Wireless Headphones

‘A serious Apple AirPods Pro rival’: five sweet stars prove Huawei’s new FreeBuds Pro 5 are the real deal

11:00 am | March 20, 2026

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5: Two-minute review

Let’s be clear from the start. For everyday listening, the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 are the best earbuds you can get without spending significantly more. They tick every box, deliver across the board and make a compelling case that there’s life beyond Apple for those who have been reluctant to shop around.

They’re the fifth generation of Huawei’s FreeBuds Pro line, which has been around since 2020 and we’ve always rated them well. In fact, I tested the FreeBuds Pro 2 back in 2022. The FreeBuds Pro 4 landed in November 2024 and scored four stars in our review. They were strong but not quite there. The Pro 5 are different and good enough to go head-to-head with the best at this level, including the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

The FreeBuds Pro 5 look and feel more premium than their price suggests, and so does the charging case. They’re smaller and lighter than the Pro 4 at 5.5g per bud, which is noticeable. Build quality is excellent, the stems have a high-shine finish and the case has a satiny coating that feels upscale.

Most importantly, the design translates into a supremely comfortable wear. As someone with small, particular ears who put these through gym sessions, runs and full working days, I can tell you the fit is impressive.

The feature set is extensive. There’s smooth multipoint connectivity, customisable gesture controls that are responsive and the Huawei Audio Connect app is one of my favourites at this level. Battery life reaches around 8.5 hours with ANC off and nearly 6 with it on, with 38 hours total from the case. That’s not as good as rivals for ANC listening time, but the amount of power the case holds is great.

ANC is one of the headline upgrades here. The FreeBuds Pro 5 use a dual-driver system and they work together as noise-cancelling engines, paired with an AI sensing model. In practice, it’s close to silence but without that airless, pressurized quality that heavy ANC can sometimes produce. Call quality benefits from the same tech, I found it to be clear and natural, even in busy environments.

Then there’s sound, which is very good indeed. The dual-driver acoustic system delivers a wide, rich soundstage with strong low-end response, excellent instrument separation and detail that holds up across genres, from driving rock to expansive orchestral soundtracks. I think you’d have to spend significantly more or go wired to do meaningfully better.

Our audio editor Becky Scarrott called these “hands-down Huawei’s best buds yet” after five days of early testing at launch. After several weeks with them, I wholeheartedly agree. They earn their five stars because they’re excellent value, genuinely well-made and perform at a level that earbuds costing more would be proud of.

Now, are they perfect? Not quite. Lossless audio requires a Huawei device, which many don’t have. The design is fractionally chunkier than some rivals at this price too and you don't get foam tips in the box like you did with the Pro 4. But if those are the only cons (and they are), they’re doing well. I’d bet none of these would register on the radar of most everyday listeners.

That’s precisely who I think these buds are for. Not the audiophile chasing the absolutely best sound or the dedicated athlete who needs purpose built workout buds. But the everyday listener who wants the best all-rounders. They've got wide appeal, strong value and no meaningful ecosystem restrictions.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Price and release date

The huawei FreeBus Pro 5 pictured on a stone surface in their charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Released globally in February 2026
Sells for £179.99 in the UK
No price hike from past models

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 were released in February 2026 in many markets across the UK, Europe and Asia. Though there are still ongoing trade restrictions between Huawei and the US.

The buds cost £179.99 in the UK. But it's worth noting that, at the time of writing, the official Huawei website is offering a £30 off coupon for the FreeBuds Pro 5. This may not last long, but it makes an already great value pair of buds even easier to recommend.

Whether you find them for £179.99 or get the £149.99 deal, they're a good price for earbuds designed to compete with high-end rivals.

Let's put that into context. The latest AirPods Pro cost $249 / £219 / AU$429. So they're undercutting those while being a very solid alternative, particularly for Android users. Similarly, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, which are going to be seen as the top AirPods Pro alternative for Androids users, sell for $249 / £219 / AU$399.

They're pricier than some of our favorite mid-range picks, like the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 at $149 / £119 and the Nothing Ear (a) at $99 / £99. But I'd say they're positioned as a step above both of those options, so that would make sense here.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Specs

Drivers	11mm dynamic woofer and micro-planar tweeter
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	9 hours buds, 38 hours case
Weight	5.5g per bud, 43g case
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6
Frequency response	10 Hz to 48 kHz
Waterproofing	IP57 buds, IP54 case

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Features

Someone holding one of the huawei freebuds pro 5 buds close to the camera — (Image credit: Future)

9/38-hour battery life, less with ANC or features
Plenty of useful features in the easy-to-use app
Fantastic ANC

The FreeBuds Pro 5 are packed with features, and almost all of them live inside the Huawei Audio Connect app, which is one of the cleanest companion apps I’ve tested. Everything is easy to find and nothing is buried in sub-menus.

Huawei claims the FreeBuds Pro 5 are the world’s first dual-driver ANC earbuds, meaning both the dynamic driver and the micro planar diaphragm unit work together to tackle noise. The low-frequency driver targeting rumble and bass-heavy interference, the high-frequency driver handling sharper sounds. This hardware is then paired with a real-time AI sensing model that samples ambient noise 400,000 times per second (yes, you read that right!), which means it’s continuously adapting to whatever environment you’re in.

In practice, it’s incredibly effective. I tried them in all sorts of environments and low rumbles, like traffic, air conditioning, the hum of a commute, are all handled incredibly well. The overall effect is close to silence without tipping into the slightly pressurized, airless quality some ANC can produce. I know some people do prefer that, but what Huawei does here is my preference. There’s also a good passive isolation baseline here thanks to the secure fit.

There are four ANC models to pick. Dual-Engine, which adapts automatically to your surroundings. Cozy, which is for quieter environments. General for everyday noise and Ultra for loud environments. With Ultra you might notice more of a pressure sensation, which is worth knowing if you’re sensitive to that feeling, but it does do a good job at eliminating almost all ambient sound.

There’s a good Awareness mode here, which has a bunch of options within it. Standard, Voice Awareness, which filters in voices while suppressing other noises, and Adaptive Awareness, which adjusts dynamically.

Conversation Awareness is also on board. When you start speaking, the buds automatically switch from ANC to Awareness mode and lower the volume, then gradually fade back after around ten seconds once you stop. I found I could hold a natural conversation without touching the buds at all, and the transition back was gradual and smooth rather than jarring. Sony’s Speak to Chat works similarly.

The FreeBuds Pro 5 move up to Bluetooth 6.0 from the Pro 4’s 5.2, and multipoint pairing of two devices is supported. Switching between my laptop and phone during testing was smooth with no lag. There’s also Find My Earbuds, which emits a round from whichever bud you’ve lost. I used it several times when one slipped under my desk, it’s one of those features you’ll be more grateful for than you’d expect.

A new internal antenna promises a 38% improvement in Bluetooth range alongside better interference rejection. I had no dropouts during testing across gym sessions and on the move.

A close up of the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 in their charging case with the green light on — (Image credit: Future)

On the codec side, iPhone users get AAC, Android users get LDAC and Huawei devices get access to lossless audio via L2HC 4.0 at 2.3Mbps. So that lossless tier is firmly Huawei ecosystem only. For the rest of us though, LDAC and AAC are still solid options and the good news is very few other features here are gated behind a Huawei device.

Control across the stems are tap, pinch and swipe, which is a good range for buds. You can customize these in the app and I really liked that they registered with a satisfying, audible little click. Head gesture controls let you answer or reject calls with a nod or a shake, which worked well most of the time. Wear detection pauses playback when you remove a single bud, and you can listen with ANC active in just one earbud, which I liked. There’s also a low-latency mode here for gamers.

Huawei says the FreeBuds Pro 5 last 9 hours with ANC off and around 6 hours with it on, with 38 hours in total from the charging case. During testing, I got just over 8.5 hours with ANC off at 50% volume. I then got nearly 6 hours with ANC on. So that’s close to the claimed figure, though it is worth bearing in mind that these real-world results with ANC active do tend to vary based on environment and mode – I had the Dual-engine setting on for testing.

For context, the AirPods Pro 3 offer 8 hours with ANC on and 10 hours with it off, with 24 hours in total from the case. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro come in at 6 hours with ANC on and 7 hours with it off, and 30 hours from the case.

So the FreeBuds Pro 5 don’t beat those figures, but do hold up fairly well. Though the case’s 38 hour total is an advantage over the AirPods. Worth knowing if you travel a lot and know you may have to rely solely on the case for a few days.

One final point worth making when it comes to the battery is that thanks to the solid fit and passive isolation, you won’t always need ANC. I found that for lower noise environments, running on ANC off really extended my listening time without a sacrifice.

Features score: 4.5/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Design

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 earbuds next to their charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Design is smaller, lighter and more comfortable than ever
IP57-rated buds make them genuinely workout-friendly
Lovely case with strong magnets and a handy ring light

The FreeBuds Pro 5 are a clear evolution of the Pro line, and that’s a good thing. As long as you’re on board with stems. They work particularly well for smaller ears and make gesture controls far more reliable than tap-based alternatives. That said, stem-free designs might suit some ear shapes better, so this is a subjective thing.

Huawei says the FreeBuds Pro 5 are 10% smaller and 6% lighter than previous buds and at 5.5g per bud, you can feel it. I do think they’re a fraction chunkier than say the AirPods Pro 3 and a few rivals at this level, but once they’re in the comfort level is genuinely impressive.

I wore them for around three hours straight one morning and for a further four in the afternoon without any ache or fatigue, and this is coming from someone with smaller ears who can be sensitive to heavier buds.

Huawei says it used more than 10,000 ear profiles to inform the fit here, and it shows. Four silicone tip sizes are included, and I found the medium worked well for me, despite usually needing to reach for the smallest pair.

The one minor gripe here on comfort is the absence of foam tips, which have come with some previous FreeBuds Pro models and are still mentioned in the app, which suggests they may arrive later. Most people seem to prefer silicone anyway, but foam can add passive isolation and a slightly more immersive ANC effect. Though this omission isn’t a dealbreaker by any means.

The stems themselves have shifted from rectangular to a flat oval profile, with a high-shine front panel and metallic detailing round the edges that reads as genuinely premium. I tested the sand/gold shade, which adds to the premium feel, though white, silver and a blue option with a vegan leather case are also available too.

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 charging case, shown closed on a stone surface — (Image credit: Future)

The new IP57 rating on the buds is a real highlight. That covers sweat, splashes and brief submersion, making them as workout-friendly as an everyday pair of buds gets. I took them out on several runs and to the gym throughout testing and they stayed secure throughout.

The charging case is nicely designed too. At 43g it’s light and pocket-friendly with a smooth, rounded shape and soft film coating that feels premium when you gold it. Strong magnets snap it shut and a hidden hinge keeps the lines clean.

On the front, the halo ring light glows in different colors to indicate battery and pairing status, which is both practical and a nice-looking design touch. The case is IP54-rated now as well, offering solid splash and rain resistance.

All in all, there’s very little to fault where design is concerned. If you want stems, these are among the best-looking and best-built options at this price.

Design score: 5/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Sound quality

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 buds pictured from above in their charging case with the light on — (Image credit: Future)

New dual-driver acoustic system.
Dynamic and energetic sound
Huawei phone needed for lossless audio

The big hardware news for the FreeBuds Pro 5 is a new dual-driver acoustic system, combining a low-frequency dynamic driver with a high-frequency micro planar diaphragm driver.

The low-end response is strong and present from the get-go, with the buds leaning into bass-forward tuning that feels deliberate and punchy. There’s also a bass boosting mode available if you want to push that even further. Impressively, even with that boost applied, the low-end stays controlled. No muddiness or bloat, just a lot of energy and power.

