TWS true wireless earphones - under $100
FOUR STARS - Music sounds impressively clear on the Sabbat E16 wireless earbuds, but ultimately it's an annoyance around the sound that could stand in your way.
Sabbat E16 specs:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and AptX codec
IPX5 waterproof (rain and sweat resistant)
6,5 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 2,5 times
Comes with 4 rubber ear tips, 3 foam tips, pouch, USB-C cable
$85 - Check on AliExpress, Amazon US, or other Amazon countries (official Sabbat link added soon!)
Below this Sabbat E16 review, you will find comparisons between the Sabbat E16 vs Moondrop Sparks, Lypertek Soundfree S20, BGVP Q2s, and Samsung Galaxy Buds+.
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Design, comfort and battery life
It's nice to see wireless earphone manufacturers stand out from the crowd, and Sabbat has done so from the very beginning. The earlier reviewed Sabbat X12 Pro and Sabbat E12 came in different flashy color schemes. The Sabbat E12 Ultra added more shiny, metallic colors, and the Sabbat Voodoo looked like something soldiers could wear. With the E16, Sabbat jumps back to its original design. More or less.
The partly rounded, partly pointy outside still follows the shape of your ears beautifully. You can get the E16 in black, dark green, blue, or red, and they all have a shiny dotted pattern. The black physical button on the earbuds now has a brand logo that lights up neatly when the earbuds are in the case, which is neat and convenient - yet happily, the lights don't blink when you're wearing them.
The biggest change of the earbuds is the inside of them. The Sabbat E16 has a more distinct shape than before. It looks like a custom build with a bump on the top end. However, it's hard to get a snug and tight fit with these in medium-sized ears - you may need to adjust them now and then. The fit may be more secure in smaller ears - and when it does, it's good to know that there's an IPX5-waterproof rating making them resistant to rain and sweat so that you can take them for a run or workout. They leave out wind noise greatly when you're using them.
To increase the comfort and fit somewhat, the E16 comes with three sizes of foam tips next to 4 sizes of rubber-tips. These foams fill out your ears, and while it may not be very comfortable, it increases the snugness.
The rather big charging case comes in the same color as the buds. It supports both USB-C and wireless charging and can recharge the earbuds 2,5 times before needing new power itself. The battery life on the earbuds is solid: the Sabbat E16 earbuds deliver around 6,5 hours of playtime on a single charge.
Connectivity and controls
Like older models, the Sabbat E16 controls with actual buttons. You don't need much force to operate the black round parts in the middle, and it's easy to press them multiple times in a row without putting too much pressure on your ears.
The control scheme is pretty much perfect: all the desired controls are on the earbuds, and you'll learn them quickly:
Press L or R to pause
Double-press R to skip to the next song
Double-press L to return to the previous song
Triple-press R to increase the volume
Triple-press L to decrease volume
Press L or R four times to (de)activate low-latency mode
Hold L or R 2 seconds to activate the voice assistant
Hold L or R 4 seconds to manually power on/off
There are no controls for ANC active noise cancelling or Transparency modes - the E16 lacks these features. There also isn't an app that lets you customize the controls.
The Sabbat E16 has adequate connectivity. The earbuds pair and connect fast enough when you take them out of the case, and it's possible to continue listening to one earbud when you charge the other - and revert to stereo when you take the charged bud out again. Music doesn't automatically pause when you take an earphone out. Sadly, there can be little distortions between the two earbuds, although they never last long.
Calling and watching movies
The Sabbat E16 handles video playback well. There's good synchronization between audio and video on Android and iPhone, including the challenging YouTube app.
The E16 is an excellent choice for gaming purposes. The low-latency mode vastly reduces the delay in sound effects when you're playing games - and the result even works well in online shooters like Fortnite.
Taking a phone or video call with the Sabbat E16 is doable. Your voice appears natural and full, although it could have been louder. Especially in crowded video calls, you may need to raise your voice a bit to get attention.
Darker background sounds are reduced well, but lighter noises like claps, chatter, or accelerating scooters do come through in your calls.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $100
Sound quality of Sabbat E16: Clearly balanced
The Sabbat E12 was often praised for its bass around two years ago. Now, it's the clarity in the higher frequencies that is the standout factor.
