OPPO Enco X Review: Great ANC, Lives Up to Dynaudio Name
October 22, 2021A relative newcomer to the scene, OPPO’s Enco X is taking aim at the big guns
Type: Wireless
Functionally: Bluetooth BT 5.2, wireless charging
Colour: Black, White, Blue
Battery Life: less than 5h Talk-Time 20 (ANC ON) / 6.5h Talk-Time 29h (ANC OFF)
Active Noise Cancelling: Yes
Water & Dust Resistance: IP54
Rating: 9/10
Weight: 4.8g Each Buds (42.5g case)
Price: RM499.00
The formula to create a great pair of earphones is quite simple. It needs to be compact and easy to carry, offer decent battery life while retaining good acoustic properties. OPPO’s Enco X tries to deliver on all these fronts. It’s the Chinese manufacturer’s attempt at taking on more established brands on their home turf.
First off, the carrying case. It’s shaped like a miniature pouch with similarly flat sides. The slim profile makes it ideal for being stored in one’s pants pocket. Unlike many of its competitors, the Enco X doesn’t create a bulge that protrudes quite prominently as it threatens to come bursting out of said pocket.
It’s one of several qualms that I have with modern wireless earbuds, and which is why I choose to store them in my backpack instead of my shirt or pants pocket. This isn’t so with the Enco X, they slip comfortably into any pocket, disappearing from sight and mind. It’s very light to carry, even when the earbuds are stored in it.
Enco X Case
The Looks
OPPO has chosen to stick with the bud and stem approach with regard to design. As such, the pill-shaped head tapers toward the center as it forms the stem. They are sculpted as such to match the contours of the ears thus forming an anchor once the earbuds are pushed in place to form a good seal.
You’re given three sets of silicone earbuds to choose from. They differ in shape and hardness level, so there’s a good chance that at least one pair will be a good fit for you. Once in place, they work with the stem as a counterbalance to ensure that they remain firmly planted, regardless of how vigorously you choose to shake your head.
Throughout my time reviewing the Enco X, neither earbud has ever fallen out or threatened to do so. Weighing just 4.8g each, they tend to stay put throughout the day. Over several hours of use, the silicone eartips may come loose, but not by much. Since only the stem is touch-sensitive, holding an earbud’s head to reseat it won’t disrupt your music or end a call.
If you choose to remove an earbud or if it falls off your ear, the music immediately pauses. Once it’s reseated, the music resumes automatically. The Enco X earbuds are quick to respond when they sense movement but you need to be deliberate when taking one of them off.
The stems are where the touch-sensitive sensors are kept. Tap twice on the right one to skip to the next song. Repeating the same action on the left one tells your smartphone to return to the previous track. To increase the volume incrementally, touch the stem at the bottom, then gradually slide your finger upwards. If you want to reduce the volume, you’ll need to do the exact opposite action.
It’s only when you graze your index finger against the stem’s surface, do the earbuds spring to action, and acknowledge your command. The texture feels smooth to the touch, making gesture control a pleasant affair.
ANC Performance
Tap on either one and hold for two seconds to toggle between ‘max’ noise-cancelling or transparency mode. The ANC is very aggressive at blocking wind noise and other low pitch ambient sounds. They are so effective, that once enabled, the room becomes deathly silent. The experience is akin to shoving a pair of earplugs into your ears.
In transparency mode, the Enco X allows ambient sounds in, along with a little white noise (subtle). You’re kept aware of everything taking place around you, including the sound of a leaky faucet a meter or two away. It’s good but not perfect.
OPPO boasts that its dual-core processor works with dual-microphones to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. This in turn helps to boost the efficiency of the ANC. As a former skeptic, I can say without question, that said claim is valid. Most of the mid and low-frequency ambient noises are kept isolated.
However, the more intense ones with a higher pitch will make it past the ANC, slightly. This includes the blaring of car horns, the clattering of cutlery as they hit the floor and the sudden thud felt when a door is banged shut. This is a testament to the effectiveness of OPPO’s tech. But praise also has to go to Dynaudio.
