The TOZO Open Buds follows the footsteps of the OpenReal air conduction headphones. Instead of having a flexible wire that connects the left and right drivers, the TOZO Open Buds are separate left and right units, making them truly wireless. The TOZO Open Buds retails for US$70.
Unboxing
Here’s what you’ll find in the box:
- TOZO Open Buds
- USB-C cable
- User manual
Tech specs
| Frequency response | 20 to 20,000 Hz |
| Driver | 14.2mm dynamic driver |
| Battery life | Up to 12 hours per full charge 42 hours with charging case |
| Weight | 10.5g per earbud |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Water resistance | IPX6 |
| Controls | Touch |
| Charging | USB-C |
Build quality and features
The main drivers of the TOZO Open Buds is made from plastic, along with a flexible silicon ear hook. I like the design of the TOZO Open Buds, sporting a matte dark grey faceplate with black silicon hooks. The TOZO Open Buds features a biaxial rotation design which allows you to rotate the driver both horizontally and vertically along the pivot of the silicon ear hook.
This makes wearing the TOZO Open Buds very easy as I don’t have to “force” a fit around the shape of my ear. Because of this design, the TOZO Open Buds should be able to accomodate different ear shapes and sizes.
The TOZO Open Buds is packed flat in the charging case, which is rather big but slim enough. Pocketing it might be a little tough due to its length, but the slim shape of it makes it easy to carry around in any bag. Build quality of both the charging case and the earbuds is good. I like the matte finish on both. Even though there are moving parts in the earbuds, they do not feel flimsy at all. Furthermore, TOZO Open Buds is rated IPX6 water resistance so you can use it for your exercise and workouts.
Controls and app
TOZO Open Buds uses touch controls, which are located where the ‘TOZO’ logo is at on the faceplate. Touch controls are reactive and easy to use. As you can customise the controls in the TOZO app, you can disable single tap if you have too many accidental touches. The default control lets you handle media controls (such as volume, and track skipping). You can find a summary of the button controls in the image below.
Apart from customising your controls, the TOZO app lets you choose between five different EQ presets. The keyword here is “choose”. There is no option to create your EQ, so if none of the presets appeal to you then you are left to stick with the default sound signature.
Fit and comfort
Despite a chunky look, the TOZO Open Buds is comfortable to wear. The biaxial rotation design allows minute adjustments which I found to be helpful in getting a comfortable fit. Each earbud is only about 10 grams so they are lightweight and I don’t really feel its presence when using it for exercise. I do not wear spectacles so I cannot comment on its comfort with spectacles.
The best part of having the earbuds as separate units is that the wire or band connecting the left and right units of a OpenReal for example, is not there for potential hinderance. This means that with the TOZO Open Buds, you can use for workouts where the back of your head will rest against something (eg. gym bench).
Sound quality
Even though the TOZO Open Buds is an open-ear type of headphone, the sound that you get has more body and weight that I expected. Bass is audibly present and it surprisingly offers a decent amount of extension that provided punch and warmth. The bass hits deeper than on the OpenReal, as you can angle the drivers closer to your ears for a closer, fuller sound.
Midrange is clear and with more emphasis in the lower mids frequency. Instruments and vocals were both forward and lively in the mix. On busy tracks, the reproduction might sometimes sound a little crowded. Treble has decent presence to give the song a lift and occasional sparkle. Nothing spectacular to sound out but at least it doesn’t feel lacking.
If you’d always been put off by open-ear headphones sound quality because they usually sound thin, then you should give the TOZO Open Buds a chance as it can conjure up sound that feels much fuller than other counterparts.
Microphone quality
Microphone performance on the TOZO Open Buds is decent. Voice reproduction is reminiscent of using a speakerphone where my voice can feel a little distant but still audible with natural tones to it. In noisy conditions, TOZO Open Buds can actually isolate my voice quite well but can suffer from occasional dropouts due to the noise.
Battery life and connectivity
TOZO Open Buds is rated to provide up to 12 hours of play time on a single charge, and up to 42 hours if you have the charging case. For my use case of exercising with it, the 12 hours is plenty and should be more than enough even for daily use. The TOZO Open Buds case charges via USB-C which is more or less an expected sight now. TOZO Open Buds uses the latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology, and I didn’t experience any dropouts or connection issues.
Conclusion
The TOZO Open Buds is my daily driver for my exercises and workouts now. It is comfortable, light, and sounds great for a pair of open-fit style of earbuds. I also like how you can customise the default controls as well. If you like the OpenReal but wish it was without wires, then I think the TOZO Open Buds is just what you’re looking for.