This is a ranking of the top 10 wireless Realme earbuds tested on MyChooz. The company became widely known in 2025 after releasing the successful Bluetooth models Realme Buds Air 7 and 7 Pro. In terms of sound and features, both models easily outperform some TWS earbuds under $100, and the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro competes with sound flagships up to $300, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro or Technics EAH-AZ100.
Realme releases wireless earbuds under $100, most often in the $20-70 range. Therefore, if you have a limited budget, there are no better Realme models. This is confirmed by the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, Air 8, and T500 Pro models. In our rankings, Realme TWS earbuds take the top spots for overall score. It’s just important not to update the firmware of Realme earbuds, as updates only worsen the sound.
Realme is building its own ecosystem through apps and services. The proprietary ecosystem doesn’t have strict limitations, and you get access to all features. The main high-resolution codec is LHDC. In Android 17, the LHDC codec is supported at the system level, just like the LDAC codec. You can also get the LHDC codec with a USB adapter for your phone and PC if your phone doesn’t have LHDC and won’t receive the Android 17 update.
Ranking position considering the score for all evaluated parameters — sound, features, and build quality.
Learn more about LHDC codec.
Learn moreLHDC (Low Latency High-Definition Audio Codec) is a Bluetooth codec from Savitech, developed with the Hi-Res Wireless Audio (HWA) association. It’s the main direct competitor to LDAC and aptX Adaptive codecs.
The LHDC codec was announced in 2017, two years after the LDAC codec was announced. The latest version of the LHDC codec is 5.0, offering sound quality up to 1000 kbps and 24-bit/192 kHz.
Which USB adapter to use for earbuds with LHDC codec.
Learn moreAny USB adapter will work, but the earbuds will only function with the basic AAC and SBC codecs. As of August 2026, only two USB adapters can run the LHDC codec – LHDC One and QCC Dongle Pro2. It’s better to consider the QCC Dongle Pro2 adapter, as LHDC One works on only 1 out of 10 devices.
The most interesting features of QCC Dongle Pro2
- Chip:Qualcomm S5 audio platform, second generation, Snapdragon Sound support (claimed).
- Bluetooth 6.1:the previous Dongle Pro had version 5.4.
- Codecs:LHDC 5.0, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Lossless; LE Audio and Auracast are claimed.
- Game Mode: latency from 20 ms (claimed).
- Driverless:iPhone/iPad, Mac, Windows, Android, Switch, and PS5 (according to the brand).
See our ranking for more on USB adapters – Best Bluetooth Adapters for Computers and Earbuds.
Which codec is better – LDAC or LHDC?
Learn moreLDAC is better in terms of availability, while LHDC is better in terms of capabilities.
| Maximum bitrate | Up to 990 kbps | Up to 900 kbps (V 3/4), up to 1000 kbps (v5) |
| Maximum 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 (there is an LLAC / LHDC LL mode with low latency up to 30 ms |
| Integration into Android | Native support with Android 8.0+ | Basic structure in AOSP from Android 10, native support for v5 from Android 17 |
| Lossless mode | No | LHDC 5.0 claims lossless |
The characteristics of both codecs are comparable, with LHDC having an edge. More parameters are available for adjustment, the sampling rate is higher, and there are switches for LHDC lossless and audio latency reduction.
However, LDAC is far ahead in terms of prevalence. The codec appeared in Android version 8.0+, so compatibility is not a concern. More earbuds on the market support LDAC across various price categories. There are more USB adapters supporting LDAC. For comparison, there are only 2 USB adapters for LHDC, and only one works without issues. Although, in the future, LHDC may catch up to LDAC in prevalence and even surpass it. More flexible licensing and minimal royalty fees will quickly popularize the LHDC codec among manufacturers.
In terms of signal stability, both codecs are on the same level.
In terms of sound, both codecs provide the same quality, and you’d have to listen closely to discern the difference, assuming the earbuds support both LDAC and LHDC. Therefore, you should focus on the sound system first, and then the codec. More on 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.
