EarFun Free 2 Review
EarFun’s cheapest true wireless pack in lots of value
Verdict
EarFun’s Free 2 are another affordable effort that offer value, especially with their feature set. Casual listeners looking for an inexpensive pair of earbuds will be satisfied.
Pros
- Energetic sound (at the right volume)
- Solid fit
- Good feature set
Cons
- Poor call quality
- Weak at lower volumes
- Humdrum design
Availability
- UKRRP: £44.99
- USARRP: $49.99
- EuropeRRP: €79.99
Key Features
- Fast-chargingA ten minute charge is enough for two more hours
- Gaming ModeReduces latency to 60ms for slicker gaming performance
- Water resistanceFully resistance against water and sweat
Introduction
EarFun are one of many brands with eyes on the affordable side of the true wireless market, launching several options for less than £100.
The Free 2 earbuds are their cheapest pair of true wireless, sitting alongside the original, and still available, Free buds. With a feature set that looks to capture mobile gamers and fitness fanatics, these are the type of all-purpose earbuds that often crop up – and judging by their performance, do a solid enough job.
Design
- Nondescript design
- Tricky to take out of case
- Solid noise-isolating design
The design of the EarFun Free 2 carries over from the original, which means they’re a thoroughly plastic affair. At this asking price that isn’t an unexpected development.
The Jabra-esque charging case does look like it’s been on a Slim Fast diet compared to the previous unit; it’s squatter but a little taller. The case is more compact, then, but that’s led to the earbuds’ placement in the cradle feeling cramped. The lack of space – at least for my sizeable digits – makes it tricky to pluck them out of the case, the glossy plastic sheen doesn’t help either.
Once in the ear, the EarFun’s design offers solid noise-isolating qualities and good levels of comfort. They’re big and bulbous, and that’s enough to plug the ear and reduce the impact of external sounds.
Touch controls govern volume, playback, voice assistant (on the right earbud) and the low-latency mode (on the left). Taps are responsive and it doesn’t take too much pressure to initiate a response, which avoids the feeling of pushing the earbud into the ear.
Available in a black finish, the EarFun Free 2 are best described as nondescript. To be honest, for the money, there’s little need for them to be more than that.
Features
- Ambitious feature set for the price
- Waterproof rating
- Good battery stamina
The EarFun Free 2 offers a good array of features that open them up for use for various purposes. Are you a keen gym and fitness fanatic? Along with their solid fit, the Free 2 offer IPX7 resistance, which means they’re fully waterproof and should happily survive any encounters with rain and sweat.
Interested in gaming? There’s a dedicated low-latency mode that EarFun says reduces latency to 60ms for improved synching of sound and vision. It’s a bit tricky to test, although I found there was no difference streaming YouTube videos, so I’ll take EarFun’s word for it. If the low-latency mode is left on during music playback, the connection can hit choppy waters.
The earbuds operate on a Bluetooth 5.2 connection, and at the time of the review, that’s the latest version. The TrueWireless mirroring tech grants the opportunity to listen to audio and take calls with both earbuds or just a single one. With aptX, AAC and SBC codecs supported, the EarFun cater to both Android or iOS devices.
From a call quality perspective, however, they’re a letdown. EarFun’s claims of a “stunning” call quality don’t bear out, with the person on the other end of the line describing my voice as distant and small, with even the slightest noise picked up and enhanced by the earbuds.
Battery life is seven hours per earbud and 30 hours in total with the case. There’s fast-charging support (10 minutes gives two hours) and compatibility with wireless charging plates, too. With voice assistant control possible, the Free 2’s feature set is robust for the price that EarFun is asking.
Sound quality
- Energetic sound (at the right volume)
- Hemmed in soundstage
- Disappointing call quality
Like most true wireless buds under £100, there’s a small-scale size to the Free 2’s sound. The soundstage created gives the impression of being big but not wide, feeling slightly hemmed in around the edges.
Still, while that soundstage can feel a little like the M25 motorway on a busy day, the Free 2 earbuds are clear enough and sufficiently well balanced across the frequency range to make an impression. Vocals are the primary focus and avoid being affected by sibilant tones in the likes of Butch Tavares’ Give Her a Ride and La Roux’s Bulletproof.
They perform solidly across a range of musical genres with a performance that’s peppy, energetic and buoyant. There’s a good rhythm to these earbuds that isn’t necessarily accurate but does entertain.
However, that sense of energy only exists at higher volumes. Turn the volume down and energy and dynamism are diminished, bass handling is weaker and the experience becomes unengaging. Volume-wise, there isn’t the widest operating window for the Free 2 to display their talents.
When they’re in that range they offer a decent grasp of dynamics in Holst’s The Planets and The Foo Fighters’ Everlong. The mid-range is home to a punchy sense of rhythm, although it’s short on space, which means detail isn’t always defined with much clarity. Low frequencies are decently described, but they lack depth and outright power in Kendrick Lamar’s The Art of Peer Pressure. High frequencies are another case where the Free 2 show some decent handling, but don’t offer much brightness or sparkle.
However, this should all be considered in light of the EarFun Free 2’s low price. For casual listeners looking for a cheap pair of earbuds, and without high expectations, they entertain – although that comes with the usual cheap true wireless caveats.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re after a multi-purpose true wireless Fully waterproof, decent sound and a low-latency mode for gaming and video – the EarFun Free 2 cover several bases that gives them wide appeal.
If you use earbuds a lot for calls The Free 2 offer poor call quality, with voices sounding distant and the mics sensitive to noise. Probably not the best for those online Zoom calls.
Final thoughts
As a whole package, the EarFun Free 2 are solid performers at an affordable price. Their appearance is nothing to shout about, but most won’t be fussed by their looks.
Their feature set covers most bases and is impressive for the price, while their sound is competent enough when pitched at the right volume. The Free 2 are another pair of earbuds from EarFun that hit the right note when it comes to value.
How we test
We test every headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Tested over several days
Tested with various music streaming services
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FAQs
You can control volume on the earbuds themselves.
No, the charging case is not waterproof.
Full specs
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
