Devialet - Gemini II

I use my Devialet Gemini 2's the most... But for good sound and overall functionality (calls/anc), I use my AZ100's.. Gonna order the Nobel Fokus Rex5's here soon... FYI, don't waste your money on the Pi8's. I'm highly disappointed in them...

Of the ones listed, the Denon Perl Pro is the best... I own the AZ-100's and the Perl Pro... The AZ-100 is better call quality though... That being said... If your budget is $500, Devialet Gemini 2's... I use my Gem2's more than any other of my buds. I could also suggest Noble Audio Fokus Rex5's, $449... They sound amazing, but not the best for rock/metal music.

BEST sounding, are Nobel Audio Fokus Rex5 or Devialet Gemini 2... I also have the Status Audio Between 3ANC, Denon Perl Pro, Technics AZ100, and B&W Pi8... All of those are really great choices as well.

I absolutly love mine. They sound amazing and have been flawless. I prefer the Devialet over my Noble Rex5's...

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

They are good but have been relegated to my “work” earbuds since all the others suck on phone calls. The Technics are small, lightweight, and easy to quickly connect for a conference call and don’t sound muffled like the Gemini II’s. For music, anything else is better. The Technics have a weird muddy flub to the bass I can’t put my finger on.

On pure SQ alone: Noble Prestige > Devialet Gemini 2 > Master & Dynamic MW09 > Noble Fokus Rex5 > Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 > Denon Perl Pro > Technics AZ100 > Sennheiser MTW4

A vote for Pi8. I bought the Pi8 and was incredibly happy with its performance but kept reading that AZ100 and Gemini II had better bass response. This left me unsatisfied with my purchase so I ordered AZ100 and Gemini II while within my return window for Pi8. After in numerous AB tests between the three I have to say I am incredibly happy with the Pi8. The quality is on par with the other two, including in the bass response. When using the case as transmitter the quality surpasses the other two and any other. pi8 with the case transmitting sound, wipes the floor with the other two. The soundstage is insane. It’s like they are performing in front of you. Clarity and detail is crystal. Compared to the Pi8 the AZ100 sound a bit muffled and not the most clear in highs and mids. The low end is a bit muddy too. Similarly for Gemini II which are better in highs and mids but they are all over the place in lows. Still I wouldn’t recommend Pi8 or any other. What I realised is that one may fit for your ear better than the other. The Az100 is fat around the cushion and doesn’t fit into the ear canal. Pi8 is slim and slides right into my ear. It’s lightweight and hugs it snugly. No leaks. This was simply not the case with Az100 or Gemini. I strongly suggest buying atleast two, or even three and test it out yourself.

I’ve tried all but the Noble Rex5, and I really mean all the top ones for SQ, and Devialet Gemini 2 are a cut above the rest. The bass and detail on these is outstanding, they don’t feel like they’re wireless at all. Very little compromise. Not sure if the Rex5 beat them.

I’ve owned plenty but haven’t tried the rex5. Currently my fave are my Gemini 2s. What am I missing vs the rex5?

Skip the JBL Tour 3 Pro! AZ100 or Gemini 2? The Gemini 2 has only 5 hours of battery life and isn't the best for calls, but it's passable

I got the ultras for the spatial Audio, but I really care about anc. I only use these buds when commuting. For sound quality I bought the Devialet Gemini 2 Opera de Paris, which are in a different league sound quality wise.

No. There is no comparison sound wise. I own them both. It’s like comparing Bentley with Honda. 😃

No. I tested them and… no good! Maybe if money is an issue then these are OK in terms of performance versus cost. I just wanted the absolute best. After thoroughly testing these alongside Devialet Gemini 2, B&W PI8’s and many others, I went with Devialet; these are in a league of their own.

jazz ve soul dinliyorsan Technics senin için en uygun olanı, çünkü tiz ve midler çok belirgin ve önde tam klasik müzik, soul, blues, jazz dinleyicileri için. audio technica, yamaha gibi metalik bir ses imzası var. ben buradaki listeden gözü kapalı status audio alırdım. bu arada biri devialet gemini 2 için boş beleş bişeyler yazmış :) onunki şansızlık yada talihsizlik, çünkü gemini 2 de kullanıyorum harika kulaklıklar. 3 tane bluetooth kulaklığımı hiç bir şeye değişmem; noble rex 5, devialet gemini 2 ve status audio pro x. paranın alabileceği ve kulakların duyabileceği en iyi kablosuz in ear kulaklıklar..

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.

Hifiman Svanar TWS, Devialet Gemini 2, Aviot TE Zx1

Having B&O Pi8, divialet gemini II and just recently the noble fokus rex. Nobles are several steps above either, obviously subjective but to me its a clear winner overall.

Devialet gemini 2 is great but there are connection and battery drainage issues. I just bought a new airpods pro3, the sound is not as good as gemini but it is sufficient I can say, other features of new airpods are way better. If you just want to listen music, go for gemini (headphones even beter if this is the purpose) but if you use earbuds for daily purposes and sometimes you listen music, airpods pro 3s are very good earbuds.

Devialet Gemini 2

Devialet Gemini 2

Nobody knows what is good for you. You have to listen to them. Also it's useful to look into their measurements curve. I didn't listen to the Denon,Jabras and Nothing Ear. Sony are linear but will not amaze you with details and clarity. Same to Technics. Sennheisers sounds just wrong for me with no lows. Bose are ok but initial tuning is too bassy for me. It's like one just increased the bass with eq. I personally have Devialet Gemini 2. Very linear with slight increase of lows and trebles which is easily compensated. Amazing resolution, imaging, separations you name it. But again, just listen to them. I listened to Nobles, B&W, Bang and Olufsen and they did not suite my needs. But maybe they are for you.

Devialet Gemini II is just another level in my opinion. Just listen to them.

You need to listen to them all to decide. For me it's Devialet Gemini II. But I gave a listen to many models. Just go to the shop and try them/

Devialet Gemini II are the best in my opinion.

In my experience, best sounding can be very personal. If at all possible, I recommend doing what I did and find a store that lets you demo a bunch of earbuds that you are interested in. I A/B tested the Sony XM5, BW Pi8, Sennheiser MT4, Gemini II, Technics az80 and az100 - spent \~2x1 hour store visits switching earbuds with a range of my favorite tracks. End of the day, I liked the Pi8 and Gemini II the best (slight edge to the gemini), and the PI8 were on sale, so that's what I picked up. Basically I felt that out of the ones I had tested, these two gave the best clarity combined with strong but not overpowering bass. Also, they were the most comfortable in-ear, which is very important to me.

I A/Bed a bunch of earbuds, and had the same experience with the AZ100 - less vocal clarity than most competitors, including the AZ80. My top choices based solely on sound quality were the Gemini Ii and then the Pi8 and MTW4. The last two were significantly cheaper than the Gemini, and the Pi8 was on sale, bringing it within $50 of the MTW4. I was happy with sound on both, preferred the fit of the Pi8 Bought the Pi8 and not looked back - great sound and comfort for me, and no connectivity issues with my Apple devices at all. Note, I am fine with basic controls and ANC not a top priority, so YMMV.

