5 Headphones Audiophiles Recommend Instead Of Apple's AirPods Pro 3

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The Apple AirPods have been a staple of the wearable audio world for quite some time. Praised for comfort, sound quality, and battery life, they received a noise-canceling upgrade in 2019 with the introduction of the Apple AirPods Pro. Fast-forward to today, and you can nab yourself a pair of the AirPods Pro 3, the third generation of these premium Apple buds. Yes, as one can guess, the Pro 3 are exceptional, but they're also not the only premium product worth considering.

Brands like Bose, Sony, and Sennheiser all produce wireless in-ears that stand toe to toe with the AirPods Pro 3. This doesn't necessarily mean these buds are better than the Pro 3, but a discerning audiophile who knows a thing or two about wireless earbuds would probably tell you that you're on the right track if they saw you looking at a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra buds. Plus, at the end of the day, competition means more options on the table, and the five AirPods Pro 3 alternatives we've selected for this roundup are all worth considering. 

All of these wireless earbuds are from a recognizable manufacturer, and they're all well-reviewed by both users and hands-on audio professionals. The AirPods Pro 3 also go on sale occasionally, so we made sure to include one or two entries that a.) also get the sales treatment consistently or b.) have a competitive list price. Now, without further delay, let's dive into our picks.

Sony is no slouch when it comes to premium audio, and the Sony WF-1000XM5 effectively challenges the AirPods Pro in more ways than one. Active noise canceling (ANC) is a much-lauded earbuds feature these days, and the 1000XM5 deliver robust ANC performance that blocks out everything from plane and train engines to workplace chitchat. You can also switch to transparency mode to hold a conversation with someone nearby.

The WF-1000XM5 sound great out of the box, and you'll be able to use the Sony Sound Connect app to change audio presets or to build your own listening profile with the multi-band EQ. Not to mention the Sony buds support the LDAC format for hi-res playback. Unfortunately, the AirPods Pro 3 are limited to the customization options available in iOS. 

While the memory foam ear tips that come with the WF-1000XM5 aren't for everyone, they provide a comfort that's hard to deny. You may even end up wearing the buds for close to their advertised eight-hour battery life without realizing it. 

Bose earbuds and headphones frequently appear in premium audio roundups, and experts think the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) gives the AirPods Pro 3 a run for their money. First and foremost, Bose improved on the powerful ANC deliverables of the previous QuietComfort Ultra buds, which were already some of the best in show. The Gen 2 model brings even greater noise suppression to the table, and the earbuds don't leak much audio, so you won't have to worry about disturbing coworkers. 

Out of the box, the AirPods Pro 3 sound great, but the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) deliver an excited, bass-forward sound profile, and with features like Bose CustomTune, you'll be able to calibrate the audio you hear based on the shape of your head and ears. Additionally, the Bose Music app has numerous presets to choose from, as well as a three-band EQ.

The Ultra (Gen 2) are comfortable to wear for long periods of time, too, and come with three sets of silicone tips and stabilizers to give you the best fit possible. So-so battery life is really the only thing holding these earbuds back (6.5 hours on a full charge, ANC enabled), but the AirPods Pro 3 are only a little better (8 hours, ANC enabled).

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 are a great alternative to the AirPods Pro 3, and because they've been on the market longer, they're also a bit cheaper. Cheap doesn't translate to any performance metrics, though: the Momentum 4 deliver a warm, excited sound profile the moment you unbox them. Fans of hip hop and EDM will appreciate the deep thud these buds are capable of, but they're also great for rock and metal.

The Momentum 4 is another earbuds model that earns points for its ANC capabilities, providing enough isolation to drown out drones, rumbles, and other consistent disturbances. You'll also be able to customize how strong the ANC is in the Sennheiser Smart Control app. One unique in-app feature called Sound Zones allows you to build listening presets that use geofencing to determine when you've entered and left a location.

Sennheiser advertises eight hours of battery life at 50% volume with ANC enabled, which matches the AirPods Pro 3. You'll get up to 30 hours of playback with a fully charged case, and just eight minutes in the case gives your buds an extra hour of music. Conveniently, the Momentum 4 even support Auracast, allowing for wireless audio transmissions in public places, such as airport and train station intercoms.

Bowers & Wilkins may best be known for its prolific lineup of reference speakers, but the company also makes exceptional in-ear and over-ear audio products. The premium Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are more expensive than the AirPods Pro 3, but discerning audiophiles will be treated to near-unparalleled sound quality. This is thanks in part to the earbuds' 12mm carbon cone drivers, which reduce distortion and hone in on treble range details.

The Pi8 also use a Qualcomm chipset and support 24-bit wireless audio with aptX Lossless. B&W implemented a powerful ANC suite, too, so you'll be able to block out the noise you don't want to hear while enjoying your favorite tunes. The company also gave the buds a trio of noise-canceling mics that are meant to enhance voice clarity during phone calls.

You'll get up to eight hours of battery life on a full charge, and the manufacturer claims that just 15 minutes in the charging case will net you an extra two hours of playback. Additional settings and customizations are available in the Bowers & Wilkins Music app, which also gives you direct access to platforms like Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, and more.

Technics is a Panasonic subsidiary, and according to the expert, the Technics EAH-Z100 is a pair of earbuds you don't want to miss. Out of the box, the Z100 boasts a well-balanced audio mix, with a bit more emphasis in the bass range for genres like rock, rap, and EDM. Should you decide to change things up, the Audio Connect app gives you access to numerous presets and an eight-band graphic EQ.

Much like the other picks on our list, the Z100 deliver exceptional ANC that does a solid job of eliminating high- and low-frequency distractions. You'll also be able to use Audio Connect to adjust ANC and transparency strength. Technics even included a feature called Voice Focus AI that automatically homes in on speaking voices during phone and video calls.

The Z100 also have the best battery life of any pair of buds we've mentioned. Delivering up to 10 hours on a full charge — with an extra 1.5 hours of playback from a topped-off case — a 15-minute recharge should net you an additional 90 minutes of playback. Other noteworthy features include LDAC and LC3 support, three-way Bluetooth multipoint, and Spatial Audio support via Dolby Atmos.

The AirPods Pro 3 are impressive, so we had our work cut out when vetting the five alternatives we chose for this list. That said, we used both user feedback and professional, hands-on reviews to help make our selections, and we made sure to stick with recognizable and reliable brands. As far as pricing goes, we did our best to keep costs reasonable, but we also didn't want to exclude buds that cost more than the AirPods Pro 3.