Headphones are a dime a dozen these days, and we've got no shortage of reviews here at Talk Android. But after we checked out Tribit's fantastic little speaker, we jumped at the chance to take their QuietPlus 78 Bluetooth headphones for a spin to see how consistent they were.
These headphones promise big, booming sound, great noise cancelation, and a low price. That's the trifecta for modern headphones, right? Let's dig in and see if they're worth it.
Standard design
- Standard, unassuming design
- On the heavier side
- Includes a compact case
Well, they're headphones. Not much to talk about there.
These are closed back, around ear headphones with a pretty decent amount of ear cushion, which offers a little bit of passive noise isolation on their own. The cushions feel decent, and are generally pretty breathable, but don't expect Bose or anything here. I did notice some creaking on the left hinge, too.
The buttons are disguised pretty well on the plain black material here, with just about everything on the right headphone. There are volume/track controls, a dedicated button for turning on noise cancelation, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack for when you don't need wireless, and a microUSB port. Yep, I know; we've got microUSB here and that's a huge bummer. It's hard to be too upset considering their $79 price point, but I feel like we're pretty close to where almost everything should be USB-C regardless of price.
You'll also immediately notice that the QuietPlus 72 are a bit on the heavier side. They're not terrible and not unbearable, but combined with the thicker ear cushion and someone with sensitive ears might feel some fatigue from these headphones during long listening sessions.
Booming sound
- Thumping low end
- Adjustable ANC
- Excellent noise canceling performance
Honestly, taking these out of the box had me hesitant. They're a little heavy and they've got a microUSB port, and that's certainly not the best first impression. Actually listening to them is an entirely different story, though.
Bass response is tricky for cheap headphones, but like their smaller Bluetooth speakers, Tribit almost blew this one out of the water. These things can thump. They've got more bass than some of my other headphones that cost 3x as much, and they're almost too bass heavy at times.
The high end is rolled off just enough to give plenty of definition to top end notes without ever sounding shrill, and it complements the warm, round sounds out of the mids of the headphone. It's a mostly well balanced sound, especially if you're clever with noise canceling or your phone's built-in EQ.
The sound profile of the headphones also work well for non-music, and especially for louder movies. Explosions will rumble, but the pronounced treble should keep dialogue crisp and clear, although you will notice a bit of ANC hiss in quieter movies or podcasts when someone's talking without much else going on. For the price, you almost have to expect this one.
Great priced noise cancelation
- Solid noise cancelation
- ANC noticeably changes sound signature
- Ambient mode works well
The noise canceling here is excellent for the price. At $80 it's hard to expect a world-beater, but Tribit doesn't shy away from trying to muscle its way to the front of the class. It does a great job at stamping out low rumbling noise, so trains and airplanes and crowded rooms should disappear almost entirely, especially with music playing. Mid-frequency sounds, like one person talking or keyboard clacks, don't seem to disappear quite so easily.
There's some oddity with the ANC here, though, in that they seriously change how headphones sound whether it's toggled on or off. The headphones are certainly a bit scooped normally, with booming lows and tempered but present highs. Turn that ANC on and you get an extra bump on the bass frequencies and more prominent high-end, sculpting and scooping the sound that lends itself much more to heavier, modern music. Personally, I really dig the sound signature here with ANC on high, but that may not be true for everyone or all kinds of music.
Tribit's headphones also pull a clever little trick when switching past any of the noise canceling modes. They have an ambient mode, which isn't uncommon, but turning that on simultaneously drops the volume on my phones in addition to passing through the noise surrounding you. This is great for conversations where you quickly need to pay a lot of attention, since sometimes loud music still muffles whatever ambient mode passes through.
Worth it?
- Excellent value
- Terrific sound
- Decent noise canceling
For the price, these are some seriously solid contenders for your next pair of headphones. The noise canceling holds its own against significantly more expensive headphones, and they sound fantastic. Including a carrying case is a big plus, too, especially for the budget.
The noise canceling is pretty good, but it might come off as a so-so experience if you're in an office setting or you're simply used to some nicer headphones that do a little more. But where Tribit pulls the rug out is that $79 price point, delivering a killer Bose or Sony adjacent experience without breaking the bank.
Tribit QuietPlus 78 Bluetooth Headphones | $79 | Amazon
