Earbuds & Airpods - Organizer

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds review: big on features, light on sound

11:00 am | June 9, 2024

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless: Two-minute review

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless form part of what appears an increasingly important trend for true wireless in-ear headphone manufacturers to have a range of products that cover a fairly wide spread of prices – that is, at least, where the more established and high-profile manufacturers are concerned. Sennheiser has enjoyed a reasonable amount of success with its midrange(ish) ‘Accentum’ range, so this variant seems a logical move.

Initial impressions are, it’s fair to say, mixed. On the page, the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless look specified to compete with the best noise-cancelling earbuds in the business (even if the most up-to-the-minute codec they’re compatible with is plain-vanilla aptX). In the hand, they don’t look or feel anything special at all. Once you’re wearing the earbuds, though, you’ll appreciate the carefully ergonomic shape and the long-term comfort provided.

But while there’s plenty to enjoy about the sound the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless make, performance is just as mixed as the first impressions. The presentation is spacious, confidently organized and tonally balanced, with smoothly realized frequency response, too. A lack of animation and energy undermines this good work, though, and noise-cancellation that doesn’t do all that thorough a job seals the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless’ fate…

Gray Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Price & release date

Released in May 2024
List price: $179 / £169 / AU$349

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are on sale now – they officially launched on 21 May 2024. They’re priced at $179 in the United States, £169 in the United Kingdom, and AU$349 in Australia. Which, let’s not pretend otherwise, puts them up against some pretty stiff competition…

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Specs

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Features

Up to 28 hours of battery life (earbuds plus charging case)
7mm ‘TrueResponse’ dynamic drivers
Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, aptX and LC3 codec compatibility

As far as wireless connectivity is concerned, the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless have plenty going on. They use Bluetooth 5.3 as a base, and there’s compatibility with aptX and LC3 codecs as well as the more common SBC and AAC alternatives. Meanwhile, a firmware update is promised that will bring Bluetooth LE and Auracast to the party, too.

No matter the specifics of how you get your digital audio information on board, though, it’s delivered by a couple of Sennheiser’s TrueResponse dynamic drivers. They’re 7mm each in this application, and they’re good for a frequency response of 5Hz to 21kHz – at least according to the manufacturer.

As long as you don’t get carried away where volume levels are concerned, you should be able to eke as much as eight hours' performance from the earbuds before they need recharging. That’s with noise-cancellation switched off, of course – switch it on and you’re looking at more like six hours. The palm-sized little charging case holds more than two further full charges, which means you’re looking at a best-case scenario of, Sennheiser says, 28 hours before you have to visit any mains power. Recharging is available via the USB-C slot on the case, and the Accentum True Wireless are also compatible with Qi-certified charging pads.

Gray Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds case on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

The active noise-cancellation that’s available here is a hybrid system that can be set to ‘off’, ‘on’ or ‘anti-wind’ – there are three ‘transparency’ positions, too (‘low’, ‘mid’ and ‘high’).

Control of the ANC, and plenty more besides, is available in Sennheiser’s exemplary Smart Control app that’s free for iOS and Android. It may not be much to look at, Smart Control, but it’s stable, logical and reliable – which puts it ahead of any number of nominal rivals. Here’s where you can manage your connections (the earbuds can connect to two devices at the same time), create custom EQ settings using a five-band equaliser (with presets for ‘podcast’, which forces the midrange forward, and ‘bass boost’, which does exactly what you’d expect), and rearrange the layout of your touch controls.

Each earbud has a capacitive touch surface, and different numbers and/or lengths of presses can put you in charge of play/pause, skip forwards/backwards, volume up/down, answer/end/reject call, summoning your voice assistant and cycling through your ANC options.

Features score: 4.5/5

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Sound quality

Controlled, open sound
Nicely even frequency response
Rather flat and undemonstrative

In quite a few ways, the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are an engaging and enjoyable listen. But there are some areas in which they lag behind the best of their rivals somewhat.

They’re certainly an open, spacious listen – even when playing something as dense and multi-layered as Paul’s Boutique by Beastie Boys. The soundstage they create is large and easy to understand, and there’s just as much attention paid to spaces and silences as to the actual occurrences in the recording. The Accentum True Wireless are properly organised and take charge of recordings – their authority and control is never in question. If you need a complex recording opened up and made easy to comprehend, you won’t go far wrong here.

It’s a similar story where tonality and frequency response are concerned. There’s very little coloration to the tonality of the Accentum True Wireless – they’re basically neutral, and don’t really stick their oar into the sound of a recording all that much. And while claims for a frequency response down to 5Hz are predictably optimistic, there’s no arguing with the depth or substance of the bottom end the Sennheiser are capable of generating. The fairly iron-fisted control of bass sounds means rhythms get decent expression, too.

And the good news continues from higher up the frequency range. The midrange takes advantage of the Sennheiser's open nature, allowing voices plenty of space in which to operate, and at the top end there’s a fair amount of substance if not quite as much bite and shine as is ideal. The Accentum True Wireless are even-handed and unified, so no area of the frequency range is underplayed or overstated. Detail levels are reasonably high at every stage, too.

Where these earbuds come up noticeably short, though, is where the demands of both the broad and fine dynamics are concerned. There’s a rather one-level, undemonstrative quality to the way the Sennheiser present recordings that robs them of a lot of animation – so even if you’re listening to something as energetic and upbeat as King of the Jungle by Ezra Collective, there’s a fixed level of intensity at which the recording operates. The Sennheiser are reluctant in the extreme to deviate from this, aren’t all that interested in making an especially big leap from ‘quiet’ to ‘loud’ and, in the crudest terms, drain much of the entertainment from what really ought to be a spirited and upfront listen. This matter-of-fact presentation doesn’t suit the material in the slightest.

The noise-cancellation that’s on offer here is a little less than inspiring, too. On the plus side, there’s no alteration to the actual sound the Accentum True Wireless make when ANC is switched on, but the downside is that the Sennheiser do only a partial job on external sounds. High frequencies, in particular, seem able to evade the noise-cancellation algorithms with ease.

Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Design

5.5g per earbud, 41g charging case
Available in three finishes
IP54 rating

It’s possible for true wireless earbuds to be perfectly well constructed and flawlessly finished, and yet look and feel not remotely special – and that’s what’s happened here. The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are built and finished to the manufacturer's long-established standard, and quite obviously will stand up to all sorts of careless treatment. And yet they don’t look or feel in any way premium. The plastics from which they’re constructed are hard, unyielding and slippery. In all honesty, the Sennheiser present as less expensive than they are.

That’s not to say they’ve been thoughtlessly designed, you understand. They’re gratifyingly compact, for starters: the charging case is just 29 x 49 x 52mm (HxWxD), and the slender earbuds are just 5.5g each. In combination with a choice of four sizes of silicone ear tip, the design of the earbuds means they fit snugly and comfortably and will stay that way for hours on end.

An IP54 rating means they can safely be used in pretty much any realistic circumstance, and a choice of three finishes (white, black or blue) helps their desirability quotient, too. Just a little, mind you.

Design score: 4/5

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Value

Thorough specification and stamina for the money
Solid (if uninspiring) build quality
Against tough rivals, they don't win for sound or ANC

There’s value to be had here in the thoroughness of specification, quality of build and finish, battery life and cachet that comes from owning a product from a brand with a big reputation.

You’re not exactly short of choice where true wireless in-ear headphones at this sort of money are concerned, though, and when held up against the best of their rivals the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless don’t represent great value – the sound they make is compromized, the noise-cancellation they offer isn’t amazing, and the look and feel is nothing special either.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Also consider

How I tested the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless

With iOS and Android devices
Using a variety of codec standards
With all sorts of music

During a good week or so of constant use, my Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless were connected to a MacBook Pro, an iPhone 14 Pro and a Samsung Galaxy S23 in order to investigate different codecs and sources of music. The music itself was of many different file types and sizes, and many different styles. And I made sure to take the Sennheiser with me while I was out and about, in order to check out comfort and ANC as well as claims for battery life.

Skullcandy Set USB-C: Two-minute review

The Skullcandy Set USB-C earbuds stand as a stylish and well-priced option for those favoring the way of the wire, and they stack up well against some of the best wired headphones value-wise. Even if you own some of the best wireless earbuds, Skullcandy’s offering can still be of great use if you forget to charge your pesky Bluetooth ones.

I’ll be upfront – the Set earbuds don’t whip up top-drawer sound, and many tracks I listened to lacked the depth I’d grown accustomed to from competitor SoundMAGIC’s E11D model. To be specific, the audio isn’t the most full-sounding, something I sensed when listening to Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes by Paul Simon. Percussion in the background, the looping guitar lick, and the smooth bass all sounded a little bit feeble on these buds compared to the E11D’s.

With that said, sound quality is still decent, especially given the Set earbuds’ list price of just $31.99 / £29.99 (about AU$50). A lot of the more budget buds out there present listeners with borderline-repulsive, tinny audio, and these never subjected me to such horrors. The Skullcandy Set earbuds offer pretty good all-round sound; it's just a bit thin on detail and dynamism. Even at louder volumes, I was satisfied with the audio output on show and didn’t feel as if it was overly distorted or constrained.

Skullcandy says the Set earbuds have a “noise-isolating fit”, thanks to the included ear gels. These won’t totally reduce noise from your surroundings, but they definitely do a solid job of keeping you tuned in to your music. Unfortunately, one unwelcome sound you may well hear is the Set’s rustling wires, especially when touching the cables or making sudden movements during listening sessions.

In spite of this, the ear gels are actually very pleasant to wear, and I happily kept the Set wired earbuds in for two full days in the office without feeling any discomfort. Not only that, they stayed in without me needing to constantly fiddle with them to find the perfect fit. This earns Skullcandy’s wired in-ears plenty of points in my book – many similar products either cause me irritation after an hour or so, or need to be repeatedly reinserted into the ear. The Set earbuds also come with small- and large-sized gels so you can find the best feel.

Continuing on a positive note, I’m a big fan of the earbuds’ design. They sport a sleek, curved look, and come in four snazzy colorways. You can go for a more versatile True Black (the version that I tested), or select one of the three new color options in 'Triple Threat' finish, which Skullcandy tells us "mimics the scratches, gouges and dings that prove your board is getting the love it deserves". These include Sunset (orange), Snow (white), and Ocean (blue), all of which capture their respective theme with panache.

The buds also come with a call and music controller attached, which has a nice glossy finish, although functionality-wise, it’s a bit limited. It has a play/pause button in the form of the Skullcandy logo, which can also be used to take or hang up calls and skip songs. Additionally, it has a microphone that maintained clarity at various speaking volumes and distances and, despite a bit of background static, it was certainly good enough.

However, that’s where it ends for the controller, which is a bit of a shame. Whenever I wanted to turn a track’s volume up or down, I had to reach into my pocket and adjust this via my phone – something that frustrated me when walking home in the pouring rain one evening. Skullcandy says that the earbuds are designed for use “from work to workout”, but this issue, along with the loud rustling noises from the cable, suggests that these aren’t the ideal pick for a workout after all.

A design feature that could be useful, if like me you’re taking walks during downpours, is the Set earbuds’ IPX4 rating, which means the buds are protected against splashing water from any angle. IPX4 certification is pretty common for a lot of models at this price point, and ensures that the Set buds resist sweat if you use them during a run or similarly intensive activity.

One small but notable thing I appreciated about the Set earbuds is that Skullcandy hasn’t made outrageous promises about game-changing sound, revolutionary design, or world-class noise isolation – we’re just told that if “simplicity is your thing” and you’re looking for an “all-day earbud”, they’re a worthy choice. This level of honesty helps to keep expectations closer to reality, something which many competitors fall flat on. So, despite the “from work to workout” tagline feeling a little questionable, these still deliver the quality that many will hope to receive from a set of cheaper wired earbuds.

Skullcandy Set USB-C earbuds against guitar amp — (Image credit: Future)

Skullcandy Set USB-C review: Price and release date

Released on June 1, 2020 in True Black
Released on March 19, 2024 in 'Triple Threat' colorways
$31.99 / £29.99 (about AU$50)

Skullcandy’s Set USB-C earbuds are available on its US and UK digital stores, but unfortunately don’t feature on its Australian site. The buds have been available in True Black since 2020, and Skullcandy re-released the model in three vibrant Triple Threat colorways in March 2024, at the same price point. They aren’t the absolute cheapest option in the realm of USB-C buds, but still won’t set you back much, coming in at $31.99 / £29.99 (about AU$50).

You can grab alternatives for a bit less, such as the Apple USB-C EarPods and Belkin’s SoundForm wired earbuds (both of which cost less than $25), but you may be left wanting more, sound quality-wise. Indeed, neither of these deliver particularly great sound quality, with Skullcandy’s Set USB-C buds offering solid audio output for only a few dollars more.

Skullcandy Set USB-C review: Specs

Skullcandy Set USB-C earbuds controller — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Skullcandy Set USB-C?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Skullcandy Set USB-C review: Also consider

Skullcandy Set USB-C review: How I tested

Skullcandy Set USB-C earbuds inserted in FiiO M11S music player — (Image credit: Future)

Tested across a week-long period
Used in the office, at home, and while walking
Predominantly tested using Spotify on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

I whisked the Skullcandy Set earbuds away for a week of travelling (between my apartment and the office), and tested them while walking and while seated. I mainly used the buds on my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 using Spotify, but I also tried listening to music via Tidal on the FiiO M11S hi-res music player.

