TWS true wireless earphones - under $50
4.5 STARS - The QCY HT05 Melobuds may not be perfect, but it offers usable Active Noise Cancelling AND has a clever trick to compensate for hearing loss.
QCY HT05 Melobuds ANC specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec
IPX5 waterproof rating (rain and sweat proof)
6 - 7 hours listening on a single charge (ANC on/off)
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 3 times
Comes with 3 sets of ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$40 - Buy on AliExpress, Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries
Below this QCY HT05 Melobuds review, you will find comparisons of the QCY HT05 vs SoundPEATS Life, Soundcore Life P3i and Redmi Buds 4.
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Design, comfort and battery life
Unremarkable, that's the best way to describe the charging case and the earbud design of the QCY HT05 Melobuds. But even at its friendly 40 dollars price point, the charging case could have been better. The square shape makes it a bit bulky to wear comfortably in jeans pockets, and there's no LED-charging indicator to show off how much battery the case has left. The USB-C port on the side of the case is convenient enough.
The earbuds lights are the only charging indicators
The earbuds enough follow a proven recipe. On the top of the stems (that fall elegantly flat to your cheeks), you'll find an oval earpiece you place diagonal in your ears. It makes for a snug and sturdy fit, even when you're working out, which you can do safely during the IPX5 sweat- and rain proof rating. The oval ear tips are a bit thicker than usual on wireless earbuds though - meaning you can always feel the earbuds sitting in your ears, even though they're comfortable enough to wear them for a few hours.
You can do so as well, as the battery life ranges from a minimum of 5,5 hours (ANC on, loud music playback) to even 7,5 hours with the function turned off and background music listening. Decent performance all-around.
Controls and connectivity
The controls of the QCY HT05 are the same as its predecessor from last year, the QCY HT03:
Double-tap L or R to play/pause music
Hold R to cycle between ANC, Transparency mode, ANC off
Hold L to (de)activate low-latency gaming mode
Triple-tap R to skip to the next track
Triple-tap L to activate the voice assistant
With the app, you can change the controls to your liking and also add volume controls, by activating single taps on the earbuds. You may as well do so, as the touch panels respond well - but not too quick - to your input.
The ANC switches with normal English voice commands, while you still have to recognise the Gaming Mode by the amount of beeps (2 = on, 3 = off). Overall connectivity is good, with the Bluetooth connection holding up over 10 meters away from your device. Sadly, music doesn't pause automatically when you take an earbud out.
Phone and video calls on QCY HT05
Delivering good Active Noise Cancelling AND clear calls on highly affordable wireless earbuds, could make a true winner - but unfortunately, the QCY HT05 isn't it.
Your voice sounds loud and clear in both phone and video calls, but it could still be a tiring listen to the other end of the line, as even distant background noises can appear as high-pitched bleeps around your voice. Wind can drag away your voice heavily, like most wireless earbuds. You can take a call with these, but you may want to head to a quiet area as soon as possible.
Video and games playback
The Melobuds have no trouble playing videos on either Android or iPhone. Thanks to the Gaming mode you can activate on the earbuds or via the app, there's a good synchronization between sounds and the action on your screen in a demanding game like Call of Duty Mobile. The sound could have been more spacious and detailed to let you hear where footsteps and gunshots come from, however.
App Support of QCY HT05 Melobuds: A clever solution for hearing loss
The free QCY app for Android and iPhone has a bunch of useful features for the HT05 Melobuds.
Check the battery status of the left and right earbud
Switch between ANC on/ Transparency mode/ ANC off
Choose between three ANC strength modes
Change the sound balance to the left of the right earbud, compensating for hearing loss
(De)activate the game mode
Customize the controls + add single-touch controls
Sleep mode that deactivates the controls
Read the tutorial
Update the firmware
Choose from 6 equalizers presets or create your own
With the sound channel balance, you can adjust how loud the playback is on either of the earbuds. This way, you can compensate for hearing loss on one of your ears - not having to listen too loud on the other side.
You can add single tap-controls to the earbuds, making it possible to also change the volume
Don't expect to much from the different EQ presets; they change the sound, but most of them make the sound more muffled. Letting you alter the sound balance between your left and right earbud is a great option for people with hearing loss on a single side, though!
Sadly, on Android, the app does want to have many permissions (like constant pop-ups and overruling the battery management) to make the app perform optimal.
ANC Noise cancelling on QCY HT05
The QCY HT05 Melobuds has some of the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on wireless earbuds under 50 dollars. It heavily softens both darker sounds and the highest peaks around you.
Mid-tones and inconsistent higher noises like a nearby vacuum cleaner are also softened, but higher tones in these sounds still come through. That is, without playing music. Tap that play button and the HT05 takes away a lot of surrounding noise. Other than that, the Melobuds is highly useful for reducing background sounds.
Surprisingly, the ANC mode on the HT05 even handles wind noise pretty well - although you can reduce it even more by turning the function off.
