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I’ve tested the Nothing Headphone (1) for 2 weeks, and they’re incredibly impressive – except where it counts the most

8:30 pm | July 1, 2025

Nothing Headphone (1): Two-minute review

The Nothing Headphone (1) are the first-ever over-ear headphones from the still-fairly-new tech company, joining its smartphones and a range of earbuds – including one model we rated as a five-star smash hit: the Nothing Ear (a).

While Nothing's earbuds are all mid-range or cheaper, however, the Nothing Headphone (1) are in competition with the best noise-cancelling headphones at a premium level, due to their $299 / £299 price (about AU$630). That's what you pay for a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 today – so do they stand up to one of the biggest names in wireless headphones?

Well, the Nothing Headphone (1) are a product of two halves. When it comes to the technical side of things, they absolutely won me over. They're crammed with features, ranging from tweakable active noise cancellation, to useful audio customization, to USB-C lossless sound support, to spatial audio.

With the exception of the limp spatial audio, these all work excellently, and when you pair them with fantastic on-ear controls – including a 'Roller' button that changes the volume (plus other functions) and is maybe my favorite button on a pair of headphones ever – and superb build quality, they feel well worth their price.

Sadly, the sound quality isn't at the same level. The audio is tuned by the great hi-fi brand KEF, and is reasonably refined, well-balanced, and broadly enjoyable. But it also feels compressed, and lacks the openness and expansive sound I'm used to from testing the competition at this price.

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I tested them directly against the Sony WH-1000XM5, and far preferred the extra breadth and detail the Sony cans offer. I also compared them to the Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones, which can be bought for about half the price, and preferred the sound of those too.

That's the key divide in the Nothing Headphone (1): premium price, premium features, but mid-range sound. But is why you buy headphones, and it needs to match the rest.

There is another divide of sorts: the aesthetics, which some people like a lot, and some people detest. You'll have to make your own mind up. The headphones are comfortable and extremely well-made, though, there's no question about that.

If (well, when) they get a price drop, these could be great headphones. As it stands, I'd suggest you go for the Sony WH-1000XM5 at this price, or another option among our round-up of the best headphones.

The Nothing Headphone (1) on a man's head, shown from the side — (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Price and release date

$299 / £299 / AU$TBC
Released on July 15, 2025

Nothing's previous earbuds releases have all played in the budget-to-mid-range pool, but the Nothing Headphone (1) are going in at the premium deep end.

Their price of $299 / £299 matches the current street price of the Sony WH-1000MX5, and in the US is about the same price as the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. In the UK, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for only a little more at the time of writing, and they often drop to a similarly competitive price in the US too.

That's pretty hardcore company, but the Nothing Headphone (1) are still significantly less expensive than the newest Sony WH-1000XM6, which come in at $449 / £399; and when it comes to features, the Nothing are closest to the XM6 and the Bose Ultra.

I'd also expect them to be available for less than their full price before too long. This is fairly standard with Nothing's earbuds, and the Nothing Ear (a) are now available at an effectively standard price that's far less than their launch price, which puts them top of our list of the best budget earbuds. Perhaps the Headphone (1) will drop before long; for now, though, I'm reviewing them based on their full price.

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Specs

Drivers	40mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Quoted battery life	ANC on: up to 35 hours. ANC off: up to 80 hours
Weight	329g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3
Frequency range	20Hz-40kHz
Waterproofing	IP52

The Nothing Headphone (1) held in a man's hand, pushing the rocker switch — (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Features

Multiple noise-cancellation modes and spatial audio options
Lots of other customization options in the excellent app
You might need to turn on some basic-seeming features

The Nothing Headphone (1) certainly justify their price when it comes to the list of features. You've got adaptive active noise cancellation with Transparency mode, head-tracked spatial audio, equalizer customization options, LDAC higher-res wireless audio, USB-C lossless Hi-Res Audio connectivity, a 3.5mm jack, multi-point Bluetooth to two devices, wear detection, Google Fast Pair, a customizable control button, and up to 35 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation turned on.

If you use them with the new Nothing Phone (3) you also get extra options, such as the option to use the customizable button to switch between your favorite audio apps, or active AI-based voice-note taking, in which your notes are automatically sorted into a relevant collection of notes on your phone.

Let's start with the noise cancellation, since it's the feature most people will use pretty much every time they turn on the headphones. You have three strength settings, plus 'Adaptive' – I was happiest sticking with 'High', but you might choose 'Low' for an office setting, say.

On High, the Nothing Headphone (1)'s noise-blocking power was essentially on a par with Sony WH-1000XM5 in my direct comparison. The noise cancellation does a great job of reducing sounds across the whole frequency range, and does it without interfering with the audio quality. I'd maybe give the Sony cans a 10% higher rating on higher-frequency noise reduction when listening to a podcast, but when listening to music, any difference between these two headphones was academic.

The noise cancellation isn't quite as good as you'll get on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones or Sony WH-1000XM6, but those cost more, so that's fair enough.

The Transparency mode works perfectly well, though it really emphasizes higher-frequency noises, such as crinkling a wrapper. This isn't uncommon, but the Sony XM5 cans maintained a more natural transparency sound when I compared them.

I also noted that when using Transparency mode and talking to someone, my own voice felt really boomy in my ears, far more so than with most of the premium headphones I've used for a while now, which is a bit distracting.

The Nothing Headphone (1) in their open case — (Image credit: Future)

You can switch noise cancellation levels in the app, and you can switch between ANC or Transparency mode using the Roller button on the headphones. The sound that the headphones make to indicate when you've switched modes are my favorite I've ever heard on a pair of headphones – a small thing, but I genuinely loved it.

You hear the sound of a big intake of breath when you switch to Transparency mode, like a sound spirit has been freed from the captivity of ANC. Then, when you turn ANC back on, there's a sucking and shutting sound, denoting the noise being trapped – like the lid slamming back down on the Ark of the Covenant. There's zero confusion as to which mode you've switched to, unlike with some headphones.

When you've finished choosing your noise cancellation mode in the app you can also customize the sound, using two different EQ options and a separate Bass Enhancer tool. I'll get into the latter in the Sound Quality section next, but the EQ options initially give you the option of some named presets (such as 'Vocal'), or you can go into a truly custom mode with an eight-band EQ.

By default, the only way to activate the spatial audio mode, or the separate head-tracked spatial audio mode, is from the app. However, one of the other options you can customize in the app is a physical button near the top of the headphones, which you can use to trigger basically anything from within the app (plus the Nothing Phone (3)-specific options, such as the AI Assistant or switching audio apps). I decided to set this to switch spatial audio modes for my review period, which worked nicely.

I'll talk about the quality of spatial audio in the next section, but the short version is that I don't think it adds anything here, and actively harms the quality of watching videos or movies, sadly.

One slightly odd thing about these headphones is that the wear-detection (to auto-pause what's playing when you take them off) and multi-point Bluetooth (to connect to two devices at once) are both turned off by default, and these settings are hidden in the Device Settings screen rather than being somewhere obvious.

I kind of get it with multi-point Bluetooth – it's not uncommon for this to be turned off by default, and it could be confusing for people not used to the idea. But auto-pause should definitely be turned on by default! The good news is that both work perfectly.

When it comes to battery life we're promised 35 hours with active noise cancellation turned on, and 80 hours with it turned off. I didn't have time to test the latter claim during my review period, but I got just over 38 hours of real-world use from the cans with ANC on, and that was with spatial audio turned on at times as well, which uses even more power.

That puts the Nothing Headphone (1) comfortably above the 30-hour Sony WH-1000XM5 for battery life, but they can't compete with the mighty 60-hour stamina of the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, or the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.

When it comes to microphone quality, these headphones are a little tinny and robotic, as many over-ear headphones are, but largely clear. Not bad, not impressive. I again broke out the Sony XM5 for comparison, and the two performed incredibly similarly – however, once again I heard my own voice booming far more in the Nothing in the Sony, which is a little unpleasant.

Features score: 4.5 / 5

The Nothing Headphone (1) black leather earpads — (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Sound quality

Well balanced with energetic low-end, especially with Bass Enhancer
Limited dynamism and expansiveness
Movie audio quality is weak, and spatial audio doesn't add anything

A quirk of timing meant that I received my Nothing Headphone (1) and starting testing them out before I knew their price. This meant that during my initial testing I had no preconceptions of how they should sound relative to their price; I just listened in isolation.

My instant reaction was "Oh, these must be much more mid-range than I expected from the design." I grabbed the Sennheiser Accentum Plus to do some comparison testing, since those are a top mid-range pick for us. And then I received the pricing information, and realized that these are not mid-range at all – but disappointingly the sound is.

The audio quality of the Nothing Headphone (1) is good, to be clear. But for their price, 'good' isn't good enough.

They're well-balanced across the frequencies, so the different elements of songs feel well represented, and no part seems to particularly overwhelm the others – as you'd hope, given the promise that the sound has been tuned by KEF.

The bass is muscular and impactful, but it still leaves space for the mid-range to feel solid. The treble is prominent without sticking out awkwardly, and delivers a reasonable amount of detail.

The problem is that it all feels bizarrely small and compressed. There's a surprising lack of expansiveness, and while the treble, mid and bass are all very well balanced they also feel shackled to each other, stuck dancing in a small group when then should be moving and spreading around the dance floor.

The sound never feels bigger than the earcups, and for this price, it should. I did direct listening comparisons, using the same music source, with the Sony WH-1000XM5, and you can feel that the music has more room to breathe in the latter.

Instruments separate better, voices sound more natural, the bass is more nimble and nuanced, the transient details are more defined in a way that gives the sound more solidity and realism, and there's a more expansive feeling to the mix.

The Nothing cans feel like they're lacking the fifth gear that other premium headphones have – when a song is supposed to open up into a climax of energy, the Nothing don't have any more headroom to offer.

If the Sony XM5's sound feels like it's coming from a pair of bookshelf speakers, the Nothing Headphone (1)'s sound feels like it's coming from a really good Bluetooth speaker; enjoyable enough given the limitations of the source, but simply lacking the scale and clarity you'd want.

I said that I was initially inclined to compare them to the Sennheiser Accentum Plus, and I'd put these two headphones roughly on a par. I prefer the Sennheiser's more open sound and extra touch of dynamism with small details, but the Nothing's energy and full bass will have their fans.

That's especially true if you activate the Bass Enhancer feature. I really like this! It adds more resonance and viciousness to low frequencies, in a good way. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it reaches deeper while maintaining total control over the sound. I would use this day-to-day with the headphones personally, for sure.

Bass Enhancer also gives you some fun extra flexibility choices when using the equalizer – for example, the Vocal preset on its own wasn't to my taste, but the Vocal preset with Bass Enhancer on was actually a tempting new option to listen with for a while.

The Sony XM5 are boomier in the bass than the Nothing, and with Bass Enhancer on I would say Nothing have the edge for low-end control and thrill, but it doesn't change the fact that I prefer the overall audio advantages of the Sony.

The spatial audio options ranged from middling to disappointing, in my opinion. They don't make music sound worse, but they don't really add to it. I felt no sense of anything new in the tracks with the basic non-head-tracking spatial mode enabled, I think mainly because it can't overcome the headphones' aforementioned overall problem of feeling like the sound is stuck right in the drivers next to your ears.

Switching to head tracking threw up an odd wrinkle, in that it always started with the 'centering' of the track being directly to my right, for whatever reason. If I kept my head looking forward it corrected itself after a few seconds.

The head tracking is good, but the lack of meaningful spatial upscaling means you don’t feel like you’re immersed in a performance in the way you can with Dolby Atmos head-tracking on the AirPods Max. It feels like sitting in front of a set of speakers; but, you know, not a very expansive set of speakers, because the headphones can't do that.

I'll also note here that spatial audio is no good with podcasts, since it throws a load of reverb into the mix, which just muddies things.

I tried movies as well as music, and the headphones' dynamic limitations really show themselves here. Epic movies feel smaller than they should, with dialogue trapped within the overall crush of the mix.

And spatial audio is even weaker here than it is with music – there was actually less directionality from the source soundtrack than when just listening in normal mode, I found. To go back to the Sony XM5, they delivered way more exciting movie audio, at a bigger scale, with harder impacts, and offering far clearer speech at the same time.

This has been quite a negative sound quality write-up, but I want to emphasize what I said at the top – they sound good. There's detail and good balance across the range, but you can get arguably better sound for half the price from Sennheiser, and definitely, in my opinion, better sound for the same price from Sony.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

The Nothing Headphone (1) showing the techy design of the earcups — (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Design

Weighty, but comfortable to wear
Headband adjusts further up than most headphones
On-ear controls are excellent

Before we get into the practical side of the Nothing Headphone (1)'s design, we need to talk about the aesthetic side.

This is one of the most divisive pairs of headphones we've had in TR Towers for a while, and conform strongly to Nothing's penchant for clear cases and the feeling that the tech inside is showing – but mixed with Apple-esque clean, milled aluminum.

The gamut of responses in the office has run from "I love the look of them" to "I really like what they're doing, but I don't think I'd wear them" to "I think they're straight retro cool" to "If they were round I think I'd like them more" to "These are the ugliest headphones I've ever seen".

I'm not going to dwell on the aesthetics here because it's so personal – I think they're charming, but they're not really my style.

They feel high-quality, though – there's basically no give in the construction where there shouldn't be, and the finish on the aluminum and plastic elements is really premium.

The Nothing Headphone (1) held in hands, flexing the headband — (Image credit: Future)

The earpads and headband cushion are leather, with no vegan option, so take note if you'd rather avoid that. The black leather really picks up skin oil, whether that's from your fingers while holding them or your head while wearing them. It wipes off instantly, but just know that it'll really show.

In terms of fit and comfort, the wireless headphones they most remind me of are AirPods Max. At 329g, they weigh a little less than 384g AirPods Max – but notably more than the 250g of the Sony WH-1000XM6 – and like the Max they use a fairly strong clamping force to stay on.

This fit will also be a little divisive – some people really prefer just a lighter-weight headphone that doesn't need to grip so much – but I found them more comfortable than the AirPods Max, and fine to wear for a good stretch of time. The well-padded earcups help with this, holding firmly but softly, and they didn't struggle to fit around my glasses. Still, I was certainly aware of the weight more than when wearing my trusty Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

I could see this kind of firm, clamping fit being popular with gym-goers, as is the case with the AirPods Max – and also just as with the AirPods Max I'm not sure it's a great idea, for sweat-related reasons.

The Nothing Headphone (1) worn by a man — (Image credit: Future)

Having an IP52 rating for dust and water is better than having no rating at all, but it means they're rated only for very limited water ingress protection; I'd suggest that IPX4 is what you want to protect against sweat properly. But it's better than nothing, which is what most rivals offer.

There is one physical design I element I really dislike here, though, and it's the positioning of the adjustable portion of the headband near the top of the head, rather than down by the earcups. My usual method of adjusting headphones for a tighter fit is to to grip the earcups with my palm, hold the armband with my fingers and pull them a little higher when needed.

Here, you have to reach for the top of the headband, which feels much less precise, and my brain had a lot of trouble adjusting. I'm counting this as an "If it wasn't broken, why fix it?" design change.

On the other hand, I absolutely love the physical controls on the Headphone (1). On the back of the right-hand earcup is a 'Roller' control, which you can rotate to change volume, press once to play/pause, and press and hold to change between noise cancellation and Transparency mode.

It moves really smoothly, the finger grips it just the right amount, and I never accidentally rolled it when I meant to press it, or vice versa. It's a wonderful bit of design, and might be my favorite piece of physical control design on any headphones ever. I should note that my colleague Becky Scarrot found that the Roller made a noise that irritated her when she used it – I didn't have any issue, though.

The Nothing Headphone (1) roller and rocker controls — (Image credit: Future)

Below this is a rocker control, which you can push forward or back quickly to skip tracks, or hold in either direction to fast-forward and rewind – perhaps not a necessary control for many people, but as a podcast fan who's used to skipping through ads or being able to go back if I became distracted, I liked having the option.

Another button near the top on the outside of the rear earcup is totally customizable – used with a Nothing Phone handset, it can be used to change which music service you're listening to; on other phones it'll activate a voice assistant as one option. I ended up setting it to change spatial audio modes.

On the bottom of the right earcup are a physical on/off switch, the USB-C port, and the 3.5mm jack.

Design-wise, then, the Nothing Headphone (1) are an odd mix of things I love, things I dislike, and things that really got the TR office talking. The controls and build quality lead me to conclude that they're well-designed on balance, but how you feel about the look will probably be the deciding factor, and I can't make that call for you.

Design score: 4 / 5

The Nothing Headphone (1) on-off switch and usb-c port — (Image credit: Future)

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Value

Excellent, well-implemented set of features
High price sits well with feature list and build quality
The sound drags the value way down, though

As I've said elsewhere in this review, the Nothing Headphone (1) not only justify their premium price when it comes to their features, they actually manage to feel like something of a bargain. Only the lack of Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast prevents them from feeling truly future-proof, and those aren't widely used yet, so I can't really knock the value score on account of their absence.

They feel expensive too – whatever you think of the look, the quality under your fingers (and on your head) is clear, and elements as simple as the excellent roller control give you a little shot of satisfaction every time you use it, and reassure you that these are a well-made piece of tech, and that your money was well spent.

Alas, the sound is an anchor dragging all of that down. I think they sound arguably on par with, or perhaps slightly weaker than, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones, which can be regularly found for a street price that's less than half of what Nothing is asking for the Nothing Headphone (1).

Balance it all out and they just about convince me that they're not actively bad value, but they're not good value either.

Value score: 3 / 5

The Nothing Headphone (1) resting on top of their closed felt case — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Nothing Headphone (1)?

Buy them if...

You want a unique look
They're the most striking pair of mainstream headphones in years, and are extremely well-built.

You want tons of control and customizability
Useful sound options, and the fully customizable button to add unique functionality are all really nice to have, and they have lots of connection options.

