SuperEQ S1 ANC TWS Headphones and SuperEQ Q2 Pro ANC TWS Earbuds Review – Loud, Cheap, And Out Of Control
$50 Bluetooth over-ears (S1) and earbuds (Q2 Pro) were sent to me unsolicited by an extremely eager marketing rep for SuperEQ, which seems to be an affiliate of OneOdio and which is working overtime to crack the uber-competitive budget market.
SuperEQ S1 ANC TWS Headphones
Very large and very garish-looking (with the addled slogan “Be Free Be Young” embossed on the headband), the Beats-inspired SuperEQ S1 are nonetheless well-built, light, and comfortable. Pairing was instantaneous and connectivity good; the physical control buttons are well-placed and easy to master.
ANC on these is, at least from the standpoint of noise-cancellation, quite impressive—especially since the large pleather pads seal very tightly, virtually no outside noise intrudes. Feature set is otherwise pretty basic—micro-USB charging, Bluetooth 5.0, no AptX, no app—but battery life is very good.
With ANC enabled the S1 sound is noticeably compressed—a bright artificial-sounding V-shape with deep boomy bass, a conspicuous midrange dip and rolled-off, billowy high end.
Disabling ANC improves matters markedly—low end is still thumpy but better etched, while midrange sounds warmer, fuller, and more dynamic, and treble is more extended and detailed.
Tonality is still somewhat synthetic and drums lack some snap (these are, after all, $50 phones), but they actually work well for movies and podcasts, with a physicality and fullness that keeps you engaged. In practice, the passive isolation on these is so good that I felt no need to use the ANC.
The S1 surprise in a couple of regards. First, soundstage is impressively wide and enveloping, with good height, almost like an open-back wired set. Secondly, their wooly bass notwithstanding, stereo imaging and instrument placement are accurate, and complex arrangements are well sorted-out.
Frankly, the S1 aren’t sonically far off from the far pricier Beats Studio, which have tighter low end but an otherwise similarly expansive stage and metallic timbre.
The S1 won’t appease audiophiles and their aesthetic seems purposely designed to alienate anyone older than 13. That said, they have their sonic virtues and, as a knockabout set will get you through the lawnmowing as well as anything.
SuperEQ Q2 Pro ANC TWS Earbuds
The SuperEQ Q2 Pro buds sport the more modern Bluetooth 5.2 codec, as well as ANC; however noise-cancelling is compromised by their large bulbous shape, which provides for less-than-optimal comfort and seal. I found the touch controls unresponsive and frustrating (there’s no volume control) and connection to my phone was fitful.
Soundwise, the Q2 Pro present an energetic L-shape with massive, subwoofer-style bass which packs plenty of visceral punch but lacks tautness and, at least, on less-heavy genres, is over-emphaiszed.
Midrange is full-bodied and very clear, while treble (in contrast to the over-ears) is crisp, with considerable extension and sparkle; percussion is unexpectedly well-reproduced and subtle microdetails are present (note that as with the S1, the Q2 sounded less compressed and more revealing with ANC off).
Soundstage is within-your-head, with limited height but pretty good imaging; instruments are cleanly separated. Tonality is somewhat aggressive and ballsy—these lack the aliveness of pricier Sennheiser or Cambridge, and can be exhausting, but the Q2 work well for techno and hiphoppy fare, with a real toe-tapping quality.
Purely on their musical merits, I’d rate these on a par with my previous <$50 go-to, the Fiil T1XS, which has a similarly thumpy low end but good clarity and energetic presentation, although pricier pieces like the Lypertek Tevi and Status Between Pro have better-tamed bass and more overall refinement.
Despite their overdone megabass, both the S1 and Q2 sound better than their cut-rate price point would suggest and most non-critical listeners will find these more than adequate.
If pushed to buy just one, I’d probably opt for the S1, which has less natural timbre than the buds, but better controls and UI. In any event, neither of these are the expected generic junk — SuperEQ is off to a solid start and I’d fully expect future iterations to be even better.
Visit the SuperEQ store on amazon.com.