Crucially, they’re not bass-heavy though, a lot of detail survives alongside it. That dual-driver setup handles separation well across the whole frequency range, which keeps mids and highs really clean even when the low-end is doing a lot of work. So the overall character is dynamic and energetic, nothing feels lost in the mix here.

Listening to Queens of the Stone Age’s No One Knows, that dynamic quality is front and centre. Josh Homme’s vocals have a real presence, they’re bright and cutting, but the guitars still drive hard underneath without crowding them out of the picture. Instrument separation is confident here too, and there’s this pleasing sense that the track is opening up at higher volumes rather than compressing. It’s the kind of rock mix that rewards earbuds with genuine low-end grunt, and the FreeBuds Pro 5 deliver that in spades.

But I also loved listening to anything orchestral with them too. Hans Zimmer’s Dune soundtrack is a demanding test, spanning whispered, layered vocals, sweeping strings, dark percussion and heaps of bass, and the Freebuds Pro 5 handle it without flinching.

The Bene Gesserit chants land with an appropriately unsettling, layered depth, while Ripples in the Sand opens into a wide, rich soundstage where every element holds its place. Strings, percussion, and those haunting high vocals all occupy their place in the mix. The soundstage here is genuinely impressive for earbuds at this price, with no detectable distortion even pushed to higher volumes.

The Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 buds pictured on a stone surface next to their charging case — (Image credit: Future)

All of the above was tested on default settings, but there’s plenty of room to customize the sound. Eight EQ presets are available, each developed in partnership with the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. Balanced is the default, which is the most accurate and natural-sounding. That’s the one I kept returning to despite trying and enjoying many of the rest.

Voice brightens things up for vocals. Classical adds a concert hall quality that worked particularly well with those big movie soundtracks, and Bass does exactly what it promises. There are also some purpose built presets for movies, podcasts and games. If none of these work for you, there’s also a 10-band custom EQ that gives you full control.

Spatial Audio with head-tracking is also on-board here and it doesn’t require Dolby Atmos tracks, it works with whatever you’re playing. It’s not usually my preference for music, but paired with the movie preset it added a genuinely immersive quality to films and TV. Worth knowing too that you don’t need a Huawei device to access it.

Call quality is also worth noting here. In a quiet space it’s clean and natural. In a busy market with chatter, loud sounds and low-level rumbling of vans and traffic nearby, some background noise crept in. But my voice remained clear and isolated, which I still found impressive given the conditions. Wind interference caused some wobble on a really blustery day, though I was still perfectly audible. As a serial voice note leaver, these passed that test too.

Between the new hardware, tuning options and the spatial audio, the FreeBuds Pro 5 make a strong case across almost any genre or use case you throw at them.

Sound quality: 4.5/5

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Value

Someone holding the huawei freebuds pro 5 in their charging case — (Image credit: Future)

Great value for money
Undercuts rivals
Already promotions on the official Huawei website

It's a bold claim, but I think the FreeBuds Pro 5 are the strongest all-round option at this price right now for everyday listening.

If you have a very specific priority, such as dedicated workout buds or audiophile-grade lossless sound, you may find better value elsewhere. And if you're one of the few people who think the weaknesses are dealbreakers, like no Huawei phone for lossless audio or a preference for tiny, stemless designs, then it's worth factoring that in.

But everyone else who wants great sound, strong ANC and a comfortable, premium-feeling design with all the essential features, then these deliver a lot.

They're even easier to recommend because they're priced lower than most of their rivals at launch. In fact, Huawei is already offering a discount code on them at the time of writing if you head to their official site, which makes them even harder to argue with on value. Can I give them 5.5 stars out of 5 for this section? No? Fine.

Value: 5/5

Should I buy the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5?

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	An excellent suite of features, upgraded driver system and lovely app. Battery life with ANC playback is good but is bested by high-end rivals.	4.5/5
Design	Smaller and lighter than predecessors. They fit very well, look more premium than they should and gestures work are nice with that stem.	5/5
Sound quality	They sound great, call quality is improved and there's a lot of customisation. You only get lossless with Huawei phones, though.	4.5/5
Value	Everything you need is here at a price that undercuts most rivals.	5/5

Buy them if…

You want an AirPods Pro alternative
Maybe you’re on Android, want a cheaper option or just don’t gel with the sound signature of the AirPods. Whatever the reason for wanting to ditch Apple, these are a solid alternative pick.

You want all-rounders for everyday listening
If you really care about audio, workouts or ANC you can find high-end options that specialize in those things, sure. But for an everyday listening experience that ticks all of the boxes, they’re really hard to beat.View Deal

You want premium sound, looks and build at a good price
They really do look, feel and sound more premium than they should. And while we wouldn’t describe them as affordable, they’re certainly excellent value for the price. View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You don’t like the stem design
They have long stems, there’s no getting away from it. Some people love how they look, fit and work with gestures. But if you’re not a fan, you might prefer a more compact look, like the Technics EAH-AZ100.

You want lossless
If you have a Huawei phone these are a no-brainer, have at it. If you don’t and you’d really like lossless sound, you won’t find it here. Try the Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 instead.

You already own the FreeBuds Pro 4
There are upgrades here, so if only the best ANC, transparency and calls are a priority for you, it’s worth it. For everyone else, you shouldn’t rush to upgrade.

Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 review: Also consider

	Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5	Apple AirPods Pro 3	Technics EAH-AZ100
Drivers	11mm dynamic woofer and micro-planar tweeter	'Custom high-excursion' Apple driver	10mm free-edge dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life (ANC on)	6 hours (buds) 25 hours (case)	8 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)	10 hours (buds) 28 hours (case)
Weight	5.5g (buds) 43g (case)	5.6g (buds) 44g (case)	5.9g (buds) 42g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Waterproofing	IP57	IP57	IPX4

AirPods Pro 3
The Freebuds Pro 5 give them a run for their money. But Apple's AirPods Pro are still some of the best wireless earbuds for iPhone owners, with great ANC, unique features and slightly better battery life with ANC playback.
Read our full AirPods Pro 3 review

Technics EAH-AZ100
Not many earbuds will beat the FreeBuds Pro 5 for sound, but these Technics are the best. They also don't have a stem-like design, which some of you may prefer. Though they are considerably more expensive.
Read our full Technics EAH-AZ100 review

How I tested the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5

Tested for three weeks
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport in a city, working in a cafe and a co-working space, while running and at the gym

I tested the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 5 for just over three weeks to write this review. I mostly had them paired with an iPhone 16 Pro, but I also used them with a MacBook Pro.

I used a range of different music and film apps to test the buds. They played music from Spotify, Qobuz and tunes from internal storage, as well as videos from YouTube, Prime Video and Mubi.

I’ve tested many headphones and earbuds over the past 13 years as a tech journalist. Including devices from top audio brands, like Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, as well as cheaper buds from the likes of JLab, Nothing, Skullcandy and more. I’m interested in tech that prioritises comfort and ease of use.

First reviewed in March 2026

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

‘Fantastic, and a disappointment’: I love the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, but they don’t fix the problems of the past

8:31 pm | March 9, 2026

Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Headphones Wireless Headphones | Tags: ANC, Samsung Galaxy Buds | Comments: Off

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Two-minute review

Can earbuds be fantastic, and a disappointment, at the same time? Apparently so: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are some of the best earbuds I’ve ever tested, but the company has failed to address any of the issues which put buyers (myself included) off the Buds 3 Pro.The latest AirPods Pro rivals from Samsung were released alongside the Galaxy S26 Ultra and co., including a cheaper Galaxy Buds 4 with a few choice downgrades. The Korean company doesn’t just upgrade its audio line-up annually, seemingly waiting for tech to move on enough to justify a newer model. And the good news is, there’s no doubt that these 2026 earbuds prove themselves against their predecessors.The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro sit among the best-sounding earbuds I’ve ever tested, with a driver upgrade letting them stack up against audiophile-designed premium options I’ve tried like the triple-driver Status Pro X and slightly-more-affordable Creative Aurvana Ace 3. You’re going to have to pay a lot to get better in-ear sounds, or opt for a wired pair.The upgrade is in the woofer, designed for bass, which Samsung says is 20% bigger than before. This allows for meaty but controlled bass, allowing the buds to retain the warm sound of past models but without overshadowing mids and trebles. You can also get incredibly high-quality sound thanks to Samsung’s own SSC Bluetooth standard, but only if you’re using a Galaxy phone. The fact that you need a handset from the company to unlock all the features is something we complained about in the past buds, and it’s just one of several issues from older models that hasn’t been addressed. As TechRadar's audio editor wrote recently, if Samsung revived Milk Music so we never had to leave the Galaxy ecosystem, it might be a different story, in the way that Apple Music is the irrefutable bridge between Apple's AirPods and its iPhone, but that isn't the case (so I do still have to mention it). And that's not the only issue that's been carried over. Take, for example, the proprietary ear-tip locking system which saw the Buds 3 Pro delayed. It’s still here! Removing and replacing them is much more fiddly than it needs to be, and yanking them off runs the risk of tearing your tip in two – you also can’t use the vast majority of ‘standard’ ear-tips here, so if you’ve got a selection you’ve bought or leftovers from past earbuds you’ve owned, they’re basically landfill now. Please cough up more cash for Samsung-approved ones.Compounding the problem is the fit: the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro didn’t stay in my ear especially well, and I know this is a problem that plagued 3 Pro users too. The tip material doesn’t offer enough friction to keep the buds in there when you’re on the go, and there’s a lack of any other stabilizing design features like a fin or balanced weighting, which could go some way in rectifying the problem.Many of my Galaxy Buds 4 Pro gripes are smaller pain points that you’ll easily get used to, but the fit problem is a real shame: it was a complained-about point a year and a half ago on the older model, and it’s something that doesn’t get better over time. Know this: I struggled with whether to list the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro with a 4-star or 4.5-star review rating, but I keep coming back to the excellent sound quality and ANC efficacy. If you've got a Samsung phone, you know they'll fit OK, you're good at charging your buds regularly and you're not fussed about switching the ear-tips, they're a 4.5-star product all day long. For the rest of the music-loving market? They're a solid 4…

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Price and release date

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in their case. — (Image credit: Future)

Announced in February 2026, released March
Sells for $249 / £219 / AU$399
No price hike from past models

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro were unveiled on February 25, 2026, and put on sale on March 11. That’s the same as the phones they were announced alongside: the Galaxy S26 series.To buy the new buds, you’ll have to shell out $249 / £219 / AU$399. That’s certainly a high price for earbuds in today's market, signalling them as premium options, though it’s worth noting that the previous model also launched at this price. Let’s put that in context: the latest AirPods Pro cost $249 / £219 / AU$429 so it’s a similar price in most places, but Samsung undercuts Apple in Australia. The standard Galaxy Buds 4 go for $179 / £159 / AU$299 so they’re naturally cheaper, but you’re getting an open-style bud for that price (think Apple's AirPods 4).

