Noble FoKus Rex5 assessment: Unbelievable sound, if you happen to’re prepared to pay for it

$449 is lots to pay for earbuds. When you think about the standard of the choices at $100 and beneath, it could appear exorbitant. Nevertheless, Noble Audio hasn’t simply crafted one other set of high-end wi-fi earbuds. The corporate is providing something unique on the FoKus Rex5: 5 drivers. Most earbuds have one or two, however Noble has put its in-ear monitor (IEM) experience to work right here, packing in a 10mm dynamic driver, a 6mm planar driver and three balanced armature drivers.

The result’s completely unimaginable sound high quality for a set of wi-fi earbuds. A large, immersive soundstage surpasses each different set I’ve examined, and I’ve examined lots of them. Nevertheless, audio efficiency alone doesn’t make a whole product. There’s nonetheless battery life, energetic noise cancellation (ANC), customization and different options for Noble to take care of. And the corporate must test all of the bins to justify that value.

Design of the FoKus Rex5

The FoKus Rex5 earbuds are very inexperienced. From the charging case to the aluminum and acrylic housing, the corporate is devoted to that hue on this mannequin. Its gold accents gained’t be for everybody both. The styling is akin to a set of IEMs, which Noble additionally makes in spades. For those who’re on the lookout for different colours from the corporate, the pricier FoKus Status ($599) might be out there in black and blue once they’re again in inventory.

Apart from the colour scheme and marbled acrylic shell, the FoKus Rex5 appears like customary earbuds — a minimum of by way of its form. The rounded, triangular body mimics a set of generic in-ear screens and it suits properly within the ear. Weight is properly balanced too, with nothing sticking too far out out of your head. This all results in a safe, cozy match that by no means turns into a burden, even after hours of fixed use. Moreover, Noble contains 9 units of additional ear ideas throughout three shapes within the field. A kind of is foam as a substitute of silicone, if you happen to’re into that, and the variety of the pack ought to enable you to discover a perfect match in your ears.

Software program and options

All the settings and options for the FoKus Rex5 reside within the Noble FoKus app. Right here you’ll discover battery percentages for every earbud, fast entry to the personalised EQ, media controls and noise-cancellation toggles up entrance. On the appropriate facet, an expandable menu gives a 10-band EQ, EQ curve, personalised EQ and contact management settings.

Noble opted for Audiodo’s customizable sound software program to energy its Private EQ function. Like among the competitors, this tech takes you thru a setup course of to calibrate the audio to your listening to. The FoKus Rex5 has a Qualcomm QCC3091 chip inside that shops these customized profiles on the earbuds. Which means that the audio tweaks stick with you on any machine you pair to with out having to obtain the app a number of occasions. Noble says Private EQ works properly for folks with uneven listening to, providing balanced sound on the acceptable ranges.

For me, the take a look at decided that I wanted a lift within the excessive frequency vary, which raised the quantity for vocals and guitars. I don’t like it. The inventory tuning is a greater mix of all of the devices and I want the stability of that blend. This doesn’t imply the function gained’t enable you to, it simply implies that you would possibly wish to maintain the default settings moderately than go for Private EQ.

The FoKus Rex5 is provided with multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, which provides comfort to day by day use. The earbuds seamlessly switched between my MacBook Professional and my iPhone each time I acquired a name or began taking part in audio there. What you gained’t discover on the Rex5 is automated pausing because the earbuds don’t have a proximity or put on sensor on the again facet. Maybe the corporate wanted each millimeter for all of these drivers, however it is a useful function that might have been nice to have.

FoKus Rex5 sound high quality

Billy Steele for Engadget

It’s wonderful how a lot nuance 5 drivers will assist you to hear when listening to music. Noble says its driver array “effortlessly delivers wealthy, full bass, detailed mid-tones and crystal-clear highs,” and I discovered that to be true throughout a spread of genres. The place most earbuds have a frequency vary of 20Hz-20kHz, which is in keeping with the capabilities of the human ear, the FoKus Rex5 extends {that a} bit to 20Hz-40kHz. Am I assured that I can hear that additional excessive frequency? No. Does that influence my score of the sound high quality? Under no circumstances.

