To help you choose the right pair of True Wireless earbuds for your needs and expectations, here’s a comparison and guide to the best Bluetooth earbuds of 2024.
True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds let you listen to music without the hassle of a cable between the two earpieces. Primarily designed for listening to music from a smartphone or DAP, True Wireless earphones are great companions for listening on the go.
Particularly popular for sports and traveling, these earphones use Bluetooth wireless transmission to give the listener complete freedom of movement. Certain True Wireless earbuds with Bluetooth 5.0 technology and support for the aptX HD codec are compatible with audio streams at a resolution of up to 24-bit, 48kHz, which is higher than CD quality.
Bluetooth technology
Created over 20 years ago, Bluetooth wireless transmission technology provides a direct connection between two devices, without the need for a local network as is the case with WiFi. Whether you’re at home, out for a walk or exercising, it is always possible to establish a wireless Bluetooth connection between a smartphone or DAP and a pair of Bluetooth earphones. All you need to do is pair the source with the Bluetooth IEMs by pressing and holding the dedicated button.
Wireless transmission has the significant advantage of freeing the listener from the ever-bothersome wire between the smartphone and the headphones. Benefiting from greater freedom of movement, the user can step away from their smartphone without interrupting audio playback. The Epos GTW 270 Hybrid True Wireless earbuds are compatible with the SBC and aptX codecs to ensure greater transmission quality. They also come with a USB-C dongle to benefit from aptX Low Latency compatible wireless Bluetooth transmission.
True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds are completely separate from one another. Each earpiece is equipped with an amplifier and a battery. Musically, these IEMs perform as well as their wired counterparts. True Wireless in-ear monitors have a battery life of approximately 3 to 5 hours.
Some models, like the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX, provide up to 8 hours on a full charge. The storage case itself is equipped with a battery for recharging the earbuds. They are charged when stored inside the case and several cycles are permitted. The Marshall Motif ANC earbuds benefit from a quick charge feature that provides an extra hour of playback after only 15 minutes of charging.
Which True Wireless earbuds for sport?
To choose the right True Wireless in-ear monitors, it is essential to determine what they will be used for. You won’t need the same IEMs for your daily commute as you will for doing exercise. For daily use, the Apple AirPods Pro are among the most popular models. Designed to be used with an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple Watch or Mac computer, Apple Airpods are compatible with the Siri voice assistant, which allows you to control playback and telephone calls vocally.
Not as understated as the Apple model, the JVC HA-NP35T True Wireless IEMs are designed to accompany you during your workouts. They are designed to ensure great comfort and a perfect fit during sporting activities. Like the Sony WF-C500s, they are also certified IPX4 and sweat resistant. The multifunction button on the right earpiece lets you manage the play/pause, answer/end call, previous/next track and volume control functions with a simple press. Their ten-hour autonomy on a single charge means they’ll last for the entirety of your workout.
Voice assistants and ANC
True Wireless in-ear monitors can be controlled using a dedicated app, like the Jabra Elite 4 Active, or via a touch interface like the Devialet Gemini II and Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW. Some models are also compatible with voice assistants, allowing you to answer a call, play or pause playback or adjust the volume with voice commands.
We previously mentioned the Apple AirPods Pro, which are compatible with Apple’s voice assistant Siri. However, the AirPods Pro are also equipped with an active noise cancelling system that allows you to enjoy a more immersive listening experience, especially in noisy places. A “transparent” feature is also available so that you can listen to a conversation, safely cross the street or hear an announcement in a train station without having to remove the earbuds.
Android users can rest easy, as the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa are also available. The Astell&Kern AK UW 100 MKII earbuds are also compatible with voice assistants, feature active noise cancelling and have a maximum battery life of 29 hours thanks to their charging case.
For more versatility, the Jabra Elite 85t True Wireless IEMs are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. These earbuds also incorporate an ANC system that allows you to listen to your music in noisy environments such as public transport and gyms, but also blocks out the sound of wind when walking or exercising outdoors.
The Listening Care and True Sound technologies featured in the Yamaha TW-E5B earphones allow you to adjust the reproduction according to the particularities of the human ear. They take into account the difficulty to perceive low and high tones at low volume as well as the acoustic variations depending on the listening environment. They also correct the sound balance according to the volume. The sound reproduction remains natural no matter the volume for long listening sessions without auditory fatigue.
True Wireless earbuds with an audiophile design
If you’re looking to enjoy the benefits of True Wireless earbuds while preserving an optimal sound performance, IEMs with an audiophile design are for you. The Grado GT220 earphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible with support for the aptX, SBC and AAC codecs. They have a frequency response of 20 to 20,000Hz. With an impedance of 32 ohms, these earbuds combine comfort, ease of use and high-quality sound.
The Sony WF-C500 True Wireless earbuds pull out all the stops. Compatible with Google Assistant, they also feature controls on each earpiece. Each earbud is equipped with a large dynamic transducer placed inside an acoustic chamber specifically designed to optimize sound performance.
Which are the best True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds of 2024?
We compared the best True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds based on a variety of factors, including design, noise cancelling, and the presence of voice control. However, it’s difficult to single out one model as being the best, given that the this changes depending on your uses and requirements. Therefore, we have created three selections of True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds depnding on price: under €100, between €100 and €200, and over €200.
The best True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds under €100
- Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW: Bluetooth 5.0, 6h30 + 13h battery life
- Sony WF-C500: IPX4, Bluetooth, 2 x 10h battery life, voice assistants
- Denon AH-C630N: IPX4, Bluetooth 5.0, 4h30 + 13h30, voice assistants
The best True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds from €100 to €200
- Yamaha TW-E7B: IPX5, Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, 30h battery life
- Jabra Elite 7 Active: ANC, IP57, Bluetooth 5.2, 30h battery life
- Marshall Motif ANC: ANC, Bluetooth aptX, 20h battery life, IPX5
- Devialet Gemini: Bluetooth 5.0, ANC, 24h battery life
The best True Wireless Bluetooth earbuds over €200
- Bowers & Wilkins PI7: Bluetooth aptX Adaptive, 20h battery life
- Jabra Elite 85t: Bluetooth 5.1, ANC, 25h battery life
- Apple AirPods Pro: Bluetooth, ANC, 30h battery life
- Grado GT220: Bluetooth aptX, 36h battery life
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX: IP57, aptX Adaptive, ANC, 28h battery life
Superb blog with lots of very useful information and reviews with plenty of choice.