When you’re working out in the gym or running outside, you might prefer open ear headphones that allow you to maintain awareness of your surroundings. Open ear earbuds offer an auditory experience that keeps the user connected to the outside world, in contrast to noise-canceling earphones that aim to block external sounds. These earbuds allow users to enjoy music, podcasts, or phone conversations without completely shutting out environmental noises, making them ideal for staying aware in various settings, from lively urban areas to serene parks or active workplaces.
If you’re looking for a new pair of open ear earphones, the Tozo OpenBuds may just be the one for you. Let’s check out how they perform.
Getting to know the Tozo OpenBuds
The Tozo Open Buds feature an open-ear configuration, equipped with 14.2mm dynamic drivers that produce premium sound and robust bass. These earbuds boast an IPX6 rating for water resistance, and their bi-axial rotation allows for dual-angle positioning for personalized comfort. With the Tozo App, users can easily update their earbuds’ firmware and choose from five pre-programmed EQ settings.
In the box
With your purchase, you’ll find:
- 1x Tozo Open Buds
- 1x Charging Case
- 1x User manual
- 1x Quick Start Guide
- 1x 10in USB-C Charging Cable
Specifications
- Weight: 20.8 g
- Open Buds Battery: 70 mAh/ 3.85V Lithium Ion
- Charging time: Fully charges in 1.5 hours via USB-C
- Playback: 12 hours at 50% volume
- Charging Case Battery: 650mAh 3.7V providing an additional 30 hours of battery life
- Case Charging Time: 1.5 hours to full charge
- IPX6 Waterproof Rating
- Bluetooth 5.3 allows for dual device connection
How it looks
The Tozo Open Buds earbuds present a sleek, unobtrusive design that stands apart from typical in-ear models, featuring a flat surface on the inner side that contains the driver. For a customized fit, users can adjust the ear band with a 90-degree swivel and a 60-degree tilt. The earbuds charge in a stylish, compact case via a USB-C port, with magnets that ensure they snap securely into place for charging.
Reflecting Tozo’s preference for understated elegance, the Open Buds sport a simple pill-shaped form with symmetrical ear hooks, eschewing the flashy, sporty look for a more polished, professional demeanor.
The touch controls on the left and right panels of the earphones are impressively responsive. The accompanying app comes with a suite of features, including an equalizer. A nice feature in the app is you can customize the single click, double click, triple click, and long press for the left and right bud.
Despite its minimalist black shell, the lightweight charging case is notably larger than average, accommodating the earbuds’ slightly larger size.
Prepping the Tozo OpenBuds
The setup process for the Tozo earphones is straightforward and user-friendly. Upon opening the case, the earbuds are instantly recognizable in the Bluetooth settings and connect seamlessly. They emit a subtle chime as a connection indicator, which is easy to miss if not placed near the ear immediately.
Tozo ensures that users can get started without hassle, providing a concise quick-start guide alongside a comprehensive manual, detailing Bluetooth pairing, fit adjustment with the ear hook, and the usage of touch controls. The earbuds are ready to pair upon opening their case, signaled by alternating red and white lights.
For added convenience, Tozo has enabled the Openbuds to pair even when they’re outside the case by pressing both earbuds for three seconds, a feature handy for those who frequently switch between audio sources.
Equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology, these earphones offer minimal latency. They also support multi-link connectivity, allowing simultaneous pairing with two devices, such as a laptop and a phone. This multi-device connection is a standout feature, as it is not commonly found in many premium earbuds.
Sound quality
The Tozo Openbuds uphold the brand’s reputation for delivering superior sound quality at an accessible price point. Their size allows for a larger 14.22mm dynamic driver, a distinguishing feature that enables a depth of detail and bass that rivals its competition.
With five preset EQ settings, you can pick from Standard, Bass +, Classical, Dance, or Treble +.
Despite the inherent challenges of an open-ear design, which usually sacrifices bass for openness, the Openbuds manage to produce substantial bass. The standard sound tuning is balanced, avoiding the excessively sharp treble that often plagues other earbuds.
However, the design choice to allow ambient noise does mean that in noisy environments, such as bustling city streets or public transport, these earbuds may not perform as well as those with active noise cancellation (ANC).
Overall, the Tozo Openbuds stand out for their rich and detailed sound profile, offering an exceptional audio experience at a value that is hard to match.
Call and microphone quality
Although the OpenBuds excel in sound delivery, their microphone performance is notably less impressive. During various tests, including recordings and calls, the microphone consistently struggled to pick up my voice, at times barely capturing any audio.
This is rather unfortunate, especially considering their larger size, which ideally should allow for a superior microphone system than what is typically possible in smaller earbuds.
The Tozo App
As mentioned, the Tozo Openbuds come with an intuitive touch control system, with various tapping gestures on the earbuds allowing for easy management of playback and track navigation. Volume adjustments are made by a prolonged press on the left earbud to lower it and on the right to raise it.
The accompanying Tozo App enhances this experience by providing customization options for these controls. While I found the default setup to meet my requirements, the ability to tailor the controls is a welcomed feature.
In addition to the touch controls, the app also offers equalizer customization with five distinct presets available. This is fewer compared to the ten presets some other models, like the Tozo Golden X1 earbuds, provide. Since this is a software-related aspect, it’s possible that it might be expanded with future updates, but as it stands, the customization options are somewhat restricted.
Battery life
Tozo claims that the OpenBuds offer12 hours of playback at 50% volume.
On our test, a three hour session of uninterrupted music listening, left the earbuds with about 51% of battery life. This could be attributed to the higher volume and frequent interaction with the settings, which likely accounted for the increased battery consumption. A recharge was swift and efficient, though, with the earbuds returning to full power after just 30 minutes in the case.
Pricing and availability
The Tozo OpenBuds are available on Tozo’s official site or on Amazon at USD 69.99.
Verdict
The Tozo Openbuds make a strong case for themselves with their robust sound quality, user-friendly touch controls, and the convenience of a quick-charging, long-lasting battery. While they excel in delivering a rich audio experience and offer customization via the Tozo App, they fall short on microphone clarity and the extent of equalizer options. The battery performance is commendable, though actual longevity will vary based on usage patterns. Despite these drawbacks, the overall value proposition of the Openbuds is high, particularly for those seeking quality sound and ease of use at a budget-friendly price. They are a solid choice for everyday listening, provided that one can overlook the limitations in microphone performance and the desire for more intricate EQ settings.
