The best semi-in-ear earbuds, dear friends. Here is our big TOP 15 of wireless TWS earbuds without ear tips (half in ear earbuds without rubber tips) — some people still call them “droplets”. In 2026 the rules of the game changed completely: the old king is dead, long live the new king. Let’s figure out which semi-in-ear earbuds are the best ones to choose and buy.
How to get high-resolution codecs in wireless earbuds: LDAC, LHDC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, etc.?
Learn moreTricky phone makers like Huawei, Samsung, Realme, Apple, and others do everything they can to drag us into their ecosystem. When it comes to headphones, this manifests in proprietary codec, which is only available on a proprietary smartphone (and usually only on the top-tier, most expensive one). Plus extra features. It all boils down to something very simple: “Want maximum sound quality and top features? PAY UP!”. Huawei has L2HC 4.0, Samsung uses SSC and SSC-UHQ. Among more widely supported ones, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo, and Xiaomi rely on LHDC 5.0.
If the headphones support the required codec, but your phone, tablet, or PC does not, you can use a USB adapter. The device, which is the size of a Bluetooth dongle, plugs into your phone or PC port. The headphones then pair with the adapter and receive a signal with the appropriate codec.
Which adapter to choose?
- QCC Dongle Pro2 — if you need everything at once. The adapter supports: LHDC 5.0, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, and aptX Lossless; LE Audio and Auracast are also claimed.
- FiiO Air Link – Universal adapter, just cheaper. Codec support: SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, and aptX Lossless.
- 1Mii B03Pro is a desktop unit with transmitter and receiver modes. It supports: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL, and aptX Adaptive.
- UGREEN BT701 is a compact, versatile option. Supported codecs: Classic Bluetooth: SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive-LL, aptX Adaptive-HQ. LE Audio: Auracast, Unicast-Low Latency, Unicast-Lossless.
- UGREEN BT501 is a simplified version of BT701. Supports: SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive.
Learn more about USB adapters in our guide — Best Bluetooth Adapters for PC and Headphones.
More details about the LDAC codec, relevant for all low-compression codecs: compatibility, real sound quality gains, where the codec works, etc.
Learn moreThe LDAC codec was developed by Sony and is used in most of the manufacturer’s audio products.
Compatibility. The LDAC codec is the second most widely supported audio codec on Android after AAC and SBC. With LDAC, the sound is less compressed and more detailed, with peak quality achieved using the “quality” preset at a 909/990 kbps bitrate. The codec was introduced in Android 8.0 and is supported on all phones and tablets, except for a few models where the manufacturer removed it from the system or locked it at the hardware level. Because of this, an Android device is compatible with LDAC-enabled headphones in 99.9% of cases.
Impact on sound, expectations vs. reality. Many people shopping for LDAC-enabled headphones wrongly assume the codec guarantees great sound. The formula “LDAC source” + “LDAC headphones” = “great sound” doesn’t always work out. A codec acts as a data packager, and the better its specs, the fewer data losses occur during decoding. However, the hardware itself plays the crucial role: driver type and count, driver design, DACs and amplifiers, acoustic chamber design, and other hidden specs — both software and hardware. If any element in this chain fails due to cheap components or a design flaw, the codec’s benefits drop off. How could it be otherwise? If the acoustic design can’t handle it, no codec will save it.
Where does the LDAC codec work? Usually, the codec doesn’t work in headphones under $50, or the quality gain is minimal. More often, a noticeable gain comes in $100+ headphones.
The bump in quality—and don’t be surprised by this—is most noticeable in mid-range models and above. That’s because lower production costs come with more constraints. At the same time, a high price tag isn’t always an objective indicator of potential quality; there are models with cheap manufacturing and a massive markup. That markup usually goes straight into shareholders’ pockets or gets split among famous figures from the music and film industries. So you’ll find exceptions on both the cheaper and pricier ends.
A real boost with the LDAC codec. Based on my experience testing headphones with various driver types and designs, the improvement ranges from 1–3% up to 15–20%. This is an approximation since you have to rely on your ears in these tests. No equipment for measuring sound quality directly has been invented yet—at least, I haven’t come across any.
It’s important to understand 2 main points. First, with the LDAC codec you get a boost in detail retrieval. Timbre naturalness doesn’t get better, nor does the soundstage. The frequency balance stays the same as well.
Second, the percentage boost varies for each pair of headphones. A 15–20% gain on headphones scoring 5–6 out of 10 overall isn’t even close to a 3–5% bump on an 8–9 point pair. So when you notice a big improvement with a codec, it doesn’t hurt to check the overall sound score.
Which codec is better – LDAC or LHDC?
Learn moreLDAC has better availability, while LHDC offers better features.
| Maximum bitrate | Up to 990 kbps | Up to 900 kbps (v3/4), up to 1000 kbps (v5) |
| Max frequency / Bitrate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz (v3/v4), up to 24-bit / 192 kHz (v5) |
| Bitrate control | 330 / 660 / 990 kbps, adaptive bitrate — 330-990 kbps. | 400 / 500 / 900 / 1000 kbps, adaptive bitrate — 128-1000 kbps. |
| Audio latency | ~160–200 ms | ~200 ms (has LLAC / LHDC LL low-latency mode down to 30 ms) |
| Android Integration | Native support starting from Android 8.0+ | Basic structure in AOSP with Android 10, native v5 support with Android 17 |
| Lossless mode | No | LHDC 5.0 claims lossless |
The specs of both codecs are comparable, leaning slightly in favor of LHDC. It offers more customization options, a higher sampling rate, and toggles for LHDC lossless and audio latency reduction.
