Edifier W320TN

Battery life

With a higher volume, the Edifier W320TN can achieve a listening time of four and a half hours per charge when using Bluetooth SBC standard. However, if adaptive noise cancellation is active, the runtime is reduced to just under three hours, which is not very long. The earbuds can be fully charged in their handy charging case four times before an external power source is required, making a total runtime of 22 hours and 30 minutes in standard mode or 14 hours and 30 minutes in ANC mode.

The earpieces are fully charged again after 55 minutes, while a ten-minute quick charge provides capacity for up to one hour and 20 minutes. The case’s battery reserve can be restored in 75 minutes using the USB-C to USB-A charging cable that is supplied.

Operation

The earbuds support Bluetooth standard 5.3 and Google Fast Pair for fast connection with Android devices. Multipoint connections with two devices simultaneously and one-sided use in single mode are also possible. A pressable mechanism integrated into the side of the stem controls playback, makes phone calls, and skips forwards or backwards when selecting tracks. A short press and hold activates the voice assistant and switches between ANC and basic mode, and this can be supplemented with transparency mode via the app.

Volume control and gaming mode controls can also be retrofitted, as the Edifier W320TN’s controls can be customised to suit your own preferences, except for the playback control, which is always done with a simple press. However, there is no provision for manual switching on and off via the pressure-sensitive area on the stem, which means that you always require the case. There is also a wear detection function which can be activated and deactivated via the app.

Edifier Connect app

In addition to adaptive noise cancellation, which automatically regulates itself, the Edifier W320TN offer a seven-stage transparency mode that can be adjusted to the environment via connection with the app (for Android and iOS). There are also four sound control modes to choose from: “Classic”, which is the default setting, “Pop”, “Classical” and “Rock”. However, this model does not have an EQ for customised settings.

While calming tones for relaxing and meditating can be found in the “Soothing Sounds” section, a beep search function is designed to help you find the headphones. The app can also be used to configure a timer, set the volume and adjust the sensitivity of the pressure-sensitive control through 15 levels, and this is very well thought out. Firmware updates and the activation and deactivation of multipoint connections or the latency-reduced gaming mode are also part of the range of functions.

Voice clarity when making phone calls

According to the manufacturer, a total of six microphones with ENC technology (Environmental Noise Cancellation) aim to ensure clear, distinct voice transmission, and this is something that these earbuds largely achieve. In a quiet environment, the call quality was excellent, especially as the voice reproduction on both sides conveyed the impression of naturalness.

In addition, the microphone technology completely suppressed wind and ambient noise during pauses in speech so that silence prevailed. During speech, the transmission was significantly attenuated, so there was hardly any interference. However, we noticed that the filtering of strong wind or particularly loud background noise had an effect on the quality of speech transmission. Although your own voice remained intelligible, it no longer reached the other person smoothly; instead, it sounded somewhat slowed down and stretched. However, apart from the minor loss of quality in a loud or very windy environment, the filtering worked impressively well.

Noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode

The Edifier W320TN’s adaptive noise cancellation reacted with a slight delay while it adapted to the ear canal and the environment, but it noticeably lowered the outer range. Due to the design, the effect was not comparable with True Wireless in-ears in the corresponding price range, but the ANC mode provided advantages for media playback, especially for mobile use. Despite the “loose” fit, low- and high-frequency noise sources were clearly attenuated, while background noise was slightly reduced. In ANC mode, it was possible to perceive a medium background noise when playback was paused. Meanwhile, Transparency Mode amplified external noises with as little noise as possible, but it was not particularly intensive. While there were hardly any differences in the lower and middle setting range, the responsiveness increased when listening to music at the upper levels.

Gaming mode

Although with LDAC, these earbuds support a premium audio codec, this was not always available on the device side. If this was the case, they used Bluetooth standard SBC, which resulted in a noticeable offset between the image and sound when watching films and playing mobile or computer games. Latency optimisation in gaming mode might help here, and it significantly improved synchronicity. We did not notice any negative effects on the stability of the wireless connection.

Sound

The Edifier W320TN have dynamic 13mm drivers and are equipped with an adaptive EQ that automatically performs bass compensation during playback. This is intended to counteract the design-related disadvantage of the earbud system, as bass components are lost due to the half-in-ear design. Here, the adaptive EQ did this job extremely well, especially as the sound compensation did not exaggerate, and this meant that the advantages of an appealingly wide, open listening impression were not lost. Great!

Even in Classic mode, which aims for a balanced, homogeneous presentation, the bass reproduction was powerful and reached far down. While the low bass seemed rather lean, the mid-bass range had a degree of fullness, ensuring that modern music styles were not reproduced as full-bodied but were definitely tight. The slightly warm, detailed mid-range sounded fresh and reproduced voices vividly and clearly, and this also benefited spoken content and film dialogue. This was complemented by a present treble reproduction that was lively but not loud, even if sibilants might be perceived as a little sharp at higher volume levels.

The pop mode is geared towards powerful listening pleasure and offers a richer bass reproduction, with the low bass, in particular, having more substance. The mid-frequency range also appeared fuller and was reproduced more directly, giving lead instruments and vocals more assertiveness. The upper registers also seemed as prominent as in Classic mode.

On the other hand, the Classical mode had a characteristically slim bass response that produced a bright sound image with an energetic mid-range that expressed many details. The treble range also had more radiance, although this could overshoot the mark a little when playing beyond a medium volume and could tend towards a certain sharpness.

In rock mode, the earbuds sounded fuller and warmer but not as direct as in the pop version. The (low) bass range appeared similarly rich, while the fundamental range was more emphasised and vocal reproduction was a little more full-bodied. The treble reproduction also had more vigour and an increased presence, leading the upper ranges to possibly be perceived as somewhat harsh in a louder listening environment.

Conclusion

If you appreciate the wearing comfort of earbuds and also want noise cancellation that works, you should definitely take a closer look at the Edifier W320TN. The adaptive EQ managed to compensate for the loss of bass components in the half-in-ear design. The sound quality offered during phone calls was also impressive, considering the price range, as wind and ambient noise were filtered out effectively. However, there was room for improvement in terms of battery life, especially in ANC mode. Another thing that needs to be addressed is the lack of support for the AAC format.