Nura, the company behind the popular $399 Nuraphone headphones, is back with a new wireless earbud model called the NuraLoop. It claims to offer many of the same benefits as the Nuraphone, only in a smaller package and at a cheaper price at $199. In fact, if you get in on the limited pre-order Nura is running until May 21, you can get them at 30% off, with free shipping when they’re ready in September.
Like the Nuraphone, the NuraLoop has the ability to automatically customize the sound based on your ability to hear different frequencies. When we got a chance to try that out for ourselves with the Nuraphone, we were impressed. Rather than being a gimmick, Nura’s personalized sound technology made a significant difference to the quality of the audio. But the Nuraphone headphones are big, and at $399 they’re more expensive than most of the contenders on our list of the best wireless headphones. If the NuraLoop delivers on its promise, it’s going to be a standout wireless earbuds product.
With the exception of the small nodule in the middle of the cord that connects the two earbuds, the NuraLoop looks like a fairly conventional set of wireless earbuds. But with Nura’s sound personalization tech — handled through an app on your smartphone — and a huge 16 hours of battery life per charge (with a quick charge option of 10 minutes for two hours), there is more here than meets the eye. The NuraLoop’s biggest improvement over its bigger sibling however, is the ability to fine-tune the level of active noise cancellation, from 100% down to nothing, depending on the situation. There is no need to fumble with your phone to do this, a touch-sensitive dial on the earbud lets you adjust accordingly, or switch straight to “social mode” which lets external conversations in.
Using Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD, the NuraLoop should be well-equipped to handle even hi-res audio wirelessly, and the sweatproof design means these earbuds won’t need to be left at home just because you’re headed out for a run or a workout.
Another intriguing feature which you simply won’t find on other wireless earbuds is a wired option. There’s an included analog cable that magnetically latches to the NuraLoop, letting you plug them into any standard 3.5mm audio jack.
