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You may have seen IP waterproof ratings on earbuds, often for earbuds that say they’re suitable for exercise – but what do they actually mean? Let’s break it does, because it might be useful when you’re looking at what to buy.
An IP rating is expressed as IP and then two numbers, or an X and then a number. The first number (or the X) refers to dustproofing. This can be useful, but we’re not getting into it here – an X means it isn’t rated for it. The second number refers to waterproofing.
A record-low price on the best earbuds of 2025!
Hello, hello. A new lowest-ever price on the earbuds we rate as being the best you can buy right now? The ones better than AirPods, better than Sony, better than Bose? Yes please!
Released in January 2025, the Technics EAH-AZ100 are still the only earbuds to offer multipoint to three devices simultaneously, plus excellent sidetone tech for hearing your own voice in calls more naturally, as well as some of the most neutral and detailed audio in an even smaller, even more premium-feel design. We cannot recommend then enough.
Technics EAH-AZ100: Now $224 at Amazon
Size and comfort is something that people usually think about with earbuds (we have a whole guide to the best earbuds for small ears), but what sometimes gets missed when buying earbuds is the size of the case – and it really matters.
Sony’s super-cheap earbuds are still a great deal
The Sony WH-C510 are earbuds we rate more highly than Apples AirPods 4, despite being half the price: in our review of the WF-C510 we said they are among our favorite low-cost earbuds thanks to their punchy, high-quality sound, comfortable fit and ultra-affordable price.
We rated them four and a half stars when they were at full price. At this discounted price they’re an absolute steal, as long as you’re happy without active noise cancellation.
Sony WF-C510: now $48 at Amazon
Third in my list of ones to avoid is the Earfun Tune Pro. What’s so bad about these? It’s a simple answer: the Earfun Wave Life are simply a much better proposition! We love those headphones, and if you see a great deal on them, don’t hesitate! But do hesitate to get their weaker sibling pair.
Next up, the Sony ULT Wear. These have some big Black Friday discounts already, so you might easily find yourself tempted… but there are so many Sony over-ear headphones I recommend wholeheartedly, that buying a Sony set only worthy of a four-star review after going 12 rounds in our intensive testing process – see our Sony ULT Wear review if you don’t believe me – would be a misstep, even if they’re heavily discounted. The Sony WH-1000XM4 are barely any more expensive right now! Get those!
I’ve recommended a load of deals I think you’ll like here, but let’s mention a few products I think probably won’t make good Black Friday buys, even if they get strong discounts.
First up is the Skullcandy Crusher 540 Active. Here’s the thing: they’re made for using while exercising, but I don’t think they’re a great fit for sports use. The bass slider is a fun addition to help you crush those workouts, true, but the insecure fit undermines it all – even in relatively slow and strong workouts.
Looking at all these deals, you’re probably wondering just how many have really hit their lowest price or will drop further in a week, and how many other deals might appear on Black Friday itself. Unfortunately, we really don’t know – but there are two things to consider.
First, if you see a product you like and it’s the price you want to pay, then buy it, and don’t worry if it becomes $10 cheaper later. It’s about getting the product you want within your budget. Obviously, we don’t want you to buy a poor deal – we won’t tell you about those. But just don’t agonize over whether you should hold on or not; this stuff shouldn’t be stressful.
When it comes to spatial audio for movies, the Sonos Ace and Apple’s AirPods Max and AirPods Pro model really stand apart. There are other models that have great spatial audio with music (including several Sony models, and Bose’s Ultra range), but for movie fans who want immersion on the go, the Ace and AirPods are the way to go.
Sonos’ headphones – down to the right price?
The Sonos Ace have a nice Black Friday discount, bringing them down to $279. Their noise cancellation punches above that price, and the sound quality is very good for the price too – but as we said in our original Sonos Ace review, the real trick here is how good they are with movies.
The Dolby Atmos sound is just fantastic, and the spatial audio with head-tracking really feels like you’re sitting among a set of home theater speakers. It works over Bluetooth, or with Sonos’ soundbars, which is a trick few other headphones can manage.
The best-value noise cancelling headphones, no question
Here’s an interesting one – the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are technically a bargain right now at $199. Except that a few days ago, they briefly dropped to $169. Maybe they’ll do so again, or maybe not. The thing is, if you want noise-cancelling headphones, you should probably just ignore the $169 price and get them anyway.
