Oppo Enco Free2 review: For music lovers

Oppo, which was once a formidable high-end home theater player, is a relative newbie to the expanding smartphone market, and the Enco Free2 are the second iteration of the company’s entry-level true wireless earbuds. Oppo was once a formidable high-end home theater player.

The oppo Enco Free2 are unquestionably designed to compete; after all, earphones selling for less than one hundred dollars rarely include active noise cancelling technology. Bluetooth 5.2, voice control, and dual pairing are just a few features worth mentioning and very much appreciated. Nonetheless, the ultimate best-case scenario of a battery life of 30 hours is just marginally less amazing.

In addition, the Enco Free2 are not nearly as appealing to use as they appear to be on paper. The sound quality is largely centered around the midrange; therefore, despite the fact that the Oppo perform an excellent job at communicating vocals, they are not particularly compelling to listen to because of their latent treble spikiness and poorly defined bass reproduction. These audio deficiencies aren’t helped by the fact that the way the earbuds fit is somewhat unclear; in fact, it may be contributing to them.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Design

The Enco Free2 is similar to the Enco X we wrote about in 2021. They don’t look as shiny or sculpted as their more expensive siblings, but they have the same IP54 resistance that keeps water and sweat out and reduces the effects of dust. And like the Enco X, the Enco Free2 don’t quite burrow into the ear, so they’re not the most secure. Even so, they haven’t fallen out, not even when they were running to catch a train with a light jog.

But we have had to put the earphones back in my ears more than once to ensure they stay in place. The Free2 is easy to wear because it is light, and the slightly loose fit helps with comfort. You can change the fit by using the small and large ear tips that come in the box. The controls are like the ones on the Enco X.

Like the Enco X, it becomes easy to use after a while, and the HeyMelody app lets you make it your own. It comes in black and white, but the white one is a dirt magnet (give your ear a clean or just get use to wiping them often). The charging case is also shaped like a Babybell and fits perfectly in pockets. You can buy this earbuds from its official website.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Comfort

Each earbud has a capacitive touch surface built into the “stem” part of the design. These surfaces work well, are responsive, and don’t change how the earbuds fit when used. Their specific jobs can be set up in a third-party app called “Hey Melody” (for Android and iOS), or Oppo smartphone users can do it in the Bluetooth settings of their phones.

The app also has a “noise control mode” that lets you switch between “noise-canceling on,” “noise-canceling off,” and “transparency.” You can also take a short hearing test that lets the earbuds customize both the type of noise-canceling they use and an EQ that fits your hearing.

The app also has four (almost identical) EQ presets, a battery status indicator, and the ability to connect the Enco Free2 to more than one device at once. You can also check for firmware updates here. You can also use the voice-assistant built into your source player to take control. The Oppo has three microphones to handle voice assistant interaction, call quality, and noise cancellation, so it’s easy to be heard.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Sound quality

The Free2 is another collaboration between the Oppos and the Danish speaker company Dynaudio. Like the Enco X, the Free2 has a pleasant tone, but its performance has two sides: one at lower volumes and the other at higher volumes. When the volume is at a normal level, the Oppo sounds smooth and softly defined.

We wouldn’t say the tone is warm, but the songs don’t have much punch or attack. At these volumes, the buds sound okay, but the sound isn’t very dynamic and isn’t as loud as it could be. If you turn up the volume, there will be more room for the buds’ movement to be heard. They get more expressive and give more details, which leads to a livelier performance.

But the low-end doesn’t have much depth or punch unless the volume is turned up, and even then, it sounds pretty much the same in Lupe Fiasco’s WAV Files, Talking Heads’ Once in a Lifetime, and Stealers Wheel’s Stuck in the Middle with You. It seems like the bass is always played the same way.

