If there’s one area of tech that’s exploded in recent times. It’s wireless earbuds with noise-cancelling powers. We’ve seen all sorts of options emerge up and down the price ladder from both established audio players and newcomers, and here I thought I’d put a few premium pairs I’ve looked at to the test and come to a conclusion of whether any of them are much different and worth your time.
So, read on below to see my thoughts on key players from Sony, Cambridge Audio, Marshall, Audio-Technica and Noble Audio – you can go for the whole thing, or click on the relevant section for the item you’re really interested in.
Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Turns out the established ‘best’ is rather good
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The Sony WF-1000XM5 has been around since July 2023, so they’re getting on for two years old at this point, With this in mind, they’ve carved out a place as the de-facto ‘best’ option for folks from a lot of outlets who are a lot more in-tune with audio gubbins than me due to sublime noise cancelling, rich audio and a comfortable fit.
The first thing I noticed with the XM5s is how much smaller and lighter they are than their predecessors, whose units were much larger, as was the charging case they came with. By downsizing them, Sony has made these buds a lot more pocketable and portable to the point you may well lose them in a bag in a pinch, being 25 per cent smaller and 20 per cent lighter than their predecessor.
General build quality is excellent, with a smooth and glossy plastic finish to the case and buds, and a pleasant action to the hinge. The case is bereft of much in the way of additional branding or pizzazz, coming in black with a rose gold Sony logo, a small status LED, USB-C port and pairing button on the reverse.
The earbuds themselves fit into your earholes with a twist and push fit, which makes for a secure seal to help with noise cancellation performance. There are touch controls on the buds themselves for things like playback control and adjusting the level of noise-cancelling, although due to the rounded finish of the edge of the buds, it can feel a little finicky to get them to do what you want them to against earbuds with more dedicated controls.
Pairing is easy, while there is also support for Multipoint Bluetooth out of the box if you want to share your buds between friends on different devices, or keep them to yourself with a phone, laptop and something else. For workout fans, the XM5s are also IPX4 rated for sweat resistance.
Sony’s app control for the XM5s is quite advanced, coming with clever features such as spatial audio and head-tracking means for things such as accepting phone calls. It can also change listening profiles based on your routine if you want it to. Codec support is reasonable too, with the more common SBC and AAC here alongside Sony’s own, and the more advanced LDAC, if you want to engage in some more detailed listening.
The noise-cancellation is only on or off, which is a shame against Sony’s previous over-ear models that had more granular control if you wanted it. Nonetheless, the noise cancellation of these earbuds is excellent that does a rather good job of cancelling out most noises on busy train journeys, although they do miss out a little on some voices. The great performance is due to Sony’s new mic array with three on each earbud, including dual feedback ones for cancelling out lower-end frequencies, alongside a new integrated processor. The transparency mode is natural and doesn’t feel at all synthetic or ultra-processed when you want to hear the world around you.
The endurance of the XM5s is solid too, with eight hours from the buds with Bluetooth and active-noise-cancelling enabled, with the extra 16 hours from the charging case taking it to a total of 24 hours. Unlike a lot of things, this remains unchanged from the XM4 model, but is still decent for a premium set of earbuds.
The audio profile of Sony’s latest wireless earbuds has been changed somewhat from their previous models, with an exchange of richness in the low end for more clarity and detail in more of a Bose-style sound signature, I’d argue. This isn’t to say the low-end is devoid of any character or depth, as there’s plenty of both to make them a refined listen.
The gritty bass runs in Steven Wilson’s Meanwhile had an excellent sense of clarity and extension to it in among the busier elements of the track’s vocal and acoustic guitar interspersed throughout, while the strong synth bass in Earth Wind & Fire’s Let’s Groove carried weight and presence without going overboard.
The mid-range here is especially lovely, with crispness and sumptuous detail captured in Al Stewart’s Time Passages with his rich vocal and the inflexions of acoustic guitar and organ work. Jimmy Buffett’s Tonight I Just Need My Guitar was much the same story, with some excellent clarity and detail extracted on his vocal, the song’s prominent acoustic guitar work, and the distant percussion that felt off in the distance due to the excellent soundstage.
