In the TOP 30 best headphones of 2026, I’ve included both the best wireless headphones and the best wired models. The ranking of the best headphones includes models of five form factors: TWS, over-ear, on-ear, headphones, and IEMs. These are the best headphones for music lovers, audiophiles, gamers, and enthusiasts — with the ability to fine-tune the sound to your liking.
I was finally inspired to create this selection by Marques Brownlee, who recently released a very thoughtful top list of the best phones on his channel. This year MyChooz turned 10, and during this period, we’ve tested over 250 wireless models and more than 50 in the last year. MyChooz’s goal is to honestly recommend only what we would buy ourselves; that’s the idea of the project. And to get the maximum for the minimum cost. Therefore, this ranking includes the best headphones and will serve as a guide to other rankings on headphones with good sound.
A headphone’s place in the ranking depends on: sound quality (50%), microphone quality (12.5%), noise cancellation & transparency quality (12.5%), controls, app, battery life (12.5%), and comfort, design, durability (12.5%). These are the main criteria for evaluating the best Bluetooth headphones. The best wired headphones are evaluated based on sound quality, comfort, durability, and additional features. More details on how we assign scores.
EMMA — Experts + Methodology + MyChoozers + Algorithm.
Every model goes through identical tests; the score is calculated automatically with fixed weights — a spot in the rating cannot be bought.
TOP-30 Best Headphones of 2026 – 21 Categories
Best Wireless TWS Earbuds
1. Technics EAH-AZ100 8.88Best Wireless Headphone Sound 2026 – Best for Music!
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Technics EAH-AZ100 – the best wireless headphones for sound among all TWS models under $350. This is the primary reason to buy them. They rank second for sound among all TWS models and first for the combination of all parameters: sound + features + build. The model has no critical flaws.
- Reference-quality sound among true wireless earbuds
- Comfortable and pleasant build
- Average active noise cancellation
- Non-critical cons: Slight lack of vocal intimacy. Minor flaws in the app and design. Average microphone
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.31 Reference-quality. The main pro of the sound is its natural timbre, soundstage, detail retrieval, and highs. The main con is a slightly recessed mid-range and vocals as a result. Plus a minimal lack of bass quantity and quality.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.00 Got better than the AZ80. In quiet environments: 8 In noisy environments: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.08 Active noise cancellation is enough to suppress road noise, it is better than average. Transparency is great, talking to someone will be comfortable. Battery life is excellent at 10 hours and 28 hours with the charging case, with LDAC + ANC under the same conditions — 7 and 18 hours respectively. Touch controls are convenient, but take some getting used to. The app is great, in it I recommend choosing the LDAC codec and tuning the EQ.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.00 Comfortable, durable, and nice-looking. As for comfort, they are comfortable, with a slight feeling of the wireless earbuds in your ears. The charging case is compact. Reliable build. IPx4 dust and water resistance for the wireless earbuds only. The wireless earbuds look nice, although nothing special.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best wireless TWS earbuds
Best Over-Ear Headphones
2. Noble Audio FoKus Apollo 9.12Best Over-Ear Headphones for Sound with a Detachable Microphone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Noble Audio FoKus Apollo – the best over-ear headphones for sound, particularly for detail retrieval. The main reason to buy is the reference sound, the earbuds don’t press on the ears, and latency with LDAC is about 30 ms. There’s an external microphone with a switch to quickly disable all microphones in the headphones. No significant drawbacks, if you don’t consider the price and the slightly sharp treble that can be smoothed out with EQ.
The microphone isn’t stellar; you can talk in non-noisy conditions. There’s also this detachable microphone; let’s listen to how it all sounds.
- Reference-level sound
- Top-tier noise cancellation
- Comfortable fit, sturdy and reliable build quality
- Minimally usable transparency mode
- Fabric finish collects dust and fine debris
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.66 The headphones offer the best sound in terms of emotionality and analyticity. The bass is deep and unburdened, the mids are open with minimal transparency drop. Reference soundstage, naturalness, and detail retrieval. Positioning does not shift with instruments appearing or fading. The sound lacks noticeable artificiality and grain, and detail retrieval is sufficient to hear minor artifacts in the recording. Cons include highs lacking softness, and excessive percussion in a track getting fatiguing.Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.64 Active noise cancellation suppresses up to about 50% of noise, while transparency mode is minimally suited for conversation. Button controls with basic playback and call management. The companion app is user-friendly, featuring a 10-band EQ and personal sound tuning.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.50 The ear cups do not press on the ears, and minor fatigue becomes noticeable by the 3rd-4th hour of use. Build quality is defect-free, and materials are premium grade. The headphones look good, I liked them.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best over-ear headphones
Best OWS Earbuds: Open-fit for Android and iOS, Clip-on Earbuds
3. Huawei Freebuds 6 8.06Best Open-Fit Earbuds 2026 – By Sound
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei FreeBuds 6 — best sports open-fit earbuds. The main reason to buy: best sound among open-fit earbuds, reference microphone among TWS models, and unique design with a comfortable fit. The earbuds are almost unnoticeable in the ears from the first minutes of use. Only after 2 hours does slight fatigue set in. With the LDAC codec, we get a sound improvement of up to 20%. Among the drawbacks, some features are only available on Huawei phones with HarmonyOS: proprietary L2HC codec, translator, voice assistant, etc.
- Best sound among open-fit earbuds.
- Reference-quality microphone.
- Good noise cancellation for open-fit earbuds.
- Overly bright sound in certain tracks.
- Non-critical: No transparency mode, L2HC 4.0 codec, and many proprietary features are available only on HarmonyOS 4.3+ Huawei devices.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.98 Top-tier level like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 — just here it’s different, bright, narrow, precise. Great out-of-the-box sound. Using the LDAC codec grants a sound-quality boost of up to 20%. The main sound strengths are excellent naturalness and detail retrieval, alongside pleasant bass. Instruments and vocals sound clean, with practically no artificial sheen or coloration. The main sound flaw is a lack of soundstage size; the presentation is quite congested and narrow, leaving you wanting more space. In tracks rich in percussion or highs, the sound is harsh and frequently fatiguing. EQ tweaking is required.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.75 In quiet environments: 10 In noisy environments: 9.5 Reference-quality microphone among TWS models.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.11 Noise cancellation is at a solid level for an open-fit design. There is no transparency mode, but even without it, you can freely chat with someone without taking off the earbuds. Battery life is excellent, reaching up to 6 hours of playback and up to 36 hours with the case. Touch controls are convenient, but take some getting used to. The app is great; I recommend selecting the LDAC codec and tuning the EQ inside it.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.17 The earbuds are barely noticeable in your ears from the first minutes of use. Only after 2 hours does mild fatigue set in. Durability is fantastic; after a year, the model looks like new. The design is quirky, but in person, it looks better than in photos.Read more.
