The 7 Best Sounding Wireless Earbuds - Fall 2024

The best sounding wireless earbuds we've tested are the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. These high-end buds have a slightly warm sound profile, with more thumpy bass than the original Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. The rest of the range is relatively neutral, making their sound profile a bit more versatile than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless, which are our top bass-heavy pick below. However, they lack the Bose headphones' variety of sound customization features and instead use an adaptive EQ system that adjusts their sound based on ambient noise conditions and playback volume.

Unlike the Bose, Apple's buds support Spatial Audio, a feature that allows audio to follow your head movements to create a more immersive experience. That said, even though they have a lightweight design, the buds can wiggle out of your ears over time, affecting their stability. If you'd like slightly more stable buds that perform similarly to Apple's set, consider the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4. These also have a much better microphone than the AirPods and a slightly longer continuous battery life, but they lack Apple's spatial audio features, and the Apple's case holds one more additional charge than the Sennheiser.

The Nothing Ear Truly Wireless are a great pick for their sound as our upper mid-range pick. Unlike the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, the Nothing buds and their app are compatible with Android and iOS, but they lack the H2 chip and seamless iCloud device switching on the Apple buds. However, out of the box, the Nothing earbuds have a few tricks up their sleeves, such as a very balanced sound profile by default with a good amount of thump, boom, punch, and clarity. The clincher is their very comprehensive equalizer that offers either a pared-back graphic EQ, presets, or an advanced parametric EQ allowing you to tweak specific frequencies of your choosing. Plus, the app includes sound personalization based on your hearing.

Their continuous battery life is solid 7.5 hours with ANC enabled. The earbuds have your Bluetooth connectivity covered with multi-device pairing and a great selection of codecs: AAC for iOS devices, and high-quality codecs for Android like LDAC and LHDC. They also come complete with dust and water resistance for the buds and the charging case. However, you don't get virtual surround sound, and the ANC isn't quite as powerful as our top pick. If you have a Samsung device, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro True Wireless take advantage of the Samsung Seamless codec with better noise isolation than the Nothing. However, the Samsung buds' ability to adjust the balanced tuning is limited to EQ presets only. Their continuous battery life is also drastically shorter than the Nothing buds.

If you're looking for a less expensive option, consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE Truly Wireless instead. These earbuds are available for under $100 and offer solid build quality and a comfortable design. They have a relatively neutral sound profile out of the box, and their excellent bass accuracy means your audio has body and punch that doesn't overwhelm instruments and vocals. Unlike the Nothing Ear Truly Wireless, these only have EQ presets, though, and unfortunately, the app is only available if you own an Android device. That said, their noise isolation punches above their price and outdoes the Nothing's ANC.

Their continuous battery life of around six hours is on the short side, so you'll have to top up the battery in the charging case during long workdays. Unlike the top pick, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, they're simpler and don't have any virtual surround sound features. They also don't support multi-device pairing like the upper mid-range pick. Still, where it counts, these buds deliver a great sound with solid ANC, even if they lack a few niceties.

The Jabra Elite 3 True Wireless offer some serious features for a budget-friendly price. Their sound profile works for a variety of genres with plenty of boom and a controlled top-end that doesn't get harsh. In the mid-range, instruments and vocals sound present and detailed, without honk or boxiness. You can also tune the EQ in the app if you want more or less of a frequency. The buds have low distortion, so your audio remains clean. They connect via aptX for Android-friendly performance, although you only get the SBC codec when using Apple devices and no multi-pair capability.

At this tier, there aren't many options for ANC, so you'll need to look to the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE Truly Wireless for that. Still, these comfortable earbuds perform admirably for just having passive isolation. They seal your ears from environmental noise and do a decent job blocking out office noise and quieting the whine of computer fans. Their battery life lasts over seven hours on a single charge, which isn't too shabby. Basically, they're somewhat stripped back as features go, but they still sound good.

If you want cheap earbuds that punch above their weight, look no further than the Skullcandy Dime 3 True Wireless. They have a well-balanced sound profile, with plenty of bass on tap, an accurate mid-range, and a bright treble response that adds sizzle to sibilants. You can also use the three built-in EQ presets to adjust the sound further. While these wireless in-ears don't have an ANC system, they block out a decent amount of noise passively and have some premium features, like Bluetooth multi-device pairing.

They have a stable, reasonably comfortable fit, and their battery lasts over eight hours on a single charge, which is enough to get you through long days at the office. They have a deep in-ear fit that won't feel natural for everyone. If you want further options to fine-tune your headphones, consider the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless. They're not as neutral-sounding out of the box, but they have a companion app with a parametric EQ and presets to help you achieve your desired sound. They have a less stable fit, though.

Consider the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless if you want premium buds that can stream high-resolution audio. These earbuds support LDAC, Sony's proprietary high-resolution audio codec, allowing you to listen to higher-quality audio if your streaming service supports it. They also do an amazing job of isolating you against noise of all types, which you might want if you're looking for earbuds for commuting. Their memory foam ear tips help with isolation and provide a comfortable fit, especially if you have smaller ear canals.

Their sound profile is warm but not as bass-heavy as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless buds below, and they sound balanced across all frequency ranges. They also support multi-device pairing and Sony's 360 Reality Audio, which adds head-tracking and immersive audio qualities via compatible apps like TIDAL. Sadly, they don't have an adaptive EQ feature like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless and the Bose, but you can manually adjust the sound profile with an in-app graphic EQ.

The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are also a good choice if you're looking for cheaper earbuds that can still stream high-resolution audio. They have an ANC feature that does a great job of blocking out ambient sound, including bass-range noise like rumbling engines and higher-pitched sounds like voices. However, their default sound lacks low-bass rumble and can make instruments and vocals sound a bit veiled.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless are our top pick for bass-heavy earbuds. These comfortable buds have an excellent array of features that rival the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless in many ways, but their sound profile out of the box is less neutral overall and more geared towards thumpy bass. They feature Bose's CustomTune technology, which adapts their sound profile based on the shape of your ear and listening habits. Further sound customization is also available via the graphic EQ and presets in the Bose Music app.

These buds are among the first to feature the manufacturer's Immersive Audio technology, which tracks your head to add depth to your audio. Their incredible ANC performance also means they block out a wide range of ambient noise, from low engine rumble to office chatter, so you can focus on your tunes without distractions. Like most Bose headphones, they have a pretty comfortable fit, too, and last about seven hours continuously. There are three additional charges in the carrying case if you need it, though.