Best wireless earbuds

Why it ranks here. The AirPods Pro 2 are the earbuds people use, whatever else they own. Owners with expensive wired headphones list them as their most used pair, for the switching between devices, the bass and a transparency mode that changes daily life for some. They rank first on that, with the two-year battery as the known cost.

The most telling line comes from a collector: 'I have a wall of really good headphones, and I still listen to the AirPods Pro 2 more than anything else'↗. Another owner calls them 'the best thing Apple has ever made'↗, and a third gives them the 'Best bass management of any ANC headphones. No bass hotspots. No fatigue'↗. Transparency mode is the feature people write about: one hears a bird overhead 'exactly where I heard the sound come from'↗, and another can listen to music 'and not get overstimulated'↗. Then the lifespan. One pair 'died at 2y of everyday use'↗, and when a left bud stopped charging, Apple quoted '45% of the entire price i paid for the whole thing for 1 airpod'↗. Cancelling fades as the grilles clog with wax, and a clean brings it back. Android owners should look elsewhere.

“(FWIW I can absolutely tell and I have a wall of really good headphones, and I still listen to the AirPods Pro 2 more than anything else (aka lossy Bluetooth streaming).)” — Reddit comment · u/Daemonxar · r/headphones · 2026-08-17

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• Most used: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Most expensive: Hifiman HE-1000 Stealth v2 Most admired: Sennheiser HD 650 Most respected: Sennheiser HD 800 S

  Reddit comment · u/HaloEliteLegend · r/headphones · 2026-08-27 · read the original ↗

• (FWIW I can absolutely tell and I have a wall of really good headphones, and I still listen to the AirPods Pro 2 more than anything else (aka lossy Bluetooth streaming).)

  Reddit comment · u/Daemonxar · r/headphones · 2026-08-17 · read the original ↗

• I love my AirPods Pro 2. Best bass management of any ANC headphones. No bass hotspots. No fatigue.

  Reddit comment · u/BlueDragon3301 · r/headphones · 2026-08-17 · read the original ↗

• While the EarPods are ok , the AirPods Pro 2 are the best thing Apple has ever made and the sad thing is how they won’t last or be made again , they do not stop surprising me with how enjoyable they are for music and the convenience factor is a blessing. I think people re attracted to wired suddenly because of the nostalgia factor just like the appeal of vinyl and anti tech I guess.

  Reddit comment · u/Unlucky_Skirt_8371 · r/headphones · 2026-08-03 · read the original ↗

• I used to have AirPods Pro 2, they died at 2y of everyday use, also got bored of subscriptions and ads, i switched to wired and an ipod, best decission ever, tho it now feels weird to be able to skip 3+ songs without a 30 second ad.

  Reddit comment · u/epicFishXD · r/headphones · 2026-08-23 · read the original ↗

• Bought em around April 2024 in Europe, now in india. Worked excellently till 2026 Feb when I had to travel for a few months. I left them behind in a cupboard...When I came back in April the left one wouldn't charge so the airpods wouldn't work...Finally called apple for help and they took it in and said it needed a change, 45% of the entire price i paid for the whole thing for 1 airpod.

  Reddit post · u/uddipta · r/airpods · 2026-08-30 · read the original ↗

• Clean it with a toothbrush and bleach or any cleaning solution and then rinse that with water and then dry it. My active noise cancelation went from barely working at all to like it was when it was new

  Reddit post · u/Tanta-Reynalado · r/airpods · 2026-09-02 · read the original ↗

• One thing I've noticed is the directionality of the transparency mode seems much improved... I heard a bird from directly above me and looked up just in time to see a bird flying directly overhead, exactly where I heard the sound come from. I could easily hear the footsteps of people coming up from behind me on the walking path too.

  YouTube comment · @griffy.videos · 2022-09-27 · watch the original ↗

• But using the transparency mode on these second gens I can actually listen to the music and not get overstimulated due to the loud sounds. Worth the purchase

  YouTube comment · @jacobholloway7025 · 2022-09-27 · watch the original ↗

• After 1 year of use I can confirm the following:- 1- it’s getting better and better with the constant updates. 2- almost flowless when it comes to connection to and b/w Mac & iPhone and Apple ecosystem. 3- the battery still as good as new. 4- it sounds pretty good and way better than any other AirPods I’ve tried. 5- the only issue I had with it:- the in-ear wheezing sound after using it for a while. I don’t know if it’ll affect my ears health but it’s concerning for sure. I would give it 8/10 and it’s definitely worth it.