However, LDAC is far ahead in terms of adoption. The codec was introduced back in Android 8.0+, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility. There are far more headphones supporting LDAC across various price ranges on the market. There are also more USB adapters with LDAC support—by comparison, there are only two USB adapters for LHDC, and only one of them works without issues. That said, LHDC is likely to catch up with LDAC in availability over time and may even surpass it. More flexible licensing terms and minimal royalty fees are quickly making the LHDC codec popular among manufacturers.
When it comes to signal stability, both codecs are on par with each other.
As for sound, both codecs deliver virtually identical quality, and you’d really have to strain your ears to pick out any difference. That’s assuming the headphones support both LDAC and LHDC. So it’s best to focus on the overall audio setup first and the codec second. More about codecs.
Which codec is better – aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, or aptX Lossless?
Learn moreComparison table of key codec parameters:
| Release year | < 2009 | 2016 | 2018 | 2021 |
| Bitrate | 352 kbps | 576 kbps | 279–420 kbps (dynamic) | ~1.1–1.2 Mbps (dynamic, up to 860 kbps lossy + lossless layer) |
| Bit depth | 16-bit | 24-bit | 16 / 24-bit | 16 / 24-bit |
| Sample rate | 44.1 / 48 kHz | 44.1 / 48 kHz | 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz | 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz |
| Compression type | Lossy (4:1) | Lossy (4:1) | Lossy (5:1–10:1, adaptive) | Lossless CD (16/44.1) + lossy Hi-Res |
| Latency | ~150–200 ms | ~150–200 ms | ≈ 50–80 ms | ~80 ms |
| aptX Voice | No | No | Yes | Yes |
It’s easy to see from the table that aptX Lossless is the top-tier codec. That said, aptX Lossless isn’t a standalone codec—it’s an extension of aptX Adaptive. Android settings don’t let you manually adjust its sound quality parameters, and aptX Lossless itself only kicks in under specific conditions:
- Snapdragon Sound support on both your phone and headphones.
- Clear airwaves—no interfering Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signals.
- The aptX Lossless toggle enabled—if your phone’s settings offer one.
If these conditions aren’t met—and having just one device with an aptX Lossless-compatible SoC isn’t enough—audio defaults to the aptX Adaptive codec. aptX Adaptive also engages whenever interference crops up, which often happens just from neighboring Wi-Fi networks in apartment buildings.
Learn more about audio codecs.
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.
15 Best Half in Ear Earbuds of 2026: Without Rubber Tips
1. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 8.10Best Semi-In-Ear Earbuds 2026 — for Samsung & 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.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 are the best semi-in-ear earbuds of 2026 — both by the sum of all criteria and for sound alone. They work for Samsung as well as iPhone and Android. Think of these buds as a workhorse with an open fit: home, the street, the gym, work. A universal pick, with one caveat — a weak mic. The main downside lives in Samsung’s ecosystem: the top SSC codec that shapes sound detail, plus a handful of useful features, only unlock on a Samsung device. It’s not critical, since you still get pleasant, detailed sound on any source with the basic AAC or SBC codecs — and even then it’s #1. Pairing with a Samsung phone is more of a bonus than a limit.
- 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 The main strong point of the sound is the wide soundstage and intimate, emotional vocals, which are key highlights of these earbuds. Another strong point is engagement—this sound never gets boring, and you want to listen to it for hours. There are no glaring weaknesses. However, there are just average criteria: a balanced, not quite powerful bass. Moderate highs with weak naturalness. Overall, average naturalness and detail retrieval. But considering the open-fit format, this is the best sound available today when summing up all parameters. Volume at 80-90% is enough; headroom is less than one would want, but listening is comfortable.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: 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.
2. Huawei Freebuds 6 8.06Best Semi-In-Ear Earbuds Under $120 — Solid #2 if Samsung Isn't for You
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei FreeBuds 6 — the best-sounding open-fit earbuds under $120, our solid number two if Samsung isn’t your thing. More bass and highs than Samsung, but a tighter sound with less space and stage. The main downside — not a dealbreaker — is that some features only work on Huawei phones with HarmonyOS: the proprietary L2HC codec, translator, voice assistant, and so on.
- 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.
3. Apple AirPods 4 ANC 8.05Best Open-Fit Earbuds for ANC and iOS Ecosystem
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Apple AirPods 4 ANC are the best open-fit earbuds for iPhone and Apple devices. You get good sound, Spatial Audio, and Adaptive EQ. Good battery life, a solid mic, and active noise cancellation. They work with Android too, but like Samsung and Huawei, there’s an ecosystem tax. Some features won’t be available — Siri, the app, EQ settings, Spatial Audio, and more.
- The sound is soft and musical, ranking top-tier for open-fit earbuds.
- Microphone of excellent quality
- Active noise cancellation and transparency mode are the best among open-fit earbuds.
- Comfortable and beautiful design.
- No volume control.
- The app is available only on iOS, leaving functionality stripped-down on Android.
- Battery life is only 4 hours with ANC enabled and 20 hours total with the case.
- Non-critical cons: the glossy finish scratches quickly, and there is no cable included in the box.
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.
4. Huawei Freebuds 5 7.90Best Premium AirPods Alternative for Android Under $80
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei Freebuds 5 are the best open-fit earbuds for Android under $80. In 2026 the price dropped, and for the money this is the best sound you can get. The earbuds came out in 2023 and are still relevant. Sound and mic are close to reference level, and a couple of hours of use causes no discomfort.
