Belkin - SOUNDFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds Environmental Noise Cancelling (ENC) Works with Apple Find My - Black

Belkin SOUNDFORM FREEDOM True Wireless Earbuds (AUC002) Belkin’s Soundform Freedom wireless earbuds sound really good and I found their fit in my ears to be as comfortable as any I’ve used. I was perfectly fine with the already mounted set of silicone tips but there are two more sets of different sizes. I’m quick to complain when earbuds don’t fit. It ruins the bass performance and keeps me constantly fussing with the buds. These just work, right out of the box and are a nice return to when listening to your music was as easy as it is enjoyable. FEATURES and SETUP: There is no App. I like earbud Apps, but if the earbuds work without one I can find no reason to complain. It simplifies using the earbuds because all you need is your music App. Instructions for use are on the Quick Setup Guide which is all diagrams and minimal text. Not my favorite. However, these are well done. I’ve snapped a picture of the button-push guide. The storage and charging case contributes 28 more hours and I didn’t have the patience to test Belkin’s specs. It is very small and convenient, and includes a USB-C cable while also providing Qi wireless charging. Earbud control is handled by pressing on the earbud shells. Sweat resistance is addressed with an IPX5 rating. Noise control for audio (music/audiobook) is completely passive. A comfortable, secure fit provides a significant amount of sound isolation for the earbuds, but there isn’t any circuitry to remove droning engine noises or office voices. ENC (Advanced Environment Noise Cancellation (CLEAR-CALL) is intended only for keeping phone calls easy to understand, despite background noise. This might be a bit confusing and really ought to have a different name. But, phone calls were highly listenable. I registered my Soundform Freedom’s with my iPhone’s “Find My” app, so my iPhone now monitors the whereabouts of my earbud case. Cool. Took a few minutes and now I can’t misplace my earbud case. PERFORMANCE: A very fast, fuss free Bluetooth (5.2) connection dropped me into my Apple Music playlist with Billie Eilish’s "Bellyache" playing. I thought the sound was a bit thin until I reset the Soundform earpieces more securely in my ears. The bass got much deeper and the sound filled in like the best earbuds I’ve used this past year. Mary J. Blige followed and “Be Without You” illustrated how nicely these earbuds can sound on voices, solo and massed in the background. John Legend’s “Green Light” tested the bass one more time and the voices stayed natural with a lot of detail filling in the very broad sound stage. All very nice. For this review I finished with Beirut’s “Candle’s Fire” to see whether the mix of horns, snare drums, and accordion sounded real and balanced in the mix. Again, very nice and completely enjoyable. These are the real thing. Very nicely accomplished. I did find the sound tilted a bit upwards in the treble, but this is easily corrected with a number of playback Apps, I kind’a like the extra detail. RECOMMENDED. I like the Soundform Freedom True Wireless Earbuds. Earbud manufacturers often reach for too many features and miss on a few. The Belkin contribution to the wireless earbud marketplace keeps it simple and everything works and sounds really fine.

