20 Best Earbuds For Zoom Meetings (2022 Updated)

The LinkBuds S are a fascinating product. Lightweight, compact, and yet packed to the gills with features and party tricks. And after spending a few days with them, I think they might have earned a spot as my new daily drivers.

As far as I can tell, the design goals here were to create a set of earbuds you simply never need to take out. You’ve got active noise cancellation, passive noise blocking, and audio pass through at your disposal, which is fairly standard at this point.

What makes these particular stand out is the fact that they are designed to try and make the process of switching between these options completely automatic. If it detects you talking to someone it immediately pauses your audio and switches to voice amplified passthrough.

If it detects you’re currently driving it switches back to full audio cancellation. If you’re going for a run it’ll switch to full passthrough, and so on. I haven’t decided yet if this is a brilliant idea or not, as so far at least it seems to be a little hit or miss in regards to its decision making, but it’s certainly an approach that I haven’t seen before and I can see the appeal.

The smarts don’t end there, however. There’s also tools to help you select the correct ear cushion size for your ear canals, a monitor to determine if you’re listening to content that could damage your hearing in the long term, and even a tool to scan the shape of your ears to optimize 3D audio performance (though it doesn’t seem to be particularly useful for earbuds.

Overall it comes across as an almost excessive attention to detail which really does make this feel like a premium experience. The only issue I have is the system to remap the touch controls on the earbuds.

Most apps will let you map specific actions to each gesture the system supports. With these, however, you have to pick between a short list of available presets which often aren’t making full use of the commands available.

To give an example, out of the box there are no volume controls at all. The right earbud has media controls, and the left controls noise cancellation. I would like to be able to replace the two empty “quick action” slots (which seems excessive since there’s currently only one thing I can map to them, and it’s something I never use) with volume controls, but it won’t let me.

Switching the left earbud to volume control will remove the mapping for noise cancellation control, which I use much more often. It’s very puzzling to me how Sony hasn’t figured out that this is a bad design when practically everyone else in the industry has fully programmable controls, and I hope that they can eventually address it with a future software update.

Which brings us to one of the more important aspects: how do the actual earbuds perform? Overall, I’d say very well. The default equalizer setting offers a good mix of highs and lows, audio is crisp, and mic performance for calls is great.

It’s got a bit less bass than I’m accustomed to from Sony stuff, but given that I often find their low end response to be excessive I’m fine with it. Battery life is very good, though not exceptional, with the earbuds on their own being able to last through most of the day and the case having a generous power reserve that claims to be able to stretch total endurance to 20 hours.

They grip in the ear very well, and are so lightweight that they tend to stay where you put them without causing any discomfort. Touch detection can, admittedly, be a little hit or miss. There’s no clear indicator for where you should tap the casing to trigger a command, and sensitivity varies depending on where you hit.

Aiming for dead center seems to elicit the best response, but it’s very easy to accidentally hit one of the edges when you’re wearing them. It’s a minor thing, ultimately, but some kind of nub or shift in texture to give some tactile response would be nice.

And the active noise cancellation is better than anything I’ve previously tried from Sony, with very little discomfort from prolonged use and excellent performance. Overall, these earbuds aren’t perfect.

They do have a bit of a prototype feel to them, with a lot of the features feeling like early implementations. But it also feels like you’re looking at the first crack at where earbud design is ultimately going, and I think that future firmware and software updates will probably improve a lot of the current shortcomings.

As such I’d recommend them for anyone looking for earbuds that can do it all without losing the ability to be discrete.

Simply speaking, these are the best sounding earbuds I’ve ever owned. I’ve had Bose, Beats, even a pair of Klipsch earbuds and these Raycons are easily the equal of those premium earbuds and at only about a third of the price.

I’ve also compared them to my daughter’s Apple AirPod Pros and both she and I agree that the Raycons have deeper, punchier bass and a richer sound. I can’t really speak to their quality for phone calls as I primarily use them for listening to music on my iPhone, but the few calls I have had were clear and the person on the other end said I was coming through nice and clear.

I’ve only ever run the batteries down on them once in over a year of having them, and I tell you that only happened after more than 8 hours. They’re only supposed to last for 6 hours but I guess that depends on volume and other variables.

I just ordered another pair of Everydays because a few days ago I went to the gym to work out (I’m VERY serious about exercise) and realized I’d left my Raycons at home. I was so depressed I almost couldn’t work out.

So if I have two sets and keep one in the car at all times I won’t have to worry about that again. Based solely on the quality of the earbuds I bought, I just spent $150 on a set of Raycon The Work earphones.