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Specs

Drivers	11mm woofer + 5.5mm planar tweeter
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	7 hours buds, 30 hours case
Weight	5.1g buds, 44.3g case
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.1
Frequency response	Not specified
Waterproofing	IP57

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Features

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro being placed in a case. — (Image credit: Future)

7/30-hour battery life, less with ANC or features
Fantastic ANC, and intelligent ambient mode
Plenty of useful features in app

Samsung doesn’t make as much of a song and dance about its ANC capabilities as, say, Bose (literally calling its headphones ‘QuietComfort’), but the good news is, these are still incredible at reducing background noise. I spent hours of testing near busy roads, while work was being done on my neighbors’ home, and on flights, and found them some of the most adept noise-removers I’ve used.Even better, they have an ambient mode that’s actually good. It does what these modes should do: dampens your surroundings, but retains speech and other important nearby noises. It could be stronger in the noise cancellation department, letting in a little more than I’d always like, but it’s still much better than the vast majority of alternatives.Battery life here is unchanged from the past models: 7 hours of ANC-off listening, with the case granting extra up to 30 hours. That’s not a particularly competitive battery life today, especially when you consider that the listening time is even less with ANC turned on: expect about 4-5 hours in the buds if you try to remove background noise, and even less if you use all the features on offer.Using your smartphone, you can get a few more features from the Buds 4 Pro. You can change noise cancellation modes, toggle what the touch controls do, enable head gestures (nod or shake your head for incoming calls or to Bixby), and setup an on-bud assistant.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in their case, beside a Galaxy S26 Ultra. — (Image credit: Future)

There’s also a nine-band equalizer with a custom mode or several presets, and several ways to customize your sound including 360 audio, loudness normalisation, adaptive listening and a hearing test. This latter is simpler than the alternatives offered by many rivals, and didn’t have an audible impact on music. I’m not convinced by this one.Two other neat features are the ability to set up bespoke per-app settings that automatically apply, and the ability to tap into audio streams around you or broadcast them yourself (including to hearing aids). I can see business or accessibility benefits to both of these, and neither are perks I’m used to seeing in earbuds apps generally.There’s a small handful of extra modes I would’ve liked to see, most glaringly any kind of low-latency mode to make gaming on a phone better. I also couldn’t find a way to enable multipoint pairing.The earbuds use Bluetooth 6.1 for connectivity, which I don’t recall seeing in any earbuds before now. This is apparently meant to offer unparalleled connectivity, although I had a small handful of Bluetooth drop-outs in my testing time.

Features score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Design

Both Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Redesigned buds are sleek and light
Case sees new look; improvement in a few ways
Eartips are hard to remove and don't stick in ear well

There’s no denying that Galaxy Buds Pro are AirPods Pro-alikes, but with each successive generation Samsung blazes its own trail a little more, and that’s evident in the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro with their reimagined ‘blade’ look.The buds now have a brushed-metal edge, which looks lovely and understated in the white model I tested, and pretty good in the black or pink versions too. Gone are the colorful light strips of the past-gen models, as well as the color coding so you know which bud goes in which side of the case.What hasn’t gone, sadly, is Samsung’s proprietary ear-tip tech – this was a problem in the Buds 3 Pro, and it rears its ugly head here. The issues with this are twofold.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro on a table, with the tip removed. — (Image credit: Future)

Firstly, it makes switching ear-tips a real pain, due to the company using its own locking mechanism. It’s hard to remove them without tearing them, something I avoided only by past mistakes (ripping the Buds 3 Pro’s tips), and reattaching them is incredibly fiddly. I imagine the third-party tip market is also greatly reduced thanks to the company eschewing the standard.The second issue is the one that plagued my time with the Buds 4 Pro: they just didn’t stay in my ears very well. They’d slip now and then during testing, requiring readjusting, but the problem was worst when I went running: the things just wouldn’t stay in. This was despite testing the different in-box tip sizes, and at a guess I’d say the papery tip material just isn’t providing enough friction or purchase in the ear. I’d suggest buying replacements, but good luck finding them with the locking mechanisms – manufacturers actually sold clip-on ear fins for the Buds 3 Pro, and if equivalents are released for the new model, that’d be your best bet to stop these things getting jettisoned at every bump.Other than those issues, the buds were comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time. They weigh about 5g each, which is about average for earbuds like these. One of the buds’ features also compensates the sound if you wear them wrong (ie, at bonkers angles like vertically or horizontally).

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro's case, without buds in it. — (Image credit: Future)

The buds have on-stem controls: slide up or down to control volume, pinch once or hold for various other options. You need to grip a little harder than on some alternative options I’ve used, so it took some getting used to, but eventually I found controlling the buds on-ear pretty effective.One other element of the buds package that’s seen a change is the charging case, which now uses a clamshell-style look with a see-through case so you can peer at your buds (and check they’re in there, if you frequently forget to return them to the case. It was much easier to return the buds to this case than the last one, with less fiddling about to insert them into a small gap. Wireless charging is back too.The case was a little blocky though, and not as ergonomic as the Buds 3 Pro’s, so felt a little more prominent in my pocket. The transparent section also shows scratches and fingerprints

Design score: 4/5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Sound quality

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

Tweeter and woofer, each with own amplifier
Well-defined bass, bustling with energy
Samsung phone needed for highest-res audio

The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro offer two drivers: a tweeter and woofer, and each has its own amplifier. This all means that high- and low- pitch sounds get their own TLC, and Samsung’s big selling point on these new buds is that the woofer is bigger than anything it’s used before, allowing for better control over bass.There’s no denying that the Samsungs provide absolutely fantastic audio quality. The sound is energetic, with crackling mids and powerful treble. Pop songs like the conveniently-released Automatic Glow by The Hoosiers or Dharma Baby by Brett Dennen benefit from the unrivalled clarity and timbre the buds provide, especially songs with plenty of instruments that’d otherwise blur into one giant mush.I personally spent most of my listening time in with the Dynamic EQ preset on, because I found it to exacerbate the Buds 4 Pro’s strengths and reduce their weakness, at least compared to the default preset.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro buds on a table, next to their case. — (Image credit: Future)

The bass doesn’t overwhelm, as I initially feared when hearing about the upgrade, and instead it’s just better formed: it’s scooping, well-defined and better balanced with the rest of the sound. Even in bassy songs, like Proleter’s April Showers, bass walks arm-in-arm with the other instruments instead of overriding them, and in DENM’s Life’s 2 Short it succeeds in creating a real harmonising bass, as opposed to some deep rumble that sits alongside the rest of the song.There’s a lovely sense of expanse through the soundstage here too, even if you don’t turn on the Spatial Audio setting, which I personally kept off for most of the testing. And the maximum volume is way higher than you’d ever need to go, which is another plus.There’s one giant catch here: the incredible quality is only available on Samsung phones, thanks to their support for the company’s SSC codec (which has to be enabled in the buds’ settings). This allows for a sample rate of up to 24-bit/96kHz, which means it'll handle lossless playback with ease, but means that non-Samsung users might not be able to enjoy the highest quality music they otherwise would. I spent a week of the testing period using a non-Samsung Android, and while the buds still sound great, they’re certainly better on a Galaxy.

Sound quality: 4.5/5

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Value

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro in their case, atop a Galaxy S26 Ultra. — (Image credit: Future)

They ain't cheap!
You can save a lot of money if you want
Good for certain Samsung-owning audiophiles

The Achilles’ Heel of any top-tier pair of earbuds like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, is that there’s no way they offer you superb value for money. You can get decent earbuds for literally a fraction of the price; I have options I love which cost a quarter of what these earbuds will set you back. Sure, they don’t sound or look as good, and miss out loads of the Samsung features, but you’re saving money – and getting options which will stay in your ears!For music lovers who can’t quite afford ‘true’ audiophile options, and have a Samsung phone, perhaps there’s a world in which these are good-value options (compared to the four-figure alternatives). But at the very best, you’re getting what you pay for: this ain’t no bargain.

Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro?

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The battery life lets down an otherwise-impeccable suite of tools.	4/5
Design	The upgraded look gives them a distinct appearance, but the devil's in the detail (and ear-tip).	4/5
Sound quality	These sound wonderful, especially if used alongside a Samsung phone.	4.5/5
Value	These are top-end options, you can't expect total value for money.	3.5/5

Buy them if…

You own a Samsung phone
One of my biggest 'cons' doesn't affect you: pick these things up straight away and turn on the high-def audio transmission in the buds' app.

You need top-tier ANC
These things are great at wiping out background sounds, and they show some rival buds I've tested recently just how it's done.View Deal

You like responsive touch controls
I grew fond of how responsive the Buds 4 Pro's on-stem pinch controls work, as you get a lovely click to tell you your input was successful.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You need workout buds
The unreliable fit make these a poor choice for runners, and they weren't the best at the gym either.

You listen for long stints
With all the top-tier features enabled, the Buds 4 Pro will only go about half a working day on a single charge. Like a lot of music? Other buds last longer.

Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro review: Also consider

	Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro	Apple AirPods Pro 3	Status Audio Pro X
Drivers	11mm woofer + 5.5mm planar tweeter	'Custom high-excursion' Apple driver	12mm driver + 2x Knowles balanced armature drivers
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life (ANC on)	7 hours (buds) 30 hours (case)	8 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)	8 hours (buds) 24 hours (case)
Weight	5.1g (buds) 44.3g (case)	5.6g (buds) 44g (case)	5g (buds) 48g (case)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.1	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IPX4	IP57	IP55

AirPods Pro 3
Apple's AirPods Pro are still some of the best wireless earbuds for iPhone owners, with fantastic ANC and a few unique features.
Read our full AirPods Pro 3 review

Status Audio Pro X
If you want great-sounding earbuds and have money to burn, these Status options are another worthy pick, that'll work equally well on any phone.
Read our full Status Audio Pro X review

How I tested the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro

Tested for a month
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport, on travels, while running and at the gym

I used the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro for just under three weeks to write this review. For the most part, they were paired with a Galaxy S26 Ultra, but I also used them briefly with a Galaxy S25 Plus, and for a while before that a OnePlus 15R. For a little while I also connected them to a cheap MP3 player.I used a range of apps to test the buds. They played music from Spotify, Qobuz and internal storage, videos from YouTube, Now and Prime Video, and games from a pretty huge range of mobile titles. I also used them quite a bit just for their noise cancellation, with nothing playing.The Buds 4 Pro are just the latest in a long line of earbuds I’ve used, including the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro and options from Samsung’s sub-brands like AKG, JBL, Bowers & Wilkins and Denon. I’ve also handled loads of phones and tablets from the company, as part of my 7+ years of testing gadgets.

First reviewed in March 2026

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I’ve been using these cheap headphones for a month, and I’d recommend them to anyone who needs an affordable pair

1:30 am | March 8, 2026

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

Soundpeats Cove Pro: Two-minute review

If you’re here because you’re interested in buying the best cheap headphones, let’s skip to the chase: these are now going to be the go-to pair I recommend for the foreseeable future. They’re not perfect, which is why there’s still over 1,000 words to this Soundpeats Cove Pro review, but for the money they're outstanding.

Soundpeats is constantly impressing me with its great-value audio offerings, like the indelible in-ear Soundpeats H3, or the reliable open Soundpeats Clip1, and so I’m not overly surprised that I’m giving out another glowing review to something from the company. It’s less versed in over-ears than other kinds of headphone, though, so there was always the chance of something going wrong.

The Cove Pro are fantastic headphones for people who just need any old pair of cans that’ll do the job, so you’ve got a way of listening to music when at home or on the go – they nail all of quality-of-life features you’ll want.

For example, the battery life is fantastic: 95 hours, or nearly four days straight. These aren’t going to give up the ghost during a long-haul flight, that’s for sure.

They’re also some of the most comfortable on-ears I’ve used recently, as the padding in the cups and headband is soft, and they’re not too heavy or pinchy over the crown of your noggin. What I'm saying is, you can leave them on your head for long periods of time without getting aches.

Audiophiles (or people who aren't sure of the title but are picky about their sound) might not be as impressed. The ANC is quite light-touch; the Cove Pro reduce sound more than ‘cancel’ it, and the audio isn’t as good as some other budget options I’ve tested. It’s a bit too warm and veers towards muddy, with a lower-end that isn’t as well-defined as on some alternatives. I wasn’t blown away, but bass-heads might still be happy.

