This year has been a watershed year for me when it comes to consuming audio content. I probably now spend more time collectively listening to audio books, music and podcasts than I do watching TV and streaming video services.
In October, I listened to audiobooks for 22.3 hours, mainly Stephen King’s latest novel Holly, according to my Amazon subscription service Audible. YouTube Music tells me in my winter recap that I played 28.3 minutes of music a day through that season. Podcasts account for around 35 minutes per day.
Most of that content is listened to late at night lying in bed or while I’m at the gym or out walking the tracks through Wellington’s green belt. I use either Sony or Technics wireless earbuds, whichever is closest to hand and has sufficient battery charge.
I don’t wear over-ear headphones anywhere outside the house or on an aeroplane - I don’t like the bulk of them and want a bit more situational awareness when I’m navigating Wellington’s one-way streets and e-bikes whizzing past. As I tended to constantly snag and fairly quickly destroy earbud cables, I have phased them out of my life. Wireless earbuds are now my listening sweet spot.
You can pick up wireless earbuds for as little as $30 but this is definitely an electronics category where you get what you pay for. I’ve found that you really need to spend $200 - $400 to get a pair of durable wireless earbuds with decent Bluetooth connectivity, build quality, battery life and pleasing sound.
Five key things to consider when buying wireless earbuds:
Sound quality: This can be quite subjective – what’s deep and punchy bass to me can be soggy and murky to you. You’ll really have to trawl through reviews for a steer on audio quality or ask a retailer if you can wear the buds for an audio test. You certainly want good bass response as well as clarity in the high-end tones and decent overall audio balance for music and voice alike.
You want earbuds that block out noise from the world around you and there are two key ways of doing this. Earbuds with noise isolation, or passive noise cancellation (PNC), effectively create a snug seal around your ear with silicon or foam pads.
An alternative is noise cancellation, or active noise cancellation (ANC), which uses microphones in the earbuds to detect sound from the outside world. The earbuds then generate an opposite sound wave to cancel out the incoming audio. ANC has come a long way in recent years and is my preference. If you regularly use earbuds for phone or video calls opt for earbuds with high-quality microphones built in so you come across clearly on the call. If you are an audiophile, check out what audio codecs the earbuds support – you’ll want to see codecs such as aptX, LDAC, or AAC for better sound quality. Earbuds connect wirelessly via Bluetooth so for a stable connection look for the latest Bluetooth version, at a minimum, Bluetooth 5.3.
Fit and comfort: This is crucial. If your earbuds aren’t comfortable, they’ll gather dust on your bedside table. If you plan to use your earbuds for extended periods you’ll want ones that come with decent ear-tip size options to ensure a good fit and effective seal. Find out how much it costs to replace the ear tips. Some earbuds also include ear fins to help keep them in place. If you are using the earbuds for exercising it’s particularly important they don’t distract you or keep falling out of your ears.
Earbuds vary a bit in size and typically the larger the bud the more battery life you will get.
Durability and build quality: Look for durable materials and construction to ensure longevity, especially if you plan to use them when physically active. If you plan to use your earbuds for workouts or in rainy conditions, definitely opt for a model with water and sweat resistance (look for an IPX rating). I’ve ruined a pair before by letting them get wet. My earbuds and the case that carries them tend to take a bit of a beating as they go everywhere with me. You want a decent hinge on the case, earbud shells that won’t crack or wear out easily and durable ear tips that are not fiddly to replace.
Battery life and charging: You should expect 5–11 hours of battery life from a single charge for decent wireless earbuds with active noise cancelling enabled, plus a couple of hours longer with ANC turned off. But your earbuds case acts as a battery pack so should offer 24–40 hours of charge to top up your earbuds as well, depending on make and model. For convenient charging, opt for earbuds with a wireless charging case so you can place it on a wireless charging pad without having to plug them in.
Controls and compatibility: Some earbuds are incredibly intuitive, able to be controlled with a soft tap or swipe across the bud. Others work really well with voice controls, using Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa to initiate calls, change the volume level and shuffle songs. Buttons are generally on the way out, so make sure you are comfortable with the controls on offer – they can be a bit tricky to master so it’s worth reading the instructions. Many wireless earbuds now come with an app to configure and control them. This can help you fine-tune the settings to get the audio experience you are seeking.
Four wireless earbud options worth checking out:
Apple AirPods (3rd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case
Good value for money compared with the AirPods Pro 2 and featuring better audio than their predecessor, the AirPods 2, the Apple AirPods (3rd generation) have received solid reviews across the board. They are open-ear earbuds and don’t include active noise cancellation. So, they are fine if you are okay with a bit of ambient noise seeping in. They don’t have silicone ear tips so you’ll want to make sure they aren’t prone to falling out of your ears. You’ll get five to six hours of playback (30 with the MagSafe wireless charging case). Very easy to sync with your devices and to set up. As IPX4-rated earbuds, they are sweat and water-resistant. Solid performers when it comes to phone call audio quality.
Price: $349
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony consistently tops best-of lists for its wireless earbuds when it comes to audio quality, features and build quality. With the XM5s, it has also addressed one lingering criticism over the bulkiness of the earbuds and the charging case. Both are now more compact while improving performance. Excellent noise cancellation and technology that adapts the audio to the environment you are in and the battery life remains a decent eight hours with 24 in the charging case. They’re a bit on the expensive side, but they pack a lot of sophisticated features and the accompanying smartphone app gives you total control.
Price: $389
Technics EAH-AZ60 M2
Another solid option from Panasonic’s audio brand and an affordable alternative to the higher-end XM5s and AirPods. Not as premium-looking as their more expensive stablemate, the EAH-AZ80. Battery life is decent – comparable to Sony – and Technics has improved its microphone tech on this model to make your voice clearer on phone calls. With intuitive touch controls and multipoint support, you’re able to easily switch between up to three devices, depending on which one you have active.
Price: $248
Jabra Elite 8
Aimed at active users who want a durable pair of earbuds to wear while working out, Jabra’s Elite 8 earbuds are up to the job. They are water and dust proof, have a tough, rubberised coating and reasonable ear-tip options so you can achieve a snug fit. Also offering decent battery life, ANC, multipoint support and sound codec compatibility. Has buttons on the flat of the earbuds rather than touchpads. Jabra started out making headphones for hands-free phone calls but has proven its credentials in making earbuds for everyday listening too.
Price: $255