  YouTube comment · @majeds83 · 2022-09-27 · watch the original ↗

• I use my Airpods Pro 2 when I'm outside. It's good and the ANC is great. But I don't think it can outperform any of my headphones. Maybe when you use headphones, you don't EQ them according to your personal preference?

  Reddit comment · u/FastCutZzz · r/headphones · 2026-09-03 · read the original ↗

Why it ranks here. The XM5 is the noise-cancelling benchmark, the pair everything else gets compared to, and smaller than the chunky XM4 it replaced. It ranks second rather than first because the case hinge cracks and one bud tends to lose its battery, and because Sony's repairs are slow.

On the thing it is bought for, no argument: 'when the ANC is on it gets scary quiet'↗. Owners of every generation say the XM5 is 'a huge step up in pocket feel'↗, and it converted one owner who had 'never been a fan of intra-aural headphones'↗. Now the hinge. 'I have the XM5 and a hinge broke'↗, says one owner who 'had no idea about the hinge issue until it happened to me'↗; another says 'I at least see 10 posts a day for the XM5 and XM6 breaking'↗. One bud draining faster than the other is the other common failure, and Sony's replacement takes weeks and sometimes returns mismatched buds. Two more things: the cancelling needs a proper tip seal, which one owner 'could not achieve'↗ without pain, and running with them gives 'an audible plop with each stride'↗.

“Go ahead and get you a pair of Sony WF1000XM5's or XM6 if you want that levelof ANC performance. The Galaxy buds are good do not get me wrong... But the ANC leaves a bit to be desired. I have a pair of Sony WF & WH 1000XM5's and when the ANC is on it gets scary quiet.” — Reddit comment · u/Ancient_Ad7555 · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-06

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• J'ai eu les XM4, XM5 et maintenant XM6. Ils sont geniaux ! Ils sont plus confortables que les versions precedentes, la qualite audio est remarquable, l'ANC et l'autonomie sont excellentes et la qualite des appels a ete grandement amelioree.

  Reddit comment · u/Correct-Abrocoma-306 · r/sony · 2026-09-07 · read the original ↗

• Go ahead and get you a pair of Sony WF1000XM5's or XM6 if you want that levelof ANC performance. The Galaxy buds are good do not get me wrong... But the ANC leaves a bit to be desired. I have a pair of Sony WF & WH 1000XM5's and when the ANC is on it gets scary quiet.

  Reddit comment · u/Ancient_Ad7555 · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-06 · read the original ↗

• The ANC heavily relies on the passive noise isolation, which means if you can't get a good seal with the tips, the ANC performance will be subpar. I could not achieve a proper seal without hurting my ears. Running with these with ANC on is annoying because there is an audible plop with each stride (same as XM4s).

  YouTube comment · @ZBKN · 2023-09-21 · watch the original ↗

• I’ve owned every generation of the Sony wf series and the xm5 is definitely a step up, primarily in terms of form factor even compared to the xm4 it’s a huge step up in pocket feel

  YouTube comment · @innitLeo · 2023-09-21 · watch the original ↗

• Got my ones last week. I'm in love with it. I've never been a fan of intra-aural headphones, but this one proved to me that it's possible to use an in-ear headphone and still have exceptional audio quality!

  YouTube comment · @ZizoMass · 2023-09-21 · watch the original ↗

• As a user they are amazing. The sound is like from the XM3 (over the ear), but don't have that much of a spatial sound. The last to keep in mind is that they are big or should I say chunky (so people with small ears are a no no), but they are not heavy. Also, don't use them in the gym because of the sweat they fall out of my ear 100% of the time.

  YouTube comment · @lucian4631 · 2023-09-21 · watch the original ↗

• It seems to be a problem because there’s too many posts about them breaking, I don’t think anybody will buy something for $460 and don’t care about it. I at least see 10 posts a day for the XM5 and XM6 breaking and you talking about it’s not bad.

  Reddit comment · u/GamerBeast954 · r/sony · 2026-08-04 · read the original ↗

• I have the XM5 and a hinge broke. When I bought them I had no idea about the hinge issue until it happened to me and I went online looking for answers... going forward I won't be buying any more of Sony's XM line until they've truly resolved this.

