TOZO Tonal Fits T21 Review

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 are inconspicuous budget earbuds offering everything you need for less than $30, app included. However, their “semi-in-ear” design means weaker noise isolation and stability during workouts.

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• List price (MSRP): $28.79
• Manufacturer: TOZO

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Related: Best wireless earbuds under $30 – Most comfortable earbuds – Best earbuds for calls

Our Conclusion

TOZO Tonal Fits (also known as TOZO Tonal Fits T21) are feature-packed budget AirPods lookalikes that strongly resemble TOZO T20.

Biggest selling points are long battery life (9.5 hours per charge), comfortable semi-in-ear fit, and decent sound quality, thanks to some in-app EQ customizations.

On the other hand, they suffer from typical classic earbuds (without ear tips) problems, like weak passive noise isolation and sub-bass extension in the music, as well as loose stability when exercising.

This review will explore whether the pros outweigh the cons and who these earbuds are best for.

Pros & Cons:

Why Trust Us?

We’ve tested over 200 headphones and written equally as many in-depth articles on audio. We take our testing seriously so that you can learn everything about the headphones you’re buying.

Here’s a precise description of how we test headphones.

Our Analysis and Test Results

From our in-depth testing, TOZO Tonal Fits T21 offer an unbalanced default sound with dominant bass and lower midrange region. Earbuds also showed weak passive noise isolation results during noise measuring tests.

In contrast, they almost reached the promised 10 hours of battery in our battery life test, in which we got 9 hours and 27 minutes.

Sound

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 deliver a surprisingly full sound, despite their non-in-ear fit, and provide an accurate imaging. However, they’re highly undetailed and lacking airiness.

Key points:

• Slightly dull default sound with a punchy bass and undetailed treble.
• Relatively natural sound once applying our custom EQ settings.
• While the soundstage is small, the imaging is pretty accurate.

Check our TOZO Tonal Fits T21 A/B sound test

Gone are the days when classic earbuds couldn’t output bass. Apple AirPods 3 showed they can be bassy, whereas SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS proved they can be very balanced. Well, TOZO Tonal Fits T21 demonstrate that they can deliver a full, punchy sound even for less than $30.

However, unlike those two options, the TOZOs lack in technical performance, especially in the treble. EQing helps, but the sound congestion doesn’t go away.

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 frequency response

Bass: Pleasant tone but lacks extension

As mentioned, the bass (and lower midrange) are quite present on these earbuds, making the sound quite full. Maybe even too full. Fortunately, it doesn’t feel bloated, even by default.

Low frequencies produce a pleasant rumble and are great for listening to acoustic songs, like “Mexican Girl” from Smokie. You also get to hear a decent bass kick.

However, as expected, you don’t get much sub-bass rumble due to poor bass extension. Control is also lacking, especially when listening to rock or metal music.

Listen to our custom EQ and other EQ presets

Midrange: Somewhat thin and untextured

The midrange desperately needs some custom EQing, as it sounds thin and muted by default. Making a few EQ tweaks helps make the sound more natural, but they don’t fully resolve the thinness.

Vocals benefit the most from the EQ tuning, while the instruments remain relatively untextured and dull. At least electric guitars get slightly more energetic.

Treble: Smooth but undetailed

Treble is overall pleasant, which is uncommon for TOZO earbuds (they typically display obvious V-shaped sound signature). It produces a pleasant sizzle but gets easily lost in the mix.

You should boost the treble slightly to give it some energy and presence. However, don’t expect to hear more details than before.

Soundstage and imaging

The soundstage is relatively small and only big enough to prevent the sensation of sounds playing inside your head.

In contrast, the imaging is surprisingly accurate. You can easily track the sound’s location when you hear it panning from left to right.

Sound Comparison

My conclusion

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 offer inoffensive sound tuning that desperately need some EQ tweaks. After doing so, they sound good enough for most people, especially those who really dislike in-ear fit.

On the flip side, if the in-ear fit doesn’t bother you and you want a better sound, you should definitely check the TOZO T10 (2024 Version).

Also check other:

• Best cheap earbuds

Comfort & Fit

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 provide exceptional comfort thanks to their design. However, because of it, they also fall out of your ears after just a gentle head swing.

Earbuds have a semi-in-ear design, which means they avoid using ear tips. That results in zero ear canal pressure or scratching.

Due to their similarity with earbuds like Apple AirPods 3, they’re also incredibly comfy. You don’t feel them at all during usage, even during longer listening sessions.

However, this design is highly impractical for stability. Unlike AirPods 3, the Tonal Fits use matte instead of glossy plastic. The latter touches your skin with more surface area, which improves overall stability.

In comparison, you can feel the Tonal Fits sliding and twisting in your ears after just the slightest movement. I leaned my head slightly backward, and the earbuds immediately fell out.

