QCY MeloBuds N20: Can an $18 Earbud Really Cancel 50dB of Noise?

Monday, 22 December 2025 at 06:43

QCY has just dropped the MeloBuds N20 in China, and at just 129 yuan (around $18), it’s making a serious play for the "budget king" title. For the price of a couple of pizzas, QCY is packing in features that usually require an extra zero on the price tag—most notably, adaptive noise cancellation that hits a massive 50dB depth.

I’ve been tracking QCY for a while, and they have a habit of over-delivering on hardware. The N20 follows that trend with 13mm large-diameter drivers. In the world of budget buds, 13mm is quite big; it usually means you're going to get that "punchy" bass that cheaper, smaller drivers just can't physically produce.

Key points

Massive ANC: Features 50dB adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts in real-time.

Large Drivers: Equipped with 13mm dynamic drivers for enhanced bass and NetEase Gold Label audio.

Connectivity Champ: Supports Bluetooth 6.0/5.4 with the ability to connect to 3 devices at once.

Battery Life: Offers 10 hours per charge (40 total with the case) and 10-min fast charging.

Call Quality: Uses a 6-mic AI system to suppress wind noise up to 35 km/h.

The $18 Noise Killer

The standout feature here is definitely the Adaptive ANC. QCY claims the system scans your environment 384,000 times per second to adjust the noise-blocking curve. While "99.6% noise elimination" is a very optimistic marketing stat, 50dB of depth is legitimately impressive for this price bracket. It’s designed to handle everything from the hum of a bus engine to the chatter in a coffee shop.

They've also geared these for the "work from anywhere" crowd. The six-microphone array uses AI to isolate your voice, and QCY says it can maintain call clarity even in 35 km/h winds. If you've ever tried to take a call while walking on a breezy day, you know that wind noise is the ultimate budget-bud killer, so this is a bold claim to test.

Modern Tech, Budget Price

Interestingly, the N20 supports Bluetooth 6.0 (or 5.4 depending on the specific regional firmware), which allows for triple-device pairing. Being able to jump between your phone, tablet, and laptop simultaneously for under $20 is almost unheard of.

The audio tuning also carries the NetEase Cloud Music Gold Label certification. In the Chinese market, this is a big deal for streaming fans, as it suggests the earbuds are optimized for high-fidelity playback on one of the country's biggest music platforms. With 40 hours of total battery life and a low-latency gaming mode, it’s hard to see where QCY cut corners—other than perhaps the plastic build quality common at this price.