TOZO NC9 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds, 6 Mics ENC Clear Call, IPX8 Waterproof, in Ear Bluetooth 5.3 Headphones Stereo Bass Ear Buds 60H Playtime with LED Display 32 EQs via APP

Jeff United States

Really good value with active noise cancellation

I owned a previous version of the NC9's from 2022 that were a bit different than these, and as often happens with these little earbuds in a small charging case, I recently lost them somewhere, probably in my last hotel room. Beware of spending too much on earbuds - you absolutely will go through multiple sets of them. I was really happy with those earbuds for the price I paid at the time, which was a little over $10. So I figured rather than trying to wade through all the nonsensical marketing-speak on Amazon or the ridiculously overpriced offerings from Apple and other major brands, I'd just get the latest version of the same thing I had. And so far, these are pretty great for the price and a definite upgrade over the 2022 version. Now, I will say that while I'm not an audiophile, I could probably call myself an "audio enthusiast" and I don't think any earbuds from anybody sound all that great either on their own or when compared with decent full size headphones. That's one reason why I refuse to pay anything close to the $200 that's the standard price for major brand earbuds. These are tiny drivers using a low-powered DAC chip and DSP, getting a lossily compressed audio signal over a low-bandwidth wireless codec. It's just the nature of the beast. No earbuds anywhere are worth more than about 50 bucks, and that's with the profit baked in. Anything above that is just a name brand tax. (And these days, maybe a tariff.) But these sound perfectly fine for what they are and basically as good as any other wireless earbuds I've ever used. I did notice some sibilance with the default EQ - like most (all?) modern wireless earbuds, these accentuate bass and treble. But a quick adjustment to the high frequencies in the phone app (something that my older NC9's didn't support) seems to have cured that. There is of course still a bit of extra bass, but I'll leave that alone for now as I don't mind it. I can always adjust it later if I feel differently down the road. One minor quibble with the sound is that possibly because of that extra bass and treble, these don't get very loud. At maximum volume, they're about where I normally feel comfortable in regular listening, but they start to break up a bit before that. My guess is that Tozo has reduced the maximum output to control distortion, which isn't unique to them, but again, don't expect a high-end over the ear headphone experience here for 30 bucks. You just can't listen very loud with a lot of bass through tiny drivers like these without distortion. I don't think most people wearing earbuds listen as loud as I normally like to anyway. If this so far sounds like faint praise in a 5 star review, again, look at the price. You are getting a good value in sound quality, especially when you compare these to much more expensive earbuds that don't sound any better. If Apple were selling these and charging Airpod Pro prices, you'd be looking at a 2 star review. But these are priced fairly given their performance and the limitations of the category. Tozo also sells earbuds without the active noise cancellation but I bought these specifically for that, because it worked well on my previous NC9's and it seems to work at least as well and probably better on these. Keep in mind that noise cancellation in general was specifically developed to counter engine noise on airplanes. And that's still what the technology is best at. The way it works is by pushing out a specific frequency to act counter to the frequency of whatever continuous noise is present. It's not going to be very effective at silencing things like conversations or crying babies that are made up of variable, higher frequency sounds (because countering those would also affect the music you're listening to, not to mention using a lot more processing power, which also uses a lot more battery). That, again, is the nature of the beast. It applies to every set of earbuds that have ANC. But in terms of continuous background noise, such as from a jet engine or a loud fan, these work as well as anything else I've used. And I've used a lot of headphones and earbuds (as well as real aviation headsets) with active noise cancellation. The ANC also does not really alter the sound of the music you're listening to, which my older NC9's kinda did with the ANC on, and it's a pretty common issue with older devices that use ANC. Seems like it's more refined now and I don't really notice much difference, if any, in sound quality with ANC on or off. There was a time only a few years ago when you'd need to spend a few hundred bucks to get ANC at all, and that would have been in a set of wired full size headphones. Now we're talking about how well it works in a $30 set of wireless earbuds. It's kind of amazing if you think about it. I think real ANC alone is basically worth the price of admission here. There are a lot of earbuds in this price range that advertise "ENC" but that is not the same thing - that's for reducing noise on your voice when talking on phone calls. ANC is for listening to music. It's rare at this price, even now. For it to work this well is a huge bonus. Battery life is a definite step up from my older NC9's, although to be fair those were probably also just wearing out by the time I lost them. I intentionally tried to run these down while writing this review and after about 5 hours of constant listening, they were still going strong and when I put them in the charging case, it read 83%. Of course that's the total charge including the case battery, not the buds themselves. I have no idea how accurate that is but if it is correct, then that's probably more battery life than I would ever really need. (You can never have too much, but I can't think of a situation when I'd run out of battery life before being able to recharge.) I read another review where someone said the case on these did not close securely; that is not true. I'd think he must have been using a different version (the reviews here seem to cover all previous versions as well), but I had older ones and that case closed securely too. It's magnetic. The earbuds kind of pull themselves into their little cubbies if you've oriented them the right way, and then the case cover snaps closed with its own magnet. If the case is not closing properly, you're not putting the buds in the right way. They only go one way. You'll get it after a couple tries. Just take note of how they're oriented when you first open the case. Overall I can pretty confidently recommend these. Given that modern phones and many other devices no longer even have headphone jacks, you really need a set of wireless earbuds. Just get these; they're as good as more expensive earbuds and the price is fair. You can't say that about most name brand earbuds.

