EarFun Free Pro

Unpacked

In the box you will find the in-ears, four pairs of adaptors in XS, S, M and L, three pairs of ear hooks in S, M and L, charging case, USB-C to USB-A cable and instructions. Once you have found the right combination of hooks and tips, the EarFun Free Pro fit securely and very tightly in the ear, which is a good starting point for active noise cancellation. However, the good fit also contributes to the transmission of impact sound into the ears, which in the case of the Free Pro is also clearly audible when you walk. Apart from that, pairing with the playback device via Bluetooth 5.2 was quick and easy while the in-ears were still in the open charging case. Bluetooth 5.2 offers many new features, such as improved sound at lower data rates with higher energy efficiency and reduced latency, as well as easier connectivity with multiple devices. However, the EarFun Free Pro only utilise the optional gaming mode, which promises lower latency or, conversely, better synchronisation of picture and sound. As for codecs, SBC and AAC are offered. Multipoint is not included, but the in-ears can be operated individually.

Listening

Sound-wise, the slim Free Pro made a good impression, which was certainly due to the dynamic dual-composite drivers. The tuning can be considered quite successful and delivered a balanced sound image with a powerful bass, lightly penetrating mids and good treble articulation, albeit lacking freshness and naturalness at the end. The stereo stage did not unfold a particularly wide space and mixes seemed rather compact and crowded, which left a somewhat artificial impression. All in all, the Free Pro offer a solid sound output that copes well with current chart music but also doesn’t surrender under the more complex layering of classical music or rock. Nice touch.

The Free Pro can be controlled via sensor surfaces on the backs of the in-ears. Apart from not being able to jump back in a track, the remote functionality is complete, even the volume is included via a single tap on the left or right. Three taps on the left activates or deactivates noise cancellation alternating with ambient mode. The first impression when ANC is switched on is that the sound hardly changes compared to when ANC is switched off, i.e. there is no stronger emphasis of the mids, which can often happen. The noise level increases only imperceptibly. Only in ambient mode, when the external microphones are listening to your surroundings, is the noise more noticeable. The downside of these mainly positive features of the ANC functionality of the Free Pro: The impact of the technology called “Feed-Forward Noise Cancellation”, which only analyses signals via external microphones, is very low. There is some cancellation of lower frequencies, but this is very limited and it is sometimes difficult to perceive any effect at all. So the reduction seems to be due to good mechanical isolation rather than active noise cancellation, which is of course not enough to be for an advertised feature.

Runtime etc.

Seven hours plus 25 more with the charging case is what EarFun provides for the Free Pro, with ANC cutting the runtime by one to six hours, which is a fairly solid performance. The compact case is wirelessly chargeable according to the Qi standard but also accepts power via USB-C socket. The in-ears are IPX5 sweat- and rain-proof and offer an acceptable, but somewhat “wobbly” voice to the called party in long-distance calls via the built-in microphones.