The EarFun Clip have officially made me a believer in open earbuds

CNN

5 days ago

I never thought I'd become an open earbuds guy, but the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds just converted me. These $70 clip-ons are the latest in a growing category of wireless earbuds that rest above your ears rather than lodging inside of them, allowing you to easily stay aware of your real-world surroundings while alleviating some of the pressure that turns some folks off to in-ear options. And after spending nearly a week with the Clip, I can see why they're catching on.
The EarFun Clip's airy design feels like nothing's even there, and they offer strikingly good sound quality without needing to nestle all the way into your ear canals. The battery life is pretty bonkers too. And while I can't fully drop the AirPods Pro from my daily audio rotation, the Clip have earned a place next to them for those times I could use the extra ambiance. Here's why they're some of the best budget earbuds I've tested.
EarFun Clip Open-Ear Earbuds
This affordable pair of headphones makes it easy to enjoy your music and podcasts and still stay aware of what's going on around you. A super-comfortable design that keeps you aware
I never thought I'd get down with open earbuds (you mean to tell me I have to clip these onto my ears?), but the EarFun Clip have been a joy to wear for the past few days. Their design looked pretty foreign to me as someone who doesn't usually wear these types of buds, but once I figured out how to hook them on, they nestled comfortably and securely on my outer ear to the point where I constantly forgot that they were there. They're also IP55 rated for sweat and water resistance, should you want to take them on a run.
So, why wear these types of earbuds? Since the EarFun Clip's audio drivers rest right above your inner ear canals — rather than lodging in them like most earbuds do — you can still hear the outside world with full clarity while rocking out to your favorite songs and podcasts. Sure, most premium earbuds have good ambient noise modes that amplify your surroundings when you need to stay aware, but even the excellent Transparency mode on my beloved AirPods Pro 2 still makes me feel the slightest bit isolated from what's happening around me.
There's nothing quite like hearing your surroundings with your actual ears, which is something I've come to appreciate when I'm walking my dog and want to stay aware of oncoming cars and pedestrians, or working from home and don't want to miss an important delivery. And when I run into friends on the street or show up at my local coffee shop, I can start a conversation without fumbling to take the buds off or switch to a transparency mode. Of course, there are plenty of scenarios where I do want to drown out everything around me, but the EarFun Clip truly excel in the environments they're designed for.
Shockingly great sound for open-ear buds
You would think that a cheap pair of earbuds with an open-ear design would mean less immersive sound … and you'd be wrong. I'm genuinely shocked by the sound quality on the EarFun Clip, which has made my daily playlists sound rich, clear and satisfyingly spacious.
When taking in the bright post-rock soundscapes of the new Moving Mountains record, I could easily pinpoint each lush layer of instrumentation — from the dynamic drums and rollicking bass to the piercing lead guitar and subtle piano melodies. Uptempo pop songs had just as much bite and detail, as the appropriately deep bass and haunting synth of Charli XCX's 'Sympathy Is a Knife' had me immediately bopping my head. This is impressive for a set of buds that cost less than $70, let alone ones that don't nestle into your ears at all.
While the EarFun Clip sounded great out of the box, you get plenty of options for customizing their output via the free EarFun Audio app for iOS and Android. You can play with various equalizer presets (like Bass Boost, Vocal Enhancement and a range of genre-specific modes) via clear, colorful icons, or you can dig into the custom EQ settings and fine-tune the frequencies yourself. There's also a Theater mode that's designed to create a surround sound-like 3D audio effect, though it mostly just made the music louder and muddier for me, so don't expect anything on the level of Apple's Spatial Audio here. Much more practical is the Privacy mode, which instantly lowers the volume whenever you need to stay extra discreet and be extra aware. Oh, and when I needed to take some calls, the EarFun Clip's microphones proved more than capable.
Great battery life and lots of features
On top of feeling and sounding great, these buds seem to never run out of battery. The EarFun Clip are rated for 10 hours of continuous use and a total of 40 hours when you factor in the charging case. That more than lines up with my testing. After four days of heavy listening, I've got a full charge in the buds and 55% battery still left in the case.
