Knowledgeable’s Score
Professionals
- Twin-drivers sound superb
- Stable ANC efficiency
- Helpful sensible options
- Wi-fi charging case
Cons
- Irritating software program setup
- New color is a fingerprint magnet
- Barely awkward swipe gesture
Our Verdict
Other than just a few minor caveats, the FreeBuds Professional 2 provide a wonderful expertise for anybody searching for fairly reasonably priced wi-fi earbuds with wonderful sound, ANC and options.
Huawei is again with one other pair of flagship true wi-fi earbuds and never solely are they cheaper than key rivals, however they’re additionally co-engineered with Devialet and embody planar drivers.
Moreover, they declare to supply high-end options and efficiency for simply £169.99 so let’s discover out if that’s true.
Design & Construct
- New Silver Blue color
- Smaller case
- Now IP54 rated
It’s no large shock that the design is much like the unique FreeBuds Professional and like rivals, the main focus right here is on making the earbuds smaller, lighter and extra snug.
The ‘cubic’ design that includes chunky trying sq. formed stems gained’t be for everybody. Nor will the selection of colourways: Ceramic White, Silver Frost and a brand new Silver Blue possibility I examined.
They’re actually not my form of model however I’m positive loads of individuals will just like the blingy, reflective chrome impact of the Silver Blue. Do keep in mind that it ends in plenty of fingerprints although so if that one thing you need to keep away from, go for the white mannequin.
The benefit of this stem design is that, as earlier than, the FreeBuds Professional 2 provide each pinch and swipe contact controls which is an actual boon; significantly the latter for quantity management which is uncommon on wi-fi earbuds.
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Chris Martin / Foundry
Nonetheless, the swipe gesture is situated on the entrance fringe of the stem – not the big space with the Huawei emblem – making it tough to make use of. You possibly can a minimum of do it on both earbud.
The case can be smaller – 11% based on Huawei – making it properly compact. The hinge on the again sports activities the Devialet emblem alongside Huawei’s, although this could be nicer on the entrance for my part.
Extra importantly, it’s a lot simpler to get the earbuds out than the unique Professional mannequin. In most markets the case will provide wi-fi charging, but when not then you possibly can prime it up with USB-C.
One of many essential design upgrades right here is the soar from primary IPX4 water resistance, IP54 that means they’re additionally dustproof now.
Sound High quality & Options
- 11mm dynamic driver + planar diaphragm driver
- Bluetooth 5.2
- LDAC Hello-Res Audio Wi-fi
Most likely essentially the most attention-grabbing factor in regards to the FreeBuds Professional 2 is that they’ve ‘Twin-Speaker True sound’ by means of ‘Extremely-hearing Twin Driver’. Advertising phrases apart, which means the earbuds have two drivers as an alternative of the normal one.
It’s not unprecedented, however the second being a planar driver is. Not like a standard cone-shaped driver, a planar driver is flat and though they’re usually used for higher bass, this extremely excessive frequency micro planar diaphragm ends in “excessive transient response and wealthy treble”, based on the agency.
It additionally provides the FreeBuds Professional 2 a large frequency vary of 14Hz – 48kHz when most headphones provide 20Hz-20kHz. They usually’ve been co-engineered with Devialet so the essential query right here is whether or not these earbuds sound good.
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Chris Martin / Foundry
The easy reply (primarily based on my testing with a Pixel 6, which does have LDAC – extra on that under) is sure, and let’s begin with the unimaginable bass efficiency which once you hearken to tracks like James Blake’s Restrict to Your Love, usually sounds distinctly missing on most headphones. The eardrum shaking sub-bass is finished true justice right here partly because of that 14Hz attain.
The observe can be an important take a look at of mid-range and top-end, and whereas the bass dominates right here, the high-pitch percussion slices by cleanly and clearly. James’ vocals additionally sound wealthy and dynamic.
Transfer onto the Foo Fighters as All My Life and issues sound a bit of extra muddy compared, however that’s not unusual for rock music. The FreeBuds Professional nonetheless do an important job of reproducing all of the totally different devices and there’s a properly energetic response from the drivers together with a spacious soundstage.
‘Sound results’ within the AI Life app are literally EQ presets with choices for Bass enhance, Treble enhance or Clear vocals, plus you possibly can create your personal with a 10-band graphic EQ. Nonetheless, I discovered the default possibility created with Devialet was completely good.
Huawei presents ‘Triple Adaptive EQ’ which goals to tune the sound and alter the amount relying on varied issues akin to your ear canal construction. It’ll additionally kick in in case you alter both earbud. Whether or not this works is tough to say, particularly the latter since transferring an earbud will alter the sound by means of sheer physics.
It’s additionally price noting that the earbuds sound good at varied quantity ranges, too, not simply once they’re someplace within the center. The underside line is that you just’re getting flagship stage sound high quality at a mid-range value.
The identical will be stated of the noise cancelling, which this time round is Clever ANC 2.0. This now makes use of three microphones on every earbud – one on the inside aspect and one at both finish of the stem – and is supposedly 15% than the earlier mannequin for depth.
They’ve a wider frequency vary of 50Hz–3,000kHz and may handle cancelling of as much as 47dB which is a formidable determine on paper.
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Chris Martin / Foundry
I took the FreeBuds Professional 2 on a day journey to London and so they did an important job of filtering out the sounds round me from individuals speaking in a espresso store to the sound of a practice transferring at full tempo. As you’d anticipate, there’s additionally an ambient mode for when you must hear what’s happening round you.
Again to full ANC and there are totally different modes however you possibly can’t cycle by these with the earbuds controls. The dynamic possibility routinely adjusts primarily based in your environment, much like Sony’s Adaptive Sound Management minus the situation info, however you possibly can go and choose from cozy, basic and extremely in case you like.
