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1More PistonBuds Pro Q30 review: cheap wireless earbuds with noise cancellation, detailed sound – and a few drawbacks

12:00 pm | June 4, 2024

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.

Let’s talk about fit, baby

Sonos Ace headphones in soft white being worn on head — (Image credit: Future)

The main cause of my epiphany is how the Sonos Ace fit on my head. Over-ear headphones are a totally different beast to their in-ear counterparts. The latter usually ship with various sizes of ear tips to help individual users find the most snug fit. Over-ear headphones don’t have this luxury, instead they have to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach, which is no easy feat.

Where the Sonos Ace headphones excel for me is the aforementioned intuitive hinge mechanism. And said mechanism is stylishly implemented – it’s chromed to provide a contrasting accent against the soft white or black color of the headphones, and is integrated inside the ear cup as opposed to being visible on the outside (which Sonos points out is preferable for people with long hair, though that's not a concern for me). It also has enough movement to ensure no matter who’s wearing them, the ear cups remain glued to the side of the head.

Sonos Ace headphones hinge mechanism — The internal hinge mechanism on the Sonos Ace headphones is responsible for ensuring a secure fit. (Image credit: Future)

Admittedly, the Sonos Ace headphones aren’t the only ones to provide this kind of adjustment. The Apple AirPods Max – with which the Sonos Ace have drawn a number of similarities in the looks department from onlookers – employ a similar, pivoting ear cup design. But Apple’s set of premium headphones weigh 73g more than the Sonos Ace, and while the Cupertino cans have a knitted mesh headband to help alleviate that weight, in my opinion it doesn’t quite do enough. In my brief experience wearing the AirPods Max, I found them too heavy to wear for long periods. I’m sure current owners will disagree, and that’s perfectly fine, but I haven’t encountered any such issues with Sonos’ first headphone attempt.

However, as much as I love the comfort levels here, I'll hand over to TR's Managing Editor for Entertainment, Matt Bolton, for a brief counterpoint:

"I've been finding the Sonos Ace very comfortable in terms of the headband, but as a glasses wearer, I've struggled with wearing them for long periods. They're pushing my glasses' arms in a little firmly, creating a sense of soreness over an hour or so. I noticed particularly while using them to watch a movie via my Sonos Arc, since there was no distraction at all. It's possible that adjusting how I have them on my head will improve things, but I found them less comfortable than my Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones – and my also glasses-wearing partner agreed, and she has a smaller head."

Slim pickings

Did I mention I could be considered vain earlier? Well, here's another picture of me.

Another facet in my disdain for over-ear cans is their (usually) large profile. I’m personally not a fan of rocking a major extension of my ears while walking down the street. The best similarity I can provide is that I feel I look like Makka Pakka from the children’s TV show In the Night Garden… gormless expression and all.

Sony, Sennheiser, and even Apple, I would argue, are all guilty of bestowing large, protruding ear cups to their headphone designs. Sonos, however, has managed to implement a much slimmer profile that I find much more attractive. It is still plainly obvious I’m wearing a pair of over-ear headphones, but their slim profile cuts a less noticeable silhouette.

To me, it screams premium, and the soft white finish of the pair I received is a smart choice by the audio maestro. Sonos could have opted for the more plain white finish of its speakers, but in the words of its director of design, it would have looked too “techie”. The soft white finish, by contrast, is less 'in ya face' and a startling reminder of how much influence a color can have on a product.

Physical touchin’

Whatever happened to physical button controls? Aside from a power button, most pair of modern over-ear headphones employ various forms of swipe gestures and taps to control playback. It’s meant to be intuitive and perhaps ‘cool’, but in my experience I’ve found it to be a bit of a gimmick. They generally require you to tap on an exact point on an ear cup but, since you can’t physically see what you’re doing, it rarely results in the desired action the first time. Swiping to adjust volume or track selection I find yield more successful results, but at the cost of looking a bit silly.

Close up image of Sonos Ace headphones Content Key — The silver Content Key can be used to carry out 7 different functions (Image credit: Future)

The Sonos Ace use physical buttons for all controls – no taps or gestures here – and the brand has cleverly created a single button to handle a ton of different actions. The Content Key on the right ear cup can play or pause a track, can be used to skip a song or go back to the previous song you were listening to, can adjust volume levels, answer or reject calls – and, finally, can instantly switch to pick up whatever's coming from your Sonos Arc soundbar.

Also on the right ear cup is a button to adjust noise cancellation settings, or summon the voice assistant of your device. On the left ear cup is a power button that also handles Bluetooth pairing.

Sounding out

Sonos Ace headphones in black — The Sonos Ace headphones also come in black, matching the black coloring of its speakers (Image credit: Future)

Okay, I've talked about comfort enough, let's talk about sound quality. As I said, our full Sonos Ace review is still being worked on, but I can say already that they deliver a well-balanced, detailed presentation.

Bass control and impact are good, as is detail. The equalizer settings within the recently updated (and somewhat controversial) app – which wasn't without its issues it must be said – enable you to adjust bass and treble, and to good effect. I'm normally a bit of a bass fanatic, but I've not yet felt compelled to turn the Ace's bass level up to the maximum of 5.

Here's more from Managing Ed Matt Bolton, from his experience: "As is usually the case with Sonos, mids are really well-represented, and they feel a bit more forward than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. At this stage, I wouldn't say that's a good or bad thing, it just feels like a different sound profile. Out of the box, the Sonos are a little warmer and more excited, the Bose offer a little more bass extension and more expansiveness in a slightly more neutral-feeling balance.

"I've also tried them with my Sonos Arc, and they do a fantastic job with dialog especially, and the head tracking works excellently for keeping the center channel right on your TV. I haven't been blown away by the 'spatial audio' feeling so far – but I need to spend more time with them to make a full judgment on that. But the system of switching from phone to TV and back works seamlessly for me, and setting it up in the app gave me no issues either.

"It did, however, highlight the reason that Sonos probably hasn't enabled using them with the Sonos Wi-Fi system at this time: it massively cuts battery life to use them this way. I dropped 10% of the remaining battery life per hour, which would make about 10 hours in total – compared to 30 hours claimed by Sonos for Bluetooth listening. And one thing I noticed is that, while they auto-pause when you take them off, they don't automatically turn off if you don't play anything for a while, so you might find that they've run down their battery if you're not careful.

"The noise cancellation is a step behind the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. It's still very good, and will stand tall among the best noise cancelling headphones, but when using them in the exact same environment, the Bose cut out noticeably more outside noise."

Sonos Ace facing up, showing the inside of the earcups — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Sonos Ace?

From my time wearing the Sonos Ace, I haven’t felt inclined to take them off. Not just because of the sound, but because of how they fit.

