Tribit FlyBuds C1 Review: An Affordable AirPods Alternative

Best Prices Today: Tribit FlyBuds C1

$59.99

Since 2017, Tribit has made a habit of creating innovative and high-performance audio devices at competitive prices.

With its FlyBuds C1, the Chinese company offers a product very similar to Apple’s AirPods for half the price. According to Tribit, they also have better transmission capacity than other headphones in the same range, with stable connectivity and balanced sound.

But is it the real deal? I was lucky enough to be able to try them out and have all the answers you need.

Design

• Ultra comfortable
• Modern design
• Physical checks

The design of the FlyBuds C1 gives an impression of solidity and durability, which is reassuring for a mid-range helmet. The model tested is a black wireless pair, with small red flashes in the outer areas, which I appreciate for their discretion. Their shape, and that of the case, is similar to that of the well-known AirPods, although the latter are much thinner.

Mathilde Vicente / Foundry

They’re housed in a lightly textured oval case that keeps them from slipping out of your hands. In addition, the headphones are secured by a magnet placed in each hole, so they stay in place without fear of being lost or dropped once the case is opened.

For added comfort, Tribit includes different sizes of ear tips to attach to the headphones, so they can fit the ears of the wearer. Thanks to the silicone material, they are very comfortable to wear and, once the right angle is found, they rarely fall out.

Each earphone is equipped with physical micro-buttons with direct haptic feedback that allow you to manage music playback and calls, or even activate the voice assistant (which unfortunately did not work with us) and adjust the volume. These are located on the stems, and come in handy in situations that require more frequent adjustment of the helmet, such as during sports sessions.

Mathilde Vicente / Foundry

Tribit has equipped these earbuds with IPX5 protection for splash and sweat resistance.

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• Steady Bluetooth
• Simplified setup

As you can see, the Tribit FlyBud C1 are wireless headphones that connect to your smartphone or computer via Bluetooth 5.0 technology and support AAC, AptX and SBC codecs.

Pairing is simple and straightforward. Just place the headphones in their case, then press the button for a few seconds before searching for them in your phone’s Bluetooth settings.

The connection was very stable in our tests, with a range of up to eight meters. After pairing with your smartphone once, they will do so automatically the next few times, without the need to go through the settings.

Audio performance

• Good active noise reduction, except during calls
• Clear and balanced sound

After testing them while listening to different styles of music (afropop, rock and jazz), I was more than pleasantly surprised by the experience.

They use 4-microphone ENC and CVC 8.0 technology to reduce background noise by 90%, according to the brand. Personally, I can neither confirm nor deny this information, but I found it very effective for waiting at the station, strolling in the city center or working in an office.

I found the sound very balanced, immersive and optimized, a surprising result for such a low price. The mids sound smooth and warm, the highs are clear despite a slight lack of brilliance, and the lows are powerful and well-tuned.

To put the mics to the test, I made several calls during which the voices were distinct and well reproduced. However, it was during these calls that the active noise reduction system showed its weaknesses, letting some of the surrounding sounds through.

Mathilde Vicente / Foundry

This performance is made possible by the integration of the Qualcomm QCC3040 aptX chip, which offers even better transmission, with a 75% increase in connectivity. Plus, it supports 16-bit audio with a 48kHz sample rate, which translates to CD quality, with surprisingly high precision in all directions – as if they incorporate surround technology.

Finally, I wish I could adjust and customize the audio using a companion app. However, at this price, it’s no surprise that there aren’t any. If that’s not enough for you, you might want to consider the FlyBuds C1 Pro model, available for £79.99 on Amazon.

Battery life and charging

• 50 hour battery life with case
• More or less fast charging

Power consumption has been reduced by 30% thanks to the advanced Qualcomm QCC340 chip technology, giving you 60 hours of battery life with the Flybuds C1 case, which can be recharged in two hours using the USB-cable. C provided.

Without the cable, and on a single charge, you can expect up to ten hours of listening. This autonomy is much higher than similar or even high-end headphones.

On the front of the case, there are 4 small LED lights to know the status of the battery and that of the headphones.

Mathilde Vicente / Foundry

Price and availability

At just $74.99 / £59.99 (and even more discounted at the time of writing), the Tribit FlyBuds C1 are very affordable and formidable contenders among the best cheap all-wireless headphones. In the US you can get them from Tribit and Amazon – UK readers can just get them from Amazon.

And if you want to spend less, keep in mind that wireless headphones with ANC for around this price are very rare. Here, you’ll get a pair of headphones that offer exceptional value for money, with surprisingly high-end features.

You can see other options in our list of the best cheap headphones and the best true wireless headphones.

Verdict

The FlyBuds C1 offer active noise cancellation for a competitive price, superb audio quality thanks to advanced technologies like ANC mode and impressive battery life.

In addition, they have a pleasant design inspired by AirPods and are very comfortable, especially over time. The lack of a companion app is a shame, as is the lack of wireless charging.

That said, if you choose to purchase the FlyBuds C1, you won’t be disappointed. They’re perfectly capable of holding up, all for a tempting price.

This review is a translated and localized piece – you can find the original article by Mathilde Vicente on Tech Advisor France.

Features

• IPX5
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Range up to 8 meters
• Up to 50 hours with charging case
• 12 hours of listening time on a single charge
• laptX™ audio codec, AAC, SBC