EarFun Air 2 NC earphones for only $39.95: A few weeks ago a reader asked about quality earphones for between $20-$40 after the ZVOX AV30 earbuds were discontinued and sold out. I replied that I was looking for another budget recommendation, and I have found it in the newly introduced EarFun Air 2 NC earphones.

EarFun is better known overseas, where their products have received widespread praise, including the first five-star rating awarded by Britain’s “What Hi-Fi?” magazine to budget-priced true wireless headphones. EarFun is starting to make a splash here, and if the Air 2 NC is typical they should be very successful in the U.S. market.

The Air 2 NC earbuds have all the essential elements needed for a very satisfying ownership and listening experience. They enter pairing mode automatically the first time you remove them from the case, with no fumbling or holding down of touch-sensitive surfaces until they start blinking and are ready to pair. They are perfectly balanced and stay in the ear effortlessly, something I greatly appreciated since I often need to use custom foam to get earphones to stay securely in my ear. The six-microphone noise reduction is very effective, something I noticed the moment I first tried them. Perhaps most importantly, they have pleasing sound quality with music, movies and hands-free calls and they have low latency if you like to play games on your portable device. The large drivers are made of a wool composite for smooth sound and there is a bit of a bump in the bass (not unlike the Meze Audio 109 Pro) for a full sound that many people prefer.

The EarFun Air 2 NC have an 18-month warranty and list for $69.99, but you can get the special launch price of $39.99 at myearfun.com by using the code EAIRUS1. If they prove popular with readers as the ZVOX earbuds were I will look into some of their other products as well.

Q. You mentioned your electric bill only went up between $8 and $20 per month with your plug-in hybrid, but also that you used free chargers when you could. How often did you use the free chargers, and how do I find them?

—K.K., San Jose, California

A. I probably used the free chargers about 10% of the time. When I drive the car exclusively this coming winter I will keep close track of my charging and report on my findings. The navigation system has an option to find chargers as well as gas stations, but I find the PlugShare app to be the easiest and most informative way to learn about charging options. You can sort by plug type and charging speed, free or pay chargers, and read user reviews. The latter have proven useful. One local grocery store has two free ClipperCreek Level 2 chargers for their customers and the reviews stated that the spaces and chargers are always occupied by the same two Uber drivers with Teslas. That proved to be true and I have been only been able to use the charger twice in six months as they are always monopolizing the space.

Ad-supported chargers from Volta (owned by Shell) are my favorites. I have found them at grocery stores and outlet malls, and the concept is brilliant. They are tall monoliths with large, brilliant screens that display colorful ads. The retailers gets free chargers to attract customers, the customers get to charge while shopping and Volta makes money and pays for the service with the ads. Everyone wins! I have a separate review and pictures of Volta chargers on my soundadvicenews.com website.

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