The Best-Sounding Wireless Earbuds I've Tested

CNET

TechnologyCNET·Jun 29, 2026·39 min read

The Best-Sounding Wireless Earbuds I've Tested

Not surprisingly, many of the best-sounding wireless earbuds are premium models. But knowing that not everybody can afford earbuds that cost more than $200 (or even $150), I've also included a handful of budget picks that sound very good for their price. Note that while some of the models on this list also feature excellent noise-canceling and voice-calling performance, the main criterion for being on this list is standout sound quality.

Why I like them

Pros

Completely redesigned with upgraded components and slightly better fit than XM5

Top-notch sound that's accurate, well-balanced and natural

Excellent noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with 8 microphones (4 in each bud)

Improved transparency mode and enhanced antennas for more stable wireless connection

Decent battery life

Cons

Pretty pricey

Included eartips may not be a good match for all ears

Android-only spatial audio features

8.0/10 CNET Score

Why I like them

Jump to details

Pros

Great sound with dual drivers

Attractively designed with blue-marbled finish and aluminum case

Despite their large size, they fit my ears comfortably

Noise canceling is decent for audiophile buds that prioritize sound quality

Robust equalizer options for tweaking the sound profile

LDAC audio support for Android users (but AptX support)

Cons

Battery life is only OK (up to 5 hours with ANC on) and not as good step-up Fokus Amadeus'

Missing some features like wireless charging and ear-detection sensors

Noise-canceling is acceptable but well off top-tier status

Why I like them

Pros

Excellent sound

10% smaller and 16% lighter than the AZ80s (better fit)

Improved noise-canceling and voice-calling performance

Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking

Good battery life

Triple multipoint Bluetooth pairing

Cons

Despite smaller size, buds still stick out of your ears more than some buds

Why I like them

Pros

Great sound

Smaller design with improved fit

Improved noise canceling

Smaller case transforms into a Bluetooth transceiver (it also has wireless charging)

Very sensitive touch controls

Cons

Expensive

Some other premium earbuds have superior ANC and voice-calling performance

Why I like them

Pros

Lightweight and comfortable with ear tips that fit well

Dual drivers deliver clearer, richer sound on par with more premium earbuds

Slightly improved noise-canceling performance from predecessor

Robust feature set, including Bluetooth 6.0 and support for a variety of audio codecs

Good battery life (up to 8 hours with ANC on)

Cons

Voice-calling performance could be a little better

Transparency mode is only average

Vertical charging case design can be awkward

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The Best-Sounding Wireless Earbuds I've Tested

What are the best-sounding wireless earbuds overall?

Best-sounding wireless earbuds of 2026

Best-sounding new earbuds of 2026

Best-sounding earbuds under $200

Top-sounding earbuds from Panasonic

Best-sounding wireless earbuds from B&W

Best-sounding budget earbuds

Best-sounding Apple earbuds

Improved Status earbuds with excellent sound

Best-sounding Samsung earbuds

Best-sounding earbuds with LCD in charging case

Best-sounding Bose earbuds

Top audiophile wireless earbuds

Top-sounding value earbuds with Sound by Bose

Supersleek earbuds with excellent sound

High-end wireless earbuds with impressive sound quality

Factors to consider when choosing wireless earbuds

How we test the best sounding true-wireless earbuds

Other top-sounding wireless earbuds we've tested

Best-sounding wireless earbuds FAQ

What are the best-sounding wireless earbuds overall?

Sound quality is subjective -- and everybody has different musical tastes -- so what sounds best to me may not sound best to you. Sony's WF-1000XM6 earned a CNET Editors' Choice award in February and currently sits at the top of the list, but you could also make an argument that several models on this list are the best-sounding overall.

What We Updated: June 2026

We added the Noble Osprey, JBL Tour Pro 3, Devialet Gemini II and Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro.

Best-sounding wireless earbuds of 2026

Pros

Completely redesigned with upgraded components and slightly better fit than XM5

Top-notch sound that's accurate, well-balanced and natural

Excellent noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with 8 microphones (4 in each bud)

Improved transparency mode and enhanced antennas for more stable wireless connection

Decent battery life

Cons

Pretty pricey

Included eartips may not be a good match for all ears

Android-only spatial audio features

Why I like them

While expensive, Sony's flagship WF-1000XM6 earbuds not only feature great sound and excellent noise canceling, but their voice-calling performance is also top-notch. Aside from an external makeover, the XM6s are upgraded on the inside with new drivers, a three times more powerful QN3e chip with improved analog conversion technology, eight microphones -- up from six -- and an improved bone-conduction sensor that helps with voice-calling performance. The "HD Noise Canceling" QN3e processor is paired with Sony's Integrated Processor V2, which now supports 32-bit processing, up from 24-bit. Read my Sony WF-1000M6 review.

