I decided to swap out my trusty AirPods to try the Edifier TWS NB2 Pro earbuds sporting ANC and ambient sound mode, secretly hoping I could finally find a pair of headphones that I could wear without worrying about my inability to hear oncoming traffic.
With the promise of an outstanding audio experience, these Edifier earbuds certainly have all the features I’m looking for: a charging case with fast charging, a companion app, and multiple sound modes, including ambient sound mode and active noise cancellation (ANC).
With the market already saturated with wireless noise-canceling earbuds, read on to see how the Edifier TWS NB2 Pro earbuds compare.
Price and availability
The Edifier TWS NB2 Pro goes for $89.99 on the Edifier website, although at the time of writing they were discounted to $79.99 through both Amazon and Walmart. The price is competitive and the earbuds come in a light but sturdy, compact charging case with three sizes of ear tips and a USB-C charger. They’re available in two classic shades: black and ivory, which are sensible options but may leave you wanting more colorful choices depending on your aesthetic preferences.
Design and comfort
- Easy to pair
- Practical eartip sizes
Pairing the NB2 Pro earbuds to my iPhone was simple. With a click of a button on the case, the earbuds immediately detected and connected to my device and I was good to go! I opted for the size up from the medium eartips as these gave a better fit for my ears.
Comfort levers are good. So good in fact, that I would often forget I was wearing them while walking around my apartment or running errands, and should be fine for hiking, biking, or working out at the gym.
Putting the earbuds through a stress test and wearing them while dancing around my living room, I found that the Edifier buds were quick to fall out if I moved my head too enthusiastically. Although perhaps not an entirely representative scenario, you may need to be mindful of the potential for the earbuds to fall out if you’re making a lot of sudden movements.
Controls
- Multiple sound modes
- Hands-free control
- No AI assistant support
The tap-control on the Edifier NB2 Pro, made it easy to turn on ANC, Ambient Sound, Sport, and Game modes by triple tapping on the left earbud. When playing music, I could tap the right earbud to play/pause or skip to the next track. This is ideal for hands-free music listening, although I wish there was an option for hands-free volume control as well as support for Siri or Google Assistant.
Although Edifier promises automatic in-ear detection, I found that music would still play when I removed the ‘buds from my ear and set them down nearby. This often meant that I’d have to turn off my Bluetooth or disconnect the earbuds to use my phone speaker. Although I prefer earbuds that reliably auto-detect when they are removed from the ears, many will simply put the ‘buds back in the charging case when they’re done using them, which automatically disconnects and stops playback, and mitigates any unreliable auto-detect issues.
Sound quality
- Impressive sound
- Useful preset modes
We’ve heard good things from Edifier earbuds and the company’s slightly more expensive NeoBuds Pro impressed with a high-quality sound delivery. Despite the TWS NB2 Pro being a lower-priced model, it doesn’t seem that sonic qualities haven’t been sacrificed to keep the pricing low. I’m able to hear the bass and vocals clearly, but cymbals or high notes can sound a little sharp, especially on EDM songs like “Closer” by The Chainsmokers.
The bass is clear without getting distorted and the music swells in the background are well-defined without feeling overwhelming when listening to “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. The sound comes through clearly when listening to podcasts, videos, and television shows, and gets pretty close to what I’ve experienced from Apple’s AirPods, which at a more affordable price is a considerable achievement.
You also have the option to turn on Game mode, which was created to reduce latency from on-screen audio and videos. During the review period, I didn’t detect any discernible difference with the mode enabled, but avid gamers may detect a more in-sync screen and audio experience.
With Spatial Audio enabled there’s a lot more depth to the musical soundstage. Some of my favorite tracks, most notably the song “Girls/Girls/Boys” by Panic! at the Disco, had the kind of effect of making me feel like I was actually at a live concert. It’s a neat feature but works better on some tracks than others, with some tracks having a bit too much echo to sound realistic or enjoyable.
Active noise cancellation
- Effective ANC
As an earbud that fits into your ear canal, there’s naturally a degree of passive noise isolation as it puts a physical block in the way of external sounds reaching your eardrum. A big additional upside of the Edifier TWS NB2 Pro earbuds, however, is active noise cancellation mode, which can be toggled on and off with a double-tap to the left earbud.
With noise cancellation activated, the sound of the traffic noise outside is significantly reduced. My AC unit or even the sound of my partner’s phone ringing from across the room are also significantly quieter and softer. Best of all, the noise-canceling feature works even if you’re not playing anything, giving me a quiet space I never really knew I needed.
Read More: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/edifier-tws-nb2-pro