The FoKus Pro use the Qualcomm SoC QCC3040 chip and Bluetooth 5.2. Read our Bowers & Wilkins PI7 first take. You can toggle noise-cancelling on and off by tapping the touch-sensitive controls, which are pleasantly responsive. Panasonic isn't a brand that immediately springs to mind when you think of in-ear headphones. The buds are available in three color options. The accompanying ShurePlus Play App is slick, intuitive, reliable and offers a number of performance tweaks including seven, yes seven, EQ presets. The 1 Plus provide a whopping nine hours from one charge, and you get an additional four charges from the carry case. Which means that the KSE1200s sound sensational, with a wonderful balance and sense of organisation. Read our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review. Available in four color options, the third-gen Liberty 3 Pros have updated dual drivers and are about 30% smaller than their predecessor.

They are comfy and lightweight for starters. They're splash-proof, with an IPX4 rating. Earfun's Air Pro 2 not only features solid active noise cancellation, but its sound is also impressive for its relatively modest price, with overall well-balanced sound, decent clarity and solid bass performance. There's a pair of in-ears for everyone on this list, including budget wired headphones and premium models, plus noise-cancelling headphones and wireless headphones, too. They work perfectly well with a smartphone, but we find you can get better performance using hi-res and CD-quality files through a laptop and dedicated music player software, or by hooking them up to a high-end music streamer. The Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 are equipped with the same 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and oval silicon tips. They have an IPX4 water-resistance rating, so they're splash-proof. Are your current in-ear headphones falling apart? Unlike Beats' earlier, less expensiveStudio Buds, the Beats Fit Pro include Apple's H1 chip and have most of theAirPods Pro'sfeatures, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. You will receive a verification email shortly. While the Qualcomm QCC5141 chip that powers them supports active noise canceling (and Bluetooth 5.2), the company has yet to enable it, relying instead on a tight seal from the included ear tips providing good passive noise isolation. Now into their third generation, these Bluetooth in-ears boast sound quality good enough to trouble the class-leaders, a competitive specification sheet that offers great battery life (28 hours), Bluetooth codec support (aptX Adaptive), and the bonus of extra in-app personalisation features. And they also combine a comfortable fit along with strong noise canceling, very good sound quality and voice-calling performance, plus a robust feature set, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging. Over the years, JBL has put out some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. The only thing they don't have is an in-line remote. They're the Sony buds for people who can deal with larger buds like WF-1000XM4 but want 80% to 85% of those buds' features and performance for $80 less. When viewing Netflix and YouTube video content dialogue is loud and clear, with no lip-sync issues. The level of finesse and refinement on offer is astonishing for the money. Just buy them from a retailer that has a good return policy in case you're not completely satisfied. We handpick the products and services we write about. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Designed to make shopping easier. They come packaged like premium in-ear headphones with six ear tip options and three cables with a choice of normal 3.5mm and balanced 2.5mm and 4.4mm connectors. Needless to say, the premium design elements are here. While they're out of most people's price range, they're arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer superior sound to the AirPods Pro, with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound. You can adjust the bass level with a slider in the "immersive" mode in the app and I found these delivered big sound with a wide soundstage. I'm personally more fond of the company's new NuraTrue earbuds, which also have a fairly unusual design and give you the option to create a personalized hearing profile. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. The Fokus Pro are Noble's second-generation premium true-wireless earbuds and feature a hybrid three-driver configuration, with a custom made 8.2mm dynamic driver and 2 Knowles balanced armature drivers. Everybody wants true-wireless earbuds that sound good, but what if you want true-wireless earbuds with exceptional sound quality? As with the originals, the real selling point is battery life. Timing is excellent, sonic balance is perfectly poised and there is a surprising amount of detail for the money.

And, if you want to block out more of the outside world, you might want to consider a pair of noise-cancelling in-ear headphones too. Wallet-friendly and feature-packed in-ear earphones. Each bud houses a 5mm dynamic driver and features a soft silicone ear tip that offers a great seal that ensures good noise isolation. Our pick of the best in-ear earphones across a range of prices. So, you will also want to ensure the in-ear headphones you go for (and the tips you get with them) are comfortable. The buds are fairly large and do stick out of your ears like premium buds from Sony and Sennheiser. Anker makes several earbuds that cost less than $100. While not positioned as 'sporty', they are IPX4 sweat- and water-resistant. They sound clear, dynamic and are also bursting with detail. Though fairly pricey, If these fit your ears well, they're among the better premium buds, particularly for sound quality. Featuring excellent sound, improved noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well a smaller, more refined design that includes stabilizing fins (so the earbuds stay in your ears more securely), the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are among the best new true-wireless earbuds for 2022. They feature Bluetooth 5.2 and multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to two devices at the same time, such as a computer and smartphone. Sony's in-ear headphones boast some serious sonic skills. They probably offer some level of water resistance, but they currently don't have an IPX rating, which means I can't recommend them for anything but nonsweaty workouts at the gym.

