Daily Tech News and Updates: The best wireless headphones 2020: our pick of the best ways to cut the cord

The best wireless headphones of 2020 come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny earbuds to chunky over-ear headphones.

All that choice is great, but it can make it difficult to find the best wireless headphones for your needs. That’s why we created this guide to help. We’ve spent the past 10 years testing the best headphones on the market and we know a thing or two about finding the perfect pair of wireless cans.

The best wireless headphones offer a heady combination fantastic connectivity, supreme audio quality, and slick designs – and some even come with nifty extras, including active noise cancellation and built-in AI assistants you can control with your voice.

To that end, we feel like the best overall wireless headphones you can buy right now are the Sony WH-1000XM4. They're comfortable, they offer some of the best-sounding audio of any closed-back over-ear headphones and they have a ton of features like active noise-cancellation and support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio. It's an all-around winner.

Whatever your reason might be for upgrading, we're here to help you find the best wireless headphones for you, regardless of your budget – and there are lots of models to choose from. To help you get started we've divided our guide into wireless over-ear headphones, wireless earphones, and true wireless earbuds. These are the three main styles of wireless headphones – so feel free to jump to whichever style fits your needs and budget.

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Cyber Monday US: the best wireless headphone deals

Beats Solo Pro noise-cancelling headphones: ~~$299.99~~ $154.99 at Best Buy
For something a little more lavish, check out the very best from Apple's other excellent range of headphones - the Beats Pro. With full active noise-cancellation, these are a great option for a busy commute or working environment, and with 22 hours of battery life, they can go the distance as well.
View Deal

Bose QC35 II: ~~$349.99~~ $199 at Walmart
Bose is no stranger to great comfort and impressive sound quality, and the Bose QC35 II doesn't fall far from the tree. These wireless headphones also boast two levels of active noise cancellation, a 2-microphone system, and are on sale for $199.
View Deal

Sony WH-1000XM4: ~~$349.99~~ $278 at Amazon
Amazon has dropped the price of TechRadar's top-rated headphones by $72. That's $20 lower than the Lightning deal found during Prime Day 2020, but you'll need to be quick if you want to grab the noise-cancelling cans at this price. You may find cheaper headphones on Cyber Monday, but you won't find any better than the WH-1000XM4.View Deal

Sony WH-XB700 EXTRA BASS Wireless Headphones: ~~$129.99~~ $78 at Amazon
Looking for something a little cheaper? These Sony cans don't come with noise cancellation, but they do boast a 30-hour battery life, a compact on-ear design, and built-in Alexa.View Deal

Apple AirPods 2019 with charging case: ~~$159~~ $109.99 at Amazon
You'll find the cheapest AirPods on the market with a $50 discount right now at Amazon. However, it's worth noting that we've been seeing this price ever since last year's Cyber Monday AirPods deals – that means it might drop even further this year. View Deal

Cyber Monday UK: the best wireless headphone deals

Sony WH-CH510 wireless headphones: ~~£50~~ £29 at Amazon
If you're just after a super cheap pair of over-ear headphones, these Sony cans should do just the trick - and they cost even less than usual right now. There's a £20 price drop on the WH-CH510 headphones right now - with an impressive 35 hours of battery under the hood, quick charge, a mic for quick hands free calls, and even voice assistant compatibility.
View Deal

Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones: ~~£179~~ £125 at Currys
The Beats Solo 3 headphones are aging slightly, which is why it's the perfect time for a £54 price cut. We've previously seen these headphones going for £159 on sale, so you're getting a particularly strong discount here.
View Deal

Beats Solo Pro: ~~£269.95~~ £159 at Amazon
Pick up the Beats Solo Pro headphones on sale at Amazon. There's an £110 reduction on these noise cancelling cups right now, bringing them well below £200 and resting at their lowest price yet. That's an excellent price on these Beats headphones, especially if you're an iPhone user as you'll enjoy seamless pairing and fantastic wireless stability here.
View Deal

Bose QuietComfort 35 II: ~~£329.95~~ £209.99 at Amazon
We've only seen the Bose QuietComfort 35 II noise-canceling headphones drop to £279 in the past, and more recently they seem to have settled on a £299 price tag. That makes this deal all the more special, and what's more, it's for the traditionally more expensive limited-edition Triple Midnight headphones.
View Deal

