2024’s TOP 5 Premium Earbuds! 👑 These are the Kings...
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Since my last article on the topic, many more products have been launched, which compels me to come back with an updated list.
I’m sure many of you are wondering if my choices have changed for what are the best earbuds at specific things like sound, active noise canceling and microphone pickup, and what earbuds are the best value moving forward into 2024?
As of now, earbuds that are the best at everything still don’t exist, but there is one product that has come pretty close. What product is that? That will be revealed in this article. But first…
Best Phone call quality
( Click on the links in the paragraph to check latest prices )
The Nothing Ear (2) still has the best call quality, even after all the products launched after them. I’ve tested the Ear (2) in a noisy food court and in crowded places, and these have the best voice pickup with exceptional background noise reduction of other people’s voices compared to other earbuds. So if you are looking to cancel human chatter in a variety of situations, you cannot go wrong with the Nothing Ear (2). But if the Nothing ear (2) doesn’t appeal to you because of its fit, or the way it looks, a great alternative is the Google Pixel Buds Pro. It’s just a little weaker at background noise reduction, but it’s got a more traditional in-ear fit for more snugness. ( Click on the links in the paragraph to check latest prices )
Best Active Noise Canceling
The buds with the best Active Noise Canceling now is the Bose QC Ultra earbuds.
Technically, if your top requirement is active noise canceling, bur you also want to save some cash, just getting the QC II is just as fine. They are similar to QC Ultras in terms of performance, only that the Ultras have spatial audio with head tracking. That aside, both of these are fantastic for canceling noise whether it be for the cafe, the train, or the plane. (They are especially effective for the sound of crying babies!)
That being said, both of their charging cases could be smaller, and there are some limitations like the lack of multipoint or wireless charging. Their microphone pickup are also subpar when making phone calls in noisy environments. But if those factors aren’t as important to you as getting the best noise canceling in the market, they Bose QC Ultra and QC II are highly recommended.
Best Transparency
The buds with the best transparency is still the AirPods Pro 2 both the USB-C and Lightning versions. These are actually my benchmark when it comes to getting transparency that is just as transparent as not wearing earbuds at all.
Although earbuds from Google, Sony and Bose do come pretty close, none are as transparent as Apple’s best earbuds.
Best Sound Quality
The buds with the best sound quality in 2023 is, in my opinion, still the B&W Pi7 S2.
Indeed, there are many earbuds that do sound great, but the Pi7S2 is simply tuned in a way that vocals and high-register instruments sound very smooth and non-fatiguing to me.
It also has great dynamic range which makes the Pi7 S2 sound extra revealing, and that is while still being able to retain a lot of versatility and detail in the bass registers.
So depending on the music, it can sound sharp and punchy, like an uppercut to the solar plexus, or as resonant and heavy as a soothing massage by a masseuse. (Sounds a little weird to describe it that way, but after doing this for so long, I think I deserve to be a little bit cheeky.)
That being said, the Pi7 S2s are not going to sound fantastic for everybody, because sound is a very personal thing. If you want to, you can compare the Pi7 S2’s sound samples to other earbuds on the sound samples page - perhaps some other buds might sound better to you. But it is my opinion that the Pi7 S2 sounds the best.
The issue I have with the Pi7 S2 is that it doesn’t have its own sound presets or graphic EQ for you to tweak the audio to your liking. That forces you to rely on B&W’s own tuning, unless you manage to run your music through a player with its own dedicated EQ suite.
My Daily Driver
So that’s the updated list of the top earbuds going into 2024, in their various categories, and I do use them for different situations (like, if I go travelling I take the Bose). But my current daily driver, the ones I automatically reach for without thinking, is actually the Jabra Elite 10.
Although they may not be the best at everything, this is the only one that comes pretty close to being the best all rounder with a set of features that feel complete. For example, it’s got multipoint pairing, wireless charging, a great app on both iOS and Android, and they fit quite snug and comfortable. And for winter, or cold weather countries, since these have physical button controls, you can operate them while wearing gloves. Not to mention that they sound awesome with great mic pickup for calls and strong active noise canceling that rivals that of Sony’s best earbuds.
The only drawback about them is that their case isn’t the smallest. So if you do need something smaller and more portable, one alternative you can consider is the Sony LinkBuds S. Those are a tiny and more affordable option which performs very well in most metrics. But I still do think that the Elite 10s outperform the LinkBuds S, at least marginally.
Do you agree?
So those are the best premium buds going into 2024, do you agree with my choices? If not, let me know in the comments.
Obviously the list only covers the products I have reviewed. And while I’ve reviewed many of the most popular products, there are some which I simply didn’t have the bandwidth to touch, or some that brands are too afraid to send me. So do bookmark this site because if and when something better comes along in future, I will update you with more reviews.
If you’re interested in any of these earbuds, since this article didn’t cover everything about them, I recommend that you watch the complete reviews, links which you can find below, so that you can be better informed about your purchase decision.
B&W Pi7 S2 Review
Jabra Elite 10 vs the Best
Bose QC Ultra vs QC II Review
AirPods Pro 2 USB-C Review
Google Pixel Buds Pro Review
Nothing Ear (2) Review
