I’ve wanted to make an earbud ranking for a long time. It focuses on the most important thing: SOUND. That’s why we buy earbuds and listen to our favorite music. Sound quality is 50% of the score in a regular ranking. But in this one, it’s 100%.
I had 3 main questions:
- Which model sounds best? Over-ear headphones or in-ear earbuds?
- Open-ear earbuds usually sound worse than in-ear ones. But what in-ear model do the best open-ear earbuds sound like?
- What about the best OWS clip-on earbuds? What in-ear earbuds do they sound like?
All the answers are below, my friends.
Some might say comparing different categories isn’t fair. But I have a genuine, childlike curiosity. I don’t care about made-up limits. I compare whatever I want, with whatever I want. Plus, next year, I want to compare wired and wireless earbuds. I’ll bring them all into one system on MyChooz. This will cover ALL earbud models. Wired earbuds with an average source, compared to wireless ones. Let me know in the comments if you’d be interested in such a comparison. Also, if you’d like to see this rating in every review. Then you’ll know what sound quality you’re getting across ALL models.
Best Wireless Headphones for Sound Quality — Our Ranking
How We Test Sound Quality
At MyChooz, every pair of wireless headphones goes through our EMMA evaluation — blind listening tests across multiple genres, frequency response analysis, and real-world usage over 2+ weeks. We assess soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, bass extension, treble clarity, and overall musicality. No AI-generated reviews — every word comes from hands-on experience with 50+ models.
What to Look For in Wireless Headphones for Sound Quality
Codec support: LDAC and aptX Adaptive deliver hi-res audio over Bluetooth. AAC is the minimum for Apple devices. Without a high-quality codec, even premium drivers can’t reach their potential. Driver type: Dynamic drivers offer punchy bass, while planar magnetic drivers excel in speed and detail retrieval. Open-back vs closed-back: Open designs provide wider soundstage but leak sound. Closed-back isolates better for commuting. Frequency response: Look for a balanced, neutral signature — or pick headphones with customizable EQ if you prefer bass-heavy or bright tuning. Lossless audio: True lossless over Bluetooth isn’t here yet, but LDAC at 990kbps gets remarkably close.
Do Wireless Headphones Compromise Sound Quality?
Short answer: not anymore. In 2026, flagship wireless headphones deliver sound quality that rivals mid-range wired setups. The gap has closed dramatically thanks to better Bluetooth codecs (LDAC, aptX Adaptive), improved DAC/amp circuits inside the headphones, and advanced driver technology including planar magnetic designs. The trade-off is minimal — you lose some absolute detail retrieval compared to a dedicated wired chain, but gain convenience, ANC, and multipoint connectivity.
1. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro 9.16Best Wireless Earbuds for Phones – Samsung, Android, and iPhone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is a super successful upgrade from the 3 Pro. The main reasons to buy them are reference-quality sound, reference-quality features, and a super comfy build quality. That’s 3 out of 3. And all this works great, not just on flagship Samsung devices. It works on all Android and Apple devices too. You get reference-quality transparency mode and excellent active noise cancellation. The microphone is great. They’re like AirPods, but with upgraded sound and for all ecosystems.
On the downside, there are artificial ecosystem limitations for non-Samsung devices. You only get basic codecs, with a 15% drop in quality. There’s no low latency mode. No translator or voice assistant. No Spatial Audio, Auracast, or seamless device switching. There are also minor sound flaws in the highs. Everything else is just top-notch. Read review — Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.38 Wide soundstage, cool punchy bass, and vocals that stand out clearly from every instrument. Gorgeous detail too. The only real weakness is the treble — slightly lacking in both quality and quantity. But everything else? That’s a big plus. The soundstage alone is reference-quality. Ten out of ten.Read 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: 10 In noisy conditions: 9 Fantastic quality, it’s better than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It just barely missed the reference quality of Huawei.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.25 The active noise cancellation is excellent — 9 out of 10. It’s slightly behind the AirPods Pro 3 reference. It handles street noise, laptop fan noise, and PC fans well. Transparency mode is reference-level, with a slight hint of digital processing. In our tests, battery life on basic codecs was 8-10 hours. Controls are touch-based. There’s voice control for the player and calls. The app is user-friendly and only for Android devices. Also, some features are only available on Samsung devices.More details.
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 super comfy, and the charging case is compact. After a couple of hours, I only felt minor fatigue. The build quality is solid and reliable. But the finish is a fingerprint magnet. They come in 3 colors: gray, white, and rose gold. I personally liked the design. But some of our team didn’t. What do you think?More details.