Battery life is rated at up to 8 hours at moderate volume levels, and these are splash-proof, with an IPX4 rating. Earfun isn't the first brand that jumps to mind in this category, but If you want cheap and cheerful wireless in-ear headphones, you need to give the Airs a try. Are you going to plug them into a smartphone or will they be used with a premium portable music player packed with hi-res music? The case charges wirelessly, and I liked how the tips of the buds are illuminated by a pair of LEDs on the inside of the case when the buds are charging. Google's latest in-ear headphones are packed with features and come in at a very low price which is an attractive package in itself. The price tag is competitive too. I could probably name 10 iem's that are better, cheaper and better looking than many of those you mentioned.

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. However, while the Soundpeats T3 are better for calls, the Earfun Air Pro 2's noise-canceling and transparency modes are superior, and the Soundpeats don't have the ear-detection sensor. But the Sony WF-1000XM4's noise canceling and headset performance are superior, and they cost around $120 less. To sum up, these Panasonic in-ear earphones are superb for the money. They deliver more of an audiophile sound profile, with smooth, well-balanced sound and well-defined bass. If you want a fantastic pair of in-ear headphones that wont tangle you up in wires, you need to try these Sonys. Think of Sony's WF-C500 wireless earbuds as a no-frills version of the WF-1000XM4 found further up this page. South Korea-based Astell & Kern, known for making high-end digital music players, has released its first true-wireless earbuds, the UW100, and they're among the best-sounding earbuds out there. Build quality is good and they are an easy listen. If you want an affordable and accomplished pair of wireless in-ear headphones, Cambridge Audio's offering definitely warrants a closer look. We found this a little hit and miss, so we would definitely experiment and consider mixing the sizes if it means getting a more secure fit. The WF-1000XM4 produce one of the most dynamic, detailed and balanced performances we have heard from a pair of wireless in-ear headphones. aptX audio codec support is available for compatible devices. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Wear sensors detect when the earbuds are in your ears and pause your music when you take them out. Thanks to their lightweight design, these premium wireless in-ear headphones are comfortable to wear and offer seven hours of playback (28 hours with the charging case). The earbuds have some extra features, like an ear-detection sensor (your music pauses when you take the buds out of your ears) and a case that has USB-C and wireless charging, which you don't often find at this price. Theres power, poise and a fantastic sense of dynamism. The noise reduction isn't quite as good as what you get with some buds but that may improve with firmware upgrades (the 1More companion app is serviceable but could also be improved). The SoundMagic E11C headphones are the latest addition to a range that represents one of the more surprising success stories of recent years. Battery life is rated at around 6.5 hours at moderate volume levels, and you get an extra two charges from the case, which has USB-C and wireless charging. Battery life is seven hours from the buds and a further 28 hours from the charging case. There's also a transparency mode that lets ambient sound in.

The MW08 model offers some significant improvements, including the addition of solid noise canceling and call quality, that make it one of the top models for 2022. Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. I had no problem with the volume levels; the earbuds play plenty loud now, perhaps too loud for some people. Heres why you can trust us. If you haven't thought of upgrading your in-ear headphones before, now could be a perfect time. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted. Superb in-ear headphones with an attractive price tag and a wired connection. Downsides? is supported by its audience. They're missing a couple of features usually found at this price point: Namely, an ear-detection sensor that automatically pauses your music when you pull the earbuds out of your ears and wireless charging (the former feature is more important). I prefer the matte finishes of the cases that come with the black and blue versions, and you also get a secondary pouch for safekeeping. Google's track record with in-ear headphones isn't the greatest, but the Pixel Buds A-Series are a welcome surprise, and get the What Hi-Fi? In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer. They are a musically pleasing pair of Bluetooth in-ear headphones and you will struggle to find anything at this level that carries out similar functions and does it so well. Battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels, with an additional three charges from the somewhat large but sturdy charging case. But perhaps it should be. We try a wide range of music and music file types and if the in-ear headphones offer extra features such as noise-cancelling, we also test this and use them in different environments to make sure it's up to scratch. There are wireless in-ear headphones that have proven consistently commendable over the years and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless fall into that group. These wireless in-ear earphones put in an admirable sonic performance and produce a clean, carefully measured sound that doesn't grate or overwhelm. We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door. Samsung-owned JBL has a couple of new sets of earbuds, theLive Pro 2andLive Free 2that are surprisingly good. At 1796 the Shures aren't cheap, but the electrostatic tech is impressive. Some of Earfun's buds have had a bit too much treble push -- sometimes referred to as "presence boost" -- but these mostly manage to avoid that (they do sound better than the original Air Pro). Shure's Bluetooth-packing in-ear headphones are a a huge hit. The Earfun Air Pro SV have a few things going for them. They serve up a musical and entertaining performance, overflowing with energy and detail. Shortly after the release of the CX, Sennheiser's second-generation midrange buds, the company followed them up with the CX Plus, which add noise canceling for a slightly higher price. They are more than a match for any rival at this level. The finest in-ear headphones we have heard at this price. How are we supposed to pick one? Initially, there were some complaints about the earbuds not playing loud enough, but a firmware update fixed that issue.

