I just gave these outstanding open earbuds a glowing review and now they're back, but with an unexpected additional feature

Date:
Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Description:
The Baseus Bowie MC2 NC build on some excellent open earbuds by adding noise cancellation, a rare feature for the form factor.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Baseus Bowie MC2 open-ears launched recently, gaining our glowing review Baseus Bowie MC2 NC just made their debut mere weeks later, at IFA 2026 This model adds noise cancellation and comes at a slightly higher price It seems like only yesterday I was reviewing the Baseus Bowie MC2 cuff-style earbuds, which I thoroughly believe are some of the best open earbuds for people on a budget.

It was actually about two weeks ago, but the brand is already back with a follow-up to the buds. At annual tech conference IFA 2026 , the wraps have been pulled off the Baseus Bowie MC2 NC, which have one main change over the existing earbuds: the addition of noise cancellation. (You got it from the title didn't you?) Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The Bowie MC2 NC are due to go on sale at some point this month, for a slightly-higher price of $99.99 (likely about 99.99, based on the non-NC
buds' price). The previous pair sell for $79.99 / 89.99 (about AU$180), so you're paying a little more for noise cancellation. As you'd imagine.

Mostly, these are the same earbuds, with an identical feature set, sound profile and charging case. The latter's stamina is stated to be slightly better, with a 60-hour battery life, but given how much of a power drain
noise cancellation is, the resulting battery life will likely be less. You
may like Baseus Bowie MC2 review: great-value clip-style open earbuds The
best noise-cancelling earbuds for all budgets, all tested by experts The best open earbuds, all real-world tested by our experts Noise cancellation in a noise uncancelling bud (Image credit: Future) Noise cancellation is an odd feature for open earbuds and it's very rare to see it in this ear cuff-style design. ANC typically removes background sound, but the entire point of open earbuds is to allow you to hear what's going on around you. Very few open-earbuds makers have offered any degree of noise cancellation; Honor's Earbuds Open and Shokz' OpenFit Pro are two of the few examples that do, but both sport a more 'traditional' open-ear shell design, rather than the Baseus Bowie's cuff shape.

In practice, though, I get it. You might want to hear what's going on around you while you're stood beside a busy, dangerous road, but not when you're on loud public transport. Some degree of versatility is welcome. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Cancelling sound on these buds is a technical challenge, though. It's hard to remove background noise from music, when these sounds are coming around the bud too. It's like trying to block a river, with a dam that only covers half of it.

To solve this problem, Baseus has redesigned the 'air cushion', or the comfy padded layer around the Bowie MC2's bud. This apparently now blocks up your ear better, to create an acoustic seal that can better block surrounding sounds.

Whether there's appetite for noise cancellation in noise un cancelling buds remains to be seen, but it's good that there are options; this is, as far as
I can recall, the first clip-on pair I've heard of with the feature. The best open earbuds for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best open earbuds 1. Best overall: Shokz OpenFit 2+ 2. Best cheap around-ear design: Huawei FreeArc 3. Best cheap clip design: Shokz OpenDots One 4. Best high-end clip design: Bose Ultra Open Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/audio/earbuds-airpods/i-just-gave-these-outstanding- open-earbuds-a-glowing-review-and-now-theyre-back-but-with-an-unexpected-addit ional-feature


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