When trying out the Skullcandy Set earbuds I listened to tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist and beyond, and also watched YouTube videos. To test the microphone quality, I recorded multiple voice notes, and spoke at a variety of volumes, distances, and pitches. I also made calls to ensure the controller worked as described, and to once again determine microphone quality.

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30: Two-minute review

The 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds pack in an impressive number of features that make them a tempting purchase at their $49.99 / £39.99 (approx AU$75) asking price. While some of these features don’t always work perfectly, they perform adequately for the price, but it’s the sound quality that really impresses.

The case feels solid and, even in white, has stood the test of time in use for me – and they weren’t given an easy ride. The materials used don’t scream cheap-and-cheerful – the matte finish on the outer case is tactile and has proven to be durable, and the buds themselves feel well made.

The only slight downsides in terms of the design are that the PistonBuds Pro Q30 may not prove the most comfortable fit for those with petite ears due to their wide and shallow inner ear stalks. And the touch detection area on the earbud posts is rather small, making it tricky to use the touch controls at times.

These earbuds are definitely a welcome upgrade over their predecessors, the 1More PistonBuds Pro, and could prove the ideal purchase for those on a limited budget. Especially if you still want great sound quality and the ability to fine-tune your listening experience, whether that’s through the 12 different equalizer presets or by creating your own custom EQ.

While it would be unfair to expect top-performing active noise cancellation for this price, the ANC on offer is more than adequate, capable of blocking out a fair level of ambient noise and effective in tuning out consistent distractions such as aircon humming.

The battery life on offer is also perfectly adequate. It’s certainly nothing to get excited about, and it’s disappointing that during my testing the earbuds weren’t able to make it to the claimed seven and a half hours of continuous playtime, instead lasting just under seven hours. If listening for long hours is a priority for you, but you don’t want to shell out on higher-end headphones, then check out our best wireless earbuds guide for some alternatives. Alternatively, if you’re looking for earbuds that are better suited to petite ears, take a look at our best earbuds for small ears guide.

A top-down view of white and silver PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds in their open case. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Price and release date

Released in December 2023
List price: $49.99 / £39.99 (about AU$75)

Released at the end of of 2023 as a welcome upgrade over their predecessors – the mediocre sound of which we touched on in our 1More PistonBuds Pro review – the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 promised to deliver more in the form of additional active noise cancellation capabilities, customizable EQ settings, and upgraded Bluetooth 5.3 LE Audio. And this is all despite being one of the cheapest offerings from the 1More range, coming in at $49.99 / £39.99.

The PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds are currently available in the USA, Europe, and Japan, but at the time of writing they don’t appear to be available in Australia.

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Specs

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Features

Multiple noise-cancelling modes
12 presets and customizable EQ
Battery life could be better

1More certainly hasn’t held back when it comes to the number of features on offer from these earbuds – especially given the price. While some of these features can be a little hit-and-miss at times, on the whole the PistonBuds Pro Q30 offer a great listening experience.

The touch controls work fine, although it took me a while to perfect the adjustment technique due to the small touch-sensitive area on the earbud post – even after using the earbuds for several months, I was still struggling to hit the target every time. It’s worth noting that my long gel nails may also have played a part in this, as it further reduced the contact from my fingertip – so if you happen to have nails on the fabulous side you may find buds with a post-less design, like the JLab Go Air Pop, more user-friendly.

Photo of a hand holding one of the PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds by its post, showing the small touch control area. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The 1More Music app is straightforward to use and houses a bunch of useful features – quite an impressive stack of them, in fact, considering the price of the earbuds. If you like to fine-tune your listening experience, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a decent range of 12 equalizer presets, plus you have the option to customize EQ the setting too. There is a little bit of lag when switching between presets on my iPhone 12 Pro, with the app taking a couple of seconds to catch up, but it’s only a minor inconvenience.

Another little frustration is the display of the EQ presets. Half of the options are displayed too far to the right of the screen so, while you’re still able to select the preset, you can’t read what it is. This doesn’t make them redundant, though, as once selected, the EQ preset name is displayed at the top of the screen, and you’ll likely learn where each of them sits. This issue wasn't present on the iPad app.

At first, I couldn’t get the earbuds to connect to my iPad without first going into my iPhone settings to unpair them. In contrast, higher-priced alternatives such as the Marshall Motif II A.N.C will allow you to connect to more than one device without manually adjusting the settings. When I explored the app further, I found an Experimental Features section hiding in the top-right menu, which has a dual-device connection feature, and after enabling this I was able to connect to my iPad and iPhone simultaneously with standard Bluetooth multi-point pairing.

Smart Playback, which is 1More’s wear-detection feature, works fairly well for the most part – but occasionally, the music doesn’t resume once you’ve put the earbuds back in. If you want more control over when your music starts or stops, there are options to set the earbuds to Auto-Pause & Play, Auto-Pause Only, or No Smart Playback. At times, however, either turning off smart playback didn’t work, or the touch controls were overly sensitive when putting the buds in my ears, as this sometimes set the music off.

Despite this, without fail, even with Smart Playback off, the earbuds still detected when I’d taken them out of my ears, and turned off the active noise cancellation. The ANC is automatically re-enabled when you put the earbuds back in your ears, which is helpful when it comes to preserving battery life.

Both 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 buds lying on a marble effect desktop. The top of the earbud has a microphone, and the speaker and silicone tip are toward the front. The left earbud post shows the letter L, and the right shows the letter R. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The active noise cancellation performance is good for the price. Some cheaply priced earbuds can sound like the volume has just been bumped up when ANC is enabled, but this is not the case with the PistonBuds Pro Q30. The Strong ANC setting does an okay job of filtering out a lot of office noise, like chatter, mouse clicks, or keys clacking, but most notably it did a fantastic job of filtering out bass-range sounds, such as the loud humming from the air-con system above me.

Unfortunately, a white-noise-like effect from the ANC itself is sometimes noticeable in the background of quieter tracks. Pass-through mode, which is supposed to enable you to hear your surroundings and keep up with conversation while your music is playing, has a background hum similar to airplane cabin white noise. Some users may be better at tuning this out, and I was able to after a little while, but it’s worth noting that it’s nowhere near as natural-sounding as the same feature in the likes of the Sony WF-C700N or Nothing Ear (a).

I was also impressed with the clarity and prominence of my voice over the built-in microphones. It’s always hard to accurately judge the quality of the microphones during calls due to the number of variables, such as connection quality, but I did find that I had to switch back to my handset when making a call on a windy April afternoon, as the recipient couldn’t hear me through the wind noise. When testing in controlled conditions, however, the microphones in these earbuds performed miles better than those in similarly priced earbuds such as the Speck Gemtones Play.

Unfortunately, the battery life underperformed during testing. The earbuds survived for just under seven hours, even though 1More claims the PistonBuds Pro Q30 will play continuously for seven and a half hours with the ANC off. During testing, the battery life of the earbuds was reduced to just over five hours when Spatial Audio was enabled, although this was at least as advertised. While this isn’t the end of the world if you don’t intend to listen for hours at a time, if you enjoy listening to music all day without having to pause to charge the buds or if you want ANC or spatial audio on, these may not have the longevity you need.

Features score: 4/5

White and silver 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds sitting in the charging case with the lid open. The case is sitting on a white marble-effect desk. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Sound quality

Great sound quality for the price
Impressive level of detail
Volume levels don’t disappoint

When it comes to sound quality, the PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds certainly hold their own. The bass isn’t overpowering, and they don’t struggle with the treble either. These earbuds pack a punch, and are generous when it comes to volume level, too.

The difference in volume level was particularly evident when compared to the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds. When following the TechRadar testing protocols and playing our curated tracklist on repeat at 50% volume, the sound coming from the Gemtones Play was barely audible, whereas the PistonBuds Pro Q30 sounded like mini Bluetooth speakers when they were on my desk.

These earbuds deliver a nice level of detail. Listening to Rains Again by Soliji was a great experience. The rainfall that punctuates the beginning of the track is clear enough that it doesn’t mush together into static, and you can hear so much detail in the vocals. They had no issues handling the treble of the high vocal notes either, even on the default EQ setting, which some budget earbuds can struggle with.

Continuing with the default Studio EQ preset, when listening to St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins the earbuds provide impressive detail again, picking up subtleties in the physical impact of the drums being hit – when the Acoustic EQ preset was selected and Spatial Audio enabled, it sounded like I was right there in the room with the band.

The same preset also skillfully handled the raw and high-hitting vocals of the Moloko track I Want You. Further fine-tuning can be achieved by selecting other presets, with Lounge, in particular, delivering satisfying results – the earbuds did well to keep up with the massive variety of instruments, vocals, and synths that are thrown at them on this track.

It’s impressive that the PistonBuds Pro Q30 can deliver an all-round good-quality listening experience, even on the default EQ preset, meaning that it’s possible to feel relatively satisfied without having to mess about with different settings. This has previously proven a problem with other earbuds in this price range, as they aren’t always capable of delivering crisp vocals while maintaining dynamic sound from other elements.

Sound quality score: 4/5

The back of the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds, showing the silver-tipped white posts, with a small raised touch-control area and the 1More logo in silver.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Design

Available in two colors
Good build quality
Comfortable to wear

The PistonBuds Pro Q30 are available in black and gold, or white and silver, with a matching case. I was given the white and silver earbuds to review, and, to be honest,I was a little disappointed that I didn’t receive the black and gold version – mostly because that color combination is one of my favorite things, but also because white cases have the potential to get grubby, fast.

It’s been a pleasant surprise, however, to find that after several months of being transferred between pockets and bags or left out in various locations, the case still looks good, other than a few minor scrape marks, which is forgivable after so many months of being thrown into bags and pockets with house keys, and the like. Unlike the black Speck Gemtones Play case, which showed signs of wear within the first hour, the PistonBuds Pro Q30 case has proved itself to be durable, even in white.

The majority of the case has a matte finish, with a glossy top panel that bears the 1More logo. This is a nice detail, but it does show fingerprints when it catches the light. There’s a small indicator light on the front panel that displays a green light if the case is over 80% charged, amber if the charge is anywhere above 20%, or red if the charge has fallen below 20%.

The hinged lid feels sturdy, while still being easy to open and close. Cases that open this easily always make me a little nervous, but I didn’t experience any issues with it – and even if the case were to open up in my bag, the magnets in the case do a great job of keeping hold of the earbuds, even when the case is given a good shake.

Image shows an open PistonBuds Pro Q30 case lying on its back in a marble-effect desktop. You can see the magnets inside the case that help to hold the earbuds in place. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

The build quality of the earbuds themselves is satisfactory. The white and silver variation features a mostly gloss finish apart from the satin-finished silver section at the top of the post, and the little 1More logo on the middle of the post. When it comes to weight, these earbuds are pretty standard, at 4.6g per bud, making them comfortably light to wear.

The touch controls are located on the earbud posts, and they’re not as easy to use as the controls on traditional bud-shaped headphones like the JLab Go Air Pop earbuds due to the limited surface area. They also lack a single-tap function, which is disappointing. As default, the touch controls are set to play or pause the track being played with a double tap, and launch your device's voice assistant with a triple tap.

The case is charged via a USB-C cable – a short charging cable is included in the box, and this plugs into the bottom of the case. This is fairly standard placement across other earbuds, but personally I’d prefer the charging port to be on the back of the case; this would then make it possible to place the case upright on a surface when the cable's plugged in, making it easier to take the earbuds out or replace them while the case is charging.

Design score: 4/5

Image shows the base of the 1more PistonBuds Q30 case with a USB-C charging port in the centre. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Value

Great audio performance for a budget price
Disappointing earbud battery life
Durable, good-quality design

You’re getting a lot more than you pay for with the PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds. The sound quality is beyond impressive for the sub-$50 price tag, and I can’t rave about this enough. Even considering the battery life issues and tricky touch controls, thanks to the decent ANC performance and fantastic audio, these earbuds are excellent value for money. There are alternative options in the same price range that can offer longer battery life, but few compete with these earbuds when it comes to sound quality.

Value score: 4.5/5

Image shows the 1more PistonBuds Q30 case, which is white with a matte finish. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Should I buy the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: Also consider

How I tested the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30

Tested for five months
Tested at home, in the office, on walks, and commuting
Used to listen to music, podcasts, and YouTube content

I tested the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds over the course of five months. I tested them according to our TechRadar standardized testing, including listening to a curated playlist so that I could fairly compare different earbuds, checking the quality of the microphones, and real-world measurement of battery life.

I tested the wearability, sound quality, and features by using them to listen to music, podcasts, and YouTube content whilst at home, in the office, commuting, and generally when out and about.

FiiO FW3: Two-minute review

The FiiO FW3 are the second true wireless earbuds proposition from FiiO, after the inaugural FW5. They are relatively entry-level earbuds (although it really depends where you live, as we’ll get onto below). The Chinese company's heritage is in IEMs, portable music players and larger audio streamers and, other than a few loop earbuds, these are its first true wireless earbuds update. Can they challenge the best earbuds in the business? Well, not quite… but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

FiiO's relative inexperience in this type of product could explain why the FW3 are pretty good if you're using them indoors – and really struggle in other real-world use cases. If, for instance, you’re listening to the FiiO FW3 in a sound-controlled room, you’ll be hearing audio that’s pretty decent for the price. It’s a little bright and pretty tight, but the FiiO Control app lets you take matters into your own hands. Here, not only is there an in-depth EQ tool, but you can add low pass filters and pan sound between your left and right earbuds. Nice!