They're clearly very accomplished headphones, and while the lack of support for Sonos system in general will disappoint serious fans, their connectivity with the Sonos Arc (and more of Sonos' soundbars in the future) is a really nice addition that works seamlessly.

Their high price feels generally justified – the performance and general feel of them is good enough to battle with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and AirPods Max – and the Sonos Ace beat them both when it comes to pure features when you add it all up. But noise cancellation is definitely behind the Bose, so we'll reserve final judgment until we finish our full Sonos Ace review.

But I think that if you want a very premium, very stylish, very nice sound pair of headphones, you won't be disappointed.

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: a tiny, cute, and utterly irresistible DAB radio

12:00 pm | June 2, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers DAB Radios Gadgets Hi-Fi | Tags: DAB | Comments: Off

Roberts Revival Petite 2: Two-minute review

It’s not often one can call a radio cute, but the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is exactly that. Somehow, it has a smaller footprint than my computer mouse and is also shorter than my guinea pig (who is also called Mouse, and is just as cute), but what you need to know is that this is a truly portable radio that can be easily tossed into your bag ready to emerge looking adorable. (Note: do not throw guinea pigs in bags.)

This isn’t a matter of form over function either, as the Roberts Revival Petite 2 offers surprisingly loud sound for the size. It’s crisp, clear and all you could want from a DAB radio which also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.

The only bulky part of the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is its solid, extendable aerial arm – but that’s a necessary and welcome addition. The model before it had a rubberised antenna string which could be attached to the back, but it really didn’t cut it for finding and maintaining an FM radio signal (yes, it does both). That’s solved now, meaning the Roberts Revival Petite 2 never misses an opportunity to shine.

At $99 / £99 / AU$195, it’s fairly competitively priced too. It’s a portable little beauty with a battery life of up to 20 hours before you need to connect the USB-C port to a power source.

Simple to use with an attractive OLED screen, the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is that little gadget you take with you on your travels, to have music and radio following you whoever you go. It’s certainly vying for a place in my heart as one of the best DAB radios going and one of the best Bluetooth speakers of recent times.

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Price and release date

Roberts Revival Petite 2 with a set of AirPods on top — (Image credit: Future)

Released November 2023
Cost £99 / €149 (sadly currently only available in the UK and Europe)

The Roberts Revival Petite 2 was released in the UK and Europe in November 2023. It costs £99 / €149 depending on your region (availability has not yet stretched to the US or Australia, sadly), so it’s fairly inexpensive for a DAB radio from a trusted name, but not the cheapest.

It’s cheaper than something like the sizeable Pure Woodland, which is £40 more, but there’s always the increasingly dated looking and battery dependent Sony XDR-P1, which is slightly cheaper but lacks the winsome, retro-but-smaller looks of the Roberts model.

The Pure Woodland was released in the UK and Europe in July 2023, costing £139.99 and €149.99 in those respective markets, which places it squarely in the mid-range market. All of which means Roberts has found a nice niche little market here, if the sound is good…

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Features

Roberts Revival Petite 2 besie a picture frame, on a shlef — (Image credit: Future)

DAB And FM radio, plus Bluetooth speaker
20 hour battery life
3.5mm headphone jack

If you’ve looked at the original 2021 Roberts Revival Petite, you’ll notice what the sequel does so much better – it has a telescopic antenna which reaches out enthusiastically to ensure a strong signal whether listening via DAB or FM.

The priority here is with the DAB radio side of things, as it automatically starts here, but it’s nice to have the option of an FM radio too – for more nostalgic listening sessions.

A quick tap of the source button takes you through your options here, with Bluetooth 5.0 available for pairing up with your phone or tablet. It’s reliable and I didn’t suffer any dropouts. Switching between the sources is seamless too, so you don’t have to commit to anything specific if you don’t want to. Want to play a chosen song, then head straight back to the DAB station you were listening to? You’re all set here.

The Roberts Revival Petite 2 reports up to 20 hours of battery life and in my time with it, that’s about right. This is a distinctly low maintenance radio in every way. It just happily ticks along in the background with a straightforward USB-C cable for charging as needed. There’s also a headphone jack on the back if you want to listen more privately using some of the best wired headphones (but in case it needs to be mentioned, Bluetooth connectivity is one way; you can't send the Petite 2's tunes to a set of wireless Bluetooth headphones, say – you'd have to use your phone). An alarm function can be accessed by holding in the source button, making the Petite 2 a great option for your bedside table too.

Features score: 5 / 5

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Sound quality

The Roberts Revival Petite 2 closeup to show the telescopic antenna — (Image credit: Future)

40mm driver
Surprisingly lively
Huge volume range for its size

The Roberts Revival Petite 2 is a very small radio, so of course you shouldn’t come here expecting an exceptional aural journey of discovery and oodles of snappy bass clout. However, the device is surprisingly lively.

Catching up on nostalgia with Heart 90s FM, songs like Queen and George Michael’s Somebody to Love shone through still sounding detailed and crisp. More dance-focused tracks like Eiffel 65’s Blue still sound good even if the bass isn’t quite as hefty as you’d like in an ideal world. Switch over to talk-show stuff and the rants on LBC Radio sound crisp and clear.

Volume levels are also surprisingly impressive. Most of the time, I was content listening to the Roberts Revival Petite 2 at increment levels 4-6, but you can crank it up higher. The higher volumes do lead to some distortion, but I’m not convinced anyone will need to go past 14 or 15 on its 0-20 scale. The Roberts Revival Petite 2 is pretty loud for the purpose, quite early on in its volume range.

Sound quality: 4 / 5

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Design

Roberts Revival Petite 2 on a shelf in a house — (Image credit: Future)

Iconic Roberts design
Easy to use buttons and control knob
Incredibly small

Is it possible to fall in love with a radio? The Roberts Revival Petite 2 might make you question some things. It looks fantastic. It has Roberts’ iconic styling which is always appealing, but it’s the sheer size of the thing that makes you fall for it. It’s not as long as my computer mouse, has a lower profile than a mug or a canned beverage, and is dinky in every sense of the word (except the sound).

Living up to its name means the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is adorable. Just lift up the antenna and it’s all set to make your life better. Turning it on instantly switches to the DAB side of its output with a clear source button allowing you to switch to FM or Bluetooth. The buttons are chunky and attractive looking, with perhaps the only flaw being that they could have a tactile bobble on them to help those with sight issues.

The dial on the middle is a good size and perfect for moving through the channels with a satisfying “clonk” under your fingers. You will find yourself originally thinking the dial adjusts the volume though – a minor irritant that you’ll learn to get past. A small but clear OLED display helps you see what you’re picking. It’s tiny but clear enough, with the option to dim it as needed.

