2024's best true wireless earbuds

[@SteelyDanUnofficial]

That Aphex Twin umbrella, I LOVE IT!

[@roumiaou]

Please Mr. Darko, post your version of the choreography... ;-)

[@fakeklg]

Yea, that thing is dope. Kinda need one.

[@JohnyMcNeal]

I just spent 5min googling it thinking it's some new audio brand with a good product 😅😂

[@Planktonyeijk]

Yes!😀

[@jam1epugh]

However the inside lining is enough to give you nightmares! 😂

[@DanielBarros1220]

Crossing fingers to see the Technics AZ80 in a future video 🤞🤞 nice comparison!

[@andybaker8409]

One thing a lot of reviewers don't mention with true wireless earbuds ( and I know this one is focussed on SQ), is that they are essentially disposable. Once the battery in the bud goes almost all of them are effectively scrap and not repairable. I had a pair of TW2s which sounded so good, but after 3 years, the left channel only runs for 20 minutes. For that reason, I've gone backed to wired IEMs.

[@mchrome3366]

Your reviews have influenced my audio equipment purchases and my music. About as good a compliment of your channel I could give. So thanks

[@VishnuPadmanabhan]

Cold December morning, coffee and video on Darko Audio, that's a fine way to start a day!

[@eleventhvolume9362]

Big props on referring to the impact of wind on listening when out and about. Your comment on the APP2 in this regard is so true and missed by other reviews I've seen. I own the APP2 and dread windy days.

[@bd7190]

Great video, thanks. Which are the other three? is one of them the B&W pi8?

[@MegaBobization]

I own two of the three headphones-Sennheiser and Bose Ultra-and I think it’s worth mentioning Bose’s AutoEQ. I’ve noticed that any EQ adjustments you try to make are often overridden, especially when the volume is maxed out. Bose’s system seems to automatically adjust to maintain their version of clarity. At low volumes, it significantly boosts the bass and treble, which is noticeable and preferred to still get the full sound without blasting. Personally, I’ve never experienced the glue issue with my MTW3, even after using them for over two years. When it comes to comfort, exercise-friendly design, and noise-canceling, Bose Ultra truly excels and sets the standard. On the other hand, I use the Sennheiser headphones for their superior multitasking capabilities and sound quality. Features like tap-to-transparency for pausing music and their more fidelic, natural sound make them ideal for immersive listening.

[@scottygdaman]

many know this but in case if you press and hold the sound icon on Android phone you'll access a quality setting there you can test your hearing through the phone . great settings as well. atmos eq. etc

[@jk330ci]

I have the Sony xm5 in ear buds and have never been happy with them. Bought the momentum 4 over the ear and thought they were great. Ever since then iv been eyeing up the momentum 4 true wireless as well. Especially as they have been on sale a few times. Really good video, been waiting for a wireless in ear video.

[@chrispyp2331]

Try the Beoplay EX. The sound quality is incredible. They also dropped in price recently. B&W pi8's are also great. Forget Sennheiser, Bose or Air pods. There's much better earbuds in the market to consider.

[@JoeGillian0]

​@@chrispyp2331Even better and cheaper than B&O EX...are the Fidelio T2

[@lazarosnikolaidis256]

Superb comparison review. Replied all my questions. Perfect John.

[@amphit0n]

Was choosing between Senns TWS M4, Technics AZ80, Denon Perl Pro and AirPods Pro 2 to replace existing old AirPods Pro.Grabbed Denons for $150, arriving this week, can't wait!

[@Hijynx87]

Just make sure you run the test multiple times, it can take awhile before you get something amazing.

[@daytoaytech7687]

Love the review, thank you!

[@johnpischedda6951]

Thanks John ! digging the Monolake album ! It's summer in Aus but still sounds good .

[@vjvernon5992]

Hey John…love your take on audio and music. I have two album recommendations for you and others. Wunderhorse - Midas Wednesday - Rat Saw God Slainte!