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Price and release date

The Soundpeats Cove Pro hanging up, and with the inside of each cup facing outwards. — (Image credit: Future)

Released in January 2025
Sells for $69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$140)
Cheap, but not cheap cheap in today's market

Soundpeats announced the Cove Pro in January 2026, following the rush of headphones that followed CES at the beginning of the year.

You can buy the Cove Pro for $69.99 / £69.99 (around AU$140), so they're fairly affordable cans – best suited for people who want decent headphones that'll last a long time, but don't need the highest quality or audio or premium features.

They’re not the very cheapest headphones that are worth considering – I recently tested the OneOdio Focus A1 Pro which sell for $34.99 / £43.99 (about AU$85), and there are a few other super-budget options worth buying like the Sony WH-CH520. But they’re still certainly a budget option compared to the big names on the block.

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Specs

Drivers	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	95 hours
Weight	251g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0
Frequency response	20 Hz - 40,000 Hz
Waterproofing	IPX4

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Features

The Soundpeats Cove Pro's array of buttons. — (Image credit: Future)

95-hour battery life
The ANC is very light-touch
Nice perks like Bluetooth 6.0, listening test and LDAC

Possibly the most eye-catching spec of the Soundpeats Cove Pro is the battery life: up to 95 hours of ANC-off listening. Very few headphones crack the 100-hour barrier, and anything close like this deserves props.

The endurance drops quite a bit if you turn ANC on: down to 58 hours. That's quite a sacrifice to remove some sound, though in the grand scheme of things ~60 hours is still decent.

The ANC isn't very powerful here; it'll strip out the worst of background noises rather than remove them in any meaningful way. There's also an ambient mode, but I couldn't hear a difference between this and Normal (ANC off).

The Soundpeats Cove Pro's headband. — (Image credit: Future)

The Soundpeats app is the Cove Pro’s all-but-mandatory smartphone app. It's worth downloading, even though it forces you to create an account, because it offers a few features unusual in lower-cost headphones.

The app offers an equalizer (presets or 10-band custom mode), find my headphones function, spatial audio, bass booster and even a custom listening test which builds you a bespoke EQ mix. It’s clearly in a very early state – the pictures and text refers to earbuds, and one menu was in Mandarin, but it did a decent job of tweaking my audio and wasn’t too hard to use.

Unlike many budget music-blowers, the SoundPeats supports a few higher-res Bluetooth codecs, including LDAC, SBC and AAC. It connects via Bluetooth 6.0, and in my testing it didn't stop out at all – there was one brief stutter, and that was it.

Features score: 4/5

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Design

The Soundpeats Cove Pro's outer shell. — (Image credit: Future)

Light and comfortable to wear
Useful on-cup controls, but no 3.5mm
Bog-standard looks

When I pulled the Soundpeats Cove Pro from the box, I thought they were dead ringers for my old Sony WH-1000XM3s. Sure, there isn't a huge scope for variety in the world of headphone aesthetics, especially the budget market, but the design language is there.

These cans weigh 250g, with an IPX4 rating indicating that they’re splash-roof. The right cup has an ANC button, power button and volume rocker on it, and they're flush enough that I sometimes thought I'd missed pressing them until I got used to the feel of it. The exception is the power button, which has a little indent so you can easily differentiate it by feel.

The one thing I’d like to see is a 3.5mm port. As it stands, you can’t use an AUX cord to connect these to your music player.

I found the Cove Pro surprisingly comfortable; you can't always rely on the budget headphones for a good fit, but these felt great. The soft cups settle gently on the ears, and a large pad on the band keeps them nestled on your cranium. I could listen for long periods without any kind of strain or ache.

The headphones also feel surprisingly premium in terms of build quality. The plastic material feels a little more durable than the squeaky cheap stuff some rivals are made out of, and other traits of budget cans like rattly joins and a hollow-feeling body were all absent.

You can fold the Cove Pro in on itself to make it more portable, and they swivel and extend a fair amount to suit different sized heads.

Design score: 4.5/5

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Sound quality

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

40mm driver
Messy low-end handling
EQ can fix some issues

Like most budget headphones – actually, most cans at any budget – the Cove Pro have 40mm drivers. Soundpeats' website goes into detail on titanium-coated diaphragms, patterned dome drivers and magnets, all giving the impression of a thoughtful approach to audio – it’s all for naught, though, as they don’t sound any better than your average budget cans

Music is warm, sometimes too much – as I write this I’m listening to Old Ties and Companions by Watchhouse, and the timbre that should be created by the various acoustic instruments feels lacking because of the sound profile. Bass can sometimes blow out other parts of a song, especially with rock music, which can often see the bass guitar override guitars.

It’ll appeal to bass-heads for sure, and people who go to gigs so often that they don’t realize you’re not always supposed to hear and feel the bass above everything else. But I found it a bit too much – and using the Bass Reduction EQ preset sometimes wasn’t even enough.

Get through the bass, and you’ll find fairly detailed audio, though the lack of support for wired listening means these aren’t budget audiophile cans by any means. There’s a pronounced soundstage though, something you can’t always say about options at this price point, giving a little bit of extra sparkle to songs like T-Shirt Weather by Circa Waves and Such Great Heights by the Postal Service, which have bassless introductions so you can enjoy the atmosphere.

Sound quality: 3.5/5

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Value

The Soundpeats Cove Pro in a man's hand. — (Image credit: Future)

At best, exceeds expectations for price
At worst, matches expectations for price

The Soundpeats Cove Pro aren't quite the cheapest headphones on the market – or that have wowed TechRadar’s team recently – but they're not far off. And they offer top value for money.

The build quality here is better than I've come to see expect from budget cans, even if the looks won't win any awards for originality. And the feature set is better than many same-price rivals, with tools that you'd normally find in cans twice as pricey.

In its weaker departments, the Cove Pro still deliver at the level you'd expect for this price; they sound no worse than the average budget headset, and deliver enough ANC to trump rivals which don't offer the feature.

Value: 4/5

Should I buy the Soundpeats Cove Pro?

Fairphone Fairbuds XL (2025) score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	The battery life is great, and there are some solid features, but the ANC isn't anything to write home about.	4/5
Design	They're basic to look at, but lightweight and comfy.	4.5/5
Sound quality	They sound muddy, but there's detail and a reasonably wide soundstage.	3.5/5
Value	Set your expectations for the budget and you won't be disappointed.	4/5

Buy them if…

You need a really solid battery
If you don't get around to charging your headphones often, the 95 hours offered here will be great for you.

You don't want uncomfortable headphones
If you often find over-ear headphones a little uncomfortable, you might find these a bit more tolerable.View Deal

You don't want to spend much money
Don't use your headphones enough to justify an expensive purchase? These will be great alternatives that'll serve you find.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

Audio quality is your most important factor
The best parts of the Cove Pro are their features and build, and budget audiophiles will find better picks below.

You need top-tier noise cancellation
If you live somewhere noisy and need to find peace, these are fine picks, but there are better buys (see below for these).

Soundpeats Cove Pro review: Also consider

	Soundpeats Cove Pro	OneOdio Focus A6	Earfun Wave Life
Drivers	40mm	40mm	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life (ANC on)	95 hours	75 hours	60 hours
Weight	251g	240g	264g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0	Bluetooth 6.0	Bluetooth 5.4
Waterproofing	IPX4	None	None

OneOdio Focus A6
These top-rated headphones sound great, and undercut the Cove Pro. If audio quality is your main interest, these are the alternatives to consider.
Read our full OneOdio Focus A6 review

Earfun Wave Life
These picks are also more affordable than the Soundpeats, and are also very comfortable to wear (plus we liked the ANC) though the battery life isn't comparable.
Read our full Earfun Wave Life review

How I tested the Soundpeats Cove Pro

Tested for a month
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport and the gym

I used the Soundpeats Cove Pro for just over a month to write this review, immediately following a few of their big rivals.

I used the cans paired alongside my Android phone, listening on a variety of services. This included in a range of indoor and outdoor settings including, most challengingly, on a train ride home after a high-end audio show.

For TechRadar, I've already tested a wide range of budget headphones, including over-ear alternatives and other picks from Soundpeats.

First reviewed in March 2026

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Nothing Headphone (a) review: excellent cans that fix all the problems of the original while being way cheaper

2:15 pm | March 5, 2026

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

Nothing Headphone (a) review

The Nothing Headphone (a) are just about the dream tech version 2.0 launch. As the follow-up to the Nothing Headphone (1), launched in 2025, they fix the sound problems I had with those headphones, they keep the excellent stuff I liked, and they somehow cut the price in half in the process (in one country, at least).

What more could you ask from something that's looking to go from audio also-ran to ranking among the best headphones available today? At their official price of $199 / £149 / AU$329, I think the Nothing Headphone (a) are arguably the best cans in their category — just with a few reasons why you might want to choose something else over them.

Let's start with the most important area: the sound. As soon as I fired these up, I felt a sense of relief. Nothing's first headphones baffled me in my Nothing Headphone (1) review with their oddly narrow soundstage that felt like the breadth of a song's traffic was being crammed down a single-lane road.

The Nothing Headphone (a) immediately feel like a big expansive highway in comparison – it's an open, wide and free-flowing soundstage that allows songs to spread out and to feel more energetic, emotive and satisfying. And when I say "in comparison", I mean I broke out the original $299 / £299 / AU$549 model for a listen, and while they have their strengths (a nicely refined frequency balance), the new model is so much more enjoyable to listen to.

The Nothing Headphone (a) ear cushions and mesh inside them — There are 40mm drivers under the mesh (Image credit: Future)

And this improvement has come without any major downsides, though there's one quirk worth discussing. My unit came with the 'More Bass' setting activated out of the box, and this was certainly much more generous with the bass than the Headphone (1) was, to the point of wandering into the 'bass-heavy' category.

This was no problem at all with electronic or pop music — the strength of the lower frequencies gives a glorious foundation to deep drum machines or sinking synths. It's also well integrated into the overall balance, despite being so muscular, with the Headphone (a) having no problems delivering lower mids that can stand up to, or transition from, the bassier parts.

But it was too much for some tracks with real instruments. In Regulars by Allie X, the double bass that opens the song sounded like the instrument was collapsing under its own vibrations. I pulled up the EQ in the Nothing app, saw it was set to 'More Bass', switched to 'Balanced' instead, and immediately the double bass went back to sounding like a double bass, instead of a quadruple bass.

This took a bit of a punch out of electronic songs when I switched back to those, but the bass still had good depth, its integration with the rest of the sound was still excellent. But Nothing's superb app gives a nice option here that I decided to take it up on: I set one of the controls to be an instant EQ switch, so I could get the extra bass if I wanted it.

The Nothing Headphone (a) earcups in close-up — The oval section is more rounded on these headphones than the original (Image credit: Future)

The Headphone (a) provide loads of space for the mid-range to express itself, with a nice chunkiness to guitars, the ability to handle a lot of complex instruments going on at once, and a nice clarity to vocals through it all.

Moving to the treble, it's again just very well worked into the sound, able to stand up for itself without ever feeling harsh or like it's overblowing in order to be heard even when songs get really energetic.

But there is a slight softness of detail to the Headphone (a)'s sound. They're not poor in this area by any means, but switching to the similarly-priced Sennheiser Accentum Plus reveals a slightly more convincing edge to the guitar strings and tambourine in Fleetwood Mac's Go Your Own Way, and more texture to the beat of sticks on drumskins in Sonny Rollins' St. Thomas. There's also better instrument separation in the mix.

