Can the combination of technology and fashion be an interesting phenomenon? The answer may be yes considering that there is a pair of earphones with a design like earrings produced. Named Huawei FreeClip, it uses an open design that should help users to be aware of their surroundings even while listening to music. These earphones are designed to fit the human ear for a comfortable and stable wearing experience. For more information, we share our experience using it.
Brief Specifications of the Device
HUAWEI FreeClip
Type Open earphones
10.8 mm driver
Microphone –
510 mAh battery.
8 hours with earphones.
36 hours with charging pod.
USB-C charging port
Wireless charging Available
CODEC AAC/L2HC/LC3
Supported operating systems iOS, HarmonyOS, Windows 10
Virtual assistant support Available
Touchpad Play/pause audio.
Answer/end call.
Play the next track.
IP54 waterproof capability (earphone)
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3
Selling Price RM899
Shape
The FreeClip comes in a compact-sized charging pod that's common on most Huawei earphones. There's a USB-C port on the bottom for charging, and a small button on the side is meant to perform bluetooth tethering and the reset process on a new device. LED lights are also provided with four types of colors that light up such as red for low battery, green for full battery, yellow for recharging and white to indicate the docking process is in progress.
Just open our charging pod and you're presented with a unique pair of earphones made of a flexible enough alloy. An idea thought to be a joke turns out to be a real product. FreeClip looks unique like a pair of earrings with a combination of two important parts that include Comfort Bean and Acoustic Ball, which are then joined together using C-Bridge Design.
Through it the Comfort Bean is placed at the back of the ear, followed by the Acoustic Ball that is inserted into the ear for audio listening. At the beginning we ourselves did not know how to use it so we had to refer to the official video for certainty. The method of use is also not as easy as expected, at the same time causing a feeling of lack of confidence due to the design that is felt to be easily removed from the ear.
But actually there is no issue, it's just comfortable to use, so we sometimes forget to take it off while sleeping. This is due to the experience of using it feels like a pair of earrings worn on both sides of the ear. But to be honest, not everyone is suitable to use it, especially older men for example, because it really looks like they are wearing a pair of earrings in their ears.
Application Software
The use of the Huawei AI Life application together is recommended to enable more customized features. It can be downloaded through Huawei App Gallery and Apple App Store. Unfortunately on Android devices we have to download the APK because the app is not in the Play Store. Tethering is done through bluetooth 5.3 which also supports the connection of two devices simultaneously.
The docking process is as simple as opening the cover of the charging pod and can be connected to the smartphone. Based on our observations, the connection to Huawei devices is easier and can be detected in an instant compared to others that take time to verify. Various settings can also be found on the home page which include battery level, audio sound effects, touch controls and the Find My Earphones function. There are also uses depending on the type of device and the advantage is definitely on Huawei devices. For example, such as LH2C codec standard support which can improve audio quality when listening to audio using Huawei devices.
Users are also given the choice of whether to use it for calls/audio media only, or both. This is followed by the Connection Center function to control devices connected to the earphones, as well as the Multi Connect function that allows FreeClip to be connected to two devices simultaneously and easily switch between the two. Next, the Preferred Device function provides a choice of devices that can be used first.
Other additional functions include Dymanic Latency which can switch to low latency mode automatically during the first session, and Extra Media Volume makes the audio louder than it already is. The enhancement seems to affect the audio quality, and is strongly not recommended at all. With the Sound Quality function, users are given the choice of whether to focus on audio quality or connection, which of course is not completely perfect due to the time delay issue that occurs in some situations.
Audio Sharing capabilities are also provided for the ability to connect two pairs of FreeClips on the same phone/tablet for the purpose of audio sharing. However, it should be noted that the audio sharing feature is only available on Huawei phones running the EMUI 13 operating system update or later.
Usage Experience
The interesting thing about FreeClip is of course the Auto Left-Right Recognition feature that can automatically detect which part of the ear is being used. This means that it can be used easily without worrying about misusing between the right and left earphones. However it is conditional which requires the earphones to be placed back in the charging pod before changing positions. Or it won't reset, and the channel will also reverse.
