Oppo’s Enco lineup of true wireless earphones has been a relatively quiet success for the company, and has received largely positive feedback from the community, including myself. While the premium Enco X2 headset is among the best that you can guy for around Rs. 10,000 or so, the Enco Air series is a bit more of a hit-or-miss situation. While the regular ‘Air’ variants haven’t quite matched up to the hype, the ‘Pro’ headsets have generally been good picks when it comes to features and performance for the price.

Following up on the somewhat ordinary Oppo Enco Air 3 (which was launched in early 2023) is the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. The successor to the Enco Air 2 Pro is considerably more expensive at Rs. 4,999, but promises big improvements in the specifications sheet and performance to make up for the increase in pricing, including advanced Bluetooth codec support and bamboo-fibre diaphragms for the drivers. Is this enough to help the Enco Air 3 Pro retain Oppo’s perceptional leadership of the budget true wireless segment in India? Find out in this review.

The case of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has a USB Type-C port for charging

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro design and features

We don’t often see massive design changes in generational updates when it comes to true wireless earphones, and that’s indeed the case with the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro. Apart from minor changes, the Enco Air 3 Pro largely resembles the Enco Air 2 Pro to the point where it’s hard to tell the two apart. The newer earphones are available in a new green colour option which isn’t available on the Enco Air 2 Pro, though.

The earpieces of the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro have a stem design with rounded out sides all around, and distinct ‘L’ and ‘R’ indicators cut into the earpieces for easy visibility. Unlike the basic Enco Air earphones which have an outer-ear fit and no ANC, the Enco Air ‘Pro’ lineup features a proper in-canal fit, which allows for effective active noise cancellation. The earphones are light and comfortable, and come with a charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes in the box.

As before the controls are touch sensitive, with lightly indicated areas near the top of each earpiece stem. It’s less than ideal, because the small size of the touch area makes it easy to make mistakes. You can set various gestures to control various functions of playback, noise cancellation, voice assistant, and volume, with different gestures capable of being mapped to different functions.

It’s a reasonably detailed set with plenty of room for customisation, but given the propensity for touch miscues, you might want to keep it a bit simple and deactivate certain gestures such as single-tap entirely. While I’m not entirely against touch controls, the zone definitely needs to be bigger than what’s on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones.

Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro True Wireless Earphones Review

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro earphones are IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, so you’ll be able to use them for workouts safely, and even in somewhat wet conditions such as light rain. The charging case of the headset has the Oppo logo at the front, an indicator light just below the logo, the USB Type-C port for charging at the bottom, and no pairing button.

You can put the headset into pairing mode with a long-touch gesture on both earpieces at the same time. Additional features on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro include support for Google Fast Pair, app-based features such as Oppo Alive Audio (virtualised Spatial surround sound) and Golden Sound (customised frequency compensation based on the specific hearing of each user).

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro app and specifications

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro expectedly features app and feature customisation support, but how it appears and is accessed depends on the device you’re using. If you’re on a supported OnePlus or Oppo smartphone, you’ll see the ‘app’ appearing in the Bluetooth settings of the phone, making for easy access that visually matches the user interface completely. If you’re using other devices, the HeyMelody app offers access to the full feature set on both iOS and Android.

oppo enco air 3 pro review app Oppo

On some OnePlus and Oppo smartphones, app features for the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro appear within the Bluetooth settings menu

Within the app and settings, it’s possible to access various features and customisation options such as equaliser presets, ANC levels and personalisation, enable multi-point connectivity for up to two devices, locate the earbuds with a loud noise, and conduct a fit test. You can also go through the process and enable or disable Oppo Alive Audio (spatial surround sound virtualisation) and Golden Sound (tailored sound profile based on your specific hearing characteristics).

Best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Headphones and Earphones in India

Multi-point connectivity worked well on an iPhone and Android device simultaneously. Bluetooth codec selection maxed out on both devices and pleasantly allowed LDAC support on the Android smartphone, unlike on many other similar headsets which limit the codec to AAC when connecting two devices simultaneously. Connectivity was stable on the whole even with this enabled.

