Following the Nanka N1, Nanka has launched its upgraded version, the N1S. It is lighter in weight, features a redesigned battery case, includes a dynamic driver unit in the earbuds, and has added ear hooks. This upgrade focuses on improving sound quality and wearing experience. So, how does it perform? Let's take a closer look at this newly released earphone.

Unboxing

The earphones come in two versions, white and black. I have the white version, and upon first seeing it, I found it very compact. The white version gives me a pure and sunny feeling, like enjoying music alone under the sun-dappled shade of a tree, everything feels youthful and bright.

The earphone accessories are as usual: a manual, a charging case, replacement ear tips, and a charging cable.

There are plenty of ear tips included, six pairs in total including the ones already on the earphones, but only one pair of ear hooks.

Product Details

The charging case features a minimalist design with rounded edges. The brand logo is centered on the top of the lid.

On the front of the charging case, three indicator lights show the battery level. During charging, the blue light flashes slowly, and once fully charged, the blue light stays on. If the earphones in the case are charging, these indicators will light up; otherwise, they remain off.

The back of the charging case has a Micro USB charging port. Each earphone has a battery capacity of 50mAh, which takes 1 hour to fully charge. The battery case has a capacity of 450mAh, taking 2 hours to fully charge. Theoretically, it can provide 5 hours of continuous talk time, and the battery case can recharge the earphones three times.

Opening the lid reveals two earphone slots. Due to the ear hooks, the battery case is designed to be relatively flat; otherwise, the thickness could be halved.

The earphones are marked with left (L) and right (R) symbols, and the ear hooks are also labeled accordingly.

The outer side of the earphones features a button design, surrounded by a faux-metal plastic ring, adding a lively touch. Speaking of buttons, some might wonder why it's not touch-sensitive. Nanka does have touch-sensitive models, like the N2, but buttons have their advantages. It comes down to personal preference.

Removing the ear tips reveals that the metal mesh of the sound chamber is somewhat rough and not smooth. There seems to be glue residue around it. Aside from this, the overall plastic casing of the earphones is well-sealed with no gaps.

The earphones use a magnetic contact design, making it easy to feel the magnetic pull when placing them in the battery case.

Earphone Experience

Each earphone can pair individually with a phone, meaning they can be used independently.

When you open the battery case and take out the earphones, they automatically power on, connect to each other, and then reconnect to the most recently paired phone (in dual-ear mode). The connection speed is very fast. You can hear a clear voice prompt saying, 'Power on, Bluetooth connected.'

This is thanks to the Bluetooth 5.0 technology used in the earphones, which provides faster and more stable signal transmission, reduces latency, and improves compatibility.

Sound Quality

The earphones use dynamic drivers, which help ensure sound quality to a certain extent.

Judging sound quality is quite subjective. I usually don't use professional equipment for listening to music, mostly just my phone. I used a headphone test playlist on Spotify to test the sound quality.

Li Ronghao's 'Ace Enemy' has a retro style and a light, humorous tone, which the earphones reproduce well, capturing the singer's voice accurately.

Crowd Lu's 'I Love You' starts with an a cappella that is well-reproduced, including a throat-clearing sound. Throughout the song, the singer's vibrato and high notes are clear and distinct.

Steve Brian's 'Wait For Me' has a dynamic rhythm and ethereal vocals, both of which are well-reproduced.

Calls

The earphones use Nanka's noise reduction technology, ensuring call quality during conversations.

Water Resistance

Thanks to the fully sealed design and nano-coating technology, the earphones support IPX5 water resistance, making them resistant to sweat and rain during outdoor runs.

Portability 

As mentioned earlier, the charging case is much smaller than the previous generation, making it easier to carry.

Each earphone weighs only 4.8g, and with the charging case, the total weight is 48.4g. They are small and light, fitting comfortably in your pocket. The earphones use Nanka's three-point support design, along with ear hooks, to ensure they don't easily fall out.

Controls

The earphones use button controls to achieve different functions through various combinations, such as answering calls, pausing playback, skipping tracks, adjusting volume, making calls, and activating voice assistants.

Pressing the button four times (on either earphone) will automatically redial the last outgoing call on your phone.

Long-pressing the button for 1 second allows you to skip tracks: the left earphone controls the previous track, and the right earphone controls the next track.

Pressing the button three times (on either earphone) can activate the phone's smart assistant, such as Siri on an iPhone or Jovi Assistant on my phone. The functions of a voice assistant don't need much explanation; if you use it frequently, this quick activation feature is very useful.

Overall, the button controls are quite convenient and responsive, not prone to accidental touches or lack of response. However, to use them proficiently, you'll need to spend some time memorizing the functions; otherwise, it's easy to press the wrong button.

Summary

I've previously used three different true wireless Bluetooth earphones, and each time I experienced them falling out. However, with the Nanka N1S true wireless Bluetooth earphones, I haven't encountered this issue. From the perspective of sports earphones, I feel confident that they won't fall out during use.

Pros:

1. Compact charging case, easy to carry.
2. Bluetooth 5.0, IPX5 water resistance, dynamic drivers, and intelligent noise reduction ensure the earphones' performance.
3. Detachable earphone design allows for independent use, but using both together provides a stereo effect.
4. Button design avoids accidental touches and response delays.
5. Can activate the phone's voice assistant.

Cons:

1. The plastic shell of the earphones is hard, causing discomfort and pain when worn for long periods.
2. The metal mesh of the sound chamber has a poor texture.