ONEPLUS
Review: OnePlus Nord Buds 2
The latest wireless earbuds from OnePlus cost only 69 euros, but do have active noise reduction and excellent sound. Can you sit at the ringside for a dime, or do the Nord Buds 2 also drop stitches?
Dit is de OnePlus Nord Buds 2 review...OnePlus released the Nord Buds last year, wireless earbuds of only 49 euros. That sounds almost too good to be true, but the earplugs were secretly pretty good. In our OnePlus Nord Buds review, we call them ‘an excellent choice if you want no-nonsense earbuds for little money’.
Now OnePlus comes with the Nord Buds 2, with the addition of active noise reduction as a major innovation. That is a feature that we usually only see in more expensive earbuds, but OnePlus has managed to put this in the Nord Buds 2. They have become a bit more expensive, because you now pay 69 euros.
In this review we look at how good the active noise reduction actually is, but of course also how the earplugs sound and whether they last a long time. So read on quickly!
Cheap, but comfortable...The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are cheap earplugs and you will notice that. The earbuds feel cheaper than, for example, the (admittedly much more expensive) Buds Pro 2, especially the charging box. The case is quite large and does not feel very sturdy.
The box is made of cheaper plastic and ‘speckled’. In other words: you see very small dots on the earplugs and the case, which looks funny in itself. Due to its size, the charging box does not fit in every pocket and the lid is a bit loose. That’s not a disaster, but it does reinforce the feeling that the Nord Buds 2 are cheaper.
The earbuds are also large, but fortunately sit comfortably in your ears. During my testing period, I was able to wear them for extended periods of time without any irritation. However, they are not the most comfortable earbuds I’ve used lately, but that’s a personal thing for everyone.
Conveniently, the Nord Buds 2 have an IP55 certification. As a result, the earplugs are sweat and water resistant and you can use them perfectly during sports, or if you are walking outside and it starts to rain. This feature is not new, but it is nice.
Active noise cancellation...The big new feature of the OnePlus Nord Buds 2 is active noise cancellation (ANC). This way you filter out ambient noise, so that you can concentrate on work or while studying, and you won’t be disturbed by noise from outside. The Nord Buds 2 do a pretty good job of ‘removing’ the sound, but you shouldn’t expect miracles.
Of noise cancelling especially comes into its own with (lower) background noises. Even in a busy office, you can no longer hear a lot of noise with the function switched on, although voices will still come through. So the noise reduction could be better, but we think it’s neat that OnePlus puts this function on a set of earplugs of 69 euros.
There is also a transparency mode if you do want to hear the sound in your environment. This feature works fine and you can activate it by placing your finger on one of the earbuds. You can also adjust the operation in the HeyMelody app – more about this later.
Sound...The sound is – just like the previous Nord Buds – surprisingly good. The earplugs produce nice sound and sound full. OnePlus does emphasize the bass quite a bit and you should like that.
In the app you can reduce the bass or amplify it. The app also recommends using the ‘Powerful’ equalizer, but we think ‘Balanced’ sounds better. With ‘Serenade’ and ‘Bass’ the sound sounds a bit unbalanced.
These features are missing...The Nord Buds 2 also have a number of drawbacks. Because the earbuds are cheaper, OnePlus has had to omit a number of features. An important one is wear detection. If you’re listening to music and you take an earbud out of your ears, the song won’t pause. That’s pretty annoying.Multipoint support is also missing. It is therefore not possible to connect the Nord Buds 2 to two devices at the same time, such as your laptop and smartphone. If you want to connect the earbuds to your phone, for example, you must first ensure that they are no longer connected to your laptop.
There is an equalizer to adjust the sound, where you can choose from a number of preset options. However, it is also possible to add an equalizer yourself, so that you can adjust the sound to your own liking.
You can also activate the game mode with the app, there is a ‘BassWave’ function to further increase the bass and it is possible to update the earplugs. You do the latter by tapping ‘Update firmware’ at the very bottom.
That is still fine and we have little to complain about the battery life. You can also refill the earbuds several times with the charging case, so you can listen for a total of 36 hours. Of course, that depends on your use and whether you use the noise reduction often or not.
Conveniently, the Nord Buds 2 have a fast charging function. According to OnePlus, if you put the earbuds in the box for ten minutes, you will have enough energy to enjoy music for five hours. The box itself charges with a USB-C cable, which OnePlus supplies.
Conclusion OnePlus Nord Buds 2 review: With the Nord Buds 2, OnePlus does the same trick as last year. You get wireless earbuds that sound great, are comfortable and last a long time, but only pay a few tenners. The earbuds are more expensive, but the addition of active noise cancellation is well worth it. Keep in mind that the Nord Buds feel cheap and are not as complete as more expensive buds. If you can live with that, then you should definitely consider the Nord Buds 2.
Source: Android Planet
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