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This superb turntable is so poised and revealing, but its hefty price and lack of a basic ingredient won’t please everyone
1:30 am | November 13, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Turntables | Comments: Off

Technics SL-1300G turntable: two-minute review

Technics has a new direct-drive turntable, and because it’s part of the company’s upmarket ‘Grand Class’, it’s engineered to within an inch of its life and has a price-tag that will make you swallow hard.

Mind you, it’s not as if the company doesn’t feel like it’s offering value for money with the Technics SL-1300G. Between the twin-rotor ‘cogless’ motor, transformerless power supply, elaborate tonearm arrangement and overall sensation of bank-vault build quality (the platter alone weighs almost 4kg), the SL-1300G is a substantial proposition in every respect. Apart from the small matter of a cartridge, that is – Technics doesn’t provide one and you should probably budget another $500 or so on one of the many reputable brands who will sell you something appropriate.

Once you’ve swallowed this particular pill, there’s a great deal to enjoy about the SL-1300G. It sounds an absolute treat in the right system – its ability to analyze, contextualize and generally peer deep into the grooves of your records in a hunt for information is remarkable. And it balances this attitude with a sort of thrillingly musical, thoroughly absorbing and effortless naturalistic stance that makes every listen as entertaining and engrossing as can be.

In fact, as long as you take a moment to ensure your system isn’t going to goad the Technics into overdoing the high frequencies – it’s right on the edge where treble sounds are concerned, and won’t take much of a push to tip it over – there’s really nothing of any significance to complain about.

One of the best turntables on the market? It's definitely in the conversation.

Technics SL-1300G turntable, with the dust cover closed, on a wooden platform.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: price and release date

  • $3,299 / £2,799 / AU$4,999
  • Launched in September 2024

The Technics SL-1300G direct-drive turntable is on sale now, and in the United States it's priced at $3,299. In the United Kingdom it’s more like £2,799, while in Australia it costs AU$4,999.

Not cheap, is it? And it’s not the end of your spending, either – Technics doesn’t supply a cartridge. So what is it offering for what is quite a lot of money (with the need to spend a fair bit more)?

After all, it’s not as if you’re short of high-quality alternatives…

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: features

  • 230mm S-shaped aluminum tonearm
  • Twin-rotor ‘coreless’ direct drive motor
  • Low-noise, high-speed switching power supply

For the feature-set of the SL-1300G, Technics has allowed itself to be influenced by a couple of the more widely acclaimed turntables of the last couple of years: its own SL-1200G and SL-1200GR2. After all, if it ain’t broke etc and so on…

The motor that turns the SL-1300G’s platter is a variation on the one fitted to the SL-1200G, a model that launched in 2018 with a $4,000-plus price-tag attached. It’s based on the ‘coreless’ direct drive principles Technics first introduced in 2016: by removing the motor’s iron core, rotational instability (‘cogging’, as it’s colloquially known) can be reduced to vanishing point. In this implementation, a twin-rotor design reduces rotational vibration and minimizes the load on the bearings too.

The SL-1300G uses the Delta Sigma (ΔΣ) motor control software and drive system from last year’s SL-1200GR2, finessed and optimized for this application. The company’s prowess where PWM (pulse width modulation) is brought to bear in an effort to minimize even minor rotational inaccuracies along with errors in the drive signal. Because if you can deliver smooth, consistent rotation, argues Technics, you deliver smooth, consistent sound.

Further measures have been taken to ensure mechanical and, by extension, sonic accuracy. The SL-1300G uses a low-noise switching circuit that makes the more common transformer power supply redundant, which in turns makes the requirement for vibration-suppressing technologies that transformers tend to require redundant, too. Any residual noise in this transformerless power supply is identified by ‘current injection’ technology that applies inverse phase current to eliminate it. This, suggests Technics, is more effective than the common or garden ‘regulator’ alternative.

On the outside, the SL-1300G uses a rigid and lightweight aluminum pipe tonearm – it’s your classic static-balance S-shape and is 230mm long before the headshell is fitted. Technics supplies a headshell, of course, but what is conspicuous by its absence is a cartridge. The company is prepared to go on, at length, about how this omission allows you to select your preferred cartridge free from its interference, but it seems to me that a sum of money like this spent on a turntable ought to buy you the cartridge the manufacturer thinks is most appropriate. And, what’s more, to find it pre-fitted to the headshell.

The tonearm is connected to the surface of the turntable via gimbal suspension with a high-precision bearing. There’s anti-skate adjustment, a multi-part counterweight, tonearm lock and tonearm lift all incorporated. Getting the signal from the tonearm and out to an amplifier occurs via a pair of gold-plated stereo RCA outputs recessed deep beneath the main body of the SL-1300G. Technics supplies a pair of absolutely bog-standard RCA cables more commonly associated with turntables costing about 10 per cent of the price of this one.

  • Features score: 5/5

Tonearm of the Technics SL-1300G turnable

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: Sound quality

  • Notable clarity, detail and low-frequency presence
  • Energetic and dynamic attitude
  • As confident at the top end as it dares to be

Some record players have a very specific character or attitude, or a comfort zone out of which they are unwilling to tread. The Technics SL-1300G, it’s safe to say, is not one of those record players. There isn’t a style of music it sounds uncomfortable with – as far as attitude is concerned, “it’s all good” seems to cover it.

During the course of this review I listen to everything from a heavyweight reissue of Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space by Spiritualized to a ‘pre-loved’ (for which read ‘second-hand’) copy of The Strip Goes On by Orchester Werner Müller and many points in between, and at every turn the Technics covers every base. It’s a vibrant, energetic and engrossing performer, but it’s capable of forensic levels of analysis and insight at the same time.

Its frequency response, from the top of the range to the bottom, is smooth and even. Its overall tonality (with the mild exception of the top of the frequency range, which I’ll come to shortly) is neutral and natural. And its ability to allow music to just flow in the most confident and convincing manner is, even by the vaunted standards of the vinyl format, impressive in the extreme.

It digs deep and hits hard at the bottom of the frequency range, but both where control and insight are concerned it’s a spectacular performer. Bass sounds are solid and varied, with ample detail regarding tone and texture made available, while the SL-1300G controls the attack or decay of individual notes or hits with such purpose that rhythms are expressed in compelling fashion. It’s similarly accomplished in the midrange; there’s no fleeting detail that evades it, no secret of a singer’s technique or emotional state to which it’s not party. It communicates in absolute torrents, and in the most unforced and vivid manner – the balance it strikes between ‘analysis’ and ‘entertainment’ is outstanding.

Despite the significant levels of drive and attack it can summon, it never sounds stressed or uncontrolled. Though it can create a large and spacious soundstage, it presents music as a tightly unified whole, a singular event – the impression of performers operating in symphony, as opposed to a collection of individuals, is palpable.

Really, it’s only at the top of the frequency range that there are any noteworthy issues, and they can be mitigated without too much difficulty. The SL-1300G is a forthright and assertive performer where treble response is concerned, demonstrating as much confidence as is practical. Unlike the rest of the frequency range, though, the top end here is provokable – inserted into a system that’s similarly uninhibited where treble sounds are concerned, it’s possible that high frequencies could become a little edgy or strident.

So, a degree of system-matching is in order. The Technics won’t thank you for pairing it with speakers and/or amplification that share its high-end enthusiasm. Once you get over that particular hurdle, though, there’s nothing much else you need to do except sit back and revel in the sound this turntable produces.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Technics SL-1300G turntable on top of a three-storey listening setup, with floor-standing speakers either side.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: Design

  • Black or silver finish
  • 173 x 453 x 372mm (HxWxD)
  • 13kg

Broadly speaking, the SL-1300G looks like a record player. More specifically, it looks like a Technics turntable. Whether or not you think that’s a good thing is a matter of taste, but there’s no denying that the company’s turntables have a reasonably strong visual identity.

From top to bottom, there’s no mistaking the SL-1300G as the product of any other company. Its 173 x 453 x 372mm (HxWxD) includes a sturdy Perspex dust cover, and its two-part chassis stands on four equally sturdy, extremely pliant and frankly over-engineered silicone rubber insulators – because Technics deals in nothing as straightforward as ‘feet’, of course.

The chassis itself is a rigid and profoundly vibration-resistant construction. The base is made of bulk molding compound and is topped by a die-cast aluminum plate, and further vibration damping is achieved by reinforcing ribs deployed between the tonearm assembly and the motor.

As is usual with Technics turntables, the SL-1300G features a ‘power on/off’ button above a ‘start/stop’ button on the bottom left of the top plate. There are also a pair of speed-selection buttons for ‘33.3’ or ‘45’ – press them at the same time and your turntable will be able to turn at 78rpm.

All in, the SL-1300G weighs a chunky 13kg - and a full 3.6kg of this is accounted for by the platter. It’s a three-layer item, with an aluminum main body, a 2mm layer of brass across the top and a hefty quantity of deadening rubber covering the whole of the rear surface. It offers considerable vibration damping, impressive resonance rejection, smooth rotational stability and significant inertial mass. In essence, it’s the same as the platter fitted to the (appreciably more expensive) SL-1200G.

Every SL-1300G is balanced after it’s assembled – because if the weight distribution of the turntable is uneven, the rotation of the platter can cause noise and vibration. How do you know your SL-1300G has been balanced in the Technics factory before it’s packaged up? By the little ‘BALANCED’ sticker on the underside of the platter.

  • Design score: 5/5

Technics SL-1300G turntable buttons showing 'start/stop' and and '33' and '45' functionality.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Technics SL-1300G turntable review: usability and set-up

  • Source and fit a cartridge
  • Bin the supplied RCA cables in favor of something more appropriate
  • Do the usual stuff regarding counterweight, anti-skate and so on

Unusually for the ‘usability and setup’ section, I’m going to have to talk about the need for you to spend yet more money. Because if you don’t, the SL-1300G is nothing more than an elaborate (and good-looking) doorstop.

If you want to get a sound out of your SL-1300G, you’ll need to research, source, purchase and fit an appropriate cartridge. I’d suggest something in the region of $500 will buy you something that will do this record player some justice. Cartridge fitting and setup are among the most fiddly things you can do (in life, let alone in the context of your audio system), so try to be patient. And then when you’ve done that, you really should consider binning the freebie RCA interconnects Technics so graciously supplies in favor of something that’s actually up to the job.

Once that’s done, though, usability is a doddle. The direct drive motor gets the platter up to speed in well under a second, and the tonearm lift operates with precision. ‘Putting a record on’ has never been any less painful than it is here.

