Huawei knows a thing or two about sound, and every year their FreeBuds have been praised for being among the best-sounding earphones for Android users even offering a compelling alternative to the AirPods.
But the company is even better when doing collabs just like when it partnered with Leica and changed the way smartphone cameras were made. This time it brings in another expert for audio for some even more fine tuning tips for its flagship TWS in-ears. The FreeBuds Pro 2 are the latest collab between the firm and French sound specialists Devialet, which promise to bring true audiophile innovations.
On paper the Huawei Freebuds 2 Pro promises a lot of notable improvements including a better fit, intuitive on-device controls, a new dual-speaker design, IP54-rated water resistance, an enhanced app experience for customized EQ settings, three microphones for what should be better ANC, and as mentioned that collaboration with Devialet. We missed the chance to review the Sound Joy but we’ve been hearing great things about it.
So does the FreeBuds Pro 2 deliver the superb auditory sensory listening it promises?
DESIGN: Colorway inspired by the beauty of stars in the galaxy
Starting with the charging case, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 has a smooth pebble-shaped case design, reducing the weight to 52.1g and its volume is reduced by 11% when compared with the previous generation, making it easy to keep in pockets even if you are wearing the skinniest of jeans.
The charging case has a mirror-like Huawei/Devialet logo on the back which makes it easily identifiable from other cases.
The charging case has a USB-C port on the undercarriage that sits next to an LED light indicator to show you how much battery you have. On the side is a wireless charging point and a pairing button.
WHATS IN THE BOX?
Before taking out your FreeBuds Pro 2 of the case, check the second LED light that shine between the buds. This indicates how much charge they have left and also lights up when in pairing mode. To pair your buds all you need to do is long-press the button on the case.
As for the earbuds it measures 29.1mm long, 21.8mm wide and 23.7mm high, making them smaller and lighter than previous generations and weigh just about 6.1g. Included in the package are three varying sizes of soft silicone earbuds so you can choose the most secure fit for you.
Speaking of the secure fit, Huawei said it collected ear canal data from 10,000 actual users from all over the world—that’s a lot of ears. Huawei likewise designed a curved surface classification algorithm to calculate the similarity of the concha cavity, analyzing and identifying several types of representative ears from the sampled database.
One problem I have with these kinds of earbuds is that I get paranoid and worry they might fall whenever I move. To make sure of its stability, Huawei placed the center of gravity of the ear tips closer to the ear canal as compared to the previous generation, so whether you are sitting, laying down, walking, running or jumping you get up to 70%, 70%, 56% and 50% respectively, ensuring a more stable wearing experience. I don’t really do those heavy workouts so I never had a problem having to adjust them frequently.
But if you do, Huawei’s added IP56 splash resistance to the FreeBuds Pro 2, making them better for those sweaty sessions.
The Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 is available in three futuristic and fashionable colorways, Ceramic White, Silver Frost and Silver Blue, which I have for this review.
Each color has its own appeal– the ceramic white is minimalist, the silver frost is a bit stealthy in a sober gray hue and if you want to stand out, the Silver Blue colorway is the way to go with its color-shifting iridescent finish.
The Silver Blue variant has this special nano-coating on its cover composed of a special translucent color, and forms a light blue violet coating on top of its silver background, showcasing a dreamy pearlescent violet-silver color.
The stem of HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 adopts the recognizable refined piano key design. Traced by the four-dimensional angles of circles, straight lines, and flat surfaces to outline a simple yet elegant silhouette of the piano keys. Because of its flat design, the FreeBuds Pro 2 has a simple square-shaped stem without any sharp corners, giving it a soft and silky touch as compared to those which have an angular design.
CONTROLS: PINCH, SWIPE, PRESS
Huawei has put its own spin on the stem, with a thicker and squarer shape. The FreeBuds Pro 2 is smaller and also has a shorter stem which does make it less chunky but it initially made me think about the controls. Thankfully, I was mistaken as it still gives you plenty to grip when activating the pinch gesture controls.
The FreeBuds Pro 2 supports a rich variety of gesture touch functions. Swipe up or down to control the volume, pinch once to play /pause or answer/end a call, pinch twice to go to the next song and pinch 3 times for the previous song.
You can customize what single, double and triple-control squeeze actions do, in addition to a long-press. That’s loads of on-device control, and once you get the hang of it, it actually becomes even more intuitive.
TRUE SOUND MEANS BEAUTY TO YOUR EARS
The FreeBuds 2 Pro is the first wireless buds to feature two drivers: a dynamic driver, associated with more responsive bass; and a planar magnetic driver, known to deliver lower distortion and superior trebles. It adopts a dual-core magnetic circuit design, equipped with an 11 mm quad-magnet dynamic driver unit that boosts driving force by 30% delivering 14 Hz of booming bass.