  Reddit comment · u/cslaymore · r/sony · 2026-07-31 · read the original ↗

• Welcome to my same problem I had, but for XM5 over the old XM4s... Same exact thing what I did is I returned them for Airpods Pro 3, best decision I ever made, after 3 years with XM4s as well

  Reddit comment · u/Ashraf_mahdy · r/sony · 2026-09-01 · read the original ↗

• Louis Rossmann just dropped a good piece on previous sony earbuds issues and how sony treats customers who have them, worth watching before you buy them

  YouTube comment · @mdccxv · 2023-09-21 · watch the original ↗

• I'm an Amazon Vine reviewer so I often pick up aftermarket tips for my XM4 and XM5... just picked these up a couple weeks ago and I was blown away... I use the large size and unlike all the other numerous silicone I've tried that are more rounded, those are the exact same blunt end shape as the stock XM5 tips. But they're more pliable being silicone.

  Reddit comment · u/IntrovertMoTown1 · r/sony · 2026-08-31 · read the original ↗

Why it ranks here. The Buds3 Pro are the default for Samsung phone owners, with the best call quality here, real sweat resistance and voice commands that work offline. They also draw more contempt than any other pair in this research, over weak cancelling and a loose fit. Third place is the average of two camps that agree on nothing.

The fans are specific. One who says 'I sweat like a pig'↗ has had the Buds3 and Buds4 Pro survive it, where a Sony XM4 'died in a single workout'↗. The voice controls, 'Increase , decrease , stop , play music'↗, work 'without needing to be connected to the internet'↗. Samsung's trade-in cut one owner's price to '$75 with shipping and tax'↗. The critics are louder. The cancelling 'filters almost nothing'↗, a $40 Soundcore 'cancels all fans and lawn mowers waaaay better'↗, and the buds 'just falls out after a longer period of time'↗ once ear oil builds up. One owner calls them 'the worst earbuds I ever had'↗. If you have a Galaxy phone and want calls and gym use, fine. For quiet on a plane, buy the Sony.

“Sound control commands are unique and best feature that this earbuds have. Increase , decrease , stop , play music are amazing without needing to be connected to the internet. Sound quality is great. My only issue is about triangle stem so I have to be careful to put into charging case.And you have to rotate 180 degree when you remove the earbud from your ear to insert into the charging case.” — YouTube comment · @Babak_PN · 2025-03-01

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• Galaxy buds pro 3 are the worst earbuds I ever had

  Reddit comment · u/julumon · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-08 · read the original ↗

• Yes! Absolutely! I sweat like a pig and both galaxy buds 3 pro and buds 4 pro have withstood my sweaty onslaught! Buds 4 pro is way better than buds 3 pro in terms of more polished touch controls and sound quality. I had a sony XM4 as well and it died in a single workout. Never buying sony again in my life.

  Reddit comment · u/sustainablecaptalist · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-08 · read the original ↗

• The samsung galaxy buds are so trash. I had a pair of galaxy buds 3 pro, and they just falls out after a longer period of time when the buds have a bit of ear oil. ANC is trash, which filters almost nothing... Pretty much my cheaper though older jabra elite 4 active does everything better than the galaxy buds 3 pro.

  Reddit comment · u/CoolerArnold · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-06 · read the original ↗

• Mines are unlikable, I've compared them to my Airpods Pro 2s and the sound quality and ANC is significantly worse. The sound is uneven in both buds untill you increase the volume to a certain threshold... Overall. they are just poorly made ear buds for a really high price, in my opinion.

  Reddit comment · u/Warm-Day-6652 · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-06 · read the original ↗

• Yea I don't have the Pro 4 but my Pro 3 already has weak anc. I have same settings as yours. My Anker Souncore P3i that I paid like $40 for, cancels all fans and lawn mowers waaaay better, the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 just doesn't.

  Reddit comment · u/TransmissionAutomata · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-05 · read the original ↗

• Wish I could trade or sell my galaxy buds 3 pro. I would like to either get the 4 pros or I was thinking maybe even a downgrade of I can't find them for a good price. I only use them for phone calls and very little movies or media.

  Reddit comment · u/BritBrit812 · r/galaxybuds · 2026-09-07 · read the original ↗

• I went from galaxy buds original to galaxy buds 3 pro and the noise canceling still blows my mind.

  YouTube comment · @trevorthomas1030 · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

• "unless you talk a lot with your voice" Son of a.....I do that every time I talk. Dang it I was hoping these would be good for me.

  YouTube comment · @AdamHoooot · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

• I enjoy Samsung trade in service. Because of it my Buds 3 pro only costed me $75 with shipping and tax already included.

