Edifier W820NB Plus Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review
The Edifier W820NB Plus headphones were launched last month and are an incremental improvement to the existing W820NB headphones which were launched a couple of years ago.
These headphones add LDAC, improve the battery, Bluetooth and ANC performance while retaining the overall design and drivers.
These are excellent headphones for anyone looking for something affordable, but the older W820NB are likely better value for money.
- [High Sound Quality] Equipped with a large 1.6 inch (40 mm) mantle plated composite diaphragm sound-pronounced unit that supports LDAC decoding and high resolution, giving you more music details. Transfer speed comparison: LDAC 990Kbps, Qualcomm aptX HD 576Kbps, AAC 512Kbps, SBC 328Kbps.
- [-43dB Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation] With the hybrid ANC technology and enclosed design, the headphones will automatically identify ambient noise and transmit the corrected signals. Allows you to enjoy quiet music time in your commute, office, home, or travel.
- [Zero Pressure Patent Earcups] The new improved W820NB Plus headphones weigh only 7.9 oz (220 g), and adopts a memory foam cushion material with zero pressure sensation patented technology that gives you a super comfortable wearing experience even with glasses.
- [Perfect for Hands-Free Calls] Built-in Mics with DNN (deep neural network) noise cancellation for crystal clear calls.
- [Ambient Sound] Supports 7 levels of ambient sound volume, allowing you to hear outside sound more clearly when you need it.No worry about missing important information, nor the bus or airport broadcasts, vehicle reminders, etc.
Edifier W820NB Plus vs Edifier W820NB Specification
- Hassle-free phone calls with DNN noise cancellation technology
- Experience the upgraded noise cancellation with ANC depth of up to -43dB
- Up to 49 hours of continuous playback when ANC off
- Personalize your listening experience with customizable EQ , soothing sounds via Edifier Connect APP
- Latency as low as 0.08s under game mode
- Hi-Res Audio & Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified
- 40mm dynamic driver with Titanium coated composite diaphragm plus LDAC codec
- Both wireless Bluetooth connectivity and wired USB connectivity
- Better sound quality and less pressure for all-day wearing comfort
The main difference with the Edifier W820NB Plus vs the older W820NB is that the Plus model now supports the LDAC codec, which should provide superior-quality audio.
Bluetooth has also been upgraded to V5.2 vs 5.0.
When using the SBC codec, the battery life is also improved when ANC is enabled. It is now 33 hours vs 29 hours. It looks like the ANC performance has also been slightly improved. Amazon states a -43dB reduction vs -38dB.
The driver remains the same size, as does the frequency response. It is safe to assume that if you used the SBC codec, the audio performance would be the same.
Edifier Connect App
Design and Comfort
The Edifier W820NB Plus are a relatively generic-looking pair of black headphones, they are quite light and feel a bit plasticy, but there are no issues with the overall build quality.
These are also available in four other colours which are a bit more exciting than black.
The controls are on the right earcup and have rubber clicky buttons, so they are quite easy to control when wearing them.
The earcups are big enough that they don’t sit on my large ears, so they should cover most people’s ears without any issues. Like most headphones, they have a pleather/polyurethane coating which is good for noise isolation, but I find that it contributes to me getting hot ears after prolonged listening.
The padding on the earcups isn’t the thickest, but I still found them to be comfortable to wear.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of these headphones is good. When I first put them on, I thought they might be a bit unbalanced with the bass, but the more I listened to them, the more I enjoyed them.
You don’t get a proper EQ with these, but there are four presets. There is only a very subtle difference between these presets; rock and pop have fractionally elevated bass. I ended up leaving them on the default classic preset.
The lack of EQ options means that these may not be the best option for anyone looking for a very natural sound or for any bass heads, but for the vast majority of people, these should sound good.
I found the bass level to be good for all the genres I listen to, and I do tend to favour bass. It is pleasant and not excessive.
The midrange is good, with a natural tone and plenty of detail. Vocals come through clearly with no harshness from sibilance.
Treble is quite recessed in the higher ranges, which is probably why I like these, as I am quite sensitive to highs.
I can’t say I noticed a huge improvement by having LDAC enabled or increasing the sampling rate to 96kHz. You have to repair the headphones when you change the setting, so it is not very easy to quickly change and see how much difference there is. While I like LDAC and always use it when available, I rarely notice that much difference in general, but this will depend on the source material as well.
