Edifier TWS1 Pro 2

The compact casings can be comfortably screwed into the ear cup, which ensures a very stable hold. In addition, the fit can be individually adjusted to suit your ears, as these in-ears come with ear tips in four different sizes. However, on the black device we tested, we noticed that the polished surfaces of the earpieces and charging case were quite susceptible to picking up lint.

Battery life

At high volume and maximum noise cancellation, the Edifier TWS1 Pro 2s achieved a listening time of just over four and a half hours, with the runtime increasing to six hours and 15 minutes when used in standard mode. In their handy case, which weighs just 33 grams, these earphones can be fully charged three times and once more with a capacity for another one and a half hours before an external power source is needed. This results in a total runtime of about 19 hours in maximum noise cancelling mode or 26 hours and 30 minutes in basic mode. The in-ears were fully charged after 90 minutes, while a ten-minute quick charge provided capacity for more than 60 minutes. The case can also be recharged after 90 minutes, and for this, there is a USB-C to USB-A charging cable supplied.

Operation

These wireless in-ears feature touch-sensitive surfaces, which in factory settings allow playback control, handling phone calls, skipping to the next track, activating or deactivating the gaming mode and switching between ANC, transparency and basic modes.

Using the app, touch control can be customised, which enables things such as a voice assistant or volume control to be selected. However, the range of assignable control options is limited to a double and triple tap on each side, while these headphones do not use the press-and-hold gesture. It is also not possible to switch the TWS1 Pro 2 on and off via the touch surfaces, but one-sided use in single mode is possible.

Edifier Connect App

The Edifier TWS1 Pro 2’s app (for Android and iOS) provides ambient noise control, which is divided into high or low noise cancelling, special wind noise suppression, for use when bicycling, for example, and an adjustable transparency mode. The amplification of external noise can be adjusted to suit the environment through seven intensity levels.

A total of four sound control modes are available: “Classic”, which corresponds to the basic tuning of “Pop”, “Classical” and “Rock”. However, this model does not offer an EQ for custom settings like the Edifier W240TN. In addition, these in-ears have wear recognition and a latency-reduced gaming mode that can be switched on or off via the app. This improves the synchronisation of picture and sound when watching films or playing mobile phone games, as the earphones use Bluetooth standard SBC and do not support high-quality audio codecs. It is also possible to configure a timer, and the volume can be adjusted. A beep search function is intended to assist in finding the earpieces, and firmware updates can also be carried out via the app.

Speech intelligibility during phone calls

The microphone technology uses AI algorithms, and these succeed exceptionally well at filtering out wind noise, as this is completely suppressed. The only noticeable thing was that in strong wind, the voice quality deteriorated due to this processing, and the transmission of your own voice was no longer smooth. Loud background noises were also completely suppressed during pauses in speech but were still heard as slightly weakened during speech, which affected intelligibility somewhat.

Despite this, communication was possible with the TWS1 Pro 2 in virtually any environment, which was an impressive achievement for headphones in this price range.

Noise cancellation and transparency mode

The low-frequency outdoor range was attenuated most effectively by the hybrid noise cancelling. In contrast, there was less reduction in the upper-frequency spectrum, so birdsong, sirens or ring tones came through rather softly. This also applied to background voices; these were more effectively attenuated and thus perceived as significantly quieter. Overall, the Edifier TWS1 Pro 2’s noise cancellation did its job well, even if both ANC modes were fairly similar to each other and you have to tolerate a certain amount of background noise.

Noise was also present in transparency mode, increasing from level to level. However, even at the lowest setting, the amplification was quite intense, which made it possible to have a conversation while pausing the playback without having to take the headphones out of your ears. In the upper levels, it was also possible to perceive the surroundings better, even during sound playback.

Sound

With the Edifier TWS1 Pro 2, the Chinese manufacturer proves that an appealing listening experience with a tidy, clean sound is possible even in the lower price range. Both the basic tuning (Classic) as well as the Pop, Classical and Rock variants seemed coherent and harmonious. The Classic mode was designed for a more spacious presentation so that complex productions do not seem cramped and there was space between the individual instruments. In addition, there was a well-defined, powerful bass reproduction that reached quite far down and provided listening pleasure from modern music styles.

The slightly warm mid-range was a little more reserved but detailed and reproduced voices well; these were not perceived as superficial but were embedded in the overall structure. The high frequencies, on the other hand, were somewhat more present, although they flattened out a little in the upper registers. Apart from that, the lively high-frequency range enlivened the sound reproduction, even if sibilants could be perceived as being a little cheeky at higher volume levels.

The pop mode conveyed a more direct, richer sound impression and had a more substantial (low) bass reproduction. The mid-range also appeared more powerful, presenting voices and lead instruments with more body and more assertiveness when in mobile use.

The Classical setting offered a brighter sound than the Basic mode. In comparison, the bass range was a little slimmer, while the mids were even more energetic than in Pop mode and revealed lots of details. At the same time, the reproduction did not drop off in the upper ranges. This also applied to the Rock mode, which had a rich bass reproduction like the Pop mode but sounded even fuller and warmer thanks to a more accentuated bass range. However, the presentation seemed more spacious than with the playback in Pop mode.

Conclusion

If you are looking for good-sounding True Wireless in-ears on a budget, you can’t go far wrong with the Edifier TWS1 Pro 2. While the ambient noise control provides successful attenuation and amplification of external sound, the AI-supported microphone technology succeeds in completely filtering out annoying wind noise when making phone calls. However, these lightweight, weatherproof earpieces could be improved by making it possible to have more than four functions controlled via the touch surfaces.