Tribit FlyBuds C3 review: earbuds with impressive sound but underwhelming ANC

Tribit’s new wireless earbuds sound pretty Fly, and their modest asking price makes them pretty tempting — but they fall short of their rivals in one crucial area.

The Tribit FlyBuds C 3 are a good set of wireless earbuds, with impressive sound quality for the money, strong EQ options, and a comfortable fit. However, their underwhelming battery life and plasticky build slightly hold them back. And while they’re temptingly cheap, their limited ANC is the one thing that stops me from recommending them over similarly priced rivals.

Good sound quality with powerful bass

Highly customizable EQ

Compact, comfortable design

Underwhelming battery life

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These aren’t just any earbuds, they’re FlyBuds. And the new Tribit FlyBuds 3 look mighty impressive at a glance, especially when you consider their temptingly low price tag.

The Tribit FlyBuds 3 bring active noise cancellation, highly customizable EQ, and a six-microphone system for 'clear' voice calls. Sounds pretty good for $39.99 / £49.99 (about AU$60), right? But just how good are the FlyBuds C 3? I’ve been using them for a couple of weeks now, and this is my verdict.

First up, let’s talk about features. The Tribit FlyBuds C 3 offer a lot of the functionality you’d expect from thebest wireless earbuds.

Perhaps the main thing is ANC, which has five levels of strength, and can apparently block sounds “up to 45 dB”. I have to say, though, that ANC on the FlyBuds C 3 is disappointing. On walks, the sounds of nearby chatter and vehicles passing by were dulled, but still pretty audible. And when working in the office, the noise of typing was still pretty clear, even with my music at about 70% volume.

Again, the ANC here will certainly dull your surroundings, but it won’t block them out entirely. With that said, there is a very effective ambient mode that helps you stay aware of your environment when listening to tunes or taking phone calls on the go.

Most of the other features here did impress me, though. You get pretty detailed EQ options, with a number of presets for specific genres and use cases, as well as a full 10-band equalizer if you’re looking for more granular control. In addition, there’sa low-latency game mode, multi-point connectivity, and a hearing protection option.

Something else I appreciated about the FlyBuds C 3 was their inclusion of customizable touch controls. By disabling single touch commands, and mapping playback controls to double taps (as well as ANC alterations to press and hold), I was able to avoid accidentally triggering unwanted button presses. You can map specific controls to each individual bud too, which is a great touch.

I also found the mic quality here to be plenty good enough. When taking phone calls and making a recording, I found that my speech was replicated accurately — I didn’t have to put up with the almost ‘underwater’ quality that some cheap models can apply. I picked up a bit of sibilance, and the microphones’ ability to carve out background noise was pretty limited, but in my view the call quality here is adequate for the price.

There are a few areas that could be improved, though. The X-3D spatial mode just makes music sound louder and less refined, there’s no wear detection or higher-res audio codec support, and the battery life here is surprisingly average.

Yes, you get just five hours from the buds with ANC active and seven hours without noise cancelling on, with up to 35 hours of playtime available with the case (with ANC off). A lot of Tribit’s budget audio tech goes big on battery, so I was expecting more here — that five hours with ANC on is especially weak when you consider you’ll need to use the standard EQ and keep volume at 50% or less to achieve it.

The FlyBuds C 3 have been a bit of a mixed bag so far, but how do they fare when it comes to sound quality?

Let’s make a few things clear, though. These earbuds aren’t going to provide a wide, nuanced soundstage, impeccable detailing, or expert instrument separation. They can’t provide the quality that a pair of wired earbuds in this price-range, like theSennheiser CX 80 Ucan open up, for example, and keep things pretty basic. But you know what, they actually get those basics pretty spot on.

They definitely emphasize the bass first, but this works to good effect. When tuning intoRight Before My Eyesby N'n'G, the pounding low end hit with impressive depth and agility, without sounding muddy or unregimented. Vocals in the midrange weren’t particularly open or detailed, but they were relatively clear, and drums in the treble was articulate and snappy.

When listening to the 2020 remaster ofGiant Stepsby John Coltrane, I felt that instruments in the midrange sounded a touch recessed, but by giving them a bump with some EQ tweaks, they sounded clean and fairly expressive, and the keys were well-separated from the leading sax.

Overall, the FlyBuds C 3 provide good sound for their price. Treble can get a little edgy at the higher volumes, and the mid-range needs a bit of tweaking to sound its best, but the powerful bass really shines here.

