It also has a higher IPX5 waterproof rating and stronger ANC.

The Sony has a more immersive gaming performance and… half an hour more battery life per charge.

The Soundcore has more powerful treble and more air in the sound, giving music a bigger feeling. The Sony tones down treble more, giving a more soothing sound. The Soundcore has a more powerful sub-bass; the Sony can feel more natural with equalization.

• Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro review

• $100 to $150 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

Sony WF-C710n vs JBL Tune Beam 2

The recently reviewed JBL Tune Beam 2 is one of the great all-around options for wireless earbuds around 100 dollars. But the Sony WF-C710N has an edge.

The 8,5 hours playtime per charge of the Sony may be impressive; the JBL Tune Beam 2 offers a staggering 10 hours per charge with ANC on. They also have a higher IP54 waterproof rating.

Whereas these earbuds just about tie on ANC strength, the Sony has an even more immersive gaming performance, and at least lets you change the volume - which can only be done on the JBL if you're sacrificing other options. The WF-C710 also handles wind noise a bit better.

While the Sony isn't very royal with treble and highs, it delivers them clearer and more open than the JBL. It also responds better to equalization. The Sony has a wider soundstage and sounds more articulated. Both earbuds have a highly adjustable bass that can be set from almost absent to overbearingly heavy - the JBL even more so than the Sony.

• JBL Tune Beam 2 review

• $90 to $100 - See price on Amazon

Sony WF-C710N vs Samsung Galaxy Buds FE

There's another pair of affordable stemless earbuds with impeccable sound quality. How does the Sony WF C710N compare to the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE?

The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE only has multipoint connectivity for Samsung devices, and delivers just 5,5 hours on single charge with ANC on. Sony's ANC is a bit stronger too.

Some aspects are still perfectly comparable, however: the call clarity, the gaming performance and the waterproof level. And then there's the sound these both deliver.

The Samsung boosts lower mid-tones even more, and also puts vocals more forward than the Sony. The Samsung boasts an even deeper and rumblier sub-bass out of the box, but the Sony has a tighter and more adjustable bass - and rest of the equalizer. Sony's instrument separation accents mostly on your left and right, the Galaxy Buds FE's keeps details a bit more (bur closer) around you. Both sound phenomenal - the Buds FE only does it for a lower price.

• Samsung Galaxy Buds FE review

• $80 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Sony WF-C710N

The Sony WF-C710N is a versatile midrange wireless earphone. While controls and waterproofing could be better, these earbuds combine comfort, long battery life, multipoint connectivity, strong ANC, and an immersive gaming performance with great sound quality. These Sony's have it all.

Five stars - Excellent

Buy Sony WF-C710N/ Check lowest price

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

I bought the Sony WF-C710N to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

There's a new shape of earbuds in town! In the last half year, more and more earphone brands released a pair of Open-Ear Clip-On earbuds. How do the most popular of well-known models around $50 perform - and which budget open-ear earbud is best? Updated for June 2025

In this article:

1. Intro

2. Tozo Open EarRing

3. Amazfit Up

4. Soundcore C30i

5. QCY Crossky C30

6. SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro

7. Edifier Comfo C

8. SoundPEATS POP Clip - new!

9. Conclusion: which are the best clip-ons?

Intro

Hi there! If you've never been on this site before, here's a short introduction. My name is Bart, and Scarbir.com is a solo project of mine on which I test, review and compare affordable wireless earbuds under $100.

So far, I've written 458+ wireless earbuds reviews and ranked them all in my Leaderboard. About 70 percent of the earbuds tested have rubber ear-tips, the other 30 percent looks like the original AirPods without rubber tips - so-called half-in-ears.

I have a passion for great sound quality, but I also extensively test and review earphones on comfort, battery life, controls, features, and call quality.

For this comparison, I've bought and received six earbuds in the still very new segment of Open-Ear Clip-On earbuds - or Earring type earbuds around the $50 price point. Some are as cheap as $30, some go for $60.

What you need to know about open-ear clip-on earbuds:

• These have a much more personal comfort than earbuds that go into your ears, either with or without rubber tips.

• Dependent on your ears, it can be more comfortable to wear them around the top, the middle or the bottom of your ears.

• These earbuds let you hear still pretty much everything around you, much more than AirPods-like half-in-ears.

• That's great for safety when you're walking or cycling, can be great to combine music with nature sounds, or music with conversations.

• The sound quality is not yet on par with other type of earbuds, as the speaker is further away from your ears. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy them.

Now, there are way more models to choose from. You can drown in generic names when you're browsing Amazon or AliExpress. You may not have heard from all brands in this article, but all tested models are from brands that proved consistent and reliable in other earbuds categories over the last years.

Time for Edifier, Soundcore, SoundPEATS, QCY, Tozo and fitness brand Amazfit to step into the ring: which budget Open-Ear Clip-On earbuds are the best?

Updated for June 2025

Tozo OpenEarRing review: A safe choice for clip-on earbuds

$40 — 10 hours playtime — IPX5 waterproof

The Tozo OpenEarRing seems to be the pair of Clip-On earbuds with the most positive user reviews on Amazon, so let's kick of with these. How good are these really?

Functional is a word that comes to mind when you look and feel the Tozo OpenEarRing. The charging case is compact enough to carry in a jeans pocket, has a clever battery percentage on display at the front, and provides easy access to the earbuds.

The Tozo consists of a small round speaker that goes in the inside/ front of your ear, and the larger square piece goes behind it. The sides are held together by a slim, round bridge.

While the back part can apply a bit of pressure, these are comfortable to wear. It's also quite convenient to have the touch panels on the broad back part.

Once you're used to the location, it's easy to pause/play (double-tap), change tracks (triple-tap) or even change the volume (hold).

While these earbuds lack multipoint - meaning you can only connect them to one device at a time, other features are great. The Tozo has app support on iPhone and Android, delivers a staggering 10 hours playtime on a single charge and an IPX5 waterproof rating that resists your sweat and rain.

Taking a phone call with them is doable, in the sense that your voice is full and loud. It also comes with quite a bit of crackling, however, and everything loses clarity when more surrounding noise and/ or wind get involved.

The Tozo app comes with several sound equalizer options, of which the Bass+ option is commendable. It gives music a decent mid-bass slam, gives other lower frequencies a bit of body and livens up the otherwise shallow sound.

Mid-tones aren't very outspoken or detailed here, and as treble is toned down (until the highest volumes - where they become harsh), the OpenEarRing has a smooth, friendly, but not very engaging sound.

The Tozo OpenEarRing is a safe choice for everyone looking for a pair of earbuds that still allow you to hear all your surroundings. It will never wow you, but it's easy to wear for hours on end.

• Design and comfort: 4/5 - Great 10 hours battery life, IPX5 waterproof, comfortable fit - even though you can feel the backside pressing a little

• Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - Decent controls with volume changing, no multipoint connection

• Playback: 4/5 - Flawless in videos; gaming mode from the app synchronizes well

• Call quality: 3/5 - Full and loud voice, but comes with crackles when there's noise

• Sound quality: 3/5 - Smooth, friendly, not very engaging

• VERDICT: FOUR STARS (Good)

• $30 - $50

• Buy on your Amazon country

Amazfit Up review: Not that great for sports, actually

$50 — 6 hours playtime — IPX4 splashproof

Next to earphone brands, Xiaomi-owned fitness brand Amazfit also enters the stage with clip-on earbuds. The Amazfit Up is a questionable choice for fitness and running lovers, however.

For a product from a fitness-oriented brand, it's a big miss that the Amazfit Up only comes with an IPX4 splashproof rating. That means these earbuds aren’t officially protected against rain and sweat, killing the possibility to safely take them out for a spin.

That's unfortunate, as the big square piece you put on the backside after your ears contains an actual button. The Up is the only model on this page you can still control with a cold, wet or sweaty finger, even though the button is tiny and can be tricky to press while on the move.

Controls react quickly, though: press to play/pause, double-press to skip a track, triple to activate the voice assistant, and hold to change the volume. Great to have them all at hand.

There's more to like here. The earbuds’ battery lasts 6 hours on a single charge, and the earbuds have multipoint connectivity, meaning you can connect them to two devices at the same time.

Comfort is a mixed bag. On one hand, the earbuds are easy to put in and the stretchy bridges ensure a fit on many sized ears. On the other hand, the back part is the biggest of all competitors, and there likely isn't a moment where you won't feel them.

In the sound department, the Amazfit Up has a nicely, quickly slamming mid-bass that will make you tap your foot. Lower electronic tones and darker instruments are slightly lifted, yet it's the treble that takes the upper hand in the sound.

The Up can feel airy and around you. Vocals are prominent and higher instruments get room to shine, but… treble quickly gets out of bounds and turns into sharpness on higher volumes.

Also, the Up isn't the loudest out there. But that's only a minor problem compared to the call quality - or lack thereof. Your voice comes across too muffled and is surrounded by little cracks and sound effects, even on moments where there isn't much noise around you.

This ultimately leaves the Amazfit Up with empty hands. It's not specialised enough to be a great pair of clip-on earbuds for working out, and it's not versatile enough for everyday use.

• Design and comfort: 3/5 - 6 hours battery life, but comfort is a bit of a mixed bag and the IPX4 splashproof rating is on the lower side

• Controls and connectivity: 4.5/5 - Tiny actual buttons respond well to your input, multipoint connection too

• Playback: 4/5 - Flawless in videos, decent synchronisation in games

• Call quality: 1.5/5 - Muffled and full of crackles

• Sound quality: 3/5 - Nice bass slam and airy, but harshness lurks everywhere

• VERDICT: 3 STARS (Worth considering)

• $40 - $60

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

Soundcore C30i review: The brands most questionable product, by far

$60 — 10 hours playtime — IPX4 splashproof

Unlike its competitors, the Soundcore C30i is made from hard, stiff plastic. This choice can make these earbuds almost unbearable uncomfortable and tricky to use.

Leave it to Anker's subbrand Soundcore to create great looking products. The C30i comes in a compact square case from which the semi-transparant earbuds can be picked easily. The earbuds have an outspoken design, with semi-transparant panels on the front, on the back and on the bridge between those sides.

It's also cleverly designed: the front-part is easy recognisable by it's square-ish shape, while the part behind your ears is round. The touch panel on this part resides in a subtle cave, making it very easy to operate the C30i on touch.

Yet, the shape is also its weakest point. The C30i not only has a tiny bridge, but it's made from a stiff and hard plastic.

This design gives no flexibility at all, and even though Soundcore throws in two plastic sets to alter the fit of the backside a little bit, it can be an immense struggle to put these on if you don't have the smoothest of ear calves. Like in my case.

When they're finally on, they gripe so hard that they're painful to wear. This tight grip could be great for working out and running, but unfortunately, the C30i is only IPX4 splashproof waterproof rating - too little to resist sweat and rain.

Of course, comfort is personal, so let me also add that I've handed oud these earbuds to an office full of people. Three persons shared my experience, for one it was mostly okay, two others really liked it, saying it provided them a very safe fit.

The problem is, when you're buying these from the internet, is that you don't know how they will fit you - and there's no flexibility at all to compensate for your less that ideal fit. That's different on all other pairs, that do have a flexible bridge.

If they do fit your perfectly, you're up to a brilliant 10 hours playtime on a single charge.

If you're into it sound-wise, that is. The Soundcore C30i doesn't have the most engaging sound. It combines a slightly kicking yet slim mid-bass, and overdrawn treble. Voices and higher instruments are prominent, but without much nuance. Many songs sound shallow and overly bright.

The Soundcore C30i comes with a slick app on iPhone and Android, which lets you alter some controls and shift to a Bass EQ. Sadly, that doesn't really improve the punching power of the bass. It does add some weight to the lower tones, but slices off so much treble, the end result is pretty dull.

The Soundcore C30i is among the slickest open-ear earbuds on a budget, but due to its design it can be downright tricky to put them on and painful to wear. Make sure you can test or return them somewhere before trying these.

• Design and comfort: 2/5 - Slick looks, 10 hours battery life, but oly IPX4 splashproof and can be extremely uncomfortable to put in and wear.

• Controls and connectivity: 5/5 - Responsive and easy to find touch controls, good app support and multipoint - so you can connect it to two devices

• Playback: 3.5/5 - Good for videos, some delay in games

• Call quality: 4/5 - Natural voice reproduction, shakier with other sounds or wind

• Sound quality: 2/5 - A slim yet slightly kicking mid-bass, overly boosted treble

• VERDICT: THREE STARS (Worth considering)

• $40 - $70

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

QCY Crossky C30 review: The C30 you could consider

$40 - 5,5 hours playtime - IPX4 splashproof

There's another C30 in town. Priced at a friendly 40 dollars, the QCY Crossky Q30 are comfortable clip-on earbuds with some less favourable aspects.

