Review: Edifier Neo Buds Pro 2, amazing sound and features for an affordable price
Music lovers – your new favorite noise cancelling TWS earbuds have landed. At an affordable price point, the Edifier Neo Buds Pro 2 pack a feature-rich punch.
Sitting nicely in the mid-range price range of wireless earbuds ($159/£129/€149), Edifier’s new Neo Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds offer excellent audio & call quality, a number of versatile listening modes and excellent noise cancelling options.
The Pro 2s sit nicely in my ears while the Edifier Connect app continues to be an effective smartphone companion, and they offer excellent battery life with ANC disengaged but still enough while engaged.
Neo Buds Pro 2 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unboxing
Edifier loves to offer a premium look and feel with their affordable products as they have with the Neo Buds 2. Housed inside a card sleeve, the sturdy box – held closed by magnets – opens vertically with a velvet strip poking out of the bottom. Inside the box lies:
- Pro 2 earbuds
- USB-C cable
- Drawstring pouch
- 7 pairs of ear tips
- User manual
Comfort
The ear tips that come pre-fitted to the buds sit nicely in my ears so I didn’t need to faff around to find a comfortable fit. At first, I noticed the driver housings rubbed against my inner ears before I realised I had them sitting wrong. It took me a minute but after realising a slight twist downward alleviated the stress from my ears I haven’t had this problem since.
Sound: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Being a mid-range priced pair of earbuds, you wouldn’t expect premium sound… but you’d be wrong. I’ve learned that Edifier is not a brand that disappoints – no matter if you’re listening via PC, Mac, or smartphone – and here they’ve knocked the ball out of the park once again.
The Neo Buds Pro reproduce amazing sound and utilize a couple of sound profiles that cater to various musical styles, meaning the Neo Buds Pro 2 will accommodate your musical taste no matter what it is.
Edifier states that these Neo Buds can reproduce frequencies between 20 Hz to 40 kHz. In the couple of weeks that I have been enjoying the sound of them, the Neo Buds Pro 2 have not suggested that they can’t reproduce anything below 20kHz cleanly. Of course, that’s great news for you if you’re somewhat of an audiophile like me.
What are the listening modes? Classic and Dynamic
In Music Mode, the Neo Pro 2s offer ‘Classic’ and ‘Dynamic’ listening modes. Dynamic mode emphasises both treble and bass whereas Classic keeps the frequency reproduction somewhat even. The Classic sound profile has a slight dip in the low mids and a gradual roll-off after 5kHz.
The Dynamic profile lends itself to electronic music styles while Classic better serves all forms of instrumental and vocal music.
After listening to various genres and artists such as Noisia, Blink-182, Lamb of God, Ocean Wisdom, Mugshot, Vorso, Neck Deep, Limp Bizkit, Resonant Language and more including a Mozart composition or two with both Dynamic and Classic music modes, I’ve noticed how Dynamic Mode has enriched the bass and added exceptional clarity to the high-end of electronic music while Classic has spared the instrumental genres of unnecessary sweetening.
Electronic music is designed to be pushed by huge speaker drivers, so Edifer’s Dynamic Mode does its best to replicate the stomach punch of bass bins and clear treble of speaker horns – and it does a really good job, I might add, although there is no stomach punching.
I should say that the mid-range is not compromised in Dynamic Mode despite how bass and treble frequencies are boosted. Snare drums still snap and lead sounds find their fundamental frequencies here with exceptional presence.
Meanwhile, Classic Mode and its general sound profile provide plenty of power for vocals, guitars, bass, and drums to playback in a well-balanced fashion. Whether it’s pop, hip-hop, rock, or metal, Classic Mode reproduces everything in the spectrum spectacularly.
Ultimately, both modes present a strong stereo image, solid bass, and clean separation between instruments and vocals. When it comes to reproducing a stereo image, earbuds generally fall short compared to over-ear headphones because their smaller drivers sit in our ears whereas over-ear drivers sit on top, and this tends to reproduce a stereo image that’s wider than a mix engineer intends.