TOP 10 Best Realme Wireless Earbuds — Ranking
1. Realme Buds Air 7 Pro 8.47Best TWS Earbuds 2026 under $150 – by sound
Realme Buds Air 7 Pro – the best budget wireless earbuds for sound. The sound is the best among TWS under $150, with live and synchronized translation independent of the phone manufacturer. Downsides: bulky earbud design that might not fit everyone, and many complaints about reliability in our social media. However, it’s the #1 most popular model among our social media users.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.00 Using the LHDC 5.0 codec, they sound close to some $300 models. The earbuds offer a well-balanced frequency response. Spacious soundstage with great width and depth. Detail retrieval and natural timbre are both solid. Early batches of the Chinese version suffer from boosted highs, but the global version doesn’t have this issue.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.00 In quiet environments: 9 In noisy environments: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.75 Active noise cancellation and transparency mode are average. Battery life in our tests reached up to 10 hours with the codec enabled. Touch controls handle basic media playback and calls. The companion app is user-friendly, featuring an EQ, a sound personalization test, and a translator.Learn more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.20 Fit is solid. 2-3 hours of use without discomfort. Build quality and materials are top-notch. They look great, and I love the design. Available in 4 colors.Learn more.
- Best sound in wireless earbuds under $300
- Live and simultaneous translation
- Reference-level battery life
- Some user complaints regarding reliability
- Average ANC and transparency mode
2. Realme Buds Air 8 Pro 8.31Top earbuds with connection to 3 devices
Top-tier sound with AAC codec, triple multipoint, top-tier microphone, translator, and built-in voice assistant. Downsides: LHDC codec might not work before the earbuds’ release, glossy inserts are prone to fingerprints, sound is worse than the previous generation.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.25 Realme Buds Air 8 Pro are great earbuds when judged independently of the rest of the Realme Buds Air lineup. I enjoyed the sound. However, compared directly to the 7 Pro, the 8 Pro sounds 0.67 out of 10 points worse on the latest 1.1.0.85 firmware using the LHDC 5.0 codec. The 8 Pro falls short in 4 out of 6 criteria, matching in 2. The main drops are in the mids, detail retrieval, and soundstage (-1 each). Highs drop by 0.5 due to a lack of quantity, while bass and naturalness stay on par with the 7 Pro.The difference in sound is noticeable in a direct comparison. If you listen to the 8 Pro on its own, it sounds fantastic, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy it without noticing any major flaws. But the moment you compare them, it becomes obvious within the first 10 seconds that the 7 Pro is better. Ultimately, if I had both models on my desk, I would pick the 7 Pro without hesitation. Wider soundstage, closer and clearer vocals, more detail—overall, the 7 Pro feels like the newer model, while the 8 Pro feels like last year’s.
Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.50 In quiet environments: 9 In noisy environments: 10 The microphone is improved over the 7 Pro, performing wonderfully in noisy environments.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.
. 8.60 Active noise cancellation suppresses light background noise. Transparency mode starts off performing like high-end flagships before sharply dropping in quality after 5 seconds. Battery life in our tests reached 11.5 hours and 48 hours with the case. Touch controls support 3 actions per earbud plus volume swiping. The companion app includes sound and control settings, specifically dynamic audio and the golden sound profile.Learn 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 Comfortable, the default medium ear tips fit right out of the box. No discomfort after a couple of hours of use. Build has no defects, and the materials feel high-end both visually and tactilely. The experience is only marred by the fingerprint-magnet glossy finish. They essentially created a mirror surface that smudges the moment you look at it, requiring constant wiping. The appearance of the earbuds and case is great. Available in black and white.Learn more.
- Top-tier and engaging sound
- Live and simultaneous translation, voice assistant
- Simultaneous connection to three devices
- LHDC codec doesn’t work
- Glossy finish gets dirty quickly
3. Realme Buds Air 8 8.25Best budget TWS earbuds under $50
Pleasant bass sound, and sound quality on par with top-tier and silver-league models. Triple multipoint, translator, and built-in voice assistant. Comfortable fit and pleasant appearance. Potential benchmark for battery life. Downsides: mediocre transparency mode and average control implementation.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.19 The overall sound signature closely resembles the Realme Buds 7 Pro. I thought the Realme Buds Air 8 would be a budget 7 Pro, but think of it as high settings compared to the 7 Pro’s ultra graphics settings in video game terms. The overall quality difference is about 0.5 points out of 10. The model has no weak spots, and its main strength is the sound itself. At $43, it’s an absolute steal and worth buying three pairs. The model easily lands in the 8-9 point silver league, which is nuts for a $40 device.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.50 In quiet environments: 8.5 In noisy environments: 8.5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.15 ANC successfully suppresses background noise. Transparency mode lets you hear your surroundings well, but having conversations in it feels uncomfortable. Battery life in our tests reached 14 hours and 51 hours with the case. Touch controls support 3 taps per earbud without accidental triggers. The app lets you tweak sound, enable the LHDC codec, and includes a translator and a built-in voice assistant.Learn more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.57 The earbuds are comfortable, and with the included ear tips, there is no discomfort after a couple of hours of listening. Build quality and materials are solid. I liked the design of the earbuds, with 3 colors to choose from.Learn more.