But leave home and the FiiO struggle. When out and about, I had persistent Bluetooth issues with the FW3. The buds would lose connection and even turn off for no reason. Sometimes they’d reconnect with tweaked audio settings. Sometimes they wouldn’t turn back on at all.

There’s no noise cancellation here, neither active nor passive, so honking horns and angry bus drivers will ruin your lovely customized music. Think you can drown out background noises with the FW3’s admittedly high max volume? Feel free to try, but you’re about to encounter as much peaking as someone trying to climb all of the Seven Summits.

The FiiO FW3 on a grassy backdrop. — (Image credit: Future)

A final nail in the coffin of the FW3’s outdoorsiness is a total lack of an IP rating – better remove them when rain clouds start to gather.

The case is bigger than rival wireless bud charging cases, though it’s not overwhelmingly huge. However, it feels cheap in the hand and, most importantly, frail. I could probably crush it in one hand if I tried.

The battery life is pretty weak too, as during testing the buds lasted for noticeably less than their seven-hour stated time. I found this out the hard way when they conked out on my half way through a journey.

So the ideal audience for the FiiO FW3 is people who’ll use them indoors, without the burden of the big case, low battery life or the need for noise cancellation. I enjoyed them a lot more during the testing period when I was sat at home, rather than commuting or in the office.

If that’s you, you’ll find these to be decent value buds with some useful features. And if you live in the US, where the buds are a lot cheaper than in the UK, you can upgrade that ‘decent’ to a ‘good’.

FiiO FW3 review: Price and release date

The FiiO FW3 logo.

(Image credit: Future)

Unveiled in June 2023
Costs you $69.99 / £95 (around AU$100-$180)

It’s hard to place the FiiO FW3 in terms of market segment as it depends on price; in the US they cost a very reasonable $69.99 but in the UK their £94.99 asking price raises them a price bracket (that coverts to about $120, so nearly twice as expensive!).

Some sites report that the FW3 originally retailed for $99 in the US; at the time of writing this review, $69 is the official listed RRP on FiiO's website, so it's what I'm going with.

As with most of its true wireless earbuds, FiiO doesn’t sell the FW3 in Australia, but for some context the US price converts to $100, while the UK one converts to $180. So depending where you live, the FW3 are either competitive low-cost earbuds, or are verging on being mid-range ones.

The FW3 went on sale at the end of June 2023, several months after their pricier siblings, the FW5.

FiiO FW3 review: Specs

FiiO FW3 review: Features

Bluetooth connectivity issues plague listening
FiiO Control app brings loads of features
Underwhelming battery life

Sadly I've got to mark the FiiO FW3 down for a very annoying aspect: the Bluetooth connection was unreliable.

The first blemish on the record is that they kept glitching and cutting out during multiple testing periods. This was always when I was out and about, with my phone in my pocket and the buds in my ears. Music wouldn’t stop, but it’d flicker and temporarily drop out, like a small candle flame that I’d blown on.

The second black mark was when I wasn’t outside, but at home, with buds and phone in close proximity. Several times both earbuds would turn off, unprompted, and turn back on again. I’d have to resume music myself. A few times only one earbud turned off, and would automatically reconnect. And, before you ask, it wasn’t a battery issue, as they had sufficient charges.

If you can’t rely on your earbuds to stay connected to your phone, it’s hard to enjoy using them. I’ve seen other reviewers and testers comment on this issue so it’s clearly not just an issue with the testing pair I used.

The buds have Bluetooth 5.2, which is supposed to maintain a reliable connect of 10 meters, and yet these drop-outs were happening when they were within a single meter of each other. Most annoying, though, was that the L/R balance seemed to change sometimes between these cut-outs, and I’d have to fix it in the app.

Speaking of the app, it’s called FiiO Control – and frankly it’s a game-changer for letting you tweak and fiddle audio to your taste. For audiophiles, you can fiddle with an in-depth EQ, balance sound between the left and right earbuds, change the max volume of both music, alerts and calls, add a low pass filter and even change the Bluetooth codec you’re streaming with. That’s a lovely range of features.

Non-music toggles exist too: you can turn the bud indicator lights on or off, turn on a game mode for improved latency, and also turn on a battery health mode that stops your buds overcharging, to increase their longevity in the long run.

Earbuds aficionados will find several common features missing here though. The main one is active noise cancellation – your only way of avoiding background noise is to drown it out. Another is wear detection, so when you remove the buds, they’ll continue to play music. They won’t stop until you both put them in the case and close the lid (or pause your music). You also can’t customize what the buttons on the buds do, and you’re locked to the default control scheme.

In terms of battery life, the FiiO FW3 weren’t really impressive. FiiO’s official stat is seven hours of use but in my testing I didn’t get quite that far – let’s all it an even six, although even that seems optimistic. The official stat for the case itself is 21 hours, which struggles to hold up to the competition. What’s that giant case for if not to house a chunky battery?

Features score: 3/5

FiiO FW3 review: Design

Distinctive earpiece top-plate pattern
Lots of eartips included in box
Bulky, cheap-feeling charging case

The FiiO FW3 are certainly compelling-looking earbuds. Or should I say ‘com-shell-ing’?

They’re small in-ear buds that you pop right into your ear. There's no stem to speak of, and instead the bulk of the non-tip part of the buds are a round, bottle-top-looking shape with a pattern on top. I’ve been comparing this pattern to a shell, though maybe that’s just my desire to head to the beach speaking; you can decide what you think they look like yourself.

The buds are fairly light, weighing 6.2g each, and with eight pairs of eartips included in the box, you’ll almost definitely be able to find a fit that’s suitable for you. I never had the buds fall out, though vigorous head shaking did threaten to dislodge them. My advice would be: don't do that.

FiiO’s website doesn’t state an IP rating for the buds, so it’s best to assume they don’t have one. Don’t wear these in rainy weather or while rolling around on the beach.

Each earbud has two physical buttons; it takes a little bit of getting used to in order to naturally find them in relation to each other, and early on in testing I kept pressing the wrong one. However, they’re physical clicky buttons, which makes them a lot easier to use than haptic or sensor ones, and I eventually got used to the process of pressing them. I always had to use two fingers though, one to press and the other to stabilize the earbud, otherwise I’d end up just pushing it out of my ear.

Unfortunately, the FW3’s case doesn’t seem to have had the same design consideration that the buds do. It’s pretty chunky as far as charging cases go, weighing 68.4 x 43.9 x 33.5 mm, though it weighs only 57.2g with the buds inside. It’s also made out of cheap-feeling plastic, and has the USB-C charging port as well as four LED indicators to tell you the remaining charge.

Design score: 3.5/5

FiiO FW3 review: Sound quality

V-shaped sound with high max volume
Some peaking, especially in mid
In-depth EQ options in app

The FiiO FW3 in a man's ears. — (Image credit: Future)

The best thing to say about the FiiO FW3’s sound is that it’s very customizable, using the aforementioned app. You can eke out some extra bass or elevate the treble line to suit your taste, so they could be a good first pair for people who aren't sure what exact kind of sound they prefer.

That’s doubly the case given that these buds won’t exactly impress audiophiles if you stick to the default settings. The sound is roughly V-shaped, but in a very shallow ‘V’, with lower- and higher-frequency sounds lifted a little bit over mid, but not so much that mid is totally lost. Just mostly.

Fortunately, that equalizer rides to the rescue: you can really pull out a lot of extra bass, focus on the mids, or throw the trebles into the stratosphere. You’ll need to spend quite a bit of the time in the EQ settings, though, with few presets and all your toggles split between a few different menus.

The FW3 has a nice high max volume, a trait you’ll find yourself utilizing in lieu of ANC in order to drown out background noise. However, doing so will (as you might imagine), reveal peaking issues that are less audible at lower volumes.

These issues mainly affect mid sounds, which can at times sound tinny, and bumping up that volume can see it affect treble to a lesser extent too. The audio isn’t terrible though: it’s largely on par with what you’d expect for headphones at this price.

At least the buds have a nice bustling spec sheet. The FW3 are compatible with various higher-resolution Bluetooth technologies such as Snapdragon Sound and let you choose your Bluetooth codec from options including aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, LHDC or LDAC, though the app notes that the latter is ‘experimental’. Essentially thugh, you’ll be able to notice a difference when listening to higher-res audio on here.

Sound quality: 3/5

FiiO FW3 review: Value

Misses many features of similar-priced buds

As mentioned in the above price section, the value proposition of the FiiO FW3 depends on where you live, as they’re a lot cheaper in the US. So UK-based readers, do me a favor: pretend I'm saying the below paragraphs after several pints at the pub. It's not wrong, but I might be being unduly positive about some things.

The FW3 mostly match other same-price rivals in terms of several features, including their music quality, their battery life, their design and their range of non-audio features like gaming latency. The EQ and touch controls beat out many other similarly priced earbuds I've tested.

However, they miss out on a few features that rivals have, which some users might consider mandatory. The lack of an IP rating, active noise cancellation, wear detection or the ability to customize the bud button controls could rightly have you looking elsewhere.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the FiiO FW3?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

FiiO FW3 review: Also consider

How I tested the FiiO FW3

Tested for over 2 weeks
Tested at home, in the office, on public transport and on walks

I tested the FiiO FW3 for over two weeks to write this review.

The buds were used at my home, in my office, on walks around my neighborhood and also during a weekend getaway, which included lots of public transport use. They were paired to my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 for most of the time but I also connected them to my iPad Pro for TV streaming.

Testing included watching TV on Prime Video on the iPad, listening to music streamed from Spotify and saved on my mobile, playing games, listening to podcasts, making phone calls and doing video chats.

I've been testing gadgets at TechRadar for over five years, which includes loads of low-cost earbuds, including some mentioned in the competition section. And the FiiO FW3 were tested back-to-back with the OnePlus Buds 3, which are priced similarly.

First reviewed in May 2024

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: excellent noise cancellation, shame about the lacklustre sound

2:37 pm | May 22, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, US | Comments: Off

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3: Two-minute review

The FreeBuds Pro 3 are the newest addition to Huawei’s top-tier line of true wireless earbuds, vying for entry to our best noise-cancelling earbuds roundup by replacing last year’s FreeBuds Pro 2 and acting as a more premium alternative to the jelly-bean-looking FreeBuds 5.

I can’t get over how good the noise cancellation in these headphones is At the press of a button I could tune out the noisy clacking of keyboards in an office, the angry rumbling of a busy road near my house, even my own annoying habit of drumming on my desk as I listen to music.

You’d be hard-pressed to find better noise cancellation in an audio product that isn’t an over-ear alternative, especially at the price – it’s really something.

This doesn't surprise me, because when you pick up a Huawei gadget, you can almost guarantee that it’s going to have one absolutely fantastic feature – something that’s best-in-class, truly game-changing, absolutely phenomenal to use. However, you can also put good money on the fact that most of the rest of said device won’t come anywhere close to that standard.

For the best Huawei phones, their incredible cameras are undone by the sticky app situation; for the smartwatches, you can rely on a great list of health features but funky designs.

And the same remains true for the new Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3: the noise cancellation is stellar, but unfortunately, it feels like the rest of the package is held together with duct tape and paper clips – not literally, as the build quality is another premium element, but many other elements of the device threaten to ruin the positive experience that the ANC offers.

Take, for example, the tie-in AI Life app that you use to control the buds: on Android this isn’t on the app store, and you have to side-load it or download it through Huawei’s AppGallery, which is itself a side-loaded app.

The battery life is another disappointing area as, with the ANC on, you won’t even get five hours of listening without needing to power up the buds. That’s about half a day of work, and then you have to remove the buds to let them charge, making you face all those noisy clacking keyboards you’re trying to avoid.

I also found the music quality surprisingly poor for the price, with frequent peaking in songs, no soundstage to speak of and an overall lack of energy in music. I love listening to music, but I didn’t feel I was doing my favorite songs justice by listening to them on the FreeBuds.

Credit where credit’s due, Huawei has nailed a few other areas that other earbuds-makers struggle with. The fit is comfortable, with four in-box tips and a fit-check function in the app to ensure that you’re wearing the right tips. Plus, the on-bud controls are easy to use, with a simple pinch gesture toggling different functions.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Price and release date

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 being held in a hand above a grassy field. — (Image credit: Future)

Costs $245 / £179.99 / AU$277
Released in late 2024
Uncommon Huawei tech in that it's available in the US

You can pick up the FreeBuds Pro 3 for $245 / £179.99 / AU$277, so they’re straddling the mid-range and top-end earbud market. That price roughly matches that for last year’s FreeBuds Pro 2.

One thing stands out right away – because unlike some other Huawei gadgets, these are available in the US. Good luck finding a Huawei phone to pair them with, though!

The buds were released in the latter months of 2023, and at the time of writing in mid-2024, you can find them on offer pretty easily. It’ll save you about 10%, or maybe more during sales times.

