TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - The QCY T16 isn't the most versatile pair of earbuds, but its clean, clear, and balanced sound is a breath of fresh air in its price range.
QCY T16 specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AptX Adaptive codec
5 hours playtime on a single charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with three ear tips and USB-C cable
$30 - Check price on AliExpress
Below this QCY T16 review, you will find comparisons of the QCY T16 vs QCY T13, SoundPEATS Mini, and Edifier X3.
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Design, comfort and battery life
Both the QCY T16 charging case and earbuds themselves look like eggs. The case has the shape and size of a white chicken egg, and on the inside of the well-built case, you'll see two earbuds hatching. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. Along with some subtle swirly lines around the buds, the T16 has a rather specific design.
The medium-sized case can recharge the earbuds four times before needing new power via USB-C itself. The earbuds themselves deliver around 5 hours of playtime per charge - not the best score, but usable enough for average day-to-day use.
The egg-shape continues on the inside of the earbuds, and it makes the T16 feel a bit big at first. Once you're used to the fit, they're actually comfortable to wear for hours. The earbuds’ lights blink when they're in idle mode, which is handy if you want to find them somewhere, but inconvenient if you're in the dark and in the middle between songs or watching videos.
As the earbuds fill up your ears, they reduce some (brighter) noise from your surroundings when you wear them. It's hardly an active noise cancelling-like performance, but it's still noticeable. Unfortunately, QCY doesn't provide a waterproof rating for the T16.
Controls and connectivity
Connectivity on the T16 is good. The earbuds pair and connect quickly when you take them out of the case, and you can switch to listening to one or two earbuds at any time. Music playback doesn't automatically pause when you take an earbud out, however.
The controls are a bit limited, with no volume controls on the earbuds:
Tap L or R to play/pause
Hold R to skip a track
Hold L to return a track
Triple-tap R to (de)activate the low-latency gaming mode (two beeps = on, three = off, apparently)
Triple-tap L to activate the voice assistant
Unlike other QCY models, the T16 isn't supported by the free QCY app yet to change that. This functionality is announced on the product listings, so it may change soon. However, on previous QCY models it was always impossible to add more controls, so adding volume controls always came at the cost of another control option. It's unlikely to change now.
Calling and watching movies
Taking a phone call with the QCY T16 is only recommended in quiet places. In busy office areas or outdoor, noises around you can come through loud in the call - despite QCY stating it has excellent noise reduction. Your voice sounds a bit tinny, but it has decent volume.
Surprisingly, wind noise itself is barely audible in a phone call, but it will fade away your voice entirely.
When you are in a quiet office or home environment, video calls like Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings are doable with the T16, as the earbuds give you a clear and loud enough presence.
Like all new earbuds, it's no problem to watch a video with the T16, with good audio-video synchronization on Android and iPhone. The gaming mode on the QCY T16 is surprisingly good. It reduces the delay in sound effects when you're gaming noticeably, and the action you see on screen and footsteps and gunshots you hear in Call of Duty mobile, for instance, synchronize very well
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $50
Sound quality of QCY T16: Clean and clear
While most wireless earbuds around the $30 price point sound recessed or bassy, the QCY T16 surprises with a clean and nicely balanced character.
Treble has the upper hand. Female and brighter male vocals sound upfront and clear, albeit with a colder than average tonality. The same goes for brighter instruments. Highs are well extended on the T16, giving violins and cymbals nuances and texture beyond other competitors in this price range. In return, there is a bit of sibilance (hissing in s-sounds) and the highs can be peaky and tiring at the highest volume levels.
The T16 can go very loud, and it's best enjoyed up to around 70 percent of your phones volume bar. On this (still loud) level, the higher notes don't dominate the rest of the music, and lower frequencies come out best.
Bass on the T16 is more quality than quantity. It doesn't push itself forward all the time - it can actually provide a gentle mid-bass slam for drums in singer-songwriter songs. Quite refreshing in this price range. There's enough thumping going on for hip-hop or modern dance music, but the bass can appear a bit light in tone. One layer deeper, things are more impressive. The bass shows decent depth in Billie Eilish' work, and Nils Landgren and Manu Katchés Unstatic comes with lovely bass guitar texture.
Most details from the QCY's sound come from the higher frequencies, however, with some airiness in the music and details coming from your left and right. The lower-mids are just about present enough to give music some warmth, despite the colder tonality in the higher regions.
The end result is a clean, clear and balanced sound.
QCY T16 comparisons
QCY T16 vs QCY T13
The QCY T13 has stronger mid-bass strikes, a heavier rumbling sub-bass and pushes upper-mid vocals more forward than the rest of the higher frequencies. The T16 shows more detail in upper-mids overall, accentuating higher instruments better. It sounds cleaner due to the slimmed-down lows; the T13 is more engaging.
QCY T13 review ($25)
QCY T16 vs Edifier X3
The Edifier X3 has a more V-shaped sound, with stronger mid-bass and warmer sounding upper-mids, in which vocals outweigh instruments around it. The T16 shows more detail in acoustic instruments and higher-pitched vocals, whereas they can become a bit thin on the X3. The Edifier is better in handling calls and has a more compact case.
Edifier X3 review ($25)
QCY T16 vs SoundPEATS Mini
The SoundPEATS Mini has a quicker, thumpier mid-bass, but it doesn't handle upper-mids and highs as well as the T16. These sound thinner and more metallic on the Mini, and actually give the Mini a colder sound than the QCY. The SoundPEATS does have a wider soundstage, and more practical specs, like volume controls on the earbuds, a smaller charging case and better call quality.
SoundPEATS Mini review ($40)
Verdict
The QCY T16 isn't the most versatile pair of earbuds, but its clean, clear, and balanced sound is a breath of fresh air in its price range.
Four stars
check QCY T16 price:
Check price on AliExpress
I received the QCY T16 from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are unsponsored and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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