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: ~~£349.95~~ £279 at Selfridges
These Bose cans are among the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy in 2020, and with just over £70 off, they're a steal, boasting fantastic ANC, great audio performance, and a sleek design. View Deal

Apple AirPods Pro: ~~£249~~ £195 at Laptops Direct
Laptops Direct was already offering the lowest price we've seen for the AirPods Pro in the UK, and it's cut an extra £3 off its Black Friday deal price for a whopping £54 overall reduction this Cyber Monday. For your money you're getting noise cancellation, a nifty transparency mode, and a wireless charging case capable of topping up your AirPods to 24-hours of battery life, alongside great sound and Apple connectivity.View Deal

The best over-ear wireless headphones

1. Sony WH-1000XM4

The best noise-cancelling headphones have a new winner

Improved noise-cancellation

DSEE Extreme audio upscaling

Multipoint pairing

Not water-resistant

The Sony WH-1000XM4 deliver excellent noise-cancellation and surprising sound quality all in a lightweight, wireless design.

While they don't look significantly different from their predecessors, the Sony WH-1000XM3, a number of new features including multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness and auto-play/pause using a built-in sensor all help the WH-1000XM4 claim the title of best headphones in 2020.

By every possible metric, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a wonderful pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They deliver exactly what they promise and then some thanks to their exceptional noise cancellation and cutting-edge codec support.

On top of the adjustments listed above, the Sony WH-1000XM4 support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio on stereo headphones plus the LDAC codec that can send a bitrate of up to 990 kbps. The unfortunate bit there, though, is that it no longer supports aptX or aptX HD, so your Hi-Res Audio support mileage may vary.

2. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Bose's new wireless noise-cancelling headphones are easily its best yet

Outstanding noise cancellation

Fun, lively sound

Battery life could be better

More expensive than Sony

Bose has really outdone itself with the Headphones 700 – and a big part of these cans’ appeal, is the sophistication of the noise cancellation they offer, which is applied to your voice during phone calls, as well as your surroundings.

As an alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM4, these wireless headphones sound fantastic, with a vibrant, lively character and well-balanced soundstage and offer the same great noise-cancellation you'd expect from Bose.

They don't have the same dexterity as the WH-1000XM4 and the battery life is also 10 hours less than Sony headphones despite costing more, but they're perhaps the best wireless headphones for making calls with.

(Image credit: Future)

3. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones

Strong all-rounders

Best-in-class sound quality

Competitive battery life

Robust Bluetooth connection

Earcups don't collapse

If you’re looking for wireless headphones with active noise cancellation and you're not put off by the $399 / £349 / AU$600 price tag, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 are well worth considering.

With sophisticated noise cancellation, much-improved sound quality, and a honed aesthetic, the PX7 could give any of the headphones on this list a run for their money.

Plus, they're packing aptX Adaptive for improved stability and latency between the headphones and your device, as well as high-quality (24-bit) streaming aptX HD brought to the table.

4. Jabra Elite 85H

Giving Sony and Bose a run for their money

Class-leading battery life

Excellent ANC performance

Stylish and comfortable

Lacks support for high-end codecs

Offering class-leading battery life, terrific style and plenty of personalization when it comes to sound profiles, the Elite 85h are easy to recommend. That said, purists will bemoan the lack of high-end codec support and there are punchier wireless headphones on the market at this price point.

When you consider that Jabra’s Elite 85h headphones are the company’s first attempt at premium wireless ANC headphones, the result is quite commendable. We can’t wait to see what the company’s next premium ANC headphones will accomplish.

If you want an alternative to Sony's WH-1000XM4, these wireless headphones are a great choice.

Read more: Jabra Elite 85H review

5. Bose QuietComfort 35 II

Premium wireless headphones that include Google Assistant

Broad and clear soundstage

Amazing noise cancellation

Active EQ an acquired taste

Boring looks

Bose took the already-excellent QC35 and updated them with Google Assistant. This means you still get the class-leading noise cancellation Bose is known for, good sound quality, and incredible comfort. Said simply, these wireless headphones sound great and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights.

