Joining Sennheiser's competitively priced Accentum range – the excellent Accentum over-ear headphones and Accentum Plus – these earbuds pack an incredible amount of functionality into a tight, compact design, and come in a variety of white, black and navy blue colorways.

True wireless earbuds are ten-a-penny these days, but the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is notable for offering a full suite of impressive features for just £169.99 / $199.95.

Firstly, these earbuds feature what's called hybrid ANC, which alongside an exterior mic array also records sound on the inside of your ear, helping to block and counteract frequencies in a variety of places for more effective noise cancellation.

You'll get support for the efficient and advanced Bluetooth 5.3 standard, with Bluetooth LE audio and the ability to join Auracast audio broadcasts. There's also Qi wireless charging capability and a USB-C port, plus dual mics on each earbud for picking up your voice during calls. The Accentum True Wireless carries an IP54 rating.

The earbuds have a decent battery life of 28 hours – 8 hours (with ANC off, 6 hours with ANC on) through the earbuds, and an additional 20 through the charging case.

Tough competition

Sennheiser's existing Momentum True Wireless range is a more premium offering, with a slightly improved battery life (30 hours), Bluetooth 5.4, and adaptive ANC that automatically adapts to the level of noise around you – but cost far more at £259.90. 

The Momentum Sport earbuds are a similar £279.99, packing in adaptive ANC, shock/dust/water resistance, and even heart rate and body temperature sensors. But the Accentum True Wireless earbuds are a good 40% cheaper than these alternatives and also undercut much of the competition from Sony, Bose and Apple for what they offer.

The new Accentum earbuds are considerably cheaper than the AirPods Pro ($249 / £229 / AU$399) and pretty much on par with the $159 / £159 / AU$229 MSRP of the third-generation AirPods. But the latter AirPods are far behind on Bluetooth capability (they use Bluetooth 5.0), don't feature any noise cancellation (let alone hybrid ANC) and can't beat Sennheiser's new buds for battery life either.

While you generally pay a price premium for any Apple product, it's often worth it for the style, or its compatibility with other Apple devices. But when a challenger gives so much more for the money – especially better noise cancellation and a much broader suite of connection features – it's worth paying attention.

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds are now available to pre-order ahead of their May 21 release.

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• See all of today's Apple deals at Amazon UK

The top offer I recommend is the latest Apple AirPods Pro 2 at Amazon for £199 (was £229). They may have been £10 cheaper once before but this is the next best price we've ever seen and it matches last year's Black Friday offer. Overall, it's a great deal for the latest version of Apple's popular earbuds with USB-C connectivity for easy charging.

You can also find the Apple Watch SE at Amazon for £198 (was £219). It's only the second time this budget-friendly smartwatch has been on sale this year and it matches the previous record-low price so a great time to pick one up. 

The Apple Watch SE may not be as advanced as the Apple Watch 9 – which is also on sale for £349 – but it sports all the essential health and fitness tracking features you need. It also supports sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring, innovative safety features such as crash detection, and straightforward iPhone connectivity.

Check out more info on these and all the deals from the Apple sale at Amazon UK below.

Apple sale at Amazon UK - the 6 best deals

After more Apple deals? Check out our pages on this week's best MacBook deals, best Apple Watch deals, or best iPad deals. 

As spotted by The Verge, the Dutch Sonos dealer Schuurman published a series of images of the new 'Sonos Ace' headphones, presumably a little earlier than planned. The images reveal a black pair of headphones that look something like a cross between the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Apple AirPods Max.

There appear to be at least three buttons on the headphones themselves, including a toggle switch that's presumably a power button. One button will also likely be for pairing and potentially a quick audio handoff feature, which we're hoping will appear on the Sonos headphones.

Another leaked image shows the 'Ace' headphones sitting next to a fairly standard carry case alongside both 3.5mm and USB-C cables, plus another mysterious pouch. The latter is most likely a simple cable tidy, but we'll have to wait for the full launch to be sure.

The images suggest these could be a new premium contender for our best headphones guide, and the Schuurman leak does also hint at a price. The list price on the page for the 'Sonos Ace' was €403.58, which converts to around $435 / £350 / AU$660. So we're likely looking at something that sits just below the current AirPods Max in price.

If these leaked images weren't enough, some sleuths on the Sonos Subreddit also discovered a Sonos page with the title 'Pre-order Sonos Ace, our new wireless headphones'. The company's wireless headphones are almost certainly en route then, and it's just a matter of when we'll see them, with the latest rumors predicting a reveal sometime in June, or potentially a bit before.

What else is coming?

We're expecting the Sonos Ace headphones (assuming that's what they're called) to be the company's biggest launch within the next month or so, but it looks like they could also be joined by a new wireless speaker, the Sonos Roam 2.

Not content with leaking Sonos' first headphones, Schuurman also listed the Roam 2 on its site. That's significant, because the original Roam current tops our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers – so if you're looking for a small, powerful and rugged wireless speaker, it'll be worth waiting for the Roam 2's official launch.

The current Roam has a useful 'hand-off' feature for quickly switching your audio to another Sonos device, and that's on our wishlist of features we want to see from the Sonos Ace headphones (alongside hi-res audio support, advanced ANC and a generous battery life).

With Sonos also recently launching a slick new app that seems ideal for a pair of headphones, it's shaping up to be a big year for the wireless audio giant – and also for anyone who's in the market for some comfortable new AirPods Max alternatives.

