I’m what could be described as a laid-back audiophile. My musical upbringing and studies in music production and engineering have given me a huge appreciation for good sound quality. I’ve got a very solid handle on what to listen for in a good audio mix.
I’m not as picky as a lot of audiophiles, but my last two pairs of everyday headphones were the Beats Solo 3 and Microsoft Surface Headphones 2, which cost more than $200 each. I used each of them until the metaphorical wheels fell off and they stopped working. Those are big shoes to fill, I absolutely loved using them for the several years that I did.
I’m also a working mom on a humble budget, and replacing either of those headphones is not an option for me right now. A lot of folks are feeling the burn in our current economic state, which is why I was so excited to find an affordable pair of headphones that meets my standards for everyday, casual listening.
Edifier’s V80 Hybrid active noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones have taken me entirely by surprise. I initially borrowed a pair from a friend when my Surface Headphones 2 bit the dust, but ended up purchasing a pair for myself for a list of reasons.
First of all, the price is so right. At $70 regular price (and on sale for $45 at the time of writing), they’re definitely budget-friendly. In the under $50 price point, you’re not going to find a lot of huge brand names, but the Edifier V80s are a great example of why that’s not a bad thing.
I hadn’t heard of Edifier before trying out the V80s, and probably wouldn’t have taken a second look at them if I hadn’t been able to try them out before buying.
Cushy comfort
The first thing that impressed me about the Edifier V80s was how comfortable they are. The ear cushions and headband cushion are so soft. I wear glasses, and have had problems with headphones that press the arms of my glasses into my head giving me headaches. I haven’t had that issue at all with these headphones. The finish on the cushions feels great on the skin. It’s almost silky, but they don’t slip off my head at all.
Other headphones have also given me problems when using them at the gym regularly. Sweating in my Beats Solo 3s did eventually cause the ear cushions to disintegrate, but I’ve since started using earbuds at the gym instead to avoid the same problem with the Edifier V80s. They’re just too pretty to risk it.
I love the brown colour of the Edifier V80s. Typically, I’ll opt for black because it’s just the easiest to style, but this terra cotta-adjacent shade is just neutral enough that it works with most of my outfits as well. Switching it up has been nice, and I get compliments on them all the time.
Good sound, with some tweaks
As for the actual sound quality, the Edifier V80s really impressed me. They’re not perfect, but they are more than good enough for the price point. They sounded a little bit thin out of the box, which is usually an indicator that they need a bit of a boost on the lower frequencies (usually between 16-250 Hz). The Edifier ConneX app made it easy enough to make that change. You get four frequency ranges that you can adjust by 0.5dB increments. What sounds best will depend on your preferences and the type of music you listen to, as audio mixes can differ a lot across genres.
For me, the Edifier V80s needed what’s called a low-pass filter. Simply put, it allows lower frequencies to pass through, and limits higher frequencies (2kHz-6kHz). For thin, hollow-sounding audio, this can easily give your headphones a richer, full-bodied mix. You can also set it and forget it – once I tailored the sound, it stuck even when I connected to another device.
A lot of headphones and earbuds have an accompanying app these days, and most streaming platforms also have built-in EQ settings. Don’t be scared to get in there and mess around until you find a sound you like.
Phone calls are very clear on the Edifier V80s, and the Bluetooth range is also quite impressive. It seems to cut out around 30 feet, but I’m not often that far away from my phone, so it’s not really a concern. They also live up to their low-latency claims. I haven’t noticed any lag when gaming or watching videos, but they do come with a USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable if you do have issues, or if you’ve still got a phone with a headphone jack and prefer a wired connection.
As far as active noise cancelling (ANC) goes, these headphones are fine. They’re not the strongest, but they definitely suffice. I sometimes wear them and turn on ANC with no music playing just to cut down a bit of extra background noise while still being able to hear what’s happening around me.
I’ve never had a good time with touch controls on headphones. One thing I really like about the Edifier V80s is the tactile buttons. There are only four buttons, and the control scheme is simple enough, with some customizability included on the multi-function Bluetooth button.
Excellent value
They do have pretty intense sound leakage, so if you like your music really loud (which you shouldn’t because it will absolutely damage your hearing over time), that’s something to be mindful of in public spaces.
Lastly, I’m very impressed with the battery life on these headphones. A full charge yields about 40 hours of listening on normal mode, or 26 hours with ANC. Charging for 15 minutes will get me through most of an eight-hour workday in a pinch, though frustratingly, you can’t listen to music and charge the headphones at the same time.
In general, the Edifier V80s are a stellar deal. They have no business being as good as they are for the price. Am I going to use them for mixing and mastering? Probably not. But I will absolutely continue using them every day for music and phone calls. I can forgive what they lacked in rich audio because it was easy to fix. They’re cute, comfortable, and inexpensive, which is actually more than can be said for many higher-end brands.
The Edifier V80 Hybrid headphones are available on Amazon Canada for $69.99, but at the time of writing were on sale for $44.98.
