In fact, the panda's purchase of these earbuds was completely accidental. After being disappointed with the noise-canceling features of Sony's in-ear buds, I started searching online for better alternatives. One day, a headline on a tech site caught my eye: "B&O PLAY launches Beoplay E8: Supports Level 3 Noise Reduction." When I checked it out, I was impressed — not only did it support noise cancellation, but it also had touch controls! That’s exactly what I was looking for.
So, the panda immediately rushed to Taobao to find a local version and eagerly waited for the delivery. Later, when I showed them to a friend, he said, “These don’t seem to have active noise reduction.†Wait, what? I went back to the store and the official website to double-check the specs, and it turned out there was no noise cancellation at all. It felt like I’d been misled by the translation or the description.
Since it was an overseas purchase, returning it would be too complicated, so I decided to keep it. Still, this purchase was worth it — I got it delivered within a week. This was the panda’s first time buying B&O products. The Danish brand is known as one of the top audio brands globally, and their products are always elegant and high-end. The E8 is no exception. Here are some of the unboxing photos:
[Image 1]
[Image 2]
[Image 3]
[Image 4]
[Image 5]
[Image 6]
Sorry for the poor photography — the real thing is way more beautiful. The earbuds are small and delicate, with a silver metal ring that highlights the B&O logo, giving off a subtle yet luxurious vibe. The charging case is made of leather, which feels very smooth. It’s a bit bigger than the AirPods case, but it doesn’t stick out much in your pocket. Before using it for the first time, I charged it for about 10 minutes. The charging case has magnetic closure, making it easy to place the earbuds in. Once charged, I tried them on. At first, it was a bit uncomfortable, but after a few uses, I got used to it. They’re really light and don’t feel like they're in your ears. Of course, moving your head around won’t make them fall out.
Similar to other true wireless earbuds, the E8 has a main and secondary design, with the right earbud acting as the main unit. The left one connects via near-field communication. As the saying goes, “Once bitten, twice shy.†So, the panda tested the latency by connecting it to an iPhone 6S, Xiaomi 4C, and ZX300A. There was no noticeable delay, which put my mind at ease. However, during use, I noticed that the left ear occasionally had a short break, though not often. It might be a common issue with dual-ear Bluetooth devices. Since it's set up as main and sub units, you can't use just the left ear alone, nor can it act as a backup like AirPods. But during calls, both ears work fine. No sudden black cat sheriff moment here (again, referencing the noise-reducing beans).
In terms of sound quality, the E8 offers a balanced experience, but nothing extraordinary. Compared to Sony’s enhanced sound, the E8 sounds a bit flat, cold, and thin, with weak bass. Compared to AirPods, I think the E8 has slightly better spatial awareness. But again, these earbuds aren’t meant for audiophiles. Like the noise-reducing beans, the E8 supports AAC and SBC, but not APTX or LDAC, which may affect the overall sound quality.
One major highlight of the E8 is its touch panel. Before the panda got into AirPods, everything was fine, but the lack of intuitive controls was frustrating. For example, volume control wasn’t available. If there were a 1000X touchpad, it would be great. B&O quickly added a similar touch system to the E8. The operation instructions are shown in the image below, and while you can’t adjust phone volume directly, the touch sensitivity is good. Initially, it might take a bit of getting used to, but using your thumb and ring finger to hold the earbud and tapping with your index finger makes it easier. Even if you're not used to it, it becomes second nature quickly.
Even without active noise cancellation, the E8 has a transparent mode that lets you hear ambient sounds. (The original site might have confused this with noise reduction.) You can toggle it on or off by tapping the left ear, making it easier to talk to people. You can also customize the ambient sound through the app, adjusting it based on your environment — like hearing traffic while walking or focusing on airport announcements.
Officially, the E8 provides about 4 hours of playback, with the charging case offering two more charges, totaling 12 hours. That’s about half the battery life of AirPods, but still sufficient for daily use. The earbuds can only be turned off by placing them back in the case; there’s no direct shutdown option.
Overall, the E8 is a solid alternative to AirPods. If you don’t like the look of AirPods, the E8 is a great choice. Although it lacks noise cancellation and the sound isn’t top-tier, it’s easy to use and eliminates the hassle of wires. The Tmall flagship store is now accepting pre-orders for the Chinese version — if you're interested, give it a look.
**Pros:** True wireless, comfortable fit, convenient touch control
**Cons:** Average sound quality, occasional dropouts, higher price
**Where to buy:** Tmall flagship store
1KV Three-core Cold-shrinkable Cable Accessories
1KV three-core cold-shrinkable cable accessories
1KV three-core cold-shrinkable cable accessories,Cold Shrink accessories,Cold Shrinkable accessories,Cold-shrink accessories
Mianyang Dongyao New Material Co. , https://www.mydyxc.com