Either Beats Fit Pro earbud will function alone if you prefer to use only one like a traditional headset for calls or to simultaneously hear your surroundings. The buttons handle music playback, digital-assistant activation, and toggling between ANC and the hear-through mode.
However, unlike the Jabra Elite 75t, the controls are limited on Android phones; volume control is only an option for Apple devices. The biggest advantage these earbuds have over the competition is their ability to access Apple features. Beats is owned by Apple. Since these earbuds are equipped with the same H1 chip as the Apple AirPods, they pair with Apple devices nearly instantly. If you are signed in to your iCloud account, the Beats Fit Pro also automatically appears in all of the Bluetooth menus on your various Apple devices, so you need to pair to only one device.
You can also quickly pair these earbuds with Android devices, but in that case you need download the Beats app first. Switching from one device to another is a process similar to that of other Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, and Android users may miss the dual-device pairing capabilities that the Jabra provides. But Android users who prefer full controls on their earbuds will want to stick to the Jabra instead. The noise cancellation on this pair is very effective, but only in a specific frequency range.
We talk more about how the Fit Pro compares to other earbuds in our guide to noise-cancelling headphones , but folks using the active reduction to combat airplane noise should find it useful.
Those who want to block out higher pitches like voices or baby cries will find the Fit Pro is about as good as any passive earbud, and definitely similar to the Jabra. Because of the narrow intense range of noise cancellation on the Fit Pro, people who are prone to eardrum suck may find the ANC on this pair triggers that feeling of unease—and the level of reduction is not adjustable.
In contrast, the transparency mode on the Fit Pro is excellent, and makes it very easy to carry on a conversation or maintain situational awareness without adding too much distracting sibilance to the sound of the world around you. The only major downside to the Beats Fit Pro is the case. However, Beats has improved the wear sensor of the Fit Pro so that they are far less likely to activate while out of your ears. So unlike other true-wireless earbuds that require the case to power off, you can slip the earbuds into your pocket in a pinch without completely draining the battery or triggering music playback.
Though we consider the size a flaw, a few of our testers preferred the larger case—they said it was easier to find in their bag. Bass notes have actual pitches rather than thumps, and the attack and decay of kick-drum hits are clear and defined. Sensitive folks may find this spike off-putting and prefer the more balanced sound of the Elite 75t and Beats Fit Pro.
Three tip sizes are included, and all of our panelists were able to get a secure fit. But the earbuds are a bit chunkier than the Jabra Elite 75t earbuds—the shape is contoured in a way that should make the Free 2 comfortable for most people, but someone with very small ears and ear canals may have a little more trouble. It is compatible with Qi wireless chargers and has a quick-charge feature that will supply two hours of listening time after just 10 minutes in the case.
Once fully charged, the earbuds will play music for around seven hours, though this can vary depending on how many phone calls you make and the volume at which you generally listen. If you happen to leave the earbuds out of the case, a minute auto-shutoff will prevent you from draining your battery once your audio device disconnects. IPX7 means the device can be dropped in a meter of water for 30 minutes with no adverse effects.
The rating only applies to clear water, so be sure to rinse any saltwater, sweat, or dust off of the Free 2 after exposure and allow the earbuds to dry thoroughly before placing them back in a case.
Should anything go wrong, EarFun covers the Free 2 with an month warranty. Wirecutter takes security and privacy issues seriously and investigates, as much as possible, how the companies we recommend deal with customer data. Since a growing number of wireless Bluetooth headphones require the use of an app for setup and sometimes daily operation, we reached out to the companies that produce our top picks and asked them to provide information that we think is of primary concern for any potential buyer.
We were able to get the Grind Fuel to sound pretty good using its combination of hearing-test-based EQ and manual adjustments. Unfortunately, the voice activation system can be fussy in windy conditions, so folks who dreamed of verbally changing tracks while biking or whizzing down a ski slope may be disappointed. Also the microphone sounds a little compressed and quiet over calls and is prone to wind noise.
