A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the Soundpeats Air4 Pro, and I honestly loved them. Some of the best earbuds I’ve had for a while, and certainly the best showing I’ve seen from Soundpeats. On the heels of that review, I got offered the chance to review the GoFree 2 earbuds. Something a little different…
These are designed for the more active user. With hooks to go around your ear. Less of an earbud in my opinion, but also, what else do you call them? They’re sports buds or something….still, that’s by the by. How do they stack up and actually, what are they delivering that other sets I’ve reviewed recently?
What’s in the box?
Weirdly, no manual in this one. This was a little annoying because I couldn’t quickly see the guide for the touch controls. Something that always seems to require a little reading in advance. Beyond that, the GoFree 2 box has a USB-C cable and the charging case which contains the earbuds, too.
That’s it. It doesn’t need anything else, so there’s no fuss. You’re straight to business with the GoFree 2.
Sound quality
This is a tricky one because the nature of these earbuds is such that they’re designed not to fall off/out, and the GoFree 2 is more of a “site on your ear” than it is a “sit in your ear” style. I understand why, and we’ll speak about that, but…..it does impact the audio to an extent.
If we were judging the GoFree 2 as a pure earbud offering, it would be very easy to cast it aside. With the audio being that little further away from your ear canal, you’re losing quality in the air/gap between the buds and your ear. What you get is a slightly diminished experience. I’ve had to tinker with the Soundpeats app to get the equalisation right, and found the GoFree 2 to be adequate, and certainly no less competent than the Air4 Lite set.
But, you’re not getting that clarity, that bass and treble that helps you sink into the music or your podcast.
Because of the way the GoFree 2 is built, you’re going to have to allow some leniency here. It’s better to keep them on no matter the activity, and honestly, there’s a cleverness in the design that means you’re not blocking the world out which, is a must for when you’re out running or cycling on roads and paths.
The GoFree 2 is adequate at delivering your music, but you’re able to hear the world around you when you likely need it the most. These aren’t your casual buds to wear around the house or whilst you’re studying/sitting on a bus or train. These are to stay on your ears no matter what and keep you hooked in when you’re out in the world.
Build quality/functions
Where the GoFree 2 isn’t delivering the best audible experience known to man, it is delivering comfort and reliability in a way you can’t get in normal earbuds.
The soft rubber hooks with a weighted end mean that the GoFree 2 sit on your ear in a way you barely notice. The drivers are housed in quite a large encasing that hangs down over your ear canal but in a relatively snug manner.
It might sound cumbersome, but actually, once you suss out how they go one (thanks to the photos on their website….). You barely notice they’re there. That’s impressive as hell.
Comfortable, lightweight, and barely noticeable to the wearer, I was genuinely surprised and impressed!
Better still, they do as they set out to do. I’ve done a few cardio-heavy gym sessions and laid down on benches to lift weights etc. Prime candidates for a normal earbud to drop out (it happens often…). The GoFree 2 isn’t going anywhere other than where your ears are going.
Beyond that, basic touch controls for volume, stop, start and skip tracks. So far as I could tell without a manual. Noise cancellation would be redundant with all the outside noise essentially bypassing the drivers completely. The build and purpose are the stars here, everything else is great, but not stellar.
Battery life has been great, and the soft-touch case that houses them is lovely too. It’s bigger than a normal charging case, but somehow smaller than I’d expected. Soundpeats has done a solid job of making the GoFree 2 package as compact but useful as possible. Solid work here.
GoFree 2 final verdict
A new style of headset for me to try, the GoFree 2 is a solid set of buds that deliver in a more specific way than most. Capable of keeping with you no matter how strenuous the activity.
I had initially thought the external sound creeping in around the music I was listening to was a real issue. But in hindsight, on dark nights, out on the roads on a bike or country paths. Being able to react to what’s going on around you is very important.
You’re not getting the best audio experience available to mankind. But you are getting a comfortable, reliable experience with the GoFree 2 and you can be confident that they’re not going anywhere you don’t want them to.
Get up to 30% off using coupon and code: SPGOFREE2 (available until 2023/12/31) on Amazon right now. You can find more details about these GoFree 2 on the official SOUNDPEATS website. And don’t forget to check out more of our hardware reviews by clicking here.