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Testing the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 actually changed my priorities when buying sports-focused earbuds –and that’s something I thought could never happen

1:40 pm | February 26, 2025

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: Two-minute review

I'll be frank (you can still be whatever your name is): a lot has changed in the world of Bluetooth audio since May 2019. That's when the Powerbeats Pro 2's forefathers burst onto the relatively new true wireless earbuds scene and promptly cornered its fledgling athletic sub-genre.

The thing is, the wealth of reliable earbuds any of us can pick up now for as little as $20 were inconceivable six years ago, so the Powerbeats Pro 2 arrive as an interesting (quite large, cumbersome even) proposition. If their storied heritage did not exist, we might actually question what Beats was doing releasing a set of earbuds with a large curling tail on one end that does not facilitate open-ear listening, but instead includes a more traditional driver housing and neck for creating a closed seal betwixt its ear-tip and your ear canal.

One might argue that in the past few years engineers have collected substantial data and used it to create concha-fit and droplet-shaped ergonomic driver housings, which means we no longer need arms for our earbuds – even for sports. We might even think it odd for Beats to be pitching such a design at athletes – because other bright sparks have invented open-ear true wireless earbuds in the past four years, and these let us easily hear traffic or our trainer's voice as we work out.

But the Powerbeats Pro 2 get a hall pass for most of this, owing to the love we still have for the then-groundbreaking inaugural Powerbeats Pro. I remember the huge video ad I saw every day at London's Waterloo Station, featuring Serena Williams serving both looks and tennis aces while wearing an ice-white, Wimbledon-friendly set of Powerbeats Pro. Those earbuds – which arrived before the inaugural AirPods Pro and actually, before the 'Pro' suffix became a mainstay of the audio vernacular – soon seemed as iconic as the superstars who wore them.

So we need to be asking not only how the Powerbeats Pro 2 stand up against the best noise-cancelling earbuds aimed at regular users, but also how they compare to the best open-ear headphones that, until recently, were the preserve of athletes. Okay, as a set of 'regular' wireless earbuds, the case you'll be toting around is quite big – not quite coffee coaster big, but close. However, if you're an Apple Music subscriber the head-tracked spatial audio works very well, and the noise cancellation is quite good; neither is as good as what you get with the AirPods Pro 2, but the spatial audio in particular isn't far off.

Slipping them on isn't as quick a job as it is with other earbuds, but once they're on, if security is your main issue with Apple-styled buds you'll be pleased – these Beats ain't going anywhere. Also, at 10 hours from the buds and a further 3.5 charges in the case (for a whopping 45-hour total) the battery life is impressive, although if you're using ANC or spatial audio it's eight hours and a maximum playtime total of 36 hours. For clarity, you'll only get 5.5 to seven hours from your AirPods Pro 2 before they need charging. Not bad, eh?

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earpiece held in a woman's hand — See the sensor? (Image credit: Future)

However, for a set of sports-focused earbuds that sit inside the ear, a good transparency mode is important, and despite Beats' assurance that this is the most natural-sounding transparency mode in any set of Beats earbuds (with the adaptive algorithm powered by the H2 chip updating over 200 times per second) I've heard many more effective transparency profiles – and simply turning ANC off isn't something I'd advise, since this listening profile adds to the already-slightly tinny issues through the top end, making the soundstage a little too forward and sweet overall.

Price-wise, they're also a little hot and heavy-handed. Despite arriving at the same price as their older siblings, times have changed. You can buy similar designs for considerably less now; you couldn't then.

But stop everything! We need to talk matters of the heart. Because make no mistake, you should feel ready to place your heart in Powerbeats Pro 2's hands here, either via the Health app or your compatible, linked fitness app. Beats told me heart-rate monitoring had been on the company's mood boards for inclusion since 2014, and the feature's debut here is the result of well over four years on the bench with engineers (and subsequently in the ears of over 1,000 real-world athletes for testing).

What I can tell you is that the heart-rate monitor is here now, beautifully implemented in certain third-party apps when linked with Apple's Health app. And because of the pulse readings, the super-secure fit and the excellent battery life, you may be prepared to forgive the few shortcomings I've talked about so far, plus a couple of sonic shortfalls I've yet to get into.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Price & release date

Unveiled on February 13, 2025
Priced $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.95

How often can a product come in at the same $249.99 / £249.99 / AU$399.95 price as its 2019 counterpart and still not be considered great value? Simply put, competition has brought prices right down. These days, $100 / £100 is top-end for inclusion in our best budget wireless earbuds guide, and anything above that goes into mid-range and flagship territory.

For a brief comparison in the world of 'regular' buds, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds come in at $299 / £299 / AU$449 and Technics' outstanding EAH-AZ100 are also in the same ballpark, at $299 / £259 / AU$499. Apple's AirPods Pro 2 currently cost around $199 / £199 / AU$349. Sports-focused options often come in a fair way under these kinds of figures (the Shokz OpenFit Air arrived in summer 2024 with a $149 / £119 price-tag for example) although the Bose Ultra Open buck the affordable trend – they can now be yours for a similar $249 / £249 / AU$349.95, having arrived at $50 more than that.

All of this is food for thought, but don't forget that none of the options I've listed above can monitor your heart rate…

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 outside on a rainy day, held in a hand and close to a flower-bed — (Image credit: Future)

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Specifications

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Features

Heart-rate monitoring is useful – unless you use an Apple Watch
Spatial audio with head-tracking enhances commutes
Disappointing IPX4 splash-proof rating

Let's start with the ticker-taker. It's not a new concept as I've already mentioned – Beats wanted to include it back in 2014 – but it's been a long time in development. The tiny sensor at the helm in Powerbeats Pro 2 (which is derived from the Apple Watch, but is actually 1/16th of the size of the sensor in the Apple Watch Series 10) contains a photodiode, an optical lens, an accelerometer and an LED sensor, but Beats admits that this component "wasn't that minuscule at first". And while the ear is actually a great place to access your pulse, developing a sensor small, light and accurate enough to wear comfortably in a headshell was a "long, arduous process".

Well, it's here now – and if you're not using anything else, it's good. You need to be wearing both earbuds to get a reading, because when you do, that green LED light sensor in each earpiece pulses over 100 times per second, then measures the light reflected back to calculate how many times your heart is beating per minute.

Accessing the feature might seem a little limited or even disappointing at first (there's no juicy 'Heart-rate' bubble in your iPhone Control Center when you click through, as I might have hoped), but this is because the Powerbeats Pro 2 are really meant to only start taking readings when you begin a workout, rather than constantly monitor your pulse throughout the day or whenever you choose to summon a reading. That said, you can dig into your iPhone's Health app, then either tap Browse at the bottom-right then Heart > Heart Rate to call up a live figure, or go to Summary at the bottom-left then Show All Health Data > Heart Rate, to see a graph of your live heart rate. But really, you're meant to be in training and with a third-party fitness app. The only currently supported one I use is Nike Run Club, but once you've linked the app and given the necessary permissions in Settings, it works a treat.

It's worth noting two things: if you wear an Apple Watch while using the Beats, the Watch readings are always prioritized, and secondly, the Powerbeats Pro 2 don't work with Apple Fitness Plus yet (which means no Strava support, i.e., the one I'd really like it to work with). At the time of writing, heart-rate monitoring through the Powerbeats Pro 2 is available in these iOS apps: Peloton, Slopes, Ladder, Open, Runna, YaoYao, and Nike Run Club, so plenty of activities are covered.

If you're on Android, it's different again (and arguably, better). Here, the feature will work with any fitness app that supports heart-rate monitoring; you just need to manually start each training session with a double tap and hold on either earbud.

On both iOS and Android you can turn the feature off in the settings if you don't want it taking readings.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 case, held in a woman's hand — Yes, I love the color so much, I did this… (Image credit: Future)

Now, on to Personalized Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and dynamic head-tracking. This is Apple's 360-degree sound tech that adjusts the audio based on the shape of your ears, head, and – if you toggle it on – using your Apple device as a source so the audio has a fixed point of origin (and this moves between each ear as you move your head towards said source device). I really rate this in Powerbeats Pro 2, thanks to the solid fit and seal the design promotes, particularly when listening to more acoustic tracks. Want to hear how good it is? Try listening to Sam Fender's Arm's Length and holding your device at arm's length. Good, no?

The Powerbeats Pro 2 only support lossless audio with ultra-low latency on the Apple Vision Pro, so while high resolution is possible on these earbuds, it's an expensive route – and I do not own a Vision Pro headset (but leave a comment if you've tested it – I'd love to know whether there's a notable uptick in audio quality).

Call quality? It's good: the Powerbeats Pro 2 have a total of six microphones (three per earpiece) and callers throughout my testing said I sounded very clear and, on one occasion, "particularly empathetic". Beats says there's machine learning-based noise isolation tech at play, so callers will hear your voice at its best, aided by a voice accelerometer to detect when you're speaking and thus enhance clarity. What I can tell you is that if you take calls often on your earbuds, you'll be pleased here.

Other notable features include the option to customize what a press-and-hold of the physical 'b' button does on each earpiece (between Siri and noise control functions), automatic ear detection, Find My to locate a lost earbud in iOS (you can select which earbud you'd like to emit a beeping noise if it's around the house, or see where they are on a map) and Find My Beats on Android via the companion app. But there's no U1 chip in the charging case – and no inbuilt speaker as there is in the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4's charging nests, so the case itself is silent. There's also an ear tip fit test that's actually quite picky; I had to adjust to smaller ear tips to get the green light in both ears, even when I personally felt like I had the fit right.

As any AirPods owner will know, there's no multi-point connectivity in Apple earbuds – and that hasn't changed here. You can 'share' the audio you're hearing in your Powerbeats Pro 2 to other Beats or Apple earbuds in the vicinity using Apple's proprietary Share Audio option, but make no mistake, your Powerbeats Pro 2 can only be paired to one source device at a time. You also cannot tweak the EQ on a dedicated tab with the Powerbeats Pro 2 – although on iOS you can go into your iPhone's settings > Apps > Music > EQ to tweak things a little.

Finally (and I'm putting this under 'features' rather than 'design' since any sports-specific earbuds really ought to focus on durability) there's a somewhat disappointing IPX4 rating for the earpieces, and the case is neither water- nor sweat-resistant at all. What that means is that while wearing the buds for sweaty workouts should be fine (the Powerbeats Pro 2 will survive light rain, humid environments and splashes of water), they absolutely positively cannot be submerged in the drink, which seems at odds with their, er… athleticism. And it's not that it can't be done: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro earpieces boast an IP57 rating, meaning they'll survive a 30-minute full submersion in water up to a depth of one meter.

Features score: 4/5

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, three screengrabs on iPhone to show ANC, heart-rate and spatial audio features — (Image credit: Future)

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Sound quality

Energetic and forward-sounding – almost to a fault
A little tinny in some profiles; beaten by the original Powerbeats Pro for bass weight
Turning off noise-canceling negatively affects the sound

This is not quite the glowing praise that long-term fans of Beats' Powerbeats Pro might have been hoping for. A 3.5-star rating for sound quality is not bad and make no mistake, the sound here is not without merit, but this is a huge and hotly-anticipated seventh-iteration Beats earbuds product and the heavily-leaked follow-up to the iconic Powerbeats Pro, nearly six years on. And I have to do my job: the sound isn't excellent – and not just because only the relatively lowly SBC and AAC codecs are supported (ie. no hi-res audio, unless you're using them with the Vision Pro).

Perhaps in part because the driver is smaller than in the original Powerbeats Pro (a 9.5mm dual-layer driver versus 12mm in the originals) the sound very different, and just a little more constricted. Deploying noise cancellation gives the Pro 2 the best chance to shine, and here, with dynamic head-tracked spatial audio also toggled on, there is separation and a healthy serving of detail in Tom Petty's textured vocal in Free Fallin', with guitar strings grazing each ear and a bridge as dynamically abrupt and agile as I remember. Nevertheless, cue up Gunna's One of Wun and the smouldering track is notably moodier, fuller and more resonant through the low end in both AirPods Pro 2 and my Technics EAH-AZ100. Listen with the Technics and I'm dropped into the mix; switch to the Beats and I'm just a little bit above it, wanting to get stuck into the bass a little more.

The lengthy acoustic guitar intro in Rod Stewart's Maggie May (known as 'Henry' and played by Martin Quittenton) has energy and pep – there's no faulting the Powerbeats Pro 2 for timing across the frequencies – but as the track continues, the forward-focused nature of the Powerbeats Pro 2 rather over-emphasises the keys and mandolin in the upper mids, even making Rod-the-Mod's voice sound a touch tinny. And sadly, things don't improve when you turn noise-canceling off, which appears to heat the soundstage up a notch, as if we're listening on cassette tape. Cue up the transparency mode and it helps quash the marginal sweetness, but during a run I simply didn't feel like enough ambient noise filtered in – and there's no way to tweak the levels of filtering in (or being nixed) here rather than 'Transparency', 'Off', or 'Noise cancellation'.

Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Design

A triumph for security (and for on-ear volume tweaks)
Case is smaller, but still big by today's standards
They take a few seconds to fit – especially if you wear glasses

I've mentioned the slightly disappointing 'only splash-proof' IPX4 rating, so that's out of the way. I've also praised the up-to-45-hour stamina, which is a huge plus. Other than that, there's a lot to celebrate in the design department.

Said design (including the case, which can now charge wirelessly) is quite big by today's standards, but the Powerbeats Pro 2 are only as big as some of the best open-fit earbuds – the kind with the arm that slinks around your ear. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking this is an open-fit pair of earbuds given their size, but they're not – and for me, it's one of their biggest strengths.

In 2025, it's a very unusual proposition. Each earpiece also has a physical volume rocker on the bar above the 'b'-branded driver housing and because nothing works as consistently and reliably as physical buttons (maybe you're wearing gloves 'cause you're skiing; maybe your phone's in your kit bag) it's an excellent decision. It also means you're not fiddling with multiple presses of a main multi-function button to switch volume, which, as anyone used to this knows, can often mean unintended track skips or Siri piping up.

And the praise keeps coming! The colorways are excellent (see the 'electric orange' and 'hyper purple' colorways as well as your more standard black and 'quick sand' gray) and despite squeezing in that heart-rate monitor, Beats has made the Powerbeats Pro 2 light, very comfortable and unmovable. I tried to dislodge them during aerial hoop and silks training, spinning upside-down at speeds I've no business attempting these days, and they never even moved. Added to the extra pair of ear tips in the box, to equal five rather than four (the ear tip fit test won't let you off lightly either), they're honestly some of the most well-fitting earbuds I've ever tested.

The only downside to all this security? Fitting them requires a little bit of work and if you're someone who tends to leave the house in a rush, you might find yourself reaching for earbuds you can throw in and go. Unlike open-ear options, you do need to make sure the Powerbeats Pro 2's headshell is properly in your ear, then snake the arm around your ear, then twist everything back towards your crown, to lock it in. I often found myself accidentally pressing playback buttons while doing this or dropping one if I didn't sit calmly to perform these tasks, especially since I wear glasses to look at my screen (and the arms of your glasses sit in the same spot as the arms of the Powerbeats Pro 2, behind the ear). The thing is, if security is your main issue, it's worth it. Ultimately, the design here is still a hit with me.

Design score: 4.5/5

TechRadar's Audio Editor, Becky Scarrott, wearing Beats Powerbeats Pro — (Image credit: Future)

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Value

Excellent battery life
Heart-rate monitor is a current USP
Sonically they can be beaten for the money

At $249 / £249, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are not cheap for a sports-focused set of earbuds – and indeed against Apple's AirPods lineup, considering Apple now makes its new AirPods 4 for just $129. But the Powerbeats Pro 2 do contain a ticker-taking sensor no other AirPods can currently boast, and stamina levels that far exceed anything most earbuds can boast.

For me, the design is one of this proposition's biggest strengths; to others, the case may be a little big for the class of 2025. They aren't winning any awards sonically either – but the audio performance is a step up on most of the cheaper, sub-$100 wireless buds on the market when you deploy noise cancellation and dynamic head-tracked spatial audio. As always, it's a matter of priorities.

Honestly, I never thought I'd recommend a product that can't boast top-tier sound. But these earbuds go on for hour after hour, take your heart-rate and feel super-secure in your ears, so here we are…

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review:

Buy them if...

You need buds for gymnastics, athletics, dancing or training
Niche? Maybe. But these earbuds offer the most secure fit I've ever tested in a true wireless design.

You want to track your heart rate (without a watch)
The heart-rate monitor is currently an Apple- and Beats earbuds first, and it works very well.

You're willing to pay for better stamina
A 45-hour maximum playtime is up there with the best battery life we've ever seen – and it leaves AirPods for dust

Don't buy them if...

Sound quality is king
The sound here is a shade under excellent across the frequencies, feeling a little light in terms of bass weight, and a little heavy-handed through the treble

You want an in-app tweakable EQ tab
No dice here, friend…

You want to keep your ear canals uncovered
Given their larger, sports-focused design and ear 'hook', you'd be forgiven for assuming this is an open-ear design in 2025. But make no mistake, these are in-ear earbuds.

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 in packaging, held outside above a black table — (Image credit: Future)

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 review: Also consider

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Prefer device-agnostic head-tracked spatial audio plus some of the best ANC in the business? These September 2023-issue earbuds from Bose are a great shout – and the in-ear security is nearly as good as the Powerbeats Pro 2. You'll have to forego multi-point connectivity, super-stamina (it's only 6 hours here) and a heart-rate monitor, but you'll get more detail from the sound quality.
Read more in our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review

Cambridge Audio Melomania M100
The ANC-off and transparency profiles are much more enjoyable here – as is the sound quality generally. You also get a similar battery life and the option of Matt Berry on voice prompts (his "Waiting to pair!" is a delight). The overall aesthetic isn't as striking though, and they aren't as secure in your ears – also you can forget about having your pulse read…
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review

How I tested the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

Tested for two weeks; listened against the AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 2, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100, Technics EAH_AZ100, JBL Live Beam 3, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Ultra
Used at work, at home, during aerial training and on a beach in Florida
Listened to Tidal, Apple Music and Spotify on an iPhone 12 Pro, a Sony Xperia 1 V and a MacBook Pro

The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 became my musical travel companions for two full weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period. They accompanied me while running errands (fast walking; on the London Underground network), at home and throughout a surfing vacation in Florida – although they never joined me in the water (they're not waterproof, you see).

To better test the fit and security of the Powerbeats Pro 2, I wore them during a particularly upside-down aerial silks training session, a lyra (aerial hoop) class and a pole class, and they didn't budge once.

To test the audio quality across the frequencies, I consulted TechRadar's reference playlists (spanning everything from electro-pop to blues) on Apple Music, Qobuz and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify, and YouTube tutorials (mostly about how to bleed car brake pads, in case you were interested) on my MacBook Pro.

I’ve been testing audio products for just over six years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in a previous life, sound quality, the overall user experience and security have always been non-negotiable markers for me – and having heard how effective (and stress-relieving) ANC can be when the anti-phase tech is done well, I have grown to love it.

JBL Tune 305C review

If you’re on the hunt for some new earbuds but you’ve not bought into the whole wireless thing, the JBL Tune 305C could be an enticing budget option. These wired earbuds promise punchy bass, a comfortable fit – not a bad package for £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). So can the JBL Tune 305C live up to these bold promises, or do they instead fall flat?

Well, let’s start where it matters most – sound. Of course, the main attraction is meant to be JBL’s “Pure Bass” sound but despite providing enjoyable warmth, this won’t conjure up the low-end boom that bass heads may want. For instance, when I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, there was a solid amount of depth to the thumping drum machine, but it lacked the impact and prominence in the mix to really have my head bopping. When listening to All Night Long by Chris Stussy, the bouncing bass never sounded lethargic or unresponsive, but again, it wasn’t as hard-hitting as I’d hoped.

You can be assured, however, that bass won’t sound nasty and distorted. Similarly, I didn’t experience much in terms of tinniness in the treble range or overly thin mids – something that all our picks of the best wired earbuds are capable of circumventing. But clean audio isn’t always a given with budget buds – the Belkin SoundForm Wired Earbuds with USB-C Connector, for instance, are very cheap… and they sound it. The JBL feel like good value in comparison.

Another positive is that the JBL Tune 305C can play hi-res music files thanks to the inclusion of a built-in digital to analog converter (DAC) – pretty impressive for some buds that come in at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21). But although overall audio is certainly clear, it doesn’t really sound massively detailed.

For instance, I tuned into Clair de Lune by Kamasi Washington and piano notes soaring up and sinking down sounded slightly clumped – where they’d sound more individualized and defined using more premium buds such as the Sennheiser IE 200. Piano was also given a lot more breathing space with the IE 200, whereas it sounded more muddied with the Tune 305C – but not to a degree that it was totally lost in the mix.

One reason that I didn’t get a massively nuanced, informative listen from the Tune 305C was their in-ear fit. Like the Apple EarPods USB-C, they’re pretty loose-fitting, with an 'open-ear' design. They don’t include eartips, like the SoundMagic E11D, for example, meaning sound is less concentrated into the ear canal. Some may prefer the looser feel of these – I can’t deny that they were easy to keep in for longer listening sessions.

But still, they would occasionally feel as if they were falling out, especially when I was on the go. Not ideal if you’re on a run or working out. This design choice also limits noise isolation, so you may have to put up with the sound of that wailing baby on your four-hour flight… uh oh.

But again, some may prefer the more relaxed feel of the Tune 305C. On top of that, these are pretty lightweight and didn’t subject me to all too much cable noise – impressive for buds at this price-point.

Earbud of the JBL Tune 305C — (Image credit: Future)

And that’s not all – you also get a neat controller, which has volume, play/pause and mic controls built-in. Firstly, I have to say I was very impressed with mic quality. There was some very slight tinniness on a phone call, but my voice was nice and clear. Meanwhile, a voice recording came through with limited background static and well-defined vocals – rare for lots of wired earbuds.

You’re not going to believe me, but the fun doesn’t stop there either. If you hold down the volume up button for two seconds, you can even switch between Standard, Bass and Voice modes. EQ settings are pretty rare for cheap wired earbuds, so I was delighted to find this here. Really, the only downside practicality-wise is the lack of waterproofing, which would be ideal for listening in the rain or when exercising.

Another slightly disappointing aspect of these earbuds is their design. The buds each have a raised piece of plastic with the JBL logo on which looks a little clumsy, and the flat wire might not be to everyone’s taste either. Don’t get me wrong, my eyes didn’t burn just looking at the Tune 305C, but I was hardly swooning over them. The controller looks decent, however, and is positioned near your cheek for easy access, not to mention that the wire – despite not being too pretty – is tangle-resistant, which is useful if you need to slide these into your pocket.

All in all, the JBL Tune 305C are a solid pair of in-ear buds. They have typically clean audio with commendable bass and volume, EQ options and a surprisingly good mic. The loose fit does come with sacrifices in the audio and noise isolation departments and it's a shame not to see waterproofing too. But at £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), there’s still plenty to like here.

If you want a step-up USB-C option, the SoundMagic E80D will outperform the Tune 305C in most departments, but there are some nice cheaper options too, such as the Skullcandy Set USB-C.

USB-C connector on the JBL Tune 305C — (Image credit: Future)

JBL Tune 305C review: Price and release date

£16.75 / AU$24 (about $21)
Launched in 2024

The JBL Tune 305C launched in 2024 – the same year that the audio specialists dropped the Tune 310C model, which uses ear tips for a more snug, noise-isolating listening experience.

These in-ears are typically priced at £16.75 / AU$24, making them a very budget-friendly option. They’re also available in a number of attractive color variants including: Black, Blue, Red and White – I tested the latter for this review.

JBL Tune 305C review: Specs

Controller for the JBL Tune 305C — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the JBL Tune 305C?

Buy them if...

You’re on a tight budget
If you want a cheaper wired option, these are worth considering. At £16.75 / AU$24 (about $21), you get audio that’s rarely tinny or grating, solid loudness and even EQ options – not bad at all.

You’re always on the phone
If you love a phone call, you’ll likely be satisfied with the JBL Tune 305C’s built-in mic. You get decently clear, defined speech as well as call controls, making these ideal for those who enjoy a good natter.

Don't buy them if...

You want strong noise isolation
Due to their loose-fitting design, these JBL Buds will offer very little in the way of noise isolation. If you’re looking for decent passive noise isolation at an ultra-low price, consider the Sony MDR-EX15AP. But if you want to take things up a notch and wouldn’t mind going wireless, then take a peek at our guide to the best noise cancelling earbuds – which includes a very cheap option.

You’re expecting top-tier audio quality
If you’re expecting a top-drawer sonic performance from the JBL Tune 305C you’re likely to be disappointed. Sure, they have a built-in DAC for hi-res listening and pretty warm bass, but they can sometimes produce a fairly bloated sound, especially at high volumes.

JBL Tune 305C review: Also consider

Skullcandy Set USB-C
If you’re looking for a stylish, moderately priced pair of wired earbuds, the Skullcandy Set USB-C could be the perfect fit. They boast a clean, curved design, attractive color options and solid sound quality. There are no built-in volume controls, which is slightly irritating, but IPX4 waterproofing does give it some points in the durability department. Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review.

SoundMagic E80D
The SoundMagic E80D are some of the best budget-friendly wired earbuds around. Why? They offer excellent comfort, an inbuilt DAC for hi-res listening and impressive noise isolation. It’s a decent amount more than the JBL Tune 305C, sure, but if you have that extra cash, you’re in for a far superior sonic experience. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

JBL Tune 305C review: How I tested

Tested for one week
Used in the office and on public transport
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the JBL Tune 305C over the course of one week. When I used these buds for music listening, I mainly used Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I also tried them out with YouTube and Spotify on my Windows Laptop.

