wireless earbuds

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on wireless earbuds:

Track heart rate and body temp with Sennheiser’s new sport earbuds

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Sennheiser-Momentum-Sport-earbuds-olive
With these you can keep track of your heart rate and temperature while exercising (or anytime).
Photo: Sennheiser

Sennheiser Momentum Sport wireless earbuds that track heart rate and body temperature finally started shipping this week after their big reveal in January at CES 2024.

Heart rate and body temperature sensors were expected in AirPods Pro (2nd generation), launched in September 2022, but didn’t end up in the product (yet).

These new earbuds cost more than $1,000 for a reason

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Campfire Audio wired earbuds
If you want audiophile sound quality, wired earbuds that cost about a grand are a decent option.
Photo: Campfire Audio

Campfire Audio’s new Fathom earbuds cost an eye-watering $1,049. What’s perhaps even more surprising is that they’re wired earbuds.

Well, there must be some special technology in those, right? Right. And even though they have a cable, of course you can use them with your Mac or another device with an audio jack.

Coming ‘ultrasonic’ revolution could change wireless earbuds forever

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xMEMS Cypress
The Cypress ultrasonic speaker promises a leap in digital sound quality.
Photo: xMEMS

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.

Crank workout tunes with new air-conduction earbuds

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These earbuds don't go in your ear at all, so you can hear external noises.
These earbuds don't go in your ear at all, so you can hear external noises.
Photo: OneOdio

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.

Beats Flex earbuds get savage with special-edition leopard print

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The special edition is purely a cosmetic tweak.
The special edition is purely a cosmetic tweak.
Photo: Beats

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.

These earbuds’ case doubles as a power bank, and you won’t find them on Amazon

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Check out these Bluetooth earbuds with a power bank case that you can't find on Amazon.
We've got a huge discount on this combo earbuds/power bank, which you won't find on Amazon.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

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.

Affordable EarFun Air S earbuds feature good sound, questionable fit [Review] ★★★

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You can get a discount on these, lowering their already-reasonable $70 price.★★★
You can get a discount on these, lowering their already-reasonable $70 price.
Photo: EarFun

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.

New Edifier ANC earbuds offer solid sound at a good value [Review] ★★★

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Edifier's new W240TN wireless earbuds have a bit of an industrial look going.★★★
Edifier's new W240TN wireless earbuds have a bit of an industrial look to them.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

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.

Soundcore’s new Space A40 earbuds zero-out noise and play a long time [Review] ★★★★

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The new Soundcore Space A40 earbuds have stellar ANC and epic battery life. And you'll probably like how they sound, too.★★★★
The new Soundcore Space A40 earbuds have stellar ANC and epic battery life. And you'll probably like how they sound, too.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

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.

Why pay $179 for AirPods when these Flux 7 Earbuds cost just $26?

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These wireless earbuds pair perfectly to any device and cost just $25.99.
These wireless earbuds are a great and affordable AirPods alternative.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

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).

JBL noise-canceling earbuds: An affordable AirPods Pro alternative

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These JBL noise-cancelling earbuds sound fantastic.
These JBL wireless earbuds pack a big sound -- and active noise cancellation -- for a small price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

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.

Updated Sennheiser flagship earbuds boast improved features and lower price

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The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless buds have a sleeker design, better ANC and a wireless charging case.
The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless earbuds have a sleeker design, better ANC and a wireless charging case.
Photo: Sennheiser

Sennheiser first put out its top-tier Momentum True Wireless earbuds in 2018 to rave reviews about sound quality. Next came a 2020 update and now, with a new release, we see a substantial redesign with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds.

They offer substantial upgrades at a lower-than-expected price, compared to the starting price of their predecessors.

The German maker released the new flagship buds along with its new Sport True Wireless earbuds for athletic types who want to filter out the sound of their own huffing and puffing.

Leak of flagship Sennheiser ANC earbuds reveals upgrades and price

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Sennheiser's new Momentum 3 True Wireless Earbuds popped up on a shopping site early.
Sennheiser's new Momentum 3 True Wireless earbuds popped up on a shopping site early.
Photo: Sennheiser/Lufthansa WorldShop

A while back, German audio powerhouse Sennheiser began teasing the April release of its new, top-tier Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds. But then retailer Lufthansa WorldShop went ahead and (briefly) posted a detailed listing for the new buds ahead of Sennheiser’s official, and yet to come, release.

So now we know a bunch of the new buds’ specs as well as pricing details.

Would you pay $178 for Sony’s strange new earbuds?

