Latest news with #EarFunOpenJump
Tom's Guide
31-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
It's not all about active noise cancellation – these open-ear earbuds have better sound quality than my Airpods
If you had asked me 3 months ago about what makes a good set of earbuds, good active noise cancellation performance would have been right up there. But now, open-ear earbuds have well and truly won me over — and they let in all of the ambient sound. As someone who loves to go on a Sunday morning run or a mid-afternoon stroll, the ability to remain aware of my surroundings is a huge bonus. When I use my Beats Studio 3 headphones to go for a run I always have to take them off to cross busy roads, and this interrupts my flow. I'm then stuck trying to get the right fit when I put them back on. But some of the best running headphones are open-ear buds, so it's only right to ditch the overheads for something more fit for purpose. After testing a whole host of open-ear buds, I think I have finally found the ones that I'll be using from here on out: the EarFun Clip earbuds. The EarFun Clip are waterproof and dustproof open-earbuds that have completely changed my workouts for the better. They block out a little more ambient sound than other open-earbuds on the market but they have incredible sound quality. There is 10-hours playtime on a single charge and an extra 40 with the charging case. For the price, these are an absolute steal. After previously testing the EarFun OpenJump open-ear buds and not getting on with them since they just didn't fit me at all, I was pretty skeptical about the fit of the EarFun Clips. But as soon as I put the Clips on I knew I was in good hands. From running, hiking, to dancing around my living room to 'Mr Brightside' by The Killers, these buds did not budge. Once they were on, they were on. With other open-ear clip design buds I have tested, it has been a struggle to get the correct positioning without them slipping. And with other styles of open-ears, like ones that wrap around the top of the ear, I can never get them to stay put. The EarFun Clips were also super comfortable to wear for long periods of time. I used them throughout my work day and didn't experience any discomfort. The buds are extremely light and it was almost as if they weren't there at all. The EarFun Clips have a durability rating of IP55. This means that they are resistant to water splashes and sweat, as well as dust. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The waterproof rating means that any sweat getting on the buds won't affect their performance, and they can withstand water splashes from all angles. For me, this meant I could head out on a walk even if it was lightly raining. Although they are dustproof, I always make sure my earbuds are in their charging case when I'm not using them. But if they do get left out for whatever reason, I give them a wipe before popping them back in the case to avoid any build-up. These buds don't behave like open-ears at all. With open-ears I expect to experience some loss in sound quality because the earbuds are using a different method to send the audio into the ear. The EarFun Clips use air conduction, which means the speaker is directing the sound at the ear canal, which is actually more similar to a traditional earbud. This is unlike bone conduction earbuds like the Shockz OpenRun that are recommended for running by Tom's Guide. The EarFun Clips are for runners who take music seriously. I can seriously imagine nothing worse than going on a run and not having motivation from my favorite music. And the Clips give me that music with great sound quality. I was also able to use the EarFun app to make sure the EQ settings were perfect for the music I like to listen to. You can read more about how I got on with the open-ear buds in my full EarFun Clip review. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I've reviewed dozens of headphones and these are my 7 go-to tracks for finding the perfect pair
It's always a good day in the office when a new audio gear lands on my desk. Especially when they have a great sound profile and awesome noise cancellation. I know what I'm listening out for when I press play for the first time. My years with a guitar fixed across my lap, listening out for new chord progressions in the layers of my new favorite song that week have molded me perfectly for this job. I've also been told I have a somewhat eclectic taste. Just a glance at my Spotify and Qobuz accounts will tell you that I listen to everything from country to metal, pop to punk, so I have a pretty good gauge of the sound profiles I like for certain tunes… and the ones I don't. After testing some earbuds that I wouldn't use again (like the EarFun OpenJump) and headphones that I now use on a daily basis (the AKG N9 Hybrid headphones), I have become quite picky. Some headphones come with a customizable app, and as a self-proclaimed audio nerd, I love this feature. Other headphones will get you to do hearing tests and give you a personalized sound profile. But whatever you choose as the best headphones for you, you're going to need some great songs to test them with: enter this playlist. These are all songs I know very well and I use them to pick up on certain sounds in the songs. This is the song I always start with. Released only a year ago, this track has a feature in a fair few of my playlists and is incredibly catchy. It has a consistent riff that you can pick up throughout the hooks of the song, so this naturally became my main test. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. How clear can the riff be? Does it get lost behind the vocals? Does it drown out the rhythm guitar? Or does the sound profile completely balance the tune? This song particularly stood out when I tested the Edifier WH950NB headphones, but it took some fiddling with the in-app EQ settings. Such is the case with many headphones and ear buds, you need to figure out the right EQ for your hearing, but once you do the sound can be awesome. The Edifier WH950NB headphones aren't going to break the bank but still deliver awesome sound. They may not be able to support booming bass but the killer ANC capabilities make up for it. This is a primarily acoustic song with electric tones layered on top. It begins softly before building into an epic explosion of emotion and open D-tuning power chords (my favorite sounds a guitar can make). This song is chalk full of personality, so when earbuds can replicate each layer and harmony with ease I am super impressed. So while the Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds aren't my favorite earbuds I have tested, they enhanced Lizzie's voice and made it even more delicate, especially when using the Dolby Audio settings, making me feel like I was right there in the studio. The Custom EQ and Dolby Audio settings on the SOundcore Liberty 5 earbuds make you feel like you are in the studio with your favorite artist. And they are actually $20 cheaper than the Liberty 4. This is a song I will never skip — It's a banger. So if a pair of headphones ever make me want to skip it I'll know they are a firm no from me. The song is totally upbeat and is a great one to test the fit of headphones (do they fall off when I dance around). Thankfully I haven't encountered a harsh skip on these yet, but I have come pretty close. The EarFun OpenJump earbuds. I didn't get on with these at all but the fact they couldn't let me enjoy what is one of my favorite songs spoke volumes. I recently went to see Twenty One Pilots live, and anyone who has seen them in the flesh can attest to this: the bass shakes your bones. This is my favorite bass test as I think it's quite a harsh one. But it was actually a set of open ears that shocked me here. The Soundcore Aeroclip earbuds, while not built for bass, coped really well. I use these when I work out so I need some bass to keep me motivated and these carry brilliantly. Incredibly comfortable with impressive sound quality, the Soundcore Aeroclip open ear earbuds are secure for working out and let in ambient sound so you stay aware of your surroundings. This is the heaviest song I test with regularly because some headphones just aren't built to deal with metal. This fact was clearly pointed out by the LG xboom Buds which made the song sound muddy and actually managed to lose the drums completely. This is another of my favorites for bass testing. Charli XCX has been taking everything by storm since the Brat Summer of 2024. Not a pair of headphones but certainly an honourable mention is the Tribit Stormbox Lava speaker which has a bassX button on the top to or course, enhance the booming bass. The Tribit Stormbox Lava Bluetooth speaker packs a bassy punch and won't break the bank either. You can use the app to customize sound profiles, but the built-in BassX setting is enough to get the ground shaking. This song exposed my favourite headphones I have tested: The AKG N9 Hybrid headphones. I will be yapping about these cans until the cows come home and for good reason; they elevate absolutely anything. These headphones complement this track extremely well creating a crisp and clear vocal profile. But I would love everything I listen to on these headphones. The AKG N9 Hybrids are my favorite headphones for every situation. The have 100 hours of battery and support and a sound profile to make your favorite tunes sound better than you've heard before. There are so many other songs I could talk about and this playlist is ever changing, but these are the best starting point for getting audio that suits me… and maybe you too.
