Edifier NBQ TWS Wireless Stereo Earbuds Review
Since Apple AirPods came out, earbud brands have followed suit with Bluetooth earbud technology as a solution to the nuisance wires that hang around our neck and get in the way of musical enjoyment. An influx of true wireless earbuds came onto the market and today I will be reviewing the Edifier NBQ TWS Wireless Stereo Earbuds Review wireless stereo earbuds which boast active noise cancelling technology and an ‘Ambient Sound’ mode for easy listening.
Read on for an extensive review.
Review
| Overall rating |  |
| Ease of use | |
| Fits the purpose | |
| Style and comfort | |
| Controls and functionality | |
| Value for money |  |
| Audio and call quality | |
| Battery life and charging capability | |
What am I reviewing?
I am reviewing the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds.
A little about Edifier
Edifier specialises in the design and manufacture of premium audio solutions that showcase technological innovation and design excellence. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Beijing, China, Edifier delivers an outstanding stereo sound experience through a wide range of audio systems for personal entertainment and professional use. Renowned for its award-winning design philosophy, expertise and innovation in acoustic wireless stereo technology, and superior manufacturing standards, Edifier is one of today’s leading innovators of audio electronics.
More information about Edifier is available online at www.edifier.com
What are Edifier TWS NWQ earbuds?
Edifier TWS NBQ earphones are surround sound earbuds without wires which introduces active noise cancellation and ambient sound mode, as well as IPX4 rating in a stylish design and range of colours.
Edifier® International brought out TWS NBQ earbuds that focus on fashion while still delivering excellent sound audio quality. The new TWS NBQ earbuds’ Active Noice Cancelling Technology blocks low to medium external environmental noise frequencies for optimal listening experience.
You can also activate Quick Ambient Mode by tapping the earbud, enabling you to hear external noise when appropriate, i.e. during flight announcements, traffic noise or checking in with your baby.
The Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds allow you to make crystal clear calls with the dual microphone noise cancellation, enhancing the user’s voice. You can answer phone calls by using the on-ear controls (you can find these functional operations in the image below).
The TWS true wireless stereo speaker NBQ earbuds also features single address pairing and role-swapping, where the earbuds can be used together or separately, and the left and/or right earbud can be used for mono or stereo connection.
On-ear tap controls allow you to play/pause music and answer phone calls easily.
Each earbud has touch controls that allow you to switch between gaming, music audio profiles and ambient mode to further enhance your listening experience. You can also play, pause, accept or suspend a phone call and skip music tracks by tapping the earbud.
What are TWS wireless earphones?
What are true wireless earbuds, though, I hear you ask? True Wireless or TWS headphones are the latest in audio true wireless technology so when you wear them you have complete freedom to move about as there are no wires attached. Truly wireless earbuds are currently the best-selling headphones in the market.
What’s the difference between wireless and true wireless earbuds?
Wireless headphones still have Bluetooth connectivity and wires but these wires connect your earbuds together around your neck and not to your phone. This is great for working out as the magnetised earbuds can connect together to form a ‘necklace’.
True wireless stereo Bluetooth speakers in earbuds are not restricted to connecting wires around your neck and between the earbuds. You don’t have to keep the earbuds close together either. As long as you have Bluetooth, you can have complete freedom to move around these stereo Bluetooth wireless earbuds with truly wireless technology.
How much is the Edifier TWS earbuds and where can you buy it?
The Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds are available for £59.99 on the Edifier Mall website – https://mall.edifier.com/tws-nb-q-true-wireless-bluetooth-stereo-earbuds.html
How long will it take for the Edifier NBQ TWS earbuds to be delivered?
Shipping times vary depending on availability, but you should receive your Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds between one to three business days after confirmation of payment.
Edifier size and specs
Edifier TWS NBQ earphones come in a range of colours; Hazy blue, Sakura pink and Snowy White, and its sound quality is achieved through the 10mm composite diaphragm driver unit, which delivers a balanced, high-resolution sound and punchy bass. The Bluetooth v5.0 provides a reliable and clear connection and offers an easy switch between music, gaming and speaking.
The TWS NBQ earbuds also carry a IP54 rating housing for dust and water resistance.
You can further personalise your settings by connecting to the Edifier Connect App for iPhone or Android.
