Denon - PerL Pro

I've had the denons and ex. Bought the ex, sold them. But can't get over their sound. So got one again.  The denons are great. Don't get me wrong, but for me (non-audiophile), I felt a lot more enjoyment from the ex than the dpp. Everything is balanced, yet clear and the right amount of bass. Luckily as well (and probably more important to my ears) they fit better than the dpp: those just...doesn't fit well and i need to fiddle every now and then. The EX fits much better and they just look...miles better. The dpp isn't ugly, it's unique and I like the different style.   The dpp is definitely a great all rounder. Probably 2nd to the mtw3 for me (except that had battery issues, i never tried the mtw4). Everything is 'good enough'. I rebought the ex because I managed to get a cheap buds fe for my travels. Their anc is great for the price and when you're up there, sq doesn't matter too much.  Plus it reminds me of how good the ex sound is haha.  In saying this though, there is no perfect tws. You have to decide which features are important and you choose based on that. 

As another commenter mentioned, iphone doesn't support aptx; it only natively supports 256kbps AAC. That said, you can get something like the creative bt-w5 and use it with the iPhone. I do that with Denon Perl Pros that I got for $150 around black Friday, and this combo is absolutely incredible. I use them with apple music which has a ton of lossless music, and I couldn't be happier.

I got the Pi8s about a week ago, and I have been MASSIVELY underwhelmed by them compared to the Denon Perl Pros. Sound quality is what really I’m really after, and I think the DPPs are the best of what I have listened to. Especially with the Masimo tuning, the DPPs are incredible. I find that the mids to highs a bit harsh on the Pi8s, and though I’ve been fiddling with the EQ, I haven’t found a balance that sounds good to me. Could be the music I listen to (bands like Tool, M83, Queens of the Stone Age, 80s synthwave stuff), but I’ve had a much more pleasing listening experience with the DPPs.

Counterpoint: mine have been incredible in the couple months I have had them; they're very comfortable, feel premium and sound absolutely amazing.

I run Denon Perl Pros and have been listening to stuff that is in that wheelhouse. See: Major Crimes by Health and tell me if that fits your mold. I did get nausea from the Denon ANC but I wasn't worried about that feature so I've turned it off. The app will run a profile on your ears and tailor the EQ to your hearing range, then you can use the immersion slider. Bass is very strong but pleasing, feels really nice to listen to. Starboy by The Weeknd was a treat just because Im particularly fond of that bass line. Battery life is decent. I'm using them for 5-6 hours throughout the day with periodic trips back into the case and it took about a day and a half for the case to need charging, but they have wireless charging so you can make it fairly convenient to keep it topped off. It charges very fast which balances things out nicely.

I touched on that around the middle of my comment. It's strong but very pleasing. I'll add it scales well with volume in my opinion, it was still crystal clear at the edge of comfort for me. Your mileage may vary.

I'm afraid I don't know. I only recently got the Perl Pros and before that I was using old ass Galaxy Buds and this was my first step into something nicer. I can offer my thoughts on this specific model, but I don't have any experience with the others. I've seen technics recommended in the same comment as Perl Pros and they were on my radar, but a buddy of mine has some Denon sound stuff and vouched for the quality of the brand, and the current $150 price is a good value.

I appreciate the suggestion and information on the Perl Pro tips, I ordered a set of S/M/L Denu S&S tips to see if I like them better. I got my Perls about a month ago and I love them but I've struggled to find the right tip for me, hopefully this solves that for me as it's my only real "complaint" with them, though I hesitate to even call it a full complaint as it packages with lots of options, just nothing that felt perfect for me.

The best sounding earbuds are the Denon Perl Pros. I also own the Gemini 2, BW Pi8 and MTW 4. So far the best sounding has been the Denons the problem with them is there size and fit. Just below the Denons in sound quality are the Pi8 and Gemini 2. There are distinct differences you can hear in sound from each of these earbuds.

Yes the Denons have better sound quality. The Gemini has good sound quality but it is a more neutral sound with very accurate bass. You get that and more with the Denons.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a fix for the size and fit. Denon would have to literally redesign the earbud to make it much smaller with the comfort level of the Gemini 2 or the Pi8.

My rankings based on what I own. My criteria are big soundstage, tight articulate bass, and comfort. 1. Noble FoKus Prestige 2. Master & Dynamic MW09 3. Devialet Gemini II 4. Noble Fokus Rex5 5. Denon Perl Pro 6. Technics AZ100 7. B&W Pi8

Denon Perl Pro are amazing if they fit in your ears. My right ear had trouble but the volume and sound quality after the acoustic tuning for your ears is top tier. If those don't fit well then try the Technics AZ80 but the volume is a little lower even at max volume.

Better sound - Devialet Gemini ii, B&W Pi8, Denon PerL pro, Noble Audio Rex5

The Denon PerL pro aren’t much more on sale at the minute. They have a brilliant personalisation feature that reads the shape of your ear and adjusts the sound to suit. They are a bit odd looking and big but I never had a problem with comfort and are a definite step up on sound quality

Devialet Gemini ii closely followed by Bowers and Wilkins Pi8. Denon PerL Pro are great too but I personally couldn’t live with the size of them, they are ridiculous

DPP for me too, with the caveat that AAT works for you.

I have not experienced this. I was initially disappointed that DPPs don't support AptX HD, and my phone doesn't support Adaptive/Lossless, but the tuning is where the DPPs really shine.

Do they really sound that much better with Adaptive? I can see if you consistently are hitting Lossless on Adaptive there would be a difference if your source is HD / Ultra HD. I can't really compare, but the difference to me in LDAC (AZ80) vs AptX classic vs AAC using Amazon Music Unlimited Ultra HD tracks is noticeable but not a night and day difference. Also, if anyone is interested in the differences of the Pro and non pro versions. The pro has additionally: Ultra low distortion triple-layer titanium dynamic driver aptX Lossless (CD quality Bluetooth) Spatial audio with DIRAC Qi wireless charging More microphones for better call quality, including bone induction microphones Bluetooth 5.3 Multipoint Bluetooth (connect to multiple devices simultaneously) ProEQ - fine-tune your EQ after creating your personal listening profile Dynamic primary circuit for flexible single earbud use Longer battery life (up to 8 hours on a single charge, up to 24 hours with the charging case) 1 hour of playback from five minutes of charging Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Earbuds/s/JqwlBzC828

from all the tests i´ve seen, The only Wireless headphone that can stand toe to toe with its wired equivalent is the Audezee Maxwel and it steamrolls everything else in the bluetooth world. When you make a headphone, first you design the headphone, and then you think how you´re going to connect it. but in bluetooth headphones its the other way around. I tested time and time again, when i had the sound rhyme SR5 with a adapter cable, or the EM6L with AZ20 compared to "high end" bluetooth buds like the Technics AZ80, the Denon Perl pro, the Sony XM4... they just crush them. you lose ANC, and the package is bigger overall, but the sound quality is just in another category, thats why i have the AZ80´s for when i listen to audio books or go out at night and dont want to take my actual good mobile setup, and then have the BTR17 with the Aful P7 as by standard carry on and work setup (soon to be xenns top pro).

I have a pair of TWS, Technics AZ80, and i tried to upgrade to the Denon Perl.... it sounded great but something was off, dont know if its was the poor isolation or the timbre, but something was there at the back of my head saying "take them off, the sound and feel wrong" and the TWS are great, i use them when i got out to bars or around town, but they just arent at the level of the BTR17 + the Xenns pro.

I would definitely recommend the Denon Perl Pro. Amazing sound and great discounted value on Amazon. I also own the Earfun Air Pro 4, they're value for the price.

The Pros sound great. I care littlefor ANC. I havne had them long so I cant speak to build quality. I preffer them over the momentum 3 and 4 and the BW Pi7S2. Speaking only of sound. No they will not sound good straight out of the box, you must set them up. And like any sound system you must listen for a while to adapt.

Noble Rex5 I had the Pi8 to see which one I like better, Pi8 went back as they are just simply not in the same class. Recently got the Denon Perl Pro for working out and honestly I wouldn't pay the extra money for the Pi8 compared to these for the 130 dollars off woot.

I think the Earfun Air 4 Pro are the most Budget Option Here. I have tried a bunch of the "Higher end" earbuds, Like Denon Pearl Pro, AZ80, AZ100 etc.. And honestly, Wireless earbuds do not get that close to good higher end IEMs. They plateau early at a very decent level, and the good value options are 90% of the higher end options. Many people (including myself Sometimes) really WANT their more expensive buds to be that much better, so they really convince themselves the money is worth it That, of course, is my personal opinion, but it's based in a bunch of experience so yeah.

Definitely the Perl Pro. They are a bit over your budget but are definitely worth it. They sell them on Amazon on this listing https://amzn.to/46eKqZA

Dennons have dropped to 149. To me that makes them a no-brainer. Best earbuds I've ever owned and I find them incredibly comfortable.

I stand by my Denon Perl Pros

I've tried a bunch and I keep going back to the Denon Perl pros. Hard to explain why I like them. I'd say they're really fun. Once you do the hearing imaging the sound is phenomenal. I'm not an audiophile by any means but I'd pick them over more expensive one for doing. Anc sucks but I have pixel buds pro 2 for anc when I'm out and about.

I stand by my Denon Perl pros.

Agreed. The sound after that EQ adjustment is incredible.

I doubt they'll get a lot of love here. But as a non-audiophile the Denon Perl Pros can't be beat. The best way I could describe their sound is fun

I just tried soundpeats, nothing ear, earfun and denon. Kept the Perl Pros and returned the others. super frustrated with soundpeats app - it crashed everytime i tried to open it. Nothing ear added some artifacts that were like garbled/warbling versions of the music that eere only noticeable in quiet sections of a song. Annoying. Earfun were ok, just not great. Denon perl pros are fantastic and the app is impressive. Ive tried the azh80s, xm5, oneplus, senn momentum 4, jabra elite 75active, and others last year and found my old soundcore liberty 3s were as good. the libs have been giving me charging issues, so I am replacing them with the Perl Pros.

I dont find the denon’s to be heavy. i workout on a stairmaster and they stay put even when im very sweaty. Additionally, I can put my head on my tempurpedic pillow while wearing them and they are fine.

Also, Ive recently purchased soundpeats capsule 3pro, earfun air pro 4, nothing ear 2025, and denon perl pros. I returned all of them except the perl pros. the auto eq is amazing. These edge out my lib3pros, plus im having charging issues with the lib3pros. The denon perl pros put a smile on my face.. Fantastic earbuds.

I have a pair of Denon PerL Pro, and I think the sound is elegant, and controlled, and just a joy every time I use them. However, I've tried a pair of Technics AZ80, and I think those are just a tiny little bit better.

I have a pair of PerL Pro, and I love the sound, but as I said in several comments on this sub, the AZ80, which I've tested for a couple of hours, sound a little, little bit better. Not by much though.

I have and had Perl Pro, AZ80, Elite 10. I also wanted to try MTW4 but i have the momentum 4 headphones. For some reason whenever i want to do critical listening i always reach for my az80s.

Bro. Holy sht. Im a/b ing my tws collection today and realized im full of it. Listening to some Revocation album and the Liberty 3 pros destroys them all lol. Im returning my Denon Perl Pros tomorrow (lack separation compared to L3P, more muddy and has a weird timbre on the mids) It was a re purchase for 149. Still lost the 2nd time around. I thought the nothing ears were better too, but upon comparison the nothings are grainier and lacking resolution. The only one who can go toe to toe with them in my collection are the Status 3ancs, which has better treble reproduction (cymbals are more fleshed out, L3P sometimes have metallic treble). I just cant believe my ears. The L3Ps are still right there among the top (for metal). I just wished their midrange reproduction was better. For that i pull out my AZ80s. Now i am onto the Gemini 2s, If I dont find them SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER than the L3Ps I am gonna lose my mind lol.

Just got the Perl Pros. I will say this. The sound is good, but they don't get anywhere near as loud as the Nothing Ear As.

For purely music listening, not an upgrade IMO. They have less distortion but that is because they get less loud.

Fully agreed. I use them whenever I am craving to hear details and layers in music. I use them even for movies, since they make the soundscape extremely spacious and you can make out tiny sounds and very low voices very clearly. When I am watching any scene with a lot of background people talking simultaneously, you can hear each of them clearly and spaced distinctly in space. With most other headphones, their voices would get muddled and hard to hear in the mix.

I’ve got the Pi7 s2’s, the WF-1000XM5s, AirPods Pro (latest), and the Denon Perl Pro - and they all have their pros and cons. The Denon Perl Pro are the sleeper though, they look bizarre, but once you run the tuning program they sound as good if not better than the others. Haven’t tried the Pi8’s yet, but love my Px8’s.

Same for me, they sound amazing and fit well (for comparison, I can't keep the Sony XM5's in my ears without them falling out regardless of the tips). I just wish the DPP's didn't look like I had gauges in my ears.

Per Chat gpt recommendation, I just changed the earbud tips on my AZ100's to Final type E and I will tell you..... huuuuge difference. The az100's now legitimately surpass my Denon Pearl Pros in sound quality. I genuinely didn't think that earbud tips could make that tremendous of a difference, but believe me, there is no placebo effect here.....its that noticeable. If you don't want to pop for the AZ100's price point , the Denon Pearl Pro's are magnificent as well & often hugely discounted. I bought mine for $120. Pound for pound, that's probably the direction I would go due to bargain price and superb sound quality.

I've had all the ones mentioned here for the last few weeks (ok, not the Technics 100, only the 80) If they fit your ears and you can live with the design, the Denon are the best. Anc is okay here, but the sound is so much better than the others after calibration that I was very surprised. Bowers & Wilkins have the problem that you either like them... Or you don't. There's zero customization. In terms of sound, the Sennheiser Momentum would be number 2 for me. Sony may have the best anc, but I honestly found them underwhelming in terms of sound.

I also have small ears 😅 The bass can be adjusted extremely well. There is an "immersion mode" slider in the app. You can use it to make very good adjustments. The bass itself is extremely precise and crisp.

For me, the Denon are my choice number 1

I have no problems with nausea. The Anc is fine, but not perfect. Sony is a tick better, you have to be honest. I don't listen to this type of music, so I can't give a 100% answer, but as I said. The bass is extremely good. Powerful and if you like it, you can also adjust it completely over the top without it distorting. The battery life is like most. After 7-8 hours you have to recharge the parts, the case is sufficient for 3-4 charging cycles

They're good and in my ranking they're also in second place. Only the Denon Perl Pro are slightly better after calibration via the app. I especially like the case and the look, it just has something classy about it

The Denon Perl Pro has already been mentioned. They are the best in terms of sound. If they fit your ears and you find the design acceptable, go for it. Sony, Sennheiser, JBL, Technics (AZ 80 and 100) are all very good. They all have their own advantages and disadvantages, but in terms of sound I would always go for the Denon

Yeah you got ripped off The denon perl pros for 150 blow those out of the water

https://preview.redd.it/fa7w6hrlsinf1.jpg?width=194&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=524a461fe911a88fe7b18730c3a85593aba0d528 Since the Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 are currently on sale here for €179, I spontaneously ordered these headphones to test them out. Unfortunately, my last purchase, the Technics EAH-AZ100, was quite a disappointment. They offered good (but overemphasized) bass, a wide soundstage, and fine resolution, but they sounded somewhat sterile and boring because they lacked sparkle in the highs, which made almost all music sound lifeless in comparison. I received the Sennheiser MTW 4 as a replacement for the defective MTW 3, but apart from the comfort and ease of use, I'm not really impressed. They don't sound bad, but they have a very distinctive sound signature that doesn't suit all music. Until now, my favorite sound by far was the calibrated Perl Pro from Denon, but now they have actually been dethroned by the Amiron 300. For the first time in a long time, I got goosebumps or was moved to tears when listening to some of my favorites, from classical to rock/pop to trance. At first, it's a little strange that you can hardly feel the Amiron 300 in your ears. No pressure, no weight, the silicone tips are very soft with thin walls – you could almost forget you're wearing them. When the buds fit well in your ears, they deliver incredible detail, a wide soundstage with perfect depth and positioning of the instruments, yet still create a feeling of intimacy, as if you were inside the music or the artist were performing right in front of you. The bass is balanced and precise, not overemphasized, and goes down deep enough. The mids are incredibly fine and detailed, with vocals and melodic instruments clearly separated and reproduced in a present but not overemphasized manner. The highs are also very finely resolved and give all instruments and voices that certain sparkle in the overtones, which is what makes them so lively and authentic. (In other words, exactly what the AZ-100 lacks). I have been an active musician for over 30 years and have a small recording studio at home, so I can judge sound and mix quite objectively. For me, the Amiron 300 are the most balanced and best-sounding wireless in-ear headphones I have ever heard. If the mix doesn't sound good, it's because of the production or poor playback quality. They are certainly not for everyone, but anyone who really wants to and is able to enjoy music attentively and in detail should give them a try. Excessive bassheads or those who only use one earbud can safely move on, as can techies who care about the latest fancy features such as 3D audio, etc. The ANC is okay, even good in transparency mode, voice clarity during phone calls is very good, and the adaptability of the touch controls is more than sufficient. The Beyerdynamic Amiron 300 are a real insider tip for true music lovers, regardless of genre.

My Denon Perl Pros are literally the worst fit of any earbud regardless of price. They’re heavy & funky shaped. The sound is great but I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone that has fit issues.

APP are neutral mediocre at best. I have all those and more, the Sony XM5 and Bose can sound better if you have a musical ear with some training. Bose Ultra Immersive mode is newbie to sound mode, they sound impressive for pop but do not stand up to critical listening. The Denon Perl Pro is actually the best sounding if you Can get the calibration correct. It’s not for beginners who think APP are the best you can get lol.

I have tried a lot of premium earbuds, but for sound quality, the denon perl pro is insanely good, kinda lacks in anc and the case feels flimsy, but i cannot fault the sound. Ive literally never heard an earbud sound this good, out of the box it sounds terrible but after the ear canal mapping its legitimately on another level. This is coming from someone who has tried Gemini 2 ,momentum 4s, xm4/xm5 etc

Me too, I am very happy with them. Amazing quality.

Denon Perl Pro. I paid € 159 in the Netherlands. The quality is outstanding. I use Sony Xperia l Vl with Tidal.

Spot on. Denon Perl Pro for €159 is a bargain.

Denon Perl Pro destroy MTW4 if you're looking for sound.

