Every time I get an affordable or mid-range pair of earbuds, I am curious how they stand out. The titular Noise Master Buds 2, launched a few weeks ago in India, at an introductory price tag of Rs 7,999, featuring Sound by Bose tuning, LHDC high-res audio support, adaptive ANC rated up to 51dB, spatial audio with head tracking and a distinct design. Well, the predecessor, the Master Buds, also has many of these features and specs. However, some differences are very obvious right away, and during my review time, I wanted to see how well they come together in actual use. Let’s see if they hold up to the ambitious Master tag.
A distinctive case and comfortable earbuds
Noise Master Buds 2 has a case that looks similar to the predecessor, but it is still distinct from other TWS earbud cases. Shape-wise, it is a half-rounded square with the flat top portion as the lid and the USB-C port on the rounded bottom. There is a Noise logo along with Sound by Bose branding on its head.
Our review unit’s Carbon (black/dark grey) colour with the metal paint finish offers a sophisticated look. You can also pick them in Mercury (silver) and Aurum (golden) colours.
On the front, there is a circular metal disc with an LED strip positioned at 1 o’clock. That LED tells you the active, charging and pairing state. The disc isn’t mechanical and doesn’t offer any functional value. It is just there for a look, which is the signature of Noise’s Master series.
The case is made out of plastic but feels decently solid. It can be slid into jeans or a jacket pocket, but there will be a slight bulge.
Opening the lid reveals the earbuds sitting neatly in their slots. The hinge feels sturdy, and the magnets hold the earbuds securely in place while charging.
The earbuds themselves follow a familiar stem-style in-ear design. They are lightweight, weighing around 5.2 grams each, which makes them comfortable for extended listening sessions. Noise includes interchangeable silicone ear tips and ear wings in the box. After trying a couple of combinations, I settled on a fit that felt secure enough for use in the office, metro, and home. However, the ear wings tend to slip out of position over time. When that happens, the earbuds lose their secure fit and do not sit properly in the ears. It also makes placing them back into the case slightly inconvenient, as they do not align easily with the charging cavities. Because of this, the ear wings feel like a hassle at times.
Still and all, when they stayed put in my ears, I could continue wearing them for hours without noticeable fatigue. So, good points for that. And like the predecessor, these are also IPX5 water-resistant. So, they can withstand heavy rain, splashes, and sweat. Just don’t submerge them in water.
Decent connectivity and controls with some quirks
Pairing the Noise Master Buds 2 is straightforward thanks to Google Fast Pair support. When you open the case near an Android phone, a prompt appears automatically to connect the earbuds. This makes the initial setup quick and convenient. By the way, I also didn’t have any problem connecting it to my MacBook and iPhone.
Speaking of which, thanks to dual-device connectivity, I could easily switch between all these devices. But the audio handoff or routing doesn’t always work as intended. Occasionally, audio would wrongly play from one of these devices’ speakers instead of the earbuds.
The earbuds also paused audio or video on their own a few times, without any input from me. Not sure about the reason.
The Noise earbuds also support in-ear detection. This did work as expected, though. You have to enable this in the companion app.
Another feature that has to be manually enabled is Motion Control. For this, the earbuds use a built-in six-axis IMU sensor to detect head movements. It is meant to allow you to control playback or answer calls by nodding or shaking your head. But it didn’t work for me, and I toggled it off.
So, I relied on touch controls instead. You can personalise them to a great extent. You see, I couldn’t always register the triple-tap to change playback to the previous or next track. So, I set this function to a double-tap sequence. Likewise, you can set your preferred controls.
The Noise Audio app is central to managing many of these features. Through the app, you can toggle ANC modes, adjust the equaliser, enable spatial audio, configure touch gestures, and locate misplaced earbuds using the Find My Device feature.
The app interface looks modern and is fairly simple and easy to navigate. The built-in AI assistant worked well in my test. I only asked about the weather conditions and what to wear. It answered promptly and was actively responding to my follow-up queries. Moreover, you can anytime call the device assistant like Gemini and get responses through that. Sweet!
Clear vocals, clean tuning
The Noise Master Buds 2 use a custom 10mm dynamic driver made from a PU and PEEK composite material. According to the company, this combination is designed to reduce distortion and improve efficiency. They support LHDC 5.0 Hi-Res audio and can provide 24-bit/96kHz streaming over Bluetooth.
