SoundMAGIC TWS30

The TWS30 sample was kindly provided by SoundMAGIC free of charge.
They never asked for a favorable review and this is my honest and subjective evaluation of it.
All links provided are not affiliated in any way and I don't earn any kind of compensation by clicking in them.

Introduction

The TWS30 is a true wireless earphone supporting Bluetooth 5.0 with the aptX codec and an IPX6 waterproof rating, suitable for running sports and other activities.
They are available in black and white color and they come with three pairs of silicon tips and a USB cable for charging.
Amazon.co.uk is currently selling them for £39.99



Technical and physical specifications

A single 9mm dynamic driver with powerful neodymium magnets is powered by a Bluetooth 5.0 Qualcomm Chip QCC3020 with a built-in audio decoder.

The earphones are "bean" shaped and they are made of plastic with good build quality.
Each one features a single, rounded aluminium multifunction button which is positioned at the upper part of the shell while a small LED flashes blue or red to indicate the working condition.



Comfort and fit

The shell is slim, anatomically shaped and lightweight offering a very comfortable and discreet fit suitable for extended use without causing any kind of pain.
The TWS30 don't have active noise cancellation but they actually offer good passive noise attenuation as they fit quite tight and stay in place under head movement.

Charging case

They charge inside a small charging case made of plastic with a beautiful semi transparent cover.
The case itself is lightweight and portable, weighing 79gr (earbuds included) and measuring about 65x50x30mm.
Four tiny LED lights positioned at the inner part indicate the battery level of the case which is charged through a USB type C port.
The earphones are magnetically attached inside the case and they automatically turn off and start charging while their LED indicator flashes red to indicate the action.



Battery life

Battery duration is rated at about 4 hours of talk time or 5 hours of music playback while the standby mode is 280 hours.
The actual performance was a little lower but still very good since we managed to get about 3.5-4 hours of continuous music listening.
The earbuds need about one hour to be fully charged and the case provides about 4 extra full charges.



Connectivity and user experience

The TWS30 will automatically enter into pairing mode upon first power on.
Then once paired they will be automatically connected to the latest used device every time they are pulled out of the case.
We can use both earphones in stereo mode or alternatively choose single operation between left or right, something that can be configured with the multifunction button as described in the manual.

The overall user experience is more or less problem free but occasionally the left earbud might refuse to auto power off and start charging because the contact point is not well aligned.
At this point the user must slightly move it with the finger until a secure contact is established.

Operation is easy and straightforward with a small learning curve.
The multifunction button needs to be pressed in order to function, which is more to our liking than touch controls that are prone to accidental actions.
We can answer and reject calls, lower and increase the volume, play/pause music, skip to the next/previous track, enter call waiting and activate the voice assistant.



Call quality and Bluetooth range

Call quality is good both for the answerer and the caller with a clean voice.
Sparingly some interference might creep in but other than that everything works perfectly as described.
Bluetooth range is satisfying and we have successfully used the TWS30 up to a 10 meter range in free space but thick walls will lower the effective distance.

Sound impressions

Surprisingly good, it punches well above its price point with a fun, warm and easy going sound signature suitable for all kinds of music yet with enough extension and detail retrieval in order not to miss the vital information.
SoundMAGIC has opted for a mid - centric tuning with an added bass and treble extension since this kind of sound is usually better suited for noisy environments and casual listening sessions on the go.
Believe it or not this is one of the best sounding TWS earphones we have ever tested with a musical tuning and a timbre that is not too artificial.
We certainly liked them more than the Sennheiser CX400 BT, the Tronsmart Apollo Bold, the Audiofly AFT2 and other more expensive competitors.

The bass can reach low enough in order to satisfy with songs with the likes of Billie Eilish while it is clear and tight enough to handle classical music.
It is not the most controlled or layered bass and there is a certain upper bass boost - bloat that adds warmth but without clouding things too much.
Separation is acceptable and transition to the mids is nicely done without masking, so they sound well separated and clean enough to shine with their presence.
Voices, especially female, are slightly forward so are some other instruments and their harmonics giving the earphone a mid-focused flavor that combined with the bass warmth makes for a very pleasing sound experience.
Treble extends well in order to blend with the rest of the frequencies and add the necessary bite and energy while providing adequate detail retrieval.
It is to be considered smooth and not fatiguing although it is not the best articulated while sometimes it sounds glary, artificial and somewhat thinner than we would like.
Decay is a little rushed but the soundstage is well extended with good width, airy and spacious positioning but it is overly two dimensional without the sense of depth.



At the end

The SoundMAGIC TWS30 may not be the most technically advanced true wireless earphone as it lacks noise cancellation, an accompanying application or other bells and whistles but it surely stands out in the sound department.
It is an excellent performer exceeding the humble price point by a fair margin while it is lightweight and comfortable with a discreet fit, just give it a try and you will certainly be surprised to find out how good it sounds.

Test playlist

Copyright - Petros Laskis 2021