Christmas is only a matter of weeks away so you might be looking for a gift for that family member who enjoys music and fitness at the same time. In this review, we look at the Tozo OpenEgo, which costs £50.99 via Amazon. If you follow our reviews you will know this is not the first review we have done when it comes to this brand with reviews of the Tozo T6 & Tozo Golden X1.
Who Are Tozo?
The brand Tozo started in Seattle in 2015 and has since become a major player selling over 20 million units globally and producing a range of consumer electronic devices such as headphones, smart watches & portable speakers.
Unboxing
Tozo keeps things simple regarding the packaging with an image of the buds on the front some of the main features mentioned on the packaging and an indication of which colour you have selected.
Open the packaging and you receive a quick guide, user manual and wearing guide. In addition to that you are presented with the charging case with the buds inside and in a small package, you are also provided with a USB-C charging cable and a pair of stabilisers.
Design
The Tozo OpenEgo come in two colour options – Black or White. In this review, we were provided with the black option. The OpenEgo comes in a matt-finished black charging case that is adorned with a stylish chrome strip which hides an LED display that shows the charge status of both buds as well as the charging case itself.
When you open the charging case for the first time the OpenEgo come to life with a melodic chime and flashing status on the buds to indicate they are in pairing mode. The earphone is made mainly of plastic with a silicon rubber material to aid in gripping your ear and they have a sleek appearance.
The OpenEgo are a pair of true wireless headphones with an ear loop that hangs on your ears. The design is clever but some might find these strange to wear if you are not used to the design as they can move around.
If we take a look inside the OpenEgo they use 16.2mm dynamic drivers supported by Tozo’s own OrigX technology and come with Bluetooth 5.3. When it comes to controls OpenEgo uses tap controls that give you access to playback, track and volume control, answer & reject calls, and voice assistant all via very responsive touch sensors.
The Tozo OpenEgo are also compatible with the Tozo app and provides you with up to 16 different EQ presets and other sound personalization that we will take a deeper look later in this review.
Battery Life
The OpenEgo has a fairly impressive battery life, with a battery capacity of 100mAh in the headphones and 600mAh in the charging case. In terms of hours of playtime, you are offered around the 12-hour mark on a single charge, including the charging case, which takes you to 30 hours in total.
I was impressed that when not in use you can place these headphones in the charging case, the LED info display on the case provides information on the level of charge in the case and each bud.
Special Features
The Tozo OpenEgo come with several features that make it stand out for example when it comes to the sound they have directional sound technology with an enhanced bass to deliver quality audio. The OpenEgo also comes with Bluetooth 5.3 and a 10-meter range giving faster pairing and high-quality audio.
The OpenEgo also come with dual-mic noise cancellation via advanced AI algorithms and dual mics that filter out unwanted noise from your surroundings improving call quality. The directional sound technology also helps your calls as it ensures your audio remains private which is ideal if you need to do a work call in public.
The design is also a special feature as if you are driving you can enjoy your music without compromising traffic sounds leading to a safer driving experience. The open-air design is also great for working out as the design reduces moisture buildup ensuring ear hygiene.
Day to Day Use
Now the design if you are not used to open-air design will take some getting used to but after especially if you’re used to a bud in your ear. When wearing the Tozo OpenEgo it will feel like there is almost nothing on your ear after a while.
What Tozo provide is some very easy instructions on how to get a good fit and also a pair of stabilisers that sit over the earpieces if you want some extra grip ideal for a gym session. (Please note when finished you will need to remove the stabilisers as they won’t fit in the charging case)
Once you get used to wearing them you might prefer them due to getting a good fit and with some earbuds some users struggle to get a good fit in your ear canal and the OpenEgo has no such issue here. I took these to the gym and did a mix of cardio & weights and even with that vigorous activity there was minimal movement the fact they are also IPX5 rated they can handle the sweat you will build up in a workout.
Audio Quality
The Open-air design gives the sound some benefits when it comes to the soundstage. There do not feel like any apparent barriers in its stereo field. Your music is linear but extends wide into a naturally open headspace. It’s not like you’re listening to speakers but there is an impressiveness about the sound. There is no real height or depth but the specific sound elements are still localized naturally. It’s a flat space that provides enough separation and space for the sounds to appear in a balanced form.
Lows
The OpenEgo does its best to give you a strong bass and it does just enough considering it’s a pair of open-air headphones. It propels the mid-bass frequencies it can towards that front to give the timbre some form of identity but the results can be a mixed bag depending on the style of music you listen to.
Mids
I have listened to a wide range of music using these open-air headphones and there’s a surface to the midrange that offers space for the instruments to convey their tone. The OpenEgo come with a clean timbre but does struggles to offer any real energy. That said instruments are pleasant and presented but you won’t find any colour to it and even in vocals, but the balance is consistent with most genres.
Highs
The frequency content of the treble is a lot richer than the rest of the sound signature. You can sense a lot of flavour in the tone, as the highs come through with shimmer. Everything is well controlled which results in more colourful instruments.
Phone Calls
Tozo prides itself on its performance when it comes to phone calls and in testing I used these for some work calls both at home and on the move and the dual microphones work well to cancel out ambient noise. This allows your voice to be front and centre. I was also impressed with the OpenEgo’s speakers are engineered in such a way that the sound is projected straight at your ear canal minimising the chance of anyone hearing your important calls.
The Tozo App
If you read our review of the Tozo T6 you will have seen am impressed with the Tozo app and the Tozo OpenEgo continue using this fantastic app. The Tozo app allows you to customise the touch commands, You can adjust the EQ with up to 16 different presets or create your own equaliser profile or even use one from the Tozo community which is a very good but very unique idea. The app also can update the firmware on your headphones.
Tozo asks you to create a profile first with basic information and then asks you to connect to the Tozo OpenEgo. The homepage of the app indicates when connected and displays the battery life & current EQ. The homepage also comes with 5 options:
- Home
- Products
- Community
- Explore
- MyTozo
The Explore button comes with many pre-loaded tracks, from soothing to relaxing and everything in between, ideal if you struggle to unwind. There is even a timer, so if you set it and fall asleep, the music will not continue after that period.
Verdict
The Tozo OpenEgo are a good pair of open-air earbuds, but there is room for improvement. For example, certain elements of the sound need improvement but it does enough for the average user to enjoy.
The OpenEgo are a good value-packed proposition for those looking for an alternative to in-ear earbuds to wear when working out or if you are someone who struggles to get a good fit when it comes to in-ear earbuds or struggles with the comfort factor.
How could they be improved?
The OpenEgo does not come with multi-point Bluetooth and when you are using the stabilisers you won’t be able to fit them in this case you would need to remove the stabilisers these are only small issues I came across.
Are they value for money?
At £50.99 the Tozo OpenEgo are a good option for someone looking for an in-ear alternative the sound quality, design & Tozo app and aggressive price point make these worth the investment. An ideal Christmas present for someone on a budget!
Product Rating
Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Controls: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Isolation: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Connectivity: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Battery Life: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Audio Quality: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value For Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall ranking: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars – 4.5 stars
The Tozo OpenEgo are available via Amazon for £50.99
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