Why I'm not calling these 'Pro' - OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro
Summary
TLDRThis video reviews the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, exploring their features like active noise cancellation (ANC), design, and sound quality. The reviewer questions the 'Pro' label since there’s no non-Pro version and discusses the earbuds’ performance, particularly issues with fit and ANC. While the buds offer good bass and loud volume, they struggle with creating a proper seal, affecting sound and noise cancellation. The reviewer finds them okay for their $80 price but suggests cheaper alternatives like CMF Buds, which offer better sound and design.
Takeaways
- 🎧 OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are the focus of the review, but there’s no non-Pro version, raising questions about the 'Pro' label.
- 🔇 The term 'Pro' seems to imply active noise cancelling, following a trend in the wireless earbud world, likely influenced by Apple.
- ♻️ The earbuds have a sparkly design, suggesting the use of recycled plastic, which the reviewer appreciates.
- 📱 The case has a compact design with a pairing button, a USB-C port, and comes with short USB-A to C cable.
- 🎤 Each earbud contains three microphones for better sound capture, but the fit might affect the seal and noise isolation.
- 💦 The buds have an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, making them well-protected against splashes and light exposure to elements.
- 📊 Sound profile is V-shaped, with a notable emphasis on bass and treble, making it less neutral and more bass-heavy.
- 🎚️ The app offers three different EQ presets: Balanced (default), Bass Boost, and Serenade, which lower bass but keep treble high.
- 🔋 Battery life is decent at 5.5 hours with ANC on and extends to 20 hours with the charging case. Without ANC, playback time jumps significantly.
- 💰 For $80, the reviewer suggests the CMF Buds as a better alternative, as they offer better sound and more vibrant colors.
Q & A
What product is being discussed in the script?
-The product being discussed is the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, which is part of OnePlus's value brand.
Why are these earbuds called 'Pro'?
-They are called 'Pro' likely because they feature Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), although the script questions whether the term 'Pro' is becoming synonymous with ANC in the wireless earbud world.
What is the design and material of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro?
-The buds have a stem design with a glossy near-ear section and soft-touch stems. The case has a matte finish, and the earbuds are made from plastic, possibly recycled, according to the script.
How many microphones are on each earbud and where are they located?
-Each earbud has three microphones. One is on the bottom of the stem, another is on the top, and the third is near the driver.
What kind of protection do the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro offer?
-They are IP55-rated, meaning they offer good protection against dust and can handle jet sprays of water from all angles, but they are not submersion-proof.
What are the key issues with the fit of these earbuds?
-The earbuds do not seem to go very deep into the ears, affecting the fit. Even with different ear tips, the seal wasn't ideal, which could impact sound quality, especially bass response.
What sound profile do the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro have?
-The sound profile is V-shaped, with an emphasis on bass and treble. Vocals are forward, but the mids are somewhat recessed. They are not ideal for users seeking a neutral sound.
What is the battery life of the earbuds with and without ANC?
-With ANC on, the earbuds last 5.5 hours and 20 hours including the case. With ANC off, the battery life more than doubles to 12 hours on the buds and 44 hours with the case.
How effective is the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) on these earbuds?
-The ANC is not very strong, especially around the 40-60 Hz range. It blocks less sound than passive noise isolation in some frequency ranges, likely due to a poor seal during testing.
Is the product recommended, and how does it compare to alternatives?
-The reviewer suggests that while the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are okay for their $80 price, there are better alternatives, like the CMF Buds, which are cheaper and offer better sound quality.
Outlines
🎧 First Impressions and Unboxing of OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro
The speaker dives into the unboxing experience of the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro, questioning the 'Pro' designation despite the lack of a non-pro model. The key features highlighted include the buds' active noise cancellation (ANC), small and lightweight case design, stem-based earbud form, and the use of recycled plastic. The unboxing reveals silicone ear tips and a short charging cable. The earbuds have a unique design with a glossy finish near the ear and a soft-touch stem, featuring three microphones per bud for ANC and a decent feel in the hand. IP55 dust and water protection ratings are noted as well. However, the speaker hints at a potential fit issue that will be discussed later.
