Best Wireless Earbuds of 2025

Why I like them

While I didn’t get a new H3 chip and I was hoping that the charging case would be able to convert into a Bluetooth transceiver to use the buds on a plane with an inflight entertainment system, I did get most of what I was looking for in the AirPods Pro 3. The changes may seem incremental to some folks, but all the key elements such as fit, sound quality and noise cancellation have been noticeably leveled up along with single-charge battery. They’re about as close as earbuds get to being complete: excellent noise cancellation, strong voice-calling performance and sound quality that rivals the very best. Few buds excel in all three areas — and the Pro 3s manage it while packing in plenty of extra features, including their new heart-rate monitoring feature. Read my full review.

Reasons to buy

As I said, these buds are significantly improved in the four most important areas: fit, sound quality, noise cancellation and battery life. The result is that you don’t feel like you’re making any compromises when buying the AirPods Pro 3 if you’re an Apple user.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While they work with Android devices, you lose many of the AriPods 3’s extra features if you’re not using them with Apple devices and its iPhones and iPad in particular. They also may just be a little too expensive for many folks.

Why I like them

As far as the hardware goes, the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) look exactly the same as the original QC Ultra Earbuds, although Bose has added a new plum color to the line. There are two small changes. The 2nd Gen Ultra Earbuds now support wireless charging, a feature that should have been available with the originals. The included ear tips now have wax guards, a fancy way of saying there’s a silicone mesh that now covers the holes in the tips.

The reality is, they don’t seem like a true 2.0 product. But they do feature improved adaptive noise canceling that’s truly impressive (it’s neck-and-neck with the Apple AirPods Pro 3’s noise canceling for the best ANC in a set of earbuds), along with some sound quality enhancements, including a new spatialized immersive audio Cinema mode that widens the soundstage and makes “video content more lifelike” with clearer dialog. The mode also helps with spoken-word audio content like podcasts and audiobooks.

New features available in both the original QC Ultra Earbuds and Gen 2 model include:

• Bose SpeechClarity
• Spotify Tap
• Turn capacitive controls on/off
• General connectivity and stability improvements

Feature upgrades available exclusively to the Gen 2 model include:

• Enhanced adaptive noise cancellation
• Reduced noise floor (the faint hiss in noise-canceling mode)
• Case battery reporting
• Cinema Mode 

Reasons to buy

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra offer a comfortable, secure fit and feature superb noise canceling and excellent sound quality. While the improvements to this model are incremental, it’s good that Bose has made some upgrades to an already great set of noise-canceling earbuds. They also work well with both iOS and Android smartphones.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

They’re pretty pricey and a little bigger than some earbuds like the AirPods Pro 3 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Why I like them

Panasonic’s latest flagship earbuds, the Technics EAH-AZ100, feature a more compact design than the earlier EAH-AZ80 buds (the AZ100s are 10% smaller and 16% lighter) along with improved sound quality, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. One of the key upgrade here is Panasonic’s newly developed proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver that Panasonic says creates “clean, high-resolution, low-vibration and low-distortion sounds for the most authentic, balanced audio that’s true to the original source.” This type of driver is found in Technics high-end EAH-TZ700 wired in-ear monitors ($1,200), and it’s been miniaturized for use in the AZ100s.

I thought the AZ80s sounded really good, and these new AZ100s sound even better, with clean, accurate sound that brings out details in your music you don’t hear with lesser earbuds (Android users get support for Sony’s high-quality LDAC audio codec). As for extra features, there’s Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking, plus you can pair with up to 3 devices simultaneously (most multipoint Bluetooth-enabled earbuds allow you to pair to two devices).

Reasons to buy

The Technics EAH-AZ100 are among the best-sounding earbuds, so if sound quality is a priority, they should be on your short list. Also, the fact that their noise-canceling and voice-calling performance has improved slightly is icing on the cake,

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While earbuds like the AirPods Pro 2 don’t sound as good as these earbuds, they do offer superior noise canceling and voice-calling performance for less money along with an even more robust feature set, particularly for iPhone users.

