TRUE WIRELESS NOISE–CANCELLING HEADPHONES

Upgrade your iPhone, iPad, or Mac audio and rid your surroundings of unwanted noise

- NICK ODANTZIS

GROUP TEST

ON TEST...

> Anker Liberty Air 2 Pro

> Apple AirPods Pro

> Jabra Elite 85t

> JLAB Epic Air ANC

> Technics EAH-AZ70W

> X by Kygo Xcellence

THE POPULARITY OF True Wireless headphones — that is, headphones that connect to your devices over Bluetooth, have no wires between each unit, and fit inside your ear with buds — has exploded in recent years. But why not on– or over-ear wireless headphones?

While the audio quality of on– or over-ear headphones are generally better, they’re not as flexible. True Wireless headphones are tiny, by comparison, easily fitting in your pocket; they’re barely noticeable in use, and they’re more comfortable. They’re also superior when it’s hot outside or when you’re working out — many are even water-resistant for that reason. True Wireless headphones are also housed in a case that charges them when not in use — a big benefit when you’re on the move.

Nowadays you can even get them with active noise cancelling built in so you can reduce the level of external noise, making them ideal for noisy environments.

Here we test six of the best, covering a range of prices. We’ll look at fit, ease–of–use, battery life, noise-cancelling ability and, most importantly, audio quality — and we’ll show you which is the best.