Edifier W820NB Plus: Is Sub-$60 LDAC ANC Actually Worth It?

The Edifier W820NB Plus is one of the most common questions we get at TonePier: is a sub-$60 headphone with LDAC and Hi-Res Audio certification actually worth it, or is it spec-sheet marketing? The short answer is that it's a genuinely good budget headphone with a couple of real limitations you should know about before checkout. This guide covers how to actually turn LDAC on (it's off by default, and many buyers never find it), what the noise cancelling does and doesn't do, and how it stacks up against its most obvious rival, the 1More SonoFlow.

Edifier W820NB Plus: What You're Actually Getting

On paper, the W820NB Plus punches well above its price:

• 40mm dynamic drivers with a warm, slightly bass-forward tuning
• Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC and LDAC codec support
• Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification
• Hybrid active noise cancellation, rated up to -43dB by Edifier
• Up to 49 hours of battery with ANC off (around 33 hours with ANC on), per Edifier's published specs
• Fast charging via USB-C — a 10-minute top-up gives roughly 7 hours of playback
• Lightweight build at about 220 grams

Now the honest part. There is no wired option — no 3.5mm jack at all, so if the battery dies, the headphone is done until you charge it. There's no multipoint connection, so it pairs with one device at a time. And there's no aptX; you get SBC for compatibility and LDAC for quality, with nothing in between. Notably, AAC is absent too, which mainly matters for iPhone users — more on that below. The earpads are comfortable for a couple of hours but the clamp is on the lighter side, which helps comfort and slightly hurts passive isolation.

How to Enable LDAC on the W820NB Plus

This is the single most missed feature on this headphone. LDAC ships disabled out of the box, and you cannot turn it on from your phone's Bluetooth menu alone. Here's the process:

Step 1: Install the Edifier Connect app

Download Edifier Connect (iOS or Android), power on the headphones, and let the app detect them. Update the firmware first if the app offers one — early firmware had stability quirks that updates addressed.

Step 2: Toggle Hi-Res / LDAC in the app

In the device page, find the sound quality or Hi-Res setting and switch it from "Connectivity first" (SBC) to "Sound quality first" (LDAC). The headphones will disconnect and reconnect — that's normal.

Step 3: Confirm on your phone

On Android, go to Settings → Bluetooth → the gear icon next to W820NB Plus, and check that LDAC is active. In Developer Options you can also pick the LDAC bitrate; "Best effort" is the sensible default, as forcing 990kbps can cause dropouts in busy RF environments.

Two caveats worth stating plainly:

• iPhone users get no benefit. iOS doesn't support LDAC, and since the W820NB Plus lacks AAC, iPhones fall back to SBC. It still sounds decent, but the headline codec feature is Android-only in practice.
• Game mode and LDAC don't mix. Enabling the low-latency mode drops you back to SBC. Pick one depending on whether you're gaming or listening.

ANC on the W820NB Plus: Honest Expectations

Edifier advertises up to -43dB of noise reduction. In real use, here's how we'd characterize it:

• Low-frequency rumble — bus engines, airplane drone, HVAC hum — is where it earns its keep. It won't embarrass a Bose or Sony flagship, but for the price it's legitimately effective.
• Mid-frequency noise like office chatter is only partially reduced. Voices remain audible; music masks the rest.
• High frequencies (keyboard clicks, dish clatter) rely mostly on the passive seal, which is average due to the light clamp.

There's also an ambient/transparency mode. It works, but it sounds noticeably processed and slightly hissy — fine for hearing a boarding announcement, not something you'd leave on all day. If quiet is your top priority rather than value, browse our ANC headphones collection for stronger (and pricier) performers.

Edifier W820NB Plus vs. 1More SonoFlow

These two fight for the same budget-ANC dollar, and they split the vote on features rather than one dominating the other.

	Edifier W820NB Plus	1More SonoFlow
Codecs	SBC, LDAC	SBC, AAC, LDAC
Wired listening	No	Yes, 3.5mm
Battery (rated, ANC off)	Up to 49 hrs	Up to 70 hrs
Folding design	No (flat-rotating only)	Yes, folds with case included
Weight	~220g	~250g
Typical price	Lower	Slightly higher

Our honest read: the SonoFlow is the more complete package — AAC for iPhone users, a headphone jack, bigger battery, and a carry case. The W820NB Plus counters with a lower price, a lighter fit, and a warm, easygoing tuning that a lot of listeners simply enjoy more out of the box. If you're on Android, stream from a lossless service, and want the cheapest legitimate LDAC-plus-ANC headphone, the Edifier is the smarter buy. If you're on iPhone or ever need a wired connection, spend the extra on the SonoFlow.

Who Should Buy the W820NB Plus?

• Buy it if: you use Android, want LDAC and decent ANC under $60, and value light, comfortable all-day wear.
• Skip it if: you're an iPhone user (no AAC), need multipoint for laptop-plus-phone workflows, or require a wired fallback for flights and desktop use.

If you like Edifier's value-first approach but want different form factors — earbuds, wired options, or step-up models — the full Edifier collection is worth a look.

Final Word

The Edifier W820NB Plus isn't a giant-killer, and we won't pretend it is. It's a well-tuned, well-priced headphone with one standout trick (LDAC) that most owners never enable, competent ANC, and a few honest gaps — no jack, no multipoint, no AAC. Know those trade-offs and it's easy to recommend at its price. If you pick one up from TonePier, you get free US shipping on every order, a 45-day return window if it turns out not to be your sound, and the peace of mind of buying from an authorized retailer with full manufacturer warranty coverage.