You bet we can dive deeper into the Baseus Bass BD1! These little true wireless stereo (TWS) earphones have certainly piqued interest, especially since they’re positioned as the next step after the widely popular Baseus Bowie WM01. The “Bass BD1” name itself makes you wonder if they’re all about that low-end thump. And when you hear that you can snag these for as little as $16 on platforms like AliExpress, the curiosity really kicks in. Are they just a rehash, or do they bring something genuinely new and valuable to the super-budget TWS table?
Familiar Looks, Upgraded Guts
Visually, the Bass BD1 earbuds don’t stray far from the WM01’s “bean-shaped” philosophy. They’re stemless, designed to nestle discreetly in your ear. The charging case is also compact, a smooth, matte-finished pebble that’s easy to pocket. It has a reasonably sturdy hinge for the price and a small LED indicator on the front to show charging status. The earbuds themselves are lightweight and have a similar matte finish, making them feel decent in hand. One thing they don’t offer, which is increasingly common but not a given at this ultra-low price, is Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). So, you’ll be relying on the passive seal of the eartips for noise isolation.
But under the hood, Baseus has packed in some noteworthy upgrades:
- Modern Connectivity: They sport Bluetooth 5.4. This newer version generally means more stable connections, potentially better power efficiency, and lower latency. They support the standard SBC codec, but also AAC, which is a plus for Apple device users and can offer a slight edge in sound quality over SBC on compatible Android devices.
- The Baseus App Experience: This is a significant step up. Having compatibility with the Baseus App (for both iOS and Android) opens up a lot of customization. We’ll touch more on this, but think EQs, control remapping, and firmware updates.
- Dual-Device Delight (Multipoint): For many, this will be a standout feature, especially at this price. The Bass BD1 can connect to two devices simultaneously. Imagine being connected to your laptop for a video call and seamlessly switching to your phone to take an incoming call without fumbling with Bluetooth settings. The manual calls this “Dual-Device” pairing, and it’s a genuinely useful perk for multitasking.
- Game On (Low Latency Mode): Gamers on a budget will appreciate the dedicated low-latency mode. Activating this aims to minimize the delay between what you see on screen and what you hear, crucial for competitive gaming.
- Ready for a Sweat (IP55 Rating): The official IP55 rating, clearly marked on the packaging, means these earbuds are protected against dust ingress and low-pressure water jets from any direction. In practical terms, they should comfortably handle sweat during workouts, light rain, or accidental splashes. Just don’t take them swimming!
- Endurance Claims: The box advertises a total of 35 hours of battery life when you include the charging case. Each earbud contains a 40mAh battery, which should give you a decent stretch of listening on its own – likely in the 5-7 hour range depending on volume and codec. The case itself is charged via USB-C, and Baseus thoughtfully includes a short charging cable in the box. Charging times are pretty standard for this category.
Audio Performance
Slipping the Bass BD1 into the ears, the fit is quite ergonomic and generally comfortable, even for extended periods. They come with a few sizes of silicone eartips, so finding a good seal is important for both comfort and sound quality, especially bass response. That slight “warm feeling” some users might experience after long sessions is pretty typical for in-ear designs that create a seal. In terms of sound isolation, it’s what you’d expect from a decent passive seal – it’ll muffle a good amount of ambient noise, but you won’t be completely cut off from your surroundings like you would with good ANC.
Inside each earbud, there’s an 8.6mm composite driver. Now, about that “Bass” in the name. If you’re expecting an overwhelming, skull-rattling bass experience right out of the box, you might be surprised. In the default “Baseus Classic” EQ mode (which is easily selectable in the app), the bass is certainly present and offers a nice, satisfying punch. It’s articulate enough, but it’s not excessively boomy or overly rounded. It has a slight warmth and stays mostly in its lane without muddying up the mids too much. Sub-bass is there, but it won’t vibrate your fillings out.
Where the Bass BD1 truly shines for its price is in the vocals and midrange. These frequencies come through with impressive clarity and a balanced, natural presentation. This makes them fantastic for listening to podcasts, where dialogue intelligibility is paramount, audiobooks, or even Murottal (Quranic recitations), as the reviewer noted. Male and female vocals have good texture and presence.
The treble performance is another area where these earbuds exceed expectations for their price. It’s clear, quite open, and enjoyable. There’s a decent amount of detail without it becoming harsh, sibilant (that unpleasant sharp ‘s’ sound), or fatiguing, even at higher volumes. This contributes to an overall sound that feels more refined than the price tag might suggest.