But there is a good focus on the vocals, which are treated well and presented with a smoothness that avoids sibilant traces (at least once the fit is right), along with an impressive amount of width and decent, if not the sharpest, definition of instruments.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Performance

They are also good at soundstaging and dynamics, though not quite as well as the first group. The stage that the Oppo describe is always big, always laid out in a way that makes sense, and (if the recording allows it) exists in three audio dimensions, so that each part of a recording has its own space to work in.

They never sound too different from the other parts, so the performance doesn’t lose its sense of unity. Even in terms of dynamics, the Enco Free2 are sure of themselves and good at what they do. They are sensitive to harmonic changes as well as big changes in dynamics.

Well, they are, except in the lower frequencies. The Oppo dig deep, hit hard, and control the attack and decay of low-frequency sounds well, but when it comes to bass sounds, they lack the nuance and detail that make their midrange sound so exciting. The low end just thumps, and there isn’t much light and dark to make it interesting.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Noise cancelling

We took them out, put them on, and made sure the ear tip was the right size as instructed. We then connected them to my phone via Bluetooth, which is how headphones are usually used. A really easy process, and now that they are linked, they connect as soon as the case is opened.

There is a smart app that can help you choose the right ear tip and get the most noise cancellation out of it. We started a playlist on my music streaming app because we couldn’t wait to get started. The sound quality was perfect and very clear. Everything you could want in a pair of headphones.

We quickly learned how to tap them to make them noise-cancelling, which worked to drown out the kids’ cartoons. With another light tap, they went back into “transparency mode,” letting me hear some background noise like a regular pair of earbuds would.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Battery life

The battery life of 6.5 hours and 30 hours overall looks good, but that’s only when noise cancellation is turned off. When it’s turned on, it can play for 4 hours and 20 minutes at 50% volume. This is better than the Huawei FreeBuds 4, which are the same price and have similar specs, but not by much. There is no fast charging or wireless charging, so it takes 1hr 30mins for the USB-C port to bring a dead battery back to life.

Price and availability

The Oppo Enco Free 2 are the second pair of truly wireless earbuds that the Chinese company, Oppo, and the Danish Hi-Fi company, Dynaudio, have made together. Choosing to work with Dynaudio was a smart business move, as the design and sound quality of the Enco X from 2021 show the quality of the Scandinavian company.

The Enco Free 2 is the same, but it has a better value for money than its predecessors because it has the same set of features but costs much less. They give up a few things to keep their prices low, but this doesn’t affect the overall experience too much.

Oppo Enco Free2 review: Conclusion

The Oppo Enco Free2 are, in the end, a strange product. The specs, control options, build quality, and the way the midrange sounds are impressive. But they are definitely broken at the high and low ends of the frequency range, their battery life isn’t great, and the way they fit isn’t the best either. They can be fun, but it’s hard to recommend them.

FAQs

Is OPPO Enco worth buying?

The Oppo Enco Buds 2 are an excellent set of headphones to think about purchasing if you are looking for a pair of earphones that are not only comfortable but also look great and offer a high level of sound and call quality.

Is Oppo Enco Air 2 worth buying?

The OPPO ENCO Air 2 are a solid pair of headphones to use. One of the benefits of the model is that it comes at a price that is reasonable. The large 13.4 mm drivers contribute to an exceptional listening experience, which is another strong point of these headphones.

In addition, there is a helpful app (which, unfortuitously, was unable to connect to my iPhone, but there were no issues with Google phones) as well as sensitive touch controls that can be tailored to meet your specific requirements.

What is the IP rating of Oppo Enco Free 2?

The OPPO Enco Free2 has been rigorously tested and is certified to have an IP54 rating for resistance to dust and water8. Enjoy worry-free listening even as you work up a sweat at the gym or splash around on hikes with these playlists. To record a Vlog, take a picture, or take a selfie, simply double tap the screen twice.

Is Oppo Enco free 2 waterproof?

The OPPO Enco Free2 has been expertly crafted and has earned the IP54 certification for both dustproofing and waterproofing8. You can take pleasure in listening to music regardless of whether you are working out in the gym, experiencing the great outdoors, or simply commuting to work each day.