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The Edifier NeoBuds Pro has been out for a few years and is one of the best earbuds that Edifer make. and frequently recommended on Reddit with many people regarding them as better than popular options like the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro, Liberty 4 and the 1More Evo.
Edifier have now launched their successor, the NeoBuds Pro 2 which claims to have an enhanced wide-band multi-channel ANC for wider & deeper ANC. Edifier claims the NeoBuds Pro 2 provide up to 50dB of noise reduction vs 43dB.
They have then been upgraded to support spatial audio with head tracking and have improved the high-resolution LHDC codec from 2.0 to 5.0.
Edifier NeoBuds Pro 2 vs NeoBuds Pro Specification
| Specification | NeoBuds Pro | NeoBuds Pro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Input | 5V – 200mA (earbuds) 5V – 1A (charging case) | 5V – 200mA (earbuds) 5V – 1A (charging case) |
| IP Rating | IP54 | IP54 |
| Playtime | ANC On: 5h(earbuds) + 15h(charging case) ANC Off: 6h(earbuds) + 18h(charging case) | ANC On: 4 hours(earbuds) + 12 hours(charging case) ANC Off: 5.5 hours(earbuds) + 16.5 hours(charging case) |
| Bluetooth | V5.0 | V5.3 |
| Bluetooth Protocol | A2DP | AVRCP |
| Weight | Earbuds: 10.8g Charging case: 47g | Earbuds: 5.6g (each earbuds) Charging case: 49.2g |
| Output Sound Pressure Level | 92 ± 3dBSPL(A) | 92dB ± 3dBSPL(A) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz – 40kHz(LDAC) 20Hz – 20kHz(SBC) | 20Hz – 40kHz |
| Driver | Knowles Balanced Armature Driver + 10mm Dynamic Driver | Knowles Balanced Armature Driver + 10mm Dynamic Driver |
| Audio Coding | LDAC, LHDC, SBC | LDAC, LHDC, SBC, AAC |
| Charging Port | USB-C (Type-C) | USB-C (Type-C) |
| Charging Time | 1h (earbuds) 1h (charging case) | 1 hours(earbuds) 1 hours(charging case) |
Design and Comfort
The NeoBuds Pro 2 features a very similar design to the original NeoBuds Pro, with subtle tweaks that improve the look and feel.
The charging case has been redesigned and now features a more premium design with sturdy hinges and a smooth, matte finish. It’s slightly more compact as well.
The earbuds themselves look nearly identical to the previous generation, with long stems and oval-shaped housings.
However, Edifier says changes have been made to improve comfort and fit. I found them very comfortable for extended listening sessions, with the oval tips nestling nicely in my ears without fatigue.
They are also lightweight, making them easy to forget you’re even wearing them. Build quality feels solid, with an IP54 rating providing decent dust and water resistance.
You can use these earbuds for workouts without worry, and I found that when I used them for running and weight lifting they never needed adjusting, which is my benchmark on how good the fit is for an earbud.
Edifier Connect App
The Edifier Connect app lets you tweak settings and customize controls on the NeoBuds Pro 2 earbuds.
It’s a simple app that gets the job done, allowing you to switch between ANC modes, adjust ambient sound pass-through levels, tweak the EQ, and remap touch controls.
Handy features include a find my earbuds function, battery level indicators for the earbuds and charging case, and firmware update notifications.
You can also switch between normal, gaming, and vocal modes to optimise sound quality for different scenarios.
While the app doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles, it provides all the key adjustments you need to personalize these earbuds to your liking.
LDAC vs LHDC – What phones support LHDC?
The NeoBuds Pro 2 supports the LDAC and LHDC Bluetooth codecs for high-resolution wireless audio.
LDAC is developed by Sony and supported on most modern Android devices, and with the NeoBuds Pro 2 you have support up to 96kHZ sampling rate.
LHDC is lesser known but offers superior specs with a sampling rate of up to 192kHz with the new LHDC 5.0
However, LHDC support is still limited mostly to phones from Chinese brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Meizu and Lenovo.
So, unless you have one of those phones, you likely won’t benefit from LHDC on the NeoBuds Pro 2.
LDAC is the more widely supported Hi-Res codec that will provide excellent sound quality with any modern Android device.
One caveat with these high-resolution codecs is that you’d can’t use them with Spatial audio.
Spatial Audio
I am personally not a huge fan of spatial audio. I mostly listen to music, and I don’t think it works best for this scenario, but I can appreciate the appeal for gaming and movies.
When you initially activate Spatial Audio, it will calibrate your earbuds, and then the sound will track your head movements.
You can then select an avatar which is used to represent your head position.
I find the spatial audio on these less echoey than the Soundcore Libert 4 earbuds, but the head tracking is very pronounced. Moving your head around has a significant impact on where the sound comes from. This doesn’t sound good with music, but it could be useful for some applications. I haven’t tried it yet, but gaming with the XREAL Air 2 AR Glasses could work well with the spatial audio on these.
