Tronsmart Sounfii Q20S Hybrid Noise Cancellation Headphones

Decent all-round ANC headphone for the price of a Steak​

The Tronsmart Soundfi Q20s is a budget-friendly ANC headphone at $49.99 (currently on sale for $39.99) that punches well above its weight in terms of comfort, sound quality, and features. At its price, it offers a highly compelling package, making it one of the most pragmatic options for listeners who value a good solid performing ANC headphone without breaking the bank.



I have been using the Q20s for the past few weeks, mainly as an ANC headphone so on public transport, on a few flights, out walking around my noisy city center but also at home when cooking and cleaning my house. I do feel its strength are when using ANC as its non-ANC sound signature is very bass heavy, but as you will see later in the review, with the ability to tweak the sound with the companion EQ options it can be tailored to your tastes.

In this review, I thought I would share my experience with the Q20s and hopefully give you enough information that you can decide if this ANC headphone is a good option for you.

So lets get into what yoy get with the Soundfi Q20s:

Unboxing Experience and Build Quality​

The Tronsmart Q20s arrives in nice box (unfortunately my box was slightly damaged):



One of the key features the EQ is highlighted on the side of the box:



Inside the box, you’ll find:

• The Q20s headphones
• USB-C charging cable
• 3.5mm audio cable for wired listening
• User manual

Headphone Comfort​

The headphones themselves feature a lightweight plastic build with soft padding on the ear cups:



and headband:

There is also excellent extension, so larger heads should not have a problem using the q20s:


I thought the ear cups were very comfortable (and slightly larger than I expected).



The inner ear measurements are 60mm X 40mm and I think crucially rather than an oval design Tronsmart settled on a more rounded square internal shape, given it a little more space and flexibility for your ears.

Earcup size comparison​

Here is a comparison of size and shape of the earcups with some other ANC headphones I have recently reviewed:


So the Final Audio have the smallest internal volume and in my opinion are the most uncomfortable of those above. The Accentum Plus has a similar width and height but are let down it comfort department by their clamping force. The Earfun Wave Pro has slightly taller internal dimensions and the Soundcore Q30 have technically slightly wider but both are oval, though I find both of these headphones and the Q20s are equally comfortable.

So, I also found the clamping force to be excellent (unlike the Accentum Plus), strong enough to get a good seal for audio and for the ANC to kick in effectively but not overly uncomfortable even wearing the q20s for long periods.

The ear cups swivel and fold for easy storage both flat and folded:



The buttons on the ear cups provide tactile control for playback, volume, and ANC:


I really like the button layout where all the buttons are on the right earcup and in sensible locations with the ANC switch button clearly on its own on the right hand side of the photo above. With the volume controls and on/off button on the left hand side.

Features and Functionality​

Active Noise Cancellation​

The Q20s features basic but effective ANC, reducing ambient noise when I was vacuum cleaning my house and from
oven fan when cooking. When out walking it worked well to cut down on traffic noise much better than the similar priced Edifier WH700NB that I recently reviewed. It is also better ANC than the older Soundcore Q30.
It was on par with the more expensive Earfun Wave Pro and Edifier W830NB, but you cannot expect miracles it is still far behind the more expensive ANC headphones that I have reviewed like the Sonos Ace or the Apple Airpods Max.

I felt the ANC is easily good enough for everyday environments like offices or commuting and pretty great for its price point.

App and 5-Band EQ​

A standout feature at this price point is the Tronsmart companion appas similar priced budget ANC headphones like the Edifier WH700NB typically will not have any companion app:



Clicking the settings button on the top right hand side allows you to check for updates:



Once you click on the q20S icon you have basic control on the ANC including customising the level of ANC provided:



I do like how the App provides both some presets but crucially a 5-band customizable EQ:



This allows you to tweak the sound profile to your preferences, while not as extensive as the 10-band EQ you get in some ANC headphones or even the basic PEQ provided by the Edifer W830NB, its provide enough leverage to tweak the sound significantly. Later in the measurements section I will provide some basic EQ settings that I used and specific measurements of the EQ Profiles so you can switch with confidence.