They kinda get clapped by the Perl Pros

For general everyday use Airpod pro 2gen. For music and movies Perl Pros. But the software and hardware still have the same exact issues the Nura model Perls are based on had, Denon doesn't give a shit unfortunately. Zero software updates in 1 year of ownership. For everyday commuting and gym the unusual shape is a detriment. B&O EXs are outdated, they need a model refresh to compete. Jabra no longer make products for consumers, replacements and repair options will dry up soon. My personal next purchase will be AZ80 or 100, depending on what deal I can get when the time comes for my next trip to e-earphone in tokyo. Honorable mentions are nothing ear 3, oneplus buds pro 2 (bass thumpy) and anker liberty 4 nc (the nc model has better anc than the newer pro 4.)

I second this, build quality and reliability is shit. They even have legacy problems from the Nura earbuds that Denon rebranded. The ANC mics will malfunction and start playing white noise, Nura had the same issue. Only fix since Denon wont do anything is to turn ANC off in the settings. Not using the mode toggle, but completely off. Nura stated they were aware of this issue and were going to release a software update. Then Denon acquired them and it became radio silence. Denon has done nothing at all to address issues.

Absolutely agree with you on that . I currently have xm5, mtw4, AZ100, Galaxy buds 2 pro as well as my DPP and overheads, and the sound the Perl Pros put out is beyond fantastic.

I use mine on aptx, and SBC when watching TV. I can say without question, that they are the best sounding buds I have ever owned. I even prefer to wear them to sleep. And I currently own them, az100, xm5 Overheads and buds, Sennheiser M4 and tws, galaxy buds 2 pro, xm4 overhead, and QC ultra overhead. Gave away my tozo A1 golden. Anyway my point is my perl pro are my go to!!

Denon PerL Pro are so great. Had mine since their release. Still blow my mind.

Out of everything you listed the best for your needs are going to be az100 an Bose. However here's where the problem lies Bose has great anc the best out there but the quality of music is shit just shit. If you are talking actually quality music then you don't want Bose. I'd say az100 are your best bet after that having great anc some day about the same as Sony or even better in other cases an you have great battery life. After that I'd say the xm5 would be best choice after. They have good sound not great but good sn they have all the other functions you'd want. Not as many as az100 but a lot. Then there mw4 they def sound leagues above Sony an slightly better than az100 but they won't help with your anc problem they lean more towards I prefer music quality over functionality but they still have all those functions they just don't shine in them like others in this category... Nothing is good budget one but not what your needs. Geminis are good but anc is not good for your needs that's towards I prefer some of the best quality I can listen to in music with heavy clean base Denon are great all around too but anc def not use there but everything else they work smoothly. After a year though some times it doesn't auto connect to my phone but rarely an they still sound great after hours of use.

The worst ones lol. Don't be sorry so much about insane bass worry more about an eq that can add the bass or take it away. If it just comes with alot of bass it's just muddy music an it's probably very cheap. Good bass would beike Sony the best deviants the best that can sound like Sony or deviant noble fokus rex5. Denon perl pro also has great bass but it can get too loud if you move the meter up to loud. But yeah don't think loud insane bass that's usually just cheap. But if you really don't care an have money to waste an don't care about the quality of music an probably have an iPhone beats work great too also work for Android.

Loved my Pi7, and the Pi8 are massive improved. I’m thrilled with them. Alternate between these and my Perl Pros. Clarity, spaciousness, instrument separation and soul of both is just wonderful.

I have both. I can’t decide which I love more. The instrument, musicality, expressiveness and clarity of both is absolutely amazing. I’ve tested everything, and these two are at the top of my list. Beoplay Ex at the bottom :)

48 hours into this audible journey and am blown away by the depth of sound these produce. Yes, they're like two satellites protruding from your ears and their transparency mode leaves a lot to be desired. That said, if like me, you're looking for a superior sound quality bud, these hit the mark. Once tuned using Masimo AAT prepare to be completely immersed in audible bliss. Crisp highs, tonal mids and deep bass take you through a musical quest. Priced at $141 on Amazon I'd argue there isn't a better value!

- They have no low battery notification to give you time to recharge. Most do from 20% and below. These tell you as soon as they die (battery critical, a second later they’re dead) - You can’t use the Denon app with 1 earbud on, it won’t allow it so you’re stuck if either earbud is dead or lost and you want to change settings. - QC issues, on my 2nd pair and they have a strange white noise that occurs randomly. First pair left earbud white noise was bad and had to return. 2nd pair same left earbud white noise and I’ve returned them. All happened within a week of light use. I loved the sound despite mids sounding a bit laid back on lower volumes. Going to soon purchase the AZ100 next month probably.

Do not use these on these gym, they can’t stand any amount of water. Mine kept turning off automatically with little sweat but they fit the best.

Oh yes. Forgot to put that in my post.

Denon PerL Pros. They go loud without the sound breaking up. Having said that, you will irreversibly damage your hearing if you play crazy loud music. It's not worth it.

I'm into my audio and really like the PerL Pros. Sound is up there with decent IEMs. The audio calibration and spacial mode are amazing. I find them pretty comfortable. Better than the buds with a stalk sticking out of them.

If bass and sound is a huge concern get the Denon Perl Pro

I just got the Pi8's and I'm returning the Perl Pro's just for the design alone. I do think the Perl Pro sounds a little better in terms of sound quality and it's because of the sound personalization technology. The Pi8 sound is very close to it, I do think they sound more rich but I feel like I was hearing a few more sounds with the Perl Pro's.

Bose ultra has good bass. Before i had the denon perl pro the bass on that thing was insane the best i’ve ever heard i loved them so much. Unfortunately i send them back because the mids & treble were lacking no matter what i did with eq.

Denon perl pro best sound quality on the market right now for wireless

Sound quality, definitely yes. Other things like noise cancelling, mic, transparency probably not

My headphones died on my last flight, so I've been exploring an in-ear wireless replacement. While I don't consider myself an audiophile, I am very particular... I'm a classical musician and want high-quality sound. I need great ANC since I travel frequently, and long bike rides introduce lots of wind noise. I'd like them to replace my desktop headset for calls if the mic is good enough, and being able to customize the controls is a must. So far here are the ones I've tried: * **Sennheiser MTW4:** Love the sound (one of the best), controls are customizable enough for me, the fit is amazing right out of the box with max isolation. ANC is excellent and wind reduction is amazing (the best). I was riding about 15 mph into a headwind and it sounded like a weather channel reporter in a hurricane. Turned on wind reduction and if not for feeling the wind, I could've been in a concert hall. App is easy, intuitive, simple, and fast. Unfortunately the mic and call quality are atrocious. * **Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2**: Great sound (not the *best*, but very good (although they do *not* support aptX). Controls are customizable enough for me. I feel like the fit would be amazing if they went just a touch further in. Again, if I could get a better fit, I think the ANC is outstanding. The wind reduction isn't as good as the MTW4, but I suspect that's mostly due to poor isolation: I'd welcome recommendations on replacement ear tips. Call/mic quality is the best. The app is a little confusing, and has some neat features. My first pair was defective--constant static in the left earbud. Customer service was phenomenal and I had a new pair with next day shipping for free. * **B&W Pi8:** Overall sound quality is amazing. I'd consider these the best. ANC is on the better end, but leaves quite a bit to be desired with ambient noise. Wind reduction is pathetic, but this isn't marketed for an active lifestyle. The controls are not very customizable, and there's no way to enable/disable ANC without going through the app (which doesn't help me if I'm listening from a laptop). The app is straightforward, though a little bloated, and it took me three attempts to get them paired with my devices. Mic/call quality is very good. Apart from lacking good wind reduction, my chief complaint--and it would have been enough to send it back regardless of everything else--is the obnoxious (and obnoxiously loud) haptic noises when using the controls. I couldn't figure out how to adjust them, so even when listening at low volume to a quiet section of a song, you get acoustically assaulted by a chime. These were sent back, and I'll add their customer service is horrendous and slow. * **Bose QC Ultra:** Outstanding ANC in the low and low/mid range. Doesn't work as well for intermittent sounds or higher frequencies. Fit is so-so even with the wings, sound quality is what you'd expect from Bose: an inauthentic representation of highs and lows to make the illusion of superior sound. I was sufficiently turned off by the fit, sound, and controls that I didn't test anything else. * **Apple AirPods Pro 2:** Quite honestly, I hate white and was reluctant to even try them. I couldn't get these to fit comfortably any which way, so they went back. I'll confess some of this may be personal bias, so don't write them off on my account. My wife uses hers all the time and I know from being on the receiving end the call/mic quality in noisy environments leaves a lot to be desired--even worse than the MTW4. * **Sony WF-1000XM5:** The default sound really (I mean *really*) emphasizes the lows and highs. For classical music lovers, I'd advice against these. The balance of ANC, wind reduction, and controls makes them all-around a good product. Controls are good, but I couldn't get a great fit that truly isolated the sound and made them feel secure. Since everything else was "good" I didn't bother with other tips and sent them back. * **Denon PerL Pro:** Takes a little bit to personalize the sound, at which point they sound pretty good. Not the best, but they pass my tests across multiple genres. Something feels a little "off" with the default frequency response curve, but I don't have the equipment to test it. Fit is great right out of the box. The wings fit in my ears perfectly and they feel the most secure out of them all. App is straightforward, wind reduction is good; not great, but good enough. Controls are the most customizable of them all. Worth noting: you can also customize whether they pause automatically when one or both earbuds are removed. Call quality hasn't been tested yet. Also, and this is a real annoyance: they're really hard to get out of the case. I have to turn it upside down and shake it to release the earbuds, so one-handed use isn't possible. I'm going to hang on to these a while longer--they definitely make the final cut along with the Jabra and MTW4. * **Technics AZ100:** Out of the box, the sound was... weird. There's definitely some heavy bass, but also a really pronounced high end. This was immediately striking me as a turn-off and would be exhausting to listen to all day. The fit was good--it took a little finagling to get them firmly in place, but once I did, I barely knew they were there. App was pretty buggy for me. Despite supporting multipoint connections, I couldn't control the EQ on the earbuds from my phone while listening from my computer. Controls are highly customizable. ANC works on all frequencies (unlike some others which are more effective on certain frequency ranges). but it's effect isn't as dramatic as Bose or Sennheiser. Haven't tested the mic/call quality or wind reduction yet. What other earbuds should I be considering? (Before anyone jumps on it: yes, both my computer and Qobuz are sending via aptX.) ETA: Updated with description of pros/cons of each.

I never had an issue with the fit with Perl Pro...they look big but that s only.the outside .They also have winged tips so they are both very comfy and secure... I use mine with the foam tips included and without the wingtip for max passive isolation

I've used all kinds of earbuds from Sony to Samsung to Sennheiser and Bose and even less known brands like soundcore. There are many really good ones, especially for the money. But if sound quality is your top priority, then nothing beats the Denon perl pro earbuds. Now I have to mention that out of the box, they really don't sound that good, but once you do the Masimo AAT test the audio transforms entirely and combined with the spacial audio and aptx lossless you get excellent imaging and soundstage plus loads of instrument separation. You listen to some of your favorite tracks and you feel like you're listening to wired iems and if you've never used these you'll find yourself discovering acoustic details that you never realized existed. Now remember how I said if sound quality is your priority? I meant it. Their ANC is ok but it's not even close to Sony or Bose flagships, battery life is decent but not great or class leading, they're also a bit big and heavy so not exactly the most comfortable although they're also not bad or uncomfortable and build quality is pretty good. If you're an audiophile, look no further.

They're certainly not gonna win any medals for being flashy but honestly if they were a bit smaller and lighter they'd be great. To me the biggest downside is their size and weight. Most earbuds don't look like much anyway

I love my Denon perl pro's.

The Denon Perl Pros have amazing sound quality, I use them at the gym and the ANC is decent enough

The sound personalization did not work for me. Tried it multiple times, each time with exactly the same result. Awful. I guess I have weird ears.

DPP is nowhere close to having the best ANC

Fit is definitely a per person thing. My perl pros feel incredibly secure and I can wear them all day

I am surprised to see you rank the AZ80 quality so low, I have never used them but was debating between those and the perl pros because of all the reviews. In the end I went with the perl because people talked about the bass and I am extremely happy with that choice.

It's nice to not have to mess with equalizer on the perl pros thanks to the technology it has too. Thanks for the reviews

I believe $150 is the new MSRP for DPP's and they are the best at that price point for sure.

Out of these 4? Galaxy Buds if you have a Samsung phone. Otherwise either B&W Pi8s, Denon Perl Pro or Nothing Ear(2024).

check out AZ80/Denon Perl pro and XM5's. I have had all three and my favorite sound is the XM5, but favorite fit is by far the Perl Pros.

they sounded like they were shouting or screaming at me, but, the sound signature didn't bother me, what really made me return the set was the Hissing sound, and the whitenoise.

Denon PerL Pros or AZ100. You can get the Denons for about $100-150, the AZ100s for $285. For me, in terms of sound, they are not $150~ better at all. In fact, I love the Denons. Remember that on their release about a year ago the DPP price was $350, so they compete in the big leagues like the AZ.

Denon PerL Pros? I just bought a brand new pair for $90 on Ebay...I just can't spend $300-$400 on earbuds and these were $350 originally

I got my Denon PerL Pros for $90 brand new in Ebay after searching and stalking for some days...I love them

Denon PerL Pro were heavily discounted recently and are amazing. Save some $ and get one of the best, if not the best sound on tws right now.

I've had the Perl Pro for over 6 months. To date, with my profile, these are my favorite TWS based off of sound quality. I even like these more than my Noble Fokus Pro. Clean, clear, precise, and bass can be anywhere from light to thumping based on the immersion level. Good soundstage for sure. I also like these over any low to low/mid range wired earbuds, bgvp, etc. 

I settled on the Denon Perl Pro's and am really happy with them. I did try the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100's, but they sounded flat and lifeless to me, and didn't go loud,so they were returned.

Denon Perl Pro's, they just get everything right for me. My other sets have all become superfluous.

All depends on how good your hearing is. I've got Denon Perl Pro's and have no intention of spending any more than these cost me. They sound amazing,and have a hearing test that determines what frequencies need boosting for your hearing. I know if I spent more I'd hear no benefit,due to severe hearing loss in both ears, but these sound great to me.

MTW4 has crap sound quality. Technics AZ80 and Perl Pro are the best currently. Except Noble Fokus Rex5 just came out and I’ll report back how those sound.

I recommend to you the Denon perl pro. Once personnalised sound is done, the bass kicks like crazy, and they get very loud. They get close to the feeling of having full headphones, and they are pretty addictive imo. For more refined sound, better battery/transparency, and on par anc there is the JLab Epic Lab Edition. Top notch. If you want the best of the best regarding sound quality, then go Noble fokus rex 5. But they are very expensive 🫰

Not for me  already sent back two pairs. Sound is awesome. But they are anything BUT reliable. At least in my experience ;(

I’ve had the denon perl pro for about a month now and they’re the best earbuds I’ve ever owned. I got them after my Status earbuds took a massive dump on me. They sound amazing and will definitely buy them again. They’re cheaper on Amazon too

Denon Peal Pro's , looks like they're 129 on amazon which is a steal. Best sounding earbuds I've used.

I just got my Denon Perl Pros today after scouting various threads and seeing they were on sale ($150). After about 2.5 hours, I think the sound quality (after personalization) is better than my Pixel Buds Pro (washing machine, RIP), but the ANC is noticeably worse. If I snap my fingers next to my head, with the Denon it sounds like it's behind a sheet of plywood, but with the Pixel it sounded like someone was snapping in another room, if I heard it at all. It isn't a major dealbreaker because I only use the ANC on planes and when my wife is home while I'm working, but while I'm in the return window, I'm open to advice for what other people would do.

For me pi8 is really standing out from the rest of the top earbuds. I also use denon pearl pro and b&o eq. Both of them are very good but far behind pi8 in sound fidelity. Even my friends who don't care much about audio are very very impressed comparing pi8 to their latest airpods pro/Galaxy buds etc. Haven't had a chance to listen to new Technics az100 - those are supposedly superb as well.

I've had them for a few months now, and I'm really liking my Denon Pearl Pros. I will say the ANC is not the best on the market from my experience and what I've heard, but it works well enough for me.

Same, just got these on the sale as well, and have been really enjoying them. Only thing I have to compare them to are Airpod Pro 2's but I think once DPP are configured they sound better.

It is true that sound quality is subjective everyone is going to give a completely different answer than what you'd hope, so I'm going to try and be as concise and honest as possible. One of my main hobbies is trying and returning earbuds on Amazon, so that I can do my best to help other people find the pair that best suits their needs. It's been close to 200 at this point, I'm sure. So here's an unpopular take, which many may disagree with, and I'm still trying to understand why i seem to be the odd one out. I've tried the status between 3, and the original beteeen pro that I ordered through kickstarter, and I'd put them in the same category as the nuraloop, which i also ordered through kickstarter in 2016. Sadly, the denon perl pro sound pretty much the same to me, which is, dynamic, but completely muddy, and as if a thick theater curtain hides the detail from you in all three pairs. They should all be worth less than 80 dollars for the way they sound, imho. I was very unimpressed. The momentum true wireless 4 have very delicate drivers that are incredibly sensitive to changes in eq, making them distort and crackle on aptx, and I didn't find them to sound that much better than my old galaxy buds 2 Pro, tbh. Similar sound signature. I've tried all of noble Audio's wireless earbuds, and I'd put them in the same category as raycons. Overhyped, oversold, unimpressive sounding, consumer targeted garbage that looks really cool. Sadly, my 20 dollar soundcore a20i sounded miles ahead of the Noble fokus prestige, which are supposed to be the "pinnacle" of true wireless. I don't understand why people like them at all, and I hope their iems sound better. The beoplay ex were very impressive for what they were, but were incredibly uncomfortable due to the plastic seam which held them together. I have yet to try the pi8. The master&dynamic mw08 sport were amazing earbuds, but only after an eq was applied, and then they did the same thing the mtw4 did, crackle and distort due to weak speaker drivers, but they were the best and most realistic I'd ever heard, so maybe put the new mw09 at the top as well? Not sure. The devialet gemini 2 seem to get both positive and negative reviews, so it may be a gamble, haven't heard them myself tbh. Svanar wireless are another I haven't tried, but seem legit. Possibly beyerdynamic's new pair. I would say the mtw4, xm5, az80, and buds 3 pro would probably satisfy most people generally, but I've heard so many earbuds that were impressive and downright atrocious sounding that I'd put those three in the category of "good enough", not something like the prestige category. Comparing those to the beoplay ex would be like comparing caviar to boba, its just not the same. Anyways, at this point I'm rambling and probably not that helpful, sorry. Good luck with your search!