You'll use a Nothing Phone
They offer even more interesting options for Nothing Phone owners, including AI skills and instant switching between audio apps.

Don't buy them if...

Audio quality is your top priority
While they don't sound bad, they also don't sound good enough for the price – a lack of openness will frustrate both music and movie lovers.

You make a lot of calls
The call quality is average, but hearing your own boomy voice is frustrating, and other premium headphones generally avoid this.

You don't like heavy headphones
The Nothing headphones are comfortable, but you can feel their weight compared to far lighter options from Sony and Bose. That's the trade-off for the high-quality metal build.

Nothing Headphone (1) review: Also consider

	Nothing Headphone (1)	Sony WH-1000XM5	Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Price	$299 / £299	About $299 / £279	About $349 / £349
Drivers	40mm dynamic	30mm dynamic	35mm dynamic
Connectivity (wireless)	Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC	Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC	Bluetooth 5.3, Snapdragon Sound
Weight	329g		250g
Connectivity (wired)	USB-C lossless audio, 3.5mm jack	USB-C (power only), 3.5mm jack	USB-C (power only), 3.5mm jack

Sony WH-1000XM5
The newer Sony WH-1000XM6 are out, but they cost way more than the Nothing Headphone (1). The older Sony XM5, however, can now be found for the same price, if not cheaper, than the Nothing – and they sound better, and feel far lighter, if that's your preference. Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review for more on the intricacies of these headphones.View Deal

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Another pair of headphones that are much lighter than the Nothing, and these also have a folding design, so are great for travel. They have better noise cancellation than the Nothing or Sony, and better sound too. Like the Nothing cans, they have a spatial audio mode that works by upscaling sound. They have around half the battery life of the Nothing headphones, though – although that was my only real complaint in my Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review.View Deal

The Nothing Headphone (1) worn by man facing the camera directly — (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Nothing Headphone (1)

Tested for two weeks using pre-release Nothing app
Tested at home, in the office, and while travelling
I've been reviewing audio tech for 14 years

I had two weeks to test the Nothing Headphone (1) before their official launch as part of my regular routine, using a pre-release version of the official Nothing app to control their features.

I primarily used them with my iPhone 16 Pro over Bluetooth, and also connected them to my iPad Pro to test the multi-point Bluetooth. I also listening to USB-C lossless audio from these devices, and from my MacBook Air. I used a Fiio M23 music player for LDAC playback.

I tested the active noise cancellation on public transport, walking around city streets, in the TechRadar office, and at home. I listened to the TechRadar audio testing playlist, as well as many hours of whatever music I was in the mood for.

I compared them directly to the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sennheiser Accentum Wireless headphones in listening tests.

To test the actual battery life I charged the headphones up to maximum, and then left them playing at 50% volume, with active noise cancellation turned on, for long periods, until I ran them down.

I've been testing audio products, including headphones, for around 14 years, ranging from early consumer Bluetooth options through to today's best wireless headphones of all kinds.

First reviewed: July 2025
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I reviewed the Sony ULT Field 3 Bluetooth speaker and it left me disappointed, for one key reason

5:30 pm | June 30, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Tags: LDAC | Comments: Off

Sony ULT Field 3: two-minute review

The Sony ULT Field 3 is one of the latest portable Bluetooth speakers to enter a market stuffed to the gills with options. This one promises “impressive power”, “easy portability” and a build quality that'll play your music “anywhere, in any weather”. But with rivals such as JBL and Ultimate Ears going all-in on the whole rough-and-ready portable speaker thing, it begs the question… can Sony outdo its red-hot rivals?

At a glance, you may well think so. This speaker is packed with a ton of features. We’ve got multi-point, customizable EQ, environment optimization and, of course, ULT mode for enhanced bass output. That’s all very neat, and as always, Sony has done a great job with its Sound Connect app, which enables you to access all of these features and more.

This is also a highly durable speaker, with excellent build quality, IP67 dust and waterproofing and an adjustable strap, meaning it’s easy to transport and play in any environment. But, in order to outdo the best Bluetooth speakers around, the thing that truly matters in my book is sound quality.

Unfortunately for the Field 3, this is the one key reason that it fails to stake its claim as a class-leading option. Even with ULT mode on, which plays to the speaker’s strengths – beefy low-end output – you’ll notice significant compression at higher volumes, some harshness in the treble range and a slight lack of nuance.

Even if you want a more balanced listen, the ULT-off tuning simply didn’t cut it in my experience. You can achieve decent audio using the Sound Connect app’s seven-band equalizer, but still, you can’t expect well-separated, perfectly balanced audio.

And given the list price of this speaker – just under $200 / £180 / AU$330 – I think that middling sound quality is pretty disappointing. Some issues, like limited bass extension and mono-only sound (unless you pair to a second Field 3 model) are typical for a speaker of this size – but I’d still expect clearer, more controlled audio from a Sony product at this cost.

Again, a serviceable listen is certainly achievable on the Field 3. But some aspects are more than serviceable. More than anything, that includes battery life, which is very good for a speaker in this weight class. You get up to 24 hours with ULT on – admittedly not playing at high volume, though. Still, the Field 3 should have plenty of juice to last a long listening session, and it can even charge external devices with its USB-C port – which is a most welcome inclusion.

When all’s said and done, the Sony ULT Field 3 has some strong qualities, but just doesn’t have enough sauce to stand out in a talented crowd. Perhaps if it gets a juicy price cut in sales events I’d be able to say it’s worth checking out. But for the moment, I’d suggest looking elsewhere for a summer-ready Bluetooth speaker. Other models, such as the JBL Charge 5 or even the smaller, yet Wi-Fi-enabled Sonos Roam 2 would be better picks, just to name a couple.

Hand adjusting the strap on the Sony ULT Field 3 — (Image credit: Future)

Sony ULT Field 3 review: price and release date

$199 / £179 / AU$329
Launched in April 2025

The Sony ULT Field 3 launched alongside its sibling, the Sony ULT Field 5 in April 2025. It has a list price of $199 / £179 / AU$329, but there’s good news – I’ve already seen it on sale for less through various online retailers. In the UK, for instance, Sony has already run a slashed-price offer, which allows you to pick the ULT Field 3 up for less than £160, so keep your eyes peeled for a bargain buy.

You can grab the ULT Field in three different colorways: Black; Forest Gray; and Off White. The variant you chose should have little to no impact on the price you pay for this model.

Sony ULT Field 3 review: specs

Drivers	1x 86 x 46mm woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter
Dimensions	10.1 x 4.4 x 3.1 inches / 256 x 113 x 79mm
Weight	2.6lbs / 1.2kg
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2
Battery life	24 hours
Waterproofing	IP67

Buttons on top of the Sony ULT Field 3 — (Image credit: Future)

Sony ULT Field 3 review: features

ULT mode for enhanced bass output
Sound Field Optimization
Great battery life

As is typically the case with Sony, you’re getting a solid suite of features on the ULT Field 3. You get the standard stuff like multi-point connectivity, fast-pairing and multi-speaker pairing – which unlocks stereo mode – but there’s so much more to uncover.

Perhaps the main attraction is the ULT mode, which gives bass a gigantic boost. It’s well worth having this on if you want the most powerful, party-ready sound available, but I’ll drill into that a little more later. You can also listen with ULT mode off or set your own custom EQ using a seven band equalizer.

Another audio-related feature that interested me was Sound Field Optimization. This essentially detects noise from your surroundings and fine-tunes audio output to be as clear as possible for your environment – something that’s particularly useful in busier outdoor areas.

But if you dive into the Sony Sound Connect app, there’s a little more at your fingertips. There’s STAMINA (yep, in all caps) mode, which provides a boost to battery life while restricting elements like different sound modes. There’s also an option to prioritize connection quality over sound quality or control playback from your music apps.

One more feature that you don’t always find is an integrated mic that enables hand-free calling. I tested this out and found that my voice came through clearly and my friend's speech on the other end of the line never had any noticeable tinniness or distortion.

Does the ULT Field 3 have the most fleshed out feature-set I’ve ever seen? Well, not quite. There’s a distinct lack of EQ presets, no LED lights or similar, no Auracast over Bluetooth LE audio and omission of wired listening.

Still, there’s plenty overall – even a USB-C charging port that can juice up external devices or serve as a medium to charge the speaker itself. While we’re here, let’s talk battery life too. I was impressed with the ULT Field 3’s playtime – in fact, it’s one of the best things about this speaker. You get up to 24 hours of battery life – of course, if you’re listening at high volumes with ULT mode on, that’s gonna be lower. But still, this speaker is more than capable of keeping the tunes bumping well into the early hours.

Features score: 4/5

Tab on reverse side of the Sony ULT Field 3 open, exposing USB-C port — (Image credit: Future)

Sony ULT Field 3 review: sound quality

Standard ULT-off tuning sounds poor
But with it active, you get improved, bass-heavy audio
No advanced codecs, not even LDAC

OK, to be frank, I was initially pretty disappointed with the audio performance of the Sony ULT Field 3. I started off by listening with ULT switched off and tuned into Black Eye by Allie X which sounded… underwhelming. The meaty drum machine lacked its bite, taking the rhythmic bounce of the track down a peg. At higher volumes, the vocals had a slightly tinny edge to them too. But much of this could be rectified.

Yes, I simply pressed the ULT button and things vastly improved. The deep bass of that drum machine reared its lovely head, finally giving the track some much needed uplift in the low end and, in turn, I was gifted a more full-sounding delivery. In addition, dance tracks like Last One Standing by Kolter and Sidney Charles sounded better this way, with strong low-end output and decently crisp vocal sections.

But even with ULT mode on, I did encounter some issues. All songs sounded noticeably compressed as I gradually pushed the volume higher and higher. By the time I’d reached 80-100%, there was little breathing room for each instrument, resulting in quite a muffled, narrow sound. Treble especially could get pretty harsh with loudness pushed to the max. At medium volume, I’d argue that vocals, percussion and strings were all relatively clear, and the audio can just about fill a medium-sized room. But don’t expect phenomenal separation or microscopic levels of detail even here.

On that note, you won’t get any ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth codecs with the Sony ULT Field 3. Even Sony’s proprietary LDAC has been left out. Then again, this is more of a fun and convenient party speaker rather than a device pitched at audiophiles. And there are a ton of great alternatives if you want a more revealing listen – just look at the Bose SoundLink Max (or newer, smaller, cheaper SoundLink Plus) for instance.

There are a couple of other issues I ran into that are worth noting. Even with ULT mode on, the speaker didn’t quite have the might to handle dark sub bass. For example, The Boys Are Back In Town by Yung Gravy – marked by imposing deep bass running throughout – wasn’t replicated all too well. The speaker just didn’t quite have that extension in the low-end to make every boom sound ultra-clear, with the deepest notes tailing off a bit, even in ULT mode. For a speaker of this size, that’s fairly common – but it’s worth considering if you want the ultimate bass-heavy audio companion.

Speaking of that, there’s a seven-band equalizer that you can access via the Sound Connect app, which does enable you to forge a better sound than the standard ULT off tuning. But that’s it. There aren’t any other presets, which is pretty disappointing if you just want a swift way to adjust the sound to you. There’s also no EQ test, as seen on Sony’s recent smash hit headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6.

Still, with a custom calibration, I did find that tracks with more emphasis on vocals – rather than big booming bass – could sound fairly clear. Rains Again by Solji had solid balance across the frequencies, with expressive vocals and soft strings coming through with enhanced clarity. And for tracks like this, where ULT mode will afford too much emphasis to the low-end, that quality is most welcome. All in all, decent audio is achievable with the ULT Field 3, but it’s far from the best-sounding speaker I’ve tested.

Sound quality score: 3/5

Sony logo on the Sony ULT Field 3

(Image credit: Future)

Sony ULT Field 3 review: design

IP67 dust and waterproof rating
Adjustable and detachable strap
Looks-wise not my fave, but fairly compact and durable

The Sony ULT Field 3 is certainly designed to be a rugged, outdoorsy speaker and it serves that purpose nicely. That’s largely thanks to its up-to-scratch IP67 rating, which means it's both dustproof and able to survive 30 minutes of underwater submersion, up to one meter – something I’d expect from any of the best waterproof speakers.

On top of that, there’s a really solid feel to the Field 3. It has a robust, durable, and fairly chunky build – if you dropped it I think it might break the ground rather than the other way round. Weighing in at 2.6lbs / 1.2kg, it’s got some serious weight for its size. Overall, it really does feel as if the ruggedness of this speaker is its selling point, rather than sound quality.

No matter the environment, you’ll be able to take the Field 3 around with ease, thanks to a fabric strap that’s pre-attached to the speaker (it can be removed). Some models like the Tribit Stormbox Lava come with a handle that you can swap in for transportation over shorter distances – something I would’ve liked to have seen here – though you can adjust the strap to make it shorter for handheld use if you’d prefer.

In terms of looks, I wasn’t loving the Field 3, though that’s fully down to personal preference. I just didn’t quite dig its rounded brick-like aesthetic and the color options were a bit on the bland side for me, but you might love it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

And there’s certainly stuff here that I do like, including simple yet effective button controls, a tab hiding the USB-C port, and a decently compact build. So yes, plenty to admire about the Field 3 as far as design goes – especially if you want something that’s ready to brave any setting, from living room through to the beach.

Design score: 4/5

Sony ULT Field 3 with strap attached — (Image credit: Future)

Sony ULT Field 3 review: value

Audio not good enough for the price
A lot of rivals can still offer the ruggedness too
Ultimately overshadowed in a tough market

The Sony ULT Field 3 is by no means an inexpensive speaker. At $199 / £179 / AU$329, it’s not quite in the premium tier, and its sibling the ULT Field 5 will come at a substantially higher price. But there are tons of similarly sized rivals offering great sound, build quality and features at a similar – or even lower price.

Value for money is simply not the ULT Field 3’s strong-suit. That's mainly because audio quality is pretty disappointing. You can definitely achieve a decent listening experience with ULT on for bass-heavy tracks, or custom calibration for softer genres and podcasts, but still – there are some issues, like underwhelming sound with ULT off and prominent compression at high volumes that hold this model back.

When you have rivals like the JBL Charge 6 on the market that offer impressive audio, an even higher IP rating and the same battery life, there simply aren’t many reasons to recommend the Field 3.

Is this a bad speaker? No, no it’s not. The ULT mode is the key draw, offering solid bass response for a speaker of this stature. You also get a ton of playtime and great protection against the elements. But I’d argue that’s not enough given the competition from, of course JBL – but also the Sonos Roam 2 (below), Ultimate Ears Everboom, and Tribit Stormbox Lava.

Value score: 2.5/5

Should I buy the Sony ULT Field 3?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Some omissions, but great battery life, environment optimization is a nice touch.	4/5
Sound quality	Needs ULT on to sound its best, at high volumes compression is noticeable.	3/5
Design	It's not the sleekest, but the Field 3 is rugged and ready for any environment.	4/5
Value	Average audio at a not-so-cheap price makes the Field 3 a tough sell.	2.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a speaker capable of handling any environment
I have no doubts that the Sony ULT Field 3 is capable of enduring almost any setting, thanks to its brilliant IP67 dust and waterproof rating. That means it can even survive being dunked underwater for 30 minutes – pretty impressive. If you want to bring your music anywhere and everywhere, the Field 3 has you covered.

You need a speaker with plenty of battery to go around
One of the best things about the ULT Field 3 is undoubtedly its battery life. You can get up to 24 hours here, which is enough to keep the tunes blasting throughout a beachside bash or house party for the ages. You can also use the Field 3 to charge external devices via its USB-C port, so when it comes to power, this really does have it all.

Don't buy it if...

You want great all-round audio
In terms of sound quality, the Sony ULT Field 3 is unlikely to wow you. Without ULT mode on, bass sounds too thin, but even when it is active you’ll notice a lot of compression at high volumes and treble especially can get quite harsh. I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best party speakers if you want a more sonically talented alternative.

You’re on a budget
The ULT Field 3 simply isn’t great value – particularly when it’s not on sale. You can do better for $199 / £179. But you don’t even have to spend that much. If you want a great speaker without having to spend all too much, I’d recommend checking out options like the five-star JBL Flip 7, or for something a little larger, the Anker Soundcore Boom 2.

Sony ULT Field 3 review: also consider

	Sony ULT Field 3	JBL Charge 5	Sonos Roam 2
Price	$199 / £179 / AU$329	$179.95 / £169.99 / AU$199.95	$179 / £179 / AU$299
Drivers	1x 86 x 46mm woofer, 1x 20mm tweeter	1x 30W woofer, 1x 10W tweeter	1x tweeter, 1x mid-woofer
Dimensions	10.1 x 4.4 x 3.1 inches / 256 x 113 x 79mm	8.7 x 3.76 x 3.67 inches / 221 x 96 x 93 mm	6.6 x 2.4 x 2.4 inches / 168 x 62 x 60mm
Weight	2.6lbs / 1.2kg	2.1lbs / 960g	1lbs / 440g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.1	Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi
Battery life	24 hours	20 hours	10 hours
Waterproofing	IP67	IP67	IP67

JBL Charge 5
If you’re looking for a great-value rival to the Sony ULT Field 3, the JBL Charge 5 is right up there. You get well-balanced, clear audio, plenty of power and a highly durable design. Its battery life is very good, but not quite as high as Sony’s speaker and we still noticed distortion at peak volume. But overall this is a great speaker. With the Charge 6 recently arriving (review coming soon, and we’re expecting great things), you’re also able to pick the Charge 5 up at a massively cut price right now. I’m talking $139 / £119 – that’s amazing value! Read our full JBL Charge 5 review.

Sonos Roam 2
This one’s something a little different, but well worth checking out. Yep, the Sonos Roam 2 is a fair bit smaller than the ULT Field 3, weighs less than half of Sony’s speaker and can’t come close in terms of battery life. But still, I’d choose it over the ULT Field 3, personally. You get surprisingly powerful, yet rich sound quality, Wi-Fi connectivity for seamless streaming, and the same IP67 ruggedness. We’ve also seen it on sale for less than $140 / £140 in 2025, so keep an eye out for juicy deals if you’re sold on this Sonos speaker. Read our full Sonos Roam 2 review.

