TOZO NC9 Review — Is It Worth $35? (2026 Test)

I Needed ANC on a Coffee-Money Budget

I needed earbuds for my daily subway commute that wouldn't cost more than a month of coffee. Most ANC earbuds start at $80. The TOZO NC9 showed up in my feed priced at $35 with a 60-hour total battery claim and hybrid ANC. I was genuinely sceptical. This TOZO NC9 review covers what actually happened across two weeks of daily testing — commuting on the London Underground, WFH Zoom calls, and gym sessions on my Pixel 7 Pro and iPhone 14.

✅ Quick Verdict — TOZO NC9 Review

📋 TOZO NC9 Full Specifications

👂 Design and Fit — What $35 Buys

The TOZO NC9 is a compact in-ear earbud with a touch-sensitive outer panel, paired with a small pill-shaped charging case that includes an LED display showing battery percentage for the case and each bud — an unusual touch at this price. Build quality feels practical rather than premium: matte plastic, a case hinge with minimal flex, and a matte-finish display that shows scuff marks after a couple of weeks in a bag.

Fit relies entirely on ear-tip seal rather than any hook or wing, so the six included tip sizes matter — I cycled through three before landing on a secure fit. Once seated correctly, the earbuds stayed put through a full gym session. Comfort was solid for the first one to two hours; by hour three of continuous wear, I noticed the typical dull ear-canal fatigue that comes with any tip-secured earbud at this weight, not a defect specific to the NC9. Smaller ears may find the housing sits slightly proud rather than flush.

TOZO NC9 Sound Quality — What a 10mm Driver Delivers at $35

TOZO NC9 sound quality follows a V-shaped signature — boosted bass and elevated treble with slightly recessed mids. For casual music listening and YouTube content, this tuning sounds engaging and full. Vocal clarity takes a modest hit in dense mixes, and mid-range instruments like acoustic guitar sit slightly behind the low-end shelf. For the price, the sound output is genuinely enjoyable rather than fatiguing, and the 32-preset EQ in the TOZO app goes a meaningful way toward correcting the bass emphasis if you prefer a flatter signature.

🔇 TOZO NC9 ANC Performance Test — Real-World Noise Cancellation

Across subway commuting, office HVAC, and outdoor walking, the pattern was consistent: effective at mid-frequency ambient noise, limited at deep bass frequencies. On my daily London Underground commute, ANC reduced train carriage noise to a low background hiss. Podcast dialogue became clearly audible at 55% volume where I'd normally need 80% without ANC.

In a direct comparison session against the Sony WF-C700N on the same subway journey, Sony's ANC cut engine rumble more completely — but the NC9 reduced enough ambient noise to make music and podcasts genuinely enjoyable for a commute. That's a meaningful result for $35. Outdoor wind causes noticeable ANC disruption at walking pace — the microphones pick up wind and generate unwanted noise artefacts, the weakest environment for the NC9's ANC.

🔋 TOZO NC9 Battery Life Test — Does 60 Hours Hold Up?

At 60% volume with ANC off, I measured 57.8 hours total — just under the rated 60-hour figure. With ANC active, I measured 41.5 hours total — slightly above the rated 40-hour figure. Both results are impressively close to TOZO's stated specifications, which is not always the case with budget earbuds.

In practical week-long WFH use — approximately 8 hours daily with ANC active — the TOZO NC9 needed charging once across a 5-day workweek. Ten minutes of USB-C charging gave approximately 3 hours of ANC-on playback, and the LED case display showed percentage accurately across both a Pixel 7 Pro and an iPhone 14.

🎙️ TOZO NC9 Call Quality Test — Zoom and Phone Calls

Across 12 indoor Zoom sessions during the WFH test week, callers consistently reported my voice as clear and audible without notable background noise — the 6-mic ENC array handles quiet desk environments adequately. Outdoor call quality in wind told a different story: during a walking call at moderate wind speed, callers reported my voice as "occasionally muffled." For mic quality that genuinely handles outdoor and noisy environments, see the site's earbuds with the best mic for calls roundup.

⚖️ TOZO NC9 vs Budget Competitors

Against other true wireless earbuds in the $35–$50 range, the NC9's headline advantage is ANC at all — most competitors at this price skip it entirely.

For users who need ANC specifically, the TOZO NC9's value position is difficult to challenge below $50. For a look at how mid-range Soundcore products compare, see the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC vs Sony comparison.

🔗 Multipoint and Connectivity

Multipoint connection between a Pixel 7 Pro and MacBook Pro 14" worked reliably throughout testing. Audio switched from laptop to phone automatically when a call arrived, with a 2.8-second average switching time, and no companion app was required to enable it — it's active by default after pairing both devices. For a broader comparison of budget multipoint options, see the site's earbuds with multipoint connection guide.

✅ Pros & Cons

🎯 Is TOZO NC9 Worth It for the Price?

Budget commuter who needs ANC for under $40 → Yes, buy it. Nothing else at $35 delivers hybrid ANC, 40+ hour ANC-on battery, multipoint, and six ear-tip sizes for fit. The ANC limitation vs premium alternatives won't matter for everyday subway and bus commuting.

Flight traveller who wants ANC for 10+ hour journeys → Skip it. Aircraft cabin noise sits in the deep bass frequency range where budget ANC struggles most. A premium ANC earbud or headphone is worth the investment for regular long-haul flights.

💬 People Also Ask

❓ FAQ — TOZO NC9 Review

M. Maksudur Rahman Titu

Founder, Trendy Tech Reviews

M. Maksudur Rahman Titu has tested more than 30 wireless earbuds and headphones across every price point, focusing on real-world performance over spec-sheet claims.

🎧 30+ earbuds tested · ⏱ 3+ years reviewing