Truke Buds VIBE Review: Hit or Miss?

The Truke Buds VIBE, with its sleek design and convenient features, exudes a futuristic vibe. It's got huge 13mm titanium drivers, Bluetooth 5.3, 35dB ANC, Quad Mic ENC, and whatnot. That being said, is it worth the ₹1,699 price tag? Let's find out.

Truke Buds VIBE: Design & Build Quality

The Truke Buds VIBE comes neatly snuggled in a translucent case with a refreshing dual-tone black and orange finish. The charging case is lightweight, fairly pocketable, and when opened, gives the 'vibe' of a visor. Opening and closing the case with one hand is slick, and I appreciate the inclusion of the digital battery indicator, which enables quick and precise battery life monitoring. Overall, it's a plastic construction that is sturdy. However, be cautious because the visor is made of thinner plastic than the rest of the casing.

PROS

• Includes a Digital Battery Indicator
• ANC & ENC at Affordable Price
• Lightweight

CONS

• No App Support
• Distortion in Bass

Truke Buds VIBE: Comfort & Fit

The Buds VIBE comes with three sizes of ear tips, a standard one and two extras. The default ear tips were the most comfortable for me, irrespective of the extended listening sessions. Even throughout strenuous workouts, the earphones remained secure and comfortable.

Truke Buds VIBE: Active Noise Cancellation

The ANC can be activated by tapping the right earbud. Toggling between ANC and Transparent Mode is convenient with a touch-and-hold motion. As for the quality of the ANC, I wore the Buds VIBE on the Delhi Metro to Central Delhi; it was able to block a reasonable amount of noise, but the train's braking for the station was audible. For the price point, the level of the ANC is acceptable.

Truke Buds VIBE: Sound Quality and EQ Modes

The truke Buds VIBE features Default Mode with three additional EQ modes: Dynamic Audio Mode, Movie Mode, and Bass Boast Mode.

• Dynamic Audio Mode: Enhances vocal presence and high frequencies.
• Bass Boast Mode: As the name suggests, it boosts low frequencies.
• Movie Mode: The middle ground between Dynamic Mode and Bass Boast Mode.

I put the truke Buds VIBE to the test by listening to various genres such as Hip/Hop, Future Bass, Post-Rock, and Indie Pop. The output of the buds was sufficiently loud. However, I did experience distortion in Bass Boast Mode. At 90% volume, the bass distortion was less noticeable. However, at maximum volume, the low frequencies are completely distorted. Adding to this, there was sibilance in the Dynamic Audio Mode while listening to vocal-heavy tracks.

Truke Buds VIBE: The Voice Assistant

The voice assistant is only three taps away on the Buds VIBE's left stem.
It supports Google Assistant and Siri, and in my experience, the VIBE's assistant is pretty accurate. The in-built voice of the assistant while switching between modes has to be improved; it sounds almost robotic, as I previously observed in my review of the Truke Buds A1.

Truke Buds VIBE: Call Quality & ENC

In my opinion, the Buds VIBE provides a good calling experience. The mic has some reverberation, but it performs well. The mic audio is clear in isolation. Even in louder/noisier surroundings, the ENC effectively eliminates extraneous noise, and the microphone output on the receiver's end is clear. One feature I wish had been included is the option to toggle ANC on and off during a call.

Truke Buds VIBE: Charging and Battery

In my use case of listening to music while traveling with ANC ON, watching The Office on Amazon Prime, and playing BGMI, Call of Duty, and FreeFireMax, the Buds VIBE provided around 4 hours of playback. The charging case charged the buds nearly two and a half times, allowing me to go through the day without needing to charge them again. And of course, the battery level indicator on the charging case was a tremendous help because it updated me when it was time to refuel the juice.

Verdict

To sum it up, the truke Buds VIBE offers a mixed bag of features and performance. While it excels in terms of looks, simplicity of use, integration of digital battery indicator, and providing ANC at just ₹1,699, it does have certain drawbacks, such as no app support, bass distortion, and robotic voice navigation. If you value the advantages, especially ANC over the disadvantages, the truke Buds VIBE might be a good choice for your audio needs. If impeccable sound quality is higher on your priority list, you might need to embark on another exploring adventure.