I got the Denon Perl Pro on Black Friday deal, man, it is worth every penny. I am experiencing music like I had never experienced before. I am not an audiophile,  but I enjoy good music. I currently have the AZ 60, 1More Evo, and OnePlus Buds 3 Pro which I bought simultaneously with the DPP. My intention was to try both and return one of them, but I am stuck with both. The two are fantastic pairs of earbuds. The DPP is great for sound, but the OnePlus isn't a slouch neither. I use the Buds 3 Pro at work and DPP at home.  The Buds 3 Pro is incredibly light weight with a seducing case. I sometimes forget they are in my ears. The only downside to the DPP is the weight. They can feel heavy and a bit fatiguing in the ears but they are a bitter sweet, sweet that pill I am happy to swallow. As for other aesthetics, here are my experience  - The design is unique. You either like it or hate it but I like their imposing nature. I would like to have on in flight and make people stear at me - Battery 🔋 is fine - ANC is good. It is good enough for me. I don't buy earbuds because of the ANC. I never liked being completely locked away from my environment. I am not looking for a Bose Ultra Comfort serenity - Transparency is 6/10. The Buds 3 Pro has a better transparency in my experience so far - Fit, I swithed to the in ear wing tips and I have used them in the gym twices and they stayed on my ears.  Finally, I am keeping my DPP for the long haul. They rock misic like a headphone. I am also keeping my Buds 3 Pro for different reasons. They are both exceptionally good. 

Stay away from B&W. All models have trash call quality. Crazy disappointing. Denon Pro Pearl are a big upgrade vs B&W. Good earbuds going for $150 these days. No complaints on my conference calls now.

I tried the az100 for 1 week..felt good and sound is great (have az40) Tried Between3..started to crackle on left ear..also 1 week of use Ended up with the Denon pro and I absolutely love it, mainly use for work (carpenter) and drowns out the loud machinery in my shop. And it’s fairly comfortable. Sounds sooo crisp. Good luck.

I just bought the Denon Perl Pros and returned them. They are the worst fitting headphones I’ve ever tried. The sound is decent, but they do not have great noise cancelling. I actually prefer my cheap Amazon echo buds so I will be using them until I find a replacement. I loved the Sony WF-1000xm3, fit like a glove and sound was amazing, but the battery on those things are garbage.

I daily the beoplay ex and love the sound the anc and the ip57 rating. Have a premium feel and look. I also have the denon perl pro, the jabra elite 10, mtw3, and many more and those are my daily for all things except work which I use Bose ultra open.

I just added the Devialet Gemini 2 so. Devialet Gemini 2 Beoplay ex Denon perl pro Nothing 2024 Jabra elite 10 Based on sound quality alone.

They WERE the best. Along with the Denon Pearl Pro. That all changed recently with the Bowers and Wilkins Pi8's just released. Unmatched. But the Sennys are just below. I am a Senny only guy and will probably get the Bowers when they go on sale.

I just got the AZ100s and I've only had them for a few hours, but they're fantastic. I would say the Denon Perl Pro, Pi8, Devialet Gemini 2, and BeoPlay EX still have a slight edge in terms of sound quality, but the AZ100 sound pretty fantastic and aren't that far behind, at least in LDAC (which is all I've tested). The AZ100 are better all-arounders than any of those, although I have no real complaints about the Devialet and Denon. My initial impression is that they've dethroned my beloved Sennheiser MTW4 for best sound in the $300-ish range, but I need to spend some more time with them to know for sure. I preferred the MTW4 over the AZ80 but so far I think the AZ100 has them both beat.

**Top tier sound under $350**: * Pi8 when they're on sale. * Denon Perl Pro (which have dropped dramatically in price lately) * BeoPlay EX (the Eleven are out now but they're $500 and I haven't tried them). **So Close to Top-Tier that You're Unlikely to be Disappointed**: (and these are generally better all-arounders than the top tier list) * Sennheiser MTW4 * Technics AZ100 * (Maybe) JBL Tour Pro 3 (I had these briefly and was initially underwhelmed, but the sound grew on me)

I have most of the best earbuds except the ones from Noble. Excluding the Noble, the best sounding are Devialet Gemini 2, B&W PI8, BeoPlay EX (and I'm assuming the new BeoPlay Eleven), and Denon Perl Pro. I'd consider the Devialet to be the overall winner for sound quality, but they're all pretty close. The Pi8 are the winners when you use the case transmitter function. AZ100 sound fantastic but they're not quite at the same level sonically as the others on this list.

Yes, I own the BeoPlay EX. I find them to be in the same league, sonically, as the Devialet, Pi8, and Denon, although I admit they're probably my least favorite of this bunch. I consider this league to be a bit better sounding than the next league down, which includes Technics and Sennheiser earbuds--also fantastic sounding earbuds. I do most of my mobile listening using high res streams through Tidal and the best-available codec, which for the BeoPlay is, I think, AptX adaptive. I have a custom EQ curve set just the way I like it, and I find the BeoPlay sounds best best on punchy, drum-heavy rock music, although it sounds quite good in other contexts too. It's been a while since I've listened to subtle, quiet, classical or cinematic music on the BeoPlays, so you may be right about its dynamic resolution. I find the Gemini and Denon really excel in terms of subtle dynamics (which is interesting because I think the Gemini don't even support 24-bit), and I tend to gravitate to the BeoPlay for crisp and aggressive music. I love the new AZ100 and think they may be one of the best overall earbuds on the planet at this point, and they're *almost* in the sonic league with the others I listed--close enough that it doesn't really make a difference unless I'm actively listening. The main thing holding them back, for me, is that they're a bit more reverberant than I like. I don't know if it's in the tuning/processing or if it's just the way they resonate in their own chamber/tips or in my ear canal, but it slightly washes out the sound and obscures the detail a tiny bit. The other buds, particularly the Devialet and the BeoPlay (and also the much cheaper Nothing Ear 2024) somehow manage to have a much more dry sound. The reverberant sound adds some fullness/lushness and excitement, but a drier sound brings out more detail and crispness, especially in transients. This is me being incredibly nitpicky: as I said, I think the AZ100 are still one of the best sounding earbuds, and they have no shortage of clarity and crispness, I just think the other earbuds do it a bit better. I'm a pro musician too, and part of my career involves recording and mixing, so I'm accustomed to pro gear and my ears are fairly well attuned to the details of musical timbre and production techniques. I'm not saying this to pull rank or suggest that my opinion is more valid, I just want to let you know I'm not a rube spouting hype I don't understand. From what I'm reading here, our difference in opinion is more a matter of differing personal preferences.

I more or less second this comment, except I'd rank the Denon and Gemini above the Technics in the "details" category, and my choice of best bass might alternate between the Denon and Devialet depending on what I'm listening to. In general terms I'd say the Denon has more immersive, cinematic, rumbly bass, and the Devialet has cleaner, punchier, loud-without-overwhelming-the-mix bass. I'd still rank the Technics best *overall* (of this list), but lowest in sound quality (of *this* list--they are still one of the best sounding earbuds available, it just so happens that the Denon, Pi8, and Devialet are among the very few that sound even better).

My original comment was based on your first list. I've owned most of the earbuds in your edited list, and I'd consider them *all* among the best sounding earbuds out there. I'd probably say the Gemini, Denon, B&W, and B&O are roughly tied for "best sounding," and the winner comes down to personal preference. But if I had to choose only one set, I'd still probably go with the Sennheiser MTW4 or Technics (AZ100, which I like better than the AZ80). The Gemini and others may have slightly better sound but the Sennheiser and Technics still sound fantastic: they're not far behind, and you wouldn't be missing out on some mindblowing sonic experience. But I consider these two to be better overall, in terms of functionality, app, features, etc.

>If you don't mind, could you share your ranking list for best overall and one for sound quality? Thank you in advance! Of the ones listed in your post, my personal rankings would be: BEST OVERALL: 1. Sennheiser, Technics 2. Denon, Devialet 3. Bose, Sony 4. Pi8, BeoPlay BEST SOUND: 1. Devialet, Pi8, Denon, BeoPlay (in roughly that order if I *had* to rank them, but I consider them more or less tied, and my preferences might change from day to day or song to song) 2. Sennheiser, Technics AZ100 3. AZ80 4. Sony, Bose I've never used the EQ or the Eleven.

In that price range, the best sound is the Denon Perl Pro or Sennheiser MTW4. The MTW4 and the AZ80 are in the same league when it comes to sound quality, but I find the MTW4 to be the clear winner. It's a closer call with the AZ100--I change my mind frequently about which sound I prefer between the AZ100 and MTW4, but both slightly beat out the AZ80. But the AZ100 is out of your price range, and I don't think there's any need to stretch your price to get the AZ100 when you can get the MTW4 instead.

In sound quality, Nothing Ear 2024 by far. Tried the Denon PerL Pro and the AZ80's but I was shocked when i heard the quality, clarity and bass of the latest Nothing Ear. Anc is weak tho but for me it gets the job done. And the look is badass and unique.

For me sound quality is the most important, and the Nothing Ear 2024 is ELITE level for the money. I tried the Denon PerL Pro and the AZ80's but Nothing destroyed them. I was surprised tho 😆 but its the best i've ever had. And it looks badass 😁 Anc is weak tho.

I bought that to compare it to my Nothing Ear 2024 and i was sooo disappointed i returned them the next day. Nothing just destroyed it by far.

I was shocked how good they are. I had the Denon Perl Pro too but returned it after i tried the Nothing. Elite tier for mid range price.

If sound quality is your number 1 priority go with the Nothing ear 2024. Best buds in sound quality. I compared thwm to the Denon Perl Pro and the Nothing was better by faaaar. Literally elite tier.

Loving my Denon Perl Pros. Got them 40% on sale and consider it a steal. Noise cancelling is decent and the sound quality is just awesome.

This subreddit has turned into a sheep pen. You cant have different opinions than others. I once said I prefer Nothing ear compared to Denon Perl Pro (I have both) and being downvoted too.

For a mix of workouts and daily listening, the Sony WF-1000XM5 is one of the safest bets with great ANC, warm detailed sound, and a secure fit if you get the right tips. If sound quality is your top priority, the Denon PerL Pro is insane with its personalized tuning, though it’s a bit bulkier for running. The Sennheiser MTW4 gives you that classic balanced sound and wide stage. If you want to test these out, check the simulation at audiotones .co

Contrary to your statement, I think without the optimisation the Perl Pro still sounds pretty damn good compared to every major tws iem, even hazard to say ehtter than the lot.

Best sound - Denon PerL Pro https://amzn.to/3UDbDyV Best ANC - Bose https://amzn.to/3UElULs Best combo - Sony https://amzn.to/40x2fAG To me, Sony doesn't sound as good as the Denon and Bose beats it on the ANC side, but it's a great total package.

Demon pearl pro are awesome. I researched and went through so much Reddit and ended up on denon pearl pro. I work out with them every day and the wing tips are great

MTW4 and DPP have different sound signatures. The bass is better on DPP, while vocals, generally speaking, are better on MTW4. So, for example, EDM music sounds better with DPP, but for something like Queen or any other instrumental/vocals heavy music MTW4 will be more suitable. So, no obvious winner there. For comfort MTW4 are much better, though. And for transparency. And for controls. For everything besides the case size. Mics and ANC are roughly equivalent.

Currently trying to decide between Denon perl pro and soundcore liberty 4 pro. These are to replace the AZ100s, which for the money I wasn't that impressed with. The app for the soundcore is definitely better, and the sound quality on both is extremely good. I do like the personalised sound profile on the denon's and it equalises the music to how I enjoy my music. I also have the Nothing Ear (2024) and the sound quality is excellent, but unfortunately don't get loud enough for my liking. I've also had the Melomania M100s and I struggled to get the music to sound how I liked it. I also returned the OnePlus buds pro for the same reason.

Here's what I've tried in the last 6-12 months and in order of preference based on sound: Denon Perl Pro Sennheiser MTW 4 Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro Nothing Ear 2024 Earfun Air Pro 4 Technics AZ100/Technics AZ80 The above are all excellent choices - The top 2 stood out for me but decided on the Perl Pro's. Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 Huawei Freebuds Pro 4 Couldn't find a sound that suited one on these 2 above.

Denon PerL Pro for Sound Quality 💯 Dunno how they compare for calls. Dunno how stylish they are or aren't. Just know they deliver on music listening experience.

You will see the Denon Perl Pros spoken of favorably again and again. This is for a reason. They are sort of large, they can be tough finding your fit, they require some playing around with initially (for both the fit and the APP Personalization). But the sound experience is totally worth it especially since these hit a low price of $179 recently and likely will again. I've got Sony wf1000xm5's which I still like very much, but the Denon's are my favorite with regard to the sound experience. I probably should just add that ANC isn't a big thing for me personally. I usually turn it off for "purer" sound. The Denon ANC is perfectly fine (for me when I use it) but the Sony canceling is maybe slightly more effective if thats your thing.

Nah, go ahead - break the bank. Get the BUDS you want. You'll thank yourself later when you've lived with them a bit and more fully appreciate the life changing joy you seek. Denon PerL Pros - not for everyone perhaps but these DELIVER if you take the time to "tune" them. They also have been on sale with some regularity these days typically btwn $149 - 199 Sony XM5's - very good also. Probably better ANC than the Denon's (if that's important for you). Also frequently on sale These two suggestions are ones I own.

I'm a little confused (not trying to be a smartass). You say "wired Bluetooth" did you mean wireLESS ? I know it's easy to say, but from my experience, investing in a good pair ( $150 - $250) will make your life (and work) a dream and well worth it IMHO. There's 3 or 4 to consider and you usually can pick them up on sale - still more than 50 though. I like the Denon PerL Pros best (sound quality is #1 but not everyone's cupatea) Sony XM5s are great too and more conventional design Technics AZ80 ( haven't listened to these but they appear to be highly recommended) Sennheiser momentum 3 and 4 also very popular Good luck

This is an accurate review of the AZ80. I had the Denon Perl Pros first then bought the AZ80. I was pleasantly surprised on how similar the soundstage was to the Denon Perl Pro, however they lacked that bit of bass. I do own the MTW4 as well which has a narrower soundstage unfortunately, but I felt that guitars didn't sound as crisps on the AZ80 compared to the MTW4. They are no doubt an all rounder bud, but there are areas they do lack slightly.

I have the MTW4, AZ80 and Denon Perl Pro. Of the 3 in terms of sound quality the Denon Perl Pros are the best and come at a good price although the fit might not suit everyone. On second spot will be the AZ80. Probably the most comfortable of the 3 and I guess the AZ100 will be similar. Sound wise they are almost similar to the Perl Pros but just that the Perl Pros have a slightly wider soundstage and better sub bass. Nonetheless they sound awesome. The MTW4 are good as well but just that they have a narrower soundstage compared to the other two. The strings and electric guitars sound the best on these so if you're into metal you may like these. The bass is equally good, probably sounds better than the AZ80 but just slightly. Also the ANC is better on these and the AZ80s following just behind. Cannot say much about the Bose to be honest as I've never tried them.

I started with the MTW3 which were worse than the MTW4 in terms of reliability and pretty much went through 5 pairs till they ended up giving me the MTW4 under warranty. So far I've had the MTW4 for 7 months and they seem to be holding up a bit better, but I better not jinx it. Sound wise they are okay but lack the instrument separation that you can get on the Denon Perl Pro and AZ80. I have the Denon Perl Pro which are by far the best sounding earbuds I have tried so far. Good soundstage and instrument separation. Also the stand out thing about their sound is the immersive feel you get out of them. However you may start getting white noise issues in ANC or Ambient mode with the earbuds, and I'm currently waiting for a replacement for that issue. I also got the AZ80s which are somewhat similar to the Denon Perl Pro in terms of soundstage and instrument separation, but lacks the immersiveness of the Denon Perl Pro. Can't say much about reliability though.

Unfortunately they break down regularly. Currently waiting for my second replacement.

Hi! I'm using the Denon perl pro earbuds. Tried a lot of different earbuds, but has basically the same demands you have. You should take a look at those. Great personalized sound too!

Devialet Gemini 2 has the best balance of sound and ANC. Rex5 sounds a bit better but it’s ANC is big downgrade from AirPods Pro 2 while Gemini 2 will only be a small downgrade. Honestly I think the denon Perl pro is worth it enough since it’s so much cheaper than those, but I’ve heard the fit is tough so I’m hesitant to recommend them

Well, I always like to recommend any of the XMEMS drivers options out right now, there are a few like SoundPEATS Capsule 3 Pro+ and Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi, which can deliver sound wayy above its price point due to XMEMS tech simply being better. The clarity, soundstage, detail, etc is really great. And at the same time, they are not super expensive and have all the usual wireless features you would want. That’s what I would suggest, there’s also the denon Perl pro and technics az80/100 which are safe picks but a bit more expensive. And of course then there is r/iems, where you can get god tier audiophile level sound quality on some of those nicer pairs, but of course they are gonna be wired and missing any features. Good luck

No experience with those but I enjoy the nothings. Have the bass turned up half way and can still feel it.

'129.90 at Wal-Mart https://www.walmart.com/ip/5019942095?sid=b09df01a-65eb-495a-8e47-33db9c922df1

I've been a bit disappointed with the wf-1000xm5 noise cancelling. I need to try different ear tips before giving up on them. My old xm3 seem better than the xm5 Denon Perl Pro, also not that impressed with. Maybe they are too sealed and don't like the feeling and sound quality hasn't clicked for me with personalisation on or off. Soundcore 4 NC, are ok at most things but wouldn't be rushing to use them Moondrop space travel look nice in case, sound pretty good for the price, fit isn't the most comfortable My items not on the list. Most impressed with the soundpeats opera 5, weird fit but great sound, my original Samsung bud pro for convenience and solid performance and the Sony wf-1000xm3 bulky but great noise cancelling

Denon perl pros have amazing sound quality and 8hr battery life

You really think they have the best sound quality? Have you listened to other top tier wireless earbuds like the Denon Perl Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and the Sennheiser Momentum 4s? I think they all sound better than the APP2.

