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Review: Divacore AntiPods 2 – Excellent sound quality for a reduced price

Review: Divacore improves its AntiPods with Divacore AntiPods 2 and offers comfortable true wireless headphones with warm sound.

For the second version of its AntiPods, the French manufacturer Divacore promises better comfort and better insulation thanks to the tips with memory foam, as well as quality sound. Promise kept?

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In 2017, the French manufacturer Divacore created a surprise with its AntiPods , true wireless headphones competing with Apple’s AirPods and sold significantly cheaper (119 euros). Three years later, Divacore offers the AntiPods 2 and tries to seduce consumers in this same market which has become even more competitive. Successful bet ? This is what we will see …

Review: Divacore AntiPods 2 - Excellent sound quality for a reduced price

First of all, what are the new features of the AntiPods 2 compared to the first version? The first is the switch to Bluetooth 5.0 which improves the connection between the headphones and the mobile device. Now, each earbud can be connected independently of the other, making it possible, for example, to use only one earbud while the other is charging, or to pair the earphones separately with two smartphones. The second novelty concerns the tips, delivered in three sizes. Divacore uses memory foam which ensures better comfort and better insulation of the ear.
However, our tests show that the insulation is good, but does not match that offered by headphones with AirPods Max , from Apple. Good point, the headphones have removable fins (three sizes are provided) which allow them to keep them well in the ears when playing sports. In addition, they are resistant to perspiration (IPX4 certification).

A large charging case

We measured a very good autonomy of 6:52 for the headphones (against 6:30 for the first version), which makes it possible to easily make a return trip by TGV between Paris and Grenoble, for example. And if that is not enough, Divacore announces a total autonomy of 24 hours with the charging box which has its own battery).

Divacore AntiPods 2

However, the case turns out to be very thick and it will be difficult to slip it into a pocket. It opens easily with its flexible hinge and has a USB Type-C port and a charging indicator on the back. Divacore delivers a USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable to charge the box.

Good sound quality

The AntiPods 2 are comfortable to wear, rather inconspicuous (they don’t have a stem and their activity LEDs aren’t too bright), but what about the sound? Some true wireless headphones suffer from a lack of bass and Divacore avoids this obstacle brilliantly. Listening, the sound is warm with bass present, without being too intrusive.
The AntiPods 2 correctly reproduce the high-mids, but have a lack of treble, which takes away from the detail. The rendering is generally satisfactory, except when there are too many instruments. The sound then becomes a bit messy, which is a shame.

Touch controls, but no app

To control playback and volume, Divacore has provided a tactile surface on each earpiece and a short, long or repeated touch system. The process is satisfactory and we appreciate being able to adjust the volume without having to take out your smartphone.
Good point, music playback is automatically paused as soon as you remove one of the earphones thanks to a presence sensor and resumes as soon as the earpiece is inserted again. Another advantage is that Google and Siri assistants can be triggered by a simple voice command thanks to the integrated microphones, which are also used for telephone conversations.

On the other hand, Divacore skips the smartphone app. Too bad, because we would have liked to have an equalizer to customize the sound reproduction, with an indication of the battery level of the headphones and the charging unit, or even update the firmware in the event of a possible bug. Perhaps it will be available with future AntiPods 3?

Divacore AntiPods 2 Technical Sheet :

Model Divacore AntiPods 2
Format in-ear headphones
Autonomy announced 24 hours
Bluetooth Version 5.0
Weigh 14 grams
Voice Assistant Google Assistant

Divacore Antipods 2 – Conclusion

With the use of Bluetooth 5.0 and eartips with memory foam, Divacore improves its AntiPods and offers comfortable true wireless headphones with warm sound.
The AntiPods 2 enjoy a comfortable battery life, but suffer from an oversized charging case. The insulation against external noise is satisfactory, but remains below that offered by headphones with active noise reduction. In a very competitive market, the price of 149 euros seems a bit high. Divacore offered its headphones at 119 euros, or even 99 euros during a promotional operation. Hopefully the manufacturer will put it back quickly. 

Positives of Divacore AntiPods 2 

  • Warm sound
  • Comfortable earphones
  • Good autonomy

Negatives of Divacore AntiPods 2 

  • Lack of treble
  • Bulky housing
  • No active noise reduction

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