- Top-tier sound. It’s reference-quality with the proprietary SSC UHD codec.
- It has a translator, voice assistant, and spatial audio.
- Reference-quality transparency mode. It activates when you say its name.
- The SSC UHD codec, translator, voice assistant, and spatial audio. These only work on flagship Samsung devices.
- There’s no dedicated app for Apple.
2. Noble Audio Fokus REX5 8.89Best Wireless Earbuds for Sound Today – 10 out of 10
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Noble Audio Fokus REX5 are the best wireless TWS earbuds. They’re #1 for sound quality on MyChooz. The main reason to buy them is their reference-quality sound. This includes detail retrieval, natural timbre, and soundstage. They even surpassed the Technics EAH-AZ100 in sound. And those 5 drivers aren’t just for show. You will need to tweak the sound with the EQ, though. Sound tuning and ear tip selection will be covered in the full review. On the downside, ANC, transparency, and the microphone are only on par with models under $100.
Overall, this model is for anyone looking for the BEST in-ear TWS earbuds. And who wants uncompromisingly the best sound.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.58 The sound emphasizes mids and especially highs. Out of the box, there’s not enough bass. But it’s easy to add bass or adjust the balance. The app has two EQs: a 10-band one and a variable 3-point one. The soundstage is spacious, with good width and depth. Vocals and instruments sound natural, just like in real life. And the detail retrieval picks up tiny nuances. These are easily missed with other earbuds.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.
. 6.75 In quiet environments: 7.5 In noisy environments: 6Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.68 The active noise cancellation suppresses light background noise. Transparency mode is just enough for comfortable conversations. The earbuds last 4.5-7.5 hours, depending on the codec. Controls are touch-based with three actions: pause/play, track skipping, and volume. The app is straightforward. It has two EQ presets and a personal sound customization feature.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 It’s important to pick the right ear tips for these earbuds. That’s because the ear tips provide the main secure fit in your ears. Overall, the earbuds are comfortable. I didn’t feel any discomfort after two hours of use. The build quality is metal, and there are no complaints about the assembly or materials. Just be aware that the earbuds cool down quickly in winter. You wouldn’t want to catch a cold in your ears. The design is interesting, bold, and stands out. I really liked it.- Best sound, reference-quality detail among TWS earbuds.
- Metal build for the charging case and earbuds.
- Two EQs, you can combine settings. Plus, Audiodo personal sound tuning.
- The ear tips provide the fit. You’ll need to adjust the earbuds if the ear tips don’t fit right.
- The earbuds cool down fast in cold weather.
- Average features.
3. Technics EAH-AZ100 8.90Best sound under $350-400.
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Technics EAH-AZ100 are the best-sounding wireless earbuds among all TWS models under $350. That’s the main reason to buy them. They’re second in sound quality among all TWS models. But they’re number one overall when you combine everything: sound, features, and build quality. This model has no critical drawbacks. Read review — Technics EAH-AZ100.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.31 The sound is reference-quality. The main pros are natural timbre, soundstage, detail retrieval, and highs. The main cons are slightly recessed mids and vocals. There’s also a slight lack of bass quantity and quality.More details.
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 It’s better than the AZ80. In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.17 The active noise cancellation is enough to suppress road noise. It’s better than average. Transparency mode is excellent. You’ll be comfortable talking to someone with them on. Battery life is great: 10 hours, and 28 hours with the charging case. With LDAC + ANC under the same conditions, it’s 7 and 18 hours, respectively. The touch controls are convenient, but you’ll need to get used to them. The app is excellent. I recommend choosing the LDAC codec and tuning the EQ there.More details.
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 They are comfortable, durable, and look nice. They feel good in your ears, but you’ll still notice them a bit. The charging case is compact. The build quality is solid. They have IPx4 dust and water resistance, but only for the earbuds. The earbuds look pleasant, even if they’re nothing special.More details.
- Best sound among ALL TWS earbuds
- Comfortable and pleasant build quality
- Average noise cancellation
- Minor drawbacks: Vocals could be a bit more intimate. There are small flaws in the app and build quality. The microphone is average.