The QCY Crossky C30 comes in a pocketable charging case that stratches easily and looks cheap. Inside, things take a turn. The earbuds can be taken out and put into the case with a satisfying ‘click’ from the magnets, and look polished themselves too.

The droplets have a shiny metallic finish on the outside, giving the Crossky sort of a jewelry-like vibe in your ears. As both parts look a lot like each other, you have to get used to putting them in right: the small piece should be near your ear canal.

The controls however, reside on the back part, and oof… the touch panels are terrible. A double-tap should let you play/ pause the music, but the panels respond so bad that you always get the feeling you're not touching the right area or that the controls have somehow stopped working at all. Even after two weeks of testing these earbuds intensively, controlling these earbuds is a total hit-and-miss.

QCY uses a flexible, matte rubber bridge to connect the two droplet-shaped earpieces. This setup provides a secure enough fit. You can feel the outsides clinging onto your ears at first, but this feeling fades away after a while. I found these earbuds comfortable to wear for its maximum of 5,5 hours playtime in a row.

Sadly, the IPX4 splashproof level won't protect the earbuds against sweat or rain during your workouts or runs.

The sound, however, is quite decent. Balanced too. Most of the attention goes to the mid-tones. Instruments like the guitar and piano play sound natural, lower electronic tones and instruments have a slightly boosted presence, and vocals are forward enough to take a prominent position over them.

As the bass consists of a mere slam and highs are rolled-off quickly, the sound is rather smooth. It makes the QCY a good listen for acoustic genres like jazz, blues, singer-songwriter songs, older pop songs, and soft rock. The bass falls short for more electronic or modern genres.

Still, this C30 is worth considering. The combination of comfort and fit is great here - I loved dismantling a christmas tree and taking a call with these at the same time, without any fear of the earbuds falling out. Plus: the other end of the line couldn't tell I was busy. Your voice sounds natural and loud enough, and surrounding noises are repressed well. If wind joins the scenario, your voice becomes less audible - but it's safe to take a call with these.

The QCY Crossky C30 is a good pair of clip-on earbuds for everyday use, at a friendly price too. Just know that you'll likely always use the controls on your phone or laptop instead of on the buds.

• Design and comfort: 4/5 - Only IPX4 splashproof and 5,5 hours battery life, but a great comfortable and secure enough fit

• Controls and connectivity: 2/5 - Can be connected to two devices at the same time thanks to multipoint, but controlling them is a nightmare.

• Playback: 4.5/5 - Handles videos well, great gaming mode from the app

• Call quality: 3.5/5 - Natural and clear, but wind and noise at the same time threaten your clarity

• Sound quality: 3.5/5 - Balanced and smooth, lacks bass punch

• VERDICT: 4 STARS (Good)

• $30 - $40

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro review: The best clip-on earbuds on a budget!

$60 - 6 hours playtime - IPX5 waterproof

The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro rises far above other clip-on earbuds in terms of sound quality, while also delivering good comfort and clear calls.

The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro has a very similar shape to the QCY Crossky C30, combining two shiny droplets with an extremely flexible bridge. It has the same jewelry-vibe in your ears, whether you like it or not.

Happily, the touch panels are on top of the inner earbud here, and respond well. It can be tricky to locate the precise touch point, but it's no issue playing or pausing music (double tap), skipping a track (three taps) or changing the volume with a single tap. It's a bit annoying that the earbuds launch a sound effect for every time you operate it, though.

There's two downsides of the PearlClip Pro's design: it can be hard to see which side goes in front of your ears and which is the backside. The other is that the flexibility may perhaps cause a loose fit for some. The IPX5 waterproof rating protects them for rain and sweat, yes, but it's questionable whether the earbuds will stay in after so many reps or bench presses.

For everyday use, the PearlClip Pro is very comfortable to wear. Even though I can feel them pushing against both sides of the ears a little, I don't have problems wearing them for their 6 hours playtime on a single charge.

The five-headed test panel shares this impression, saying these earbuds can be felt and feel looser than average - but four of them definitely find it comfortable.

More everyday-use goodness: it's no problem connecting them to two devices at the same time, or taking a phone call with them. The SoundPEATS puts your voice through loud and natural, with only minor dips when there's a lot of noise around you or when there's wind.

The PeatsAudio app for iPhone and Android gives the earbuds neat extra features, like the ability to turn off the controls, change the controls, change the sound equalizer, or select a Movie mode which tries to create a Dolby Surround-sound effect but fails laughably at it. The Game mode, however, does a great job of synchronizing the sound effects in challenging games with the action on your screen.

The biggest triumph of the app is the Dynamic EQ button. Switch that on and the sound far outweighs that of its competitors.

The PearlClip Pro has a punchy, full mid-bass with a solid kick. Mid-tones sound natural, with good separation between instruments, and forward vocals that actually feel nuanced - reaching both higher notes and dipping into lower tones with ease.

The overall picture is more articulated, sharper, feels more detailed than its rivals. There's a nice sense of air in the sound too, although the sense of all this is always dependent on your current fit with this type of earbuds.

Great sound quality towering above the competition, a comfortable fit, decent controls and clear calls: the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro are hands-down the best clip-on earbuds around $50.

• Design and comfort: 4/5 - IPX5 waterproof, 6 hours playtime, and above-average wearing comfort; can be too loose for some

• Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - Multipoint connection, decent controls you can change via the app

• Playback: 4.5/5 - Great gaming mode from the app, handles videos well too

• Call quality: 4/5 - Natural voice reproduction, can dip a little with wind

• Sound quality: 4/5 - Punchy bass, natural mid-tones, good separation and air

• VERDICT: 4.5 STARS (Great)

• $50 - $70

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

Edifier Comfo C review: Budget clip-ons for calling and working out

$60 - 7 hours playtime - IP56 waterproof

The Edifier Comfo C is the newest release in the growing market of open-ear earbuds, and convinces with the clearest calls in its category.

Like the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro, the Edifier Comfo C is a brand new release at the time of writing this multi-test. It clearly shows in a few points.

The call quality takes the cake in this test, offering a bit more vocal clarity and wind resistance than the SoundPEATS even. The gaming mode you can activate from the app, also works great for syncing audio with the gaming action on your screen.

The Edifier has the best implementation of multi-point connectivity, connecting immediately to your two devices the moment you take the earbuds out of the case. They directly start playing sound. Playback stops when you take a bud out and resumes once you put it back in again; the auto-pause works flawlessly here.

These are also the most suitable clip-on earbuds for sports. The Comfo C boasts 7 hours playtime on a single charge and a solid IP56 waterproof rating against rain and dust.

If some water still slips into a part of the earbuds, the Edifier ConneX app for iPhone and Android phones even has an option to drain the water out by rumbling the earbuds. Clever.

They have a good fit for sports and runs too, as the bridges of the Comfo C are flexible enough, and both earpieces subtly clam onto your ears. The downside of this, is that you can always feel these sitting in - they're among the less comfortable clip-on earbuds.

The touch panels on the back piece aren't the easiest to locate, and even though you can change the control sensitivity from the app, their response is sometimes lacking. You can change the options for the double-tap and the triple-tap on the left and right earbud independently, however.

It's a shame then, that the Edifier doesn't quite reach the sound quality of the SoundPEATS. The Comfo C can go very loud (again - very sports proof), but it's sound is somewhat soft, rounded - sometimes even a bit mushy.

It puts emphasis on the mid-tones, which are delightfully natural. They balance very well between clarity and warmth, and higher vocals are forward enough to separate themselves from instruments and other frequencies - while treble isn't harsh of piercing.

The bass, however, consists only of a mere mid-bass slam. Even with the Bass Boost EQ, the bass misses punching power. Lacks a kick. The other app equalizers only let you shift focus subtly from the lower tones to the treble.

The PearlClip Pro has more bass impact, more lower-mids texture and more definition.

The Edifier Comfo C may be the best budget open-ear earbuds for working out or phone calls, but the comfort and sound quality prevent these from making desirable daily drivers.

• Design and comfort: 3.5/5 - 7 hours playtime, IP56 waterproof rating and a stable fit even for workouts - but also less comfortable as it clams

• Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - Rapid multipoint connection, auto-pause and play; touch panels could be more responsive

• Playback: 4.5/5 - Great gaming mode from the app, flawless video syncing too

• Call quality: 4/5 - Natural voice reproduction, handles noise and wind fairly well

• Sound quality: 3.5/5 - Balanced mid-tones, friendly, but lacks bass impact and definition

• VERDICT: 4 STARS (Good)

• Buy on AliExpress

SoundPEATS POP Clip review: Better than the PearlClip Pro?

$35 - 8 hours playtime - IPX5 waterproof - real buttons

Only two months after the PearlClip Pro, SoundPEATS releases the POP Clip clip-on earbuds… that cost more or less the same and have more or less the same features. What's the deal here? Are they better?

The SoundPEATS POP Clip loses the jewel-like design of the PearlClip Pro, and has a shape much more similar to the Tozo Open EarRing and the cheaper Haylou AirFree. It plants a little round part in your ear, and a larger square behind it. A flexible bridge holds the parts together.

The POP Clip has a comfortable and safe fit without too much clamping force. It operates with a real button and while it's a bit too squishy to press multiple times in a row, it ensures that you can operate these earbuds with sweaty fingers. It helps that the earbuds are also IPX5 rain and sweatproof.

The POP Clip boasts up to 8 hours playtime on a single charge and supports multipoint connection so you can pair it to two devices at the same time and the gaming mode synchronizes sounds greatly with the action in your screen.

That's where the good news stops, sadly. Taking a phone call is only doable in easy circumstances without too much noise and wind and the sound…

When it comes to sound, I'm not sure whether the POP Clip is an upgrade over the PearlClip Pro. The POP puts more effort into treble and sounds clearer and a bit airier as a result - it's easier to pick up details on your left and right. However, the sound lacks the unique and engaging lows of the PearlClip Pro.

The PearlClip Pro has a fuller mid-bass and lower mid-tones. They give the sound a better balance and more energy. It's a more pleasant listen than the POP Clip, that can feel a bit thin in comparison.

Basically, the SoundPEATS POP Clip sounds better than most of its competitors - but not than the PearlClip Pro from SoundPEATS itself. It makes it a bit of a weird release.

• Design and comfort: 4.5/5 - IPX5 waterproof rating, 8 hours battery life too and a comfortable and safe fit

• Controls and connectivity: 4/5 - Multipoint connection and actual buttons that feel a bit squishy

• Playback: 4.5/5 - Flawless in videos, great for games too

• Call quality: 2/5 - Unclear and soft, heavily influenced by noise and wind

• Sound quality: 3.5/5 - Clear, airy and with good separation, but lacks body in the lows and can feel a bit thin

• VERDICT: 4 STARS (Good)

• Buy on Amazon US

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

Conclusion: What are the best cheap open-ear clip-on earbuds?

The SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro are the best open-ear clip-on earbuds on a budget.

The SoundPEATS are among the most comfortable pairs tested, offer multipoint-connectivity and a welcome IPX5 waterproof rating. They control well, handle phone calls well in most circumstances, and their 6 hours battery life per charge is fine for everyday use.

Most noticeably, the PearlClip Pro towers over the competition in sound quality. It sounds snappier, punchier, and more detailed than its rivals. The competition has new homework to do.

The SoundPEATS POP Clip comes in second. It combines a safe and comfortable fit with actual buttons and an IPX5 waterproof rating, a package that makes these suitable for sports. It doesn't sound as good, though. The Edifier Comfo C is the third choice. It's another model worth considering when you want to use them for working out and sports mostly, thanks to their grippy fit and water-cleaning function.

• Buy the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro on Amazon US

• Buy the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro on your Amazon country

Also read: Five clip-on earbuds under $25 tested!

Disclaimer: I bought these TWS true wireless earbuds myself or I received these products from the manufacturer or a distributor. 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, as they are affiliate links. Thank you so much. <3

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Also read:

• Guide: Best wireless earbuds under $75

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

How do the most popular open-ear clip-on earbuds around $25 perform? Are they any good? And which one is the best? Time to put the AliExpress bestsellers to the test! Last checked for June 2025

In this article:

1. Intro

2. Baseus AirGo AS01

3. Monster OpenEar AC600

4. Haylou Airfree

5. Sanag Z50s

6. Lenovo Thinkplus XT83II

7. Conclusion: which is the best?

Intro

Hi there! If you've never been on this site before, here's a short introduction. My name is Bart, and Scarbir.com is a solo project of mine on which I test, review and compare affordable wireless earbuds under $100.

