regancipher
100+ Head-Fier
The question 'which are the best TWS for calls' usually gets buried in the Going Wireless IEMs. Too Soon? Are We There Yet? thread on a multitude of the 3000+ pages, so I thought I would start a new thread with some resources to help you out if, like me, you only use their TWS when I absolutely have to, and that usually means having to make or take a phone call.
Usually this is when I'm out and about and need to whip the buds out of my ears quickly - typically on a commute - so my wired IEM's are out of the question, especially as the case on the AZ-09 is massive. This scenario, as well as the increased number of Zoom and Teams calls taken in makeshift kitchen offices with barely enough room for a monitor let alone a USB mic, has seen us, the consumers, and vendors push for better mic performance and overall call quality, and the market is slowly but surely improving with some decent innovations.
I've been reviewing here at Headfi for a while but have uploaded these to YouTube as, well, it's something I can relay without you having to take my word for it.
There's also a nice video here from Kenneth Tanaka
Some questions in advance:
Q - Which are best?
A - Make your own mind up - the top tier are arguably better all-rounders, but it really does depend on use case.
Q - Which models are tested?
A - There are 30 models in total, with examples from Sony, Huawei, OnePlus, Edifier, Elevoc, SoundPeats, Tronsmart, QCY, etc. Most of them I reviewed here on Headfi for other features and overall performance.
Q - Why no Anker/Soundcore?
A - I don't take any payment for reviews and am too lazy to rely on affiliate links. Therefore when I get buds, it's almost always out of my own pocket. Anker rarely have anything that is cheap enough to take a punt on but not crazy expensive, and they don't send me any freebies, so until they come up with something really worth getting, I ain't including any unfortunately. I had the SLP2 but sold them as they didn't fit well. I considered the SLP3 but went with the OnePlus as they were on sale. No reason why I won't in the future though.
Q - Which are best value?
A - Again, make your own mind up - I excluded some of the weaker mic performers this time (KZ SKS, etc.) but that doesn't make them bad buds (I actually really like them, they're just trash for calls)
Q - Which were really bad?
A - Mostly the older buds. CVC is a bit of a red herring. It doesn't really make much difference, varies in its implementation, and I saw that with many of the cVc 8.0 buds performing quite poorly outdoors
Q - Is any brand especially good?
A - No, they vary wildly. The Sony LinkBuds are great for calls, but the WF-1000XM3 were quite poor by comparison. There are a lot of variables and sometimes it doesn't make sense which models seem to be optimised, but who am I to argue with a multi million industry?!
Q - Are any technologies anticipated in this space to improve call quality?
A - QCY have implemented 'Aptx-HD calls' in their T18. Sadly no source seems to support it fully yet. The aim is to increase the bandwidth to reduce the 'compressed sound' you hear on calls. Sony, Samsung and Huawei use some consumer technology to good effect, such as accelerometers and gyrometers to try to establish what is your voice and what isn't. It is especially effective on the Sony. Finally, there is of course Elevoc and their hardware/AI algorithm combination, which is inherent to their Clear buds (tested above) and used in part by Soundpeats (with their Mini, original version) and TaoTronics (TT-BH080). The Elevoc performed very well at compressing sound, but you still sound a bit tinny. Hopefully processors will continue to improve, supply will ease, and we will see improvements in this area. There is no reason why not.
Q - You say in the video price isn't reflective of quality, but all the best performers are in the expensive category?
A - True. But bear in mind there were expensive buds I didn't include this time. Time is a big thing. Look at the date of release. The XM3, older Jabra buds such as the 75t (which were included) - they're ok, but barely at the level of some of the budget buds, because technology moves so quickly. As chips become better on both sources and earbuds, compression algorithms improve, MEMS is moving quicker than Moore's Law.... The point is budget buds can catch up to being a little behind the big boys in performance despite being a fraction of the price. And have, in some instances.
Plus, how many people really need mad noise compression.... Is it a genuine requirement? Think about your use case. I can see why it is so good on the Linkbuds - you will mostly be out and about with these buds so you can hear your surroundings.
Q - Could any TWS be used for streaming or podcasting?
A - Certainly not yet. My review was recorded on a Hyper-X solocast USB mic, it wipes the floor with any TWS but is a bit of a pain in the ass to carry around all day
TWS are designed for convenience. They're jacks of all trades, masters of none.
Q - Why bother doing this if you're not getting paid?