- Top-tier sound among open-fit earbuds
- Microphone on par with the reference model
- Unique design and 2 hours of use without discomfort
- Boxy sound out of the box.
- Slight white noise with noise cancellation enabled.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.01 With the LDAC codec, sound improves by up to 30%. The earbuds feature a bass-heavy sound profile, slightly recessed mids, and subdued highs. I did not notice any blatant artificial timbre, and grain is kept to a minimum. The sound is spacious and full-bodied, with good instrument separation across the soundstage. Detail retrieval is good, though parsing instrument textures is harder compared to top models. It lacks sonic expressiveness, a bit of brightness, and airiness, without which this kind of sound gets old fast. EQ tuning compensates for some of these shortcomings.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.75 In quiet conditions: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 8 Clean and detailed recording without external noise. In noisy conditions, speech remains highly resolved, and noise cancellation does not suppress noise instantly.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.
. 7.00 Active noise cancellation reduces PC or laptop background noise. Transparency mode is absent. Playback time in our tests differs slightly from the manufacturer’s specs. The control sensor on the earbuds responds everywhere, and the volume is changed by swiping up and down. The companion app is convenient and well-thought-out.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 The earbuds feature a comfortable fit, with minor fatigue setting in after a couple of hours of use. No complaints about build quality and materials. The earbud design is unique, with 3 colors to choose from.Read more.
5. Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 7.64Best Ergonomic Open-Ear Earbuds for Samsung Ecosystem
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.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 are the best open-fit earbuds for Samsung phones under $100 — for sound and features. The main reasons to buy: a proprietary codec with 24-bit/96 kHz audio and Samsung-exclusive features — simultaneous translator, voice assistant, Adaptive ANC, and EQ. These earbuds make most sense paired with a flagship Samsung phone, where you get up to 25% better sound.
- Best sound among open-fit earbuds with the proprietary SSC codec
- Sturdy earbud and case build quality
- Detailed microphone
- Sound and features are tied to the proprietary ecosystem.
- Minor cons: Lacking air (highs), low punch (lows), weak noise cancellation, high latency (gaming)
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.73 With the proprietary audio codec, these earbuds satisfy a music lover’s needs and will delight audiophiles. The sound is bright and engaging! I appreciate the expressive mid-range that brings vocals and instruments to the foreground. I also liked the detail retrieval and expansive soundstage. Cons include uneven highs that strip the sound of “air” or add harshness in certain tracks. There is a slight lack of truly deep bass—in complex arrangements, this can affect clarity and soundstage depth.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.
. 6.92 Active noise cancellation blocks light background noise, with no transparency mode. Controls are convenient, and the claimed battery life checks out. The companion app is ergonomic and functional with Samsung phones, but useless for other phones. The signal is stable at 10-15 meters.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.50 The earbuds are comfortable, lightweight, and ergonomic. Minor discomfort arises after 4-5 hours of use. Dust and water resistance is IP57. No complaints regarding build and materials. The build feels solid and reliable in hand. They look great and modern.Read more.
6. Xiaomi Buds 6 7.47Half-In-Ear Earbuds with Find-on-Map Tracking
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.
Xiaomi Buds 6 are a copy of the last generation, except for a couple of things: better sound balance, less sensitivity to the source, and a more comfortable noise-cancelling mode. Controls and the mic are slightly better — at reference level — though the previous generation wasn’t worse. Everything else is unchanged or cosmetic, and battery life is actually a bit shorter. The voice recorder hasn’t changed, and there’s a translator for Xiaomi devices. That’s why the previous generation looks like the smarter buy — especially at the $120-160 price.
- Voice recorder with 180 min. of recording time.
- Find earbuds via Apple Find My and Find Hub.
- Microphone close to reference quality
- Low sound detail retrieval.
- Translator works only on Xiaomi devices.
- The noise cancellation mode feels weak, and there is no transparency mode.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.44 Everything sounds a bit muffled, lacking transparency right across the frequency spectrum. Detail retrieval is good enough to pick out main and background parts, but listening to anything else takes real focus. Its strongest point is its naturalness, since sound flaws are tough to spot. Xiaomi Buds 6 currently sit in the MyChooz bronze league, meaning a couple of strong competitors could easily push them down the rankings.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 The microphone matches the performance of the previous generation, though you will notice a genuine improvement in noisy environments thanks to better voice isolation.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.
. 7.24 Performance lands squarely in the average tier. There’s no transparency mode, and noise cancellation is only average—assuming you manage to wedge the earbuds tightly against your ear canals. Controls feel slightly improved over the previous generation, while the standout perks include a solid microphone, a built-in voice recorder with call recording, a handy app, and a reliable connection.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.
. 7.90 Lightweight and compact with no manufacturing flaws, though the finish acts like a magnet for fingerprints and smudges show up easily. Both the case and earbuds also tend to feel slippery when your hands are dry. Still, the earbuds remain comfortable and don’t cause any strain even after a couple of hours of continuous use.Read more.
7. Xiaomi Buds 5 7.47Best Bluetooth Half-In-Ear Open-fit Earbuds — With Voice Recorder
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.
Xiaomi Buds 5 — Bluetooth TWS open-fit earbuds with a reference-level mic and a 3-hour voice recorder. With the aptX Adaptive codec, sound quality goes up 10-15%. With aptX Lossless, up to 10% more. The main downside: awkward squeeze controls.