4. Noble Audio FoKus Apollo 9.02Best over-ear headphones for sound quality.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Noble Audio FoKus Apollo are the best-sounding over-ear headphones. They’re especially great for detail retrieval. The main reason to buy them is their reference-quality sound. The earcups don’t press on your ears. Plus, LDAC latency is around 30 ms. They come with an external microphone that has a switch. This lets you quickly mute all microphones on the headphones. There are no major downsides. Just consider the price and the slightly harsh highs in the sound. You can smooth those out with the EQ.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.42 These headphones have the best sound for emotion and detail. The bass is deep and not overpowering. Mids are open with minimal loss in clarity. Reference-quality soundstage, great natural timbre, and solid detail retrieval. Imaging stays stable as instruments come and go. The sound has no noticeable artificial timbre or grain. There’s enough detail to hear tiny nuances in recordings. On the downside, the highs lack some softness. Too much percussion in a track can be fatiguing.More details.
The microphone isn’t amazing. You can talk, but not in noisy places. There’s also this detachable microphone. Let’s hear how it sounds.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.71 Active noise cancellation (ANC) blocks about 50% of noise. However, transparency mode is minimally suitable for conversations. Controls are button-based. They offer basic playback and call management. The app is user-friendly. It has a 10-band EQ and personalized sound tuning.More details.
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 earcups don’t press on your ears. You might feel minor fatigue after 3-4 hours of use. The build quality is flawless, and the materials are premium. The headphones look good; I liked them.More details.
- Reference-quality sound
- Top-tier active noise cancellation
- Comfortable fit, with a strong and reliable build quality
- Minimally convenient transparency mode
- The fabric finish collects dust and small debris
5. Realme Buds Air 7 Pro 8.59Best earbuds for sound quality under $300.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Realme Buds Air 7 Pro are the best affordable wireless earbuds for sound. The main reason to buy them is the BEST sound among TWS earbuds under $300. They also have live, synchronized translation that works with any phone brand. Downsides include a bulky earbud build. This model might not fit everyone. We’ve seen many reliability complaints about these earbuds on our social media. Still, they’re the number one most popular model among our social media users. Read review — Realme Buds Air 7 Pro.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.00 With LHDC 5.0 codec, these are on par with models up to $300. The earbuds have an optimal frequency balance. You get a spacious soundstage with good width and depth. The sound is detailed and natural enough. Early batches of the Chinese version had too much treble. The global version doesn’t have this issue.More details.
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 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.
. 8.16 ANC and transparency are average. Battery life in our tests is up to 10 hours, considering the codec. Touch controls handle basic player and call functions. The app is convenient. It has an EQ, personal sound tuning, and a translator.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.20 The earbuds fit well. You can use them for 2-3 hours without discomfort. Build quality and materials are solid. They look good; I liked the design. There are 4 colors to choose from.More details.
- Best sound in TWS under $300
- Live and simultaneous translation
- Reference-level battery life
- Users complain about reliability.
- Average noise cancellation and transparency.
6. Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless 9.15Best over-ear headphones for sound under $600.
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are the best big wireless headphones. There are three main reasons to buy them. They have the best sound under $300. They also offer top-tier noise cancellation and a strong, reliable build. With aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs, you only get a 10-15% boost in sound. That’s because the sound system already delivers maximum performance. A drawback is the earcup clamping force. It’s above average, so you’ll need a break after 1-2 hours of use.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.55 These headphones have the best sound among full-size models under $300. They have a pleasant bass sound with intimate mids and highs that are bright enough. The sound is spacious and full-bodied, without artificial timbre or noticeable grain. Detail retrieval is good enough to catch micro-details. Minor drawbacks include a slight excess of bass, a lack of highs, and a slight lack of transparency.More details.
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.
. 9.25 In quiet environments: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 9 The headphones have 4 microphones, two on each earcup. Your voice sounds detailed in recordings. In noisy environments, the quality drops, but it remains intelligible.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.04 The active noise cancellation is top-tier and doesn’t affect sound quality. The transparency mode is near reference-quality. And with up to 60 hours of battery life, you get a week of active listening. Controls are a mix, mostly gestures on the right earcup. Navigation is convenient, but you’ll need a couple of days to get used to it. The app is useful: you can enable the aptX codec on Android, tune the EQ, and adjust the ambient mode.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.33 The build quality is strong and reliable. The finish is a bit of a fingerprint magnet. The clamping force is above average. This is fine for 1-2 hours of use. After that, you’ll want to take a break. The headphones look good. They are available in 5 colors.More details.
- Best sound under $300
- Top-tier active noise cancellation and transparency. It’s reference-quality.
