Noble Audio Osprey Review: Wired Vibe Wireless Earbuds

Today, I finally picked up a pair of Noble Audio Osprey earbuds.

My desk, usually color-coordinated strictly in black, now features a striking blue resin unit sitting right in the middle. Normally, I wouldn’t even look at flashy gear, but I completely fell for the heavy aluminum case and the dazzling faceplate that rivals high-end wired earphones.

I popped them straight into my ears and started playing some music. They say it’s based on the Harman target, and the bass drops quite deep. Strangely enough, the highs come out cleanly without a single hint of sibilance. Considering the hassle of untangling wired earphones and connecting them to a dongle DAC, it’s quite impressive that wireless earbuds can deliver this level of instrument separation.

Of course, there are a few drawbacks. The nozzle is unusually short, so it doesn’t quite feel secure deep in the ear canal. Swapping them out for Unique Melody Flower tips fixed the fit completely, though. Not supporting the aptX codec is a bit disappointing, but the sound tuning itself is so well done—and since I’m an LDAC fan anyway—I’ve decided to forgive it. The noise cancellation isn’t overwhelmingly powerful either, but it smoothly filters out everyday ambient noise.

For the time being, I’ll probably be wearing these constantly on my commute. I’ll test them out for a few more days and share a follow-up review soon.