There are quite a few types of Open-ear earbuds from TOZO, and the latest in their list is the TOZO OpenEgo. These are true wireless earbuds without any connecting wire between the left and right earbud. TOZO OpenEgo retails for US$69.
Unboxing
Here’s what you’ll find in the box:
- TOZO OpenEgo
- USB-C cable
- User manual
- Stabilizers x2
Tech specs
| Frequency response | 20 to 20,000 Hz |
| Driver | 16.2mm dynamic driver |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Water resistance | IPX4 |
| Controls | Touch |
| Charging | USB-C |
Build quality and features
The case of the TOZO OpenEgo is quite large to store the earbuds that can’t really but folded down to make it compact. The OpenEgo earbuds come two colors – (1) white, or (2) black. the unit I have is the white model and they are made from a soft silicon material that is comfortable to the touch. The ear hooks are flexible but not too soft such that they retain some shape.
The charging case is rather big but decently slim to slot into bag pockets (not jeans pocket though). Build quality of both the charging case and the earbuds is good. The center of the charging case has a stainless steel-like finish around it to exude a more premium feel to it. There are stabilizers socks that you can attach to the OpenEgo earbuds which can make placing it back into the case to charge to require a little more effort. TOZO OpenEgo is rated IPX4 water resistance so it has decent enough protection to use for exercise and workouts.
Controls and app
TOZO OpenEgo uses touch controls. You basically touch where the ‘TOZO’ logo is at to navigate the different media controls. The touch controls are easy to use, but my preference is button or capacitive touch. You can customise the controls in the TOZO app, so if you typically have accidental touches on single tap you can map it to do nothing.
Other than customising your controls, the TOZO app lets you choose between different EQ presets that have been created.
Fit and comfort
TOZO Open Buds feature ear hooks that go around your ear but since they aren’t exactly full size, it relies on a counterweight of sorts to balance the ear tips right where you want it to be. If you’re using it for light walks and sitting down during commute, the fit is generally secure enough. But if you’re intending to take the TOZO Open Buds on runs or workouts, the earbuds can start to move about.
TOZO included silicon socks which they call stabilizers that slip into the “counterweight”. There is a small silicon tab that then pushes against your ear to keep the fit locked in. This isn’t the most comfortable wearing experience but it isn’t uncomfortable. It’s probably just the by product of the design of the earbuds. I found other designs to be more comfortable to wear.
Sound quality
TOZO OpenEgo earbuds deliver a naturally open soundstage with discernible stereo separation, offering a sound that feels spacious and balanced. Due to the open-ear design, the bass performance has its limits in terms of impact you can get. Having said that, TOZO OpenEgo still delivers a modest mid-bass presence that adds some shape and identity to the sound, still good bass presence for a pair of open-ear earbuds.
As for midrange, TOZO OpenEgo provides a clean and balanced timbre but instruments and vocals can sometimes lack energy. Treble offers a rich, crisp tone with shine and controlled brightness, helping to give some vibrancy to the overall sound signature. Again, these are open-ear earbuds so the detail won’t match in-ear earbuds so do manage expectations.
Battery life and connectivity
TOZO didn’t exactly state the battery life on a single charge, but the OpenEgo earbuds seem to last about 8 hours for me. You get a total 30 hours of play time with the charging case.
And speaking of charging case, it has an informative LED display that shows the charging status and the percentage of battery left in the case – so you’d know when to charge it. TOZO OpenEgo uses the latest Bluetooth 5.3 technology, and I didn’t experience any dropouts or connection issues.
Conclusion
TOZO OpenEgo earbuds offers a unique take on how an open-ear pair of wireless earbuds can be designed. They offer good sound quality for an open-ear earbuds, and has the TOZO app to slightly enhance the user experience. If other designs are not exactly working well for you, a new design of the TOZO OpenEgo might be worth a shot.