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Find Your Perfect Earbuds - Review
Tom's Guide
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20/08/2024
This year there is a wide range of options when it comes to wireless earbuds. Tom's Guide looks at the best overall to best ANC and best IOS, see if you can find something you like in our earbud buying guide!
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Tech
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00:00
If you're on the hunt for the best wireless earbuds, lucky for you because my team and
00:04
I have spent hundreds of hours testing dozens of earbuds to come up with the ultimate list
00:08
of which ones are most worth buying, all of which I've linked down below.
00:13
I'll waste no time telling you that the best overall wireless earbuds you can buy now are
00:18
the Sony WF-1000XM5. These wireless earbuds might look small and lightweight, yet they're
00:24
packed with some of the strongest features and performance we've ever seen from a pair of buds.
00:29
They also have some of the most dynamic and engaging sound we've ever heard,
00:33
and the noise cancellation performance is top-notch.
00:36
But that's not all. With 8 hours of battery life, these buds outlast most rivals,
00:41
plus there's LDAC support for higher-quality music, an adaptive listening mode, and full EQ
00:46
customization. Call quality is even solid thanks to a special noise reduction engine with AI that's
00:51
able to make voices sound clear in noisy surroundings. Simply put, the XM5s are the
00:56
full package when it comes to wireless earbuds. However, that package does cost $300.
01:03
If you're looking for something more affordable, shockingly,
01:06
Sony also has our favorite pair of value wireless earbuds. I'm talking about the Sony WF-C700N.
01:13
Stick with me, I know the naming can be a bit confusing.
01:16
Regarded as a budget alternative with an MSRP of $120, these are the best cheap wireless earbuds
01:23
with great sound. They integrate adaptive active noise cancellation and come with decent battery
01:28
life for the price. Sound quality is powerful with Sony's impressive sound signature at the forefront
01:33
alongside the brand's proprietary technologies like 360 Reality Audio and DSEE Extreme.
01:39
Like the XM5s, call quality is good and the mics silence most background interference
01:44
for clear-sounding phone conversations, making these a versatile option that
01:48
have few rivals even as the most affordable model in this roundup.
01:54
Next up, we have what are some of the most recognizable earbuds on the market,
01:58
the AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Pro 2nd Gen, which cost $249. There are plenty of reasons why the
02:06
AirPods Pro 2 continue to beat most other wireless earbuds, and they are without a doubt the best
02:11
wireless earbuds for iPhone users. While testing them out for all kinds of active lifestyle activities,
02:17
we found that the fit makes them a viable option for sports headphones. They're suitable for
02:21
runners and gym workouts alike. Not only are the earbuds IPX4 rated for protection from sweat and
02:27
light showers, but now too is the charging case itself. Battery life is increased to give 6 hours
02:33
on a single charge from the earbuds and up to 30 hours from this wireless charging case as well.
02:38
On the audio front, Apple's H2 chip with a custom amp and driver delivers impressive low
02:43
and high frequencies, and you can use the iPhone's TrueDepth camera to create a personalized spatial
02:48
audio sound for one of the best Dolby Atmos music experiences of any pair of earbuds.
02:53
Noise cancellation is also the best we've experienced from the AirPods Pro series so far.
02:59
But if noise cancellation is really your highest priority, you might want to consider the Bose
03:04
QuietComfort Ultra earbuds instead. I mean, quiet is literally in the name. We've been blown away by
03:10
the noise cancelling capabilities of these buds, in large part due to the unique seal you get with
03:15
the fit. We also like that you can customize sound profiles with 10 different degrees of
03:20
isolation as presets that balance ANC and awareness depending on your activity. Additionally, the
03:25
Ultra's Aware Transparency passthrough mode sounds highly natural, while ActiveSense automatically
03:31
lowers ambient sounds when loud noise is detected. What's more, sound quality is great, and Bluetooth
03:36
streaming includes APX Adaptive Support for compatibility with high-performance audio codecs.
