Tronsmart Onyx Free
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RC005
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Model: Tronsmart Onyx Free
Price: £29.74
Vendor Website: Tronsmart
Review Reference: RC005
Manufacturer Specification:
1 x Pair Wireless Earbuds
1 x USB Type-C Charge Case
1 x USB Type-C Charge Cable
3 x Pair Silicone Tips
1 x User manual
Real Life Experience
Welcome to the Regancipher review of the @Tronsmart Official 'Safer than Ever' Onyx Free.
Tronsmart are now fully established as a mid to premium range earbud vendor, with their focus almost solely on audio products - mostly speakers and headphones. Founder Eric Cheng, a self-confessed geek, founded the company with his first paycheck (where was he working?!), building a lab to disassemble audio products with the aim to recreate them in his own vision at a cost-efficient price point. After bringing in ear-chewing trophy-winning footballer Luis Suarez as an ambassador, the company have gone from strength to strength, building a close relationship with Qualcomm, and bringing two of their chips to market first with the Apollo Bold, and the Apollo Air, which uses the Qualcomm QCC3046.
This release also used a Qualcomm chip - the QCC3040 - and was no slouch, offering long battery life, tactile Panasonic buttons, and a unique 'UV sterilisation' feature within their case. After the success of the Spunky Beat, how would the Onyx Free fare?
The Unboxing - 8/10
Tronsmart's orange and purple branding is very easily identifiable, and whilst theoretically garish, it does a job - you know it's Tronsmart! The tagline for this model is SAFER THAN EVER which is their selling point over releasing a follow-up to the Neo so quickly.
The right hand angle of the case always tells you what is inside - instructions, eartips, USB-C, case, etc. The left features a QR code that takes you to the manufacturers page.
Once inside, everything is held into place with a plastic crate, in order to avoid damage in transit.
The Case - 9/10
The piano black topping is a nice change from the matte black Spunky Beats and the case is smaller than most on the market, which makes it convenient for commuting.
I was a bit critical of the Neo case, which seemed to go backwards from the excellent Spunk Beat offering. The biggest problem was the the hinge was so weak it would easily topple over, and they removed the fly lead. The hinge on this model is slightly stronger, it stands up straight, and the buds are easily replaced and removed. Good job!
There is no USB-A fly lead on this model, but it is powered by USB-C and claims to give 4 full charges (I got 3). There are 4 lights on the front. They also fixed the dodgy hinge - now it feels like a quality case.
Here's the pièce de résistance - UV sterilization. Well, it isn't. This is a bit of a gimmick at a time where people need a feeling of reassurance. There is no way the level of sterilization would kill germs in 30 seconds, and it is telling there is no mention of any specifics anywhere on the Tronsmart site. BUT, importantly these are IPX7 and can be rinsed under water for up to 30 minutes. Don't be fooled by the sterilization, but DO make use of the waterproofing.
The Fit - 9/10
Sumptuous. They are suitable for ANY scenario. They are better suited with silicone tips than foam, this is something I had to get used to.
They differentiate from the Alien Secret (above) by angling downwards into your ear. The touch control, like the Alien Secret, is tactile, and large enough for your fingertip without being intrusive nor invasive.
The footprint is far less that the FIIL (pictured above) and their Apollo Bold. I can fall asleep in these, they're so comfortable and extremely practical.
Isolation
No active noise cancellation on these (see the Apollo Bold). They do isolate passively to ambient levels reasonably well due to the excellent fit. They also balance isolation and 'thuddiness' well. The microphone noise cancellation is OK but the call quality in general has regressed from earlier models (see later in the review)
Sound Quality - 8/10 (Price Paid), 7/10 (Raw)
Subjective tests revealed that Tronsmart have done a very good job optimising the sound for most music styles. The Spunky Beats and Ace were a touch too bassy and too bright for my personal tastes. The Free are much flatter and more mellow.
There are no nasty surprises in the sub bass area. The low mids are quite good, good enough at this price point. On house or techno tracks they can sound a bit thin at times. Top end is well done, it notches when it should just before 20KHz and again, no nasty surprises. Vocals sound really quite good at this price point.
For audiobooks and podcasts these are a dream, and you'll find them palatable for prolonged listening regardless of music style.
