Tronsmart Apollo Air ANC Review

July 23, 2021 6:03 pm

It was only a week ago when Tronsmart announced it was rolling out a new pair of true wireless earphones. While they might not be a brand you’re familiar with, Tronsmart have produced a variety of wireless products for quite some time. You’re most likely to see them while browsing Amazon for affordable Bluetooth products. They’ve released both true wireless, over ear headphones and speakers with industry leading technology.

Their focus is on economical, consumer products that house modern tech and an assortment of features. The Apollo Air is their latest addition to their true wireless series. With it, Tronsmart aims to deliver a hybrid system, with multiple ANC modes with an ambient aware option. It sounds like a product that should be worth more than its $69.99 price point makes it out to be, so let’s see if the Apollo Air is what it’s cracked up to be.

What You Get

1x Apollo Air
1x Card
1x User Manual
2x Extra ear tip pairs
1x Type-C cable

Look and Feel

The Apollo Air is a stemmed wireless earbud with a black or white color variation. My pair were black, but nothing else about the earbud changes besides the cosmetic difference. Its charging case will also feature the same coloration as the buds, which can easily fit in your pocket next to whatever other necessities you carry. The earbuds themselves don’t exactly have a striking aesthetic with its plastic shell, but they’re incredibly lightweight and supply a comfortable enough fit. Having the Apollo Air in your ears almost feels like nothing.

Design and Functionality

Within the outer shell of the Apollo Air is a 10mm graphene driver with six microphones for clearer calls and more effective ANC. The output itself provides sufficient loudness and headroom for volume adjustments. Noise-canceling does the job well enough, attenuating 35dB of noise. Considering the price, the ANC options are a welcome addition, but aren’t as effective as other true wireless models. In terms of the Apollo Air’s functionality, the earbuds respond to touch controls quickly and efficiently. Little delay happens between functions, and both buds house each action for more simplicity. There’s also a smartphone app you can use as a companion for the Apollo Air, however, I was never able to get it to work. Based on user reviews I’ve read for the app, many also had the same issue.

Bluetooth

Tronsmart boasts an industry leading Qualcomm QCC 3040 chipset, capable of aptX decoding for audio transmission. With Bluetooth 5.2 support, the Apollo Air is able to sustain fast transmissions with low latency. I had no issue pairing the earbuds to my phone, and most of the connection was stable aside from one or two instances of de-syncing.

Battery Life

With a single charge of the Apollo Air, you should be able to enjoy five hours of playback time before having to use the charging case. In addition to the charging case, the Apollo Air should have twenty hours of total playtime.

Soundstage

While this price range has been shotty for some true wireless earbuds, some have surprised me with a wide soundstage. The Apollo Air doesn’t quite get there, but still provides an average level of separation and clarity in the end. You won’t have an expansive amount of width, but the sound elements are still positioned in an accurate manner. The stereo field is able to communicate articulate layering, minus the immersive nature a spacious soundstage can bring. With that being said, the Apollo Air has a decent level of imaging to offer, but doesn’t exactly stick out amongst its competition.

Low End

If you’re looking for a true wireless with some strong bass, the Apollo Air might be your most affordable contender. The lows here are very thick and punchy, and take up a big portion of the sound signature. The tonality is forward and produces an audible thump in most tracks, from Hip-Hop to Metal. While many will enjoy this style of response, I think the lows from too much of a cloud around the bass. The timbre can be so boomy it causes some of the clarity to be reduced, thus the fidelity suffers. It never feels bloated or too hollow, but the signature is still thrown off balance a bit.

Mids

This is mostly a v-shaped sound signature, so the midrange takes a hit. Some fundamental frequencies are recessed or appear behind the more aggressive low end. The mids are at their best with vocal performances, where the timbre appears at its most natural and commanding. Not only do singing voices stand out, but spoken word performances as well. Listening to a golden voice talking on a podcast or audiobook sounds great on the Apollo Air, producing some of the sound signatures most enjoyable textures.

Highs

There’s some good brightness here that helps bring out other qualities in the sound signature. Some of these frequencies can be piercing or harsh at times but it’s a rare response. Most of the time the highs clear and emphasized for greater character, and showcase a lively timbre as a result.

Summary

With the true wireless market being over-saturated as it is it’s getting harder and harder for certain products to stick out. Tronsmart gives it an admirable try, but the competition is very strong. Its best qualities are average compared to some other earphones in this price range, but the bass is still very impactful and engaging. They work great, and the noise-canceling is perfectly functional, but the companion app didn’t work for me. The Apollo Air is good of you love a good meaty bass, but other offerings mostly fall short.