Costs range from $33 up to $125, so choose a new Bluetooth audio device based on your budget and preferences, and enjoy your sounds. Furthermore, this speaker can connect with up to two devices simultaneously. It has an XBass button to deepen bass sounds and make its surface vibrate. It has a long battery life too, with two 5,000mAh batteries. Charged with a USB-C cable, this speaker will operate at maximum volume for over 14 hours (and up to 24 hours on mid volume). With its carrying handle, this is certainly a speaker for outdoor parties – it’s IP67 rated so it can cope with both the beach and the rain. Pros
IP67 ratedLoud 40W speaker
Cons
Slight distortion in bass ranges
There is an equalizer button on the speaker for changing the bass levels – but I found that some of the settings made the sound a little tinny. There is a separate button for answering calls, and you can invoke your voice X10 assistant by pressing the EQ button for three seconds. The speaker will power off after 10 minutes of inactivity. Its 3,600mAh battery will give you sound for up to 20 hours. Pros
Flashing disco lightsIPX7 ratedTrue Wireless Stereo
Cons
Some EQ settings tinny
This is not a fully-portable Bluetooth device. The Bluedio LS needs to be connected to a USB-A port – either from the wall, or a battery pack to power the speaker. It is intended to be used in your office, probably underneath your external screen. A nice retro touch is the volume control dial which also switches the speaker on. Pros
Good stereo soundRetro volume and on/off dial
Cons
No battery, so needs a power supply
Sound is good across all ranges, with little distortion at low or high ranges. The sound is particularly good in the mid range and there is no tinny sound – even at full volume. To play or pause the EarFun Free 2 earbuds, or to answer calls, tap twice on either ear. Tap three times on either ear to navigate music tracks back and forward. Tap once on your right ear to increase volume, and on the left to decrease. Tap and hold to reject a call. You can even answer and transfer two calls by triple tapping, or tap and hold to activate the voice assistant and turn low latency on or off. Pros
Bluetooth is quick to pairIPX7 rated
Cons
Earbuds, not sticks
These ear sticks have pressure-sensitive pads on the front of each stick. You need to squeeze the stick to start and stop your music, and you can navigate through the tracks by squeezing twice on one bud instead of pressing the earpiece directly. You can answer and reject calls by pressing on the the pad (and a long press to reject), and triple press for the voice assistant. The only feature that seems to be missing is the volume control, which you need to adjust on your device itself. Active noise cancelling is on by default, but you can toggle it on and off, and switch to ambient sound by long-pressing the sensor pad. There is also an app for Android that you can download to get access to extra features such as voice app integration with brands. These earbuds will give four to six hours of playtime, depending on whether you have ANC turned on or off, and the charging case will charge the buds up to four times. Charging time is about two hours for a full charge. Pros
Waterproof IPX7 ratedExcellent sound across all ranges
Cons
Pressure-sensitive pads take time to get used toNo volume controls on ear sticks
Sound is good across all ranges, with little distortion and reasonable bass sounds. Like the Cuomi earbuds, the ZMI PurPods Pro have a pressure-sensitive pad on the front of each ear stick which manages calls (one tap), play and pause (one tap), navigation through tracks (two taps), and invoking your voice assistant (three taps). Touching and holding the pressure pad invokes or cancels ANC. There are no voice prompts on these buds, but instead a series of beeps indicate connection – or ANC going off or on. You can also invoke game mode if you install the ZMI Hear app from Google Play for your Android. You can also check battery levels and EQ mode using the app. Playing time is around 6-10 hours depending on whether you have enabled ANC, and you can charge the earbuds up to three times in the fully-charged case. Pros
Reasonable bassApp to change EQ mode
Cons
Pressure-sensitive pads take time to get used toBeeps instead of voice prompts