🔊 Sound Profile and Fit Issues with OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro
The focus shifts to the audio performance and fit of the buds. Despite some issues with the fit, which led to only an 'average' seal during testing, the buds produce a loud, bass-heavy sound. The speaker also mentions the V-shaped frequency response, with significant bass and treble enhancements, making the earbuds less suitable for those seeking a neutral sound profile. Fit tests using the app yielded inconsistent results, indicating that the seal may impact sound quality. The speaker also reviews EQ presets, including a 'balanced' profile, a bass-boosting option, and a 'serenade' setting, though they find these presets skew the sound in non-ideal ways.
🎮 Controls and Customization Options for the Buds
The speaker reviews the control options for the earbuds, explaining that single taps do nothing by default to avoid accidental touches, while double and triple taps control song playback. Long presses can be customized for volume control, but the speaker criticizes the slow response time. They also highlight the noise-cancelling features, which include three levels: mild, moderate, and max. However, testing revealed that the ANC performance is not very strong, especially around the 40-60 Hz range, and the speaker attributes this to the fit issues. The transparency mode and mic performance are also mentioned, with average sound rolloff at high and low frequencies.
🔋 Battery Life and Price Considerations
Discussing the battery life of the Nord Buds 3 Pro, the speaker notes that the buds last 5.5 hours with ANC on and up to 12 hours without it, while the charging case extends usage to 44 hours in total. A quick 10-minute charge provides 11 hours of playback. However, they express doubts about the ANC's effectiveness, given the minor noise cancellation impact. The speaker compares the $80 price point of these earbuds with alternatives, particularly the CMF buds, which are cheaper and offer a better experience overall. Despite the Nord Buds 3 Pro's decent performance, the speaker finds them unremarkable and suggests exploring other options.
🤔 Final Thoughts: Are They Worth It?
The speaker concludes by summarizing their mixed feelings about the Nord Buds 3 Pro. While acknowledging that the buds provide ANC and reasonable sound quality for their $80 price, the speaker criticizes the poor fit and subpar noise-cancellation performance. They recommend considering cheaper alternatives like the CMF buds, which offer better sound and design. Ultimately, the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro are deemed mediocre and not fully 'Pro' as the name suggests.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro
💡Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
💡Fit Test
💡IP55 Rating
💡Sound Profile
💡Controls
💡Transparency Mode
💡Battery Life
💡Seal
💡Price Comparison
Highlights
OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro includes active noise cancelling despite there being no non-Pro version.
Active noise cancelling in earbuds may often be marketed as a 'Pro' feature, with Apple potentially influencing this trend.
The case has a compact design with a matte lid, short USB-C charging cable, and pairing button.
The earbuds feature a glossy finish near the ear, a soft-touch stem, and three microphones per earbud.
IP55 rating offers strong protection against dust and water, including jet sprays, but they are not submersion-proof.
Issues with the fit may affect sound quality, particularly bass response, based on how well they seal in the ears.
The sound profile is V-shaped with a prominent bass boost and treble lift, though mids are somewhat recessed.
Three different EQ presets are available, including balanced, bass boost, and serenade, though the latter is unbalanced.
The app allows customizing controls on both earbuds, but the volume control response is slow and cumbersome.
Transparency mode, noise cancellation, and adjustable noise cancellation levels are available, but not as effective as some competitors.
Fit testing revealed inconsistent seals between different ear tips and even between the user's ears.
Battery life ranges from 5.5 hours with ANC on, up to 12 hours with it off, and 44 hours total with the charging case.
Quick charging gives 11 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge when ANC is off.
Price point is set at $80, though the reviewer suggests better alternatives like the CMF Buds.
Overall impression: the OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro feel 'okay' but not 'Pro,' with notable issues in design, fit, and sound quality.
