Do you also suffer from wind crackling in your earbuds, whether cycling or running? Very annoying. So which earbuds actually have a good wind filter? These do! Here is the mega-popular QCY MeloBuds N70 review.
QCY is now a top brand. There aren’t many cheap wireless earbuds like AirPods Pro with all the bells and whistles. The cheapest top pick is the Baseus EP10 Pro ANC, The new QCY MeloBuds N70 cost only around 50 euros, and offer features usually found in models three times as expensive. I tested the in-ear headphones for two weeks and in this article I’ll explain whether you should have these earbuds or not. Let’s find out.
Unboxing
So, I finally got the QCY MeloBuds N70 in, and the box it comes in is just your typical small, basic packaging. Once you actually get inside, you’ve got the black case with the buds in it, obviously, but they are also packed in a USB-C cable and a bunch of extra ear tips. I counted four extra pairs, which is kind of a lot, but hey, it’s better than having too few. To be honest, it’s just a relief that the whole setup is ready to use right away. You don’t have to go out and buy anything else or hunt for a spare cable, which is always a plus in my book. Just open it up and you’re basically set.
Design
The earbuds come in purple, gray, and black, although the blue one I tried honestly looks the safest and most normal out of the bunch. Build quality? Basically fine. The case is super light and made of plastic, and the earbuds mix matte and shiny parts together, so yeah, it doesn’t really feel expensive, but I wasn’t expecting luxury here anyway. I noticed the big “QCY” logo on the case might annoy some people though. Kinda depends how picky you are.
What surprised me more was the fit. Usually these in-ear things fall out of my ears after like 10 minutes and it gets annoying fast, but the default tips actually fit me really well this time, which almost never happens, and since they throw in a bunch of extra sizes too, most people should probably find one that works. Short version? They stay put.
So, the IPX5 rating is actually pretty nice to have. Basically, you don’t really have to stress about sweat or a bit of water getting on them, which in my book makes them way more usable for gym sessions or even outdoor runs when the weather suddenly decides to act weird. I noticed a lot of cheaper earbuds skip this kind of thing, so yeah, that’s a plus.
Anyway, getting the earbuds out of the case felt awkward at first. Kinda weird shape. I kept fumbling with them for the first day or two, not gonna lie, and it definitely takes some getting used to, but after a while it’s fine. The case itself is actually pretty useful though because it works like a little power bank too, and honestly I wasn’t expecting wireless charging at this price since most stuff around this range usually just throws in USB-C and calls it a day. Which is nice.
Connectivity
So, before you even pair these things up with your phone or laptop, honestly you should just go download the QCY app first because it’s actually pretty useful and not just a throwaway companion app like you’d expect. It’s got an equalizer, ANC switching (they claim up to 56 dB which is kinda wild), transparency mode, gaming mode, and even a little lost earbuds finder thing, which is a plus if you’re the type who loses stuff constantly.
Anyway, multipoint is here too, so you can be hooked up to your phone and laptop at the same time, which sounds like a small thing but I noticed it genuinely makes day-to-day use way less annoying when you’re juggling calls and music. To be honest the codec situation is where it gets interesting for me because you’ve got SBC and AAC which is whatever, but they also threw in LDAC on earbuds in this price range and in my book that’s not something you see every day. Basically the whole thing also comes with Hi-Res Wireless certification and Bluetooth 6.0. Not bad.
Sound Quality
So, I’ve been messing around with the QCY MeloBuds N70 for a bit and honestly the first thing I noticed is that these things get loud. Like, they’ve got this MEMS tweeter from USound paired with a ring-shaped dynamic driver, which I didn’t really expect at this price point, and at higher volumes the sound actually gets warmer and more detailed instead of just turning into a horrible mess, which is a plus.
Anyway, the sound isn’t trying to be anything it’s not. It’s bass-heavy, the soundstage is kind of narrow, and instrument separation is… fine, I guess? In my case that’s totally acceptable because you can tell it’s tuned for just enjoying music rather than sitting there analyzing every little layer, and to be honest the equalizer in the app gives you enough room to tweak things to your taste so it’s not a dealbreaker. The ANC is basically solid for home or office stuff, fans, AC, that kind of boring background noise, and it holds up on the bus too, though don’t go in expecting it to blow your mind. I’d call it a 3/5 situation. Transparency mode though? Actually, it’s good. And calls are clear enough that nobody’s complained yet, which, honestly, says enough.
Battery
So, battery life on the QCY MeloBuds N70 is honestly one of the things I was most impressed by. At 80% volume with ANC on and LDAC running, you’re getting around 6 hours of listening time, which in my case is pretty solid for having all the good stuff switched on at once. Turn those off though and you’re looking at closer to 12 hours. I couldn’t bring myself to do that, to be honest, because once you’ve heard LDAC audio you kind of don’t want to go back.
Anyway, when the buds run out you just toss them in the case and it’ll charge them up again. The case has enough juice to fully charge both earbuds something like 5-6 times before it needs a top-up itself, which is a plus. Charging the case is pretty flexible too, it has USB-C or you can just drop it on a wireless pad, whatever’s easier. I noticed the case goes from dead to full in about 90 minutes, and the earbuds themselves only take around 20 minutes inside the case. Pretty quick. Basically no excuses for running out of battery on a commute. I use it for my gym session and also late night movies or music. I charged it once a week maybe or more. I never saw that type of battery life in any earbuds before.
Microphones
So, each earbud’s actually got three mics in it, which honestly surprised me a bit when I found out. Anyway, I did a phone call test and the person on the other end said they could hear me just fine, like, no complaints, no “wait what did you say,” nothing. Just clear audio. Which, in my book, is really all you need from a mic setup.
Verdict
So, I’ve been using the QCY MeloBuds N70 for a bit now and honestly? Pretty impressed with what you’re paying. The sound is just… good. Like genuinely good, not “good for the price” good, I’m talking clear, full, punchy audio that I’d put up against stuff costing way more without even flinching, and the bass especially caught me off guard because it actually hits without turning into a muddy mess which, in my case, is the hardest thing to get right at this price point.
Anyway, the ANC works. I noticed it holds up even when I’ve got the volume cranked, which is a plus. The mics are kinda meh though, to be honest. Not gonna lie. But I mean, these are earbuds, you’re buying them to listen to stuff, not to record a podcast, so it’s not really a dealbreaker for me. If you’re just looking for a solid pair of earbuds that don’t cost a fortune and get the basics right, these are basically it.
Read Also: QCY MeloBuds N60 ANC In-ear Earbuds Review: The Ultimate Audio Experience for Active Listeners