The Edifier Connect app also has the option to enable a low latency mode for gaming which seems to work reasonably well well.
Noise Cancelling
Noise cancelling is good for headphones at this price point. When I first put them on and powered them up, there was a significant drop in ambient noise. I also had music playing in the background, and there was a notable decrease in the volume of the voices.
Carrying out a more synthetic test, playing airplane cabin noise on my Edifier S3000 Pro speakers, the headphones did a reasonably good job. There is a significant decrease in the low and mid-range engine drone. It did seem to leave some of the very low-end audible, which other headphones do a good job at removing. The higher end was still audible, but this is the case with most ANC headphones.
Battery Life
The Edifier W820NB Plus are rated for 33 hours of playback with ANC on and using the SBC codec. You will get less than this with the LDAC codec enabled, but it is still much longer than I’d ever need.
I, therefore, haven’t timed the actual battery performance, but I did use them for several days in a row for 2-3 hours at a time without worrying about charging them.
These also benefit from fast charging, so if you do run out of juice, you can add 7 hours of playtime with just 10 minutes of charging.
Price and Alternative Options
- [High Sound Quality] Equipped with a large 1.6 inch (40 mm) mantle plated composite diaphragm sound-pronounced unit that supports LDAC decoding and high resolution, giving you more music details. Transfer speed comparison: LDAC 990Kbps, Qualcomm aptX HD 576Kbps, AAC 512Kbps, SBC 328Kbps.
- [-43dB Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation] With the hybrid ANC technology and enclosed design, the headphones will automatically identify ambient noise and transmit the corrected signals. Allows you to enjoy quiet music time in your commute, office, home, or travel.
- [Zero Pressure Patent Earcups] The new improved W820NB Plus headphones weigh only 7.9 oz (220 g), and adopts a memory foam cushion material with zero pressure sensation patented technology that gives you a super comfortable wearing experience even with glasses.
- [Perfect for Hands-Free Calls] Built-in Mics with DNN (deep neural network) noise cancellation for crystal clear calls.
- [Ambient Sound] Supports 7 levels of ambient sound volume, allowing you to hear outside sound more clearly when you need it.No worry about missing important information, nor the bus or airport broadcasts, vehicle reminders, etc.
The Edifier W820NB Plus are currently £79.99 on Amazon, whereas the older Edifier W820NB is listed at £69.99, but at the time of writing, they also had a 20% off voucher available, taking the price down to £55.99.
- 【Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Technology】 This new wireless headphones reduce noise by upto 38db. This amplifies your music listening experience while cutting out unwanted noise.
- 【Hi-Res Audio Certified】 Approved by JAS and are completed with Hi-Res audio standards. Built with a large dynamic titanized composite diaphragm driver and produce crystal clear sound that's rich in details. AAC decoding supported.
- 【Clear Phone Calls】 Edifier W820nb Noise Cancelling Headphones is equipped with voice call noise cancellation technology, so that you can make smooth and complete natural dialogue.
- 【Long-Lasting Battery】 The wireless noise cancelling headphones are completed with a long-lasting battery that is efficient and gives you upto 49 hours of playback time(tested in the lab).
- 【Ambient and Gaming Mode】Ambient mode enables you to stay alert to your surroundings while listening to your music. Gaming mode has low latency as low as 80ms and there is a perfect synchronization between sound and images.
Anker Soundcore is likely the best alternative option, and you have three generations that are available to buy:
- Soundcore Space Q45 for around £105
- Soundcore Life Q35 for around £85
- Soundcore Life Q30 for around £57
The Life Q35 are probably the best option giving you a good balance of price and performance. They sound quality is good, ANC is excellent, and they also have LDAC. The Bluetooth is only v5.0 rather than the 5.3 on the Edifier or the Space Q45.
Overall
I think the Edifier W820NB Plus are excellent headphones that provide good all-around performance for the price you pay.
The main issue with these is that I am not convinced there has been enough of an upgrade to justify the price difference between the older Edifier W820NB. At the time of writing, the older generation is £24 cheaper, which represents a 30% saving.
Edifier W820NB Plus Review Rating
-
Overall - 80%80%
Summary
The Edifier W820NB Plus are excellent headphones that provide good all-around performance for the price you pay.
Pros
- Good sound quality
- Decent ANC for the price
- Excellent battery
Cons
- The new features of the Plus model may not be worth the £24 price difference
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing.
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