Design-wise, they’re lightweight at just 3.7g per earbud and incredibly small with three different types of eartips, which means they should suit almost everyone and we certainly found them incredibly comfortable to wear during our testing. Codecs determine how Bluetooth transmits information to your device. The SBC codec is pretty much universal across all devices and works just fine, though you’ll open up the possibility to listen to higher resolution audio with more advanced codecs such as AAC, which is favoured by Apple, or Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD or aptX Adaptive codecs. Bear in mind that your output device must also support the codec: iPhones don’t support aptX so even if you own the very best wireless earbuds money can buy, you won’t be able to make use of it. Can I make and receive phone and video calls? You don't have an iPhone: If you're in the Android world, you won't get as much benefit from these headphones (although it's not as bad as previously). Battery life: Earbuds will always have a stated battery life, as will the case used to charge them. Between 15 and 20 hours of total listening time is around average, though your mileage will vary depending on the volume at which you play your audio. Having advanced features such as ANC active will also drain your battery faster. The sound mode will say something like “mono” or, most often, “stereo.” The stereo sound mode has a right and a left sound channel, giving the audio depth. Mono means it only has a single channel, so you hear the same sounds in each ear. If a pair of headphones has a “surround sound” mode, it has several channels (5.1 or 7.1), so you can hear several layers of sound and even more dimension than stereo sound.

One other small quibble is that there’s nothing on the instruction manual or the associated app that tells you how to do the initial pairing. I had to google it. Although we have dedicated testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, the bulk of our wireless earbuds testing happens outside those facilities, whether that's on the street or in our busy office. The Ultra actually replace the company's 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award winner – the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, so shop around and you might be able to find a big chunk of cash slashed off the older pair. It's an option worth considering. Transparency mode, where you dial out the noise-cancellation to filter in sounds from the outside world, is less successful but still pretty serviceable. Several earbuds that we recommend do offer IPX7 protection – often the most high-end or sport-focused options – which should be suitable for most users who are just looking for solid sweat, splash and rainproof options. This time, the “7” means the earbuds should be waterproof up to 1m for a period of 30 minutes.

You will notice this much more on a phone that supports the aptX codec, like a Sony Xperia or Xiaomi Mi, but even on an iPhone with its less exalted codecs, the Bowers & Wilkins sound is easily one of the best I tested. I very nearly adopted these as my permanent earbuds. You intend to wear your earbuds all day: Even at its best, the battery life available here is nothing special – long-haul flights are a non-starter. Shokz are famous for having pioneered bone-conduction headphones where the sound travels through your cheekbone, leaving your ear completely open to the world. We consider their OpenRun Pro the safest headphones you can get for running. Admittedly, you don’t have to look all that long or hard to identify the areas where the TWS-50s have been built down to a price. Happily, none of these areas impacts the day-to-day experience of SoundMAGIC ownership. No, the plastics used for the earbuds and their charging case don’t feel in any way luxurious. Yes, the digital display on the case that indicates how much battery life it’s holding is tragically (or thrillingly, depending on how old you are) 80s. But where it really matters, the TWS050s are all business.

The design goes deep. If you look closely at the speaker tips, they’re divided in two. This is because each bud contains a ‘dynamic driver’ and a ‘balanced armature driver’, respectively for high and low frequencies. Most earbuds only have one driver. As a result, the sound quality is next-level. When listening to podcasts, speech sounds more intimate and human. When listening to music, there’s much more space between the instruments. It’s as if your head is the recording studio and they’re playing inside it. German luxury company Montblanc is best-known for gorgeous and expensive pens, but has recently started turning its hand to expensive headphones as well, with noise-cancelling over-ears built for luxury travellers. The MTB-03 is the company’s first attempt at true wireless in-ears, and the sleek buds do a pretty good job at welcoming ‘luxury’ into your ear canals for the first time. Technics is the ‘serious’ audio wing of Panasonic, and as with their hi-fis, you expect them to deliver the goods on the sonic front. These metallic and surprisingly weighty little buds don’t disappoint, delivering better bass than most and highly realistic performance.Wireless earbuds should take between 60 minutes and five hours to reach a full charge, and most earbuds last for between four and 12 hours on a single charge. Twelve hours or more is generally considered very good. However, you can find devices with extended battery life or devices with a charging case. The Edifier NeoBuds Pro are a fantastic choice if you’re after the powers of ANC at a more affordable price.

They also sound better than the original AirPods Pro with their new H2 chip. Bass is still rich in tone, but voices are clearer than before, detail is more audible and instruments are defined with more clarity, avoiding the muddled sounding performance that can afflict Google’s Pixel Buds Pro rival. The battery is pretty good, the TWS 1/ able to last for 34 hours with ANC on, which is better than the AirPods Pro 2 and WF-1000XM4. Charging is a choice of USB-C and via any Qi-enabled wireless charging pad, and with the IPX4 resistance against moisture, you can consider these as an option for runs and workouts, too. Some earbuds have touch controls, while others have physical buttons. Many earbuds, like AirPods, are controlled by taps. Examine the controls, and see if the controls will be comfortable and easy to access.Bose has never been one to stuff the headphones full of features, and QuietComfort Earbuds II follow the same path. There is a three-band EQ to change the sound profile of the buds within the app, and the wireless performance is excellent, with barely a hint of a dropout noted. A significant proportion of buds now favour the use of silicone tips, which seal off your ear canals and secure the buds in your ears far better. They also have the advantage of providing improved passive noise cancellation. Manufacturers typically provide a range of different-sized tips to help ensure you get the most comfortable and stable fit possible.