The TWS NBQ features up to 32 hours of playback time; seven hours with Active Noise Cancellation Technology (ANC) switched on, and nine hours when ANC is switched off. The compact wireless charging case offers up to 23 hours of charging before it needs to be connected to a mains point.
Main Features
- Active Noise Cancelling ANC True Wireless Stereo connected Earphones
- Ambient Sound Mode / Gaming Mode
- Dual Mic with Noise Cancellation Technology
- Long hour Playback up to 32 Hours Total
- IP54 Dust and Water Resistance
- Primary-Secondary Easy switch
Specifications
- Sensitivity 94±3dB
- Driver size 10mm
- Frequency response 20 – 20KHz
- Wireless connection Bluetooth v5.0
- Charging time 120 min
- Connections Type – c
Buy the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds for £59.99 here!
What is included with Edifier?
You get a case with the Edifier earbuds x 2, a storage bag with a USB-C connection charging cable and different size earbuds (3 pairs) in a box, along with a manual.
First impressions of Edifier?
My first impressions were that this was a snazzy piece of kit. I love the clamshell type case that fits snugly into the foamed box and how the rest of the accessories are tucked away neatly in the box above the case. The box is small enough to fit into your handbag but if you don’t want to carry everything around, the case is tiny and won’t take up any space at all.
When opening up the case I liked the look of the earbuds. Not quite as slick as AirPods but a suitable affordable alternative with a neat Edifier design. If you are worried people will think you’re cheap, you don’t notice the logo design from afar.
Was the Edifier earbuds easy to put together?
You really don’t need to do anything. You press and hold the ‘R’ button on the case and wait for your device to discover the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds and you’re good to go!
How the Edifier TWS true wireless stereo earphones control buttons work
The earbuds power on when the case is opened (the green light is steady lit once) and then power off when the case is closed.
How do you pair the earbuds to your phone or any other devices?
To pair, place the earbuds in the case and press and hold the ‘R’ button for around three seconds to enter true wireless stereo pairing and Bluetooth pairing.
Search for and connect to ‘EDIFIER TWS NBQ’. The white and green light flashes rapidly. After pairing is successful the green light will flash slowly.
The L button is only there for decorative purposes so you should only use the R button for functional operations.
To interconnect or clear pairing you place the earbuds in the case and double click the ‘R’ button. The white light will flash rapidly to clear pairing records and enter TWS pairing mode of the left and right earbuds. When successful white and green lights will flash rapidly.
Functional operations
See the image below for how to operate the earbuds
Are the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds comfortable?
When I first put them on they felt quite snug in my ears. I did have to reposition them around a bit and found they work best when angled towards you rather than down (which is what I was trying to replicate like the AirPods). Then they pretty much stay in place and you don’t have to move them around again.
What is the sound like?
I was pleasantly surprised with the crystal clear sound coming from these earbuds. I wasn’t expecting it at £59.99 but you get a healthy balance of bass and treble and you could hear each instrument in a song clearly. I love that the bass comes through so you can really bop your head to the music as if you’re the only one in the room. I couldn’t hear any background noise which worried me slightly as I always have an ear on my kids. But, if you’re at the gym or running and need to drown out the noise, you will not be disappointed by how well these earbuds do that.
What are the pros of using Edifier wireless stereo earbuds?
They are cheap at £59.99 and the sound quality is excellent. The functions are very easy to use and I love that you only need to tap the earbuds to change functions rather than having to press actual buttons or play around on your phone. These earbuds would work perfectly when your attention is on working out, running or doing other chores in the house. Stick them on, leave the phone in your pocket or bag and get on with it.
What are the cons of using Edifier wireless stereo headphones?
I had some issues with triple tapping the earbuds to change the song as I wasn’t fast enough and would often pause the music (which you need to double-tap). That does take some getting used to, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll know where and how to tap.
You don’t get much distance when you’re moving around the house. I often play an Audible book on my Alexa Show (which is in the kitchen) while I’m cleaning the house but if you step outside the kitchen and into another room the sound becomes patchy. You would be better off playing the book on your phone and keeping it on you while you’re moving around the house.
I also found these earbuds would slip off when I was lying down or moving around at speed. This worries me because I don’t want to drop and lose one of my earbuds when I’m running. I haven’t tried the other earpieces yet so I will see if the size makes a difference.
What would Edifier be useful for?
Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds are great for putting on some background music, taking calls and listening to stories when you’ve got your hands full with kids or completing tasks with your hands. They help you get through mundane tasks with some background entertainment and it’s easy to answer calls so you can free your hands for kids or workout equipment, like buggy running (watch this space for a great postnatal fitness series coming soon!)
Is Edifier worth the money?
At £59.99 these earbuds are a steal! You get fantastic sound quality, easy-to-use functions and a stylish design with a range of colours. Well worth the price.
Buy the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds for £59.99 here!
Why can’t TWS earbuds come with a longer battery life?
The earbud batteries are small because they fit inside the wireless units. So they can only take a certain amount of wattage to produce enough sound for the earphones to function well. But having said that, you get 7+18 hours of playback time with noise-cancellation mode and 9+23 hours of continuous playback time on Bluetooth mode, which is pretty great in my opinion. And don’t forget you can place the earbuds in the case and they’ll charge automatically in the case too!
What is my overall opinion of Edifier? Overall rating
At £59.99 the Edifier TWS NBQ gives you everything you need when listening to music and drowning out external distractions. You get a decent amount of playtime before you charge and they look stylish enough to enjoy outside of the house. I really like the design, and the pink colour is pleasant. I love the functions which are easy to use once you get the hang of them. So much easier to tap your earbuds than play with buttons or functions on your phone. So that’s a big plus for me.
The app isn’t great. You don’t get much regarding functionality – it basically tells you how much battery is left and that your device is on. You can’t customise sound or use voice assistance which would be a handy add-on in the next update.
Overall, the level of performance and battery time far outweigh the cons and if you’re looking for a sub-£100 TWS earbud product, I wouldn’t look any further than the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds. They give you better sound and battery life than the AirPods Pro!
Ease of use
These earbuds are very easy to use. You just open the case and the earbuds will automatically connect to the last bluetooth device pair. I love that the earbuds charge back up when popped back into the case, so you don’t have to always plug into the mains.
You do need to angle the earbuds towards you for a good fit and you will need to get the hang of triple tapping and double tapping, but other than that you’re good to go!
Fits the purpose
These are great for wearing around the house while completing other chores or out exercising. The only issue is the fear you’ll drop one of the earbuds, but you’re given other earpiece size options, so make sure you pick the right one for you.
Style and comfort
I really liked the pink earbuds – I thought they were rather cute. However, like AirPods the wireless part doesn’t hang down but rather faces out, so not sure they looked all that great when they were on me.
Comfort-wise I found them comfortable to wear, but I would be worried about running or exercising for fear they would fall off.
The Edifier TWS NBQ claims to be scratch resistant and the casing comes with IP54 rating for dust and water protection. So this means it can henalde sweat and minor splashing which is great when you’re really hitting it hard at the gym.
The case is like a clamshell casing which I found to be very handy as it’s small enough to fit inside the tiniest of bags. I have kept mine in the handy box which houses the casing perfectly – plus it offers extra protection from little hands (my daughter likes to destroy everything she touches). The buds fall into their pockets quite easily in the magnetic casing but you can hear them rattling around which makes me wonder whether the magnets are as strong as I initially thought.
The LED light inside the case makes it really easy to know when the earbuds are pairing or trying to pair. It also turns green when the buds are on, which I really liked. No real guessing required when you don’t have time to work out what’s going on with them.
The logo on the front will giveaway that these earbuds are not AirPods though, but who cares! If they get the job done, right?
Controls and functionality
I was very impressed with the snazzy controls; you just need to tap the earbuds to change function. Some of the taps are tricky but you’ll get used to it. I still prefer doing it this way than to press actual buttons or use other devices to control the earbuds.
Value for money
At £59.99 you’re getting high quality audio and great functions, with great battery time. It’s a steal!
Audio and call quality
You can hear the bass, the treble, the instruments in the song and you can drown out external noise which means you feel like you’re the only one in the room. The call quality is excellent; the speaker on the other end is crystal clear with no static of patchiness. I found the audio and call quality to be excellent.
Battery life and charging capability – rating
| Overall rating | |
| Ease of use | |
| Fits the purpose | |
| Style and comfort | |
| Controls and functionality | |
| Value for money | |
| Audio and call quality | |
| Battery life and charging capability | |
Buy the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds for £59.99 here!
*Motherhood Diaries was gifted the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds for the review, but all thoughts are 100% our own
*The price of the Edifier TWS NBQ earbuds is correct at 19 May 2021 – The price may vary after this date