They sound remarkable and blow away Bose earphones I’ve tried that cost over twice as much. But this is a review for the earbuds so I won’t go into that here. Buy them. The quality you get is fantastic, and the quality for the PRICE is nothing short of amazing.

I really like these. The sound quality is much better than the earbuds that I’ve been using and it’s really nice that they’re actually more noise-canceling than I expected! I’ve used earbuds that SAY that they’re noise-cancelling and while they may provide a little bit of that, these are much better and it becomes obvious especially when making phone calls or when I’m walking outdoors (which I do a lot).

It’s nice that they come with a few different sizes of ear inserts (although I still wish that there was one smaller size option available because I have really tiny ear canals) and the buds themselves come housed in a very small plastic case.

Granted, the case itself honestly feels a little cheap and I wish that it felt a bit more substantial/more weighty and sturdy but the upside is that I can throw them in my purse and they don’t weigh anything! Charging is relatively fast and I can get a few gym workouts in before needing to charge them again.

The fun part of these is how customizable the sound is; of course, you can use them as they come but if you like to switch up your sound and really use these to their full potential it’s recommended to download the accompanying app and this unlocks a whole extra range of options.

I’ve played with it and found the settings that I like for everyday listening but it’s nice to be able to change the settings depending on my mood or the situation that I’m in. The app is also pretty user-friendly, which is also a plus.

One downside that I should point out, however, is that these may not be the best suited for high-intensity runners because somehow (and maybe it’s just me) but they didn’t seem to stay put in my ears as well as I would like if I’m doing a hard run although they were find for a light jog, walking, etc.

Take that with a grain of salt since everyone has different-shaped ear canals and others may not experience that problem. Overall I don’t think that you’ll be disappointed buying these; you’re getting a great quality set of buds for a pretty amazing price and I’m super-happy to have them.

These AZ60 earbuds and matching charging case are packed in a nice box along with five pairs of different size silicone ear tips, a USB-C charging cord, a quick start guide (all in pictures), and basic owner’s manual paperwork.

The earbuds work with both Android and Apple operating systems. The quick start guide advised right away to download the app from the appropriate online store. Pairing with my Android smartphone was relatively easy after I cleared my Bluetooth cache and rebooted my phone per instructions I found online.

After that, the rest of the setup was a breeze as the app takes you through everything step by step, including how to adjust volume, pick up and hang up cell phone calls, etc. One thing to keep in mind is in order to insert them in your ears properly, you must start with the Technic name right side up on each earbud and then put them in your ears, adjusting as necessary.

I made calls to several friends to test the sound and they said my voice quality was good, however the sound of their voices was slightly muffled each time. They did report that my voice was clearer when using the speakerphone part of my cell phone.

After that, I listened to about a dozen different songs using my phone and the sound was excellent to good depending on whether I was listening to an online streaming service or 320 kbps MP3 files resident in my phone.

I would rate music listening quality 9 out of 10. I found that the sound quality most pleasing to my ear was “Dynamic” in the Sound Enhancement section of the app. These earbuds offer a secure fit and are comfortable for fairly short-term use, but I wouldn’t care to wear them all day long.

The AZ60s offer quality noise cancellation, multipoint Bluetooth connections, about 7 hours of battery life outside of the charging case, Alexa integration, but no wireless charging. Overall, I am pleased with my new earbuds.

I love these earbuds! I was playing with these and reading and learning about what they do and I’m just trying to figure what they DON’T do because they do everything. There are so many features, more than I’ve ever had in any of the other earbuds that I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried plenty.

I love the high quality sound without the static and the noise cancellation option because if I’m doing something, listening to music or on a phone call, I don’t want to hear what’s going on around me.

It’s nice that when I’m listening to my music and I get a phone call, I can easily switch back and forth. The charging phone case is small enough for it to fit in your pocket, it’s not big and bulky and it charges the earbuds quickly.

You get everything you need, the charge cord, carry case and several different size silicone earbud covers to give you the right fit for your ears. I like that they’re water resistant because I can use them when I’m working out, doing yard work or just hanging out outside (I live in Texas and it’s always hot outside) and my sweat doesn’t mess them up.

The battery lasts a long time so you aren’t having to constantly charge them. You can pair them to 2 devices, not just one. I really like the feature where I can say “find my buds” because I’m always scared that I’m going to lose them, but with this, I won’t.

You can even pair it with Alexa, amazing. You can also use just one earbud or both. There’s an app you can download that helps you set up your earbuds just the way you want them. I love these earbuds, they have so many features and I’m still learning more and more about them every time I use them.