Despite the popularity of the QC35s, Bose has shaken things up by releasing a totally new wireless noise-cancelling headphones model, with a focus on sleek design and “breakthrough” audio tech: the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. They may not have pipped Sony to the top spot of the best noise-cancelling headphones, but they're still a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones, coming in at number two.

Read more: Bose QuietComfort 35 II review

6. Philips PH805

Premium wireless headphones without the premium price

Well made

Good battery life

Punchy, controlled, and detailed sound

Noise cancelation could be more effective

At $199 / £160 (around AU$290) the Philips PH805 offer exceptional value for money. These are wireless headphones, using Bluetooth 5 for connectivity – so high-resolution audio playback should be achievable.

Using a single Lithium-Ion cell for up to 30 hours of playback time from a single charge, the Philips PH805 have active noise cancellation on board, administered by a couple of mics on each earcup.

Read more: Philips PH805 review

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019) — (Image credit: Sennheiser)

7. Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

Over-ear headphones that don't skimp on the smart features

Brilliant audio quality

Cool design

Customizable settings

Battery life isn’t great

More expensive than rivals

These Sennheiser over-ear wireless headphones sound fantastic, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs.

Customizable noise cancellation is a great touch, though it doesn't quite reach the class-leading standards set by Sony and Bose. Battery life also doesn't compete with the Sony WH-1000XM4s, and they're more expensive to boot.

So, why buy the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched.

8. AKG N60NC Wireless

Wireless noise-cancellation from another mid-range master

Great sound

Compact design

Not the most comfortable

Initially confusing controls

The AKG N60NC Wireless sound like a pair of headphones that should be much more expensive than they are.

At their mid-range price point these wireless headphones offer fantastic value for money, with great sound quality and a level of noise-cancellation performance that's on a level with the much more premium entries on this list.

Our biggest issue with these headphones is the fact that they're on-ear rather than over-ear, meaning that we found that they got uncomfortable over longer periods.

Regardless, the benefit of this is that this is a fantastically compact pair of headphones, and if you're willing to make the trade-off then these are great for the price.

Read more: AKG N60NC Wireless review

9. JBL Tune 750BTNC

Quality noise-cancelling headphones for a great price

Good sound quality

Strong active noise cancelation

No waterproofing

Average battery life

JBL is a popular name in the world of wireless headphones and Bluetooth speakers, and rightly so. Solidly dependable, consumers know what to expect from the brand – decent sound quality for a decent price.

That's what we found with the JBL Live 650BTNC last year – and now, ready to take their place are the JBL Tune 750BTNC, a superior successor to the 650BTNC's as a high-spec and well-priced set of over-ear headphones.

The JBL Tune 750BTNC sound great, look great, and they fit well. Reliable and easy to use, you might miss waterproofing and a few minor features – but at this price, it feels foolish to complain too readily.

Read more: JBL Tune 750BTNC review

microsooft surface headphones 2 — (Image credit: Microsoft)

10. Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Warm sound and great noise cancellation

Warm, wide soundstage

Great controls

Sound could be more detailed

Slightly boring look

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 are the tech giant’s second pair of noise-cancelling headphones, and they offer a ton of great improvements over the original Surface Headphones, while retaining some of their best qualities.

In spite of those improvements – which includes a longer battery life and a more comfortable design – the Surface Headphones 2 are considerably cheaper than their predecessors, making them the obvious choice if you’re trying to choose between the two.

That lower price also makes them a great alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM4 especially as they’ve retained the winning design features of the original Surface Headphones, with built-in dials on each earcup to control your music and the active noise cancellation.

11. Shure AONIC 50

Shure has finally joined the wireless noise-cancelling party

Expansive, convincing sound

Sturdy construction

Good ANC

Humdrum physical interface

There are some gaps in specification compared to their most obvious rivals like the Sony WH-1000XM4, but where it really counts – sound quality – the Shure AONIC 50 need no excuses made for them.

The Shure AONIC 50 sport a wireless, active noise-cancelling over-ear design, selling at a premium price to compete with the likes of the Sony headphones and the Bose NC 700 Headphones.

Ultimately, while you won't find every feature under the sun here, the Shure AONIC 50 are laser-focused on delivering the best sound quality of almost any noise-cancelling headphones we've tested - so if you're after audiophile sound, these could be the best wireless headphones for you.

