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Final’s latest DX over-ear headphones still aren’t cheap — but if you need detail and faithful neutrality, they’re the ones

2:30 pm | January 3, 2026

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

Final Audio DX3000CL: Two-minute review

The DX3000CL are, in the least pejorative way, a very Final Audio product. There’s nothing flashy about the way they’re designed, there’s nothing remarkable about the way they’re specified (although the provision for both balanced and unbalanced cable terminations is something some alternative brands might want to take notice of), and there’s nothing unusual about the way they look (apart from the fact they’re a little wider on the head than most alternatives).

All of the effort that’s gone into them seems to have been concentrated on the way they perform, and that can only be a good thing as a means to enter our best wired headphones guide.

The quality of build and finish is well up to standard, don’t get me wrong, and they’re as comfortable to wear as any price-comparable rival and quite a lot more comfortable than some. But it’s the 40mm free-edge dynamic driver, and its paper/carbon composite diaphragm, that’s the real star of the show here.

All the relevant numbers (frequency response, sensitivity, impedance) are very promising – but that’s nothing when you consider the way the DX3000CL actually sound. At this money they’re up against some extremely credible competition – the open-backed Sennheiser HD 660 S2 are an obvious alternative, and the planar magnetic FiiO FT5 are no slouches either, but the Final Audio have some very specific tricks up their sleeve.

They’re not the most dynamic or engaging listen, it’s true – but if you value insight, eloquence and a soundstage so large you feel you could walk around it, the DX3000CL will keep you listening for the foreseeable future.

Close ups of the Final DX3000CL with a hi-res digital audio player, showing the ear cups, arm and screen on the player, all on beige background — Yes, the case is huge (Image credit: Future)

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Price & release date

13th November 2025
Priced $599 / £549 / AU$1099

As briefly mentioned above, at $599 / £549 / AU$1099, these Final cans are up against some serious competition – I might mention the open-backed Sennheiser HD-660 S2 as a go-to alternative, or the planar magnetic FiiO FT5, but again, the Final Audio headphones do have some (very specific) aces up their sleeve.

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Specs

Type	Wired closed-back over-ear
Drivers	40mm paper/carbon composite
Weight	410g
Cable length	2m
Sensitivity	96dB/wm
Impedance	37Ω
Termination	4.4mm (with 6.3mm adapter)
Housing: glass fibre-reinforced resin	Glass fibre-reinforced resin

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Features

40mm paper/carbon composite dynamic drivers
96dB/wm sensitivity / 37Ω impedance
3: 2m OFC cable with 4.4mm termination

To be honest, I’m not quite sure how any pair of passive wired over-ear headphones could score less than ‘5’ for ‘features’. After all, products like this require very few features – and if the necessary features are present and correct, then ‘5’ is basically mandatory. And there’s no denying the Final Audio DX3000CL have the necessary features.

The headphones are supplied with a two-metre length of relatively hefty oxygen-free copper cable in a nicely flexible polymer sheath. At one end it splits into two 3.5mm terminations, as each ear cup must be wired. At the other there’s a 4.4mm balanced connection, and there’s also a rather over-engineered 6.3mm adapter included too.

The cable supplies audio information to a pair of 40mm dynamic drivers. They’re a free-edge design, made from a paper-and-carbon composite – they’re good for a claimed frequency response of 10Hz - 40kHz, and are fully designed and assembled in-house by Final Audio in Japan.

Sensitivity of 96dB/wm and 37Ω impedance means the DX3000CL aren’t especially tricky to drive, and no reasonably powered headphone amplifier will have to break a sweat in order to get worthwhile volume out of them.

Features score: 5/5

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Sound quality

Remarkable powers of insight and detail retrieval
Big, organised and explicit soundstaging
Could conceivably sound more engaged and engaging

If you’re prepared to concede that you can’t have everything, even from an expensive pair of headphones, then the Final Audio DX3000CL are in many ways a deeply accomplished listen. As long as you don’t want to be grabbed by the lapels, the sound they make has plenty to recommend it.

Where they score very heavily is in the level of insight they summon, their ability to retrieve, reveal and contextualise even the most minor, most fleeting, most transient details in a recording and give them precisely the right amount of weighting. If it’s there in a mix, no matter how far back or how far down, the Final Audio will seize on it and let you know all about it. And the fact that they can generate a large, spacious and carefully organised soundstage doesn’t do any harm in this respect, either.

Do you remember when Scarlett Johansson collaborated with David Bowie on her album of Tom Waits cover versions? That was a weird old time, wasn’t it? Their version of Falling Down can sound quite foggy and indistinct, but when the Final Audio get hold of it all is revealed. The recording is opened up, with every element individualised and distinct in its own little pocket of space – but without sounding remote or dislocated. There’s still unity to the way the song is presented, but it’s a bit like the view from a freshly washed window – everything comes more fully into focus.

It doesn’t do any harm that the tonality of the DX3000CL is so neutral and naturalistic, and the fact that the journey from the (deep and solid) low frequencies to the (crisply substantial) top end is so smooth and uneventful. They’re deftly punchy without ever threatening to get out of hand, and the balance they strike in these respects is judicious in the extreme.

Where the Final Audio disappoint just a little centers around dynamics and overall engagement. There’s a suggestion of self-conscious good taste about the way these headphones are voiced that means they don’t always attack a recording with as much determination as might be appropriate, and they’re reluctant to properly let loose when the levels of intensity or simple volume in a recording begin to ramp up.

In the case of the Scarlett Johansson tune it’s not that much of an issue, but when you switch to something like Fanfare for the Warriors by The Art Ensemble of Chicago it becomes all too apparent that the DX3000CL are capable of being altogether too polite. ‘Wild abandon’ isn’t the be-all and end-all when it comes to reproducing music, of course, but a pair of headphones needs to be able to cut loose every now and then…

Sound quality score: 4/5

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Design

Glass fibre-reinforced resin housing
Screws and ‘O’ rings allow for easy servicing
410g (without cable)

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but for my money there’s an elegant simplicity about the design of the DX3000CL that isn’t always easy to come by. Final Audio has resisted the temptation to try to fancify these headphones, and the result is a clean and understated look.

This relative sophistication is thanks, in large part, to judicious choice of and use of materials. The single slender length of steel that adjusts the position of the headband relative to the ear cups looks and feels good – and unusually, it allows the ear cups to move in order to achieve adjustment rather than the other way around. The ear cups themselves are made of resin reinforced with glass fibre, and the hint of capillary waves in the housing constitutes perhaps the only design flourish here.

The ear pads and the headband feature memory foam covered with synthetic leather. There’s plenty of it for the ear pads, too, which makes the DX3000CL rather wider than most of their nominal rivals – you’ll have to be OK with looking a bit like a Cyberman when wearing these headphones. They’re comfortable, though, and are not as keen to retain and return your body heat than some alternatives I could mention. 410g is a fairly considerable weight, especially when you consider that’s without the cable being attached – but the clamping force and the hanger arrangement are both so carefully judged that the Final Audio don’t feel in any way burdensome, even if you’ve been wearing them for hours.

The fact the cable clicks into the front of the lower portion of each ear cup is slightly disconcerting (although it makes no practical difference). I’m so used to wired headphones connecting at the very bottom, or at the rear of the lower portion of the ear cup, I find myself checking that I haven’t got the headphones on backwards. That might just be me, though…

Final Audio is very keen on the fact that it’s entirely avoided the use of adhesives in the construction of the DX3000CSL. The use of precision screws and ‘O’-rings to ensure everything fits together nicely means the headphones can quite easily be dismantled, serviced and put back together again – and ‘no adhesives’ also means ‘greater sustainability’ and ‘reduced use of chemicals’ too, of course.

Design score: 5/5

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Value

Good standard of construction and finish
Quite extensive specification
Some sonic blind spots

Big, well-made and great-sounding headphones that use premium materials and stay comfortable for hours at a time seldom come cheap – and in all of these respects the Final Audio are right on the money.

If they could muster a little more sonic vigour in those instances when it’s essential their case would be watertight…

Value score: 4/5

Should I buy theFinal Audio DX3000CL?

Section	Notes	Score
Features	All necessary features present and correct – and painstaking trouble has been taken over them too	5/5
Sound quality	Fantastic insight, detail and organisation, but could sound a touch more dynamically engaged and engaging	4/5
Design	Elegant, simplistic, clean and understated	5/5
Value	Excellent in most aspects, just a shade off the best-in-class for sonic vigour	4/5

Buy them if...

You value sonic insight
There isn’t a detail in a recording, no matter how tiny, that seems capable of eluding the DX3000CL

You like mildly unusual things
For all that it’s a fully credible brand, it seems that Final Audio is not all that many people’s default choice

You have some premium source equipment
The appearance of a 4.4mm balanced cable termination lets you know these headphones were designed to work with your more upmarket sources of music

Don't buy them if...

Your head is on the wide side
The last thing you need is for your head to seem wider still, but the DX3000CL are among the widest designs around

You particularly value dynamism and drive
The Final Audio do lots of things very well indeed, but they are neither the most dynamic nor the most attack headphones you can buy

You’re a frequency flyer
These headphones don’t come supplied with a case or even a bag - which is a bit of an oversight to be honest

Final Audio DX3000CL review: Also consider

	Final DX3000CL	FiiO FT5	Sennheiser HD-660 S2
Price	$599 / £549 / AU$1099	$449 / £429 / AU$799	$599 / £499 / AU$949
Drivers	40mm paper/carbon composite dynamic	90mm planar magnetic (open-back)	38mm (open-back)
Weight	410g	456g	260g
Cable length	2m	1.5m	1.8m
Impedance	37Ω	36Ω nominal	300Ω
Sensitivity	96dB/wm	96dB/mW @1kHz	104dB

Sennheiser HD-660 S2
Want something super-light on your head? These open-backed Sennheisers might be just the ticket. They're a little older, having been unveiled in March 2023, but in the realms of wired audio and your mixing suite that's hardly an issue…
Read our full Sennheiser HD-660S2 review

FiiO FT5
The cable's a half meter shorter than the Final, at 1.5m rather than 2m, but the 90mm planar magnetic drivers are the star of the show – and do note the this is also an open-backed option. If you want faithful neutrality, do go for the Final, but if you want a bit more excitement and oomph, give these an immediate spot on your shortlist.
See our FiiO FT5 review for more

How I tested the Final Audio DX3000CL

Connected to a number of sources using both terminations
With many different music storage formats
With many different genres and styles of music

I connect the Final Audio DX3000CL to my iFi iDSD Diablo 2 headphone amp/DAC using the 4.4mm input – the iFi is connected to an Apple MacBook Pro and to an iPhone 14 Pro. I also connect them to a FiiO M15S digital audio player using the machine’s 4.4mm socket.

To listen to vinyl I connect the headphones to a Naim Uniti Star connected to a Technics SL-1300G – but it only has a 3.5mm headphone socket, so an ugly combination of the 4.4mm jack fitted with its 6.3mm adapter, in turn fitted to a 6.3mm-to-3.5mm adapter, is required.

First reviewed: January 2026
Read more about how we test

Google’s new cheap earbuds are its best in years — though it must be said, the bar wasn’t especially high

2:30 pm | December 29, 2025

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

Google Pixel Buds 2a: Two-minute review

Google’s audio department has had something of a tough go of it – our list of the best earbuds seems far, far out of reach, with buds (or Buds) after buds that fail to impress. After the brand netted only three stars in our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review, and again only three stars from the Google Pixel Buds A, it’s finally managed to release a pair of true wireless earbuds that aren’t disappointing… if only because our expectations were quite low.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a are a more affordable alternative to the Pro 2, and a significant upgrade on the original A-series buds, bringing features which – if we’re being honest – the previous buds really should already have offered. However, though Google has managed to make a pair of earbuds that are finally pretty OK, the company hasn't managed to make buds that are especially competitive in the grand scheme of things.

Let’s start with a positive: like the past Pixel Buds, these are nice lightweight earbuds that don’t weigh your ears or your pocket down. The fit isn’t reliable though, partly because stem-less earbuds don’t lend themselves well to stability, partly because the tip material doesn’t offer much friction and partly because Google’s eartip fit test invariably failed to work.

Upgrades over the Pixel Buds A bring the 2a up to speed with industry trends: they have noise cancellation finally, and a greatly-improved battery life than the 1a’s embarrassing figure. But the feature list is still svelte: the EQ doesn’t offer much control over your sound, you can’t control your music from the buds, and the ANC is very light-touch.

The sound quality is, for lack of a better word, sloppy. The tuning is just all over the place, with audio parts tripping over themselves and frequent peaking. Individual lines can be detailed and clear but they don’t sit together well at all; an orchestra of the world’s best musicians can still sound poor if led by a hapless conductor.

I’m used to mid-range earbuds sounding cheap and cheerful, sometimes sacrificing audio precision and clarity for a fun, energetic or distinguished sound. Google has seemingly decided to go the other way, and has in doing so, learnt why none of the other manufacturers did so.

At the end of the day, myriad tweaks and improvements over Google’s lackluster previous offerings make these slightly easier to recommend, but they still pale in comparison to many other options available. That’s still true, just to a lesser degree, if you manage to pick them up for a discounted price. All that being said, if you’re offered them as a pre-order or bundle package with a Google Pixel phone, you could do worse.

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Price and release date

The Google Pixel Buds 2a earbuds on a tree, with the case to the side. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced and released on August 20, 2025
Launched for $129.99 / £129 / AU$239
Seen discounts since release

The Google Pixel Buds 2a were announced on August 20, 2025, almost two years to the day after the release of the Buds Pro 2.

You can buy the buds for $129.99 / £129 / AU$239, although they’re the kind of buds that you’re just as likely to receive as a bundle or pre-order gift for something like the Google Pixel 10.

That’s a mid-range price, higher than the $99 / £99.99 (around AU$130) first-gen A-series buds, but more affordable than the $229 / £219 / AU$379 original asking price of the Buds Pro 2 (in theory – they’ve dropped in price quite a bit since their 2024 launch).

It’s also, unfortunately for Google, a cost which puts the buds slap-bang in the middle of a really competitive price point. The buds don’t have much to endear them against the competition… except perhaps price cuts, as I easily found them for $99 / £99 / AU$198 just months after testing (no, not on Black Friday, during a period devoid of sales).

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Specs

Drivers	11mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	7 hours (buds) 20 hours (case)
Weight	4.7g (buds) 47g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IP54

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Features

The Google Pixel Buds 2a buds on a tree. — (Image credit: Future)

ANC is here, but it's subtle
7/20 hour battery life (ANC on)
Not all of the features work well

A new addition Google has granted the Pixel Buds 2a, over their predecessors at least, is the introduction of Active Noise Cancellation or ANC. Now, your buds will detect sounds around you and strip them out as much as possible. Better late than never, I suppose.

The ANC here is nothing to write home about. It’s present, removing some of the major annoyances from environmental or nearby sounds, but there are plenty of other earbuds (even at this price point) that do a better job of keeping things quiet. The ambient mode is a little better; this feature allows select noises to bypass ANC, so you can hear people talking to you or important beepings (time to unpack the dishwasher). This mode tends to be hit-or-miss at what it allows through, but I found few faults when testing the Buds 2a.