There are seven different colors with the one I tested being the midnight blue variety. Others include sunburst yellow, duck egg, pastel cream, pop orange, dusty pink, and black. And they all look delightfully classy.

Design score: 5 / 5

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Value

Roberts Revival Petite 2 on a gray shelf in a sitting room — (Image credit: Future)

Mid-range pricing
Incredibly stylish for the price
Good long-term investment

Core competition for the Roberts Revival Petite 2 include radios such as the Pure Woodland (more robust but less attractive) and the cheaper Sony XDR-P1 which looks hideous in direct comparison.

So, you can get something cheaper than the Roberts Revival Petite 2, but nothing that looks as good as this – or as lightweight to carry around.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should you buy the Roberts Revival Petite 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Roberts Revival Petite 2 review: Also consider

How I tested the Roberts Revival Petite 2

Roberts Revival Petite 2 with a teapot and reed diffuser, to show the size of this tiny radio — (Image credit: Future)

Used the Roberts Revival Petite 2 over 10 days
Listened to DAB radio, FM radio and music via iPhone 14 Pro and Bluetooth
Over 10 years experience testing audio equipment

It’s high praise that the Roberts Revival Petite 2 is one of those rare devices that I don’t particularly want to box up and say goodbye to. It fits into my living space perfectly, both in terms of practicality and aesthetics.

It spent most of its time with me either on the window near where I work, or following me around the house – in the kitchen while I cleaned, the living room while relaxing, anywhere I needed music.

Sometimes it was connected via USB-C but often, I just ran it off the onboard battery, before plugging it in every once in a while when it wasn’t in use.

It is so easy to use, it made me listen to the radio more – and reminded me of how nostalgic certain music stations can make me feel. That meant listening to a lot of Heart 90s and 00s, but also I listened to a lot of talk radio including LBC and Radio 5 Live.

When using Bluetooth, I connected my iPhone 14 Pro to it and listened via Spotify and Apple Music.

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First reviewed in May 2024

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: striking the perfect balance between price and performance

11:00 am | June 1, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi | Tags: Samsung Galaxy S3 | Comments: Off

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Two-minute review

The iFi Zen DAC 3's arrival comes with high expectations. iFi had hit it out of the park with the original Zen DAC, and hit it further still with the next model's replacement, which means the pressure of expectation on this Zen DAC 3 is significant.

Visually, it’s an evolution rather than a revolution – and that’s the case where specification is concerned too (although the switch from USB-B to USB-C is very welcome indeed). At a glance, the biggest change of all is in the asking price – this latest model breaks the $200 / £200 / AU$200 barrier, and not by pennies.

It turns out to be well worth it, though. Whether it’s used to power a desktop system or as a way of introducing your laptop or smartphone to your full-on audio system as a credible component, the Zen DAC 3 does sterling work. It’s a musical, informative and entertaining listen, a device that is able to analyse a recording fully but not at the expense of engagement.

All of which means it’s without meaningful competition among the best portable DACs where the price/performance/functionality ratio is concerned. Which in turn means I am very excited indeed by what Zen DAC 4 might be like…

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Price and release date

A close up of the side of the iFi Zen DAC 3 — (Image credit: Future)

Became available to buy on April 16, 2024
Priced at $229 / £229 / AU$229

The iFi Zen DAC 3 is on sale now, and in America it goes for $229. In the United Kingdom, it’s priced at £229, while in Australia it's AU$229. So for once, Antipodean customers aren’t getting an overtly rough deal – quite the opposite, in fact.

This represents a fairly chunky price rise over the outgoing Zen DAC 2 and original iFi Zen Dac, it’s worth noting. If the increase in performance over its predecessor is similar to the increase in price, though, it will be well worth it…

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Features

A close up of the bottom of the iFi Zen DAC 3 — (Image credit: Future)

PCM 32bit/768kHz, DSD512 and MQA decoding
Fixed and variable output gain
Balanced and unbalanced outputs

First things first: powering the iFi Zen DAC 3 can be done a couple of ways. The rear panel features a USB-C socket for data transfer – but this can also be used to power the iFi at the same time, which simplifies cable management no end. Of course, there’s also a 5V power socket for connection to mains power – powered this way, the USB-C is free to handle just data and a cleaner signal path is the result.

Incoming data is processed by a 16-core XMOS microcontroller before it’s delivered to a Burr Brown four-channel ‘True Native’ DAC chipset that’s capable of dealing with 32bit/768kHz PCM files, DSD512 and double-speed DXD. ‘True Native’ refers to the chipset’s separate PCM and DSD pathways, meaning both file types stay bit-perfect in their native form right until the moment of conversion to analogue.

The Zen DAC 3 is an MQA decoder too, so Audirvana, Roon and Tidal users can have the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process take place on board rather than have their source player perform the first couple of unfolds.

Getting the converted audio information out again can be done in a few different ways. If you’re using the Zen DAC 3 with headphones, you’ve a choice of 6.3mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced outputs – both sockets are on the fascia. If you’re sending the analogue signal to an external amplifier, powered speaker of what-have-you, there are unbalanced stereo RCA outputs and a balanced 4.4mm output on the rear fascia. If you’re using one of these last two outputs methods, you’ll also need to use the ‘variable/fixed’ switch that sit between them – ‘variable’ allows the iFi to function as a pre-amplifier, with volume control retained, while ‘fixed’ means the iFi becomes just another line-level source.

The analogue signal can be subject to a couple of processing options before it leaves the Zen DAC 3, too. ‘Power Match’ occurs at the amplification stage, and is a gain boost for more demanding headphones. ‘XBass+’, meanwhile, is designed to ‘enhance bass without compromising the clarity of the midrange’ – readers of a certain age will recognise a ‘loudness’ button when they see one.

Features score: 5/5

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Sound quality

A close up of the dial on the iFi Zen DAC 3 — (Image credit: Future)

Punchy, insightful sound
Great tonal balance
Open and well-defined

To be perfectly honest, the only way you can prevent the iFi Zen DAC 3 sounding like corking value for money is by using hopeless headphones or feeding it badly compromised digital audio files. As long as you avoid the sort of poverty-spec stuff served up on Spotify’s free tier and don’t use headphones that don’t cut the mustard, the Zen DAC 3 will be an endlessly informative, entertaining and, above all, musical listen.

So with a pair of FiiO FT3 headphones attached to the 4.4mm output and a 24bit/96kHz file of Fugazi’s Waiting Room playing, the iFi is an uncomplicatedly enjoyable machine. It gets all the technic aspects of music-making right – many of them in fine style – but it never loses sight of the fact that music is an entertainment and needs to be perceptible as such.