The FreeBuds Professional 2 are geared up with a number of the newest wi-fi tech so not solely do you get Bluetooth 5.2, the earbuds additionally provide Sony’s LDAC codec that means you will get (when related to a suitable gadget and streaming service/native content material) Hello-Res Audio Wi-fi.
LDAC goes as much as 990kbps which till the NuraTrue Professional arrived was the quickest information price you might get. If not you get the conventional SBC, whereas iPhone customers will use AAC.
When it comes to sensible options, you get fast pairing with chosen Huawei telephones, tablets and laptops and twin gadget connection suitable with far more than simply Huawei units.
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Chris Martin / Foundry
Sensors on the earbuds know once they’re eliminated out of your ears to pause playback and this works very nicely certainly. It’ll additionally resume once you put them again however the function will be turned off within the app in case you don’t prefer it.
Huawei has additionally improved name high quality because the FreeBuds Professional 2 use a brand new four-mic system (a bone conduction microphone and three extra microphones) in addition to Huawei’s-exclusive deep neural community (DNN) noise cancellation algorithm.
No matter Huawei has accomplished, it really works very nicely certainly and the wind discount – typically essentially the most problematic factor about headphones – is best than the overwhelming majority of earbuds I’ve examined.
Software program
- Awkward App Gallery scenario
- Simple to make use of
- Good options and customisation
This continues to be draw back for Huawei headphones, though the scenario has improved a bit. You continue to must obtain the Huawei AI Life app from the App Gallery, however this will now be accomplished from contained in the common Play Retailer model.
Nonetheless, it’s overly difficult and also you as soon as once more find yourself with two variations of the app put in in your cellphone.
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Chris Martin / Foundry
The App Gallery will be capable of connect with the FreeBuds Professional 2 and it wouldn’t be so unhealthy if it was non-compulsory. Nicely, technically it’s however there’s a variety of belongings you gained’t get until you utilize AI Life such because the match take a look at, gesture customisation, discover misplaced earbuds, varied settings and software program updates.
When you’ve obtained over the annoying hurdles, the app is straightforward sufficient to make use of. Other than one-time issues just like the match take a look at, you’ll need it to do issues like change the ANC mode with choices for dynamic, cozy, basic and extremely.
There’s additionally info for issues like battery ranges and related units.
Battery Life
- As much as 6.5 hours from earbuds
- 18 hours whole with ANC on
- Wi-fi charging case
One thing that hasn’t modified from the unique FreeBud Professional is the battery life. Huawei nonetheless quotes a complete of 30 hours once you embody the charging case (with ANC off).
You’ll supposedly stand up to 4 hours of playback from the earbuds with ANC on (6.5 with it off). This tallies up with my expertise as a two hour practice journey knocked them to 50%, even when they did present 90- and 80% for almost all of that point.
The case can take you to 18 hours (once more with ANC on) which is cheap however not class-leading. There’s no point out of fast charging the buds, which is able to take 40 minutes to prime up absolutely.
Luckily, the case – in most markets – has wi-fi charging which isn’t a given at this type of value. Wired USB-C can be obtainable and sooner (with wi-fi at simply 2W) in case you’re in a rush.
Value & Availability
The FreeBuds Professional 2 can be found now for £169.99; the identical as their predecessors, that means they undercut key rivals such because the AirPods Professional, Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QC Earbuds.
Even Sony’s new LinkBuds S are a bit of extra at £179 and the Samsung Galaxy Buds Professional are £219 and till the top of July, you Huawei is providing £30 off the FreeBuds Professional 2 making them simply £139.99.
Even at full value, they make for a wonderful worth proposition and though you possibly can spend much less on earbuds, you’re extraordinarily unlikely to search out the extent of high quality and featureset on provide right here.
You possibly can’t purchase them within the US formally however within the UK they’re obtainable from the official Huawei retailer in addition to retailers akin to Amazon, Very and AO
Take a look at our chart of the finest true wi-fi earbuds for extra choices.
Verdict
Though I’m not a fan of the brand new Blue Silver color and the awkward swipe gesture of the FreeBuds Professional 2, there’s little else unfavorable I can say about them.
Software program stays one thing of a bug naked, however it’s a minimum of straightforward sufficient to get the App Gallery model of AI Life from the common Play Retailer model, delete the previous one and overlook about it.
The twin-drivers provide a refined and dynamic sound and energetic noise cancelling is at a excessive stage, too. The identical is true of name high quality and there are helpful sensible options akin to put on sensors, wi-fi charging and extra.
It’s price checking your cellphone helps LDAC in an effort to get essentially the most out of the earbuds and longer battery life will be discovered elsewhere if that’s tremendous essential.
General, the FreeBuds Professional 2 provide a well-rounded and really practically premium expertise at a really reasonably priced value.
Specs
- 11mm dynamic driver, planar diaphragm driver
- 14Hz – 48kHz
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Bone senso, Accelerometer, Gyroscope sensor, Infrared sensor
- Simultaneous connection to 2 Bluetooth units supported
- LDAC, AAC, SBC
- Pinch and swipe gestures
- Battery life: As much as 6.5 hours music playback on 1 cost (4 hours with ANC), 30 hr playback with charging case
- USB-C
- Wi-fi charging (market dependant)
- Dynamic energetic noise cancelling (as much as 47dB)
- Dimensions: 29.1 x 23.7 x 21.8 mm (per earbud)
- Dimensions: 67.9 x 47.5 x 24.5 mm (charging case)
- Weight: About 6.1 g (per earbud), About 52 g (charging case)
- IP54
- Silver Blue,Silver Frost ,Ceramic White