Not only that, but I made sure to run through tracks in the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – read our guide on how we test earbuds for more. I did, however, also spend hours tuning into songs from my personal library. And I took the 305C with me everywhere for this review. I tested them at a busy London train station, on walks through my local town centre and in the office.

First reviewed: February 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested these re-released classic wired earbuds with dual USB-C and 3.5mm connectivity for a week, and now I’m thinking of ditching my Bluetooth pair

1:00 pm | February 13, 2025

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

Master & Dynamic ME05: Review

10 years after their original release, the Master & Dynamic ME05 are back. Remastered for the modern era, these wired buds now include a Hi-Res USB-C adapter, meaning they’re able to seamlessly slot into your modern smartphone’s charging port. This revamped model also aims to provide “more expansive acoustics” and fit options, while still harnessing the strengths of their original, high-caliber build materials. But do these re-released classics still hold up?

Well, if we’re talking audio quality, the answer is yes – very much so. The re-released Master & Dynamic ME05 have an incredibly satisfying sound signature: it’s elegantly balanced, but adds a dash of warmth to ensure you get an exciting, yet tightly controlled listen. When I tuned in to I Want You by Moloko – a densely layered, all-action track – the Master & Dynamic ME05 captured each element with ease. The multiple synths, dramatic strings and thumping bass all sounded neatly separated and clear.

The details in this track weren’t lost either. For instance, bold vocals in the introduction maintained their breathy tone and the resonance of the piano wasn’t lost. The sudden crash of cymbals roused excitement without sounding harsh too, something I always listen out for in my epic quest to discover the best wired earbuds.

As I touched on earlier, there’s a pleasing degree of warmth to these buds, meaning you’ll hear clean bass that never sounds lethargic or muddied with lower-mids. When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, the hard-hitting drum machine could get admirably deep and sounded rhythmic and energetic.

If you’re a massive fan of bass-heavy bangers these might not quite offer the big boom you’re looking for, though. For instance, I threw on Splash Mountain by Yung Gravy and sub-bass didn’t have the raw power that’s meant to command the track. If that’s something you’re looking for, you may be better served by some of the best over-ear headphones, which are more capable of thunderous low-end output and customizable EQ.

Regardless, you’re getting fantastic high-resolution audio from these buds, whether you’re using the standard 3.5mm connector or the included USB-C adapter. This adapter supports up to 32-bit / 384kHz resolution audio, meaning you can indulge in higher-than CD quality sound with one of the best Android phones or best iPhones since the iPhone 15 switch to USB-C.

As well as the USB-C connector, the ME05 now come with a large selection of additional ear tips, including both gel and foam variants. This was something we hoped for in our review of the review of the original model back in 2017 – so kudos to Master & Dynamic for delivering! There’s also a premium-feeling carry case to keep your buds safe, adding some points in the value category.

On top of their stellar sound quality and generous fit options, the re-released ME05 have commendable build quality. The 8mm drivers are enclosed in sturdy and stylish brass casing. The metallic controller also feels durable and has well-sized button controls. Maybe some will find its central position a little unorthodox, but I liked it – sometimes wired buds place their controller too close to my cheek, which can be irritating when adjusting volume. And although it’s not detachable, the cable is up-to-scratch too – it's tangle-resistant and slim, and it really checks all the boxes.

There’s also a mic that’s handily positioned higher up the cable. This includes wind reduction tech for clear calling, which I’m happy to report works well. To test mic quality, I made a voice recording and found that there was a bit of static in the background, though my speech was still extremely clear-cut and natural-sounding.

At this stage, you may think I have little to no complaints about these remastered classics – and you’d be right. But they’re not quite perfect. That’s mainly because these buds aren’t ideal for when you’re out and about. I did experience quite a lot of cable noise – something that’s admittedly common with most wired buds – but they couldn’t mute this as effectively as models like the Sennheiser IE 200.

And although they’re comfortable in-ear, they are fairly heavy-feeling – not to mention the lack a waterproof rating, meaning you may want to look elsewhere if you need some earbuds for workouts or runs.

One more small thing before I start gushing again – don’t expect particularly stand-out noise isolation from the re-released ME05. When listening to a bass-heavy track between 40% and 50% volume, the sound of typing in my office was dulled, but I could still hear it a decent amount. That’s in part down to the more relaxed fit of these buds, meaning you’re not getting an ultra-tight seal. But still, there’s a silver lining here – I was happy to listen with these for hours on end. So, even if a model like the Shure SE215 has superior passive noise isolation, they were nowhere near as pleasing to keep in for long listening sessions.

With that said, I’d still class the Master & Dynamic as a top-drawer pair of in-ears. With awesome audio quality, eye-catching design and dual connectivity options, there’s just so much to like. At $199 / £169 (about AU$320), they’re not cheap but they are good value. A lot of audiophile-friendly buds will cost double that amount… or even more. And for the level of detail on offer, I think these are well worth your consideration.

Sure, if you want top-tier noise cancelling and waterproofing, you may be better off with a pair of the best wireless earbuds instead, but for those of you looking for a wonderful wired option, I can recommend these with ease.

Master & Dynamic ME05 with USB-C adapter and carry case — (Image credit: Future)

Master & Dynamic ME05 review: Price and release date

$199 / £169 (about AU$320)
Re-launched in December 2024

The Master & Dynamic ME05 re-released in December 2024, almost an entire decade after their original launch in 2014. They have a list price of $199 / £169 (about AU$320), which is by no means cheap, but nowhere near the price you’ll pay for more premium models like the Sennheiser IE 900 or the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon. The re-released ME05 model is available in four classy colorways: Gold/Black; Gunmetal (Gray)/Black; Palladium (silver)/Black; and Palladium/White.

Master & Dynamic ME05 review: Specs

Master & Dynamic ME05 USB-C adapter — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Master & Dynamic ME05?

Buy them if...

You’re an audiophile that doesn’t want to spend a fortune
If you’re on the hunt for some high quality, yet still affordable wired earbuds, the Master & Dynamic ME05 are an awesome option. At less than $200 / £170, you’re not splashing out the kind of cash that some audiophile-grade buds demand. For instance, quality options like the Sennheiser IE 600 come in at around $500 / £500 / AU$1000… when on sale – yikes!

You want something with style
These earbuds are a good-looking option thanks to their metallic casing, premium-feeling controller and tangle-proof cable. They’re also available in four shiny color options, all of which ooze class.

Don't buy them if...

You’re seeking workout-ready earbuds
If you want some earbuds to accompany you on runs or through workout sessions, these aren’t going to be the best. They have no waterproof rating and aren’t the most snug fitting in-ears I’ve ever tried either. If you’re a fitness fanatic, I’d personally recommend checking out our guide to the best open ear headphones.

You want amazing noise blocking
These earbuds assume a decently loose and gentle fit rather than forming an ultra-noise resistant seal. That was fine by me, but if cutting out external noise is a key priority, you could instead opt for some wired buds with top-tier passive noise isolation, like the Shure Aonic 3. If you’re open to nabbing some wireless buds, you could pick an option from our list of the best noise-cancelling earbuds and enter into the world of active noise cancellation.

Master & Dynamic ME05 review: Also consider

Sennheiser IE 200
If you want even more affordable audiophile-grade audio, the Sennheiser IE 200 could be the perfect fit for you. With fantastic all-round sound, brilliant build quality and a lightweight design, you’re getting an incredible package. There’s no in-line mic or controller included with these and they use a 3.5mm connector, but if that’s okay with you, then the IE 200 are easy to recommend. Read our full Sennheiser IE 200 review.

SoundMagic E80D
And if you’re looking for an even cheaper option, look no further than the SoundMagic E80D. They have a USB-C connector with an onboard DAC, meaning you get a surprisingly detailed listen for some sub-$50 / £40 buds. The built-in controller isn’t as good as the ME05’s and audio won’t be quite so premium, but if great value is what you’re after, the E80D are well-worth considering. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

Master & Dynamic ME05 review: How I tested

Controller of Master & Dynamic ME05 — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for one week
Used in the office and while on walks
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I tested the Master & Dynamic ME05 re-release over a one week period. During this time, I predominantly listened to music using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE via its USB-C port, but I also tried them out using Spotify via my Windows laptop’s headphone port. I tested these buds in the office and while out on walks in windy conditions, in order to test both noise isolation and wind noise-reduction capabilities

When I threw on some music, I bumped tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – though I also spent hours tuning into songs from my personal library. Where appropriate, I also used the Sennheiser IE 200 to compare aspects including audio presentation, style and build.

First reviewed: February 2025
Read more about how we test

Earfun Air 2 NC review: budget earbuds that impress with tailored ANC and sound, though their design lacks refinement

12:00 am | January 27, 2025

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

Earfun Air 2 NC review: Two-minute review

The Earfun Air 2 NC endeavor to avoid the fate befalling far too many options in the budget audio tech space – being woefully disappointing in the sound department. Luckily, they manage to do just that, offering punchy bass, clean mids and controlled treble, as well as LDAC compatibility. Given their list price of $69 / £59 (about AU$110), that’s impressive.

Sure, the Earfun Air 2 NC won’t deliver audiophile-grade sound – I wasn’t wowed by supremely detailed, immersive audio or anything. But for what they are, the Earfun Air 2 NC perform very nicely, plating up well-weighted vocals and even solid sub-bass. You might get a bit of harshness at top volumes, but I personally never needed to listen quite so loudly.

Something that helps the Earfun Air 2 NC sound even better is an excellent EQ tab. Just hop into the Earfun Audio app and choose from a wide range of presets, including genre-specific ones. There’s also a custom option to use and an intriguing, yet perhaps unpolished personalized sound option, which is based on your own listening. Having tested many, I can confidently say that even some of the best wireless earbuds don’t offer quite as much scope for tailoring on this front.

Another area with impressive customization is active noise cancellation. You can switch between five noise cancelling modes, including ear-adaptive and wind resistance configurations. Given that you can also personalize touch controls here, you get plenty of ways to make these earbuds your own.

It’s not totally smooth sailing, however. There are a couple of small drawbacks to bear in mind, such as a disappointing spatial audio setting, called Theater Mode. Although this may expand the soundstage somewhat, overall audio quality takes quite the hit, making it a pretty redundant inclusion. They aren’t the prettiest on the market either and the stems may not be diminutive enough for anyone craving a more discreet look.

There are some neat design choices here, though, like IPX5 waterproofing, which will keep your buds protected against heavy rain or sweat for outdoor or intensive listening sessions. Battery-wise, they’re absolutely fine too. You get six hours with ANC on and nine with it turned off, but the charging case should give you enough juice to last a few days, even if you listen at fairly high volumes and with LDAC turned on.

So, given their low price, you get a lot out of the Earfun Air 2 NC. They’re not going to blow you away with next-level sound, battery life or looks, but they excel in all of the key areas. It’s pretty competitive in the budget wireless earbud department – there are some truly incredible alternatives out there, including the brilliant, albeit ANC-less, Sony WF-C510 or even the Earfun Air Pro 3 – regularly available at a discount. But, if you want a strong pair of wireless earbuds at an affordable price, I’d still happily recommend the Earfun Air 2 NC.

Earfun Air 2 NC in charging case against pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: price and release date

$69 / £59 (about AU$110)
Launched in 2024

The Earfun Air 2 NC were released in 2024 and initially had a slightly higher list price, which has since been reduced to $69 / £59 (about AU$110). However, you may be able to get these buds for even less. At the time of writing, I’ve spotted these going for just over the £40 mark on Amazon UK – that’s phenomenal value for money. If you’re not such a fan of the Black / Gray colorway shown in this review, you can alsograb the Earfun Air 2 NC in White.

Earfun Air 2 NC review: specs

Person picking up Earfun Air 2 NC bud out of charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: features

Effective, customizable ANC
Good EQ options
Solid battery life

The Earfun Air 2 NC boast a pretty impressive feature-set for a budget pair of earbuds. A lot of that comes courtesy of the Earfun Audio app, which opens you up to a whole host of options, including multi-point connectivity, EQ adjustment and much more.

Let’s start with EQ, which is a robust offering – something I’ve come to expect from testing other Earfun earbuds and speakers such as the Earfun UBoom X. There’s a custom option here, but you also get a lot of genre-specific EQ presets, such as Jazz and Hip Hop.

If you want, you can also use My Sound Profile, which allows you to create a personalized EQ calibration based on a series of listening tests. However, I found this didn’t work all too well and presented a fairly muted sound profile when in use. My Sound Profile is certainly a worthwhile feature in concept, with competitors like Anker nailing the similar HearID option on the Soundcore Space One Pro, for instance – I just wish the Air 2 NC delivered better results.

But there’s still a lot of juicy goodness to sink your teeth into with the Air 2 NC. For instance, the companion app allows you to customize noise cancellation for various settings. There are five different modes: Normal, Ambient Sound, Wind Noise Cancellation, Ear-Adaptive ANC and Noise Cancelling.