So far, I've written 458 wireless earbuds reviews and ranked them all in my Leaderboard. I have a passion for great sound quality, but I also extensively test and review earphones on comfort, battery life, controls, features, and call quality.

Recently, I tested and compared six Open-Ear Clip-on Earbuds under and around $50. I've gotten quite a bit of emails after that test, with the question if I wanted to test and even more affordable models. That's why I went out and bought five popular Open-Clear earbuds under $25 from AliExpress to see what model is the best.

What you need to know about open-ear clip-on earbuds:

• These have a much more personal comfort than earbuds that go into your ears, either with or without rubber tips.

• Dependent on your ears, it can be more comfortable to wear them around the top, the middle or the bottom of your ears.

• These earbuds let you hear still pretty much everything around you, much more than AirPods-like half-in-ears.

• That's great for safety when you're walking or cycling, can be great to combine music with nature sounds, or music with conversations.

• The sound quality is not yet on par with other type of earbuds, as the speaker is further away from your ears. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy them.

For this test, I bought five $25 clip on- earbuds that easily popped-up when I looked for this type of earbuds on AliExpress. Let's put them into the (ear) ring!

Updated for June 2025

Baseus AirGo AS01 review: Don't buy these popular clip-ons

$20 — 6 hours playtime — No waterproof rating

The Baseus AirGo AS01 is likely one of the first open-ear earphones you'll see when you're browsing AliExpress. Unfortunately, these are terrible.

The Baseus AirGo AS01 comes in a compact charging case that scratches very easily. Throw them in your jeans pocket with some keys once, and the case looks like it's been beaten for a lifetime.

The case is quite powerful, happily, as it can recharge the earbuds 4 times fully - providing the earbuds easily 6 hours of playtime on a single charge.

The earbuds are easy to take out of the case and to put in your ears. The bigger part with the L or R on it goes on the backside of your ears, and the smaller part in the front.

Baseus uses stiff bridges between the two parts providing one of the tightest fits you can have for these kind of earphones - while it doesn't feel too uncomfortable to wear.

Unfortunately, it's not great for sports, as the Baseus AirGo AS01 doesn't have a waterproof rating and the guide actively advices against using them in the rain.

The controls are worse even. The touch panel on the front and bridge responds to every slight touch. Adjust the fit in your ears, and you'll likely pause the music or skip a track. That's not an exception - that's pretty much the standard here.

Every action is confirmed by a slow beep - and I've had queues of five beeps and three tracks skipped after a single comfort adjustment. Unusable.

Happily, you can deactivate some controls from the free Baseus app, that also lets you (de)activate the decent gaming mode and activate Bass Boost via a button. That's recommended, but even so…

The sound is horrendous. Music sounds paper thin and can't go loud. The mid-bass is a light slap that can still have a crackle somehow. Mid-tones and treble lack definition and impact, and lows are completely missing. You wouldn't want your enemy to listen to music like this.

Unfortunately, your enemies will hear your music, as the sound leaks enormously.

My advice is to treat the Baseus AirGo AS01 like it treats your touches: SKIP.

• Design and comfort: 3/5 - Easily 6 hours of playtime per charge, tight yet comfortable fit, but no waterproof protection at all

• Controls and connectivity: 2/5 - Decent app support; but horrible controls that trigger every time you touch these earbuds

• Playback: 4/5 - Flawless in videos; gaming mode performs well

• Call quality: 3.5/5 - Clear and natural, reduces surrounding noise alright too

• Sound quality: 1/5 - Lacks volume, bass, lows and definition - and leaks way too much sound

• VERDICT: TWO STARS (Disappointing)

• $15 - $25

• Buy on AliExpress

Monster Open Ear AC600 review: An original case

$20 — 7 hours playtime — No waterproof rating

Monster has multiple clip-on earbuds on offer under 20 dollars on AliExpress. The most popular Monster Open Ear AC600 is more gimmick than substance.

The charging case of the Monster Open Ear AC600 is a large oval. You have to push the middle part to open them. It then flings open and swings around. It's fun to fiddle with once you've taken the earbuds out, but due to its magnetic force, it can be tricky to take the earbuds out and put them back in again.

Like the Haylou Airfree underneath and the QCY C30 Crossky tested before, Monster paints the parts around your ear with a shiny plastic. The bridge is just a black rubber and it's flexible enough to provide both a comfortable and tight enough fit around your ears.

The earbuds offer a solid 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, but lack a waterproof rating, and the touch panels on the back piece don't always respond.

At least the control scheme is comprehensive, with single taps to change the volume, double-tap to pause, triple taps to change tracks, and hold for the voice assistent on your phone.

The Monster isn't very friendly for your surroundings. It easily leaks sound when you're playing music easily, while the people you're calling with really need to increase the volume to hear you.

In these phone calls or video meetings, your voice sounds clear and natural, but comes with harsh notes and disturbing crackles.

While the brand name Monster implies a hefty, big bass, the bass is the first thing you'll notice is missing from the music. Music is very thin. While higher male vocals/ female vocals can still sound fairly natural in easygoing songs, the AC600 isn’t capable of handling more crowded or energetic tracks. Lower tones are absent, and treble becomes too peaky easily.

The Monster Open Ear AC600 is more gimmick than substance. For its small price point, the accent may have be somewhere else than on its unique charging case.

• Design and comfort: 3/5 - 7 hours battery life is a great score, but no waterproof rating and a finicky charging case

• Controls and connectivity: 3.5/5 - Touch panels don't always respond well, but controls are comprehensive and easy to locate

• Playback: 3/5 - Flawless in videos, falls short for games

• Call quality: 2/5 - Clear but thin, comes with harshness and crackles

• Sound quality: 1.5/5 - Absent bass and lows, treble sharpness when you turn the volume up, leaks sound

• VERDICT: 2 STARS (Disappointing)

• $15 - $20

• Buy on AliExpress

Haylou Airfree review: The best clip-on earbuds under $25

$20 — 5 hours playtime — No waterproof rating

The Haylou Airfree is the only breath of fresh air in the segment of clip-on earbuds under 25 dollars. These sound better than the competition and come with a nice feature set.

The Haylou Airfree has the same shiny accents as the earlier reviewed sibling QCY Crossky C30. This time though, the shiny part is found on the lid of the charging case. This case also comes with a (low-res) indication of the remaining battery percentage - convenient.

The earbuds themselves look nondescript. It's easy to put them in, as the bridge is flexible and the round speaker on the front differs noticeably from the square you put behind your ears. While you can feel the latter, these earbuds are light and comfortable to wear during their 5 hours playtime on a single charge. They also stay well in its place - although the lack of a waterproof rating doesn't make them very suitable for runs and workouts.

The touch panels on the back part respond well to your input, like pausing (double-tap) and changing tracks (triple tap). You can customize the controls from the free Haylou Sound app for iPhone and Android, adding volume changing to triple taps for instance.

The Haylou Airfree convinces with its features too. It has a dual-device multipoint connection, meaning you can connect these earbuds to two devices at the same time.

The game mode is capable and synchronizes the sound effects well with the action on your screen. And even phone calls are doable - as your voice sounds natural and clear. The other persons can hear you walking around and pick up wind noise, however.

The winning streak of the Airfree goes on, as these clip-ons also sound better than the $20 rivals. Yep - the sound is thin, but it's rounder than the competition. It has more body in the lower frequencies and mid-tones. Treble can be harsh on the highest volumes, but is decently controlled otherwise. Furthermore, the bass actually has a bit of a kick - with the keyword here being a bit.

Last but not least, it leaks much less sound than the other models.

The Haylou Airfree is the best choice if you're looking for clip-on earbuds on a tight budget.

• Design and comfort: 3/5 - Decent 5 hours of playtime and a comfortable fit, but no waterproof rating

• Controls and connectivity: 5/5 - Responsive and customisable controls, multipoint connection, decent app support

• Playback: 4.5/5 - Good for videos, minor delay in games

• Call quality: 3.5/5 - Natural and clear, shakier with other sounds or wind

• Sound quality: 3/5 - Slim mid-bass kick, controlled treble, decent balance in the mid-tones

• VERDICT: FOUR STARS (Good)

• $15 - $20

• Buy on AliExpress

Sanag Z50s review: Large earbuds, mixed performance

$20 - 9 hours playtime - IPX5 Waterproof

Don't put the Sanag Z50S too quickly in your ears: you might turn deaf. Fortunately, these budget clip-on earbuds also have some good sports features.

While I've never tested a model before on Scarbir.com, Sanag isn't entirely new to the world of cheap wireless earbuds. The brand has multiple sports oriented open-clip and earring-type earbuds around $20 to $50 on AliExpress.

The Z50s seems focused towards sports too. It has a comfortable yet tight fit thanks to its grip and flexible bridges, comes with an IPX5 waterproof rating, making them withstand rain and sweat, and they play around 9 hours on a single charge. That's a terrific score.

But it isn't out of nowhere. The back part of the earbuds is larger than average to house this vast battery, and the same applies to the charging case - which feels bulky, is scratchy, and too big to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket.

Controls are inconvenient too. I think the big back part should be able to pick up pause and track skipping commands, but somehow I only get it to change the volume.

Speaking of which: don't be speedy to put the earbuds in your ears after taking them out of the case, because oh dear - the Chinese ‘connected!’ voice prompts are painfully loud.

Music itself performs best at lower volumes, when a bit of lower mid-tones bring some balance in the sound. Turn the volume up, and these fade away - leaving a mid-bass with only slim slams and thin treble. While higher vocals sound clear, it's often the only aspect of the music that is represented well.

A shame, since you can take an indoor phone call with the Z50s, and an actual waterproof rating in this price range is a welcome addition to clip-on earbuds. The Sanag Z50s just isn't very refined.

• Design and comfort: 4/5 - IPX5 waterproof rating and 9 hours of battery life per charge; big charging case

• Controls and connectivity: 2/5 - Doesn't pick up controls well - apart from volume changing

• Playback: 3/5 - Handles videos well, severe delay in games

• Call quality: 3/5 - Slight crackle, mostly natural and loud enough

• Sound quality: 2/5 - Thin yet smooth on lower volumes, lacks any impact and balance on active listening volume

• VERDICT: 3 STARS (Worth considering)

• $15 - $25

• Buy on AliExpress

Lenovo Thinkplus XT83ii review: You get what you pay for

$15 - 4 hours playtime - No waterproof rating

Lenovo slams its brand logo on every cheap random earphone when it can lay its hands on, and the Lenovo Thinkplus XT83 ii is no exception.

The Thinkplus XT83 ii (who makes these names up, seriously?) looks the price, whether it's about the ultra-pocketable plastic shiny charging case, or the very basic black earphones itself.

Despite the flexible bridge, these clip-ons clamp on your ears a bit. The drip-shaped parts on both sides of your ears can always be felt during their 4 hours of playtime per charge. They are still quite comfortable after a while though - the big benefit of this form factor.

The touch panels on the back part don't always respond well, and when they work fine, the control scheme is weird. A single-tap to pause is easy to understand, but decreasing the volume and forwarding a track to the same (right) side? That's very counterintuitive.

Basic connectivity is sub-par as well, with Bluetooth connection dropouts happening at only 5-6 meters away from your device instead of the usual 10-12 meters.

This also makes them less versatile for phone calls, sadly, as the microphone output is rather good from. Your voice sounds clear and stable in easy circumstances.

The sound is ultra-thin, and sometimes even feels hollow. Claps and cymbals have more impact than the actual mid-bass, and lower frequencies are hard to find on any level higher than background listening.

If you want to get a good impression of how much Lenovo actually cares about its products: the earphones appear as ‘Lenvov’ in the Bluetooth list. If the manufacturer doesn't care, so shouldn't you.

• Design and comfort: 3/5 - Can be felt while wearing, basic 4 hours battery life, cheap presentation

• Controls and connectivity: 2/5 - Controls don't always respond well, illogical control scheme, sub-par Bluetooth distance

• Playback: 3/5 - Good for videos, doesn't handle games well

• Call quality: 3/5 - Clear and natural; held back by the bad connection

• Sound quality: 1/5 - Thin, hollow, without bass and definition

• VERDICT: 2 STARS (Disappointing)

• $5 - $15

• Buy on AliExpress

Conclusion: What are the best $25 clip-on earbuds from AliExpress?

The Haylou Airfree are the best ultra-cheap open-clip earbuds from AliExpress.

While it doesn't have a waterproof rating and battery is only average with 5 hours of playtime per charge, the Haylou Airfree sounds better than its competitors.

It's also one of the more comfortable and better controlling offerings in this guide, and throws in decent call clarity, a capable gaming mode on top. Better yet: you can connect it to two devices at the same time.

