Bowers and Wilkins PI7 S2: In 2023, Bowers & Wilkins upgraded its great sounding PI7 canceling earbuds. The new S2 model has better battery life and Bluetooth range, now up to 25 meters (double the previous range). In addition, the buds now come with the new Bowers & Wilkins Music app for iOS and Android and have a better setup experience. Learn more in our full Bowers & Wilkins PI7 review.

JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has released some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really excited me. That finally changed with the arrival of the new Samsung-owned brand Live Pro 2 and Free Living 2 buds. Both sets of buds — the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design — offer a comfortable fit with powerful noise cancellation, excellent sound quality and performance voice calling, and a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.

Master and Dynamic MW09: Master & Dynamic headphones and earbuds always feature unique, eye-catching designs that incorporate premium materials such as aluminum, sapphire glass and Kevlar. The latest MW09 flagship earbuds ($349) are very similar to its previous MW08 buds but have some internal upgrades that provide better performance, especially when it comes to noise cancellation. The earbuds sound great but are mysteriously out of stock everywhere, so we dropped them from the best list. When they come back in stock, we will add them to this list.

Sony LinkBuds S: Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips that plug your ears. They are more compact and lighter than Sony’s previous flagship WF-1000XM4 and also feature Sony’s V1 processor (Sony has already released the more compact WF-1000XM5). Their sound and noise cancellation is not quite up to the XM4s or XM5s, but they are still good. They are the Sony buds for people who can’t afford Sony’s flagship earbuds but want 80% of the features and performance of smaller buds. I am perfect Sony LinkBuds S reviewed and gave them an appreciative 8.4 out of 10.

Sony WF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. They’re still good earbuds, but Sony has now released the next-generation WF-1000XM5. They can be a good choice if you can find them at a good discount. I published a full review of the Sony WF-100XM4 buds when they release if you think the budget earbuds are for you.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is one of the best new true-wireless earbuds of 2022. They are still among the best true wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the bag -ong AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds are likely to be superior, so just look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they are heavily discounted. Learn more about the buds of my Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review.

JBL Tour Pro 2: JBL’s Tour Pro 2 earbuds have received a lot of attention for bringing something new to true-wireless earbuds: a full-color touchscreen display embedded in the case that allows you to access key features on the earbuds and controlling playback as well as adjusting the volume. level. It’s a little gimmicky but useful too. The buds may sound a bit small for their list price, but overall the JBL Tour Pro 2s are excellent earbuds that offer a great fit, a solid feature set, durable -on battery life, plus solid noise cancellation and voice calling performance. I reviewed the feature-packed earbuds in 2023 and wrote a complete JBL Tour Pro 2 review which you can read here.

Beyerdynamic Free Byrd: Beyerdynamic It may be late to the game, but it finally introduced the first truly wireless earbuds, featuring active noise cancellation, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise cancellation) and impressive quality sound. Read my full Beyerdynamic Free Byrd Earbuds Review to learn more.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 2: Available in four colors, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 noise-cancelling headphones don’t feature as good sound or noise canceling as the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but they’re compact (15% smaller and 20% larger lighter than the previous Buds Plus. , they hardly come out of your ears) and cost less. Because they sit more flush with your ears — and have that curved design — they also pick up less wind noise. They are IPX2 sweat resistant while the step-up Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are completely waterproof (IPX7). I’m full The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 review from 2021 there will be more information on earbuds.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen’s $399 Beoplay EX buds are the company’s best true-wireless earbuds. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with small ears), high build quality, great sound, excellent noise cancellation and improved voice calling performance over B&O’s EQ buds. , with three microphones in each earbud they support. reducing background noise while raising your voice. They are not at the price of most people, they are probably the best earbuds with stems and offer slightly better sound than the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper and more powerful bass and better, more accurate sound. I reviewed the B&O Beoplay EX earbuds before they are released in 2022 and includes some additional information there.

Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4: Their voice is not quite at the level of higher buds like Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 It costs more, but Anker’s Soundcore Liberty 4 earbuds have a solid set of features, including a spatial audio mode with head tracking, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, and up to nine hours of battery life. , wireless charging and support for Sony’s LDAC audio codec. which can provide good improvements if you have the right setup. Read more on my Anker Liberty 4 review for more information on mid-range earbuds.

Sennheiser CX Plus: Momentum True Wireless 3 is Sennheiser’s flagship true-wireless earbuds. If you can’t afford it, the Sennheiser CX Plus (with excellent sound and decent noise cancellation) is a great alternative for a lot less money. The step-down CX, without active noise cancellation, costs less. Find out more about budget earbuds in my full review Sennheiser CX Plus review.