Transcripts
so much to unpack it's OnePlus Nord
that's their value brand buds 3 Pro
there's no non-pro so why are they
called Pro is it because they have
active noise cancelling in the truly
Wireless earbud world does the word Pro
simply mean active noise cancelling and
if so do we have apple to blame for that
I don't know if my hands are really
greasy right now but I am streaking up
everything this is kind of cool it's got
a sparkly look to me that means recycled
plastic I don't hate that at all more on
that later what else is in here oh it's
like a clam shell it's me is this their
logo what is this guy who is he the labs
did open this package up before these
silicone ear tips were in a little
packet and a charging cable with OnePlus
red it's a to c and it's really short
this is as about as short as they come
on the bottom of the case we have a
pairing button and a USBC port and then
you can see the lid is mat it's not
speckled this is brand new plastic
baby decent feel pretty small case and
the buds themselves stem design oh but
they're tapered they're kind of chungus
on the ends that's different it's glossy
near the ear and then the stem is more
of a soft touch there are three
microphones on each earbud there's also
you can see the kind of pogo pins for
the charging that's where they make
contact with the case oh you can
definitely screw up which one goes where
and when I plugged them in I had
charging light on the front oh it's
yellow
actually there are three microphones on
each earbud there's one of the bottom
here there's one at the top of the stem
and then there's one right by the driver
there and interestingly there's also an
indicator for this being the right
earbud and that is a hole probably a
vent for the drivers they come in two
colorways black or Jade it's kind of
green I think the design language
overall for some reason is giving Smurfs
to me they're just kind of bulbous they
don't go very deep in my ears
which could be related to an issue that
I'll tell you about a little bit later
as far as the feeling of them being you
know on my body and not going to fall
out they feel secure they're IP 55 rated
so that's pretty good on the dust
support um lots of your phones just
don't even certify the Engish protection
for dust and debris five is the second
highest you can get for that and then
for the water protection a lot of
earbuds just have four which is splashes
these have a five which I believe is jet
sprays from all angles um the next level
up would be submersion they're not ready
for that the buds
themselves nine 38 for the case 50 for
the total on the nose that's wow it's
like they plan that trying the large tip
it actually doesn't feel like it's
sealed any better than the medium I
think the problem here is how how far in
they go not how girthy or narrow the tip
I chose was the app does have a fit test
that we will do later first I want to
see how they sound and how they tested
from the lab but we'll do that after
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get $5 off all right we are paired up
and ready to to groove baby
ooh they get loud oh these are
basy I usually don't turn your phones up
to the max while I'm doing these videos
cuz it's usually unbearable um this is
not unbearable that doesn't mean that
they don't go super loud it could just
mean that they don't get super harsh and
uncomfortable at loud volumes I mean
they're definitely loud enough you're
going to be able to drown out the crappy
music at the gym with your own crappier
music of course at the volumes they're
going to leak sound a little bit too for
the people around you now let's check
out how they measured you can see that
the frequency response is kind of
v-shaped there's a big bump in the base
and an even bigger bump in the Trello
but one thing to note though is when we
plugged these into the ears of our
mannequin head that tests earphones and
then we ran the app fit test we could
only get a fit of average not a good fit
we got good fits on our own years but
not for the mannequin head and so that
kind of shakes our confidence and our
test results a little bit if if it had a
better seal it may have had an even
bigger bump in the base over here around
60 HZ which would make it even more
v-shaped and maybe even more base below
40 HZ we don't know this for sure that's
just a charal interpretation of what
maybe could have happened the app does
offer three different EQ presets the
default is balanced but you also can
increase the base that's the red line on
the screen here or you can turn on
serenade which is weird because it
lowers the Bas but keeps the treble the
same you might think that's getting it
towards being more natural because on
the balance profile the Bas is
overcooked however since it just makes
the graph more and more skewed it might
actually sound less balanced to you so
summing up the sound profile you're
going to hear base kicks are going to be
really prominent vocals are really
