Bose is bringing back a piece of audio technology that Bluetooth nearly made us forget: wired earbuds. But these aren’t your ordinary old-school earphones. They pack active noise cancellation, 24-bit lossless audio, and USB-C connectivity, all without batteries or Bluetooth pairing. Sometimes, the old ways still have something to offer.
For the first time, Nike has put its famous Swoosh on a pair of Beats earbuds. The Powerbeats Pro 2 – Nike Special Edition brings a striking Black and Volt makeover, heart rate monitoring, active noise cancellation, and a charging case with a little motivational message inside. LeBron James even trades basketball for golf to celebrate.
Your favorite album deserves some attention, even on a crowded train. Cambridge Audio’s Melomania A100 SE pairs hi-fi amplification with Dolby Audio and lossless wireless support, while adaptive noise cancellation helps keep the commute out of the mix. There’s plenty of room to adjust the sound to your taste, too.
After months of daily use, the Nothing Ear (3a) left me wondering why most people need pricier wireless earbuds. Its punchy, balanced sound, impressive noise cancellation, adjustable EQ, and dependable battery life outweigh a slightly loose charging case, unremarkable Spatial Audio, and a maximum volume that could be louder.
Bang & Olufsen has dressed its flagship Beo Grace earbuds in Honey Tone, giving their polished aluminum bodies the warmth of gold jewelry. Behind the shine are titanium drivers, adaptive ANC, Dolby Atmos spatial audio, NearTap controls, and a charging case that can stream sound from wired sources.
Audio-Technica has two answers for anyone tired of charging headphones. The ATH-M20xSTS gives streamers studio-inspired monitoring and a boom microphone that mutes when raised, while the pocket-sized ATH-CKD30C plugs straight into USB-C devices with selectable sound modes and no Bluetooth ceremony.
Apple’s open-ear AirPods no longer make you pay extra for noise cancellation. Both AirPods 5 models now get ANC, improved sound, and tougher IP57 protection, while Siri responds to head gestures and Live Translation handles conversations across languages. Volume swipes, wireless charging, and longer battery life remain paid extras.
Xbox’s translucent-green nostalgia has escaped the console and landed on Razer’s Basilisk mouse, BlackWidow keyboard, and Hammerhead earbuds. The limited-edition trio is now available for pre-order following its Gamescom debut.
Shokz is giving runners two lighter ways to stay aware without paying Pro-model money. The US$129.95 OpenRun Air 2 shrinks its bone-conduction neckband, while the equally priced OpenFit Air 2 becomes the brand’s lightest ear-hook earbud yet.
We missed Baseus’ Bose-tuned Inspire Series when it launched last year. Now, a limited-time Amazon deal has dropped the XP1 earbuds to US$99.99, giving us—and bargain-minded ears—a very good reason to catch up.
Four generations after Sennheiser’s flagship earbuds first appeared without a number, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 arrives with replaceable batteries, improved ANC, Dolby Atmos head tracking, and up to 40 hours of listening time.