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Each device has its own style, however, the Azurys is the most similar to the previous model.

You see, the Azurys is a closed-ear pair of headphones. For those who don't know, a closed-ear design means the device is better at blocking outside noise. Sound from other sources won’t leak in and the content you’re listening to won’t leak out. This makes the Azurys the best option for use in an office or other noisy environments. It’s important to mention that neither pair supports active noise canceling, according to a company representative. They don’t have the feature, meaning outside sound may interrupt your music to some extent. Although with the closed-off design, its effects shouldn’t be too impactful.

These headphones are more adept at handling bass as well. Like the Bathys, it has the same frequency response, ranging from 15Hz to 22kHz. The Azurys comes with a 4 ft long (1.25m) cable featuring a remote control button and microphone for calls.

Open-ear option

The Hadenys are quite different in that they are open-ear headphones. This pair offers a better immersive listening experience since open-ear designs can better replicate natural sound.  So if you really want to dive into that new jazz or hip-hop album and listen to all the intricacies in the production, the Hadenys are the superior choice. However, you’ll only be able to enjoy the high audio quality at home. The problem with open-ear is the fact they offer little to no sound isolation. Outside noise will disturb music playback, plus everyone around is going to hear what you’re listening to.

Their frequency response isn’t as wide, ranging from 25Hz to 22kHz, although most listeners probably won’t even notice the difference. Focal’s Hadenys clocks in at 294g while the latter weighs 306g. It’s not a massive gulf, but it makes the model more comfortable to wear. The audio cable is longer too measuring six feet total with the same control button and mic. 

Both headphones launch in June. An exact date was not given. The Hadenys will retail for $699/£599/€699 and the Azurys will cost $549 £470/€549.

If you want something more budget-friendly, check out TechRadar's list of the best cheap headphones for 2024.

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Although that inaugural screen was pretty, it made the case rather big, and our JBL Tour 2 Pro review was something of a mixed bag because it also made the earbuds a pricey proposition in a crowded market. In addition, the promised message notifications, call history, and social media access via the Tour Pro 2 case never arrived. 

Well, those extra things still haven't arrived, but JBL's screen-adorned case is now quite a bit smaller, slicker, and cheaper. The JBL Live Beam 3 are just $200 / £150 (around AU$296), which is $50 or a whopping £70 cheaper than the 2022 Tour Pro 2. 

For me, everything is relative and that price drop alone makes this little case much more viable and fun. This is not a review, reader (no, that is coming, I promise), it's merely a brief experiential feature on how I enjoy this earbuds case. 

My favorite thing about it? No, it's not the TechRadar screensaver, it's the way it notifies you when you've got an incoming phone call and offers a friendly on-screen button to accept it. This means you don't have to a) dig out your phone or b) try to do it by pressing the earbuds – which I tend to fail at and hang up before I've said a word. 

What you tellin' me, JBL Live Beam 3? 

The screen lets you scroll through a lot of options: playback (play, pause and skip functions); volume; noise cancelling; ambient aware and talk-thru profiles (although to tweak the levels between 'on' and 'off' you'll still need your phone and the JBL Headphones app); spatial sound (music, movies and gaming profiles); EQ presets; a cute timer; screen brightness tweaks; lock screen wallpaper; voice aware (to amp up or turn down your own voice during calls); auto-play and pause; Find My Buds; a 'Notification' and a 'Message preview' screen (I'm still working out what these do – a tantalizing envelope icon remains in the top-left corner of the tiny screen, but I'm unsure if one can access anything beyond this); a flashlight feature (the bright screen to help you locate an errant bud, perhaps); and language tweaks. 

These screens can also be edited in the companion app, so you only see what you use as you scroll through. For me, this scrolling is a lot smoother and quicker than in the Tour Pro 2. 

Again, this isn't a fully star-rated review, but for the money, I like it a lot. 

As we said when reporting the JBL Live Beam 3, Live Flex 3 and Live Buds 3's release in January 2024, the 10mm dynamic driver, up to 48 hours of battery life and Best Fit test all add up to a compelling proposition, but a lovely additional feature in the app is something called Personal Sound Amplification. This (not to be confused with Ambient Aware) has a Gain slider to amplify situational sound around you and can be tweaked to favor one ear more, should you wish. 

I haven't tested it extensively yet (again, it's not a review – yet) but initially, I like it as a perk. In fact, there's an awful lot to like here, in a much smaller, more affordable JBL package. Watch this space for more… 

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No matter whether you own one of the best iPhones or best Android phones, though, the audio can be slightly delayed. Microsoft essentially has its own technology for connecting accessories like controllers and headsets to its Xbox consoles wirelessly. Of course, this is the most preferred option, but using the app is still an effective workaround. 

Steps for how to connect AirPods to an Xbox

• Open your Xbox’s Settings and enable remote features 
• Download the Xbox app and activate Remote Play 
• Connect your AirPods to your device

Step by step guide for how to connect AirPods to an Xbox

How to connect AirPods to an Xbox: FAQs

How to connect AirPods to an Xbox: Final thoughts

The Xbox Series X/S and One is one of the best gaming consoles for performance and if you own one then you likely have a dedicated headset but if you need to use the best Apple headphones then it’s still an effective way to game quietly.  