- Best sound under $80 with EQ
- Reference-quality microphone
- Voice recorder for 3 hours of recording
- Awkward pinch controls on the earbud stem
- Voice recordings longer than 60 min. cannot be transferred
- Sound varies across different sources
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.67 We tested the sound on three phones. On one source the emphasis is mostly on bass, and the sound is slightly boomy. On another — emphasis on highs, and the sound comes out slightly sharp and embellished. In both cases, you can tune the EQ in the proprietary EQ. Vocals and musical instruments sound clean, pleasant and quite natural. There is a bit of artificial timbre in the highs. The soundstage is a little wider than the head. But the detail retrieval drops in tracks with a dense mix.Read More.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.75 In quiet conditions: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 8 In quiet conditions, the microphone performs very well, making your voice sound detailed and clear. The recording quality even beats our reference Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4. But in noisy environments, like next to a 6-lane road, quality drops noticeably and it gets harder to make out your voice. You get this exact same recording quality when using the voice recorder mode.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.
. 6.79 Noise cancellation comes close to matching top-tier models, though a transparency mode is missing. Battery life meets expectations, hitting up to 7 hrs. 23 min. for the earbuds and up to 40 hrs. total with the case in our tests. Pinch controls along the earbud stem feel awkward and trigger inconsistently, but the companion app proves genuinely useful and convenient. The wireless signal holds without dropping inside a 10m radius.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 lightweight, though ear fatigue creeps in after a couple of hours. Build quality and materials are top-notch, though the finish attracts plenty of fingerprints. They come in 4 colors and look fine without being particularly exciting.Read more.
8. 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.Read more.
9. Marshall Minor IV 6.78Best Wireless Open-Fit Earbuds for Sound & Design
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Marshall Minor IV — wireless open-fit earbuds with good sound, made for people who prefer a non-bass tuning. The main reasons to buy: iconic design, premium build quality, and premium materials.
- Sturdy and reliable build
- Stylish and iconic design
- Sound for mids and highs lovers
- Ears get tired after an hour
- Bass-light
- I noticed a faint crackling in the left earbud whenever no music is playing.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 6.93 The sound of the Marshall Minor IV didn’t upset me, but it didn’t thrill me either. It’s average. I wanted more bass, even though I’m not a basshead and I factor in the open-fit form factor. You get used to it eventually. After a few days of use, I grew accustomed to the sound; it has its own character. If you aren’t a bass lover, you’ll like this 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.
. 7.25 In quiet conditions: 7.7 In noisy conditions: 6.8Overall 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.
. 5.71 The earbuds lack noise cancellation and transparency mode. Battery life runs up to 7 hours, reaching 30 hours total with the case. The controls are user-friendly, feature haptic feedback, and can be customized in the app. The app itself is ergonomic, housing sound and battery settings. The signal remains stable up to 10 meters.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.00 If you have average-sized ears, you’ll likely feel some fatigue after an hour of use, so I’d recommend trying them on before buying. Grabbing the earbuds out of the charging case can also be a bit awkward because they’re hard to hold onto. Still, the build quality is solid and reliable. You only get one colorway: black with that iconic signature styling.Read more.
10. SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS 6.26Best Budget Hi-Res Earbuds Without Rubber Tips 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.
SoundPEATS Air3 Deluxe HS are affordable, quality wireless earbuds with a recognizable design. The main reasons to buy: the best sound in the open-fit category under $50, plus a durable and reliable build. With the LDAC codec, you get up to 10-15% better sound quality.
- Best sound under $50
- The LDAC codec provides a noticeable improvement in sound quality.
- Fingerprint-prone finish
- Bulky charging case, 3 times larger than usual.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 6 Powerful and balanced, and the listening experience is rich and spacious. The headphones are better suited for vocal and instrumental tracks.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 6.2 The headphones have no active noise cancellation (ANC) and no Transparency mode. Battery life up to 5 hours and 20 hours with case. The controls are responsive and comfortable. The signal is not interrupted within 10 meters.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7 The earbuds are comfortable, but your ears get tired after about an hour of use. No complaints about build quality and materials. Only the coating is smudge-prone and collects fingerprints. They have a good appearance in the brand’s signature style, though without much excitement.11. UGREEN HiTune H6 Pro 6.09Best Wireless Open-Fit Earbuds Under $40 for Daily Use
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
UGREEN HiTune H6 Pro — the best wireless open-fit earbuds with active noise cancellation and Transparency mode under $40. A mid-range model with a near-top-tier mic and comfortable fit. LDAC is on board, but the sound improvement is less than 5%.
- Detailed microphone
- Working active noise cancellation and transparency mode
- Comfortable fit
- LDAC codec doesn’t affect sound quality
- Sound quality is on par with $20-25 models
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 5.21 The headphones sound bass-heavy and muffled. They offer moderate detail and naturalness with the LDAC codec, but cranking up the bitrate doesn’t change the sound quality one bit. The soundstage is barely refined, with most sound seeming to come from a single point. Because of this, these headphones are best for background listening.Learn more.
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.
. 7.40 The headphones feel comfortable, though I noticed some minor fatigue after a couple of hours. Build quality and materials are decent; only the glossy parts tend to pick up fingerprints. They look good, but aren’t exactly a showstopper.Learn more.
12. OPPO Enco Air 4 5.96Best Affordable Open-Fit Earbuds with Strong Bass Performance
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
OPPO Enco Air 4 — budget open-fit earbuds with good bass. Good earbuds for everyday background listening. Game Mode and controls can be set up in the companion app.
- Good bass sound
- Highly resolved microphone array
- Aggressive active noise cancellation (ANC) microphone array.