4. Apple AirPods 4 ANC 8.05Best Open-Fit Earbuds for iPhone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Apple AirPods 4 ANC – the best earbuds for iPhone and Apple devices. You get good sound, spatial audio, and adaptive EQ. The headphones have good battery life, a decent microphone, and noise cancellation.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.56 Among open-fit earbuds, this is first-class sound. Soft, voluminous, enveloping, and comfortable, allowing you to relax and lose yourself in your favorite music. I really liked the sound. If we take the current reference like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 or the previous Huawei FreeBuds 6, those models edge ahead slightly in points. The main plus of the sound is the spaciousness and overall harmony; it is soft and pleasant, you never get tired of it, and it draws you in. The main minus of the sound is that naturalness could be better, and vocals closer. However, this is not critical.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.00 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.00 Noise cancellation is at a reference level for open-fit earbuds, feeling almost like in-ear earbuds. An unbelievable level. Transparency mode is perfect and reference-grade, making it feel as if you aren’t wearing earbuds. Battery life is poor: 5 hours and 30 minutes without ANC, and 4 hours and 20 minutes with ANC is low. Controls are convenient via stem pinches, but there is no volume control through swipes. The app is great for iOS, but there is no app for Android.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.33 They are very comfortable for 2 to 3 hours without discomfort. Durability is fine overall, except the earbuds scratch very easily. The design follows the Apple style and looks beautiful. The charging case is the smallest I have ever seen, and the earbuds themselves are miniature. I have no complaints about the build quality.Read more.
5. Huawei FreeClip 2 7.62Best Clip-on Earbuds
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei FreeClip 2 – best clip-on earbuds among the open-fit models tested on MyChooz. The main reason to buy: best sound among OWS, comfortable fit, and natural transparency mode. This is the best alternative to in-ear, open-fit earbuds, and neckband headphones. Among the minor cons: a bit lacking in bass, no active noise cancellation, and the design might not appeal to everyone.
- Best sound among clip-on earbuds
- Detailed microphone
- Comfortable fit among clip-on earbuds
- Open-fit design without active noise cancellation
- The form factor might not appeal to everyone
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.46 The earbuds are a bit light on bass, which is standard for open-fit models, shifting the focus more toward the mids. Even so, the sound stays dynamic enough for hip-hop and electronic music, keeping things full-bodied and spacious. You get reliable audio without obvious artificial timbre, and resolution is high when using basic codecs. Busy mixes do tend to trip things up, though, causing detail retrieval to drop and the sound to get congested.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.00 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.16 Active noise cancellation and transparency modes are missing in action. Not that you really need transparency with an open-fit design like this, since the earbuds never block you from having a normal conversation. Battery life clocked in during testing at 9 hours for the earbuds themselves and 40 hours total with the charging case. Touch controls feel convenient and responsive, and the app runs stably, packing an EQ, a low-latency mode, and control customization.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.73 The earbuds FEel lightweight and comfortable, though your ears will start feeling tired after about 2 hours of wear. Build quality feels solid with no visible defects, and you get IP57 dust and water resistance. They look sharp and come in 3 different color options.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best open-fit earbuds.
Best Wireless Headphones by Sound Quality
6. Noble Audio Fokus REX5 8.43Best Wireless TWS Earbuds – #1 for Sound Quality
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Noble Audio Fokus REX5 – best wireless TWS earbuds and #1 for sound quality on MyChooz. The main reason to buy: reference sound in key parameters: detail retrieval, naturalness, and soundstage. In terms of sound, they surpassed the Technics EAH-AZ100, and the 5 drivers in the earbuds are not just for show. Although, you’ll need to tweak the sound in the EQ. Sound tuning and ear tip selection will be in the full review. Among the cons – noise cancellation, transparency, and microphone are at the level of models under $100.
Overall, this model is for those looking for the BEST in-ear TWS and wanting uncompromisingly superior sound.
- Best sound, reference detail retrieval among TWS
- Metal case and earbud construction
- 2 EQs, settings can be combined; Audiodo personalized sound tuning
- Fixation via ear tips. Need to adjust earbuds if ear tips don’t fit
- Earbuds cool down quickly in the cold
- Average functionality
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.29 With an emphasis on the mids and more on the highs, there’s a lack of bass out of the box. However, there are no problems adding bass or adjusting the balance, as the app has 2 EQs – a 10-band and a 3-point variable one. The soundstage is spacious with width and depth. Vocals and instruments sound natural, like in real life. And the detail retrieval captures the smallest details that are easily missed in other headphones.Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.75 In quiet conditions: 7.5 In noisy conditions: 6Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.40 Noise cancellation suppresses light background noise, and transparency is minimally sufficient for comfortable communication. Earbud battery life is 4.5-7.5 hours, depending on the codec. Controls are touch-sensitive with 3 actions: pause/play, track switching, and volume. The app is straightforward: it has 2 EQs and personalized sound tuning.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.83 For headphones, it’s important to choose the right ear tips, as the main fixation in the ears relies on them. Otherwise, the headphones are comfortable, and there’s no discomfort after 2 hours of use. The build is metal, with no complaints about assembly or materials. Only in winter do the headphones cool down quickly, and you might catch a cold. The design is interesting, bold, and stands out; I liked it.View the full ranking of the best wireless headphones by sound quality
Best Wireless Headphones Under $100 – TWS, Over-Ear, Open-Fit
7. Realme Buds Air 7 Pro 8.47Best Sound Quality Headphones Under $300
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Realme Buds Air 7 Pro – the best budget wireless headphones for sound. The main reason to buy: THE BEST sound among TWS under $300, with live and synchronized translation without being tied to the phone manufacturer. Downsides: large earbud design that might not fit everyone, many complaints about reliability in our social media. Although the model is №1 in popularity among our social media users.