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 beoplay ex's, Gemini 2, pi8s and denon pros imo have better sound quality than those 3.

Maybe just yours? Mine don't have any issues whatsoever, I do wish they added some more features like the ATW-9s but for me, sound quality is the most important thing.

Fair enough, I haven't experienced the loud noise thing yet

Ou and if you want the best of the best go for the Gemini 2 or pi8. But these are 350+

Yes Gemini II!

If you can, try the Devialet Gemini II. They're the best sounding by far. Strong ANC as well. Similar to them are the B&W Pi8. Next imo would be the Sennheiser MT4.

They are not as large as they seem. Though if you have concerns regarding this, I think it's best if you can find a store where you can test them. Fit is pretty good. My ears' canals are not identical, so I use S tip on the right and M on the left, but they stay there pretty solidly.

Compared to the other tws in your list, these have the deepest, cleanest and "tumpiest" bass out there. It also helps that the soundstage is wide and istrument separation is exceptionally good for a pair of tws. Battery life might be the worse out of the premium buds, but you can still get 3 hours of continuous listen. I usually listen for aboyt 1-2 hours per day and charge them weekly (wirelessly!). Oh, and the volume is extreme :D

Really good! They are warm and pretty even with the other sounds. Soundstage makes it really is for them to stand on their own and shine. Compared to my Hifiman Edition XS, I would say they sound better in terms of how the overall sounds works as a whole. (still thr Hifimans sound better instrumentally, as they should xD)

Hope you'll be impressed! AZ80s tuning is much more v-shaped, while the Gemini is more balanced overall, with great oomph in the bass.

If you can, try the Devialet Gemini II. They're the best sounding by far. Strong ANC as well. Similar to them are the B&W Pi8. Next imo would be the Sennheiser MT4.

If you can, try the Devialet Gemini II. They're the best sounding by far. Strong ANC as well. Similar to them are the B&W Pi8. Next imo would be the Sennheiser MT4.

From my personal experience: 1) Devialet Gemini II 2) Technics AZ80 3) Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 4) Sony XM5 The Gemini II are flat out best sounding buds period to me and I'm yet to find something that out ranks it in the sound department. I have to listen to my planar magnetic wired headphones to get better sound. Looking forward to a comparison between the Gemini II and the AZ100.

Agree on the Gemini 2 and Rex 5.

Devialet Gemini 2 are the best I've tried. Rex5 I haven't tried. Fwiw, I compared Gemini 2's to Pi8's in store, going back and forth for some time for all different genres - the Devialets sounded better most of the time, and more comfortable for me.

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.

I have all 3. Devialet and Pi8 still have better sound, but it's close. The differences are pretty marginal at this point but if you're an audiophile, those marginal differences may be important to you. The AZ100s are better all arounders and more feature-rich, especially than the Pi8.

The Technics have more features and a more fully-featured app, and LDAC, and I tend to find them a bit more user friendly, definitely more than the B&O and B&W. As far as the Denon and Devialet, they're actually pretty good all arounders too and I have no real complaints about them. The Technics have better battery life and I'm more comfortable wearing them out and about: I don't bring the Devialets with me everywhere because they're too expensive to risk loss/drop/weather/damage, and I don't bring the Denon with me everywhere because they're big and bulky (although I do find them comfortable and the size doesn't bother me much). The primary benefit of these buds is their amazing sound, and that doesn't really matter as much when I'm listening casually in public and not focused on sonic detail. I haven't had a lot of time to compare closely, but I think the Devialet ANC is still better than the Technics ANC, although the Technics is much improved from the AZ80. So in general I find the AZ100 to be a bit better all around, but really the Devialet or Denon are perfectly fine too.

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.

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.

I also reach for the Gemini 2 more often, mostly because they're smaller, have better ANC, and they have more customizable controls. The latter is more of a "me" issue though: I have a stupidly large number of earbuds, so I like to customize them all to have more or less the same controls. It's annoying when I have to learn a separate control scheme for one particular set. It's very annoying because some of the best sounding earbuds (Pi8, BeoPlay) are lacking in this area. It's also one of the only things keeping the JBL Tour Pro from being a favorite of mine, and one of the big things that turned me off of Sony earbuds early on. But for most normal people who only have a single set of earbuds, it's probably not a problem to simply learn the existing control scheme. (One area where it might still be a problem for normal users is that these limited-customization buds often have different controls on the left/right sides, so if you ever use only one bud at a time for casual listening, audiobooks, etc., you lose even more control). As far as sound, I consider the Gemini 2 to sound *slightly* better than the Pi8, but it's more of a personal preference, and the Pi8 sound has been growing on me lately. When using the Pi8's case transmitter, the sound is better (and probably the best of *any* earbuds I've experienced, although I haven't tried the renowned Rex5 yet).

>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.

The Devialet and the Rex5 have the best sound, but B&W Pi8 and Denon Perl Pro are close enough that it may as well be a 4 way tie. Of these 4, the Devialet have the strongest ANC. It's not quite Bose level ANC (nothing is) but the ANC is among the best available. The devialet are probably the best overall "wear everyday" buds (out of these 4) for comfort and use/features. But the Devialet are also the oldest, and most due for a new version release. I have zero clue if there are plans for a new Devialet model. The Technics AZ100 aren't *quite* at the same level as the others sound-wise, but they're still among the best sounding earbuds out there, and they're a better all-around set than any of the others mentioned here. The Technics ANC gets the job done but it's nothing spectacular. It's better ANC than the Pi8 and Rex5, probably roughly tied with the Denon, and not as strong as the Devialet. I consider the Technics to be roughly tied with the Sennheiser MTW4, but I slightly prefer the Sennheiser sound and ANC. I see the Sennheiser and Technics at the kings of the great-sounding consumer buds, just a notch below the super expensive "boutique" models in sound quality but better all arounders. TL;Dr: if you absolutely want to maximize sound quality, go Devialet/Noble or maybe Pi8/Denon, with Devialet being the best *overall* of this bunch. If you want 95% sound quality but better buds overall, go with Sennheiser or Technics. If ANC is your priority, the Devialet and Sennheiser are the best in this grouping, and Bose is the best ANC of all (but a notch lower in sound quality).

I agree. For me, the Devialet and Rex5 are too close to call sound-wise: I prefer one or the other depending on the music. Frankly, the Pi8, BeoPlay EX, and Denon Perl Pro are all in that top bracket for me, but I'd say the Devialet and Rex5 have a slight lead in sound quality. But the Devialet are far better everyday buds for me. They're small and light and comfortable, and they have most of the features and capabilities that a lot of the other super-expensive "audiophile" buds tend to leave out.

