An introduction to the 2025 wireless earbud consensus guide compiling reviews from 14 prominent tech creators. Along the way it covers Best Overall Winners, ANC Champions and Best Microphone for Calls, and more. Specialty picks for open-ear comfort, smart case features, and extreme light weight, followed by the video summary.
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An introduction to the 2025 wireless earbud consensus guide compiling reviews from 14 prominent tech creators.
On screen: The host gestures with his hands as a graphic overlay lists the 14 reviewers' logos.
Reviewers evaluate top contenders overall, highlighting the Technics AZ100 alongside flagship models from Apple and Sony.
On screen: On-screen graphics display 'Technics AZ100' along with an image of the earbuds and key specs.
A look at the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market for real-world environments and gym use.
On screen: A female presenter speaks on screen about the performance tie between Bose and Apple's offerings.
Reviewing voice clarity and microphone performance in noisy environments across flagship and dedicated picks.
On screen: The presenter is shown outside in a noisy, crowded downtown square, demonstrating the Technics AZ100's voice AI performance.
Audiophile picks focused on music reproduction, soundstage, and high-resolution clarity.
On screen: Extreme close-up of the Noble Focus Rex 5 earbuds with a dark patterned shell sitting on a glossy surface.
Earbuds that offer roughly 80% of flagship audio and ANC performance at a fraction of the cost.
On screen: Close-up of the yellow earbuds being placed back into their transparent case.
Ultra-affordable wireless earbuds offering reliable build quality, custom EQ presets, and multipoint features.
On screen: A medium shot of Speaker D moving on to discuss the eighty-dollar range of earbuds.
Specialty picks for open-ear comfort, smart case features, and extreme light weight, followed by the video summary.
On screen: A hand places the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 in their circular charging case on a flat wooden surface.
0:00 Speaker A: It's 2025 and buying wireless earbuds has officially become overwhelming. Speaker B: But they also comfortably claim the coveted title of best earbuds on the market right now. Speaker C: That's not just really good. Speaker C: Like that is literally the best noise cancelling performance we've ever measured. Speaker D: Welcome back to RE review, where we watch all the reviews so you don't have to Today we're breaking down the best earbuds of 2025 from 14 different reviewers. Speaker D: Let's start with what everyone wants to know. Speaker D: Which earbuds came out on top overall?
0:26 Speaker B: That pair of earbuds. Speaker B: And the 2025 winner for the best overall performer is Technics AZ100. Speaker B: Regular viewers who've seen my dedicated review on these probably saw this coming. Speaker B: They've got responsive, versatile controls, and the Technics app gives you a huge range of customization and extra features, a lot of which you don't see in other earbuds. Speaker E: And so for number one we have the Technics AZ100. Speaker E: So the main reason that these are at the top of this list is going to be its sound quality.
0:53 Speaker E: And the sound quality alone. Speaker F: Tied first for best earbud of the year goes to the Technics AZ1. Speaker F: I have them score just one point behind AirPods, but unlike AirPods, they work great in any ecosystem. Speaker F: You also get a richer, more open sound compared to AirPods. Speaker F: And you can actually EQ the buds, which you can't do on AirPods. Speaker D: And there's one feature no other earbud offers. Speaker B: Technics are still the only company offering three device multipoints in a pair of earbuds, but the spec sheet in general is pretty impressive, including up to 12 hours of battery life, IPX4 protection, along with Bluetooth LE and Aura card support.
1:24 Speaker C: Once you dial that in, the audio quality is genuinely impressive, especially with LDAC support for high quality streaming on Android devices. Speaker D: But for Apple users, reviewers were unanimous there's only one real choice. Speaker G: If you're an iOS user, you don't need to look much further than the AirPods Pro 3 or the AirPods 4 ANC. Speaker G: For iPhone users, these give you the most seamless experience you can get. Speaker C: In our testing lab, these earbuds blocked out an average of 90% of external noise that's not just really good.
1:53 Speaker C: Like that is literally the best noise canceling performance we've ever measured on any earbuds, or over ear headphones for that matter. Speaker H: However, I don't usually nominate AirPods because their fit has always been an issue for me. Speaker H: They're glossy and they slip out of position easily, but the AirPods Pro 3 is a huge improvement. Speaker H: Now they plug in properly in my ears and their bass response and noise cancelling is way better than the AirPods Pro 2.
2:21 Speaker F: It's just a no brainer if you're in the Apple ecosystem and if you. Speaker D: Want the safest bet, the earbuds that just do everything well. Speaker D: Reviewers kept coming back to Sony. Speaker A: Sony's been refining this line for years and the XM5s feel like the culmination of that work. Speaker A: Smaller, lighter and infinitely more Comfortable than the XM4s, these are the definition of refinement. Speaker D: The sound earned particular praise. Speaker A: The sound is warm, rich and incredibly detailed. Speaker A: Bass is deep but clean, mids are full and vocals sit perfectly in the mix.
