WF-1000XM5

I'm not really someone who can speak to as new price since I tend to be happy with buds in Open Box, Used - Like New, or Refurb'd condition. I feel like I get a lot more for my sound dollar. That said, I am able to comment on sound and fit/comfort. I find the Sony WF-1000XM5s to have excellent sound, but their fit and long-term comfort let me down. I find the WF-1000XM4s much more comfortable and their sound is very good in its own right. I've owned many other Technics earbuds, but never the AZ100s. I recall their sound as being good to very good, with very good noise cancelling. Fit and long-term comfort were very good across the board. The controls were also solid. I moved on from them because I always thought the midrange was a touch veiled and they were not the last word in dynamics. I only own the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, but I find their sound and noise cancellation excellent overall. Long-term comfort is good for me, but I feel the fit could be a touch more secure. The Ultras are less interesting to me because I don't really like earbuds in the mic boom form factor. I've only owned the Sennheiser Accentum earbuds. They aren't bad, but I found the fit a bit odd. I feel like it's possible to get better sound for similar money. The Technics EAH-AZ40s would be a huge upgrade. I should like the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro for their compact form factor, but I feel the fit and long-term comfort should be better than good or very good. Sound is good but nothing spectacular. The multipoint connectivity between my phone and laptop could also be more seamless. I feel like my Sony WF-C700Ns have flawless multipoint and at least 90% of the sound + noise-cancelling for a lot less money. I've never owned the Liberty 4, but if you're on a tight budget the Anker Soundcore Space A40s are tough to beat. Very good sound, NC, fit, and long-term comfort. If you are on a super tight budget and can live with passive isolation the Soundcore Life A1s are worth a listen. I own a ton of Jabra Elites over the years, including the 75ts, 4s in Black and Blue, 5s (currently missing), and 7s. I tend to find them cheap on eBay. I find their sound and NC good to very good. I like their tiny form factor, which makes the long-term fit and comfort excellent for me. This makes the Jabra Elites my favorite workout buds. My 75ts have held up to years of runs and workouts in all manner of conditions. Because of this, I'm bummed Jabra are leaving the earbud segment. In conclusion, I need to declutter and sell off my ridiculously large collection of earbuds!

Surprisingly well worth the money but only if you buy something exceptional like the Sony brand, after owning a sony pair of earbuds everything else sounds like a cheap pair even the expensive ones...

The WF-1000XM4 or WF-1000XM5 they are the top end of the sony range but have heard good things about the mid range sonys as well.

I just went FROM the XM5s to the Buds 3 Pro and honestly, I should've done it before. The Sony never sat well and had to really really push them hard in to the ear canal to get proper ANC. For me as a user who mainly wear during flights/trains and on the go work calls - the Samsung so far is breeze and I like the pinch and swipe functions. Your mileage will vary but totally find the XM5 in ears to be too hyped.

The way I see it. If you want the best build and sound quality get wired iems. Not to mention most iems have detachable cables so longevity isn't as much of a concern. So obviously when you look at it this way expensive bluetooth earbuds seem useless and they kind of are. Most people don't buy bluetooth earbuds for quality alone there buying a brand Apple, Samsung, Bose, Sony etcetera. I'm even an example of that I've had Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro, and Sony WF-1000XM5. The most important features for bluetooth earbuds imo are comfort, convenience, and Ambeient/ANC. Because sound quality shouldn't be as much of a concern imo because most situations when you would use a bluetooth earbud sound quality wouldn't matter as much such as working, exercising, or travel. I feel like in all of those instances the three things I mentioned are more important. So in conclusion expensive bluetooth earbuds aren't worth it but if you know why you want a certain model such as Sony or Bose for anc such as for myself. It just comes down to if you're willing to sacrifice longevity for convenience.

I don’t know, I use iOS and Sony’s WF-XM5 earbuds sounds way more detailed and lively compared to AirPods, both from Qobuz and Apple Music.

I have the Sony WF-1000XM5 and DNB sounds great on them.

I usually pair it with the wf-1000xm5.