A good pair of earbuds is fairly easy to find, but finding a good pair of affordable earbuds can be a challenge. The Pixel Buds 2a are surprisingly good for their price point, which makes this Prime Day deal even better, bringing the earbuds down to their lowest price since launch.

The Pixel Buds 2a are less than a year old, launching in August 2025 and hitting stores in October for a retail price of $129. There have been a few price dips since then, but now you can get them for just under $100.

• Prime Day returns June 23-26: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: You own a Pixel smartphone and/or want an affordable pair of earbuds with good sound, great ANC, and a sweat-resistant design.

❌Skip this deal if: You don't own a Pixel smartphone or you want earbuds with support for higher-quality audio codecs.

I've been using the Pixel Buds 2a for some time, and despite them being the epitome of everything I don't like about many earbuds today, I can't seem to put them down. I even own the Powerbeats Pro 2, which I bought specifically for the gym, but before I go out, I grab the Pixel Buds 2a.

A big reason is that, despite their low price point, the audio quality is surprisingly good, and ANC does a great job of blocking out most noise, especially at the gym. They're also incredibly light, fit well in my ears, and are sufficiently sweat-resistant, so I don't have to worry about them during runs.

They may not support high-quality audio codecs like higher-end earbuds, but I'm no audiophile, so I'm content with how they sound. And if you're willing to spend just $99 on a pair of great earbuds, these are the ones.

Over-ear headphones can get expensive quick — I routinely test models between the $400 and $600 price points. If you're on a budget, going with an on-ear pair of headphones can be an excellent way to save without sacrificing quality. On-ear headphones come with perks of their own, like lightweight designs and secure fits.

Beats Solo headphones have been the default for on-ear headphones for years, and the Solo 4 model is $100 off for Prime Day. For a limited time, these headphones are just $99.95 on Amazon, meaning you're technically saving more than you're spending (by five cents). I've tested the Beats Solo 4 personally, and found a handful of ways they beat more expensive headphones.

• Prime Day 2026 ends TONIGHT: see the full list of deals

✅ Recommended if: you need a secure pair of on-ear headphones; you want headphones with week-long battery life; you value a USB-C port and 3.5mm jack for lossless audio.

❌ Skip this deal if: you prefer over-ear headphones; you have more to spend and would rather upgrade to the Beats Studio Pro (only $50 more for Prime Day).

The difference between on-ear and over-ear headphones is simple. On-ear headphones, like the Beats Solo 4, have ear cushions that rest directly on your ears. They're typically smaller and lighter, with a higher clamping force, as a result. This makes headphones like the Solo 4 ideal for working out, where you don't want to have over-ears slipping off your head during a lifting session.

By comparison, over-ear headphones like the Beats Studio Pro fit your ear inside the cushions, which some find to be more comfortable. I tend to like over-ear headphones, but the tradeoffs are size, weight, and price.

The Beats Solo 4 stand out among the competition with numerous connection methods. You can use them wirelessly with iOS and Android, and there are physical power, play/pause, next/previous, and volume up/down buttons. Better yet, there's both a USB-C port and a 3.5mm jack for wired connections.

The USB-C port can be used for charging, and when fully charged, the Solo 4 last for up to 50 hours. If they die, the 3.5mm jack supports fully analog mode — you can use them with an aux cable without power. The USB-C port can also be used for wired audio. You have a ton of options, and the two wired modes support lossless audio.

It's worth noting that the Beats Solo 4 lack active noise-canceling, and this cost-cutting measure helps them cost so little. If you can look past that, these are a surprisingly great pair of headphones for slightly under $100.

All Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon tablets from $50
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo

I became a Powerbeats user with the Powerbeats2 Wireless — they came out 12 years ago — and I've used every model released since. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are the most well-rounded workout earbuds yet, and I bought two pairs of the Nike collab for $250 each for me and my sister.

I don't regret spending that much on them, but I'm happy to report that you can get them for $70 off during Amazon Prime Day. At only $180, these sporty earbuds pack a ton of features. They share internals with the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods Pro 3, but work just as good on iOS as on Android.

I've run thousands of miles with Powerbeats earbuds in my ears, and they're the only ones I'd recommend for fitness buffs as we kick off summer.

• Prime Day 2026 ends TONIGHT: see the full list of deals

✅ Recommended if: you need a pair of workout earbuds with a secure fit and ear hooks for stability; you want earbuds that can move between iOS and Android easily; you value on-earbud controls, like playback and volume buttons.

❌ Skip this deal if: you don't like the Powerbeats Pro 2's large design; you want earbuds with a smaller charging case.

The feature that always sold me on Powerbeats is their included ear hooks. These wrap around your ear, ensuring that even if the ear tips slip out, the Powerbeats Pro 2 won't fall out of your ear. Another great perk is the physical volume rocker and play/pause button. No one wants to fight with gesture controls in the gym or on the track with sweaty hands.

With the Powerbeats Pro 2, I don't have to. And both the left and right earbuds have the physical buttons, so I can wear just one without missing out on features. This is great for safety, as I stay aware of my surroundings while I run. Since the earbuds have ANC and transparency mode support, I can also use the latter to maintain awareness while working out.

Beats is owned by Apple, but it's worth emphasizing that the Powerbeats Pro 2 work just as good on Android as iOS. They get a companion app on Android, and every feature is available across both platforms. In fact, if you've always wanted AirPods but needed better Android support, these are the earbuds to get. The Powerbeats Pro 2 share the same Apple H2 chip as the AirPods Pro 2.

And, the Powerbeats Pro 2 have the same optical heart-rate monitor as the AirPods Pro 3. That's right — you can use these earbuds to track your heart rate during workouts without needing a smartwatch or chest strap, pairing them to your Android phone.

It's clear that they were built from the ground up with fitness buffs in mind, and that's why I love them as a runner. At $180, they're a no-brainer if you love to work out.

All Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon tablets from $50
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo

I test every mainstream pair of wireless earbuds that come out, and my buying advice is simple: grab the pair that matches your phone. More often than not, it really is that easy. If you have an iPhone, get AirPods. If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone, get Galaxy Buds. Google Pixel users are lucky enough to get the Pixel Buds Pro 2 — they're not just the best for Pixel, they're one of the best wireless earbuds overall.

While most premium earbuds start at $250 and up, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are just $229 at full price. That makes this Amazon Prime Day deal feel too good to be true. You can snag the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for only $160, and every Pixel user should consider it.

• Prime Day 2026 ends TONIGHT: see the full list of deals

✅ Recommended if: you want small and comfortable earbuds without a stem; you have a Google Pixel phone and want companion earbuds; you want incredible wireless audio under $200.

❌ Skip this deal if: you need physical on-earbud buttons (the Pixel Buds Pro 2 use swipe gestures); you're on a budget and would rather get the Pixel Buds 2a (also on-sale for Prime Day)

Most wireless earbuds on the market today offer great sound, and many bundle exclusive software features you only get with a matching phone. That's why the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 go great with, say, a Pixel 10 Pro. I've used the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and there's one thing that makes them stand out among the competition.

It's their comfort. While many earbuds are chunky or feature long stems, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are minuscule by comparison. They are 27% smaller than the original Pixel Buds Pro, and they're also 24% lighter. Better yet, they have an included stabilizer that keeps the Pixel Buds Pro 2 locked in place.

Google did something clever to let you know when you've found the perfect fit: the "G" logo on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 will be upright when they're twisted in place. I have AirPods and Galaxy Buds slip out of my ears all the time, and that's never happened with the Pixel Buds Pro 2.

At their $160 sale price, these earbuds are priced like a base-model pair, with the specs of a flagship. They have a custom Tensor A1 audio processor to handle sound and active noise-cancelation. They can also do spatial audio and multi-device switching, connecting with Google Find Hub for tracking.

I don't think you'll find a better pair of wireless earbuds at this price point — but this deal won't last forever. Prime Day ends today, so move fast.

All Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon tablets from $50
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo

In between summer travel and beach parties, I'm gonna be spending a lot of time relaxing in the comfort of my own home. I love listening to music, and since I've been meaning to upgrade my setup after moving into a new space, something as cool as the new Sony PS-LX3BT Wireless Bluetooth Turntable seems to fit the bill! It's the perfect mix of old-school and new, with a classic yet modern turntable design, and right now it's at its lowest price for Prime Day, making it the perfect opportunity to buy one.

The Sony PS-LX3BT Wireless Bluetooth Turntable was launched just this year and normally retails for $398, which is a bit above my price range (for most things). At $150 off, you're now paying just under $250 for this rather impressive turntable, which feels like quite a steal.

✅Recommended if: You want a modern turntable with Bluetooth out capabilities as well as support for wired audio connections.

❌Skip this deal if: You don't have a vinyl collection nor plan to build one up.

I've been eyeing turntables for a few years now, and have even started buying vinyl records... just in case.

One of the biggest reasons I want this particular model is that it supports Bluetooth output. For some reason, many turntables only support Bluetooth in, where you can stream music to the player from your phone, but that kinda defeats the purpose of even having a record player. Having Bluetooth out means I can connect the Sony PS-LX3BT Wireless Bluetooth Turntable to my Bluetooth speakers, though it also supports wired audio with a built-in cable and even has a switchable phono EQ.

The turntable features automatic playback, and the tonearm can raise, lower, and return to its resting position on its own. It also supports 33⅓ and 45 rpm speeds, so just about all your vinyl records should play just fine.

But of course, I'll also want a new speaker to go with it, and that's where the Marshall Stanmore III comes in, featuring big, booming sound, plenty of connection options, and a classy design that will fit any home. And whatd'ya know; it's also on sale!

Indeed, Prime Day is often the perfect time to pick up the more expensive products on your wishlist, especially if you're looking for earbud deals. For instance, these Bang and Olufsen Beoplay Eleven earbuds are 30% off for Amazon Prime Day, bringing the premium-level buds' price tag down to just $419.30. This is actually the lowest price these earbuds have ever seen, making them a worthwhile option to consider for audiophiles.

It's no secret that Bang and Olufsen makes some of the best audio products out there today, which is a huge part of why the maker's price tags are typically so high. These come with fairly large drivers for being earbuds, resulting in a really nice and balanced audio profile across a broad frequency range. They also come with user-friendly touch controls, water and dust resistance, and a fairly long battery life with or without active noise cancellation. You can get this deal on the Eucalyptus Green version of the earbuds, while there is currently a smaller discount available for the Copper and Natural Aluminum colors.

✅Recommended if: you want earbuds with highly competitive audio quality, but don't want to pay a $500-plus price tag; you're looking for a pair of buds with ANC, easy hands-free voice assistant and calling, and easy-to-use touch controls; you would prioritize a top-notch ANC and audio profile over having industry-leading battery life.

❌Skip this deal if: you need something with more than six hours of battery life with ANC; you're not looking toward the best wireless earbuds category and you'd rather grab something lower-quality with a more affordable price tag.

The Bang and Olufsen Beoplay Eleven are a certified pair of good earbuds, but the $600 price tag hurts a little, to be frank. Fortunately, they feel extremely competitive at the discounted price, featuring 20 hours of battery life with ANC off or six with it toggled on, a frequency range of 20 to 22,000Hz, and 9.2mm drivers that offer some highly compelling audio, even amongst today's top rivals.

More Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon Fire tablets from $50
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99

It has been a busy 15 months of travel, and I managed to visit 12 countries in that time. That involved over 60,000 miles and over 150 hours of flying time. In all that time, I used just one headset predominantly: Bose's QuietComfort Ultra, and there's a good reason for that.

While I also have the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 and use it at home extensively, I used the Gen 1 model while traveling. I like the design better; the Gen 2 has a flashier design that stands out, and I prefer the look and feel of the Gen 1.

Basically, the Bose QC Ultra Gen 1 continues to be a brilliant headset in 2026, and it just got a huge discount, bringing it down to $269. Sony's best-selling WH-1000XM5 is also down to an all-time low at $198, and of the two, I'd still get the Bose.

✅Recommended if: You want a high-end headset that's comfortable to wear, has great sound quality, all the codecs you need, and lasts long between charges.

❌Skip this deal if: You need dust and water resistance. While this is a great travel headset, it doesn't have ingress protection, so it isn't quite as good at the gym. Oh, and if you need lossless audio via USB-C, you'll need to get the Gen 2 model.

The number one thing I value in a travel headset is comfort, and the QuietComfort Ultra excels in this area. I've worn this headset continuously for well over 18 hours at times, and I didn't notice any fatigue even once. The foldable design means it doesn't take up as much room as the WH-1000XM5, and that is a big advantage.

Bose absolutely nailed the noise isolation, and the headset does an excellent job tuning out the world. Whether you're working in a cafe, taking the subway, or traveling by an intercontinental flight, the QC Ultra is effective at blocking out any ambient noise. If you fly regularly, a headset like this is a game-changer.

I like Bose's sound tuning as well; while Sony prioritizes bass and sub-bass frequencies, Bose has a neutral signature that lends itself well to the music I listen to most of the time. Battery life is decent too, with the QC Ultra lasting just over 24 hours before needing a charge.

I have over a dozen high-end headsets, and I choose to wear the QC Ultra because of its comfort, sound quality, and excellent noise isolation. And with the headset now down to just $269, it just became that much more accessible.

I have a lot of Bluetooth speakers, so there isn't a shortage of choice when I want to listen to music. I tend to like Marshall's products because of the design and sound quality, and I used the Emberton III quite a bit in the last year, and it is the device I take while going on vacation.

The Emberton III is diminutive against the likes of the Stanmore III, but it produces a loud sound that belies its size, and the portability means you can take it anywhere — this is a small Bluetooth speaker with a great design and standout sound.

The Emberton III is now down to just $99, a heady $80 discount from its usual $179 retail. It was down to $129 in last year's sale, and the $99 deal is the best I've seen on this model yet. So if you're looking to buy a portable Bluetooth speaker, now is the ideal time to do so.

I like two things about the Emberton III: the size and sound quality. It is smaller than most Bluetooth speakers, and that allows you to take it just about anywhere. You get two 10W full-range drivers, and while that it isn't a lot, Marshall did a great job utilizing the innards to deliver sound that's much fuller (and louder) than its size suggests.

The sound quality itself is classic Marshall — just like the design. You get a rich bass, clean mids that put vocals at the center, and good treble extension. The design is in line with Marshall's other products, and that's a positive too; the metal grille with the embossed Marshall logo just stands out.

The IP67 dust and water resistance means you can use it at the pool without any issues, and it lasts 24 hours between charges. You can take calls as well, and there's the ability to tweak the sound to your tastes — should you need to.

Overall, the Emberton III looks good and sounds great. And at just $99, it is a terrific deal if you're looking to get a new portable Bluetooth speaker.

Prime Day is full of deals. Some are genuinely worth your attention, while others are easy to skip. But I may have just found a wireless earbuds deal that's worth a closer look. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro scored 4.5/5 stars in our review, and they're now down to their lowest price ever at just $210 during Amazon's Prime Day sale.

As we noted in our Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review, if you own a Samsung Galaxy smartphone and want the best wireless earbuds experience to go alongside it, these are very hard to beat. At nearly 20% off, they're also much easier to recommend than they were at launch. I've checked pricing across Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, and right now, Prime Day is offering the best deal.

• Prime Day is back June 23-26: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: you want wireless earbuds that work seamlessly with Samsung Galaxy phones, deliver excellent sound quality, offer strong ANC, and come with an unusually generous warranty.

❌Skip this deal if: you need multipoint connectivity across multiple Android devices or don't own a Samsung Galaxy phone.

Samsung launched the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro alongside the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year. While they don't look dramatically different from the previous generation, Samsung made several meaningful upgrades. Sound quality is noticeably better, ANC has improved, and the overall experience feels much more refined.

One of the biggest highlights, according to our reviewer Tshaka Armstrong, is the fit. He noted that the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are among the few stem-style earbuds that stayed securely in place even during workouts and more intense movements like burpees.

And if you're already in Samsung's ecosystem, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro become even more compelling. They support Samsung's SSC codec, which enables up to 24-bit/96kHz high-resolution audio. You also get Galaxy AI features like Interpreter Mode for real-time translation, along with automatic device switching across Samsung products.

Another underrated benefit is the warranty. Samsung includes a two-year warranty with the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in the U.S., whereas most competing earbuds still come with only a standard one-year warranty. If you're planning to keep your earbuds for a while, that's a nice bit of extra peace of mind.

Of course, they're not perfect. The lack of proper multipoint connectivity remains frustrating, and many of the best features only really shine when paired with a Samsung Galaxy phone.

But if you're looking for earbuds that sound great, fit comfortably, offer strong noise cancellation, and integrate deeply with Samsung's ecosystem, the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are very hard to overlook at $210.

More Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon Fire tablets from $50
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99

I live in Seattle, so when the sun's out, I tend to want to take advantage of it. Fortunately, I live next to a beach, and my friends and I love to go whenever we have a free moment. One thing I always take with me during gatherings like this is my Sony Ult Field 1, a small portable Bluetooth speaker with big, booming sound. I always highlight this product during major sales, and Prime Day has discounted it once again, bringing it down to its lowest price.

The Sony Ult Field 1 launched at a fairly reasonable $139.99, which falls in line with many portable Bluetooth speakers. It has gone on sale multiple times, but this most recent 44% discount takes nearly half off, bringing it down to just $78.

• Prime Day returns June 23-26: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: You want a loud speaker with plenty of bass that's small enough to carry around and has a ton of battery.

❌Skip this deal if: You want a stereo audio experience without needing a second speaker.

I purchased the Sony ULT Field 1 over a year ago, and it's been one of the best Black Friday purchases I've made. Since then, it's been a staple of every beach day or meetup I've gone to. While it's small and easy to carry, the Sony ULT Field 1 is surprisingly loud, producing great sound for any occasion and audible from quite a distance.

That's before you even get to the ULT button. The Field 1 already has decent bass, but when you press the ULT button, the speaker takes it to the next level with the help of the side passive radiators. And while there's no stereo sound on the one speaker, you can pair it with a second Ult Field speaker for a stereo experience, and at this price, you might as well get two.