>The issue here is that you have budget sets that are quickly catching up with the $300 and above premium tier; like the JLAB Epic Lab, as a very good example. I agree, although I haven't tried the JLAB. But the Nothing Ear 2024 in LDAC sounds damn good. The OnePlus Buds 3 Pro (and even the 2 Pro and the 3 non pro) are excellent sounding, and even the super cheap EarFun Air Pro 4 in LDAC mode sound way above their price point. I wouldn't say any of these match/beat the sound of the B&W, B&O, Devialet, or Denon, or even Technics or Sennheiser, but they're nipping at their heels for $100-200+ cheaper. >Denon Perl Pro w/ AAT is probably going to be a #1 pick in the price category for many people. Agree. I bought them when they were still in the $300+ range and I think their sound is on par with the extra-premium buds even though they're cheaper now. Which eartips did you end up with? I have stuck with the stock eartips, mainly because I find that any change can ruin the AAT customization, and I already accidentally overwrote my perfect AAT preset once and have never quite gotten them back to 100%. >Everyone else's favorite pick was the Pi8. I hated the Pi8 at first and almost returned them. Super recessed mid-highs/highs, made male rock vocals sound dull and lifeless. But I changed out the eartips (I think I have AZLA somethings on them now) and the sound has grown on me over time. If I didn't know better, I could swear that the sound has actually improved over time. I've never bought into the "burn-in period" thing but I swear the deficiencies that were pretty glaring at first seem to be magically better now. Where the Pi8 really shines is using the transmitter case. It's the closest to a wired IEM sound that I've experienced in an earbud. When not using the transmitter case, I think the Pi8 are still a step below the Devialet, and possibly a hair below the Denon too, but I change my mind on that frequently. >So what do I run most of the time? The Sennheiser MTW4. The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 are still my everyday drivers for a lot of reasons, but they're not quite on the same league sound-wise. I always recommended the MTW4 as a slightly better alternative to the AZ80, but the AZ100 has edged them both out. I still love my MTW4s but I've found that I haven't used them as much since the AZ100 came out. Still, I'd consider them roughly tied. >The Gemini II is the set many rave about from a pure sound quality perspective, but that's not the main reason I buy ANC earbuds. The Gemini II are actually really good all-around earbuds too. Lightweight and comfortable, and to my ears the ANC is second only to Bose. But it's hard to justify the price considering there are plenty of truly excellent options for much cheaper. >If I prioritized sound quality alone, I'd pick up any of my wired IEMs and couple them with a Q5k, FiiO UTWS5, or iFi Go Pods. I think you're the one who convinced me to start down the IEM rabbit-hole. I've dug myself out but it but not before first picking up the Aful 5+2 and Letshuoer S08. I'm happy with both (sometimes I even prefer the S08) and I'm trying to resist going the temptation of higher end IEMs. I have the Qudelix Q5k but I'm finding I prefer the sound of the FiiO BTR15, which has similar capabilities. But after getting accustomed to TWS, I still find the IEMs a bit too cumbersome for everyday use, even with a wireless DAC. Have you tried the UTWS5? I've been wanting to try one of the earhook style bluetooth DACs but they all have some questionable reviews, and the FiiO seems to be the only one that supports LDAC. I've been holding off on the FiiO because all my IEMs are 2 pin, and right now the 2-pin version of the FiiO is unavailable. They make adapters but that seems like it would make the setup more cumbersome and brittle.

Ah, latency. I almost exclusively use my Gemini 2s for music, so I haven't noticed if there's a latency problem. Re: codecs: I've become somewhat of an LDAC snob so I'm surprised to find I still prefer the Gemini 2 sound over many others with more high res codecs. I may miss a bit of that high-end "openness" but the tuning is so clear and detailed that it doesn't matter. But I definitely agree with the price/performance question. They're probably still my best sounding earbuds, but now there are so many excellent sets on the market that I'm not sure the high price is justified.

The Jabra are my favorites all around, but I have a lot of earbuds and there are a lot that beat them in one area or another, but none (in my opinion) that beat them *overall*. Comfort: no earbuds beat Jabra Elite 10 for comfort. Probably the next most comfortable would be Nothing 2024 / A or OnePlus 3/3Pro/2Pro or maybe Galaxy 2Pro/3Pro. But I find Technics, Devialet, Bose to all be reasonably comfortable. Sound: I love the Jabra 10 sound but plenty of premium earbuds beat them in sound. Technics AZ100/80, Sennheiser MTW4, Denon Perl Pro, and at a higher price point: Gemini 2, Pi8, BeoPlay EX (and probably Eleven but I haven't tried them). The Nothing 2024 in LDAC could potentially beat the Jabra in sound too but it's a close call. Most of these would be overkill if you're primarily listening to audiobooks and podcasts: in fact the Jabra are my favorites for spoken word, especially since the recent LC3 firmware update. ANC: Bose beats everyone. To my ears, the Jabra ANC is roughly tied for 2nd place ANC with Sony, Sennheiser, and Devialet. Some might argue that Sony is 2nd place and the others are tied for 3rd. Either way. I particularly like the Jabra ANC for flights, but the others are comparable. Microphone: I don't use earbuds much for calls so this is one area I never have much of an opinion on. My understanding is that Huawei buds have the best mics for calls but I've never tried them. Water Resistance: the Jabra 8 Active are the only earbuds I'm comfortable showering with. Beyond that I don't pay too much attention to IP ratings. My understanding is that Jabra generally leads in this area but that there are some (which I can't recollect) that are comparable. Physical buttons: nothing that I'm aware of beats Jabra in this area. I know the Status Between 4ANC (or something like that) has a physical button in addition to touch controls, but I only had these briefly and I don't remember how useful it was. Transmitter: Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 has a transmitter case (I think B&W were the innovators in this area). When using the USB-C transmitter, the Pi8 sound is *incredible*. I don't think I've tried the headphone/aux cable transmitter yet (the Pi8 comes with two separate cables instead of the Jabra version which has a built in adapter on a single cable). I think JBL Tour Pro 3 also have a transmitter option but I only had these briefly and I don't think I tried it. If your otherwise-perfect earbuds are missing the transmitter case feature, you can always get something like this: https://a.co/d/bbJW8Yn. I've used a similar device on a plane and it worked great, but I didn't do any side-by-side comparison of sound quality or anything. If all my Jabra earbuds disappears today, the Technics AZ100 or Sennheiser MTW4 would probably be my new daily drivers. Both have better sound than the Jabra and are probably 2nd-ish place in all the other areas: they're great overall earbuds. But this choice puts a lot of emphasis on music sound quality. For primarily audiobooks/podcasts, I'd probably choose the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro or Nothing 2024 (or Nothing A) as daily drivers. (Don't get me wrong, they both sound fantastic on music too). OnePlus would probably win out because of their controls and somewhat better ANC and battery life.