Notably, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses a bamboo fibre diaphragm for the drivers, unlike the typically metal diaphragms used on most earphones. The headset has 12.4mm dynamic drivers, a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz, and a sensitivity rating of 107dB. For connectivity, the earphones use Bluetooth 5.3, with support for the SBC, AAC, and LDAC Bluetooth codecs.

Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro performance and battery life

While Oppo’s budget lineup has typically been device agnostic in terms of performance, the Enco Air 3 Pro takes a big step in setting itself up as made for certain devices. Support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec is fairly wide across Android devices, and this ensures a considerably different sound quality experience when using the earphones with an Android smartphone. Although the sound isn’t bad with the AAC codec (on iOS), there’s an audible difference here.

Understanding Bluetooth Codecs on Wireless Headphones and Earphones

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro’s bamboo fibre drivers are touted as a major factor in improving the sound quality on the earphones, but I didn’t really perceive this as being the reason for the improvement in performance. Sound quality with the AAC codec and software enhancements switched off seemed largely on par with what I’ve heard on similarly-priced true wireless headsets.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro has bamboo fibre diaphragms for the drivers, along with support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec

Instead, it all comes down to the software implementations, in my opinion; LDAC Bluetooth codec support and the Golden Sound customised profile seemed to make a more notable difference in improving the sound quality, as compared to the competition. Indeed, there aren’t too many options with LDAC support at under Rs. 5,000, so the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro stands out in this regard.

Oppo Enco Air 3 True Wireless Earphones Review

Coming to the sound quality and performance itself, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro uses its software tricks and codec support to deliver a reasonably balanced and detailed sound that is admittedly rare in the budget space for true wireless earphones. Competing products typically use a reasonable level of tuning alone to make a compelling pitch (heavy bass and the like), making Oppo’s approach a bit more unique.

The detail levels come as a result of the obviously superior bandwidth handling capabilities of the advanced Bluetooth codec, combined with a rather good soundstage that provides a decent amount of spatial virtualisation. Listening to Dua Lipa’s Dance the Night with the LDAC Bluetooth codec in operation, the sound felt spacious and enjoyable, never pushing too hard even at high volumes. Instead, the sound was encouraging, almost as if it was getting me to try and pick out the elements.

The Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance

This cheerful disco-inspired track from Barbie sounded neither too aggressive, nor to forward, instead striking the right balance between drive and comfort. The lows didn’t hit too hard, but this was only a good thing in a segment that is dominated by earphones that come with typically punchy and attacking bass.

Much of this detail is helped along by the Golden Sound enhancement, which conducts a listening test to tailor the sound for specific hearing characteristics of the wearer. Once completed, the sound changes a bit with the profile enabled; it sounded a fair bit more luxurious and open-feeling when enabled, and I usually kept it on after that.

Switching up to the slower but more hard-hitting Am I Dreaming by Metro Boomin’ from the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro was able to adapt and deliver a bit more rumble when needed. However, it also highlighted the very audible U-shaped sonic signature, with the mid-range considerably lower in response than the lows and highs.

Speaking of the highs, the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro seems to push these frequencies a bit too much. I didn’t tend to notice it much at low volumes, but the sharpness was a bit tiresome at high volume levels. This largely depends on what you’re listening to — Dance the Night revealed this, while Am I Dreaming didn’t quite sound as harsh because of the track’s nature.

Active noise cancellation on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro is fairly basic, and suitable primarily for indoor use to cancel out basic household sounds and make listening just a bit easier. It’s helped along by reasonably effective noise isolation through the in-canal fit, and customisable ANC modes also help in optimising the performance for specific settings. I found the mild mode to be the most balanced and effective indoors; the other modes didn’t particularly help in noisy outdoor scenarios.

Call quality is decent indoors and satisfactory outdoors, but I didn’t find the voice and microphone quality good enough to want to use the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro for very long calls or online meetings.

Battery life is acceptable enough for a headset in this price segment; I got around 4 hours of listening on the earpieces and a little over three charges from the case, when using ANC and the LDAC Bluetooth codec, with the volume at around the 50-60 percent level. This translated to a total run time of around 17-18 hours of listening per charge cycle — not exceptional, but not too bad either.

