Mobile reviews

Pros Comfortable to wear for long periods Enjoyable open-ear sound Good level of EQ customisation Cons Still has some sound balance issues Misses out on wireless charging from OpenFit 2+ They’re not cheap Key Features Battery Up to 48 hours total listening time IP rating IP55 protection against water and sweat Open-ear design Constant awareness of what's around you Introduction The Shokz OpenFit 2 were announced in January 2025 and it’s taken several months for the OpenFit update to land in the UK. Shokz fans will be hoping it’s worth the wait. The original OpenFit was the company’s first foray into making open earbuds instead of neckband-style bone conduction headphones. Along with a new form factor, it also switched from bone to air conduction to counter the swathes of cheaper open-ear alternatives flooding the market. The OpenFit 2, which launched alongside the flagship OpenFit 2+ , sees Shokz make improvements to the design, ...

Pros Great specification, even beyond the driver technology Open, revealing and meticulous sound Useful control app Cons Lack low-frequency substance and impact Only one finish Not short of alternatives Key Features Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless support Sound 12mm planar magnetic drivers Battery 20 hours of battery life (buds + case) with ANC on Introduction Edifier, it seems fair to say, is prepared to push the boat out – and these NeoBuds Planar are just the latest example. Planar magnetic driver technology is esoteric, expensive – and doesn’t automatically lend itself to true wireless in-ear headphones. Or, at least, it doesn’t where most manufacturers are concerned. But Edifier is emphatically not most manufacturers… Advertisement Design Available only in black IP55 Given how very functional true wireless earbuds need to be where design is concerned, Edifier deserves congratulations for making the ...

Pros Warmer, bigger bass than older model Solid enough noise-cancellation Very comfortable to wear Excellent wireless performance Cons Beaten for battery life Strange call performance Key Features Battery life Up to 24 hours on a single charge Adjustable EQ Change how the headphones sound in the Bose app Noise Cancellation Choose from Quiet or Aware modes Introduction There is a weird sense of déjà vu about the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. Despite the new name, they are, at least on the surface, remarkably similar to the discontinued QuietComfort 45 . The QuietComfort Headphones are the step down model from the QuietComfort Ultra , offering Bose’s trademark noise cancellation and comfort at a price that’s less eye-watering but still on the expensive side for most folks. The QuietComfort Headphones’ mission statement remains the same – to make the world a quieter place and let you enjoy your music in peace. But with plenty of competit...

Pros Good levels of comfort Spacious sound Great with voices Nicely balanced sound Cons Not the most detailed or defined listen Lacks some low energy punch for films and games Key Features Open-Backed design Lets sound escape from the earcups for a bigger performance Wide frequency range Covers 12Hz to 38.5kHz Replacement parts Compatible with wide range of cables and replaceable earpads Introduction Everyone has to begin somewhere, and where Sennheiser is concerned, the HD 505 is your gateway to audiophile sound. It’s not just those who listen to music that Sennheiser is looking to ensnare. If you’re a gamer or you watch films and TV shows on your laptop (or other mobile device), then Sennheiser wants you. Sennheiser is one of the few brands that’s synonymous with headphones – wireless, true wireless, in-ears, wired – can the HD 505 be counted among its best? Advertisement Design Open-backed Detachable earpads Lightweight ...

Pros Long battery life Great levels of comfort Strong Bluetooth connection Good call quality performance Cons Inoffensive sound quality ANC lags behind the best Key Features Review Price: £299 Battery life 70 hours with ANC on, 100 with it off 'M' button Customisable button for Spotify Tap and other features Adaptive ANC Always listening for sounds to cancel out Introduction The market for noise-cancelling headphones is at its most competitive since I began reviewing headphones – there are so many options to choose from. The most obvious place to start is with tried-and-tested brands like Bose and Sony. If you have an iPhone, there’s the AirPods Max . You see these headphones everywhere you go: airports, train stations, buses, so of course, you might be tempted to join the herd. Advertisement Or you can try something else. And that something else could be Marshall’s Monitor III ANC. They offer the brand’s unique sty...