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It’s a very good time to be shopping for the best over-ear headphones. Between the Sennheiser Accentum Plus, Bose QuietComfort 45, and myriad of other competing models, there’s a huge range of quality headphones ready to rock your ears, block out environmental noise, and give you the comfort needed for long listening sessions, whether you’re traveling, working, or lying on the sofa with The Tortured Poets Department playing on loop.

But how to choose which headphones are right for you? In this guide, we’ll run you through the major differences between the Bose QuietComfort 45s, one of the best headphones on the market since they released back in 2021, and new-kid-on-the-block Sennheiser Accentum Plus, to help you decide whether excellent legacy headphones or a new modern upstart are the way to go.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Price and release dates

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus are surprisingly affordable for ANC headphones with touch controls and such a premium finish, at just £199.99 / $229.99 / AU$399.99. That’s an increase over the £159 / $179 / AU$299 Sennheiser Accentum, but not a huge one, making the Plus model a sensible upgrade for those who can afford it.

The Bose QC45 headphones are a little pricier at $329 / £329 / AU$499, and getting a little long in the tooth – the QC45s came out in 2021, and have a formal successor in Bose’s new QuietComfort model. You can still buy the QC45s in a few retailers, but it’s getting harder to find stock across the board. The Accentum Plus, meanwhile, released in early 2024 and feels a little fresher.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Features

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus, a flashy 2024 model, has a few more features that are immediately apparent, including touch controls; while there is a single button for power (and which also activates Bluetooth pairing), most controls like playback or volume are navigated through touch-based gestures, sliding a finger vertically or horizontally across the right earcup.

The Bose QC45s are simpler in this regard, with a small handful of clickable buttons (volume, power, etc) without any touch functionality, and one button on the left earcup for switching between ‘Quiet’ and ‘Aware’ modes – to block outside noise or let it filter in, respectively.

This is largely a matter of preference: touch controls can feel more sleek, and are usually included in high-end models these days, but are occasionally harder to control and easier to activate by accident. Trying to adjust your headband and shooting up the volume unintentionally isn’t a great feeling, though it didn’t happen often in our tests.

Both headphones feature ANC, or active noise cancellation, which is an audio suppression technology that records outside noise through your microphone array and cancels out the sound with opposing frequencies. This is now an industry standard for headphones above $100-200, and a must-have for most listeners, helping you to hear your music, podcasts or calls more clearly in noisy environments (offices, trains, etc). However, the way they use ANC is quite different.

The Bose QC45s feature standard ANC, with the option to turn on the noise suppression (‘Quiet’) or use external microphones to let outside noise filter in (‘Aware’). It does work brilliantly, filtering out harsh sounds and some ambient noise so you can focus better on what you’re listening to, without totalling cocooning your ears from the world. There is, sadly, no option to turn off ANC entirely, which would no doubt help with its limited battery life.

The Bose Music app also includes an EQ setting to enhance bass, mid or treble output – not crucial per se, but particularly handy for boosting bass output or tailoring a good sound profile to the kind of music you like.

Sennheiser’s Smart Control app is similar, but has preset sound profiles, and even a slider for gradually phasing environmental sounds in or out – so you can control exactly how much the outside world comes through – or an ‘adaptive’ ANC function that responds automatically to the sounds around you, turning the ANC up or down as needed. There are also more optional smart features, like pausing playback when the headphones are taken off your head, or automatically connecting to a call when you put them on.

Neither headphone comes with a built-in smart assistant, but uses whatever assistant is active on your phone. Both feature similar Bluetooth standards too, though the Accentum Plus' Bluetooth 5.2 nudges a little ahead with the addition of Bluetooth LE (Low Energy), aiding power efficiency and no doubt helping with their hefty battery life (more on this below).

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Audio performance

Of course, few things are more important with headphones than the sound – part of the reason people buy over-ear models, particularly, is that you get room for larger drivers, better audio detail, and a larger soundstage.

The Bose QC45s offer excellent sound recreation, clear vocals, great instrumental separation, and a relaxed sound profile that prevents ear fatigue for long-term listening. That last point means the QC45s aren’t overly prominent on the bass end, despite some ample 40mm drivers, and are lacking some of the audio precision of newer headphones that draw out more texture from individual notes. But there’s no doubt that it’s a pleasant listening experience that your ears can handle for long periods, and the overall balance makes the QC45s good for most genres of music, and most people.

Sennheiser’s Accentum Plus headphones have a similar sound profile, if a little fresher. You’ll find balanced frequencies that don’t disappoint when it comes to vocal/instrumental detail, and 37mm drivers that offer a consistent, but not overpowering bass response that can still punch through at the right moments. Sennheiser’s more advanced EQ settings certainly help, as does a bass boost feature with a more noticeable impact than the simpler Bose app’s EQ – though this is partially due to Sennheiser softening high frequencies to accentuate the difference more.

The Accentum Plus’s main gains are in its smart features, though they do have a slight edge in the audio department. Listening to Billie Eilish’s ‘What Was I Made For’, there’s a slightly wider soundstage on offer, with sharper, more layered vocals and a touch more audio detail, really helping the listener appreciate the full texture of Eilish’s crooning voice as it ebbs and swells into earshot. The vocal tension in Ethel Cain’s breathtaking track ‘Crush’ also comes through more clearly, with subtle vibrations that are hard to pick up with Bose’s older model.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Design

There are some key differences in design philosophy between the Bose QC45s and Sennheiser Accentum Plus worth thinking about.

