Denon

PerL Pro True Wireless Earbuds

£299 RRP

The secret is out. Nura, formerly an independent headphone company from Melbourne, Australia, has been purchased by Masimo (Denon). I've been a fan of Nura since the original Nuraphone was released, which divided audiences and critics alike back in 2017. The company had a few hits and a few misses but maintained a steady trajectory of building upon the secret sauce inside its product—the technology that adjusts the sound signature of headphones to suit the listener.

Masimo, the parent company behind juggernaut audio brands Denon and Bowers & Wilkins, is also a medical technology company that specialises in creating sensors for health monitoring. It's fair to say that Nura's proprietary technology is now in safe(r) hands under Masimo's ownership.

I loved the Melbourne-born Nura startup, but now it's time to see what the technology can do. Like many others, I have been waiting with bated breath to see what Denon can make of this newly acquired tech. Imagine my delight when I was presented with the brand new Denon PerL Pro true wireless buds, which proudly boast of having Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology.

So then, is Denon's new foray into this world a hit or a miss? The premise here is straightforward – no two ears are the same, so why should we all listen to the same sound signature? Makes sense to me. Prescriptions for glasses often differ, so why should we all hear identical sound signatures?

This is an easy question to ask, but without a straightforward answer. The PerL Pro goes about answering it in the most complicated way imaginable, namely by playing test tones inside the user's ear canal to obtain measurements and then adopting the sound signature to create a tailored sound experience for the listener. Yes, really!

The process it undertakes to do this is eerily familiar, as the prompts, interface and test tones are identical to the now-discontinued NuraTrue Pro. The similarities don't stop there either, as the case, accessories and the buds themselves are all identical, but with the Denon logo appearing where the Nura logo once was.

Denon engineers have not detracted from the sound quality and features that made the NuraTrue decent. The codec support is great, latency is minimal, and the battery life is superb. The other quality-of-life features persist as well, such as the battery barely draining when the buds are left inside the case for weeks at a time.

The PerL Pro buds are slightly odd-shaped. Each earbud has a large circular outer body that narrows down into angled nozzles that fit into the ear. The circular outer body is balanced with the outer of the ear canal and comes with five different-sized tips and two different attachment wings to make this quirky shape sit better inside the ear. The case is a pill-shaped plastic hinged charging type that firmly holds the buds in place. Dropping the case onto concrete won't result in your buds exploding out of it immediately. It also stores an additional 24 hours of battery life on the road.

THE LISTENING

Upon the first hearing analysis session, the user is presented with the 'neutral' sound profile of the PerL. It is admittedly underwhelming, anaemic, and lacking in dynamic range. However, after a few seconds, the user is given the option to flick the sound signature over to the 'personalised' signature, which is far more full-bodied and appealing.

My sound signature will likely be very different from yours, as the PerL measured my ears and adjusted my signature to suit them. That said, there is still plenty of adjustment to be made here, irrespective of the magic sound sauce being applied. There's a 5-band EQ, saveable profiles and my personal favourite slider, 'immersion' – which is basically the headphone equivalent of a bass knob on a hi-fi amplifier.

So the Denon PerL Pro true wireless buds, with their Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology, give us a sneak peek into what personalised sound might look like down the track. Getting your tailored sound signature might sound complicated, but having a listening experience that suits your ears to a tee is worth it.

THE VERDICT

Even though it shares some traits with the NuraTrue Pro, Denon's new PerL Pro stands out on its own. It sounds great, has quirky listening technology, offers a healthy amount of codec support, minimal latency, and has a long-lasting battery. So try this unique pair of earbuds if you're after a true wireless product that's slightly left of centre.

For more information visit Denon