Best headphones with a high-quality microphone for calls

The fifth generation of Redmi headphones from Xiaomi is a solution at the junction of the entry-level and mid-price segments. The "plugs" are characterized by compact dimensions and light weight (5 grams each), have moisture protection, and have acquired quite convenient touch control. Advanced settings are provided by the proprietary Xiaomi Earbuds application, where in addition to choosing various operating modes, the headphone search function is also available.

Xiaomi Redmi Buds 5 sync seamlessly with Android smartphones and iPhones. Bluetooth v 5.3 connection provides a respectable 10-meter range.

The headphones have active noise reduction ANC, which means that the external background can be reduced to a minimum. Several settings for this function are available at once. For example, a low noise reduction level is suitable for an office, and the maximum level is suitable for a busy street. There is also a transparency mode. It will allow you to hear people's voices, the signal of an electric scooter or a car while playing tracks.

It is worth highlighting a high-quality microphone with its own “noise suppressor”, which means that during calls all participants in the conversation can count on clear and intelligible speech.

The model's strengths include a long operating time without recharging, which can reach 10 hours, and up to 40 hours with recharging in the "native" case. In addition, a fast charging function is implemented - 5 minutes of power will provide up to two more hours of listening to music. You will also be pleased with the presence of a USB C connector, which has turned into a standard port for mobile devices.

The downside of the headphones is that in transparency mode the sound is noticeably distorted and seems somewhat artificial. Otherwise, Xiaomi Redmi Buds 5 is a good choice for both listening to music and voice communication. And besides, without overpaying.

The 2024 debutant from Realme is a mid-budget TWS headphone, one of the key features of which is support for adaptive noise cancellation. Thus, the ANC system itself takes into account the surrounding conditions and selects one of three levels of "muffling", eliminating up to 50 dB. There is also a transparent mode so as not to miss anything important happening around you while listening to tracks.

Buds Air 5 are compatible with the proprietary realme Link app, have customizable touch controls, and support Apple Siri / Google Assistant voice assistants. It also has the Dynamic Bass Boost function for enhancing and flexibly adjusting bass. Yes, and in general, the sound of the lower frequencies of the model is at a very decent level.

The headphones are able to please not only bass lovers. Thanks to a special gaming mode with low delays of up to 45 ms, the model may be of interest to gamers. And a set of 6 microphones + ENC system allows you to use the model as a headset, and the interlocutor will hear your speech first of all, and not background noise.

There is also good IPX5 water protection, which is enough for active sports (even in moderate rain). Bonuses include Dolby Atmos support, and this standard has proven itself well in cinematography.

By today's standards, the headphones do not provide a record, but quite decent battery life. With active noise cancellation, it will be about 4.5 hours when listening to music, and up to 4 hours when talking, and with ANC turned off - up to 7 hours. The 460 mAh case battery will provide from 22 to 38 hours of operation (depending on the use of "noise cancellation"). An important plus is fast charging. Thus, the capacity of the "plugs" themselves at 43 mAh is replenished in just 10 minutes.

Realme Buds Air 5 are interesting headphones with adaptive noise cancellation and convincing bass in their price segment.

Soundcore brand in-ear headphones have a stylish, laconic design and are lightweight (5 grams each "plug"). The model easily pairs with a smartphone using Bluetooth v 5.2 and maintains a connection at a distance of up to 10 meters.

As usual, Life P3i provides touch control, which, among other things, allows you to adjust the volume without taking out your phone. By the way, if you don’t like the default sensor commands, you can reassign them in the proprietary Soundcore application. There are also 22 presets for the equalizer and the ability to create your own sound profile.

The headphones support active noise reduction, which is claimed to be able to muffle up to 90% of loud sounds, be it gusts of wind, shouts, traffic flows, etc. Microphones for voice communication are also supplemented with a "noise suppressor". In addition, voice amplification technologies based on artificial intelligence algorithms are implemented here. Speech is automatically recognized, its clarity and volume are increased, which will be useful both for calls and when listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

The model also supports a transparent mode, but the audibility of surrounding sounds directly depends on the volume of the music. So, if the regulator is closer to Max, then you will no longer hear the voices around you.

