QCY Q29 Wireless Bluetooth headphones review

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Welcome to the next chapter in my ongoing quest to find a pair of Bluetooth headphones that I can use while working out. I’ve tried a few pairs of wired Bluetooth earbuds with limited success, but for a while now, I’ve had my eye on the latest version, the completely wireless style. The QCY Q29 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones looked like a good pair to evaluate, with their relatively small profile and compact charging case. Let’s see how they did! Gadget on!

Options

The QCY Q29 Headphones are available in two color schemes:

  • Space Gray (reviewed here)
  • Pearl White

Tech Specs

Per the Amazon page for the QCY Q29:

  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • 220 mAh battery provide extend 12 hours music and talking time. 45 mAh battery for each earbud.
  • Wireless connect range up to 10 meters (33ft)
  • Charge Port: Micro USB
  • Earphone Weight (Each): 5.3g
  • 12 Month Warranty

Packagingqcy q29earbuds 01 1

I liked the QCY Q29 packaging.  It’s compact, with little wasted material, and it is made from 100% recyclable cardboard.  Note also that it is sealed with a strip of tape.

Contents

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  • QCY Q29 Bluetooth Earphones
  • 220 mAH Charge case
  • Micro USB Charging Cable
  • 3 Ear Tips
  • English User Manual
  • Original QCY Package Box

Features & Performance

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Initially, the QCY Q29 earbuds were inside their charging case, and my first impression after removing the charging case from the package was, “Wow, this is really small and compact!”  I suppose when you don’t have to store any wires, you can save some space.  The charging case has a dark gray-tinted, translucent lid, through which you can just make out the Q29s beneath it.

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Opening the clamshell-style charging case, I was immediately impressed with the look and style of the Q29 earbuds.  Their color and shape compliment the charging case quite well in their dark gray color scheme.

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The Q29 earbuds fit down into charging case in separate right and left “pockets” that have been specially shaped for each of them.  In the photo above, you can also see that each pocket has two tiny metal contact points that are used to charge the Q29 earbuds.  More on this below.

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Above, a pic of the QCY Q29 earbuds.  I really like the look and styling.  They are dark grey glossy hard plastic on the front, with buttons that are slightly softer to distinguish them by touch from the other parts of the earbuds.

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In the photos above and below, you can see that the Q29 earbuds have removable soft silicone ear canal tips.  They came from the factory with the middle-sized tips attached.  You can also see from the photos above and below that, in my excitement to begin photographing the QCY Q29 earbuds, I forgot to remove the thin plastic film that covered the tiny metal charging ports that mate with the metal pins inside the charging case.  Oops.

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The Q29 earbuds have an interesting shape.  They are not the smallest wireless earbuds I’ve ever seen, but they are small, and their overall square, yet generously rounded shape gives them soft contours for fitting in your ear.

Initial pairing of the Q29 earbuds with my iPhone was fairly simple.  Per the instructions, pulling the earbuds from the charging case activates them. So I started by pulling the right Q29 earbud from case charging case, then putting it into pairing mode by holding down its button on for several seconds.  Next, I selected “QCY_Q29” and pairing for the right earbud was accomplished.  Pairing the left earbud involved pulling it from the case and holding its button down for several seconds to put it into pairing mode.  It automatically found the right earbud and paired with it.  Good to go.

However, here is where I found the QCY Q29 to be very frustrating.  I couldn’t keep them paired, with my phone or with each other.  I would put them back in the charging case, assuming they were charging properly.  But when I would pull them out of the case to use them, they would have lost their paring with my iPhone.  I would them have to go through the entire above routine again.  Occasionally this would work, but more than half of the time, the left earbud would refuse to pair per the above process.  Often I would go through the routine above several times only to be frustrated that it was not working, give up and angrily put them back into my workout bag.  No bueno.

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I have to admit that I was really not quite sure exactly how to wear the QCY Q29 earbuds.  My initial thought was to place them like in the image above and below, with the “QCY” logo in a readable position.

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The Q29 earbuds felt the most stable in this position because I was able to somewhat tuck them down into my ear.  In addition, the tiny microphone hole was facing forward toward my mouth, so it was in the best position to answer phone calls.

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However, because of the shape of the Q29 earbuds, especially the “spout” portion that fits down into the ear canal, the position shown in the image above and below actually gave me better sound.  qcy q29earbuds 19

However, as you can imagine, this position was not very stable, and it also significantly reduced their ability to answer phone calls because the microphone hole was directed away from my face.  Honestly, the Q29s were fine for sitting at my desk while working, but not very stable for exercising.  After a while, once the sweat started flowing, they would start to slide out and I’d have to constantly push them back in.  In fairness, I have had this problem virtually with every other pair of earphones or earbuds that I have tried for working out, and I suspect my issue is larger than average ear canals.  qcy q29earbuds 11 1

As mentioned at the outset, one of the aspects of the QCY Q29 that I really liked was its small, slim charging case.

