Gearbest recently approached me to review the Bluedio T5 Wireless Bluetooth Headphone with Microphone. The Bluedio T5 is a relatively inexpensive over-the-ear style headphone, so I was very surprised that it included active noise cancellation features.
The Bluedio T5 belongs to a series of headphones from Bluedio. The “5” in the “T5” here refers to it being the 5th generation of Bluedio’s Turbine headphones.
I was very impressed with how well the Bluedio T5 is built, particularly considering its price point. Its metal frame is very sturdy and strong. The ear-cups can both swivel and articulate. They can also be extended along the head band at 10 precisely marked positions.
The extension and ear-cup attachment mechanism tend to be a weak point in many budget headphones, but these on the Bluedio T5 are excellent. I actually stopped to take a few moments to marvel at the quality when I unboxed the headphones.
The Bluedio T5’s ear cups also look and feel far more premium that you’d expect at its price point. I’m not particularly fond of the branding emblazoned on the ear cups, but the shiny textured surface and chrome buttons definitely look very nice.
The cushion on the cups are soft. The PU leather on the cups and the head band are adequate given the price point of the Bluedio T5. During the moderate listening sessions in my testing, the T5 remained comfortable to wear.
As if to remind you that the Bluedio T5 wants to compete as a high-end headphone, it uses USB Type-C port for charging. This same part can also accept analog audio input from a 3.5 mm audio source, using the USB Type-C to 3.5 mm audio adapter included in the box.
The buttons and controls on the Bluedio T5 are not terribly intuitive for new users. That slider switch on top of the ear cup, together with the LED indicator beside it, is easily mistaken for the power switch. I struggled with turning on the Bluedio T5 initially before I have up and read the instructions. It turns out the slider is for turning on and off active noise cancellation, and that LED is to show the active noise cancellation status.
If that slider switch isn’t for power, then how about the big chrome button on the side, since the other two smaller buttons look like “up” and “down” controls? It turns out the big one is a volume rocker. One of those smaller button is for power. It would have been helpful to have some markings on the buttons to make it easy to figure out their functions. The T5 can do most things you’d expect from any good Bluetooth headphones: control volume, pause/play music, skip tracks, answer calls, etc.
The Bluedio T5 supports Bluetooth 4.2 with A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP profiles. There’s no Qualcomm aptX support, but audio latency seems to be pretty minimal when I tested with Youtube videos. You can pair and connect the T5 with multiple audio sources at the same time.
Like the build quality, I’m impressed with the Bluedio T5’s audio quality too. Music is produced from a large 57 mm driver in each ear cup, with frequency response from 15 Hz to 25 kHz. The specifications aren’t just good on paper, the T5 does sound better than expected in normal mode, without noise cancellation. There is an emphasis on mids, but both the bass and trebles are still strongly presented. This isn’t a headphone for audiophiles, but casual listeners should find the T5 pleasant and engaging.
Active noise cancellation on the Bluedio T5 works quite well too. I found that it was effective in removing background noise. However, the active noise cancellation also has a very noticeable affect of dropping off low-end audio from playback, leaving you with music that is lacking in bass and body. This is probably the most disappointing aspect of the T5, making you choose between active noise cancellation and clear full-range audio.
Bluedio claims 25 hours of listening/talk time with its 650 mAh lithium-ion battery.`
In the box, the Bluedio T5 comes with a USB Type-A to Type-C cable (for charging), a USB Type-A to 3.5 mm plug (for analog audio), and a soft cloth carrying bag.
The Bluedio T5 retails at US$53.99 from Gearbest.
Conclusion
The Bluedio T5 has impressive build quality and audio quality. Unfortunately, it makes you choose between its effective active noise cancellation and good full-range music.
Pros:
- Impressive build quality
- Very good audio (without active noise cancellation)
- Active noise cancellation works well
- Low Bluetooth audio latency
Cons:
- Lack bass and body when active noise cancellation is on