Natural sound without background noise: Oppo Enco X2 earbuds

I've sworn by over-ear headphones for years, even when I'm doing sport. Mainly because of the previously poor sound quality of earbuds and because they always fell out. In the meantime, however, a lot has changed in the world of headphones. That's why I'm giving earbuds another chance and swapping my QuietComfort from Bose for the Enco X2 earbuds from Oppo during the holidays.

Headphones

OPPO Enco X2

ANC, 40 h, Wireless

144

Headphones

OPPO Enco X2

ANC, 40 h, Wireless

144

Specifications: Sound pretty good

The noise cancellation (ANC) is highly praised. Oppo's Enco X2s are said to use special processing to completely block out human voices up to 45 decibels (that's slightly above a whisper) and gusts of wind, but still recognise and pick out your voice when you're on the phone. I'm curious to see how it works in practice with louder noises. You can also connect two devices to the buds at the same time.

Depending on the sound quality and noise cancellation selected, the headphones' battery lasts up to 6 hours on a single charge, according to Oppo. With a charging case, between 20 and 40 hours before you have to recharge them via the supplied USB-C or wirelessly. The previous Buds manage 5 hours and up to 20 hours with the case. I would find the long runtime practical so that I don't have to constantly recharge when I'm on holiday.

The Oppo Enco X2 (without the case) are also protected against dust and water in accordance with the IP54 standard. So the excuse of not being able to go jogging in the rain definitely falls down the drain. My QuietComfort can withstand rain well so far. However, the fabric has flaked off from sweat and lots of wearing and I had to replace the pads.

The headphones weigh 4.7 grams each. That's slightly lighter than their predecessors, lighter than the current flagship buds from Apple and Samsung and much lighter than all kinds of over-ears. However, the fit is important: Oppo has included four sizes of rubber attachments for the buds.

Oppo speaks of a natural sound and a detailed output quality. If information is lost during the digitisation of a piece of music, it should be added back when the music is transmitted.

The acoustic system is called Oppo SuperDBEE and comes from the house of Dynaudio. The Scandinavian company is otherwise known for its speakers.

This also includes a technology for transmitting the dense information content of audio files: LHDC-4.0. This should enable a transmission rate of up to 900 kbit/s. In addition to LHDC, AAC and SBC are also supported.

The reality: sound technology with a lot of blah-blah?

Personally, I can't categorise the aforementioned technologies, but they should definitely sound good in practice. After all, the sound is the centrepiece, even if it is subjective.

In my memory, the sound of in-ear headphones was terrible about five years ago, even before my over-ears. The Enco X2 is much better. The sound of over-ears cannot generally be compared with earbuds because the sound reaches the ear differently and the technical possibilities vary. But I was pleasantly surprised by the acoustics of the Enco X2. I find the songs pleasantly mixed and can also clearly hear quiet background sounds.

With my mixed taste in music, from Polo Hofer to Alligatoah to Pink Floyd, Oppo's automated settings work well. I'm happy with all genres. I also like the fact that the bass doesn't dominate the whole piece of music. However, this is a matter of taste, which is why an equaliser would be an advantage. It's missing.

Oppo does, however, offer a few automated selection options for the sound: I have direct access to these features with my own current flagship Find X5 and Pro. If you have another Android phone or an iPhone, you will need the app HeyMelodie.

With the "Golden Sound" function, I can create an analysis lasting about five minutes to obtain an optimal mix. This mainly takes the mid-frequency into account. I like the result better afterwards because some instruments are emphasised even more clearly.

I have several options for the ANC: personal, transparent or none at all. Personal noise cancellation takes into account the ear canal and fit of the earbuds. Disturbing noises actually sound slightly muffled in the personal setting. However, I only notice this when I concentrate on it.

I tried out a few worst-case scenarios on my holiday trip: with a suitcase on wheels over bumpy tarmac, on a plane with a noisy gearbox and on the ferry with roaring water and people chatting next door. And I'm satisfied: I only hear muffled background noises that are unnoticeable with music. So I can also fully enjoy the extremely quiet intro to Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.

Make calls and navigate

One of the microphones in the earbuds should filter out my voice even better. In general, talking on the phone is pleasant, my conversation partners describe the sound as slightly reverberant but clearly understandable.

To get an idea of the sound quality during calls, you can find a test by Youtuber El Jefe below. From minute 12 onwards, he compares Oppo's headphones in quiet, loud and very loud environments - also in comparison with the Apple Airpods Pro and the OnePlus Buds Pro.

I can operate the earbuds on both sides. I pause the music with a light tap on the stem. Pressing twice skips to the next track and holding down for longer switches between the ANC modes. I can customise the controls in the settings on my smartphone.

At first, I found pressing a little too hard, but at least I don't accidentally skip to the next track when I move the headphones. The middle ground is well chosen in practice and the haptic feedback also helps.

The headphones pause automatically when I take out one earpiece. Sometimes, however, the song doesn't stop and just keeps playing. The latest update brings some improvement, but Oppo could go one better. In my case, the wearing comfort also decreases after two hours of listening to music. I find my over-ears much more comfortable to wear for long periods. But: the buds sit firmly in the ear.

Lightweight with good sound

The Oppo Enco X2 are currently available from 150 francs or 170 euros. I find that rather expensive, but still cheaper than my over-ears. If you commute often and like to do sports, they are great companions: despite their low weight, they sound good, effectively suppress background noise and last a long time. Rain and sweat are also no problem.

When worn for long periods of time, the Enco X2 cause unpleasant pressure on my ears, which is why I prefer not to wear them for too long. I also find the sound of over-ears unrivalled. As the sound quality and the ease of use for sport and travelling have convinced me, I might buy a pair of earbuds. But for now, I'll take the headphones out and enjoy the sound of the sea.