[@casperunnerup]

Last year I finally settled on my current setup and I love it! I'm rocking the TruthEar Zero Red IEM with the TRN BT30 Bluetooth amp. Only thing I miss is a volume control. But that is a worthy sacrifice for the stellar sound quality and sound isolation. All of this while being cheap and modular, no EQ or app needed. The IEM also comes in a Blue version for the bass-heads out there(Which I also have) and TRN also makes other versions of the Bluetooth amp with longer battery life or better microphones.

[@backrack01]

The technics az80 tops all of these.

[@mosankoane4938]

John you have never tried earbuds from Bowers and Wilkins which is quite odd. Please review the new PI8

[@carlosalvarez7445]

Thanks for this review. I wish you had a chance to review the Hifiman Svanar wireless as they seem to have excellent sound.

[@SpiderslidePics]

I went with the B&W iP8 which I love. Wonder where it would fit in here.

[@ibassnote]

I still feel like this is a great advertisement for Apple AirPod Pros which I love.

[@starbase218]

Surprised that you rate the MTW4 higher than the PerL Pro for sound quality. I had the MTW3, but the battery went bad, so I ordered both the MTW4 and the PerL Pro. I first tried the latter, and after I did the tuning, I did not want to take them out anymore. I just wanted to discover more and more of my music. The layer separation, organisation, things like the sibilance of flutes, it's all there. If I have a point of criticism, it's that they miss out on that Nth degree of conveying a sense of space. Which I found quite surprising given all the other qualities I mentioned. Anyway, I did try the MTW4s as well, and they sounded ok, but I knew then that I would return them. Besides, the Denons fit is better than the Sennheisers.

[@juanp756]

Agree with you, bumped the 4k and 2k regions using an eq (not denons app) and it sounded a little better to me.

[@emile345]

Some nice gems in this video again, like Morphology's Understory. I can't even tell how much music I discovered because of Darko. The older videos were focused more on electronic music, I had the impression, and I absolutely loved it. Recently the music suggestions have been a bit more (pop) rock oriented, probably to better match the taste of the target audience. But now out of nowhere comes Snoop Dogg, that caught me out! I love it, keep the recommendations coming!

[@PeterMooshammer]

I am always curious which earbud cancels the wind noise best while riding a bike. So thank you for mentioning the wind noise option

[@aglobalnomad]

Thanks for the review! You mention at the beginning that you used these with several phones but only two of the phones could use apTx lossless. I'm also a P7P user, so I was really hoping you'd make some comments on if your IEM preference would change if you're using a device that doesn't use apTx and relies on other codecs (as it's unlikely Google will ever use a Qualcomm chip). Maybe in the next video?

[@spda242]

After over 20 years Sennheiser didn’t get renewed faith, I replaced my old Sennheiser with Panasonic az80, very happy user, not 100% perfect but very good iem. Aphex Twins Selected Ambient Works sound amazing 👍 Would live to hear Jons’ review of them az80 if it happens by some reason.

[@techmed-rainer]

Thank you for this very nice comparison, John 🙏 One additional remark regarding the TW4. With one of the latest firmware updates, Sennheiser added Auracast functionality. It’s not wide spread yet. I find it very promising, though.

[@walterbrown2179]

9:57 Love that live album! Just saw him in Alabama last month and he opened with '...Fatty'. Happy holidays from the States!

[@Hunter4Knowledge]

Where do the az80s fall?

[@Hijynx87]

No b&w pi8 or cambridge m100?

[@buffal0bilious]

My Sennheiser TW3 developed a battery charging issue. They wouldn't stop charging until they and the case were both dead. I made a warranty claim with Sennheiser two months before the end of the coverage period, and Sennheiser sent me back the TW4. I guess they must be fed up dealing with TW3 issues. I like the TW4 so far, but, just like with the TW3, I find they don't maintain a good seal as effectively as I'd like. I have to re-seat them somewhat frequently.