Battery Life​

The Q20s specifications suggest up to 60 hours of playback with ANC off and up to 40 hours with ANC on. Charging via USB-C is quick and efficient, a 10-minute charge gives you 8 hours of use.

I would say this is slightly optimistic, but you can easily get 30 hours with ANC enabled.

Microphone Quality​

The microphone quality is reasonable good indoors but struggles when using it outside in a noisy environment. Still an impressive microphone for this price point.

Sound Quality​

For its price, the Q20s delivers 2 very different sound profiles depending on whether you have ANC enabled or not. With ANC enable you get a bass boosted sound signature which will definitely appeal to many users. There are profiles and the 5-band EQ to tweak this profile, but ultimately I would suggest the classical EQ present for listening with ANC off and some EQ presets when using the q20S with ANC.

Typically, you get overly boomy bass in ANC headphones at this price and no way to tweak the sound, the Q20s has some sensible choices for Presets and the addition of the 5-band EQ within the App the experience can further refine the sound.

So, these impressions below are mainly based on using both the “classical” EQ preset (when not using ANC) and my tweaked EQ when using ANC which I will present later.

I will explain in the measurements section in a bit why I feel this is the best way to use the q20s.

Bass​

The bass is deep and punchy and will appeal to bass heads. With ANC enabled and in a noisy environment the deep bass comes into its own and in tracks like “Billie Eilish – Bad Guy” are a showcase its ability to deliver a satisfying low-end.

Midrange​

The midrange while not the smoothest is mostly clear and slightly forward, which works well for vocals and acoustic instruments. “Adele – Someone Like You” highlights the clarity of vocals, though there is a slight lack of detail compared to higher-end headphones.

Treble​

The treble is smooth and inoffensive, avoiding harshness or sibilance. Though some of the EQ profile can push the treble into a more forward exciting response and give the q20S a much more v-shaped sound signature. With the classical EQ tracks like “Fleetwood Mac – Dreams” maintain a sense of airiness, though fine details may be somewhat subdued.

Soundstage and Imaging​

The soundstage is narrow but what you should expect for a budget closed-back ANC headphone. Due to the reasonable good channel matching the imaging is precise enough for casual listening but not suitable for critical audiophile use. Basically the q20S is easily good enough in noisy environments for you to enjoy your music.

Specifications and Measurements​

Frequency Response​

Let’s start with the “default” Frequency Response and channel balance:



While not an amazing frequency response this is not terrible for the default sound from a budget ANC headphone. Many people will prefer this V-Shaped sound and with the ability to have EQ preset tweaking this is a very good start.

With ANC disabled the frequency response changes considerable:



Note: I find this strange as we get a big bass boost which is the opposite of what I would have expected.

With both ANC off and transparency enabled you get the same frequency response (as you should expect):


There are 5-levels of ANC and each level does subtly change the Frequecy Response:

Differences with ANC, Transparency or ANC off​

So, like most budget ANC headphones there is a large difference in sound tonality between ANC being enabled and Transparency and ANC off but as I mentioned above I was surprised it was more bass when ANC is off.

Usually you get more bass with ANC enabled, for a very good reason when you enable ANC the assumption you are in a noisy environment (e.g. an Airplane or some public transport), those environments will overpower the bass region so a boosted bass actually sounds more natural in general.

I did most of my ANC listening impressions both on public transport into my office and on a few recent plane trips and on many long walks around my city center. I separately got sound impressions with ANC off around my house.

EQ Presets​

So, within the Tronsmart ‘Companion’ Application you can quickly toggle between 2 different profiles (including the “custom” 5-band EQ, this at least allows one profile to be used with ANC enabled and a different one when ANC is switched off. Since I think the main use of an ANC headphone is using it with ANC enabled, I felt that would be the ideal opportunity to tweak the sound using the 5-band EQ and use one of the other profiles for when ANC is off.

EQ Presets measured:​

Here are the various easy to pick presets provided within the App:



So first what do the different profiles look like with ANC-off:



As you can see this graph is the definition of V-Shaped, but the “classical” profile at least is the most balanced of these options and the one I would recommend with ANC-off.