- No surround sound like the last generation.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 5.71 The headphones have a good bass foundation and no bright tuning. Detail retrieval and natural timbre are average. The sound comes from one point with a little bit of distance. It feels like a movie theater in the side seats. For background listening it will do.Read More.
Frequency balance is 6/10. Bass is emphasized, recessed mids, treble is slightly lacking.
Lows – 6.5/10
Bass is enough, the sound is not dry. At the same time there is little volume and detail retrieval.
In Lenny Kravitz – Low – bass guitar and drums are not really distinguishable.
The Weeknd – Blinding Lights – the beats are well defined, the bass doesn’t clog the other frequencies.
-4.5: little detail retrieval.
The mids are 5.5/10.
Good and highly resolved, and the timbre is recognizable. It lacks transparency and expressiveness. Vocals are detached and sound somewhere off to the side.
Oasis – Dont Go Away -.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – lacks expressiveness and transparency. The vocals sound distant.
-4.5: Vocals are aloof, lacking expressiveness and transparency.
Highs are 6/10.
Synthetic, while not bright or fatiguing. Detail retrieval is average. Treble is lacking.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – you can make out the tambourine, the sound is more like a shaker.
Daft Punk – Get Lucky, Lose Yourself to Dance – guitar strings sound synthetic, there is some grainy treble on the cymbals.
-4: lacks airiness, sandy sound.
Detail retrieval – 6/10
The sound stays distinct in a party of 3-5 instruments. That said, the sound in the background needs to be listened to. There is grainy treble on the cymbals.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the drums are pushed far away and hard to hear. The tambourine sounds highly resolved, in some places the sound is distorted and more like a shaker.
Johnny Cash – Hurt – slight distortion on the chorus.
-4: distortion on busy tracks. There is grainy treble on the cymbals. Little detail retrieval
Soundstage – 5/10
The sound is almost from one point. There is a slight 3D effect.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – vocals, chorus and instruments come from almost one point.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles – the sound of the effects comes from one point. Little volume and scale.
-5: The sound is almost from one point.
Natural timbre – 5/10.
There is program processing on acoustic guitar strings, grainy treble on cymbals.
Sting – Englishman in New York – double bass sounds unintelligible, other instruments are not natural.
Lenny Kravitz – Low – bass guitar sounds blurry and drums sound a bit deaf.
-5: instruments sound unnatural, there is artificial timbre and grainy treble.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 5.6 The headphones have a normal microphone array, no active noise cancellation (ANC) and no Transparency mode. Normal touch controls, you can reassign some of the actions in the companion app. The signal is stable and does not interrupt.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.1 The headphones are light, after a couple hours you want to take a break. The gloss on the headphones is fingerprint magnet. The assembly is solid and free of defects. They look good, available in two colors – black and white.13. Xiaomi Redmi buds 6 active 5.41Best Ultra-Cheap Wireless Earbuds Under $20
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.
Xiaomi Redmi buds 6 active are the best Xiaomi wireless open-fit earbuds under $20. The main reasons to buy: a good mic — 8/10 — and background noise is about 20% quieter. A great result. Other specs are average, and the fit didn’t work for everyone.
- Good microphone array with active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Below average sound
- Uncomfortable seating
- Signal latency up to 200 ms
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 4.92 The sound is slightly bright and fatiguing. For me there is little detail retrieval across all frequencies, average natural timbre and detail retrieval. And the soundstage is limited to the head. Considering the price, the sound is good.Read More.
Frequency balance: This refers to how sound energy is distributed across the entire audible range, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It’s not just about covering the full spectrum, but about achieving the right proportions so that the lows, mids, and highs work together harmoniously, without clashing or obscuring important details.
The ideal balance means the bass provides a solid foundation, the mids deliver clear and present vocals, and the highs add sparkle and detail. Frequency balance skew occurs when one or two of these main ranges are either overemphasized or noticeably lacking compared to the others.
. 4.67 A slight emphasis on highs.Low frequencies, or bass (20 Hz – 250 Hz), form the foundation of music, giving sound depth, weight, and a rhythmic basis.
The ideal balance results in clear, powerful, and well-rounded sound. An **excess** of low frequencies, however, makes music sound muddy and boomy, masks vocals, and quickly fatigues the listener, leading to indistinct overall sound. Conversely, a **shortage** makes music sound thin, weak, and empty, robbing it of warmth and rhythmic foundation, which in turn causes harshness in the mids and highs.
. 5 Bass is a bit lacking and minimal enough to bring out the beats. Detail retrieval is low.Read More.
In Lenny Kravitz – Low – you can’t make out the bass guitar, the sound is blurred and indistinct.
The Weeknd – Blinding Lights – if you listen closely, you can hear the main beats. There is no energy or drive in the sound.
The midrange (250 Hz to 4 kHz) is where most musical elements live, and it’s crucial for hearing main melodies, vocals, and instruments.
Too many mids, especially in the upper range, make sound harsh, intrusive, and fatiguing fast. The mix can sound shouty or “boxy.” Conversely, a shortage of mids results in a hollow, recessed sound where vocals and main instruments lose their presence and seem distant, draining the music of energy and overall clarity.
. 5 Vocals are highly resolved, a little lacking in transparency. The voice is off to the side and comes from far away.Read More.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – the vocals are a bit muffled and come from the next room.
Highs, or treble (4 kHz – 20 kHz) – these frequencies are responsible for brightness, sparkle, detail, and that sense of ‘air’ in a music mix. This range helps you pick out the finest details, like string overtones, cymbal shimmer, and sibilant sounds in vocals.