The soundstage (the perceived width and depth of the sound) is decent; it doesn’t feel overly cramped, but it’s not a vast, concert-hall experience either. Imaging, or the ability to pinpoint where sounds are coming from, is accurate enough for general music listening and, as mentioned, good for gaming directional cues.
Sound Signature
Despite “Bass” being front and center in its name, the Baseus Bass BD1 actually delivers a more balanced and versatile sound signature than one might expect, particularly in its default “Baseus Classic” EQ setting. It’s not a V-shape where bass and treble dominate; it feels more like a gentle U-shape or even relatively balanced with a good midrange presence. The “Bass Boost” mode caters to those who want more low-end, but it doesn’t make them purely bass-head TWS.
Compared to the original WM01, the Bass BD1 is a clear sonic upgrade in terms of clarity, detail, and control across the frequency spectrum. It likely surpasses the WM02 as well and, as mentioned, might be on a similar level to the Baseus Bowie WM03 in overall sound quality, though the WM03 has a different physical design and perhaps a more “solid” feel due to its build.
Baseus App
The Baseus App is a real game-changer here. For such affordable TWS, the level of control is excellent:
- Equalizer (EQ): You get a selection of presets like “Baseus Classic,” “Powerful Bass,” “Hi-Fi Live,” “Jazz Rock,” “Clear Treble,” and “Acoustic.” More importantly, there’s a custom EQ option where you can tweak the sound to your exact preference across several frequency bands.
- Bass Boost Mode: Separate from the EQ, there’s a toggle for “Bass Boost.” Activating this does noticeably enhance the low-end frequencies, making them feel a bit fuller and warmer, but it’s not an aggressive, quality-destroying boost. It generally maintains control without making the rest of the sound muddy.
- Low Latency Mode Toggle: Easy access to switch on the gaming mode.
- Gesture Setting (Touch Controls): You can customize what single taps, double taps, triple taps, and press-and-hold actions do on each earbud. Options typically include play/pause, track skipping (next/previous), volume control (up/down), activating your phone’s voice assistant, and toggling the low-latency mode. This flexibility is fantastic.
- Find Headphones: A handy feature that can play a sound through the earbuds if you’ve misplaced them nearby.
Gaming and Calls
For gaming, that Low Latency Mode is essential. Without it, there’s a perceptible lag, and you might hear the “ghost” of three or so footsteps after your character has stopped moving in a game like PUBG Mobile. With the mode on, the audio syncs up much more effectively, and that trailing sound reduces to about one or two “ghost” steps – a significant improvement that makes them viable for casual and even some competitive mobile gaming.
The microphone performance is where the budget nature is most apparent. It has a high gain, making it sensitive, but this can also lead to your voice sounding a bit shrill or “hot” if you speak loudly. The audio processing introduces a noticeable compression, resulting in a somewhat robotic or digitized quality to your voice. You might also pick up on some room echo, a bit of a boomy character if you’re in a resonant space, and an overall slightly tinny sound.
For casual phone calls or quick voice notes, it’s passable. If you’re in a quiet environment, the person on the other end will likely understand you. However, it struggles more with background noise. As the video demonstrated, with a fan, cafe noise, and rain, the mic tries its best, but clarity will suffer. It’s not going to be your go-to for important business calls or content creation where pristine audio is needed. The comparison to the Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G’s onboard mic in the review likely showed the phone’s mic handling noise and maintaining vocal naturalness much better.
Value Overload?
Considering these can be found for around $16 on AliExpress, the value proposition is incredibly strong. You’re getting a TWS with:
- Modern Bluetooth 5.4 and AAC support.
- Extensive app customization (EQ, touch controls).
- Convenient multipoint (dual-device) connectivity.
- A respectable IP55 rating for sweat and splash resistance.
- A surprisingly balanced and clear sound profile, especially for vocals and treble.
- Decent battery life.
At this ultra-budget price, ANC is a very rare find, and the ANC you do find is often quite weak. So, the BD1 skipping ANC to focus on other features at this price point is an understandable trade-off. It’s competing in a space where basic functionality and decent sound are the primary goals.
These are almost a no-brainer for students, anyone on a tight budget looking for their first TWS, or even as a reliable backup pair. They are imminently giftable thanks to their cute, compact design and inoffensive sound signature.
So, are the Baseus Bass BD1 the new “TWS sejuta umat”? Given their feature set and especially that sub-$20 price point, they have a very strong chance. They don’t have any glaring, fatal flaws for their price category. They’re small, sound pretty good (especially for vocals and general listening), and the app support adds a layer of polish and customization rarely seen this cheap. If you’re looking for an extremely affordable pair of TWS that punches well above its weight in features and balanced sound, the Baseus Bass BD1 demands your attention, especially if you spot a good promotion.