If you're considering more expensive alternatives, the QCY Crossky C30 sounds better and fuller. As it has terrible controls, however, it may not be worth the upgrade from the Haylou. The real step-up is the SoundPEATS PearlClip Pro, especially in the sound quality and waterproof level - but that will set you back 60 dollars.

Under $25, the Haylou Airfree are the best open-ear clip-on earbuds.

• Buy Haylou Airfree on AliExpress

Also read: The best half-in-ears under $50

Disclaimer: I bought these TWS true wireless earbuds myself or I received these products from the manufacturer or a distributor. 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, as they are affiliate links. Thank you so much. <3

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Also read:

• Guide: Best wireless earbuds under $75

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FOUR STARS - With solid Active Noise Cancelling and great sound, the Redmi Buds 6 takes the logical place between the more expensive Redmi Buds 6 Pro and the cheaper Redmi Buds 6 Lite - but it's not perfect.

• Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC codec

• IP54 waterproof rating (water and dust proof)

• 7 - 10 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $40 to $40 - See price on Amazon or AliExpress

In this review:

• Design, comfort and battery

• Controls, connection, app features

• Call quality

• Active Noise Cancelling

• Sound quality

• Comparisons

In and underneath this Redmi Buds 6 review, you will find comparisons of the Redmi Buds 6 vs Redmi Buds 6 Pro, Redmi Buds 6 Lite, and QCY MeloBuds Pro.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

Sitting in between the $20 Redmi 6 budget line-up and the $70 Redmi Buds 6 Pro, the regular $40 Redmi Buds 6 plays its part.

• Like the Pro-model, the Redmi Buds 6 has excellent battery life. It can reach up to 7 hours of playtime with Active Noise Cancelling turned on, having connected the earbuds to two devices at the same time.

• Without ANC, you should be able to get up to 10 hours of playtime in one go.

• It recharges super quickly too: a 10 minute recharge in the case, provides up to 3 hours of new playtime with ANC on.

• Charging can only be done via USB-C. The Redmi Buds 6 doesn't support wireless charging.

• The earbuds of the Redmi Buds 6 are as standard as they come. Available in black, white or teal, the slightly off-coloured middle part of the stem is the only ‘design’ feature to be found here.

• Happily, their shape follows a proven model. The diagonal earpieces are easy to put in your ears and stay in snugly and comfortably for hours on end - even though you can feel the earbuds sitting in your ears.

• Thanks to the IP54 waterproof rating, the earbuds will survive sweat, rain, and dust - making it possible to work out with these.

• The charging case is less convincing. Despite its compact enough size and the convenient LED light on the front that indicates the remaining battery life by its length, it scratches extremely easily.

• In black, the charging case looks like completely worn out after only throwing in a jeans pocket with your keys for one day.

• It also has a bit of a sharp edge to the lid.

The Redmi Buds 6 looks and feels cheap, but its battery life and comfort make up for it.

Controls, connectivity and app support

The Redmi Buds 6 has the same app support as the other models in the lineup, with features that are sometimes close to the Pro model.

• The Redmi Buds 6 controls easily, by tapping the top part of the stems.

• You can customise the controls fully in the Xiaomi Earbuds app. By giving you all the options for single, double, triple taps and holding down the stems, you can find a control scheme you like - including volume controls.

• Changing the volume is done by tapping the stems, not sliding them like on the Pro model. It's less fancy, but it works just as well.

• By holding down the top of the stem for a short while, you change between Active Noise Cancelling (‘dunk’) and Transparency mode (‘pu-dink’). The sounds are logical.

• Music automatically pauses when you take an earbud out, and resumes once you put it back in again. Unless you don't want it - you can turn it off.

• The overall Bluetooth connection is strong, with a stable and reliable wireless connection between your device and the earbuds.

• The Redmi Buds 6 should support multipoint connection, so you can connect to two devices at the same time.

• How to activate multipoint connection on the Redmi Buds 6: activate the function from the Xiaomi Earbuds app first. Then place the earbuds in the case and hold the button on the case on the right until the LED light on the case blinks. Then connect the new device via the Bluetooth list, then the previous one. You're now connected to both devices.

• It can sometimes take a while before the Redmi passes through sound from the device you've selected. Happily, switching is as easy as pushing the play button on your other device most of the times.

The free Xiaomi Earbuds app for iPhone and Android phones (check the availability in your country) gives the Redmi Buds 6 a handful of useful additional features:

• Update the firmware

• Check the battery percentage of the L and R earbud

• (De)activate Noise cancellation and choose how strong the ANC should be manually

• (De)activate dual-device multipoint connection

• (De)activate automatically picking up calls

• (De)activate in-ear detection/ auto-pause music

• Check your ear fit

• Change the controls

• Choose between four default equalizers or create your own

• (De)activate Dimensional audio, which tempts to place the music more ‘around’ you

• Find your earphones by playing loud alarms on them

The Redmi Buds 6 controls easily, offers plenty of useful features via the app and has convenient multipoint connectivity.

Phone and video calls

Just like the Pro-model, the Redmi Buds 6 isn't the best choice for phone calls and video conferencing.

• In easy circumstances, like a quiet office space, you sound loud and full.

• Surrounding noise is left out of calls well; sounds of passing traffic, sudden sounds like door slams, and conversations are barely audible or totally inaudible on the line. Great.

• The call quality dips when you start moving. Walking around can heavily fluctuate the volume of your voice, and walking in even a tiny bit of wind, drowns it.

The Redmi Buds 6 can only be used safely for indoor calls in one place.

Video and games playback

The Redmi Buds 6 is a solid choice for videos and playing games.

• The Redmi Buds 6 has no trouble playing videos on iPhones or Android phones.

• These earbuds don't have a specific gaming mode; but the sound effects in a challenging mobile game like Call of Duty mobile synchronize fairly well with the action on your screen. The sound is impactful, but it's hard to hear where gunshots are coming from.

ANC quality of the Redmi Buds 6

The Redmi Buds 6 has solid Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) performance, that falls precisely in between the more expensive Redmi Buds 6 Pro and cheaper Redmi Buds 6 Lite.

• As always, the ANC is most capable in reducing constant sounds. Darker electronic humming and distant traffic are softened (heavily) in volume.

• Especially lower frequencies are filtered well. Higher sounds are more audible still. For example, you will still hear the higher edge of your typing on a keyboard. The brighter tones of a radio playing in the background also come through.

• Sudden sounds aren't handled so well. Voices, door slams and loud, accelerating vehicles break through the ANC barrier when you're not playing any music.

• Wind noise is audible, but it's not too loud and separated well enough from the music.

• ANC on the Redmi Buds 6 Pro is noticeably stronger; ANC on the cheaper Redmi Buds 6 Lite is weaker. Redmi carefully walked the middle ground here.

• The Transparency mode isn't strong enough to let you clearly hear conversations or traffic noise when you're listening to music.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Redmi Buds 6: Crowd pleaser

The Redmi Buds 6 is the warmest sounding pair of earbuds from the Xiaomi family. It's bound to please many listeners.

• The Redmi Buds 6 sounds warmer and a bit darker than all earphones I've tested from Xiaomi and Redmi before.

• That includes the other models in the 6-lineup, like the Redmi Buds 6 Pro and the budget line consisting of Redmi Buds 6 Play, Redmi Buds 6 Lite and Redmi Buds 6 Active.

• The Buds 6 has boosted lower mid-tones, emphasising darker electronic tones, low (male) voices, and lower instruments. This gives the music warmth and sometimes, on lower volumes, even a dark vibe.

• The bass is the biggest crowd pleaser of the ensemble. The mid-bass can thump without pumping too heavy in your ears. Bass strikes feel quite full and last a tiny bit longer than they can. It's not tight, but it's not messy either.

• The same goes for the sub-bass; the darkest tones you can feel as much as hear. The sub can provide a bit of thumping, but it shows a round instead of a very stabby, articulated performance in James Blake's test track Limit to Your Love.

• It shows a warm tonality in the higher frequencies too. Vocals feel weighty and grounded instead of light and bright. Instruments from the mids, like guitars and piano play, also have a warm underlining and tend more towards the lower tones than to the higher ones.

• The Buds 6 restricts higher vocals to prevent them from becoming harsh or peaky. Other higher tones and instruments are toned down as well.

• Unlike other earbuds from the brand, I found the Enhanced treble equalizer from the app a good setting to improve the music. It gives higher (female) vocals more forwardness, and violins and trumpets as well as higher electronic tones get more space to breathe - while still playing it safe.

• While instruments are separated well from each other and certain details seem to come from your sides, the Redmi Buds 6 doesn't have the terrific instrument placement, execution of center-mids and sense of stage as the Redmi Buds 6 Pro.

• The Dimensional audio setting from the app doesn't compensate for that; it can give the music a more immersive around-you feeling, but feels a bit too artificial.

Especially with the enhanced treble equalizer, the Redmi Buds 6 offers a pleasant sound for all kind of music genres and all kind of listeners - combining a friendly bass, warm presentation, a decent sense of detail, and engaging vocals.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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Redmi Buds 6 comparisons

Redmi Buds 6 vs Redmi Buds 6 Pro

The Redmi Buds 6 Pro costs around 30 to 40 dollars more than the regular Redmi Buds 6. That extra money doesn't give you much clearer calls or better battery life, but the Pro could still be worth the higher price.

The 6 Pro has stronger Active Noise Cancelling that filters more constant sounds and reduces sudden sounds better.

Its case doesn't scratch as easily and the earbuds look sleeker and more expensive. They also let in swipe controls to change the volume, which feels more ‘premium’ somehow.

The biggest difference is the sound quality. Like the Buds 6, the Buds 6 Pro has a warm underlining, but especially on active listening volumes, it shows more articulation and detail, and a bit more brightness too. Center-mids like guitars and piano play are more natural, it's easier to grab details such as breath gasps and positioning is on a higher level too, even making it possible to precisely place instruments around you in higher quality recordings.

• Redmi Buds 6 Pro review

• $70 to $90 - See price on Amazon or AliExpress

Redmi Buds 6 vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite

In the same Redmi Buds 6-lineup, Xiaomi also offers the Active Noise Cancelling-inclusive Redmi Buds 6 Lite. Are they a better deal, at only $20?

You'll lose some privileges on the cheaper Redmi Buds 6 Lite. You'll lose the multipoint connection, and the battery ‘only’ lasts 5 instead of 7 hours per charge on the regular Redmi Buds 6.

But surprisingly, the Buds 6 Lite's ANC reduces low-level electronic humming and distant traffic better. It's also more consistent in phone call clarity.

When there are louder sounds around you, however, the ANC of the regular Buds 6 counters those better.

When it comes to sound, the Redmi Buds 6 Lite has an airier and more lively treble. For this reason, it can also sound a bit harsher on higher volumes. The regular Buds 6 has more comfortable treble, and voices and instruments like drums feel more impactful, ‘snappier’ on the regular Buds 6 too.

• Redmi Buds 6 Play vs Redmi Buds 6 Lite review

• $20 to $25 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Redmi Buds 6 vs QCY MeloBuds Pro

If you're in the market for ANC earbuds under $50, don't overlook the QCY MeloBuds Pro as an alternative to the Redmi Buds 6.

The QCY MeloBuds Pro offers around the same 7 hours playtime on a single charge, but the QCY has stronger ANC, and handles phone calls in a much clearer and reliable way - even when there's a bit of wind noise.

When it comes to sound, the QCY has more focus on treble. Vocals sounds clearer, and higher instruments are more forward and have a bit more air around them. Precisely this part of the music can get a little harsh on the highest volumes, however.

The Redmi has a safer approach. It has stronger lower mid-tones, a warmer tonality and a thicker mid-bass. It controls its dynamics better on higher volumes.

• QCY MeloBuds Pro review

• $45 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Redmi Buds 6

The Redmi Buds 6 fills in a completely logical position in the market, right between the surprisingly good Redmi Buds 6 Lite and Play and the more expensive Redmi Buds 6 Pro.

Possibly because it has to reside in between the other models, it's an earphone without super powers. Its battery life is highly usable, but its call quality isn't very convincing. Its Active Noise Cancelling is good, but not great. And its sound is definitely pleasant, but not as special as the Pro.

The Redmi Buds 6 is a good earphone for many people - no more, no less.

4 stars - Good

Buy Redmi Buds 6/ Check lowest price

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• Buy on AliExpress

I bought the Redmi Buds 6 myself to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

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4.5 STARS - The JBL Tune Beam 2 enters the heavily fought market of wireless earbuds with Active Noise Cancelling under 100 dollars. Does it deliver?