Read more: Shure AONIC 50 review

12. Jabra Elite 45h

The best value wireless on-ear headphones you can buy

Balanced sound

Impressive battery life

Leaky sound

Iffy call quality

For just $79 / £69/ AU$99, Jabra has wrapped Bluetooth 5 connectivity, 40mm full-range dynamic drivers and a smattering of physical push-button controls in a wireless on-ear frame – unlike the over-ear Jabra Elite 85h in this list. Faux leather and memory foam, combined with winningly un-creaky plastic, make for a comfortable fit (even if the earpads themselves absorb ear-heat quite quickly and then give it straight back).

There’s voice control available from Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. Jabra’s Sound+ control app even walks you through a brief hearing test to establish exactly how the EQs should be set to best suit your ears. By the standards of overtly affordable headphones, the Elite 45h are feature-packed.

Read more: Jabra Elite 45h review

Best wireless headphones 2020: over-ear headphones

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones
Jabra Elite 85H
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Philips PH805
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless
AKG N60NC Wireless
JBL Tune 750BTNC
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2
Shure AONIC 50
Jabra Elite 45h

Wireless vs true wireless: what's the difference?

Wireless headphones are traditional over-ear or on-ear headphones without the wire – the two earcups are connected by a headband.

Wireless earbuds have existed for a while now, basically since Bluetooth was invented. Though battery-powered and not physically connected to your phone, they have a cord connecting both buds – and sometimes a band around the neck too. Check out the best wireless earbuds for more.

True wireless earbuds have no cord whatsoever. While wireless allows us to wear headphones a few feet away from our music players, True Wireless cuts the cord between the earbuds, giving us true freedom. If you're looking to go full wireless, we also have a round-up of the best true wireless headphones.

Check out TechRadar's exhaustive guides to the best headphones to buy today including the best on-ear headphones and the best in-ear headphones.

For some more specialist pairs, take a look at our guides to the best wireless headphones, best true wireless earbuds, best wireless earbuds, and the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Need a specific brand? We have guides to the best Sony headphones, the best Bose headphones, and the best Audio-Technica headphones.

Looking for some headphones you can work out with? Check out our guide to the best swimming headphones and the best running headphones.

The best in-ear wireless headphones

1. Optoma NuForce BE Sport4

Practically flawless wireless earbuds

Impressive audio

Customized eartips

Practical design

Not suited to one-ear listening

The NuForce BE Sport4 wireless earbuds are good for pretty much any situation, whether you're looking to take them out on a run or just wear them around town.

They're ideal for exercise, although any urbanite will also find their lightweight functionality and impressive sound isolation highly appealing. If you want proof that wireless headphones can now compete with the best of them, look no further.

Read more: Optoma NuForce BE Sport4 review

2. Bowers & Wilkins PI3 Wireless Headphones

Neckbuds with phenomenal sound

Comfortable design

Excellent sound quality

No waterproofing

Average battery life

The Bowers & Wilkins PI3 are the first neckband-style headphones for the company, and they're a great start. Well-designed, comfortable to wear, and simple to use, they sound really good, too.

Thanks to dual drivers, these buds sound fantastic, with crisp highs, lively mids, and plenty of powerful bass. Look past the fairly unremarkable battery life and limited features, and you'll be mostly very impressed by what these in-ear wireless headphones offer.

Read the full review: Bowers & Wilkins PI3 Wireless Headphones review

3. Sennheiser CX Sport wireless earphones

No fuss buds with fantastic audio

Fantastic audio quality

Sports-friendly design

Not the cheapest option

Mids could be richer

If the most important aspect of wireless earphones for you is the audio quality, these wireless earbuds from Sennheiser could be a fantastic choice.

With a lively, bass-heavy presentation, and a comfortable fit, the Sennheiser CX Sport wireless earphones are ideal running headphones, and can really bolster your workout through sound quality alone.

They have a battery life of six hours, which means they'll last you all day, whether you're wearing them on your commute or taking them out for a jog.

4. OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2

Amazing wireless earphones for the price

Magnetic on/off switch

Lively sound

Strong wireless connection

Terrible carrying case

OnePlus is most known for its “flagship killer” phones like the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro,, but the company also makes headphones – the best example of which are the company’s excellent Bullets Wireless 2, which offer an incredible value in the neck-bud headphone category.

In terms of audio quality, they boast a lively sonic presentation and an accurate-feeling soundstage, although bass-heads may want to look elsewhere for headphones that pack a bassier punch.

They may be $30 more expensive than their predecessors, but the improved battery life and sound quality makes up for that; it also makes it worth upgrading if you have the originals and are due a new pair of wireless earbuds.

Read more: OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2 review

soudnmagic e11bt — (Image credit: SoundMAGIC)

5. SoundMAGIC E11BT

Magic bullets that sound deceptively good

Fantastic price

Elegant design

Comfortable

Treble tones can sound harsh

The SoundMagic E11BTs are a great pair of in-ear headphones, and given their low price, it really is difficult to fault them – the audio quality is fantastic and they look very elegant, with sleek, compact buds.

They're comfortable to wear thanks to ergonomically designed eartips and a flat neckband that won’t irritate you while running or working out – and with an IPX4 rating, they should withstand sweaty sessions.

Read more: SoundMAGIC E11BT review

6. Jaybird Tarah Pro

Well-crafted wireless earbuds for endurance athletes

Excellent adaptable sound

Durable and compact design

Proprietary charging dock

Fiddly eartips

Another pair of running headphones to make it onto our list, the Jaybird Tarah Pro headphones are wireless headphones for the endurance runners, athletes and fitness nuts out there. With a neck cable to keep the earbuds together, they aren’t quite ‘true wireless’, but will be practical for those concerned about dropping and losing a costly earbud in the heat of a race or training session.

As the first in Jaybird’s new ‘Pro’ range of earbuds and aimed at offering higher quality audio and materials, the Tarah Pro will suit anyone not willing to sacrifice audio quality in harsher outdoor conditions or indoor workouts and who don't mind spending a bit more to get a premium product.

Read more: Jaybird Tarah Pro review

7. Jaybird X4 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Compact comfort, good quality, competitive price

Excellent adaptable sound

Durable and compact design

Proprietary charging dock

Button lag

Now committed to a yearly refresh of the popular mid-range model, the Jaybird X4 manage to outdo both the previous Jaybird X2 and Jaybird X3 wireless Bluetooth earphones, with an upgraded IPX7 water-resistance rating. Whether you're sweating buckets or running doggedly through the rain on your way to work, the X4 will be able to cope with it.

Jaybird's excellent app also provides easy EQ customization as well as the ability to make your own sound profile, with various ear tip sizes to boot. A great all round choice for anyone who doesn't want to skimp on sound or durability.

Read more: Jaybird X4 review

8. Beats X

Good-sounding wireless earbuds that can charge in five minutes

Balanced sound signature

Quick Charge feature

Relatively expensive

Lacking in clarity

Beats haven't always gotten the best rap when it comes to audio performance, but the Beats X is trying to set the record straight. The Beats X hence make up for their slightly bassy, confined sound with a rock solid connection and a pairing process that, on iOS devices at least, is as painless as it's possible to be.

If you’re shopping for a no-fuss pair of earbuds that charge in 5 minutes, work well with iOS and don’t mind spending a little extra money on them, the Beats X are for you.

Read more: Beats X review

9. Bose QuietControl 30

In-ear noise-cancelling as good as any from over-ear cans

Stellar noise cancellation

Long-lasting battery

Very, very expensive

Sound isn’t great for its price

Life is full of compromises, and it's no different with the Bose QuietControl 30. On the positive side you get a level of noise cancellation that comes close to what's offered by the brand's over-ear headphones, but the concession here is on sound fidelity, which just isn’t on the same level as that of other in-ear or over-ear headphones we’ve tested.

There's also that neckband which adds an unfortunate level of bulk to what should otherwise be a slimline pair of headphones.

Read the full review: Bose QuietControl 30 review

Beats PowerBeats 3 — (Image credit: Beats)

10. Beats PowerBeats

Revamped fitness-focussed Powerbeats

Great battery life

Good wireless range

Fit could be better

High price

The new Powerbeats are a thoughtful evolution of Beats' wireless headphones. They're missing a few niceties like active noise-reduction and may potentially feel less comfortable than some competitors, but by and large they're a decent cheap alternative to Apple’s higher-end in-ear headphones.

