I tested the new Edifier NeoBuds Planar earbuds – do they beat the NeoBuds Pro 2?

I love my current set of earbuds from Edifier, so much so that I gave them a four star rating in my NeoBuds Pro 2 review. For most of us the best headphones offer a combination of rich, full-bodied sound, comfort and usability. The new Edifier NeoBuds Planar isn't a direct successor to the Pro 2, but it does boast better specs and a subtle but noticeable design change – I had to see if they would become my new daily driver for music and calls on the go.

At a shade under £200, the NeoBuds Planar earbuds are priced fairly competitively for the mid-budget headphones market, so I'm glad to see some of the advanced features you'd expect to find for the money; such as Hi-Res audio certification, Active Noise Cancellation, customisable touch controls and six mics in total for better clarity during calls. But if, like me, you're already the proud owner of headphones that have these features, why consider buying something new?

Well, having tested more than my fair share of devices, I find that audio kit tends to vary wildly when it comes to quality versus price – some of the worst offenders being wireless over-ear headphones, bone conduction sets and wireless earbuds. It's entirely possible to invest in a pair of budget headphones that outperform others at twice the price. Advanced features like tap or gesture-based controls and noise cancellation is also a massively variable experience – again with performance sometimes bearing little relationship to the price tag.

So, given how great the Pro 2 earbuds were (and still are), my expectations were high for the Planar. I set about giving them a proper road test for a couple of weeks – my podcasts, music playlists and calls were about to sound quite a bit different. Read on to find out why the Edifier NeoBuds Planar earns an extra half-star over the NeoBuds Pro 2.

First impressions of the Edifier NeoBuds Planar earbuds

The Planar earbuds come in a charging case that's reminiscent of the NeoBuds Pro 2, but that's more to do with Edifier's signature design cues than an evolution of the Pro 2 case. They both carry the slightly automotive lines (front end of a Range Rover, anyone?) that house the animated LED light strip that lets you know when it's pairing, charging and so on.

I really appreciate the slight uptick in case style and finish, as it comes with a satin graphite finish and a reflective silver Edifier logo – again making this feel more like a premium product over the Pro 2. The Planar case is also more pebble-like and compact than before, which I really like. In-hand it has a very organic feel. With noise cancellation on, Edifier claim that the Planar's buds will last up to five hours, with the case providing up to fifteen hours of extra running time. With ANC off, those claims go up to seven and a half and 22.5 hours respectively, which outstrips the Neobuds Pro 2 by a couple of hours for the buds, and between three and four hours for the case. Impressive, but as with all battery claims, I really wanted to test this out for myself.

I opened the case and that's where any similarity to any previous versions come to an end. These Planar buds are clearly a different deal from the outside and I immediately noticed that they're larger and more angular than my older pair. A welcome continuation of that gunmetal / graphite look and silver logo adorns each earbud too. With that, alongside the included charge cable and a decent range of silicon tip sizes, I was suitably impressed. However, as with all things audio, cosmetics is one thing but decent sound is another. I set about firing up the Edifier Connect app I already had on my iPhone to get things setup.

Setting up the Edifier NeoBuds Planar

And that's where I hit a small snag. Having pressed the case button to put the Planar into Bluetooth pairing mode, the Connect app would not detect them. A quick search and I soon found that there's a new app – the confusingly similar Edifier ConneX. Downloading a new app is hardly a major nitpick, but as someone who owns not only the NeoBuds Pro 2 but also the over-ear Edifier WH950NB headphones I reviewed, I was a little frustrated with not having this new Planar added to the device list in my original Connect app. Perhaps Edifier will migrate all of their older kit into the ConneX app in future to tidy things up.

I was glad to see that the case and earbuds come with a fairly healthy charge, which let me get started with them right away. That meant I could add them to the ConneX app and take a look at the options.