In terms of battery life, the buds hit the average I expect from in-ear buds: 7 hours of listening with ANC on or 10 hours with it turned off, with my own listening matching Google’s predictions. That’s fine, but a nice upgrade from previous Google buds with their lacklustre lives. The charging case brings the total to 20 or 27 hours respectively, which is perhaps a little lower than on most rival buds I’ve tested, but enough for several full recharges.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a buds in the case. — (Image credit: Future)

Like all good earbuds (read: all earbuds), there’s a phone app you can use to get some extra functionality. It’s called Pixel Buds, although you don’t need it to listen to music if you don’t want it. I wouldn’t blame you either; I spent the first week of my testing time without it, and when I eventually installed it, it didn’t really change the experience.

You can use the app to toggle ANC mode, turn touch controls on or off (but not change what they do; toggling ANC or awakening Gemini are the only two options), find your buds if you’ve lost them, update the buds’ firmware, set up multi-point connection and turn in-ear play detection on and off. So far, the standard array of features.

Pixel Buds offers an equalizer, with a five-band custom mode or a small range of presets. It’s some degree of control over your sound, but not a nuanced one. This option also offers an eartip seal check, so you can figure out which size of eartip to use, but I tried this about 10 times over the course of a week and not once did it work successfully. Every single time, it told me it failed, and that I needed to be somewhere quiet – even if I was home alone in the middle of the night. One time, in the wee hours, I even held my breath so my breathing wouldn’t disrupt it. It still failed.

There’s one feature I do like: there’s a hearing wellness test, which is useful for people who worry they’re listening to music too loud, as it tells you your music volume in dB. Even if you don’t think about that kind of thing, it’s useful to know, just in case you are damaging your ears unknowingly.

Features score: 3.5/5

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Design

The Google Pixel Buds 2a buds in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Lightweight buds
Problems with fit
Two color options, IP54

The Google Pixel Buds 2a are some of the smallest earbuds I’ve ever tested. They’re in-ear buds with no stem, weighing 4.7g each, and it’s easy to forget they’re in your ear when you’re listening to music.

That is, when they stay in. Despite the small fin to help the buds wedge in your ear, I found the fit a little unreliable, and they’d sometimes slip when I was walking or running. In theory the earbud fit test should help me ensure that isn’t the case, but you’ve already read about how well it worked out.

There are touch controls if you press and hold the buds, and they’re easy enough to trigger, but they can only be mapped to toggle ANC or enable your smart assistant. You can’t play or pause your music, toggle the volume or, from what Google’s app suggests, answer a call. These are all fundamental functions of other buds’ gesture controls, and I simply can’t understand why they’re not in place here.

The Google Pixel Buds 2a case in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

The pebble-shaped case is small and light too, weighing 47.6g. It’s a no-fuss case and it’s easy to remove the buds, though returning them isn’t always as simple: it’s fairly easy to put the wrong bud in each ingress, and only realise your mistake when the case doesn’t shut fully.

You can pick up the buds in two colors: Iris or Hazel, as Google calls them, or violet or black as they actually are. The color choice affects the buds and inner section of the case, though the outer shell itself will always be a white cream. The case picks up scuffs easily, and I was constantly wiping marks off the case after a brief stint in my pocket.

The buds have an IP54 protection against dust ingress and splashes of water, and the case has an IPX4 rating. According to Google, the buds were made with “at least” 41% recycled materials, including the entirety of the buds and charging case magnets, solder paste and battery.

Design score: 4/5

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Sound quality

11mm driver
No Bluetooth codec supported
Sound lacks sparkle

The Google Pixel Buds 2a in a man's ear. — (Image credit: Future)

Google has packed custom-made 11mm drivers into the Pixel Buds 2a; it hasn’t confirmed if these are the exact same drivers as in the Buds Pro 2, but the size is the same. I did most of my listening on the default EQ mode, simply because the presets didn’t seem to actually change the sound all that much.

On first listening, it sounds like the Pixel Buds 2a have it all: clear treble, solid bass and hearty mids. But the more I used the buds, the more I got the impression that something about the tuning was a little off. The elements don’t sit alongside each other well, and there’s an inconsistency to the sound.

In Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender, as soon as the bass comes in it drowns out the acoustic guitar accompaniment; it’s not very well-defined or handled bass either, sounding too rumbly. Some parts of songs lack energy; the hook that begins Spector’s Chevy Thunder is too shrill and frail, while the guitar accompaniment is bounced down into a distorted mush; somehow in this song, the bass is barely audible.

There are times when the audio quality was enjoyable, especially when there was only one musical line, but that didn’t stay true when more instruments came in. In Vampire Weekend’s A-Punk, the introduction offers clear and detailed music but as more instruments come in, the overall package sounds worse. I also noticed consistent peaking and distorting, for certain instruments (I barely remember what a hi-hat is supposed to sound like after testing the 2a) and when the timbre became too complex.

So it sounds like the issue is with tuning across the frequencies, and not the technical specs, with audio sounding relatively detailed. There’s Bluetooth 5.4 for connectivity, but Google’s online specs sheet makes no mention of support for any advanced Bluetooth codecs.

Sound quality: 3.5/5

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Value

The Google Pixel Buds 2a earbuds on a tree, with the case in the background. — (Image credit: Future)

Decent value at full price
Better value on sale
Great value as bundled gift

At their standard price, the Google Pixel Buds 2a are decent value: you get what you pay for, with a nice small body and fine audio quality for a mid-range price.

They’re not fantastic value though, and other buds for the same price can offer you more energetic audio, a fuller complement of features and a more reliable fit.

However, if you buy the Pixel Buds at the reduced cost, that changes… a little bit. They’re still not the most competitive buds even at the lower price, but they’re definitely better value for money.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Google Pixel Buds 2a?

Google Pixel Buds 2a score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	They have most of the features you'd hope for, but none of them wow.	3.5/5
Design	The lightweight build is great, though a reliable fit would be appreciated.	4/5
Sound quality	It's detailed sound, but it lacks energy and is woefully under-refined.	3.5/5
Value	You can do better for the price, even if you pick the Buds 2a up at their reduced price.	3.5/5

Buy them if…

You need petite earbuds for your bijou ears
Both the case and the buds of the Pixel Buds 2a are svelte, fitting in your pocket and ear without a complaint.

They're included with a Pixel phone
If you've found the Pixel Buds 2a because you can get them in a deal with a Google smartphone, then it's a package worth taking.

Don’t buy them if…

You like to customize your tunes
The Pixel Buds 2a's equalizer just doesn't give you the flexibility to tweak your music, that rivals do.

You need industrial-strength noise cancellation
Google's ANC doesn't match many rivals, and you don't need to spend any more to lose a lot more annoying background noise.

Google Pixel Buds 2a review: Also consider

	Google Pixel Buds 2a	OnePlus Buds 4	Sony WF-C710N	Google Pixel Buds Pro 2
Drivers	11mm	11mm + 6mm	5mm	11mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	7 hours (buds) 20 hours (case)	11 hours (buds) 45 hours (case)	8.5 hours (buds) 30 hours total (with case)	8 hours (buds) 30 hours (case)
Weight	4.7g (buds) 47.6g (case)	4.73g (buds) 40g (case)	5.2g (buds) 38g (case)	4.7g (buds) 65g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IP54	IP55	IPX4	IP54

Sony WF-C710N
Sony's fantastic earbuds are cheaper than the Pixel Buds, while offering a similar design and feature set. They also have great noise cancellation and come in a funkier array of colors.
See our full Sony WF-C710N review

OnePlus Buds 4
For the same price as the 2a, you can buy another smartphone tie-in buds. The OnePlus Buds have great ANC and a bassy sound, so if you like stem-toting earbuds they're a great choice.
See our full OnePlus Buds 4 review

How I tested the Google Pixel Buds 2a

Tested for one month
Tested at home, at the gym, on runs and on walks

I tested the Google Pixel Buds 2a for just shy of four weeks, before submitting this review.

The earbuds were paired to my Android phone for the duration of the testing period, and I used them for a variety of tasks including streaming music, watching videos, gaming and taking calls.

I used the buds when at home, when going for walks or using public transport, when at the gym and while on runs.

I've been testing audio products for TechRadar for many years now, including a variety of other mid-range earbuds.

First reviewed in December 2025

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Meze’s walnut-cupped wired headphones impress with a bassy sound, but their headband dings my noggin

3:30 pm | December 20, 2025

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

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen: Two-minute review

The Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen are some stunners. These walnut-cupped beauties are an upgrade not just on their predecessors, but also on any bona fide entry-level listening headphones in your roster.

Improved earcup and baffle design adds up to better bass control, giving these headphones a controlled oomph above and beyond most closed-backs. High end is crisp without being sharp, and voices sit gloriously in the top end with all the air and throat you could ever want. The 2nd Gens handle most sources admirably, but shine especially bright with vinyl.

A sometimes-obvious scooped middle and a tendency to distort slightly at high volumes – a function of the low impedance, which allows them to work with just about any audio source – leads me, unfortunately, to conclude that they look better than they sound. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t sound good. They sound great. They just look phenomenal.

With the amount of effort that Meze puts into what is, effectively, their step-up set of over-ear headphones, it’s clear that this is a matter of passion as opposed to sheer profit. The design principles on display here are so listener-focused that it’s hard not to be charmed by them, even if basic things such as a tuning-fork headband can sometimes interfere with that listener experience.

In the following paragraphs, I get a bit nitpicky about these things – but it's only because I’m working back from a position of absolutely loving them. And there’s a lot to love about them. Between their excellent build quality, user-friendly part replaceability and a versatility of sound difficult to find in some less-expensive listening options, these close-backs are a great prospect and are among the best wired headphones on the market.

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones on a headphone stand in front of a window — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Price & release date

Released October 29, 2025
Priced $349 / £319 / AU$649

As the name implies, the 99 Classics 2nd Gen are a redux of Meze’s timeless 99 Classics over-ear headphones. Ten years on from the latter's launch, the 2nd Gens arrive on the scene, with a broad smattering of listener-forward tweaks that build on the enormous goodwill already fostered by this particular line of cans.

Hearteningly, the 99 Classics 2nd Gen are on the cheaper end of Meze’s price spectrum, too, at $349 / £319 / AU$649 – bringing some exceedingly tasteful design (both in sound and aesthetics) in below the brand's mid-range 105 Silvas I reviewed so favourably back in October.

This might be a little on the rich side for wired headphones more generally, unless you’re already of a mind to buy some more audiophilically focused big-budget fare. Even so and for what you’re getting, the Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen are a compelling prospect indeed. Let’s find out if they’re a compelling purchase, too!

Earcups of the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones, laid down on their side on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Specs

Type	Wired over-ear, closed-back
Drivers	40mm dynamic
Weight	290g
Connectivity	Dual 3.5mm TS output
Frequency response	15Hz - 25kHz
Impedance	16 ohms
Extras	Dual-TS to 3.5mm TRS cable; 3.5mm-to-6.35mm TRS adapter; USB-C DAC/AMP dongle; carry case

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones in their hard carry case, placed on a wooden table. — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Features

Wired over-ears, dual 3.5mm TS inputs
16 ohm input impedance
Mini tweaks for improved balance and performance

The Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen, much like the first-gen model, are a set of wired headphones with little in the way of modern jiggery-pokery. There’s a lot of familiar stuff here, from the closed-back design to that fabled aesthetic thrust. But, as a serious 2nd Gen update, there’s been some serious performance-improving changes.

One of their more obvious improvements is the provision of bigger earcups, for better low-end control. This is part of a general movement towards a more balanced overall frequency response, something also aided by the addition of a new bass port in each ear cup. Within each earcup, small, iterative changes to shape and construction have made for a wider soundstage, too.

The newly ultra-low 16 ohm impedance of the drivers (down from 32 ohms in the OGs) encourages you to use these with ultra-modern listening devices, like laptop or smartphone outputs, as opposed to hi-fi amps and mixers. Depending on who you ask, this is a genius leveler of a move, enabling these headphones to sing wherever you put them – for me, it’s a bit of a shame, simply for the distortion potential at louder volumes.

The hard-ish case in which these headphones are delivered is trustworthy enough, with a water-resistant inverted zip and some comforting phone-protecting rigidity. Within this case is another, smaller, case – a soft, cylindrical affair, into which the 99 Classics 2nd Gens’ cable and gubbins safely nestle. Whether you trust yourself to take these out on the daily commute is another thing entirely, of course.

Speaking of gubbins, the 99 Classics 2nd Gen come not just with the requisite wiring, but nice requisite wiring in the form of a hefty, braided dual-core cable. There’s also a 3.5mm-6.35mm jack adapter for mating with phone-plug-toting home hi-fi stuffs, and a new USB-C DAC/AMP dongle, so you plug into smarter, non-jack-plug-toting stuffs (i.e.: your phone, tablet or analog-challenged new computer).

Features score: 4.5/5

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones placed on a wooden table, alongside their hard carry case, provided cables, adapters and mini DAC. — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Sound quality

Phenomenal low end; butter-smooth highs
Balancing act of volume, soundstage and saturation
Excellent passive sound isolation

Meze knows exactly what it’s doing with the low end in the 99 Classics 2nd Gen, working with the boomy confines of the closed cup to create some seriously controlled wub. Domenique Dumont’s Amants ennemis is a bulging burlap of bass, helped along by the ported earcups in its delivery of blubbering synth-bass and chicken-picky guitars.

Snapped Ankles’ Smart World, too, is an abrasive, dancy delight, with deep thrumming bass, urgent live drumming and Numan-esque clarion-call vocals, the latter of which do a phenomenal job of illustrating the 2nd Gen’s prowess with upper-mid ranges. I’ll take this opportunity to mention USB-C DAC/amp dongle with which the 2nd Gen ships, too – which is transparent enough to my ears that I noticed no appreciable difference in sound when trying these same songs again.

I did start to notice a vague, middish hollowness in these headphones, that threatened to rob guitarry songs like Queens of the Stone Age’s Everybody Knows That You’re Insane, and Foo Fighters’ Good Grief (forgive me, Father, for I think the Foos’ first album is Actually A Bit Underrated Really) of some key propulsive energy.

Fortunately, this lack seems limited to the rocky stuff, and that at the lower-volume end of listening. The same can also be said of the somewhat-narrow soundstage these headphones possess, which can feel corridor-like in the face of usually-quite-expansive tracks like Amant ennemis. The solution to both is simply to have a little less fear, and whack them up a bit more. Unfortunately, doing this sometimes crowds the soundstage, and can even result in a little distortion thanks to the low impedance of the drivers. It’s a balancing act.

Closeup of the headband of the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones, on a wooden table. — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

That balancing act, along with the scooped mids, seem a little less obvious when moving over to vinyl, which, as a source, seems a little smoother on the way in. My copy of Alabaster DePlume’s GOLD is an undisputed delight – any sense of ‘lack’ gone altogether, replaced with fulfillingly dense wellsprings of bassy voices, plucked double-basses, throaty saxophones and more besides.

A Gente Acaba (Vento Em Rosa) soars in profound and fulsome brilliance; The World Is Mine is a Nick-Cave-y, almost Tom-Waits-y exploration of staccato instrumentation and monotone spoken word, syncopated snare rimshots. Turning things up, I encountered some unfortunate oversaturation of voices in The Sound of My Feet on This Earth…, a sad reminder of the balancing act in play.

Generally, the 99 Classics 2nd Gen respond well to vinyl records – even the rocky stuff, to an extent. Land of Talk’s Applause Cheer Boo Hiss is a brighter record than anything QOTSA have made, and scrappy to boot, but still a thrilling joy in these headphones. This is a function of some sharp transients, smooth tissy high end and that excellent vocal-forward representation.