You can also be sure that it'll last long enough to keep the party going, thanks to its 12-hour battery life. And because it's IP67 water- and dust-resistant, you can take it with you on any adventure.

That said, if you want something a little more powerful, the Sony ULT Field 3, which features enhanced audio with a 7-band equalizer, 24-hour battery life, fast charging, and the ability to link up to 100 compatible speakers for a true party experience. And with all that battery, it also acts as a portable power bank with a two-way USB-C port, which can be helpful when you're out and about.

Listen up: Prime Day 2026 is still going strong, and the Amazon sale has brought with it dozens of incredible deals on wireless headphones and earbuds alike. Whether you want a premium headset from Sony or some budget-friendly buds from JBL, all of my favorite headphones and earbuds deals from Amazon's big sale can be found below.

The headphones and earbuds in this guide are equipped with features like Active Noise Cancellation, customizable EQ settings, and up to 50 hours of battery life on a single charge. Didn't find what you were looking for today? Check back later: I'll keep adding new deals to this list as we move through Prime Day 2026.

Most of the best Prime Day deals are exclusive to Amazon Prime members. Haven't signed up yet? The retailer is offering a 30-day free trial that lets you take advantage of all of the benefits of a Prime membership without paying a dime, and you can cancel at any time.

• Amazon Prime Day is LIVE June 23-26: see the full list of deals

Prime Day headphone deals

Prime Day earbud deals

When is Prime Day?

Prime Day 2026 officially began on June 23rd and will run through June 26th. The sale showcases hundreds of deals on tech, appliances, furniture, and more, with the majority of offers being exclusive to Amazon Prime subscribers. Not a Prime member yet? Don't worry: Amazon is running a 30-day free trial so you can enjoy all of the benefits of a Prime membership without paying a cent.

What are the best wireless headphones for Android users?

We generally consider the Sony WH-1000XM6 to be the best wireless headphones for Android users in 2026. Usually retailing around $369, these premium cans boast cutting-edge noise cancellation with a ton of customizable EQ settings, incredible sound, and up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. Usually priced at $459.99 at full price at Amazon, the XM6 headphones are currently discounted to $378 on Amazon.

What are the best wireless earbuds for Android users?

Our top recommendation for the best wireless earbuds of 2026 go to the Sony WF-1000XM6. These buds are equipped with powerful 8.4mm drivers for impressive sound, plus you get adjustable noise cancellation, LDAC support, and features like 360 Reality Audio.

More Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon Fire tablets from $50
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99

I enjoy traveling a lot (I'm in Bali right now), and while I like visiting new countries, getting there is often a hassle. There are plenty of annoyances with modern-day plane travel; constant noise, inevitable delays, and seats that are designed to never be comfortable.

While you can't do anything about the seats, there is an easy fix to ensure your flight is at least tolerable: a good pair of headphones. Investing in a good noise-canceling headphone is one of the best travel decisions I made when I started flying regularly a decade ago, and if you're set to travel this summer, you should consider doing the same.

Sony continues to lead the way in this area, and its WH-1000XM5 is among the best headsets you can buy today. Best of all, the WH-1000XM5 is down to just $198 as part of Prime Day, a full 50% discount from its retail price. That's an all-time low price, and honestly, this is one of the best Prime Day deals I've seen in a while.

• Prime Day is LIVE June 23-26: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: you want great sound quality, a lightweight design, and excellent noise isolation.

❌Skip this deal if: you need a foldable hinge system. While Sony reintroduced the hinge with the WH-1000XM6, the XM5 misses out on that.

The WH-1000XM5 may be a few years old, but you don't feel that when using the headset. The design is nearly identical to the WH-1000XM6, and the only difference with the newer model is that it has a foldable hinge that makes it easier to stow away in a bag — that's it. The WH-1000XM5 is still pretty good in this area, but it doesn't fold inward. Other than that limitation, I don't see any changes with the design.

The sound quality is obviously great, and the 30mm drivers deliver a warm and vibrant sound with engaging bass, clean mids, and a tight treble. The headphones are designed to be used with any genre, and if you don't quite like Sony's custom tuning, there's always the ability to tweak the EQ, or use a tool like Wavelet to get the best sound out of the XM5.

Other niceties include fast charging, so you get around three hours of music listening time with just a 10-minute charge. On that note, the WH-1000XM5 lasts just under 30 hours on a full charge, so you don't need to charge these more than once a week on average.

You can also configure 360-degree sound, adjust gesture controls, and change modes by using Sony's Sound Connect app. Another plus point is the noise isolation; the WH-1000XM5 does a brilliant job in this area, and it makes traveling or working out of a noisy cafe that much more enjoyable.

There's the standard LDAC codec in addition to SBC and AAC, so if you want to listen to lossless music, the WH-1000XM5 is a pretty good choice. The one annoyance is the water resistance; the WH-1000XM5 doesn't have any dust or water resistance, so you can't really use the headset at the gym or while running outdoors.

Ultimately, the WH-1000XM5 continues to be a great overall choice, and with the deal bringing it down to just $198, you don't want to miss out if you're looking to get a solid travel headset this year.

More Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon tablets from $50
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo

Google's $35 Chromecast Audio was an outstanding product; it allowed any old speaker to connect to the internet and stream music. I still consider it to be one of Google's best products, which is why it's annoying that the brand didn't bother making a new model after sunsetting the Chromecast Audio in 2019.

If you're looking at a product that has similar functionality in 2026, you'll have to buy the WiiM Pro or Pro Plus. WiiM is doing all the right things in home audio, and whether it's the terrific Amp Ultra, Amp models, or the Sonos-beating Sound, WiiM is consistently delivering high-quality products that just work.

I used the Pro Plus for the better part of a year now, and it does everything I need in a network streamer. It has Google Cast, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Alexa Cast, Tidal Connect, and is Roon Ready, and it is the easiest way to connect older audio gear to the internet. I plugged it to a pair of active speakers, and it does everything the Chromecast managed, and much more. The Pro Plus is now on sale for $175, which in itself is a 20% discount from its usual $219 retail price. If you don't need the extras that it comes with, there's a regular WiiM Pro that's down to just $119 right now.

• Prime Day is LIVE June 23-26: see the full list of deals

✅Recommended if: You need an easy way to connect existing stereo gear to the internet. The WiiM Pro and Pro Plus have all the streaming protocols available, and they're straightforward to use.

❌Skip this deal if: You need a sub out, or you use passive monitors that need amplification. In that situation, I'd suggest looking at the WiiM Amp, which is now down to $239.

The WiiM Pro Plus is indistinguishable to the Pro model, and the key difference is that it has an AKM DAC that's technically better. Whether you're going to hear a difference between the two is up for debate, but if you want the best audio that WiiM has to offer in this segment, get the Pro Plus. That isn't to say the Pro doesn't have great audio in its own right — it's almost as good in a lot of scenarios.

Other than that, both models share the same set of features. That includes Google Cast, giving you the ability to cast music from your phone or any other device, and add the Pro and Pro Plus to any multi-room audio setup you have. It also has AirPlay 2, DLNA, Alexa, Tidal, Spotify, and Bluetooth integration, giving you extensive control over where (and how) to stream music. The best part is that you get lossless audio, with the Pro and Pro Plus going up to 192kHz/24-bit.

What I like the most is that it has Roon Ready, so if you use Roon (which you really should), it integrates natively with the music organization software. The WiiM Home app has a good design and extensive features, including a 10-band EQ that lets you tailor the music to your preferences.

Trust me, if you want to connect an existing stereo to the internet and play music, this is the best way to do so in 2026. The Pro Plus would be my recommendation at $175, but if you need the best value, the WiiM Pro is an unbeatable option at $119.

All Prime Day 2026 - quick links

• Phones: major savings on Pixel, Samsung, and beyond
• Wearables: up to 50% off Garmin, Galaxy Watch, and Fitbit
• Headphones/earbuds: huge discounts on Beats, Sony, and more
• Smart Home: up to 60% off Alexa devices
• Tablets: Galaxy Tab, Kindle, and Amazon tablets from $50
• Smart TVs: cheap smart TVs from $69.99
• Chromebooks: discounts on ASUS, HP, and Lenovo

What you need to know

• Android 17 quietly adds LHDC v5 support, giving Pixel users another high-quality Bluetooth audio option.
• Compatible earbuds from brands like Nothing and OnePlus can now stream higher-bitrate audio on Pixels.
• Users may need to manually enable LHDC v5 in Developer Options and turn on Hi-Res Audio in the companion Bluetooth earbuds app.

It's been over a week since Google released the stable Android 17 update, and while the company highlighted most of the major features upfront, users are now starting to discover some smaller additions that quietly shipped with the release.

As spotted by the Reddit user QuantumCatalyzt (via Android Authority), Google appears to have silently added support for the Low Latency High-Definition Audio Codec (LHDC) to Pixel phones with Android 17. This means Pixel users can now take advantage of LHDC for higher-quality wireless audio, alongside existing codecs like AAC.

A lot of wireless earbuds already support LHDC, but Pixel phones previously didn't. That meant users often had to fall back to Sony's LDAC or even lower-quality AAC and SBC codecs, even when using compatible audio hardware.

With Android 17, Pixel users can now use the newer LHDC v5 codec for higher-bitrate audio over Bluetooth. Some Bluetooth earbuds sold in the U.S. that support LHDC include the latest Nothing Ear earphones as well as several earbuds from OnePlus.

It also looks like you might need to manually enable LHDCv5 first. To do that, head to Settings > System > Developer Options > Bluetooth Audio Codec and select LHDCv5. Depending on your earbuds, you may also need to enable a Hi-Res Audio option inside the companion app.

Once everything is set up, you'll also need a high-quality audio source to take advantage of it. For example, services like Apple Music support Hi-Res Lossless audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, allowing compatible earbuds to stream higher-quality audio through LHDC.

Savitech, the company behind LHDC, had previously mentioned that Android 17 would include native support for the codec. With Android 17 now rolling out, that support appears to be live.

For users with compatible premium earbuds, this finally unlocks another option for better-quality wireless audio on Pixel devices.

Android Central's Take

It seems Google has quietly enabled LHDC support by default, and that's a big win for Pixel users. Better audio quality, wider earbud compatibility, and Auracast support make Android 17 a surprisingly solid update for audio lovers.

Tribit makes some of the best budget Bluetooth speakers that money can buy. While I have tested many speakers from the brand, I had not gone hands on with in-ear or over-ear audio accessories from them until recently.

Priced at $49.99, the Tribit QuietPlus 81 over-ear headphones face extremely tough competition against other budget wireless headphones. Tribit tried to pack as much value as possible to compete with alternatives. But is it enough to justify this price tag? Here's what I found out after weeks of testing.

What the Tribit QuietPlus 81 over-ear headphones bring to the table — or to your ears

Tribit released the QuietPlus 81 over-ear headphones in December 2025. There is only one color variant, Black, and it costs $49.99. If you're lucky, you can grab these headphones at a discount during the upcoming Prime Day or during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales later in the year.

Here are the key technical specifications of the headphones.

The Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones have an adjustable headband, a foldable design, and soft, cushioned ear cups that can rotate. The ear cups are made of breathable protein leather and memory foam. While they are very comfy, even for someone like me with several piercings per ear, they get really hot and sweaty after a while.

Multipoint connection is available, but the headphones can only connect to two devices. A USB-C to USB-A cable and a 3.5mm audio cable are included in the box.

The battery life is impressive and the touch pad feature is handy

The specs are impressive on paper, with the crown jewel being the 110-hour battery life with ANC off, and 70-hour playback with ANC on. I was astounded at how long these headphones last. If you don't use the Bluetooth mode and stick with the AUX cable, you'll seemingly never run out of charge.

Fast charging puts the cherry on top, delivering five hours of playtime with a quick ten minute charge.

The Tribit app is as handy as ever. Just like with the brand's Bluetooth speakers, the app also has an equalizer for the QuietPlus 81 Bluetooth headphones. Apart from the six presets, you can also fully customize the equalizer to your liking and save it under a name of your choosing.

The trio of buttons are unintuitive and have a learning curve, but they can accomplish a number of tasks. What's really cool is the transparency feature of the touch pad. You can simply touch and hold the touch pad area in the right ear cup to enable a temporary transparency mode. The ANC itself is alright; works well enough but nothing groundbreaking, and some loud noises still seep through.

If you have a feeling someone is calling your name or talking to you in real life, or maybe you want to keep on ear out for a sound for a few seconds, it's pretty handy. There's no need to pause your audio playback or pop the headphones off your ears.

Unfortunately, there's not much more to love about these headphones.

The downsides pile up and drown the good parts

As much as I love most of what Tribit creates, this one's a miss for several reasons.

The buttons can be confusing to use. There's no dedicated pause/play or forward/backward button. Instead, the power button is used for all these actions and it can be very confusing. Also, the power off sound comes after a really long press, to the point that I initially thought there was no audio notification when shutting off.

There's no auto pause/play feature when you take the headphones off or put them back on. You also have to press and hold the volume button to reduce the volume, but press to increase, which is not user-friendly.

Also, the headphone jack is a little janky. When plugged into my laptop, there was a moment when only one ear cup was working. I had to twist and turn the cable until it worked. Bluetooth connection is smooth, however.

The touch pad that enables the temporary transparency mode also toggles Tribit's signature XBass preset on and off, and triggers the voice assistant. Although the transparency feature is really useful, the touch pad itself isn't the most accurate and does not always detect the taps correctly.

Honestly, I'd rather have physical buttons for this kind of stuff. Plus, there's no audio notification when XBass toggles on or off, so you lose track of whether it was enabled or disabled.

Naturally, the sound produced by the 40mm dynamic drivers is a significant factor. Despite all my best efforts messing around with the equalizer, the Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones still sounded a bit murky and flat.

XBass is designed to add a magical bass boost that brings the audio to life, and it works well on Tribit speakers. But on these over-ear headphones, the audio is overwhelmingly bass-ridden, clearly compensating for lack of detail. XBass feels like an artificial enhancer: sickeningly sweet, almost medicinal and bitter if it were a flavor.

Should you buy the Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones for $50?

The Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones prove that a brand could do everything right on paper, but shoddy execution could still be their downfall.

Is this the best pair of wireless headphones for $50? The short answer is: no.

Competitors like Edifier, Sony, JBL, JLab, and a few other brands all have superior offerings in this bracket. It is a highly competitive arena, after all.

The Edifier W800BT Pro cost $49.99 too, but come with hi-res audio. Sony's WH-CH520 wireless headphones retail for $69.99 but frequently sell for half off. Even now, you can grab them for just $38 and enjoy incredibly high-quality sound on a tiny budget.

Then there's also the JBL Tune 510BT priced at $49.95 and the JLab Go Lux ANC that's usually $49.99, but currently on sale for $33.24.

Going off of sound quality alone, you're better off with almost anything else within the sub-$50 price segment.

What you need to know

• Rumors claim Nothing is working on a new pair of budget earbuds, called the Ear 3a.
• These buds could feature a similar price to a previous budget model at €99 (~$114 USD) in black, white, yellow, and pink colorways.
• There's little information about the earbuds' specifications; however, the device could see teasers/a possible debut later this year.

If it feels like we should have another set of Nothing earbuds on the way, you might be right. Rumors surface, claiming to have found its next budget edition.

Early details about Nothing's development of the Ear 3a are coming to light. Rumors from Dealabs (French) discuss the potential pricing situation consumers could see once these earbuds debut (via GSMArena). The publication claims Nothing could keep the price of the Ear 3a close to its predecessor at €99 (~$114 USD). At the moment, this is all the post could dig up about the Ear 3a.

There's mostly speculation circling right now about the device. In particular, there are hopes that Nothing will amp up the Ear 3a's capabilities with more welcome upgrades to its noise cancellation, etc. Rumors continue on an aesthetic note for the Ear 3a. The post alleges Nothing is working on four colorways, such as white, black, yellow, and pink.

Nothing debuted its Ear 3 buds in September 2025. Considering the timing of these rumors, there's a chance we're looking at a repeat—but make it budget.

Keeping it clear

The design of the Ear 3a is an aspect we're curious to see. So far, Nothing's kept its earbuds relatively close. The Nothing Ear 3 features a bulbous main body with silicone tips and transparent stems/stabilizers. It's worth noting that these buds cost $30 more than previously. So, it might be nice to hear the opposite for the Ear 3a, as Nothing could look to keep things affordable.

If we take a look back at a more likely comparison, the Nothing Ear a debuted in 2024 with 11mm audio drivers and a 500mAh case. The earbuds themselves feature 46mAh cells. In our review, the Ear a performed well, especially if you're a bass lover. The device got a little wonky with higher-frequency electric guitars, but perhaps this is an area the Ear 3a can improve. We're in June now, and Nothing typically starts teasing its next devices toward the end of summer.

If the company continues this trend, we might see something new appear late in August or early September.

The Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones remain my favorite headphones of all time. If you see me on a flight and I'm not wearing these, that wasn't me you saw. My unhealthy attachment to these incredible over-ear headphones is well justified. They might be expensive, but the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones are a sensory delight, canceling out intimidating turbulence in flights or the loud chatter of crowds outdoors.

Not to mention, the audio quality is an absolute treat, the build is light and airy, you can twist and fold them, and Marshall includes a velvet-lined carrying case to store the headphones. Plus, there's a 3.5mm audio jack with an audio cable included in the box.

Marshall's offering aside, there are plenty of excellent alternatives available. If you've got summer plans and want a brilliant pair of wireless headphones to accompany you, this is the perfect list I have curated just for you. I have prioritized comfort above all, especially to beat the heat. Portability and battery life are also important concerns on the go, and I took that into account too.

Can't forget a Bluetooth headphone adapter for in-flight entertainment

Looking for the right headphones to travel with? Here's how to pick the right ones

Shortage of availability is the least of your concerns when looking at the best headphones or earbuds to take with you on holidays and trips. Over-ear headphones are more popular for people on the go because they offer superior comfort. The cushioned cups are unrivaled in the face of even the most ergonomic wireless earbuds of the highest stature. This also helps with noise cancelation, as the cups seal in the sound and prevent leakages.