- Detailed microphone
- Strong and reliable build quality
- The headphone earcups press
7. OnePlus Buds 4 8.55Best wireless earbuds with bassy sound – new for 2025.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The OnePlus Buds 4 are the best wireless earbuds with bassy sound in 2026. The main reason to buy them is their top-tier bass sound right out of the box. You won’t need to tweak it with an EQ. They’re slightly behind the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro in sound. But they make up for it with their features and build quality. This model has no critical drawbacks. You’ll want LHDC 5.0 codec support and a Snapdragon mobile platform source. The sound is noticeably worse on MediaTek. Read review — OnePlus Buds 4.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.58 They emphasize pleasant bass and highs. The sound is top-notch. It’s natural enough, without noticeable artificial timbre or grainy treble. There’s enough detail to pick out instrument textures. This is true even in dynamic tracks with complex arrangements. The soundstage is spacious. Vocals and instruments are well-separated. On the downside, the abundant bass fills the soundstage too much. It reduces clarity in the mids. There’s also a slight lack of detail and texture in the sound.More details.
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 conditions: 8 There are no changes from the OnePlus Buds 3 version. It’s the same as in the Oppo Enco Free 4. I did an additional wind test (the 3rd one). Someone requested it in a comment.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 The active noise cancellation (ANC) suppresses background noise well. You can also chat in transparency mode. In our tests, the earbuds lasted up to 11 hours. With the charging case, they lasted up to 56 hours, depending on the codec. Controls are touch-based. There are 5 actions for each earbud, including swipes. The app is user-friendly and doesn’t have unnecessary features. It includes a translator for 22 languages for OnePlus phones.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.40 Your ears won’t get tired with the included ear tips, even after 2-3 hours. The build quality is solid and reliable. The earbuds look good with their matte finish. But the design isn’t new. So the initial excitement fades after a couple of weeks.More details.
- Top-tier bass sound without needing to tune the EQ.
- Comfortable fit.
- You get better sound with the golden hearing profile.
- Minor drawbacks: The translator only works on OnePlus phones.
- LHDC 5.0 codec support would be nice.
- The sound is worse on MediaTek devices compared to Snapdragon.
8. Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 8.41Big over-ear Bluetooth headphones – stylish with bright tuning.
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 are big over-ear Bluetooth headphones. They have deep bass and bright tuning. The main reason to buy them is their top-tier sound. It’s detailed and natural. They also feature premium materials and a strong, reliable build. This model has no critical drawbacks.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.67 The sound is bright with a cool tint. The bass is precise and detailed. Instruments are distinct by their timbre. High-frequency instruments are clear, but they’re harsh and quickly cause fatigue. This is the biggest drawback in the sound. Also, the soundstage felt a bit small. I liked the mids. The sound is open, and the singer feels like they’re performing right in front of you. There’s just a slight lack of transparency. There’s no noticeable artificial timbre or grain in the sound.More details.
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.
. 7.75 In quiet conditions: 8.5 In noisy conditions: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.98 The active noise cancellation (ANC) suppresses about 40% of noise. You can chat in transparency mode, but the surroundings sound a bit muffled. Button controls handle basic player navigation and call management. In the app, the only useful things are the 5-band EQ and linking music streaming services.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.40 The headphones have medium clamping force. You’ll want to take a break after about 2-3 hours of use. They use premium materials like leather and metal. The build quality is flawless. The headphones look nice, and you get 2 colors to choose from.More details.
- Top-tier sound: detailed and natural
- Premium quality materials
- Durable and reliable build quality
- Transparency mode and microphone noise cancellation are above average.
9. Nothing Ear ( 3 ) 2025 8.44Stylish wireless earbuds for your phone – with a microphone in the charging case.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Nothing Ear ( 3 ) 2025 are stylish wireless earbuds. They have a top-tier build and features. The main reason to buy them is their excellent sound. But it’s important to update the firmware. Out of the box, they have balanced frequencies. They also include a directional microphone in the charging case for calls in noisy places. Downsides are average noise cancellation and transparency.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.38 The main plus for the sound is the mids and natural timbre. Vocals are intimate and clear. The sound is slightly unnatural, but it’s also free of artificial timbre. Plus, the bass is good and detailed.The main downside for the sound is the bright highs. This kind of sound is fatiguing, especially on tracks with lots of percussion. So, it’s important to update the firmware. The sound balance is nicer in the update.
More details.
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.
