EarFun Clip 2: Premium Open-Ear, Unbeatable Value

EarFun has once done more with less. The original EarFun Clip 1 earned a coveted spot on our list of best audio products last year, and after extensive testing, we can confidently say the new Clip 2 is a worthy successor, building on that legacy with impressive enhancements.

Let’s address the minor quibbles first. In the build department, the buds themselves have become slightly thicker compared to their predecessor. While still incredibly pocketable, it’s a small change we noticed. There are also some shinier elements on the buds, which might not appeal to everyone who prefers a completely understated design. However, EarFun continues its tradition of subtle aesthetics, offering the Clip 2 in just one color. Despite their appearance, these buds are remarkably light at just 5.5 grams per bud, making them virtually unnoticeable during wear.

We put the Clip 2 through its paces, including an accidental drop onto concrete while cycling. To our surprise, it survived with only a minor cosmetic scuff near the logo, proving its robust construction. The IP55 rating for dust and water resistance is a significant advantage, outperforming many more expensive competitors. This level of protection is crucial for active users, whether you’re sweating through a workout or caught in the rain during a bike ride.

The charging case, while slightly larger (longer and thicker) than the previous generation, remains easily pocketable. This increased size, however, comes with a notable benefit: the addition of wireless charging, a feature rarely found in clip-style earbuds at this price point. Battery life is another strong suit, with the buds offering an impressive 11 hours on a single charge, and the case extending that to a total of 40 hours. We’ve rarely, if ever, heard the low battery chime, a testament to their endurance.

EarFun has maintained the excellent physical button controls, strategically placed at the back of the ear. This design prevents you from pushing the bud into your ear when pressing, ensuring maximum comfort. The buttons on the Clip 2 feel slightly firmer than the Gen 1, offering satisfying tactile feedback. The accompanying app allows for extensive customization, letting you disable individual controls and offering a comprehensive suite of functions including volume, playback, and voice assistant activation. A standout new feature is the dedicated mute control, which can be customized via long or triple press. While the mute function works flawlessly, we noted the absence of an audible confirmation, which can be a minor inconvenience.

On the audio front, the Clip 2 is equipped with 12mm drivers and offers a 10-band custom EQ within the app. A clever touch is that the custom EQ starts from any selected preset, saving you the hassle of building a profile from scratch. The sound profile is notably more open and brighter than the Clip 1, delivering clearer audio with more sparkle. While sub-bass is inherently limited in open-ear designs, the Clip 2’s “bass surge” mode genuinely boosts the bass frequencies without simply cutting the treble, as some competitors do. Mid-range presentation is excellent, and the treble is bright and clear without being harsh. Given the open-ear nature, sound can vary slightly from person to person, but overall, we’re thoroughly impressed with the audio quality EarFun has achieved.

The upgraded theater mode, powered by a new algorithm, creates a noticeably wider soundstage, enhancing immersion, especially with open-ear products where the effect feels more natural than with in-ear buds. Additional features include Google Fast Pair for seamless connectivity, hearing health features, and a game mode that reduces latency and offers sound effects to highlight elements like footsteps. Do note that enabling game mode will disable your custom EQ settings.

Comparing the Clip 2 to its predecessor, the Clip 1, the price difference is minimal, often around $10. For this small premium, the Clip 2 offers a brighter, more open sound profile (compared to the Clip 1’s darker, bassier lean), wireless charging, AI translation, customizable call controls (including mute), and an upgraded theater mode. Physically, the Clip 2 is slightly lighter (5.5g vs 5.7g), features a better-finished silicone covering without a visible seam, and has a more refined, slimmed-down design behind the ear. The button controls also feel slightly firmer. While the total battery life remains around 40 hours, the buds themselves now last 11 hours (up from 10), with the case providing 29 hours (down from 30). Given these improvements, the Clip 2 is a clear winner, especially if comfort is a priority. However, the Clip 1 remains a solid option if you prefer its darker sound signature and can find it at a significantly lower price.

Against premium open-ear competitors like the Shokz OpenDots One, Soundcore AeroClip, and Bose Ultra Open, the EarFun Clip 2 stands out dramatically on price. It offers superior IP55 dust and water resistance (compared to Shokz’s IP54 and others’ water-only ratings), retains physical buttons (a preference over touch controls, shared only by Bose in our comparison), and supports LDAC (a feature only Soundcore also offers). Furthermore, the Clip 2 generally boasts better battery life than these more expensive alternatives. The value proposition here is undeniable; you could buy multiple EarFun Clip 2s for the price of some premium models, making high-quality open-ear audio accessible to a much wider audience.

Tech Specs

• Weight per bud: 5.5g
• IP Rating: IP55
• Drivers: 12mm
• Battery Life (buds): 11 hours
• Battery Life (case): 29 hours
• Total Battery Life: 40 hours
• EQ: 10-band custom EQ
• Audio Codecs: LDAC
• Connectivity: Multipoint
• Features: Wireless charging, AI translation, Google Fast Pair, hearing health, game mode (sound effects)

Microphones

The EarFun Clip 2 performed admirably across various conditions. In quiet environments, our voice was clear and crisp. During noisy tests, the earbuds managed to filter out significant background sound, though in extremely loud scenarios (like a passing truck), speaking up was necessary to maintain clarity. Wind resistance was also impressive, with only direct, strong gusts occasionally muffling the voice. The addition of on-device mute control is a welcome feature, though we noted the lack of an audible confirmation when activated. To hear the raw microphone samples, check out the video embedded at the top of this post!

Pros and Cons

✅ Excellent value
✅ Robust IP55 rating
✅ Long battery life
✅ Comfortable physical buttons

❌ Buds slightly thicker
❌ No audible mute confirmation
❌ Case slightly larger
❌ No “pull connect” multipoint

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*Disclaimer: This video was sponsored by EarFun.*