[@ttbmg]

Question for you, do you have smaller ears or medium to larger ears? I have seen that the sennheiser's tend to be more uncomfortable for those with smaller ears. I had the CX and had to return them. They were just too big for my ears I'm wondering if you have smaller ears to determine if I should try these or not. Thanks for your feedback

[@jakovgjor4e]

I'm curious what you'd think about the Lypertek products as a budget alternative.. had the Z5, now waiting for the Z7 to arrive!

[@robertcallander6772]

I chose Technics AZ80 and I love them; great sound (a sonic fingerprint that I love) and incredibly good fit. BUT I didn't get to audition anything else. Where can you go to try earbuds? Maybe the others are better???

[@AndrewYouTubehandle]

Excellent review and very relevant for me (Xperia 1vi, iPhone, Airpods pro 2, Status Between ANC, ...). Does the Sennheiser Momentum tw4 sound better than the Sony wfxm5? (I'm using lossless uncompressed music). Denon Pearl Pro is currently at £150, the Sennheiser Momentum tw 4 £158. Some great deals around. The airpods pro 2 has a battery that can be replaced.

[@thelion43]

Is the airpod pro 2 hearing test similar to the Denon pearl pro hearing test

[@tombyrnerocks]

Great video as always John! Are you ill? Or do you have a new microphone setup? Your voice sounds like it's missing it's bottom end. Listening on web through my Yamaha HS5's as always and something sounds different...

[@melvinaperez2585]

Do different phone brands have Different Sound Signature's? If they have, what phone brand is the best Sounding? 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@stefanweilhartner4415]

i had the sennheiser tw 3 and they where great - until one of them broke down. i also had a grill issue. so, the longevity was very bad. however. the quality was good and i liked them. so, before going on vacation, i will get the new tw4 version. on vacation this is great. music on the phone or youtube or movies on the notebook. especially when i am sitting around in a café/bar on the beach and do something productive on the notebook it is very useful when watching tutorials on youtube. i also like the transparency mode. when a waiter comes to take an order, i tap on the ear piece and it switches in a kind of transparency mode and i can hear whats going on around me without taking them out of the ear. when it comes to big over-ear headphones, i am with Austrian Audio - the true successor of AKG. but with in-ear, i have good experiences with Sennheiser.

[@jakenord5027]

John, would you take the Sennheiser over the AirPods Pro 2?

[@christianbeuschel1297]

Maybe my favorite new TW IEM: "Moondrop Moca" closely followed by "Sony Link Buds S" not so closely followed by Apples Earpods Pro 2 (still the only ones that don't bug me due to an occlusion effect while walking) not so closely followed by "Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro" I'm still testing and enjoyment in listening to music is my only criteria in this ranking.

[@silvershield2342]

I have the Linkbud S - excellent. It punches way above it current price

[@rhphotocdn]

I want the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8

[@KristoffDoneit]

Best sound I've ever heard in a wireless IEM by a large margin and I own Sennheiser TW's and have extensively tested many others. Especially if you have a device that supports ApTX lossless. I dont but I got the fiio bt11 and now I can play lossless through my phone and use Apple Music to play "lossless" audio. The only thing is the bt11 and the PI8s cut out once and a while. Not all the time, but enough where it's sometimes frustrating. Regardless of that, the sound is sooooo much better, it's worth it. The build quality, fit, battery, charging case, etc are all excellent. This would be a perfect product if they would just fix the signal cut out issue.

[@JoeGillian0]

​@@KristoffDoneitHi, i have to purchase that fiio bt11 but i read there was a lot of issues with it...hope it's fixed now... I have also a xperia with support for aptx lossless

[@ShoganGeorge]

Really interested to try the Final Audio ZE8000 MK2. They apparently have a better version of ANC that doesn't reduce sound quality, if that's to be believed...

[@derrickdu]

What about Bowers & Wilkins pi8?