. 8.80 In quiet conditions: 8.6 In noisy conditions: 9 In quiet conditions, the balance fluctuates a bit. Noise cancellation removes background noise. Still, your voice is easy to understand. In noisy conditions, voice isolation is excellent, and noise is completely blocked. Sometimes the voice sounds a bit muffled, but it’s not hard to understand what’s being said.More details.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.28 ANC and transparency mode are minimally suitable for use — this is the earbuds’ weakest point. Battery life in our tests is up to 9.5 hours, and up to 38 hours with the charging case, considering the codec. They have convenient pinch controls on the earbud stem and a reference-quality app for ease of use and features.More details.
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, but ear fatigue starts after 2 hours. The build quality is strong and reliable, with no assembly defects. The look is great and stands out from competitors.More details.
- Top-tier sound
- Detailed microphone with excellent voice isolation
- Reference-quality app
- Average active noise cancellation and transparency
- Bright tuning before the firmware update
- Overpriced on some marketplaces
10. HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4 8.65The best wireless earbuds of 2026 – for sound quality and features.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 are the best wireless earbuds. They scored highest across 32 testing parameters on MyChooz. This is among all wireless in-ear models under $200. The main reason to buy them is their balance of sound, features, and build quality. Plus, they have a reference-quality microphone. A drawback is that some features only work on Huawei devices with HarmonyOS. This includes the L2HC codec, Spatial Audio, translator, voice assistant, and more. Read review — HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 4.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.46 The earbuds have great mids and transparent vocals. Vocals and instruments sound pretty natural, without distortion or artificial timbre. Detail retrieval is good enough to enjoy live instruments. On the downside, there’s a slight lack of bass. The soundstage is also a bit narrow.More details.
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.
. 9.75 In quiet environments: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 10Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.94 This is a strong point for the model and the manufacturer in general. The active noise cancellation and transparency mode are sufficient for daily use. In our tests, playback time was up to 6.5 hours, considering the codec. The touch controls are convenient, with taps, swipes, and head gestures. The app isn’t overloaded with unnecessary features. However, on Android, you have to install the app manually after downloading it from the Huawei website.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.67 The earbuds have a comfortable fit. There’s no noticeable discomfort. No complaints about the build quality or materials. Only the earbud bodies are fingerprint magnets. Scratches on the charging case show up after a week of use. The earbuds look good. But the gold plating and brand name look a bit excessive. You can choose from 3 colors.More details.
- Top-tier sound
- Reference-quality microphone
- Top-tier controls
- The proprietary L2HC codec, translator, assistant, and other features only work on HarmonyOS devices
- Not critical: the soundstage lacks width, the highs have grain in some spots
11. Apple Airpods Pro 3 8.64Best wireless earbuds for iPhone and Apple devices.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Apple AirPods Pro 3 are the best TWS earbuds for Apple devices. The main reason to buy them is their near-flagship sound. They also have a reference-quality microphone, active noise cancellation, transparency, and great controls. This model has no critical drawbacks. However, the fit might not work for everyone. Also, some features only work with Apple devices.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.50 With EQ tuning, you can push it to 9. You get excellent sound quality. It’s on par with top models from Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, and others. Its strong points are much-improved detail retrieval, soundstage, and natural timbre. The sound presentation is very similar to the Airpods Pro 2. But it’s like they made the window you’re looking through bigger and cleaned it really well. Finally, this is sound you can be proud of. It’s a huge improvement, +1.5 points, compared to the Pro 2. It’s still not at the level of Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, Huawei FreeBuds 4 Pro, or the reference-quality Technics EAH-AZ100. But it’s getting close.More details.
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.
. 9.00 In quiet environments: 10 In noisy conditions: 8 The microphone quality is simply superb; it’s a new reference. At first, I thought I accidentally recorded the sound through my iPhone. The ‘voice isolation’ feature is available. It improves voice quality in noisy environments by cutting out background sounds.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.00 Active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and controls are all reference-quality. Battery life is up to 8 hours, and up to 24 hours with the charging case without ANC and Spatial Audio. There’s no dedicated app; all features are built into the OS. So, Android users will need to set up the earbuds using third-party apps.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.43 The earbuds have a perfect fit. You won’t feel fatigue even after 5 hours of use. However, the design won’t suit everyone. It’s best to try them on before buying. The build quality is flawless, just like previous generations. Only the plastic scratches easily. It’s better to use a case for the charging case right away. The design is minimalistic, with nothing unnecessary.More details.
- Sound is near-flagship level — miles better than on the 2 Pro.
- Microphone — reference-quality
- Active noise cancellation and transparency mode — reference-quality
- Controls — reference-quality
- Battery life increased by 2 hours to 8h with ANC.
- The build quality is comfortable and good-looking.
- Model comfort improved, but not for everyone.