Reasons to buy

The WF-1000XM6 are pretty hard to beat from a performance standpoint across all the key areas.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

Not everybody will get a tight seal from the included eartips. (I swapped in some tips from another set of earbuds I was testing to get a tight seal.) If you get a good seal and fit, these are special earbuds. But if you don't, you could find them underwhelming for the price. Ideally, with earbuds this expensive, Sony would have included a wider assortment of tips.

Pros

Great sound with dual drivers

Attractively designed with blue-marbled finish and aluminum case

Despite their large size, they fit my ears comfortably

Noise canceling is decent for audiophile buds that prioritize sound quality

Robust equalizer options for tweaking the sound profile

LDAC audio support for Android users (but AptX support)

Cons

Battery life is only OK (up to 5 hours with ANC on) and not as good step-up Fokus Amadeus'

Missing some features like wireless charging and ear-detection sensors

Noise-canceling is acceptable but well off top-tier status

Why I like them

You may not have heard of Noble Audio, but it makes some excellent-sounding earbuds and headphones, and it has gradually been producing more affordable true-wireless models. A couple of years ago, I added its Fokus Amadeus buds ($320) to CNET's list of best-sounding wireless earbuds as my "top audiophile" pick. Now we get the Osprey buds, which list for a more affordable $199. These buds pair a 10mm dynamic driver with a custom balanced armature driver. While the step-up Amadeus have a little more of a powerful bass and bigger overall soundstage, the Osprey deliver audiophile-grade sound with pleasing detail and deep bass response along with natural sounding, slightly forward mids (where voices live). I really liked their tonal balance.

Reasons to buy

You're looking for audiophile-grade sound from wireless earbuds that list for less than $200 and are willing to give up some extra features like wireless charging.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The Osprey are first and foremost great-sounding earbuds that have reasonably good noise canceling and voice-calling performance. If you're looking for earbuds that have superior ANC and voice-calling performance along with a more robust feature set, the Osprey may not be your best bet.

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Pros

Excellent sound

10% smaller and 16% lighter than the AZ80s (better fit)

Improved noise-canceling and voice-calling performance

Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking

Good battery life

Triple multipoint Bluetooth pairing

Cons

Despite smaller size, buds still stick out of your ears more than some buds

Why I like them

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

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

Reasons to buy

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

Reasons to skip/keep looking

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

Pros

Great sound

Smaller design with improved fit

Improved noise canceling

Smaller case transforms into a Bluetooth transceiver (it also has wireless charging)

Very sensitive touch controls

Cons

Expensive

Some other premium earbuds have superior ANC and voice-calling performance

Why I like them

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

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

Reasons to buy

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

Reasons to skip/keep looking

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

Pros

Lightweight and comfortable with ear tips that fit well

Dual drivers deliver clearer, richer sound on par with more premium earbuds

Slightly improved noise-canceling performance from predecessor

Robust feature set, including Bluetooth 6.0 and support for a variety of audio codecs

Good battery life (up to 8 hours with ANC on)

Cons

Voice-calling performance could be a little better

Transparency mode is only average

Vertical charging case design can be awkward

Why I like them

Last year, I awarded a CNET Editors' Choice to Earfun's Air Pro 4 earbuds, saying they were "hard to beat for the money." The same can be said for Earfun's new-for-2025 Air Pro 4 Plus, which also earned a CNET Editors' Choice award. Though these earbuds aren't without a few small shortcomings, those could easily be fixed with future firmware updates. At around $80 on Amazon, the Plus model costs $20 more than the standard Air Pro 4, but features a pretty significant upgrade to sound quality. (Note: Apply the code AP4PCNET at checkout on Amazon to get an additional 10% off.)

Reasons to buy them

The buds are equipped with a new dual-driver system that pairs a 10mm dynamic driver with an "ultra-light FeatherBA" balanced-armature driver that helps improve bass and treble performance. Typically, earbuds with dual drivers cost significantly more (these are the first earbuds that cost less than $100 that I've seen with dual drivers). The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus also offers a comfortable fit and a pretty robust feature set, along with improved noise canceling that's quite decent. (Read my full review.)

Reason to skip/keep looking

If Earfun could figure out a way to raise the level of the voice-calling performance of its flagship earbuds from a B- to an A- or so, they'd be the almost perfect sub $100 true-wireless earbuds. We'll see if we get some tweaks and small improvements with future firmware upgrades, but as it stands, the Air Pro 4 Plus are still excellent for the price.

