Hi, title’s rather explanatory I think but I was considering getting a pair of TWS buds for convenience sake since cables are sometimes not an option for me. But I know a lot of modern buds make you get apps that request a large amount of questionable permissions(even if you deny them, the requests in and of itself feels like a red flag) and likely send your data away. So I was wondering if there were any options that were cleaner. Thanks for the help!
You can also use Gadgetbridge to use some headphones without their companion apps.
Yup, I can customize and change the settings of my Moondrop earbuds with Gadgetbridge instead of the official app.
Wait, you mean you need an app to listen to music in a Bluetooth earphone? It’s not just connect it to your phone via Bluetooth? I don’t usually use phones but I have some Chinese cheap phone I use sometimes that I just connect to my phone and that’s it.
Nah, I’ve just heard some keep features like ANC and stuff locked there. Never really owned a pair myself so I wanted to ask for more info first.
Really glad to hear all the advice so far too! I’ll look into the recommendations given so far.
Usually the only things locked behind an application are custom equalisation, and modifiable earphone buttons. You probably can even uninstall it after you’re happy with the above settings.
You can use Sennheisers without an account - and I think even without the app altogether. Not exactly sure tho.
They have a feature where they toggle sound presets depending on your location. That’s the only thing that requires an account, as well as access to your location. It’s opt-in however (and pretty useless imo).
They have a feature where they toggle sound presets depending on your location. That’s the only thing that requires an account, as well as access to your location. It’s opt-in however (and pretty useless imo).
If it can toggle ANC and “passthrough” mode based on location, that would actually be an awesome feature for me. I often wear my earbuds while walking, taking the train, and shopping, and in the train I like having ANC on but at the supermarket I like having passthrough mode on so I can hear the cashier better.
It can toggle ANC on and off, not sure if it can also enable voice through. That is available by a single tap on your earbud(s) tho
Alright, thanks
My Sony headphones have similar features and it has a feature which automatically enables ambient mode (pass through) if you speak. Pretty neat but uses quite a bit of extra battery and since the headphones are over ear it’s impossible to talk to someone without feeling like an idiot.
I am quite sure the TWS equivalent variant has the same features.
Using Soundcore with their app and internet access denied. Set up once, deleted the app
That’s exactly what I do as well. Very happy with them, affordable, nice ANC.
Realme T-series buds can be used without any proprietary app. Connect-n-listen.
EDIT: You can also checkout which headphones does Gadgetbridge supports: https://gadgetbridge.org/gadgets/headphones/
This project looks super cool! Seems like it’ll be my best bet moving forward. Thank you.
I don’t know what TWS means or maybe it’s a brand. I have ISOTunes Free Aware and there is no app.
TWS is true wireless stereo, it refers to earbuds that can be addressed separately (Left/Right Channels), your ISOtunes recommendation would fit the bill.
Thank you for the info. I’m glad that my recommendation fits the bill
I got some JVC earbuds and they work with just Bluetooth. Pretty good noise canceling as well.
I had a pair of wired earbuds from JVC for years and they were so good that I kept buying them when they broke and always have one in my backpack.
TWS ? Track While Scan ?
True WirelesS… Just two buds with no connectors like AirPods and competitors.
I can recommend the Moondrop Space Travels
They are very cheap, have good audio and not so bad noise canceling (able to cancel out almost completely the AC and a Bambu A1 mini)
I’m searching for the same thing!
IIRC spez is part of Nothing
Other than that, their products seem cool
JBL headphones say better with the app but not required.
Earfun Air pro 3 works and technically let you access most functions through the 2 tiny touchpads but the app isn’t invasive at all, either. The app will chug along without even mentioning it if you disable its access to the internet entirely and it never asked for any permissions. I used them without the app for a while but eventually I wanted to turn ANC on and I thought the app was the only way but in retrospect I could’ve read the manual and found the touchpad tap-sequence to do the same thing.
Why the fuck do headphones require an app to run? Who thinks this is acceptable?
recently I got me a pair of Soundpeats Air4 Pro; initially wanted to repurchase a pair of Air3 HS Pro that I had and was very satisfied with the sound but lost one earpiece and found out that replacing it is nigh impossible. so, Air4 was like $5 more and I wanted to try the ANC part of it. none of those models are in-ear headphones, I’m done with shoving things in my ear canals.
so the sound is OK to me (I have tinnitus and don’t hear that well to begin with, so I’m not an expert on judging these things) but the ANC is not what I expected it to be. to me, what it does is just flood my ears with bass. the music i listen to and the occasional podcast sound OK to me but I don’t perceive any noises to be “cancelled”, i still hear all irritants (buses passing me by, dogs barking, people talking, etc.) but they’re somewhat droned out by the bassy sound.