Transparency mode on QCY HT05
The Transparency mode on the QCY Melobuds passes through brighter surrounding noises when you need it, making you hear traffic around you. It's less successful in letting you follow a nearby conversation - play music on moderate volume, and the effect is pretty much useless for this purpose.
The right earbud deservers another notion here; as it seemed to be less responsive to the Transparancy mode than the left earbud, instead holding on to cancelling noise.
Also read: The best wireless ANC earbuds
Sound quality of QCY HT05
There's something strange going on in the sound character of the QCY HT05. These earbuds sound noticeably different on Android phones than they do on an iPhone.
That's weird, as the HT05 only houses the AAC codec - which should normally result in about the same sound on both systems.
On iPhone, the HT05 mostly offers a clear sound. Especially up to halfway on the volume bar, the QCY leans towards treble. Both female and higher-pitched male vocals are forward, and upper-mid and instruments like violins and cymbals have a strong presence. Meanwhile, more neutral voices and typical center-mid instruments like guitar and piano play, also tend toward the higher frequencies a bit. They have a fairly natural, but slightly brighter than average tonality.
Happily, the QCY cuts off the highs before they sound sharp and tiring. But you need to cross the volume bar halfway to also gain a little bit of lows. Up until then, there's really only mid-bass; slim slams rather than strong thumps. Increase the volume, and the bass gets a bit more thumping body and more importantly; lower-mids start to enter the sound. Not by much, but darker electronic tones and lower male vocals gain enough weight to bring balance to the trebled sound.
On Android, the sound is warmer. The overall sound can still be described as ‘clear’, but there's less emphasis on treble, and always more lower-mid emphasis than on the iPhone. On top of that, the bass has more depth. Darker electronic tones and lower male vocals are more pronounced and color the music warmer and darker. It doesn't matter if you listen on background (or even very minimal, sleep-proof) or loud volume; the HT05 offers a slightly more comforting listen on Android.
Whether you listen on Android or iPhone: don't expect the most refined sound. The bass mostly consists of mid-bass, while the sub-bass (darkest bass tones you can feel as much as hear) is rather shy, and loose if present. It's also ambitious to speak of a soundstage; musical details are limited to some left-right separation. Compared to the previously released QCY HT03, the sound is cleaner and more balanced, on both systems.
The QCY HT05 has a straightforward sound, clearer on iPhone and a bit more comforting on Android.
QCY HT05 Melobuds comparisons
QCY HT05 Melobuds vs Redmi Buds 4: Which is better?
The QCY HT05 Melobuds sees competition from the popular Redmi Buds 4, which also offers Active Noise Cancellation at around the same price. The Redmi has a more comfortable fit due to the smaller and stemless earbuds, and it offers clearer calls - although both fail to coop with wind noise. The HT05 offers better battery life (at least 1,5 hours on a single charge more), and its ANC is more effective in reducing all kinds of background sounds. The Redmi has a more natural Transparency mode, while the Melobuds has a more pleasant sound - a tighter treble signature on iPhone, and a warmer and more comforting picture on Android.
Redmi Buds 4 review ($40)
QCY HT05 Melobuds vs SoundPEATS LIfe
When it comes to the strongest Active Noise Cancelling on wireless earbuds under 50 dollars, the SoundPEATS Life is a better choice than the QCY HT05 Melobuds. It filters higher sounds a bit better even, and helped by a subtle white noise, it brings more rest to your head even without playing music. The HT05 does sound clearer and cleaner on iPhone, while the sound signatures are closer to each other on Android - with the SoundPEATS Life boasting a heavier and muddier bass, and a bit more vivid treble. Phone calls have a slight edge on the HT05, while the Life is more comfortable.
SoundPEATS Life review ($50)
QCY HT05 Melobuds vs Soundcore Life P3i
Now that the price of the Soundcore Life P3i seems to have dropped under $50, it's a good alternative for the Melobuds. As usual, the Soundcore feels like a more luxurious product, in both the product finish and the app design. It's also the better alternative for anyone looking for a full and bass-heavy sound. Both have oval earbuds that could have been a bit more comfortable; the Soundcore controls with actual buttons instead of touch panels and will be pushed into your ears a bit when you operate them. The QCY HT05 has slightly stronger ANC and actually more useful app options, like the unique left-right balance shifter. The Soundcore handles (indoor) calls better.
Verdict
The QCY HT05 Melobuds may not have the best call clarity or most refined sound, but it offers some of the best Active Noise Cancelling on wireless earbuds under $50. Besides that, it's a uniquely great pair for anyone having trouble with hearing loss.
4.5 STARS - GREAT
Buy QCY HT05 Melobuds/ check price:
Buy on AliExpress
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on Amazon Germany
Buy on other Amazon countries
I bought the QCY HT05 Melobuds myself to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial - read about it here.
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Guide: The best earbuds under $75
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