Of late, every brand is coming out with its open-ear earbuds. In particular, the clip-style truly wireless earbuds are becoming an alternative to conventional in-ear TWS earbuds. They are aimed at people who want to listen to music without shutting out their surroundings. While Noise has released earbuds of this type before under its other sub-brands, now we are getting an option from the brand’s more premium Master series. Christened the Master Buds Open, these Rs 9,999-priced earbuds combine a clip-on design with Sound by Bose technology and a set of features aimed at everyday listening.
Noise Master Buds Open is in the Digit Test Labs, and I have spent more than a couple of hours with these buds, and I have some early impressions to share with you.
The first thing that caught my attention is the jewellery-box-like case of the Master Buds Open. The disc-like element on the front is a familiar feature of Noise’s Master series, while the ‘Sound by Bose’ branding makes the company’s audio partnership visible. Both elements give the case a distinct identity without making the overall design look cluttered.
It is noticeably larger than a few other open-ear earbuds I have reviewed before. That is not necessarily a problem, but most people would prefer a case that easily disappears into a trouser or jeans pocket.
The earbuds are compact and lightweight, though. The C-bridge form factor seems sturdy but flexible enough to fit my ears. Each earbud clips around the outer ear, keeping the speaker close to the ear canal without inserting an ear tip into it. I wore it for hours and didn’t face any fatigue or discomfort.
The bridge has a matte finish while the modules share a glossy look. I like this contrast appearance, and overall, the Carbon variant (Black) looks suave, and I won’t mind wearing it out in public. You can pick the Mercury variant if you like a lighter metallic grey colour.
Looks aside, there is a physical pairing button on the bottom and a USB-C charging port on the back of the case. The company has also given IPX4 water resistance, which is some assurance against sweat. However, stronger protection, say, IP55, would have been appreciated, especially for the asking price.
So, it is appealing to the eyes, and style makes a strong first impression.
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Right from the case to the Noise Audio app and all communication touchpoints, the company highlights Sound by Bose technology. Under the hood, there is a 10.8mm custom dynamic driver, and you also get an Equalizer preset by the same name in the app. By the way, you can tweak the frequency curve to tune the sound to some extent.
The feature list also includes tap controls, Spatial Audio, dual-device connectivity, Bluetooth 5.4, and environmental noise cancellation (ENC) for calls. While you can set different functions to different tap combinations, I would have loved to see options for the Tap and Hold gesture. You can only start the AI Companion with this, and it says it can help me with Audio, news, places, etc. I’ll try and see how useful that is. Noise has also stowed in AI-based meeting transcription and summarisation.
The claimed total battery life is up to 28 hours, along with a fast-charging option.
In my initial listening, I have found the audio fairly clear and open. The ear canal-facing module offers a decent seal from ambient noise, so long as you are in a cab or office space. I will need to spend more time with different genres and listening levels before drawing a conclusion about the Master Buds Open’s overall sound quality and experience.
The Noise Master Buds Open make a good first impression with their stylish design, lightweight fit, and premium-looking finish. The earbuds felt comfortable during my initial use, although the bulky charging case takes away some of the appeal.
Noise has paired the open-ear design with Sound by Bose branding and a useful set of features. Whether this combination delivers a satisfying everyday listening experience remains to be seen. I will spend more time testing the sound across genres, call quality, battery life, and other features before drawing a final conclusion.
For now, the Master Buds Open look dressed to kill, but a closer listen will reveal whether they have the sound to take on the competition.
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Also Read: Realme Buds Clip review: A comfortable open-ear earphones under Rs 6,000