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Edifier W830BT Review – The most value for money Bluetooth headset with aptX
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Review

Edifier W830BT Review – The most value for money Bluetooth headset with aptX

by November 15, 2017
Positives

+ Very tough built although being all plastic material
+ Extremely plushy ear cups
+ Qualcomm aptX support for seamless Bluetooth streaming
+ Impressive battery life
+ Amazing price tag!
+ Carrying case included
+ Very balanced mids and highs
+ Built-in microphone for voice calls functionality

Negatives

- Alas, it struggled to manage overboosted bass
- The bass mildly affects the delivery of high frequencies
- I think a little Aluminium touch around the earcups would be nice like what is found on their W855BT

Pokde Scoreboard
Pokde Rating
Appearance
8.0
Features
9.0
Materials
7.0
Performance
8.0
Portability
9.0
Value
9.0
Bottom Line

The Edifier W830BT is definitely a whole new ball-game for Edifier, bringing in a very competitive hardware at a super affordable price tag. I won't shy to say that this is the most value for money headset I can find at the time of writing! You have a competitor? I'd say, bring it on!

8.3
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The thing about headset reviews, there are too many parameters to consider before we can decide on. Our hearing levels are different, our choice of music is different, even the sizes of our ears are different. Every head gear tries to fit into as many of these parameters as possible, but more often than not, there will always be a group of users that will be left out, in which, you continue your pursuit of searching the ideal headset. I have pretty big ears and I listen to music at very loud volumes (highly not encouraged) and my choice of music genre is Melodic Death Metal which is really not easy to be satisfied in headsets. High pitches guitar riffs that require excellent highs, combined with punchy double pedal beats that need strong bass delivery, along with often growling and squealing that needs just enough amount of mids is very hard to get by. But that’s my taste and my reviews often revolve around these parameters, and that’s exactly the scenario that I’m taking the Edifier W830BT on.

Unboxing Edifier W830BT

As usual, here’s our unboxing video for your viewing pleasure. Huge thanks to Warner Music Malaysia for the background track permissions!

Appearance

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The Edifier W830BT looks sleek! It has a minimalist design and it’s pretty tough built too. It’s almost entirely built with tough plastic and covered with black and silver color finishing. And because it’s plastic mostly, it’s really lightweight – a very important factor to consider when buying headsets. If you think plastic is not tough, we have twisted and turned this headset, even laid it flat from the head band and it gets back into it’s form seamlessly. We’re off to a very good start here!

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In case you’re wondering, the Edifier W830BT is a major upgrade from their older Edifier W800BT which we reviewed earlier this year. Unlike it’s predecessor, Edifier has put their branding on the broad head band and covered it with very soft leather. There’s articulation near the ear cups but it only allows you to twist them at 90° for easier storage. You can’t fold them.

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The swivel also means that it can pretty much adjust to the shape of your head for a comfortable fit. While that’s a great feature right there, that’s not the best thing the Edifier W830BT has. I think the ear cups are worth highlighting the most here.

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These ear cups are extremely plushy! The sponge is exceptionally soft and it easily forms into any shape that you squeeze it into! Wearing them on? We’ll talk about it later on.

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Under the left ear cup, we have a Micro USB slot that is covered with a rubber notch for extra protection. Next to it we have the 3.5mm slot in case the Edifier W830BT runs out of battery.

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On the right side, we have a multi-function button bonded to the volume keys. The multi-function is pretty much a single button that operates everything on the Edifier W830BT. Whether it’s turning it on, turning it off, pairing, or anything else, this will be the key. Next to it we have an LED indicator for mode status.

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A little lower, you will find a microphone. Yes, you can actually use the Edifier W830BT with smartphones for making calls too.

Edifier W830BT Review - The most value for money Bluetooth headset with aptX 33  At the top of both ear cups, there’s a “breathing hole” for the speakers when things get exceptionally punchy.

Specifications

Drivers 40mm
Bluetooth V4.1 supporting HSP, HFP, A2DP and AVRCP
Processing Chip CSR8645 with AAC and Qualcomm aptX decoding technology
Frequency Response 20Hz – 20KHz
SPL 96dB
Impedance 24Ω
Weight 274g
Battery Life 1500mAh battery for up to 95 hours continuous playback
Connectivity Interfaces AUX, Bluetooth, NFC

User Experience

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Edifier has always made things simple and the Edifier W830BT is no different. There are only three buttons for operating the Edifier W830BT. They’re pretty easy to use too once you get the hang of it. The first thing to do is pairing the Edifier W830BT with your device. I’m using the ASUS Zenfone AR for this purpose particularly because it has NFC and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 underneath it has aptX for just about what we need.

