Introduction :

The Nord Buds 2 are the latest entry-level replacement to the Nord Buds from last year. These are still some of the most affordable earbuds available from OnePlus, but at $59, the Nord Buds 2 cost $20 more than their predecessor.

The Nord Buds 2 are the least expensive OnePlus earbuds with active noise cancellation for that price, as well as one of the least expensive sets of earbuds from a respectable brand with this feature.

Design :

The Nord Buds 2 is a somewhat improved version of the prior model. The casing has the same fundamental shape as the previous one, but the edges have been curled, resulting in a more rounded shape. The new case is also slightly smaller than the old one. The new case, like the old one, has good fit and finish for the price but no IP rating.

The redesigned case also has a shiny gloss and a lighter grey colour. The body has an intriguing speckled pattern that initially seems to be dust and is a lighter shade of grey than the lid. A USB-C port for charging and an almost invisible pairing button are both located on the back of the casing.The Nord Buds 2 is a somewhat improved version of the prior model. The casing has the same fundamental shape as the previous one, but the edges have been curled, resulting in a more rounded shape. The new case is also slightly smaller than the old one. The new case, like the old one, has good fit and finish for the price but no IP rating.

Battery capacity :

With ANC active, the Nord Buds 2’s battery life is rated as 5 hours of nonstop playback and 7 hours when ANC is turned off. In my testing, I received 8 hours 34 minutes with ANC disabled and 6 hours 13 minutes with ANC enabled. You won’t hear me complain because these stats are fantastic on their own and are also substantially higher than the quoted estimates.

The earbuds played for 2 hours 25 minutes with ANC on and 3 hours 16 minutes with ANC off after a ten minute charge from flat.

Features and software :

The HeyMelody app on other Android and iOS phones or the Bluetooth settings on OnePlus phones can be used to manage the Nord Buds 2. The earbuds include a few upgrades in addition to the same core function set as the original Nord Buds.

The active noise cancelling is the main innovation in this. Either toggle it on or off, or choose the transparency setting. There is no custom ear tuning accessible here, neither automated nor manual, either.

The Sound Master EQ option allows you to fine-tune the audio. There are four presets accessible here, as well as the possibility to create custom profiles with a 6-band EQ. BassWave, which was introduced with the OnePlus Buds Pro 2, is a new feature here. It’s claimed to be an algorithm that modifies your sound dynamically, but in reality, it’s just another bass knob. With a positive or negative offset, you can enhance or reduce the bass level.

The modifications you make to the EQ and earbud control features are saved on the earbuds themselves, so they transfer to whatever device you pair them with even if it doesn’t support the app.

Unfortunately, the lack of in-ear detection in this model is a significant carryover from the original Nord Buds. The earphones are unable to play or pause music in accordance with whether they are in place or removed. Similarly, even if you take out both earbuds, the ANC is still active, and taking out just one earbud doesn’t cause the other to go into transparency mode.

This is a wonderful improvement over the original model that should have been made. I’d even argue that I prefer in-ear detection to ANC, at least the kind of ANC that the Nord Buds 2 have, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Performance :

Audio quality
Microphone
Noise cancellation
Latency
Connectivity

The Nord Buds 2 has the same 12.4mm dynamic drivers as the previous model. They still support the same SBC and AAC codecs although the Bluetooth version has been updated from 5.2 to 5.3, which doesn’t mean anything for audio quality.

Audio quality

On this preset, the vocals have a lovely and mellow tone. Voices have a nice tone, and the increased warmth makes content like podcasts sound good. The mid-range isn’t sunken or pushed back like it is with most other common tunings, yet it may not stand out in the mix, especially close to the bass.

Similar to the bass, there are no sharp peaks or sibilance in the treble. The Nord Buds 2 is a touch more balanced than its predecessor, which was all about that bass, because it adds a little extra glitter at the top compared to otherwise similar-sounding Nord Buds tuning.

The custom EQ is beneficial, although it is constrained by the 6-band EQ. Also, even at its lowest level, the bass may be quite loud. Using the above curve, I was able to make the earbuds to sound very excellent, at least in terms of frequency response.

Aside from that, the sound is completely mediocre, and there’s not much you can do about it. Detail and resolution are adequate but not outstanding. The sound is also extremely boxed in, sounding mostly trapped within your mind with no sense of distance even on spacious tunes.

The Nord Buds 2 sound extremely similar to the Nord Buds, with small tuning modifications on the preset and the BassWave setting.

Microphone

The Nord Buds 2 have unexpectedly good microphone quality, same like their predecessor. Voices have a slight metallic tone, but otherwise sound fairly natural, with strong background noise suppression. If you only need something for voice calls, they would be ideal.

Noise cancellation

The Nord Buds 2 offer active noise cancellation, something their predecessor did not have. As previously said, it is a simple on/off feature with an added transparency mode.

At best, the level of ANC is average. There is considerable attenuation in the lower frequencies and a little in the mids, but not much in the highs, as expected. However, the earbuds themselves offer adequate passive isolation, so the total result is satisfactory. The transparency mode is also not fantastic, but it beats having to remove the earbuds.

The Nord Buds 2 would receive a 1 at best on my fictitious 5-point scale, with 4 representing the finest ANC implementation currently available and 0 denoting no ANC. I’m not really sure if I would prefer to pay more for it, but it’s still better than having no ANC.

Latency

The Nord Buds 2 perform really well in terms of latency. On OnePlus phones, games will automatically activate the low-latency game mode, but when using the HeyMelody app, you must explicitly turn it on. When turned on, the latency is remarkably minimal and ideal for playing the majority of games. On smartphones, video playback is also not a problem because the video player will automatically sync to make up for the delay.

Connectivity

The Nord Buds 2 operated consistently and without any connectivity concerns.

Verdict :

The OnePlus Nord Buds 2 are a minor improvement over the original. They have a comparable microphone, latency, and battery life, and they have a similar appearance and sound.

ANC may not be worth the extra cost depending on where you live; in the US, I wouldn’t suggest spending the extra $20; you would be better off purchasing the still-acceptable first-generation device for $29, which is now on sale. Given that there is just a difference of INR 300 in pricing in India, the updated model should be purchased.

But overall, the Nord Buds 2 are a good set of budget earbuds. The primary problem I have with the earbuds is in-ear detection, therefore I would have really wanted to see that. Additionally, the audio quality isn’t great, but if that’s your top priority, go wired and buy a pair of 7Hz Zero or Moondrop SSR. But the Nord Buds 2 are a good choice in this price range if you want to remain with wireless.

Source