the way I understand ANC, it uses multiple mics to generate an inverse sound that cancels out the ones reaching the microphones. so this should work without music, i just turn ANC on and I “hear” silence. nothing close to that is happening.
anyhow, both of those have some app that you need to get from google play and I haven’t done so for either of them. judgging by the screenshots the app doesn’t do anything of value, so you’re safe to run it without.
edit: I just checked and it appears I was the victim of wanting things to be true; the website lists the feature as “Hybrid ANC” (emphasis mine). I’m not even gonna bother with reading up what their definition of it is, so I guess it was a con job from the start.
I just bought 1500 dollars worth of over ears and ear buds all the top brands Bose quiet comfort ultras, Sony wf 1000xm5, Apple airpod pro gen 2, and JBL best one I forget the model, I also bought Jabra elite 10 gen 2 which has a wicked cool feature of plug into any device and it’ll charge and stream to earbuds from TV or laptop whatever. I even tried Samsung galaxy bud pros. I tried these 500 dollars headphones by Sonos maybe or seinheisser? I forget the name but they sucked.
ANC Sony said was best, far from true like not even close. Best IMO I tried them all extensively even at a concert. With and without apps on a separate phone. ANC is best on BOSE, followed by Apple air pods gen 2 pro, then Jabra elite 10 gen 2, then Sony xm5, and JBL didn’t even feel any noise canceling what so ever. I even bought open fit air over ears. None of the apps makes major difference. If you would like to Eq and tune settings you can setup and delete. Settings are synced to device and they stay. Order online save hundreds shop smart. Don’t go with silicone ear tips if you are like me and loathe in ear feeling. Go with memory foam its an extra 20 wild difference on pressure, sweaty ear feeling, hours of use memory foam is top notch order online. Over ears you won’t know your wearing them not headphones but open fit airs, sound leakage barely but also volume dependent, mic is sounds like a tin can on calls, avoid bone conduction seems cool leaks most sound. I tried over ears, on ears, in ears, bone conduction. Sony is best headphone style xm4 or xm5. Bose is best figment and ANC, sound balanced as well, I chose quiet comfort ultras after trying them all over days and hours of use. Any questions just ask!
What would you recommend for plane flights or travel especially, I haven’t tried many noise cancelling headphones but the few I tried for a short test run had this sort of “pressure” when the noise cancelling was on which I found a bit uncomfortable.
I usually use open backs at home since I find the listening experience most comfortable, but obviously that doesn’t work with noise cancelling so I’ve got no clue what’s best.
Well all of them have a sort of pressure but some more than others. The negative sort of pressure your feeling is inverse sound supposedly the opposite from what your actively hearing. I think personally I have smallish ears the Bose quiet comfort ultras are the best ANC you can buy period I do notice airpod pro gen 2 has a lot of pressure followed by the Sony wf1000xm5. If you listen to airplane TVs alot the Jabra elite 10 gen 2 has a nice plug and stream to the headphones feature but the noise cancelling isn’t the best ofc YMMV. The top comfort is gonna be memory foam rather than silicone inserts you don’t get the sweaty ear feeling and the seal has less expansion feeling inside the ear for hours worth of use in one go, I used bose to protect my hearing at a concert worth every penny, they auto ANC if noise reaches dangerous decibals Sony has the feature but their app has like 9 trackers and you have to use the app to set it up, Bose no app no fuss all features. Cost an extra 20 order them online for memory foam tips of various sizes. I would never go back to silicone period. The Bose have two adjustable zones for outer ear shape and inner ear size. Battery last about 6 hours with ANC not as long as other brands but they charge in like 10 minutes to half or close to it. I tried every pair of the top brands and models which was like 1500 to 2k.
Id try the Bose then Jabra if I was you skip Sony and skip airpods. I am sensitive to the pressure feeling from extreme chronic nausea. I’m not harping for any brand but I stand on the fact that Bose has superior comfort and ANC. AVOID plastic housings like airpods. After an hour or 2 your ears will be so sore for days. Avoid Bone conduction. Sounds cool but in reality its not worth the salt. I’d recommend some over ears but if your traveling like I do then those larger headsets can be too cumbersome and the headbands hurt over time or side pressure over the ears especially with glasses.
Edit: I can’t speak for galaxy buds, and JBL sucks. I tried JBLs best buds and they was ANC but you couldn’t tell just hurt from the plastic housing and ANC would been better with cotton balls in your ears.
