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Introduction
I took a break from reviewing QCY products on my website and YouTube channel because I had so many issues with the QCY app properly connecting to several audio devices. I was hesitant to try another QCY product, but the Melobuds A30 are inexpensive enough that I decided to take the chance. To my delight, I found that the current Android version of the app now works fine for me and I was able to use it to access the various features of the app. I've included a screen recording of the app so you can see what features it offers. Its primary advantage is the ability to customize the controls and modify the equalizer settings. The app is well-featured for a product in this price range; it beats out the app available for the DUNU DTW 300 I recently reviewed.
Hardware Overview
The Melobuds A30 have a squared-off bean shape that may not work well for all ear anatomies. I prefer the more rounded shape of earphones like AirPods Pro or the DUNU DTW 300, but I was able to make the A30 work for me. I just needed to be more diligent about ensuring they were properly seated in my ears so I could get the best of what the drivers have to offer. The case is relatively small and inoffensive. My model is white and the earphones match the case. There are no fun pops of color here like with the DTW 300; it's a very basic design for the case and earphones with only a bit of fake chrome lining the outer body of the earphones for a bit of character. In the box you get a charging cable and 2 additional sets of ear tips. I found that the pre-installed medium tips worked fine for me.
Bluetooth Connectivity
I didn't experience any connectivity dropouts with the A30 as I used them around my house. I could go downstairs to address my laundry and I could go out the few feet to my mailbox with no issues. Connectivity here is above average, especially for this price range. I also didn't have any issues being connected to multiple devices. You can have audio/video playing on one device and start playing audio/video on another device and it will switch over. There is a bit of delay before it switches, but it does work.
Battery Life
QCY says these earphones have 50 hours of battery life. This is obviously including the additional charges you get from the case and it probably doesn't factor in ANC/transparency, connection to multiple devices, or using the high-resolution codec LDAC. That said, I never got any low battery warnings in my normal usage and I didn't have to charge the case over several days of use. If you are looking for all-day battery life these may not be the best choice, but for a few hours of use over multiple days, they should be fine.
ANC Performance
As with any Bluetooth audio product in this price range, you should manage your expectations on ANC performance. You don't buy cheap audio products because you are looking for the best ANC. You want something that will take the edge off general noise and drastically reduce the sound of low hums from air conditioners, heaters, etc. These will accommodate that expectation just fine. But for higher-pitched noises like voices, the sound of typing, etc., those noises will still come through. However, the point of ANC is to provide a better background for your audio, and even these inexpensive earphones can provide a quieter background for your music or let outside sounds in if you turn on transparency just fine. There will be a bit of white noise and transparency won't sound perfectly natural, but they are functional and the app provides some flexibility over the strength of the ANC, which is nice to see at this price point.
Microphone Performance
The microphones on the A30 pick up voices well and sound relatively natural. There is a bit of digital compression, but this is normal. The microphones can reduce some background a bit, but they do struggle with wind noise. They'll do fine in a quiet indoor environment if you need to use them for calls. If you're outside, you'll want to shield them from wind. However, since they are IPX5 certified, they should do fine with a bit of rain.
Sound
The Melobuds A30 have a nice bass response out of the box. The midrange isn't excessively recessed so you get good representation with vocals and instruments. The highs aren't piercing or overly faitguing, either. The sound is what I'd call consumer average. These aren't bass lover earphones nor are they aimed at audiophiles. The balance here is acceptable for mass market usage. Of the recent reviews I've done in this price range, I prefer the DUNU DTW 300 over these because although the sound profile is very similar, the DTW 300 has a bit of advantage with clarity across the sound spectrum. The bass here on the A30 is just a tiny bit boomier and interferes more with the clarity of the midrange. I do prefer the A30 over the also recently reviewed KZ Carol Pro; the clarity on the Carol Pro is similar to the DTW 300 but both the DTW 300 and A30 have better bass representation out of the box. The bottom line is that the sound here is pleasant for general listening for different genres of music and you have some flexibility to tweak the sound using the app.
Closing Thoughts
If you are looking for an inexpensive pair of earphones that are readily accessible on Amazon and you don't have to fiddle with trying to import them from China as you might with something from DUNU or KZ, the Melobuds A30 are worth looking into. Everything here is at least average and the features in the app and the connectivity options are well above average for this price range.
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