Disclosure: I’d like to thank TOZO for providing me with the Golden X1 for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and TOZO had no say or input on the contents of this review.

The TOZO Golden X1 brings something interesting to the true wireless market at $129.99 with a hybrid driver setup inside each earbud. TOZO paired a 12mm carbon nanotube dynamic driver with Knowles balanced armature drivers, essentially creating audiophile-grade sound in a wireless package. The 42dB active noise cancellation rounds out the feature set nicely.

The Golden X1 isn’t the most affordable option around, but it delivers features you’d typically find in earbuds costing much more. Battery life reaches up to 8 hours with ANC disabled, and the charging case pushes total playtime to 32 hours, which proves more than adequate for travel and commuting.

Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity handles multiple codecs, including LDAC, AAC, and SBC. The charging case deserves special mention here, with its LED display showing exact battery percentages. It’s one of those thoughtful touches that make daily use more pleasant.

The Golden X1 spent about a month in my daily use across various listening scenarios. From commutes to workout sessions, these earbuds handled everything I threw at them, so let’s get into the details and see how they stack up in 2025.

• TOZO Golden X1
• 6 sets of eartips (1 pre-installed)
• USB-C to USB-A charging cable
• Manual

Build quality relies on plastic construction throughout, though the earbuds feature gold accents around the touch controls for a premium appearance. The IPX6 rating means these earbuds should handle sweat and rain without issues.

The earbuds themselves feel lightweight without seeming fragile. The stem design follows current trends, providing enough surface area for touch controls while maintaining a reasonable profile in your ears, meaning they don’t stick out like most TWS earbuds do. They’re also very comfortable to wear and provide a good fit and passive noise isolation. I used the earbuds when running and had no issues with them moving around (for reference, the Apple AirPods Pro lineup does not fit me well at all).

The Golden X1 uses a touch-sensitive area on the faceplate that responds well. Single taps handle play/pause, double taps navigate tracks, and long presses toggle noise cancellation. The app lets you customize 5 out of 8 possible touch combinations.

What I particularly like is the inclusion of volume control by long pressing the left earbud to decrease the volume and long pressing the right earbud to increase the volume. No need to reach for your phone.

The charging case feels surprisingly compact at 69.9mm wide and 34.2mm tall, weighing just 54.6g with earbuds inside. The standout feature here is the internal LED display showing exact battery percentages for both case and earbuds. During charging, the LED indicator shifts colors based on remaining power. Both USB-C and Qi wireless charging work as expected, with full charges taking about 2 hours.

Getting started with the TOZO app is refreshingly simple. Download it from your app store, pair the Golden X1, and you’re in. The interface feels clean and intuitive, with quick access to battery status, sound settings, and firmware updates. The app automatically detected my earbuds on first launch and walked me through the setup process.

One thing I do not like about the app, though, is the floating ads for other TOZO earbuds when launching the app. This takes you out of the experience pretty quickly when all you want to do is adjust settings.

That said, as far as companion apps go, this one is generally fast and fluid, and reasonably intuitive. I’ll leave some screenshots below:

Six built-in microphones power noise cancellation that reaches up to 42dB. The app offers several ANC presets: standard noise cancellation, wind noise reduction, leisure mode, and a custom setting with adjustable intensity from 1-10.

The transparency mode works particularly well, letting in environmental sound that actually sounds natural rather than artificially processed. I found myself using it more than expected, especially when walking my dog outside.

I don’t think the Golden X1 will come out on top in ANC performance, even against slightly cheaper options, but it does offer very decent noise cancellation and several situational options that were generally useful (Reduce Wind Noise mode, particularly, is well done).

Bluetooth 5.3 supports multipoint connectivity, so you can connect to two devices simultaneously, even when using LDAC. Switching between my phone and laptop happened seamlessly during testing. The connection stayed stable up to about 40 feet indoors before I noticed any audio degradation.

