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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Erin Bashford

I usually give budget earbuds a tough time, but not this $29 pair — here's why I won't stop until everyone owns them

JLab Tom Guide Bose EarFun
The jlab go pods anc earbuds in lilac with a lilac charging case and built in usb-c cable against a blue background on a marble stand.

I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to audio products. I find that if my earbuds/headphones/speaker/soundbar falls short of expectations, I can't ignore it. When I'm listening to music I want to be immersed in that music. That's why I'm on a mission to find the best wireless earbuds — although so far, there's a clear winner, and it's the $249 Apple AirPods Pro 2.

But still, I'm yearning for the best budget earbuds. Why must all semi-decent earbuds be so pricey, I thought, while testing pair after pair of cheap buds, slowly losing hope. I was beginning to think that good inexpensive earbuds were a myth.

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