I can't recommend the Marshall Monitor III ANC headphones enough. Apart from the many merits of the headphones that I have already mentioned, they also sport an impressive 70-hour battery life. With options for both wired and wireless playback, Auracast support, and fast charging capabilities, these are fantastic headphones for travel.

If you want the very best noise-canceling headphones and will spare no expense in your pursuit, the ultra-premium Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 are a staff favorite. Brady Snyder swears by them, having taken the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones on multiple international trips. For Snyder, these headphones beat the AirPods Max. Meanwhile, our reviewer Tshaka Armstrong called them the "all-around best ANC headphones you can buy right now" in his review.

All of the other picks in this collection fit different categories, but they all match the comfort, quality, and battery life requirements for traveling. Each and every pick, from the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Nothing Headphone (a) to the CMF Headphone Pro to the EarFun Air Pro 4 Plus, have been tested thoroughly by our team.

Planning on flying with these headphones? Don't forget to get a trusty Bluetooth headphone adapter to connect and use your own headphones with the in-flight entertainment console.

I wasn't that keen on the AirPods Max initially, but when the USB-C model came out, I wanted to take a look. I tested the headphone against my $3,000 audio gear, and lossless audio proved to be the defining feature — it gave the Max a distinct edge against the likes of the WH-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2, and even the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2.

With the AirPods Max 2, Apple hasn't changed the fundamentals. The headphone has the exact same design as the original model, and retailing for $499, it costs the same as well. You even get the same smart case; this is one area where I wanted to see a change, as the case doesn't really offer much in the way of protection — particularly around the headband. And there still isn't a power button; you'll need to put the headset inside the case to power down.

Another bugbear is that the design still isn't foldable; the Max 2 takes up just as much space as its predecessor, and I'd really like to see a hinge-style design that makes it more portable. Lastly, coming in at 386g, the Max 2 is on the heavier end of the scale as these things go; it won't give your neck a workout like the Audeze MM-500 or the LCD-S20, but it isn't as light as the Bose and Sony headsets.

That said, the Max 2 does a great job distributing that weight evenly over your head, and you won't notice the heft at all. The reason for the added weight is the metal design, and this is where the Max 2 has an advantage over its rivals; the aluminum and steel chassis looks gorgeous, the build quality is a level beyond what you usually get with Bluetooth headsets, and they look every bit as premium as the $799 Px8 S2.

If anything, I'm glad Apple didn't change the design; the AirPods Max became instantly recognizable because of the unique design, and the Max 2 carries that same heritage. I also like that you get the same color options; I'm using the Midnight model this time, and I prefer it to the Blue variant of the original Max.

Controls are the same as previous generation; you get the Digital Crown and a physical button, and they're located on the right. There's the standard USB-C connectivity, and you can use the Max 2 in lossless mode by plugging it in to an audio source and get 24-bit/48kHz playback, which is one of my favorite features on this headphone.

The Max 2 is highly comfortable to wear thanks to the fabric ear cups and mesh headband, and I didn't see any issues with the fit whatsoever. I ended up using the Max 2 for just over a week now, and having listened to a few dozen hours of music, it's just as comfortable and easy to wear as its predecessor. While the clamping force is a bit high, it doesn't get uncomfortable at any point.

A big change this time is improved ANC, and it's noticeable when switching between the Max 2 and its predecessor. The Max 2 is able to tune out low-frequency sounds to a greater extent, and it's now on the same level as the Sony WH-1000XM6 in this regard — which makes it a great choice to travel with.

With the upgrade to the H2 chip, you get a lot of the same features as the AirPods Pro 3, which is another plus point with the AirPods Max 2. Conversation Awareness makes a huge difference when you're using the headphone outdoors, with the feature automatically lowering volume when you start speaking to someone.

Adaptive Audio is another useful addition, and it dynamically adjusts the sound based on the fit. You also get Loud Sound Reduction, Live Translation, Voice Isolation (when making calls), and Personalized Volume, and these inclusions make the Max 2 a well-rounded product.

I used the AirPods Max 2 with my iPhone 17 Pro and the iPad Pro M4, and I had absolutely no issues pairing the headset with my Apple products. If you're not in the Apple ecosystem, you can use it as a standard Bluetooth headset as it connects via Bluetooth 5.3. I did just that, and didn't have any problems using the Max 2 with my Find X9 Ultra, Vivo X300 Ultra, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Note that you miss out on spatial audio, button customization, and wear detection on audio, but you still get excellent noise isolation, and the same great sound.

Talking about the sound, the AirPods Max 2 has a slightly different tuning, with the sub-bass getting a little more energy this time. That leads to an added rumble, and while it's enjoyable with music, it can get a little distracting with movies. The mid-range is natural, vocals come through with a decent amount of clarity, and there's much better instrument separation and dynamics this time around. That said, the mids trail off at the higher end of the range, and the treble is a bit bright at times, which leads to sibilance.

On the whole though, the AirPods Max 2 sounds better, and the tuning is in line with what you get with other high-end Bluetooth headsets. There is some customizability to the sound, but the default tuning is good enough that it works across most mainstream genres.

Battery life is decent; I got just under 21 hours of listening time with a full charge, and that's a bit higher than the 20-hour figure Apple quotes. My Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 and B&W Px8 S2 last closer to 30 hours, and while this isn't a huge deal in daily use, it becomes relevant while traveling. I would've much preferred an upgrade to battery life — that's one of the key reasons I use the QC Ultra Gen 2 while going on intercontinental flights now — but the Max 2 doesn't move the needle in this area.

If you're in the Apple ecosystem and are looking to upgrade, the AirPods Max 2 is the obvious choice. It doesn't make much sense to buy it if you've already got the AirPods Max, but if you're using another headset and are mulling a switch, there's a lot to like in the AirPods Max 2. The design, sound quality, added features, and seamless integration with Apple products makes it a standout headset in 2026.

I’ve reviewed a lot of “mainstream” consumer headphones and some boutique offerings over the years, but Sennheiser’s wired headphones continue to be one of my “go-tos” for reference sound. Recently, I had the opportunity to bask in the sound of their HDB 630 “wireless audiophile-grade” headphones and was impressed by the new parametric EQ in the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app.

Out of the box, they sounded better than the Momentum 4, so when I heard that, after four years, Sennheiser was updating the Momentum line with a new pair of wireless headphones, I was definitely intrigued!

Did my excitement wane once I got my hands on them? Not at all, but there are some things you’ll need to consider if you’re looking to buy. Let’s talk about my week with the new Sennheiser Momentum 5 wireless headphones.

Unboxing: What’s new?

When I unboxed them, I was quite taken aback. At first glance, the case looked significantly smaller than the last pair of over-ear Sennheiser headphones I spent time with, the HDB 630. The case is, in fact, much smaller than the 630’s case and is definitely an improvement over the previous-generation Momentum 4. I’ve included some comparison shots between all three in the gallery below.

You open the case, and inside, the Momentum 5 looks pretty much like the previous generation, except for some microphone placement and a grille redesign. They do, however, have visibly smaller earcups than the HDB 630 headphones. I’ve seen some complaints on the interwebs about alleged “creaking” from the Momentum 4’s earcup yokes, but in my time, I have yet to experience that with the Momentum 5.

Like the previous generation Momentum 4, the included hard case contains a 3.5mm aux cable and a USB-C cable that supports charging and audio. You get the mesh pocket to store small accessories like a BTD 700 dongle for your sources that don’t support aptX Adaptive and Lossless codecs. An accessory you should definitely consider!

A week with the Momentum 5

Compared to the size of the previous-generation Momentum 4 and the gargantuan HDB 630, the Momentum 5’s case feels svelte in my backpack, taking up much less space and allowing me to place it comfortably stacked vertically behind my accessories kit. This is something not even the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen can do, both of which have released updates with smaller cases.

Easy carry means regular use, and I certainly have that. I used the Momentum 5 with a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, a FiiO M21 DAP, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max, both on its own and with Sennheiser’s BTD 700 dongle.

I’ve been enjoying the look of the Momentum 5, with its cloth, twill-like headband, though I have the black colorway and would’ve been more partial to one of the more flamboyant colors offered, as it is also available in a gorgeous denim and in white.

Compared to the Momentum 4, HDB 630, and the Sony WH-1000XM6, the Momentum 5 is more comfortable. It has the perfect amount of clamping force on my head, making it easy to wear for long stretches. Around 45 minutes into a listening session on one day, my ears did get warm, but not uncomfortably so.

The Smart Control Plus app makes daily use easy by letting you control much of the sound experience. You can use Adaptive or Custom ANC. You can customize how phone calls will sound. And new for 2026 and the Momentum line: you have greater control over your sonic preferences with an eight-band EQ, compared to the previous generation's five-band EQ.

I have to admit I’m disappointed that the Momentum 5 doesn’t have the parametric EQ the HDB 630 has, but I enjoy the out-of-the-box sound so much that an eight-band graphic EQ has been enough to meet my needs so far.

While the audio from phone callers sounds excellent and the microphones are great indoors in controlled environments, they may have some issues with clarity in noisy urban soundscapes. This is due to the headphones' processing of background noise; the louder the background noise, the more obvious the processing becomes.

While we’re on the subject of processing, the ANC is better this time around, thanks to the addition of four more mics, bringing the total to eight. You get more hushing of sounds in the mid-range frequencies; voice chatter in a cafe, for example. Having tested market-leading ANC headphones from Sony and Bose, Sennheiser’s offering is more of a dampening of background sound than a cancellation of it altogether.

With your music at volume, though, the ANC you get will ease the drone of sounds that may break your immersion. As an avid gym-goer, I can say that, while voices were hushed, I could clearly hear the clanking of metal plates in the background. Even with my music playing.

When I was out and about on the streets, the Transparency mode was very natural-sounding and easily accessible via one of the best companion apps on the market or the capable touch controls. Whether controlling playback or phone calls, the touch controls on the Momentum 5 are responsive, and the earcups have ample surface area for easy use.

As the name implies, Momentum 5 is about being highly mobile without sacrificing a good, enlightening listen. In my time, I could easily stay on the move because the 57-hour estimate, with ANC on, stands up to scrutiny.

Connected to the FiiO M21 (it runs Android 13), streaming audio via aptX HD at 70% of max volume with a bass-forward playlist, I averaged around 18% battery drain over 10 hours of playback with ANC enabled and on-head detection deactivated. That’s roughly 55 hours of playback, using settings and music genres that are heavy battery drains. This places Sennheiser ahead of many wireless ANC headphones on the market!

And if you do, by chance, discharge that battery through too many cycles, you can replace the 700mAh cell with relative ease by removing the left earpad and using a Phillips-head screwdriver to access the speaker assembly, then removing it to get at that battery. That makes the $400 price tag much more palatable since that feature will greatly extend the life of the Momentum 5 headphones. For comparison, Sony’s WH-1000XM6 is $450 unless you catch a sale.

When the beat drops!

For many, headphones tuned to the “Harman Curve” are considered the “one size fits all” sound signature. While the HDB 630 may match that more closely out of the box, the same can’t be said for the Momentum 5, and that is very far from a bad thing. To me. We’ll come back to that comparison in a moment.

I did some A/B testing with Sony, which are my current favorite all-around headphones, and the differences in a few key areas were immediately apparent. Only two areas where Sony is stronger than Sennheiser will come as no surprise: active noise canceling and “smart” features. That strength, though, is the result of a conscious choice on Sennheiser’s part. Sound quality is prioritized over noise-canceling strength.

First things first, I’d characterize the Sennheiser Momentum 5 as warm and detail-revealing, with smooth treble and sub-bass that’s a bit hyped, but not at the expense of mid-range frequencies.

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon had a bigger soundstage and was more immersive, with richer, more impactful mids. The Roots' “Do You Want More?!!!?” is where you’ll really feel a more haptic sub-bass extension than Sony delivers, and Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” is probably the de facto differentiator between the two!

The Momentum flat-out handles the dynamics of that frenetic Jazz romp much better! In its most sonically dense sections, the Momentum 5 maintains a distinct sense of instrument separation where the WH-1000XM6 jumbles the busy mix, losing fidelity.

Using the Sennheiser BTD 700 or connecting via 3.5mm aux or USB-C audio, the sound only gets better. Better detail retrieval. Soundstage expanded. All my notes about the sound, literally amplified.

Coming back to the HDB 630, it has a more neutral tuning, with slightly less sub-bass hype than the Momentum 5. The HDB 630 also feels noticeably heavier on the head, though not uncomfortable.

My biggest gripe with the Momentum 5 is that the parametric EQ (PEQ) wasn’t carried over from the HDB 630. I like the Momentum’s out-of-the-box tuning more, but with the parametric EQ, one can really get in there and shape the sound. At $100 less, I’d say the Momentum 5 is for listeners who are more casual than full-fledged audiophiles, or for frequent travelers who want a smaller footprint.

Final Thoughts

The Momentum 5 has a lot of competition in 2026. There’s Sony, Bose, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, Dali IO-8, and the Sennheiser HDB 630, but the Momentum 5 undercuts most of those in price, while sounding better than some and competitive with others. The sound is a delight, and for those who find the sub-bass too much, the new eight-band EQ handily resolves that.

If you prize sound quality over ANC, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is an easy option to recommend over the ANC leaders, but it gets a bit more complicated when going head-to-head with the Px7 S3 and Dali IO-8. They all have different strengths, but all sound great, and only your ears can decide which is the better option.

Audeze knows how to make a good pair of headphones, and the Sony-owned brand has diversified in the last two years, mainly with the introduction of the Maxwell and the new Maxwell 2 gaming headsets. While I like the Maxwell 2 a lot and use it extensively, the MM-500 continues to be my go-to choice while I'm at my desk.

However, the MM-500 costs $1,699, and if you want Audeze-branded headphones in the vicinity of $500, the Maxwell 2 and MM-100 were the only option — until now. Audeze rolled out the LCD-S20 at the end of last year, and I've been using the headphones for most of the last six months.

The LCD-S20 has planar drivers and even comes with similar SLAM tech as the electrostatic CRBN2, which costs $5,999. The best part is that the LCD-S20 comes in at $499, making it one of the most accessible options in Audeze's catalog. Don't get me wrong; that's still a lot of cash towards a headset, but given the drivers, tuning, and the price, it may just be the best Audeze product in recent years.

The LCD-S20 shares a lot of the same characteristics of the MM-100, including the design. The key difference is that the headphone has a closed-back design, and it does a much better job with isolation and audio leakage as a result.

As with all Audeze headphones, build quality is excellent. The LCD-S20 is made out of a mix of aluminum, magnesium, plastic, and steel, and it feels every bit like a high-end product. The bundled ear pads are highly comfortable, and while I would've preferred greater adjustability around the headband, it hasn't proven to be a problem. The outside of the ear cup is finished in fabric, and this allows you to easily distinguish the LCD-S20 from the Maxwell 2.

If anything, the only issue I have with the LCD-S20 is the weight. At 550g, it's one of the heaviest headphones in this category, and you'll feel that heft. Yes, the headband does a good job distributing the heft evenly, but there's no doubting that you'll notice the weight — particularly if you're using it for an extended amount of time. After using the LCD-X, LCD-GX, MM-500, MM-100, and the Maxwell 2 over the last four years, I'm now used to the bulk of these headphones, but it is something to consider if you're eyeing the LCD-S20.

You get the same cable bundled with the LCD-S20 as the MM-100, and it is a good choice. It connects to either ear cup, has a 6.35mm connector, and you get a dongle that lets you convert it to 3.5mm out. There's no cloth carrying case with the LCD-S20, which is a bit of a letdown, but other than that, I don't have any issues with the accessories bundled with the product.

Coming to the sound, the LCD-S20 uses the same 90mm planar drivers as the Maxwell 2, alongside Neodymium N50 magnets, Fazor waveguides, and SLAM tech that delivers a cleaner low-end. The bass itself is rich and detailed, and even though the LCD-S20 has a slight boost in the sub-bass frequencies, it is still quite controlled. You get an engaging bass with plenty of vibrancy and fast transients, and I like it better than the MM-100 in this regard.

Mids are clean and natural, with vocals shining in the mix. The treble is smooth, and while you don't quite get the airiness, overall dynamic range is pretty good. The soundstage and tuning makes the LCD-S20 a good choice for casual listening as well as studio monitoring — if you don't mind the heft.

The LCD-S20 has 18Ω impedance and 93dB/mW sensitivity, and you'll need a good source to make the most of the LCD-S20. I used the headphone predominantly with the Fiio K19, and it did an excellent job unlocking its full potential.

Overall, I enjoyed using the LCD-S20 quite a bit. It's a great addition to Audeze's catalog, and alongside the MM-100 and the Maxwell 2, the brand has a decent selection of mid-range products aimed at different use cases.

The latest rumors have suggested that Prime Day 2026 will occur some time in late June, but if you don't want to wait, I just uncovered a Sony headphones deal that might make Amazon's big sale completely unnecessary. 

The Sony WH-1000XM6, our top pick for the best wireless headphones that money can buy, just scored a 13% discount at Amazon, knocking the cans back to their lowest price ever recorded. 

Will the premium headphones get even cheaper once the Prime Day sale begins in earnest? It's hard to say, but I wouldn't blame you for jumping on the current Sony deal while it's active.

• See the full list of top deals at Amazon today

✅Recommended if: you want to experience some of the best wireless headphones ever built, with loads of customizable EQ settings, cutting-edge active noise cancellation, and incredible sound quality. 

❌Skip this deal if: you're looking for a cheap pair of headphones or something suitable for working out; you'd rather wait and see what Prime Day 2026 has in store next month. 

Just like their predecessors, Sony's flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones pack the latest in noise-cancelling technology into a sleek, comfortable design that you can wear all day. 

