EarFun Wave Life Review: I Didn’t Expect This

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You know how some brands just seem to defy expectations, offering products that are way better than you’d think for the price? That’s exactly how I feel about EarFun. Their earbuds have consistently blown me away, time and time again.

So when the EarFun Wave Life headphones showed up, I honestly expected another “Damn… they did it again” moment.

But this time… things are different.

These are very budget wireless noise-canceling headphones — officially priced around $60, often going even lower during sales.

They promise hybrid ANC, High-Res Audio (via USB-C), full app support, multipoint Bluetooth, and solid comfort. On paper, that’s insane for the price.

And the truth? I didn’t expect the experience I got — the good and the frustrating.

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Also see: EarFun Tune Pro Review: Pro Features at an Affordable Price

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EarFun Wave Life – Specifications

Bluetooth	5.4
Battery	Up to 60 hours (fast charge: 10 min → ~4 hours playback)
Noise Cancellation	Hybrid ANC (up to 45 dB)
Drivers	40 mm
Microphones	4-mic array with AI algorithm
App & EQ	EarFun Audio app
Connectivity	Multipoint pairing; USB-C audio input
Latency / Gaming	Yes
Voice Assistant	Supports voice assistants (Siri / Google Assistant)

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Design & Comfort

At first glance, the Wave Life look like every other budget noise-canceling headphone. Matte plastic build, foldable hinges, rotating cups. Light enough that you forget you’re wearing them, soft pleather pads that stay comfortable for long listening sessions.

But get closer and the cost-cutting becomes obvious:

• Sharp edges around the earcups you can literally feel
• Scratch-prone plastic that won’t age well
• No carrying case in the box — throw and pray

The physical button controls are a plus. They’re reliable, easy to find by touch, and handle everything from volume to ANC.

Comfort? Surprisingly solid. Build quality? Clearly, where corners were cut.

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Controls & Connectivity

Despite the plastic build, EarFun gave full physical controls: volume, track skipping, ANC toggle — everything right on the right ear cup. And yes, multipoint works. Switching between phone and laptop was smooth.

Bluetooth 5.4 ensures strong connection stability.

But the biggest surprise?

You can use USB-C for wired listening — and not just for audio passthrough. The controls, ANC, and everything still function. Rare. Awesome.

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The EarFun App

EarFun’s app is one of the cleanest in this price range. You get:

• 30+ EQ presets
• Full 10-band manual EQ
• Hearing-profile based tuning
• Customizable button controls
• Wind noise mode and dual-device toggles
• Firmware upgrades (which it definitely needs)

But here’s the odd technical flaw…

When you change EQ settings, volume drops dramatically.

You can either have:

• Louder sound with poor tuning (default)
  or
• Good tuning with quieter playback (custom EQ)

It’s like choosing between two different headphones — neither one is perfect.

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Sound Quality

Out of the box, the Wave Life leans heavily into bass. Not tight, detailed bass — the boomy, overpowering kind that muddies vocals and pushes treble into the background. It makes music feel closed-in and less dynamic.

Manual EQ fixes a lot. You can bring mids forward, sharpen treble, and tame that low-end bloat. With tuning, the Wave Life can sound genuinely enjoyable — even surprisingly powerful for the price.

But there’s a catch.

Once you adjust EQ, volume output drops noticeably. You’re left with a better frequency balance, but far less headroom. Push them to max volume, and they still don’t feel as loud as before.

Wired USB-C audio is the exception. Suddenly, the drivers wake up — clearer highs, stronger control, and more refinement. The “Hi-Res Audio” badge actually means something here, but only when plugged in.

Wireless tuning = better sound, worse volume
Wired audio = the best version of these headphones

Not a deal-breaker, but definitely a trade-off.

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Noise Cancellation, Call Quality & Latency

ANC performance is serviceable, not standout. Low-frequency hum is reduced effectively enough for commuting or coffee shops. Human voices and higher-frequency sounds still leak through without much struggle.

Transparency mode is surprisingly natural, making conversations comfortable without removing the headphones.

Call quality is fine for casual use, with four mics doing a modest job of isolating speech from the environment.

Gaming mode reduces delay noticeably. Videos stay in sync, and games feel responsive enough for non-competitive play. No complaints here.

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Battery Life

One of the best pros of this device.

• 60 hours with ANC off.
• 37 hours with ANC on.

A 10-minute quick charge gets around 4–10 hours, depending on who you ask.

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Final Verdict

The EarFun Wave Life really stands out in a few key areas — it boasts impressive battery life, feels comfortable to wear, comes with USB-C wired features, and delivers a sound signature that can truly impress once you tweak the EQ a bit.

But the compromises are impossible to ignore:

• Default tuning is underwhelming
• EQ destroys volume headroom
• Build quality feels cheap
• ANC is only serviceable

If EarFun fixes the volume issue through a firmware update, this could shift into easy-recommendation territory. Right now, it’s more complicated.

Buy if:

• You want strong battery life and multipoint on a tight budget
• You’re willing to use the app and tune your sound
• You appreciate wired high-res support

Skip if:

• You want good ANC
• You hate fiddling with EQ
• You prefer durable build materials

Best Deal: View on Earfun