Despite being the most expensive audio product in the brand’s lineup, the OnePlus Buds Pro are priced quite competitively against the top true wireless earbuds from brands like Apple, Samsung, and Sony. This has helped set it apart as a value-for-money option that doesn’t particularly save much. Now, more than a year after the first OnePlus Buds Pro launched, its successor is out. The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 bring small improvements, but stay in place that made the original a truly wireless headset that’s easy to recommend.
Price Rs. 11,999, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 introduces a number of technical innovations, including a dual-driver system, Bluetooth 5.3 for connectivity, and an extended frequency response range. The new headphones have also been developed and tuned in collaboration with Danish speaker manufacturer Dynaudio, similar to what we’ve seen on Oppo Enco X2 this early year. Are these the best mid-range true wireless earbuds you can buy right now? Find out in this review.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has pressure-sensitive controls on the body, similar to the first generation headphones
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 design and features
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is expected to look very similar to its predecessor, with the earphones and charging case sharing the same design and styling features. The new earphones come in two colors – the familiar matte black with glossy body and the new green to match the OnePlus 11 that launched alongside the OnePlus Buds Pro 2.
There are some subtle changes to the design, such as a larger external microphone grid, but the headphones and charging case are largely similar in size and fit to the original Buds Pro. It’s still a nice and comfortable pair of truly wireless headphones, with an unobtrusive and sophisticated aesthetic.
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 earphones don’t have any branding, while the charging case now has the Dynaudio logo engraved just below the OnePlus logo on the lid, as well as on the underside of the lid. The back of the charging case has a USB Type-C port and also has Qi wireless charging support as before.
Helpfully, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2’s headphones have pressure-sensitive controls on their bodies, similar to the original version. This is much more precise than basic touch controls. The headphones are designed to fit comfortably in the ear canal, ensuring proper passive noise isolation. The headphones are IP55 dust and water resistant, while the carrying case is IPX4 water resistant.
In terms of features, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is quite impressively equipped for a mid-range headset. Multipoint connectivity for up to two source devices simultaneously, customizable active noise cancellation, Google Fast Pair, 54ms low latency mode, and Spatial Audio support (currently only works with OnePlus 11) ), in addition to the aforementioned Qi wireless charging. Each headset has three microphones, which work together for AI-powered voice and ANC functionality, according to the company.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 Specifications and Apps
As is the case with other wireless earbuds from OnePlus, the Buds Pro 2 ‘app’ experience varies depending on the smartphone with which you pair the headphones. All management functionality is supposed to ‘bake’ into OxygenOS (and any other supported Android fork), so if you’re using a supported OnePlus device as your source, the controls will appear in the panel. system Bluetooth settings.
If you’re not using a smartphone that supports this, you’ll be able to adjust all settings for your OnePlus Buds Pro 2 through the HeyMelody app (available on iOS and Android). While you can install this app even on OnePlus smartphones, you won’t be able to use it and will be redirected to Bluetooth settings instead.
Similar to Oppo Enco X2, OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has been developed in collaboration with Danish speaker brand Dynaudio.
It’s worth mentioning here that I can’t access these settings on my device. Oneplus 9 Pro (Review) during my review of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, created an unresolvable dead end on the device. However, I do expect it to be enabled at the software level before the sale of this new headset starts, so I hope this is not a long-term problem.
In terms of functionality, the app (or Bluetooth menu settings) allows you to customize various aspects of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, such as playback controls, ANC and transparency mode, the intensity of ANC (settings). set Light, Medium, or Max), equalizer presets (co-created with Dynaudio) and custom EQ, and enable or disable multipoint connectivity, among other options.
Notable additions include a ‘white noise’ mode with five audio tracks (one can be saved on headphones at any time), a ‘game’ mode for low latency audio ( as low as 54 milliseconds) and ‘Golden Audio’, which conducts a quick test to tailor the sound to your ear canal structure and hearing characteristics. You can also update the firmware on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2.
Customizing controls on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is also quite detailed, with the ability to set up separate control schemes for the left and right headphones. You can control playback, select ANC and transparency modes, invoke the default voice assistant, and activate game mode; Unfortunately, the volume control on the headset is not possible.