When testing each (both indoors and in outdoor environments as well as public transport), I found all of them to be effective, but I typically leaned towards using Ear-Adaptive ANC, which optimizes noise cancelling according to the shape of your ear canal. When using this mode, I couldn’t hear the sound of loud typing in the office and loud external noises, like the roar of a car’s engine, were aptly dulled. Are you going to get the stunning near-silence that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 can offer, for instance? No. But for what you pay, you’ll be impressed with how well the Air 2 NC quieten the outside world.

You also get pretty solid battery life here – nine hours with ANC off and six with it on. This will vary if you’re playing at higher volumes or using the LDAC audio codec, of course. The charging case should help you keep the buds juiced up for intermittent listening over a multi-day period too.

On top of that, the Air 2 NC have customizable touch controls. You can select from a range of commands, like volume up/down, play/pause, skip/replay, which can vary for the left and right bud – just choose whatever feels best for you.

There’s a lot more here too: a Find Headphones option, LDAC toggle (more on this later), Voice Prompt options (which lets you switch between English, Japanese or Mandarin cues) and a Game Mode, which is designed to reduce audio latency. All of this is welcome, although there was one option I found to be a bit sub-par: Theater Mode. Earfun claims that with Theater Mode on, you get a wider soundstage and more immersive sonic experience. Does it do that? Well, partially. But this comes at the expense of lower quality audio, which instantly renders it pointless in my view.

So, although Theater Mode and My Sound Profile are a little unrefined, you still get all the main features you’d want from budget ANC earbuds, plus a little more. Overall, you’re still getting a great user experience with the Earfun Audio app too, which is easy to use and well laid out. Positive stuff, all in all.

Features score: 4/5

Earfun Air 2 NC earbuds on surface — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: sound quality

Punchy bass
Clear and rarely harsh all-round audio
LDAC compatibility

OK, good news, the Earfun Air 2 NC perform impressively in the audio quality department for their humble asking fee. Yes, the caveat remains: they sound surprisingly zealous, detailed and musical given their modest price tag. No, you’re not going to get premium sound from these buds, but you can certainly expect a solid sonic experience for the money.

When listening to Too Young to Die - Extended by Jamiroquai, the track’s bass was smooth, rich and clean, with brass instruments and vocals in the mid-range coming through without harshness or distortion at around 60-70% volume. Higher-pitched percussion was never tinny either and background vocals sounded well-weighted, making for a satisfying, enjoyable listen.

The Air 2 NC also have LDAC compatibility, which can be activated via the Earfun app. This comes at the expense of multi-point – which has to be switched off manually (but that's the case with much pricier buds we've tested, including the triple-device multipoint in the Technics EAH-AZ100). LDAC is a nice addition for those who want a more detailed listen and I kept it switched on when listening to tracks on Tidal, which are a lot less compressed than those lossy Spotify streams.

Still, I wasn’t always struck by the Air 2 NC’s ability to unveil the finer details. For instance, I tuned into the densely layered I Want You by Moloko and although the Air 2 NC excelled in delivering the track’s low-end punch, the breathiness of vocals and discreet instrumental details throughout were perhaps a little lacking. That’s fine for some more budget earbuds of course, but it’s worth flagging that LDAC doesn’t always equal incredibly detailed audio.

Again, overall quality is strong here. When listening to Magic by Yung Gravy, booming bass was impactful and deep without drowning out main or background vocals. You even get up-to-scratch sub bass, which can often be a problem for cheaper wireless earbuds. I did notice a touch of sibilance from vocals when I cranked volume up to 100%, but I never really needed to listen quite that loudly.

Thanks to the extensive list of EQ presets here, you can easily tailor sound to your liking on the Earfun Air 2 NC. Will that mean you get that perfectly detailed listen audiophiles go mad for? No – but you’ll still get great audio quality for the price you pay.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Earfun Air 2 NC and charging case on surface against pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Earfun Air 2 NC review: design

Long stems on earbuds not for everyone
Fairly plasticky build
IPX5 water resistant

Onto perhaps a more controversial aspect of the Earfun Air 2 NC: their design. The earbuds have a curved design with long stems. These stems are handy for swiftly removing the buds from your ear, but they’re not the most beautiful looking. If you’re someone who prefers a more discreet look, you may also find the Air 2 NC’s earpieces a little oversized.

You can get these buds in either a white or black colorway – I tested the latter. This looked fine enough, but part of each bud has a gray coating with the Earfun logo, which isn’t particularly easy on the eye. The case, meanwhile, comes in a neat Black color with a USB-C port and an LED light to display whether it's charging – no complaints here.

In terms of build quality, you’re not going to get the most premium pair of earbuds ever. The Air 2 NC do perhaps feel a little plasticky, but that’s to be expected at this price point. In the ear, however, they are comfortable and I didn’t feel the need to take them out, even after multiple hours of listening.

They may not have the most high-durability construction, then, but they are fairly well protected against the elements. That’s because the Air 2 NC are IPX5 waterproof rated, meaning they can withstand water projected by a nozzle. That means if you’re listening in the rain or working out, you won’t have to worry about moisture damaging your buds.

Design score: 3.5/5

Earfun Air 2 NC review: value

Great audio for the cost
Great customizable ANC and comfortable in-ear fit
Sometimes even cheaper thanks to sales

One of the big draws of the Earfun Air 2 NC is their excellent low price. They have a list price of $69 / £59 (about AU$110), but I’ve already spotted them on sale with some retailers. Considering that you get impressive audio and a decent suite of features, you’re looking at brilliant value.

As the years go by, its becoming more common to get ANC at a budget price, but still, you get very customizable noise cancelling here, including ear-adaptive and wind-resistant options. OK, battery life is by no means exceptional, but it's not too bad – the same goes for design and build quality. But these are subordinate to the crucial areas of sound quality and in-ear comfort.

Value score: 4.5/5

Person holding Earfun Air 2 NC charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Earfun Air 2 NC?

Buy them if...

You want customizable ANC
If you’re looking for active noise cancellation but don’t want to splash too much cash, the Earfun Air 2 NC are a worthy option. There are a ton of different noise cancelling modes to play around with here, including Wind noise reduction and ear-adaptive ANC – even some more expensive rivals don’t offer this level of customization.

You’re on a fairly tight budget
If you’re looking for some highly competent wireless earbuds but don’t have a blank check, the Earfun Air 2 NC are worth keeping in mind. At $69 / £59, you’re getting solid audio quality and ANC as well as a comfortable fit and commendable feature-set – at this price, you can’t ask for a whole lot more.

Don't buy them if...

You want premium audio quality
If you’re on the hunt for super-detailed, ultra-immersive and perfectly balanced audio, the Earfun Air 2 NC may not be for you. Quality here is by no means bad, but it’s not premium. If you have a bit more cash to play with, an excellent-sounding wireless option would be the Technics EAH-AZ100.

You’re looking for a discreet look
Each earbud here has a long stem, which may be to your liking if you want a more ‘pinchable’ design. But if you’re on the hunt for a more low-key pair of earbuds, this might be a little overbearing. Some excellent, small earbuds that I loved in 2024 were the LG Tone Free T90S, if that’s more your style.

Earfun Air 2 NC: also consider

JLab Go Pop ANC
If you’re looking for the ultimate, super-cheap pair of wireless earbuds, you’ll struggle to find better than the JLab Go Pop ANC. For less than $30 / £30, you get decent ANC, solid overall audio and companion app compatibility. If you’re looking for all the essentials at an incredible price point, this is an option well-worth considering. Read our full JLab Go Pop ANC review.

Sony WF-C700N
We still consider the Sony WF-C700N to be some of the best cheaper noise-cancelling earbuds you can buy. They offer detailed, immersive audio, an incredibly comfortable fit and a fantastic companion app to boot. Don’t be put off by their list price too, they’re often available for less than $100 / £70. Read our full Sony WF-C700N review.

Earfun Air 2 NC review: how I tested

Tested for two weeks
Used in the office and while on walks
Predominantly tested using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

I tested the Earfun Air 2 NC over the course of two weeks, listening with them for hours during each working day. I used them at the office, while at home and when on walks to assess the quality of ANC across multiple environments.

For the most part, I tested these wireless buds using Tidal on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, but I did also try 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 but I also tuned in to hours worth of tunes from my personal library.

Where appropriate, I compared these to my Sony WF-C700N earbuds on metrics such as comfort, audio quality, ANC capabilities and features.

First reviewed: January 2025
Read more about how we test

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: well-built true wireless earbuds that err on the expensive and make you think – ‘when is green too green?’

2:00 pm | January 26, 2025

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

Noble FoKus Rex5: Two-minute review

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds and travel case on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

The Noble FoKus Rex5 true wireless in-ear is the latest model with which the company intends to disrupt a market that’s already full to bursting. From its base in Texas, North America, Noble has been turning out singular, and singularly expensive, headphones for a little over a decade now and the Rex5 are no exception.

There are notable points of difference here, mind you. The Rex5 are exhaustively specified, with five drivers per earbud, Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC codec compatibility, and a single option where finish is concerned that’s as green as a very green thing. Oh, and relatively speaking they cost an arm and a leg.

The Rex5 are a strong performer, though, no two ways about it. The sound they produce is open and unified, rigorously defined, rapid and detailed. Other earbuds offer a bit more low-end heft, it’s true, but very very few have the sort of powers of resolution and insight that are on offer here.

Whether that’s enough to justify either the asking price or a place in the best wireless earbuds, though, especially when you add in ANC and battery life that is really nothing remarkable, is a different question…

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Price and release date

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Released in November 2024
Costs $449 / £419 / AU$699

You have been able to buy the Noble FoKus Rex5 for $449 / £419 / AU$699 since November 2024, which puts them right at the top end of price point for true wireless earbuds.

For that price, you're looking for best-in-class performance almost across the board, something along the lines of the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, both of which are cheaper than the Rex5.

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Specs

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Features

Noble FoKus control app showing listening test software — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

10mm dynamic, 6mm planar magnetic, 3 x balanced armature per earbud
Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC compatibility
Multipoint connectivity

There is one minor exception, but in the broadest terms the Noble FoKus Rex5 have the sort of feature set that an asking price this lofty demands. There’s really no arguing with the lengths Noble has gone to here.

Take, for example, wireless connectivity. The Rex5 use top-of-the-shop Bluetooth 5.4 and are compatible with both aptX Adaptive and LDAC codecs – so lossy hi-res content is on the wireless menu. Multipoint connectivity is available, too, so the earbuds can connect to a couple of sources simultaneously and switch seamlessly between them.

And when the audio information is on board, it is served up by no fewer than five drivers per earbud. Three balanced armatures, a 6mm planar magnetic and a 10mm dynamic free-edge driver contribute to produce a claimed frequency response of 20Hz - 40kHz.

Control is available using responsive and accurate capacitive touch controls on the top surface of each earbud, and the feed-forward/feed-back twin mic array of each earbud allows interaction with your source player’s native voice assistant. The mics also take care of active noise-cancellation, of course, which is a three-position system (‘on’, ‘off’ and ‘ambient’).

Noble FoKus control app displaying three screens of equalizer presets — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

You’ve also the option of the Noble FoKus control app that’s available for iOS and Android. There are only the most basic playback controls available (play/pause and skip forwards/backwards) but it lets you scroll through your ANC options, investigate some EQ presets as well as define some of your own, rearrange some of the functions of the touch controls, and check on battery life.

The app also includes a listening/hearing test courtesy of Audiodo, and thanks to the onboard QCC3091 chip, the earbuds can remember your hearing profile without needing the app to be open.

Battery life, then, is the only area in which the FoKus Rex5 looking anything less than profoundly impressive. With ANC switched off, the earbuds are good for seven hours or so of playback, which ain’t bad – switch ANC on and that number drops to more like five hours, which is so-so at best. There’s plenty of back-up in the charging case, though – as many as seven full charges are available, which is well above the market average.

Charging takes place using the case’s USB-C slot, and the Noble are compatible with Qi-certified charging pads, too. Some 15 minutes on the power via USB-C should be good for two hours or so of playback, should the worst happen.

Features score: 4.5/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Design

The ear-tips of the Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Aluminium/acrylic construction
9.6g (earbud); 31.5g (charging case)
10 pairs of ear-tips

The earbuds, at 9.6g, are among the heavier around. The charging case is a bit of a biffer, and certainly not a candidate for the pocket of your favorite pair of skinny jeans. But the carefully ergonomic shape of the earbuds, along with a selection of 10 ear-tips of various sizes and materials, mean it’s not especially tricky to get a snug and secure fit that will stay comfortable for a good while. That’s always assuming your ears aren’t especially petite, though – these are relatively large earbuds and will prove an earful even for those of us with ‘ordinary’ ears.

‘Green’ is as good a word as any to describe the finish of the FoKus Rex5 – ‘emerald green’ if you’re after specifics. The earbuds are fashioned from aluminium and feature an acrylic top-plate with the company logo, which also appears at the end of the spout where the ear-tips fit, as well as on the lid of the charging case. The case is almost entirely of aluminium – there’s a little plastic patch on the bottom to facilitate wireless charging.

