Manufacturer Shure is mainly known to audio professionals for its studio microphones and headphones. With the Shure Aonic Free one now dares to enter the highly competitive segment of true wireless headphones. However, it does without active noise cancellation (ANC). Whether it is still enough for a top place, clarifies our Shure Aonic Free test.
Technical data
| Bluetooth version | 5.0 |
| Maximum operating range | 10m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life | Up to 7.5hrs, up to 22.5hrs total with charging case; (varies depending on volume level and audio content) |
| Charge time | 2.5 hrs. (for headphones); 1 hr. (for charging case via USB-C) |
| Size charging case (W x H x D) | 90 mm x 50 mm x 30 mm |
| Weight | 72 g (charging case & earbud); 7.0 g per earbud |
| Most important features | Transparent mode; single use |
| Price | € 8.98 * |
Shure Aonic Free review: scope of delivery
The Shure Aonic Free TWS earbuds want to stand out from the competition. This is already obvious when looking at the packaging, which just does not come in a typical square box.
Instead, the manufacturer packs its in-ear headphones in a round outer box that can even be placed on its side for our pictures thanks to two rubber feet. When we open it, we immediately notice the gigantic charging unit, but more about that later. It contains, as is usually the case by now, the two TWS in-ears.
In the box, besides the obligatory instructions, are two additional pairs of memory foam ear inserts, as well as a USB-A to USB-C charging cable that is only about 20 centimeters short.
Design and finish
The manufacturer also breaks different ground with the Shure Aonic Free in terms of design. This is already obvious at the sight of the almost gigantically large charging case. With a size of around 90 mm x 50 mm x 30 mm (length x height x depth), it turns out to be significantly larger than the collected competition and is thus anything but pocket-suitable.
Visually, the Ladeeuti’s matte-black color scheme leaves quite a sophisticated impression. Only two accentuated, glossy stripes and the manufacturer’s logo on the upper side stand out. On the front, there is a central LED that informs about the charging status. On the underside of the front, the manufacturer places the USB-C port in a notch, which can be used to charge the case.
The lid is held by a magnetic clasp that reveals a view of the in-ear headphones when opened. The manufacturer uses an oval design for the Shure Aonic Free Earbuds, which does not have the typical in-ear pins. Therefore, the earbuds are somewhat reminiscent of the excellent Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (our review).
They also turn out comparatively large with a length of around 35 mm and are among the heaviest models on the market with around 7 grams per earbud each, but this is mainly for technical reasons. But more about that later.
The microphones are located on the outside of the Earbuds, as well as a status LED. On the inside are the magnetic contacts that hold them in the charging neutron, as well as the offset area where the drivers are positioned. The futuristic look doesn’t exactly look delicate, but it stands out from the competition purely visually.
Workmanship of the Shure Aonic Free
There is hardly anything to complain about the build quality of the Shure Aonic Free. Both the earbuds and the charging case feel high-quality and come up with a successful feel that absolutely lives up to the high price.
The folding mechanism for opening and closing the charging case feels robust. However, this is only partially true for the Earbuds, because a quiet cracking noise is audible on the outside when a lot of pressure is applied. However, you have to press down hard for that, which should rarely be the case in normal use scenarios.
Shure Aonic Free: The wearing comfort
Despite the comparatively high weight and unusual design, we can attest en Earbuds in the Shure Aonic Free test a decidedly good wearing comfort. Even though they can’t quite keep up with the competition in this area, which is located in the same price segment.
The case clearly protrudes from the ear cups. Shure consequently does without earwings or other possibilities of fastening them in the ear, which would ensure the hold during fast and intensive movements. You have to rely solely on the given fit.
This can be quite convincing in practice. Even when jogging or doing sports, the Aonic Free hold reliably. This is mainly due to the comfortable memory foam ear tips, which are included in three sizes. They adapt perfectly to the user’s own ear size and also provide successful passive isolation, which makes it possible to get over the lack of a real ANC function.
Thanks to the flat design, the in-ear headphones also fit comfortably under a cap without pinching. And yet, we like the comfort of the similarly designed Bose or Sony counterparts a bit better, which fit even tighter to the ear.
Features and battery life
The Shure Aonic Free connects to audio sources via Bluetooth version 5.0, with the earbuds providing Qualcomm aptX in addition to SBC and AAC audio codecs. However, high-resolution codecs like LDAC or aptX HD are not available – which is a bit surprising due to the manufacturer’s premium claim.
Other features like Fast Pair or multipoint support are also conspicuous by their absence. Extremely unfortunate, especially in view of the high price. Thus, to connect to a second audio source, the Aonic Free must first be disconnected and then paired again.
Manufacturer Shure also speaks on the product page of a robust construction that “resists sweat.” However, there is no real IP certification as protection against water and moisture either. Just as little, a true ANC function.
For this, the earbuds of the Aonic Free can also be used individually in mono mode. If you take the second earbud back to it, a short noise informs you about the stereo sound, which is seamless without pausing the playback. Conversely, short sound dropouts occur.
Battery life of the Shure Aonic Free
However, we like the battery life of the Shure Aonic Free in the test. The manufacturer states here up to 21 hours runtime in combination with the charging case, whereby the earphones themselves should come up to seven hours.
We could even surpass these rates at a volume of around 80 percent, even if only minimally. In the end, the Earbuds’ battery test lasted around seven and a half hours, as well as almost 22.5 hours of total runtime, which makes the Aonic Free a real endurance runner.