  • Usability and setup score: 4/5

Tonearm and platter of the Technics SL-1300G turntable.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Technics SL-1300G review: Value

  • Superb build quality and materials
  • Real longevity
  • But you have to spend even more money to get it working

It depends how you look at it, I suppose. In terms of engineering prowess, the quality of materials and the way they’re put together, in terms of longevity and simple pride of ownership, the Technics SL-1300G represents very good value indeed. And that’s before you factor in the many admirable aspects of the way it sounds.

But given that this record player doesn’t actually function until you’ve spent quite a lot more money on a cartridge, plus a fair few bucks upgrading the cables connecting it to your amplifier, it’s perhaps not the cast-iron value for money it at first appears…

  • Value score: 4/5

Adjustable feet of the Technics SL-1300G turntable on a wooden surface.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)

Should I buy the Technics SL-1300G?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Twin-rotor ‘coreless’ direct drive motor reduces rotational vibration and minimizes load; high-precision aluminum tonearm.

5/5

Sound quality

Notably clear and detailed; energetic and dynamic; confident at the top end.

4/5

Design

Gorgeous styling and perfectly balanced out of the factory. What's not to like?

5/5

Usability and setup

No cartridge supplied is a problem; RCA cables could also do with changing.

4/5

Value

High-quality materials and finish, but having to pay even more on top of a hefty price tag grates.

4/5

Buy it if...

You admire uncompromizing engineering
The engineering rigor that’s been brought to bear here is almost enough to make you want an SL-1300G before you hear what it can do.

You’re in any way careless
It’s not difficult to damage a stylus, of course, but you’ll have to go some if you want to damage any other part of this Technics.

You like sound quality that’s big on both insight and entertainment
The SL-1300G’s ability to pore over your records in the hunt for information at the same time as sounding uncomplicatedly musical never gets old.

Don't buy it if...

You’d like Technics to select (and fit) the most appropriate cartridge
I really don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect your $3,299 turntable to come with an optimized cartridge pre-fitted to the headshell.

Your system is treble-happy to start with
As part of an unsympathetically toppy system, the SL-1300G will only exacerbate things where treble response is concerned.

Technics SL-1300G review: also consider

Cambridge Audio Alva TT v2
For approximately half the price of the Technics SL-1300G you can buy a direct drive turntable with a switchable pre-amp and pre-fitted cartridge, and that can wireless transmit an aptX HD Bluetooth signal to any wireless receiver – yep, it’s the Cambridge Audio Alva TT v2, and these days it represents corking value for money.
Read the full Cambridge Audio Alva TT v2 review.

Rega Planar 10
Or you could go to the other extreme and drop $5,999 on a Rega Planar 10 with Alpheta 3 cartridge. It’s a fully manual belt-driven design that makes almost as big a deal of what it leaves out as it does the stuff it includes but, when it comes to sonic fidelity and veracity, nothing else at anything like the price can touch it.

How I tested the Technics SL-1300G

Tonearm of the Technics SL-1300G turntable.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)
  • Tested over the course of one week
  • Listening to various types of music

I connected the Technics SL-1300G up to my home system using the supplied RGA cables. Then, I spent well over a working week listening to as many different types of music as I could, of many different genres, and varying qualities of pressing to give the SL-1300G as much of a workout as I could. And, to be honest, I enjoyed doing it.

  • First reviewed: November 2025
  • Read more about how we test
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: , | 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 in pistachio green held in a hand or hung on a barbell, being pushed up by a carved frog

(Image credit: Future)

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 either beside Nothing Headphone (1) or on a table, with the accessories in the box

(Image credit: Future)

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.

CMF Headphone Pro either beside Nothing Headphone (1) or on a table, with the accessories in the box

(Image credit: Future)

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 in pistachio green held in a hand or hung on a barbell, being pushed up by a carved frog

(Image credit: Future)

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.

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)

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 either beside Nothing Headphone (1) or on a table, with the accessories in the box

(Image credit: Future)

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

CMF Headphone Pro either beside Nothing Headphone (1) or on a table, with the accessories in the box

(Image credit: Future)

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 in pistachio green held in a hand or hung on a barbell, being pushed up by a carved frog

(Image credit: Future)

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
This Bluetooth speaker’s battery life impressed me in testing, but it’s irredeemably bad in one vital respect
6:30 pm | November 10, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers | Tags: , | Comments: Off

AO mini portable wireless speaker: two-minute review

If you don’t live in the UK, you’ve probably never heard of AO, so allow us a brief explainer. AO is a Bolton-based online electrical retailer that sells white goods – fridges, dishwashers, ovens, TVs, hi-fi equipment and the like – for a fraction of their store price. For an annual membership of £39.99, you get discounted prices when buying from its website because it cuts out the middle man and sells direct to the customer. It also has a natty advertising campaign that features the soundalike “Hey, hoh – let’s go!” refrain from The Ramones’ Blitzkrieg Bop. Got it? Good.

What AO has never done is make the audio gear it also sells. Until now. In the summer of 2025, the AO mini portable wireless speaker (yes, this really is its does-what-it-says-on-the-tin name) was part of a suite of releases to change that and try to provide an inexpensive entry to the best portable Bluetooth speakers on the market.

So, how does it fair? Well, the £29 price – $40 / AU$59, but only available in the UK (and only direct from AO) at the time of writing – is a strong start for a portable speaker with Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Indeed, for AO members in the UK, it's cheaper still at £19. Better still, a 25-hour battery life dominates some of the biggest competition in the budget market such as the JBL Go 4 (seven hours), the five-star Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (12, already four more than the first-gen model) or the Edifier ES20 (15 hours).

The AO mini portable wireless speaker is also nicely built, with sturdy buttons plus appreciated answer/end/reject call options (with decent accompanying call quality) that is increasingly absent from the competition. Plus, its IP67 waterproofing means it more than does the job in the shower or down at the beach.

Unfortunately, though, there’s the biggest of elephants in the room – the way the AO sounds. It’s not good. In fact, I’d rather listen to tunes coming out of my iPhone 15’s speakers or even my retro MacBook Air's pretty limited sound-producing alternative. For a bit of tech whose primary purpose is to elevate sound, add depth and make it louder – nope, it doesn’t do that, either – this is quite a big problem.

Is it going to be your primary Bluetooth speaker to while away hour upon hour? Definitely not, but that’s not to say it doesn’t warrant a place in your lineup of listening apparatus. The AO mini portable wireless speaker’s flexibility, solid build and near-peerless battery life make it a decent bet to accompany a long weekend away or just be left in the shower so you can sing along to Wham! to help wake you up, before you go-go. After all, that aggressive price is pretty hard to ignore…

Black AO mini portable wireless speaker on a rock, with a beach and the sea in the background

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: price and release date

  • £29 (not on sale in US or AUS)
  • Launched in summer 2025

The AO mini portable wireless speaker was launched in the summer of 2025 as part of the retailer’s debut line of self-made audio products and costs £29 (£19 for AO members) in the UK. It isn't available in the US or Australia, but that equates to $40 / AU$59. Just to confirm, you haven’t misread that price – it really is that cheap.

TechRadar's review sample is black, but it also comes in white, which was the only color available to purchase on the AO website at the time of writing. It’s an opposite Model T Ford, then.

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: specs

Drivers

1x 20mm

Dimensions

82 x 47 x 98mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Battery life

25 hours

Waterproofing

IP67

Top panel of the black AO mini portable wireless speaker, on a craggy rock

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: features

  • Excellent 25-hour battery life
  • Shower-tested IP67 waterproofing
  • Easy setup but no multi-point connectivity

For what is a pretty small bit of kit, the AO mini portable wireless speaker undeniably packs plenty in. Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity isn’t industry-leading – and a 3.5mm line-in for wired listening would’ve been nice – but it’s decent for a speaker as emphatically entry-level as this, while at no stage in testing did I encounter any drop outs.

It’s solid and reliable, the only minor gripe being its lack of multi-point connectivity option. At one point I needed to switch from music listening via Tidal on my iPhone to Match of the Day football watching on my laptop – technically, that’s still work, but only just – and discovered that I’d need to disconnect from the former to be able to connect to the latter. Sure, it’s not the greatest of impositions, but it’s nevertheless unwieldy.

At least the AO is quick and easy to set up. Within minutes of turning on the AO for the first time, my partner and I were dancing around the front room to Going Places by Teenage Fanclub – she effortlessly magnificent, me shufflingly dreadful, thanks for asking. Gerard Love’s lilting vocal complemented his erstwhile bandmates’ harmonies well enough but without a clarity or depth to be expected even at this low price point. More on which later, and the fault certainly doesn't lie with the Scottish group Kurt Cobain once called “the best band in the world”.

Black AO mini portable wireless speaker as part of a knitted autumnal post box cover

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

Better still, the AO’s IP67 waterproof rating makes it borderline impervious to dust and water ingress. Short of trying to bury it at the bottom of the Atlantic, or subjecting it to extended periods in your teenager’s never-cleaned dust box of a bedroom, you’ll do very well to stop it from working. I used the AO constantly in the shower for over a week and (much like me) it got absolutely soaked, but at no stage did the superb improv podcast Three Bean Salad featuring Taskmaster alumnus Mike Wozniak cut out or the speaker lose connection from my phone in the adjoining bedroom. A trip to my local beach also presented no issue for water ingress either from Portland Harbor or the heavens as an unexpected Dorset shower passed overhead.

No less sturdy is the battery life, which is nothing short of relentless. In testing, the AO’s claimed 25 hours proved plenty accurate – I used the speaker throughout three full seven-hour working days, plus aforementioned trips to the beach and in the shower, and it still had half its juice remaining according to the battery indicator on my phone.

Compare those figures with the as the JBL Go 3’s notorious five-hour lifespan, the updated Go 4’s seven and even the recent Edifier ES20’s 15 hours and the AO dominates the competition for half the (already pretty insignificant) price in some cases. Stuff it in your rucksack on a camping trip and it’ll neither take up much space, nor will it fail you across a week’s medium use before its next charge, a vital consideration when living off-grid in a field. Just 1.5 hours’ charging from the included USB-C cable gets it back to full power, too.

My only other issue is the lack of accompanying app, so there’s no option to tweak EQs or come up with your own presets to get the sound just how you like it. But at this price point what did you expect? This little box is packed with plenty.