Sound Quality
The NeoBuds Pro 2 deliver impressive sound quality for TWS earbuds at this price point.
The combination of Knowles balanced armature drivers and 10mm dynamic drivers produce sparkling highs and punchy lows with good clarity across the frequency range.
With LDAC enabled, the earbuds can handle 24-bit/96kHz audio for an extremely detailed and spacious listening experience.
The soundstage is wider than you’d expect from such compact earbuds too.
Bass reproduction is tight and impactful, lending itself well to genres like EDM and hip-hop.
Mids are smooth, and vocals come through clearly in the mix.
Highs are crisp and airy. Some may find the treble slightly too accentuated at times, but the lively sound signature makes music engaging to listen to.
Overall, the well-balanced sound profile makes most music genres sound great.
Audiophiles will especially appreciate the Hi-Res codec support and impressive fidelity from such affordable earbuds.
Active Noise Cancellation
One of the highlight upgrades on the NeoBuds Pro 2 is the addition of active noise cancellation (ANC).
Using a feedforward, feedback, and hybrid cancellation system, the earbuds do an excellent job blocking out ambient noise across a wide frequency range.
You can really notice the difference when toggling between ANC modes, with loud environments like busy offices, traffic, and airplane cabins all becoming significantly quieter.
I tested with my usual test of airplane cabin noise dialled up to 80% on my Edifier speakers. They did a great job of eliminating frequencies across all ranges. While they obviously didn’t eliminate everything, they seem to have good performance across all the low end and into the high end. Most earbuds at this price tend to falter with some frequencies.
Four levels of ANC let you fine-tune the strength to suit your surroundings.
ANC effectiveness is aided by the secure in-canal fit that passively isolates noise before the mics and algorithms go to work.
The ambient sound mode also works very well, using the mics to amplify voices and environmental noises so you can chat or remain aware of your surroundings without removing the earbuds.
For budget noise-cancelling earbuds, the NeoBuds Pro 2 punch well above their weight.
Battery
For the past couple of Edifier TWS earbud reviews, I have criticised the battery life. The Edifier W320TN was rated for just 3.5 hours with ANC on, and the Edifier TWS1 Pro 2 were rated for 4 hours with ANC on.
The previous Edifier NeoBuds Pro was rated for 5 hours.
Unfortunately, Edifier has continued the trend of relatively poor battery life in comparison to competing options.
The Edifier NeoBuds Pro 2 are rated at 4 hours with ANC on and 5.5 hours with ANC off. If you enable LDAC or LHDC, the battery life will be even less.
In most situations, getting 3 to 4 hours of battery is adequate for my needs, but it does limit their appeal. I can easily wear earbuds for 4 hours with fitness, and long-haul flights are typically longer than this.
With LDAC and ANC enabled I found the battery lasted roughly around 3 hours.
Then, of course, the battery will degrade over time.
In comparison, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are rated at 10 hours with ANC and the 1More Evo at 5.5h with ANC on.
In Edifiers defence, with LDAC and ANC enabled, I found the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC had less than half the advertised battery life.
Microphone
Microphone quality for voice calls and video chats is very solid, thanks to the quad beamforming microphone array.
Your voice sounds clear to recipients in a variety of environments, with decent background noise reduction helping to isolate speech.
Some muffling is noticeable in very loud settings, but the mic array still manages to suppress ambient noise reasonably well. Voices come through clearly and at consistent volume levels, whether you’re stationary or on a walk.
Wind noise reduction is also effective, allowing you to take calls while outdoors without that distracting gusting sound.
Price and Alternative Options
The Edifier NeoBuds Pro 2 have an RRP of £130, but at the time of writing, were available on Amazon for £100.
The older Edifier NeoBuds Pro are listed at £100 but have a 30% off voucher available.
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are priced at just £80. They have LDAC but not LHDC. I’d say the NeoBuds Pro 2 sound better, but the Liberty 4 NC have a better battery life.
The Liberty 4 are priced at £110 but can be a bit bright for some peoples tastes.
The 1MORE Evo are listed at £130 but have a £40 discount voucher available.
Overall
Edifier consistently produces good audio products, and the NeoBuds Pro 2 are no exception.
There is a lot to love about these earbuds. Most importantly, I enjoy the sound, they are comfortable to wear with no regular adjustments needed, and the ANC is good for the price point. You also get two different high-resolution codecs and numerous other handy features like gaming mound and find my earbuds.
While I have always praised their earbuds, I have never committed to using them as one of my regular rotation as I have always had other options I prefer from the likes of Soundcore, Jabra and 1MORE. These are good enough that I have finally committed to them as one.
Similar to the Edifier W320TN and Edifier W320TN, the great performance and features are let down by a poor battery life. With less than four hours of use with LDAC enabled, I ended up disabling it most of the time, which defeats the point of having it.
Overall though, you are getting a lot of features for the £100-130 price point, and both the sound quality and ANC are better than many other earbuds at this price, so they are well worth considering. Just be aware of the short battery life.
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
