The TOZO Golden X1 feel like a positive evolution of TOZO's wireless earbuds. They build on what worked well in earlier models while improving sound, design, comfort, and overall usability. At around US$99–$150 depending on sales they sit in an appealing middle ground where you get a lot of features and performance without paying flagship prices.

After spending time with them, my overall impression is very positive. These are comfortable, compact earbuds with good sound, useful noise cancellation, and a much more polished feel than some of TOZO's lower priced options. They aren't perfect, but they get a lot right for the money.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is good to very good, particularly considering the price. My listening tests included rock, pop, hip-hop, dance, and musicals, and the Golden X1 handled all of them well. Music feels balanced and enjoyable, with enough detail to keep things engaging without sounding overly clinical. Occasionally the highs can sound a little overly bright, particularly on dance music, but it's generally well balanced.

Bass is strong when it needs to be but remains balanced, avoiding the bloated sound that some value-focused earbuds can have. Midrange clarity is improved, helping vocals and instruments sound cleaner and more distinct. The highs are also quite well controlled. Overall, the Golden X1 offer a pleasing and well-balanced sound signature that works well across a wide range of music.

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is one of the Golden X1's strengths. The earbuds are compact and lightweight, sitting comfortably in the ear without the bulky feel of many larger true wireless designs. Importantly for me, they do not press against the lower concha, which is often the point that causes pain with larger earbuds.

I found them comfortable for long listening sessions. If you struggle with larger earbuds or find some premium models uncomfortable due to their size, the smaller form factor here may be a real advantage.

The case is also excellent. The metallic blue finish gives it a premium look, it sits upright on a desk, and it fits into a mens jeans or jacket pocket easily. I particularly liked the battery display hidden inside the case. Even more importantly, the earbuds are easy to remove from and put back into the case.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is good, not flagship level but useful in daily life. Standard ANC does a solid job reducing things like engine noise, footsteps, and general background hum. There's a separate wind reduction mode which is effective outdoors and noticeably improves wind handling while also reducing noises like footsteps, though it's a little less effective for general noise.

The main drawback is convenience. Wind reduction mode cannot be toggled from the earbuds and has to be selected in the app every time you use them. The earbuds also reset back to standard mode when returned to the case instead of remembering your previous setting, which becomes frustrating particularly given wind reduction has to be selected in the app.

Ease of Use

The Golden X1 are generally easy to live with, though there are a few annoyances. There is no microphone mute button, which is a big gap for anyone who regularly takes Teams or work calls.

The TOZO app works reasonably well and gives useful EQ and mode controls, but it occasionally shows promotions for other TOZO products when opening it. My bigger issue with this is not the advertising itself, but the delay it creates when you are trying to quickly get into the app to switch modes, particularly when enabling wind reduction. Having to create an account and log in to set up the EQ is a minor annoyance.

Golden X1 vs NC20

Having compared the Golden X1 directly with the TOZO NC20, the X1 feel like a worthwhile upgrade if your budget allows. Sound quality is noticeably improved, with better bass balance, clearer mids, and more controlled highs. Noise cancellation is incrementally better, especially in wind reduction mode.

The case is a big improvement. It is smaller, better looking, easier to carry, and much easier to get the earbuds in and out of. Comfort is slightly improved too, though both models are already very comfortable.

The NC20 remain excellent value if budget is the priority, but the Golden X1 feel more refined and better rounded overall.

Other

The case supports USB-C and wireless charging, and the earbuds are IPX6 Waterproof, which means they're ok to use in the rain but they can't be submerged.

Final Thoughts

The TOZO Golden X1 are a strong all-round pair of earbuds that get the basics right. They sound good, are very comfortable, offer useful noise cancellation, and come in a compact, well-designed package.

There are still some rough edges, particularly around app behavior and mode switching, but these do not overshadow the overall experience. For the price, TOZO have put together a very capable set of earbuds that are easy to recommend for everyday listening, calls, and commuting.

Tozo kindly provided this review unit to headphonereviews.org so we could provide this honest and independent review.