I definitely recommend these to anyone looking for a high quality, durable, does everything earbud. Oh, the box says iPhone, iPad and iPod but they can be used with Android as well which is a plus.

I work in an office. After 18 months of working in the quiet of my home, I had a hard time adjusting to being back in an office with other people making all their office noises. So I went looking for noise canceling earbuds, and found these.

They have been fantastic! I don’t get the science behind active noise cancelling, but it’s like having your head inside a bubble when you turn the ANC on. It doesn’t cancel everything, but it cancels enough that I can think.

And with my music on the very lowest volume setting, the rest of the noise goes away. The sound quality is really good too. I don’t charge them every day, but I’ve only ever had them die once, after a day of multiple job interviews by phone.

So the battery life is pretty adequate in my opinion. My only complaint is that if they slip out of my pocket and hit the floor, the case pops open and the earbuds go flying out. But that’s more of a complaint about women’s pockets being literally 3 inches deep.

I might just wrap a rubber band around them, or make a little case with a snap to put them in. I can make one case, but I can’t tackle pocket inequality.

Purchaed the X6 as an upgrade to the original UGREEN earbuds, which had OK sound, but were not good for phone calls. The X6 has great sound quality and deep bass for listening to streaming music. The noise cancellation is quite effective and pretty much eliminates background noises, although switching it on does reduce the volume quite a bit and you’ll need to adjust the volume when you switch on/off ANC.

The microphones are great for phone calls, and solved the issues I had with the original earbuds. Edit. Right earphone stopped working after 5 months, left quit a few weeks later. Now has only a faint sound with no bass.

Warranty is only 90 days, so these are now complete junk. Beware. Highly recommend these to anyone looking for an affordable set of earbuds with great features!.

I use this UGREEN X6 pair of buds to listen to music and podcasts. No phone calls as yet. I have small ears but surprisingly, after using the smallest bud caps, they fit perfectly. They are comfortable and need no adjustments when I go on my daily 5 mile walk.

Another surprise I got with these buds was when I walk outside and turn on the ANC, this feature was very effective. My bottom line for these earbuds? SOUND ! They have excellent sound. These are my goto earbuds right now.

By the way, I have numerous brands of earbuds from top of the line to bottom of the line but right now, I choose to listen to the most satisfying at the moment and that is the UGREEN X6. It’s awesome and the price is right.

I would buy another one.

I really contemplated purchasing these Beats, would the high price deliver a better quality sound and experience? I was limited in options because I need the over the ear loop. Unfortunately these are something you can’t go to the store and try out and compared (I tried but wouldn’t let me open any).

Overall they are OK but probably not worth the extra cost over cheaper competitors. The sound quality is OK (initially extremely disappointed but allowed a longer break in period and sound improved to satisfactory).

Interestingly pale in comparison to the really cheap $40 generic brand set my wife purchased from Amazon-only issue with those is going in ear and I need over the ear for my workouts. I was hoping Beats brand would not have other annoying issues compared to cheaper brands like pairing Bluetooth.

So far they have failed to pair 3 times which has been rather annoying; doing nothing different those times that I can think of. Nothing worse then getting ready to hit the gym and fussing around getting them to pair (even had to Forget Bluetooth and redo completely last time) standing in the locker room wasting time.

They do come with multiple size tips and the smallest fit best. Overall my main criteria was comfort, convenience, and sound quality. They are comfortable and stay in place with workouts. Sound quality is adequate but I expected better.

BT pairing issues a pain. Conclusion: they are OK, good investment if they prove durable. Not worth retail price. Thankfully I paid 10% less but that’s still over priced. If you have the opportunity to try other brands my guess is you’ll find you get as good of experience for less money.

Over paying by 20% for the brand name.

There Powerbeats are good but not great, especially for the price. Frankly, I’m a bit disappointed. First, the good points. I very much prefer having earhooks on my earbuds and these work nicely and are comfortable.

I considered getting Apple AirPods but they aren’t available with earhooks. I like the Powerbeats compact size. The controls are very well thought out and I also like that they’re the same on both buds so I can use either hand.

Furthermore, it’s great that the buds can be used one at a time instead of only both. This is helpful for maintaining ambient awareness when exercising outdoors because there’s nothing in one ear. Now for the not so good things about these Powerbeats.

The bass leaves much to be desired. The highs and mid-ranges are quite good but not stellar. Another problem with them is that there’s no feedback when placing them in the case to charge to assure the buds have good contact with the contacts in the case.