  • Features score: 4/5

Black AO mini portable wireless speaker on a rock, surrounded by a sandy beach

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: sound quality

  • Almost no bass
  • Lacks clarity
  • Limited top volume

Sadly, though, we can ignore the obvious no longer. The AO sounds dreadful, and you don’t need me to tell that this is a bit of a problem for a speaker. No separation, very little bass, a tinny sound and generally just not loud enough. This is regardless of the quality of source device music, too – I tried streaming hi-res FLAC content on Tidal but still to no avail.

A level of compression for a portable Bluetooth speaker this size is to be expected – it measures 82 x 47 x 98mm and though no weight is quoted, it feels lighter than the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 I used as a comparison – but it is definitely possible to make a better sound than this within the dimensions. The AO’s 20mm driver soon hits a ceiling that others glide beyond and, though its timing is OK and it doesn’t feel too jumbled, the lack of definition and depth are immediately obvious.

Rich by Yeah Yeah Yeahs comes across as one-dimensional – something bordering a war crime – with no separation between Nick Zinner’s synth promptings, lead singer Karen O’s exultant, imploring vocal and Brian Chase’s percussive beat. Switching between the AO and the Tribit mid-song only serves to highlight the difference further – the latter delivers a clearer, punchier vocal and the frequencies are more faithful to the original.

The bass, hardly the thing you most associate with Yeah Yeah Yeahs, is broader, deeper and much more noticeable with the Tribit, so I switch to a band known for allowing its four-string to drive tracks. New Order’s All the Way features arguably Peter Hook’s most melodic and rhythmic high-fretted bassline – thanks in part to the band’s increasing use of sequenced synthesizers and Hooky still wanting to be heard – but the AO strips all that away and it sounds tinny. Even the notoriously lo-fi band Guided By Voices, and the stellar Game Of Pricks, lacks oomph.

More infuriating still, the ‘power-down’ sound the AO makes when you turn the speaker off features a demonstrably bassy effect that is completely absent when listening to music. If the AO is capable of making that noise, why do we only hear it when turning it off? Here’s what you could’ve won.

Keen to find out what the AO could do in the open air, I took the speaker on a 10-minute walk to my local beach. Sadly, it’s no different. The gradual 40-second jangle-guitar intro of Star Sign by Teenage Fanclub from 1991 classic album Bandwagonesque is barely audible, then Brendan O’Hare’s driving bass drum lacks attack. The AO is quiet, too – I fire it up to maximum volume and it hits another ceiling all too quickly. Whack the Tribit up to a Spinal Tap-approved 11 on the same song, and two nearby seagulls take their immediate. It feels instructive.

Weirdly, the spoken word is better. The Elis James and John Robins podcast on BBC Sounds, featuring the two titular comedians and producer Dave, comes through impressively and sounds true-to-life. Even the choral theme tune to regular feature Cymru Connection, in which Elis has to find a mutual acquaintance with a fellow Welsh person inside 60 seconds, sounds well-rounded.

It's just a shame about, well, everything else.

  • Sound quality score: 2.5/5

Side panel, with the blue light showing Bluetooth connection, of the black AO mini portable wireless speaker on a jagged rock.

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: design

  • Small enough to fit in a hoody pouch, but not a jeans pocket
  • Tactile buttons
  • Loop is small and not very versatile

The AO mini portable wireless speaker certainly lives up to its name. Its 82 x 47 x 98mm dimensions make it smaller than the Edifier ES20 (90.4 x 93.7 x 49.7mm) or the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 (104 x 99 x 41mm) – it's perfect to pop in a bag to enjoy on the move. You could just about fit it in a hoody pouch, but a jeans pocket is probably a stretch too far, unlike the squarer Tribit which can squeeze into a back pocket with a bit of encouragement.

Simple to use, the AO has four buttons that sit on top of the speaker – 'on/off', 'volume up/skip track', 'volume down/skip back track' and 'play/pause'. Unlike some headphones' on-ear controls, where a double tap skips a track instead of increasing the volume by two, there’s no danger of an errant press, either. It’s a single press for each volume increment you want (no matter how quickly you push), and press and hold for three seconds to skip forward and backward – never once did I err, a minor miracle in itself.

A much-appreciated feature was the 'answer/reject call' option, something sorely lacking from similar products such as the JBL Flip 7 and Go 4. A quick press of the 'play/pause' button answers the call, a three-second hold rejects it – once on a call, the quality is good and stable.

It’s pretty well built, too. The AO’s unobtrusive rubber feet mean it isn’t going to go sliding off tables with an accidental knock, and even if you are on the clumsy side – guilty as charged, your honor – then it’s still plenty sturdy enough to cope with a few knocks on the floor.

There are, though, some flaws. If you’re planning on using the green plastic-covered coiled loop to hang the AO from something – a pole in the roof of your tent, or from a strap on a backpack, for instance – you’re going to need a carabiner of some kind to attach it because there’s almost no space in the loop itself. No rucksack release buckle is small enough to slide through.

There’s also good reason why you wouldn’t want to leave the AO suspended in midair. And, yep, it comes back to the sound. Though AO claims ‘multi-directional audio’ for its mini portable wireless speaker, in testing I didn’t encounter anything so aurally 360. Put the speaker next to your ear and it’s immediately obvious out of which side the sound emits, and it sure doesn’t come out of both sides, despite the impression given from a fabric jacket that covers 80 per cent of the product.

On a desk in front of you that isn’t much of an issue – just turn the AO to face you and you’re sorted – but if you’re taking advantage of the speaker’s brilliant battery life and it’s accompanying your outdoorsy endeavors then the situation is different. Assuming you’ve got the aforementioned carabiner, the AO’s sound pings off in whatever direction it happens to be hanging from a rucksack or your tent roof. Essentially, you’ve got three options: deal with it, try to balance the AO in an adequate position or adjust the gradient of the field in which you’ve pitched your tent.

  • Design score: 4/5

Top panel of the black AO mini portable wireless speaker, showing its four button and hanging loop.

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: value

  • Astonishing price point…
  • ... at which you shouldn’t expect too much

You might argue it’s a bit unfair to rag on something that costs as little as £29 (£19 if you’re an AO member in the UK, the only territory it's currently on sale) but I’ve done so anyway.

That being said, if you can look past the AO mini portable wireless speaker’s shortcomings in sound representation and volume, and aren’t going to use it for anything other than to listen to some tunes or a podcast on-the-go, then the price makes it an attractive option nevertheless.

The AO sits squarely in the gray area where ‘cheap’ and ‘good value’ merge.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

A hand holding the black AO mini portable wireless speaker on a raised promontory, with an island in the background.

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)

Should I buy the AO mini portable wireless speaker?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Unbelievable 25-hour battery life; IP67 waterproofing; Bluetooth 5.3 but no 3.5mm line-in.

4/5

Sound quality

Severely lacking bass; limited top volume; compressed and tinny sound.

2.5/5

Design

Well built, compact with tactile buttons; small hanging loop and no multi-directional sound.

4/5

Value

Astonishing price point but in a gray area as to whether 'cheap' equates to 'value'.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You like camping
The battery life is beyond excellent. Even with moderate-to-extensive use, the AO will survive a week on just one charge, especially useful if you regularly spend vacations in a field with next-to-no plug sockets.

You get lots of calls
I’m not popular enough, but if your phone is ringing off the hook then you can answer, talk and hang up with seamless efficiency using the integrated buttons on top of the AO. And that’s rarer than you think in many recent Bluetooth speakers.

You like singing in the shower
The AO’s IP67 waterproofing makes it the perfect morning accompaniment. You can even drop it in the bath and it’ll survive.

Don't buy it if...

You appreciate sound quality
The small 20mm driver can only deliver so much. There’s almost no bass (apart from the 'on/off' wake-up noise), limited separation and a general lack of attack.

You want to turn it up to 11
The top volume just isn’t loud enough, especially when you consider the AO will be most often listened to outdoors.

You want to hang it
The loop hole is too small to be used without a carabiner, and even if you do, there’s no omni-directional functionality.

AO mini portable wireless speaker review: also consider

AO mini portable wireless speaker

JBL Go 4

Edifier ES20

Price

£29.99 (£19 for AO members, not available in other territories)

$49.95 / £39.99 / AU$59.95

$89.99 / £49.99 / AU$99.99

Drivers

20mm

45mm driver, integrated class D digital amplifier

43mm full-range driver

Dimensions

82 x 47 x 98mm

94 x 78 x 42mm

90.4 x 93.7 x 49.7mm

Weight

Not supplied

190g

326g

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.3 / USB-C (charging)

Bluetooth 5.4

Battery life

25 hours

7 hours

15 hours

Waterproofing

IP67

IP67

IP67

JBL Go 4
If it’s an ultra-cheap Bluetooth speaker for under $50 / £50 you’re after, the JBL is the one to go for. Punchy, clear audio in a tiny form, even if the aforementioned battery life could do with improvement.
Read our full JBL Go 4 review.

Edifier ES20
The Edifier offers punchy sound, ambient lighting and sturdy waterproofing in a perfectly styled box, all for the $50 bracket. EQ options are lacking, but it represents excellent value for money.
Read our full Edifier ES20.

How I tested the AO mini portable wireless speaker

Black AO mini portable wireless speaker perched on the side of a wet rock on a beach.

(Image credit: Future / Andy Murray)
  • Over two weeks as my primary Bluetooth speaker
  • On my office table, in the shower, at the beach
  • With a variety of music styles, sources and podcasts

I had just over two weeks with the AO mini portable wireless speaker, listening to various different music styles and resolutions via streaming service Tidal. I also listened to podcasts downloaded from Apple Podcasts and BBC Sounds onto my iPhone 15, plus music from my Apple MacBook Air.

I tested the AO indoors while writing and editing words about everything from audio to football, in the shower and at the beach. In short, in most everyday conditions possible (if you’re lucky enough to live by the sea, that is).

  • First reviewed: November 2025
  • Read more about how we test
Topping’s new DAC, headphone amp and preamp just toppled a few key players to sit with the top of the class
1:30 pm | November 8, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Topping DX5 II: Two-minute review

The DX5 II is the product that Chinese specialist Topping hopes is going to force its name into the ‘affordable desktop audio’ conversation – and so it’s specified it accordingly and then priced it in the most aggressive manner imaginable.

A selection of digital inputs and a wider selection of balanced and unbalanced outputs mean the DX5 II can function as a DAC and headphone amp, like many of the best portable DACs we recommend can, but it can also become a preamp for use with a traditional stereo system or a pair of powered speakers – which your average portable DAC definitely can't do. So, this is new ground for many a headphone amp-owner.

