This list of the best wireless headphones features 18 models, chosen from over 900 we’ve tested in the past 12 years. Before we dive into the specific models, I suggest narrowing your search from 100% of the options down to the 5-10% that will actually suit you.
How to choose headphones: Narrow your search tenfold
Should they reproduce your favorite music with high fidelity, block out traffic noise, ensure crystal-clear calls, stay put during workouts, or offer lag-free gaming?
You might have several needs, but it’s best to prioritize one main goal and two or three secondary ones. This directly dictates which features are worth paying for and where you can save.
What design will suit you best?Over-ear headphones completely enclose your ears, in-ear models fit into the ear canal, open-fit earbuds rest in the outer ear, and open designs leave your ear entirely free. Each style impacts sound, comfort, noise isolation, size, and outdoor safety differently.
For home, sound and comfort are more important; for transport, active noise cancellation; for sports, a secure fit and water resistance; for the office, a good microphone and connection to multiple devices. A single use case can completely change the list of suitable models.
What will you connect the headphones to?Smartphones, computers, TVs, and game consoles might support different features and Bluetooth codecs. Some headphone functionalities are exclusive to specific ecosystems—for instance, working only with iPhones, Samsung phones, or devices from a particular brand. There’s no point in overpaying for a feature your device doesn’t support.
What’s your budget?Determine not only your maximum budget but also precisely what you’re willing to spend extra on: superior sound, active noise cancellation, a better microphone, enhanced comfort, longer battery life, or additional features. More expensive headphones aren’t always the best fit for your specific needs.
Of course, I can help you in the comments, don’t hesitate to ask.
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-22: Best Wireless Headphones – Ranking 2026
1. Noble Audio FoKus Apollo Pro 8.89Best over-ear headphones for 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.
Essentially, the Noble Audio FoKus Apollo Pro are the same as the FoKus Apollo, but with improved balance tuning. The Pro version offers a more pleasing sound profile, eliminating the need for manual EQ adjustments. Is the extra $50 worth it? Yes, especially if you plan to use the headphones as-is and aren’t familiar with EQs. However, if you’re comfortable tuning EQs yourself or prefer a bass-heavy and bright sound, then no. There’s no real benefit to upgrading from the basic Apollo to the Pro; the sound improvement is minimal.
- Pleasant and smooth sound right out of the box.
- Comfortable fit, sturdy and reliable build quality
- Removable boom microphone.
- 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.
. 9.50 These headphones immediately draw you into the music. The bass is smooth and harmonious, and the highs aren’t fatiguing. It’s rare to find headphones that sound this good out of the box without needing EQ tweaks. The sound is accurate, detailed, and natural – there’s nothing to complain about. I enjoyed the sound more than the basic Apollo, and honestly, I didn’t want to take them off. The Noble Audio FoKus Apollo Pro have entered the top tier and are currently setting a new benchmark for over-ear headphones on MyChooz.Learn 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: 7 The built-in microphone lacks gain, though the voice is clear. In noisy environments, the voice is harder to make out. The external boom microphone is more detailed and handles noise better. In all cases, the volume ramps up smoothly.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.
. 8.03 Useful features, has everything you need. Active noise cancellation blocks about 50% of noise, mostly in the low-frequency range. In transparency mode, you can have a conversation, though the mode is not what I would call comfortable. The controls are convenient, and you can manage the player, calls, and ambient sound using the buttons. There is a physical microphone mute switch, which is handy in games or when you need to step away briefly without dropping the connection. The connection itself is stable, though there is no auto-pause sensor. The companion app has useful features, but the app’s ergonomics itself are awkward.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 Sturdy and reliable, unchanged compared to the base version. The exception is the mesh ear pads. The greenhouse effect in summer slows down, though it doesn’t go away entirely. The ear cups do not press on the ears, and minor fatigue sets in by the 3rd or 4th hour of use. Build quality is defect-free, and the materials are premium. The headphones look good, I liked them.Read more.
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.
The Noble Audio FoKus Apollo are the best-sounding over-ear headphones, especially in terms of detail retrieval. They offer reference sound, the earcups don’t press on your ears, and signal latency with LDAC is around 30 ms. A detachable microphone with a quick mute switch is included. There are no significant drawbacks, unless you consider the price or the slightly sharp treble, which can be adjusted via the equalizer.
The microphone isn’t stellar; it’s usable for calls in quiet environments but not in noisy ones. There’s also this detachable microphone; let’s hear how it 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.
3. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro 8.99Best Wireless Headphones for Phone – Samsung, Android, and 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.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are a fantastic upgrade over the 3 Pro. They offer reference sound, top-notch functionality, and a very comfortable design. They score 3 out of 3. This applies not only to flagship Samsung devices but to all Android and Apple devices. You get reference transparency mode and excellent noise cancellation, plus a great microphone. They’re like AirPods, but with boosted sound and for every ecosystem.
The downsides include artificial ecosystem limitations for non-Samsung devices: you’ll only get basic codecs with a 15% quality drop, no low-latency mode, no translator or voice assistant, no spatial audio, no Auracast, and no seamless device switching. There are minor flaws in the high-frequency sound. Otherwise, they’re just TOP.
- Top-tier sound, reference-grade with the proprietary SSC UHD codec.
- Includes a translator, voice assistant, spatial audio.
- Reference-grade transparency, activation by saying your name.
- The SSC UHD codec, translator, voice assistant, and spatial audio only work on Samsung flagship devices.
- No companion app for Apple.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.13 A wide soundstage, cool punchy bass, prominent vocals that separate cleanly from other instruments, and gorgeous detail retrieval. The main downside of the sound is perhaps the highs, which felt slightly lacking for me in both quality and quantity. The main plus of the sound is everything else, the soundstage is absolute reference material at 10 out of 10.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.
. 9.50 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 9 Gorgeous quality, it has gotten better than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It fell just a hair short of the Huawei reference.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.
. 9.25 Noise cancellation is excellent—9 out of 10, falling slightly short of the AirPods Pro 3 reference. It handles street noise, laptop hum, and PC fans well. Transparency is reference-level with a slight digital processing feel. Battery life in our tests on base codecs is 8-10 hours. Touch controls, plus voice control for the player and calls. The companion app is user-friendly and only for Android devices. Moreover, some features are only available on Samsung devices.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.
. 8.25 The earbuds are very comfortable, the case is compact. After a couple of hours of use, only minor fatigue. The build is sturdy and reliable, though the finish is a fingerprint magnet. Available in 3 colors: gray, white, and rose gold. Personally, I liked the design, while parts of our team didn’t. What about you?Read more.
4. Technics EAH-AZ100 8.88Best wireless headphone sound 2026 – the 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.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 deliver the best sound among all TWS earbuds under $350, and that’s the primary reason to buy them. They rank second for sound among all TWS models and first overall when considering sound, features, and design combined. This 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.
5. 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 are the best wireless TWS earbuds and rank #1 for sound quality on MyChooz. They’re a great buy for their reference sound across key parameters: detail retrieval, naturalness, and soundstage. In terms of sound, they outperformed the Technics EAH-AZ100, and the 5 drivers in the earbuds are genuinely impactful. You will need to tweak the sound with an EQ, and we’ll cover sound tuning and ear tip selection in the full review. Downsides include noise cancellation, transparency, and microphone quality that are on par with models under $100.
Overall, this model is for those seeking the absolute best TWS in-ear option with uncompromisingly superior sound.
- Best sound, reference detail retrieval among TWS
- Metal case and earbud housing
- Two equalizers are included, and settings can be combined; Audiodo personal sound tuning is also available.
- The fit relies on the ear tips. You’ll need to adjust the headphones if the ear tips aren’t a good match.
- The headphones 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 even more on the highs, there isn’t enough bass out of the box. However, you can easily add bass or adjust the balance since the app includes two equalizers: a 10-band one and a 3-point variable one. The soundstage is spacious, offering both width and depth. Vocals and instruments sound natural, just like in real life. Plus, the detail retrieval captures the smallest nuances easily missed with 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 effectively suppresses light background noise, and transparency mode is minimally sufficient for comfortable conversations. Earbud battery life ranges from 4.5 to 7.5 hours, depending on the codec used. Controls are touch-based, offering three actions: pause/play, track switching, and volume adjustment. The app is straightforward, providing two equalizers and personal 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, choosing the right ear tips is crucial, as they are key to a secure fit. Otherwise, the headphones are comfortable, and I experienced no discomfort after 2 hours of use. The construction is metal, with no complaints about build quality or materials. The only minor issue is that in winter, the headphones cool down quickly, which might be a concern. The design is interesting, eye-catching, and stands out; I liked it.6. Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless 8.87Best wireless over-ear headphones – for sound and features
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.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless — these are the best wireless over-ear headphones if you’re looking for excellent sound under $300, top-tier noise cancellation, and a durable, reliable build. With aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs, the sound improvement is only 10-15%, as the sound system already performs at its peak. On the downside, they have above-average clamping force and require a break after 1-2 hours of use.
