The addition of active noise cancellation elevates the Realme Buds Air 2 from an otherwise hum pair of earphones. The focus on bass, in particular, appeals to listeners of electronic music. The bling-heavy design didn’t appeal to me, but your mileage may vary. Overall, the Realme Buds Air 2 stands out for its low affordability rather than its high quality.
Audio products are an essential component of smartphone accessory ecosystems. Oppo, Xiaomi, and Realme focus on bridging the gap between premium features and affordability with their low-cost audio products in emerging countries. Following a wave of low-cost true wireless earphones, the next hurdle is active noise-canceling. With the Realme Buds Air 2, Realme is providing just that.
In this Realme Buds Air 2 review, we’ll see if it’s feasible to create a high-quality set of totally wireless earphones with active noise cancellation while staying within a reasonable affordability range.
How does the Realme Buds Air 2 design?
If you want to get the Realme Buds Air 2, you should like bling. Realme goes to great lengths to make its noise-canceling true wireless earbuds stand out from the crowd, but the first time I saw these ‘buds, I was taken aback by the design choices. The side stock is obnoxiously huge and dangles below my ear, giving it the appearance of a flashy accessory.
Then there’s the color; the gleaming silver stems match the white buds, but they may be too luxurious for some customers. The earphones are also black, which helps tone down the design slightly but not quite enough. The silver stems are still out of position.
While the earphones’ visual design does not appeal to me, Realme did an outstanding job with the fit. Thanks to the medium-sized silicon tip, the earbuds fit well against my concha and establish a solid seal to my ear canal, blocking out background noise. The plastic design also makes the earbuds lightweight, allowing you to listen to music all day.
The white, plastic pebble charging case lacks quality. The gloss coating is susceptible to scratches and smudges, yet it is easy to open with one hand. A USB-C charging connector is located at the bottom, and a button on the side allows you to link the earphones. Straightforward.
Do the Realme Buds Air 2 maintain their connection?
Bluetooth 5.2 is supported by the Realme Buds Air 2. So long as the gadgets were within 10 meters of one another, they stayed linked to my phone. Regarding budget true wireless earphones, Bluetooth codec compatibility includes SBC and AAC, which is quite normal.
Most recent Android phones should use the AAC codec by default. However, connection reliability varies depending on the originating device. Even while roaming about my flat and listening to music via Spotify, I had no problems. Meanwhile, iPhone users would be limited to streaming high-quality audio through AAC.
Is the sound quality good?
Budget true wireless earphones often have a consumer-friendly frequency response with enhanced bass, and the Realme Buds Air 2 are no different.
The Realme Buds Air 2 enhances the bass a little too much. Even at mid-volume levels, I could hear the 10mm drivers rumbling. Bass frequencies tend to obscure voices.
Treble is similarly enhanced at the other end of the spectrum. It is frequently done to cover auditory masking by making it easier to notice high-frequency sounds (where instrumental detail falls). Still, Realme has gone too far with this. Because of the treble focus, tracks featuring hi-hats and cymbals are unsettling to listen to.
Overall, the earphones will perform better with more bass-heavy tunes, and I wouldn’t go much beyond 50% loudness. The Realme Buds Air 2 can simulate a large soundstage.
The soundstage is where the earphones shine. While the version of Tell Me A Bedtime Story wasn’t the most precise, you can put instruments all about you in space – a feat that few budget earphones can match.
You may change a few more settings in the Realme Link app, including selecting one of three preset EQ selections. The default setting provided the most incredible experience, and the bass enhance option feels a little unnecessary considering how bass-heavy these earphones are already.
Related: Apple Airpods 3 Review
How does active noise-canceling work?
Yes, the Realme Buds Air 2 enables active noise cancellation. No, it isn’t the last word in noise reduction. Realme promises noise reduction of up to 25dB. I could, however, hear ambient traffic noise. When combined with a good seal and music, you should be able to isolate yourself relatively effectively, but not completely.
Unlike many competitors, the Realme Buds Air 2 has a transparency mode that magnifies exterior noises to keep you alert. Although the piped-in audio sounds unnatural, it functions pretty well. Given the price, it’s not a big deal.
How long does the battery life?
Realme claims a five-hour battery life when ANC is switched off, and the volume is set to 50%. In real-world testing, I got just under 3.5 hours on a single charge with ANC activated. Your mileage will also vary depending on volume levels. However, I seldom needed to exceed 60 percent with the Buds Air 2.
Meanwhile, the supplied case can charge the earphones four times more, giving you a total of 25 hours of stated usage time. Realistically, the earbuds will fall a few hours short of that amount. The earbuds take an hour to charge, but a 10-minute rapid charge will offer you 120 minutes of listening from the Realme Buds Air 2.
Is the Realme Buds Air 2 suitable for making phone calls?
The Realme Buds Air 2 are ideal for making phone conversations. The audio is crisp, and the mics do an excellent job of canceling out ambient noise. While there is some echo, these genuinely wireless earphones would suffice for making phone calls in an emergency.
Realme Buds Air 2 Quick Review
Pros
- Affordable
- Active Noise Cancellation
- Quality Microphones
- Longer Battery Life
- Stable Connectivity
Cons
- No App Support for iOS Yet
- Polarizing Design
- Unreliable Controls
Realme Buds Air 2: VERDICT
Realme Buds Air 2 Offers Low-Cost Noise Cancellation The Realme Buds Air 2 provides noise canceling to the low-budget market. It is complemented by a bass-rich sound characteristic and good battery life, all at a price range that should be affordable to anyone.
If you’re searching for low-budget noise-canceling earbuds, the Realme Buds Air 2 should be a suitable choice. Sure, the sound quality isn’t the finest for the money. The focus on bass and treble will turn off more severe audiophiles, but it’s a nice place to start for listeners who don’t have a lot of money to spend. The Buds Air 2 are a solid, low-cost choice with decent battery life and a bling-heavy design. Furthermore, at $44, they are a low-budget entry point into the field of active noise-canceling true wireless earphones.
