EarFun Air 2 NC

Comparison: EarFun Air 2 and EarFun Air 2 NC

Unlike the EarFun Air 2 (review), the NC (Noise Cancelling) model has both active noise cancellation and a transparency mode. Other new features include sound personalisation using sound profiles, a much larger selection of pre-configured EQ settings and an additional theatre mode. Both headphones support Bluetooth standard 5.3 and multipoint connectivity with two devices simultaneously. The choice of audio codecs is also the same, with LDAC available as a premium option alongside SBC and AAC. The Air 2 NCs also support Google Fast Pair for fast pairing with Android devices. Especially since the microphone technology has been improved. The standard model is IPX7 rated.

Battery life

In basic mode, the wireless in-ear headphones offer seven hours and 45 minutes of battery life with the volume turned up and the AAC codec used. With noise cancellation enabled, however, you can expect five hours and 20 minutes. The battery in the case is enough to fully charge the headphones three times, giving a total of 31 hours in standard mode and just over 21 hours in ANC mode. While the in-ear headphones can be fully charged in 60 minutes, a ten-minute quick charge will give you a good hour’s use (without ANC). The housing can also be recharged in 110 minutes using a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. You can also use a charging mat as the case supports wireless charging via Qi.

Handling

The EarFun Air 2 NCs have touch-sensitive surfaces for controlling playback, handling phone calls and adjusting the volume. You can also skip back and forth to select tracks or access the voice assistant. You can also switch between basic, ANC and transparent modes. Other options, such as redial or game mode, can be selected via the app, especially as the touch surfaces can be disabled if required. Manual on/off is not supported. However, the in-ears can be used in single mode.

EarFun Audio App

When using the app (Android and iOS), you can access a general transparency mode, wind noise cancellation for outdoor activities and two ANC modes, one of which automatically adapts to your ear canal after a short analysis. Another key element is the EQ section, which offers a wide range of pre-configured settings. These include 14 options for boosting or cutting bass, mid-range and treble in various increments, as well as 15 genre-specific adjustments for hip-hop, rock or pop. There is also a ten-band EQ for creating your own settings and saving them as presets. If you want, you can also take a hearing test to create a personal sound profile. At the moment, however, the results are still rather bass-heavy and muffled, which we hope will be addressed in a forthcoming update.

As well as the touch controls, the app also lets you set a timer and adjust the volume of voice prompts. You can also turn on and off multipoint connections, as well as gaming and theatre modes. Firmware updates can also be performed, while a beep-based locator function can help you find your headphones. On Android devices, the LDAC codec can also be activated if supported by the smartphone or tablet.

Speech intelligibility during calls

For their price, the EarFun Air 2 NCs deliver clear, crisp voice transmission. Wind noise is largely filtered out by the three AI-enabled microphones with ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) technology on each side, making them ideal for outdoor calls, even if voice quality is slightly reduced. You can also communicate in noisy environments by reducing background noise and making your own voice stand out.

Noise cancelling (ANC) and transparent mode

The hybrid noise cancellation works with surprisingly little noise, but it does have an effect on the sound, as the bass has more presence in the ANC modes and playback seems fuller. While voices are barely reduced in the standard ANC mode, there is at least some attenuation in the second mode, which is based on ear canal analysis. The results are much more effective in the low-frequency range, although the ear canal can be adjusted to achieve a further improvement in this area. In the high frequency range, however, the normal ANC mode performs better because the ear canal adaptation results in an audible hissing sound.

Transparency mode provides intense amplification of the outer range, improving awareness of the environment during playback and ensuring responsiveness. It also makes it easier to hold conversations and listen to announcements when the music is paused, without having to remove the earpieces. Another benefit is that background noise is reduced.

Theatre mode

In Theatre Mode, the virtual stage moves noticeably closer to you, creating a more immediate sound experience. Voices, in particular, come across as extremely direct and energetic. This also applies to special effects in action-packed media fare. However, the theatre mode does not currently offer a wider, more spatial presentation.

Sound

Like the standard EarFun Air 2, the EarFun Air 2 NCs are designed to deliver a full, rich sound and feature even larger, dynamic 11mm wool-composite drivers. Again, the bass is very powerful, which can be a little uncontrolled in club-oriented music. However, if you prefer a more punchy sound for bass-heavy productions, you can use the EQ section to reduce the bass a little. Otherwise, the full-bodied bass reproduction is coherent.

What the speakers do very well is to present a clear mid-range. Despite the richness and warmth, the reproduction is clean and tidy, vocals are perfectly intelligible and more complex arrangements do not sound diffuse or cramped. In this respect, the sound is not ponderous or cumbersome, and lead instruments or voices appear quite lively, although the presentation is full-bodied.

There is also plenty of power in the upper registers, which are lively and do not drop off, opening up the reproduction in a positive way. At higher volumes, however, the harmonic impression can become a little cloudy, as sibilants become noticeably more pronounced and the treble becomes a little more brash.

Verdict

The EarFun Air 2 NC can be recommended as true wireless in-ear headphones with strong bass, a successful transparency mode and solid noise cancellation. Speech intelligibility during phone calls is above average, even in a windy or noisy environment. However, the theatre mode and the bass-heavy sound personalisation do not seem to be fully developed yet.