Enacfire A9 Review
Affordable earbuds that feature active noise cancellation
Verdict
If you want an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds with great-sounding audio and effective ANC, the Enacfire A9 are definitely worth a look. However, connectivity issues and a disappointing transparency mode prevent these earbuds from scoring any higher.
Pros
- Effective ANC
- Great audio quality
Cons
- Transparency mode is weak
- Bluetooth cuts out at short distances
Availability
- UKRRP: £51.99
- USARRP: $66.66
- EuropeRRP: €68.89
- CanadaRRP: CA$84.83
Key Features
- Noise cancellingANC and a transparency mode
- WaterproofWater- and sweat-resistant to IPX7
- Battery life32 hours including charging case
- Wireless connectivityBluetooth 5.0 support
Introduction
There are plenty of budget-friendly true wireless earbuds on the market right now and, scrolling through Enacfire’s catalogue, you’d be forgiven for thinking the audio company owns half of them.
At £52, the A9 sit at the top-end of Enacfire’s extensive and incredibly affordable true wireless line-up. The earbuds boast a set of impressive-sounding features including ANC, a transparency mode and a 32-hour battery life – but how well do they perform?
Design
- The A9 have a chunky stem-shaped design
- The fit is comfortable but not the most secure
- The case supports fast charging but not wireless charging
Like many budget true wireless earbuds, the A9’s design inspiration appears to be the Apple AirPods. The top of the earbud is large and oval-shaped, like the AirPods Pro, and the end extends down into a stem.
However, where the AirPods have more of an even-shaped tail, the one on the A9s starts off wide and flat at the top and tapers slightly as it reaches the end. The earbuds come in matte black and feature a light at the top, along with a subtle grey Enacfire logo.
The A9 are also a little bulkier than the AirPods. This is a trend that continues with the silicone tips, which arrive in small, medium and large sizes, with even the smallest feeling bigger than the ear tips I’m used to.
Thankfully, the earbuds don’t feel at all intrusive in the ear, despite their size. The fit is super-comfortable and the seal is good, too. However, they don’t feel quite as secure as other, smaller earbuds I’ve tested, such as the EarFun Free Pro, which also come with ear hooks to help them stay put.
While I didn’t face any issues with the fit listening to music at my desk, on public transport or walking through London, I’d hesitate to go for a run with these earbuds, even with their IPX7 water-resistance protecting them from sweat.
The matte-black plastic charging case is great for the fact that it doesn’t pick up any fingerprints. There’s a fast-charge supporting USB-C port on the bottom, but these earbuds don’t support wireless charging.
Features
- ANC does a good job
- The transparency mode is less effective
- Bluetooth can cut out at short distances
Enacfire claims the active noise cancellation (ANC) on the A9 is capable of cutting out 80% of noise. There are three settings – on, off and a transparency mode – that can be accessed by tapping the left earbud.
The ANC is decent – it’s capable of cancelling out low chatter and the hum of public transport. However, it isn’t strong enough to suppress raised voices or busy traffic. It’s a noticeable upgrade on the standard listening mode, but there’s still room for improvement. Calls are clear, nevertheless, thanks to the call noise-cancellation feature.
The transparency mode is less helpful. The setting is designed to ensure you remain aware of cars, train announcements and voices without having to pause your music. While the setting offers a subtle improvement, it’s in no way strong enough to allow you to make out what someone is saying, making it feel a little redundant.
As far as other touch controls go, you can tap to play, pause, skip, answer and reject calls and activate your phone’s voice assistant. You can also tap and hold to adjust the volume.
I did face an issue with the Bluetooth connection. Namely, one or both of the earbuds would cut out if I stepped into the next room without my phone. This won’t be an issue if you keep your phone on you, but I did find the connection cut out at a closer range to other earbuds I’ve tested. It wasn’t ideal when I needed to leave my phone in another room to charge.
Enacfire doesn’t state how long each earbud should last on its website, but it does say the case holds 32 hours of battery in total. I found each earbud offered 5hrs 14mins of playtime with ANC switched off, making them about average in terms of battery life.
Sound quality
- The sound is warm and dynamic
- The tonal balance is generally good
- The bass could have more impact
When it comes to audio quality, the Enacfire A9 are a warm and energetic pair of earbuds – but the bass could be more impactful.
When faced with Queen’s Killer Queen, the A9s offer a vibrant and dynamic sound. The vocals are crisp and punchy at the appropriate times and the soundstage is wide and spacious, giving the guitar, drums and vocals plenty of room to breathe. The tonal balance is generally good here, too, although I’d perhaps have liked the bass to be more ground-shaking.
Moving on to a track that leans heavily on bass, The Weeknd’s The Hills is an exciting and energetic performance through the A9s. However, the weaker bass is definitely more noticeable here. The song doesn’t sound bad, by any means, and the bass makes its presence known – but it’s missing the massive impact it should have on the chorus.
Of course, the issue is less noticeable in less bass-heavy songs, such as Jeff Buckley’s So Real, which sounds relatively natural and balanced. Like the Queen track, vocals are the main focus here. Buckley’s voice is dynamic and full of life – and no instrument gets left behind, with the guitar and drums offering a similarly energetic performance.
If you listen to a lot of bass, you may want to stay clear of these earbuds. Otherwise, the Enacfire A9 offer a dynamic and well-rounded listening experience.
Best Offers
Should you buy it?
You want affordable noise-cancelling earbuds The Enacfire A9 sound great, with the ANC doing a decent job of cutting out unwanted distractions.
You need a strong connection If you need to be able to stray far from your device, the spotty Bluetooth here could be a deal-breaker.
Final Thoughts
If you want an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds with great-sounding audio and effective ANC, the Enacfire A9 are definitely worth a look. However, connectivity issues and a disappointing transparency mode prevent these earbuds from scoring any higher.
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FAQs
Yes, the Enacfire have active noise cancellation (ANC).
Enacfire claims the charging case holds 32 hours of battery. If our tests, we found each individual earbud offered 5hrs 14 minutes of playtime.
No, the Enacfire A9 do not support wireless charging. You’ll need to charge the case via USB-C.
Specs
Jargon buster
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0 is the latest iteration of the standard, and allows data to be sent at twice as much as speed over previous standards, cover four times as much in terms of distance and transfer eight times as much data.ANC
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) uses an array of microphones in a headphone to detect the frequency of the sound coming at the listener, with the ANC chip creating an inverse wave (i.e. opposing sound) to suppress any unwanted external noises.
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.