Edifier ConneX app: Essential tweaks

The ConneX app is excellent. It's early days, but I think that it offers a slightly more user-friendly interface and it's easier to traverse its menus and tweak settings to suit than the other one. As someone who loves to tinker with the cosmetic bells and whistles, I appreciate the ability to customise the colour of the LED status light; I chose amber to differentiate it from the red of the Pro 2 case.

But, on to the important bit – sound settings and button customisations. I really like a companion app that gives a lot of settings and control without having to hunt them down. The ConneX app let me adjust button press sensitivity alongside setting each bud to do different functions with single, double and triple presses. I could also change its Wearing Detection behaviour so that audio was paused but not automatically resumed whenever I removed and reinserted a bud.

There's also some excellent adjustments under the slightly oddly-named 'Sound Effects' menu – which is basically three EQ presets plus a manual equalisation option. I opted for the Dynamic preset initially, but ended up leaving it on Default most of the time. There's also lots of tweaking to be done with the Active Noise Cancellation – but I'll look at that in more detail later.

Design, build and fit

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's again a subtle uptick in build quality on these Planars. Beyond the finish and the IP55-rated dust and water resistance, there's just something about them that feels a bit more premium.

Again, I couldn't resist putting the Planar buds next to the Pro 2 to compare the changes here. Although the design is a tad wider from top to bottom, the difference that struck me was the depth of the shell. The main section that fits into your ear is taller and more squat, which makes these new Planars feel a little more shallow when worn. Because of that, I immediately found that my usual preference of silicone tip (the medium that comes fitted as standard) wasn't snug enough, which really affected the whole sound profile. Not only did it sound tinnier but it also reduced the bass by quite a bit. So, I upgraded to the large tip and gave it another go.

Soundly comfortable

It's taken me a few days to become accustomed to the in-ear feel with these new Planar earbuds. Is it a bad design? Absolutely not – it's just a different fit with arguably better all round comfort and a better seal to make them sound their best. When I first wore them on a long countryside walk with my dog, they felt like they might fall out at any moment. So I tested that theory with some light jogging. They stayed in perfectly. I then realised that this combination of large silicon tip and shallower fit actually did the near-impossible: Solid placement without needing to cram a medium tip too firmly into the ear canal. The net result is a feather-light (almost) pressure-free feel with excellent noise isolation – and that's before I'd even used any ANC features. Two weeks in, and they're the most comfortable and secure buds I've used other than over-ear headphones.

A new kind of control

One of the nice features of the Pro 2s was the tap-based sensor for triggering your customised controls. At least, that's how it started. After a few months of use I began to have the odd issue with my music stopping due to the buds picking up my jogging as taps. The same thing happened infrequently with the hood of my jacket. In bad weather the hood would come into contact with the earbuds when walking and pause my tunes. So, I was really happy to see a new control method for the Edifier NeoBuds Planar: A pressure sensitive button. Well, I say button because that's how Edifier itself refers to it, but it's actually an inset groove in the outer edge of each bud that reacts to pressure. So, I've gone from tapping to pinching to skip tracks and adjust volume and so on.

Control in a pinch

But it's not all good news, as this definitely requires more precision than a simple tap. At first, when walking at a faster pace, it was a little fiddly to pinch the earbuds without accidentally half-removing them or clicking twice instead of once. But, as with the new fit and feel, this was just a case of getting used to it. Now muscle memory is kicking in, making control easier and avoiding the sort of accidental activations I had with the Pro 2. All that said, one of my original nitpicks with the NeoBuds Pro 2 was that there was a limited number of touch control combinations, topping out at three taps. The Planar is no different, with a maximum of three clicks for customisations. I still wish there were long press and four-click options to increase the control capabilities of a single bud. Still, I'm grateful for any control method, especially since the Denon AH-C830NCW earbuds I tested a while ago actually didn't have any.

Testing: Music

I used Tidal for some top-quality tunes at a higher bitrate. The Hi-Res certification was really evident with some tracks, particularly one of my go-to favourites Riders On The Storm from The Doors. As a track that has plenty of room to breathe and opening sound effects, it's a great test of clarity.

