The audio hobby is weird. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on the price-to-sound-quality ratio of a brand, they mess things up by giving you an excellent-sounding model that’s affordable too.
That’s what’s happened with Noble Osprey, which has become my go-to recommendation for a true wireless stereo (TWS) at $200.
In many ways, the Osprey is a terrible release for Noble. Not because it’s bad, but because it’s so good – it highlights weaknesses of many of the more expensive releases in the Noble stable.
After weeks of use, I think the Osprey sounds better than the $320 Noble FoKus Amadeus and the $449 Noble FoKus Rex 5 – both excellent earphones.
But how is this possible? And knowing this, where does the Noble Osprey sit in my list of the best budget IEMs? (Spoiler: as long as the $30 Moondrop Space Travel 2 exists, it doesn’t quite make it).
Noble Osprey vs Noble FoKus Rex 5
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Although Noble has made 15 wireless earphones since 2019, it’s only recently that things started popping off for the audiophile brand in this department. Last year it released the FoKus Rex 5, one of the most expensive of their TWS offerings. And although I enjoyed using it, the Osprey has simply blown it out of the water.
But why? It’s not the spec sheet – the Rex 5 wins that battle. It’s a ‘tribrid’ model with 5 drivers: one 10mm dynamic driver, one planar magnetic and three balanced armatures. The Osprey is merely a hybrid, with two drivers: a 10mm dynamic driver and a balanced armature driver. (Things are more equal when it comes to battery life – both boast 5 hours with ANC and 7 without; but the Osprey features Bluetooth 6.0 whereas the Rex 5 has Bluetooth 5.4).
So, if the driver count is important to you, then there you go. I rely far more on my ears and the stock tuning of an earphone than what it should sound like due to its lack or abundance of drivers. Speaking of which…
The stock sound of the Osprey is a very enjoyable, balanced V-shape that brings energy and excitement to music while also offering those micro details that are often shorthand for a true ‘audiophile’ tuning.
Where the Rex 5 sounds a bit bloated with its domineering sub-bass, the Osprey gives a bass boost that is matched by a focus on upper mids (vocals), and a well-extended treble, which never reaches the heights of sibilance. This all comes across as clean, clear and transparent – things sound normal, not forced or pumped up too much.
In comparison, the stock sound of the Rex 5 has an upper mid/lower treble peak that makes instruments like high-hats sound compressed and strained. The Rex 5 presents vocals with a bit of graininess and wood instruments have an edge to them. And while that’s definitely engaging, it’s a colouration some people will like, and others won’t.
The Osprey just sounds more ‘normal’ and so I think more people will enjoy its stock sound. And that’s important, because a lot of people won’t even open the app, let alone play with the 10-band EQ that’s available for all three of these earphones. However, if you do, their stock sounds become somewhat academic, as there are enough EQ options to make them all sound very similar… so why are we paying over twice the price for the Rex 5 again?!
This is the nail in the coffin for the Rex 5, for me. I prefer the out-of-the-box sound of the Osprey, but even if I didn’t, with EQ I can elevate the upper mids and bass of the Osprey to get close to the Rex 5 sound (should I want to. Which I don’t).
Noble Osprey vs Noble FoKus Amadeus
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The FoKus Amadeus is again more balanced than the Rex 5, but I’m not going to be recommending it, as it has a fundamental flaw – it’s so much quieter than the other two earphones.
To match a reasonable volume that I get with the Osprey, the Amadeus is practically hitting its head on the volume ceiling. Now, I’m not suggesting that anyone should be blasting out music at high volumes, but it is good to have plenty of headroom should a track demand a bit more juice. And you simply don’t get that from the Amadeus.
However, if you don’t care about any of that, I still prefer Osprey’s tuning. Sure, I found vocals more intimate with the Amadeus, but Osprey sounds clearer with better imaging than its more expensive sibling. The Osprey, again, is more balanced, and I hear individual instruments and vocals with more clarity than both the other earphones.
Of course, audio is highly subjective, and you might hear these three earphones differently to me. But with the 10-band EQ, I still think you would be able to make them all sound very similar to each other, and as they are all very similar in battery life and comfort, there’s not enough reason to spend more money on the Rex 5 or the Amadeus.
The Osprey is an excellent audiophile earphone that’s disrupted not only the TWS market, but Noble’s own lineup as well.
