What are the best true wireless earbuds is an impossible question to ask since most fit differently, they have various features, and cost varies wildly. Many options are available in what is now a crowded audio category that didn’t exist just a few years ago.
So here are some to choose from aside from the popular white ones. I enlisted neighbors and family to test seven sets, all of which come with a portable charging case. All were tested right out of the box without the assistance of any audio-enhancing apps. And in no particular order, here are some true wireless earbud options.
Marshall’s Mode II feels well built, has Bluetooth 5.1, boasts 25 hours of playtime (five hours on a single charge and four additional charges with the case), an IPX5 weather-resistant rating, and includes four sizes of ear tips. The ergonomic comfort was great, and the sound was even better. Inside each earbud is a custom-tuned driver with a natural, accurate sound with the right amount of bass.
The Mode II charging case has LED battery light indicators and an iPX4 water-resistant rating, so it takes on accident splashes around the pool. All the touch controls worked well to manage the music and hands-free calls by touching Marshall’s attractive M logo outside the earbud.
www.marshallheadphones.com $179.99
Denon, the famous audio company, debuts in this category with the AH-C830NCW with active noise canceling. Since Denon is an experienced audio company, it’s no surprise these have great sound, feel, and controls. They are constructed with a stem, which presents a similar look to the Apple versions.
With the ANC on, they worked well to reduce the background noise. Or keep it in Transparency Mode to hear everything. Denon touts the sound to deliver strong dynamics and crystal clear vocals, which they do. Every playlist sounded precisely as it was supposed to from the 0.4-inch oval, dynamic drivers.
Three sizes of ear tips are included, and you’ll get six hours of playtime on a single charge and up to 24 hours total with the charging case. Tap controls on the earbuds were responsive, and a single earbud can be used for mono listening. Bluetooth 5.0 was perfect for pairing.
www.denon.com $159.00
MoveBuds H1 is the first-ever sports earbuds from Tribit. They have an IPX8 rating, making them perfect for the sweatiest athletes, and they can stay in your ears underwater for 60 minutes up to 5 feet deep.
The Bluetooth 5.2 true wireless earbuds have five different sized ear tips, but what makes these stand out for active users are the attached ear hooks. The ear tips make them comfortable, and the hooks ensure they stay on, no matter how busy or how hard the effort was to get them knocked out. The ear tips prevent bacteria from growing from dirt, earwax or sweat.
Using them for some activities and long walks, both had the music playing clear with or without the noise reduction. The same for cell calls, using the four microphone system. The touch controls worked well for controlling the music and rings and included volume controls, which many other brands do not have built into the earbuds. Tribit states they will play for 15 hours of continuous play and 50 additional hours from the charging case.
https://tribit.com $89.99
UGreen’s HiTune X6 Hybrid Bluetooth 5.1 Active Noise Cancelling true wireless earbuds are impressive and not just for the affordable price. A 10mm diamond-like carbon dynamic driver is inside each ear, with active noise cancellation.
Most of the time, these were tested with the ANC, and the audio played clear, smooth, bass friendly, lightweight and very comfortable. On-ear tap controls were responsive for turning the ANC on and off, controlling music, volume and answering calls.
They are built with an IPX5 water resistance rating. Three integrated microphones in each ear and Real Clear Voice technology are excellent for calls. They will run for six hours and 20 additional hours with the charging case. A 10-minute quick charge will produce one hour of playback.
www.ugreen.com $55.99
Mobvoi’s new Earbuds ANC is another budget-friendly option, loaded with great features and comfort. They produce clear Hi-Fi sound out of 13mm drivers, each with a decent amount of bass.
Inside each stem-designed true wireless earbud are dual microphones with noise cancellation for hands-free calls. The Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds ANC earbuds are built with three levels of noise cancellation (off, Quiet mode/Active Noise Cancellation, and Sound-Passthrough), all of which worked well. The earbuds can be used as a pair in single-mode and are IPX5 waterproof and sweat-proof.
Controlling the functions is done with on-ear tap controls and voice commands for various features, including music control, volume, and accessing voice assistants on a smartphone. You’ll get up to 21 hours of playtime with the charging case, depending on the noise cancellation level used.
www.mobvoi.com $59.99
The company promotes the ComfoBuds Mini from 1More as the world’s smallest (0.66-by-0.59-by-0.51 inches) pair of Active Noise Cancelling true wireless earbuds, which provide an almost invisible wearing experience. While I have no way of challenging that statement, they are probably the smallest I’ve seen.
The sound was surprisingly good from the small earbuds with a 7mm dynamic driver inside each side, which also has touch controls and an IPX5 water resistance rating. 1MORE’s proprietary QuietMax active noise cancellation technology is robust to block out outside noise. It delivers up to 40dB noise cancellation with three modes; ANC Strong, ANC Mild, and Wind Noise Resistant.
The battery life with the case and earbuds fully charged is up to 24 hours with the ANC off, and four sets of different sized ear tips are included.
https://usa.1more.com $99.99
Dottir Freedom On-Grid true wireless earbuds are designed by CrossFit Champions to ensure they remain in your ears playing during ultra-competitive sports activities. The design features a firm fit with secure-fitting ear hooks and 12 sets of ear tips to get a perfect fit.
Inside each earbud is a13mm dynamic driver, which produces a perfect bass-heavy workout to keep the music pumping throughout your workout. Active noise cancellation can be turned on to block out outside noise.
They are constructed with Bluetooth 5.2 and an IPX7 waterproof rating, including a fully waterproof construction and a comfortable fitting ergonomic design. The total playtime with both the earbuds and the charging case is 72 hours — in-ear detection for perfect auto-play and pause. On-ear controls let you control the volume, music selections and accessing voice assistants.
https://dottiraudio.com $149.99
(Contact Gregg Ellman at greggellman@mac.com. Follow him on Twitter @greggellman.)
©2022 Gregg Ellman. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