I bought the Perl Pro, the sound on these is next level. I put my AirPods Max on after these and the APM sounded trash in comparison. But they weren’t the most comfy and did run into connectivity issues. After hearing how good the Technics AZ80 were I bought them to try. Much more comfortable, smaller, more reliable, better build quality, basically better at everything bar sound but even that is fantastic on them. Returned the Perl Pro. I should have been happy, the Technics do everything I want in an earbud. But they didn’t set my world on fire like the Denons did. If I had never heard the Denons I might have been more than happy with the Technics. But everytime I put them in my ears I just think, you’re just not the Denons. In the end I ordered them again in the Black Friday sales and am selling the Technics. I know, I’m crazy. I’m giving up a more comfortable, more reliable, better made all rounder earbuds with excellent sound quality for another earbud that is worse in all categories. Except sound. Man that sound is like a drug

I really like my denon pearl pro.

This here, got them not long ago and for the price I don’t think there’s anything better out there. Sound probably better than my B&O beoplay ex and ANC is ok ( close to my Sony xm3 ).

I find their sound quality so digital/artificial compared to my denon perl pros. The denons can blast music like floor speakers. I might return the buds 3 pros to either get a used Px7 S2E or save a bit more for a AZ 100

The sub bass of the denons are immaculate and its very enjoyable to listen to. The higher the volume the larger the sound gets. I wish they make the next verion's vocals more foreward and improve the ANC. Other than that I really like my denons.

Ive just got the Denon Perl Pro. Although they sound fantastic there are 2 issues for me. Battery life is not quite as advertised, my buds were showing red on the case just after 4h of usage however this is a minor issue. The big issue is that the ANC seems to have a problem on the right earbud, a static noise developed on the 2nd day of owning them and I am not the only one with these issues. I would steer clear from them unless you don’t mind returning until you find a pair that works well. Although this issue with the static noise has been known for years it seems like the manufacturer completely ignored it which is highly frustrating, tells me that they don’t really value their customer experience. I am still thinking what to do with my pair, will probably end up returning but not sure if I should try to get another pair because I really loved the sound of them. Just wanted to add that if you are listening to music the static is almost unnoticeable however since I like to listed to podcasts it drives me nuts to hear the static noise on my right ear all the time.

It goes away if I turn off the ANC but I would like to have it on especially since I use them in noisy environments.

They sound amazing. Some people complained about the fit but I just finished a 5h session with them and was fine. If yours don’t suffer from the static noise you will be fine. Be mindful that I am not talking about the slight static that you can hear on both buds with anc on, I believe that is common on all anc earbuds, Im talking about one of the buds developing a louder static noise than the other.

Battery on the buds lasted 5h and still had a bit of juice but were getting depleted. The case I am not sure but it’s already showing red light after 1.5 full charges of the buds. I must say that the anc issue seems to be intermittent. Sometimes it happens and then it stops just to come back on again later, it is weird but hasn’t happened much today definitely not as bad as yesterday, will see how it keeps up.

Yes, that is correct as music overpowers the static. However I did read some reviews that some users experienced it getting louder overtime and I don’t really want to take that risk.

Love my Perl Pros.

I can help answer. The denon pearl pro are the best sounding in that list, and also now on sale for $150. I had the sony wh-1000xm5 and returned them. The bass rolled over into the mids too much and instrument separation was terrible. I had momemtum 2 and 3s, had two pairs or 2, and one pair of the 3, all had the same battery failure. I'm sure the momemtum 4 sound good but I'm not wasting my time or money again on sennheiser. So far the denon are the best sounding earbuds I've listened to. The closest thing I've found that sounds like my open back headphones

Since the price got knocked down to $150, I would go with the denon perl pro. I returned my Sony wf-1000xm5. I don't know how anyone thinks they sound the "best." The bass distorts the mids, and instrument separation is terrible. There is a clear night and day difference in sound quality between the perl pro and the sonys. I own a few high-end open back planars and fancy amps, and the denon come the closest to matching their sound technicality. I havent heard the bower and Wilkins pi8, as I wouldnt shell out that kind of money on earbuds as most eventually have battery issues in one bud. But my suggestion would be get the denon for now at $150. Keep the remaining $250 Wait and save up the $150 again and then try something like the pi8 or the upcoming az100s. See if the extra money is really worth the cost.

1000% agree. For the price point at $150, it's almost too good to be true. There are better sounding than the pearls, but then we are talking $500 and up range

Sorry i shouldn't of said "idk how anyone thinks they are the best" Sound is subjective, but most agree that some headphones have better technicalities than others. If you can, return the sonys and give the pearl pros a try. Even watching movies is a lot better. They also support aptx loseless if your device supports that.

I would have to agree I’ve tried all of them and the Denon Perl pros are on a whole different level as far as sound quality

Well, I own the XM4 and although they were great that then on or on a much higher level. They have some really interesting features that can help you dial in the sound. They have a lot more volume. They have this really cool gain feature where if you’re listening to audio that seems heavily muted, you can increase the gain to make it more listenable. The noise canceling is pretty good and the fit in my ear is really good, but the sound is very lively. I felt like by comparison, the Sony’s were dull and less dimensional if that makes sense? Overall, the denon sound really really good for wireless earbuds

These aren't gonna last you a long time, build quality is absolute a shithouse and too many quality control issues. They haven't even lasted me a month before I had to return them and get a different pair. Imo I recommend the Cambridge audio melomania m100 . Far better than this crap

I also don't think it's just me who thinks the build quality is ass, scroll up and down on the other comments of this post and you will see

Budget under 100, Roseselsa Earfree I5, Soundpeats Capsule 3 Pro Plus HM: Moondrop Moca, Budget for 100-200 Denon perl pros, Cambridge Audio Melomania M100 HM: OnePlus buds pro 3, Nothing Ear, Technics az80, Jlab Epic lab Budget for 200-300, B&W Pi8(when on sale) HM: JBL Tour Pro 3, Technics Az100, Sennheiser MTW4 300+ Noble Fokus Rex 5, Devialet Gemini II This would be my suggestions for audio quality, I base these off their performance in soundstage, imaging, seperation, and things similar to that. As for tuning it really comes down to personal preference, most of them will suite anyone's personal needs with their custom EQs. I've tried countless amount of earbuds in all price ranges (20 to 300+ dollars worth) but these come out to be my top performers. I might have missed some since I have so many but I'll probably come back if I missed some. (I'll get into more details if you really want, like durability/longevity, battery, ANC, transparency, etc)

Hi sandwelld. So fit and comfort are very good Pairing really well with the new samsung galaxy ?

Get the Denon PerL Pro

I have all of them, apart from OnePlus. You will see that AZ100 will be the best one in the end. But, if you love bass, you will fall in love with Denon; the downside will be its size. The Pi8 is great as well, but the app... Also,I believe I must buy a memory foam ear tips for them.

I have only been able to test the DENON PerL Pro and the AZ80, I have both. The Technics are better in sound because of the clarity to hear and distinguish instruments and voices in their excellent soundstage, although the Perl Pro also offer a very good soundstage. Also ANC-wise, the AZ80s are also much better than the Denon Perl Pro's, but in transparent mode both are a bit weak. The only thing that bothers me about the AZ80s is having to press one of the two earbuds two or three times to turn the volume down and up. Another pro of the AZ80s is that you can locate the earbuds by map and by sounds.

Yes, but I would have preferred to be able to turn the volume up or down by holding down an earbud as the Denon does. The Denon does not allow you to adjust the level of the ANC or the transparent mode.

I thought it would be worth sharing my experience with these earbuds, considering how this sub helped me find these headphones in the first place. I’ve had plenty of wired monitor headphones in the past, have a 7.2.2 atmos system in the house, and have previously owned Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and Sony WF-1000XM4. Last time around the Senn TW2 connectivity was poor (especially when active like running or biking) so as much as I love Sennheiser sound quality and stage, I was reflectant to try them again. The Sony XM4s were fine previously but were too small of a soundstage without the clarity I was looking for from a headphone so I didn’t try Sony because I wasn’t necessarily looking for that warm consumer sound. I also had to set a limit of how many headphones to go back and forth with. For my use case, I only use one pair of earbuds when I’m out of the house, work, gym, biking and occasionally at home as well. For myself audio quality and the fit is the highest priority. The differences in ANC are negligible to me to prioritize over other things, and transparency mode is also similar.  Anyways if I’m really having a conversation I’ll take the headphones out. So here’s the rankings. Audio Quality Denon : 9 Bower pi8 : 8 Bower pi7: 6.5 Technics: 6.5 Denon is the best with a wide 3d sound stage, deep bass, it really does it all. You will find details in a song you didn’t notice previously, and  most people will be surprised trying these headphones because their sound is close to wired. Honestly the pi8 were really good , balanced and very clear. Not too far behind the denons. There just wasn’t a wow factor of a wide soundstage that my previous senheissers even had, but their volume is insanely loud. The Bowers pi7 are a less clear , less powerful, less refined pi8, not bad for their price which can be less than 200 nowadays, but not audiophile at all imo at this point. The Technics sound good, lots of clarity for sure, but the sound didn’t have the depth of the other headphones.   Going back and forth they always sounded tinny vs any of the others, I am also shocked how people love these and the focus only seems to be clarity.  Maybe good for movies/ I ruled out the technics and pi7 because the sound quality wasn’t there. Fit: Pi8: 9 Denon: 7 The pi8 are light and feel great. Basically a clone of AirPods or galaxy buds, smart to have such an ergonomic design. The denons are unique, and likely initially uncomforable and big. Definitely need to tinker with all the damn eartips and wingtips, but I was able to find a good fit (not great). Initially they did irritate one of my ears, but over time I have gotten used to it. But I can’t pretend they are close to comfort of the pi8. Verdict: I went with the denons. The pi8 seem like the jack of all trades, but master of none. While their sound quality is honestly close to the denons, the denons really are special with their spacial audio and customization. It really is a joke 400 dollar pi8s don’t have Spatial Audio. As much as I wanted to convince myself the pi8s are the well rounded package especially because of the carefree airpod fit, I would always find myself going back to denons because they sound like over ear wired headphones. The fit will definitely not be for everyone. No way I was going to try the geminis after the pi8s were already too pricey imo, especially being happy with the denons for 230.  Pi8s are 400 or technics for 300 should be a crime. Good luck, ill see you all back here in 2-4 years lol (fingers crossed)

Definitely worth a try, they had the denons for 230, let us know what you think. I don’t know if you’ll think the pi8s are worth it if they re still 400, but the fit and total package might be better for you.

Not really a big ANC guy, so didn’t give much focus in comparison. I will say the denons are good not great and definitely allow for louder sounds.

Well those brilliant guys at soundguys use Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores to give sound scores where I used my ears and compared them to other earbuds I kept hearing about from this sub. I can’t give an opinion on their algorithm . And those guys gave the COMFORT of these denons an 8.8, so feel free to listen their review, but I think you’re right, something doesn’t add up.

I do kind of agree with you, I think just using the personalized sound, vocals don’t shine as much. When you use personalized sound and the EQ, that’s where they blow out the pi8 in my opinion. I personally do like having options to change the sound as everyone’s preferences are unique, maybe someone loves these out of box lol but I didn’t, but I think these allow someone to find their perfect preference with the depth of spacial audio.

Denons were prob a 5/6 on comfort when I first got them, so I almost stopped using them and went to very comfortable pi8s. But the sound kept pulling me back to try the denons. I think they go kind of deeper into the ear than other earbuds, which provides a great seal and sound, but causes pressure. Eventually I used the larger tip on one ear and it helped to be not so deep, and my ears got used to them. I think the comfort for me personally will max at 7.5 where’s the pi8 feel weightless and comfy. For some, the denons feel great but I’m not suprised you couldn’t tolerate the fit.

Denon PerL Pro's when they're on sale for $150-180. 😌

The Denon PerL Pro's are the best sounding buds under $200 when they're on sale. Even better than the OPBP3's.

Maybe I'm biased, but I recently bought the Denon PerL Pro's on sale for $185. They best my OPBP2's in nearly everything, better bass, output, clearity, codec support, etc. I find their personalised ear test to be better too, plus it supports aptx lossless. Even the regular aptx is better than the aac on the OPBP2's if you have a Samsung device.

I agree with the Pi8's, except, and this is big for me, they couldn't hang with my Denon PerL Pro's when it counts. OUTPUT. They can get as loud as the Denon, maybe a smidge louder, but they can't handle it. Maybe it was my pair? But they had a popping noise, aka clipping, when driven too loud. The Denon's suffer from no such thing, and have the second best sounding quality "subjective" because what they lack in the mid-range Vs. the Pi8's, they make up for in the sub bass. The highs are smooth with no harshness, and no clipping! (Disclaimer: The Pi8's only get as loud using the retransmission case. They don't get as loud when connected directly to the source. Which is another criticism of mine.) Since you don't have them on your list of tested buds, maybe you should order a pair when they are on sale for $150-$200.

I use Wavelet and use the Denon PerL Pro profile set to 25% to help with the mids. Or use the buit-in android sound profile and enable Adapt Sound set to 30 to 50 year old. But I think the Wavelet method is better.

Just make sure you run Masimo aat before you judge them too quickly. Run it three times and pick the best profile to your taste. (I try to get it close to a perfect circle.) Enable high-gain mode after. FYI: Don't use immersion mode as that reduces output. Only set it at 1 if you need more bass, otherwise: Use Wavelet instead of the built-in EQ. Enable Auto EQ and search for the Denon PerL Pro EQ profile. Adjust to 25% to help bring out the mids. I disable Spatial audio and ANC for best SQ. Since I'm on android, I turn off Volume-Limiter. Set Bluetooth MAP 1.2 and AVRCP 1.3 for best connection.

I love my Denon PerL Pro's . Big step up over the One Plus Buds Pro 2's I have. Big bold sound, and I like that I can crank up the high frequency through the app without distortions or hurting my ears.

Do they destort more in the high freq or low freq at its loudest? I like the Denon's because they don't seem to destort, especially when I EQ them to add a bit of sparkle to the top end.

Reading these AZ100 posts that keep popping up on the daily and laughing while chilling and listening to my $150 dollar PerL Pro's. 😏

They are my favorite

I have both the XM5 and DPP, the XM5 doesn't come close to the DPP. The DPP engulfs and consumes my entire head with sound, XM5 sounds like a conventional earbud playing music into your ears.

have teh rex5's on order with my current fav being teh beoplay ex for wireless ear buds if sound quality is the most important. I would choose those over any on your list if sound quality is what you want. The active noise cancelation is terrible on them though.Not a fan at all of the denon perl pro. I will update comment when my nobile audio rex5 show up. I have yet to have any wireless earbud come close to a mid tier IEM though(again in terms of sound quality). Really like the hype 4's for bang for the buck. Sony xm5 are trash in terms of sound quality for their price.

My top Picks are 1. Technics AZ80 2. Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 3. Denon Perl Pro

If your priority is sound in TWS then you should check out Denon Perl Pro, Technics AZ100, BnW Pi8, Sennheiser M4, and Status 3ANC. Sorry to say but these are much better in SQ than your two choices and that's bcoz of their tuning.

I went with the Denon Pearl Pro and I'm quite happy with it.

This or Oneplus Buds 3 pro or JBL Tour Pro 3? Currently on Liberty 4 Pro - I love the fit and features but it really lacks bass eve tho I wouldn´t consider myself a basshead. I had Denon Perls Pro but I could fit it and it caused me pain.

When you use 200-300 dollar earbuds, you don't want to go cheap again. Also, if you are flexible/patient, you can find many of the retail 300 dollar earbuds at much cheaper prices. The Denon Perl Pros at 150 is a way better buy than the cheap earbuds, in my opinion. Walmart was routinely selling the Sony XM5 for under 150.

Denon perl pro if you like more bass and depth to your music

I have a pair of Denon perl pro in white for sale on Vinted. The sound is amazing but they are too big for my tiny ears

That’s one pair I haven’t tried! I’ve had Denon PerL Pro, Technics AZ80, B&W PI5 S2 and overall I love the MTW4

I run a lot and tested a bunch. For a mix of workouts and daily use, I'd go with the Sony WF-1000XM5 — comfy, great sound, solid ANC, and they stay in place. Jabra Elite 8 Active is also a great pick for sports — super secure fit and durable. Denon PerL Pro has insane sound quality but they're a bit bulkier. Nothing Ear 2 is nice but not ideal for intense movement.

Denon perl pro or technics AZ80.

I was lucky enough to try these out at my local store. The Denon Perl Pro’s are such a great set. The sound quality is really amazing. You’ll have a hard time finding better options for better sound quality out there outside of these. You’ll definitely have better options for ANC, battery life and mic. But earbuds at the end of the day for me are all about the sound quality, the other stuff is just extra or sometimes better at the cost of sound quality. The immersive mode slider delivers an unbelievable amount of rumble to the bass which is so satisfying. Anyone who prefers more bass should consider these.

Yes when compared to mtw4’s. Amazon will have the perl pros on sale. I’ve seen them as low as 190$usd. I got mine for around the same price

this is the most overlooked earbud on this sub and its miles ahead of technics

I agree the AZ100’s are overrated if purely based on “best sounding”. Lots of people will jump from low tier earbuds to the AZ’s and crown them as the best without trying anything else. They do a lot of things well but are not the best. The question is what exactly are you looking for? What do you value more? What music do you like? Devialet Gemini II’s, Denon Perl Pro’s, Noble Fokus Rex5 are better in sound. And if sound is the most important, than none of these even come close to IEM’s. Sony and Bose are far superior in ANC. For bassheads lots of other options such as Nothing Ears, Noble Mystique.

I got mine from woot at the last sale for 39.99, no issues. I liked them so much I got the PerL Pros a couple months later from Amazon for 119.99.

I bought a set from Amazon which has a great price on them at the moment and I find them to have fantastic sound quality especially for the current price but are beat by just a smidgen by the Bowers Pi8 which has a grander sound to me, not sure if it's to do with the slightly larger driver size. Both great sets but Perl Pro is priced better.

Denon Perl Pro. A bit bulky but they are a comfortable fit, have excellent ANC, best sound quality I've ever had in a bud.

The Denon's sound very good but not as good as either of my B&Ws earbuds. When listening to either the Pi7s2 or Pi8 and then switching to the Denons I notice how horrible the vocals really are in the Denon's. If I judge an earbuds sound quality by how well it produces bass the Dennon's do well but so do the Pi7s2s. For overall sound quality I chose the Pi8's.

