You’re on a tight budget: It’s easy to argue that the ANC and sound performance of the QCE II are well worth every penny, but these are expensive earbuds. The price of the Technics EAH-AZ80 is that of a premium product, for sure – but happily, so is the specification. There are some disappointments here, but overall these are a pair of buds that deliver excellent sound quality and a fantastic fit. You love to adjust the EQ settings: The Melomania app makes it easy to adjust the EQ settings of the Melomania 1 Plus. The sound they make is also accomplished – it's both swift and accurate, as well as balanced and detailed. There’s nothing artificial about the way the Technics EAH-AZ80 sound, they offer convincingly realistic and coherent listening in all circumstances. Noise-cancelling is more important than sound quality: The WF-1000XM4s cancel noise well. But other true wireless buds (Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2) do it better.

best budget wireless earbuds 2023 | TechRadar The best budget wireless earbuds 2023 | TechRadar

You want best-in-class sound: With a well-balanced and detailed presentation, these buds sound better than their predecessors and support hi-res audio codecs. You own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone: A no-brainer. The Buds 2 Pro present themselves on your Galaxy device for easy pairing and give you handy home-screen widgets. The standard sound profile is decent but the Onyx Ace Pro’s big draw is their support for aptX Adaptive, which facilitates high-resolution streaming. Battery life is solid for the price, the touch controls are comprehensive and responsive, and the microphone is impressively clear. The IPX5 waterproof rating won’t protect against dust, but means the buds are able to withstand a sweaty gym session and adverse weather conditions. Active noise cancellation is more effective than it was on the Momentum True Wireless 3’s predecessor and Sennheiser has introduced a clever new feature whereby you can have the buds switch noise-cancelling and sound modes when you move between certain locations. Sound quality – always a strong point of Sennheiser headphones – is excellent and there are a number of ways of tweaking it via the revamped Smart Control companion app.Comfort is subjective, but rest assured that our reviewers have worn the buds being tested for hours at a time and in all manner of situations, be that in a quiet room at home, running in the gym or on a busy commute. This ensures we’re able to give an informed opinion on how comfortable they are to wear, how secure the fit is and how well they withstand rain and sweat. You love touch-sensitive controls: The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus have physical buttons, so if you like to swipe, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Key specs – Built-in microphone and music control buttons: Yes; Battery life: 27 hours; Connections: Bluetooth 5.2; Weight: 4g per earbud, 32g charging case; IP rating: N/A Hunting for a pair of buds that look refreshingly different? These affordable Audio-Technica earbuds sound excellent for the price, although you won't find ANC here. Once you’re connected, audio has a decent breadth to it, with plenty of detail on offer to aid instrument separation and the articulation of more nuanced vocal elements. The Dynamic tuning was our favourite, but you’re free to create your own EQ via a four-band graphic equaliser in the Edifier Connect app. Also in the app are the ANC settings; while this isn’t the most effective noise cancelling we’ve experienced, it’s fine for the money and puts a decent dent in ambient sounds when you’re out and about.

The best earbuds 2023: top buds for all budgets | TechRadar The best earbuds 2023: top buds for all budgets | TechRadar

Active noise cancellation: We’re seeing more and more wireless earbuds incorporating active noise cancellation technology to reduce the impact of external sound on your audio. If you want the most immersive listening experience, ANC should be high on your priority list. If you want don’t want your ear canals filled while listening to music, the Apple AirPods 3 are simply the best wireless earbuds around, particularly if you own an iPhone. These cheap buds are fantastic all-rounders, but battery life is fantastic at a whopping 80 hours from the charging case and we highly rated the sound quality, too.

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Their ability in the latter department is aided by the inclusion of active noise cancellation, of which there are six levels, an IPX4 rating certifies them water resistant and a fleshed-out companion app lets you customise your experience to a pleasing degree. On the audio front, the Tune Flex offer a warm, engaging sound signature that lends itself well to mainstream pop music, while call quality is another of their strong suits. The best earbuds for you should sound good to your ears. Which means if you're a dedicated audiophile, look for buds that support Hi-Res Audio codecs, like LDAC and aptX HD Bluetooth for stellar connectivity. We also recommend you consider your budget. If you want cheap earbuds you may have to sacrifice features, like ANC or a long battery life. It’s all about weighing up what’s more important to you. An excellent value pair of in-ear buds for those who don't like the idea of going true wireless. The audio performance on offer here is lush and the build quality is hard to beat at this price.

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Though they can’t be described as class-leading in any one area, these uniquely versatile wireless earbuds more than justify their asking price. If you do opt for wireless or true wireless earbuds, make sure the battery life is up to scratch, otherwise you may find yourself caught short without any music in the middle of your commute. However, if you have more specific priorities you might want to consider other buds in our list. Like the JLab Go Air Pop if you're on a budget. Or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 if you want the best ANC buds you can buy. What are the best value for money wireless earbuds? These buds sound good, but it's the design that we really want to shout about. They have a cubist and cool aesthetic that's refreshingly different in a sea of similar-looking buds. They're also available in six delicious-sounding colorways (Caramel, Popsicle, Cupcake, Blueberry, Liquorice and Popcorn). Not only do they look good, they feel good too and fit comfortably for hours. There are two distinct styles of true wireless earbuds. One-size-fits-all buds like the Apple AirPods give you no flexibility in terms of fit – their earpieces either sit snuggly in your ears or feel loose when worn. They’re the best choice if you want to leave your ear canals free but they provide little, if any, sound isolation.Your ears are on the large side: There's every chance these lovely little units might even be toosmall for you. We tested the earbuds in a number of different sound environments across a vast selection of musical genres. We listened to podcasts and albums in both quiet rooms and busy aeroplanes, to ensure we knew how they'd handle varying levels of noise too. We also wore them while walking and, often, working out, which meant we could speak to their comfort levels, ANC if available, and how secure they are in your ear. Sound quality may still lag behind premium options, while advanced features such as active noise cancellation and in-ear detection are often omitted, but those are sacrifices worth making if you’re looking to save yourself some cash. A significant proportion of buds now favour the use of silicone tips, which seal off your ear canals and secure the buds in your ears far better. They also have the advantage of providing improved passive noise cancellation. Manufacturers typically provide a range of different-sized tips to help ensure you get the most comfortable and stable fit possible.

Best sports headphones 2023: keep active with the best Best sports headphones 2023: keep active with the best

We're looking (listening?) for earbuds that sound good first and foremost – we want to hear clear, rich audio that does justice to every genre. We listen to both high-quality source music, as well as lower-quality streams, as well as movies and videos. Sound quality is highly impressive, too. The Fit Pro have a weightier bass response than their stablemates the Studio Buds and there’s less harshness in the treble frequencies. Like most Beats headphones, the Fit Pro play particularly nicely with Apple devices. They house the company’s H1 chip and this enables a range of useful features, including shared listening with other Beats users, hands-free Siri and full spatial audio support. Despite those minor grumbles, the QC Earbuds II are a superb pair of wireless earbuds, and class-leading when it comes to their ability to reduce the impact of external distractions.Despite being significantly cheaper than Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5, the WF-C700N offer a lot of the same functionality. Crucially, they support Adaptive Sound Control via the Sony Headphones Connect app, which lets you manually adjust the active noise cancellation settings or have the buds adjust it automatically depending on where you are and what you’re doing.