Axgio Dash True Wireless Headphone Review

Axgio Dash Hands-On

The Axgio Dash are a great pair of budget true wireless headphones. They have a very secure fit, and excellent sound for the price. Unfortunately, they have become difficult or impossible to find. See the links at the bottom of the review for highly rated alternatives.

What is True Wireless?

The Axgio Dash are budget true wireless earbuds. You might also call them headphones because they can be used together in stereo mode. This means that you get all of the benefits of traditional headphones, but none of the wires to get in your way and drive you crazy. This is an amazing feeling, and something that is especially beneficial during dynamic workouts. You can also use only one earbud if you prefer to have the other ear free to hear traffic during running, or in an office or study environment; this is referred to as mono mode. These headphones currently go for $39.99, but you can check up to date pricing by clicking the link above.

Name Confusion

Yes, these are the same Axgio Dash earbuds that were reviewed by Lewis from Unbox Therapy. If you’re a bit confused I don’t blame you. Amazon simply lists these as Axgio True Wireless Sport Headphones. Furthermore, they are listed as being sold by Laude, and in the listing they are called Axgio TWS Earbuds. Lastly, on the Axgio website they are referred to as the AH-T1, and they are much more expensive than in the Amazon listing. I think Axgio has done themselves a bit of disservice with this name confusion, but have no fear. I reached out to Axgio and they clarified that these are in fact the Axgio Dash, and that these are the same headphones that are also named AH-T1 or TWS. It may help some to know that the TWS stands for True Wireless Stereo.

Pairing

Pairing is not nearly as difficult as you might think. Just follow the standard Bluetooth pairing process on one earbud, and then power on the second earbud. Simply hold in the multifunction button of one earbud for 4-6 seconds. The blue and red alternating light will begin flashing. Continue holding until you hear “pairing.” Then turn on bluetooth on your phone and enter “0000” if prompted. You will then hear “connected” when pairing is complete. Then simply turn on the other earbud by holding in the multifunction button and you will hear “true wireless stereo connected” when both earbuds are connected. Once paired all you need to do is turn on both earbuds and they will connect to each other and your phone. To turn them off just hold the multifunction button in on one earbud. Both of them will turn off automatically once one is powered off.

Fit and Accessories 

Fit was very secure, with a moderate amount of sound isolation. Ambient noise isn’t a problem when listening to music. Over the ear hooks are on the firmer side, and kept them secure during workouts. The in ear fit is really nice; they fit more securely than most headphones of this type. They were generally comfortable, though you do get some ear fatigue after an hour or so of use. Axgio includes 3 pairs of silicone eartips (small, medium, and large), a split charging cable, and a hard case that included a carabiner for clipping to a backpack or other objects.

Sound

Sound quality was much better than I expected. The sound is very clear, balanced, and authentic to the true sound of the music. This is a big deal because a lot of headphones are muffled and have poor frequency range. To give you some comparisons, the sound was slightly more authentic sounding than the Hbuds H1, or Zeus Storm, which I have also reviewed. Sound quality overall is much, much better than the Senso Activbuds. Bass is moderate and precise, but not as strong as the Senso’s. Overall the sound was excellent and clear, especially for a pair of true wireless headphones.

Sound was very clear and lifelike when listening to YouTube videos. Volume was more than loud enough during music and video. Thee was no noticeable lag.

I used only right earbud for calls, as they are in mono mode during calls anyway. I also had trouble using only the left earbud; it did not pair in mono mode. However, the right earbud worked well independently, and the left connected to the right simply by turning it on. The person on the other end noted that I sounded a little echoey – like I was in an empty room. Sound was clear for both parties during calls, though not super loud for either. They’ll work for the occasional call, but I wouldn’t recommend them if this is your primary focus.

Specs

These headphones are IPX4 rated, meaning that they can withstand sweat and splashes of water. Workouts shouldn’t be any problem, but I wouldn’t recommend using these in the shower or pool. They also have Bluetooth 4.2, which is technology I have not seen in a lot of headphones so far. Advanced Bluetooth 4.2 technology claims to enable smart auto connectivity and 250% faster, securer, and more reliable over-the-air data transmission. I previously reviewed the Yemenren M8 true wireless headphones which have Bluetooth 4.1; in my tests the Dash’s had better range and stability. You will need a newer phone to take advantage of Bluetooth 4.2. though; anything Iphone 6 or Galaxy S7 forward should do the trick. I used a Galaxy S8+ in my tests.

Range and Stability

Range and stability is really the achilles heel of most true wireless headphones. Typical range was approx 50 ft, and at 60ft I had no dropouts on left when turning my head. During outside runs and workout I had no problems. I did have a few dropouts when working on a gutter and turning my head. However, during gym sessions there were some cutouts, and this can become pretty annoying. This tended to happen around weight stacks. However the connection would resume quickly, and did not happen often in most situations. The right earbud maintained a solid connection throughout, and dropouts only occurred with the left earbud. This could be duplicated by cupping the right earbud with my tightly. So, clearly the problem is with getting the signal to transfer from the primary to the secondary earbud. This is going to be true of almost any true wireless earbuds at this time, especially in this price range. This is simply a limitation of technology and Bluetooth strength and stability. The only true wireless option at this time with better stability is the Apple Airpods which have average sound, cost 3 times the price, are not really sports oriented.

Charging and Battery 

Charging will take 1-2 hours, and is accomplished by the split USB to dual micro USB charging cable. This can be connected to any standard 5 Volt  power brick that you probably have lying around from phones or other devices. Run time is rated at 6 hours at 50% volume. I ran them at about 70% volume and got a respectable 4.5 to 5 hours of run time. I will include the link above if you would like to order and extra cable. Alternatively the buds can be charged one at a time, or by using two separate chargers.

Conclusion

The Axgio Dash are an overall excellent option for the person set on having true wireless sport headphones. They are inexpensive, fit well, sound great, have above average Bluetooth stability for true wireless earbuds at this time, and look pretty decent.