Imagine a world where Airpods didn’t exist. Shriek, horror!!! What would we wear in our ears? Here’s the thing though, if it wasn’t for the Apple marketing machine in full effect, chances are we might start paying attention to other brands and what they bring to the table in the audio space. Last year, we remarked on the premium audio experience the original FreeBuds brought and now with gen 2, Huawei has set its sights on taking some of that spotlight from Apple and delivering some of the best-sounding earphones currently on the market.

Design-wise, they still look great but so do their competitors. They now come in three colors – silver blue, silver frost, and ceramic white, with our preference being the silver blue obviously, but one thing to note here is that each earbud and the charging case itself are a little lighter and feel easier to carry around in the pocket, a change we welcome with open arms. While we are here, it is worth mentioning that the case itself is capable of reverse charging with a compatible phone or tablet which we have come to appreciate when on the road.

The real magic of the FreeBuds Pro 2 though, doesn’t come from design, but rather the co-engineering with audio pioneers Devialet. They have been tuned in just a way that delivers bright and precise treble and mids while also having bass that packs a punch. This is in part thanks to the inclusion of what Huawei called their Ultra-hearing True Sound Dual Driver’, a sound system that gives the FreeBuds Pro 2 a wide range of 14 Hz to 48 kHz to truly represent sound details accurately. This translates into some brilliantly balanced and bold sound no matter what musical genre you listen to. This in combination with their own Triple Adaptive EQ technology can automatically tune audio according to users’ ear canal structure, posture, and volume level to ensure a personalized and high-definition sound experience.

The FreeBuds Pro 2 also supports the LDAC™ high-resolution codec and is certified both by HWA and Hi-Res Audio Wireless, supporting blazing-fast transmission of up to 990 kbps, and transmitting pure high-fidelity sound that spares no detail. However, the real star of this show is what the company calls their Intelligent Dynamic ANC 2.0 which assesses your immediate environment and adjusts the noise cancelation to best eliminate unwanted noise. After trying these in a busy airport, at a soccer game, and just walking through the city, we continue to be impressed with just how flexible the sound profile can be based on the environment you are in. Also impressive was the built-in 4 microphone array and new windproof design of the buds themselves which maintained crystal clear call quality even in the busiest of places.

Battery life has also been excellent, lasting approximately 4-5 hours on a single charge with ANC activated and non stop listening. With the included battery case, Huawei claims you could go 18 hours which we have found to be true in our experience this past few months.  Connectivity has also been flawless thanks to the inclusion of Bluetooth 5.2 and the use of dual connection technology means that you can pair the buds to two different devices and switch between them with ease. Lastly, there is some reassuring IP54 water splash resistance for those seeking a little more adventure and a soundtrack to accompany them.

To conclude, the Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 improve on the original where it matters most to consumers – sound quality and connectivity. These remain one of our top picks for those seeking an alternative to Airpods that actually sound good and are affordable to the average consumer. For this reason alone, they should be on your radar this holiday season.

Get yours today at – https://consumer.huawei.com/en/headphones/freebuds-pro-2/

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