ESS Sabre digital-to-analogue conversion with a native resolution of 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 means the DX5 II is as high-resolution a device as these things ever get. A variety of finishes, each one tidily realised and each one complementing an impeccable standard of build and finish, means the DX5 II won’t lower the visual tone of your system or your desktop. A selection of desktop Topping technologies designed to maximise sonic performance act as the cherry on top.

And no matter if you use it as a DAC, a preamp or a headphone amp, the DX5 II has an awful lot to recommend it where sound quality is concerned. It creates a big, open soundstage and organises it carefully. It’s detailed and dynamic in equal measure, and it controls low-frequency information to the point that rhythms are delivered with real positivity. It’s eloquent through the midrange, and its top-to-bottom frequency response is smooth too. In fact, there’s only a suggestion of overly bright treble response that represents a tiny fly in a great big vat of sonic ointment.

Topping DX5 II review: Price and release date

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)
  • Launched on June 10, 2025
  • Priced $299 / £299 / AU$499

The Topping DX5 II is on sale now, and in the UK it goes for £299. Those numbers apply in the United States too, where it sells for $299 (subject to tariff fluctuations) while in Australia it will set you back AU$499.

A quick comparison then: it's a fair amount of product for the money. FiiO's pocketable BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier sells for just a little less, at around $219 / £179 / AU$329 – but it's a portable little beast rather than a 'desktop' option.

The USB DAC iFi GO Bar Kensei is more, at $499 / £449 / AU$769, while the five-star iFi hip-dac 3 is less, at $199 / £199 / AU$349. All of which is a roundabout way of saying, there's certainly a market for the Topping DX5 II at this price, if it can take care of business.

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Features

  • ESS Sabre 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 DACs
  • Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC compatibility
  • Balanced and unbalanced outputs

If Topping has attempted to build the DX5 II down to a price, it’s in no way obvious from the way the device is specified. There are similar products costing a fair bit more than Topping is asking that don’t tick as many spec boxes.

Consider the array of inputs and outputs, for instance. The DX5 II can accept digital audio information via coaxial or optical (which both top out at 24bit/192kHz), USB-B (a giddy 32bit/768kHz and DSD512), or Bluetooth 5.1 with SBC, AAC, several aptX standards (up to and including Adaptive) and LDAC. It’s worth mentioning that Windows PC users will need to install a driver to make use of that USB-B socket. Once the digital audio information been converted to the analog equivalent (which I’ll get to in a moment) it can come out again via single-ended stereo RCAs or balanced stereo XLRs (for connection to powered speakers or the amplifier of a traditional stereo system), or via a trio of headphone outputs – balanced XLR, balanced 4.4mm and single-ended 6.3mm.

Conversion to analog from digital is handled by a couple of ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M two-channel DAC chips – one attends to the left channel, the other to the right. They include ESS Sabre’s latest ‘Hyperstream IV’ architecture that’s intended to suppress noise and deliver optimal dynamic range – and their native 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 resolution is about as hi-res as hi-res ever gets out in the real world. To further suppress noise and distortion, Topping has developed a bespoke current-to-voltage conversion module that should also make the DX5 II compatible with a very wide selection of headphones and powered speakers.

And on top of this, Topping has included its own ‘X-Hybrid’ headphone amplification technology. It’s a fully balanced four-channel design with three stages (discrete input, op-amp -based gain stage, discrete output). This optimised circuit topology is designed to offer extended dynamic range, optimum efficiency and low distortion – and it should mean the DX5 II has no problem driving even the most uncooperative and power-hungry headphones.

Now, the free ‘Topping Tune’ software: it was only available for Windows PC at the time of testing, but it’s now also available for Mac OS users and provides access to Topping’s new ‘PEQ’ (parametric equaliser) algorithm that allows control of bandwidth, frequency and gain across ten definable bands. It means multiple audio profiles can be created, saved and uploaded to the DX5 II, target curves can be defined and imported – and different profiles can be applied to specific inputs, so the ultimate sound of headphones or speakers can be individually tuned by the Topping.

Features score: 5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Sound quality

  • Great sense of space and detail
  • Dynamic and punchy when required
  • A hint of top-end brightness

In virtually every respect, the Topping DX5 II does straightforwardly impressive work. So much so, in fact, that I might as well deal with the one aspect where it doesn’t outright excel – which should leave plenty of space for me to explain just what’s so likeable about it.

The top of the frequency range is just a little flimsy and bright when compared to everything else that’s going on underneath it. There’s an overly bright quality to the treble reproduction here, a sort of latent edginess that means the DX5 II is just slightly pickier about partnering equipment than it otherwise would be.

And with that out of the way, let’s get to all the good stuff.

The DX5 II is an open, detailed and considered listen, with the sort of soundstaging ability that makes even a complex recording like The Birth and Death of the Day by Explosions in the Sky easy to follow on a granular level. This recording also allows the DX5 II to demonstrate its considerable dynamic headroom – the distance between the moments of greatest intensity and attack, compared to the quietest and most contemplative moments, is significant.

The Topping is also alert to the dynamics of harmonic variation, too – and, in fact, shows a great facility for detail retrieval in every circumstance. It can identify, reveal and quite carefully contextualise even transient or minor details in a mix. And this goes a long way towards creating the sensation that you’re in full receipt of everything a recording has to offer.

The tonality of the low frequencies and the midrange is tidy and naturalistic, and the frequency response from the very bottom to the very top is smooth and even. Low frequencies are deep and textured, and carry a huge amount of information along with very pleasing tonal variation – and they’re controlled at the point of attack, too, so rhythmic expression is assured. The DX5 II punches into bass sounds, rather than slurring, and it observes the decay of those same sounds very carefully too.

The midrange is equally well-realised. The voice during a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of Ghostpoet’s Off Peak Dreams is characterful and attitudinal, and there’s a tremendous amount of fine detail regarding technique and tone revealed at the same time as information about intention and emotion. The Topping communicates through the midrange in the most articulate manner, and as a result voices always sound direct and positive.

All of the above is true no matter what you’re asking the DX5 II to do. As long as you take a moment’s care with your choice of headphones, as long as the system you’re introducing it into doesn’t share the same latent treble tendencies, it’s a deft and remarkably accomplished performer.

Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Design

  • 44 x 190 x 155mm (HxWxD)
  • Black, silver or white finishes
  • Properly built and finished

It’s become apparent lately that ‘desktop’ is a relative term – but Topping really means it when it describes the DX5 II as a desktop device. At a neat 44 x 190 x 155mm (HxWxD) it isn’t going to get in the way, even if your desktop is as untidy as mine.

The standard of build and finish is exemplary, and the DX5 II even feels good in a matte-finish, square-edged kind of way. The little indent around the rear of the fascia adds a tiny hint of visual interest, and the Topping looks very presentable in any of the black, silver or white finishes that are available.

Design score: 5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Usability and setup

  • 2-in full-colour display
  • Remote control handset
  • Legible and sensible on-screen menus

There are some physical controls on the fascia of the DX5 II – they’re grouped to the right of the crisp, full-colour screen that occupies the centre. Three rectangular buttons take care of input selection, accessing set-up menus, and cycling through the various display options for that screen, while a larger turn/press dial takes care of volume and menu navigation.

Options for the screen consist of a ‘spectrum analyser’ (which is sure to remind readers of a certain age of a graphic equaliser from back in the day), a readout of volume level, file format and file resolution, or a virtual VU meter (which is one for readers of an even more certain age). There’s a choice of colour and adjustable brightness, but in every circumstance the display is legible and crisply rendered, so navigating menus is always straightforward.

The Topping is also supplied with a little remote control handset that is, predictably, a lot less visually interesting and a lot less tactile than the control interface on the device itself. And unlike the DX5 II itself, there’s no choice of finish available – it comes in traditional black.

Usability and setup score: 4.5 / 5

Topping DX5 II review: Value

Judge it on the physical size of the product and the DX5 II can seem quite expensive. Consider it in terms of its specification and it suddenly seems much more realistically priced. And then think about its functionality, its flexibility and the highlights of its performance and the Topping starts to look like a bit of a bargain.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Topping DX5 II?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Comprehensively specified – it'll even work as a preamp

5/5

Design

Small, svelte and useful enough to slip onto even the untidiest of desks

5/5

Sound quality

Dynamic, punchy and detailed, if just a tad bright on occasion

4.5/5

Value

It would be wrong to argue with the sound-per-pound value here

4.5/5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want to up your desktop audio game
The difference the DX5 II can make to the sound of your laptop really needs to be heard

You have a traditional audio system that could do with some digital smarts
High-quality Bluetooth streaming can be yours, no matter how old-school your stereo system

You have some nice headphones that need the best bringing from them
The Topping is ready and able to drive the most demand and/or most high-achieving headphones around

Don't buy it if...

You have headphones that are lively at the top of the frequency range
The resulting sound could easily be interpreted as ‘too much of a good thing’

Topping DX5 II review: Also consider

It’s pretty plain that the iFi Zen DAC 3 is the product the DX5 II needs to topple – or, at the very least, compete hard with if it’s going to be a viable option.

The iFi is a nice-looking, properly built and handily specified device, and it’s capable of extremely clean, confident and full-bodied sound. Which, of course, are all things that equally apply to the Topping machine…

How I tested the Topping DX5 II

I tried a bit of everything, basically – I used the DX5 II on my desktop, connected it to my laptop via USB, and plugged in a pair of high-end IEMs via the balanced 4.4mm headphone output.

I connected it to my reference stereo system using its single-ended RCAs and its balanced XLR outputs – this way I was able to use it as a DAC for my CD player and, with it wirelessly connected to my smartphone, as a Bluetooth receiver. And I tried out these various roles and functions for a working week or more.

Topping’s new DAC, headphone amp and preamp just toppled a few key players to sit with the top of the class
1:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Topping DX5 II: Two-minute review

The DX5 II is the product that Chinese specialist Topping hopes is going to force its name into the ‘affordable desktop audio’ conversation – and so it’s specified it accordingly and then priced it in the most aggressive manner imaginable.

A selection of digital inputs and a wider selection of balanced and unbalanced outputs mean the DX5 II can function as a DAC and headphone amp, like many of the best portable DACs we recommend can, but it can also become a preamp for use with a traditional stereo system or a pair of powered speakers – which your average portable DAC definitely can't do. So, this is new ground for many a headphone amp-owner.

ESS Sabre digital-to-analogue conversion with a native resolution of 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 means the DX5 II is as high-resolution a device as these things ever get. A variety of finishes, each one tidily realised and each one complementing an impeccable standard of build and finish, means the DX5 II won’t lower the visual tone of your system or your desktop. A selection of desktop Topping technologies designed to maximise sonic performance act as the cherry on top.

