Sudio E2 is the latest TWS earphones of the Swedish audio manufacturer. It succeeds the popular Sudio ETT; and while the company is changing its naming convention on its TWS line, we could still see the striking resemblance of both earphones in terms of design and performance.
Sudio E2 Review
On paper, the Sudio E2 promises a lot of niceties, including the popular ANC features and now the Dirac Virtuo spatial sound. The latter optimizes sound quality to have a three dimensional effect - a feature similar to Apple's Spatial Audio. We got the chance to test the Sudio E2, and if you're toying with the idea of upgrading your TWS, join us in this review.
Review Summary:
Pros
- Hybrid ANC is great in preserving soundstage
- Excellent audio quality for a TWS
- Solid battery life
- Dirac Virtuo is amazing in giving three dimensional sound
Cons
- Fit is quite off making the earbud fall or loosen its ability to snug on the ear.
- Touch control is a fingerprint magnet.
Pros
- Hybrid ANC is great in preserving soundstage
- Excellent audio quality for a TWS
- Solid battery life
- Dirac Virtuo is amazing in giving three dimensional sound
Cons
- Fit is quite off making the earbud fall or loosen its ability to snug on the ear.
- Touch control is a fingerprint magnet.
What's in the box?
Before we jump into the actual review, let's try to check what's inside the Sudio E2 package.
First of all, it's worth noting that the Sudio E2 is bundled with a Sudio Ladd+ wireless charging pad. It's a 9-watt charging pad that can charge your Qi-compatible TWS earbuds and even your smartphones. Meanwhile, the Sudio E2 retail box includes the main unit, 5 pairs of ear tips in different sizes, a microfiber cloth, paperworks like the manual, and a USB-C cable.
Design
The Sudio E2 adopts the rectangular case design with curved corners - only that the base is flat. This makes the case freestanding on its own. This upright stance is also the default position when charging the case.
It still comes with a silky-rubber matte finish which I gravitate to. There's a single LED indicator on the front; while both the USB-C port and the function button are at the back. Unlike the ETT, we don't have a leather strap or any part of the case that we can attach a lanyard to. And just like what we wanted, the lid snaps with a satisfactory sound.
The "stem" designed earphones mimic the finish of the case; we could tell that they come from the same melting pot when we talk about build and material. We have the Electric Grey colorway which exudes a subdue charcoal appeal. The earbuds feature two microphone slits and a coned oval-shaped touch sensor.
Going back to the controls, its finish is different from the rest of the earbuds' body. It is made of plastic with a shiny finish. It also has a different color tone - more like a metallic Orchid Smoke color - which goes very well with Electric Grey. You can see some fingerprints in the touch control if you're being nitpicky.
The charging contacts at the bottom of the stem also has the same color as the touch controls.
Controls and Fit
Since the Sudio E2 does not have a companion app, all the functions and controls are done with the touch panel. In music mode, long pressing the left earbuds for 2 seconds will turn the Dirac spatial audio ON/OFF. Likewise, long pressing the right earbuds for 2 seconds will toggle ANC, Hybrid ANC, and Transparency mode.
UPDATE: Sudio has now an app available on Google Play and Apple App Store, the Sudio Personal Sound App, allowing you to toggle thru listening modes and edit equalizer for the flagship Sudio E2 and more.
Here are the other functions:
Music Mode
- Single Tap L/R - Play and Pause
- Double Tap L - Previous Track
- Double Tap R - Next Track
- Triple Tap L - Volume Down
- Triple Tap R - Volume Up
Calling
- Single Tap L/R - Answer Calls
- Long Press L/R - Reject Calls
Pairing the Sudio E2 is just a walk in the park. Once you have opened the case, the E2 will automatically be discoverable. Likewise, you can pair it by long pressing the function button for 5 seconds.
Touch controls and buttons on the Sudio E2 are sensitive and tactile enough to let you control the earbuds with ease. I had no issues skipping tracks and cranking the volume up and down.
The Sudio E2 is above average in terms of size; its main body - the section where the driver is enclosed - is slightly bigger than most of its competitors (say the AirPods Pro). However, this does not mean that it's uncomfortable on the ears. In fact, I love the feel of the E2; I had lengthy sessions with the earbuds on my ears and they're quite good in long time usage.