I usually focus on the performance of the audio thingies I review from a technical perspective. Sometimes, though, there’s an experiential aspect that muscles its way in. Here, it’s the headbands, which – fetchingly minimal as they are – are quite resonant by nature. Their tuning-fork tendencies mean the slightest of bumps, rubs, taps, or head-nods can set them off. The ringing can even be triggered by light handling of the wires close to where they connect with your earcups.

Thankfully, this ringing doesn’t usually interfere with your listening, provided you’re listening at a moderate volume; still, major moves or cable-rubbings in motion can bring some unwanted “plunk” into your private wig-out sesh.

To make something of a ‘compliment cracker’ out of my experiential experience, so to speak, I will say that the passive isolation provided by the 2ndGens is outstanding; even if sound isn’t outright canceled, the sound mitigation and separation on display here are massive. When something’s playing even slightly cranked, it’s easy to forget where you are.

Sound quality score: 4/5

Closeup of the walnut earcups of the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen over-ear headphones, on a headphone stand. — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Design

Beautiful walnut earcups
Pleasingly minimal design
And everything’s replaceable!

The first-edition Meze Audio 99 Classics were an unusually stunning prospect at launch: a gleaming lighthouse of wood and brass in an unforgiving ocean of bleak gunmetal and bleaker lightweight plastics. When a pair of decently affordable, excellent-sounding over-ears wear walnut earcups with the fullest sincerity, you know you’re looking at something special.

Thankfully, the 2nd Gen 99 Classics have done little to mess with this magic 10 years on. Instead, there’s technically even more of it. The bigger earcup designs, engineered for better low-end control, also mean a greater surface area of delicious (and unavoidably unique) walnut on the exterior, against which the electroplated zinc hardware is set off wonderfully.

As far as comfort goes, though, I have no notes. The self-adjusting headband is a delight here just as it is on Meze's 105 AER, with the newly capacious ear cushions an excellent fit for most ears. Wearing these is like receiving a lightly firm hug, and one you’re happy to receive for hours at a time.

With respect to setting up and using the 99 Classics 2nd Gens, the TS connection points on each earcup are firm enough that I nearly started second-guessing the amount of pressure I was applying to the connectors, before that reassuring ‘click’ told me everything was going to be ok. That is to say, the wired connection is firm enough you’ll never need worry about accidental yankage. The 99 Classics Gen 2 have got you. They’ve got you. It’s alright now. Shhhh, it’s ok.

To revisit my aforementioned experiential gripe, the needlessly ringy headband is a real shame, and something Meze did have an opportunity to fix here. The solution for the user – not banging your head against anything, where possible – is a simple one, but a little inconvenient for, even inconsistent with, out-and-about wear. Especially when the solution for Meze – put some kind of dampener on each band – is even simpler.

More widely with respect to design, though, and to its great credit, Meze’s done something rare – at least, rare in that ocean of bleak gunmetal and bleaker lightweight plastics. The 99 Classics 2ndGen’s construction is such that parts are easily replaceable, allowing you to keep your headphones keen for as long as you are keen to keep them.

Design score: 4.5/5

Close up of the cable inputs of the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd, on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Value

Great value for great design...
…though a shame about the resonant headband
A truly versatile step-up set of listening headphones

So, should you get them? My vote: yes. Despite being closer to the budget end of the price spectrum, the 99 Classics 2nd Gen’s $349 / £319 / AU$649 is a fair bit to put away for headphones. But it gets you some of the most versatile wired headphones on the market.

This is because a great deal of versatile wired headphones end up compromizing quite significantly on something related to build quality, sound fidelity or comfort – and, to my mind, the Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen don’t really compromize all that much on any of these.

There are arguments to be made against that low impedance, and the resulting distortion you can experience when listening at particularly loud volumes, but they’re small against the 2nd Gen’s supreme on-ear comfort, incredible low-end control and general genre versatility. Added versatility from the nicely included USB-C dongle is highly welcomed, as is the better-than-average case design.

Whether all this literally adds up to a good deal for you is something only you can decide. But altogether, and off the back of both the incredible design and design journey made by the 99 Classics, it’s fair to say these are intrinsically worthwhile cans.

Value score: 4.5/5

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen hard carry case — (Image credit: Future / James Grimshaw)

Should I buy the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen?

Section	Notes	Score
Features	Hefty wires and new USB-C dongle for better connectivity among listener-friendly updates	4.5/5
Sound quality	Stunning bass with excellent control; mechanical ring when headband gets dinged is a shame	4/5
Design	Extremely pleasing to look at, and designed so parts can be replaced with extreme ease	4.5/5
Value	Well-built, with unique wood earcups, great versatility and broad sound profile, they're a great prospect for the price	4.5/5

Buy them if...

You’re a sucker for visual stunners
It’s hard to say anything against the Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen's aesthetic value, because in my opinion there’s nothing to say against the aesthetic value of the Meze 99 Classics 2nd Gen. Look at ‘em!

You listen widely
Low impedance and great all-round sound profile make these a pair of listening headphones that’ll work with practically anything.

Don't buy them if...

You’re a Bluetooth-only household
They’re wired, duh. You could get a dongle, but maybe you want a decent pair of wireless headphones instead, eh?

You want to get the most from your well-curated hi-fi rig
Lovely as the 99 Classics 2nd Gen are, the 16 ohm impedance is extremely low – a boon for listening across a bunch of devices, but not so much for getting the best out of your expensive hi-fi headphone amp.

Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen review: Also consider

	Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen	FiiO FT13	Sennheiser HD-660S2
Price	$349 / £319 / AU$649	$329 / £269 / AU$499 (approx.)	$599 / £499 / AU$949
Type	Closed-back over-ears	Closed-back over-ears	Open-back over-ears
Drivers	40mm dynamic	60mm 'W'-shaped dynamic	38mm
Weight	290g	365g	260g
Impedance	16 ohms	32 ohms	300 ohms
Connectivity	Dual 3.5mm TS output	Dual 3.5mm TS output	Dual 3.5mm TS output
Frequency response	15Hz - 25kHz	7Hz - 40kHz	8Hz – 41.5kHz
Extras	Dual TS to 3.5mm TRS cable; 3.5mm-to-6.35mm TRS adapter; USB-C DAC/amp dongle; carry case	Dual-TS Y-cable; 3.5mm TRS/4.4mm balanced/6.35mm TRS/XLR cable terminators; carry case	Dual TS to 6.35mm TRS cable; Dual TS to 4.4mm balanced cable 6.35mm-to-3.5mm TRS adapter; carry pouch

FiiO FT13
FiiO’s FT13 closed-back headphones are relatively new kids on the block, but truck in the same surprisingly cheap magnificence as the much of FiiO’s output elsewhere. Similar to the 99 Classics 2nd Gen, these are wood-cupped low-impedance affairs, but with outsized 60mm drivers and some posh cable connectivity. A great budget option.
Read our FiiO FT13 review for the full story

Sennheiser HD-660S2
Though another 2nd Gen upgrade of another set of wired headphones, the Sennheiser HD-660S2 differ from the 99 Classics 2nd Gen in being high-impedance open-backed headphones. If you want something more suited to enjoying your hi-fi stack at home, this could be it.
See our Sennheister HD-660S2 for the full story

How I tested the Meze Audio 99 Classics 2nd Gen

Tested for 3 weeks
Used as listening headphones at home
Predominantly tested on streaming and digital files, heard through a Universal Audio Volt 4 audio interface and a HP laptop’s USB-C port; also tested with vinyl records through a Vestax mixer

Three glorious weeks were spent putting the Meze Audio 99 Classics Gen 2 through their paces at home, as a primary set of listening headphones for work and leisure.

They spent most of their time in my attic office, delivering audio from Spotify and my digital music library via a Universal Audio Volt 4 audio interface. I gave a little time to listening through the provided USB-C DAC/amp. too, using my laptop’s USB-C port.

Lastly and for a little while, I used them on my living room vinyl setup as well – listening through an old-school Vestax PCV-275 turntable mixer.

First reviewed: December 2025
Read more about how we test

I’ve found a new favorite pair of sub-$100 cuff-style open earbuds, with some surprisingly premium features

1:30 pm | December 13, 2025

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

Soundpeats Clip1: Two minute review

The real measure of whether earbuds are good, is if I keep wearing them after the two-week testing period is over. And judging by how keen I was to keep on using the Soundpeats Clip1, enthused by the best bits of the buds, that they’re easily some of the best open earbuds I’ve tested recently.

The latest clip-style open earbuds from prolific audio maker Soundpeats, the Clip1 follow the manufacturers’ style in being budget alternatives to bigger names, in this case the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and Shokz OpenDots One. As a budget brand, they’ve made some solid earbuds in the past, but the recent and impressive Soundpeats H3 made me curious to see what else was in the pipeline.

What ended up being next in the pipeline, has quickly become one of my favorite pairs of sub-$100 open earbuds, and definitely the best I’ve tested recently. The Clip1 tick all the boxes you hope for with open earbuds, and then go above and beyond in a few ways.

My favorite of these ways is that Soundpeats offers a listening test; these aren’t the first lower-cost earbuds to offer this once-premium feature, but I’ve never used such a test that’s so simple yet so effective in its results. I couldn’t stop listening to the finely-tuned personal audio mix it delivered me.

Of course the buds also nail the basics; they’re comfortable to wear, grip reliably in the ear when you’re working out and don’t weigh too much. The battery life is solid, the buds are hardy and, in a rare case for clip-ons, they look a bit more refined than the usual children’s-play-thing look.

There are a few rough edges here though. The case feels cheap and plasticky, the touch controls were way too sensitive and the max volume just wasn’t high enough to fit the bill for open-ears. But I enjoyed using the buds enough to overlook some of these concerns.

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Specifications

Component	Value
Water resistant	IPX5
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds), 32 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	5g / Charging case: 55.5g
Driver	12mm

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Price and availability

The Soundpeats Clip1 in their case. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced on November 12, 2025
Priced at $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99
Generally cheaper than rivals

The Soundpeats Clip1 were announced on November 12, 2025, and put on sale immediately after.

They’ll set you back $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99, so they’re fairly cheap as far as clip- or cuff-style earbuds go (especially in Australia). However they’re Soundpeats’ priciest clippers, costing more than the cheap PearlClip Pro and even cheaper PopClip.

In the grand scheme of open earbuds, they’re definitely towards the cheaper end of the spectrum though. If you look for even more affordable options, you’re only finding options from budget brands like Ugreen and Anker, and most top-spec rivals have price tags over the three-figure mark.

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Design

The closed Soundpeats Clip1 case. — (Image credit: Future)

Classy design of buds, but cheap-feeling case
Lightweight and comfortable
Poorly-working controls

Despite clip earbuds being nice and small, and therefore generally coming in svelte carry cases, Soundpeats bucks the trend by putting the Clip1 in a fairly large carry case. It’s a large, cheap-plasticky gray shell which weighs 55.5g, and I found it a little harder to open than I’d like, due to the indentation you’re meant to grip being a little shallow.

I’m not saying it’s hard to open, just that you need to consciously think when you’re getting the buds out, which is more brainwork than I generally use for a brainless task like opening a case. At least the buds are nice and easy to whip out, not buried in the case.

Onto the buds themselves: these are, of course, clip-style earbuds which consist of a spherical bud and a counterweight, joined together with a small arch. They weigh 5g and have an IPX5 rating, which means they’re protected from jets of water.

This is hard to state with anything resembling objectivity, but the Clip1 earpiece feels like it has an air of elegance about it; the dainty stem connecting the perfect sphere and little ellipsoid feels more refined than the chunky alternatives I’ve tested before.

Practically speaking, this translates to the feel of wearing the buds too. They were light enough that I barely felt like I was wearing anything, and stayed attached to my ear reliably – there were no drops during testing.

There are touch controls on each bud, but every time I had gestures enabled in the settings, my music would inexplicably pause or skip songs without me touching anything, and so I turned off the feature. I don’t know if I had a faulty unit or if the sensors are just so oversensitive that wind can set them off. At least a different kind of sensor works better: while the two Clip1 buds are identical, so there’s no left or right one, they can automatically detect which ear they’re in to adjust channels accordingly.

Design score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Features

The Soundpeats Clip1 buds on a table next to the case. — (Image credit: Future)

Fantastic listening test
Battery life is 8 hours, 32 hours with case
Fewer other features than some rivals

In any earbud, but especially ones designed for fitness use, battery life is important; the SoundPeats Clip1 aren’t a frontrunner in this department but they have a decent battery life and I can’t ask for any more.

The buds last for 8 hours of listening at a time, and the case has enough juice for 32 extra hours before that needs charging. Those respectively hit and exceed what I’ve come to expect for this kind of bud. You won’t see those figures if you use LDAC when listening, but the lack of noise cancellation means you won’t have the battery leeched from that.

Onto the PeatsAudio app on your smartphone. Booting this up, you’re faced with a wall of toggle sliders for things like Dolby Audio, in-ear detection, low-latency game mode, touch controls, LDAC and dynamic equalization.

If you don’t want your dynamics, er, dynamically calibrated, you can also use the in-app equalizer, which offers eight genre-based presets as well as a 10-band custom mode and also a listening test. This latter was a lot quicker and easier to use than equivalents I’ve had to slog through, simply requiring you to press a button if you can hear a sound while it cycles through frequencies and volumes.

I didn’t have high hopes due to the simplicity, but the results it returned (and custom EQ mode) were pretty similar to what I’ve received from similar tests, and greatly improved the music from the default mode… but those are, sadly, spoilers for the next section.

Features score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Sound performance

The Soundpeats Clip1 in a man's ear. — (Image credit: Future)

Single 12mm driver
Supports Dolby Audio, LDAC, AAC, SBC, more
Bright audio that perhaps lacks bass

The Soundpeats Clip1 have 12mm drivers squirrelled into those spherical orbs. That fine (rather large) driver spec is enhanced with a wide range of codecs, more than you’d imagine for low-cost buds: they support Dolby Audio, Hi-Res Audio, LDAC, AAC and SBC.

That’s really good… but also possibly overkill on a set of open-ear buds. By virtue of the form factor, you’re getting an even 50/50 mix of music and your surrounding sound, so you’re hearing a crazy train alongside your Crazy Train, a babbling river at the same time as The River, and don’t even get me started on The Divine Comedy’s most popular song. Soundpeats touts the LDAC support as giving you CD-quality audio, and while that’s true, it’s a CD that’s playing from your neighbour’s flat, not yours.

That’s all to say that there’s a cap on how good open-ears can be before drastically diminishing returns, and the Clip1 aren’t in the select community which find a way to bypass the cap. That’s especially true when you bear in mind that their biggest issue is a max volume that’s just not high enough; I could barely hear my tunes while cycling through traffic.

When you get a chance to actually hear the SoundPeats, though, you’ll find that they sound pretty good – as long as you play around with the equalizer, as the default preset doesn’t do the sound justice. No matter how you shake it, the sound profile certainly tends towrds the bright side, with vocals shining through the audio mix, and as someone who prefers treble to bass for workout music, I was happy with that. Sung lines sound crisp and clear, with energy enough to motivate me through my run.

Songs have more audible detail than I’m used to from open-ears; in songs like She Had Me At Heads Carolina by Cole Swindell, you can easily hear the various guitars in the mix, and the panning in Declan McKenna’s Brazil giving the song a lovely dimension.

