xMEMS Labs is bringing what it calls breakthrough technology to the wireless earbuds market late next year after a CES 2024 debut — the Cypress ultrasonic speaker. It turns ultrasonic waves we normally can’t even hear into full-frequency, hi-res audio with remarkable detail, the California-based semiconductor company said Tuesday.

The solid-state microspeaker, which will find its way into various companies’ earbuds and headphones — hello, AirPods? — generates low-frequency sound pressure for a full bass response, according to xMEMS Labs.

That makes the ultrasonic speaker a true replacement for legacy speaker technology that has only been refined, not replaced, since your great-grandparents rocked the Victrola.

OneOdio unveiled its new OpenRock S Open Air Conduction Earbuds Tuesday, meant for active users who want to listen to music while doing sports activities.

Using air-conduction technology, the buds don’t go in your ear canal. So you can stay better-aware of what’s around you while you run, cycle or work out.

If you don’t want to drain your bank account to buy AirPods, why not grab these JBL Tune 220TWS true wireless Bluetooth earphones instead? Treat yourself to a pair for just $37.99 (regularly $99.95).

Apple-owned Beats hooked up with Japanese fashion brand Wacko Maria to release a new special-edition set of Beats Flex earbuds Friday featuring a leopard print, the companies said Thursday.

Beats Flex are the brand’s most affordable wireless earbuds. But now they pack a little more street cred.

Wireless earbuds are unique among smart devices because each pair comes with its own unique charging case. The Flux 7 TWS Earbuds change things up by expanding their charging case’s battery capacity — and turning it into a fully functional power bank you can use to charge other devices.

You won’t find these Bluetooth earbuds and their cool charging case during Amazon’s Prime Day. But we have our own sale called Deal Days. And, during our big sale, you can get a pair of Flux 7 Earbuds for just $24.99 (regularly $99). There’s no coupon needed, but the sale ends October 12 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

EarFun has been putting out affordable audio gear since 2018. It released its latest active noise cancelling (ANC) wireless earbuds, EarFun Air S, in June. The company recently sent me a pair to try out.

The name of the game here is value. Like some of the company’s other earbuds, Air S offers quality sound and features found in more expensive earbuds. But the product is not without a few drawbacks, which I’ll describe below.

Note that if you want to give these a try and buy on Amazon by September 12, you get a discount plus a coupon that bring the regular price of $69.99 down to $56.41, EarFun said.

Noise-cancelling wireless earbuds that cost under $100 jostle in a competitive field. One company that consistently stands out from the crowd with high-quality goods that are a great value for what they cost is Edifier.

And the company, based in China, has done it again with the Edifier W240TN true wireless earbuds. They launch Thursday for a price of $79.99. Edifier sent me a pair to try out.

There really aren’t many reasons not to buy these if you want good earbuds for well under $100. But there are a couple of potential reasons, depending on your priorities.

The new Soundcore Space A40 True-Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds came out Thursday alongside their sibling Space Q45 over-ear headphones.

Upon release, both products made a lot of noise about strong active noise cancellation (ANC) and massive battery life. And like the headphones, which I already reviewed, the earbuds don’t disappoint.

While their marquee qualities are strong ANC and lengthy play time, the A40 buds also sound good and feature lots of opportunities for audio customization.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, you likely already know that the iPhone no longer comes with a headphone jack. And Apple certainly doesn’t ship its smartphones with a free set of AirPods — the third-generation wireless earbuds retail for $179.

Want a more affordable option? Then you might consider these Flux 7 TWS Earbuds, which are on sale now for a wallet-friendly sum of just $25.99 (regularly $99).

Every year, the standard for wireless earbuds gets higher while the price gets lower and lower. A few years ago, it was hard to find anything even close to competing with AirPods Pro, but now you can pick up a pair of affordable wireless earbuds with many of the same refined features.

JBL Live Free NC+ in-ear noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones are on sale for only $74.99 (regularly $149) — and it’s amazing what they can do.