  YouTube comment · @Avalon1489 · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

• Sound control commands are unique and best feature that this earbuds have. Increase , decrease , stop , play music are amazing without needing to be connected to the internet. Sound quality is great. My only issue is about triangle stem so I have to be careful to put into charging case.And you have to rotate 180 degree when you remove the earbud from your ear to insert into the charging case.

  YouTube comment · @Babak_PN · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

• I like the buds. Only complaining is that wearing a hoodie/Beanie it gets caught when I move my head. So used to my buds2. I found a hoodie/ beanie that works well.

  YouTube comment · @pinoyuc · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

• These are excellent buds. Excellent sound and calls and other great features.

  YouTube comment · @sicebim1 · 2025-03-01 · watch the original ↗

Why it ranks here. The Liberty 4 NC is what budget-minded Reddit recommends against $250 sets: cancelling and calls that owners say beat AirPods at a quarter of the price, and a warranty team that actually replaces things. It ranks fourth on a bass-heavy tuning and a battery that gives out at two years.

One owner sums up the case: 'For 1/4 of the price though they've beat my AirPods in sound quality, noise canceling and transparency mode'↗, and when his left bud came faulty 'Soundcore took care of me immediately'↗. Another, with five Soundcore sets, says the cancelling and calls are 'like nothing I've heard before'↗. A firmware update 'dramatically improved the transparency mode'↗. The tuning is the divide. Bass is 'disgustingly boosted'↗ for one listener, who turned it 'all the way to -6'↗ and still found too much, plus 'an excessive amount of treble'↗. It is splash-proof only, no dust rating. And the battery: 'Liberty 4 NC will die in approx 2 years of good use'↗. On sale at 50 euros it is hard to argue with.

“Transparency Is a great function and I use daily, I have the Liberty 4 NC'S and they're great. Unfortunately I had to go through warranty but Soundcore took care of me immediately, I got a faulty left earbud that only works when I pinch it at the top. For 1/4 of the price though they've beat my AirPods in sound quality, noise canceling and transparency mode.” — Reddit comment · u/OrangeElk33 · r/soundcore · 2026-07-19

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• UPDATE! Firmware version 3.69 has dramatically improved the transparency mode! Voices are a lot clearer and natural. Distant noise now sounds normal (this was the biggest improvement). Overall I'd be happy to use transparency when having a conversation and the overall quality is very close to the Liberty 4. Soundcore once again showing why they're the kings.

  YouTube comment · @pickyaudio · 2023-06-29 · watch the original ↗

• Because of your videos I bought Liberty 4 pro and NC for my miss. Very impressed they are very good for the price. Thanks

  YouTube comment · @falconzg · 2023-06-29 · watch the original ↗

• And now with a lower price of 50€ on Amazon maybe can be an excellent option. Thanks for your review!

  YouTube comment · @lmfonseca86 · 2023-06-29 · watch the original ↗

• Really great to hear someone talking about how peaky lib 3/4 are. I hated out treble heavy they were.

  YouTube comment · @Alex------- · 2023-06-29 · watch the original ↗

• Transparency Is a great function and I use daily, I have the Liberty 4 NC'S and they're great. Unfortunately I had to go through warranty but Soundcore took care of me immediately, I got a faulty left earbud that only works when I pinch it at the top. For 1/4 of the price though they've beat my AirPods in sound quality, noise canceling and transparency mode.

  Reddit comment · u/OrangeElk33 · r/soundcore · 2026-07-19 · read the original ↗

• The liberty 4 nc have disgustingly boosted bass already why would I boost it even more? I had the liberty 4 pro, still have it but never use it cuz it sounds like shit, I decreased the bass all the way to -6 and it still had a stupid amount of bass and you want me to boost it even more also it has an excessive amount of treble too.

  Reddit comment · u/CressPale3625 · r/soundcore · 2026-08-27 · read the original ↗

• Liberty 4 NC will die in approx 2 years of good use..The battery sucks

  Reddit comment · u/Master_Baiter00069 · r/soundcore · 2026-08-20 · read the original ↗

• I have 5 different liberty including the 4 NC and the 5 pro. There is no comparison to any earpod on the market the ANC and phone calls on the profile is literally like nothing I've heard before it's absolutely amazing and no one is even close.