Pros

Design upgrades to the buds and ear tips improve their fit

Noise cancellation has been upgraded and is now top-notch

They sound better with improved bass response and more clarity

Built-in heart-rate monitoring with new sensors

Excellent voice-calling performance (upgraded microphones)

Battery life rated for up to 8 hours (up from 6 for AirPods Pro 2)

Cons

They still use the H2 chip found in the AirPods Pro 2

Heart-rate monitoring is buried in fitness apps

While they work with Android, many of their features are exclusive to Apple devices

Some new colors would be nice

Why I like them

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

Reasons to buy

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

Reasons to skip/keep looking

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

Pros

Smaller design than previous model should offer a better fit for more people

Excellent sound with a new triple-driver configuration (12mm dynamic driver supported by two Knowles balanced armature drivers)

Noise canceling and transparency mode are significantly improved

Good voice-calling performance

Decent battery life with up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge

Cons

Pricey

The buds' design won't appeal to everyone

Included ear tips didn't get me a perfect seal (I had to use my own).

Why I like them

While the boxy design of Status's wireless earbuds isn't for everybody, its new Status Pro X buds have slimmed down -- they're 22% smaller than the company's Between 3ANC buds, with an 11% smaller case -- and should fit more ears better. They also have a new triple driver set up: an "enlarged" 12mm dynamic driver supported by two Knowles balanced armature drivers. The result is earbuds that deliver top Bluetooth sound quality, highlighted by excellent clarity and bass definition, along with good stereo separation, with instruments well-placed in the soundstage, allowing you to hear each one distinctly.

The earlier Between 3ANC buds also had good sound quality, but the new model's sound just seems richer and fuller; it's clearly a level up. Just as importantly, Status has improved the noise canceling and made the transparency mode sound more natural. Both aren't quite as good as the Apple AirPods Pro 3's ANC and transparency, but they're now quite respectable. And the voice-calling performance is also very good, based on my tests in the noisy streets of New York City. The buds have three mics in each bud, and Status says it's introduced Voiceloom AI Speech Enhancement, which "leverages deep neural net training to filter out background noise during voice communications."

IP55 splashproof and dust-resistant, the buds have "high-resolution" LDAC codec support to go along with Bluetooth LE Audio, enabling the LC3 codec and Auracast broadcast audio with a future firmware update. Status' companion app for iOS and Android has also been upgraded and now has robust EQ options, customization of the controls (the buds have touch controls as well as a physical button) and FindMy support. Finally, battery life is decent, with up to 8 hours on a single charge with noise canceling off and another 24 hours in the charging case, which supports wireless charging. With noise canceling turned on, the battery life is more like 6.5 hours at 50% volume.

Reasons to buy them

You're looking for earbuds that offer excellent sound quality, strong noise canceling and top-tier voice-calling performance -- and you like the idea that they look a little different from your typical AirPods-like stick earbuds.

Reason to skip/keep looking

The Status Pro X are pricey at $300. I like their sound slightly better than the AirPods Pro 3, but their price makes them harder to recommend over the AirPods Pro 3 for Apple users (they're a little better suited to Android users). I didn't love the ear tips that ship with the buds and used my own to get a tight seal.

Pros

Sleeker design with slightly more comfortable, secure fit

Excellent sound with upgraded drivers

Top-tier voice-calling and transparency mode

Built-in voice and touch controls work well

Robust feature set

Slightly improved adaptive noise canceling

Cons

Noise canceling and battery life have room to improve

Eartips have a proprietary design so you can't swap in third-party tips unless they're designed for the buds

Some features are exclusive to Samsung Galaxy devices or Android-only

Why I like them

When Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro in 2024, it got some grief for moving to an AirPods-like stem design. The new look was hard to stomach for some Galaxy Buds fans, who felt Samsung had caved to Apple's design ethos. If you were hoping Samsung would return to its stemless ways with future Galaxy buds, sorry, that's not in the cards. Its new flagship Galaxy Buds 4 Pro have a stick design. But if it's any consolation, they look snazzier, fit a bit better, and they have upgraded sound and slightly improved performance all-around. That's why I awarded them a CNET Editors' Choice. Read my full review.

Reasons to buy

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are essentially AirPods Pro 3 for Samsung and Android users, with top-notch sound, voice-calling performance and a strong feature set. They should also fit most ears comfortably and securely. Their noise-canceling is also quite good, though not quite at the same level as Apple, Sony and Bose.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The performance upgrades are significant but not huge, and if you own the Buds 3 Pro, it's probably not worth upgrading to the Buds 4 Pro unless you're really smitten with their new look.