Why I like them

When Sony set out to design its WF-1000XM5 flagship noise-canceling earbuds, it was looking to address some gripes folks had with their predecessor, the WF-1000XM4 earbuds that came out in 2021. Not only are the XM5s smaller, but they also offer improved performance pretty much across the board, with better noise canceling, sound quality and voice calling performance. Overall they’re impressive — easily among the top earbuds on the market. Equipped with 8.2mm speaker driver units and two new proprietary Sony chipsets (V2 Integrated and QN2e Noise-Canceling processors), the earbuds deliver rich sound with nice detail, clear mids and punchy, well-defined bass. Read my full WF-1000XM5 review.

Reasons to buy

I try a lot of new earbuds but I keep coming back the the WF-1000XM5s because they’re just all-around very good earbuds, with strong overall performance and a solid feature set, including LDAC audio codec support for Android users and Sony’s Speak-To-Chat feature that automatically lowers the volume of your music and puts the earbuds into ambient sound mode so you can easily have a conversation without removing your buds. Also, now that the buds have been out for around two years, they’re often on sale and you can also find well-priced refurbished units.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While these earbuds are more compact and should be a good fit for more people’s ears, they still might not fit some ears. Not everybody will get a tight seal from the included foam ear tips, even though they’re available in four size options. Also, note that next-gen Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds should be coming in 2026.

Why I like them

Earfun is one of our go-to brands for budget earbuds and its Air Pro 4 buds (read my full review) are one of the better earbuds values out there, which is why I awarded them an CNET Editors’ Choice in 2024. While they aren’t a major upgrade over the earlier Air Pro 3s, they do have a few enhancements that make them slightly better earbuds. (Note: Apply the code EAP4CNET at checkout on Amazon to get an additional 10% off).

Earfun has moved from Qualcomm’s QCC3071 to the newer QCC3091 that supports aptX Lossless Audio for a select few Android devices. The buds also support Sony’s LDAC audio codec, which is available with more Android smartphones, and the AAC and SBC codecs.

Like their predecessor, the Air 4 Pro are lightweight and comfortable to wear — I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size — and they feature slightly improved noise canceling and sound quality along with better battery life (up to 11 hours with noise canceling off and 7.5 hours with it on, according to Earfun). While the default sound leans slightly warm with a touch of bass push, you can tweak the sound in Earfun’s companion app for iOS and Android, and I did think the sound measures up well to earbuds that cost twice as much.

Reasons to buy

As I said, these aren’t a big upgrade over the Earfun Air 3 Pro, but once again Earfun has delivered a set of earbuds that deliver strong performance for their modest price. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and multipoint Bluetooth pairing (they’re equipped with Bluetooth 4 and LE Audio).

Reason to skip/keep looking

The voice-calling performance is slightly improved, but the background noise reduction during calls isn’t as good as what you get with higher-end earbuds like Apple’s AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2, as well as Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. I also thought their touch controls could work a little better than they do. And lastly, I should note that Earfun will release the slightly updated Air 4 Pro Plus this fall, though it’ll likely be more expensive than this model at launch.

Why I like them

In a surprise move, Skullcandy has joined forces with Bose to create a budget version of Bose’s $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. With “Sound by Bose,” not only do the Method 360 ANC buds sound better than most earbuds in this price class (they sound very similar to Bose’s $170 QuietComfort Earbuds), they also fit comfortably and securely thanks to Bose’s Fit Kit system that features stability bands to lock the buds in your ears. While they share many traits of Bose’s flagship QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, they’re lighter and lack the more premium finish of those pricey buds. Also, their noise canceling isn’t up to the QC Ultra’s best-in-class ANC standard. But it’s still effective and better than the noise canceling I experienced with previous Skullcandy earbuds I’ve tested. Read the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review.

Reasons to buy

While you can find earbuds that sound pretty decent for this price (or a little more), the Method 360 ANC’s sound quality is a notch up from what you typically find at this price. Another selling point is that these buds should fit most ears comfortably and securely, thanks to the Bose-like design.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The Method 360 ANC’s only potential drawback is its large carrying case, and the buds are a little bigger than most. Some people won’t mind that the case is bulky, but it may be a deal-breaker for some folks. Also, voice-calling performance could be better, but hopefully that will improve with firmware updates.