That price puts Huawei in a swimming pool full of hungry sharks – and by that I mean, many close rivals. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 are only a little pricier (especially in the US, with only a $4 difference) while Sony’s WF-1000XM5 are cheaper during sales (and only cost a little more outside of them). Audio-Technica’s ATH-TWX7 are also circling, with a price that’s lower in the US and only a little more in the UK.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Specs

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Features

Tie-in app has to be side-loaded on Android
Noise cancellation is top-tier
Battery life is limited

If there’s something to be said about the FreeBuds Pro 3, it’s that their noise cancellation is great – possibly the best of any headphones I’ve tested at this price. As soon as you put in the buds, surrounding sound almost vanishes – a building site will sound like a Lego build site once you’ve set these things up. It’s surprising how empty a busy office floor can feel when you’re listening to these things!

The app offers loads of different modes. There’s Off (no prizes for guessing what this does), Awareness (which is an ambient option with a Voice Mode you can toggle on or off, which specifically doesn’t cancel voices) and then standard Noise Cancelling mode. This has a range of intensities ranging from ‘Cozy’ to ‘Ultra’ depending on how noisy your area is, but I generally tested in Dynamic, which changes depending on where you are.

I never stopped being impressed with just how great the FreeBuds were at removing background sound. Two thumbs up for this one feature.

Now on to the app: I’ve never spent so much time – and lost so much hair – as I did trying to get the FreeBuds’ tie-in app to work. It’s called AI Life and it should be pre-installed on Huawei phones; on Androids, like I have, you have to side-load it and install it from Chrome. No, you can’t just download it on the Play Store, which was the source of my consternation, and it was only through some online trawling that I found the answers (luckily for iPhone users, the App Store does list the app).

You don’t need AI Life, but most of the features of the FreeBuds Pro 3 are either locked to the app, or really challenging to use without it.

As well as toggling noise cancellation there’s an equailizer, a battery indicator and the ability to change the buds’ gestures. The Buds Pro 3 also let you connect to multiple devices at once, and the AI Life app lets you easily switch between them.

On the topic of the battery indicator, don’t expect to see it at 100% much, because the buds don’t have a very good battery life. With ANC turned on, they’ll last 6.5 hours between charges, but if you utilize this key feature of the buds that’ll drop below 5 hours (depending on the ANC mode and your volume). Using the charging case will kick that lasting time up to 31 hours (with ANC off, 22 with it on), and none of those figures are that competitive.

Charging is done via the USB-C port, but there’s also slow wireless charging if you prefer that, though it’ll more than double charging times. You’ll need roughly an hour to get the case charged to full with a wire, or 2.5 hours with wireless powering.

Features score: 3.5/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Design

Small well-fitted buds, fairly large case
Touch controls work well
IP54 certification for buds

The design of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 barely differs from that of their predecessor. The main highlight is that there’s a new color option: Green joins Silver Frost, Silver Blue and Ceramic White.

The case is a pebble-shaped plastic disc measuring 4.7 x 6.6 x 2.5 cm, and weighing 46g – it’s lighter than you might think given its size. It’s pretty barebones, save for the LED light indicator and the USB-C charging port.

The buds themselves are nice and light. They weigh 5.8g each, slightly down from their predecessors, and have a similar design in being a tip connected to a short stem. You might notice that the stem is shorter than those on rival devices, giving the buds a compact appearance.

To enable a good fit, the FreeBuds come with four different-sized tips in the box; I found the medium tips provided a comfortable and reliable fit, but it’s good to have the options. The AI Life app has a tips fit test that checks to see if you’re using the right tips for you, which is a pretty cool addition.

I can see the FreeBuds’ on-stem buttons being divisive, but I found them a lot easier to use than most. You see, the buds don’t have physical press buttons but rather haptic-like areas which are best pressed by pinching the stems. You don’t have to press a physical button on the bud – an action that always seems simply to jam the bud into your ear – but instead just pinch the stem, in a really easy motion.

The buds have an IP54 protection against small particles and sweat or small splashes of water; they’ll survive a light rain shower or some running-to-bus sweat, but you shouldn’t really be using these for exercise. The charging case has no IP protection.

Design score: 4/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Sound quality

Bass-heavy sound
Treble is lacking
Equalizer lets you tweak sound to an extent

The best thing I can say about the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3’s sound quality is that it’s mostly balanced. You’re not getting an awkward skew that favors bass or treble too much; it’s right there in the middle.

That’s also the only good thing I can say about the Buds’ sound, because I was disappointed by the quality overall, bearing in mind the roll call of high-end features present within them.

I’m talking dual drivers led by a chunky 11mm dynamic driver joined by a planar diaphragm driver; LDAC codec support; Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification… the list goes on. But it’s all for nothing, as the sound quality just isn't good.

Music had a startling amount of peaking, with drum hi-hats, acoustic guitars and sibilance in vocals becoming noticeably tinny. This wasn’t so extreme as to suggest that the buds were defective, just enough that the FreeBuds performed more like cheap buds than triple-figure ones.

There was also a real lack of soundstage, as though an entire orchestra was inhabiting the exact same chair right at the center of the stage. Instruments were blended together like a fruit smoothie, sapping the energy or pizazz from music.

The buds were fine for spoken word and the like, but I missed the energy that many other earbuds serve. I know that if Waterloo doesn’t spark joy, the earbuds are doing something wrong.

Another disappointing area is AI Life’s equalizer, which comes with six presets though you can create your own, too. I tried all six of these on multiple songs, plus some of my creations where the sliders were moved to the extreme, and I couldn’t hear any audible difference in music.

App issue? Hardware issue? My hearing issue? I can’t say, but it makes Huawei’s website’s talk of a “triple adaptive EQ” seem like meaningless noise. Maybe the buds should cancel that, too.

Sound quality: 3/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Value

Great if you're buying for ANC...
...fall behind rivals for audio chops

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 come with a fairly lofty price tag, but it’s hard to see how they justify that price beyond their wonderful noise cancellation.

The FreeBuds’ feature set is identical to that of almost every other wireless earbud from here to the moon, with little to justify its price over most of its rivals. That is, except for the noise cancellation. Those plentiful affordable rivals also have better sound quality, or at least play music with more personality.

So if all you care about is noise cancellation – you literally don’t mind anything else – these will justify their price. Otherwise, it’s hard to recommend them for their full retail price.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3?

Buy them if…

Don’t buy them if…

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 review: Also consider

How I tested the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3

Tested for 2 weeks
Tested at home, in the office and on walks in quiet and busy areas

I tested the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 for two weeks, which included using the buds in my office, at home, and on walks in different parts of a busy city. The buds were tested with my Xiaomi Mi Note 10 smartphone for testing, on to which I side-loaded the app.

Testing was mainly done on music streaming apps over a range of genres, though I also used the buds for playing video games, watching Netflix and listening to podcasts.

I have over five years of gadget-testing experience at TechRadar, which includes reviews of many Huawei products like watches, smartphones and tablets. I've also tested plenty of earbuds, including some of the competitors mentioned above.

First reviewed in May 2024

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: pleasantly warm sound but a weak battery

11:00 am | May 20, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: LDAC | Comments: Off

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7: Two-minute review

More so than for most tech products, your experience with the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 will depend on your taste. Want to listen to borderline warm-sounding higher-res files, after a lengthy time customizing the sound with an equalizer? Step right up. Don’t know what that sentence means? These earbuds aren’t for you.

These latest true wireless earbuds from Japanese audio brand Audio-Technica are called the ATH-TWX7 and they have dumped the gimmicky novelty of their predecessors (the TWX9 had a UV cleaner built into the case) to sell for a lower price as a result.

Don’t expect these to show up on our list of the best budget earbuds though; Audio-Technica has had its fair share of excellent low-cost audio options (see the Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW as proof) but the TWX7 aren’t them. These sell for a mid-range price, which they justify in many ways.

Like many other A-T products, the TWX7 have a slightly mid-to-low-pitched warm sound (it makes sense when you consider that this is a firm famed for its turntable cartridges) that leans into the bass frequencies, and goes even further if you want it to. For hip-hop or grime fans, these earbuds will deliver all you want (or can expect for mid-rangers like these).

The buds are feature-rich too, with an app bursting at the seams with useful extra perks. These range from handy ways to make the most of your listening time (an equalizer, various noise cancellation modes, L/R balance adjustment) to some cool novel additions (soundscapes, call sound testing, an in-bud timer).

We’ve got to commend the build quality too, with attention to detail paid in (almost) every way. There are plenty of eartips included in the box so you’ll find a comfortable fit for you; the buds are lightweight and stick in your ear like they’ve dropped an anchor in them; the charging case has an unusual design that brings with it a functionality improvement too.

So why the ‘long face’ – or 3.5-star review? Well, that’s down to a few quality-of-life annoyances that hinder the experience of using the buds.

The first, and most important, is the battery life – I found that the ATH-TWX7 didn’t reliably scratch five hours of use before needing to be recharged in the carry case (when noise cancellation was turned on, as turning it off will give it some extra lasting power). Five hours isn’t all that much in the grand scheme of things, and many people take regular journeys that are longer than that.

I also found that the max volume didn’t cut it. I’m not asking for ‘head-banging’ levels of sonic force, just to be able to hear my music when I’m standing by a busy road.

And one feature that’ll be sure to divide fans is the touch controls on the bud, often a tricky area for earbuds. The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7s have two: one sensor and one physical button, allowing for a wide range of options. However, they’re fiddly to use and prone to accidental touches, and that’s if you can even remember all the combinations available to you in the first place.

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Price and release date

The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 on a bronze table. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced at the beginning of 2024
Priced at $199 / £190 / (around AU$299)

The RRP for the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 is $199 / £190 / (around AU$299), so these are roughly in the mid-range of the consumer wireless earbuds market.

At that price, these are some of the priciest wireless earbuds that Audio-Technica sells, with only the closely-related ATH-TWX9 costing more. Those mostly cost more because of a UV sterilization feature; in terms of specs they’re quite similar.

The ATH-TWX7 have a few similarly-priced competitors on our list of the best noise cancelling earbuds including the Bose QuietComfort 2 (which we call the ‘best overall’ and used to be pricier, but currently cost the same as the ATH-TWX7) and Apple’s AirPods Pro 2. Tough company to keep…

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Specs

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Features

The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 case being held in a hand. — (Image credit: Future)

6.5-hour battery life
Plenty of features via phone app
Unreliable touch controls

I nearly ripped the ATH-TWX7 out of my ears on numerous occasions because of one infuriating feature: the touch controls.

The buds have multiple controls: there’s a touch sensor masked as Audio-Technica’s logo, which you can press once, twice, or hold down for different functions, and a physical button on the stem too. You can use the app to map the former, and even control their sensitivity, though I couldn’t find a way to alter what the physical buttons did.

The issue is that the touch sensor is more sensitive than a sleep-deprived toddler – and less reliable than one too. I’d often end up triggering it when trying to press the physical button, and the only time it wouldn’t trigger was when I actually wanted it to. This was at all the different sensitivity options selected in the app, and I ended up turning the feature off to save myself from an enraged breakdown.

When it comes to battery life, Audio-Technica states that the buds will last 6.5 hours of use, which will be bumped up to 20 by using the charging case. Judging by my testing, I’m going to guess that this figure refers to listening with ANC turned off, because I generally kept it on and didn’t come close to this figure.

From testing, I’m going to estimate a rough battery life of 5 hours if you use ANC which, while still a decent amount of time, doesn’t come close to the majority of the competitors on the market. I came close to running out of juice a few times without intending to, which is something I’ve never encountered during review testing before! If you need some lasting power, I’d recommend jumping into the app to turn off ANC.

I’ve mentioned the app now, so let’s metaphorically boot it up; it’s actually pretty handy as smartphone apps go, well worth installing, even if its simple on-phone title of ‘Connect’ instead of anything with the Audio-Technica name had me constantly losing it in my Android’s menu.

There are a bunch of features brought about by the app: control of noise cancellation, an equalizer (which features a few presets as well as a custom mode), the ability to set yourself an alarm, toggles for low-latency mode, the ability to test your mic quality to see how you sound, a way to balance audio between the left and right buds, toggles for LDAC, the aforementioned ability to map touch control buttons, and even a library of ‘Soundscapes’. The latter is a list of… well, soundscapes, in case you want the calming sounds of nature (Ocean, Stream, Forest), ambient music (Journey, Tranqulity, Serenity) or a brief sojourn into hell (Quiet Office). Just note, you have to download these tracks in the app before you can listen.

A tip: from the main app menu, make sure to press the top-right menu button, as many more tools are hidden in this menu.

Not all earbud control apps justify their place on your smartphone but Connect definitely does, because of how much customization it gives over your listening experience and the way you use your buds.

The earbuds connect using Bluetooth 5.1, which isn’t the top tier of Bluetooth standard available right now, but if I’m being honest, the functional difference between this and 5.2 or 5.3 is basically nil – although Auracast is one thing that'll be off-menu when it truly arrives (in our airport lounges and so on), since that requires Bluetooth 5.2 or later. You can connect to two devices at once, a feature offered in quite a few earbuds, but the Connect app makes managing them a bit easier than on other Bluetooth Multipoint devices, since you can see and edit the connections.

Features score: 3/5

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Design

Clamshell charging case
Lightweight buds
Plenty of bud tips included in box

In a world of similar-looking earbud charging cases, Audio-Technica has managed to do something a bit different here; the ATH-TWX7’s case is a bit like an oyster, that opens to reveals the pearls inside.

The case is fairly light, weighing just shy of 50g, and small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. Its only feature of note is the USB-C port that you use to charge it. It took me a while to realize why I like this design so much; it’s because it reveals the entire earbud, not just the tip of it like on your standard charging case, making them much easier to remove from the case with little effort or slipping.

