Wireless earbuds are one of the hottest trending products in 2022, and for good reason. Thanks to leaps forward in battery life, signal strength, and sound quality, the time is right to buy.
That said, the Aussie wireless market is cluttered with cheap Apple knockoffs and dodgy internet sellers. Even well recognised brands are rushing to put out subpar product that is not worth your hard earned dollars. This is where we come in…
If you are thinking of purchasing new wireless earbuds, our list (updated monthly) will help you make the best choice with a focus on sound and call quality, features, and overall value for your money.
Mifo O5 Plus Gen 2: Editor’s pick for best true wireless earbuds – $129.99 at Mifo.com.au
Where to buy the Mifo O5 Plus Gen 2 earbuds in Australia
The best wireless earphones including commuting, the office, running, and all around gym use (yes, even swimming) come from a brand that is new to Australia. But don’t let that scare you off, as these earbuds are easily some of the best we have ever tested.
BEST VALUE
- $129.99 at Mifo.com.au – 2-4 day delivery
- OF NOTE: Pro Edition $199.99 at Mifo.com.au – 2-4 day delivery
OTHER OPTIONS
- Editor’s Note: The Gen 2 is not available on Amazon or other channels at the time of publishing. The original O5 is available for the similar pricing plus tax on Amazon.com here, but does not include USB-C connection, power bank, and upgraded sound quality.
So what makes Mifo true wireless earbuds the best all around earphones?
The best earbuds for active lifestyles, period. The Mifo O5 come with a bevy of features that improve the tasks of the day immensely, beginning with their form factor. Weighing in at just a few grams each, the O5 earbuds feel supremely comfortable, and include 7 silicon ear tip shapes and sizes for that perfect fit. Further, once in it’s nearly impossible to get them to fall out. Readers may remember propensity to fall out was a major problem that prevented us from recommending Apple’s Airpods in our last wireless review.
Absurd battery life with power bank feature. The O5 Plus Gen 2 earbuds themselves will play continuously for 7+ hours, a feat we tested over several days. Not only that, but the included USB-C charging case offers an additional 100 hours of play time. No, that is not a typo. We were able to use the earbuds without charging the case for an entire week before it gave out. Not only that, but the case allows you to plug a smartphone in to charge your devices on the go. In our test, we were able to charge an iPhone 11 Pro Max from 0 to 100%. That’s stunning, and makes us wonder why earbuds from other brands costing 3-4 times more have just a third of the battery life.
Excellent sound with passive noise canceling and transparency mode you have to hear to believe. The Mifo O5 Plus Gen 2 packs some of the best bass in any true wireless earbuds we have tested. That’s particularly helpful if you prefer energetic tracks when pushing yourself to the limit.
You won’t be able to hear any outside noise, unless you activate transparency mode. Once activated with a tap, you are able to hear ambient noise around you perfectly, including conversations. That means you don’t have to remove the earbuds when you want to order a coffee or have a quick word. We’ve never seen a premium feature like this is sub-$200 earbuds before, and it is truly impressive.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Mifo have now released a Professional edition of the O5 with balanced armature drivers designed for true audiophiles in mind. It carries with it substantial added cost, but offers a more accurate high range for those willing to pay $199.99.
Australia-based customer support. We have been continuously disappointed with true wireless earbuds in the past, even from tech giants like Samsung. Part of that disappointment comes with poor or absent customer service. We tested Mifo on several occasions with questions and every time received proper replies within an hour. That demonstrates commitment to Australian market and contributes greatly to our award of Editor’s Pick.
Jabra Elite Active 75t: Solid but pricey sports earbuds – $269.00 at Dicksmith.com.au
Where to buy the Jabra Elite 75t earbuds in Australia
If you aren’t price sensitive, Jabra may be the brand for you. These true wireless earbuds come with fewer accessories than the Mifo O5, but offer a more generalist approach to the format.
BEST VALUE
OTHER OPTIONS
Why Jabra makes the list of best earbuds at the nexus of value and features
Good overall quality for true wireless earbuds. Since true wireless earbuds were invented, we have lamented at poor signal quality, dropped calls, and pairing fiascos. Jabra have included top quality chipsets and firmware, and we were pleased with the overall experience.
Excellent marks for sound quality. While bass isn’t as rich as the Mifo O5 Plus Gen 2, the overall high and low tones of the Elite 75t are quite good. We’ll leave it to you to determine if they sound $300 good.
Active noise canceling with some flaws. The active noise canceling (ANC) that comes standard with the Elite 75t is passable, but fails in louder ambient environments causing uncomfortable glitching when enabled. Controls are a bit awkward via the included smartphone app, and we found leaving ANC off improved battery life and did not take away meaningfully from the listening experience.
Limited sports-specific features. While Jabra does an excellent job with calls, we aren’t typically on the phone while working out. So we were surprised to find that the 75t does not add at least the same shock proof, water proof features found on the disastrous and now canceled Elite Sport.
Bose Sports Earbuds: Earphones that live up to the Bose name, with minor drawbacks – $263.39 at Amazon.com.au
Where to buy the Bose Sports earbuds in Australia
Bose have delved into the true wireless category by focusing on sports. And while the generic-named “Sports” earbuds is an excellent first product, it suffers from an aging Bluetooth chipset and mediocre 5 hour battery life, costing Bose a higher position in our list.