- Best sound under $300
- Top-tier noise cancellation and reference-level transparency.
- Detailed microphone
- Sturdy and reliable build
- Ear cups press too firmly
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.55 These headphones deliver the best sound quality of any over-ear model under $300. You get a pleasing bass-heavy sound with an intimate mid-range and moderately bright highs. The soundstage is spacious and full-bodied, completely free of artificial timbre or noticeable grain. Detail retrieval is sharp enough to catch micro-details. A few minor drawbacks include a slight excess in the bass, a shortfall in the highs, and a touch less transparency.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.
. 9.25 In quiet conditions: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 9 These headphones feature 4 microphones, with 2 in each ear cup. Voice on recordings sounds detailed. In noisy environments, quality drops a bit while staying clear.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.
. 8.08 Active noise cancellation is top-tier and leaves sound quality untouched. The transparency mode comes close to reference-quality. Up to 60 hours of battery life will easily carry you through a week of active listening. Controls are hybrid and mostly gesture-based on the right ear cup. Navigation feels convenient, though it takes a couple of days to get the hang of it. The app is useful: you can turn on the aptX codec on Android, tweak the EQ, and adjust the ambient mode.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 Build quality feels sturdy and reliable, though the finish picks up fingerprints rather easily. The clamping force is above average, which is fine for 1 to 2 hours of use before you feel the need to take a break. The headphones look good and come in 5 colors.Read more.
7. 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.
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are the best TWS earbuds for Apple devices. They offer near-flagship sound, a reference microphone, active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and excellent controls. The model has no critical flaws, though the fit might not be ideal for everyone, and some features are exclusive to 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.
8. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 8.52The very best 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.
The Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 rank as the best wireless headphones under $200 based on MyChooz’s sum of 32 testing parameters across all wireless in-ear models. The primary reasons to buy are the balanced sound, features, and design, along with a reference microphone. Downsides include some features only working on Huawei devices with HarmonyOS, such as the L2HC codec, spatial audio, translator, and voice assistant.
- 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.
9. ANKER SoundCore Liberty 5 Pro 8.51TOP TRUE WIRELESS earbuds by functionality
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.
In the SoundCore Liberty 5 Pro, the main focus is on features comparable to the benchmarks for each parameter. Collectively, the model stands out as a leader, following the Liberty 5 Pro Max. Therefore, if features are your priority, the Liberty 5 Pro or 5 Pro Max will suit you. The sound quality isn’t bad, just unremarkable. It provides comfortable background sound for everyday listening. The improvement compared to the Liberty 4 Pro is minimal, and the results of the 3 Pro are simply unattainable.
- Comfortable balanced sound.
- Reference functionality.
- Comfortable fit.
- The sound is marginally better than the previous generation.
- The companion app consumes up to 1.9 GB of RAM.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.25 Traditionally with a bass emphasis, although the amount of lows is smaller compared to past generations. Out of the box, the sound is not boring and not harsh. Comfortable background sound for everyday listening. Moderately detailed and natural. And pulling the score down are a lack of clarity and soundstage. This is roughly like coming to a concert and listening to the performance backstage or sitting in the very last side seats. Ordinary sound without critical flaws, moderately pleasant and melodic, particularly with EQ tuning. Liberty 5 Pro – enter the silver league of MyChooz.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: 10 In quiet conditions the voice is detailed and distinct, distortion is minimal. In noisy conditions with a handheld vacuum cleaner in the background, the voice is unnatural, more processed. At the same time background noise is isolated, and speech is distinct.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.
. 9.19 A strong point of the wireless earbuds and by all parameters minimally inferior to the references. The only cons are the RAM usage by the proprietary app – up to 1.9 GB, on average 1.5 GB. That is a lot, for comparison the app for Noble wireless earbuds uses approximately 110 MB.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 Durable and free of visible flaws, right on par with the previous generation. The wireless earbuds have less gloss and show fewer fingerprints, though the charging case screen picks up smudges much more easily. The wireless earbuds are comfortable, don’t press against your ears, and sit snugly. Both the charging case and wireless earbuds look good—I liked the design.Read more.
