The EarFun Air 2 are the best-sounding $50 earbuds I’ve tested

A new year brings a slew of new true wireless earbuds, and EarFun is one of the first audio brands on deck with the EarFun Air 2. These budget buds embody many brand staples, including noise-canceling mics for calls, powerful sound and several upscale wireless technologies for smooth connectivity. On top of that, they come with stronger waterproofing than its predecessor and Sony’s LDAC audio codec, which is something I’ve yet to see featured on sub-$50 wireless earbuds.

While the Air 2’s spec sheet is remarkable when factoring in their $50 price, certain functional flaws lower their ranking among the top earbuds out there. However, there’s no denying the buds’ grade-A sound and wireless performance.

Here’s why the EarFun Air 2 make a strong case for the best budget buds under $50.

What we liked about them

Excellent sound right out of the box

The Air 2 sound awesome. I can’t believe the clarity and definition these buds deliver, and that’s without tweaking the audio settings. Everything sounds great the moment you pair them with a compatible device; my choices were the MacBook Pro and OnePlus 11.

Let’s start with the default EQ: Classic. EarFun engineered this preset incredibly well, offering up a nice balance of lows, mids and highs that are prominent throughout recordings. Listen to Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” for reference. The snare drums are striking, while the tambourine maintains its jingle and presence over the upbeat, percussive-heavy production. However, it’s the midrange that steals the show, with background harmonies and Wonder’s wailing vocals given more emphasis and placed accurately on the soundstage.

I’ve never heard the distorted and growled vocals on The Strokes’ “Last Night” so clearly on buds this affordable. The buzzy effect was less aggressive but still impactful, and it blended nicely with the rhythmic drums and rocking riff. Electronic bangers like Daft Punk’s “Voyager” showcased the Air 2’s bass performance best. The kick drum was monstrous and stimulated foot taps the moment it pounded against my eardrum.

Just don’t be misled by the “Immersive Sound” tagline on the box, which can easily be misinterpreted as spatial audio. These buds do not have a 3D audio mode like the AirPods Pro 2, Sony WF-1000XM5 or several other high-end models.

LDAC provides an audio streaming boost

Sony’s proprietary audio coding technology is usually reserved for luxury models, so seeing it on these low-priced buds is shocking. The codec produces hi-res audio playback with a decoding rate of up to 990 kilobits per second. In other words, it enables the transmission of audio content at a ridiculously fast speed and pulls more details from recordings. Music tracks sound less compressed; you’ll notice the boosts in depth and resolution when toggling the feature. Play orchestral classics like Ahmad Jamal Trio’s “The Awakening” to hear what I’m talking about. The high hats, piano notes and double bass sound more natural. Streaming quality is also faster, with transitions between songs being instant.

A no-frills design that nails simplicity and style

I find most long-stemmed buds to be ugly, but the Air 2 are decently attractive. What impresses me most is their build quality. Despite being entirely composed of plastic, the buds are solid. They also boast IPX7 waterproofing (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes) and patented SweatShield Technology that provides optimal moisture protection. Small details like the dark silver-gray colorway and shiny laser-etched branding give them a sleek appearance.

The charging case isn’t anything to rave about, but it’s sufficient for storage. I’m glad to see EarFun reinforce the lid with stronger magnets because the component on previous models has been flimsy. It’s also worth noting that the case supports wireless charging, which is rare for this price point and something still missing from certain high-end earbuds like the Beats Fit Pro.

A serviceable calling headset

Call quality isn’t Bose level, but what EarFun offers is adequate for voice and video calls. Vocals came through clearly, thanks to the four-mic noise-canceling array. Callers on the opposite end often heard ambient noise, though they claimed it was never distracting. Wind resistance was OK. I was able to make calls in gusty conditions without hearing harsh whooshing effects.

What we didn’t like about them

LDAC is a serious battery drainer

The Air 2 can get you up to nine hours of listening time, but that’s with LDAC turned off. Using it drops it to 5.5 hours. That’s not including other battery drainers such as high volume and Game mode. Having to recharge the buds after 4.5 hours of use was disappointing.

Luckily, the charging case held enough juice to get me through a full work week: up to 40 hours. It’s Qi-enabled for wireless charging and supports reverse charging, meaning you can use other portable devices with USB-C connectivity (e.g., laptop, smartphone) to power up the case.

Finicky touch controls

This has been a reoccurring issue with EarFun earbuds, and sadly, the Air 2 fall right in line. The buds are programmed with several functions that can be assigned to different touch inputs. I just wish that the touch accuracy was on point. Multi-touch gestures registered about 20% of the time and frequently executed the wrong commands. The buds would often mistake triple taps for double taps and double taps for the single-tap function. This became frustrating when trying to enable listening modes and skip tracks.

Bottom line

I’ve tested numerous sub-$50 wireless earbuds and can’t recall a pair that have sonically moved me like the EarFun Air 2. LDAC makes a huge difference in audio streaming. EarFun’s sound signature shines with extended detail and frequency range to hear music properly. Other notables such as Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint technology (for pairing to two devices simultaneously) and wireless charging add to their value.

Not everything flies right on the Air 2, which is to be expected from buds this inexpensive. LDAC usage sucks up the battery at an alarming rate. More concerning are the unresponsive touch controls, an ongoing problem that we’d like to see EarFun fix on its next round of true wireless releases.

All in all, the Air 2 hold their own against elite bargain models such as the Sony WF-C700N and sibling Air Pro 3, the latter standing out as the best sub-$80 buds we’ve tested. You’d be foolish to pass up a deal this good.