The Bose QuietComfort 45s are, as the name implies, focused on comfort. They’re almost unrivaled for long-haul flights, with a focus on comfort and listenability over anything else. Unlike the Accentum Plus’ touch controls, Bose sticks with more precise buttons for volume, power, ANC, and Bluetooth activation.

There’s a huge amount of flexibility in how you arrange Bose’s headphones. The QC45s are fully collapsible, making them compact and portable at a moment’s notice, and extending the length of the headband to suit your head size is simple enough.

The Sennheiser headset is a little more rigid in its construction. There’s considerably more tension in the headband, ensuring that the Accentum Plus cans fit snugly, though making them a bit more oppressive during long listening sessions. While you can twist the earcups, there’s no way to ‘collapse’ them as with the Bose model, meaning they’re a little bulkier in transit.

The QC45s also come with a superior, hard carry case that can handle a jolt or two. Sennheiser’s headset comes packed in a semi-structured soft case with considerably less protection.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Battery

Sennheiser is a clear winner in the battery life department, with a listed 50 hours and the ability to gain five hours of use from a breezy 10-minute charge. The Bose QC45s, by contrast, lasts up to 25 hours, with a fast charge feature that provides three hours after a 15-minute charge.

Both are sufficient for a full day’s use – not that we’d recommend using headphones for 24 hours straight – but Sennheiser pretty much doubles the time needed between charges, making it far more convenient whatever you plan on using them for.

Sennheiser Accentum Plus vs Bose QuietComfort 45: Verdict

For most headphone shoppers, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus will be the most impressive option, with a lower retail price, advanced touch controls, better audio detail, superior ANC, and more widely available retail stock.

But we wouldn’t write off the Bose QC45s just yet. For those prone to long listening sessions – say, 10,000 miles in the air – its perfect marriage of physical comfort and relaxed sound recreation makes it a better bet, especially with its compact design and brilliant hard case. I’ve tested many headphones over the years, and there’s a reason the Bose QC45s are my go-to travel option most of the time.

Bose’s model is aging a little, so it might be smart to check out the new Bose QuietComfort model, or high-end QuietComfort Ultra for those who can spend the extra cash. For the price, though, it’s hard not to recommend Sennheiser’s newer model, with all of the modern enhancements that it brings.

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The Beats Solo 4 are long-awaited on-ear wireless headphones that aim to improve on the company's 2016 Solo 3 with an increased battery life and additional features, including a USB-C port for simultaneous charging and lossless hi-res audio playback, and Spatial Audio – as well as some new color options.

When wearing the Beats Solo 4, I was pleasantly surprised at how well isolated I was from my immediate environment, despite the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC). The claimed 50-hour battery appeared to hold true during my tests too, which is great for such comparatively small and light headphones.

As with most of the best Beats headphones, style is at the forefront, and the Slate Blue variant I tested certainly makes a statement (they are also available in Matte Black and Cloud Pink). Some parts of the plastic build and headband padding feel cheap, though, and certain aspects of its engineering, such as the folding mechanism, don’t inspire much confidence.

They offer a secure fit that’s impressively solid for on-ear headphones, withstanding the rigors of physical activity without shifting, which is important considering that Beats is promoting these headphones for exercise. However, on-ear headphones don’t really work for my ear comfort, and these did nothing to change that – and long-term comfort is made worse by the lack of adequate padding on the headband; I couldn’t use them for more than an hour at a time. 

The controls also provide issues: the main 'b' button is easy to accidentally press when hanging Solo 4 around the neck, and I found the volume buttons hard to locate while wearing. Pressing them also puts undue pressure onto the ears, which, as you can imagine, is an uncomfortable sensation. 

The sound is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the Solo 4. The bass response can be impactful at times but wooly at others, while the mids sound muddy and lack punch compared to more of the best wireless headphones at the same price. These problems aren’t solved if you listen via any of the higher-quality wired options. The upper mids are where the Solo 4 sound their best, but the highest frequencies don’t have enough sparkle and clarity in comparison to the competition.

The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N, for example, are the same price in the US (and cheaper in the UK), and beat the Solo 4 on pretty much all fronts: they have much better sound, comfort levels, and come with ANC. The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is another superb option for those who want something more audiophile-friendly, with impressive ANC and wireless hi-res support.

Beats Solo 4 review: Price & release date

• Priced $199 / £199 / AU$329
• Launched in May 2024
• Available in Matte Black, Slate Blue and Cloud Pink

The Beats Solo 4 are priced at $199 / £199 / AU$329 officially, and were available to buy from May 2nd, 2024.

This is lower than today's flagship headphones – the Beats Studio Pro are $349 / £349, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 officially cost $349 / £299. Both of these are larger, over-ear models with ANC. 

For basically the same price as the Solo 4, you could also get the Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus. Both of these are over-ear rather than on-ear, which usually improves low-end frequency response, and feature ANC and some other features lacking here. The Sennheiser headphones also match the Solo 4’s 50-hour battery, even with ANC on.