Available in the colors of either Black or White, the Belkin SoundFORM Freedom True Wireless Earbuds are a pleasant powerful find, and available right now at an exceptional price. Not only are they extremely comfortable to the point that I forgot I had them in my ears, but they are also equipped with noise – cancelling and produce a superior sound. The advanced ENC reduces call background noise and with the clear call technology, and Qualcomm aptX audio, the clarity of the tone is vibrant with very minimal distortion. The base is powerful and clear. The earbuds are equipped with dual microphones and with the call background noise cancelling I feel very confident in making and receiving calls. There are several great features to these earbuds that one would expect out of earbuds costing 3x to 4x as much as these. The earbuds are designed with their own small charging case which gives an extra 28 hours of battery life on top of the original all day 8 hours of play. Another plus is the Intelligent Sensors that have been designed into the product that auto pause and auto play when the earbuds are removed or reinserted. Did I mention that the earbuds are water resistant to the point of making them splash and sweat proof? They also come with three different sizes of silicone ear tips so that the user can find the perfect size for the perfect fit. And even though they come with a USB – C charging cable, they are also wireless and can be charged on any Qi wireless charging device. If misplaced or lost, they can be found by using the Apple Find MY but are also equipped with Bluetooth that connects to many types of Bluetooth audio-enabled devices such as phones, tablets, and computers. The case and earbuds both have charging status lights that help to keep track of the battery life. I had no trouble at all paring the earbuds to the Bluetooth on my phone, computer, and tablet. The earbuds paired instantly and took less than 10 seconds to do so. Then I was able to fully enjoy the design and functional aspects of the earbuds. If one encounters a problem with pairing the earbuds to their devices, then there is a factory reset button on the case that should streamline your efforts toward a quick connection. What is in the box? Well, the package includes the Qi compatible charging case, one USB-A to USB-C charging cable, the three different sizes of silicon ear tips, and the earbuds themselves. Belkin offers a two-year warranty on the product if registered online. This is a very good product because of all of the features that Belkin has designed into the product that won’t “break the bank” but will bring hours of enjoyment and pleasure to the new owner. I have used a variety of brands of earbuds over the years and definitely recommend these because they truly hold their own against many other brands. Simply put, they are a very good product.

On first impression, I liked the design of the half glossy-half matte square case. The case is a bit bigger than what I’m used to but still portable enough. The lid stays up when opened and closes tightly, keeping the buds magnetically secure. Taking the buds out is easily done, even with one hand. I am not the biggest fan of stem design but that is what makes them easy to handle. The buds also have that gloss-matte finish, which is nice but also makes the case and buds incredibly susceptible to smudges and fingerprints, so be prepared to wipe them often. Once you find the right ear tips, these buds are quite comfortable. The stem is longer and thicker than I’d like, but don’t stick out that much. I wore them for about 6 hours straight and did not experience any discomfort or soreness. However, I found myself fidgeting and adjusting them quite often when running or exercising. Keep in mind that fit may vary from ear to ear. Also, there is no need to worry about sweat or rain as these are rated IPX5. The buds feature Bluetooth 5.2, so they’re future-proof. They connected effortlessly to my Android phone and kept a strong connection while walking around my medium-size apartment. I noticed no sync issues when watching videos and, when looking closely for it, a very slight lag while playing certain games. I did notice that disconnecting from the phone when placing them back in the case is not instant and takes more than a few seconds. While not everything can be controlled from the buds, I am glad that the most important actions like volume, playback, and voice assistance are available. The touchpads are very responsive. I also appreciate the auto-pause/play when taking the buds out of the ear. The battery life is impressive at this price range. I’ve been using them for 4-6 hours for three days and they are still going strong. Belkin claims 8 hours plus 28 hours from the case, and I believe them. I also like that they feature fast charging, where 15 minutes in the case adds 2 hours of playback. It is also nice that Belkin managed to add wireless Qi charging to the case. The call quality is OK. While I had no issues with people hearing me, I was told that I sounded a bit far and as if I was in a tunnel -especially in a loud environment. For those who may ask, these are not noise-canceling headphones. The Advanced environmental noise cancellation (ENC) is for calls only. That means that blocking out ambient sound depends entirely on finding a good seal. The 7mm drivers deliver decent, enjoyable sound. That is when a good seal is maintained. The bass is strong and has that subwoofer effect that many enjoy, without being overbearing. The mids are well represented and the treble is loud and clear, although there were times when I thought it might’ve been a bit harsh and sibilant. While certainly not always accurate, I enjoyed most of what I threw at them. Now I am disappointed that there is no app support, so you’re pretty much stuck with the sound quality, controls, and firmware. I think that is a glaring misstep at this price range. In the end, I find these buds average at best. If you do decide to get them, I think you will not regret it as the sound quality may make up for the lack of app support and true ANC.