For $79.99, EarFun’s affordable Wave Pro headphones offer a fairly accurate sound signature, outstanding battery life, and relatively effective active noise cancellation (ANC) against low-frequency rumble. But their ANC circuitry falters against higher-frequency noise and their companion app could use a bit more polish. They’re a fine option for the price, but Anker’s Soundcore Space One headphones provide slightly better noise cancellation and a more intuitive app for $99.99, so they remain our Editors’ Choice.Design: Comfortable With Excellent Battery LifeThe Wave Pro headphones, which are available only in a dark gray finish, have a circumaural (over-ear) design. They are comfortable for long listening sessions thanks to the plush earpads and headband, while the fit feels secure. Internally, 40mm dynamic drivers deliver a frequency range of 20Hz to 40kHz.
(Credit: Tim Gideon)
They are compatible with Bluetooth 5.0, which is somewhat outdated. Nonetheless, they work with the AAC, LDAC, and SBC codecs, a better range of options than you get with many pricier models. They don’t support Google Fast Pair but do offer multipoint connectivity with up to two devices. You get Bluetooth 5.3 and Google Fast Pair with the Soundcore Space One headphones, as well as the same codecs.
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On the right earcup are a power button, a plus/minus rocker, and an NC button (which cycles between the Noise Cancelling, Normal, and Ambient Sound modes by default). Tap the plus/minus buttons to control the volume level or hold them down to move between tracks—I’m not a fan of combining these controls since it typically leads to accidental presses. Otherwise, the power button answers calls with a short press or rejects them with two presses. You can adjust the button functions to an extent via the app.
The headphones collapse at hinges near the earcups to fit inside an included hardshell zip-up case; this is an uncommon accessory at this price and an upgrade over the drawstring bag you get with the Space One. A small mesh pocket on the inside houses the included USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable and 3.5mm audio cable. Plugging in the audio cable turns the headphones off automatically—they work only passively with the cable connected.
(Credit: Tim Gideon)
EarFun estimates that the Wave Pro headphones can last roughly 55 hours with ANC on or 80 hours with ANC off per charge, but your results will vary depending on your typical volume level and codec choice. The company also claims that the battery takes 2 hours to fully charge from empty and that 10 minutes of charging nets you 10 hours of playback. The Space One headphones can last up to 55 hours per charge with ANC off, so EarFun has a significant advantage here.App Experience: Functional, With Some Rough EdgesThe EarFun app (available for Android and iOS) provides a battery life readout for the headphones at the top of the main page, as well as a section for renaming them.Below that, the ANC tile has five settings: Normal (off), Ambient Sound (transparency), Wind Noise Canceling (tamps down the noise of wind hitting the ANC mics), Strong ANC (the regular noise cancellation mode), and Comfort ANC (a less intense noise cancellation mode). Switching between these modes can cause a bit of a lag, and there are no additional controls.
(Credit: EarFun/PCMag)
Further down, you can toggle the low-latency Game Mode and access the Equalizer tile. In the latter section, you can choose between numerous presets based on frequency boosting or various genres. There’s also a custom EQ with 10 bands between 31.5Hz and 16kHz. Changes are effective, though the individual bands are somewhat difficult to adjust.Scroll down further to customize the on-ear control assignments, manage simultaneous device connections, disable voice prompts, and adjust the auto-shutdown behavior. You can also install any firmware updates and reset the headphones. Noise Cancellation: Good Against LowsThe Wave Pro headphones deliver decent noise cancellation for the price, noticeably dialing back low-frequency rumble. They also cut back the lows and mids, though they seem to boost the highs somewhat. The latter is a common flaw for budget-friendly models with noise cancellation, so this behavior isn’t surprising. For comparison, the Soundcore Space One headphones are a bit more effective overall.EarFun’s Ambient Sound mode allows you to easily hear your surroundings and accentuates the highs for conversational clarity, but the experience isn’t much different than with the headphones in their default mode. The main difference is that the Ambient Sound mode mostly accounts for the earpads tamping down the highs passively.Sound Quality: Surprisingly BalancedThe EQ works well enough, though boosting the bass does cause the overall volume to drop noticeably. I used the default settings for testing.On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the drivers deliver impressive low-frequency response. The lows sound full-bodied and match up well with the highs at moderate volumes, and I don’t notice any distortion at louder volume levels.The headphones have no trouble reproducing the sub-bass at the 34-second mark of Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty.” Even the deepest of the bass synth notes come across with audible rumble and without any serious boosting. The various vocals on the track are crisp and fully present.
(Credit: Tim Gideon)
The drums on Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass, have a full, heavy delivery but are never overly thunderous. Callahan’s baritone vocals get a pleasant blend of low-mid richness and higher-mid crispness, while the acoustic strums and higher-register percussive hits have a bright edge. You might want to use the EQ to bring up the bass response slightly since the default sound signature is mostly neutral.On orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, the headphones don’t push the lows forward like most others I test. The drivers are capable of delivering even the deepest of sub-bass without exaggeration. Some listeners might find the response a little thin, but others might welcome the departure from the more bass-focused response of many alternatives.The voice mic array works fairly well. I could understand every word from a test recording on my iPhone, though the signal level isn’t always consistent in the wake of plosives or transient noises.Verdict: Good Headphones for the PriceFor well under $100, the EarFun Wave Pro headphones cancel low-frequency noise fairly well and can accurately deliver sub-bass in addition to all of the other frequencies. We’re also fans of the supremely long battery life and included case. That said, Anker’s Soundcore Space One headphones remain our Editors’ Choice winners thanks to their better companion app and more effective noise cancellation.
Pros
Affordable
Accurate sound signature
Plenty of sub-bass
Long battery life
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The Bottom Line
The EarFun Wave Pro headphones deliver balanced audio and extensive battery life for a low price, though their noise cancellation could be more consistent.
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