eschatonjk United States

Budget earbuds with great sound!

TOZO NC9 is a great little pair of wireless bluetooth earbuds with great sound at an affordable price point. I’ve purchased the T10 and have been using my son’s T6 for this review. I also own an Apple Airpods Pro that I use every day. And the TOZO NC9’s sound does not disappoint. In fact, the sound quality difference is negligible between my NC9 and my Airpods Pro that I use the two interchangeably every day. Here’s my rating for each category (from 1 to 5): Sound quality: 5 Sound stage: 5 Charging case & connection: 5 Fit: 5 ANC (Active Noise Cancellation): 4 Battery Life: 4 SOUND QUALITY Overall, NC9 offers you a warm presentation of any type of music. The mids are slightly softer than T6 & T10, but they’re not weak. The highs are stable and crisp. I like the lows (bass) of NC9 slightly better than T6 & T10. Bass is deep and the mid-bass is punchy. SOUND STAGE NC9 offers adequately wide sound stage. The separation & definition of instruments are great—the earbuds sound identical to expensive name-brand earbuds. CHARGING CASE & CONNECTION If your NC9 is already connected to a device (like an iPhone, in my case), the earbuds would automatically connect to your device as soon as they’re taken out of the charging case. However, if you want to use it on a different device (let’s say you want to switch from your iPhone to your iPad), you have to manually disconnect from your iPhone (in your bluetooth setting) in order for it to connect to your iPad. This is an inconvenience, but due to the great sound and other virtues of the NC9, I don’t mind this at all. FIT I’m not sure if it’s the rubber ear tips or the design of the buds, but each time I insert them snuggly into my ears, the sound is always balanced (left and right channels, that is) unlike cheap in-ear earphones that must be inserted just right so that the left or right channel is not louder than the other. I found the ear tips to be quite comfortable and the earbuds stay in my ears unless (1) I shake my head quite violently or (2) I lower my head to tie my sneakers. Of course, due to the way the earbuds are designed (when properly inserted, the body of the earbud sits above the ear tip and the ear tip is inserted into the ear in a downward motion), if you lower your head to pick something up from the ground or tie your sneakers (before going for a jog), the earbuds would dislodge from your ear—this is a natural work of gravity on your earbuds. In any case, I love the fit of the NC9, and they stay in my ear better than the T10 and the T6—both of which seem to feel a bit heavier than the NC9. ANC/Transparency MODE After reading glowing reviews of NC9’s Active Noise Cancellation feature, I was a bit disappointed. I typically run a new set of earbuds through my “bathroom test” on its active noise cancellation feature. I would sit on the ivory throne, and with the bathroom fan whirling over me (my first-floor bathroom’s fan is quite loud), I would turn the ANC feature on and off in the earbuds to test this feature. If I were to give my Apple Airpods Pro a 9 (out of 10 being the best), I would give my NC9’s a 6. It suppresses some of the noise, but not in the way that my Airpods Pro does. Of course, my Airpods Pro’s are $250, and you can’t compare apples and oranges. For the price point, I would say that the NC9’s offer a decent level of noise reduction that can still be enjoyed in a crowded setting. Moreover, if you need noise cancellation, the ear tips do take out sound quite well. What I believe is NC9’s weakness is its Transparency Mode—it does not allow enough noise into the earbuds for me to use while jogging when I need to be aware of my surrounding. So I take my Airpods Pro’s when I go jogging or walking with my wife. BATTERY LIFE Battery life is a bit weak on the NC9’s. Amazon’s description touts that you can go for 8 hours on the NC9’s on a single charge and an additional 24 hours with the charging case. I repeated the battery test 3 times on the NC9 as well as on the T6 for comparison. After fully charging the earbuds, I listened to a youtube Jazz channel on low volume through my iPad. I recorded the hours played on a single charge. After that, I tried to see how long the earbuds would run while using the juice from their fully charged cases. Here are my results. On the T6, after a single full charge, the earbuds gave me 7 hours of playtime. After that, I used the juice from the fully charged case, and the total number of hours of playtime came to be 25 hrs and 35 minutes (average for 3 trials). On the NC9, after a single full charge, the earbuds ran 6 hours until the “battery low” voice came on the left earbud. I used the juice from the fully charged case after that, and the earbuds offered 17 hours and 30 minutes (average of 3 trials) of total playtime. This is certainly not the 24 additional hours noted in the product description. Yet, after an initial disappointment, I am not at all upset about the weak battery life of the NC9’s (as compared to the advertised playtime). I typically charge the case once a week in my regular use, and the battery life has not become an issue for me. They are a fraction of the cost of my Apple Airpods Pro’s, and they provide great sound. And that is the virtue of the NC9’s, and that is why it is a credible contender as one of the top wireless earbuds at this price point. Due to its sound quality, fit, and overall functionality, it’s a go-to earbuds, and I realize that I’ve been using it more often than my Apple Airpods Pro. For some reason, I find the NC9’s enjoyable and the sound credible enough to feel I’m not missing out when I’m not listening to my Airpods Pro’s.