Build quality, it almost goes without saying, is basically impeccable – the Noble package feels expertly constructed and built to last. Whether or not you find the aesthetic appealing is entirely up to you. I can only assure you that no corners seem to have been cut where design, construction and finish are concerned.

Design score: 4.5/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Sound quality

Inners of the Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Rapid, maneuverable and luxuriously detailed sound
Seemingly limitless dynamic headroom
Lack of low-end body won’t suit every listener

Words like ‘accuracy’ and ‘precision’ get bandied around quite a lot when it comes to audio products. Generally I try to avoid them, because both things (which are similar but not the same) are bloody difficult for audio equipment to achieve no matter how expensive it might be. In the case of the Noble FoKus Rex5, though, I’ll be using both and will be doing so unapologetically.

A five-driver arrangement is, of course, tricky to implement and can sometimes end up constituting too much of a good thing. So right from the off, Noble is to be congratulated for the balanced and coherent way the Rex5 perform. They sound unified from the top of the frequency range to the bottom, and their tonality is consistent throughout too. When you consider the number of individual elements that are responsible for this, it’s by no means a given.

What’s almost as quickly striking is the amount of detail the Rex5 can identify, reveal and contextualize in a recording. This is true no matter if they’re playing a 247kbps MP3 of Eartheater’s How to Fight via SBC, a 24bit/192kHz file of The Velvet Underground’s Femme Fatale being compressed by the AAC codec or Desire by Talk Talk as a 2.8MHz DSD file delivered via LDAC. No matter how fleeting, how subtle, how deep in the mix it might be, if it’s there the Noble earbuds pounce on it with something approaching fanaticism. It follows that even the most compressed digital audio files sound complete, and the higher-resolution stuff enjoys the sort of accuracy that eludes the vast majority of alternative designs.

The Rex5 combine substance and attack at the top of the frequency range, giving treble sounds sufficient body to balance against their brilliance. The midrange is similarly accomplished, with the sort of positivity and directness when dealing with vocalists that leaves you in no doubt as to their attitude or intentions. And the size and definition of the soundstage the Noble create gives everyone involved in a recording all the space they need in which to properly express themselves. The stage is defined with real precision, and is easy to follow as a result, even if it’s packed to capacity with contributors.

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds inside their carry case — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Dynamic headroom where the broad ‘quiet/LOUD!’ elements of a recording are concerned is approaching ‘unlimited’, so the Rex5 can make the differences in volume and intensity many recordings like to indulge in absolutely obvious. And the bigger the dynamic shifts (Mogwai and Shostakovic, I’m looking at you in particular), the deeper the Noble breath and the greater the gap between them that they describe.

Ultimately, only the way the Rex5 handle the lower frequencies is likely to prove problematic for some listeners. Tonally, bass sounds are of a piece with everything that’s going on above them, and they’re given a similar sort of emphasis to the rest of the frequency range, too. But there’s not a lot of meat on these low-end bones – if true wireless earbuds were boxers, then the Noble FoKus Rex5 are flyweights in a world of heavyweights. The low frequencies they generate hit respectably hard, and are just as loaded with information regarding tone and texture as the rest of the frequency range. But the trade-off for the straight-edge precision of their control, and the maneuverability and rhythmic positivity that comes as a result, is a relative lack of heft that some listeners are going to confuse with a lack of bass. And sometimes, perception is everything.

Active noise-cancellation is in the ‘good’ rather than the ‘great’ camp but then that’s true of almost every pair of true wireless in-ears that isn’t designed and built by Bose. Wind-noise can be more of an issue than it really should be, too. But call-quality is well up to standard (as long as you’re not somewhere especially windy while you’re attempting to make or receive a call).

Sound quality: 4/5

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Value

Thrillingly complete sound quality
Humdrum earbud battery life
Expensive and then some

Part of the value of the Noble FoKus Rex5 – or their perceived value, at least – lies in their rarity. Apple earbuds, Bose earbuds, Sony earbuds... they’re everywhere, aren’t they? If you want to tread the road less traveled, a pair of Rex5 will certainly help you stand out.

Of course, there are also solid and tangible areas in which the Noble represent great value. The quality of their construction and finish is, to all intents and purposes, impeccable. They use premium materials at every point. They’re lavishly specified, have a number of very well-implemented control options, and have so many plus-points to the way they sound that I don’t have space to revisit them here.

There’s an elephant in the room, though, and it’s wearing a $449 / £419 / AU$699 price tag. When audio editor Becky Scarrott reviewed the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 for this website in September 2024, she loved them despite feeling compelled to observe “they’re not cheap”. Well, suddenly the $399 / £349 / AU$599 they cost at the time seems like a bit of a bargain, doesn’t it?

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Noble FoKus Rex5?

Noble FoKus Rex5 earbuds case on a metallic surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Buy them if…

You like nice things
Between the choice of materials, the quality of construction and the standard of finish, the Rex5 are a lovely thing to own.

You admire thorough specification
These Noble earbuds walk it like they talk it – a total of 10 drivers along with premium wireless connectivity makes them a serious proposition.

You value speedy and insightful sound
These are by no means the Rex5’s only talents, but when it comes to both ‘speed’ and ‘insight’ they’re among the very best true wireless in-ears around.

Don’t buy them if…

You don’t much like the colour green
Look elsewhere – the Noble FoKus Rex5 are quite assertively green, and that’s your only option when it comes to finish.

Your ears are on the small side
In absolute terms these are quite large earbuds and it’s likely they’ll be a bit much for any ear significantly smaller than ‘average’.

You want bass and plenty of it
There’s a case to be made for the accuracy of the low-frequency activity the Rex5 produce, but that isn’t going to mollify the bass-heads among us.

Noble FoKus Rex5 review: Also consider

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
I’ve invoked the Pi8 already in the course of this review, and here I go again. They’re made to look a little bit dowdy by the FoKus Rex5, but they most certainly have it where it counts. And now they’re just a touch more affordable than when they first launched, they’re even more compelling.

See our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

How I tested the Noble FoKus Rex5

With an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, an Apple MacBook Pro and a FiiO M15S
With a variety of music stored in a variety of file types and resolutions
Using a number of different Bluetooth codecs

From 5644kbps DSD content via LDAC to 256kbps MP3 via SBC, I listened to as many different standards and types of digital audio content as possible during the course of the week or so I spent with the Rex5 in my ears.

I used a few different sources, too, and from the home office to the South Downs nearby I made sure to listen in a variety of environments. And of course I listened to as many different types of music as I can stomach – I have to draw the line somewhere, though, and so I naturally gave things like ‘barbershop’ the swerve…

First reviewed in January 2025

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Sony MDR-EX15AP review: left your Bluetooth headphones at home? These wired earbuds will get the job done

5:30 pm | January 19, 2025

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

Sony MDR-EX15AP review

The Sony MDR-EX15AP are an extremely cheap pair of wired earbuds – the type that you’d pick up at the airport after forgetting your pesky Bluetooth ones for your flight (or leaving them at home, on charge). They have a list price of just $19.99 / £10 / AU$29.95 – but are often available for even less. So, I think it’s fair to say you can’t expect phenomenal audio, noise isolation or build quality from the Sony MDR-EX15AP. But what you would hope for is clean sound, a comfortable fit and an attractive design – which for the most part, you get here.

Let’s start where it matters most, audio quality. A lot of ultra-cheap earbuds are guilty of supplying tinny, often grating or even muffled sound, but luckily the Sony MDR-EX15AP didn’t burden me with such issues. For the majority of the time, audio was fairly clean and didn’t come through sounding distorted or harsh. This wasn’t necessarily the case at top volumes, where things could admittedly get a little edgy, but I rarely felt the need to crank things up towards 100%.

Does that mean you get impressive audio, though? Not exactly. The soundstage can get a little cluttered when listening with the Sony MDR-EX15AP. For instance, I tuned in to Summer Soul by Cero and found that vocals lacked prominence and would sometimes have to wrestle with other sounds in the mid-range for my attention – an issue that you won’t encounter with some of the best wired earbuds.

Similarly when listening to Komm, Susser Todd by Arianne, sound could get bloated during climactic sections of the song, in part down to imperfect instrument separation. For example, the plodding bassline got a little muddied with main and backing vocals towards the end of the track and rhythmic claps didn’t have that crisp snap that more premium buds can supply.

So, again, the audiophiles among you may well find fault in the audio department here, but it’s very rare to get a nuanced listen out of earbuds this cheap. And in terms of the basics, these wired earbuds perform decently anyway. For example, when listening to Relentless by Grant Nelson, higher-pitched percussion elements were pretty well behaved – I didn’t get that grating, harsh effect until going towards the top end of the volume scale. In I Want You by Moloko, I also found the bass to be pleasingly warm and relatively impactful, even if the buds struggled to uncover the complexities of the layered synths, vocals, percussion (and more) to my ears.

So sound is pretty average overall and, for this price, that suits me just fine. But what of the noise isolation? Now I have to say, this actually surprised me a fair bit because the Sony MDR-EX15AP actually blockade external noise pretty effectively. Are these going to offer the isolation you’d get from some of the best wireless earbuds with ANC? No. But the gel eartips (there are small, medium, and large sizes included) create a pretty firm seal, which ensured that colleagues nattering, the sound of typing and the whirr of an air purifier were all considerably dulled.

Another department that impressed me was the EX15AP’s appearance. I’m a big fan of the glossy finish applied to the buds themselves and the multi-toned blue colorway that I tested out looked very elegant indeed. You can also get these buds in Black, Pink or White, so there’s an option for everyone. Build quality is perhaps not the strongest though; I found the wire to be fairly flimsy and a bit cheap looking, but that didn’t take away from the elegance of the buds all too much.

Something that I wasn’t massively keen on, however, was the EX15AP’s remote and mic. This is the only thing that separates this model from the slightly cheaper Sony MDR-EX15LP, but it’s not amazing. First of all, the controller only has a play/pause button, no volume controls. That means you’ll have to reach into your pocket to adjust volume on your source device, which is annoying if you’re out on a walk or run, for instance. The mic isn’t good either – when taking a voice recording there was an almost underwater sound to my voice, rendering the inbuilt controller pretty lackluster overall.

One more design issue is that these buds don’t have a waterproof rating. A lot of the more recent models to come to the market have an IPX4 or higher rating, meaning they’re resistant to sweat and rain – handy for outdoor listening. But you don’t get any pledges on resistance to elements here, so if you’re searching for some rough and ready buds for all environments, you’ll have to look further.

So, overall the Sony MDR-EX15AP are a decent pair of earbuds, that offer adequate, albeit unremarkable audio, a pleasing design and impressive noise isolation. There’s nothing particularly standout other than their exceptionally low price, but there doesn’t have to be. If you just need a backup pair of wired buds or need a quick solution for keeping the tunes flowing for your travels, you could certainly do worse.

If you have a little more cash to play with and a device with USB-C, I’d instead opt for the SoundMagic E80D, which are still, in my view, some of the best cheaper wired buds on the market. Apple device users might prefer the Apple Earpods USB-C, Lightning or 3.5mm variant too – but these popular Sony buds are still worth considering for those on a slightly tighter budget.

Sony MDR-EX15AP rolled up on stone surface — (Image credit: Future)

Sony MDR-EX15AP review: Price and release date

List price of $19.99 / £10 / AU$29.95
Often available for a fair bit less, though
Launched in 2014

Sony doesn’t always like to make it easy with product names and the Sony MDR-EX15AP as a moniker is no exception. This model is essentially the same as the Sony MDR-EX15LP; it just adds a microphone into the mix. For that privilege, you have to pay a bit more: the EX15AP carry a list price of $19.99 / £10 / AU$29.95.

Of course, they are still very much on the ultra-cheap side of the price spectrum, especially from a trusted name is audio. However, you can often find them for even less. They are often available for less than $10 / £8 on Amazon US and UK respectively, so they’re ideal for a small gift or if you need a cheap option after forgetting your wireless earbuds for a flight, for instance.

Sony MDR-EX15AP review: Specs

Earbud and microphone of Sony MDR-EX15AP on block — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Sony MDR-EX15AP?

Buy them if...

You need a quick audio solution
If you’re set to travel and need some budget buds for a flight or train journey, these will almost certainly get the job done. Audio quality isn’t amazing, but it’s not usually grating or anything, making these a solid solution if you’re on the go and want to listen to your favorite tracks or podcasts.

You want some incredibly cheap buds
The big draw of the Sony MDR-EX15AP is their ultra-low price. If you’re not too fussed about mic quality issues and middling audio quality, you’ll likely be satisfied with these.

Don't buy them if...

You’re an audiophile
If you’re more picky about audio, you will find these Sony buds underwhelming. Sure, for the price you pay, you’re not going to expect wonders from them. But if you spend a little more on the SoundMagic E11C (see ‘Also Consider’) you can seriously level-up your wired listening experiences.

You want buds for workouts
These buds don’t have a waterproof rating, so if you’re going to be sweating away or running in the rain, they may accrue damage. There are plenty of cheap options on the market with an IPX4 rating or above, so make sure to shop around.

