Edifier TWS1 review: Big battery, but how's the sound?

TWS true wireless earphones - under $50

Edifier TWS1 review sound quality.jpg

FOUR STARS - The Edifier TWS1 has a strong proposition among so many true wireless earphones under 50 dollars: it offers up to 8 hours of battery life on a single charge and AptX codec. How's the sound?

Specs of the Edifier TWS1:

  • Bluetooth 5.0 with AptX codec

  • IPX5 waterproof (sweat and rain resistant)

  • 8 hours listening on a full charge

  • Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times

  • Comes with 3 sizes ear tips and micro-USB cable

  • $35 on AliExpress/ Amazon US/ Amazon Europe/ UK - check current price!

Below this review you will find comparisons between the Edifier TWS1 vs Edifier TWS5, QCY QS2, Mpow T5/ M5 and Wavefun X-Pods 3/ Ytom T1.


Design, charging and comfort

The Edifier TWS1 comes in a compact charging case in shiny black plastic, not very scratch-resistant. It looks cheap - but hey - the Edifier TWS1 is cheap. When inserting the earbuds, a red light on the front indicates the earpieces being charged. The case can recharge the earpieces fully four times. There are no indication lights of the battery of the case.

Each charge will provide the earpieces 8 hours of battery life - which is an outstanding score in this budget price class under 50 dollars.

What's more important is that the earpieces aren't too big because of the battery. The insides have a small bean-like shape and will fit most ears nicely. The relatively square rubber ear tips aren't the most comfortable, but they do ensure a tight fit. The Edifier TWS1 is unlikely to fall out of your ears.


Connectivity and controls

The Edifier TWS1 has touch-controls, which are a bit hard to operate. Both earpieces have the same controls: tap once to play/pause, tap twice to skip, and tap thrice to return a song.

It's not possible to change the volume on the earpieces or activate your voice assistant. A shame, since the long-touch functionality has not been used.

Connectivity on the Edifier TWS1 has a flaw. Multiple times, the left or the right bud didn't connect when putting them in my ears. The good thing is, the earpieces can play independently from each other, so one earbud does start playing - but still, this is a bit weird. Putting the faulty earpiece in the charging case and taking it out again is the solution. A bit inconvenient. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection further holds steady up to ten meters and also in areas crowded with wireless signals.


Calling and watching movies

Edifier TWS1 handles audio-video synchronization quite well. That goes for Android smartphones supporting Bluetooth 5.0, but also for the iPhone, on video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. There is a lag in audio on videos in the YouTube-app on iPhone, but it isn't as bad as many other wireless earphones. While gaming, there is still some noticeable delay in the sound.

It handles phone calls well too. You may sound distant to the one you're calling with, but at least, noises from your surroundings are kept to a minimum. It's perfectly doable to have a phone call with this pair - that is, if you're not in the middle of a strong wind.



Sound quality of Edifier TWS1

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Do you recall the affordable mini-hifi-towers sold in the nineties? With a cassette deck and FM-tuner in the middle and attached speakers on the sides? Ones that were tuned for music from the 60ies, 70ies, and 80ies, and thus not yet tuned to accommodate high levels of bass? The kind of stereo's that worked great in the kitchen or a smaller living room? The Edifier TWS1 somehow is the wireless earphones adaption of those.

The best way to describe the sound signature of the TWS1, is friendly. The highs are kept in tone, the bass never tires you by pumping too hard. It delivers a balanced, if somewhat cold sound, which is ideal for everyday and background listening.

On the lower frequencies lies sub-bass that gives a subtle rumble. The main bass delivers a peaceful thump, which doesn't strike as hard as competitors such as the QCY QS2 or the Wavefun X-Pods 3. The bass is always present, yet this isn't a bass-heavy pair of earbuds.

Stereo imagining on the Edifier TWS1 is decent, with instruments and musical details coming from left and right of you. It has a slight bump in the mids, making female vocals, violins, and cymbals stand out a bit from the other tones. What's most noticeable is that the tonality of the TWS1 is a bit colder than most competitors - music doesn't sound very warm.

The Edifier TWS1 is a typical Edifier product, all in all. It doesn't produce an overly engaging, warm, or bass-heavy sound. Instead, it offers a balanced, if somewhat cold sound, that works especially great for background listening.


Edifier TWS1 alternatives


Edifier TWS1 vs Edifier X3

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Added June 16, 2020 - In the summer of 2020, Edifier released the X3 which is even cheaper, at $20 to $25. It has a slightly spectacular but still impressive battery life of 6 hours, and also carries AptX codec. Call quality is good on this model as well, and the X3 beats the TWS1 with a more compact charging case, better video playback on iPhone, better connectivity and tighter controls. Soundwise, the X3 has more emphasis on upper-mid tones and vocals, giving the X3 an airier sound. It's a fantastic product at an insane price.


Edifier TWS1 vs QCY QS2

The QCY QS2 has slightly more impact in the bass-area, with deeper diving sub-bass and bigger bass-slam. It has better instrument separation than the Edifier, but the TWS1 has more emphasis on upper-mids, which makes vocals stand out more. The Edifier wins on practical levels. Comfort and battery life are better.

Full QCY QS2 review


Edifier TWS1 vs Wavefun X-Pods 3

The Wavefun X-Pods 3 or Ytom T1 is another robust budget offering among true wireless earphones. Its bass is noticeable more massive: it can pump hard and even sound a bit boomy. The Edifier TWS1 delivers a more balanced sound if a bit colder in tonality. Comfort on both is excellent; battery life on the TWS1 a bit better.

Full Wavefun X-Pods 3/ Ytom T1 review


Edifier TWS1 vs Mpow T5/ M5

For a little more money than the Edifier TWS5, the excellent Mpow T5/M5 gives you a more powerful sound, with a fatter bass, more detail in the lower-mids, and more engaging vocals. It has more space in the music as well, with better instrument separation and placement. The tradeoff is battery life.

Full Mpow T5/ M5 review


Edifier TWS1 vs Edifier TWS5

The SoundPEATS TrueCapsule has a stem-design, which makes them better for calling and gives them longer battery life. The sound has the same warmth and is actually very comparable, but the bass impact is bigger on the Aukey. The SoundPEATS can sound a little more relaxed as a result.

Full Edifier TWS5 review



Verdict

If you're looking for a big battery life on a pair of truly wireless earphones without paying too much, the Edifier TWS1 is an incredibly strong and all-round package. Just keep in mind it doesn't have Beats-levels of bass.

FOUR stars - very good


Buy Edifier TWS1/ check current price:

I bought the Edifier TWS1 myself to test and review. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.

Consider buying this earphone? I'd really appreciate it if you use the links in this article. It won't cost you extra, yet it will financially support me a bit in my ongoing quest for great affordable audio. <3

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