Edifier WH950NB review: Good sound, but limited codec support

Finest Costs At the moment: Edifier WH950NB

£179.99

The Edifier WH950NB Bluetooth wi-fi headphone appears nice, is comfy to put on for lengthy stretches, has easy-to-use bodily buttons, and delivers stable energetic noise cancellation. Sadly, it’s additionally a headphone that received’t ship its greatest efficiency until you’re utilizing a Bluetooth playback system that helps the LDAC codec.

For most individuals, this headphone received’t carry out at a degree that’s similar to different high quality headphones in its value vary. That doesn’t imply it doesn’t ship good sound on the lower-resolution SBC codec, however there’s no good purpose to spend $180 on a headphone that received’t take full benefit of what your playback system can ship.

This assessment is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the very best noise-cancelling headphones.

Is the Edifier WH950NB a well-built headphone?

The Edifier WH950NB headphone is on the market in black or white with gold accents. The earcups have a pebbled plastic floor that evokes leather-based, and each the earcups and headband have beneficiant padding. The Edifier emblem seems as a gold accent on the right-hand facet of the scarf. The general impact matches the mid-century trendy aesthetic that give so lots of the firm’s audio system and headphones their distinctive look.

The proper-hand earcup has a protracted silicone button with a raised center piece that powers the headphone on and off and serves as a play/pause management. Both finish of the button controls quantity up (with raised “+” signal) and quantity down (an indented “– ” signal). You too can skip ahead by holding down the “+” for greater than 2 seconds or skip again by holding down the “–” for greater than 2 seconds. An M button cycles by means of ANC, transparency, and noise-cancellation-off settings. A USB-C port is used for charging the headphone’s battery.

James Barber/Foundry

The left earcup has a 3.5mm jack to attach the included headphone cable for analog listening. The WH950NB will work as a wired headphone with the ability on or off, so you possibly can proceed to make use of them in the event you run out of battery energy.

The buttons have a satisfying click on and so they’re straightforward to establish by contact. It’s a welcome improvement to see headphone producers transferring away from the gesture-based swiping and tapping on an earcup to regulate a headphone, since many people by no means received the cling of that try and get rid of the correctly clicky buttons that make for an awesome gear expertise.

Edifier guarantees 55 hours of battery life with the ANC turned off and a still-impressive 34 hours with the noise cancellation turned on. When you do encounter a drained battery at an inopportune time, a 10-minute fast cost delivers 7 hours of battery life.

The Edifiier WH905NB helps LDAC, however not AAC or aptX

James Barber/Foundry

The Edifier WH950NB has a Bluetooth 5.3 radio onboard, and it helps the SBC and LDAC codecs. Meaning no AAC help for Apple customers and no aptX help for Android customers with units that don’t help LDAC. These are omissions that may disqualify these headphones for a lot of customers.

On an Apple system, you’ll get solely lossy SBC streams. That’s advantageous for listening to the present low-res streams on Spotify, however you received’t get the higher-resolution audio obtainable from Apple Music, Tidal, or Qobuz until your playback system helps LDAC. You may encounter sync points whereas utilizing LDAC to stream a film or TV present soundtrack resulting from latency.

Many Android units help the high-resolution LDAC codec, but it surely’s nonetheless not as common as the assorted flavors of aptX. Most Android units that help LDAC additionally help aptX, so Edifier is one thing of an outlier in not supporting each codecs.

The WH950NB help Google Quick Pairing, so your Android system ought to pop up a connection immediate whenever you activate the headphones for the primary time and maintain them close to your telephone.

Utilizing Edifier’s cell app

James Barber/Foundry

Edifier has an app for iOS and Android that gives 5 noise-cancellation choices. Along with the “excessive” ANC, transparency, and off settings accessible by way of the button on the fitting earcup, there are extra settings for wind discount and “low” noise cancellation. There’s a show for battery degree and a protected quantity indicator.

When you’re utilizing an Android system that helps LDAC, the Hello-Res Audio Wi-fi emblem will gentle up within the app. A panel lets you select between Traditional, Dynamic, and Customized EQ modes. The app lets you create a number of customized profiles and features a setting that lets you scan a QR code to get entry to different personalized settings. I didn’t fairly determine the place these QR settings can be found, however the concept looks as if one. There’s a 3rd panel that controls Sound mode, letting you choose Music, Recreation, or Theatre modes.

Listening to the Edifier WH950NB

Increased-quality codecs and audio decision make extra of a distinction in a quiet atmosphere, with noise cancellation turned off. When utilizing headphones in a loud atmosphere—open air and particularly whenever you’re on an airplane—the delicate enhancements that greater resolutions ship received’t essentially be as noticeable.

I used Led Zeppelin IV (a/okay/a ZoSo) for some direct comparisons and selected the Anker Anker Soundcore Area Q45 for the duty; it’s a TechHive Editor’s Alternative winner at $149.99. Anker’s helps the SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs however not aptX.

James Barber/Foundry

When utilizing an iPhone, the dearth of AAC help is a killer for the WH950NB. The Q45 produced a wider soundstage and way more element on the low finish on a observe like “Black Canine” when streamed from Apple Music. That doesn’t imply the Edifier cans didn’t sound good with the iPhone, simply that the dearth of AAC help means iPhone customers ought to look elsewhere.

The WH950NB delivered a greater outcome when streaming by way of Qobuz on Android. The stream delivered extra element and an general sound that in contrast favorably to the Q45, regardless that I’d nonetheless decide the Soundcore cans for his or her barely higher sound.

I actually loved utilizing the Edifier WH950B with the included headphone cable and an iFi Go Hyperlink DAC. “Black Canine” sounded higher wired than wi-fi and even higher with the ability turned with the telephone and DAC driving the headphone.

Who can purchase the Edifier WH950NB?

The WH950B is a well-made headphone with a sexy end. Whereas not fairly as polished because the Sony WH-1000XM5 or the Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones, these Edifier headphones have extra of that luxurious really feel than the Soundcore Q45 that I’ve been utilizing as a comparability.

Even so, it’s onerous to suggest this headphone to anybody whose units don’t have LDAC help. Something with AAC help is extra prone to fulfill an iPhone consumer, and plenty of Android customers shall be searching for aptX help. Neither of these codecs are current within the WH950B.

None of this recommendation holds in the event you’re a Spotify consumer. As of the time I’m penning this assessment, Spotify–the world’s greatest music service–nonetheless doesn’t help lossless streaming, so the lower-resolution SBC codec delivers Spotify in its native format.

In case your supply system helps LDAC and also you would favor a greater end over barely higher sound high quality, then this Edifier headphone could be a stable alternative. iPhone customers ought to look elsewhere.