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The new Sony LinkBuds feature an unusual, perhaps even unique, open design.
The new Sony LinkBuds feature an unusual, perhaps even unique, open design.
Photo: Sony

For some time now, the wireless earbud market has grown toward the bursting point, with all sorts of options for active noise canceling buds with wireless charging, long battery life, solid waterproofing and other features for prices between $75 and $150.

But if you’re sick and tired of paying less for more, Sony has something new for you. You can pay $178 for earbuds without ANC or wireless charging, plus pedestrian battery life and minimal waterproofing. Meet the all-new Sony LinkBuds Truly Wireless Earbuds!

What do you get for that price? Sony’s reputation, plus an interesting new compact, lightweight, open-style design that might work great for at least some people.

Give the gift of a lifetime of language learning and a pair of AI wireless earbuds for less than $50 

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This award-winning language learning app and earbud bundle is less than $50 today.
Grab award-winning language courses plus AI-powered wireless earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

How’s this for a seriously awesome gift this holiday season? You can snag a lifetime subscription to a top-rated language-learning service, plus AI-powered noise-canceling wireless earbuds to use with it. They’re on sale together in the Lifetime Language Learning Bundle featuring uTalk and xFyro for just $49.99. That’s an 85% discount off their regular price of $334.

These earbuds check all the boxes for less than $100 [Review]

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EarFun's Free Pro 2 wireless ANC earbuds offer a comfortable fit and good sound at an affordable price point.
EarFun's Free Pro 2 wireless ANC earbuds offer a comfortable fit and good sound at an affordable price point.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

In my recent review of Earfun’s Air Pro 2 wireless active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds, I said they packed good enough features — sound quality, active noise cancellation, comfortable fit —  to be worth their affordable price tag. With the new EarFun Free Pro 2 wireless ANC earbuds, that’s even more the case. Especially because the same high quality comes in an even smaller package.

Jabra Elite 7 Pro ANC earbuds are worth top dollar but cost less [Review]

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At $199, the Jabra Elite 7 Pro ANC earbuds offer great sound, customization and comfort.
At $199, the Jabra Elite 7 Pro ANC earbuds offer great sound, customization and comfort.
Photo: David Snow / Culf of Mac

With the new Jabra Elite 7 Pro earbuds, I seem to have found near-ideal audio with active noise cancellation (ANC) for both music and phone calls. The compact earbuds offer surprisingly expansive sound and are incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

These great AirPods alternatives are on sale for less than $40 

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These Groundbreaking Earphones Feature Up to 3 Hours of Active Noise Cancellation, HiFi Sound & Bluetooth 5.1
You don't have to pay top dollar for quality wireless earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are a lot of things to love about AirPods: In fact, they’re one of the best Apple accessories out there. But one thing that’s not so hot about them? The $159 price tag (which goes up to $199 if you want a wireless charging case).

The price is especially forbidding considering how easily the little buds can be lost, dropped or stolen.

These AI-powered earbuds deliver optimized sound for 100 hours

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wireless earbuds
Noise cancellation when you need it. Premium audio at all times.
Photo: xFyro

We get it: You probably use your earbuds for everything from zoning in on a deadline to powering through the last few minutes of your morning run.

Unfortunately, immersive sound (where you can barely hear your surroundings) might seem good in theory. But just wait until your co-worker tries to flag you down in the office or you narrowly avoid a car during your morning walk.

Enjoy your music while staying active with these sporty AirPods alternatives

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earbuds
These sweatproof and waterproof earbuds can stand up to your active lifestyle.
Photo: Skullcandy

While wired, over-the-ear headphones can make you feel like you’re in an actual music studio, wireless earbuds offer something no pair of headphones can: freedom. The freedom to listen to your favorite songs anywhere during any activity is what makes ditching the wire so appealing. And that’s exactly what sets apart the Skullcandy Push Ultra True Wireless Earbuds.

These wireless earphones last 6 times longer than AirPods [Deals]

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Kharbon IP67 Wireless Earbuds
These Bluetooth earbuds sport 150 hours of battery life, 100% water resistance, and they're a fraction the price of AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When it comes to wireless earbuds, AirPods immediately spring to mind. But they also fetch a top-shelf price tag, so we’re excited to share earphones that are competitive with Apple’s — and yours for a fraction of the price.

Preorders for colorful Powerbeats Pro open Wednesday

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Powerbeats Pro
These are all the colors Powerbeats Pro will be available in soon.
Photo: Beats

Apple’s Powerbeats Pro wireless headphones have been available in any color you want, as long as it’s black. That’s going to change later this week when pre-orders finally start for ivory, moss, and navy options.