EarFun is no stranger to us here at Android Headlines. Not least of all because the company has built plenty of relatively great offerings over the years at well under $100. But also because it’s done a great job responding to feedback and implementing improvements. No matter how slight those changes may seem on paper. So, when EarFun shipped out its Free Pro 2 truly wireless earbuds for review, I was quick to pop them in and have a listen.
Now, these earbuds have not earned our highest marks, for reasons mostly tied into audio. But that doesn’t mean that every potential user will feel that same way about them. In fact, there is a lot to love here from the new build quality improvements to the improved features and noise cancellation. And, at under $100 with a current price tag of just $79.99 on sale, they aren’t going to break anybody’s bank either.
So let’s take a closer look at how EarFun Free Pro 2 performed under review and earned its marks.
EarFun Free Pro 2 hardware is on point for the price bracket
Now, one of the biggest upgrades to EarFun Free Pro 2 is in the hardware itself. Not in the waterproofing, driver size, or Bluetooth version. Those are still the same as with the previous version. That is to say, these come with an IPX5 rating, 6mm composite drivers, and Bluetooth 5.2, respectively.
The big change here comes in the carry and charge case. And in the microphones. While the latter change is something we’ll discuss later on, with two more mics than before, the case definitely warrants a look here too. And that’s because the company is no longer using plastics. Instead, EarFun built its case from an aluminum alloy.
That difference, coupled with a similar design as before on the earbuds themselves, is significant. Now only is this case sturdier than ever. It feels a lot better in hand. That’s setting aside the aesthetic appeal of a metal carry case in a matte deep gray color.
There’s a lot going on here in terms of comfort too. While the design is similar to the previous entry, and the 4.1g weight keeps things unendingly comfortable, EarFun went above and beyond this time around with inclusions. EarFun includes no fewer than four ear tips in small, extra small, medium, and large sizes. But there are also three sizes of ear hooks. Those are, for clarity, the looped piece that helps the buds seat firmly but not uncomfortably in-ear.
EarFun includes small, medium, and large ear hooks. All of which seat firmly in place just as the tips do. But are easy enough to swap out.
All of which made these far superior, in terms of comfort, to the earlier EarFun Free Pro. And it’s worth noting that those earbuds earned a high rating from Android Headlines on the comfort front already. Only just missing placement in our best true wireless earbuds list, supplanted by EarFun Air Pro 2.
Battery life, despite wireless charging, was the biggest let-down from these buds
Now, I’ve typically been impressed by what EarFun has accomplished with its products on the battery front but my review of Free Pro 2 did not leave me with that same confidence. The company claims that these earbuds should last around five hours with ANC active. And around six without. My test, admittedly under extreme circumstances, at a distance of around 20-feet with the volume cranked to the max, netted 3.5-hours.
That firmly seats these earbuds among the least long-lasting I’ve tested to date.
Of course, these will last significantly longer with the volume turned down to a reasonable level. Especially if the phone is in your pocket instead of across the house or room. But that’s not always how everybody uses these types of products either.
In terms of charging, that came far closer to what I’d expected based on EarFun’s claims. It was close enough that I’m confident the company’s claimed one hour of charging for the earbuds and two hours of charging via USB-C for the case will be accurate for most. And EarFun’s claimed 3.5-hours for powering up via wireless charging was within a few minutes of being exactly what I experienced as well.
The audio from EarFun Free Pro 2 came across muddier than I expected but certainly wasn’t a dealbreaker
Comfort and audio quality are arguably the most important aspect of any listening device. EarFun Free Pro 2 is no exception to that and, fortunately, it fared far better on those fronts than it did on battery life. These earbuds present plenty of detail in music, for instance, than is typically heard from speakers. And that holds true regardless of the genre.
Conversely, in movies and other media, extra detail is also apparent, albeit to a lesser degree.