Beats Solo 4 review: Specs

Beats Solo 4 review: Features

• Apple and Android smart features
• Lossless wired playback via 3.5mm and USB-C
• No active noise cancellation

The feature set for the Beats Solo 4 is what you would expect from a modern pair of wireless headphones. One-touch Bluetooth connectivity made it easy for me to connect to Android, iPhone and Windows PCs, and lossless audio playback is supported via a wired USB-C connection. This means you can listen to sources that provide superior quality to MP3 or AAC file formats, imparting more detail across the entire frequency range, theoretically. Simultaneous charging is also possible when connected to devices that provide power. 

However, there is no high-resolution audio support when connected via Bluetooth, as the Beats Solo 4 only support AAC and SBC wirelessly, which are both compressed formats; there’s no aptX or LDAC.

There is also a 3.5mm analog input and included cable so you can use them just like a traditional pair of wired headphones, meaning you can enjoy unlimited playback without using any battery power. Again, this can offer higher-quality audio than Bluetooth, and is useful on planes.

The Beats app is responsive, easy to use, and offers options to easily manage privacy controls, such as location permission, notifications and analytics, and battery optimization settings. It also provides the battery level as a percentage that actually updates for all 100 numbers, which is very useful (and not something all headphones provide – some just note when they've dropped by 20%, for example). 

There's fast pairing and auto-switching between compatible devices for both iOS and Android ecosystems – and the Find My system for both platforms in supported. However, Apple users get a few extra features, such as hands-free 'Hey Siri' access and Audio Sharing, which lets users share playback with multiple pairs of AirPods or Beats headphones at a time. Better than these, though, is that Apple users get Personalized Spatial Audio for movies or Dolby Atmos music. There’s no support for this on Android.

I mentioned auto-switching between devices above, but be warned that this only worth within the Apple or Android systems. So, it auto-switches between iPhone and Mac; or it switches between Android and Chromebook. There's no standard multi-point pairing, so you can't switch between, say, an Android phone and Windows laptop seamlessly.

True to their minimalist aesthetic, the Beat Solo 4 headphones only have four buttons, and all of them are pretty well hidden. The main 'b' button is on the left hand side and integrated with the company logo, and controls main functions, such as play/pause and skip track, depending on the number of times it is pressed. The button is tactile and operates smoothly, although I did find it easy to press accidentally, especially when they’re hung around the neck.

The volume controls are located on the ring around the 'b' button, with the top half increasing volume and the bottom decreasing. Again, these function well, but they require too much force to register, which meant I was pressing the entire left driver into the side of my head, which isn't comfortable.

The power button is perhaps the most hidden of all, being a tiny little dot finished in the same color as the rest of the headphones. Locating this blindly when wearing the Solo 4 isn’t easy. It also has to be held down for a few seconds, but hold for too long, and you enter pairing mode. Getting the timing right is tricky, and the only audio prompt you get is when the Bluetooth connection is established. The only indication that the Solo 4 are turned on is a small LED on the outside. Basically, make sure you turn them on before they're on your head.

The microphone is also high quality, although perhaps too eager to pick up extraneous noises. When making a test call with the Solo 4, my interlocutor commented that, although I was coming through clearly and loudly despite the considerable amount of wind outside, other background noises also came through prominently, such as people talking around me in the street.

Beats quotes the battery life as being a generous 50 hours of playback. And during my test, this figure seemed to live up to reality.

I tracked them as generally losing around 5% battery per 2.5 hours (without Spatial Audio turned on), which puts them right in line for the 50-hour claims from Beats. I also observed them drop around 10% after a 6.5 hours of playback too, so you may get a little over 50 hours – but as usual with headphones, it can depend on volume and other factors.

• Features score: 4/5

Beats Solo 4 review: Sound quality

• Bass is hit-and-miss
• Boxy lower mids, clear upper mids
• Great passive noise isolation

Despite Beats having a reputation for bass-heavy headphones, the Solo 4 are pretty controlled on this front. The low frequencies are deep without being overbearing, although they don’t have the precision and control I would hope for. There are times when the bass is too boomy and wooly, especially noticeable in songs with sustained low notes.

The lower mids are also disappointingly muddy, but the upper mids are pleasantly crisp without being harsh. Songs with detailed percussive arrangements, for instance, come across well in the Solo 4. But the highest frequencies don’t sparkle as much as they could, lacking the finer details at the top end of the spectrum.

When connected via USB-C rather than Bluetooth, you get access to lossless audio, which, in theory at least, should provide a listening experience fit for audiophiles. During my audio test via USB-C with our special TechRadar playlist on Tidal – which provides lossless music streaming – the results weren’t radically different to Bluetooth. The bass was still amiss, and while the mids were more punchy, they still weren’t as clear as I would have liked. Using the 3.5mm analog input seemed to marginally improve the quality of these frequencies, but not by much.

In comparison to the Sony ULT Wear headphones and Sennheiser Accentum Wireless that I've already mentioned in this review, there's no competition really – these both offer more detail, a better balance across the frequencies, and a clearly richer experience overall.

Where the Solo 4 shine, though, is the noise isolation. Despite not having any active noise cancellation profiles, external sounds are blocked out well. This helps songs with heavy reverb and a strong sense of space to be comprehensively conveyed. Spatial Audio experiences are also improved by the isolation, making the illusion of the surround sound theater experience more compelling. The dynamic head tracking meant that whichever way I turned my head, even slightly, the audio panned to always match the direction of the source. 