Call Quality - Indoors - 6/10, Outdoors - 5/10
The good old earbud conundrum. Why does the Free sound worse than the Spunky Beats or Ace? Because they removed the inside mic. Why did they remove the inside mic? Because they were only IPX5. The slim design doesn't allow for a semi-permeable membrane to permit the inside mic from existing without compromising the waterproofing - the big feature. So as soon as I saw the absence of the inside mic, I figured we were in for compromise, and that's exactly what has happened.
Indoors you can sound muffled and robotic. Outdoors, any gust of wind is a problem.
Connectivity, Controls and Other Features - 7/10
Bluetooth 5.0, as we know, means diddly squat. Connectivity was a problem on the Spunky Beats. Controls were a nightmare too. Both improved marginally on the Ace.
The Free are best in class - no connectivity issues at all in 3 months of continuous testing and buttons are intuitive and perfectly pressure-tested - some button based earbuds put too much pressure on the ears causing discomfort - not so with the Free.
Tapping 3 times changes tracks, tapping twice is volume up on the right and volume down on the left. A single tap answers calls. Rejecting calls is meant to be done by holding the earpiece down for 2 seconds but I switched the bud off every time. Convenient as I don't particularly like talking to people. These are SIRI/Google Assistant enabled, I didn't use, but did accidentally activate the other night.
Battery Life - 9/10
Battery Life is very strong. The reported figures are not far short. I often fall asleep with these in and they are still going strong.
Final Comments
Tronsmart took the minor issues associated with the Spunky Beats and Ace and solved them. The improved case and controls are a big plus. Connectivity is unquestionably better, and the sound spectrum is less punchy, in a good way.
These are the best budget earbuds bar none, provided you don't need to rely on calls very often. Microphones have been sacrificed in favour of water resistance. No issues from me there. They come into their own for bedtime podcast or audiobook listening due to their unparalleled comfort, but are equally adept at music with a nicely tuned soundspace that emphasizes bass slightly, but is pretty clear at this price point. The UV sterilization is a gimmic, but the IPX rating makes these safe to wear and rinse - a big plus given the current climate. The support for Aptx will be welcome for android users, and they use the full bitpool on SBC, a sign of a product that has not cut corners.
For comfort, all types of music, podcasts and convenience, these are super little earbuds. Well worth the money, and still the leader in their field many months after their release.
Price Weighted Score: 88%
Raw Score: 75%
2022 Score: 74% (No longer available to purchase though)
instagram: regancipher
Tronsmart Review Inventory:
Tronsmart Studio
Tronsmart Apollo Air
Tronsmart Battle
Tronsmart Onyx Apex
Tronsmart Apollo Q10
Tronsmart Onyx Free
Tronsmart Apollo Bold
About Tronsmart:
Tronsmart are now fully established as a mid to premium range earbud vendor, with their focus almost solely on audio products - mostly speakers and headphones. Founder Eric Cheng, a self-confessed geek, founded the company with his first paycheck (where was he working?!), building a lab to disassemble audio products with the aim to recreate them in his own vision at a cost-efficient price point.
After bringing in ear-chewing trophy-winning footballer Luis Suarez as an ambassador, the company have gone from strength to strength, building a close relationship with Qualcomm, and bringing two of their chips to market first with the Apollo Bold, and then the Apollo Air, which uses the Qualcomm QCC3046.
For speakers, the range is now almost as extensive as their earbuds, ranging from 7, 10 and 15w mini speakers through to the 60w Force Pro and Mega Pro.
Tronsmart remain one of my favourite mid-tier vendors, outrunning their budget competitors by releasing flagship products alongside the run-of-the-mill releases, and demonstrating transparency and commitment to quality and innovation with every release.