The headphones are equipped with some ultra-clean 30mm drivers and 12 built-in microphones, while Sony's companion app ensures that you can fine-tune your audio experience to your own specific tastes. The headphones also deliver up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, plus you get lightning-fast charging capabilities (via USB-C) that will give you up to three hours of listening in as little as three minutes of charging.

Of course, even with this 13% Amazon discount, the Sony WH-1000XM6 aren't exactly cheap. If you're not a stickler for sound quality or fancy noise cancellation, you can get a nearly-as-good experience by going with cheaper headphones from manufacturers like Bose or Beats by Dre. Other folks may want to wait and see what Sony headphones deals go live during Prime Day 2026, which is (allegedly) set to kick off next month. But if you want a pair of premium headphones at a great price today, you can't go wrong with this deal from Amazon. 

Emily Dickinson once said that “progress is a comfortable disease.” When I read that, it means to me that the “progress” society makes in some areas often comes at a cost that is detrimental to what was. In this case, we’re talking about audio quality and Bluetooth earbuds. With them, the “progress” was consumers benefiting from: wireless connectivity, active noise canceling, water resistance, AI-powered smart features, and convenience.

What did we lose, though, and is yesterday’s tech worth resurrecting? To find out, I dumped the earbuds I’ve been living with most recently, Sony’s excellent WF-1000XM6, and picked up Final Audio’s recently launched $80 A2000 in-ear monitors (IEMs).

What have I learned from the last three weeks using wired IEMs as my daily carry audio and communications device? Let’s talk about it!

But why, though?

As good as aptX and LDAC Bluetooth codecs can be, they just don’t compare one-to-one with a wired connection. Generally speaking, wired connections are a better choice for almost any technology. Wi-Fi versus Ethernet cable is another example of that.

With wired audio connections, you’re going to expand that soundstage, have a more consistent chance to discover details in songs that you may have been missing, and never have to worry about charging the earbuds or headphones before a gym session, or packing a charger if you go on vacation.

Why? Ultimately, because they consistently sound better, and there’s no battery to worry about.

My test subject(s)

Final Audio was releasing their new budget IEMs, the A2000, for $80, and reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in reviewing them. I accepted, but thought I’d do something different, which spawned this article. Much like the Sony WF-1000XM6 that I put on the shelf for them, the A2000 has a sizeable soundstage, delicious dynamics, delightful detail retrieval, punchy mids, sparkling treble, and fairly tight, blooming booming bass.

“Much like” is an important distinction because, though the A2000 is like the XM6 with regard to sound, it improves upon that in every way possible. The Final Audio A2000 comes with four pairs of silicone eartips, including the pre-installed pair. You get a 3.5mm right-angle-terminated, 1.2m-long oxygen-free copper (OFC) cable that also comes with two clip-on earhooks.

The A2000 bodies are more stylish than the XM6. You get a two-tone ABS plastic shell that is black on the outside, with a Japanese-style Shibo (translation: wrinkled paper) coating that resists fingerprints and adds texture.

The inner part is a vibrant blue, but the most important inner part — the speaker in each — is Final’s f-Core DU dynamic driver, along with all the sound-producing internals made in-house by Final — something you don’t see often.

Those shells connect to the included braided OFC cable via standard 2-pin connectors, so you can easily swap the included cable for another one, depending on your use case.

My experience: Trading the Sony WF-1000XM6 for the Final Audio A2000

You’re likely very used to the convenience of Bluetooth earbuds, and with good reason. There are no cables, so you can just pop them in your ears and keep it moving! And with transparency modes, technically, you’d only ever need to take them out of your ears to charge them. Being used to all that convenience is going to require you to make some changes, going back to wired earbuds.

It took me about a week to adjust to hanging my wired earbuds around my neck when they weren’t in my ears. Not that they weren’t comfortable, but there’s no “pass-through audio” to allow me to carry on conversations with them in my ears.

Also, I have an older car, so no Bluetooth or USB-A connectivity, which means hanging them around my neck when I drive, or keeping one in my ear for phone calls during my commute.

With wireless earbuds, you just remove them from your ears when needed and place them in their case. Now, you’ll have wires to contend with, and unlike the WF-1000XM6 in their case, wired IEMs won’t fit into the coin pocket of your pants.

However, what I gave up in convenience, I gained in superior sound quality. Music always sounds great with the Final A2000 IEMs, and it isn’t affected by wind or other atmospheric conditions that can make Bluetooth connections unstable. I was never worried about whether I had placed them on their charger the night before, or how much charge they had when I went to the gym. And being connected to wires, I never feared losing them.

The A2000s punch above their $80 price point, delivering sound that is bright in the upper midrange, so vocals, podcast voices, and cinematic dialogue all sound crisp. The elements of some tracks teeter on sibilant, as there’s definitely some lift in the upper treble, but my guess is they’re tuned like that to give a stronger sense of detail than the $80 price tag belies.

Bass has solid weight to it and isn’t mushy, while transient sounds are handled pretty well, all things considered! Many costlier pairs of Bluetooth earbuds will struggle to match the overall audio fidelity of the Final A2000.

As good as aptX Lossless and LDAC are, there’s just a live quality to music that is often missing when you compare it to the wired playback of well-engineered, high-quality audio files. That said, going back to wired is only going to be for certain people:

• Those not wanting to spend $200-$300 semi-annually for the latest Bluetooth tech, but want something with a longer useful life than an earbud’s rechargeable batteries.
• Music lovers. If audio fidelity matters, and I don’t think it truly does for many consumers, you’ll want wired IEMs instead of Bluetooth if you can get past the lack of convenience that Bluetooth offers.

Wrapping up the experience, most folks don't pay attention to battery estimates, which always show that the battery life of earbuds is significantly reduced when compared to using them mostly for audio playback. For example, the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds I switched out have an estimated five hours of "continuous communication time" with noise canceling on, but that number jumps to eight hours for all other uses.

So, if you spend a lot of time making voice calls, wired earbuds may be a much better choice for you.

“You've got to COORDINATE!!”

As good as Final’s A2000 sounds, the IEMs aren’t specifically designed to ease the transition back to wired carrying, so you’ll need a microphone. Fortunately, there are some good options on the market for replacement cables with two-pin connectors and inline microphones. Even Sennheiser offers a microphone-cable upgrade for its IEM series, such as the venerable IE900 that I reviewed, and there are options from other brands as well.

I already have a few mobile DACs at my disposal, and the PR rep from JackRabbit Media, who arranged the Final A2000 review, also sent me modular cables from Dekoni’s Audio Ensemble collection. The combination of the two made my transition back to wired everyday carry a bit easier.

The Dekoni cables have been a godsend, allowing me to connect to the DAC of my choosing, or one of their own, by simply twisting the lower half of the cable connector, then twisting on the cable ends I want to use.

I found myself coming back to one of their modular ends terminated in a USB-C DAC, which supports up to 32-bit/384kHz DSD256, and at times, I switched to another end terminated in a 3.5mm connection, which I used to connect to the excellent Questyle M18i, which has a microphone on it that is better than most Bluetooth earbuds.

I also used this opportunity to test a wireless connection when necessary with the high-quality iFi GO blu Air Bluetooth DAC, which comes with a magnetically attached clip (and those magnets are strong!) and has a great microphone.

Final thoughts

For tinkerers, one of the most compelling realizations I walked away with was that instead of buying a Bluetooth earpiece and learning it, you can literally build your own ideal everyday carry audio setup. You can buy IEMs based on your budget or level of music appreciation, and if you want to keep things simple, some options include a microphone cable.

And if you want, you can pick up one of the great mobile DACs that bridges the gap between Bluetooth earpieces and wired IEMs, like the iFi GO blu, which can be used both wired and wirelessly, unlike the GO blu Air, which is designed for wireless use only.

Headphone deals are arriving just in time for summer, and those in the market for new over-ears may want to consider this next entry. Best Buy's Memorial Day sale is ongoing, and it includes a $150 discount on the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, which are the last-gen version of our favorite headphones overall.

While there were some improvements made to the Sony WH-1000XM6 model, the WH-1000XM5s are still a great pair, and they'll definitely save you some extra money. They offer a high-quality audio profile, active noise cancellation, clear call quality, and a long-lasting battery. The headband and speaker cups offer a comfortable, adjustable fit that makes them perfect even for longer listening periods.

This deal is available for all four of the model's colors, including Black, Blue, Silver, and Smoky Pink.

✅Recommended if: you're looking for a pair of headphones with a powerful, high-quality sound profile, as well as ANC, app customization, and more; you want to go with the best wireless Android headphones but would rather save a little extra money going last generation; battery life is important to you when it comes to buying wireless headphones.

❌Skip this deal if: you specifically need a pair of headphones with support for the aptX codec; you'd rather go with a cheaper device, even if it means compromising a little on audio quality; you're looking for a highly durable pair of headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are a solid pair of wireless headphones, boasting up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC turned on, or up to 45 hours without. Purchase comes with a useful travel case and a USB charging cable that Sony says will deliver up to three hours of listening time with a three-minute charge.

You can also customize the audio using the Sony mobile app, offering preset audio profiles or the ability to EQ them yourself. Additionally, they've got multi-point connection, Speak to Chat, and an enhanced Precise Voice Pickup technology for crisp, clear phone calls.

All in all, this is a good price point if you were thinking about picking up some new headphones, and it should remain active through the holiday weekend.

Finding cheap headphones that won't compromise on modern features can be tricky, but you can usually find regular price drops if you know what models you're looking for. For example, Amazon has launched a limited-time discount of 43% off on the Anker Soundcore Q20i headphones, bringing their price down to just $40.

The Q20i headphones go on sale somewhat regularly, which makes them a nice pick for anyone with a budget around this price point.

While buyers shouldn't expect them to offer premium-level audio quality, they do still feature active noise cancellation, compatibility with high-res audio codecs, mobile app customization, and a long-lasting battery. Notably, there aren't a lot of other headphones around this price point with so many of today's most utilized features, making these a standout pick for those with a small headphone budget.

This particular deal is available for two out of four of the headphones' basic colorways, including Black and Almond White. If you were hoping for something a little bit more expressive, you can spend an extra $5 to go with the Navy and Pink options instead.

✅Recommended if: you need a budget-friendly pair of wireless headphones that also come with ANC and mobile app EQ customization; battery life is important to you when it comes to buying headphones, and you want something that can easily make it through a full day's worth of listening; you prefer headphones with physical buttons to those that use touch gestures.

❌Skip this deal if: you're in the market for the best wireless headphones available, and you don't mind spending a little more for certain upgrades; you're looking for wireless headphones that also come with true spatial audio; you prefer a smaller pair of over-ear headphones to those with large, immersive speaker cups.

The Anker Soundcore Q20i wireless headphones are a great pick for anyone on a budget, and they've dropped to this price point quite a few times in the past.

We like them for their up to 40 hours of playback time per charge when using ANC, or up to 60 hours with the mode toggled off. They also feature fast-charging for an extra four hours of listening per five-minute charge.

In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, buyers can access the benefits of higher-res codec listening with the use of a headphone cable, while they also sport EQ customization via the Soundcore mobile app, along with 22 audio presets.

Cheap earbuds don't always come with the top-tier features, which is why it's a smart move to keep an eye out for deals on higher-end models. Right now, for example, Amazon has slashed the price of the Beats Studio Buds Plus by 41%, though the retailer says the deal will only last a little bit longer.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus offered some key improvements upon previous generations, namely including better compatibility with Android devices, and an upgraded active noise cancellation profile. They also sport a long-lasting battery, high-quality calling, and an overall comfortable fit.

They also come at a cheaper normal price point than many premium-level earbuds, while still boasting a pretty powerful audio profile.

This particular deal is available for the buds in all three of the device's available color combos: Black and Gold, Ivory, and my personal favorite, Transparent.

✅Recommended if: you're looking for a powerful set of earbuds with high-quality audio, high-resolution listening, and a long-lasting battery, but you'd prefer to keep the budget around $100; you want a pair of earbuds that is comfortable and will effectively help mute your surroundings; you need a pair of earbuds with reliable, user-friendly button controls for playback and volume.

❌Skip this deal if: you'd rather upgrade to some of the best wireless earbuds on the market, and you have the budget to do so without scoring a big deal; you need earbuds with their own built-in EQ capabilities, rather than just using those on your device; you're looking for earbuds with wireless charging.

The Beats Studio Buds Plus are well-liked for a number of reasons, but especially for their high-quality audio profile, their powerful ANC mode, their long-lasting battery, and the cool colorway options that offer something unique for everybody.

Beats says these will offer users up to nine hours of battery life without ANC, or up to seven hours with the mode activated. The case offers users up to three charges when fully charged itself, while five-minute charging sessions will yield about an hour of playback.

To be sure, these don't include built-in EQ options, which is a feature that many prefer. However, given that most devices today have their own EQ options, this may not be such a dealbreaker for casual users.

Samsung’s latest Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are, without a doubt, the best flagship earbuds they’ve put out to date. They tick so many boxes that I said they’re the best active noise-canceling earbuds you can buy if you’re a newer Samsung Galaxy phone owner. Even if you aren’t, given their price, great sound quality, and smart features like offline voice controls, they may be worth the purchase if you have an older or non-Samsung phone.

Then, I got my hands on the Sony WF-1000XM6, and whoa! Like Samsung's Buds 4 Pro, Sony’s XM6s are the best flagship earbuds they’ve put out, to date! They listened to customer feedback, improved on what was already arguably market-leading ANC, and made their earbuds even smarter than before! All of that comes at a cost, though. You’d spend $80 more than the Buds 4 Pro, but would it be worth it?

Let’s flesh out the differences and help you make the choice that makes the most sense for you!

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Beauty and the beats

Right out of the box, Samsung’s offering is more visually appealing, and though both give you only two color options in big chain stores, Samsung.com and Samsung Experience Stores have a gorgeous, exclusive Pink Rose colorway you can buy!

The industrial design of the Buds 4 Pro, with their stem-style design featuring metal-accented stems and polymer buds, looks more stylish than the bulbous, jellybean-shaped WF-1000XM6. Even the Buds 4 Pro’s case is a more visually interesting piece of hardware.

Sony eventually released a Smoky Pink color for the WF-1000XM5, and they have multiple color options for other earbuds, so it’s a safe bet that if you aren’t in a rush, you may eventually be able to get your XM6 in something other than black or platinum silver.

Today, though, I’ll give the edge to Samsung for the buds' and case's style appeal.

Suffering for one’s fashion only applies to clothes and footwear. Earbuds are a different beast. They may look amazing, but if they aren’t comfortable, you’re less likely to wear them regularly.

That wasn’t the case for me. I prefer the foam ear tips on Sony’s offering more because the oval silicone tips on the Buds 4 Pro, as comfortable as they were, weren't as comfortable in my ears. The foam ear tips also have better passive noise cancellation.

That said, I’ve been browsing the web for user posts, and it appears the XM6's fit and size can be polarizing compared to the Buds 4 Pro. This is despite Sony offering an additional set of ear tips to help you get the right fit.

Some users said the XM6 looked huge in their ears, even though they didn't have small ears. Personally, I don’t care how large they look in my ears as long as they don’t feel huge and have a big sound.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which is the better "daily driver?"

Both earbuds’ companion apps are very robust, making daily use intuitive and easy. That said, their onboard controls are different, which will be an important consideration for some. The Buds 4 Pro feature touch and pressure-sensitive stems, while Sony offers only touch-based controls.

That said, I found both sets of controls worked almost effortlessly during use, and the only advantage I’d give to Samsung is for gym-goers. You’ll never have to worry about wet hands with pressure controls.

It’s a bit of a wash, though, because while both earbuds offer excellent offline voice controls, Sony gives you a more extensive set of things you can control via offline commands, so your need to touch them is greatly diminished.

One last note on moisture affecting your earbuds’ operation: You’ll also have less to worry about with the Samsung earbuds getting wet, because they provide a submersible IP57 water and dust ingress protection, while Sony offers lesser protection with a splash-resistant IPX4 rating.

I’m somewhat of a big dude (6’, 225lbs), so both earbuds’ cases fit well in the coin pockets of my jeans. For smaller folk, I can see the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro being a better fit for less spacious pockets.

With Samsung, you’re going to need to pull that case out of your pocket more frequently for charging. In my testing, I was getting roughly six hours of use, while Sony was getting around eight.

Both pairs of earbuds offer fast charging, so you can top up quickly if you need to hit the gym after a long day of battery-draining usage. If you need enough power to get you through long days, Sony is the clear winner here.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which one sounds better, though?

Sound quality should be the most important feature of a pair of earbuds, but when I talk to people, it seems to take a backseat to the features I’ve explored above. Both pairs of earbuds deliver solid sound signatures, with each offering the best sound reproduction in its line to date. That said, Sony gets the win for its default sound profile.

With the default settings, Sony handles dynamics better than Samsung. If you play with Samsung’s excellent presets (Dynamic, for instance) or the robust EQ, you get much closer to Sony. When listening to the Charles Mingus track, “Moanin’,” the Buds 4 Pro muddle the sounds together during the most frenetic parts of the song, as I said in my full review. Sony handles the load more deftly, providing solid instrument separation despite the melee of brass bombarding your auditory senses.

The other issue here is the choice of device. Sony includes the hi-res LDAC codec, in addition to SBC and AAC, while Samsung offers its proprietary Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC and SSC UHQ), which only works with more recent Samsung phones. Both earbuds support LE Audio with Auracast. That means Android users get broader support for the best possible audio quality from Sony. In addition, Sony has true multipoint, which Samsung lacks.

Sony's handling dynamics are better than Samsung's, also extending to ANC quality. They’re both strong, but the WF-1000XM6 cancels more sound at the low and high ends of the frequency spectrum. Part of the reason is that Sony has eight microphones to Samsung’s six, so it captures more ambient sound data. This disparity in microphones also shows up in call quality. Though both have bone conduction sensors, Sony handles call quality better in more dynamic conditions, such as on a windy day.

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Which should you buy?

For $80 less, and despite the fact that the WF-1000XM6 is better at many things than the Buds 4 Pro, when you add in the ecosystem tie-in to Samsung devices, it’s the all-around better choice for those invested in the Samsung ecosystem.

