EarFun OpenJump

A New Listening Experience – Open-Ear Comfort

The EarFun OpenJump is not like your typical TWS or IEM. Instead of sitting inside your ear canal or even sitting in your ear like an earbud, the OpenJump features an open-ear design with small directional drivers that rest just outside your ear, directing sound toward your eardrum. This means there is no physical contact inside your ear, making it an excellent choice for those who dislike in-ear headphones, but this style has become very popular with athletics who need to be totally aware of their surroundings to be safe while running on footpaths.

But having used the OpenJump for a few weeks now I think they offer something special even for those who like listening to audio in other environments. Specifically, if you take the time to set up a sound profile using the Earfun application you get a very decent audio experience only lacking in sub-bass which is understandable given there is no seal.

Open Ear headphones

If you watched some of the highlights of the CES show in Las Vegas you will have noticed that there were many similar open ear devices launched, some like this NVM one wireless headphones where trying to mimic headphones:

But the OpenJump was not only one the cheapest of these new devices, but I believe it is the only one that is targeted at those who like good audio quality providing both personalised tuning and EQ profiles within its companion application. I appreciate companies who spend their money on audio research rather than solely on marketing and Earfun have shown over the past few years with some excellent tuned products that they do care about providing a customisable reference sound.

But let’s get into the unboxing experience first:

Unboxing and Build Quality

The EarFun OpenJump comes with minimal but functional packaging, reflecting its straightforward purpose.

The back of the box:

Opening the box reveals the case of the OpenJump:

Inside the box, you’ll find:

• OpenJump headphones
• USB-C charging cable
• User manual

Build quality and Comfort

The case itself is nice but larger than “normal” earbud style cases

Here is a comparison with some other cases for a size comparison with the smaller Apple Airpods with ANC and the much larger FiiO UTWS5:

The build quality feels sturdy, and the ear hooks provide a secure fit for various ear shapes.

The OpenJump is also rated IPX7 waterproof, making it a great companion for workouts, runs, and outdoor activities.

The most important thing about the comfort is the fact that OpenJump sits on you ear with the driver pointing into you ear but never touching it. I also liked how compact the size was compared to other “ear hook” style bluetooth devices like this FiiO UTWS5:

Earfun have built a very nice but tiny driver for this purpose:

Battery Life and Microphone Performance

The OpenJump has impressive battery life. I used them throughout an 8-hour workday, switching between music and calls, and they lasted without any issues. The microphone quality is also solid, particularly in indoor settings. During outdoor calls, performance remains stable unless in heavy wind conditions.

Earfun Companion Application

The Earfun application keeps getting better and I immediately got notified of a firmware update when I connected the OpenJump:

Once I had the update the launch page shows all your earfun devices:

Select the OpenJump you get to see the battery life and some other key customisations for the OpenJump:

Game Mode will lower the latency and limited bluetooth codecs, so I left off.

If Theatre Mode is enabled you cannot EQ or personalise the sound profile, so I also left that switched off.

The “Find my Headphone” works by getting it to play a loud sound:

You can also lower the volume for the Voice Prompts which is a nice touch:

Dual Device setup is a nice configuration option to have:

Within the customise audio section, you can either choose a preset, customise the sound using the now standard 10 band graphical equaliser but also crucially you can personalise the sound:

The Importance of Personalization – EarFun App

One of the most crucial aspects of getting the best sound out of the OpenJump is using the “My Sound Profile” feature in the EarFun app. Since the open-ear design means the sound source sits slightly away from your ear, the listening experience can vary depending on your ear shape.

I came up with a few personal profiles mainly because I found I was using the OpenJump both inside in a quiet environment but also outside where I need to compensate for the “masking” effect of external noise.

The app guides you through a personalized hearing test, adjusting the EQ to suit your hearing preferences. Once I set up my custom profile, I noticed a significant improvement in clarity and balance. This personalization process ensures that you get the best possible sound while preventing audio leakage to those around you.

