From listening to music, to boosting dialogue on your favorite shows and films, audio products are an essential part of any tech-lover's arsenal.
Problematically, however, each year there are dozens and dozens of audio products released from both traditional manufacturers like Sony, Bose and Sennheiser, as well as from new upstarts keen to steal their thunder with lower prices.
The balance between what's old and new is what makes covering audio so special. Acoustic properties don't change, but how manufacturers continue to invent new products that interact with acoustics in new ways is what makes this one of the most interesting areas in tech.
Hopefully, our list reflects that as you'll find both old staples like the multi-award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5 alongside newcomers to our list like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Klipsch Flexus Core 20. If these products can continue to hold their own over time against more newcomers this time next year is anyone's guess but, for now, they are the pinnacle of what's possible in audio.
Best headphones
Best headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5
It’s a hard act to replace some of the best headphones ever, but Sony did just that with the WH-1000XM5, which improve upon the WH-1000XM4 in just about every way. This newer model has a sleeker, more streamlined design that not only makes them more compact, but also helps cut down on wind noise, too. And, it’s now made of materials so that they can be recycled when they finally wear out.
Sound quality, as you can imagine, is superior, with neutral and natural tones, and muscular but detailed bass that complemented but didn’t overwhelm the rest of the spectrum. Its active noise cancellation banishes everything around you, too. And, you’ll get to enjoy it for a long time: The XM5s last up to 30 hours with ANC engaged, and if you run out of juice, a three-minute charge will get you three hours of listening time.
Best noise-cancelling headphones
Best noise-cancelling headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
If you’re looking to completely isolate yourself from the world as you’re listening to music, watching a movie, or making a call, there’s none better than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. When set to the max, these cans blocked out nearly everything around us, allowing us to enjoy our tunes in peace. Yet, there’s varying levels of ANC, so you can allow the outside in as much as you see fit.
What’s more, these headphones have Immersive Audio (Bose’s take on spatial audio) as well as Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity, aptX Adaptive support, and touch volume controls. And, it’s all packed into an updated, lighter design that’s comfortable enough to be worn for hours — which is good, because the QC Ultras will last up to 24 hours on a charge, long enough for you to binge your favorite series.
Best noise-canceling earbuds
Best noise-canceling earbuds: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
Like their over-the-ear counterparts, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds delivered the absolute best when it comes to active noise cancellation. Not only are they the best at ANC, but they let you choose from 10 different levels of isolation presets that balance ANC and awareness depending on your activity. The Ultra's Aware transparency passthrough mode sounds highly natural, while ActiveSense automatically lowers ambient sounds when loud noise is detected.
Like the headphones, the earbuds also have Immersive Audio, as well as aptX Adaptive support. Curiously, they lack wireless charging and multipoint connectivity, which you typically see in earbuds of this caliber. But if noise cancellation is paramount, you can’t do better.
Best wireless earbuds
Best wireless earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5
If you’re looking for the best all-around wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM5 deliver on design, sound quality, noise cancellation, and features. Smaller and lighter than their predecessors, the WF-1000XM4 — our previous top pick among the best wireless earbuds — the XM5s still offer up 8 hours of listening with ANC engaged. Built-in AI automatically reduces ambient noises to make phone calls especially clear.
And while you’re listening, you’re treated to excellent audio quality, with amazing detail and some of the most realistic vocals you’ve ever heard. And, the headphones are loaded with features such as LDAC support for high-quality music streams over Bluetooth, adaptive listening mode, Google and Alexa digital assistant support, and full EQ customization.
Best audiophile headphones
Best audiophile headphones: Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
The best audiophile headphones for most people, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e serve up exceptional audio quality at an approachable price. They feature 40mm bio-cellulose full-range dynamic drivers angled just so and a 24-bit digital signal processing (DSP).
We particularly liked the bass kick they brought, which had a bit more energy than many of their pricier rivals, but not at the expense of detail or other frequencies. Vocals were also given a good amount of weight and had a great sense of natural presence, too. Of course, you can adjust EQ settings with the B&W app, where you can also integrate controls with many popular music streaming platforms such as Deezer, Qobuz, Tidal and TuneIn. While ANC is good, not great, you won’t mind while you’re awash in your favorite music.
Best soundbar
Best soundbar: Klipsch Flexus Core 20
The Klipsch Flexus Core 20 answers the question "What if two of the world's most preeminent speaker makers got together to build a soundbar — and then made that soundbar actually affordable?"
The Flexus Core 20 combines Klipsch's ability to create award-winning drivers with Onkyo's class-leading digital signal processing chops. The results are a soundbar that speaks for itself, and at its regular retail price of $499, it's a product that almost anyone can afford to audition at home for themselves.
Not only is the soundbar great on its own, but if you want to give it some more oomph, you can add the Sub 100 ($299) and Surr 100 speakers ($249) for a full, robust cinema experience.
Best Bluetooth speaker
Best Bluetooth speaker: Sonos Move 2
The second generation of Sonos’ beefy portable speaker, the Sonos Move 2 sits at the top of our list of the best Bluetooth speakers for its sound and versatility. By using its Auto TruePlay technology, the Move 2 can adapt to any environment its in — indoors or out. While a hefty six pounds, it has a convenient groove to carry it around, and it will last up to 24 hours before needing a recharge.
As with every other Sonos device, you can connect it to just about any music service. And while the Move 2 has Bluetooth, it also has Wi-Fi built in, so when you’re closer to home, you can connect it to other Sonos speakers for a whole-home setup.