Sony ULT Field 3 review: how I tested

Sony ULT Field 3 on table against pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for one week
Mainly used in our music testing facility at Future Labs
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I put the Sony ULT Field 3 to the test for a one week period (after a thoroguh run-in of 15 hours), tinkering with all of its features, blasting hours worth of tunes and assessing all aspects of its design. I predominantly tested in our music testing room at Future Labs in order to judge audio quality in an isolated, controlled environment.

When listening to music, I mainly used Tidal, but I occasionally played songs via Spotify too. I initially streamed tracks from our carefully curated TechRadar reference playlist, but I also listened to music from my own personal library.

I’ve tested all sorts of audio gear during my time here at TechRadar, from flagship headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6 through to home cinema products like the Marshall Heston 120. I’ve reviewed a large array of speakers along the way from brands like Sony, LG and JBL, so I have a strong understanding of the ULT Field 3’s rivals, as well as what it takes to stand out as a strong candidate in a highly competitive market.

First reviewed: June 2025
Read more about how we test

They’re ‘fine’, but JLab’s new open earbuds fall victim to just how many ace pairs I’ve tested this year…so fine no longer cuts it

1:00 pm | June 28, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

JLab Epic Open Sport: Two minute review

The hottest earbuds craze of 2025 is open earbuds. These are usually hook-like headphones (no headband or neckband) that don't invade your ear canals and as such, let in surrounding sound so you can be safe and aware outdoors.

That said, not all makers have figured out to solve the fit and sound quality problems that come with the design territory. Key player JLab isn’t going to be left out of the tournament, but its most premium offering – the Epic Open Sport and the subject of this review – in the space doesn’t do enough to compete with what I've seen in the first half of the year.

The JLab Epic Open Sport were released over six months after JLab’s last offering in the area, the JBuds Open Sport, and our list of the best open earbuds has been changing near-constantly during that time. Back when those older buds were released, I hadn’t tested any that I thought provided decent sound quality, and was constantly facing buds which fit poorly and without a tip to anchor the buds in the ear.

That’s no longer the case though and while the Epic Open Sport match some of their top contemporaries in terms of price, the buds lack refinement in a few key areas and they simply don’t have that one unique selling point or draw that’ll cause you to consider them over their rivals.

When I say ‘lack of refinement’, I’m primarily looking at design. The case is bulky and cheap-feeling, with a poking-out-logo that catches dust. The grooves for the buds within said case don’t hold them very well. The buds too are bigger than many rivals (although I never had any comfort problems when wearing them).

The earbuds don’t have too many features either, beyond the relative must-haves in 2025 (an equalizer; the ability to customize what touch controls do) with a battery life that’s decidedly average too. And in terms of sound, the JLabs are nothing to write home about, although the sound profile does feel custom-picked to appeal to sports users so I’ll give kudos for that.

You can probably guess, given that my main issue with the JLab Epic Open Sport is that I don’t think they offer value for money or a competitive hook in a crowded marked, that there’s not anything particularly wrong with them either. They work well and rarely in my testing did I find something to grumble about. Purchase them and you won't be disappointed – you just won't be wowed either.

But if you’re on the market for open-ear buds, you’ve got plenty of superior options to consider for the money (more on those later), so it’s hard to make a case for the JLabs over those, in this busy market.

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IP55
Battery life	7 hours (earbuds), 30 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	16.8g / Charging case: 49.9g
Driver	14mm

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Price and availability

The JLab Epic Open Sport on a tennis racquet. — (Image credit: Future)

Released in April 2025
Cost $114.99 / £99.99 / AU$199.99
JLab's priciest sports or open-ear buds

The JLab Epic Open Sport were announced in April 2025 and put on sale near the end of that month.

The buds cost $114.99 / £99.99 / AU$199.99, which makes them JLab’s priciest open-ears, $55 / £40 / AU$50 more than last year’s JBuds Open Sport. It also makes them JLab’s most premium sports-hook earbuds too.

In the open-ear market, you can also find the likes of the excellent Huawei FreeArc, Honor Earbuds Open and (less fantastic, but still) Acefast Acefit Pro for roughly the same asking fee – it’s a really competitive price area.

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Design

Case has a few minor issues...
... but supports wireless charging
Buds feel bulky, but fit well

Both the case and the buds for the JLab Epic Open Sport feel a little on the big side – in the former case at least it’s far from the chunkiest I’ve seen though.

Let’s start with that case. It weighs 49.6g (discounting, I presume, the buds themselves), measures 26 x 76 x 67mm and comes adorned with a large and slighty-jutting-out JLab logo (you can actually push it in a tiny bit if you want, which seems like an unintentional design decision). It opens in a clamshell style and there’s a USB-C charging port at the back.

The case’s plastic material feels a little cheap in the hand, and the looks of the thing make it seem unrefined. The buds also don’t sit in the case properly if you lightly drop them in, and I had to push down on them to make sure they were charging properly. However, points awarded for one premium feature: the case supports wireless charging.

Onto the buds themselves, these weigh 16.8g each so are some of the heavier open-ear buds I’ve tested, but it’s a negligible difference of a few grams. They consist of a bulky bud, a sport loop and a counterweight, all of which you can see in the images.

What you may not see is all the touch controls: the button atop the bud is obvious but you can also tap the JLab logo for a different function. I found the latter pretty unreliable in picking up my touch but the use of a physical button for the former made these buds much easier to use than some touch capacitive solutions I've tested.

Despite being a little heavier than the norm, I found the JLabs comfortable to wear. I could use them for long periods of time without feeling them weigh me down or rub my ears, and they stayed in place solidly without moving around too much above my ear.

There’s only one color option: black, for both the buds and case – so if you want snazzier colors you're out of luck here. The buds do have an IP55 rating which offers limited protection against dust ingress and also protection from low-pressure water jets (including rain), but they can't be immersed in water – so no swimming, OK?

Design score: 3.5/5

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Features

7-hour battery life (30 for case)
Useful 10-band EQ
Small ambient sounds library within the app

JLab has put the Epic Open Sport battery life at 7 hours, a figure I’d roughly back from my testing time, with the charging case bumping that up to 30 hours.

Those figures are both basically standard for earbuds, although some open-ears beat that figure by a considerable margin. Like most (though not all) same-form rivals, there’s no noise cancellation at play here – you may laugh, but the aforementioned Honor Earbuds Open do have ANC, and very good it is too.

To get the most of your Epic Open Sports, you can download the smartphone app, simply called ‘JLab’.

This lets you adjust both the touch and button controls of the buds, set a volume limit and toggle between Music Mode and Movie Mode (nowhere on JLab’s site or app can I find information on what this does but, judging by rival devices’ equivalents, the latter likely reduces latency at the expense of detailed audio quality). The app also has a limited library of ambient sounds you can listen to, which is a fairly unusual – though hardly unheard-of – inclusion.

Its equalizer is perhaps the main reason you’d download the JLab app. There are two presets, simply called EQ1 and EQ2, but a 10-band custom mode lets audiophiles design their bespoke mix.

All things considered, that’s a pretty light feature set, with no unique selling point or range of extras to win over buyers. At least the Bluetooth connection was reliable, not dropping at all during testing, and pairing was quick and easy.

Features score: 3.5/5

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Sound performance

14mm driver
V-shaped audio profile helps sports users
Max volume could be higher

The JLab Epic Open Sport aren’t going to top my list of the best-sounding open ear buds I’ve ever tested, but they’re definitely nearer the top of the list than the bottom.

JLab has given the buds 14mm drivers and they connect via Bluetooth 5.4. They support the SBC, AAC, MPEC-2 and LDAC codecs which could appease some audiophiles but, as you can tell from the name, these are mainly for sports users.

The buds have a V-shaped sound, emphasising bass and treble and leaving mids by the wayside. As someone who likes balanced sound, initial impressions weren’t in the JLab’s favor, but when I started using them for sports (specifically, for Epic Open Sport, the only type I know), it all fell into place.

This kind of profile benefits exercisers: heavy scooping bass to keep the rhythm, piercing treble to cut through the noise at the gym. A little bit of peaking, some tinny sibilance, a limited sound stage can be overlooked. It’s not for audiophiles, but I think people who want tunes as they work out or run will appreciate how these sound more than some better-sounding rivals.

What isn’t as handy is the max volume, which isn’t quite as high as I would’ve liked. When I was running past busy intersections my tunes would fight against the sound of traffic — and lose, lots of the time.

Sound performance score: 3.5/5

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Value

The JLab Epic Open Sport aren’t cheap, and their price roughly matches some competitive rivals (read more in the next section of this review).

However the specs don’t quite match up — the JLabs are good, but you can get greatness for the same price and in light of these competitors, it’s hard to view the Epic Open Sport as offering that good value for money.

If you find these things reduced below the $100 / £100 / AU$200 mark, that’ll definitely change. But for now, their lack of refinement or a unique selling point makes them hard to recommend from a value perspective.

Value score: 3/5

JLab Epic Open Sport review: scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	At recommended retail price, the Epic Open Sport don't offer much to draw your attention away from other options that cost the same.	3/5
Design	The earbuds fit well and sit on the ear reliably, with a useful button for controls. But they're a bit big and the case isn't one of the better ones I've seen.	3.5/5
Features	The feature set is quite limited, although what the JLab does have works well.	3.5/5
Sound	Sports users will enjoy the V-shaped sound which offers ample bass and treble, though audiophiles will find the sound lacking.	3.5/5

JLab Epic Open Sport review: Should you buy them?

Buy them if...

You're buying sound for sports
The sound profile of the buds will appeal most to people who need thumping bass and clear treble as they run or work out.

You rely on an equalizer
An equalizer is no sure thing when you buy headphones, but the JLabs' 10-band one gives you customization over your sound.

You want an option with wireless charging
Wireless charging isn't a common feature in earbuds, let alone open-ear ones, so if you really want such a product, the JLab might be one to consider.

Don't buy them if...

You like a lightweight case
Sure, open earbuds cases tend to be pretty big, but you can find smaller and better-designed ones on other buds.

You want a full suite of features
If you look elsewhere on the open-ear market you can find noise cancellation, listening tests, 'find-my-bud' features and a lot more.

You want a budget option
JLab sells lots of cheap earbuds, including sports and open-ear options, but the Epic Open Sport aren't them. These are more premium offerings.View Deal

Also consider

Component	JLab Epic Open Sport	Huawei FreeArc	Honor Earbuds Open	AceFast AceFit Pro
Water resistant	IP55	IP57	IP54	IP54
Battery life	7 hours (earbuds) 30 hours (total)	7 hours (earbuds), 28 hours (total)	6 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)	6 hours (earbuds) 25 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.2	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	16.8g / Charging case: 49.6g	8.9g / Charging case: 67g	7.9g / Charging case: 52.5g	7.8g / Charging case: 80g
Driver	14mm	17x12mm	16mm	20x8mm

Huawei FreeArc

The best-sounding open earbuds on the market right now come from Huawei, which match the JLab in price (though aren't available everywhere). They're also much lighter than the Epic Sport.

Read our full Huawei FreeArc review

Honor Earbuds Open

If it's the feature set you care about, then the same-price Honor Earbuds Open are worth considering. These offer noise cancellation, the ability to hunt down missing earbuds and even a translator. The case is also lovely and small.

Read our full Honor Earbuds Open review

How I tested

I used the JLab Epic Open Sport for over three weeks before I started writing this review, and I continued to test them during the writing process.

I wore them to the gym and on runs, but also in non-sports situations like walking to the shops or working at home. They were paired the whole time with my Android smartphone.

I've been reviewing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years and that's included plenty of open-ear buds, especially through the first half of 2025.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

Bose’s SoundLink Plus Bluetooth speaker outperforms its portable dimensions…unless you need it in a rush

4:00 pm | June 26, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Comments: Off

Bose SoundLink Plus: Two-minute review

The Bose SoundLink Plus fits the gap between the SoundLink Flex and SoundLink Max nicely. Like its two older siblings, the SoundLink Plus is a sturdy, silicone-and-steel speaker that has an impressive IP67 rating against dust and moisture, can be controlled either via an app or by using buttons on the speaker itself, and will play nicely with other speakers in the Bose line-up.

Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive compatibility and multi-point connectivity is a decent start. A mid/bass driver and a tweeter supported by four passive radiators is welcome specification too, even if Bose is doing its usual thing of failing to quote power, frequency response or any other even mildly interesting information. And battery life of 20 hours (with a following wind) looks good too, especially when you consider a) the speaker’s USB-C slot can also output, as well as receive, power, and b) the battery can be replaced if and when the need arises.

As far as performance goes too, it’s established SoundLink business as usual. Which means expansive and full-figured low frequencies, plenty of detail across the board, direct and informative midrange and a top end that doesn’t get carried away with itself.

One of the best Bluetooth speakers around then, just like it's big brother? Well, in this instance, the SoundLink sonic recipe also means bass sounds that could be better controlled and, as a consequence, rhythmic expression that isn’t as convincing as it might be. Whether or not this is a deal-breaker when balanced against everything the Bose does well will very much depend on you…

Bose Soundlink Plus review: Price and release date

Available from June 26, 2025
Priced $269 / £249 / AU$429

The Bose SoundLink Plus is on sale from June 26, 2025, and in the United Kingdom it costs £249. In the company’s native United States it sells for $269, while in Australia you’re looking at AU$429.

That puts it, as you'd expect, a good deal cheaper than the June 2024-issue Bose SoundLink Max it joins in the range, which made its debut at $399 / £399 / AU$599 and hasn't seen too many dips in price since (partly because it is a fantastic speaker).

But it's still a fair bit pricier than our top Bluetooth speaker pick, the JBL Flip 7, which arrived in March 2025 and can be yours for $149 / £129 / AU$179.

Has Bose's gamble paid off? Let's dig in!

Bose SoundLink Plus on Brighton Beach pebbles, with the old pier in the background — (Image credit: Future)

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Specs

Weight:	1.45kg
Dimensions:	99 x 231 x 86mm (HxWxD)
Battery life (quoted):	20 hours
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive codec support
Drivers:	1x mid/bass driver, 1x tweeter, 4x passive radiators
Aux-in:	No
Charger port:	USB-C
Microphone:	No
Waterproof rating:	IP67

Image 1 of 2

three screengrabs of Bose's Soundlink Plus control app, on gray background — Screengrabs from the app (there's plenty to get through this time) (Image credit: Bose)

Image 2 of 2

Bose SoundLink Plus screengrabs from the app, on gray background — (Image credit: Bose)

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Features

Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive codec support
Mid/bass driver, tweeter, four passive radiators
Up to 20 hours of battery life

The SoundLink Plus uses Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity, and is compatible with SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive codecs. There’s multi (for which read ‘two') -point connectivity available, too.

Once your digital audio content is on board the Bose, it’s delivered by a speaker driver array consisting on a mid/bass driver, a tweeter, and no fewer than four passive radiators. Bose being Bose, of course, the size and composition of these drivers, their position within the cabinet, and the amount of power that’s driving them, is privileged information. And that’s also the case where the type of amplification the Plus uses, and the frequency response it’s capable of achieving, are concerned too.

If you’re judicious about the volume level you listen at, you should be able to listen to the Plus for as much as 20 hours between charges; if you’re not, you’ll be lucky to get five hours of action. Should the worst happen and your Bose runs flat, charging it back to ‘full’ takes a lazy five hours – although the USB-C slot on the rear of the chassis can also be used as a power output if you need to charge your smartphone or what-have-you. The battery can be replaced by Bose service engineers should the need ever arise, which is a nice nod to a more sustainable tech future too.

Features score: 4.5/5

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Design

99 x 231 x 86mm (HxWxD)
IP67
Choice of three finishes

You’ll make your own mind up about the way the Bose SoundLink Plus looks, and you’ll certainly have an opinion about the available finishes (black, ‘dusk’ blue or the acidic ‘citrus’ yellow), but there’s no arguing with the hardiness of this 99 x 231 x 86mm (HxWxD) speaker.

Thanks in large part to the use of soft-touch silicone in its construction, the Bose is shock-proof. Thanks to an IP rating of IP67, it’s basically immune to the effects of dust and water – in fact, Bose claims it’s perfectly happy being submerged in up to a metre of water for 30 minutes at a time. The SoundLink Plus floats, though, so you’d have to be pretty patient to test this out definitively. And thanks to a loop of sturdy nylon rope at one end of the chassis, the speaker’s 1.45kg weight can be borne by the strap of a bag or something like that.

Like the larger SoundLink Max, the front of the Plus is a powder-coated steel grille. At the rear there’s a smaller perforated grille, along with a USB-C slot that can move power in either direction.

Design score: 4.5/5

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Sound quality

Spacious, detailed and punchy presentation
Impressive dynamic headroom
Not the last word in rhythmic positivity

It’s not, strictly speaking, a game of two halves because the positives in the way the SoundLink Plus sounds are much more numerous than the negatives. But equally, this Bose is not what I can truthfully describe as an ‘all-rounder’.

As far as the positives go, they are plentiful and gratifying. With a Qobuz-derived hi-res FLAC file of Boring and Weird Historical Music by Telemachus playing, the fractionally warm tonal balance makes a lot of sense and the speaker’s ability to extract plenty of detail throughout the frequency range is straightforwardly impressive. The direct nature of the midrange allows voices to reveal plenty of character and attitude along with the more usual information regarding tone and technique. And at the top of the frequency range, the SoundLink Plus attacks with well-judged gusto, bringing a bit of bite and shine to treble sounds without straying into hardness – even if you’re playing at big volumes (which you won’t be, because it affects battery life so fundamentally).

Bose, of course, isn’t saying how much power is available here, but whatever the specific number it’s more than enough to ensure the SoundLink Plus has more than enough dynamic headroom to deal with the shifts in intensity and/or volume that pepper this recording. The speaker is happy to go very loud indeed without altering its overall sonic characteristics, and when playing at more considered volumes its ability to identify and contextualise even very transient details of harmonic variations is pretty impressive.

