Edifier W280NB Pro Neckband Bluetooth Headphones

There are few things in life that offer this much, for so little

1st hour with these.

I'm a low grade audiophile. I am a bang-for-the-buck guy, but above all else, I'm a huge nerd. I have very good headphones, a decent stereo in my car (installed by me, a 20 yr master tech), have had home stereo systems that cost thousands of dollars, have used high end recording stereo equipment, and most relevantly, have owned the highest recommended bluetooth products - lg hbs-900, hbs-1100, samsung pro buds 2, and pro buds 3.

Most recently, I have been using the pro buds 3. I like the features, and though the eq meets my 9-band eq desire, I noticed that they seem to achieve equalizing not through increasing whatever I increase, but by decreasing everything else - I'm not increasing bass, I'm making everything NOT bass quieter - this leads me to leave the eq relatively flat to preserve volume levels, as I wear them while working with heavy equipment. After a week of daily use, I realized my rather weird ears were in a lot of pain due to the sheer size of the earbud bodies pressing against the cartilage just above my ear canals. I was also disappointed that the pro buds 3's needed to be recharged fully halfway through my day. So I went in search of other options. What I really wanted was another LG neckband set, because the earbuds never hurt, and the battery lasted a full day. Alas, they are discontinued. So I went in search of other options.

These Edifier W280NB's weren't even on my radar. I recognized the Edifier name as the entry level to pro gear - the bronze Olympians, if you will. The Pro Buds 3's were $250. The LG HBS-900's were $150 when I got them. At the current time of writing, I thought $30 was a gamble I was willing to make on this unit. They arrived today, so I immediately tried them out.

The earbuds are smaller. I took off the rubber hoop things, and replaced them with the provided simple rings. I swapped the medium size earbuds out for the large, as I have larger canals. I powered them on, installed the software on my phone, and tested the noise canceling, the ambient sound, and the power saving isolating only modes. I tapped my fingernails on the table throughout, and listened to appliances in the background. When I unconsciously started tapping my fingernails much harder on the table as I went from ambient to canceling, I knew they were doing a decent job of cancellation - on par with the $250 pro buds 3's. I was pleasantly surprised. Next was audio quality.

I fired up a song I knew very well, with a balance of sound across the audible spectrum. Above 8khz, they fell off a bit, not sounding as bright as the pro buds 3's, or any of my other audio gear. So I went into the Edifier Connex software, where not only was I a tiny bit disappointed with only 4 bands of eq, but that they were limited to no more than 8khz of equalization. However, I liked that you could set the q and specific hz point of the 4 bands, a feature I know that very few users will understand how to use intuitively - a very pro style feature indeed.

The sound quality, when dialed in, wasn't disappointing. I was surprised that they sounded very full, crisp and clear. Surprisingly good - just not quite as bright and sunny as other options, but keep in mind - you can snag a set of airpod wannabe's off the "weird stuff shelf" at wal mart for $20. They're so bad, even the advertised 2-3 hr battery life is a lie. They sound like depression moaning from the bottom of a swamp, and the microphones are like if that same swamp was also on fire. For $10 more, you can have these. And you should.

I connected the headset to my pc. I am a gamer. I have a very nice headset for gaming on pc. I spent thousands on my gaming setup. I tried these anyway. And I was amazed at the sound. Crisp. Detailed. Highly nuanced. They can't beat the bass of my headset, but considering the speakers are 150 times the size, the fact that these Edifiers even come close should make my headphones sit in the corner and think about what they did. Shame on you, headphones - something that can fit entirely inside of one of your earcups is closely in 2nd place. Note also, I did not get the same wow factor from the pro buds 3's. They were just "alright" when connected to my pc.

I fired up a game. When I tell you that I actually turned my head 5 degrees to the right when I heard a weapon firing from that direction - I was immediately impressed with these, and then immediately after, disappointed in myself for falling for it. I knew better. I turned my head anyway, as though I'd actually see the barrel that shot at me.

Are these the greatest audio experience I've ever had? Let me tell you about my friend. He makes home stereo's. No. He makes home AUDIO EXPERIENCES. He makes them by hand. I've seen him demonstrate his prototypes to prospective clients who have spent thousands on home stereos, drive only Mercedes or Porsches, and HAVE OPINIONS ON THINGS. I've watched those same people cry when they hear my friends stereos. I've cried listening to his stereos. They're that good. One speaker costs as much as my car, and these systems have between 6, and dozens of speakers. You can't afford them. I can't afford them.

But for $30, these... these are good enough. From a man who has perfect hearing, who has heard perfection, and absolute garbage. From a man who has participated in studio recording sessions, who has worked closely with audio professionals, and has opinions of his own. From a man who has now spent 50 hours dialing in his car stereo and still isn't happy with it.

These... Are good enough.

Tune in tomorrow when I find out how long a charge lasts, and if the noise cancelling is worth it while operating heavy crane equipment, and when I try to have a phone call with my boss while I do it. For now, I think I'm going to wear these while I play a video game some more.