Gemini far better i have got all these and trist me Kept gemini only cuz of amazing balanced tuned sound profile its King Of Tws

Tried everything & given I'm only buying wireless through necessity of being moisture proof for gym etc, I thought the absolute best were the Diavalet Gemini 2. Ainw of the he Noble Fokus series have better sound, but for wired you could have something waaaay better for that cash. Wireless are still crap compared to wired, the difference is absolutely enormous.

Hi. For the absolute best I 100% vouch for the devialet gemini 2. It’s the best in class period if you’re willing to pay the price.

About the new batch thing, I have to disagree about them being the same. I read some reviews before the new black box, everyone loved them, and I kept thinking about buying. Some months passed, I was at a random duty free store and saw a Devialet stand with all their speakers and the Geminis. Without thinking much I just bought them and went to eat something at the airport while unboxing them, with a black label box. I started listening to some songs and didn't really liked it, quite harsh. I had no idea about the batch theory, since all reviews I saw were the first version and I didn't remember about the packing. A couple different songs later and still not liking the sound. I went to a random google search and there was something about the different packings. After confirming I didn't have the orange box, I went back to the store and got an orange box they still had stored. There was a misalignment on the right bud sticker, but I got it anyway to test. Completely different. Warmer, nice bass, it was what I expected from the Geminis, so I kept them, despite the bad sticker. So this was my completely blind and unbiased comparison between the versions, testing the black box version without knowing the orange existed.

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

I chose yo buy gemini because of pi8 lacking bass

I would still pick technics. I would recommend the gemini to nobody.

Convenience. Volume control doesn't work 50% of the time, you either have full ambient mode or full anc, it's comfortable but moves easily and that affects the noise canceling. And then you pay a fortune for it when you could have an az100 cheaper. Oh, and it also switches itself off completely when there is a sudden loud noise

These are not issues. It's the way earbuds are made. Lol. They are made without convenience in mind

If budget isn't an issue, then definitely look at the Noble Fokus Rex5 and the Gemini 2. I listen to edm all day long on both. Source dap: ibasso dx180 I also use wired iems, the Thieaudio Hype 4s sound ridiculously amazing for edm.

I totally second the Geminis. I listen to edm, trancy daily and out of your list, the Geminis would be the ideal choice followed by the AZ100. Both have excellent bass responses and lively mids, with good imaging and separation.

You should find a store to demo all the ones or buy and return the ones you don't like. I think the best way to choose a bud is to listen to it using your phone or music source to music you normally listen to. Depending on review don't always work because everyone uses different sources be it a dap, a dongle, naked phone etc and musical tastes vary. Some buds like the AZ100 sound great on edm and hiphop but may not live up to your expectations in jazz or classical. If budget isn't an issue, the Gemini 2 is your best choice as all types of music sounds good, its small and comfortable for all day wear especially if you add an aftermarket foam tip. Some features aren't as good as others but totally excels st sound quality. The Rex5 is good too but requires a lot of time to tweak the eq to fit your musical tastes.

Honestly $300 is average for high end buds nowadays. The better ones go up over 400 close to 5. The XM5s are kinda old now although they sound great compared to conventional buds, the tech is a little old. The XM6s are supposed to be coming out soon. The best for $300, would be the Technics AZ100 for bass heavy music with excellent sound quality but not great if you need excellent anc. If you want to talk about the best of the best, you can only look at the Devialet Gemini 2 and the B&W Pi8. I personally use the Geminis and its great for bass and exceptional clearity and staging. The Noble Rex5 mentioned are good but overrated at close to $500. I have these too and you need to have the patience to tweak the eq to make them sound good. Out of the box, they're just ok. Out of box using eq presets, you will have excellent results with both the AZ100 and the Geminis.

For me, its always and only about sound quality. All the other features, while good to have isn't what I look at as I hardly ever use them. I have a huge collection of tws and iems. I have the rex5, Gemini 2, and AZ100. If you can afford it, Id would wholeheartedly recommend the Geminis. The music quality and bass response is better than anything else in the collection and on par with several high priced iems. If I had to pick one set to listen to the rest of my life, that would be it. Added bonus is they are smaller than all the others and extremely comfortable for all day wear.

I currently own over 10 sets of tws from budget to one of the most expensive. Hands down for sound quality alone, Gemini 2 are the best sounding and small form factor for comfort listening for long periods of time. Out of the box, without any eq would sound like $4-600 iems. Once you find a tune you like, it can sound even better. My current top 3: Gemini 2, Rex5, and AZ100. I've heard lots of good things about the Tour Pro 3 but it's never on sale in my country. Retails for around $350 for me. For just a tad more, I would just get another set of Geminis as backup.

I'd recommend some aftermarket foam replacement tips, probably cheaper than buying something new. Im currently consistently using 3 sets. The most comfortable for me are the Gemini 2s and the Raycon Fitness. I know, absolute two ends of the spectrum. But I use the Raycons when my AirPods are charging for calls and podcasts mostly. I usually leave them in because I forget they're even there. I go to put another set in to realize they're still in there. Most folks aren't going to spend on the Geminis but they are extremely comfortable among the higher end choices.

Gemini 2 has a small form and the way it sits inside the ear is extremely comfortable. Better than my other 4 pairs of buds. Plus they have exceptional sound quality and plenty of deep bass. Can't say about call quality though because Ive never used them on a call. I still only use my AirPods pro 2 for calls.

There are several very good to excellent buds that work well with the iPhone. Ive been using iPhones since the beginning and Ive currently have like 9 pairs of tws paired to it. I also use android based daps. The Liberty 4 Pros are very similar to the AirPods Pro 2, except the Ankers battery lasts a little longer and the case provides more info. Sound wise there are many other better alternatives, all depends on your budget. Sub $100, the Aviot Q3 or Space Travel, sub $200 Technics AZ80 or Bose QC, sub $300 AZ100 or Pi8, sub $500 Gemini 2 or Rex5. I have all of these, but tested several others to get here.

99% of buds will come with silicone tips but you can just pick up a set of tws foam tips on amazon. Ive got tips for all my different buds and iems. Even my AirPods Pro 2 has foam tips on them. Depends on your budget: $30 Moondrop Space Travel, $70 Aviot Q3, $150 Liberty 4 Pro, $200 Technics AZ80, $300 Technics AZ100, $450 Devialet Gemini 2. I own all of these plus more. Different buds for different genres, moods, and situations.

Gemini 2s are actually my favorite buds in terms of overall sound quality with an emphasis on lows. Very complete coverage and imaging, awesome separation. They just dont have the big advertising dollars behind it so you hear about the AZs much more often. Also not as well known in audiophile world like the Nobles are so the Rexs get a ton of love too. AZ100 are great for its price point.