BEST VALUE
OTHER OPTIONS
Why Bose gets our approval for performance to value
Great sound that comes at a cost. While Bose have engineered a product that is indeed worthy of the name, it does come at a cost. Poor battery life of 5 hours (approximately 4.5 hours in our real world use testing) and Bluetooth 4.1 instead of 5.0 hurt the product and age it to the first generation of true wireless competitors.
Fun, fitness-oriented colours. Of note are the options to pick from a bright, bold, and just plain fun colour scheme. While not strictly to do with features, the Sports earbuds makes going to the gym just a bit more interesting.
Built for sports, but may not work for you. While the Sports earbuds are made for active movement, we found it a bit bulky. If you have smaller ears, you may experience some discomfort or a feeling that the earbuds may fall out. That’s not particularly comfortable when you are trying to focus on your workout. Unfortunately, Bose only includes 3 sizes of ear tips that follow the same shape, which is not adequate at this price point.
Sony WF-1000XM3: Great for sitting at home, tough to use on the go – $199.00 at Dicksmith.com.au
Where to buy the Sony WF1000-XM3 in the US
Sony spent years of research and development on the WF1000-XM3, but may have over-engineered an expensive and clumsy product for movers and shakers. And while the active noise canceling and sound quality are superb, those little annoyances add up with an otherwise excellent product.
BEST VALUE
OTHER OPTIONS
The positives include a great sound profile that is well balanced with an emphasis on lower tones, and a simple user interface that anybody can figure out. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end.
Sony stumbles when it comes to features. We gave the WF1000-XM3 a higher rating in 2020, but it’s 2021 now and there are new challenger products that outperform the WF1000-XM3 on every front. That includes battery life (more below), charging capabilities, and overall miniaturization of previously large components.
You’ll get 3 to 4 hours of battery life from the earbuds themselves if you listen at high volume, and the included charging case provides an added 4 charges. That’s fine and good, but not up to par with other earbuds in this price range. In the same vein, the WF1000-XM3 are not water proof and don’t do well with repeated exposure to sweat.
Lack of sports features mode is also a big miss for Sony. The WF1000-XM3 is simply uncomfortable to wear for longer than 10 minutes of movement. The earbuds themselves are too large for small ears, even when using smaller ear tips. They are far too easy to catch with natural arm motion, and tend to fall out when you least expect it.
We also wish Sony would release an updated model with very important features for sports like complete waterproofing, shock proofing, and a more durable charging case standard.
While Sony brings a decent effort to the table with the WF1000-XM3, they are hurt by an uncomfortable product that should be redesigned or priced far lower than it is today.
Runners-up: Best Wireless Earbuds for Value to Performance
There are many, many wireless earbuds in the sports market. And while we attempt to test as many as possible for our readers, some units simply don’t make the cut. Here’s a quick peek at sports earbuds that didn’t make the list.
Apple Powerbeats Pro – $293.00 at Amazon.com.au
Yes, it’s the marriage of Beats and Apple. Yes, it’s meant to be used when working out. But for the money, you can do better. The Powerbeats Pro are sleeker with better battery life than their predecessor Powerbeats model. But our biggest complaint about the Pro comes from their bulky profile. They tend to get in the way, and you can definitely feel them weighing on your ears after 20-30 minutes of use. That makes them distracting, and unsuitable for longer runs or workout sessions. Did we mention the giant clamshell charging case?
Raycon Everyday E25: Smart marketing with dated tech – No longer available in Australia
Raycon exploded on the true wireless scene over a year ago with a hard to ignore celebrity-backed advertising campaign. And while the earbuds are passable, they have been eclipsed in nearly every way by newer earbuds that deliver better sound and more value for the dollar. Unfortunately for Aussies, Raycon have stopped shipping outside of North America at the time of publication.
Apple AirPods Pro – $315.00 plus shipping at Dicksmith.com.au
We couldn’t do a roundup without Apple’s latest contribution to the true wireless format. The iconic AirPods now feature a revamped design, active noise canceling, and better integration with iOS. Which raises a major gripe we have with AirPods: The features are only 50% there when using Android. That combined with a stem design that easily catches and falls while moving, and we can’t fully recommend the AirPods Pro given the high price point.
Jaybird Vista – $245.00 at Amazon.com.au
The Jaybird Vista are the next iteration of the dismal Jaybird Run XT earbuds, and are designed for runners. It’s a shame these purpose-built true wireless earbuds don’t live up to the moniker. Jaybird have the right idea, but fall short in sound quality and Bluetooth signal strength, making them competitive with other earbuds in the price category, but still too expensive to warrant top marks.
Samsung Galaxy Buds – $185.00 at Amazon.com.au
The Galaxy smartphone is one of the most popular on the planet, and the pressure to create award-winning accessories is high. But from active movers’ perspectives, the Galaxy Buds don’t justify their price tag. Samsung tackled the challenge of an all around true wireless earbud, but failed to address runners and gym goers head on. We look forward to Samsung producing a model made specifically for sports.
Soundpeats Truengine 3 SE – $47.99 on Amazon.com
While the Soundpeats Sonic earbuds play well in the bargain buds space, the product does not match higher end competitors in terms of build quality, bass levels, battery life, and overall performance. Soundpeats’ deep discounting Amazon-dominating strategies can be tempting, but in the end left us wishing we had the vastly superior performance of a more expensive product.