An optimal balance makes music sound lively, clean, and open. Too much, however, leads to unnecessary harshness, causes sibilance (overly loud ‘s’ sounds), and makes cymbals sound unpleasantly ‘grainy’ or metallic, quickly fatiguing your ears. Too little, and the entire mix sounds dull, muffled, and ‘closed-in’ (veiled). The sound loses its detail and openness, feeling like you’re listening through a thick filter that robs the music of clarity.
. 4 Brightly colored and synthetic. There is grainy treble on cymbals, tambourine, etc.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – grainy treble on cymbals, the sound of the tambourine is indistinguishable, it sounds more like a shaker.
Daft Punk – Get Lucky, Lose Yourself to Dance – harsh sound of cymbals and sandy.
Detail retrieval – this describes how clearly and distinctly you can hear the tiniest sounds in a mix, like reverb, overtones, quiet instruments, texture, and subtle percussion sounds (such as light hi-hat taps).
Ideal detail retrieval – all subtle sounds are audible, just as they would be at a live performance.Lack: The sound is dull, muted, and veiled, as if you’re listening through a layer of fabric. The musical picture lacks depth, instruments sound flat, and subtle nuances get lost.Excess: The sound becomes unnaturally sharp, aggressive, and glassy. This can manifest as an overemphasis on sibilant sounds and background noise. This kind of sound quickly becomes fatiguing, often due to too much treble above 6 kHz.
. 4.5 The sound is blended and you have to listen to the background parts. The sound is synthetic, a lot of grainy treble. There is no texture and it is difficult to make out the sound of some instruments.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – grainy treble on drums, tambourine sound more like a shaker. The sound of drums is drowned out by vocals and other instruments.
Johnny Cash – Hurt – on the chorus the voice gets a little distorted. Guitar sounds not natural.
Naturalness— how authentic and realistic the sound is. It indicates how accurately the sound of voices and musical instruments is reproduced.
Best naturalness – the sound is clean, warm, and lively, without artificial coloration or extraneous noises.
Excess – an excessive amount of distracting sounds like sighs, mechanical noises, rustles, etc.
Lack – the sound feels artificial, colored, or plastic. You lose timbre recognition (instruments don’t sound like they do in real life), and the sound becomes flat and fatiguing due to incorrect equalization or excessive compression.
Read More.
Sting – Englishman in New York – the sound of double bass is blurred and unintelligible.
Lenny Kravitz – Low – you can’t really hear the bass guitar, you can’t make out the sound.
-5: unnaturally bright sound, there is artificial timbre and grainy treble.
Soundstage, or stage, refers to the perceived three-dimensional space where instruments and vocals in a musical piece are placed. It’s a virtual soundscape that sound engineers craft during mixing. The stage encompasses width (left-to-right placement), depth (a sense of distance), and height (the feeling of instruments being above or below the horizontal plane).
The best soundstage makes music feel immersive and realistic, letting you pinpoint each element in space—whether it’s to your left or right, closer or further away, or above or below your head. A lack of it results in a monolithic sound, as if everything is coming from a single point, making it difficult to discern the position of each instrument. An excess of it, on the other hand, can make instruments and vocals sound overly distant, causing the musical composition to lose its coherence.
. 5 There is a little bit of volume and space. Mostly the sound is almost from one point.Read More.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles – the effects sound close and almost in the same place.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 5.5 Good quality microphone array. Normal battery life and controls. The signal is not interrupted at a distance of up to 10 meters.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 6.5 The construction is lightweight, while at the same time after about half an hour you want to take a break. The assembly is solid, there are no defects, only the glossy surface is fingerprint magnet. The headphones look normal, there are 4 colors to choose from.14. realme Buds T01 4.68Cheap Chinese Semi-In-Ear 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.
realme Buds T01 — cheap Chinese open-fit earbuds with decent sound. The main reasons to buy: compact design. The earbuds are small and fit ears of the right size.
- Compact size for small ears
- Normal microphone array active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Mediocre sound
- There are clicks on the microphone array.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 3.96 The sound is bright tuning and tires quickly. Vocals and musical instruments sound unnatural, there is artificial timbre and grainy treble. And the sound comes from approximately one point.Read More.
Frequency balance: This refers to how sound energy is distributed across the entire audible range, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It’s not just about covering the full spectrum, but about achieving the right proportions so that the lows, mids, and highs work together harmoniously, without clashing or obscuring important details.
The ideal balance means the bass provides a solid foundation, the mids deliver clear and present vocals, and the highs add sparkle and detail. Frequency balance skew occurs when one or two of these main ranges are either overemphasized or noticeably lacking compared to the others.
. 4.33 Bright sound with emphasis on highs and mids.Low frequencies, or bass (20 Hz – 250 Hz), form the foundation of music, giving sound depth, weight, and a rhythmic basis.
The ideal balance results in clear, powerful, and well-rounded sound. An **excess** of low frequencies, however, makes music sound muddy and boomy, masks vocals, and quickly fatigues the listener, leading to indistinct overall sound. Conversely, a **shortage** makes music sound thin, weak, and empty, robbing it of warmth and rhythmic foundation, which in turn causes harshness in the mids and highs.
. 4 There is not enough bass and instruments sound muffled. Detail retrieval is low, no texture.Read More.
In The Weeknd – Blinding Lights – the sound of the beats are muffled and don’t give you the drive you need.
The midrange (250 Hz to 4 kHz) is where most musical elements live, and it’s crucial for hearing main melodies, vocals, and instruments.