Just like the case, the buds themselves are nice and slight, not even tipping 5g on the scales individually. This is despite having not one but two different button types on each, which we’ll get into later.

You can pick up the buds in black, gray or ‘white’ – we put quote marks around the latter because it’s the version you can see in the pictures and ‘peach’ would be a much better name for it.

Audio-Technica includes eight different pairs of bud tips in the box with the ATH-TWX7; there are four different sizes in ‘soft’ and ‘standard’ materials, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend you opt for the soft ones over the standard ones first. That’s as long as you are able to change the tips, as the small size of the buds makes it a fiddly task – find someone with small, nimble fingers if you’re not up for the task.

The earbuds are IPX4 certified which signifies that they’re protected from splashes of liquid, but not streams or submersion; you can wear these in rain but not for a swim.

Design score: 4/5

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Sound quality

The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 in someone's ears. — (Image credit: Future)

Immersive lower-mids
Decent noise cancellation for size
LDAC allows for high-res music streaming

A simple way to summarise the sound quality of the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 is to recount how I kept going into the app to turn off the Bass Boost EQ mode, only to discover that it wasn’t even on. That is to say, the buds have a sonic profile that’s spent the last week basking on a Caribbean beach: it's rather warm.

If you like your music to be two parts ‘bass’ to one part ‘everything else’, you’ll love the ATH. Whatever genre I tested, from pop to disco to country to classical, instruments that sat in the lower registers were more prominent than I’m used to. Turns out, ABBA's Waterloo has a great bass line!

While this warm sound did extend to the mids to a degree, I often found that treble ended up being lost a little. Vocals were fighting for attention with the bass line, lead guitars could fall behind rhythm guitars in the mix, and AT would have you thinking that backing vocals are largely unimportant.

To a certain extent, you can the Connect app’s EQ to fix these problems, and I enjoyed music a lot more in the V-Shaped mode. None of the modes really escape the ATH-TWX7’s warm trappings, just offset it, so these are definitely buds for people who prefer that to earbuds that lean towards brightness.

Something that isn’t as much a matter of taste is volume; it just isn’t high enough on the ATH-TWX7. Even when turning the app and my phone’s volume to max, and turning on noise cancellation, I still sometimes struggled to hear music when I was walking besides busy roads. And I’m not even a fan of super-loud, ear-damaging music; these earbuds just weren’t loud enough.

On the topic of noise cancellation: it works. It’s nothing to write home about, but it works. The standard mode manages to strip out annoying background humdrum and noises (take that, loud upstairs neighbours!) but didn’t work as well for louder, constant low-level problems like the aforementioned thrum of traffic. Given that truly great noise cancellation is still the preserve of over-ear headphones, I was pleasantly surprised how well the TWX7 stood up.

There’s another mode called Hear-Through which is supposed to cancel noise but allow people’s voices (including your own) through, so you can maintain conversations without having to turn off the buds. If I didn’t read that on Audio-Technica’s website, though, I’d have no idea what it was supposed to do – it sounded to my ears as though the ambient noises this processing decided to mute (or allow through) were picked totally at random.

The only consistent unmuted sound was on my own voice, which in fairness was quite useful – if you’ve ever tried having a conversation while you’re wearing earbuds, only to remove them and realize you were talking way louder than you thought, you’ll understand why.

Let’s briefly touch on the tech that keeps the ATH-TWX7 sounding the way they do. They borrow the 5.8mm drivers from the pricier ATH-TWX9, so you’re getting some premium tech here, and support LDAC which lets you listen to 24-bit/96 kHz music (if your music is up to scratch). This isn’t really going to mean anything if you stick to Spotify streams, but if you use premium music streaming services or have a Sony Xperia phone, you’ll be able to hear the difference over rival earbuds.

Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Value

You're getting what you pay for
Keep an eye out for sales

The Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 offer good sound quality and a range of handy extra features… but at their default price, you’re not exactly getting them for a song. Basically, you’re paying for what you get – but the competition at this level is tough.

That’s not to say that the ATH-TWX7 are overpriced; they’re worth exactly what you pay for them. You’re just not getting as much value for money as on some select rivals (see: Apple or Bose).

Saying that, if you find the earbuds on sale for a lower price (which is more likely here than with much of the competition), that’d sway the value proposition in a good direction.

Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 review: Also consider

How I tested the Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7

Tested for 8 days
Tested at home, in the office and on walks

I tested the ATH-TWX7 for over a week to write this review. Testing was done with the earbuds paired to a Xiaomi Mi Note 10 smartphone, though I also paired it to an Apple iPad Pro a few times.

Testing was done in the office, in my home and on several walks, which is what brought me face-to-face with the various noisy roads that interrupted my listening. I tested using a range of musical genres across several music streaming platforms, as well as spoken word and TV shows streamed from BBC iPlayer.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over five years so bring lots of experience to this review. Plenty of that was testing audio products.

First reviewed in May 2024

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: the best earbuds prompts in the business with excellent ANC too

11:00 am | May 18, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, London | Comments: Off

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100: Two-minute review

The Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 are what the fans were waiting for. Prior to their release, Cambridge Audio's excellent earbuds couldn't join the ranks of the best noise-cancelling earbuds for one simple reason: the UK audio specialist's true wireless buds sounded fantastic, but they didn't have the necessary antiphase noise-nixing tech onboard to offer active noise cancellation. And that is because Cambridge Audio prefers to focus on excellent audio quality (and long may that last by the way).

But times have changed. While Melomania will never cease to mean 'crazy about music', the British company has conceded that the people are also crazy about active noise cancellation. And if Cambridge is going to offer ANC, it's going to do it right. Although you can't tweak its splendid noise cancelling profile any further than 'On', 'Off' or 'Transparency', when it's on, the ANC here is as effective at cancelling low-level noise as you could wish for, cocooning me in a bubble of near-silence and keeping the footsteps around my desk (plus my own tap-tap-tapping of the laptop keys upon which I bring you this review) barred from that bubble.

The transparency profile is less useful, with a bit too much audible feedback and a near-constant quiet hiss, even in quiet environments, to be a wholly pleasant experience. But a less-than-perfect transparency mode is a minor shortfall I'm prepared to accept when the noise nixing is this good.

Multi-point connectivity is baked in here, as is aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive for higher-resolution audio (if you've got a decent, paid-for music streaming subscription and files up to 24bit/96kHz to serve them), and the battery life, at up to 10 hours from the buds and a total of 23 with ANC on, or 16 hours from the buds and 36 with ANC off, is exceptional. The build quality is also bang-on, with a far more ergonomic driver housing than the bullet-shaped Melomania 1 Plus.

There's no device-agnostic spatial audio special side-sauce or fit tests and I'm not surprised. I can hear Cambridge Audio's engineers reaffirm the choice to offer "as few opportunities as possible to muck around with your music – we like a clean sound", as they did at the launch of the excellent CXN100 Network Player in January 2024. And you know what? I really don't mind, because the sound in these earbuds is expansive, detailed, nuanced, clean, neutral and immersive enough all by itself. That said, Cambridge will let you select one of six EQ presets, or create a custom one of your own – with a seven-point EQ parametric tab.

Call handling is also very good, thanks to the Qualcomm's three mic cVc (or Clear Voice Capture) solution, designed to separate your voice from environmental noise, which works very well indeed.

I should mention that the case is a little big – again, I'm OK with this more substantial box given the excellent stamina, sound quality and ANC. Also, they're perhaps $50 or £40 pricier than the direct competition. Are they worth it? It all comes down to whether you prioritise sound quality above all else in a true wireless design. For me, the Melomania M100 represent sound-per-pound value – but if you want fit tests, tailored otoacoustic hearing profiles and other whistles and bells, you won't want these.

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Price and release date

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 one earbud, held in a hand — The ergonomic earpieces are a hit (Image credit: Future)

Released on March 27, 2024
Priced at $219 / £169 / AU$299

The Cambridge Audio M100 aren't as cheap as the Melomania 1 Plus earbuds they succeed, which had a launch price of $139.95 / £119.95 / about AU$185 – although their price has dropped significantly since that.

At £169 (about $219 / AU$326) they're still considerably more affordable than AirPods Pro 2, which typical sell for $249 / £249 / AU$399. While you could argue that Apple sets a pretty high bar and most brands undercut that pricing, that's not necessarily true in 2024. Consider Bose's $299 / £299 / AU$449 Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sennheiser's March 2024 $299 / £259 / AU$479 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 or Technics' EAH-AZ80, also at $299 / £259 / AU$499. See? For the level, Cambridge Audio has actually priced these earbuds competitively.

What you need to know is that while there's plenty of flagship talent here, they actually come in slightly under flagship money. The Melomania M100 are not as affordable as the excellent Nothing Ear (a), for example, but the Nothing buds are an entry-level proposition – a great proposition, but missing just one or two of the flagship features you'll find in their top-tier Nothing Ear counterparts.

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Specs

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Features

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 case, held in a hand — The case is a little large, but it's perfectly pocketable and honestly, I don't mind its dimensions one bit (Image credit: Future)

Great active noise cancellation and app support
Excellent battery life
Use the 'Southwark' Audible Feedback profile

The fact that Cambridge Audio has included active noise-cancellation (ANC) plus a Transparency mode is big news, because it's a first for the UK audio outfit's Melomania lineup – but the even bigger news is, the noise nixing works really well. At my desk, I'm living in a bubble of near-silence akin to that afforded by the AirPods Pro 2, and that's not a statement I make lightly.

You're also getting Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, aptX Lossless for CD-like audio quality, Auracast (for when broadcast audio-sharing comes to our airports and waiting rooms), plus the more efficient LC3 codec.

Call handling is a breeze using the Melomania M100's three mics per earpiece (kitted out with cVc echo-cancelling and noise suppression tech from Qualcomm) and the battery life here is very impressive, with a possible 52 hours from the buds and charging case combined – because you get 16 hours from the buds alone if you keep ANC turned off. For clarity, the AirPods Pro 2 last 'just' nine hours with ANC off (I know this because I tested it myself).

Melomania Connect is the M100's capable (and newly updated) companion app, which opens the door to additional features such as the ability to customise the on-ear controls to your liking, six EQ presets plus a seven-band graphic equaliser so you can create your own, wearer detect to pause audio when you remove one, mono audio (if you've given one bud to a friend), a sleep mode (which disables all touch controls and voice prompts until you put them back in their case) a gaming mode to reduce latency when watching videos and my favorite, the chance to select what Cambridge calls 'Audible feedback'. This, it turns out, means the person talking to you in your headphones about pairing status, noise cancellation and so on. Scroll down to 'Southwark' in this tab and you hear none other than the actual Matt Berry (What We do in the Shadows; Toast of London; The IT Crowd). And that, truly, is an ace up Cambridge Audio's sleeve. If you don't believe me, just spend a few moments setting up multipoint.

There’s no special spatial audio processing (which doesn't surprise me given Cambridge Audio's thoughts on keeping music authentic and as the artist intended), but some users may miss the fit tests and even tailored profiles based on your hearing offered by the Denon PerL Pro and Nothing's new Ear (a), to name just two products that offer it – because you won't find these in the M100.

Features score: 4/5

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Sound quality

Cambridge Audio M100 in their case, held in a hand — It's all about black with more black here, unless you get a limited edition set… (Image credit: Future)

Expansive, detailed presentation
Sublime clarity across the frequencies
Just a shade off excellent for dynamic nuance

You can of course listen to lossy Spotify tracks using the Melomania M100, but Cambridge Audio's focus has long been sound quality and as such, you might want to treat these buds to some higher-resolution Apple Music, Qobuz or Tidal streams. Also when you do, there's so much to love.

When streaming The Bangles' Eternal Flame, Susanna Hoffs' stunningly understated vocal is given a few inches more space to shine than I'm used to at this level, and backing vocals arrive in each ear with surprising texture and clarity through the lower mids. Travis Scott's FE!N is immersive as synths dart between each ear, proving that the M100 aren't afraid to drop low and get grimy either.

Belle and Sebastian's She's Losing It is another sonic delight for neutrality and detail in each musical passage; you'll feel as if you learned a bit about this Glaswegian indie band's use of strings and additional voices after a session with the Melomania M100.

Sam Smith's Unholy reveals a minor shortfall in terms of dynamic nuance though. The M100s still serve up a detailed and cohesive mix, but I'm missing an extra ounce of the spirited rise and fall that typifies the track. This is a song that grabs you from the get-go, with a full choral recital of the main theme followed by a moment of silence before the bass-riff drops. It's just not quite as ear-grabbing, zealous or petulant as I've heard prior to now.

Again, it's a long way from an actual issue – and many listeners will prefer the expansive, integrated, detailed, thoughtful presentation of the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100. I adore listening to Melissa Etheridge's I Want to Come Over with these earbuds, since I can hear her particular method of approaching guitar strings in ballads and the beautiful, imperfect textures in her vocal at times, but if you tend to listen to hip-hop and grime tracks on the commute, you may just yearn for a little extra oomph.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Design

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 held in a hand — (Image credit: Future)

Ergonomic, secure and comfortable earpieces
On-ear controls work well
Case is a little big

These are easily the most comfortable Melomania earbuds ever made. The buds slip easily into my shell-likes with none of the tiresome twist-and-lock screwing them in some earbuds require. At 6.65g per bud, they're not particularly light given the competition (Sony's LinkBuds S weigh just 4.8g, for example), but they're beautifully well-weighted and the design feels like it wants to hug your ear and stay put, which is always helpful.

