Oppo Enco M32 Review: Good sound, great battery, tremendous value

The Oppo Enco M32 ends up being an easy recommendation for buyers seeking good audio and great battery.

The Oppo Enco M32 starts at a price of ₹1,799, although an introductory offer brings it down to ₹1,499. (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Rating

3.5 out of 5

Price

INR 1,799/-

Product Name

Oppo Enco M32

Brand Name

Oppo

Pros

• Audio tuning
• Great battery Life
• Comfortable to wear

Cons

• No ANC
• No companion app

Specifications

• Battery Life
  Up to 28 hours
• Drivers
  10mm single
• Codec Support
  AAC, SBC
• Connectivity
  Bluetooth 5
• Charging port
  USB-C
• Protection rating
  IP55

The Oppo Enco M31 has been a very popular choice for enthusiasts on a strict budget. Hence, when Oppo said it was bringing its successor, expectations had only risen. The Enco M32 does not seem to tamper with the original recipe that made the Enco M32 famous. In fact, Oppo has resisted the urge to give into the trendy ANC and instead refined it where it matters the most for us – battery life and a better fit.

And hence, after spending over a week with the Enco M32 dangling around my neck, I am convinced that for ₹1,799, it is difficult to recommend anything else over this, unless you want ANC at all costs. Wonder why? Here's my account of living with the Oppo Enco M32 neckband earphones.

Oppo Enco M32 Design

The Enco M32 adheres to the usual neckband earphone form factor, i.e., a black flexible horseshoe-style neckband that ends up with two wired earbud outlets on either end. One of the expanded weights holds the battery whereas the other one holds the playback and power controls. The keys feel robust and do not require a lot of force to press.

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Wear it and stuff the earbuds in your ear, and I guarantee most of you will like the snug fitting. With its new “wing” design (essentially an ear hook), the Enco M32 loves to stay put in the same position I leave it. No amount of jaw movement (read massive laughs) could dislodge the earbuds from the ear canal, an issue that most neckband earphones suffer from. The wire itself is soft to touch and does not cause any skin irritation as well. Note that there's an IP55 water and sweat resistance protection present here; good for the hot and humid Indian summers.

Oppo Enco M32 Audio performance

The Enco M32 does not feature a lot of bells and whistles, but as long as your expectations are on par with what a sub- ₹2,000 neckband earphone should do, you are less likely to be disappointed. The single 10mm driver is tuned for an enhanced low and mid grunt. You can feel that emphasis on the low-end frequencies, especially if you are coming from other expensive earphones. However, the bass is controlled and the thump-in-your-ear effect is absent. There's a slight muffled effect for those nit-picking as well.

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

However, for most general listeners, the audio tuning is enjoyable, especially for Bollywood music. The low-end emphasis certainly adds life into party songs but those wanting for a clear classical music experience will need to fiddle with the equalizer (provided your phone has one). Vocals are clear but the limited soundstage limits the highs.

There's no Active Noise Cancellation here but the Enco M32 gets solid passive noise cancellation. The eartips seal the ear cavity nicely and most of the ambient sound is suppressed well. That said, the ANC system on the similarly priced Xiaomi Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphone Pro is more effective in dampening nearby construction work.

Thanks to the neckband style form factor, the voice reception of the mic is good. My callers were able to listen to my voice clearly and noise cancellation during calls works nicely to cut down ambient disturbances. That said, windy days will require you to speak louder.

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Note that the Enco M32 does not get any companion app for tweaking the settings or audio profile. Additionally, there's no dedicated bass mode or other profile present to switch for a different experience.

Oppo Enco M32 Battery

This is where the Enco M32 is at its strongest. In my eight days of use involving two hours of music and calls combined on an average, the Enco M32 stands at 40 percent of charge. I believe most users can easily get up to 10 days of stamina with moderate usage. Another great bit is the fast charging. 

Charging it from dead for the first time, the Enco M32 topped up its battery in around half an hour. Note that I connected it to my Xiaomi Mi Power Bank HyperSonic 50W for top-ups; your charging time could vary depending on the charger. Oppo says a 10-minute charge should be good for 20 hours (good for the forgetful). The presence of a USB-C port is another relief, especially at this price.

Verdict

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

Oppo Enco M32 (Amritanshu / HT Tech)

The Oppo Enco M32 is a great choice for people looking to buy a no-frills simple yet good-to-listen pair of neckband earphones. Its price of ₹1,799 makes it a tremendous value too, based on my experience of Enco M32. Compared to a wide range of neckband earphones in this price range, the Enco M32 is comfortable to wear and, most importantly, sits snug in your ear. The lack of ANC is a downer but it makes up for it with a well-tuned audio profile and tremendous battery life.

Rounding it up, the Oppo Enco M32 checks all the requisite boxes for a good neckband earphone: great battery life, comfy to wear, and nice sound. If you have a budget of ₹2,000 to spend on audio gear, get this Enco M32. However, don't overlook the Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphone Pro at ₹1,799, which also offers ANC and similar 10mm drivers. The Realme Buds Wireless 2 at ₹2,299 is another good alternative if you care for the LDAC codec and ANC.