Noise Master Buds review

Starting with the form factor and design, Noise has made a strong effort to be distinctive. The vinyl record inspired case has finely etched grooves like a LP and even a 2pm LED light to mimic the tonearm of a turntable. Light weight, nice materials and silicone ear tips give it a high-tech and premium feel. Though, the plastic charging case doesn’t feel like the sturdiest grade of the material and since we didn’t perform a drop test, let us serve caution instead.

12.4mm titanium composite drivers, adaptive ANC up to 49dB and LHDC 5.0 support ensure Noise has great headline features. An IPX5 rating, dual device connectivity and Google Fast Pair bolster its spec sheet. Three sizes of ear tips ensure that most of us would be able to get a secure seal for its ANC to work well.

It's tonally well balanced with a slight suck out in the mids, but nothing that a mild tweak of EQ wouldn't fix. With basic EQ presets, you can achieve a sonic balance that appeals to you. Spatial Audio is supported, allegedly, but we couldn't manage to get Dolby Atmos on Apple Music to caress our eardrums.Yet, The Weeknd’s Wake me Up was played back with enthusiasm and zest, the propulsive bass line comes across as powerful and rhythmic but the highs and mids seem disjointed and the sound doesn’t focus together as a cohesive whole.

 

 

 

 

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This highlights the slightly suppressed mids and tinny treble that lacks “air”. Also, while the buds are comfy to wear, the touch controls alter their position in the ear and you have to keep adjusting the fit to maintain a proper seal at all times. At least I did. But as with most, these sound way better when paired with Android phones and not an iPhone. For its price, the overall sound quality isn’t shabby, just inconsistent with different genres and devices, forcing you to use the EQ more often than not to tweak the presentation.

All-day wearability is possible due to its super light and comfy design. In-ear detection makes it convenient to take quick breaks too without reaching for your phone. Battery life was in line with what Noise claims and it didn’t need any juicing up for a week of our testing with 3-4 hours of daily use.

Noise cancellation is most effective in the midrange frequencies and while it does attenuate, it doesn't completely block out clinking and tinkling cutlery noises nor deep truck rumbles. It doesn’t prove to be effective on a flight but use it within the confines of a WeWork or office space and you’ll be treated to acceptable levels of peace. You also get a transparency mode that helps in awareness.

For a brand that has traditionally been a budget player, the Master Buds are a move in the right direction for Noise. The marketing implications are huge and since Bose has vested interest in Noise, it only made sense for them to capitalise on the new demographic this price point attracts. Fortunately, the sonic side effects are well worth it, with a likeable sound that only asks of you to select the right ear tips for the perfect seal and not compare it to something that is three times its price!