We live surrounded by sounds that we have not chosen. The bus engine, a nearby conversation, the wind when walking down the street or the constant murmur of an office are part of an everyday soundtrack that rarely disappears. Noise-canceling headphones were born, to a large extent, to put a pause on it. The new Huawei FreeBuds Neo carry that idea one step further: they not only try to eliminate what is left over, but also adapt to how the environment changes.
The new generation of Huawei wireless headphones incorporates a dual-channel noise cancellation system capable of acting on different frequencies and, according to the company’s laboratory measurements, achieve an average level of up to 30 dB between 50 Hz and 20 kHz under certain settings. Huawei warns that the actual result depends on the environment, how the headphones are worn, and the characteristics of each user.
The key is that the cancellation does not remain fixed. The FreeBuds Neo incorporate a third-generation audio chip and adaptive algorithms capable of responding in milliseconds to changes in ambient noise and modify the intensity of the cancellation. The objective is also to reduce pressure variations that may appear in the ear when the system works continuously.
It is an important difference compared to the idea of headphones that simply “turn off” the outside. On a journey, for example, the sound that surrounds the user is not constant: it changes when entering a building, when going out into the street or when getting on a means of transport. Huawei’s proposal is that the headphones themselves follow these variations. To achieve this without turning them into an uncomfortable object, each unit It weighs 4.8 grams using the medium size pads. The design, dubbed by Huawei as Light Mini Stem, reduces the size of the stem and seeks to adapt to the contour of the ear. To do this, they have used the anatomy of the ear to distribute pressure and have carried out simulations of use during high-intensity activities to reinforce the areas most prone to displacement.
The other half of the experience is, of course, what happens when the music starts. The FreeBuds Neo debut a new driver capable of reproducing a wide range of frequencies, from 10 Hz bass to 48 kHz treble (most humans hear at frequencies between 20 Hz and 20 kHz). Translated: if it were a rainbow of frequencies, The Neo allow you to “hear a rainbow” twice as big as what we are used to.
Additionally, they can receive audio over a wireless connection of up to 2.3 Mbps when used with select compatible Huawei devices; with other compatible devices, the figure reaches up to 990 kbps. The system also incorporates spatial audio through processing integrated into the headphones themselves.. Huawei proposes a 360-degree sound field and head tracking, a feature that requires using the HUAWEI Audio Connect app on both Android and iOS.
And here appears perhaps one of the most interesting decisions of the product. Although Huawei tries to build an ecosystem around its devices, the FreeBuds Neo are not locked into it. They are compatible with Android, iOS and Windows and allow two devices to be connected simultaneously even belonging to different systems, to switch between them.
The integration even reaches some Huawei watches. Through HUAWEI Audio Connect, the user will be able to perform from the watch itself certain functions related to the headphones, such as changing the cancellation mode, modifying sound effects, locating the FreeBuds or checking its battery. This feature will arrive through future software updates and requires specific versions of the applications.
The FreeBuds Neo will be available in Spain from September 17 in four finishes: Ice White, Stellar Silver, Starry Black and Nebula Pink for 129 euros. During the launch promotion, until October 25, Huawei offers a 20 euro coupon for purchases made in its official store. In addition, they include 12 months of Loss Care service.