At this price, it’s hard to get a better movie sound experience on headphones than Apple's Spatial Audio tech provides. This is a nice bonus if you'll watch a lot of movies, but really still has limited appeal for those who will only listen to music with them. 

• Sound quality score: 3/5

Beats Solo 4 review: Design

• Snug and secure fit
• Uncomfortable for sustained periods
• Nice colors, but limited selection

The case that comes with the Beats Solo 4 is made from a soft fabric material, which makes for a lighter carrying weight. However, it does make me more concerned about their safety when buried at the bottom of a backpack or stuffed in a suitcase than if they had a hard case.

The opening for the case is also quite small, so using it isn’t exactly a seamless experience: it’s near-impossible to take them out without sliding the headband adjustments, and putting back the included 3.5mm analog and USB-C cables in their own pouches within the case is also quite the chore, since the openings for those are very small as well.

And despite being smaller than over-ear headphones, the depth of the case means that they aren't that much smaller to carry around, if at all. The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N over-ear wireless headphones, for instance – which are bigger than the Solo 4 – have a case which is longer and wider, but thinner, which is something I personally prefer, as I find such cases easier to pack away. 

The Solo 4 stay true to the Beats aesthetic, looking almost identical to the Solo 3. The look is minimal and the Beats logo is displayed prominently on the sides of each can, so everyone knows what you’re wearing. The Slate Blue finish I had is vibrant without being garish, although Matte Black and Cloud Pink are other color options you can choose from. It's a little disappointing there are only three options, since the Solo 3 came in five colors, but I'm sure more will become available over time.

The adjustments on the headband are smooth and relatively easy to make – although this was trickier while wearing them, as they were fairly tight on me. The hinge mechanisms for folding the earcups feels quite loose, and so doesn’t hold them in folded position with much support. The plastic used for the overall construction doesn’t especially premium either when compared to the likes of Sony and Bose headphones.

The fit is very snug and secure, despite being an on-ear design, and so having less surface area on the pads to grip your head. Having used them for exercise, I can say that they stay on without the slightest deviation. Beats has mentioned exercise as a key use case for the Solo 4, and even in a world of fitness-focused earbuds, they do this job very well.

The price I paid for this secureness, however, was a lack of comfort overall. Despite the particularly plush ear pads, the Solo 4 felt the same as any other pair of on-ear headphones I have tried – which is to say, painful after long sessions. Not everyone feels the same but, if you’re someone with sensitive ears to pressure, like me, then these aren’t going to be the on-ear headphones that change your mind. Glasses wearers will also be in even more potential pain – but again, I will concede this is something I am personally quite sensitive to.

But with the Beats Solo 4, the more universal issue is the feeble headband padding, which meant that the top of my head felt the strain as well. The rubber coating also feels cheap and offers too much grip if anything, often sticking to my hair, causing issues when sliding them on and off. 

The upshot is that I couldn’t wear the Solo 4 for more than an hour at a time before I had to give my cranium a break. But when you do take them off and hang them around your neck, I encountered another problem: since the earcups don’t swivel, the edges can rest uncomfortably between the chin and collarbone. It may seem like a small point, but other headphones at this price point do have rotating cups to rectify this problem and make life more comfortable.

• Design score: 3/5

Beats Solo 4 review: Value

• Rivals offer better sound for the same price
• No ANC is disappointing
• Smart features for both Android and iOS is rare

The Beats Solo 4 are priced at $199 / £199 / AU$329, and the competition at this point is quite stiff. The Sony ULT Wear WH-ULT900N, for instance, are currently available for the same price, if not cheaper, and best the Solo 4 in virtually every aspect. I tested them directly against the Solo 4, since we had both in for review at the same time.

The Sony headphones have superior sound and comfort levels, as well as having more features, including ANC. The Beats Solo 4 almost get away with this omission thanks to their frankly excellent natural noise isolating capabilities, but it’s still far perfect, and other headphones at this price point feature ANC too.

In no small part, you'll be paying for the specific styling and the unique mix of Android- and iOS-friendly features. A lot of people will feel that's worth it, but I'm not sure it's quite enough. These features, plus Apple's top-tier Spatial Audio, good battery life and USB-C audio mean they're reasonable for the price overall – but you can spend your money better.

• Value score: 2.5/5

Should I buy the Beats Solo 4?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Beats Solo 4 review: Also consider

How I tested the Beats Solo 4

• Tested on Android, iPhone and PC
• Streamed music from Tidal and used stored MP3 tracks
• Tested over 10 days

I tested the Beats Solo 4 over the course of a week, in various scenarios. I tried them with an Android phone and an iPhone, as well as a laptop and a Fiio M11S high resolution music player. I made use of all their supported features, including wireless playback via Bluetooth, and wired via 3.5mm analog and USB-C. 

I listened to music directly from lowly MP3 files in 320kbps quality, as well as via hi-res streaming service Tidal. I tested them with a variety of genres, including rock, pop, electronic, classical and jazz. I listened both in quiet indoor environments and noisy outdoor ones. I also tried exercising with them to test how secure the fit was.

I also made phone calls and recorded voice memos with the Solo 4 to test the microphone quality too. 

I also tested the battery life by leaving the headphones connected to a mobile device via Bluetooth to play through a playlist at a typical listening volume.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: May 2024

The iFi GO Bar Kensei is another reminder that iFi knows precisely what’s what when it comes to headphone amps and DACs of all shapes, sizes and prices. More often than not, it’s among the leaders in any given market. And so it’s decided what the humble USB DAC/headphone amp needs is a bit of glamour to go along with performance. Hence, the GO Bar Kensei.