Read the full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review. A lot of people love Nura's original over-ear Nuraphones, which are uniquely designed with an in-ear component and personalized sound. The Shure KSE1200s are no ordinary in-ear headphones. They are supplied with five sizes of ear tips, so you should be able to achieve a decent level of isolation. Second, because of that design, they come with their own headphone amplifier. Sennheiser's flagship in-ear headphones set high standards. You can use a single earbud if you want; they're IPX5 splash-proof, and battery life is rated at 6 hours with noise canceling turned on. But how do they sound? Take theEarfun Airpositioned (above), switch to a 10mm driver, cram in even more features such as noise cancellation and you arrive at the Earfun Air Pro. Both are equipped with the same 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and oval silicon tips. For starters, they're the first earbuds I've encountered where the wireless charging case converts into a transceiver, so you can plug the case into the headphone port on an airplane's inflight entertainment system and wirelessly stream audio from the case to the earbuds. Music sounds layered, emotive and allows you to celebrate every nuance in your chosen source material. The Melomanias deliver an impactful and expansive musical performance. For me, the traits of excellent sounding wireless headphones involve such adjectives as accurate, articulate, well-balanced, dynamic and smooth. What Hi-Fi? They are dynamic, detailed and their sense of rhythm and timing needs to be heard. While their sound and noise canceling don't quite measure up to the WF-1000XM4's, they're close and cost less. Last year, Panasonic trotted out its venerable Technics brand and gave us a couple of pairs of very good-sounding true-wireless earbuds, including the flagship EAH-AZ70W, which once cost $250 but are down to around $160 on Amazon. Insight and precision are first-rate too. Music sounds clear and there's a great deal of refinement on show, which is to be welcomed at this price level. Aside from the design, the biggest difference between the two buds is battery life; the stemless Live Free 2 is rated for up to seven hours, while the Live Pro 2 is rated for 10 hours. They are nice and comfortable and feature a small rubber lip that ever so slightly pokes up from the housing to help them nestle into your ear. Aside from that small gripe, they're a very good value, particularly now that Earfun is offering them for $54 when you input the code SUMMER40 (40% off) at checkout on its site. But Beyerdyanic has said it made sound quality its highest priority and that definitely shows. Up there with the very best wireless in-ear headphones you can buy. The headphone cable hooks over the top of your ears and keeps them secure at all times - there is a slight knack to getting the swivelling buds in place, though. The original version of Momentum True Wireless was an impressive debut but the company's second bite at the cherry brings noise-cancelling technology and improved battery life. The Bluetooth 5.0 connection is solid and stable, calls sound clear and for the money, the in-ears offer an energetic and spacious sound. Partner these in-ear headphones with a high-quality outboard DAC, such as the Chord Mojo and use good quality files and you will hear just why the IE 900s justify their hefty price tag. That's finally changed with the arrival of the Samsung-owned brand's newLive Pro 2andLive Free 2buds. We can't think of any pair of in-ear headphones at this price that comes close. They're arguably the best sounding true-wireless earbuds out there right now but cost a whopping $400. First of all, you need to decide how much you are willing to spend but also bear in mind how you are going to use your new in-ear headphones. Best in-ear headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi? Battery life is rated at up to 7.5 hours at 50% volume and the metal charging case has a 500-mAh battery (it's not as easy as it should be to get the buds out of their case). They are a great proposition with a good fit, solid connection, decent controls, and good noise-cancelling for the money. Battery life is 10 hours from the buds themselves, which should be plenty for most; the case provides just another 10 hours, so the total battery life can be bettered by some rivals. They offer superb noise-cancelling tech, which can be adjusted in the companion app, as well as customisable controls. Now we get the Technics EAH-AZ60, which doesn't have quite as premium a feel as the EAH-AZ70W, but it sounds sweet with clean, well-balanced sound, well-defined bass and good detail. They're also splash-proof, with an IPX4 rating. They support SBC, ACC, aptX and aptX Adaptive codecs. There is also support for Siri and Google Assistant voice controls. (I was able to get a secure fit with the largest tip.) Beyerdynamic is known for its over-ear wired studio headphones, including the newish DT 700 Pro X ($259). They sound confident and insightful too, revealing layers of low-level information and organising every track they are faced with into a structured and cohesive whole. You are treated to an expansive, clear presentation across the frequencies. Unlike with the Liberty Air 2 Pro, I had no problem getting a tight seal with the included ear tips and found the sound to be on par with other premium earbuds that cost more. The Bose are right up there with the best-sounding true wireless earbuds and go toe to toe with theSennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. The RZ-S500W are the company's first foray into wireless noise-cancelling and they are sensational performers for the money. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with much 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 that help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. The black headphone amp (about the size of a pack of cards) is solidly built and boasts a classy knurled rotary volume control. is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Sennheisers IE 900 in-ear headphones will appeal to purists who want to get the best audio possible from a high-quality source. The earbuds may not fit everyone's ear equally well, but they certainly have a distinct look, as well as excellent sound and a great listening experience if you can get a tight seal. Thank you for signing up to What Hi-Fi?. As for sound, they dish up a sense of enthusiasm and excitement that is highly infectious. 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. For sound, they measure up well against the Sony WF-1000XM4 and other top-sounding earbuds and arguably offer slightly better clarity than the Sonys. You also get five sizes of ear tips to help with fit. This model has new 11mm drivers, which add a bit of punch to the bass and a touch better clarity. There are no ear-detection sensors, active noise canceling or transparency modes and voice calling performance is decent enough but not great. 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. Battery life is pretty standard for wireless in-ear earphones at around five hours, plus another 20 or so provided by the carry case. Featuring Knowles balanced-armature drivers and a 32-bit DAC, they offer clean, articulate sound with fast, well-defined bass. Bowers & Wilkins flagship noise-cancelingPI7earbuds sound terrific. These use Bluetooth 5.0 with support for the AAC and aptX codecs (for devices that have aptX, like Samsung's Galaxy smartphones). But with the world moving to wireless audio, the company has slowly shifted into the Bluetooth headphone arena, first with itsGW100 on-ear model(in 2018) and now with its first true wireless earbuds, the GT220 ($259). 107, 109db sensitivity (higher than any I've seen in buds), longer battery life, bluetooth 5.1, far better than anything mentioned here - what gives? The buds are IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge at moderate volume levels. Any negatives? Aside from stellar sound and very good noise canceling, the PI7 buds have a few bonus features that may help you rationalize paying $400 for them. And the results are fantastic. Specification is thorough, with noise-cancelling tech, an Ambient Mode, twin mics for voice calls, and battery life that totals 19.5 hours (6.5hrs from the buds and 13hrs from the charging case). Earfun is highlighting how you can see the buds' squared-off stems through the case -- there's a little window -- but aside from the stems, the buds themselves have a similar shape and design to the AirPods Pro. If you want to upgrade your ageing Apple EarPods, the Beyers should be high on your hit list. It's also worth noting that their high sensitivity (112dB) means that the E11Cs can deliver plenty of volume. Nine different eartip choices allow for excellent isolation, while an in-line remote and mic can control your tunes and answer calls. They offer a stable Bluetooth connection and also manage to pack in some of the best active noise-cancelling technology we have heard from a pair of true wireless buds. 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. But if you're OK with it, these are easily among the best-sounding true-wireless earbuds out there -- and maybe even the best-sounding. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks. There's a sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice in the buds, which is good. A choice of foam and 'Soft Flex' tips should make for a snug fit, too. Founded in 2005, a relative flash in the pan compared with many audio companies, SoundMagic rose from obscurity to multiple-Award winners, most notably with its budget in-ear headphone range. There's also a low-latency gaming mode and touch controls that work reasonably well, and you can upgrade the buds' firmware and tweak sound settings in a companion app for iOS and Android. Well-engineered electrostatic drivers tend to have lower distortion and a faster response than any alternative technology. Earfun talks about them having "six professional mics for a stunning call experience" -- and they work decently enough for calls -- but I was slightly disappointed with the noise reduction while using them in the streets of New York City. There is plenty of agility through the low end and loads of texture across the frequencies. Bass notes are crisply defined and ooze texture, while vocals sound refined and extremely natural. The Sony XM4s (above) sound a bit more fun, but the Shure Aonic Free sound precise and major in analysis. As for drawbacks, the standard SE425s dont come with a remote or mic unit. I thought the touch controls worked well, and these are splash-proof with an IPX4 rating. All in all, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are great all-rounders, capable of impressive musicality and topped off with top-notch noise cancelling.

Well, they can generate cable noise if you don't use the supplied clothing clip, and the one-button control doesn't allow for volume adjustment. You don't get noise-cancelling at this price, but Earfun Airs do provide excellent noise isolation and they feel comfy in situ too.

Your colour choices are either white or 'Dark Olive'.



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