- Best sound in wireless earbuds under $300
- Live and simultaneous translation
- Reference-level battery life
- User complaints regarding reliability
- Average noise cancellation and transparency
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.00 Using the LHDC 5.0 codec, performance sits right alongside some models priced up to $300. The wireless earbuds offer an optimal frequency balance. You get a spacious soundstage with clear width and depth rendering. The sound is moderately detailed and natural. First batches of the Chinese version suffered from an excess of highs, but the global version doesn’t have this issue.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.00 In quiet environments: 9 In noisy environments: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.75 Noise cancellation and transparency are mediocre. Battery life reached up to 10 hours in our tests taking the codec into account. Touch controls handle basic playback and calls. The app is handy and includes an EQ, sound personalization, and a translator.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.20 The fit is solid. 2-3 hours of use without discomfort. Build and materials draw no complaints. They look great, and I like the design. Available in 4 colors.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best TWS earbuds under $100
8. 1MORE Sonoflow Pro HQ51 7.69Best Over-Ear Headphones Under $100
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
1More SonoFlow Pro – best over-ear headphones in 2026 under $100. The main reason to buy: best sound among over-ear models under $100 with a bass bias and 100 hours of battery life. SonoFlow Pro HQ51 is the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, but for over-ear models. And with the LDAC codec, we get up to 20% better quality compared to AAC. It’s important not to confuse them with the 1MORE Sonoflow headphones released in 2022; this model usually has the HQ51 prefix and is from 2024.
- Best sound under $100
- Best noise cancellation under $100
- Long battery life up to 100 h.
- Holds securely on the head – suitable for running
- Wired audio only via 2.5/3.5 mm jack.
- No dust and water resistance.
- Minor cons: outdated app design, LDAC bitrate does not noticeably impact quality
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.28 Leaning toward the low end. Bass is powerful, punchy, and moderately textured. There is a slight mid-range setback, and a veil sits between you and the vocalist. Treble can sometimes feel lacking, but nothing critical. Frequency balance-wise, the model is pleasant, though I recommend tuning the EQ in the companion app to boost the mids and highs, and dial back the bass to taste. The main highlight of the sound, in my view, is that you feel depth and space. It is a 3D image, wide and deep. The sound is not boring and very engaging; you just want to keep listening to your favorite music.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.20 In quiet conditions: 7.4 In noisy conditions: 7Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.83 Good-quality microphone. ANC is not top-tier like Bose or Sony, but it deserves a 7.8 out of 10. It suppresses lows well, mids slightly worse, and highs even worse. Transparency scores a 7. Not super, but you won’t need to take off the headphones to talk. Battery life is 100 hours. No wireless charging. Controls are convenient, though button-based and requiring some getting used to. That actually pleased me, since touch controls on budget gear are often just bad. The layout is as follows. In the companion app, you can tweak the EQ, enable the LDAC codec for Android, and turn on low latency mode for gaming.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.50 The earbuds are comfortable, lasting 1-2 hours without discomfort. Available in 5 colors. Matte plastic. Decent build, with no obvious defects found during a month of testing. The design is styled after older Sony models, which is an acquired taste, but nothing off-putting.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best over-ear headphones under $100.
Best Wireless Headphones Under $50 – TWS, Over-Ear, Open-Fit
9. OnePlus Buds 3 7.96Best Budget Wireless Headphones 2025 — with Low-Frequency Sound
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
OnePlus Buds 3 — best budget wireless headphones in 2026 under $50. The main reason to buy: best balanced sound under $50, detailed microphone, and no discomfort after three hours of use. Among the cons: average noise cancellation and transparency. With LHDC 3-5 codecs, we get up to 15% improvement in sound quality.
- Best balanced sound under $50
- Detailed microphone
- LHDC 3 and 5 codec support
- Average active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency
- Fingerprint-prone finish on the wireless earbuds and charging case
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.68 The wireless earbuds feature a pleasant and balanced sound. Full-bodied and punchy bass without being overdone. Transparent mids and moderately bright highs. The sound is spacious, detailed, and natural. Overall, you can enjoy the music without needing an EQ on any source.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.30 In quiet conditions: 8.6 In noisy conditions: 8 The manufacturer claims that the AI Clear Call algorithm protects calls from wind and background noise thanks to three built-in microphones and a wind-resistant design. Surprisingly, it works.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.18 The wireless earbuds offer average noise cancellation and transparency. Battery life in our tests reached 8 hr 43 min and 35 hours total with the charging case. Controls are convenient, letting you manage media playback and calls. The companion app sets a benchmark — NothingX: featuring sound and control customization, personal sound tuning, and spatial audio.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.33 The wireless earbuds feature a comfortable fit, though with the stock ear tips, ears get tired after 3+ hours of use. The build is sturdy and reliable, though it’s a fingerprint magnet and shows smudges easily. The design is nice.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best TWS earbuds under $50
10. Ugreen Studio Pro 7.37Best Over-Ear Wireless Headphones – Best Budget Sound
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Ugreen Studio Pro – best budget over-ear headphones, on AliExpress sale price up to $30-35. The main reason to buy: up to 120 hours of playback and best sound up to $70-80 after EQ adjustment, see our full review for our settings. With the LDAC codec, you get a 10-15% improvement in sound.
- Best sound under $70-80 with EQ tuning
- Reference-level battery life – up to 120 hours of playback
- Ear cups press against the ears
- Companion app has bugs and requires manual installation
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.13 These headphones deliver great sound that easily tops budget models, matching your EQ adjustments. The main highlight is the detailed mid-range, offering clear vocals and instruments alongside strong detail retrieval that outperforms some models under $70. The primary sound drawback is naturalness, as the presentation feels slightly unnatural with mild artificial timbre and grain. The Ugreen Studio Pro makes the best pick for anyone seeking all-around headphones across various genres, turning this into an absolute hit among budget models under $40 given the price.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.50 In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 7Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.46 The feature set is decent, highlighted most by a battery life reaching up to 120 hours, alongside functional active noise cancellation, an average microphone, and a mediocre companion app packed with flaws.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.83 Build quality and materials are flawless. Only the earbuds press a bit.Read more.
11. SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS 6.26Affordable Quality Wireless Open-Fit Earbuds
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS – affordable quality wireless earbuds with a recognizable design. The main reason to buy: best sound among open-fit earbuds under $50, durable and reliable construction. And with the LDAC codec, you get up to 10-15% improvement in quality.
- Best sound under $50
- The LDAC codec provides a noticeable improvement in sound quality.