  Reddit comment · u/MrGattsby · r/soundcore · 2026-08-19 · read the original ↗

• I dont exactly have the liberty 5 but i had 4 soundcore products, one is still lasting after 3,5 years, my old liberty 4 nc got slammed by a bike but still worked until i decided to use glue to glue the right bud since its falling apart (still worked btw) and its dead. So, reliability is the last thing i would concern.

  Reddit comment · u/ForceUpper6258 · r/soundcore · 2026-07-08 · read the original ↗

• Essa semana comprei o L4NC e em menos de quatro dias utilizando o fone eu ja posso dizer que eu fiz um salto: confortavel (eu achava besteira a ponteira ter assinatura soundcore ate utilizar e perceber que ela ficou perfeita em meus ouvidos.), som limpo, NC otimo, funcoes limpas.

  Reddit comment · u/Lower-Minimum832 · r/soundcore · 2026-09-03 · read the original ↗

Why it ranks here. The Air Pro 4 is the pair that wins every budget roundup on YouTube, with LDAC, Auracast and a proper app at a price that drops to $40 on sale. It ranks fifth because its performance leans hard on the stock ear tips and because pairing can be a fight.

Buyers who paid $40 in a Black Friday sale are 'really pleased'↗, and one who also bought Samsung's Buds3 Pro admits they are better but asks 'are they $150 more expensive?'↗. With LDAC on, one owner would 'be amazed if you can do better for the price'↗. The catch is the tips. One owner whose right bud went quiet discovered the buds were 'equally loud'↗ without tips, and every third-party tip he tried made them 'so quiet'↗. Pairing 'can raise your blood pressure through the roof'↗ when it refuses to connect. And the older Air Pro 3 'doesnt hold as long'↗ a charge after two years, which is the pattern for the whole category. Stock tips, patience with pairing, and it is the best $40 to $60 buy here.

“LOVE MY EARFUN AIR PRO 4 !!! BEST BUDS ON ANY BUDGET” — YouTube comment · @TravelWithTheHos · 2024-08-30

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• Managed to get these for about $40 in the black friday sale and really pleased with them

  YouTube comment · @AlexanderJBarrett · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗

• I did really enjoy my earfun air pro 3, I had them for over 2 years but the charge understandably doesnt hold as long, so I keep them more as at home earbuds.

  YouTube comment · @marions.3657 · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗

• Im blown away at how good these headphones are. I did pickup the buds 3 pro, and they're definitely better. But are they $150 more expensive? I thankfully use multiple headphones so i get to enjoy them both

  YouTube comment · @njott1021 · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗

• For the money these are fantastic and are now my go to's over and above the Soundcore P40i's. With LDAC on, I'd be amazed if you can do better for the price. Nice bass, nice treble and clarity.

  YouTube comment · @metalbearuk · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗

• I must say they can raise your blood pressure through the roof when the Bluetooth doesn't want to pair to your phone , sometimes it works flawlessly other times you have to keep monkeying with it and it wants access to your call history and other private things and wants a pass code just ridiculous, I finally got them to connect I almost chucked them and I'm poor

  YouTube comment · @ShouldaWaved · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗

• LOVE MY EARFUN AIR PRO 4 !!! BEST BUDS ON ANY BUDGET

  YouTube comment · @TravelWithTheHos · 2024-08-30 · watch the original ↗

• I received mine today after seeing I could get same day shipping, I lost my AirPods and people were complaining about call quality ( they are an older model) so I decided to give these a try. So far I have no complaints I’m on the phone as I type this call quality isn’t bad either. Only gripe is the ear tips but I’ll replace them with some spin fits.

  YouTube comment · @shawnsapp1000 · 2024-08-30 · watch the original ↗

• I have EarFun 4 pro airs and my right one was suddenly much quieter than the left one.. Thought it might be damaged but no, when I removed the soft tips on both they were equally loud. Ok so I took out my stash of old headphone tips and tried a lot... This is when I realised that these tips are more important than I ever thought, because whichever I tried they were all so quiet, even much worse...

  Reddit post · u/MiiisterKaniiister · r/headphones · 2025-05-04 · read the original ↗

• for me all the soundcore product is bad for batteries, i just change battery replacement for this liberty 4 nc, you should try earfun air pro 4 +

  Reddit comment · u/Flimsy_Restaurant384 · r/soundcore · 2026-08-08 · read the original ↗

• personally not a fan of the earfun signature but gotta praise them for their accomplishments nonetheless

  YouTube comment · @niplob · 2024-12-14 · watch the original ↗