I did try to push the sub-bass to its max, but it sounded like the driver was distorting in heavy bass songs while still not providing that much extra bass, so I left it slightly less that max.

Sound Impressions

The OpenJump delivers a surprisingly good audio experience for an open-ear design, but due to its design people need to set exceptions around the sub-bass, so don’t expect a “critical listening” experience similar to what you might get with good open back headphones, but you do get a very respectable audio experience, where the midrange and treble shine through beautifully.

Bass

The bass is present but restrained as I mentioned given the design. While sub-bass lacks impact, mid-bass remains decent, allowing bass-heavy tracks to still sound enjoyable. In tracks like “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson, the bass lines remains clear and defined, but without the deep resonance of closed-back headphones.

Mids

The midrange is the star here, with excellent clarity and natural tonality. Vocals in songs like “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran sound crisp and well-articulated. Speech clarity is also fantastic, making these great for podcasts and voice calls.

Treble

Treble is well-extended without being harsh. Listening to “Clair de Lune” by Debussy, the higher frequencies come through clearly without any unwanted sibilance. The open design helps create a natural airiness to the sound.

Soundstage and Imaging

Due to its open-ear design, the OpenJump offers a wider soundstage compared to traditional TWS earbuds, but it still does match a good open back headphone for soundstage. Instrument separation and image is pretty good, making it easier to distinguish different elements within a track.

Specifications and Measurements

I feel these battery life figures are generally accurate though I was mainly using the OpenJump with my iPhone and easily got more than 8 hours.

Note: LDAC only works on Android so on IOS you only get the basic SBC codec and not the more typical AAC codec.

Measurements

All measurements were taken using my personalized profile from the EarFun app using my KB501X soft wear pinna, here is a photo of the OpenJump in the Pinna:

These measurements are available on my measurement database here

So lets start with the frequency response I got after my custom tuning:

As expected, there is a bass roll-off, but the midrange and treble remain well-balanced. Custom EQ adjustments can help slightly boost the low-end, but excessive bass boost may introduce distortion.

Here is a comparison of the OpenJump without a customised tuning, and you can see it is well worth spending to 5 minutes required to create your custom profile: So you can increase the bass performance and lower that treble peak a little.

Distortion

At normal listening levels, distortion remains minimal. However, boosting the bass significantly can introduce distortion as the small drivers struggle to handle excessive low-end energy:

This larger level of sub-bass distortion also shows up when looking at the distortion percentage:

Comparisons

So if you were following CES this year you might have noticed this type of TWS seem to be the new cool with many brands coming out with their variation, but of the devices I have reviewed I think the nearest comparison is with the “Airpods with NC” but I included some earbuds I have reviewed here also:

The earbuds greatly boost the mid-bass but this overpowers the midrange, while the Airpods with NC does a subtle DSP based boost of the bass to give a better bass response than the Openjump, but they do cost 2 times as much and are in my opinion less uncomfortable as they sit in your ear.

Rating

I am giving the EarFun OpenJump a 5-star pragmatic rating. Due to its design it is not an audio device for critical listening but if you are happy with its limitations around bass performance and having no “isolation”, it offers fantastic comfort, personalization features, make it a great device to just listen to stuff all day. It’s all day battery life and the microphone quality are added bonus which make it even more pragmatic for those of use you have to stay connected but like to listen to audio all day.

Conclusion

The EarFun OpenJump is a fantastic device for those who need to stay aware of their surroundings, but it is also for people who hate the feel of IEMs or even earbud like devices. Whether you are a street runner, an office employee or just someone who enjoys music or podcasts the OpenJump is an excellent product to use.

The personalized sound profile makes a huge difference, ensuring an optimal listening experience tailored to your hearing. With excellent comfort, solid battery life, and good microphone performance, the OpenJump has earned a permanent spot in my daily use when working in a shared space.