Tribit MoveBuds H1 review
Tribit’s smallest mobile Bluetooth speaker, the Stormbox Micro 2, surprised us positively in the test. A reason to take a look at the manufacturer’s portfolio of in-ear headphones. However, the Tribit MoveBuds H1 are pretty much the biggest True Wireless we’ve ever come across. Well, they are declared as sports headphones. So they are not only supposed to be extremely waterproof (IPX8). In terms of maximum battery life without recharging – 15 hours – they aim for the title as best in class, as well as in terms of a secure hold during sports activities.
The latter is guaranteed by a retaining clip that is passed around the ears. To make sure no one mistakes this for a historical hearing aid, the earpiece turns out thick, and the actual capsule has been given a turbine motif. Other arguments that the manufacturer throws into the ring are also quite tempting for athletes of all stripes: A transparency mode for road traffic and co, antibacterial rubber adapters and resistance to salt water as well as sweat.
Connection and technology
When playing music, the MoveBuds H1 not only delight with the latest Bluetooth version 5.2. The integration of the AAC and Apt-X codecs should also bring maximum digital sound quality to the ears of both iOS and Android users. The manufacturer does not write anything about the exact driver technology.
One battery charge is supposed to make music for up to 15 hours without recharging. The manufacturer promises a total of 65 hours of music enjoyment with recharging in the case. That would be a record. However, this is also bought with a record-sized case, in which each of the two in-ears is stored on the opposite side where you wear it. This is neither intuitive nor very comfortable. The charging state is displayed relatively detailed with four LEDs in the case, because you will rarely charge the MoveBuds H1 in practice. By the way, the case itself is not waterproof.
Comfort and operation
Even though the earhook gives the MoveBuds H1 a secure hold: For acoustic reasons, they still have to sit tight in the ear canal. To ensure this, the manufacturer supplies five different sizes of silicone adapters. With this, it succeeds in most ears without any problems. However, when trying to sink the MoveBuds tightly into the ear canal, you also quickly notice that the hard sound channel becomes thicker and thicker. So don’t insert too forcefully or it will hurt. Moreover, not all ear shapes in the test were suitable for the shape of the Tribit. So here is definitely try out announced.
Because of the rather exalted earpieces that are wide at the capsules, the MoveBuds H1 naturally do not look inconspicuous. And also stick out quite far, so that neither lying down is possible nor any activity where you could grab your ears. What makes no sense anyway: The surfaces of the capsules are touch-sensitive control surfaces. When inserting and removing them, it is not so easy not to touch them. The manufacturer has also overloaded the feature set a bit. Until you have remembered on which page a triple tap to activate the voice assistant and a 2-second hold to increase the volume is good, you have to have memorized the user manual several times.
The free Tribit app, which is available for iOS and Android, helps with this. After all, it also contains the operating instructions. And some functions that you can’t get via touch combinations. Thus, in addition to 24 somewhat cutely named EQ presets, you can also generate your own equalizer curves. The app can also control the intensity of the transparency mode, which is really handy for street noise and announcements on the train.
Balanced sound plus rich bass
In most cases, you can do without the equalizer. Which is an adulation for an earpiece at that price level: The Tribit Movebuds H1 sound balanced and full-fledged right away and do not allow themselves any obvious weaknesses in the listening test. Only a very slight background noise diminished the quality impression, especially since it also showed a tendency to level changes and channel imbalance. But when the music is on, you quickly forget about it. The MoveBuds H1 reproduce voices surprisingly naturally and cleanly, albeit in a somewhat small room and with a clear tendency towards in-the-head localization.
The bass reproduction is especially worth mentioning: Deep, rich, sometimes slightly dominant, but kicking and crisp appears. The playfulness in the bass reaches a level that even several times more expensive in-ears often do not reach. Even on bass-rich tracks, the Tribits never seem bloated or boomy, but simply confident and rhythmically on point.
However, the bass level in relation to other frequencies is also clearly dependent on the fit of the earpieces, and that in turn on the shape of the ear canal: if they close off the ear canal tightly, they sound massive; if they are only in contact, it tends to be leaner and crisper.
The same applies to the tonal balance, which changes slightly depending on the angle and sometimes obscures the highest trebles a bit. However, the Tribit never leave the balanced range. One should not expect outstanding audiophile resolution, airiness or three-dimensionality from them. And at higher levels, they show a certain tendency to lose cleanliness, depending on the music. But that remains within reason and doesn’t diminish the joy of a lot of joy and rich beats for a small budget at all.
Alternatives and market environment
We had not yet tested explicit sports headphones, and the Tribit MoveBuds H1 offer an all-around recommendable value for the low price. However, if possible, you should check if they really sit comfortably in your own ear canal without pressing or letting air (which would have a lasting effect on the bass). Those who want a bit more playfulness and punch might prefer the JBL Tune 230 NC, which even offers noise-canceling for the identical price. The Panasonic RZ-S 300W plays a bit more reserved and refined in this class.
Technical data Tribit MoveBuds H1
- Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: 90 Euro
- Type: In-ear
- Transducer principle: dynamic
- Weight: 10 g each, charging case: 50 g
- Features: IPX8 waterproof, ear hook, 15hours battery life case-independent
- More at: www.tribit.com
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Der Beitrag Tribit MoveBuds H1 review erschien zuerst auf stereoguide.com.
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