This is the case with the Acefast Crystal T8 TWS earbuds, but I’m pleased to say the stereo image in the Neo Buds Pro 2 isn’t overly noticeable.
In summary, the Edifier Neo Buds Pro 2 reproduce audio files with stellar quality and articulate attention to detail. Hear crash cymbals ring out and elegant reverb tails like you haven’t before (unless you’ve used the Sony XM4s or 5s) and immerse yourself in crunchy bass and a snappy mid-range.
What’s under the hood?
Edifier has incorporated 10mm Dynamic Drivers and Knowles Balanced Armature Drivers which by design boast enough space to vibrate and reproduce crisp bass. So whether you’re listening in Classic or Dynamic, the bass is rich, full, warm and impactful.
Furthermore, the frequency crossover between the balanced armature drivers and the 10mm dynamic drivers allows for the clean separation of bass and mids from the treble. This goes a long way because it gives the treble drive the autonomy to deliver high frequencies with full fidelity.
Features: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After extensive usage, the best feature of the Neo Buds Pro 2 TWS buds has to be its High Noise Cancelling mode coupled with high-res audio reproduction. Savitech’s LHDC codec offers lower latency than Sony’s popular LDAC codec and, like the latter, provides a rich listening experience with any of the sound profiles. Of course, you can opt to use LDAC via the Connect app if you prefer.
Is there a noisy passenger on the bus? Is the clackidy clack of keyboards in the office getting too much? Or are you walking through a bustling high street…?
Well, the Neo Buds Pro 2 offers excellent noise cancellation (up to a 50dB reduction when set to High). With the volume up, you can say goodbye to those irritatingly loud passengers and overwhelming ambiences as you tuck into your favourite songs with epic noise cancelling.
In addition to hi-res audio and their 6 ANC modes (High, Medium, Low, Ambient Sound, Wind Reduction, and Off), other selling points include the Low Latency Game Mode and Spatial Audio with Head Tracking.
Spatial audio isn’t something I look for in headphones but the Neo Buds Pro 2 certainly provide an immersive 360-degree listening experience that adds value while watching movies or a series.
I wouldn’t say it’s like being in the middle of a 5.1 Dolby setup but, well, I’m just not one for spatial audio so take my criticism with a pinch of salt. Hey, it’s good… but it’s just not for me. Nevertheless, if spatial audio is a deal breaker for you then you will not be disappointed by these buds.
The low latency Game Mode moreover does what it says on the tin and it does it well. I haven’t tested this feature overly extensively but it’s easy to activate via touch controls or the app and I’ve not noticed any latency while playing a bit of Xbox at the weekend.
In fact, accessing both Spatial Audio, Game Mode and other sound profiles is super easy with the touch controls on the left cup so you don’t need to load the app each time you load up your favourite game.
The touch controls can be a bit fiddly if you don’t adjust their sensitivity in the app. Before realising this was possible the touch controls were a massive inconvenience when I needed to readjust the buds…
But, little did I know, Edifier has provided a solution for such an annoyance and the Connect app provides a slide bar with 3 settings that adjusts how sensitive the touch controls are.
One notable feature that is missing is multi-point pairing. This is provided with Ediifer’s popular over-ear cans like the WH950NMB & STAX Spritit S3s but not with these new Neo Buds. This may be because most will only listen from their smartphone or laptop rather than frequently switch between, but the lack of multi-point pairing has meant a disruption in my listening session when switching between my PC and phone.
As someone who utilizes switching, I’ve found the lack of multi-point pairing a cause of inconvenience but it’s not that big of a deal. It’s certainly not the worst feature to ostracize from the lineup.
With that said, these Neo Buds Pro 2 are priced within the low mid-range of TWS earbuds so I think it’s easy to forgive them when they offer other powerhouse features. They’re cheaper than Sony’s LinkBud S (£139) and WF L900 (£149), as well as JBL’s Reflect Aero TWS (£199) and JL Live Flex (£159.99).