Consequently, I don’t recommend these for exercising or outdoor use since you might lose them. That said, some ears are more compatible with semi-in-ear design than mine, so your experience might differ.

How pocketable is the charging case?

The charging case is relatively small but not as small as the Apple AirPods 3 or SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS. While not as tall as the other two, it’s noticeably “fatter”, which results in a more noticeable bulk in your pocket.

Comfort and fit during activities:

• Commuting: Their exceptional comfort makes them ideal for commuting or traveling, while their inadequate stability might be a problem when exiting public transport or walking down the street.
• Exercising: Earbuds lack the stable fit needed for exercising. Suitable for weightlifting at best.
• Running: Weak fit causes earbuds to jump in your ears, meaning you need to constantly readjust them instead of focusing on running.

Compared to other similar models

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 are as comfy as most classic earbuds, like the Air3 Deluxe, or even more comfortable than the JBL Tune 225TWS, but they are less stable than AirPods 3.

Durability

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 have an IPX8 rating, meaning they can survive full water submersion for over 30 minutes. In contrast, the charging case is unprotected and has a fragile-looking hinge.

Like the TOZO T10 (2024 model), the Tonal Fits boast an IPX8 rating, meaning they can withstand sweating and even swimming underwater at 1.5m depth for longer than 30 minutes.

Conversely, earbuds do not have a dust rating, so you should still avoid using them in dusty places (outdoor roads and workout areas).

How do they feel in my hands

Earbuds sport a basic TOZO design and feel lightweight. They’re made of 6 pieces, which is a bit much, but they seem tightly glued together. Despite their stem design, it doesn’t seem like they could accidentally break open.

Charging case durability

Unfortunately, the charging case doesn’t have the same protection as earbuds, so you should keep it away from moisture and dust.

Moreover, the lid’s hinge is thin and is probably the first thing to break if the case falls on the floor.

Are they suitable for…

• Wearing in the rain: Earbuds will easily survive wearing them in light and heavy rain.
• Running & exercising outside: They’re durable enough for exercise, although their lack of official dust resistance means you should be cautious not to wear them on overly dusty roads.
• Sweating: You can peacefully drench them in sweat and later wash them under a tap.
• Dipping underwater: The Tonal Fits’ IPX8 rating means you can even use them for swimming (although we don’t recommend it).

Durability comparison

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 are similarly durable as TOZO T10 and TOZO T20 (both rocking IPX8) and more durable than SoundPEATS Clear (IPX4).

Battery

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 play music for 9 hours and 27 minutes on a single charge, with another 34 hours packed inside the charging case. They also support Qi wireless charging, but there is no official mention of fast charging.

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 battery comparison

Tonal Fits are yet another TOZO earbuds (without ANC) that dominate the battery duration charts. In our battery life test, where we left them playing at 50% volume, we got precisely:

• 9 hours and 27 minutes of playtime on a single charge, with another 34 hours left in the charging case.

That’s only 30 minutes less than in TOZO T20 and an hour less than in TOZO T10 (2024 Edition). That said, they are far from the SoundPEATS Sonic with their 14-hour battery life.

Nonetheless, the charging case holds another 34 hours of playtime and supports Qi wireless charging, which is neat for less than $30. Strangely, though, there’s no mention of the fast-charging support.

Battery rating comparison

Here’s how Tonal Fits battery rating compares to ratings of similarly priced competitors:

Note: The battery rating considers battery life compared to alternatives, wireless charging support, and the speed of recharging.

Features

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 are cheap yet feature-rich, with good call quality and many customization options in the app. You can even join a community of TOZO users and select EQ presets from those exact users.

TOZO is getting really generous with their products, even the ones that cost less than $30. Generosity comes in the form of their app, which is continuously receiving new features.

App allows you to:

• Change controls
• Tweak EQ settings
• Engage with other TOZO users
• Update firmware

Of course, some features require you to create an online account. However, you don’t need to do that to access the most important ones (unlike SoundPEATS, which forces you to register even to use the app).

Control customizer

Customizer lets you allocate commands to a different gesture. You can use single, double, or triple taps and long-press gestures.

The only limitation you get is that long presses only work as volume controls. Fortunately, you can turn off gestures you don’t need or cause problems (like “ghost touches” when your warm breath activates the single tap command).

Sound Effects

TOZO continues to provide its 10-band graphic audio equalizer, which often greatly improves the sound. Tonal Fits are no different. Feel free to use our custom EQ settings to improve your sound.

Apart from 16 EQ presets, the “EQ Zone” is the new feature where you access custom EQ settings posted by the community. Of course, you need to register to access it.

Community (social network)

Recently, TOZO created a “Community” where users can post images and engage with other users. It’s similar to Instagram and less laggy than at launch (although still quite laggy).

I don’t see this feature’s appeal, primarily due to random headphone posts that people share (I mean, what else could you expect from TOZO’s social media). It doesn’t lure you to spend multiple hours on it, like other social media apps.