- Pleasant bass-heavy sound
- Triple multipoint, translator, and voice assistant.
- Comfortable fit and pleasant appearance.
- Mediocre transparency mode and average active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Noticeable artificial timbre in the sound
4. Realme Buds Air 7 7.65Best affordable wireless earbuds under $30
Realme Buds Air 7 — the best affordable wireless earbuds under $30 for sound, build quality, and battery life. Best sound under $30, includes LHDC 3 codec, detailed microphone, functional noise cancellation, and transparency. With the LHDC 3 – 5.0 codec, we get a 10-15% quality improvement, noticeable in the highs and lows.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 7.21 Harmonious with a slight deficiency in each frequency range. Specifically, there is a slight lack of bass, looseness, and unnatural timbre. Still, the sound has taken a step forward compared to the previous generation. The soundstage is slightly wider than the head. Good detail retrieval, although you do need to listen closely. Good natural timbre without obvious artificiality.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.50 In quiet environments: 8 In noisy environments: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.67 The active noise cancellation (ANC) suppresses mostly background low-frequency noise. However, the transparency mode is uncomfortable. Excellent battery life of up to 13 hours using the AAC codec. Touch controls are convenient, allowing you to perform basic actions except for rewinding tracks. The app is convenient, although the system frequently asks you to log back into your account.Learn more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.73 The earbuds are comfortable and can be used for a long time without discomfort, easily 2-3 hours. I liked the materials and build quality, with no visible defects. The appearance is pleasant and better than the previous generation.Learn more.
- Best sound under $30
- Comfortable fit suitable for hours of use
- Clear microphone
- Uncomfortable to talk in transparency mode
- Active noise cancellation (ANC) suppresses only low-frequency noise
5. Realme Buds Air 6 Pro 7.40Best budget wireless earbuds 2025 — by sound, features, and microphone
Realme Buds Air 6 Pro — the best budget wireless earbuds of 2025 under $50 with LDAC codec. Accuracy and detail in sound. And with the LDAC codec, we get up to a 10% improvement in sound quality. Downsides – with the LDAC codec in our model, the signal drops at a distance of 1 meter.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 7.12 Low-frequency instruments sound harmonious and pleasant. Vocals are heard distinctly and upfront. High frequencies are pushed back a bit, making the sound bright and requiring EQ adjustments. Regarding detail retrieval, primary parts and instrument decay are audible. The soundstage is wider than the head, creating a sense of space. As for natural timbre: artificiality and grainy treble are present, though not critically so.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.50 In quiet environments: 9 In noisy environments: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.57 Active noise cancellation (ANC) blocks mostly low-frequency noise, which is enough to muffle street or office noise. You can have a conversation in transparency mode. Battery life is 10 hours and 40 hours with the charging case. Controls are normal, though it is hard to hit the sensor accurately. The app is convenient and works stably, only occasionally asking you to log back into your account. With the LDAC codec and adaptive bitrate, the signal drops at a distance of up to one meter.Learn more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.83 The earbuds fit well, and with the included ear tips there is no fatigue even after three hours of use. The construction is sturdy and reliable, though the plastic is a fingerprint magnet. They look good without causing any special excitement.Learn more.
