The Freelace Pro have a sport-friendly neckbandHuawei has lifted the lid on its latest sport earphones, the FreeLace Pro. They are in most respects a typical pair of neckband headphones, but come with one eye-catching claim.
Active noise cancellation with up to 40dB of sound reduction beats Apple’s AirPods Pro according to Huawei’s testing. It says Apple’s active noise cancellation floor sits at 33dB.
Huawei also says the FreeLace Pro’s ANC outperforms the Bose QuietControl 30’s. They were the first truly great in-ear noise cancellation headphones, and remain among the very best.
This deserves some scepticism, of course, and not just because these are claims made by the earphones’ maker. Active noise cancellation effectiveness varies across the frequency range, so a figure that tells you power at its best won’t necessarily translate to the FreeLace Pro seeming the best ANC earphones ever when worn.
The results will also vary based on the test methodology and the kind of ambient noise used to test.
However, 40dB noise reduction should have your interest if you are after a new pair of active noise cancellation earphones. Huawei says their average ANC effectiveness from sub-bass frequencies to 1KHz is 25dB.
Huawei FreeLace Pro FeaturesThe Huawei FreeLace Pro have very large 14mm dynamic drivers with a aluminium-magnesium alloy diaphragm and a “bass tube” for improved lower frequency response.
The three colours of Huawei Freelace ProTheir neckband-style design also allows for long battery life. They are rated for 24 hours of continuous playback, far better than the 10 hours of the Bose QuietControl 30. It is not clear whether this is with active noise cancellation switched on or not, but the battery life ceiling for Bluetooth headphones has risen dramatically since the QuietControl 30 arrived in 2016. 24 hours with ANC is not unfathomable.
They support quick charging, for five hours’ playback from a five minute charge, and the USB-C port can also be used for easy wired pairing.
The FreeLace Pro will come in three colours — black, green and white — and are likely to cost around $100-150. Only the Chinese price has been confirmed to date, 599 Yuan (~$88), with US and European pricing and availability details expected next week.
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