It's weird you have to pay 300 dollars for acceptable blue tooth ear buds

Naer

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2013
3,402
175
106
When with corded headphones, you only need to pay 35 dollars for decent sounding pair

When will budget wireless ear buds be decent?
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
25,878
24,219
136
There are decent wireless buds around 100. Multiple brands make them like Senn and JBL and anker and even Samsung has nice tws near the $100 price point.
 
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BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
65,702
14,101
146
$35 headphones are not comparable to $300 ear buds...but it's your money...spend it as you see fit.
 
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Hans Gruber

Platinum Member
Dec 23, 2006
2,496
1,341
136
It's weird but you can get some Tozo T20 buds for around $25 on Amazon. The sound quality may not equal the best but you won't have to set $100 bills on fire with the $300 buds whose battery will no longer hold a charge after a year or two with daily use. There are others in that $25 price range.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,488
10,640
136
There are decent wireless buds around 100. Multiple brands make them like Senn and JBL and anker and even Samsung has nice tws near the $100 price point.
With the bonus that you can pick up the Samsung ones bnib on eBay really cheap as they give them away with new phones!
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
51,294
43,582
136
Whatever your price point we need to mandate this in public spaces. There is an epidemic of people listening to stuff on their external speaker or having a full blown video chat in public that I can hear every word of during a meal.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,488
10,640
136
Whatever your price point we need to mandate this in public spaces. There is an epidemic of people listening to stuff on their external speaker or having a full blown video chat in public that I can hear every word of during a meal.
Someone did that whilst sitting next to me on the train about a month ago! Like full on speaker phone conversation!
She did not like it at all when I joined in.

Also what's up with that "hold the phone horizontally in front of my mouth and have it on speaker phone" thing? Why is that a thing? ITS A PHONE! USE IT LIKE A PHONE!
 

K1052

Elite Member
Aug 21, 2003
51,294
43,582
136
Someone did that whilst sitting next to me on the train about a month ago! Like full on speaker phone conversation!
She did not like it at all when I joined in.

Also what's up with that "hold the phone horizontally in front of my mouth and have it on speaker phone" thing? Why is that a thing? ITS A PHONE! USE IT LIKE A PHONE!

electric chair
 

nOOky

Diamond Member
Aug 17, 2004
3,197
2,238
136
I have a set of Jaybird Vista 2 wireless and a set of Aftershokz for running well under 300 bucks.
 
Dec 10, 2005
27,599
11,986
136
Someone did that whilst sitting next to me on the train about a month ago! Like full on speaker phone conversation!
She did not like it at all when I joined in.

Also what's up with that "hold the phone horizontally in front of my mouth and have it on speaker phone" thing? Why is that a thing? ITS A PHONE! USE IT LIKE A PHONE!
I see people having video calls while driving. Like wtf!
 
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Dec 10, 2005
27,599
11,986
136
If you're prone to losing stuff, consider ones that are wired together. You also don't have to spend a ton.

I bought a cheap set of Sony BT earbuds and they are fine compared to some cheap wired ones I used to use. I prefer to use mediocre ones on the go, because they tend to get beat up. I keep nice, wired headphones to use at home.
 

Naer

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2013
3,402
175
106
Gonna purchase these for 50 dollars. They have very good reviews

tk6GlXu.jpg

If I want bluetooth, they have to be on ear headphones imo
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
25,878
24,219
136
Gonna purchase these for 50 dollars. They have very good reviews

tk6GlXu.jpg

If I want bluetooth, they have to be on ear headphones imo
Right now in the IEM hi Fi community these are the best low price IEMs right now

Linsoul CCA Trio in Ear Monitor, 3 x 8mm Dynamic Driver HiFi IEM Earphones, Wired Gaming Earbuds with Ergonomic Shape, Detachable Recessed 2Pin Cable for Audiophile (Without Mic) https://a.co/d/5rGE3KZ
 

Naer

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2013
3,402
175
106
Right now in the IEM hi Fi community these are the best low price IEMs right now

Linsoul CCA Trio in Ear Monitor, 3 x 8mm Dynamic Driver HiFi IEM Earphones, Wired Gaming Earbuds with Ergonomic Shape, Detachable Recessed 2Pin Cable for Audiophile (Without Mic) https://a.co/d/5rGE3KZ
Linsoul has higher priced corded earphones. Should I skip the lower priced ones and go for a higher priced one. Will there be a difference?
 