OK, the case is on the large side, plastic, and other options look a little more premium for the price, but it is perfectly durable and pocketable. Unless you're lucky enough to bag a limited edition How High pair (which comes in a bright yellow and black color scheme – a nod to the music video for The Charlatans' hit How High, in which singer Tim Burgess wore a bright yellow jacket) the M100 is available in black with more black only, so if you wanted something in white or silver, you won't find it here.

That's not to say I don't like the design; I do. The central touch-capacitive 'button' (you don't actually have to depress it) on the top plate of each driver housing is easy to find has a nice tactile edge to it and is a chic nod to Cambridge Audio's circle-within-a-circle logo. The controls also work very well indeed and each function can be toggled on or off if you won't use it. I like that I can have Matt Berry announcing the ANC profiles when I tap the left earbud, while play-and-pause is a single tap of the right, and the on-ear volume control is handled by a long press of either bud (left to decrease; right to increase) which is always the best solution I find – because perfecting three or four taps so that your earbuds actually understand and respond accordingly is a big ask.

Design score: 4.5/5

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Voice prompts

Select 'Southwark' and you get Matt Berry
No really, it's actually Matt Berry

In case it hasn't been mentioned enough (and I feel it can never be overstated, so sub editor, please leave this in), by heading to the 'Audible feedback' tab in the app, scrolling all the way to the bottom and selecting the unassuming 'Southwark' option, the dulcet tones of Matt Berry will greet your ear. He'll serve up delectable vocal morsels such as "Device one, connected" or "Waiting to pair" depending on how you're using them, in addition to the standard "Noise cancelling", "Normal" or "Transparency" and if you're a fan of Matt Berry's sizeable oeuvre, it's priceless. It's almost like having Steven Toast at your beck and call. ("Hello Steven, can you hear me? It's Clem Fandango…")

Voice prompts score: 6/5

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: Value

As feature-packed as any earbuds has any business being for the money
A no-brainer for Tidal members
Unbeatable for comfort and sound-quality at the level

For features, noise cancellation and sound quality, these are a compelling set of earbuds – but them and you will not be disappointed with the levels of detail in your music and the near-silence they'll add as a backdrop if you want it.

The AirPods Pro 2 will give you a little more dynamic zeal, and Denon's PerL Pro will offer hearing tests and tailored sonic profiles. That said, both rivals will charge you a little more for it.

Cambridge Audio's focus here has been on detail, clarity and effective ANC. If those requirements are top of your list, these may well be the buds for you.

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Cambridge Audio M100 review: Also consider

How I tested the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100

Tested for two weeks, listened against the Technics EAH-AZ80, AirPods Pro 2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Used at work (in the office; walking through London; on a train) and at home
Listened to Tidal, Apple Music Lossless, Qobuz tracks and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro, a Samsung Galaxy S22 and a MacBook Pro

It will come as no surprise to learn that the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 became my musical companions for two weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period. How else am I to test them?

They accompanied me to work on weekdays walking (and on more than one occasion, running) to the station; boarding a train and on the London Underground; at the office. They also stayed in my ears during long walks on the UK's Jurassic Coast, in Dorset – a great way to test any wind-interference from mics during calls.

To better test the battery life and comfort levels of the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100, I wore them throughout the working day and into a yoga class in the evening – and they outlasted my working day by some distance.

To test the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to our reference playlist but also my own music (spanning everything from country to classical) on Apple Music, Qobuz and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about silversmithing, if you're curious) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for over five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and the user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to look for.

First reviewed: May 2024

OnePlus Buds 3 review: more than just a gift to receive with a OnePlus phone

12:00 pm | May 15, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

OnePlus Buds 3: Two-minute review

Like many smartphone companies, OnePlus makes true wireless earbuds to go alongside its smartphones, that it will ship as a pre-order bonus or as a handy extra purchase for die-hard fans of the brand. The OnePlus Buds 3 arrive as another pair of fairly affordable buds in this spirit, but they’re among the better such options.

So are they some of the best budget earbuds around? They're not far off. You’re probably considering the OnePlus Buds 3 if you own one of the best OnePlus phones already, but you’ll be able to enjoy them if you own any other brand of mobile smartphone too; unlike Apple, OnePlus doesn’t lock its tech to pre-existing customers.

At a glance, the OnePlus Buds 3 bear more than a passing resemblance to their predecessors, the OnePlus Buds 2 Pro. And while it’s true, these aren’t exactly wild revisions on the 2023 models, they’re more affordable and have some improvements across the board.

In some areas, OnePlus may have gone too far, and the sound quality is something of a sore spot. In our Buds 2 Pro review we said bass was “not especially heavy” and the Buds 3 have overcorrected, taking inspiration from the RWE Bagger 288 (which Google tells me is the heaviest vehicle in the world) because it’s heavy.

The bass on the Buds 3 is just too much, no matter how much playing around you do in the equalizer, blowing the treble into the distant corners of the sound mix. You shouldn’t buy these if you like a balanced or neutral sound.

Did I say equalizer? Yes I did, because that’s one of the many cool features packed into the smartphone tie-in app. Other features include spatial audio, ear canal scanning to get a tailor-made sound, the ability to change to different active noise cancellation (ANC) modes and more. For not-really-that-expensive earbuds, the feature range on display is really something.

You’ll have to enjoy these features in small bursts, though, because the OnePlus Buds 3 will only last for 6.5 hours of listening in one go when ANC is turned on. Turning it off boosts that to 10 hours, but that’s still nothing to write home about – thankfully the case is generous with extra charges.

That ANC is pretty good, too, and it’s got to be one of the best I’ve tested in the sub-$100 / £100 / AU$200 price range. There are a range of strength levels and a transparency mode, to let you fully customize how much sound comes through, but at any level the buds are a dab hand at getting rid of annoying unwanted noises.

While they’re not quite fantastic enough to make it into our ranking of the best wireless earbuds, the OnePlus Buds 3 do have a lot going for them. If you receive them as a gift alongside a OnePlus phone, you should count yourself lucky, and they’re well worth considering even if you have to buy them on their own.

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Price and release date

The OnePlus Buds 3 earbuds in a hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Unveiled in January 2024
Costs you $99 / £89 / AU$179

The OnePlus Buds 3 were officially unveiled at the end of January 2024, in lieu of the new smartphone the company sometimes unveils at the beginning of the year.

You’ll pay $99 / £89 AU$179 to pick up the buds – in theory, though these are the kind of earbuds that you’re more likely to acquire through pre-order bonuses or as a free gift with a OnePlus phone, rather than as a chosen purchase.

That price shows these as being more affordable (read: lower-end) than 2023’s OnePlus Buds 2 Pro, despite being similar in terms of design and the feature set. Unless you find those dramatically marked down, the OnePlus Buds 3 will be a much more tempting purchase.

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Specs

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Features

A OnePlus Buds 3 bud in the case — (Image credit: Future)

10-hour buds battery, 44-hour with case
Absolutely loads of features thanks to app
Buds are slow to pair

The OnePlus Buds 3 earbuds have a middling battery life: 10 hours with ANC turned off, which drops to 6.5 hours when it’s on. That’s not amazing, though some rivals last an even shorter amount of time. The charging case rockets that figure up to 44 hours (with ANC off, 28 with it on) which is a much bigger jump-up than cases often provide, so people on long journeys can rely on this case.

When setting up the OnePlus Buds 3, I was perturbed to find no tie-in app available on the Google Play Store. Instead, I was prompted (both by the recommended suggestions, and OnePlus’ own website), to install a third-party app called HeyMelody which has a pretty low rating on the Play Store. It seems this is how people without a OnePlus phone control the buds – handsets from the company seemingly have a first-party control app.

It’s worth bearing in mind that the buds worked well without the app, and I only downloaded it to access extra features. You can enjoy music and noise cancellation without HeyMelody, you just can’t control your sound, or access certain extras you’re paying for.

The app lets you play with an equalizer (more on that later) and adjust noise cancellation, with an impressive range of options in terms of strength and efficacy (a Transparency mode cancels some sounds but maintains important ones). It’s actually mildly handy once you’ve set it up, though it’s definitely not required.

The OnePlus Buds 3 buds in the case — (Image credit: Future)

You can also use the app to set up the touch controls: the two buds can have individual commands mapped for one, two or three taps, as well as a long hold or a slide gesture. That’s a lot of potential, though I found that the almost-imperceptible button area meant I frequently missed the correct area when trying to use the touch controls.

The OnePlus Buds 3 are among the better earbuds at this price that I’ve tested when it comes to noise cancellation, using a deft hand to remove annoying background noises. I tested in Max mode, although there are degrees of intensity if you’d rather only strip out a middling amount of sound.

HeyMelody brings two extra features I’d like to flag: first off is Golden Sound, which lets the buds scan your ear canal in order to calibrate your music. The instructions on the test are poorly worded and it took me a few tries to figure out what it was actually asking, but it’s a cool additional feature, even if the results are barely audible.

Then there’s OnePlus 3D Audio, which had a much more palpable effect. This is basically spatial audio, and it really creates a sense of dynamic (though artificial) soundstage, really improving music. It’s only available on certain apps so I’m not going to take it into account for the music quality section later, but luckily the super-niche music app Spotify (you may have heard of it) is one of the compatible apps.

One thing I should note is that the OnePlus Buds 3 had a pretty slow average phone pairing time compared to most rivals I’ve tested. When I put the buds on, they’d take up to ten seconds to connect with my phone, and almost always over five, which is slower than basically every other alternative I’ve tried.

This was also the case when I first set up the earbuds, and my phone took a good while to detect them.

Features score: 4/5

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Design

The OnePlus Buds 3 bud in an ear. — (Image credit: Future)

Lightweight and barebones case
Small buds with touch controls
IP55 certification

I’ve got to say, I’m a big fan of the look of the OnePlus Buds 3.

The carry case is a tiny lightweight pebble, measuring just 5.9 x 5 x 2.6 cm and weighing 40.8g – that’s the kind of case you can easily lose in your bag or pocket, it’s more svelte than the majority of its competitors. It has naught but the essentials – space for the earbuds, and a USB-C charging port.

I did find that the smooth material of the buds made them a tad hard to remove from the case though – every removal required roughly three slips before a successful attempt.

The case is made from plastic, hence its lightness, though it does feel like it’d snap if you clenched it in your fist too hard. Our smartest gadget-reviewing minds have a suggestion: don’t do that.

Like their carry case, the buds themselves are incredibly lightweight, with their 4.8g barely registering on scales (or your ear). As wireless earbuds go, they’re pretty barebones: no OnePlus branding, no obvious sensor or buttons, just a tip and a stem.

There is, in fact, a sensor on each earbud, but it’s denoted just by a slightly matted area on the stem, so you’d be forgiven for missing it. It’s so subtle that it avoids detection not just by your eyes, but by your fingertips too – but I've already discussed that above.

The buds have IP55 certification, which means they’ll survive splashes or bursts of water, but shouldn’t be submerged in liquid.

Design score: 4/5

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Sound quality

Bass-heavy sound
Treble is lacking
Equalizer lets you tweak sound to an extent

The OnePlus Buds 3 bud on a log. — (Image credit: Future)

You can’t exactly expect precision-tuned sound on earbuds that cost this little, and you won’t get that on the OnePlus Buds 3. That said, they’re nothing to turn your nose up at either for this money.

These earbuds will appeal to people who like their bass-heavy sound, because that’s exactly what they provide. Whatever kind of music I tested, from pop and house to acoustic singer-songwriter tracks, the lower range of instruments and notes was always a lot more prevalent.

Some people might like that, but it was a little overbearing in plenty of songs – you don’t listen to rock to only hear the guitar’s lower E string, after all. Treble is all but blown out, meaning vocal lines lose their clean sparkle and harmonies and countermelodies were often harder to hear than I’d like.

The OnePlus Buds 3 earbud in a hand. — (Image credit: Future)

The mids within my reference music tracks often stood up to the brutal barrages from the bass, but treble was almost always less prominent than I’d like. Saying that, sometimes when it was palpable, peaking made me wish it was buried even further…

The in-app equalizer lets you tweak your sound to a certain extent, with a few presets, a customization option and also a bass boost option, but honestly I found all of my tweaking was for naught. The equalizer is very light touch, and you might not notice changes unless you’re really (really) listening for them.

Sound quality: 3/5

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Value

The OnePlus Buds 3 charging case on a log. — (Image credit: Future)

Great value if received as gift
Decent for the price, but a shade off fantastic

As mentioned before, it’s hard to envision someone buying the OnePlus Buds 3 full-price, given that they’re likely designed to be bundled with a new OnePlus phone.

If that’s how you’re acquiring these buds, they’re a great little gift; they’re solid all-around wearables that’ll save you from having to buy a separate pair to use with your brand new shiny smartphone.

If you’re paying full-price, the value proposition is different. The OnePlus Buds 3 are fine for their price (and you’re certainly getting some flagship fit and spatial audio features), but there are other sub-$100/£100/AU$100 rivals that’ll give you more sonic bang for your buck.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the OnePlus Buds 3?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

OnePlus Buds 3 review: Also consider

How I tested the OnePlus Buds 3

The rear of the OnePlus Buds 3 case — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for 10 days
Tested at home, in the office and on walks

The OnePlus Buds 3 were tested over the course of the week, with the review writing period rounding the testing period out by a few extra days. The main device I paired with was a Xiaomi Mi Note 10 smartphone, but I also tested it alongside a Windows laptop and an iPad. I did not test it with a OnePlus phone.

