Phiaton BonoBuds Plus Review: Compact Budget Earbuds with Snapdragon Sound

Phiaton BonoBuds Plus Review

The barrier to entry to high-end earbud features continues to fall. The $79.99 Phiaton BonoBuds Plus offers excellent audio reproduction and a long list of features that used to require shelling out well over $100. From Active Noise Cancellation to touch controls and wireless charging, this little bundle of audio tech offers buyers an investment they won’t likely regret.

What we like

Pros

• The app works
• Excellent audio
• Digital Hybrid ANC
• Snapdragon Sound
• Bluetooth^® 5.2
• Reasonable battery life with fast charging
• Wireless charging
• Simple touch control
• In-ear sensor
• IPX4 water resistance

Unlike their cousins, the Phiaton Oddict Twig Pros, the .53g BonoBuds Plus will tap in with a much longer list of positive qualities than negative ones. The Twig’s frustrating app experience and odd round case don’t find equivalents in the Phiaton BonoBuds Plus. The app works flawlessly. It easily connected to the earbuds, and the simple interface did its functions for EQ, ANC and firmware updates. It required no retries, reinstalls or app closures. It just worked.

The BonoBuds Plus earbuds were off to a good start.

Extensive listening tests reveal a rich depth of sound, with good high and low-frequency response. The binaural test made me want to jump up and answer a non-existent door. The soundstage was fine, not overly expansive, but Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody retained its characteristic audio shuffles and experimental mixing. The initial guitar solo felt tight, as did the raucous harmonies. But the BonBuds Plus did take away from enjoying this classic. The mids were a little muddier than the highs, but again, overall very solid audio for earbuds that run less than $80.

I tested the BonoBuds Plus against Apple Music ACC with lossless audio over Wi-Fi, Dolby Atmos as the default, Sound Check off, and EQ set to Pop. Billie Joel’s Scenes from an Italian Restaurant’s new Spatial Audio mix made me feel like I was hearing the song for the first time. And the whistles on The Stanger attended with full fidelity, including their haunting echoes.

ANC was excellent. A tap brings in ambient sound. I haven’t tested them on an airplane, but my guess is that with the right eartips to support sound isolation, they will perform as well as they did, blocking the washer and dryer next to my office.

One of BonoBuds Plus’s selling points is its implementation of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon sound. Those who want to experience Snapdragon sound must ensure they purchase devices and services that support Snapdragon across their personal audio ecosystem, including the earbuds, the device and its CODECs and the streaming service.

All the sound goodness builds atop Bluetooth 5.2.

Battery life runs six hours with ANC on. A total of 20 hours is available when placed back in the charger. The BonoBuds Plus support fast charging, with the earbuds reaching a full charge in an hour, and the case a full charge in under 2 hours. The smallish 2.79 x 1.53 x 1.29 inch pod-shaped case supports USB-C wired charging and Qi wireless charging.

Sensors abound in the BonoBuds Plus. Touch controls on the earbuds manage playback, phone, and ANC. An in-ear sensor stops playback when an earbud is removed from the ear.

Qualcomm® cVc™ (Clear Voice Capture) dual microphones and accompanying noise-canceling technology ensure clear voice audio during cellular calls, video calls, and recordings.

IPX4 water resistance rounds out the list of high-end features on these affordable earbuds.

The earbuds come with four eartip sizes, and a USB-C cable. The BobBuds Plus come in black or white.

The mostly cardboard packing and cardboard retail hanger demonstrated good environmental awareness.

What could be improved

Cons

• Earbud shape

The Phiaton BonoBuds Plus are designed with a unique shape. I can’t describe it, just look at the accompanying images. They may not be for everybody.

Other than earbud shape, I see the Phiaton BonoBuds Plus as a well-engineered value for those seeking very good earbuds at a reasonable price.

BonoBuds Plus: The bottom line

The Phiaton BonoBuds Plus were a pleasant surprise after the issues with the company’s Twig Pros. At less than $80, the Phiaton BonoBuds Plus performed well, but perhaps most importantly, they performed well with a wide swath of high-end technology that could have compromised them had Phiaton taken noticeable shortcuts. The BonbBuds Plus don’t lower anything but expectations for sub-$80 earbuds. Buyers will now expect ANC, Snapdragon sound, wireless charging, and IPX4 ratings at that pricepoint.

Phiaton provided the BonoBuds Plus for review. Images courtesy of Phiaton unless otherwise noted.

Serious Insights is an Amazon Affiliate. Clicking on an Amazon link may result in a payment to Serious Insights.

For more serious insights on hardware and accessories, click here.