The XM5s also present a great sense of directionality to their sound as demonstrated also by the width of the signature bongos in Earth, Wind & Fire’s September and the choir and backing vocals way off to the sides in Paul McCartney’s Little Willow. This can also help the immersion factor for mobile gaming, too.
The top end isn’t too jarring, but is as precise and clear as the mid-range, as with the incessant cymbal hits on On The Other Side from The Strokes that can sometimes be quite painful to listen to in some other cans I’ve used. With that wide soundstage, it also allowed lots of room to breathe for the competing percussion introduction of Steely Dan’s Do It Again, where the tones of the track’s electric piano, congas and guiro were nicely distinguishable.
As you might expect from a set of earbuds that’ll run you £219/$311, the Sony WF-1000XM5 impresses with class-leading noise cancellation, a comfortable fit and audio that’s rich, clear and wonderfully detailed across the frequency range. They’re also a lot more compact than previous models, making them infinitely possible. As it turns out, the de facto ‘best’ earbuds are genuinely excellent.
Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 review: A real surprise package from industry veterans
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The Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 might be more of the ‘wildcard’ choice here, coming from a brand that epitomises the term ‘heritage brand’ in my mind. I’d already been impressed by their sister product, the wireless over-ear noise-cancelling P100 headphones, so it’s fair to say I had quite high hopes for their first ANC-flavoured in-ear model.
The M100 feature a thinner and slimmer case than the XM5s, which is arguably easier to slot into a pocket, although the buds and case are a little more plasticky in build than Sony’s more premium-level finishing. As with Sony’s, though, the case doesn’t have much flair beyond a glossy Cambridge Audio logo and a USB-C port on the rear.
The earbuds fit with a convenient twist-and-push motion into your ears, and the default tips provided a secure fit and good seal for noise cancellation in my ears, although there are multiple other sizes in the box to suit different sizes. The touch controls on the M100 are fine, if a little fiddly given the smaller profile of the buds themselves. To pair them, you need to hold for nearly 10 seconds.
Clear voice prompts are at least provided to notify you when it’s done, and choosing ‘Southwark’ in the Melomania Connect app will prompt Matt Berry to tell you when your headphones are connected. The app control is a bit more basic than Sony, but you do get more granular control for the noise-cancellation, plus a low-latency game mode. You don’t get the clever spatial audio or advanced routines, as Sony does, though.
The M100’s active noise cancellation surprised me with how solid it is, being able to block out most noises on a couple of busy train journeys into London and using the Underground. With a strong seal, it performed well, although it didn’t entirely remove higher-pitched scratches or alarm noises. There is a transparency mode for when you want to hear what’s going on around you, although I did find it a little synthetic against the XM5s.
With regards to battery life, you’ll get around ten hours from the buds themselves with ANC on, and up to 16 hours with it off. Add the charging case into the equation, and it brings it up to a mega 52 hours.
In terms of audio, these Cambridge Audio in-ears are best described as being clean and inoffensive. They’re balanced and not too heavy-handed with a particular frequency, but they come with a natural and very listenable sound across different music.
I found them to have some excellent detail expanse on a live cut of Rush’s 2112, and the dreamy soundscape of Steven Wilson’s Meanwhile that soon descends into a gritty rocker with masterful low end that’s pleasantly clean and not overbearing.
Lighter acoustic tracks, such as Paul Weller’s cover of Pinball from Brian Protheroe, are also rich and clean with some great detail on his acoustic guitar work, the simplistic groove, and his signature vocal tone. The same goes for OMD’s Locomotion, which also details that wide soundstage with the distant backing vocals.
The top end is smooth, as with the cymbal hits on the chorus of Paul Heaton’s Fish N Chip Supper, without being overbearing, while the initial flurry of cymbal hits and drum work in Easy Lover is controlled without being brash. Vocals are also handled well with a clean presentation on Noel Gallagher’s Council Skies among a groovy backing.
The Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 might be the surprise package of this set of mini-reviews, offering a clean and slick sound, plus good noise cancellation and a comfortable fit. And for the £99/$119 discounted price tag, they’re an absolute steal.
Marshall Motif II ANC review: Rocking buds for rock music
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The Marshall Motif II ANC come from a different place than the other two so far, leaning further into the brand’s rock roots for some added style and their sound profile. Their £169/$170 price tag also makes them one of the more premium sets here, so expectations are quite high.
They arguably are the most AirPods-like in form factor, with the same style of fitment that hangs out of your ears, as opposed to a twist and push motion to get a secure fit. The fit is reasonably solid with default tips, and the case also has a similar profile to my older AirPods I got free with an old MacBook Pro some years ago. It’s quite pocketable and has a pleasant texturing with classic Marshall styling, the same as the earbuds.
Pairing over Bluetooth is simple, with just opening the earbuds and holding down the button on the case, and they were picked up instantly. The Motif II ANC’s touch controls are fine for media playback and such, and there is some tactile/auditory feedback for them to make life easier.
Their battery life is in the middle of the other models above, with the earbuds capable of lasting for up to six hours with ANC, or up to nine hours without. Add the charging case to proceedings, and this is up to 30 hours or 43 hours, respectively. The endurance is also improved from the first model.
The Motif II ANC’s noise cancelling is perhaps the weakest of the three, with nearby voices and train announcements still coming through quite clearly, in spite of being on the highest setting.
Their control is handy and gives three different levels of cancellation, as well as a transparency mode that is between a natural and synthetic feel. The Marshall app also has various EQ settings, means of adjusting touch control functions, firmware updates, and discusses Spotify Tap. You can also enable Battery Preservation to keep them lasting longer.
As for audio performance, I found their sound to feel a little quieter than other options here, with audio feeling a tad further away. Nonetheless, they are a fun and energetic listen, especially in busier situations, such as Easy Lover, which also displays both the crispness of the highs of the song’s constant cymbal hits and the decent depths of lows.
Donald Fagen’s IGY features a clear vocal and decent width to the sound, with the drums moving across the soundstage, alongside the jangly riff. The soundstage actually gets better as you go louder, although at the expense of thinning out the lower end. This was also the case in the powerful intro to Money for Nothing by Dire Straits. The Doobie Brothers’ Learn To Let Go is rich and clean too, with a decent soundstage around Michael McDonald’s soulful vocal.
I found the Motif II ANCs to handle the mid-range well, with crisp vocal and guitar inflections on mellower songs such as Fish’s Mr Buttons with the vocal front and centre, alongside Mac McAnally’s All The Way Around and Jack Johnson’s Tape Deck with their brighter tones.
Rush’s Stick It Out is a heavier rock track with the song’s gritty guitar riff and harsh drums built around Geddy Lee’s central seething vocals. The vocal clarity here was great, along with the clarity of that riff and the drums. Marshall has certainly leaned into the rock roots with these buds.
I’m a big fan of the classic Marshall style of the Motif II ANC as well as their energetic performance with solid low end and good depth that makes them a great pair with my usual mix of rock and pop testing tracks. For the price, the noise cancellation isn’t necessarily up to snuff with them, though.
Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 review: Class-leading battery life in a larger case
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Audio-Technica is a brand more known for their pro-grade studio headphones and hi-fi kit rather than Bluetooth earbuds, although the big draw of these ATH-CKS50TW2 buds over the others here is twofold, and not necessarily related to audio quality.
These buds come with a pleasant dark blue colourway that’s gunning for Sony’s recent headphone additions and looks pleasant in the sea of black options elsewhere. The case itself is on the thicker side but is still decently pocketable, complete with a translucent lid so you can see the buds sitting there.