The soundstage the Zen DAC 3 conjures up is open, properly defined and allows every element of the recording the space it needs in which to express itself. The spaces and silences are given their due prominence, and despite the rigorous nature of the separation here, the entire thing hangs together as a complete and unified whole. If you switch ‘XSpace’ on the big stage becomes bigger still – but it’s at the expense of a little of the previously straight-edged definition.

The tonal balance is just fractionally warmer than neutral, but that’s no bad thing and it doesn’t prevent the iFi both controlling its low frequencies properly and offering a lot of variation where low-end tone and texture are concerned. In fact, this level of detail and insight is available throughout the frequency range – but the Zen DAC 3 never sounds drily analytical. It’s simply attentive to both the broad and the fine details in a recording, and is able to contextualise them confidently.

There’s real positivity about the way the iFi expresses rhythms, and it is more than potent enough to make the big dynamic variations in this recording absolutely obvious. It’s similarly adept with the more nuanced dynamics of harmonic variation, too, and does particularly good work in revealing the character and attitude, as well as the technique, of singers (along with all the other midrange information).

It’s a punchy and rapid listen, attacks the top of the frequency range with proper determination and offers clean frequency response from the top end to the bottom. ‘XBass+’ is probably too much of a good thing, but in virtually every other respect the iFi Zen DAC 3 is an uncomplicated pleasure to listen to.

Sound quality score: 5/5

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Design

A close up of the ports on the iFi Zen DAC 3 — (Image credit: Future)

'Sunlit bronze’ fascia controls
35 x 158 x 115mm (HxWxD)
456g

The vaguely trapezoid shape of many an iFi product is an established design vocabulary now, and at first glance you’d be hard-pushed to tell the Zen DAC 3 from either of the machines that preceded it.

There have been some changes where design is concerned, though - mostly to the fascia that is recessed into the single piece of curved metal that serves as the bulk of the chassis. The physical controls (a small push/push button to switch ‘Power Match’ on or off, a slightly larger equivalent to deal with ‘XBass+’ and a relatively large volume control in the centre) are all in a finish iFi rather flowerily calls ‘sunlit bronze’ – and there’s a strip of material in the same colour running the width of the fascia. It encircles each of those controls and both the 6.3mm unbalanced and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs.

This division allows the fascia of the Zen DAC 3 to be two-tone - below the line it’s the silver/grey colour of the main body, above it’s darker and the surface is slightly hammered in texture.

Around the edge of the volume control there’s a light that changes colour depending on the type and size of digital audio file the iFi is dealing with. If the device is below you (sitting on your desktop, for instance) it’s just about visible – look at the Zen DAC 3 from dead ahead, though, and it disappears.

The desktop is a good spot for the iFi, for many reasons. As far as ‘design’ is concerned, its 35 x 158 x 115mm (HxWxD) dimensions will do nicely – small enough to leave space on the desk for other stuff, big enough to let you know it means business.

Design score: 5/5

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Usability and setup

USB-C input for both power and data
‘XBass+’ and ‘Power Match’ analogue processing modes
Can be used in conjunction with Zen CAN headphone amp

As befits a product with such narrow, focused functionality, the iFi Zen DAC 3 is simplicity itself to set up and use. For once, a ‘quick start’ guide is more than adequate.

The USB-C socket on the rear is how digital audio information gets on board, and it can also power the Zen DAC 3 if the 5V power input isn’t an option in your use case. After that, it’s simply a matter of connecting one of the iFi’s analogue outputs – one of the two headphone sockets on the fascia, or the 4.4mm balanced or unbalanced stereo RCA outputs on the rear. If you’re using one of the rear outputs, you then select ‘variable’ or ‘fixed’ depending on whether you want to use the Zen DAC 3’s volume control or not.

Usability and setup score: 5/5

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Value

A close up of the iFi Zen DAC 3 — (Image credit: Future)

Priced higher than the Zen DAC 2
Great value for money

Safe to say the iFi Zen DAC 3 represents good value in every respect. It’s properly built and finished, it’s specified to do a thorough job, and with the price uppermost in your mind it’s a very capable performer indeed. There are better desktop headphone amp/DACs available, but they’re all more expensive and not by just a little.

Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the iFi Zen DAC 3?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

iFi Zen DAC 3 review: Also consider

How I tested the iFi Zen DAC 3

The iFi Zen DAC 3 on a table — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for a week
With an Apple MacBook Pro and Samsung Galaxy S3
Alongside a variety of headphones and file formats

I used the Zen DAC 3 at my desk for a solid week or so, mostly to deal with digital audio information stored on an Apple MacBook Pro but I also streamed music via a Samsung Galaxy S23.

I used a variety of headphones, which is how I established that iFi isn’t all that keen on inferior models, and a wide variety of music of various file types and sizes, which is how I realised the iFi is a bit sniffy about really compressed content.

First reviewed in May 2024
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I tried the Sonos Roam 2, and the extra button really makes all the difference

10:00 pm | May 27, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Comments: Off

Indeed, alongside the much-anticipated reveal of the Sonos Ace, the audio brand quietly dropped the second-generation Roam. The Sonos Roam 2 sticks with a compact, ultra-portable design that doesn’t take many big swings. Moreover, the price is still $179 / £179 / AU$299.

I’ve had the opportunity to spend a few days with one – and no, that isn’t enough time for a full review yet. So, for now, I’m not going to go deep into the sound quality or battery life, but these are my early first impressions of the Roam 2. Sonos made one big change that really makes a good wireless speaker even better.

Finally, a Bluetooth button

As I alluded to above, Sonos added a button here. You may recall that the first generation Roam only had a single button at the back, which was used for powering up the speaker and swapping to a Bluetooth connection. It was easy to cause fumbles in that you couldn’t just get set up with a simple press right out of the box but rather needed to add it to the broader Sonos wireless ecosystem. Remember, the Roam, and now Roam 2, doubles as a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speaker.

The fix? Sonos added a dedicated Bluetooth button on the back, and folks, it gets the job done. I simply powered on the Roam 2, in this lovely shade of blue named “Wave,” and was off to the races. I then held the Bluetooth button for a second or two and connected to the device from my iPhone. Within seconds, I was able to stream Ghosts by Bruce Springsteen and So American by Olivia Rodrigo. It was as easy as that; the Roam 2 really does the job of being just a Bluetooth speaker much better and more succinctly than its predecessor.

Of course, when it comes time to add the speaker to the Sonos ecosystem, the app – yes, the new one – will guide you through that process. For me, I had to hold the volume up and volume down buttons on the top of the Roam for a few seconds, and then it was added to my Sonos ecosystem.

