Nowadays, headset socket are starting to become extinct with latest release mobile phones.
Why such a mature connection method to electroacoustics device have to perish.
While electroacoustic device in nature is analog device and obviously simplest way to drive by using analog signal.
Wireless trend? Sure, but puuhhhlllleeeaseee, add those 25 cents socket, I am more than happy to pay a dollar for it. You big brands can get 4 times profit from it.
So why??? So they can sell $20 bucks adapter, maybe?. Smart. I wonder is there a DAC inside those adapter?
I cannot beat them, then I have to join them. Period. Too many period in this sentence.
Search began. Cambridge Audio Melomania? Sony WF-1000XM3? Another Audiotechica? My current on the go wired buds is ATH-ANC23, no wonder, eh?
The only problem is: they're not cheap. Also, no way for me to trust my own ears.
Many shops don't have demos. Earwax anyone? Picture this: stranger approach you and ask you to remove those thing sticking in your ear cavity and want to stick them inside his..... Okay that's enough, being too much already.
On the other side, reviews of cheap TWS scatter all over the place. Under $100, under $50 and even under $30. Most are from brands I have never heard of, but some are from quite popular mobile phone accesories.
Local online stores also have tons of testimony for mega el cheapo under $10, most with popular brand names.
Some priced as low as $5 bucks. Think of it, 3 rechargeable battery, 3 charging circuitry, 2 minuscule speakers, 2 radio tranceiver, few mm of wire, few grams of plastic polymer, few LEDs, few metal piece for contact, an usb socket, firmware, paints to mark the brand name. Amazing of what humans can do with $5 bucks! Humans are the most amazing God's creation, if I may say.
Trivia: what is the correct brand name those:
J_ANY_CONSONANT_WILL_DO_L
S_Any _Vowel_NY.
Mr. Amar B... Hint:Are u sure quiet is comfort? Try a world without music!
Mind yo: right answer, no reward, no free Spunky Beat.
While most of testimonies are okay, deal breakers are on battery life, unstable connection and only 1 bud working after short while. Not counting DOAs.
Finally, I made up my mind with these criteria:
1. Willing to burn $20-$50 (Aliexpress), without trusting my ears. Actual local price about 1.5 times (tax, seller profit & local shipping)
2. AptX is a must. Mainly for music, so I don't really care about latency, but these AptX promises better battery life and sound quality.
3. Preferaby with Qualcomm chip, they invented AptX, aren't they?
4. Bluetooth 5.0, not sure of the benefits, but why opt for lower version?
5. Touch interface.
6. Being no 6 is the also important: I will not stick blinking fireflies on my ears.
Choices are (in random order): QCY T1X, MPow T5, KZ S1 Hybrid, Haylou GT1 Plus, Soundpeats Truedot and Tronsmart Spunky Beat & Tronsmart Onyx Neo.
Later on dropped MPow T5, KZ S1 Hybrid, maybe because of those flying colors reviews, local prices marked up to more than I am willing to pay without auditioning them first.
Soundpeats Truedot are not yet available locally, since they're just launched.
Reading review after review & direct comparison mostly from www.scarbir.com, seems Spunky Beat is the one. Other than the sound quality review that seems to suit me, charging case also a significant factor.
Spunky Beat charging case have 4-LED battery indicator, easier to know how much case power left. Two way charging, using built in/permanent charging cable and USB-C socket. Onyx Neo is newer, but its case doesn't come with these features.
The built in lanyard also a nice touch while trying to reach for it inside jeans pocket stuffed with mobile phones, cigarette, lighter, house keys, car keys, napkins, parking tickets, lint, pokemon, etc. Pokemon live inside our pockets, right?
Btw, great review & comparison from www.scarbir.com, I strongly recommended to visit the site for anyone looking for affordable TWS/headphones. Thanks a million, Bart Breij AKA Scarbir!
The day has arrive. New Spunky Beat in sealed package. A buds pair, charging case, 3 pairs of silicone tips, manual book, warranty card and an USB-C charging cable.
With some leftover juice in both case & buds, it is mandatory to immediately pair them and test.
Easy & fast pairing with several android phones, an android tablet also an iphone. Not a single issue during pairing with those devices. Yet to test with PC, macbook and Fiio PMP.
A lady live inside those buds always speaks up in every operation mode. I was wondering to have a little chit chat with her, but she seems to ignore me, and so far I observed, she only says "Power On/Off", "Pairing", "Connected/Disconnected" and "Battery Low".
Yeah, so much of an idea to know her in more intimate relationship.......
Also with touch volume control (3 taps), it will beep, once reaching maximum and minimum level. No feedback for step up or down level. Intuitively for me, to raise should be on the right, lower on the left, but it's the other way around. Same with ext/previous track. For un-spunky guy, I beg to differ, Tronsmart.
Other touch commands are power cycle, android voice command, phonecall controls.
Note that volume control is NOT available with the first hardware version. Mine is later version. You can check www.tronsmart.com for more.
Mommy size tips installed was not a comfortable fit. Tried daddy and little girl size. Too bad neither of those mushroom family member fit comfortably in my ears.
Come looking for some stashed extra tips from other earbuds. First one to test was the free foam tips from ATH-ANC23 package, also a meh with these buds. After a few sets, found a comfortable one and good sounding, another a freebies from ATH, silicone, cylindrical shape.
Below are subjective opinions, with cylindrical current tips installed and for $25 bucks.
Coming from a very laidback ANC23, Spunky Beat sounds brighter. Just a tad bright but not excessive to my standard. Treble is quite smooth.
Vocals a bit to the thin side, despite the "Spunky" name. However, it is still quite far from "I hate them" boundaries. Adequate soundstage width and details.
Even though bass is adequate, need a bit more for my liking. Maybe insufficient for avid bassheads. Bassheads should look for "Spunky BeatS" variant, yes, with extra "S". Unobtanium On-line Store sellls them for less, but out of stock since 1980.
Surprisingly, bass definition is very good. No boominess & tails. Every low frequency instrument are very well defined.
All of above quality will vanish once the volume cranked too high. Loss of details, "limping" treble, if you can figure out what it means. Still enough SPL before reaching that level, though.
Battery life is good. Only once I hear the lady telling me of low battery. Good job, Qualcomm.
The lady has blue and red pet fireflies living with her inside these buds. Constant red during charging in the case. Blue blink/constant during pairing and other operation mode. Once bluetooth connected, those fireflies goes to nap. They wake up in sweat, blinking if bluetooth disconnected. Nice attitude, fireflies!
I am happy with most aspects (sound characteristic, charging case, earbud size/comfort, battery life, bluetooth connection, buds indicator light behaviour). Oh well, they could do better in the touch control territory. They may change this on Onyx Neo.
This become my daily buds strictly because of wireless convenience and ANC23 will still be my flying bud because its active noise cancellation feature & airplane plug adapter. Well worthed for $25 bucks!
The only tweak possible with my android device, is adapt voice. That's all there is to it.
So little tweak, still lots of fun with Tronsmart Spunky Beat. Cheers !!!
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