Sony MDR-EX15AP review: Also consider

SoundMagic E11C
OK, so you might not quite get premium audio here, but the SoundMagic E11C will offer a strong step-up quality wise if that’s what you’re after. With an elegant design, good noise isolation and a temptingly low price, you can’t go wrong with these. Read our full SoundMagic E11C review.

Skullcandy Set USB-C
Most modern handsets only have a USB-C port and although there are some exceptions – like the Motorola Moto G55 5G – that means you’ll have to use an adapter for these. So, why not opt for a budget pair of USB-C earbuds instead? The Skullcandy Set USB-C offer a beautiful, sleek design, attractive colour options and solid all-round audio, all at a budget price. They’re also water and sweat resistant thanks to their IPX4 rating. Read our full Skullcandy Set USB-C review.

Sony MDR-EX15AP review: How I tested

Sony MDR-EX15AP earbud on block — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for two weeks
Used in the office and while outdoors
Predominantly tested using Tidal on FiiO M11S

I put the Sony MDR-EX15AP to the test over the course of two weeks. I usually listened to music with them via Tidal on my Windows laptop, but I also tried them out using Spotify on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE. I trialled the EX15AP in the office, at home and while walking near busy roads to judge noise-isolation capabilities.

After first plugging these buds in, I made sure to run through tracks in the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – though I also spent hours tuning into songs from my personal library.

First reviewed: January 2025
Read more about how we test

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: great sounding earbuds with a classy build, but too few features to trounce rivals at the level

7:00 pm | January 12, 2025

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

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6: Two-minute review

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 are a more 'budget' alternative to B&W’s big flagship pair for 2024, the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8. I put budget in quotation marks, because despite undercutting their siblings, the Pi6 are still a premium pair of buds in their own right when you consider that rivals come in at almost half the price – and some of those offer hearing tests, proprietary spatial audio solutions and personalised sound profiles.

Bowers & Wilkins is a name revered for top-tier audio, even if you’re getting the company's ‘budget’ option, and that’s emphatically the case with the Pi6. As soon as you start listening to them you’ll be serenaded with a detailed soundstage, a zealous sound and smart ANC that’ll strip away any distractions.

If you're all about audio and can't quite stretch to the premium B&W Pi8, these earbuds are still a viable option. But to start with the sound quality might be getting ahead of ourselves, because you certainly won’t start there – like me, you’ll probably begin by hitting your shins on the harsh edges that B&W has left about the place. These buds have a surprising number of cut corners for earbuds that cost this much.

Sadly, I found pairing with the Pi6 a torturous and ongoing process. I realise it's one person's experience, but nonetheless I reviewed over 30 pairs of wireless headphones and earbuds last year and I'm not slouch on this. It was difficult. For me, the initial set-up was a time-consuming struggle, which I went through on multiple devices to check whether it was just my phone being problematic. And sadly, the connection wasn’t 100% reliable even once the buds were paired, because Bower & Wilkins’ app would reliably fail to recognize the buds if I put them in my ears once the app was already open.

The app doesn’t offer any scope for Spatial Audio or otoacoustic hearing profile curation, which is fair enough, but there are one or two standard quality-of-life perks missing, such as ‘find my headphones’.

Fortunately, the Pi6 are nice and light to wear, making them comfortable to wear and reliable to place in your ear. Honestly, the great audio quality here could very well offset the omission of a few personalisation perks and my connectivity issues, and this review was initially meant to have a 4.5-star score. However, near the end of the testing I was having trouble getting the Pi6 to work before leaving home, once again, and so despite the fact I was meant to be testing the Pi6 I had to leave the house with another pair of buds. And if I choose not to use the Pi6, despite the great-sounding audio, then it makes it hard to wholeheartedly recommend them to someone else.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Price and release date

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 on a sofa arm — (Image credit: Future)

Released in September 2024, after Pi8
Costs $199 / £219 / AU$449

You can buy the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 for $199 / £219 / AU$449, so they’re mid-range buds that act as cheaper – though not ‘cheap’ – alternatives to the Pi8.

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 sell for $399 / £349 / AU$599, which is a big step up, and so people who don’t need the very best and want to save a few pennies will find it a tempting option, and they are absolutely worthy of consideration.

Both earbuds were announced at the same time in August 2024. The Pi8 were put on sale straight away while the Pi6 were released in September.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Specs

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Features

App doesn't offer the plethora of features others can
Persistent connectivity issues
Quoted battery life is 8 hours, but didn't reach that

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 easily takes a top-three spot in my all-time ranking of the most troublesome earbuds to pair with.

Devices just refused to recognize the Pi6. That’s plural devices – I tried to connect to a smartphone, a laptop and an iPad during testing. On all occasions, the device stalwartly refused to ‘see’ the buds via Bluetooth, and I’d have to keep turning Bluetooth on and off before the planets aligned and the device found the Pi6. Mercury must have been in retrograde or something when I was trying to connect the buds to my iPad, because I simply never managed it – not once.

When I first paired the Pi6 to my smartphone, the right bud wouldn’t work, a process which was only fixed when I went through the entire process all over again and re-paired them to my mobile. And when it did work, the connection wasn’t always reliable, with the app not always recognizing the buds and the left earbud continuing to give up the ghost from time to time. Again, it's important to note this is my personal experience (and it's very different to the one Becky Scarrott had when testing the flagship Pi8) but still, it's valid: I'm a regular TechRadar audio tester and in this particular area, the B&W Pi6 were unusually troublesome.

Another weak link is the battery life. Bowers & Wilkins quotes the Pi6 as having an 8-hour battery life but from my testing, it fell an hour or so short each time. Seven hours is still just above average, but the case was the real issue. The charging case is meant to provide 24 hours of listening time but I found that the power on this would be much less than that.

I’d sometimes put the earbuds in after a few days of not using them, to find that the battery had fully drained, even if it was powered up before. I’d need to charge the buds back up again before using them.

There’s a smartphone app to provide some extra controls over the buds. However, this was chock-full of adverts for things like streaming service free trials and podcasts that B&W sponsors, and so the actual features feel somewhat hidden. You can turn on ANC or ANC pass-through, play with a simple equalizer (you can increase or decrease treble or bass), turn off or on the wearer detection and customize the touch controls.

Most of these are listed under the ‘Discover More’ section of the app’s home page, as though they’re optional extras instead of the main reason you’d download said app. That’s only if you have the buds paired though and remember, several times in my testing the app wouldn’t recognize that the buds were connected.

Features score: 3.5/5

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Design

Premium-feel, compact case
Handy touch controls
Four color options to pick from

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 come in a small pebble-like charging case. It measures 6.5 x 2.9 x 5.2 cm and weighs 46g so it’s nice and small. I had no issue popping it in a trouser pocket and forgetting about it for a day. The case doesn’t seem to have an IP rating.

The buds themselves are fairly light in weight, tipping the scales at 7g each. I found the fit to be comfortable and reliable, staying in my ears during a gym session amongst other activities, but several different ear tip sizes come in the box with the Pi6.

Each bud has a sensor on the top plate that you can use to control your music. Using these took a little bit of getting used-to (to figure out where to tap and how firm to be) but after a while it became a convenient way to handle the playback of my music. Using the app you can choose for the hold options to be to change the volume, or to handle ANC and summon your voice assistant.

You can pick up the buds in four colors. I used Cloud Gray but there’s also Glacier Blue (pale blue), Storm Gray (black) and Forest Green (olive).

I mentioned that the case doesn’t have an IP rating, but the buds do: they’re certified at IP54, which is a good dust-resistant and water-resistant rating – but I hope it goes without saying that you shouldn’t submerge them in water.

Design score: 4.5/5

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Sound quality

The Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 in a man's ear. — (Image credit: Future)

12mm driver, but misses the Pi8's custom one
Hearty bass and mid, treble falls a little short
Support for a range of codecs

Bowers and Wilkins has managed to get a 12mm dynamic driver into each of the Pi6 buds, and they support SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Classic codecs.

The Pi6 sound great for their price, which is just as well given the lack of a hugely meaningful equalizer to let you fix any issues. I really enjoyed listening to music with them, when the buds worked.

The buds took a zealous approach to my music, with a meaty but not overwhelming bass and full-bodied mids, and a detailed soundstage helps you appreciate these elements. For certain kinds of music, the Pi6 were some of the best buds I’ve tested in some time.

If there’s an Achilles’ Heel, it’s the treble, which I found to lack an extra ounce of sparkle as well as prevalence in the mix. I found myself wishing female vocals and harmonising instruments were a little more prominent, and even maxing out the treble in the equalizer only went so far towards fixing the issue.

At least for the music I listen to, however, the treble was never a huge issue, but it’s something worth flagging to prospective buyers. A few features are missing in the Pi6 that show up in the Pi8, including aptX Lossless support, an advanced DAC and bespoke drivers, but those are pretty niche features that only certain audiophile-grade fans will really need.

Sound quality: 4.5/5

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Value

Don't offer fantastic value for money
Hunt around for sales to save

The B&W Pi6 have great audio for the price and a nice light case design, but the value proposition is knocked by the limited feature set.

I’ve tested plenty of earbuds that cost a third of the price of the Pi6 and have more impressive feature sets, more detailed equalizers and apps that don’t attack you with advertising for music services, playlists or podcasts.

You’re paying a fairly high price for the audio tech here and even non-audiophiles will enjoy the sound quality. But you can definitely find earbuds that sound almost as good for around $120 / £120 / AU$300 if you shop around. You can even find the Pi6 for a lot less in sales, despite writing this review only a few months after their release, so shop around.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6?

Buy them if…

You're on a middling budget
If you're okay with spending a fair amount of money, but not loads of it, then the Pi6 might be the nice middle ground you need instead of going for expensive buds.

You need a slender carry case
Some wireless earbuds come with charging cases that you need to clear by customs, they're so big; if you want something nice and easy to tote about, then the Pi6 will be great for you.

Don’t buy them if…

You like customizing your audio
You can tweak bass and audio by a little bit, but even cheap earbuds have much more detailed equalizers (or preset options) than the Pi6 does..

You're a technophobe
If you struggle with any techy issues, the constant pairing problems of the Pi6 may well cause you to lose all your hair.

Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 review: Also consider

Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
Not an imaginative comparison, but this is the Pi6's big sibling. A higher price tag gets you better audio, some extra features and the flagship driver, but (mostly) the same design.

See our full Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 review

Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony's recent top-end earbuds cost similar amounts to the Pi6. They get you great audio, comfortable fits and a much better selection of Sony features to enjoy.

See our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review

How I tested the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6

Tested for over three weeks
Tested at home, in the office and at the gym

I tested the Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 (when they weren't testing me...) for roughly three weeks, due to the testing period falling over the Christmas break.

I've detailed lots of my testing process above; I used them alongside my phone, an iPad and a laptop, in a range of environments including my home, the office, public transport and the gym. I streamed music, played games and watched some TV too.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for almost six years now, and in that time have tested a huge range of headphones and earbuds, so I'm used to troubleshooting and fixing faulty tech.

First reviewed in January 2025

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Activo Q1 hybrid IEM headphones review: impressive and affordable audiophile IEMs

6:00 pm | January 11, 2025

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

Activo Q1: two-minute review

Activo Q1 with case, eartips and buds — The Q1 are made to match the Activo P1 player, but you don't need Activo kit to enjoy them. (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall)

Activo is the lifestyle sub-brand of audiophile digital audio player specialist, Astell & Kern, delivering high quality hardware for considerably less cash than its parent company. These earbuds are a collaboration with Singaporean IEM firm DITA Audio who, like Astell & Kern, typically focuses on the more affluent audiophile. Are the Q1 set to feature in our best wired earbuds buying guide? It's highly likely.

I tested Activo's debut Activo P1 hi-res audio player last year and found it to be very enjoyable, and as you can see from the colour-matched design the new Q1 hybrid IEMs are clearly intended to be paired with it – although with both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm standard connectors included in the package they're compatible with a wide range of the best MP3 players and other music-serving sources.

The Q1 are hybrid IEMs with a Knowles balanced armature and a version of DITA Audio's PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver, which is highly regarded for its neutral, transparent sound. The PM1+ driver used in the Q1 has extra windings on the voice coil and uses brass instead of the usual stainless steel housing too. Which sounds good on paper – and it is in the listening too.

The sales pitch here is that these are affordable IEMs for audiophiles on the go, and they're a fraction of the price you'd pay for Astell & Kern-branded headphones. They deliver a very clear and entertaining sound, but if you like heavy bass you may need to adjust your device's EQ to push them just a fraction harder.

Activo Q1 buds close up — The Q1s come with a protective case, five pairs of eartips and two connectors. (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall)

Activo Q1 review: price and release date

$349 / £299 / about AU$600
Launched in December 2024

The Activo Q1 hybrid IEM headphones were launched in December 2024 with a recommended retail price of $349 / £299 / about AU$600.