“Explore” tab

Tapping the Explore tab gives you access to numerous “soothing sounds” that help you relax after a stressful day, focus on your work, or fall asleep.

Open the playback interface to set the audio clips them to play in a loop. Furthermore, note that some clips refuse to play, which is strange.

Microphone quality

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 provide a satisfactory call quality thanks to their dual-mic noise canceling tech, especially when speaking in quieter environments, with some distortion once exposed to louder noise.

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 microphone test: (no noise test from 0:00-0:22, with background noise test from O:22-0:46)

Tonal Fits actually perform better than other TOZO earbuds under $50, delivering overall good call quality. Your voice is a bit too full (lower frequencies are slightly too boosted), but you remain perfectly understandable.

When exposed to loud traffic, your voice gets slightly distorted and less clear. However, you still sound better than most competitors under $50 and especially under $30.

If you’re looking for affordable earbuds with decent microphones for quick phone or video calls, TOZO Tonal Fits are a good choice.

Features rating comparison

For the price, these have a ton of features, which puts them in a high spot compared to most competitors.

Noise Isolation

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 have poor passive noise isolation and actually boost some midrange frequencies due to their design. They also leak sound out, although less so than you might expect.

Passive noise isolation performance of the TOZO Tonal Fits is some of the weakest on the market. It closely compares to the SoundPEATS Air4, another semi-in-ear earbuds.

While you can expect poor isolation due to their design, they also boost outside noise. Midrange frequencies, in particular (between 1kHz and 3kHz), to which our ears are the most sensitive.

Consequently, when walking down a busy road, tire noise is noticeably louder and more shimmery than when you don’t wear earbuds. That makes them unsuitable for outdoor use and commuting.

Here’s a table of how effective is TOZO Tonal Fits T21’s passive noise isolation at blocking specific frequencies:

How severe is sound leakage?

Sound leakage is noticeable, so you shouldn’t wear them in quieter public spaces like libraries. At around 60% volume, people around you could perfectly hear what you’re listening to.

Noise isolation rating comparison with other models

Bluetooth

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 can reach an indoor Bluetooth range of 45 feet (13.7 meters) and sport a robust Bluetooth version 5.3. However, they lack multipoint connectivity and have a visible in-game audio lag.

With Bluetooth 5.3, Tonal Fits shouldn’t have connection issues in a building full of other wireless devices. At least, that was the case in my experience.

Even when leaving a transmitting device (smartphone) on the other side of the house, I haven’t encountered any interruptions or stutters. Earbuds managed to reach:

• 45 feet (or 13.7 meters) of indoor range, or a few feet more after passing the second brick wall.

Unfortunately, while having strong connection, they lack Bluetooth multipoint. That’s not a dealbreaker but still a neat feature to have.

How to pair TOZO Tonal Fits T21?

To pair these earbuds, you simply need to take them from their charging case and wait for the pairing mode to initiate automatically. Learn more detailed steps on how to pair TOZO earbuds to any device you want and troubleshoot pairing issues.

• To pair them to a different device, follow the instructions above but ensure to turn OFF Bluetooth on devices that were previously connected to the earbuds.

What Bluetooth codecs do they use?

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 sport basic SBC, AAC, and the new LC3 audio codecs, the latter being part of Bluetooth 5.2 and above.

Is there an audio lag?

There’s no visible audio lag when watching video content on YouTube or social media apps like Instagram or Facebook.

On the other hand, there’s a noticeable delay when playing mobile games. Since there’s no Game Mode or a Bluetooth codec to minimize latency, competitive gamers should avoid these earbuds.

Bluetooth rating comparison

Should You Get TOZO Tonal Fits?

TOZO Tonal Fits T21 wireless earbuds have ups and downs, but generally, they’re hard to recommend unless you really dislike in-ear fit. But even if that’s the case, you should look at some alternatives instead.

Pros & Cons

Who are these best for…

• They’re only suitable for users who will use them at home.
• For users that find in-ear fit uncomfortable or too isolating.
• For users who conform to the two statements above and don’t wish to spend more than $30 on TWS earbuds.

Who should avoid them?

• Active users should avoid these earbuds due to poor stability.
• Users who plan to use earbuds outdoors or for commuting should also avoid these earbuds.

How do TOZO Tonal Fits compare to the competition?

Here’s their value rating compared to similar alternatives:

Are they worth the price?

As of the time of writing, the TOZO Tonal Fits T21 cost precisely $28.79 on Amazon, and a coupon can further reduce their price. If you’re searching for non-in-ear earbuds, this is a tempting offer worth checking. Just know that there are better in-ear options in this price range.

TOZO Tonal Fits alternatives

TOZO T10 (2024 Edition)

SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS

What’s in the Box?

• TOZO Tonal Fits T21 true wireless earbuds
• Charging case
• USB-A to USB-C charging cable
• Quick guide & user manual

Specifications