Aesthetically, the Bluetooth button is the only major change to the Roam 2. There is still a USB-C port on the back, which is still fit for only charging, and the power button. The top is also home to the same four physical buttons as the original: microphone on or off, volume down, play or pause, and volume up. The front grille still features a Sonos logo, but it doesn’t stick out as much since it’s painted to match the color of your speaker.

The Roam 2 can still rock, and the battery is rated at the same 10 hours

The original Roam wasn’t shy about producing vibrant, loud sound, and from listening to a few songs on the Roam 2, it still meets that level. TechRadar actually called the original “the best Bluetooth speaker on the planet,” and while there are more competitors, the Roam 2 is setting itself up for high performance.

While playing Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen, the speaker mimics the wall of sound effect quite nicely, letting you hear the various elements of the mix. “Racing in the Street” sounds powerful, highlighting the piano, Springtseen’s vocals, and the clash of the rest of the band kicking in – saxophone, bass, backing guitars, and drums all at once.

It also handles pop music well, like bad idea right? by Olivia Rodrigo and I Can Do It With a Broken Heart by Taylor Swift. Both vocals come through clearly, regardless of where they fall in the range. The Roam 2 also does an excellent job of producing the rest of the mix with fairly clear separation.

Again, these are not final thoughts, but the Sonos Roam 2 sounds great, and I look forward to testing it in the elements as I journey down to the Jersey Shore. It's IPX67-rated and can handle dirt, sand, and water.

What I haven’t been able to test fully or all that much as of yet is the battery life. Sonos promises it still meets 10 hours of playback, but in the world of Bluetooth speakers, that really isn’t all that long. I’m hopeful that maybe there are some under-the-hood improvements, but at the minimum, I hope it meets the full promise for playback. Again, volume and Bluetooth vs Wi-Fi connection will impact this.

The outlook

From a selection of new shades to keeping with the audio quality we’ve come to expect, the Sonos Roam 2 is making an excellent first impression. I especially like the “Wave” blue option and appreciate that it’s not a hassle to set up if I’m only looking for Bluetooth. I also think that makes it more appealing to folks outside the Sonos ecosystem.

So, while it’s not a redesign, adding more audio hardware, or even a bigger battery, it’s a solid quality of life improvement that may encourage you to get a Roam 2 if you’ve been waiting or might make you give a Sonos speaker a chance.

If you’re already sold, Sonos is already taking orders and shipping the Roam 2 in five shades: Black, White, Olive, Sunset, or Wave.

FiiO FW3 review: good low-cost earbuds… that you shouldn’t use outdoors

6:00 pm |

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

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

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Klipsch The Three Plus review: more than the sum of its parts

1:00 pm |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Speakers | Tags: AAC | Comments: Off

Klipsch The Three Plus: One-minute review

The Klipsch The Three Plus is a slightly awkwardly named wireless speaker with ambition. Despite being the rough size and price of some of the best wireless speakers and looking quite like a wireless speaker too, The Three Plus is, in fact, an all-in-one audio system. An all-in-one system with quite impressive functionality and specification, what’s more.

A selection of wired and wireless connection options means the Klipsch can support quite an array of sources, up to and including a turntable. It’s able to deal with fairly hi-res content without alarms (as long as it’s via an appropriate source). It’s a good-looking, well-made and quite tactile device, and it’s happy to sit more-or-less anywhere that it’s not too boxed in. It’s even got a pretty decent control app.

And in almost every circumstance, it’s an enjoyably upfront and lively listen. Detail levels are fairly high, determination to attack a tune from the bottom up is obvious – but the Klipsch is not blunt or lacking in finesse. Heard through any of its inputs other than the phono stage, it confidently combines attack with dexterity. The phono stage itself, though, is not the most accomplished when it comes to drive or detail retrieval – which means it’s a ‘nice to have’ rather than your go-to input. Anyone after a single-box system to accompany their turntable might have to save up for just a little longer…

Klipsch The Three Plus on a gray table — Q Acoustics' music system know-how, all the way to the floor… (Image credit: Future)

Klipsch The Three Plus: Price and release date

$399 / £379 / AU$529
Announced September 25, 2023

The Klipsch The Three Plus is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it’s priced at £379. In the United States it sells for $399, while in Australia the going rate is AU$529. They were first announced on September 25, 2023.

On one hand, in terms of form and function there’s a lot of stuff here for that money here. On the other hand, the Klipsch is attempting to muscle in on territory already hotly contested by brands as credible as Denon, Panasonic and Ruark (to name just three). There’s only one way to find out if The Three Plus makes any sense or not…

Klipsch the Three Plus on white background, in a kitchen — (Image credit: Future)

Klipsch The Three Plus review: Features

120 watts of power
2 x 57mm full-range drivers, 1 x 133mm subwoofer, 2 x 133mm passive radiators
Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC and AAC codec compatibility

On the outside, The Three Plus might seem to be featureless at first glance. The extraordinarily brief control interface on its top surface, which consists of an ‘input selection’ button and little coloured confirmatory LED light plus a nicely tactile volume control wheel, is pretty much your lot — until you look at the back of the box.

Here’s where your physical inputs live. There’s a digital optical input (good for resolutions of up to 24bit/96kHz), a stereo RCA input that’s switchable between line-level and phono level (so the Klipsch is ready to deal with a turntable if you so desire) and a USB-C input that lets smartphones, thumb-drives, PMPs and what-have-you join your system. The socket can be used for reverse charging, and Klipsch specifically suggests it’s capable of powering a WiiM Mini in order to facilitate network streaming too.

Wireless connectivity, meanwhile, is handled by Bluetooth in 5.3 guise – it’s compatible with SBC and AAC codecs. And the Bluetooth chipset Klipsch has deployed means The Three Plus features ‘Broadcast’ mode – which means the speaker can transmit (as well as receive) Bluetooth information. Transmissions are limited to mono, true, but as many as 10 ‘Broadcast’-enabled speakers can receive and play the signal; the scope for a simple, and extensive, multi-speaker system is obvious. Bear in mind the speaker(s) receiving the signal cannot broadcast it any further, so the range of your system will depend entirely on the primary speaker.

Once your audio information is on board, the digital stuff is pored over by a digital-to-analogue converter that can definitely deal with 24bit/96kHz content – whether or not it needs to downscale this resolution of content is a question Klipsch seems unwilling to answer. The analogue stuff, of course, needs no such attention. Once it’s in the analogue domain, it’s amplified by an all-in total of 120 watts of Class D power before delivery to what Klipsch describes as a 2.1-channel speaker driver array. This consists of a couple of 57mm full-range drivers, bolstered by a 133mm subwoofer that’s supported by a pair of 133mm passive radiators.