For everyone else, Sony has better ANC, voice controls, sound, and battery life. Without Samsung's ecosystem to contend with, Sony wins.

In a battle of two heavyweights, what determines the outcome? Especially when they may seem evenly matched? Many times it comes down to the little things. A comparison between the two that highlights the not-so-obvious features that could be defining factors in determining a winner.

Such a battle can be found when comparing the top two active noise-canceling champs in the earbuds space: the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Everyone’s hearing differs a bit, so I can tell you that one cancels out certain frequencies better than the other, but that doesn’t matter so much if your ears don’t pick those up well anyway. Read on, and I’ll dig into both the big and the subtle feature differences between them so that you can make the best purchasing decision for you!

The rundown

Build quality & comfort

Cracking open the packaging, the first thing you’ll notice is that the Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen)’s case is a bit more compact than the Sony WH-1000XM6’s case. It isn’t a monumental difference, but it is easily observable. This also translates to the headphones themselves.

While Sony has new metal hinges that let it store more compactly than before, Bose still takes the cake for how small it folds up in its case. If you need to “ball them up” and stuff them into a bag, they’ll have a slightly smaller footprint.

I appreciate the build quality of both pairs of headphones. I review a lot of high-end headphones, and by comparison, these are “plasticky,” but that’s because they’re meant for travel with long hours of wear. They don’t feel cheap, though. The springs, hinges, and friction sliders all feel durable and like they’ll last over time.

Sony’s headphones feel tighter in their hinges’ swivel and in the springs that press the cups against your head, while Bose’s friction slider for vertical adjustments on your head has more friction, so it feels like it will stay in place better.

Overall, Bose feels more comfortable to me over long periods of wear due to it’s noticeably lighter clamping force. That also means you probably won’t like these if you wear them in the gym.

On the other hand, Sony’s offering feels more locked into your head, which you'd think would make them great for workouts. I wouldn’t recommend that with either pair, though, as they don’t have any IP rating against water ingress. That said, a quick search of Al Gore’s internets shows that there are users who’ve utilized earlier models in the gym for years without issue. It’s hit or miss, though, so use them in the gym at your peril, or check out our roundup of the best headphones for the gym.

Controls

I’ve said before that I prefer mechanical controls over touch controls, but that’s more for products I’ll regularly use for workouts. Both headphones have two buttons for power, pairing, and ANC control, but Bose’s multifunction button also controls media playback and phone calls. Additionally, Bose has a volume slider that makes it easy to adjust volume without acquiring new muscle memory beyond getting used to its location.

Sony, on the other hand, utilizes high-quality touch controls for media playback and phone calls, but with a caveat: they’re smarter. With Sony, you also get the ability to simply nod or shake your head to answer phone calls. I definitely prefer that to any physical interaction, especially when it works as reliably as Sony’s implementation.

There’s also more customization available to users through Sony’s Sound Connect app. You can customize playback and ANC in the app based on geotagged locations or your activity/movement, such as walking or running.

Active noise canceling

This is an easy one. They both have market-leading noise-canceling functionality, but the Sony WH-1000XM6 cancels slightly more sound at both ends of the frequency spectrum.

The difference, though, is marginal, considering far too many people can’t tell the difference between a middling MP3 and a FLAC file played back with high-end headphones. Trust us. We tested that with a small sampling of users via a blind “taste test.”

Sound quality

This is where we really get into preference. I’ll summarize the difference between the sound quality of the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) in this way:

• Sony = warm and dark with delightful dynamics
• Bose = neutral with some sparkle at the top

Sony’s have more presence and more weight to their sound. They are tuned warmer than the Bose QC Ultra 2, but both headsets do a strong job of retrieving nuanced detail.

Despite these tunings, when listening to “Do You Want More?!!!??!” by The Roots, Black Thought’s lyrics had more presence with Sony than with Bose. That difference didn’t sound artificial or stilted, but a byproduct of the differing dynamics of the two pairs of headphones.

Bose is more neutral and reproduces audio closer to how it was recorded, while Sony's tuning gives more weight to lows and highs. The good thing about Sony, though, is that the Sound Connect app offers excellent EQ options via its 10-band equalizer, so you can get the sound out of the XM6’s that you’re looking for.

On the other hand, if you don’t like the more neutral reproduction of the QC Ultra 2, you have only a 3-band equalizer to attempt to get your preferred sound dialed in. Both headphones have preset EQ options as well, though Sony offers twice as many as Bose.

With Spotify lossless and hi-res music being a thing these days, Bose is more future-proof as it allows for both audio over USB-C and 3.5mm connections. With Sony, you get only the 3.5mm analog audio option. When listening to the XM6, the sound is darker with the headphones powered down, but brighter and more energetic with them powered on. That DAC has solid power output, as I didn’t have to crank it as much as I did the Bose when connected to Fosi Audio’s excellent ZH3 headphone DAC/Amp.

The Bose QC Ultra (2nd Gen) must be powered on during wired playback and is brighter over wire, giving the perception of better detail retrieval. Immersion mode with some Jazz tracks makes listening even more fun.

Sounds like a winner!

For me, this is tough because I really like both pairs of headphones. I prefer Sony’s stock sound profile to Bose's, and its customizability as well. With Bose, the lighter clamping force, slightly more travel-friendly size, aesthetics, and mechanical controls suit me better.

The ANC of either pair of headphones has the market cornered, but if you’re a frequent flyer, you’ll probably prefer Sony over Bose for its ability to correct for pressure differences at altitude. That is, unless you find Sony’s clamping force a bit too aggressive for those long-haul flights, then Bose is your Huckleberry.

I’d have a tough time choosing which to spend my money on, but I think I’d go with Sony because music is the most important aspect for me, and, out of the box, I prefer Sony’s stock sound as well as its superior smarts.

Android users typically flock to smartphone brands or traditional audio brands when choosing their next pair of earbuds or headphones. Products from Samsung, Google, Sony, or Bose are common among Android users. They usually don't grab AirPods because Apple's earbuds and headphones don't play nice with Android or Windows devices. Beats, being owned by Apple for over a decade, unfairly has a similar reputation.

Yes, Beats is an Apple company, but the brand's headphones and earbuds work superbly with Android phones. In fact, you'll find that most Beats products support more Google-exclusive features than some dedicated Android audio products. For example, there are Beats headphones and earbuds with Google Find Hub, Google Fast Pair, and Audio Switching support. The integration runs deep, and it makes Beats a joy to use on any Android device.

These are the four Android features you probably didn't know Beats products had, and how to use them.

Google Fast Pair

Google's Fast Pair system is one of the best parts of using a pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds within the Android ecosystem. Simply power on a set of supported wireless headphones or open the case of a pair of wireless earbuds, and they'll automatically enter Bluetooth pairing mode. Tap the pop-up on your Android device, and the headphones or earbuds will instantly connect.

Better yet, the Bluetooth device will be registered to your Google account. That means it'll automatically connect with any device signed in to your Google account using the Fast Pair feature. Sure enough, many Beats headphones and earbuds support Google Fast Pair. That list includes the Solo Buds, Studio Buds Plus, Solo 4, and Studio Pro.

All you need to do is open the case for supported Beats earbuds or turn on Beats headphones, and you'll be able to use Fast Pair to quickly connect and seamlessly switch between Android phones and tablets.

Find My Device (Find Hub)

The same list of Beats headphones and earbuds will work with Google's Find My Device network, now known as Find Hub. It's a unified way to locate lost devices within the Google ecosystem using crowdsourced location data.

When the Fast Pair pop-up opens for supported Beats audio products, you'll see a card asking you to add the headphones or earbuds to the Find Hub network. If you agree, you'll be able to track your Beats earbuds, headphones, or speaker in the Google Find Hub app.

Alternatively, you can download the Beats app for Android and navigate to the Locate My Beats button to start tracking your products.

Android Audio Switching

After you set up your Beats with Google Fast Pair, you can use Android's built-in audio switching feature to let the headphones or earbuds automatically move between devices signed in to your Google account. For example, your Beats can switch between your Android phone and tablet as the connected device based on which is currently playing audio.

To start using the feature with your Beats, open the Settings app on your Android phone and tap Connected devices. Then find your Beats product in the list and tap the Settings icon. Finally, tap Audio switch and flip the toggle beside Use audio switch. After that, your Beats headphones, earbuds, or speakers will automatically switch between Android devices signed in to your Google account.

Android widgets

Unfortunately, not every Beats product will work with the aforementioned features. The beloved Powerbeats Pro 2 and Powerbeats Fit are notable exceptions. However, even those earbuds offer great Android features through the Beats app. You can change settings and manage ANC modes with the Beats app for Android.

The app also supports Android home screen widgets, which are great for keeping tabs on battery life or changing modes. For instance, the Powerbeats Pro 2 widget shows the battery life, ANC modes, or heart-rate monitoring status. It also lets you change the ANC mode or activate the inbuilt HRM without leaving your Android home screen.

While it's a bummer that not every Beats product offers the same level of Google integration, it's nice to see many of them fully support Android features. I wish the Powerbeats Pro 2 and Powerbeats Fit had better Android support, but that seems to be a consequence of using Apple H-series chips rather than proprietary Beats chips.

Alas, it's neat that the overwhelming majority of Beats headphones and earbuds — including the Beats Solo Buds, Beats Studio Buds Plus, Beats Solo 4, and Beats Studio Pro — work with these Google exclusives.

Getting a good wireless earbuds deal doesn't have to be a workout, especially when Amazon discounts like this are floating around. For a limited time, the retailer is chopping 20% off the price of our favorite workout earbuds, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.

We love the Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds for their high-end sound quality, onboard heart rate monitoring, spatial audio support, and more. They also offer ample battery life for frequent exercisers, improved sound from previous generations of the model, and wireless charging. Typically, these wireless earbuds are priced at $250, so the 20% discount takes a nice $50 chunk out of that.

It's also worth noting that the deal is available for the Powerbeats Pro 2 in all four color options, including Jet Black, Hyper Purple, Quicksand, and, my personal favorite, Electric Orange.

✅Recommended if: you want the best earbuds for workouts on the market today, and you specifically need something with built-in heart rate monitoring; you want to utilize features such as spatial audio while working out; you prefer earbuds with an ear-hook-style design that makes it easy to keep them in your ears while exercising, and you have a budget of around $200.

❌Skip this deal if: you'd rather save even more money on a pair of earbuds and you don't need high-tier features like spatial audio or heart rate monitoring; you prefer a pair of buds with a tiny case that offers the utmost in portability; you like earbuds without the sporty ear clip, and you'd rather go with something that has a classic stalked design.

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are a perfect pick for workout lovers across the sports spectrum, offering a long battery life, spatial audio, heart rate monitoring, and an overall powerful sonic profile.

Beats says users will get up to 10 hours of battery life with just the earbuds, or up to 45 when intermittently charging using the case. As for fast charging, the buds can get around 1.5 hours of playback with a quick five-minute charge, while they also feature Qi wireless charging support.

What you need to know

• Nothing is launching a new blue version of the Ear (open) on May 11, adding a bolder option to its audio lineup.
• The update is purely cosmetic, with the same open-ear design and hardware staying intact.
• You still get 14.2mm drivers, AI-powered microphones, up to 30 hours of battery life, and IP54 dust and splash resistance.

Nothing is updating its most unconventional earbuds with a new look. Earlier this week, the company teased fans with a Pokémon-themed post featuring Flaaffy, a character previously linked to the Ear (open) launch. Now, Nothing has confirmed that a blue version of the Ear (open) is officially coming.

The new color will be available on May 11, joining the current white version, according to Nothing. This is not a full hardware update or a new model. Nothing is keeping the same open-ear earbuds for people who want to listen to music without blocking out their surroundings.

Open-ear design stays the focus

That means the Ear (open) sits just outside the ear and lets ambient sound pass through instead of sealing your ear canal. This design is better for runners, cyclists, commuters, or anyone who dislikes the isolated feeling of noise-canceling earbuds.

Nothing else seems to be changing inside. The earbuds still have the same lightweight open-ear design, 14.2mm dynamic drivers, AI-powered microphones, and up to 30 hours of playback with the charging case. They also have an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, so they are suitable for workouts and outdoor use.

These earbuds focus on awareness and comfort instead of complete immersion, and that is by design. Unlike sealed earbuds with active noise cancellation, they are made to keep you aware of traffic, conversations, and your surroundings, while still offering punchy bass for an open-ear style.

Recently, Nothing has been using color more as part of its brand identity. The company has tried special finishes on its phones and audio products before, and the new blue Ear (open) seems like another way to stand out in a market full of black and white earbuds.

What you need to know

• Pixel Buds users hit Google's subreddit to report an issue with their ANC and Transparency mode toggles.
• Users state their toggles are either gone entirely or take ~30 seconds to appear when using the Quick Audio settings menu.
• After Google's suggestions, users claim nothing has worked, meaning an alternative fix is required from the company.

Google's Pro-level earbud users are running into an issue, as key features are going missing without rhyme or reason.

A few days ago, reports started popping up on the Google Pixel subreddit, as one user reported that they can't see their Pixel Buds' ANC, Off, and Transparency modes (via Android Headlines). This problem seems to have targeted the Quick Audio settings for their device. They provided a screenshot as evidence, which clearly shows the lack of these notable features.

This has become a notable frustration for the user, as this menu can be quickly produced by tapping the three dots when changing your volume. It removes the necessity for diving into larger menus. Other users chimed in, stating that they've had this issue "for several months, as well." The user, with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, adds that the number of buttons that would appear in their Quick Audio settings can vary from two to three, or maybe four buttons. The issue here is that the bug is causing a consistency error. Some features are there one day and then gone the next.

Two other reports said that the features will surface, but it "takes a few seconds to populate." One comment says that they've been forced to wait ~30 seconds for their ANC/Transparency buttons to appear, which is annoying to deal with. It's not exactly clear when this issue first started, as some theorize the April update might've caused it, while others have had this for a few months.

Google responded to this thread, suggesting that users update their device or perform a reset. That hasn't exactly worked out for many users, meaning something more will be required from Google's end.

Struggling buds, too

Google Pixel Buds no longer showing the ANC/off/transparency modes toggle in the quick audio settings (when you click the 3 dots after changing volume) from r/GooglePixel

While this is a dark spot on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for some users, there was some excitement a few months back when Google rolled out a key update. Head Gestures played a significant part in that Buds Pro 2 update, giving users a convenient way to accept and decline calls. Nodding your head will accept the call or begin a reply to a text message. The other side of that patch was Adaptive Audio and Loud Noise Protection to better defend against any inner ear damage.

Along the lines of this report, Google's been struggling elsewhere, such as an unusual battery drain affecting several Pixel generations. Following the April security patch, devices from the Pixel 6 series to the Pixel 10 have had their energy strangely depleted without much user interaction. Luckily, Google has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix.

Android Central's Take

Google's Pixel Buds have been flying under the radar. They're earbuds, after all. While they're good, and good at doing what they need to, reports like this can be frustrating. What I've noticed are user comments to Google's suggestion on Reddit about how to solve the issue. Users aren't finding any help, and even encourage the company to check other reports on their community forum. Hopefully, Google can acknowledge these issues are begin working on a fix.

Wireless earbuds are a must-have accessory in this day and age, but you'll find that the best models can be pretty pricey without a good deal attached. Fortunately, Amazon is answering our prayers by slashing a straight $50 off the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2), a pair that we called "the best-sounding earbuds" that we've ever used — which is saying a lot considering the quality of Sony's latest models.

Usually priced at $299, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) boast incredible sound with immersive bass and crystal-clear voice quality, plus you get premium features like powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) and gesture controls. Of course, even with a discount, these wireless earbuds aren't cheap, so why should you choose the second-generation QuietComfort Ultra over other models? Let's discuss.

• See the full list of deals at Amazon today

✅Recommended if: you want to use some of the best-sounding noise-cancelling earbuds on the market today; ANC, great sound, and a comfortable fit are the most important details for you when shopping for earbuds. 

❌Skip this deal if: you want earbuds with a super-compact and portable charging case; you're looking for a cheap pair of earbuds; battery life and AI integration are the most important details for you when buying earbuds. 

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) are easy to recommend to almost anyone, but you'll find the earbuds particularly impressive if you prioritize sound quality and active noise cancellation. 

Utilizing 9.3mm drivers, the Gen 2 buds boast a neutral sound profile and a ton of options for customization, with support for hi-res audio using aptX Adaptive, spatial audio, and more. The result is immersive sound that's built just for you, not to mention some of the most cutting-edge ANC technology in the business.

Of course, no device is perfect. The earbuds will only last about six hours before you need to use the admittedly bulky charging case (which can add up to 18 hours of additional usage). You also won't get as many integrated AI features as you would with, say, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Having said that, the best earbuds for you will depend on your habits and priorities. Do you mostly use wireless earbuds as an extension to your Android phone, focusing primarily on call quality and smart assistant features? Then you might want to look elsewhere.

But if you want some of the best sound in the business with cutting-edge noise cancellation and a ton of customizable settings, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) are a great choice, particularly when you slap on a $50 discount.

What you need to know

• Motorola has unveiled the Moto Buds 2 Plus, priced at $150 in North America.
• The buds stand out with Bose-tuned audio and a dual-driver setup (11mm dynamic + Knowles armatures) for better bass and clearer highs.
• Bluetooth 6.0 enables dual-device switching, but its real benefits are limited until more devices support it.

The wireless earbud market is crowded with similar designs and big promises that often fall short. To stand out, companies need to offer more than decent sound and a familiar brand. Motorola is aiming for the high-end market with its new Moto Buds 2 Plus.

Available on the Motorola website in North America starting April 30 for $150, these earbuds aim to address hardware limitations by combining advanced audio technology with robust on-device AI.

Looking at the acoustic hardware, standard single drivers often have trouble separating deep bass from clear highs. These earbuds feature an audio profile developed with Bose. Inside, they use dual 11mm dynamic drivers for strong bass and balanced armatures from Knowles for precise, clear high notes.

