I test audio gear for a living: Here are the headphones and speakers I use daily
It's all to serve one purpose — to have loads of fun to give you the best buying advice possible so that you can make more informed decisions when you go to buy your next pair of headphones, earbuds, or Bluetooth speaker.
But do I follow that buying advice? Do I use the best headphones that top our list, and are the things that I use even found in our detailed, informative buying guides?
Well, beyond blowing my own editorial trumpet (toot toot), I am going to tell you all about the things I use every day, how I use them and even how I travel with them so that you can see I'm not just all hot air.
Although I do like to bloviate.
This is actually a relatively recent addition — the PX7 S3 only recently came out, and they're only available in the U.K. as of writing this list. But I can see them sticking around for some time to come.
I adore the way that the B&W cans feel on my head, and the way that they sound. They've unrivaled precision, with excellent highs, mids, and lows. I'm yet to test anything at their £399 price point that sounds as good as the PX7 S3, and I feel like it will be a while until something comes along to unseat them from their place in my backpack.
They also happen to be incredibly comfortable, suitably good-looking, and they come with one of my favorite carrying cases of all time. Battery life is competitive and their controls are very good. If there was one critique I could level at them, it would be that American people can't yet buy them — the moment they reach U.S. shores, they're going straight to the top of our Best headphones list.
They're not available in the U.S. yet, but they will be soon — and they're an excellent choice. They're supremely comfortable, very handsome, and feature incredible sound quality. In the home country, they even undercut the competition on price, coming in at £399.
It may come as some surprise given my position here at Tom's Guide, but I'm not a great user of the best wireless earbuds. I find them slightly more uncomfortable, and their sound and ANC are compromised when compared to their over-ear counterparts. At least that was my position until the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds fell into my waiting fingertips.
Since then, I've tested buds that nearly took their place in my backpack/pocket, but thanks to some truly incredible noise canceling the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds remain my earbuds of choice. Good sound and great comfort cement their place in one of my favorite things from 2025.
Battery life isn't amazing, and wireless charging would have been nice, but I remain impressed by them to this day. It'll take something very special indeed to replace them in my backpack.
Bose's noise-canceling buds have always been a very solid option if you're looking for something that blocks out all the noise, and the Ultra Earbuds are the best yet. They're comfortable, sound pretty good, and they'll block almost any noise you might throw at them. They're a bit pricey, and they lack wireless charging, but they're easily some of my favorite buds around.
When I want some musical accompaniment when I leave the house, I want something that:
Those are all non-negotiable — I refuse to budge. There are plenty of speakers I've tested that have nailed down any one of those specs, but there's only one that's made me smile while it does it.
The Marshall Emberton III is a compact little Bluetooth speaker, but it packs in some very solid sound for the size. It's built from the ground up for rock n' roll, and wears its heart on its sleeve — and I can't think of much better.
Battery life is a highlight as well. 32 hours of playtime is plenty for those moments where you need to share some tunes with your friends. It's saved more than one music-less BBQs and gathering since it first joined the family, and I can see it continuing for a long time to come.
There were some Soundcore options that nearly took its place, but ultimately the Emberton III and its funky leather-like covering took the win. The knurled controller that adorns its top sure did help as well — it's lovely.
This extremely attractive Bluetooth speaker is a stunning addition to your portable sound arsenal. It sounds great, looks wonderful, and won't break the bank at $169. It's one of my favorite Bluetooth speakers around thanks to its intuitive brass control nob — and I think you'll love it too.
So there are times when I don't want to use something that can be portable. When at home, I want something that doesn't compromise on sound and features so that I've got great audio on my bedside. I've actually written about how much I love my Sonos Move 2, my home Bluetooth speaker of choice.
I don't need something super impressive in my bedroom for shorter listening sessions — it's where my stereo system lives, and that's where I do my proper critical listening. Instead, it's a great semi-portable speaker that sounds great and lets me access my music super quickly.
I love the way that it looks, and the way that it sounds — there's a reason it's topped our best Bluetooth speakers list since it was launched. I love mine, and my nightstand wouldn't be complete without it.
The Sonos Move 2 is the ultimate Bluetooth speaker, as long as you don't need out-and-out portability. It sounds epic wherever you go, thanks to the constantly updating 'TruePlay' tuning, and the 24 hours of battery means it lasts for ages. It's a weighty thing, and it's a bit expensive, but it's a stunning home Bluetooth speaker.
So I carry around a lot of very expensive audio gear when I'm out and about, and I imagine you do as well — so how do I carry it around with me? I use this: My Mous Optimal Protective Lid Backpack. It's big, it's comfortable, and most importantly, it's incredibly protective of the stuff that I put inside it.
There are slots for my laptop and phone, and even one for an AirTag (or equivalent tracker) so that you can track it should an unsavory nab it. But you don't care about that — you care about how it will keep your precious headphones and earbuds safe.
For earbuds, there are special slots you can put them so that they don't shake loose while you're walking to the train or bus on your commute. The large center section is zipped and then secured close with a tightening clip, so there's no getting into it without your say-so.
The whole thing is ruggedized so that it protects your stuff should it take a tumble — your laptop in its built-in protective sleeve will survive higher and more frequent drops, if you happen to be clumsy. I'm yet to test this because I am a coward, but it's nice to know that it's there.
I don't have to worry about my daily headphones or earbuds going missing with my backpack. As Audio Editor, it's not really in my purview to talk about backpacks, but this one is so good at keeping my stuff safe that I can't not. It's not cheap — $239 — but given the peace of mind when I head on busy trains for any traveling, it's indispensable.
Straight up — not a cheap backpack. But with slots for just about everything, a front compartment that opens all the way, and a special protective compartment for your laptop, it's the best way to carry your headphones and earbuds. Along with like, everything else.
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Tom's Guide
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- Tom's Guide
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Buzz Feed
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San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
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