Features score: 5/5

Klipsch the Three Plus from above — (Image credit: Future)

Klipsch The Three Plus review: Sound quality

Assertive, upfront and enjoyable sound
Maintains its sonic characteristics in most circumstances
Considers ‘loud’ to be a total virtue

Quite a lot of this review is spent discussing how usefully compact and elegant a device the Klipsch The Three Plus is. But now the talk turns to sound quality – and it’s safe to say there’s nothing compact or especially elegant about the way it sounds. This is a big, bold-sounding device, and while it’s not lacking the poise that might make the description ‘inelegant’ seem appropriate, I get the strong impression that decorum is not uppermost in its mind.

With one notable exception, The Three Plus maintains its attitude across any of its inputs. No matter if you’re streaming a FLAC of John Cale’s Fear is a Man’s Best Friend via Tidal, listening to a 24bit/96kHz file of Weyes Blood’s And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow via the USB-C input or a CD of Double Drums by Peace Orchestra, the Klipsch is consistent. It came to get down, and it wants to take you with it.

The easiest way to create an impression of sonic ‘excitement’ is via the lower frequencies, of course, and the Klipsch is far from shy here. Bass presence is considerable – but it’s properly controlled and carries a lot of information regarding the details of tone and texture, so The Three Plus stops short of being a blunt instrument. If it’s frankly unlikely punch you want from your unassuming little tabletop device, though, you came to the right place. The Klipsch absolutely motors through low-frequency stuff, keeping momentum levels high and rhythms on the front foot.

The midrange just about manages to keep its head above water, though, and here just as elsewhere The Three Plus extracts a very worthwhile amount of detail. It’s able to grant vocalists the emotional weight and character they require, and it’s actually quite communicative. The presentation is spacious enough to allow the midrange to operate without too much hassle from the bottom end and, while there’s a fairly obvious point-source of sound, the Klipsch never sounds crowded.

Integration through the frequency range is good, and at the top end there’s just about enough bite and shine to balance out the enthusiasm of the bottom end. Tonality is on the warm side of neutral, but not fatally so – and despite the number of drivers and radiators at work here, there’s very agreeable togetherness and singularity about the way The Three Plus presents even quite complex recordings.

The Klipsch is one of those devices that sounds quite loud even when it’s playing quite quietly – its upfront attitude and generally assertive nature are always apparent. But there’s still a fair amount of dynamic headroom available, even if it doesn’t so much go from ‘quiet’ to ‘loud’ but rather from ‘loud’ to ‘louder still’. Even at quite oppressive volume, though, it’s quite composed and doesn’t sound stressed.

The one outlier here is the phono stage. A vinyl alternative of Fear is a Man’s Best Friend lacks a fair bit of the streamed version’s drive and attack – it’s strangely matter-of-fact and lacking both dynamism and insight by comparison. It’s by no means a disaster, the phono stage here. But it doesn’t take all that much of a listen to establish that it’s the input through which The Three Plus sounds least confident and least engaging.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Klipsch the Three Plus closeup — (Image credit: Future)

Klipsch The Three Plus review: Design

178 x 355 x 213mm (HxWxD)
Walnut or matte black real wood veneer finishes
4.8kg

Obviously you’ll make your own mind up about the way The Three Plus looks – but for my money, the combination of a surface that’s covered in a real wood veneer (matte black as well as the walnut of my review sample is available), acoustic cloth tightly wrapped around all four sides, and a little metal strip housing the product’s few physical controls is very nice indeed. The Klipsch, I reckon, looks and feels like a premium item.

At 178 x 355 x 213mm (HxWxD) it’s nicely proportioned, and can be as discreet just as readily as it can be a feature of your decor. Despite the way its drivers and passive radiators are arranged, it’s relaxed about positioning (up to a point – it won’t thank you for being slotted into a space where it’s boxed in on all sides). And the standard of build and finish is certainly up to the sort of level the asking price demands.

Obviously, if you want to exploit its wider connectivity rather than just use it as a Bluetooth speaker, you’ll need to give it a bit of room – all its physical connections are at the rear, after all. Other than these practical considerations, though, the design of the Klipsch is as accommodating and as gratifying as can be.

Design score: 5/5

Klipsch triptych of the app screen grabs — (Image credit: Klipsch)

Klipsch The Three Plus: Usability and setup

Klipsch ‘Connect’ control app
A (very) few physical controls
Self-contained simplicity

It’s difficult to know how the Klipsch The Three Plus could be any friendlier or more straightforward. As long as you take a moment’s care when positioning it (make sure surfaces to the left and right aren’t too close), it’s an absolute piece of cake to live with.

You can control volume using the wheel on the top of the cabinet, and you can cycle through your input options here too. Otherwise, it’s all about the Klipsch ‘Connect’ control app that’s free for iOS and Android. The app is clean and logical, reasonably responsive and useful – here’s where you can check for updates, control playback, select input, fiddle with a three-band EQ (and its five presets) and deploy ‘night mode’ (in order to squash dynamic range and subdue low-frequency response).

Usability and setup score: 5/5

Klipsch The Three Plus: Value

Obviously there are the few little issues with ultimate sound quality, but taken on the whole it’s difficult to argue with the value that’s on offer here. Consider the quality of build and finish of The Three Plus, its decorative nature, its extended functionality and its generally very agreeable sound – and then consider how much Klipsch is asking.

Value score: 4.5/5

Klipsch The Three Plus review: Should you buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Klipsch The Three Plus review: Also consider

Klipsch The Three Plus review: How I tested

Tested every available input
Played all sorts of music and different file types
Tried it out in a range of locations

I tested the Klipsch The Three Plus over the course of a working week, and listened to it pretty much all day every day. I positioned it on an equipment rack, on a bookshelf and on a chest of drawers. I used each of its physical inputs at some point (to listen to a turntable, a CD player and a portable music player) as well as connecting a smartphone and the same portable music player via Bluetooth. I played all sorts of music, and in terms of digital audio I listened to many different types and sizes of file. I listened to it at big volumes, and as quietly as it is prepared to go (which is not, as I mentioned, perhaps as quiet as it might be).

First reviewed May 2024
Read more about how we test

JBL Xtreme 4 review: an outdoorsy, bold-sounding Bluetooth speaker that even harnesses AI

12:00 pm | May 24, 2024

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Tags: AI, Australia, EQ, US | Comments: Off

JBL Xtreme 4: Two-minute review

“Unleash powerful sound everywhere” is the tagline of JBL’s Xtreme 4 Bluetooth speaker, but does it live up to the hype? The short answer is, well… yes. The Xtreme 4 paints a dynamic aural picture in a bid to feature among the best Bluetooth speakers to have graced our testing process, with well-defined high frequencies, full-bodied mids and a pumping bass. It’s worth flagging, though, that its true power isn’t let loose straight out of the box, especially at low frequencies, although that’s nothing the JBL Portable app can’t solve through its customizable EQ settings. In addition, the Xtreme 4 can serve up a very good sonic experience at loud volumes without being hampered by distortion.

