Noble Audio Osprey: Their Most Affordable True Wireless Yet

Noble Audio has always put a lot of thought and care into the designs of its earphones, and the Osprey is no exception to that. Taking the physical style from that of the Rex5, the Osprey has a grey-blue aesthetic that is subtle yet still bright. It stands out amongst some other options that stick to black and white color palettes. The Osprey is made of ultra-lightweight material to make it a comfortable fit for long listening sessions, but also to give it more durability. The plastic cover helps with sweat resistance and keeps the IEMs protected should you drop them or use them in more active environments. With an IPX4 water resistance rating, you can consider the Osprey for a potential workout earbud. Getting a good seal with an eartip will be essential in that case, but with the assortment Noble provides, you shouldn't run into any issues on that front. 

I found the Osprey to be very comfortable for long listening sessions. I used these all afternoon to soundtrack my afternoon, and they held up well to provide comfort and consistent sound all day long. The slight curve of the inside of the earphone molded well to my ear, similarly to how the Rex fits. Being that this IEM was more lightweight, I found it easier to use for longer than I could the Rex5. The nozzle is a good size for putting on third-party eartips like the Azla Xelastic II or the Strauss & Wagner SonicSil. 

How do you use the Noble Osprey? Luckily, the Osprey operates like most other true wireless devices. Like the Rex5, the Osprey has a button in the center on the inside of its charging case, so you can just hold that down to pair to your device. When I was pairing to my phone, the Osprey popped up pretty quickly on the list of available devices. Once paired, I was able to start listening immediately and navigating the controls via the touch sensors on each earbud. With the touch controls, you are able to switch between tracks, toggle ANC modes, play/pause, adjust volume, and activate Siri/Alexa. With the Noble FoKus app, you have the option to customize these controls to be most convenient for you.

The Osprey comes with active noise cancellation, which is becoming a new standard in true wireless IEMs. The noise cancellation was quite effective during my testing, allowing me to become fully immersed in my listening with ease. The microphones were sensitive in the ambient mode, so you were able to pick up on your environment if you wanted. I also appreciated how loud the Osprey got, so you got another factor that aided your musical immersion. 

Like the other true wireless IEMs from Noble, there are features you can access in the Noble FoKus app. Like some of the other true wireless earphones, there is the option for EQ presets or creating your own custom filters that you can save and call upon later. This precise tuning makes it easy to really adjust the Osprey to your liking, either accentuating or cutting out frequencies you may not want to hear. 

• Hybrid dual-driver configuration: 
  • 10mm dynamic driver
  • Custom balanced armature
• Wizard-tuned Noble Audio sound signature
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 40kHz
• Sensitivity: 104 ± 3dB at 1kHz
• Impedance: 32 Ω
• Bluetooth: 6.0
• Chipset: Airoha 1571
• Supported Codecs: SBC / AAC / LDAC
• Multipoint Connectivity
• ANC Modes: Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation + Transparency mode
• Voice Assistant Support: Siri / Google
• Precision CNC-machined aluminum charging case: 500mAh
• IPX4 water resistance
• Battery Life: 
  • ANC Off: Up to 7 hours
  • ANC On: Up to 5 hours
• 10-minute quick charge = up to 90 minutes of playback
• USB-C charging
• Noble Audio app support with EQ and OTA updates

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

Now onto the sound profile: what does the Osprey deliver at $199? When I first put these on, I was impressed with the volume and power across the sound signature. You can really get immersed in your listening with the forwardness of all the sound, especially with the cohesiveness of the profile in front of you. The signature itself was quite wide, though there wasn't a lot of separation between instruments. The Osprey's horizontal soundstage wraps around you and has fairly good imaging, so you're able to make a picture of instruments in front of you. The sound is mainly in front, creating a wall of sound that has decent height as you push more power through the earphones. The depth of the sound signature is shown through the layers, where sound expands backwards ever so slightly to create a three-dimensional sound. 

Overall, the signature has good balance, where the bass hits hard but you can still appreciate the detail of the treble. Midrange comes forward for a slight V-shape. The dynamic drivers create a thick bass response that is pretty powerful in most tracks, but the balanced armature does a lot of work in making sure the treble and midrange don't get lost in the mix. I liked this signature for its dynamic flair, edging just above something flat and analytical. It makes the Osprey a great accessory for people who want good sound to accompany them in their day-to-day.

BASS FREQUENCIES

The bass response strikes a good balance between punchy and controlled. It has a lot of power that makes the Osprey great for pop and rock tracks, but the bass stays controlled enough not to become dominating over other frequencies. Even with the noise cancelling in full effect, the bass doesn't overtake the entire signature to drown out details or main melodic elements. It stays tight and brings out tonal characteristics with better detail. The textures of low-end instruments come out strongly and don't become washed out or muddy. The Osprey makes sure all the elements are heard clearly and allows you to adjust as needed. If you're a fan of really punchy bass, you may want to boost this range up a little bit. If you like a more controlled and supportive bass, the Osprey will definitely be up your alley. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

IN the Osprey's midrange, you're able to appreciate all the finer details of instruments and discern their timbres and textures. The midrange pushes slightly to the front to highlight main instrumental melodies and puts a spotlight on vocals. The Osprey does a great job in layering the different elements in a track to make them work in harmony together, as the separation isn't as distinct as some other Noble Audio IEMs. You get to appreciate the imaging that the Osprey provides in the midrange and how it complements the natural sound reproduction. Instruments are easy to recognize and flow seamlessly together, so while there isn't a lot of separation, there is good cohesion that feels natural and purposeful.  

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

The treble section of the Osprey is light and bright. It hits sharp notes and makes details all the more accentuated, carrying all the way to the bass response. The treble works overtime to clean up the signature and make the instrument reproduction tighter and more realistic, all while opening up the ultra-highs. The soundstage gets dramatically taller with the addition of the high-end response, and the Osprey feels much lighter with the color and air it adds to the signature. Without it, the level of detail and clarity the Osprey provides would be much lower. You can appreciate larger orchestras and the spaces they are recorded in. 

The Osprey is not the first in the Noble Audio true wireless lineup, but it is the first that dips below the $200 mark. Physically, you'll find the most similarity between the Osprey and the Rex5, with the Osprey in its blue-grey color scheme and the Rex5 in either green or black with gold accents. In terms of their sonic qualities, the Rex5 provides a more balanced and separated sound signature. The Osprey is a little more cohesive, especially in the midrange, but it still provides a good amount of detail. You might compare it to the previous lowest-priced IEM, the Amadeus, though the Amadeus is very bass-heavy and has a larger shell. If you prefer a more universal fit that isn't as invasive, the Osprey presents a better value. 

At the same price point, you'll see mostly models by JBL. The Live Free 2 and the Quantum TWS gaming earbuds are similar models that share many of the same features. Noble Audio has a more refined sound signature and some additional in-app features that JBL doesn't have. Other true wireless earphones with the same features would be the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 TWS or the Sony WF-1000XM6. These earphones retail for $299.95 and $329.95, respectively, which is $100 over the cost of the Osprey. This makes the Osprey a better valued choice for people looking for high-quality features at a better price. 

The Noble Audio Osprey true wireless earbuds are really batting above their weight. The sound is smooth and powerful, making it a great everyday accessory. The plastic coating is suitable for all use cases, so you can take this for all your day-to-day activities. The price may make it seem like it's not as high quality, especially since their previous models retail for double the price, if not more. The Osprey offers incredible value and can deliver hi-fi sound for a fraction of the cost of the competition. 

The Noble Audio Osprey is available at Audio46.