Why I like them

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro stand out with their excellent fit, impressive sound quality and top-notch voice-calling performance. Though Samsung has added stems (it calls them “blades” and they have integrated LEDs) to these flagship earbuds, this new design works better for more people — I found the buds lightweight and comfortable to wear. The sound quality is noticeably improved from the previous Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, with superior treble clarity and bass definition, producing a cleaner, more accurate sound. The ambient mode, which lets external sound into the buds, works very well, sounding natural with no audible hiss. And I liked that the buds have their own built-in voice-commands (they do not require a wake word like Google Assistant or Siri), an underrated feature. Read my Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review. 

Reasons to buy

Samsung had some kinks to work out with these buds at launch (they paused shipping them for a time), but they’re excellent earbuds, with improved performance across the board. The stem design is a little controversial for fans of previous Galaxy buds, but I like their design and they’re essentially Samsung’s version of the AirPods Pro 2 but geared towards Android users and Galaxy device owners in particular who can take advantage of a few Samsung-only features like support for its “high-resolution” Samsung Seamless Codec (there’s a Galaxy Wear app for Android users).

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While I’ve used them with my iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone users should probably look elsewhere, as there’s no iOS app, meaning all updates and settings are only available via the Galaxy Wear app for Android. Those seeking the absolute best noise cancellation available might be disappointed, as the ANC, while good, is slightly behind what’s offered by competitors. Finally, users with larger ear canals may not be able to get a tight seal with the included ear tips (only three sizes are provided). Since the ear tips are custom-designed for these buds, finding compatible third-party options can be challenging.

Why I like them

Anker’s earlier Soundcore P40 buds have a stand built into their charging case for propping your phone up for video watching. The new-for-2025 P41i not only includes an integrated stand, but also a 3,000-mAh battery and USB-C cable that turns the case into a power bank for charging your phone. (Owners of older iPhones can also get a version with an integrated Lightning cable that costs $10 more.) While the case is a little heavy and bulkier than many earbuds cases, I like the two-devices-in-one concept. Note that while it doesn’t offer high-speed charging, it does charge at 10W speeds, which isn’t too shabby.

As for the buds themselves, while they lack such extra features as ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take a bud out of your ear, they offer decent sound with strong bass performance and decent noise-canceling and voice-calling capabilities. The sound isn’t as rich or detailed as what you get with more premium buds, but it’s respectably smooth and steers clear of any harshness. Battery life is also good: A single charge gets you up to 10 hours of playback time at moderate volumes with ANC on. And if you don’t use the case to charge your phone (it will charge an iPhone 16 to about 50%), it has enough juice to charge the buds around 15 times.

Reasons to buy them

You like the idea of combining your earbuds with a power bank to charge your phone in a pinch.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

If you like your earbuds cases small, these probably aren’t the buds for you. While the case isn’t huge, it’s heavier and larger than a lot cases because it does have a 3,000-mAh battery in it. Typically, earbuds charging cases are equipped with 300-mAh to 700-mAh batteries (the AirPods Pro 2’s charging case has a 523-mAh battery by comparison).

Why I like them

The AirPods 4 are, unsurprisingly, the fourth generation of Apple’s original true-wireless earbuds that feature an open design, which means they don’t have silicone eartips like the AirPods Pro 2. Not only do they feature a slightly smaller design and better sound than their predecessor, but they’re equipped with Apple’s H2 chip that improves overall performance and powers Apple’s ever-expanding AirPods features. However, they don’t have the AirPods Pro 2’s Hearing Aid mode. Read my Apple AirPods 4 review.

The AirPods 4 come in two versions: a $129 entry-level model and a $179 step-up model with active noise cancellation (ANC). ANC is a rare feature for open earbuds because it typically doesn’t work with an open design, but these are the first open buds I’ve tried to have active noise cancellation that actually works (it’s about half as strong as the AirPods Pro 2’s noise cancellation). That’s pretty cool and worth the extra $50 if you can afford it.

Reasons to buy

A lot of people don’t like having eartips jammed in their ears and find open earbuds more comfortable (plus, you can hear the outside world for safety reasons), and the AirPods 4 are made for those Apple users. They also sound very good for open earbuds and feature excellent voice-calling performance along with Apple’s spatial audio and likable pinch controls. The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Canceling are more special simply because of noise canceling. At the same time, the AirPods 4 with ANC noise muffling capabilities aren’t that great compared to what you get with the AirPods Pro 2 and top noise-canceling earbuds like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the Sony WF-1000XM5. But that it works at all and is reasonably effective is kind of wild because, as I said, noise canceling and open earbuds usually aren’t a good mix.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While their slightly smaller, updated design fits a wider range of ears more securely, some folks may not get a secure fit. The AirPods Pro 2 offer a more flexible fit because they include four different sizes of ear tips. They also deliver better sound with more bass and significantly better noise canceling in a noise-isolating design.