It doesn’t drastically depart from the JBL Xtreme 3, but the newest model in the product line brings some cool new features to set itself apart. These include AI Sound Boost, which predicts speaker movement and response to deliver “better and more powerful” sound, and Auracast Bluetooth technology. However, the Xtreme 4’s biggest upgrade is to its battery life, with a base playtime of 24 hours, extendable by a further six thanks to the addition of Playtime Boost.

The Xtreme 4 also has the IP67 rating, proving it is both waterproof and dustproof. This makes it a solid, great-sounding and dependable pick as one of the best waterproof speakers if you're heading to a pool party or beach (you lucky thing, you).

So far, you’re probably thinking that this can’t get too much better, but there’s a ‘but’. The main thing holding the Xtreme 4 back is its high price point, which stands at $379.95 / £329.99 / AU$499.95 (note that it is only available in the UK at the time of writing). There are a handful of similarly-sized alternative speakers which offer great audio quality and smart design at a more reasonable cost, meaning the Xtreme 4 isn’t likely to win any ‘Best Value’ prizes.

Despite its protection against the elements and practical design features, the Xtreme 4 isn’t the prettiest Bluetooth speaker either (at least in my view), with similarly-priced competitors (such as the Ultimate Ears Epicboom) pulling off a similar look and sound quality, but with a bit more class. That’s not to say that it’s abhorrent though, in fact, you may even be a fan of its rugged and outdoorsy look – something you can double down on with the Black Camo color option.

If you’re a loyal JBL fan, the Xtreme 4 is well worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for a larger speaker that's a true all-rounder. However, if you already have the Xtreme 3, you’re open to buying from other brands or you're on a tight budget, you may want to consider better value competitors – or wait for a sale.

JBL Xtreme 4's passive bass radiator closeup, on pink background — (Image credit: Future)

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Price and release date

Released on March 14, 2024 (UK), date TBC for US and Australia
Price: $379.95 / £329.99 / AU$499.95

The JBL Xtreme 4 launched in March 2024 in the UK, so it's perhaps a little odd that launch date is yet to be revealed for the US and Australia.

Though it may not command the eye-watering prices you’d expect to see from a top-drawer brand (think Bang & Olufsen), the Xtreme 4 is still quite the investment. So, if you’re on a tighter budget, there may be better choices for you.

For ultimate portability you could opt for the slightly smaller but still brilliant JBL Charge 5, priced at $179.95 / £169.99 / AU$199.95, or for more of a party-ready speaker you could nab the eye-catching Tribit Stormbox Blast for $199.99 / £162 (about AU$300).

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Specs

JBL Xtreme 4's strap closeup, on pink background — The strap is fine, but a handle might be helpful (Image credit: Future)

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Features

Top notch battery life of up to 30 hours
AI-enabled sound refinement
Auracast Bluetooth technology

It will probably come as little surpriise to learn that the JBL Xtreme 4 isn’t a huge overhaul of the Xtreme 3. Neither of the speakers are too far apart in terms of weight or size, and both are IP67 rated, have a built-in power bank, as well as Bass Radiators.

However, the Xtreme 4 brings some new features to the party to set itself apart, such as AI Sound Boost. This essentially utilizes an AI algorithm to predict speaker movement and response in real-time, helping the Xtreme 4 to deliver “better and more powerful” sound, and reduce distortion at loud volumes. No, it's not going to predict your music tastes or answer calls, but it will help the sonic chops.

A second new addition is that of Auracast, a Bluetooth technology ensuring that there is no limit on the amount of JBL devices (which also have Auracast) that you can connect at once. This is a neat feature if you want to play music in multiple rooms at a party, using the newest standard. You can also rest assured that JBL speakers without Auracast, such as the Xtreme 3, will still be able to pair with the Xtreme 4, thanks to the PartyBoost feature on the JBL Portable app.

Without doubt the biggest (and best) difference between the Xtreme 4 and its predecessor is the far superior battery life. JBL says that the new model has a base battery life of 24 hours, nine hours longer than its older sibling, which is more than enough for most listeners. When I left the Xtreme 4 playing music at 30% volume for 2 hours, it only lost 5%, so there’s no need to doubt JBL’s claim. The speaker can also be fully recharged in just 3.5 hours.

If you need to squeeze a bit more out of the Xtreme 4, the JBL Portable app has a valuable feature called Playtime Boost. This can be activated to grant up to six hours of additional playtime, and ramps up the volume of the speaker to consume less battery. One downside to Playtime Boost, however, is that when active, EQ settings are disabled, meaning you’ll miss out on unleashing the potential of the Xtreme 4’s bass – more on this later. Overall, Playtime Boost makes for a strong addition though, and you won’t find too many Bluetooth speakers of the Xtreme 4’s quality with such long battery life.

On the topic of playtime, you can go one step further to keep the party going thanks to the Xtreme 4’s replaceable battery – yes, really. You can unscrew the base of the speaker to swap in a new, rechargeable battery with ease, though it should be noted that additional batteries must be purchased separately. Charging-wise, the Xtreme 4 opts for a minimalist approach with a single USB-C port only, as opposed to the Xtreme 3's inclusion of a USB-A output port as well. The Xtreme 4’s USB-C port can be used to charge the speaker itself or to give external devices some extra juice.

If you’re satisfied with the Xtreme 3’s battery life, I’d argue that the other new additions don’t set the Xtreme 4 apart too much. It's also important to note that since the summer of 2023, it has been possible to buy upgraded versions of the JBL Charge 5 and Boombox 3 with Wi-Fi (and Atmos for the Boombox), while the Xtreme 4 really is 'just' a Bluetooth speaker. That said, when I compared the Xtreme 4 against the lower-cost Anker Soundcore Boom 2, I certainly felt that JBL’s speaker had more depth and verve sonically, particularly due to the presence of that AI Sound Boost.

Features score: 4.5/5

JBL Xtreme 4 closeup of the control panel on pink background — (Image credit: Future)

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Sound quality

Serves up well-rounded sonic experience
Audio elements are distinct with highs sounding particularly sweet
Bass disappointing out of the box, but booms with EQ adjustment

The initial feeling I got when firing up the JBL Xtreme 4 and throwing on Moloko’s I Want You, was one of disappointment – more specifically a disappointment with its deep bass output. For a portable Bluetooth speaker, which you’d expect to get its fair share of use during occasions with plenty of background noise, a powerful bass is fundamental for a great listening experience. For a model costing in excess of $370, and claiming to pump out “next level massive” sound, I expected a higher level of impact from the Xtreme 4 (not least due to its explosive name).

