Guide for NuraLoop headphones

NuraLoop headphones review
Promising many of the same features as its larger sibling, the NuraLoop offers up personalized audio in a more compact, rugged, portable, and affordable package while making barely any sacrifices in the process.

Pros
+Rich, adaptive audio
+ANC and social mode
+Rugged, sweatproof design
Cons
-Stiff neckband can get in the way
-Bulky earbuds

One-minute review
Update: As anticipated, Nura has released new firmware for the NuraLoop that added a manual on/off setting (optional) and also introduced a number of quality of life improvements such as double tap functionality, enhanced voice call clarity, and improved fit and seal detection.

NuraLoop boils down the essence of the company`s first product, the Nuraphone, into a much more compact, rugged, and affordable package, and doesn`t lose much in the process. It richly deserves its place on our best wireless headphones guide, as well as being some of the best headphones overall.

The star of the show is its adaptive audio technology, which automatically determines a listening profile for the user and feeds them well-balanced, lush sound as a result.

On top of this, features like active noise-cancelling, social mode, an IPX3 rating, Immersion mode, and the ability to attach an analog cable for 3.5mm headphone jacks makes this pair of headphones truly shine.

While the physical rumblings of the bigger Nuraphone`s Immersion mode are absent, little else is sacrificed in the transition from over-ear cans to these wireless in-ear neckband headphones, and considering the almost halved price, the NuraLoop is a total winner.

As with every in-ear product, there are elements that won’t gel with everyone – the bulkier housings of the buds might not suit every ear, and the non-adjustable neckband could irritate some, but these complaints are certainly minor in the scheme of NuraLoop’s manifold successes.

For the users that find the units comfortable (the majority, we suspect), they’ll be greeted with beautiful, tailored sound in a compact package that boasts solid battery life, noise-cancelling and weatherproofing for a very reasonable price.

NuraLoop price and release date
Price: $199 in the US
Price: £199 in the UK
Price: AU$299 in Australia
Released in May 2020
The Melbourne-based audio company Nura set loose their second product on the world in May 2020, carrying forward the torch first lit by the over-ear Nuraphone in 2017.

Compared with the $399 (£349, AU$549) asking price of its older sibling, the NuraLoop offers a lot of the same magic at an impressively reduced cost of just $199 (£199, AU$299).

Design
Somewhat rigid neckband and ear hooks
Tidy, classy aesthetic
Bulky driver housings not for everyone
As with the Nuraphone, these in-ears are only available in a single color, but the uniform black design is elegant enough to make up for this lack of choice.

When worn, the only markings visible are the pair of white Nura logos on each earbud and, for the eagle-eyed, the word ‘nura’ on the connector that sits at the back of the neck.

This pared-back aesthetic that Nura has established for itself is obviously not for those that like a bit more in the way of personalization and color in their tech, but for a singular look, it`s certainly safe and stylish.

Construction is predominantly plastic with certain components having a similar rubberized, silicone feel to elements of the Nuraphone. The ear hooks that loop up and over your ears are malleable but somewhat rigid, so you can bend them to better secure their fit around your ears.

While these hooks are somewhat adjustable, the length of cable behind your neck isn’t. For the most part, this is fine and makes for a tidy aesthetic, but we found it to bump against collars and hoods of bulkier clothing, occasionally even dislodging the seal of the NuraLoop’s in-ear fit due to the relatively rigid cable.