And while the fit is comfortable, these earbuds are not as stable in the ear as our top picks are. Still, for folks who want the hands-free digital assistant experience usually reserved for Galaxy Buds, AirPods, and Google Buds, the Grind Fuel offers a more-affordable Wi-Fi-free alternative that could be really valuable to folks with dexterity and mobility challenges. The Qi-charging capability is a nice bonus, and the eight-hour battery life with active noise cancellation enabled is a solid listening time for true wireless earbuds.
What kept the Sony from being an upgrade pick are the limited controls, the large earbud size that will be a tight fit for small ears, and the lack of XL ear tips that can cause seal problems for very large ears. And although there are a lot of nifty-sounding features packed into the Sony app, we found the app cumbersome to navigate, and most of the options—like the automatic location-based listening mode adjustment—were wonky in use.
Clear highs, deep but not overpowering bass notes, and a surprisingly large soundstage for tiny earbuds. The fit is comfortable for all but the most diminutive ears, with small, smooth earbuds that fit securely. And the active noise cancellation is just middle-of-the-road. They cancel an impressive amount of noise and have enough battery life to last through a long flight and beyond. These earbuds also function corded—with the active noise cancellation ANC on or off—for those trips when you want to use an in-flight entertainment system.
Unlike many of the true wireless ANC options available, this 1More pair offers decent reduction in the airplane band—enough to be useful on a plane or the subway. The moderate earbud size and inclusion of six sets of silicone tips plus three sets of wings help ensure a secure fit for a variety of ear sizes and shapes. The sound quality—which is THX certified as of September —is on the sibilant side, but folks who prefer an extra boost in the consonant range may not mind this too much.
Read more about them in our noise-cancelling headphones guide. The sound is quite good: The bass is forward but not blurry or blobby , the fit is comfortable, and the controls are easy to use. We like the hour battery life and the auto-pause function when the earbuds are joined around your neck via magnet. But we wish the Flex earbuds were water resistant and came with optional wings to hold them in place more securely for a wider range of ear shapes.
Jabra Elite Active 75t : For serious workouts, this is our pick. You can read more about them in our guide to the best workout headphones. The physical buttons are easy to understand and activate, though folks with large fingers may struggle a bit with the teeny volume toggle.
The IPX5 water-resistance rating is sufficient protection should you get caught in the rain or work up a light sweat, and the dual ambient awareness modes are helpful for conversations or navigating a public space. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro : For Samsung devotees who want to access all the features their Galaxy device has to offer, these represent the best option available. The microphone quality is impressively clear, even in wind. The sound quality, though a touch on the bass-heavy side, is enjoyable.
The ambient awareness mode can be triggered by speaking, but if you stop talking to listen to your conversation partner, it shuts off after 15 seconds, which is mildly annoying. Both the case and earbuds are very small, but the included tips run on the smaller size, so people with large ear canals may have to buy third-party tips to get a seal.
The sound profile is just okay, as the high frequencies have a sibilant edge that could use some lower-end oomph to balance them out. Like the original AirPods, this pair has limited physical controls and very little bass. But for Apple-friendly earbuds, we prefer the overall experience of Beats Fit Pro.
But it is worth considering if you already have wired in-ear monitors that you love with detachable cables. You can read more in our guide to the best wired earbuds. Unfortunately the long, conical shape meant that none of our testers could get them to fit comfortably. While the Elite 3 is a decent pair of earbuds, we feel the Elite 75t offers a better experience, and the EarFun Free is often half the price and almost as good.
The fit is incredibly comfortable on a broad range of ear shapes, the sound quality is great with a little EQ adjustment, and the microphones especially on the Pro are clear for phone calls. Though all unsealed earbuds lose intensity in the bass frequencies, the Minor III is tuned so that you do get more bass response than similar designs.
We wish the controls included volume and voice command options, and although the sound features the warm mids and lows Marshall is famous for, the highs have a harsh edge that makes strings sound edgy—as though amplified by a cheap speaker. The microphones are quite good at reducing wind noise for callers, though we wish there were an option for sidetone. The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 earbuds fit comfortably and securely. Out of the box, the sound is pretty good, but a little dull.