The charging case is charged exclusively via USB Type-C, with one charging cycle taking about an hour. The earphones themselves are fully charged again in about two and a half hours. There is also a quick-charge function for this, which makes the in-ears fit for an hour of playback again with just 15 minutes in the euti.
Operating the Shure Aonic Free
Removing the Earbuds from the charging case starts the pairing process. In the process, the Shure Aonic Free are immediately recognized on both Android and iOS and are quickly ready for use. If you put the earbuds back into the case after listening to music, they are automatically turned off.
For once, the Earbuds are not operated via touch inputs, but by pressing a small button that is positioned in the center of the upper side of the Earbuds. It has a convincing pressure point and is easy to feel and operate even with inserted headphones.
We like the operating concept very much. Especially since there are many different commands available, which are triggered with a single, double or triple tap of the button on the left or right side.
By default, you can pause or resume playback, activate the ambient mode or start the respective voice assistant. Accepting or rejecting calls is also possible. In combination with the companion app, the commands can also be customized and reassigned.
It’s a bit of a shame, however, that Shure makes the use of the app virtually unavoidable. Adjusting the volume or jumping back and forth between tracks is only available when you have assigned these commands to a key combination in the app. However, if this is the case, the operating concept is completely convincing.
Audio quality of the Shure Aonic Free
Let’s get to the most important thing: How good do the Shure Aonic Free sound? In the default settings, the audio quality scores with a clear, punchy and, above all, surprisingly loud mix, although the treble takes a bit of a back seat and reveals problems with sharp S sounds.
Nevertheless, the individual frequencies are presented clearly and differentiated and stand on a wide stage with a convincing warmth. The “studio quality sound” promised by the manufacturer is mainly characterized by the fact that the bass does not come excessively to the fore.
However, bass and especially deep basses are still quite precise and direct, which results in a coherent and comparatively neutral sound especially in music genres with strong basses. However, those who are used to gimmicky, bass-tuned in-ears will have to get used to them at first. The Shure Aonic Free are less “fun”, but objectively offer the more neutral and better sound.
Even though the highs in particular are somewhat in the background without the aid of an equalizer, the Aonic Free deliver very good acoustics throughout. On the other hand, those who want a bit more brilliance in the highs and mids can accomplish this with the help of the EQ functions within the app.
Transparency mode
As already mentioned, the Shure Aonic Free do not offer an ANC function. But a transparency mode (here called ambient mode), in which especially voices from outside are additionally amplified.
The intensity of the continuous voices can be adjusted in a total of ten levels, whereby the reproduction is extremely dynamic and clear. However, the omnipresent and comparatively loud background noise is noticed negatively in the transparency mode. Especially at the highest level, this also has an impact on the playback quality. Nevertheless, the clear voice reproduction of the ambient mode stands out positively from some competitors, especially on low or medium levels.
Microphone quality
Of course, the Shure Aonic Free’s microphones are also suitable for phone calls and can score with clever features in this area. Basically, recording and reproduction of voices are always clear and dynamic, which ensures good intelligibility.
We also like the fact that the ambient mode also works for phone calls and that the penetration or suppression of ambient noise can be adjusted. The suppression, on the other hand, has a few weaknesses, because noises like street noise or typing on a keyboard are let through almost unhindered, which has a negative impact on the user’s intelligibility.
App Connectivity: ShurePlus Play App
The companion app available for the Aonic Free is the ShurePlus Play app, which is free to download on Android and iOS. It initially greets us with a firmware update after the initial setup of the in-ear headphones, which is downloaded and applied relatively quickly.
The app appears tidy and well thought-out, and we also liked the appealing design very much in the test. However, the ShurePlus Play app has a lot to offer, especially in terms of functionality.
Besides the already mentioned possibility to freely customize the operation, the app informs about the battery status or allows fine-tuning the ambient mode. Especially in terms of equalizer settings, quite a lot is offered. There are many different presets to choose from, while custom quick settings can be created.
There is also a completely manual EQ, in which the individual frequencies, as well as gain and bandwidth, can be adjusted according to your own preferences. Playback from third apps can also be conveniently controlled under the “Music” menu item. Shure collects additional plus points here due to the clear menu navigation and intuitive handling. This is what a companion app must look like.
Summary of the Shure Aonic Free
In the sum of its parts, the overall package that the Shure Aonic Free deliver convinces almost across the board. Especially the good workmanship, long battery life and the coherent audio quality could convince me in the test.
In addition, there is the first-class companion app, which is especially convincing in the area of the equalizer. Other manufacturers could take a leaf or two from its scope. The neutral and mostly successful sound image can be transformed into a really excellent sound that does not have to hide behind even the best TWS headphones.
And yet, there are a few points that piss us off in the Shure Aonic Free test. On the one hand, there is the huge, bulky charging case. However, the lack of water protection and a non-existent ANC function, which should actually be a good thing in this price range, are more serious.
The noisy transparency mode, missing HD audio codecs and non-existent features like multipoint and fast pair also prevent a rating in even higher regions. If that doesn’t bother you, you’ll get really convincing True Wireless headphones with the Shure Aonic Free, which definitely do justice to the high price.
Shure Aonic Free
Workmanship
Comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Features
Value for money
89/100
Sound-wise convincing TWS headphones with a fresh design, good workmanship and high wearing comfort, but they fall short in terms of functionality.
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