And no matter if you use it as a DAC, a preamp or a headphone amp, the DX5 II has an awful lot to recommend it where sound quality is concerned. It creates a big, open soundstage and organises it carefully. It’s detailed and dynamic in equal measure, and it controls low-frequency information to the point that rhythms are delivered with real positivity. It’s eloquent through the midrange, and its top-to-bottom frequency response is smooth too. In fact, there’s only a suggestion of overly bright treble response that represents a tiny fly in a great big vat of sonic ointment.

Topping DX5 II review: Price and release date

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)
  • Launched on June 10, 2025
  • Priced $299 / £299 / AU$499

The Topping DX5 II is on sale now, and in the UK it goes for £299. Those numbers apply in the United States too, where it sells for $299 (subject to tariff fluctuations) while in Australia it will set you back AU$499.

A quick comparison then: it's a fair amount of product for the money. FiiO's pocketable BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier sells for just a little less, at around $219 / £179 / AU$329 – but it's a portable little beast rather than a 'desktop' option.

The USB DAC iFi GO Bar Kensei is more, at $499 / £449 / AU$769, while the five-star iFi hip-dac 3 is less, at $199 / £199 / AU$349. All of which is a roundabout way of saying, there's certainly a market for the Topping DX5 II at this price, if it can take care of business.

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Features

  • ESS Sabre 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 DACs
  • Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX Adaptive and LDAC compatibility
  • Balanced and unbalanced outputs

If Topping has attempted to build the DX5 II down to a price, it’s in no way obvious from the way the device is specified. There are similar products costing a fair bit more than Topping is asking that don’t tick as many spec boxes.

Consider the array of inputs and outputs, for instance. The DX5 II can accept digital audio information via coaxial or optical (which both top out at 24bit/192kHz), USB-B (a giddy 32bit/768kHz and DSD512), or Bluetooth 5.1 with SBC, AAC, several aptX standards (up to and including Adaptive) and LDAC. It’s worth mentioning that Windows PC users will need to install a driver to make use of that USB-B socket. Once the digital audio information been converted to the analog equivalent (which I’ll get to in a moment) it can come out again via single-ended stereo RCAs or balanced stereo XLRs (for connection to powered speakers or the amplifier of a traditional stereo system), or via a trio of headphone outputs – balanced XLR, balanced 4.4mm and single-ended 6.3mm.

Conversion to analog from digital is handled by a couple of ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M two-channel DAC chips – one attends to the left channel, the other to the right. They include ESS Sabre’s latest ‘Hyperstream IV’ architecture that’s intended to suppress noise and deliver optimal dynamic range – and their native 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 resolution is about as hi-res as hi-res ever gets out in the real world. To further suppress noise and distortion, Topping has developed a bespoke current-to-voltage conversion module that should also make the DX5 II compatible with a very wide selection of headphones and powered speakers.

And on top of this, Topping has included its own ‘X-Hybrid’ headphone amplification technology. It’s a fully balanced four-channel design with three stages (discrete input, op-amp -based gain stage, discrete output). This optimised circuit topology is designed to offer extended dynamic range, optimum efficiency and low distortion – and it should mean the DX5 II has no problem driving even the most uncooperative and power-hungry headphones.

Now, the free ‘Topping Tune’ software: it was only available for Windows PC at the time of testing, but it’s now also available for Mac OS users and provides access to Topping’s new ‘PEQ’ (parametric equaliser) algorithm that allows control of bandwidth, frequency and gain across ten definable bands. It means multiple audio profiles can be created, saved and uploaded to the DX5 II, target curves can be defined and imported – and different profiles can be applied to specific inputs, so the ultimate sound of headphones or speakers can be individually tuned by the Topping.

Features score: 5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Sound quality

  • Great sense of space and detail
  • Dynamic and punchy when required
  • A hint of top-end brightness

In virtually every respect, the Topping DX5 II does straightforwardly impressive work. So much so, in fact, that I might as well deal with the one aspect where it doesn’t outright excel – which should leave plenty of space for me to explain just what’s so likeable about it.

The top of the frequency range is just a little flimsy and bright when compared to everything else that’s going on underneath it. There’s an overly bright quality to the treble reproduction here, a sort of latent edginess that means the DX5 II is just slightly pickier about partnering equipment than it otherwise would be.

And with that out of the way, let’s get to all the good stuff.

The DX5 II is an open, detailed and considered listen, with the sort of soundstaging ability that makes even a complex recording like The Birth and Death of the Day by Explosions in the Sky easy to follow on a granular level. This recording also allows the DX5 II to demonstrate its considerable dynamic headroom – the distance between the moments of greatest intensity and attack, compared to the quietest and most contemplative moments, is significant.

The Topping is also alert to the dynamics of harmonic variation, too – and, in fact, shows a great facility for detail retrieval in every circumstance. It can identify, reveal and quite carefully contextualise even transient or minor details in a mix. And this goes a long way towards creating the sensation that you’re in full receipt of everything a recording has to offer.

The tonality of the low frequencies and the midrange is tidy and naturalistic, and the frequency response from the very bottom to the very top is smooth and even. Low frequencies are deep and textured, and carry a huge amount of information along with very pleasing tonal variation – and they’re controlled at the point of attack, too, so rhythmic expression is assured. The DX5 II punches into bass sounds, rather than slurring, and it observes the decay of those same sounds very carefully too.

The midrange is equally well-realised. The voice during a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of Ghostpoet’s Off Peak Dreams is characterful and attitudinal, and there’s a tremendous amount of fine detail regarding technique and tone revealed at the same time as information about intention and emotion. The Topping communicates through the midrange in the most articulate manner, and as a result voices always sound direct and positive.

All of the above is true no matter what you’re asking the DX5 II to do. As long as you take a moment’s care with your choice of headphones, as long as the system you’re introducing it into doesn’t share the same latent treble tendencies, it’s a deft and remarkably accomplished performer.

Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Design

  • 44 x 190 x 155mm (HxWxD)
  • Black, silver or white finishes
  • Properly built and finished

It’s become apparent lately that ‘desktop’ is a relative term – but Topping really means it when it describes the DX5 II as a desktop device. At a neat 44 x 190 x 155mm (HxWxD) it isn’t going to get in the way, even if your desktop is as untidy as mine.

The standard of build and finish is exemplary, and the DX5 II even feels good in a matte-finish, square-edged kind of way. The little indent around the rear of the fascia adds a tiny hint of visual interest, and the Topping looks very presentable in any of the black, silver or white finishes that are available.

Design score: 5 / 5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Topping DX5 II review: Usability and setup

  • 2-in full-colour display
  • Remote control handset
  • Legible and sensible on-screen menus

There are some physical controls on the fascia of the DX5 II – they’re grouped to the right of the crisp, full-colour screen that occupies the centre. Three rectangular buttons take care of input selection, accessing set-up menus, and cycling through the various display options for that screen, while a larger turn/press dial takes care of volume and menu navigation.

Options for the screen consist of a ‘spectrum analyser’ (which is sure to remind readers of a certain age of a graphic equaliser from back in the day), a readout of volume level, file format and file resolution, or a virtual VU meter (which is one for readers of an even more certain age). There’s a choice of colour and adjustable brightness, but in every circumstance the display is legible and crisply rendered, so navigating menus is always straightforward.

The Topping is also supplied with a little remote control handset that is, predictably, a lot less visually interesting and a lot less tactile than the control interface on the device itself. And unlike the DX5 II itself, there’s no choice of finish available – it comes in traditional black.

Usability and setup score: 4.5 / 5

Topping DX5 II review: Value

Judge it on the physical size of the product and the DX5 II can seem quite expensive. Consider it in terms of its specification and it suddenly seems much more realistically priced. And then think about its functionality, its flexibility and the highlights of its performance and the Topping starts to look like a bit of a bargain.

Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Topping DX5 II?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Comprehensively specified – it'll even work as a preamp

5/5

Design

Small, svelte and useful enough to slip onto even the untidiest of desks

5/5

Sound quality

Dynamic, punchy and detailed, if just a tad bright on occasion

4.5/5

Value

It would be wrong to argue with the sound-per-pound value here

4.5/5

The Topping DX5 II on a light-wood table, showing the VU meter, ports and just-seen remote

(Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

You want to up your desktop audio game
The difference the DX5 II can make to the sound of your laptop really needs to be heard

You have a traditional audio system that could do with some digital smarts
High-quality Bluetooth streaming can be yours, no matter how old-school your stereo system

You have some nice headphones that need the best bringing from them
The Topping is ready and able to drive the most demand and/or most high-achieving headphones around

Don't buy it if...

You have headphones that are lively at the top of the frequency range
The resulting sound could easily be interpreted as ‘too much of a good thing’

Topping DX5 II review: Also consider

It’s pretty plain that the iFi Zen DAC 3 is the product the DX5 II needs to topple – or, at the very least, compete hard with if it’s going to be a viable option.

The iFi is a nice-looking, properly built and handily specified device, and it’s capable of extremely clean, confident and full-bodied sound. Which, of course, are all things that equally apply to the Topping machine…

How I tested the Topping DX5 II

I tried a bit of everything, basically – I used the DX5 II on my desktop, connected it to my laptop via USB, and plugged in a pair of high-end IEMs via the balanced 4.4mm headphone output.

I connected it to my reference stereo system using its single-ended RCAs and its balanced XLR outputs – this way I was able to use it as a DAC for my CD player and, with it wirelessly connected to my smartphone, as a Bluetooth receiver. And I tried out these various roles and functions for a working week or more.

High price of a vinyl collection putting you off? Follow my lead and get this new one-stop-shop turntable
1:30 am | November 7, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Turntables | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Majority Folio: Two-minute review

Given that vinyl records often feel like they belong in the Smithsonian, actually using them for music can seem like a scary proposition, and what doesn't help is how fiddly and delicate some of the best turntables can seem. Newbies to the vinyl game can find many reasons to stay away, but I'm here to offer one good reason to come over: the Majority Folio.

This record player – for amplification and speaker are both onboard, squirrelled away into the base – is here to downplay those reasons, and make listening to your collection (relatively) simple.

This is the joint-third turntable from British audio company Majority, following the Majority Moto 2.0 and releasing simultaneously with the pricier Stylo.

Like its predecessor, the Folio is an inexpensive turntable, and it also totes a built-in speaker, which means you don't need to buy a separate one (or indeed any phono stage or pre/power amplifiers) to hear your music. These facts alone make the device really easy to buy for people scared to take the plunge.

