Edifier W820NB Plus Review

I’ve been using the W820NB as my daily headphones for what seems like ages, in fact they’re not longer available for sale, so when Edifier asked if I wanted to write a review of the Edifier W820NB Plus, I jumped at the chance.

It’s a great opportunity to see what improvements have been made and to understand just what the ‘Plus’ in the name really means. So, let’s dive right in.

First Impressions

The Edifier W820NB Plus headphones come in a beautiful looking branded Edifier box. It’s been well designed and is incredibly sturdy. Edifier almost never do a poor job of the packaging; it reflects the sheer amount of attention to detail that Edifier puts into their products.

They always tend to match the box with the aesthetic of the actual product inside, which I really love.

Upon opening the box, I found the stunning looking off white coloured headphones neatly placed in a moulded plastic tray, ensuring their safety during shipping. But they can easily replace this with a cardboard one.

Underneath the plastic tray is a single piece of stiff cardboard. I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of this is, but I don’t think it’s needed. It’s a complete waste of cardboard, which is a shame.

Inside the packaging, along with the headphones, there’s a ziplock bag with USB-A to USB-C charging cable, which is of good quality.

There aren’t any other accessories included; I think Edifier probably should have included a carry / travel case. These are the ‘plus’ version don’t forget, I feel that they need that bit of elevation compared to the standard version of the W820NB.

The instruction manual provides clear and concise information on how to use the headphones. It’s well translated and makes perfect sense.

There’s slightly too much single use plastic for me, I think they could have easily used cardboard alternatives. I particularly like the Ivory colour and they certainly feel more premium than their predecessors.

Overall, my first impression of the Edifier W820NB Plus is good. Let’s move on now and take a look at the build quality.

Build Quality

The first thing I noticed when putting the headphones on was the comfort. They are incredibly comfortable to wear. The full-sized ear cups fit over my ears perfectly and the soft cushioned top of the headband ensures it doesn’t irritate the top of my head.

I wore these for a day at work and they we’re possibly the most comfortable headphones I’ve used, the only other pair to come close to it is the Edifier WH950NB.

They remain comfortable whilst walking too. For this, I selected ‘Ambient Mode’ which allows you to hear background noise, which is really important when walking for obvious safety reasons.

I went to the local corner shop and listened to a true crime podcast. They don’t move around excessively and don’t irritate my ears because of the soft, cushioned faux leather ear cups.

To put these through their paces, I wanted to run a comparison against the previous non ‘plus’ model.

When putting them side by side, they look quite similar. There are some slight visual differences, such as; the logos, earcups and ANC microphone positioning.

The main difference isn’t just a visual. If you’ve used the non ‘plus’ version, you’ll know right away what the difference is. It’s all in the feel. The Plus version feels much more solid and has a bit more weight to it. You can just tell it feels like a higher quality headphone. The plastic is a lot thicker; it offers very little in the way of over-extended flex and when you squeeze the plastic ear cups, you don’t get that cheap plastic squeaking noise that you sometimes get in a well-used or budget pair.

The W820NB Plus’ have exceptionally well-made hinges and the adjustable headband mechanism works smoothly.

I also used a sharp camping knife to see how scratch proof the plastic is. I ran the edge on the inner edge of the headband, it did leave a mark but it wasn’t a deep scratch. These headphones are matt finished, so you will get some marks from day-to-day use but they shouldn’t be too obvious.

My only worry with the Ivory colourway is that dirt and grime may appear more pronounced than the classic black. But, I guess you’d just have to keep on top of that by using something convenient like the Mistify Tech Cleaner. I’d try and steer clear of those disposable tech wipes as they just go straight to landfill!

I try not to take Edifier’s attention to detail for granted, I’ve been reviewing their stuff for a few years now and I’m still to this day impressed at how consistent they are in terms of build quality. For example; the bundled charging cable is well made and the buttons on the ear cups have a satisfying click when pressed.

These headphones definitely feel like they can withstand everyday office or travel use without any issues. I just wished they had a travel case!

The charging port is, as usual, slightly recessed, which helps you to guide the included USB-C charging cable into the port.

In the past, I’ve seen the charging port on cheaper brands of headphones look heavily worn after just a few short months of use. I don’t think that’ll be the case with these, as they plastic really is solid.

In terms of battery life, you’ll get up to 49 hours of playback. Incredibly, you’ll still get 33 hours with ANC enabled, which is outrageous. They’ll charge quickly too; I didn’t pay particular attention to the clock, but I left it charging for just over an hour and they were around 86% charged from almost zero.