Usually seamless connectivity is the entire reason to buy earbuds in the same ecosystem as your mobile device. Out of the box the sound is quite good, though we wish the EQ options were a bit more nimble. This pair lacks hear-through, and the microphone picks up a lot of background noise so you might sound somewhat distant to your callers.
The transparency mode sounded more natural than many competitors. However, the noise cancellation is only so-so, and the low frequencies are boosted too broadly.
The sound has an echo-like quality even when playing acoustic guitar, and the app-based EQ was unable to adequately adjust it. The stabilizing wings hold them in place securely, the sound is decent out of the box and made even better when you EQ it in the app , and the microphones are clear for phone calls. But we wish it had volume controls, the microphone picked up wind noise, and though the wings fit securely, some folks may find the fit fatiguing to wear for long periods.
First, the good: the ANC is quite effective, the wind-noise reduction is impressive, and the light-up case is honestly cool. We initially liked the stabilizing wings because the earbuds felt very secure, but after an hour of wearing, our ears began to ache. And though this pair offers dual-device connectivity, we found that enabling it led to an excessive amount of connection stuttering.
Microphone quality is very clear. The fit is comfortable, but the touch controls are too easy to accidentally trigger when you adjust the earbuds in your ears.
Overall, a decent pair of earbuds, just slight flaws. The noise cancellation is very effective, as is the wind reduction for the microphone. Neither pair has full controls. The sound quality is marred by bass notes that are very blurry, causing everything else to sound muffled and dull.
Even vocals sound like they were recorded too close to the microphone. The multiple wing and tip options combined with a lightweight chassis make the Stylish True Wireless more comfortable to wear long term than similarly priced competitors. At six and a half hours, the battery life is solid, too.
In our tests, the sound leaned toward being bass-heavy and blurry on male vocals. Overall the Beats Fit Pro is better. The biggest benefit of the second-generation Amazon Echo Buds is the ability to access Alexa hands-free. If you are a diehard Amazon fan, there are no other earbuds offering this feature. However, the Echo-specific benefits like Echo device drop-ins, voice product ordering, Amazon Prime Music, and so forth are accessible via the Alexa app in your phone, regardless of what earbuds you choose—and the voice-activated features require you to leave the Alexa app open on your phone at all times.
The noise cancellation is average, and despite the stabilizing wings and four pairs of tips included, the buds themselves might be a little large for smaller ears. The controls are limited, and the five-hour battery life is middling. The Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 has stems that, depending on your face shape, can press against your cheek. The Liberty Air 2 Pro earbuds are fantastic if they fit you properly, but the stem and short sound-tube design make it impossible to push the earbuds deeper into your ear for stability or to get an improved seal.
Otherwise, the Air 2 Pro offers up a lot of bells and whistles for a competitive price: a hearing test that adjusts the EQ, an audio-based fit test, multiple noise-cancelling modes, and a background-noise-reducing microphone for calls.
The sound quality is quite good and can be adjusted manually. Between sessions, the case holds about 16 more hours of power. They're a bit chunky—you'll want to spring for the equivalent Bose model if you've got smaller ears—but the foam ear tips in combination with Sony's digital signal processing turn down the world better than anything else.
The companion app allows you to adjust the equalization and choose how much sound from the outside world you want to hear. You can even set them to detect when you're speaking and auto-pause the music, which comes in handy when you need to have a quick chat with someone but don't want to take out your earbuds. Not everyone has hundreds of dollars to spend on wireless earbuds.
The downside? They're heavier on the bass than other models, and the open-topped case will need frequent cleaning, as it attracts gunk. They allow for a deep low end that doesn't inhibit bright highs, and the noise canceling creates a gallery-like listening space for you to enjoy all that detail.
They get five hours of battery life, but the case will give you 18 hours total. The case also supports wireless charging, and you can recharge it off the back of select high-end Samsung phones. The folks at Jabra scanned thousands of ears to come up with this sleek, comfy design, and it shows. The sound quality, noise-canceling tech, and mic quality are excellent, and we also like that the headphones have physical buttons rather than sweat-stifled touch controls.