[@mugenpower78]

MTW4 are really good

[@dariuszwojcik1601]

Sadly I have to say that the glue issue with sennheisers tws4 still exists as it has happened to me. Got them in the middle of March and one of the grills has already detached itself from them, same as with tws3.

[@JoeGillian0]

Really??? My MTW4 just arrived...My MTW3 died after 6 months and i was reimbursed...i expect much more of thebMTW4

[@KTZ_86]

No B&W P8?

[@ANiCKiN]

Earfun Free Pro 3 - very solid (even ANC is DECENT) bluetooth in ear. Only 50-60€ on sale.

[@zubidoc]

Has Sennheiser sorted the dying battery issue that TW3 had? I've got my TW3 replaced 3 times because of that, and the last new pair died after 6 months. Very annoying and disappointing. I love the sound but can't trust them anymore. Will be looking for a replacement. Maybe the B&W PI8. Very curious to hear your opinion about those. Thanks John and Marry Christmas.

[@stefanweilhartner4415]

are you using them in extreme climate conditions?

[@silvershield2342]

Have Sony Linkbud S. They are excellent and only selling now for $125US. Sound quality is neutral and revealing. I would put them up to more expensive sets. They are also light and remain in place, unlike my Apple pods. Noise cancellation feature also exceeds my Apple

[@tagemathiassen]

Wondering where the pi8 is in this video 😂 totally missing out on the best sounding wireless earbuds of the year

[@atrueghoststory]

Darko what about the Technics AZ80s

[@james0054]

The quality control of the Denon is a nightmare. I bought 2 sets of the Peal Pro on Black Friday. Both of them have the noise on the left side.

[@HansWurst-mi8gg]

Are there iems with ldac-bluetooth-codec?

[@ChrisWhittenMusic]

Great…..thanks.

[@bryanwoody8868]

Own a pair of TW4 that required replacement by Sennheiser's service department. Twice. Much happier overall with the Cambridge Audio M100's I bought as a replacement.

[@paulwozniak6219]

Wondering how the pixel pro Bluetooth sound quality is

[@FatNorthernBigot]

The B&W Pi8s are not mentioned here, but sound incredible.

[@pauljordan3828]

I agree I absolutely love them and they fit fantastically for me

[@bobcuzi]

Same here - they’re amazing

[@dule2303]

​@@pauljordan3828same here

[@brandonbrodbeck6688]

Doesnt the samsung have something similar but their own codec?

[@MichaelLaing71]

As others have mentioned, the Technics az80 are generally considered to be one of the best earbuds on the market. I will say, though, that the difference between the az80 and az60mk2 is not great, with the az80 having a better sound stage and marginally more bass, but at quite a higher price.

[@industryrule-4080]

The AirPods Pro 2 are about the best value in wireless in-ear earphones in my testing.

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

I wonder if sony will release a newer version of ldac like ldac 2.0 with lossless audio support and the engineer prowless from audeze since sony already acquired audeze. I also wonder if sonus faber and mcintosh will have there engineer experts work with bose to improve bose sound quality department and quality components and try to use standard components instead of the bose low quality and proprietary components that bose is already known for since bose already acquired sonus faber and mcintosh.

[@chickenpie9698]

I''m not sure I can ever justify buying a true wireless like these again. I've found that the batteries just don't last, aren't covered under warranty typically and are not at all easy to replace - practically, they're an e-waste ticking time-bomb. I've yet to hear any that actually sound that impressive compared to IEMs from a decade ago or the slew of newer and incredibly competent releases we have been seeing over the past few years. I think at this point, I'll be sticking to wired stuff and just using dongles or maybe investing in a true wireless adapter. There's a reason every tech company is churning out these products every year. I'm sick of the lacklustre sound quality, build quality and overall longevity just for mediocre noise cancelling and not needing to deal with a cable.

[@trekkis]

Batteries are not any problem. I have many pairs from years and exactly none from them have any problem with batteries to date. Anc is definitely not medicore, it's absolute essential. Sound quality is very high, better than from many external not so great dacs.

