EarFun’s Air Pro 4i launched as a mid‑tier model built around clarity, balance and practical everyday features. The team’s focus on real‑world scenarios, from commuting to hybrid work, shaped a product that aims to deliver reliable ANC, tuned sound and strong call performance without pushing into premium pricing. Cubed3 caught up with the team interview explores how the Air Pro 4i was engineered, how user feedback influenced its development, and how EarFun continues to refine its identity within a crowded audio landscape.
Adam Riley, Director at Cubed3: What was the core vision behind the Air Pro 4i, and how did the team define its role within your current product line-up?
Rocky Deng, Product Manager at EarFun: The core vision of Air Pro 4i is to deliver a well-balanced listening experience with essential features like ANC, sound quality, and call clarity at an accessible price. In our line-up, it is positioned as a mid-tier option—focusing on overall performance and everyday usability, offering a strong balance between affordability and key features.
Adam Riley: When developing a more affordable model, how do you decide which features are essential to the experience and must remain regardless of price?
Rocky Deng: At EarFun, we always start from real user scenarios. No matter the price segment, we prioritise features that directly impact daily usability—such as sound quality, stable connectivity, reliable ANC, and call clarity. These are non-negotiable because they define the core experience. For more cost-sensitive models, we carefully optimise secondary features while ensuring that the essential experience remains uncompromised.
Adam Riley: The Air Pro 4i use an 11mm dynamic driver. What qualities were you aiming to achieve with this driver, and how did you approach its tuning?
Rocky Deng: With the 11mm dynamic driver, our goal was to deliver a balanced yet engaging sound signature—deep and controlled bass, clear mids, and smooth highs. Our tuning process combines lab measurements with extensive real-world listening tests. We also take into account user preferences across different regions to ensure the sound profile appeals to a broad audience while maintaining accuracy.
Adam Riley: Noise cancelling at this price point is increasingly competitive. What were the main engineering challenges in delivering consistent ANC performance in such a compact design?
Rocky Deng: One of the biggest challenges is achieving consistent ANC performance across different environments within a compact form factor. This requires precise microphone placement, advanced algorithms, and efficient processing—all while maintaining battery life and comfort. Balancing these factors is critical to delivering stable and reliable noise cancellation.
Adam Riley: LDAC support is still uncommon in budget earbuds. What made you confident that high‑resolution audio belonged in this model?
Rocky Deng: We believe high-quality audio should not be limited to premium products. As more users stream high-resolution content, codecs like LDAC can significantly enhance the listening experience. Bringing this feature to a more accessible price point aligns with our mission to make advanced audio technology available to more users.
Adam Riley: Call clarity is a major focus for many users. What improvements were made to the six‑microphone system, and how does it differ from previous generations?
Rocky Deng: Six Mics AI ENC Clear Calls: Featuring six AI-enhanced ENC microphones, EarFun’s Air Pro 4i noise-cancelling earbuds help reduce background noise for clearer, more reliable calls. A newly designed, larger and shorter oval port optimises acoustic performance by minimising sound leakage and enhancing clarity and sound pressure.
Adam Riley: How does user feedback shape the development of the EarFun Audio App, particularly around EQ options and control customisation?
Rocky Deng: User feedback plays a key role in our app development. We continuously refine features such as EQ customisation and control settings based on user input. Expanded EQ presets and more flexible touch controls, for example, were directly influenced by community feedback.
Adam Riley: What does real‑world testing look like for your team, and which environments or scenarios are most important when evaluating a product like the Air Pro 4i?
Rocky Deng: We conduct testing across a wide range of real-life scenarios, including commuting, office environments, outdoor activities, and travel. We also simulate challenging conditions such as wind noise, crowded public spaces, and varying connectivity environments to ensure consistent performance.
Adam Riley: EarFun now offers a broad range of earbuds across different tiers. How do you ensure each model has a clear identity and purpose within the wider line-up?
Rocky Deng: Each product is designed with a specific user group and use case in mind. We differentiate models based on key factors such as feature set, performance level, and price positioning. This ensures that every product serves a clear purpose within our line-up and avoids overlap.
Adam Riley: As the budget ANC market becomes more crowded, what do you see as EarFun’s biggest advantage when designing new products?
Rocky Deng: Our biggest strength lies in balancing performance, innovation, and value. We focus on delivering features that truly matter to users while maintaining a competitive price point, supported by continuous iteration based on real user feedback.
Adam Riley: Looking ahead, which emerging technologies or audio trends are you most excited to explore in future models?
Rocky Deng: Sleep earbuds, AI hearing aids, open-ear ANC earbuds.
Adam Riley: Reflecting on the Air Pro 4i’s development, which design or engineering decision are you personally most proud of, and why?
Rocky Deng: One of the decisions we are most proud of is bringing a well-balanced combination of advanced features—such as effective ANC, high-quality sound, and LDAC support—into a more accessible product. We believe this reflects our commitment to delivering meaningful innovation to a wider audience.