- The app and other features only work on Apple devices.
- Minor drawbacks: the charging case scratches very quickly.
12. Sony WH-1000XM6 8.11Good big Bluetooth headphones – a new model from Sony.
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are good big Bluetooth headphones. They’re the newest model in the series. The main reason to buy them is their reference-quality noise cancellation and transparency. They also offer low-frequency sound and a handy “find my EQ” feature. This feature lets you tune the sound in just a couple of clicks. With the LDAC codec, you get up to a 10-12% boost in overall sound quality. Downsides include earcups that press on your ears. Discomfort starts from the first minutes of use. The hinges aren’t durable and need careful handling.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.48 The sound is bass-heavy, similar to the WH-1000XM4. Vocals sound intimate. You can distinguish the timbre of low and high-frequency instruments. The soundstage is mostly wide. There’s no noticeable artificial timbre or distortion. The sound is comfortable with no major drawbacks. There’s just a slight bass boost. Mids lack a bit of transparency, and they’re not bright enough. But you can fix this easily in the app’s EQ with just a couple of clicks.More details.
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.
. 7.40 In quiet conditions: 7.8 In noisy conditions: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.68 These headphones have reference-quality ANC and transparency among full-size models. Battery life in the series remains unchanged: 30-40 hours with ANC. Controls are mostly touch-based for music playback and calls. The app is useful, but the multi-level menu structure is inconvenient. The “find your EQ” feature makes it easier to tune the sound from 4-5 tonal options. The signal is stable up to 10m with LDAC codec and high-quality bitrate.More details.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 6.33 The fit is uncomfortable. The clamping force is stronger than the previous generation. I can wear these headphones for an hour max. Then I need to take a break. The build quality and materials are solid. The weak point of these headphones is the hinges. They break under heavy use. The design is nice and neat. You can choose from 3 colors.More details.
- Reference-quality active noise cancellation and transparency mode
- Detailed microphone
- Low-frequency sound without overpowering bass
- Headphone earcups press on the ears
- Hinges need careful handling
- Low detail retrieval
13. Sony WH-1000XM5 8.14Best wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancellation 2026.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancellation among over-ear models. The main reason to buy them is their reference-quality noise cancellation and transparency. They also have a signature low-frequency sound, a detailed microphone, and a comfortable fit. With the LDAC codec, you get up to a 15% boost in sound quality. A drawback is that the hinges can’t handle intense use and tend to break.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.13 These headphones have a bass-heavy, enveloping sound. It’s typical for this headphone series. The main strengths are soundstage, natural timbre, and detail retrieval. There’s no artificial timbre or grainy treble. Instruments and effects have good separation in space. The main downside is the lows. There’s a bit too much bass, giving the sound a bassy tint. Bass-heavy tracks sound boomy. Also, vocals lack transparency.More details.
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.
. 7.00 In quiet environments: 8 In noisy environments: 6 These headphones have 8 microphones. Only 4 of them are used for calls. In quiet environments, the recording is detailed. The first few words are muffled, and you can hear faint clicks. In noisy environments, the recording quality is noticeably worse. But you can still make out the words.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.
. 8.53 The active noise cancellation and transparency mode are reference-quality. In our tests, the playback time was 33 hours. This is more than the claimed 30 hours. The controls are a mix. They are mainly touch-based on the earcups. There’s an app with clunky navigation. But it has a convenient EQ setup.More details.
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.
. 7.60 The headphones are comfortable, and the earcups put minimal pressure on your ears. You’ll want to take a break after about 2 hours. The build quality and materials are solid. But the finish is a fingerprint magnet and needs daily cleaning. The hinges are the weak point in the design. They often break where the earcups swivel. The headphones look good, and you can pick from 5 colors.More details.
- Reference-quality noise cancellation and transparency mode
- Signature bass-forward sound
- Detailed microphone and comfortable fit
- Best automatic EQ tuning
- Fragile hinges
- Fingerprint-magnet finish
14. Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi 7.94Awesome sound — Personal Tuning and LDAC Support.
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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi offers awesome personalized sound without paying extra for the brand. The main reason to buy them is their top-tier sound with the LDAC codec. They’re a great fit for Samsung, Google Pixel, or any Android phone without LHDC codecs. Plus, with Mimi’s sound personalization, you can boost the overall sound quality even more. This model has no critical drawbacks. It has average features and build quality.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.54 The main plus of the sound is that it’s clean, fast, and detailed. You get transparent mids and highs. Mimi personalization boosts clarity. The downside is the bass is light, and there’s not much sub-bass depth. The soundstage is wide but lacks depth. The sound is analytical and a bit sterile. If you tweak the EQ and sound personalization, you can squeeze out up to 0.5 more points.More details.
