In the current world of speed and efficiency, is it worth spending two months evaluating a headset?What's more, it's also a wireless headphone!What I want to say is that it's worth it, and it's this kind of "long-term stay" that gives me an in-depth understanding of the FreeBuds Pro 3, Huawei's newly released flagship TWS earbuds. This also makes me believe that in the short history of TWS headphones, it will leave its mark as a landmark product.
HWA, Hi-Res Audio dual high-definition audio standard blessingThe Freebuds Pro 3 is housed in a square hard-shell carton that's about the same size as the Denon Perl I've been using lately, but with a slight increase in thickness (coincidentally, the retail price of the two is exactly the same).
The HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 3 has the logos of HWA, HI-RES AUDIO, and Powered by Harmony OS on the front of the outer packaging carton. In the audio-visual industry, Hi-Res Audio doesn't need much explanation, but what about HWA?The full name of Hi-Res Wireless Audio (high-definition wireless audio standard) is led by the China Electronic Audio Industry Association (CAIA) and China Electronics Standardization Institute, and more than 30 domestic and foreign enterprises jointly compile this high-definition wireless audio standard. As an LHDC-based encoding protocol, it provides three bitrate modes - 400kbps, 00kbps 560kbps and 900kbps, and is compatible with mainstream APTX adaptive, LDAC, LHDC, LC3+ and other codecs, setting clear standards for wireless audio listening experience such as sound quality, connection, power consumption, and noise reduction. The first TWS earbuds to receive this certification were the previous-generation FreeBuds Pro 2. As for Powered by Harmony OS, of course, it also means that it can get support from the HarmonyOS system.
Located on the back of the certification mark carton on the outer box, you can also see a detailed introduction to the functions, including 15Mbps lossless sound quality, quiet calls20. Intelligent dynamic noise reduction30. High-definition spatial audio 20. Harmony OS is a new smart experience and IP54 dustproof and waterproof.
It's a pity on the back of the outer packaging of the FreeBuds Pro 3 that as a user of the "Apple Family Bucket", I can't experience the exclusive features of the Harmony OS ecosystem, such as head tracking spatial audio, smart listening, and control center cards. However, iOS users can still use the "Huawei Smart Life" app to control it. Considering the opening of the noise cancellation function, the selection of gesture switching, etc., **APP is a must. The headphones are handsome in appearance, comfortable to wear, and have bright details in designOpen the lid of the box, and the inside is divided into two layers. The upper layer is the earphone body, and the lower layer is a variety of accessories.
Finally see the true face of FreeBuds Pro 3Remove the manual and warranty card, the accessories of FreeBuds Pro 3 are very simple: a listening card worth 200 yuan, and the end user can directly scan the code to use it;Replaceable ear caps for XS, S and L;USB to Type C charging cable. In the past two years, large manufacturers have higher requirements for environmental protection, so it has become the norm for electronic manuals and charging heads to be no longer attached.
All accessories are listed here with the earbuds of the earphone body M size (commonly known as ear caps), and there are actually 4 sets (8 ear caps). I tried it and replaced M with L, which is more suitable for me, so the earbuds that are now "lying" in the L compartment are actually M.
The earbuds that come with the original factory need to be noted, the part of the earbuds and the earphones in contact is slightly different from the usual, the latter is similar to an oval runway, and on both sides of the short side, there are buckles!By doing so, you can connect the earbuds to the headphones more closely. It's an easy-to-overlook but great design.
Pay attention to the contact between the earphones and the earbuds
On the front of the charging cable with one USB and one Type-C, there is an eye-catching Huawei logo, and the battery indicator is on the back. The FreeBuds Pro 3 comes in four exterior trims, namely Frost Silver, Yachuan Blue, Galaxy Blue, and Ceramic White that I got. Personally, I feel that the ceramic white is very beautiful, and it looks clean. I thought that the fingerprint when taking pictures would be a trouble, but in fact, except for the Huawei logo on the mirror, other places will not be stained with fingerprints.
Printed with the eye-catching Huywei logo on the side.
The small hole in the middle is the charging indicator.
Type-C's charging port and speaker portPay attention to the small hole next to the charging port, which is a mini speaker hole, when you want to find the earbuds but can't, you can "wake up" it. It must be said that it is also a very practical and detailed feature, and I believe that most people, like me, will have times when they can't find the headphones and battery case, especially before rushing out the door.