Microphone placement, issues with being heard constantly having to adjust.

I get a lot of comments about not being heard or mic issues. I would suggest moving the microphone to a optimal location. Charge is quick and sound is good as well.

Microphone location is my only complaint.

Purchased in April and now it's August 2026.

Good Sound, not Mind Blowing

These are solid overall. The audio sounds clean and enjoyable, and I’ve had no issues just casually listening to music or videos. I wouldn’t say it’s anything crazy “hi-fi” like they advertise, but it still sounds good enough that I don’t really mind. The fit is comfortable and they stay in well, which is honestly just as important. I do wish they had newer bluetooth and maybe a bit better battery life, especially for longer days. But for the price and what you get, they’re still a good pick. I do also really like the way they snap together, it's quite satisfying.

Connected fast with my phone, provides great sound, and is super comfortable

These connected to my phone almost instantly, which I always appreciate. No messing around in settings, just paired and done. They are really comfortable to wear, even for longer stretches, and they stay put without needing constant adjustment. The neckband design is actually a huge plus for me. When I am doing anything active with a lot of bending or moving around, I do not have to worry about losing an earbud. Even if one pops out, it is still attached, which is honestly a game changer. Sound quality is solid. Clear, balanced, and with enough bass to make music feel full without being overwhelming. I also noticed the noise canceling helps take the edge off background noise without feeling weird or overly aggressive. Battery life has been good so far. I am not constantly thinking about charging them, which is really all I ask. Overall, these headphones are easy to use, comfortable, and they sound great. No complaints.

A Great Value and Great Sounding Headphones!

These are pretty much untouchable for $50. The closest thing you'll get would be the soundcore Liberty fives and these are just as good and every way. The app is probably the easiest to use that I have personally had experience with. The ANC works beautifully and the pass-through mode also works. Unlike most in ears, these actually stay in while running. They dealt with sweat beautifully and are easy to clean. They have super bass and the highs and meds are extremely crisp. The audio is well detailed. The battery seems to last forever as well. All in all for $50, I'll say it again, they are untouchable.

Fantastic audio, I love the bass

These headphones sound magnificent to me. They are definitely some of the more affordable noise canceling headphones I've ever had even though they're just earbuds. Edifer has some amazing speakers and I think these headphones follow along that line of greatness.

Okay to get it out of the way The only thing I didn't like for the wires occasionally I would have to twist one headphone around so that the wire didn't hit my cheek awkwardly. As far as the audio quality, I consider it very good but that's going to be something that's up to the listener. They definitely went in bass forward on these. The bass is what you noticed the most of, but the midrange is well done too and comes through on the songs. The high frequency ranges are a little bit muted you don't get very much of that really crisp white noise sound, but with the edifer app you can set whatever you want. They do have varying levels of noise cancellation but these are the first ones I've had that they didn't make me feel like I had pressure in my ears. It does have an ambient version so that you can still hear what's going on around you. These are in ear buds but they were comfortable to me and I usually don't like any ear ones.

I'm really happy with these, they were very easy to pair, and I think they are up there with some of the more expensive earbuds. And you don't have to give up the bass.

Great Sound, Great Calls… and the World’s Most Dramatic Instruction Manual

I went into these not expecting much — $50-ish headphones lately have been a gamble at best — but these actually surprised me in a really good way.

First, the important stuff:

They sound great. Clear, balanced, and loud enough to survive the subway without me wanting to throw them onto the tracks. The noise canceling works well, and the ambient mode is actually usable instead of sounding like I’m underwater in a fish tank.

But the biggest win? The microphone.

My parents can actually hear me. Clearly. Every time. Which, if you’ve ever used mid-range Bluetooth headphones for calls, you know is basically a miracle.

Design-wise:

The neckband is comfortable and lightweight

The magnetic earbuds are weirdly satisfying and keep things from tangling

The little ear loop situation looks questionable but somehow works and keeps them in place

Now… let’s talk about the marketing vs reality for a second.

They proudly advertise:

“Up to 23 hours of playback”

Meanwhile, in actual human use, I’m getting closer to ~5 hours, which—conveniently—is also what they mention in much smaller, less shouty terms elsewhere. So yes, they charge fast (which helps), but don’t expect all-day endurance unless you’re using them in some kind of silent, battery-saving monastery mode.

Also, the “manual.”

Calling it a manual is generous. It’s a massive fold-out poster that looks like it’s about to explain nuclear launch codes… and instead contains about 9 sentences repeated in 15 languages. I appreciate the inclusivity, but the drama of it all is honestly hilarious.

Other nice touches:

USB-C charging (as it should be, thank you)

Customizable controls through the app

Easy button controls for music and mode switching

Overall, these are genuinely solid headphones with great sound and excellent call quality — which already puts them ahead of a lot of similarly priced options.

Just go in with realistic expectations about battery life and be prepared to laugh when you unfold the world’s most overqualified instruction pamphlet