Like the Link Buds, the Neo Buds offer active noise cancelling and around 10 hours of battery life (with ANC disengaged) but also offer a longer battery life than the WF L900s which offer around 5.5 hours. The Pros also have bigger drivers than JBL’s Reflect Aero (only 6.8 mm) and longer playtime than the Live Flex buds (6 with ANC engaged) before charging.
Therefore, the Edifier has once again gone above and beyond to offer a lot of desirable features cheaper than its direct competition.
Call quality
I’ve never been disappointed by the call quality on Edifier headphones and with their impressive environmental noise cancelling the Neo Buds Pro 2 live up to this reputation. Voices are heard clearly at both ends of the line with no artefacts or interference.
Battery life
Edifier states you’ll get between 8-10 hours of battery life in each bud with ANC disengaged, and that the case offers 24 hours of charge.
I’ve been listening with High Noise Cancelling engaged pretty much constantly and I’ve been getting between 5-6 hours (with High ANC engaged) of playtime between charges when the brand states you’ll get about 4.
The case meanwhile lives up to its reputation and provides enough battery life to fall back on when the earbuds run out of charge, and a short 15-minute charge buys 2 hours of playtime. Perfect for long-distance travelling!
While there are many who prefer longer battery life in earbuds, the battery life in the case has soothed over the inconvenience of the somewhat short battery life with high ANC engaged.
Ultimately, noise cancelling is a taxing feature with such small devices but, as I’ve said, the high noise cancellation in the Neo Buds is super impressive with the volume up. I think it’s therefore easy to forgive the shorter battery life… but I wouldn’t be opposed to a bit more innovation from Edifier to extend it.
Edifier Connect companion app
I’ve written about the Edifier Connect companion app extensively in my reviews for the STAX S3 and WH950NB headphones. The app functions the same for all Ediufier headphones, although each pair offers a unique feature or two, so you can find out about the companion app above.
One in-app feature that has been very helpful from time to time, however, is the “Find My Earbuds” feature in the app. Make of that what you will…
Design: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As I said earlier in the review, the Neo Buds sit very comfortably in my ears while the brand supplies 7 pairs of additional ear tips. I usually find that earbuds tend to get uncomfortable over time but this just hasn’t happened with the Neo Buds Pro 2. This instantly makes them the nicest earbuds I’ve used to date.
The Neo Buds Pro 2 feel light which puts them ahead of the likes of the EarFun Air Pro 3 earbuds which would start to feel uncomfortable during long listening sessions.
Edifier’s slick charging case boasts a pretty satisfying case lip at the close as well as 8 LEDs which you can customise the colour of in the app. If you get bored or frankly blinded by the plain white LEDs at the case lip then the app allows you to choose from various colours ranging from bright turquoise, dimmed yellow, and more.
Furthermore, Edifier has provided a small drawstring carry bag for extra protection. I’m a pretty clumsy person and often forgetful. The carry case has saved the charging case from drops and bangs a couple of times so I’m grateful for it – if you’re just as clumsy then you’ll be pretty thankful too!
All in all, the design of the Neo Bud Pro 2 delivers on both form and function. They look and feel like a premium product and won’t interrupt the listening experience by becoming uncomfortable over time.
Value: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Priced at USD 159 / GBP 129 / EUR 149, Edifier’s Neo Buds Pro 2 are a bold entry into the affordable TWS earbud market. Replacing the original Neo Buds Pro launched in 2021 come these shining beacons of crisp sound reproduction with a mid-range price point.
Some TWS buds priced as such often leave a lot or a little to be desired. Whether it’s comfortability over long listening sessions, not-so-good noise cancelling, or poor battery life, TWS earbuds can be hit and miss when priced so low.
Nevertheless, Edifier is a brand that specialises in packing as much value into its products as it can and the Neo Buds Pro 2, with their impressive noise cancelling, adequate batter life, premium design and above-average sound reproduction make for a great
To conclude, the Edifier Neo Buds Pro 2 TWS earbuds are fit for a wide audience. Their affordable price point coupled with stellar audio reproduction with various listening modes, excellent noise cancellation, choice of Bluetooth codecs and comfortably snug design make the Neo Buds a great choice for anyone in the market for TWS earbuds for general music listening and exercising.
