So, QCY’s kind of built a name for itself by making audio stuff that’s actually decent without asking you to spend a ton, which honestly is why I ended up checking out the QCY H3S over the last few weeks. And yeah, at first glance it just seems like another pair of over-ear headphones, but after using them for a while, I noticed there’s actually a lot going on here, especially for something in this price range, which is kind of surprising.
Basically, it has dual drivers, which you usually don’t see unless you’re paying a lot more, and the battery life is honestly kind of wild, they’re claiming over 100 hours of playback, and while I didn’t sit there timing every minute obviously, it definitely lasts forever. No joke. It also has adaptive noise canceling, and it works better than I expected, especially in places with constant background noise like fans or traffic. The fit’s pretty comfortable too, which is a plus, because some headphones start annoying me after like an hour. They didn’t. It also supports LDAC and some higher-quality audio codecs, so if you actually care about better sound quality and have a device that supports it, that’s nice to have.
Design
So, after using these for a while, I noticed the weight is actually pretty balanced, like around 240 grams or something, and they don’t really start hurting your head even after a few hours, which surprised me because I wear glasses and most headphones end up squeezing the sides of my head after like 30 minutes. They didn’t. 
The headband kinda shapes itself to your head over time and the cushions are soft enough that you almost forget they’re there, plus the earcups go fully over your ears instead of sitting on them, which in my book is way better for long music sessions or gaming late at night.
Anyway, all the buttons are shoved onto the right side. Which is fine. You’ve got the USB-C charging port there too, and the main button does basically everything, turning them on, pairing Bluetooth, pausing music, taking calls, all that stuff, and then there are separate buttons for volume and ANC which I honestly prefer because digging through touch controls drives me crazy sometimes. 
The earcups also rotate and fold like 90 degrees so tossing them into a backpack is easier, and the IPX5 rating means a little rain or gym sweat isn’t a big deal, which is a plus. Oh and the box comes with a USB-C cable and the manual too, although let’s be real most people probably won’t read it.
Easy to Use
So, the QCY H3S basically keeps all the controls on the right side, which honestly made it easier for me because I didn’t have to keep feeling around both earcups trying to remember where stuff was, and after like two days I could use everything without even looking. There’s one button for ANC that switches between the different modes, and the power button sits in the middle. Hold it down to turn the headphones on or off. Quick press pauses the music too, which is nice.
Anyway, right next to that there’s the volume buttons. Pretty standard stuff. The USB-C charging port is also on the same side, which is a plus in my book because some headphones put things in weird spots for no reason and it gets annoying fast. I noticed the button layout feels simple overall. Not fancy. It just works.
Sound Quality
So yeah, all the sound stuff is basically tucked into the Sound tab. You’ve got the usual Music, Game, and Cinema modes first, and then there’s a bunch of EQ presets like Bass, Rock, Classical, Spatial, all that stuff. I noticed they actually let you make your own presets too, which is nice because honestly half the time the default ones sound weird depending on what you’re listening to. The ANC settings are in there as well, and you can switch between Transparency, full Noise Cancellation, or just turn it off completely. And when ANC is on, there are extra options like Wind Noise Reduction, Indoor, Commute, Loud, and Adaptive mode, which kinda feels like overkill at first but after messing around with it for a bit it actually makes sense, especially if you’re moving between places a lot during the day. You can pick the modes yourself or just let the headphones figure it out automatically. Which is a plus.
Anyway, when it comes to the actual sound of the QCY H3S, that part’s always tricky. Sound is super subjective. Like, what sounds amazing to me might sound way too bass-heavy to somebody else, or too flat, or whatever. In my case the headphones sound pretty decent overall, but it really depends on the kind of music you listen to and even where you’re using them. Some people want super clear vocals. Others just want the bass to hit harder. That’s just how it is.
Noise and Connectivit
So, the ANC stuff on the QCY H3S is actually pretty good. You get a bunch of different modes to mess around with, like one just for wind noise, plus some presets depending on where you are, and you can tweak how strong the filtering feels too, which is kind of nice because most cheap headphones just give you one button and that’s it. There’s also this adaptive mode where the headphones figure things out on their own, and honestly I noticed it worked better than I expected, especially when moving between quieter rooms and outside noise. No weird ear pressure either. Which is a plus. But yeah, it still works best when music is playing, so don’t expect it to magically block everything while sitting silent.
Anyway, signal stability was solid too. No random cutouts. No annoying disconnects. I walked a few meters away from my phone a couple times, through walls even, and it kept playing fine, which in my book already puts it ahead of some other budget headphones I’ve tried because those usually start freaking out the second you leave the room, and then you end up reconnecting Bluetooth over and over again for no reason. Battery life was pretty much what the company claimed too. So yeah. No complaints there.
Verdict
So, with the QCY H3S, it kinda feels like they just kept building on the H3 series and didn’t overcomplicate it, basically it’s got this upgraded dual-driver setup and LDAC support and that 360° spatial audio thing too, and honestly when I was switching between music, movies, and even some casual gaming it just kept up way better than I expected at this price range, like the sound doesn’t feel thin at all it’s got decent bass and the EQ tweaks actually do something useful which is a plus, and the whole thing just works in a way where you don’t really sit there thinking about specs but more like “yeah this actually sounds pretty clean,” I noticed that especially with layered tracks where cheaper headphones usually just turn everything into a mess.
To be honest, the noise cancelling is actually pretty solid for everyday stuff, like bus noise or background chatter gets toned down without that weird pressure feeling in your ears. And yeah, the app stuff is there and it’s not annoying to use, Bluetooth stays connected fine too. In my book, the comfort is probably one of the better parts because you can wear them for a while and don’t really get that “take them off now” feeling. Anyway, you’ve still gotta remember it’s a budget model at the end of the day, not some high-end flagship thing, which is a plus if you’re just looking for something normal that does a lot without acting expensive.
Read Also: QCY MeloBuds N60 ANC In-ear Earbuds Review: The Ultimate Audio Experience for Active Listeners