Next up was Spotify and a serious rock session with a playlist led by the tumultuous War Pigs by Black Sabbath. Although some headphones I've tested can muddy the mids for rock and metal albums in general, the multi-layered sound was nicely separated with plenty of grunt when the bass kicks in.

I have a bit of an eclectic taste in music, so I enjoy exploring internet radio stations from lesser-known stations. The Funkology Radio channel in Los Angeles gave the Planar a real test in rich wide ranging sound with Love The Life You Live by Kool & The Gang and more classics from Prince and James Brown. Another go-to station of mine is 61 Blues, with Later Than You Think by Eden Brent proving to be a real highlight, the smooth vocals and melodic piano showcasing Edifier's stunning clarity and organic warmth.

Testing: Spoken word

Another favourite of mine – long walks with a thought-provoking podcast – came courtesy of the excellent Podcast UFO. I'm used to the audio quality here being a little rougher than other studio-based podcasts at times, as many of the guests are on Zoom or mobile calls with show host Martin Willis. I figured that if the NeoBuds Planar could, at the least, not add to the harsher trebles and compression here, I'd be happy. Here though, I think the default profile of the Planar buds favours the mid to low range which made listening more of a pleasure than with other headphones I've used.

Testing: Voice calls

The six onboard mics do a brilliant job of isolating my voice and my callers told me that I was clearly heard with good well-balanced sound and minimal background noise. Walking next to traffic as well as out in the countryside was never apparent to callers, so I think that the processor for vocal clarity does and exceptional job at cleaning things up on the fly. This also highlighted the benefits of that pinch-based control interface, as I was less worried about accidental vibrations cutting off my calls.

What is Snapdragon Sound?

If you've read about Snapdragon processors in mobile devices like phones and laptops, you're already familiar with the brand name. It's technology from leading chip provider Qualcomm. So, like me, you might be thinking that Snapdragon Sound is just a CPU for audio gadgets? Well, it's not – it's a bit simpler than that. It's Qualcomm's way of making audio devices share better wireless connections with higher sound quality. Unlike me (I have an iPhone) you'll need a compatible smartphone that has both a Snapdragon processor plus the Snapdragon Sound feature. With it you can enjoy clearer calls, lower latency when gaming, lossless music and a super reliable connection to your earbuds. Impressive enough, but as I'm very happy with the quality they already provide, I think of this feature as the cherry on top of an already substantially layered cake.

Overall sound quality and ANC

As you may have guessed from my reactions above when testing, once I'd sorted out a more snugly-fitting silicone tip, these Edifier Planar buds have reached new heights in audio for me. And, as a staunch fan of the brilliant NeoBuds Pro 2, that's saying something. The soundstage is very well balanced with a tonne of range and huge musicality. I normally notice overcooked bass response or a tinny top-end with these kinds of headphones, but here the mid range isn't just present – it's full and rich. I'm not used to not having to fine tune EQ settings for earbuds right out of the box, but here they suit me perfectly just as they are. They handled multiple genres with ease and lots of separation. I never felt that niggle to tweak things as I switched from metal to dance or punk to new wave.

Defeating unwanted noise

Noise cancelling headphones are a modern Godsend, and here the ANC was very good – but much like the Pro 2 they won't defeat the loudest rumble of a passing lorry or noisy roadworks and so on. However, they do a great job of blocking out everything else. They even manage well with wind noise in a minor gale. One annoyance for me was the Planar's inability to allow Active Noise Cancellation with just one earbud in use. I understand why – after all, ANC is all about blocking unwanted noise in both ears, not for getting an earful of it on one side but not the other. It's counter-intuitive to think that anyone would want or need this feature, so Edifier has turned it off in that scenario. That said, I can't see a good reason why it has to work this way. My NeoBuds Pro 2 earbuds would allow me to activate any ANC mode with a simple triple-tap while just wearing one bud.