Too many mids, especially in the upper range, make sound harsh, intrusive, and fatiguing fast. The mix can sound shouty or “boxy.” Conversely, a shortage of mids results in a hollow, recessed sound where vocals and main instruments lose their presence and seem distant, draining the music of energy and overall clarity.
. 5 Vocals are highly resolved with good transparency. At the same time it sounds synthetic and far back.Read More.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – voice comes from far away, medium detail retrieval timbre.
Highs, or treble (4 kHz – 20 kHz) – these frequencies are responsible for brightness, sparkle, detail, and that sense of ‘air’ in a music mix. This range helps you pick out the finest details, like string overtones, cymbal shimmer, and sibilant sounds in vocals.
An optimal balance makes music sound lively, clean, and open. Too much, however, leads to unnecessary harshness, causes sibilance (overly loud ‘s’ sounds), and makes cymbals sound unpleasantly ‘grainy’ or metallic, quickly fatiguing your ears. Too little, and the entire mix sounds dull, muffled, and ‘closed-in’ (veiled). The sound loses its detail and openness, feeling like you’re listening through a thick filter that robs the music of clarity.
. 4 Overly bright, synthetic and fatiguing from the first seconds of listening. The sound is sandy.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the sound of the cymbals, tambourine is sandy and not highly resolved.
Detail retrieval – this describes how clearly and distinctly you can hear the tiniest sounds in a mix, like reverb, overtones, quiet instruments, texture, and subtle percussion sounds (such as light hi-hat taps).
Ideal detail retrieval – all subtle sounds are audible, just as they would be at a live performance.Lack: The sound is dull, muted, and veiled, as if you’re listening through a layer of fabric. The musical picture lacks depth, instruments sound flat, and subtle nuances get lost.Excess: The sound becomes unnaturally sharp, aggressive, and glassy. This can manifest as an overemphasis on sibilant sounds and background noise. This kind of sound quickly becomes fatiguing, often due to too much treble above 6 kHz.
. 4 The sound is synthetic, with grainy treble heard on the cymbals. The sound stays distinct, with little or no space between instruments.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the drums are pushed far back, only a slight gurgle is heard. You can’t make out the sound of the tambourine, and the sound of the instrument is sandy.
Johnny Cash – Hurt – there is a slight distortion in the voice on the chorus.
Naturalness— how authentic and realistic the sound is. It indicates how accurately the sound of voices and musical instruments is reproduced.
Best naturalness – the sound is clean, warm, and lively, without artificial coloration or extraneous noises.
Excess – an excessive amount of distracting sounds like sighs, mechanical noises, rustles, etc.
Lack – the sound feels artificial, colored, or plastic. You lose timbre recognition (instruments don’t sound like they do in real life), and the sound becomes flat and fatiguing due to incorrect equalization or excessive compression.
Read More.
Sting – Englishman in New York – the instruments sound synthetic and overly bright.
Soundstage, or stage, refers to the perceived three-dimensional space where instruments and vocals in a musical piece are placed. It’s a virtual soundscape that sound engineers craft during mixing. The stage encompasses width (left-to-right placement), depth (a sense of distance), and height (the feeling of instruments being above or below the horizontal plane).
The best soundstage makes music feel immersive and realistic, letting you pinpoint each element in space—whether it’s to your left or right, closer or further away, or above or below your head. A lack of it results in a monolithic sound, as if everything is coming from a single point, making it difficult to discern the position of each instrument. An excess of it, on the other hand, can make instruments and vocals sound overly distant, causing the musical composition to lose its coherence.
. 3.5 The sound is from about one point pushed far back.Read More.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles – all effects are centered nearby and heard from far away.
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.
. 4.8 The companion app has Game Mode and multiple EQ presets can be selected. Controls are responsive with rare misses. The signal is stable at a distance of standard 10 meters indoors.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.
. 6.3 The headphones are light and small, while in large ears after an hour of use want to take a break. The assembly is solid and without defects, only the glossy surface of the headphones is fingerprint magnet and collects fingerprints. They look normal, do not cause much excitement. Available in white and black colors.15. IQOO True Wireless Air 3 4.23Best Lightweight Open-Fit Earbuds for All-Day Comfort
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.
IQOO TWS Air 3 — lightweight true wireless earbuds at just 3.5g. The main reasons to buy: weight and size. They’re barely noticeable in the ears and work best for people with small ears.
- Detailed microphone array with active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Small size, weight – 3.5 g.
- Poor sound quality without EQ
- The edge of the headphones can chafe
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 3.46 The sound is overly bright tuning and tires you out quickly. Out of the box it is impossible to listen to the headphones. A lot of digital processing and grainy treble, it is difficult to make out the sound of drums or double bass. Vocals and instruments come from far away and almost from one point. At the same time, the headphones lend themselves well to Settings EQ. If you add bass, you get +1 point to the overall sound. The sound is more bodacious, energetic and highly resolved. And if you turn down the highs, you get closer to the minimum mark for background listening.Read More.
Frequency balance: This refers to how sound energy is distributed across the entire audible range, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. It’s not just about covering the full spectrum, but about achieving the right proportions so that the lows, mids, and highs work together harmoniously, without clashing or obscuring important details.
The ideal balance means the bass provides a solid foundation, the mids deliver clear and present vocals, and the highs add sparkle and detail. Frequency balance skew occurs when one or two of these main ranges are either overemphasized or noticeably lacking compared to the others.