Verdict

Oppo is among the best in the budget true wireless segment right now, and the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro largely lives up to the reputation created by the brand’s wide range of affordable TWS products. That said, at Rs. 4,999, it’s a fair bit more expensive than earlier products in this segment, and only just about classifies as a budget product based on reasonable definitions and price segmentation. The performance and features on offer do justify the pricing, so it’s worth a recommendation.

While you do get a fair bit more on the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro than what competing products offer for the price, I wouldn’t go as far as to call it revolutionary or exceptional. Nonetheless, it’s easily my pick for the best pair of true wireless earphones for Rs. 5,000, although I’d be more inclined to suggest options such as the Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro and OnePlus Nord Buds 2, which offer a bit more bang for your buck.

The post Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro Review: Same, but Different (In the Right Ways) appeared first on Review Products.

In the era of true wireless earphones, the old-school neckband style feels a bit dated and overbearing in some ways. That said, the form factor comes with various advantages, the biggest of which is reasonable pricing for the features and performance on offer. OnePlus continues to promote this form factor, and its latest neckband-style wireless earphones take a proven winner one step further.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is exactly what the name suggests — the rather capable Bullets Wireless Z2, but with active noise cancellation as an added feature.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC first impressions: Familiar design

There’s really not much to tell the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC apart from its non-ANC predecessor; the two headsets look and feel the same. This includes the flexible neckband, physical controls, USB Type-C charging port, and magnetic power control. Like before, linking the two earpieces together magnetically turns the headset off, and separating them turns it on.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Review

Interestingly, you get some app-like controls (within the Bluetooth settings) if you pair it to a compatible OnePlus smartphone, including the ability to cycle between ANC and transparency modes, equaliser presets (including the ability to create a fully customised preset for yourself), and a very small degree of customisation for the physical buttons on the neckband. It will take some time to build muscle memory, but the controls are convenient enough once you’ve figured it out.

The earpieces being attached to wires admittedly feels a bit weird to me in 2023, but the advantages of a neckband-style headset are hard to look past. Things such as battery life, fast charging, and the tuning and ANC performance tend to benefit from this form factor, as does pricing and the value-for-money proposition. I’ll tackle all of this in more detail in my review.

OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC first impressions: Decent active noise cancellation

The big change here is the addition of active noise cancellation, while the sound and sonic performance remain largely the same on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC, as expected. This means that you can expect the sound to be punchy and bass-driven, as well as loud and occasionally fatiguing if you listen to a lot of bass-heavy tracks.

Of course, the key feature of active noise cancellation is what makes all the difference here. For a price of around Rs. 300 over that of the regular Bullets Wireless Z2, you get decent active noise cancellation on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC. It’s not exceptional or comparable to premium-grade ANC in my initial listening impressions, but it’s definitely better than the kind of basic active noise cancellation you’d get on similarly-priced true wireless earphones.

Battery life is something I’ll explore in detail in my full review, but I did have a chance to try out the fast charging, which is on par with the rather impressive 20-minute charging time offered by the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2.

As mentioned, I’ll be writing my full review of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC soon, but it’s safe to say that there aren’t too many products like this anymore. The neckband form factor for wireless earphones retains significant advantages when it comes to pricing, and the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is arguably the best you can buy at around Rs. 2,500 or so, especially now that it comes with active noise cancellation.

The post OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC First Impressions: Familiar but Better appeared first on Review Products.

Smartphone brands entering the accessories space is not a new thing, and many such as Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, Samsung, and Apple have established product ranges in the true wireless audio segment. The latest to give it a shot is Poco, which operates in India as a sub-brand of Xiaomi, and has been a noteworthy player in the mid-range smartphone segment. The company’s first audio product is firmly an entry-level offering.

Priced at Rs. 1,199 in India, the Poco Pods true wireless earphones isn’t too complex or feature-rich, but they don’t cost a lot either. This headset is as basic as it gets, but perhaps that’s exactly what some might need. Find out if the Poco Pods is indeed worth the price, and if it’s the best affordable true wireless headset you can buy right now.