As a result, I recently took them with me to my car dealer to use while waiting to get my vehicle serviced and only one was charged. Very annoying. Now, when placing them in the case, I jiggle each bud to assure it’s solidly in contact with the case’s contacts.

I don’t think the Powerbeats justify the high price. They’d be a decent purchase if they were on sale for at least $50 less, but not they’re MSRP.

In all honesty, despite decent sound quality when you finally manage to connect these, these are on par with any other $5 Bluetooth headphones from the dollar store. Its should be illegal to sell these for $100 let alone advertise all the bogus features it has like “noise cancelation” which is doesn’t actually have.

The amount of problems these things have for the price tag is ridiculous. Despite no damage or misuse, one earpod will always disconnect or refuse to pair, or somehow pair as a separate device seperate from the other earpod (how is that even a thing), headphones always making random annoying noises every few minutes while in use despite full battery, audio randomly cuts off all the time and resumes, charging these things can be a nightmare with the cheap USB port on the case which doesn’t grab the charger at all, you literally have to rest the case against something at an angle while its plugged in or the charger will easily fall out of the charging port.

On top of this, most of time it will charge for only like 30 seconds when plugged in then stop charging unless you unplug it and plug it back in (really like how?) Oh and the most annoying thing, anytime you plug these these things in to charge, you literally have to jump start the headphones to get them to turn on again.

By this, I mean that anytime you plug them in to charge, you cannot reconnect to them via Bluetooth unless the USB charger is plugged in while you’re pairing them despite them having full charge already.

If you charge them, take the charger out, then try to pair, the headphones will not even turn on when you open the case unless the charger is plugged in, even if you clearly just charged it to 100%. These things legitimately have a mind and personality of their own.

Somedays they can be semi-normal, other days they will cycle through every problem i just mentioned. Yes, this happened all straight out of the box. JBL, your company should be ashamed to be selling such garbage, ill never buy a product from this mediocre company again.

I knew I should’ve taken the same amount of money and just bought apple earpods instead which would have actually worked like regular Bluetooth headphones and lasted years, unlike this garbage. These things are good for if you feel like solving a puzzle everytime you want to listen to music, bc thats what these will feel like.

Funniest part is everything I said has been said by others in reviews prior to me buying these. I wish I read reviews on these before buying. How these have over two stars for reviews is proof that these childish companies fake their reviews instead of making solid products.

Big L, on this product and your company image JBL, ill personally never waste a single calorie of energy even making eye contact with a jbl product ever again. As soon as I buy actual functioning Bluetooth headphones I’m going to stomp on these until I feel like I got a $100 workout from a personal fitness trainer so I can atleast feel like I got some moneys worth out of it.

If sound quality is your primary concern when shopping for portable audio, then look no further than these JBL Tune 230NC TWS earbuds. As expected with JBL, the sound quality is superb — full, clear and well balanced with crisp highs, natural mids and proportional bass at all volume levels.

There’s also no artificial “hyper” bass like some brands use to fake a big sound at the expense of true sound quality. Even better, use the companion JBL app to create a custom EQ profile that totally suits your listening preference! Added noise canceling really makes a difference in creating a pristine listening experience.

When activated, my surroundings virtually disappear allowing me to more deeply experience my favorite music in minute detail. I find noise canceling is most effective at canceling steady droning sounds, like fans and engine noises.

For times when sound isolation is not desired or would compromise safety, I can change modes to “Ambient Aware” and the earbuds will actively blend the environmental sound with my audio allowing me to stay connected with my surroundings.

I find this useful for outdoor exercise or public shopping where ambient awareness is necessary for safety and courtesy. I found the pre-installed medium sized tips to be just right for my comfort and I have worn them for many hours at a time with no fatigue.

They are surprisingly comfortable and stay in my ears better than other stem-type earbuds I have tried. Additional tip sizes are included for adaptation to different ear anatomy. Incoming phone call audio quality is excellent, but as with many similar type earbuds, the experience for the caller is somewhat compromised by the marginal quality of the microphone technology.

People I call tell me that the outgoing audio is clear, but they can also tell I am calling through earbuds and the sound is a bit “off”. One minor downside I have found is the controls are a bit difficult to navigate (-1 star) as there is a single active “tap” point on each bud that accepts single-tap, double-tap, triple-tap and long-tap gestures, each invoking a different command, and the other bud accepting the same gestures invoking yet another set of commands.

I find I am very often missing the right number of taps or getting confused and tapping the wrong bud. This can be alleviated to some degree by the companion app which allows some customization of the gestures to suit your preferences.

