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A great pair of wireless earbuds is the kind of consumer tech purchase you shouldn’t have to mess with. The best headphones should fit both ears well while providing the kind of sound quality that doesn’t require additional customization (e.g., more bass, louder vocals). You’ll also need a pair of in-ear headphones that offer solid noise cancellation and enough battery life for longer listening sessions. Fortunately, Consumer Reports (CR) always puts the latest and greatest technology through multi-criteria testing, so the publication has a good idea of which wireless earbuds you should consider and which models are best avoided.
Based on Consumer Reports lab testing and user feedback, the three best pairs of wireless earbuds for sound quality are the $330 Sony WF-1000XM6, the $320 Sony WF-1000XM5, and the $250 Status Audio Pro X. According to CR experts, the XM6 cleans house when it comes to soundstage details; bass is warm and powerful, while mid and high frequencies provide clarity to vocals and lead instruments across multiple genres. CR also praised the headphones’ ANC system, which can be fine-tuned using the Sony Sound Connect app.
Rtings had similar praise, but the post made a good point: Due to the bulkier design, people with smaller ears may have trouble keeping the earbuds inside. Luckily, Sony offers four sets of memory foam tips, so you should be able to find the one that fits your ears best.
Consumer Reports likes Sony and Status Audio’s audio game (and so do we)
According to Consumer Reports, when it comes to sound quality, the Sony WF-1000XM5s are just as good as the new XM6 model. They’re also a bit cheaper and will likely continue to be discounted until all inventory is sold out. CR shared similar praise for the XM6 for frequency articulation while saying the audio “has a good sense of liveliness and is open.” The XM5 is about as bulky as the XM6, making both earbuds prone to accidental playback controls when you handle them.
The other pair of headphones that won the much-desired “CR Recommended” laurel is the Status Audio Pro According to CR, the Pro You’ll also be able to change audio presets or create your own sound profile using the Status app’s eight-band equalizer.
At RecordingNOW, the Pro the reviewer even used the term “audiophile” to describe the listening experience offered by the Pro
