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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-17 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 — biggest strength: A coaxial dual-driver architecture (a 10 mm dynamic driver plus a balanced armature driver) tuned for detail and a wider soundstage, with aptX over Bluetooth 5.2 and both USB-C and Qi wireless charging.
• ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16 — biggest trade-off: It's a sealed in-ear design with Environmental Noise Cancellation but no IP rating listed, so it's built for focused listening rather than sweaty workouts or staying aware of traffic.
• REAL YOUNG H700 — biggest strength: An open-ear fit on a flexible G-shaped ear hook that weighs only 10.5 g per earbud, plus up to 40 hours of total playtime and IPX7 waterproof protection.
• REAL YOUNG H700 — biggest trade-off: Open-ear means you hear your surroundings by design, so it won't isolate you the way a sealed in-ear will, and it charges over 2 hours with no wireless charging listed.
• Who each pick is for: Choose the E16 if you want an immersive, in-ear music-first experience; choose the H700 if you want all-day comfort, situational awareness, and a design that doubles as an accessory.
The Sabbat E16 is aimed squarely at people who treat earbuds as a listening tool first. Its headline feature is the coaxial acoustic architecture: a 10 mm dynamic driver handling the low end and a balanced armature driver picking out vocals and fine detail. That's a genuinely different approach from a single-driver design, and it's the kind of setup that tends to reward careful listening rather than background noise. The listed frequency range is 20 Hz to 20 kHz, impedance is 32 ohm, and sensitivity is 106 dB, with Bluetooth 5.2 and aptX/AAC/SBC codec support for higher-quality wireless transmission.
In practical terms, this is a earbud for the commute, the desk, and the flight — anywhere you want the outside world turned down. It uses Environmental Noise Cancellation, and the fit is sealed in-ear, so it naturally blocks more than an open design would. Battery life is quoted at over 6 hours per charge and up to 30 hours total with the case, which itself holds a 400 mAh battery and recharges in about an hour. You can top it up with USB-C or drop it on a Qi wireless pad. Controls are physical buttons with voice assistant support, and the earbuds auto-pair and auto-power-off when you return them to the case. The finish is a plated metallic texture in Mystic Black with an ABS body and silicone case.
REAL YOUNG H700: Who It's For
The H700 plays a different game entirely. It's an open-ear earbud, meaning the driver sits outside your ear canal rather than plugging it. That single design choice defines everything else: you get your music, but you also keep your awareness of the world around you. For commuters, cyclists, office workers who need to hear a colleague, or anyone who finds sealed earbuds uncomfortable after an hour, that's the whole point. It hooks over your ear with a flexible G-shaped ear hook and weighs just 10.5 g per earbud, so the fit is meant to stay put through walking, commuting, yoga, and light workouts.
On the audio side, it uses a hybrid dual-driver setup with a 12 mm driver and Qualcomm QCC3091 technology, plus Bluetooth 5.4 — the newer wireless standard of the two here. Impedance is a low 16 ohm and sensitivity is 106 dB, with the same 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency range. Dual microphones with noise reduction handle calls, and IPX7 waterproof protection covers sweat, rain, and splashes. Battery is the standout number: up to 40 hours of total playtime, with a 2-hour charge time. Controls are touch-based rather than physical buttons.
Then there's the styling. The H700 is explicitly jewelry-inspired, with a dragon wing silhouette, CNC-engraved texture, and a premium aluminum finish in Amethyst Purple, paired with an aluminum charging case. The design has picked up Gold Awards from the French Design Award and MUSE Design Awards. It's positioned as a gift — birthdays, anniversaries, holidays — and it's the rare earbud that reads as an accessory rather than a gadget.
Who should buy it? If you want comfort, awareness, waterproofing, and something that looks good enough to wear as jewelry, this fits. Who should skip it? If you want to disappear into an album on a noisy train, an open-ear design physically can't isolate you the way the E16 can.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for immersive, detailed sound → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. The coaxial dual-driver setup with aptX is built for critical listening.
• Best for total battery life → REAL YOUNG H700. Up to 40 hours versus up to 30 hours on the E16.
• Best for workout and weather resistance → REAL YOUNG H700. IPX7 protection against sweat, rain, and splashes; the E16 lists no IP rating.
• Best for charging flexibility → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. USB-C plus Qi wireless charging, with a faster 1-hour charge time versus 2 hours.
• Best for lightweight, forget-it's-there comfort → REAL YOUNG H700. 10.5 g per earbud on a flexible G-shaped hook, versus a sealed in-ear fit.
• Best for style and gifting → REAL YOUNG H700. Jewelry-inspired aluminum build with an award-recognized design, in Amethyst Purple.
• Best for physical, tactile controls → ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. Button controls instead of the H700's touch controls.
• Best for newer Bluetooth → REAL YOUNG H700. Bluetooth 5.4 versus Bluetooth 5.2.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd take the ICESOMNUS Sabbat E16. I care most about how music sounds, and a coaxial dynamic-plus-balanced-armature design with aptX is the more interesting proposition for that. I also like the wireless charging case and the physical buttons. That said, I'd recommend the REAL YOUNG H700 without hesitation for a different buyer: someone who wants open-ear awareness, IPX7 durability, double the battery life, and a design they're happy to be seen wearing. In my opinion, the E16 wins on sound-first listening, and the H700 wins on everyday wearability — so let your main use case decide. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since it moves around.
For pure listening detail, in my opinion yes — the E16's coaxial balanced armature plus dynamic driver and aptX support point toward a more detailed, isolating sound. The H700 is no slouch with its 12 mm hybrid driver and Qualcomm QCC3091, but its open-ear design inherently lets outside noise in.
Which one has better battery life, the H700 or the E16?
Yes, that's a strong use case. It weighs 10.5 g per earbud, uses a flexible G-shaped ear hook, and carries IPX7 waterproof protection against sweat, rain, and splashes. The E16 has no IP rating listed, so I wouldn't pick it for heavy sweating.
The H700 is designed as a gift, with a jewelry-inspired aluminum build, CNC-engraved dragon wing texture, an Amethyst Purple finish, and award-recognized styling. The E16 is the better gift for someone who'd rather have audiophile-style in-ear sound than a fashion-forward accessory.
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