When taking the earbuds out of the case, they snap together for the benefit of both security and conserving battery – it’s the way that the buds turn off. On the point of battery life, the reason for the larger charging case on the ATH-CKS50TW2 is endurance. These buds will last for up to 65 hours on a charge, with up to 25 hours on the buds themselves and another 40 hours from the case. That’s sublime, and close to double the competition in some respects. Moreover, even after using them for a bit, then putting them back into the box and leaving them for two months while I was away on holiday, I came back to 90 percent charge.
The earbuds have the usual twist-and-push method to fit, while the default tips provide a good fit and seal for their active noise cancellation. I noticed the buds were larger in size when they sat in my ears than the other options here, owing to both the increased battery life and the presence of some physical buttons on the top side.
The latter is a bit of a rarity for any form of in-ear cans, and here they control volume and media playback. I appreciate the sentiment that Audio-Technica has gone for by including them with the ATH-CKS50TW2, although I did find them to be as finicky as touch controls, in a different manner, though. You have to be quite precise when pressing the buttons, which can sometimes rely on holding the earbuds in place to make sure.
For their mid-range price tag, I found the noise-cancellation to be pretty good, with it able to block out the noises of my PC’s fans and loud mechanical keyboard well. Some higher-pitched noises and voices did sneak through when I was commuting with them, though. Granted, you will get better noise cancellation from the more established players, but this is still a good performance from Audio-Technica.
The Audio-Technica Connect App is your usual fare when it comes to controlling settings such as noise cancellation and enabling EQ presets, such as for Bass Boost and Clear Vocal. You can also enable a Low Latency mode if you want to use these earbuds for mobile gaming, plus even download soundscapes such as ocean noises if you want to wear them while you doze off to sleep.
As with the Marshall options above, the ATH-CKS50TW2 leans more into a default sound profile that’ll work well with rock music with a warmer signature that prioritises a deep, controlled low-end through its 9mm drivers. I found it to work well with the likes of Rush’s Stick It Out with its prominent bassline and gritty guitar lines, plus on the heavy synth bass in Let’s Groove from Earth Wind & Fire.
The warmer feel also helps acoustic-driven tracks such as Jack Johnson’s Better Together or James Taylor’s Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, with the reassuring bassline beneath his clean vocal tone and guitar work. In spite of this, the mid-range felt a little pushed back into the mix, be it with vocals or the intricate drum work in Brand X’s Not Good Enough, See Me! That’s usually given a bit more prominence.
Moreover, the treble on these Audio Technica buds is pleasantly clean, as demonstrated with the competing percussion intro on Steely Dan’s Do It Again. Both that and the Brand X track also highlighted the width of the soundstage, which was surprising considering the nature of these buds.
The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW2 excels with a comfortable fit, some fantastic battery life and a bassier performance, if that’s what you’d prefer. For the £125/$179 price tag though, app control is a little basic, and the ANC isn’t as strong as its key rivals. With this in mind, if you’re after serious endurance, you’ll struggle to find a better contender at this price.
Noble Audio FoKus Amadeus review: Rock me Amadeus
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And for my final trick – the Noble FoKus Amadeus. These perhaps blur the line between generalist consumer-grade buds and the audiophile territory that brands such as Noble Audio usually occupy. At £279/$320, they’re the most expensive ones here, and will have to do a lot to push above the powers of Sony and Cambridge Audio, especially.
They’re certainly the brightest and flashiest here, with a two-tone red and black metal charging case, plus an intricate glossy finish on the buds themselves. The Amadeus fits in the traditional twist-and-push sense, and they don’t feel overly large in the ear, either. The size here is more akin to the earlier choices above.
With this in mind, the charging case is chunkier than the size of the earbuds would suggest, and it’s taller than the others here, making it a little fiddlier to slip into a pocket with ease. It is pocketable, but just something to bear in mind.
The Amadeus fits in the ear with a good seal with the default tips, although others are provided if you need smaller or larger ones. Noble has opted for touch controls on the buds for controlling settings such as media playback, and they work well enough, even if I find touch controls mildly infuriating on any set of earbuds.