The Poco Pods have a proper in-canal fit with good noise isolation, and a decently-sized charging case

Poco Pods design, features, and specifications

The Poco Pods headset has what I consider a very generic look and feel (it looks a lot like the Redmi Buds 4 Active), but this isn’t a bad thing. The earpieces are light and fairly durable, with a proper in-canal fit and stem design. The headset is available in a single black-and-yellow colour option — Poco’s signature colour scheme. If that wasn’t enough, the large Poco logo on the front of the all-black charging case sufficiently makes the point.

The earpieces have touch-sensitive areas for controls, but the lack of app support on the Poco Pods means that the controls are fixed and non-customisable. A double-tap gesture will let you answer calls or play and pause music, while a triple tap on either side cancel the call or skip to the next track. You can’t skip to the previous track from the earphones; you’ll need the paired smartphone to do that.

A long press on both earpieces simultaneously will activate or disable the low-latency mode. There are a couple of other gestures meant to put the headset into forced pairing mode or factory reset the Poco Pods, but you can simply put the earphones into pairing mode by disconnecting all other connected and paired devices. On the whole, the system functions are fairly easy and uncomplicated, as you’d expect from a true wireless headset which doesn’t have app support.

The charging case has a small indicator light at the bottom, alongside the USB Type-C charging port. The fit on the earpieces is decent, and the Poco Pods come with environmental noise cancellation, which promises better performance on calls. The sales package includes a total of three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes, but no charging cable is included in the box.

As mentioned earlier, there is no app support on the Poco Pods, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call this a drawback on a headset in this price range. Fortunately, you do get the basics such as USB Type-C charging, as well as the benefits of features such as environmental noise cancellation and 60ms low-latency for use when gaming.

The Poco Pods is available in just a single colour for now; black and yellow

The Poco Pods headset has 12mm dynamic drivers, and uses Bluetooth 5.3 for connectivity, with support for only the SBC Bluetooth codec — a disappointing spec even at this price. Usefully, either earpiece can be used individually if you like, with the other securely stored in the charging case and not affecting stable connectivity for the earpiece in operation.

Poco Pods performance and battery life

I tend to keep my expectations tempered when it comes to affordable true wireless earphones; you’re paying almost entirely for the form factor here, and saving on paying premiums for the ‘fluff’, so to speak. The Poco Pods largely deliver that straightforward true wireless experience, but the sound quality is perhaps not as good as it could have been, even considering the affordable pricing.

Detailed tuning might be too much to expect here, but the crux of the Poco Pods’ shortcomings can be pinned on its codec limitations. The SBC codec doesn’t quite allow enough bandwidth for the earphones to work with, and this can be heard in the sound quality. It sounds unrefined at times, although it doesn’t reach a point of being unpleasant even at high volumes. It’s listenable considering the price, and useful if you just need earphones to help you tune out your surroundings.

The earpieces of the Poco Pods are light and comfortable, with non-customisable touch controls

 Starting with David Guetta’s Stay (Don’t Go Away), the sound initially sounded alright when the track itself wasn’t pushing too hard, but as the attack picked up, the Poco Pods started to sound a bit muffled. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it muddy or too harsh, and the sound might even appeal to those who enjoy hearing a bit more from the bass frequencies.

Certain genres and types of tracks are admittedly better suited to this kind of tuning and sound, with many of Croatia Squad’s distinctly beat-driven tracks sounding rather enjoyable on the Poco Pods. The progressive and rather straightforward attack of Make Your Move by Croatia Squad was perhaps the best example of how a niche (or genre, in this case) can be found to bring the best out of even affordable wireless earphones. The lack of detail in the track was evident, but matters less with certain tracks and genres such as this.

Call quality is acceptable and workable enough for both indoor and outdoor use; microphone performance is decent in quiet rooms, but suffered a bit outdoors despite the presence of ENC. Low-latency mode didn’t seem to make much of a difference in audio latency on basic mobile games.

Battery life is decent on the Poco Pods, with the earphones running for around five hours on a single charge of the earpieces, and the charging case offering over three full additional charges, for a total run time of around 22-23 hours per charge cycle, which is a bit lower than the claimed time of 30 hours. This is somewhat expected given the lack of features and codec support, but users will obviously find this good enough for practical all-day listening.

Verdict

The Poco Pods true wireless headset delivers largely what you expect from a headset in this price range — nothing more, and nothing less. The earphones are basic, but reasonably well set up for the kind of music that most budget buyers might want to listen to. Don’t expect too much detail, and use these for casual listening, particularly when out and about thanks to the decent passive noise isolation. Battery life is decent as well.