On paper and in the palm, it makes a lot of sense. The specification is extensive, the finish – all tactile Japanese stainless steel that catches the light – is unarguably upmarket. If you want to put an absolute rocket up the sound of your smartphone and enjoy ownership of a premium product as you do so, it would seem to be just the ticket.

And in practice, the GO Bar Kensei makes good on a lot of what it promises. It’s a deft, rhythmically adept and impressively spacious listen, able to retrieve a huge amount of detail and put it all into the proper context. It has plenty of dynamic headroom, and is able to apply its talents to any digital audio file no matter where you source it from. 

It overplays its hand somewhat at the top of the frequency range, though – ‘brilliance’ is not always a positive when it comes to treble sounds, especially when there’s not the substance to balance it out. And there’s a periodic glitch in the way the GO Bar Kensei performs that sends an unpleasant burst of noise to your headphones at the start of a new file, too. Both of these things undermine the iFi somewhat when compared to the best portable DACs, and make it a fair bit less compelling than it otherwise would be.

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Price and release date

• Released in March 2024
• Priced at $499 / £449 / AU$769

The iFi GO Bar Kensei portable headphone amp/DAC is on sale now for $449 in the United States, £449 United Kingdom and in Australia, it will set you back AU$769 or thereabouts.

The world is not short of portable USB headphone amp/DACs, of course. What it is slightly shorter of is really quite expensive USB headphone amp/DACs, and shorter still of really quite expensive USB headphone amp/DACs that have gotten completely carried away with Japanese sword master analogies. So this iFi has quite a bit to prove… 

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Features

• 32bit Cirrus Logic DAC
• ‘K2HD’ audio processing technology
• Balanced and unbalanced outputs

The GO Bar Kensei is necessarily compact, but that hasn’t prevented iFi from cramming it with features.

On the inside, iFi has sourced components from companies as well-regarded as muRata, Panasonic, TDK and Tantalum. These all serve to facilitate a 32bit Cirrus Logic DAC chipset that supports digital audio files of up to 32bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 resolution, with full MQA decoding on board too. The DAC uses a 16-core XMOS microcontroller to process the audio data received at the USB-C input. 

And iFi has deployed technology derived from JVCKenwood too – ‘K2’ was originally developed to try and bring an ‘organic quality’ and ‘sound quality correction’ (JVCKenwood’s words, not mine) to digital recordings. iFi has breathed on it to the point that JVCKenwood asserts that it’s ‘the original ideal K2 sound’. Which is why, presumably, iFi has decided to refer to it as ‘K2HD’. 

Further finessing of the sound is available via four digital filters and a couple of analogue processing modes, all of which will be familiar to anyone who’s paid any attention to iFi products released over the last few years. ‘Bit-perfect’, ‘GTO’ (which stands for Gibbs Transient Optimised, of course), ‘minimum phase’ and ‘standard’ are all, supposedly, able to make particular genres of music sound, well, more genre-ish. ‘XBass+’ intends to accentuate the lower frequencies, and ‘XSpace’ wants to expand the sound field. 

No doubt you’ll investigate all of these options at your leisure. But no matter what your eventual preference(s), getting sound out of the GO Bar Kensei happens using either the 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced output at the opposite end of the device to the USB-C slot.  

Features score: 5 / 5

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Sound quality

• Rapid, detailed and spacious sound
• Positive and dynamic attitude
• Overplays its hand with treble sounds

The sound quality the GO Bar Kensei delivers is, I reckon, a game of two slightly lop-sided halves plus a bit of extra time. And everything I’m about to say applies no matter which of the many filter and/or processing options you deploy. It’s possible to fiddle around the edges of the iFi’s sound, but its fundamental character is always apparent.

The first of the halves centres on just how rapid, detailed, open and organised a performer the GO Bar Kensei is. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a 24bit/96kHz FLAC file of David Bowie’s Low, a Dolby Atmos stream of De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising or a 24bit/192kHz copy of Billie Eilish’s When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - every time, the iFi extracts and contextualises a huge amount of both broad and fine detail. No occurrence is too felting or too far back in a mix to escape its attention – and as a result, the sensation that you’re getting a complete picture is always present.

It digs reasonably deep at the bottom of the frequency range, and controls the low end to the point that rhythmic expression is good and momentum is undeniable. The big, open and well-defined nature of its soundstage allows every element of a recording the space it needs to properly express itself, and it allows vocalists in the midrange to communicate explicitly. There’s real eloquence and directness to the way the GO Bar Kensei delivers a singer, a sensation of positivity that feeds into the overall idea of ‘performance’ and ‘unity’.

Dynamic expression is good too, whether it’s the shifts in volume and intensity that many recordings indulge in or the more subtle (but no less significant) harmonic variations in a solo voice or instrument. The iFi can be muscular when needs be, but it’s just as capable of being tender and delicate.

The second half concerns the way the GO Bar Kensei deals with the top of the frequency range. To put it bluntly, it’s altogether too confident where treble sounds are concerned – they’re overstated in every circumstance, and tonally they lack substance and body. The top end here is crashy and splashy, hard-edged and thin – and these unhappy traits are only compounded by increases in volume. If you pair the iFi with similarly treble-centric headphones then your teeth will constantly be on edge.