The Noble FoKus app is there for configuring settings such as their 10-band EQ, what those touch controls do and enabling and disabling the ANC. While it may not have a more advanced configuration for noise cancellation, the app incorporates Audiodo’s Personal EQ hearing test system that creates a custom EQ fitted to your ears, which is handy and genuinely makes a difference.
Bluetooth pairing is nice and simple through Bluetooth 5.4, while these buds also have support for both aptX Adaptive and LDAC in supported content for higher-resolution wireless listening, which is useful given their audiophile targeting.
The Amadeus’ active noise cancellation is fine for cancelling out some degree of mid-range noise, although I did still find a fair amount of voices and higher-pitched frequencies making their way through. It’s okay, but nowhere near as strong as Sony or even the Marshall and Cambridge Audio options. For the most part, it felt as if someone had just turned up the passive noise isolation a tad as opposed to actively cancelling out much incoming noise.
Endurance is pretty good, with up to 12 hours on a full charge from the buds directly, with the Amadeus’ charging case adding a further two and a half full charges. That brings the total battery life up to 40 hours, which is in the middle of the pack, and enough listening for a working week before needing to recharge.
Audio-wise, I had high hopes for the Amadeus, given Noble’s excellent track record for wired and wireless earbuds and their over-ear cans, such as the lovely FoKus Apollo model. These buds utilise a new 8.3mm dynamic driver that’s a first for Noble, interestingly.
Generally, I found the Amadeus to provide crisp and clean results, although with some of the deepest bass I’ve experienced on a set of wireless earbuds. Rush’s Workin’ Them Angels in these buds’ default EQ felt deep and textured, with excellent extension. Moving over to Dance of the Illegal Aliens from Brand X revealed a similarly groovy bassline from John Giblin that had a lot of presence among quite a busy jazz-fusion song.
Similarly, their top-end clarity is marvellous, as noted with Phil Collins’ cymbal work in that Brand X track, while being able to pick out pleasant levels of detail. It’s smooth and didn’t feel overly bright and jarring, perhaps owing to the lower-end oomph felt beneath it. This rang particularly true with Steely Dan’s Do It Again where the competing percussion intro yielded some nice depth and detail with the addition of its simple bassline towards the back of the song.
The mid-range is a little pushed back by default, owing to the more V-shaped sound profile Noble has opted for to my ears, pushing bass and treble forwards. In James Taylor’s September Grass for instance, while his vocals are smooth and warm, I did find it a little recessed against the song’s bassline and its bongo and cymbal work.
The bass-centric sound can drown out some of the clarity and insight in lighter tracks, such as those of James Taylor, and Mac McAnally’s All The Way Around, although with some adjustments to the EQ, it’s possible to bring out more of the mid-range without sacrificing much of the depth of the Amadeus’ low end.
The Amadeus’ width and soundstage also impressed, with lots of breathing room in busier tracks, such as the two Brand X tracks above and September from Earth, Wind & Fire. The percussion here felt crisp and far-off, as it should. Likewise, in a live cut in George Benson’s Affirmation, there was plenty of presence and room for the audience claps, chatter and inflexions of percussion before the track starts.
The Noble FoKus Amadeus is an excellent set of audiophile-grade wireless earbuds that impress with their tight and deep low end plus lovely clarity, width and detail across the frequency range. For a set of earbuds where the sound matters above all, these are fantastic. However, the middling ANC and battery life, plus a higher price tag, mean they are hard to recommend above options from Sony and even Cambridge Audio.
So, there you have it. Five mini reviews of some great wireless earbuds that have passed through my office recently, all with their own merits. For the complete package, I still think it’s hard to beat Sony’s XM5s, even if they’re a real premium choice. For powerful audio, the FoKus Amadeus is my pick. Battery life is easily Audio-Technica’s to lose, and the style of the Marshalls is its signature point.
I must also give special mention to the M100s from Cambridge Audio. They’re the cheapest earbuds here by virtue of a discount, but they hold up wonderfully. If you had to go out and buy one pair, they’re an ideal starting point from a brand who’ve been in the business for years.