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IP54 waterproof rating (water and dust proof)

• 10 - 12 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $90 to $100 - See price on Amazon

In this review:

• Design, comfort and battery

• Controls, connection, app features

• Call quality

• Active Noise Cancelling

• Sound quality

• Comparisons

In and underneath this JBL Tune Beam 2 review, you will find comparisons of the JBL Tune Beam 2 vs JBL Live Pro 2, Nothing Ear (a), Earfun Air Pro 4, and Redmi Buds 6 Pro.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

Available in single or tech-transparant colours, the JBL Tune Beam 2 is one of the more outspoken designs for affordable wireless earphones.

• In its tech-transparant designs - available in black/grey, white and purple, possibly more, the Tune Beam 2 follows the design initiated by the Nothing Ear 1 earbuds.

• While that separates it from most earbuds, it's not a unique look anymore, as it's previously also adopted by the Nothing Ear (a), the SoundPEATS Clear and the Tozo Crystal Pods.

• That said: JBL's internals are more visible than all the competitors, both in the case and in the earbuds - in which you can clearly see the drivers sitting. Even though the stem itself is a matte colour with a shiny part and a logo thrown on, these earbuds gather more attention than average.

• What's more, is that JBL puts the transparent design in a round package. The USB-C powered charging case has a flat back and a round front. It's easy to carry in a jeans pocket, resists scratches from keys well, and boasts three LED-lights to indicate the remaining case battery.

• Like the JBL Live Pro 2, the Tune Beam 2 has an oval earpiece you put diagonally in your ears, with oval rubber ear tips entirely at one end of it. They're easy to put in and feel comfortable to wear.

• However, like other JBL models, they sit a little bit different than most oval earpieces - thanks to the far out ear tip. Seeing that JBL doesn't deliver the biggest ear tips out of the box and the case leaves little space for bigger custom ear tips, multiple user reviews state the earbuds fall out the ears too easily. These may not be a good match when you have bigger ears.

• JBL Tune Beam 2's specs are great, however. These earbuds are IP54 dust and water proof protected and play around 10 hours on a single charge with ANC on! Whoah - that's a massive battery.

• The case can recharge the earbuds three times fully before needing new power via USB-C itself. Wireless charging isn't supported.

The JBL Tune Beam 2 looks distinctive with its tech-transparant and round design, is comfortable to wear and has mind-baffling battery life. It's off to a great start!

Controls, connectivity and app support

Like Sony and previous JBL models, the JBL Tune Beam 2 continues the trend from legacy brands to put illogical controls and connectivity on earbuds.

• By default, the right earbud lets you play/pause and skip (double-tap) and return (triple-tap) a track, and the left one controls the ANC modes. There are no volume controls on the earbuds directly.

• When you want volume controls, you can only put them to one side of the earbuds, so either deleting the ANC switching or the track controls.

• That's a very weird choice, especially since you always get the voice assistant by holding down either bud. How much do you use that? It would have been a great spot for volume changing. Basically all Chinese brands have a more logical and easier control scheme.

• Happily, the touch panels on top of the stem respond quickly to your input.

The Bluetooth connectivity of the JBL Tune Beam 2 is great. It holds a steady, hiccup-free connection up to 12 meters away from your device. However…

• These earbuds also have multipoint, meaning can connect the earbuds to two devices at the same time… although it isn't easy.

• Instead of putting a button on the case that put the earbuds immediately in pairing mode for a second device, you have to put the earbuds in and tap twice, then hold the last tap. That gets the JBL Tune Beam 2 in pairing mode again and lets you connect to a second device.

• Afterwards, you have to put the earbuds back in the case and take them out. Now they should connect to two devices.

• If you're using the earbuds on iPhone and Android devices, the app only works on one device - and it may be the device you're not listening to at that moment.

• The dual-device multipoint connection of the JBL Tune Beam 2 lacks ease. It's also quite slow switching from one device to another, and comes with stuttering the first seconds after switching.

Apart from these issues, the support of the free JBL app on iPhone and Android phones is impressive. There's a huge amount of features.

• Check battery percentage of the individual earbuds and case

• Switch between ANC modes and manually setup the strength of the ANC

• Choose from the audio mode and video mode (basically the low-latency gaming mode)

• Change controls for the left and right earbud

• Choose from 7 equalizer presets

• Create and save your own equalizer

• (De)activate spatial audio for movie/ music/ game (but this doesn't do much)

• Personi-Fi: take an audio test and alter the equalizer to your preference

• Balance the sound left and right to compensate for hearing loss

• Limit the maximum volume

• Auto-balance volume of others in phone calls

• Change how you like to hear others in calls: natural/ more treble/ more bass

• Change how you sound in calls: natural/ more treble/ more bass

• Control how much you hear of your own voice during calls

• Listen to relaxing/ sleep sounds for a maximum of 60 minutes

• Find the earbuds by letting them make noise

• (De)activate automatic power-off of the earbuds after a while

The JBL Tune Beam 2 has about the most extensive app support you can get on affordable earbuds. The app is truly exceptional, with some brilliant features for pone calls. If only controls and multipoint were less complicated.

Phone and video calls

Despite all the specific call options from the app, the overall call quality of the JBL Tune Beam 2 is only average.

• With the ‘natural’ voice option selected from the app, your voice sounds clear but could use a bit more volume.

• The person on the other end of the line can definitely hear what's happening around you. Door slams, footsteps, and other typical movement sounds are very audible.

• More constant sounds like traffic, a radio in the background and distant chatter, are softened well.

• Wind is a threat to your clarity. Your voice gets thinner, and wind noise is always audible, even when you're not talking.

The JBL Tune Beam 2 is serviceable for phone calls and video meetings. There are better budget options on the market.

Video and games playback

The JBL Tune Beam 2 has flawless video playback in apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Disney+.

• When it somehow doesn't work flawlessly on your device, you can change the audio to ‘video mode’ from the app on iPhone or Android.

• That's also the low-latency mode you want to activate for games, although JBL doesn't mention that.

• With the video mode activated, the sound effects like gunshots and explosions synchronize perfectly with the action on your screen in a challenging game like Call of Duty mobile.

• With the additional spatial audio option for games, you also have a good sense of where the action is around you.

It would have been better to be able to select this mode straight from the earbuds - but the performance is impressive nonetheless. The JBL Tune Beam 2 is great for games.

ANC quality of the JBL Tune Beam 2

The JBL Tune Beam 2 delivers solid Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) for its 100 dollars asking price.

• For some reason, the ANC function isn't on the earbuds by default. You have to change the ANC settings in the controls of the JBL app to get the function within reach.

• After that, a single tap activates the ANC and immediately shushes your surroundings. Constant background sounds, like electronic humming or distant traffic, can even disappear completely.

• That goes for sounds in nearly all frequencies. Lower tones, to higher bird chatting, to even the most challenging middle sounds like keyboard typing: all sounds are heavily softened with the ANC activated. Even when you're not playing music.

• Louder and sudden middle sounds can still be picked up. You may not hear the music anymore, but you'll still notice there is a radio playing in the background. The same goes for conversations with male voices.

• Wind is handled very well too. The JBL recognises wind quickly when you're using ANC, reduces the noise and leaves it out of your music.

• With one tap, you switch the ANC to ‘Ambient aware’, JBL's transparency mode. It does put some noise forward in moments you need it, but it's not enough to break through when you're listening to music on moderate volume.

• That's probably why the JBL also comes with a ‘TalkThru’ mode with two taps. That silences both the music and shuts down the ANC, so you can talk to someone without taking an earbud out - if you insist.

• The Ambient and TalkThru mode let in more wind noise than the ANC, but still handle it pretty decently.

The JBL Tune Beam 2 has some of the strongest ANC on $100 earbuds, along with the Earfun Air Pro 4 and Huawei Freebuds 6i.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of JBL Tune Beam 2

The JBL Tune Beam 2 has countless customisation options when it comes to sound, but doesn't need them to sound good.

• While ‘Pure Bass’ is the promotional tagline of these earbuds, the sound happily doesn't just resolve about bass.

• The bass does grab the attention straightaway, however. Even with the default Studio equalizer preset that minimises the bass, the mid-bass has a strong thump that feels weighty in depth and in how long it lasts.

• The sub-bass is powerful, tight and deep in James Blake's great test track Limit to Your Love. The deepest hits of the bass can surely be felt.

• Even in crowded songs, the bass grants enough information. Basslines are separated well from each other and individual slams don't last too long.

• You can push the bass to its limits by choosing bass heavy EQ presets or turning up the bass up yourself. Expect a full bass with slams so big, they can be overbearing.

• From its default sound and in much of its presets, the JBL Tune Beam puts lower mid-tones forward to create a warm and full sound. Center mid-tones are less prominent, with guitars and piano play sounding a bit warmer than average.

• Treble is rolled-off in a comfortable manner. Higher female vocals sound a bit flatter than most male counterparts, but are still forward enough. Brighter instruments like cymbals and violins have enough room to shine without becoming harsh or peaky, - although lower mid-tones are always more prominent.

• It you want to increase the treble, the equalisation options let you. Take the equalizer preset you like most, change it and lift the 2k, 4k and 8k to your liking. It's easy to do this without creating a sound that is too bright - but don't to get a sparkly and vivid treble.

• The JBL Tune Beam 2 provides a sound that feels fluent and fairly detailed, with good separation between instruments and frequencies. It doesn't really have an expansive soundstage, and it can be hard to precisely place instruments as well.

• The Spatial Sound setting can increase this feeling a little bit. It takes away a bit of fulness from the lows and accentuates mid-instruments a tiny bit better. It still doesn't have the same immersion and doesn't place instruments as precisely around you as the Redmi Buds 6 Pro or Earfun Air Pro 4, however.

The JBL Tune Beam 2 sounds warm, full and pleasant, with plenty of options to alter the treble in an elegant way, or to let the bass rule over everything else.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

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JBL Tune Beam 2 comparisons

JBL Tune Beam 2 vs Redmi Buds 6 Pro

Just released, the Redmi Buds 6 Pro is a slightly more affordable alternative to the JBL Tune Beam 2 and shares most of its qualities.

The JBL Tune Beam 2 has more app features, up to 3 hours more battery life with ANC on and more consistent call clarity than the Redmi Buds 6 Pro. Its ANC is also a tad better in ruling out middle sounds.

The Redmi Buds 6 Pro is easier when it comes to multipoint pairing, and has convenient volume slides on the stems sides.

When you want the best sound quality, it's a matter of which volume level you often listen on. The JBL Tune Beam 2 sounds more refined on lower volumes where the Redmi Buds 6 Pro can turn a little dark… but turn the volume up, and the Redmi strikes back. It then awards each instrument its own position, which creates an incredible immersion - especially in more acoustic genres.

• Redmi Buds 6 Pro review

• $60 to $90 - See price on Amazon or AliExpress

JBL Tune Beam 2 vs JBL Live Pro 2

The older JBL Live Pro 2 costs around the same as the JBL Tune Beam 2 in 2025. What's the better choice?

Both JBL models have a splendid 10 hours battery life, and after a few firmware updates of the older model, the JBL Live Pro 2 and JBL Tune Beam 2 have comparable Active Noise Cancellation.

Both earbuds also lack a logical control scheme (and thus don't have volume controls on the earbuds) and fall a bit short in phone calls with surrounding noises or wind.

The JBL Live Pro 2 puts more effort into treble. Vocals and brighter instruments are more prominent and can reach higher, even with the chance the treble can become a bit tiring. It does give the Live Pro 2 more space and liveliness than the warmer and fuller JBL Tune Beam 2. The bass on the newer model also kicks heavier and is more customisable.

What mostly sets these apart, is how they handle videos. That's the big weakness of the JBL Live Pro 2 - while playing videos on the JBL Tune Beam 2 goes without heavy syncing problems.

• JBL Live Pro 2 review

• $80 to $100 - See price on Amazon US or other Amazon countries

JBL Tune Beam 2 vs Earfun Air Pro 4

The Earfun Air Pro 4 is the go-to recommendation for wireless earbuds under $100, and that doesn't change with JBL's newest challenger.

The Earfun Air Pro 4 offers clearer calls when you're on the move and/or when there's noise around you, and its ANC is even stronger - as it counters (male) vocals just a tad better.

Meanwhile, you still get a massive 8 hours battery life per charge, volume controls, and an easier to setup multipoint connection on the Earfun. It also throws in wireless charging. The oval ear tips make the JBL more comfortable to wear than Earfun's round ear tips.

The Earfun has a more immersive sound than the JBL. It puts vocals and lower treble more forward and reveals details on your left and right easier. The JBL has a more customisable bass and sounds more dynamic on the highest volumes, where the Earfun falls a little flat.

• Earfun Air Pro 4 review

• Around $80 on Amazon US or your Amazon country

JBL Tune Beam 2 vs Nothing Ear (a)

So you're looking for a tech-transparent design, huh? Have you met the Nothing Ear (a)?