The EarFun Clip are also loaded with way more features than you might expect for a pair of budget-priced earbuds. In addition to the robust sound customization options I mentioned above, these buds offer dual-device connectivity, which made it easy to stay paired to both my iPhone and MacBook, and switch between the two on the fly. There's a handy Find Headphones tool in the app as well that lets you emit a chime from either earbud in the event one or both of them get lost in your couch, a Hearing Health menu that lets you set maximum volume levels and a few different Automatic Shutdown settings for conserving battery. Folks with compatible Android phones get to take advantage of LDAC support for extra-high-resolution sound, as well as Google Fast Pair support for one-touch setup. There's also a Game mode designed to lower audio latency, but even as a fairly avid mobile gamer, I've never felt the need to use this kind of thing.
Finally, physical controls!
We've long criticized EarFun for the finicky, inconsistent touch controls on many of their earbuds, which is why I was delighted to find that the Clip feature good ole physical buttons. The small little clickers on the buds made it easy to adjust volume and playback on the fly, and better yet, the controls are fully customizable via the EarFun Audio app.
No wireless charging (or automatic pausing)
There's not much I don't like about the EarFun Clip, though I was a bit bummed when I dropped the case onto my wireless charger only to realize they weren't juicing up. A lack of wireless charging isn't a huge deal breaker for a pair of sub-$70 buds, but it's still disappointing, especially since similarly priced EarFun models like the EarFun Air 2 offer the feature.
Another nitpick? These buds don't automatically pause when you take them off, meaning you'll have to manually stop your music if you don't want to unknowingly burn through a whole playlist and waste battery in the process. It's a small inconvenience, but after never having to worry about this sort of thing on my (admittedly pricier) AirPods, it's still a notable one.
I miss active noise cancellation
This is less of a criticism of the EarFun Clip and more a realization that open earbuds can't be the only earbuds I use. While I love the extra awareness they allow for when walking the dog or working from home, I don't like them nearly as much when I'm commuting, as I was painfully reminded the other day after hearing the ear-piercing sound of a child screaming on the bus. I can definitely see the Clip staying in heavy rotation around the house and around the block, but I certainly won't be taking them on the subway or on a flight anytime soon.
The EarFun Clip are some of the best open earbuds you can get for the price, offering incredibly impressive sound quality within an unobtrusive design that's perfect for folks who don't like sticking things in their ears. Their rich feature set and comfy feel belies their $70 price tag, and you can use them for days on end without having to charge them up.
There are plenty of other great options in this growing category, from the super-premium and super-stylish Bose Ultra Open Earbuds to the Shokz OpenFit Air that feature even more secure ear hooks for working out. If you want more of a jack-of-all-trades option that can both drown out and let in outside noise, you should check out the excellent noise-canceling EarFun Air Pro 4. But for folks sold on this open design, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better pair for the money than the EarFun Clip.
How long do the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds last on one charge?
How long do the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds last on one charge?
The EarFun Clip are rated to last up to 10 hours on a single charge and can deliver up to 40 hours of playtime when using the case.
Are the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds good to use for running?
Are the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds good to use for running?
Due to their IP55 rating for water resistance and open design that lets in important ambient noise, the EarFun Clip can be a good option for runners. Just make sure you get them on nice and snug before you hit the track or street.
Do the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds come with their own case?
Do the EarFun Clip wireless earbuds come with their own case?
Yep! The EarFun Clip come with a traditional charging case, though don't expect fancy perks like wireless charging.
CNN Underscored has a team of skilled writers and editors who have many years of experience testing, researching and recommending products, and they ensure each article is carefully edited and products are properly vetted. We talk to top experts when applicable to make certain we are testing each product accurately, recommending only the best products and considering the pros and cons of each item. Senior tech editor Mike Andronico has been writing product reviews of headphones and earbuds for nearly a decade and is constantly in search of the next great pair that can dethrone his beloved AirPods Pro 2.