Baseus Inspire XP1: A line of earbuds from value-oriented brands that came out last year in partnership with Bose, which has been steadily expanding its “Sound by Bose” line that brings its brand to affordable headphones and earbuds. Like the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds, the Baseus Inspire XP1 feature excellent sound in a set of comfortable earbuds that share some similarities with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, especially how they fit (they have the same ear tips as the Ultras, and the buds fit my ears well). The price of the Inspire XP1 fluctuates and sometimes drops to $100, which is the best time to buy them.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC: Released in 2023, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC earbuds have a lower list price than 2022’s Liberty 4 buds and are arguably better in some ways. They have improved noise cancellation and better sound quality, as well as support for the LDAC audio codec for devices that support it. (Many Android smartphones do, and in theory they offer slightly improved sound quality when paired with a music streaming service that offers crisp tracks.) They’re nicely discounted, lightweight buds that should fit most ears comfortably with four tip sizes to choose from. That said, the new P31i costs less and offers similar performance.
QCY MeloBuds Pro: Like Earfun, QCY makes a variety of budget earbuds and headphones that deliver good bang for your buck. MeloBuds Pro looks a little generic, but it’s lightweight and comfortable and sounds good for what it costs, offering decent clarity and balanced sound (you can adjust its sound profile a bit with the EQ settings in the QCY compatible app). Plus, they cancel out noise and the voice performance is better than average earbuds under $50. And finally, they have ear-detection sensors, multi-point Bluetooth pairing, low-latency playback mode and support for Sony’s high-quality LDAC audio codec (most Android devices support LDAC).
Roseselsa Ceramics X: Truth be told, I had never heard of the Roseselsa Ceramics X earbuds before I saw a post comparing them to Final Audio’s more expensive ZE3000 SV buds which argued that the two models were identical. This would make Ceramics X much better but it didn’t prove to be true. While I ended up liking the Final Audio ZE3000 SV better, I was impressed with the sound quality of the Ceramics for how little they cost. Also, not only did they fit well in my ears, but I thought their noise cancellation was effective, and their voice performance was acceptable. They also support AAC and LDAC audio codecs for Bluetooth playback (most Android smartphones support LDAC).
Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2: Anker’s Soundcore AeroFit 2 used to be listed but its list price went up from $100 to $130, so I had to remove it. These earbuds are completely redesigned and look very different from the original AeroFit buds, which are also listed at $100. The second-generation Aerofit is not only more comfortable but looks sleeker, sounds better and offers an all-around upgrade. The buds aren’t as light as the hidden Shokz OpenFit 2 and don’t sound as good, but they’re less expensive and offer good all-around performance with added bass response. Available in many colors, they are a great choice for those looking for ear-hook style earbuds with a premium design and great sound quality without the high price tag of high-end models.
Soundpeats for Air3 Deluxe HS: What makes these $40 Soundpeats Air3 Deluxe HS special is that they sound surprisingly good in open earbuds — they’re close to what you get from Apple’s AirPods 3 in terms of sound (they’re a bit behind the AirPods 4, which offer improved sound from the AirPods 3). In addition, they support Sony’s LDAC audio codec for the devices it offers. There aren’t many cheap open-back earbuds that sound great but these Soundpeats have great bass response and clarity. They are also great for making calls and have a low-latency play mode. Battery life is rated at 5 hours at moderate volume levels, and these are IPX4 splash-proof.
Amazon Echo Buds (2023): Amazon’s 2023 Echo Buds impressed me in a few unexpected ways. First, they sound great for inexpensive earbuds, delivering decent clarity and plenty of bass. But they also have a solid feature set, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, hands-free Alexa and in-ear sensors that stop your audio when you take one or both buds out of your ears. Their sound falls on that of Apple’s AirPods 4, which brings a better bass performance and a full, clean sound (they are better at managing complex music tracks with many instruments playing at the same time). But AirPods 4, even the entry-level model ($129), are very expensive.
Jabra Elite 4: The lightweight Elite 4 fit my ears comfortably and provided a nice, well-balanced sound with punchy bass and decent clarity. They support Qualcomm’s aptX audio codec (for Android and other devices that support aptX) but only the SBC codec for iPhones (no AAC support). The Elite 4 lacks more premium features like ear-detection sensors and has a four-microphone array for noise cancellation and voice calls (voice call performance is good but not great). What’s a bit confusing is that Jabra also sells it Elite 4 Worksa slightly more robust version of the same buds that carries a list price of $120 but sometimes sells for less than the regular Elite 4. So get the Elite 4 Active if it costs less.
JBL Live Pro 2: Over the years, JBL has released some decent wireless earbuds, but nothing that really impressed me. That finally changed with the arrival of the new Samsung model Live Pro 2 again Live Free 2 buds. Both compact sets — the Live Pro 2 has a stem while the Live Free 2 has a pill-shaped design — offer a comfortable fit and solid noise cancellation, excellent sound quality and voice calling performance, and a solid set of features, including Bluetooth multi-point pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.
JBL Live Free 2: Like Live Pro 2The new JBL Live Free 2 in disguise is surprisingly good. With 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and round silicon tips, they combine a comfortable fit with strong noise cancellation, excellent sound quality and voice performance. Features include multi-point Bluetooth pairing and wireless charging, and are rated for up to seven hours with IPX5 water resistance (splash-proof).
Beats Studio Buds: The Beats Studio Buds look very similar to the rumored wireless AirPods that some people have been waiting for. Aimed at both iOS and Android users, they lack a few key features on the Apple side of things (no H1 or W1 chip), but they’re small, lightweight buds that are comfortable to wear and offer really good sound. Although their noise cancellation isn’t as good as the AirPods Pro, they have a transparent mode and are perfect for making calls. Read our Beats Studio Buds review.
Sennheiser CX: If you can’t afford Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds, the CX is a great alternative. They feature excellent sound, along with decent noise cancellation and voice calling performance. The only problem is that they protrude slightly from your ears and may not fit some smaller ears. This model, which usually sells for less than $100 on Amazon, doesn’t include active noise cancellation but the upgraded CX Plus does (the CX Plus and it’s a good price, especially when it goes on sale). Read more about budget earbuds in my full review of the Sennheiser CX wireless earbuds.