You probably have. The Nothing Ear (a) sells well on Amazon, and it wears its tech design more stylish on the stems than the JBL Tune Beam 2.

The JBL beats Nothing with almost 4 hours more playtime per charge, and controls easier with taps on top of the stems, instead of pinches in the stem. JBL mounts slightly more comfortable oval ear tips than Nothing, and its app has more features.

ANC performance is comparable, but the Nothing Ear (a) fares much better in phone calls, with a more consistent voice reproduction and better suppressing of noise around you.

The Nothing has a thicker sound than the JBL, with fuller and stronger lower-mids and a little less attention to (higher) mid-tones. Bass lovers can attend to both - as both basses thump strongly and can be adjusted easily via their apps. The JBL shows more versatility here, however: it can easier be altered into a more balanced sounding earphone.

• Nothing Ear (a) review

• $100 - See price on Amazon US or your Amazon country

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: JBL Tune Beam 2

The JBL Tune Beam 2 is a great choice of earbuds for many people. It has astounding battery life, feels comfortable to wear, and convinces with strong Active Noise Cancelling. It also sounds great, giving you easy access to the amount of bass you want to have.

Still, it's no perfect score for the JBL Tune Beam 2. Phone calls do let in a lot of surrounding noise, and in this highly competitive market, that means there are still better alternatives out there.

4.5 stars - Great

Buy JBL Tune Beam 2/ Check lowest price

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I bought the JBL Tune Beam 2 to test and review myself. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

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4.5 STARS - After the more original Oppo Enco Air3, the newest half-in-ear earbuds from the phone brand look suspiciously similar to the original AirPods. Yet at only 25 to 30 dollars, the Oppo Enco R3 is probably the best cheap AirPods-clone you can buy.

Take note: The Oppo Enco R3 model is called the Oppo Enco Air3i in several countries, even though the original Oppo Enco Air3i was another model!

Oppo Enco R3/ Oppo Enco Air 3i specs and features:

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec

• IPX4 waterproof rating (splash proof)

• 5,5 hours playtime on a single charge

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 5 times

• Has: app support, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: ANC, multipoint connection, wireless charging

• Comes with USB-C cable, English manual

• $25 - $40 - Buy on your Amazon country or AliExpress

In and underneath this Oppo Enco R3 review, you will find comparisons of the Oppo Enco R3/ Air3i vs Oppo Enco Air3, Huawei Freebuds 2 SE and 1more Q10 Mini.

I buy 70% of the tested earphones myself. Want to support my reviews? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.

Design, comfort and battery life

• Only a week after testing the fancy looking Honor Choice S7 half-in-ear earbuds, the Oppo Enco R3 is down the most minimal and functional looking design earbuds can have.

• With their glossy white finish and their rounded and longer-than-average stems, the Oppo Enco R3 looks utterly generic. Even worse, these earbuds look like cheap AirPods-knockoffs in your ears.

• That's a bit of a shame, as it doesn't rime with the quality these earbuds have. You will know how good these earbuds are; others might think you bought a crap set of earbuds from the gas station next door.

• That said, the Oppo Enco R3 covers the basics greatly.

• The earbuds have an AirPods 1-like small speaker mound, instead of the newer but bigger AirPods 4-design. This provides a non-intrusive, super comfortable fit. This is the type of earbuds you barely feel after a while.

• Like on the brilliant Oppo Enco Air3, the R3 has a perfect angle between the earpiece and the stem. It stays in tightly in (my) average-sized ears, and survives moving or shaking your head rapidly. I'm never afraid these will fall out, unlike many other half-in-ears.

• The battery life is average but usable, playing 5,5 hours on a single charge. Conveniently, the charging case can recharge the earbuds 5 (!) times fully.

• The charging case has the same flat pebble design as other affordable models from the brand, like the Oppo Enco Air2i. One LED light on the front shows how much battery is left - more or less. Recharging is done via USB-C.

• The case is more sizeable than competitors like the 1more Q10 Mini, Xiaomi Buds 6 Active and Huawei Freebuds SE 2, and it can be a bit tricky to get the earbuds out - but it's comfortable to carry in a jeans pocket.

The Oppo Enco R3 won't win a price for a design - but its comfort is outstanding.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• Unlike the more expensive Oppo Enco Air3, the Oppo Enco R3 doesn't have multipoint connection. You can only connect these earbuds to one device at a time.

• The earbuds also lack auto-pausing music when you take an earbud out.

• That's not a problem on its own, but it is with the standard control scheme of these earbuds. By default, it lacks a touch command to pause the music!

• You only get options to skip and return tracks, or to change the volume by holding the left or right touch panel (located at the top of the stem).

• This is no doubt a rule to make you use the free HeyMelody app. At the time of writing, only HeyMelody on Android supports the Oppo Enco R3. The iPhone-version will hopefully follow later.

• The HeyMelody app features several useful funcions:

  • Check the battery level of the left and right earbud

  • (De)activate the game mode

  • (De)activate spatial audio

  • Choose from three equalizer presets

  • Change the controls, including the option to add play/pause to the control scheme and add single-taps. You can pretty much set the controls up exactly how you like.

No multipoint connection and no play/pause control option out of the box? Those feel like evil design choices in 2025, even for highly affordable earbuds. Good thing you can fix things with the (Android) app.

Phone and video calls

• The microphones of the Enco R3 pick up your voice loud and clear enough, but also rather nasal.

• Background noise is audible, but doesn't outweigh the volume of your voice. Your voice also remains stable.

• You can already hear some wind noise on the line as you're walking into only a bit of wind. More wind can overpower your voice.

While the Oppo Enco R3 does little to minimise sounds and wind around you, you do sound pretty clear in phone calls and video conferences.

Video and games playback

• The Oppo Enco R3 plays videos on YouTube and streaming services like Disney+ flawlessly.

• With the gaming mode you can activate from the app or the controls once setup via the app, there's great synchronisation between sounds and the action on your screen.

• Even with the spatial audio setting turned on, it's still a bit tricky to locate where sound effects are coming from in a game like Call of Duty mobile, however.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Oppo Enco R3

When it comes to sound quality, the Oppo Enco R3 washes away the 25 dollars competition of half-in-ear wireless earbuds.

• Along with the vocal-centered Huawei Freebuds SE 2, the Oppo Enco Air3 has been the benchmark for sound quality on half-in-ears. At around 40 dollars, it has a more balanced and rich sound than the $200 AirPods 4 ANC.

• The newer and cheaper Oppo Enco R3 also sounds impressive.

• The R3 heavily boosts the center mid-tones and lower treble. Male vocals and lower female vocals are prominent and very forward. Guitars, piano play and lighter electronic tones also have a strong presence.

• Being so prominent, it's great that vocals are natural and vivid. Singers sound lively: the Oppo doesn't have any problem showing the darker and warmer edges from Kingfishr, to displaying Björks highest outhauls in It's Oh So Quiet!. No part feels cut off or flat.

• The Enco R3 has a clear, open and airy treble, without becoming too bright or harsh. The amount of treble can be tiring on high volumes, however - on which you may also notice some sibilance (sss-emphasis).

• That doesn't mean the Oppo Enco R3 is underpowered in the lower frequencies. Darker electronic tones have enough presence to inject flow into songs, and darker instruments sound great too - it's just that they're not as prominent as the center-mids.

• The same goes for the bass. The mid-bass delivers strong slams, although they of course don't reach the fulness or thumping of full-in-ears.

• Although it rolls off quicker than on full-in-ears, the R3 is even capable of a decent sub-bass rumble in James Blake's great test track Limit to Your Love. Simply put: you can feel the bass of the Enco R3, which is still uncommon on half-in-ears.

• All this comes together in a tonality that's bright nor warm, perhaps a bit colder than average.

• With the HeyMelody app on Android (and likely iPhone in the future), you get three sound equalizers and a spatial audio feature on top of the default sound.

• The bass boost equalizer makes mid-bass slams slightly punchier, but mostly elevates bass lines and lower mid-tones a bit more, while toning down the lower treble and the airiness in the sound.

• The Clear vocals equalizer takes away pretty much all bass and lows, and doesn't seem like a useful addition.

• Oppo Alive Audio then? Well, this spatial audio setting works surprisingly well, especially for music genres with lots of (acoustic) instruments. It may not make an expansive soundstage or give instruments pinpoint positioning, but it does make music seem more around you and thereby more immersive - while controlling all frequencies well!

The Oppo Enco R3 can be a bit tiring on high volumes - but with a bass you can feel, natural vocals and great airiness, these very affordable half-in-ears impress.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

Oppo Enco R3 comparisons

Oppo Enco R3 vs 1more Q10 Mini

At only 15 to 20 dollars, the 1more Q10 Mini are splendid what-you-see-is-what-you-get earbuds.

These half-in-ears are wonderfully small, its case is lovely compact and it performs well enough for phone calls in easier circumstances. It even throws in 7 hours of playtime per charge - 1,5 hours more than the Oppo.

Still, the Enco R3 is better value. While the 1more Q10 pleases with a punchy mid-bass and smooth treble, the Oppo shows much more detail in the sound. It's airier, shows more nuances on your left and right, and extends highs further. The Oppo is just much more lively.

• 1more Q10 Mini review

• $15 - See price on your Amazon country or AliExpress
  
  

Oppo Enco R3 vs Redmi Buds 6 Active

With a comfortable fit, good controls, app support and clear calls, the Redmi Buds 6 Active is good value for its $15 to $20 price tag. Like the Oppo Enco R3, it doesn't have multipoint. The Oppo has half an hour longer battery life per charge and noticeably better gaming performance.

On the topic of sound, the Redmi convinces with a quick and kicking mid-bass, clear treble, and great left-right separation in instruments. The sound can be a bit echo-y and singers a tad nasal, tough.

The Oppo Enco R3 is more mid-centric, bringing details like the plucking of guitar strings closer to the surface. Its airier, but as it doesn't have the same weight in the lower-mids and bass, you may prefer the Redmi for dance and electronic genres.

• Redmi Buds 6 Active review

• $20 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Oppo Enco R3 vs Huawei Freebuds 2 SE

The Huawei Freebuds 2 SE remained my recommendation over the successor Huawei Freebuds 3 SE.

That's because the Freebuds 3 SE has a more slippery fit and costs more. Besides, it still doesn't have multipoint connection, the feature the SE 2 really needed. As the 2 SE costs the same as the Oppo Enco R3, it makes sense to compare this model.

The Freebuds 2 SE has shorter stems (helping it look less like an AirPods-knockoff), but plays around 3,5 hours on a single charge more than the Oppo! It handles phone calls with more clarity as well.

Thanks to the spatial audio setting, music sounds more around you on the R3. Oppo's lower-mids are weightier than on the Huawei. The Freebuds lifts vocals even more, setting them further apart from the music and giving them more extension in the highs. It's hard to state which sounds better - these both rock.

• Huawei Freebuds SE 2 review

• $40 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Oppo Enco Air3i/ Enco R3 vs Oppo Enco Air3

How does the $25 Oppo Enco R3 or Oppo Enco Air3i compare to the $40 Oppo Enco Air3? You'd be surprised.

The previously released Oppo Enco Air3 has a slightly smaller charging case and a more distinct look. It offers half an hour less battery life per charge, but adds multipoint connection - meaning you can connect it to two devices. Andother plus of the older model is the call performance, that rules out more background noise.

They both deliver in the sound department. The Oppo Enco R3 has a bigger lower treble emphasis than the Air3, and extends highs further too. This gives the R3 more clarity and air at the top end.

Yet - the Air3 is more balanced and divides its attention better across all frequencies. It has a fuller mid-bass and more textured lower mid-tones. Its Bass boost equalizer realises this without taking the sparkle from the higher frequencies; the R3's Bass boost isn't as capable. All in all, the Air3 sounds more pleasant and slightly fuller.

• Oppo Enco Air3 review

• $40 - $60 on your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Oppo Enco R3

If you're not afraid to walk around with earbuds that look like cheap AirPods-knockoffs, the Oppo Enco R3 is a wonderful treat, that combine excellent comfort, decent calls and great sound quality.

4.5 STARS - Great

Buy Oppo Enco R3/ Check lowest price

• Buy on your Amazon country

• Buy on AliExpress

I bought the Oppo Enco R3 myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

THREE STARS - The Honor Choice Earbuds S7 looks more expensive than its $50 price tag suggests - but it's the next AirPods-like earphone that promises Active Noise Cancelling and doesn't deliver. And… what's going on with the sound?