After spending some time with them, it's clear that the new Beats Powerbeats is a significant upgrade on the company's wireless workout earbuds, offering a sound quality lifted directly from the Beats Powerbeats Pro, an IPX4 rating and Apple’s H1 Wireless Chip that can summon Siri with the sound of your voice.

What we don't like about them is that the fit can be tough to get right and even slightly uncomfortable when you wear them for an extended period.

Read the full review: Beats Powerbeats review

The best wireless headphones 2020 (in-ear)

Optoma NuForce BE Sport4
Bowers & Wilkins Pi3
Sennheiser CX Sport
OnePlus Bullets Wireless 2
SoundMAGIC E11 BT
Jaybird Tarah Pro
Jaybird X4
Beats X
Bose QuietControl 30
Beats Powerbeats

For more top picks, check out our dedicated guide to the best wireless earbuds

The best true wireless headphones

1. Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds

Noise-cancelling true wireless headphones that made our dreams come true

Efficient noise-cancellation

Inconspicuous looks

Great fun to listen too

Not suitable for sports

Considering it's still rare to get noise-cancellation in wired earbuds at all, the fact that Sony has managed to pack it into a pair that are not only wireless, but true wireless is very impressive indeed – and that's why they're the best true wireless earbuds of 2020.

The Sony WF-1000X manage to offer a level of noise-cancellation that's very good for a pair of earbuds – it won't offer the same isolation as a pair of over-ear cans, but if you're after a sleek form factor then the compromise is well worth it.

Read more: Sony WF-1000XM3 review

2. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Great-sounding and noise-cancelling

Incredible sound

Sleek design

Support for Hi-Res Audio

More expensive than rivals

Sennheiser has pretty much knocked it out of the park with these buds, offering great noise cancellation alongside smart looks and stunning sound.

The sound quality, battery life, and design of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are truly brilliant – and they're a really good alternative to the Sony WF-1000XM3, particularly if you prefer a more flashy design to adorn your ears.

We did find that those with smaller ears sometimes find them a little uncomfortable, however, and their high price just stops them from beating the Sony WF-1000XM3.

3. Cambridge Audio Melomania 1

Mind-blowing sound without the wires

Outstanding audio quality

Good value for money

Comfortable design

Control buttons can be annoying to use

Cambridge Audio is known for its high-end audio equipment, but until now, hasn’t ventured into the world of true wireless earbuds. Enter the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s: with an outstanding 45 hours of battery life, they combine the brand’s award-winning engineering with the convenience of truly wireless listening.

For a pair of true wireless earbuds, the sound quality offered by the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s is sensational. In fact, it rivals some of the best over-ear headphones, which is all but unheard of for buds of this size.

Read more: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 review

4. Lypertek Tevi

Incredible, affordable buds

Incredible value

Neutral audiophile-like sound

Great battery life

Design is a bit plain

You may not have heard of up-and-coming audio brand Lypertek yet, but expect to hear a lot from it soon – its Lypertek Tevi true wireless earbuds are among the best we’ve tried, especially given the low price tag.

With USB-C charging, a well-balanced sound, lengthy battery life, and waterproofing, it ticks every box you could ask for, from what are basically a pair of budget buds. The Lypertek Tevi, surprisingly, might just blow you away, punching well above their weight and rivaling buds from some of the biggest audio brands on the planet.

5. Klipsch T5 True Wireless

Audiophiles will love the Klipsch T5’s sound and build quality

Incredible build quality

Warm, detailed sound

Excellent battery life

Deep fit may be uncomfortable

With their stellar sound and build quality, long-lasting battery life and what may be one of the coolest cases we've ever seen, we'd argue that the Klipsch T5s are of the best models on the market right now..

Of course, you're buying a Klipsch product because it features the signature Klipsch sound, which is warm, detailed, and never harsh. Acoustic music is lush and detailed, and the detail extends to the highs as well, allowing the headphones to sing in the higher registers without ever being sibilant.