How I review: (See Previous Reviews)
Instagram: regancipher
YouTube: regancipher
Model: Tronsmart Onyx Free
Price: £29.74
Vendor Website: Tronsmart
Review Reference: RC005
Manufacturer Specification:
- Brand: Tronsmart
- Model: Onyx Free
- Driver: 6mm PU Dynamic Drivers
- Chipset: Qualcomm QCC3020
- Mic: 4, cVc 8.0
- ANC: No
- Volume Control: Yes, Panasonic tactile buttons
- Codecs: AptX, AAC, SBC
- Earbud Weight: 4g
- Earbud Dimensions: 16 x 27 x 22mm
- Gross Case & Buds Weight: 44g
- Case Dimensions: 66mm (width) x 30mm (height) x 32mm (depth)
- Case Charge Capacity: 420mAh
- Input: 5v 500mA
- Full Charge Time: 1 hour (earbuds) 2.5 hours (case and buds)
- Quick Charge: No
- Wireless Charging: No
- Single Use Playtime: Up to 7 hours
- Playtime with Charge Case: Up to 35 hours
- App Support: Not on this model
- Bluetooth Range: 10m advertised
- Bluetooth: Bluetooth® 5.0
- Bluetooth Protocols: HSP/ HFP/ A2DP/ AVRCP
- Water Resistance: IPX7
1 x Pair Wireless Earbuds
1 x USB Type-C Charge Case
1 x USB Type-C Charge Cable
3 x Pair Silicone Tips
1 x User manual
Real Life Experience
Welcome to the Regancipher review of the @Tronsmart Official 'Safer than Ever' Onyx Free.
Tronsmart are now fully established as a mid to premium range earbud vendor, with their focus almost solely on audio products - mostly speakers and headphones. Founder Eric Cheng, a self-confessed geek, founded the company with his first paycheck (where was he working?!), building a lab to disassemble audio products with the aim to recreate them in his own vision at a cost-efficient price point. After bringing in ear-chewing trophy-winning footballer Luis Suarez as an ambassador, the company have gone from strength to strength, building a close relationship with Qualcomm, and bringing two of their chips to market first with the Apollo Bold, and the Apollo Air, which uses the Qualcomm QCC3046.
This release also used a Qualcomm chip - the QCC3040 - and was no slouch, offering long battery life, tactile Panasonic buttons, and a unique 'UV sterilisation' feature within their case. After the success of the Spunky Beat, how would the Onyx Free fare?
The Unboxing - 8/10
Tronsmart's orange and purple branding is very easily identifiable, and whilst theoretically garish, it does a job - you know it's Tronsmart! The tagline for this model is SAFER THAN EVER which is their selling point over releasing a follow-up to the Neo so quickly.
The right hand angle of the case always tells you what is inside - instructions, eartips, USB-C, case, etc. The left features a QR code that takes you to the manufacturers page.
Once inside, everything is held into place with a plastic crate, in order to avoid damage in transit.
The Case - 9/10
The piano black topping is a nice change from the matte black Spunky Beats and the case is smaller than most on the market, which makes it convenient for commuting.
I was a bit critical of the Neo case, which seemed to go backwards from the excellent Spunk Beat offering. The biggest problem was the the hinge was so weak it would easily topple over, and they removed the fly lead. The hinge on this model is slightly stronger, it stands up straight, and the buds are easily replaced and removed. Good job!
There is no USB-A fly lead on this model, but it is powered by USB-C and claims to give 4 full charges (I got 3). There are 4 lights on the front. They also fixed the dodgy hinge - now it feels like a quality case.
Here's the pièce de résistance - UV sterilization. Well, it isn't. This is a bit of a gimmick at a time where people need a feeling of reassurance. There is no way the level of sterilization would kill germs in 30 seconds, and it is telling there is no mention of any specifics anywhere on the Tronsmart site. BUT, importantly these are IPX7 and can be rinsed under water for up to 30 minutes. Don't be fooled by the sterilization, but DO make use of the waterproofing.
The Fit - 9/10
Sumptuous. They are suitable for ANY scenario. They are better suited with silicone tips than foam, this is something I had to get used to.
They differentiate from the Alien Secret (above) by angling downwards into your ear. The touch control, like the Alien Secret, is tactile, and large enough for your fingertip without being intrusive nor invasive.
The footprint is far less that the FIIL (pictured above) and their Apollo Bold. I can fall asleep in these, they're so comfortable and extremely practical.
Isolation
No active noise cancellation on these (see the Apollo Bold). They do isolate passively to ambient levels reasonably well due to the excellent fit. They also balance isolation and 'thuddiness' well. The microphone noise cancellation is OK but the call quality in general has regressed from earlier models (see later in the review)
Sound Quality - 8/10 (Price Paid), 7/10 (Raw)
Subjective tests revealed that Tronsmart have done a very good job optimising the sound for most music styles. The Spunky Beats and Ace were a touch too bassy and too bright for my personal tastes. The Free are much flatter and more mellow.
