The world of true wireless earbuds is always evolving. Each new release outdoes the previous one. And we are getting closer to the wireless future that we have dreamed about.
In this review, we will be checking out the EZ Ear X12. You might not have heard of this brand before. But they are the sister company of KBear, a well known Chi-Fi brand that we have also checked out before.
Does KBear’s great-sounding and good value IEM lineup translate to these TWS earbuds? Keep on scrolling to find out.
Disclaimer:
The review unit was provided by KBear. We want to thank them for their support and for making this review possible. However, this does not influence our review in any way. Everything written here is my honest opinion.
Contents
Packaging and Accessories
Like most budget TWS earbuds, the EZ Ear’s packaging isn’t too fancy. It is pretty basic but isn’t as elegant as the packaging of KBear’s entry-level products. It comes in a small and compact box that is pretty straightforward to open.
Inside, you will find the Earbuds inside the charging case, extra ear tips, a micro USB charging cable, and some extra ear tips. The accessories that come with the X12 are pretty standard, but you have everything you will need right out of the box.
Design and Build Quality
Charging Case
Most TWS earbuds usually go for a premium look similar to the likes of the Sony WF1000XM3 and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. However, the X12 seems to have gone in the opposite direction.
The X12’s charging case has a boxy design that is a bit larger than most of its competitors. It is still pocketable and is similar in size to the Lypertek Tevi’s charging case.
The charging case has a clear lid that shows the earbuds inside. There is a battery indicator that activates when taking or putting the earbuds back inside the case. This is pretty neat since most TWS cases only show a rough estimation of the battery level instead of showing an actual battery percentage.
Another great feature is the USB-A port at the bottom of the case. You can use this port to charge devices such as your smartphone. This isn’t normally found in most TWS cases, so this is a pretty handy feature, especially in emergencies.
But despite the good functionality of the charging case, I had two major gripes with it. The first one is the design of the lid. It is pretty hard to open since there is a lock that clicks whenever you close the case.
This makes taking out the earbuds very hard, especially when you are in a hurry. I don’t have any issues with the design of the lid of most TWS, so I don’t understand why EZ Ear decided to make the lid as tight as it is.
The other thing that I didn’t like is the micro USB port for charging. To be fair, a lot of its entry-level competitors are also using micro USB. But I wish that they all switch to USB Type-C since most modern devices are already utilizing it.
Overall, the design of the charging case isn’t the best, but it has a lot of features and executes them pretty well.
Earbuds
The design of the earbuds is the exact opposite of the charging case. They have a clean and modern design that easily looks more expensive than their price point. There are also no brandings or any kind of obnoxious design element on the faceplates of the X12.
Another great thing about the X12 is its button implementation. Instead of having physical buttons, the X12 implements touch-based controls, which is pretty sweet for the asking price. Even TWS earbuds twice or thrice the price of the X12 still uses buttons.
The touch-based controls work pretty well and are quite sensitive. I did get some accidental presses, especially when taking out the earbuds. But overall, I enjoyed using the touch-based controls.
The functionality of the buttons is, however, quite limited. You can pause, skip, and rewind your tracks. But there are no volume controls. Additionally, there is no way to remap the existing to add custom or additional functionality to the buttons. But to be fair, that is a lot to ask for in the X12, and most of its competitors also do not have these features.
There are also led lights around the touch-based button that serves as the status indicator of the earbuds. The blue light means it is paired, red means it is charging, and a blinking red light means it is ready to pair. The lights are pretty neat since you won’t have to guess the status of the earbuds.
In terms of the weight and comfort, the earbuds are small and lightweight, making them comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Just take note that the nozzle size is a bit smaller, which might cause some problems for third-party ear tips. Additionally, the earbuds are waterproof and sweatproof, so you shouldn’t hesitate while using these in the gym.
Wireless Performance
The X12 utilizes the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chipset, which has yielded good results with the other budget wireless pairs that I have tried. Pairing the earbuds was very easy and fast. I didn’t encounter any issues with the devices I used for testing (Fiio M11, Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Huawei Mate 30 Pro).
The X12’s connection was very stable. There were no dropouts even when my smartphone was in a different room or a different floor.
I did encounter connection dropouts when using in more extreme scenarios and areas with strong interference. But this is to be expected with any TWS, especially the ones at this price point. For normal use, the X12 did not have any major issues.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the EZ Ear X12 is very good for its price. It has a warm sound signature with an emphasis on the lower frequencies. Bass is very good and punchy.
It makes tracks sound exciting and lively without overdoing it. Of course, it’s not as clean or as clear as the more expensive models. But overall, it does a great job for its price point.
Mids are a bit recessed in the overall mix. However, they maintain clarity and are not affected by the bass frequencies. Vocals are easily heard and are presented in a laid back and enjoyable manner.
Highs are well controlled and do not have any noticeable peaks. They are smooth and always makes sure that harsh sounding instruments such as cymbals are always kept in check.
These earbuds fit well with modern pop and electronic music. But it pretty much performed well with any track that I threw on it. This isn’t audiophile-level sound quality. But it is more than enough for casual listening.
Microphone Quality
In terms of the microphone quality, it is decent and usable. However, the microphone quality still leaves a lot to be desired.
For indoor areas, the person calling on the other end didn’t have any issues understanding what I was saying. However, in outdoor areas with lots of wind noise, vehicle noise, and other ambient noise, the microphone quality becomes hit or miss. The microphones aren’t noise-canceling, so you should keep your surroundings in mind before using these for calls.
Battery Life
The battery life of the X12 is also impressive. EZ Ear claims that the earbuds can last up to six hours. The charging case has a 2200 mAh battery that can recharge the earbuds up to fifteen times. And if the charging case runs out of juice, it only needs an hour to get back to full charge.
Over our one month testing period, we found that EZ Ear’s advertised figures were quite accurate. In fact, we only had to charge the X12’s charging case once despite using the earbuds almost every day.
We were so impressed with the battery life that we were willing to forgive the X12’s use of micro USB for charging. The battery life alone already makes the X12 a great product, especially for its asking price.
Verdict
The EZ Ear X12 is not a perfect product. Its design language, especially in the charging case, leaves a lot to be desired. However, in terms of the earbuds’ sound quality and functionality, the X12 punches way above its price point.
If you are looking for TWS Earbuds that have a stable connection, decent sound quality, and have a low price tag, then make sure to give the EZ Ear X12 a try.
The EZ Ear X12 can be purchased from Amazon.
Stephen is a musician, cinematographer, and headphone enthusiast who is passionate about reviewing audio equipment. He has been playing guitar for at least a decade, which introduced him to professional recording equipment such as headphones and in-ear monitors. With the help of reviews and online content, he was able to learn the ins and outs of the hobby. His goal is to give back to the community by providing quality content to help others enjoy the beautiful (and expensive) world of audio.
Favorite Headphones: Sennheiser HD660s