Either the Devialet Gemini 2 or the Technics AZ100. I have the Gemini 2 and the AZ80, with the AZ100 on its way. I do use the Pro 2 but mainly for calls and podcasts. They're ok for music until you hear either of the ones I mentioned. Both are comfortable, lasts a long time, and most exceptional is the music quality. Extremely clear, layered and with depth while the lows punch super hard. The Technics app has an ear bud fit test that gives you the best fit for best musical experience.

3 sets is not even a starter collection yet lol Ive got about 12 pairs of tws and another 10 sets of iems. I daily an iPhone, Ive got 2 androids, a razr 60 ultra, Xperia 10vii and I use 2 android based daps. I write reviews of tws for private companies and can keep sets at very steep discounts. Different buds for different uses. Gemini 2, Rex5, ZX1, and Freebuds Pro 4 are my basshead sets for edm and trance. Ive got several sets of open and clip style buds for long term comfort wear. Current favorites are the Free Clip and Cleer Arc 3. Then randoms for specific tasks. My AirPod Pro 2 is great for dictation and phone calls. I use moondrop space travel, liberty 4 pro, raycon fitness, and aviot q3 for casual music with lots of podcasts, news, and NBA games. My nicer iem sets include ThieAudio Hype 4, Dunu Davinci, FF Deuces, and Madoo 512s mainly all using an ibasso dx180.

I recently did a test and review of the top 5 commercial earbuds currently on the market. Unfortunately the XM5, didn't make that cut. I would of recommended the AZ100, but be it you already tested those. Im not sure what type of budget you have. But the number 1 bud I rated is the Devialet Gemini 2. Strong out of the box even stronger after tweaking the eq. For the purpose of my review, I pulled out some old school heavy metal group from my hs days. I tested all 5 buds with 80s Metallica and Maiden, a little Ozzy and one of my old school favorites, Quiet Riot. My review is here r/LuxuryEDC

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)

I would have gotten with the Rex5, but they have no IP rating at all, so I decided to go with the Devialet Gemini II as I use them at the gym mostly. I’ve had them for over 6 months and like them a lot. They get very loud, usually have them at 60-70% volume, and they are still very loud. The details are so clear and crisp, and the bass they reproduce is amazing. I highly recommend them if you need protection against water splashes or sweat. If not, I’d go for the Noble Rex5.

I’ve had the Devialet Gemini II for over 6 months now and love them. Used to be a Sennheiser and Apple AirPods Pro 1/2 fan boy, but these blow them out of the water as far as sound quality. The deep, heavy bass they produce is just incredible. They are very detailed and distortion-free even at max volume(they get super loud!). The only thing that bothered me was the ear tips, but I bought some SpinFit Omni tips and they fit amazingly, they also fit in the case too. The app is very good and easy to use, You can EQ them to your perfect personalized sound. They are also IPX4 rated, if that matters to you, The Noble Rex5 aren’t at all.

I’ve had the Devialet Gemini II for over 6 months now and love them. Used to be a Sennheiser and Apple AirPods Pro 1/2 fan boy, but these blow them out of the water as far as sound quality. The deep, heavy bass they produce is just incredible. They are very detailed and distortion-free even at max volume(they get super loud!). The only thing that bothered me was the ear tips, but I bought some SpinFit Omni tips and they fit amazingly, they also fit in the case too. The app is very good and easy to use, You can EQ them to your perfect personalized sound. They are also IPX4 rated, if that matters to you, The Noble Rex5 aren’t at all.

The only right answer! 😮‍💨👌🏼

None… Get the Devialet Gemini II 😚

The ANC isn’t even close to my APP2. However, they’re very comfortable and the mic is good, so I’m happy with that trade off. Other than having a good mic, they’re not as good as the Pi8 or Gemini II that I returned for having bad call quality.

Earbuds frequency response measurements are less reliable than headphones. They vary a lot ear to ear based upon one’s ear structure, distance from the driver to one’s ear canal, quality of seal, etc. There’s multiple reviewers that have addressed this in their reviews. Being close to the Harman response doesn’t automatically make it better or worse, that’s a human created measurement based upon an average of what people generally like. I thought the Pi8 sounded as good or better than the Gemini II in back to back testing, but others hate the Pi8 for how it sounds in their ears.

I know you've the price limit of $350 but if you want the best sound quality that makes the music live and addictive then my 1st recommendation will be 1. Noble fokus rex5 (after some hrs. of customising the Equalizers - then it's the best in the market) 2. Devialet gemini II ( if you listen to it side by side with any other earbuds, except noble and somewhat denon, it just makes everything blunt and dull).

Well... I'm guilty for paying for the Gemeni 2s. Granted, I paid significantly less than msrp, however they were still significantly more expensive than others. I wanted reasonable ANC with the best possible sound quality. I have experienced nearly ever "top" True wireless ear bud less the Technics Z80 and I must say that the Devialet Gemini 2 buds do offer top tear sound reproduction. They are actually very close in flat sound signature to my stax spirit over the ear with planar drivers, however somehow the gemini 2s offer even more bass. The gemini 2s 5hz frequency response is incredible. Granted not audible, but you can feel it in certain music. You are paying a premium for a low production incredibly high audio fidelity product. For myself, I happily paid the premium for the ear candy. Back to back in my opinion they blow the airpods pro 2 out of the water in clarity, separation, and punch. I swapped out the tips for the heat sensing memory foam also. Granted there are cheaper options that still sound good, but if you want the best audio reproduction it doesn't and never has come cheap. My advice is to buy what sounds the best to you. What gives you the most satisfaction. Both budget and sound quality are very subjective metrics. Spend what you can afford and what sounds best to you. If your ears don't differentiate then buy the cheapest satisfactory option. I have no regrets spending nearly $400 for a set of TWS that do everything I want and give me the dopamine hit of audiophile euphoria when listening to any song I choose. The older I become, the more priority I put on experiences. I would rather pay more for quality and experience than have to pay less but more frequently for subpar experiences. Real value is what you are willing to pay. That definition is different for every individual. And it will always scale with age and experience. Luxury items will often cost 10-100x more for a 5-10% improvement. For some people that little improvement justifies the value for them as they are no longer satisfied to listening to 90% of what a song offers. For most, it doesn't justify the price. However sometime that 5-10% improvement is where the vast amount of money goes to deliver given constraints such as size. Buy what you enjoy amd can afford. Just because an item is more expensive and only x% better doesn't mean it's a bad buy for everyone. Value is always in the eye of the beholder.

Yes but unfortunately no one earbud set contains all of the good things. Best ANC = Bose QC Ultra Best sound = MTW4, Technics Az80/100, Pi8, Devialet Gemini 2 etc etc Best comfort = Bose QC Ultra or Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro imo Best mic and call quality = Galaxy Buds3 Pro imo. Some say Huawei pro 3 Best battery.. Most are 6hrs+ without anc and up to 6hrs with There are prob buds I've forgotten but I have tried a lot and my faves up to no have been the MTW4's. Not the best at everything but the best all round imo.