You can adjust the volume on these earbuds by tapping once on either ear, and pressing for two seconds will let you navigate through tracks. Tapping twice will answer or end a phone call, and tapping for two seconds will reject a phone call. Tapping and holding will invoke the voice assistant. 10 minutes charging will give around an hour’s play time, and when fully charged you will get five hours of play time. The charging case will charge the earbuds a further four times. The Apollo Air ANC earbuds are IP45 dust- and water-resistant. Sound is good across all ranges with no distortion at the high end, and the bass is excellent. There is also an app that lets you enhance the bass and adjust the equalizer for any genre of music you like. Tronsmart is celebrating its eighth birthday this week with a range of giveaways and a 15%-off coupon for GeekBuying. Pros
Excellent bassApp to change EQ mode for different genres
Cons
User guide leaflet could be improved
There are two ambient modes: on and off, and noise cancellation. Tap the earbuds three times to toggle between these modes. You can invoke the voice assistant by tapping and then holding for two seconds. These earbuds do seem louder than the Apollo Air and the mid range sound is excellent with no tinny sounds or distortion. Tap twice to answer or end a call and long press for two seconds to reject a call. If you take one earbud out of your ear, the music will pause, as the earbud will detect when it is or is not in your ear. You can get up to five hours of playtime from one charge, and the carrying case will charge the buds up to four times. Tronsmart is celebrating its eighth birthday this week with a range of giveaways and a 15%-off coupon for GeekBuying. Pros
Good sound experience when ANC is onIP45 dust- and water-resistant
Cons
User guide leaflet could be improved
These earbuds are IPX5 water resistant and do not move when you run. You do need to keep the user manual with you to learn the touch controls. Hold the right earbud for two seconds to turn on or off ANC or transparency mode. Tap twice on either earbud to answer or end a call, or do one long press to reject a call. Tap three times to move through the tracks and tap the right earbud to turn the volume down (and the left earbud to increase the volume). If you tap the left earbud four times the earbud will enter gaming mode. This mode optimizes video-audio sync and decreases audio latency for a better gaming experience. These buds are expensive – but the smooth sound will make it worthwhile for audiophiles. Pros
Comfortable to wearSmooth sounds and good ANC
Cons
Expensive
The battery lasts for ages between charges, which are done using a micro-USB slot – not USB Type-C. If the headphones are inactive they will shut down after 10 minutes. Charging takes about two hours. The headphones last for well over 36 hours before needing a recharge. If you hate Bluetooth, you can also use the 3.5mm audio jack, which is supplied in the box. There is also a handy stretchy pleather carry bag for the headphones. Use the code BEST20OFF for a 20% discount at OneOdio. Pros
Comfortable over-ear headphonesGood ANC
Cons
Micro USB – not USB Type-C
Choosing an audio device is a very personal experience. An earbud that might fit perfectly in my ear might be very uncomfortable in yours. You might hate anything in your ear, and find that the over-ear headphones that block out all sounds might be best for you. Extra features such as Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) might be important to you – especially if you feel ambient sound is a distraction when you are listening to music. You might prefer super loud sounds directly into your ear canal, and hate the tinny sounds that some cheaper earbuds deliver. If you want a banging bass, then you might prefer a Bluetooth speaker with a large wattage to pump the bass outside If price is an issue, then choose a cheaper earbud so you can enjoy your own sounds and compromise a little on sound distortion and smoothness. Ultimately, the more expensive the device, the smoother the sound output will be. Also, consider the following:
How loud do you want the sound? Are you buying a speaker for yourself, or do you primarily want to use it outside in groups? Remember, if earbuds are too loud in your ear, you can suffer hearing loss if you use them over an extended period of time.How many features does the device have? Do you need ANC when you are only going to listen in quiet areas, or will you use the earbuds when going our for a run? Will ambient sound suit you perfectly well? How long will the battery take to recharge? Will the earbuds still work after a quick 10 minute charge, or do you need the full charging time before you can use the device again?How expensive is the Bluetooth device? The sky is the limit for some of the big-name brands, when a cheaper brand might be just as good in terms of sound, and might suit your budget perfectly.
