Sony Link Headphones: The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple’s standard AirPods. While they don’t sound as good as Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 noise-isolating headphones, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as good sound and very good performance on voice calls.
Earfun Free Pro 2: We used to have the EarFun Free Pro 2 earphones on this list. They are still available at a discount and are decent running earphones, but EarFun has released the new EarFun Free Pro 3 Headphoneswhich are a definite improvement.
JBL Live Pro 2:Over the years, JBL has released some decent truly wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. That finally changed with the arrival of the new Samsung-owned model. Vive Pro 2 and Live free 2 buds. Both sets of earbuds (the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design) offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise cancellation, very good sound quality and performance for voice calls, plus a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splashproof rating, and wireless charging.
Later Aonic 215 II: Shure’s Aonic 215 II are sort of the audiophile equivalent of the Beats Powerbeats Pro. They have a hook that wraps around the top of your ear and stay in my ears very securely (even more securely than the Powerbeats Pro headphones ). Like that Beats model, they have a giant charging case. The interesting thing about them is that the Bluetooth module is removable. (I liked the physical control button they have instead of touch controls). As the name implies, the Aonic 215 Wireless Noise Isolating Headphones feature Shure’s SE215 earbuds, the $99 model in their line of headphones that have detachable cables. The modules, which can be purchased separately for $189, are designed to work with any Shure headphones that have a detachable cable, including the $899 SE846.
Sennheiser Sport True Wireless: The Sport True Wireless earbuds are essentially Sennheiser’s CX True Wireless earbuds with sport fins (for a more secure fit) and added durability. They have an IP54 rating, making them splash- and dust-resistant. These aren’t noise-cancelling earbuds, but they do have an Awareness mode that lets ambient sound filter through to the earbuds so you can hear what’s going on around you for safety reasons. They use Bluetooth 5.2 and support both AAC and AptX audio codecs. Battery life is rated at up to 9 hours at moderate volume levels with two additional charges in the charging case (there’s no wireless charging).
Sony Floating Race: Sony’s Float Run are a unique take on “over-ear” headphones, which is another way to describe open-back headphones that sit away from your ears. I can’t say they have the best sound (the bass is disappointing), but they fit my head securely and comfortably. They’re designed for people who don’t like having headphones in their ears, and for runners who want to hear the outside world for safety reasons.
Skullcandy Active Push: With their ear-hook design, the Skullcandy Push Active are essentially a more affordable version of the Beats Powerbeats Pro, and they fit my ears a little better than the Powerbeats Pro. I’m not normally a fan of ear-hook earphones, but this model is one of the best.