A - It is cheaper than cocaine and hookers and keeps me out of jail
To the mods, apologies if any rules are broken here (I don't think they were) and if it helps any fellow members then I'm glad - any questions, or if there are any you'd like me to test, feel free to get in touch via pm.
Usually this is when I'm out and about and need to whip the buds out of my ears quickly - typically on a commute - so my wired IEM's are out of the question, especially as the case on the AZ-09 is massive. This scenario, as well as the increased number of Zoom and Teams calls taken in makeshift kitchen offices with barely enough room for a monitor let alone a USB mic, has seen us, the consumers, and vendors push for better mic performance and overall call quality, and the market is slowly but surely improving with some decent innovations.
I've been reviewing here at Headfi for a while but have uploaded these to YouTube as, well, it's something I can relay without you having to take my word for it.
There's also a nice video here from Kenneth Tanaka
Some questions in advance:
Q - Which are best?
A - Make your own mind up - the top tier are arguably better all-rounders, but it really does depend on use case.
Q - Which models are tested?
A - There are 30 models in total, with examples from Sony, Huawei, OnePlus, Edifier, Elevoc, SoundPeats, Tronsmart, QCY, etc. Most of them I reviewed here on Headfi for other features and overall performance.
Q - Why no Anker/Soundcore?
A - I don't take any payment for reviews and am too lazy to rely on affiliate links. Therefore when I get buds, it's almost always out of my own pocket. Anker rarely have anything that is cheap enough to take a punt on but not crazy expensive, and they don't send me any freebies, so until they come up with something really worth getting, I ain't including any unfortunately. I had the SLP2 but sold them as they didn't fit well. I considered the SLP3 but went with the OnePlus as they were on sale. No reason why I won't in the future though.
Q - Which are best value?
A - Again, make your own mind up - I excluded some of the weaker mic performers this time (KZ SKS, etc.) but that doesn't make them bad buds (I actually really like them, they're just trash for calls)
Q - Which were really bad?
A - Mostly the older buds. CVC is a bit of a red herring. It doesn't really make much difference, varies in its implementation, and I saw that with many of the cVc 8.0 buds performing quite poorly outdoors
Q - Is any brand especially good?
A - No, they vary wildly. The Sony LinkBuds are great for calls, but the WF-1000XM3 were quite poor by comparison. There are a lot of variables and sometimes it doesn't make sense which models seem to be optimised, but who am I to argue with a multi million industry?!
Q - Are any technologies anticipated in this space to improve call quality?
A - QCY have implemented 'Aptx-HD calls' in their T18. Sadly no source seems to support it fully yet. The aim is to increase the bandwidth to reduce the 'compressed sound' you hear on calls. Sony, Samsung and Huawei use some consumer technology to good effect, such as accelerometers and gyrometers to try to establish what is your voice and what isn't. It is especially effective on the Sony. Finally, there is of course Elevoc and their hardware/AI algorithm combination, which is inherent to their Clear buds (tested above) and used in part by Soundpeats (with their Mini, original version) and TaoTronics (TT-BH080). The Elevoc performed very well at compressing sound, but you still sound a bit tinny. Hopefully processors will continue to improve, supply will ease, and we will see improvements in this area. There is no reason why not.
Q - You say in the video price isn't reflective of quality, but all the best performers are in the expensive category?
A - True. But bear in mind there were expensive buds I didn't include this time. Time is a big thing. Look at the date of release. The XM3, older Jabra buds such as the 75t (which were included) - they're ok, but barely at the level of some of the budget buds, because technology moves so quickly. As chips become better on both sources and earbuds, compression algorithms improve, MEMS is moving quicker than Moore's Law.... The point is budget buds can catch up to being a little behind the big boys in performance despite being a fraction of the price. And have, in some instances.
Plus, how many people really need mad noise compression.... Is it a genuine requirement? Think about your use case. I can see why it is so good on the Linkbuds - you will mostly be out and about with these buds so you can hear your surroundings.
Q - Could any TWS be used for streaming or podcasting?
A - Certainly not yet. My review was recorded on a Hyper-X solocast USB mic, it wipes the floor with any TWS but is a bit of a pain in the ass to carry around all day
TWS are designed for convenience. They're jacks of all trades, masters of none.Q - Why bother doing this if you're not getting paid?
A - It is cheaper than cocaine and hookers and keeps me out of jail
To the mods, apologies if any rules are broken here (I don't think they were) and if it helps any fellow members then I'm glad - any questions, or if there are any you'd like me to test, feel free to get in touch via pm.
