Best true wireless headphones: A comparison of high-quality in-ear earbuds
Free your headphones from cable clutter and enjoy your favorite music without restrictions: These are the best in-ear earphones with true wireless technology.
By Sven Wernicke
At least since the Apple AirPods, life without in-ear headphones has become unthinkable for many people. True wireless makes the earplugs completely independent of annoying cables, the headphones transmit via Bluetooth. And you usually charge them wirelessly in practical cases. You also get high audio quality.
In the following we present the currently best true wireless headphones.
Sennheiser CX Plus: High-quality sound experience for all ears
The Sennheiser headphones offer active noise cancellation (ANC).
Image: © SATURN 2022
Both Sennheiser CX Plus you can be sure that they fit: The scope of delivery includes four ear adapters of different sizes for ideal wearing comfort. And the in-ear headphones offer even more: the TrueResponse converters promise first-class hi-fi sound. With one touch you switch the active noise reduction (ANC) on or off, the bass boost provides rich bass.
The battery life is up to 8 hours and can be extended by another 16 hours using the charging box. With their IPX4 certification, the Sennheiser CX Plus are protected against splash water, which is perfectly sufficient for everyday use.
| Per | against |
| + Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) can be switched on and off by touch | – Discreetly chunky optics |
| + 4 ear adapters included | |
| + High-quality sound with powerful bass |
Samsung Galaxy Buds2: all-rounders for Samsung fans
For the full range of functions, the best way to use the Galaxy Buds2 is with other Samsung devices.
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the Galaxy Buds2 harmonize particularly well with smartphones, tablets and the Galaxy Watch4 from Samsung. If you use the smartwatch, you can activate active noise reduction directly on the watch display and check the battery level of the earbuds.
The seamless switch between tablet, smartphone and watch is a success: listen to music or watch films wherever and however you want. The Galaxy Buds2 also work with other Android devices and the iPhone, but then the headphones do not develop their full potential. Especially on iOS you have to reckon with limitations.
| Per | against |
| + Harmonizes with other Samsung mobile devices | – Limited functionality on iOS |
| + ANC blocks out up to 98 percent of ambient noise | – Battery life only up to 5 hours (with ANC) |
| + Available in many colors | |
| + Balanced sound through 2-way speakers |
Huawei Freebuds Pro 2: True wireless with advanced ANC
The Huawei in-ears cover a large frequency range.
Image: © SATURN 2022
the Freebuds Pro 2 surprise with clever features: the dual loudspeakers with four super magnet driver units cover a frequency range from 14 to 40,000 Hz and deliver amazing highs and basses. Another highlight is the ANC supported by artificial intelligence (AI), which uses three microphones to filter out a particularly large amount of ambient noise. During phone calls, the Freebuds Pro 2 effectively suppress wind noise, and a bone sensor also improves intelligibility during conversations.
The integrated rechargeable battery lasts up to 6.5 hours, and the charging case gives you up to 30 hours of music on the go. The Freebuds Pro 2 battery is fully charged in just 40 minutes.
| Per | against |
| + Extended frequency range for impressive highs and lows | – |
| + AI-assisted ANC | |
| + Clear voice transmission and intelligent filtering of wind noise |
SONY WF-1000XM4: Leave nothing to be desired
The Sony headphones can be operated with Google Assistant and Alexa, among other things.
Image: © SATURN 2022
the WF-1000XM4 are strong in every area. It starts with active noise cancellation: the AI technology automatically recognizes where you are and dynamically adjusts the volume and ANC. The special V1 processor makes it possible. The 6 mm drivers guarantee outstanding sound quality. Standards such as Hi-Res Audio Wireless (LDAC), DSEE Extreme, 360 Degree Audio and Spatial Audio are a matter of course for the earbuds.
Beamforming microphones and a bone conduction sensor improve clarity on phone calls. You can also use the language assistant Alexa and the Google Assistant to operate it. In terms of quality and functionality, the WF-1000XM4 is in no way inferior to its big brother, the Sony WH-1000XM4.
| Per | against |
| + Superior sound quality | – Comparatively expensive |
| + AI-assisted ANC | |
| + Alexa and Google Assistant support | |
| + Quick charge function: 60 minutes running time after 5 minutes charging |
Apple AirPods Pro: The measure of all things for Apple users
Apple’s AirPods harmonize best with iPhone, iPad and Co.
Image: © SATURN 2022
For Apple fans, there is hardly any alternative to the AirPods Pro. Similar to Sony’s WF-1000XM4 and other high-quality earbuds, Apple has installed impressive technology in the true wireless headphones: the H1 chip ensures very low audio latency and outstanding noise cancellation.
The high-excursion woofers developed by Apple for authentic bass, 3D audio, beamforming microphones and intelligent head tracking give listeners a wow experience. Unsurprisingly, the AirPods Pro only reach their full potential with other Apple devices such as the iPhone and iPad.
| Per | against |
| + Optimum interaction with Apple devices | – Limited functionality with Android smartphones |
| + Charging case can be charged wirelessly (MagSafe, Qi). | |
| + Numerous comfort functions | |
| + Siri integrated |
What you should consider when buying true wireless headphones
True wireless headphones are completely wireless, they consist of two separate earbuds. When making your selection, you should consider a few aspects so that you can find the best headphones for you.
- Wearing comfort: With in-ear headphones, it is crucial that they fit well in your ears. Make sure that different silicone attachments are included in the scope of delivery. More expensive devices in particular come with several earplug adapters.
- Battery life: When manufacturers of true wireless headphones advertise battery life of up to 30 hours, they mean a “mixed battery life”. When not in use, the earbuds end up in the charging cases that usually come with them, which contain mini power banks for charging. As a rule, even the best true wireless earbuds have a maximum runtime of 8 hours before you have to charge them. The runtime is significantly reduced when the noise suppression is activated.
- Active Noise Cancellation, ANC): If you want to block out ambient noise in order to enjoy music, podcasts or audio books undisturbed, you need ANC. Microphones and usually specialized processors can filter out ambient noise if required. Nowadays, ANC is standard from the middle price segment and really recommendable.
- Bluetooth: Headphones with Bluetooth 5.0 or higher are recommended, as they enable energy-efficient transmission of signals and particularly low latencies.
- Exclusivity: Companies like Samsung, Apple, Huawei and Sony give their earbuds exclusive features. You can only use them if you have a suitable smartphone from the respective manufacturer. In particular, the true wireless headphones from Samsung and Apple can only be used to a limited extent on devices from other manufacturers. Before you buy, make sure that the earbuds and smartphone harmonize with each other.
Reference-www.turn-on.de
