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Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2: Although replaced by the new and improved PI8, the PI7 S2, which features a dual-driver design, remains among the best-sounding true wireless headphones. The drop-down PI5 S2s, which have a single-driver design, don’t sound quite as good, but are more affordable.
Sony LinkBuds S: Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating headphones with tips that you stick in your ears. They are more compact and lighter than Sony’s former flagship VF-1000XM4 and also feature Sony’s V1 processor. (Sony has since released the more compact VF-1000KSM5.) While their sound and noise cancellation don’t measure up to either the KSM4 or the KSM5, they’re still pretty good. They are Sony headphones for people who want 80% of the features and performance of Sony’s flagship headphones for significantly less.
Jabra Elite 10: Yes, the Jabra Elite 10s they have some potential downsides: their noise cancellation is lighter compared to the competition, they’re expensive at $249, and they’ll probably need to come down a bit to better compete with the AirPods Pro 2 — at least for Apple users. Still, they’re really good headphones that are not only comfortable to wear for long periods of time, but also sound great.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: Bang & Olufsen’s $399 Beoplay EX headphones are the company’s best true wireless headphones. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really small ears), superb build quality, great sound, good noise cancellation and improved voice call performance over B&O’s EK headphones, with three microphones in each earcup helping to reduce background noise while hearing your own voice. While they’re out of most people’s price range, they’re probably the best earphones out there and offer a slightly superior sound to the AirPods Pro 2 with better clarity, deeper, more powerful bass, and a richer, more precise sound.
Audio-Technica ATH-TVX9: Audio-Technica has released several truly wireless headphones over the past few years, but none of them have been good. That changes with the ATH-TVX9, which has a premium design plus premium sound and a pretty robust feature set, including powerful active noise cancellation, Multipoint Bluetooth pairing, and a case equipped with wireless charging and UV LED sterilization. You’ll also find plenty of ear tip options in the box and I was able to get a tight seal and a comfortable fit. These buds are IPX4 splash-proof and rated for 6 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
1Sea Here: Known for delivering good value for money, 1More has released a premium set of buds that feature a 10mm dynamic driver paired with a balanced armature. They have support for Sony’s LDAC codec for high-resolution wireless streaming via Bluetooth with music services such as Kobuz or Tidal offering high-resolution music files. The Evo buds sound better than the company’s other headphones, offering better bass clarity and definition, as well as a relatively wide soundstage. They also have solid noise cancellation, multi-point Bluetooth pairing, wireless charging, transparency mode, and an IPX4 splash-resistance rating. Battery life is rated at 5.5 hours with ANC on and 8 hours without. A quick 15-minute charge gives you 4 hours of juice.
Beierdynamic Free Bird: Beierdinamic may be late to the game, but it has finally unveiled its first true wireless headphones, which feature active noise cancellation, up to 11 hours of battery life (with noise cancellation off) and impressive sound quality with Beierdynamic Free Bird.
Sony VF-1000XM4: Released in 2021, Sony’s VF-1000XSM4 won a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. They’re still great headphones, but Sony has now released the next-gen VF-1000XM5. They might be a good option if you find them at a good discount.
Final Audio ZE8000: Japan-based Final Audio, which makes some high-end audiophile headphones, including the $4,299 D8000 Prohas released its ZE8000 True Wireless Headphones ($199), which feature a unique stick design and great sound. The largest tips fit my ears comfortably and securely, although they stick out a bit.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true wireless headphones in 2022. They are still among the best true wireless headphones, but Sennheiser has released the upgraded Momentum True Wireless 4. Also, the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony The VF-1000XSM5 headphones are certainly superior, so just look to pick up the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they’re heavily discounted.
JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has released some decent true wireless headphones, but nothing that really blew me away too much. That finally changed with the arrival of a new brand owned by Samsung Live Pro 2 and Free live 2 buds. Both sets of buds – the Live Pro 2 have stems, while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design – offer a comfortable fit with strong noise cancellation, very good sound quality and voice call performance, plus a robust feature set, including Bluetooth multi-point pairing, IPX5 splash resistance rating and wireless charging.