In terms of specs, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is well-equipped. There’s a dual-driver setup with 11mm and 6mm dynamic drivers in each earphone and a frequency response range of 10-40,000Hz. For connectivity, the headset uses Bluetooth 5.3, which supports the Bluetooth SBC, AAC, and LHDC 4 codecs. More common LDAC support may appear via a firmware update at some point (as it did). with Oppo Enco X2), but for now, enhanced codec support is limited to LHDC.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 performance and battery life
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 looks and feels very similar to its predecessor, but inside it’s a completely different product. That said, there are some major similarities between the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 and the Oppo Enco X2, including Dynaudio collaboration and Bluetooth codec support. Interestingly, this is not just the same product with a slightly different design and branding; The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has some unique features including a dual dynamic driver setup and how it affects the sound.
All of this is appropriately supported by the Bluetooth LHDC codec, although support for it depends on the smartphone you use. Most OnePlus and Oppo smartphones can use it, and it’s largely on par with other modern advanced codecs in my opinion.
Unfortunately, support for the more common LDAC codec is not available on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that it will come later via a firmware update. Until then, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 take a similar approach to Samsung’s approach to true wireless earbuds – the best sound quality is only available if you’re in the ‘ecosystem’.
OnePlus Buds Pro 2 has a dual-driver setup, with 11mm and 6mm dynamic drivers in each earphone
Going into specifics, I used the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 with the OnePlus 9 Pro as the primary source device for best results, but also used a iPhone 13″ to test performance with more popular AAC codecs and applications. There is a noticeable and very noticeable difference in sound, depending on which Bluetooth codec is used, as long as I listen to good quality audio (usually from Apple Music).
The dual dynamic driver setup is what determines the sound signature and overall sound quality of the OnePlus Buds Pro 2; Unlike on the Oppo Enco X2 which has a planar magnetic secondary driver, the second dynamic driver here focuses on the lower frequencies rather than the upper end of the range. This produces a stronger, more powerful and energetic sound, with the separation often accompanied by a dual-driver setup that focuses firmly on the bass.
When combined with the nuance and detail that the Bluetooth LHDC codec allows, it produces perhaps the most powerful and enjoyable sound I’ve ever heard on a pair of true wireless headphones. When listening to Over Here by Mk.gee, the hum and hum of the bass was tight and subtle, creating a feeling of power but never overpowering. It makes this mellow, mid-tempo track a lot more engaging and motivating than I’ve heard before, adding some flavor and well-done characterization.
Even with more nuanced and less aggressive tracks like Fleetwood Mac’s Everywhere, the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 delivers plenty of detail, while helping to push the lows in the right direction. Driver separation really counts here, allowing the mids and highs plenty of room to breathe, even as the lows continue to strike relentlessly. With the volume turned up, it’s an immersive listening experience unlike any other in this price segment.
Active noise cancellation on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is good enough for Rs. The 12,000 price tag, but overall feels a bit underwhelming; Performance on this spec doesn’t match the sound quality that is clearly superior to anything else in the price segment. That said, it’s workable both indoors and outdoors, providing noticeable noise reduction.
It’s worth mentioning here that I could barely distinguish between the three different ANC modes, so the feature’s customizability doesn’t really make any difference in practice. Transparency mode works pretty well, but the artificial amplification of ambient sounds gets tiresome after a while, so ideally it’s only on when needed.
Battery life on the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is better than that of its predecessor, with the earbuds working for around six hours per charge with the LHDC codec active and ANC enabled. The charging case added more than three additional charges to the headphones, for a total run time of about 25 hours per charge cycle. Call quality is generally good indoors and is doable for short calls even in noisy outdoor environments.
judgment
OnePlus and Oppo have used their shared resources to greatly enhance their product capabilities in the truly wireless audio segment, and the OnePlus Buds Pro 2 is a great example of how to develop a great product with its own unique characteristics without having to start over each time . There are some obvious similarities between the Buds Pro 2 and the Oppo Enco X2but OnePlus does just enough to give its new earphones some character and fanfare of its own, especially when it comes to bass-friendly sound signatures and levels of detail.
The Dynaudio partnership is not only a branding act, but also features features like wireless charging and low-latency mode. The only limitation is codec support. LHDC isn’t supported on too many devices other than modern OnePlus and Oppo smartphones, making this a ‘walled garden’ conundrum – you’ll need the right source device to have it. Best sound quality.
If you have the right source equipment, here are the coolest-sounding true wireless earbuds you can buy for under Rs. 15,000 right now, with sound quality that really suits your ears. sounds twice the price. You really can’t go wrong with the OnePlus Buds Pro 2.