To turn it on, press the function key for 3 seconds and you will see blue LED flash 3 times, then another 3 times rapidly. It’s now switched ON. To turn it off, repeat it again by pressing the function key for 3 seconds. You will see the red LED flash three times, after which the Edifier W830BT will be switched OFF. This is crucial before we proceed to the pairing.

Pairing (Bluetooth / NFC)

To use the bluetooth technology, you have two options for pairing, either using the normal Bluetooth pairing mode, or the much easier method using NFC if your device supports it. Make sure you have fully charged the Edifier W830BT first before using the bluetooth mode. Now, make sure that your smartphone’s Bluetooth and NFC are turned ON. If you do not have NFC, make sure your Bluetooth is switched ON. Also, don’t forget to unlock your device from the lock screen.

Regardless of Bluetooth only or NFC pairing method, the first atep is to put the device in pairing mode. Turn OFF the Edifier W830BT if it’s not already. Now, press the function key for 5 seconds. You will first see the blue LED flash like how you switched it ON, but keep holding the function key longer. Eventually, you will see the LED flash between blue and red. It’s now in pairing mode. Until you don’t see, any attempts of pairing it will fail.

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If you are using the NFC method, touch the NFC sensor on your audio device to the LEFT ear cup where it shows the "NFC" icon. Keep it intact until the pairing is completed. You will be prompted on your device if you want to allow the NFC handshake to be initiated. Once you press YES, it will initiate pairing and automatically connect to the Edifier W830BT. Once this is done, you can remove the audio device from the Edifier W830BT. If you keep getting "connection failed", make sure your Bluetooth and NFC, BOTH are enabled.
If you would like to use the bluetooth only method, you can now head to your smartphone's Bluetooth option and look for "Edifier WB830BT" and pair it. If it asks you for the password, enter "0000" and you're done.

Because the Edifier W830BT has Bluetooth V4.1, it allows connecting up to TWO devices. Once you have paired the first device, switch off the headset and enter pairing mode again using the steps above and connect to your second device. You can have BOTH of the devices connected simultaneously and switch audio and calls between the devices by just using the Edifier W830BT. Just keep in mind that when two smartphones with different OS are connected (eg: Android and iOS), certain cross-system operations might show some delay. For example, the song in smartphone A will pause while playing the song in smartphone B. This is normal behaviour for obvious reasons.

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Now that the pairing is done, you can enjoy the Edifier W830BT over bluetooth audio. If you have an aptX compatible device, you will experience the marvel of wireless audio seamlessly. aptX is an audio decoding technology by Qualcomm which is a bit-rate efficient technology that ensures the highest possible sound quality from Bluetooth audio devices. The Edifier W830BT is a certified Qualcomm aptX device that means it allows high-performance, non-destructive compression and capabilities of delivering audio at 48KHz / 16-bit LPCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulated Audio) audio data. It also delivers audio at a latency of less than 130ms. Have you ever experienced “jigs” or “skips” in bluetooth audio before? aptX will dramatically reduce those as well.

Putting on the headset is VERY comfortable. The sponge softly rests around your ears and it’s ample in size, needless to say. I’ve used the Edifier W830BT for well over 5 hours at a time and I couldn’t feel like it’s hurting my ears at all. This, also, thanks to the lightweight materials used by Edifier that keeps the weight well under 300 grams.

In terms of the sound quality, I found a perfect balance in the mids and the highs. The highs account for very clear vocals with a very balanced warm pitch. The mids assist perfectly to deliver the melody when listening to instrument heavy tracks. The bass is really punchy, but only to the point where you do not overboost it. I always use Dub Music Player to test my audio because it has bass overboost and a rather perfect equalizer for various audio tests. Without overboosting the bass, you will find a pretty sweet spot between 8 – 13 points on the bass notch at 60Hz frequencies. Overblowing the bass will definitely flush away the vocals but that’s expected on this range of headsets (unlike extremely high-end headsets). Ultimately, I managed to get a perfect fidelity that I wanted from the Edifier W830BT. The 40mm drivers do deliver!