Naer

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2013
3,402
175
106
The Wirecutter's top pick is the $60 Soundcore Space A40.

Yeah, I'm skipping true wireless earbuds for now. Maybe in the future when they get better.

I'm looking at corded earphones
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
98,995
17,397
126
$35 headphones are not comparable to $300 ear buds...but it's your money...spend it as you see fit.

BT earbuds have inherent transmission bandwidth limitation, subject to environmental impact, not to mention a much smaller driver size. I don't think a cd quality codec is generally available and implemented yet.

 
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Fenixgoon

Lifer
Jun 30, 2003
32,887
12,172
136
I got jlab wireless earbuds for like $20 on sale. They do what I need them to do. I'm happy with them.
 

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
25,784
4,324
126
Stay clear from JLab products. I'm on my 3rd broken pair (Jlab's JBuds Air Sport True Wireless Earbuds) and I'm just too tired of dealing with them to get a 4th pair. Every single set has the left earbud die. One set died after 2 months, one set died on the 2nd use. They are supposed to be IP66 water resistant (for sweat proof and light rain uses). But, the instant a drop of water from sweat hits the left earbud, they short out and die. Support staff is nice, and you just have to take a video of you dropping them in water and cutting the USB cord in half to get a free replacement while the warranty lasts. But, I'm okay with just having a large selection of right earbuds to exercise with. The right earbuds are pretty good for a midrange product ~$50 when they have their sales.

I got jlab wireless earbuds for like $20 on sale. They do what I need them to do. I'm happy with them.
Good luck!
 
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nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
61,330
16,856
136
I got a pair of JLab Epic Air Sport ANC earbuds that I've been using off and on since December, I'm pretty satisfied with them. They've definitely had some sweat and general moisture exposure, since I wear them hiking, often when it's raining (I am wearing a hat while hiking with them in the rain though).
 

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
25,878
24,219
136
BT earbuds have inherent transmission bandwidth limitation, subject to environmental impact, not to mention a much smaller driver size. I don't think a cd quality codec is generally available and implemented yet.

This is true but codecs are not far off. LDAC and AptX Adaptive and Lossless are most of the way there. And other codecs are absolutely excellent anyway.

Most people couldn't tell the difference between a high bit rate AAC or Ogg Vorbis that they here vs a FLAC file.

Also BT earbuds are mostly meant to be used on the go. Who is doing absolutely critical listening on the go with ambient noise around them on a pair of earbuds? Critical listening is done in a quiet space - and then the wireless bit is not as important, and you would have to at least have a higher quality DAC/AMP to get there. As far as driver size, some are not far off from regular IEM's.

Also a few brands have put out quality multi-driver TWS such as Noble, and Aviot from Japan, of which I have a set coming from them.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
98,995
17,397
126
This is true but codecs are not far off. LDAC and AptX Adaptive and Lossless are most of the way there. And other codecs are absolutely excellent anyway.

Most people couldn't tell the difference between a high bit rate AAC or Ogg Vorbis that they here vs a FLAC file.

Also BT earbuds are mostly meant to be used on the go. Who is doing absolutely critical listening on the go with ambient noise around them on a pair of earbuds? Critical listening is done in a quiet space - and then the wireless bit is not as important, and you would have to at least have a higher quality DAC/AMP to get there. As far as driver size, some are not far off from regular IEM's.

Also a few brands have put out quality multi-driver TWS such as Noble, and Aviot from Japan, of which I have a set coming from them.
Just countering Boomer's claim. There is no defeating physics. even so called IEMs have small diaphragm.
 
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