Why I like them

When they’re in your ears, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 look a lot like the original Pixel Buds Pro and retain the stabilizer fins that help lock the buds in your ears. But they’re smaller than their predecessor and Google equipped them with its new Tensor A1 chip, which offers more processing power and boosts their performance across the board. How you ultimately feel about them will largely depend on how well they fit your ears. That’s the case for most noise-canceling earbuds, but with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, if you don’t get a tight seal from the included ear tips, there’s a massive dip in both sound quality and noise-canceling performance. If you do get a tight seal, these buds deliver excellent sound, strong noise-muffling capabilities and a robust feature set, particularly for Android and Google Pixel phone users. Read my Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review.

Reasons to buy

For Pixel device owners, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 have some extra appeal because they’re designed to work more seamlessly with your Pixel devices (there’s automatic switching between Pixel smartphones, tablets and watches) and also feature “Clear Calling” for Pixel smartphones, which does improve voice calling performance a bit. That said, Android owners can take advantage of most of the Pixel Buds Pro 2’s features, including hands-free Google Assistant and “Conversation Detect” feature that pauses what you’re listening to and puts the buds in transparency mode when you start talking to someone.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

I’ll start by pointing out that while buds work just fine with iPhones, iPhone users miss out out several features, so Apple users should probably look elsewhere. From an ergonomic standpoint, the buds’ smaller design should provide a better fit for a wider range of ears, but some people may find that the original Pixel Buds Pro fit their ears better. Also, some Android owners may be disappointed that the buds support neither Qualcomm’s AptX or Sony’s LDAC audio codecs (AAC and SBC are supported). Lastly, it’s a little annoying that the white case can pick up stains from objects in pockets, though the case is easy enough to clean off with a alcohol wipe.

Why I like them

The original Powerbeats Pro were released in May 2019, so Beats has had a lot of time to plot how to improve the second generation of its popular ear-hook style true-wireless sport earbuds. And improve they have — by quite a bit. Not only do they feature a new, more refined design with better ergonomics, but new drivers, a more powerful Apple H2 chip, a new built-in heart-rate sensor and, yes, active noise canceling for the first time in a pair of Powerbeats. And that noise canceling is quite good, as is the sound quality and voice-calling performance — so long as you get a tight seal from one of the 5 different included ear tips. Read my Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review.

These new Powerbeats Pro 2 fit my ears better thanks to Beats improving the overall ergonomic shape of the earbud and completely redesigned the ear hook — it’s 50% smaller and incorporates nickel-titanium alloy, so it’s both flexible and durable. The buds themselves are 20% lighter.

Reasons to buy

Fitness enthusiasts like earbuds with ear hooks so their buds won’t fall out of their ears during intense workouts. Typically, such earbuds don’t offer the greatest performance, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 have many of the same qualities and features as the AirPods Pro 2 with very good sound along with strong noise canceling and voice-calling performance. In short, they’re versatile, also performing well as everyday earbuds. It’s also worth noting that while the Powerbeats Pro 2 have some Apple-exclusive features, Beats does have an app for Android users that makes these more Android-friendly than AirPods.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While Beats has improved the Powerbeats Pro 2’s design and ergonomics, they still may not be a comfortable fit for everybody’s ears and some people may not get a truly tight seal from any of Beats’ ear tips (I had an issue and had to use another set of ear tips from my collection). If you don’t get a tight seal, you’ll likely be unimpressed with the sound quality and noise-cancelling and may want to return them to the store you bought them from (try to find some alternative ear tips before you do that).

Why I like them

Whenever a new pair of Momentum True Wireless earbuds drops, I always find myself saying, “Wow, these sound good.” Sound quality has always been the MTW’s biggest strength, and that remains the case with the fourth-gen version. 

