TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
FOUR STARS - Bass lovers on a budget, rejoice. The SSK BT03 is a rightful reincarnation of the Anbes 359 and Kissral R18. It delivers energetic sound at a low price.
Specs of the SSK BT03:
Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec
IPX6 waterproof (sweat and rain resistant)
4 hours listening on a full charge
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 5 times
Comes with 3 sizes ear tips and USB-C cable
$35 on AliExpress/ Amazon US/ Amazon Europe - check current price!
Below this review you will find comparisons between the SSK BT03 vs QCY T5, Mpow T5, Edifier TWS1, Shanling MTW100 Balanced Armature and Samsung Galaxy Buds.
Update September 2020: Due to increased overall competition with more functionality and/ or better sound, this TWS has been decreased in overall score. Check out the best earbuds on the Leaderboard.
Design, comfort and battery life
We've seen the design of the SSK BT03 before on the Anbes 359, Kissral R18, and several clones that completely disappeared from the market. Then, the case was black and grey. SSK gives the lovely UFO-shaped charging case a different look. It's now colored shiny white and bright orange. A bit toyish.
Sliding the lid open is still is a fun way to open a charging case. You keep fiddling with it, no matter if it's the Aukey Key Series T10 or this cheap fellow. The specs of the case are fine: it can recharge the earpieces five times fully via USB-C. Enough for daily use, seeing that the earpieces last around 3 hours on a single charge.
Like the case, the earpieces look a bit cheap. They too, are covered in white plastic, with a central tactile button in light grey. Happily, these are very comfortable due to their compact and sleek tear-shaped design. They barely stick out of your ears and keep a tight fit even when you're moving rapidly or sporting with them.
There are some annoyances with the design. Even when playing music on them, the inner part of the earphones fires a little blinking light. Also, the charging case has four overly bright LED-lights when it charges the earpieces, or gets recharged by itself. Best not to use these in the bedroom, then.
Connectivity and controls
The connectivity of the SSK BT03 is good. While there can be a minor dip in the sound in more areas crowded with wireless signals, the overall stability of the signal is impressive up to ten meters from your device. They need a little time to pair when you take them out of the case, but nothing exceptional. It's not possible to switch between one and two earpieces or multiple devices instantly, unfortunately - even though SSK advertises it.
To control the SSK BT03, you need to press the button in the center. With a single press, you play or pause the music. You increase the volume with two presses on the right side and decrease it with two pushes on the left one. It's great to be able to change the volume on the earpieces. Skipping a song is done with a long press on the right one, and returning one can be done on the left side.
Calling and watching movies
It's easy to watch videos with the SSK BT03 on both iPhone and Android devices supporting Bluetooth 5.0. The audio synchronizes well with video, even on the often problematic YouTube app on the iPhone. Gamers should expect a noticeable delay in audio while playing games, however.
The call quality of the SSK BT03 is acceptable. It's entirely possible to have a phone call with these in your ears, although you may need to turn the volume up to hear the one you're talking to loud enough. You will sound clear to the other one as well, even outside on the streets. The speech quality suffers a bit when you're walking in the wind, but most surrounding noises are successfully countered by white noise.
Sound quality of SSK BT03
The SSK BT03 blocks a vast deal of noise from your surroundings, even when you don't play music on them. But the sound quality - that's the star of the show.
The SSK BT03 sounds amazing for its price. Especially the upper-mids are what separates the SSK from the oh-so-heavy competition. Both male and female vocals sound very clear and sound lively. Not to mention acoustic instruments such as drums piano's, violins, and guitars. Whether you're listening to classical pieces or pop songs: upper-mids enjoy a great deal more attention than on most truly wireless earphones in this price range. The QCY T5 may be more detailed in the top end, but the BT03 offers way more depth in the lower areas.
Enter the bass and lower-mids. Darker electronic tones, bass-guitars, and cello come with lots of detail. The bass is capable of delivering a steady thump, and does so anytime it can. It can certainly really get you going. The sub-bass knows how to give a fierce rumble too. The bass is best described as assertive - the SSK just makes music sound uplifting.
The bass, lower-mids, and higher frequencies accompany each other perfectly on the BT03. On top of that, the SSK BT03 offers an above-average soundstage with details coming from everywhere. If there's one point of critique, it's that it can sound slightly shouty, when playing crowded songs on the highest volumes.
That is still nitpicking, though. If you're up for a very assertive, forward sounding pair of wireless earbuds - this one is for you.
Selected comparisons
SSK BT03 vs Mpow T5/ M5
The Mpow T5/ M5 is one of the other best-sounding truly wireless earphones under 50 dollars. It has a heavier bass and more emphasis on the lower-mids than the SSK, but the bass on the SSK does sound tighter. The BT03 has more presence and detail in the mids and vocals; the Mpow sounds it bit darker. It offers more precise instrument placement within its soundstage. The SSK wins on video playback and comfort.
SSK BT03 vs QCY T5
Another excellent model named T5; the QCY T5 is a complete Apple AirPods-alternative under just 25 dollars. It has perfect audio-video synchronization, perfect call quality, and even a special Gaming Mode that catches up with game sounds better than other earphones. The QCY T5 has more clarity in vocals and upper-mids and highs but lacks BT03's definition in lower-mids and bass. The T5 wins on practical aspects; the BT03 on sound quality.
SSK BT03 vs Edifier TWS1
The Edifier TWS1 has the longest battery life of all wireless earphones of around 30 dollars: it gives you 8 hours of playtime on a single charge. It has a colder tonality than the SSK BT03, and isn't as tight in the bass area. The BT03 has more detailed vocals and mids, helping instruments and overall songs sound better.
SSK BT03 vs Shanling MTW100 Balanced Armature
The Shanling MTW100 with Balanced Armature may be the best sounding TWS under $100, yet the BT03 offers some heavy competition. It has more power in the bass and lower-mids, providing a fuller sound. The Shanling has a smaller soundstage, but instrument tonality and placement are better. The MTW100 is even more comfortable and offers 7 hours of playtime.
SSK BT03 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds
Let's take this one step further. And yes - the $30 SSK BT03 also competes with the $120 Samsung Galaxy Buds. The SSK has a more impactful bass and lower-mids. The Samsung Galaxy Buds has better tonal accuracy especially in the mids, but its vocals can feel a bit restricted. They sound more natural on the BT03, which also have a bigger soundstage. The Buds resolve more detail, though.
Verdict
The SSK BT03 offers immature looks, but serious sound. It sounds fantastically energetic with a pumping bass, nice soundstage and forward vocals. Don't take them in your bedroom, though - the earbuds and case can be just too bright.
FOur stars - very good
Buy SSK BT03/ check current price:
Buy SSK BT03 on Amazon Europe (Germany)
I bought the SSK BT03 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
Also read:
Leaderboard: All rated wireless earphones