The best part? They come with a two-year warranty, and Jabra often continues to sell old models for years, which means you'll have no problem replacing ear tips, the case, or even a bud as needed. They sound amazing. On the downside or the upside, depending on your point of view , they do have a neckband that connects the earbuds, and they don't come with a charging cradle. They're made to provide a super-secure fit during even your sweatiest workout—which they'll stay protected from, thanks to an IPX4 water-resistance rating.
They sound far better than Apple's standard AirPods, Samsung's Galaxy Buds Live , or almost any pair of Beats you've heard before, and they squeeze an impressive nine hours of life out of a charge 18 extra hours with the portly 3 x 3-inch square case they come in.
One of the most helpful features is their ability to automatically pause or route calls back to your phone if you take one of them out of your ear. They're expensive and offer a paltry 4. The company's H1 chip allows for near-instant pairing, active noise canceling removes unwanted background noise, and silicone ear tips—a first for AirPods—make them comfortable. Just say "Hey Siri" aloud and Apple's voice assistant is ready to change songs, send texts, and add something to your shopping list.
Better-fitting Samsung Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. Excellent noise canceling Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Best open earbuds AirPods 3rd Generation. Top-notch buds Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. Lightweight and compact Beats Studio Buds. Sound value Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro. Affordable Sennheiser Sennheiser CX. Samsung's flagship noise canceling Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Innovative design Samsung Galaxy Buds Live.
Improved over time Jabra Elite 75t. Secure fit for runners Jaybird Vista. Best ear-hook style Beats Powerbeats Pro. As good as it gets. Sony WFXM4. Water-resistant : Yes IPX4 rating -- splash-proof. Best sports buds for everyday use. Beats Fit Pro. Better-fitting Samsung. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. Water-resistant : Yes IPX2 rating -- sweat-resistant. Still hard to beat. Excellent noise canceling. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. Best open earbuds. AirPods 3rd Generation. Pure premium. Best sound.
Water-resistant : Yes IP54 rating -- splash-proof. Top-notch buds. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2. Lightweight and compact.
Beats Studio Buds. Sound value. Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro. Affordable Sennheiser. Sennheiser CX. Samsung's flagship noise canceling. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. Water-resistant : Yes IPX7 rating -- fully waterproof. Premium design and sound. Innovative design. Samsung Galaxy Buds Live. EarFun Free Pro. Improved over time. Jabra Elite 75t. Android-centric earbuds.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series. Secure fit for runners. Jaybird Vista. The earbuds feature active noise cancellation, pleasing sound quality, and wireless charging. OnePlus has come a long way since its original OnePlus Buds. The controls are pretty much an exact copy of the AirPods Pro squeeze gestures, but OnePlus manages to best Apple at durability: these are rated IP55 for dust and water resistance. For that price, you also get wireless charging in the case. And when it comes to calls, the OnePlus Buds Pro are among the very best performers out there with clear voice reproduction and excellent background noise cancellation so others can hear you perfectly.
They also add new features like head tracking for spatial audio. Apple has also added new features that were previously exclusive to the AirPods Pro, like head tracking spatial audio and deeper Find My integration for hunting down your misplaced buds. Noise cancellation on the Galaxy Buds Pro is slightly better than the Buds 2, and they also include bonus tricks like audio and a voice detect feature that drops the volume and activates transparency mode if you start speaking to someone nearby.
The Hammerhead True Wireless earbuds have decent sound quality and active noise cancellation for their price. With their semi-translucent design and unique charging case, the Ear 1 earbuds will catch some attention when lined up with earbuds from more established brands. The first earbuds from Nothing have a partially translucent design and a unique carrying case. They mold to the shape of your ears in 60 seconds. The UE Fits come with unique ear tips that permanently mold to the unique shape of your ears in just 60 seconds.
This allows for a much better fit that you can comfortably wear for hours.
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