Bryn De Kocks
Treblab XR700 Summary
Treblab’s XR700 is an affordable pair of earbuds that surprises in their performance. The comfort exceeds that found in some higher-end earbuds but can prove problematic for glasses-wearers. The deep bass extension gives them a wide sound that will thrill the gym rats who enjoy blasting bass-heavy music to motivate their workouts. The microphone quality and build quality are two of the XR700’s weaker points.
Over the last few years, Treblab has released a series of earbuds which include the X-series, WX-series, and XR-series. The XR700 is one of the more affordable products from these offerings and is typically available for around $40, compared to the more premium X3, which tends to be just short of double the price. We already have experience with the X3 as well as the predecessor to the XR700, the XR500 – so I was interested to see how the XR700 stacks up and whether it improved on some of the shortcomings of the XR500.
What We Scored It
Overall Rating - 6.7
Sound Quality - 7.2
Comfort - 5.8
Build & Design - 5.3
Battery Life - 6.2
Value for Money - 7
6.4
The audio performance along with its low price point are two of the XR700s strongest features. The build quality and comfort could be improved. Glasses wearers may struggle with the ear-hook.
Build & Design
The XR700 doesn’t stray too far from the XR500 when it comes to the design approach, with both earbuds having a remarkably similar appearance. While they are available in multiple color options, the model I tested was primarily black with subtle red accents to them. While the XR700 resembles the XR500, with the XR700 the ear-hook is now wired and easier to mold to your earshape.
The build quality of the materials feels on the cheaper side when compared to other Treblab products like the Z7 Pro headphones. Given that this is a budget earbud, there are always going to be limitations in the build materials. While we may be used to touch controls on our earbuds these days, the XR700 has traditional buttons for both power and volume control.
One example of the limitations of producing earbuds at this price is the feeling of the volume control, which feels slightly loose and just not very appealing to press. Something that is hard to escape in a lot of cheaper earbuds.
These earbuds are rated as IPX7 water-resistant. An IPX7 rating ensures they can withstand both sweat and rain. IPX7 is also typically safe for use in the shower. While IPX7 can also protect from limited submergence, I caution against swimming with these earbuds. However, they are a viable option for watersports like kayaking or boating.
Something also worth mentioning is that the rubber used on these earbuds tends to be quite prone to collecting dust and dirt, so I’d recommend giving them an occasional wipe-down, especially the earbud attachments and the ear hooks.
Comfort Considerations
These earbuds feature an adjustable ear hook that lets you adjust the fit to your ear type. A common problem with non-adjustable ear hooks is that they can be uncomfortable or simply not fit one’s ear shape. The hooks were mostly unnoticeable during testing, and I didn’t feel any particular pressure from the hook, despite being a glasses-wearer.
With that said, however, if you have thick-framed glasses, I could see this being a problem, as larger frames may cause excessive pressure around the ear hook. If you wear thick frames with arms that leave little space above your ear, consider the X1 or WX8 instead, as both of these lack the ear hook – though this will affect one of these earbuds’ key features – the fact that they are made for working out.
Treblab includes four additional earbud adaptor sizes in the package, which you can swap with the standard size. This will let you find
Controls & Pairing
All controls on the Treblab XR700 are located on the right earbud and are fairly minimal in terms of functions. To begin the pairing process, press on the Treblab branded button on the right earpiece and hold it in for about 5 seconds and then release – this will turn the earbuds on and also begin the pairing process.
At the top of the right earbud, there is a volume control that also doubles as a track selector. Tap the buttons to change the volume or hold the buttons down to skip tracks. Long-pressing the + button will take you to the next track while holding the – button will go back a track.
Despite the buttons not feeling particularly exciting to press, they function well and manage to retain the most important controls of an earbud in a simplistic and easy-to-use design. They lack the futuristic control approach of something like Samsung Galaxy Buds, which revolve around touch controls, but I found the Treblab XR700 to be more intuitive to use.
Sound Performance
The Treblab XR700 has a bass-dominant sound profile with deep low extension that makes them a pleasure to listen to with thumping electronic bangers. I am often perplexed by earbud designs that lack low-end bass when they are made for exercising. There’s a time and a place for an elevated bass response and speakers dedicated to exercise, where we’re driven by the tunes we listen to is certainly one such time.
The Treblab’s midrange performance is fairly impressive, and while the heavy bass may drown out small parts of the low midrange, the mids still come across rather intelligibly for the most part.
When it comes to the treble performance, the XR700 does a decent job. There are some noticeable peaks in the highs that cause some sounds to come across as too sharp when the volume is pushed high. But this isn’t too severe and would likely go unnoticed by casual listeners who aren’t focused on the nuances of audio performance. Treble is often a challenge in such earbuds, but Treblab has done a pretty good job in this regard.
These earbuds don’t offer any active noise cancelation and instead rely on passive noise isolation through their design. You can visit our list of the best ANC earbuds if ANC is essential to you. The lack of ANC is understandable, given the price point, but it is something to consider. It must be said that the passive isolation is good, and even at moderate volumes, when music is playing, you won’t hear much from your environment. Similarly, those around you are protected from being disturbed by your music.
Microphone Quality
The XR700 has a built-in microphone which is located on the right earbud; this mic’s performance isn’t great, with noticeable distortion in the recording. This isn’t a problem that’s isolated to these earbuds, and I’ve historically been underwhelmed by the performance of many leading brands’ built-in microphones.
Below is an audio recording showcasing the performance of this mic.
Battery Performance
These earbuds have a reasonable battery performance, but the lack of a charging dock means that you aren’t going to be able to match the X1 or X3-Pro, for instance, two other earphones by Treblab. They can be fully charged in just two hours using a Micro-USB cable, which will give you between 8 and 9 hours of battery life.
Because these earbuds are light on functionality, we don’t see much variation in the battery life used. In the same way, ANC and other features may drain the battery at a faster speed.
It is worth noting that the Treblab XR700 uses a Micro-USB charging port, so you won’t be able to use your traditional USB-C mobile charger.
Conclusion
The Treblab XR700 isn’t filled with modern features like ANC and touch controls, nor do they look particularly modern. However, they do a good job of providing a fairly wide, rich sound experience that is less commonly found in budget earbuds. You’re not going to get a balanced, audiophile-approved sound experience, but the sound profile will appeal to those who enjoy a thumping bass. The ear hooks provide a sturdy fit that will allow you to be active while listening to music. These earbuds are best for running, gymming, or even just for travel and daily use.
