TWS true wireless earphones - under $150
4.5 STARS - The Nuarl N6 Pro2 is big, bulky and doesn't have all the fancy features. But it does one thing extremely right. It sounds amazing.
Nuarl N6 Pro series2 specs and features:
Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC and AptX Adaptive codec
IPX4 waterproof (splash resistant)
8-10 hours listening on a full charge
Transparency mode, sport wings
Charging case can charge earpieces fully 4 times
Comes with 4 rubber ear tips, USB-C cable, English manual
$150 - Buy on Amazon US
Below this Nuarl N6 Pro series 2 review, you will find comparisons between the Nuarl N6 Pro2 vs Moondrop Sparks, Lypertek PurePlay Z3, BGVP Q2s, and Samsung Galaxy Buds+.
Update July 1st, 2022: The overall score has been reduced from 5 to 4.5 stars due to the lack of features, and the stiff competition.
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Design, comfort and battery life
In a market that's crowded with Chinese and American-Chinese brands, the Japanese brand Nuarl designs wireless earphones in another fashion than most brands do. The Nuarl N6 Pro2 is available in matte black or 'Bordeaux' red, and yes - they are quite large.
The biggest part of the N6 Pro2 sticks out of your ears: a pebble-like slab with three physical buttons on top. It's attached to a smaller and round part you put into your ears, which comes with a rubber ear/ sport wing to keep the earphones in. It succeeds in doing so, as long as the wing isn't too big or small for you - as Nuarl only ships the N6 Pro2 with one size of them. In (my) medium-sized ears, the buds stay in place perfectly. As you can feel the weight and size in your ears, these aren't very comfortable.
Battery life is excellent: it offers around 9 hours of playtime on a single charge, and a 15-minute recharge in the case is enough to get an additional 2 hours of listening. The buds only has an IPX4 waterproof rating to withstand light rain and water splashes, but... they block wind noise well. Even though the earphones stick out so far, the wind is kept out of your music at all times.
The earbuds rest and charge in a big, chunky charging case that can recharge the earbuds fully four times before needing new power via USB-C itself. It doesn't support wireless charging but feels sturdy and premium enough, also showing the charging and battery status via three subtle LED lights on the front.
Connectivity and controls
The Nuarl N6 Pro2 has three physical buttons on top of each earbud, aligned in a row. Both earbuds control the same, so you always have the same controls at hand, no matter if you're listening to a single or both buds.
The standard control scheme needs time to get used to:
Press the middle button to play/pause
Double-press the middle button to (de)activate Transparency mode
Triple-press the middle button to (de)activate Gaming mode
With the N6 Connect app, there are four control schemes to change the behavior of the front and back buttons on both earbuds. However, half of the schemes assign increasing volume and return a track to the same button - a really counterintuitive choice. Happily, the fourth option from the app saves the N6 Pro2 from being an ergonomic disaster. It lets you:
Press the front button to skip a track
Hold the front button to increase the volume
Press the back button to return a track
Hold the back button to decrease volume
With this control scheme, the Nuarl N6 Pro2 controls are reliable and comfortable, even though it takes a long time to change volume only one step. As the buttons are placed on top, you don't push the earphones in every time you operate them.
Connectivity on the Nuarl is solid. The earphones pair and connect fast when you take them out of the case and hold a strong Bluetooth connection up to 9-10 meters away from your phone or laptop. It's possible to switch between listening to one earbud and charging the other to two earbuds - and back again. Proper multipoint connectivity to switch between the audio from different devices isn't supported.
The Transparency/ Ambient mode is a useful addition and immediately puts through brighter sounds when you need it, even when you're listening to music on moderate volume. It doesn't do anything to pick up voices around you, but emphasizes traffic sounds enough to locate cars around you, while still controlling most of the wind noise.
Calling and watching movies
It's doable to take a phone call with the Nuarl N6 Pro2, but not under all circumstances. In indoor and quieter outside scenarios, your voice sounds loud and full, yet with enough clarity. Unfortunately, when there's wind or many things are going on around you, the N6 Pro 2 tries to reduce those sounds so strongly, your voice is diminished as well - making you inaudible sometimes.
In video calls, your voice sounds natural and full again - like Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings. The volume output could have been louder, but as noise around you is identifiable as background sound, your voice remains front and center in the call here.
Watching videos with the Nuarl N6 Pro 2 is a joy, with flawless synchronization between audio and video on Android and iPhone. For games, the low-latency Gaming mode does a great job of synchronizing sound effects when you're playing games, even though a tiny delay remains.
App support of Nuarl N6 Pro series2
The free Nuarl N6 Connect Pro2 app for iPhone and Android may be simple but is an essential addition to these earphones.
That said, updating the firmware on the earbuds can be a hassle from the app, with updating processes not advancing or stopping before they're completed - luckily not breaking the earbuds in the process. Nuarl also doesn't clarify what changes it makes in the firmware updates - this could be better. Functions are:
Check battery levels of both earbuds
Activate Transparency mode
Activate Gaming mode
Change the volume setting, which provides different volume presets. Lower the volume preset to have bed-proof volumes on the buttons, or increase volume for (overly) loud active listening; Normal will do fine mostly
Change between Default and Flat equalizer
Choose between four-button schemes for the front and rear button
Install firmware updates
Read the manual
Updating the earbuds firmware may take multiple attempts before it works
The front/rear buttons options are very… original
There are two features that make the N6 Connect app essentiel: the control options, as mentioned above, and the extra equalizer option.