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.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 5 In quiet conditions, the quality is high. Your voice sounds clean and natural. In noisy places, the noise cancellation algorithm performs okay. Background sounds are muffled, but some noise still gets through. The timbre becomes a bit “flat.”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 are lightweight. You won’t feel any discomfort after 3-4 hours of use. The build and materials are solid. But you should get a case for the charging case. After a week of use, scratches are visible. I liked the look with the copper accents.More details.
- Top-tier sound with personalized tuning
- Top-tier microphone in quiet environments
- Sterile, analytical sound
- No microphone noise cancellation
- Minor cons: Scratches on the charging case are visible after a week
15. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 8.10Best noise-cancelling earbuds 2025 — comfortable, great low-frequency sound.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are the best noise-cancelling earbuds of 2025. This is among in-ear TWS models, and they’re a reference on mychooz.com. The main reason to buy them is their reference-quality noise cancellation. They also have pleasant bassy sound, a comfortable fit for sports, and the best Spatial Audio mode. With the aptX Adaptive codec, you get up to a 15% boost in sound quality. Downsides include poor microphone noise cancellation and an inconvenient app.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.26 Low-frequency with a slight excess of bass and mid frequencies. The sound can be adjusted in the proprietary equalizer if desired.Read 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.
. 6.50 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 4 Each earbud has 4 microphones with noise cancellation function. In a quiet room the recording is detailed and clear. In noisy conditions voice isolation works, but the quality drops noticeably — the voice sounds muffled and compressed.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.92 The earbuds have reference active noise cancellation, and transparency mode at reference level.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 Materials and build quality without complaints. The earbud body resembles metal, and the lid is plastic. The coating is slightly prone to fingerprints. The construction is solid without complaints.Read More.
- Reference noise cancellation among TWS
- Top-tier low-frequency sound
- Best spatial audio
- Comfortable fit for running and sports
- Poor microphone noise cancellation
- Inconvenient proprietary app
- IPx4 dust and water protection. No case protection.
16. Huawei Freebuds 6 8.97Best Open-Fit Earbuds 2026 – For Sound.
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
The Huawei FreeBuds 6 are the best sports open-fit earbuds. The main reason to buy them is their top sound among open-fit earbuds. They also have a reference-quality microphone among TWS models. Plus, they feature a unique design with a comfortable fit. The earbuds are barely noticeable in your ears from the first minute of use. Only after 2 hours does minor fatigue appear. With the LDAC codec, you get up to a 20% boost in sound. A drawback is that some features are only available on Huawei phones with HarmonyOS. This includes the proprietary L2HC codec, translator, voice assistant, and more.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.33 The out-of-the-box sound is great. The main plus is the excellent natural timbre and detail retrieval. Instruments and vocals sound clean. They’re almost free of artificial timbre or coloration. The main drawback is the slightly boomy bass. Sometimes it’s lacking in bass-heavy tracks. The soundstage also lacks scale; the sound is pretty intimate. The sound is a bit closed-in. You’ll want more space. In tracks with lots of percussion, the sound can be harsh.More details.
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.
. 9.75 In quiet environments: 10 In noisy conditions: 9.5Overall 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.
. 8.33 The active noise cancellation is good for open-fit earbuds. There’s no transparency mode. But you can still talk freely without taking the earbuds off. Battery life is excellent: up to 6 hours of playback. You get up to 36 hours with the charging case. The touch controls are convenient, but you’ll need to get used to them. The app is great. I recommend choosing the LDAC codec and tuning the EQ there.More details.
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 They’re comfortable. You can wear them for 2 hours without discomfort. Durability is also excellent. The design is unique, but it looks better in real life than in photos.More details.
- Best sound among open-fit earbuds.
- Reference-quality microphone.
- Good noise cancellation for open-fit earbuds.
- The sound is too bright on some tracks.
- Not critical: There’s no transparency mode. Also, the L2HC 4.0 codec and many proprietary features are only available on HarmonyOS 4.3+ and Huawei devices.