In all my equalizer fiddling, though, I struggled to bring out much bass. The mode called Bass Boost puts it on the map, and gives it a small amount of refinement, but it’s not exactly powerful or prominent. Yes, it's a regular issue with open-ear designs, but notable nonetheless.

Sound performance score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: Value

Two Soundpeats Clip1 buds hanging from each other. — (Image credit: Future)

There are a few elements of the Soundpeats Clip1 that I’m really surprised to see. It’s uncommon to see LDAC in buds like these, let alone Dolby Atmos or a listening test that works really, really well.

I’m “surprised to see” them because these are competitively-priced buds, coming in cheaper than some of our favorite open earbuds and a lot cheaper than some of our top-rated clip headphones.

While they’re not the outright cheapest on the market, they still offer fantastic value for money compared to lots of the alternatives which you might be considering.

Value score: 4/5

Soundpeats Clip1 review: scorecard

Category	Comment	Score
Value	They undercut their similar rivals yet offer great features.	4/5
Design	Reliably, comfortable and lightweight (though it's a shame about the case, letting the side down).	4/5
Features	The battery life is decent and the listening test is great, though I wouldn't mind seeing one or two more extras.	4/5
Sound	I liked the bright audio which lent itself to vocals well, although some might malign the limited bass.	4/5

Soundpeats Clip1: Should I buy?

A single Soundpeats Clip1 bud in a hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Buy them if...

You like personalized audio
Listening tests are becoming a trend, and if you want to try one of the easiest such tests, Clip1 these on..

You need something reliable for workouts
I really put the Clip1 through their paces and never had any issues with them falling out mid-workout.

You're on a budget
Most open earbuds have mid-range prices but the Clip1 are temptingly affordable.

Don't buy them if...

You're going to be in really noisy areas
With no noise cancellation and a low maximum volume, you won't be able to hear your tunes.

You need a small case
Some clip earbuds have svelte carry cases but if you want something that'll fit snug in your pocket, the Clip1 won't deliver.

Also consider

Component	Soundpeats Clip1	Edifier LolliClip	Anker Soundcore AeroClip
Water resistant	IPX5	IP56	IPX4
Battery life	8 hours (earbuds), 40 hours (total)	9 hours (earbuds), 39 hours (total)	8 hours (earbuds), 24 hours (total)
Bluetooth type	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4
Weight	5g / Charging case: 55g	7g / Charging case: 46g	6g / Charging case: 42g
Driver	12mm	13mm	12mm

Edifier LolliClip

Edifier's Dali-esque Lolliclip open-ears have a higher price point than the Soundpeats but a longer battery life and better IP rating at IP56. The equalization isn't on par with the Clip1 though.

Read our full Edifier LolliClip review

Anker Soundcore AeroClip

These buds also cost a little more than the Soundpeats, and they're certainly doing something different design-wise. They sound good but only have IPX4 prorection, and the case holds a lighter battery load.

Read our full Anker Soundcore AeroClip review

How I tested

The testing period for the Soundpeats Clip1 was two weeks, which is the standard amount of time we give earbuds to make sure they're up to snuff – after a thorough run-in.

I paired the Soundpeats with my Android phone for the duration of the testing, listening on Spotify, Tidal, YouTube, Netflix and several games. I tested at home, on walks around my neighborhood, at the gym and on cycles around the city, so they really got put through their paces.

I've tested countless open earbuds for TechRadar, including other clipping and Soundpeats models. And they're just the tip of the iceberg, as I've been reviewing gadgets for the website for going on seven years now.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025): Two-minute review

Two and a half years after eco-friendly tech champions Fairphone released its first pair of headphones, the company is back to release… the same pair but better. Sort-of. The new Fairbuds XL 2025 aren’t a 2.0 model of the original cans, but an updated model with a few nice changes, and a maintained feature that the best headphones should’ve copied years ago.

Fairphone is primarily a smartphone maker, with the Fairphone 6 from mid-2025 being its latest release, and its green credentials come in two forms. Firstly, its gadgets are generally made from recycled or ethically-sourced materials, and secondly they’re designed to last so you won’t be throwing them away and contributing to e-waste.

The original Fairbuds already ticked those boxes pretty well, but the XL 2025 add in more recycled elements and a longer warranty. It’s a nice bonus on cans you already feel good wearing. They also build on one of the big perks of the originals in that they’re modular, so if one part breaks you can easily replace it yourself.

As is always the case with Fairphone tech, though, you come for the environmentally-friendly promise and stay for one or two surprising extra ways the product elevates itself from the competition. Case in point with the Fairbuds XL 2025: they maintain the 2023 version’s joystick, which is a control system so easy and responsive to use that I’m surprised the big dogs aren’t copying it.

Instead of having myriad touch-capacitive buttons, dials, sliders and levers like most headphones I test, they delegate controlling your sound to a small joystick (well, and a separate ANC button that you rarely need to touch). By pressing or nudging this you can control basically everything you need to for your music, quickly and easily. I love using it and already know I’ll miss it when I move onto my next headphone review.

Beyond that, these are decent-sounding headphones which have energetic and bassy sound, but miss out on the extra ounce of detail or super-expansive soundscapes that many rivals offer. They’re comfortable to wear and look much more distinctive (and fun) than your generic dime-a-dozen headphones.

If there’s something that’ll put off prospective buyers, it’s the price – a common consideration with eco-friendly tech. These cans cost more than I would’ve guessed if I didn’t know, and while their long-lasting guarantee justifies that price well, it’s still a fair amount to pay upfront for headphones which don’t exactly rival the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Price and release date

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 folded down on the arm of a bench. — (Image credit: Future)

Released on December 9, 2025
Costs £219 (roughly $300, AU$460)
US release possible; AU unlikely

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 were announced on December 9, 2025, roughly two and a half years after the original model. According to the company, the newer model are more of an improved version of the older one, not a brand-new device.

The headphones will set you back £219 (roughly $300, AU$460). Fairphone is generally a European brand but its recent move into America means we could see these launch in the US, and we’ll add in a dollar price once we learn of one. Don’t expect to see these release in Australia though – Fairphone follows geographical (not Eurovision) rules on continents.

That price is, importantly, exactly the same cost that the original cans cost when they came out – but where some manufacturers are actually lowering prices in response to increasingly tough competition in a crazy-crowded market, Fairphone hasn't.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Specs

Drivers	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	30 hours
Weight	330g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.1
Frequency response	Not listed
Waterproofing	IP54

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Features

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

30-hour battery life
ANC is decent when combined with PNC
App has equalizer... and not much else

If there’s an issue with the Fairbuds (aside from the fact that they're absolutely, positively not buds and let's be clear on that), it’s that they’re a little scant on features. There’s no find-my functionality, no listening test or spatial audio, and the Fairbuds app doesn’t offer much.

The key reason to download it is its equalizer, offering presets as well as a custom mode so you can tweak it via a five-band deck – this is called ‘Studio’ mode, so I missed it when I first tested the buds. I found that the only preset worth listening to is the default one, called Amsterdam, as it was louder a clearer than the others.

Beyond that the app lets you install firmware updates, learn the basics of headphones (not particularly important to anyone who’s used headphones before) and order replacement parts for the XL if you damage any. I can see this last service being useful – though hopefully not too often!

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 on a bench. — (Image credit: Future)

You can toggle ANC, but only with the button on the buds, and not via the app. There are three modes: on, off and ambient. Combined with the passive noise cancellation of the fabric cups, the ANC does a good job at blocking out most sounds around you. It’s not the best noise cancellation I’ve ever heard in headphones, but they won’t leave you wanting more.

The battery life clocks in at 30 hours, which is decent enough for headphones though nothing stellar – some models now offer 80 hours. Fairphone says the battery will last for at least 500 charges before needing to be replaced (that’s 15,000 hours, if you empty the juice tank fully each time) – and given that Fairphone is basically the only company to release a stat like this, it’s hard to say whether that’s standard or not. Still, it’s good to know, and there’s no way you’ll reach that amount of listening in the three years the warranty now covers, anyway.

Features score: 3.5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Design

The joystick of the Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 — (Image credit: Future)

Sustainable build
Comfortable to wear
Incredibly handy joystick controls

The Fairbuds XL aren’t your bog-standard over-ear headphones, and that’s not just a comment on their sustainability. They have a distinctive look and hue, with a fabric band covering and cups, protruding plastic loops connecting the cans and the band, and a two-tier look for the phones. I tested the attractive green model, but there’s also a black one.

I found the headphones comfy to wear, though some people might find them a little heavy. They can be folded, as well as extended quite a bit if you’ve got a larger head, and the fact that the wider tier of the cans wiggles a little bit means they can adapt to different head shapes. However, you can’t rotate the cups to lie flat, like you can on certain other headphones.

On the right cup, there’s an ANC button which you can use to switch ANC modes and also enable Bluetooth, and just beyond that is one of my favorite features of the cans. It’s a little joystick which you can use to turn on the buds (press and hold), play or pause (single press), change the volume (nudge it up or down) and go forward or back a track (nudge it left or right).

The connector of the Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 — (Image credit: Future)

It’s really simple and easy to use, and is probably the best implementation of touch controls that I’ve ever used on a pair of headphones.

Let’s also talk about sustainability. The 2023 models used 100% recycled plastics and aluminum, and the 2025 versions one-up that: 100% of the cobalt, copper and silver is fair-mined, 100% of the rare-earth materials are recycled and the cans were assembled with 100% renewable energy.

Now, I’m no eco-genius, but that all sounds good to me – especially the part about rare earth materials given how they cost the Earth. The buds are also modular, so if a part breaks you can replace it without needing a whole new pair of cans, and Fairphone offers a three-year warranty on the Fairbuds (one year longer than on the last model).

Design score: 5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Sound quality

40mm driver
Punchy, warm sound
Restrictive sound stage

While the 2025 model of Fairbuds XL have the same 40mm driver, one of their big updates is still in the sonic department. Apparently the new cans have been re-tuned for more balanced audio – that doesn’t quite track with my own experiences with them, but I’m not really complaining.

In our reporting on the original cans we noticed that the sound of the Fairbuds was “energetic and forthright, rather than refined an analytical”, and that’s exactly how the new model sound to me.

The bridge of the Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 — (Image credit: Future)

In sounds like O.A.R’s Lay Down, or Michael Franti’s Once A Day, you can hear the punch of brass lines and hearty bass, giving an infectious energy to songs. But songs which have complex instrumentation can sometimes feel like their losing some of their edge – Somewhere in Between by Morningsiders feels a little more monophonic than it needs.

Generally, it’s the warmer sounds that benefit from whatever touch Fairphone has added, with (reasonably) well-defined bass and mids that keep their head above the water more often than not. But there’s not quite the expansiveness through the soundstage as you might want and crave, which stops instruments from standing apart, keeping back certain songs from reaching their true sonic breadth and impact.

Some technical specs here: the Fairbuds connect with Bluetooth 5.1. They miss most codecs but do support aptX HD for higher-resolution 24-bit wireless streaming, if you're source material and device is up to it.

Sound quality: 3.5/5

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Value

The Fairphone Fairbuds XL 2025 folded down in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Pricier than the features would suggest
Longevity balances value out

If you compare the Fairbuds XL 2025 to same-price contemporaries, it’s easy to make the case that they’re not great value for money. They lack features and the same level of audio refinement that you’d get in rivals.

While that’s true, it's also missing a key point – these headphones are designed for longevity. Where you might need to buy a new pair of Sonys or Bose in a year or two when they inevitably break or the battery renders them unusable, the Fairbuds XL will almost certainly last you a lot longer.

So these are better value than they may first appear – but you need to be playing the long game to appreciate it.

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)?

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The ANC and battery life are average, and there are few other features.	3.5/5
Design	Between the eco-friendly build, the comfortable fit and the handy joystick, I have no notes.	5/5
Sound quality	It's a flawed but fun sound, far from perfect but still enjoyable to listen to.	3.5/5
Value	Sure, the price is high, but they'll last longer than alternatives.	4/5

Buy it if…

You care about the planet
It's the core selling point here: these have been built sustainably.

You want long-lasting cans
Between the modular design and the warranty, you can guarantee these will last longer than alternatives.View Deal

You like controlling music from your cans
The joystick is the single best control feature I've used in headphones.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You're on a budget
While they're long-lasting cans, that doesn't stop the fact that the upfront cost is fairly high.

You like tweaking your sound profile
The Fairbuds' equalizer doesn't give you much wiggle room over your sound, and the presets don't help.

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) review: Also consider

	Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)	House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel	Sony WH-1000XM5
Drivers	40mm	40mm	30mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life (ANC on)	30 hours	75 hours	30 hours
Weight	330g	517g	250g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.1	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.2
Waterproofing	IP54	IPX5	Not specified

House of Marley Positive Vibration Rebel
These more affordable headphones are made from wood and recycled aluminum, while offering a much longer-lasting battery too.

Sony WH-1000XM5
Thanks to its Green Management 2025 plan, Sony headphones can be relatively eco-friendly, and these previous-generation ones are actually cheaper than the Fairbuds.

Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

How I tested the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025)

Tested for 3 weeks
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport and the gym

My testing period for the Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) lasted for roughly 3 weeks, not including the additional time it took to write this review (or run them in).

I generally used the headphones for streaming music from Spotify and Tidal using my Android phone, but also tested on Netflix, Prime Video and various games. I listened at home, on walks around my local area, at the gym, and on public transport (trains and buses) during several long journeys.

In the past I've reviewed multiple smartphones from Fairphone, and other gadgets with an emphasis on eco-friendly tech. I've also tested plenty of headphones over the 7 years I've been writing for TechRadar.

First reviewed in December 2025

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

FiiO’s wired FT13 over-ear headphones offer unique design and an organized sound, they just lack a bit of bite

12:00 am | December 3, 2025

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

FiiO FT13: Two-minute review

If you’re after a touch of individuality in your wired, over-ear, closed-back headphones, the FiiO FT13 have you covered. These are big, relatively bulky headphones but that does mean that on the outside there’s plenty of room for a quantity of highly polished purpleheart wood, while on the inside you've got a pair of 60mm ‘W’-shaped dynamic drivers that offer a frequency response of 7Hz - 40kHz.

The standard of build and finish is excellent, and the combination of plenty of adjustability in the headband and some judicious clamping force means the FT13 are comfortable in situ. Mind you, the use of lambskin on the inside of the headband, and the choice of suede even more lambskin for the earpads, means vegetarians aren’t going to be comfortable in the slightest.

Inside the big, nicely tactile travel case there’s a choice of four cable terminations, along with a generous length of very credible Furukawa cable that connects to both earcups. These options mean you should be able to connect your FiiO to pretty much any source of sound available.

Once they’re connected, there’s plenty to enjoy. The sound is large and spacious, and thanks to good low-frequency control there’s lots of momentum and rhythmic confidence. The FT13 communicate readily through the midrange, too. If it weren’t for a slight tonal discrepancy at the top of the frequency range and a more obvious rolling off of the same area, they’d be even more obvious front-runners and part of the best wired headphones.

FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones in their own hard carry case. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Price and release date

Released November 5, 2025
$329 / £269 / AU$499 (approx.)

The FiiO FT13 wired over-ear closed-back headphones are on sale now, and in the United States they sell for no more than $329. The going rate in the United Kingdom is £269, while in Australia you’re looking at something like AU$499, where sold.