The Flat equalizer is a perfect extra next to the standard sound, toning down the brightness and adding more weight to the lower-mids, making for a slightly more congested, yet warmer, more straightforward sound - still leaving the balance of the Nuarl intact. Two equalizers may not seem like a lot, but when they're both this good, it's hard to choose.
Also read: The best wireless earbuds under $100
Sound quality of Nuarl N6 Pro2: Natural
Nuarl states the N6 Pro2 are 'thoroughly focused on sound quality’. They aren't overselling it.
What separates the Nuarl from many competitors is how well the multiple frequencies blend. Whereas many wireless earphones focused on bass before, and there seems to be a trend towards energetic treble now (see the likes of the Edifier TWS1 Pro, Sabbat E16, and Lypertek SoundFree S20) - Nuarl sets the two biggest TWS sound signatures aside and opts for a more natural, fluent approach.
The N6 Pro2 is a clear-sounding earphone; make no mistake. It lifts treble somewhat and gives vocals from the center-mids on up a prominent and forward position. Whether it's Kanye or Katie Perry, Bjork or Billie Eilish: they come with heaps of clarity, perhaps appearing a bit too clear when you just started listening to the Pro2. But whether you're playing on background listening levels or loud - none of them go out of bounds. The Nuarl cuts highs off before outbursts can become harsh or peaky, the same way cymbals and claps have solid texture but revert from splashiness.
What's more, is that singers hit the lower notes just as easily as higher ones. While the Nuarl's tonality tends towards brightness, it always treats center-mids and lower-mids right. Guitar or piano play don't appear extremely textured or outspoken - it's not like Nuarl thought: let's boost these up; they're just there inherently doing their thing. In the same way, lower-mids feel less injected than on some competitors, but naturally play along with the acoustic ensemble or provide electronic and dance songs with their flow.
This fluent character continues in the soundstage, which isn't particularly wide or deep, but always around you - there's sweet air to the sound. Separation and placement of instruments may not be the biggest strengths, but pacing is great.
Bass then? Well, the Nuarl isn't a bass lover power fest, but its bass can pack a punch - delivering controlled and fast mid-bass strikes and above-average sub-bass depth. Both aren't around all the time, but they impress when they're asked for.
It doesn't matter if you listen to the brighter default sound signature or select the flat equalizer from the app, which trades a bit off treble for a bit of warmth and a little bit more congestion. In both cases, there's a wonderful and unique naturality in how the Nuarl N6 Pro2 approaches and controls the music.
Nuarl N6 Pro Series2 comparisons
Nuarl N6 Pro2 vs BGVP Q2s
With the possibility to add wired MMCX-cables to it, the BGVP Q2s may seem like a more versatile pair than the Nuarl - but nope: the N6 Pro2 has better call quality, waterproofing, and convenient Transparency and Gaming modes. The BGVP sounds warmer and fuller. The Q2s emphasizes lower instead of brighter tones in the comparably forwarded vocals and give drums more impact thanks to the lower-mid boost. Nuarl's flat equalizer is a proper answer to BGVP's lush mids, getting close to the Q2s' fullness and warmth while adding more clarity and air in higher frequencies. Male vocals sound more lifelike on the Nuarl, and despite the N6's natural approach, it has stronger mid-bass strikes too.
BGVP Q2s review ($70)
Nuarl N6 Pro2 vs Lypertek PurePlay Z3
The Nuarl may have sport wings; with its IPX7 heavy rain-proof waterproof rating of the PurePlay Z3, the Lypertek maybe even more suitable for runs and workouts. The Lypertek sound is more V-shaped than the Nuarl, meaning both bass and upper-mids vocals are more prominent than on the N6. There's more depth in the sub-bass, more body to the mid-bass, and thicker lower-mids on the Z3, while the N6 Pro2 equals out the different frequencies more. Center-mids sound more natural and smoother and flow easier into the lows and highs on the Nuarl; the PurePlay feels a bit 'hookier' instead.
Nuarl N6 Pro2 vs Moondrop Sparks
Even though the Moondrop Sparks now lets you choose between six sound equalizers from the free Android app, the Nuarl N6 Pro2 presents a more balanced sound. The Sparks has a more energetic sound, with thumpier mid-bass, more air, and stronger forwarded upper mids. The N6 Pro2 puts more effort into center-mids, and its slight lower-mids boost colors music a tad warmer, while putting the upper-mids on a leash to prevent the bright peaks the Sparks can bring. With its sport-wings and better call quality, the Nuarl is more versatile for everyday use.
Nuarl N6 Pro2 vs Samsung Galaxy Buds+
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus is often praised for its clear treble, but when you're switching from the N6 Pro 2, you can immediately notice the increased tinniness, metallic edge the Samsung displays. Upper-mids and highs feel more natural on the Nuarl; vocals dip easier into the lower frequencies and are more dynamic, while claps and cymbals are more controlled and less splashy. The Samsung has a wider soundstage; the Nuarl stage is rounder. The Pro2 has a quicker and fuller mid-bass, whereas the Buds+ sub-bass has more body and hits deeper. The added emphasis on lower-mids makes the Nuarl both warmer and more natural than the Galaxy.
Verdict
The Nuarl N6 Pro2 is a benchmark for naturality in the TWS market.
4.5 stars - Great
Buy Nuarl N6 Pro2/ check lowest price:
Buy Nuarl N6 Pro2 on Amazon US (black)
Buy Nuarl N6 Pro2 on Amazon US (red)
I received the Nuarl N6 Pro series2 Bordeaux red from the manufacturer to test and review. My reviews are 100% independent and non-commercial. I test and review all audio products equally honest - read about it here.
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