17. Apple AirPods 4 ANC 8.81Best Open-Fit Earbuds for iPhone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC 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. The earbuds have good battery life, a decent microphone, and active noise cancellation.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 9.08 For open-fit earbuds, this sound is top-notch. It’s soft, full-bodied, immersive, and comfortable. It lets you relax and get lost in your favorite music. I really liked the sound. If we compare it to the reference, like the Huawei FreeBuds 6, those win by a bit. The main plus is the soundstage and overall harmony. The sound is soft and pleasant. It’s non-fatiguing and engaging. The main downside is that the timbre could be better. Also, vocals could be more forward. But it’s not a deal-breaker.More details.
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.
. 9.00 In quiet environments: 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 The active noise cancellation is reference-quality for open-fit earbuds. It’s like having in-ear earbuds. The level is INCREDIBLE. There’s no transparency mode. But you can still talk freely without taking the earbuds off. Battery life is great: up to 6 hours of playback and up to 36 hours with the charging case. Controls are convenient and touch-based. But you’ll need to get used to them. The app is excellent. I recommend choosing the LDAC codec and tuning the EQ there.More details.
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’re super comfortable. I can wear them for 2-3 hours without discomfort. Durability is fine, but the earbuds scratch VERY easily. The design is Apple-style and looks great. The charging case is the SMALLEST I’ve ever seen. The earbuds themselves are tiny. No issues with the build quality.More details.
18. Huawei Freebuds 5 7.90Best Open-Fit Earbuds for 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 treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC 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. With the LDAC codec, you get up to a 30% boost in sound. These earbuds came out in 2023 and are still relevant. The sound and microphone are near reference-quality. Plus, a couple of hours of use won’t cause discomfort.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 8.01 These earbuds have an emphasis on bass. The mids are slightly recessed, and the highs are muted. I didn’t notice any artificial timbre or much grain. The sound is spacious and full-bodied, with good instrument separation. Detail retrieval is good. But it’s harder to pick out instrument textures compared to top-tier earbuds. The sound lacks expressiveness, a bit of brightness, and airiness. Without that, this kind of sound gets boring fast. Tuning the EQ can fix some of these drawbacks.More details.
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.
. 8.75 In quiet environments: 9.5 In noisy conditions: 8 The recording is clean and detailed without external noise. In noisy conditions, speech remains clear. The noise cancellation doesn’t 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 The active noise cancellation (ANC) reduces background noise from a PC or laptop. There’s no transparency mode. Playback time in our tests differs slightly from the manufacturer’s claims. The touch sensor on the earbuds responds everywhere. And volume changes by swiping up and down along the earbud. The companion app is convenient and well-designed.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 have a comfortable fit, but you might feel minor fatigue after a couple of hours of use. The build quality and materials are solid. The earbuds have a unique design, and you can pick from 3 colors.Read more.
- Top-tier sound among open-ear earbuds.
- The microphone is reference-quality.
- Unique design, and you can use them for 2 hours without discomfort.
- The out-of-the-box sound is muffled.
- You’ll hear a slight white noise with active noise cancellation.
19. Huawei FreeClip 2 7.68Best Clip-On Earbuds
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and treble 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 – treble, high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
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 ANC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Huawei FreeClip 2 are the best clip-on earbuds among open-fit models tested on MyChooz. The main reasons to buy them are the best sound among OWS, a comfortable fit, and a natural transparency mode. They are the best alternative to in-ear, open-fit, and ear-hook earbuds. Minor drawbacks include not enough bass and no active noise cancellation. Also, the build quality might not appeal to everyone.
The overall sound score is calculated using the formula:
Frequency Balance + Detail + Stage + Naturalness / 4 = overall sound score.
. 7.46 These earbuds have a slight lack of bass. That’s normal for open-fit designs. The focus is more on the mids. But the sound is dynamic enough for hip-hop and electronic music. It’s full-bodied and spacious. The sound is accurate, without obvious artificial timbre. It’s clear with basic codecs. However, in busy tracks, detail retrieval drops, and the sound gets congested.More details.
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 conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 7Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.33 There’s no active noise cancellation or transparency mode. But transparency mode isn’t needed. The open-fit design of the earbuds doesn’t get in the way of conversations. In our tests, battery life was 9 hours for the earbuds and 40 hours with the charging case. The touch controls are convenient and responsive. The app works stably. It has EQ settings, a low latency mode, and control customization.More details.
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 light and comfortable. Your ears might get tired after about 2 hours of use. The build quality is solid, with no defects. The earbuds have IP57 dust and water resistance. This means they are resistant to dust and water. The earbuds look good.More details.
- Best sound among clip-on earbuds.
- Detailed microphone.
- Comfortable fit among clip-on earbuds.
- Open-fit design without active noise cancellation.
- The form factor might not be for everyone.