2:47 Speaker A: If you're on Android, you also get LDAC support for high resolution audio and. Speaker D: Sony's app takes customization to another level. Speaker A: The app gives you near absurd levels of control, custom eq, adaptive sound profiles, even the ability to pause your music automatically when you speak. Speaker A: If you want a pair that does everything well, sound comfort, ANC customization, this is the one. Speaker D: Now that we know the overall winners, let's break down the categories starting with active noise cancellation, a feature that's improved dramatically this year.
3:12 Speaker F: So starting with the flagship winners, Bose reclaims the number one spot with the QC Ultra Gen 2, but they are tied with the AirPods Pro 3. Speaker F: In my testing I was going back and forth non stop between both buds, took him to the gym for some real world testing and that solidified the tie. Speaker H: First in the premium tier we have the Bose QC Ultra Gen 2. Speaker H: I like their laid back, clean and relaxing sound signature which is great for spatial audio.
3:39 Speaker H: They're really comfortable to wear. Speaker H: You've got access to all the controls on a single earbud with both tap and swipe gestures. Speaker H: Their noise cancelling performance is top tier and they're a huge improvement over the Gen 1 QC Ultra with improved mic pickup and no mosquito buzzing sound anymore in the left earbud which was a common issue on the Gen1. Speaker H: They have better connectivity and wireless charging.
4:06 Speaker F: The major pros here is that you get the strongest noise cancelling on par with AirPods Pro 3 and they seem all around comfortable for most people and those wingtips give the option of a more stable fit. Speaker F: Wingtips are quite rare for non sport focused earbuds. Speaker F: The call quality was also finally upgraded. Speaker F: Bose went from having the worst call quality to some of the best. Speaker D: If you take a lot of calls on your earbuds. Speaker D: Microphone quality matters and this year one brand pulled ahead of the pack.
4:31 Speaker B: Some of you may have guessed then that our mic quality winner is Huawei's latest model, the FreeBuds Pro 4. Speaker F: Now the premium winner is a Huawei FreeBuds Pro 4, which improved after an update. Speaker F: They were closely followed by the Technics AZ100 and nothing E3. Speaker D: But the flagships hold their own too. Speaker I: Technics introduced Voice AI to the AZ100, so they use an AI algorithm to help reduce background sounds. Speaker I: I demoed some examples in some pretty extreme situations and I myself can vouch for the performance in noisy environments.
4:58 Speaker I: These don't have the most natural sounding voice that can be a bit robotic, but the fact that these can be used in so many environments mean that these scored pretty well for phone calls. Speaker C: And the microphone quality is also excellent for calls. Speaker C: Now for almost $250, they're definitely not cheap, but for iPhone users who want the absolute best, the AirPods Pro 3 are the obvious choice. Speaker H: Of course it is optimized for Apple devices, which does allow you to get better mic pickup, exclusive features and settings, and firmware updates for the AirPods Pro 3.
5:28 Speaker D: Now for the audio files. Speaker D: If pure sound quality is your priority above all else, reviewers pointed to a few standout options. Speaker J: But when I did my side by side testing and I played with EQ Curve, it's not even close. Speaker J: It's not even close. Speaker J: The Focus Rex 5s are so far ahead for number one, it's not even close. Speaker B: But the new sound quality winner for 202025 is Noble's Focus Rex 5.
5:53 Speaker A: Now if Sony's are the all rounders, Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 are the audiophiles choice. Speaker A: These are what you buy when you want your music to sound exactly how the artist intended every detail, every breath, every tiny imperfection in the recording. Speaker D: But how do the flagship picks compare and sound? Speaker E: My overall sentiment is that the AirPods Pro 3 improves upon the Pro 2 in every single way other than the sound profile, which unfortunately has moved towards a more consumer friendly bass and treble forward sound.
6:19 Speaker E: That said, they did improve the resolution of the AirPods Pro 3. Speaker E: So to my ear this is one of the most detailed, resolving and highest clarity of the earbuds in this class. Speaker F: Now you also get a richer, more open sound compared to AirPods and you can actually EQ the buds, which you can't do on AirPods. Speaker D: Not everyone wants to spend $250 on earbuds. Speaker D: The good news you can get 80% of flagship performance at a fraction of the price. Speaker A: Let's start with the budget friendly wildcard that's turning a lot heads.
