It’s exciting whenever I get to test out a new pair of true wireless earbuds. You really never know what you’re going to get. I’ve tested earbuds in various different price ranges that all have unique sound signatures and functionality. However, there isn’t getting away from the sometimes mangy process in which these earbuds are produced, making for more products at a faster rate in varying qualities. Although it’s easier than ever to find a suitable pair of cable-free earbuds at an affordable price, it might not be the experience you’re looking for. This week, we have the Flybuds NC from a company called Tribit. They currently go for 49.99 on Amazon, so they might get lost in the shuffle of Amazon’s search algorithm, but that’s why I’m here. Can the Flybuds stick out from the pack?
What You Get
- Tribit Earbuds(L&R)
- Charging case
- Wristlet
- 6 Pairs of Eartips
- USB-C Charging Cable
- User Manual
Look and Feel
The Flybuds come in a circular black charging case that fits nice and snug in your pants or coat pocket. It has some nice LED lights that indicate how many charges you have left. The earbuds themselves sport an ovular housing and a short stem with an all-black design. Nothing about this architecture sticks out as being original, and there isn’t even a logo or any design to make it pop out just solid black. You probably couldn’t pick them out of a pack of other true wireless models, but it’s nothing I find particularly offensive, just a bit bland.
The fit is also not anything to celebrate, as the Flybuds don’t offer much in the way of security. Although the feeling of the buds in your ear is relatively invisible, once you start moving your head around for just a bit, the loser they start to become. It takes some proper readjusting to get the buds in the exact place you want it, and the insertion doesn’t make things very easy. Most of the time it feels like the Flybuds are struggling to stay in one place, and never really secure properly.
Design and Functionality
Tribit gives the Flybuds a 10mm dynamic driver which is quite large for a true wireless at this price. Usually, a driver like this means a bass-focused sound signature, where earbuds like these tend to do pretty well in. There are a few other additions to this design that make up the Flybuds’ various features. First, there are the noise-canceling and ambient modes which operate using four microphones that can attenuate up to 30dB of noise. From what I’ve tested, the noise-cancelation isn’t very strong, but for fifty dollar earbuds, it does its job. At its worst, sometimes it’s hard to tell any major differences between normal mode and ANC mode.
Like most true wireless systems, the Flybuds feature a touch-sensitive interface. Tapping the housing performs various actions depending on the specific gesture. Sorting through playback and noise-canceling modes are kept simple and functional, and presses have instant response times.
Bluetooth
Sported here is Bluetooth 5.0 for high bandwidth and range up to 33 feet. Unfortunately, the only CODECs supported here are SBC and AAC.
Battery Life
With ANC on you’ll get 8 hours a charge, and with ANC off, 10 hours. This makes for a 24 and 30 total hour battery life, a respectable amount for a fifty dollar earbud. Plus, they only take an hour and a half to charge.
Soundstage
For fifty buds this stage is quite nice for a true wireless. The imaging has some surprising height and positioning tries to be as accurate as possible, succeeding with most tracks. The most shocking aspect of the Flybuds’ soundstage is its layering. Separation isn’t the best, but most of the musical elements appeared notably clear and easy to discern from one another. Space here is well balanced and immensely enjoyable for this price range.
Low End
The 10mm driver is doing a lot of legwork here, producing as big a bass response as it can for the build. This bass has appreciable punch and depth, as the Flybuds produce some of those chest-pounding bass frequencies you might be looking for. It accomplishes this feeling without ever overcrowding the other ranges of frequency, and is easily digestible.
Mids
You might think that the larger low end subtracts from the clarity of the midrange, but in fact, the midrange has a lot of forwarding presence to it. Instruments can be heard clearly, and with some good lift from low-mids, which have a nice crunchy texture to them. There’s some upper-mid presence here too, with twinkly math-rock guitars being a major stand out for me. Not only did they appear with seemingly a lot of gain, but with a dare, I say, a crisp response at times.
Highs
The treble here definitely has its moments, like with certain vocal performances and instruments like bells and shakers. These elements really pop in the highs and provide the energy that I’m looking for without being bright or sibilant. My only issue here is that they don’t exactly have much headroom. In effect, the treble can’t exactly show the space it feels like it is intended. Otherwise, the highs are light and pleasant.
Summary
Color me surprised. When I first popped the Flybuds in my ear, I really didn’t expect anything to write home about. My criticisms about the build still stand, but otherwise, the sound quality here is remarkable for fifty bucks, especially if you listen to a lot of Metal, Punk, Electronic, and Hard Rock. If you’re a fan of big bass, and colorful sound fields, but are on a tight budget and need to resort to true wireless earbuds, then look no further. I just wouldn’t go running with them.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Bass, imaging, functionality
Cons: Bland look, not secure
The Tribit Flybuds NC are available on Amazon.
Headphonedungeon may get a commission from retail offers.
About Author
