With a multitude of wireless earbuds on the market, choosing what ones to purchase can be quite daunting – you have to consider things like the sound quality, build quality, how comfortable they will be wear and the fit – how can they possibly stay in the ear without falling out and being lost down the road?
I have been a fan of Edifier audio equipment for years. They have been making audio equipment for a long time, including truly wireless earbuds. It is always good quality, well designed and looks good. Last December I tried out their TWS1 Truly Wireless Earbuds and was very impressed, especially as they are at the budget end of the wireless earbuds market (but are so much better than their price suggests). Happy with the quality of the build, sound and fit of the TWS1, I was delighted to be asked to try out their TWS5 offering, which are more expensive, and was interested to see if there would actually be any different.
Wireless earbuds are the must have accessory for phones and tablets for anybody that loves keeping what they are listening to personal (and they are becoming more and more popular). Whether you are out for a walk or jog, or even sitting at home streaming music or video, having no wires trailing all over the place is, in my book anyway, the perfect way to wear personal audio equipment particularly as you don’t have to worry about catching the wire and breaking it (I have done this several times with wired earbuds and headphones).
The Edifier TWS5 Truly Wireless Earbuds whilst are essentially the same thing as the TWS1, they are very different. They are slightly larger and heavier than the TWS1 (approx. 57g compared to approx. 41g), have a premium look & feel, improved microphone for clearer handsfree calling and the ergonomic design fits the ear much more snugly, with very little or no sound leakage.
In the box is:
- 2x TWS5 Wireless Earbuds (left and right ear)
- 3x Silicone Earmuffs (small, medium and large)
- 1x Micro USB Charging Cable
- 1x Magnetic Charging Case with 500mA battery
They TWS5 wireless earbuds feature:
- Bluetooth 5.0 aptX for better connectivity and easy pairing
- Up to 32 hours of battery life with magnetic charging case
- Up to 10m (30ft) connection distance (with walls)
- cVc noise reduction for better mic quality
- Listen with one or both earbuds without losing sound channels
- Ergonomic and splashproof (IPX5) with touch controls
- Improved wireless signal distance
- Automatic connect and shutdown features
The Edifier TWS5 Wireless Earbuds are an improvement on the TWS1. They look and feel better, the slightly different shape fits better and more snugly in my ears, and with a charge time of 1.5 to 2 hours for 8 hours of playback time the battery is excellent (plus you get another 3 charges from the charging case, giving a total of 32 hours).
The earbuds look good with the glossy black finish and ergonomic design (scratch-resistant ABS+PC material). Despite the bulkier size they fit my ears perfectly (and I didn’t even need to change the earmuffs for a different size), they are quite snug but comfortable, and at no time felt in danger of falling out). They are rated as IPX5, making them water resistant (good for if caught out in a shower) and sweatproof (perfect for wearing whilst exercising). The chipset and antenna system (LDS radium antenna, which guarantees the RF signal) have been improved over the TWS1 giving a slightly better, noticeable sound with a deeper bass. They have on-ear touch controls (multi-function touch controls on each earbud lets you change tracks, answer calls and more with a tap of your finger), the only downside being that there is no volume control (this is controlled by the phone of tablet).
The charging system has also been improved over the TWS1 as the earbuds now feature a 3 touch pin charging solution to give better management of the charging box (the TWS1 only featured 2 pins)
The charging box is compact and finished nicely in a matt black. It gives the earbuds another 3 full charges, or up to another 24 hours. As it is magnetic, the earbuds will not fall out if tipped upside down but the are easy to remove using your fingers. The only small negative with the charging case, for me anyway, is that it still uses Micro USB rather that USB-C (a small niggle, but one I think would be a great improvement).
Using the earbuds is still just as simple as the TWS1. When removed from the case they will turn on, when placed back in the case they turn off (and start charging if the charging case has battery power left).
Connecting to your phone or tablet is simple. Just take them out of the case and they will turn on so your device can scan for them and connect. If they do need pairing, it is just a case of holding the touch controls until the lights start to flash. Once paired with your device they will automatically connect each time you remove them from the charging case.
The Bluetooth range is very good at up to 10m (30ft), even through a majority of walls. It is Bluetooth 5.0 aptX to give better connectivity and easy pairing.
The sound quality when playing back music or streaming video is very clear, deep and impressive. You can even use one or both earbuds without losing sound channels or any quality in the sound. And for those taking voice calls, the improved cVc mic technology reduces background noise to make calls much clearer and I (and my callers) found it to be of very good quality.
Overall, the Edifier TWS5 Truly Wireless Earbuds are excellent. The TWS1 were very good but these are much better as they have a more comfortable fit and richer sound. The ease of connectivity and use is excellent and if I had to make any improvements I would like to see volume controls on them and a USB-C connection, especially as they are in a higher price bracket than the TWS1, but they still cost less than other earbuds of the same quality. I do like being able to use one or both earbuds without the loss of sound channels.
An impressive pair of earbuds with great sound, clear microphone and a perfect snug fit that makes wearing them extremely comfortable.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £79.99
For more information, visit www.edifier.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
Disclosure: I received this item for free for the purposes of writing an honest and impartial review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