The Ultrahearing dual-driver true sound system comes in two built-in powerful sound units coupled with the intelligent collaboration of the digital dual-crossover technology, delivering a better surging bass and good sound quality with rich details.
Like the older FreeBuds, the FreeBuds Pro 2 can read your ear shape and tune sound accordingly but this time it is equipped with Wearing State Adaptive Technology. The in-ear microphone can detect the wearing state of the user in real-time, then calculate the compensation difference in real-time according to the sound leakage. No matter what position you are in, you still get the best listening experience.
All these breakthroughs in acoustic devices, architecture, algorithms, and codec protocols, translate to a splendid listening experience— the sound is generally warm, the bass is satisfyingly deep, and vocals and mid-range complex layers of instruments come across clearly. Tuning is dynamic and exciting, in a way that is sure to please most listeners.
We tested it on several pop tunes such as Ed Sheeran’s Shivers, Adele’s Easy on Me, and ColdPlay’s Yellow, and you can easily hear clear vocals without distortions and the heavy bass, the treble is also bright with rich and well-defined details. If you are into Pop tunes, the Freebuds 2 Pro is the best I’ve tried so far.
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, try and listen to the main title soundtrack on the Freebuds 2 Pro and you can feel the grandeur and majesty focusing on the sound field and punchiness of the bass.
Still not satisfied with what you hear? The FreeBuds Pro 2 has a variety of built-in EQs to further adjust the different sound elements. In addition to the default Devialet sound, it has bass and treble enhancements, as well as vocal clarity and other EQs. At the same time, there is a custom equalizer tool to support free adjustments of 10 bands EQ, enabling users to fully play and create their unique listening style.
Be sure to download the Huawei AI Life App to select from more different sound settings.
Also worth noting is that the FreeBuds 2 Pro support Hi-Res audio when matched with a compatible audio source, as well as LDAC at up to 990kbit/s.
NOISE-CANCELLING AND CALL QUALITY
In 2020, Huawei launched the FreeBuds Pro, and introduced the world’s first intelligent dynamic active noise cancellation (ANC) TWS earbuds. Combining comfort and functionality the FreeBuds Pro 2 comes with new upgraded ANC capabilities, that let users experience a revolutionary and intelligent active noise cancellation experience.
The HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 is equipped with the industry’s first Triple MIC ANC TWS for active noise cancellation. The Triple Mic ANC System with 3 highly sensitive microphones boosts the average ANC depth by an industry-leading 15% when compared to its predecessor.
The FreeBuds Pro 2 offers three levels of noise canceling Ultra, Cozy and Dynamic – dynamic automatically switching between Ultra or Cozy.
Through the Intelligent dynamic ANC 2.0 system, the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 2 is able to perform real-time ear canal characteristics detection based on downstream music and voice signals to automatically match the appropriate noise cancellation curve. This allows users to experience personalized noise cancellation based on their ear canals.
The FreeBuds Pro 2 is able to detect if the user is in a quiet place such as a library and will automatically switch over to the Cozy mode. The earbuds will generate less ear pressure for the wearer to give a comfortable experience. With the smart noise cancellation mode, the FreeBuds Pro 2 is able to detect the user’s surroundings and switch to the General mode further help balance out ambient sounds, let’s say if you are in a café. And when you are in extreme noisy places such as riding trains or buses the Intelligent Dynamic ANC 2.0 can accurately identify and judge the external sound field environment and selects the best noise cancelling mode that eliminates noise for comfortable listening.
Making and answering calls using the FreeBuds Pro 2 was always loud and clear, as this cancellation blocks out background noise too, so anyone on the other end of the call should be able to hear your conversations clearly.
BATTERY AND CHARGING
Huawei claims that the FreeBuds Pro 2 has a battery life of up to 30 hours of listening time with the charging case. In real use, I was able to get good four hours with ANC enabled and about six with it turned off. I have yet to test how long it would last on calls but you should probably get at least three hours as well.
It does support fast charging over USB-and a ten-minute charge should be good for about two hours. Charging it via the case works also fast plus there’s also wireless charging if you have a compatible device.
FINAL WORD
With all the TWS earphones available in the market and more coming out every week, getting one can be a tough choice.
The Huawei Freebuds Pro 2 offers a lot of new innovations and features that make it one of the best options in its price category–or even higher.
This partnership with Devialet has created a well-tuned true wireless earbuds that pack a real sonic punch presenting amazing sound quality, a very comfortable and stable fit, and that smart noise cancellation mode is a standout feature that you should try and experience first-hand.
