Best Black Friday Deals on Headphones

The AirPods Pro 3 are Apple’s latest top-of-the-line earbuds, and they’re packed with features at a very low price.. The new functions include live translation and a workout mode that allows you to leave your Apple Watch at home. They still offer a clinical-grade hearing test and the option of turning your Pro 3s into an over-the-counter hearing aid. They also sound good and offer a better fit and noise canceling than last year’s Pro 2s. They don’t go on sale very often, so this is an opportunity to get the latest tech at an enticing price.

The AirPods Max is Apple’s top-of-the-line noise-cancelling headphone. They sound really good and feature superb and flexible noise-canceling with a high-performing transparency mode to pipe in outside sound. But the biggest selling point might be the distinctive design and premium feel we’ve all come to expect from an Apple product. Their biggest drawback has always been their high price. But that seems to be solved on Black Friday; they’re back down the same low price we saw last year on Black Friday, a price that is not available outside of this sale.

In Apple’s AirPod lineup, the AirPods 4 is a rather unusual model–call it old school–and the very low price right now allows you to gift a pair of AirPods for around $100 (and even less at Amazon). Lacking the silicone and foam ear tips of the AirPods Pro 3, which sit snugly in your ear canals, the AirPods 4 offer limited passive noise cancellation. However, they do feature reasonably effective active noise-canceling. This allows you to turn the noise-canceling feature off and hear what’s going on around you, which can be great when you’re on a run or walking on a busy street. In terms of sound and fit, the buds are very similar to the regular AirPods 4 without noise-canceling, and for that matter, Apple’s older entry-level AirPods without the "Pro" designation.

If you’re looking for earbuds that prioritize fit above all else, check out the Beats Fit Pro. These noise-canceling buds have soft silicone ear tips in three sizes, plus wingtips that fit into the pinna (the exterior of your ear) for additional security. They have actual buttons, too, rather than the touch-sensitive controls on many other models, which may make it easier to operate them while on the go. The Fit Pros also sound really good and feature effective active noise cancellation, making them a solid alternative to the similarly priced AirPods Pro.

The Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds sit near the top of our ratings, with really satisfying sound and exceptional active noise cancellation. Bose headphones also earn top marks from our members for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction. They’re back down to the same low price we saw during the big sales in early October.

If you want earbuds, but don’t like the feel of plugging up your ears, the Bose Ultra Opens are a unique option. They hook on your ear, just above the lobe, kind of like a cuff-style earring. They sound surprisingly good, too, once you get the placement just right. And it’s totally easy to hear things around you with a clarity that the "transparency" mode of most earbuds can’t match.

Yes, the  Dyson On Trac noise-cancelling headphones come from the company best known for its vacuums, and there’s a lot to like about them, including this 50 percent discount. The On Tracs are beautifully designed, allow for color customization, and most of all sound superb with excellent noise-canceling tech. Early production models emitted an ovely loud (and even startling) tone when you switched from noise-canceling to transparency mode. If that’s been fixed, the On Tracs, which had a list price of almost $500, represent an enticing value at less than $250. If not, remember to lower the volume when switching modes.

If you’re a fan of the Google Pixel phone, then the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are a solid choice for a complementary earbud. They have a Find My Device function, and the sound can be adjusted through the Pixel app. The Pixel Buds 2 earn very good sound quality grades and score well for noise cancellation. They’re now $10 less than they were during the last big sale, making this a great time to get them for a deep discount.

This wireless Bluetooth iPod/iPad/cellphone-centric headphone from JBL is a solid pick. The JBL Tune 660NC delivers very good sound quality and excellent active noise reduction. These headphones have a closed design, so they will provide some muffling of external noises and also reduce the amount of sound that escapes from the headphones.

This low-priced wireless earbud from JBL delivers acceptable sound quality and top-notch active noise reduction. These have silicone ear tips that isolate outside sounds and an ambient sound monitoring feature. They’re not high performers, but at this price, they’re great to give to kids who tend to lose things or to just toss into your gym bag or backpack for a spare pair.

The Galaxy Buds FE pair nicely with Samsung Galaxy phones, with phone-specific features like live translation. Their noise cancellation works effectively, and the sound quality is solidly above average. Our testers also find that, with wingtips that help the earbuds stay in place, the Galaxy Buds FE fit users with a variety of head and ear sizes. And they’re at the best price we’ve seen since Prime Day in July, when they dropped to $50.

If you’re looking for high-value noise-canceling headphones, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus is a very solid option. They’re amiable companions, with robust bass, neutral midrange, and that sense of lively openness that makes really good headphones fun to listen to. They’re also pleasantly light in weight, and the fit and stability are good for most of our testers, though those with large heads and/or prominent ears may want to double-check the fit. At their street price of $249, they’re not a bad value. Take $100 off that, and you’re getting impressive quality at a very nice price.

While there’s nothing revolutionary about the design of Sonos’s first headphone, it’s very well-executed. The sleek and even minimalist Ace is actually flattering when sitting on your head. This wireless noise-canceling model also offers warm, comforting sound and solid bass. If you’re a fan of the Sonos brand, this is a great opportunity to purchase this model at a substantial discount, since it doesn’t often go on sale.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is two generations old—Sony recently introduced the XM6—but headphone tech doesn’t advance that rapidly, and the XM remains a solid performer with fine sound and very effective noise-canceling. Most importantly, at well-under $200 it’s a flat-out bargain, with performance that competes with models that are double the price

These sleek true wireless earbuds may be a bit expensive, but their stellar sound quality makes them more than worth it if you love music. The price yo-yos a lot, but this is the rather usual discount, so there’s a chance it may get better on Cyber Monday. The XM5s are sleek successors to the company’s stellar WF1000XM4s, and they deliver so much musical detail that you simply hear your favorite songs in a different way. The noise-canceling performance of the XM5s is top-notch as well, and Sony headphones have a very effective ambient mode that pipes in outside noise for safety or convenience.

If you want a pair of noise-canceling earbuds at a budget price, check out the Soundcore Space A40s. The bass packs some wallop, and the overall sound is warm, which makes the A40s pleasant to listen to over a long period of time. The noise cancellation earns top marks from CR’s testers, too—there’s even a transparency mode that allows you to monitor your surroundings when you’re out running or walking down a busy street. The discount isn’t steep, but these super low-price earbuds are a serious bargain even at their normal street price.