And as well as dealing in outright volume, the Bose also creates a large soundstage by the standards of reasonably compact single-enclosure speakers. There’s a sensation of space that’s by no means a given when listening to wireless speakers at this sort of money, an openness that means even involved recordings like Radiohead’s The National Anthem are fairly easy to follow on an individual-instrument basis.

The SoundLink Plus has fairly even frequency response inasmuch as no area is underplayed or overstated to any great degree – but it doesn’t integrate the lowest frequencies with everything happening above them as smoothly as it might. The amount of punch and low-end substance the speaker can summon is impressive, certainly, but there’s a relative lack of control where attack and decay are concerned that means the plentiful bass can drag at tempos a little. Rhythmic expression isn’t as naturalistic as it might be, and low-frequency information can sound just a little estranged from the otherwise-unified presentation.

Sound quality: 4/5

Bose SoundLink Plus review: setup & usability

App or button control
Two SoundLink Plus can form a stereo pair
No mics means no voice control

There’s a mildly recessed strip of physical controls across the top of the SoundLink Plus – the action is rubbery but quite positive at the same time. Here’s where you can deal with ‘power on/off’, ‘volume up/down’, ‘play/pause’, Bluetooth pairing, and also access a ‘shortcut’ button.

The function of the ‘shortcut’ button can either be ‘access Spotify’ or ‘speaker link’ – you’ll define what you want it to do in the Bose control app that’s free for iOS and Android. ‘Access Spotify’ doesn’t really require any further explanation, but it’s worth noting that ‘speaker link’ allows two SoundLink Plus to form a stereo pair, or any other Bose speaker with a ‘shortcut’ button of its own to share content.

Other app functions include EQ presets and a three-band equaliser to create some settings of your own. There’s the ability to check for firmware updates, and an indication of remaining battery power. As is standard Bose practice, the app is nothing much to look at but is stable, logical and useful.

Setup & usability: 4.5/5

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Value

The SoundLink Plus is decent value for money, no two ways about it. Yes, it can be bettered for battery life and for charging time, and there are speakers out there with more comprehensive control options. But it’s built to last (and thanks to that IP67 rating, to last anywhere), looks good, and is potent enough to fill even quite large spaces with sound. Sound that’s reasonably balanced, unarguably punchy and actually quite revealing, what’s more.

Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Bose SoundLink Plus?

Bose SoundLink Plus
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Strong app support	4.5/5
Design	Robustly made and beautifully (Bose-fully?) finished	4.5/5
Sound quality	Bold and thoroguhly Bose once more, if just a tad lethargic through the bass	4/5
Value	However you look at it, it's a contender at the level	4.5/5

Buy it if…

You’re genuinely careless
The SoundLink Plus is IP67-rated, so dust and moisture even in quite large quantities are no problem

You’re never far from the pool
The Bose speaker floats, which means it’s even more fun in the pool than those inflatables…

You enjoy robust, power-packed sound
‘Punchy’ is almost too mild a word to put the sonic character of this speaker into perspective

Don’t buy it if…

You like to listen loud
The SoundLink will go loud, sure enough, but big volumes affect battery life quite significantly

You’re in a hurry to listen
If you run the battery flat, it will be five hours before it’s fully charged again

You’re all about the dancefloor
Other wireless speakers at similar money are more confident and adept when it comes to rhythmic expression

Bose SoundLink Plus review: Also consider

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Generation
Recently, we heard and fully enjoyed this lovely little contender. Yes, it’s smaller and sounds less powerful than the Bose and yes, it’s more expensive – but it’s a profoundly accomplished listen and one of the more straightforwardly desirable Bluetooth speakers around.
Read more in our Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen review

Sonos Roam 2
The more adventurous can also consider the second-generation Sonos Roam. It’s handily cheaper than the Bose, even more portable, and it looks and feels good. It’s not the loudest speaker this sort of money can buy you, and there’s always the nagging doubt that the control app will strangle itself again but, like I say, it’s one for the adventurous.
See our in-depth Sonos Roam 2 review for the full story

How I tested the Bose SoundLink Plus

Tested for two weeks
Dual sources used: iPhone 14 Pro and a FiiO M15S digital audio player
Listened in my home and on the beach

Thanks to its multipoint connectivity, I was able to connect my Apple iPhone 14 Pro and my FiiO M15S digital audio player to the SoundLink Plus at the same time – switching between the two gave a great indication of how well the Bose can perform when it’s given the best shot where codec compatibility is concerned. I listened to lots of music, of different styles and various file sizes, along with a fair amount of spoken word stuff, and I listened in my home and down on the beach. It’s a tough job, and so on…

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

I tested Cambridge Audio’s all-new Melomania A100 earbuds and now I’m even crazier about music

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, LDAC | Comments: Off

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100: two-minute review

Until now, Cambridge Audio’s TWS earbuds efforts have been ‘pretty good’ – but this is a market in which ‘pretty good’ tends not to be good enough. And so the company is back with what is quite obviously a very concerted effort, in the shape of the new Melomania A100.

Here, $149 / £119 or its regional equivalent buys a pair of true wireless in-ears that travel in a very neat charging case, that follow the ‘stem’ style of design and that can be had in black or white finishes. It also buys high specification (Bluetooth 5.4 wireless connectivity with LDAC and aptX Lossless codec compatibility, Class AB amplification, nearly 40 hours of battery life, 10mm Neodymium dynamic drivers) that you’d be glad to see on a product costing twice as much. And by way of an encore, it buys a raft of control options that include an endlessly entertaining appearance by Matt Berry. Some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds around? And perhaps even some of the best earbuds irrespective of noise-nixing, then? For sure.

Most of all, though, money put Cambridge Audio's way for these particular buds buys insightful, controlled and thoroughly entertaining sound. The A100 manage to combine levels of insight that are the best around in this market with an energetic and engaging attitude that makes the description ‘musical’ entirely valid.

As far as value for money is concerned, not to mention a thoroughly enjoyable audio experience, the Melomania A100 are currently there to be shot at.

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 on white background — (Image credit: Future)

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Price and release date

Release date: June 26, 2025
Price: $149 / £119 / AU$TBC (but around AU$249)

At the time of writing this review, the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 wireless in-ear headphones are on sale from today (June 26, 2025) and in the United Kingdom they cost £119. The price in the United States is $149, and while no Australian pricing is confirmed as yet, it seems something around AU$249 is likely.

It’s an aggressive price from a company that’s most recently been making waves with equipment a fair bit further up the food chain, but that’s not the same as saying the A100 are without serious competition. Sony (another brand that can hold its own at the high end) will sell you a pair of its very accomplished Sony WF-C710N buds for pennies less than £100, just as a ‘for instance’. So these earbuds have to do a bit more than show up wearing an attractive price to get a seat at the top table…

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Specs

Weight:	4.7g per earbud
Drivers:	10mm Neodymium dynamic
Battery life:	11 hours per charge; up to 39 hours with the case
Bluetooth:	5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Features

Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC
Six-mic array for ANC and call-handling
Class AB amplification; 10mm Neodymium dynamic drivers

In the context of the asking price, the Melomania A100 are very impressively specified indeed. There are true wireless earbuds costing plenty more than this that don’t look as good on the page.

For example, the Cambridge Audio use top-of-the-shop Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity, and are compatible with aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless and LDAC codecs. Multipoint connectivity is available too, and the array of six mics that handle noise-cancellation, telephony and voice-assistant interaction are bolstered by Clear Voice Capture echo-cancelling and noise suppression.

There’s Class AB amplification on board, an unarguable step up from the Class D alternative that’s way more common in products like this. A dual-core Qualcomm Kalimba DSP minimises distortion and maximises clarity, and a pair of 10mm Neodymium drivers serve up the sound.

Screengrabs of the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100's companion app — (Image credit: Cambridge Audio)

In the most advantageous circumstances (volume down, ANC off and so on) the earbuds will run for a healthy 11 hours between charges, and you can eke out as much as 39 hours when the power in the charging case is taken into account too. Charging from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ takes around 70 minutes, and just 10 minutes on the mains power (there’s a USB-C slot on the case) should hold you for over three hours of playback (provided you keep that ANC switched off).

And because portable products like this need a degree of hardiness, of course, the A100 are IPX5-rated. Which means they should be absolutely fine in any realistic environment.

Features score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Sound quality

Energetic and entertaining sound
Detailed and dynamic in equal measure
Some trifling low-end integration issues

The temptation that’s been succumbed to by any number of true wireless in-ear headphones of similar price to the Melomania A100 is to ramp up low frequencies in the name of ‘excitement’ and let the idea of ‘balance’ go out of the window. This Cambridge Audio product, though, is a bit more sensible than that – and as a consequence, it’s ultimately a far more accomplished listen.

Leave the EQ settings in the app well alone and the A100 are quite neutral where tonality is concerned and have an almost ideal frequency response. High frequencies have bite and shine during a listen to Daniel Avery’s Diminuendo, but have sufficient substance and variation to prevent any suggestion of hardness or edginess. And at the opposite end of the frequency range there are similarly high levels of detail, and control that’s sufficient to allow very decent rhythmic expression. Bass sounds punch with determination, but their speed and variation means they never drag at the momentum of a recording.

Switch to a file of Last Night by Arooj Aftab and the midrange is revealed to be open and eloquent – the A100 can communicate a voice’s character and attitude in the most direct manner. Detail levels are, as elsewhere, impressively high, and there’s real positivity to the way the A100 ties the frequency range together. In absolute terms it could be argued that the lowest frequencies sound just slightly remote from the lower midrange and everything above that, but the commonality of their tone mitigates this quite significantly.

The soundstage the Cambridge Audio can generate is large, well-defined and carefully controlled – so even an element-heavy recording like Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue as performed by the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein sounds open and carefully laid out. There’s elbow-room for every performer and a fairly explicit description of relative on-stage positions.

There’s plenty of dynamic headroom available for when the orchestra really ramps up the intensity, and the dynamics of harmonic variation are carefully attended to during the solo piano passages too. Transient response is good, and the result is an overall presentation that sounds very much like the complete picture.

All of the above might serve to make the Melomania A100 seem rather analytical – and there’s no denying they can peer into a recording and return with all sorts of pertinent observations. But primarily they’re an engaging and entertaining listen, and a pair of earbuds that give the strong impression that they’re just as keen on your favourite music as you are. It’s by no means easy to combine ‘analysis’ with ‘entertainment’ so that each discipline is properly attended to – and that’s the case no matter how much you’re charging – so Cambridge Audio is deserving of both congratulations and admiration.

And where active noise-cancellation is concerned, the Melomania A100 can go toe-to-toe with the best of their price-comparable rivals. The system doesn’t alter the sound of the earbuds in any way, it doesn’t betray itself with counter-signal or any sort of audible disruption – and it does a very agreeable job on all but the loudest and/or deepest of external noises. There’s a second tier of ANC that sits below the uncanny silence that’s available from a pair of Bose noise-cancellers – and these Cambridge Audio earbuds are now a part of it.

Sound quality score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Design

45 x 61 x 25mm, HxWxD (charging case)
4.7g (earbud)
Choice of black or white finishes

Unlike previous Cambridge Audio true wireless models, the Melomania A100 are from the Apple-inspired ‘dangly stem’ school of design. The earbuds are notably neat and tidy and, thanks to a selection of eartip sizes and a trifling 4.7g weight, fit comfortably even for the longest listens. ‘Neat and tidy’ covers the charging case too, which is 45 x 61 x 25mm (HxWxD) – this slender design does mean the earbuds are slightly trickier to get out of the case than they otherwise would be, but it’s not much of a price to pay for such pocket-friendly dimensions. The standard of build and finish is impressive in every respect, and the look is good no matter if you choose the black or white finish.

I might as well go with the word ‘impressive’ to deal with operability here, too. The A100 have a capacitive touch surface at the top of the stem of each–- a combination of presses and holds gives control of most playback controls, and lets you cycle between your ANC options or summon your voice assistant too. Interactions are swift and reliable, and the ‘Melomania’ control app gives the chance to customise the effect each sequence of presses or holds has.

The control app also has decent extended functionality. Six EQ presets are joined by a seven-band equaliser that allows you to store quite a few custom settings, while a defeatable ‘dynamEQ’ setting does its best to maintain full-range response at lower volumes. You can select between ‘transparency’, ‘normal’ and ‘noise-cancelling’ for ANC, and within this last option you can choose between ‘low’, ‘medium’ or ‘high’. Switching for ‘gaming mode’, ‘wear detection’ and ‘sleep mode’ are all available too – and within ‘audible feedback’ there’s the greatest Easter egg in any app anywhere ever. ‘Off’ and ‘tones’ are both options, and there are eight different languages to choose from too… but the eleventh option (‘Southwark’) lets your audible feedback be delivered by Matt Berry in highly fruity fashion.

Even without this delightful touch, though, ‘Melomania’ is a useful, stable and easy-to-navigate control app that’s only missing the ability to integrate music streaming services to be completely ideal.

Design score: 5 / 5

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Value

Great specification
Secure ergonomics
Excellent sound quality for the money

With the Melomania A100, Cambridge Audio has hit it so far out of the park it’s basically lost forever.

These true wireless earbuds are specified well beyond what any price-comparable alternative can offer, they’re comfortable, have battery stamina on their side, and each of their control options is well-implemented and effective. Oh, and they sound as good as anything else you can buy at anything like this money. Currently they offer the best value for money of any wireless earbuds you can buy for $149 / £119 – and by a wide margin.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100?

Section	Notes	Score
Features	Excellent codec support; geat mic array	5 / 5
Sound quality	Stunning clarity for the money – best at the level by some degree	5 / 5
Design	Solid, ergonomic, thoughtfully made	5 / 5
Value	The best sound-per-pound wireless design on the market	5 / 5

Buy them if…

You have a good source player
Top-end codec compatibility and exemplary sound quality make the A100 the perfect partner

You favour well-tailored clothes
The charging case is about as slim and easy to carry as these things ever get. So you won’t need to compromise your outfit

You enjoy added value
If you know who Matt Berry is, then you know his appearance as an ‘audible feedback’ option will prove endlessly satisfying

Don't buy them if…

You like properly extended functionality
If you want your heart-rate monitored, your steps counted and what-have-you, there are alternative designs that have you covered

You’re not a monochrome type of person
Lots of price-comparable rivals are available in many more finishes than just ‘black’ or ‘white'

Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 review: Also consider

Sony WF-C710N
Until the start of this review, Sony’s still-excellent WF-C710N were your default £100-ish TWS choice, and they still have plenty going for them where sound quality is concerned. They’re made to look a bit limited by the A100’s spec-sheet, though…
Read our full Sony WF-C710N review

Technics EAH-AZ80
…And Technics’ slightly older flagship AZ80 might come down a bit closer to this pricing now too (owing to the arrival of their newer AZ100 siblings), but they're nowhere near it yet. The feature set and fit is fantastic, but you're still paying a lot more…
See our full Technics EAH-AZ80 review

How I tested the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100

Connected to an iOS smartphone and an Android DAP
Using a variety of digital file types and sizes
In a number of environments

Naturally, iOS devices don’t acknowledge wireless sound quality beyond the AAC codec – but happily my FiiO DAP does, and so I was able to let the Melomania A100 show what they’re capable of when it comes to optimum sound quality.

The DAP also features lots of genuinely high-resolution content on its local memory, as well as duplicating the music streaming service apps loaded onto the Apple smartphone, so I was able to listen to different digital audio file types and sizes.

I did this indoors and outdoors, in very quiet environments and in places where even the best active noise-cancellation struggles – and I did so for well over a week, because listening to these Cambridge Audio earbuds is really no kind of hardship.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

Every time I put these over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on during testing, it felt like they were giving my lobes a big fuzzy hug

1:30 pm | June 14, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Tags: Alien Isolation, ANC, Resident Evil | Comments: Off

Earfun Wave Life: two-minute review

To misquote Futurama’s robotic delinquent Bender, you’re in for “Earfun on a bun” if you take the plunge on the Chinese brand’s latest budget cans. Assuming I still have a job to take this review any further [only just – Ed.], I’ve been taken aback by the quality of the Earfun Wave Life. Seeing as they only cost around $50 / £50, these over-ear headphones are far better than I was expecting.

The Earfun Wave Life pack in enough features and sufficiently robust audio performance to make them absolutely worth considering if you’re on the hunt for a new pair of cheap over-ear cans. Sturdily built, extremely easy on the ears thanks to their lush foam cups and sporting an app that’s both intuitive and comprehensive with its EQ options, there’s a lot to like about these competitively priced noise cancelling headphones.

It’s a pity the Wave Life’s ANC features don’t fully convince. For the price Earfun are selling them, I was never expecting these over-ears to rival the best noise-cancelling headphones out there. Still, when it comes to snuffing out distracting ambient noise, ANC performance with these cheap cans is almost aggressively average.

On the flipside, if you’re lucky enough not to have to endure regular noisy commutes, the Earfun Wave Life have more than enough plus points to make them worth recommending if you’re on a tight budget.

Bolstered by stellar software, a dedicated game mode and 40mm drivers that hand in convincingly deep bass levels, Earfun’s affordable headphones are thoroughly enjoyable. They might be cheap, but they certainly don’t feel it.

Not only are the Wave Life some of the most comfortable cheap cans I’ve ever worn, they’re also great for hands-free voice calls. During one of my least glamorous chats in recent memory – one that involved asking a plumber pal of mine about a broken toilet seat – I was reassured my voice was clear during the entire abode-centric chinwag despite me being in a different room than my phone during the call. Thank you very much, Bluetooth 5.4.

Will these cans' soundscape blow you away (even after you tweak frequency settings with Earfun’s fantastic EQ software)? Probably not. Yet for the price, these supremely comfortable headphones, which also boast staying power of up to 60 hours if you switch ANC off, deliver more than they disappoint even they may not quite make it into the best over-ear headphones available.

