Buzz
Design, Fit, and Battery Life of Sabbat E16
Featuring a sleek and ergonomic design, the E16 earbuds are available in black, deep green, navy blue, or red, all adorned with shiny patterns. The black physical button on the earbuds now lights up with the brand logo when placed in the compact and convenient charging case – a neat feature that doesn't flash when worn.
The most significant change lies within the earbuds themselves. The Sabbat E16 boasts a distinctively different shape, resembling a custom mold with a swollen top. Achieving a snug and secure fit with these earbuds can be challenging – adjustments may be necessary now and then. The fit may be more secure for smaller ears – and it's reassuring to know they come with an IPX5 waterproof rating, making them resistant to rain and sweat for workouts or runs. They do let in quite a bit of wind noise during use.
To enhance comfort and fit, the E16 comes with three sizes of silicone ear tips alongside 4 sizes of foam ear tips. These tips fill your ears, and while they may not be the most comfortable, they do increase the seal.
The charging case is quite large and matches the color of buds. It supports both USB-C and wireless charging and can recharge the earbuds 2.5 times before needing a new power source. The earbuds boast a solid battery life: the Sabbat E16 true wireless earbuds provide approximately 6.5 hours of playtime on a single charge.
Connection – Controls
Similar to older models, Sabbat E16 is controlled by physical buttons. Operating the black circular buttons in the middle requires minimal force and allows for easy consecutive presses without exerting too much pressure on the ears.
The control layout is quite intuitive: all desired controls are located on the earbuds, and you'll quickly learn them:
- Press L or R to pause
- Double press R to skip to the next track
- Double press L to go back to the previous track
- Triple press R to increase volume
- Triple press L to decrease volume
- Press L or R four times to (de)activate low-latency mode
- Hold L or R for 2 seconds to activate voice assistant
- Hold L or R for 4 seconds to manually power on/off
There are no controls for active noise cancellation (ANC) or Transparency mode – the E16 lacks these features. Also, there's no app allowing you to customize the controls.
Sabbat E16 offers seamless connectivity. The earbuds pair and connect swiftly as you take them out of the case, and you can continue listening with one earbud while charging the other – seamlessly resuming stereo sound when you retrieve the recharged earbud. Music doesn't automatically pause when you remove the earbuds. Unfortunately, there might be slight distortion between the two earbuds, although they never coexist for long.
Sound Quality of Sabbat E16
Sabbat E12 was often lauded for its bass about two years ago. Now, clarity in the higher frequencies is the standout factor.
Sabbat E16 paves the way for bass. It extends the mids and highs freely without making them sound overly bright or sharp. Female vocals and higher male vocals are pushed forward and come with nuances in both lighter and darker notes. They feel prominent and have enough room to not be overshadowed by instruments.
Instruments from the midrange and up also benefit from depth. Pianos, trumpets, and flutes sound brighter than usual but seem natural. Even in songs with darker signatures – think Billie Eilish, Lorde, or Alt-J – finer details are retrieved excellently. Snare drums and cymbals sound fantastic on the E16 – their progression comes with impressive texture. In Lorde's Team, you'll notice it can also come with a downside: clapping sounds can be a bit too intense. Some grit and distortion at maximum volume may also occur.
It's forgivable, given the detail reproduction on instruments is as convincing as the vocal performance, and the open highs also produce airy soundscapes. Music perception surrounds you, coming from your left and right, with excellent separation between instruments and layers.
Don't think Sabbat forgets about the bass. Expect controlled, tightly-knit, and quick mid-bass tones to provide ample energy for modern dance genres. The bass may not be very deep, but it can resonate in challenging tracks – notably James Blake's Limit to Your Love. Lower mids are well represented to give depth to lower male vocals, heavier electronic beats. Overall, there's enough body in the lows to counterbalance the clarity in the highs. The result is very pleasing: clear, natural, and balanced sound.
Unfortunately, there's a caveat. On both iPhone and Android, you may hear noticeable white noise hiss for about ten seconds after any playback; a song, a video, even an Instagram ad. And it doesn't stop there upon pausing. You may hear the hiss beneath any video and song, and when older recordings (blues, classical, jazz) have white noise, it only exacerbates. It's a phenomenon that Scarbir.com readers cannot tolerate, and it's unavoidable on the Sabbat E16.
Conclusion
The Sabbat E16 is a pair of wireless earbuds with excellent sound. It surprises with clarity, naturalness, and balance… but is hindered by clever fit and audible white noise floor every time you press pause.
