State of the art
Ultimate earbuds
You don’t want the sound of the crowd, you want the sound of your tunes, so let us compare the highest quality lug-fillers you can buy
Words: Matt Bolton, Yasmine Crossland Photography: Neil Godwin
The time to invest in your ears has well and truly arrived. There was always a case for it, but now it’s more imperative than ever. We’ve landed at a perfect convergence of form and function. Form because true wireless tech has evolved into a truly respectable, powerful force of audio nature. Function because our situations now basically demand a way to efficiently block out the world, and true wireless ear buds are exactly that.
If you’re a home worker now thrust back into the office, if you’re a student forced onto the bus, if you’re just really used to the quiet comfort of home listening and would prefer other sounds simply weren’t there at all, a set of high-end buds makes all the difference.
Stepping up the price ladder does not only mean earning a little label cred. Bigger, better drivers offer extra detail to sound. Connectivity gets easier and more consistent, while whatever fidelity loss you might expect becomes all-but imperceptible. More advanced ANC, with more mics backing it up, works harder to oust outside sound and makes transparency modes clearer and less robotic. You’ll get better battery life, sharper design, extra durability, the full works.
High-end buds give you a world of your own, filled with the sound you love in perfect clarity, or even filled with blissful nothing if that’s what you’d prefer. If anything, they’re an investment in yourself.
WHAT’S ON TEST…
1Master & Dynamic MW08
Master & Dynamic’s followup to its MW07 adds some smart engineering tweaks, both to the buds and the case. With bigger 11mm beryllium drivers, better connectivity and more versatile ANC, the MW08 promise powerful sound and some serious style. £279, masterdynamic.co.uk
SPECS
Drivers 11mm beryllium Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Microphones 3 per bud Weatherproofing IPX5 Battery life Up to 12 hours buds; up to 42 hours total Dimensions 21.2x20.2x25.1mm per bud; 64x47.1x25mm case Weight 9g per bud; 81g case
2B&O Beoplay EQ
Made of spacecraft-grade aluminium, packing electrodynamic drivers and offering the kind of audio customisation you’d expect from a product with ‘EQ’ in its name, the Beoplay EQ promise a perfect fit and a superior sound befitting B&O’s stellar reputation. £349, bang-olufsen.com
SPECS
Drivers 6.8mm electro-dynamic Connectivity USB-C, Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive Microphones 3 per bud Weatherproofing IP54 Battery life 7.5 hours buds; 20 hours total Dimensions 24x22x27mm (case) Weight 8g per bud; 50g case
3Bowers & Wilkins PI7
With the handsome PI7 Bowers & Wilkins doesn’t skimp on the specs, mixing dual individually amplified hybrid drivers with 24-bit wireless connectivity, nextgen six-mic ANC and even a smart retransmitting case able to effectively extend their range. £349, bowerswilkins.com
SPECS
Drivers 9.2mm driver, high-frequency ‘balanced armature’ driver Connectivity Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX Adaptive Microphones 3 per bud Weatherproofing IP54 Battery life 4 hours buds; 20 hours total Dimensions 60x28x57mm (case) Weight 7g per bud; 61g case