There have been some modest improvements in other areas, particularly with the noise cancellation performance and the reliable, hiccup-free Bluetooth connection I had with my phone. At the same time, the voice-calling performance could be better, and I’m a little disappointed that these aren’t even more of an upgrade over their predecessor. Still, the Momentum True Wireless 4 are excellent earbuds that I have no problem recommending, particularly when they’re discounted.

Reasons to buy

The biggest reason to buy these is for their audiophile-grade, natural, accurate sound. And while the buds are a tad large, I like their design (they fit my ears well), and the case is nice, too. But look for them at a discount because they’ve been out since February 2024.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

Some competing models, like the AirPods Pro 2, are more compact, have a much more robust feature set, and offer better noise cancellation and voice-calling performance. However, if you prefer earbuds with bigger bass, these may not be for you.

Why I like them

Compared to the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market, the newer Studio Buds Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance. Read my Beats Buds Plus review.

The transparent version got a lot of attention at launch (who doesn’t like transparent electronics?), but the big changes are on the inside. Beats says 95% of the components are new and improved, and the buds’ “acoustic architecture” has been revised. The speaker drivers remain the same, but the Studio Buds Plus are powered by a new, more powerful custom chipset and have three new microphones in each bud, which are three times larger and more sensitive than the ones found in the Beats Studio Buds.

Reasons to buy

The compact Beats Studio Buds Plus offer good sound quality and strong all-around performance for an affordable price, especially when they’re discounted, which they often are. It’s also worth noting that like with other Beats headphones and earbuds, these are more Android-friendly than Apple’s AirPods (there’s a Beats app for Android) and the only feature that Apple users get that Android users don’t is hands-free Siri.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The Studio Buds Plus were released in May of 2023, so they’re over two years old and may be due for an upgrade. Also, while the AirPods Pro 2 may cost more, they have a more robust feature set — for Apple users anyway.

Why I like them

Simply put, the Pi8s are fantastic-sounding earbuds that benefit from a clearly improved design from the Pi7 S2 and Pi5 S2. It’s debatable whether the Pi8s sound $150 better than the step-down Pi6s, but there’s no doubt these are some of the best-sounding earbuds on the market, if not the best (everybody’s sound tastes vary, so it’s hard to declare one set of buds the best-sounding overall). 

Like with the Pi7 S2, sound quality is the highlight here, along with the charging case’s ability to transform into a Bluetooth transceiver. Noise cancellation seems improved, and noise reduction during calls seems better, but the voice-calling performance wasn’t as good as what I got with Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Reasons to buy

The Pi8 earbuds are easily among the top earbuds for sound quality, with refined, spacious sound and deep, well-defined bass. Also, their noise-canceling and voice-calling performance has improved from their predecessor, making them better earbuds all around. Lastly, the fact that the case can turn into a Bluetooth transceiver is a nice feature for frequent travelers who want to use their wireless earbuds with an in-flight entertainment system.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The Pi8 are pricey earbuds that will be out of many people’s price range. And while models like the AirPods Pro 2 may not feature as impressive sound quality, they do offer slightly better noise canceling and voice-calling performance (and some other extra features) and cost less.

Why I like them

The Live Beam 3 earbuds look similar to the earlier Live Buds Pro 2, which I liked a lot, especially when they go on sale for less than $100. Essentially JBL’s AirPods Pro 2 competitor, their distinguishing feature is the 1.45-inch touchscreen LCD integrated into their charging case that acts as a remote control for the buds and allows you to access their features. Equipped with 10mm drivers, not only do they offer clear, well-defined sound with punchy bass, but their noise canceling and voice-calling performance is very solid. Their battery is also good — they offer up to 10 hours of battery life with ANC on and 12 hours with it off at moderate volume levels (a 10-minute charge gives you four hours of battery life). Available in four color options, they’re IP55 splash-proof and dust-resistant.

Note that JBL’s flagship Tour Pro 3 earbuds also have an integrated LCD but feature dual drivers, which deliver even better sound than these buds with a little more depth and detail. However, the Live Beam 3 often sells for $50 off their $200 list price, which makes it a better deal overall.

Reasons to buy

The Live Beam 3 buds are solid-performing, well-designed earbuds that comfortably fit most ears. Some may see the touchscreen LCD as a bit of a gimmick, but it is useful as a remote control for the buds and a differentiating feature.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

My only minor gripes are that the buds look a tad cheap for their somewhat elevated list price. Also, the charging case is a bit larger and heavier than most charging cases because it has that built-in touchscreen LCD.