Although that makes them cheaper than Astell & Kern's typical IEMs, it's hardly cheap when you consider that our current top pick for wired earbuds, the 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphones, launched at $100 / £70 / AU$150 and can now be found for a little less. And even our 'best step-up' option from those, the Sennheiser IE200, will only set you back around $149.95 / £129.99 / AU$239.95.

Then again, higher-end options such as the fantastic FiiO FH19 cost $599 / £549 / AU$999 and, as any audiophile knows, these types of headphones can stretch into the thousands. It's all about sound-per-pound value isn't it? And here, I think the Q1 have a lot going for them.

Activo Q1 review: design and features

DITA PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver and Knowles balanced armature
32-strand MOCCA 2 cable from Cardas
3.5mm standard and 4.4mm balanced connectors

The Activo Q1 resemble professional musicians' IEMs with their mix of white powder-coated centres and transparent resin outers, and their color scheme matches the Activo P1 digital music player. They come with an Activo + DITA-branded mini Tanos Systainer protective case and five sizes of Type-E eartips in a Final Audio case.

The Q1 are built around a modified version of DITA's PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver. Here, it's housed in a brass casing and teamed up with a Knowles 33518 balanced armature driver. The dynamic driver first appeared in DITA's Project M IEMs, and according to Activo the modified version here delivers a "hint of romance and sweetness on the foundation of the Project M's sound" – in other words, a slightly warmer and more resonant tone.

The nozzles are PVD stainless steel and the supplied eartips should cover most ear sizes. The tips are a very tight fit; fiddly to put on, but firmly fixed once installed. I lucked out with my first choice of size, easily achieving a good seal without any adjustment. The Q1 also fit very snugly and are well balanced. You never feel as if you've got large lumps stuck in your ears, even after long listening sessions.

The cable is a 32-strand MOCCA2 ultra-pure copper cable from Cardas and its connectors fit easily and feel strongly anchored to the earbuds. At the other end, you can choose between the 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm connectors for your audio source, which is a nice addition to have.

Impedance is 31 ohms and the frequency response is 20Hz to 20kHz. Sensitivity is 109 dB/mW @ 1kHz.

Design and features score: 5/5

Activo Q1 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors — The Q1s come with a standard 3.5mm and a balanced 4.4mm connector (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall)

Activo Q1 review: sound quality

Excellent instrument separation
Superb clarity
A little bass-light for our taste

These are very responsive, transparent headphones, delivering a well separated sound stage and spacious high frequencies that are particularly fun with close-miked acoustic music of the expensively and/or simply recorded variety. They excel with layered vocals; the Taylor Swift and HAIM collaboration No Body No Crime is particularly luminous. And they're enormous fun with live recordings too.

Like many high quality headphones, the Q1s aren't here to flatter poorly recorded music. But give them something shiny and turn them up a bit and they're very good indeed. The dynamic driver and Knowles balanced armature driver are fast, precise and entertaining: the Q1s make classic tracks such as Orange Juice's Rip It Up sound factory-fresh with shimmering guitars and squelching synths, while in more modern pop such as Charli XCX's Brat the vocals are crisp and clear without struggling with the beats or the bass.

The Q1's frequency response goes down to 20Hz, lower than a standard bass guitar, but lower frequencies often need a bit more juice to be properly present and I found some music, particularly heavier rock, sounded a little too polite for my taste. It's not that the Q1s can't handle the lows; it's that they're not tuned to emphasise them.

It doesn't take a dramatic EQ change to give the lows a bit of a boost, although that may be an issue if your preferred audio source doesn't offer EQ adjustment. Activo's P1 music player does, and I found that a relatively small EQ curve adjustment on the P1 added extra fizz to SOPHIE's Lemonade, made the grinding bass of The Cure's Lullaby remix even more spidery and turned Peter Gabriel's live version of Digging In The Dirt into the Godzilla-stomps-the-city soundtrack you'd have experienced from the front row.

Whether you tweak the low end or not, the Q1s are impressively clear – and that clarity is useful not just for relaxed listening but for making or mixing music too. In my own projects I was able to hear detail and mistakes that weren't as apparent on my usual mixing headphones or on my AirPods Pro/Max.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Activo Q1 earbuds held in a hand either side of the Activo P1 hi-res audio player, on white background — You can have any color you like as long as it's white with transparent resin (Image credit: Activo (Astell & Kern))

Activo Q1 review: value for money

Very affordable compared to the parent brand
Half the price of the best rival devices
Narrower frequency range than some

Activo may be a lifestyle brand, but these in-ears are still aimed at the more premium listener, and that means they're up against some of the very best wired headphones around.

Our current in-ear audiophile pick, the Sennheiser IE 600, has an MSRP of around $800 / £699 and a current street price of $599 / £499; the eight-driver FiiO FH19 has a recommended retail price of $599 / £549 / AU$999. So the Activo Q1s are considerably cheaper than both sets of rivals.

The big difference between these in-ears and the two rivals is the frequency range: the Activo Q1 offers 20Hz to 20kHz but the FiiO delivers 8Hz to 40kHz and the Sennheiser has 4Hz to 46.5kHz. Whether that's worth paying considerably more for will depend very much on personal preference and the quality of your audio sources.

Value score: 4.5/5

Activo Q1: Should you buy them?

Buy them if…

You want premium sound without the price
The Q1s deliver a very clear, convincing sound stage with lots of air up topView Deal

You've got a player with EQ adjustment
The low-end sometimes needs a bit of extra pushView Deal

You've got multiple sound sources
Balanced 4.4mm and single 3.5mm connectors cover most devicesView Deal

Don't buy them if…

You're all about that bass
Rival in-ears deliver wider frequency ranges, albeit for more moneyView Deal

You don't like white
The Q1s don't come in multiple color options

View Deal

You mostly commute
Good quality noise cancelling may be better for long bus or train journeysView Deal

Activo Q1 review: also consider

Sennheiser IE 200
These wired earbuds from a truly trusted name in audio don't cost much for what you get. If you're not planning on getting the Activo player to pair them with, they may even be the better option – although do note that the plastic housing won't feel as luxurious as the Activo's headshells.
Read more in our full Sennheiser IE 200 review

Shure AONIC 3
There's such great passive isolation here, it can sometimes feels as if you’re using active noise cancellation. The sound is also elegant, balanced and with excellent separation and layering, although the bass weight is just a shade off well weighted compared to pricier IEMs, including the Activo Q1 you came here to read about.
Read the full scoop in our in-depth Shure AONIC 3 review.

How I tested

Tested with Activo P1 player, hi-fi and Mac
Compressed, lossless and hi-res audio
Tested at home and while traveling

I tested the Q1s with their intended partner, the Activo P1 hi-res audio player, and I also used them with my Marantz CD player, with vinyl through my Onkyo amp and with my own music projects on a Mac with a Komplete Audio interface.

For that latter option I compared the Q1s with my go-to mixing headphones, a set of Beyer-Dynamic DT770 Pros, as well as more casual earbuds from Apple and Bose. And I have to say, the Activo Q1 more than held their own, however I tested them.

Technics EAH-AZ100: Two-minute review

Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones on a white surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Announced at a press conference at CES2025, the new Technics EAH-AZ100 are the company’s latest and (on paper, at least) and most thorough attempt to make meaningful waves in the stacked markets that are the best earbuds and best noise-cancelling earbuds.

There’s no denying the lengths to which the company has gone. From the extremely thorough specification (covering everything from multipoint connectivity and adaptive noise-cancellation to Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity with LDAC compatibility) to design (smaller, lighter and yet somehow no less premium in look and feel to the model they replace), the Technics EAH-AZ100 are ready to compete. Control options are numerous and well implemented, and the carefully ergonomic design extends as far as providing five different sizes of ear tip.

Of course, if you’re competing at the upper end of the market it’s important to go to these sorts of lengths. The most obvious products the Technics EAH-AZ100 intend to usurp – Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the Pi6 by Bowers & Wilkins, the ubiquitous WF-1000XM5 from Sony – all look good on paper, too. The fight, as always, will be won or lost where sound quality is concerned.

And the sound quality that’s available here is convincing in pretty much every respect – or, at least, it is with ANC switched on. With noise-cancelling engaged, the AZ100 sound robust, insightful and thoroughly musical and sit easily among the best ANC earbuds out there. They can turn their hand to pretty much anything where styles of music are concerned, and are able to extract the most transient details in the most unpromising circumstances. Switch ANC off, through, and the solidly punchy and nicely controlled low frequencies lose a lot of their substance - and the Technics sound fractionally lightweight as a result. There’s a lesson there somewhere…

Technics EAH-AZ100: Price and release date

Release date: 7 January, 2025
Price: $299; £259; AU$478 (approx.)

The Technics EAH-AZ100 are on sale from 7 January 2025, having been unveiled at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. They are an update on Technics' much lauded EAH-AZ80, which arrived in 2023. A US price of $299 (the same asking fee as their predecessors) also puts the AZ100 into competition with any number of well-regarded rivals – think Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, Sennheiser and Sony just for starters…

Technics EAH-AZ100: Specs

Technics EAH-AZ100: Features

App screenshots showing settings for the Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codec compatibility
10mm free-edge dynamic drivers with ‘magnetic fluid’ technology
Three-device multipoint connectivity

No matter what you think of the way the Technics EAH-AZ100 perform, there’s no arguing with the feature set here. Technics has laid it on with the proverbial trowel.

For instance, the EAH-AZ100 use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity, and compatibility with SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codecs means there’s something for everyone here. Perhaps it might have been nice to see Qualcomm’s aptX range of codec supported, too, but I guess you can’t have everything,

Once the digital audio information has been wirelessly received, it’s delivered to your ears by a pair of 10mm full-range dynamic drivers with free-edge aluminum diaphragms. The gap between the driver magnet and the voice-coil is filled with a viscous liquid charged with magnetic particles – Technics suggests this results in precise low-frequency response and low distortion throughout the frequency range. They quote a frequency response of 20Hz - 40kHz.

You’re able to enjoy this full-range sound for a good while, too. In the most favorable circumstances (using the AAC codec with active noise-cancellation switched off) the earbuds should play for around 12 hours between charges, and even if you go to town (using the hi-res LDAC codec with ANC switched on) you should be good for seven hours or so. The charging case is good for a respectable-but-hardly-startling one-and-a-half further charges, and you can go from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ in around two hours when charging via USB-C. Fifteen minutes on the juice is good for 90 minutes of playback. The EAH-AZ100 are compatible with Qi-certified charging pads, too, and need around three hours to become fully charged this way.

The noise-cancelling itself is of a new ‘adaptive’ design that intends to adapt to fit the wearer’s ear and deliver optimal results. Three mics per earbud also look after voice control telephony, and Technics has introduced ‘Voice Focus AI’ in order to provide the best possible call quality. The AI noise-reduction chip analyzes your surroundings in order to filter out unwanted sound, and at the same time assesses the incoming call quality in an effort to make conversations as pain-free as possible.

What else? Well, the AZ100 offer three-point connectivity for the inveterate multi-taskers among us. A suite of Dolby technologies – ‘Atmos’, ‘Audio’ and ‘Head-tracking’ – offers spatial audio, enhanced clarity for voice-based content, and a sound-field that responds to the movement of your head respectively.

Feature quality score: 5/5

Technics EAH-AZ100: Design

Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphone case on white surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

21 x 26 x 25mm (earbud); 36 x 69 x 27mm (charging case)
5.9g (earbud); 42g (charging case)
Five sizes of ear tip

Technics has long had a bee in its bonnet about the fit of true wireless in-ear headphones, and with the EAH-AZ100 it has gone to even greater lengths than before to ensure the earbuds are a secure and comfortable fit for lugholes of all shapes and sizes.

Both the earbuds and the case in which they charge are smaller and lighter than the outgoing EAH-AZ80 model. The concha shape and fit has been reworked, and there are now five sizes of ear tip provided in the package. It seems unlikely in the extreme that you’ll be unable to ensure your AZ100 fit snugly and remain comfortable for hours on end.

Otherwise, it’s high-end Technics earbuds business as usual. The EAH-AZ100 are available in silver or black, and no matter which finish you prefer, you’ll find yourself in possession of well-made, carefully finished and quite tactile earbuds that travel in a smooth, robust charging case with a nice slice of aluminum across the top which bears the company logo.

App showing different controls for Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Controlling the AZ100 can be done in a number ways, each nicely implemented and responsive. Your source player’s native voice assistant is available, of course, and interactions are rapid and reliable. The same can be said for the capacitive touch-surface on each earbud - it’s in the same spot as the brand logo, and is as responsive and reliable as these things ever get. And you can rearrange the meaning of the various ‘touch’ or ‘hold’ commands in the newly reworked ‘Technics Audio’ control app that’s free for iOS and Android. It’s not, perhaps, the most exciting-looking control app around, but it has a huge array of functionality (from adjusting EQ settings to finessing the amount of noise-cancellation you prefer) and proves utterly stable over the long haul.