In terms of right-left balance and audio placement, EarFun Free Pro 2 performed as well as any other headphones I’ve tested in the sub-$150 range. With clear separation, despite that separation not being quite as pronounced as I’d expect from more expensive sets.
Overall, the audio quality from EarFun Free Pro 2 came across as right on the mark. Even when compared to similarly priced offerings from the big brands in audio.
So, ultimately, I wasn’t disappointed but also wasn’t necessarily taken aback by the quality. And bass boost is another area where that carried over. Unlike some OEMs, these are slightly boosted to lean on bass tones rather than being flat across the frequencies. Summarily, they don’t necessarily replicate sound the way it’s intended to be heard. That’s something some listeners will appreciate but is certainly not my own preference. Additionally, with no built-in or app-based EQ, that wasn’t adjustable.
With that said, and while any review of an audio device comes with a level of subjectivity in the mix, these earbuds certainly aren’t the clearest. In fact, they’re significantly muddier than even some other EarFun true wireless earbuds I’ve tested in previous reviews. Likely owing to the more bass-focused tuning these appeared to have under testing. Although that didn’t negate the ability to hear the tucked-away details in music or movies, it did make for a less enjoyable experience than some other sets have given.
Connectivity and special features are middling from these true wireless earbuds
With Bluetooth 5.2 in tow, it should come as no surprise that EarFun Free Pro 2 performed well on the connectivity side of things under review. Connections were solid, with no issues noted when connected to any of the devices I synced up with. And that solidity bore out even further in the included features.
And there was one thing that stood out in the features that bears mention, which may not ordinarily be discussed. Namely, that’s that the touch controls here are very different from most I’ve tested. Instead of a single tap to pause and play media — as is so often seen in these gadgets — EarFun Free Pro 2 requires two. And that’s certainly not a bad thing.
Unlike other review units, I didn’t accidentally tap to pause or play with EarFun Free Pro 2 even once during my tests. Instead, EarFun Free Pro 2 uses single taps for incremental volume control. And that increment is just small enough that it never became an annoyance.
On the other hand, these headphones also lack a few other premium features I’ve come to expect in nearly $100 true wireless earbuds. Namely, features such as the ability to fine-tune my audio to my preferences. Which, as shown in the audio segment of this review for EarFun Free Pro 2, could have proven useful for these buds in particular.
In terms of ANC and transparency modes, EarFun Free Pro 2 actually utilizes the same 40dB and innovative QuietSmart 2.0 technology found in EarFun Air Pro 2. The company coupled that with AI-powered noise reduction algorithms, with no fewer than three ENC noise-reducing microphones on each bud. With Bluetooth 5.2 for better, more efficient transmission.
As with those other earbuds, EarFun Free Pro 2 does a great job of reducing surrounding noise including wind noise. And its diminutive relative size, differing shape actually appear to make noise reduction even better for these buds than those others too.
Finally, EarFun Free Pro 2 also comes with a dedicated Game Mode. The 80ms latency may not be as low as some go, but Low Latency Mode for these earbuds does border right along the upper end of what users notice. And I certainly noticed a difference when it came to playing games.
Should you buy EarFun Free Pro 2?
EarFun Free Pro 2, unlike some other offerings from the company, feels like a middle-ground product. That’s not to say that it isn’t worth its asking cost, at $79.99. But they certainly aren’t going to “wow” anybody either. Especially not on charging or battery life.
What’s more, those who love audiophile quality sound are really going to want to look elsewhere.
Compared to the relatively flat and even audio pumped out by their predecessor, EarFun Free 2 is significantly muddier. Not just in terms of bass, although the apparent focus on bass does contribute. But also on clarity. You’re still getting more detail with EarFun Free 2 than many of its similarly-priced competitors. But not to the same extent as with its earlier offering. Although the comfort is still on-point.
At under $100, EarFun priced its Free Pro 2 in a way that assures it’s neither hit nor miss. Those who love extra bass but who aren’t concerned with the above points won’t be disappointed.
2021-12-08 15:09:36