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Raycon Everyday Earbuds (E25)
If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out why we’re re-reviewing a pair of true wireless earbuds almost two years after they came out, don’t worry. It’s not a trick of the eyes: the Raycon Everyday Earbuds is an almost identical product to the older E25 earbuds (which the company rebranded to “Everyday” shortly after our review ran). Turns out, Raycon has developed something of a habit of quietly (some might say sneakily) releasing new versions of its headphones and earbuds with the exact same look and name.
So, here we are again. Let’s see if the Raycon Everyday Earbuds are a compelling buy.
Editor’s note: This review was updated on August 29, 2023, to ensure the timeliness of the content within.
People looking for exercise buds they can use out of the gym too may like the Raycon Everyday Earbuds. Really, anyone who wants something simple and cheap will probably see the appeal.
What is it like to use the Raycon Everyday Earbuds?
To avoid retreading too much ground, suffice it to say the Raycon Everyday Earbuds of today looks and feels a lot like the one of two years ago. These true wireless earbuds come in the same pill-shaped charging case as before, sporting the same lightweight plastic build. Just like last time, the earbuds feature playback controls in the form of a multifunction button on each bud (it’s the R logo).
However, while the form is virtually the same, the function has changed a little. Where the last generation of Raycon earbuds was IPX4 rated, the new Everyday Earbuds features an IPX6 rating—not enough to handle submersion in water, but you won’t have to worry about getting caught in the rain. This rating also means it’s sweatproof, so people looking for an unobtrusive pair of workout earbuds might find this attractive too.
The Raycon Everyday Earbuds charging case is largely the same as last time, with very minor aesthetic changes on the inside. It now supports wireless charging, which is a nice touch. The earbuds stay in the case using magnets, and it’s strong enough that you won’t have to worry about improper charging connections.
How do you control the Raycon Everyday Earbuds?
There are also a few more options for on-ear controls this time around. The Raycon Everyday Earbuds now comes with three EQ profiles—Bass Boost, Pure Sound, and Balanced Sound—and you can cycle through them by holding the left earbud button for two seconds. Volume control is now split between earbuds—a tap on the right side increases it, and a tap on the left decreases. This leaves room for a triple-tap to do what it typically does on headphones and take you back a song. There’s also an awareness mode, which filters in sound from outside using the earbuds microphone. Here’s a full list of the controls:
| Action | Left earbuds | Right earbud |
|---|---|---|
| Action Press once | Left earbuds Volume down | Right earbud Volume up |
| Action Press twice | Left earbuds Play/pause | Right earbud Play/pause |
| Action Press three times | Left earbuds Previous song | Right earbud Next song |
| Action Press four times | Left earbuds Activate voice assistant | Right earbud Activate voice assistant |
| Action Hold for 1.5 Seconds | Left earbuds Change EQ preset | Right earbud Awareness mode |
| Action Hold for 2 seconds (Left and Right together) | Left earbuds Power on | Right earbud Power on |
| Action Hold for 10 seconds (Left and Right together) | Left earbuds Power off | Right earbud Power off |
What Bluetooth codecs does the Raycon Everyday support?
The Raycon Everyday Earbuds has pretty much all the same connection options you’d expect of an average pair of true wireless earbuds. The earbuds support the default SBC codec, as well as AAC, which is great for iOS devices, but means Android users don’t really have a reliable high-quality codec. AAC operates inconsistently on Android, depending on which device you have. However, the Everyday Earbuds also uses Bluetooth 5.2, so it may one day support the new LC3 codec, which is pretty cool.
How is the battery of the Raycon Everyday Earbuds?
According to Raycon, the Everyday Earbuds battery lasts 8 hours on single charge, but in our test, it fell well short of that. At a consistent output of 75dB, the Raycon Everyday Earbuds lasted 6 hours, 43 minutes—not a bad result (and an hour longer than last time), but not all that close to the best on the market.
Raycon also claims the charging case has an additional 24 hours of charge, and nothing from the review period indicates otherwise. The case charges over USB-C or wirelessly using Qi charging pads.
True wireless earbuds have very tiny lithium-ion battery cells that degrade quickly over time. Don’t be surprised if your Raycon earphones only last a couple of years, tops. This short lifespan is a consequence of the constant charge-deplete cycle that earbuds are subjected to every time they’re inserted back into the case. True wireless earbuds are unique from other wireless audio products that aren’t constantly charging when inactive.
How well does the Raycon Everyday Earbuds block out noise?
While the sound isn’t great, the Raycon Everyday Earbuds is pretty good at isolating you from your surroundings. There’s nothing approaching active noise canceling here, but as long as you select the right ear tips (the earbuds come with four extra pairs) to establish a decent seal you shouldn’t have problems in most environments—just don’t expect to miss any car horns.
How does the Raycon Everyday Earbuds sound?
The Raycon Everyday Earbuds audio output is, in a word, bad. Even on Pure sound—the EQ preset with the most accurate frequency response—bass sound and high range sound are rather emphasized compared to our target curve (pink). There’s no Raycon app for you to EQ these earbuds, so this is what you’re stuck with unless you want to explore third-party EQ applications.
Lows, mids, and highs
Drum kits prove a little uncomfortable to listen to coming out of the Raycon Everyday Earbuds, even at pretty moderate volume levels. On If You Know by Barton Fink, the rhythm section can feel pretty overwhelming—the crack of the drum impact and the tap of the hi-hat sound way too loud and ultimately feel piercing, even when other sounds aren’t especially obtrusive in the original mix. You can counter this by turning the volume down, but then the vocals and synth come through far less clear.
How is the microphone?
The Raycon Everyday Earbuds microphone sounds pretty typical of mid-tier true wireless earbuds. Everything sounds pretty muffled, and the mic drops the bassier parts of your voice, which is common, but that’s hardly a defense. This will suit a phone call, but don’t expect to record any podcasts. Listen for yourself:
Raycon Everyday Earbuds microphone sample (non-standardized):
How does the microphone sound to you?
Should you get the Raycon Everyday Earbuds?
Regardless of your needs, there are just too many good and similarly priced true wireless earbuds to make the Raycon Everyday Earbuds worth buying.
The Raycon Everyday Earbuds is comfortable, and it isolates well. Added features like EQ presets and transparency mode are nice to have, too. However, the earbuds just don’t sound very good, which kind of renders all the other positives moot. Overall, it’s an improvement over the previous generation (sort of) but it didn’t fix the most important problem.
What are some alternatives to the Raycon Everyday Earbuds
For less than half the price, the Edifier TWS1 is one of the best budget true wireless earbuds you can buy—especially if you value sound quality. The buds are a little slippery, and the case still charges with microUSB, but these are far more accurate sounding than the Everyday Earbuds. AptX also sweetens the pot, bringing a high-quality audio codec Android users can actually use, though iPhone users will have to settle for SBC.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus is a great value product. It’s a few years old, but that means it frequently goes on sale—at the time of writing you can get it for $99.99 USD. These IPX2 buds come with support for SBC, AAC, and the Samsung Scalable Codec, so there’s a little something for everyone. On top of all that, the Galaxy Buds Plus sports the best battery performance for true wireless earbuds on the market, and it’s not even close—these buds can last for almost 12 hours before you need to put them in the case.