I often meet people who have a little bit of disdain for Chinese audio manufacturers. The arguments are usually the same: “What can these Chinese people do?”, “Another bullshit,” etc. From my experience of using such devices, I boldly declare that they can, and how. OPPO company began its existence in 2001 and specialized in the creation of Hi-End technology.
This is great for the sound of the audio products that the company makes. Today I have a fresh model on review: OPPO Enco Free2. Considering the cost and characteristics of the new item, I can’t wait to tell you about it.
Appearance
In the box we are greeted by an absolutely glossy case. It certainly looks very stylish, but how long will it be able to maintain such an appearance? The case turned out to be quite compact, you can safely carry it in your trouser pocket. The build quality is high, odors, squeaks, I did not notice any backlash.
The lid is equipped with a magnetic lock, this is the best version of this unit, because it combines simplicity and reliability of operation. I really liked the lack of intrusive logos in the design, it looks very stylish and expensive. The form factor of the headphones resembles the well-known airpods, but, unlike analogs, the model has obvious differences that immediately catch the eye. The headphones themselves are also made of glossy plastic. To my surprise, they absolutely do not slip out during operation.
Ergonomics
The landing turned out to be very successful, after placing the earphone in the auricle, the addiction occurs very quickly and after 20 seconds I stopped feeling them. This is good news for outdoor enthusiasts, a secure fit + IP54 protection will satisfy most active users. Headphone connection is very fast thanks to the new Bluetooth 5.2 chip. They have time to connect while I bring them to the auricle!
Noise suppression
The main feature of this model is the ANC mode, which works thanks to the new 3-core chip. This update has significantly improved the performance of noise canceling, for my taste ANC is absolutely on par with the quality of the airpods PRO… The emphasis is on cutting off low frequencies. If you use the subway, a pleasant surprise awaits you, the headphones cut off 85% of the noise.
If earlier, in places with a high noise load, I listened to music at 100% volume level, then with OPPO Enco Free2 I use only 70%. ANC’s performance is truly impressive, with many big-name brands not yet reaching this level in their flagship models, and OPPO, with its $ 100 headphones, is showing impressive results. In addition to noise cancellation, the headphones have a transparency mode and it is also worthy of attention. Usually, the transparency mode distorts the perception of sound, some of the sounds are transmitted louder than in reality, some are quieter. In this model, for the first time, I felt the maximum approximation to the actual sound scale surrounding me. Now there is absolutely no need to shoot them all day long.
Battery life
The autonomy of the headphones are 30 hours, this is certainly not a record, but it is much higher than the average level of TWS headphones . In ANC mode, I lived for about 4.15 hours, without it for about 7 and this is on one charge. The headphones support wireless charging , which is a nice bonus for happy owners of charging stations.
I also want to note the excellent quality of the microphones. The engineers chose their location as correctly as possible and difficult weather conditions now do not interfere with the dialogue with the interlocutor.
Sound
The 10 mm drivers are responsible for this parameter, which also support the AAC codec. OPPO has partnered with the Danish high-quality audio brand DYNAUDIO to get the perfect sound, and it came out very interesting. The bass turned out to be rich, biting, but at the same time it does not pull the blanket over itself. The upper and middle ones are biting, sonorous, I hardly heard any drawdowns. The headphones are really well balanced, the placement of the instruments is clearly tracked, the depth of the sound is felt. I rarely see budget models that do their job so well. Headphones are excellent at digesting a wide variety of genres, from classical to modern electronic music.
Conclusion
For $ 100, you get an excellent device with good autonomy, high-quality assembly, moisture protection, wireless charging and intelligently working ANC. It seems to me that all of the above advantages of the model, combined with an affordable price, make the Enco Free2 a very tasty proposition to buy. Of course, as always, I advise you to first personally evaluate the sound and comfort of the model’s fit, but I think they will surprise you.
More info: Oppo.com
