Headphones

Cleer Ally Plus II Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earbuds Review: Reasonably Priced with Long Battery Life and Excellent Sound

Cleer has released the second iteration of the Ally Plus true wireless earbuds. With long battery life and active noise canceling, and other features, the Cleer Ally Plus II True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds strive to be perfect for anyone on the go. The Cleer+ app allows for adjustments and getting settings perfect for just about any situation.


Jabra Elite 85T Firmware Update Brings Amazon Alexa to Your Ears

Some weeks ago, Jabra did something amazing. When they released the Jabra Elite 85T, they also released a firmware update that brought ANC to the Jabra Elite 75T. It was a small touch that showed the company’s commitment to its consumers. Now they’ve done it again with a Jabra Elite 85T firmware update that delivers one-touch access to Alexa.



Fauna Audio Glasses Review: Clever and Stylish Solution for Eyeglasses+Headphones

Smartglasses have been a bit of a solution in search of a problem. It seems somewhat obvious that there’s this untapped space on people’s faces that could be filled with technology, but it’s been hard to figure out what, if anything, is enhanced by people needing to utter the phrase “hold up, I gotta go charge my glasses.” Eyeglasses+headphones are a natural fit, but early attempts were bulky, ugly, and expensive. Fauna Audio Glasses are affordable, attractive, and don’t scream, “hello, I have giant speaker-glasses.” Are eyeglasses really improved by the addition of headphones? Read on to find out!



Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound Plans to Redefine Wireless Audio with Less Latency, Better Sound, and Longer Battery Life

We’re used to hearing (or reading) the word Snapdragon regarding processors, but there is a new Snapdragon in town! If you’ve been frustrated by breaks in connectivity, audio dropouts and glitches, latency issues, and poor audio compression when listening to audio over your wireless headphones, Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound is a phrase you’ll want to remember.


UPDATED Earin A-3 Earphones Review: Tiny Wonders for Tuning Out While Still Being Aware of Your Surroundings

Have you found a pair of true wireless earbuds that fit well in your ears yet? Many people like foam and silicon tips because they help cut out ambient noise and give a more secure seal, but some people hate the feeling of something being jammed into their ear canal. The Earin A-3 Earphones take a different approach; they have an open audio design which leaves them sitting in the user’s ears’ concha. The result is a surprisingly comfortable fit for just about everyone, but it’s also a slightly different experience from wearing and using many other earbuds.


The Mystery of the Phantom TCL SOCL500TWS Wireless Earbuds

I’ve got something of a mystery on my hands, and I’m hoping the readers of Gear Diary can solve it. I have a pair of TCL SOCL500TWS Wireless Earbuds, which are great, but they fell out of my regular headphone rotation about nine months ago. There’s no real reason for this, they didn’t do anything wrong; I’ve just been reaching for others for work and exercise. Apparently, they felt neglected because a very strange event happened today…


AfterShokz OpenComm Bone Conduction Stereo Bluetooth Headset Review

I’m a huge advocate of AfterShokz, especially if you’re the type to listen to music while running, walking, hiking, etc. Having your ears open while still being able to enjoy music is a home run. AfterShokz thinks hearing your surroundings is important when you’re working too, and they’re applying their bone conduction headphones concept to a work-centric headset with the AfterShokz OpenComm. Does bone conduction spiff up well for the office? Read on to find out!


You Never Know Where Master & Dynamic’s Amazing MW65 Headphones Will Show Up

Greg reviewed the very first pair of Master & Dynamic headphones. He swore by them and, in the years since, Judie and I have also become fans. The company’s MW65 Over-the-Ear headphones are among the best ANC headphones I’ve tried. It’s why they are one of only a few items we have ever designated as a Gear Diary Editor’s Choice. Apparently, we aren’t the only ones who appreciate them.



Jays T-Seven True Wireless Review: True Wireless Earbuds Packed with Tech for a Reasonable Price

True wireless earbuds have gotten dramatically better since they made their first appearance a few years ago. New models offer improved connectivity, increased battery life, and better sound. Many even offer active noise cancellation and battery cases that are Qi-wireless charging enabled. The new Jays t-Seven True Wireless earbuds offer all of these advances at an accessible price.








NuHeara IQ2 Buds Open up Your World but with Some Tradeoffs

NuHeara IQ2 Buds aim to be more than just wireless earbuds; they also want to enhance your hearing, allowing you to hear what’s going on around you more clearly. They’ll provide you with a way to rock out to music, but also be able to hear more easily in a crowded restaurant. In theory, great. In practice…well, read on.


The Jabra Elite 85t True Wireless Headphones Review: Great Sound and ANC

Jabra has done a fantastic job with its true wireless earphones. The original Jabra Elite Sport was good, and they’ve only gotten better with each iteration. Now they’ve released the Jabra Elite 85t. It packs even more tech than the excellent Jabra Elite 75t and offers native active noise cancellation. But is the new offering better than the Jabra 75t?


Ultimate Ears UE FITS Offer Custom True Wireless Musical Bliss

A few weeks ago, we reported that Ultimate Ears was releasing custom fit true wireless earbuds. Having reviewed Ultimate Ears UE CSX that were custom fit to my ears thanks to their innovative UE Fitkit, I was excited. UE FITS use slightly different technology, but they do indeed let you create custom earphones in just a few minutes.