Listening to music through EarFun’s first over-ear headphones — EarFun Wave Pro, released Monday — I almost couldn’t believe the high quality sound and wonderful comfort they offer. That’s why I give the set 5 stars in this EarFun Wave Pro headphones review.
It’s flat-out astonishing that someone can offer this level of audio quality, noise cancellation, comfort and battery life for $80.
With AirPods Max rarely marked down much from their lofty $549 price, you have to wonder why people spend that much, or even $300, for a great set of cans.
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EarFun Wave Pro Hi-Res ANC Wireless Headphones
When unboxing the new Earfun Wave Pro Hi-Res ANC Wireless Headphones — which came out on Monday — at first nothing leaps out and screams “premium.” The box is nothing special. The travel case within seems sleek but not fancy. And once I got the headphones out, I wondered if their light weight came mostly from the amount of plastic used.
But with a bit of handling, it became clear to me the cans have high build quality and a splendid feature set for a first go. And they’re incredibly comfortable to wear.
And what’s more, their lightweight feel on your head and high-quality sound in your ears will have you marveling over their incongruously low price tag. They seem like $180 headphones, yet they cost $80 as a regular price. AirPods Max owners don’t need to rush out and buy these (except maybe as a backup), but price-conscious buyers might want to do just that.
EarFun's Wave Pro Active Noise Canceling Headphones are seriously good -- and a seriously good value. These capable cans offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro at a fraction of the price. In our hands-on testing, we give them a full five-star review.
These cans compare well to the somewhat-pricier and excellent Soundcore Q45 and Edifier WH950NB headphones I’ve reviewed.
EarFun Wave Pro headphones review: Fine fit and finish
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
Inside the compact travel case I found the folded-up headphones, a USB-A to USB-C cable for charging, a 3.5mm audio cable for wired listening (very handy on an airplane) and a user manual.
The dark-gray headphones have plush earcups, padding at the top of the foldable, steel-reinforced band and touch controls for power, volume and noise cancellation, plus an audio cable jack and a USB-C port for the charging cable.
EarFun Wave Pro enters a wireless headphone market with ever-increasing sound quality, improving noise cancellation, lengthening battery life and falling prices. And even with other recent contenders from the likes of Edifier and Soundcore getting attention, Earfun still impresses.
I was pleased to find EarFun Wave Pro paired with my devices readily, and with two at a time when needed. The handy User Manual explains pairing, touch control functions and how to get and use the EarFun Audio App.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
I found on my second time connecting to the app on my iPhone 13 Pro that Firmware Version 0.3.4 was available, so I updated from Version 0.3.0. The new version enables adjustment of the EarFun Wave Pro prompt sound, optimizes the UI interface and fixes an unnamed bug.
I found one thing about the travel case to quibble about. When I opened it, I noticed a mesh flap on the inside cover. It’s a place where you can stick cables. But beause it’s folded over — probably intended to fit items underneath and in the upper fold — it’s quite small. It only takes up a corner of the inside cover. But it offers just enough space for the two cables that come with the heaphones.
Excellent sound quality
While comfort is crucial with headphones so you can wear them for hours, sound quality is even more important in my book. And EarFun Wave Pro headphones did not disappoint me. I found they sounded great via Bluetooth or via the USB-C cable.
One note about using the USB-C cable: It connects directly to the transducer, canceling out headphone-based controls. So play/pause and volume control on the headphones don’t work, and you can’t use the EarFun Audio App. All control reverts to the host device. In my case, that’s an M1 MacBook Pro.
This is where I have to add a small caveat for Mac users, however. These cans carry Hi-Res Audio certification, so you know they sound good. But to get their absolute best sound, you need a device compatible with the LDAC Bluetooth codec, and that means Android. When taking advantage of that technology, you’ll get up to 3 times more data transferred, which translates to richer, more detailed sound.
However, the headphones performed well in my Apple ecosystem. The 40mm dynamic coil drivers offer well-balanced sound. Whether I played Mozart symphonies, Miles Davis jazz, Jason Isbell’s Americana, Kendrick Lamar bass-heavy rap or the North Mississippi All-Stars (Delta blues), the cans sounded great.
In the app you can choose your equalizer — Default Sound (EarFun Classic), 10 presets by genre or desired effect (like more or less bass or treble) or a custom equalizer with 10 adjustable frequency bands. I found the default setting sounded great, but it’s fun to play around with stuff.
Strong ANC with 5 settings
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
EarFun also seems to have done a good job with ANC. I found I could cycle through the settings by pressing the “NC” button on the right ear cup or by looking in the EarFun Audio app (pictured above). The choices are Normal, Ambient Sound, Wind Noise Canceling, Comfort ANC and Strong ANC.
Just wearing the headphones passively cancels some environmental noise. They fit snugly but not too tightly. And when I choose “Strong ANC,” no nearby TV or conversation is going to bother me. And Ambient Sound works fine, letting in more noise in case you want to hear it (e.g., your spouse calling your name, or traffic if you’re out and about). The “Comfort ANC” is a nice touch, if a bit superfluous. I usually want either strong noise cancellation or nothing.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
EarFun Wave Pro headphones features at a glance:
- Hybrid ANC blocks up to 45dB noise; also diminishes wind noise.
- Certified Hi-Res Audio to deliver high music quality and original sound reproduction.
- LDAC technology transfers 3x more data than other Bluetooth codecs.
- 40mm DLC dynamic coil speaker provides powerful bass, clear treble and rich music details.
- Broad 40kHz frequency response
- 5-microphone AI Algorithm Noise Cancellation for clear calls.
- Up to 80-hour battery life with fast charging (10 min charge for 10 hours of playback).
- Comfortable, stable, lightweight design.
- Multipoint connection allows quick device switching.
- Game mode offers low latency (<55ms).
- Personalize the headphones through EarFun Audio App.
Photo: EarFun
You can pick up EarFun Wave Pro headphones for $79.99. And according to this EarFun Wave Pro heaphones review, they’re well worth that amazingly low price. If the early-bird launch deal is still on, you may even be able to get them for under $60.
Where to buy: Amazon
EarFun's Wave Pro Active Noise Canceling Headphones are seriously good -- and a seriously good value. These capable cans offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro at a fraction of the price. In our hands-on testing, we give them a full five-star review.
EarFun provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
★★★★★
