Sony LinkBuds S: Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam in your ears. They’re more compact and lighter than Sony’s former flagship WF-1000XM4 and also feature Sony’s V1 processor. (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5.) While their sound and noise canceling don’t quite measure up to either XM4s or XM5s, they’re still quite good. They’re the Sony buds for people who want 80% of Sony’s flagship earbuds’ features and performance for significantly less.
Jabra Elite 10: Yes, the Elite 10s have some potential drawbacks: Their noise canceling is lighter compared with competitors, they’re pricey at $249, and they’ll probably have to come down a bit to better compete with the AirPods Pro 2 — at least for Apple users. Still, they’re really good earbuds that are not only comfortable to wear for long periods but also sound excellent. Read our full review.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen’s $399 Beoplay EX buds are the company’s best true-wireless earbuds. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), top-notch build quality, great sound, good noise canceling and improved voice-calling performance over B&O’s EQ buds, with three microphones in each earbud they help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. While they’re out of most people’s price range, they’re arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer slightly superior sound to the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound.
Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9: Audio-Technica has put out several truly wireless earbuds over the last few years, but none of them have been good. That changes with the ATH-TWX9, which sports a premium design plus premium sound and a pretty robust feature set, including strong active noise canceling, Multipoint Bluetooth pairing and a case equipped with wireless charging and UV LED sterilization. In the box, you’ll also find a plethora of ear tip options and I was able to tight seal and comfortable fit. These buds are IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for 6 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
1More Evo: Known for delivering good bang for the buck, 1More has released a more premium set of buds that are equipped with a 10mm dynamic driver paired with a balanced armature. They have support for Sony’s LDAC codec for high-resolution wireless streaming over Bluetooth with music services like Qobuz or Tidal that offer high-resolution music files. The Evo buds sound better than the company’s other earbuds, offering better clarity and bass definition as well as a relatively wide soundstage. They also feature solid noise canceling, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, a transparency mode and an IPX4 splashproof rating. Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours without it off. A 15-minute quick charge gives you 4 hours of juice.
Beyerdynamic Free Byrd: Beyerdynamic may be late to the game, but it’s finally introduced its first true-wireless earbuds, which feature active noise canceling, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise canceling off) and impressive sound quality. Read our Beyerdynamic Free Byrd review.
Sony WF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. They’re still excellent earbuds, but Sony has now released the next-gen WF-1000XM5. They may be a good option if you find them at a good discount.
Final Audio ZE8000: Japan-based Final Audio, which makes some high-end audiophile headphones, including the $4,299 D8000 Pro, has released its ZE8000 ($199) true-wireless earbuds that feature a unique stick design and excellent sound. The largest tips fit my ears comfortably and securely, though they do stick out a bit.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true-wireless earbuds of 2022. They’re still among the best true-wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds are arguably superior, so only look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they’re significantly discounted.
JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has put out some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. That’s finally changed with the arrival of the Samsung-owned brand’s new Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 buds. Both sets of buds — the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design — offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise canceling, very good sound quality and voice-calling performance, plus a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.
Read More: Best Sounding Wireless Earbuds in 2024