This dual-driver setup is key for delivering clear, high-resolution audio without distortion. Motorola also supports LHDC (both LHDC4 and LHDC5), as well as the usual AAC and SBC codecs. With Spatial Audio included, these specs are impressive for the price.

Advanced noise control

To help keep you aware of your surroundings, the earbuds offer Dynamic Active Noise Cancellation and a regular Transparency Mode. If you need to take a call in a noisy place, six built-in microphones use Environmental Noise Cancellation and a high signal-to-noise ratio to reduce background noise. The Moto Buds app also includes a CrystalTalk AI feature that uses advanced noise reduction to make your voice clearer.

In terms of specs, the earbuds are listed as having Bluetooth 6.0, which allows for smooth Dual Connection auto-switching. This means you can quickly move from a call on your laptop back to your phone.

There is also an Audio Share feature, letting two pairs of Moto Buds 2 Plus connect to the same device at once. The earbuds last up to 9 hours on a single charge, and the case extends total battery life to 40 hours. If the battery runs out, a 10-minute charge gives you two more hours of listening.

The earbuds have an IP54 rating for dust and splashes, but the charging case is only rated IPX2.

The main difference, though, is in the software. When you pair the earbuds with a compatible Motorola phone, holding down on the earbuds activates "Moto AI." This does more than just start a digital assistant. Features include "Catch me up" for notification summaries, "Pay attention" to record, transcribe, or summarize meetings hands-free, and "Remember this" to save and recall details later. You can also use AI-powered translation right in your ear.

Android Central's Take

Motorola's new earbuds offer a lot of useful features and come in a Pantone Silhouette finish, putting pressure on competitors with higher prices. Still, Motorola has to persuade buyers to pay for Bluetooth 6.0 before it becomes widely useful. The new standard should lower power use and work better with other wireless signals, but you won't see these benefits until more phones support it. For now, the earbuds' success depends on their sound quality and noise cancellation. With Bose and Knowles involved, that could be enough.

What you need to know

• Samsung is allegedly working on a new pair of earbuds called the "Galaxy Buds Able," which could feature an open-ear design.
• Rumors claim this design might also feature bone conduction to transmit sound via vibrations "through the user's cheekbones."
• It was stated that bone conduction can lack audio richness, which is what users overseas have praised the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro for, as the latest series saw positive sales.

Rumors about a new Galaxy Buds form factor are stirring speculation about how it will deliver sound.

A report from SammyGuru claims to have discovered an early glimpse at what Samsung's alleged "Galaxy Buds Able" could look like. The design, supposedly found via One UI's software, suggests the company is opting for an open-ear "clip design" for the Buds Able. While open-ear designs typically hug the user's ear, the publication alleges another aspect: bone conduction.

It's been reported that the Galaxy Buds Able might forgo standard audio drivers in favor of bone conduction technology. It explains that such a method relies on the transmission of vibrations "through the cheekbones" for sound. SammyGuru adds that this differs from drivers, which "push air" for sound. While "sound leakage" is reportedly lower with this audio method, the report adds that bone conduction lacks that heavy, head-rocking bass (something the latest Galaxy Buds were praised for).

What's shown in Samsung's software is what will likely be an illustration for explanatory purposes. The illustration is as detailed as one would like; however, it shows off two bulbous parts with a flat side, likely where they "clip" or press against the body. The publication alleges one side features a "grille," which could serve as its eventual microphone placement.

More Galaxy Buds

It was also reiterated that the "Galaxy Buds Able" were originally discovered in name only through an Android Authority discovery (via SammyGuru). Its name was found alongside Samsung's recent Galaxy Buds 4 series devices. Aside from this, there's nothing concrete to go on to form this product in our minds. What was strange to the publication was its model number: SM-U600. It states that the company typically uses "U" to denote phones for the U.S., but this has seemingly changed.

What's curious about this is the potential for Samsung to go the bone conduction route. As the publication said, the richness of sound is often a downside. The Galaxy Buds 4, specifically, the Buds 4 Pro, were praised for being a beast in sound quality. It was reported that 90% of the Buds 4 sold recently (over 100,000 units) were its Pro variant. Improved bass and treble were listed as positives that consumers talked about in South Korea.

Of course, Samsung could be trying to break into the open-ear market to appeal to a different set of consumers. Open-ears are pretty good for high activity, as running around and jumping might cause those in-ear versions to slip out.

 I have a lot of headphones; I use the Audeze MM-500 at my desk, but that's mostly to attend meetings or tune into product briefings. The rest of the time, I alternate between a slew of over-ear headphones, including the Meze 99 Classics, Fiio FT7, Dan Clark Aeon X, and the Focal Elex.

Then there's the Bluetooth options, and I mostly turn to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 or the AirPods Max. But in the last six months, I haven't bothered using any headphones besides the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2. There are clear downsides; coming in at $799, they cost a lot more than most Bluetooth headsets, and the ANC isn't quite as good as what you get on Bose and Sony rivals.

But that doesn't prevent the Px8 S2 from being unbelievably good, and that's evident from the moment I started using the headphones. Some of that has to do with the design; I'm using the Warm Stone model, and it looks exquisite thanks to an aluminum body interlaced with leather. The design and build quality on offer here makes the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 look positively mundane.

It's not all about the design either, as the Px8 S2 are as comfortable as they're stylish. I'm no stranger to bulky headsets — having used Audeze's products for a few years now — but the Px8 S2 are relatively lighter at 310g. They're just 50g heavier than the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2, and the added heft isn't noticeable at all thanks to the weight distribution. I had no issues getting a good fit, and the leather ear cushions are supremely comfortable, and they're just as good to wear even with extended use. The comfort and design makes the Px8 S2 a great choice while traveling, and I used the headphones on over a half-dozen flights in 2026.

But the main reason I used the Px8 S2 over all the other headphones I have on hand is the sound quality. Bowers & Wilkins used custom 40mm drivers and a 24-bit DSP, and the sound tuning is impressive; you get a neutral sound similar to Bose, but with a hint of warmth that gives the headphones better musicality. That makes a big difference in daily listening sessions and while traveling; B&W calls these reference quality, and I agree — they're the best-sounding among the current generation of Bluetooth headphones.

Another positive is the inclusion of AptX Lossless and AptX Adaptive; with most high-end Android phones — like the Vivo X300 Pro, Find X9 Pro, and Xiaomi 17 Ultra — including AptX codecs as standard, it's just great to use a headset that unlocks the full potential of high-res audio. This definitely makes a difference while using Roon to stream my music library.

While there's no doubt that the Px8 S2 have the best sound, I'll admit that the ANC isn't as good as my Bose headset. It still does an admirable job at cutting out ambient sounds, but it isn't quite as effective, nor does it extend to as high a frequency range as the Ultra Gen 2 headset. That said, it is more than adequate if you're taking a long-haul flight or just sitting in a cafe.

There isn't much in the way of customizability, but the default sound signature is good enough that I didn't have to tweak the EQ. That said, if you need to adjust the balance of the sound, there's a five-band EQ available in the mobile app, along with the ability to change other settings.

I'm not a fan of gesture controls on Bluetooth headsets (they're always finicky), and I'm glad B&W added physical buttons on the Px8 S2. There's a multi-function button on the right that lets you change music playback, dedicated volume controls, and a button on the left that enables passthrough mode. Like most Bluetooth products, the Px8 S2's wear detection automatically pauses music when you take the headphones off.

The Px8 S2 get all the other extras I want in a Bluetooth headset, including fast pairing and multi-device connectivity. Honestly, the combination of design and sound quality was enough to get me to use these as my daily driver, and the addition of high-res codecs and physical controls is just the icing on the cake. And after six months of regular use, I don't really want to switch to any other headphones.

Obviously, the cost is prohibitive — as is the case with most Bowers & Wilkins products — but if you need a pair of luxury headphones with unmatched sound quality and a design that's guaranteed to turn heads, you should consider upgrading.

Nothing launched its Ear 3 wireless earbuds with notable hardware upgrades, including larger drivers, LDAC support, and longer battery life. There's also the built-in case microphone that enables the "Super Mic" mode. With a higher price to match, the Nothing Ear 3 are a tougher sell at their full $179 price compared to mainstream options. However, there's one thing Nothing does better than almost any audio brand, and that's software.

The Nothing Ear 3 connect with your Android phone via the Nothing X app, and it's a dream for audio fans who want to personalize and customize their earbuds. There's an eight-band equalizer, personalized sound, and a bass enhancement mode to help you find the right sound signature. That's on top of classic features like ANC and spatial audio. These are the Ear 3 features in the Nothing X app that'll help you make the latest Nothing earbuds your own.

Personal sound

Everyone's hearing is different. There is a general audio frequency range for humans that gives us a general idea of what sounds people can actually hear. There's also something called the "Harman Curve," which shows the frequency response most people find enjoyable. However, these are just general guidelines rather than rules. To get a sound that someone will love, it needs to be personalized.

Nothing helps you do just that with a feature called Personal sound. It's an optional Nothing X feature that tests your hearing and automatically adjusts the Nothing Ear 3's sound profile accordingly. The test determines your ability to hear sounds at various frequencies along a distribution curve, and based on the results, the app applies an EQ setting to match your hearing profile.

To start, open the Nothing X app and tap Personal sound under your earbud's device settings. The personalization process takes roughly three minutes to complete. It works by playing tones intermittently. You have to tell the app whether you hear a tone or silence. By analyzing which tones you hear and which you miss, the app can identify the frequencies you can perceive. It then adjusts your earbuds' sound profile to match the results of the hearing test.

When you're finished, you get a Nothing Ear 3 sound signature personalized to your individual hearing capabilities.

Bass enhancement

Nothing headphones and earbuds are known to be on the bassy side, but there's a chance that's why you bought the Nothing Ear 3 in the first place. The rich, deep lows are what make the Ear 3 stand out in a crowded audio market. If you need even more bass than the earbuds provide by default, you can enable Bass enhancement in the Nothing X app. It'll place even greater emphasis on low frequencies to deliver the booming bass you're looking for.

To enable Bass enhancement, flip the toggle for it on in the Nothing X app with your earbuds connected. Then, tap it to choose a Bass enhancement level between one and five. The default setting is three, but you can move the slider up or down to make the enhancement more or less pronounced. To find the right setting, listen to your favorite songs — the ones you know the best — at various bass enhancement levels.

Find the one you like, and don't be afraid to keep the setting disabled if you think the Nothing Ear 3 sound better without it.

Low lag mode

This setting is simple, but it's important to keep it in your portfolio and pull it out when needed. It's called Low lag mode, and it reduces the amount of audio lag between the Nothing Ear 3 and your device. This is useful for certain applications, like gaming, where response times are crucial. While other earbuds hide this option behind gaming modes and experimental settings, it's right on the Nothing X home page when the Ear 3 are connected.

This option, when enabled, drops the input lag to under 120ms. It's turned on by default when Game Mode is active on a connected Nothing Phone. You should turn on Low lag mode when gaming or during other specialized tasks, but you can leave it off for daily listening.

Equalizer

For manual tweaks to the Nothing Ear 3, the Nothing X app offers an eight-band equalizer. Essentially, this means there are eight sections of the audio frequency spectrum that you can increase or decrease in volume. Instead of adjusting the earbud volume, you can pick specific sound ranges to limit or enhance individually, like bass or treble.

The Nothing X app equalizer is really robust, with three modes: Simple, Advanced, and Explore. Using the Simple mode gives you quick, self-explanatory EQ presets including Balanced, More Bass, More Treble, and Voice. There are also custom EQs you can build in the Simple mode using a graphic visualizer. The Advanced tab offers the more sophisticated toggles, with individual sliders for the eight bands listed across the frequency spectrum.

As one final trick, there's an Explore tab with EQ profiles curated by Nothing and created by experts. In other words, you can instantly download and apply a customized EQ profile made by an audiophile that takes the work out of your hands.

Dual connection

Finally, there's Dual connection, which helps you seamlessly switch your Nothing Ear 3 between devices. It works by letting your earbuds connect to multiple host devices. Then, in the Nothing X app, tap the Dual connection toggle and flip it on. Open the menu, and check the boxes beside the device names you want to use the Dual connection feature. For example, I chose my Nothing Phone 3a Pro and Google Pixel 10 Pro.

Then, the earbuds will automatically switch between audio sources while maintaining a connection to both phones. Nothing Ear 3 will prioritize the sources that are currently playing audio or are on a phone call. This feature saves you the hassle of manually switching Bluetooth connections between multiple devices.

It's one of the many Nothing Ear 3 features that help enhance your sound or improve daily device connection. The Nothing X companion app is one of the best parts of daily driving a pair of Nothing headphones or earbuds, so you'll want to start using it.

Thieaudio has consistently proven that it knows how to deliver standout IEMs; whether that's the Oracle MKII, the Prestige LTD — which is still a great all-round musical option — or the flagship Valhalla, which is just on another level. But it's the brand's Monarch series that gets the most amount of attention, and deservedly so; I used the Monarch MKIII last year, and it didn't take long to realize that these IEMs are truly special.

That's why I was excited to get my hands on the Monarch MKIV; at the outset, the IEMs have a similar driver configuration that sees two dynamic driver, six Sonion balanced armature drivers, and two Sonion EST drivers in each shell, with a 4-way crossover and four sound tubes. Where things start to get interesting is the tuning switch, with Thieaudio adding a toggle on the IEMs that lets you easily switch between the reference neutral tuning and a much more engaging bass-focused sound. This Rumble mode (as it's called), adds a 3dB boost to the entire sub-bass range, making the overall sound that much warmer.

Because of the tweaks to the sound tube and the custom tuning, the Monarch MKIV retail for $1,149 at Linsoul, and that's for the standard model with the Stellashot or Kaleidoglow colors. If you want to go with a custom-shell design — as has been the case with previous Monarch IEMs — you'll need to shell out an additional $100 to $150, and wait an additional six to eight weeks to get your order. I used the Monarch MKIV for the better part of three months now, and here's why I think these IEMs are among the best in their category, and endgame-worthy if you're looking to upgrade.

The sound quality is sublime

With even $100 IEMs producing great sound, you'd want something that's truly exceptional in a product that costs over a thousand dollars. Thankfully, Thieaudio knows what it's doing in this category, and the choice of drivers along with the tuning makes the Monarch MKIV the best-sounding IEMs in the series yet. I tested the MKIV with my Fiio K19 DAC and M23 player, and I used the standard mode most of the time, switching over to the Rumble mode mostly while using the M23. With just 10Ω of power, you can use just about any source to drive these IEMs, and they're not demanding in this regard.

Even in the default mode, the Monarch MKIV have a good sub-bass presence with a noticeable vibrancy, but it's controlled well, and the mid-range has a clean presentation with vocals shining through and every small nuance easily noticeable. The treble is smooth and detailed, and it never gets harsh but still provides a sense of airiness. The standard mode is the way to go if you want a neutral sound with excellent technicality, but if you prefer a slightly warmer tonality, the Rumble mode is instantly accessible.

Custom tuning makes all the difference

As the name indicates, the Rumble mode boosts the sub-bass and mid-bass frequencies, and you get a definite rumble and energy that brings out the best in recordings.

If anything, the versatility that this unlocks makes the Monarch MKIV a much better choice than their predecessors. Just the ability to switch to a warmer sound with better musicality is great, and for me, this is a big differentiator.

That said, both modes have a thoroughly engaging soundstage that's wide and detailed. The layering is exquisite, and this is immediately noticeable with ensemble pieces.

The design is better than previous generations

I've always enjoyed the design of Thieaudio IEMs, and the Monarch MKIV is no different. I got the Stellashot color variant, and it looks elegant while still making the IEMs stand out. Thieaudio switched out the usual resin designs and went with a metal chassis this time around, and the difference is immediately noticeable against the MKIII.

The Monarch MKIV have much better build quality as a result, and I like the heft that they provide; they're not heavy or uncomfortable, but the shells are noticeably bigger than the MKIII variant. That said, the angled design of the sound nozzle means they're still comfortable, and I didn't have issues with the fit or any fatigue with extended use. The design goes a long way in this area, and even though the shells are quite big, the contoured fit provides a good isolation and doesn't cause any undue pressure on the inner ear.

Like previous models, the MKIV have a standard 2-pin connector, and the new tuning switch along the side lets you easily change the mode. The matte finish of the shell feels great to touch, and it prevents smudging and offers a decent amount of protection against scratches.

You get a decent set of accessories as well, along with a bundled suede case to take the IEMs anywhere. While I like the case itself, I would've preferred a slightly bigger option; as it stands, the case barely accommodates the IEMs, with no room to put a second set of ear tips. Outside of that minor issue, I don't have any problems with the design or the accessories.

The cable also got an upgrade, with the eight-stand braided design ensuring you get a clean transmission without any interference. The modular cable has 3.5mm and 4.4mm plugs, allowing you to switch between the connectors as needed. The cable's brown color stands out a little more than I'd like, and a standard black variant would have suited better in this context.

On the whole, I like the upgrades that Thieaudio introduced with the Monarch MKIV. The switch to a metal design makes these IEMs that much more durable, and while they're bigger, they're not cumbersome in the least. The tonality continues to be amazing, and the custom tuning with Rumble mode gives these IEMs a definite advantage. Coming in at $1,149, they're a little costlier than the MKIII model, they're easily among the best in this category.

Another big headphone deal has landed, this time with 38% off the price of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones at Amazon.

While Sony has also launched a newer-generation, slightly improved version of these with the WH-1000XM6s, the WH-1000XM5 headphones are still a great choice, and they come at a lower price even before the discount.

These wireless headphones also feature a long battery life, quick charging, eight microphones for high-level noise cancellation, and high-resolution listening. These also make it easy to access hands-free calling and voice assistants like Alexa for playback, volume, or smart home control. The purchase also comes with a carrying case and a USB-C charging cable, and this 38% discount is available for all four colors: Black, Silver, Midnight Blue, and Smokey Pink.