. 3.33 Emphasis on highs, almost no bass.Low frequencies, or bass (20 Hz – 250 Hz), form the foundation of music, giving sound depth, weight, and a rhythmic basis.
The ideal balance results in clear, powerful, and well-rounded sound. An **excess** of low frequencies, however, makes music sound muddy and boomy, masks vocals, and quickly fatigues the listener, leading to indistinct overall sound. Conversely, a **shortage** makes music sound thin, weak, and empty, robbing it of warmth and rhythmic foundation, which in turn causes harshness in the mids and highs.
. 3 Bass is weak and there is almost no fleshiness in the sound, low detail retrieval. It is difficult to distinguish which instrument is playing. At the same time the sound changes if you add bass. A ready-made EQ presets will do. The fleshiness appears and the sound is more energetic.Read More.
There is no fat bass in Lenny Kravitz – Low – the drums are reminiscent of the sound of beats.
The midrange (250 Hz to 4 kHz) is where most musical elements live, and it’s crucial for hearing main melodies, vocals, and instruments.
Too many mids, especially in the upper range, make sound harsh, intrusive, and fatiguing fast. The mix can sound shouty or “boxy.” Conversely, a shortage of mids results in a hollow, recessed sound where vocals and main instruments lose their presence and seem distant, draining the music of energy and overall clarity.
. 4 The vocals are highly resolved while sounding somewhere in the distance. The timbre is hard to make out.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the vocals come through the sound of the instruments.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – the king’s vocal at the beginning comes from a distant point.
Highs, or treble (4 kHz – 20 kHz) – these frequencies are responsible for brightness, sparkle, detail, and that sense of ‘air’ in a music mix. This range helps you pick out the finest details, like string overtones, cymbal shimmer, and sibilant sounds in vocals.
An optimal balance makes music sound lively, clean, and open. Too much, however, leads to unnecessary harshness, causes sibilance (overly loud ‘s’ sounds), and makes cymbals sound unpleasantly ‘grainy’ or metallic, quickly fatiguing your ears. Too little, and the entire mix sounds dull, muffled, and ‘closed-in’ (veiled). The sound loses its detail and openness, feeling like you’re listening through a thick filter that robs the music of clarity.
. 3 Bright and over-emphasized. Pushes back the mids and lows. The sound is fatiguing from the first seconds of listening.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the sound of the tambourine is more like a rattle or a shaker.
Daft Punk – Get Lucky, Lose Yourself to Dance – the cymbals sound harsh and sandy.
Detail retrieval – this describes how clearly and distinctly you can hear the tiniest sounds in a mix, like reverb, overtones, quiet instruments, texture, and subtle percussion sounds (such as light hi-hat taps).
Ideal detail retrieval – all subtle sounds are audible, just as they would be at a live performance.Lack: The sound is dull, muted, and veiled, as if you’re listening through a layer of fabric. The musical picture lacks depth, instruments sound flat, and subtle nuances get lost.Excess: The sound becomes unnaturally sharp, aggressive, and glassy. This can manifest as an overemphasis on sibilant sounds and background noise. This kind of sound quickly becomes fatiguing, often due to too much treble above 6 kHz.
. 4 You have to listen to the main parts, the background parts are even harder to make out. 3-4 instruments at the same time draw attention to themselves. It is difficult to distinguish a particular instrument.Read More.
Oasis – Dont Go Away – the tambourine sound is not highly resolved and sandy, drum iron is the same.
Johnny Cash – Hurt – you can’t hear the singer’s breath in the beginning. On the chorus the sound is noticeably distorted.
Naturalness— how authentic and realistic the sound is. It indicates how accurately the sound of voices and musical instruments is reproduced.
Best naturalness – the sound is clean, warm, and lively, without artificial coloration or extraneous noises.
Excess – an excessive amount of distracting sounds like sighs, mechanical noises, rustles, etc.
Lack – the sound feels artificial, colored, or plastic. You lose timbre recognition (instruments don’t sound like they do in real life), and the sound becomes flat and fatiguing due to incorrect equalization or excessive compression.
Read More.
Sting – Englishman in New York – sound signature of instruments with bright coloring.
Lenny Kravitz – Low – drums don’t sound natural, there is artificial timbre in the sound of electric guitar.
Soundstage, or stage, refers to the perceived three-dimensional space where instruments and vocals in a musical piece are placed. It’s a virtual soundscape that sound engineers craft during mixing. The stage encompasses width (left-to-right placement), depth (a sense of distance), and height (the feeling of instruments being above or below the horizontal plane).
The best soundstage makes music feel immersive and realistic, letting you pinpoint each element in space—whether it’s to your left or right, closer or further away, or above or below your head. A lack of it results in a monolithic sound, as if everything is coming from a single point, making it difficult to discern the position of each instrument. An excess of it, on the other hand, can make instruments and vocals sound overly distant, causing the musical composition to lose its coherence.
. 3 The sound is centered in one place and the sound is felt inside your head. There is no scale or space.Read More.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror – vocals and instruments are shifted backwards and sound almost from one point.
Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles – sound of all the effects side by side, no sense of soundstage size or space.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 5 The controls on the headphones are standard for budget models – responsive, misses are rare. In the companion app of useful functions. The signal is stable and is not interrupted at a distance of up to 10 meters.Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 5 The headphones are light and small. At the same time, the sharp edge near the sound outlet leads to discomfort from the first seconds of use. The materials of the headphones and case are visually budgetary, while the assembly is solid and without defects. The glossy finish quickly collects fingerprints. The headphones look ordinary without much excitement. Available in white and black color.