They weren’t the first clip-on earbuds, but Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds really kickstarted this sub-genre of true-wireless earbuds. They literally clip onto the side of your ears, like earrings, and their open design has micro speakers that fire sound into your ears while still being able to hear what’s happening around you. They’re somewhat overpriced, but there’s a lot to like about them, including a surprisingly comfortable, secure fit and very good sound quality for open buds. Initially, the buds didn’t feature multipoint Bluetooth pairing, but the feature was added in July 2024. Read my Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review.

Reasons to buy

If you’re looking for open earbuds that allow you to hear the outside world, Bose’s Ultra Earbuds are among the best out there. They feature a very comfortable, secure fit with strong sound quality for open earbuds in a premium design.

Reason to skip/keep looking

They’re a little overpriced. I’d like to see these closer to $200 (they often go on sale for $250).

Why I like them

Shokz has released the second-gen OpenFit 2 with a slightly upgraded design, upgraded drivers that noticeably improve the sound quality, better battery life and a new physical control button. The changes don’t seem huge on the surface, but the improvements are significant. They fit my ears more comfortably than the originals and have superior sound quality with more bass and better clarity. They sound excellent for open earbuds, at least in quieter environments. Read my Shokz OpenFit 2 review.

Reasons to buy

While the Shokz OpenFit 2 is a little pricey, it’s among the best open earbuds with ear hooks. It features a comfortable, durable design, strong sound quality (for open earbuds), good voice-calling performance and improved controls. Because of these traits, it is near the top of my list of the best headphones and earbuds for runners. It also works well for bikers and anyone who doesn’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

You can find cheaper open earbuds with ear hooks that may not sound quite as good, but they’re pretty close and are a better overall value.

Why I like them

After Anker confused consumers with multiple versions of its Liberty 4 earbuds at different prices, we get the new-for-2025 Soundcore Liberty 5 earbuds. Their sound quality is about the same or a tad better than that of the lower-priced Liberty 4 NC — it’s pretty good but not great — but the adaptive noise canceling and voice-calling performance have noticeably improved, with better noise reduction during calls. The AirPods-like buds fit my ears well and have good all-around performance at a more affordable price than the AirPods Pro 2. While some people may not love the new pinch controls (there’s a physical button in the stem), I liked them, and the compact case has a sliding lid that doesn’t pop open when you drop the case.

Anker says the buds have 2x stronger voice reduction, which means the buds do a better job of muffling people’s voices around you (that was the case in my tests). As I said, the sound is good but not great (Anker says the buds have “wool paper diaphragms” and “bass-enhancing tubes”). Out of the box, you get a smiley face sound profile with strong bass, slightly accentuated treble and slightly recessed mids (there’s a bit of sibilance in the treble). You can play around with the equalizer settings to improve the sound a bit and optimize it to your preference. Android users should note that buds support Sony’s high-quality LDAC audio codec for Bluetooth streaming, while the AAC codec is available for both iOS and Android users.

The Liberty 5 are IP55 splash-proof — they can withstand a sustained spray of water — and dust resistant. Battery life is good — the buds are rated for up to 8 hours at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on and 10 hours with noise canceling off. Though the buds list for $130, we could see them discounted to closer to $100 later in 2025, so long as tariffs don’t jump too high.

Reasons to buy

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 are solid all-around wireless earbuds that offer good sound quality and improved noise-canceling and voice-calling performance for a fairly affordable price.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

They’re a reasonable value at their list price, but I’d ideally like to see them priced closer to $100.

Why I like them

Truth be told, in some ways, I like Sony’s new LinkBuds Fit better than its flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds. While they don’t sound as good or have noise-canceling that’s quite on par with those buds, they’re lightweight (4.9 grams) and fit my ears comfortably and securely. Part of that is due to Sony’s new Air Fitting Supporters, but it’s also redesigned its eartips and included a wide range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. Despite being a slight step-down from the WF-1000XM5s for performance, their sound quality, noise canceling and call-quality performance are all very good. They also have built-in voice controls.