- Fingerprint-prone finish
- Bulky charging case, 3 times larger than usual.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 6 Powerful and balanced, and listening is rich and immersive. The earbuds are best suited for vocal and instrumental compositions.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 6.2 The earbuds lack noise cancellation and transparency. Battery life is up to 5 hours and 20 hours with the case. Controls are responsive and convenient. The signal does not drop within 10 meters.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7 The earbuds are comfortable, but your ears get tired after about an hour of use. No complaints about build quality and materials. Only the coating is smudge-prone and collects fingerprints. They have a good appearance in the brand’s signature style, though without much excitement.Best Wireless Headphones Under $30 – TWS, Over-Ear, Open-Fit
12. Realme Buds Air 7 7.65Best Affordable Wireless Headphones Under $30
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Realme Buds Air 7 — best affordable wireless headphones under $30 for sound, build quality, and battery life. The main reason to buy: best sound under $30, LHDC 3 codec, detailed microphone, working noise cancellation, and transparency. With the LHDC 3 – 5.0 codec, we get a 10-15% improvement in quality, noticeable in the highs and lows.
- Best sound under $30
- Comfortable fit, usable for hours
- Clear microphone
- Uncomfortable to talk in transparency mode
- Noise cancellation only suppresses low-frequency noise
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.21 The sound is balanced with a slight deficiency across every range, specifically showing a minor lack of bass, cohesion, and naturalness. Even so, the sound quality has improved over the previous generation, offering a soundstage slightly wider than your head and good detail that benefits from focused listening, along with naturalness free of obvious artificiality.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.50 In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.67 The noise cancellation of the earbuds mainly suppresses background low-frequency noise, but the transparency mode isn’t comfortable. You get great battery life of up to 13 hours using the AAC codec. The controls are convenient and let you perform basic actions, except for rewinding tracks. The app is convenient, though the system frequently asks you to log back into your account.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.73 The earbuds are comfortable, and you can use them for a long time without discomfort, easily for 2-3 hours. I liked the materials and build quality, with no visible defects. The appearance is pleasant and better than the previous generation.Read more.
13. UGREEN HiTune Max5c 7.05Best Cheap Over-Ear Headphones Under $30
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
UGREEN HiTune Max5c – best cheap over-ear headphones under $30 among all models. The main reason to buy: excellent mids and pleasant highs, best naturalness and detail retrieval among budget models. There is wired audio transmission via USB-C without loss of sound quality. And with the LDAC codec, up to 15% improvement in sound quality. The main drawback of the model is excessive bass out of the box.
14. OPPO Enco Air 4 5.96Budget Open-Fit Earbuds with Bass
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
OPPO Enco Air 4 – budget open-fit earbuds with good bass. Good open-fit earbuds for everyday background listening. In the proprietary app, you can enable game mode and customize controls.
- Good bass sound
- Clear microphone
- Aggressive microphone noise cancellation.
- No immersive sound like in the previous generation.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 5.71 The earbuds have a good bass foundation and no bright sound. Average detail retrieval and naturalness. The sound comes from a single point with a slight distance. It feels like being in a cinema at the side seats. Suitable for background listening.Read more.
Frequency Balance – 6/10. Emphasis on bass, mids slightly recessed, highs lacking.
Lows – 6.5/10 (❗️reference Realme Buds Air 7 Pro). There’s enough bass, the sound isn’t dry. However, there’s little volume and detail. In Lenny Kravitz — Low – the bass guitar and drums are barely distinguishable. In The Weeknd – Blinding Lights – the beats are well-defined, the bass doesn’t overpower the other frequencies. -4.5: lack of detail.
Mids – 5.5/10 (❗️reference Technics EAH-AZ80). Good and clear, and the timbre is recognizable. Lacks transparency and expressiveness. Vocals are distant and sound somewhat off to the side. Oasis – Dont Go Away – Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – lacks expressiveness and transparency. Vocals sound distant. -4.5: vocals are distant, lacks expressiveness and transparency.
Highs – 6/10 (❗️reference Technics EAH-AZ100) Synthetic, yet not bright or fatiguing. Medium detail retrieval. Highs are lacking. Oasis – Dont Go Away – the tambourine is distinguishable, the sound is more like a shaker. Daft Punk – Get Lucky, Lose Yourself to Dance – guitar strings sound synthetic, there’s a bit of grain on the cymbals. -4: lacks airiness, grainy sound.
Detail Retrieval – 6/10 (❗️reference Technics EAH-AZ100). The sound doesn’t get congested with 3-5 instruments. However, background sounds require close listening. There’s grain on the cymbals. Oasis – Dont Go Away – drums are pushed far back and hard to hear. The tambourine sounds distinguishable, sometimes the sound distorts and resembles a shaker more. Johnny Cash – Hurt – minor distortion on the chorus. -4: distortion on complex arrangements. Grainy cymbals. Lack of detail
Soundstage — 5/10 (❗️reference Technics EAH-AZ100) The sound comes from almost a single point. There’s a slight 3D effect. Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – vocals, chorus, and instruments come from almost a single point. Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles – sound effects come from a single point. Lack of volume and scale. -5: sound is almost from a single point.
Naturalness — 5/10 (❗️reference Technics EAH-AZ100).
There’s digital processing on acoustic guitar strings and grain on cymbals.
Sting – Englishman in New York – the double bass sounds indistinct, and other instruments sound unnatural.
Lenny Kravitz — Low – the bass guitar sounds muddy, and the drums sound muffled.
-5: Instruments sound unnatural, with synthetic timbre and grain.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 5.6 The earbuds have a decent microphone, no noise cancellation or transparency. Standard touch controls, some actions can be reassigned in the app. The signal is stable and does not drop.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.1 The earbuds are lightweight; after a couple of hours, you want a break. The glossy finish on the earbuds is prone to fingerprints. The build is solid and defect-free. They look good and are available in two colors – black and white.Best Headphones with Microphone
15. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 8.52Best Wireless Headphones of 2025 — Best Microphone in Quiet and Noisy Conditions
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 – the best wireless headphones based on the sum of 32 testing parameters on MyChooz, among all wireless in-ear models under $200. And the main reason to buy: balance of sound, features, and build, plus a reference microphone. Cons include some features only working on proprietary devices with HarmonyOS: L2HC codec, spatial audio, translator, voice assistant, etc.