The printed “Getting Started” guide that documents the tap gestures is painfully small and difficult to decipher. I would rather see the command interface simplified with additional tap or squeeze points, such as on the stems, to not overload so many commands onto a single tap spot per bud.

As stated, sound quality is where these earbuds shine, and overall, I’m thrilled with my new JBL Tune 230NC noise cancelling earbuds and find my music enjoyment has been taken to a new level. Highly recommended!.

These earbuds provide very clear and pure sound, and are loud enough as well. Battery lasts much longer than I can listen to music continuously, and the case holds for 3 full recharges. They fit firmly and comfortably, never had problems with them falling off while walking or cycling.

They do not stick out of the ear too much and do not make me look funny. Touch controls work nicely, after you get used with the exact place of the touch sensors. Bluetooth connection is stable and without interruptions.

The tap combos are a bit of a weird solution for controls, but they do a fine job after you memorize them. I miss a strap and a small hook for the case – I’d like to strap the case to my keychain or be able to carry it in my hand without having to be all-careful about not dropping it.

Some people say active noise canceling is not as good for a high class product like these earbuds, but I found it to be perfectly fine. The ambient aware feature is a very good idea. Sometimes the noise canceling can make you miss important details of your surroundings, but the ambient aware feature makes this problem non-existent.

Hands free calls are fine, I haven’t had any complaints about people not hearing me clearly. The app is a bit annoying, popping up, asking to connect every time I start using the earbuds. This must be an automatic and background process, not bothering the user with unnecessary interactions after the initial setup.

I’m thinking of uninstalling it. A codec better than AAC would be very nice, aptX or LDAC for example, although few people would notice the difference in sound quality. Anyway, such good hardware can easily handle and benefit from codecs more advanced than SBC and AAC and it’s a shame they are not supported.

Overall, these earbuds are excellent, the case and app need one or two finishing touches. Don’t forget to set the streaming app to high quality sound to fully enjoy your 100 wisely spent dollars.

These earbuds are bang for the buck. I would give 5 stars for the convenience, fit, and easily paired to multiple devices, These buds are good in the audio quality spectrum. The sound is a bit narrow, individually highs and lows have a strong response.

There’s a bit of muddling going on with songs that have a busy, high dynamic range, but that is to be expected. I use them during my daily workout and watch late-night movies while everyone is asleep.

I like how these earbuds come with a silicone case where I don’t need to buy a protective case to protect the device. It is compact enough to carry in your pocket, purse, gym bag, etc. Overall, it is a decent earbud for the price.

Absolutely love all the features that come packed in these earbuds! You get so much at such an amazing price point. These are comfortable to wear and perform really well! The sound is clear and crisp.

There’s an in-built mic for your phone calls. Pairing is super quick. It comes with a neck piece. The best part is the charging, the charging case is super convenient. The charge also lasts a long time.

It checks all the boxes you’d want in a good pair of earbuds – and these look so classy and stylish too!.

These headphones are fantastic. The connection is fast and easy. High end headphones for such an amazing good price. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for bluetooth headsets similar to those made by Apple but for a far less price and also better bass response.

The touch controls on the side are amazing. you can pause the music, receive calls, end calls without taking the headset out. I wear them everywhere and love them so much. Loved the fact that it comes with usb c.

Very comfortable in-ear. Great sound quality and battery life. Touch controls work well. Voice quality is good too. works with google voice commands and Bixby which is great.

Excellent sound quality. Hours and hours on a single charge. Incredible value.

I received P10 and had similar issue like a few others, no sound from right earbud. Talked to tech support, did not find any problem, played with the bud and it just started working. After that, I got issue with right earbud intermittently, sometime no sound, sometime my phone cannot disconnect from earbuds after they are back in the case.

Then I realized it could the loose contact of right earbud and the case charge pin. I padded a piece of tape inside the case on top of right earbud, to force better contact. so far it has been working well.

sound quality is good. ANC works well, it is on by default, would prefer off to save power, but this is minor.

I recently bought these P10 ear buds. I love the fit, and the features. One day the right ear buds stopped working. I tried all the troubleshooting tips, but I couldn’t get it working. I heard that Taotronics had good customer service, so I decided to email them.

Nicole, a real person, responded within 24 hrs, and she followed through on all correspondence throughout the entire process. She was very helpful and informative. It was determined that the ear buds, needed replaced.

I quickly received a tracking number for a replacement. I am very impressed with my experience, which is why I am writing this review.

The sound is really good. For music perfect amount of bass and u can listen to ur jams without a problem. U watch a movie on ur phone u feel like you would in a living room with surround sound. I love that u can use them both or just in one ear.