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Speaking of which, the drivers are slightly tilted inside and the orientation perfectly channels the audio straight into the ears rather than having refraction of the audio waves around. This actually surprised me because most headsets in this range don’t really consider this much detail. As you can see in the image above, the side that has the ear cup removed is the Left side. When you are wearing the headset, the driver will be facing “inwards” into your earlobe. This is no placebo effect. Sound waves travel in a straight line in sinusoidal form and lesser refraction will reduce interference. That said, of course, the ear cups are interchange-able and are effortless to remove.

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If wireless is not your flavour and you still want to use the 3.5mm audio jack, Edifier has included a 2.5m long auxiliary cord with gold plated 3.5mm pins for your wired audio pleasure.

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It also comes with a very neat carrying case!

The battery life is really remarkable. When Edifier says that the Edifier W830BT is capable of running on batter continous for 95 hours, they really meant it! I have used the Edifier W830BT for well over a week without having to charge the battery while using it as my daily headset. Edifier also claims that it’s capable of running on standby for 60 days but I’m not testing that because I’m about to fire up some Arch Enemy on it.

Conclusion

Edifier really knows what they’re doing. The Edifier W830BT is a remarkable product and falls on their higher-tier among the line-up that they have offered. The design is neat, the weight is perfect and the sound is impressive. It was getting tougher for me to write this review as I was trying to find where Edifier has flawed it, but it just kept impressing me over and over again. And I don’t like that! I want to challenge it against something that I can have a winning hand on. Comfort? The ear cups are to fall in love with! Overboosted bass test? That’s obvious for this range headsets! What else? Price? Wait, I didn’t tell you that the Edifier W830BT is actually priced at only RM299? Sorry, my bad!

Edifier W830BT Review - The most value for money Bluetooth headset with aptX 40

About The Author
Super Daddy
A proof that the real fun does not actually ends, but rather begins when you become a daddy. Enterprise Application Co-ordinator, Web Developer, Hardware Enthusiast, Gadgets lover, Android Evangelist, Desktop and Consoles Gamer, Metal Music Guitarist, Audiophile, Networking Freak, Radio Controlled Toys rat, Ferrari Crazy and above all - a daddy in every kid's dream.
58 Comments
  • roodee
    November 16, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    Can this be used with PS4?

  • azuanatoya
    November 23, 2017 at 12:50 pm

    how good is it for casual FPS gaming on AUX cable :) ?

    • November 23, 2017 at 8:06 pm

      If you’re not that picky, it should be fine.. I think the W830BT makes more suitable as audio companion.. For gaming, you might as well get the Edifier G4 headset instead.. Besides, if you’re not harnessing the Bluetooth on the W830BT, you’re losing half the features it carries :)

  • SkyMod
    December 14, 2017 at 12:44 pm

    Hi, how’s the performance comparing with w800bt?

  • Nadav shaknay
    December 24, 2017 at 5:05 am

    I’m pretty sure these do fold in

  • Davidblack
    December 27, 2017 at 2:22 am

    Can this headphone cover my whole ears?

  • Eims
    December 27, 2017 at 3:16 pm

    Nice review . Thanks much
    W830bt Vs w855bt
    Price difference around rm100
    Worth it? =D

  • December 27, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    In the realms of mid-range headphones, RM100 is quite a difference in money to be spent ;) Obviously there will be difference, but if I were to put my money on the table, I’d go with this W830BT still :)

  • Eims
    January 26, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    1st to know about this headphone is from your review. Not many review of this headphone on the net but most of the reviews show surprises.

    Only one seller that I know sells this headphone for rm299 and they’ve been out of stock for about one month. Other sellers sell this headphone for about rm500. I waited since then and now I owned one of these.

    what I can say is W830BT Indeed is a great headphone for the price. Really love the clarity of the sound while it does not leave the bass unsatisfying at all. Sound insulation is not bad.

    Comparing with friends who are proud of their M50X, W830BT is less than half the price but the design, built quality, the sound quality, the practicality of wireless, damm long lasting battery, the carrying case (not like some manufacture that only give pouches), for the value, I’m totally satisfied =D

    Thanks pokde.