Pros

Good fit, comfortable to wear

Dual-driver design serves up clear, well-defined sound with punchy bass

Most accurate frequency response in lab tests

1.6-inch color touchscreen

Good noise-canceling and voice-calling performance

Wireless charging

Support for LDAC codec (Android), AAC

Spatial sound with head-tracking

Case works as a Bluetooth dongle

Cons

They sound very good, but don't quite rise to a special level

Noise canceling is behind competitors

Smart charging case is a tad heavy

Why I like them

When they were released back in the fall of 2024, JBL's flagship Tour Pro 3 earbuds cost $330. While they featured a touchscreen LCD in their charging case, which doubled as a Bluetooth dongle, I thought they were a little expensive for what they ultimately delivered. But over time, the price has dropped (around $250 or less sometimes), making them a better deal. Plus, they now have the distinction of earning our first CNET Labs award for best frequency response as they tested closest to the Harman Target Curve. Combine that with the added benefit of some firmware updates that have slightly improved their performance, and they're easier to recommend today, though they face steep competition from the likes of Apple's AirPods Pro 3 (for Apple users) and Samsung's Galaxy Buds 4 Pro (for Android users). Read my full review.

Reasons to buy

You're looking for high-quality earbuds and like the concept of having an LCD in the charging case that acts as a remote control and also transforms into Bluetooth transceiver.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The Tour Pro 3 earbuds were released in late 2024 and may be due for an upgrade later this year. Also, JBL's step-down Live Beam 3 earbuds, while they don't sound quite as good, cost about $100 less.

Pros

Excellent sound and improved noise-canceling that's truly impressive

Fit Kit ear tips and stabilizer system gets you a secure, comfortable fit

New Immersive Audio Cinema mode for video content that also improves speech clarity for spoken-word content

Slightly improved voice-calling

Wireless charging has finally been added

Cons

Hardware changes don't really amount to a true 2.0 product

Immersive Audio mode hurts battery life

Why I like them

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

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

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

Bose SpeechClarity

Spotify Tap

Turn capacitive controls on/off

General connectivity and stability improvements

Feature upgrades available exclusively to the Gen 2 model include:

Enhanced adaptive noise cancellation

Reduced noise floor (the faint hiss in noise-canceling mode)

Case battery reporting

Cinema Mode

Reasons to buy

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

Reasons to skip/keep looking

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

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Pros

Great sound

Attractively designed with a "bold red finish that pays tribute to Mozart's signature tailcoat"

Despite their large size, they fit my ears comfortably

Good battery life

Noise canceling is decent for audiophile buds that prioritize sound quality

Wireless charging

Cons

The buds stick out of your ears pretty far (they're pretty large)

Noise canceling is a step behind Sony's, Bose's and Apple's

No water-resistance rating

Noble, the maker of "artisanal" in-ear monitors and headphones, keeps edging into the more mainstream earbuds market. releasing its new Osprey buds in 2026. The early Fokus Amadeus ($320) buds are a step-up in terms of build quality (and they do sound a tad better) On the large side, they do fit a little more comfortably than the company's earlier buds, which did not feature active noise canceling. Though their noise muffling capabilities are merely decent (the ANC is certainly a step behind what you get with Bose and Sony flagship models), their sound quality is exceptionally good.

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

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

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

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Pros

Well-designed earbuds with comfortable, secure fit

Very good sound quality for the price with Sound by Bose

Good noise canceling

Decent voice-calling performance

Cons

Dolby spatial audio falls well short of Apple's spatial audio with head-tracking

No wireless charging

Why I like them

A trickle of earbuds from value-oriented brands has come out in the last year in collaboration with Bose, which has been gradually expanding its "Sound by Bose" initiative that brings its brand to more affordable headphones and earbuds. Like the Bose-infused Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds, the Baseus Inspire XP1 features very good sound in a set of comfortable earbuds that share some similarities with Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, particularly how they fit (they have similar eartips to the Ultras, and the buds fit my ears quite well). Out of the box, they have a fairly balanced, though marginally V-shaped sound profile with slightly accentuated bass and treble and slightly recessed mids (the mids do sound warm and natural). But like Bose headphones and earbuds, they're designed to sound good (smooth) with a variety of music genres, and they feature strong, punchy bass and relatively detailed sound along with a fairly wide sound stage. Read full review.

