Oppo Enco M32 Review: For The Love Of Bass

We recently did a list of the best budget wireless Bluetooth neckbands you could buy, where Oppo’s Enco M31 stood on top. It left quite an impression on me that when the company announced its successor—the Enco M32—I was eagerly waiting to get my hands on it. And so I did. I have been using it for some weeks now and I’ll be sharing my personal experience of the Oppo Enco M32 in this review.

Oppo Enco M32 Specifications:

• Weight: 26.8gm
• Driver: 10mm dynamic driver
• Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth v5.0, 10 meters range)
• Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Driver sensitivity: 106.5 dB @1kHz
• Microphone sensitivity: -42 dBV/Pa
• Music time (at 60% volume): 28 hours (AAC/SBC)
• Audio codec: AAC, SBC
• Battery capacity: 220mAh Li-Ion
• Charging time: 35 minutes
• IP rating: Yes, IP55 water resistance
• Noise-canceling: No
• Price: Rs. 3,499 (Check latest price here)

Oppo Enco M32 Review:

Design and Fit

• Rubber/plastic design
• IP55 rating

Here, the changes that Oppo has introduced on the Enco M32 are quite peculiar. I was expecting the M32 to brush up on the weaknesses of its predecessor—which weren’t that much, to begin with—while polishing the already-impressive sound tuning.

More practical approach

Some improvements are obvious with just one quick look. Yes, I’m talking about the design. The M32 has a rubberized arc with polycarbonate compartments on its two ends—unlike the simple in-ear build quality of the M31. Overall, the earphone feels more robust and I’m glad that it also has an official IP55 dust-and-water resistance—unlike the IPX5 rating in M31. There’s even a cover on the Type-C charging port to prevent dust particles/moisture from getting in. In addition, it now comes with wing tips that help keep the earphones stay firmly in the ears when you are exercising or jamming to your favorite beat. But if you don’t like them, you can easily take them off. However, I won’t recommend doing so since the structures that hold the wings in their place are sure to cause irritation to your ears. It's a weird design if you ask me—something I’ve never seen in any earphones before.

A lot less fragile

On the other hand, handling the M32 feels a lot less fragile than the M31—although Oppo hasn’t wrapped the wires near the earbuds with a tougher material as I wanted. The earbuds themselves are made of plastic, while the outer surface has a glossy finish. As expected, they’re also magnetic, allowing the two buds to attach together and turn off. For easier navigation, there are 3 buttons on the right—one for volume up, one for volume down, and a multifunction button that can control playback or trigger the voice assistant. Overall, while it is not as fashionable as the Enco M31, I’m content with the more practical design approach of the M32. I have no complaints about its build and comfort either, so I guess that balances things out.

Audio Quality

• 10mm dynamic drivers
• Independent bass chambers

Let’s now talk about the most important aspect of any audio accessory—the sound quality. For this, Oppo Enco M32 has noticeably larger earbuds that house a bigger 10mm dynamic driver alongside an independent bass chamber. To compare, the M31 featured a 9.2mm dynamic driver. As a result, the M32 has a more bass-heavy sound signature that favors low frequencies. And this is something completely different from its forerunner which had a more balanced sound signature instead. Enco M31 even had a dedicated bass mode and LDAC codec support, but neither of them is available this time around. Furthermore, there is no companion app for the M32 where you can adjust the equalizer either. But that’s nothing to worry about since third-party apps like Wavelet lets you tune the sound output to match your taste precisely.

Loud Bass

Anyway, the first thing you’ll notice on the Enco M32 is its loudness which is significantly higher compared to its predecessor. I found the 60-70% volume level to be the sweet spot for my ears. Going over that limit might cause pain—or worse—noise-induced hearing loss in the long run. Regardless, the mids and highs sound clear for the most part. However, they are outshined by low frequencies at times. Don't get me wrong—the audio has layers beyond the strong bass, but you will be distracted by the bass most of the time. I could constantly feel the extra rumble throughout the song “Where Is My Mind?” by the Pixies. It doesn’t do any good to the vocals towards the end. Similarly, in songs like “Chlorine” and “Level of Concern,” I noticed that the emphasis was on the kick drums than anything else.

Best for Rap, Pop, EDM

So it goes without saying that the M32 sounds the best with rap, pop, and EDM music in its default settings. The bass slaps hard in songs like “Hammer” by nothing, nowhere and “Hereko Herei” by SickJam. All things considered, I still think the Oppo Enco M32 is among the best sounding wireless neckbands out there. I just happen to like the balanced sound signature of its predecessor more. Yet, I believe a lot of people will prefer its bass-heavy sound—and the mainstream audience is the reason Oppo decided to make the switch in the first place.

Decent call quality

Moving on, I had no problem taking calls with the Oppo Enco M32. I could hear the people on the other end clear and loud and received no complaints regarding my voice quality either. There was this one time when I used it outdoors during a particularly windy situation. And even then I faced no issue with the call quality which is surprising since Oppo doesn’t mention any ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) capabilities on this one.

Connectivity and Features

• Bluetooth 5.0
• Dual Connection

On the connectivity front, the Enco M32 supports Bluetooth 5.0. In all my time with these earbuds, I am yet to experience any issues like connection drop or audio interference. Also, you can simultaneously connect with two devices at a time and conveniently switch between them by pressing the volume up and down button at the same time. As I mentioned earlier, there is no companion app for the M32 as of now. Even OPPO’s sister company Realme offers app support for its budget neckbands. Maybe the HeyMelody app will be updated with support for Enco M32 in the future, I’m not sure. In addition, it doesn’t come with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) or a dedicated game mode—but that’s more than fine considering the price. Then again, its passive noise isolation is nothing to write home about. I tried switching between different sizes of ear tips to no avail. Moreover, although I didn’t experience any audio latency trouble while watching videos and movies, the M32 is not ideal when playing games.

Battery

• 220mAh battery
• 10W Fast-charging

Let’s get into the battery side of things. And this is where you’ll find the most notable upgrade. Here, the Enco M32 sports a big 220mAh battery which is straight-up 250% larger than the 88mAh battery on the M31. With this, Oppo claims up to 28 hours of playback on a full charge. But of course, the real-life battery endurance will vary according to your usage. I’d usually keep it at 60-70% volume and went a full week without having to plug it in—with 2 to 3 hours of average usage every day. Additionally, Oppo claims that it takes only 35 minutes to charge these earbuds completely. However, it was close to 45-50 minutes in my case. Enco M32 even has fast charging support for times when you are in hurry.

Oppo Enco M32 Review: Conclusion

So, do I recommend getting the Oppo Enco M32? Well, yes. It is still among the best-sounding budget earphones out there. Although it doesn’t have the balanced sound signature as its predecessor, the bass-first tune-up makes it more appealing to a wider audience. Plus, you can always use some third-party app to customize your audio experience. In addition, the M32 has a more practical design, a super impressive battery life, and more importantly—a lower price tag. That being said, if you already have the Enco M31, I see no substantial reason to upgrade to the M32. Songs references in the Oppo Enco M32 review:

• Where is my Mind? - The Pixies
• Chlorine - Twenty One Pilots
• Level of Concern - Twenty One Pilots
• Hammer - nothing, nowhere
• Hereko Herei - SickJam

Oppo Enco M32 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Robust design
• Dual connection
• Great for bass heads
• Decent call quality
• Exceptional battery life

Cons:

• Not for audiophiles
• Not as fashionable as its predecessor
• No companion app
• Lacks ANC