Blaupunkt BTW-01 ear buds review: Unique design, great sound quality

The Blaupunkt BTW-01 buds deliver about 6 hours of music playback for each charge, while the charging case adds another 12 to 15 hours.
Blaupunkt BTW-01 ear buds review: Unique design, great sound quality
Blaupunkt BTW-01 ear buds review: Unique design, great sound quality

The success of Apple’s AirPods and the disappearing headphone slot in multiple devices from Google Pixel to the OnePlus 6T is clear evidence that Bluetooth headsets are here to stay and wires are passé. I’ve been partial to ear buds as my daily driver over Bluetooth neckbands or heavier over the ear headphones with superior audio pedigree. Blaupunkt that has been synonymous with Car audio solutions in India has launched a bunch of Bluetooth audio accessories including the BTW-01. These ultra-light ear buds join a growing band of AirPods challengers that are all vying for the same customer.

The first consideration for this buyer is form factor, an area where the Blaupunkt scores. Each of these buds are just 5.5 grams – truly featherlight, you barely feel them in your ears. The charging case is equally compact putting it in the same league as the AirPods and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds cases that slip easily into your jeans.

Design

Design is another strength, I liked how the BTW-01 sits in your ears. Blaupunkt claims their unique 45-degree angle ensures these buds won’t pop off easily. After a whole week in the gym with the BTW-01, I can vouch for it. I needed to push it into my ears occasionally for complete sound insulation but that’s something we tend to do with most ear buds. While doing so, I tended to unintentionally tap the pause and play controls. Just like any pair of headphones, the range of tap controls takes some getting used to. You can control your music, answer calls and three taps fires up Siri or Google Assistant. Call quality was not an issue during the tests.

An IPX-5 certification gives you protection from sweat, they are also water-resistant for an occasional run through a drizzle.

Blaupunkt’s biggest edge (given its price tag) is the sound quality. These earbuds have a speaker size of 6mm with a Realtek chipset at its core. This chipset scores on real sound separation with a solid bass and no compromise on treble or mid ranges. Sound quality was in the same league as the AirPods but if sound quality is your primary purchase driver then you should consider pricier options like Bose’s Sound Sport Free or Sennheiser’s Momentum. 

These buds deliver about 6 hours of music playback for each charge. The charging case adds another 12 to 15 hours. Battery life is quite solid, but this is an area where the AirPods have the edge over all its rivals. There’s no wireless charging like the Galaxy Buds; Blaupunkt opts for a Micro-USB cable at a time when most smartphones have switched to Type-C. Blaupunkt’s BT-01 ear buds deliver great value especially at its current online price of Rs 5,999.

(Ashwin Rajagopalan writes extensively on Gadgets & Trends, Travel & Lifestyle and Food & Drink. He owns and manages Brand Stories, a creative Content outfit and www.bytesize.in, a premier lifestyle blog with a focus on short-format content. Instagram: ‘ashwinpowers’)

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