The noise canceling is good but the feature of my AirPods by being able to choose from noice canceling mode on/off is slightly better. However the battery life of these things are so amazing!!!! I work 12 hours a day 4 days a week and on a full charge a single earbud can last 6-6 1/2hours of me using it continuously.

(Listening to music) When one dies place it back into the case that has a build in charger and put the other one on. I love how u can use the left earbud in ur right ear and the same with ur right earbud like it’s insane how they made that work but I dig it!!! Now the battery life on the case is insane too it’ll last me a whole week on a single charge.

I’m surprised these aren’t in the same category as the airpod pros, and Samsung earbuds. The cost is the cherry on top.

TLDR; Great sound quality, Great fitting (even for something with cauliflower ear), Great for working out, Great build quality and design. Minor connection issues and very niche issues with customization within the JBL headphone app.

I have been using JBL products for a while (6 years). I have 3 different Charge 3s, the JBL Extreme 3, and some basic JBL wired headphones. The Bluetooth speakers are great products and have lasted much longer than expected.

I am notoriously rough, and borderline destructive with electronics, so all of these speakers have had a rough and long life. I previously owned a pair of JLab’s Epic Air Sport wireless headphones. I have been hesitant to use any headphones that do not secure or attach themselves due to using them for working out and the associated risk of falling out.

In addition, I have cauliflower ear which makes regular earbud retention a little more difficult. JLab at the time was the only wireless headphones that met my requirements. But after testing a pair of my wife’s in-ear earbuds and having no issue with retention or fitting, I decided to upgrade to a new pair of wireless headphones.

Being impressed with JBL’s previous products, I decided to get a pair made by JBL. The Vibes were too small and didn’t really fit, the Endurances were similar to the JLabs I had, and wanted something sleeker and simple.

The Tunes 230 fit well and met the requirements I was looking for. Out of the box, they fit great. I took them to the gym the next morning to test their retention while working out. They were great, even when running on a treadmill or outside on a trail.

I even tested them while doing some GHD Sit-ups and Back Extensions, no movement or any sense they may fall out. Saturated in sweat and still working as normal/designed. The sound quality is great! Just like the speakers, I was impressed with the quality of sound and the ability to adjust with the equalizer.

Good highs, and noticeable impressive bass for an earbud. The build quality is great! Solid and simple design. Again, I am little rough with electronics, and I have dropped both the earbuds individually and the case with the earbuds inside.

Other than an aesthetic scuff, there was no noticeable damage and they still work just the same. The main issue with these earbuds is the connectivity and customization. Note: I have ensured the JBL software is the most up-to-date.

The headphones do not always automatically connect to my phone. I have to end up putting them back into the case, closing the case for a moment, and then taking them back out again in order to get them to connect.

This is extremely frustrating. With the speakers, turn them on and they connect. With JLab’s earbuds, take them out of the case and they connect. I do not know what the issue is with JBL’s earbuds, but they do not always initially connect automatically.

In addition to connectivity, customization is limited. While the JBL Headphones app is great and offers more than enough, you are unable to customize headphones for individual use. I know this is a very niche situation, but as great as everything else is, it would seem this customization would be possible.

I put the headphone in to listen to music, not the surrounding environment. And in addition to the no noise canceling feature while using only one earbud, you are unable to adjust the equalizer as well.

I feel like the few issues they do have are not deal breakers, but I am a little disappointed in JBL. Before buying these earbuds, JBL was the pinnacle of wireless/Bluetooth sound and audio, something I would without hesitation recommend to friends, continue to buy their products myself, and be on the lookout for their newest greatest innovative products.

But these issues feel like an unfinished product and would suggest JBL is lowering its standards. Even though JBL’s lower standards still may be higher than the competition’s, I am now skeptical and not nearly as adamant about JBL.

As with any Sony product the WF-C500 ear buds come in simple, classy and well designed packaging that now avoids plastic so is easily recycled. I have a confession to make…. I’m not a techie………but I love a gadget so don’t want to be wasting time on complicated instructions and was pleased to find the usual Sony quick steps diagram and a QR code that once scanned leads you to an easily installed and intuitive headphone app which meant I could quickly start putting the buds through their paces.

While the case itself isn’t the most expensive looking bit of kit it does feel sturdy and it’s angled base gives it an up to date appearance. The buds come with a choice of large/medium or small ear tips and the ergonomic design of the buds themselves make for a snug fit which makes them easy to wear for extended periods of time.

