iKodoo Buds One review: a TWS pair worth considering | Tech news

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iKodoo is a relatively new audio brand in India, aiming to popularise high-end technology, and the Buds One TWS earphones are its first endeavour in this direction. Priced under Rs 6,000, these earphones offer features generally found in top-end earbuds such as 50db active noise cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging support. Additionally, the company has also partnered with the European sound brand Vifa to enhance the sound quality of the Buds One. 

I have been using the iKodoo Buds One TWS earphones for a few days now and here’s what I make of them.

Design and fit

• The iKodoo Buds One comes in a nice, little oval-shaped case that is quite pocketable. The case has a plastic build with a glossy finish that tends to pick up quite a few scratches. However, the scratches are not visible until you shine a light on them. The audio accessory comes in a couple of colour options: white and grey. I got the white colour variant for review, and thankfully, it did not turn yellow in Delhi’s dusty weather. However, due to its colour scheme, the case requires regular cleaning to keep it looking fresh. Although the case has a sturdy appearance, the lid does not inspire confidence as it feels a bit plasticky. However, the lid’s clasp is tight and doesn’t come loose, even when you try to push the case in and out of a tight jeans pocket.

• Opening the lids reveals the earbuds, which like the case are also white and are fashioned out of plastic. The pair features a stem-shaped design with ear tips that are interchangeable with small, medium, and large tips provided in the box. The ear tips offer a decent fit, but they may not be suitable for physical activities as they lack a secure hold during workouts. The Buds One is better suited for casual users who intend to use them mostly at their homes or offices. The earbuds are lightweight, measuring 5.2 grams per piece, and comfortable to wear for a long duration.

Features and companion app

• The iKodoo Buds One case features a built-in speaker that emits sound, helping you locate it if you misplace it in the house. The case also boasts a Type-C port for charging, a pairing mode button, and an LED light that turns red, yellow, and green to indicate charge/battery status. There are also a couple of holes in the case to attach a lanyard cable. As for the Buds, they boast Bluetooth v5.2 to connect wirelessly with your smartphone and other devices. To connect the buds to your device for the first time, make sure they are in the case and have the pairing mode enabled. The latter can be done with a long press of the pairing mode button at the bottom of the case until a white light starts blinking. Once paired, the iKodoo Buds One will connect automatically with your device as soon as the case is opened. The connection remains pretty stable and you get a decent range too (10m to be precise). However, the buds don’t have multi-device connectivity, which means they can only stay connected and paired with one device at a time.

• Moving on, the earbuds incorporate touch controls on the outer shell, along with a small mesh for ambience mode that keeps you aware of your surroundings. While there are no demarcations for touch controls, they are fairly easy to get. I didn’t face any issues while adjusting the volume, changing tracks, turning on/ off ANC, and answering calls from the earbuds. The touch controls proved to be quite responsive. The inner shell, facing the ear canal, is equipped with an optical sensor for wear detection. This automatically pauses the music/ audio when the Buds One are removed from the ears and plays when they are reinserted. In terms of durability, the buds are IP55 rated, meaning that they can withstand light rain and splashes. However, the Buds One charging case doesn’t have an IP rating.

• The iKodoo companion app for the Buds One is available for download on both Android phones and iPhones. I used the app on my iPhone, and it worked seamlessly. However, the app asks you to create an account and do a bunch of unnecessary things before accessing the home screen. The app has the standard EQ preset settings, which make the earphones fun to use, and an Ambient Sound Control option. The latter lets you adjust ANC and ambient mode, which is also possible through the touch controls on the earbuds. Speaking of touch controls, they can be customised via the companion app. 

• The iKodoo app includes a ‘Find headphones’ option, allowing you to locate the earphones if they happen to go missing. This feature utilizes an alarm or a map to assist in finding them. However, the map functionality did not work for me personally. Furthermore, the app actively monitors the remaining battery levels of both the case and the earphones.

ANC and sound quality

• The iKodoo Buds One TWS earphones pack 13.4mm dynamic drivers and support SBC and AAC audio codecs. Additionally, the pair offers 48ms latency figures in games and is said to reduce ambient noise by up to 50db with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The ANC feature on these earbuds effectively cancels out noise in a moderately loud environment, allowing you to focus on your audio. The iKodoo Buds One offers three levels of ANC, namely mild, balanced, and depth, that can be adjusted from the companion app. Out of these three, the depth ANC is the most effective against background noise, and it was the setting I predominantly used while reviewing this audio device.
• Apart from the ANC which iKodoo likes to call Noise, the Buds One are equipped with TalkThru and Ambient Aware modes. While the latter disables ANC and passively reduces some noise, the TalkThru mode lets in all the surrounding sounds, keeping you connected to the environment. Switching between these modes is seamless, thanks to the touch controls located on the earbuds.

• When it comes to the sound, the default profile of the iKodoo Buds One leans more towards the high and mid frequencies, resulting in a subdued bass. However, the companion app has 10-band equaliser settings where you can choose the preset options or customise them as per your own preferences. I set the earbuds’ equaliser settings to the ‘popularity’ preset, which resulted in a much better sound experience for me. The preset improves the lows, making the bass sound richer and fuller while maintaining a balanced mid and high range. I certainly enjoyed the drum beats in Charlie Puth & Jung Kook’s song “Left and Right” and the guitar bass cover in “Hawayein” (from “Jab Harry Met Sejal”) more on the ‘popularity’ preset compared to the default one. That said, the soundstage on the earbuds is not too broad, and their bass lacks that thump that truly impresses you or makes you groove.

Call quality and battery life

• You can answer and reject calls with a single and double tap on the earbuds, respectively. The pair have a total of six microphones, which are aided by environment noise cancellation to filter out unwanted noise. However, the earphones did an average job of making me sound clear to the listener even when there wasn’t much background noise present.

• The battery life on the iKodoo Buds One is good, if not great. The earbuds pack a 52mAh battery, which is claimed to offer 6 hours of playback time with ANC and 8 hours without ANC. I’m happy to report that the buds lasted me around the same time with 60-70 percent volume. However, I did notice the battery draining faster when using the buds for calls. This could be due to the call noise cancellation tech. Nevertheless, you don’t have to worry as the case comes to the rescue. 
• The case houses a 450mAh battery that promises at least two full charge cycles for the earbuds before it needs to be plugged in for charging. The case can charge both wired and wirelessly. While the latter is slow and seems to have some issues, the wired solution has fast charging support that can add two hours of non-ANC playback time with just 10 minutes of charge. Overall, the device takes close to two hours for a full charge. You do get a USB Type-A to Type-C cable in the box.

Verdict

The iKodoo Buds One have a lot going for them, most notably the segment-first 50dB active noise cancellation. Additionally, these earbuds offer responsive touch controls, a decent battery life, and acceptable sound quality after tweaking the equalizer settings. While there are a few drawbacks to consider, such as the plastic build being prone to scratches, unreliable wireless charging, and underwhelming bass performance, they are not necessarily deal breakers. Most earphones, including the OnePlus Buds Z (review), within the same price segment generally have similar builds and lack powerful bass and wireless charging capabilities.

As a result, the iKodoo Buds One can be a worthy option to consider. The earphones are currently available for purchase in India at a price of Rs 5,999.

Editor’s rating: 3.5/5

Pros

• Comfortable and lightweight
• Decent sound quality
• ANC is satisfactory
• Good battery life

Cons

• Fit could have been better
• Bass lacks punch
• Wireless charging isn’t reliable

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