Reasons to buy

In many ways, these are Sony’s answer to Beats’ Fit Pro earbuds, which were released in late 2021 and became very popular. Not only do they sound good, but they’re lightweight and comfortable and fit securely in your ears thanks to their sport fins, making them good for both everyday use and sporting activities.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The biggest problem with the LinkBuds Fit is that its list price is too high (it’s overpriced at full price). However, it does get discounted now, and it’s more enticing when it dips below $150 (it’d ideally cost closer to $130).

Noble, the maker of “artisanal” in-ear monitors and headphones, is edging into the more mainstream earbuds market with its most affordable buds yet, after releasing its Fokus Mystiq ($359), Rex 5 ($449) and Prestige ($599) models in recent years. While the Fokus Amadeus ($320) buds are on the large side, they do fit a little more comfortably than the company’s earlier buds, and they feature active noise canceling. Though their noise muffling capabilities are merely decent (the ANC is certainly a step behind what you get with Bose and Sony flagship models), their sound quality is exceptionally good — which is probably why they’re currently backordered online (though you can reserve a pair).

You can tweak the sound in the companion app for iOS and Android, where you’ll also find Audiodo Personal Sound that customizes the sound based on your hearing profile, but I was happy with what I heard out of the box. The buds are equipped with 8.3mm custom triple-layer drivers, and the sound is open and nicely detailed, and the well-defined bass is deep and visceral without sounding boomy. Instruments feel distinctly and appropriately placed in the sound stage, and I appreciated that the natural sounding mids, where vocals live, are slightly forward and don’t get eclipsed by the treble and bass (with the music I listen to, which includes a far amount of rock tracks, I don’t like when the mids sound recessed).

Noble’s top-of-the-line Prestige buds are considered more analytical, which may be what some audiophiles are looking for. But the Amadeus buds have a bit warmer sound profile and aren’t so revealing that they overly accentuate the flaws in less well-recorded tracks. These are buds you can use for long stretches without any listening fatigue, and they work well for a variety of music genres.

Powered by Qualcomm’s QCC3091 with Bluetooth 5.4, the buds have support for the AAC, LDAC and AptX Adaptive audio codecs. They have touch controls and are rated for 8 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and 12 hours with it off at moderate volume levels, which is better than average. Though they should withstand some light sweat, they have no water-resistance rating, so they aren’t recommended as workout buds (they fit my ears pretty securely, but I wouldn’t run with them). They worked pretty well for making calls, with decent noise reduction, but they’re not top tier when it comes to voice-calling prowess. Again, the biggest reason to buy these is for their sound. They’re easily among the best-sounding earbuds in this price class.

Why I like them

While Beyerdynamic’s original Free Byrd impressed with sound quality, the new Amiron 300 earbuds address the previous design shortcomings with a compact, lightweight form factor that fits my ears well. The sound quality is outstanding — rich, detailed and fairly open with a very pleasant tonal balance out of the box. There’s impressive instrument separation that allows you to distinctly hear each element in complex tracks. The bass response is particularly noteworthy — articulate and punchy without overwhelming the mix — while the midrange offers nice clarity and accuracy, which benefits vocal reproduction. Voice-calling performance is solid thanks to three microphones in each bud, with callers reporting they could hear me well even in noisy environments, with only minimal background noise intruding. 

Who they’re for

The Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 earbuds are perfect for audio enthusiasts who prioritize sound quality over absolute noise-cancellation performance. Those who wear earbuds for extended periods will appreciate the comfortable, lightweight design that avoids the bulkiness of the Free Byrd. Wireless charging users will appreciate the convenience, while anyone who enjoys fine-tuning their sound will welcome the ability to adjust EQ settings through Beyerdynamic’s companion app. The earbuds are suitable for casual everyday use and more critical listening sessions, offering versatility for different scenarios and content types.

Who should avoid them

Budget-conscious shoppers should look elsewhere, as the Amiron 300s are pretty pricey compared to many competitors. Those who prioritize noise-cancellation above all else will be disappointed, as the ANC performance is decent, yet falls short of what you get with flagship noise-canceling earbuds from Sony, Bose and Apple. Those who prefer a more bass-heavy, consumer-oriented sound signature might find the accurate, balanced approach less exciting for certain music genres. Finally, those seeking the absolute latest technology innovations or unique features might find that these focus more on core performance than novel additions.