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The Q29 earbuds can be placed in the case, which serves two functions, both storage, and charging. In order to charge the earbuds while in the case, the case has its own on-board battery.  The micro-USB to USB charging cable is then plugged into the back of the Q29’s case and this charges both the case’s on-board battery as well as the earbuds themselves.

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When everything is working properly and the Q29s are fully charged, the tiny LEDs on each earbud are lit in a white color, indicating that they are ready to go with a full charge, as seen in the images above and below.

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However, much more often I found it very difficult to position the left earbud properly so that it could charge in the case.  What I would see was more like in the image above, in which the right earbud has charged fully, but the left earbud did not charge, or only partially charged.  This was another frustrating aspect of the Q29s.

Conclusion

The QCY Q29 was a mixed bag for me.  I really like the appearance, size and styling of the product.  The small, slim charging case with its transparent lid, the shape and size of the earbuds themselves, even the colors and textures were all quite appealing to me.  They did fit in my ear a bit strangely; they were perfectly fine for sitting at my desk listening to tunes, but for working out, they were not ideal and I would have to continually shove them back in.  Additionally, it was difficult to keep the left earbud fully charged because I couldn’t seem to position it properly in the charging case.  Finally, and most frustrating, the QCY Q29 would not stay paired with my iPhone.  I would have to manually re-pair them constantly, and even then the left one often refused to pair.  All in all the QCY Q29 was a bit disappointing to me, especially because I really wanted it to work well.

Update 5/1/20

I stopped using the QCY Q29 earbuds quite a while ago due to the fact that the issues I stated in the original review actually continued to get worse, like keeping the left earbud fully charged because it didn’t fit properly in the case—it got to the point where I could no longer charge it at all. Further, I still couldn’t keep them paired with my iPhone.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by QCY. Please visit their online retailer, Amazon, for more info, to check pricing or to order.

 

Product Information

Price:Space Gray ($72.99), Pearl White ($72.99)
Manufacturer:QCY
Retailer:Amazon
Requirements:
  • A Bluetooth-compatible device
Pros:
  • Charging case is small & compact
  • Appealing styling
Cons:
  • Had major issues with keeping it paired
  • Didn't stay in my ears well during exercise
  • Left earbud was difficult to get in the case properly to fully charge it

37 thoughts on “QCY Q29 Wireless Bluetooth headphones review”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. Completely AGREED. I got mine from Taobao (equivalent of Amazon in China) for about 190RMB or $27USD. So I am not as upset as others who paid $72 for them.

    I guess I’m not alone in that the left earbud would always disconnect. And the issue seems to be more apparent when I go running outdoor – really not sure whether it’s the wind or the continous movement (though I never thought bluetooth can be affected by wind…)

    Yes – the left earbud also has issues getting charged. I used to simply slam the lid shut and it’d press the earbud into the charge case to get charged but that trick doesn’t work anymore.

    Anyway still crazy to see what cost $27 on this side of the planet costs $72 in the states…perhaps I should start selling them stateside.

    1. Thanks for stopping by The Gadgeteer and for your detailed feedback, Gordon! At first I thought that some of the issues that I had with this device might just be with the unit I received, but perhaps that is not the case and some of the issues are more widespread with other units.

      And you are right, that price differential is very surprising.

  3. The problem i had was with charging the buds but i discovered that although i had removed the plastic strip from the back of the buds a small amount was still in the contact holes. I cleaned the contacts with a small sharp pin removing leftover plastic and both charge equally and fully.

  4. Hey Andy, thanks for the review. I am also looking for some wireless earbuds, but I have found a lot of mixed reviews about the QCY Q29 and Syllable D900 Mini. How do they perform compared to each other, in terms of battery, sound quality, and form factor. Since you reviewed both of them, which would you say is better?

    PS: There’s also the TWS K2 Mini, which have a lipstick shape, but I can’t find any reviews at all for them. Any chance you tested them too?

    1. Hello, Ben! I have not reviewed the Syllable D900 Mini, those were reviewed by our fearless leader Julie, so I can’t make a comparison between them and the QCY Q29.

      The TWS K2 Mini look like an interesting product, but I have not reviewed those.

  5. The charging with these earphones works like this. If the LED on the earbuds are white, they are charging. If they are off, they are fully charged. Not the other way around, although I can see why it should be.

    1. Ah! That was my question when I came here actually 😉
      I was wondering what the charging/charged indicator would look like for this pair of earbuds. I think you are right, Mo.
      The red LED light in the charging box seems to be “connecting…/thinking about it…” type of light for me.

      1. To Clarify.. Red Means Charging, White Means fully charged, and ready to go (i.e. if you pull them out when white they come on automatically), after 5 minutes or so in white mode.. they will turn off (but are charged), and you will need to manually button them to turn back on when you pull them out.

