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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a dual-driver, audiophile-tuned in-ear with Qualcomm aptX and Qi wireless charging, choose ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16; if you need adaptive noise cancelling, LDAC Hi-Res audio and app-based EQ, choose QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. Both are wireless in-ears with no headphone jack, both run Bluetooth, and both are aimed at adults who care about sound. The split comes down to what you actually need the earbuds to do all day.
• ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16, biggest strength: a coaxial dual-driver setup — a dynamic driver for bass plus a balanced armature driver for vocals and detail — fed by aptX over Bluetooth 5.2.
• ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16, biggest trade-off: no LDAC and no app, so tuning and features are fixed out of the box; it also has the shorter per-charge runtime of the two.
• QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive, biggest strength: adaptive hybrid ANC (rated up to 46dB, reducing ambient noise by up to 99%), LDAC Hi-Res audio on a 12mm bio-diaphragm driver, and a companion app for custom EQ.
• QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive, biggest trade-off: LDAC only works with Android and, when you switch it on, the dual-device multipoint connection turns off automatically.
• Pick the E16 if you listen mostly to music, want aptX, and like the idea of dropping the case on a wireless charging pad.
• Pick the MeloBuds Pro if you want noise cancelling, app control, longer total playtime and multipoint switching between two devices.
The E16's whole pitch is its acoustic architecture. Instead of one driver doing everything, it pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature driver in a coaxial layout — the dynamic side handles the low end, the balanced armature handles vocals and fine detail. The rated frequency range is 20Hz–20kHz, impedance is listed as woofer 16Ω plus tweeter 4Ω, and sensitivity is 93dB at 1kHz/1mW. That's a parts list aimed squarely at people who describe themselves as audiophiles, and the coaxial arrangement is the reason the soundstage is described as wider and more detailed rather than just louder.
Who should buy it: someone who wants aptX, a hybrid dual-driver sound signature, wireless charging and a button they can press without accidentally skipping a track. Who should skip it: anyone who needs active noise cancelling to survive a commute — the E16's noise control is not the adaptive ANC the QCY offers — or anyone who wants to fine-tune the sound in an app. There isn't one. You get the tuning ICESOMNUS ships, and that's it.
QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive: Who It's For
The MeloBuds Pro is the more feature-loaded of the pair, and noise cancelling is the headline. QCY rates its adaptive hybrid ANC at up to 46dB of reduction, with the claim of cutting ambient noise by up to 99%, and it automatically samples your surroundings and adjusts. There are four noise-cancelling modes plus a transparent mode, so you can go from a noisy train to a conversation without pulling them out. For sound, QCY uses a single 12mm bio-diaphragm dynamic driver — larger than the E16's 10mm — with LDAC, the codec that pushes roughly three times more data (up to 990kbps) than standard Bluetooth audio. Impedance is 32Ω, sensitivity 102dB, frequency response 20Hz–20kHz.
The catch on LDAC is worth repeating because it changes how you'd use them: LDAC only works with Android, needs to be enabled in the app, and turning it on automatically disables multipoint. So the two headline features — Hi-Res codec and switching between two devices — are effectively an either/or. Bluetooth is 5.3 with a rated 15-metre range, latency is 80ms, and there are six microphones with AI-backed ENC for calls. Battery is rated 7.5 hours per charge and up to 34 hours total via the case, which charges in about 1.5 hours. In-ear detection pauses audio when you remove a bud, and the QCY app handles EQ and firmware updates. Touch controls, gold finish, and a 43g case.
Who should buy it: commuters, call-heavy workers and gamers who want ANC, a Hi-Res codec on Android and app tuning. Who should skip it: iPhone users, who get none of the LDAC benefit, and anyone who dislikes touch controls or app dependency.
• Best for aptX and audiophile tuning → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. It's the only one of the two with aptX and a balanced armature driver.
• Best for noise cancelling → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. Adaptive ANC rated up to 46dB versus no adaptive ANC on the E16.
• Best for Hi-Res codec support → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. LDAC on Android only; the E16 tops out at aptX.
• Best for battery life → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. 7.5 hours per charge and 34 hours total, against 6+ and 30 for the E16.
• Best for charging convenience → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. It adds Qi wireless charging on top of USB-C; the QCY is wired only.
• Best for calls → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. Six mics with AI ENC versus Qualcomm CVC8.1 on the E16's single-mic setup.
• Best for low-latency gaming → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. 40ms rated latency beats the QCY's 80ms.
• Best for app control and EQ → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive. The E16 has no app at all.
• Best for switching between two devices → QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive, as long as you're willing to leave LDAC off.
In my opinion, the QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive is the pick for most people, because adaptive ANC, LDAC, multipoint, app EQ and 34 hours of total playtime cover more real situations than any single spec on the other side. That said, if you're an Android or non-Android music listener who specifically wants aptX, a dual-driver signature and wireless charging, I'd take the ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 and not miss the noise cancelling. Decide which of those two you are, check the current price on Amazon, and buy accordingly.
Neither of these lists aptX HD in its spec sheet. The ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 supports Qualcomm aptX alongside AAC and SBC over Bluetooth 5.2; the QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive uses LDAC and does not list aptX at all. If aptX HD specifically is your requirement, you'd need to look at other models.
Do the QCY MeloBuds Pro work with iPhone?
They pair and play, but LDAC is Android-only, so iPhone users lose the Hi-Res codec that is one of the main reasons to buy them. You'd still get the adaptive noise cancelling, the app EQ and the multipoint pairing.
On paper, yes — adaptive ANC samples your surroundings and adjusts automatically, and QCY rates it at up to 46dB of reduction with four selectable modes. The ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 lists active noise cancellation but not the adaptive kind, so the QCY is the stronger choice for noisy commutes.
The ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 is rated over 6 hours per charge and up to 30 hours with the case. The QCY MeloBuds Pro Aadptive is rated 7.5 hours per charge and up to 34 hours with the case, so it wins on total runtime.
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See also: Avantree Relay & Voyager vs EarFun Air Pro 4+: APTX HD, Sennheiser ACCENTUM Open vs QCY MeloBuds N20: Hybrid ANC, audio Technica ATH-G1 vs EarFun Air Pro 4: APTX Adaptive