While their noise canceling isn't up to the level of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)'s superb ANC, it's quite respectable, especially for a set of earbuds that don't cost much more than $100 (and may dip to $100 during the holiday buying season). The Inspire XP1 are rated for up to 6 hours of battery life with noise canceling on, and they have an IP54 water-resistance rating, which means they're splash-proof and dust-resistant. It's also worth noting that they're equipped with Bluetooth 6.1 and Dolby spatial audio, though I didn't notice much of a difference in sound quality when I turned the spatial audio on (there's a mode for music and movies).

Reasons to buy them

The buds are well-designed and sound very good for the price, with solid all-around performance, including good noise canceling and decent voice-calling performance with 3 microphones per bud.

Reason to skip/keep looking

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus feature slightly better sound for less. But I like the fit of these buds slightly better.

Pros

Excellent build quality, with premium design elements, including an aluminum-clad case

Top-notch sound that's clean, clear and fairly open, with well-defined bass

Slightly improved noise canceling and transparency mode

IP57 dust-resistant and waterproof

Cons

$200 more than previous flagship model

Some infrequent wireless connectivity hiccups

No spatial audio mode

I liked Bang & Olufsen's earlier Beoplay EX earbuds a lot, and the company's latest flagship buds, the Beoplay Eleven, are easily among the best-sounding earbuds, though they're quite pricey. From a hardware standpoint, they seem nearly identical to the EX and are equipped with the same 9.2mm drivers. But they do have some upgraded components, most notably upgraded microphones. As a result, they not only feature slightly improved noise canceling and a more natural-sounding transparency mode with a bit more amplification, but they also have some software tweaks that improve the multipoint Bluetooth performance and touch controls. Their voice-calling performance remains top-tier, with very good background noise reduction during calls.

From a sound standpoint, I think the Eleven sound just a touch better than the EX buds, which already sounded great. They're ever so slightly more open (wider soundstage), and the bass performance seems a tad better. But the difference in sound quality is quite small. Based on the modest upgrades, it's hard to defend B&O for raising the list price of the Eleven by $200 (the EX list for $399), although a B&O rep did tell me that a B&O service center can replace the batteries in the buds should they die, extending their lifespan.

Like the EX, the Eleven buds feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for folks with really small ears). The build quality is top-notch, with premium design elements, including a brushed aluminum case that offers wireless charging (the buds aren't heavy, at 6 grams, but they feel more substantial than most earbuds with stems). They offer superior sound to Apple's AirPods Pro 2, with better clarity, deeper, more powerful bass, and richer, more accurate sound.

Battery life is still rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on, and there's an extra 14 hours of juice in the brushed aluminum charging case (wireless charging is supported). The buds have an IP57 water-resistance rating, which makes them waterproof and dust-resistant. They have ear-detection sensors and still feature Bluetooth 5.2 and support AptX Adaptive for devices like Android smartphones that support Bluetooth streaming with the AptX HD audio codec (AAC is also supported). In the streets of New York, I did experience the occasional wireless connectivity hiccup (partial dropout), which was also the case with the EX. Because this happened infrequently, it wasn't too annoying, but this really shouldn't happen at all with buds that cost this much.

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Pros

Miniature version of Devialet's eye-catching Phantom speakers

Rich, detailed sound with wide sound stage

40% smaller than their predecessor, which helps deliver a more comfortable, secure fit to more ears

Decent noise-canceling for audiophile-grade wireless earbuds

Wireless charging

Cons

Expensive

Over two years old and price hasn't dropped

5 hours of battery life is slightly below average

Why I like them

Devialet is a French audio company that made a name for itself with its high-end wireless speakers but also developed the excellent-sounding Gemini II earbuds. The company says the buds' 10mm diameter driver unit has a titanium coating to "top the three layers of polymers, as well as a signature neodymium magnet that substantially optimize the earbuds' stiffness and help generate ultra-precise noise-cancellation signals." The Gemini II buds deliver rich, clean audio with powerful bass and refined treble. While their sound quality may not surpass that of some of the top-sounding earbuds out there, they're certainly in the mix -- as they should be for what they cost.

Reasons to buy them

The Gemini II not only sound excellent but also offer good all-around performance and a premium design that shares the same aesthetics as Devialet's eye-catching Phantom speakers. (They look like miniature Phantoms.) Since these buds are 40% smaller than their predecessor, they should fit most -- though not all -- ears comfortably and securely. Note that the $699 Opera de Paris edition of the earbuds has gold-plated accents.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

They've been on the market for over two years and haven't come down in price at all.

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Budget

Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on the best-sounding wireless earbuds. Value-priced earbuds continue to improve, so you can find good "cheap" buds for not too much money (less than $60). But if you're looking for premium buds from Sony, Apple and Bose, be prepared to face a much higher price tag -- upwards of $300 or more.

