Best hi-res earbuds for 2024

Wireless earbuds are sounding better and better, and it’s a treat to listen to these products evolve. Of course, with premium audio codecs becoming more numerous, AV devices need to keep up with these advanced Bluetooth formats. You may have heard of aptX and LDAC, a couple of hi-res audio formats that more wireless buds are starting to support.

Listening to hi-res audio goes beyond CD quality, with many formats supporting 24-bit/96kHz and beyond. It’s audio is for audio enthusiasts, and we love each and every decibel. Here’s a list of the best hi-res earbuds we were able to track down to help you get in on the listening experience.

What is there to say about the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds that hasn’t been said already? Hailed as one of the best pairs of earbuds, Sony’s flagship delivers an exceptional hi-res experience.

Supporting the Bluetooth 5.3 wireless standard, the XM5s support SBC, AAC, and Sony’s signature LDAC codec. And while you won’t find aptX or aptX compatibility, Sony claims that LDAC is able to achieve 24-bit/96kHz playbacks; and based on our listening experience, we’d say that’s about right.

Beyond the Sony-branded hi-res laurel, the XM5s are equipped with 8.4mm drivers that produce detail-rich sound, with plenty of articulation for your higher frequencies and full-bellied bass to fill out the low end. In fact, some folks might find the default bass settings a little too boom-y, but you can use the custom EQ in the Sony Headphones Connect app to dial in just the right amount of thump.

The best wireless earbuds are nothing without solid noise-cancelling, and the Sony XM5s are no exception. Thanks to an advanced mic array and powerful algorithms, you can listen to your favorite top-quality tracks without noise disturbances filtering in. While they’re one of the more expensive pairs of wireless buds, you really can’t go wrong with premium playback when using the Sony WF-1000XM5s.

When we reviewed the Momentum 4 earbuds, we knew they were going to be great before popping them in our ears, primarily because Sennheiser has a phenomenal track record when it comes to premium audio. Running these pups through multiple music and movie genres, we couldn’t believe the level of detail and immersion the Momentum 4 buds delivered. But what of the hi-res experience?

First and foremost, the codec support is quite admirable, with the Momentum 4 buds supporting SBC and AAC, in addition to aptX, aptX Adaptive/Lossless, and LC3. Throw in the Momentum 4’s already-amazing drivers and amplification, plus a solid blast of ANC noise-cancelling, and you’ve got yourself one heck of an audio experience.

The Momentum 4 buds are on the pricey side, and we would’ve liked some Find My integration, but that just gives us something to add to our wish list for the Momentum 5 earbuds and headphones.

Despite the awkward name, the Nothing Ear (a) is one of the best pairs of earbuds we’ve ever had the honor of testing. They look cool, sound very nice, deliver amazing ANC, and are no stragglers when it comes to hi-res support. While we do wish these bad boys could tackle the aptX family, the fact that LDAC is incorporated alongside SBC and AAC is pretty fantastic. Not to mention, all three of these formats are breathtaking in action.

We tested these earbuds a while ago and thought they were rock-solid in so many ways. Even battery life was a big win here, especially when compared to products like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. On a full charge, you can expect up to 10 hours of use, and a whopping 42 extra hours provided by the charging case.

The case itself is IPX2 rated, and the buds are IP54 rated, which makes them ideal for commuting and gym-going.

Wireless charging would have been a nice addition, along with a few more EQ customizations, but for the price, beggars can’t be choosers. Plus, as our best value pick, the Nothing Ear (a) brings LDAC support to the table for about $100 less than other LDAC-compatible earbuds.

Who says you can’t get terrific sound quality from a pair of budget-friendly earbuds? The proof is in the pudding folks, and today’s flavor is the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC. Checking the box on Bluetooth 5.3, the Liberty 4 NC supports SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. When you combine those audio capabilities with a comfortable and secure fit, you get detail-rich sound with plenty of representation across the greater frequency spectrum.

You may be wondering how Anker pulled off such big results at such a low price. The 11mm drivers are a great start, and the 6-mic array allows for some of the most precise noise-cancelling we’ve ever heard from buds that cost this little. While call quality tends to have a bit of an echo, and the controls could do some with some tweaking, we were extremely happy with the hi-res sound these mighty buds produced.

As far as battery life, you can expect up to 10 hours per bud, and a total of 50 playback hours from the charging case. The earbuds themselves are also IPX4 rated.

Cambridge Audio has been around for a long time, and it’s showing no signs of stopping. With hands in multiple audio categories, we had an amazing time taking the M100 earbuds through a multi-day test run. These little guys sound amazing!

