Highest score first

Written reviews

Ranked by the score James gave each one. Reviews he did not score follow at the end.

HEADPHONES9 Jul 20267 min read

Sony 1000X Collexion review: my scores and final ranking

Sony’s 1000X Collexion just took my top spot. Here’s how it scored across build, comfort, battery, controls, connectivity, calls, app features, ANC, transparency and sound.

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92.7

EARBUDS8 Apr 20268 min read

HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 Review: My New Top-Ranked Earbuds

In this HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro 5 review, I found a seriously strong all-rounder with a major noise-cancelling upgrade, excellent calls and very decent sound. They take first place in my ranking after I customize the scoring.

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91.2

EARBUDS25 Mar 20269 min read

Sony WF-1000XM6 Review: Sony Finally Fixed My XM5 Complaints

My Sony WF-1000XM6 review finds a major step up from the XM5, especially for fit, calls in wind, transparency and sound customization. They take second place after I weight the categories that matter most to me.

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90.7

EARBUDS23 Jun 20267 min read

Baseus Bowie MC2 review: amazing sound for the price

I scored the Baseus Bowie MC2 across ten categories and it shocked me. Killer comfort, big battery, IP67 and best-in-class sound at this price — but the EQ holds it back.

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HEADPHONES14 Jul 20268 min read

AirPods Max 2 review: ranked against 30 headphones

A subtle refresh with standout transparency and strong ANC, but still heavy, 20-hour battery, no true multipoint, and iOS-only extras. I scored them in 10 categories and ranked them against 30 sets.

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89.5

HEADPHONES3 Sept 20268 min read

Sennheiser Momentum 5 review: scored in 10 categories

I scored the Sennheiser Momentum 5 across 10 categories and ranked them against over 30 headphones. Transparency and sound are standouts, ANC is improved, and the battery is replaceable.

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88.9

EARBUDS27 Apr 20267 min read

Earfun Clip 2 Review: Best Budget Clip-On Earbud?

My Earfun Clip 2 review finds a budget clip-on earbud with a strong feature set, better sound than its predecessor and a few sensible compromises. It finished with an 88.5 out of 100 score and remains my highest-scored option for the price.

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88.5

EARBUDS12 Aug 20268 min read

CMF Clip Pro review: comfort, controls and sound

Nothing’s first clip-on earbud nails comfort, controls and connectivity, with big bass and a smart case dial. Sound is strong but needs a tweak at high volume.

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87.4

EARBUDS11 Sept 20267 min read

Sennheiser Momentum 5 TWS Review: Great Sound, Tough Competition

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 TWS are a solid upgrade over the Momentum 4 in basically every category, with genuinely excellent sound and much better wind handling. At $300, though, they are not the strongest all-round value in my ranking.

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EARBUDS16 Mar 20267 min read

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro Review: Ranked Third Out of 62

The Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro are a clear but not dramatic step up from the Buds3 Pro. They improve the areas that matter most, including calls, noise canceling, transparency and sound, then finish third in my ranking of 62 earbuds.

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85.75

HEADPHONES21 Sept 20266 min read

EarFun Wave Pro X Review: 81.7/100 With a Standout Parametric EQ

My EarFun Wave Pro X review found a comfortable, feature-packed budget headphone with unusually capable parametric EQ. The stock sound needs work, but the PEQ can turn it into the best-sounding option at this price.

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82.2

HEADPHONES11 May 20267 min read

Nothing Headphone (a) Review: Ranked 10th Against 28 Headphones

My Nothing Headphone (a) review finds a stylish, well-built headphone with absurd battery life and sound that responds well to EQ. It misses the mark on calls, noise cancelling and transparency for the price, though.

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81.4

HEADPHONES18 May 20267 min read

soundcore Space 2 review: ranked 12th against 29 headphones

I scored the soundcore Space 2 across 10 categories and ranked it against 29 headphones. It finished 83.75/100, then 81.1 weighted for 12th place.

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81.1

EARBUDS17 Jul 20269 min read

Nothing Ear (3a) review: ranked, scored and why I can’t recommend them (yet)

Nothing’s budget buds add serious EQ tools and great call quality, but some rough bugs and a massive transparency-mode EQ shift spoil the experience for now.

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80.1

EARBUDS22 Sept 20267 min read

NEW! Anker Soundcore Lineup: AeroClip 2, Space 2 Pro and Liberty Buds 2

Soundcore has launched three very different products: the open-ear AeroClip 2, the noise-cancelling Space 2 Pro headphones and the compact Liberty Buds 2. I compared their call quality and dug into where each one makes the most sense.

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EARBUDS10 Sept 20264 min read

AirPods 5 Announced: Swipe Controls Are the Upgrade I Wanted

AirPods 5 is not shaping up as a massive overhaul, but Apple has addressed the things that matter most to me. Swipe controls, more battery with ANC, and improved noise cancelling make this a very promising open-ear update.

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OTHERS6 Sept 20265 min read

Denon DP-500BT turntable and Denon Home 400 review

A tidy vinyl-plus-streaming setup: Denon’s DP-500BT turntable and the Denon Home 400 smart speaker. Here’s how they sound together, how I’d connect them, and where each shines.

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EARBUDS22 Jul 20268 min read

Shokz OpenDots 2 vs OpenDots Air: ranked and scored

I scored and ranked OpenDots 2 and OpenDots Air against 44 open earbuds. Controls are finally fixed with squeeze gestures, sound gets a bump, and the 2 climbs back to the top after weighting.

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EARBUDS28 May 20266 min read

AirPods Pro 3 vs AirPods 4 ANC (240 days later)

Pro 3 are the technical powerhouse with stronger ANC, deeper bass, longer battery and swipe volume. AirPods 4 ANC win for comfort, natural transparency and a tiny case I carry everywhere.

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EARBUDS25 May 202610 min read

Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro vs 5 Pro Max: which to buy

I scored both across 10 categories and stacked them against the best from Apple, Sony, Samsung and Bose. ANC, transparency and calls are a big leap; the Max adds an AI note‑taker and a fuller case screen.

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EARBUDS15 Apr 20266 min read

SoundPEATS Air6 HS Review: Finally a Proper Air-Line Upgrade

In this SoundPEATS Air6 HS review, I found the semi-in-ear sound SoundPEATS has been missing since the Air3 Deluxe HS. The bass is impressively full for this style of earbud, although the app’s EQ limitations keep it from being perfect.

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EARBUDS10 Apr 202611 min read

Best Earbuds Ranked 2026: My Current Top Picks

These are my best earbuds after customizing the weighting in my scoring spreadsheet. I have kept it to one earbud per brand, so this list focuses on the strongest pick from each maker.

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EARBUDS19 Mar 20266 min read

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 vs AirPods 4 ANC: A Clear Winner?

I compared the Samsung Galaxy Buds4 with the AirPods 4 ANC across 10 categories. The points finish tied, but the more important categories make the decision much less even.

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SPEAKERS30 Jul 20256 min read

Edifier MR5 Review: Can These 3-Way Speakers Replace a Subwoofer?

The Edifier MR5 packs a three-way driver layout, serious EQ control and bass that reaches surprisingly low for its compact size. It cannot fully replace a separate subwoofer, but it gets closer than I expected.

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