Foreverluck Germany

Absolut genial - TOZO NC9

Diese Earbuds TOZO NC9 habe ich zum Testen erhalten, meine Bewertung bleibt absolut neutral und ehrlich da sie allen weiteren Kunden bei ihrer Kaufentscheidung behilflich sein soll ohne etwas beschönigen zu wollen! Ich verwende bereits das Modell TOZO T6 mit dem ich bislang noch keine Probleme hatte, es sind Earbuds die einfach voll und ganz meinen Erwartungen entsprechen, lange Laufzeiten (AKKU) und die perfekte Klangqualität bei Musik und gelegentlichen Telefonaten. Ich bin in der IT tätig und verwende täglich rund 8 Stunden Headsets der Marke Jabra (kabelgebunden als auch über Bluetooth) die sich in einer ganz anderen Preisklasse befinden als die hier nun zur Bewertung vorliegenden Earbuds! Die TOZO NC9 entsprechen voll und ganz den Angaben, sie sind meiner Meinung nach sogar noch einen Tacken besser was den Klang anbelangt, aber hier ist es ja bekanntlich eine reine Geschmackssache da jeder ein eigenes Hörempfinden hat. Der eine mag mehr Höhen und der andere steht mehr auf Bass, hier finde ich die Abstimmung sehr gut, alles gelangt sehr klar und ausgewogen an meine Ohren und die Passform ist aus meiner Sicht vielleicht sogar noch etwas besser als beim anderen Model (T6)! Sie schmiegen sich definitiv an der Ohrmuschel an und vergeben einen absolut sicheren Sitz wenn man beim Sport schnelle Bewegungen mit dem Kopf macht, zu keinem Zeitpunkt hatte ich das Gefühl dass sie herausfallen würden! Positiv: Absolut genial verarbeitet Super einfach zu koppeln Der Sound ist perfekt mit reichlich Bass Sehr guter Sitz im Ohr dank 6 verschiedener Gummiaufsätze für unterschiedliche Ohrgrößen Ladebuchse mit USB-C Schnittstelle (mehrere Kabel entfallen somit) Negativ: Ich kann nichts feststellen, im Homeoffice setze ich sie sogar gelegentlich als Ersatz für meine Jabra Headsets ein um nicht ständig mit den Kopfhörern arbeiten zu müssen! Niemand bemerkt dass ich diese kleinen und sehr komfortablen Dinger im Ohr habe! Beim Jabra stört mich gelegentlich das bis zum Mund verlaufende Mikrofon, nimmt man mal einen Schluck Kaffee aus der Tasse besteht immer die Gefahr das Mikrofon als Strohhalm zu verwenden :-) Touch-Funktion Links halten = Volume minus Rechts halten = Volume plus 1x links oder rechts tippen = Play oder Pause 2 x links tippen = Musiktitel zurück 2 x rechts tippen = Musiktitel vorwärts (endlich mal so wie es sein soll und nicht umgekehrt) Telefonfunktion / Freisprechen mit glasklarer Übertragungsqualität!!! Telefongespräch annehmen = 1 x antippen (links oder rechts) Telefongespräch ablehnen oder ein Gespräch beenden = 2 Sekunden gedrückt halten (links oder rechts) Google Funktion (SIRI) Bei entsperrtem Bildschirm (Android) einfach „OK Google“ gefolgt vom Befehl aussprechen, die Mikrofone der Earbuds sind scheinbar ständig „aktiviert“! Die Ladebox ist genial die Form ist gegenüber der T6 mehr oval gehalten und passt weiterhin problemlos in eine Hemdtasche, der Ladezustand wird nun über 4 weiße LEDs angezeigt die nicht zu übersehen sind! Die Bluetooth-Reichweite reicht auf jeden Fall mindestens 10 m ohne Hindernisse, der Datenaustausch zwischen Smartphone / Notebook und den Earbuds ist dabei absolut störungsfrei! Fazit: Die Marke TOZO baut sehr gute Earbuds, hier stimmt das Preis-/Leistungsverhältnis absolut!!! Warum sollte man sich für weitaus teurere Geräte entscheiden wenn es besser und zugleich günstiger geht? Jeder trifft seine Entscheidung selbst und am Ende sogar an welcher Stelle er sein Geld zum Fenster hinauswirft nur damit er vielleicht einen Produktnamen wählt dessen Bekanntheitsgrad aktuell noch ein wenig größer ist als der hier aufgeführte! An dieser Stelle bleibt nur eins zu sagen: Qualität hat bekanntlich seinen Preis, genau darauf setzen namhafte Hersteller auch, im Glauben ihr Produkt sei unschlagbar! Ganz im Gegenteil, hier bekommt man mehr als man erwartet zu einem absolut günstigen Preis der es ermöglicht gleich eine mehrköpfige Familie mit Earbuds auszustatten für die man sonst ein Vermögen hinblättern müsste! Von mir eine ganz klare Kaufempfehlung für die TOZO NC9

