Oppo’s true wireless earbuds offer affordable AirPods alternative

Oppo is having a popo at Apple with its newly-announced AirPod rivals, the Enco Free2. But rather than just being a generic attempt at earbuds, these look like they have some real potential. The big sell here is that they’re a collaboration with Danish audio firm Dynaudio. 

The Enco Free2 may have a slightly wonky-sounding name, but the earbuds will create a sound profile based on your hearing profile. That’s not an uncommon feature, but it has merit because everyone hears the world differently, that’s why what might seem like excessive bass to one person, sounds balanced to another. It’s also why headphones are such a personal choice, they’re like pants and you don’t let anyone tell you what pants feel nice do you? 

Also worth shouting about is the inclusion of ANC. Active noise cancellation on a pair of sensibly-priced earbuds is truly a joy. That said, ANC can be problematic if it isn’t done right, so it will be fascinating to see how the Oppo Enco Free2 earbuds handle it.  There’s also a transparency mode, which will allow you to hear what’s happening around you, which is handy if someone asks you something. 

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A triple-mic system helps cancel noise on phone calls, another killer feature. IP54 water and dust resistance also means you won’t be worried about borking them on a trip to the beach or water logging them with sweat on this unseasonable British weather (your country’s climate may vary). 

In addition to all that, Oppo is claiming that these Bluetooth 5.2 buds can manage 30 hours of total playback time. The initial information doesn’t explain how long they can operate before being returned to their case for charging, but we’ll have to get a pair in to give that a real-world test anyway.

The Enco Free2 true wireless earbuds are on sale now from Oppo’s store and Amazon. They cost £89. Australian customers can buy direct from Oppo's AU store for AU$199. We’re going to ask for a pair to test, because these could be an absolute delight, especially for people without piles of spare cash to through at more expensive models.