I listened to a range of music genres in different places including my office, my home and on various walks around my neighborhood. I mostly tied with the strongest noise cancellation mode and the EQ set to the default setting.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over five years, and in that time I've reviewed many OnePlus phones and headphones like this.

First reviewed in May 2024

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Speck Gemstones Play review: comfy cheap earbuds, but you can do better

2:00 pm | April 28, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Speck Gemtones Play: Two-minute review

The Speck Gemtones Play true wireless earbuds are a step out of the comfort zone for Speck, which is better known for its range of phone cases, and it shows. While the sound quality of these earbuds deliver is as you might expect for $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75), the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds don’t offer as much value as the Earfun Air 2 earbuds, which retail for roughly the same price, but have additional features like wireless charging and longer battery life.

I’d be tempted to say that you get what you pay for from the Speck Gemtones Play, but since there are alternatives among the best budget wireless earbuds at the same price with additional features, that wouldn’t be strictly accurate. This is not to say that these earbuds are noticeably bad, because they aren’t. If you’re not an audiophile who focuses on output and dynamic range then you’ll be happy enough with the sound quality that’s on offer here. One noticeable issue, however, is the audible strain around the vocals, which is apparent when listening to both music and podcasts. This can be remedied by switching to the Vocal Range EQ preset, but it’s a shame that the default EQ settings don’t offer better vocal clarity.

While the earbuds are easy to keep track of thanks to the Find your Earbuds function and the inclusion of a push-to-release button on the case, the lack of quality in the materials quickly becomes apparent. The hinged lid of the case feels flimsy, and the matte black finish scratches and shows fingerprints easily; the case of my review sample looked like it had been through an ordeal after just a few days of use.

If you’re looking for a better-quality finish and more features without spending extra, we recommend the 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 or the Earfun Air 2 earbuds.

The speck Gemtones Play earbuds are pictured lying on a white tabletop in front of their charging case. The ear buds are black, with the left one having the Speck logo printed in white. The case is also black, with white inside the earbud cavities.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Price & release date

Released in January 2024
Priced at $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75)
Only available from Speck within the US, may be available from third-party retailers

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds were released at the start of 2024. At present, Speck only sells its earbuds within the US, but you may be able to find them at third-party retailers elsewhere.

Better known for its production of phone cases, Speck has taken a leap into audio tech, and at $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75), these earbuds are the cheapest offering in the Gemtones range, coming in below the $69.99 Gemtones Sport (with earhooks for a secure fit) and the $79.99 Gemtones Pro.

While these are relatively cheap and cheerful earbuds, they have stiff competition from the likes of the 1More Piston Bud Pro Q30s, which have the added benefits of Spatial Audio, Low Latency mode, and ANC, which the Gemtones Play unfortunately lack.

Speck Gemtones Play review: Specs

Speck Gemtones Play review: Features

28 hours max playtime
Four EQ profiles
Find your Earbuds function

The Speck Gemstones Play lack some of the features you might expect at this price point in 2024, but the easy-to-use app and a couple of novel features help bump up their score.

The Speck Gemtones app is basic, but its lack of complexity and ease of use will appeal to some. When I launched the app it spotted my earbuds straight away, and once I’d paired them via Bluetooth in my phone's settings, it only took a tap of the icon in the app to sync them.

The app provides a range of useful features, including four different equalizer presets: Default, Balanced, Dynamic Bass, and Vocal Range. It doesn’t offer the ability to create custom EQ settings, though, which is a shame, but it does have a feature that could prove particularly useful for the forgetful among us – a Find your Earbuds feature, which you can use to get either the left or right earbuds to emit a loud beeping to help you hunt them down. This only works when they’re not in the case, however – and obviously you need to be close enough to be connected to them.

A Volume Limit feature can also be found in the app, which is still not too common in headphones apps. As someone with sensitive ears, I was reassured to know that it wouldn’t be possible to accidentally hit the volume keys on my phone and raise the volume too high – and it’s also great for making sure kids don’t harm their hearing by cranking up the sound. In practice, however, this feature doesn’t work as I’d anticipated. Instead of stopping the volume from going any higher than 85dB at full volume, it reduces the sound at all levels, so 50% volume is no longer 50%. This concerns me, because once you turn the limiter off – albeit this can’t be done accidentally, as you need to enter a code – the volume shoots back up to whichever volume you’re set to. It’s also worth mentioning that even with the volume locked, the volume at which the buds announce that they’re connected is quite loud.

The app also shows you how much charge is left in the earbuds. I found that the battery life performed a little better than advertised, lasting around eight hours and 20 minutes while playing music continuously at 50% volume. I listened to music and chatted on work calls while working from home without needing to charge them, and between the charge in the buds themselves and in the case, I could do the same in the office, plus listen to music on my commute home, without running out of battery.

The Speck Gemtones Play's dual microphones didn’t impress me when compared, again, to the similarly-priced 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 earbuds. When I listen back to a recording of myself, I sound distant and unnatural. They’d be adequate for making phone calls indoors, but the low volume and lack of clarity may prove problematic when making calls out and about, or with a rocky connection.

It’s a shame that these earbuds offer no active noise cancellation. This may seem understandable considering the price point, but as mentioned, there are alternative options on the market in this price range that offer this feature – the 1More that I've mentioned just above, or the Earfun Air Pro 3, which often fall to this kind of price.

A further small but frustrating niggle is that you can’t start listening on another device without disconnecting the buds from the current device first – i.e., there’s no multipoint pairing – which can be a pain if you often switch between listening on phones, tablets, laptops, etc. Again, the 1More and Earfun offer this.

Features score: 3/5

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds sitting inside their charging case with the lid open, on a white tabletop. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Sound quality

Acceptable sound quality for the cost
Good tonal range, but lacks clarity
Capable of delivering clear vocals, but with sacrifices

As expected for the price, the Speck Gemtones Play don’t deliver the most dynamic sound. They’re pleasant to listen to, but if you have an ear that can appreciate rich bass through to sparkling and natural treble, they may fall a little flat. On the other hand, these earbuds could pick up delicate touches, such as background synths in sections of Black Eye by Allie X, so they score points for their general clarity.

While they can be forgiven for not being as dynamic as the likes of the Marshall Motif II A.N.C earbuds, which are priced at $199.99 / £179.99 / AU$349, they also lag a little behind the sound quality of the similarly priced 1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 – and this is hard to ignore considering that the 1More earbuds also offer extra features including ANC, spatial audio, and Low Latency mode.

I found myself regularly changing the EQ presets to get the most out of different songs. While I can hear that the sound quality is improved after choosing the appropriate setting, I do wish the default preset performed a little better to make for a more effective listening experience when out and about. When left on default, music can sound flat, with an edge of strain on the speakers from vocals. Although cycling between EQ settings can improve the listening quality, it sometimes feels like you’re having to sacrifice an element such as vocal clarity or bass quality, and I found it hard to achieve a good balance. That’s especially true when the Vocal Range preset isn’t selected, as it can sound like the vocals are being dampened, as if I’m listening through a curtain.

When listening to I Want You by Moloko with the Vocal Range equalizer preset selected, the raw vocals come through beautifully. You do, however, lose the impact of the percussion hitting. The Dynamic Bass equalizer preset was a good middle ground on this occasion, softening the vocals without sacrificing that depth.

The Default equalizer preset made Justin Hawkin’s vocals in The Darkness’ I Believe in a Thing Called Love lack impact, making the listening experience fall flat. Selecting the Balanced EQ preset once again sounded muffled, as if I wasn’t in the same room as the band. I’d go as far as to say that you’ll feel like you’re listening from outside the venue when it comes to this song. The most satisfying preset for this particular track was Vocal Range, which delivered the drama lost with the other presets.

When listening to podcasts on the Default settings, voices had a tinny edge to them, but they came through with more clarity when the Vocal Range equalizer preset was selected. The same was true when listening to content on YouTube.

Sound quality score: 3/5

The Speck Gemtones Play earbuds sitting on a white table top. They are matte black with the Speck logo printed on the top of the left earbud in white.

(Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Design

Useful press-to-release button
Comfortable fit for smaller ears
Light-but-cheap materials

The Gemtones Play case feels lightweight at just under 1oz / 29g. It appears more cheaply made than some other earbuds in this price bracket, with a thin, transparent black frosted flip lid and matt black body that marks easily from fingerprints. It scratches easily, too – I have long gel nails, and it was instantly clear where they’ve made contact with the case.

The case would probably be useful for you if you plan to keep it in your pocket or hanging from its fabric loop on the outside of your bag, as it won’t open unless you push the release button, which is a feature that I appreciate. The hinge feels sturdy, but the plastic is very thin and looks like it could be easily broken. I have questions about the longevity of this case, although aside from the aesthetic issues it hasn’t let me down just yet.

The design of the earbuds themselves isn’t anything to get excited about. Similarly to the case, they’re made from cheap-looking matte black plastic, with the left-hand bud having the Speck logo printed on it. There’s a small indicator light on each bud, and another in the space between them on the case which indicates when the earbuds are prepared for Bluetooth pairing, whether the earbuds or case are charging, or whether either are fully charged. These lights are a little on the subtle side, as the LEDs are deep-set, so it’s not clear what the lights are showing unless you’re looking down the barrel at them.

The buds feel comfortable in my ears, and I wore them for long periods with no issues. I was able to wear them straight out of the case, without needing to switch to another pair of silicone tips, which Speck includes in sizes from extra small to extra large, and this was a new experience for me, as I have smaller ears and often need to switch to smaller tip sizes. Helping them to feel comfortable is the fact that the earbuds are light at just over 0.15oz / 4g each.

While the touch features are basic, they are simple to use. A single tap on either bud will play or pause the track, and triple tapping will trigger your device's voice assistant. I quite liked that skipping past or going back to songs is triggered by a double tap on the right or left bud respectively, although if you’re in a situation where you need to settle for just one bud it’s a little annoying that you’re limited to either skipping or returning. The same issue is present with volume control too, as pressing and holding the left earbud turns the volume down, and pressing and holding the right earbud turns it up. It shouldn’t be a big deal most of the time, though.

The touch controls aren’t always responsive, and there were a few instances where the music would play or pause, or the voice assistant would be triggered, when I was trying to double tap, but this was only a small niggle. If you’d rather assign different functions than the default offering, you can customize what each touch control triggers within the app.

The earbuds I’ve been testing were in the Back in Black finish, but they’re also available in other colors, including Pop Purple, Bop Blue, and White Album.

Design score: 3/5

A face on view of the Specks Gemtones Play earbuds sitting in their charging case, clearly showing the press-to-release button. — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

Speck Gemtones Play review: Value

Reliable battery life, delivering the promised 8 hours of playtime
More features available for the same price from competitors
Useful app, but cheap-feeling hardware

As previously mentioned, the sound quality of the Gemtones Play isn’t bad for the price. It would be unfair to expect a premium listening experience from these earbuds; however, the presence of the similarly priced Earfun Air 2, which offer more features, and the incredibly cheap but good-quality JLab Go Air Pop earbuds, which offer a better user experience and wear-detection, does lead me to question whether these are truly worth the $49.99 (about £40 / AU$75) price tag given the current competition.

Ignoring the competition, though, the app works well, and offers useful features that increase the appeal of these earbuds. In addition, the press-to-release button on the case certainly comes in handy, but the quality of the materials does let these buds down.

Value score: 3/5

Should I buy the Speck Gemtones Play?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Speck Gemtones Play review: Also consider

How I tested the Speck Gemtones Play

A view from directly above the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds are shown sitting in their charging case sitting on a white table top — (Image credit: Future / Cesci Angell)

I tested the earbuds for 7 days
I tested at home, in the office, on walks, and commuting
I listened to music, podcasts, and YouTube content

I subjected the Speck Gemtones Play earbuds to a week of testing. I tested the wearability, sound quality, and features by listening to music for hours at home, in the office, on walks, and while commuting. In addition to listening to music, I watched YouTube videos and listened to my usual podcasts.

I also followed TechRadar’s standardized testing process for earbuds, including listening to a particular set of tracks to make it easy to compare different buds, and real-world measurement of the battery life. Read more about how we test earbuds at TechRadar.

First reviewed: April 2024
Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Nothing Ear (a) review: mellow yellow earbuds to herald Nothing’s purple patch

1:24 pm | April 18, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, LDAC, Sony Xperia | Comments: Off

Nothing Ear (a): Two-minute review

When it comes to Nothing's earbuds output, it's hard to stop oneself from playing a game of Spot the Difference. That's quite a fun game here, though, since almost all of the differences are vast improvements over anything Nothing has achieved before. All these incremental gains become especially impressive when you consider that this entry-level option from Nothing comes in at $50 / £30 cheaper than the company's last effort.

For the money, these are some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds of the year thus far. Their closest rival? That would be Sony's class-leading WF-C700N. While there's no 360 Reality Audio support in the Ear (a) and a few Sony-specific features are, of course, off the menu, the Nothing earbuds look more premium and feel more foxy. Their noise cancellation is a touch more robust and the sound is every bit as energetic, detailed and zealous, and (dare we say it?) a tad more expansive to boot. Did I mention that the battery life is also impressive, although admittedly it's a lot better without the superb ANC processing deployed?