Noise has also partnered with Bose for sound tuning. I used the earbuds in the Sound by Bose EQ profile only. I was listening mostly at 60-80% volume with ANC on. I used a pair of OnePlus earbuds in the sub-Rs 7,000 price range for comparable testing. The Noise earbuds aren’t as loud as the OnePlus pair.
The bass is present with ample oomph and rumble. But, while listening to Ari Ari from Dhurandhar 2, I noticed the beats and drops in the track sounded tighter and fuller in the OnePlus pair. But as a standalone pair, Master Buds 2 can give you an enjoyable time in pop and electronic tracks.
The vocals are clear and forward. This could come in handy when listening to songs, podcasts, dialogue-heavy movies, etc. The instruments were also clear, although sometimes they felt thin. This is evident in the presentation of violin strings in Stumble Then Rise by Silver Mt Zion. In this track, the high notes are also very audible.
In similar tracks with complex instrument play, sounds start to feel compressed together. But considering the price they are coming for, that’s not a biggie.
Last but not least, Noise has added another special feature for its Master series users within the Noise Audio app: Spatial audio with head tracking. They give you a feeling of audio anchored to the source device. It is fun, but I don’t enjoy listening like that for long. But you may like it. I’d say it is worth trying for the curiosity alone.
Reasonable ANC and call quality
The Master Buds 2 offer adaptive active noise cancellation rated at up to 51dB. The adaptive mode works, but I chose to use the Max ANC setting because the adaptive mode kept changing the noise cancellation in a distracting way.
I wore it in the office, at home, while commuting in the metro, in auto rickshaws, and the ANC on the Buds 2 performs quite well for everyday environments. It does not completely eliminate all sound, especially sudden or sharp noises, but it significantly lowers the overall noise level. And that is what I want from an ANC earbud.
I can’t share the same satisfaction with Transparency mode. It allows outside sound to pass, more than the Noise Cancellation Off mode, but the sound wasn’t very natural. I used it to stay aware of my surroundings, on less busy roads, but didn’t feel like using it for long.
As for calls, the experience was fine. Both parties could hear each other clearly, and the six-mic system with ENC algorithms does a good job of filtering out moderate background noise.
Battery life and charging
With ANC off, the earbuds lasted around 6.5 hours in our battery drain test. The music was continuously playing at 80% volume on my Galaxy S23 (source device). With the case, the brand claims around 30 hours of playtime. The mileage would vary if you use ANC.
Still at moderate volume, I figure you could comfortably get through most of a workday without worrying about battery life.
The earbuds also support fast charging. A full 0 to 100 top-up is rated to take around 1.5 hours. The company also says a quick 10-minute charge can provide up to six hours of playback with ANC off.
The charging case uses a USB Type-C port, in case you are wondering.
Should you buy Noise Master Buds 2?
The Noise Master Buds 2 try to do a lot, and to some extent, they succeed. After using them across work, commute, and casual listening, they come across as a fairly well-rounded pair, but not without a few rough edges.
They are comfortable to wear for long hours, the design stands out without being gaudy, the app gives enough controls and features without feeling complicated, and battery life is reliable. The sound is clean with clear vocals, instrument separation, decent bass, and high notes. It works for casual listening to music, podcasts, and movies in your everyday life. ANC is also effective enough for daily office noise and commuting.
But as I spent more time with them, a few issues started to show. The ear wings shift out of place, which affects both fit and ease of putting the buds back into the case. Dual-device connectivity is useful, but the audio handoff is not always consistent. Some features, like Motion Control, do not add much in real use. The sound, while clean, can feel thin and less energetic.
These are not major drawbacks, but they become more noticeable at the Rs 7,999 price. Also note that this is an introductory price, so the cost may go up later. So, the Master Buds 2 make sense if you like the design, want a comfortable pair with useful features, and are fine paying around this price.
Keep reading Digit.in for similar reviews.
Also Read: Realme Buds Air 8 review: Safe and sensible TWS under Rs 4,000
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G. S. Vasan
G.S. Vasan is the chief copy editor at Digit, where he leads coverage of TVs and audio. His work spans reviews, news, features, and maintaining key content pages. Before joining Digit, he worked with publications like Smartprix and 91mobiles, bringing over six years of experience in tech journalism. His articles reflect both his expertise and passion for technology. View Full Profile