Had to go and do a back to back comparison between my Denon Perl Pros and the B&W Pi8's again. Just as I suspected, the Pi8's were brighter and the vocals were much better sounding, however the bass wasn't as powerful. The vocals on the Denon's were muted which gave the music a hollow sound which I do not like. The bass was very good but overall the Pi8's sound superior in my ears.

I've tried ear buds $300AUD and up for years and the Denon Pearl Pro are the best ones I've ever heard.

Bought mine at the beginning of December and they are working fine. I enjoy the sound quite a bit. I agree with the ear fit not being the best and the ANC being kind of meh. Just purchased the AZ100 buds and have been trying them out the past couple days - very very nice. I do prefer the Denons as they are louder.

One thing about the Denons I had trouble with at the start was the vey small plastic protecting the battery connectors. I wasn't able to fully remove it from the battery contact points and as a result they didn't charge at all. (I don't neve the best eyesight). Once I figured that issue out they've been fine.

Thanks for this honest and well thought through review. The fact that you agree with my own experience of the DPP may have swayed my positive opinion. As far as fit goes I agree it takes a bit of time (and hassle) to find the right combination of tips and wings (and I am dreading having find/buy replacements) but once you do they are great. Mine feel comfortable all the time never feel like they are going to fall out. Sound quality goes without saying…it’s the best by far. Thanks

I bought these a few weeks ago at $149. I’ve never tried any other models, but I like these. Takes a bit of work to get the fit right, but they stay in place while I run and sound good.

Denon Perl Pro hands down the best tws I ever owned with the best sound quality.

Then it makes sense. I got the Denon just for listening to music, not for other purposes. I have the Samsung Galaxy Buds3Pro, OnePlus Buds Pro 2. But the Denon gave me the best sound quality. I bought a used like new one from Amazon for less than $100. There were multiple recommendations in this subreddit about the Denon.

Denon Perl / Perl Pro have the option to disable touch controls in the app - just set "do nothing" for all potential actions. AVIOT has a similar function. So does Samsung for the Buds series, and Sony for the WF series. Thinking about it now I'm not sure I've owned a pair of tws with touch controls from any major brand that didn't have a fairly straightforward way of disabling them.

I dont use Masimo and i have a post about correcting the eq using the poweramp EQ app. I recommend it, masimo wasnt consistent or that good for me. I personally dont judge buds by out of the box sound signature at all since it can be fixed with eq, just dynamics, accuracy, and bandwidth. Im happy with the perl pro's with alza crystal 2 tws tips (not sure if these even matter tbh), aptX lossless, and the poweramp eq settings I listed in my post

for me its the Denon Perl Pro right now. Spot on with the auto eq adjustment

Yes, you just sit around for two minutes while it analyses the response in your ears to the soundspectrum then gives you a perfect eq setting, personalized yes. [https://shop.masimo.com/en-us/content-pages/masimo-aat.html](https://shop.masimo.com/en-us/content-pages/masimo-aat.html)

Anc is average. And you definitely won't be able to side sleep with them, they're huge.

I don't know man how they do it but it works. For me at least.

Agreed. The Perl pros are awesome. And I've had many. Grado GT 220s are also good but no extras(noise cancelling, an app....)

I got the denon perl pro’s - best I’ve ever heard. I can’t get in ears without fins to stay due to small ears, so I tried these at a store, and I was blown away. They look different but who cares, the sound is what is important and these deliver. I had to return the new Sony over ear xm6 because the sound was pathetic compared..

Hmmm ones with good sound could be denon perl pro and Sennheiser mtw4/momentum sport Honestly regarding wing tips, I've kinda been indifferent. Used the liberty 3 pros but then upgraded to technics az80 after I lost them. So far have pretty similar stability with a bit less of that occasional soreness I got from the wingtips There are also things like the Jabra elite active series with the silicone covering meant to help with making them more grippy to the ear. So there are different approaches to the same things

Agreed! I have a bunch of “premium” earbuds (Denon PerL Pro, Beats Fit Pro, Technics AZ100, Sennheiser Momentum 4, and the Bose QC Ultra) and the noise cancellation on the Bose is easily the best. In terms of sound quality, the Denon Perl Pro are my favourite, but not by much (I really also like the spacious sound of the Sennheiser Momentum TW 4s). The Bose QC Ultras have a hyped sound, but its quite immersive so in terms of excitement they’re also good. I don’t love the Technics, got them cause of all the hype, to my ears they’re somewhat ordinary (good in every department, not great in any), but that could also just be me and my preferences/physiology. In the end, none of these will match a great set of headphones in terms of sound quality, so you’re best advised to try a few out and see which one you like best (if you have that available to you of course). Fit & comfort are also very important and highly personal, as well as extended features (eg mic quality, weight, IPX rating etc etc).

Denon PerL Pro. Save 100$ and get one of the best, if not the best sound on tws.

I snagged a pair (used, never a problem for me), for $117, on Amazon.

Thank you so much for your review. I had been loving the AZ80 for a few months for its nautralness, clarity and wide soundstage, but your review had been in the back of my mind for a while. Could the Denon actually be better? One day I saw it on sale, took a chance and bought it, and you were right. It's better on every level. More clarity, while retaining naturalness, better imaging and a bigger, holographic soundstage. Even the bass is better, more impact and presence without being boomy. It's better than every wired headphone or earbud I've tried. I felt I owed you a thanks. Note to others: You must do the hearing test setup in the Denon app, because out of the box these sound awful, thin. After the setup, it's suddenly MAGIC.

Bose QC ultra or Denon Perl Pro. The Denon's fit better with the larger wings tips but the ANC on the Bose is top notch and the fit is still pretty good.

Never had an issue with mine and while the ANC on the Bose is better, it’s very good on the DPP. Drown out the gym music which is all I need. But any device can have issues. Just my experience.

The cracking on the Bose were fixed in the last firmware update they put out. As for the Denon’s, yea they’re big but once they’re in, they don’t stick out. For me they really lock in which is great.

I have the Sony XM5 and bought the Perl Pro on sale for £149 last week. I also bought the creative BT-W6 dongle for £49.99 to be able to take advantage of AptX Lossless with them on my S24 Ultra. The Perl Pro with the dongle using Tidal is the most incredible sound I've ever heard. The XM5s are good, but this was just total eargasm. Without the dongle however the sound from the XM5s was a tad bit better than Perl I'd say.

It’s blasphemy to say Bose sounds better. It’s just bloated and muddy, especially their flagship QC Ultra earbuds that are just a buggy mess. But the B&W Pi8 do sound better, even the Denon Perl Pro. But Bose is the only one that competes with Sony in terms of ANC. The Momentum True Wireless 4 have ok ANC, the Perl Pro’s ANC is subpar (even at their $150 sale price), and the Pi8’s ANC is only slight better than that.

I thought the DPP sounded overall better than the XM5 after taking the hearing test a couple of times. But the thing that kills me with the DPP is their lack of ANC. It’s on par with $40 Soundcore earbuds and, for their price, that’s unacceptable to me. If I can hear outside noise, I’m taken out of the music. I also wasn’t a fan of their large disc. Leaning up against a seat, a plane wall, or even laying down was uncomfortable.

I have. The JBL Tour Pro 3, Denon PerL Pro after their acoustic measurements, B&W Pi8, Jabra Elite 10 gen 2, and even more budget-friendly options. The EX and Eleven are overpriced and provide generic warm audio. Nothing wrong with that if you want to spend the money. But their ANC is b-tier at most with an interesting and comfortable design. Nothing wrong with liking them, but there are other true wireless earbuds that sound better and have better ANC.

The Denon are often on sale for $100. Their audio quality is excellent after taking their test, but their build quality is average and their ANC is terrible. The AirPods Pro 2 will have much better ANC and features (when paired to an iPhone), they usually sell for $170. I’d stay away from the PowerBeats Pro 2. People thought they’d be the AirPods Pro 2 in sport form but they aren’t. Their audio quality is worse, so is their ANC. Apple held them back to make the AirPods Pro 2 their flagship audio device despite them being the same (same Bluetooth and audio chip, even the same drivers). I’d hold off on any purchases until things go on sale even more. For $170, the AirPods Pro 2 are going to be all around better earbuds than the Denon even when they’re on sale for $100. Audio quality will be less than the Denon, but the AirPods Pro 2 still offer solid audio quality. If you increase your budget to $250, the JBL Tour Pro 3 would also be a solid option. ANC that’s better than Apple, audio quality that’s as fun or neutral as you want, and a big case with tons of features. There’s also the Sony WF-1000XM5, which are in your budget now. Their ANC is about the same as Apple when you use their foam:rubber hybrid ear tips. But they excel when listening to hard rock and metal, plus they also have a ton of features regardless of platform (Android or iOS).

I got some Denon Pearl Pro last week and they are out of control on sound quality.  Comfort you gotta find the right ear plug, but after 4-5 hours I need a break. I’ve yet to feel that wasn’t the case with ear buds. Look up a review on YouTube. They have a hearing test and adjust the frequencies and balance based on the results. I thought it was a gimmick but best quality I have had for the price ($200) but got mine $140 on eBay. 

I bought the following on Amazon, tested all of them (audiophile obsession level), then returned all but kept one: HiFiman Svanar Wireless Audio technica AZ80 Denon Perl Pro Edifier Stax Spirit S10 Edifier NeoBuds Pro 2 SoundPEATS Capsule 3 Pro+ SoundPEATS Air5 My top 3 were Denon Perl Pro (please go for this one and you won't be disappointed), AZ80, & Svanar Wireless (this is one of the best sounding along with the AZ80 & Denon, but the Svanar has issues with dropping on Android phones, and the battery life is dogshit)

The Svanar sounded the best out of all of them (on High Fidelity setting) However, the battery life was shockingly bad. I use it on train journeys, and the battery would last around 2 hours even when I wasn't even listening to music and just had them on. Also, on Android if you use the LDAC option then you would get these stuttering issues happening constantly. I bought 3 of these Svanars because I thought it was a hardware fault, and all 3 of them had the same issue. I wanted so bad to be able to keep the Svanar but it was problem after problem. Denon Perl Pro sounds just as good if not better, but only after you use their app so it configures it for your ears. I recently got the Gemini Devialet 2, haven't had time to test it but for some reason I am still gravitating towards the Denon Perl Pro.

I might suggest a separate column for codecs. I don't think the Denons are very comfortable. They're huge and don't have a ton of tips for the best fit in the ear canal. Do you really think that the Bose have better sound quality than most of your list? Someone else recommended Noble Fokus 5s. 5 drivers (!), personalized sound, all the codecs, aluminum case, yadda yadda. Nearly $500 though. https://nobleaudio.com/products/noble-fokus-rex5 I have no idea if they're good or not, but the specs are impressive. (They should be for the price.)

Good for you for trying but the data is pretty bad I think. For example, there's a significant difference between the Liberty 4, the Liberty 4 NC, and the 4 Pro. And I'm sure the 4NC has been recommended way more than your data show. There's also a big difference between the Denon PerL (listed) and the Perl Pro. The pro is one of the most recommended ~$300 bud here, and it's not registered in your list. Same with Nothing (which I have and I think what you've listed) vs Nothing (a) (which is cheaper but gets recommended way more. Not your fault really because the manufacturers use stupid repetitive model names, and we use abbreviations (az-80 instead of the manufacturer name, or super abbreviations like L4NC).

I don't own any of those models, but I hang around here (probably too much). I think the Sennheiser, Technics and Sony are going to be the top of the list for pure sound quality. There are some reports of really good sound quality from the Jabra. The Bose are OK, but they're better known for their amazing ANC more than their accurate sound. I think the others are probably in the next tier down (though others will probably disagree). I own the Denon PerL Pros, which I think have pretty amazing sound quality, though I don't think they're super comfortable, because they're so big. I also don't like their app. I also own the Nothing Ear (2024)s, which have really good sound quality (though not quite as amazing as my Denon's), great controls & app, and okay ANC. Once you get into the >$150 space, it really starts to depend on personal preference, I think. Others might be able to give you their take. But you can also check out other unbiased reviews. I like SoundGuys, because they at least purport to have some objective testing. (They don't really like the Denon's, though, so what do they know!) SoundGuys Sennheiser: [https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless-4-review-111429/](https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-momentum-true-wireless-4-review-111429/) Technics: [https://www.soundguys.com/panasonic-technics-eah-az80-review-122799/](https://www.soundguys.com/panasonic-technics-eah-az80-review-122799/) Sony: [https://www.soundguys.com/sony-wf-1000xm5-review-95465/](https://www.soundguys.com/sony-wf-1000xm5-review-95465/) Bose: [https://www.soundguys.com/bose-quietcomfort-earbuds-ii-review-78**772/**](https://www.soundguys.com/bose-quietcomfort-earbuds-ii-review-78772/) Denon: [https://www.soundguys.com/denon-perl-pro-review-107641/](https://www.soundguys.com/denon-perl-pro-review-107641/) (I don't think they used custom settings when they were doing the sound quality test... it was all out of the box, which makes no sense whatsoever.) Nothing: [https://www.soundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404/](https://www.soundguys.com/nothing-ear-review-114404/) Jabra: [https://www.soundguys.com/jabra-elite-8-active-gen-2-review-118807/](https://www.soundguys.com/jabra-elite-8-active-gen-2-review-118807/)

\>Nothing Ear 2s Note that the Nothing Ear 2s are *older* than the "Nothing Ear" (2024) model. If you're in that price range, go for the newer model. I have the Nothing Ear (2024), and the Perl Pros. The Perls are bigger and bulkier. They fit amazingly in my left ear but not in my right, despite me trying nearly every tip and wing they provide. I haven't tried running in them yet, but I'm going to expect that they will be more likely to fall out. But I think their sound quality is a step above the Nothing's, especially when streaming Atmos content from Apple with a hires Bluetooth Codec (so only only certain Android phones). (Oh, also, the PerL Pros are more neutrally tuned. You can turn up the bass on them, but if you do it too much it will start to bleed. So if you're a basshead, I wouldn't choose the PerLs. I've *heard* that the AZ80s and the 1000S compete with the PerL in sound quality, but I haven't tried them yet myself. I understand that Bose leads the way in noise cancellation, but if you don't care about that, then the Bose has the least desirable sound quality.

Jabra Elite 10 (Get them before they're gone) Jabra Elite Active 8 Gen 2 (light, easy, excellent sound quality, and basically waterproof; no good hires codecs though, and the app is decent at best) Also get them before they're gone. The other thing about the Jabras is that the case becomes a Bluetooth transmitter for devices that aren't Bluetooth enabled. So, for example, you can use your earbuds on the in-flight entertainment systems on some airlines. (I LOVE them for travelling.) (Jabra is discontinuing their lines of wireless earbuds, which is really a shame.) Technics AZ-80 (one of the leaders in the 200-300 space; they were just made obsolete by the introduction of teh AZ-100s, so I'm expecting their price to go down even more soon) Denon PerL Pro (excellent sound quality, great integration of AptX codec, and amazing sound personalization, but blech everything else, including app and case). These were on sale during Black Friday/Christmas for $150, and for a short time Amazon had some limited stock for $99, which is absolutely insane quality for that price. Back at $200? I think I like the other options better. But be on the lookout. Nothing Ear (2024) -- stylish, comfy, squeeze controls so no accidental misclicks, great app. Sound quality is probably one rank below the Jabra, Technics, and Denon, but they're fine buds.

Head over to r/earbuds I think the best deal right now are the Denon PerL Pros at $149 on Amazon. (They were as low as $99 a few weeks ago). Amazing customized sound and great hires codec support if you're on Android. But everything else is meh compared to the other big boys--anc is relatively poor, app is weird, call quality is only ok, charging case makes it hard to get the buds out, and they may or may not be comfortable for you. But the sound quality is a tier above everything else in the $100-$150 range. Nothing Ear (2024) at $115 now on Amazon are kind of the opposite. Sound quality is very, very good but not top tier, but the case is fun (and easy to get the buds in and out) the app is amazing for customized sound EQ and features, they have squeeze stems for more accurate button control, ANC is very good (though not top tier), call quality seems about average. They're also really comfy for me but may come loose while exercising. The other top tier sound quality buds are Sennheiser Momentum4s (I have these and agree that they're amazing), Sony 1000XM-5 (some folks say these are the best far and away but others disagree) Bose QC Ultra (great ANC but Bose tuning which some people like and others don't), Technics AZ-80s (often mentioned as the best and now on sale for $200 because their next Gen buds have been teased), and OnePlus Buds Pro 3 And AirPod pros, of course,which are generally highly recommended if you have an iPhone. There are lots of reviews of those buds that you can read. Next tier down includes Soundcore Liberty 4 NC (especially for ANC) EarFun Air Pro 4 OnePlus Nord Buds 3

Technics AZ-100 > AZ-80 \>B&W Pi8 recommended I haven't owned the Pi8, but I've listened to lots of audio samples. My favorite reviewers claim that on audio quality, the Pi8 is the top of the heap, but they're TRULY AWFUL on everything else, especially their mic pickup. Similarly, the PerL Pros have great sound, but they're uncomfortable, the app is hard to navigate, ANC is mid at best, and they're hard to get in and out of the case. So those are two buds with grteat sound, but bad "everything else." (The Denons get the nod because they are often really cheap on Amazon. They're back up to $200, but I bet they're going to go on sale for Prime Day. Even through I returned them before, I might snag a pair if they're $125 or less.) \>top-tier ANC That goes to the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra (2?). \>Are premium options worth it?  I mean, it depends. I can hear a significant increase in quality between my AZ-100s and everything else I own. I'll put in a pair of budget buds, like the Baseus BP1 Pros, and think, "oh, this sounds pretty good." Then I'll listen on my AZ-100s and I'll think "*that* sounds good." Less harshness in the trebles (regardless of EQ), more clarity, better instrument separation, bass presence without booming or bleeding... But if you've never heard top-ear TWS earbuds, and you listened to $100 pair like the EarFun Air Pros, or the Liberty 4 Pro, or even something like the Nothing Ear (a) or Nothing Ear (2024) or one of the CMF Buds lineup, you'd probably thing they're amazing. Law of diminishing returns certainly applies. You have to pay exponentially more for small improvements. \>Share your top picks Of the buds I've tried, my favorites are the Az-100s. They're warm, and not harsh, but still have clarity. They're not the best ANC (I've not tried Bose, but they're the undisputed king there, and I think my EarFun Air Pro ANC is just about as good for 1/3 the price), or the very best microphone (they have this AI tech which makes your voice easy to be heard but can sometimes get a little distorted), or the best app (that goes to Nothing), or the best controls (again, nothing's squeeze controls), but they're the best package of everything. And I just love the sound signature, especially for the music I listen to (jazz/fusion, indie rock, pop, classic rock, classical, some electronic/"focus" stuff.) My No. 2 buds are the Jabra Elite 8 active. Indestructible (I think you can shower with them!) , physical buttons, SUPER comfy, great for exercise, just-fine sound quality, AND you can hook their case up to a non-Bluetooth source as a transmitter (great for flying on airplanes!) Nothing (2024) are good for how customizable they are. If their sound quality was just a little bit better they'd rival the AZ-100s. Denon PerL Pro have a beautiful soundstage. I just wish they were better at everything else. Technics Momentum Wireless 4 are... fine. They're not as comfy, and they're too harsh for me. People rave about the EarFun Air Pro 4s, but frankly I just don't like their sound very much. Good features in a good price.