10. Realme Buds Air 7 Pro 8.47Best sounding 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.
The Realme Buds Air 7 Pro are the best budget wireless earbuds for sound. They offer the best sound among TWS earbuds under $300, with a live and synchronized translation that works regardless of your phone manufacturer. Downsides include a bulky earbud design that might not fit everyone, and we’ve seen several reliability complaints on social media. Despite that, this model is the most popular 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.
11. 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.
The OnePlus Buds 4 are the best wireless earbuds for bass-heavy sound out of the box in 2026. They slightly trail the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro in sound quality but make up for it with features and build. This model has no critical flaws. LHDC 5.0 support is desirable, ideally with a Snapdragon-powered mobile device, as 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.
12. Nothing Ear ( 3 ) 2025 8.44Beautiful wireless headphones for phone – with a microphone in 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.
The Nothing Ear (3) 2025 are beautiful wireless headphones with top-tier design and functionality. The main draw is their excellent sound (though updating the firmware is recommended for optimal frequency balance and to improve the directional microphone for noisy environments). Downsides 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.
13. Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 8.41Large over-ear Bluetooth headphones – stylish and with a bright 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.
Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 are large over-ear Bluetooth headphones with deep bass and bright sound. They excel in sound quality—detailed and natural—use premium materials, and have a robust, reliable build. This model has no critical drawbacks.
- Top-tier sound — detailed and natural
- Premium quality materials
- Sturdy and reliable build
- Transparency mode and microphone noise cancellation above average.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.67 High-frequency with a cold tint. Bass is accurate and detailed, and instruments are distinguishable by timbre. High-frequency instruments are clear, just harsh and quickly fatiguing — this is the most significant flaw in the sound. Furthermore, the soundstage felt insufficiently spacious. Mids are pleasant — the sound is open, and the vocalist sings right in front of you, with a minimal lack of transparency. There is no noticeable artificiality or grain 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.
. 7.75 In quiet conditions: 8.5 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.
. 7.98 Noise cancellation suppresses up to about 40% of noise. In transparency mode, you can chat, although surroundings are slightly muffled. Button controls for basic player navigation and call management. In the proprietary app, the only useful features are a 5-band EQ and linking music streaming services.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 The headphones feature medium clamp force on the ear cups, and you will want to take a break after roughly 2-3 hours of use. Premium quality materials — leather and metal, no complaints about the build. The headphones look nice, with 2 colors to choose from.Read more.
14. Realme Buds Air 8 8.25Best budget TWS earbuds under $50
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.
Pleasant bass sound, and sound quality on par with top-tier and silver-league models. Triple multipoint, translator, and built-in voice assistant. Comfortable fit and pleasant appearance. Potential benchmark for battery life. Downsides: mediocre transparency mode and average control implementation.
- Pleasant bass-heavy sound
- Triple multipoint, translator, and voice assistant.
- Comfortable fit and appealing look.
- Mediocre transparency mode and average noise cancellation
- Noticeable synthetic timbre in the sound
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.19 The overall sound presentation strongly reminds me of the Realme Buds 7 Pro. I thought the Realme Buds Air 8 would be stripped-down 7 Pros, but this is clearly high settings compared to the 7 Pro’s ultra graphics settings, to use a video game analogy. The overall difference in quality is roughly 0.5 points out of 10. The model has no weaknesses, and its main strength is the sound itself. At $43, it is an absolute steal and buy 3 pairs. The model confidently flies into the silver league with 8-9 points, which is nonsense for a $40 model.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 environments: 8.5 In noisy environments: 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.
. 8.15 Noise cancellation effectively dampens background noise. In transparency mode, surroundings sound clear, but talking is uncomfortable. Battery life in our tests is 14 hours and 51 hours with the case. Touch controls rely on 3 taps per earbud, without accidental presses. The app allows you to tune the sound, enable the LHDC codec, and includes a translator and a built-in voice assistant.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.
. 8.57 The earbuds are comfortable, with no discomfort after a couple of hours of listening using the stock ear tips. Build and materials draw no complaints. I like the earbud design, and there are 3 colors to choose from.Read more.
15. Nothing Headphone (1) 8.22Nothing's big headphones – the 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.
The Nothing Headphone (1) are Nothing’s over-ear model, their first and only one to date. The key selling points are the cool design, reference controls, a detailed microphone, and top-tier noise cancellation comparable to Sony and Bose. Using the LDAC codec provides a +10-15% improvement in quality. Downsides include average comfort and the necessity of EQ adjustment, as the out-of-the-box sound is on par with 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.
