Earfun is in the business of making great-sounding true wireless earbuds at really affordable prices, and since their first product launched in 2019 – Earfun Free – they have been keeping their promises. All the products I have reviewed offer good sounds, good design, and great price. The Earfun Free Pro 2 is available from Shopee and Lazada at a retail price of S$139, and with the year-end promotion, in-store discounts are available for the patient shoppers.
With every brand launching their own ANC earbuds, it is important that the brands distinguish themselves to attract the consumer dollar. For the Earfun Free Pro 2, these are the distinct features that sets it apart:
- Very compact case that also supports wireless charging
- Very lightweight buds
- Full playback, volume, and ANC controls
- Includes removable ear hooks with 2 sizes
- Includes cleaning kit (Q-tip) to clean the earbud grille
- One of the better ANC/Ambient Sound earbuds at the price range
These other features are pretty common for a true-wireless earbuds, but still worth a mention:
- IPX5 water protection
- 5 hours playtime with ANC, 6 hours without ANC
- 30 hours total playtime with charging case
- 80ms audio latency
Design and Operations
The Earfun Free Pro 2 has one of the tiniest charging case I have reviewed. The earbuds are also lightweight, given the number of features that are contained in the buds. The silicone ear hooks that go around the buds have the benefit of allowing the user to grip the buds securely without slipping out of the fingers.
I do not like the silicone ear tips though. They are too thin and soft, so when I insert them into my ears, I do not get a good seal as the ear tips form tiny gaps. I also find my ear skin getting minor rashes when using them. I have switched to the SpinFit CP360 which gives me better fit and more comfortable wear.
The touch controls are designed to prevent accidental touches. A single tap adjusts volume, a double-tap will play-pause the music. Triple tap right earbud to jump next track, triple-tap left earbud to enable Game Mode. Press-hold left earbud to switch ANC modes, press-hold right earbud to trigger voice assistant.
The earbuds go into pairing mode automatically when no device is connected. But to manually enable pairing mode, press-hold both earbuds for 3 seconds.
Audio Quality
I did not review the first version of the Earfun Free Pro, but I have reviewed the Earfun Free, Earfun Free 2, Earfun Air, and I would make comparison against them. As you know, active noise-cancelling is achieved by detecting ambient noise and then applying a reverse wave signal to cancel out the sound before playing to the ears. I find that the Earfun Free Pro 2 audio quality is restricted by the ANC technology that it has put in. Particularly, when ANC is enabled, the sub-bass intensity is reduced. The midrange presentation is less bodied, less dynamic, recessed. The treble is precise, quick, sizzling, and inherits the midrange character of a thin sound, so listening to Jazz would deprive you of the warm throaty experience.
On its own, the Earfun Free Pro 2 delivers a good audio impression with tight bass and bright treble, but does not present the complete sound. Comparatively, though, the Earfun Free 2 offers a more spatial treble with reverb, and its midrange is fuller, while the bass is less forward. My favourite for audio quality would be Earfun Air, which is most balanced with more midrange. But among the three, I would use the Earfun Free Pro 2 more, because of the ANC and Ambient Sound modes that are more important to me when using it on-the-go.
- Bass – 7.2/10. Compact boomy bass feel.
- Midrange – 6/10. Thin midrange with weak dynamics.
- Treble – 6.8/10. Crisp but lacking the full sound.
ANC and Ambient Sound
I find the Earfun Free Pro 2 ANC quality to be one of the better ones for the price range. The noise-removal at the lower frequency is effective while the upper frequency sound is also slightly reduced without sticking out. I can feel some sound pressure, indicating a rather aggressive cancellation algorithm at work. In Ambient Sound mode, the earbuds mixes the surrounding noise without over-amplifying. I can still enjoy my music without getting too distracted by the ambient sounds unless it is really loud and attention-grabbing. The upper frequency is de-emphasised somewhat, so you still feel a sound barrier compared to not wearing earbuds.
Call Quality
The call-quality on the Earfun Free Pro 2 is warm and full. In noisy places like a food centre, the background noise is competing with my voice during zoom calls. The party can still hear me when I speak but when the background noise can be distracting. There is no effective noise-elimination during times when I do not speak, unlike Technics AZ60 where the other party hears no sound in noisy places until when I speak. Call quality is much better compared to the Earfun Free 2, where it sounded tinny and hollow.
Verdict
Overall, the Earfun Free Pro 2 is my top recommendation for true wireless earbuds below S$150. I love the size of the case and the ANC and Ambient Sound features are one of the better ones in the S$100 price range. The audio quality will not meet the expectations of picky listeners but they deliver good exciting sounds with appropriate bass feel and clear treble, which can be fixed with simple EQ. I would recommend them if you primarily want ANC and Ambient Sound and a decent V-shaped sound signature.
The Earfun Free Pro 2 is available in Singapore from Shopee and Lazada at a retail price of S$139. For international readers, get it from their official website with better discounts.