If you want a pair of budget over-ears that will be comfortable on your cranium while (mostly) delivering satisfying sounds, you could do a whole lot worse than the Earfun Wave Life.

Earfun Wave Life over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Price and release date

Release date: February, 2025
Price: $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.)

The Earfun Wave Life are priced super-aggressively at just $59.99 / £49.99 / AU$105 (approx.). They can often be found even cheaper than their official retail price courtesy of Amazon sales, too.

Though they’re obviously not as premium as the $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$167 (where sold) Earfun Wave Pro that impressed us big style early last year, they still deliver a satisfying sonic experience.

Sure, they’re not going to make audiophiles’ socks roll up and down. Yet considering their budget price point, I reckon most folks will be pleasantly surprised by these over-ear headphones’ pleasingly deep bass and relatively convincing trebles. The Earfun Wave Life are also far more comfy than I was expecting from such an affordable pair of cans.

In terms of alternative options, if you’re looking for some of the best cheap headphones for under $/£100, you’ll struggle to do better than the superb 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 (catchy moniker, right?). The Sony WH-CH520 are another great option if you’re in the market for a budget pair of noise-cancelling cans.

Earfun Wave Life review: Specs

Weight:	264g
Drivers:	40mm Composite
Battery life:	37 hours (ANC on); up to 60 hours (ANC off)
Control:	app; physical/touch; voice
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C

Earfun Wave Life review: Features

Up to 60 hours' battery life
Intuitive app improves sound quality
Two devices can be paired simultaneously

Aside from their stellar battery life – more on which shortly – the Earfun Wave Life feature that impresses me most is their excellent software. The Earfun Audio app is available on both Android and iOS, and I’d consider it an essential download if you want to squeeze the best sound out of these cheap over-ear cans.

Easy to use, sporting an uncluttered design and with intuitive custom EQ calibration tools, the Earfun app can significantly improve the Wave Life’s already decent out-of-the-box audio.

I’m a big fan of the software’s custom equalizer that allows you to adjust the headphones’ soundscape across a variety of frequencies via a set of sliders. It’s a doddle to use, as you simply tweak each frequency until the app’s repeating ‘drip’ sound fades away.

After a couple of minutes of adjustments, I found the customized results to be significantly more satisfying than any of the 30 preset EQ profiles Earfun’s software offers. These span various musical genres, while various bass and treble boost presets are also provided.

The wide variety of profiles the firm serves up may be impressive, but I found the majority to be a little too quiet. And not to be overly nitpicking, but flicking between these presets on both my iPhone 14 Pro and iPad Pro (2024) is painfully sloooooow.

Earfun’s app also lets you switch between the Wave Life’s four ANC modes. First up, there’s ‘normal’, which somewhat confusingly turns noise cancelling off. There’s then ‘ambient sound’, ‘wind noise cancellation’ and ‘noise cancelling’; with the latter two options snuffing out sounds most effectively.

Screenshot of the Earfun Audio app's adjustable EQ settings, an optional extra for the Earfun Wave Life headphones — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Sadly, Earfun hasn’t really cracked the ANC code with its cheap cans and I could still easily make out passing traffic when going out for strolls. Next to my Apple AirPods Max, noise cancelling on the Wave Life isn’t up to scratch. That said, comparing $60 headphones to Crew Cupertino’s $500 over-ear cans is like pitting a Morris Minor against a Lamborghini Aventador in a drag race.

Another selling point of the Earfun Wave Life that thankfully proves more effective is their multi-phone connectivity that lets you pair two devices simultaneously. During my testing it proved largely reliable, with the headphones syncing to my tablet and smartphone with little hassle. The only slight hitch I’ve encountered is when I enter the app on my duo of Apple devices, which often requires me to unpair one gizmo before I can tweak software settings on the other.

The Earfun Wave Life are battery beasts. On a full charge, they’ll last for 60 hours, with that number dropping to a still-impressive 37 hours with ANC enabled. During my fortnight of testing these cans, I only had to charge them twice, which is super-commendable considering how kind these headphones are on your change purse.

However, there’s no getting around the fact the bundled-in USB-C charging cable is comically short. I’m talking Smurf short. Still, I’m not going to grumble too much when I can get the Wafe Life to 100% juice in less than 30 minutes on my GaN charger.

As mentioned in the two-minute review, the four-mic, AI-assisted algorithm also makes hands-free calling a breeze. With a 49ft range, you don’t have to worry about being cut off when wandering around your apartment/house, either.

Features score: 4 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, the earcups folded inwards, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Design

Incredibly comfy to wear
Easy-to-reach on-cup controls
Materials feel premium for budget cans

No-frills is the name of the ultra-plain game when it comes to the Earfun Wave Life. With an inoffensive yet entirely forgettable design, these cans won't keep you from hitting the hay and dreaming about how alluring they look.

Crucially, though, they don’t feel cheap. The quality of the plastics used in the construction of these over-ears feels far more premium than I’d expect from $60 headphones. I also appreciate the brushed metal that appears when you extend the Wave Life’s headband.

In terms of comfort, Earfun has absolutely nailed it with its latest budget cans. I wore them on a three-hour walk with my husky on an uncommonly warm Scottish afternoon recently and never once did they cause me any discomfort. That’s mainly due to their super-comfy foam cups which rotate 90 degrees, making them both easy to fold up and an absolute pleasure to wear.

The Earfun Wave Life weigh a relatively breezy 264g, which also means you don’t have to worry about neck strain or earache. Every time I put these cans on, it feels like giving my lobes a big fuzzy hug. I’ll take comfort over style all the livelong day.

The on-cup controls are also enjoyable to interact with. A soft plastic power button is wedged between equally squishy and easy-to-locate volume up/down controls, while I also had no problems switching between noise-cancelling controls thanks to the dedicated ANC button. My only slight beef? You have to hold down the power button a little too long for my liking.

There’s also a USB-C slot for both wired play and charging. As I stated previously, the cable that comes in the box is way too short, so you’d be better off investing in a longer third-party one if you want to go down the wired listening route.

As for colors, you’re limited to a single shade of black. If you like your headphones to be unfussy and not make you stand out on, say, a crowded train or bus, the Wave Life’s bog-standard noir won’t bother you. Personally, I like both white and colored cans, so I would have appreciated more than one hue.

Design score: 4 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, folded inwards, held in-hand over a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Sound quality

A touch quiet without app tweaks
Software EQ adjustments save the day
Well-judged bass levels

Considering how affordable the Wave Life are, I don’t want to overly dunk on their sound shortcomings, and there are few glaring weaknesses with these cheap cans’ audio quality. There are, though, some that warrant mentioning.

My biggest bugbear is the default sound profile when you first unbox these over-ears. This is subjective, but the Wave Life were a tad too quiet when I first clamped them around my skull. Although initially underwhelmed by their audio, I calibrated a custom EQ via the Earfun Audio app to produce a listening experience that felt far more well-balanced and punchy.

Without software tweaks, vocals during my favorite tunes and dialogue on some of the best Netflix movies on my iPad felt muted and flat, so I definitely recommend downloading Earfun’s app. Considering the firm’s software is both robust yet never feels daunting to interact with, it would be uncharitable to slam the Wave Life’s default soundscape when it’s so simple and quick to make it appreciably better through minor app adjustments.

Within minutes of fiddling about with its frequency sliders, I landed on a custom profile that delivered a soundscape with decently weighty bass that dovetailed well with the treble levels I settled on. Yes, mids on the Wave Life get lost in the sonic shuffle somewhat, but overall, I’ve had far more enjoyable audio sessions with these cans than disappointing ones.

When testing headphones for the first time, I’ve got a small clutch of go-to bangers I always fire up. The almost hymn-like electronic stylings of Death in Vegas’ Girls sounds way more impactful than I was expecting from sub-$100 cans, while the pulsating trance beats of F*ck Buttons nine-minute The Lisbon Maru delivered all the bass my eardrums craved – thank you, Wave Life.

Reviewer wearing the Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones in his home — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

I was less taken with my favorite live performance ever when listening to The Verve’s astonishing rendition of Sonnet from their spellbinding 1998 home concert from Wigan’s Haigh Hall, though. This classic Cool Britannia tune sounds amazing on my Sony Inzone H9 – surprising, considering it’s a gaming headset first and foremost. But on the Wave Life, Richard Ashcroft’s normally haunting vocals lack the audio oomph my Inzone cans drum up.

Speaking of which, Earfun’s budget over-ears come with a low-latency Game Mode that automatically kicks in if you fire up a title on either your Android or iOS device. Not that I actually noticed much difference when I disabled the feature when playing some of the best iPad games.

That’s not to say the Wave Life don’t do a more than passable job at being a decent gaming headset. Even though gamers aren’t Earfun’s target market, their latest over-ears' ability to pick out subtle sounds during gameplay is admirable. I was particularly impressed (and oh so flustered) by how effectively they conveyed the constant nearby Xenomorph screeches in the nerve-shredding Alien Isolation. The Resident Evil 4 remake’s undead-slaughtering gun battles also popped in an impactful way I wasn’t expecting from such cheap cans.

It’s best to go in with low expectations regarding the Wave Life’s noise cancelling, though. Even the most effective of its modes isn’t great at kiboshing ambient sounds, so if quality ANC is important to you, look elsewhere.

Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones, with extended headband and folded inwards, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Earfun Wave Life review: Value

Great value for money, given the features
Sound quality expectations met for the price
No carry case

Considering the amount of features and general build quality, there’s zero doubt the Earfun Wave Life represent fantastic value for money.

Overall sound quality also surpasses the expectations I’d generally go in with when it comes to reviewing such a cheap set of headphones. Unless you’re a real elitist audiophile, you’ll be pretty smitten with what your $60 / £50 / AU$105 (approx.) outlay serves up sound-wise.

While a carry case would have been appreciated, that’s a bit too much to ask for such affordable cans. Earfun deserves a lot of credit for selling its Wave Life over-ears at such an attractive price point.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Earfun Wave Life over-ear headphones on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / Dave Meikleham)

Should I buy the Earfun Wave Life?

Section	Notes	Score
Features	Bluetooth 5.4; excellent 60-hour battery life; simultaneous device pairing	4 / 5
Design	Incredibly comfy; easy-to-reach on-cup controls; another color would be nice	4 / 5
Sound quality	Optional app essential to overcome limited EQ presets; a touch quiet; ANC could be far better	3.5 / 5
Value	Fantastic value for money; sound quality to be expected at the price point	4.5 / 5

Buy them if…

You want strong sound on a budget
For $60 / £50 / AU$105 (approx.), you’re going to struggle to find a better all-round, feature-packed set of cans than the Earfun Wave Life. They’re awesome value for money.

You value comfort
Reasonably lightweight and with lovely foam earcups, these budget headphones are so comfortable, it’s often easy to forget you’re wearing them.

Don't buy them if…

You need strong ANC
The Wave Life’s noise-cancelling features are merely adequate at best. If you regularly deal with noisy environments, there are far better options out there.

You don’t want to tweak settings
Straight out of the box, these headphones’ audio performance underwhelms. To get the most out of them, tinkering with Earfun’s app settings is essential.

Earfun Wave Life review: Also consider

	Earfun Wave Life	1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51	Sony WH-CH520
Drivers:	40mm composite	40mm dynamic	30mm
Active noise cancellation:	Yes	Yes	No
Battery life:	60 hours (37 hours ANC on)	100 hours (65 hours ANC on)	50 hours
Weight:	264g	246g	137g
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.4; USB-C	Bluetooth 5.2; 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.2
Waterproofing:	N/A	N/A	N/A

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
The current king of cheap headphones offer granite-strong battery life, effective ANC and a super-sleek design.
See our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

Sony WH-CH520
If noise cancelling isn’t a deal-breaker for you, consider these well-balanced Sony cans that boast a great app.
See our full Sony WH-CH520 review

How I tested Earfun Wave Life

Tested for nearly three weeks
Tested at home, on long walks and in ride shares

I tested the Earfun Wave Pro in a variety of conditions spanning songs, streaming content and video games over roughly a three-week period. This gave me the chance to get to know how versatile these over-ears can be.

Most of my time with these budget headphones was spent listening to music and podcasts on my iPhone 14 Pro. Away from revisiting my favourite tunes, I also used the Earfun Wave Life for Netflix and Disney Plus streaming, plus playing several games on my iPad Pro.

While most of my background centres around covering the best TVs and almost 20 years writing about video games, I’ve owned an absurd amount of headphones and earbuds in my life – from $500 Apple Airpods Max to budget buds from brands you’ve probably never heard of.

Currently, I have more sets of cans in my apartment than I do meals in my fridge. I should perhaps adjust my priorities in life, but hey, what can I say? I really love the best headphones.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

I tested LG’s xboom Grab Bluetooth speaker and frankly, it’s got the chops to challenge the JBL Flip 7

2:00 pm | June 13, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Tags: AI, CES | Comments: Off

LG xboom Grab: Two-minute review

There are only so many ways you can design a Bluetooth speaker. Sonos has done the Toblerone look. Ultimate Ears has mastered the rounded cube. And JBL pioneered the rugged cylinder. Is there any room left for innovation? LG thinks so. And the answer is straps.

The xboom Grab is far from the first speaker to feature built-in carry straps, but its two elasticated loops are unique among the best Bluetooth speakers. Subtle enough when not in use, they’re a neat addition that means you can easily lash the Grab to a bike frame or handlebars. Release one end from the metal bracket and you can also hook the speaker to just about anything.

More than a novelty, the straps are useful for users on the move. So are the Grab’s dimensions, which mean it fits neatly in a cup or bottle holder. It might not be the lightest at 700g, but this is a speaker that lives up to its portable promise. It’s also one that feels built to survive a beach party, even if its buttons are easy to press accidentally.

Straps aren’t the only standout feature. To distinguish the Grab in a crowded market, LG has packed it with tricks. A pulsing light strip adds a sliver of color at the foot of the unit. Whether that’s a welcome addition will depend on your taste for ambient flair, but the saturation is bold and the execution slick – as is the option to control, sync or disable its hues in the app.

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LG xboom Grab Bluetooth speaker in an outdoor setting — (Image credit: Chris Rowlands)

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Strangely, the Grab connects to the ThinQ app, rather than the LG xboom one. This requires you to create an account, a step that feels both unnecessary and lengthy. Still, it’s worth the effort: the app is where you gain access to a range of configuration options, including AI room calibration and the ability to power the speaker on and off remotely. It’s also where you can adjust sound settings.

You’ll want to do that. By default, will.i.am – with the help of LG’s sound engineers – has set the xboom Grab to Bass Boost. This gives it plenty of low-end energy, at the expense of clarity elsewhere in the range. Switch to Standard mode and separation improves dramatically. There’s still weight to the lower frequencies, but it’s balanced with detailed mids and expressive treble, which are given more space to breathe.

A 10W tweeter and 20W racetrack woofer, plus a pair of passive radiators, deliver a dynamic listen, creating a soundstage that’s surprisingly full and spacious for a portable speaker. The Grab certainly has no trouble being heard, indoors or out, with distortion only creeping in when you really crank up the volume.

Longevity isn’t lacking either. Switch off the lights and the Grab’s 20-hour battery rating stacks up. That puts it at the head of the field, with a several-hour lead over its primary rival: the JBL Flip 7.

In truth, the challenge for most people will be choosing between the Grab and the Flip 7. Both speakers have compact proportions and stellar sonic performance. Both also offer app connectivity and adaptive AI tuning. Design is likely to be the deciding factor. If clean lines, bright lights and carry straps do it for you, the LG xboom Grab won’t leave you disappointed.

LG xboom Grab review: Price and release date

Announced at CES in January 2025
Officially priced at $149.99 / £129.98 / around AU$175

LG unveiled the xboom Grab at CES in January 2025. Part of the ‘xboom by will.i.am’ range, it debuted alongside the larger xboom Bounce and party-ready Stage 301. All three hit shelves in April.

Ticketed at $149.99 / £129.98 (around AU$175), the Grab is pitched directly against the JBL Flip 7, which currently occupies the top spot in our list of the best Bluetooth speakers.

At that price point, the Grab enters a crowded and competitive market. The Sonos Roam 2, another portable speaker that sits happily in our best wireless speakers roundup owing to its Wi-Fi streaming capability, has recently been discounted to a similar asking fee.

Because it doesn’t undercut its rivals, the Grab instead needs to deliver a superior experience to win listeners. And, as you’ll read below, it does a thoroughly good job of trying, offering a plethora of features for the money.

LG xboom Grab review: Specs

Weight:	700g
Dimensions:	211.0 x 71.6 x 70.0mm
Battery life (quoted):	20 hours
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.3
Multipoint:	Yes
Drivers:	16mm tweeter, 80 x 45mm woofer, 2x passive radiators
Aux-in:	No
Charger port:	USB-C
Microphone:	Yes
Waterproof rating:	IP67
App:	Yes

LG xboom Grab review: Design

Built-in elasticated straps
IP67 waterproof and dust-proof
Seven-button interface with customizable shortcut

In many ways, the LG xboom Grab borrows from every Bluetooth speaker that’s gone before it. It’s a solid cylinder clad in fabric mesh, with reinforced ends where the passive radiators reside. It combines the clean lines of the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 with the tidy dimensions of the JBL Flip 7. That’s a strong starting point, which LG has embellished with neat details and a dash of flair.

It wouldn’t look out of place in a modern apartment, yet the Grab is also ready for the beach. Like most of its contemporaries, it benefits from an IP67 water-resistance rating. LG’s also had it certified to military standard 810H. If you’re not up to speed with military testing codes (that's absolutely fine, by the way), that means it can easily shake off shocks, sand and salt water spray. In short, the Grab is built to last.

It certainly feels that way. At 700g, the Grab is weightier than other speakers of a similar size, which gives it a real sense of solidity. From the grooves on the bumpers to the metal plate where the straps attach, its construction is sturdy. The aesthetic might channel urban understatement, but there’s no cause for hesitation when lashing it to a bike or stashing it in a bottle holder.