Edifier do say that just 10 minutes charge will give you round 7 hours of playback, however I didn’t test this. Edifier do tend to be accurate in their claims though, from previous experience.

Overall, I’m incredibly please with these headphones, they deliver in every measure of build quality and I can’t wait to check out the sound quality.

Edifier logo paired with ivory colour, looks fantastic.

Sound Quality

The Edifier W820NB Plus headphones deliver in the sound quality metrics too. They’ll give you an amazing audio experience regardless of what you’re listening too. For my testing, I hooked them up to the Nintendo Switch via Bluetooth and played the Legend of Zelda Tears of The Kingdom.

Once I’d connected the Bluetooth, I selected ‘Game Mode’ and it was obvious right away that the synchronisation between images and audio is immaculate, I didn’t see any latency at all.

The in-game dialogue between characters is clear, as are the sound effects and background music; which in Zelda games, is often a beautifully crafted soundtrack, so to hear every tiny detail and instrument is a delight.

As well as this, I used them for an 8-hour work shift, taking back-to-back Microsoft Teams calls and listening to my Amazon Music playlist. My music tastes are varied, from listening to classic all the way through to heavy British rock and the W820NB sounded great.

Voices are crystal clear and my colleagues didn’t remark that they couldn’t hear me clearly, which is good.

For pure music enjoyment, I opted to listen to an artist called Schoolboy Q, which is raw, gritty hip-hop. Perfect then to test out the ANC capabilities and the full sound signature of the Plus’.

The 40mm drivers used in these headphones are more than capable of producing a rich and well-balanced sound profile and that is evident when the first track started.

Starting with the bass response, the W820NB Plus headphones offer deep and punchy bass that added a layer of excitement to the track. I love a heavy bass and you can definitely feel the impact of the bass without it overpowering the rest of the audio. The bass is tight and controlled, providing a solid foundation to the overall sound.

Moving on to the midrange and vocals, the W820NB Plus excel in delivering clear and detailed midrange frequencies. They’re able to reproduce instruments and vocals with incredible accuracy, which allows you to appreciate the subtle nuances within each song.

Whether it’s the warm tones of acoustic guitars or the harsh, husk and gritty vocals, the midrange reproduction is truly impressive.

When it comes to the highs, the W820NB Plus headphones strike a great balance. As, I’ve said before, I love a really crisp high-end. The treble is most definitely crisp and well-extended, without sounding harsh or sibilant.

The high frequencies are clear and detailed, ensuring that you can hear every cymbal crash or high-pitched note with precision. This makes the headphones suitable for pretty much every genre, from classical music to electronic genres, where intricate details are crucial.

In addition to the impressive sound quality, the active noise cancellation (ANC) further enhances the listening experience. It effectively blocks out all external background noises, allowing you to immerse yourself in your music without any distractions.

Whether you’re traveling, working in a noisy environment, or just seeking some tranquillity, the ANC feature is able to cope with all manner of sounds.

A common feature of ANC is that, at least to my ears, the bass sounds deeper when it’s active, which I like.

You can tweak the sound profile to your preference by using the Edifier Connect app. The app allows you to adjust the EQ settings and personalize the sound according to your liking, providing an added level of versatility.

When the app first launched it was pretty rough around the edges, but over time, it’s gotten so much better and is now well worth downloading.

Overall, the Edifier W820NB Plus headphones deliver an impressive sound experience. The bass is impactful, the mids are clear and detailed, and the highs pretty much perfect. Combine all of that with the active noise cancellation feature, these headphones offer a truly immersive listening experience across various genres and media types. Whether you’re a music enthusiast, a movie lover, or a gamer, the W820NB Plus headphones will not disappoint.

How Much And Where Can I Buy Them

The Edifier W820NB Plus headphones are really competitively priced for their features and build quality. They are available for purchase on various online platforms such as Amazon, Best Buy, and the Edifier official website.

The price may vary depending on the region and any ongoing promotions, so it’s worth checking multiple sources to find the best deal. I found them for around £79.99 / $79.99 on Amazon. Hit the button below to check them out.

Check Edifier W820NB On Amazon

Summary and Verdict

The Edifier W820NB Plus’ offer a great combination of style, build quality, and sound performance. Before I knew what the retail price was, I’d assumed in my head that they’d be around £100 / $100, they are very well priced and are well worth picking up.

Score: 9/10

I feel like these could have been given a 10, I’m just a little put off by the plastic packaging. I also think, bizarrely, that they are under-priced.

Charge me an extra £10 and include that travel case, these look too good to be knocking around at the bottom of a rucksack without the added protection of a case.