[@starbase218]

Actually, the batteries of my Sony WF-1000XM4s and Sennheiser MTW3s both failed within the warranty period, meaning I could get a full refund from Amazon for both. I don't like this from a sustainability POV, but as far as I'm concerned, this is someone else's problem. Maybe the EU can come with regulations to guarantee a right to repair or something like that.

[@JoeGillian0]

​@@starbase218Those 2 ...i had them both were not very good...Luckily for me the MTW3 died within 6 months so i was reimbursed...not such Luck with my wfxm4 just 2 or 3 weeks after 2 year warranty they did not last more than 20 minutes

[@liamporter1137]

LDAC is a superior codec.

[@TheJohnniegolden]

My Girlfriend LOVES her TW4s and thanks me every time she goes to the gym for convincing her away from Apple earphones.

[@fun-ghi]

Waiting for the Sony WF-X1000XM6...

[@hatunpedro]

Greetings from Peru 🇵🇪!

[@csnazell]

Possibly I've been unlucky but I've had nothing but grief with my Sennheiser TW4s. The ANC / Wind Cancellation added a weird glutinous crackle to podcast playback. The touch detection is incredibly sensitive to the point you can't wear a hood, I live in Scotland it's wet, I occasionally need the hood up. Sennheiser customer support have been profoundly uninterested in my problems (also with the weird hum the Momentum 4s developed after a firmware update). Their hardware seems top notch but their software & support is poor.

[@PatrickPecoraro]

Technics is the best.

[@d.3671]

I disagree. The AZ80 are excellent but the highs are a bit harsh, less refined than the Momentum TW4, and their ANC is not as great. Maybe they win in terms of comfort and fit...

[@starbase218]

I tried the AZ80s and sent them back. Ordered MTW4 and PerL Pro. Kept the PerL Pros, sent the MTW4s back.

[@HitaarthBhutani]

But haven’t you noticed that the sound is not as open as before on the MTW 4 after firmware 5.15.4 ? please share your views

[@texfromro]

I beg to differ.. you can make an earphone to sound like another earphone. On android with the help of the poweramp I made a pair of sony wf1000xm4 to sound "the same" as a a pair of AKG N90Q using the same target eq. Of course the AKG with their huge drive inside were better on any metrics, but they had the same "voice" and i was shocked...

[@andy_ppp]

The AirPods Pro v2 I had to send back, for me they constantly fall out of my right ear... I get the feeling everyone is fairly unique in this regard. The Beats Fit Pro work much better for me and never fall out.

[@eyessayyes]

I wonder if you’ve ever used a Bluetooth iem long enough to have to wrestle with battery life and connectivity. I’ve had a few pair and have struggled with each and have only switched to the next one because of the failure of the last. The tw3 has been giving me surreal grief for many months-a roller coaster of charged and drained and drained and charged left right in between

[@bartbarelds8454]

“They” need to make the batteries exchangeable.

[@trekkis]

Some have that option, but this is not important.

[@bartbarelds8454]

@@trekkis well i think it is. Have had several wireless pairs already and on every single one of them the battery died due to using them allot.

[@Elgsdyr]

If you were able to set a max charge for the ear buds, that would come a long way. I had the batteries in a pair Sony WF1000XM4s die after only 1½ year. The thing is, I almost never use them more than half an hour at a time so having them charge to 100% every time I put them I the case is a complete waste. If I could set it to e.g. max 60% they could last for a decade with no issues. But I guess it's all part of the planned obsolescence...

[@bartbarelds8454]

@@Elgsdyr WF-1000XM4 are among the pairs i have experience with and also 1,5 year before the battery died. I’ve purchased fairbuds, these have replaceable batteries but the sound quality is nothing to write home about.

