Oppo Enco M31 Wireless Earphones Review: OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z killer?

Price: Rs 1,999 to Rs 2,499 Rating: 4.3/5  Just days after the release of the **OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z (Review)** , I heard murmurs about a pair of wireless earphones from Oppo that could give the Z a run for its money. I had also heard about Oppo’s glorious past as an audio equipment maker, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to test any of their audio products. All these factors had my curiosity peaking, and without further delay, I got a unit of the Oppo Enco M31 wireless earphones for review. After having used it for a reasonable length of time, I can judge it against the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z – the newest, most buzz-worthy entrant in this category. [caption id=“attachment_8668021” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Oppo Enco M31 earbuds[/caption]

Oppo Enco M31 - Build, design and features: 8.5/10

There is nothing striking about the Oppo Enco M31 design but nothing gaudy either (in the black variant, at least). You get fairly standard-looking neckband style wireless earphones in an all-black body, with a smooth matte finish and a bit of metallic glossy lining on the battery modules and at the back of the earbuds. If you like it more vibrant, you can get a green and yellow combination in this model. I personally prefer them in black. The inline control pod is placed on the left battery module, rather than on the earphone cable. The placement may seem a bit odd if you are used to cable controls like in the case of the Bullets Wireless Z, but you quickly get used to this scheme. It has volume control keys and a multifunctional button that can be used to play/pause tracks, answer/end calls and switch between Balanced and Bass mode (more on that in the performance section). You can jump to the next or previous track by keeping the volume up or down key pressed for two seconds; I like this method better than triple click. [caption id=“attachment_8668041” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] The inline control pod is placed on the left battery module, rather than on the earphone cable.[/caption] A Type-C USB port is placed on the left battery module along with a tiny multi-coloured LED, which glows red when low on battery and green otherwise. As in the case of OnePlus, these earbuds have magnetic tips at the back that act as a power On/Off switch for the device (Off when stuck together and On when separated). Make sure they do not accidentally separate when not in use, else they will connect to the source device and drain a bit of battery. The similarities don’t end there, these earphones have a 9.2 mm dynamic drivers in each of the buds, just like the Z. Coincidence, you think? Just like the Z, the Oppo Enco M31 isn’t compliant with Qualcomm’s AptX or AptX HD codecs either, but it does one better by supporting LDAC codecs that are capable of delivering higher throughput as compared to even AptX HD. Unfortunately, not all devices support that codec, and if that’s the case with your device, you will have to make do with AAC or SBC. To keep the costs in check, the company hasn’t bundled any carry pouch with these earphones.

Oppo Enco M31 - Comfort: 8/10

The Oppo Enco M31 is even lighter than the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z and weighs just 22 grams. You barely feel their presence around your neck, courtesy of a skin-friendly liquid silicone rubber neckband. The oval shaped in-ear monitors fit nicely into the ear without any discomfort with medium sized silicone tips (in my case), and they do not pop out even during jogs. Though the passive noise isolation isn’t perfect with either of the three pairs of bundled eartips, the mid-sized tips offer a better seal from surrounding noise than what you get with the Z. [caption id=“attachment_8668051” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] You barely feel their presence around your neck, courtesy of a skin-friendly liquid silicone rubber neckband.[/caption] The placement of inline controls feels a little off initially, but you will get used to it. OnePlus does a better job in this department. Also, if you are observant, there are different indentations on each of the buttons to help you press the right key without having to look. These earphones are IPX5 rated sweat and splash resistant, so you can carry them to the gym or in a light drizzle without having to worry about them being damaged.

Oppo Enco M31 - Performance: 9/10

This is one department where this Oppo pair races ahead of the Bullets Wireless Z. The only area where it lags behind is loudness; the M31 isn’t as loud as most other wireless neckbands I have tested. You will need to push the volume up close to 90% for normal operation, something most earphones manage below the 70% mark. But more importantly, they get the job done with enough clarity and punch before you hit the peak, even when using them outdoors. Thankfully, they don’t crack even at full volume. The bass here isn’t as pronounced as in case of the Z but other frequencies are given equal importance and feel a lot more defined. The mids are quite crisp, with ample clarity in the vocals and more than decent instrument separation; something you rarely get in wireless earphones in this price range. The highs are sharp with a good amount of sparkle without being sibilant, something that was missing in the Bullets Wireless Z. The sound stage is noticeably better too, though not as broad as certain earphones that sell for twice or thrice its price. Though the bass isn’t boosted here, by no means is it inadequate. It is tight with the right amount of thump, and there is a wonderful balance in the overall sound (in the aptly titled Balanced mode) with ample detail that’s really hard to find in this budget. But sound is a subjective matter, and those who prefer extra bass in their music may find the overall sound signature of the Oppo Enco M31 a tad bright. But worry not, the company has you covered too. All you need to do is double press the multifunction key and switch to ‘Bass’ mode. This mode boosts the low-end frequencies significantly. A bit too much for my liking, but bassheads will not mind. It does produce a more enjoyable sound when listening to certain dance numbers or bollywood tracks, but for the better part, I would suggest sticking to the ‘Balanced’ mode, which you can get back to by double-clicking the multifunction key again. The Oppo Enco M31 is Bluetooth 5.0 compliant and pairing it with compatible devices was quick and simple. No major issues with the Bluetooth range either; this pair manages to retain a solid connection over 10 metres with a clear line of sight. With a concrete wall in between the source and the listener, it drops to about half. Not something one needs to worry about as long as the source device is in the same room as you.

Oppo Enco M31 - Call quality: 9/10

The call quality is quite impressive on this pair. The person on the line was clearly audible and I was heard loud and clear by the other person too. The voice doesn’t feel boomy or metallic and is close to what you get when using the phone microphone. In fact, I was told that on occasion it was even clearer than that. Noise cancellation isn’t bad either, and not much of ambient noise could be heard by the other person when using the M31 outdoors.

Oppo Enco M31 - Battery life: 7.5/10

This is one area where the M31 cannot match up to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z; it doesn’t even come close. The M31 has a rated battery backup of 12 hours when not using LDAC, and 8 hours with LDAC. Under a standard usage scenario with LDAC always on, the earphones lasted a little over 9 hours with approximately three hours of daily listening. On AAC or SBC, you get close to 12 hours, but still a far cry from the 21 hours that the Bullets Wireless Z can manage. Mind you, I am not treating 20 hours plus as the new normal, but I would have still preferred to see close to 12 hours with LDAC and around 15 without it. Oppo also provides you with an option of charging this device for just 10 minutes to get 3 hours of play time with LDAC. It did a little better in reality, with 4 hours of play time (because I used a VOOC fast charger) but again, far from 12 hours that the Z would last for with 10 minutes of charging. You can use any USB Type-C charger to juice up these earphones, and in case you don’t have one, the necessary cable is bundled in the package. [caption id=“attachment_8668101” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] You can use any USB Type-C charger to juice up these earphones, and in case you don’t have one, the necessary cable is bundled in the package.[/caption]

Oppo Enco M31 - Price and verdict

The price of the Oppo Enco M31 fluctuates between Rs 1,999 to Rs 2,499 on Amazon India every week, and are covered by a one-year warranty. So, should one buy it over the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z? Definitely, if you are looking for better-sounding earphones with a more balanced sound signature, and if details in audio matter to you more than just bass. In fact, those who like extra bass won’t be disappointed either, thanks to the two sound profiles this pair can deliver. Kudos to Oppo for catering to two distinctly different tastes in a single product. If long battery life is a key parameter, then you will be better served by the Bullets Wireless Z. But then, you can always charge the earphones if they run out of juice, you can’t make them sound better.