The FT13 look, on paper, like a lot of headphones for the money, but with everyone from Austrian Audio to Sennheiser having broadly similar alternatives available, it’s not going to be plain sailing…

FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones connected to a portable music player on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Features

60mm ‘W’-shaped dynamic drivers
7Hz - 40kHz frequency response
1.5m Furukawa silver-plated OFC cable

As we all know, FiiO never knowingly underspecifies any of its products. And that’s the case again here – wired headphones may not offer much scope for piling on the features, but the company has given it a proper go.

So, there’s a 1.5m length of Furukawa monocrystalline silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable in the package. This is terminated with two 3.5mm plugs at one end – each earcup must be wired – while at the other FiiO offers a choice. Thanks to a neat plug arrangement, the cable can be terminated with either 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced sockets; the 3.5mm version can accept a supplied 6.3mm adapter, and the 4.4mm version can accept a supplied four-pin XLR adapter. Good luck finding a piece of audio equipment with a headphone socket the FT13 can't connect to.

The cable feeds a pair of 60mm dynamic drivers. These are a ‘W’-shaped design, which makes the active area of an already oversized driver even larger than is the norm. The diaphragm is just 0.1mm thick and is made of a carbon-fiber and wood pulp that’s stiffened by wool fibers until it’s as light and rigid as possible.

The drivers are activated by a light, responsive CCAW (copper-clad aluminum wire) voice coil – it’s a high-efficiency design, says FiiO, and combines with the rest of the hardware to deliver a frequency response of 7Hz - 40kHz. Low impedance (32ohms) and high sensitivity (98dB) mean the FT13 are one of the more easy-to-drive options of their type around.

The headphones feature a long, slender, ‘U’-shaped damping tube above the back of the driver assembly inside the earcup. It’s intended to lower the resonant frequency inside the cavity in an effort to liberate greater low-frequency extension and control, and in combination with a standing wave chamber plus a quantity of resonance-absorbing cotton, FiiO suggests the FT13 offer more passive noise-isolation than any comparable design.

Features score: 5 / 5

Closeup of the drivers in earcup of the FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Sound quality

Spacious, well-defined presentation
Driving, rhythmically positive sound
Lack a touch of high-frequency presence

Flawless sound is hard to come by no matter how much you’re spending on a pair of headphones, of course, and sure enough the FiiO FT13 are not flawless in the way they sound. In the context of the asking price, though, and balanced against all the ways in which their sound is deft and enjoyable, it doesn’t seem all that reasonable to get too bogged down in their deficiencies.

In any case, those deficiencies are fairly slight. The way they go about reproducing the top of the frequency range means treble sounds don’t have a whole lot in common, tonally speaking, with all the frequency information below here – and they roll off the top end quite pointedly. If it’s real high-frequency attack and drive you value in your headphones, the FT13 are going to be altogether too polite and mild-mannered for your tastes.

Otherwise, though, the news is all quite positive. With a nice fat 24bit/192kHz FLAC file of David Bowie’s Sound and Vision playing, the FT13 create a large, well-laid-out soundstage and keep every element of the recording secure in a little individual pocket of space. They do this, though, without sacrificing any sense of togetherness or performance – they just ensure everyone gets sufficient elbow room.

Low frequency presence is considerable, but bass reproduction here is no blunt instrument. There’s plenty of detail regarding tone and texture available, and this level of variation combines nicely with decent observance of the attack and decay of low-end information. The FiiO describe rhythms confidently as a result. The modulation into the midrange is smooth, and here there’s similarly impressive detail retrieval and tonal fidelity – the double tracking of the vocal in this recording is made obvious, and the small harmonic variations in the voice are identified without being overstated. The FT13 communicate vocal intentions and attitudes really well.

Dynamic headroom is considerable, as a listen to a 24bit/44.1kHz FLAC file of Holy Ghost by Young Fathers makes apparent. The open and spacious sound of the FiiO allows the shifts in volume and attack in this recording to be made plain, and the distance between the quiet/malevolent and loud/even more malevolent passages couldn’t really be any greater. It’s worth noting the FiiO are pretty agnostic in this regard – they are more than happy to dig in and kick off if a recording demands it, but are just as comfortable dealing with the small-scale and understated.

Sound quality score: 4 / 5

Earcups of the FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones, connected to a portable music player, on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Design

356g (without cable)
Magnesium alloy headband and frame
South American purpleheart wood

Just as in the ‘features’ section, with the FT13 FiiO has taken what might, on the face of it, seem like an unpromising product type where ‘design’ is concerned and done its utmost. Unlike almost every price-comparable alternative, here it’s possible to discern that ‘design’, rather than simply ‘construction’, has happened.

The relatively large earcups are supplied with a choice of earpads. There’s suede (for a warmer sound, so the company says) or lambskin (for a cleaner presentation) and they’re easily swapped, but it should be noted that there’s no vegetarian option. On the outside of the earcups, meanwhile, the polished and lacquered purpleheart wood offers a genuine point of difference. The deep purple colour is entirely natural, the specifics of the grain are obviously unique to each pair of headphones, and its acoustic properties are long-established.

At 356g without the hefty cable attached, the FT13 are far from the lightest closed-back over-ear headphones around. But thanks to a light-yet-robust ‘U’-shaped magnesium alloy frame, some very carefully judged clamping force, and a ball-bearing adjustment mechanism with plenty of adjustability, it’s possible to get comfortable inside the FiiO and to stay that way for extended periods.

There’s a degree of articulation in the earcups, but the FT13 don’t come anywhere close to folding – the case in which they travel is necessarily bulky. It’s a reasonably good-looking case, at least, and the Yaoli linen from which it’s made is tactile, plus there are compartments inside for storing all your very many adapters and cable terminations.

Design score: 5 / 5

FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones, 1.5m cable, earpad options and various terminations, all on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Usability and setup

Select your source of music...
Ensure you have the appropriate cable termination fitted...
And away you go

Something would be terribly wrong, wouldn’t it, if the setup and usability of a pair of hard-wired passive headphones was in any way complicated?

The FT13 are about as involved as it ever gets, really. The quartet of options for cable termination means it might take you a beat or two longer to plug into your source of sound than it otherwise would.

After that, ensure you have your favored earcup in place, get comfortable using the headband adjustment mechanism, and you’re in business.

Usability and setup score: 5 / 5

Closeup up of the adjustable headband of the FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear wired headphones, on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Value

Standard of build and finish superb
Lots of available connectivity options
Excellent sound quality for price

In terms of specification, materials, the standard of build and finish, and the available connectivity options, there’s really no arguing with the value the FT13 offer. In fact, if you consider the generous use of staunchly non-vegetarian materials in their construction, perhaps there’s too much going on here.

But when it comes to performance, the sound quality that’s available here is likeable in lots of ways – and if the balance FiiO has struck is your kind of thing, you’ll find the FT13 offer very acceptable value for money indeed.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Hard carry case of the FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear headphones on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

FiiO FT13 review: Should you buy them?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Dizzying array of connections; 60mm dynamic 'W-shaped' drivers; good passive noise-isolation.	5 / 5
Sound quality	Spacious and well-defined, with a driving, rhythmically positive sound; but slight lack of high-frequency presence.	4 / 5
Design	Purpleheart wood offers unique finish; highly adjustable headband finds the midpoint between 'design' and 'construction'.	5 / 5
Usability and setup	Select the termination you want for your music source, and you're away.	5 / 5
Value	No arguing with the standard of build, finish or connectivity terminations, but lack of vegetarian options.	4.5 / 5

FiiO FT13 closed-back over-ear headphones plugged into a portable music player, on a wooden surface. — (Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Buy them if...

You like a bit of individuality
How many pairs of headphones that feature lots of purple-ish wood can you think of? Exactly.

You have several sources of music
The FT13 come with several different cable terminations.

You enjoy big and organized sound
The FiiO sound every bit as large as they look, and they control their soundstage with real determination.

Don't buy them if...

You’re vegetarian
Suede or lambskin are your options for earcups, and there’s more lambskin on the inside of the headband.

You’re on the small-headed side
These are relatively large headphones with relatively large earcups, and they could swamp those with a smaller-than-average head.

You like a bit of bite and shine to your sounds
The FT13 play it overtly safe where treble response is concerned, and they sound just slightly blunt at the top end as a result.

FiiO FT13 review: Also consider

Sennheiser HD 620S
The Sennheiser HD 620S have none of the FT13’s visual drama, but they most certainly have plenty where it counts - their sound is poised and spacious. They’re not as comfortable as the FiiO, it’s true, but then they’re not as off-putting to vegetarians, either.
Read our Sennheiser HD 620S review for more

FiiO FT13 review: How I tested

Tested for well over a week
Used as listening headphones, at home
Connected to numerous music sources using various different formats, file types and sizes

I connected the FiiO FT13 to the same brand’s M15S digital audio player using the balanced 4.4mm connection, to an Apple MacBook Pro using the 3.5mm jack and a Linn Majik DSM (5th Gen) using the 6.3mm connection. This way I got access to lots of different music, of numerous different formats, file types and file sizes, and I listened to the headphones for well over a week in several different rooms of my house.

The size and the purpleness of the headphones, along with the unwieldy nature of the cable, put me off using them outdoors, though.

First reviewed: December 2025
Read more about how we test

I tested the new cheap Earfun earbuds everyone’s raving about; here’s how they compare to my favorites

3:34 pm | November 13, 2025

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

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus: Two-minute review

I’ve tested quite a few pairs of Earfun earbuds before, but before I’d even had a chance to get the new Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus into my shell-likes, I’d already seen countless rave reviews of them from other websites. Suffice to say, the press at large finally discovered Earfun (not just audio-savvy types like me) and their impressions are glowing.

I can’t pretend to have reviewed every Earfun proposition – the budget brand puts out far more products than any one person could hope to review – but I’ve used multiple of its in-ears and over-ears, and some of them have made it into TechRadar's list of the best cheap headphones we (and I) have tested.

So what about the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus, so good that Earfun had to name it four times (then add a 'Plus' moniker, to make things a bit more confusing)? They’re – drumroll please – absolutely fine. More of the cheap-and-cheerful same that I’ve come to expect from the brand, but with a few rough edges that mean they’re not the best earbuds I’ve ever used. No, not even at this low price.

The 'Plus' presumably signifies a more advanced model of the Earfun Air Pro 4 I tested in late 2024, although with more titles than a character from Downton Abbey it’s hard to be sure. Those were decent and cheap headphones with a few too many EQ modes for their own good and a lack of refinement in the audio department, and the Plus has added a few things – but not fixed any of those issues.

As with other buds from the brand, my favorite thing about the Air Pro 4 Plus is the stand-out feature list, which rivals alternatives that’d cost you twice as much. There’s a stellar battery life, a listening test, dual-device connectivity and multiple other options. When you put some Earfuns in, the ball’s in your court.

The things is, loads of features can also become a problem – there are six different ANC modes (counting ‘off’, I’ll admit), one of which has its own slider. How to tell which mode you should be using at any one time is anyone’s guess (unless you want it ‘off’, which is a pretty easy pick).

The buds are nice and lightweight, surviving long listening periods as well as gym workouts and runs well, and the case is pretty svelte too. These are solid picks for your commute or while you’re sitting in the office.

If you’re an audiophile, though, these won’t tick your boxes; they’re not the best buds in terms of sound, even for their price. I’ll get to some better-sounding options below, but the feature set makes a great case for why you should consider buying these anyway.

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Price and release date

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus on top of a keyboard. — (Image credit: Future)

Released on September 26, 2025
Costs $99.99 / £89.99 (around AU$280)
Slight price increase over non-Plus model

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus – I’m going to get really sick of writing that whole title out across this review, I can tell – were released on September 26, 2025, and could be bought on that day.

The official price of the earbuds is $99.99 / £89.99 (around AU$180) . Amazon lists those costs as the discounted price, and $119.99 / £109.99 (around AU$220) as the original price, but as far as I can tell they’ve never been sold for that higher price, making it look like a bit of an underhanded method to present the usual price as discounted. On Earfun’s website, the cheaper price is presented as the normal one, and so I’m taking that as my guide price for the purposes of context and comparison.

That price puts them as a hair pricier than the $89.99 / £79.99 (roughly AU$140) Air Pro 4, and roughly the same as the Air Pro 3. They’re among the priciest buds for Earfun but that’s not saying much, as the brand specializes in affordable audio.

At that cost, I’d still call the Air Pro 4 Plus ‘cheap earbuds’, although they’re toeing the border and bumping up against some real heavyweight rivals in the triple-figure-price-tag camp.

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Specs

Drivers	Balanced Armature driver + 10mm dynamic driver
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	12 hours (buds) 54 hours (case)
Weight	5g (buds) 54g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6
Frequency response	Not listed
Waterproofing	IP55

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Features

8-hour buds battery, 54-hour with case
Confusing ANC modes
Loads of handy features in app

I love a meaty battery life in earbuds, and Earfun clearly concurs. With 54 hours of listening time in the tank, you’re not going to need to worry about powering the buds daily (or even weekly, depending on your listening habits).

That’s the figure for the case, and the buds themselves last 12 hours if you’re listening with ANC turned off or 8 hours if it’s turned on. Both are great figures, slightly better than on the non-Plus model, that’ll assuage any battery anxiety you might have.

You get a few extra features with Earfun Audio, the tie-in smartphone app. You can toggle wear detection, customize the buds’ touch controls, choose which Bluetooth codecs are in use, change some microphone settings, find your headphones if you’ve misplaced them, and set up dual device connection.

I’m always surprised by the number of features Earfun offers in its earbuds, with many premium alternatives having half as many. Sometimes that gets a little overwhelming though, like in the case of noise cancellation. Not counting ‘off’ or a useful Ambient mode, there are four different modes: Ear Adaptive, Environment Adaptive, Wind and Manual Adaptive (which lets you use a slider to choose its intensity).

Even after having read the descriptions multiple times, and having used other Earfun products with these modes, I can’t tell the difference between Ear and Environment, or Environment and Wind, and have no idea how to choose which of these modes to use. Even if I could work out the use case for each mode, there’s no way you’re going to catch me going into the app to change modes every time the wind picks up a little bit.

The app offers an equalizer with myriad presets, a ten-band custom mode or a sound profile test to create a personalized mix. This latter isn’t quite as accurate as rival modes, but generally speaking you have to spend a lot more money on alternatives with listening tests, so it’s a welcome presence in this budget option.

Through the entire testing process, I never once had any Bluetooth drop-out issues with the buds, and it was reliably quick to pair. You can probably thank the use of Bluetooth 6 for this, which is a much more advanced version of wireless connection than most rival buds have.

Features score: 4.5/5

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Design

Understated purple hue
Lightweight case and buds
IPX5 rating

It’s in the name: the ‘Air’ part of Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus describes the case. It’s lovely and light, weighing 54g, and the ‘clamshell’ style of opening means it’s easy enough to open and remove the buds. No fiddling involved.

Now onto the buds; they’re nice and lightweight too, hitting the scales at about 6g, although they seem a little bit bigger than the non-Plus models (at least, based on my recollection, and I’m sure a justification will be clear when we get to the sound quality section).

The Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus are stem-style buds, with the earbuds attached to your ear via a tip, and a stem dangling down, just like AirPods.

