This may be OT since strictly speaking it’s about hardware… I trust it is ok to post it given the spirit of the community, but have my apologies and feel free to remove it if it’s not.
I’m looking to replace my old Bose QC25, since they have recently died (after a long a fulfilling life), but it seems everything nowadays is bluetooth (which I don’t mind) and require some proprietary app to turn ANC on/off (which I do mind… are physical buttons/switches become too expensive to include in your overpriced earbuds?).
Anyway… do you know of any headphones/earbuds that meet the following?
- can be powered via wire or have batteries that last 12+hrs (long-haul flights)
- have decent noise cancelling
- don’t require me to install a apps or can be used with some open source app (possibly with full functionality and straightforward to setup)
- are not overly expensive (I have to buy 2 pairs and I’ll only use them a few times a year when I fly)
Holy crap! Thanks for making this thread, I learned that GadgetBridge works with my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones. Confirmed that all the same settings from the Sony app are in there, and I can turn ANC on and off. I’d argue that you should probably install the official app sometimes (maybe once a year) to check for firmware updates, and then just uninstall it after updating. But this GadgetBridge app seems perfect to me.
I recommend you also check out the Sony LinkBuds S. Cheaper than the 1000XM3 and usually a better fit for people as they are smaller and lighter while still offering ANC.
Hard disagree. ANC of earbuds just isn’t in the same league as a nice set of big over-ear cans. And earbuds that go inside your ear canal may or may not fit well depending on how your ear canal is shaped. Also, my big headphones are VERY repairable, unlike little earbuds. I bought these things used and have replaced a faulty power board and the battery in them that eventually went bad, all with a screwdriver. No soldering required.
I’m sure the LinkBuds are nice, but I want to push back hard on the idea that earbuds are inherently better. There are pros and cons.
The wf-1000mx3 are earbuds, and they have some of the best noise cancelling on the market… or did when they came out. I guess they are a few years old now, but it’s significantly better than any non-Sony ANC I’ve ever used, headphone or earbud.
I thought you were talking about the WF-1000XM3, which ARE earbuds (but I had to look up the difference, WF-1000 or WH-1000). Thanks Sony for naming things almost the same.
The list of supported devices is there (and too short, none of my wireless devices work).
Big sad, it looks like they’re focused mostly on Amazfit devices. But they do allow requests: https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Support-for-a-new-Device
If you request a device and tell them you’re willing to be a guinea pig, MAYBE they’ll add yours. Your chances are better if it’s a device that’s already popular and they’ve received multiple requests.
Some headphones/earbuds are enabled in gadgetbridge.
Yeah, gadgetbtidge was my first thought as well. I’ve never used it, but in theory it would allow you to control devices without the proprietary app. See the link below for supported devices:
Oh shit, they support Galaxy Buds Live. I love those little things, I might try this out.
Edit: to be clear, ANC on these buds is terrible. So they’re definitely not an answer to OP’s question, but they’re the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever used.
Edit 2: and they support my Sony headphones! Holy shit! OP, there’s your answer, assuming they support the ANC button. My XM3 cans have noise cancelling just as good as Bose (I’ve tested).
Why not just go with some classic wired closed backs (ex: audio-technica ath-m50x)? They tend to keep a lot of noise out. If ANC is a must, i cant really suggest anything as i find most implementations annoying, but im sure there are wired headphones with ANC.
Seems like going wireless would limit your options A LOT with that 12h requirement
Maybe OP works in noisy environments, or his device is a recent phone which doesn’t have a jack input and using a adapter is not very convenient?
Anyway, passive noise cancellation (typically, a closed back or in-ears) is more efficient in the higher frequencies: physically blocking short wavelengths is a lot easier, as any obstacle will act as a dampener. On the other hand, ANC is a lot more efficient on lower frequencies (on the opposite, it’s easier to be precise on lower frequencies, longer wavelengths). On ANC devices, both are used in tandem. And I don’t know if you’ve tried any good, recent ANC headphones these last few years, but they’ve become surprisingly good! Nothing to be compared with passive noise blocking.
but im sure there are wired headphones with ANC
I’m sure there are (although I don’t know any), but ANC requires digital processing, which is performed by the headphones itself on the signal. If you’re plugged in with a jack, that means you’ll be needing a digital-to-analog-to-digital conversion, which is objectively a loss in quality, which would have to be handled by the headphones… Besides, ANC headphones usually have several modes which can be selected from the app. Anyway, all that to say that now that we have quite to very good Bluetooth audio codecs, there’s no real upside to having a wired connection for ANC headphones, which is why most makers have moved to that.
I personally use two pairs that satisfy most of your criteria:
- Jabra Elite 85t. You switch between ANC/passthrough by double-clicking the right bud; it doesn’t need the app to do that. However, if your 12 h requirement is about consecutive hours, they won’t work (buds last about 5 h, plus 20 h from the case). They’re pretty compact and the case is magnetic, which I really like (coming from 65t model).
- Sony WH1000XM5. Insanely good ANC and nice battery life. There’s a physical button on the left cup to toggle between modes, which I believe are set to ANC/passthrough by default. The app lets you add a third mode (off), so you don’t need it at all.
I had a similar approach about headphones as you had - I only planned to use them for work, specifically Teams meetings in a loud office. But XM5s have such great ANC and sound quality that I now commute and travel with them.
For gaming, I’m using HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless. They have an unbelievable 300 hours battery life and decent passive noise canceling, though no ANC. They’re using a proprietary wireless connection, making them fit for gaming without noticeable lags (Bluetooth sucks in this regard, I can’t play with 300 ms audio delay). Not sure if you can connect them to a phone.
Pine64 sells ANC earbuds that (for the factory firmware) doesn’t have a companion app at all.