16. Noble Audio Osprey 8.15Best TWS Earbuds – Bass-Heavy and Bright 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.
The Noble Audio Osprey is an affordable alternative to the successful Noble FoKus REX5, costing $200 instead of $450. While both models look similar, the Osprey is simplified in terms of sound: it has 2 drivers instead of 5, no EQ curve, and no personalized sound tuning. Is the sound difference significant? Yes. The FoKus Osprey sound is worth its price, but it falls short in frequency balance, detail retrieval, and soundstage. Comparing the two models’ sound is like comparing airflow through a slightly open window versus a fully open one. The Osprey’s advantages are only a more emphasized bass that isn’t pushed back, and less sharp highs. Therefore, the Osprey is a suitable option for top-tier sound if you don’t have the budget for the REX5. However, its functionality is mid-level and feels like an afterthought – the entire budget went to sound and build, with the remainder for features.
- Moderately bright sound with deep bass.
- Sturdy and reliable build.
- Stable signal with LDAC codec.
- Mediocre features: poor transparency, little use from the companion app.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.83 Dynamic—bass and percussion sound emphasized while keeping balance. The exception is tracks packed with percussion like Oasis – Dont Go Away. Such tracks carry a metallic “aftertaste” and slight fatigue. Furthermore, the mids lack transparency, which can be tweaked via EQ or left as is. The soundstage feels noticeably smaller compared to the REX5. Otherwise, the sound is spacious, detailed, and natural. Just right for focused listening. The Noble Audio Osprey confidently land in the MyChooz silver league.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.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 7 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.
. 7.23 Implemented as an afterthought. On the bright side—signal stability and zero audio drops with LDAC set to quality preset at a 1–2 m distance. Active noise cancellation works if you pick the right ear tips. Playback time is up to 9 hours using the AAC codec. The transparency mode is poorly suited for daily use, controls work hit-or-miss—usually when you don’t need them, and the companion app offers nothing useful.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 Feels sturdy and reliable in hand, and metal is rare in wireless earbud builds. The assembly, materials, and appearance mirror the REX5 completely. The earbuds look nice, though entirely lacking in individuality. They are comfortable, provided you pick the right size and ear tips. Otherwise, the earbuds won’t stay securely in your ears, or you’ll perpetually feel the urge to adjust them.Read more.
17. Sony WH-1000XM6 8.11Best wireless noise-cancelling headphones 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.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones for 2026. They provide reference noise cancellation and transparency, excellent low-frequency sound, and the convenient proprietary “find my EQ” feature, which simplifies sound tuning to just a few clicks. With the LDAC codec, you can expect up to a 10-12% improvement in overall sound quality. Downsides: the earcups press on the ears, causing discomfort from the first minutes of use, and the hinges are not durable and require careful handling.
In the Sony WH-1000XM6, the noise suppression algorithm is more effective than in in-ear models, which are sensitive to the ear tip fit. The mode primarily suppresses low-frequency hum and some mid-frequency noise. When the mode is active, there are no parasitic overtones or white noise, and no pressure sensation on the eardrums. Additionally, the bass slightly increases when noise cancellation is active.
- 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.
18. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 8.10Best Open-Fit Earbuds for Samsung and Android
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.
The sound in the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 is significantly improved over the previous generation, though you’ll want to spend a couple of minutes with the EQ. You can now consider these earbuds for daily use at home or outdoors, not just for background listening. Plus, you can get a pleasant and detailed sound on any source using basic AAC or SBC codecs. Connecting to a Samsung phone is now desirable, not mandatory, as you’ll get more detail and proprietary features that mainly work on flagship models. The core functionality is still available on phones from other manufacturers.
- Balanced sound with an emphasis on mids.
- Top-tier transparency mode and active noise cancellation (ANC) among open-fit earbuds.
- Samsung ecosystem: translator, Spatial Audio, seamless switching, etc.
- Maximum sound quality only with Samsung flagships.
- Key ecosystem features require flagship devices.
- No dedicated app for iOS.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.13 They sound pleasant with basic codecs, although out of the box, they lack a bit of bass, and the treble is slightly subdued. Transparency is also somewhat lacking, and the sound feels a bit constrained. However, there’s a generational improvement in sound, and the EQ offers potential for tuning. A couple of taps can unlock more detail and increase immersion. The earbuds’ strongest points are detail retrieval and naturalness. With basic codecs, the sound is on par with competitors using LDAC or aptX Adaptive. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 fall into the silver league. With the EQ and proprietary codec, they move up to the gold league.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.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 7 In noisy conditions: 7 Noticeably unchanged in overall quality compared to the buds 3 version. The earbuds are below average for the market regarding microphone quality, especially in noisy conditions—it is better to switch to your phone, but in quiet environments, you can chat comfortably.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.
