Boat Nirvana X Review: Audiophile-Grade Earbuds on a Budget?
Boat, a well-known Indian consumer electronics company has joined forces with Knowles to introduce its Nirvana X, its first attempt to enter the market of audiophiles. Its price is reasonable at $279 (approximately 23,000 INR) The true wireless earbuds come with dual drivers (one driven by a dynamic motor and a balanced armature by Knowles) with support for audio codecs with high resolution, such as LDAC. Do they perform up to the hype of audiophiles? This comprehensive review delved into the features, design as well as the sound quality and overall value of Boat Nirvana X.
Design and Build: Aesthetics that are familiar with an edgy twist
Its Boat Nirvana X’s charging box and Bud design are similar to the Boat Aircords 800, a cost-saving measure. The difference is that Boat has a variety of color options and adds a personal design. The plastic case is sturdy however the hinge isn’t equipped with steel reinforcement. A charging port for Type-C as well as a separate Bluetooth pair button make helpful additional features. Although the inclusion in the form of Boat as well as Knowles branding, as well as the Hi-Res Audio Wireless logo, may not be appealing to minimalists The overall quality of the build is satisfactory considering the price. A quick test of the magnet’s strength showed that the magnets are weak which is a minor disadvantage. Earbuds come with an IPX5 rating. This makes them sweat-proof and perfect for use during workouts. The sleek design and angular stems ensure the most secure and comfortable fitting, however the reviewer identifies that there is no chance to include the use of slide controls for volume adjustments. There are touch controls but their sensitivity may cause accidental activations. In-ear detects pauses music whenever the earbuds have been removed, with a low delay.
Features and App Experience: A Mixed Bag
Nirvana X is a great gaming device. Nirvana X includes a low-latency mode for gaming (tested at 60ms) however, it is not possible to activate “beast mode” (presumably a performance boost) is a long press on the earbud to right. There isn’t an obvious toggle within the application. The Boat Hearables application, which is required to be customized, provides an intuitive interface to manage settings such as equalizer settings (Boat’s house tuning as well as Knowles audiophile tuning) spatial audio and an adaptive equalizer (using Mimi technology), multipoint connectivity, as well as in-ear detection. The app is however plagued from several bugs, including issues with disconnection even when earbuds being used, a few times for the app to fail to identify the correct one, and a deficiency of an LDAC toggle on/off (LDAC connections were reported as unstable). The reviewer suggested that these issues should be taken into consideration in future app update.
Audio Quality: An Impressive Start with room for improvement
The dual-driver configuration delivers distinct sound characteristics. The Boat’s home tuning has been described by the manufacturer as being dark messy, bloated and sloppy however Knowles tuning offers an audiophile experience that is more refined with a subtle U-shaped sound profile. The Knowles tuning is a master of recording and sound staging especially for a pricey TWS earbud. The bass response is swift and precise, even in complicated tracks. But the high end could be too sharp, and the upper mids can appear to “shouty,” especially with vocals with consonants that are stressed. Because the Knowles tuning does not allow EQ adjustments, this impedes the possibility of tailoring the tone to suit your preferences. Even with these limitations the overall technical quality and the dynamics are admirable in the range of price.
Call Quality and Battery Life
Nirvana X Nirvana X features four microphones that reduce ambient call noise, and produce clear sound without sounding like a robotic. But, it creates an eerie vacuum. Its spatial sound mode despite giving more room, is not a top choice for reviewers and is only available in conjunction with the Boat’s EQ house and does not offer the benefits that come with Knowles tuning. Multipoint connectivity is great however it requires pausing playback on one device prior to switching to another. Call handling prioritizes calls, and then automatically stops the source of audio. The battery life is good and provides 7-7.5 hour playback time on one charge, and around 40 hours using the charging case in accordance with the reviewer’s test.
Final Verdict: A Strong Contender in the Budget TWS Market
The Boat Nirvana X represents a excellent first step towards an earbud that is truly wireless that is a great value for money. Although the Knowles tuning is a substantial improvement over the house tuning of Boat but there are some flaws, such as the clear treble and app bugs must be addressed. Overall the Nirvana X deserves a spot in the top five most enjoyable true wireless earbuds that cost less than $3000 an impressive feat for Boat. The reviewer recommends them for those seeking a high-quality audio experience. He anticipates more improvements in the future such as the upcoming “Nirvana X2.”
Also Read :Best Smartphones Under Rs50,000 in India
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