Things You Need to Know Before Buying a Pair of Wireless Earbuds

Every music lover needs a pair of quality earbuds. Wireless earbuds are becoming increasingly popular because, as the name implies, they don’t have any wires. That makes them a super convenient companion whether you’re on the road, in bed, or at the gym.

However, before buying a pair, you need to consider several things that can greatly affect your listening experiences, such as sound and call quality, volume, and others. We prepared this guide to help you make an informed decision and choose the best wireless earbuds for you and your needs. Discover everything you need to know before getting yours.

Brands and Cost

One of the most important things to consider before buying a pair of wireless earbuds is the brand producing them. Casual listeners may not need to buy the most expensive earbuds with studio-quality sound. However, it’s essential to buy your wireless earbuds from a brand you can trust. Typically, brands that have been producing audio products for years make quality earbuds that can offer better sound and last longer.

Spending the right amount of money is also vital. Cheap devices often disappoint, leaving you with low-quality sound and wasted money. To ensure you get the best value for money, try to find the right balance between an affordable price and a recognized brand. If the brand isn’t famous, you can check the reviews and see what other users say about the product. Also, check if there are any offers or discounts.

Sound and Call Quality

Excellent wireless earbuds will have a rich, balanced sound neither lacking in bass nor too bass-heavy. To ensure your music doesn’t sound hollow, look at the size of the drivers. Six-millimeter drivers can be decent. However, if richer sound and instrument isolation matter to you, you’ll need at least ten-millimeter drivers on each end of the earbuds.

Mic-reception is also vital. Wireless earbuds can sound great when listening to music but fail when making a call. So, if you’ll be using your earbuds for calls or multiplayer gaming, find devices with either good active noise cancellation (ANC) or multiple mics.

Audio-Codec Support

If you’re willing to spend money on high-end earbuds, look at the audio-codec support. Decent, mid-range quality wireless earbuds usually support the SBC codec. However, if you want better, higher resolution audio, find devices that support AptX, AAC, or LDAC codecs.

Design

The design is also essential when it comes to choosing a perfect pair of wireless earbuds. Earbuds will likely continuously hang out of your ears for long periods. That’s why it’s critical to get the right fit and design you’re comfortable wearing.

If the earbuds are too small, they may fall out. On the other hand, if they’re too big, they can be painful for you to wear. That's especially true when the earbuds are plastic and don’t feature silicone tips. If you’re unsure about your fit, look for earbuds that come with several sizes of replaceable ear tips. Also, if you intend to use your earbuds for running or other workouts, find wireless earbuds that feature additional tools to stay snug.

Battery Life and a Charging Case

Wireless earbuds are small devices with tiny batteries. However, producers sometimes claim unrealistic battery performance. Typically, if they say a battery can last 18 to 20 hours, their actual performance is lower by an hour or two. Moreover, batteries on some low-quality wireless earbuds can wear out quickly, drastically reducing the device’s lifespan.

Although wireless earbuds offer flexibility from wires, you can lose them more easily. But a good charging case helps charge and store your truly wireless earbuds. Some cases even come with in-built batteries, letting you charge your wireless earbuds on the go. Also, many models support wireless charging. That reduces the nuisance of plugging wires into the case.

Features and Gestures

Almost every pair of wireless earbuds have a few standout features. It’s best to stick to the features that matter to you. For example, if you plan to use your earbuds in the shower, look for water-resistant earbuds.

Key features to look out for are reliable connectivity, quick pairing, the ability to control music playback and calls, and trigger voice assistants. Your wireless earbuds should have at least Bluetooth 5.0 and gestures.

Note that touch-based gestures aren’t for everyone. If you want to use your earbuds during sports, around water, or while in bed, touch-based gestures may sometimes fail to get triggered or trigger without your intention. On the other hand, wireless earbuds with physical buttons have more control but can lose some water resistance.

Controls

Some expensive models of wireless earbuds will have control buttons or pads that you can tap to skip track, increase volume, take phone calls, or issue voice commands. Cheaper earbuds often don’t include any controls, meaning you will have to take out your phone every time you wish to adjust the volume or skip a track.

Some earbuds can even automatically pause once you pull an earbud out of your ear. While such features are desirable, ensure you choose wireless earbuds with responsive controls first and foremost.

Noise Cancellation

A few years back, the noise cancellation was limited only to several wired earbuds. Today, many wireless earbuds include this feature. That means you can turn the volume down to comfortable levels while isolating the noise around you.

Most noise-canceling earbuds also include a hear-though feature. Hear-though lets you hear the world around you with a single touch, without removing the earbuds. Although having a noise cancellation feature on your earbuds enhances the audio experience, it can also quickly drain the battery.

Volume

Not all truly wireless earbuds are produced equally regarding volume levels. Some have to be turned up to maximum volume, whereas other earbuds can provide good enough sound with the volume set at 60%.

If you’re buying in a physical store, try checking the volume levels as you can’t get more than a maximum volume from wireless earbuds, unlike their wired counterparts, which you can plug into a headphone amplifier.

Get Your Perfect Pair of Wireless Earbuds

A pair of quality earbuds is an essential item for any music enthusiast. If you’re looking to buy wireless earbuds, you need to ensure they match your activities and expectations. So, before buying, ask yourself what you will be using them for. If you plan to use your wireless earbuds for running or other types of workouts, ensure you get water-resistant earbuds, such as NeoPodz.

Pay attention to the volume they provide and the quality of calls. Also, check the connectivity. A pair of wireless earbuds should feature Bluetooth 5.0 or higher to ensure good connectivity. Going for the cheapest earbuds you can find wouldn’t be a wise decision. However, getting the most expensive ones doesn’t mean complete satisfaction either. Again, the features they come with are most important, so ensure you check them before buying.