Haven't tried the AZ80, AZ60, or Pixel buds, but my rank would be If you care solely about sound quality AZ100\~DPP > Senn MTW4, If you care about well-rounded buds AZ100>Senn MTW4> DPP (DPP's are awfully uncomfortable for a lot of people, and their ANC and mics are quite bad for high quality buds. Sound-quality-wise, I like the AZ100s better, but I can see how people might like the DPPs better. They have a better soundstage and a little more sparkle in the uppers, and a more balanced bass.)

If you're set on those, my thoughts: \> Denon PerL Pro Best sound quality sub-$200. Don't buy them for more than $150. I think the white versions are still that price. They might be really uncomfortable for you (they were for me) or might stay in your ears very well. If they fit, they'll be super secure for the gym, but if they don't they won't. ANC is very bad for the price. Also, they have the most quality control complaints around here (that might be an overstatement compared to real life, but it's something that gets floated on this sub a lot). \> Nothing Ear GREAT app; above average sound quality. Buds might become too sweaty to stay in effectively. LOVE the squeeze triggers for on-bud controls (many fewer misclicks, which I think is great especially for the gym). Maybe the Nothing Ear (a) for most of what you need at 30% less cost. \> Technics Best buds on the list, but I just don't think you need to p1ay that much if you're doing gym and casual listening. You're also paying for battery life (which you don't care about really), amazing call quality (which you don't care about really), spatial audio (which won't work with one bud), and the very cool magnetic fluid tech (which only gives high quality sound in careful listening situations). They do do well with bass, which is nice at the gym, and they've got a pretty good water resistance rating for gym-related activities, They're very very comfy for me, but each ear is different. \> Sony Another good choice, and at least they're cheaper now. But again you're paying for a lot of tech that you probably won't use that much. Pretty close to the Az-100s, and I think some people like their sound signature a little more, but it's a little more reference-quality, which isn't quite as good for the gym. [https://www.whathifi.com/advice/technics-eah-az100-vs-sony-wf-1000xm5-which-premium-wireless-earbuds-are-better](https://www.whathifi.com/advice/technics-eah-az100-vs-sony-wf-1000xm5-which-premium-wireless-earbuds-are-better) But really, if you're only going to be listening in one ear, and going to the gym, why invest in such high-end earbuds to begin with? Maybe try the EarFun Air Pro 4s, or the Liberty 4 NC (if you really care about ANC at the gym), or even something like the Baseus Bowie MC1? With one ear, you're not going to be able to hear the clarity and sounstage provided by the Denon, Technics, or Sony, and you'll be spending a lot on technology that you'll not likely be using much (mic quality, hires codecs, fancy apps, etc.)

Denons might take a few tries making a profile that actually sounds good though. Mine have been boomy and dark. I also haven’t put a ton of effort into them, so I went back to my 3ANC and app2 for commute. I do have a pi8 coming tomorrow though! App2 actually really sound great with spinfit superfines (1025). I didn’t care for them when I first got them, but I think over the year and a half I’ve had them updates have made them sound better.

Sony is a safe bet imo, but the az100 are fantastic as well. Nothing is a good budget option, but the Sony, Denon and az100 sound more like a home speaker system. The nothing has a nice peq though, so if you are good at eq you can make them sound however you want . Denon Perl pro is great, but you need to take the test multiple times to get a sound you truely like, so if you aren’t willing to put in the effort of getting the best fit and running the test a bunch, don’t. Out of the box they sound bad, but I think that’s on purpose to have a bigger “wow!” Effect when you run the miasmo tuning.

Denon perl pro

Try offing the anc see if the static still there

Btw battery only last 4 hour? Plus case!?

so confirm when listen to music cant really hear just potcast?

Denon perl pro any static when not using

Denon Perl pro is good

what's up with that? Good engineering can make a beast single dynamic driver while a bad one even with multiple drivers. Sure a planar tweeter and a dynamic driver is generally preferred if done well but the driver isn't a limiting factor here, just look at the denon perl pros, same thing.

just to let you know, not all dynamic drivers are the same and the engineering (materials, size, shape etc) sure does the difference. Modern DD are really good, easier and cheaper to manufacture than multiple drivers. You also have to keep in mind the energy usage and the challenges regarding multiple drivers in tws earbuds. Just get the best one that meets your taste without bothering too much on this topic. Just to let you know the denon perl pros (single DD) sounded better in every way than my old Oppo Enco X2 (dual driver setup).

I just got the Denon PerL Pro and I agree the sound is amazing and also about the fit, even with the biggest ear tip and wings they provide, have you found anyway to improve this?

I also paid $100 and I don’t think they are worth any more than that. I like the sound, it’s a fun listen, once it’s personalized. . But I don’t like that they sound terrible out of the box. It took several attempts to get the personalized sound to be good. Even then, while there’s a lot of horizontal depth to the sound, there isn’t much height. Live concerts sound like there were recorded in a big studio.

I agree with the OP's take on the PerL Pro's, and he rec'd them based on a $279 purchase price. Currently they are priced at $149, which is a steal for a personalized sound profile producing results comparable to a wired headset (close enough, at least, that I can use them instead of listening to wired phones via a bluetooth dac/amp).

Easy! The Denon perL pros!!

Would also consider the Jlab Epic Lab Edition. They are highly underrated. I own the Denon Perl Pro and Technics az80 and honestly can't say they fall short compared to both (After EQ). They are more comfortable and have better ANC than both. Sound quality is maybe just a bit behind.

Denon Perl Pro

I agree! Denon kicks ass!

Denon Perl Pro. Best in the segment in terms of sound quality.

I would give Cambridge melomania M100 a HM at least. $119, and I’ve heard they are better than Technics AZ80 As for the best - I haven’t tried many earbuds, so I can’t do comparisons. I own the Denon Perl’s, and I’ve loved them for a little more than a year. I haven’t felt a need to upgrade since I got them

I’ve had the Denon Perl’s since January 2024 . I actually found the fit to be better with the larger wingtips included in the package. With the default wingtips, the right side always seemed to feel loose 

I have the Denon Perls. They do give a notification when your battery dips under 20%. The voice prompt says “Battery Low.” 

I have denon Perl pro. Very happy with them

All 3 pairs of sennheiser tw3 left ear bud went out they sent the tw4 as replacement under warranty, 3 months later same issue. I gave up on sennheiser and got some denon perl pros. So far very happy with my choice.

Love my perl pros.

Just got my perl pro today, love them so far. They practically clip into my ear. The sound is great too

AZ100 is the winner under 300. Denon Perl Pro has great sound but the anc is mediocre.

If you're only aiming for sound quality the best are Denon Perl Pro (best for bass) the pi8 (the best balance and mids) AZ100 (best for details) and the Gemini 2 (best overall but more expensive and subjectively the best because of their unique sound). If money is tight i'd go for the Denons, the difference in price with the others is way bigger than the difference in sound quality.

Had them for a few months and the case no longer shows battery level, multipairing won't work well, lasts 3 hours at most... Soundwise they were a bargain for 150 but yeah, too many qc issues.

Perl pro. Not only they have great bass but they have crazy loudness so you can eq them pretty heavily in the bass.

If you just want good sound go for Denon Perl Pro. If you wanna use them outside and want an allrounder the AZ100.

If you can, do go to the shops to try them out first before buying. I was really into getting the Denon pearl pro a few months ago but they won't fit comfortably in my ears. After trying the rest of my list in the shop, I got myself Technics AZ100 and am in love with them ever since.

Between 3ANC are by far the best wireless earbuds I've ever had. My backups are the Denon PerL Pro 961 Both are quite affordable

I bought some and they sound very good. I wish more cell phones had apt x lossless.

If you have Amazon prime as prime day sales are coming up tomorrow have a look at what's discounted the Denon pearl plus are the best I've had

My top 3 earbuds for premium sound quality are Denon Perl Pro, Status Between 3 ANC and Cambridge Audio Melomania M100. Those are, to me, the best sounding earbuds. Not to mention the creature comforts like ANC and transparency aren't half bad on them either

Status audio 3ANC look no further. OnePlus buds pro are very good too. Sony xm5 are okay but lacked the bass I wanted. Denon perl pro also sound very good too but bulky. 3anc are just my fave. I got a few people to make the switch to them and they love them. They also got a status eq app too. This is all for audio quality. I never used nc at all. I know airpods had best transparency mode though

I purchased the Sennheiser TW4 at lunch together with the Denon Perl Pro, and even though the Sennheiser sound amazing, the Denon Pearl Pro are way better in my opinion. You should give them a try.

I bought these for $229 on Amazon and picked the installment zero interest so net net I spent $50 to try these out.  Does anyone find that they can tune these BETTER on EQ than the Massimo calibration? I actually prefer a brighter sound but apparently the algorithm believes that I prefer DARK.  Despite my ear specifications..my brain likes bright Highs.  Who can comment?

Denon PerL Pro! I'm using them daily. Love them. Zero regrets, highly recommend!

Can you tell me what EQ you did to your Pearl Pro? My MTW4 feels much clearer and deeper sounding, my Pearl Pro has a wider sound stage and more bass but they kind of sound little bit muddy, less crisp and deep.

Would you give preference to the MTW4 for sound? I bought the Pearl Pro's because so many people have been praising them lately. MTW4 definitely sounds much better for rock and vocal songs, I compared bark at the moon, sweet child of mine, boulevard obd and the voices and guitars sounds much deeper and more crisp. The times I prefere the Pearl Pro's is for some very rave/ bass heavy songs like some boris brechja and the im good blue remix from guetta but I feel overall the MTW4 sounds better. The only thing the MTW4 lacks is that wide sound stage feeling you have on the Pearl Pro and the ease of volume increase as I almost max the volume on the MTW4. When turning of immersion do you set it to -3 or can you actually disable it completely?

At the end It's all personal, I have the Jabra Elite 10, the MTW4's and had the Perl Pro's for a week. The Perl Pro's were not bad but I thought the MTW4's sounded better out of the box (unpopular opinion on this sub). At the end It all comes down to preference. I kept the Jabra Elite 10's as they are the only ones that are real water proof and they don't sound too bad when EQ'd. Also they are the lightest and don't stick out, can even sleep with them.

That's weird, I actually thought they fitted best as they are like giant plugs in your ear. Very easy to put in and didn't fall out. I returned them cause they lacked detail in sound and sounded muddy.

The Sennheiser‘s have a giant case that will not fit in your pocket nicely. I don’t know if that’s a factor or not. And to me their sound is overly warm and a bit subdued sounding, and the microphone quality is not great. The Denon’s are the best sounding of the bunch. But they’re not that comfortable and will fall out during exercise. The Bowers and Wilkins have surprisingly poor sound. they are great for certain genres of music that are more bass heavy but for something like rock music they sound like trash. I saw you mention banging Olsen in another comment. They don’t sound great to me either and are hit or miss as far as the fit, depending on your ear shape. that leaves the Sony‘s and techniques. If you have the capability, I would buy them both, try them out, and return the one that you don’t like best. Between noise canceling, sound, quality, mic quality, fit, the battery, etc. they each have their pros and cons, but end up stacking up fairly equal. I had a problem with the Sony‘s in that they would not make a perfect seal in my ears, and I’ve seen other people mention that as well, so that could be a factor. You will absolutely see a difference in sound quality and noise canceling if you’re able to achieve a perfect seal. In the end, after trying out 20 earbuds, I kept the Master & Dynamic MW09. But they’re sold out everywhere now. If you want to pursue those, check out my review in my post history.

Denon PerL Pros are still half off right now. Just got mine last week and they're phenomenal

The xm5 battery case is awful. I had to charge it daily otherwise I wouldn’t be able to listen to anything. I had many a frustrating day where I needed headphones for sensory overload only to find the case dead. They also have annoying connection issues where they wouldn’t connect when I took them out of the case, and I’d have to put them back in and take them out again. Gave them up for a pair of Denon PerL Pros. ANC is pretty decent on those, but the sound quality is vastly superior, and the case stays charged for days.

Just got the Denon Perl Pro's a couple hours ago. Coming from MTW3's these things sound fucking amazing. the white ones are $119 on Amazon right now.

fair warning thought they're very big so if that's a concern you might wanna look elsewhere.

I had to experiment with tips. I also turn off Immersion for most of my listening (except movie watching). Would recommend giving Divinus Velvet wide bore, or Dunu S&S a try; run AAT each time you change tips as well, as that will change the correction. Then in the EQ I adjust mids and treble to add more energy to taste and actually scale back the bass -1-2db if it’s needed. The best approach with the Perl Pros is to use both AAT as a corrective parametric EQ and then use multiband for fine tuning to preferences. Edit: to be fair, I still run the MTW4 most of the time. It still sounds excellent, especially with metal, hip hop, EDM and other genres that work well with a more V-shaped tuning.

Good clarification. I have Immersion set to +0, so technically at baseline. If I had to guess, Immersion is just a simple low shelf filter, so at 0 it should have no impact on the frequency response. I do think the Perl Pros have a more clear and detailed tuning, with better staging and slightly better imaging to my ear, but I have the same sentiment as you. While there are aspects of the tuning that are objectively better, I still prefer the sound, the warmth and the energy, of the MTW4. It just has more of a soul, to put it bluntly. That said, if I’m watching movies, it’s the Perl Pros with Immersion on, almost every time.

I would always go for a dedicated TWS like the Denon Perl Pro, Technics AZ80, or Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, with the Creative BT-W5 before any of the “gaming earbuds.” Of your list, I’ve either owned or tested many of these and the VR P10 is the best bang for your buck of all of them. The additional dongle feature works very well; I have one for all of my devices, and switching is easy. Sony’s buds do work well with their platform (and the Portal), but they are simply too pricey for the quality of the tuning and feature set. The only other option I would consider is Steelseries, just given the access to a very wide database of EQ profiles; you’ll likely find one that works for you, and Steelseries has done a genuinely decent job at emulating a parametric EQ in their Sonar app.

The best buds are the iFi Go Pods with a pair of dedicated IEMs. I'm running them with the Theiaudio Hype 4 For traditional earbuds, my personal ranking list: Technics AZ80 > Denon Perl Pro > Sennheiser Momentum TW 4 (w/ Sound Personalization) > Sony Linkbuds S > AirPods Pro 2 > Sony XM5 > Galaxy Buds2 Pro > Beats Studio Buds+/Beats Fit Pro > Powerbeats Pro I end up daily driving the Momentum 4s most days, just given their ANC/Transparency is competitive with other sets, and the app is fairly solid. Sound quality alone, toss up between the AZ80 and Perl Pro.

This is marketing and brand reach doing what it does best. There are plenty of brands doing great things in the market that aren't getting a lot of attention. JLAB's Epic Lab earbuds were fantastic; JBL, Moondrop, Nothing Ear, SoundPeats, numerous other brands tested very well against the top of my list, which consisted of the Denon Perl Pro, Technics AZ80, Sennheiser True Wireless Momentum 4, Sony XM5, AirPods Pro, B&W Pi7 S2 and Pi8. I have the AZ100s on the way, and I'm sure they'll occupy one of those top spots. It's important to note, however, that many of these brands do not need to push as many units to remain successful. At the economies of scale companies like Sony, Sennheiser, and Bose are operating at, the investment into their production, distribution, customer service, and operations pipelines is immense. They are likely expecting to sell tens of thousands of units, to the thousands that other brands need to turn a profit. And while you may see those more prolific brands everywhere, don't forget the communities of people on social media platforms that regularly market and recommend the opposing brands. They're not as common, but that's to be expected and will remain that way by nature. In other words, while the popular brands may be ubiquitous, that is by design. It doesn't mean opposing manufacturers are on a downward trajectory. This was the assumption when Jabra cancelled its TWS ANC lineup, and that may have been part of the decision, but Jabra had other, more profitable interests and chose to constrain their business goals around those interests because there was more opportunity there. As someone that's tested dozens of ANC earbuds (and has a wide ranging collection of dedicated, wired IEMs), I have very few biases when it comes to competing brands. If it works well, I'll use the thing. I have no qualms recommending a pair of Soundcore VR P10s, right alongside top-tier TWS sets if I think it fits the individual's use case. Recently, I took a long flight overseas and left all the other major TWS brands behind and took a cheap pair of PortaPros and a $20 pair of Aliexpress stem-style earbuds with me. Everyone else on the plane was wearing AirPods.

Sony and Bose are still the leads if ANC is your main priority. However, they are much further down the list if you're prioritizing sound quality/tuning. My current list consists of the Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ100s/AZ80s, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and a few other budget options. The Devialet Gemini II and Noble Audio Rex5 are both pricier sets, but the Gemini II -- while it's an excellent sounding earbud -- had several issues that held it back for me. The deal breaker in my case was latency, which was quite high even for a TWS. The Rex5 is the best earbud Noble has put out thus far, but they need to make improvements to their app and overall user experience. My current rotation looks something like the AZ100s, MTW4 and Denon Perl Pro, as each provides a good overall balance of battery life, sound quality, and features. The AZ100s have excellent ANC, that gets close to competing with Sony and Bose, but is a slight downgrade in some areas of the frequency response compared to the AZ80s. The battery life is excellent, however, which makes them a contender as my main travel earbud. The Denon Perl Pros with AAT can be one of the best sounding buds on the market, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent -- and I do suggest you change the tips, to something like the Dunu S&S. The Perl Pros also offer an EQ over the top of the AAT correction, which is a nice touch. I still reach for the MTW4 a lot of the time as well; with Sound Personalization it is still one of the best sounding earbuds on the market, with very solid ANC and transparency. I was not as sold on the Pi8, although I found the "case as transmitter" feature much more useful than I originally thought. I preferred the bass response of the Pi7 S2. In general the Pi8 feels a bit safer, and a bit more boring, for lack of a better word. It is still an excellent sounding earbud if you prefer a more balanced, more neutral tuning that prioritizes clarity and detail. I tend to lean towards warmth and energy, and so it didn't quite make the top of my list. TLDR; if money is no object, buy a BT dongle DAC/Amp or ifi Go Pods/FiiO BT ear hooks and a pair of dedicated IEMs. For now, this market is still juggling a "winner" and you'll be hard pressed to decide what is the best for the price -- no matter if it comes at a premium.

