Looking for good Bluetooth headphones that won’t throttle your wallet? In this Edifier W830NB headphones review, I look at Edifier’s latest noise canceling set. They might just be your ticket to affordable listening.
Following up on its W820NB model, Edifier packs serious punch for the price in this $80 pair (or $63 for Amazon Prime Day!). Just don’t expect them to beat out top-shelf cans from the likes of Apple and Sony.
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Edifier W830NB headphones review: Marathon battery life, good sound and noise cancellation
As I’ve come to expect from previous releases, Edifier offers a strong value proposition in its new and affordable W830NB headphones. It also sticks to its guns with a sleek, simple design that seems to work pretty well across its range. The W830NB sports soft earpads that promise hours of comfortable listening. It’s a look that’s both elegant and functional. It’s nothing flashy, but definitely easy on the eyes and ears. Not premium, but not overtly “cheap,” either.
At this price point, you don’t get a carrying case or dedicated audio cable with 3.5mm connector for wired listing (just the USB-A cable if you have an adapter) but you can’t have everything for $80.
Good sound quality
These cans house 40mm dynamic drivers with an independent acoustic chamber layout. This setup delivers reasonably high volume levels with distinct mids, highs and lows (plus extra bass if you want via the app). For $80, W830NB delivers a respectable soundstage. It’s not mind-blowing, but there’s a noticeable depth to the audio. Vocals come forward nicely, avoiding that flat, compressed feel common in cheaper headphones. So they sound better than their price suggests — something Edifier excels at.
The bass is strong enough out of the box but can be beefed up with EQ adjustments. Mids are solid, especially for vocals, while highs are slightly elevated but smooth. The preset and custom EQ settings in the app give you room to fine-tune music to your liking.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Solid noise cancellation
Regarding ANC, W830NB gives you five modes to play with (not that most people need or will use that many): high, medium, wind reduction, ambient sound and off. For the price point, the strongest setting does a solid job of blocking out the world (up to 45dB, according to Edifier). But I’ve experienced stronger ANC from other brands.
Compared to the pricier Edifier WH950NB headphones I reviewed previously, the W830NB set bring slightly less-sophisticated audio quality but somewhat stronger noise cancellation. The pricier pair, which is on sale for Amazon Prime Day (see below), also offers a little more comfort for long listening sessions. Its ear cups feel slightly larger and softer to me. The W830NB is on sale for Prime Day, too, by the way, and clearly a good buy.
With W830NB, Edifier upped its wireless game with Bluetooth 5.4 and LDAC support — great for Android users and still a rare find at this price point. The companion app lets you tweak EQ settings and even dabble with spatial audio, though results on that front are mixed. Selecting the “Spatial Sound” option in the app didn’t improve sound for me in some cases, seeming slightly muffled compared to regular “Music Mode.”
And the cans’ multipoint connectivity made it easy for me to pair them with my iPhone 13 Pro and M1 iPad Air at the same time.
Battery life for days
Something that stands out with Edifier’s latest is battery life. Hold onto your hats, folks — the W830NB boasts a whopping 94 hours of playtime. That’s not a typo. Only last year, 50 hours seemed impossibly high.
So these headphones outperform plenty of high-end models like the Sennheiser Momentum 4 on battery life, making W830NB a standout in the budget category. Only when they finally run out of juice will you realize, “oh, yeah, I’m supposed to charge these. What did I do with that cable?”
Features and specifications
- Certified Hi-Res Audio with LDAC codec support (transfer rate of 990kbps)
- 40mm large dynamic drivers and an independent acoustic chamber layout
- -45dB upgraded hybrid digital noise-canceling with four ANC modes
- Spatial audio
- 94 hours playtime
- Fast charging: Up to 10 hours of use on a 15 minute charge
- DNN noise reduction for clear calls
- Ergonomic design with soft earpads and adjustable headband, weighing around 9.3 ounces (265 grams)
- Bluetooth v5.4
- Three preset EQs and custom EQ in Edifier ConneX App
- 1-year warranty
Value proposition
Let’s get real. At this price point, you’re not getting audiophile-grade sound. But the W830NB punches well above its weight class. With its impressive battery life, decent noise-canceling and LDAC support, it offers features usually reserved for pricier models.
Edifier W830NB aren’t perfect, but they’re a good value at $80 and even better at a Prime Day discount. The set improves on its predecessor in all the right ways, especially in Bluetooth capability and that marathon battery life. If you’re on a tight budget but still want a feature-packed pair of wireless headphones, these should definitely be on your radar. Just be ready to play with the EQ to get the most out of the sound.
You can pick up Edifier W830NB headphones in black, gray or “sandwhite” colors at Amazon for $79.99 $63.99 (20% off for Prime Day). If you want something a little more premium, try the nice WH950NB set I mentioned above; it’s currently 44% off for Prime Day, at $149.99 $99.99, through Wednesday.
Where to buy: Amazon
Edifier provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
★★★★☆
These cans sport -45dB active noise cancellation, 94 hours playtime, LDAC Hi-Res Audio, spatial audio, fast charging, multipoint connection and Bluetooth V5.4. They come in black, gray or white colors.