Fit (Comfort)

It's key that the earbuds you buy fit your ears well. They should offer a comfortable, secure fit. If you don't get a tight seal with noise-isolating earbuds, sound quality and noise canceling can be dramatically impacted for the worse.

Durability

You want earbuds that hold up well over time, so look for models that we note have sturdy build quality. This is especially important with true wireless earbuds, which are more susceptible to loss or damage due to their size.

Performance

You want the best-sounding headphones with the best sound modes, call quality and features for whatever you're able to spend.

Return policy

Because the fit of your earbuds is so important, it's critical to buy your buds at a retailer that has a good return policy, in case the buds aren't a good match for your ears. Some people buy two sets of earbuds, see which one works best for them, then keep their favorite.

We test true-wireless earbuds based on five key criteria, comparing similarly styled and priced models. These criteria are design, sound quality, features, voice-calling performance and value.

Design

We assess not only how comfortable the true wireless earbuds fit (ergonomics) but also their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. We also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.

Sound quality

Most importantly for this list, we evaluate sound quality and music experience by listening to a set playlist of tracks from several music genres and comparing the earbuds to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, sound control, clarity, dynamic range, and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.

Features

Some great-sounding earbuds aren't loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from noise-cancelling and transparency modes (ambient sound mode) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears.

Voice-calling performance

When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear your voice.

Value

We determine value after evaluating the strength of the earbuds against all these criteria and what the buds are able to deliver compared to other models in their price class. Because the prices on this list vary, we're sure to only compare earbuds to those with a similar price tag.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4: Sennheiser makes some of the best-sounding noise-canceling earbuds and the Momentum True Wireless 4 sound great, though their noise canceling and voice-calling performance don't measure up to what you get with flagship models from Bose, Sony and Apple earbuds. Rumor has it that Sennheiser will release the Momentum True Wireless 5 in 2026, so we removed the Wireless 4 from the list.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: The Powerbeats Pro 2 are easily among the best-sounding sports earbuds. Not only do they feature a new, more refined design with better ergonomics, but new drivers, a more powerful Apple H2 chip, a new built-in heart-rate sensor and, yes, active noise canceling for the first time in a pair of Powerbeats. And that noise canceling is quite good, as is the sound quality and voice-calling performance -- so long as you get a tight seal from one of the five different included eartips. Read my Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review.

Skullcandy Method 360 ANC: In a surprise move, Skullcandy joined forces with Bose in 2025 to create a budget version of Bose's $299 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. With "Sound by Bose," not only do the Method 360 ANC buds sound better than most earbuds in this price class (they sound very similar to Bose's $170 QuietComfort Earbuds), they also fit comfortably and securely thanks to Bose's Fit Kit system that features stability bands to lock the buds in your ears. They were featured on our best wireless earbuds list and remain a good value, but Skullcandy has released the Method 540 ANC in 2026 (it has a 20% slimmer case). Read the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC review.

Sony Pulse Explore: There are a lot of new gaming earbuds out there, but what makes the Sony Pulse Explore earbuds special is that they feature planar magnetic drivers, a speaker technology typically found in high-end over-ear audiophile headphones but rarely in earbuds. While they're missing some features found in typical premium earbuds (noise canceling and ear-detection sensors), that they're as good as they are for listening to music and making calls is a revelation. Read my full review.

Edifier NeoBuds Planar: In 2024, Edifier released a set of earbuds, the Spirit S10, from its audiophile brand Stax that featured low-distortion planar magnetic drivers (planar magnetic drivers have only recently started appearing in true-wireless earbuds). The sound of the Stax buds was a little too neutral for some folks, including me, and the noise canceling wasn't quite strong enough. But both the sound and noise-canceling have improved with Edifier's similarly styled new-for-2025 NeoBuds Planar. While they retain the clean, clear sound of the Stax buds, they serve up more bass and sound more alive and dynamic than the Spirit S10s. They also have more effective noise canceling, plus good voice-calling performance.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro: Leaks have revealed that Samsung will release new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro earbuds, so we moved the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro off the best list despite the fact that they remain very good earbuds. They may be nicely discounted once Samsung releases a new model. Read my Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review.

Sony WF-1000XM5: Sony has released the new WF-1000XM6 earbuds, which are noticeably improved from the earlier XM5s, which are still appealing earbuds and should be nicely discounted now that the XM6 has arrived. Read my Sony WF-1000XM5 review. Earfun is now shipping the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus, which have a dual-driver design and sound better for about $20 more. The Earfun Air Pro 4 are still a very good value, but I like the Plus model better.