The Gemini II and Noble rex 5 are just at and slightly above your price range in my area, and both are incredible. The rex 5 are pretty big. But, they are the best wireless earbuds I have ever heard. The Gemini II are relatively small and run neck and neck with the pi8. I dare say you can't go wrong with either one. Not trying to make it harder for you 😉 I just have a passion for good...earbuds in general. Not sure why?

Devialet Gemini II, Rex5, jbl tour pro 3 This week.

You didnt say a budget so: Devialet Gemini 2. Top anc and sound quality. It is quite pricy though. If you want something cheaper the only other TWS that beats the XM5 is the airpods pro 2.

I dont think anything will give you complete silence. The best anc earbuds I know of are the devialet gemini 2. they cost a lot and are only slightly better in anc than like the airpods pro 2 or other high end earbuds.

Technics AZ100 is the best overall package. Sony's sound is super veiled in comparison to any of the heavy hitters. Strictly Sq: can't go wrong with the devialet Gemini 2 or even the bowers & wilkins pi8 (if you're not a basshead). Also heard the Rex 5 are like the pinnacle of tws for bass lovers, but I haven't heard them myself yet.

Devialet Gemini II for the sound. NC not as good as Bose.

Check out the Moondrop Robin (use with comply foam t500). I have the soundcore liberty pro 4 (great overall functionality) ,devialet gemini 2 (good sound, mediocre fit), but in terms of sound quality, Robin is best (with the comply foam tips). Got them on Amazon for less than 100 usd recently

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.

Devialet Gemini 2's are absolute trash... Quality isn't worth the price and mine broke a few months after receiving them. I got my money back and bought the last Sony ones. Best decision ever made. Don't buy Devialet Gemini, I'm not the only one disappointed.

My go to earbuds are the Devialet Gemini II and B&W Pi8's. I find that they are both very good but I reach for the Gemini II's more often.

I prefer the sound. That doesn’t mean they’re better but I like them better.

Pi7 don't, just don't. If you want B&W, go with pi8, one of the best sound, good anc, no bugs after firmware update, good fit. But price tag is higher. Devialet Gemini 2 are also good, technics az100 more budget friendly but not cheap.

You totally missed best sound earbuds pi8, az100, Gemini II, pearl pro, noble. Actually I will not replace pi8 with any other buds from this topic, in respect to sound. When price is not an object and you looking for best sound, this is what you test, no bose:)

Best are Devialet Gemini 2 and Noble Audio FoKus Rex5 The pro-sumer tier are: Technics AZ80, Denon PerlPro's and B&W Pi8 I am impartial to my AZ80s

I second Gemini 2, I’ve tested so many and none came close to the sound these make

I don't know where people got the idea that the Devialet Gemini 2 were any good but they flat out suck. They should be $30. They aren't good.

They're straight up not good. Don't know what they were going for on the stock tuning, but it's ass and fixing it with EQ just shows how shitty the drivers are. I feel like the TWS crowd thinks price strongly correlates with quality, which is why you never hear anyone talking about how dog shit the Devialet Gemini 2 are despite being extremely expensive.

These lists are kinda getting to be useless because it absolutely depends on how you plan on using the phones (gym, office, home, plane, street etc) and what’s important to you. I ONLY care about sound so Devialets win hands down. Now are those what I wear for the gym or to walk about…no I grab my B&Os for that. I’m learning that there are just too many factors to consider for lists like this. Then there’s personal preference…I love clarity and bass, comfort level etc. price point? I never thought I’d pay $500 for a set of in-ears but if sounds that important to me then I’ll do and did it. Some people care about battery life it’s just whatever. This is the best video I’ve seen for 2024…he takes EVERYTHING into consideration. I went straight to the sound section and he was spot on. So I presume everything else to be reliable to. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=owNyKtbqvzI

Planned obsolescence and for me so far Devialet on both.

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.

Sound comparison with Pro X and Gemini 2? I have the latter, love the sound, alright anc but not the perfect fit unfortunately.

Depends on where I'm at. If I'm at home and depending on the game, I might just Bluetooth through my home theater receiver. Otherwise when I'm out and about, either my Bose QC35 II Gaming headphones with mic or my fancy schmancy Devialet Gemini II earbuds.

Probably Gemini 2. Then pi8. I have both and Gemini definitely better. Az100 are good aswell. But they are too big. Rex 5 if you want the absolute best sound quality

No I agree. Il be honest. They was too big for my ears so I sent mine back. The sound quality is unbelievable. But everything else is abit shit tbh. Even the app. I have the Gemini 2 now and they’re just as good but better anc and transparency. But I don’t think anything beats AirPod pros for anc and transparency

Best will depend on your preferences, and whether you value comfort, ANC, or sound quality. Here's my personal shortlist, having tested dozens of these sets in the past few years: **Sound quality:** Denon Perl Pro (with AAT), Technics AZ80, Sennheiser Momentum 4 (with Sound Personalization), AirPods Pro 2, Sony WF-1000XM5s (with personalized EQ, Clearbass set to off), Beats Studio Buds+/Beats Studio Buds, Beats Fit Pros, Bose QC Ultra **ANC:** Bose QC Ultra, AirPods Pro 2, Sony WF-1000XM5s, Sennheiser Momentum 4s, Technics AZ80, Denon Perl Pro, Beats Studio Buds+, Beats Fit Pro, Beats Studio Buds **Comfort:** Beats Studio Buds+/Beats Studio Buds, Sony WF-1000XM5s (with Dunu S&S tips), Denon Perl Pro, Bose QC Ultra, Sennheiser Momentum 4s (very dependent on concha; ranked higher if you have larger ears), Technics AZ80 (another one that depends more on outer ear physiology) Any buds with a "locking" mechanism, or small ear hook, is very dependent on your individual ears. The Momentum's take this a step further, actually locking in behind your antihelix, resting in your concha. If these fit you, they're one of the most secure and comfortable fits on the market. They rank higher for me because they fit well, but are lower on my list because I think this can vary dramatically by person. For sound quality, I've gone back and forth between the Perl Pros and AZ80s on which sounds best. I used to rank the AZ80s higher, but I have a second AAT profile for the Denons, with Immersion at a +2, that handily beats the AZ80s. This could be due to the initial AAT profile being poorly done -- and yet, still somehow performed better than most of my other sets. With that profile, the Denon's compete with some of my midfi IEMs. They are exceptionally good. The Devialet Gemini IIs are also excellent, but are well outside of your budget and, honestly, not worth the investment. Gemini IIIs may be, if they improve codecs, BT support, etc. Don't sleep on the Beats brand of earbuds; for the price, they are genuinely great sets. The Buds+ are very good performers and the most comfortable set I own. With the Spinfit Omnis, these disappear in my ears. ANC is solid, transparency is serviceable. Sound quality is very good. The Fits Pros are the best option if you're active; one of the best "secure" fits out of dozens of buds, second only to the Powerbeats Pros. The Beats brand gets a lot of eye rolls due to brand stigma, but I don't care about the label on the box. If something works well for its intended use, I'll buy it. In this case, depending on the sales, the Buds+ can be an exceptionally good value. I did not include the device manufacturer earbuds on my list, like the Galaxy and Pixel Buds Pros; these are honestly excellent sets in their own right, but I do not use the devices they're most integrated with and thus I cannot test them fully so it's hard to do a fair comparison. But if you use those devices, they are also great -- and cheap -- options. For my part, I ended up daily driving the Sennheiser Momentum TW 4s; although it's not at the top of any of my lists, it is the best all around performer, getting close to the sound quality of the Technics and Denons, ANC that's nearly as good as the Sony's, but with an app and features that are more robust (and with better UX) than the Technics and Denon apps. On the whole, it's my favorite set to use for work and travel, some light media consumption, and around the house use. However, if I don't want to pull out one of my wired IEM, but I want to listen to music or other media and have the best possible experience, it's the Denons or Technics.