Luckily, my disappointment was quickly quashed by the JBL Portable app’s EQ settings, which made a world of difference. When I switched to a custom setup, in which the lowest frequencies were considerably dialled up, the Xtreme 4 showed what it was made of – and its bouncing Bass Radiators were well and truly put to work. The pumping bass in I Want You now hit the depths that I’d been thirsting for, so you will want to steer clear of the default ‘JBL Signature’ EQ preset if you’re looking to get the best out of bass-heavy bangers.

Even when compared it to the Soundcore Boom 2 (which although cheaper, has an identity forged around its powerful low-end output), Black Eye by Allie X’s deep bass-laden opening sounded far more energetic and controlled on the Xtreme 4. The Xtreme 4 was very competent at bridging deep bass to the mid-range and maintaining clarity with more demanding audio profiles.

Aside from bass, the Xtreme 4 is very competent when delivering a strong audio performance across the frequencies, and boasts an improved response compared to its predecessor at 44 Hz – 20 kHz (53.5 Hz – 20 kHz for the Xtreme 3). Despite it not going beyond the realms of human hearing through the treble, I would argue that this speaker’s ability to produce crisp highs may be its strongest asset, with Rains again by Solji making for a particularly enjoyable listen straight out of the box. The Xtreme 4 beautifully delivered the track’s delicate vocals, and the sound of rain pouring throughout the song’s opening maintained a natural, soothing tone.

The Xtreme 4 delivers its sweet highs, punchy bass, and textured mid-tones dynamically and clearly, even at high volumes. When listening to Young Blood by The Naked and Famous, guitars in the upper bass range sounded distinct and layered; separated from bass riffs in a cohesive mix. JBL’s “next level” claim may still be a slight exaggeration – after all, the Xtreme 4 doesn’t do anything particularly game-changing – however, it certainly gives room for listeners to taste the distinct flavors of each audible component that might get lost in a hard-to-digest mix through lesser speakers. Sure, the chef may need a bit of guidance, but with the right adjustments, you can bet that a well-balanced plate of sound will arrive at your table.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

JBL Xtreme 4 on pink background, with a closeup on the USB-C charging port — JBL Xtreme 4 will charge your device, so you won't have to take a break from the music (Image credit: Future)

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Design

Not the most elegant, but well-suited to outdoor environments
IP67 rating makes it perfect for the beach
Convenient shoulder strap but no handle for carrying short distances

Is there such thing as love at first sight? I’m not sure, and I don’t think the JBL Xtreme 4 is going to help me find out. Look, it’s not doing anything strikingly different from the Xtreme 3 appearance-wise, but I’m not sure I can get behind the semi-cylindrical, outdoorsy vibe, especially in the Black Camo coloration (the Xtreme 4 is also available in Blue, the version I tested, or Black). Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if you’ve liked the aesthetic of JBL’s previous efforts, you’ll almost certainly be a fan of this.

One thing I did like visually was the speaker’s passive external bass radiators (as seen in the predecessor and several JBL cylindrical models), which pulse with pounding impact when the volume is cranked up high, immersing you deeper into the listening experience. Another neat design choice is that the Xtreme 4 is made, in part, using recycled materials. For instance, the speaker’s grille incorporates ‘post-consumer’ recycled plastic and fabric.

Personal tastes aside, there’s no denying that the Xtreme 4 is designed with utility and longevity in mind. It has medium-large sized buttons, all of which play their part in facilitating a swift setup. The speaker is also pretty bulky, weighing in at 4.63 lbs / 2.1kg. Additionally, it has rubber strips at the base which provide a steady foundation. If that wasn’t enough, the Xtreme 4 is IP67 certified, meaning that it’s both waterproof and dustproof, standing it in good stead for use at a beach event, pool party, or similar outdoor gathering. When I placed the Xtreme 4 in a full sink, it conveniently floated on its side, and played music without any quality reduction after taking a minute-long dive underwater.

Another practical feature is the detachable strap included for taking the Xtreme 4 out and about, tote bag style. I was a fan of the strap’s shoulder padding, which made it comfortable to transport around. It’s also adjustable if you want to wear it across your body. However, I couldn’t help but wish there was more of a ‘handle’ option here for when I just wanted to move it a short distance, especially as the speaker is too large to hold in one hand without the strap attached.

Closeup of JBL Xtreme 4's replaceable battery pack — Believe it or not, JBL will let you replace the Xtreme 4's battery in a kind nod to sustainability (sold separately) (Image credit: Future)

Design score: 3.5/5

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Value

Delivers a great user experience with top features and sound quality
But speaker’s main sticking point is its steep price
Competitors can offer brilliant quality at a far lower cost

Sure, the JBL Xtreme 4 delivers controlled bass, clear mids, and delicate highs, it also boasts a long battery life and some cool new features, but there’s one sticking point: you guessed it, the price.

You certainly get an enjoyable listening experience out of the Xtreme 4, but there are a number of cheaper, yet still high-quality alternatives out there. The Tribit Stormbox Blast, for instance, offers textured sound with booming bass for just $199 / £162 (around AU$300), 30 hour battery life, and customizable EQ settings.

Additionally, the JBL Xtreme 3, is just £199.99 / AU$399.95 (but typically seeming to be priced much higher in the US at $379.95) as well, despite the pair having a myriad of similarities. So, if you’re into the JBL brand, but don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars on a new speaker, the Xtreme 3 could be a better option.

At the time of writing, it just feels as if the Xtreme 4, despite its qualities, isn’t exactly the best value option on the market.

Value score: 3/5

Should you buy the JBL Xtreme 4?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

JBL Xtreme 4 review: Also consider

JBL Xtreme 4 review: How I tested

I put the speaker through its paces over a two-week-long period
Mostly used in our music testing room in the TechRadar office
I listened to a wide variety of music genres during each listening session

Using TechRadar’s intense and methodical testing procedure, I spent hours listening to music on the JBL Xtreme 4, trying its various EQ settings and determining its ease of operation.

I used Spotify on my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Tidal on the Fiio M11S hi-res music player, to stream tracks from our curated (and regularly updated) TechRadar reference playlist. This included songs with pumping deep bass, delicate vocals, and complex mixes, enabling me to test a speaker’s full range and dynamic nuance across the frequencies. I also used the Anker Soundcore Boom 2 as a point of comparison, when appropriate.

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

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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

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