I have to admit that the Nothing Ear (a) performed far more admirably than I'd anticipated. I enjoyed them more and more as the listening tests cruised by. Gone is the fidget spinner case idea: my review sample might be a fun English mustard-yellow hue, but the Ear (a) is serious about bringing you music – proof that Carl Pei's 2020 startup finally hit its purple patch. The sound is incrementally better than the Nothing Ear (2), and it's backed up by a Nothing X app that's easier to navigate and offers plenty of scope for tweaking things to your liking, including via the newer pinch-control stems.

OK, let's get that moniker out of the way, shall we? I advise you to view Nothing's naming structure with a simple shrug and the raise of an eyebrow, but I'll try to explain it succinctly. Ear (a) is the model you're reading about now, Nothing's 2024 entry-level offering released in conjunction with the more expensive (by $50 / £30) Ear. Nothing tells me that the Ear (a) is effectively the upgrade for the Ear (Stick), while the Ear is the upgrade on the Ear (2). Good intel, but I'd say it does Nothing's newest entry-level earbuds a disservice because the Ear (a) are streets ahead of the Ear (Stick) in every regard.

Both the Ear (a) and Ear were unveiled simultaneously in April 2024. They supersede the inaugural July 2021 Nothing Ear (1), the October 2022 follow-up Nothing Ear (Stick), and the March 2023 Nothing Ear (2). So, aside from a few minor updates (including a Nothing Ear (1) Black Edition, which fared much better than the troublesome originals) the Ear (a) can also be considered the company's joint-fourth Nothing-branded release. That is, if we're not counting the super-cheap CMF by Nothing Buds, which arrived barely a month before the model we're reviewing here. Got it? Well done. (You're doing great, by the way.)

If you take nothing else away from this Nothing Ear (a) review, know that at $99 / £99 (or around AU$192) you'll not be disappointed with these lovely little yellow earbuds.

Nothing Ear (a) next to the Nothing Ear (2) earbuds — Nothing Ear (a) on the left, Ear (2) on the right. Yes, there are key differences (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Price & release date

Released on April 18, 2024 (hitting shelves on April 22, 2024)
Priced $99 / £99 / around AU$192

If the price above made you think 'Hang on, isn't that less than the older Ear (2)?' well done for paying attention. The Nothing Ear (a) are priced to sell – and sure as eggs is eggs, sell they will.

The Ear (a) earbuds come in three colorways – a warm yellow alongside the more ubiquitous shiny black or white finishes. Why go with yellow? It's a primary color, which Nothing says aligns with its stripped-back, transparent-wherever-possible design language (yes, the stems still feature see-through plastic too).

At this level, the Ear (a)'s closest competition aside from Sony's WF-C700N is perhaps the slightly more expensive Sony LinkBuds S, because remember, the class-leading Technics EAH-AZ80 come in at $299 / £259 / AU$499, and Apple's AirPods Pro 2 retail for $249 / £249 / AU$399.

Of course, that's hardly a fair comparison, since those two options offer premium perks, including triple device connectivity (Technics) and remarkably accurate head-tracked spatial audio from an iOS device (Apple).

That said, Nothing's relatively humble asking price is tempting, particularly when you consider the expressive sound quality and solid noise-nixing they can serve up.

Nothing Ear (a) held in a hand, with the case in the background — Hello, yellow! (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Specs

Three screenshots of the Nothing X App — The Nothing X App is a fuss-free, wholly positive experience (Image credit: Nothing)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Features

Bluetooth 5.3 with LDAC support
Greatly improved ANC
Pinch-to-speak ChatGPT integration coming, with Nothing Phones

The nominal price of these earbuds is listed above, so I won't keep banging on about it. But if you want listening gear that does the basics – good sound, great noise cancellation, clear calls, easy comfort, a bit of EQ wizardry, and reliable on-ear controls – and does them very well indeed, these are that gear. Also, they're a bit of a conversation starter if you want that, miles away from the black and gray pebble-like options often seen at their level.

Want something better than the basics? Well, Nothing's got an ace up its sleeve here too. Although I was unable to test it in my not-yet-public version of the Nothing X app (rollout will be gradual across Phone (2) followed by Phone (1) and Phone (2a) for the Nothing Ear and Ear (a) in the weeks after April 18, 2024) Nothing tells me it has integrated both Nothing earbuds and Nothing OS with ChatGPT, to offer users instant access to the chatbot directly from its devices. What this means is that users with the latest Nothing OS and ChatGPT installed on their Nothing phones should soon be able to pinch-to-speak to the popular consumer AI tool, directly from these entry level Ear (a) earbuds. However comfortable you feel with AI, it certainly adds value at the level.

Nothing X app screens showing AI voice integration using Nothing earbuds — Voice AI using ChatGPT is coming using Nothing Ear (a) using your Nothing smartphone… (Image credit: Nothing )

Back to the Ear (a) specifically and call handling is far better this time around, with recipients telling me my voice was unusually clear, which checks out when you see that the Clear Voice Technology has been upped from v2.0 in the Ear (2) – or 1.0 with Bass Lock software in the Ear (Stick) – to 3.0 here.

You're getting Bluetooth v5.3 and LDAC support for hi-res audio (the Sony-developed codec that lets you stream high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/96kHz over Bluetooth at up to 990kbps, if your device supports it and the file is up to scratch), which is a valuable inclusion at this level.

There's no onboard spatial audio wizardry and you don't get the Ear (2)'s splendid personalized hearing tests. However, you do get in-ear detection (to pause music when they're out and resume it when they're in), a low lag toggle for gaming, issue-free multipoint to two devices, an ear tip fit test and a Find My Earbuds feature, which issues a rattlesnake-style sound from whichever bud you're trying to locate.

Now, the noise cancellation. After deploying ANC (rather than 'Transparency' or 'Off'), you can select from High, Mid, Low, and Adaptive profiles. High is very good: the hairdryer we use in our meticulous and methodical testing was largely nixed. I can see why it drops the battery life from 9.5 hours without ANC to 5.5 with it, but when the near bubble-of-silence outcome is this good, it's a hit I'm willing to take. The quoted improvement is 45dB over 40dB of ambient noise nixing and if that's hard to quantify, let me tell you that when I sat down to do some work at home wearing Ear (a) with ANC on High, I didn't realize the oven extractor fan was on (my other half was making breakfast), but as soon as I switched to Ear (2) it became perceptible.

Heading over to the Transparency option, this is signified by a woman exhaling, which is fun. Although there's no slider to tweak the level of ambient sound you're letting in, it's perfectly acceptable and means voices can be heard without removing the Ear (a).

The Nothing X app takes the reins and it too is much improved, never faltering and always serving me what I need, without going round the houses to get there. The EQ tab is essentially a three-band offering presented in what I like to call a splodge, rather than sliders for each – think Nura True Pro's visual depictions rather than a mixing desk, with four presets for more bass, more treble, voice focus or a balanced sound – but of course, you can create your own. It's not the most fully-featured offering Nothing has in its arsenal (for that you'd have to opt for the Nothing Ear) but it certainly works.

Anything missing where it should be? Nothing. No sir.

Features score: 5/5

Nothing Ear (a) next to the Nothing Ear (2), on a brown sofa — The new Ear (a) next to the Ear (2): a fun game of Spot the Difference (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Sound quality

LDAC handled very well indeed
Fun and zealous sound
Unusually expansive for this type of in-ear

If you've read the star rating at the top of this review and come this far (thank you for sticking with me), it will come as no surprise to learn that the Ear (a) doesn't lack in the sonic department.

Those with a Sony smartphone (I used the Sony Xperia 1 IV) will find LDAC codec files are delivered with expanse and pinpoint accuracy when it comes to the placement of each sonic article. In Aerosmith's Going Down / Love In an Elevator, a shaker sits comfortably in the well of my right ear as backing vocals come in through the left. When the heavily processed "Going down" vocal bridge sweeps across the soundstage like a freight train, it grazes the back of my brain en route.

Even when I stream lossy Spotify tracks (or much better Apple Music songs) the Nothing Ear (a) buds handle them admirably, with ample texture and space around Elton John's Rocket Man vocal, in a cohesive mix that brings forward the synths and bass plucks other earbuds at this price can't reach.

For dynamic build and nuance, the Nothing Ear (a) are best described as meaty and arresting. It's not that they lack refinement exactly, just that they prioritize fun and energy over that integrated hi-fi listen some might prefer. For me, there's so much here to celebrate sonically that I cannot pick fault. No, they're not better than something at nearly three times the price (such as the Technics EAH-AZ80, for example), but for the money, Nothing has tweaked its recipe to near perfection here.

Want to see what I mean? Play the intro of The Who's Substitute. Tell me those guitar strings and shaker aren't every bit as jangly and expressive as you could ever wish for at $99…

Sound quality score: 5/5

Nothing Ear (a) earbud on the left, Nothing Ear (2) on the right — See how Ear (a) is just slightly bigger than Ear (2), across the board? (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Design

Smaller and more pocketable case
Pinch stems work really well, even when wearing gloves
Nothing's design language is beautifully realized

Holding the Nothing Ear (a) earpiece next to the Nothing Ear (2) is a fresh surprise. Nothing has tried hard to keep its popular design language constant, but these two earpieces are actually very different beasts. I've placed the Ear (2) next to the new Ear (a) in the images below to prove that the earpiece is just slightly bigger across the board – 1.5mm taller, 0.2mm wider, and 0.8mm deeper, to be exact. The Ear (a) earbud is also 0.3g heavier than the Ear (2), although the case is 12.3g lighter and quite a bit shallower.

I mention these facts and figures only to highlight that it is emphatically not a case of 'same buds, different box' from Nothing. They're different. They're better. Perhaps the only potentially disappointing stat here is the size of the driver, which is now 11mm – down from 11.6mm in the Ear (2) and 12.6mm in the Ear (Stick) – and the 11mm driver in the flagship Ear is ceramic, while this one isn't. Not so fast, though, as Nothing tells me that through tweaks to the dual chamber design under the hood, which now includes two extra vents for improved airflow, it's extracted 10%-15% more from Ear (a)'s driver. However Nothing has achieved it, I certainly agree that the sound from said driver is greatly improved.

After switching out to the smaller ear tips (you get three in total), I find the Ear (a) a breeze to wear – although if you've particularly small ears you may need to try before you buy, and my guide to the best earbuds for small ears is worth consulting.

The new case makes a lot of sense. It flips open as easily as it slips into and out of my pocket, and the earbuds are some of the easiest to retrieve I've ever tested – Nothing's right-red, left-white dots also help you match the colors for charging. You don't get wireless charging support at this price, but the IPX2 rating of this charging nest (for mild water resistance) is more than you get with plenty of pricier options. The earbuds themselves boast an IP55 rating, which is the same as Nothing's new Ear earbuds, although the Ear's case has an IP55 rating – so it's essentially dust- and water-resistant.

Nothing's pinch stems also work really well. You can customize what the morse code short- and long-press combinations do for each stem – yes, including volume. These stem-squeeze controls also work with gloves on, unlike many touch-capacitive solutions.

Design score: 5/5

Nothing Ear (a) earbuds on a brown sofa, in their closed case – with transparent lid — Rarely have I had so many colleagues strike up a conversation with me over a set of earbuds (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Ear (a) review: Value

As good-looking as any earbuds can be for this money
Winning ANC at the level
LDAC for extra sound-per-pound value

I've sprinkled this liberally throughout the review, but I'll say it again, design-wise there's nothing better at the level. But don't be mistaken, these aren't style over substance: the sound quality is very good, and for noise-cancellation specifically, they're extremely hard to beat for the money.

As always, it's important to state that if you're prepared to spend $299 / £279 / AU$429 (aka three times the money) there's better noise-cancellation available in the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, but that's hardly fair.

Prior to testing the Nothing Ear (a), for this price point, I would nudge you towards the Sony WF-C700N, but in my honest opinion, these entry-level Nothings give those a solid run for their money, across the board. And for premium looks for budget money, there's really no contest…

Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the Nothing Ear (a)?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Nothing Ear (a) review: Also consider

How I tested the Nothing Ear (a)

Nothing Ear (a) held in a hand, on brown background — USB-C for juicing up, but there's no wireless charging (Image credit: Future)

Tested for two weeks, listened against the Sony WF-C700N, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 and Technics EAH-AZ80
Listened at work (in the office, walking through Dorset, on a train) and at home
Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music Lossless tracks and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro, MacBook Pro and Sony Xperia 1 IV

The Nothing Ear (a) became my primary musical companions for five days – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period.

They accompanied me to work (walking brusquely to a train into our Paddington office or on the London Underground to various events) and on a flight to Copenhagen (I know, get me).

To better test the comfort levels (and battery life claims), I followed TechRadar's meticulous methodology testing.

To check the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to TechRadar's reference playlist (spanning everything from pop to classical) on Apple Music and Tidal, and also my own musical selections and podcasts. I also wore them to watch YouTube tutorials (mostly about silversmithing: finessing bezel settings and working with art clay silver, since you ask) from my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for well over five years. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit, and user experience have always taken priority for me personally, but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what I'm listening to here also.

First reviewed: April 2024

« Previous Page — Next Page »