- Accurate and detailed sound under $50
- Detailed microphone
- High frequencies are bright and grainy
- With the LDAC codec, the signal drops at a distance of a meter
6. realme Buds T500 Pro 7.29Affordable quality wireless earbuds
realme Buds T500 Pro have improved in all aspects compared to the T310. In fact, the T500 = Air 7, but with a translator, triple multipoint, and battery life close to the Air 8. However, the sound balance in the T500 out of the box is below average and nowhere near the Air 7. With the equalizer, the sound is roughly on the same level, although the Air 7 feels better due to the efficiency of the sound system. Functionality has minimally increased, as have comfort and design.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 6.92 Out of the box, it’s excessively bassy and becomes unbalanced after 5-10 minutes of listening. The bass overwhelms the other frequencies, and with such poor balance tuning, dense mixes turn into a muddy mess. The earbuds minimally approach the MyChooz bronze league with the LHDC 5.0 codec. Although there is potential for sound tuning, and for pleasant sound, it’s enough to reduce the bass in the equalizer. And if you minimally adjust the equalizer, you can compete with last year’s leader in TWS under $30.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.25 In quiet environments: 8.5 In noisy environments: 8 The microphone performs well in quiet and noisy environments. In noisy environments, the voice sounds boomy while remaining clear.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.49 Good for the budget segment. Strong points: battery life and connection. There is multipoint for 3 devices and a translator. Weak points: active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency, and controls. Furthermore, the transparency mode is unfit for use.Learn more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.93 The earbuds are comfortable and compact. Comfortable with the stock ear tips. The charging case is compact, and in the hands the build feels sturdy and reliable. The earbuds and charging case look pleasant; I liked them.Learn more.
- Bass-heavy sound.
- Translator and triple multipoint
- Top-tier battery life.
- Top-tier microphone.
- Boomy sound without EQ tuning
- Poor transparency mode
7. Realme Buds T310 6.64Good affordable earbuds — balance of sound and features
Realme Buds T310 — good affordable earbuds with an optimal combination of sound and features. Sound quality is on par with Realme Buds Air 6 and 7, and noise cancellation blocks low-frequency background noise. The best alternative if the Realme Buds Air 7 didn’t suit you. It’s worth paying an extra $2-3 for the Realme Buds Air 7 — you’ll get better sound with the LHDC codec; a better microphone and noise cancellation. Downsides – a muffled transparency mode and uncomfortable for normal conversations.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 6.04 Good sound suitable for background listening. Roughly on par with the Realme Buds Air 6. The main highlight of the sound is the clear and recognizable vocals, while being slightly distant as if coming from the corner of a room. The sound profile is moderately natural for regular listening. The main drawback of the sound is the over-pumped bass. The sound is boomy and quickly fatiguing. Medium detail retrieval, with grain and artificiality present in the sound. A narrow soundstage with sound coming from almost a single point.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.00 In quiet environments: 7 In noisy environments: 5 In quiet conditions, the voice is clear and you can have a conversation. In noisy conditions, active noise cancellation (ANC) may suppress the voice, making conversation uncomfortable.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.
. 6.81 Active noise cancellation (ANC) muffles light background noise, such as laptop and PC fans. However, transparency mode is inconvenient; for a comfortable conversation, it is better to take the earbuds off. Claimed playback time is 9 hours for the earbuds and 40 hours with the charging case. Touch controls can occasionally result in missed touches. The companion app is convenient, matching the level of reference models.Learn 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 The earbuds are comfortable in terms of fit, making them well-suited for users with small ears. The construction of the earbuds and the charging case is sturdy with no visible defects. Visually they look good without causing special excitement. Available in three colors.Learn more.
- Good sound with EQ
- Functional active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Convenient and useful companion app
- Small and lightweight construction
- Sound is excessively bass-heavy and quickly fatiguing without EQ
- No LDAC or LHDC codecs
- Minor physical discomfort while using them.
8. Realme Buds t200 6.45Good affordable earbuds – with LDAC codec
Realme Buds t200 — good affordable earbuds for background listening. Detailed sound and good noise cancellation among budget models. And with the LDAC codec, we get up to a 10% improvement in overall sound quality. Plus, the earbuds have better detail compared to competitors with basic codecs. It’s worth buying on sale for $20 with coupons; anything more is not worth it.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 5.83 The wireless earbuds deliver good, budget-friendly sound. The sound profile features a bass boost, recessed mids, and a lack of highs. Performance is average across the board. They sound more pleasant and detailed than the Realme Buds T200 Lite.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 5.90 In quiet environments: 6.8 In noisy environments: 5 Vocals are clear in quiet environments. In noisy environments, the noise cancellation cuts out parts of words, making conversation uncomfortable.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.