Beyerdynamic Amiron 300: While Beyerdynamic's original Free Byrd impressed with sound quality, its new-for-2024 Amiron 300 earbuds address the previous design shortcomings with a compact, lightweight form factor that fits my ears well. The sound quality is outstanding -- rich, detailed and fairly open with a very pleasant tonal balance out of the box. There's impressive instrument separation that allows you to distinctly hear each element in complex tracks. The bass response is particularly noteworthy -- articulate and punchy without overwhelming the mix -- while the midrange offers nice clarity and accuracy, which benefits vocal reproduction. Voice-calling performance is solid thanks to three microphones in each bud, with callers reporting they could hear me well even in noisy environments, with only minimal background noise intruding.

JBL Live Beam 3: The Live Beam 3 (around $170) earbuds look similar to the earlier Live Buds Pro 2, which I like a lot, especially when they go on sale for less than $100. Essentially, JBL's AirPods Pro 2 competitor, their distinguishing feature is the 1.45-inch touchscreen LCD integrated into their charging case that acts as a remote control for the buds and allows you to access their features. Equipped with 10mm drivers, not only do they offer clear, well-defined sound with punchy bass, but their noise canceling and voice-calling performance are very solid. Their battery is also good -- they offer up to 10 hours of battery life with ANC on and 12 hours with it off at moderate volume levels (a 10-minute charge gives you four hours of battery life). Available in four color options, they're IP55 splash-proof and dust-resistant.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Bose is now shipping its improved QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen), which means you'll be able to find discounts on the original QC Ultra Earbuds, which feature excellent sound and previously best-in-class noise-canceling performance.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2: Google's redesigned its Pixel Buds Pro 2 to fit more ears better. Not only are the Pixel Buds Pro 2 smaller than their predecessor, but Google's equipped them with its new Tensor A1 chip, which offers more processing power and enables its new "hands-free, eyes-free" Gemini virtual AI assistant. So long as you get a snug fit and tight seal (yes, that's critical for sound quality and noise-canceling performance), these buds deliver excellent sound, strong noise-muffling capabilities and a robust feature set, particularly for Android and Google Pixel phone users.

Sony LinkBuds Fit: Truth be told, in some ways, I like Sony's new LinkBuds Fit ($200) better than its flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-canceling earbuds. While they don't sound quite as good or have noise-canceling that's quite on par with those buds, they're lightweight (4.9 grams) and fit my ears comfortably and securely. Part of that is due to Sony's new Air Fitting Supporters, but it's also redesigned its eartips and included a wide range of sizes, including XL tips that fit my ears well. Despite being a slight step down from the WF-1000XM5s for performance, their sound quality, noise canceling and call-quality performance are all very good. They also have built-in voice controls.

Status Between 3ANC: Status Audio has announced the Pro X, the next-generation of its noise-canceling earbuds (they're available for preorder for $250 and will make this list of best-sounding wireless earbuds once they ship in September, based on my testing an early sample), but the more affordable Between 3ANC ($150) will remain on sale. Status' earbuds aren't exactly the sleekest or most attractive earbuds you can buy, but if you don't mind their utilitarian look and giant stems, you are getting an excellent-sounding set of earbuds. The Between 3ANC, the company's first noise-canceling earbuds, also do a good job muffling ambient sound, though they aren't up to the level of the Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds for noise-canceling prowess. They did perform very well in my voice-calling test, reducing much of the background noise around me in the streets of New York while picking up my voice clearly, or so callers told me.

Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2: There's been some hype recently around solid-state semiconductor Micro-Electromechanical System, aka MEMS, speakers and you can find xMEMS drivers in Creative Labs' Aurvana Ace ($130) and Ace 2 earbuds ($150). The newer Ace 2 has support for Qualcomm's AptX Lossless for the limited number of devices that support that audio codec, but otherwise the two models seem nearly identical, except for their color schemes. While the Ace 2 is missing features like ear-detection sensors that are often found in buds in this price range, they do sound quite impressive (if you get a tight seal), with nicely detailed, accurate sound and well-defined bass that has some warmth to it (it does help to play around with the companion app's equalizer settings to optimize the sound to your liking). I found their adaptive noise canceling good, though not necessarily great. The same was true for the voice calling performance.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2: While they've been replaced by the new and improved PI8s, the PI7 S2s, which feature a dual-driver design, remain among the very best-sounding true-wireless earbuds. The step-down PI5 S2s, which have a single-driver design, don't sound quite as good but are more affordable. Learn more about the high-quality headphones in my full Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2 earbuds review.

