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ANC wireless headphones - page 2

Flagship Bose headphones make surprisingly rare appearance [Setups]

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones setup
You'd think we'd see top Bose headphones, like the QuietComfort Ultras shown on the right, in setups more often.
Photo: [email protected]

When it comes to fantastic and popular over-ear noise-canceling headphones that don’t stray too far from the realm of affordability, certain brands typically leap to mind. Apple. Beats. Sony. Sennheiser. Audio-Technica. Bose. And yet we noticed how seldomly flagship cans from Bose, one of the most famous and well-regarded brands in the United States, crop up in our computer setups coverage. Take the brand’s current top dog, for example — Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.

Today’s M2 Max MacBook Pro setup brings in a set of Bose Ultras alongside AirPods Pro 2, for when the user needs bigger audio guns with greater comfort than Apple’s top earbuds.

First Sonos headphones blast away at AirPods Max

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Sonos Ace headphones in soft white
Sonos' first headphones look like quite an appealing alternative to AirPods Max -- for $100 less out of the gate.
Photo: Sonos

Popular speaker brand Sonos finally unveiled its “most-requested” product ever Tuesday — Sonos Ace over-ear headphones. They appear to go straight at Apple’s aging AirPods Max as a competitor. The new cans sport top features and a $100 lower list price ($449) than Apple’s premium headphones.

Sonos touts the new headphones’ “breathtaking lossless and spatial audio, world-class Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Aware Mode, as well as the most precise and immersive home theater experience possible using Sonos’ new TrueCinema technology.”

You can preorder Sonos Ace now and they become available June 5.

Grab great deals on EarFun headphones and earbuds

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EarFun headphone and earbud deals
EarFun Wave Pro headphones are a steal at this price.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

If you love a good set of earbuds but you don’t want to spend a ton on Apple’s AirPods or Beats products, EarFun is worth a look. And on Sunday the company runs its first EarFun headphones and earbud deals through Amazon’s Deal of the Day.

Those special prices combined with coupons give you ridiculously low prices on these solid products. See below.

New Beats Solo 4 headphones could ship in early May

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Beats Solo 4 headphones
This Beats Solo 4 image appeared in the iOS 17.4 beta release.
Photo: Apple

Recent clues in iOS beta software plus a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filing by Apple suggest new Beats Solo 4 headphones may ship as soon as early May, according to reports.

Given that Beats Solo 3 launched in 2016, well, it’s about time. Eight years usually represents several generations in tech products, not just one.

Get up to half off great Soundcore headphones and earbuds

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Half off Soundcore earbuds and headphones, like Q45 ANC over-ear headphones with carrying case
These cans for $100? That's a good deal.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

It’s that time of year again, when Amazon puts on its Big Spring Sale. And this year’s edition gets you between 20% and 51% off a great selection of 22 Soundcore headphones and earbuds. That’s up to about half off Soundcore headphones and earbuds.

It’ll be tough to find better deals on the Anker subsidiary’s excellent audio products, which are packed with value even at regular prices.

EarFun’s first over-ear headphones claim hi-res sound, 80-hour playback

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EarFun Wave Pro headphones on laptop user
Paying $80 for hi-res over-ear ANC headphones with 80-hour battery life seems like a steal. But for a short time you can pay just $56.
Photo: EarFun

Known for high-quality earbuds that don’t break the bank, EarFun released a set of over-ear cans Monday for the first time — Earfun Wave Pro Hi-Res ANC Wireless Headphones.

Introduced at CES 2024, the new noise-canceling EarFun Wave Pro cans claim high-resolution audio, hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) and a stalwart 80 hours of playback. And all that comes at a cost of just $80. Actually, even less for early-bird buyers. If you’re considering Apple Mac headphones as an alternative, you might want to explore this review of EarFun Wave Life headphones to compare features.

New Sennheiser wireless earbuds measure heart rate and body temperature

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Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds olive
These new sport buds will track your heart rate and body temperature.
Photo: Sennheiser

Sennheiser unveiled three new earphones at CES 2024 that will compete with various AirPods, including Momentum Sport wireless earbuds that track heart rate and body temperature. Those kinds of sensors were expected in AirPods Pro (2nd generation), launched in September 2022, but didn’t show up.