Honor Choice Earbuds S7/ Honor S7 specs and features:

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IP54 waterproof rating (dust and water proof)

• 5 - 7,5 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

• Has: ANC, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with USB-C cable, English manual

• $45 - Buy on AliExpress

In and underneath this Honor Choice Earbuds S7 review, you will find comparisons of the Honor S7 vs SoundPEATS Air5 Lite, Oppo Enco Air3, and Huawei Freebuds 2 SE.

I buy 70% of the tested earphones myself. Want to support my reviews? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.

Design, comfort and battery life

• The Honor S7 has a rather unique egg-like charging box. The case is nice and compact, scratch resistant and has a sturdy case lid.

• A single LED-light on the front of the case indicates the remaining case battery. It could be green for quite a while: the case can recharge the earbuds four time fully before needing new power via USB-C.

• The earbuds are easy to pick out of the case and just as easy to hang in your ears. The big mound on the earpieces provides a comfortable and snug enough fit.

• You may or may not like it, but the shiny metallic-plastic finish definitely draws attention. These look more expensive than they are.

• Battery life is good. The Honor S7 provides 7,5 hours of playtime on a single charge. That's the score with Active Noise Cancelling off. It gets around 5 hours per charge with ANC on.

• As the earbuds are IP54 waterproof rated, they should withstand dust, sweat and rainfall.

Nicely compact, comfortable, solid battery life.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• The Honor S7 controls by pinching the stem. A single-tap triggers play/pause, a double-tap skips a song, and a triple returns a song on either earbud. Holding the stems lets you switch between Active Noise Cancelling on and off.

• You can activate volume controls on the earbuds via the Honor AI Space app on iPhone and Android, but only at the cost of the ANC switching.

• Unfortunately, the double-taps and triple-taps aren't always easy to trigger. The feedback feels a bit wonky.

• Music automatically pauses when you take an earbud out, and resumes playing once you put it back in again. It works well, but you can also turn the function off via the app - that's great.

• Standard connectivity is good: the Honor S7 has a reliable Bluetooth connection up to 10 meters away from your device.

• Or devices. Like the previous released Honor X5 earbuds, the Honor S7 also has dual-device multipoint connection. You can connect it up to two devices at the same time. Switching between devices works well: pause on one device, play on the other - or automatically when you get a phone call.

• The Global version of the Honor S7 gets support from the Honor AI Space app for Android and iPhone. Check the availability in your country before you decide to purchase. You also need an account to use the app.

• The Honor AI Space app gives a bunch of useful features:

  • Check the battery on the L and R earphone and the case

  • Update the firmware

  • Change the controls (this is very limited, however)

  • Choose between Default sound, Bass Boost or Vocal boost

  • Switch to LDAC audio codec (Android only)

  • (De)activate spatial audio

  • (De)activate Dynamic EQ

  • (De)activate wear detection (auto-pausing)

  • (De)activate dual-device connectivity

  • Decide whether your ANC setting is saved the next time you turn the earbuds on

• Beware: dual-device connectivity only works with the default codec on Android. If you activate the LDAC audio codec on Android, you'll lose the second connection.

With solid app support and multipoint connectivity, the Honor Choice Earbuds S7 has a nice array of features - although controls could be better.

Phone and video calls

The Honor Choice Earbuds S7 is well-suited for phone and video calls.

• The microphones of the Honor S7 put your voice through clear, if a bit thin.

• It's also on the softer side - although not too soft.

• Most background noise is filtered well out of phone calls. Higher tones, like a squeaking door, are still audible.

• The earbuds can pick up wind noise, whether you walk indoors or outside.

• However: the microphones recognise the wind noise and dampen it quickly.

The earlier released Honor X5 was already a good choice for phone calls, and the Honor S7 continues the trend.

Video and games playback

• The Honor S7 plays videos without problems on iPhone and Android phones.

• There's a low-latency gaming mode which you can activate from the earbuds when you have the control setup for it in the app. You can't activate it from the app directly.

• The gaming mode itself works flawlessly, with great synchronization between the sound effects and the action on your screen, for instance in a demanding game like Call of Duty mobile.

• The Spatial audio setting and Dynamic EQ provide an immersive gaming experience, even though they don't give you the best information of where things are happening around you in a game.

ANC QUALITY of the Honor S7

The Active Noise Cancellation of the Honor S7 doesn't impress.

• The ANC activates by holding down the stems. After a recognisable sound effect, some middle and higher sounds around you are a bit softer.

• The ANC can help to put a background radio further to the background. Unfortunately, that's pretty much it.

• That means you still hear everything around you. Conversations are still easy to follow, sudden sounds like laughter, chatter and door slams come through clearly, and even constant sounds aren't filtered.

• The sound with ANC on and off differs, with the ANC giving more weight to the lower tones of the music.

• Sadly, the ANC mode lets in quite a bit of wind. It's less usable to use it when you're walking, running, or cycling - meaning you'll get a thinner and lighter sound on these moments.

• Because of the wind noise and the longer battery duration, it's better to turn the ANC off. Happily, you can select whether the earbuds have ANC on or off by default from the app.

After the SoundPEATS Air4, SoundPEATS Air5, the Xiaomi Buds 5 and QCY AilyBuds Pro, this is the next pair of affordable half-in-ears that promises ANC, but doesn't deliver.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality of Honor S7

It's hard to get a finger behind the sound part of the Honor Choice Earbuds S7, as there are some strange variables at play here.

• Wireless earbuds should sound the same on different systems. Strangely, there are noticeable differences in the Honor S7.

• The sound is clearer on iPhone. Mid-tones and lower treble are more forward. Middle and higher vocals have more presence and it's easier to pick up details on your left and right. However - the sound also feels lacking in the lows. There's little bass next to the minimal mid-bass kick. At its worst, music feels too light and lacks substance.

• The sound is warmer on Android. Treble is toned down earlier, while lower mid-tones are more prominent. Darker electronics and instruments and lower male voices feel fuller, and give the overall sound a warmer - even darker vibe. Here, the sound can even feel a bit caved-in in some scenarios.

• It's therefore recommended to activate the Dynamic EQ from the app. It's unclear what the Dynamic EQ does precisely, but it improves the sound on both systems.

• Switched it on? The iPhone gets more body in the lows; Android becomes open and clearer. The sound output on the two platforms grows to each other - although the gist of the differences is still there.

• The Dynamic EQ adapts to surrounding noise as well. Somehow, it can sound clear and sparkly one moment, recessed and dull the next. It's impossible to say what causes it to be so all-over-the-place.

• The Spatial Surround Sound setting throws in even more variables. Several blues and jazz tracks in my test time lost nuances because of it - making it harder to pick up details like the plucking of strings.

• Yet: the Spatial audio is a neat addition: it does put music more around you and can make it more engaging.

• Oh, and get this: ANC changes the sound too. Music is fuller when you turn it on.

• What doesn't change, however, is the limitation of the bass. The mid-bass has a quick slam, but lacks in weight. Don't expect bass thumps or deep sub-bass rumbles anytime soon. See the alternatives to see which competitors perform better.

• The bass doesn't increase by choosing the Bass boost equalizer from the app - that just boosts the lower mid-tones. The Vocal boost equalizer can help to open the treble more on Android.

• The high-res LDAC Audio codec you can activate on Android, adds a more iPhone-like detail to the mids and treble, but as you'll lose multipoint connection and about 2 hours of the battery life, it's questionable whether this is worth it.

The Honor Choice Earbuds S7 is all over the place when it comes to sound variations. It can sound great at times, but it can also sound mediocre. While not bad, there are alternatives with a more consistent and better performance.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

Honor S7 alternatives

Honor S7 vs SoundPEATS Air5

At around 80 dollars, the SoundPEATS Air5 is a more expensive pair of half-in-ears with unimpressive ANC. Both earbuds have comparably call quality as well. The SoundPEATS has easier controls, while the Honor has longer playtime per charge.

Both models have some oddities in the sound. The sound on the Air5 can change but is ultimately manageable when you open the Sound page in the app, while the sound character of the Honor S7 is hard to track due to different app features at play.

In general, the Air5 is more consistent and immersive, with more air in the higher frequencies, a tighter bass and more spatial details.

• SoundPEATS Air5 review

• $80 - See price on Amazon US, on your Amazon country or AliExpress
  
  

Honor S7 vs Huawei Freebuds 2 SE

The Huawei Freebuds 2 SE remained my recommendation over the successor Huawei Freebuds 3 SE.

That's because the Freebuds 3 SE has a more slippery fit and costs more. Besides, it doesn't have multipoint connection, the feature it really needed.

The Freebuds 2 SE doesn't have multipoint, but costs around $40, and plays around 9 hours on a single charge! It has clear calls and sounds great - better than the Honor S7, with a more balanced tonality, fuller lower-mids, and more consistency. The Honor S7 can sound good - the Freebuds 2 SE just sound great.

• Huawei Freebuds SE 2 review

• $40 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Honor S7 vs Oppo Enco Air3

At the same price or even cheaper than the Honor S7, the 2023's Oppo Enco Air3 gives the newcomer a run for its money.

The Oppo lacks ANC, but doesn't miss it compared to Honors weak offering. The Oppo Air3 does offer multipoint connection, clear calls, controls well and has a safer, more secure fit than the Honor. Battery life is the same on both models, but can be two hours longer on the Honor when you turn ANC off.

The Enco Air3 impresses with its more powerful, thicker mid-bass. The sound is fuller, and feels more like a pair of earphones with rubber-tips than the often much thinner Honor S7 - even though the Honor can sound as good sometimes… dependent on the many variables.

• Oppo Enco Air3 review

• $40 - $60 on your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Honor S7

The Honor Choice Earbuds S7 seems impressive on paper. Multipoint connection! Active Noise Cancelling! App support! Spatial audio! Dynamic EQ!

But with near-useless ANC and a sound that differs every time you listen to them, you get little out of it in reality. Earbud manufacturers need to learn that adding features isn't the same as making user-friendly earbuds.

THREE STARS - Worth considering

Buy Honor S7/ Check lowest price

• Buy on AliExpress

I bought the Honor S7 myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

The links on this page are affiliate links. Buying via one of this links supports me in reviewing more earphones. Was this review helpful to you? Please consider supporting me:

Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

FOUR STARS - When an audio brand goes all-in on a waifu presentation, do they cover up for something else? Don't rule the Tanchjim Mino out, as it can offer amazing equalizer options next to its honest sound.

Tanchjim Mino (asano Tanch) specs and features:

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC codec

• No waterproof rating

• 5 hours playtime on a single charge

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 5 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, multipoint connection

• Doesn't have: app support, wireless charging, gaming mode, spatial audio

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, English manual

• $60 - See price on Amazon US or AliExpress

In and underneath this Tanchjim Mino review, you will find comparisons of the Tanchjim Mino vs Moondrop Moca, Moondrop Space Travel, and Realme Buds Air 6 Pro.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Want to support my research? Buy me a coffee or support me via PayPal.

Design, comfort and battery life

• Tanchjim went all-in with the presentation of their latest model, the Tanchjim Mino. These wireless earbuds wear a waifu (anime girly) presentation, with a model dubbed Asano Tanch coming back everywhere you look.

• She's on the packaging, comes on a bunch of stickers in the box, there's a button with her model and your order may even come with a base plate and flat figurine. The entire yellow-brown-orange colour scheme continues everywhere you look, from the box’ inside to the rubber ear tips.

• It depends on your taste if this is great or cringeworthy for you, but you can't deny Tanchjim didn't put effort into it. They even made a LEGO-like model from Asano!

• The Asano Tanch-presentation is continued in the case, with a low-res sticker on the cases front. The charging case is scratch-resistant and compact enough to carry comfortably in a jeans pocket, and shows the earbuds through a transparant lid.

• The case doesn't support wireless charging, but can be recharged via USB-C and is capable out of itself: it provides five full recharges of the earbuds before needing new power.

• The earbuds themselves last about 5 hours on a single charge with Active Noise Cancelling turned on. That's a mediocre score.

• The earbuds don't have Asana displayed on them, but do draw attention with symbols on the touch panels, the text Tanchjim and Mino on the stems and the colour scheme that's different from all other TWS.

• Most importantly for everyday use, the Mino is comfortable to wear for hours, thanks to the oval rubber ear tip attached to the compact diagonal earpiece.

• The Mino doesn't have an official waterproof rating, sadly. The microphone hole on top of the stems may indicate these earphones aren't rain resistant.

Controls, connectivity and app support

• The Tanchjim Mino enjoys support from the free Tanchjim app on iPhone and Android that adds plenty of useful features to these earbuds. You can find QR-codes for the apps in the back of the Manual.

• Android users beware! The Android app is an APK-file you download outside of the Google Play Store. It gives a security warning if you're using the latest version of Android, and Google marks the app as unsafe. If you neglect this warning, you can still install the app.