In terms of design, the FlyBuds C 3 keep it pretty simple, and that’s no bad thing. The earbuds themselves are small and lightweight, and are housed in a curved, ultra-compact charging case, making them perfect for sliding into your pocket. While the buds do have a plasticky and cheap-looking appearance, this can be forgiven for the price, and they do look curved and fairly stylish in-use, whether you go for the black or white color variant.

You also get small, medium, and large ear tips in the box, enabling you to find the perfect fit. For me, the medium ear tips were spot on, and I found the C 3 to be very comfortable in use, with no signs of fatigue after a full day’s use. IP 55 waterproofing also makes these safe to use when working out or listening in light rain.

The Tribit FlyBuds C 3 sound pretty solid for the price, offer decent comfort, and have pretty generous EQ options. However, the models I’ve added in the ‘also consider’ section — the Nothing Ear (a) and JLab Go Pods ANC — deliver better ANC while still offering good sound quality. So, if you can get one of those models at a similar price to the C 3, you might get better bang for your buck.

The Tribit FlyBuds C 3 were released in September 2026, about five years after their predecessor, the FlyBuds C 2 hit the market. The C 3 deviate from the C 2 pretty drastically, offering a proper in-ear seal, as well as active noise cancellation capabilities.

With a list price of $39.99 / £49.99 (about AU$60), the Tribit FlyBuds C 3 sit firmly in the budget category. Rivals include theCMF Buds Pro 2, theEarfun Air 2, and theSony WF-C 510.

Active noise cancellation

5 hours (buds with ANC on); 8 hours (buds, with ANC off); up to 35 hours (with charging case)

Great EQ options and solid call quality, but ANC and battery life underwhelm.

Clear sound with deep bass, but not the most detailed and mids need tweaking.

A bit plasticky, but very compact and comfortable.

Cheap asking price with good overall quality, but some rivals offer more in terms of ANC.

You want good sound at a low priceThe Tribit FlyBuds C 3 offer pretty good audio quality, with particularly impressive bass and articulate treble. With some tuning, they also offer pretty expressive sound in the mid-range, making them a very solid, affordable pick.

You want super-comfortable earbudsI found the C 3 to be very comfortable in use, and they come with multiple-sized eartips, helping you to get the perfect fit for long listening sessions.

You want great ANCThe ANC on the C 3 is below average in my opinion, so if you want better noise-cancelling capabilities check out my recommendations in the ‘also consider’ section.

You’re looking for long-lasting battery lifeThe battery life on the FlyBuds C 3 isn’t awful, but it’s certainly nothing special. Five hours per bud with ANC on is pretty unremarkable. The affordableCMF Buds 2 will give you 6.5 hours of battery life with ANC on, which is a considerable step up.

$39.99 / £49.99 (about AU$60)

$36.99 / £29.99 / AU$69.95

$99 / £99 (about AU$140)

5 hours (buds with ANC on); 8 hours (buds with ANC off); up to 35 hours (with charging case)

7.5 hours (buds); 26 hours (with charging case)

5.5 hours (buds with ANC on); 9.5 hours (buds with ANC off); up to 42.5 hours with charging case)

JLab Go Pods ANCThe JLab Go Pods ANC are an exceptional value for money option, with solid ANC, a delightfully comfortable in-ear fit, and strong sound quality, marked by regimented bass and well-defined highs. Their battery life isn’t the best (that 7.5 hours figure is with ANC switched off), and they’re not the prettiest buds around, but all in all, we’re still big fans. Read our fullJLab Go Pods ANC review.

Nothing Ear (a)These buds may be a little old now, but as a result, you can often find them on sale for a relatively similar price to the FlyBuds C 3. We love the Nothing Ear (a) for their spectacular sound quality, impressive ANC, and stylish looks, so why not give them a go? Read our fullNothing Ear (a) review.

I spent two weeks testing the Tribit FlyBuds C 3, taking them everywhere with me — to the office, on public transport, and on walks. Testing them out in a variety of environments helped me assess their ANC in full, as well as their transparency mode.

When listening to music, I mainly used the Tidal app on myXiaomi 17 phone, but I also dipped into Spotify from time to time. As always, I commenced testing by sifting through theTechRadar reference playlist, which features tracks from a variety of genres, but I also listened to hours worth of tunes from my personal library.

More generally, I’ve spent years testing audio gear here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve tested all sorts of products, from wireless headphones like theSonos Ace Ultrato Dolby Atmos sounders like theMarshall Heston 120, as well as a huge array of earbuds, including the wiredSennheiser IE 200 and wirelessJBL Live Beam 4.