Sony LinkBuds S: Unlike the "open" LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam in your ears. They're more compact and lighter than Sony's former flagship WF-1000XM4 and also feature Sony's V1 processor. (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5.) While their sound and noise canceling don't quite measure up to either XM4s or XM5s, they're still quite good. They're the Sony buds for people who want 80% of Sony's flagship earbuds' features and performance for significantly less. Read my full Sony LinkBuds S review to see how they stack up.

Jabra Elite 10: Yes, the Jabra Elite 10s have some potential drawbacks: Their noise canceling is lighter compared with competitors, they're pricey at $249, and they'll probably have to come down a bit to better compete with the AirPods Pro 2 -- at least for Apple users. Still, they're really good earbuds that are not only comfortable to wear for long periods but also sound excellent. Learn more about the Elites in my full Jabra Elite 10 review.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen's $399 Beoplay EX buds are the company's best true-wireless earbuds. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), top-notch build quality, great sound, good noise canceling and improved voice-calling performance over B&O's EQ buds, with three microphones in each earbud they help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. While they're out of most people's price point, they're arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer slightly superior sound to the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound. I looked at the earbuds in my hands-on of the Band & Olufsen Beoplay EX when they debuted in 2022.

Audio-Technica ATH-TWX9: Audio-Technica has put out several truly wireless earbuds over the last few years, but none of them have been good. That changes with the ATH-TWX9, which sports a premium design plus premium sound and a pretty robust feature set, including strong active noise canceling, Multipoint Bluetooth pairing and a case equipped with wireless charging and UV LED sterilization. In the box, you'll also find a plethora of ear tip options, and I was able to tight seal and comfortable fit. These buds are IPX4 splash-proof and are rated for 6 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.

1More Evo: Known for delivering good bang for the buck, 1More has released a more premium set of buds that are equipped with a 10mm dynamic driver paired with a balanced armature. They have support for Sony's LDAC codec for high-resolution wireless streaming over Bluetooth with music services like Qobuz or Tidal that offer high-resolution music files. The Evo buds sound better than the company's other earbuds, offering better clarity and bass definition as well as a relatively wide soundstage. They also feature solid noise canceling, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, a transparency mode and an IPX4 splashproof rating. Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours without it off. A 15-minute quick charge gives you 4 hours of juice.

Beyerdynamic Free Byrd: Beyerdynamic may be late to the game, but it's finally introduced its first true wireless earbuds, which feature active noise canceling, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise canceling off) and impressive sound quality. Learn more about the debut buds in my full Beyerdynamic Free Byrd review.

Sony WF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, Sony's WF-1000XM4 earned a CNET Editors' Choice Award. They're still excellent earbuds, but Sony has now released the next-gen WF-1000XM5. They may be a good option if you find them at a good discount. See why they earned such high marks in my full Sony WF-1000XM4 review.

Final Audio ZE8000: Japan-based Final Audio, which makes some high-end audiophile headphones, including the $4,299 D8000 Pro, has released its ZE8000 ($199) true wireless earbuds that feature a unique stick design and excellent sound. The largest tips fit my ears comfortably and securely, though they do stick out a bit.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true-wireless earbuds of 2022. They're still among the best true-wireless earbuds, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds are arguably superior, so only look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they're significantly discounted. Still, they offer some pretty impressive features that I noticed in my full review of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3.

JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has put out some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. That's finally changed with the arrival of the Samsung-owned brand's new Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 buds. Both sets of buds -- the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design -- offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise canceling, very good sound quality and voice-calling performance, plus a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.

What makes for great-sounding wireless earbuds?

The best-sounding wireless earbuds offer clean, open sound with strong, well-defined bass. The best of the best-sounding earbuds allow you to hear each instrument separately in complicated music and offer a level of detail, depth and refinement not found in lesser buds.

Do the best sounding earbuds all cost a lot?

Many do but you can find earbuds with good sound for a little more than $100 and sometimes less. The top-sounding earbuds do tend to cost over $200.

Are the best-sounding earbuds larger than most earbuds?

Many but not all. The best-sounding earbuds tend to have larger drivers or dual drivers so they're larger as a result.

Do wireless earbuds have better sound quality?

Usually people will tell you that wired earbuds sound better, but wireless models are getting close. Premium wireless headphones can easily sound better than middle-of-the-road wired headphones that cost less than $100. Going wired still is the best option for optimal sound quality, but wireless headphones often come with a cord that allows you to plug in.

Does noise canceling matter?

If you're looking to muffle ambient sound from the outside world, active noise canceling is a feature you'll want in your headphones. Note that noise-canceling performance varies from headphone to headphone, with Bose, Sony and Apple arguably offering the best.

View original source — CNET ↗

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