The MeloBuds Pro from QCY are also among the most popular in-ear headphones in the under 60 euro price segment in this country. With the brand new QCY MeloBuds N70, the Chinese manufacturer is now launching a successor to the earbuds that aims to impress with dual drivers, LDAC support and adaptive ANC. Our test clarifies whether it succeeds.
Technical data
| The product | MeloBuds N70 |
| Bluetooth version | 6.0 |
| Bluetooth codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Maximum operating range | 10m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 10 hours, 50 hours in total with charging case; (varies depending on volume level and audio content) |
| Charging time | 3 hours (for charging case + headphones via USB-C) |
| Most important functions | ANC; Transparency mode; Wear detection; Spatial audio |
| Price | € 69.99 * |
QCY MeloBuds N70 test: Elegant design in three colors
- Plastic construction
- Pleasantly compact and lightweight
- convincing wearing comfort
The MeloBuds N70 are launched with a modern, subtly shimmering design in black, purple and titanium. Their charging case measures a compact 50 x 60 x 28 mm, while the earphones remain pleasantly inconspicuous at approx. 31 x 25 x 25 mm – perfect for taking with you or listening on the go.
Five sizes of silicone ear tips (XS-XL), manufactured in two layers, guarantee almost any form of ear fit and comfort – even during longer sessions. They ensure a firm fit and at the same time provide lasting protection against external noise.
QCY MeloBuds N70 also come with IPX5 certification, which means they are protected against water and sweat if you want to use them during sports, while the earbuds can withstand even a rain shower.
The lightweight earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear, although this is of course a matter of taste. The in-ears fit in my rather small ears for hours without any problems.
Despite the plastic construction, the build quality is absolutely fine considering the price. The MeloBuds N70 don’t have to hide behind models that are twice as expensive.
Features and battery life
- Bluetooth 6.0
- LDAC codec; dual drivers
- Very good battery life
The MeloBuds N70 have state-of-the-art technology under the hood. With Bluetooth 6.0, the earphones are future-proof, and thanks to LDAC support and Hi-Res Wireless certification, they can transmit music in significantly higher quality than conventional standard codecs. Something you rarely see in this price range.
QCY equips the earbuds with two drivers: A 10 mm ring dynamic driver for deep and rich bass is combined with a MEMS tweeter, which together cover a frequency band from 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz.
The remaining features are also normally only found in significantly more expensive in-ear headphones: adaptive active noise cancellation, wearer detection, Bluetooth multipoint and Google Fast Pair. All included.
The battery life is also impressive: The MeloBuds N70 last up to 7 hours with active noise canceling and 10 hours without ANC. The charging case increases the runtime to 35 hours with and a whopping 50 hours without active noise cancellation – even some of the top models such as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) don’t even come close to achieving this.
Also cool: The charging case can not only be charged via USB-C, but also supports wireless charging.
Operation and app
The MeloBuds N70 are controlled via a touch surface on the earbuds. This can be configured in the in-house QCY app, which allows the operation to be customized. The app generally offers a lot of functionality: firmware updates, EQ adjustments, switching between different ANC modes or setting up a personalized sound profile – all this is possible. The ANC modes can also be fine-tuned in three stages and adjusted for different environments, but I couldn’t really hear any difference.
Of particular interest is the “HearX” function, a short listening test that creates an individual EQ profile and adapts the sound to your own ears. Unfortunately, this is only available in Chinese (unlike the rest of the app), which makes navigation somewhat difficult.
Sound and ANC
In terms of sound, the QCY MeloBuds N70 deliver a surprisingly mature result. This is made possible by the so-called “DualCore Acoustic System”, which combines a 10 mm ring driver for low frequencies with a MEMS tweeter for the high frequencies. The bass is powerful and punchy without swallowing up the mids.
Voices and acoustic instruments sound clear and present, while the treble is pleasantly airy. Compared to more expensive earbuds, however, the highs and mids lack a little brilliance, although this can be easily counteracted using the equalizer. Especially with high-resolution audio sources via LDAC, the N70s show that they can do more than many competitors in this price range.
In my opinion, the active noise suppression is somewhat disappointing. Although these achieve a fairly good level of suppression, I could hardly make out any real difference to the normal mode in the test.
Monotonous frequencies in particular, such as engine noise, fans and the like, are reduced well, but higher-frequency noises continue to come through almost unhindered. This is where you notice a clear difference to more expensive earbuds.
I also like the microphone quality, which is perfectly suitable for phone calls and the like – even in noisy environments.
QCY MeloBuds N70 test: Conclusion
The QCY MeloBuds N70 are an impressive example of how much technology is possible today even in the lower price range. They combine an unobtrusive, comfortable design with powerful features, long battery life and modern features such as wireless charging or dual connection. In everyday use, they impress with their simple operation and an app that offers real added value with personalized sound and extensive setting options.
Thanks to the dual driver system and Hi-Res support, their sound is clearly above their class, but the difference to more expensive models is clearly audible. If you are prepared to spend a little more money, the Nothing Ear (a) offer better sound and better active noise suppression.
If you are looking for affordable in-ear headphones that are suitable for music enjoyment as well as for work and everyday life, the MeloBuds N70 are a well-rounded overall package that is currently hard to beat in terms of price-performance ratio.
VORTEILE
- Strong features
- Good wearing comfort
- Long battery life
- Intuitive operation
- High-resolution sound
NACHTEILE
- Disappointing ANC
- App not fully translated
Fazit
High-resolution sound, wireless charging, long battery life and all at a low price: the QCY MeloBuds N70 are definitely worth a look.