When you open the lid, you will see the FreeBuds Pro 3
After removing the battery box of the earphones, there are always people who complain that the TWS earphones look similar, so the FreeBuds Pro 3 definitely has its design features. The upper part of the earbuds has a graceful curve, so it also fits well on the earThe handle of the earphone, which is specially designed for handholding, becomes handsome, with a cylindrical shape, metal-like edging and HUAWEI logo, which can be said to have a clear logo and a prominent theme. At the same time, the concave design of the side is also easy for people to identify without looking at the logo, and it is the left ear or the right ear that is being held at the moment. According to the original manufacturer's information, this cylindrical structure also has the purpose of upgrading bone conduction, which can be closer to the ear to block external interference, and at the same time accurately identify the bone conduction vibration sound to improve the pickup effect. This is a plus when it comes to voice calls, which can be made clearer.
A sleek cylindrical shank.
The area that fits snugly in the ear allows you to see the in-ear sensor.
The microphone opening at the bottom and the charging shock of the FreeBuds Pro 3 are in the middle of the range of TWS earbuds I use most often, regardless of size and weight. The battery box itself has a certain anti-scratch design, plus I am Xi to have a cloth bag wrap, so after two months of actual use, there are hardly any visible scratches on the battery box. The hidden hinge design makes the whole opening and closing process appear smooth, and the convenience of picking up is the best. The grip of the headset body and the wearing comfort are very good. Wearing it for a long time (I took the high-speed train to Beijing, 5 hours each way) will not have any discomfort. On the contrary, the system will prompt you not to wear the headphones for so long. Just like looking at a mobile phone for a long time can cause vision problems, the impact of using headphones on hearing is believed to be more and more concerned by everyone, so this is an intimate and forward-looking small function. App control, earbud fit, and gesture control can all be personalized applicationsBefore using the FreeBuds Pro 3, you need to ** "Huawei Smart Life" APP, make sure that the Bluetooth of the mobile phone is turned on, and you can see the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 from the homepage "Add Device", and you also need to update the firmware for the first time. Of course, if you hate any app (I used to be), then you can use basic Bluetooth pairing (but you can't use other additional functions), and you need to press the pairing button on the side of the battery compartment during the pairing process.
The menu page at the time of the initial connection.
After the firmware upgrade TWS earphones enter the era of active noise cancellation, APP is an indispensable tool. There, you can see not only the connection status, but also the noise reduction amplitude and other adjustments. One of the most important changes is the fit, or fit, of the earbuds. If in the past, earbud matching was only about a secure fit, now it has a much more important role – a snug fit to ensure proper noise cancellation. Therefore, I highly recommend using the FreeBuds Pro 3 for the first time to do a fit test.
After the earbud fit test, there are some general function settings and gesture control settings. For those who have experience with it, this is not difficult. Gesture control, you can use the default one, or you can set it according to your own Xi habits (especially if you have used other TWS headphones before, forming an inherent Xi habit). The FreeBuds Pro 3 can also be subdivided into 3 gestures: "pinch", "hold", and "swipe".
Function settings and gesture control settingsActive noise cancellation and voice calls can be called the "top stream" levelSubjective evaluation: We judge from two dimensions: noise reduction and sound quality.
In the past two months, I flew to Yantai with Freebuds Pro 3, took the high-speed train to Beijing, and rode a small electric donkey (battery car) in Shanghai in autumn (for GPS navigation). I've tried its 4 noise reduction modes, Light, Balanced, Deep, and Smart Dynamics. I deliberately chose the first three modes in different environments to feel their different noise reduction scales. I think that even if it is "mild", in a more noisy environment, the noise reduction "intensity" will increase. At least in terms of subjective hearing, it is not static, but there will be subtle differences in the corresponding environment, which is quite "intelligent". But after using it for a while, I simply fixed it on the "smart dynamic", especially when I was out and about, shuttling between different spaces. I had a deep impression of riding a small electric donkey on Beidi Road (this is a road where large trucks are constantly passing by, and the traffic environment is very complicated), and I can clearly feel the changes in response to different road conditions and different environmental sounds, and the noise I hear in my ears will be high and low (because it is only used for GPS navigation, there is no sound in the headphones most of the time). In this process, I also developed a Xi, even if I don't put **, I will put on the freebuds pro 3, it can filter out the external noise well, there is an instant "ear root clean" feeling, highly recommended. Noise Cancellation In terms of filtering performance, compared with the few TWS earphones I usually use, the FreeBuds Pro 3 are all "outstanding". Considering the synergy effect after chip-level integration, I believe that if you are a user of Huawei's ** flagship phone, you should have a better experience. I'm just talking about the sound of the iPhone 13 when combined with it: it filters out sharp highs and rumbling lows very well, but it preserves voice messages well. This was evident in the waiting room of Yantai Airport, where the noise of the airport was completely blocked out when I put on the headphones, but I could always hear the waiting announcement. Also on the high-speed train to Beijing, I wore headphones and watched "Oppenheimer" on my MacBook Air, and the noise emitted by the train during high-speed travel was well suppressed. There is also a place that I would like to explain, in the past, TWS headphones not only did not have active noise cancellation effect, but also did not have the processing of voice call microphones, what problems would this bring?Answering while riding**, the wind noise will make it impossible for the other person to hear what I'm saying. This will never happen with the Freebuds Pro 3. While we don't advocate the use of headphones while riding (which can be a safety hazard), they do offer an extra range of applications. The timbre performance caters to the taste of the public, and the sense of space is particularly excellentAccording to the original manufacturer's information, FreeBuds Pro 3 adopts a dual-unit configuration, the tweeter is a magnet array from Haierbeck, and the bass is a 11mm super magnetic unit, both of which can dive down to 14Hz at low frequency through digital frequency crossover, and high frequency extension is up to 48kHz. In terms of tuning, it combines the "** Academy Chief Tuning Group", and it is said that experts in six directions, including vocal music, composition, orchestra, folk music, piano and pop, are deeply involved.