In addition, Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds become the venerable brand’s new flagship buds for sound quality and Accentum Plus bring top-shelf features to relatively affordable over-ear headphones.  

Grab new Beats Studio Pro headphones for half off

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Sandstone is one of four colors you can choose from at the 49% off price point of $180.
Sandstone is one of four colors you can choose from at the 49% off price point of $180.
Photo: Beats

Although the well-reviewed Beats Studio Pro wireless active noise canceling (ANC) headphones just launched in July, you can now get them for half off on Amazon (49% off, to be exact). And that’s not a Prime member special, either.

So for an unknown amount of time, you can nab them for $179.95 instead of $350.

Outstanding Beats Studio Pro headphones get $100 discount

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Beats Studio Pro improve greatly upon Beats Studio3, released in 2017.
Beats Studio Pro improve greatly upon Beats Studio3, released in 2017.
Photo: Apple

Apple subsidiary Beats unveiled its top-shelf Beats Studio Pro headphones in July, and now the cans get their first discount — and it’s a doozy.

You can take $100 off the noise-cancelling, over-ear headphones at Amazon right now.

Edifier’s affordable new headphones bring hi-res audio

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Edifier's new cans pack technology for clear music and voice calls.
Edifier's new cans pack technology for clear music and voice calls.
Photo: Edifier

Edifier unveiled a new version of its bestselling wireless over-ear headphones Friday. The active-noise-canceling (ANC) W820NB Plus — the Plus is added to the older set’s name — bring support for the high-definition LDAC Bluetooth codec as well as Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.

And you know what else sounds good? The price — $79.99.

Bass wheel sets Skullcandy’s new headphones apart

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Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Photo: Skullcandy

Skullcandy unveiled its latest over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) Tuesday — the updated Crusher ANC 2 Sensory Bass Headphones.

And the company’s serious enough about the low end to include a dedicated wheel on the left ear cup so you can crank the bass. That’s in addition to other customization options as well as an impressive feature set for cans that cost $229.99.

iOS beta surfaces unreleased Beats Studio Pro headphones

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The new headphones may look a lot like Beats Studio3 cans, but with big upgrades to functionality.
The new headphones may look a lot like Beats Studio3 cans, but with big upgrades to functionality.
Photo: Apple

Tuesday’s iOS 16.5 release candidate for developers, plus some additional reporting, revealed upgraded Beats Studio Pro noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones in the works, according to a new report.

This follows news of the upcoming Studio Buds+, which came from a premature and short-lived Amazon product listing.

Affordable new Sony headphones borrow premium cans’ tech

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The new noise-cancelling cans share the same processor with Sony's high-end headphones, but not their price.
The new noise-cancelling cans share the same processor with Sony's high-end headphones, but not their price.
Photo: Sony Electronics

Not into paying what Apple’s top-shelf noise-cancelling AirPods Max headphones cost? You have options. In fact, Sony Electronics rolled out two new mid-tier headphones Tuesday at modest price points — the over-ear WH-CH72ON and the smaller, on-ear WH-CH520.

The higher-end WH-CH72ON set, at $150, costs well under half the price of the brand’s acclaimed WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling cans, but uses the same V1 chip. And the lower-end WH-CH520 headphones, at $60, are just downright affordable.

Edifier’s new high-end headphones bring top quality at low price [Review] ★★★★

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The headphones' folding design helps them fit nicely in the high-quality carrying case.★★★★
The headphones' folding design helps them fit nicely in the high-quality carrying case.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Edifier has produced quality speakers, headphones and earbuds at affordable prices for more than 25 years. And once again I’m impressed with the value it offers, this time regarding the recently released, high-end Edifier WH950NB Wireless Noise Cancellation Over-Ear Headphones.

You can find fancier, better-sounding cans for considerably more money. But at $180, this set punches well above its weight, competing with $250 to $350 contenders.

Edifier sent me a pair to try out. I’ll get into the pluses and minuses below.