My ranking (pictured [here](https://imgur.com/a/tws-ranking-left-to-right-MBqgKk5)) based on sound quality, battery life, app, and features: MTW4 (w/ Sound Personalization) > Technics AZ100/AZ80 > Denon Perl Pro (w/ AAT) > B&W Pi8 > Devialet Gemini II > Sony XM5 > APP2 > Bose QC Ultra Sound quality isn't an empirical measurement. It will be based on preference. Most TWS within a certain price range aren't going to suffer from "qualitative" issues and will all perform well, but will be tuned very differently from one another. Recency bias also plays a major role in recommendations within the community, so keep that in mind. MTW4 with SP was the best balance of tuning, battery life, features, and user experience for me, and is my typical go-to. I'm also a fan of rock/metal and hip hop, thus a set like the AZ100, which excels in many other areas -- including battery life and ANC -- and beats the MTW4 in some genres, gets ranked lower as the timbre and tonality in genres with high gain guitars is lacking. It's as if Technics applied a high shelf filter and rounded off the treble, which diminishes some of the dynamics and energy/attack of guitar-based tracks. AZ80 is better in this regard, but a downgrade in ANC and battery life. The Perl Pro sound stellar with AAT, but AAT can be hit or miss for some and is very tip dependent. AAT *should* be used in conjunction with EQ to get the most out of the Perl Pros -- something many users miss, as AAT is correction, not intended as a replacement EQ -- and I'd recommend looking at alternative tips like the Dunu S&S, Divinus Velvet, Spinfit Omni/Neo, etc. B&W Pi8 sounds very good, but is a bit too neutral for my tastes. It was also plagued with connectivity issues. I replaced my original unit, and had the same problems, so that set is rarely used. I know a lot of users that swear by this set, but it was not near the top of my list even without considering the connectivity issues. EQ could not fix my issues with the tuning; in some cases, it introduced sibilance. Outside of ANC, the Bose QC Ultra is at the bottom of my list. And to be fair, that list is much larger than what was pictured above as I have tested dozens of TWS sets. The tuning of the Bose is just not for me, but I know other hobbyists that swear by it. The ANC is world class, however. One of the few sets I quickly returned as I had no interest in keeping it around, even to collect dust. TLDR; this is very subjective, and I wouldn't recommend basing your buying decision on one user or reviewer's opinion unless you know your preferences align -- and even then, you may be disappointed with the results. If sound quality is your one and only goal, there are better options. Even the best TWS in my rotation will rarely beat out a dedicated IEM, running on something like the Q5k, iFi Go Pods, or the FiiO UTWS5 -- the former and the latter both have access to EQ. Unless I need ANC or TWS features, this is what I use the majority of the time.

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.

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.

[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).

>Which eartips did you end up with? I have stuck with the stock eartips, mainly because I find that any change can ruin the AAT customization I ended up running the Spinfit Omnis, which are essentially the W1s with a shorter core. The Divinus were also solid; and to clarify, I reran AAT after each tip swap, keeping the first "default" profile as a fallback, since that tuning was very good where it landed. >If I didn't know better, I could swear that the sound has actually improved over time Burn-in may not be real, but brain burn-in absolutely is. It takes time for our ears to adjust to a new tuning, which is why I try and give any headphone/IEM a good bit of time before making a judgment call. For the Pi8, the transmitter case is definitely a plus, and one I used quite a bit when I had them, although I also run the BTD 600s with the MTW4, which provides a similar feature. If it weren't for having the transmitter with the MTW4, I may have kept the Pi8 on convenience alone. I used that feature everywhere. I didn't give the Gemini IIs as fair a shake as I could have, admittedly. There were a lot of issues I had with it out of the box which may have gotten sorted over time via firmware and app updates. I didn't have as much luck with ANC, battery life was tough to swallow, codec support was a lot more limited (at launch), but one of the biggest issues I ran into was latency. I'm not terribly sensitive to it on many sets, but it was noticeable on the Gemini IIs -- enough that it was still lagging behind my video calls during work meetings, which isn't the norm as there's usually enough latency from the stream that it's not noticeable. But more so than that, it was a price versus performance argument for me. If I need sound quality that much, I'm almost always reaching for my IEMs and a BT adapter of some sort, so it made the

Gemini's irrelevant. That said, if someone is looking at TWS alone, I can absolutely see a reason to keep them as a "want the best sounding" TWS. I'm a diehard S08 fan, so that sounds about right. If it makes you feel any better, I've got a pair of Thieaudio Origins sitting on the desk in front of me right now, and I ran the S08 most of the day today. I'm glad it's getting attention in the community still. I stick by that set being one of the best budget values in the IEM market at the moment. And it's not that far behind the S12 2024 in performance and overhead -- you can EQ the shit out of it. Diminishing returns is a massive factor in this hobby; I own several kilobuck and summit-fi IEMs, and rarely run many of them. I find the budget and midfi markets much more appealing and interesting. There are a few exceptions to this, but many of the sets I've been running this week are at or below $500. Although I don't shy away from investing in very good, high quality IEMs in that TOTL price tier, it takes a lot to convince me to pull the trigger these days -- not for budget, so much as how absolutely rock solid the budget and midfi segment has become. Want to buy the Jupiter? The HBB Punch is nearly as good; the Ziigaat Odyssey is phenomenal at under $300. The Dusk is still great; run the DucBloke/TimmyT916 tuning, and it competes with $1000+ sets. I still dig the Alba, and the Performer8 is still an immediate go-to for classical, jazz, and acoustic tracks. And I'm still running stuff like the EM6L for gaming. >Have you tried the UTWS5? I tried the older model, but there were so many issues with the batteries and charging case that I ended up springing for the iFi Go Pods instead. Those issues were supposed ly sorted out with the 2025 model, which I do have on order -- but it's been backordered for several weeks, unfortunately. The UTWS5 (if the issues are addressed, and I'm confident they are with their new charging method) is definitely the one to buy. The older model was rock solid for what it provided, minus the manufacturing defect, and because FiiO gives you access to PEQ it can replace the Q5k as your go-to for a TWS IEM. As a side note, I have used those adapters before; I have the opposite connector, from 2-pin to MMCX, and they *are* cumbersome. It was fairly secure, but it adds too much additional height to the ear hook, so much so that I used a heat gun to bend the ear hooks on the cable I was using so it would be less of an issue. So they do work, but at a cost. **TL;DR:** wait for the 2-pin UTWS5. It'll be worth it. And TWS need more competitive pricing in general; it's becoming increasingly harder to recommend premium earbuds, when budget ANC earbuds are making as many waves as they are.