. 6.68 Active noise cancellation suppresses background noise minimally, just enough to drown out PC or laptop fan noise. Transparency mode is unusable for conversation, making you want to take the wireless earbuds out immediately. Battery life is up to 10 hours, and 50 hours with the charging case. Touch controls are responsive, though double and triple taps sometimes miss. The app is user-friendly, on par with reference models without any unnecessary or useless features, though the system occasionally asks you to log back into your account.Learn 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.
. 7.67 The fit is decent, but I immediately felt mild discomfort, and after 1-2 hours fatigue set in, making me want to take a break. The wireless earbuds and charging case arrived without defects, and the build is sturdy and reliable. The wireless earbuds are available in 4 colors, looking nice without being particularly jaw-dropping.Learn more.
- LDAC codec support.
- Functional active noise cancellation.
- User-friendly companion app.
- Audio latency of 60-80 ms.
- Overly bass-heavy out-of-the-box tuning.
- Poor transparency mode.
- Individual discomfort during use.
- Minor cons: occasional missed touches.
9. realme Buds Clip 6.19Best clip-on earbuds sound under $50
realme Buds Clip is a successful model among clip-on and open-fit earbuds under $50. While competitors in this price range have harsh or muffled sound, Realme sounds clean and doesn’t irritate. The earbuds handle mid-frequency tracks better, where there are minimal musical instruments and more vocals, with podcasts or audiobooks. Complex tracks or those with a wide frequency range are “beyond” the earbuds’ capabilities. Functionality is average, meeting basic needs. Interesting features include live and synchronized translation, a clear microphone with noise cancellation, and precise controls. The build is flawless — comfortable among budget options.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 5.88 Mid-range focused, moderately full-bodied, and detailed in straightforward tracks featuring a couple of instruments and vocals. The wireless earbuds handle these tracks easily for everyday background listening, or for podcasts and audiobooks. However, in dynamic tracks with various instruments and effects, the sound gets congested. This kind of sound gets tiring halfway through a track. Lows and highs are lacking. You can crank up the frequencies in the EQ, but the sound turns artificial and boomy on half the tracks.Learn more.
Microphone — the quality rating of speech transmission. We test the microphone in 2 main usage scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment — recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment — recording outside near a 6-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.90 In quiet environments: 7.8 In noisy environments: 6 Speech is clear in quiet environments with background noise around 35 dB. Microphone gain is sufficient, so you don’t need to shout into the microphone. In noisy environments with a vacuum cleaner running, background noise jumps to 73-75 dB. Speech can be made out if you listen closely, but the vacuum noise is quite prominent in the background.Learn 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.
. 5.96 Average and cover the basic needs of wireless earbuds. The only standout features are live and simultaneous translation, along with accurate controls; there were no missed touches during testing.Learn 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.
. 7.33 Flawless, taking the wireless earbuds out of the case is convenient. The only downside is the fingerprint-magnet finish of the wireless earbuds. There is no noticeable discomfort when wearing them, although slight fatigue sets in after an hour of use.Learn more.
- Comfortable mid-range-focused sound.
- Clear microphone with noise cancellation.
- Build and materials have no flaws.
- Lacks lows and highs.
- Low detail retrieval with basic codecs.
- Sound distorts at 80%+ volume.
10. realme Buds T01 4.68Cheap Chinese open-fit earbuds
realme Buds T01 – cheap Chinese open-fit earbuds with decent sound. Compact design, the earbuds are small and will fit appropriately sized ears.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 3.96 The sound is bright and quickly becomes fatiguing. Vocals and musical instruments sound unnatural, with artificiality and grain. The sound seems to come from a single point.Learn more.
Frequency balance is the distribution of sound energy across the entire audible range (20 Hz – 20 kHz). It’s not about the sum of ranges, but the right ratio where lows, mids, and highs complement each other without conflicting or masking key elements.
Ideal balance: bass provides a solid foundation, mids deliver clarity and vocal presence, and highs add sparkle and detail.
Frequency imbalance occurs when one or two of the three main ranges are excessively emphasized or, conversely, recessed compared to the others.
Low frequencies, or bass (20 Hz – 250 Hz), are the foundation of music, giving sound its depth, weight, and rhythmic base.
Ideal balance delivers clean, powerful, and well-controlled sound.