- Top-tier sound
- Reference microphone
- Top-tier controls
- Proprietary L2HC codec, translator, assistant, and other features only work on devices running HarmonyOS
- Non-critical: soundstage lacks width rendering, highs have grain in places
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.46 The wireless earbuds feature excellent mids and transparent vocals. Moderately natural voice and instrument sound without distortion and artificial timbre. And detail retrieval is enough to enjoy live instruments. Cons include a minor bass deficit and a somewhat narrow soundstage.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.75 In quiet environments: 9.5 In noisy environments: 10Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.52 A strong point of the model and the manufacturer in general. Noise cancellation and transparency are sufficient for work. Playback time in our tests up to 6.5 hours taking the codec into account. Convenient touch controls, swipes, and head gestures. And the proprietary app is not overloaded with extra functions. Only on Android you have to install the app manually after downloading it from the Huawei website.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.67 The wireless earbuds have a comfortable fit without noticeable discomfort. No complaints about build or materials. Only the wireless earbuds body is a fingerprint magnet, and scratches are visible on the case after a week of use. The wireless earbuds look good, but the gilding and brand name look excessive. 3 colors to choose from.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best headphones with a microphone
Best Wireless Headphones for Android/iPhone
16. EarFun Air Pro 4Best TWS Earbuds with 2 Families of Codecs – LDAC and aptX Lossless
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
EarFun Air Pro 4 – best TWS earbuds with 2 families of popular audio codecs: LDAC and aptX Lossless. This is a well-balanced model without significant drawbacks. Excellent battery life, as stated by the manufacturer. Good noise cancellation and transparency, a convenient and functional app. Liked the spacious case and wireless charging.
Main reason to buy: if you want to get the most out of the aptX codec on your phone and love detailed and bright sound.
Sound. The main drawback of the sound is the bright treble. The sound becomes fatiguing with prolonged listening, the sound is slightly embellished and a bit unnatural. Detail retrieval drops in tracks with complex arrangements. The main plus of the sound is a smooth sound delivery, good overall naturalness, and detail retrieval. EarFun Air Pro 4 is the best option for those looking for versatile headphones for various genres, except perhaps for funk – there’s little bass.
Musical Engagement 7/10. The earbuds hold your attention, listening is pleasant.
View detailed rating +Hide –- Pleasant sound with personalized tuning (adaptive EQ).
- Detailed microphone recording.
- 4 noise cancellation modes and 2 transparency modes.
- Customizable touch controls.
- Battery life: tested 8-11 hours for earbuds and up to 60 hours with the case.
- Comfortable fit, 5 pairs of ear tips included.
- Convenient and functional app.
- Bright high-frequency sound out of the box.
- The EarFun Audio app uses 1 GB of RAM on Android.
- Poor microphone in noisy conditions
17. Apple Airpods Pro 3 8.64Best Wireless Headphones for iPhone and Apple Devices
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Apple Airpods Pro 3 – best TWS earbuds for Apple devices. The main reason to buy: near-flagship sound; reference microphone, active noise cancellation, transparency, and controls. The model has no critical drawbacks – it might not fit well, and some features only work with Apple devices.
- Near-flagship sound quality — vastly superior to the 2 Pro.
- Microphone is a benchmark
- Noise cancellation and transparency mode operate at benchmark levels.
- Controls are benchmark-level
- Battery life increased by 2 hours, reaching up to 8 hours with ANC active.
- Comfortable and sleek design
- Comfort has improved across the model line, though it won’t suit everyone.
- The app and other features work exclusively on Apple devices.
- Minor drawbacks: the case scratches very quickly.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.50 With EQ tuning, you can push the score up to a 9. You get excellent sound quality on par with top models from Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, and others. The strong suit is a significant boost in detail retrieval, soundstage, and naturalness. The tuning closely resembles the AirPods Pro 2, but it’s as if the window you’re looking through has been enlarged and thoroughly cleaned. Finally, you get a sound profile you don’t have to feel ashamed of. That’s a huge leap of +1.5 points compared to the Pro 2. It still doesn’t quite reach the level of the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, Huawei Freebuds 4 Pro, or the reference Technics EAH-AZ100, but it’s getting close.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.00 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 8 The microphone delivers simply stunning quality, setting a new benchmark. At first, I thought I had accidentally recorded sound using the iPhone instead. The “voice isolation” feature is available, which improves voice quality in noisy conditions by cutting out background sounds.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.00 Active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and controls all match reference-quality. Battery life reaches up to 8 hours for the earbuds and up to 24 hours with the charging case when you turn off ANC and spatial audio. There is no app; all features are built directly into the OS, so Android users will need to configure the earbuds through third-party apps.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.43 The earbuds offer an ideal fit with zero fatigue even after 5 hours of use. However, the design won’t suit everyone, so it’s a good idea to try them on before buying. Build quality draws no complaints, just like previous generations, but the glossy plastic scratches immediately. You’re better off putting a case cover on right away. The design is minimalist with nothing extra.Read more.
Best Wireless Headphones with Noise Cancellation
18. Sony WH-1000XM6 8.11Best Wireless Headphones with Noise Cancellation in 2026
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Sony WH-1000XM6 – best wireless headphones with noise cancellation in 2026. The main reason to buy: reference noise cancellation and transparency, low-frequency sound, and the convenient proprietary “Find My EQ” feature, which reduces sound tuning to a couple of clicks. With the LDAC codec, we get up to 10-12% improvement in overall sound quality. Among the drawbacks: the earbuds press on the ears, and discomfort sets in from the first minutes of use, the hinges are not durable and require careful handling.
In the Sony WH-1000XM6, the noise suppression algorithm is more effective compared to in-ear models, which are sensitive to the seal of the ear tips. The mode primarily suppresses low-frequency hum and partially mid-frequency noise. When the mode is active, there are no parasitic overtones or white noise, nor any pressure effect on the eardrums. At the same time, with noise cancellation, the bass slightly increases during playback.
- Reference-level noise cancellation and transparency
- Detailed microphone
- Low-frequency sound without excessive bass
- Earcups press against the ears
- Hinges require careful handling
- Lack of detail retrieval
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.48 Low-frequency sound, similar in signature to the WH-1000XM4. Vocals sound close, timbres of low and high-frequency instruments are distinguishable. Soundstage processing is mostly in width, with no noticeable artificiality or distortion. Comfortable sound without significant downsides. There is only a slight excess of bass, a lack of transparency in the mids, and a shortage of brightness. Although even this can be fixed in the built-in equalizer in a “couple” of clicks.Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.68 The headphones feature reference-level active noise cancellation and transparency among over-ear models. Battery life in the series remains unchanged – 30-40 hours with noise cancellation enabled. Controls are mostly touch-based for music and calls. The companion app is useful, though the multi-level menu structure is awkward, and with the “find your EQ” feature it’s easier to tune the sound out of 4-5 options of different tonality. The signal is stable at distances up to 10 m using the LDAC codec at the Quality bitrate setting.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 6.33 Awkward, the headphone clamping force is stronger than the previous generation. My maximum time in the headphones is an hour, then I need to take a break. No complaints about build and materials. The weak spot of the headphones is the hinges, which break under heavy use. Design is nice and neat. Choice of 3 colors.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best headphones with noise cancellation.