But beyond that it's easy to set up and use, and won't be scary for new users to experiment with. And once you decide to flesh out your hi-fi setup, the Majority Folio's support for many outputs and inputs means that unlike many cheap vinyl players, it actually can remain a central part of your kit and won't need to be replaced any time soon.

You may want to upgrade things though, because the Folio's speaker doesn't actually sound that great; it's fine as a starting-off point, or for people who aren't already too used to the fantastic audio that high-end kit can put out, but it retains all the issues of its predecessor in that it lacks a solid, weighty and impactful low-end and doesn't provide quality audio overall.

Another gripe I have with the Folio is that a few design choices show a lack of precision. The dust cover doesn't fit perfectly, and the turntable's wooden surface showed up bumps and scratches really easy. These didn't affect playback, but it's still not ideal.

One novel feature I need to bring up in the introduction is that you can plug a USB stick into the Folio and rip/record your vinyl record onto it. This can be great for digitizing your record collection, but you could also use it to create your own mix-tapes (you can split the recording and break it up by track, changing vinyl while you do) or re-record your favorites at a shifted pitch... for some reason. It's a feature with admittedly limited appeal, but I can see it being a game-changer for some music creators.

Majority Folio review: Price and release date

  • Announced on April 12, 2025
  • Sells for £169.95 (roughly $220, AU$340)
  • No US or AUS availability

The Majority Folio was announced on Record Store Day, which was April 12, 2025. It went on sale shortly afterward.

You can buy the turntable for £169.95 (roughly $220 / AU$340), although it’s only available in certain regions, including the UK. Majority’s turntables don’t tend to go on sale in the US, and while they do in Australia, the Folio isn’t currently offered in the region.

That price puts the Folio as one of the more affordable turntables on the market, a great budget buy for people who don’t have the big bucks to invest in a fancy home hi-fi system but want something solid to play vinyl.

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority Folio review: Specs

Dimensions

41.2 x 32.3 x 14.2cm

Motor

Belt drive

Platter

Die-cast metal

Phono preamp

Yes

USB

Input & recording

Bluetooth

5.3

Speeds

33, 45RPM

Stylus

AT3600L

Extras

45RPM adapter, RCA cable, rubber mat, replacement belt

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority Folio review: Features

  • Easy to set-up and use
  • Range of connection options
  • USB recording feature

The Majority Folio seems designed as a plug-and-play dream; thanks to having its own speaker you don’t need to fuss over connecting other devices or extras, and simply plugging it into a power point is your first and last act to get it running. Well, you’ve got to add the record too, and it’s not an automatic turntable so you'll need to place the needle yourself; the record begins to spin as soon as you lift the arm.

Despite having its own speaker, and therefore being less reliant on external speakers to work, the Majority Folio offers quite a few connection options. You can pair to nearby Bluetooth speakers or wireless headphones with Bluetooth 5.3 (to transmit your vinyl wirelessly for playback, thus bypassing the Folio's inbuilt speaker), play via an AUX cord, output music from a USB stick or plug in other devices with RCA, and so the Folio can stand alone or be the nexus of a hi-fi set-up. Most of these options let you output the vinyl music, but also use the device’s speaker for other inputs.

In somewhat of a novelty, you can plug a USB stick into the Folio and record your vinyl recording onto it. It’s a neat way of digitizing your music, especially with the ability to split a recording (ie, break it up by song), although the quality isn’t exactly stellar. If you change the playback speed of a record, this is reflected in your recording, but tweaking the volume isn't.

  • Features score: 4/5

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Majority Folio review: Sound quality

  • AT3600L cartridge in play
  • Build-in speaker lacks quality
  • Output sounds a lot better

At the end of the arm is an AT3600L Moving Magnetic Cartridge, a piece of kit Majority has used before. And there’s no shame in that, especially not when the first two letters stand for Audio-Technica; this is a fine-tuned piece of kit. We've seen it grace plenty of other budget options and it provides fun audio, if lacking some high-fidelity flair of higher-end options.

One of the unique selling points of the Majority Folio is that it comes with its own speaker as part of the package; if you’re at the first step of your home audio journey and don’t have a hi-fi set-up, you can use the Folio out of the box…

… although I’d recommend against it, if you can avoid it. Music from the built-in speaker sounds a bit tinny, lacking deep bass or crisp treble, and that's not just true of phono playback but for Bluetooth playing too. I couldn’t help but feel that lots of the depth, detail and nuance that the vinyl format provided, was lost when played through the main speaker. As I write this, I’m listening to Bowie’s Space Oddity, and it’s hard to make out much of the song besides the vocals, strings and cymbals.

Thankfully, as I’ve mentioned, the Folio has a range of connectivity options, and I’m pleased to report that music sounds better from headphones or other speakers. The low end has a lot more weight (even accounting for the toning of other devices), high-end is crisper and there’s a full-bodied midrange which adds to the sense of detail on a song. It’s not going to wow audiophiles who’ve tested top-end equipment, but I’d question how many such buyers have made it this far into the review anyway!

There’s nothing strictly wrong with the built-in speaker if you’re at the beginning of your home hi-fi journey, but it’s not something I’d rely on in the long run.

It’s worth noting that, according to the website and user manual, the Folio doesn’t support high-quality or low latency Bluetooth codecs. So I’d recommend buying wired speakers (see TechRadar's guide to the best stereo speakers here) if you want to appreciate your music to the best standards.

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Sound quality score: 3.5/5

Majority Folio review: Design

  • Chunky, thanks to built-in speaker
  • Lots of dials, ports, switches
  • Easily gains knicks

As you can probably expect from a turntable with a speaker built in, the Majority Folio is a little bit bigger than some rivals on the market, and it adds this heft in the height department. It’s 14.2cm tall, 41.2cm wide and 32.3cm length-wise. And if we’re going through dimensions, it weighs 3.7kg.

The device has a classy look, with a nice wooden finish, although this material quickly showed some marks and splintering on my review unit. An S-shaped tonearm is light and nimble, though looks a little too much like a Mechano set towards the needle, which blocked my sight of the needle from certain angles (and I'm bad at placing it at the best of times). The party is at the back though with an easily-manipulated counterweight and RPM toggle hidden away from the plate.

The table begins to spin automatically, as soon as you lift the needle, but the arm cradle wasn’t totally reliable at holding the limb in place; a few times I accidentally bumped the arm and the record began to spin of its own accord. A cradle with a slight edge would fix this problem.

Elsewhere on the body you’re getting an RPM adapter plonked to the side, and then on the right edge a headphone jack as well as dials for the volume, pitch and input method. It’s a little more cluttered than some other turntables I’ve seen, but I prefer ease of use with your many functions, toggles and switches in plain view.

That’s only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Majority Folio’s buttons and dials. On the right edge there’s a USB slot as well as buttons for recording, splitting and Bluetooth pairing, while on the back there’s the range of connection inputs we’ve already discussed. Perhaps one of the benefits of a big body, is lots of room for ports and buttons.

Like most (but not all) alternatives, the Folio has a dust cover. It does its job but it’s a little wobbly, often not sitting straight on the turntable, and it quickly got quite scuffed up during my testing.

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Design score: 4/5

Majority Folio review: Value

Based on the price, specs and feature set, the Majority is a great entry-level turntable for people at the beginning of their hi-fi journey.

It’s a purchase comparable to those guitar starter-packs you can buy, which get you a budget amp, carry case and cables alongside a cheapie six-string; none of the kit is stellar, but you’re getting a nice easy package to get you started. The further you get into your hi-fi journey, the more you can augment your setup with extra speakers.

There are a few turntables on the market that are cheaper than the Majority, but most don’t have the speaker built in, giving this an easy value win.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Majority Folio?

Majority Folio score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

A range of connection options, and easy to use.

4/5

Sound quality

Built-in speaker isn't perfect, but there's a fun sound in general.

3.5/5

Design

Its big size facilitates its many features; it shows its wear readily though.

4/5

Value

It's great value for what you're getting (and what you don't need to get).

4.5/5

Buy it if…

You're on a limited budget
If you buy the Folio, you don't need to buy extra speakers or players if you don't want. One purchase and you're done.

You want to digitize your record collection
The USB recording feature is a neat way to transfer your old vinyl records into a more digital form, or record your own mix tape.

You need something easy to use
While it's not an automatic turntable, the Majority Folio is simple to use and doesn't need endless tweaking or tinkering.

Don’t buy it if…

You've got limited shelf space
Thanks to its speaker, the Majority Folio is a pretty bulky piece of kit which takes up a fair amount of space on a shelf.

You need top-quality audio
People who want to get every drop of audio goodness from their records will want to spend a lot more on their kit.

Majority Folio review: Also consider

Majority Folio

Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT

House of Marley Revolution

Dimensions

412 x 323 x 142mm

110 x 400 x 330mm

112 x 389 x 328mm

Motor

Belt drive

Belt drive

Belt drive

Platter

Die-cast metal

Aluminium

Plastic

Phono preamp

Yes

Yes

Yes

USB

Input & recording

No

No

Bluetooth

5.3

5.2

5.3

Speeds

33 1/3, 45RPM

33 1/3, 45RPM

33 1/3, 45, 78RPM

Cartridge

AT3600L

AT-VMN95C

AT3600L

Extras

Dust cover, rubber mat, 45 adapter, RCA cable.

Dust cover, felt mat, 45 adapter, 1m RCA cable

Dust cover, felt mat, 45 adapter

Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT
We rate the AT-LP70XBT as our favorite budget turntable, though it costs a little more than the Folio. It's easy to use, sounds decent and doesn't break the bank, making it a solid beginner turntable.
Read our Audio-Technica AT-LP70XBT review here.

House of Marley Revolution
Another highly-rated beginner turntable, which undercuts the Folio, comes from HoM. It has the same cartridge as the Folio so you're getting a similar audio profile.
Read our House of Marley Revolution review here.

How I tested the Majority Folio

The Majority Folio on a bronze table with plants in the background.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for three weeks
  • Inputs include vinyl records, Bluetooth and USB
  • Outputs include built-in speaker and wired headphones and speakers

I used the Majority Folio for three weeks in order to write this review, and through the whole process it was set up in my living room (which is also my dining room and kitchen; it's not a big apartment).

I primarily listened to music from my large vinyl record library, though also used the speaker's Bluetooth playback function and also listened to recordings I'd made with the USB recording function.

For most of the testing period, I listened through the build-in speaker, but for additional listening I plugged in some over-ear headphones and some wireless speakers to get a sense for the sound.

  • First reviewed November 2025
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: , , , | 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 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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.