Design quality score: 5/5

Technics EAH-AZ100: Sound quality

Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones, one facing up and the other facing down, on a white surface — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Balanced, detailed and respectably dynamic sound
Energetic and unified presentation
Pronounced difference in sound depending on whether ANC is on or off

Asking a premium price for true wireless headphones means there’s really no hiding place when it comes to sound quality – ‘good’ is nothing like good enough. Happily, the Technics EAH-AZ100 are never less than ‘very good indeed’ and are capable of giving the class leaders plenty to worry about.

No matter if they’re dealing with a 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of Summon the Fire by The Comet Is Coming via AAC or a 24bit/96kHz copy of Weyes Blood’s Grapevine using LDAC, they’re a balanced and insightful listen, more than capable of bringing order to ear no matter how unruly a recording might think it is. Detail levels are high at every turn, and the AZ100 organize and lay out a recording with such confidence that even the densest tunes are easy to understand.

With ANC on and EQs set to ‘direct’ (which basically means ‘flat’), these Technics are a straightforwardly enjoyable and entirely convincing listen. Low frequency activity is deep, punchy and textured, and controlled with enough authority to make sure rhythms are expressed with assurance. The midrange is open and informative, with a whole stack of detail regarding tone and timbre not only made available but put carefully into context. And there’s proper drive and attack at the top end, but treble sounds have sufficient substance to ensure they never become hard or bitey.

Best of all is the way the AZ100 unify the entirety of the frequency range. They’re completely even-handed, and the sweep from the top end to the bottom is smooth – no area is given undue prominence, no area is underplayed. It’s possible to alter this stance quite radically if you fiddle with the EQ settings, of course, but it’s obvious Technics’ engineers have found a suitable balance – it’s called ‘direct’.

Despite the carefully judged frequency response and naturalistic tonal balance, though, the AZ100 are an energetic and decently dynamic listen when the material you’re listening to demands it. They fairly power through up-tempo stuff like Claro Intelecto’s Peace of Mind and make broad and fine dynamic variations completely obvious. They do this all with absolute authority – the Technics are always in control, and consequently the organization of the soundstage never gets blurred or uncertain.

All the above applies if you have active noise-cancellation switched on, and the ANC itself is pretty effective by the standards of any premium brand that isn’t Bose. Companies both large and small have tried in vain to replicate the almost eerie Bose Blanket of Silence, and all have failed – Technics is simply the latest. But if you accept that the ANC here can be bettered, it’s actually very effective where all but the most near-field, loud and toppy frequency occurrences are concerned.

Switch ANC off, though, and the AZ100 undergo a strange and obvious change in their sonic character. Low frequencies lose a degree of substance, and the overall presentation becomes rather flimsy and lightweight. It may well be fair to suggest that very few people buy a pair of true wireless earbuds with active noise-cancellation in order to leave the ANC turned off, but it’s equally fair to point out that any number of alternative designs sound exactly the same no matter if the ANC is operating or not.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Technics EAH-AZ100: Value

Rear of Technics EAH-AZ100 in-ear headphones carry case, showing USB-C charging port — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Look and feel like a premium item
Balanced, convincing sound (with ANC on)
Very thoroughly specified

Touching and wearing the Technics EAH-AZ100 is a very pleasant experience. They’re nicely made and finished from tactile materials, and the care the company has taken where ergonomics are concerned means getting a secure and comfortable fit is no problem whatsoever.

Technics has been similarly thorough when it comes to specification, too. If you judge value for money by the spec-sheet yardstick, a) you’re not alone, and b) you’re in business here. The AZ100 are handsomely specified, with triple-device multipoint connectivity to boot. Only the lack of aptX compatibility sounding the mildest of false notes.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Technics EAH-AZ100?

Buy them if...

You value comfort
Small, light, very carefully shaped and with a very wide choice of ear tips, the EAH-AZ100 are no kind of burden to wear for hours on end

You enjoy vibrant, informative sound
Keep the ANC switched on and the Technics will reward you with an audio performance that strikes a very nice balance between ‘insight’ and ‘entertainment’

You’re a full-on multi-tasker
Triple-point wireless connectivity means your EAH-AZ100 can connect simultaneously to your laptop, your tablet and your smartphone, and switch seamlessly between them

Don't buy them if...

You’re far from mains power for days at a time
Seven hours (with ANC on) from the earbuds and another 10 hours or so from the charging case ain’t bad – but not if you like to rock around the clock…

Noise-cancellation is the most important thing
To be honest, Technics is far from alone in having ANC that’s not quite as good as that provided by Bose. If noise-cancellation is paramount, buy a pair of QuietComfort Ultra and be done with it

You’re not very dextrous
The earbuds fit snugly into their charging case, and unless you have fingers like cocktail sticks it can be a little tricky getting them out

Technics EAH-AZ100: Also consider

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
If you’re after class-leading noise-cancellation along with very competitive ‘everything else’ you need to check out the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds – oh, and they are also available at a new and improved price-point. Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review.

Sony WF-1000XM5
They’re surely not long for this world, but that just means that the Sony WF-1000XM5 are now routinely available for less than $230, and that means they are even more difficult to ignore than before. Read our full Sony WF-1000XM5 review.

How I tested the Technics EAH-AZ100

Connected to an iPhone 14 Pro and a FiiO M15S
Various codecs, various file types and various styles of music
Listened (on and off) for very nearly a month

When connected to my iPhone 14 Pro, I am of course limited to the AAC codec - but this is nevertheless a decent-sounding smartphone and reveals a lot of what makes the EAH-AZ100 tick. The best results, though, naturally come via the FiiO M15S digital audio player – it’s compatible with the LDAC codec, which means higher resolution and an altogether fuller audio experience.

I spent the best part of a month (not 24/7, obviously) listening to the Technics earbuds, and in that time listened to a lot of different types of music, of different file standards and resolutions. And it wouldn’t be any kind of hardship to have to do it all again…

Shure SE215 review: Review

The Shure SE215 have made quite a name for themselves in the live music scene, offering solid monitoring capabilities at a competitive price point. Specifically, the SE215 are often available for less than $100 / £100 / AU$200, meaning they’re a fairly low-priced set of entry-level in-ear monitors for live performers, producers, or fans of wired listening.

Let’s start where it matters most: sound quality. The Shure SE215 have a self-proclaimed “warm” sound signature and look to showcase “enhanced bass” while still delivering clear, detailed overall audio. So, how do they fare? Generally, quite well.

First, the Shure SE215 live up to their promise of offering enhanced bass. When I tuned into Black Eye by Allie X, the thumping drum machine had impressive levels of depth and responsiveness, making for a punchy, rhythmic listening experience. Generally, the track’s bouncing bassline was managed well, sounding controlled and impactful throughout the song’s runtime – something I’d always look for when testing the best wired earbuds.

And this was a recurring theme, pretty much every tune I threw on offered very good low-end depth, especially considering the price you pay for these IEMs. The only slight issue you may have is that the higher focus on bass can result in a slightly cluttered sound, especially at top volumes.

When listening to I Want You by Moloko, the song’s pounding bass was both impactful and immersive, but cranking the volume up could sometimes create a slightly overbearing, cluttered sound. This could be slightly frustrating for musicians who want ultra-clear, expertly balanced information during sets, but again, at medium volumes, I found the focus on bass to be pleasing, rather than a source of severe bloating.

The only other complaint I’d have sonically is that highs can sometimes sound a touch inaccurate with these IEMs. For instance, cymbals in I Want You sounded prominent but slightly harsh, particularly the crash that connects the intro to the main portion of the track. But otherwise, audio quality is up to standard here. Vocals, although not perfectly breathy or realistic, are clear and well-balanced, while music rarely sounds distorted or tinny.

Despite offering commendable audio quality, I’d argue that the real highlight of the SE215 is in another domain entirely – passive noise isolation. I’ve been impressed by Shure’s wired noise cancellation before (see my Shure AONIC 3 review), and these deliver more than enough protection against external sounds.

When using the default foam tips and listening at around 50% volume I could barely hear anything in my office, from typing through to colleagues conversing. At one stage, there was some drilling taking place, which was audible, but strongly dulled, thanks to the excellent seal these ear tips provide. So, if you’re a musician who needs a consistent, clear audio feed, free from too much distraction, the SE215 will serve you well.

Speaking of the included ear tips, you get the usual selection of small, medium and large included. But that’s not all, you also get the same, but in gel form, if you find that more comfortable for longer in-ear listening. On top of that, you get a fabric carrying case included with the earbuds, which has a clip that can attach to a belt or bag – pretty handy. For the price, you do get a decent amount included, but something worth considering is that there’s no in-line mic or controller. You can detach the cable and switch it out for an alternative with such features, but you’ll have to cough up extra for this.

I mentioned earlier that you get a great seal with these earbuds and the overall fit is very secure. The buds are attached to a bendy wire that can be molded around your ear – ideal for keeping them in-ear when you’re on the move. I would argue, however, that these aren’t the comfiest buds on the market. You definitely get a reliable, tight fit but they can feel a bit uncomfortable after a couple of hours. So, if you’re looking for a wired option for casual listening, they may not be the best option.

Regardless, these are well-made IEMs with good build quality. The earbuds I tested came in a see-through, black-tinted shell so you can see the components powering the IEMs. That might not be for everyone, but I found it made for a cool-looking aesthetic. The buds don’t appear cheap or fragile, either, so these should last you some considerable time. They don’t have a specific waterproof rating, but Shure’s website claims that they’re sweat-resistant at the least, making them fit for purpose if you’re an on-stage performer.

Finally, the included wire is decently slim, except for the slightly chunky Y-connector. You’ll hear a bit of cable noise if moving around with these earbuds, but it’s decently muted, meaning the SE215 do well at mixing style and substance overall.

All in all, the Shure SE215 are a very solid pair of entry-level IEMs, that offer impressive bass, pleasing clarity, excellent noise isolation, and a neat design. Audio can get a little bloated at top volumes and you might not find them the most comfortable buds on the market, but they’re still more than fit for purpose, whether you’re on the stage, cooking up beats in the studio or indulging in some leisurely listening at home.

Shure SE215 earbud next to block — (Image credit: Future)

Shure SE215 review: Price and release date

$99 / £90 / AU$179
Launched in 2011

The Shure SE215 were released all the way back in 2011, but they’re still a super-popular option among musicians and fans of wired listening in general. They’re available for around $99 / £90 / AU$179, but you can pick them up for even less on sale, so keep an eye out for sweet deals. This model is available in a range of color options, including Black, Blue, Clear and Purple.

Shure SE215 review: Specs

Shure SE215 on table — (Image credit: Future)

Should you buy the Shure SE215 review?

Buy them if...

You want some entry-level IEMs
If you want some solid buds for monitoring audio during a live set or similar, the Shure SE215 are a good option. They don’t offer the most incredible levels of detail available, but you’ll get clear audio and a strong bass response that will likely get the job done.

You’re not looking to break the bank
If you’re searching for a step up in the world of wired listening, but don’t want to cough up too much money, the SE215 are worth considering. At less than $100 / £100 /AU$200, these certainly fit the bill – you won’t have to put up with the tinny or distorted audio that a lot of super-cheap options plate up, but you’ll not get top-tier audio either.

Don't buy them if...

You want an option for casual listening
For those of you that love wired listening, but aren’t into stage or studio monitoring, there are better options out there for you. Even the far cheaper SoundMagic E11C are an awesome option for more casual listeners who want a decently detailed listen on a budget.

You’re on the search for top-tier audio
The SE215 do sound good, with impressive bass levels and generally clear audio, but they’re not the most premium-sounding. If you want really great wired audio that’s even suitable for studio use, the Sennheiser IE 600 are an excellent choice, though you’ll have to splash a fair amount of cash.

Shure SE215 review: Also consider

Sennheiser IE 200
Clear, well-rounded sound, a gorgeous design and a lightweight feel. They’re just some of the Sennheiser IE 200’s star qualities, which have earned it the title of ‘best step-up earbuds’ in our wired earbuds guide. Price-wise, they’re a little more than the Shure SE215, but on sale, you can easily grab them for around $100 / £100. You may not find as good noise isolation here, but audio-wise, these are very strong. Read our full Sennheiser IE 200 review.

SoundMagic E80D
Whether you’re looking for an option that’s better sorted to casual listening or just want a pair of buds for USB-C listening, the SoundMagic E80D are well-worth considering. With a built-in DAC, impressively detailed audio and an excellent low-price, you’re looking at an awesome all-rounder. Read our full SoundMagic E80D review.

Shure SE215 review: How I tested

Shure SE215 next to carry case — (Image credit: Future)

Tested for two weeks
Used in the office and while outdoors
Predominantly tested using Tidal on FiiO M11S

I tested the Shure SE215 over the course of two weeks. I predominantly listened with them using Tidal on the FiiO M11S, but also tried them out using Spotify on my Windows laptop. I tested the SE215 in the office, at home and while out on walks near busy roads to assess noise-isolation capabilities.

When listening to music I played tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist, which contains songs from a variety of genres – though I also spent hours tuning into songs from my personal library.

First reviewed: December 2024
Read more about how we test