03:41
As with the over-ear QuietComfort Ultra headphones, the Ultra earbuds have Bose's
03:46
new immersive audio tech for a 3D sound experience, no matter what you're listening to.
03:51
Unfortunately, some standard features are MIA. For example, there's no wireless charging for
03:56
this case or multipoint connectivity. It's up to you whether those are deal-breakers for the $300
04:02
price. Now, if the actual quality of the audio performance is what matters most to you,
04:09
we think that the best-sounding wireless earbuds are the $300 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4.
04:16
These buds have the strongest Bluetooth and audio codec support of any pair around at the moment.
04:21
Sound quality is outstanding, and we loved Sennheiser's unique sound signature that
04:25
delivered even more detail across the entire frequency range. They rival the top-ranking
04:32
Sony pair we discussed earlier with a sound balance that gives vocals an extra sense of
04:36
presence, but not in an overly forward way. Everything sounds perfectly balanced and just
04:42
right. Although not quite up to the standards to outdo the Bose QC Ultra earbuds in terms
04:47
of ANC performance, the Sennheiser's block-out sound is effective enough to have a useful
04:51
transparency mode. Features like an ear fit test and sound personalization mode are reliable tools
04:58
to help you get the best fit and sound that's right for you, and Sennheiser's microarray makes
05:02
them a practical calling headset too. There are a few other wireless earbuds that make our best
05:09
list worth mentioning. First we have the Jabra Elite 10, which have sound and spatial audio,
05:14
making these a good AirPods Pro alternative, especially if you don't have an iPhone.
05:19
If you specifically use a Samsung or an Android ecosystem, we also think the Samsung Galaxy Buds
05:25
2 Pro are pretty stellar. They deliver a high-quality audio experience and compelling
05:29
3D sound with precise head tracking. Samsung's ANC holds its own against the category leaders as well.
05:36
Then we have another Jabra pair, the Elite 8 Active, which are about $50 cheaper than the 10
05:42
and are made from military-grade materials for unbreakable protection. If you're highly active
05:46
or generally tough on your devices, these are the ones to get. Speaking of activity, if you're a
05:52
runner specifically, we really like the Beats Fit Pro. Not only is the sound quality solid, but they
05:57
have a helpful Find My feature as well as integrated wingtips, which keep the buds secure
06:01
during runs and other intense workouts. With so many wireless earbuds to choose from, you might
06:08
find it difficult to settle on just one. There are several factors to weigh up, and which ones are most
06:13
important will depend on personal preference. Design and fit are up there, so when buying a new
06:18
pair of wireless earbuds, it can be helpful to think about where you want to actually wear them.
06:23
Sound quality is also very important, of course. Believe it or not, all wireless earbuds have their
06:28
own unique sound signature. Find a pair of buds that match your sound taste, be it heavy bass or
06:33
clear mid-range frequencies to allow you to hear vocals and nuances in the recordings. Battery life
06:39
tends to be key for a lot of people as well. Some earbuds have a few more hours of playback than
06:44
others. So how do we actually test wireless earbuds? We consider fit, battery life, sound quality,
06:50
design, and value. We also factor in features like how well the controls work and how easily
06:55
the earbuds pair with our playback devices. In terms of sound quality, we listen to many sample
07:01
tracks that span a number of genres, including hip-hop, rock, jazz, classical, and R&B,
07:06
all evaluating volume, clarity, and fullness. We also make phone calls to assess both call quality
07:12
and microphone performance. This all takes place over hours and hours of using these earbuds before
07:18
assigning our final ratings. You can see all of our reviews on tomsguide.com. Otherwise,
07:24
the earbuds we've talked about today are all linked down below. Let me know which pair you
07:28
would go for and be sure to stay tuned for more buying guides on this channel coming very soon.
07:33
Thanks for watching. I'll catch you next time.
07:48
Bye.
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