Best Gaming Headphones
19. SteelSeries Arctis Nova ProBest Gaming Headphones for Computer (PC)
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro – best gaming headphones for computer (PC), PS5, Xbox, portable consoles, smartphones, and tablets. This model is among the top gaming headphones due to its high-quality sound and hot-swappable batteries. You don’t need to wait for the battery to charge – just replace the battery and keep playing. A dock station with hub functions is used for charging the batteries – quick setup and control of the headphones. 4 connection methods are available: radio channel, Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm cable, and USB connection.
Sound Evaluation. The headphones have detailed bass and excellent visualization. Pleasant and high-quality sound with deep immersion in games of various genres. You can adjust the EQ in the proprietary SteelSeries GG software. And all necessary settings can be made from the dock station with a DAC.
- Top-tier sound for gaming
- 4 connection options: Radio channel, Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm cable, and USB
- External DAC included
- EQ adjustment is important for music listening
Best Wired Over-Ear Headphones
20. Sivga Audio Luan 9.84 Best over-ear wired headphones – the benchmark of versatility
Sivga Audio Luan $250–300 – the best over-ear wired headphones with a versatile, spacious, and natural sound. These headphones feature large 50mm dynamic drivers with a composite diaphragm (nickel plating + carbon fiber), providing excellent dynamics and control across the entire range. The natural wood housing adds organic timbre.
- Best versatile headphones
- Soundstage scale
- Moddability
- Unwillingness to mod
The main plus of the sound of Sivga Audio Luan is the massive, textured, and perfectly controlled bass combined with full, corporeal, and incredibly natural mids, where vocals and instruments sound lively and emotional. The main minus is slightly less sparkle and air in the highs in stock, as well as dependence on burn-in and a simple mod to fully reveal the huge soundstage and micro-details.
Read more.
Read more.
View the full ranking of the best wired over-ear headphones
Best Wired In-Ear Headphones
21. BQEYZ WIND 9.41Best In-Ear Headphones Under $200 – Best Sound
BQEYZ WIND $165 – best in-ear headphones under $170, combining a traditional dynamic driver with a bone conduction driver. This combination provides noticeable bass and adds depth to the sound. The in-ear headphones sound quite balanced, with an emphasis on detail retrieval and airiness, especially in the high-frequency range. Excellent soundstage with good instrument separation.
- Best sound under $170 among wired in-ear headphones
- Tactile bass
- Premium build
- Harsh highs
Read more.
Read more.
View the full ranking of wired in-ear headphones
Best Bass Wireless Headphones
22. OnePlus Buds 4 8.47Best Wireless Headphones with Bass Sound – New for 2025
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
OnePlus Buds 4 – the best wireless headphones with bass sound in 2026. They offer top-tier bass sound out of the box, which doesn’t require EQ adjustments. Sound-wise, they are slightly inferior to Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, but they compensate with features and build. The model has no critical flaws. LHDC 5.0 codec support and a Snapdragon mobile platform source are desirable, as the sound is noticeably worse on MediaTek.
- Top-tier bass sound without needing EQ tweaks
- Comfortable fit
- Sound improves with the golden hearing profile
- Minor downsides: translator only works on OnePlus phones
- LHDC 5.0 codec support is recommended
- Sound quality is worse on MediaTek devices compared to Snapdragon
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.58 The emphasis is on pleasant bass and the highs. Top-tier sound, reasonably natural without noticeable artificiality or grain. There is enough detail retrieval to pick apart instrument textures, even in busy tracks with complex arrangements. The soundstage is spacious with clean separation between vocals and instruments. Downsides include an abundance of bass that overly crowds the stage and reduces transparency in the mids. There is also a slight lack of detail and texture in the sound.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.50 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 8 No changes from the OnePlus Buds 3 version, identical to the Oppo Enco Free 4. An additional wind test (the 3rd one) was included per request.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.33 ANC effectively suppresses background noise, and you can chat comfortably in transparency mode. Earbud battery life reached up to 11 hours in our tests, and up to 56 hours with the charging case depending on the codec. Touch controls support 5 actions per earbud, including swipes. The companion app is user-friendly without fluff, featuring a 22-language translator for OnePlus phones.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.40 Your ears do not get tired with the stock ear tips after 2-3 hours of use. The construction is sturdy and reliable, and the matte finish gives the earbuds a nice look. That said, there is nothing groundbreaking about the design, and the initial excitement fades by the second week of use.Read more.
View the full review of the best headphones with good bass
Best Wireless Headphones for Sports
23. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 8.10Best Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones – for Sports
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds — the best noise-cancelling headphones of 2025 among in-ear TWS models and a benchmark on mychooz.com. They offer benchmark noise cancellation, pleasant bass sound, a comfortable fit for sports, and the best spatial audio mode. With the aptX Adaptive codec, the sound quality improvement is up to 15%. Downsides include poor microphone noise cancellation and an inconvenient proprietary app.
- Reference-quality active noise cancellation (ANC) among true wireless earbuds
- Top-tier low-frequency sound
- Best Spatial Audio performance
- Comfortable fit for running and sports
- Poor microphone active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Clunky app
- IPx4 dust and water resistance. No case protection.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.26 Bass-heavy, with a slight excess of bass and mids. You can tweak the sound in the app EQ to get a comfortable listening experience. Vocals and instruments are clear, with no noticeable digital processing or grain. The soundstage only feels somewhat enclosed, just a bit wider than your head. Still, you get width and depth with good instrument separation.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.50 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 4 Each earbud has 4 microphones and features active noise cancellation (ANC). In a quiet room, recordings are detailed and clear, with a slight echo. In noisy conditions with a handheld vacuum cleaner, the voice is unintelligible, as the ANC struggles. An additional road noise test will follow later.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.92 The earbuds feature reference-quality active noise cancellation (ANC), and the transparency mode is on par with the reference. Claimed battery life is 6 hours and 24 hours with the charging case. Controls are convenient, allowing you to perform basic playback actions. The app is clunky, and features are duplicated 2-3 times. Connection stability is solid, though with aptX Adaptive, occasional dropouts happen at a distance of 8-9 meters.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.00 The earbuds fit snugly in your ears and do not fall out while running or working out. After 2-3 hours of use, minor fatigue sets in. No complaints about materials and build quality, except for the glossy finish which is a fingerprint magnet and gets dirty quickly. The earbuds look good, though they do not spark any particular excitement.Read more.