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys singer-songwriter material, you’ll be blown away by the M100’s crystalline performance in this particular genre. Classical and jazz are two other music rabbit holes you should definitely dive into.

So what of the hi-res codecs? The M100 can handle aptX Adaptive/Lossless and works off the Bluetooth 5.3 standard. It’s a small compatibility list, but one should also factor in the ANC performance you get from these premium buds. After all, your earbuds could support every codec in the world, but if they have lackluster noise-cancelling (which the M100 most certainly do not), hi-res playback is going to be far less impressive.

Another big win with these earbuds is the battery life. With ANC enabled, Cambridge Audio claims you get up to 33 hours of playback. If you decide to turn ANC off, you’ll get up to 52 hours!

When we took the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for a spin, we knew we were in good hands. Rich sound quality and powerful noise-cancelling met our expectations, but we couldn’t believe our ears when we tried Bose’s new Immersive Audio feature. This head-tracking feature allows the Ultra Series to compete with earbuds like the Apple AirPods Pro 2, and it’s definitely a unique way to listen to your favorite tunes.

Of course, the main reason we’re all here is hi-res support, and rest assured, the Ultra Earbuds deliver. Bose’s 2024 wireless product supports the aptX Adaptive format, which allows the earbuds to adjust bitrate in real time to give you the best playback possible. After testing the Ultra buds, we can also say we’re big fans of the Android Fast Pair capability.

And as far as battery life goes, you can expect up to 6 hours per bud on a full charge, with an extra 18 hours provided by a fully-charged charging case.

While Bluetooth Multipoint is still missing, along with wireless charging for the case, we’re pleased to say the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are an exceptional choice for tracks with beefier bitrates than the rest.

Unlike the many aptX and LDAC devices on our list, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro support SBC and AAC codecs over Bluetooth 5.3 wireless, as well as a proprietary Samsung codec called Samsung Seamless.

This allows the earbuds to achieve 24-bit/96kHz playback when listening to tracks on a compatible device. If you’re trying to keep all your devices within the same ecosystem, there’s a good chance you’’re using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to listen to music.

It may be difficult to tell the difference between CD quality (16-bit/48kHz) and the Seamless codec, but we loved every type of listening experience the Galaxy Buds 2 provided. With plentiful articulation in the highs and mids, along with excellent low-end capabilities and strong ANC, these Samsung buds were an easy choice for this roundup.

For those of us who enjoy wearing buds to the gym, we highly recommend these Galaxy earbuds. Not only are they comfortable and secure, but an IPX2 rating means they’ll fair pretty well against sweat and light rain.

The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 are another great example of a pair of earbuds playing by its own rules when it comes to codec support. While there’s no aptX or LDAC compatibility, what you will find is support for something called LHDC. We see a lot less of this format than we do codecs like aptX-HD, aptX Adaptive, and LDAC, but it delivers results that are on-par with the competition, including immersive hi-res audio that tops out at 24-bit/96kHz.

Not only does this phenomenal OnePlus product bring a mean hi-res game to the table, but the standard audio quality is impressive, too. At low and high volumes, the Buds Pro 2 are exceptional and will even decode a Dolby Atmos signal. They’re also equipped with in-ear detection and decent ANC performance.

If you’re trying to save a little money on the purchase of some hi-res earbuds, the OnePlus lineup is definitely worth considering. Just be prepared for an okay battery life of 6 hours per bud, and 19 additional hours via the charging case.

Dial in perfect audio with the best hi-res earbuds

Hi-res audio is changing the game. As these premium codecs evolve over time, so do the earbuds engineered to decode them. And right now, we think the best 2024 earbuds for hi-res listening are the Sony WF-1000XM5s.

When you see the Sony name next to any AV product, you’re usually in great hands, and the XM5 buds are one of the best examples. Expect amazing sound quality, rock-solid ANC and battery life, and support for Sony’s signature premium audio codec, LDAC.

If you’re able to throw down a few extra dollars, we urge you to check out our premium pick, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Earbuds. These in-ear titans fit nicely, sound terrific, and bring some of the best ANC we’ve ever experienced to the table. Not to mention they’re absolute champs in the premium codec department, supporting top-shelf formats like aptX, aptX Adaptive/Lossless, and LC3.

Can’t afford the splurge? We get it, which is why we’ve also got the Nothing Ear (a) buds on our list. They sound fantastic, cost less than $110, and while they don’t support the aptX format, the LDAC, SBC, and AAC support will do you just fine.