The virtual WFH and meeting arrangements made me frustrated with the quality of the current earpiece microphone pickup.
I was using Judge Elva Over the past few months, while I’ve been enjoying it, I find that I have to speak very loudly to my mates to be heard in virtual meetings or calls.
So, when Sudio Nio reached my doorstep, I was very excited to test it, mainly because the brand claims to have dual adaptive microphone technology.
Sudio Nio is the company’s latest wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds, along with the most recent One. Sudio Ett and Elva will be the pairs that I’ll be using as a point of comparison in this piece.
AirPod clone
The earbuds are similar to AirPods, apart from the removable silicone wings that wrap around the heads.
We’ve got all 4 colors that Sudio Nio comes in: black, white, green, and sand.
The case is simple and looks like Ett. However, there is only one LED battery indicator instead of the previous 4.
It lights up white if the case has more than 25% battery and orange when it’s low. The same battery indicator can be found on both earbuds. To the right of the case is the USB-C port for charging, while its bottom has a factory reset button.
Sudio features 5.5 hours of play time from a 1.5 hour charge, and 20 hours on a full charge. Bluetooth pairing was simple and the only pair of headphones I tried that connected to my devices instantly.
The plastic case feels solid and satisfactory when opened and closed with one hand, although the earbuds are difficult to remove from the case since they are slippery and bent.
But that’s a quick fix when the wing tips are attached, as the silicone provides a better grip. Wing tips come in four sizes to suit different ears and it’s not the usual type for wing tips either.
Most earbuds have wing tips that wrap around Boat shell (Google it and you’ll know) from your ear allowing the earbuds to sit more securely. The Nio Wings heads have a simpler template that fits comfortably Cafum.
I think this aims to alleviate the “loose” fit that some may feel with these types of non-fitting earphones. I actually prefer this look because it’s more comfortable for me to wear it for long hours.
The silicone tips made him safer while working out, too. Never once did I feel Nio slipping out of my ear while hopping around doing a workout. With an IPX4 rating, it’s also splash, rain, and sweat resistant making it a perfect fit for my workouts.
However, since it does not go into the ear canals, it does come with some sacrifices in the sound experience.
Decent but not obscure the world
Quite simply, it was chaos. With the wing limbs running, the bass sounded muddy and muffled, as if the music was playing behind a glass wall. His heights and trios were pure, albeit metallic.
Bear in mind that my musical taste is mostly made up of pop music and musicals, so I’m mostly focusing on singing here.
All that changed when the wing limbs were dislocated. The bass sound sounded more intense and louder. Mid and third tones were better balanced. The overall listening experience just got warmer.
In terms of how it fits in with Ett and Elva, I would say they’re very similar. But due to the Nio shape that allows it to sit directly outside your ear canal, there are no noise cancellation capabilities.
You can, of course, adjust the volume of your music to block out more noise with Nio. All of this can be done using the earbuds’ touch controls:
- One click – Play / Pause
- Double tap – Previous track (Left earbud) / Next track (Right earbud)
- Triple pressure – Decrease volume (left earbud) / increase volume (right earbud)
- Hold for 1 second – Answer calls
- Hold for 2 seconds – Reject calls
- Hold for 3 seconds – Close calls.
The Nio has good touch sensitivity and I was able to control my music with ease. However, it might be a bit sensitive as it pauses the music whenever you adjust the earbuds.
In terms of her performance with the calls, she felt flustered. Sudio Nio claims to have “adaptive dual microphone technology that filters out unwanted background noise during a call”.
I didn’t find this to be the case because I could hear everything going on around me. If this filter was intended for my mates on the other end of the call, they shared that they could still hear background noise on my end as well.
Despite this, the audio quality on the call was fairly good and it sounded clear from its end as well. Although still a bit muffled, the truck was much better than the Elva.
Rule
Unsurprisingly, I will be replacing my frequent use of Elva with Nio from now on. Firstly, it’s more comfortable in my ear and matches my bag and hassle-free ladies’ mini pockets.
I find it odd that the Nio comes without the noise canceling function, especially when most audio technologies seem to be heading in this direction.
Though, I honestly prefer this pair to come without. While blocking out ambient noise improves my focus, it’s embarrassing to be oblivious to those shouting my name across the room.
Hence, it is also suitable for those who want to be more attentive to their surroundings. For example, a parent who needs to focus on work while being able to hear their children on call.
Overall, the Nio’s biggest drawback for me is the Bluetooth range. Although Sudio claims it can cover up to 10 meters, whenever you close a back door, the connection drops instantly.
Since Sudio identifies Nio as “people’s earphones”, it is priced at RM359, which is half cheaper than Ett at RM699 when it was released.
This might be one of the reasons why it lacks some features from Elva and Ett, but if we’re talking about budget earphones, this is a decent contender.
| Positives | Negatives |
| Comfortable for long hours of wearing | Short contact range |
| The silicone tips of the wings keep them secure in your ears | The sound quality is muffled by the wingtips |
VP rule It is a series in which we personally try to test products, services, innovations, and applications. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or post a suggestion to our Facebook page.
- Sudio Nio earbuds are available Here For RM359, worldwide free shipping, 3 year international warranty, no questions asked. Return policy.
- To get a 15% discount, enter the code Volcanpost 15 When you go out.
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