Review of headphones with high-quality noise isolation EarFun Free 2

EarFun’s successor to CES-awarded true wireless earbuds, the Free 2 come in a compelling package, especially for the price of under $50.

All the useful features return, like USB-C, Qi wireless charging, an IP rating of IPX7, and 30 hours of battery life.

While the looks, comfort, Bluetooth stability, and durability are all there, sadly, wireless earbuds fall short on audio quality.

We would expect a bit more from a company that recently collaborated with Youtuber Oluv to release near neutral-sounding earbuds for under $70.

With that said, let’s look more closely at what you get when buying EarFun Free 2.

Comfort & Fit

Star Rating 4.5 Almost Perfect

New earbuds are comfortable enough to wear for a couple of hours straight. And thanks to secure fit, you don’t have to readjust them all the time.

EarFun Free 2 are about as bulky as Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, if not slightly more.

However, don’t let that fool you. As long as you don’t have super small ears, earbuds fit just fine.

I didn’t have any trouble wearing them for 2 hours straight on my walk.

You can hear them bounce a little during movement, but they never feel like they’re about to fall out.

Like with Sennheiser’s, there’re instructions inside the manual on correctly inserting them in your ears.

First, you place EarFun Free 2 in your ears and then slightly twist upwards. When creating a seal, you feel a slight pressure.

That way, you also get optimal noise isolation and sound quality.

Noise Isolation

Star Rating 4.0 Great

Despite having shorter than regular ear tips, these wireless headphones create an excellent seal, blocking most ambient noise.

Earbuds use proprietary ear tips that are slightly shorter than what you get with regular in-ear headphones.

While that was an issue with TaoTronics Soundliberty 77, where you had to be careful on how deep you insert them, Free 2 cause no such problem.

As you put them in your ear canal, you can hear outside noise fading away. They block computer fan noise with ease, without even playing music.

That also means that you’re going to have a hard time hearing traffic. Therefore, you have to be more careful when walking outside, especially near busy roads.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s hardly any sound leakage due to the deep seal. A person next to you shouldn’t hear a thing.

Bluetooth

Star Rating 4.5 Almost Perfect

EarFun Free 2 cover all the basics and more, with reliable connection, and mono support, and have an aptX Bluetooth codec without audio latency.

The new true wireless earbuds use Bluetooth 5.2, which is quite robust when it comes to range.

Buds start distorting when trying to pass a second brick wall, which is in line with the competition. That means you don’t need to carry your phone in a pocket when at home.

The pairing process is fast and intuitive. As soon as you put the earbuds out of the charging case, they show up in your phone’s Bluetooth menu.

Using EarFun Free 2 in mono mode is simple. Lift one earbud from the carry case, while the other earbud stays inside. With one ear free you’re more aware of surroundings and you save on battery, which is the biggest benefit.

Multipoint?

You can’t connect them to more devices at the same time. When switching between devices, you need to select them in the Bluetooth menu manually.

What Bluetooth Codecs They Use?

A standard SBC, Apple-friendly AAC, and aptX for Android. The latter is great to have since it can transfer audio in better quality.

Although in this price range, you don’t hear much of a difference.

Is There a Video Delay?

A keen eye will notice a tiny delay when looking directly at people’s mouths. However, they’re perfectly fine for casual video watching.

Also, EarFun Free 2 come with a Low Latency mode that reduces latency under 60ms. That improves the mobile gaming experience.

Battery

Star Rating 4.0 Great

Everything is there: great battery life (that’s even longer than advertised), quick charge, and support for Qi wireless charging.

With Free 2, you can expect around 7 hours of battery life per charge (7 hours and 51 minutes in our test at 50% volume), with the remaining 23 hours in the charging case.

That can last for a whole week with regular use. If you ever get a “low battery” notification, a quick 10-minute charge through the USB-C port gives another two hours of playtime.

Another cool thing about these earbuds is the support for wireless charging.

By having a coil built into the charging case, you can place them on any Qi-compatible wireless charging pad to fill them up. It’s a much slower process, but it can come in handy.

Durability

Star Rating 4.5 Almost Perfect

Waterproof earbuds and the charging case feel solid, although the lid is a bit squeaky.

EarFun Free 2 are entirely made of plastic. However, they don’t feel cheap in your hand.

Earbuds have a mixture of the glossy and matte exterior. They can be a bit slippery when you want to pick them out of the case.

There’s a tight seam that holds earbuds together, with no visible weak points or moving parts.

EarFun Free 2 sport Sweatshield Technology for sweat protection. However, with a water resistance rating of IPX7, they can also survive a bit of a wash under running water.

The charging case is also made of matte plastic, without feeling too cheap. It has a bit of weight to it and can fit well enough into a pocket.

The only annoying thing is the lid’s hinge, where tolerances are a bit loose. EarFun Free Pro‘s have a similar problem.

However, it doesn’t seem that the lid will break off easily.

Features

Star Rating 3.5 Almost Great

For under $50, you receive a decent selection of features. From aptX, Low Latency mode, Qi-charging, access to voice assistant, and touch controls.

These are budget earbuds, so you can’t expect features like active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and other goodies.

Still, you get a respectable amount of useful technology inside EarFun Free 2.

Apart from the ones that I already covered in other categories, I really like touch commands.

They cover everything from control playback (play/pause, skipping tracks), answering phone calls, and adjusting the volume.

Controls are also quite responsive, although you have to practice a bit to hit them correctly every time.

As in many budget offerings, EarFun Free 2 commands are fixed and you can’t customize them.

Sound

Star Rating 2.0 Acceptable

An okay sound quality that lacks excitement, midrange detail, and treble definition.

I expected a bit more from EarFun Free 2. The slightly more expensive Free Pro model (and especially the Oluv Edition) sound much more exciting and dynamic.

Instead, Free 2 have a V-shaped sound signature with a boost in lower bass and lots of sparkle in the treble.

There’s a boost in the bass, which creates a noticeable rumble when a song asks for it.

The bass isn’t very controlled for fast-paced music such as rock or metal. On the other hand, electronic music will sound good with these.

While the midrange is recessed, the vocals are pushed upfront. The overall tuning is a bit off, making instruments and voices sound thin and sibilant at times.

The treble is quite grainy and artificial. Given that it’s also boosted, it doesn’t make for a pleasing listening experience.

The imaging is quite good, offering accurate information as to where sounds are coming from. However, the soundstage is fairly tiny.

Overall, most users will find EarFun Free 2 okay for casual listening. They get plenty loud, which makes them suitable for outdoor use and exercising at the gym.

Sadly, they can be a bit thin-sounding when playing podcasts or watching videos.

That’s a pity since the company knows how to tune their earbuds better, especially those that cost a few dollars more.