As you take the buds from the case the voice prompt, a nice touch, informs you of the battery level and connectivity status and so far, whether using my phone or tablet to connect, the Bluetooth link has been swift and trouble free.

And so to the most important part of the review…. how do they sound? While not a techie I do love my music so put them through their paces testing them from AC/DC to John Martyn and the classics. The app enables you to easily tailor their set up and includes pre sets, a graphic equaliser, bass boost and Sony’s additional DSEE (digital sound enhancement engine) option which upscales the audio.

Also included is a 360 Reality Audio format but this sadly will only work with a limited number of streaming services none of which I subscribe to so was unable to test. Having chosen a set up to compliment my music choice I must say I was really impressed with the quality of the sound.

I have a much more expensive pair of headphones [Sony of course] that I can’t help comparing the ear buds to and must say they performed very well indeed. Certainly the bass level isn’t ‘booming’ but this isn’t always a bad thing as often too much bass can change the feel of a track as much as too too much treble.

These ear buds play to the middle ground being neither too rich nor too ‘tinny’. My go to track to test any system is John Martyn’s ‘Small Hours’ and these did a great job, revealing the complexity of the many layers present that allow you to drift along on it’s dreamlike quality, very impressive! I like the fuss free controls, the left bud controls the volume and the right play and pause, they also have a very reasonable 20hr battery life.

To sum up I know these aren’t the most expensive ear buds available but they don’t feel or sound ‘cheap’. They are well built, comfortable and easy to wear, have simple controls, link easily with phone or tablet, have a reasonable battery life and more than do justice to a range of music genre and podcasts.

`True they don’t include noise cancelling but they do have. a good volume level and have a clarity that enhances any track which means you can concentrate on the music and avoid external distractions.

I’m looking forward to spending more time with them!.

Headphones and Ear-Buds likes these come in both Wired and Bluetooth versions these days. Both styles have advantages and disadvantages and in order to see how being wired or not wired affects performance and features, you have to read the owner’s manual whether you think that’s cool or not.

I’m reasonably technically minded but there are some features and operating methods that you can’t find by just poking and guessing. It’s worth the time to get everything you can out of these earbuds.

You’ll have to learn the various tapping and poking codes for controlling the performance of the WF-C500 Ear-Buds Features: – Up to 10 hours run time when in the ear – Up to 20 hours running time from power stored in caring-case with no external a/c.

Good for wilderness camping etc. – Frequency response can be varied with the Sony Connect App – Sweat and Splash Proof, with an IPX4 Rating – Can be used/controlled as a single ear-bud so you can hear ambient sounds if desired – Phone calls can be answered by the ear-bud’s controls with phone still in pocket – 1 year Warranty against defects in materials or workmanship – Plays “Experience 360 Reality Audio” from some Music Providers (Amazon Music HD, Deezer etc.

) PROS: – C500 Ear-Buds are light, comfortable and secure. – Using the Sony App, the frequency range can be adjusted for clear voice or rich music. CONS: – Like all totally wireless Ear-Buds, scratching an ear or resting your head on a pillow can accidentally affect a control causing a phone-call to be canceled or a recording to be paused – No physical wire between ear-buds means you can sometime lose a knocked out ear-bud before you notice it’s gone.

Conclusion: The Sony C500 Ear-Buds are a mid-range design with nice performance, sound and look. Unlike the top-range Sony Ear-Buds, they are not Noise Cancelling, so if you’re looking for something to save your hearing while cutting the lawn, you’ll need to look at the higher models.

The ear buds come in a strong, durable plastic case that comfortably slides into your pocket. I found charging to be very quick and particularly liked the orange glow that was visible through the lid whilst charging.

Battery life was more than sufficient for my needs. The longest period I used them for was about 3 hours after which I popped them back in the case and the battery was topped up. The strong magnets hold the earbuds securely in the case and avoid them being accidentally dropped when opening the case.

Particularly useful at the gym. Tried all the different sized ear tips and found the middle sized tip to be the most comfortable. They fit securely and never felt as though they were about to fall out.

Ideal for exercising as opposed to the over the head headphones that can sometimes be difficult to keep in place when exercising on treadmills etc. The Sony Headphone Connect app was very straightforward to download onto my iPhone and iPad by scanning the QR code found on the leaflet.

The push button controls on the ear buds were easy to use. The left ear controlling the volume – tap to increase and hold down to reduce volume. Tapping the right ear enabled the music to be paused. I was impressed by the volume range and even at high volume there was no distortion to the sound.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of sound on incoming telephone calls. The music was paused and the sound was exceptionally clear and the caller had no problem in hearing my voice through the microphone.

By accessing the app you can play around with the various sound adjustments to easily find the most pleasing for your individual requirements. Overall I find it extremely difficult to criticize anything on the WF-C500 ear buds.

They offer exceptional value for money.

I was disappointed with the lack of bass, first of all. They don’t have as much “punch” as the iPhone headphones, but they are decent. The battery/control device feels awkward, but the sport clips keep them in place well enough.

I played basketball and soccer for a few hours and they held on, pretty good. After that, I left them on my dresser. A few hours later I went for a long walk and the battery held up well. I was worried about how often I would have to charge, as I often forget.

I am happy with the battery. I would like some sort of battery feedback system to know how long they will last, but they charge quickly and last a couple of workouts, at least. Bluetooth isn’t my favorite tech, but they pair easily and have a decent range, about 10-15 yards.

These aren’t the star players but, they are a quality work horse for a very fair price. The battery is quality, the sound is adequate, and the fit is good for sports. I’m satisfied.

Do not buy this product if you intend to wear while doing any sort of movement. A workout as simple as being on an elliptical requires you adjust the ear piece 3x per minute back to its place. This product is abysmal at staying in the ear.

I have even changed the ear inserts thinking that would help, unfortunately it did not. This is a waste of money. I’d you’re considering buying these for exercising, I would suggest buying a better company’s product.

Like others have reviewed, these lasted me maybe a week or so. The silicone caps did not stay tight in my small ears, and I wore the smallest in the pack. They wouldn’t stay connected to my new Samsung phone.

And the sound quality was mixed. My music was very quiet on right side, was I found strange. And the wires don’t stay put around your neck. They kept falling off while I was bending up and down to load the wash machine, and pick things off the floor, as they’re too short.

Which became very irritating. My suggestion. make the wires several inches longer so that they STAY PUT around the front.

I have tiny ear holes (there is no better way to say that!) and have the HARDEST time finding bluetooth earbuds that don’t fall out of my ears. I’ve been back and forth between trying new earbuds and just using my old corded headphones with an adapter for small ears.

Over-the-ear designs usually pinch and irritate behind my ear (OMG don’t get me started on medical masks!!). These, however, are GREAT! The speaker part sort of sits at the opening of the ear, rather than going inside, and the ear loop is nearly undetectable.

I have taken these running (7 miles) three times and they are amazing!! The only thing that did happen is the speaker part started to sort of slip out of place half way through my runs. But as soon as I realized my music was getting quiet, I readjusted them and they were great.

I had no fear of them falling off and they didn’t pinch once! Even my 11 year old used them for one of his runs (he has giant ears, btw) and reported the same comfort. LOVE the Qi charging case, so I can just lay it on a charging pad and not have to look around the house for a cord (comes with a cord, though) AND the fully-charged case also acts as an earbud charger! VERY VERY happy I found these!!.

The box setup is really nice for these headphones. The box itself is not just plastic like others I’ve had, it’s got a great premium feel to it. You flip open the top and the earbuds sit in there and charge.

You can even wirelessly charge the whole box, just put it on a wireless charger. The earbuds paired instantly with my android phone, and the sound is great. These earbuds are so light and comfortable that I was almost disoriented because I couldn’t even feel them on my ear but could hear the audiobook playing.

I love these things. My only gripe is that they aren’t quite the same as “in-ear” ones I have for mowing the lawn. The in-ear ones aren’t nearly as comfortable, don’t sound as nice and full as these, and fall out once in a while.

But, they block out the noise of my zero-turn mower better than these. These sit just OUTSIDE your ear canal and the rubber gasket does a good job of giving you fantastic sound, they just don’t block loud outside noise as well as others.

I’ll use these for everyday use, and keep my other ones for mowing the grass.

The first thing I want to say is that I like these earbuds a lot. I am in college and walk a lot, these earbuds are perfect. They hold perfectly to the ears, they do not hurt and stay charged for a full day.

Now they are part of my daily routine. I like the open-ear design, it helps to stay aware of my surroundings especially when walking around the campus. I also like that it can connect to 2 devices, I can watch a movie and still be notify on calls or message.

I like the case, it finds it beautiful and small enough that it can fit in any pocket. It can charge about 2-3 times the earplugs The microphone work great maybe too great. The only negative note is that my friends tell me that it picks the surrounding noise.

It can be annoying for them. My conclusion is that if you plan to walk, exercise or simply want comfortable, reliable, efficient earbuds, you will not be disappointed. I recommend them.