forward the mids are kind of depressed a
lot of people will like these but if
you're after a neutral sound these are
just not very neutral control out of the
box let's take a look at the controls
and the app you can adjust the controls
independently on both left and right by
default single tap does nothing which is
actually not uncommon because it helps
reduce in inverted Taps double tap is
for the next song triple tap is for the
previous song and long touch press and
hold does nothing and by default they
are completely symmetrical so I guess
for plain pause they just want you to
take it out of the ear that's kind of
crazy I'm going to turn that on to oh
play and pause it's the only option they
give you for single tap when you hit it
you do get a tone like me options for
double tap way more okay you can also
make that play and pause previous or
next you can do the voice assistant or
game mode interestingly you can't make
triple tap play and pause they just
think that's preposterous and here's the
volume controls long touch can go volume
up or volume down I would put down on
the left and up on the right let's see
how well that works oh wow that takes
forever to engage and then the steps are
pretty slow too when you hit it it
actually gives you like a 32 one go kind
of sound in your ear it goes beep beep
boop now it is adjusting that is so
weird it's like it has to unlock before
it's going to start adjusting the volume
it just takes so long I would I would
never use that imagine someone comes up
to talk to you and you're like hold on a
second let me just turn this down hold
on this s is still pretty loud okay now
I'm ready like all noise canceling
earbuds these days they have the
transparency mode off and active noise
cancelling but these ones actually have
different levels of noise cancellation
mild moderate and Max and we did some
measurements but just with Max it's not
the strongest active noise cancelling
we've ever measured but again we had
that seal issue and that could be at
play in particular you can see around 40
60 htz range that it's really not doing
very much compared to just having your
earbud in with the active noise
cancelling off just treating them kind
of like earplugs that's what what the
green line is you can see that the red
active noise counceling line is actually
higher than the passive green line from
around 1,000 to 2500 htz meaning that
the active noise cancelling actually
blocks out less sound than just having
them in your ears in this range and this
is something we've seen before we're not
sure what the mechanism is there but
it's not unique to these buds OnePlus
advertises up to 49 DB of active noise
cancellation we don't know at what
frequency that claim is from we only got
you know not even 30 um again grain of
salt because we didn't have a great seal
in the mannequin I'm calling it that now
let's do a mic test now the phone has
been taken away so you know the sound's
coming through the earbuds you can see
rolloffs at the very high end and then
also around 100 Hertz or 200 HZ and that
that is actually normal you want the
base to roll off a bit so that the
people on your call don't hear all the
Rumblings around you the reason that it
rolls off at the high end is actually
just because of the way the Bluetooth
works but this is how the mic sounds
I've just done a fit test and I found
out using the medium siiz tips I only
get an average seal on both years but if
I wear the bigger ones I get an average
seal in this year and a good seal in
this year cuz my head ain't symmetrical
in terms of battery life little bit
crazy 5 and 1/2 hours on the buds and 20
hours including the charging case if the
ANC is on which normally I would would
say I'm going to have that on all the
time however since thec doesn't really
do that much and in light of what I'm
about to tell you I might just have it
off when thec is off the battery life
like more than doubles to 12 hours on
the buds and 44 hours with with the
charge case and the buds that is a crazy
proportion usually it doesn't get that
much better jeez and if you charge him
for 10 minutes you get 11 hours of
playback again with NOC that's a
that's just silly let's talk price for
$80
us honestly I think I'd rather buy the
cmf buds instead they're cheaper they
come in more fun colors they got that
cool dial on the case which I don't care
about but just overall they sounded
better uh there's I don't see a reason
to buy these instead of those sorry
OnePlus that might hurt a little but if
you can't get the cmf buds these are
okay I just I think you can do better
they're okay I don't love the seal I
don't love the look they're kind of just
they're kind of meh but they're only 80
bucks they don't feel very Pro yes they
have a ANC kind of I'm going to just
call these the Nord buds 3 come at me
OnePlus thanks for watching guys if you
haven't seen our cmf buds video go check
that out save your money
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