Denon PerL Pro Review
Is Denon’s flagship true wireless the PerL of your dreams?
Verdict
Denon’s premium true wireless earbuds look good, sound even better but suffer from average ANC, an ill fit and a high price. If Denon had shored up some issues with the original Nura design and performance, these could have been a real contender.
Pros
- Crisp, articulate audio performance
- Comfortable to wear
- Good call quality
- Robust wireless connection
Cons
- Loose fit
- Average noise-cancellation/Social mode
- Best suited to Android users
- Lossless codec restricted to Snapdragon Sound compatible phones
Key Features
- Dirac Spatial AudioAdds more width, height and depth to audio
- Adaptive ANCAdapts ANC performance based on surroundings
- aptX LosslessSupports lossless audio with Snapdragon Sound compatible smartphones
Introduction
Nura’s life as a headphone brand was short but successful. It made its mark with its personalised audio headphones and in 2023 it was snapped up by Japanese brand Denon. Say goodbye to the NuraTrue Pro and kon’nichiwa to the Denon PerL Pro.
Aside from the Denon branding, the PerL Pro are essentially the NuraTrue Pro with ANC support, Dirac Spatial Audio, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and aptX Lossless compatibility.
On the surface the PerL Pro is arguably a reskin of NuraTrue Pro but here’s hoping Nura’s forward-thinking approach and Denon’s audio expertise have fused for a smash hit true wireless.
Design
- Good comfort
- Loosey-goosey fit
- Selection of ear- and wing-tips
- Responsive controls
Aside from the branding, the PerL Pro’s appearance is virtually identical to the defunct NuraTrue Pro. There’s the wide disc-based touch surface connected to the ear-tip section, with the polished silver accents bestowing a premium look upon the earphones.
It’s also a look that, off the top of my head, is unique amongst true wireless earbuds. While I’ve not experienced issues in terms of comfort, I don’t find the PerL Pro to have the snuggest fit.
These aren’t earbuds that I find to stay affixed in their position. Every time I’ve used them, movement loosens the earbuds’ seal, causing external noises to filter through and undermine the noise-cancellation.
They come bundled with four ear-tips of different sizes plus wing-tips for more active users. Having switched to the largest ear-tip size, I still found I was adjusting the earbuds to keep them in. It’s not as if they fall out, but like an errant child they won’t sit still.
Wind noise is handled fine in blustery conditions despite the shape of the discs, and the buds are rated to IPX4 to cover against sweat and water.
The large disc surface is where you operate the earphones. Touches are responsive with single, double, and triple taps alongside double tap/hold for using the earphones. There are further means for customisation in the Denon headphones app.
The charging case is small and pocketable, the LED charging lights are on the front but disguised discreetly so they’re only noticeable when the buds are placed in the cradle or when the case is charging. The only difference between new and old is the wording on top in a low-key engraving instead of embossed finish. Currently, both the earphones and case are only available in black.
Features
- Ordinary noise cancellation
- AptX Lossless and Snapdragon Sound support
- Claimed 8-hour battery life
In terms of specs, the Denon is a devout box ticker, and though some of the features aren’t widely used, the PerL Pro future-proof themselves for the next few years as a result.
There’s Bluetooth 5.3, with the PerL Pro supporting streams in SBC, AAC, up to aptX Lossless. The latter is only available to Android users, as iOS devices transmit in AAC. The wireless performance has been staunchly robust with only a brief phase in/out walking through Waterloo train station. Bluetooth multipoint is also included for connecting to two devices at once.
With Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless Bluetooth onboard, the PerL Pro claim to offer bit-perfect, 16-bit/44.1kHz audio over a Bluetooth wireless connection – at least when paired with a Snapdragon Sound compatible smartphone. There are phones from Asus, Sony Xperia, Xiaomi, and Nothing that feature this level of support, but it isn’t the norm.
Like the Nura, the PerL Pro supports Dirac’s spatial audio solution which takes stereo content and graces it with more width, depth, and height. As far as I can tell, the noise-cancellation mirrors the NuraTrue Pro and it leaves me… underwhelmed.
The fit and seal are an issue. On the Underground, frequencies at the lower end of the spectrum still get through, which suggests the fit isn’t optimal. Not every audio company needs an ear fit test in their app, but the Denon is a prime candidate for giving its own more promimence. Right now, the test is only available during the set-up process. If there is a right fit for these earphones, I’ve yet to find it.
So, the adaptive noise-cancellation is fine but doesn’t get rid of as much noise as I expected on its own – it’s not a bubble of isolation the PerL Pro creates but one where there’s a thin layer of ever-present noise. Yes, external noise is diminished, but in my view it should suppress more considering its £299 price tag.
The volume is what keeps noises at bay, which thankfully is one of a few earphones released in 2023 that isn’t oddly quiet at default volumes, but its loudness fools you into thinking the adaptive noise-cancellation is stronger than it is.
