In-ear audio: How to find your new best buds
Bec Summer
STACK Writer
In-ear headphones, aka earbuds, are small in size but big in sound, and can feature advanced tech like spatial audio and noise cancelling. Their lightweight design and wireless convenience are perfect for commuting and enjoying audio content on the go.
As the name suggests, in-ear headphones – let’s call them earbuds – send audio directly into the ear canal with incredible clarity. Sporting a minimalist design, they are lightweight, portable, and better suited for active lifestyles than a heavier pair of headphones. And while being more discreet than a pair of cans, the sound quality can be comparable – and sometimes better.
The battery, microphone, and controls are all housed within the buds, with touch sensors on the outside for volume, track selection, noise cancellation, and taking calls.
If you’re on the lookout for a quality pair of buds, consider how you’ll mostly use them and and where – listening to music and podcasts, exercising, or during the daily commute. Most earbuds are ideal for all-purpose use, but here are several bud-specific things to check off the list beforehand.
Wired or true wireless?
Wired earbuds are physically joined bud to bud by a thin cable, and connect to devices via a 3.5mm headphone jack or USB-C lead. There’s no battery to charge, and you can hang them around your neck when not in use.
True wireless earbuds have no internal and external cables and connect using Bluetooth – one bud connects to the device and then sends a signal to the other bud for synchronisation.
Battery life
True wireless earbuds can deliver an average five to eight hours of playback time – often more – from a single full charge, and their pocket-sized carry case conveniently doubles as a power source when fully charged, giving them an edge over wireless headphones.
The battery in the case generally has enough juice to top up the buds two or three times before the case itself needs charging, so you’ll often get more than 24 hours continuous use.
Remember, just like headphones, the total battery life depends on personal usage, and can be reduced when noise cancelling is continuously enabled.
Durability
The portability of earbuds exposes them to the elements, as well as perspiration from exercise sessions, so it’s important to check the IP or IPX rating for the level of dust and water resistance. Many earbuds are IPX4-rated, which means that they're splashproof, while more premium buds can have a higher waterproof rating of IPX7.
Get the perfect fit
Earbuds slide comfortably and snugly into the ear using soft silicone tips that create a sonic seal. Maintaining this seal ensures optimal sound quality, so achieving the perfect fit is important.
Not all ears are created equal, however, so you’ll generally find different sized gel eartips with a new pair of earbuds. Experiment with the sizes by gently twisting the buds into the ear canal to achieve the best seal. Excellent ANC and deep bass are reliable indications that the fit is right.
Many apps now include a handy feature that will test the fit and relay feedback if any adjustments are required.
Earbuds for all budgets
JBL Live Flex 3 TWS Noise Cancelling Earbuds
These open-stick buds come in a cool carry case that has a touchscreen for easy control and customisation, so there’s no need to open the JBL app on your phone. You can even hook the case onto a lanyard for easy access.
The Live Flex 3 buds are feature-packed, with JBL spatial sound for more immersion, six inbuilt mics to cancel ambient noise for clear calls and listening, and multipoint connection.
Rated IP54 for dust and water resistance, these buds are built for adventure, with up to ten hours battery life with ANC off and a further 40 hours in the case.
Bluetooth v5.3 | Battery: Up to ten hours with ANC off/50 hours total in case | IP54 | Spatial audio | ANC | Multipoint
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Beats Solo Buds
Tiny and ergonomically designed, Beats’ new Solo buds boast dual-layer drivers for big sound and balanced tuning that accurately reproduces your favourite music, plus laser-cut vents to improve bass and comfort.
Customisable on-ear controls and voice assistant support make finding your favourite track simple, and inbuilt mics work in tandem with a noise-learning algorithm to maintain clear call quality.
Housed in Beats’ smallest and lightest case to date, the Solo buds will keep going for up to 18 hours on a full charge, however there’s no charge stored in the case – simply plug a USB-C cable (sold separately) into your phone or laptop to power them back up!
Bluetooth v5.3 | Battery: Up to 18 hours/ 1 hour from a 5-minute charge
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Audio-Technica ATH-TWX7 True Wireless Earbuds
Sporting a compact stem design, these versatile mid-range buds feature the same 5.8mm drivers found in the brand’s flagship ATH-TWX9 earbuds, for a balanced soundstage across all music genres.
They also incorporate a wide range of useful and customisable features, including excellent hybrid noise cancelling, multipoint connectivity, and a physical button to cycle through controls.
The 5-channel EQ can be easily customised in the companion app, and there’s a Bass Boost option plus soundscape settings for when it’s time to focus or relax.
Bluetooth v5.1 | Battery: Up to 6.5 hours/20 hours in case | ANC | Multipoint | IPX4 | USB-A/USB-C charging cable
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Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Earbuds
These premium earbuds are designed for all-day comfort and deliver superb sound and fantastic stereo separation that’s comparable to Sennheiser’s flagship Momentum 4 headphones.
The Momentum TW4 buds are equipped with ANC and six mics for clear call quality, and the Sennheiser Smart Control app is where you’ll find a variety of customisation options, including setting personalised sound zones and reconfiguring the touch control layout.
A full battery lasts around 7.5 hours with ANC on, and is extendable up to 30 hours with the charging case. And you’ll get an hour of play from an eight-minute top-up charge.
Bluetooth v5.4/Bluetooth LE audio | Battery: Up to 4.5 hours with ANC on/30 hours in case | ANC | Multipoint | IP54 | USB-C charging cable
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Bose Open Ultra Earbuds
Looking for a unique point of difference? Bose’s Ultra Open earbuds attach via a flexible band that fits behind the back of the earlobe, with the speaker hooking just inside the front of the ear.
This open design keeps users in tune with the music and their surroundings, with minimal audio leakage to annoy those around you. And in terms of comfort, they are so light you’ll forget you’re wearing them after a while.
The Ultra Open buds feature Bose’s proprietary spatial audio format, Immersive Audio, for a big virtual soundscape that follows your head movements, and playback and volume is controlled via a physical button on top of the barrel.
Bluetooth v5.3 | Battery: up to 7.5 hours/ 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio on/19.5 hours in case | IPX4 | Spatial audio
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^Discounts apply to previous ticketed/advertised price prior to the discount offer. As we negotiate, products will likely have been sold below ticketed/advertised price prior to the discount offer. Prices may differ at airport stores.
