Hi, title’s rather explanatory I think but I was considering getting a pair of TWS buds for convenience sake since cables are sometimes not an option for me. But I know a lot of modern buds make you get apps that request a large amount of questionable permissions(even if you deny them, the requests in and of itself feels like a red flag) and likely send your data away. So I was wondering if there were any options that were cleaner. Thanks for the help!
You can also use Gadgetbridge to use some headphones without their companion apps.
Yup, I can customize and change the settings of my Moondrop earbuds with Gadgetbridge instead of the official app.
Wait, you mean you need an app to listen to music in a Bluetooth earphone? It’s not just connect it to your phone via Bluetooth? I don’t usually use phones but I have some Chinese cheap phone I use sometimes that I just connect to my phone and that’s it.
Nah, I’ve just heard some keep features like ANC and stuff locked there. Never really owned a pair myself so I wanted to ask for more info first.
Really glad to hear all the advice so far too! I’ll look into the recommendations given so far.
Usually the only things locked behind an application are custom equalisation, and modifiable earphone buttons. You probably can even uninstall it after you’re happy with the above settings.
You can use Sennheisers without an account - and I think even without the app altogether. Not exactly sure tho.
They have a feature where they toggle sound presets depending on your location. That’s the only thing that requires an account, as well as access to your location. It’s opt-in however (and pretty useless imo).
They have a feature where they toggle sound presets depending on your location. That’s the only thing that requires an account, as well as access to your location. It’s opt-in however (and pretty useless imo).
If it can toggle ANC and “passthrough” mode based on location, that would actually be an awesome feature for me. I often wear my earbuds while walking, taking the train, and shopping, and in the train I like having ANC on but at the supermarket I like having passthrough mode on so I can hear the cashier better.
It can toggle ANC on and off, not sure if it can also enable voice through. That is available by a single tap on your earbud(s) tho
Alright, thanks
My Sony headphones have similar features and it has a feature which automatically enables ambient mode (pass through) if you speak. Pretty neat but uses quite a bit of extra battery and since the headphones are over ear it’s impossible to talk to someone without feeling like an idiot.
I am quite sure the TWS equivalent variant has the same features.
Using Soundcore with their app and internet access denied. Set up once, deleted the app
That’s exactly what I do as well. Very happy with them, affordable, nice ANC.
Realme T-series buds can be used without any proprietary app. Connect-n-listen.
EDIT: You can also checkout which headphones does Gadgetbridge supports: https://gadgetbridge.org/gadgets/headphones/
This project looks super cool! Seems like it’ll be my best bet moving forward. Thank you.
I got some JVC earbuds and they work with just Bluetooth. Pretty good noise canceling as well.
I had a pair of wired earbuds from JVC for years and they were so good that I kept buying them when they broke and always have one in my backpack.
TWS ? Track While Scan ?
True WirelesS… Just two buds with no connectors like AirPods and competitors.
I can recommend the Moondrop Space Travels
They are very cheap, have good audio and not so bad noise canceling (able to cancel out almost completely the AC and a Bambu A1 mini)
I don’t know what TWS means or maybe it’s a brand. I have ISOTunes Free Aware and there is no app.
TWS is true wireless stereo, it refers to earbuds that can be addressed separately (Left/Right Channels), your ISOtunes recommendation would fit the bill.
Thank you for the info. I’m glad that my recommendation fits the bill
I’m searching for the same thing!
JBL headphones say better with the app but not required.
Earfun Air pro 3 works and technically let you access most functions through the 2 tiny touchpads but the app isn’t invasive at all, either. The app will chug along without even mentioning it if you disable its access to the internet entirely and it never asked for any permissions. I used them without the app for a while but eventually I wanted to turn ANC on and I thought the app was the only way but in retrospect I could’ve read the manual and found the touchpad tap-sequence to do the same thing.
Fairphone Fairbuds.
IIRC spez is part of Nothing
Other than that, their products seem cool
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recently I got me a pair of Soundpeats Air4 Pro; initially wanted to repurchase a pair of Air3 HS Pro that I had and was very satisfied with the sound but lost one earpiece and found out that replacing it is nigh impossible. so, Air4 was like $5 more and I wanted to try the ANC part of it. none of those models are in-ear headphones, I’m done with shoving things in my ear canals.
so the sound is OK to me (I have tinnitus and don’t hear that well to begin with, so I’m not an expert on judging these things) but the ANC is not what I expected it to be. to me, what it does is just flood my ears with bass. the music i listen to and the occasional podcast sound OK to me but I don’t perceive any noises to be “cancelled”, i still hear all irritants (buses passing me by, dogs barking, people talking, etc.) but they’re somewhat droned out by the bassy sound.
the way I understand ANC, it uses multiple mics to generate an inverse sound that cancels out the ones reaching the microphones. so this should work without music, i just turn ANC on and I “hear” silence. nothing close to that is happening.
anyhow, both of those have some app that you need to get from google play and I haven’t done so for either of them. judgging by the screenshots the app doesn’t do anything of value, so you’re safe to run it without.
edit: I just checked and it appears I was the victim of wanting things to be true; the website lists the feature as “Hybrid ANC” (emphasis mine). I’m not even gonna bother with reading up what their definition of it is, so I guess it was a con job from the start.