View the full ranking of the best headphones for sports
Best Unusual Headphones
24. Nothing Ear ( 3 ) 2025 8.44Stylish Wireless Headphones for Phone – with Microphone in Case
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Nothing Ear ( 3 ) 2025 – beautiful wireless headphones with top-tier build and functionality. They offer top-tier sound, but it’s important to update the firmware; out of the box, the frequency balance and directional microphone in the charging case for communication in noisy places are notable. Cons include average noise cancellation and transparency.
- Top-tier sound
- Detailed microphone with excellent voice isolation
- Reference-quality proprietary app
- Average noise cancellation and transparency
- Bright sound before firmware update
- Inflated price on certain marketplaces
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.38 The main plus of the sound is the mids and naturalness, offering close and transparent vocals. The sound is slightly unnatural, but free of artificial timbre, paired with good, detailed bass.The main downside of the sound is bright highs. This kind of sound causes fatigue, particularly on tracks with abundant percussion. Therefore, updating the firmware is important because it makes the sound balance more pleasant.
Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.80 In quiet conditions: 8.6 In noisy conditions: 9 In quiet conditions, the balance drifts a bit, and noise cancellation removes background noise. At the same time, your voice is easy to understand. In noisy conditions, you get excellent voice isolation and complete noise blocking. At times your voice sounds a bit muffled, though speech is not hard to parse.Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.28 Noise cancellation and transparency are barely usable, making them the weakest side of the earbuds. Playback time in our tests reaches up to 9.5 hours, and up to 38 hours with the case, taking the codec into account. You get convenient pinch controls on the earbud stem and a reference-quality app for usability and features.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.83 The earbuds are comfortable, fatigue sets in after 2 hours. The build is sturdy and reliable, with no defects. The appearance is excellent and stands out from competitors.Read more.
Best Comfortable Headphones
25. Marshall Monitor III ANC 7.82Headphones for Big Ears, Large Size – Bright Style, Soft Sound, Good Microphone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Marshall Monitor III ANC – headphones for big ears, large size with signature design. They offer the best fit – earbuds don’t press on ears, clean sound without overloaded bass, and a foldable design that fits in a large pocket. Among the cons: only basic audio codecs, low noise cancellation, a useless proprietary app, and controls.
- You get a clean and bright sound devoid of bloated bass.
- The comfortable fit lets you wear them for 5 to 6 hours without fatigue.
- Recognizable design
- No high-quality codecs
- Active noise cancellation successfully blocks light background noise.
- Useless app
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.60 The sound is balanced with an emphasis on mids and highs. You get a clean and bright profile backed by moderate bass, making these better suited for rock, vocal, and instrumental tracks. The spacious soundstage concentrates most of its detail in width. While you won’t notice much artificial timbre, some graininess slips through occasionally. Detail retrieval is the weak spot here, and the headphones noticeably lack a low-compression codec.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.40 In quiet conditions: 8.8 In noisy conditions: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.68 Active noise cancellation only subdues light background noise, while Transparency Mode feels comfortable. You get control over music, volume, calls, and ambient modes, though you can’t remap the core functions. Useful app features include spatial audio and power-saving settings.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.60 These offer the most comfortable fit among over-ear headphones. Weighing 250 g, the soft ear pads exert no pressure on your ears, leaving no hint of fatigue after 5 hours of use. The build feels sturdy and compact, folding up to fit into a large jacket pocket, and I really liked the signature, recognizable design.Read more.
Best Headphones by Battery Life
26. CMF buds 2 Plus 7.37Best Budget Headphones by Battery Life
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
CMF buds 2 Plus — best budget headphones by battery life, offering 15 hours with the AAC codec and a record so far among TWS headphones on mychooz.com. Sound and features are comparable to CMF buds 2 Pro. The main difference is the absence of a control button on the case. If you need long-lasting headphones, a quality microphone, and bass-heavy sound, these are a great choice. With the LDAC codec, the sound improvement is minimal – less than 5%.
- Reference-grade battery life among true wireless earbuds with AAC codec – 15/62 hours
- Potential for sound tuning through personalized sound profiles
- Detailed microphone
- Excessive bass out of the box
- There is no control button on the case like on the 2 Pro.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 6.96 Excessively bass-heavy with recessed mids and muffled highs. The earbuds offer good detail and natural timbre if you dial down the bass a bit. However, the soundstage is disappointing, with imaging mostly limited to width. Out of the box, the sound will appeal only to fans of overloaded bass. But if you lower the bass or run the personalized sound calibration, the sound changes noticeably for the better — gaining more transparency and treble emphasis.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.50 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 6Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.63 Active noise cancellation suppresses up to about half of background noise. It is enough to slightly muffle street or office noise. Conversing in transparency mode is uncomfortable, as your own voice echoes in your head. Controls are convenient, though it lacks the rotatable dial on the case found on the Pro 2. On the other hand, the earbuds offer reference-grade battery life among true wireless earbuds when using the AAC codec. In our tests, the earbuds lasted 15 hours and 62 hours with the case. The companion app sets the standard for usability and stability.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.00 I liked the earbuds and the case. The design is simple yet modern. Only 2 colors to choose from. The fit is good, and with the included ear tips, my ears start to get tired close to two hours of use.Read more.
Best Headphones by Control Convenience
27. Nothing Headphone (1) 8.22Nothing's Large Headphones – First Over-Ear Model
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Nothing Headphone (1) – Nothing’s large headphones, the first and so far only over-ear model. They feature a cool design and reference controls, a detailed microphone, and top-tier noise cancellation on par with Sony and Bose leaders. With the LDAC codec, you get +10-15% to quality. Among the cons: average comfort and mandatory EQ adjustment, as the out-of-the-box sound is at the level of models under $100.
- Good and even sound with EQ
- Microphone – top-tier
- Active noise cancellation and transparency mode are top-tier.
- Controls and app – top-tier!
- Battery life – top-tier!
- Build – beautiful with nuances.
- The sound requires EQ tuning, out of the box it’s at the level of sub-$100 models.
