Google Pixel Buds Pro: Pixel Buds Pro are Google's first headphones with active noise cancellation. While it's nice to finally have a feature that many true wireless earbuds have had for a while, what ultimately sets the Pixel Buds Pro apart and makes them worth considering — especially for Android users — is their distinct design, and the win fits. That helps improve their performance on both the sound quality and noise cancellation fronts. While not exactly elite for voice calls, they also performed well as a headset for making calls. Read ours Google Pixel Buds Pro Review.
Soundcore by Anker Space One: Available in three color options, the Soundcore Space One is Anker's latest noise-cancelling headphones and a good value for around $100, offering a strong feature set along with good sound quality and performance. They can't quite compete in terms of sound with many of the premium noise-canceling models, but you don't feel like you're giving up as much on the sound front to save a good chunk of money. They lack that natural, refined quality you look for in a big set of cans, but the Space Ones sound respectable, with decent clarity and bass definition, and measure up well to the more expensive Soundcore Space 45. Noise and Voice Cancellation – Call-in performance is also good for headphones in this price range, although the transparency mode is just okay. Anker has developed a version of Sony's Speak-to-Chat feature — Anker calls it Easy Chat — that automatically pauses your music and goes into transparency mode when you walk up to someone and start a conversation. The headphones are equipped with wear detection sensors, a feature not usually found at this price point, and include a carrying case. LDAC audio codec support is available for Android users.
After Aonic 50: Many of us liked Shure's original Aonic 50 headphones, but they had pretty mediocre noise cancellation. Well, the 2nd generation version solves that problem — the noise cancellation is much improved — and Shure has more than doubled the battery life to around 45 hours (they now have a quick charge feature) and also reduced the wear on the headphones a little case, although it is still not so compact. These upgrades make the Aonic 50 Gen 2 the ultimate noise-canceling headphone. While the Aonic 50 Gen 2s are quite heavy at 334 grams, they are solidly built and also comfortable to wear, with nicely padded ear cups. They are characterized by excellent sound quality with very good clarity and well-defined bass. Shure calls them “studio headphones,” so the sound profile is pretty neutral, but you can add more bass in the EQ settings in Shure's companion app for iOS and Android (turning on the Spatializer setting in the app expands the soundstage a bit, but it doesn't make a big difference).
Mark Levinson No. 5909: The 5909 are premium audio brand Mark Levinson's first headphones and, yes, they're really expensive at $999. But they are also really good. They have a solid design without feeling bulky on your head (read: they're substantial but not too heavy), and they're comfortable to wear for long periods thanks to their nicely padded (and replaceable) leather earcups and headband. head. . Read ours Mark Levinson no. 5909 practical.
Focal bats: French audio company Focal is known for its high quality speaker and headphone systems. You might call it the Bowers and Wilkins of France. And now it's finally done what many high-end audio companies have had to do in this era of wireless on-the-go music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones. These $699 cans sound fantastic and are great overall, but their noise cancellation is pretty light, so don't buy them for their ANC.
Master & Dynamic MW09: Master & Dynamic headphones and earphones have always had a unique, eye-catching design that incorporates premium materials such as aluminum, sapphire glass and Kevlar. Its latest flagship MW09 headphones look pretty similar to its previous MW08 buds, but have some upgrades on the inside that deliver better performance, especially when it comes to battery life and noise cancellation (it's now very close to what Bose and Sony offer , although not quite at their level for the ANC).
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer improved noise cancellation along with very good sound and voice calling performance, plus support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you own a Galaxy device with the right setup. However, their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, which makes them better suited for more ears. Aside from their somewhat high price, their only drawback is that some of their key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices.
Beats Studio Buds Plus: Unfortunately, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Buds Plus are vastly improved, with better sound, noise cancellation and battery life. Additionally, they now provide superior voice calling performance.
Beats Fit Pro: While the Beats Fit Pro aren't technically AirPods, they're built on the same technology platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike the earlier and cheaper Beats Studio Buds and 2023 Studio Buds PlusBeats Fit Pro includes Apple's H1 chip and has most of the AirPods Pro features including active noise cancellation, spatial audio and adjustable EQ. I'd dare call them the sporty AirPods you've always wanted.
EAH-A800 technique: There's a bit of an old vibe to the Technics EAH-A800 — and it's not just the Technics brand, which Panasonic has resurrected over the past few years. Their design is something of a throwback, but the headphones are comfortable and fold up and fold flat. They feature a big, energetic sound with powerful bass and good detail (they do take a day or two to break in, though).
Technique EAH-AZ80: Panasonic has done a good job of creating a comprehensive set of top performance buds that offer an improved fit with great sound, good noise cancellation and a robust feature set.