The Danish firm was roped into developing the ENCO X with OPPO, and the result speaks for itself. Inside each earbud, are a coaxial dual-driver system. This consists of a magnetic balanced membrane sitting at the front to handle high frequencies, and a triple-layer composite driver at the back that deals with middle and low frequencies.
Credit: OPPO
It’s a sophisticated system that is uncommon for a pair of wireless earbuds. It’s OPPO’s way of telling us that they’re serious about the music business. That’s why they have also incorporated tech called LHDC that helps to retain more details that are usually lost due to wireless transmission of music sent from your phone to the earbuds. This, the company says, results in richer and clearer sounds.
I consider myself a casual music listener who appreciates a clear and unmuffled delivery. And to me, the Enco X meets these criteria. The acoustic performance that the earbuds exhibit is worthy of praise. Tuned for clarity and a subtle but effective helping of bass, they are suitable for most music genres with the exception being hip-hop.
It lacks the “oomph” needed to truly enjoy music from the likes of DMX, N.W.A and Warren G (forgive me, I’m old school). The delivery is decent but not as good as similarly priced competitors. The issue is compounded by the fact that there isn’t a proper app for non-OPPO phones with which one could use to manually alter the EQ settings to suit their preference.
What App Do You Use?
Instead, you’ll need to download the HeyMelody app by Hey Tap to gain some control over your Enco X functionality. With it, you can install firmware updates, adjust touch controls, toggle Noise cancellation between max, normal, transparency mode and completely off. Instead of double-tapping to skip songs, you can choose to assign that function to play/pause or do nothing. There’s also a test to measure fitment.
The same is true of Long Press 2s & 3s as well as triple tapping (voice assistant or do nothing). You can assign functions individually to the left and right earbud, which is cool! However, this still doesn’t make up for the lack of EQ adjustments. Instead, you’re given the option to choose between Default, Dynaudio Simple & Clear and Dynaudio Warm & Soft.
Differences between the three EQ settings are a little difficult to distinguish. Default seems to muzzle the output, so ignore it. Simple & Clear lives up to its name because audio clarity and intensity seem to be the best. Warm & Soft dilutes the overall output, which should be suitable for instrumental music, but little else.
I wish that OPPO offered a few more EQ presets tailored to match the most popular music genres. The Enco X drivers are definitely up to the task, but sadly we will never know their true potential. Dynaudio has definitely done a fantastic job, I just wish they offered an option to boost the bass a little.
Speaking of redundant options, the Hey Melody app allows you to toggle between Max Noise Cancellation and Noise Cancellation. Why would you want to switch between 50% and 100% ANC? If I enable active noise cancellation, it’s to immerse myself with an unhindered music listening experience.
Switching ANC off completely reduces the Enco X to being traditional earbuds. The sound is still good but isn’t as immersive as the effect of having Max Noise Cancellation on. This, I believe, encompasses the entire appeal of OPPO’s earbuds, and the selling point for most budget-conscious buyers.
On average you should get between 3.5 to 4 hours of playback on a single charge. If the carrying case is fully charged, it can offer about 20 hours of additional power. On the side of said carrying case is a little button that can be used to pair the Enco X with any phone. A minuscule indicator light on the front of the case and inner compartment alert you to the current battery charge.
Should You Buy This?
I would buy a pair. At RM499 it’s an absolute steal solely based on its ANC functionality. The sound quality is an added bonus. The aggressiveness of its filtration is worthy of praise. Even if you choose not to listen to music, it can still make you feel as though you’re in a room by yourself despite being surrounded by noisy people.
The Enco X is best suited to people who enjoy instrumental, pop, jazz and reggae music. The sound reproduction is fairly accurate, though the reverb properties could have been better. If you’re into Rhythm & Blues or Hip Hop, these aren’t the earbuds for you. But then again, I wouldn’t expect anything else from Dynaudio, their equipment caters to the demands of a certain demographic, which includes myself.