LDAC performance is extremely solid and reliable, even when using the highest quality mode (990kbps). I would have liked to see aptX included, but AAC as a fallback codec is reliable, and it does work and sounds very good.

Manufacturer battery claims rarely align with real-world usage, but the Golden X1 is an exception here. My testing consistently delivered around 4-4.5 hours with ANC enabled using AAC, coming close to the advertised 5-hour mark. Without ANC, battery life stretched to 7-7.5 hours, again lining up to the claimed 8 hours. When using LDAC, you get about an hour less of battery life.

Each earbud houses a 55mAh battery, while the case packs 500mAh for roughly 32 hours total playtime. The case typically provides three full recharges, which proved sufficient for a week of commuting without reaching for a charger.

Charging takes about 2 hours via USB-C. The Qi wireless charging works as expected when cables aren’t handy. That LED display showing exact battery percentages remains genuinely useful – no guessing games about remaining charge.

The triple-microphone setup with ENC captures voices fairly clearly indoors. Outdoor performance becomes hit-or-miss, especially in windy conditions or crowded areas. For video calls and meetings, the microphones handle most professional situations adequately when in quieter environments. It’s not revolutionary, but it does a good enough job.

The Golden X1’s hybrid driver setup shows what it can do once you start listening. The 12mm dynamic driver paired with Knowles balanced armature creates a sound signature that’s more refined than you’d expect at this price point. So let’s get into the details.

Bass

The Golden X1 leans into a mild V-shaped sound signature with noticeable bass presence. The sub-bass reaches down to the claimed 12Hz, providing solid rumble for electronic music and hip-hop. Mid-bass feels slightly restrained in the default tuning, lacking a bit of punch for my preferences. The bass tightens up considerably once you dial in the EQ through the app, delivering fuller body without muddying the midrange. It’s not basshead territory, but there’s enough weight to satisfy most listeners, I think.

Midrange

Vocals sit prominently in the mix with both male and female voices sounding natural and engaging. There’s a pleasant warmth to female vocals, especially with good upper-mid texture. Instruments can sound a bit thin at times, lacking some of the fullness you’d want for acoustic guitar or piano. Still, the midrange offers enough detail and separation to keep vocals clear even in busy mixes.

Treble

The treble performance surprised me with its smoothness and texture. High frequencies stay clear without becoming harsh or fatiguing, making cymbal hits sound detailed rather than shrill. String instruments maintain their natural character, and there’s good extension into the upper treble without any obvious roll-off.

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage doesn’t expand dramatically in width, staying mostly inside your head rather than projecting outward. Still, instrument placement feels organized and reasonably precise. The imaging works well enough for most music, though don’t expect the expansive presentation you’d get from open-back headphones.

Genre Performance

Electronic music benefits from that sub-bass extension, while rock and pop leverage the clear vocals and treble detail. Jazz and classical pieces show off the earbuds’ imaging capabilities, allowing instruments to separate nicely within the limited soundstage. The 16 EQ presets help optimize performance for specific genres, which proved more useful than expected.

The TOZO Golden X1 consistently surprised me with its ANC and sound performance. At $129 USD, TOZO managed to pack audiophile-grade hardware into a package that competes with much more expensive options. The hybrid driver setup really does make a difference as you’re getting sound quality that justifies the price point, and it really does make you want to keep listening.

The charging case with its LED percentage display turned out to be one of those features I didn’t know I needed until I had it.

These aren’t perfect earbuds, of course. Outdoor call quality could be more consistent, and the midrange occasionally feels thin compared to dedicated audiophile IEMs. But when you consider everything the Golden X1 gets right – excellent sound extension, reliable connectivity, thoughtful features, and solid comfort – these shortcomings feel minor.

The Golden X1 represents strong value for anyone wanting premium audio performance without the premium price tag. Whether you’re an audio enthusiast working within a budget or someone who simply appreciates good sound, the Golden X1 deserves your consideration when searching for a TWS earbud.

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