Each bud has a touch control, which you can trigger by tapping the circle at the top of the stem. I found them easy to press, albeit a little too sensitive when I was readjusting the buds in my ears.

The buds have an IP55 rating, which means they’re protected against limited dust ingress and jets of water. This latter means they’re not suitable for water submersion, so don’t take them for a swim. One of the benefits of a plastic build material ensures that the buds are hardy against drops and knocks.

I took the Earfuns to the gym a few times and they never fell out, and while they felt a little loose when they accompanied me on a run, they never actually did fall out. This was with the default tips, but the box comes with a few alternatives to account for various ear sizes. They were comfy to wear too, and I didn’t face any aches or strains after extended listening periods.

Design score: 4/5

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Sound quality

BA driver + 10mm dynamic driver
Range of codecs supported
Treble and mids still miss some pizzazz

Perhaps the biggest advances the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus brings over its siblings – and other cheap buds – is in the audio specs department.

There are two drivers: a 10mm composite dynamic driver which handles the bass and midrange, alongside a balanced armature driver which focuses on providing high-frequency response and high audio detail.

If that wasn’t enough, the Earfun supports a range of audio codecs and features that you’d expect from pricey buds: LDAC, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive Snapdragon Sound and Hi-Res Audio Wireless Certification to be precise.

The spec improvements certainly bring some benefits over past Earfun buds I’ve tested, with well-defined bass and a slightly more pronounced sound stage, but the augments don’t do enough to make these sonic equals to some of the other budget buds on the market.

Treble remains somewhat dampened, with vocals missing that sparkly energy and depth that you’d want from a song, and mids still hopelessly lost in the mix. As I mentioned before, the bass improvements ensure it’s tactfully-tuned, and doesn’t drown out other parts of a song as much as in the non-Plus pair, but that also makes these buds less tempting for bass-heads.

Using the equalizer, you can pull out some strings to improve the sound – I liked Vocal Enhancement which added some force to the sung word and expanded the sound stage, but it increased the risk of peaking on certain instruments and made sibilant lines sound tinny. For certain other sounds I went for Bass Boost 1, which doesn’t send the bass into overdrive as you’d expect, but adds clarity and dimension to low-frequency lines. As a bass player myself, it got surprisingly close to replicating the sound of actually playing a bass guitar.

I don’t want to be too down on the Air Pro 4 Plus – it sounds perfectly fine, and I don’t imagine many people will be disappointed by how it sounds. But as someone that’s tested plenty of rivals, I’d be remiss not to point out that it’s not the top dog.

Sound quality: 3.5/5

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Value

Feature set is great for price
Audio quality is more what you'd expect

As with its many past earbuds, Earfun has packed a great number of features and some impressive specs into a relatively low-cost set of buds.

Perhaps not all of those features are as fleshed-out as they would be on a pricier pair of buds, but their very presence in the first place is great for people who don’t want to pay more.

My only caveat would be that you could get even more bang for your buck by buying one of Earfun’s other, cheaper options.

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus?

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	You're getting loads of features for the price, and a fantastic battery life, even if the ANC situation is confusing.	4.5/5
Design	They're nice and light, and reliably stick in the ear.	4/5
Sound quality	There are a few issues, but nothing that you can't overlook with the price.	3.5/5
Value	You're getting an impressive feature set for the price you're paying.	4/5

Buy it if…

You need buds for the long haul
Thanks to the case offering 54 hours of listening time, these buds will be great for people who can't regularly get to a charging point.

You like tweaking with your music
There are loads of presets, a 10-band equalizer and your own personal sound thanks to the listening test. Great for people who like their own music.View Deal

You need something lightweight
I liked how easy it was to forget about the Earfun; when the buds were in my ears, and while the case was in my pocket.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You need fine-tuned music
I didn't mind listening to the Air Pro 4 Plus, but they're not my favorite cheap buds ever, at least when it comes to audio quality.

You need the best noise cancellation
The ANC was fine, but due to the myriad options and my confusion on which to pick, it's hard to say how to get the best of the buds.

Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus review: Also consider

	Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus	Skullcandy Method 360	Sony WF-C710N
Drivers	Balanced Armature driver + 10mm dynamic driver	12mm	5mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	12 hours (buds) 54 hours total (with case)	11 hours (buds) 29 hours total (with case)	12 hours (buds) 30 hours total (with case)
Weight	5g (buds) 54g (case)	11g (buds); 77g (case)	5.2g (buds); 38g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Waterproofing	IP55	IPX4	IPX4

Sony WF-C710N
These top-rated and similarly-priced earbuds from Sony have fantastic noise cancellation and a great range of the company's features. A few of the Earfun's features are missing, like LDAC, but it's still a top-rated pick (and it looks funky too).
Read our full Sony WF-C710N review here

Skullcandy Method 360
These are perhaps my favorite sub-$100 earbuds of the year so far. They've got a lovely bassy sound, a funky look (both for the buds and the case) and a snug fit that kept them safe in the ear. The case is absolutely huge, though.
Check out our full Skullcandy Method 360 review here

How I tested the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus

Tested for 2 weeks
Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and on runss

I used the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus for about two weeks to write this review, which is about enough time to write that entire name.

During the test process, the buds were mostly paired to my Android smartphone. I used them in a wide variety of environments including at home, at the gym, on walks around my borough, on runs and to the shops. I played games, listened to Spotify, Tidal and Qobuz and watched YouTube videos as the main ways to test, but used them as my daily blowers too, so there are a plethora of other tasks I used them for.

As mentioned in the introduction, I saw quite a bit of coverage on the Earfun before writing my review, however I never read into reviews beyond the positive headlines in order to avoid their biasing my opinions.

Also as mentioned, I've used other Earfun earbuds in the past, as well as plenty of other cheap alternatives in my six-plus years testing tech for TechRadar.

First reviewed in November 2025

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

CMF Headphone Pro could easily cost twice as much – and even if the sound is fun and fierce (rather than fully fledged fantastic) they’re still a great buy

5:28 pm | November 12, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: Apple Music, LDAC | Comments: Off

CMF Headphone Pro: two-minute review

Anyone familiar with Nothing and/or its affordable sub-brand CMF (often written as "CMF by Nothing", but the company has seemingly dropped the last two words of its traditional moniker for this particular product) knows that a normal-looking set of headphones was never going to be on the brand's bingo card.

And true to form, the CMF Headphone Pro neither look normal nor behave normally for the level – and I mean that in a good way. They're modular, with the option of buying extra ear pads if you want an even more striking look (pistachio with orange, anyone?) and there are three thoroughly abnormal on-ear controls, too, including an 'Energy Slider', an excellent 'Multi-function roller' and an 'Action button'. All of which I'll get into later.

How's the sound? Actually, really good for the level – easily as detailed, nuanced and energetic enough to skip to the top of our best cheap headphones guide. And while they won't compete with the more flagship models in our best headphones roundup for neutrality or audiophile-grade insight (and the noise nixing won't challenge pricier sets from Bose, Cambridge or Apple in our best noise-cancelling headphones list), there's clarity, a great circumaural delivery, two types of spatial audio, LDAC and hi-res wired connectivity.

And all of this means I can't – nay, won't! – pick too much fault for the money, especially when I've compared them to Nothing's original Headphone (1) and actually preferred the audio in the newer cans…

CMF Headphone Pro in pistachio green held in a hand or hung on a barbell, being pushed up by a carved frog — (Image credit: Future)

Oh, and that's before I get granular on the fact that the CMF Headphone Pro include one of the most detailed hearing tests of any set of cans I've ever tried at the level, which the headphones use to create a remarkable personal profile for your listening. It's something I thoroughly recommend you take soon after buying them.

OK, your EQ is limited to three tabs if you want to create a preset yourself, you don't get a hard-shell case (or even a USB-C charger) in the box and the 'Energy Slider' feels a little surplus to requirements when they're a bit bassy to begin with (although some will love it – particularly grime and drum 'n' bass fans). But the battery life is nothing short of excellent for the money and for me, the sound quality more than atones for these minor drawbacks.

All in all, you could do so much worse for $99 / £79 – and having seen a few healthy discounts already, I find myself recommending them even more urgently…

CMF Headphone Pro review: price & release date

$99 / £79 / AU$179
Launched on September 29, 2025

The CMF Headphone Pro launched on September 29, 2025, with a list price of $99 / £79 / AU$179, but in the UK I've already seen them discounted to £49 (at the time of writing, Black Friday approaches). This is huge because for that money you won't regret this purchase, I assure you.

At their regular list price, the CMF Pro Headphone's closest competition is likely the 2024 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 at $89 / £99 / AU$130, which also boast a great battery life and perhaps edge it for ANC efficacy, but the build is a tad flimsier, including the buttons. Also the 1More's app is neither as seamless or enjoyable and to be honest, the design doesn't exactly wow me – not like the CMF Headphone Pro's does, anyway.

Meanwhile, Nothing's own flagship Nothing Headphone (1) launched on July 15, 2025 with asking fees of $299 / £299 / AU$549 – ie. at least triple the price of the CMF Headphone Pro, depending on where you're buying. So, you know, food for thought there…

CMF Headphone Pro review: Specs

Drivers	40mm (nickel-plated diaphragms; 16.5 mm copper voice coil; dual chamber design)
Active noise cancellation	Yes (low; mid; high; adaptive)
Battery life	50 hours ANC on; 100 hours ANC off
Weight	283g
Connectivity	LDAC, AAC, 3.5mm - 3.5mm hi-res certified
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz
Waterproofing	None

CMF Headphone Pro either beside Nothing Headphone (1) or on a table, with the accessories in the box — (Image credit: Future)

CMF Headphone Pro review: features

Excellent Personal Sound curation
Class-leading battery life
Premium-feel companion app

Here's the thing with the CMF Headphone Pro: they surprise you at every turn. The Nothing X companion app is slick, chic and helpful. Make no mistake, the experience here is thoroughly Nothing, which is to say that it still feels premium, rather than budget-grade.

The excellent hearing test software – which takes roughly three minutes and involves struggling to listen to ever-quieter tones piped first into your left ear, then your right – creates a graph of your hearing in each ear, then one of the best Personal profiles I've had the pleasure of testing at this level.

Aside from support for the more hifalutin LDAC Bluetooth codec, the CMF Headphone Pro also offer wired 3.5mm Hi-Res certified listening, albeit only when they're powered on, rather than passively. I hooked them up to my FiiO M15S (which is a fair bit smaller than the FiiO M23 player) and Teenage Fanclub's Satan was every bit as jagged, petulant and angsty through the ragged intro as I could've wished for, even at 45 per cent volume.

There's a dual connection toggle in the app which essentially means multipoint is on the menu and why you'd ever toggle it off I don't know – it becomes essential very quickly for chopping and changing between music from my phone and team meetings on my laptop.

CMF Headphone Pro: three screen-grabs of the Nothing X app — (Image credit: CMF)

Also here in the Nothing X app, you'll find noise cancellation in low, mid, high, adaptive and off increments, as well as a transparency option. The transparency profile in particular is very good, augmenting nearby voices in a useful way and without making frequencies within my music go tinny and unpleasant.

The ANC is fine rather than fantastic at dulling extraneous noise (the claim is up to 40 dB noise reduction, although that feels optimistic to me), but it does so without upsetting my music's timbre and detail. Ultimately I'd rather have it than not, which is not something I say about all budget noise-nixing software and at this level that's more than good enough. Serious, weapons-grade active noise cancellation really does still require climbing further up the food chain, because I've yet to find anything for this money that offers Bose-grade ANC. OK? OK, good to make that clear.

While I'm on the subject of mics (because these are imperative for the aforementioned ANC), the Headphone Pro come with three of the what Nothing calls "HD microphones" and with that same metallic wind-resistant mesh around each of them, they do look almost identical to those on the Nothing Headphone (1). Aside from ANC, these mics provide Clear Voice Technology in a bid to keep your voice sharp in calls. Now, I've been told my dulcet tones were indeed audible and clear in calls, but perhaps because the cups are quite big and the padding so ample, passive isolation is also good to the point that I could barely hear my own voice when talking. There's no sidetone-adjacent tech to boost your own speech either. Would I expect that at this level? No, but it's my job to point it out as a very minor issue.

Elsewhere, there are two flavors of device- and streaming service-agnostic spatial audio: cinema mode or concert mode. Cinema mode broadens the soundstage a touch, for clear dialog and decent pew-pew bullet effects in movies; concert mode is all about plonking you in the middle of a concert. Neither offers a dynamic, head-tracked presentation with your phone as the source device, mind, but I still enjoyed concert mode for lowering me into the melee a touch more.

Features score: 4.5/5

CMF Headphone Pro review: sound quality

Punchy, expressive and zealous – a true circumaural listen
Nuance and detail with both wired and LDAC listening
Limited in-app EQ options; energy slider gives mixed results

I'll talk a lot about the energy slider to amp up the treble and bass in the 'design' section of this review, below (since this unusual button is a key part of the headphones' design) but know this: if you want the most detailed, layered, unadulterated sound, you should probably leave this kind of tinkering alone.

There's a low lag toggle in the app to minimize issues when watching content, but I keep that off to test the sound over LDAC. And here, Billie Eilish's WILDFLOWER is emotive, textured, layered and underpinned by inky-deep and resonant keys.

Uh Oh by Tate McRae is a great test of the CMF Headphone Pro's bass impact and, let me tell you, if you like to feel a beat in your molars, these headphones can oblige. It's a head-nodding, cohesive mix with snap and crisp leading edges of notes, particularly through those zealous bass registers.

Switching to Girls Like You by Maroon 5 and I hear the intentional blurring of the axe in the intro, with Adam Levine's vocal upfront, up-close and central in an expansive and exciting soundstage. It’s Amazing to Be Young by Fontaines D.C. is a similar story – and here I perceive treble elements in the intro that lesser headphones can’t reach, along with oft-overlooked happier inflections is Grian Chatten's voice.

It's an emotive mix overall, but Nothing has just about stayed on the right side of faithful here, rather than succumbing to parlor tricks to get you in the feels – unless you want to deploy those with the slider. Every Other Freckle by alt-J is a good one to to prove this. I really get the sense that Joe Newman wants every other freckle, even at 50 per cent volume, with certain lines (like ‘let me be the wallpaper that papers up your room’) jumping out more readily in what is a highly complex track.

Did I listen against the original Headphone (1)? I did. And while the presentation is a touch more neutral in the inaugural (and much more expensive) product, I did feel that the CMF opens the audio out just a touch more. It's also a more full-throttle listen to boot.

Could the CMF Headphone Pro offer even more detail – even more nuance through the rise and fall of each musical passage? Yes, of course, but if the ultimate in audiophile sound quality had been achieved for this money we could all go home. There are compromises in terms of true neutrality and an ounce or two of clarity here and there over much pricier options. But know this: for the money, these headphones sound a lot better than I expected.

Sound quality score: 4.5/5

CMF Headphone Pro review: design

Nothing isn't afraid to be different – but no cassettes on your ears here
Extension arms are silent; comfort is good
On-ear controls work well, but the Energy Slider is a tad gimmicky

If you'd asked me to sketch what I thought a set of headphones made by Nothing's budget sub-brand CMF should look like, I can confidently tell you that I would not have drawn the CMF Headphone Pro.

Where the CMF Buds Pro 2 are all angular lines, slightly odd circle and grid motifs, brushed matte plastic (available in dark gray, blue, or red and with a silver rotary dial in the corner of the case), the CMF Headphone Pro come in totally different light green, light gray or darker gray glossy finishes with a resoundingly cushioned, polyurethane synthetic leather and memory foam build across the headband and ear pads.