FreeClip is also so light that it does not affect the user experience at all, including when wearing a veil. At the same time passing IP54 which is of course splash resistant but cannot be taken in the shower. It should also be noted that the functionality is limited to the earphones themselves, and not the charging pod. It is also advised not to recharge these earphones in damp conditions, instead it is advised to dry them first to avoid unwanted incidents.
Control is entirely using one-finger tap gestures on the Acoustic Ball, C-bridge, or Comfort Bean for smooth control. Even easier, it can also be done by gently tapping on the part of the ear that is close to the jawbone for easier.
By default double tap to play/pause audio or answer/end call. Then the process of changing the playlist can be done through three taps. These gestures can also be customized for more features including summoning a virtual assistant. It should be noted that the ANC system is not provided which is already expected for a pair of open earphones.
Next no problems were found as the application could be easily downloaded on the two devices used for the review (iPhone 14 and Huawei P60 Pro). The download process does not take long. The tethering process is as simple as opening the charging pod cover provided the Bluetooth function is enabled.
The application interface looks neat with white and blue dominant colors, and also looks the same for Android and iOS devices. Yes, as mentioned earlier, of course, the advantages of functionality are provided for users of the Huawei ecosystem. Maybe for some people the Find My Earphones function is considered normal given to the public. But it is very important especially for those who are careless in storing things.
A comment that can be made is that the battery level for the earphones is now difficult to predict as it is combined in one graphic. Although a frequent 'beep' sound can be an early sign of a low battery. However, it would be better if the levels for both earphones could be displayed as before. The lack of EQ settings is also considered a significant shortcoming that makes users only rely entirely on the available audio options.
Audio Quality
Indeed, at first we were a bit skeptical and lacked confidence in FreeClip's audio capabilities. It's because the FreeClip is a conventional open-back earphone and doesn't cover the entire ear canal. Therefore we began to think that there must be many shortcomings and flaws due to that.
But the opposite happens when there is 'excitement' to keep trying and the audio quality is not as bad as expected. Satisfying mid-bass capability with adequate bang. That's quite a surprise for such a pair of open-back earphones. The resulting vocals however give an inconsistent listening experience.
In particular, the male singer's voice does not sound neutral due to excessive bass. But the situation is different with the female singer's voice which is louder and clearer. Treble is also not as good as expected, even more towards a relaxed and not very exciting audio profile. It can be concluded that these earphones are more suitable for listening to relaxing classical music, acoustics and podcasts.
Then it is not recommended for pop or rock type songs. Open-back earphones are often associated with sound leakage issues but that's not the case with the FreeClip, which our colleagues said they didn't hear at all.
Battery Endurance
FreeClip is advertised to last up to 8 hours of continuous use. It can go up to 36 hours with the help of a charging pod. As usual, this durability depends on the level of audio strength. For example at high audio levels we only got half of the advertised usage time.
This means the earphones can only last 4 hours with audio playing in AAC format, at 80% volume level and default settings used for other features. We also noticed the left earbud drains battery sooner than the right. The same situation was seen happening when making a review for the FreeBuds Pro2 before. Further support for wired charging via USB-C port and wireless Qi is provided.
What's in the Box?
A pair of Huawei FreeClip earphones
User manual.
USB-C charging cable.
Conclusion
FreeClip can be an attractive choice among users who like lightweight open earphones. It can be used comfortably at best, as well as offering satisfactory performance. The presence of an IP54 waterproof rating makes it suitable for use in various outdoor activities. Even so, FreeClip still does not run away from shortcomings, which of course are not suitable for those who want earphones with built-in active noise cancellation. It retails at RM899 in Malaysia and can be purchased through authorized Huawei resellers now.
Advantage
Light and comfortable to use.
Different design than others in the market.
Automatic right-left recognition.
Support tethering to two devices simultaneously.
AAC, L2HC and LC3 support.
Deficiencies
No EQ settings.
Waterproof only on the earphones.
Simple battery level display.
Apps for Android need to be installed using APK.