    • January 28, 2018 at 12:59 pm

      Thanks a lot for the wonderful feedback Eims. I guess good products get off the shelves much quicker afterall :) Glad we convinced you of the right choice ^_^

  • March 9, 2018 at 10:44 am

    Hey there can i know how different is the sound of w830bt compared to w855bt the price range is quite alot and idk which one i suppose to buy..really appreciate if u reply

  • Gavin
    March 13, 2018 at 5:11 pm

    W830T how about gaming? Have latency issue? Anybody try play with fps game (rules of survival)?

    • Vyncent Chan
      March 13, 2018 at 10:08 pm

      AptX has lower latency but gaming is still better with wired if you want the least latency possible

      • Gavin
        March 14, 2018 at 9:11 am

        Tq so much for the reply.
        How about the mic performance for incoming call? Is it clear for opposite to hear it?

  • Rogerthat
    March 14, 2018 at 5:20 am

    Where can i buy another ear cup for the w830bt? I can’t find it anywhere :( . Help me

  • Kev
    March 28, 2018 at 12:51 am

    Hi, thank you for the great review. Makes me want to get one now. =P
    But before I do, may I know if this will be excellent headphones for watching movies?

    • Vyncent Chan
      March 29, 2018 at 10:13 pm

      It doesn’t deliver the boosted bass some headphones do, but these were great for anything we threw at it.

  • Firdaus
    April 3, 2018 at 1:17 pm

    Can i connect with my Dell XPS12 (9Q33)?

    • Vyncent Chan
      April 3, 2018 at 6:16 pm

      Yes the Edifier W830BT will connect with any device which supports Bluetooth, but beware of WiFi-Bluetooth interference if you use WiFi concurrently

  • Luqman Latif
    May 18, 2018 at 3:17 pm

    Hey vincent where can I buy these headphones

    • Vyncent Chan
      May 18, 2018 at 6:13 pm

      Hi, it seems to be sold out on their Lazada official store. Perhaps you can PM Edifier Malaysia on Facebook to get a list of their official sales partners?

  • MrSavaS
    July 3, 2018 at 2:46 pm

    It’s possible to connect two devices at once? (bluetooth phone call + aux pc)

  • Sean
    July 19, 2018 at 5:52 pm

    I had some hissing sound over Bluetooth but when using cable it goes off. The hiss is audible at lower volumes and quieter parts of songs. Do you guys have that issue too?

  • David Tarnok
    August 19, 2018 at 11:49 pm

    Hello

    i have a weird question. Can this nice headphone sounds like Koss Porta Pro ? Cause this is my standard comparative and a really good headphone, i really like his sound. Thanks for your answer if you can .

    best regards

    • Vyncent Chan
      August 20, 2018 at 2:42 pm

      Hi, unfortunately we have not tried the Koss Porta Pro. The Edifier W830BT should be more comfortable for most people though with it’s over-ear design.

  • August 28, 2018 at 7:42 am

    I think the best rival for this is JBL T450BT. Can you do a comparison? Hardly to choose over this two since i personally can’t get my hand on it. Thanks.

  • Jorge
    August 29, 2018 at 6:08 am

    Hi. How about listening to rock music and metal in general? Is it necessary to fight a lot with the equalizer? Thank you.

  • Niels
    November 2, 2018 at 8:16 am

    Hi. Right now both the W830BT and the W855BT are around the same price on AliExpress (€51 and €58 respectively). With these prices in mind, would you still recommend the W830BT over the W855BT?
    Thank you

  • November 30, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    Hi i would like to know if this a much better the the Edifier W820BT?

  • Sylvester
    April 28, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    Hi,

    Would like to know the mic quality. Will it pickup a lot of back noise?

    • Vyncent Chan
      April 29, 2019 at 12:16 pm

      Hi, it will pick up quite a fair bit of background noise considering that it features a microphone situated on the earcup itself..

  • Arthur
    November 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm

    Do you know if the microphone works on Ps4?

    • Aiman Maulana
      November 5, 2019 at 5:13 pm

      Hi Arthur,

      Headset microphones will only work if you connect this to the DualShock 4 via an auxiliary cable :)

  • Daru
    November 15, 2019 at 8:42 pm

    Is it only me or everyone get a little sound of plastic crack in left earcups? When I move my head, the sound exist. Help anyone?

  • James
    June 7, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    Nope. I’ve got them both and the 830 are better, even though they’re cheaper.

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