There is plenty of competition in this price segment, but Poco’s first effort in the true wireless audio space is a commendable effort. Perhaps the only real drawback is the lack of support for the AAC Bluetooth codec, but all things considered this is a worthwhile pair of earphones if you have a very tight budget.

The post Poco Pods True Wireless Earphones Review: Inexpensive and Easy Going appeared first on Review Products.

Noise, an Indian personal audio brand, is one of the top brands in its market, mainly because of its affordable prices and capacity to offer features that aren’t frequently found on low-cost goods. It’s a clever strategy that Noise has employed to solidify its position in some of the most well-liked and quickly evolving gadget categories, such as headphones and smartwatches. The most recent product follows this recipe for success by providing a feature generally seen on more expensive goods for less than Rs. 2,000.

The Noise Buds Venus genuine wireless headphones with active noise cancellation are priced at Rs. 1,899, making the once-expensive feature much more widely available. The Noise Buds Venus are among the most cost-effective true wireless earphones with ANC available right now, and they offer many benefits. Does this mean the Venus is the most incredible wireless headset you can get right now for less than Rs. 2,000? Learn more from this review.

Water resistance for the Noise Buds Venus earpieces is rated at IPX5.

Design, characteristics, and specifications of Noise Buds Venus

Most true wireless earphones on the market today have a very generic appearance. However, the Noise Buds Venus has a distinctive appearance that aligns with the brand’s artistic philosophy. The earpieces offer an intriguing mix of shiny and matte surfaces that complement the charging case’s design. The earbuds stand out compared to most of those in this price range, which often have an expensive appearance.

The Noise Buds Venus’ earpieces have touch-sensitive controls and an in-canal fit that guarantees effective noise isolation to support active noise cancellation. Although bulky and protruding, they weigh only 3.5g apiece and don’t seem particularly cumbersome when worn. Even with the standard, medium-sized ear tips, I found the fit comfortable, but additional pairs — a total of three — are included in the box for some fitting customization. A USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable and an instruction booklet are also included in the package, which you’ll need to get used to the controls.

trangely, no accompanying app supports the Noise Buds Venus’ more expensive capabilities, including active noise reduction and low-latency gaming mode. Environmental noise cancellation is also available, and the headset’s quad-microphone technology enables voice communications, ANC, and ENC.

Given the lack of app compatibility, the Noise Buds Venus controls are pretty straightforward and cannot be modified. Still, you may control all of these features directly from the earpieces themselves, for which you will require the instruction manual. The controls are simple enough to understand and rely on different combinations of taps to control everything, including playback, volume, ANC, and gaming mode. Eventually, you’ll become accustomed to them.

The Noise Buds Venus’ charging case is the perfect size—neither too big nor too small—and features a USB Type-C connection at the bottom and an indication light next to the company name. It is convenient enough to provide a reasonable amount of additional charges to the earpieces and supports fast charging. More on that later. It will fit conveniently in your pocket. The headset comes in four color options: black, brown, green, and ivory. In my opinion, all of these alternatives look good.

A USB Type-C port is located on the Noise Buds Venus charging case.

The Noise Buds Venus’ technical specs include 10mm dynamic speakers, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs support. The earpieces’ water resistance rating is IPX5, meaning they can easily withstand small water splashes and sweat. Additionally, voice help is supported by calling the built-in voice assistant on the associated smartphone.

Battery life and performance of Noise Buds Venus

The Noise Buds Venus are true wireless headphones with active noise cancellation for less than Rs. 2,000, which is already a very astounding claim. However, it is even better that they perform pretty well. The earphones have been adjusted quite well for the budget, but some of it is also supported by technically sound specifications, including compatibility with the AAC Bluetooth codec and Bluetooth 5.3.

Good tuning is already half the battle won for the Noise Buds Venus, considering that most inexpensive wireless earphones tend to fall short here. I was taken aback by the straightforward and uncomplicated sound, maintaining a solid balance between nailing the sonic character and allowing for a reasonable amount of detail.