The battery life of the headphones depends on the usage scenario. Without noise cancellation, you can get up to 9 hours of non-stop operation or 36 hours with the case. With the ANC system active, the battery life drops to 6 hours, which is still an excellent indicator. And if this is not enough for you, then a quick 10-minute charge will come to the rescue, after which you will have another 2 hours of listening to tracks.

Soundcore Life P3i are noteworthy TWS headphones with active noise cancellation and improved voice transmission.

Wireless headphones from JBL belong to the mid-price segment and do not claim to be a music-lover's model for demanding users. At the same time, this is a good option for everyday use at an adequate price - to watch a movie at home, and listen to music on the way to work or during a workout. The minimalist design can be called practical and inconspicuous, although the manufacturer tried to dilute the picture with bright orange inserts. The kit includes three pairs of silicone tips of different sizes, which provide a comfortable fit in the ear, hold their shape and add good passive noise insulation. IPX4 moisture protection ensures that the headphones can be left on during rain or intense training in the gym.

One of the main advantages of the gadget is its good autonomy. One charge of the headphones is enough for up to 10 hours of continuous listening to music, and the charging case increases this time to 40 hours. Of course, these are the maximum figures calculated taking into account the turned off noise reduction. The device is fully charged in 2 hours, and just 10 minutes of charging is enough for 2 hours of autonomous work.

JBL Tune 235NC are equipped with 6 mm drivers and are a universal model for listening to music of different genres. The JBL Headphones mobile application has an equalizer and several ready-made sound profiles: for enhancing bass, clear vocals, more accentuated instrumental accompaniment, etc. The active noise cancellation system copes well with its tasks, muffling ambient sounds.

In addition, the headphones can be used as a headset for phone calls. 4 microphones provide clear sound and good audibility of the speaker. Ambient Aware mode allows you to hear what is happening around you, and the TalkThru function reduces the volume so that you can communicate with people without removing the headphones. True, this is not very convenient, because it is easier to remove the earphone than to take out your smartphone and select the TalkThru settings in the app. And VoiceAware allows you to adjust the volume of your voice during calls.

Wireless headphones from the OnePlus alumnus, who founded the rather successful Nothing company, are positioned as an affordable model (compared to top devices) with good characteristics and fully confirm this status. One of the main features of Nothing devices is the design, so Ear (a) successfully stands out against the background of monotonous competitors. There are 3 colors to choose from, including bright yellow, and some parts of the headphones and charging case are made of transparent material, through which you can see all the "insides". It looks original and even futuristic. The headphones weigh about 5 g each, sit comfortably in the ears and do not fly out of them even during active sports. The case easily fits in a jeans pocket. The headphones are protected from moisture according to the IP54 standard, but the case has a more modest protection - IPX2, that is, you should not keep it in the rain or wet it.

Unlike most models, the Nothing Ear (a) do not respond to touch or swipe, although they do have a touch control function. Instead, you need to squeeze the “feet” to pause playback, change tracks, and turn noise cancellation on/off. In addition, there is an auto-pause function, when the music automatically stops when you take off the headphones.

The headphones are equipped with 11-mm dynamic drivers and support the LDAC codec, which allows you to transmit high-resolution content ( Hi-Res Audio). In the equalizer, you can adjust the sound yourself and enhance the low frequencies using 5 intensity levels. In general, the volume reserve is more than enough, the sound of the headphones is not bad, although the low frequencies still indicate that these are mid-level headphones.

Useful features include Multipoint for connecting to two devices simultaneously, 3 microphones in each earphone with noise cancellation for clear audibility during calls, and a special game mode (Game Mode) to reduce sound latency. ANC allows you to not only completely isolate yourself from surrounding sounds, but also set a transparent mode to hear your boss's voice in the office or car horns on the street. And the adaptive mode will muffle noise depending on the environment.

A separate "highlight" of the model is the integration with Chat GPT. You can ask the artificial intelligence what the exchange rate is today, how to cook rice and whether it is worth investing in bitcoin. It is not a fact that it will answer correctly, but you can ask. However, this function is only available with Nothing smartphones.

And finally, let's talk about battery life. The headphones work on a single charge for up to 9.5 hours or 42.5 hours with the charging case, but this is with noise cancellation turned off. With ANC turned on, these figures are much more modest - 5.5 and 24.5 hours, respectively. Wireless charging is not provided, but there is fast charging - just 10 minutes of charging provides 10 hours of listening to music.