Read more: Klipsch T5 True Wireless review

6. Apple AirPods Pro

The perfect earbuds... for Apple fans

Good noise cancellation

Better fit than AirPods (2019)

Good for tracking hearing health

More expensive than better rivals

Apple has launched its new true wireless earbuds, bringing active noise cancellation, a (finally) much better fit, and an improved design, in a bid to lure more iPhone users into the true wireless fold.

However, at $249 / £249 / AU$399, they’re pretty pricey too, and as such can’t be called the very best wireless headphones out there. With an entry-level version of these buds expected this year – the so-called AirPods Pro Lite – this could soon change.

The sound quality of the AirPods Pro has certainly improved since the previous iteration – there’s a notable emphasis on vocals and bass, meaning these earbuds are better for pop fans than those that enjoy a more natural presentation that lends itself to classical music or more orchestral sounds.

Read more: Apple AirPods Pro review

[UPDATE: The Apple AirPods Pro are getting a hefty firmware upgrade, which will allow for Dolby Atmos spatial audio, bringing immersive 3D sound to your true wireless earbuds.

Announced at the company's WWDC 2020 keynote, the new feature will work in 5.1, 7.1, and Dolby Atmos, which positions sound all around you within a virtual sphere.

As well as allowing for clever virtual Dolby Atmos, the AirPods Pro will also be able to tracks the motion of your head and your device, to ensure that the audio always appear to originate from the correct position.

There's also a new auto-switching feature means that the AirPods can now "magically switch over between devices", detecting automatically which device you are using.]

7. Jabra Elite 75t

A worthy successor to the Elite 65t

7 hours on a single charge

Compact earbuds and case

App lets you customize EQ

Overwhelming, muddy bass

The Jabra Elite 75t improve upon their predecessors, the Jabra Elite 65t, in just about every way – except for tonal balance.

The headphones and charging case are much smaller, battery life makes an immense jump, catching up to the competition, and the customization features we enjoyed in the 65t remain.

While they don't have the best sound quality and they lacks active noise cancellation, neither stops the Jabre Elite 75t from being a solid pair of true wireless headphones to use, especially if you make frequent calls with your your headphones on.

Read more: Jabra Elite 75t review

[Update: You can get active noise cancellation with your Jabra Elite 75t – all you need to do is download a firmware update, and your buds will block out environmental sound like the AirPods Pro.]

8. Beats PowerBeats Pro

Impressive-fitting workout ‘buds from Beats

Easy pairing with iOS

Immaculate fit

Enjoyable sound

Case is fairly bulky

ThePowerBeats Pro true wireless Beats headphones are something special – they’re supremely comfortable, sound decent and seem to never, ever fall out.

Thanks to small additions like the pressure-reducing micro-laser barometric venting hole, their longer battery life and their superior sound quality, they're the best Beats headphones you can buy in 2020.

Read more: Beats PowerBeats Pro review

9. SoundMAGIC TWS50

Fantastic sound, fantastic price

Light, compact, comfortable design

Open, detailed sound

Decent battery life

Slightly inhibited dynamics

With the TWS50, SoundMAGIC has hit the price/performance sweet-spot, thanks to these true wireless earbuds' fantastic price, comfortable design, great sound, and support for Bluetooth 5.0.

They offer a wide, spacious soundstage, with a good, well balanced presentation, alongside a decent battery life and comfy fit – in short, if you're looking for some cheap AirPod-alternatives, the SoundMAGIC TWS50 are well worth a look.

10. Microsoft Surface Earbuds

Anything Apple can do, Microsoft can do slightly differently

Eloquent, detailed sound

Comfortable, secure fit

Design is... distinctive

Battery life isn't class-leading

In terms of features, the Surface Earbuds cover off most - but not all - of what we’ve come to expect from a premium pair of true wireless in-ears: they have app-based adjustable EQs, aptX Bluetooth connectivity, and responsive touch controls. Plus they play impeccably nicely with virtually the entirety of Microsoft’s hardware and software ranges. They don’t have active noise-cancellation, though, and the way they fit means they let ambient sound leak in.

Sound is served up by relatively large full-range drivers. Of course, ‘relatively large’ could, in another life, be the Surface Earbuds’ official model name: a 25mm diameter is big by in-ear standards, 7.2g is heavy by in-ear standards and their charging case isn't exactly slim, either.

