Review: TOZO Golden X1 True Wireless Earbuds

On paper, the TOZO Golden X1 packs incredible specs with the potential to offer high quality sound with its dual driver setup, Hi-Res certification, and LDAC support. They also have ANC and transparency mode as with all flagship earbuds these days. Long story short – TOZO’s new Golden X1 is a flagship level true wireless earbuds for an asking price of USD$145 (~S$195 shipped).

Unboxing

Here’s what you’ll find in the box:

• TOZO Golden X1 Earbuds
• Charging case
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• User manual
• Ear tips: XXS, XS, S, M, L, XL

Tech specs

Build quality and features

The TOZO Golden X1 earbuds are made from plastic with an overall matte finish to it. The touch surface of the earbuds has a slight glossy patterned to it, with the TOZO branded embossed in gold. The overall size of the earbuds is on the thicker side, with a large oval face accompanied by a short stem.

As for the case, it uses the typical pill-shape design that opens via a flip hinge. The top shell feels a little plasticky due to its lightweight, but the bottom case feels more hefty. The case is quite thick so it is probably not the most pocketable case.

The middle of the case exudes a LED strip that lights up when its closed or being charged. I quite like how this LED strip is implemented as it looks premium. One trick the charging case has up its sleeve is the LED display inside the charging case. It shows the overall battery percentage of the case, the amount of battery remaining in each earbuds. I find this to be a nice addition as it allows me to more accurately track how much battery the case has left, so that I can charge it as and when it is low.

Controls

The TOZO Golden X1 uses touch controls, which are quite well implemented as they are not overly sensitive. They do not get triggered by accident when I’m adjusting the fit in my ear. The touch controls grant you the ability to toggle between ANC and Transparency modes, and handle media controls (such as volume, and track skipping). You can find a summary of the button controls in the image below:

In the TOZO app, you can make some adjustments to the default key assignment. The left single tap is locked for any changes, while the long press is quite limited in adjustments. So you are pretty much left with changing the right earbuds’ touch controls.

TOZO App

Apart from some touch control customisability, the TOZO app also has this feature called Earprint which is similar in concept to HearID on the Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro. Earprint will attempt to gauge your hearing ability by playing you a wide frequency of sounds, and then based on your result make compensation so that you get the same sound signature they intended out of the box.

Despite the graph showing a huge compensation in the low end, I actually did not discern much of a difference. TOZO also create some noise cancellation presets, and even providing you an option to customise the strength. But personally I just found myself using the default ANC setting.

Transparency mode on the TOZO Golden X1 is pretty decent. There is a typical emphasis on wind that produces a white noise like output. If you’re simply using it to allow conversation then you should do fine.

Lastly, you can setup custom EQ for the TOZO Golden X1 or choose between one of the many presets available. The EQ presets does offer a different sound compared to the stock, so you are bound to find one that suits your listening if the default curve isn’t it. For example, the Original preset helps elevate the midrange and reduce the boominess from bass.

Fit and comfort

The TOZO Golden X1 is a large oval shaped earbud with a relatively short nozzle, so having the correct size ear tips is crucial for getting a good fit.

For me, the largest set of ear tips provided the best seal and fit. TOZO Golden X1 is comfortable to wear. Despite it being on the thicker side, the round edges rest nicely along the grooves of my ear. The overall fit leans towards an unobtrusive side.

Sound quality

The TOZO Golden X1 is equipped with 12mm dynamic drivers along with a balanced Knowles armature driver. The sound signature is one that is slightly V-shaped. Bass is noticeably boosted and hits deep, but it remains controlled and doesn’t bleed into the midrange. Sub-bass extends deep so you can expect that satisfying rumble and thump. While mid-bass could use a little more punch, it still retains it cleanliness.

Midrange offers a smooth delivery with vocals and instruments producing a comfortable warm tone. If you’re prefer a more flat and crisp sound, then you’d probably want to bump up the lower mids a little. Treble has a nice shine to it that gives female vocals a enjoyable listen. It is bright but not harsh.

Soundstage on the TOZO Golden X1 is fairy open, wider than your average true wireless earbuds. Vocals and instruments are well placed in the overall space, with accurate imaging for an immersive audio experience. If you mainly listen EDM, pop or bass-heavy music, you’ll definitely enjoy the sound of the TOZO Golden X1.

ANC performance

I found that the TOZO Golden X1 tends to defaults to Normal Mode (ANC off) every time take out the earbuds from the case despite last using it with ANC on. This can be a little annoying as I then have to cycle through two taps to get to ANC on. I’m sure this could be easily fixed with a firmware update.

TOZO Golden X1‘s ANC performance is above average. It handles low frequency noises such as engine rumble well, eliminating almost of its presence. Higher frequency noises such as rail squeal in MRT and vocal chatter is reduced enough to not notice them.

Microphone quality

Microphone on the TOZO Golden X1 is decent. Voice production is distant, but remains relatively clear. When tested in noisy conditions, TOZO Golden X1 is able to remove slightly over half of the noise but at the same time sacrificing vocal clarity. I’d recommend using the TOZO Golden X1 for calls if you’re in a controlled/quiet environment.

Battery life

TOZO Golden X1 is rated to last up to 5 hours of play time on a full charge. For its size, I was expecting a little more juice but it should be just enough for daily commutes. TOZO Golden X1 charges via USB-C or wirelessly. There is no mention of fast charging so good to be aware of the battery level of the base – thankfully the case tells you the remaining battery percentage.

Pairing, connectivity, and latency

TOZO Golden X1 is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and pairs to my iPhone very quickly as one unit. There weren’t any connection issues or dropouts. No audio-video lag experienced as well when watching YouTube on my iPhone 11. You can use either side of the earbuds for standalone listening.

Another useful feature that the TOZO Golden X1 has is multipoint pairing. This allows you to pair and connect the earbuds to up to two devices at the same time. Audio input switches seamlessly depending on which device is playing audio when testing it between my iPhone and iPad.

Conclusion

The TOZO Golden X1 is geared towards those who prioritise sound quality and is especially suited for those who prefer an elevated bass. It also adds in flagship features such as ANC, Transparency, customisable EQ, and even multipoint pairing to make the earbuds a complete package.