In fact, the built-in straps mean you can mount the Grab just about anywhere. Far from a gimmick, they give you real flexibility for positioning the speaker outdoors. One end of each strap can unhook from the mount, allowing you to thread them through gaps in a fence, over handlebars and bike frames, even around tree branches. Or you can just hook one for a dangling disco.

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Because they’re elasticated, you can stretch the straps for a secure fit and tighten things up by threading the bands back through their brackets. When not in use, they loop neatly around the compact body of the speaker. It’s a simple but clever setup that’s genuinely useful, whether flat surfaces are in short supply or you want to mount the Grab on the move.

If you do position the Grab on a shelf or table, little feet underneath will stop it rolling, while the light strip casts an ambient glow. This sliver of saturation runs in a thin line along the front of the speaker, pulsing in sync to your music with hues you can choose in the app. This won’t be to every taste, but it’s less naff than it sounds. As integrated lighting goes, it’s the subtlest and slickest I’ve seen. You can also turn it off entirely, if you prefer a low-profile approach.

Along the top of the cylinder sits a row of seven buttons. Complementing the standard set of power, volume and play/pause controls is a dedicated key for Auracast pairing, plus a heart button which can be set as a shortcut for Apple Music or LG Radio+. In practice, this last button feels unnecessary. Omitting just one key would’ve made the interface that bit simpler to navigate at a glance.

It doesn’t help that the buttons aren’t illuminated. The black outline design means they fly under the radar, but you have to feel your way around the shapes after dark. The buttons are also easy to press accidentally when handling the Grab or looping the straps. I unintentionally turned the speaker off several times. It’s a minor niggle, but the one that stands in the way of a five-star rating for the design.

Design score: 4.5/5

LG xboom Grab review: Features

20-hour battery life, USB-C charging
ThinQ app connectivity for light and sound control
Full-color adaptive lighting strip

In an arena that’s bustling with Bluetooth speakers, LG’s pulled off a rare feat with the xboom Grab: packing a product with features and making almost all of them feel like meaningful additions. Look past the will.i.am tie-up – although I’m sure the Black Eyed Pea leant a helpful hand in the Grab’s development – and you’ll find a speaker that offers a lot of substance for the money.

Admittedly, I didn’t get off to a flying start with the Grab’s app connectivity: I downloaded the wrong one. You’d be forgiven for assuming the xboom Grab would use the xboom app, but it’s actually the LG ThinQ one you need to install. That’s followed by a mandatory sign-up process which demands too much time and information for pairing with a Bluetooth speaker.

A faff? Yes. It’s worth the effort though. Connecting the app unlocks a catalog of control and configuration options, including the ability to remotely turn the speaker on and off. It’s where you’ll find the settings for the light strip (see above), with a palette of pulse and color modes to choose from. And it’s also where you can fine-tune the sound output to suit your ears and space.

Part of that toolkit is AI room calibration. This analyzes the area where you’re listening and adjusts the audio accordingly. It would take a keen ear to detect the exact changes made to the output, but recalibrated from living room to bathroom to back garden, the Grab never sounded out of place. There are sounds modes to choose between too, but more on that below.

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According to LG, will.i.am’s influence isn’t limited to the sound signature. He’s also had a hand in shaping the sound UI – the beeps and noises you hear when using the Grab. Now, this might sound like more marketing schtick, but it does actually make a difference over time. If you’ve ever used a speaker with low-grade sound effects, you’ll know how budget audio design can cheapen the experience when used every day.

That’s not a problem which besets the Grab. From powering on to establishing a Bluetooth connection, the xboom’s noises are rich, weighty and well-defined. It’s a small touch but one that makes a difference the longer you spend with it. As with other components, this attention to sonic detail gives the impression that every element of the speaker has been thought about. And crucially, they don’t start to grate after a fortnight.

Neither does the battery life. After two weeks with the Grab, I came away hugely impressed with its staying power. Rated at 20 hours without lighting, trips to the wall were pleasingly infrequent. On a full charge, you’ll be covered for days of casual listening before you have to worry about charging it. It’s not the quickest to refill when you do, but that’s a small price to pay for longevity.

Features score: 4.5/5

LG xboom Grab review: Sound quality

16mm tweeter, 80 x 45mm woofer, 2x passive radiators
AI calibration and adaptive sound
Party link pairing with xboom speakers

LG’s equipped the xboom grab with a promising sonic architecture. An 80 x 45mm racetrack driver does woofer duties, while a 16mm dome tweeter from Peerless handles the higher stuff. These both pump out from the front, with passive radiators at each end to help distribute the sound. It’s a setup that translates into a very engaging listening, once you’ve done some tweaking.

Out of the box, the LG xboom Grab is set to Bass Boost. This gives it plenty of low-end energy, as befits a will.i.am party banger. But it also has the effect of dominating the sound signature and crowding the mids. Fine if you you want a bit of boom in the room, but not the most refined performance.

Things are significantly enhanced by switching to the Standard setting. There’s still no shortage of bass, but it exists in much better balance with the mids and treble. Oomph from the lower frequencies is paired with brightness and detail higher up the range. The soundstage offers a surprising amount of separation, resulting in a dynamic and engaging listen.

Fed with Maribou State’s latest album, the Grab dealt deliciously with many layers of electronica, balancing rich synthesized bass with clarity in the mids. Vocal reproduction is expressive too, whether it’s Hozier and his backing choir or Phil Collins doing some Disney-sanctioned crooning.

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Yes, the xboom Grab is still a portable Bluetooth speaker, so the pickiest audiophiles shouldn’t expect a miracle. But for its size, it gives a hugely impressive account of itself. Details are perhaps easier to detect indoors, but the fullness and warmth of the Grab’s output isn’t lost in an outdoor setting either. Only at the top end of its volume level does distortion risk creeping in, a level that few will ever have cause to explore. This really is a unit fit for all occasions.

Besides Bass Boost and Standard, there’s also a Voice Enhance mode that you can select in the app. Alternatively, you can leave it to AI to analyze the genre and choose a setting to suit. But to my ears, there’s little reason to stray from the Standard setting. This gives the most balanced rendition, whatever’s on your playlist.

I haven’t listened to the LG xboom Grab back-to-back with the JBL Flip 7, but based on what I’ve heard, I’d say it’s a close-run thing between the two. Given how highly the Flip 7 scored in our review, that’s praise indeed. Both use drivers of the same dimensions, so at least internally there’s little to differentiate between the two. It’s fair to say that buyers of the xboom Grab won’t be disappointed with what greets their ears.

Sound quality: 4.5/5

LG xboom Grab review: Value

Value is a relative concept. In 2025, $150 / £130 / AU$175 has become the standard price for a portable Bluetooth speaker of this size. For that money, the LG xboom Grab offers a lot: you’re getting a product built for portability, with the added bonus of solid battery life, synchronized lighting and genuinely useful app connectivity. It sounds great, too.

But $150 / £130 / AU$175 isn’t small change. In pure value terms, there is an obvious argument that the xboom Grab would be more compelling if it came in cheaper than its rivals. And there are plenty of people who’d prefer to sacrifice some of its clever features and lighting frills for a saving of 20%.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is a good example of a speaker that takes a simpler, more affordable approach without compromising on audio quality or performance. Its value offering is one of the main reasons we rate it so highly. The xboom Grab might sound bigger and better, but it also costs a chunk more. There’s definitely a gap in the market for a simple, solid and reliable mid-size speaker that costs $130 / £100 / AU$150.

As it is, the LG xboom Grab justifies its price by maxing out on features. It gives a solid performance that ticks the key boxes, complemented by extra tricks that will feel like real benefits to the right buyer. Whether that’s you will depend on how much you appreciate carry straps, light strips and an app with AI sound calibration.

Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the LG xboom Grab?

LG xboom Grab
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Design	Tidy dimensions, built-in straps and IP67 water-resistance	4.5/5
Features	20-hour battery life, adaptive lighting and app connectivity	4.5/5
Sound quality	Full sound and decent bass with AI calibration and in-app EQ	4.5/5
Value	A solid build and plenty of features at a competitive price	4.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a super-portable picnic speaker
With dimensions that fit in a cup-holder and built-in straps which attach to your handlebars, the xboom Grab is a Bluetooth speaker that’s built to grab and go. IP67 water-resistance means it can survive a shower, too.

You appreciate decent sound quality
As Bluetooth speakers go, the Grab offers full sound with decent bass, good detail and impressive separation. AI can tune output to suit the room and genre, while the app lets you adjust the EQ to suit your listening tastes.

You want a feature-packed speaker
The Grab offers a lot for the money, including ThinQ app connectivity, AI audio analysis and Auracast party link pairing with other xboom speakers. Battery life is also top of the class at 20 hours with the lightstrip turned off.

Don’t buy it if…

You don’t need app connectivity
The xboom Grab’s smart features are part of its appeal. If you don’t need AI sound calibration, adaptive lightning or the option to adjust the EQ, you can pick up a simpler Bluetooth speaker without app connectivity for less money.

You won’t use the built-in straps
Built-in elasticated straps let you attach the xboom Grab to hooks, handlebars and just about anything. If you think they’ll get in the way, the JBL Flip 7 has similar dimensions, matching performance and a smaller, detachable carry strap.

You want Wi-Fi connectivity
Besides a 3.5mm aux input, another connectivity feature missing from the Grab’s spec sheet is Wi-Fi. For multi-room audio via your home network, you’ll need a speaker like the Sonos Roam 2, which now costs a similar price.

LG xboom Grab review: Also consider

	LG xboom Grab	JBL Flip 7	Sonos Roam 2
Dimensions:	211.0 x 71.6 x 70.0mm	182.5 x 69.5 x 71.5mm	168 x 62 x 60mm
Weight:	700g	560g	430g
Battery life (quoted):	20 hours	14 hours	10 hours
Connectivity:	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi
Drivers:	16mm tweeter, 80 x 45mm woofer, 2x passive radiators	16mm tweeter, 80 x 45mm woofer, 2x passive radiators	1x tweeter, 1x mid-woofer
Aux-in:	No	No	No
Charger port:	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Microphone:	Yes	No	Yes
Waterproof rating:	IP67	IP68	IP67
App:	Yes	Yes	Yes

JBL Flip 7
Winner of a rare 5-star TechRadar rating, the JBL Flip 7 sets the bar for portable Bluetooth speakers. Similar in size to the LG xboom Grab, it’s lighter by 140g but loses out on battery life by 6 hours. Its drivers are the same size as the Grab’s and offer an equally entertaining listen, with adaptive AI Sound Boost. The choice probably comes down to design preference.
Read more in our in-depth JBL Flip 7 review

Sonos Roam 2
A premium speaker that’s now been discounted, the Roam 2 offers a sleek alternative to the xboom Grab. Despite its minimalist build, it also benefits from an IP67 rating for rain-proof listening. You also get support for Sonos multi-room smarts, with Wi-Fi connectivity complementing Bluetooth when you’re at home. Battery life is underwhelming at 10 hours, but the reward is rich, balanced audio with a wide soundstage.
Read more in our in-depth Sonos Roam 2 review

How I tested the LG xboom Grab

Tested for a fortnight, indoors and out
Streamed extensively via the Spotify app
Played music spanning a range of genres

To test the xboom Grab, I used it as most listeners would: by living with it. LG only had a review sample available on a two-week loan, so I had to make the most of my time with it. That meant using the speaker for shower singalongs every morning, ambient background during the day and kitchen bangers in the evening.

Because the Grab’s designed for alfresco audio, I also spent plenty of time listening to it outdoors. Beyond the garden, I strapped the speaker to my bike and stashed it in my beach bag, to see how well it held up as a picnic companion – and how useful those elasticated straps are in the real world.

Musically, I challenged the Grab with a genre-spanning catalog of tracks, covering everything from Maribou State’s soulful electronica to the grungiest alternative rock that BBC Radio 6 Music had to offer. The test playlist also included the Phil Collins tracks on Disney’s 1999 Tarzan soundtrack, courtesy of a certain five-year-old.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

I tested Meze’s newest open-back headphones and their stunning depth, clarity and style make them perfect for audiophile-grade listening

1:00 pm | June 12, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones | Comments: Off

Meze Audio Poet: One-minute review

The Meze Audio Poet are a posh pair of ‘phones. At this price point, you deserve nothing less than ‘posh’, and the Poet deliver in spades – from an impressive quality of build to a lagoons-deep listening experience. Smart touches like magnetically attached earpads and a nifty adjustment mechanism exemplify the thoughtfulness with which the Poet were designed, like many of the best wired headphone available.

A narrow soundstage and an eventually fatiguing listening experience serve to slightly dull these premium cans' shine to sit easily among the best over-ear headphones on the market – but only because of the increased scrutiny such premium prices invite. For those with the budget and inclination, the Poet are a hard set to turn down.

Meze Audio Poet open-back headphones on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Price and release date

Released February 20, 2025
$2,000 / £1,899 / AU$3,550

Meze Audio is a relatively young headphone company – at least, young against the years held by the generational heavyweights that tend to claim column inches such as these. Yet in a relatively short period of time, this underdog has curried a not-so-relatively high level of consumer trust and goodwill, thanks to an ever-expanding range of headphones both accessible and incomparable.

These are the Meze Audio Poet, a recent entrant into their range of upper-crust audiophile headphones. They continue the tradition of posh Meze units past, coupling forward-thinking driver design with rarefied aesthetic design to make something as fun to look at as they are to listen through.

The Poet aren't the most expensive pair on Meze’s audiophile-range docket, but at $2,000 / £1,899 / AU$3,550, nor are they 'cheap". How, then, do they fare?

Meze Audio Poet open-back over-ear headphone on a stand, placed on a wooden table tray — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Features

State-of-the-art planar drivers
Smart, musical acoustic design
Earpads easy to detach

The Meze Audio Poet are a serious piece of audiophile-listening kit. This fact is borne out, in part, by the abject lack of anything that conventionally constitutes a ‘device feature’. If you, as someone new to this echelon of listening device, are looking for consumer-grade bells and whistles, such as wireless connectivity, active noise cancelling or aggressive digital EQ sculpting/bass-boosting, you’ll come up mercifully short.

The features that stand the Poet apart are those that make their listening experience worth the outlay – starting with its drivers.

The Poet have planar magnetic drivers, designed and manufactured exclusively for Meze by Rinaro. This is a partnership that goes back a way, and which has produced special fruit – both in the form of a unique diaphragm design (found here, and in other audiophile Meze-mezze like the Elite and Meze Empyrean), and in a new MZ6 driver design, which combines incomparable fidelity with incomparable compactitude. Planar drivers have their own USPs, including (among many other attributes) extensive upper-range detail and smoothness. Here, you’re getting the cream of the crop.

Meze Audio has also licensed proprietary Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning System (AMTS) tech from Dan Clark Audio – a clever system of physical frequency-damping that serves to tame fatigue-inducing high-end. Since these babies have a fidelity of up to 96kHz, you can see the appeal of such high-end control.

On the practical side of the equation, a somewhat-novel feature presents in the complete removability and replaceability of the ear pads with incontestable ease. They’re held in place magnetically, and can be plucked off for cleaning or replacement without the demented and destructive picking and tugging that the same events can often require in other headphones.

This kind of modularity is a vote of confidence in the headphones, too. Meze expects you to go the distance with the Poet, so much so that it wants you to be able to take the best possible care of them, thereby maintaining the best possible listening experience. It may be a bare-minimum expectation for something so priced as the Poet, but in the world we live in, and with the unscrupulous design decisions undertaken by other consumer brands, a win is very much a win.

Features score: 5 / 5

Earcups of the Meze Audio Poet open-back over-ear headphones, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Sound quality

Excellent depth of sound
Voices, woodwinds and transients are glorious
Soundstage a little narrow

Though the Poet are open-back headphones, they still have some interesting closed-back-y isolation created by the ear cups – with partial thanks to the snug fit they create around your ears. The ear cup cushioning is plush and deep, and docking into them feels like closing an airlock around your face. It’s pleasantly uncanny, hearing a quieter, still-clear outside world while your ears feel like they’re in a different space altogether.

Listening to my digital copy of Pile’s luminary album All Fiction is disarming for the impressive attack these cans possess; this is one of the more convincing translations of the album I’ve heard, insofar as feeling like Rick Maguire is frustratedly plucking those guitar strings in real space, close by my ears.

The soundstage isn’t the most three-dimensional I’ve heard – more on which shortly – but the depth and separation between instruments is highly commendable. For instance, in Pile’s Blood, auxiliary strings thrum through its emotional climax. I usually perceive them as a searing block; a unit. Through the Poet, though, they’re the multitudes they were recorded as – strands, vibrating apart, and catching one another’s air.

Alabaster DePlume’s work was a particular high point for me with these headphones. Not Even Sobbing, from Come With Fierce Grace, is a sparse elegy that fills in from the outside, its endless swells and dwells between saxophone, voices, violins and bass that seem to gain volume by mitosis, crowding in close around your ears like you’re the fire they’re singing round. The Poet hear them beautifully.

Carry case for Meze Audio Poet over-ear headphones on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

This is the Poet’s strength. They can readily resolve disparate instruments within an arrangement, in a way that highlights the figurative space between performances, musicians, and takes. Lesser headphones have a tendency to glue, smear, and otherwise daub, often imperceptibly – which can render the background more as an oil painting than a relief.

Hearing a creak in the piano at the start of Andy Shauf’s I’m Not Falling Asleep, from The Bearer Of Bad News, sealed the deal with this line of enquiry. The rendering of a space and time with open clarity and tangibility gives you new angles from which to feel close to something special.

The Poet are dynamite with transients, too. Everything’s whip-crack sharp and responsive. This is a particularly cathartic demeanor when it comes to the dead drums and plucky electric piano of Demon Fuzz’s Afreaka!, or the delicate, tentative textures of The Books’ collage-folk The Lemon of Pink.