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus also have a more neutral sound overall, but this comes alongside a shortfall in bass depth and less dynamic attack in playback. I probably prefer the Nothing Headphone (a) overall for sound given my personal predilection for electronic music, but if you're more of an acoustic fan, you may be better off leaning towards the Sennheiser.

This doesn't change when switching to Hi-Res Audio and listening over USB-C, or with LDAC higher-quality wireless, both of which are supported here (along with a 3.5mm headphone jack). The USB-C mode maybe had a little extra lightness of touch with instrument separation and detail, but any difference was minor.

The Nothing Headphone (a) held in a man's hand — The overall design vibe is a little more 'regular' than the original Nothing headphones (Image credit: Future)

The Sennheiser cans are also much lighter than the Headphone (a) at 227g, versus 310g for the Nothings. That's an improvement on the 329g that the Headphone (1) weigh, but is still higher than most of the competition, and means they still need a stronger clamping force to stay on your head than lighter competition.

Again, this isn't inherently a bad or good thing, but you will 'feel' them more than other headphones, and the synthetic pads aren't designed to be particularly breathable, so left the sides of my head feeling warm over time.

It's probably worth talking about the overall design for a moment here, which is very similar to the original, but has been 'softened' in a way that makes them feel less like they make you look like a cyborg (a good thing), but the ear cups look less like cassette tapes (a shame). Aluminum is now plastic, and gentler curves to the raised section in the middle of ear cups makes all the difference.

Nothing Headphone (a) next to Nothing Headphone (1) — Original flavor on the left, new flavor on the right (Image credit: Future)

Sadly, I don't love the new yellow and pink colorful options. I think there's not enough color for it to really work – the yellow in particular looks like a fried egg, because the rounded yellow mound is surrounded by white. I think there needed to be more color throughout. I love the changes in the white and black models, though – undeniably Nothing, but more mainstream than the divisive Nothing Headphone (1).

Nothing has kept a quirk of headphone design that I don't like here, in that the size is adjusted at the top of the head, rather than by the ears, which I find makes it harder to make micro-adjustments, but isn't a big deal overall.

The Nothing Headphone (a) headband — The headband adjustment is way higher up than on most cans (Image credit: Future)

What is a big deal is that Nothing has kept the fantastic set of controls from the Headphone (1). In particular, the roller for volume control is my favorite control system on any pair of headphones, period. It feels so high quality, it moves reliably under the thumb, and audible clicks tell you that it's moving up through volume tiers. Anything else feels crude in comparison.

That is paired with a 'rocker' control underneath, which is also super-intuitive. Nudge it one way to skip forward, and the other way to skip back. At the top of the right ear cup is a round multi-function custom button that was set to trigger your Voice Assistant by default; I changed it to EQ control, as I mentioned, but it can also work as a camera remote trigger (a new feature for this model) or a mic mute button, or a few other options.

The Nothing Headphone (a) roller and rocker controls on the side — The roller control at the top, with the rocker underneathFuture

The Nothing Headphone (a) customizable button — The roller control at the top, with the rocker underneathFuture

And you'll absolutely want to play around with this, because Nothing's app is so good. Not only are the headphones customizable in so many ways — different noise cancellation options, different spatial audio types, multiple EQ controls — it's also just really simple to find the key features you want to turn on and off, such as the low-lag mode for gaming, or dual-device connectivity (which really should be on by default, but most devices have it off, so I won't knock Nothing hard for that).

We recently knocked the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds for making it hard to find its essential features, so it's nice to see Nothing show how it should be done.

I mentioned spatial audio options before, and while you don't get head tracking or Dolby Atmos here, there are two options with processing handled by Nothing: Concert and Cinema. Concert does a good job of moving sound out from the ear cups, and making it feel like more of a speaker setup across and in front of you.

Cinema adds more left and right sound to that, while also pushing the EQ a little more towards the treble — going for more of a 'surround sound' experience and boosting voices, I suspect — and I found it useful for picking dialogue out of movie soundtracks, so I'd happily use it when watching while traveling.

Speaking of traveling, the noise cancellation here is strong, though not mind-blowing, and that's just fine for this level. Walking along a busy road while listening to music, I wasn't bothered by outside sounds at all. I could hear podcasts clearly while on public transport. The Transparency profile also works as advertised, and never makes things robotic or tinny.

But I want to briefly call out here that Nothing provides the best sounds to indicate what noise mode you're in. Switching to Transparency is announced by an exhaled breath as if sound is escaping; noise canceling is announced by the sound of something being sucked down and then slammed shut. There's no ambiguity here, and no annoying voice.

Nothing promises a phenomenal 75 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation turned on, and 135 hours with it turned off. I couldn't possibly test both claims fully in my time with them so far, even if I used them every waking hour. But I can say that they seem to live up to it, with the battery indicator dropping by 20% after around 13 hours of use.

This makes them essentially best in class, and phenomenal value. In general, I'd say these are about as good as headphones value gets in this space between the budget and premium options. There are only really two knocks against their value worth mentioning.

The first is that it's a shame they don't have an auto-pause feature (also called wearer detection) for when you take them off. It's pretty standard even in affordable stuff these days and while I'm not mad about it since they offer so much elsewhere, it's still surprising.

The second is that in lieu of a hard case (presumably dropped for cost reasons; again, it's understandable) they come with what I can only describe as a swimbag. Yes, it's like a smooth plastic fabric. Yes, it closes with a drawstring. Yes, it made me kind of nostalgic. No, it doesn't feel like a premium addition.

The Nothing Headphone (a) plastic bag — (Image credit: Future)

The thing with the Nothing Headphone (a) is that all the knocks I have against it are either minor like the above, or are more subjective, like the weight and clamping force.

There are enough little downsides or quirks that I can't quite give them full marks, but make no mistake that I think these are excellent headphones, that they'll be ideal for a lot of people, and that they're superb value.

Nothing Headphone (a) review: Price & release date

Released on March 13th, 2026
$199 / £149 / AU$329

The Nothing Headphone (a) arrive with an impressive price of $199 / £149 / AU$329, meaning that they come in at half the price of the earlier Nothing Headphone (1) and their £299 launch price in the UK, while they're a third cheaper than the $299 Headphone (1) price in the US. In Australia, the drop from AU$549 for the Headphone (1) is between those two percentages.

I should note that they Headphone (1) have been available for as little as $254 / £199 / AU$350 in sales events, though — but I have no doubt the Headphone (a) will see juicy discounts too.

Instead of putting them in direct competition with high-end releases from the likes of Bose and Sony, the Headphone (a)'s mid-to-low price tag puts them up against the likes of Sennheiser's Accentum Plus or Soundcore Space One Pro.

Nothing Headphone (a) review: Specs

Drivers	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	135 hours
Weight	310g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.4, LDAC, USB-C audio, 3.5mm jack
Frequency response	20Hz - 40kHz
Waterproofing	IP52

The Nothing Headphone (a) close-up of the ear cup — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy Nothing Headphone (a)?

Attribute	Notes	Score
Features	They're generally best-in-class for features, but miss just a few minor options.	4.5 / 5
Sound quality	Expansive and exciting with excellent balance, but a little soft on detail.	4.5 / 5
Design	The best controls of any headphones, and a premium build – but a little heavy.	4 / 5
Value	An excellent mix of features and performance for a very fair price.	4.5 / 5

Buy them if…

You want excellent all-rounders for Android or iPhone
No matter which platform you're on, the Headphone (a) deliver an excellent range of features, great sound, and their mighty battery life.View Deal

You like a big and energetic sound
The Nothing Headphone (a) deliver fun and dynamic audio that's finely balanced, and is much more expansive than the Nothing Headphone (1).View Deal

You don't like to think about charging
75 hours with ANC on, and 135 hours without it, are as good as it gets in headphones right now.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You want a neutral, hi-fi sound
They're well-balanced, but still like to juice up songs a little — the Sennheiser Accentum Plus can deliver a more neutral sound with a little more instrument separation.View Deal

You don't like to 'feel' your headphones
Nothing has made these lighter than its first pair, but they're still heavier than most other options, and clamp the head more firmly as a result.View Deal

You need a protective case
If you don't treat your headphones very well in your work or gym bag, the flimsy plastic drawstring sack the Nothing Headphone (a) come with won't do much to help them.View Deal

Nothing Headphones (a) review: Also consider

Sennheiser Accentum Plus
If you'd like a more 'hi-fi' sound than the Nothing provide, in a lighter body, then these are ideal. They're a bit more detailed and neutral, and battery life is great at 50 hours. You'll miss out on a lot of features in comparison, though – but we do like them, as our Sennheiser Accentum Plus review explains.View Deal

Sony WH-1000MX4
Still available to buy over five years since they launched, and now available for a price in the same range as the Nothing Headphone (a). Good sound, great noise cancellation, a super-comfortable fit, and a hard case, for those who want one. They have a solid range of features, but not as many as the Nothing – and the battery life is 30 hours with ANC on. Still, they're great cans – you can read our original Sony WH-1000XM4 review there.View Deal

How I tested the Nothing Headphone (a)?

The Nothing Headphone (a) worn on a man's head — These look a little more natural on the head than the Headphone (1), thanks to some tactical curvier design (Image credit: Future)

Used for a week in my day-to-day life
Tested largely over standard Bluetooth and USB-C hi-res wired audio
Tested with a pre-release update to the Nothing X app

To test the Nothing Headphone (a), I started carrying them everywhere with me and made them part of my normal life. I used them on both walking and public transport commutes, around the house, and at the office.

I compared them directly to the Nothing Headphone (1), Sennheiser Accentum Plus and Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, switching back and forth, as the headphones I think are the biggest alternative options. I had access to an early version of the Nothing X app with support for their features, so some details may change there before launch.

I lead TechRadar's AV team, and I've been reviewing audio gear for well over a decade, from the budget end of things all the way to up to high-end audiophile tech. I reviewed the earlier Nothing Headphone (1), as well as this newer model.

Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
First reviewed: March 2026

I’ve been using these super-cheap headphones for a month — I’m surprised to report they sound great

5:30 pm | February 27, 2026

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

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro: Two-minute review

It’s a competitive world out there for the best cheap headphones — OneOdio should know, it’s contributed a fair few options. And with its most recent pair of budget blowers, it’s offered yet another fantastic-value headset with just a few rough edges.

The OneOdio Focus A1 Pro are the cheapest pair of headphones we’ve tested yet from the budget brand, and that’s really saying something. They cost just $35 or equivalent, undercutting the 4.5-star-rated OneOdio Focus A6. If you’re looking for a pair of headphones that’ll last you well, and really don’t want to spend much money, they’re a hit.

Last you they will, because they offer a battery life that reaches up to 70 hours, which is fantastic for the money. They’re also lightweight and easy to tote about, and these perks will likely be big draws to buyers on a budget.

My favorite element of the Focus A1 Pro is the audio quality: these headphones sound better than anything else I’ve tested under $50. That’s obviously a low bar, but the OneOdio easily clears it, with music sounding natural and bright with a decent sound stage.

When buying budget headphones, there’s always a big risk that you’re buying tat that’ll end up in landfill (or a box to take to your local recycling center) by the end of the month. I’m happy to report that the OneOdio certainly aren’t that… but they have a few issues too.

Lots of the weakest elements of the A1 Pro are things I’ve seen in other OneOdio headphones, such as the Focus A5 (which I only awarded three stars, in my review).

These new cans don’t have a tie-in smartphone app, and nor do they offer many of the features that an app would help open the door to. Most vitally, there’s no equalizer, which many consider an imperative feature for products such as this. The ANC performance is also weak, with the passive padding of the cups doing the lion’s share of the work in stopping surrounding sounds from distracting you. Now, we can easily argue that it would be churlish to expect these things for such a lowly fee, but it's my job to tell you what you'll be getting here if you click 'buy'.