        Hope that helps 🙂

  6. I purchased the same earbuds and for the life of me, I cannot get the left side to sync with the right. I’ve tried numerous ones to no avail. I’ve tried emailing and messaging on the page on Facebook I bought them from. I have bone been blocked from the page because I commented negatively I’m assuming. Super frustrated

    1. As mentioned above, I’ve had similar problems. The process for syncing/pairing that left earbud doesn’t seem to be consistent and when I do get it synced/paired, I usually have to do it again the next time I use them.

  7. I have had my Q29’s for a little under 2 months and for some reason the left earbud charges, turns on, stays on for a few minutes and turns off all without pairing. It used to pair. I don’t know what to do, but I am very dissatisfied at this point.

    1. As you can see from the comments here, this seems to be a common problem with these earbuds, Danny. I wish I could offer a good solution, but I myself have had that same problem.

      1. Here is how you do it:
        1. Pair the right earphone with your device, and keep the left earphone in the case.
        2. Then take out the left earphone and put it in
        That all, how simple!!!

      1. Mine are saying the left is the right and the right is the left also they will not stay paired together, the actual right one will disconnect when they are both paired together to my iPod

  8. To those who are having problems with the pairing of left earbud, follow the instruction below:-
    1. Turn off both of the earbuds
    2. Hold both of ’em at the same time for roughly 8 seconds – 13 seconds ( the light and red indicators will be appeared ) until it’s said paired to both of the earbuds.
    3. That’s it, It’s should be pairing with each other after pressed for 13 seconds. If its successfully connected afterward, just turn on your bluetooth device first before take out the right earbud in the next time. It’s should be automatically connected with the device first and then go straight to the left one ( after plucked out from the casing ).
    4. The first 8 seconds ( For reset the connections and stuff ) and the additional 5 seconds after that ( re-pairing mode activated)

    Credits to : Dodge Review ( Alternative Method of Pairing )

  9. You just don’t get it. The left refuses to mate with the right even though going through all the motions you described. From what I see mine are stuck in mono. How it got there and how to get it out is the big mystery. QCY has no tech support and has no interest in dealing with their customers in any way. If it doesn’t work to bad so sad. Unless QCY takes responsibility for their products BUYER BEWARE PURCHASE AT YOUR OWN RISK!

  10. Rich, I’ve experienced what you said. the left earbuds can’t connect with the right one. but if I used separately they are doing well (using mono L- earbuds only, or R- earbuds only). I almost give up since it is not used for one month and ready giveaway to someone.

    The solution is on the manual:
    1. Remove the QCY from your list bluetooth devices in your smartphone (unpair).
    2. Pair again R-earbuds with your smartphone. Make sure put your phone in pairing mode first before turning on the R-earbuds. Wait until pairing successfull then turn off R-earbuds.
    3. Turn smartphone’s bluetooth off
    4. With L-earbuds and R-earbuds in off status, press both the button switch for at least 8 seconds until LED lit white. this means both earbuds are connected each other.
    5. Turn smartphone’s bluetooth on and search and tap QCY Q29-R. It will connect in stereo mode if step 1-4 is successfull.

  11. Can you tell me please what is the smallest bluetooth earphone you’ve been mentioned in this review? Thanks

  12. I never had problems pairing them, but the sound quality is even beyond the expectations I had… I mean I have to turn up the sound to 100% so I can hear anything.

  13. For charging, there is a ultra small LED (red by default) just next to the USB charging cable behind the charging dock. As long as it is red it is charging the moment it turns off or no light the ear buds are charged. The light on the ear buds (red or white) do not make any difference….

  14. Hi,
    I just bought one. But when I listen to the music, the sound doesn’t consistent (both of them). Can you please tell me how to fix this problem and how to reset it.

    Many thanks

  15. Good afternoon, I bought a month ago the headphones QCY q29 pro. They worked well, and yesterday one right earpiece fell silent and did not turn on any more. I charged the headphones in the box, but the right earpiece still does not turn on. It does not light a bulb. What should I do?

  16. Had these for A year and they work fine pairing by removing from case placing in ears, pressing both buttons simultaneously and good to go maybe I am lucky I have had none of the issues outlined re charging or pairing
    Occasional loss of audio for a few seconds
    Sound remarkably good
    For the money highly recommended

    1. If functioning properly, you should not need to pair them every time you remove them from the case. However, I did find that often I had to re-pair them with my iPhone.

  17. I have the Qcy ear buds work fine but stopped syncing to my Bluetooth on my phone, I had them working the other day and the next day they stopped. now I cannot get the QCY -Q29 R to come up?

  18. The explanations for the LEDs in this post are a bit confusing (and it took me a while to understand what was actually happening)..

    For the CASE..
    The LED is RED for Charging, and BLUE for fully charged.

    For the Buds:
    The LED will flash RED when inserted into the case and charging starts, it will then be lit constant WHITE during charging, and turn OFF when complete. Once they are both charged the LEDs will BOTH be OFF.

    The Left bud usually fully charges faster because the right one is the master which talks to the phone and re-transmits the sound to the left bud in stereo mode, therefore using more power and being less charged after the same amount of use (this is why its usually the right bud that announces low battery and turns off first)

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