Tried and tested: the best earbuds on the market

High-end earbuds will help you hear everything around you or silence the din. We’ve tested them out - these are the best new models worth a listen.

You don’t need to compromise on sound just because you cut the wires to your music. These are the best high-end earbuds on the market.

SONY LINKBUDS

You can hear yourself sing to tunes with these smart earbuds

$319, sony.com.au

Sony's LinkBuds are earbuds designed to be worn all day.

PROS

– Comfortable and subtle

– Allow real-world chats

– Surprising sound quality

CONS

– Don’t block or cancel noise

– Battery won’t last a work day

– Can be tricky to fit

In the LinkBuds, Sony has created the perfect earbuds for people with FOMO. Rather than blocking your ears to contain sound, these earbuds feature a doughnut-shaped opening to let in the outside world while a circular speaker delivers songs and calls from a connected phone. The result is earbuds you can wear for hours and in most circumstances without missing announcements or conversations. It can take a few attempts to find the perfect fit, and they won’t suit those who need silence, but the LinkBuds’ innovative design will suit many who need to stay connected to it all.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM TRUE WIRELESS 3

Earbuds for people serious about their music quality

$400, sennheiser.com.au

PROS

– Superb sound quality

– Improved noise cancellation

– Wireless charging added

CONS

– Larger than some

– Expensive buy

– ANC shortens battery

Sometimes it pays to pay more for something. Sennheiser’s new earbuds are one of those somethings as the sound that pours of these is full, rich, full of bass, and obviously superior to their peers. The third Momentum True Wireless set features 7mm drivers, a total of six microphones for clear audio during phone calls, and adaptive noise cancellation that automatically adjusts to suit your environment. Those who need to hear what’s going on nearby can tap an earbud to switch to the handy transparency mode, and this model can also be recharged wirelessly and customised to fit.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS2

Samsung’s small but sophisticated earbuds outperform their price

$219, samsung.com/au

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds2 are smaller and lighter than previous models.

PROS

– Small, sleek design

– Quick to connect

– Wireless charging case

CONS

– Modest noise cancellation

– Low-level water resistance

– No Apple app support

Samsung’s newest Galaxy Buds are smaller, sleeker, lighter and, if you choose the green version, look a little like olives. They’re also quite cheap for what they deliver, including active noise cancellation, transparent listening, a quick connection to your phone, and six microphones to identify voices clearly. An accompanying app will let Android users change their sound profile to suit their music, and customise touch-sensitive shortcuts on their shell. The earbuds will run for up to eight hours on a single charge and the case can be charged wirelessly, but Apple users will have to go without app access.

VERDICT: ★★★★

TECHNICS EAH-AZ40

These earbuds can make a big difference to those calling you

$249, technics.com/au

The Technics EAH-AZ40 earbuds use multiple microphones to deliver clear voices.

PROS

– Well balanced sound

– Transparent sound feature

– Deliver voice clearly

CONS

– No noise-cancellation

– No wireless charging

– Larger bodies

These mid-priced earbuds have a surprising grab bag of features. The Technics EAH-AZ40s are the cheaper of two models just released by the audio firm, but use a 6mm dynamic driver and acoustic chamber to deliver solid sound quality and balanced audio to your ears. They also use six microphones to make sure your voice can be heard over whatever’s happening around you, and offer a transparency mode when you need to listen for announcements. This pair doesn’t come with active noise-cancellation though, to their credit, they physically block a lot of distractions.

VERDICT: ★★★½

JBL LIVE PRO+

Cheaper, cheerful and comfortable to wear

$249, jbl.com.au

PROS

– Quick to connect

– Comfortable design

– Voice assistants

CONS

– Under powered ANC

– App for full features

– Crunchy sound

JBL’s pro-level earbuds look a little like Apple AirPods … but not in a bad way. The black sound machines have an extended stem like Apple’s iconic gadgets but they’re cheaper, fit into your ear differently, and come with quick access to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa out of the box. These earbuds also offer adaptive noise cancellation — though this is best controlled with an app you download after set-up that can also unlock transparency mode — and their audio can be customised to suit your listening preferences. The earbuds, which will power on for seven hours at a time, can’t match the audio of pricier models but they are a competent budget alternative.

VERDICT: ★★★½

Originally published as Tried and tested: the best earbuds on the market