There are no nasty surprises in the sub bass area. The low mids are quite good, good enough at this price point. On house or techno tracks they can sound a bit thin at times. Top end is well done, it notches when it should just before 20KHz and again, no nasty surprises. Vocals sound really quite good at this price point.
For audiobooks and podcasts these are a dream, and you'll find them palatable for prolonged listening regardless of music style.
Call Quality - Indoors - 6/10, Outdoors - 5/10
The good old earbud conundrum. Why does the Free sound worse than the Spunky Beats or Ace? Because they removed the inside mic. Why did they remove the inside mic? Because they were only IPX5. The slim design doesn't allow for a semi-permeable membrane to permit the inside mic from existing without compromising the waterproofing - the big feature. So as soon as I saw the absence of the inside mic, I figured we were in for compromise, and that's exactly what has happened.
Indoors you can sound muffled and robotic. Outdoors, any gust of wind is a problem.
Connectivity, Controls and Other Features - 7/10
Bluetooth 5.0, as we know, means diddly squat. Connectivity was a problem on the Spunky Beats. Controls were a nightmare too. Both improved marginally on the Ace.
The Free are best in class - no connectivity issues at all in 3 months of continuous testing and buttons are intuitive and perfectly pressure-tested - some button based earbuds put too much pressure on the ears causing discomfort - not so with the Free.
Tapping 3 times changes tracks, tapping twice is volume up on the right and volume down on the left. A single tap answers calls. Rejecting calls is meant to be done by holding the earpiece down for 2 seconds but I switched the bud off every time. Convenient as I don't particularly like talking to people. These are SIRI/Google Assistant enabled, I didn't use, but did accidentally activate the other night.
Battery Life - 9/10
Battery Life is very strong. The reported figures are not far short. I often fall asleep with these in and they are still going strong.
Final Comments
Tronsmart took the minor issues associated with the Spunky Beats and Ace and solved them. The improved case and controls are a big plus. Connectivity is unquestionably better, and the sound spectrum is less punchy, in a good way.
These are the best budget earbuds bar none, provided you don't need to rely on calls very often. Microphones have been sacrificed in favour of water resistance. No issues from me there. They come into their own for bedtime podcast or audiobook listening due to their unparalleled comfort, but are equally adept at music with a nicely tuned soundspace that emphasizes bass slightly, but is pretty clear at this price point. The UV sterilization is a gimmic, but the IPX rating makes these safe to wear and rinse - a big plus given the current climate. The support for Aptx will be welcome for android users, and they use the full bitpool on SBC, a sign of a product that has not cut corners.
For comfort, all types of music, podcasts and convenience, these are super little earbuds. Well worth the money, and still the leader in their field many months after their release.
Price Weighted Score: 88%
Raw Score: 75%
2022 Score: 74% (No longer available to purchase though)
instagram: regancipher
Tronsmart Review Inventory:
Tronsmart Studio
Tronsmart Apollo Air
Tronsmart Battle
Tronsmart Onyx Apex
Tronsmart Apollo Q10
Tronsmart Onyx Free
Tronsmart Apollo Bold
About Tronsmart:
Tronsmart are now fully established as a mid to premium range earbud vendor, with their focus almost solely on audio products - mostly speakers and headphones. Founder Eric Cheng, a self-confessed geek, founded the company with his first paycheck (where was he working?!), building a lab to disassemble audio products with the aim to recreate them in his own vision at a cost-efficient price point.
After bringing in ear-chewing trophy-winning footballer Luis Suarez as an ambassador, the company have gone from strength to strength, building a close relationship with Qualcomm, and bringing two of their chips to market first with the Apollo Bold, and then the Apollo Air, which uses the Qualcomm QCC3046.
For speakers, the range is now almost as extensive as their earbuds, ranging from 7, 10 and 15w mini speakers through to the 60w Force Pro and Mega Pro.
Tronsmart remain one of my favourite mid-tier vendors, outrunning their budget competitors by releasing flagship products alongside the run-of-the-mill releases, and demonstrating transparency and commitment to quality and innovation with every release.
Tronsmart Official
Thanks for sharing!
