Active noise cancellation is tested in various real-world scenarios that reflect common use cases such as tube journeys, walks through crowded urban areas and days in the office. We conduct side-by-side comparisons with similarly priced earbuds to assess performance and will always try out every feature a pair of buds has in its arsenal. These include microphone quality – tested during phone calls, conference calls over platforms like Google Meet and by recording voice clips – and the functionality of a companion app where available. Better noise cancellation can be found elsewhere, and some may find the fit a bit fiddly, but neither issue prevents the EAH-AZ80 getting a big thumbs up from us. On occasion, objects you’re situated near can lead to a fuzzy connection on your bluetooth earbuds. Look out for the likes of wifi routers, magnets, microwaves, and other bluetooth devices when using your wireless earbuds.

A significant proportion of buds now favour the use of silicone tips, which seal off your ear canals and secure the buds in your ears far better. They also have the advantage of providing improved passive noise cancellation. Manufacturers typically provide a range of different-sized tips to help ensure you get the most comfortable and stable fit possible. Our keen-eared reviewers listen to a huge variety of musical genres from a range of sources during testing, including Spotify, Tidal and locally stored audio files. We’ll also put earbuds through their paces across whichever Bluetooth codecs they support using a compatible device and feed them high-resolution content if they have Hi-res capabilities. Despite those minor grumbles, the QC Earbuds II are a superb pair of wireless earbuds, and class-leading when it comes to their ability to reduce the impact of external distractions. Their ability in the latter department is aided by the inclusion of active noise cancellation, of which there are six levels, an IPX4 rating certifies them water resistant and a fleshed-out companion app lets you customise your experience to a pleasing degree. On the audio front, the Tune Flex offer a warm, engaging sound signature that lends itself well to mainstream pop music, while call quality is another of their strong suits. Despite being significantly cheaper than Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5, the WF-C700N offer a lot of the same functionality. Crucially, they support Adaptive Sound Control via the Sony Headphones Connect app, which lets you manually adjust the active noise cancellation settings or have the buds adjust it automatically depending on where you are and what you’re doing.Battery life is middling, and the codec support is limited to just SBC, but aside from these small issues, the House of Marley Redemption ANC 2 are well-rounded and great-sounding earbuds that are kinder to the planet than most.

Battery life: Earbuds will always have a stated battery life, as will the case used to charge them. Between 15 and 20 hours of total listening time is around average, though your mileage will vary depending on the volume at which you play your audio. Having advanced features such as ANC active will also drain your battery faster. Active noise cancellation is more effective than it was on the Momentum True Wireless 3’s predecessor and Sennheiser has introduced a clever new feature whereby you can have the buds switch noise-cancelling and sound modes when you move between certain locations. Sound quality – always a strong point of Sennheiser headphones – is excellent and there are a number of ways of tweaking it via the revamped Smart Control companion app. Sound quality is highly impressive, too. The Fit Pro have a weightier bass response than their stablemates the Studio Buds and there’s less harshness in the treble frequencies. Like most Beats headphones, the Fit Pro play particularly nicely with Apple devices. They house the company’s H1 chip and this enables a range of useful features, including shared listening with other Beats users, hands-free Siri and full spatial audio support. There are two distinct styles of true wireless earbuds. One-size-fits-all buds like the Apple AirPods give you no flexibility in terms of fit – their earpieces either sit snuggly in your ears or feel loose when worn. They’re the best choice if you want to leave your ear canals free but they provide little, if any, sound isolation. Wireless earbuds are the latest and greatest when it comes to audio technology, and with good reason. The best wireless earbuds will keep you tangle-free when it comes to cords and offer easy use and a sleek look.

Our pick of the best wireless earbuds available for every budget

Codecs determine how Bluetooth transmits information to your device. The SBC codec is pretty much universal across all devices and works just fine, though you’ll open up the possibility to listen to higher resolution audio with more advanced codecs such as AAC, which is favoured by Apple, or Qualcomm’s aptX, aptX HD or aptX Adaptive codecs. Bear in mind that your output device must also support the codec: iPhones don’t support aptX so even if you own the very best wireless earbuds money can buy, you won’t be able to make use of it. Can I make and receive phone and video calls? If you want don’t want your ear canals filled while listening to music, the Apple AirPods 3 are simply the best wireless earbuds around, particularly if you own an iPhone. Such features make the Buds2 Pro our number-one choice if you’re already invested in the Galaxy ecosystem but if you don’t fall into that category, you’ll find better value elsewhere on this list.

Touch controls are employed strategically to maximise functionality – adjusting volume, for instance, is achieved by sliding a finger up or down either earbud rather than using double or triple taps. Rounding out an impressive list of features are effective wear detection and active noise cancellation. The latter, in particular, is very good for the price and puts a significant dent in external sound. With ANC on you’re looking at roughly four and a half hours of in-ear battery life, which is below average, but despite this, the FreeBuds Pro 2 remain a great-sounding choice with plenty of well-implemented features. This may seem like an obvious suggestion, but when it comes to technology, it’s also tends to be the solve-all for nearly every electrical device that begins acting up. The best approach to restarting a device is to completely power down the electronic rather than resetting. Do this with both your wireless earbuds and whatever device you are trying to connect them to. They do omit a couple of helpful features – active noise cancellation and control customisation – but access to an impactful graphic equaliser in the Sony Headphones Connect companion app allows you to tune audio to your tastes, which is very welcome. The WF-C500 will also prove a popular choice for those who aren’t fans of touch controls, as they use depressible buttons that take away any guesswork from controlling them.Along with having a charged battery, you also need to make sure your battery isn’t damaged. One of the most common reasons for wireless earbuds to stop working is that they have a bad battery. Batteries can go bad by being overused, touching water, or simply malfunctioning because of poor manufacturing. Ensure the Audio Levels Are Balanced Bluetooth Multipoint: This allows earbuds to remain connected to more than one source simultaneously and is particularly useful if you regularly switch between using your buds with your laptop, tablet and phone.