Excess bass leads to muddy, boomy sound that masks vocals and quickly causes fatigue, making the overall mix indistinct. Insufficient bass makes music thin, weak, and hollow, stripping it of warmth and rhythmic foundation, resulting in a harsh feel in mids and highs.
Learn more.
In The Weeknd – Blinding Lights — the beat sounds muffled and doesn’t provide the necessary drive.
Midrange frequencies, or mids (250 Hz – 4 kHz), form the core of most musical elements and are the key range for perceiving melodies, vocals, and instruments.
Excess mids, particularly in the upper range, make the sound harsh, nagging, and quickly fatiguing; the mix can sound shouty or “boxy.” Insufficient mids result in an empty, recessed sound where vocals and main instruments lose their presence and seem distant, stripping the music of energy and overall clarity.
. 5 Vocals are discernible with good clarity. However, they sound synthetic and are pushed far back.Learn more.
Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror — the voice comes from afar, with moderate timbre detail.
High frequencies, or treble (4 kHz – 20 kHz), are responsible for brightness, sparkle, detail, and the sense of “air” in a musical mix. This range helps distinguish the finest details such as string overtones, cymbal shimmer, and sibilant sounds in vocals.
Optimal balance makes music lively, clean, and open.
Excess leads to harshness, causes sibilance (overly loud “s” and “sh” sounds), and makes cymbals unpleasantly “grainy” or metallic, quickly fatiguing the ears. Insufficient treble makes the entire mix dull, muffled, and “closed” (veiled). The sound loses its detail and openness — like listening through a thick filter, stripping the music of clarity.
Learn more.
Oasis – Dont Go Away — the sound of cymbals and tambourine is grainy and indistinct.
Detail describes how clearly and distinctly the finest sounds in a mix are heard: reverb, overtones, quiet instruments, texture, and subtle percussive sounds (such as light hi-hat taps).
Ideal detail means all subtle sounds are audible, like at a live performance.
Lack of detail: the sound is dull, muffled, and “veiled,” as if passing through a layer of fabric. The musical picture lacks depth, instruments sound flat, and fine nuances are lost.
Excess: the sound becomes unnaturally sharp, aggressive, and “glassy.” It may manifest as excessive highlighting of sibilants and background noise. Such sound quickly causes fatigue. This is often the result of an overemphasis on frequencies above 6 kHz.
Learn more.
Oasis – Dont Go Away — drums are pushed far back, only a light bubbling sound is heard. The tambourine sound is indistinguishable, and the instrument’s sound is grainy.
Johnny Cash – Hurt — there’s a slight distortion in the voice during the chorus.
Naturalness is the degree of authenticity and realism in sound reproduction. It indicates how accurately voices and musical instruments are reproduced.
Best naturalness: the sound is clean, warm, and lively, without artificial coloration or unwanted artifacts.
Excess: too many distracting sounds — breaths, mechanical noises, rustling, etc.
Lack of naturalness: the sound feels artificial, colored, or plastic. Timbre recognition is lost (instruments don’t sound like they do in real life), becoming flat and fatiguing due to improper equalization or excessive compression.
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Sting – Englishman in New York — instruments sound synthetic and excessively bright.
Soundstage, or stage, is the perceived three-dimensional space where instruments and vocals of a musical composition are positioned. It’s the virtual sound space created by sound engineers during mixing. The stage includes width (left-to-right positioning), depth (sense of distance), and height (sense of instruments above or below the horizontal plane).
The best soundstage makes music spacious, realistic, and allows you to pinpoint every element in space: left or right, closer or farther, above or below your head.
Insufficient stage leads to a monolithic sound — as if everything comes from a single point. It’s hard to identify each instrument’s position in space. Excessive stage creates a feeling of instruments and vocals being too distant, and the musical composition loses its cohesion.
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Yosi Horikawa – Bubbles — all effects are concentrated nearby and heard from afar.
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 proprietary app includes a game mode and several equalizer presets. Controls are responsive with occasional misses. The signal is stable at the standard 10-meter indoor distance.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 earbuds are light and small, yet in larger ears, you’ll want a break after an hour of use. The build is solid and defect-free, only the glossy surface of the earbuds is prone to fingerprints. They look okay, not particularly impressive. Available in white and black.- Compact size for small ears
- Decent microphone noise cancellation
- Mediocre sound
- Microphone clicks
See where Realme earbuds rank in our main rankings:
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