• Unfortunately, I couldn't get the Android app to work at all on my Google Pixel 6A and Xiaomi Mi 12 Lite. The app crashes immediately or doesn't show the earbuds, even with all app permissions granted. As I'm seeing multiple complaints online too, I think it's justified to say that only iOS users get a good app experience from the Tanchjim Mino.

• The first useful app feature is the firmware update that lets you switch language. Select the default setting instead of Chinese or Japanese, and the Chinese voice prompts make way for sound effects to indicate Bluetooth connections and Active Noise Cancelling modes.

• The app lets you customise controls, meaning you can add volume controls to triple-taps of the earbuds. The setup works counterintuitive, but the control scheme is pretty simple afterwards:

  • Tap L/R to pause/play

  • Double-tap L/R to return of skip a song

  • Triple-tap L/R to decrease/ increase volume

  • Hold L/R to change between ANC modes (pay attention: the left earbud triggers ANC off/ ANC on, the right one switches between Transparency and ANC off)

• The touch panels on top of the stems respond quickly and well to your input.

• The earbuds pause music playback automatically when you take both earbuds out of your ears, and resume playback when you put them in again. You can turn this off too.

• By far the best feature of the app are the Sound Settings, which turn out to be a real playground for audio enthousiasts - but more on that in the sound part of the review.

• The earbuds don't have dual-device multipoint connection; you can only connect them to one device at a time.

• The overall Bluetooth connectivity is strong and reliable up to 10-12 meters away from your device.

The Tanchjim Mino is two-faced when it comes to features and connectivity. As the app bypasses the Play Store and doesn't function properly on Android for Western customers, only iPhone users get the great control and EQ settings that lift the Mino to a higher level.

Does the app work on your Android device? Please share your country + phone model + tips in the comments. It may help other readers!

Phone and video calls

The Tanchjim Mino is not recommended for phone calls and video conferences.

• The Tanchjim Mino passes through your voice with enough volume, and makes it sounds warm and full.

• That may seem nice, but it quickly turns to bloomy and overly dark when you're on the move or walking in the wind with these earbuds.

• Surrounding noise is left out of the calls well, but also colours your voice darker and harder to hear.

• There's quite a bit of crackles on the line as well.

Video and games playback

• The Tanchjim Mino has no problem playing videos - picture and sound synchronize flawlessly.

• There's no specific low-latency gaming mode on the Tanchjim Mino, but the gaming performance is great. There's little to no noticeable delay in the sound effects in a challenging game like Call of Duty mobile.

• The earbuds even have multiple specific EQ settings for games!

• Mobile games include Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, League of Legends and Call of Duty mobile among more - elevating certain frequencies to gain more bass impact or spatial awareness.

• It also has special equalizers for Switch-games like both big Zelda's, Splatoon, and Mario Kart - and pc support for games like Black Myth: Wukong, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, PUBG and Fortite.

• Amazing! Although it's another special feature western Android users could miss out on, due to the lacking app support.

ANC test of the Tanchjim Mino

The Active Noise Cancelling of the Tanchjim Mino doesn't impress.

• The ANC mode can remove some darker constant background noise, like a fridge running in the other side of the room.

• Higher sounds are reduced decently, like chittering birds, a baby crying or a radio playing in the background.

• Still, the ANC doesn't feel very strong. That's because middle sounds come trough with ease. Keyboard typing, people talking, door slams, or even people walking around in the same office: they are all clearly audible.

• This is the performance when you're not playing music. The ANC does help to reduce surrounding noise when you are.

• By default, the voice prompts are in Chinese, and as the effect is sometimes lacking, it can hard to detect if ANC is on.

• The sound effects after the update via the iPhone app don't give a clear indication as well. It also doesn't help that the left earbud lets you cycle between ANC off and ANC on, but the right one between Transparency and ANC off - although iPhone users can change this in the app.

• The Transparency mode isn't strong enough to forward conversations or higher traffic noise when you're listening to music on or beyond moderate volume.

• The ANC mode does leave out wind noise quite well.

Also read: The best sounding wireless earbuds under $100

Sound quality review of Tanchjim Mino:
Dry or a fantastic playground

The Tanchjim Mino delivers its music in an honest, dry manner. However: if you're able to use the app, the Mino turns into an audiophile playground thanks to an entire social netwerk of shared equalizers!

• By default, the Tanchjim Mino offers a rather flat sound signature. That means that there isn't a part of the music that's severely boosted, and makes for a musical presentation that feels honest and a bit dry.

• The aspect that is forwarded the most, is the lower treble. Male and lower female vocals often stand out. They sound clear, but grounded enough to keep touch with the lower notes. Clear doesn't mean bright.

• The Mino also handles higher treble well. Cymbals and claps sound natural without being piercing, and even the highest instrumental or vocal outhauls stay away from harshness.

• The flat signature applies to the lower frequencies too. The Mino has a bone-dry bass, that doesn't extend in depth. Mid-bass strikes have some weight in their length, but are rather slim. The sub-bass in James Blake's ideal test track Limit to Your Love rumbles lightly, but feels on the surface instead of hitting deep. The sub-bass doesn't show itself easily.

• Music needs a bit of volume to gain any power at all from the lower frequencies. It's only over half of the volume bar on iPhone and Android that the clear mid and upper range gets accompanied by some lower-mids and bass kick.

• While there's good separation between instruments and frequencies and the sound is clear, it doesn't translate to a wide soundstage or very airy sound. The Mino is as honest, as straightforward as it comes.

• But… this changes with the Tanchjim app, which turns the Mino into a true playground for audiophiles.

• At first, the app has 8 alternative presets which tweak the sound subtly, which cater to audiophiles. There are three Harman sound-curve variations you can should choose from (2013, 2016, 2019), and the Balanced, Natural and Popular presets all offer interesting nuances that don't overhaul the sound, but are fun enough to try out.

• Next to that, you can setup a custom equalizer with great versatility, as you're able to change both the output and the tonality. It's a bit sluggish to swipe between the frequencies, but really - you can change the sound character here.

• The best and most unique app part is the EQ Forum. That's a social feed of people that uploaded their own EQ variations, which you can activate direcltly! Every upload comes with a description and the number of likes. While most descriptions are in Chinese, it offers great EQ presets like:

  • Oratory1990 by Paul Wasabi, for warmth and cave-like immersion

  • Kadenz Aria 2 ver2.0 by NateAFish, for more lower-mid and mid-bass punch

  • ACG by Robinade, for an energetic V-shaped sound with sub-bass

• The Mino equalization options are so versatile, these can turn into entirely different sounding earphones - with either forward or laidback vocals, a downright flat or a dynamic engaging presentation - including strong yet precise mid-bass thumps and a much deeper (although still a little dryish) sub-bass. The chance that there’s already an EQ in the Forum you’ll love, seems quite big.

• Sadly, it's also a bit limited. You need a Chinese phone number to contribute your own equalizers to the social feed, save your favorite finds, or save your own equalizer presets. Let's hope Tanchjim quickly puts this out worldwide - because it's great!

The EQ options and built-in social network show just how versatile the Tanchjim Mino is in the sound department. It makes the world of difference if you can use the Tanchjim app on your phone or not. If you can't? The sound is honest, but can be a tad boring.

If you can use the app, this is a fantastic playground unseen on wireless earbuds before.

—> These are the best sounding wireless earbuds from $25 to $100

Tanchjim Mino comparisons

Tanchjim Mino vs Moondrop Moca

Targeting the same audiophile market at around the 50 dollars mark, the Tanchjim Mino and Moondrop Moca both have their strengths and limits.

The Moondrop Moca shares some of its misses with the Tanchjim Mino: its battery life is limited to +- 5 hours, and the app support differs on iPhone and Android - in case of the Moca in favour of Android.

The Moca has much stronger ANC and clearer calls since the 1.2.5 update; the Mino has a more outspoken design and comes with the joyful EQ Forum.

Out of the box, the Moca has more space and warmth in its sound, while the Mino is clearer and flatter. Even against the most fun and best EQ's on the Tanchjim forum, the Moondrop holds its ground with its wonderfully balanced sound. It just isn't as fun.

• Moondrop Moca review

• Around $50 on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Tanchjim Mino vs Moondrop Space Travel

And how does the Tanchjim Mino compare to the budget wonder Moondrop Space Travel?

Combining character and great sound, the $30 Moondrop Space Travel also is a solid competitor to the Tanchjim Mino.

Even this cheaper Moondrop has stronger ANC than the Mino. The Mino does offer 1,5 hours more playtime per charge, more fluent video playback and way better gaming performance.

Musically, the Space Travel's slightly larger elevation of lower mid-tones gives music a warmer undertone and a little more dynamics than the default preset of the Mino. Treble is clearer on the Mino, and music feels a little bit better articulated - and more so, it can be altered much more than the Moondrop.

• Moondrop Space Travel review

• Around $30 on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

Tanchjim Mino vs Realme Buds Air 6 Pro

At around 60 dollars, the Tanchjim Mino has a lot of competition from brands that focus less on audiophile pleasantries and waifu's. The Realme Buds Air 6 Pro is a terrific alternative.

For the same money as the Mino, the Realme Buds Air 6 Pro has usable ANC, great call clarity, and about 7,5 hours battery life on a single charge.

The Realme also has dual-device multipoint, so you can connect it on two devices at the same time.

Sound-wise, both earbuds can and perhaps have to be tweaked to make the most out of them. The Tanchjim is much flatter out of the box; the Realme presents more dynamic vocals, a harsher sibilant edge, and more bass depth and fulness. The last past doesn't even change by cranking the bass up on the Tanchjim. The Realme always feels a tad more artificial, but perhaps a bit more engaging as well.

• Realme Buds Air 6 Pro review

• $60 - $100 on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

—> Check all budget TWS reviews and ratings!

Verdict: Tanchjim Mino

The Tanchjim Mino is a two-faced pair of wireless earphones. On one hand, it's tough to recommend. The honest and dry sound certainly won't be everyones cup of tea, and its lack of multipoint and its mediocre battery life, ANC and sub-par call quality don't help to sell them.

However, if you have an iPhone or get the Tanchjim app to work on Android, you're treated to the most fun you can have with equalizers on any pair of budget wireless earbuds. So, there we have it:

FOUR STARS - Good

Buy Tanchjim Mino/ Check lowest price

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• Buy on AliExpress

I received the Tanchjim Mino AT (Asano Tanch) from the manufacturer to test and review. This doesn't influence my judgment. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.

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Also read:

• Guide: The best wireless earbuds under $100

• Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones

4.5 STARS - While these earbuds are in need of firmware updates for its overachieving multipoint connection and mediocre call quality, the Redmi Buds Pro 6 sound absolutely spectacular for the price.

• Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and LDAC codec

• IP54 waterproof rating (water and dust proof)

• 7 - 9 hours playtime on a single charge (ANC on/ off)

• Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times

• Has: ANC, Transparency, app support, multipoint connection, spatial audio

• Doesn't have: wireless charging

• Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual

• $70 to $90 - See price on Amazon US, your Amazon country or AliExpress

In this review:

• Design, comfort and battery

• Controls, connection, app features

• Call quality

• Active Noise Cancelling

• Sound quality

• Comparisons

In and underneath this Redmi Buds 6 Pro review, you will find comparisons of the Redmi Buds 6 Pro vs Redmi Buds 5 Pro, Redmi Buds 6 Play, SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro+, Samsung Galaxy Buds FE, Earfun Air Pro 4, Realme Buds Air 6 Pro and Apple AirPods Pro 2.

All reviews on Scarbir.com are unsponsored and honest. Happy with your purchase and or/ do you want to support my reviews? Support me via PayPal or:

Design, comfort and battery life

The Redmi Buds 6 Pro continues on the design of the comfortable Redmi Buds 5 Pro and improves upon it where it counts.

• The Redmi Buds 6 Pro has almost the exact same shape of earbuds and charging case as its predecessor.

• The charging case measures only a bit thicker than the AirPods Pro 2's, and is comfortable enough to carry around in a jeans pocket. Its shiny finish resists scratches from keys quite well.

• While the case still doesn’t support wireless charging, it has been made more convenient: you can press the bottom button to see the remaining case battery depicted in the single LED-light on the case. Clever.

• The case can recharge the earbuds fully three times before needing new power via USB-C itself.

• The earbuds provide around 7 hours of playtime on a single charge, with Active Noise Cancelling turned on.

• A quick 10-minute recharge in the case should get you 2 to 3 hours more listening time.

• The 7 hours playtime is around 1,5 - 2 hours more than the Redmi Buds 5 Pro with ANC on, and is a great score for most scenarios.