Buying budget wireless headphones usually meant living with obvious trade-offs – at least until a few years ago. Even today, plenty of premium models still have their own shortcomings. That being said, there’s no shortage of affordable options out there that are slowly catching up and punch well above their weight class to challenge headphones that cost $300 or more. The Baseus Inspire XH1 I’ve been using over the past few weeks is a great example, delivering effective ANC, surprisingly good sound quality, and excellent battery life. They’ve easily become my favorite budget headphones of the year – and you can read on to find out why.
You’re reading Tested with 9to5Toys, where we explore everyday tech essentials that make life a bit easier. Browse through our entire guide for all of the latest reviews, and sound off in the comments below if there’s something you’d like to see featured.
Hands on with Baseus Inspire XH1 ANC headphones
Baseus’ Inspire XH1 ANC headphones come in Cosmic Black, Starlight Off-White, Sunset Coral, and Twilight Blue finishes. These typically go for $150, but you can snag one for as little as $94.99 shipped at the moment. The Twilight Blue variant featured here is available for $99.99 shipped with a $50 discount on its usual price.
Features at a glance
- Sound by Bose audio: These headphones can deliver premium audio, Dolby Spatial Audio for immersive 360° sound, Hi-Res certification for stunning clarity, and LDAC for 3× the audio detail of standard Bluetooth.
- Built with angled drivers and optimized acoustic chambers for deep bass and balanced sound
- The advanced 4-layer hybrid ANC system analyzes your surroundings 38,400 times per second to reduce noise by up to -48 dB.
- Enjoy up to 100 hours of nonstop playtime (ANC off) or 65 hours (ANC on). “A 10-minute fast charge delivers 12 more hours”.
9to5Toys Take
The first thing that stood out to me about the Inspire XH1 is the build quality. Baseus, as you probably already know, sells a wide range of products from power banks, chargers, security cameras, docks, and more – all of which have pretty good build quality that leaves us pretty much no room for complaints. The Inspire XH1 headphones are no exception. The design here feels clearly Bose-inspired, with a clean mix of metal and plastic that’s reminiscent of the QuietComfort Ultra.
The hinges fold inward and flat, making them easy to pack, while the earcups rotate and swivel to help dial in the fit. I should point out that the hinges on my unit felt a bit loose right out of the box, with the earcups offering almost no resistance and moving as if they were already worn in. The earcup and headband themselves feel comfortable with plush padding, and the XH1 stays easy to wear even during long listening sessions.
The Inspire XH1’s tuning clearly leans on Bose-style sound. It ships with the “Sound by Bose” EQ enabled, which adds energy to the upper mids and highs while keeping the bass fairly neutral. The result is clean mids, clear detail, and a punchy but controlled presentation. I find many similarities here in the audio department with my pair of Bose QuietComfort, which is great.
There are seven presets in total, plus an eight-band EQ for dialing things in exactly the way you like, so it’s safe to say that you get plenty of options here. Do keep in mind that ANC changes the sound as well. Transparency mode stays the most natural, Normal mode adds a slight bass lift, and Noise Canceling noticeably ramps everything up, at least to my ears.
One other thing worth noting is that the XH1 can be used with a wired analog connection even when the power is off, though without any internal amplification or processing. That makes it usable in a pinch, but the sound quality takes a noticeable hit – meaning it’s best kept as a backup option. The good news is that battery life is excellent, so you’re unlikely to rely on that wired mode very often. Baseus claims up to 100 hours without ANC and around 65 hours with ANC enabled. After testing both scenarios, I found those figures to be largely accurate, with real-world results falling just a few hours short in some cases.
When it comes to noise cancellation, these headphones genuinely exceed my expectations for the price. They do let in a bit more ambient sound compared to pricier models from the likes of Bose and Sony, but the gap isn’t nearly large enough to justify spending several times more, in my opinion. I’ve been using them daily while working to block out distractions at home – from ongoing construction outside my apartment to TV noise in the next room – and they’ve handled it with ease. I also wore them on a recent road trip while testing the Baseus 240W car charger, and most traffic noise was effectively filtered out, making the drive far more comfortable for me as a passenger. I haven’t tested them on a flight yet, but based on my experience so far, I expect them to perform well in the air too.
The Baseus Inspire XH1 offers solid comfort, good sound quality, long battery life, and effective noise cancellation for most scenarios. While the design and tuning clearly borrow from Bose, the headphones hold their own with flexible EQ options and performance that comes surprisingly close to far more expensive models. Small drawbacks like the loose hinges and underwhelming wired mode are easy to overlook, given everything else they get right. Add it all up, and the XH1 offers great value for your money, which is exactly why they’re my favorite budget ANC headphones of the year.
Buy Baseus Inspire XH1
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments