San Francisco Chronicle

Best true wireless headphones

- CNET staff members David Carnoy and Jim Hoffman contribute­d to this report. For more reviews of personal technology products, visit www. cnet. com.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

The secondgen Momentum True Wireless 2 aren’t cheap at $ 250, but this wireless earbud option is better all around than the original, with a slightly smaller, more comfortabl­e design, active noise canceling that rivals that of the AirPod Pro, improved battery life ( up to 7 hours versus the original’s 4) and better noise reduction during calls. And, if you don’t like these Sennheiser Momentum Wireless headphones in black, a white version is available as well. Most important, though, the Momentum True Wireless 2 have the same stellar sound — for true wireless earbuds, anyway — offering clearly superior sound quality to the AirPods Pro. That makes this wireless headphone arguably the best true wireless earbuds on the market today and earns them a CNET Editors’ Choice Award.

These use Bluetooth 5.1 with support for the AAC and AptX codecs ( for devices that have AptX, such as Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone­s).

Jabra Elite 75t

At first glance, the Jabra Elite 75t, which was originally supposed to cost $ 200 but now sells for $ 130 or so, seemed more like an evolutiona­ry upgrade from the Elite 65t. But the updates turned out to be a little more substantia­l than we first thought. The Elite 75t’s smaller size ( the pair of earbuds and case are 20% smaller than the Elite 65t’s), its boosted battery life and USBC charging are significan­t upgrades. And then there are the smaller changes, like the new charging case design with magnets inside it that make it easier to open and close and to keep the buds inside. While the Elite 75t isn’t quite as comfortabl­e to wear as the AirPods Pro and doesn’t have active noise canceling, it does sound better for listening to your music, with clearer overall sound and better bass definition, so long as you get a tight seal.

Apple AirPods Pro

Even if they don’t sound as magical as you’d hope a $ 249 model would, the Apple AirPods Pro still manages to be a great example of a true wireless inear headphone with noise cancellati­on. That’s largely because of their winning design and fit, improved bass performanc­e and effective noise canceling. They’re an excellent choice when you want to make a call or listen to music during your workout. Yeah, they’re expensive at $ 250, but the good news is you’ll use them so much you’ll probably wear the battery down — it does degrade over time and isn’t replaceabl­e — and have to buy a new pair in 18 to 24 months if you don’t lose them first.

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Sarah Tew / Cnet
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Sarah Tew / Cnet
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