✅Recommended if: you're looking for a powerful pair of noise-cancelling headphones that are wireless, comfortable to wear, and relatively minimal in terms of design; you value having a long-lasting battery, and fast-charging via USB-C; you want a pair of headphones with high-resolution audio quality and other adaptive sound features.

❌Skip this deal if: you don't mind spending extra on an upgrade to the newer-gen Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones; you'd prefer a smaller pair of headphones than those with large speaker cup; you like headphones that are easy to fold up and stow.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are the brand's second-best premium-level headphones, right behind the higher-powered WH-1000XM6s. They include up to 30 hours of battery life, three-hour listening time with just a three-minute charge, ANC, and AI-enhanced cancellation optimization.

Users also like the touch controls for controlling playback and volume, as well as the overall design of the headphones. They also come with automatic wearing detection when users put them on and take them off, along with multi-point connection and hands-free calling and voice commands.

The speaker cups are large and well-sealing for an immersive listening experience, while they're also considered pretty comfortable for long-term use. They aren't the easiest to store given their large size, though the included carrying case definitely offers enough protection while in transport. All in all, this is a pretty solid price drop on these headphones, which normally retail at $400.

Prime Day is still months away, but if you want a great deal on wireless headphones, there's no need to wait. Whether you're a traveler in need of a cheap pair for an upcoming flight or an audiophile looking for the best listening experience imaginable, you'll be shocked at the number of headphone deals currently on display at Amazon.

Wireless headphones from Sennheiser and Sony to Beats and Anker have been dropping to near-record lows all week, and it's hard to tell whether these Amazon discounts are going to stick around for a while or if they'll vanish overnight. Needless to say, if you're looking to jump on the opportunity, you'll find some of the best headphone deals from the sale below. 

• See the full list of deals available at Amazon this weekend

Score up to 50% off noise-cancelling headphones at Amazon

• Headphone deals: Walmart | Best Buy | Amazon | Dell

Huawei is doing a tremendous job with its accessories; the Watch Ultimate 2 is the ideal upgrade if you're using a Samsung smartwatch, and the brand's all-new mesh router doubles as decor lighting. But it's audio where Huawei is truly proving its differentiation, and I understood that as soon as I started using the FreeBuds Pro 5.

I used Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds for most of the last six months, and that's because of the fit and sound quality. Those are just the areas where Huawei is aiming to outmatch Bose, and after using the FreeBuds Pro 5 for the better part of a month, I think Huawei pulled it off.

The FreeBuds Pro 5 have a bulbous design, but the sound nozzle doesn't dig into the ear too much, and they fit comfortably. In fact, at 5.5g each, they're light enough that I didn't notice I was wearing the buds most of the time.

Huawei says it tested the buds extensively on over 10,000 ear samples, and that becomes evident when you wear the buds. They're comfortable enough that I didn't notice any fatigue, and I was able to get a secure fit. Towards that end, you get four sets of tips in the box, which is a good thing. You also get IP57 ingress protection, making the buds a good choice for workouts.

There's no doubt that the FreeBuds Pro 5 fit better than the QC Ultra Gen 2, and the case itself is noticeably smaller and has better portability. Annoyingly, I didn't get the blue model of the case; that variant has a leather charging case and looks exquisite, and while the Sand color looks decent in its own right, it just doesn't have the same presence. I would've preferred a matte texture as the glossy coat on the buds isn't to my liking, but that is the case with most products today, including Bose.

Where the FreeBuds Pro 5 truly shine is noise isolation; thanks to a new dual-engine ANC system, the buds tune out sound to a greater extent than most of the products in this category, and that's immediately noticeable. This is a big deal if you're out and about while wearing the earbuds, and they're able to meaningfully block any ambient sounds. I used these on a recent flight, and the buds did a fabulous job cutting out the whine of the engine.

The Awareness mode is pretty good too, and it automatically switches to it if you start talking to someone without needing to take the buds out. While I didn't make many calls, the buds did a decent job in this regard.

Most audio brands are leaning towards dual drivers in their buds — like the Status Audio Pro X — and Huawei is no different. The FreeBuds Pro 5 have a standard dynamic driver alongside a planar driver that handles treble, and the combination of drivers and tuning gives these buds a distinct advantage.

The result is that the FreeBuds Pro 5 sound phenomenal, and they hold their own against the best in this category — there's no doubt about that. The bass is vibrant and has a satisfying rumble, mids are clean and detailed, vocals come through with a natural timbre, and the treble is airy without a hint of sibilance. On the whole, the buds have a delightful sound that lends itself well to any genre, and they're fun to listen to.

One issue in this area is that there's no AptX codecs, so if you have a phone that uses the Qualcomm high-res codecs, you miss out on this mode. There is LDAC and L2HC, but most phones I tested with — like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Find X9 Pro — come with AptX instead, so that's an omission. That said, Huawei's spatial audio is pretty good in its own right, and it gives you a sense of immersion while listening to music.

Each bud houses a 60mAh battery, and battery life is strictly average, lasting five hours between charges. The QC Ultra Gen 2 last an hour longer, and Huawei really needs to do better in this area.

Coming in at £179 ($240) in the U.K. and $229 on Amazon U.S. (via a reseller), the FreeBuds Pro 5 undercut the latest buds from Bose and Sony by a meaningful amount. While the battery life could be better, that's the only real negative with these buds, and if you want an alternative to the QC Ultra Gen 2 with a better fit, you should consider giving the FreeBuds Pro 5 a try.

I'll never forget the first time I pressed the transparency button on the side of the Nothing Headphone (a). I swore a real person was breathing into my ear as the distinct transition sound played, peeling back the layer of noise cancellation and revealing everything around me.

It was this moment that made me realize that over-the-ear headphones were back. I no longer had to deal with irritating earbuds sitting in my ear canals for hours on end. Now, I could enjoy fuller audio with even better noise cancellation and transparency modes, all with better battery life and greater long-term comfort. And I could get all this without blowing $600 on a pair of overpriced Apple headphones, too.

Nothing Headphone (a) aren't a revolution, and they may not even be the best headphones you can buy to date (you need to spend much more to get that). But they symbolize a change in the audio market that caught my attention, and I'm not going back to earbuds ever again.

Quality for the masses

Nothing Headphone (a) are loud and proud. I don't just mean the audio volume, which is substantially louder and fuller than any pair of earbuds I've ever worn, either. These headphones look as unique as they feel, with trademark Nothing style that'll turn heads on the subway or in the office.

But this style isn't just for looks, although it'll keep you from looking like a tool by wearing a pair of overpriced headphones. These pack in massive audio drivers for rich sound, a huge battery that lasts up to five days, plenty of padding for comfort, and tactile buttons that feel great to press.

Personally, I hate capacitive buttons on things like headphones or earbuds. They're too easy to accidentally press when you're just trying to adjust them or wear them, and they're often clunky and unresponsive when you need them.

Nothing Headphone (a)'s buttons are easy to find, easy to use, and are unmistakably built for a specific function. Click the transparency button to switch between noise-canceling and transparency modes, or flick the volume switch left or right as needed. The on/off switch is great because you know exactly when they're on, and since these have epic standby time, you can leave them on while walking around, even if you're not actively listening to anything.

Now, I'm no audiophile, but even I can tell the difference between a good pair of speakers and a bad one. These are the former, and they eclipse the sound quality from any pair of earbuds I've ever worn. These are also far more comfortable in the long term than earbuds. I've always found buds to wear on long flights, and while headphones do make my head sweat a little, they're a much better alternative to inner-ear discomfort.

The top headband adjusts by about an inch on each side, accommodating head sizes ranging from adults to children. I think this slide mechanism could be longer, but it fits everyone in my household, so I didn't have an issue with it. People with larger heads will have issues with fit, though.

The headphones connect via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable, so they work with a wide variety of devices and connection types. These support the best-quality audio codecs, including LDAC, so lossless formats will sound great here.

Don't be a tool, save your money

I can't get over how much I love Nothing Headphone (a). These are the headphones I was waiting for without even realizing it, and they look good doing it, too. I'm always blown away when I see people walking around with headphones that cost over $500 and simply cannot understand it. Instead of looking like a tool, save $400 and grab a pair of Nothing Headphone (a).

The Nothing app ensures you get the best quality sound, no matter what device you use, and they're easy to pair with any device that supports your Google account, thanks to Google's Quick Pair technology. That, plus the combination of week-long battery life and ample padding, means these can be worn for a long time without a problem. Do yourself a favor and grab a pair; you won't regret it.

Teenage Engineering makes unique products that stand at the intersection of art and music, and I've been a long-time user of its synthesizers. I started out with the affordable PO synths, and moved to the OP-1 field, which stands out in its own way thanks to the design and hardware interface.

In the context of phone design, Teenage Engineering is best-known for its collaboration with Nothing, and recent products like the Phone 4a show a clear progression of that unique design aesthetic.

It's no wonder, then, that when Teenage Engineering sets out to make a Bluetooth speaker, it's different to everything else available today. The OB-4 debuted over five years ago, but the speaker continues to do well because of its refreshing design and feature-set that you just don't see anywhere else.

I'll get to those features in a bit, but before that, let's do a high-level overview of the OB-4. As you'd imagine from Teenage Engineering, the design is rather unique, with the OB-4 is styled to look like a retro boom box — the carrying handle reinforces that design choice. The overall look is pretty stylish, and I like the red color option I got; it allows the OB-4 to stand out visually against every other Bluetooth speaker I have in my house.

It isn't particularly heavy at 3.75lb (1.7kg), and the handle makes it easy to take anywhere — the boxy design works to its advantage in that regard. The handle doubles as a stand as well, and it houses the built-in radio antenna, but more on that later. While the overall design is striking, it is prone to scratches; after four months of use, I see minute scratches on the body.

Build quality is otherwise great, and I didn't see any problems with the OB-4 in the time I used it. The speaker has dual 4-inch drivers alongside two tweeters, and it delivers surprisingly detailed sound. Unlike Bose's speakers, the OB-4 isn't tuned towards a neutral signature, instead offering a bass-heavy sound that's delightful in its own way. If you want a neutral sound instead, you'll need to get the Bose SoundLink Max.

Now, all of this is pretty standard in this category, but it's the rest of the features that make the OB-4 stand out so much. Let's get started.

You can listen to local FM radio stations

In addition to Bluetooth connectivity and 3.5mm in, the OB-4 has an FM radio tuner, and it's just plain cool to be able to listen to local FM broadcasts. There's a built-in antenna that coils around the handle, and while the signal varies quite a bit based on your surroundings, it is novel to listen to radio stations on the OB-4.

While 3.5mm is standard enough, it lets me connect my OP-1 field to the OB-4, and it's a pairing that works really well.

Instant rewind is instant nostalgia

A unique feature on the OB-4 is a built-in tape mode that lets you automatically rewind — you can do that with FM broadcasts as well. Basically, the OB-4 constantly records whatever is playing, and you get the ability to rewind as a result. The rolling two-hour recordings is something that you won't use extensively, but it's such a cool feature that I found myself rewinding music just for the nostalgia.

It has built-in ambient sounds — and you can use it as a sampler

Disk mode on the OB-4 is unique in that it has built-in sounds that are very different. There's an ambient mode, noise generator, and a metronome, and a karma mode with spiritual sounds — it's weird enough that I didn't use the mode after testing it out once.

That said, the ambient mode and noise generator features are quite handy, and you also get the ability to create audio loops, turning it into a decent sampler.

The physical controls are legitimately cool

Yes, I know that Teenage Engineering isn't the only brand that has physical controls on their products — I use Marshall's Kilburn and Stanmore daily — but the OB-4 controls are delightfully weird. The volume knob juts out from the body and is easy enough to use, but the rewind feature needs you to physically turn the dial.

You also get physical buttons to switch between connectivity options, and cycle through the various choices available in disk mode. On most Bluetooth devices, you get a gauge to show remaining battery life. The OB-4 has one too, but you need to tilt it back and front for it to show up, and that's the right amount of quirky.

The OB-4 is unique in all the right ways

The OB-4 retails for $579 on Amazon and $599 for the red model, and that's quite a bit costlier than most mainstream Bluetooth speakers. However, the OB-4 is anything but mainstream, and the unique styling, sound signature, and litany of features make it a Bluetooth speaker like no other. If you just need a Bluetooth speaker, there are dozens of alternatives that deliver great sound. But if you want something that's truly unique, the OB-4 is the obvious choice.

What kind of headphones can you get for under $100? We've normalized spending hundreds on over-ear headphones, but CMF and Nothing make you think twice if paying that much on a new pair of cans is worth it. I tested the CMF Headphone Pro, a pair of over-ear ANC headphones that cost just $99 at full price. Despite coming from much more expensive headphones, I switched to the CMF Headphone Pro without a hitch.

They're arguably the best headphones you can get for under $100. During the final minutes of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, you can save another $32 on the already-affordable headphones. That brings the cost of a pair of CMF Headphone Pro headphones to just $67, and you'll be surprised at how much you get for that price.

• See the full list of deals during Amazon's Big Spring Sale - ends March 31st

✅ Recommended if: you want cheap ANC headphones with solid build quality; you value battery life above almost everything else; you need hi-res LDAC support and a multi-band EQ.

❌ Skip this deal if: you want the best sound quality; you need better transparency mode performance.

The design of the CMF Headphone Pro might look funky, but they're incredibly light and flexibly. They'll fit on any head shape with comfortable, and modular, ear cushions. On-headphone controls are stellar, with two buttons, a slider, and a roller. The headphones support an equalizer, but in a rare move, you can adjust EQ strength directly on the CMF Headphone Pro using the onboard slider.

These headphones also offer a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack for connectivity. Sound quality is handled by 40mm drivers equipped with nickel-plated diaphragms. On the technical side, there is a 16.5 mm copper voice coil, precision bass duct, and dual-chamber design inside the CMF Headphone Pro to ensure audio sounds rich and crisp.

If you need hi-res audio, the CMF Headphone Pro uses the optional LDAC codec at up to 990kbps over Bluetooth. Battery life lasts up to 100 hours with ANC on, and half that with ANC off.

I'm an audiophile, so I see the value in paying for more expensive options like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones. However, if you just need the basics, you won't find more for less than the CMF Headphone Pro.

Sony's WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones recently launched to great success, but they're expensive in every sense of the word. At full price, a pair of WH-1000XM6 headphones will run you about $460. That's firmly in the premium segment. You might not know that Sony still sells the last-generation Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones at a much more palatable price point, and they're still an outstanding set of cans.

For the final day of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, the retailer is dropping the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones to their lowest price ever. You can snag them for just $243, which is 39% off the typical price of the WH-1000XM5 and is more than $200 cheaper than the WH-1000XM6. If you're in the market for a new pair of active noise-canceling headphones, don't miss this deal — only hours remain.

• See the full list of deals during Amazon's Big Spring Sale - ends March 31st

✅ Recommended if: you want high-quality ANC performance at a budget price; you need a full-size 3.5mm headphone jack; you want LDAC hi-res audio support.

❌ Skip this deal if: you'd rather pay more for the Sony WH-1000XM6; you need headphones with support for USB-C audio.

When we reviewed the Sony WH-100XM5, we called the headphones "the ones to beat." Sure, things have changed in four years, and new releases like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones have elevated the experience. At the end of the day, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are still great for the reasons they were beloved at launch, especially thanks to their discounted price.

Sony offers LDAC support for hi-res audio listening, and it's a much more compatible format than LHDC or aptX Adaptive. The headphones offer 30mm dynamic drivers for sound quality and have a customizable EQ in the companion app. Eight microphones power the active noise-canceling features along with Sony's custom Integrated Processor V1.

I only have two gripes with the WH-1000XM5, and they're really minor. The matte finish of the headphones attracts fingerprints easily, and the USB-C port doesn't support wired audio input. That last one isn't much of an issue, because the Sony WH-1000XM5 have a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio. All together, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are as complete a package as you'll find at this discount sub-$250 price point.

Bose refreshed its best ANC headphones late last year, making a great audio product even better with the launch of the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones. They're perfect for travel, with a compact fold-flat design and included protective carrying case. You have plenty of connectivity options, including Bluetooth, USB-C audio, and a 2.5mm audio jack. Of course, Bose's active noise-canceling chops and immersive audio modes are great for listening in noisy environments.

I've taken the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones on multiple international trips, and they've replaced the AirPods Max as my go-to cans for long flights. At a $449 retail price, Bose's flagship ANC headphones aren't the most expensive, but aren't exactly cheap either. Luckily, if you're in the market for a headphone upgrade, Amazon is taking $50 off the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones in a can't-miss Big Spring Sale deal.

• See the full list of deals during Amazon's Big Spring Sale - ends March 31st

✅ Recommended if: you want great-sounding headphones with hi-res audio support; you need wired USB-C and 2.5mm audio connections; you want a compact and comfortable pair of headphones that fold easily for travel.

❌ Skip this deal if: you need a 3.5mm audio jack; you don't have an aptX Adaptive device; you need to use the onboard microphones in wired mode.

Two things about the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 stand out to make them an incredible pair of headphones — their design and weight. I struggle to wear heavier headphones for long periods, and models that don't fold flat take up too much space in my bag while traveling. The QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones weigh just 264 grams and neatly fold up inside an included charging case when you're not wearing them, addressing both of those common gripes.

I also like how versatile the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones are in terms of music listening. If you have a phone with Snapdragon Sound, you can use Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive codec for wireless lossless audio. Or, you can get lossless audio using the USB-C port or 2.5mm audio jack. Do I wish there was a standard 3.5mm headphone jack here instead of the rarer 2.5mm one? Yes, but Bose includes a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable in the box, so it really isn't an issue unless you lose it.

The comfortable ear cushions create a great seal with the side of my head for excellent ANC performance. That isn't a given, since I wear glasses and hats often. Between the 10-microphone array, versatile ANC modes, and 3-band equalizer, you can tune the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones to sound how you'd like and block out as much sound as you need.

Headphones in this class aren't cheap, but this deal does let you keep $50 in your pocket and score a great pair for under $400.