Despite these big numbers, though, the Surface Earbuds prove comfortable and secure in situ, for hours on end. The ‘twist-to-fit’ arrangement keeps them nicely steady, even during mild exercise.

Overall, the Surface Earbuds are a very welcome addition to the ever-increasing list of worthwhile true wireless in-ears, and while their distinctive looks won’t be for everyone, they deliver in the only two areas that count: functionality and sound quality.

Read more: Microsoft Surface Earbuds review

11. Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless

‘Affordable’ Sennheisers have Apple AirPods firmly in their sights

Having established its credentials as a high-end true wireless earbud front-runner with two generations of its Momentum True Wireless, Sennheiser’s now turned its attention to the less rarefied area where Apple, Microsoft, Sony and all the rest duke it out. At £169 / $199 / AU$299, the CX400BT are pitched right into the thick of the action.

Happily, the CX400BT are specified to compete. They have aptX Bluetooth connectivity, with SBC and AAC codecs catered for too; they have app-based EQ adjustment; they have responsive touch-controls (which can be customized in the app); and they can be operated using Google Assistant or Siri.

Read more: Sennheiser CX 400BT review

bang & olufsen Beoplay E8 Wireless Earphones — (Image credit: Bang & Olufsen)

12. B&O Beoplay E8 2.0 Wireless Earphones

Pricey wireless earbuds that sound absolutely wonderful

Good audio quality

Exceptional design

Easy to setup

Can feel a bit snug

Let’s get one thing out of the way – the B&O Beoplay E8 are some of the best-looking and most expensive wireless earphones you can buy at $350 / £300 (around AU$570).

Audio quality is undeniably excellent, and you can tweak the sound to your liking using the accompanying Beoplay app on Android and iOS. The Bang & Olufsen E8 2.0 truly wireless earphones look great and sound great, although the touch-sensitive buttons are a little too sensitive at times, and there's no active noise cancellation.

However, it's hard to not find these earphones appealing, and if you want your true wireless earbuds to look as good as they sound, they could be the perfect model for you.

[Update: Bang & Olufsen has launched a new sport-focused pair of true wireless earbuds, the Beoplay E8 Sport.]

13. Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW

Big on bass, big on battery life

Sound great

Long battery life

Weighty

Fiddly case

With a promising battery life and well-managed bass enhancement over Audio-Technica’s usual neutral sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW true wireless earbuds have a lot going for them.

They've one of the most complete and well-rounded sound profiles we've seen from true-wireless earbuds, and that's despite the claimed bass enhancement. It's a very enjoyable sound that they make.

However, they are let down a bit by their fit – mileage will vary of course depending on your preferred bud style and the size of your ears, but all will find the fiddly case fit will annoy over time. Still, the quality audio here may be a worthy trade-off.

Read more: Audio-Technica ATH-CKS5TW review

14. Sony WF-SP800N

Spatial audio and noise-cancelling smarts

Basic noise cancellation

Water-resistant and sweatproof

Support for 360 Reality Audio

Tight in the ear

Sony's latest true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-SP800N, are a triple-threat. They’re IP55-rated to be sweatproof and dustproof with a high degree of water resistance, but they’re also pretty good for commuters because they have active noise cancellation built in – which is rare for a workout pair of earbuds – and work well for demanding music lovers thanks to their support for Sony’s new spatial audio format, 360 Reality Audio.

They can be a little uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, however, and the bass is bit muddy for our liking – still, these true wireless earbuds are well worth a look.

Read more: Sony WF-SP800N review

The best wireless headphones of 2020 (true wireless)

Sony WF-1000XM3 True Wireless Earbuds
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1
Lypertek Tevi
Klipsch T5 True Wireless
Apple AirPods Pro
Jabra Elite 65t
Beats Powerbeats Pro
SoundMAGIC TWS50
Microsoft Surface Earbuds
Sennheiser CX 400BT True Wireless
B&O Beoplay E8 Wireless Earphones
Audio-Technica CKS5TW
Sony WF-SP800N

For more top picks, check out our dedicated guide to the best true wireless earbuds

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Sunday, 29 November 2020

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