I’m properly conscious that artists, producers and recording engineers make the choices on methods to cut up devices on the left and proper channels. However for the primary time, I might clearly hear the separation within the guitars on songs like L.S. Dunes’ “I Can See It Now…” and throughout the whole thing of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s newest stay album. There’s a sonic division on these earbuds that’s extra segmented, but every part nonetheless blends properly for an amazing immersive sensation. It’s such as you’re standing in the course of the studio. You may hear that the lead guitar is located to the appropriate whereas the rhythm participant is on the left. A number of earbuds would smash them collectively.

There’s additionally minute element in guitars, drums, vocals and extra with the FoKus Rex5. You may hear the feel within the vocals on Julien Baker & TORRES’ “Sugar within the Tank,” and it sounds such as you’re nearly inside the acoustic guitar on that monitor. There are a selection of flagship-quality earbuds that ship positive particulars properly, however I’ve by no means heard the extent of subtlety that the FoKus Rex5 offers tune after tune. And the earbuds accomplish that with a sturdy soundstage that, as soon as once more, envelops you such as you’re standing in the course of a efficiency moderately than merely streaming tunes.

Noble gives assist for aptX Adaptive and Sony’s LDAC codecs on the FoKus Rex5, along with SBC and AAC. I examined primarily with Apple Music, together with plenty of albums in both lossless or Dolby Atmos. All the songs from the service sounded unimaginable with these earbuds, though the crunchy, layered guitars on that L.S. Dunes file sounded significantly gorgeous (that album is Dolby Atmos, Lossless and Apple Digital Grasp).

ANC efficiency

The wireless charging case has a Bluetooth pairing button on the inside.

Noble doesn’t go into an excessive amount of element in regards to the ANC setup on the FoKus Rex5, apart from saying the “refined” tech “successfully minimizes exterior noise.” Sadly, that effectiveness is simply common. The earbuds solely dampen fixed noise sources like followers and noise machines. And whereas they barely decrease the quantity of human voices close by, they undergo the identical inefficacy as a lot of the competitors there. Merely put, you’re not shopping for the FoKus Rex5 for the ANC efficiency, it’s the sound high quality that’s the first draw. However I’d argue you need to have each if you happen to’re spending $449.

Name high quality on the FoKus Rex5

Name high quality is one other space Noble might enhance. The FoKus Rex5 is usable for calls, however the audio efficiency is common at greatest. For those who’re on the lookout for one thing to make use of for digital conferences, or any scenario the place you should sound crystal clear, these earbuds aren’t an amazing choice. What’s extra, the ambient mode doesn’t beam your voice again via the buds on calls. I saved feeling like I used to be shouting simply to listen to myself throughout these chats.

Battery life

Noble guarantees as much as 5 hours of listening time with ANC on, or as much as seven hours with out. What’s extra, the corporate packed an additional 35-40 hours of use within the wi-fi charging case, which is longer than many of the competitors can muster. There’s a 15-minute fast cost function that will provide you with two hours of use as properly.

Throughout my checks, the FoKus Rex5 simply met the acknowledged figures, and even went past them by about half-hour. 5 hours of noise-canceling use is customary lately, nevertheless it’s good to see that Noble delivered on this, even with the extra drivers and codec assist.

The competitors

When it comes to sound high quality, solely Bowers & Wilkins’ Pi8 comes near the pristine audio efficiency of the FoKus Rex5. Sadly, these earbuds don’t supply a whole bundle both. And at $399, they’re nonetheless an even bigger funding in comparison with the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. You’ll get wonderful sound on the Pi8, although the extent of element and separation isn’t on the extent of the five-driver Rex5. ANC efficiency is barely higher, however nonetheless not sturdy, and there’s an absence of superior options which might be provided by a lot of the competitors on merchandise that value much less.

This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/noble-fokus-rex5-review-incredible-sound-if-youre-willing-to-pay-for-it-130043824.html?src=rss

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