Portables

Getting Everything Right: EarFun Air Pro 4 Bluetooth Earbuds Review


I’ve reviewed a lot of EarFun headphones. They’ve mostly punched way above their price point. In particular, the Air Pro 3 earbuds were a favorite. I claimed that you would eventually end up buying those headphones. If not for you, then a member of your family. The EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds are the next iteration in the line. They are more expensive ($90 MSRP) but have just about every bell and whistle you can shove inside a pair of earbuds. How do they stack up? Let’s take a closer look.

Want to hear more thoughts on the EarFun Air Pro 4 Earbuds? Check out this episode of the AV Rant podcast!

EarFun Air Pro 4 Specs

  • Advanced Qualcomm® QCC3091 SoC with aptX™ Lossless Audio Tech & Bluetooth 5.4
  • Hi-Res Audio & Snapdragon Sound Dual Certifications with LDAC Codec Supported
  • 10mm Composite Dynamic Drivers for Lossless Astonishing Sound 
  • QuietSmart™ 3.0 Adaptive Noise Cancellation up to 50dB
  • Enhanced 6-mic + AI algorithm + cVc™ 8.0 tech for Superior Clarity Call Quality;
  • Personalize Your Buds with EarFun Audio App
  • Multi-device Connectivity with Auto-Pairing 
  • <50ms Ultra Low Latency Mode for Better Video & Gaming Experience
  • Ultra-compact design & Secure Ergonomic Fit;
  • IPX5 Sweat & Water Resistant
  • 52-hour Playtime: 11 Hours + 41 Hours with Charging Case
    Fast Charging, 10 Min Charging = 2 Hours Playtime
  • Wireless Charging Compatible
  • In-ear Detection
  • Google Fast Pair supported
  • Auracast™ & LE Audio supported: available via firmware update only

Air Pro 4 Overview

The form factor and case of the EarFun Air Pro 4 headphones haven’t changed much over the iterations in the Air Pro line. They are a hybrid design that combines the earbud-style with an in-ear tip. The combination means that even if the tip gets loose, the headphone won’t immediately fall out of your ear. One thing that I’ve noticed as EarFun has refined its design in that the earbud fits more flush to your ear. In short, the Air Pro 4 is the best fitting and most secure of the line and easily rivals if not surpasses all the other similar headphones I’ve tested.

Rather than rehashing all the normal fit and case features, I’ll run through a couple of highlights. The case features inductive charging (something that is becoming increasingly rare these days). Battery life is better than average with 11 hours for the earbuds and 41 additional hours with the case. The in-ear detection works incredibly well. When you remove an earphone, your content with automatically and consistently stop. Replace the earphone and it starts again. Super handy. The capacitance control spot is perfectly placed and easy to hit while still being super responsive. ANC is not only effective but full-featured with a number of different “levels” including a new AI mode.

One thing I really appreciate about the ANC with the EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds is that it doesn’t seem to affect the quality of your content. Often with Active Noise Canceling engaged, your music will take on a different timbre. Not so with the Air Pro 4 earbuds. I also appreciate how the ANC is automatically disengaged when you remove one of the earbuds.

Air Pro 4 App

I feel like there is a programmer over at EarFun who just gave up. They threw their hands up and said, “Fine, you can’t figure out how to navigate menus? How about I just put it all on the front page?!?” If this sounds like a complaint, it isn’t. Just about every option you might want is on the front page of the app. This makes the front page a little…long. Here it is…

This is more than one screen long

As you can see, every feature and option is available (more will open up as you click on them). Want to connect two devices? There’s an option for that. What about LE Audio? Yep. Want the best audio quality? That’s there too. Of course, the battery display is at the top as is the ANC controls. The lesser-used controls will require some scrolling but that’s just fine. You won’t be accessing those very often anyhow. There is an equalizer option (I had to scroll on my phone to find it, maybe you won’t) with 30 presets as well as a customize option. If you can’t find an equalizer setting you like, I don’t know what to tell you.

Sound Quality

As always, I created a “Flat” EQ setting with no modifications to the frequency response to hear the headphones in their raw form. One note about creating a custom EQ. Most of the time with these apps, you can select “Custom” and you are done. Not so here. You must create and save an EQ before you can select it. An extra step that probably isn’t necessary.

The EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds kick in right at 20Hz with a fairly flat response up to about 5kHz. There, we have a slight dip that is pretty unnoticeable in actual playback. Subjectively, the Air Pro 4 earbuds sound slightly tipped up in the bass in a very pleasant way. I continue to find the EarFun offerings to be some of the best value on the market.

To that, let’s talk about some of the newer audio features. The Air Pro 4 features LDAC support as well as Qualcomm aptX and LE Audio. LE Audio supports the new Auracast feature. Auracast allows multiple Bluetooth devices to receive the same stream. While so new it is only supported by a handful of devices. Auracast is sure to become more popular. If you are looking for a set of headphones with all the latest Bluetooth features, the Air Pro 4 are for you.

Nitpicks

It wouldn’t be a review if I didn’t find something wrong with a product. Let’s be honest, every product can be improved. One of the “issues” I had with the EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds was the Bluetooth connection. I found the antenna to be middling. I’ve had connections that had much greater distance. At first, the battery readout on the app for the case was non-functional (pictured below). That worked itself out eventually.

I already mentioned that you need to save a custom EQ before you can select it. A more serious issue is the length of the front page of the app. While it was a slight inconvenience to me to have to scroll, it really wasn’t that big of a deal. For those who use a screen reader, however, this could be a much bigger issue. I don’t want to think how long it will take those with visual impairments to get all the way to the bottom of that screen.

Take Away

EarFun has done it again with the Air Pro 4 earbuds. These headphones have all the latest Bluetooth features as well as a slew of controls through the very full-featured app. They fit like a dream, the capacitance controls are as refined as any I’ve experienced, and they sound great. For under a hundred dollars ($90 retail), you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better set of ANC wireless headphones. If you are looking for a great set of headphones that won’t break the bank, try out the EarFun Air Pro 4. AV Gadgets approved!


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