The Sabbat E16 paves the way for treble. It extends upper-mids and highs freely without making them sound too bright or sharp. Female and higher-pitched male vocals are forward and come with nuances in both their lighter and darker notes. They feel prominent and have enough space not to be smudged by instruments.
Instruments from the mid-tones and up profit from clarity as well. Piano, trumpets, and flutes sound brighter than usual but appear natural. Even in songs with darker signatures - take Billie Eilish, Lorde, or Alt-J - lighter details are wonderfully retrieved. Snare drums and cymbals sound great on the E16 - their forwardness comes with impressive texture. In Lorde's Team, you'll notice it can come with a downside, too: the clap may just be a tad too fierce. Some graininess and distortion on the highest volumes can also occur.
It's pardoned, as detail reproduction on instruments is as convincing as the vocal performance, and the opened-up highs also make for an airy sound. Music feels around you, comes from your left and right, and there's excellent separation between instruments and layers.
Don't think Sabbat forgot about the bass. Expect controlled mid-bass slams, tight and quick enough to provide modern dance genres with plenty of energy. The sub-bass may not appear very deep, but it can rumble in songs challenging it - like, of course, James Blake's Limit to Your Love. Lower mid-tones are represented well to give lower male vocals, darker electronic tones weight. Overall, there's enough body in the lows to counter the clarity on top. The result is sweet: a clear, natural, and balanced sound.
Unfortunately, there's a but. On both iPhone and Android, you can hear a clear white noise hiss for about ten seconds after any playback; a song, a video, even an Instagram ad. And it's not just there when pausing. You can hear a hiss underneath any video and song, and when older (blues, classical, jazz) recordings have white noise from themselves, it only adds up. It's a phenomenon Scarbir.com-readers find intolerable, and it's inevitable on the Sabbat E16.
Sabbat E16 comparisons
Sabbat E16 vs BGVP Q2s
The Sabbat E16 beats the BGVP Q2s for daily use, with a better waterproof-rating, call quality, and gaming performance. The Sabbat sounds clearer, makes vocals brighter, and has a quicker mid-bass. The BGVP has a different approach. The Q2s also puts higher-pitched vocals forward and makes mid-instruments sound natural and textured, but does so by presenting music much warmer and fuller than the Sabbat. It's less grainy, less peaky, and lacks the white noise floor of the E16, so while it may not be as energizing as the Sabbat with its quicker pace, it is easier to listen to.
BGVP Q2s review ($70)
Sabbat E16 vs Lypertek Soundfree S20
The Sabbat E16 extends upper-mids and highs even more than on the already clear-sounding Lypertek SoundFree S20. Vocals sound a bit more nuanced, brighter, and occasionally a bit peakier on the E16, whereas they have more presence in the lows on the S20. Both produce a spacious sound - The Sabbat has an even airier vibe; the Lypertek puts instruments more precisely on your left and right. The S20 has a thicker, fatter mid-bass thump; the Sabbat mid-bass hits a tad faster, and individual strikes can make more impact. The Lypertek sub-bass dives deeper and sounds fuller.
Sabbat E16 vs Moondrop Sparks
The Moondrop Sparks sounds even airier and brighter than the Sabbat. The Sparks takes vocals even more forward and gives them more nuances in the higher notes; violins can be even more striking. The Moondrop also has a quicker and tighter bass. The Sabbat has more lower-mid presence, resulting in more natural-sounding drums and depth in lower vocals. The overall signature is a bit more balanced and controlled, opposed to the clearer Moondrop. The Sabbat wins on practicality, with better call quality, waterproof-rating, and even comfort.
Sabbat E16 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds+
A wonderful representation of higher-pitched vocals and instruments, combined with a refined bass that happily plays along but doesn't dominate: the Sabbat E16 and Samsung Galaxy Buds+ have it in common. The Sabbat sounds a tad warmer than the Samsung - it adds more weight in the lower mid-tones and has a heftier mid-bass. The E16 represents the lows in vocals and instruments better, while the Samsung lets them reach even further into the highs. The Sabbat shows white noise and can sound a little grainier, but its added lows energy makes it more engaging for bass-embracing modern music genres.
Verdict
The Sabbat E16 is a wonderful sounding pair of wireless earphones. It surprises with clarity, naturality, and balance... but is held down by a tricky fit and an audible white noise floor every time you hit the pause button.
Four stars - Good
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I received the Sabbat E16 from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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