The Social (or transparency) mode is another aspect I’m lukewarm to. The microphones could be clearer and cleaner, as well as sound more natural. It tends to focus on the noisier aspects of what’s around and amplify it. Most of the time I could hear cars jacked up to frightening levels – it could benefit from having a slider to customise it. It’s easy to have conversations without taking the earphones out, and engaging the mode is simple enough but again I’m left feeling underwhelmed.
There’s no change in the call quality performance. The emphasis is on vocal clarity, and it succeeds with little noise piercing through despite several people chattering nearby. On busier roads when the ANC kicks in, the pick-up of my voice seems to drop, but otherwise this is better than the average true wireless.
The app is the Nura app transposed to the Denon headphones app. After signing in you’re presented with a clean, stark look with the app’s white background and black lines. The Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology (AAT) performs a series of tests to gauge your hearing ability, and my profile looks pretty much like my Nura one. I prefer having my hearing profile active as the PerL Pro’s default sound is unremittingly bland.
There’s the ProEQ feature (five-band customisation) and a slider for ‘Immersion Mode’ that adds more bass. Auto-pause is supported (and works well), plus you can add more profiles and you get the choice of two modes: Performance or Low Power if you’re running out of charge.
Speaking of which, Denon claims eight hours of juice per charge (with an additional 24-hours courtesy of the case). An hour-long stream of a Spotify playlist at 50% volume came in at 90% in the Denon app and 85% on Android, so between 8 and 10-hours seems likely. As mentioned before, I don’t think you’ll need to raise the volume from its default. It’s perfectly pitched.
Wireless and fast charging complete this extensive list of features. Five minutes charging (wired) provides an hour extra and the case can apparently charge back to full in an hour.
Sound Quality
- Crisp, articulate, approach to sound
- Dirac Spatial Audio is subtle
- Rich, punchy bass
I’d say in terms of tuning, Denon has taken a slightly different approach to Nura. Whereas Nura was smoother and warmer, the PerL Pro feel crisper and more detailed, especially in the mid to upper frequencies. They’re less overtly warm than I remember the NuraTrue Pro.
There is still that richness and impact to the low frequencies, but it comes across as punchier in expression. There’s a degree more of attack to the bass in The Superman Lovers’ Starlight and The Roots’ You Got Me. The 10mm drivers provide a confident and varied bass performance that gives music a solid foundation to build on. The bass performance has an almost ‘live music’ quality that I enjoy a lot.
The soundstage is comfortably big and wide, with the PerL Pro nice and loud at default volumes to the point where you don’t need to push the volume up unless you prefer your music very loud (a choice I wouldn’t recommend for the safety of your ears).
High frequency notes are clear and defined, brighter and sharper than on the NuraTrue Pro, which gives high frequencies in Isfar Sarabski’s Déjà Vu more presence. With the NuraTrue Pro I hear more warmth and richness; the treble has a more rolled off quality.
There’s is a nice crispness to cymbal crashes, the Denon’s feel for detail and clarity is a few notches above the original. There’s more dynamism and drive to express dynamic highs and lows on both a small and large scale. It makes for a more musical and flowing performance.
The crisper tone to the midrange is free of sibilance with The Preatures’ Is This How You Feel – the Denon describes voices with added clarity and less smoothness for a neutral approach. The levels of detail and outright definition of instruments is greater listening to Manu Katche’s Keep on Trippin’ than it is the softer, warmer, older model.
With regards to the Dirac spatial audio, it’s a subtle alteration of the sound rather than whizz-bang theatrics. Voices have greater prominence; the soundstage is wider and taller with tracks pushed forwards to be closer within your headspace.
Some tracks course with more energy – presumably it amplifies characteristics already there – and it doesn’t sound unnatural or distracting but it could be more overt. There are all sorts of interpretations regarding spatial audio, and this take emphasise spaciousness.
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Should you buy it?
If you’re after high quality sound
The Denon PerL Pro are a very good sounding wireless earphones at any price point. Crisp, clear, and articulate, you’ll want a subscription to Tidal or Qobuz to hear them at their best.
You want no compromise on ANC
The audio masks how average the noise-cancelling is but considering the substantial price Denon has put on these earphones, they’re not as good as Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.
Final Thoughts
I really like how the Denon PerL Pro sound. They’re better than the NuraTrue Pro, offering more fidelity and insight.
However, the fit and seal are problematic. The result is the noise-cancelling performance isn’t as strong as rivals from Sony and Bose, and while the Dirac spatial audio integration is likable, it may be too subtle for some.
These earbuds are weighed more towards Android users, and some of the features require compatible handsets to get the absolute, truly uncompromised level of sound quality from these earphones.
There’s much to like about the Denon PerL Pro. They’re a very good, at times excellent sounding true wireless pair, but I don’t think they’ll be for everyone. I wish Denon had refined the design and punched up the noise-cancellation as the NuraTrue Pro weren’t perfect out the box. If it did, these could have been a formidable true wireless contender.
How we test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
Tested across several weeks
Tested with real world use
Battery test performed
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FAQs
During our battery drains, we found the battery could last between 8-10 hours depending on the volume.
Full specs
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