My review sample is giving two tubs of pistachio ice cream and, for me, the build quality is rock solid for the level. The band is comfortable over the crown of my head, extends silently and offers decent clamping force without ever hurting. The ear cups are generously padded and rotate to lie flat (although they don't concertina up into the band for easier storage) and the buttons are not at all flimsy.

So let's explain what's going on with those, shall we? On the left ear cup, in between two mics you'll find power/pairing, your 3.5mm in and an 'Energy Slider'. The function of this solid little slider can be switched between 'Bass Tuning' and 'Treble Tuning' in the Nothing X app.

I cue up Kehlani's Folded to toy with the bass slider and ramping things up does augment the low end, albeit to the point of marginal bloating – but hey, it's a way of replicating that authentic 'standing just a little too close to a big (possibly blown?) sub at a gig' feel. Switching to the treble option and the track does sound a little too sweet and even tinny when moving the slider through its range, but then I know from various hearing tests that my own ear hones in on treble frequencies in most mixes. Having been on the fence about all of this for a week or so, I've decided that it does add novelty and for some grime tracks it might be a winner.

On the right ear cup and above the USB-C port, there's a little circular button with a red dot at the center. In the X app, this is simply called 'Button' and your options here are a single press or long press. A single press can handle voice assistant access, noise control, spatial audio profiles or even switch the mics on or off (there's another on this ear cup). A long press? That can perform any function from this same menu.

But above this is where I think Nothing has really knocked it out the park, because this brings me to the 'Roller' in the controls menu. And as well as being able to roll this to quickly tweak the volume (seems like a small thing but really isn't – especially when you're on the go) you can press and hold it to scroll through noise-cancellation profiles, single press it to pause and resume playback or answer/hang up on calls, double press to skip a track or triple press to go back.

There's no IP rating for rain or dust ingress, which isn't unusual at the level (or even a rung higher up) but because you also only get a simple fabric bag for transportation, you might want to think carefully about taking these out in the rain.

One other thing: you get a 3.5mm cable in the box, but no USB-C charger cable – much less an actual wall plug for it. In 2025, you almost certainly have one of these already in the wings, waiting for the job, but if you were hoping for an extra (or one in the CMF Headphone Pro's winsome pistachio green, say), you'll be disappointed.

Design score: 4.5/5

CMF Headphone Pro review: value

An excellent all-round budget package
No charger or hard-shell case – but these are minor omissions
As a sound-per-pound proposition, there's top value here

I mean look, for this money I struggle to argue with even basic headphones, provided they sound good for the level. But the CMF Headphone Pro are not basic headphones – just see the hearing test software and extra on-ear controls for that. They're a lot better than basic and a lot better than their fee suggests.

Market saturation does of course drive pricing and here, that's very good for us.

OK, those wanting bubble-of-silence ANC will not find their ideal set of cheap headphones here (the ANC is adequate, it just isn't shutting out the entire world), but those wanting zealous, bass-blasting sound and/or a quirky design that actually is not a case of style over substance just found a great inexpensive option to step out with.

Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the CMF Headphone Pro?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Excellent battery life, LDAC, top-tier app, adequate ANC	4.5/5
Sound quality	Big bass energy and commendable detail, with phenomenal hearing tests for the level	4.5/5
Design	Finessed, yet unusual – even among CMF by Nothing's other audio gear. You love to see it.	4.5/5
Value	Great audio, incomparable design, OK ANC, amazing battery life and a super-low price.	4.5/5

Buy them if…

You’re after a budget buy – but with good sound
With a list price of $99 / £79 / AU$179, but dropping even as I type, CMF by Nothing has aimed these headphones squarely at the budget market and priced them to sell out quickly. And given the audio quality and hearing test software to create a profile just for your ears, you won't find me suggesting you don't buy them…

You love on-ear whistles and bells
I actually really enjoyed playing with the various sliders and rollers on the CMF Headphone Pro – and while they're not exactly a gateway audiophile-grade sonic clarity, they do mean you can tweak the volume easily without grabbing your oh-so-pinchable phone, on the commute.

You like to style your own way
These headphones are not the same as the swathes of Sony dupes out there in the budget sector. And if a striking mint-or-pistachio green hue isn't enough for you, CMF sells alternate ear cups in a striking orange color for a nominal fee ($25 or £19). Mint!

Don’t buy them if…

You want bubble-of-silence ANC
The CMF Headphone Pro's solution is acceptable for the money, but it won't nix jet-engine noise on your next long-haul flight. For that, though, you'll need to climb the ranks a little, with something like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) or the Apple AirPods Max. And by "climb the ranks", I mean that there'll be a surcharge.

You want auto-off when you remove them
No dice here, sadly, but it's perhaps the one area where they're lacking in terms of features I'd hoped to see.

You need to hear your own voice in calls
Certain pricier cans offer tech called 'sidetone' or similar, to pipe the sound of your own voice into your ears as you converse on calls. The CMF Headphone Pro don't have this, but the good news is that it's only an issue when the passive isolation is as good as it is in these headphones…

CMF Headphone Pro review: also consider

	CMF Headphone Pro	1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51	Earfun Wave Pro	Sony WH-CH720N
Price	$99 / £79 / AU$179	$89 / £99 / AU$130	$79.99 / £79.99 (about AU$13)	$149 / £99 / AU$259
Drivers	40mm (nickel-plated diaphragms; 16.5 mm copper voice coil; dual chamber design)	40mm dynamic	40mm dynamic	30mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	50 hours ANC on; 100 hours ANC off	65 hours ANC on; 100 hours ANC off	55 hours ANC on; 80 hours ANC off	35 hours ANC on; 50 hours ANC off
Weight	283g	246g	268g	192g
Connectivity	Bluetooth version not stated; LDAC, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz	20Hz-40kHz	20Hz-40kHz	7Hz-20kHz
Waterproofing	None	None	None	None

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
Head over to our best headphones guide and our pick of the budget cans is the product you see written in bold, above this sentence. They're a bit normal, looks-wise, but after that there's nothing average about their performance – including the stamina. The ANC probably just edges it over the CMF Headphone Pro, too, although the build quality and companion app don't feel as good. Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review to learn more.

Earfun Wave Pro
For quite some time, the Earfun Wave Pro also held the title of best budget option in our guide to the best over-ear headphones – and it’s not difficult to see why. Think similarly stupendous battery life, above-average sound and a neat design, all at a temptingly low price. Not into the quirky aesthetic of the CMF Headphone Pro? Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review.

CMF Headphone Pro review: How I tested

Tested for four weeks
Used at home, on the Eurostar to Paris, at the (blustery) beach
Predominantly tested using Tidal and Apple Music, or wired to my FiiO DAP

I tested the CMF Headphone Pro over a period of four weeks, using my MacBook Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and LDAC-toting FiiO M15S as source devices.

I listened to everything from my heavy rotation Three Bean Salad podcast on a long walk on Weymouth's blustery beach, to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska '82 Outtakes on the Eurostar train to Paris from London. I listened in both wired and wireless modes and found much to celebrate in terms of audio chops across the frequencies and energy.

I maxed out the battery and got 49.5 hours from them using ANC too – which, given their 50-hour claim at 50 per cent volume is no meat feat.

I've been testing audio products full time since 2019, first on TechRadar's sister publication What Hi-Fi? as a lowly Staff Writer, then Senior Staff Writer at TechRadar and, since early 2024, Audio Editor (hey, career progression is gradual sometimes in journalism… and that's fine when you've got music).

First reviewed: November 2025
Read more about how we test

I really like Beyerdynamic’s newest on-ear headphones, but more for their looks, battery life, and portability than their sound quality

2:00 pm | November 2, 2025

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: Australia, DNA, UK, US | Comments: Off

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100: Two-minute review

I really like the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 and have enjoyed my time reviewing them, but feel a little conflicted because their sound quality may actually be one of their least interesting qualities.

That’s not to say that they don’t sound good – in fact, I think anyone shopping for a pair of headphones for under $250 (and are used to cheaper headphones) will have nothing but great things to say about how these sound. They’re fun to listen to, just a little exaggerated in their tuning (a little hyped, if you will) particularly through the low end and not as detailed as I would expect, especially from an audio specialist such as Beyerdynamic.

But if their big brother, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 300, can hang with the best wireless headphones in terms of audio quality, the Aventho 100’s best attributes have more to do with their design, from the cool old-school Aviator look to the fact that they fold up to a relatively small size for easy portability. They also come with a very healthy battery life that adds to their long-haul flight appeal.

Overall, these are fun headphones that are great for anyone looking for something a little distinctive or a bit more portable, where the last word in audio quality is not the most important factor (again, they sound good, but they don’t do anything particularly special on the audio front at this level either).

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 headphones on a wooden table — (Image credit: Future)

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100: Price and release date

Priced $229.99 / £199.00 / AU$314.00
Released on July 8, 2025
Available in the US, UK, and Australia

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100‘s price tag of $229.99 / £199.00 / AU$314.00 is firmly in mid-range territory. And that’s appropriate for these headphones. They have a solid feature set, but it’s not the full kitchen sink. And these on-ear headphones are meant a little more for those looking for a unique looking pair of 'lifestyle' headphones than those wanting the ultimate audio performance, which in the Beyerdynamic ecosystem are the Beyerdynamic Aventho 300.

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are available in the US, UK, and Australia. If you’re in the EU, they’ve been available since July of this year whereas those in North America have been able to order them since September.

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Specs

Drivers	Not stated
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life	More than 60 hours (or more than 40 hours with ANC)
Weight	220g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive; USB-C charging
Waterproofing	N/A

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Features

No proprietary spatial audio or headtracking
Supports lossless over Bluetooth
Adaptive ANC and transparency modes available via app

While the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 doesn’t have the full bag of tricks of more expensive headphones like head tracking or Dolby Atmos, they have enough to satisfy most people. To start, these headphones support lossless audio including aptX Lossless and the aptX Adaptive codec (which automatically balances quality and latency over Bluetooth) as well as the more vanilla AAC and SBC. Multipoint connectivity is on offer as well, which is useful.

Most of the Aventho 100’s adjustable features are accessible via the easy-to-use mobile app. The presses and holds on the action button can be remapped to a small number of different options, though I do wish Beyerdynamic could have facilitated the enabling / disabling of active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes here.

On that note, not only are both ANC and transparency modes available in the companion app, but both have three levels (low, medium, high). Both work reasonably well. I was able to use the ANC while working in a cafe and didn’t hear anything but the music I was listening to. The transparency mode does a good job as well, though as soon as I play music at anything but a low level, I can’t really hear my surroundings.

Overall, I appreciate the inclusion and think these profiles work well, particularly so given that these are on-ear headphones, but they aren’t going to be quite as robust as what you'll find in flagship Bose or Sony headphones – Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), I'm looking at you…

Features score: 4.5/5

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Design

Cool if not quite premium old-school Aviator aesthetic
Foldable with soft case
Very long battery life

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100’s design are notable in comparison to other headphones not only because they’re on-ear as opposed to over-ear (as the majority of $200+ headphones tend to be these days), but because they sport an old aviator-style aesthetic that is marked contrast from the competition.

Of course, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 aren’t the only aviator-inspired on-ear headphones out there. The Master and Dynamic MH40 already fit the bill (see the heritage MW50 Wireless too), but are also often double the price. Unlike those M&D headphones, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are half metal and half molded plastic, which keeps them from feeling as premium on my ears as they look in their advertising images. Still, whether you get the black, brown, or cream colorway, they do have quite the vibe.

Filling out the look are the removable ear cups and headband padding. Both have a relatively plush feel and are covered in what I can only assume is some kind of pleather-type material.

On that note, the feel and fit is comfortable. There is plenty of adjustment for different size heads via the ear cup yokes and that padding is soft enough that I’m able to wear the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 for long listening sessions without feeling fatigued. They do sit a little tight on the head initially, but this can be stretched out.

The controls all sit on the right earcup (left and right are marked on the cloth inside the earcups) and consist of a volume up, action, volume down, and power / bluetooth pairing button. And they responded quickly and accurately, whether I’m adjusting the volume or pressing the action button twice to go to the next track.

One thing I appreciate about the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 is that they’ve been designed for easy travel. They not only come with a soft traveling case and USB and Aux cables (the former for charging), but have foldable ear cups so that they take up less space. That makes these much more attractive for those who travel light like myself over something like their big brother, the Aventho 300, or even bigger headphones like the Apple Airpods Max or Sony WH-1000XM6.

Lastly, the battery life on the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 is quite impressive. With ANC on, they still last 40 hours, and without, can last 60 without needing a recharge. Plus, if for some reason you get really low, 15 minutes of charging turns into 15 hours of playback. That kind of fast charging is very helpful.

Design score: 4.5/5

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Sound quality

Lots of bass
Fun, but not very neutral or accurate sound
Has low latency for watching media

When using the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100, I listened to all sorts of music for a benchmark. This included rock, hip hop, electronic dance to acoustic and jazz. After my extended time with these headphones, I was struck by the amount of low-end the default audio profile has.

In fact, I had to go into the EQ settings in the app and use the “neutral” setting to get a more balanced sound. Simon & Garfunkel's Scarborough Fair doesn’t sound quite as good as Kendrick Lamar's DNA. It’s no surprise then that this setting cuts the bass quite a bit, along with an extreme high-end cut.

Speaking of that high end, the Aventho 100 have plenty of presence, sometimes even sounding a tiny bit harsh (also helped with that neutral setting). Somehow though, they don’t have quite the resolution that I’ve experienced with other Beyerdynamic headphones.

I appreciate that the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 support lossless audio, but these are not audiophile-grade listening headphones. I may sound a bit negative on these headphones, but they actually do sound fun to listen to. They’re just not accurate in the way the Aventho 300 are – and I also tested those.

Since many people also use headphones when watching TV and movies, it’s worth noting that these work well with streaming Netflix or Youtube. Not only do they use Bluetooth 5.4 but have a low latency mode available through the app. I didn’t notice any lag or latency when watching something on my phone or computer.

Sound quality: 4/5

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Value

Not overpriced, but not exceptional value, either
Significantly cheaper than their big brother
Competition at this price will have other compromises

Some headphones punch way above their weight compared to their price tag and some come with a hefty price tag that are only really justified by their name or because they’re marketed as "premium".

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 fit into neither of those categories. At $229.99 / £199.00 / AU$314.00, they’re about what I would expect them to cost. As mentioned, they look cool but are partially molded plastic instead of more premium (and costly) materials. Their sound quality is also fairly middle-of-the-road. Of course, they’re a step down in terms of sound quality from the Beyerdynamic Aventho 300, but those have an MSRP of $399.99 / £359.00 (about AU$640). That’s almost double, and it's not lost on me – because the Aventho 300 do sound better.

I’ve also mentioned the Master & Dynamic MH40, a pair of headphones that takes similar influence from past headphones but use more premium materials, sound a little better, but also cost around $400.

At a similar price point, the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro focus less on style and more on value. They’re also slightly cheaper at $199.99 / £149.99 (about AU$300), though being an Anker product means it will see regular discounts below that price tag. They support high-res audio but aren’t any more detailed than the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100.

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100?