Buying wireless earbuds is easier than you might think. There are the legacy audio brands like Bose and Sony with compelling options, and phone brands typically make earbuds that go great with their latest Android flagships. If you have a Google Pixel phone or tablet, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 might be the best wireless earbuds on the market. You'll get stellar sound, a comfortable fit, and exclusive Google features that will go great with your Pixel devices.

The best thing about the Pixel Buds Pro 2 might be their affordable price. They're cheaper than the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, AirPods Pro 3, and certainly premium options from Bose and Sony. That's at full price — this Amazon Big Spring Sale deal takes things to the next level. Pixel Buds Pro 2 usually cost $229, but for a limited time, they're just $169 on Amazon. You can save $60 on the best earbuds for Pixel users.

• See the full list of deals during Amazon's Big Spring Sale - ends March 31st

✅ Recommended if: you own a Google Pixel phone and want earbuds with exclusive features; you don't like earbuds with stems and prefer a low-key fit; you want excellent Gemini AI integration.

❌ Skip this deal if: you want earbuds that work better outside the Google ecosystem; you prefer tactile on-earbud controls; you need hi-res audio compatibility

The Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 aren't new, but they've continued to receive exciting updates. Just last year, Google brought Adaptive Audio and Loud Noise Protection to the Pixel Buds Pro 2, significantly improving the earbuds' active noise-cancelation capabilities. Under the hood, these earbuds are powered by a custom Tensor A1 audio processing chip and dual 11mm dynamic drivers.

They support SBC, AAC, Opus audio codecs, as well as Bluetooth 5.4 and Low Energy Audio support. That means you can use the Pixel Buds Pro 2 with Auracast and Android 16's Audio Sharing feature to connect multiple earbuds to a single device for shared listening.

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 are one of the few earbuds to not have a stem, which some users find more comfortable. Instead, the Pixel Buds Pro 2 have a stabilizer that rests inside your outer ear to ensure the earbuds don't fall out. They're comfortable and easy to insert — when the "G" logo on the Pixel Buds Pro 2 is perfectly horizontal, you know they're in your ear correctly.

These earbuds are already a great value at full price, but who doesn't want to save another $60 on an excellent pair of Pixel earbuds?

 I use my Bose SoundLink Max daily; it has great sound quality, I like the design quite a bit, it has IP67 ingress protection, and the bright yellow color is just plain fun. Bose really nailed the essentials with the Max, and even at $349, it is a good overall product.

But what if you don't want to spend that much cash? You'll want to take a look at Edifier's ES300. The audio brand is no stranger to delivering great-sounding products, and I still use the QR65 active monitors on my desk. The ES300 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with attention-grabbing styling, and the sound quality is sublime. Best of all, it finally got a $60 discount, and is now on sale for just $239 on Amazon.

✅Recommended if: You want a stylish portable Bluetooth speaker with great sound. With 60W of power, LDAC, long battery life, and a great design, the ES300 nails the essentials.

❌Skip this deal if: You need dust and water resistance.

I had the ES300 for the better part of six months now, and I used it to listen to dozens of hours of music and podcasts in the kitchen (mostly while baking). Although the speaker looks like it has to be plugged in to a wall outlet, that isn't the case — it has an internal battery, and you can use it anywhere, like other portable speakers. This in itself is a big plus point, and it even gets ambient lighting along the base. That said, at 8.15lb (3.7kg), your arms will get a workout while lugging this around.

The ES300 gets USB in and aux ports, giving you the versatility to connect to other devices. I used it with my Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field, and it did an admirable job. Another nifty feature is AirPlay 2 integration, allowing you to use the speaker with multi-room audio. There's the standard Bluetooth 5.4 with multi-point connectivity, and you also get dual-band Wi-Fi, which you just don't see with portable speakers.

I like the design a lot; the Ivory variant of the ES300 looks exquisite, and the leather finish along with the metal grille gives it a distinctive design that I haven't seen outside of Marshall's products. You also get a control panel at the top, and while it is easy enough to use, I would've liked physical buttons like Marshall's Stanmore and Kilburn. Also, because of the design, you miss out on ingress protection.

In spite of that, the ES300 is a speaker that makes a statement, and it isn't just the looks either — this speaker has phenomenal sound. Thanks to a 30W woofer and dual 15W tweeters, you get 60W of output, and the sound quality is incredible. It has a detailed bass with good rumble, clean mids, and smooth treble without any harshness. Edifier even added LDAC, so you can make the most of lossless audio if you're using an Android phone.

The sound quality gives it a decent advantage over other Bluetooth speakers under $300, and the built-in battery lasts over ten hours on a single charge. The only downside with the battery is that it charges via an AC port and not USB-C, so you'll need to use the bundled cable to charge the ES300.

Outside of that, I didn't see any problems with the Bluetooth speaker, and it's a great addition to this category if you need something that looks good and delivers great sound.

I test tens of wireless earbuds each year, and the Powerbeats Pro 2 are my undisputed champions for fitness and workout performance. There are some earbuds, like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4, that I wouldn't trust to stay in my ears during a brisk walk — let alone an intense workout. Models with a slightly better fit can handle everyday wear, but conquering the gym or a track workout is a completely different story.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 stand alone as the only earbuds that feel tailor-made for fitness buffs. They have large and flexible ear hooks for stability, tactile on-earbud controls, and a built-in heart rate monitor for standalone workout tracking. Just over a year after Powerbeats Pro 2 first debuted, Beats is here with a limited-edition variant that immediately caught my attention. If somehow you haven't been sold on the Powerbeats Pro 2 yet, this special colorway might just be the thing that seals the deal.

Beats has always been a culture brand, and it often releases limited-edition variants of its popular products. There's even a dedicated page on the Beats website that highlights recent collaborations. We've seen team-ups with Alo, Kim Kardashian, and Minecraft in the past, but we've never seen anything like the Beats x Nike collab for the Powerbeats Pro 2.

It's easily the best-looking Powerbeats Pro 2 model available, featuring Nike's classic black and Volt colors.

Nike delivers the flashiest and sportiest Powerbeats Pro 2 colorway yet

Nike and Apple have worked together for decades across various partnerships, including iconic collabs like Nike+iPod and Apple Watch Nike Edition. Those hardware partnerships are no more, as the two companies have recently opted for smaller collabs, like Nike Apple Watch bands and watch faces. The Beats x Nike version of the Powerbeats Pro 2 flips the script, as it's arguably Beats' most thorough limited-edition collaboration to date.

As soon as you catch a glimpse of the Beats x Nike earbuds, you'll see what I mean. The left earbud predictably sports the Beats logo, but the right one swaps it for the classic Nike swoosh. It's the first time ever that another brand logo has appeared in place of the Beats "b." It's fitting that Nike is the one to make history in this fashion, considering the company's storied history with Apple.

You might not care about the intricacies of the partnership as a potential buyer, but you will care about the Powerbeats Pro 2's striking appearance. The Beats x Nike version of the earbuds features a two-tone finish with matte black and Volt colors. For those unfamiliar, Volt is a staple Nike color, a high-visibility neon yellow. It's often paired with black for contrast, and that look is certainly found on the Powerbeats Pro 2 special edition here.

Fans will probably find the idea of owning a Nike-branded pair of workout earbuds pretty exciting. Even those less interested in the brand name might appreciate the look of the Beats x Nike special edition Powerbeats Pro 2.

I've been waiting for a neon yellow colorway for the Powerbeats Pro 2, as we saw similar options appear on the original Powerbeats Pro and the Beats Fit Pro. Newer models like the Powerbeats Pro 2 and Powerbeats Fit are available in colors like orange, purple, and pink — but not yellow.

The included charging case is matte black with a speckled Volt design sprinkled in, plus a white Beats logo. It supports wireless charging and USB-C for power, just like the standard version. When you flip the case open, you're met with the "Just Do It" slogan. Nothing like seeing a motivational catchphrase as you pop in the Powerbeats Pro 2 before your next set at the gym.

I say that partially in jest, because of course, the Beats x Nike collab is purely a cosmetic one. You get the same audio drivers, active noise-canceling quality, and heart-rate monitoring support as the standard Powerbeats Pro 2. Still, I think there's a market for the Nike special edition of the Powerbeats Pro 2 on multiple fronts.

The Beats x Nike is about more than just looks

The truth is, looks are only a small part of what makes this Beats x Nike collab special. If you use Nike gear to train, it's neat to have a pair of earbuds that perfectly match. However, Nike makes more than just clothes and shoes. They also make training software in the Nike Run Club and Nike Training Club apps, available on both iOS and Android.

I use the Nike Run Club app to track my runs, and with nearly 2,000 miles in the books, it's an important part of my training. The cool thing about the Nike special edition of the Powerbeats Pro 2 is that it connects with the NRC app using the built-in heart rate monitor. So, you can pair the Beats x Nike Powerbeats Pro 2 to the NRC app and use them together to enhance your workouts.

Sure, you can do the same with the regular Powerbeats Pro 2. However, it's pretty awesome to use Nike-branded earbuds with Nike fitness apps. Throw in Nike shoes or watch bands, and you'll look like a workout pro with a matching kit in no time.

A pair of Powerbeats Pro 2 that stand out from the crowd

The Beats x Nike version of the Powerbeats Pro 2 costs $250 — the same as the other four colorways. Considering you can find them on sale for as low as $200 with frequent deals, you might not want to pay full price for the Nike version. That's fair, but as a counterpoint, it's nice to have a pair of workout earbuds that stand out in a gym or at a race.

These Beats collabs typically sell out, so it's worth jumping on this Powerbeats Pro 2 variant early if you're interested. They're already my favorite workout earbuds, and a handful of folks at Android Central use them. Getting a Nike-infused facelift simply sweetens the deal.

I’m a fan of the “Lord of the Rings” films and books. In the movie, an evil force creates several magic “Rings of Power” to be worn by different “heroes” of Middle-earth. Then, unbeknownst to the wearers of those rings, the malevolent force creates one, all-powerful ring that controls the others and those who wear them.

I’m finding that, no matter my activities, Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 are the one ring pair of earbuds to rule them all, and there’s a lot to unpack with that statement.

The new Sony WF-1000XM6 ANC earbuds arrive in minimalist packaging. You get a very small box, and inside you’ll find a manual, a laughably short charging cable, and three additional pairs of ear tips. Though I found a good fit with one preinstalled medium and one small ear tip, I’d like to see more options for a flagship product.

The USB-C and wireless charging-enabled case is pocketable, but it’s on the larger side compared to direct competitors like the Technics EAH-AZ100 and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Its charging light sits behind the front face, like some of its competitors, although I had no problem seeing it when charging.

This year, it’s also taller and more angular than the previous gen. It has a very fine-grained texture that resists slipping in the hand, and laughs at your attempts to leave fingerprints on it.

Opening the case, you’ll find kidney bean-shaped buds that look bulky but are deceptively light and have the same matte texture as the case, unlike the XM5's glossy finish.

You get eight microphones for calls and ANC, along with quite a long list of features, so the size is forgivable. Despite that, even during dynamic workouts, they never felt heavy. Likely a result of the earbuds’ ergonomic shape that conforms to your concha.

Normally, I’d get right to the sound quality notes here, but let’s get to that “One Ring to rule them all” analogy. I enjoyed the XM6’s in the gym for high-intensity workouts and slower powerlifting movements. Their excellent ANC filters out more low-frequency sound this year, thanks to the new QN3e processor that Sony says is 3x faster than the QN2 in the XM5.

This allowed me to stay locked in and focused on my mind-muscle connection while also doing an admirable job of mitigating and quieting high-frequency sounds, such as the sudden clank of plates, and nearby conversations. With music on, around 65% of max, I couldn’t hear any ambient gym noise.

That said, living in beach-friendly Southern California, I’d like to see more durability. They’re IPX4-rated, which means no submersion and no dust protection, but you’re good for sweaty workouts, splashes, and occasional light rain. I’ll have to be careful in the sand, though, especially during the many beach trips I take.

The ear tips aren’t as easy to clean as silicone ear tips, but the tradeoff is that the hybrid foam material does a great job of providing passive noise cancellation and great comfort. There are metal mesh screens in the ear tips to prevent wax from passing into the drivers (pictured above).

As usual, I had issues with the “Speak-to-chat” feature during workouts. It’s brilliant, but I often forget I have that feature enabled, start singing, and interrupt my music. I even accidentally triggered the feature during forceful exhales. You can control the sensitivity in the Sound Connect app, which helps, but I turn it off during exercise unless I'm working out with a partner.

For calls, the XM6s have improved over the WF-1000XM5s by adding bone conduction tech to the earbuds, delivering better call quality on windy days. The only part of the calling experience that was a bit jarring for me was activating ANC during a call. Audio dips briefly when you do that, so you’ll miss a few words from whoever you’re talking to until ANC fully kicks in. It’s quick, but in use, you will feel its effects.

My favorite feature, which the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and some LinkBuds variations had but the WF-1000XM5 didn't, is offline Voice Commands. Sony takes things a step further by offering more commands. Additionally, through the Sound Connect app, you can set up the earbuds to activate your Voice Assistant by simply saying “Assistant,” then giving your command.

All of this worked quite well in my testing, but know that you have to choose between one or the other, and how well the Voice Commands or Assistant feature works will depend on the level of background noise. Not ideal for a concert, but on busy streets with heavy traffic noise, I was able to operate the earbuds by voice just fine.

Voice commands are well complemented by the Head Gesture feature. Just like AirPods, you can simply nod or shake your head to answer/end calls, and more.

Flagship ANC hasn’t always meant flagship sound quality. Not anymore. Bluetooth sound quality has come a long way, decreasing the gap in sonic fidelity between wired and wireless connections, and the Sony WF-1000XM6 exemplifies this growth. With an LDAC or LC3 connection, the XM6 is about as good as it gets for Bluetooth.

Wearing them during the review period, and A/B testing against some of my current favorite earbuds, they truly shine as The One Buds to rule them all. Their clarity has a sparkle that feels live, and the dynamic range provides an insightful listen with hi-res audio formats. The detail retrieval is illuminating, teasing out nuances in music that you may have missed before.

Soundstage is really open and large. The bass extension will delight bass lovers like myself, with transients handled quite well, making it a good fit for those with eclectic tastes who might be listening to bass-heavy Boom Bap one minute and classical analog instrumentation the next.

One of the A/B tests in which the XM6s showed their dominance was a comparison of how they handled the frenetic, multilayered instrumentation of the wild Jazz romp, Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’.” This song is a serious stress test for any headphones or earbuds, and the XM6s handle it with aplomb, in their default settings (EQ off, DSEE off). During the most energetic moments in the song, other wireless earbuds turn the mix into mashed potatoes, losing the character of individual horns. However, these earbuds keep the sound well separated, so you can still pick out individual instruments.

That same track showcases how smooth the treble handling is and how well it retrieves detail, which is further exemplified on the XM6 with the song “Violin Duel” from the Chevalier soundtrack. The attack of bows across violin strings is realistically reproduced when listening to hi-res audio. You feel like you’re right there, sitting with the orchestra and first chair violinist. The presentation is as holographic as I’ve heard from Bluetooth earbuds.

Ambient Sound Control and Scene detection are awesome. They use your location and/or activity to automatically change ANC settings. They work so well that I had to turn off the Walking detection because it would turn on ANC and start my Apple Music playlist when I’d walk out of the house to my car.

I kept running detection activated, as well as the geolocation-based gym scene detection. The only downside is that if you are in a place or doing an activity that activates scene detection and you try to change the ANC setting manually, it will revert to the automatically set ANC settings.

With all of that turned on, I'm seeing a little more than seven of the eight hours Sony says you'll get out of the earbuds with ANC on.

LC3 with Auracast is also very important for future-proofing! We’ve written quite a bit on what Auracast promises to do for consumers and for those with accessibility needs. For the reasons we’ve covered, you’ll want this feature baked in and easily accessible.

For roughly $300, the Sony WF-1000XM6 aren’t an impulse buy, but they are the best premium daily carry earbuds you can buy right now.

In the past, I’ve had to say that something was good, but others may be better in specific areas. This “One Ring” rules them all and delivers a product with not just excellent ANC but also engaging, enlightening sound, well-executed smart features, solid call quality, and competitive battery life.

If you’re in the market for new, flagship earbuds, these are indeed worth making the perilous journey through Mordor to acquire.

What you need to know

• Samsung’s free Hearapy app combats travel nausea using audio, offering a completely drug-free alternative to pills that leave you drowsy.
• Backed by research from Nagoya University, the app plays a continuous 100Hz bass tone at 75–85 decibels.
• Enduring just 60 seconds of this bass tone can reportedly ward off motion sickness for up to a two-hour car ride.

Motion sickness can ruin vacations, commutes, and road trips for millions of people. If you’re someone who feels sick as soon as the car starts moving, your choices usually aren’t great. Google has been working on visual aids like Motion Cues for Android, but Samsung just released a much simpler option. Their new, free Android app called Hearapy tries to help your inner ear using only sound.

Hearapy (available to download here) is based on research from Nagoya University in Japan. Scientists there tested different audio frequencies to find out if sound could affect the vestibular system, which is the part of your inner ear that controls balance.

They found that listening to a specific 100Hz bass tone can help your brain process movement better. When people listened to this tone at 75 to 85 decibels, they said they felt much less stress and nausea during car rides.

Samsung turned that research into a simple app. You put on your headphones, open Hearapy, and tap the screen. The app plays a 100Hz tone, which is meant to help prevent motion sickness.

The tech giant says that listening to this bass tone for just 60 seconds can help you feel better for a two-hour road trip (via SamMobile). The app includes a timer to track your session.

Be sure to set the volume correctly. The app suggests about 85dB, which is loud but still safe for your hearing.

What you need to use it

Samsung naturally pushes its own hardware, specifically recommending the newly launched Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

The company claims these flagship earbuds are uniquely tuned to deliver the cleanest 100Hz bass tone required for the treatment.

But do you actually need to drop premium cash on Samsung's latest buds to avoid throwing up in an Uber? Absolutely not. As long as your headphones can clearly reproduce a 100Hz bass frequency, you are good to go.