Brent Jensen United States

Great earbuds at an amazing price

My go-to earbuds have been the Powerbeats 3 for many years. I love the fullness of the sound, although the high-mids can lack some clarity. Last year I decided to get full wireless earbuds and thought I would give one of the cheaper alternatives a try. I got the Tozo T6, and ended up liking them quite a bit. Recently I got the Tozo NC9 to see if there is any improvement, and besides, they are so inexpensive! After tweaking these a fair amount, I finally got a sound I really like that is comparable to the Powerbeats 3. Soundwise, these are not much different from the T6, though I think the T6 have a little more low end out-of-the-box, but this can be adjusted with EQ. The NC9s fit in the ear more comfortably and the ear tips do not protrude as far down into the ear canal. The NC9s practically disappear into the ear and don't have the telltale tail hanging out like Apple AirPods. The NC9s do have noise cancelling, but that is not a feature that I care that much about, so I won't comment on it. I normally wear these on my morning walk or jog. I listen to music on my Pixel 6 Pro and use the PowerAmp app, which has an equalizer. For the Powerbeats 3, I keep the low end fairly flat and boost the upper mids. With the NC9, I use a modified version of the Rock EQ setting in the Tozo app, which is bass heavy, and then also boost the bass quite a bit in PowerAmp as well as a slight high end boost and mid cut. They do not sound quite as full in the low end as the Powerbeats 3, though close, but are crisper in the mids and highs. The low end is perhaps a little punchier. It is crucial to use the correct size ear tips, and also to put the ANC on the Noise Cancellation setting to get the fullest sound. Play around with these settings to see what you like. For me the additional EQ in the PowerAmp app is also essential in addition to the Tozo app EQ. I am very pleased with the overall design and sound of these earbuds. I rarely have a connection problem, and the charging case is wonderful. I am blown away considering the price point. I do recommend using EQ to dial in the sound and am glad that Tozo provides an app for this. I plan on using the NC9 as my goto earbuds considering sound, comfort, and convenience. Update: On a long walk I noticed that the Noise Cancellation mode can produce some subtle artifacts in the sound that bothered me for critical listening. I am now playing around with the custom mode for ANC to see if I can get the fuller sound with no noticeable artifacts. Update 2: I have settled on the Custom Pattern for ANC and am quite happy with the sound I am getting. I really enjoy these earbuds. I will attach some pictures of my settings. For reference, I bought a pair of Beats Studio Buds Plus earbuds, thinking they would improve on the sound of the Powerbeats3 I have and be stiff competition for the Tozo NC9. I was quite surprised, though, that I could not get them to sound full in the low end. The Beats don't come with an EQ, but I did use the EQ in the PowerAmp app. I could not get a full sound. Perhaps the Beats sound much better with iPhones, and not so much with Android/Pixel phones. Anyway, I was surprised, disappointed, and returned them. On the other hand, it makes me even more satisfied with the Tozo NC9 -- better features and better sound at a much lower price!