For those interested this are the comparison graphs for when ANC is switch on:


If you pick Classical here is what it looks like with ANC on and ANC off clearly showing that mid-bass boost:

EQ 5-band Tweaking​

So as I mentioned above I decided when using ANC (which would be my main use case for the Q20S), I would customise the sound (as I will present this custom EQ below).

So as you can see in the initial measurements above get a default V-shaped sound signature but the key to understanding how to tweak with a 5-band EQ is understanding what change each band makes:

Here are the min and max values of the 5 different levels normalised to the “default” reset “flat” level:

So you roughly get 4dB extra on the positive side and 6dB less on the negative side.

Here are the different levels labeled:



Here are what these levels are in relation to the ‘Harman OE2018’ target:



This does indicate a bit of trouble as ideally the Harman target would be completely within Min and Max ranges but as you can see above there are places where you cannot lower or raise the EQ to ‘Harman’ level.

Recommended EQ​

So there isn’t allot that can be tweaked but since there was a bass boost already I lowered the bass and increased the treble effectively settling for a milder V-shaped sound signature:



This is what I saved in the custom settings within the App:


I subjectively felt this sounded better than the either default and the classical presets but your mileage may vary.

Distortion​

There is very little distortion - even at pretty loud listening levels:

Rating​

I gave the Tronsmart Q20s a decent 4-star pragmatic rating as I think for the price it is a good ANC headphone. The ANC and microphone performance while not the best you can get, are pretty incredible for $49.99 (currently $39.99). The addition of app-based EQ further solidifies its position as one of the best budget ANC headphones available under $50 and while the sound signature is definitely V-shaped it can be made much less bassy that other similar priced ANC headphones.

Conclusion​

The Tronsmart Q20s delivers a fantastic balance of features, comfort, and customisable sound quality at an entry-level price. Whether you’re a casual listener or someone looking for an affordable pair of ANC headphones with decent sound customization, the Q20s is a solid pick. Its lightweight comfortable design and long battery life make it a great companion for everyday use.

This hobby is an escapist's dream. Escape from daily routine and distress that's causing you via something as sincere and everlasting as listening to music. I believe that the power of music is still not fully understood since it works in mysterious ways. Allow it to do its magic on you and let your worries dissolve in melody.

Having had the possibility to try so many different sets in a relatively short time I felt obliged to go ahead and express my gratitude by trying to help some lost souls out there, just as I was when I first stumbled upon this weird hobby about wired earphones – so yesteryear! … I thought. Possibilities are seemingly endless and only by getting to meet the right people did I manage to jump onboard the train heading the 'right' direction without getting off-track thousands of times along the way. Make sure to understand the helping person's preferences and you too can find your footing and hit the ground running in no time.


Quick Intermezzo About Me

I won't bore you for too long with personal trivia, however my quick & short background resume goes as follows. Currently I am 27 years old and more in awe of sheer power of music by the day. I have always been moved by music just that slight bit more than average, I'd say. My spending started with a roughly 200€ Bose bluetooth speaker back in my first grade of highschool. What an extraterrestrial thing that was in early 2010s. And it keeps on playing to this day – a true testament of quality. Also sounded fantastic back then, nowadays … yeah, not so much. Lots of BT speakers, TWS, car audio speakers, IEMs, etc., later bring me to this day when I truly consider myself an audiophile. What brings me the most joy beside listening to music is singing, so I am currently participating in a choir and challenging myself with solo vocal covers (check the links in my signature to hear my projects). Unsure where all this leads, but the journey itself is marvelous and life is nothing but a journey.

My preference lies somewhere in the neutral camp with just an ever so slight tilt towards warmth, but I try to keep an open mind and truly appreciate any outliers that dare do it differently and succeed. Our ears vary, so do our brain and tastes. I am an advocate for respectful discourse, especially in topics that don't even have many objective undeniable truths. Audio is one of those.

My most listened genres are, in no particular order: jazz, singer/songwriter, slow-paced electronica, ambient, rock, metal, blues, trance, techno & pop.


Disclaimer: I have received the Tronsmart Sounfii Q20S directly from Tronsmart. Even if I wanted to shill this to the moon and back, I am way too mindful of others' money to overly hype stuff that does not deserve it, so there's that.