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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

Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 headphones on a wooden table

(Image credit: Future)

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
Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue
1:30 pm | October 29, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: Two-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Price and release date

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Announced on October 1, 2025
  • Priced $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95
  • Price increase, decrease or no change depending on where you live

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

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

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Specs

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Frequency response

5 - 40,000Hz

Waterproofing

IPX5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Features

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case in front of a stripy colorful screen.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 7-hour buds battery, 26-hour with case
  • ANC doesn't cut the mustard
  • Highly intuitive sound profile test

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

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

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

  • Features score: 3.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Design

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Understated purple hue
  • Lightweight case and buds
  • IPX5 rating

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

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

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

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

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

  • Design score: 4/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Sound quality

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 bud on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Value

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • A textbook example of getting what you paid for
  • Ace 2 discounts may make it a tempting alternative

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

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

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

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Creative Aurvana Ace 3?

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The ANC isn't great but the battery life is okay and the sound personalization is great.

3.5/5

Design

These are lovely little buds that fit well, look good and don't weigh you down.

4/5

Sound quality

The detailed, crystal-clear and naturalistic audio all create one wonderful musical package.

4.5/5

Value

The price is chosen well: you get as much as you pay for.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

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

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

Don’t buy it if…

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Also consider

Creative Aurvana Ace 3

Nothing Ear (3)

Soundpeats H3

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

12mm

12mm + dual balanced armatures

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours total ( withcase)

5.5 hours (buds) 22 hours total (with case)

7 hours (buds) 37 hours total (with case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

5.2g (buds); 61g (case)

6g (buds); 53g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX5

IP54

IPX5

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

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

How I tested the Creative Aurvana Ace 3

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for 2 weeks
  • Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and while cycling

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

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

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

  • First reviewed in October 2025
Some of my favorite earbuds from last year just got a massive upgrade and the sound is excellent – bar one key issue
1:30 pm |
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Earbuds & Airpods Gadgets Headphones | Tags: | Comments: Off

Creative Aurvana Ace 3: Two-minute review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Price and release date

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Announced on October 1, 2025
  • Priced $149.99 / £139.99 / AU$259.95
  • Price increase, decrease or no change depending on where you live

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

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

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Specs

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours (case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Frequency response

5 - 40,000Hz

Waterproofing

IPX5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Features

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case in front of a stripy colorful screen.

(Image credit: Future)
  • 7-hour buds battery, 26-hour with case
  • ANC doesn't cut the mustard
  • Highly intuitive sound profile test

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

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

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

  • Features score: 3.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Design

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Understated purple hue
  • Lightweight case and buds
  • IPX5 rating

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

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

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

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

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

  • Design score: 4/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Sound quality

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 bud on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)

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

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

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

  • Sound quality: 4.5/5

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Value

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • A textbook example of getting what you paid for
  • Ace 2 discounts may make it a tempting alternative

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

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

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

  • Value: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Creative Aurvana Ace 3?

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

The ANC isn't great but the battery life is okay and the sound personalization is great.

3.5/5

Design

These are lovely little buds that fit well, look good and don't weigh you down.

4/5

Sound quality

The detailed, crystal-clear and naturalistic audio all create one wonderful musical package.

4.5/5

Value

The price is chosen well: you get as much as you pay for.

3.5/5

Buy it if…

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

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

Don’t buy it if…

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

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

Creative Aurvana Ace 3 review: Also consider

Creative Aurvana Ace 3

Nothing Ear (3)

Soundpeats H3

Drivers

xMEMS solid state driver + 10mm dynamic driver

12mm

12mm + dual balanced armatures

Active noise cancellation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Battery life

7 hours (buds) 26 hours total ( withcase)

5.5 hours (buds) 22 hours total (with case)

7 hours (buds) 37 hours total (with case)

Weight

4.7g (buds) 43g (case)

5.2g (buds); 61g (case)

6g (buds); 53g (case)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.3

Bluetooth 5.4

Bluetooth 5.4

Waterproofing

IPX5

IP54

IPX5

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

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

How I tested the Creative Aurvana Ace 3

The Creative Aurvana Ace 3 buds and case on a pink bass guitar.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Tested for 2 weeks
  • Tested at home, on walks, and the gym and while cycling

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

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

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

  • First reviewed in October 2025
I tested Edifier’s great-value new desktop monitor speakers and they exceeded all of my expectations
2:00 pm | October 27, 2025
Author: admin | Category: Audio Computers Gadgets Hi-Fi Speakers | Tags: | Comments: Off

Edifier MR5: Two-minute review

Active monitor speakers were at one point the near-exclusive haunt of the audio professional, casual listeners leaning more to desktop computer speakers or to hi-fis of their own design. A recent deluge of more accessible, feature-rich monitor designs has attempted to bridge the gap, often at the expense of practical utility to the people they were first designed for – but the Edifier MR5, in my opinion, does a great job at bucking that trend, making them some of the best stereo speakers I've tested recently.

For the low low price of $349.99 / £279.99 (approx AUS$570), you get a delightfully demure set of desktop-friendly speakers that achieve remarkable neutrality, incredible high-end clarity and a satisfying low end that trumps the capabilities of many larger competitors.

This is possible by virtue of Edifier’s smart new three-driver design, incorporating a downward-facing woofer, a bi-ported chassis and a tri-amped, active-crossover architecture. The results speak for their balanced, broad and crystal-clear selves.

There’s a shedload of tech backing up these fundamental smarts too. Digital EQ controls and customization are available via the Edifier ConneX app, including some one-click acoustic tuning options that compensate for corners of your desktop. I feel like these features sometimes get in the way of the MR5’s essential excellence, but that’s just me.

With Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC support for hi-res streaming and four options for analog inputs, it’s understandable that their design budget couldn’t stretch to including the kitchen sink.

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table.

(Image credit: Future)

Edifier MR5 review: Price and release date

  • Released on July 1, 2025
  • $349.99 / £279.99 (approx AU$570)

Edifier is a Chinese brand that’s had its mitts in the monitor market for a long time, and has consequently made a reputation for itself as one of the best budget brands going. Its products are often inexpensive and in possession of unusual cheer, particularly for the quality of sound they offer against the MSRP they’re able to pitch their products at.

This pair of active monitors, the MR5, is the latest in the still-quite-new MR series, and every bit an improvement on the prior models with which it shares an umbrella. Against the Edifier MR4, they add dual-device Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity – and, more importantly, a daring new three-way driver design.

The Edifier MR5's price is $349.99 / £279.99, which coverts to roughly AU$570 in Australia although the speakers don't seem to be releasing there.

Between these and the expanded digital control of EQ settings and other features, suffice to say there’s a great deal crammed into these unexpectedly-dinky active monitor speakers. Can they stick the landing, though?

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on either side of a large PC monitor.

(Image credit: Future)

Edifier MR5 review: Specs

Drivers

5” woofer, 3.75" mid driver, 1" silk dome tweeter

Analogue connectivity

Dual XLR, dual TRS, RCA, 3.5mm aux; 3.5mm headphone out

Digital connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0 (two devices) with LDAC support

Power

110W RMS

Frequency range

46Hz - 40kHz

Extras

x1 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, 1x RCA to 3.5mm aux cable

Edifier MR5 review: Features

  • Three-way active crossover
  • Four analog inputs, dual-device Bluetooth 6.0
  • App control for voicings and room EQ

The Edifier MR5 monitor speakers are a veritable bag of nifty cross-disciplinary tricks, with features and fripperies that speak to casual listeners, young-buck music producers and burgeoning professionals building a versatile control-room setup.

On the connectivity front, there’s balanced XLR inputs and TRS inputs, plus RCA inputs and a front-facing 3.5mm aux port, for a total of four analogue connectivity options and the absolute elimination of any roadblocks to integrating the MR5 with your studio. Couple this with dual-device Bluetooth 6.0 (and LDAC-supportive) connectivity for ease of passing the digital aux, and you’ve five powerful ways to get what you want out of these – plus a 3.5mm headphone output for quiet-time.

For the pros, there’s the extensive 46Hz - 40kHz frequency range and flat frequency response out of the box, alongside manually-adjustable high- and low-shelf filters for adjusting to the acoustics of your space. Speaking of which, there’s the option for further DSP customization via Bluetooth using the proprietary Edifier ConneX app, including more granular low-cut control, and room compensation algorithms for better performance in reflective spaces.

For everyone else, there’s expressive hi-fi-leaning options for speaker voicings, and digital control of both those voicings and audio playback via the same proprietary app. In short, there’s a boatload to discover – and the discovery doesn’t stop here either. These speakers are also trend-buckingly maximalist with how they approach their core modus operandi.

Smaller bookshelf style monitors like these traditionally have two drivers – a mid-woofer and a tweeter – and use smart chassis design or an optional subwoofer output for low-end coverage. Here, though, Edifier’s somehow managed to squeeze in three drivers in a tri-amped, active-crossover system, comprising a 3.75" mid driver, 1" silk dome tweeter and a side-ported, downward-facing 5” woofer for low-end coverage.

The result is a small set of desktop-friendly active monitor speakers, with an outsized feature-set and a smooth sound output that seriously challenges the demureness of its form – more on which right now, actually.

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Features score: 5/5

Edifier MR5 review: Sound quality

  • Controlled bass with body
  • Detailed and dimensional high-mid range
  • Limited by size, despite smart crossover design

The Edifier MR5 have three distinct voicings you can switch between, at a press of the single knob on the front: ‘Monitor’, ‘Music’, and ‘Customized’. For the uninitiated, ‘Monitor’ mode would attempt as neutral a frequency response as possible, for a clinical representation of sound as recorded. ‘Music’ adds a hi-fi sheen, sculpting the EQ for a more exciting representation, and ‘Customized’, as I’m sure you’ve surmised, is a do-it-yourself mode for saving your personal EQ settings (dialed in via app).

For this review, I spent the vast majority of my time using the ‘Monitor’ voicing. As someone who frequently uses monitor speakers in a professional capacity more so than a personal one, the neutral frequency response is far more useful to me day-to-day. I have some thoughts about the other settings later on, but until then you’re getting my impressions of these monitors at their essential best.

Small caveat for the bargain-seeking audio pros amongst you, too: my listening environment was not that of an acoustically-treated studio control room, and as such my observations should be taken with a pinch of semi-casual salt. It’s a hard line to tread between the exacting expectations of the career-minded and the vibey sensibilities of the rest, and yet it’s a line both this reviewer and these speakers are determined to tread.