All this said, the Poet do tend to prefer vocals – simultaneously a strength in one sense, and a weakness in others. The prominence of that upper-mid range over the lower-mids can make for an occasionally imbalanced experience, but also gave another high point in listening to Dirty Projectors and Bjork’s When The World Comes to an End, from the phenomenal, voice-led EP Mount Wittenberg Orca.

The open-back design doesn’t bring as much width as other headphones, and many of the albums I listened to across multiple devices and formats felt ‘closer’ than I felt they ought to. That said, they do seem to do the trick with respect to low end, which feels quite bloomy, but in a plush and rich way (as opposed to the boomy, indistinct way many closed-backs ultimately provide).

I thought this, plus the tighter soundstage and V-shaped frequency response, would make heavier tracks like those of Queens of the Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf a little lacklustre. Boy, was I wrong. The vocals are a little floaty, but that grinding muffled-guitar core is everything you’d hope for and more – and the bass a silky undercurrent enjoying newfound fidelity and focus. Ultimately, these headphones are an indulgent listen.

Sound quality score: 4.5 / 5

Close up image of earcups of the Meze Audio Poet open-back over-ear headphones, on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Design

Impeccably put-together
Satisfying practical design flourishes
Robust enough to assuage your worry

The Meze Audio Poet are premium kit, so it should come as no surprise that there’s some pristine design in and around them. It’s hard not to start with the case – a foam-lined ABS hard-case with an unnecessarily neat pleather-clad hinge. It’s not the most opulent outer shell in the world, but opening it does feel like unwrapping a gift every time (particularly with a well-chosen, pleasant-to-use clasp at the front).

The headphones themselves, more importantly, are a veritable work of art. Precision-milled backplates catch the light in intoxicating ways via their contemporary art-deco-ish patterning, and feel hugely solid against my hands' light compressive force.

On the connectivity front, the cables are thankfully discrete from the ear cups. Each ear cup jack receives its respective TS connector with a stiff and reassuring click. I’m confident that, in the unlikely event you comedically wrap your Poet cable around a nearby hatstand while in transit, the hatstand would follow you for the ride.

Carry case of the Meze Audio Poet over-ear open-back headphones, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Something I absolutely love about the Poet’s design is their complete embracement of simple solutions over flashy tech. Ear cup adjustment isn’t some encapsulated, easy-to-break ratcheting system, but rather a simple friction-based push-fit system – it moves slowly and surely up and down, but freely in rotation. Exceedingly simple, and exceedingly well executed.

That lean to simplicity does create a fun potential pitfall or two in places, though. For instance, the titanium bars that host the earcups are resonant, and all too eager to transmit their gong-like overtures through to your ears with the slightest bang or brush. Meanwhile, the headband is a single length of suede leather, which promotes ease of fit to your bonce but doesn’t play as nice with headphone stands.

Minuscule gripe aside, these headphones are self-evidently designed with careful thought – and with something of a reverence for those people that’ll be spending their hard-earned on grabbing a pair. I’m a fan!

Design score: 5 / 5

Headband of the Meze Audio Poet open-back over-ear headphones, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Value

Price not to be sniffed at, even if cheaper than other audiophile headphones
Justify their price point well...
… but minor shortcomings stand out more

With a pair of headphones as, frankly, luxuriant as these, two key issues present.

For one, they will handily reveal the shortcomings of practically any sound source you put before them. For another, they will wear their own shortcomings all the more prominently, if only for the increased scrutiny that such a high asking price places on them.

It’s an easy trap to fall into with something as good, and as expensive, as the Meze Audio Poet. And bear in mind, too, that this is still the ‘budget’ end of the audiophile spectrum, one which, at the other extremity, straight-facedly asks you to spend tens of thousands. I love these things, but the threshold for unequivocal endorsement gets exponentially higher against cost, just as returns tend to diminish.

It is with this line of thinking, and these resulting caveats, that I say the Meze Audio Poet do a great job of justifying their expense, but that certain behaviors – from a narrower-than-expected soundstage to the unexpected fatigue of longer listening sessions – stand out more for that expense. Your money is paying for cutting-edge planar drivers, meticulously designed and stunningly beautiful earcups, effortless ergonomics and quality materials; it also needs to buy you an experience greater than the sum of its parts, which the Poet readily do. With some small asterisks.

Value score: 4 / 5

Cables, and leather case, for the Meze Audio Poet open-back over-ear headphones, on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Should you buy them?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Free from the tyranny of consumer-grade bells-and-whistles; cutting-edge drivers and acoustic design are triumphs.	5 / 5
Sound quality	Bright, clear, deep, reedy – the Poet are a rich set, friendly to vocals but incredibly adept with transients.	4.5 / 5
Design	Beautifully made, with some well-executed minimal mechanisms; a joy to behold and to wear.	5 / 5
Value	The research, design and commitment to quality justify the price, but the little things, stand out against that price all the more.	4 / 5

Buy them if...

You value your hi-fi
Audiophile headphones are the haunt of the discerning listener. The Poet are here to render your records and audio files in the clearest, deepest light – and will perform all the better when placed after quality sources.

You’re an active listener
These headphones dock over your ears like visiting spaceships. Though open-back, they create a remarkable distance between you and the world around. This, coupled with the three-dimensional rendering the Poet are capable of, make scrutinizing your faves for new discoveries all the more thrilling.

Don't buy them if...

You’re risking your credit score to do so
Impeccable as the Poet sound, they're only worth investing in if you’ve the money spare. You’ll find more bang-for-buck, and near-equivalent enjoyability, in cheaper Meze Audio cans!

You’re choosing open-backs for the soundstage
Despite their open-back nature, the Poet do not quite ‘breathe’ the same as other open-backs this writer has tried and enjoyed. I’m reminded more of closed-back headphones by the fit and feel, as well as the dimensionality of sound.

Meze Audio Poet open-back over-headphones on a wooden surface — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio Poet review: Also consider

	Meze Audio Poet	FiiO FT5	Edifier Stax Spirit S5
Type:	Over-ear	Over-ear	Over-ear
Open-back or closed-back:	Open-back	Open-back	Open-back
Driver:	Planar magnetic	Planar magnetic	Planar magnetic
Frequency range:	4Hz to 96kHz	7Hz to 40kHz	10Hz to 40kHz
Impedance:	55 ohms	36 ohms	18 ohms
Connector:	Dual mono TS 3.5mm to 6.3mm TRS	Dual mono TS 3.5mm to 3.5mm TRRRS	Wireless (Bluetooth, LDAC/aptX Lossless)
Weight:	405g	465g	347g
Extras:	ABS hard case, dual TS to 6.3mm stereo cable, dual TS to 3.5mm stereo cable	Carry case, Dual mono TS 3.5mm to 3.5mm TRRRS cable, x4 TRRRS adapters (3.5mm TRS; 4.4mm TRRS; 6.3mm TRS; mini XLR)	Carrying case, 3.5mm TRS cable, USB-A to USB-C cable, ear pads

FiiO FT5
FiiO’s FT5 over-ear headphones are, if anything, disruptive. FiiO has done some incredible things with its position in the hi-fi market, including bringing stunning leaps in planar magnetic driver tech to the mid-range much quicker than anyone else has dared. Do they sound better than the Poet? No. Are they four times cheaper and still Actually Very Good? Yes.
Read the full FiiO FT5 review here

Edifier Stax Spirit S5
If you actually want those high-tech gubbins I was so gleefully celebrating the absence of before, try the Edifier Stax Spirit S5 on for size. Wireless tech and app connectivity collide with planar magnetic driver design in this Actually Quite Affordable pair of quality listening ‘phones.
Read our full Edifier Stax Spirit S5 review here

Meze Audio Poet review: How I tested

Tested for five weeks
Used as listening headphones at home
Mainly tested with digital music sources, via my computer and a Universal Audio interface
Also listened to vinyl on a Victrola Stream Sapphire, via the headphone out of a Cambridge Audio amplifier

Headphones are a daily fixture for me. As a freelance writer often in need of ‘locking in’, as a music lover with an ever-expanding library of too-cool-for-school records, and as a freelance musician reliant on headphones for recording, monitoring and mixing.

My experience with headphones of all types, purposes and budgets puts me in a fun position to evaluate the Meze Audio Poet – a pair of audiophile cans which became my resident listening headphones at home, spending time between my living room and attic studio space.

In the attic, the Poet were used to listen to digital copies of records from my collection and via streaming, through a Universal Audio Volt 4 audio interface. In the living room, the headphones were plugged into my Cambridge Audio Azur 540r receiver, which received the sound of my record collection via a Victrola Stream Sapphire turntable (outfitted with an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge).

First reviewed: June 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested the successor to my favorite cheap Earfun headphones and sadly, there’s one major problem

4:00 pm | June 10, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: ANC, RRP | Comments: Off

Earfun Tune Pro: Two minute review

Budget audio brand Earfun has continued its foray into the over-ear headphone game with the Earfun Tune Pro, an affordable pair of over-ears which unfortunately don’t live up to Earfun’s usually-impressive track record. Some of the best cheap headphones I've tested, they are not.

Earfun’s first over-ears, the Wave Pro, were some of our top-rated affordable headphones, easily earning (for a while, at least) a place on our list of the best headphones you can buy. And they were always going to be a tough act to follow. The fact that they’re still available to buy now also makes them a big (and honestly, more viable) rival to the Tune Pro.

I won’t beat around the bush: the big problem with the headphones is that they just don’t sound good. Earfun’s typical ability to punch well above its weight somehow didn’t grace the new and rather ironically-named Tune Pro. The cans lack serious bass, endure frequent peaking that ruins percussion, and don’t offer much in the way of an organised, layered soundstage to let you appreciate the separation and detail of instruments.

You can’t expect Bose- or Sony-tier audio in cans that cost under $/£100 but there are plenty of budget headphones for the same price that outstrip the Tune Pro. So as you'll see as we get into the meat of this review, it's hard to recommend the cans.

I also found the Earfuns pretty uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. The pressure they exerted on my head grew noticeable after only a few hours of use. It’s not great and neither of these are concerns was something I experienced with the Wave Pro.

Why not go lower than 3 stars? Well, the Earfun magic is present in a few other areas. Take, for example, the battery life: these headphones will last a monumental 120 hours (with ANC turned off) before you’ll need to charge them. That’s five straight days of music before they need powering up and I don’t need to tell you how important a long battery life can be for certain subsets of users. There are very few headphones on the market that come even close to this score.

Earfun has also included its usual range of features on its app: multiple ANC modes (perhaps too many – more on this later), an in-depth equalizer and a feature that’s all too uncommon on headphones: a listening test to automatically create your own sound mix. This latter is a lovely little extra that lots of rivals don’t have.

While the audio quality lets things down big-time, I can see the admirable battery life and listening test drawing in some users who prefer functionality over sound quality. It’s just that those are more caveats than I usually have to add in an Earfun review – a brand I usually champion in the ‘cheap and cheerful’ stakes.

Earfun Tune Pro review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	N/A
Battery life (quoted)	120 hours (ANC off) 80 hours (ANC on)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	289g
Driver	40mm + 10mm

Earfun Tune Pro review: Price and availability

The Earfun Tune Pro atop a bronze table. — (Image credit: Future)

Released in May 2025
RRP of $89.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$160)
Already available at $69.99 / £59.99 (no AU sales)

The Earfun Tune Pro were announced in May 2025 for a retail price of $89.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$160 though they're not on sale in Australia at the time of writing, unlike many other products from the company).

Don’t tell Amazon that though, because the retailer lists in multiple regions that the cans were released in September 2024. It offers them for the discounted price of $69.99 / £59.99 (at the time of writing) despite them being new.

However much you pay for them, the Earfun Tune Pro are clearly budget headphones. They’re the middle of Earfun’s three over-ear options, sitting equally between the more expensive Wave Pro and cheaper Wave Life.

Earfun Tune Pro review: Design

The Earfun Tune Pro on a man's head. — (Image credit: Future)

Chunky cans with 3.5mm jack and physical buttons
Uncomfortable for long play sessions
No IP rating for waterproofing

As you can see from pictures, Earfun has kept things simple with the Tune Pro, playing close to the formula for over-ear headphones.

The cans weigh 289g and are made from plastic, so they don’t feel too heavy when you’re wearing them. That doesn’t mean they’re exactly comfortable though, and I could only listen for a few hours before needing to give my head a break.

The ear cups are quite thick, sticking from your head about 50% more than your average pair of over-ears (judging by the few pairs I had on hand). I don’t imagine this is to blame for the comfort issues but it does make the cans look imposing when you wear them.

Earfun has ensured that the Tune Pro have some versatility in size as the band can be extended or retracted quite a distance (if you do have a larger head, check out our roundup feature of headphones with longer extendable arms) while the cups can be rotated around 100 degrees – and they also fold up if you want to put them in a bag.

Onto the buttons. On the right cup you’ve got a volume rocker, power button and 3.5mm headphone jack – yes, the Tune Pro supports wired audio – while the left earpiece has an ANC button and the USB-C charging port.

The buttons don’t stick out that far from the casework and so, despite little knobs to make them a bit more prominent, I still found them pretty hard to locate just with my fingers. Instead, I generally relied on my phone to change volume and ANC.

Earfun’s website makes no mention of any kind of IP rating for the Tune Pro so I’d recommend keeping them high and dry.

Design score: 3.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: Features

Incredbly battery life
Range of ANC modes, all fine
Equalizer with listening test

Earfun headphones always out-rep the competition in the features department and things are no different for the Tune Pro. The real highlight of these cans is the battery life, which according to Earfun stretches to an incredible 120 hours with ANC turned off and a still-admirable 80 hours with it turned on.

I can count on one hand the number of sets of headphones that beat or match that battery life, and it’s a vital figure for people who rarely get time to charge up their headphones for one reason or another. I would’ve loved cans like these when I last went travelling.

Next up, ANC is… present, I’ll say that much. It’s fine, but far from best-in-class and about what you’d expect for the price. It’s useful for covering up certain annoying background noises like a dishwasher in another room or distant traffic going past your house, but it won’t make your commute near-silent or ensure you can hear your music when vacuuming at home.

A few different ANC presets are available in the Earfun app. Default, which I take to be ‘off’, is Normal but there’s Ambient Sound to allow nearby noises through, Wind noise cancellation which is just designed for the infuriating sound of wind that always baffles headphone ANC, and lastly Comfort ANC and Strong ANC. I take these latter to be ‘medium’ and ‘high’ strengths to Normal’s ‘off’, but this is based purely on the icons in the app and nothing else.

I’ve complained in past reviews about Earfun’s array of ANC modes being a bit overwhelming. Why? Because it’s hard to know which mode you should be using at any one time, and it’s also a chore to open up the Earfun app to switch if you decide you want to (the ANC button on the cans only cycles through the first three options, not the two full-blooded ANC ones).

A few more features available through the the Earfun app include the ability to toggle low-latency modes for gaming or a wide-soundstage mode for movies and TV, and a way to change what the buttons on the ear cups do. However, the major one to note is an equalizer.

As with past Earfuns, the Tune Pro offers a wide range of EQ modes based on different genres of music or increasing or decreasing bass or treble. There are plenty of options and it’s worth playing around to find your perfect preset, though a 10-band custom EQ mode lets you create your own mix too. A brief test also creates a bespoke equalizer mix for you and I was pretty happy with the mix it created for me.

For call handling, the Earfun Tune Pro feature five mics (presumably per earpiece, although Earfun doesn't express this as such. But anything else would be odd) as well as an algorithm to clear up your voice when others hear you.

Features score: 4/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: Sound performance

40mm + 10mm drivers
Distorting sound, lacking bass
Limited sound stage

Given the price you’re paying for the Tune Pro, you’re probably not expecting the most ear-pleasing audio in the world, and it’s a good thing to set your expectations low because these Earfun headphones don’t sound great, even for the money.

Specs-wise, the headphones pack both a 40mm and 10mm driver in each can which should ostensibly provide extra oomph in the bass department, but theory is a far cry from fact.

Perhaps the biggest issue, noticeable constantly, is the audio peaking through the treble, which crushes hi-hats into mere hisses and devolves powerful guitar lines into crunchy oblivion. At the other end of the frequency scale, the tuning here boosts the bass drum so much that it frequently overrides vocals. It’s hard to enjoy songs without percussion and detail through the mids to provide rhythm, and the Tune Pro don’t offer much of that.

You’re not getting much expansion or detail through the soundstage here either, with music presented as a somewhat homogenous mush instead of a collection of separate, distinct and layered instruments given enough room to be impactful. The confusing mix here also masks the detail and dynamic nuance in my music, while also sapping some of the charm and emotion from vocals. If you care about the musicality within your favorite songs, these sadly aren’t the cans for you.

If there’s anything to be said for the Earfun Tune Pro's audio quality, it’s that the max volume goes pretty loud, so you’re never going to struggle to hear songs even if you turn ANC off.

Sound performance score: 2.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro: Value

Usually when qualifying the value of cheap headphones, I simply point to the price and say “yes”, but it’s not quite as easy as that for the Tune Pro.

While the headphones are admittedly very affordable, they’re not the only cheap headphones in existence, and others will get you more bang for your buck. That’s literal, with many other low-cost options getting you better audio quality.

The only other important factor is the feature set, which admittedly is pretty competitive on the Earfun Tune Pro. So if you aren’t that bothered about the sound and care more about longevity and the presence of an equalizer, these claw back some value points.

Value score: 3.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro review: scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	You get what you pay for, but you're not too far out of pocket for the Earfuns.	3.5/5
Design	The Tune Pro is a bit too big and bulky to be fully comfortable to wear, but it has 3.5mm.	3.5/5
Features	For budget cans, the feature set is solid. The battery life is laudable and the EQ (and its test) are too.	4/5
Sound	A range of issues with the audio quality makes it hard to award many points in this department.	2.5/5

Earfun Tune Pro: Should I buy?

Buy them if...

