Nura’s first foray into wireless earbuds really impressed us last year, pairing the incredible personalised audio experience we’ve come to expect from the brand with a new level of portability and convenience.
Now, the Australian company is launching a Pro version that, on paper, offers many improvements, including aptX Lossless audio. They won’t be replacing the NuraTrue, but will instead run alongside them as a more premium option.
The NuraTrue Pro, as we saw with the outlandish, over-ear NuraPhone around five years ago, will also be launching on Kickstarter.
Are they worth the potential hassle of a crowdfunded campaign, though? And how do they compare to their non-Pro sibling?
We’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on an early prototype to put them to the test.
A host of sensible updates make the NuraTrue Pro earbuds an appealing upgrade for current NuraTrue owners, as well as being a futureproof option for newcomers, too.
Nura’s sound personalisation tech is as impressive as ever, while the improvements to battery life, charging, build quality and audio options make the NuraTrue Pro a delightful daily audio companion.
We wished the price increase wasn’t quite so steep, but early backers of the campaign will be able to snag a serious discount, so long as they are happy to wait a little while to receive them.
Even after some initial testing, then, it’s clear the NuraTrue Pro are the most compelling earbuds from the company so far, and easily one of our favourite options for serious audio on the go. Stay tuned for our full verdict.
The charging case makes a good first impression; it’s very similar to the standard NuraTrue case, but it has a more attractive matte finish and a sturdier, weightier feel. It’s about 15g heavier by our measurement, and this weight change is likely mostly down to the addition of wireless charging support. The original NuraTrue case had the Nura logo debossed on the lid, whereas the Pro features inset glossy ceramic lettering. It’s a subtle but classy touch.
The earbuds themselves also feature glossy ceramic highlights, both on the logo and as a ring around the edge of each earbud. Elsewhere, we see the same matte plastic in the charging case, and Nura tells us this offers a higher level of scratch resistance than regular plastics.
Elsewhere, things are pretty similar to the original NuraTrue. You get the same ear tip options, including a choice of ‘wings’ to keep them firmly in place, and a USB-C charging cable included. The NuraTrue Pro are IPX4 rated, too, just like their predecessors, so they’ll handle light rain or sweaty runs – just remember to take them out if you’re about to dive into a swimming pool.
So, chances are you won’t be able to take advantage of the lossless capabilities right away, but it’s excellent in terms of futureproofing, and definitely our first encounter with the new tech. If you’re subscribed to a high-res streaming platform, like Tidal, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye on this to ensure you’re getting the most from your music.
With Bluetooth 5.3 also comes the support for multi-point connections, which is super convenient for anyone who uses more than one device. We were able to seamlessly switch between our Windows PC and Android phone with no fuss – something that is much more of a hassle with the standard version.