Friendly Fires’ “Paris (Aeroplane Remix)” sounded great when played moderately because it had just the proper amount of low-end assault and high-end shimmer. It pleasantly engaging listening experience that let me concentrate on the music without abrupt outside disturbances. Budget wireless earphones serve that purpose, and the Noise Buds Venus accomplishes this without exerting excessive effort.

Fortunately, there is no ‘target zone’ for volume where the Noise Buds Venus functions at its finest, and volume variations don’t influence the sound quality more than you’d expect. This was helpful since it allowed me to adjust the volume of the music I listened to based on how I felt or how calm the environment was. However, a book of 60 percent was generally sufficient for indoor listening, and I would increase it to about 70 percent for outdoor listening.

Review of the Venus noise buds Noise

Although the Noise Buds Venus lacks an app and offers active noise reduction, this is not a significant issue because all features can be accessed through the earpieces.

If necessary, the Noise Buds Venus can be pretty loud. However, I could hear some grit after the volume reached 90%. You won’t need to go that loud in everyday use because the Noise Buds Venus mainly keeps up with contemporary genres at even modest volumes. The Noise Buds Venus struggled a little with voice calls in noisy locations, but call quality is sufficient for most usage cases.

Indian market’s top active Noise-canceling (ANC) headphones and earphones

Given the high price of earbuds, active noise cancellation on the Noise Buds Venus is relatively simple and only slightly reduces ambient Noise, failing to cancel it out entirely. With ANC enabled, even basic indoor noises like a ceiling fan’s whirling could still be heard, while outdoor sounds were even less affected.

Nevertheless, even at low volumes, it makes music easier to listen to, so it’s not entirely without use. Consider ANC on this a bonus rather than a USP of the Noise Buds Venus, as it falls short of the performance level you obtain with even the comparably priced Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro.

For the price, the Noise Buds Venus has a respectable battery life. With ANC activated and the volume set to 60%, the earphones lasted about 5 hours per charge, and the charging case gave them an extra four charges. With mixed-use, you may still reach the amount of listening time I could obtain during testing, which amounted to about 25 hours every charge cycle. The casing supports quick charging; a 10-minute charge is expected to provide roughly 2 hours of listening time.

Verdict

Budget-friendly active noise cancellation True wireless headsets are typically quite simple, particularly for entry-level products. This is true even of the Noise Buds Venus, which offers a very rudimentary ANC experience that only improves the entire experience a little but is still great. The Venus is a decent set of earphones for the price, except for one minor drawback—the absence of an app.

The post Noise Buds Venus ANC Earphones: A Quick Review appeared first on Review Products.

In terms of personal audio, true wireless earphones might be all the rage right now, but the traditional neckband form factor is still widely used. With its legendary Bullets Wireless collection of earbuds having dominated the industry just as Bluetooth was reaching a degree of affordability and practicality, OnePlus is, without a doubt, one of the most significant brands in this market. Interestingly, OnePlus recently introduced the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC in India and remains one of the few big proponents of the neckband form factor.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC, which retails for Rs. 2,299, offers a traditional and well-known design with the added convenience of active noise canceling; this is a modest improvement over the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Can this headset and the form factor become more relevant with the addition of ANC? Or should you invest in truly wireless earbuds? Learn more from this review.

Features of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC design

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC, as the name suggests, is just the Bullets Wireless Z2 with the addition of active noise cancellation. Therefore, most of the neckband-style wireless headset’s design has stayed the same. If you select the black color option, it will be difficult to tell if this differs from the earlier OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Interestingly, the ANC variant offers a green hue option that the non-ANC variant does not.

Indian market’s top active noise canceling (ANC) headphones and earphones

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has a flexible neckband, small cords attaching to the earpieces, and controls on the collar itself, just like most neckband wireless earphones available today. The magnetic switch on the earpieces manages power; separating their turns on the headset while connecting them shuts it off. Due to how simple it is to separate the earpieces, this is once again prone to unintentional switches, with the headset frequently going on unexpectedly.

The buttons on the neckband, which are all on the left module, are used to easily switch between two paired devices, control playback, switch between ANC and transparency modes, and control volume. The charging USB Type-C port is located on the left module’s underside, while the right side is empty, aside from the OnePlus logo. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, just like its predecessor.