Devialet gemini II... I won't be going back to my soundcore, sonys or audio technica

i've owned Sony XM-5s, Devialet Gemini 2, and now currently using the AZ100 as I accidentally dropped my Devialets. I can say, with absolute certainty, the Devialet Gemini 2's are the best sounding wireless out of them all. Their mic is crap, bluetooth connection isnt the fastest either. Their battery life after using it for a year drops significantly to the point you can only use them for about 2 hours before needing a charge. However, there is literally nothing, not even the AZ100, that can replicate its sound. Just try them on without EQ, and youll get what I mean. The Sonys are decent, but the AZ100 to me still tops it. The AZ100 has a 'wider' sound stage. You MUST use the EQ for the AZ100 or else it will sound extremely ass. Some might argue that the AZ100 has Hi-res while Devialets don't. True, but unless you are knit-picking the sound and putting all your focus to the sound, you wont notice a difference. In terms of cost, yes the Devialets are pricier, but in terms of everyday listening experience, nothing beats it. I've tried many other high-end earbuds at the Hong Kong Hi-fi convention, and still nothing beats the Devialets. \*Everything here is my personal preference. I listen to mainly EDM, Hip-hop, and rock.

There's only one big, big asterix: the devialets do imo have the best sound quality that no other could replicate, even with EQ settings. The only issue I've had with my pair is the battery life dies down extremely fast after about a years use.

Gemini II are pretty good.

The best over 1k are the Geekfly L6, hands down best sound quality out of all the ones I've tested, Noble Rex5, Devailet Gemini ll's, PI8s, Denon Perl, Sony M5, MTW4, and supports all the hi resolution wireless codecs, if you own a late model flagship phone your already to go for best wireless audio sound. Warranty and build quality by Geekfly is top notch. There isn't any tws on the market compares to the L6s.

The bose are pretty punchy. The devialet Gemini IIs have better, deeper more rumbly bass than the bose.

Usually the JBL Tour Pro 3. Have the Gemini II and DPP for at home listening/house+yardwork

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 tried them all except for Jabra's and the new JBL Tour (which I must try, I'm curious about them), and my pick is the Devialet Gemini II. With the right tips, these have better ANC and bass quantity and quality than the Technics. Don't bother with Sony or Sennheiser. edit: wife has Bose, excellent ANC but the sound is hit or miss.

I "main" gemini ii and have none of these problems 🤷‍♂️ also there is jbl tour 3, and some people say they prefer more natural airy sound of az80, me included. I'm glad that technics is doing fine, but this sub is clearly treating AZ100 like a second coming of jesus.

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.

The Earphone game of subjective views always gets people going. Dude congrats, if this is the best of 2025 to your subjective view and ear ...nobody can say you shouldn't think this. I have the pi8 and Gemini 2 and feel they are the absolute best in sound quality (while not living up to anything much after that)and yet I would take the AZ100 out the door faster than I would them because Technics have been more reliable and offer better all-around experience while the others are overpriced and don't ever prove the price difference in sound over the az100. So yes, subjectively to me too, I feel they are the ones to beat this year and believe it will be a long year and it will be tough to do it. Congrats regardless ...and don't forget to enjoy music more than analyzing it.

For me, this is the big 5 in endgame audio TWS earbuds. 1. ($449) Noble FoKus Rex5 2. ($499) Devialet Gemini 2 3. ($399) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 4. ($249) Hifiman Svanar Wireless 5. ($299) Technics AZ100

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)

Do you actually own the BeoPlay EX? I've had them since launch and they are not close in terms of sound quality. They sound quite thin & have 0 bass or dynamics. I used to think they were great, but many others have impressed me much much more. Devialet Gemini 2, Technics AZ100, B&W Pi8 are all far superior in terms of dynamics, transients, texture, resolution, etc. Btw I come from 16 years of musical experience (played in Carnegie Hall), own many high end headphones & earbuds, and have a very keen ear.

I prefer the Devialet Gemini 2

My top picks & ratings for best sounding TWS: 1. [9.7] ($450) Noble FoKus Rex5 2. [9.6] ($500) Devialet Gemini II 3. [9.3] ($250) Status Audio Pro X 4. [9.3] ($400) Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 5. [9.2] ($400) Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven 6. [9.0] ($300) Technics EAH-AZ100

If you have a iPhone, sure. I do not, but I still own the Airpods Pro 2 (not that I use them at all anymore). Gemini 2 has given me 0 connection issues & drainage issues with normal use. I will say the Airpods are more comfortable for long listening sessions, but the sound is in a different league.

They all have pros and cons. Rex5 has more separation/layering due to the driver layout. Gemini 2 has a single driver that is ridiculously powerful (makes it sound very engaging and musical). Depends on what genres of music you listen to. All 5 options I gave are great for sound with pros and cons. It depends on your ears. Try a few of em out. Return the rest and don't look back.

Oh perfect. I use the Gemini 2 for hip hop & modern genres. I will say they aren't the most comfortable tho

Devialet Gemini II have 10/10 audio, nothing missing, excellent instrument separation and soundstage. IMO they are superior to the AZ100, the B&W Pi8 and everything below. Did not try the B&O or anything noble yet but they both look like good options. Also, you should just check the catalog, there is a guy that is buying all high end options and compares them (obviously subjective to his preferences aswell but still a good review.

happy with pi8 but if you like more v-shape sound go for gemini or rex5

Spend 200 extra and get a much better sounding earbud, i got tge devialet gemini 2 but there are others around 4 to 500 wuth similar sound quality and different nieches

Devialet gemini 2, i had the jbl tour pro 3 and when they broke i got devialet gemini 2, first time listening to music bro, only thing i didnt like was the battery life but theyve been manageable for me and outside of the sound quality i could get into all day, the buss trumps even jbl bro best purchase of my life fr

Love my Technics. Devialet sounds a little better, but the AZ100 is great for everyday carrying

I’ve never listened to anything better than the Devialet, and I’ve never used anything better for everyday life than the Technics AZ100

+1 for Devialet. Most slept on set imo

Nah ive used both and the Devialets are far superior IMHO. The denons are a great set though. Really comes down to preference