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 scorecard
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	ANC, transparency mode, and multipoint connectivity are just some of the features on hand, only missing Dolby Atmos support.	4.5/5
Design	The Aventho 100 look cool and fold into a small package, making them fairly portable	4.5/5
Sound quality	The sound quality is good with plenty of bass, but doesn’t sound as detailed as one might hope from this brand.	4/5
Value	They cost about what they should, neither being overpriced or offering a particularly excellent value	4/5

Buy them if…

You want some cool looking on-ear headphones
If you don’t mind the half plastic build, the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 look really cool with their throw-back vibes.

You want portability and a long battery life
These headphones last a long time and fold up pretty small making them ideal for on-the-road use.

Don’t buy them if…

You care about audio quality above all else
I feel bad that I keep saying this because they sound good, but you can find other headphones in the same price point with fewer features or stripped down in some other way that sound better.

You want premium
While these look very cool, they still don’t look like the premium headphones that their aesthetic presents them as. This is a small gripe, but worth noting since the Aventho 100 are big on style.

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 review: Also consider

Anker Soundcore Space One Pro
The Anker Soundcore Space One Pro are just a little cheaper with a comparable audio quality. There’s plenty of bass and a decent (though not great) amount of detail. They also have have an impressive battery life. Of course, aesthetically, they’re a bit on the chunky side.
Read our full Anker Soundcore Space One Pro review

Beyerdynamic Aventho 300
The Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 might be almost double the price, but they offer the kind of pristine audio quality that Beyerdynamic is known for. They’re also a little more feature-filled, mainly including Dolby Atmos, not to mention have a similarly long battery life.
Read our full Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 review

How I tested the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100

Tested the various features over two weeks
Tested with different music as well as video streaming

I spent a week using the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 as my daily headphones. While using them, I listened to all sorts of genres from electronic and hip hop to rock and acoustic music to compare the frequency range and soundstage. I also tested them with streaming video and used the various settings such as ANC, transparency mode, EQ, and multipoint.

After testing, it seems that the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are best suited for those wanting a pair of headphones that look and sound fun.

I’ve spent the last few years reviewing audio equipment and have spent even longer using my critical ear as a listener and musician to understand what does and doesn’t sound good.

First reviewed in November 2025

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Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue

1:30 pm | October 29, 2025

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: Two-minute review

Earbuds specialist Creative is back with another fully-fledged assault on our list of the best earbuds with its Aurvana Ace 3. And like 2024’s Aurvana Ace 2, one small piece of tech makes these a shoo-in for audiophiles’ wish-lists.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 are the latest earbuds to have thoroughly modern solid-state drivers by tech manufacturer xMEMS, which are designed to bump up the phase consistency and allow audio to be dynamic while still coming from small drivers (and by ‘small’, I mean ‘ones that fit in tiny earbuds’). People who are put off by tech jargon may be scratching their head and preparing to tab out, but the gist is that the buds are designed to sound especially great. They do.

I said this about the Ace 2, and it’s true again: the buds provide high-quality well-defined sounds, bristling with energy and with a cosy, all-embracing soundstage. Fantastic. Audio spec-wise, though, the Aurvana Ace 3 take this pairing of xMEMS driver and a 10mm dynamic driver, and copy it wholesale. No hardware changes, but given what I thought about the previous buds, that’s no bad thing.

Instead, Creative has made improvements across the board to lots of other aspects of the previous buds that needed some help – mostly, but more on that in a moment – and brought some extras which make it easy to award the buds a higher star rating.

The battery life of the Ace 3 is greatly improved from the previous buds, touch controls feel a little bit more intuitive, the maximum volume has seen a bump, there’s LDAC support and the equalizer has a more palpable impact on sound quality. Plus, the introduction of a sound profile test (in collaboration with experts Mimi) provides you with a bespoke sound mix and, in my humble opinion, it’s one of the best listening tests I’ve taken in a pair of earbuds.

One area hasn’t seen a major improvement, and it’s ANC – noise cancellation still isn’t on par with rivals. And if you’ve just tabbed out to read my Ace 2 review, and were curious about the strange screaming sound the buds could make when in ANC mode, you’ll be confused to hear that it’s back – but only for ambient mode.

I first noticed this when I cycled to the cinema early on in my testing. I used ambient to be safe on the road but when I stepped into the foyer while removing my buds, I started getting odd looks: they were making a loud, shrill screaming sound, one far more pronounced than on the Ace 2. It stopped when I put the buds in the case, but on other occurrences, this wasn’t a reliable way to silence the noise; on one occasion they started making the sound out of the blue a few seconds after I’d cased them. It’s a shame, but having experienced the issue with the Ace 2, I did not request a fresh sample since I knew it had happened before. I’ve also occasionally faced it with other buds – it’s an odd side-effect of how noise cancellation works. Still, it's my job to notice these things and the simple fact is that many of the rival earbuds I have tested over the years do not suffer from this issue (and that is largely why this set of earbuds get the star rating you see above). If you use ambient and ANC sound profiles a lot, this will likely affect your decision on whether or not to purchase Creative's Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds – excellent audio performance or not.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Price and release date

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced on October 1, 2025
Priced $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95
Price increase, decrease or no change depending on where you live

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 were released on October 1, 2025, roughly 18 months on from the release of their predecessor.

Oddly, at the time of writing it seems difficult to buy the buds from anywhere other than Creative's own website, but I'll keep checking since major third-party retailer support is expected.

Anyway, the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 can be bought for $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, a fairly mid-ranged price for earbuds. For a bit of context, the Ace 2 sold for $149.99 / £169.99 / AU$229.95 so the new buds are cheaper in some places, more expensive in others but the same in the US.

That’s quite a competitive price point. Furthermore, out of all my favorite pairs of buds I tested in 2025, none are more than $50 / £40 above or below that (that’s about AU$80, but not all of the pairs were actually released in Australia, making it a harder comparison). You’ve already read the introduction though; you know the Ace 3 hold their own.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Specs

Drivers	xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life	7 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)
Weight	4.7g (buds) 43g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3
Frequency response	5 - 40,000Hz
Waterproofing	IPX5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Features

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case in front of a stripy colorful screen. — (Image credit: Future)

7-hour buds battery, 26-hour with case
ANC doesn't cut the mustard
Highly intuitive sound profile test

One of my gripes with the Aurvana Ace 3’s predecessor was that the Active Noise Cancellation (or ANC) didn’t match up to rivals. Unfortunately that’s no different here and if there are improvements they’re not on par with the big leaps rivals are making. The buds will dampen surrounding sounds but you can still hear most of what’s going on around you – essentially, the ANC still leaves a lot to be desired.

The Ambient mode is a little worse though, and sadly the buds seem to amplify all surrounding whispers to deafening proportions when in this configuration. That’s not the worst of it either; the older Ace 2 had an odd ANC issue which would cause the buds to make a squealing sound when held tight in the hand, and while I didn’t have this issue with the Ace 3 in standard ANC mode, it was a lot more pronounced when I was in Ambient. Thankfully, simply using the buds in ANC mode (or with ANC off) stopped me facing this issue, but it’s something to know about if you often use ambient modes in earbuds.

Another problem of the Ace 2 that’s been nipped in the bud is battery life; no more 4 hours of listening time, or 16 hours in the case. The figure’s been nearly doubled, to 7 hours per earbud and 26 hours from the case. That’s still far from industry-leading (some buds can go for 8-10 hours now before needing a jolt of juice), but it’s a welcome upgrade nonetheless. Just note: listening with ANC or LDAC enabled will give you a lower stat, and I got 5.5 hours with ANC on.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar. — (Image credit: Future)

The Creative app reveals some of the earbuds’ best features; if you buy the Aurvana Ace 3, don’t be one of those people who never bothers downloading the companion software. The standards are here: you can customize the buds’ touch controls, toggle ANC, play with an equalizer and set up Auracast (although I wish the buds’ assistant wouldn’t loudly announce that it was scanning for broadcasts every time I opened the app).

There’s more: the Ace 3 has perhaps the best listening test I’ve used on a pair of wireless earbuds. It’s easy to use, not overly long and delivers noticeable results that significantly improve music. Creative’s partnership with audio profiling company Mimi for the buds pays dividends.

The buds connect to your phone via Bluetooth 5.4, and they support low-latency mode for gaming and movies as well as LDAC if you don’t mind your battery life taking a hit. I had a few issues with Bluetooth connectivity, most of which were solved by my returning the buds to the case for a few seconds and then trying again, though the app struggled to detect the buds when I began testing and it took quite a few tries to get it working.

Features score: 3.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Design

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 case on a pink bass guitar. — (Image credit: Future)

Understated purple hue
Lightweight case and buds
IPX5 rating

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 earbuds have benefitted from big changes, but these are definitely not reflected in the design. I had to get right into the nitty-gritty of my review of the predecessors to discover that the case is in fact 3g lighter, at 43g, but to me they’re identical (other than a slight color difference).

That’s no bad thing given how the distinctive hue and zingy inside help the Aurvana stand out from the line-up. It doesn’t quite translate on camera, but the case has a purple sheen that catches the light well.

A few tiny design tweaks and a slightly lighter build do little to differentiate the Ace 3 buds from the Ace 2, but again there are no complaints on my part. They fit like a dream, didn’t feel achy even after long listening sessions, and stuck strong in my ear even when I was at the gym or cycling.

I had a little bit of trouble with the touch controls, as finding the exact correct spot at the top of the stem takes some practice. It doesn’t help that there’s no single-tap gesture, so you need to hit the right spot at least twice in a row to trigger a command. But I still found it a lot more usable than the Ace 2’s, especially when I’d gotten the knack.

One thing to note is that the buds have an IPX5 rating, which means they’re protected against jets of water. This is fine for rain or sweat but it’s not the highest kind of protection you see on earbuds – the new AirPods Pro 3 have an IP57 rating, for example, which means that Apple's newest can actually be submerged in up to one meter of water and survive (for a limited time).

Design score: 4/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Sound quality

xMEMS + 10mm dynamic driver
Range of codecs supported
For natural-sounding detail and clarity, the audio quality is sublime

The bad news: while the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 enjoys a series of improvements across the board, that's not the case in the sonic department. The good news: that's because last year's buds were such a slam dunk that no upgrade was necessary to the sonic recipe.

So we're looking at a fancy xMEMS solid state driver paired with a 10mm dynamic driver. The first of those is the selling point: they can deliver high-quality, natural-sounding audio that's as true as possible to the artist's (well, sound engineer and producers') vision. The effect on your ears is that music is imbued with a sparkle and energy that you're simply not getting on lesser buds: it's palpable that these aren't electronic signals being blasted into your ears, but real musical instruments being played by real people (well, unless you listen to electronic music, that is).

The glorious bagpipe solo of John Farnham's You're The Voice rocks just as much as the later guitar solo and anthemic vocals, and you can hear the vibrato of The Boss' voice in Dancing in the Dark when it comes up on shuffle next. Next up is Chesney Hawkes' The One and Only, and I've never heard the harmonies as powerful and succinct as with the Ace 3.

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 bud on a pink bass guitar. — (Image credit: Future)

I've been focusing on treble and mids because there's no denying that the Aurvana maintain their predecessors' lovely neutral sound; you're not getting your tunes blown out by thumping bass like many cheap and mid-range earbud makers love to do.

Despite that, bass is lovely and scooping, enough that you can picture the bassist's fingers walking on the string. And when lower pitches are important, the Ace 3 delivers; Sayonara by The 502s offers a well-defined bassline that sits harmoniously against the brass stings without either losing any energy (see, I can use musical examples from the last half-century!). The encompassing soundstage of the buds gives all of the instruments in a busy composition like this enough breathing room that you don't miss a note or a line.

All of these points could equally be made about the Ace 2 (well, except Sayonara, which wasn't out when those buds were released), but that's not to say that nothing's new in the Aurvana Ace 3. The addition of LDAC and aptX Lossless means the buds are better at supporting lossless audio and there's also now support for Snapdragon Sound, which will have a similar effect if your broadcasting device also is compatible.

Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Value

A textbook example of getting what you paid for
Ace 2 discounts may make it a tempting alternative

At $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95, you’re getting what you pay for with the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 – they deliver a good sound quality and commendable feature set at a price that’s a little higher than some people can afford, but sits as a much more tempting alternative to many of the top-end buds on the market.

Don’t buy these expecting a bargain, but you’re certainly getting bang for your buck. Rather, you’re not getting bangs, but getting nice, well-tuned audio.

The messy price increase / decrease / maintenance of the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 compared to its predecessor, make a value comparison hard, especially with the older buds having seen a pretty significant price cut since release. The improvements may win over some people, but if all you care is the sound quality, you can save money with the Ace 2.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Creative Aurvana Ace 3?

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The ANC isn't great but the battery life is okay and the sound personalization is great.	3.5/5
Design	These are lovely little buds that fit well, look good and don't weigh you down.	4/5
Sound quality	The detailed, crystal-clear and naturalistic audio all create one wonderful musical package.	4.5/5
Value	The price is chosen well: you get as much as you pay for.	3.5/5

Buy it if…

You want a guiding hand with your sound mix
The Mimi customization mode is all but guaranteed to help you find a music mix for you – if you’re not keen to mess around with an equalizer, it’ll sort you right out.

You need buds that are lightweight
Even amongst other stem earbuds, the Aurvana Ace 3 are lovely and light, and you can listen for hours without feeling anything (or until the battery runs out). Perfect for people who readily feel buds in the ear.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You listen in ambient mode
I’ve already mentioned the strange screaming issues with ambient mode. If you tend to listen with ambient mode turned on, perhaps consider other earbuds.

You want a bassy sound profile
Some people need warm-sounding bassy buds, and the Aurvana Ace 3 are too neutral to give you those thumping rhythms that might help at the gym.

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Also consider

	Creative Aurvana Ace 3	Nothing Ear (3)	Soundpeats H3
Drivers	xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver	12mm	12mm + dual balanced armatures
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	7 hours (buds) 26 hours total ( withcase)	5.5 hours (buds) 22 hours total (with case)	7 hours (buds) 37 hours total (with case)
Weight	4.7g (buds) 43g (case)	5.2g (buds); 61g (case)	6g (buds); 53g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IPX5	IP54	IPX5

Soundpeats H3
A pair of similar-costing earbuds, the Soundpeats use a cocktail of drivers to offer fantastic-sound music with an equally neutral sound profile. In fact they’re pretty similar in a lot of ways, but with a different design and a feature set that gains and loses various aspects of the Ace 3.
Read our full Soundpeats H3 review here

Nothing Ear (3)
Another pair of buds with a great personal hearing system, albeit one for a little more money, is Nothing’s latest pair of earbuds. The battery life and price leave something to be desired, but Nothing earbuds have long graced loads of our ‘best-of’ lists and the (3) is no exception.
Check out our full Nothing Ear (3) review here

How I tested the Creative Aurvana Ace 3

Tested for 2 weeks
Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and while cycling

The testing period for the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 was just over two weeks, and the buds were connected to my Android phone for the entirety of the testing process.

I mostly listened to the buds using Spotify, both with Lossless and standard quality, but I also watched some Netflix and played some games with them. I tested in loads of environments: at home, at my office, on walks around my neighborhood, on buses and trains, while cycling (in ambient mode for safety, of course), and while at several different gyms.

I've been testing gadgets for TechRadar for over six years now, which has included plenty of other similar-price earbuds, the previous Aurvana Ace last year and certain other Creative products.

First reviewed in October 2025

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