I also found these cans a little uncomfortable to wear over longer periods of time, partly due to their rather tight clamping force, and partly because they sit somewhere between on-ears and over-ears. Your poor flappers are going to get a little crushed.

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Price and release date

The OneOdio Focus A1 Pro a lamp, with a bookshelf in the background. — (Image credit: Future)

Released on January 20, 2026
Sells for $34.99 / £43.99 (roughly AU$85
On sale in UK and US, not Australia

You can pick up the Focus A1 Pro for $34.99 / £43.99 (roughly AU$85, but unlike many other cans from the company, they don’t yet seem to be on sale in Australia).

You think that makes them some of the cheapest headphones worth considering? Wait until you hear the actual price; within two weeks of the release date of January 23, I’d already found them discounted. Only by a couple of dollars or pounds, but it's still something, and OneOdio promises continued price cuts through the year.

The headphones were announced on January 20, 2026, and released shortly afterwards.

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Specs

Drivers	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life (ANC off)	70 hours
Weight	200g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0
Frequency response	20Hz - 20kHz
Waterproofing	N/A

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Features

The OneOdio Focus A1 Pro on a wooden table. — (Image credit: Future)

70-hour battery life
ANC is resoundingly light-touch
No app

In what might come as a shock to headphone buyers in the year 2026, the Focus A1 Pro don’t have a smartphone app. Of all the features this rules out, an equalizer is the biggest: if you don’t like OneOdio’s mix, you'll have to lump it.

You do still get multipoint pairing, as well as a low-latency mode for gaming which is enabled by double-pressing the ANC button. But this department more than any other shows why the headphones are so cheap.

Talking of ANC, it’s not very good, but coupled with the natural passive noise cancellation of the ear cups, it’ll remove the top layer of annoying noise. When I was on public transport, I could still hear every screech of noisy rails or honk of nearby vehicles, but it was a little less onerous than normal.

I personally took to keeping the ANC off, though, and it was for battery reasons. With ANC off, you get 70 hours of listening time, which is solid stamina. For context, if you listened for about three hours and 20 minutes every day, you’d only have to charge every three weeks.

That figure drops substantially with ANC on; OneOdio’s figures alternate between quotes of 40 or 50 hours, and the truth is likely somewhere in between. I’d rather have the longer listening time than the scant improvements this particular ANC solution brings.

I was surprised to read that the OneOdio has Bluetooth 6.0; it’s rare among headphones I’ve tested recently in having this enhanced standard. Not once in testing did I have any connection issues.

Features score: 3.5/5

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Design

The OneOdio Focus A1 Pro on a man's head. — (Image credit: Future)

Sustainable build
Comfortable to wear
Incredibly handy joystick controls

The Focus A1 Pro are, by and large, your standard headphones: big, black band with an ear cup at each end, that give you music. No-one was expecting OneOdio to reinvent the wheel for $35.

They weigh 200g, and while they have a few little design flourishes that differentiate them from your average budget cans (some curves and patterns in the appearance, for example), they do feel cheap. The build is plastic-heavy and some of the moving parts can wobble or creak a little bit.

You don’t get a carry case with the Focus, and I was a little scared to transport them in my bag, as they feel a tad fragile. They also have no IP rating. That said, during my testing month, they sustained no damage whatsoever.

I’ve so far refrained from classing these as over-ears or on-ears, as they sit haphazardly in the middle of both. Forget Goldilocks’ messaging, though, because it’s not ‘just right’ either. They sit a little weirdly on the head, for me.

The pads, while soft, crush your ears a little over time; this was noticeable when listening for longer sessions, as my ears would get a bit achey. The rather tight grip of the cans doesn’t help here either. I also never quite figured out exactly how to wear them, due to this over/on dilemma.

On the right cup, there are some touch controls (volume up and down, power, ANC; the basics) as well as the USB-C port. These don’t stick out too much, so finding them by touch can be tricky. It took a little while for pressing these to become easy and natural. There’s no 3.5mm jack for wired audio; these are wireless or nada.

Design score: 3.5/5

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Sound quality

40mm driver
Crisp, natural audio
Max volume could be higher

I’ve been positive about the Focus A1 Pro and that’s not going to stop now, but let’s get one thing straight: these are budget cans, and when I say they’re ‘good’, I mean ‘for the price'.

OneOdio has kitted out the headphones with 40mm dynamic drivers using PET diaphragms; so far, so budget.

Unlike many other budget headphones, the brand hasn’t fallen into the ‘more bass is more gooder’ trap — there’s a fairly natural-sounding V shape with distinct trebles in vocals, and bass that’s as rounded as you can hope for at this price point. I was surprised when songs like Starlight by Slash and Miles Kennedy offered layered instrumentation and palpable timbre, as it’s not something I’d expect for the cost.

Naturally, the mids can fall through the cracks, so you can’t expect the whole band to show up. And when you get songs with lots going on, instruments blur together; Clarity by Vance Joy doesn’t quite live up to its title.

I’ve been constantly mentioning the price in this scene, and it’s to cover my back. Audiophiles won’t like these cans, as the mixing is messier than it would be on pricier options. But if you compare these to other offerings at the price, they’re nothing short of wonderful.

I would’ve liked to see the Focus A1 Pro manage a higher max volume, though. At full blast, the audio could mostly compete with a busy-ish road I was walking down, but Nigel Tufnel would malign the lack of any 11 to turn your music up to for that harder hit. Even when at home, anything below 50% volume was hard to hear.

Sound quality: 4/5

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Value

Great sound for price
Some rivals may beat in certain departments

The OneOdio Focus A1 Pro are fantastic for the price. They sound far better than you’d expect from budget cans, and I’ve tested rivals for twice the price which don’t hold a candle.

That’s not even touching on the solid battery life, the hardy connection or the useful-for-gamers latency mode.

If you look hard enough, you can probably find rival cans with better ANC, a comfier fit or an equalizer, and I’d like the OneOdio even more if it offered these. But for the price, it’s hard to knock the Focus for its absences.

Value: 4.5/5

Should I buy the OneOdio Focus A1 Pro?

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro score card
Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	There’s no app and ANC isn’t great, though the battery life and connection are solid.	3.5/5
Design	For cheap earbuds, they look better than most, but have a few rough edges (literally).	3.5/5
Sound quality	These cans sound great for the price, with clearer audio and neater sound spacing than you’d expect.	4/5
Value	If you’re on a budget, these can’t be beaten	4/5

Buy them if…

You're on a tight budget
These headphones have been designed for people who don't want to pay for premium, or even mid-range, options.

Battery life is an important factor
The 70-hour battery life is going to be handy for all kinds of use cases.View Deal

You need lightweight headphones
Don't like a big helmet on your head? These are lighter than some alternatives I've tested.View Deal

Don’t buy them if…

You need something durable
The OneOdio feels a little fragile, and I don't imagine they'll stand up to some rough-and-tumble use.

You need heavy-duty noise cancellation
The ANC on these guys isn't fantastic, though it's better than nothing.

OneOdio Focus A1 Pro review: Also consider

	OneOdio Focus A1 Pro	Soundpeats Cove Pro	OneOdio Focus A6
Drivers	40mm	40mm	40mm
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life (ANC on)	70 hours	95 hours	75 hours
Weight	200g	251g	240g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0	Bluetooth 6.0	Bluetooth 6.0
Waterproofing	NA	IPX4	NA

OneOdio Focus A6
These high-rated budget cans cost a touch more than the A1 Pro, but app access is the headline improvement.
Read our full OneOdio Focus A6 review

Soundpeats Cove Pro
These slightly pricier alternatives have a solid build and impressive feature set, though they don't sound as good. (Our review on the Cove Pro is currently in the pipeline; when we publish it, you'll be the first to know!)

How I tested the OneOdio Focus A1 Pro

Tested for 1 month
Tested at home, on walks, on public transport and the gym

I used the OneOdio Focus A1 Pro for the best part of a month before writing this review, so they got a lot of use.

For most of the test period, the headphones were paired with my Android smartphone, though I also used them alongside an Android tablets at several points.

Testing was done streaming music, watching TV shows and playing games. I tested the headphones in various interior settings, while out and about, and during gym sessions.

I've been tested audio gadgets for TechRadar for years, including several previous OneOdio headphones and earbuds.

First reviewed in February 2026

Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

These super cheap noise-cancelling headphones boast a 110-hour battery, but I still can’t recommend them — here’s why

4:00 am | January 13, 2026

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

Tribit QuietPlus 81: review

If you’re looking for an ultra-cheap pair of noise cancelling headphones, the Tribit QuietPlus 81 appear to be a very tempting option indeed. With a list price of just $49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$75), they pack a lot in – ANC, a ton of playtime, and a neat, foldable design. But are they really worth checking out?

Well, in a lot of ways, these headphones are impressive. Above all, I was blown away by their ultra-long battery life. You get 70 hours with ANC on, and a whopping 110 hours with ANC off. That means you’ll barely have to charge these cans, ideal if you’re someone that’s on the go quite a bit… or are just forgetful like I am.

Like the best headphones around, these also have pretty extensive EQ options. There are a range of genre and situation-specific presets, but you can also set your own with the included 10-band equalizer. This means that you can create the sound that works best for you – an important inclusion, given that these headphones do not sound great out of the box.

Yes, I understand that these are incredibly cheap, and I didn’t have big expectations for these headphones, sonically speaking. But still, I think there are better-sounding options in the budget category – more on those in the ‘Also consider’ section. But essentially, these cans just lack the clarity, dynamism, and detail that others offer.

When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, synth beat intro lacked the razor-sharp delivery that makes it so impactful. The drum machine that follows sounds pretty deep, but also quite bloated, leaving the track devoid of its intense, energetic character. With the standard ‘Music’ tuning, instruments in the treble range are concealed, but even with a custom setup, I wasn’t able to get the expressive sound I was chasing.

Moving over to 12 O.C Riddim by M-High – a track that’s great for testing the low-end capabilities of headphones – and the picture was fairly mixed. High-pitched percussion in the build up again lacked the vibrancy and edge I was looking for, and although the headphones could reach down to the track’s dark depths, bass wasn’t agile or clean enough for a truly immersive listen.

Just generally, these headphones lack the refined sound you’d expect from a budget model like the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51. With a custom EQ, you can get adequate sound when listening at mid-volumes, just don’t expect to get anything out of the ordinary for $50 / £50 headphones.

Man holding the Tribit QuietPlus 81 — (Image credit: Future)

Let’s get onto another crucial area and discuss ANC. So, these headphones can be used in normal mode, transparency mode (for enhanced awareness), and with noise cancelling on. I spent most of my time testing the headphones with ANC on, and in honesty, it was about as good as I’d expected.

When working in the office, I could still hear chatter and typing with volume set to 70%. On walks, traffic noise was still pretty prominent too, as was the sound of passerbys talking. Sure, these dampen surrounding sounds decently enough, but they’re unlikely to impress on the noise cancelling front.

One feature that interested me on these headphones, though, was their ability to trigger transparency mode in an instant. You can simply hold down on the right earcup, and hear your surroundings – as seen on the excellent Sony WH-1000XM6. Is this the most responsive? No – the feature doesn’t activate instantly as it would on the XM6. But still, it’s fairly effective, and a worthwhile inclusion.

More generally though, controls on the QuietPlus are pretty poor. After a firmware update, I was able to access ‘customizable touch controls’, but I couldn’t set playback control to the right ear cup… that’s limited to physical button controls. These buttons are black on black, and are slightly hard to read – and the volume controls being bound to one small-sized button is very impractical.

