The Noble Audio Osprey brings the high-end brand’s wireless earphones to a more accessible $199 price. Having enjoyed the FoKus Amadeus, which I’ve reviewed previously, I was keen to hear what Noble could deliver for even less. After two weeks of music listening and a bit of gaming, here’s my review.
Looks and fit
Noble Audio is known for its striking designs and I’m happy to say that the more “budget” Osprey still looks superb. The blue marbled faceplates look fantastic, while the aluminum charging case feels suitably solid. Noble certainly knows how to make its earphones stand out in the best kind of way.
I mainly paired the Osprey with my iPhone. The supplied silicone tips gave me a good seal, and the earbuds remained comfortable through longer listening sessions. They also stayed secure on hikes and while I was moving heavy items between shed compartments, so I’d be comfortable using them for light exercise.
There’s a generous selection of tips. It’s worth finding the right fit, as it can make a big difference to both comfort and sound.
Let’s listen
Each Osprey earbud combines a 10mm dynamic driver with a custom balanced armature. The resulting sound has plenty of energy, with satisfying bass for pop and rock without leaving vocals behind.
Returning to System of a Down’s “Toxicity,” I appreciated how the Osprey handled the busier choruses. The guitars and drums had plenty of impact, but keeping track of the vocals didn’t become a struggle.
The treble kept things lively without becoming tiring. As someone sensitive to sharper highs, I was happy to leave the stock tuning alone. Not having the immediate urge to tweak EQ settings is nice!
For those who do want to make adjustments, the Noble FoKus app offers a 10-band EQ. LDAC is also supported on compatible devices, though my iPhone used AAC.
What impressed me most was how little I felt I was missing compared with the pricier Amadeus when simply enjoying music. For $199, with this kind of build quality and aesthetic, that’s quite an achievement.
Everyday compromises
Active Noise Cancellation is increasingly expected of wireless earphones, and the Osprey delivers useful ANC. It isn’t the best I’ve heard, but it made my office fan less distracting without making me feel like I was under water.
Pairing and reconnecting were straightforward enough and I experienced no latency issues when watching videos on YouTube and Crunchyroll, nor any lag during games like Call of Duty: Mobile.
One niggle is that removing an earbud doesn’t automatically pause playback, so I had to stop the music myself when someone wanted to talk. As an AirPod user, this took some getting used to!
Battery life is rated for up to five hours with ANC or seven without, a little less than the Amadeus. With the case topping up the earbuds between sessions, I had no battery anxiety. The case charges via USB-C, but there’s no wireless charging.
Disclosure: Review sample provided by Noble Audio.
Final Verdict
At $199, the Noble Audio Osprey boasts enjoyable sound which pushes it beyond my daily-driver (for convenience) AirPods 5, particularly for bass and vocal clarity. The distinctive design and comfortable fit kept me reaching for the Osprey throughout testing.
Stronger ANC, automatic pausing and wireless charging would be welcome, but if sound quality is your priority, along with standing out from the crowd of white AirPods, the Osprey offers a heck of a lot for the money.
Positives and Negatives
-
Excellent sound with satisfying bass and clear vocals
-
Distinctive blue marbled design
-
Comfortable fit and generous tip selection
-
Useful app EQ and LDAC support
-
ANC trails the strongest alternatives
-
No automatic pause or wireless charging
The post Noble Audio Osprey Wireless Earphones Review appeared first on GameRevolution.