Sound: Sennheiser's Momentum lineup, Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ80/AZ100, and B&W Pi8, in that order (taking into account Sound Personalization and AAT are being used). Everything else on the market, from the typical brands, falls below that line -- APP2, XM5, Bose QC Ultra, etc. Longevity, having tested dozens of these sets, the AirPods Pros are likely to outlast most of the other brands (my first and second gens are still charging well without any discernible issues). I've had battery and charging issues with the XM4s and XM5s, Sennheiser's MTW3 (MTW4 hasn't been on the market long enough to know whether there are any battery longevity issues); Denon is already showing serious battery degradation issues; Technics are in the charging issue camp as well (one or both earbuds often do not charge and need to be reseated often, similar to the Sony's); Pi8 has intermittent connectivity issues. The list goes on. There are outliers like the JLAB Epic Lab Edition, which have excellent battery life and seem to hold up well over time. Surprisingly, these are some of the best sounding and longest lasting buds on the market, for sometimes half the price of competitors. It can't compete with the top brands on tuning, but it gets damn close for the price. At some point, chasing sound quality (and longevity) begs the question, should you just sacrifice wireless connectivity and choose a traditional IEM? Despite owning most of the current premium earbud lineup, I find myself recommending and often daily driving the Epic Labs -- just due to the convenience of the battery life alone. And if that battery starts to degrade, there's enough overhead where I could still potentially get a good amount of time out of them before the issues are untenable.

This is a repost, but is still relevant. Sony and Bose are still the leads if ANC is your main priority. However, they are much further down the list if you're prioritizing sound quality/tuning. My current rotation consists of the Denon Perl Pros, Technics AZ100s/AZ80s, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, Bowers & Wilkins Pi8, and a few other budget options (JLab Epic Lab, Beats Fit Pros, etc.). The Devialet Gemini II and Noble Audio Rex5 are both pricier sets, but the Gemini II -- while it's an excellent sounding earbud -- had several issues that held it back for me. The deal breaker in my case was latency, which was quite high even for a TWS. The Rex5 is the best earbud Noble has put out thus far, but they need to make improvements to their app and overall user experience. My current rotation looks something like the AZ100s, MTW4 and Denon Perl Pro, as each provides a good overall balance of battery life, sound quality, and features. The AZ100s have excellent ANC, that gets close to competing with Sony and Bose, but is a slight downgrade in some areas of the frequency response compared to the AZ80s. The battery life is excellent, however, which makes them a contender as my main travel earbud. The Denon Perl Pros with AAT can be one of the best sounding buds on the market, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent -- and I do suggest you change the tips, to something like the Dunu S&S. The Perl Pros also offer an EQ over the top of the AAT correction, which is a nice touch. I still reach for the MTW4 a lot of the time as well; with Sound Personalization it is still one of the best sounding earbuds on the market, with very solid ANC and transparency. The new Smart Control Plus app finally allows you to disable ANC, which was the only real weak point of this set. I was not as sold on the Pi8, although I found the "case as transmitter" feature much more useful than I assumed it would be. I preferred the bass response of the Pi7 S2. In general the Pi8 feels a bit safer, and a bit more boring, for lack of a better word. It is still an excellent sounding earbud if you prefer a more balanced, more neutral tuning that prioritizes clarity and detail. I tend to lean towards warmth and energy, and so it didn't quite make the top of my list. If you’re a neutral plus bass boost lover, it doesn’t get much better than the Pi8 in this price range. TL;DR: For now, this market is still juggling a "winner" and you'll be hard pressed to decide what is the “best” for the price -- no matter if it comes at a premium. Of all the major brands, I lean heavily toward the MTW4, Denon Perl Pro, AZ100 (unless you enjoy metal/rock, then replace this with the AZ80), and the Pi8, in that specific order. If you want a more budget conscious set, you can often find the JLab Epic Lab for half the price of the aforementioned brands, and it’s a set that’s not recommended enough. Excellent sound quality and decent ANC for the price.

Yeah, then Perl Pro or MTW4 are the best options. Make sure you run AAT with the Perls and Sound Personalization with the MTW4 for the best sound quality. Both are considerably more powerful than the basic multi-band EQ, and Perl Pro lets you use EQ on top of AAT correction.

[Here's](https://imgur.com/a/tws-ranking-left-to-right-MBqgKk5) how I rank them in order of sound quality, with ANC and additional features being close behind. Couple of notes: I don't recommend the Fokus Rex5 unless sound quality is your one and only priority. Noble's app is subpar, and hasn't evolved much. This is actually their 4-5th TWS, and each one has suffered from the same issue. Great sound, poor overall user experience. Devialet Gemini II is another TWS that prioritizes sound quality over everything else, to its detriment. It is unequivocally one of the best sounding TWS I've tested, but I buy TWS for the other features, connectivity, codec support, etc. My very candid opinion is if sound quality is that important and TWS features suffer as a result, you might as well pick up a good midfi IEM and run it with something like the Qudelix 5k or any of the FiiO BTR devices. Or if you need TWS, spring for the iFi Go Pods (Lite) and a pair of lower midfi/budget IEMs, which in many cases are still going to sound as good as if not better than the higher priced "premium" TWS. I still rank the Sennheiser MTW4 above most options, given the strength of Sound Personalization and it being as close as we've seen one of the typical TWS manufacturers get to a true parametric EQ. From there, the AZ100s, given the improvement to battery life and ANC performance over the AZ80s. Although they're not ranked higher due to call quality. The Denon Perl Pro with AAT and EQ are close behind the AZ100 and MTW4, but their other features (ANC and transparency) aren't as good as its competitors. The Pi8 gets a lot of love in the community, and if your preferences lean neutral, they're going to rank much higher than I have them in my list. I prefer energetic tunings (JM-1, Harman, etc.); compared to the other sets on the list, Pi8 has superior technical performance, but is otherwise a boring listen -- although if you need volume, these are the TWS to buy. Sony's XM5 is on the list due to the strength of its ANC, which is still right behind the QC Ultra -- still the best ANC performer on my list, alongside the APP2. The AZ80s are still solid, and in some cases (genres that feature high-gain guitars) they're better than the AZ100s, but in overall performance the AZ100s still win out. TLDR; depending on your genre preference, MTW4, Denon Perl Pro, AZ100s, or Pi8. Avoid the Rex5 and Gemini II -- if sound quality is more important, consider increasing budget for a BT dongle or BT ear hooks along with a budget/midfi IEM (Meze Alba, Letshuoer S08, Hype 4, Crinicle Dusk, many of the recent Ziigaat or Kiwi Ears sets).

I can confirm the connectivity issues with the Pi8. The sets I have in rotation right now, ranked by *both* sound quality and feature set: Sennheiser Momentum TW 4 > Denon Perl Pro > Technics AZ80 > Technics AZ100 > B&W Pi8 > Sony XM5s > JLAB Epic Lab > Airpods Pro 2 The TWS community tends to lock onto the newest release -- it's common enough that there's a name for it: recency bias. This is exacerbated by the paid promotions, and many reviewers suffering from the same biases as the rest of the community. The AZ100s have their pros, with very good battery life and better ANC than the AZ80, and 3-device multipoint. However, from a pure sound quality perspective, the AZ100s can be a step down, depending on the genres you're listening to. For me, as a rock and metal fan, the AZ100s are average at best. The Perl Pro's AAT can be hit or miss for some, which is why they're harder to recommend. People either love or hate the resulting tuning -- however, many miss that AAT is not EQ, but correction. It is encouraged to EQ on top of AAT to further customize the tuning to your liking. With this, the Perl Pros can be one of the best sounding sets on the market. If you prioritize sound quality over everything else, look at sets like the Devialet Gemini II or Noble Rex5. If sound quality is the most important piece of the puzzle for you, then forego those and buy dedicated IEMs and a pair of quality ear hooks or a BT-capable DAC/Amp, from FiiO or Qudelix. The MTW4 are still my current top ranked set if you compare both sound quality with features, with very good ANC and transparency, and a good overall user experience. Sound Personalization is the key to this set performing as well as the Perl Pros and AZ80s, however -- it is a parametric algorithm, and it's not possible to match the tuning using the multi-band EQ alone. I've mentioned this on other threads, but there is no objective "best" earbud. There's too many factors at play and recommendations are always subjective. It's not just based on personal preference, but which features you prioritize. For instance, although I hate the sound quality, if I need competent ANC, I take the XM5s with me, despite the fact that I find their sound quality lacking. I cannot provide a comparison with the JBL TP3 as stem-style earbuds do not work for me -- the APP2 is the only exception, due to platform integration. One final note, is to change tips. Tip rolling is just as important on TWS as it is on dedicated IEMs. I run the Dunu S&S with the AZ100s, Perl Pros, and XM5s; and the Spinfit Omnis with the Pi8s. It will improve the seal, and often provide improved sound quality. In the case of the AZ100s, it adds a slight improvement to treble energy -- although not enough to overcome its issues.

Have not tested the Nothing Ear brand of buds, but many of the other buds on the market. Avoid the Sonys unless ANC is critical, as this is their best feature. They are dark and muddy out of the box, and EQ doesn't do a great job of cleaning them up. Clear bass doesn't act as advertised. Perl Pros with AAT and multi-band EQ can sound better than AZ100s in certain genres, rock and metal being one of them. The AZ100s beat the Perl Pros almost everywhere else, with better ANC and Transparency, better battery life and multipoint. I'm not typically a spatial audio believer, being a mix engineer and understanding the importance of discreet channels for true surround performance, but the AZ100s can be enjoyable for movie watching and does a decent job with spatial audio as well. Also consider the Sennheiser MTW4; one of my daily drivers. With Sound Personalization, they are still one of the best sets on the market, especially if you can remove any recency bias. Good ANC and transparency, serviceable battery life. Sound Personalization is where these shine, and it can be used as a multi-genre parametric EQ if you learn the ins-and-outs of its "Edit" mode.

Yes, BW Pi8, Technics EAH-AZ80E or Denon PerL Pro would be my alternative choice.

I love my Perl Pros. I also really like the B&O Ex but they sorley lacked noise cancellation and mediating wind noise. The newer B&O Elevens are now out and, apparently, they're better here. Great sounding earbuds. That said, when I say in a B&W equipped Volvo, I had never heard anything like it before. Beyond exceptional sound. I can only imagine the quality of their earbuds too.

I would go for the Denon Perl Pro. Have them for more than one year and both sound and fit is great.

Just ordered. I’ll give em a shot. If you think they really do outperform the Pi8, it’s at least worth try 👍🏼

Good feedback, my Perl Pros are being delivered tomorrow and looking forward to a head to head comparison. Many have suggested these, and I’m all for it! Thanks for your feedback! 👍🏼

SON OF A BITCH! These are fn fantastic headphones. Damnit, looks like I’m not done yet. Bravo recommendation. Perl Pro’s are LEGIT! I’ll test all the features I’m checking out this week, but the music quality is absurd!

In terms of music and bass control, absolutely. Transparency, calls, voice isolation, the AZ-100 is still far better. Music though, Denon wins big time. May even be better than the B&W but that’s what I’m working on currently.

I too used to think that BT anything but good atleast in SQ. Hence I gave up on spending money on it & lived with a Jabra h85 fullsize can which is musical if not hifi. And I had & still have some cheap $15 BT neckband earbuds for riding EUCs. That was then & this is now. Then I saw a Denon PerL Pro on a Prime Day deal & said, why not. Its an easy return if it don't float my boat. Well it blew me away. The soundstage, the imaging, the separation, the clarity, the transparency, the details, the sweet vocals & the airy highs that just stop short of sibilance. O & the bass. Everything is so articulate that I can almost zoom in on any instrument & follow it. 1st time ever I thought this is almost, if not as good as a very decent wired fullsize headphone powered with an equivalent amp/dac. Not saying the DPP is the end all & be all but man, I'm impressed. That said, iems/buds are very personal as fit & comfort is everything. Alls I can say is if the stock tips float your boat, try comply foamies. There's others but I havent tried so no idea. Far's inexpensive buds go, for $35-$40, the Soundpeat engine4 SQ is bang for buck but it does not have ANC & its mike isnt anything to write home about. I say start here & maybe you'll see the world in a different light. Goodluck

Have a buncha TWS buds mainly cos its starting to be a bad ̶a̶d̶d̶i̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ habit but nothing has beaten the Denons...yet. As mentioned by other/s, soundstage, imagine & separation are best of the best. Clarity & transparency are also up there with the best. The only weakness (if one can call it that) is the bass, not in quantity but in quality ie. its not as resolving & as textured as I'd like. But its there & there in spades. IMO ofcos

Love my Denon Perl Pro for pure SQ so much so I feel alot of my material isnt good enough. As DD buds for work, calls & such, its below average due to its form & bulk. Have a LG Tonefree FP8 I use as DD. Its decent in ANC, transparency & mic. SQ is ok ie.acceptable but nothing to write home about. Just got in a Roseselsa earfree i5 with factory foamies. A bit spicy in upper mids & ever so slightly bass deficient (in quantity but not quality) but both are easily managed with some EQ'ing. With the foamies, its fit & comfort is leagues above most inears I've used. SQ isnt on par with the DPPs but overall, its good to excellent. ANC is average tho. But the fit & comfort trumps all others & now, its my fav DD. So much so that if I can only have one, I'd choose the Roseselsa i5 > DPPs. Best of all, its only \~$60. IMO ofcos All that said, in your OP stated choices, I'd go Technics if SQ is my prime motivator

Only got the DPP's last mth & I agree with everything you wrote about it. Havent tried any of the other so I'll take your word for them. And yes, I was shocked at how good the DPP sound & 1st thing I thought was dang, these buds are as good as a solid midfi fullsize open headphones ala Senn HD600/650 driven by an equivalent balanced amp

Picked up the Denon PerL Pro on Prime Day (big sale ofcos 😅). I'm lucky that it fits me decently well & relatively comfortably. With the right Masimo AAT tuning, the DPPs sounds amazing. Soundstage is as wide as anything out there (nevermind buds) with great air & separation. I can almost discern all the instruments playing as if hearing each individually. Clarity & transparency is next level. Bass is articulate & slams hard. Every improvement upstream is discernable. Far's phone qualities, I've not done much on it as I've other daily drivers for such. These DPPs are purely for my audio addiction fix. Tho I'm curious about the rest of the best, I am very satisfied with the DPP. Fact that I could return but choose to keep it says everything.

I had the denon and sent them back because no matter what I tried I could not get a good fit on my right ear and I kept failing the sound setup mode/fit test. Had them for a really good price but just could not get it to work for me - plus they look like you've got dinner plates in your ears!

When tuned to your ears, the Denon Perl Pro have no equal for sound stage and dynamic range. ANC isn't what it could be.(like my Sony 1000XMF or Liberty Pro 4 which are both excellent)

Maybe i'll give it a try in the future but for now, i use Denon Perl Pro, which are pretty good for me.

denon sounds better for me but earfun is comfier.

Denon Perl Pro's are pretty amazing with my phone/Ally but the MTW4's paired with a proper up to date BT adapter is chef's kiss. I got the BT-W6 that came out few months ago to experience the Momentum's aptX Lossless quality.

I use Sennheiser MTW4 and Denon Perl Pro's for all my WFH meetings for their amazing static free ANC capabilities.

Perl Pro & MTW4 will give you the best sound quality.

Perl Pro's but damn I've recommended this to a few coworkers and friends for a while now but it was always on sale for $150...

yeah, me too. I listen hard rock/metal and imo they sound better with eq rather than aat. I've tried many times to do the calibration but every time it's just too dark and scooped (v shaped).

I love my denon perl pro's!!! they blow any other earbud out of the water

I already made a comment on this recently, but these shits are anything but reliable. Do not buy them. I'm on my 3rd pair of these and every single time the left earbud randomly dies and is no longer functional. I'm stuck with having just the right earbud and that's it. I don't even have the energy or motivation to go and ask for a replacement for the 4th time, I'll just suck it up to me falling for scummy advertising and never buy anything from Denon again.

I listen to mostly older metal 80-00's and got the Denon perl pro's a week ago and put 30-40 hours worth of listening and they've been great for the genre. Did pick up some spinfit omni tips for them and have had no issues with fit(other than getting the tips on the nozzle, apparently there's another tip that fits more easily by the name of divinus velvet wide bore that I may end up buying) or comfort. Sound separation has been immaculate and the buds don't buckle or get distorted or muddy at higher volumes. I usually listen at 2-3 ticks under full volume. Only downside for your use is I'm not sure they'd be the best for gym use, but I did take them out running a few times, and slipped and fell on some black ice, and didn't have any problems with the buds jarring loose or popping out when I ate shit

They have good vocal separation because of the multi driver. Their max volume isn't very high and I don't find their bass to be super dynamic (I mostly listen to metal/hard rock so I mean bass as it applies to those genres). For pure sound quality, of the 3 sets I own, I'd go gemini 2>denon perl pro>>>tour pro 3, but the tp3 are probably the best "all 'rounder" set of the 3 due to how much better their battery life is, best anc of the 3, best app, plus the other more niche dongle/auracast type features.

I've used them running and hiking and haven't had any issues. I also just got a pair of the JBL Tour Pro 3s that I was able to get for a good price so figured I'd use them as a SQ comp...the Denon's definitely sound better

I did buy a couple pair of those spinfit omni tips that get mentioned here a lot for them. It wasn't specifically a denon fit issue, my right ear for some reason doesn't do well with a lot of buds, including the JBLs I got today where I had to use the foam tips to get their app to acknowledge I had a good enough right side seal to take their app hearing personalization. I will say about a month ago, I slipped on some black ice while running and ate it pretty good when I fell, bad enough to walk instead of run the rest of the way home, and the denons didn't budge during the fall

Not on your list but I love my Denon Perl Pro and they're on a crazy sale right now on Amazon. They are a bit larger than the others though and, based the options listed, I'd go with the AZ80 or Momentums.