Touch controls themself are fairly responsive, but all they can do is activate XBass mode – which doesn’t sound good – or summon a voice assistant. I personally would’ve preferred standard touch controls to play, pause, or skip music – as seen on a model like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

There are a few other features to explore, like a lower-latency game mode, wired listening via a 3.5mm slot, and hearing protection. You can find just about everything you need in the Tribit app, although this is a pretty rudimentary piece of software – something I flagged in my review of the Tribit PocketGo.

In terms of design, these headphones are hit and miss. They’re foldable, which makes them pleasingly compact, and their adjustable headband makes them easy to fit. One thing that's not too well-designed is the packaging. The box says these headphones offer "ULTRA LONG BATT" and "SMOOTH TALKING"... that's one way to make a first impression.

Anyway, in spite of their use of ‘protein leather cushioning and memory foam’, I found the QuietPlus 81 to be a little uncomfortable for extended use. To me, they’re a little tight-feeling, and padding on the headband feels a little thin. Looks-wise, however, these headphones are solid. They don’t look ultra plasticky, and the earcups have a rounded look, which is fairly appealing.

In the end, then, would I recommend the Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones? Unfortunately, the answer is no. There are certainly some commendable qualities on offer here, like that brilliant battery life and ten-band equalizer. But sonically, these fail to beat out rivals in their price category. Combine that with some unremarkable ANC and features, and I’d say you’re better off putting that $50 / £50 towards a pair of the best cheap headphones instead.

Tribit QuietPlus 81 leaning against block on pink background — (Image credit: Future)

Tribit QuietPlus 81 review: specs

Drivers	40mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life	70 hours ANC on; 110 hours ANC off
Weight	283g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0, 3.5mm
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz

USB-C cable plugged into the Tribit QuietPlus 81 — (Image credit: Future)

Tribit QuietPlus 81 review: price and release date

$49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$75)
Launched in December 2025

The Tribit QuietPlus 81 headphones were released in December 2025, and are available via Tribit’s website directly, or over on Amazon. They have a list price of $49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$75), which plants them firmly in the budget category.

Earcup with USB-C slot and 3.5mm slot on the Tribit QuietPlus 81 — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Tribit QuietPlus 81?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Excellent battery life, but unremarkable ANC and clunky app.	3/5
Sound quality	Can get pretty deep, but audio is pretty muddy and lacks dynamism.	2.5/5
Design	Not particularly comfortable, poor controls, but decent looking.	2/5
Value	Cheap, but quality doesn’t match up to other budget rivals.	3/5

Buy them if...

You want ANC for less
The Tribit QuietPlus 81 provide active noise cancelling capabilities for less than $50 / £50. Sure, it’s not the most amazing ANC around, but these headphones will still dampen noise from your surroundings decently.

You want headphones with a whole lot of battery life
With 110 hours of battery life with ANC off and 70 hours with it on, the Tribit QuietPlus 81 supply a whole lot of playtime. That’s more than the majority of budget rivals, and makes them ideal for those who don’t want to charge their headphones all too often.

Don't buy them if...

You want some comfy cans
In my experience, the QuietPlus 81 weren’t very comfortable. There’s not much padding on the adjustable headband, and they were a slightly tight fit, meaning they’re not ideal for longer listening sessions. If you want some seriously comfortable headphones, my top recommendation would be the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro.

You’re looking for good sound quality
The underwhelming audio of the Tribit QuietPlus 81 is one of their key flaws, and sees them lag behind some of the budget-friendly competition. If you want better audio at a still-low price, I’d recommend one of the options down below.

Tribit QuietPlus 81 review: also consider

	Tribit QuietPlus 81	1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51	OneOdio Focus A6
Price	$49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$75)	$89 / £99 / AU$130	$55 / £55 (about AU$110)
Drivers	40mm dynamic	40mm dynamic	40mm composite
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	70 hours ANC on; 110 hours ANC off	65 hours ANC on; 100 hours ANC off	75 hours ANC off; 40 hours ANC on
Weight	283g	246g	240g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 6.0, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.4, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C audio passthrough
Frequency range	20Hz-20kHz	20Hz-40kHz	20Hz-40kHz

1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
The 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 remain as the top budget pick in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones, and for good reason. With genuinely good ANC, seriously impressive audio, and plenty of playtime, they feel like the ultimate cheap pair of headphones. They’re often on sale for less than their already phenomenally low list price, and I’d certainly recommend them over these Tribit cans. Read our full 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 review.

OneOdio Focus A6
These ultra-cheap headphones really impressed us with their comfy fit and quality build, their exhaustive suite of features, and their genuinely good sound quality. You really can’t do much better than this for cans sitting around the $50 / £50 mark, so these are well-worth checking out. Read our full OneOdio Focus A6 review.

How I tested the Tribit QuietPlus 81

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

I spent one week testing the Tribit QuietPlus 81, during which time I took them just about everywhere I went. Whether I was on a walk, working in the office, or doing chores at home, I made sure to have the headphones at hand – allowing me to test the quality of their ANC in a wide range of settings.

When listening to music, I predominantly made use of Tidal, but I did dip into Spotify from time to time as well. As always, I commenced my testing by running through the TechRadar testing playlist, which features songs from a wide range of genres, but I also tuned into a heap of tracks from my personal music library.

On top of that, I made use of the various features on the QuietPlus 81, messing around with the customizable controls, ANC modes, and custom equalizer. More generally, I’ve been a Reviews Writer here at TechRadar for almost two years, during which time I’ve tested a whole lot of headphones, including premium releases like the Sennheiser HDB 630 and budget alternatives like the Baseus Bowie 30 Max.

First reviewed: January 2026
Read more about how we test

Fairphone’s newest eco-friendly headphones have a feature I wish Bose or Sony would use – and the sound’s good too

11:05 am | December 9, 2025

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

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

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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I tested Sennheiser’s first wireless headphones that bundle a USB-C dongle for higher-res streaming, and their detail-oriented sound bowled me over

2:01 am | October 21, 2025

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

Sennheiser HDB 630: two-minute review

What happens when you cut the wires off your audiophile-grade headphones and fit a Bluetooth module inside, then add a USB-C dongle to the box so people can hear them at their best? You get the Sennheiser HDB 630. These wireless headphones are intended to deliver ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio to anyone, no matter which smartphone you’re using – yes, even an iPhone.

To achieve this, Sennheiser has bundled in its BTD 700 dongle, which opens up access to the aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs, and up to 24-bit / 96kHz streaming quality. Just plug the USB-C dongle into your phone, pair it to the Sennheiser HDB 630, mkae sure your file quality is of the desired standard and you’re good to go.

Of course, some data is lost when streaming over Bluetooth, but still, the audio quality here is exceptional and deserving of Sennheiser's HD (ie. reference grade) lineup. I was very impressed by the beautifully balanced, textured, and well-separated performance of the HDB 630, which outperformed even some of the best headphones I’ve tested in this price-range.

They have a neutral tuning out of the box, which a lot of audiophiles will appreciate – the bass is far from overbearing, though it remains punchy and responsive. A bump in the upper midrange often gives vocals a little bit of extra room to express themselves too, while treble is controlled and never too intense.

With parametric EQ and crossfade functions, you can also adapt the sound to your specific tastes – there’s so much customizability to access with the Sennheiser SmartControlPlus companion app.

And that applies to more than just sound. There’s customizable active noise cancellation, including a transparency mode, and a standalone adaptive configuration. These all work effectively, and although you won’t get absolute top-tier noise-crushing abilities here, the HDB 630 were able to keep me pretty focused on my music during a flight and when working at my office.

One thing that I wish was a little more tweakable, though, is the touch controls. Some of these function decently, but a couple feel a little clumsy to use, like volume adjustment and a single-touch play/pause option. Similarly, the On-head Detection is very sensitive, and the cans sometimes turn on even with a small knock. All of this can be switched off, but rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM6 offer much more intuitive controls.

Back to the positives though. Something that really wowed me about the HDB 630 was their excellent battery life. Considering a lot of high-level rivals in this range only offer around 30 hours of playtime, the 60 hours you get here – with ANC on, by the way – is absolutely exceptional. I barely ever had to charge these cans during my month of testing, and that in itself is a massive benefit.

In fact, other than the slightly unrefined touch controls, most of my criticisms are minor. I experienced a few inconsistencies with mic quality when using the BTD 700 dongle, and I would say that these aren’t quite the comfiest cans ever. But still, they’re snug enough to keep on for longer listening sessions, and without the dongle, the mic quality is very good.

Overall, these cans make a spectacular wireless debut into Sennheiser’s beloved HD6XX line. They supply revealing, immersive audio, buckets of playtime, and a rich set of features. Sure, there are a few imperfections here and there, but if we’re talking sound for pound (or dollar, etc.) value, then the Sennheiser HDB 630 are a tempting option, and easy to recommend.

Sennheiser HDB 630 in someone's hand — (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: price & release date

$499 / £399 / AU$999
Launched in October 2025

The Sennheiser HDB 630 were revealed at the beginning of October 2025, and are available to order now. They're the first wireless pair of headphones to join Sennheiser’s beloved 6XX range, rather than slotting into the Momentum or Accentum family, but they feel like a natural upgrade over the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, sonically speaking.

As a premium pair of wireless headphones, these come with a fairly high price tag. They'll set you back $499 / £399 / AU$999, which is in a similar ballpark to top-tier wireless options like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 – more on both of those later.

Sennheiser HDB 630 headphones in carry case — (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: specs

Drivers	42mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes
Battery life	60 hours (ANC on)
Weight	311g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm, USB-C
Frequency range	6Hz-22kHz

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: features

Well-engineered adaptive ANC and passthrough modes
Fleshed-out companion app with parametric EQ and crossfeed
Comes with Sennheiser BTD 700 transmitter for better Bluetooth audio

When it comes to features, Sennheiser has put a lot of care into delivering just about everything you could want from wireless headphones.

Let’s start with some of the flashy inclusions that you’re not going to find from most rivals. First up, we’ve got parametric EQ. This grants users with granular control over the frequency they want to change, along with gain and Q-factor. So, if you’ve got a very precise sound in mind, you’ll easily be able to adapt the headphones to it.

In my experience, parametric EQ worked very nicely, and there are clear instructions in the Sennheiser SmartControlPlus app for how to get the best out of it. I generally stuck with the default sound, but tried making an altered tuning with a slight low-end bump, which was fun to configure.

Next, let’s talk about crossfeed – something I’d never used on a rival pair of the best over-ear headphones. Essentially, this can be used to blend the left and right audio channels for a more balanced presentation – especially useful if a recording has extreme channel separation and most of the bass only plays from the right side, say.

I tried this feature out with Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix – a man who loved to move sound across the stereo field for a unique listening experience. When cranking crossfade up to high, vocals – which initially were focused into the right channel – were significantly more balanced. Personally, I had no issue with the original sound, so I rarely used crossfeed, but it does work well, and I’m sure some will enjoy using it.

Perhaps the star feature of the HDB 630 is their higher-res Bluetooth audio support. To make use of this, you can plug in the included BTD 700 dongle, which opens up access to aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive codecs – even if you’re on iPhone.

Anyway, the BTD 700 will let you stream audio in higher-than CD quality – 24-bit / 96kHz (albeit with some loss incurred by Bluetooth transmission itself). That means that great quality music becomes available to just about any modern device – more on the actual audio performance later, though.

Another one of the HDB 630’s major features is active noise cancellation. I was very pleased with the overall performance here, even if it won’t compare to leading players in this field, like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2. One small thing: the HDB 630 set the ANC level to 60% by default, perhaps for the ideal balance sonically, but for testing purposes I cranked this up to 100%.