Given that unique downward-facing driver design, you might be expecting an avalanche of desk-shaking bass. It is my utmost pleasure to report that no such misrepresentation occurs – at least, unless you push the MR5 to the upper limits of their volume range, at which point you can immediately quell it using the helpfully-named Desktop mode.

Instead, that bold woofer is put to use in delivering body over boom. There’s a little bloom with more outrageously-arranged pieces – Falle Nioke’s Falle Le Le Le features a low end that sounds like it’s already blown the speakers it was blasted through, and even that edgy, crunched-out kick and bass synth is presented with a level of welcome restraint. Distorted, low-tuned guitars a la Greet Death’s Die In Love are full and forceful, to gratifyingly torrential ends.

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table.

(Image credit: Future)

The ported sides of each speaker give airy movement in the ultra-low end, allowing kicks and thumpy bass guitars to breathe. Unfortunately, despite the clever design principles on display here, you’ll still experience the same limitations imposed by small-form nearfield monitors – namely, a compressed low-middy boxiness at higher volumes, that’s hard to design your way out of even with nifty acoustic tuning options and customizable EQ.

As a probably-intentional byproduct of this restrained approach to bass, the Edifier MR5 are phenomenal midrange communicators. Pile’s Bouncing In Blue, from latest heavy-folk stunner Sunshine And Balance Beams, is a phenomenal showcase of this, primarily through the Biscoff-spread smoothness of Rick Maguire’s drawled voice.

Uneasy, which follows immediately after, is a tactile delight, setting panned staccato guitars and kick-snare-kick-kick-snare percussion against one another with gratifying gusto beneath Maguire’s actually-quite-affected sneer. Indeed, there’s magic in that high-mid and high end, with stunning voice translation and a beautiful reediness in sustained strings and the like.

The MR5’s handling of transients isn’t as cutting or sharp as other speakers, but still reassuringly immediate. At the tippity-top, there’s no bite, spike or scratch, but rather a forthright resolution that puts anything flicky, ticky or indeed scratchy in glorious magic-eye-picture 3D before your ears. Hi-hats, auxiliary snaps, maracas – all presented with a delicate touch and a brilliant sense of in-the-room presence. This impressive soundstaging is a triumph both of the tweeters themselves and the clever acoustic design surrounding them.

Water From Your Eyes’ Playing Classics is one of the driest, most up-front songs going at the moment, and an excellent bellwether for the matter-of-factness these MR5 monitors are capable of. Bluntly-presented digital cymbals, dry DI-ed guitars and sampled-piano melodies make a compelling case for the high-end clarity these are capable of – even if that airy low-end starts to encroach a little.

In ‘Music’ mode, the MR5s add a heaped cup of extra bloom to the low end, along with some characterful contouring that gives a little more hi-fi excitement to proceedings. I get it, particularly for the additional presence it (of course) gives to kicks and hi-hats, but I don’t necessarily love it. With the Customized mode, the graphic EQ makes it easy to select for problem frequencies, but makes vibes-based EQing a tad fiddlier. Nonetheless, EQ moves were expressive enough to give you some control over your ideal outcomes.

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table.

(Image credit: Future)

Edifier MR5 review: Design

  • Extensive connectibility
  • Handy, feature-filled companion app
  • Digital settings are slow on the uptake

Thanks to the MR5’s prodigious I/O, setting up for analogue playback is about as simple as it could be: plug thingies you have into thingies they’ll fit. Unlike many professional monitor speakers, the MR5 hosts most of its hardware in one speaker, and sends audio to the other using a unique 9-pin connector cable; as such, you only need one plug socket to run the two of them.

Bluetooth connectivity is similarly fuss-free, and much the same as you’ll find anywhere else. A dedicated button on the rear puts the speakers in discovery mode, and connecting is as simple as looking for the good Edifier name on your transmitting device.

Bluetooth control is also how the Edifier ConneX app is able to work its remote-control magic. From the app you can mess with various features, including switching between voicings, acoustic tuning settings, and even selecting which speaker receives left or right channels of audio.

The MR5’s techy maximalism can sometimes get in its own way, though. An over-eager auto-standby can catch you off guard if you pause music for a phone call or a brew – a half-pointless mini-feature that does more to vex than it does to save energy. Thankfully, you can de-activate it using either the encoder knob or the app, rendering this particular gripe half-pointless itself.

Perhaps more vexingly, the customisable EQ settings are communicated through the ConneX app via Bluetooth, and there’s some significant latency between the sliding of a digital fader and a real-terms change in the volume of a given frequency. This latency makes hunting tuning problems a little more difficult and time-consuming than it really ought to be – but, again, if you’re just here for the room compensation, there’s a low-cut knob right there on the back of the speaker.

As for visuals, there’s some understated class to the MR5. The dimpled waveguides around the tweeters add some fun as well as some practical high-end widening; the bronze flourishes on the mid-woofer dustcaps, around the tweeters and via that knurled encoder knob are tasteful, but only just. For my taste, they toe the line between cool and cringe – and toe it all the better in your periphery.

  • Design score: 4/5

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table.

(Image credit: Future)

Edifier MR5 review: Value

  • Astonishingly feature-rich for the price
  • Signifiers of cheapness few but obvious
  • A stunning choice for desktop nearfields

The Edifier MR5 are a truly maximalist affair, and arguably worth every penny on the features front alone. It’s nice to see monitor speakers, particularly at this higher-end-of-cheap price point, not just meeting practical expectations but exceeding them. You can connect to these speakers five different ways, switch between three different sound profiles and control a lot more of its sound and functionality than you might reasonably expect.

Some elements of the MR5’s price point are more obvious than others. For instance, the only part of the speaker with which you actually, actively interface every time you use it is the plastic knob adorning the sole rotary encoder on the front. The encoder itself has a solid and reassuring mechanical feedback, but it’s transmitted through a cheap-feeling tactile surface. It’s a miniscule part of the greater MR5 whole, but nonetheless a shame that this no-brainer of a cost-cutting angle is so necessarily present in, and even central to, the user experience.

I mention this not to dock marks from the MR5, but to highlight just what it’s managed to achieve. That a plastic knob, some delayed EQ adjustment and an optional auto-standby feature constitute the majority of my criticism should tell you everything you need to know about these highly-accessible, multi-disciplinary, pint-sized works of well-priced magic.

I will say that I’m a personal fan of them as an at-home set of trustworthy nearfield monitors. They’re fine mid-field hi-fi operators, but really shine in a desktop or small-office environment, and as a jack-of-all-trades as opposed to a bona fide pro audio solution. For the fine line they tread, this is about as good as it gets.

The Edifier MR5 monitor speaker on a table next to a cat.

(Image credit: Future)
  • Value score: 5/5

Edifier MR5 review: scorecard

Comment

Rating

Features

Digital app control, customized sound profiles and many connection options, all housed alongside a tri-amped three-way driver system.

5/5

Sound quality

The Edifier MR5 perform astonishingly well in the upper ranges, the transient response is forgiving, and percussion three-dimensional.

4.5/5

Design

Plug-and-play speakers for all but the liveliest office rooms, and a breeze to tune up. Bronze-ish highlights elevate the otherwise-understated form.

4/5

Value

I’d be hard-pressed to find any reason to say these aren’t worth every penny they sell for.

5/5

Should you buy the Edifier MR5?

Buy them if...

You want speakers that do everything
The Edifier MR5 pack a whole lot into a delightfully demure bookshelf-speaker package. From the glut of analogue inputs to the hi-res Bluetooth, and from the great neutral starting point to the colourful potential of their voice modes, these tick all the boxes for an all-in-one studio-room speaker set.

You’re looking for great sound on a budget
The Edifier MR5’s three-way driver system is nothing short of genius, making the absolute most of what is usually a limiting form factor. Though a little costlier than what many would consider the budget range, these are well worth the investment for leg-up monitors that’ll hold their own for a while.

Don't buy them if...

You hate apps
You don’t need to use the proprietary Edifier ConneX app to enjoy your MR5 speakers – but it helps! And some of us simply have less time for finicky app-based customisation than others.

You want room-filling sound
These are ideal nearfield monitors, and impressive when used as midfield monitors too. Fundamentally, though, they’re too small to do much with larger spaces.

Also consider

Edifier MR5

Edifier QR65

Kanto Ren

Price

$349.99 / £279.99 (approx AU$570)

$369.99 / £329.99 / AU$449

$599 / £599 (around AU$1,199)

Drivers

5" woofer, 3.75" mid driver, 1" silk dome tweeter

2.75" mid-low driver, 1.25" silk dome tweeter

5.25" woofer, 1" silk dome tweeter

Analogue connectivity

Dual XLR, dual TRS, RCA, 3.5mm aux; 3.5mm headphone out

RCA, sub out

RCA, 3.5mm aux, sub out

Digital connectivity

Bluetooth 6.0 (two devices), with LDAC support

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-A

Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC support, USB-C, optical (TOSLINK), HDMI ARC

Power

110W RMS

70W RMS

100W RMS

Frequency range

46Hz - 40kHz

55Hz - 40kHz

50Hz - 22kHz

Extras

1x 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, 1x RCA to 3.5mm aux cable

1x 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, 1x USB cable

Speaker wire

Edifier QR65
If you’ve a little more to spend and a little less space to spare, Edifier’s QR65 have you covered. These smaller desktop speakers are designed with wireless utility in mind, but play great as desk-bound AV speakers for whatever you’re up to.
See our full Edifier QR65 review

Kanto Ren
Kanto’s Ren speakers only bear so much in common with Edifier’s MR5, in that they’re powered, and they’re bookshelf format. But everything else that they are might be exactly what you’re looking for, if the MR5 doesn’t scratch your hi-fi itch; there’s subwoofer compatibility, digital inputs and some very musical voicings that make them great living-room listeners.
See our full Kanto Ren review

How I tested the Edifier MR5

  • Tested for five weeks
  • Used as monitor speakers in an attic office space,
  • Serviced by a Universal Audio Volt 476 audio interface, and by Bluetooth connection
  • Predominantly tested using Bandcamp, Spotify, local music files and Reaper sessions

The Edifier MR5 spent their time as the primary listening devices for my office studio setup, as nearfield studio monitors. During my time with them, I streamed music from Spotify and Bandcamp, as well as played music locally from my computer (both high-quality downloads, and works-in-progress on the digital audio workstation Reaper) – all via a Universal Audio Volt 476 interface. I also streamed music from my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra smartphone, which also harboured the Edifier ConneX app for testing digital control.

First reviewed: October 2025

Read more about how we test at TechRadar

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