My Quest For the Perfect Earbuds

(Update 11/23/23: Last year (12/21/22) I shared my trial with four earbuds. This year I tried one more – the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. Added my impressions below.)

I still remember the first time buying the Airpods (first generation) for $140 and thinking it’s crazy to spend so much on something I’d previously considered a $20 item. But I gained new perspective after buying them and seeing how much use they get.

My struggle with the regular Airpods were them constantly falling out or feeling like they were on the verge of falling out of my ears. Some time later I was introduced to Airpods Pro (first gen). I don’t love the tight feeling these have in the ear canal, but it did solve the falling issue, and these buds have been my constant companion for quite a while now.

I love shopping in November since most major retailers allow a long return window (through January 31st or for Apple through January 8th), and it gives a solid two months to try things out and get around to returning whatever necessary. Although not clearly stated, most major retailers will accept open-box electronics items, meaning that if you try something out and decide not to keep it many major retailers will offer a full refund on the return.

Being in the market for new wireless earbuds, I decided to purchase some of the available options, keep what I like and return the rest. I focused on earbuds which will stay snugly in the ear, but which don’t need to be shoved into the ear canal to stay in. What follows is not a comprehensive list, just the few that I happened to try.

Pixel Buds A Series –

Pixel Buds A Series looked good to me in terms of fit due to the little peg that sticks up in the ear. I’m on the Apple ecosystem and prefer something with seamless Apple integration but figured I’d give these a shot.
These were on sale from various retailers over the holidays for $50, though I personally purchased them from Google Store for $64 to use up a credit there.

Beats Fit Pro –

Beats Fit Pro also have a little peg that sticks up. Beats is also owned by Apple which allows seamless Apple integration.
These I purchased at full price $199.99 directly from Apple in order to use up an Apple balance (which was accumulated from gift cards purchased at a discount a while back). I also got back a $50 Apple gift card from purchasing during the Apple Black Friday event.

Powerbeats Pro –

This one is different than a standard earbud since it encircles the ear and should avoid any falling-out issues. Powerbeats is also owned by Apple which allows seamless Apple integration.
These I bought on Amazon for $149.95, and I got 10% back on the Amazon Prime credit card.

Airpods 3 –

This is the latest model Airpods. Presumably I’d have the same falling out issue as with the Airpods (1st gen) from a few years back, but figured it’s worth giving this another shot.
These I purchased at full price $169 directly from Apple in order to use up an Apple balance (which was accumulated from gift cards purchased at a discount a while back). I also got back a $25 Apple gift card from purchasing during the Apple Black Friday event.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II –

This one also has a little attachment to keep it snugly in the ear. I figured Bose was a worthwhile brand to try out.
These I bought from Dell for $199, and paid with the AmEx Business Platinum card to use up the $200 Dell credit on that card. The card also had an AmEx Offer for $50-off-$100, so it ended up being profitable to buy these. There is a newer model out, but I decided to go with these to keep it under the $200 from my Dell credit.

I tested each one of these five, and here were my results:

Pixel Buds A Series –

I absolutely love these! They have the perfect balance of good fit with no fall-outs and without any pressure discomfort in the ear. I also like the touch control best on these more than any of the others I’ve tried.
The downside for me is the lack of Apple integration. Also, the max volume is lower than the others and can sometimes be an issue in loud environments. More generally, I think sound quality isn’t as good as the others.

Beats Fit Pro –

These should have been the natural choice for me given the Apple integration and the little peg for snug fit in the ear. However, I found the peg uncomfortable on the Beats Fit Pro (though the peg on the Pixel Buds A Series doesn’t bother me).

Powerbeats Pro –

These also basically hit all the right spots with the Apple integration and the obvious snug fit since it goes over the ear. However, even after using it for many days, putting them on over the ear still feels like a chore; it doesn’t have the easy pop-in and pop-out feel of regular earbuds.

Airpods 3 –

These are the most comfortable since they don’t stick inside the ear canal and don’t have any peg pressuring the ear. However, for me they often feel on the verge of falling out. Not as bad as I remember from years back but still not ideal.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II –

These turned out pretty well for me. After some adjustments, I got a snug fit in the ear while maintaining decent comfort level. It doesn’t pop in/out as naturally as the Pixel Buds, but it’s not terrible. The sound is better and louder on this than the Pixel Buds, and I think the bluetooth works better with further range.

So what’s my final word?

Our verdict: I’ll keep the Pixel Buds A Series and live with the lower volume. I’ll also keep the Bose QC Earbuds for loud environments and for the snugger fit. I’m considering keeping the Airpods 3 as well.

This is not a tech blog and I honestly have no idea why I wrote this blogpost. Hopefully someone found it interesting.

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