In the grand scheme of audio manufacturing, EarFun is an absolute newcomer. First launched in 2018, Earfun has rapidly carved out a name for itself, delivering excellent audio without breaking the bank. The perfect combination, you might say.

So, the EarFun Free Pro 2 ANC wireless earbuds come with a reasonable level of expectation. And, thankfully, they live up to the expectation, too, providing a solid audio experience and decent ANC, and are extremely lightweight while packing in the features.

Should you buy the EarFun Free Pro 2? Do earbuds under $100 really sound good? Find out everything in our review.

EarFun Free Pro 2 Sound Quality and ANC

Straight out of the box, the EarFun Free Pro 2 has a good overall sound, though it does have some mixed qualities.

At times, the treble level can become a little overwhelming, especially on tracks with particularly sharp high-end sounds. At others, the bass can be either too low or somehow distracting on other tracks. Nevertheless, it's not bad, and you'll certainly enjoy it on tracks when it comes through nice and clear. When combined, the EarFun Free Pro 2 delivers a warm, rich sound, and the earbuds cope really well when you decide to crank the volume up.

Notably, the EarFun Free Pro 2 delivers a tidy audio experience across multiple genres, which is always encouraging. You don't buy earbuds to listen to a single type of music (well, most of us don't), and you'll be pleased to know that whatever you throw at the buds, they do sound impressive, with the 6mm composite dynamic drivers working hard to deliver a great experience. The Free Pro 2's 6mm composite dynamic drivers don't quite match up to the 10mm graphene drives found in the EarFun Air Pro 2, but they're certainly not bad by any stretch.

Switching the active noise cancellation on makes a difference to the overall sound quality, as it does with most headphones and earbuds. With the ANC switched on, the bass adds a little extra, and the tone of the earbuds sounds more whole, a little more complex if you will. The ANC itself works well. Rated to block 40Db of external noise and using EarFun's QuietSmart 2.0 tech, the Free Pro 2 ANC does a good job of stifling distractions.

The Free Pro 2 ANC blocks out most sound walking through town or riding the bus, which is excellent. The buds did an admirable job up against the noisier and more persistent airplane white noise test, helping to nullify a good proportion of the constant droning of the airplane cabin. I'm always happy with a set of earbuds when they block out my obnoxiously loud typing, which I'm happy to say, the EarFun Free Pro 2 did emphatically.

Ambient mode works well enough. Switch it on, and it allows external noise to pass through the earbud's microphones, giving you a feel of the world outside your ears. Unfortunately, there is no companion app toggle to blend ambient and ANC, so you're either in one camp or the other here. However, there is "Normal" mode, which is handy for when you want to hear the doorbell ring for a delivery or that there is a bus about to run you down.

Back to the sound quality. Keeping the ANC switched on is a must, given the additional bass depth and accuracy it delivers. It also reduced some of the high-end tinniness found using Normal mode, and depending on the type of music you prefer, that can make a significant difference.

EarFun Free Pro 2 Battery Life

Another important earbud feature EarFun is known for is battery life. Previous EarFun earbuds have come with excellent battery life, and the Free Pro 2 buds just about deliver where it matters. The earbuds themselves hold up to six hours of playback, dropping to around five hours with ANC switched on. As above, the EarFun Free Pro 2 definitely sound better with ANC enabled, so you might find yourself hovering around the five-hour playback mark, depending on how you use them, of course.

In the charging carry case, you'll find another 24 hours of playback, giving you around four or five full charges before you need to grab your charger. There's also a fast-charging function that delivers up to two hours of playback on a rapid ten-minute charge. On the other hand, a full case charge takes around two hours, rising to 3.5 hours if you use Qi wireless charging.

All in all, the EarFun Free Pro 2 battery life is okay, and you won't find it wanting when it matters.

EarFun Free Pro 2 Weight, Fit, and Comfort

Now, the EarFun Free Pro 2 are also helped by their lightweight build. Each earbud weighs just 4.1g, putting firmly in the lightweight earbud category. Delivering such a lightweight earbud helps with comfort, and the Free Pro 2 buds are certainly comfy once you find the right combination of ear tips and ear hooks. That's right; such is the size of the EarFun Free Pro 2, you need extra ear hooks to hold them in place.

In the box, you'll find four different ear tips sizes ranging from XS to L, while there are three different ear hook sizes, ranging from S to L. Fiddle about and find the right ear tip and ear hook for your ear size, as it does make a difference to how you hear music through the earbuds. If the ear tips are too small for your ear, you're letting valuable audio escape, while if they're too big, you'll likely find the buds uncomfortable, ruining your experience.

Once the Free Pro 2 buds are locked into your ear using the ear wings, they do tend to stay put. There was no slippage walking around the house or through town, and outside of some slight (and typically expected) movement while running, the Free Pro 2 remained in position during a variety of activities. As the Free Pro 2 is also rated IPX5 for water and dust resistance, you could also consider these earbuds a handy option for running and other workouts—just take them out before you get into the shower.

EarFun Free Pro 2 Touch Controls

Despite the minute size of the Free Pro 2 buds, the touch controls work surprisingly well. Touch controls are so hit and miss that it's always a welcome note when they respond to your touch accordingly. Switching between ANC modes is simple, as is turning up the volume, switching tracks, or otherwise.

Some will find the lack of customization an annoyance, as there is no companion app to make changes with. However, as the touch controls actually work, you're best off just learning which touch control does what and getting on with it.

EarFun Free Pro 2 Connectivity

As is now standard for most earbuds, the Free Pro 2 uses Bluetooth 5.2 to connect to your devices. Bluetooth 5.2 makes pairing fast and easy, and once established, you shouldn't encounter any connection issues.

That said, I did find the Bluetooth connection a little jumpy at times. Whether this was down to low charge or other interference, I'm not sure, but the issue was present while connected to my desktop or smartphone. The range of connection was fine, working well with the roughly 15m range you expect from Bluetooth 5.2.

In terms of audio codecs, the EarFun Free Pro 2 uses SBC and AAC.

Should You Buy the EarFun Free Pro 2 Earbuds?

A question I'm asked all the time is, "How much should you spend on earbuds or headphones?" It's a difficult lead question as everyone's budget is different, and although everyone wants their headphones or earbuds to sound good, not everyone knows what they want in terms of sound.

So when an $80 pair of earbuds lands on my desk, such as the EarFun Free Pro 2, it's always an interesting proposition. The price and audio quality alone make the EarFun Free Pro 2 a great option, delivering well above average audio for under $100. Throw in the decent ANC and comfy earbuds, and you can see why I have no problem recommending the EarFun Pro 2 buds.

That's not to say there aren't things we'd like to see different. In a world of grey and black earbuds, a slight flourish of color would set the Free Pro 2 apart. Then, a companion app for custom EQ, touch controls, and ANC settings wouldn't go amiss. I'm sure some users would love to see something like Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive codec, too, allowing some high-res audio streaming. Furthermore, while the battery life is good, you'll certainly find alternative options with much more in the tank. But as ever, these things would be nice but will certainly add to the price tag.

But again, for $80? Why not give them a try?