Yes, the TOZO NC9 are worth it if you want active noise cancelling earbuds that keep going for up to 10 hours a charge with it switched on. What you give up, going by TOZO’s NC20 Pro page and its own comparison, is two-device connection and the LDAC codec, both listed for its NC20 Pro and not for the NC9.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Hybrid, up to 45 dB, plus transparency mode |
| Hours a charge | Up to 14, or 10 with noise cancelling on |
| Hours with the case | Up to 42 with noise cancelling on |
| Microphones | Six, with ENC for calls |
| Water rating | IPX8 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3, up to 15 meters |
| Drivers | 10 mm |
| Case | LED battery display, 33.2 g |
| In the box | Ear tips in six sizes, 20 cm USB-A to USB-C cable |
Noise cancelling on the NC9 earbuds: built for a steady hum
The TOZO NC9 Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds use hybrid noise cancelling rated at up to 45 dB. It combines feedforward and feedback processing. Hybrid means two kinds of microphone work together: one listens to the noise outside your ear, while the other checks what still gets through. TOZO describes the result as reducing lower frequencies, so these earbuds aim their active noise cancelling at low drone, like a plane cabin or a bus engine.
The noise cancelling level is adjustable, and the TOZO app switches its modes. Wind noise reduction covers gusty days. Transparency mode does the opposite. It uses the outer microphones to let sound in, so you hear what’s around you with the earbuds still in.
How long the NC9 earbuds last with noise cancelling on
The NC9 earbuds last up to 10 hours a charge. The case stretches that to 42 hours, both with noise cancelling on. Switch it off and each charge rises to 14 hours. So noise cancelling costs 4 hours. The 42-hour total comes from TOZO’s FAQ and its NC20 comparison, while the Amazon listing says 40.
The case holds up to 32 of those hours. It refills the earbuds three times with 2 hours left over, so at 3 hours a day the earbuds and a full case last up to two weeks.
Sound and the TOZO app
TOZO builds the NC9 around 10 mm drivers and its OrigX Acoustics tuning. Want more or less bass than the default? The TOZO app holds 32 preset EQs, plus more than 2,000 that other listeners have shared. You can also post your own curve to the app’s EQ Zone, so install the app before you decide you don’t like the sound.
Calls, controls and fit
Calls go through six microphones. ENC filters out background sound so your voice comes through. TOZO promises clear calls even when it’s noisy. That’s the claim to weigh for calls on a busy street. A few taps on the earbuds pause music and answer a call, so the phone can stay in your pocket.
The box also has ear tips in six sizes. Try a few before you judge the noise cancelling, because a tip that doesn’t seal lets outside sound slip past. The charging case measures 62 by 39.2 by 27.8 mm, and its LED display shows the remaining battery, so there’s no guessing before a trip.
Rain, sweat and workouts: what IPX8 means here
The NC9 carry an IPX8 rating. TOZO credits a nano-coating and a patented waterproof structure for it. On TOZO’s listing, that means sweat, rain and accidental splashes. That covers a hard gym session or a wet walk to the station, but TOZO’s product page and the listing stop there, with no mention of swimming.
What TOZO’s NC20 Pro adds for more money
Dual device connection and LDAC appear on TOZO’s NC20 Pro page, and neither appears for the NC9 in TOZO’s own comparison. The NC9’s product page doesn’t name its Bluetooth codecs at all.
At TOZO’s own US store, the NC20 Pro costs more than the NC9. The extra money buys Dual-Device Connectivity for a phone and a PC at once, and LDAC with Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification. Its adaptive noise cancelling is also rated at up to 52 dB, against 45 for the NC9, and its page lists longer battery life too. None of that matters much if you listen on one phone and 10 hours a charge is plenty. Then the NC9 handle the same commute for less.
Who the NC9 earbuds are for, and who should pass
Get the NC9 if you want earbuds with active noise cancelling for long commutes and flights. The battery is the reason. They also make sense for the gym, runs in the rain and anyone who likes to tune their own sound.
Pass on them if you move between a laptop and a phone all day, or want LDAC, because both needs point to the NC20 Pro instead. If you’re still comparing brands, our best wireless earbuds guide puts the NC9 beside six other pairs.
More than one TOZO NC9: check which pair you’re buying
More than one earbud on TOZO’s store goes by NC9, and only one is the IPX8 pair with six microphones. Check four specs on a listing before you buy:
- Water rating: IPX8 on this pair, IPX6 on TOZO’s other NC9.
- Microphones: six with ENC, against a dual-microphone setup.
- Bluetooth range: 15 meters, against 10.
- Drivers: 10 mm on this pair, against 9 mm.
TOZO calls the IPX8 pair the NC9 Upgraded, and it’s the one behind our TOZO NC9 product page. If a listing says IPX6, it isn’t this pair, since TOZO’s other NC9 lists IPX6.
TOZO NC9 questions
Do the TOZO NC9 have a game mode?
Yes. The TOZO NC9 have a Low-Latency Mode for games and video. TOZO says the mode keeps the audio in sync with the picture, and that it runs on the earbuds’ Bluetooth 5.3 connection. The Amazon listing puts the latency at 60 milliseconds, a figure TOZO’s own site doesn’t give.
Are the TOZO NC9 and NC9 Pro the same earbuds?
No. The TOZO NC9 Pro is a separate model. Its page on TOZO’s store lists an IPX8 rating and a 10 mm driver, the same as the NC9. That page gives only a 60-hour total, so the two pairs can’t be compared on hours with noise cancelling on.