Two months of EQ audio mode and some of the tracks I used in the audition were enough for me to get a sense of the sound personality of the Freebuds Pro 3. In the final subjective listening evaluation, the method is "simple and crude": take Apple Music as the source, wireless** the same track, switch my commonly used 3 pairs of headphones to compare, **The mode is set to standard default. To clarify, the other two pairs of earbuds are similar to the FreeBuds Pro 3 in **, and they are also my usual ones. The FreeBuds Pro 3 is slightly higher in sensitivity or output level than the other two pairs, so I adjust the volume moderately when listening to contrast, but I believe it has an advantage when it comes to subjective testing. In terms of sound field scale, it is indeed the best of the FreeBuds Pro 3, especially in the big band, its sense of space is richer, and the leading noise cancellation effect will also make its background more pure. In terms of timbre performance, I think the FreeBuds Pro 3 belongs to the "mass orientation", after all, it is not designed for audiophiles, so it is relatively straightforward and unrestrained, which complements its spatial performance. Of course, this will make a difference in the delicacy of the sound, or the softness of the timbre. Even so, I would say that when Lin Yilian's vocal part of "When Love Is a Thing of the Past" appeared, it still moved me. Summary
HUAWEI FREEBUDS Pro 3 has always been the first element we consider in the evaluation of headphones, which is also the first factor we consider in the audio-visual CN "Home Theater Technology" magazine for 25 years. Due to hardware limitations, I didn't have the opportunity to experience the "complete" sound quality of the FreeBuds Pro 3 (see the appendix for details), but I believe it is still the best in the first echelon of TWS headphones. Then, as a consumer electronics product, I see more excellent features of the Freebuds Pro 3, especially the significant improvement in active noise cancellation and voice call quality, and I think it is not an exaggeration to call it a "leap" and a "leap". This is a boon for consumer groups with more needs and more people. TWS headphones have made great strides in recent years, especially with the addition of active noise cancellation technology. In terms of sound quality improvement, the FreeBuds Pro 3 may be the first Chinese brand to enter it from the chip level, so it can also be called a benchmark product, or rather, its existence has a certain milestone significance. Appendix: Supplements to the Kirin A2 chip and related technologiesThe reason why the FreeBuds Pro 3 has received widespread attention is because of its claim to "create a new era of lossless sound quality in TWS". So, how does this work?
As an Apple user, I certainly understand how important the integration of the same brand of mobile phones and TWS headphones in chip and underlying development is, which is beyond the reach of third-party manufacturers. Huawei is naturally aware of this, so this flagship TWS earphone is also the first to use the powerful Kirin A2 chip. When connected to Huawei phones such as the Mate 60 and Mate X3, it can enable lossless audio transmission and encoding and decoding.
In the FreeBuds Pro 3, the transmission bandwidth can be as high as 8Mbp by using the core technology of Starlight connection, which is 4 times the bandwidth of traditional Bluetooth, and also makes the wireless earbuds have 15Mbps transfer rate (Qualcomm APTX Lossless theoretical value is 1.)2Mbps), which has been fully able to meet the requirements of CD lossless audio transmission for bit rate. In terms of anti-interference, the Polar code used in mobile communication was used for the first time in wireless earphones, so it was greatly improved.
As for the codec technology that is dependent on lossless transmission, Huawei's self-developed L2HC 30 codec protocol, just enough to be used again, it can be encoded on the mobile phone, and then decoded on the headphone. In particular, the FreeBuds Pro 3 has a built-in Kirin A2 chip, which helps the earbuds to perform smooth and efficient bit-level lossless compression and restoration of audio files at high bitrates. Of course, it all depends on the cooperation of the mobile phone. Unfortunately, I didn't have a Huawei phone (which was too popular), so I didn't really try the "awesomeness" of the Freebuds Pro 3. It's a small pity, which is why I didn't present this part of the text in the text. It is hoped that in the future, Huawei's production capacity will increase, or with the passage of time, more products will appear that support this function technology to benefit more end users.