TWS true wireless earphones - under $25
FOUR STARS - Love a thumping bass in your music, just not one that overpowers anything else in a song? The Tiso i4 has you covered - it's a great affordable true wireless earphone for bass lovers.
Specs of the Tiso i4:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
+-3 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips and a micro-USB cable
$20 on AliExpress - check current price
Design, charging and comfort
The Tiso 4 is one of the rare sets of truly wireless earphones that doesn't come with a lid on its case. The charging case is designed like a little... uhm... volcano instead, with the eartips held firmly in place by a strong magnet. They won't fall out suddenly, even when shaking the charging case heavily.
The case may look special, it isn't in term of specs. It holds a 500ma battery, capable of charging the ear tips fully for around three times. The holes in the charging case are big enough for bigger ear tips, if you need those.
The earpieces are quite special too. They are definitely on the small side, and have some sort of L-shape, requiring you to put them in sideways - with the L or R lined up with the back of your ear. Their sharp lines don't do wonder for comfort, as ears are prepared for more round shapes. You can get a good fit with the Tiso i4, but it does require getting used to.
Connectivity and controls
The Tiso i4 comes with physical buttons on both earpieces, which you have to press hard to control them. Pressing once pauses/ plays the music or takes a call. Pressing twice on either of the ear tips skips a song, press three times and you go back a song. A long press activates your voice assistant, such as Siri or Google. Very intuitive. It's not possible to change the volume on the earpieces however - you'll have to use your phone or laptop. Unfortunately, it can be annoying having to press the ear tips further into your ear to control them.
Pairing is a breeze on the Tiso i4. Taking the earphones out is enough to connect them to your device. You have to press hard to put them back in again though, only a solid press will put them into their place and disconnect the earpieces. Happily, red lights indicate charging.
The Tiso holds a steady connection for about 10 meter. The Bluetooth still fares well when walking or biking.
Calling and watching movies
Call quality is surprisingly decent on the Tiso i4. Even though there are two ways to ‘twist’ the earpieces in your ear, the microphone puts you trough stable and clear - even though it can sound like you're in the bathroom.
Gaming or watching videos with YouTube on an iPhone isn't a strong suit - the Tiso definitely has a noticeable delay in audio.
Sound: Engaging with a sweet bass
It's no question that the bass is dominant on the Tiso 4. It doesn't pulsate in your ear and it doesn't go very deep, but it's absolutely heavy. The bass and lower mids, like drums and bass guitars have the upper hand in the sound.
Like many competitors, the mids and highs are brought forward to compensate for the full bass. How that turns out exactly, depends on the volume you're listening. On lower volumes, the bass line and darker sounding instruments will be the most prominent part of the music, resulting in some songs not coming alive - sometimes even sounding dull and congested.
On higher volumes though, vocals and upper mids get a boost, giving the Tiso i4 a more engaging sound, giving vocals brightness, clarity, some airiness even.
Especially when listening aloud, the Tiso i4 offers more detail and engagement than many other bass heavy truly wireless earphones. The Haylou GT1, in comparison, offers a bit more balance in the sound - yet less engagement. The Tiso i4 resolves even a fraction more detail than the Anomoibuds. Like bass? Consider the Tiso i4 one of the best cheap TWS options.
Verdict
The Tiso i4 may not be the best option for calling or gaming or listening on low volumes; it is however one of the best ultra affordable TWS truly wireless earphones for bass lovers. Turn the volume up and you're rewarded with a sweet bassy and engaging sound.
FOUR STARS - RECOMMENDED
Buy the Tiso i4/ check current price:
Buy Tiso i4 on AliExpress
I bought the Tiso i4 for my own listening and review purposes. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3
Also read:
Leaderboard: All true wireless earphones reviews