So, why would anyone need to do this? Well, imagine being sat on a tube train with a friend on one side and a noisy fellow passenger on the other. I like to chat with my friend and filter out as much noise as possible on the other side; All while continuing to listen to my music if I wanted to. Yes these are niche needs, which is precisely why this is a minor niggle at most – but I'll miss the feature nonetheless.

Battery life

As with all earbuds with ANC, that feature will drain the batteries faster the more you use it, especially in high cancellation mode. Although it's not scientific, my listening habits are fairly constant – so, for me at least, the NeoBuds Planar buds outlasted the Pro 2 by around an hour with ANC on for almost four and half hours of listening time. That's about half an hour shorter than claimed; But again, as with all ANC-enabled headphones and their various modes, your mileage will vary.

Charging is about as fast for either model with the cases topping them up to maximum in around an hour – but thankfully only taking about fifteen minutes to give up to an hour of playback time, which is perfect when you need to dash out of the door in a hurry.

Comparing the Edifier NeoBuds Planar to other wireless earbuds

As you may be expecting, I just can't jump ship and leave my beloved Edifier NeoBuds Pro 2 behind just yet. It's been available for quite some time now, so the benefit of going for these over the Planar is that you'll be getting a very similar experience at quite a hefty discount.

Secondly, it's impossible to write about earbuds in the £200 price range and not mention the slightly more costly option: The Apple AirPods Pro 2. Aside from that Apple design and build (which may be a great match for any loyal iPhone owners out there) you get ANC and a touch control system that are arguably slightly better than that of the Planar; But in my opinion this Edifier offering is in the same league for sheer sound quality – plus the Planar has IP55 resistance against dust and water (note: this is resistance, not the completely waterproof headphone rating), which is slightly better than the Airpods IP54 classification.

Who is it for?

I think the Edifier NeoBuds Planar earbuds are an excellent upgrade option for anyone who might be struggling with cheaper, older earbuds from budget brands; But it's also a true competitor to more costly alternatives on both build quality and audio range and finesse. Upgrading aside, those looking for their first decent pair of earbuds for their calls, music and more will totally love the Planar for its premium looks, wide set of features and satisfying performance.

Verdict

I have to admit that I'm a little sorry to be leaving my NeoBuds Pro 2 buds behind – they've been an essential accessory on office days, holidays and everyday outings. But there's a new Edifier kid on the block that does all of the same stuff – just that bit better. Despite some teething issues with the fit and controls, I'm now extremely happy with the Planar earbuds 2 – and that's primarily down to the most crucial bit: The sound.

I'm often astounded that I'm not listening to higher bitrate music on a cushioned pair of over ear headphones, and that's a testament to the comfortable low-pressure fit, sound isolation and noise cancellation; not to forget the wide soundstage that they create. For their sheer clarity, range and warmth (not to mention an agility that spans multiple genres without frequent EQ tweaks) my ears have now found a new travel companion.

Other wireless earbuds

How we tested the Edifier NeoBuds Planar earbuds

I tested the Edifier NeoBuds Planar earbuds for two weeks. They were paired with an Apple iPhone and a Dell laptop. Music was tested using various streaming providers and bitrates, including Tidal, Spotify and internet radio stations via the Radio Box app, as well as locally-stored music. Podcasts were listened to via the Apple Podcasts app and included Podcast UFO, Expanded Perspectives and Athletico Mince. The earbud settings and controls were adjusted with the Edifier ConneX app for iOS. I used them in a mixture of settings, from walking the dog in the countryside and gardening to busy local streets and out shopping.

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Chris Duffill is Senior Tech Product Writer for What's The Best, Empire and Yours. His background includes writing, editorial, marketing, design, video production and photography.

He specialises in home entertainment and audiovisual tech, including speakers, amplifiers, turntables, streaming media players, and TVs. He is also one of our resident experts in computing (PCs, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches), DSLR photography and all kinds of digital cameras. He also writes about retro gaming, game consoles and various electronic gadgets. If it plugs in, lights up or makes a noise, he’ll write about it.

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