Pros:
– Enjoyable sound output across various genres of music
– Support for LDAC, aptX Adaptive/ Lossless codecs and more
– Hi-Res Audio and Snapdragon Sound certified
– Loads of sound and ANC customisations
– Improved active noise cancellation and transparency
– Comfortable in-ear fit, good passive noise isolation
– Wear detection sensors, Auracast, dual pairing support
– Impressive battery backup, supports wireless charging
– 18 months warranty
Cons:
– Touch sensitivity can be dodgy at times
– Noise suppression in calls needs improvement
Price: Rs 6,999Rating: 4.3/5
Towards the end of 2023, when we tested our first EarFun product, incidentally the predecessor of the one we have for you today, the expectations were fairly normal. A new brand trying to enter a highly competitive mainstream true wireless (TWS) earbuds market in India; alright, all the best with that. But the brand managed to exceed expectations with the EarFun Air Pro 3 and then raised the bar further in a few months with the EarFun Free Pro 3.
The EarFun Air Pro 4 arrived late last year, and we wasted no time unwrapping it and taking it for a spin. It impressed us enough to find a spot on our
best TWS earphones of 2024 list. Yes, its detailed review took a while coming as we were buried under an avalanche of new releases and events right from the start of this year. But without wasting a moment more, here’s everything you need to know about these feature-packed wireless earbuds that offer exceptional bang for buck.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Design and Comfort (8/10)
The EarFun Air Pro 4 looks pretty much like the Air Pro 3; no noticeable change in design for the buds or the charging case. The black body, metallic grey stems and the subtle branding on them stays as is, and the combination still looks good. The touch zones have a slight indentation with a circular ring to mark the area. The earbuds offer a snug fit and are comfortable to wear for long hours. They do not stick out of the ears much, nor do they pop out during jogs or workouts.
The right-sized silicone tips from the five bundled pairs provide very good passive noise isolation. It’s always advisable to spend a few minutes choosing the right tips for optimal sound quality and better active noise cancellation (ANC). The weight of the earbuds, though not specified, is on the lighter side despite each of them hosting a 54 mAh battery. The buds and case combined weigh 56 grams. Speaking of the case, it is compact enough to be slipped into a pocket but not slim enough to hide its bulge.
The build quality is fine but the design is a tad understated with the all-matte black finish and a glossy logo. The case now packs a 600 mAh battery, and you get 3 tiny white LEDs at the front to give you an idea about the remaining charge. A new addition is a pair of LEDs inside the case next to the ear-tips that light up when you open the lid or place the buds back in. A USB-C charging port is located at the back and a Bluetooth pairing/reset button is placed inside the case.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Features and Specifications (9.5/10)
The earlier EarFun products we reviewed were already feature-rich, and the Air Pro 4 goes a step further. It has an incredible spread of features for a product priced under Rs 7,500. It retains support for Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive codec that offers a balance of throughput and power efficiency, and now adds aptX Lossless and LDAC support too. In addition, just like the EarFun Free Pro 3, these TWS earbuds are Hi-Res Audio and Snapdragon Sound certified. The Bluetooth version has been upgraded to 5.4 with support for LE Audio.
Powered by the Qualcomm QCC3091 SoC, it also supports Auracast that can transform this product into a transmitter to broadcast audio to other Auracast compatible devices within range – a feature we couldn’t test, but a useful one nonetheless. The Air Pro 4 offers multi-point support to pair it with two devices simultaneously; it works well. It also has wear detection sensors to pause the audio when you remove a bud from the ear; a feature missing on earlier EarFun products we reviewed.
Each earbud is fitted with a 10 mm composite diaphragm driver and three microphones for calling and active noise cancellation (ANC). The buds have an IPX5 rating for splash resistance. So you can wear them to the gym or for a jog without a worry. The case doesn’t have any ingress protection, so protect it from moisture. The back of the buds are touch enabled and the touch sensitivity is generally good but tends to misbehave at times for no reason. Normalcy resumes after you put the buds in the case and take them out again.
You can assign different tasks to gestures through the EarFun Audio app available on iOS and Android both. You can assign play/pause, previous/next tracks, ANC toggle, voice assistant and volume control to single-tap, double-tap, triple-tap or touch-and-hold gestures. The latency on the EarFun Air Pro 4 is fairly low when watching videos, and there was no noticeable lag between audio and video. In Ultra Low Latency Mode, it can supposedly go below 50 ms.
The EarFun Air Pro 4 supports adaptive hybrid ANC to eliminate up to 50 db of ambient noise; a 7 db jump from the Air Pro 3. You get three main modes to switch between – Noise Cancelling, Normal and Ambient Sound. You get multiple Adaptive ANC options to choose from in the companion app to suit your ear canal structure or the surroundings. Choose one that works best for you. Same goes for the Ambient Mode that lets outside noise through for you to be aware of your surroundings.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Performance (8.5/10)
The wireless range is perfectly fine with a strong connection at 10 metres with no obstruction between the source and the listener. There were no latency issues either as I mentioned. These EarFun buds sound perfectly loud in the 60 to 70% volume range. Typical of EarFun, you get loads of sound customisations through the EarFun Audio app; even more than before. The app is easy to use with a clean layout and simple UI.