On a flight to Copenhagen, the low rumble of the jet engine was massively subdued, while discussions around me were basically inaudible. And that was when listening to music at about 60% volume, by the way. Some higher pitched sounds – like the click of seatbelts – did creep through, but I was still impressed with the HDB 630’s noise nixing talents.

Adaptive mode is dynamic and effective too, but you can also access a transparency mode with the custom settings. This is an ideal selection if you’re someone that prefers to have a good measure of your surroundings. There’s also an option to turn on anti-wind noise, or simply turn noise cancelling off entirely.

Sound zones is another interesting feature that enables you to set an EQ preset and ANC level depending on your location. You can save a number of locations, and the headphones will seamlessly slip into your chosen settings, so long as you’re within a certain radius of the relevant area.

A quick word on battery life too. You get an outstanding 60 hours of playtime from the HDB 630, even with ANC on. That’s very impressive indeed, and matches the battery life of the five-star-rated Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.

One key issue I ran into during my time with the HDB 630, was that call and recording quality would suffer significantly if I was using the BTD 700 dongle. Similarly, if I ended a call, when my music continued to play it sometimes sounded fuzzy. The SoundConnectPlus app would also sometimes fail to work when I had the dongle inserted, though this wasn’t always the case. These issues may well be solvable with updates and such – but the call quality issue was especially unfortunate, as without the dongle, call quality on the HDB 630 is strong.

All in all, though, there’s just so much to sink your teeth into on the HDB 630, and if you want highly customizable listening experiences, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Features score: 4.5/5

Person holding up phone with Spotify on in front of Sennheiser HDB 630 and carry case — (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: sound quality

Immersive, detailed audio performance
Audiophiles will likely appreciate more neutral default tuning
Hi-res audio sounds fantastic with BTD 700 transmitter

Now, for anyone familiar with Sennheiser’s name, you’ll know that the company is known for knocking out stellar sounding audio gear time after time. And the HDB 630 continue that trend. I was very impressed with the clarity, detail, and width of the audio these headphones conjure up — and at this price, you’re not going to find a lot of rivals that do better.

The HDB 630 have a pretty neutral sound out of the box. Bass is punchy, but not overly assertive, with a significant dip in the sub-100Hz range compared to the Momentum 4. Mids never get drowned out, with vocals often given a lift thanks to a slight bump in the upper mid-range. Meanwhile, treble is perhaps a little more tempered than I’m used to on a lot of wireless headphones, but this results in a controlled presentation, with sounds in the upper-range never coming across as over-eager or tinny.

When listening to Black Eye by Allie X, I was impressed with the brilliantly defined, assertive vocals, which were carefully separated from the pumping low-end and electronica in the background. Finer details like light percussion came through clearly, while electric guitars in the lower mid-range – which can sometimes sound muddied with middling or poor quality cans – were given a fair amount of room to play.

Rains again by Solji – a softer ballad – was the exact kind of track the HDB 630 could excel with. The higher-pitched vocals floated were beautifully emotive and well-positioned in the mix, with soft acoustic guitars, as well as soft strings and keys all replicated in a tonally accurate, expressive manner.

Turning to a deeper track like Spaceship by Marsolo, this is where things may require some tweaking. The ambient sounds and almost otherworldly effects that enter into the track were exceptionally clear and well-positioned, though the bass itself – despite being rapid and responsive – lacked a little bit of bite for my personal taste.

Thankfully, this wasn’t too much of an issue, though. There is a bass boost toggle for moments where you want a low-end lift in a pinch, and extensive EQ presets and custom options if you want a deeper tuning.

I tried my own custom tuning, using parametric EQ, and Left And Right by D’Angelo sounded incredibly immersive, thanks to the controlled, texture bass, expertly layered vocals, and impactful yet disciplined percussion in the treble range. The wide soundstage created an almost three-dimensional listening experience, and that’s something that a fair few rivals in this price range can’t offer.

For reference, I spent the majority of my time listening with the BTD 700 dongle and the aptX Adaptive codec – this genuinely makes a difference with the HDB 630, opening up a more full-sounding, revealing listen. I also tried wired listening, and was again delighted with the responsive, elegantly balanced performance of the HDB 630. These are an excellent-sounding pair of headphones for the cost – they deliver exactly what they aim to: audiophile-friendly sound, without the cable.

Sound quality score: 5/5

Earcup of the Sennheiser HDB 630 — (Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: design

Wired headphone vibe, wireless design
Could look a little more premium, in my view
Touch controls and auto-on feel a little clumsy

It's been an almost perfect start for the HDB 630 so far, but the design department is where the picture is a little bit more mixed.

First up, let’s talk about looks. The HDB 630 have an appearance that's befitting of their purpose. Visually, they’re almost more like closed-back wired headphones, minus the wires – and I’m a fan of that synchronicity.

However, for me, they just don’t look quite as premium as I’d hope for headphones in this price range. The silver sections that connect the headband to the earcups have an almost plasticky look, which contrasts the luxurious-looking headband and leatherette earcups. They still look pretty good overall, and this is largely a matter of personal preference – but I think some rivals, like the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 have a sleeker overall aesthetic.

Something that’s less subjective, however, is the quality of touch controls on the HDB 630. Personally, I’m a touch controls guy – controversial, I know. But I didn’t always find them to be intuitive here. When flicking up, volume would occasionally rise too drastically, and the single touch requirement to pause music meant that it was too easy to accidentally play or pause my tunes.

Unfortunately, touch controls can’t be customized – it's either on, or off – which is a bit of a shame, as I would’ve liked to try tailoring them to my preferences. To give the HDB 630 their flowers, some functions, like skipping or returning to the previous track, worked great. Call controls functioned well too.

It was a similar story with On-head Detection, which seemed a little clumsy. On a couple of occasions, I’d give the headphones a knock when they were on my desk, and they’d auto power-on, connect to my phone, and start playing my music out. That was a little frustrating, and led to me later turning the feature off, even though the smart pause function worked really nicely when removing or re-wearing the headphones.

On the positive side, these headphones are fairly comfortable for longer listening sessions. I definitely think that my day-to-day headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6 feel lighter and comfier in-use, but the HDB 630 didn’t feel tight on my head or harsh on my ears. They also offered a secure fit during my flight and whenever I was out and about.

Unlike headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM4, the HDB 630 don't fold up. That means they're not the most compact around. But when you need to take them out and about, you can make use of the included carry case, which is built to a high standard. It feels very durable, and is well protected against scuffs or scratches. It's a little large and uses a zip rather than my preference of magnets, but it's still a very welcome inclusion.

Design score: 3.5/5

Sennheiser logo on headband of the Sennheiser HDB 630

(Image credit: Future)

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: value

Fairly priced for the sound quality on offer…
…even if you can get better ANC and comfort from some rivals
Incredible feature-set, even against competitors

When it comes to value for money, the Sennheiser HDB 630 score nicely – yes, even though they’re not the cheapest headphones out there.

For the money you pay, you get absolutely wonderful sound quality, and the inclusion of the BTD 700 dongle opens up higher-res Bluetooth listening to anyone – even iPhone listeners, who are frequently left behind in that domain.

Even in a side-by-side comparison with my similarly priced Sony WH-1000XM6, I felt that the HDB 630 performed exceptionally, offering a slightly more open, revealing sound. The XM6 arguably have a more ‘exciting’ profile out of the box, but with a little tuning, there’s not much the HDB 630 can’t do.

Looks-wise and comfortability-wise, the HDB 630 are solid – not the best in class but certainly not bad. But they sure do stand out when it comes to features. Parametric EQ, crossfade, adaptable ANC, and a ton of battery life. All of that combined with the sound you get? That’s plenty of bang for your buck.

Value score: 4.5/5

Earcups of the Sennheiser HDB 630 — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Sennheiser HDB 630?

Attributes	Notes	Rating
Features	Wide feature-set, detailed-oriented sound options, dongle opens up great audio quality, though can cause some functionality issues.	4.5/5
Sound quality	Beautifully balanced, textured, detailed, and personalizable sound.	5/5
Design	Touch controls and auto-pause can be clumsy, good-looking and comfortable overall, but some rivals have nicer appearance and feel	3.5/5
Value	Incredible sound and feature-set for the price you pay.	4.5/5

Buy them if…

You want audiophile-friendly headphones, minus the wires
If you’re looking for audiophile-grade sound from some wireless headphones, then look no further than the HDB 630. With the included Sennheiser BTD 700 transmitter, you can access ‘hi-res’ Bluetooth audio on your phone – yes, even a modern iPhone! Of course, you’ll lose some quality over Bluetooth regardless, but wired listening is available here too, either via the USB-C or 3.5mm ports.

You regularly use public transport or fly
These headphones are awesome for anyone who regularly uses public transport or flies due to their effective, customizable active noise cancellation capabilities. I even found them pretty strong against external noise on a flight – pretty impressive! Oh, they also have solid-performing inbuilt mics, making them perfect for taking business or personal calls on the go.

Don’t buy them if…

You want great touch controls
I just couldn’t get along with the touch controls of the Sennheiser HDB 630. I found them to be a little clumsy, and the lack of customizability is a bit of a shame. Having said that, I love headphones that do touch control correctly, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5, or even better, XM6.

You’re looking for ultimate comfort
Now don’t get me wrong, the HDB 630 aren’t uncomfortable, per se, I’ve just tested models that felt a little more plush on my head. The aforementioned XM6, Sonos Ace, and Anker Soundcore Space One Pro are just a few examples of comfy over-ears that I’d prefer purely in terms of comfort.

Sennheiser HDB 630 review: also consider

	Sennheiser HDB 630	Sony WH-100XM6	Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
Price	$499 / £399 / AU$999	$449 / £399 / AU$699	$479 / £399 / AU$699
Drivers	42mm dynamic	30mm dynamic	40mm dynamic
Active noise cancellation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	60 hours (ANC on)	30 hours (ANC on)	30 hours (ANC on)
Weight	311g	254g	300g
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm, USB-C	Bluetooth 5.3, 3.5mm	Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C, 3.5mm (via USB-C to 3.5mm cable)
Frequency range	6Hz-22kHz	20Hz-20kHz	10Hz-20kHz

Sony WH-1000XM6
The Sony WH-1000XM6 are some of the best headphones to release in 2025, with class-leading noise cancelling abilities, beautifully balanced yet exciting audio, and the most intuitive touch controls I’ve ever used. They’re lighter, and comfier than the HDB 630, and surpass them in terms of ANC and compactness. But they’re no match in terms of battery life, and Sennheiser’s cans offer a touch more detail, sonically. Read our full Sony WH-1000XM6 review.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
Even though the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 have landed, they’re a significant step-up, price-wise. The Px7 S3 are more of a match for the HDB 630 when it comes to cost, and they’re an incredible pair of wireless headphones. With expansive sound, stunning looks, and an evolving feature-set, they’re well worth considering. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 review.

How I tested the Sennheiser HDB 630

Tested for one month
Used in the office and on a flight
Predominantly tested using Tidal

I spent one month testing the Sennheiser HDB 630, taking them just about everywhere I went. Of course, I used them at the office during standard work hours, but I also used them at home, while out on walks, and even on a flight.

While listening to music, I predominantly made use of Tidal in order to enjoy the 24 bit / 96 kHz quality audio – something that Spotify lossless isn’t capable of. I tuned into the TechRadar testing playlist, which features tracks from a wide range of genres, but also bumped a range of songs from my personal music library.

On top of that, I exhausted the various features on the HDB 630, like crossfeed, parametric EQ, and ANC. Where appropriate, I compared the headphones against my trusty Sony WH-1000XM6, which helped to assess aspects like sound quality and design.

First reviewed: October 2025
Read more about how we test