. 7.58 Feature-wise, the earbuds excel in active noise cancellation (ANC) for open-fit earbuds, and they also feature a reference-quality transparency mode. Good controls with swipes up and down for volume and pinching the stem to manage playback, active noise cancellation (ANC) / transparency, and calls. There is an app for Android, but none for iOS. Stable connection with Bluetooth version 6.1. Battery life is 5-6 hours for the earbuds themselves, sitting at the lower boundary of the standard. Other weaknesses: no control customization, and maximum features require flagship Samsung devices—translator, Spatial Audio, multipoint, etc.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 to use, small, and lightweight. The fit is comfortable—in Vladimir Papazov’s tests. In Alexander Moyseenko’s tests, there was discomfort when the sound nozzle pressed against the base of the ear canal. The build is sturdy and reliable, with downsides limited to a drop in dust and water resistance from IP57 to IP54 and a fingerprint-magnet glossy finish. The earbuds look good, better than the 3rd generation.Read more.
19. Huawei Freebuds 6 8.06Best Open-Fit Earbuds 2026 – For 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.
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 are the best sports earbuds with an open-fit design. They offer the best sound among open-fit earbuds, a reference microphone for TWS models, and a unique design with a comfortable fit. You’ll barely notice them in your ears from the start, with only slight fatigue appearing after 2 hours. Using the LDAC codec can improve sound by up to 20%. Downsides: some features are exclusive to Huawei phones with HarmonyOS, including the proprietary L2HC codec, translator, and voice assistant.
- 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.
20. 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.
The Apple AirPods 4 ANC are the best open-fit earbuds for iPhone and Apple devices. They provide good sound, spatial audio, and adaptive EQ. The earbuds offer 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.
21. 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.
The Huawei FreeClip 2 are the best clip-on earbuds among the open-back models tested on MyChooz. They deliver the best sound among OWS (Open Wireless Stereo) earbuds, a comfortable fit, and a natural transparency mode. They serve as an excellent alternative to in-ear, open-fit earbuds, and neckband headphones. Minor downsides include insufficient bass, no active noise cancellation, and a design that 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.
22. Nothing Ear ( open ) 7.18Best True Open-Ear Earbuds for Running & Sport (Ear-Hook)
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 open — classic open-fit earbuds with earhooks. The earbuds are comfortable, featuring a signature design and a near-reference microphone. Voice is isolated in noisy environments and stays clear. Not the best sound among open-fit models — there’s a lack of detail retrieval with the basic codec. Otherwise, a great option for sports and calls.
- Good sound quality for open-fit earbuds around $100.
- Microphone of excellent quality
- Comfortable design with a secure ear hook fit.
- Signature Nothing design
- The sound can feel a bit low-end heavy.
- 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.
. 7.13 Mid-forward with moderate bass and recessed highs. Vocals stay highly resolved with no noticeable artificiality, just a bit of grain on cymbals. Detail retrieval is average, and with basic codecs, the sound gets congested in tracks with 4+ instruments. The soundstage feels closed-in, expanding mostly in width. Out of the box, the sound is boring and feels like background audio. But with EQ, the sound gets noticeably better, even if you just boost the highs and add a little bass—details pop right out. Nothing Ear (open) make it into the MyChooz Silver League. And that’s a solid result for a model with basic codecs.Learn 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: 9 In noisy conditions: 9 Highly resolved, minimal interference, and a narrow perceived frequency range. In noisy environments, your voice isolates well while noise gets effectively suppressed.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.
. 6.71 The earbuds lack active noise cancellation and transparency mode. At the same time, there is no tight seal, so your surroundings sound just like they would without them. Battery life stays close to the stated time; in our tests, we got 6-7 hours from the earbuds and up to 30 hours using the charging case. The app feels practical, offering a minimum of necessary features including an advanced EQ. Pinch controls handle media and calls without any accidental touches.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 are comfortable to use, though you might feel slight discomfort from the unusual design. Build quality and materials match flagship standards, with the only annoying flaws being a finish that attracts fingerprints and micro-scratches showing up right away. They look nice, matching the rest of the earbud series, but the design brings nothing new and feels a bit tired. You can choose between two colors: white and blue.