I have to say that I had multiple experiences with the earbud falling from my ear when I tried HIIT workouts. I tried swapping the default ear tips (size M) to the largest size, XL, but still experienced the same issue. This had me adjust the earbud to snug into my ear most of the time. However, if I'm just doing runs or walks, the earbuds remain snugged on my ears. This goes to show that if you're doing agility-based workouts, you need to be weary of your earbuds.
Performance
Performance-wise, I could definitely say that the Sudio E2 is the one to beat when it comes to audio quality in this segment. It has a very broad and solid soundstage which inclines more on Highs and Mids. The Lows are also defined. I played IKON's Dive and found out that the Sudio E2 registers musical instruments especially strings and percussions very well.
Playing Carlos Santana's The Game of Love feat. Michelle Branch, a track that is rich of sound and vocal elements, makes the brass instruments and guitar rifts sound rich and flavorful. The overall bass is also appealing as well as the treble. Of course, the vocals are always on point; amidst the busy track, it doesn't get drowned in the background.
The Active Noise Cancellation feature effectively blocks unwanted noise. On the other hand, the Hybrid ANC is a feature that allows E2 to crank up the ANC capability by using feedback and feedforward microphones that are placed inside and outside the earbuds. In turn, this suppresses noise more accurately at a wider range of frequencies. I'm also quite surprised how the Sudio E2 preserves the quality of soundstage even when these features are activated. The earphones also support Transparency mode which is very useful if you're using the E2 for outside runs or walks.
Compression-decompression (Codec) technology used in the Sudio E2 is still SBC just like the ETT. For the uninitiated, the Codec technology determines the efficiency on how digital audio is transferred from your phone to your earphones via Bluetooth. Since this is a flagship TWS, I was expecting an AAC codec (just like what AirPods Pro uses), or even aptX.
When it comes to voice calls, the Sudio E2 is a winner. The excellent quality is due to the three microphones installed in each earbud. Both the receiver and user experience great audio quality. Due to this, we can say that the E2 is also a great companion for online meetings and calls.
Battery Life
The Sudio E2 has a solid battery life. On paper, it can stretch up to 30 hours (earbuds + case, ANC off), or 25 hours (earbuds + case, ANC off) if Dirac Virtuo Spatial Sound is turned on. On a single charge, the earbuds will have 6.5 hours (ANC off) of battery life and 5.5 hours (ANC off) if the Dirac Virtuo is on.
On the other hand, you'll get 20 hours (earbuds + case, ANC On); and 18 hours (earbuds + case, ANC On) if the Dirac Virtuo is also turned on. Earbuds will have 4.4 hours (ANC on) and 4 hours (ANC on) if Dirac Virtuo spatial sound is on. We recorded similar figures in our real-time battery test.
Verdict: Should You Buy The Sudio E2
The Sudio E2 is definitely worth considering if you're looking for a premium earbuds with almost all the latest and greatest feature a TWS earphones can have - amazing audio experience, spatial sound, premium design and build, wireless charging, solid battery life.
Though we have certain issues about the fit, it was never a blocker in terms of comfort and overall appeal of the TWS earbuds. At Php 7,000, the Sudio E2 is easy to recommend, and suits well as an AirPods Pro alternative.
Get the Sudio E2 and Ladd+ wireless charger bundle with 15% discount if you use our code PMGSUDIOE2.
Related:
Sudio E2 Specs
- Driver type: Dynamic
- Buttons: Touch panel
- Type: In ear - True Wireless
- Microphones: 3 per side - 6 in total
- Weight: Earphone: 5g, Charging case: 41g, Together: 51g
- Water protection level: IPX4
- Compatibility: Android, iOS, Mac OS, Windows, Linux
- Wireless charging: Yes
- Quick charge: 10 minutes for 2 hours
- Time to full charge (min): Earphones: 60 min, Charging case: 60 min, Both together: 60 minutes
- Driver size: 10mm
- Impedance: 16Ω
- Sensitivity: 99dB @1.0KHz
- Wireless: Yes
- Bluetooth version: 5.2
- Range: 10 m
- Bluetooth codec: SBC
- Charging type: USB + Wireless
- USB contact type: Type-C (USB-C)
- P7,000 Official Price in the Philippines