And there’s extra time, which has nothing to do with the way the GO Bar Kensei sounds but everything to do with the way it performs. On occasion, when one file ends and the next begins, the iFi will let loose a very short burst of utterly startling electrical noise, a sort of exclamation of white noise that is, of course, entirely unwelcome and obviously unintentional. It doesn’t happen every time, but it happens often enough. And it’s not as if it’s provoked by switching from one streaming service to another or anything like that – simply hitting ‘play’ on a playlist can goad it. As I say, this is by no means a constant – but in some ways, it’s even more upsetting because it doesn’t happen every time. It seems to happen (to me, anyway) more often when using iFi’s USB-C/Lightning connector attached to an iPhone than when using the USB-C/USB-C cable with a Samsung smartphone… but either way, I’m not a fan. 

Sound quality: 3.5 / 5 

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Design

• 65 x 22 x 13mm (HxWxD)
• Japanese stainless steel
• Very, very small user interface

At 65 x 22 x 13mm (HxWxD) the GO Bar Kensei is certainly pocket-sized, but at almost 66g it feels quite dense. The fact that it’s built almost entirely from Japanese stainless steel is probably to blame – but while it puts a little more strain on your pocket that most USB DACs, there’s no denying the iFi feels (and looks) like a premium product.

At one end of the stick there’s a USB-C slot, and at the other you’ll find the 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs. Along one side there are a few controls – a multi-function button that allows you to check out the various digital filters and analogue processing modes, a button each for ‘volume up’ and ‘volume down’ and the ‘IEMatch’ switch. This last has three positions: ‘off’, ‘3.5’ and ‘4.4’.

On the rear of the stick, etched into the steel surface and consequently only visible when a) very close, and b) in favourable light, are a strip of miniscule LEDs that let you know what’s what (if your eyesight is up to it) in terms of mode, file type and file size. And on the top surface, there’s a company logo and some Japanese characters reading ‘Kensei’ – which apparently translates as ‘sword saint’.  

Design score: 4 / 5 

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Usability and setup

• Plug your source into the USB-C input…
• Plug your headphones into the 3.5mm or 4.4mm output…
•  …and select your ‘IEMatch’ position

‘Setup’ is to overstate what’s required here. The GO Bar Kensei attaches to your source player via its USB-C slot (iFi provides short, good-quality USB-C/USB-C and USB-C/Lightning cables for this purpose) and to your headphones using either its 3.5mm unbalanced or 4.4mm balanced output. 

Then you simply need to decide if you need to deploy the ‘IEMatch’ switch, and whether or not you enjoy the effect of the ‘XBass+’ and/or ‘XSpace’ settings – and that’s about everything. Audio equipment doesn’t get any more straightforward.

Usability and setup score: 5 / 5 

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Value

• Priced in line with rivals
• Comparative to the cost of a digital audio player

It depends which way you look at it, really. The iFi GO Bar Kensei is among the more capable USB-sized headphone amp/DACs around – although it’s far from perfect – and is able to turn your smartphone into a far better source of music than it’s capable of being by itself. 

But it costs the sort of money that can get you close to buying a very decent dedicated portable music player… but if you decide to spend the money on one of the best MP3 players instead, you have to take two phone-sized devices out with you… decisions, decisions…   

Should I buy iFi GO Bar Kensei?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

iFi GO Bar Kensei review: Also consider

How I tested the iFi GO Bar Kensei

• Tested for a week 
• Used with iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23
• Listened with Grado SR325x headphones

On and off, I spent maybe a week listening to the GO Bar Kensei. I used it with Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S23 smartphones. I connected it to Sennheiser IE900 in-ear monitors via its 4.4mm balanced output and to a pair of Grado SR325x over-ears using its 3.5mm connection. 

I used it while at home, on the street, and on the train. I mostly listened to music from TIDAL and Qobuz (because these streaming services are full of high-resolution content of MQA and 24bit/192kHz standard), and I checked out its various digital filters and analogue processing modes as I did so.

• First reviewed: May 2024
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

If you've already read our how to connect AirPods to Android phones and tablets, then you'll likely be familiar with the steps as they're largely the same with any Samsung phone or tablet – and also work as a rough guide for connecting to Samsung TVs.  

Of course, you'll miss out on certain Apple features like support for Siri, in-ear detection, auto-switching between devices, spatial audio (including personalized with head tracking), Find My, and custom sound modes and controls but they do still work as an effective pair of headphones.  

Steps for how to connect AirPods to Samsung devices

• Open your device's Settings menu 
• Go to the connectivity or audio settings 
• Put your AirPods into pairing mode
• Select and pair your AirPods  

Step by step guide for how to connect AirPods to a Samsung phone

Step by step guide for how to connect AirPods to a Samsung TV

How to connect AirPods to Samsung devices: Final thoughts

While using an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV 4K will offer you the best experience when listening with AirPods, Samsung devices are great products too. One useful feature of Samsung devices that Apple doesn't yet have – for example – is support for next-generation Bluetooth connectivity. The software update was released last year to bring Auracast tech to its latest TVs and earbuds. However, AirPods don't yet support Auracast so this is not something you can take advantage of. That may change in the future but as it stands, AirPods are still effective headphones with Samsung devices. 

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