[@joeblack1878]

Denon Perl are awesome. Unfortunately, sound quality is not the only factor in what's the best buds for you. Yes, the Denon doesn't have the best ANC, which isn't a huge deal because the passive isolation with the memory foam is so good. Yes, it doesn't have the best mics, but they are good enough. Yes, they are not the prettiest thing in your ear, but for some it might be. What the Perl do have besides great sound is fit. Fit for me is the the most important thing. If they don't stay in your ear, they will stay in the drawer. Fit is the reason I own 8 pairs of Bluetooths before I got the perl. Wasn't looking for the best sound. Just wanted something the stay put. Good luck with yall search, and remember, KZbin can't tell you what will fit your ears. Just buy them.

[@ahmadfodeh3413]

No B&W ? No B&O ? No contest ...

[@RyuTsuchiya]

I'm so curious what you would think about the Devialet Gemini (specially for electronic music) 😅

[@jackramsay9852]

Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 are better than all of these for SQ

[@Birmingham_racing]

Still love doggy style album

[@attilab.2818]

No B&W, no B&O, no Technics, no winner.

[@starbase218]

Tried the Technics, found them meh.

[@victorgriffith8968]

​@@starbase218which ones?

[@JP-zh6ss]

Through my Sennheiser Momentum 3 in the garbage recently because they wouldn't charge anymore. I know others had that problem as well. So unless the company confirms having addressed the issue I wouldn't touch the Momentum 4 no matter how good they sound.

[@trekkis]

I have denons from many months, and for me are huge disappointment. They have the best fit, comfort and controls for me, but anc (terrible, not useful due to broken auto mode) and sound quality are simply bad. Momentum for me are not comfortable. So still for me from high end B&O are the best to date, even without losless, and from budget ones - Nothing 2024. Even this one are better than denons despite ldac. Next one to buy with lossless for me will be now B&W Pi8.

[@timothyfrost6543]

Sounds like the best of the 3 was the fourth one

[@matsetizar65]

True wireless? So there are some who lie about being wireless?

[@joshuapilsworth3634]

It’s criminal that you didn’t include the pi8’s. The sound quality is just unparalleled.

[@TyFeague]

Well, this video just reinforces my decision to buy AirPods Pro 2 earlier this year. The bass heavy Bose would not be to my taste. There’s no way I’d wear the Denon logo so prominently while out and about. But the Sennheiser would be a good contender. And when I was looking to buy my first pair of wireless IEMs the previous gen Sennheisers were in contention as well.

[@pickyaudiophile]

There's an issue if your non-audiophile GF opts for an overpriced 2024 released smartphone (Samsung S24+ in my case) ...lacking any basic codecs like LDAC or aptX (whatever aptX...)... while just supports lossy "LC3". It'll never get anywhere with spreading the idea of audiophila.

[@ewigerschuler3982]

Non replaceable battery. Premium future e waste. Pathetic!

[@TyFeague]

I mean, everything we consume is effectively future waste. Don’t get me wrong, I agree that non-replaceable batteries are a major issue. But a wired pair of IEMs that end up in the garbage due to a driver failure or cut cable etc. are just as much waste as a wireless pair in the trash because of a failed battery. It comes down to being responsible consumers. I have no problem justifying a wireless IEM because I use them for 8 hours a day for work, and will use the same pair for many years. That’s a very good use to waste ratio. There’s nothing pathetic about that.

[@charlienyc1]

​@@TyFeagueI'd agree with you, but I seriously doubt everyone's use case matches yours. If you look through the comments about battery life, many users seem to have failures whether within the warranty period or after. And what do you do with your old buds after upgrading? They'll eventually find their way to a landfill.

[@TheMinijobber]

In ears…never ever…

[@WhiteRvssian2023]

Bose has been a rubbish brand for the past 35 years. Don't bother even reviewing them.

[@shmoutube]

20 seconds I'm and in already googling 'Aphex Twin umbrella'. 😂

[@PotentChr0nic]

Omg I had to pause the video to do the same 😂

[@MrTurdskin]

You can't list the best true wireless earbuds of 2024 and not include the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8.