You now get dozens of audio presets, a lot of which are very usable. You also get a 10-band equaliser (EQ) to create your own sound profiles, something you would need to get the best out of these earbuds. As always, the company shares the EQ configs of the presets. So if you only need to make minor adjustments to a particular preset you like, you can do so from the equaliser, rather than starting from scratch to recreate a similar profile, as is the case with other audio brands.
The default sound output of the EarFun Air Pro 4 favours the lows; in other words, it’s a little bass-heavy. Though the bass isn’t too boomy, it does suppress the lower mids and impacts the overall sharpness. While it would be perfectly acceptable for earphones priced under 5K, you expect better in this segment. This is where the 10-band equaliser comes handy to lower the upper bass and boost the mids. If you aren’t comfortable with using an EQ, you can try different presets and you are sure to find something that suits your taste.
Alternatively, you try our EQ config from the image below, and then play around with it further till you find your sweet spot. Feel free to create multiple custom profiles. After the sound tweaks, you get a more balanced sound that’s still pleasantly warm but with a lot more sharpness and detail. The bass feels tighter without losing its thump, the vocals sound crisp and highs have just the right amount of sparkle to lend the sound the necessary edge without any sibilance.
The soundstage is fairly broad here providing the sound a nicer feel. These earphones are enjoyable across various genres of music and video content, and they do sound better than the EarFun Air Pro 3. But the more noticeable improvement in the Air Pro 4 is in the ANC department. And it’s not just the 50 db number I speak, but its actual performance. As I mentioned, you get five different ANC modes to play with. Set it to Strong ANC for best results.
It blocks low frequency sounds like the whirr of a fan or the AC buzz when indoors or sound of car engines when outdoors. It was also very effective in the ultimate ANC test I subject all earphones to, which is the local trains in Mumbai. It could successfully suppress a lot of human chatter and noise of the train and make my journey peaceful by letting me focus on the music without much distraction. Of course, it cannot mute everything around you completely but the ANC is among the best in the sub-10K segment at the moment.
You get a couple of options in Ambient Mode too to amplify certain frequencies being let in or all of them. The Ambient Mode here is significantly better than that on the Air Pro 3 and Free Pro 3. It not only helps you be aware of your surroundings when crossing the street or catch an announcement at a train station or an airport but you can also have a quick conversation with the person next to you with the buds in your ears, especially in quieter areas.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Call quality (7.5/10)
The call quality here sees an improvement over the Air Pro 3 but it can do even better. It is perfectly fine in quieter areas, and people on the line were clearly audible to each other with good voice clarity. When outdoors, the wind noise suppression works well, but it does let a fair amount of other ambient noises through. They aren’t overly distracting in most cases as they are kept in the background, but there is a definite scope for improvement in this department.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Battery life (9/10)
Battery backup has never been a problem with EarFun earphones and the Air Pro 4 ups the ante further. The company promises 7.5 hours of playback for the buds with ANC on and a whopping 11 hours with ANC off. And with the case, the overall battery backup figures jump to 35 and 52 hours respectively, which is mighty impressive on paper. While those were in their test conditions, the results we got in ours were pretty good too.
With aptX Adaptive codec, ANC turned on at all times and loudness between 60 to 70%, the buds lasted just a little over 6 hours, which is quite good. Without ANC, the number was closer to 9 hours, which is as high as we have seen in this segment. With the charging case, you get battery figures in the range of 28 to 41 hours depending on the ANC usage. These are excellent figures and easily among the best in the segment.
The fast charging is modest with a 10-minute charge giving you close to two hours of playtime with ANC off. The buds take about an hour to charge fully from zero, while the case takes another 30 minutes or so when using a wired charger. The EarFun Air Pro 4 also supports wireless charging with Qi certified chargers; the charging time is almost double. The battery level of each earbud and the charging case can be seen in the companion app.
EarFun Air Pro 4: Price and verdict
The EarFun Air Pro 4 is priced at Rs 7,499 but can often be spotted selling for less than 7K on Amazon India. It offers an 18 months warranty, which is 6 months more than what competing products do. So is it worth buying? I am sure you know the answer by now. It’s a resounding yes! This is easily the most feature-rich pair of TWS earphones, not just under Rs 7,500, but probably under Rs 12,000 as well. But more importantly, it sounds very good too.
While it is untouchable when it comes to features in this price bracket, there are a couple of options that do come close in terms of sound quality and for a little less money. Firstly, its in-house competitor, the EarFun Free Pro 3 that does boast of quite a few of its features, barring a couple, and has a cooler design and a comparable sound quality if not better. The other option is the OnePlus Buds 3. Both these earbuds can be purchased for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 lower.
If you are looking for superior sound quality, you will need to push your budget to 10 to 12K and consider the Nothing Ear or the OnePlus Buds Pro 3. However, even their feature list isn’t as extensive as these EarFun buds. All said and done, for its all-round goodness and performance, the EarFun Air Pro 4 is hard to beat around 7K and is highly recommended.