We just recently re-tested all the best noise-cancelling headphones, and rated the Bose QuietComfort Headphones as the best option under $250, because they offer class-leading noise cancellation that’s basically as good as the models that cost nearly twice as much. We did direct comparisons against all the biggest competitors, in real-world environments, and these punch so far above their weight.
They’re better at blocking sound than the Sony WH-1000XM5 right now, and are notably cheaper. Maybe it’s worth waiting to see if you can save an extra $30, but if you’re feeling impatient, you’ll still find these to be an amazingly good value.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones: now $199
BTW, it’s no coincidence that I’ve shared a few pairs of earbuds that come in funky finishes. The pink Bose are called “Sonic Sangria”, and the blue translucent Sony buds remind me of the iMac and the Game Boy Advance. I love when there are fun options! Why do so many companies only do boring colors? And by “so many companies” I mean, you, Apple.
Super-cheap Sony alert!
Let’s stick with cheap Sonys for a moment – here’s a pair of Sony cans for under $40. That’s not a mistake: this deal takes a cool 46% off the list price. These were already impressively cheap headphones, and as we said in our WH-CH520 review they are “simply superb value”. They sound good, they run for 50 hours between charges and they’re comfortable too. What’s not to like?
Sony WH-CH520: now $38 at Amazon
Sony’s best earbuds, in our humble opinion
Sony’s newest affordable wireless earbuds for less than $80 in Amazon’s early Black Friday sale? Yup: the Sony WF-C710N are a real bargain.
For this money, you’re getting Sony quality for the kind of money you’d expect to pay for a much lesser brand. In our Sony WF-C710N review, we heaped praise on these buds for their bolstered battery life, fantastic sound quality and upgraded ANC. At this price point, my recommending them is a no-brainer.
We think these are the best Sony earbuds to buy right now, when it comes to balancing price and performance. The Sony WF-1000XM5 might be higher-end, but they’re not as impressive as they should be for three times the price of these excellent buds.
Sony WF-C710N: now $79 at Amazon
Good noise-cancelling headphones under $50
Here’s one for bargain hunters: the JLab JBuds Lux ANC might have sound that’s a little bass-heavy – but could be ideal for those who like that kind of presentation – but for under $50 the audio is much better than it’s any right to be.
Also, the build feels far more premium than even the MSRP suggests and the battery life, at up to 70 hours, or 44 with ANC deployed, is unheard of for the level. Read our full JLab JBuds Lux ANC review for more, but know this: JLab is a trusted name in affordable head-fi and these over-ear headphones won’t disappoint for a good budget option.
JLab JBuds Lux ANC: now $49.99 at Amazon
The best noise-cancelling earbuds on the planet?
You can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen for $299 right now. On the face of it, a $50 saving isn’t the most headline-worthy sale you’ll see on Black Friday, but this is Bose.
It’s also the first ever saving I’ve seen on this set of 5-star, 2025-release noise-cancelling earbuds that basically walk all over anything else on the market for noise cancellation (except maybe Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 – but if you don’t own an iPhone I don’t recommend those, however good the deal).
A lowest-seen fee on a truly excellent set of new earbuds from Bose? Yes please.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen: Now $299 at Amazon
Sony’s previous flagship hit their lowest price – but is it low enough?
These headphones have been superseded by the excellent Sony WH-1000XM6, but if you’ve been eyeing up the Sony WH-1000XM5 but didn’t like their fairly high price tag then today is a good day to buy. These premium headphones have just dropped below $250, which is as low as they’ve ever been – check out our review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 to get all the details on them.
They’re very good, but the question is whether this is going to be a low enough price to tempt people. Newer headphones from Bose, Nothing and Cambridge Audio are in this price zone, and there are cheaper headphones that very tempting too.
The XM5 are still excellent headphones, though – if you’ve been considering them, this is as cheap as they’ve ever been!
Sony WH-1000XM5: now $248 at Amazon
AirPods Pro 2 hit lowest-ever price
$139 is a true steal for earbuds this good! It doesn’t matter that AirPods Pro 3 have come out since then – they cost over $100 more than this! Yes, they have better noise cancellation and longer battery life, but their other improvements aren’t so huge, and this model still sounds excellent, has really good active noise cancellation, and are packed with smart features.
For this price, there’s no better earbuds option for Apple users, and I bet most people would be happier keeping $110 in their wallet and buying these than getting the new model.
AirPods Pro 2: now $139 at Walmart
Plus, let’s face it, there are some of you out there who are really hoping to buy a pair of the best noise-cancelling headphones or noise-cancelling earbuds before the family arrives for Thanksgiving…