Feel free to check out their official site here: https://www.tronsmart.com/products/...-noise-cancellation-headphones#/8-color-white

For the ones that wish to try this set: https://www.amazon.com/Tronsmart-Sounfii-Q20S-Cancelling-Headphones/dp/B0DH2DRKH1


Let's Get Right To It

This will be a new topic for us and I'll keep it brief and tell you all you need to know without wasting too much of your time. This is a pair of affordable bluetooth headphones that are currently on sale at Tronsmart for 49.99USD.

Upon opening the box I was not expecting too much. The box and the way everything is laid out are average at best.



But this is not why we buy low-priced BT HPs. We want them to do a few things well: be a breeze to connect and have a stable connection, be comfortable to wear, isolate us from environmental sounds, and sound good enough. So let's work our way through these topics regarding the Q20S.

Starting off just like with any BT device you'll need to figure out how to connect to your phone or whathaveyou. This was just as easy as we want it to be. The worst thing that can happen is that you unbox your new pair of HPs and struggle immediately trying desperately to figure out how to connect it. I have had a few Tronsmart BT speakers before as well, and their connection was always simple to establish and perfectly stable in various circumstances. Thanks to their BT version 5.3, I am happy to say it is the same with their headphones. I had no breakups and the range is easily good enough for any indoor listening unless you live in a castle.

Comfort is very fine, since with their fully plastic design they hardly weigh anything (249g to be exact). The cups, however, are just large enough for my ears, but I can see someone with larger ears possibly touching the inner driver cover or either side of the foams.



The foams have the usual faux leather feel and do not breathe all that well, so expect some warmth to accumulate if you plan on being active or using these in hotter months, but their fully closed design is a bonus in louder environments. Top of the headband has a comfy sponge and disperses the weight over a larger surface which helps keep the fit more secure and more comfortable. No real complaints in this regard either.



When it comes to isolation, these have three modes to choose from, but being closed back and having a well isolating ear cups anyway, they offer sufficient noise reduction without even having the ANC (active noise cancelling) turned ON. When the ANC is toggled ON, it further reduced the low end humming, while midrange does not get much quieter, so the outcome is dependent on individual use cases. For traffic it works well, while for louder gatherings of talkative people, it's not really that perfect. I was surprised by the third mode, the Transparency mode, which is meant to allow you to hear the surroundings and it works very well only minimally reducing the environmental sounds and keeping them quite natural sounding too. When someone addresses you, you will know it despite having the music playing. This comes in handy at my work where I am often called by someone and don't want to give the impression of ignoring or dismissing anyone. These functions are getting good even in such low-priced products!


Sound Impressions

As for the sound, first impression was not all that good … they felt boomy, muddy, and treble-light. The usual tuning that might impress the untrained ears, but we know better. Thankfully, there are some presets already available in the app, but there is also a 5-band equalizer you can play with and see what sounds better to your ears and for your music library. I have gone in and lowered the low end quite a bit to reduce bloat while upping the high treble to expand the soundstage and make it feel airier. Now do these sound like a high-end headphone such as my Meze 109 Pro? No, they are far behind in lost of aspects, but with this quick and easy tune I can say I enjoy their tonality very much and feel they are well worth the sub 50USD price tag. Being closed-back in their design they won't feel the most expansive, but luckily they never feel claustrophobic and squished either. Midrange could be a bit better layered and separated to improve imaging and that illusion of sound floating around your head, but alas that was not meant to be. The ultimate dynamics and detail retrieval are a bit soft around the edges. That said, it never feels lo-fi or poorly unclear. It's a decent sound that can be had for not much money at all. All things considered, this is a quality of sound that easily cost north of 200USD in the BT HP segment just a few years ago!


How Do We Sum Up The Sounfii Q20S?

These come in at a price I have not yet dabbled in when it comes to headphones. Thus I was fully expecting to be disappointed. On the contrary, these really deliver a whole lot of value for not much money spent. I could wholeheartedly recommend these to any non-analytical listeners that value simplicity above all else. These are a headache-free pair of BT HPs that can be worn for hours. Oh, and talking about hours, they also last a long time before needing a refill.

Thanks for reading and stay wonderful.