You need lots of battery power

With 120 hours in the tank, the Earfun Tune Pro are great headphones for people who can't find themselves to a charging point every day, or simply forget to do so regularly.

The EQ tuner sounds useful

A listening test is a mode we don't often see in budget headphones, so if you want a digital way of improving your music, this may be enough to sway you.

You need headphones that fold down

Not every pair of headphones on the market folds down to be easily transportable, and some are really hard to fit in a bag. Not these Earfuns!

Don't buy them if...

You care about audio quality

It's unfair to say that audio quality is the only important factor of a pair of headphones... but if you prioritise sound-per-pound value, skip these particular Earfuns.

You have a large noggin

People with small heads may not have the uncomfortable wear problem that I did, but if your cranium is medium or large sized, you'll struggle to listen to the Earfuns for a few hours.

Also consider

Component	Earfun Tune Pro	1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51	Earfun Wave Pro
Water resistant	NA	NA	NA
Battery life	120 hours (ANC off) 80 hours (ANC on)	100 hours (ANC off) 65 hours (ANC on)	80 hours (ANC off) 55 hours (ANC on)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3
Weight	289g	246g	268g
Driver	40mm + 10mm	40mm	40mm

Earfun Wave Pro

Everything we wanted the Tune to be: these cheap headphones cost pretty good, feel more comfortable to wear and mostly match the Tune's feature set. The battery life isn't as good though.

Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51

The cans that displaced the Wave Pro as our top-rated budget headphones. The 1More have good sound and great ANC, with a battery life that's not much shorter than the Earfun. However there are a few build concerns.

Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review

How I tested

I used the Earfun Tune Pro for three weeks in order to write this review, and some extra time during the writing process itself.

During testing I used the Earfun alongside a few devices, most frequently my Android smartphone via Bluetooth but sometimes an iPod Classic via 3.5mm. Listening was generally music but I also listened to some some spoken-word, games and TV shows too. Testing was done at home and around my neighborhood.

I've been testing audio products for TechRadar for over 6 years and currently test several headphones or earbuds each month. This has included many past Earfun products – including the slightly older Wave Pro.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: June 2025

I reviewed Anker’s cheap AirPods 4 alternative earbuds, and you could do much worse for the money

5:30 pm | June 9, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: ANC, EQ | Comments: Off

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5: two-minute review

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 are a modestly priced pair of stem-equipped wireless earbuds, aiming to offer “detail-rich” sound and silencing ANC. With a list price of $129 / £99 / AU$169, these buds are hardly short on competition. But they do a decent amount to stand out in what is a congested market.

One of the ways they do that is by offering a broad, rich suite of features. Whether it’s a preference EQ test, low-latency gaming mode, customizable touch controls or environment-specific ANC, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into. Of course, the adaptive ANC is a standout feature here. It’s not groundbreaking and I’ve experienced better noise-nixing capabilities from wireless earbuds, but external sounds are dulled effectively overall and there are lots of customization options.

That said, to compete with the best earbuds on the market, you need to sound good – in fact, the audio needs to be very good. And thankfully, the Liberty 5 do sound pretty solid overall. You can uncover substantial sonic detail – especially with LDAC deployed – plus booming bass and even a fair amount of breadth and separation when using Dolby Audio. Out of the box, the Liberty 5 do lack a modicum of neutrality, showing a clear preference for bass and treble (read: 'excitement' or 'zeal' over a more natural, faithful and integrated balance across the frequencies). The detail in musical passages and layering of instruments are unlikely to impress audiophiles either. However, it's all relative and for the price you pay, these buds meet the mark.

Something that’s not so impressive, though, is the Liberty 5’s design. I’m just not digging the plasticky housing and stem design. Touch controls, which are accessed via the stems, are fiddly and inconsistent too. You do, however, get a pretty cool sliding case and IP55 dust and waterproofing.

Other aspects that could be better include call quality, which is not exactly bad but not quite as “crystal-clear” as advertised. I also experienced a notable amount of sound leakage – though that’s pretty common for earbuds at this level.

Still, there’s a lot to like about the Liberty 5. My testing suggested battery life may not be as long as quoted, but you still get a decent amount of playtime. There’s a fit check option to get the best seal, a range of additional ear tips in the box and multi-point connectivity too.

All in all, I’d argue that the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 make for a decent pair of wireless earbuds, though their design flaws in particular hold them back from greatness. If you want an even cheaper option, I’d go for the similarly stemmed Earfun Air 2 NC which impressed me in the audio and noise cancelling department.

At a similar price you could instead get the Nothing Ear (a) – more on those later. And finally, if you’re willing to step it up a little bit, I absolutely love the Dolby Atmos-enabled LG Tone Free T90S, which you can grab on-sale close to the $180 / £150 mark. If the Liberty 5 see a significant price-slash at any of the upcoming sales events, I’m sure they’d be worth adding to your online shopping cart. But right now, you can do better for the money.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 buds on circular surface — (Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: price and availability

$129 / £99 / AU$169
Launched in May 2025

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 launched in May 2025, just over two-and-a-half years after their predecessor, the Liberty 4. They have a list price of $129 / £99 / AU$169, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on sale in the not too distant future. Notably, you can grab the Liberty 5 in four different color options: Black; White; Blue; or Apricot. The color you select should have no bearing on price.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: specs

Drivers	9.2mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life	Buds: 12 hours (8 hours with ANC on); Total with case: 48 hours (32 hours with ANC on)
Weight	4.6g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz
Waterproofing	IP55

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case in hand — (Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: features

Customizable noise cancellation options…
...but actual ANC performance isn’t top-class
Top-tier companion app

I want to start off with a big plus-point: I really love the Soundcore companion app – and as someone who has countless similar audio apps on my phone, it’s rare that I really love something priced at this level. Said app is laid out in a clean, user-friendly manner, with all of the crucial settings listed on a hub page and smaller nuggets up in a separate menu. I find some companion apps to be a bit slow or buggy – not this one.

So, let’s run through all of the key features you can find on the Soundcore app. There’s the classic inclusions like multi-point connectivity, a Find Device option if a pesky bud goes amiss, and customizable touch controls – something I’ll discuss more in the Design section.

But one of the key areas I want to focus on is EQ adjustment. Soundcore has really knocked it out of the park here; there are just so many ways to tailor the Liberty 5’s sound to your tastes. Firstly, there’s all the usual suspects – think Bass Booster and Bass Reducer, as well as genre-specific choices such as Classical and Dance. There’s also a Dolby Audio option (not Atmos) with music, podcast, or movie sub-options. Mobile gamers are in luck too: there’s a low-latency Gaming Mode that enhances the sounds of footsteps and voices – though you won’t be able to use this alongside the ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth codec, LDAC, which is a great inclusion.

And there’s more! You can even take a preference test, as seen on the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro, which presents a series of sound ‘A’ and ‘B’ options, and forges a bespoke sound for you based on the selections you make. Honestly, I think Soundcore is doing this better than all of its rivals – I even like this more than the preference-based EQ function on the Sony WH-1000XM6.

Of course, the main event here is active noise cancellation, but despite the Liberty 5’s admirable report card so far, this is where things take a slight dip. Is ANC bad on the Liberty 5? No, that would be harsh. But is it the best around? Also no: it’s acceptable, but no better.

When walking near a busy road, I could still hear vehicles going by, even in the 60-70% volume range. Sure, sounds were significantly dulled, but there was a touch more extraneous noise filtering in than I would’ve liked. Similarly, while working away in the office, chatter in an adjacent room was easily phased out, but low-level discussions from my colleagues would creep in. If you don’t need silence or near-silence at all times, the Liberty 5 will do just fine. But if you’re looking for S-tier noise-crushing capabilities, you’re gonna have to look some more.

Interestingly, you can adapt noise cancelling between one – the weakest, and five – the strongest, if you want to take a more balanced approach to listening. There’s a transparency calibration too, as well as a wind noise reducer and ANC modes for traveling via plane or car. If you’d like, you can even use Fit Test, to ensure you’re getting the perfect seal for shutting out the world around you.

Finally, Soundcore says that the Liberty 5 can manage eight hours of playtime with ANC on – that is if you listen at moderate volume with basically every extra option switched off. That’s a pretty solid amount, though I did realize that the battery depleted by 20% after one hour of testing. That suggests you may not quite get that full eight hours after all. Still, the case packs plenty of charge, so unless you want to lock in for a super-long session, there should be enough battery life here.

Features score: 4/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case connected to USB-C cable — (Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: sound quality

Impressive bass output
Lack a bit of balance out of the box
…but there are extensive EQ options and Dolby Audio to fix it

For $129 / £99 / AU$169, it’s rare that you’ll find top-of-the-range sound quality. And the Liberty 5 aren’t going to plate up the kind of perfectly nuanced, beautifully separated sound that audiophiles are hunting down – if the Liberty 5 could do that for this money and without wires, we could all pack up and go home.

All the same, I’m pleased to report that they do sound good overall. When listening to It’s Possible by Piero Piccioni and Catherine Howe, vocals had a pleasing degree of detail, with tongue clicks on the palate and subtle breaths sounding three-dimensional and largely authentic. Audio was particularly revealing with the higher-resolution Bluetooth codec, LDAC, switched on, but even then, the vocals weren’t quite lifted out of the mix for the most expressive, layered listen.

Similarly, when tuning into Black Eye by Allie X, the vocal performance was clear, but felt as if it could be more prominent in the mix. This track did reveal, however, that the Liberty 5 pack some serious low-end punch. The pumping drum machine – though perhaps not as agile as you’d hear on more premium buds like the Technics EAH-AZ100 – offered impressive depth. And again with Breather by Christ Stussy & S. A. M., the Liberty 5 had the talents to replicate the thumping bass at the heart of this track’s energetic, almost hypnotic bounce.

When listening to Breather, I did feel that percussion in the treble range could sound overemphasized, especially at higher volume levels. That may well cause some fatigue during longer listening sessions, so if you’d like to tone things down, it’s going to be worth taking a trip to the Soundcore app. After making use of the custom eight-band equalizer, I was able to largely quash this issue, which really is a testament to the highly tunable sound of the Liberty 5.

Yes, you really can make these earbuds sound your own. There’s a Dolby Audio option, if you want slightly wider, more immersive sound. For reference, you’re not getting Dolby Atmos – something you’ll find on models like the LG xboom Buds, as an example. How does this particular Dolby side-sauce sound? Well, it does what it says on the tin. Bass in particular sounds broader… more encapsulating. But you may find that a touch of detail is lost compared to listening with Dolby Audio off.

One more performance-related element I should discuss is mic quality. Soundcore proudly states that the Liberty 5 are capable of “crystal-clear” call quality, thanks to six mics, a wind-resistant algorithm and a helping hand from AI. But I wasn’t all too impressed in this department. My voice was decently clear, but my surroundings would often get in the way. Similarly on a voice note, I could certainly hear myself, but my voice wasn’t particularly forward and external noises crept in easily.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: design

Stem design won’t be for everyone
Neat sliding case
The touch controls just aren’t it

I think it’s only fair that I put my cards on the table here and say that I’m not a mega-fan of the Soundcore Liberty 5’s design. Part of that comes down to personal preference – I like the smaller, more discreet look of stemless rivals like the Sony WF-C710N.

Still, I can put that aside to a degree. But I couldn’t help feeling that the Liberty 5 look like a more plasticky and less sleek pair of AirPods. I would argue that their slightly slanted look is a plus though, that does give them a sharper, more angular edge. And unlike AirPods, you can grab these in multiple color options: Black; White; Blue; or Apricot.

Looks aside, there is one major impracticality about the Liberty 5’s design: their touch controls. Soundcore’s gone for a kind of ‘pinch’ control scheme, which frankly, I found a little awkward. The buds wouldn’t feel very secure when I was pinching at the stems to skip or go to previous tracks. And the effectiveness of my attempts varied. Sometimes I had to make multiple attempts to pause or play a song – it’s just not a massively consistent way to control playback.

So, yes, not a lot of good stuff to say so far. But one thing I do like about the Liberty 5 is their charging case. Simply, slide it open and there you are. Your earbuds, right before you! I prefer this motion to the flip-top motion cases opt for and would like to see a few more manufacturers consider it.

The buds are also fairly comfortable in-ear, so it’s unlikely you’ll feel exhausted after mere minutes of use. You can find multiple sized eartips in the box too, helping you find the most secure fit possible. Despite getting a nice seal, though, a colleague did hear some sound leakage at around 65-70% volume. There’s an adaptive sound leakage compensation toggle in the Soundcore app’s advanced settings but, still, you’re not going to get the perfect isolation that the best over-ear headphones supply.

Waterproofing is also pretty solid. The Liberty 5 are IP55 dust and waterproof rated, which means that they can withstand low pressure water jets from multiple directions. That’s better than a lot of competitors, but you can do even better. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, for instance, are IP57-rated, so they can even survive being immersed under a meter of water for a while.

Design score: 3/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 in open charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: value

Fairly moderate list price
But still, you can do better for the money
Outperformed by a number of rivals

The Soundcore Liberty 5 are playing in a pretty competitive field, coming in at $129 / £99 / AU$169. It’s a decently modest price tag, sure, but a lot of manufacturers are producing pretty great earbuds for even less.

Now, there are a lot of rivals I could name here. I own the Sony WF-C700N and they sound great while also offering a more low-profile look than the Liberty 5. We also rate the Nothing Ear (a) highly, but I’ll discuss those a little more below. But if you want the ultimate guide to the leading cheap models, then I’d recommend checking out our guide to the best budget earbuds.

Ultimately, $100 / £100 / AU$150 is still a significant spend. And I’m not convinced these are particularly standout – aside from their excellent companion app and decently broad feature-set. In terms of sonic prowess, ANC abilities and design, it’s a more mixed picture. If these are on sale, I wouldn’t count them out, of course. But at the moment, I’d rather grab a pair of buds from Sony or Nothing.

Value score: 3.5/5

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 charging case on circular surface — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Awesome companion app, customizable but fairly average ANC, OK battery.	4/5
Sound quality	Good overall sound for the cost with impressive bass, calling could be better.	4/5
Design	Impractical touch controls, divisive stem design, IP55 waterproofing and case.	3/5
Value	Decent price but outperformed by rivals on sound and design.	3.5/5

Buy them if...

You’re looking for a cheaper alternative to AirPods
AirPods are expensive, there’s no getting around it. And there’s no doubt that the Soundcore Liberty 5 are attempting to be a more budget-friendly alternative. With a stem design and a spatial sound option, via Dolby Audio, you can expect a lot of the AirPods’ niceties on the Liberty 5.

You want highly customizable sound
I love the Soundcore app, and one of the reasons for that is its incredibly rich set of EQ options. There’s a preference test that helps you create a truly bespoke sound profile, genre-based presets and even an eight-band custom equalizer. If you want a more balanced listen, it’s definitely worth exploring the options at hand here.

Don't buy them if...

You want class-leading ANC
ANC isn’t all too bad on the Soundcore Liberty 5. External sounds will be dulled fairly effectively and there’s a tasty selection of customization options too. But even at the highest intensity, I wasn’t blown away by the Liberty 5’s noise-crushing skills. I didn’t quite get near-silence in more built up areas and a whisper of noise crept through when I was working in the office, even when blasting music at around 70%.

You’re an audiophile
And finally, these earbuds may not satiate your needs if you’re a true audiophile. Even with LDAC turned on, you won’t get the best instrument separation or perfect control right across the frequencies. With some tuning, they do sound good for the money, but yes, maybe not for the most analytical listeners out there. If that's you, I'd suggest instead checking out our list of the best noise cancelling earbuds.

Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 review: also consider

	Anker Soundcore Liberty 5	Nothing Ear (a)	Apple AirPods 4
Price	$129 / £99 / AU$169	$99 / £99 (about AU$150)	$129 / £129 / AU$219
Drivers	9.2mm dynamic	11mm custom	Custom
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	No
Battery life	Buds: 8 hours (12 hours without ANC on); Total with case: 32 hours (48 hours without ANC on)	Buds: 5.5hrs (9.5hrs without ANC) Total with case: 24.5hrs (42.5hrs without ANC)	Buds: 5 hours (official), 7 hours (measured); Total with case: 30 hours
Weight	4.6g (per bud)	4.8g (per bud)	4.3g (per bud)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Frequency range	20Hz-40kHz	Not stated	Not stated
Waterproofing	IP55	IP54	IP54

Nothing Ear (a)
The Nothing Ear (a) are an excellent pair of budget-friendly earbuds that we’ve talked up no end here at TechRadar. And for good reason. They serve up zealous, expansive audio, surprisingly strong ANC and a compact design. Sure, their battery life is nothing special by today’s standards, but all in all, they’re an awesome pair of buds. Read our full Nothing Ear (a) review.

Apple AirPods 4
In design alone, it does feel like the Soundcore Liberty 5 are a direct competitor to the Apple AirPods 4. And I’m comparing Soundcore’s effort here against the ANC-less version of the AirPods 4, simply due to their closeness in cost. Anyway, Apple’s earbuds are, well… OK. They offer decently fun and dynamic spatial sound as well as that classic design. But no ANC at this price-point, combined with middling levels of detail and lackluster cross-platform features, is disappointing. Read our full Apple AirPods 4 review.

How I tested the Anker Soundcore Liberty 5

Tested for two weeks
Used in the office and while out in public
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Soundcore Liberty 5 over a fortnight, listening to songs and watching videos for hours on end. I used them out at the office, while at home and when on walks to assess the fortitude of ANC across multiple environments.

Typically, I tested these buds using Tidal, but I also tried using them with both Spotify and YouTube. When listening to music, I ran through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide variety of genres. Of course, I also tuned in to tons of tunes from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared these to the LG xboom Buds on metrics such as comfort, audio quality, ANC capabilities and features. And for reference, I’ve tested tons of audio products here at TechRadar. I’ve reviewed flagship over-ear headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6, wired earbuds like the Sennheiser IE 600 and, of course, other wireless earbuds like the LG Tone Free T90S.

First reviewed: June 2025
Read more about how we test

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