- Minor flaws: the bass adjustment feature in the app didn’t work.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.33 Roughly this result is what I expected. You can hear that the headphones are capable of playing, that there is potential. But the sound was tuned a bit incorrectly. I hope the default EQ gets fixed via firmware updates. In this model, EQ tuning is simply a must. Which we will handle shortly. It is not difficult, you do it once and forget it.The main plus of the sound is naturalness and responsiveness to EQ. If the EQ did not fix the situation, this model would be an underdog. With tuning, you can safely add +1 point out of 10 to the final score. The main downside of the sound is that EVERYTHING lacks just a little bit. Bass, mids, highs. Because of which a lot is lost in detail retrieval, plus the soundstage is a bit pushed back. This is sound behind a wall in the next room. And you want it to be right in front of you.
Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.50 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 7 In noisy conditions, it handles not ideally, but well.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.17 Top-tier noise cancellation, made it into the TOP 5 among all models. Transparency mode is also excellent, allowing you to freely talk to a companion without taking off the headphones. Battery life is excellent, up to 54 hours of playback with the LDAC codec and up to 80 hours with the AAC codec. Controls are very convenient, reference-quality, and moreover they are physical, button-based, and feature a wheel. The app is also reference-quality, with a convenient equalizer.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.00 Comfortable, you can wear them for 2-3 hours without discomfort, and build quality is also great, even though the coating is a fingerprint magnet. The design is unique, but in person they look MUCH better than in photos.Read more.
28. CMF Buds Pro 2 7.57Best Wireless Headphones Under $40 — with a scroll wheel control button on the case
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
CMF Buds Pro 2 — best wireless Bluetooth headphones under $40, for Android and iPhone phones. They offer solid low-frequency sound for bassheads, a scroll wheel button on the case for player control, and a quality microphone among budget models under $50. Among the drawbacks: average noise cancellation and transparency. With the LDAC codec, you get up to 5% improvement in sound.
- Handy scroll wheel button on the case for music control.
- Punchy low-frequency sound
- Detailed microphone for under $40
- Overly bass-heavy sound without EQ
- Average active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency
- Up to a 5% gain with the LDAC codec
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.05 The sound is overly bass-heavy, with slightly recessed mids and gorgeous highs. In its sound signature, it remotely resembles the OnePlus Buds 3 or Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro. If you’re a fan of bass-heavy and simultaneously bright sound, you’ll like the CMF Buds Pro 2. And yes friends, the CMF Buds Pro 2 sound slightly better than the $249 Apple AirPods Pro 2.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.75 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 8.5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.10 Noise cancellation capabilities are enough to muffle light background noise at home or in a quiet office. In transparency mode, talking is difficult, and your own voice echoes inside your head. Battery life is excellent; in our tests at full volume, the earbuds last up to 10 hours and 44 hours with the charging case. Touch controls are present, and accidental touches are ruled out. Controlling the player with the button on the charging case is convenient — you can adjust the volume, pause a track, or resume playback. The app is of reference quality, well-thought-out, and convenient, allowing you to tune the EQ or reassign controls.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.07 I liked the build and appearance of the earbuds. The design is simple yet modern. Plus, there are 4 colors to choose from. The fit is good; with the included ear tips, ears get tired after about 2 hours of use.Read more.
Best Wireless Headphones by Build Durability
29. Beyerdynamic AVENTHO 300 7.54Good Over-Ear Headphones – by sum of criteria
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Beyerdynamic AVENTHO 300 – good and reliable over-ear headphones with large earbuds. They feature durable plastic earbuds and metal hinges, making them an ideal option if you’re considering headphones for 3-5+ years of active use. There’s plenty of volume headroom, and at 70% volume, music is loud. In our tests, the model lasted 86 hours with the aptX Adaptive codec. Among the drawbacks – average sound quality and strong clamping force of the earbuds.
- BEST build reliability among over-ear headphones
- Responds well to EQ tuning with a dozen usable presets
- Plenty of headroom, optimal volume level 70%
- Soundstage is congested — lacks volume
- Ear cups press against the ears, need a break after an hour
- Sound is a bit dry, lacks bass and clarity out of the box
- Noise cancellation is weaker than competitors like Sennheiser, Bose, and Sony
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.46 A bit dry, with an emphasis on the mids and highs. Low-frequency and high-frequency instruments can be distinguished, and the texture comes through. The vocalist sounds like they are sitting on a chair right in front of you, or rather shouting in your face, but with a half-closed door in the way. The sound is detailed and accurate with minimal artificiality. The weakest point of the headphones is the soundstage. There is little sense of space, as if you are listening to a performance in a small room. At the same time, imaging is present in both width and depth. The overall impression is mixed. On the one hand, the sound is engaging, but on the other, it feels congested. It feels like a massive stream of data is being fed into your ears, but your brain doesn’t have time to process all that information. With the EQ enabled, the sound is cleaner and more spacious, and the low- and high-frequency instruments sound more pronounced.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.35 In quiet conditions: 7.7 In noisy conditions: 5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.27 Active noise cancellation blocks roughly 30% of noise, and the transparency mode is convenient for conversations. Battery life in our tests reached 86 hours using the aptX Adaptive codec. Controls rely on a combination of buttons and touch panels, which are convenient though not customizable. The companion app is user-friendly and not overloaded with unnecessary features.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.17 The headphones are large and roomy. At the same time, the ear cups press against the ears and discomfort arises after 20-30 minutes, and after an hour you want to take a break. Build quality and materials are top-notch with reference-grade reliability. They look good and come in black and white.Read more.
30. Marshall Major V 6.96Best On-Ear Headphones 2026 Under $150 – Most Comfortable
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Marshall Major V – best on-ear headphones for sound, price, and comfort. They offer top sound among on-ear models, a comfortable fit, and a stylish, recognizable design. The headphones have no significant drawbacks; only basic codecs limit the headphone’s sound, particularly detail retrieval. Also, there are many fakes of the Marshall brand on sale, so it’s important to buy headphones from certified stores.
- Balanced sound
- Lightweight — 186g
- Stylish signature design
- Only basic codecs
- Needs EQ adjustment
- Earcup pressure
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.04 With moderate bass, pronounced mids, and muted highs. The soundstage is average with minimal width and depth. The headphones noticeably lack detail when using basic codecs. At the same time, the sound is natural, free of artificial timbre, and has minimal grain.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.25 In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 6.5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 6.17 The headphones don’t have active noise cancellation or transparency mode. You get up to 100 hours of battery life, with both fast and wireless charging supported. Control is handled by buttons, and a joystick lets you manage calls and music, including fast-forward and rewind. The app is straightforward, with an equalizer being its only truly useful feature.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.93 The headphones are lightweight, but the earcups press on your ears, and discomfort sets in within the first 30 minutes. No complaints about build quality and materials, no defects. They look great; I liked them. Available in 4 colors.