6:47 Speaker A: The Nothing Ear A Nothing's earbuds are kind of like that stylish friend who somehow makes a thrifted outfit look designer. Speaker A: The Ear A comes in this transparent case that looks like it came from. Speaker D: The future, and the sound impressed reviewers across the board. Speaker A: Sound wise, they're impressively balanced for the price. Speaker A: Bass is present but not overpowering, vocals are crisp and the highs sparkle without getting harsh. Speaker A: It's the kind of tuning that works for almost any genre.
7:13 Speaker K: If audio quality is your top priority, the Nothing Ear are my recommendation, with a neutral sound profile slightly boosted in the lows that you can always tweak with the app. Speaker K: To get an amazing result for noise. Speaker D: Cancellation on a budget, reviewers point to different champions. Speaker F: Now the two budget friendly winners here are the Ifun Air Pro 4 Plus and OnePlus Buds 4. Speaker F: Both buds you can get for under US$100 and I have both of them scored an 8 out of 10 for noise cancelling strength.
7:39 Speaker F: So only 2 points off those flagship buds. Speaker D: And if you want to spend even. Speaker F: Less, they're only half a point off with 7.5 out of 10. Speaker F: And I've seen some people getting the CMFBuds Pro 2 for close to $30 US at that price, easily the best noise canceling you can get. Speaker D: What if you just want something decent for 20 bucks? Speaker L: If you want something that sounds good, lasts a while, and doesn't fall apart after a week, The Anker Soundcore P25 I are the best cheap earbuds you can buy right now for around 20 bucks.
8:06 Speaker L: They punch above their price with a solid build quality, a comfortable fit and up to 9 hours of playback on a single charge. Speaker D: And they even have app support at this price. Speaker L: The SoundCore app has 22 EQ presets so you can dial it back. Speaker L: You can't tweak the EQ yourself though, and you won't find multipoint or fancy spatial audio here. Speaker L: But for $20 those are fair compromises. Speaker D: If you can stretch to around $80, there's a significant jump in features.
8:32 Speaker L: The anker soundcore space a40 deliver excellent active noise cancelling, rivaling buds that cost more than twice as much. Speaker L: They even have an adaptive ANC mode that can block out a little more high pitched noise than the manual strong. Speaker D: Option plus a feature usually reserved for premium earbuds. Speaker L: Unlike cheaper picks we've discussed so far, these support multipoint so you can connect two devices at once. Speaker D: Beyond the mainstream picks, some earbud excel in specific categories.
8:58 Speaker D: If you have particular needs, these might be perfect for you. Speaker F: We've got the Soundcore Aerofit 2 and they just nail every category. Speaker F: Great battery life, comfortable, adjustable fit, which is vital because all our ears are different sizes and they sound great at low volumes as well as high volumes which a lot of open earbuds struggle with. Speaker D: For feature lovers. Speaker D: One earbud packed in more than any other. Speaker H: Next we have the JBL Tour Pro 3. Speaker H: It is one of the most feature rich earbuds.
9:24 Speaker H: It's got this case screen which allows me to perform settings without the app. Speaker H: It's got AuraCast and it's got a great set of EQ settings to work with like personify automatic EQ and a great graphic equalizer. Speaker D: And for pure comfort, one pick kept coming up. Speaker F: The one standout premium bud is also last year's winner, the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. Speaker F: It's still the tiniest earbud that I've tested. Speaker F: When it comes to comfort, they just feel so light in the ear.
9:51 Speaker K: If you're looking for the most comfortable ones to wear for hours, the Pixel Buds 2 Pro are my top pick. Speaker K: They're actually great for walking, working out, sleeping thanks to the small size and overall, I mean, yeah, they're the most comfortable earbuds I've tested. Speaker D: So after 14 reviewers, what's the takeaway? Speaker A: If you want the best value, go for the nothing ear. Speaker A: A stylish, comfortable and solid across the board. Speaker F: And we all have different preferences, so be sure to check out the spreadsheets, customize the scoring and see which buds are going to work the best for you.
10:20 Speaker A: There's no single best earbud in 2025, just the one that fits your lifestyle. Speaker D: Here's the bottom if you want platform flexibility and audiophile grade Sound, the Technics AZ100 is your winner. Speaker D: Three way multipoint, gorgeous sound and no ecosystem lock in. Speaker D: If you're in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 3 are the obvious choice with the best ANC ever measured and seamless integration. Speaker D: If you want the safest all rounder, the Sony WF1000XM5 delivers on every front and if you want 80% of flagship performance at a third of the price, the Nothingear A and OnePlus Buds 4 are the smart money picks.
10:53 Speaker D: Thanks very much for watching the best Earbuds Roundup. Speaker D: Please find links for full videos below and come back for more re reviews where we watch all the reviews so you don't have to.