As previously stated, the addition of active noise cancellation, which is supposed to provide up to 45dB of noise reduction, is the only significant modification to the feature list of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC.

Other back features include:

• Automatic low-latency mode activation.
• Rapid switching between two linked source devices.
• Support for Google Fast Pair on supported devices.

Controls for the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Anc Review

There are two customizable buttons on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and volume controls.

Specifications and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC app

Finding app support on neckband earphones is uncommon but not unheard of, and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does. The HeyMelody app for Android supports the headset. When the headset is paired and connected, these settings are accessible through the system Bluetooth settings on a compatible OnePlus or Oppo smartphone.

Although the actual controls and customizations are reasonably simple, they provide access to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC’s essential features. The approximate charge level, transparency and active noise cancellation modes, rudimentary customization of the two customizable buttons, and equalizer settings are all included. Four equalization settings are available for quick access, but advanced users can design their equalizer modes to suit their listening preferences.

The main features of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC remain essentially the same; the headset has 12.4mm dynamic speakers with a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz and a sensitivity rating of 112dB. The headset supports the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs and uses Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity (an upgrade from Bluetooth 5 on the non-ANC model).

Review of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 App

The app-based capabilities are accessible through Bluetooth settings on specific OnePlus and Oppo phones.

The battery life and performance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and its non-ANC predecessor share more than identical design and technical details; the sound is comparable. With the natural, flat equalizer option, you get a definite bass-heavy audio tuning, though you can adjust the EQ if you’d like.

I used a OnePlus 9 Pro and an Apple iPhone 13 Pro with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC for my review. The headset used the AAC codec on both smartphones because advanced Bluetooth codecs were unavailable, and there was no audible difference between the two source devices. The sole difference between the two platforms was that app settings could only be accessed on the OnePlus smartphone.

Review of the Oneplus Bullets Wireless Z2 Anc logo2. OnePlus

The appearance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC resembles the earlier non-ANC model.

Like previously, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC can provide volume levels that considerably exceed most wireless headphones with neckbands. You can still reach loud enough listening levels at even the 50% volume barrier, even if you’re unlikely to push it to high grades for your hearing. You should increase it to about 70 percent in exceptionally noisy circumstances, but anything higher than that is unnecessary and dangerous.

The audibly powerful bass can be either a good or a bad one, depending on the music you usually listen to. For instance, the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC did a fantastic job of faithfully recreating an EDM concert’s auditory signature and big subwoofer-style vibe with Croatia Squad’s quick beats and swift attack across most of their tunes.

On the other side, when I listened to Dua Lipa’s song Dance The Night, the snappy bass slightly dominated the song’s vocals and melodies. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has a certain amount of intensity to its sound profile that I found difficult to move away from, at least while listening to the correct music. Of course, you can adjust the equalizer settings to turn things down a notch if you want. Over time, it would get tiresome to listen to, but it was part of the fun for me.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has active noise cancellation, which functions admirably for a headset with a suggested retail price of about Rs. 2,000. Most low-pitched background noises, both inside and outside, were effectively muffled, leaving just a faint hum for some sounds, including the spinning of a ceiling fan and the sporadic sound of a light breeze.

A magnetic switch that controls power frequently accidentally turns on the headset.

Given that ANC has been introduced as a feature, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC’s battery life is exceptional for a neckband-style wireless headset. With ANC enabled and the medium-level volume, I could use the earbuds for about 18 hours on a single charge. Fast charging makes it possible to fully recharge the 220mAh battery in as little as 15 minutes, a feature the competition still needs to catch up to OnePlus.

Verdict

The neckband wireless earbuds market is now primarily confined to the more affordable price range, a shadow of what it once was. In exchange for giving up the convenience of genuine wireless networking, there are still worthwhile options to consider. You get more excellent performance in terms of solid hardware and functionality. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC isn’t in any way fundamentally new or groundbreaking, but it accomplishes enough to be helpful for the price.

The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does an excellent job with most things, including effective active noise cancellation. Still, the strong bass is hit or miss, depending on the type of music you listen to, and the magnetic power switch is particularly prone to being accidentally turned on. You can purchase the non-ANC variant for a little less, but paying a little more money and obtaining the ANC variant is worthwhile.

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