First listen: EarFun’s first over-ear headphones are impressive for $80
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EarFun, a company that has been surprising us for several years with ultra-affordable wireless earbuds that sound terrific, has taken its first step into the over-ear wireless headphone space and we got a chance to give them a listen at CES 2024. The EarFun Wave Pro are priced at $80 and will be available toward the end of March.
EarFun Wave Pro
The Wave Pro look impressive on paper. They’ve got hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC), hi-res audio capability thanks to support for Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec, Bluetooth Multipoint, 40mm drivers, five built-in mics for calls, and a huge 80-hour claimed battery life.
If the Wave Pro can repeat the performance of the company’s wireless earbuds, they’ll be the first wireless cans to provide some serious competition to 1More’s $100 SonoFlow, which we currently consider to be the best budget wireless headphones you can buy.
Digital Trends’ own Derek Malcolm was in Las Vegas for the big electronics show and got some brief ears-on time with the Wave Pro at EarFun’s booth. Admittedly, the CES show floor isn’t necessarily an optimal space for auditioning audio products, but Malcolm nonetheless felt that they sounded good for the price, with a “nice balance, and decent low end.” He noted that the sound signature could probably do with some additional tweaking using the EarFun app’s EQ adjustments.
Ten minutes is hardly a good test of long-term comfort, but the Wave Pro show promise in that area. Malcolm’s immediate assessment was “comfy and not pinchy at all.” Hear Through (transparency) mode made external voices easier to hear thanks to some amplification, and the only real critique was in regard to the ANC, which he dubbed “only OK.”
It’s not the final word on the Wave Pro — we’ll be doing a full review as soon as we get a chance to spend some more considered time with them closer to launch.
EarFun also debuted new generations of some of its most popular wireless earbuds and speakers at CES:
EarFun Air 2
$50, available in late January
Bluetooth 5.3
Personalization via the EarFun App
Bluetooth MultiPoint
Hi-res with LDAC codec
4 mics
10mm wool composite drivers
Single earbud mode
Claimed 9 hours per charge (5.5 hours with LDAC), with 31 hours in the case (or 17.5 with LDAC)
Fast charging; 10 minutes gives an extra two hours
Touch controls
Wireless charging
Low-latency game mode
EarFun UBoom X
$180, available in May
Bluetooth 5.3
“JumboBass” technology
Dual 4-inch mid-woofers
Dual 20mm tweeters
80 watts peak power
IPX 7
Claimed up to 30 hours of playtime
Carry strap included
Color LED lighting
USB C in/out, can be used as a power bank
Personalized EQ via the EarFun app
Stereo pairing with a second speaker and party mode with up to 50 linked speakers
Built-in mics for hands-free calls and Google Assistant/Siri access
EarFun Air Pro 4
Price still to be determined, but likely between $80 and $90, available midsummer
Bluetooth 5.4
Hi-res audio, lossless CD-quality audio via Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound and aptX Lossless
LDAC also supported for non-aptX Adpative phones
Wear sensors
Bluetooth Auracast compatible
Bluetooth MultiPoint
Google Fast Pair
Wireless charging
Multiple color choices
Low-latency mode
IPX5
6 mics
Claimed 11 hours per charge, plus 41 hours in the case