I use Denon Perl Pro and would absolutely purchase them again based on my experience thus far.

The Perl Pro are my gym buds and they've been fantastic. They never fall out and they sound amazing (after finding a preferred sound profile with the personalization test).

Haven't purchased another tws since getting the DPP. Just don't see the point, soundstage and rave-like-sound presentation is ridiculous and everything else kinda sounds boring in comparison.

Because the Denon PerL Pro still exist. Haven’t heard anything better (yet).

I recently got the Denon Perl Pros on sale for $130, they’re amazing

1. Denon Perl Pro 2. Status Between 3ANC 3. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Based off sound quality. Devialet Gemini II also a worthy mention.

Just got the perl pros the other day. The left ear stopped connecting 4 hours after opening the box. I talked with support and I'm trying something to fix the issue, but they said they'd replace them if it doesn't work. I appreciated that support.

I have the opposite experience, tried both the Denon and B&W, heard SO MUCH good here on Reddit about the Denon, I wanted them to be good. My first focus is sound quality, the rest is optional. And when I tried them it was a total let down, not great but not bad, that's all. The sound is lacking detail. Maybe good for the price, but that's it. I wasn't expecting anything with the B&W, but I was astonished by the sound, especially about the global restitution and the details. Bass is good, treble is smooth and not hard at all like people are saying. I also tried the Hifiman which for me had the best overall sound, but they had issues with Bluetooth while walking, impossible to use when moving. So I kept the B&W. If that helps anyone, I use at home the Dan Clark E3 with preamp and amp.

Easily to most debated topic in bluetooth right now ....Denon vs pi8s vs Az80...for me the pi8s have no equal in sound and comfort for me. However the Denon perl Pro are just under them and with their new price of $149..it is easily the best choice of them all now if you can take advantage of the price deduction now. But at their orginal price of $350...the Az80 at $280 was the best purchase. The Az80, while 3rd in sound, has the sound that is still amazing in timbre and at the cost to performance ratio,  represented a better value when all were new. Overall I still don't believe any bluetooth earphone is worth more than $300, let alone the overpriced cost of $399 for the PI8. I regret buying them still today becauee they don't live up to the cost-performance over the denon or az80. They have battery issues and the features work at a basic level at best. But again if all you asking is who is the top and best in sound regardless of margin of advantage it had over the other, the PI8 are it. Just be ready to spend the money and get issues with the battery life and charging sync consistency( You can find you earbuds only at 80% aftrt having them charging in the csse for 2 days) .  For those interested: Sound= 1. pi8:10 2. Denon perl Pro: 9.7 3. AZ80: 8.8  My overall score though with features, cost, and performance trust as of today 1. Denon perl Pro $149 2. AZ80 $260 3. PI8 $399

That's a loaded question. Cost focused options (no order)  1. Earfun Air pro 4 ( 50 hours total in battery with over 8 per listening charge, very rich sound, comfort is just like all airpods like shaped earphone, good ANC, good phone call quality and under $100. 2. Bose 2nd Gen QC with over 10 per charge, greatest ANC, amazing hear thru, good phone call quality, and good sound, good fit under $180 3. Denon perl pro.. Will get you at least 5 hours of battery life, decent ANC, decent phone call quality, but the best sound quality under $250, could argue higher. Under $180 If you don't care about prices.  1. Az100 easily!  Beast battery life, good comfort, nice ANC, good hear thru, one of very best timbre, mid range, and bass quality out there. A very nice phone quality with the best ANC phone call noise block ever seen in the world. 3 device connection,. Amazing app and pen point touch control that can customized.. $299 one of the world's greatest dependable, zero problem devices in Bluetooth.  2. Noble Rex5... One of the best complete range audio experience you can get. Comfort a little on the chucky side but still nice for me, ANC is OK, hear thru is OK, but the phone call quality is one of the very best. ...can be a little tricky to get the perfect sound for some people due to the 3 level EQ system. You have to know what you are doing to get the best. But once you do... Its hard to beat it's sound $449  Honorable mention:  3. PI8'S.. They are Kryptonite and the sun at the same time. I would suggest this hands down as the best period in sound and comfort. But because they have horrible ANC and bad phone call quality I don't think this fits your list. But if just sound and comfort.. They are "inevitable"! Oh.. They have a battery drainage issue if you don't used them regularly they drain every day of none use. But omg, I can't stop picking them up to listen to my music. 

I own/have owned about a dozen mid to high end TWS buds over the last 4-5ish years. Here's my list: - Nothing Ear (2024) - OnePlus Buds Pro 3 - Denon PerL Pro - Devialet Gemini 2 - Sennheiser Momentum TW 4 - Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro (old but gold)

Denon Perl Pro. Save up for them. I copped them used for $91 but they are $200 new

Soundpeat pearl pros you can get them for 23 bucks on Amazon with a discount code. I'm really enjoying my set, I'm also waiting for my baseus mc1 to show up.

Have tried a lot IMO DEFINITELY the best for budget are the Denon, those are unbeatable for the price. Went for the Gemini nonetheless as they sounded the best for me

Audio quality and sound wise — Aviot TE-ZX1 / PNK, or Noble FoKus Pro, Prestige, or the new REX5. PerL Pro's are a gem *__if__* you are lucky enough to get a good fit, and tune the personalised sound profile in a vacuum/airtight space - I found doing it in my car worked perfectly for an accurate, most neutral to my ear tuning.

i use the equalizer built into poweramp. i have not found an app yet that helped much, and most of them are total crap

i just bought them at that price. i have sony 1000mx5's but was looking for something that sounded good but didn't mean carrying $300 worth of earbuds all the time.

Absolutely, but it's critical to get the fit right with their fit test and then personalize your sound profile. I actually had to turn the bass down it's so strong and I'm a pretty critical listener. But if you get them at Amazon, you can always return them so you're not taking that much of a chance at that price. P.s. I only use foam tips and these fit me better without the included wings.

p.p.s. they DO look like dinner plates in your ear but they are very comfortable, possibly because the disc rest on a different part of the ear (they are also heavier but i don't notice it) but i just tell myself that's where the amazing bass comes from :o)

Between my wife and I, we have Airpods Pro, Perl Pros, Status Audio, Bose QuietComfort, and Sony XM4 earbuds. All of them are good at SOMETHING it just depends on what priorities are. My favorite ones for travel are the Sony (Bose for my wife) -- their ANC seems to work the best. Airpod Pro are great for general usage, features, usability, but ANC isn't as good IMO. My daily drivers are the Denon Perl Pro which I got for half price as a trade show special. Incredible sound quality, decent ANC (But worse passthrough than others).

I wanted to like the Denons, but, those damn things just wont stay in my ears, regardless of the 6 or so different tips I tried, so I tried the PI8's and low and behold, mind boggling sound, and they stay put in my ears.. AZ 80's are solid, premium buds, but sound wise, the B&W PI8 and the Denons pearl pros definitely sound better

you have to tweak the Denon's sound and then they will blow you away; their OOB soundstage is poor

very few, if any premium buds, play great out of the box, so if you dont tweak them, you are missing out on alot of their premium sounds

good sound, lousy fit

Today I got the Soundcore Liberty 5 and Denon PerL Pro earbuds, spent an hour setting the Soundcore up and massively disappointed, tweaked the settings, auto setup and manual setups, just not enough volume, no decent bass, played around with all settings, sending them straight back As for the Denon PerL Pro, I love them! Spent a bit of time setting these up also and WOW!! huge sound! plenty of volume and the overall audio quality is incredible, for £155 brand new, (reduced from £299 🇬🇧) I’ll be keeping these for sure! The apps okay but not as good as other companies apps I find using LARGE size Comply Isolation Plus TX-500 memory foam tips work best for all my earbuds, I just don’t get a decent seal with all the various supplied Silicon type, anybody else find this? It’s all about the “seal” Still waiting for the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 to arrive later today, looking forward to testing these! after all the testing so far, I just want to try the remaining 2 pairs next week (to make up my mind) the Technics AZ100’s and the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX After this, I’ll make my decision.. don’t think I’ve missed any out? 🤷🏻‍♂️😉

I got the white ones for $99 when Amazon had a price error on it. It was only up for a few hours, and I was fully expecting a cancellation, but it arrived since I had the same day delivery option selected.

I have the Perl Pro, nothing ear and sonys. And I would put that in that order as my preference.

Denon Perl Pro was $199 cdn at Gibbys electronics online, but don't know if still on sale. But at $200 they are easily the bassist ear bud and cheaper than everything else I tried. They look dumb but actually the most comfortable earbud I've tried. I ly weakness is call quality but it's passable. Have tried Sony XM5, OnePlus 3 pro, Technics AZ80, and Beoplay EX.

Yeah all the earbuds I e listed do. Denon has a masimo tuning where it scans your ear but after that you can still can eq that profile. I wanted to try the Sennheiser MTW4 which I see goes on for $250cdn on sale but I liked the Denon that much. Technic AZ80 are $300 and AZ100 are $400. If spending $300 the Denon and AZ80 is a tougher choice. The Denon's do sound better but the AZ80 is no slouch. They AZ80 seemed to do everything else a little better like call quality, 3 connections. So if Denon is still $200 it's an easy choice. Otherwise order all 3 from Amazon and try them. Places like Visions, Best Buy you cannot return earbuds after opening but Amazon you can.

Throwing the Denon PerL Pro out there. Incredible soundstage and bass for earbuds but the ANC is lacking.

I own the Perlo pro and Az80 the Perl pro are bassier and definitely louder, but Az80 instrumental and voice separation is amazing Perl pro sound good but when I try both the az80 brings out some amazing details that I'd never noticed before on the perls I'm using both the Az80 voice and midrange shines I love both though

Just got them yesterday and was very excited to try them for my morning subway ride and typical crowded office workspace. Sadly, the ANC is either defective on mine or simply very very subpar compared to my previous Sony XM4. I can hear chatter in the office and keyboard clacking sound. In the subway I could easily hear the conversations happening next to me with 'peaceful instrumental' music on at what would have been regular volume. It doesn't seem to be a fit issue as ironically, without ANC turned on they appear to be blocking environmental sound better than my Sony XM4. While sound quality is superior specficially on the Highs, ANC seems to be a complete bust, not just 'not as good' as most reviews stated ... to me anyways. Very very disappointed and I've gone through too many IEMs and other headphones over the past 25+ years. For someone working in a very quiet environment they maybe be good as they have a better than average sound signature (very subjective) at their price range on sale (260$ CAD so 170$ USD for the Pros)

No, with transparency mode it gets incredibly loud, as it should. It's just very limited anc. Been using them since, maybe not as bad as initially described but definitely a weak anc for otherwise good sounding and comfortable earbuds. 

Vile just got them and they are so bad. Why would you recommend this scam product 😂 now ima have to return them tomorrow on my lunch break 💀 fu lol

I have trust issues from yall. The pear are vile 😭

Only with devices that support aptX Adaptive or aptX Lossless. They sounded like cheap earbuds with my Samsung Galaxy phone in comparison while using them with my old Sony Xperia phone. Later additional edit: The sound was also cramped in the middle and couldn't use the app when using the Sennheiser BTD 600 bluetooth dongle.

Update: I just read my problem is a Samsung issue, not an aptX issue. Also, I may have bought the wrong BT dongle for my phone. I have sent everything back for a refund, so I cannot test other BT dongles.

They sound much better with Adaptive, like night and day. You can (maybe) better buy the not-Pro version for the same sound when your phone only has aptX Classic. Those are much cheaper.

Yes, with Adaptive they sound much clearer and the soundstage sound much wider. Looking at the list of different, the non Pro version is not an alternative option I see.

I picked them up for $129.50 on Amazon last week after my Technics AZ100 failed. Prize is back up to $199 now but OP should keep an eye out for a price drop during prime week.

The Denon PerL Pro were heavily discounted recently and are spectacular.

They’re the best earbuds I have ever owned (if a tad big) and a steal at £104. YMMV.

I tried denon perl pro, sennheiser m4, bose ultra, sony earbuds with apple and android devices and all are bad with call quality. Finally I settled with technics az100. For me, call quality should be very good and should able to multi connect to my work laptop, iphone and fold 7. Audio quality is also decent with these but I have bowers pi8 for dedicated music listening.

Az100 and Denon Perl Pro for sound quality. Sony xm5 is good for ANC.

I have az100 and mtw4. I prefer mtw4. Az100 doesn't sound good for the type of music I listen to and my sound preference tbh I feel they are a bit overhyped. I have ordered in Denon perl pro and they should arrive in a couple of days. Can give you a better comparison then

I got the Denon perl pro yesterday. Spent almost the entire time with them. They sound pretty good after doing it's sound personalization test almost exactly like I have my Sennheiser tuned which is pretty good. They are way louder though I wouldn't listen to max volume for a long time as they can cause hearing damage. The battery life is trash on the Denon, ANC and transparency is a bit underwhelming compared to az100 and mtw4. The drivers are pretty capable if you want to further tweek the sound though you only get 5 bands similar to mtw4. Also for some reason I haven't quite figured out why but they lower the volume when you switch to transparency mode and you cannot increase it to max. I would prefer it just paused audio like mtw4.

I don't know man, I jog 3 times a week with the Perl Pros and never had a problem with the size being an issue. Also own the xm5's, those are better to honest for exercise , so light it feels like I'm not even wearing buds. But the Perl Pros I wear more and stay in just fine. Just my experience.

how is everybody so positive about the Perl Pro's... i just got them because of everybody telling them they are great. But they suck soooooo hard. The sound quality is so much worse than my old TW2's from sennheiser. The soundstage is crap, the high end sounds cheap. The low end sounds too punchy, mostly cheap earbuds do this. A good earbud is crystal clear linear sound with extreme wide soundstage. This is soooooo crap.

None in the market can beat Perl Pro in every aspect of sound at current price ($150-200)

I tested all 3 for some days now. Mtw4 are way behind the az100 and the perl pro in terms of sound. So many people hype these earbuds but man I was disappointed. The perl pros cost 150 euro and sound so good. But I couldn't get the fit right even with different spinfit tips. But if they fit and you can get them cheap they are perfect. The az100 sound even a little better then the perl pros. Not so immersive but more clear. Would pick them but they are expensive atm.

In order For 300: AZ100 For 150: Perl Pro if they fit For 130: one plus buds 3 pro (also didn't fit my ear but sound is good for the price) You could also go for the AZ80 since they are below 200€ now. Please note that I rate them for sound only.

Yes the Perl Pros. Massive discounts. Sound is excellent when personalised.

I have the Perl Pros and never really thought of them as bass cannons. I just put the foam tips on and I think they have really good bass. Obviously depends on the seal you get with the eartips. The sound is phenomenal though. I also have Soundcore X20s in my golf bag for the range, and like them a little better for bass/rock/louder music. They have a much better ipx rating for sweaty stuff and can be had for $60 on sale. An absolute bargain. If you can lay on your back, get the Skullcandy Crusher over the ears. That is where the bass is.

Honestly can't believe the Perl Pro still gets love. I had 3 of them 2 I sent back because of defective and the 3rd collects dust as I use my nothing ear a more. The fit just doesn't feel right, its heavy after an hour of use so who cares about battery life, things look massive in your ears, may as well get some over ears for comfort. I know its anecdotal, but AZ100s should absolutely have topped this list compared to a Denon Perl Pro

Definitely not the Perl pros for the gym. I love them, but the anc is super spotty if they move around too much. I have beats for the gym and Perls for everything else

Dennon Perl Pro. So realistic sounding. I have run the profile over and over in different environments and used the equalizer to get the right tuning. They are now amazing.

One thing to know is that sound is subjective. All the ones you a re looking at are competitive with one another in the higher end consumer segment. The momentums might be a good choice for your music needs as they are a bass forward earbud with good sound. I love the Technics but the fit might not be the most comfortable for everyone. I can tell you this the AZ 80 earbuds are not the most comfortable for my ears BUT I have used more comfortable earbuds. Also the Perl Pro are comparable imo for sound but I had the experience and have seen a lot of people says they are uncomfortable. As for the Sony they are decent but the others produce a better sound profile. The best thing to do if you are able to is look at some reviews YouTube. If you want some good sources I can help with that. Also try the others if you can and return what you don't like. Unfortunately it's a big trial and error type situation especially with fit. One thing that will help with the fit is some eartips from Spinfit. I've found that I've gotten better sound and fit from earbud using theor eartips. Hope this helps some

Technics AZ80 if you are after balanced sound, Devialet Gemini 2 if you want dynamic sound with deeper low end, Perl Pro if you buy them and then can, if needed, safely return them. They sound great, but the fit and comfort is really hit or miss and they look weird.

I got some Denon pearls and they sound great. Stay in my ear when running and keep a lot of the noise out.

I have been lured into the Pearls from reviews on reddit, and I am not impressed. My go to earbuds before was Soundcore Liberty Pro 3. But at some point they only lasted 1 hour after a recharge, which wasn't enough. So I looked reviews etc and was intrigued by the Pearls. But as I said, I'm not impressed. They are okay, but that's it. Overall sound is on par with my old ones. Noise cancellation is not better. They talk too much, and some of the tap stuff are not just as great imo. Double tap you actually need to be quite fast. That's just annoying. Also, the fit is just not as good. And I've tried every tip. Compared to the Soundcores they fall out way too easily. So, they are not bad per se, but I would really want another pair of Soundcores if I could repick.

Regular Denon PerLs are insanely good sounding too. Just a tad less bass than the pros but this bass is a woofer anyways

The only time I've noticed when they kinda crap out persay is like in heavy heavy traffic (let's say walking the streets of a busy city with lots of lights, electronics etc) they'll sort of cut in and out idky but the sound alone I don't mind it lmaoo. Not sure if the pro model does this but if not just go for those as I believe they're on sale rn

I've been here for a minute and these are good options but some are better than others by leagues. I'd never compare the Bose to the denon perls. I think the sonys and Panasonic are worse than perls but way better than the Bose also.

Sounds like I'd like em if I didn't have perls. I like the hearing test they have with Massimo or however you spell it. I put a 10 band eq over to make it even more full and I have an adapter(creative btw6)to boost the signal for 24bit 96. I couldn't improve. Do you use stock tips? I use azla xlastics, and foams when I'm in a noisy environment. The sound funnels into your ears more uniform, good for the surround sound of the pros