Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 Review: Long Battery Life, but Sound is Lacking
Fastrack, the Titan-owned brand known for its affordable and stylish products targeting young buyers, recently entered the audio segment. Their foray into true wireless earphones with the Reflex Tunes range is ambitious, and the Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 is the more expensive of the two new releases. Priced at Rs. 4,495 in India, the FT4 promises significant battery life, Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth codec support, and environmental noise cancellation. But does it deliver on its promises? Let’s find out.
A Stylish Design with a Big (but Flimsy) Case
The Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 is a stylish headset, especially in the vibrant pink color sent for review. The earpieces have a smooth, candy-like finish and a distinct Fastrack logo, while also being available in black and white for those who prefer a more subdued aesthetic. The earpieces offer a comfortable in-canal fit with three different sizes of silicone ear tips included in the box. The long stems make the earpieces a bit larger, but the light plastic keeps them comfortable overall.
While the earpieces are attractive, the charging case is surprisingly large, making it less pocket-friendly than some similarly priced options like the OnePlus Buds Z2. Despite its size, the case does offer excellent battery life. There is a rubber flap covering the USB Type-C charging port, but the lid unfortunately feels flimsy, which raises concerns about its durability. The case lacks an indicator light, but the earpieces include LEDs.
Touch Controls that are Easy to Trigger Accidentally
The Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 utilizes touch controls on the earpieces. While the touch gestures allow for volume control, play/pause, track skipping, and invoking a voice assistant, they can be overly sensitive and lead to accidental volume adjustments. The lack of a companion app also means these controls cannot be customized.
Impressive Battery Life, but Sound Quality is a Drawback
The Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 boasts exceptional battery life. With a 70mAh battery in each earpiece and an 800mAh capacity in the charging case, it claims a runtime of 40 hours. In real-world use, the runtime actually exceeded this claim, achieving an impressive 45 hours per charge cycle. However, the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) and a dedicated app for customization makes this feature feel like a trade-off.
While the FT4 offers aptX Bluetooth codec support, which gives it an edge over similarly priced options, its sound quality falls short. The bass is significantly overemphasized, leading to a boomy and fatiguing sound signature, particularly with bass-heavy tracks.
This overemphasis in the bass makes for an energetic and punchy feel, but it lacks clarity and detail in other frequencies. The lack of ANC also means it struggles to compensate for the exaggerated bass response, leading to a less immersive listening experience compared to the OnePlus Buds Z2, which offers better acoustic tuning.
Decent Call Quality and Connectivity Issues
Call quality on the Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 is decent, providing clear audio on both ends even in slightly noisy environments. The connection is usually stable at distances up to 4m, but there are occasional connectivity issues. The review unit experienced inconsistent connection and sound distortion when paired with a OnePlus 9 but performed consistently with a Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ and an iPhone 13.
Conclusion: Style and Battery Life Don’t Make Up for Sound Issues
The Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 is an interesting option with a stylish design and excellent battery life. However, it lacks vital features like ANC and a companion app, along with a sound quality that falls short of expectations. The overemphasized bass and lack of detail in other frequencies make it less appealing compared to competitors with better sound tuning, like the OnePlus Buds Z2.
If you are looking for an eye-catching headset with long battery life, the Fastrack Reflex Tunes FT4 might be a decent option. However, if sound quality, ANC, and an app for customization are priorities, the OnePlus Buds Z2 will likely be a more satisfying choice. The FT4 is an outlier in its price segment, and its high price tag doesn’t justify its sonic shortcomings.
